The Michael Peres Podcast

Catching up on another fascinating episode—this time with Dr. Will Soliman, a pharmaceutical industry futurist, former Big Pharma executive, and founder of the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA). From teaching and working as a food scientist at Mars Chocolate to leading the global gold-standard certification body for pharma professionals, Dr. Soliman walks us through an unexpected jo...

Stacey Pellettieri, LCSW—founder, educator, and podcast host—joins Michael Peres to unpack early childhood trauma, the overlooked grief of sibling loss, and the healing power of owning one’s story. We explore how developmental stage shapes a child’s ability to process loss, why bereaved siblings often become emotional caretakers for parents, and what families and clinicians can do to create safer...

Catching up with Brandy Morton — B2B SaaS growth strategist and Fractional Head of Marketing GTM and Demand Gen Expert — on building demand gen engines without “growth hacks,” turning LinkedIn into a real-time research lab, and using AI pragmatically (ChatGPT for speed, Gemini for strategy) while keeping marketing deeply human in technical, regulated markets. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How a...

Catching up with Daniel Rudyak — investor, operator, and co-founder of ReadyRx, one of the fastest-growing longevity and wellness platforms in the U.S. In this fascinating episode, Daniel and host Michael Peres dive deep into the intersection of biology, technology, and human potential — asking bold questions about what it means to live longer, healthier, and maybe even forever. From his decade in...

This week, host Michael Peres (Mikey Peres) sits down with Dani Beit-Or, the founder of Simply Do It—a seasoned real estate investor who’s helped facilitate 5,000+ property transactions across 40+ U.S. metros. From buying his first rental sight unseen from Tel Aviv (before Zillow or Google Maps even existed!) to building a data-driven approach that helps everyday investors generate cash flow safel...

In this episode, Michael Peres sits down with Nick Friedman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving, the award-winning franchise that grew from a beat-up cargo van into a $300 million empire. Nick opens up about how a summer side hustle became a national brand, what it takes to scale a business from scratch, and the mindset shifts that separate side gigs from sustainable succe...

In this powerful episode, host Michael Peres sits down with Tonya McKenzie — founder of Sand & Shores, public relations expert, international speaker, and chair of the Los Angeles County Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs. From her early days running PR campaigns at Cal State Northridge to leading high-impact communication strategies for organizations and athletes, Tonya shares her journey...

Catching up with another powerful episode as Michael Peres sits down with Mary Beth O’Connor – former federal judge, author of From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction, and a woman who went from shooting meth at 17 to over three decades of continuous sobriety. From surviving severe childhood abuse to rebuilding her life in recovery, earning a Berkeley Law degree, and eve...

Michael Peres with Michelle Gomes—co-founder & CEO of Evaheld, the Australian “health-meets-death tech” platform helping families preserve stories, values, and advance-care wishes through secure legacy vaults and modern memorials. We unpack how a personal loss sparked a decade of volunteering and the startup that followed, and why capturing memories before crisis changes everything. In this e...

Catching up with Chris Sorensen, the forward-thinking CEO of PhoneBurner, a company on a mission to bring real connection back to sales calls. With over two decades in the industry, Chris has seen it all — from the rise of spam filters to the evolving tech stack that makes or breaks modern outbound communication. In this episode, he unpacks how PhoneBurner helps businesses cut through the noise, a...

Meet Sarah Pomeranz, Founder and CEO of Consultants for Impact — a global network helping consultants transition from corporate strategy roles to purpose-driven careers in social impact, public service, and sustainability. After her own pivot from Accenture, Sarah has guided more than 800 professionals worldwide and worked with organizations from Chai to The World Bank. In this episode, Sarah join...

Step into the future of gaming and Web3 innovation with Hantao Yuon, Moku’s Marketing Growth Chief and Community Strategist, as he joins Michael Peres for a deep dive into how blockchain, AI, and gaming are colliding to create a new digital economy. From trading Counter-Strike skins to leading creator acquisition and e-sports M&As, Hantao shares his journey through the volatile, thrilling wor...

Catching up on another episode with Tim Balz – former SpaceX engineer and founder of Kalogon – the company redefining how the world sits. From building his first powered wheelchair in high school to now leading a team focused on “seated wellness,” Tim’s story blends empathy, innovation, and engineering genius. In this episode, host Michael Peres dives into how Tim turned a simple act of kindness i...

In this episode, Michael Peres sits down with Gina Gindorf and Geoffroy Farrugia, the visionary co-founders behind Loya, a fintech startup redefining loyalty by turning payment methods into retention engines. Gina brings deep expertise in marketing, PR, and consumer psychology, while Geoffroy’s background in fintech and payments—from running a government-backed platform in Monaco that processed ov...

Catching up on another episode with Émely — a Switzerland-based lifestyle coach, trained chef, and urban gardening mentor — who turned her battle with stage 3 breast cancer into a story of healing, growth, and purpose. From building a 4×2-foot rooftop garden during chemotherapy to creating her Small Space, Big Harvest method, Émely shares how growing her own food became both a survival tool a...

In this episode, Michael Peres sits down with Sara Gullickson — serial entrepreneur, investor, and one of the first female executives to run a publicly traded cannabis company. With over a decade of experience building and scaling businesses in progressive markets, Sara shares how she transformed a Craigslist ad for “marketing for pot” into a multi-state cannabis empire. From naturopathic roots an...

In this episode, Dr. Heather Walter – productivity strategist, leadership coach, and creator of the Play Action Pass Model – joins Michael Peres to unpack why most corporate and educational training programs fail, and what it takes to truly create lasting change. From her background as a professor of special education to her innovative approach to organizational development, Heather shares how she...

Michael Peres with Sandra Myers—founder & president of Select Date Society, an elite matchmaking firm serving millionaires, billionaires, and high-profile professionals seeking genuine, lasting relationships. With 30 years in the industry, Sandra explains why true matchmaking is an executive search (not a dating service), how her team sources compatible partners beyond income or status, and w...

Michael Peres with Chloe Ballatore (aka “Chloe With Love”) — relationship & communication expert, founder of Chloe’s Consciousness Training, and Princeton grad trained at Pat Allen’s WANT Institute. Chloe shares how science-backed behavioral tools saved her own life, why most of us are “scripted” by childhood trauma, and how to build healthy, lasting love through clarity, boundaries, and real...

Exploring the Future of Stablecoins with Dilshan Dowlah – Head of US at Mercuryo From Wall Street to Web3 — Dilshan Dowlah’s career is a masterclass in bridging traditional finance with the next wave of digital innovation. As the Head of US at Mercuryo, Dilshan has helped shape how fintech and crypto infrastructure evolve across global markets. In this episode, he joins host Michael Peres to break...

In this inspiring episode, Michael Peres sits down with Elsha Kim — actor-turned-wellness entrepreneur and founder of Bronze Body, a brand on a mission to help people live every day like vacation. From mastering resilience in acting to building a brand rooted in wellness and beauty, Elsha shares how rejection, creativity, and self-growth shaped her entrepreneurial path. Discover how a spontaneous...

Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI with Hardik Jagda — engineer-turned-entrepreneur, speaker, and angel investor — as he unpacks how he bootstrapped Proximity Works from a small consulting outfit into a global tech powerhouse operating across the U.S., India, and Dubai. From coding in a school lab on $150 a month to leading teams solving high-stakes challenges in media, live sports, f...

Catching up on another episode with Delia Petrescu – Toronto-based psychotherapist, psychometrist, and founder of Get Reconnected Psychotherapy Services – as she dives deep into the science of burnout, how chronic stress rewires the brain, and what it really takes to reset your nervous system. From conducting neuropsychological assessments in clinical settings to helping entrepreneurs and high-ach...

Catching up with Sammy Basu – the Bengal-born Marie Kondo of cybersecurity, as he shares his journey from system admin to digital detective, helping Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, and Warner Bros. stay audit-ready without drowning in tools. From his love of hacking and technology to shrinking attack surfaces and making risk dashboards finally make sense, Sammy shows why less tec...

Michael Peres with Karthik Mahadevan — co-founder & CEO of Envision, the AI accessibility company behind Envision Glasses used by thousands of blind and low-vision people worldwide. Karthik shares how a master’s thesis visit to a school for the blind became a seven-year mission to build accessibility-first tech, why most products bolt on access as an afterthought, and how Envision’s Ally AI a...