Up2

Ben duPont grew up with one of the most recognizable last names in American business — but he chose to forge his own path beyond the family empire. And while most of us don't know what it's like to have our name as a brand, many of us do know what it's like to consider following our family's expectations or chart our own course. In this wide-ranging conversation, the co-founder of Yet2 and partner...

In perhaps the most personal and emotionally raw episode of Up2 ever released, host Adam Kaufman shares the full, never-before-publicly-heard 2001 AA convention speech given by his late father, Bill Kaufman. Recorded live in Myrtle Beach, SC  in 2001— about one year before Bill passed away —this is more than a recovery story. It is a heartfelt confession, a stand-up comedy routine, a raw apology,...

In this inspiring episode of the Up2 Podcast, host Adam sits down with Dr. Rene Caissie — a former maxillofacial surgeon, department chief, and repeat entrepreneur — who left a successful medical career in Canada to found Medeloop, an AI-native platform that deploys intelligent agents on massive healthcare datasets to accelerate clinical research, discover new biomarkers, reduce costs, and improve...

What does it feel like to sell your company after toiling and growing your 'baby'for more than 30 years? Fred Koury made the big decision to sell his successful Smart Business company less than a year ago, and we were fortunate to earn his trust and have him sit with us to discuss not only that exit but also what he's Up2 now.    On special location at the comfy VividFront studio, tune in to get i...

We love talking to resilient winners. Hard drivers who take on whatever challenges come their way who find the strength to not only overcome but to achieve and grow time and again. Our guest today lives by the mantra, "There is always going to be a better tomorrow,' which is particularly impressive given he had to overcome getting hit by a truck as a teenager; being fired and lied to by the organi...

Tune in to hear our impressive guest's aspirational story about life as an entrepreneur. From mowing lawns in middle school to building Juniper Square, an industry-changing technology business now more than 10 years old and global in its reach.  

All of us face inevitable curves in the road as we navigate the journey of life. So it's valuable to learn how effective leaders deal with these challenges, for as Albert Einstein wisely observed, 'in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." These are some of our favorite segments where Up2 guests shared reflections on how they overcome challenges.

Today's guest leaned into his fondness for business and passion for sports, building a career that began with the law and now excels in the growing world of sports private equity. Tune in for an authentic conversation with this energetic counselor driven by both his family and his heritage.

There's something special about super-accomplished business leader, Joel Peterson. He teaches some of the most popular courses at Stanford; he led JetBlue Airways when they topped the industry's customer satisfaction rankings; and he was at the helm when Tramel Crow was the largest real estate development company in the U.S. His newest book, Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls, chronicles how this fat...

What a thrilling opportunity to welcome Three Star Air Force General Laura Lenderman back to our program, such a humble leader in spite of her accomplishments both in the air and in military leadership. In a rare opportunity to speak with such a high-ranking, active duty military officer, Gen. Lenderman describes her role at Joint-Base Pearl Harbor and how she handles this important command, keepi...

Jimmy Lynn is a pioneer in every sense of the word; shaping the past, present, and future of digital sports and people's lives. As a former VP of AOL sports, he helped develop it into thee global sports destination. As the founder of his consulting practice and co-founder of Kiswe Mobile, he's creating the future of digital spaces for sports and events. As for the future--Jimmy is mentoring it. Th...

Although he will tell you they are, The Steelers aren't the best thing to come from Pittsburgh -- that would be Lou Shapiro. Hailing from UPitt, Lou was the former president and CEO of Hospital for Special Surgery; ranked #1 for orthopedics in the nation for 14 straight years under his leadership. Currently, he advises and is a board member for a number of companies -- further applying his strateg...

While the brands and characters he helped create are among the most recognized in the world, on a personal level this marketing genius practices the 'scarcity model.' We couldn't be more thrilled to have Jeff Charney with us for his first ever podcast appearance, sharing his journey from small town South Carolina to the pinnacle of corporate marketing.

Wikipedia refers to him as the Co-Founder of the Blockchain. But Dr. Stornetta identifies himself first as a 'Grandfather,' on his LinkedIn profile, illustrating perfectly how humbly this Stanford PhD (physics) and CEO thinks about what matters most.  What a privilege it is to get inside the mind of such an accomplished yet meek achiever, as Scott (his preference) previews where he feels blockchai...

Dr David Agus is unofficially but quite likely the most famous and sought after physician in the world. Always on the front end of medical innovation, countless patients around the globe have benefited from his care. He's written multiple New York Times bestsellers, including The End of Illness, and his expertise and vision inspired Oracle founder Larry Elllison to donate $200 million to create pe...

After mastering protocol at the highest levels at both the White House and the U.S. State Dept., Shelby started a business to serve literally the most famous and influential humans on the planet. Pope John Paul II; Nelson Mandela; President Reagan..... and throughout her impressive career has lived a life exuding and promoting civility.

After losing sales because he couldn't accept credit cards as a young, independent artist, this glass blower invented Square (NYSE: SQ), enabling not only his artist friends but literally millions of small business owners to process credit cards with mobile phones. Now, this remarkably humble billionaire is building his next transformational idea, all while remaining unchanged from his family-cent...

Born into perhaps America's most watched and revered family, Tim Shriver decided to focus on education for his first major pursuit.  Recognized for his passionate efforts as the worldwide leader of the Special Olympics, a few years back Dr Shriver delivered the most powerful presentation I ever witnessed... Which made me thrilled to have him in our Up2 studio for a conversation about spirituality,...

Having spent 20 years helping to write the Google story, Ted Souder is now applying his creative mind to help cities, companies and consumers around the world think about a more digital future. A leading member of the Chicago business community, this technologist authentically shares on his first in-studio appearance on the Up2 podcast. 

Talking his way into a Hughes Helicopter business in Indonesia just after graduating from Stanford, Jim Jameson's career as a global business man seemed evident early on. 120 countries later, after meeting dozens of heads of state, and identifying and backing countless entrepreneurs worldwide, our guest owns a myriad of companies in diverse industries: Publishing in Poland; Agriculture in the Midd...

He transformed his family business into a global leader in the industry. He's passionate abut his family, motorcycles, and living life with boundless optimism and joy. Tune in for this meaningful conversation with Dirk Junge, former chairman and CEO of Pitcairn, a world leader in family offices and generational wealth. Considered a true thought leader in family enterprises, Dirk divulges how his o...

Peter Goldstone is the chairman of GovExec, a large digital media platform gobbling up many of the most important communication and data assets serving government. This dynamic leader's rise was not without loss and pain,however, yet today he's living life to the fullest ... always smiling, always humble.  Operating out of D.C. but with his New York-hometown still in his heart, tune in here as thi...

Andre Pienaar is the founder and CEO of C5, a venture capital firm operating at the intersection of commerce and government. On the boards of companies in 4 different countries, this British national shows a passion for America's strength and excellence greater than many of his U.S.-born colleagues. Tune in to hear how this national security and intelligence expert found himself labeled as a 'conn...

Many of the largest and most-respected organizations in the U.S. turn to Dale and Diversified Search when they want to find the best CEOs and board members in the marketplace.  And unlike most of his peers in executive search, Dale himself is a board member of several high-profile companies like Chick-fil-a, Special Olympics, Northwestern Mutual, and Morehouse College. At the pinnacle of his profe...

Shelby Coffey attained the highest positions in his chosen field of journalism, as both the award-winning editor of the Los Angeles Times and also as President of CNNfn. With a rare combination of intellectual wit and substantial brain power, this Up2 guest provides meaningful commentary on the new media and technology, on big life choices, and on what it feels like to work in the public eye and h...