Mark Cuban | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

Luck plays a crucial role in entrepreneurship; timing can turn a good idea into a game-changer.

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Today's guest is a business mogul and an entrepreneur who has launched some of the biggest companies in the world. He also owns the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to great success. Recently, he retired from his stint on Shark Tank, and I am very grateful to spend time with him. Today's guest is Mr. Mark Cuban.

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It's great to see you today, Mark. Thanks for having me, Theo. It's a pleasure, man. Thank you so much; it's really an honor. No, the honor is mine! You've been crushing it.

Oh, thanks! Yeah, we've been really fortunate. We've been working really hard over the past two years, and I think luck has kind of met us along the way. You know, I'll take luck every time, man.

Will you? Oh, hell yeah! Right? Has luck come into play in your business at your level, or do you still think there's a level of luck to it? What do you think about that?

So, luck is about scale, right? As an entrepreneur, I think, "Okay, I can start a business; I can make some money; I can be okay." But if you want to have a B next to your name, you’ve got to have a lot of luck.

In my case, I started the first streaming company, which would have been cool, but it happened right at the time the Internet stock market was blowing up. If the Internet stock market wasn't blowing up at the same time, you'd have no idea who I am.

Oh, you mean because of that? So there was a level of luck to it? Oh yeah! The first streaming company was called Audionet; we started in 1995 when nobody knew what streaming was. We called it Internet broadcasting. So we started out in a second bedroom of my house, just a setup just like this. I bought myself a PC and connected it to a local radio station. I went online and said, "Okay, if you want to listen to Dallas sports or news from anywhere in the world, come to this website, aet.com," and it just blew up.

Then we got a video and changed the name to Broadcast.com. We went public in 1998, and it was the biggest IPO in the history of the stock market at the time.

Oh, so that's how you started? Or this is a loose term; I know you've done other things, but that’s how you started to make some money?

Yeah, that's when I crushed it. When? Because that’s when the dot-com boom happened!

Yeah, it was insane! Sandals.com sold for like 20 million; it was insane! We were legit; we were YouTube before YouTube, and we were the biggest by far—it wasn't even close. We were the first to stream basketball, football, baseball—you name it; we were the first ones to stream anything.

Then we went public, great, and then we sold to Yahoo. But then Yahoo messed it up, but that’s another story.

Oh, Yahoo bought a lot of things; they messed it up. Can we say that?

Yeah, you can say that! They made some poor choices. I was working at Yahoo; I was over there doing interviews with folks, and they bought what was the website they bought for a crazy amount of money?

It was blogs; people did blogs on it.

Yeah, I mean, they bought a bunch, right? For whatever reason, they could not get it right for anything, man. They bought us; they bought all these different companies that at the time were huge.

Yeah, GeoCities was one, but there was one that—what was the blog website that everybody used? It kind of had a basic template to it.

Mash?

No, Tumblr!

Oh, Tumblr! Yeah, yeah, Tumblr was hot, then it went porn, right?

Did it go porn? I'm glad I got out!

Yeah, it went porn for a little while, and then this dude I know, Matt, bought it, right? So now he's just trying to make it work.

Trying to refines it, huh?

Yeah, yeah, because that was a crazy buy that they had. I remember we were working...

=> 00:05:00

True wealth isn't just about money; it's about keeping your real friends close and living life without paranoia.

It was, uh, blogs. People did blogs on it. Yeah, I mean, um, they've bought a bunch, right? For whatever reason, they could not get it right for anything, man. I mean, they bought us; they bought all these different companies that at the time were huge. GeoCities—that's what it was. They bought that before us. GeoCities was one, but there was one that—what was the blog website that everybody used? It kind of had a basic template to it. Mash? No, um, Tumblr. Oh, Tumblr! Yeah, Tumblr was hot, then it went porn. Right? Um, did it go porn? I'm glad I got out. Yeah, porn for a little while, and then, um, then this dude I know, Matt, bought it, right? So now he's just trying to make it work—oh, trying to refines it. Yeah, yeah, because that was a crazy buy that they had. I remember we were working, and there were like, "You're buying a blog?" That just felt like you were headed to the past, kind of. I don't, you know, and now then they were part of Verizon, then they got bought by Apollo. I don't know what they're doing now. I mean, I still use Yahoo Finance, right? It's not like people don't use it; they just haven't been able to get ahead of the game.

Yeah, they had some stake in Alibaba too, that company. Yeah, and that's where they made some money, right? I think that really kept them, uh, kind of like in the vibe, kind of, or just, yeah, it obviously helped their coffers. But yeah, they made some poor choices, I think. I mean, hell, they were paying me, so obviously they made one smart move, right? Yeah, um, when were you there? I was there like maybe 2000... 10 or something. 2000? Yeah, 'cause I took close to 2000, so you were there like 2014 or something. I was there actually. Who was the CEO when you were there? Do you remember? It was a female CEO. Oh, um, oh, they had just got her in, actually. Yeah, what the [__] was her name? She was cute, actually. Sorry, I never got a close-up look at her. Oh, well, yeah, but I remember I met her one time. I wish I'd met her more than one time; that's all I remember. Marissa Mayer. Yeah, oh, Marissa Mayer was great, but they had another lady too that worked kind of over us in the video department.

Um, all this Diddy stuff going on, man, what do you—I'm sure glad that I didn't hang out with him, right? You never got in—you never met him, right? But never went out, right? Um, and actually, back in 2003, um, he reached out to me to the Mavs and wanted to design a uniform for us. I never met him; we did it all via email. He had some of his designers get in touch with me, and they put together some, and it was a cool-looking uniform, right? Um, we used it for a couple of years, but that was the extent of my connection to Diddy. I never hung out or did anything, and you know, I hung out enough in LA, but I never really heard stories about the parties or anything like that. That was my scene. Yeah, that's kind of, yeah, I would just hear stuff sometimes. Like, I would hear certain things, but it was never anything like, "Oh, this is exactly what's going on."

I mean, how do you keep that quiet for so long? You know, all those videos—it's not like people didn't like—I don't care if you take people's phones, right? Someone's sneaking in the phone [], like that's happening. Yeah, it's amazing that if they say all the things are true, that he was able to just do that for so long. You know, what is a level like? Is it scary when people get to a level of wealth that they can kind of have anything? Like, what are some of that? See, I don't look at it that way, right? I'm not saying you do; I'm just curious about it. Yeah, like, what are the options, right? Right? Like, if you're rich as [], what can you do and get away with? Right? Um, I don't hang out with people like that. Right? I always looked at it that, like, my high school buddies are still my high school buddies, right? Like, the guys, you know, my rugby teammates in Indiana, my Indiana buddies—those are my friends. The guys I lived with—six guys in a three-bedroom apartment when I moved to Dallas—those are my friends, right? So it's not like, "Okay, I'm getting the butlers; I'm getting the chauffeur, and look at me." Right? I came by myself; I don't give a [__] about that.

Yeah, no, you see? Yeah, yeah, I was kind of wondering, I was like, "How will he show up? Will a store drop him off? You know, like, how's he...?" Yeah, but that doesn't mean it hasn't crossed my mind, right? It's just like, you have to be—in order to do [] like Diddy or anybody like that, you have to be so paranoid, right? You have to try to think of every base to cover, right? And you know, now part of me wishes I'd done, because there's too many pictures of me out drunk with my friends and [] like that, right? Yeah, but, um, I just don't like to live paranoid, right? I just—I mean, I love having a lot of money; it's a whole lot better to be rich than...

=> 00:08:34

True wealth is about living on your own terms, not playing the rich game others expect.

Dallas, those are my friends, right? So it's not like, "Okay, I'm getting the Butlers, I'm getting the chauffeur, and look at me," right? I came by myself; I don't give a [] about that. Yeah, no, you see? I was kind of wondering, "How will he show up? Will a store drop him off? You know, how's he...?" But that doesn't mean it hasn't crossed my mind, right? It's just like, to do [] like Diddy or anybody like that, you have to be so paranoid. You have to try to think of every base to cover, right?

Now, part of me wishes I had done that because there are too many pictures of me out drunk with my friends and [__] like that, right? But I just don't like to live paranoid. I mean, I love having a lot of money; it's a whole lot better to be rich than it is to be broke. But I was happy when I was poor; I just was happier when I was rich. So I don't get that whole thing of, you know, just be protective and like play the rich game. That's just not my style.

Yeah, that's kind of it. I think playing the rich game is interesting. Do you see people like... do you ever witness how money and power can affect people? Yeah, oh for sure, right? Some people think that because they're rich, they're smarter. They feel they have more privilege and can get away with whatever they want, particularly in business. If you talk to somebody who may be richer than me, they might say, "[__] that's just crazy," and think, "Okay, because I said it, that's what's up."

More likely, though, in my experience, I'll get invited to these parties, right? They are in really nice houses and stuff, right? But there will be like 50 servants—five people to answer the door, six people that just specialize in toast—just ridiculous, right? I'm like, "How do you live like this?" You know, because it's bad enough that I have too big a house, and so you have to have people there to clean it and stuff like that. There's no privacy just with that.

There are people who will have like 10 people in the house at all times, and I don't see how they live. For some people, maybe it's about showing off; to me, it's just like, "Why would you live that way?" I'm happy to have all this money because I can live the way I want, as opposed to living the way somebody thinks I should.

I just get the sense, to your point, that some people reach that level and think, "Okay, this is what I'm supposed to do." I'm supposed to have this type of car, this many people working for me at the house, and this type of porcelain or whatever toilet that is, right? But I am going to say one of the things I got is a heated toilet seat. Best thing ever! Really, you never had one?

Dude, I remember when I first got a cleaning lady to come once a week. I helped her like the first month, and I told her, "You got to get a heated toilet seat." That's like if my... yeah, I don't want my butt getting used to too many fancy things, I'm just telling you. That's the one, huh? I can almost imagine it.

You know, when you travel, you leave home and you're comfortable. I went where I'm staying now, right? No heated toilet. The first thing I noticed is when you sit down in the morning, you're like, "[__], this could be better." I'm paying all this for this room, and my butt's cold! Oh dude, I remember the first night I stayed in a hotel room that was like $600 or something. I was afraid to even go to sleep; I was like, "If I sleep, I'm wasting like $240!"

Oh my goodness! So I just kept staying up as much as I could. I still spent a little money and wasted some of the money sleeping, but it was nice over there. Yeah, I just think it's interesting when people get to a level of wealth and power. You would see it sometimes with the Romans. I don't know if you would see it, but you would hear about it with the Romans, where they got to levels of wealth and power that veered into a lot of sexual, like... I don't know if "proclivities" is the word. Is that a word?

Yeah, like what was it? What does that mean? "Proc...?" Yeah, no, you got it right. So like Caligula, right? I saw the movie Caligula. Yeah, that was the movie where, yeah, with all the sex and everything, where everybody was your concubine—right, male, female, doesn't matter—right? Everybody was.

=> 00:12:07

When wealth and power reach their peak, boundaries blur and the quest for new experiences takes over.

I recently spent $240, and oh my goodness, I just kept staying up as much as I could. I still spent a little money and wasted some of it sleeping, but it was nice over there. I think it's interesting when people reach levels of wealth and power, like you would sometimes see with the Romans. You might not see it directly, but you would hear about it. They reached such levels of wealth and power that it often veered into a lot of sexual proclivities.

Is that the right word? Yes, it is. For example, Caligula—I saw the movie, and it was notorious for its explicit content, where everyone was essentially a concubine, regardless of gender. People were just engaging in sexual activities because they could. However, I think that’s something my wife wouldn’t go for. Once you put a wife in the mix, things change significantly.

The term proclivities refers to a tendency to choose or do something regularly, an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing. In the context of the Romans, their proclivities were to indulge in hedonistic behaviors. It seems that many people engage in so much straight activity that they eventually explore other avenues, including same-sex experiences. I wonder if this tendency arises when people acquire so much money and power that they start to think about what else they can do, what else they can get.

Can you imagine the level of paranoia involved in maintaining such a lifestyle? Even if you’ve ever cheated in a relationship, you know how hard it is to keep track of everything and ensure you never cross certain boundaries. It raises the question: is it worth it?

On a different note, I’ve had my own experiences with trying new things. For instance, I bought a plane after selling my first company. To me, that was one of the coolest things I could do. At 29, I bought a lifetime pass on American Airlines, which allowed me to show up at any airport with someone else and get on a flight. It was insane!

That’s my version of proclivities—trying different experiences. I consider myself the luckiest person in the world, and I don’t want to let that pass me by. However, as I’ve gotten older, my priorities have shifted more toward family. My kids are now 15, 18, and 21, so I want to spend more time with them because that’s the most valuable thing to me.

When I was younger, before I got married, it was all about going out, traveling, and throwing the biggest parties. I was all about who could buy the biggest bottle of champagne or run up the largest bill at a club. But I think some people, when they gain immense power, might explore different sexual orientations or experiences that are outside what would be considered normal for them.

There are terms like financial gays and power gays—people who become so rich that they can afford to express their sexuality freely. I’ve even heard of blind gays, where individuals who are blind may not care as much about the sexual orientation of others. I remember a guy once approached me years ago and said, “I want to suck your dick.” He added, “Close your eyes; it all feels the same.”

=> 00:15:50

Power can distort reality, leading people to push boundaries in ways that can spiral out of control.

The conversation delves into the complexities of sexuality and power dynamics, particularly how individuals might explore different sexual experiences that lie outside their perceived norms. This exploration could stem from the power they acquire, reminiscent of historical figures like the Romans. The discussion introduces the concept of "financial gays" and "power gays," referring to individuals who have attained significant wealth and can afford to express their sexuality freely.

Interestingly, the speaker mentions "blind gays," individuals who may not prioritize sexual orientation as much due to their inability to see. They recount a past encounter where a blind man boldly stated, "You close your eyes, it all feels the same." This anecdote highlights how some people, particularly those who are blind, may experience a shift in their perception of sexual orientation, as their sense of "straightness" becomes less significant.

The conversation shifts to a more personal reflection, where the speaker expresses curiosity about discussing these themes with public figures, such as during an interview with President Trump. They ponder whether power leads individuals to explore their sexuality more freely, suggesting that when one reaches a certain level of influence, "anything's an option." However, they caution that this pursuit of pushing limits, often fueled by wealth, can lead to disastrous consequences if one is not grounded in reality.

The discussion then touches on the Diddy situation, contemplating how power can corrupt and lead to troubling behaviors. The speaker reflects on the transition from enjoying a party atmosphere to engaging in "weird" and potentially harmful actions, such as taking videos of others without consent. They express uncertainty about whether more individuals will come forward with similar stories, questioning if some narratives are merely "internet mythology."

As the conversation progresses, the speaker shares their thoughts on the addictive nature of reckless behavior, drawing parallels to drinking culture among friends. They highlight the dangers of escalating actions, which can lead to paranoia and a chaotic lifestyle. The speaker feels fortunate not to be entangled in such a life, emphasizing that the "telltale sign" of someone like Diddy is the "hurt people" aspect, including allegations of physical abuse.

They reflect on the disconnect that can occur when individuals gain immense power, suggesting that their "sense of self" can become distorted. The conversation concludes with a contemplation of the side effects of wealth, acknowledging that while it may appear that wealthy individuals lead happy lives, there are often unseen negative consequences that accompany such status.

=> 00:19:21

Wealth can bring power, but it also comes with hidden burdens that can skew your sense of self and strain family dynamics.

The conversation begins with a reflection on the consequences of wealth and power. "That tells you he's [ __ ] up somewhere," one participant remarks, emphasizing the stark difference between wanting to host a party and the "whole another thing to physically abuse people." This raises questions about self-awareness, particularly when individuals gain power and influence. "When you get power and you get that much ability, your own sense of self can probably get skewed pretty easy," they note, acknowledging that something is indeed "[ __ ] up."

The discussion then shifts to the side effects of being very wealthy, particularly the negative aspects that often go unnoticed. One participant admits, "It's hard to even... nothing that I can tell," indicating the challenge of recognizing these issues. However, they highlight a significant downside: "People sue you." This point is illustrated through the experience of a friend, John, who owned Jimmy John's. He shared that one of the reasons he sold the company was because he spent most of his time dealing with lawsuits, stating, "I mean, like I've been sued five times my whole life, right, and four of them were because someone's just trying to get money."

The conversation continues with the realization that being perceived as having "Deep Pockets" can lead to unfair legal challenges. "That's kind of a bummer," one participant reflects, acknowledging the need for increased caution in their life. This caution extends to their children, who inherit the complexities of wealth. "It's not necessarily bad, but it's not necessarily easy either," they explain, recognizing the pressure placed on their kids due to their family's status.

The participants discuss the unique challenges of being a celebrity parent. "I told all my kids, it's like look, you [ ] up, your friends [ ] up, your friends just [ ] up, and their parents get mad. You [ ] up, it's on the front page of the paper because you're my kid," one participant shares, highlighting the extra scrutiny their children face.

They express empathy for their kids' desire for normalcy, recalling a moment when their son said, "Dad, when you're there, everything changes. I just wanted to be normal." This sentiment resonates deeply, as they acknowledge the struggle of balancing public recognition with family life. "There's a time for Dad to be there and there's a time we don't want Dad there, not because we don't want Dad there, just because of the attention he's going to pull," they explain.

The conversation also touches on the perception of wealth from the outside. One participant reflects on their upbringing, stating, "When I was growing up, I always looked at wealthy people like [ __ ] them." They recall a sense of animosity towards the wealthy, stemming from their own experiences of financial struggle. "It almost gave you an enemy," they say, reminiscing about their childhood and the lack of resources.

They share a vivid memory of feeling uncertain about how to pay for college while hearing on the radio about prisoners receiving educational opportunities. "I'm 16, I don't have any idea how I'm gonna pay for college, and they're paying for prisoners," they express, illustrating the frustration and disparity they felt growing up. This reflection encapsulates the complex emotions surrounding wealth, power, and the societal perceptions that accompany them.

=> 00:22:57

Growing up poor can fuel ambition, but it also teaches you that the system isn't always fair.

In the back of your mind, you're playing GTA, but growing up poor almost gave you an enemy. It wasn't exactly an enemy, but it created a sense of struggle. I can relate; it's not like my family had anything. My dad did upholstery on cars, and neither of my parents went to college. I remember vividly not knowing how I was going to pay for school because I had to pay for my own education. I would listen on the radio, and it sounded so crazy to hear about how prisoners were going to get all the college education they needed. I even called into the radio station, expressing my frustration: "I'm 16, I don't have any idea how I'm gonna pay for college, and they're paying for prisoners? That's just wrong!" It made me think, "So now I gotta commit a crime, right? Put me in jail!"

Shifting gears, when asked about my children, I can say there is so much to admire about each of them. They are different, but as they've gotten older and become real people—now teenagers—they're smart, caring, funny, and ambitious in their own ways. The hard part about raising three teenagers is that they do all they can to ignore us. Our family is no different than any other parents raising teenagers; those kids want to have their own identity and find out who they are. We try not to be those hover parents, giving them some freedom. For instance, when I tell my son his curfew, he texts me back, "Let me breathe, Dad! I'm dying!" It’s amusing, yet it reflects how kids talk these days.

I often joke about how they communicate, especially with the new vernacular of Generation Alpha. They sound like Peyton Manning trying to make audibles at the line with phrases like "Omaha" and "Sigma." It's funny to text with my nephew, and sometimes I don't even know what he's saying. I try to lean into that language just to mess with him, but he usually responds with, "Shut up, Dad," or just hangs up on me.

Reflecting on my life before wealth, one thing I wish I could have back is privacy. I have none now. There are times, like yesterday when I was driving somewhere, that I wanted to get out and walk down a cool street in town. I knew if I did, I would meet a bunch of people, which would make me nervous or uncomfortable. I was walking in Nashville yesterday, and while I love that city, I realized there’s just no privacy whatsoever. But I also acknowledge that it could be worse.

This conversation is unlike any other interview I've done, and I’m loving it. It feels more like a conversation, which I appreciate. When it comes to recognizing a good business idea, I’ve refined my understanding over the years. When you're just getting started, sometimes what you don’t know can be good because it doesn’t hold you back. Now, having started and invested in so many businesses, I know what not to do. However, that knowledge sometimes keeps me from investing in people who might have the biggest upside.

=> 00:26:35

Sometimes, not knowing what you don't know is the key to taking bold risks and seizing opportunities.

This interview is not like any other interview I've done, and I'm loving it. You know, CU, you're like all over the place with your stream of consciousness, which is cool. I really appreciate that this feels like a conversation, so thanks for that.

Now, how do you know a good business idea when you hear it? Has that understanding refined over the years from what you used to think might have been a good business? When you're just getting started, sometimes what you don't know is good, right? Because it doesn't hold you back. Now, after starting so many businesses and investing in many, I know what not to do. However, that sometimes keeps me from investing in people who probably have the biggest upside. When I was getting started, I didn't know anything, so I had a "just run through walls" type of attitude. Now, when it comes to investing, I look for that same energy, but I'm more conservative in how I invest. My next dollar isn't going to change my life, so I think about competition. Can I help these people grow their company? Like on Shark Tank, not all those companies are going to be big, but if I can help them reach their personal goals, that's a win.

Speaking of Shark Tank, are you going to miss doing it? Yes, I'll miss it some, but it goes back to my kids. We shoot for two weeks in June and two weeks in September, and I just finished my last run. That's right when my kids are getting out of school and going back to school, as well as their birthdays. For the last five years, my son's birthday has fallen during that time, and that's not cool. Now, as teenagers, they set the schedule; we don't. It used to be my wife and I who would plan everything, but now they're the ones who really get to choose what's going on. For example, my daughter is a rower and is going to rowing camp, my oldest daughter is going on an internship, and my youngest son is going to basketball camp. I want to be available for them; I can't make them be available.

Now, shifting gears, how would you rank the Sharks? You put me in a bad spot! They're all tied for last. But it's fun. Each of them has their own strengths. Barbara is probably my favorite because she can tell what a person is about; she'll just say to someone, "You're lying," or "You're dishonest; I don't trust you," and she'll be right. She might not be great at math—like when Mark asks her what 8 times 8 is, and I have to tell her—but she has excellent people skills. Kevin is the bad guy of the group, while Robert is into pets and kids. Lori focuses on consumer products, and Damon is the "people's shark," trying to help smaller businesses grow. As for me, I just try to have fun with all of them.

=> 00:30:40

Finding your voice can lead to unexpected opportunities; sometimes, all it takes is a leap of faith and a kitchen table.

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When it comes to business, I often wonder if I would have had an idea on Shark Tank. What made me decide to get into the podcasting realm? Well, I had done some podcasting before, but one day I went on Joe Rogan's show, and during our long conversation, I thought, "Oh, maybe I could just do it by myself." I always wanted to have my own voice, so I started in my kitchen. I say that a lot, but I literally took my kitchen table and made it my studio, which meant I had to eat in the living room, but it was still cool.

I think having my own voice was important because I always felt like I didn't have one when I was a kid. But there's a business aspect to it as well. One day, a guy who sold pizzas in Santa Monica, my friend Thomas, emailed me. He wasn't a friend at the time, but he said, "Hey man, I want to give you like $500 a month for advertisement, and you need to get a studio." At first, I thought, "Well, I want to keep that $500; I don't want a studio." But he explained that if I used that $500 to get a studio, it would help my podcast grow. That advice turned out to be a blessing because my mindset was different back then; I had more of a scarcity mindset. I needed the $500, but I learned to view it as an investment instead.

Once we set up the first studio, things evolved from there. I continued to grow the podcast on my own, but we also brought in an advertising company. Unfortunately, that company stole from us for two years, which was horrible. We lost at least $400,000 during that time, but I learned a valuable lesson.

Interestingly, I had put a contact number out there in case someone wanted to reach out about something from the show. That's how the pizza guy got my email. I've done a bunch of deals from people just cold emailing me. For example, I was contacted by a group from Dallas led by Tim Ellis, who wanted to start a space company. I thought, "I don't know anything about space, but I'll help you get started and see what happens." Now, that company is called Relativity Space, and even though I've never met them in person, I've invested a few million dollars, and they're now worth $4 billion!

=> 00:34:41

Openness to new connections can lead to unexpected opportunities.

I learned a valuable lesson that way, don't you? Yeah, I learned. So, you know, we're similar, right? So, how did the pizza dude get your email? I'm not sure. Oh, because we would put a contact number in case somebody wanted to reach out about something from the show. Oh, you did? Because I've done a bunch of deals from people just cold emailing me.

Yeah, like I gave this company, this dude's out of Dallas, Tim Ellis and his buddies. They said they wanted to start a space company. I'm like, I don't know anything about space, but I'll get you started and see what happens. Right now, it's called Relativity Space. I still never met him; it was all email. I never met him, and now I've invested a few million. They're worth $4 billion.

No way! Yeah, Relativity Space and they’re a space company. That's Tim, right? An ex-Blue Origin intern who got a $500 check from Marb to build a major SpaceX rival. Wow! Yeah, coming for you, Elon. I know. So, their deal is they build the rockets using 3D printers.

No way! Yeah, it's really cool, right? And to their credit, it's not like I helped them get there; those guys were just insanely smart and good. I got lucky, you know? But I just got them started, right? Like Tim, the pizza guy did for you, or Tom, the pizza guy, right? Yeah, Thomas. Sometimes just making yourself available opens a lot of doors, right? And it's helped me a ton.

Who were your mentors, and how do you differentiate between listening to mentors and trusting your instincts? I kind of never had a mentor, really. I'm not a mentor guy at all. I always wanted to try to figure things out myself. I've always been super curious, just somebody who loves to learn. When I was getting into computers, I was reading the stupid computer manuals—software manuals, hardware manuals. I would sit there and read that stuff, right? Then I would try it and learn and learn.

Once you get started, you realize whether it's business, software, or whatever, once you get that base, it's like learning the podcasting business. Once you get that base of the basics you're supposed to do, coming up with new ideas isn't that hard. It's just about your creativity. I was always just going to learn it myself. I never had a mentor. People are like, "Will you be my mentor?" I'm like, "I'm still going." I don't have time to be someone else's mentor. Maybe that's not fair, but that's where I'm at.

But not if you're still going, you know what I mean? Right now, you're mentoring your family. You've already said that you've chosen to take that extra time. Sure, that's more important. It is, especially now if I can get them to listen. Yeah, it's crazy, dude, how your own kids will have you in the kitchen. They’re like, "Let me breathe." I be like, "You want me to help you with this business idea or your project at school?" No.

One of my daughters, I'm not going to say which one, just like rips on me too. "You don't know anything about business, Dad." I'm like, "Okay." It's crazy that no matter who you are, you're still just Dad. You're just Dad, which, you know, is the best word in the entire English language: Dad. When your kids just say, "Hey, Dad," that makes me melt. Does it really? My God, it's the best thing ever. Ever, ever, ever. The best. One of the best parts about having kids, right? Just that they’re yours.

Was your relationship with your dad pretty good? Yeah, we did. It was funny because my dad was like, "I don't know what the hell you're doing, but keep on doing it." I remember the time I told him that I had $100,000 in the bank, and he never made more than $40,000 in his life. He just started crying. I was able to take him places and tell him and my mom they could just go wherever they want, whenever they want, and do whatever. Cool, huh?

Yeah, I mean, it made you feel good. Oh yeah, definitely. All they did—my dad was up at six o'clock every morning, worked at seven a.m., and came home at six. Oh, he lost an eye in an accident, so he was like a one-eyed worker. One-eyed worker, right? Dude, already behind the eight ball, right? Yeah, like he did upholstery in cars. Oh, was it so gross? Right? So, he was like one of the first—my dad lost a finger, dude. Did he really? Yeah, I just remember that. You just remember? Yeah, yeah, dude, it made us scared. Oh my God, yeah, that's my dad.

And is this when he had both eyes or one eye? Well, no, he had one eye. Right, this is when he had one eye. He lost it when I was like eleven. You can see they're not quite the same, right? So, he had a glass eye, and he used to freak out my friends.

=> 00:38:17

Life's challenges can shape us, but it's how we embrace them that truly defines our journey.

The conversation begins with a casual exchange about feeling good and reminiscing about past experiences. One participant reflects on their father's work ethic, stating, "my dad up six o'clock every morning at work at 700 a.m. come home at 6." They share a poignant detail about their father's life, mentioning that he "lost an eye in an accident." This incident is described as unfortunate, with the participant adding, "if you had damn one-eyed worker, one-eyed worker right DN dude," suggesting that their father faced challenges in his profession, which involved "upholstery in cars."

The discussion shifts to a memory of the father's injury, where the participant recalls, "I just remember that... it made us scared." They clarify that this was after the father had already lost an eye, which occurred when the participant was around 11 years old. The father had a glass eye that would "freak out my friends," as he would take it out, revealing something that looked like "apricot jelly behind there." This bizarre image elicits a reaction of "that's wicked bro, dude that's so cool."

The conversation takes a somber turn as the participant reveals that both parents have passed away, stating, "no both my parents died a few years ago." They express sympathy for the loss, acknowledging that it was indeed tough, especially considering their parents' ages—"my dad was 92 and my mom was 85." Despite their long lives, the participant admits, "it's still tough," particularly as their mother had been battling cancer. They share a humorous yet touching memory of their mother, who, despite her illness, simply wanted "some pot gummies."

The dialogue continues with a light-hearted exchange about Pittsburgh, where the participant shares a personal anecdote about getting "pink eye" there. They describe the unique Pittsburgh accent, remarking on its charm and humor, especially when hearing a "really hot girl" speak with it. The participant expresses their affection for Pittsburgh, stating, "there's no place like Pittsburgh." They reflect on how the city has improved over the years, mentioning its beauty and vibrant atmosphere, particularly from places like "Mount Washington" and "Lamont restaurant."

As the conversation progresses, the participant reminisces about their past jobs in Pittsburgh, including working at a bar called "Chances Are" in Oakland, which is near the University of Pittsburgh. They also touch on the local sports scene, mentioning a friend who was a mascot for the "Pittsburgh Pirates." The dialogue wraps up with a mention of Elon Musk, hinting at a possible feud, but the details of that discussion remain unclear.

=> 00:42:01

Engaging with Elon Musk is like a wild ride; you can respect his genius while still calling out his thin skin.

Tech Town is a place filled with interesting stories and connections. My friend used to work at Jack's Bar on the south side, and another friend of mine was a mascot there. I think he was a Pittsburgh Pirate, which is pretty cool. I used to work as a bartender at a bar called Chances Are in Oakland, which was my summer job during college. For context, Oakland is where the University of Pittsburgh is located. They’re playing pretty well this year; they had a good win the other day.

You mentioned Elon a little while ago. I know you guys have a sort of feud with him, or at least it seems almost romantic in a way. I just like to mess with him, you know? He loves being on Twitter, and it’s his thing. If I just paid 40 billion dollars, I would want to hang out there too, just like I go to the Mavs games. I don’t dislike Elon, but he does say some stupid things, and I have no problem calling him out. He’s pretty thin-skinned, which makes it even more fun.

Let me tell you my one little Elon story. I didn’t really get to know him, but I tried to help him with something once and ended up with his number. I texted him a couple of times, congratulating him on his "97th kid," and he replied, "Mars needs kids." I thought that was funny. One day, I mentioned something about my Tesla, and he just sent me a text with an article saying, "F* you." I was like, "Okay, that’s fair." It was the truth, after all. He was reacting to something I said that wasn’t completely positive about Tesla.

Then he bought Twitter and started getting really political. Not a lot of people are going to stand up to him, but I thought, "F* it, I don’t care." He’s called me racist and has referred to me as a poop emoji** multiple times. That just gives me more license to mess with him even more. I don’t care what he thinks; it’s all in good fun. At that point, I’m just having a good time, hitting him with "LOL" or whatever.

Twitter is a strange place where you can say whatever you want, and it kind of exists or doesn’t exist. I wish they would take a lot of the hardcore pornography off of there. It’s bizarre how they get away with that, especially since you only have to be 13 to access it. We talked earlier about how that kind of stuff just shows up in your face all the time.

Despite all that, you have to give Elon credit. He’s behind SpaceX, Starlink, and Tesla. The dude is like the entrepreneur of our generation; there’s really nobody close, at least in the 2000s. I have total respect for him as an entrepreneur, but his skin is so thin that it’s hard not to mess with him.

Twitter has always been an interesting platform. Is it real? Is it not real? I was actually happy that he bought it because I feel like he kind of rescued it. A lot of mainstream media and social media platforms seem pretty left-leaning. It used to be that way for sure, but now the biggest platforms are Fox News and Daily Wire. Can you name any big left-leaning anchors or celebrities in media today?

Well, I guess you could mention Don Lemon, but he got fired from CNN. He’s gone now, and he doesn’t have much going on. When life gives you Don Lemon, let him go, right? You get the point. There aren't many big names on the left, but a lot of the mainstream media has been notoriously left-leaning. It seems like they’re still trying to navigate that landscape.

=> 00:45:52

The media landscape has flipped, making it tougher to support left-leaning figures without backlash, while right-leaning voices dominate the conversation.

I feel like he kind of rescued it because I feel like a lot of the mainstream media and social media platforms seem all pretty left-leaning. They used to be, for sure, right? But now, like, the biggest platforms are Fox News, Daily Wire, and other big names. Can you name the big left-leaning anchors or celebrities in media today? Well, I guess you'd probably have like Don Lemon. I guess he got fired, right? He did, yeah, he got fired from CNN; he's gone. When life gives you Don Lemon, let him go. You get the point, right? There's no big names.

But I think CNN, and a lot of the mainstream media, has been notoriously kind of left-leaning. It seems like they're anti—especially during the first time that Trump was running. The only people that even the late-night hosts would make fun of were basically kind of poor whites. For sure, that was wrong. If you were conservative or Christian, I feel like those people get the brunt of it a lot of times. Yeah, I'm not going to argue with that. But I guess my point is in 2016, it was different. TV was still up here; getting 9-10 million viewers a night for a TV show was okay. Whoever was on the news then or CNN was getting millions of people.

Now, the only platforms getting a lot of viewers are like Fox News, which is the biggest, and MSNBC gets some, like Rachel Maddow you could say. But for every Rachel Maddow, you know, there's Sean Hannity, there's Laura Ingraham, and then you've got Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson. So the bigger stars now and the bigger media presence is on the right. I think what's happened on Twitter now, since Elon has pushed it to the right, is that it's kind of flip-flopped. In 2016, if you went on and talked about Trump positively, you would get attacked. You couldn't say anything if you were even a conservative; you couldn't even ask a question without getting attacked. It was very scary.

Now, it's the exact opposite. When I say stuff about Harris, you can just look at my mentions and replies, and I'm just getting destroyed. I'm called a communist, a [__] Jew, and told to go back to hell. This is crazy! No, but that's what they say. It's all crazy. Look at the history; you know how insane the anti-Semitism on that platform is. Maybe it's just pointed at me, but I know Ben Shapiro. I looked at his replies; I was just curious. So, the point being that I think it's flip-flopped.

You do? Yeah, and I think now, I mean, look, you had President Trump on here saying his piece, right? And we would have Kamala on. Yeah, I'm sure I'll put in a good word for you too. You know, yeah, for sure. I think it would just be interesting to talk to her. No, she's smart, she's fun, she's easygoing, right? She laughs a lot, but you know, she's chill.

But I think the whole thing has just flip-flopped, and I think it's harder on Twitter, in particular, to be in support of Harris. I'm not a liberal, right? I mean, socially I probably am, but politically I'm conservative, and I'm an independent. I don't belong to either party. I don't give a [__] about either party, you know? But I'm a Harris fan because I like her policies. I've had some influence in her policies, and I'm not a Trump fan at all. I used to be, but I kind of grew out of it.

Have you? Yeah, what do you think made you grow? That's an interesting term, like "grew out of it." You know, once I came out saying I was for him, I said it was the best thing that happened to politics because he wasn't a typical candidate. Now, I didn't think he had a chance; that's how I felt. I would have elected a [__] donut in there if it wasn't a politician, exactly. That's like one of my buddies in Texas. I'm like, "Why are you voting for Trump?" He goes, "Mark, I've been voting for politicians my entire life. You know what they've done for me? Nothing." You know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again. So I'm like, "Okay, Dan, I get that."

But as I would talk to him, it's funny because in one of my memory things that came up just this morning, I was looking at it, and it was like he sent me a text. I did a CNN interview, and Donald sent it. What he would do was write it, and then somebody would scan it and email it to me. So he sent me what happened because he saw a CNN interview where I criticized him.

=> 00:49:21

Voting for change means breaking the cycle of the same old politicians who deliver nothing.

In a recent conversation, I reflected on the political landscape and how it affects people's voting decisions. One of my buddies in Texas expressed his reasoning for voting for Trump, stating, "Mark, I've been voting for politicians my entire life; you know what they've done for me? Nothing." He referenced the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again. I understood his frustration, but as we talked, I remembered a text he sent me after watching a CNN interview where I criticized Trump.

In that text, he mentioned how Trump would write down his thoughts, which someone would then scan and email to me. I had told him that he needed to start learning the issues because, as a potential president, he had to understand the importance of the details. Unfortunately, I felt that Trump never made an effort to learn anything substantial. Whenever we tried to discuss specific topics, it never seemed to work out.

Despite my reservations about Trump's capabilities as a president, I did show up to help him during the COVID crisis when he asked for assistance with healthcare. I believe in putting country over party, and I would do it again if he were to win. However, I sincerely hope he doesn't.

Regarding political donations, I have not contributed to any candidate, PAC, or anything related to either party since 2001. My last donation was to Zoe Lofgren, and honestly, I don't even remember why I gave her money. I prefer to keep my financial contributions out of the equation so that if I engage with someone, they either appreciate my ideas or they don't. It’s not about buying their interest.

Lastly, I ponder whether whoever becomes president will simply spend their time paying back lobbyists. It feels like we are far removed from the days of leaders like Ronald Reagan or Gerald Ford. America seems to have transformed into a shell company for larger entities. Despite this, I still hold onto the beliefs of our country and remain hopeful for its future.

=> 00:53:44

In today's political landscape, it's all about who controls the narrative, not just the party.

Do you feel like whoever gets to be president actually spends their time paying back lobbyists? It just feels like we're so far away from the days of maybe Ronald Reagan or, I'm trying to think of somebody else like George, no, uh, Gerald Ford. I don't know, it just seems like we've become this America that feels like a kind of shell company for bigger interests. I think there's some of that. I don't mean it in a negative way; I still believe in the beliefs of our country.

It just feels like the lobbyists control so much. It's like, does the president even matter anymore? You know, it's a great point because some of the issues are so complicated that they can't learn all of them, right? Of course. But at the same time, I think what a lot of people are missing is that all politicians learned from Donald Trump and how he won.

Oh, they did? You think? Oh, for sure. I see it in the Harris campaign; I see it in Kamala Harris. Donald Trump took over the Republican Party; it was no longer the Republican Party. That's a great point; I never thought about that. He took over, right? It's like whatever he wants, he didn't want to debate in the Republican primary, so be it. They let him not debate.

So, you know, who knows what would have happened against Vivek or Nikki Haley or whatever it might have been? Oh, that's right; they didn't have to debate this year, huh? No, they wanted to; the other ones did. He just didn't participate. He just didn't step up and say, "Okay, I'm going to kick your ass. I'm happy to debate anybody." He said, "No, I'm not going to debate."

His choice. But the point being, he controls the Republican Party. I think that's what's happening. That wasn't super Democratic, probably. Yeah, no, it was, but it's his choice, right? The Republican Party is a private entity; he gets to do it his way, and he runs it.

But shouldn't there be an overall body that would say you guys have to have this? Nobody. The Republicans get to pick their candidate the way they want to, and the Democrats get to pick their candidate the way they want to. So all this talk about, "Well, you know, Nikki Haley didn't get a single vote," doesn't matter.

And tell you what kind of dweeb I am, right? I literally looked up the bylaws of the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention, and they both say, in a nutshell, "We get to pick the candidates the way we want to pick the candidates." Period. End of story.

So, because on both sides it seems like Kamala and Donald have just been put in, neither one of them kind of practiced. But it doesn't matter, right? What do they care about? Power, to your point earlier, right? What's the Democratic Party want? Power. What's the Republican Party want? Power.

Now, who's in charge of each of those businesses? The parties. Donald's in charge. And the thing I was saying about learning from Donald is now Kamala is like, "I'm taking over the Democratic Party."

I see what you're saying. Right? So it used to be like in 2016, people thought, "Well, you know, all the traditional Republicans, the Mitt Romneys or whoever, they're really going to run the show." And Don was like, "Forget that; I'm doing it my own way."

And so Nikki Haley has learned all that stuff now, and she's doing it the same way. So she's not like, "Okay, this is what Bernie wants." She doesn't give a damn what Bernie wants. You know, this is what Elizabeth Warren wants; she doesn't care what Elizabeth Warren wants. She wants to know what's best for the country.

And then people are like, "Well, why was she not this way in California?" Because running California, being a senator in California, is a completely different job than trying to be the president. Just like running real estate is a completely different job than trying to be the president.

So I think she's trying to come to center because she's trying to be the exact opposite of Trump. But she has captured the Democratic Party. When I talk to them, it's not like, "Okay, this is what the Democrats want." It's like, "Okay, what's best for the country, and how do we implement that, and how do we convey that so she can win?"

Now, some people might argue Bernie Sanders is really pulling strings, but he ain't. Just, he didn't seem like that when I spoke with him. He seemed like I didn't even know how vested he was in her being the candidate. You know, no, he's not.

=> 00:57:18

Navigating the political landscape means knowing when to rally the crowd and when to connect on a personal level; it's all about strategy and authenticity.

Running for office in California as a senator is a completely different job than trying to be the president. Just like running real estate is a completely different job than trying to be the president. I think she’s trying to come to the center because she wants to be the exact opposite of Trump. However, she has captured the Democratic Party. When I talk to them, it’s not like they say, “Okay, this is what the Democrats want.” Instead, it’s more about, “Okay, what’s best for the country, how do we implement that, and how do we convey that so she can win?”

Some people might argue that Bernie Sanders is really pulling the strings, but he isn’t. He didn’t seem that way when I spoke with him; he seemed indifferent about her being the candidate. That’s the whole point, right? He seemed like he was whatever about it because she’s in the center. So, you believe that she’s doing her own thing? Yes, she’s definitely doing her own thing. She says, “Here are my core values: I want taxes to be fair, I want to lower taxes for the middle class, I want to bring people up and make sure they have opportunities, and I want to try to do what I can to continue to reduce inflation and costs.”

She emphasizes that she doesn’t want to be negative, whereas Donald Trump is negative a lot. You hear her talking about being joyous and uplifting, and I see that. I agree with this; that’s what’s going to bring people together. You can’t say, “I hate Taylor Swift” and then claim you’re bringing people together. You can’t say all the Haitians are bad, whether legal or illegal, and throw all the legal immigrants under the bus like he’s done. You haven’t heard her criticize like Hillary Clinton did when she talked about “the deplorables.” That’s not KLA at all. She’s saying, “Alright, we’re going to bring people together. I’m going to be joyous, I’m going to be uplifting.”

Now, I understand a little bit more of her campaign. But do you think it’s weird that she doesn’t do a lot of interviews and stuff, that she doesn’t get out there? That’s a great question. When she came in and got nominated, people didn’t really know who she was. So, you start to believe the clips you see because it seems like you don’t get a breath of fresh air.

Here’s what they said to me: “Mark, there’s probably 1% of the electorate that is high information.” So, the electorate refers to the people who are voting. Only 1% of those people are high information, meaning they really look into things deeply like you and I might. The other 99% don’t really know her. When she came in, she had horrible approval ratings and favorability ratings because people didn’t know who she was.

What she’s doing is taking a page from the Trump playbook. What did Trump do in 2016? He did all those rallies all the time in front of 10, 15, 20 thousand people. That’s exactly what she’s doing. She’s going everywhere and doing rallies because that’s how you get the maximum number of people without having anyone interpret it for her, like the media. The reason she keeps doing it is that it’s working. She went from having really bad favorability ratings, where no one knew her, to potentially breaking even or even leading in some cases.

So, why doesn’t she just turn around and do more interviews? She has done some friendly interviews, like with Oprah and the National Association of Black Journalists, and she’ll continue to do some stuff, but you do what works. I guess I just wish to get to know her a little bit better. It feels like you want to learn a little bit more about her.

What do you want to know about her? That’s a good question. For me, I always want to know what somebody’s really like, you know? I just want to try to get an idea of that. Also, I think I can understand why a lot of people vote for Trump. He has a history of being involved in a lot of shady business, and that’s why they vote for him. It feels like America has become a place where a regular person feels like a peon in a bigger shady business. That’s really interesting.

=> 01:00:59

In a world where everything feels shady, some people prefer a familiar criminal over a polished facade.

It feels like you want to get to know her a little bit better, you know, just to learn a little bit more about her. So, what do you want to know about her? A good question, I guess for me, is that I always want to know what somebody's really like. Yeah, you know, I want to at least get an idea of that.

Additionally, I think I can understand why a lot of people vote for Trump. You know, he's had a history of being involved in a lot of shady business, and that's why they vote for him. Well, because America has become what it feels like to a regular person, it feels like I am a part, I am just a peon in a bigger shady business. It feels like that's interesting.

That's really, really interesting. So, it feels like, yeah, our water's dirty. Our kids have, you know, parents boiling their own water now at home because they feel like that water's not safe, and it's causing kids to have autism. Moreover, we're seeing that people have to spend all their money on drugs. One of the largest causes of bankruptcy is medical debt in this country. There's a huge shell game—insurance scam—going on with hospitals, insurance providers, and big business.

Just look at that, right? Those shady things you mentioned, he tried to fix. I literally went to the White House to talk about healthcare and the [ __ ] I'm doing, and he wanted to talk about how we saved $35 billion on Boeing aircrafts. Right? We couldn't have a conversation about it at all.

And maybe some of that stuff is evolving with him; I don't know, but I think my point was that it's gotten to the point where everything seems like such a shady business. I want somebody in there who can do shady business well. That is a guy who does shady business well. But I think that's how a lot of people think. Like really, this whole thing is [ __ ] me so much that at least he's my criminal.

If he is a criminal, he's my criminal. Or, yeah, because they feel like this other thing is such a... it's so mobster that you need a mobster. That's what I'm saying. I mean, that's the best description I've heard of anybody wanting to vote for Donald Trump. Literally the best.

You're right, if everything is that shady, then he certainly has ripped off, I can't even tell you how many people. Right? People I know. I mean, there have been a lot of alleged issues with contracts. No, I'm telling you about people I know.

Right? Barbara Corcoran, she said something about this from Shark Tank. He hired her or asked her to sell a bunch of condos in a new building that he put up, and she did. She sold everything. He offered her $4 million, but he wouldn't pay her. She had to sue him just to get her money.

But how does somebody benefit by behaving like that? I mean, he was born rich, right? He's never had to find his way. You know, Damon, oh yeah, he's always had good hair. Dude, rich people always have clean hair.

I remember, I don't know about that, but good hair, Mark. Just call me Becky. Yeah, there you go. Well, she likes him as a salesperson, but down in there, it talks about how he ripped her off. How do you... you know, Trump University, Trump Foundation, Trump Soho—just example after example where he ripped off hardworking Americans again and again and again.

And to think all of a sudden he just changed who he is? Just not the case. Look what he's doing [ __ ] now, right? A mint silver coin. If you're a billionaire, right, all of a sudden you just made a billion dollars, so you took your company public, you put a billion dollars in the bank. Are you going to be selling silver medallion coins?

What do they look like? Does it matter? I don't know; I haven't seen it. You know what I'm talking about? It's just, oh, is it like one of those commemorative coins that you see on the late night? They sell commemorative everything, don't they?

Yeah, but this is the guy running for president, right? And so he's selling commemorative coins. Oh, that's wild, dude. He's selling sneakers. Gangster, bro. But why, if you're rich, are you selling sneakers?

Right? Donald also has a very... look at this [ __ ]. Those [ __ ]—those things are hype as [ __ ], dude, and I wish I could get a pair, to be honest, just because they're pretty tough. I mean, they're ridiculous, but they're tough.

But I think he's got a... you know, he loves being Donald Trump. Yes, he does, undeniably, and I don't blame him for that.

=> 01:04:53

Trust is the key to leadership; it's not about the hype or the gangster mentality, but about finding someone who listens and genuinely wants to make a difference.

Selling silver medallion coins raises questions about their appearance and significance. One might wonder, does it matter what they look like? I admit, I don't know; I haven't seen them. You know what I'm talking about? Oh, is it like one of those commemorative coins that you see on late-night shows? They sell everything, don't they?

Yes, but this is mostly about the guy running for president, right? So, he's selling commemorative coins? That's wild! Dude, he's also selling sneakers—gangster, bro! But why would a rich person sell sneakers? Donald also has a very unique style. Look at this—those sneakers are hype as you know what, and I wish I could get a pair, to be honest, just because they're pretty tough. I mean, they're ridiculous, but they're tough.

I think he loves being Donald Trump. Yes, he does, undeniably, and I don't blame him for that. More power to him! Love your life, right? Enjoy every minute! I hope he enjoys every minute of his life. I have nothing against him; I like the guy. If he were here and we were just talking, I think we'd get along great. But that's different from wanting him to be President of the United States again.

That's a totally different matter. I think you need somebody you can trust. Now, is Kamala Harris perfect? No. Do I agree with everything she's going to do or says? No. But I think you can trust her, and that's the difference. If we keep things in gangster mode, I know that's why she talks to me. It might sound stupid, but when it comes to fixing healthcare, she's not saying, "Okay, this lobbyist or that lobbyist." She's asking, "How do we fix it? What do we do to save people money?"

That's the difference. I understand completely if you think everything's gangster or about the Deep State and all that. But to me, that's just playing the victim. You mean by believing in that sort of mentality? No, I mean when he does it. When he says there's a Deep State, he was the president of the United States, the most powerful man in the world. What did he do to stop the Deep State? He just stopped talking about it. He doesn't talk about the Deep State anymore.

That's supposedly the ultimate gangster move, right? Yeah, I mean, if it's gangster and messed up the way you say, maybe it is. Maybe I just miss it. It feels like it, but I'm not saying it's not. Maybe I just don't see it. Maybe I've got it too good and I don't see the problems. But it isn't going to get any less gangster; it's not going to get better if you put in a gang. If you put somebody who's a gangster in, like Tony Soprano, who only worries about loyalty, if you have an idea, he ain't listening. He's doing it his way.

With her, I think she'll listen. One interesting thing that he did—I wonder how much would be different from the first time he had the experience to be president. Sometimes you do something and you learn. The question is, does he become more gangster or more legit? What do you think?

I don't know; it's a good question. I wish I knew a little bit more about how he thinks. You know, that's the toughest thing about being a regular voter. It's so hard to get to know how somebody thinks. But that's the exact same thing you said about Kamala, right? It really is.

Look, I don't hate him; I really don't hate anybody. I respect them; I just don't agree with them. I don't think he would be a good president. But when he came on here, I listened to the interview. He talked pretty well, other than when you brought up his brother and what happened there, which was really cool. He deserves a lot of credit for that. But I wish he would have talked a little more about it.

I think it's hard to get into some of his emotional side. I wish that it was maybe a little more possible, but he's also an older guy, a senior citizen, and it's harder for that to happen. I don't know him, but he didn't really get into any details about anything other than the personal stuff with his brother.

I think he wants people to feel safe. So, you want different things that are happening at the border. Like, we had a couple of border patrol agents on, and they were saying that a lot of the problems stem from the fact that they used to have the usual Mexican migration that comes up to help with farming and stuff like that. Now, it has just gotten out of control.

=> 01:08:27

Safety and respect for the law must go hand in hand when addressing immigration issues; without a clear plan, chaos is inevitable.

You know, he's also an older guy, a senior citizen, and it's harder for him. I don't know him personally, but he didn't really get into any details about anything other than the personal stuff with his brother. I think he wants to feel safe, and there are different things happening at the border. We had a couple of border patrol agents on, and they mentioned that a lot of the problems stem from the fact that they used to have usual Mexican migration that came up to help with farming. However, that situation has gotten really out of control.

His statement about wanting to close the border or make it more appropriate relates to people's safety. I agree that everybody wants safety, and I think Biden has messed up, no question about it. He waited too long to address the situation. If you look at what's going on now, border crossings are at the same level they were under Trump. They've come way down, and she has already stated that she wants to sign the border bill that the Republicans put out there—not to build a wall, but to shut it down even further. I think that’s a significant step.

She wants to take it even further than it is now, and they've already managed to reduce it to where it was when they built the wall. The numbers are similar to what they were at the end of the pre-COVID period during Trump’s administration, with around 400,000 crossings a day. She’s not Joe Biden, and I agree that this is a big deal. However, he also mentioned wanting to deport everybody. How do you do that? Are you just going to walk into someone's house and say, "Hey, I know you might have someone who is illegal here, so get the local cops and pull them out"?

You have to consider the implications for cities. For example, in LA, there are many undocumented individuals, but not all of their families are illegal. If your family member is being dragged out the front door, how do you think that community will respond? I think it depends on the situation. It’s tough to get into the minutiae of these issues, but you have to follow the law. He’s saying he’s just going to drag people out of their homes, but he hasn’t provided any real details on how he would do it.

Let’s say, for argument's sake, he decided to target Jewish people—this is just an example, not a claim. In a country with this many guns, people would react. If I were Hispanic and had a family member who was undocumented, I wouldn’t just let them take him away without a fight. There are lawful ways to handle deportations. They called Obama the "deporter-in-chief" because he deported more people than Trump ever did, but he followed the law to do it. As long as you follow the law, that’s great.

When Donald Trump goes around saying, "We’re just going to kick them out," it sounds more like a boast than a practical plan. It feels more like a gangster approach. The fact that so many people have been allowed in has led to issues, like Venezuelans in Brooklyn running prostitution rings out of parks. Americans are doing the same things too, but I’m not trying to make excuses for anyone.

The bottom line is to follow the law when addressing these issues. Tell us how you’re going to do it. Trump doesn’t have much finesse when it comes to the emotional comfort of how something sounds. Just respect the law; otherwise, things could hit the fan in a bad way. The reality is that people have come in lawlessly, and it feels like Biden has messed up. No one is denying that he let too many people in, which could reflect the Bernie Sanders side of him. I’m not saying he did the right thing, but we are where we are. The only question is, how do you move forward?

=> 01:12:00

You can't just point fingers at the problem; you have to lay out a plan to fix it.

There are Americans doing the same thing, and it's a good point. However, I'm not trying to make excuses for him. Get the [__] out, but follow the law to do it. Tell us how you're going to do it. That's a good point. He doesn't have much of a finesse when it comes to the emotional comfort of how something sounds. Just respect the law; otherwise, [__] could hit the fan in a bad way.

The fact that people have come in lawlessly feels like Biden [__] up. No one is saying he didn't. Right? He let too many people in, which could have been the Bernie Sanders side of him. I'm not saying he did the right thing, but you are where you are. The only question is how do you fix it? You are where you are; the situation is the situation. When that company cast or whatever it was [__] you up, you were where you were. You just had to deal with it. You could sue, you could do whatever; you could follow the law. You did what you had to do.

It's the same with this. You are where you are, and if he's going to get people out, which he should, he's not saying, "I'll follow the Obama model," but instead of a million people deported, it's going to be 11 million. Let's hear the practice more. When you have 300 million, 400 million guns in a [__] country, people aren't just going to say, "Take my brother, thank you very much."

That's a great point. I think you have to have more of an idea of how things are going to be done. You have to tell us how you're going to do it. You can't just say, "I'm going to deport," because to your point, it gets people mad, and they want to vote because they feel threatened. They don't feel safe, and I don't blame them for being mad and not feeling safe; that's legit. But how are you going to fix it?

K is saying, "Okay, here's the program," right? That we got from James Lankford, whoever the guy from Oklahoma is, who proposed this Republican bill. I'll sign it, right? Because this is a problem. She hasn't said how she's going to deal with deportations; that's something that she should be asked. I don't know the answer; I don't know where her head is on that. But I do know that if you go more gangster on this, it could escalate and get worse.

I don't know; I hadn't thought about it like that exactly. I had thought about the actual practices of it. You know, dude hires people illegally in Mar-a-Lago. That's an interesting thing about our whole country: people say, "Well, we don't want illegals here," but then people hire illegals to do their jobs. They're not doing these jobs; they're doing the shitty jobs. Most of the people that are coming over now, it's gotten so much more out of people just coming over to work and send money back home.

It's gotten to the point where most of the people aren't even Mexican; they're from all other types of backgrounds. This doesn't make those people any better or any worse, but it just makes me feel like I can't walk. I'm scared to let my kid walk the block to school now because I don't know. If you feel like these people don't have a Social Security number, then there's no way to even prosecute them or have them be contributing members.

Well, no, that's not true. Even if they don't have a Social Security number, if they break the law, they'll be deported, or they'll be thrown in jail, whatever it may be. They're not saying, "Because you don't have a Social Security number, you can't be prosecuted." Oh, I see. That's not the way it works.

A lot of people in the executive branch, one of the border patrol guys said that the executive branch isn't doing the processing well enough. So a lot of times, they get the same people over and over again. They send them back, and they come right back over. That's [__] up. So we obviously have to do better. There used to be a program where families could sponsor somebody coming over back in the day.

I don't know where that is or what's going on with that. That would just be cool because then you, as a person that's already living here or is a citizen, feel like you have a connection to that. You know, it's like that's how my grandparents got into the country. They came over from Ukraine and all over the [__] place. It was either be killed where they were or get your ass over here.

=> 01:15:24

Leadership isn't just about making decisions; it's about building a team that can tackle the real issues we face together.

The executive branch is currently facing challenges in processing, leading to a situation where they often encounter the same individuals repeatedly. They send them back, and those individuals come right back over. This cycle is problematic, and it’s clear that we have to do better. In the past, there was a program that allowed families to sponsor individuals coming into the country, which fostered a sense of connection. This connection is important, as it reflects how many people, including my grandparents who came from Ukraine, were able to immigrate to the United States. They faced dire circumstances, where it was either to be killed in their homeland or to get your ass over here.

We are currently in a tough space in this country. People are grappling with issues such as addiction, home ownership, and a decline in marriages, which contributes to a broken family unit. Many individuals are overwhelmed and unable to care for their children because they have to work all day. It raises the question of how to fix these issues. I believe it’s unrealistic to expect one person to solve everything. Leaders are supposed to seek help from the people, but the reality is that the public is already stressed.

This is why I turned against Trump; he didn’t pay attention to the details. He lacked a team that could effectively manage various issues. However, I do appreciate that he brought in Bobby Kennedy Jr. I’m not a huge fan of Kennedy, particularly regarding healthcare, but I do agree with his stance on unprocessed foods. One of my partners, Todd Wagner, is actively working to eliminate harmful additives in California, and I support that initiative. I also appreciate efforts to clean up the environment, which are commendable.

While I have no issue with Kennedy’s environmental efforts, I disagree with his views on vaccines. It’s important to have differing opinions, as that’s what creates a market of ideas. During the pandemic, many felt that we should allow the virus to run its course rather than take a communist route of strict lockdowns. I was responsible for organizing a Mavs game with 20,000 people, and if someone had died because I didn’t want them to be vaccinated, I would have felt terrible for the rest of my life.

Everyone has different perspectives on vaccines. Personally, I was pro-vaccine, but I also felt conflicted. The shutdown of AA rooms during the pandemic had devastating effects, as many individuals couldn’t attend meetings, which is crucial for their recovery. My brother has been sober for 17 years, so I understand the struggles of addiction. The handling of the pandemic felt chaotic, and while it’s easy to look back and critique decisions, being in the moment was incredibly frightening.

Leadership is essential, and while leaders may not be able to do everything themselves, they need to surround themselves with capable people. This is where I believe Trump messed up. You don’t hear much about who he plans to enlist for help with various issues. Many of his former cabinet members have distanced themselves from him, stating that they don’t think he’s qualified for the job. In discussions about healthcare, you often hear Vance mention some of these concerns.

=> 01:19:00

Leadership isn't just about making bold statements; it's about having a solid team and clear plans to turn those ideas into action.

At the moment, it’s important to recognize that everything can be viewed differently in hindsight, as everything's 2020. However, when you are in the midst of a crisis and people are dying, it can be quite scary. This situation underscores the need for leadership. You need leaders who can surround themselves with capable individuals, as they may not be able to handle everything personally. This is where I believe Trump is falling short.

You don't hear much about who he plans to enlist to assist him with various issues. A significant reason for this is that many of the people he previously relied on have turned against him. In fact, 40 out of his 44 cabinet members have stated that they will not support him, expressing doubts about his qualifications for the job. When it comes to specific policies, such as healthcare or deportations, while Donald Trump claims he will address these, he often fails to provide concrete details on how he intends to do so.

I think it’s crucial for both parties to provide more specifics regarding their policies. They could both benefit from a tune-up in this area. We have about 45 days to learn more from KLA about their plans. I am actively encouraging them to release as much detail as possible. I communicate with their team three to four times a week via text, providing feedback when it’s warranted. They are receptive to my input, even if they don’t always agree.

For instance, when discussing healthcare, they mentioned they would consult with their policy director. Recently, I was in conversation with them about the challenges faced by small companies selling products on platforms like Amazon. I highlighted that many small businesses, such as those producing headphones, often find their products knocked off by competitors, particularly from China.

These small companies can lose half to 75% of their sales due to these knockoffs, and it can be challenging to get Amazon to act swiftly to remove these listings. I proposed that we could work together to address this issue. I suggested that we could require Chinese companies to register before selling on Amazon and put up a $25,000 bond to protect against intellectual property violations. This approach would not only generate revenue for the country but also safeguard our small independent businesses.

The team responded positively, acknowledging that they need to explore this idea further. However, we still lack comprehensive details, and I believe that this is a significant area for improvement. In contrast, I feel that the Democratic party has a more organized approach, with greater attention to detail in their communications.

While it’s possible that Trump has assembled a team behind the scenes, it seems unclear who they are. When discussing these topics, I sometimes feel apprehensive, as there are many aspects I don’t fully understand, and it’s evident that nobody knows everything.

=> 01:22:40

In a world where trust in the electoral process is shaky, remember: fair elections still exist, but the real power often lies hidden behind the scenes.

In the discussion, there is a hopeful sentiment regarding the release of policy papers and details from the Democratic Party. The speaker expresses a perception that the Democratic Party, particularly through its communication group, demonstrates more organization and pays a lot more attention to details. They note that while there might be individuals that Donald Trump has assembled, these figures are not visible to the public.

The conversation shifts to the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming elections, with one participant admitting they have no idea who will win. They express a fear regarding the integrity of the election process, stating, "that's my biggest fear is just that we don't have one." This concern is compounded by the influence of lobbyists, with a reference to Bernie Sanders' claim that there are more lobbyists than representatives and senators. The speaker reflects on how this situation makes it feel as though lobbyists are becoming the real government, leading to doubts about whether the voting process is compromised.

Despite these concerns, the speaker, who identifies as a "geek" on the subject, expresses confidence in the election process. They mention that the states Trump questioned were audited and recounted, highlighting that he did not challenge the states he won. This point is reinforced by recalling an invitation to an early debate in 2016, where Trump suggested that the election would not be fair.

The conversation then delves into historical context, referencing Roy Cohen, who was Donald Trump's mentor. Cohen was known for his role during the McCarthy trials in the 1950s, where he defended individuals accused of communism. The speaker notes that Cohen's approach was characterized by denial and a blame-shifting mentality, suggesting that everything Donald is doing is Roy Cohen part two. This template of behavior is seen as a significant motivator for Trump.

The discussion also touches on the perception that Trump is not a traditional politician, which some believe makes him a better choice compared to established politicians. One participant reflects on their voting preferences, indicating that if a non-MAGA Republican were running against Biden, they might consider voting for them. They describe themselves as socially liberal and fiscally conservative, expressing disapproval of the "gangster" mentality associated with politics today.

An anecdote is shared about the speaker's childhood experiences with a friend's father, who was involved in a numbers game, likening it to a form of gambling. This story illustrates the historical context of organized crime and its influence on local economies, drawing parallels to the current political landscape. The speaker reminisces about the simplicity of the numbers game, noting how it operated similarly to roulette, where individuals would bet on numbers with varying odds.

=> 01:26:21

Sometimes doing the right thing means knowing when to stay out of the spotlight.

Back in the day, the mafia in Pittsburgh and elsewhere allowed people to pick a number, typically from 1 to 20, and place bets on it. Each number had different odds, and if your number came up, you got paid. This system was more like roulette, where someone would come and tell you what the winning number was. They would simply post the number, and that was it. They kept track of what you had bet, and if you didn’t pay up, there were consequences. My buddy's dad used to sit there with a little souvenir baseball bat, which I thought was cool at the time, even though I was just a kid. Collecting numbers was part of that gangster culture, and once a gangster, always a gangster.

When it comes to dealing with things, self-preservation is the number one rule of being a gangster. It’s about staying out of jail and keeping your business going, which doesn’t necessarily put the country first. The issue is that it feels like the country hasn’t been prioritized for a long time, and as a result, people are drawn to gangster-like figures. I understand this sentiment; you explained it better than anyone else. My buddy even said he’s tired of voting for politicians, which resonates with many people today.

It's interesting to discuss these topics without yelling or screaming. I respect your thoughts and insights, and I would love to have a conversation with someone who reached out about this recently. I’m not sure who it was, but I can check with my buddy Zach. If you email me, I can find out and put in a good word for you. It would be fascinating to explore these ideas further, especially as a regular person who just wants to vote and understand who these candidates really are.

Have you ever considered running for office? I’ve thought about it and even looked into it, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. The challenges they face are intense, and on a human level, I wouldn’t want to put my family through that. With my work at Cost Plus, I feel I can have a significant impact, and I believe I can do more outside of politics than inside. I’m not great with all the formalities, and showing up at a state dinner in jeans and a t-shirt wouldn’t work. But honestly, I think people would love that! My wife, however, would not be on board with that idea.

I even asked my family what they thought about me running for office, and it was a four-to-one vote against it. My son was somewhat interested, but he was only 13 at the time. The part of me that makes me consider it is my desire to do the right thing. I don’t need anything from anyone; you can’t buy me. I’m curious, I like to learn, and I want to listen and be open-minded. I’ve had success in various industries, whether it’s streaming, HDTV, or movies, and I know how to change industries.

I trust smart people and partner with those who have expertise in areas where I lack knowledge. I might be too honest about things, but I believe I could do a good job. However, there’s no way I’m putting my family through that kind of scrutiny and pressure. If I had an extra year in my life, I might reconsider, but family always comes first. It’s a lot to handle, especially when you think about the pressures faced by public figures. When Clinton was President, the worst he did was try to smoke dope, and that’s a far cry from the challenges faced today.

=> 01:30:05

Navigating industries is all about trusting the right people and knowing when to step back for your family's sake.

Now you know about the Cost Plus drug initiative. I have experience in changing industries, whether it was the streaming industry, HDTV, or movies—whatever it is, I’ve managed to bubble to the top. I also understand the importance of trusting smart people and partnering with those who possess knowledge that I don’t have, which helps to complement my skill sets. I might be too honest about the whole thing, but I believe I could do a good job. However, there’s just no way I’m putting my family through that. That’s why, if I had an extra year in my life, I would think about it. But they are still my family, and that’s a lot to consider.

When Clinton was President, the worst he did was try to smoke dope. Obama, on the other hand, had his own controversies, including that infamous hummer incident. But by then, he was already in office. I mean, who knows? If you’re the president, you have to navigate a lot. But it’s worth noting that he was married, which played a role in how things were perceived. To get elected, all you had to say was, “I didn’t inhale.” Now, the situation is totally different. There are pictures, and your kids are involved. It can put your family through a brutal experience. This is a significant reason why many people might shy away from pursuing a political career.

Do you think that keeps a lot of people out of it? Yes, for sure. The media scrutiny is intense. Just look at Kamala Harris; she was 30 years old and dating someone older, and the media had a field day with it. If it were you and me, we’d probably be like, “Let’s go party with Kamala and Montel.” But now, she faces all this scrutiny, and it’s not easy. Even her stepdaughter, who has tattoos, has been the subject of criticism. I remember when the stories about Barron Trump came out, discussing his autism or Down syndrome. It’s absurd how people speculate.

I’ll tell you this: when I visited the White House to see Donald Trump in 2019, he was rambling around, and we were trying to talk about healthcare. He went off on various topics and asked if I was still on that show, “Shark.” He mentioned that Barron loves that show, and I said to tell him thanks. As I was leaving, he complimented my suit, saying, “That suit looks really good on you.” That’s who he is—always giving compliments.

Now, I want to talk about your drug company, Drugs.com. One of the toughest issues is that people pay more for medications. Can you explain the dynamics of the healthcare system, particularly the insurance scam that occurs between hospitals, insurers, and regular people?

Sure! The best way to explain it is that there are drugs you take and then there are providers, which are the hospitals you go to. The hospitals are the providers, and then there are the payers, which are the insurance companies. The insurance companies try to make deals with the providers, but these deals are not always straightforward. The insurance companies have all the leverage because they control the money, while hospitals are just trying to get as much business as they can. This leads to various games and arbitrages being played repeatedly.

What people often don’t realize is that almost everyone has some form of healthcare. For example, do you have insurance, or do you self-pay? I have health insurance, but I’m not sure through which provider. It costs $400 a month, so it’s probably through the ACA, or Obamacare. But you also have a deductible, right? Let’s say for the sake of discussion that it’s a $2,000 deductible for the hospital. Even though the insurance company will pay anything above that $2,000, you are still responsible for that amount. The hospital is already not going to...

=> 01:33:49

Healthcare transparency is key to empowering patients and reducing medical debt. When people know the real costs, they can make informed choices and challenge the system.

The leverage in the healthcare system often lies with those who have the money, while hospitals are continually trying to capture as much business as possible. This leads to numerous games and arbitrages being played repeatedly. However, what many people fail to realize is that almost everyone interacts with healthcare in some form, whether through self-payment or insurance. For instance, I have health insurance that costs $400 a month, likely through the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare.

With this insurance, there is a deductible, which let's say is $2,000 for hospital services. Even though the insurance company will cover anything above that amount, I am still responsible for the first $2,000. The reality is that hospitals often do not receive payment on 50% of the deductibles. This situation contributes significantly to the accumulation of medical debt. Individuals with deductibles may find themselves unable to pay, leading to a cycle of debt. For example, if someone has a disease but cannot afford their $2,000 deductible, it doesn't matter that insurance covers costs beyond that threshold because they simply cannot pay the initial amount.

This predicament places individuals in dire situations, while hospitals and providers also struggle as a substantial portion of their revenue goes unpaid. Meanwhile, insurance companies often exhibit indifference, stating, "that's your problem, not mine." They may only pay what they believe they owe, which puts pressure on hospitals, providers, and ultimately, the patients.

What we are advocating for through the Harris campaign is transparency. Currently, nobody knows the contracts between insurance companies and hospitals or between insurance companies and employers. As a result, the largest companies wield the most leverage, leading to adverse outcomes. If every insurance and provider contract were made public, patients would gain a better understanding of their situation.

An organization called Power to the Patients is working towards this goal. They lobby for price transparency, ensuring that individuals know the costs of procedures like MRIs before they go for them. For example, if one hospital charges $700 for an MRI, another nearby might charge $650, prompting competition among providers. An executive order was issued to enforce this, which was a positive step taken during the Trump administration; however, the Biden administration has not enforced it effectively, as the penalty for non-compliance is merely $1,000 a day, which some hospitals find easier to pay than to comply.

I funded a study where people called hospitals to inquire about cash prices, and shockingly, a third of them were unaware of what those prices were. This lack of knowledge stems from the fact that hospitals prioritize revenue from insurance companies rather than cash prices.

Circling back to our initiative, I received a cold email from a doctor named Dr. Alex Lmy, who highlighted a shortage of generic drugs affecting children. He proposed starting a compounding pharmacy to produce these essential medications. While I appreciated the idea, I felt it wasn't ambitious enough. I decided to investigate the pharmaceutical industry further to understand why many people cannot afford their medications.

=> 01:37:26

Transparency in drug pricing can revolutionize healthcare affordability.

You wanted to start a compounding pharmacy, where you could make those drugs that are in short supply. I thought that was cool, but it wasn't thinking big enough. So, I decided to look at the pharmaceutical industry and the drug industry to understand why so many people can't afford medications and what is going on. It became really obvious, really fast, that there is no transparency. For instance, when you go in for an MRI and your doctor says, "Theo, you need this medication," you have no clue what the price is going to be. The next question is always, "What pharmacy are you using?" They are not asking if you can afford it or anything like that.

As a result, we decided to create a company called costplusdrugs.com. If you go to costplusdrugs.com and put in the name of a medication, we don't have them all, but we have about 2,500. We will show you our cost—the actual cost that we pay for it. Then, we mark it up 15%, and there is a $5 shipping and handling fee to send it to you, or $5 for our pharmacy. If you pick it up locally, it's $12. This way, the pharmacist makes money, and because of that transparency and our modest markup, our prices are dramatically lower.

For example, when insurance companies are trying to rip people off, there is a drug called amatinib. If you don't come to us or some of the better smaller pharmacies, you might get charged $22,000 a month. For us, it might be $21 a month. I had a friend who takes a drug called droxidopa. I didn't know what it was at first, but a friend of ours emailed me saying that Landon couldn't get it because he lost his insurance, and they were going to charge him $10,000 every three months. I thought that was crazy, so I looked into it. If you go to costplusdrugs.com and put in droxidopa, you'll find it for $64 for three months.

Now, it's $14. So, because we are able to buy drugs in volume and only mark them up 15%, we can offer these lower prices. You might wonder, why doesn't our own government do that to help us? Well, they are starting to now, but the problem was that we published our prices and put out our price list before anyone else did. This has created a situation where other companies now have to follow suit. People are going to costplusdrugs.com, and doctors are realizing that droxidopa is $14 instead of another place that wanted $3,000 plus a month.

Are all of your drugs cheaper? I'd say 99% of them are. Every now and then, there might be one where we are not cheaper, but every time our volumes go up and our prices go down, we pass those savings on. Literally, we've lowered our prices every weekday since last August. It's been over a year now, and we've consistently lowered prices on some drugs as they come in.

So, anyone out there—your mom, your dad, your aunt, your uncle, your grandparents—whatever drug you take, if you're paying more than $15 out of pocket, go to costplusdrugs.com, put in the name of it, and see if we are cheaper. It's really that simple. If you have a deductible, we might be cheaper than your deductible, and it's often cheaper to pay cash with us.

Now, can people run into problems if they are not supposed to get certain drugs? Is it easier to get those drugs through you guys? No, you still have to have a prescription. We don't deal with any controlled substances at all.

But how does our government allow you to do this? Well, they can't stop me because it's just free market stuff. They like it, and I'm glad that it's happening. I'm currently talking to the Harris campaign, saying, "Look, if we just do this transparency, you guys can buy the same way we do." There was a thing from the FTC that went after these companies called pharmacy benefit managers and threw them under the bus with a lawsuit. They used our prices in the research for that lawsuit. There is research from institutions like Vanderbilt and Harvard showing that if the government, specifically Medicare, bought at our prices, they would save billions of dollars a year.

=> 01:41:09

Disrupting the healthcare industry starts with transparency—publish your prices and watch the savings roll in.

Control substances at all? Okay, yeah, huh. Wow, man, but how does our government allow you to be able to do that? Well, they can't stop me, right? Because it's just free market stuff. They like it; I'm glad that it's happening. No, they like it, right?

So now, I'm talking to the Harris campaign and I'm saying, "Look, if we just do this transparency, you guys can buy the same way we do." There was a thing from the FTC who went after all these things called these Farm Benefit Managers and just threw them under the bus and sued them. But they used our prices. Right now, there's research in the lawsuit. Yeah, there's research from places like Vanderbilt and Harvard saying if the government, if Medicare bought at our prices, they would save billions of dollars a year. I mean, literally immediately.

If there are people out there that are struggling with their prices, what they pay, they switch to us, they're going to save a ton of money. They can just do that, but it's their own choice. They don't need their doctor's approval to do so; they just need to get a prescription to send. So, they still need a prescription, but the doctor doesn't determine where they go. They usually just say, "What's your local pharmacy?" You practice, right? And so, you just say, "Send it to cplusdrugs.com."

In the system that the doctors use to create the prescription, it lists us there, and they just click on it. It's easy. Wow, yeah, no, it's insane. It's insane! Literally, we only started on January 19th of 2022, so we've only been around a little bit more than two and a half years, and we're just changing everything. Is it publicly traded? No, no, no, it's private. It's funded the whole thing. Damn, now, because I don't want to have to worry about making people money, right? Because we're losing money now—not that much, actually.

But it's more important for me to change things up. Right? So you like the fact that you're changing the industry? Yeah, I love that. No, no, because to me, that's always the most fun, right? So you got all—I mean, the healthcare industry, right? If you know what's the one thing you want to go down in history for? I messed up the healthcare industry. Right? I made it so people could afford their healthcare, their medication. And so, you know, that's what we're doing with far itical and medications.

We're also working on Cost Plus Wellness, which will deal with and kind of push out those insurance companies. Because most people get their healthcare through their employer, and most employers, particularly the big ones, self-insure, meaning they pay for all the costs out of pocket. They don't realize how badly they're getting ripped off. So we're out there working on new programs now so that those employers will figure it out. We're starting with my companies and then we'll extend it out to other companies.

Yeah, it's just crazy that I feel like it just needs overhauls of things, you know? And it's not that hard. This is like, this is the easiest industry I've ever disrupted because all we had to do was publish our price list. Right? Because everybody else was hiding everything.

You talked before about things happening behind the scenes. Yeah, you go into the doctor, you go into the hospital, you sign something that says, "I'm going to pay whatever you charge me," and then you assume they're going to charge you the fairest amount because they are a hospital. They're supposed to take care of you, you would think so, right? And then they don't; they charge because they want whatever they can. But why do they do that? Because they're getting screwed by the insurance companies. Got it, right?

And they know that if you complain about the price, they'll reduce it, right? But then you have to—you're already sick—now you have to spend the next 17 weeks of your life dealing with that nonsense, right? Arguing with someone who's been trained how to argue against you. Exactly, exactly, right? And that's another country most of the time. Actually, some of it's here; a lot of billing is here. But then, you know, if you're calling it, yeah, and it's over there, yeah, for sure.

But then they feel horrible because the person arguing against you, the employee, feels horrible because they know that they're screwing you over. They're just trying to make their money to go to the hospital side of it, right? The hospital has to have way too many employees to deal with the insurance company. And the insurance company says, "Okay, we know this is what we're supposed to owe from when Theo took his kid in there, right? But we're not going to pay you the full amount. If you don't like that, sue us." And then they sue them. So now they have to have a huge number of doctors.

=> 01:44:22

The healthcare system is a maze of confusion and costs, but transparency is the key to unlocking better choices and savings.

In discussing the healthcare system, it becomes evident that most of the time, another country is involved in the complexities of medical billing. While some of it's here, a lot of the building is here, but when you call for assistance, it often feels like it's over there. This situation creates a challenging environment for employees who are caught in the middle; they feel horrible because they know they are screwing you over, yet they are just trying to make a living, especially in the context of hospital operations.

The hospital itself has to employ way too many employees to manage interactions with insurance companies. The insurance companies often dictate terms, stating, “we know this is what we're supposed to owe,” but then they refuse to pay the full amount, leaving hospitals with the option to sue. This leads to hospitals needing a shitload of doctors to handle the fallout. To address this, we propose a solution: we're going to the place and saying we're going to do a contract based on cash transactions. This way, there’s no [__] around with the insurance companies, and we plan to publish all the contracts so that everyone can compare notes and find the best options.

Despite an executive order mandating price transparency, it is not being enforced effectively. While there are some efforts, they are not at a level that truly helps people. It would be beneficial if the government should have a commercial that runs frequently, informing the public about the historic price transparency requirements established during the Trump Administration to increase competition and lower healthcare costs. Initially, this applied to the top 100 services, but it has since expanded to 500 services and is still growing.

The challenge lies in enforcement; if hospitals list shitty prices, it doesn’t matter if they are transparent. Therefore, it is crucial to have the whole contract published so that everyone responsible for payment can see not only the prices but also how those prices were determined. This transparency would enable the development of software and apps that could genuinely assist consumers. Most people do have some form of insurance—only 11% of people don’t—but many have high deductible plans, leaving them uncertain about their out-of-pocket expenses, even if they are told the costs for procedures like MRIs.

It is indeed a brutal situation, as individuals constantly grapple with the feeling of being screwed all the time. However, this complexity also presents an opportunity.

In a separate discussion, Mark Cuban addressed why he sold the Mavericks, stating, “it was time for more time with my family.” He acknowledged that competing in the NBA required generating more revenues, which had shifted from technology and media to building casinos and other ventures. Cuban expressed that he did not want to become a real estate guy or invest $2 billion to learn the ropes. Instead, he brought in a capable partner, Patrick Dumont, and the Adon family, who are big Trump supporters and better suited for that arena.

Cuban mentioned that selling the team was a win-win situation, as he still owns 27% of the Mavericks and remains involved. When asked if there was another team he wanted to buy, he clarified that it was more about spending time with family rather than pursuing another franchise, despite the pressure to win.

Reflecting on his time in the NBA, Cuban estimated that he paid three to four million in fines, with his largest fine being $600,000. He reminisced about his upbringing in Pittsburgh, hinting at the challenges and lessons learned along the way.

=> 01:47:52

Investing in the future means knowing when to step back and let the next generation shine.

Selling it, you mean? Yeah, yeah, I mean it's still on 27% and I'm still involved, so got it, it's a win-win.

Was there another team that you wanted to buy recently? What about a WNBA team? No, not really, because it was more about just spending more time. Like, so that's another thing. Yeah, because there's a lot of pressure, right? Because if I want to do it, I want to win. Right? And I still, like I said, I own 27% of the Mavs, and that's still big time. That's enough fun.

How much did you pay in fines during your NBA time? Three, four, five million? I have no idea. What was your biggest fine? Um, I think it was $600,000. So, I grew up, like I told you, in Pittsburgh, and my biggest basketball crush was Julius Irving, Dr. J, right?

Oh wait, was that... oh, that was bigger, right? Okay, so we rested these guys. See, I forgot about this one. At the end of two seasons ago, we weren't going to make the playoffs, and we rested our best players. Even though every other team had been doing it, they fined me for $750,000. Damn! Because why? Because fans are coming; the best players should be on the court.

No, not necessarily. I mean, when a team is bad, they will do what they can to get a better draft pick, because that's how you're going to get good. So, we weren't going to do it, and they said we waited too long. Right? Like, other teams might tank halfway through the season; they might tank three-quarters of the way. But because we did it with three games left, they thought that was wrong. I was pissed when I got that one. Dude, I would have been Jesus Christ, I would have been pissed and sleeping outside because I would have been living outside then.

Was there one player you always wanted to get that you couldn't get? I mean, I was like Shaq. Shaq was my guy. Shaq was always, "Come get me, come get me." Yeah, I have a house in Dallas, come get me. I tried. Shaq! Oh, that would have been fascinating having Shaq over there.

I've heard you talk about crypto a lot. Do you think it's a big part of our future, or do you not? I think it can be. I think we don't know for sure yet. Okay, I think on one hand, Bitcoin is like the new gold, right? Because it's easy to own, and it's easy to use apps to deal with it and everything. I think that's a huge plus as opposed to gold, where you've got to... it's just more difficult to deal with, and ain't nobody going to carry a brick of gold, right? If [__] hits the fan, right, what are you going to do? "Hey, this is my gold." You know, that's not going to work.

A couple of brothers might actually... Dude, I know one of my dogs. Oh really? Oh yeah, I know a couple of dogs roll around with a brick, maybe. But yeah, but it's just going to create controversy. Different kind of brick I'm talking about—gold. But yeah, people would be trying to attack you for it. Yeah, right. So, I see Bitcoin as having a good future, right?

I think for all, there's a lot of good reasons. I think Ethereum and some of the other ones are dependent on the applications built around them. So, like there's DeFi, which has a real place so that people can easily trade, borrow, loan money, and make some money or save, you know, borrow money. I think that's been around a while, and that works okay, but it's kind of a stable app.

But we really haven't seen that app that's like the Instagram app. Right? Like when iPhones first came out or the App Store first came out, there was no one app. Right? Then Instagram came along, Snapchat came along, and then the App Store blew up—right? There were apps, apps, apps, apps. We haven't seen that one app that everybody has to use for crypto, and when that happens, it'll make it a lot more common.

Right, it's a great point. Never really thought about that. What's something on the radar that nobody's seeing right now? People are talking about AI and OIC prices and, you know, women selling illegal OIC outside of Vineyard Vines and all kinds of stuff. Yeah, it's happening. And people are talking about the border and politics, but what's something that you think is on your radar that's like a big issue that nobody's talking about?

I think it's more AI than people realize. Yeah, yeah, I think AI is going to go a lot further. I mean, as processing speeds go like that and the capabilities of AI go like that, the context wins all this other [__].

Do you have a kid? I don't have any children. I thought I would have one one day, but I don't have any. I got to get a wife. Yeah, first things first, right?

And so, like if you just had a kid tomorrow, let's just say, right, and you start collecting all the videos and pictures...

=> 01:51:22

AI is set to redefine our relationships, allowing us to interact with digital versions of loved ones long after they're gone.

In recent discussions, there has been a notable focus on AI and OIC prices, along with reports of women selling illegal OIC outside of Vineyard Vines. This situation has sparked conversations about the border and politics. However, one significant issue that seems to be overlooked is the rapid advancement of AI technology.

As processing speeds increase and the capabilities of AI expand, it is becoming more apparent that AI is going to go a lot further than people realize. The implications of this technology are profound, especially when considering the future of parenting. For instance, if someone were to have a child tomorrow and began collecting videos, pictures, emails, and texts, they could eventually create an AI companion for their child. This AI could serve as an invisible friend, equipped with all the information the parent wishes to impart. Instead of turning to social media platforms like Instagram or Snapchat, the child could interact with this AI, which could be designed to resemble a hologram or another familiar figure.

Fast forward several decades, and this AI could retain memories and experiences shared with the child. Imagine a scenario where, even after the parent has passed away, the child could still interact with a digital representation of them, recalling shared moments and experiences. This could lead to a future where, as one lies in bed at night, they could project their grandparents onto the wall and converse with them as if they were still alive. The potential for such technology is insane.

On a lighter note, the conversation shifted to personal inventions. One participant shared a creative idea from 15 years ago about having a hologram band perform on a car dashboard, which would be a fun distraction while driving. Another whimsical idea involved creating synchronized dog collars that would allow neighborhood dogs to howl together, forming a symphony of dogs. This could be a delightful experience for pet owners, especially during relaxing evenings on the porch.

Before concluding, the discussion turned to advice for young men navigating their careers. Reflecting on personal experiences, one piece of advice was to be really good at all those jobs one might find themselves in, even if they seem temporary or unfulfilling. Mastering skills in various roles can provide valuable experience and open up future opportunities.

=> 01:54:47

Be the best at whatever you do, and opportunities will find you.

The conversation began with a discussion about the challenges young men face today. One participant reflected on the best advice he would give to his younger self, emphasizing the importance of being good at any job, regardless of its nature. He noted, "when you get really good at something, that opens up doors for you." He encouraged young people to strive for excellence, saying, "nobody quits anything they're really good at." This sentiment underscores the idea that satisfaction in work comes from being the best at what you do, which can lead to opportunities for advancement.

The dialogue then shifted to the importance of being curious and adaptable. The speaker advised, "be agile," suggesting that the ability to navigate challenges is crucial for success. He acknowledged that finding something you love and can excel at takes time, stating, "it takes all of us years to figure it out." He also reminded listeners to give themselves grace during this process, as there's no rush to have everything figured out in your early twenties.

The conversation also touched on the significance of sales skills. One participant shared his early experiences with selling, recalling, "I started selling when I was like 12 years old." He emphasized the importance of viewing sales as a way to help others rather than just a transaction. This perspective can make selling feel more genuine and less daunting.

As the chat progressed, a rumor about a potential acquisition of Fox News was addressed, which the speaker dismissed as unfounded. Instead, he shared an intriguing story about purchasing a town called Mustang, Texas. He explained, "I bought a town... it's the only personally owned town in the state." This unique investment came about when a friend, facing health issues, offered to sell it to him.

Towards the end of the conversation, the focus shifted to family, particularly the speaker's daughter, who is turning 21. He expressed his excitement about celebrating her birthday in Nashville, stating, "it's a little bit spoiling her, but she deserves it." He described her as having a great spirit, being "feisty," and possessing a sarcastic sense of humor. This personal reflection highlighted his enjoyment of being a father, as he noted, "I love it."

In conclusion, the conversation was a blend of professional advice, personal anecdotes, and reflections on family life. The participants shared insights that resonated with many listeners, particularly young men navigating their paths in life.