Open Residency

Michael Brandt is giving you The Ketone-IQ Playbook → https://openresidency.com/michael-brandt-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=michael_brandt_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Michael Brandt, co-founder and CEO of Ketone-IQ, to talk about how he's building the category around what he calls the fourth macronutrient: ketones. Michael ran a 2:35 marathon, studied engineering at Stanford, and spent years in the early biohacking scene before betting everything on a molecule most people had never heard of.We talk about how Michael structures seven-figure influencer deals, why he leads with vibes over contracts, why whitelisting from a partner's handle beats brand accounts every time, and how a single shoot day gets cut into 16 pieces of mid- and late-funnel creative. This episode is packed with good stuff, so enjoy!Visit https://ketone.com/openresidency for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment—fun surprises like a free 6-pack, Ketone-IQ merch, and more.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:54 Why 50%+ of Budget Goes to Partnerships — Not Meta00:01:36 What Is a Ketone? The Fifth-Grade Version00:05:05 How Do You Pick A Partner? The Vibes-First Framework00:16:55 Whitelisting - What Percent of Your Meta Ads Are Partner Ads?00:29:02 The Secret Sauce Of The QR code00:37:43 What Does A Successful Retail Pitch Actually Look Like?00:44:21 What's The Biggest Thing You Learned In Retail?00:48:31 When's The Right Time To Go From D2C To Retail?00:55:06 What Does Product Development Look Like For Ketone IQ?01:02:46 What Are The Biggest Mistakes Founders Make In Product Development?01:06:41 How Do You Use Data And Metrics To Inform Your Products?01:08:55 The Ketone-IQ Principles And How It Defines Their Company Culture01:24:17 You've Raised $13 Million, What Was The Most Important Lesson?01:40:11 What's The Biggest Learning Lesson About Leadership At Scale?01:50:22 You Run A Sub-6 Min Pace For A Marathon. How Has That Bled Into Your Business?01:56:28 Quickstrike Questions🎯 POWERED BYbeehiiv - Use code MARK30 for 30% off Link: https://beehiiv.link/209nk8📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com

In this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with David Grutman, the founder of Groot Hospitality and the man behind LIV, Komodo, and Papi Steak, to break down how he built one of the most iconic hospitality empires in the world. David shares the ecosystem thinking that turned a single nightclub into a multi-venue flywheel, why he treats every concept as intellectual property, and the hard lessons that shaped how he operates today.We go deep on the deal structures behind his biggest wins and biggest losses, how he decides between lease deals and management deals, and why your audience will tell you exactly who you are. Even when your ego disagrees. David also opens up his venture portfolio, sharing what made him back Liquid Death, Colossal Biosciences, and Skinny Dipped — and what one failed investment taught him about founders who over-optimize for valuation over growth. He also talks about his new book, Take It Personal, and why caring deeply about the details is exactly why he's still winning.Take It Personal Book: https://zandoprojects.com/books/take-it-personal-hardcoverTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:46 Kim Kardashian Wrote The Forward Of Your Book, How Do You Look At Relationships?00:02:00 18 Year Ago, You Opened Up LIV, What Was That Aha Moment That You Could Create A Whole Ecosystem?00:03:31 On Komodo, You Raised $10 Million Initually, What Was That Biggest Lesson?00:06:45 Walk Me Through What You Learned About IP With Komodo?00:10:13 What Type Of EBITDA or Profit Does A Club Or Restaurant Actually Look Like?00:11:13 What About 1st Gen vs 2nd Gen For Restaurants and Clubs?00:12:47 Tell Me The Origin Story Of Poppy Steak?00:14:24 What Is It Like Doing Business With Friends?00:15:42 When You Open Your Own Venues, What Are Some Of Those Non-Negotiables?00:20:55 You're In Venture Now.00:23:15 When You Invest In A Company, How Do You Integrate It To Your Wold?00:24:56 What Are Those Red Flags When People Are Looking For An Investment From You?00:30:07 What's The Most Surprsing Company You've Invested In?00:33:04 What's The Hardest Lesson About Winkers?00:34:25 How Much Revenue Do You need For A Restaurant or Venue?00:39:51 Quickstrike Questions📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com

Matt Gray is giving you the Founder Flywheel, the 3-layer audience system he used to build an 8-figure business that runs without him, and it’s in the link below.It’s the operating architecture behind 18,000+ founders helped, including the 7-System Business Blueprint and the Content Waterfall that turns one video into 24+ pieces across every platform.The part that changes everything: the one layer 99% of founders skip, and why skipping it means your audience can never become revenue.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/matt-gray-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=matt_gray_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Matt Gray, founder of Founder OS, to break down why most founders don't actually own a business — they own a job. Matt explains how 98% of founders are trapped in "founder prison," constantly reacting, firefighting, and unable to step away. He walks through the exact systems behind building a company that runs without you.We also go deep on founder-led content, the rise of personal brands as infrastructure, and how to build a media engine that compounds over time. This conversation is a masterclass on designing a business that creates freedom and why the future belongs to founders who think in systems, not effort.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:48 How Do You Design A Business That Works While You're Offline?00:04:28 Let's Go Into Your Systems, What's The First System That A Business Owner Should Do?00:16:32 What Does Your Content Team Look Like?00:42:18 What's Your Lead Magnet System?00:47:52 What's The Biggest Mistake Founders Make When Building Lead Magnets?01:00:49 Any Special Tactics You Use For Referrals?01:04:06 What Is Your Operating Rhythm for Founder OS?01:15:00 When Did You Realize That You Had Become A Bottleneck To Your Own Company?01:25:33 What's The Set Of Boundaries You Set As A Founder?01:35:58 Why Do You Think Personal Brands Are No Longer Optional For Founders?01:42:36 How Do You Handle Criticism And Negative Feedback?01:45:02 What Is The Best First Step For A Founder Building A Personal Brand?01:48:58 Quickstrike Questions📬 Get in Touch with Open ResidencyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com🎯 Powered by beehiivUse code MARK30 for 30% offLink: https://beehiiv.link/zxm5lp

Ross Mackay is giving you the $2 Luxury Blueprint, and it’s in the link below.It’s the system he used to build the only consumer good under $3 positioned as luxury, going from $0 to $10M in 600 days with $40M projected in year two.Inside: the Core-Race-Recover product architecture, the retail economics formula nobody talks about, and the exact packaging decision that tripled sell-through with the same liquid.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/ross-mackay-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=ross_mackay_playbook📬 The playbook behind every episode, straight to your inbox: https://openresidency.com/signup⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/ross-mackayTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:51 How Do You Make a $2 Product Luxury?00:04:01 Why Did You Rebrand 3 Times in 1 Year?00:12:48 How Do You Actually Approach Retailers?00:18:36 Going Into Retail00:23:41 The Mafia That Controls Distribution00:27:32 Biggest Learning From Scaling Retail00:34:05 How Many SKUs Have You Launched?00:39:54 The One Rule To Approaching Manufacturers00:42:32 Being Sold Out For 200+ Days00:45:30 The Biggest Mistake A Brand Can Make00:49:38 How To Make Your Own Custom Product00:51:31 Testing Optimal Ratios As A Runner00:55:22 Content In Your Positioning Strategy01:01:21 Collabs With Bandit and RAW01:05:24 Why World Class Athletes Might Damage Your Brand01:08:21 Ad Strategy For Cadence01:11:18 Hiring Philosophy At Cadence01:22:32 QuickFire QuestionsIn this episode, we sit down with Ross Mackay, founder and CEO of Cadence — the brand redefining what "premium" means in a $200B beverage category. Ross breaks down how you turn a $2 drink into luxury through positioning, packaging, retail strategy, and relentless attention to detail. From obsessing over shelf velocity to rebranding three times in under a year, this is a masterclass in how modern CPG brands actually win.🔗 LINKS MENTIONEDCadence (10% off with code "OR"): https://us.usecadence.com/openresidency🎙 GUESTRoss Mackay, Founder & CEO of CadenceWebsite: https://us.usecadence.com📬 GET IN TOUCHInstagram: https://instagram.com/openresidencyWebsite: https://openresidency.com/🎯 Powered by beehiiv30% off with code MARK30: https://beehiiv.link/cjp31🎯 Powered by Universal Ads👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT

Kane Kallaway is giving you the 7 Lego Brick Framework, and it’s in the link below.It’s the exact system he uses to reverse-engineer viral videos in any category, breaking them into 7 replicable components you can reassemble into your own winning content.The part most creators never find: which 5 bricks to copy exactly, and the only 2 you ever need to change.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/kallaway-playbook?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=kallaway_playbook⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/kallawayTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:01:08 Biggest Lessons As A Full-Time Creator00:03:19 What Goes Into A Great Hook?00:13:46 The Most Important Framework For Content00:15:39 The Hidden Cheat Code For Instagram Thumbnails00:19:46 The Five Content Games Framework00:33:34 The Seven Lego Bricks For Short Form00:50:48 Most Common Editing Mistakes For Short Form00:53:42 What Metrics Actually Matter For Shorts?01:01:33 Kallaway's Insane Team Structure01:10:57 Why Are You So Bullish On YouTube?01:19:21 Is YouTube More A Packaging Game?01:22:12 Title/Thumbnail Mistakes01:28:08 Key Metrics To Evaluate With YouTube01:34:28 What People Misunderstand About YouTube01:38:22 The Biggest Myth About Virality01:48:51 Content Mix Perspective01:55:14 Building A Community From Your Audience02:02:13 The Biggest Growth Hack for 202602:07:04 AI Tools02:16:51 Stories That Convert02:20:46 Quickfire QuestionsIn this episode, we sit down with Kallaway, the operator quietly building some of the most efficient content machines on the internet. Kallaway breaks down how modern businesses should think about content as infrastructure, not art. We go deep on the content mechanics most never see, how to engineer "desire loops" that earn clicks, and why YouTube should be treated like a professional sport.🔗 KALLAWAY RESOURCESYouTube Academy: https://kallaway.co/youtubeacademy/r/openresidencySandcastles: https://sandcastles.ai/?ref=openresidency🎙 GUESTKallawayWebsite: https://kallaway.co📬 GET IN TOUCHInstagram: https://instagram.com/openresidencyWebsite: https://openresidency.com/🎯 Powered by Universal Ads👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT

In this episode, we sit down with Dan Koe for a deep conversation about building a Future Proof Skill Stack, navigating AI, and designing a life that isn't dictated by someone else's goals. Dan breaks down why the most important skills today aren't technical, but meta — learning how to learn, how to think, and how to earn. We explore how AI is accelerating the need for adaptability, why taste, narrative, and trust are becoming the real moats, and how creators can stop chasing niches and instead become the niche.

In this episode, I sit down with Sean Frank, CEO of Ridge, for a deep dive into the systems behind one of the most profitable e-commerce brands operating today. Sean breaks down how Ridge confidently spends $100K/day on ads, why simplicity beats cleverness in performance creative, and the disciplined frameworks that allow Ridge to scale without outside capital. He also shares something he rarely talks about publicly: Ridge's biggest weakness — and why it's actually the one unfair advantage smaller brands still have in 2026.We unpack Ridge's entire performance machine: producing 200+ ad variations every month, hiring creators with editing instincts, building agency-less teams, and treating ad economics with ruthless clarity. Sean explains why most brands fail before they even have a product worth selling, what founders still misunderstand about Meta, and how operational discipline is becoming the new moat in e-commerce. This conversation is a masterclass in scaling, creative iteration, and building lean teams that win — even as the landscape gets harder.

In this episode, I sit down with Simon Molnar, founder of Flagship.ai, to break down why 83% of shopping still happens in-store — yet most stores run with almost no data. Simon explains how visual merchandising became the most overlooked lever in retail, why brands misjudge store performance, and how Flagship built the square-foot-level “money map” that finally gives brick-and-mortar the same funnel e-commerce has.We also dive into Simon’s leadership philosophy shaped by Afterpay’s $29B rise — hiring for humility, building A-players, and making every store matter through objective data. This conversation is a masterclass in retail reinvention, operational clarity, and building teams that raise the standard.

In this episode, I sit down with Robert Greene, bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, to break down the timeless strategies of power, seduction, and human psychology that drive success in business and life. We dive into:- Why concealing your intentions and talking less creates an aura of power - Never outshining the master and how reputation translates directly into capital - The dangerous allure of free and why formlessness beats rigidity in business- What your twenties should actually be about- Robert's new book and his near-death experience that shaped itThis conversation goes deep into human nature, strategic thinking, and what it really takes to build power that lasts. Enjoy!

This week, we dissect the business flywheel behind Sahil Bloom (author of the NYT Best Seller The 5 Types of Wealth) — his initiatives, team, and how he’s scaled it.At the core is the bigger theme: money as a tool (not the goal), the “15 more times” mindset, time as the real asset, and systems to protect your energy.This book changed my life. Enjoy the conversation!

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Garofalow, CEO of Skullcandy, to unpack his leadership philosophy, product strategy, and how he's repositioning the brand for explosive growth in a crowded consumer electronics market.We dive into:Brian’s “People, Process, Product” framework for scaling innovationSkullcandy’s four-bucket system for managing product life cycleHow a bold partnership with Bose redefined product perceptionA behind-the-scenes look at how Skullcandy balances hard sales data with cultural insight to find market white spaceBrian’s playbook for international expansion, avoiding opportunity-cost traps, and focusing where it countsWhether you're building a brand, leading a team, or thinking about product strategy at scale—this conversation is packed with insight from someone operating at the highest level of consumer growth. Enjoy!

In this episode, I sit down with Nick Shackelford, Head of Retention and Partner at BREZ, to break down modern customer acquisition and retention strategies for 2025.Nick has managed over $200M in ad spend and brings hard-won insights from scaling multiple brands — including his own agencies, Structured and Konstant Kreative — into this conversation.We get into:Why creative is now the new targeting, with Nick giving the keys on Meta’s evolving algorithmThe ideal framework for customer acquisition in today’s landscapeHow to structure your testing budget between proven winners and fresh creativeConversion tactics that immediately lift performance — from mobile-first design to offer structureThe retention strategies behind BREZ’s drop in subscription churn from 24% to 17%, on a mission toward sub-5%The tactics powering BREZ, one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the country, on pace to hit $50M in just two yearsHow celebrities like Drake and Druski use subtle content strategies to drive massive viewership — and what brands can learn from itThis is a deep dive on what’s actually working in marketing in 2025.Enjoy the conversation!

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Bartlett, CEO of True Classic, to break down how they scaled to over $200M+ in annual revenue with a valuation approaching $1B.We get into:The evolution of their marketing strategy from pure direct response to brand buildingHow they leverage customer feedback to drive product development through their membership programTheir unique approach to customer service and community buildingWebsite optimization strategies that helped increase AOV from $36 to $112Key operational insights on running a lean, efficient DTC brandThis one’s packed with actionable insights for brand builders at every stage. Enjoy the conversation!