From Start-Up to Grown-Up

• #90: From Startup to Grown-Up: Jeff Byers, Co-founder and CEO of Momentous — Transitioning from NFL player to CEO, managing cultural clashes during a merger, and navigating the high-pressure world of growth-stage leadership

  Jeff Byers is the co-founder and CEO of Momentous, a high-performance wellness company delivering science-backed products used by elite athletes, military operators, and high-performers worldwide. A former NFL player and two-time USC football captain, Jeff brings both personal and professional insight to optimizing performance and building values-driven companies.What you’ll learn:Why Jeff says effort and attitude are the only things you can control—and how they ground him in tough momentsThe cultural clash behind merging two wellness companiesHow “speed over consensus” became a core value at MomentousWhy returning to in-person work cost talent but aligned cultureHow EOS helped reset their operating rhythmBuilding high-integrity partnerships with leaders like Huberman and StarrettLessons from Pete Carroll on consistency and energyWhy growth-stage CEOs must “reset the scoreboard” and stay curiousTakeaways:Control what you can: Effort and attitude define how you show upMerge carefully: “Equals” often clash without clear directionCulture lives in person: Jeff prioritized cohesion over convenienceDecide fast on people: Delays around misfits create dragEarn trust: Authenticity attracted elite advisorsBalance roles: EOS clarified vision vs. executionYou define you: Not your title—your choicesFind Jeff:LinkedInMomentousIn this episode: (00:00:00) Expectations in growth-backed companies (00:00:23) Intro to Jeff (00:02:00) NFL to CEO journey (00:03:52) Life as a pro athlete (00:05:28) Teamwork, rhythm, winning (00:09:10) Athletic mindset in startups (00:11:06) Stress rituals, effort & attitude (00:14:02) Purpose-driven leadership (00:19:15) Founding Momentous (00:30:51) Merger lessons (00:35:25) Cultural alignment (00:42:27) In-person work benefits (00:48:38) Standing out in supplements (00:54:20) Partnering with leaders (00:57:59) Co-founder dynamics (01:02:23) Imposter syndrome (01:10:22) Curiosity = leadership growthConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

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• #89: From Startup to Grown-Up: Kevin Evers, author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift — unpacking Taylor Swift’s rise to the top; when to take big risks; and how to build a rabid fan base

  Kevin Evers is a Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review, where he shapes groundbreaking research and develops award-winning and bestselling books on high performance, creativity, innovation, marketing, and digital disruption. He’s also written popular essays on brain science, persuasion, unpredictability, and the power of storytelling.Kevin holds degrees in English and Film Studies, and his forthcoming book with HBR Press, There’s Nothing Like This, offers a strategic analysis of Taylor Swift’s unmatched ability to evolve her brand without losing her audience.Episode Highlights & Timestamps00:00 - IntroductionAlyssa Cohn introduces Kevin Evers and the topic of Taylor Swift's strategic genius.00:01:55 - Building Intimacy with FansDiscussion on how Taylor Swift creates a close relationship with her fans.00:02:04 - Controversies and SuccessOverview of Taylor's famous fights and controversies and their impact on her career.00:03:04 - The Idea Behind the BookKevin explains the inspiration for his book on Taylor Swift.00:13:05 - Inner Compass and DriveExploration of Taylor's determination and her "killer instinct."00:20:25 - The Kanye West IncidentAnalysis of the infamous VMA moment with Kanye West and its implications.00:34:14 - Collaboration and GrowthDiscussion on Taylor's collaborations with producers and her evolution as an artist.00:39:34 - The Importance of RiskKevin shares insights on the importance of taking calculated risks in business.00:44:37 - Re-recording Old MusicDiscussion on Taylor's strategy to re-record her old albums and its significance.00:48:34 - Antifragility ConceptKevin explains the concept of antifragility and how it applies to Taylor's career.00:53:25 - Advice for FoundersKevin offers advice to startup founders based on insights from Taylor's career.00:54:10 - ConclusionResources & References📖 There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift (Preorder) Amazon LinkConnect with Kevin EversInstagram: @there_is_nothing_like_this LinkedIn: Kevin EversConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

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• #88: From Startup to Grown-Up: Eddie Kim, Co-founder and CTO of Gusto - Wearing different “hats” as a leader; learning to get his hands off the keyboard and enable others instead; and how to build a growth mindset

  Eddie Kim is the CTO and cofounder of Gusto, which serves 400,000+ small and medium-sized businesses nationwide by helping them onboard, pay, insure, engage, and provide benefits for their teams, in one integrated, friendly, and easy-to-use platform. Eddie’s career has been shaped by chance encounters, a passion for software, and a deep commitment to growth. Before Gusto, he launched his first company—an experience that ultimately led him to reconnect with his future co-founder, Josh Reeves.In this episode, Eddie opens up about co-founder dynamics, leadership struggles, scaling a company, and the surprising tools he uses to stay aligned with his team.Episode Highlights & Timestamps🔹 [00:00] - The Decision-Making Process of a Leader🔹 [02:00] - The Origin Story of Gusto: A Half Marathon That Changed Everything🔹 [06:00] - Co-Founder Dynamics: How Eddie, Josh, and Tomer Divided Leadership Roles🔹 [10:00] - Managing Ego: Accepting the CTO Role Instead of CEO🔹 [12:00] - Hands Off the Keyboard: How Eddie Transitioned from Engineer to Leader🔹 [15:00] - The Role of Mentors: Lessons from Jeremy Stoppelman (Yelp) & Drew Houston (Dropbox)🔹 [17:00] - Breaking Stereotypes: Being an Asian Founder of a Unicorn Startup🔹 [20:00] - The Role of Company Values in Decision-Making & Hiring🔹 [24:00] - Encouraging Debate in an Organization & Aligning the Team🔹 [32:00] - Wearing Multiple Hats: The Skill Every Leader Must Master🔹 [38:00] - The Highs and Lows of Hiring Executives🔹 [40:00] - Gusto’s AI Initiatives: How AI is Revolutionizing Payroll & HR for Small Businesses🔹 [45:00] - Eddie’s #1 Advice for Founders: The Power of a Growth MindsetResources & References📖 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck🎙️ Listen to my previous conversation with Gusto Co-Founder & CEO Josh Reeves (Episode 58)Where to Find Eddie Kim🌍 Website: www.gusto.com🐦 Twitter: @edawerd💼 LinkedIn: Edward KimConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

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• #87: How Daniel Yanisse Scaled Checkr to $700M+ and Overcame the Post-Hypergrowth Crisis

  In this episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up, host Alisa Cohn sits down with Daniel Yanisse, co-founder and CEO of Checkr, to discuss the exhilarating rise and the challenges of sustaining a high-growth company. Checkr revolutionized the background check industry, scaling from a $1M revenue run rate in just three months to processing millions of background checks annually. But with hypergrowth came intense operational, cultural, and leadership challenges.Daniel shares how he navigated:Hiring at hyperspeed—and why some employees quit on day one.The "hangover" after hypergrowth—losing key executives and investor pressure.How to hire and retain top executives—and avoid common leadership hiring mistakes.Revising a company mission to balance fairness and safety while scaling.The "Fly High, Fly Low" leadership approach—balancing strategy and deep operational insights.This episode is packed with real-world lessons for founders, CEOs, and startup leaders facing the challenges of rapid growth, leadership transitions, and market shifts.🎧 Listen now and learn how to build and sustain a high-growth company. Timestamps & Key Topics00:00 – Introduction02:30 – The Early Days of Checkr06:20 – The Downside of Hypergrowth08:45 – Facing Leadership Challenges & Executive Turnover15:30 – Hiring and Managing Executives21:00 – Redefining Checkr’s Mission: Fairness vs. Safety28:00 – Leadership Lessons & Overcoming Challenges39:00 – Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Founder Loneliness45:00 – Final Advice for FoundersConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

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• #86: Peter Attia, MD, Founder of Early Medical — improving your lifespan and healthspan, the centenarian decathlon, and the process of making major life changes (Repost)

  Peter Attia, MD, is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan. He is the host of The Drive, one of the most popular podcasts covering the topics of health and medicine. Dr. Attia received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine and trained for five years at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in general surgery, where he was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including resident of the year. He spent two years at the National Institutes of Health as a surgical oncology fellow at the National Cancer Institute, where his research focused on immune-based therapies for melanoma.Learn more about Peter here | Websitehttps://www.peterattiamd.com/Connect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

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