The Fred Pinto Podcast

10/23/2024

Building teams is hard.

Creating cultures where large numbers of individuals thrive is even harder.

It's also extremely valuable.

This is why John Rockefeller once said he'd pay more for the ability to "deal with people" than any other skill.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Claude Silver - Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, and a true master of this elusive discipline.

She had a very unique spin on it - focusing on psychology fundamentals, and balancing empathy with high, competitive standards.

The story she shared of how she created her position within the company in particular was super compelling, and cuts to the heart of Gary Vaynerchuk's philosophy and leadership style.

I work with lots of entrepreneurs, and I know team and culture building is always one of their toughest challenges - Claude's practical wisdom in this area is absolutely invaluable, as it is to anyone building human beehives! Hope y'all enjoy - it's out on all the podcast platforms.

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Claude Silver is the Chief Hear...

09/13/2024

"I'm not going to find God. He's not hiding under a rock. Like, that's not how it is."

So what do we really mean when we talk about "God"?

Check out my conversation with religious iconographer and host of The Symbolic World, Jonathan Pageau.

Jonathan pushes past the simplistic ideas of fundamentalists and new atheists alike and challenges us to look for clues to divinity in the way we perceive the world itself.

He came down to the studio on the heels of his multi-city tour with Jordan Peterson, and we discussed the transcendent power of art, Walter White's moral dilemma, how political activism acts as a substitute for transcendence and much more.

This was legitimately one of my favourite conversations ever - anyone interested in religion, philosophy and mythology should check it out!

Out on Youtube and all podcast platforms.

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Jonathan Pageau is a religious ...

06/27/2024

This is my interview with social psychologist Dr. Daniel Yudkin- one of the lead researchers behind the amazing Hidden Tribes of America study.

We discuss why he left academia, how psychedelics and secular festivals boost social bonds, why even as babies we punish those closest to us the harshest, how the culture war spreads a kind of mass hysteria, and much more.

A refreshing change from the culture war nonsense that’s monopolizing our attention !

05/15/2024

Very few people have spoken “truth to power” as effectively as my guest in this episode of the podcast, Glenn Greenwald.

After breaking the legendary Ed Snowden / NSA story, he’s rattled the cage ceaselessly, drawing the ire of powerful agencies and politicians on both sides of the aisle.

His work goes far beyond mere partisanship - it’s rooted in a firm grasp of civil liberties and how the powerful can water them down (usually for “our safety”) in the era of big government and big tech - it was a true honour gathering his insights and stories from a life dedicated to this purpose at the highest level.

On a personal note, it was humbling experiencing Glenn’s level of integration, clarity, and depth of insight around these issues … definitely felt that “there are levels to this game” ! And regardless if you agree with him on the “issues of the day”, it definitely feels like we need courageous and honest people paying the price of truth more than ever …

Hope you all enjoy and learn as much as I did - the podcast is available on YouTube and all the platforms, if you want to receive a monthly email with my latest podcast or article, feel free to subscribe to my Substack here: https://fredpinto.substack.com/p/the-price-of-truth-with-glenn-greenwald

https://youtu.be/bqQtQNzK4kc?si=lPbPJe-Kp8UMlvnS

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Glenn Greenwald is an award-win...

04/12/2024

In the lead-up to the UFC momentous this weekend, I had the privilege of interviewing the undefeated 🐐 of MMA journalism - my fellow Montrealer, the one and only Ariel Helwani!

Had lots of fun unpacking his approach to craft, particularly how entertainment and ethics can work together. If only political journalists took their integrity this seriously!

Also big shout out to my son Sacha Pinto for making it happen - needed those Herzliah strings to pull it off 😂

You can check it out on YouTube or your favourite podcast platform …

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Ariel Helwani is a sports journ...

04/02/2024

Political discussion has become toxic - black-and-white shouting matches designed to outrage and entertain rather than solve anything.

It can all easily make us forget that a better way is possible ... if we just take the time to honestly check the data, and unpack issues rationally.

I recently had the honour of interviewing Bjørn Lomborg
, president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.

Along with a team of world-class researchers - including seven Nobel laureates - he's paving the way toward a more rational, data-driven approach to analyzing policies.

We discuss his views on climate change, how democracies so easily fall for excess promises, the amazing opportunities for affordable progress right in front of us, and much more. Hope you all enjoy it!

Out now on all the podcast platforms and YouTube:

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Dr. Bjørn Lomborg is president ...

03/05/2024

I've become slightly obsessed with the emerging body of research around mindsets—how tiny, subtle shifts in beliefs and expectations can change our lives, down to measurable biological markers.

It's not limited to placebos ... our beliefs reflect reality back to us in endless ways, and end up powerfully shaping our lives.

I recently interviewed Tom Bilyeu - a unicorn entrepreneur and the founder of Impact Theory - who studies and applies mindsets from a practical perspective, to promote personal growth and business success.

Had a ton of fun in this one - full interview is on all the podcast platforms and here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SwUHIhlGBSA

And for links to some of the coolest studies on mindsets, check out my substack article here: https://fredpinto.substack.com/p/optimizing-our-beliefs-tom-bilyeu

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Tom Bilyeu is ...

02/08/2024

Is technology really “just” fun, new, exciting?

As a technology lawyer, I grapple with this question almost daily.

I see the inventions – the cool toys, the awesome new applications, the innovations in health, culture, business … and it’s hard not to be amazed and excited about the possibilities.

But I also see the dark side. The hidden risks and liabilities. The new ways in which some – including big tech players - take advantage of others. The awkward attempts to regulate it with old laws. The expensive battles. The back-end deals that never make the headlines.

Meanwhile, “progress” marches on and accelerates all the time …
One of my favourite contemporary thinkers, Angelist founder Naval Ravikant, once defined the modern struggle like this:

“This is the modern struggle: lone individuals summoning inhuman willpower, fasting, meditating, and exercising … up against armies of scientists and statisticians weaponizing abundant food, screens and medicine into junk food, clickbait news, endless games, and addictive drugs.”

It’s become clear that technology has become the amplifier of our vices and virtues - our engine of progress and our tormentor.
So can we overcome the modern struggle? And if so, how?
Check out my substack article here where I offer some clues and options. Hint: I don’t think the answer will come from government …

The tools we create tend to fill us with fascination and fear alike.They provide enjoyment and upgrade our abilities. But they also contain new traps and threats. Fire heats, but it also burns; the spear used to kill prey can also be used to kill our fellow humans. Even our most normalized invention...

01/25/2024

Super excited to launch my 2024 podcast season with this conversation on the disruptive power of technology with entrepreneur, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and founder of ThinkersOne, Mitch Joel.

Mitch has built and successfully sold a large e-commerce agency, consulted some of the top companies in the world, and wrote two best-sellers on how technology drives social and business change.

We discussed the evolution of the internet, how technology is reshaping humanity, how to find balance in the modern world, and the true meaning of the expression “burn your boats”.

Anyone interested in the podcast can subscribe on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_leVr65zxw

Or sign up to my Substack here, for one monthly e-mail with my latest episode or article: https://fredpinto.substack.com/p/how-can-we-best-humanize-technology

Year 1 was everything I could’ve hoped for – but 2024 will be even better, with a great line-up of thinkers and innovators, as well as a couple of fun surprises, coming your way!

All feedback and suggestions for future episodes are welcome 😊

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Mitch Joel is ...

01/16/2024

Will generative AI tools replace human inputs as easily as many are predicting?

Personally, I highly doubt it. Here are four reasons why.

PS – you can check out the short article I wrote in Entrepreneur.com expanding these in more detail here: https://fredpinto.com/generarative-ai-wont-replace-humans-soon/

11/30/2023

New podcast episode out and I’m super excited about this one!

Jesse Itzler is one of the most infectiously positive and pragmatic people I’ve ever met.

He built and sold a private jet company (to Warren Buffet no less) in his 20’s with no prior experience in the industry, wrote a rap tune they still play at Madison Square Garden during Knicks games, became a co-owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, and wrote two best-selling books, including Living with a SEAL, his memoir about living and training with the one and only David Goggins.

More importantly, he’s a wise and empathetic human being, living proof that being an optimist is a massive strength, and that you don’t need “prior experience” to chase big dreams.

A little sunshine in these dark times …

Hope you all enjoy it, and it’s now out on all the podcast platforms :) https://youtu.be/RpnRpkCK5Jw?si=VE7tNL-r3PTQEjGV

PS. If you enjoy content like this, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/ or sign up to my substack https://fredpinto.substack.com to receive a monthly e-mail with my latest podcast or article. My passion is learning and sharing the most actionable insights from top entrepreneurs, thinkers and innovators to elevate the human experience - feel free to join our growing community if this resonates!

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Jesse Itzler i...

10/31/2023

Why do so many people jump to conspiracy-style thinking to explain events these days?

Studies show that half of us believe in at least one conspiracy, that it isn’t a “right or left” thing, and that it’s got very little to do with intelligence.

So why do we refer to “the illuminati”, the “global elites”, “the matrix”, the alien master race to explain world events?

I’ve done a deep dive into the evidence-based literature and found seven reasons backed up by the studies. Check out my video capsule on this if you’re interested!

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast.Subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/ and get a copy of...

09/28/2023

Life is nonstop movement: order to chaos, stillness to action. The flow actually never ends.

But still, we try to grasp and own and contain it within static frames: tasks to be ticked off a list, a bucket list of achievements, one fixed state like “happiness” we desperately seek and try to hold on to.

We stop moving.

Eventually, when we get too rigid with this, our ideas, goals and tools - no matter how good - can become self–imposed prisons.

The answer? To adopt moving – in all its physical and mental manifestations – as a way of life.

Here’s my podcast conversation with the man Andrew Huberman tabbed as “the world’s foremost expert on human movement”, Ido Portal, where we uncover the ideas behind his movement revolution.

We talk about his original take on designing personalized movement practices, the tension between expertise and exploration, how the mind can become a prison for the body, the different forms of walking, and much more. Hope you all enjoy it! https://youtu.be/B7-MLPtRxJA?si=FVasL_6pE1WGVK-i

PS. If you enjoy content like this, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/ or sign up to my substack https://fredpinto.substack.com to receive a monthly e-mail with my latest podcast or article. Thanks 😊

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Ido Portal is ...

08/28/2023

Is life just a struggle for survival? Domination of the weak by the strong? Or are all human beings born with intrinsic dignity worth protecting?

My guest in this episode of the podcast, award-winning historian Dr. Richard Weikart, has spent the better part of his career investigating the odd relationship between Darwinism and various dehumanizing philosophies, including racism.

For challenging academic dogmas, he’s been vilified and his ideas misrepresented for years.

Ultimately, he comes to history with a strong ethical perspective, and warns that what we see as fact (“natural selection” and “survival of the fittest”) too easily bleeds into immoral, ruthless behaviour.

In this conversation, which I’ve titled The Dark Side of Darwinism, we discuss the nuances of evolutionary theory, the role of ethics in human progress, and how religious and scientific ideas overlap and interact. Hope you all enjoy it!

https://youtu.be/Qu9pmMbQUz4?si=0q5ohdBInq7BrPpu

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Dr. Richard We...

07/24/2023

Study after study shows that “resilience”, or mental fortitude, is a key skill not just for performance, but for well-being generally. Adversity is inevitable. The question is - how do we respond?

There’s the academic approach to the topic … but I felt who better to learn practical lessons on this than a UFC fighter known to “turn the tables” on adversity over and over?

So - here’s my conversation with perennial UFC fan-favourite Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier, on the eve of his big fight for the UFC’s “BMF” belt this Saturday (if you don’t know, I’ll let you guess what the acronym is for …).

While a certified killer in the cage, Dustin could not be a more authentic and generous person outside of it. His nonprofit work through the Good Fight Foundation, in particular, speaks for itself.

We talk about bouncing back from big losses, dealing with overwhelm before a big challenge, the importance of giving back, and many other topics.

The interview is on YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-7rWuEzrVZE&t=5s&pp=ygUMImZyZWQgcGludG8i), and on all the major podcast platforms.

For those who use Substack, you can check it out here - and sign up for a monthly email with my latest episode or article - https://fredpinto.com/making-diamonds-with-ufc-fighter-dustin-poirier/

Dustin Poirier

Fred Pinto is a technology lawyer, entrepreneur, writer and host of the Fred Pinto Podcast.

06/29/2023

“Civilizations die from su***de, not by murder.” – Arnold J. Toynbee

Anyone who follows politics these days knows that we’re in the midst of a damaging culture war that saps our resources and spreads negativity in the name of “debate” and “discussion”.
But what exactly is the Culture War? And will it ever end? You can read my brief anatomy of the culture war here:
https://fredpinto.substack.com/p/will-the-culture-war-ever-end

For more content like this, subscribe to my monthly Substack here: https://fredpinto.substack.com/

The Inner Trench: A Brief Anatomy of the Culture War

05/30/2023

This one was literally a dream come true ...

Robert Greene isn't just one of my favourite writers – in my opinion, he's on a very short list for best nonfiction book writer, period.

He came to prominence with the controversial The 48 Laws of Power, a book that's often criticized for being dark and Machiavellian. It had a huge impact on pop culture – especially in the rap game - and Robert's reasons for writing it, which we discuss in this interview, may surprise a lot of people ...

Robert also brought his epic writing style and keen eye for the human condition to other topics, like mastery, seduction, the strategies of war, and eventually brought his life's work together in his masterful books The Laws of Human Nature and The Daily Laws.

In this conversation, we cover the major themes Robert has explored in his career, including the inner dynamics of power, the game of seduction, what it means to live authentically, and how we can transcend the limitations imposed by our culture.

It was an honour learning from him and getting to know the human being behind the greatness – he was about as generous and un-Machiavellian as you can imagine! I hope you all enjoy it 🙏

https://youtu.be/YlbyzCGW7WQ

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.Robert Greene ...

05/16/2023

Too many people hunt for “hacks” and “shortcuts” these days.

I’m not saying some things don’t work that way … but overall, “hack mindset” has a "quick buck" feel that makes me uncomfortable ... I've also found it's often a sign of that deep commitment is lacking

The alternative is the long, winding path toward what many call “mastery”: learning a craft from its practitioners, slowly internalizing its skills and rules, practicing deeply for a long time … until one day, we start making the game our own, selectively bend the rules, even innovate on top of them …

There may not be any shortcuts to mastery - but is there a reliable map to its different stages?

#1 NYT best-selling author Robert Greene tackled this in his classic book Mastery. It’s been celebrated by many masters in their fields, in fields as different as fashion, venture capitalism, computer science, creative writing, and many others.

Since I love summarizing great books to better integrate them, I thought I'd give this one a go ...

Disclaimer: this is not a hack or a shortcut! By all means, read the book, and, more importantly, do the work.

But in the meantime, here it is in six slides :)



PS. if you like content like this, or want to stay connected to my monthly podcast, you can sign up to my substack here: https://fredpinto.com/

04/27/2023

Ask an honest lawyer or judge and they’ll tell you: the legal system’s a hotbed of injustices.

From wrongful convictions to dark plea bargains with no basis in fact, from bureaucratic mistakes to decisions made on bias and whim, it’s all part of the “all too human” justice system we learn to live with.

Thankfully, there are also some incredibly lucid, honest, and courageous people in it – people who take risks and fight to improve things from within.

My guest in this podcast episode, Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Michael P. Donnelly (Michael P. Donnelly For Ohio Supreme Court), is one of those people.

His perspective as a highly decorated trial attorney and judge comes from the very front lines, and his candid and honest breakdown of the issues is refreshing.

In this conversation, we talk about his fight against wrongful convictions, the power imbalance between the government and accused individuals, the legal system’s need for more data transparency, and how our society has become obsessed with guilt, at the expense of protecting the innocent.

I hope you all enjoy it!

If you like content like this, you can sign up to my substack here to receive a monthly email to my latest podcast or article: https://fredpinto.substack.com/

https://youtu.be/P2HfMW_Vk8M

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.The Hon. Justi...

03/29/2023

Excited to share my latest podcast interview with multiple-time #1 NYT best-selling author Ryan Holiday!

Ryan is a force of nature, author of twelve best-sellers - most of them modernizing the insights of Stoicism - he was also the first marketing director for American Apparel, and is routinely cited by NFL coaches, top entrepreneurs and executives … and he’s not even 40 years old yet !

We had tons of fun in this one - I hope you and his Daily Stoic audience enjoy it.

If you like this kind of content, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel or sign up to my substack here: https://fredpinto.substack.com.

No sponsors, ads or calls to action ever - just a single, in-depth piece of content monthly, designed to share the best of my learning with my friends and community 🙂

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bJJroVNOI_M

For more podcasts, check out https://fredpinto.com/podcast or subscribe to Fred's Guerrilla Wisdom Substack at https://fredpinto.substack.com/.- About Our Gu...

02/03/2023

Nietzsche once wrote that “without music, life would be a mistake.”

Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker responded that music was nothing more than “auditory cheesecake”, a mere “by-product of evolution, not something that’s essential”.

So, which is it? Would anything change if music disappeared?

Check out the full episode of my conversation with best-selling author and neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Levitin here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmQZ-1HI_C4

01/31/2023

New episode out! Check out my conversation with acclaimed neuroscientist, best-selling author and award-winning musician, Dr. Daniel J. Levitin.

We talk about the meaning of music, how to combat cognitive overwhelm, the culture of lies in the media, and the science of successful aging. Hope you all enjoy it!

Dr. Daniel Levitin is a cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, musician, and the author of multiple NYT best-selling books, including This is your Brain on Music, A Field Guide to Lies, and Successful Aging. Levitin has published more than 300 articles, in journals including Science, Nature, PNAS, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal. His TED talk How To Be Calm When You Know You’ll Be Stressed is one of the most viewed ever, at over 20 million views.

Dr. Daniel J. Levitin is a cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, musician, and the author of multiple NYT best-selling books, including This is your Brain ...

12/06/2022

The middle finger isn’t just vulgar … sometimes it’s an expression of the most courageous, dignified response we have left after life has just knocked us out.

Check out my full podcast interview with Daniele Bolelli here
https://bit.ly/3h0SuGS

12/06/2022

How can we defy the odds when tragedy strikes? When should we break a good rule? What can the martial arts teach us about humility and ego death?

These are some of the topics I discussed with the great Daniele Bolelli in this podcast interview: https://bit.ly/3GZjuRl

Dive in and enjoy the wisdom of this awesome modern philosopher!

Daniele Bolelli is a philosopher, best-selling author, podcaster, and martial artist. He’s the host of the Drunken Taoist and History on Fire podcasts, and the author of several books, including On the Warrior’s Path, Not Afraid, and Create Your Own Religion.

11/22/2022

Few books you’ll read (if any) will contain as many surprising, mind-bending, yet rigorously researched insights as this modern classic by Nobel-prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman.

Trying to summarize it is a risky game.

So that’s what I did. In five slides.

Hope you enjoy 😄