Big Shot

Before OPI, nail color was just another product on the shelf. Suzi Weiss-Fischmann gave it personality and built a global brand in the process.

Suzi believed nail color could be personal, playful, and expressive. She pushed the entire industry forward with smarter formulas, bold branding, and shade names that became pop culture, from “I’m Not Really a Waitress” to “Lincoln Park After Dark.” In just six years after its founding, OPI became the number one professional nail brand in America.

In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with Suzi to explore the instincts that fueled that rise. She talks about welcoming competition, using storytelling to make an emotional connection with customers, and expanding from salons into Walmart without losing trust or quality. Suzi also shares how her Jewish upbringing influenced her approach to business, from the drive that comes from starting with very little to the values of community and responsibility that guided every big decision.

—

In This Episode We Cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:23) Growing up in communist Hungary with two Holocaust-survivor parents

(05:54) How honoring faith brought Suzi’s mom back to Auschwitz

(07:32) Why Suzi’s family fled Hungary 

(12:40) Suzi’s family’s transitional time in Israel 

(15:50) Where Suzi’s work ethic came from 

(18:53) Suzi’s adolescence in New York

(23:27) Suzi’s move to Los Angeles 

(24:52) How a dental-supply store ended up experimenting with acrylic nails

(29:37) OPI’s first trade show 

(32:36) Why competition is good

(33:58) How Starbucks inspired Suzi to personalize nail polish 

(36:44) Why OPI named polishes after food and places and how the naming process worked

(42:46) The time Suzi presented to Barbara Broccoli 

(45:27) The perks and bonuses OPI gave to their employees

(48:19) How OPI fixed its lipstick mistake

(52:43) How success affected Suzi

(55:04) Entering Walmart and growing beyond the professional market

(58:15) How Suzi’s divorce impacted the family business 

(1:01:33) The emotional impact of selling OPI

(1:10:47) The Jewish work ethic

(1:14:25) How to raise resilient, hardworking children

—

Where to find Suzi Weiss-Fischmann: 

Every dealmaker in Hollywood has a story. Michael Ovitz has all of them.

From Ghostbusters to Goodfellas, he packaged the films, brokered the talent, and rewrote the rules of power. What started as a rebellion inside William Morris became a $2 billion empire called CAA, and a playbook Silicon Valley still follows.

In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with Michael Ovitz, the legendary founder of Creative Artists Agency and the man who redefined power in Hollywood.

From a working-class childhood to representing the world's biggest stars, Michael’s story is one of obsession, reinvention, and relentless ambition. He helped shape more than 300 films, including Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Tootsie, Stand by Me, and Goodfellas, while transforming how deals, talent, and ideas move through the entertainment industry.

In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with Stephen Ross—real estate titan, Miami Dolphins owner, and the visionary behind Hudson Yards, CityPlace, and more—for a rare look inside his extraordinary life.

From growing up in a two-family house in Detroit to transforming New York’s Hudson Yards and Miami’s CityPlace, Stephen’s story is deeply shaped by the Jewish entrepreneurial legacy. Inspired by his grandfather, a Russian immigrant who built the largest independent oil refinery in the Midwest, and his uncle Max Fisher, a renowned businessman and philanthropist, Stephen saw early what was possible through grit, vision, and belief.

He shares how getting fired set him on the path to starting his own business, why he’s now building infrastructure in Palm Beach County to create South Florida’s next “Silicon Valley,” and the stories behind owning the Miami Dolphins and bringing Formula 1 racing to Miami.

We discuss the following: 

• How his grandfather built the largest independent oil refinery in the Midwest

• Why getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to him

• Why he believes New York is still the best place to start anything

• Why he held onto CityPlace through years of losses—and how it finally paid off

• His $1.5B asset sale before the 2008 crash

• The infrastructure he’s bringing to Palm Beach County to build a new “Silicon Valley”

• Why he sold 1.5 billion worth of assets before the financial crisis of 2008

• The story behind purchasing the Miami Dolphins

• Why he turned down a $10B offer for the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, and F1

• How daily school drop-offs helped Stephen build a lasting bond with his daughters

• His perspective on Jewish excellence in entrepreneurship and philanthropy

• His advice for young entrepreneurs 

• And much more!

—

In This Episode We Cover:

(00:00) Intro

(02:47) Stephen’s childhood in Detroit 

(05:15) Lessons and inspiration from his grandfather and uncle 

(17:00) Stephen’s rocky start in Florida and struggles in school

(22:35) How Stephen got into the University of Michigan and became a good student 

(27:13) How getting fired sparked his first business

(34:40) Early business goals and the fundraising hurdles that led to bootstrapping

(41:10) Stephen’s diversification strategy 

(44:01) How Stephen found great people to work with 

(47:30) What Stephen loves about the real estate business 

(49:12) Why the 90s market wasn’t ready for CityPlace 

(54:12) The story behind Hudson Yards and the Olympic stadium that fell through 

(57:50) Why Stephen says his latest project will be the most impactful 

(1:04:15) How to maintain momentum while building large projects 

(1:08:32) What it was like buying the Miami Dolphins 

(1:17:05) Why he brought F1 to Miami 

(1:19:25) Stephen’s philanthropy and why giving back is important

(1:23:40) What drives Jewish excellence in business and giving

(1:26:00) How he built and maintained a relationship with his daughters

(1:34:00) How he survived a tough time in the 90s 

(1:35:37) AI's impact on the future

(1:37:10) Advice for young entrepreneurs and how he values relationships

—

Where To Find Big Shot: 

What kind of man looks at 800 acres of mosquito-infested swampland and sees high-end apartments, a golf course, and a luxury shopping mall? 

In 1967, Don Soffer made the biggest bet of his life: transforming undeveloped wetlands into what would become Aventura, one of Florida’s most iconic and extravagant communities. In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with the 92-year-old visionary to hear how it all happened—straight from the source.

From convincing the Florida governor to back his development plan (after a well-timed flight to Tallahassee) to bringing in golf legend Robert Trent Jones to design a course, Don sold a dream that turned into a $4 billion reality. He built Turnberry resort, launched Aventura Mall, and packed them with celebrities—from Elton John to Madonna and John McEnroe.

Decades before “influencer marketing” was a thing, Don was using star power to shape a city.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The environmental pushback Don faced after buying swampland—and how he got the green light from the governor of Florida after chartering a jet and flying to Tallahassee

• Don’s celebrity-packed playbook: how he used influencers before we even had a word for it

• Don’s take on why Jewish people have become such successful entrepreneurs

• Don’s definition of common sense—and approach to solving complex problems with simplicity

• Why he says it’s a privilege to have a hard problem to solve

• His advice for the next generation of Jewish entrepreneurs

• And much more!

—

In This Episode We Cover:

(00:00) Intro

(02:07) How Don accidentally swallowed his dad’s glass eye

(03:03) Don’s early work building shopping malls with his father

(05:01) Why Don trusted his intuition and took a chance on developing swampland in Florida

(09:04) How Don got the governor of Florida on board to green light his project

(11:00) Early influencers: How Don leveraged the power of celebrities 

(14:25) Building Aventura Mall

(19:27) Don’s common-sense approach 

(21:52) Don’s relationship with his father 

(24:00) Why Don says it’s terrible to run a family business

(25:11) Don’s current roles and how he set his kids up 

(27:01) Don’s explanation for the success of the Jewish people 

(29:37) A dinner with Frank Sinatra 

(31:44) Advice for young Jewish entrepreneurs 

(33:37) Where Don got his confidence and conviction 

(35:06) How Don saved the Pittsburgh Mall after the excavator destroyed private property 

(37:50) Don’s thoughts on when to sell and when not to

(40:05) Don’s friendship with Tony Bennett 

(41:21) How to cultivate strong business relationships

(43:49) Don’s advice to future generations of Soffers 

(45:52) Why Don still thinks Florida is a good place to develop 

(46:42) Closing

—

Where To Find Big Shot: 

Bobby Kotick built a $69 billion empire from scratch—and the story is even crazier than it sounds.

In this episode of The Big Shot, we sit down with gaming’s ultimate entrepreneur. Bobby takes us from hustling snacks at baseball games to building one of the most iconic tech companies in the world: Activision Blizzard. Hear how he cold-called Nintendo, got investment from Steve Wynn on a private jet, took over a bankrupt video game company, and turned it into an empire that Microsoft bought for $69 billion.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Bobby’s early hustles: selling ashtrays, snacks, and party access in NYC

• Dropping out of college after Steve Jobs told him to

• Starting a dorm room company with Howard Marks

• Convincing Steve Wynn to invest $300K after a chance meeting

• Reviving Activision from bankruptcy using old IP and grit

• Why Pitfall and River Raid were billion-dollar blueprints

• How Activision became the first American Nintendo licensee

• The Apple boardroom showdown with John Sculley

• Turning Activision into a media empire: Call of Duty, Candy Crush, and Guitar Hero

• What it felt like selling the company to Microsoft for $69 billion

• His philosophy on leadership, loyalty, and building an enduring business

—

In This Episode We Cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:19) Selling ashtrays at playdates: Bobby’s first hustles

(06:39) Shadowing NYC real estate legends like Larry Silverstein

(09:59) Dorm room hardware startup with Howard Marks

(13:18) Inventing a typewriter-printer hack and launching via Byte magazine

(16:38) Meeting Steve Jobs

(19:58) Why Steve Jobs tells Bobby to drop out of school

(23:17) Getting featured in Forbes and making his parents panic

(26:37) The wild story of meeting Steve Wynn at a Texas cowboy gala

(29:57) The legendary $300K check in the basement of a casino

(33:16) Trying to sell to Apple (and the cigar moment with Sculley)

(36:36) Licensing games for EA and learning to be scrappy

(39:56) Black Monday, the Amiga, and a failed bid for Commodore

(43:15) Buying 20% of Nintendo’s U.S. licensing agent

(46:35) Discovering Activision buried inside a bankrupt company

(49:55) Why Bobby wanted to bring Pitfall and River Raid back to life

(53:14) The $400K move that changed gaming history

(56:34) A childhood connection saves the Activision bankruptcy deal

(59:54) Turning a bankrupt company into a profitable one in months

(01:03:13) Raising $40M and going on an acquisition spree

(01:06:33) How Bobby became the longest-serving tech CEO

(01:09:53) The Toy Story game meeting that cemented Bobby’s role

(01:13:12) Why Bobby never wanted to run a business that lost money

(01:15:32) Reflecting on the Microsoft acquisition and legacy

—

Where To Find Bobby Kotick: