20 Under 20s | Interviews With The Business Minds Of Generation Z

Sahil Handa is a genius. He traveled around Southeast Asia for a few years before attending Harvard, and he’s currently enjoying his first gap year. But just because he’s doing a gap year doesn’t mean he isn’t doing anything — he’s traveling, running the startup ByLines, and writing a book. He talks about how his stutter informed his writing career, the contentious divides we’re seeing all over the world, and where he sees that going. This is a long one, but there’s a lot to dive into! Resources: Learn more: https://sahilhanda.com/ (sahilhanda.com) Twitter: https://twitter.com/sahilhandapanda (@sahilhandapanda) Instagram: http://instagram.com/sahilhandapanda (@sahilhandapanda) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Griffin Johnson’s life has been going through quite a shift lately. Just over the last year, he’s gone from sleeping on couches in LA to creating a following on TikTok of nearly 10 million. He’s now in the investing space, podcasting, and more. And as a result, he’s had to quickly become adept at many different areas of expertise. We talk about how he’s taking on so many new things so quickly, the threat of a TikTok ban, being a dog dad, and more. Resources: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imgriffinjohnson?lang=en (@imgriffinjohnson) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imgriffinjohnson/?hl=en (@imgriffinjohnson) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQC2re4ieW_x_cHs2--uJTg (Griffin Johnson) Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sway-way/id1537231542 (‎SWAY WAY) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imbrooklynjohnson/?hl=en (@imbrooklynjohnson) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Joshua Browder is the CEO of DoNotPay, a chatbot that started out by allowing drivers to appeal their parking tickets automatically and has since evolved into “the world’s first robot lawyer.” He’s a man who moves quickly and avoids bureaucracy, and his goal is to eventually replace the lawyer for the average consumer. We talk about the myth of overnight success, the importance of taking control of your destiny, and the future of DoNotPay. Resources: https://donotpay.com/ (donotpay.com) Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbrowder1 (twitter.com/jbrowder1) Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshuabrowder12 (instagram.com/joshuabrowder12) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-browder-b0b573116/ (linkedin.com/in/joshua-browder-b0b573116) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

I’ve known Ron Harper Jr. since I was four years old. Today, he’s playing division I basketball at Rutgers with the possibility of going to draft next year. He talks about how he came to be where he is now, how the coronavirus has impacted the sport and how the players have dealt with that, and the good and bad of having two incredible athletes for parents. We also have some rapid-fire questions that I pulled from Instagram. Resources: Instagram: http://instagram.com/ron.harper.jr (@ron.harper.jr) Twitter: https://twitter.com/__rhjr?lang=en (@__rhjr) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Sasha Larkin is the captain of the Summerlin area command of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. She does work in community relations for the department and has worked with them for her entire career. We, of course, have to dive into current events and how that relates to the police force, but we also discuss how community relations work, how the department works to prevent incidents proactively, how important it is for police to be held accountable, community policing, and the balance between enacting change without losing progress. Resources: http://www.lvmpd.com (www.lvmpd.com) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

I’m excited to be interviewing my friend Amanuel Gantt, joining me from Georgia. Normally when not under quarantine, he works out of New York managing his childhood friend Evan Engram, the tight end for the New York Giants. He talks about the challenges of balancing school work and military life, working with a close friend, staying safe during the pandemic, and his thoughts on the protests going on in the United States over racial inequality. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/man_gantt/ (@man_gantt) Twitter: http://twitter.com/man_gantt (@man_gantt) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Jeff Eisenband is a sports and esports broadcaster working out of New York City. He is doing a ton of work for the NBA 2K League, from the draft to broadcasting, he writes for Ozy, and he hosts the podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eis-on-the-prize/id1504788576 (Eis on the Prize). He talks about the way he got into journalism, how he’s navigated his career to where he is now, working as a freelancer, what it was like escaping New York due to the coronavirus, and how he’s continuing to work in his temporary environment. Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyeisenband/ (linkedin.com/in/jeffreyeisenband) Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffEisenband (twitter.com/JeffEisenband) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffeisenband/ (instagram.com/jeffeisenband) Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eis-on-the-prize/id1504788576 (Eis on the Prize) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Warren Lentz is the co-founder and CEO of TalentXEntertainment, a management agency firm that represents some of your favorite TikTok stars and creators in the world. Their job is to help creators launch their careers into merchandising, products, film, modeling, and more. The average career of a social media influencer is 19 months — the goal of TalentXEntertainment is to make that much longer. We talk about the shifting landscape of social media, the misconceptions for TikTok, and the common traits of successful influencers, and the mentality of a driven entrepreneur coming straight out of college. Resources: Learn more: https://talentxent.com/ (talentxent.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warrenlentz/?hl=en (@talentxent) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warrenlentz/?hl=en (@warrenlentz) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-lentz-a667a69/ (linkedin.com/in/warren-lentz-a667a69) Twitter: https://twitter.com/WarrenLentz (@warrenlentz) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Cr

Mark Cuban doesn’t need much of an introduction. Most of you know him either as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks or from his appearances on Shark Tank, along with any of his dozens of other business ventures. He has some advice for how you can be productive through the global pandemic that we are all dealing with right now (whether you’re an employee or business owner), getting started on your big idea, learning from the jobs you hate, what to focus on as an entrepreneur, and what emerging industries to start exploring right now. Resources: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcuban?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (@mcuban) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markcuban/ (facebook.com/markcuban) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcuban (instagram.com/mcuban) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-cuban-06a0755b/ (linkedin.com/in/mark-cuban-06a0755b) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mcuban?lang=en (@mcuban) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Candace Parker is a WNBA player for the Los Angeles Sparks, the first pick in the 2008 NBA draft, two-time MVP, and she does a ton of work in TV, entertainment, and business. She talks about what she’s doing to stay busy during the coronavirus pandemic, making the transition to becoming a WNBA player, the habits that have led to her success, taking care of a baby while balancing her NBA career, playing abroad in the offseason, and her tips for people pursuing their dreams. Resources: Learn more: https://candaceparker.com/ (candaceparker.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candaceparker/?hl=en (instagram.com/candaceparker) Twitter: https://twitter.com/Candace_Parker (twitter.com/Candace_Parker) https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2016-06-28/pat-summitt-read-legendary-coachs-definite-dozen-rules ("Pat Summitt: Read the legendary coach's ‘Definite Dozen’ rules for success") Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Erika Nardini is the CEO of Barstool Sports and previously worked at companies such as Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and more. Every company that she had worked for helped to prepare her for Barstool, but there was still so much to learn. She’s managed to tie in the amazing network of content they have at Barstool while building a legitimate, scalable company. She talks about what it takes to build a fun, inviting company culture that still gets stuff done, and what it’s been like keeping the content coming in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The world is changing massively, and she offers up some advice on what she thinks things will look like in the near future. Resources: Barstool Sports: https://www.barstoolsports.com/ (barstoolsports.com) Twitter: https://twitter.com/EKANardini (twitter.com/EKANardini) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ekanardini/ (instagram.com/ekanardini) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Taylor Johnson plays tennis at UCLA and is the co-founder of FAST (Female Athletes Stand Together) along with the founder of the UCLA chapter of that organization. In this episode, we talk about the experience of growing up playing competitive tennis, being recruited, finding a mentor, and how she brought FAST to UCLA. Her goal is to bring this program to as many schools as possible and have female athletes support each other everywhere. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorvjohnson/ (@taylorvjohnson/) https://www.instagram.com/uclafast/ (@uclafast) https://www.instagram.com/jointhefast/ (@jointhefast) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

I’ve been getting requests for me to be interviewed on the show, so in this episode my friend Alex Myers joins me to ask some questions. We talk about how I started flipping shoes on eBay at the age of nine, the beginning of my podcasting career (while I was still in high school) and my experience with anxiety and panic attacks. We also cover how I sent 300-400 cold emails per day to get great guests for the podcast. While my response rate wasn’t high, Mark Cuban eventually emailed me back, and that was hugely encouraging. My advice for anyone thinking about building a business or pursuing a passion is, start now - there’s never going to be a perfect time and you’re always going to mess up at the beginning.  Resources: https://trendsetters.captivate.fm (trendsetterspodcast.com) https://www.vybermedia.com (vybermedia.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesse.kay11/ (@jesse.kay11) Email: jesse@trendsetterspodcast.com https://cmo.adobe.com/articles/2019/9/your-next-mentor-might-be-half-your-age.html#g

Noah Friedman is the CEO of 3x3 Insights, a Loeb NYC company that provides the beverage alcohol industry with the actionable intelligence, analytics and services to reach every consumer with the right product at the right time. In this episode, we talked about Noah’s role at 3x3 Insights, how he balances his time with everything else he's up to (including building a TV show on the side) and his advice for young entrepreneurs and investors. Noah believes the most important quality of an entrepreneur is the ability to execute so he’s always thinking, what do I want to do, and what is the fastest path to get there and prove that I can do that thing? Resources: https://info.3x3insights.com/brands (info.3x3insights.com/brands) http://www.loeb.nyc (www.loeb.nyc) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loeb.nyc/ (@loebnyc) http://www.noahsfriedman.com (www.noahsfriedman.com) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

At the age of 18 Aaron Spivak co-founded Revitatize, an organic, cold-pressed juice kitchen serving high quality juices, smoothies and healthy food in Toronto. Since then he has expanded it to eight locations in the Greater Toronto Area.  But two years ago he also launched a brand called Hush Blankets. Hush Blankets make weighted blankets to calm anxiety and help people sleep better. Recently they launched Hush Iced, a cooling weighted blanket for summer.  In this conversation we talk about Hush Blanket’s recent appearance on Dragon’s Den, the Canadian version of Shark Tank, and how Aaron innovates in the cut-throat world of ecommerce.  Resources: http://www.revitasize.ca (www.revitasize.ca) http://www.hushblankets.com (www.hushblankets.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revitasize (@revitasize) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hushblankets/?hl=en (@hushblankets) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehspiv/?hl=en (@ehspiv) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate M

You may know Matt Halper and Eli Sones from their viral Big Booty Mixes. Together they form the music-making duo Two Friends. They started making music in high school, continued it as a hobby while they were at college then turned it into a real career after they graduated.  Being able to work on their music while they were still at college gave them an opportunity to work on their brand without the pressure of having to make money from it. We discuss how important it is for them to enjoy what they’re doing and make authentic connections with their fans.  Resources: http://www.twofriendsmusic.com (www.twofriendsmusic.com) Upcoming tour dates: http://www.twofriendsmusic.com/tour (www.twofriendsmusic.com/tour) Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/twofriendsmusic (www.instagram.com/twofriendsmusic) SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/twofriendsbigbootie (www.soundcloud.com/twofriendsbigbootie) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Matt Coulter started his career in the real estate industry, and he did have some financial success, but he realized it just wasn’t what made him happy. So he pivoted towards the nonprofit space and devoted his energy to helping others through organizations like the BeYOUtiful Foundation and Shop 143. Matt has some great advice for finding what you’re passionate about and creating a life that fills you with joy, which is an opportunity that entrepreneurs have but often don’t take advantage of. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt523/?hl=en (instagram.com/matt523) Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewcoulter (twitter.com/matthewcoulter) Shop 143: https://shop143.org/ (shop143.org) BeYOUtiful: https://www.beyoutifulfoundation.com/ (beyoutifulfoundation.com) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Jonah Stillman graduated in college in 2017, foregoing college to start his entrepreneurial career. He also competed on the national snowboarding circuit for 10 years, ranking in the top five in the U.S. before hanging up his helmet. Jonah is now one of the leading Gen Z experts, consulting with companies and giving talks about how brands can better connect with the Gen Z consumer, employee, student, donor, and voter. We discuss why went directly into the working world out of high school, how he’s positioned himself as a Gen Z expert, and how balances being a young entrepreneur with his personal life. Resources: Gen Z Guru: https://www.genzguru.com/ (www.genzguru.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonah.stillman (www.instagram.com/jonah.stillman) Twitter: https://twitter.com/stillmanjonah (twitter.com/stillmanjonah) Ted Jonah’s TEDx: https://www.ted.com/talks/jonah_stillman_the_phigital_world_of_gen_z (“The phigital world of Gen Z”) Read: https://www.amazon.com/Gen-Work-Generation-Transforming-Workplac

Jack Settleman works in content at whistle sports, and he’s been doing some really innovative things at the intersection of social media and sports fandom. Most notably, he started SnapBack Sports, formerly Real Sports, a Snapchat community with over one million followers and 100 million views a year. Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksettleman/ (www.instagram.com/jacksettleman) Listen to the SnapBack Sports podcast: http://wavve.link/snapbackpod (wavve.link/snapbackpod) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

I’ve been looking forward to sharing this conversation for a few months now. Why? Because I got to chat with Ed Meyercord, President and CEO of Extreme Networks, a publicly traded company that made nearly a billion dollars in revenue last year.  I actually met Ed on a cross-country flight to San Francisco, we got along, and he was generous enough to come on the show. He’s an incredibly smart guy with a ton of business experience from both Wall Street and the tech world, and I think you’re going to get a lot out of it. Resources: Learn more at https://www.extremenetworks.com/ (https://www.extremenetworks.com/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-meyercord-3316b416/ (linkedin.com/in/ed-meyercord-3316b416/) Trendsetters is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)