Forged in America Podcast

I'm optimistic about Trump's track record on Venezuela. But here's the giant if: if Venezuela and Iran show results in 1-3 months, it could be an absolute reversal for Trump politically. The American people might finally see that military action works. #ForgedinAmerica

I got fired at 33. Then I joined a failed startup. Everyone said I was committing suicide. The head of PE in Chicago said it wouldn't work. But I believed. And I stuck with it. Those two "failures" became my greatest success. #ForgedinAmerica

I opened SLS in January 2009. The Great Recession was in full swing. But I survived because I owned something everyone else didn't: IP. Not just a hotel, but a brand. Not just a restaurant, but a vertical. IP ownership saved me. #ForgedinAmerica

Trump's foreign policy approval is 36%. Why? Americans are terrified of two options: never-ending wars or complete chaos. Afghanistan showed us both are possible. There's no good option. That's why Americans don't trust ANY leader on military decisions. #ForgedinAmerica

50 entrepreneurs come to my house every year asking the same question: "Should I quit my job?" My answer: You can't get someone to do it. Only they can. The people who succeed don't ask permission. They just act. Analysis paralysis is the enemy. #ForgedinAmerica

I didn't know I was creating something original. I just knew what I wanted didn't exist. So I got on a plane, went to D.C., spent 3 days with José Andrés, and learned. No LinkedIn. No consultants. No shortcuts. That's where original ideas come from: obsession. #ForgedinAmerica

For years, left-wing policies made us feel like we were doing the right thing. But only 40% of Chicago students can read. Only 25% can do math. The Chicago Teachers Union fights against school choice—the very thing that could help poor families escape. This is the real racism. #ForgedinAmerica

We can do Global Entry on our phones in 2 seconds. We got the COVID vaccine in 2 seconds. But voting? Still paper ballots and hours in line. America's voting system is INSANE. Every American should pay $1 in income tax and vote through their tax return. Electronic voting. Now. #ForgedinAmerica

Doctors spend 8+ years in medical school and learn NOTHING about nutrition.Soldiers are so hungry they spend personal money on fast food.600,000 deaths per year from bad nutrition.But 53 medical schools just committed to 40+ hours nutrition education. This could change everything. #ForgedinAmerica

Chicago's magnet schools are ranked in the top schools in Illinois. Top tier. Proven results. But the mayor says they're bad and won't expand them. Why? Because it doesn't fit the political narrative. We should be expanding what works. What benefits children. #ForgedinAmerica #Education

Ask a hospital how much your procedure costs. They have no idea. Childbirth: $2,500 to $60,000 for the same service. Price variations of 33x across hospitals. Healthcare price transparency doesn't exist. Download GoodRx. Compare prices. Save money. That's the reality. #ForgedinAmerica #HealthcarePricing

Luxury pricing secret: Your customers don't care what things cost. They care about exclusivity, quality, experience. Hotels change prices daily. Real estate is locked in. That's the competitive advantage. That's revenue management. #ForgedinAmerica #LuxuryBranding

The darkest days: Lenders wanted 400 basis point rate increases. $50M pay-downs. Recourse demands. I never gave a property back. Never got terminated for performance. We survived. We thrived. We grew to 20 hotels. At 44, sold to strategic buyer for massive premium. That's resilience. #ForgedinAmerica

Most people think entrepreneurship is the path to wealth. It's not. It's the first step. Real wealth comes from understanding real estate, family office strategy, and portfolio diversification. That's the path I took. That's how empires are built. #ForgedinAmerica

The Simple Life premiered in 2003. American Idol was taking over. Reality TV was exploding. And I opened a nightclub right in the middle of it all. My club became a filming location. A cultural epicenter. Part of a global phenomenon. That's what happens when you build at the right moment. #ForgedinAmerica

Most entrepreneurs jump into their dream business immediately. I did the opposite. I built multiple verticals strategically, each one giving me knowledge and credibility for the next. That's the difference between dreamers and builders. #ForgedinAmerica #BusinessStrategy

The difference between life and death? Early detection. Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal 50% of the time. I was one of the lucky ones who caught it before rupture. If you haven't had comprehensive health screening, this is your sign. #ForgedinAmerica #Prevention

Marriage penalty policies that punish couples for getting married. Voter ID policies that assume people can't figure it out. These aren't accidents. They're unintended consequences of low expectations. The data is there. Are we brave enough to look at it? #ForgedinAmerica #PolicyOutcomes

The leaders who understand that education policy matters more than politics will shape the next 50 years. Are we making the right choices for our kids? 🇺🇸 #ForgedinAmerica #FutureOfAmerica