The Person Who Believed In Me

Inside the Career That Made $15 Billion at the Box Office | Brian Grazer, Film & TV Producer

Before Brian Grazer became one of Hollywood's most powerful producers — 43 Academy Award nominations, 320 Emmy nominations, more than $15 billion at the box office — he was a dyslexic kid in the San Fernando Valley getting straight F's, thought of as the boy who couldn't read. Then his grandmother, Sonja Schwartz, told him he was a genius with a gift for gab, and that not knowing an answer didn't make him dumb. It just made him more interested.In this unguarded conversation, the producer behind A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Splash, 8 Mile, Friday Night Lights, 24, and Empire sits down with David Begnaud to talk about the woman who believed in him first. He describes turning an empty office at Warner Brothers into his own enterprise, cold-calling the twenty biggest filmmakers in the business with a single promise — he'd never ask them for anything — and getting stopped at the door by Lew Wasserman, who handed him a pencil and a legal pad and told him to come back with something of value. He started writing Splash that year.He also talks about the father who shook off his hand as a child and the father he chose to become instead.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Grandmother Who Said You're a Genius00:02:01 Straight F's and Deep Shame: The Dyslexic Kid Who Couldn't Read00:06:28 The Loveless Father: When Dad Shook Off His Touch00:10:22 Curiosity Conversations: 40 Years of Meeting the Masters00:18:18 The Warner Brothers Con: Building an Empire from a Law Clerk Job00:21:42 Grandma Takes Him to the Bosses: Meeting Power at Hollywood Park00:26:59 The Liar Story: When a Mentor Called Out the Truth Problem00:37:41 Incorrect: The Coach Who Cut Him and Crushed His Soul00:54:37 The Teacher Who Hit Him with a Board00:47:33 The Oscar Moment: Loser, and Jim Lovell's Grip00:50:39 Deep Throat and Don Rickles: What Grandma Taught Him About Vegas01:04:50 Riley's Bio: I Am Nice and I Am Caring01:10:13 What He'd Say to Grandma Sonia: How Much I Love HerABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Vivian TuExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier Delfosse, Justin McGoldrickBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Kylee Anderson, Maxim Trofimenko, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital & David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

From 'Too Girly for Finance' to Multimillionaire | Vivian Tu, Your Rich BFF CEO

Before Vivian Tu became a multimillionaire financial educator with 6.5 million followers, two New York Times bestselling books, and a chart-topping podcast, she was a 22-year-old analyst sitting on a filing cabinet at JP Morgan while senior traders commanded the room. Then Jean Ma, her first manager and the first rich Asian woman she had ever met, told her: You deserve a seat at the table. Don't sit on a filing cabinet like you are some lackey.In this deeply personal conversation, the creator of Your Rich BFF tells David Begnaud how Jean, who walked into the office in limited-edition Chanel and Gucci stilettos, taught her that life isn't a meritocracy and showed her at a meatpacking-district dive bar that the rules she thought she had to play by weren't the rules everyone else played by.Vivian also gets real about the manager who reassigned her, told her she was "too girly for finance," and mocked her cardigan as a kimono — and why she's thankful he was such a jerk, because it's exactly what pushed her out of JP Morgan and into the life she has now. She talks about walking away from a $600,000 job at BuzzFeed to bet on herself full time, the $100,000 safety net she built just in case (and never had to touch), and growing up the daughter of Chinese immigrants who sacrificed everything so she could be here. She opens up about buying her parents cars and vacations, why her husband Greg is the reason she can take big career swings without fear, and closes with the story that still gives her chills: a woman at the University of Delaware who used one of Vivian's videos to talk her hospital down $5,000 on a medical bill. And yes, she'll admit it — some of her drive really is just pure spite, knowing the guy who doubted her can't walk past a bookstore today without seeing her face in the window.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter:

He Built a $1B Company and Still Felt Like a Failure | Nirav Tolia, Nextdoor CEO

Before Nirav Tolia became the CEO of Nextdoor, a billion-dollar company connecting neighbors across America, he was a 28-year-old first-time CEO running a struggling startup during the dot-com crash, three weeks away from shutting down. Then Bill Campbell, the legendary Silicon Valley coach who mentored Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and the founders of Google, walked into his office and said the words that changed everything: I don't want fancy quotes. Tell me about the business. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of tech's most mission-driven entrepreneurs sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when he was just beginning to understand what it meant to lead.Nirav opens up about meeting Bill Campbell at 28, a coach who called him boy, sprinkled profanity into every lesson, and taught him that his title was not CEO but coach. He talks about growing up as one of the only Indian kids in Odessa, Texas, a place where people were genuinely happy because they had each other, and how that shaped his belief in the power of community. He shares what it was like to get to Stanford and realize he wasn't prepared for the rigor, how he found his way into tech through an Ethernet connection in his dorm room and an obsession with the Dallas Cowboys, and why he joined a collegiate acapella group that led him to become a business manager instead of a doctor.There's also a raw reflection on sacrifice, purpose, and what it means to be a guardian angel. Nirav talks about leaving Nextdoor in 2019 because he felt like a shell of a man, realizing he couldn't be the best CEO and the best father at the same time, and moving his family to Italy for a sabbatical that turned into years. He opens up about being asked to come back to Nextdoor, why he said yes even though he never thought he'd be a CEO again, and how spending time away from the job gave him the space to reflect and become a better human being. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Coach Who Believed When the Company Almost Died00:02:18 The First Meeting: Boy, Tell Me About Your Company00:10:00 A Stranger in a Strange Land: Finding Community in West Texas00:14:10 Stanford and the Struggle: When Everyone Is Smarter Than You00:17:33 Fleet Street Singers: The Acapella Group That Led to Business00:24:23 999 Failures Leading to One Big Success: The Entrepreneurship Story00:28:36 Your Title Makes You a Manager, Your People Make You a Leader00:31:12 Three Weeks of Cash Left: The Christmas That Changed Everything00:33:46 The Hardest Thing a CEO Ever Has to Do: Laying Off Employees00:38:15 The Kindness of Strangers: Lost Dogs, Cups of Sugar, and Natural Disasters00:40:57 Purpose, People, Product: The Three Ps Bill Taught00:43:00 A Shell of a Man: When Being CEO Meant Not Being a Father00:48:26 Coming Back to Nextdoor: The Second Chance to Refound a Company00:54:58 Moving to Dallas: Choosing Family and Community Over Silicon Valley00:57:21 The Board Meeting in Dallas: Hearing Bill's Voice 20 Years Later01:03:39 Happy 30th Birthday: The Voicemail That Captures Everything01:04:59 Find a Bill or Be the Bill: The Legacy of Lifting People UpABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Nirav ToliaExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier Delfosse, Justin McGoldrickBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksSocial: Kylee Anderson, Maxim Trofimenko, Gracie PekrulLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital & David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

American Idol & Voice Of Queen On The Dark Side Of Fame | Adam Lambert

Before Adam Lambert became a global superstar, Grammy-nominated artist, and one of the most electrifying voices in music, he was a 13-year-old theater kid from conservative North County San Diego, struggling to fit in at middle school and trying on his mother's makeup after class. Then Lynn Broyles, a voice teacher with fierce energy and impeccable taste, saw something in him that no one else had: a kid who needed a safe space to just be himself. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the trailblazing artist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he was just beginning to understand who he was.Adam opens up about meeting Lynn at 13, a voice teacher who introduced him to Sondheim, cabaret, and the gay cultural lexicon without ever calling it what it was. He talks about growing up with parents who let him wear their makeup and high heels as a toddler, spending Saturdays in a theater company that taught him discipline and teamwork, and the moment he auditioned for American Idol by quitting his job in Wicked with no guarantees. He shares what it felt like to kiss a guy on live television at the 2009 AMAs the night before his first single dropped, getting yanked off Good Morning America because ABC threatened to sue, and why that controversy made him realize his career was about something much bigger than just making music.There's also a raw reflection on identity, fame, and what it means to finally say what you've always felt. Adam talks about starting to feel shame for being gay once he got famous, encountering homophobia for the first time in mainstream America after living in an LA bubble for 10 years, and why he started having imposter syndrome even though he believed he could win. He opens up about fronting Queen for 10 years, performing for millions at Rock in Rio and on the steps of Buckingham Palace, and why being around Brian May and Roger Taylor taught him the gravity of iconic music through osmosis. He reflects on moving to New York, doing six months on Broadway as the Emcee in Cabaret, and bringing Lynn to see the show as a full circle moment. He shares why he's finally ready to stop people pleasing, why his new self-titled album Adam feels like a return to where he started, and why after 17 years in the industry, he's done being polite about what he wants.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Voice Teacher Who Saw the Queen in Him00:01:23 The Instant Connection: When Humor Became the Language00:05:22 The Loud, Verbal Kid Who Preferred Adults00:08:52 Growing Up Different in Conservative San Diego00:11:40 The Anger Management Lessons and Counting to Ten00:14:05 Middle School Hell: When the Teachers Liked You Wasn't Cool Anymore00:15:39 Metropolitan Educational Theater: Learning Discipline Through Performance00:17:30 Lynn's Gift: Sondheim, Cabaret, and the Gay Cultural Lexicon00:18:04 The Unspoken Understanding: I Think She Knew I Was Gay00:26:51 The American Idol Audition: Quitting Wicked for a Shot00:37:45 The AMA Kiss That Changed Everything00:45:37 Coming Out on Rolling Stone: The Gay Label and Double Standards00:35:49 Imposter Syndrome and Finding My Voice00:53:53 Ten Years with Queen: Pinch Me Moments and Learning from Legends01:02:29 The Five-Year Relationship: Finding Work-Life Balance00:50:03 The New Album ADAM: Accepting All of Yourself01:10:42 Broadway Cabaret: The Full Circle Moment with Lynn01:14:13 The Evolution of LGBTQ Visibility: Then vs Now01:16:50 Feel Something Foundation: Giving Back to Queer Youth01:20:42 Give Me My Flowers: It's My TurnABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Adam LambertExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

Stop Raising Your Children With This Dangerous Lie | Ian V. Rowe

Before Ian Rowe became a visionary educator, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, founder of Vertex Partnership Academy, and author of the book Agency, he was a 12 year old kid from Queens standing in his family's living room, crying and pleading with his Jamaican immigrant parents to let him stay at a junior high school that was about to become all black after white families fled to a newly created annex. Then Linda Talish, his sixth grade teacher at PS 156 in Laurelton, Queens, gave him something he didn't even know he needed: the courage to challenge his parents for the very first time. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of education's most influential and controversial voices sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he was just beginning to believe in himself.Ian opens up about meeting Ms. Talish in sixth grade, a Jewish teacher who talked about her heritage with a certain reverence and pride, even in the midst of racial tension that was tearing apart their small middle class Queens neighborhood. He shares what it was like growing up as the son of parents who came to the United States in 1968, the year of Martin Luther King's assassination, with his father becoming one of the first black engineers at IBM and his mother a financial securities analyst at Manufacturer's Hanover Bank. He reflects on the Sunday night before transfer papers were due, standing in front of his parents in their living room, begging and crying to stay at junior high school 231, and saying the words that changed everything: Just because everyone that's left is black, why does it have to be bad?.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Teacher Who Gave Him the Courage to Say No00:00:40 The Racial Tension in Laurelton: When the White Kids Left00:03:54 The Play That Changed Everything: Welcome Back, Sauter00:14:24 The Sunday Night I Challenged My Parents00:22:42 Just Because Everyone That's Left Is Black, Why Does It Have to Be Bad?00:27:27 From Brooklyn Tech to Cornell at 16: Working My Butt Off00:28:10 Vertex Partnership Academy: Creating Coming of Agency Moments00:38:51 The Four Cardinal Virtues: Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom00:53:11 The Teachers Union Sued Us: Six Days Before We Opened01:00:49 The Success Sequence: Education, Work, Marriage, Then Children00:56:38 Social Capital Is the Currency of America01:08:31 From 470 Million Dollars at Gates to Running Individual Schools01:19:06 Have You Done Your Best? The Booker T. Washington LectureABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Ian RoweExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast