The Playbook With David Meltzer

In today’s episode, I sit down with Fran Maier, a serial entrepreneur with three decades of experience and the founder and CEO of BabyQuip. After helping scale Match.com as its first general manager and co founder, Fran turned her attention to a new marketplace built around trust, safety, and real family needs. We talk about how BabyQuip grew from a simple vacation rental problem into a national p...

In today’s episode I sit down with Richard Pink, second generation steward of the iconic Pink’s Hot Dogs, to talk about how a $50 push cart became an 85 year institution. We cover consistency over trends, building community beyond the counter, and creating experiences people remember long after the meal. Richard shares lessons on employee loyalty, bonuses that matter, word of mouth marketing, lice...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and Ambigram founder Lee Brett, a creator turning language, identity, and emotion into wearable art. Lee shares how a brutal trademark battle and personal setbacks led him to build Ambigram, a fashion brand rooted in transformation and perspective. We talk about Ambigrams as design tools, the emotional power of sports branding, and how technology an...

In today’s episode, I break down why attention is the engine, monetization is the transmission, and brand is the fuel that makes both go farther for less. I explain why spreading content everywhere weakens results, how to rank platforms by attention density, and why one or two primary channels outperform five distracted ones. I walk through aligning native monetization paths with where people alre...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur David Royce, Founder and Chairman of Aptive, to talk about building scale without losing control. We go back to his broke college days, the early lessons around equity, and the first year when rapid growth nearly put his business under. We break down how he built four companies over two decades, why cash flow can be more dangerous than failure, and...

In this episode, I share six lessons that show why presence always beats performance. Rooms don’t respond to titles—they respond to energy, clarity, and service. I walk through how intention sets the tone, why the first moments matter, and how asking better questions creates alignment without force. I explain why breathing before speaking creates confidence, how to say less and mean more, and why...

In today’s episode, I share a lesson about lessons: don’t hoard notes, capture only what truly resonates, and store it in a searchable system. From there, I frame leadership as intelligent followership: mentor, teacher, and coach. I break down the energy crisis between who you are and who you want people to think you are, then shift into abundance. Ask for help, find open minds, and create value b...

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Steev Hodgson, certified ADHD coach and founder of DOSE, an app built to support how an ADHD brain actually works. We talk about why ADHD is so often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored, and how that confusion shows up in emotional regulation, executive function, and rejection sensitivity. Steev shares his own late diagnosis, how coaching thousands of clients...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Gary Stokan, president and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc., to talk about leadership, longevity, and building something that lasts in big time sports. We cover his 47 years across coaching, brand marketing, and bowl season growth, including the frameworks he used to scale the Chick fil A Peach Bowl into a New Year’s Six mainstay. Gary breaks down relationship capital, s...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Danny Cortenraede, founder and managing partner of InStudio Ventures, to talk about what actually matters when you are building a company and trying to raise capital. We get real about the myth of overnight success, the grind behind it, and why relationships, resilience, and alignment matter more than flashy ideas. Danny shares how he evaluates founders, how dea...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Tim Storey, a globally known inspirational voice who has helped millions across 78 countries, from business leaders and entertainers to everyday families, find momentum through adversity. We talk about acting like the champion you already are, shaped by gratitude, discipline, and choosing the right people. I share how my mother’s standards formed my mindset, why...

In today’s episode, I talk through why comfort becomes a trap and how non negotiable behaviors create momentum when life feels heavy. I share how stacking small wins around sleep, movement, breathing, nutrition, and family clears interference and restores clarity. We get into lowering the bar during desperate seasons, creating immediate income before chasing big dreams, and why faith is a predispo...

In this episode, I share the six mindset shifts I see in high achievers who create momentum without waiting to feel ready. I explain why progress beats protection, how imperfect action builds belief, and why curiosity outperforms fear every time. We’ll talk about replacing excuses with solutions, building a growth identity through daily practice, and using simple systems to turn challenges into le...

In today’s episode, I break down why consistency alone eventually stalls progress, and how growth actually comes from evolving the behaviors underneath it. I talk through the idea of overnight success taking 17 and a half years, why progress feels painfully slow before it suddenly accelerates, and how most people quit far earlier than they realize. We get into non negotiable behaviors, intentional...

In today’s episode, I sit down with James Crook, founder and president of BlinC Games, a universal platform built to organize any game, anywhere, anytime. We talk about how sports, competition, and fatherhood shaped James’s resilience, leadership, and long-term vision. James shares the real story behind building BlinC from the ground up, from sleeping on floors and driving Uber to creating a syste...

In today’s episode, I break down how to stop fighting bad habits and start understanding them. We are not broken people, we are patterned people, and habits live inside loops of triggers, behaviors, and perceived rewards. I walk through how to map that loop, master the pause when fear and uncertainty hit, and replace low yielding behaviors with ones aligned to where you want to be or better. We ta...

In today’s episode, I break down how to stop fighting bad habits and start understanding them. We are not broken people, we are patterned people, and habits live inside loops of triggers, behaviors, and perceived rewards. I walk through how to map that loop, master the pause when fear and uncertainty hit, and replace low yielding behaviors with ones aligned to where you want to be or better. We ta...

In today’s episode I share how early morning meetups turned boredom into service and why curiosity beats being interesting. I talk about capturing what resonates and what irritates you then building a simple system to revisit it until the lesson reveals itself. We get into faith and entrepreneurship and why progress takes a thousand steps even when evidence says quit. I explain perceived value ver...

In today’s episode, I sit down with entrepreneur Bobby Parrish, founder of FlavCity and the Bobby Approved app, to talk about how a passion for real food turned into a community-driven brand. Bobby shares how 13 years of slow, intentional content building led to products shaped directly by audience feedback, from supplements to his new cafe division. We get into why clean ingredients matter, how c...

In this episode, I share why celebrating everything celebratable is one of the simplest ways to create unity, empathy, and real connection. When we focus on gratitude, light, family, and shared joy, we find common ground across every culture, belief, and tradition. I explain how appreciating differences—not forcing equality—builds stronger communities and a true mindset of abundance. By honoring n...

In today’s episode, I explain why time is my real love language and why 24 hours is the one guarantee we all share. I walk through how lessons get forgotten and recovered, and how the meaning you assign to your past can either cap your self image or push you toward “where you want to be or better.” From there, I lay out five daily practices: knowing what you want today, knowing who you can help an...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Mohammad Adib, CEO and co-founder of Titan Dynamics, a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits before 20 and deep roots in software, robotics, and defense technology. We talk through his path from building mobile apps as a teenager to creating additive-manufactured drone systems now deployed by the Department of Defense. Mohammad breaks down the integrator minds...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Dan and Andrew Olson, the entrepreneurial minds behind Hook Hand Rum. We talk about why great taste alone is never enough, and how community, storytelling, and experience drive modern brands forward. Dan and Andrew explain their direct-to-consumer approach, the Original Crew membership model, and why building loyalty before scale changes everything. We also get...

In today’s episode, James Maslow and I welcome Aloe Blacc for a conversation about intention, community, and the real work behind creative success. Aloe shares how losing his corporate job pushed him toward music full time after years of quietly building his craft. We talk about the importance of marketing, the power of purpose, and why longevity requires more than talent. James adds his own persp...

In today’s episode I talk about why mindset and non-negotiables sit at the center of every outcome. Strategy matters, but behavior is what moves your life forward, especially when you accept that certainty isn’t real. I explain how sleep, daily priorities, and consistent action open doors you couldn’t plan for, and how meaning shapes your self-image more than any past mistake ever could. I also ad...