Momentum

Victor Braca is the 19-year-old founder and host of Momentum, a show he started at 17 and has since grown into a live event series and a film business, with guests ranging from Joe Cayre and Jeff Sutton to former NYC mayor Eric Adams. In this episode, Victor's summer interns Jacob Palacci and Sam Nasar turn the cameras on him, and he opens up about out-earning his camp counselor as a 4th grade...

Ivor Braka is a veteran New York real estate investor whose six-decade career spans buildings across Manhattan, Newark, Florida, and Mexico City, and includes a stake in the World Trade Center alongside Larry Silverstein. In this episode, Ivor opens up about fleeing wartime England as a baby, learning real estate from the ground up at the Kaufman Organization, and the buy-cheap philosophy that mad...

Joshua A. Sussberg is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, where he has helped lead some of the biggest corporate restructurings of the past two decades, including Toys R Us, Claire’s, and JCPenney. In this episode, Josh breaks down his rise at Kirkland, what it takes to save a company on the brink, the lessons he learned from cases like Toys R Us and J...

Joseph Salama is the Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase, the largest publicly traded crypto exchange in the world. In this episode, Joe opens up about getting blackballed right before becoming a BigLaw partner, spending 15 years leading Deutsche Bank's litigation, and steering compliance through Coinbase's most volatile moments. Enjoy! __________ ⁠Check out Josh Feltman on Momentum _____...

Ike S. Franco is the Founder & CEO of Infinity Global, with businesses spanning real estate, beverage, and sports, including a stake in the Yankees and global sports branding. In this episode, Ike opens up about growing up without a father, the handshake-first business culture that shaped him, and how he built an empire across real estate, beverage, and sports while never losing sight of where...

Eli Gindi is one of the most prominent real estate investors in New York City, Las Vegas, and Miami, controlling the largest single retail property in Las Vegas: over 2,000 consecutive feet of prime real estate spanning 8 city blocks. In this episode, Eli opens up about growing up undiagnosed and unable to read, losing his father at 22, losing a stock market fortune overnight, and the deals that b...

Chaim Theil is a partner at Sidley Austin, one of the largest law firms in America, where he's led billion-dollar M&A and restructuring deals for some of the world's biggest investors, including Carl Icahn. In this episode, Chaim opens up about why he doesn't believe in work-life balance, the "humble yourself" philosophy that's guided his career from Brooklyn to the top of big law, and why no...

Bob Knakal is one of New York City's most legendary real estate brokers, having closed over 2,400 building sales worth $24 billion, and sold his own company, Massey Knakal, for $100 million. In this episode, Bob opens up about nearly going bankrupt three times during the savings and loan crisis, the bizarre way he found out he'd been fired from Cushman & Wakefield (via a press article), and ho...

Sol Gindi is the Head of Wells Fargo Advisors, leading more than 20,000 employees and 12,000 financial advisors across the country. In this episode, Sol shares the lessons that shaped his career, from working alongside Edmond Safra and navigating the 2008 financial crisis to leading at JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, with insights on leadership, relationships, and building a meaningful career. Enjoy! __...

Chaby Orfali is the founder of Merkury Innovations, a consumer electronics company that has spent more than 20 years supplying products to some of the largest retailers in America. In this episode, Chaby shares how losing both of his parents by the age of 18 forced him into the workforce, the lessons he learned building a business from scratch, winning Walmart as a customer, and why gratitude, int...

Joe Cayre went from selling handkerchiefs door-to-door to help feed his family to building multi-billion-dollar businesses across music, film, home video, and real estate. In this episode, Joe shares the stories behind his biggest deals, including signing the World Trade Center lease weeks before 9/11, building an empire with exclusive Walmart distribution rights, negotiating million-dollar licens...

Jack Kassin is the Chairman of Best Brands Consumer Products, a company that grew from a small family towel business into a national enterprise with products in more than 20,000 stores across the country. In this episode, Jack shares the lessons he learned from over six decades in business, the values that guided his success, and how he built wealth without sacrificing family, integrity, or purpos...

David Mizrahi is the founder of Salt Restaurant Group, a booming hospitality brand behind some of the most in-demand kosher dining experiences in the country, including Salt Steakhouse. In this episode, I sit back down with David for a follow-up conversation over dinner (from his restaurant!). David opens up about what it really takes to build and scale high-end restaurants, the chaos behind the s...

Joseph (Joey) Jerome is the co-founder of JEMB Realty, a behemoth real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York City. In this episode, I sit down with Joey for a follow-up conversation over dinner. Joey opens up about his journey from working in his father’s deli to DJing his way into owning two homes by 25, surviving a seven-year real estate collapse, why giving back i...

Avi Houllou is the founder of iBuy, a multi-billion dollar global electronics distribution powerhouse with offices in NJ and Miami. In this episode, I sit back down with Avi for a follow-up conversation over dinner. Avi gets real about losing tens of millions of dollars, refusing to file for bankruptcy, rebuilding from zero, and the mindset that’s carried him through loss, leadership, and life’s h...

June Aboksis was kicked out of school and told she’d be “nothing in life.” Then she went on to build Junee, the largest modest-wear clothing brand in the world, with stores across NY, NJ, and Israel. In this episode, I sit back down with June for a follow-up conversation over dinner. June opens up about building her business from coupon-clipping days to global success, running a company with dysle...

Eric Goldstein spent 31 years as a partner at Paul Weiss before walking away to lead UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local nonprofit in the world, raising $2.8 billion under his leadership. In this episode, Eric shares why he left elite Big Law, what leadership really looks like in moments of crisis, and the lessons he learned when he realized he wasn’t as indispensable as he once thought....

Josh Feltman is a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz who has helped lead some of the most consequential restructurings of the last two decades - including Toys “R” Us, AMC, Expedia, and Express. In this episode, Josh walks through his unlikely path from Harvard to Wachtell, the weekend he helped the U.S. Treasury nationalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the lessons he’s learned steer...

Eli Beer is the founder of United Hatzalah, Israel’s volunteer-based emergency medical service that reaches any scene in under 90 seconds and has treated over 7.5 million people worldwide. In this episode, Eli opens up about being kicked out of school at 12, how a childhood trauma sparked his lifelong mission to save lives, and the story behind building one of the most impactful humanitarian organ...

Eddie Rishty is a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton, where he represents some of the world’s most prominent real estate investors, including JP Morgan Asset Management, Carlyle, and one of the highest-net-worth individuals on the planet. In this episode, Eddie opens up about his journey from getting waitlisted at Princeton to becoming a partner at one of the world’s top law firms. He breaks down...

Samuel Krost is the founder of KROST, a mission-driven fashion brand now sold in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks, and around the world. In this episode, Samuel opens up about scaling his label into a multimillion-dollar business, the lessons he learned from getting caught inside the infamous Fyre Festival, and how his network and philanthropy have shaped the future of KROST. Enjoy! __________ Chec...

Abie J. Cohen is the founder and managing partner of Centre Street Partners, an NYC–based venture capital firm that’s backed dozens of startups with their latest $60M fund. In this episode, Abie breaks down how venture capital really works, why he bets on people over ideas, and what thousands of startup pitches have taught him about success. Enjoy! __________ Check out Ezra Dweck on Momentum Abie’...

David Dweck is the founder and owner of Camp Allsport, a premier summer camp in New Jersey. Each summer, he employs a staff of over 230, welcomes more than 850 campers, and manages a waitlist of 400. In this episode, David opens up about his journey - from getting fired from his first camp counselor job to building a business that brings in millions of dollars while working just two months a year....

Cookie Falack is a serial entrepreneur who is best known as the founder of Cookie's Kids, the largest children's department store in America. A 3PL (third-party logistics) company that serves clients nationwide Real estate investments across the country Genesis, and Israeli-focused fund that backs companies improving humanity And, most recently, a partnership on cutting-edge photonic chips...

Mordechai Salem is a hazzan (cantor) and wedding singer who’s led prayers in synagogues and performed at weddings and events around the world, from Brooklyn to Cabo to the south of France. In this episode, he shares his journey from a 14-year-old hazzan in Israel to becoming the premier voice of our community, balancing family, faith, and a career that rarely leaves a free night. __________ SPONSO...