Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley

200 Rejections to a Billion-Dollar Exit: Larry Cheng on Resilience and Growth

Join our community of unreasonable leaders achieving undeniable success: https://www.findingpeak.com Watch on YouTube: https://link.ryanhanley.com/youtube In this episode of Finding Peak, Ryan Hanley sits down with Larry Cheng, founder of Volition Capital, for a masterclass in resilience, fundraising, and brand building. Larry shares the unfiltered story of how he overcame 200 rejections to raise his first fund, the philosophy that drives his success, and why he believes a founder's personal brand is more critical than ever. This is a no-BS conversation packed with actionable insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone looking to level up their game. Connect with Larry Cheng Volition Capital: https://www.volitioncapital.com Larry Cheng on X: https://twitter.com/larryvc Larry Cheng on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrycheng/ Key Topics Discussed: The Power of Resilience: Larry shares the story of facing 200 rejections before securing the first investment for Volition Capital and the mindset that kept him going. Fundraising Philosophy: Learn Larry's core principle: "Don't take no's personally. Don't take yeses for granted." Venture Capital vs. Growth Equity: A clear breakdown of the different stages of private equity and what it means for founders. The Chewy Story: The inside story of how Volition Capital's investment in Chewy became a multi-billion dollar success. The Founder's Brand: Why Larry believes a founder's personal brand and community engagement are non-negotiable in today's market. Authenticity in Leadership: How to be an external and authentic leader, even if you're an introvert. --Recommended Tools for GrowthOpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opusRiverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riversideWhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflowCaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsappGoHighLevel: It's time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevelPerspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective--Episodes You Might Enjoy:From $2 Million Loss to World-Class Entrepreneur: https://lnk.to/delkFrom One Man Shop to $200M in Revenue: https://lnk.to/tommymelloIs Psilocybin the Gateway to Self-Mastery? https://lnk.to/80upZ9 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Customer Expectation Triangle of Death

Join our community of unreasonable leaders achieving undeniable success: https://www.findingpeak.com Watch on YouTube: https://link.ryanhanley.com/youtube It’s a common myth that businesses die because of their competition. The truth is, they die because they fail to understand what their customers actually expect. In this episode, I break down a framework I’ve used to help hundreds of leaders and build my own multiple seven-figure business: The Customer Expectation Triangle of Death. We’ll explore the three distinct ages of business—Analog, Digital, and the Age of AI—and how customer expectations have evolved through each. You’ll learn why simply having a quality product at a good price is no longer enough, and what you need to focus on right now to separate your business from the noise and achieve escape velocity. This isn’t just theory. This is the practical, no-BS framework for building a business that lasts. Key Takeaways: The Real Reason Businesses Fail: It’s not your competition; it’s your failure to understand evolving customer expectations. The Three Ages of Business: Learn the critical shifts between the Analog Age (pre-2000), the Digital Age (2000-2020), and the Age of AI (2020-present). The Triangle Framework: Deconstruct the three core pillars of customer expectation: Quality, Price, and Speed/Ease of Delivery. The Rise of Experience: Understand why the Digital Age made a seamless customer experience the absolute baseline for any viable business. Winning in the Age of AI: Discover why "Signal"—trust, connection, and authenticity—is the ultimate differentiator in today's market. The Inside-Out Diagnostic: Get a simple, actionable tool to diagnose and fix core issues with customer retention, engagement, and acquisition. --Recommended Tools for GrowthOpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opusRiverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riversideWhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflowCaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsappGoHighLevel: It's time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevelPerspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective--Episodes You Might Enjoy:From $2 Million Loss to World-Class Entrepreneur: https://lnk.to/delkFrom One Man Shop to $200M in Revenue: https://lnk.to/tommymelloIs Psilocybin the Gateway to Self-Mastery? https://lnk.to/80upZ9 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Surrender to Win: The Contrarian's Guide to Leading in Chaos - Dr Jessica Kriegel

Join our community of unreasonable leaders achieving undeniable success: https://www.findingpeak.com Watch on YouTube: https://link.ryanhanley.com/youtube In a world of constant uncertainty, leaders are falling into the "action trap"—an endless cycle of activity that feels like progress but delivers little. Dr. Jessica Kriegel, a renowned leadership expert and author, joins us to reveal a counterintuitive solution: surrender. Connect with Dr Jessica Kriegel Website: https://www.jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel/ Surrender to Lead book: https://amzn.to/4att9OR In this episode of Finding Peak, Jessica dismantles the myth that control equals success. She introduces a powerful framework for leadership based on the Serenity Prayer: control the controllables and let go of the rest. We dive deep into the psychology of belief, the power of storytelling over data, and why your team's resistance to change is a belief problem, not a technology problem. Jessica shares her bold predictions for the future of work, including the rise of the first AI CEO by 2026 and how AI clones will revolutionize leadership. If you're a leader feeling the pressure of the K-shaped economy, political instability, and technological disruption, this episode provides a radical yet practical roadmap to not just survive, but thrive. --Recommended Tools for GrowthOpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opusRiverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riversideWhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflowCaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsappGoHighLevel: It's time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevelPerspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective--Episodes You Might Enjoy:From $2 Million Loss to World-Class Entrepreneur: https://lnk.to/delkFrom One Man Shop to $200M in Revenue: https://lnk.to/tommymelloIs Psilocybin the Gateway to Self-Mastery? https://lnk.to/80upZ9 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stop Blaming Gen Z (You're the Problem) - Selena Rezvani

Join our community of unreasonable leaders creating undeniable success: https://www.findingpeak.com Watch on YouTube: https://link.ryanhanley.com/youtube Is Gen Z entitled, lazy, and unmanageable? Or is your leadership playbook simply obsolete? In this explosive episode of Finding Peak, Ryan Hanley sits down with renowned leadership expert and author Selena Rezvani to dismantle the myths surrounding the modern workforce. Connect with Selena Rezvani Website: https://www.selenarezvani.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selenarezvani LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenarezvani/ Book: https://amzn.to/48wD6Zp Selena argues that the friction between generations isn't a "Gen Z problem"—it's a leadership crisis. We explore why Gen Z views entrepreneurship as a career insurance policy, why they refuse to make work their entire identity, and why your attempts at control and surveillance are destined to fail. Forget everything you think you know about loyalty and motivation. This conversation provides a new framework for leading in an era of radical transparency and economic uncertainty. You'll learn the difference between "Least Generous" and "Most Generous" interpretations, why vulnerability is a leader's greatest asset, and how to build a culture of co-creation instead of compliance. If you're ready to stop complaining and start leading effectively, this episode is your wake-up call. --Recommended Tools for GrowthOpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opusRiverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riversideWhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflowCaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsappGoHighLevel: It's time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevelPerspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective--Episodes You Might Enjoy:From $2 Million Loss to World-Class Entrepreneur: https://lnk.to/delkFrom One Man Shop to $200M in Revenue: https://lnk.to/tommymelloIs Psilocybin the Gateway to Self-Mastery? https://lnk.to/80upZ9 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Honey, Hustle, and Hard Lessons Built a $10M Brand | Jack Espy

Join our community of fearless leaders in search of unreasonable outcomes... Want to become a FEARLESS entrepreneur and leader? Go here: https://www.findingpeak.com Watch on YouTube: https://link.ryanhanley.com/youtube When COVID shut the world down, Jack Espy lost his job, mixed a cocktail, and accidentally discovered the idea that would change his life. Connect with Jack Espy Spirited Hive: https://www.spiritedhive.com Strive Sode: https://strivesoda.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_espy/?hl=en Fast-forward five years and he’s running Spirited Hive and Strive Soda — two honey-sweetened beverage brands rewriting the “better-for-you” playbook. In this unfiltered conversation, Jack and Ryan Hanley dig into: How to turn early failure into a profitable foundation Why naïveté can be a founder’s secret weapon The brutal truth about distribution, marketing, and shelf space Building slow, selling smart, and setting up for acquisition What “better-for-you” really means (and what it doesn’t) This one’s part business therapy, part entrepreneurial bloodsport.Grab a drink, settle in, and take notes. Because growth done right still takes sweat, humility, and a little honey. --Recommended Tools for GrowthOpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opusRiverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riversideWhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflowCaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsappGoHighLevel: It's time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevelPerspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective--Episodes You Might Enjoy:From $2 Million Loss to World-Class Entrepreneur: https://lnk.to/delkFrom One Man Shop to $200M in Revenue: https://lnk.to/tommymelloIs Psilocybin the Gateway to Self-Mastery? https://lnk.to/80upZ9 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.