Forged in America

Tom Gimbel joins Al and Ravin to converse and debate the current job market, and the impact of AI on employment. Political dynamics, particularly regarding military actions in Iran and Venezuela, are discussed, alongside the implications for the future of the Middle East. They explore the complexities of political corruption, healthcare fraud, and the challenges faced by moderate Democrats. The co...

In this engaging conversation, Al Goldstein and Ravin Gandhi sit down with Ali Hamed, founder and CEO of Traville Capital Management. They explore Ali's unique journey from aspiring baseball player to successful entrepreneur, discussing the importance of networking, building credibility, and the evolution of his investment firm. Ali shares insights on navigating the private credit landscape and th...

Rylan Hamilton, the founder of BLUE WATER AUTONOMY, shares his gritty story with Ravin and Al. Rylan started off in the Navy, then went to Harvard Business School, and founded 6 River Systems which he sold to Shopify for $450M. He went on to raise $65M for Blue Water Autonomy with Google Ventures as the lead. The episode drills into the future of war, the effort to curb spending, the use of AI in...

Lior Div, who raised over $1B in founding Cybereason and 7AI, shares his insights with Ravin and Al on the intersection of cybersecurity and AI, emphasizing the importance of innovation in the face of evolving cyber threats. He discusses his background in the elite 8200 unit of the IDF and how it has shaped his entrepreneurial journey in the tech industry. The discussion also highlights Israel's u...

In E16, Ravin and Al interview Edward Woodford, founder and CEO of ZeroHash, discussing his journey from the UK to the US, the founding of ZeroHash, and the evolution of the crypto landscape. Edward shares insights on the importance of stablecoins, the infrastructure behind crypto transactions, and the future of digital assets. He emphasizes the need for usability in the crypto space and the poten...

Ravin and Al discuss the current state of the economy, exploring conflicting narratives around inflation, affordability, and consumer behavior. They reflect on insights gained from recent guests on their podcast and consider the impact of AI on future economic opportunities. They discuss perceptions of grift and favoritism in politics, the impact of populism on economic prosperity, and the complex...

Al and Ravin speak with Don Edwards, founder and chairman of FlexPoint, about his journey from being a college athlete at the University of Illinois to a renowned career in private equity. They discuss the challenges along the way, including the importance of networking, the transition from investment banking to private equity, and the role of philanthropy in shaping one's identity. Don shares ins...

In this episode, Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Rahm Emanuel, discussing the balance of political perspectives, the importance of education and accountability, the shifting demographics in America, and the implications of voter ID laws. They explore the impact of family structure on society, the complexities of immigration, and the current state of pu...

Austin Berg is Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center, and the Illinois Policy Institute. Austin is an award winning author, and has written a book called The New Chicago Way. He also made a documentary about Chicago Teachers Union called "Local One." Austin discusses with Ravin and Al the challenges facing Chicago, including its governance issues, economic decline, public safety concerns...

In this conversation with Ravin and Al, tech investor extraordinaire Rich Heise shares his journey from founding Magnitude Networks in 1995 to navigating the dot-com boom and beyond with Groupon. He discusses the importance of timing in business, the challenges of family dynamics, and the lessons learned from his experiences with Starbelly and Inner Workings. Rich emphasizes resilience, adaptabili...

Ravin and Al discuss entrepreneurship, market dynamics, and personal journeys with Vishal Garg, the founder of Better.com. The discussion covers Vishal's early life, his experiences in the fintech industry, and the challenges he faced while building his company. The conversation emphasizes the importance of risk management, the value of meritocracy, and the impact of cultural identity on personal...

In the world of elite military training, few experiences are as grueling and transformative as that of a Navy SEAL. In episode 9 of the podcast "Forged in America," hosts Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein had an insightful conversation with Rick Kaiser, a former Navy SEAL with an impressive 34-year career, including 25 years in SEAL Team Six. As a Silver Star recipient for his leadership during the Ba...

In this episode of "Forged in America," hosts Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein welcome Dmitry Balyasny, founder and CEO of Balyasny Asset Management (BAM), to discuss his remarkable journey from a young immigrant to leading a multi-strategy hedge fund managing over $30 billion. The conversation begins with the impact of Ayn Rand's philosophy on his entrepreneurial mindset. Dmitry shares insights on t...

In Episode 7, Ravin and Al discuss the current economic outlook, the implications of credit card debt, immigration, and the public's perception of fraud.  They highlight the significance of social skills in raising children, how AI may change the landscape of education and employment, and the necessity of taking risks in both personal and professional life. They discuss how self-belief and respons...

Founder and CEO of Madison Industries Larry Gies chats with Ravin and Al about building a business, finding purpose, raising kids, donating 250M to University of Illinois, and fixing the USA. Forged in America is a conversation between longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein who have built and sold numerous businesses. Al founded fintech unicorn Avant, real estate firm Pan...

Ted Koenig, Founder and CEO of Monroe Capital, joins Al and Ravin for a candid discussion about seeing around corners, building a $25B empire in private credit, city and national politics, parenting, and leadership. Forged in America is a conversation between longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein who have built and sold numerous businesses. Al founded fintech unicorn Ava...

U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw joins Forged in America for a raw conversation with Ravin and Al on media bias, populism, and why America is harder to break than people think. Also the challenges of running for office, losing an eye, and staying sane in the most politicized era of our lifetimes. Forged in America is a conversation between longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldst...

The founder and CEO of Siri Dag Kittlaus chats with Ravin and Al about Apple, Steve Jobs, innovation, getting cancer, parenting, and the life of a serial entrepreneur. Forged in America is a conversation between longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein who have built and sold numerous businesses. Al founded fintech unicorn Avant, real estate firm Pangea, and Stoic Lane. Rav...

Still homemade, still a couple jerky cuts, but still going! Thanks to everyone who supported us to do another episode. This episode has a theme called GET THE BIG DECISIONS RIGHT - where we discuss the fact that grit and perseverence is table stakes...and Al and Ravin interview each other about their companies and the decisions which made success possible. Forged in America is a conversation betwe...

This is an experiment to see how many of Al and Ravin's friends like this podcast and encourage the boys to do an Episode 2, which we promise would have a docket and more structure - and certainly some smart and fun guests. Forged in America is a conversation between longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ravin Gandhi and Al Goldstein who have built and sold numerous businesses. Al founded fintech uni...