Aware with Seb

We welcome Brandon DesJarlais, a world-class athlete and the visionary founder of Beyond the Board. A Red Bull World Championship silver medalist and Hollywood stunt double for Vin Diesel, Brandon has transformed his professional longboarding career into a global movement. Since 2020, he has hosted over 300 events and mobilized hundreds of skaters worldwide, including his famous "Santa Run" involving over 500 skaters in full costume.Recorded live during a walk through the iconic Venice Skatepark, this candid conversation explores Brandon’s unique approach to decision-making and his transition from a solo "badass" brand to a vulnerable, mission-driven leader. Together, Seb and Brandon pull back the curtain on the "pull vs. push" motivation of entrepreneurship, the visceral power of vision, and the courage required to conquer fear, whether bombing a hill or launching a new venture.Topics Discussed:Decision-Making Without a MapThe Power of Visceral VisionPush vs. Pull MotivationHollywood Stunts and Persistent ValueTransitioning Identities"Go Fast Alone, Go Far Together"Courage vs. FearThe Traveling Good TourSpeaking it into ExistenceLearning from FailureConnect with Brandon on Instagram or brandondesjarlais.comConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com

We welcome Ruben Rojas, a Los Angeles–based artist, muralist, and the visionary founder of the Live Through Love movement. From transforming public spaces with large-scale installations to building a multi-seven-figure creative business, Ruben has bridged the gap between fine art and global commercial platforms like BMW and the NFL.In this powerful conversation, Seb and Ruben dive deep into the radical transformation of a man who walked away from a career in finance to impact a billion people through creativity. They explore the collapse of the "American Dream" during the 2008 financial crisis, the toxicity of the "starving artist" narrative, and how to maintain mental resilience when your self-worth is no longer tied to material success. This episode is a masterclass on viewing creativity as a discipline and choosing love as a leadership tool in an increasingly divisive world.Topics Discussed:The Finance ExitThe 2008 Subprime MeltdownRedefining the American DreamKilling the "Starving Artist" MythAbundance vs. ScarcityScaling CreativityGlobal Brand CollaborationsHealing through ArtThe Mission for ImpactLove as a DisciplineThe Trapped ArtistConnect with Ruben on Instagram or rubenrojas.comConnect with Live Through Love on InstagramConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com

We welcome James Merrill, the visionary founder of StokedPlastics and the inventor of the award-winning StokedPlastic® blend. He is also the driving force behind Opolis, a mission-driven eyewear brand that builds premium frames using upcycled water bottles pulled directly from the ocean. Recorded live while walking on the street, this candid conversation pulls back the curtain on the "sweat and tears" reality of building a sustainable business from the ground up. Together, Seb and James explore the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighting the challenges of raising capital, navigating long sales cycles with major retailers like Burton and REI, and the vital importance of mental resilience for conscious leaders.Topics Discussed:The Reality of Startup LifeFundraising and CriticismThe Opolis MissionScaling SustainabilityMental Health and Letting GoAvoiding BurnoutThe Microplastics CrisisFighting GreenwashingPurpose vs. ProfitInnovating for the MainstreamQuantifiable ImpactConnect with James on InstagramConnect with Opolis on InstagramConnect with Stoked Plastic on InstagramConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com

We welcome Travis Brewer, an elite athlete, American Ninja Warrior finalist, and conscious entrepreneur whose life is a testament to the power of movement and resilience. Travis is a leading figure in the functional fitness community, known for his mastery of calisthenics and his philosophy of "play" as a vital tool for mental health. In this conversation recorded live at The Kin, Travis sits down with Sebastian to break down his incredible transition from a corporate career in commercial real estate to becoming a world-class movement champion. They explore how to overcome fear through technical progression, the importance of integrating gratitude into the daily grind, and how the body possesses an intelligence capable of healing what the mind sometimes cannot comprehend.Topics Discussed:Evolution of movementFear management and risk assessmentTechnical progression vs. reckless courageLife pivots: From Real Estate to extreme sportsReinvention after the 2008 financial crisisCreating a brand with social impact (Pi)The GASM method: Gratitude, Affirmation, Shadow, and Manifestation"Play" as medicine for burnoutResetting the nervous system through the bodyBody intelligence: "The body keeps score"Conscious leadership and "The Conscious Edge"Impact goals: Super Bowl and NBA halftime showsAbsolute presence and spiritual alignmentKinesthetic training and visualizationConnect with Travis on InstagramConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com

We welcome back Cory Klippsten, the founder and CEO of Swan, a leading Bitcoin financial services company dedicated to helping individuals and institutions build generational wealth. Cory is a prominent voice in the Bitcoin space, known for his relentless focus on education, his "Bitcoin-only" philosophy, and his deep roots in the Silicon Valley venture capital ecosystem. Five years after his first appearance on the podcast, Cory returns to sit down with Sebastian to reflect on the massive shifts in the Bitcoin landscape, the evolution of his vision from a small startup idea to a global wealth platform, and the personal growth that comes with leadership and fatherhood.Topics Discussed:Bitcoin evolutionMarket crashes and cyclesBitcoin vs. CryptoInstitutionalization of BitcoinQuantum computing mythsVenture capital in Silicon ValleyContent-led customer acquisitionCorporate raids and resilienceStaffing and difficult layoffsCustody and security modelsWealth management for the "middle"Fatherhood and decision-makingLeadership through gut instinctBreathwork and physical groundingConnect with Cory on TwitterConnect with Swan on InstagramConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com