Lance shares his journey from obsessing over the Market Wizards books as a college student to grinding through a brutal first year with no profitable months, to ultimately becoming the #1 trader at Trillium, setting records and leading/mentoring other traders.

This episode goes deep on the psychological game of handling stress, avoiding tilt and FOMO, surviving the comparison trap, and why Lance found that sleep quality was one of the strongest predictors of his daily P&L. He also opens up about massive drawdowns, including a $2.3M loss in ~15 minutes, and the frameworks that helped him recover and improve long-term expected value.

We also cover the “Super Bowl” period of trading during 2020–2021, including the mania around GME/AMC, and why Lance ultimately stepped away from trading full-time to pursue philanthropy, health, and building what he calls “the greatest free trading course ever created.”

Topics include:

-Why prop trading attracts entrepreneurs (and why it breaks most people)

-The real learning curve: 6+ months just to have a clue

-Process vs. P&L and why early success is dangerous

-Sleep, stress, identity, and performance under pressure

-Tilt, FOMO, and the comparison game

-GME/AMC volatility and “in-play” stocks

-Leaving at the top: fulfillment beyond the scoreboard

Subscribe for more conversations on performance, mindset, investing, and building a life that actually works. #journeystothesummit #entrepreneurialinsights #podcast #entrepreneurship

Craig shares his unconventional path from physics major to financial planning, his early career inside a high-volume planning team, what the old GDC “grid” sales culture taught him about incentives, and why today’s students can build a real career in planning without starting in pure sales.

They also break down how Illinois grew its program from 82 students to ~240, why Craig pushed to make estate planning required (“everybody dies, not everybody retires”), and how electives like Money & Happiness are preparing students for the human side of advice. Plus: why firms increasingly prefer candidates who have already passed high-stakes exams like the SIE/Series 65.

If you’re building a firm, hiring advisors, or starting your career in wealth management, this one is packed with practical insight.

#FinancialPlanning #WealthManagement #FinancialAdvisor #UniversityOfIllinois #AdvisorRecruiting#EstatePlanning #Leadership #JourneysToTheSummit

Ian walks through his path from:

-Liberal arts major at Vanderbilt with PhD dreams

-Early career at Epic and management consulting

-Co-founding Virgo, an AI-enabled GI/endoscopy company

-Surviving COVID, the SVB collapse panic, and a painful founder exit

-Launching a new, Mayo Clinic–backed company focused on OR efficiency and surgical access

They cover:

-Why being “risk-averse” doesn’t mean you’re not entrepreneurial

-How a Techstars experience flipped Ian’s career trajectory

-What he’d do differently around fundraising, capitalization, and banking

-How to think about equity realistically as an employee

-The mental health cost of tying your identity to your company

-Where AI actually makes sense in healthcare—and where it’s overkill

If you’re curious about healthcare startups, AI, or what it actually feels like to walk away from your “baby” and start again, this is a powerful, honest conversation.

🔔 Subscribe to Journeys to the Summit for more in-depth conversations with builders, leaders, and climbers pushing toward their own summits.

🎧 Listen to more episodes:   

 / @journeystothesummit  

#JourneysToTheSummit #EntrepreneurialInsights #VivaldiCapitalManagement

In this episode of Journeys to the Summit, host Ilya Zlotnik interviews Randy Golden, co-founder of Vivaldi Capital Management. Randy shares his unexpected path from academic probation to the U.S. Army, the lessons he carried into finance, and the bold moves that helped him and his partners grow Vivaldi into a leader in alternatives.

You’ll hear:

How setbacks in college redirected Randy’s life

Lessons learned serving in Panama and how they shaped his discipline and perspective

Why he embraced fee-based advice early, before it was mainstream

His pioneering focus on alternatives for high-net-worth clients

The importance of thinking big, surrounding yourself with the right people, and never becoming too comfortable

🎧 Listen to more episodes:   

 / @journeystothesummit  

📌 Learn more about Randy and the Vivaldi team: https://www.vivaldicap.com/team/

#JourneysToTheSummit #EntrepreneurialInsights #VivaldiCapitalManagement

Together, they unpack Shane’s transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship, the founding of a firm that now serves clients in finance and agriculture, and the mindset it takes to lead in times of both clarity and uncertainty.

Learn how family, resilience, and a willingness to pivot have shaped Shane’s journey, and what advice he offers to the next generation of business builders.

Subscribe for more conversation:  @journeystothesummit  

🔗 Subscribe for more: @journeystothesummit 

🔗 Learn more about Vivaldi: https://www.vivaldicap.com

#JourneysToTheSummit #EntrepreneurialInsights #VivaldiCapitalManagement

Learn how Alex navigates global supply chains, evolving labor markets, and rising tariffs - all while remaining agile and values driven. From producing 25,000 bomber jackets in less than four months for Walgreens to building proprietary ordering tech, this is a story of vision, grit, and modern manufacturing at its best.

📌 Subscribe to Journeys to the Summit

🔗 Learn more about Vivaldi Capital Management: https://www.vivaldicap.com

👉 Like, comment, share, and subscribe for more real-life entrepreneurial journeys.

#JourneysToTheSummit, #EntrepreneurialInsights, #VivaldiCapitalManagement, #AlexKhakham, #GilSewing

In This Episode:

How an 8-year-old with a BB pencil prototype grew into a business owner with five restaurant locations.

-Launching a pizzeria at age 22 in the middle of a financial crisis.

-Navigating burnout, stepping away—and coming back stronger.

-Building a people-first culture that nurtures entrepreneurs and long-time staff.

-Using technology to build a competitive advantage in restaurant operations.

-Why stability—not just growth—is the next summit for this founder.

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just love a good origin story, Dimitri's candid insights on creativity, resilience, and risk-taking will leave you inspired.

Watch now and subscribe to Journeys to the Summit for more stories from business builders who took the leap and carved their own paths to the top.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Journeys to the Summit!

#JourneysToTheSummit #EntrepreneurialInsights #VivaldiCapitalManagement #DimosPizza

Discover how he reinvented himself after trading, built a firm that redefines wealth management, and empowered the next generation of leaders at Vivaldi. This episode dives deep into the mindset of an entrepreneur who thrives on risk management, innovation, and a relentless passion for creating value.

Tune in and subscribe!