Episode 1: Welcome to the FIRST EPISODE of The Crazy Ones, hosted by fellow friends, founders, and builders, Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji). Today, we talk about the rise and the insane $700M evaluation of Liquid Death, then we get into how to make your pitch deck UNDENIABLE to investors, and finally the truths that you need to know when you’re a tech entrepreneur. Links Referenced: Liquid Death’s Evaluation | Bloomberg Martha...

Guy Branum has had his fair share of career highs and lows. From helping to write and produce Chelsea Lately and The Mindy Project, to at times being unable to even secure representation, Guy’s career has been anything but a linear journey. In this episode, Guy tells Alex about some of the lowest points in his life and career, and how he managed to muster the tenacity to keep pursuing his dreams even when Hollywood was telling him there was no place for him.  Learn more about Ac+ion alkaline...

When Daphne E. Jones was in high school, she was told by a career counselor that her only possible career options were to be a teacher or a secretary. Thankfully, she decided to forgo the box others tried to put her in and learned how to break through barriers throughout her career, eventually making it to executive-level positions at companies like Johnson & Johnson, IBM, and General Electric. Listen to hear Daphne tell Alex about how she navigated adversity in the workplace and what she...

At the age of 42, Julia Haart left her insular Jewish Orthodox community to find personal freedom. Despite having no formal education, Julia managed to become a shoe designer, the creative director of La Perla, and eventually the CEO of Elite World Group. She’s also since become the star of her own Netflix series, My Unorthodox Life, and author of the bestselling book Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie. In this episode, Julia tells Alex about how found her way in the...

Author Ayana Gray’s debut novel, Beasts of Prey, became an instant New York Times bestseller when it was published in September 2021. With her second book of the popular fantasy series out now, Beasts of Ruin, author Ayana Gray tells Alex about how she copes with feeling imposter syndrome and an overwhelming fear of failure. Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes available at https://imposters.morningbrew.com

FROM THE AXE FILES PODCAST – Monica Lewinsky has been many things: White House intern, media punching bag, writer, anti-bullying activist, and now, producer. She talked to David about her upbringing and her parents' tumultuous divorce, her struggles with mental health following her affair with former President Bill Clinton, the dangers of social media, and how she took back control of her own story, most recently as a producer on “Impeachment: American Crime Story.”

Michelle Williams was one of the world’s biggest superstars, part of the trifecta of singers in Destiny’s Child. But she’s also an important example of how depression can be a subtle, silent, and dangerous disease. You can be a pop star in the number one R&B group in the country, winning Grammys and meeting your idols, and STILL be struggling to get out of bed in the morning. In this episode, Michelle gets into the nitty gritty of how depression has affected her life, even with success,...

Country singer Ty Herndon has had some dramatic personal highs and lows. From earning a Grammy nomination and releasing numerous #1 hit records, to struggling with addiction and hiding his sexuality from the public, Ty’s road to success has been tumultuous. In this episode, Ty tells Alex about the experience of finally coming out to his country music fans, and why it wasn’t the answer to all of his problems even after he did. Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes available at...

Amanda Seales is no stranger to rejection. When the comedian, actress, and producer, pivoted away from a career in hip hop into the world of comedy, she faced numerous hurdles—including that initially, no agent wanted to work with her. In this episode, Amanda tells Alex how she managed to build her audience and find success without sacrificing her integrity or caving to mainstream ideals. Find tickets to Amanda’s Black Outside Again tour here https://www.amandaseales.com/tourdates  To learn...

Soledad O’Brien has been a recognizable staple of broadcast news for years, having served as a reporter and anchor for networks like MSNBC, NBC, and CNN. But in 2007, Soledad was thrown a career curveball when she was removed from her coveted anchor position at CNN’s American Morning, leaving her at an unexpected career crossroads. In this episode, the award-winning journalist and producer tells Alex about how smart preparation and a confidence in her own abilities have allowed her to make...

Tim Ferriss is an unconventional thinker. Throughout his career he has followed his curiosity not only in building businesses, but also in dealing with his chronic depression. In this episode, the quote-worthy entrepreneur and podcast host joins Alex for a candid conversation on how to find fulfillment through unconventional ways. To learn more about Lincoln Financial, check out https://www.lincolnfinancial.com/ Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes available at...

Andy Dunn believes that he is bigger than his diagnosis. In 2017, Andy Dunn sold the company he co-founded and ran to Wal-Mart for $310 million dollars. But while that company, Bonobos, was prospering, Andy’s mental health was at an all time low. He was suffering from bipolar disorder which gave him depressive symptoms where he couldn’t get out of bed, mixed with manic and violent episodes of energy. In this episode, Andy speaks to his experiences and the lessons he’s learned while running a...

After the 2016 election, comedian Jordan Klepper and Governor John Kasich suffered starkly different professional wins and losses. Governor Kasich lost the presidential primary against then candidate, Donald Trump, and Jordan graduated from being a correspondent on The Daily Show to getting his own show. Since then Jordan’s show was canceled by Comedy Central and in this episode, the two guys talk about processing professional failures and how it led them to their new podcast, “Kasich &...

Growing up, Lewis Howes wasn’t a confident public speaker. Today, he is New York Times bestselling author, a highly sought after keynote speaker, and is the host of one of the top business podcasts in the world. Lewis tells Alex about how he learned to embrace his weaknesses and utilize his strengths in a way that allowed him to go from living on his sister’s couch to growing an impactful personal brand.  Listen to The School of Greatness here. Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes...

Jim Weber loves a challenge. When he became CEO of Brooks Running in 2001, the company was $40 million in debt. Today, the company earns over $1 billion in revenue. When he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2017, he took the prognosis head on and made a plan. Jim tells Alex about how he navigated the biggest hurdles in his career and his health, and how not dwelling on the negative has helped him succeed. Check out Jim’s new book here Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes...

While President Barack Obama was in office, he gave a speech shouting out army veteran Jason Kander as “the future of the Democratic party”. The events that followed were shocking. Jason started making his rounds as a presidential hopeful in 2018, before dropping out of politics altogether after facing the repercussions of his PTSD from the war in Afghanistan. Today, his work is dedicated to stop veteran homelessness and curb suicide rates with his work as the President of National Expansion...

In 2020, Alexis Ohanian, Co-Founder of Reddit & Founder of Seven Seven Six, broke ties with the $10 billion-dollar company he helped to build as an act of protest during the Black Lives Matter movement. In doing so, he stepped away from the business he’d known for most of his career, and instead decided to found a different kind of VC firm. In this episode, Alexis tells Alex about the traumas he faced at the very start of his career, and how that has driven him towards the impact-focused...

Ray Dalio is a man that needs little introduction. He fell in love with the stock market at an early age, and has now built the world’s largest hedge fund in Bridgewater Associates. But after spending the majority of his life building his company’s financial security, he’s now entering a different life stage of giving back, and focusing on bettering his own personal principles. In this episode of Imposters, we speak to Ray about his meditation practice, how that helped him as an investor, and...

Jarrid Tingle was raised by a single mother and grew up on welfare, living in his grandparents attic for the first 8 years of his life. Through extremely hard work and good fortune, Jarrid was able to go to private schools in far more affluent neighborhoods than his own and eventually went to ivy league colleges and business schools as well. Jarrid committed himself to bettering low-income communities through starting his Black-Owned VC firm, Harlem Capital. To read Jarrid’s Twitter thread...

In 2008, at just 16 years old, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson won four medals including one gold for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics. While the world watched Shawn excel on the outside, internally she was privately suffering from a severe eating disorder. Societal pressures and public scrutiny only worsened her insecurities around weight and it would be years before she realized that she could even ask for help. In this episode, Shawn tells Alex about her incredible highs and lows as a...

Shortly after obtaining a degree in business, Jay Shetty decided to become a monk. Not only was this an unusual move, but it was met with strong disapproval from both family and friends. Still, Jay felt compelled to follow this calling, and today Jay is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, hosts a leading health podcast, and is lauded as a mindfulness leader by millions of people around the world. In this episode, Jay tells Alex about feeling completely lost at multiple times in his...

Howie Mandel was a kid who never fit in until he found comedy. Even while he was a kid and undiagnosed with OCD, he realized that pranks made him and his odd sense of humor feel seen. In this episode, Howie tracks back from his early childhood finding comedy, to his first career as a standup comedian, and his second career as a game show host to the most popular game show in the world – Deal or No Deal. For more info on our presenting sponsor, check out https://projecthealthyminds.com. Full...

Jacob Sartorius was just 13 years old when he became internet famous and immediately faced such intense in-person and online harassment, that his adopted parents had to take him out of school. So as Jacob’s career has continued to skyrocket, he had to figure out ways to deal with his trauma of being adopted and bullied. Jacob tells Alex how he worked through his resentment, anxiety, and panic attacks through years of self-work, and breathwork from the motivational speaker, Wim Hof, and how he...

Growing up was complicated for the now famous television personality-turned-entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel. She was a witness to domestic abuse, went to 13 different schools as a kid, and grew up around gamblers on racetracks. She attributes her fierce personality and business acumen to those experiences, but now she’s reflecting on how that trauma may have shaped her. Check out Bethenny’s new book, Business in Personal, available now For more info on our presenting sponsor, check out...

Growing up, Jiaoying Summers struggled to feel worthy. Born during the one-child policy era in China, Jiaoying endured the pressure of not being born a male heir for her family, as well as bullying for not being what was considered “pretty” in her home country. But as Jiaoying tells Alex, all of this made Jiaoying all the more resilient and willing to fight for herself in all situations, from rejection in Hollywood to getting kicked off of TikTok—the platform that has been essential to her...