What if your biggest entrepreneurial edge wasn’t your skills or network, but your capacity to endure setbacks and keep innovating anyway? This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis talks to Ankur Gopal, founder and CEO of Interapt, named one of the “100 Most Meaningful Businesses in the World.” Ankur shares how discovering his own resilience reshaped his journey from Kentucky to nationwide impact. He explains how Interapt’s paid tech apprenticeships train and launch talent from underserved comm...
Jul 03, 2025•49 min•Season 13Ep. 24
Ever feel like your digital life has turned into a mind-bending simulation? This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis sits down with Hannah Koizumi and Hugh Jones, co-founders of Drumbeat Labs and the nonprofit Civic Attention, to dissect how today’s online platforms hijack our attention and warp our sense of reality. Hannah, a data scientist and civic organizer, and Hugh, a self-taught developer and digital strategist, break down the evolution from genuine social connection to endless scrolli...
Jun 26, 2025•54 min•Season 13Ep. 23
How does a company as massive as Microsoft keep innovating year after year? Patrick McGinnis sits down with 20-year Microsoft veteran Dean Carignan, co-author of The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft, to find out. Dean reveals the surprisingly learnable and scalable strategies behind the tech giant’s transformation, from launching Xbox to navigating the AI frontier. You’ll learn why innovation isn’t just about invention, how a growth mindset reshaped Microsoft’s culture, and why the com...
Jun 19, 2025•47 min•Season 13Ep. 22
What drives someone to turn down the 9-to-5 path before it even begins? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis talks to Firat İşbecer, CEO of Commencis and one of Turkey’s most active angel investors, about how he knew early on that he would never work for someone else. Firat recounts the founding of Pozitron, a mobile banking startup launched before smartphones became ubiquitous, and how he scaled and sold it to Monitise, setting off a new chapter in venture building. Now at the helm...
Jun 12, 2025•47 min•Season 13Ep. 21
Forget the glossy startup story. This week, serial entrepreneurs Kass and Mike Lazerow join Patrick J. McGinnis to blow up the myths of effortless success. These two built and sold Golf.com and Buddy Media (to Salesforce for $745M)—but not without near-death experiences, crippling anxiety, and plenty of shoveling $h!t along the way. In this raw and often hilarious conversation, they share the real playbook: how to lead with emotional honesty, use anxiety as a superpower, raise capital when every...
Jun 05, 2025•53 min•Season 13Ep. 20
Are you constantly battling the feeling of not having enough time? Join Patrick McGinnis as he explores the enlightening world of Oliver Burkeman, the acclaimed author of 4,000 Weeks and his latest release, Meditations for Mortals. Oliver shares his surprising realization that doing everything is impossible and how embracing our limitations can lead to greater productivity and peace of mind. Together, they unpack the modern phenomenon of FOMO, its roots in our digital age, and the universal chal...
May 29, 2025•53 min•Season 13Ep. 19
From revolutionizing the mattress industry with Casper to tackling the complex world of mental health with AI, Neil Parikh’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspiring. Join Patrick McGinnis as they dive into Neil’s ability to persevere through adversity, a trait honed through both personal challenges and the ups and downs of scaling a billion-dollar business. They explore Casper’s disruptive success, the critical supply chain crisis, and the lessons learned from taking a company publ...
May 22, 2025•52 min•Season 13Ep. 18
What happens when a driven entrepreneur is suddenly forced to confront the ultimate test—not in the boardroom, but in his own body? In this powerful episode of FOMO Sapiens, Romain Kapadia—founder, investor, marathoner, and stage four cancer survivor—joins Patrick McGinnis to explore how resilience, mindset, and business acumen intersect in the face of life-altering adversity. Romain shares the unconventional tools he used to navigate both startup chaos and his diagnosis, including his non-negot...
May 15, 2025•46 min•Season 13Ep. 17
Get ready to dive into the electrifying world of nightlife and brand building with Josh Wyatt, the CEO of Avant Gardner and the iconic Brooklyn Mirage. Join Patrick McGinnis as they explore Josh’s journey from risk-averse to embracing bold ventures, a transformation that led him to helm cultural hotspots like Noya House and Fotografiska. Discover the magic behind the relaunch of the Brooklyn Mirage, a purpose-built entertainment mecca in New York City. Josh shares the innovative strategies he's ...
May 08, 2025•52 min•Season 13Ep. 16
Can you actually become more outgoing, more conscientious, or even more emotionally stable? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis sits down with Olga Khazan, staff writer for The Atlantic and author of Weird, to dive into the science of personality change. Drawing from her own experience to become more extroverted, Olga explains how traits we once thought were fixed can shift through small, intentional actions. From the Big Five to mindfulness and behavioral tweaks, this conversation...
May 01, 2025•48 min•Season 13Ep. 15
Isabelle Hau, author of "Love to Learn" and Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins Patrick McGinnis on FOMO Sapiens to discuss the critical importance of relational intelligence (RQ) in child development. Hau, who overcame early assessments of low academic aptitude, emphasizes the need for nurturing relationships and free play to counteract the relational deprivation crisis affecting children today. She highlights the impact of smaller families, reduced play time, and...
Apr 24, 2025•46 min•Season 13Ep. 14
On this week’s episode of FOMO Sapiens, Kevin Evers, senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There’s Nothing Like This, uncovers the secrets behind Taylor Swift’s business brilliance. Patrick McGinnis explores how Swift built a brand through consistency, trust, and innovation while making bold moves to stay ahead of the competition. Evers delves into her customer obsession, drawing comparisons to Jeff Bezos, and how her use of social media fosters FOMO and loyalty among fans. With...
Apr 17, 2025•42 min•Season 13Ep. 13
In an age where media often feels oversaturated, Nayeema Raza is boldly carving out a space for genuine curiosity and fearless inquiry through her podcast Smart Girl Dumb Questions. On this week’s FOMO Sapiens, Patrick J. McGinnis dives into Nayeema’s journey—from producing at top outlets like The New York Times to launching her own independent show. Nayeema shares how she’s turning “dumb” questions into an essential tool for sparking deep, meaningful conversations. This episode explores the art...
Apr 11, 2025•49 min•Season 13Ep. 12
What if the right question could change everything? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis sits down with Topaz Adizes, Emmy award-winning writer, director, and founder of Skin Deep, to explore the transformative power of asking well-crafted questions. With over 1,250 intimate conversations under his belt, Topaz explains how discomfort in a question—not the answer—can deepen connections and foster resilience. He shares practical techniques for creating open, vulnerable spaces that go ...
Apr 03, 2025•48 min•Season 13Ep. 11
The future isn’t something that just happens—it’s something you can design. This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Frederik Pferdt, Google's first-ever Chief Innovation Evangelist and author of What’s Next Is Now, to uncover how the world’s top innovators reframe uncertainty, take action, and shape their own futures. Frederik shares why the most successful people don’t fear change—they leverage it—and how shifting your mindset from “having” to “being” and “feeling” can create breakthr...
Mar 27, 2025•47 min•Season 13Ep. 10
What if you just walked away—literally? This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Tom Turcich, the 10th person in history to walk around the world, to explore what seven years of solitude, cultural immersion, and extreme endurance taught him about risk-taking, adaptability, and finding purpose in the unknown. With only a backpack and his loyal dog, Savannah, Tom navigated 38 countries, countless challenges, and life-altering moments—from dangerous encounters to deep self-discovery. Now, ...
Mar 20, 2025•55 min•Season 13Ep. 9
What kind of person looks at an old, abandoned building and thinks, This should be a museum about words? Ann B. Friedman did. But turning that vision into reality wasn’t easy. This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick talks with Ann about the steep challenges of launching Planet Word—from convincing funders to back an untested concept to navigating DC politics and designing exhibits that actually engage modern audiences (including those who claim they "don’t like reading"). Ann shares how she tackled s...
Mar 13, 2025•50 min•Season 13Ep. 8
Most people think virtual communication is just about choosing between email, Slack, or Zoom. But according to Prof. Andrew Brodsky, an expert in virtual communication and Top 40 Under 40 MBA Professor, that’s dead wrong. In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Andrew to unpack why digital conversations fail, how to build trust and rapport remotely, and why “in-person bias” can actually hurt productivity. Andrew’s expertise isn’t just academic—his personal journey battling cancer...
Mar 06, 2025•45 min
Most founders chase funding. Maura Duggan didn’t. Instead, she took a completely different path, scaling Fancypants Baking Co. into a national brand—all without venture capital, an MBA, or a safety net. On this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Maura to unpack how her neuroscience background shaped her approach to consumer psychology, product development, and brand strategy. But it wasn’t all science and strategy—she also had to survive near bankruptcy, a brutal learning curve in t...
Feb 27, 2025•47 min•Season 13Ep. 6
Does deep work truly boost productivity, or is it just another overhyped trend? This week on FOMO Sapiens, Patrick J. McGinnis checks in with Molly Sonsteng and Jeremy Redleaf, co-founders of Caveday, a company that claims to help people work smarter, not harder. They discuss how their productivity method has evolved from in-person sessions in Soho to a global online movement—but does it actually deliver results? We examine real data, success stories, and counterarguments, including why some peo...
Feb 20, 2025•49 min•Season 13Ep. 5
Want to learn the secrets to a richer, wiser, and happier life? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, we delve into the world of investing with William Green, author of "Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life." William shares his insights from interviewing some of the most successful investors in the world, exploring their strategies, mindsets, and approaches to wealth and fulfillment. We discuss the importance of deferred gratification, embracing uncertain...
Feb 13, 2025•58 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Ever felt lost in a conversation, unsure of what to say or how to keep things interesting? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, we delve into the secrets of captivating conversations with HBS professor and author of "TALK," Dr. Alison Wood Brooks. Her research reveals that conversation is a "coordination game," where we constantly make choices, often without fully understanding the other person's goals. She offers practical advice and actionable strategies to improve your communication skills in any...
Feb 06, 2025•52 min•Season 13Ep. 3
Is work-life balance a myth? Colleen Pelly, founder and CEO of The Linchpin Co., joins FOMO Sapiens to challenge the conventional notion of "balance" and introduce a more sustainable approach sharing a refreshing perspective on achieving work-life harmony without sacrificing success. Colleen, who's helped top brands like Tesla and Lululemon build high-performing teams, shares her insights on prioritizing, setting boundaries, managing stress, and overcoming imposter syndrome to pursue greater ful...
Jan 30, 2025•46 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Want to build a network that pushes you to be your best? In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, we dive deep with Keith Ferrazzi, bestselling author of "Never Eat Alone" and "Leading Without Authority," to drop some serious wisdom on how to ditch the "lone wolf" mentality and create co-elevating relationships that fuel your life and business. Keith, who grew up believing people were the key to unlocking his dreams, shares his journey and tactical advice for building genuine connections that accelerate...
Jan 23, 2025•50 min•Season 13Ep. 1
Every Tuesday PatGPT, Patrick J. McGinnis the host of FOMO Sapiens generates responses to key questions in entrepreneurship, business, productivity, and life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 17, 2024•26 min
What does it take to turn a simple vacation idea into a global brand? This week on FOMO Sapiens we chat with Claudia Glass, the founder of Swijin, a revolutionary sports tech startup, who, as a former high school English teacher, transformed her passion for fitness into a groundbreaking venture. Discover how a simple idea during a vacation led to the creation of a high-performance sports bra that's changing the game for athletes worldwide. We'll delve into the challenges she faced, from securing...
Dec 12, 2024•49 min•Season 12Ep. 19
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 10, 2024•26 min
Ever feel like you're chasing your tail when it comes to reaching your goals? You're not alone. This week on FOMO Sapiens, we're diving deep into the science of goal-setting with expert Caroline Adams Miller, author of Big Goals: A New Approach to Goal Setting and Achievement. She'll expose the shortcomings of the popular SMART goals framework and break down the science of "Goal Setting Theory", a research-backed approach to help you set yourself up for success. Caroline also shares her innovati...
Dec 05, 2024•45 min•Season 12Ep. 18
Every Tuesday PatGPT, Patrick J. McGinnis the host of FOMO Sapiens generates responses to key questions in entrepreneurship, business, productivity, and life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 04, 2024•27 min
How do you find gratitude in the face of unimaginable adversity? Mike Ott was rising the ranks at his hedge fund and enjoying life. Then, out of the blue, a freak accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. In this week’s episode of FOMO Sapiens, we're revisiting Mike's experience of fighting for his health and finding creative solutions to rehab during a global pandemic. Let’s hear him share how the accident, and his recovery, have reshaped how he sees the world and his place within it. Lea...
Nov 28, 2024•49 min
