Stay ConnectedHaving big dreams is common, but figuring out how to achieve those dreams is rare.
Legislator Josh Lafazan interviews celebrities, athletes, and industry leaders from all walks of life to share their journeys to success, and give you the tools to reach your dreams.
Copyright: © Copyright 2020 Legislator Josh Lafazan
Kyle J. McLaughlin is a personal injury, criminal defense and traffic attorney with the law firm of Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, P.C., who handles cases in all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Suffolk and Nassau County on Long Island. He understands that any contact with the legal system can be confusing and frustrating, and he takes the time to provide as much information as possible and answer all of his client’s questions. During his time in law school, Kyle developed a passion for advocating for victims who were seriously injured through no fault of their own. Kyle graduated from Touro Law School Magna Cum Laude in the Top 10 of his class. Upon graduating, Kyle joined the team at Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, P.C., with offices in Suffolk County and Manhattan. As a litigation attorney, he aggressively represents injury victims, the criminally accused, and handles an assortment of traffic matters. A deep-rooted passion for his community has flourished at FKM, where Kyle volunteers at the numerous community events FKM and Liga De Justicia host and participates in. Kyle speaks about becoming a lawyer, common interactions with the legal system, and branding himself as “Kyle the Lawyer”.
In 1998, Richard "Big Daddy" Salgado founded his company Coastal Advisors, LLC as a way of keeping his clients protected and making their lives better. With his stellar knowledge and relationships that have developed throughout the years, Salgado has the ability to speak with GMs, NFL, NHL and MLB draft picks and veterans about disability and career ending insurance. A staple in the world of sports business media, Salgado has become a regular on FOX News Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto, FOX & Friends and the FOX Business Network, while also making appearances on ESPN, FOX Sports, NFL Network and Bloomberg News. “Big Daddy” speaks about building his brand, developing his business, and working with professional athletes across the nation.
Xandra Fittt, with over 87,000 followers on Instagram, is an AAAI/ISMA certified personal trainer with a passion for culinary and pastry arts. Practicing what she preaches, Xandra combines her athletic and culinary expertise in her holistic approach to fitness. Focused on mindfulness, building overall strength, and functionality, Xandra blends her dance foundation with MMA training methods and nutrient-dense meal plans. Xandra speaks about growing a large social media presence, building strong mental health, and changing your life through fitness!!
Marissa Remy is a Holistic Health Coach & Trauma Healer, helping her 70,000 Instagram followers live healthy lifestyles. Marissa helps women elevate their mind, body, and spirit so they can attract their big dreams. Marissa focuses on subconscious reprogramming of past traumas through spiritual practices. Marissa also has a background in competitive bodybuilding, and was featured in Cosmopolitan for her drastic physical transformation. Marissa speaks about healing after trauma, and how to live your healthiest life this year
While many recognize this 8-year NFL veteran for his prowess on the football field, others know him as an Ivy League professor, financial education consultant, philanthropist, or real estate developer. As a graduate of the University of Pennsylvaniaʼs Wharton School of Business, Brandon developed a passion for personal finance – which he delivers to Penn students through his own course, “Life 101”. Brandon has also shared his financial acumen with countless others as a member of CNBC’s Financial Wellness Council and a contributing editor for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Brandon speaks about embodying the “More Than An Athlete” mantra, playing football in the NFL, and what lies ahead in his career.
Felix Hartmann is the Managing Partner of Hartmann Capital, where he runs one of the world's first multi-strategy crypto asset hedge funds. Felix’s focus and expertise in the realm of digital assets, which has led him to advise billion-dollar merchant banks, G8 nations, as well as made him one of the first lecturers on the topic of bitcoin and blockchain at several universities. Felix sits on the board of Enzyme & Auctus, two publicly traded decentralized finance networks. Outside the realm of decentralization, Felix is a futurist at heart and the author of the Dragon Award nominated dystopian fiction novel 'Dark Age'. Felix speaks about the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Etheruem, and discusses the future of finance and technology.
TT Torrez is a Multi-Media Personality and radio executive, currently being featured on Hot 97. Despite being an exclusive media source in her own right, TT has also been featured in various media and news outlets including The Source, Star, and VIBE magazines, television’s Nancy Grace, Entertainment Tonight, New York Daily News, New York AM, Cosmopolitan, and Access Hollywood. President Obama, Quentin Tarentino, P. Diddy, Rick Ross and 50 Cent were among her notable celebrity interviews. TT has covered the red carpet at the MTV VMA’s, the BET Awards, the BET Hip HOP Awards, the Grammys, and was the one of the hosts of the Culture List on BET’s Centric network. TT speaks about her start in radio, working at Hot 97, and the world of entertainment.
Frank Bono is a young entrepreneur who owns businesses across multiple sectors. He is the owner and operator of Primi Italian Steakhouse in West Islip, one of the South Shore’s most popular and highly regarded restaurants. He also founded Lakeview Manor Properties which boasts a dozen properties consisting of multifamily residences and commercial properties throughout the Township of Islip. In addition, Frank and his brother Sal recently opened a fast-casual Ramen Restaurant (O.G. Ramen) in the Village of Babylon in late 2020 with plans to expand the brand in the coming years. Frank speaks about his start in the restaurant industry, expanding into real estate and investing, and how you can reach your dreams through entrepreneurship.
Ariel Epstein is a talk show host for the 24/7 sports gambling network SportsGrid. The network airs on SIRIUSXM channel 204, MSG+, and multiple streaming services. Ariel graduated from Syracuse University in 2016. Following graduation, she worked for the ABC/FOX affiliate in New Bern, North Carolina where she covered teams such as ECU, UNC, Duke, NC State, and the Carolina Panthers. With sports shifting its focus to gambling, Ariel hopes to bring entertainment and betting advice to sports media. Ariel speaks about the shift in sports towards gambling, hosting her talk show, and her future in the industry.
Dr. Zaki Azam is an Internal Medicine physician from Syosset, Long Island. He completed his training in NYC, and he went into medicine aspiring to offer people assistance in the most vital aspects of their life: their health. He is passionate about global health & public health advocacy; his work has brought him to medical missions around the world including Nicaragua, India and China. His hobbies include traveling, having visited more than 30 countries and recently learning to fly himself. He loves to express his experiences through journalism & photography and hopes to be a medical correspondent for a major news network in the future. Zaki speaks about his early career in health care, and serving the public during COVID-19.
Actress Sami Gayle can currently be seen as the lead in the Netflix feature CANDY JAR, opposite Christina Henricks, Helen Hunt, and Jacob Latimore; and for the past 11 seasons has starred as "Nicky Reagan-Boyle" on the hit CBS' cop drama BLUE BLOODS. Sami began her acting career as "Baby June" in the off-Broadway production of GYPSY, starring Patti LuPone. Sami then reprised her role when the production transferred to Broadway shortly thereafter. In 2018, Sami graduated from Columbia University with a dual degree in political science and art history. Sami speaks about her career on set, performing on Broadway, and breaking into the entertainment industry.
Travis Nelson is a 21-year-old dual degree student at Columbia University pursuing his BA in Political Science and Master of Public Administration. Born and raised in Hempstead, NY he is the proud product of a single-parent household and the Hempstead Union Free School District. Furthermore, Travis has been an avid community advocate since middle school. His work focuses on fostering civic engagement, civil and political rights, social justice, and community advocacy and has enabled him to influence policy and government affairs at every level in New York. Travis speaks about getting involved in your community, and building coalitions for change.
Taylor Price is the founder of TAP Intuit, an educational platform providing financial literacy to Gen Z. Through TAP Intuit, Taylor enables students to take control of their personal finances and make money work for them. She’s organically grown her platforms on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to 700k+ followers, and has been featured in a variety of financial publications including Yahoo Finance, USA Today, Thrive Global, Verizon Media, and Bloomberg. Taylor speaks about the financial literacy gap that plagues Gen Z, and how she has built such a large following online.
Austin Rutherford is an entrepreneur who has built a 7 figure per year real estate investing business and owns millions of dollars in rental properties. He bought his first house when he was only 19 years old. He has raised over $15M in private funding and has flipped over 200 houses in the past 5 years, using other people's money to fund his deals. Austin speaks about getting started in real estate, and how you can make money through investing at a young age.
Dr. Uzma Syed is a board-certified Infectious Disease Specialist at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Syed was featured on TEDx for her talk on COVID-19 titled “The Ripple Effect from neighborhoods to beyond”, and is the co- editor of the book “Coronavirus Disease: From Origin to Outbreak”, forthcoming in 2021 by Elsevier. Dr. Syed cares passionately about education. She is the founder & CEO of a non-profit organization Align Us Inc., which provides career mentorship for high school students. Dr. Syed is also a community and youth leader with a focus on teen initiatives as a member of the Interfaith Council of Syosset-Woodbury-Jericho. Dr. Syed speaks about her work as an infectious disease specialist, and what the world will look like as we navigate the next few months of COVID.
Lydia Moynihan is a reporter and producer at FOX Business, working alongside Charlie Gasparino, Senior Correspondent. She reports on breaking news in business, finance, technology, retail and media—with a primary focus on the intersection of Washington and Wall Street. Prior to her current role, she was a news assistant at CNBC. Lydia speaks about her career in journalism, working through the 2020 Presidential Election, and the fast-paced world of media.
Gustavo is the founder at BĀSED Magazine, where he is building tools for digital nomads. He is a Babson College alumni and loves to research tax incentives. He is a first responder and during Hurricane Maria led last mile intelligence efforts with 78 mayors, and aided in processing over $5M in EBT Transactions when basic infrastructure was wiped out. He runs and sits on non profits promoting economic development and youth development. Gustavo speaks about his work to spur entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico, building BĀSED Magazine, and what the world will look like in 2021.
Bryan is a Stand Up Comedian from New York, NY. Bryan has been featured in the LaughYourAshvilleOFF Comedy Festival, a Quarter finalist in the Carolines on Broadway March Madness Contest and has been seen touring nationally opening for Jim Breuer. In March 2020 Bryan’s 1st album, Jim Breuer Presents: Bryan McKenna “The Fight is Never Over” under the label Virtual Comedy Network debuted at #1 on iTunes. Bryan speaks about getting started in comedy, and making people laugh during COVID
Dylan Rankin has been a Wrestling Coach and Fitness Instructor since 2013. Dylan got into coaching to become a positive role model for kids just like his coaches were for him, and teaches others how to make a lasting impact in the lives of others. Dylan also speaks about health and fitness, and gives listeners insight towards getting in shape.
Brimstone is a pro-wrestler, actor, comic hero, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and musician. Brimstone is the host of iHeartRadio’s The Grindhouse Radio, and has led a successful career in the entertainment industry for over three decades, including appearances as a child actor on Sesame Street and Romper Room. Brimstone speaks about his career in entertainment, his new book, and his advice on how to do it all.
Justine Re is reporter at Spectrum News NY1 in New York City. She’s been reporting in the field the entire pandemic in New York City. Justine speaks about her role as a reporter, her work during COVID-19, and the art of telling a great story.
Alyssa Rose serves as social media correspondent for the New York Mets, bringing her exceptional baseball acumen and humor to her tens of thousands of followers. Alyssa also hosts The Rose Report on Sports Grid TV. Alyssa speaks about her work with the Mets, her advice on succeeding in the sports industry, and all things New York sports.
Adam Nessim is a 4th year medical student in NYC and founder of an academic consulting company called The Premed Consultants. Adam’s passions include medical technology, spots medicine, and entrepreneurship. Adam speaks about his journey to becoming a doctor, founding his company, and growing his brand on social media to over 70,000 followers.
Jake Asman is a national sports talk show host at SportsMap Radio (formerly SB Nation Radio) and a local host/reporter at ESPN 97.5 Houston. You can listen to The Jake Asman Show on SportsMap Radio every weekday from 9 AM - 11 AM Eastern. Jake speaks about making it in the competitive sports industry, and advises young listeners on how to create their own brand.
Liv Schreiber is an accomplished brand marketer and the co-founder of Brand Caffeine. She played a large role in the SPANX Activewear launch, Teen Vogue x Parsons, and Stephanie Gottlieb’s I AM Collection. Liv specializes in personal branding, and prides herself on the top brokers, entrepreneurs, and celebrities who she markets on social. Her favorite thing about what she does is the people she gets to help. Liv speaks about building a brand, marketing yourself on social media, and helping the next generation navigate through life.
On January 1, 2018, Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Ed.D., became Suffolk County, New York’s 67th Sheriff and the County’s first African-American to be elected to a non-judicial countywide office. As Suffolk’s highest-ranking law enforcement official, he is working to serve and protect the county’s 1.5 million residents through innovative programs to reduce crime and recidivism, and by implementing sound fiscal policies. Sheriff Toulon speaks about running for Sheriff, keeping Suffolk County safe, and how to overcome adversity in life.
Danielle Robay is a TV host and journalist, currently a correspondent for IMDb and NBC4-LA. You’ve seen her on HLN’s Dr. Drew, E!, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight Online, The Steve Harvey Show and NBC’s 1st Look. In 2016, she was named co-host of WCIU’s Chicago-based, 2 hour-live morning news program making her the youngest morning TV host in Chicago’s history. Danielle speaks about her work as a TV host, interviewing celebrities from all walks of life, and how to break into the entertainment industry.
Brennan Agranoff is a successful 20-year-old entrepreneur. He started his career at the age of 13 by founding an athletic sock company called HoopSwagg, which now nets $2 million in annual sales and employs an upwards of 100 people. Brennan speaks about being a young CEO, his company HoopSwagg, and how to create your dream job.
Carol Silva , for 33 years, was the Emmy Award-winning, lead news anchor for News 12 Long Island, where she shared the lives of 3-million Long Islanders from the anchor desk. Carol also reported from Ground Zero, Albany, Washington, New Orleans and Texas, covering Popes and Presidential elections, plus state and Congressional hearings. Carol's decorated career includes honors ranging from being named as a NYS “Woman of Distinction,” to being listed among the "Top 50 Women on Long Island”, and being labeled a “2018 New York Icon”, in addition to more than 40 other journalism awards. Carol speaks about originally being rejected from television, her storied career as a news anchor, and how "everyone has a story."
Taylor Darling serves as Assemblywoman for the 18th District on Long Island. Assemblywoman Darling is one of the youngest lawmakers in Albany, where she fights for inclusion, equity and economic and social justice. Assemblywoman Darling graduated from Spelman College at just 16 years old, and was accepted into a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at age 19. Assemblywoman Darling speaks about running for elected office, serving her community, and fighting for change up in Albany.
Jordan Michelle is a recording artist from Great Neck, New York and is now based in Los Angeles, California, where she is working on her debut album under an affiliate of the Universal Music Group. In 2014, she was named as Miss Long Island. Jordan speaks about making it in the entertainment industry, and how she has dedicated her voice to those suffering with mental illness and depression following the loss of her older brother.
Kim Kaupe is the co-founder and CEO of The Superfan Company, a fan engagement agency focused on creating one-of-a-kind products and programs for entertainers, brands, and celebrities such as Oprah The New York Mets,, Shawn Mendes, and Paul McCartney. A Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, Kim discusses becoming “an accidental entrepreneur”, leading her all-female company, and advice on starting your own business.
Justin Lafazan & Dylan Gambardella are the Co-Founders of Next Gen HQ, a business hub aimed at empowering entrepreneurs to design the lives they want to live and achieve their purpose. Their flagship conference, Next Gen Summit, is attended by thousands of young entrepreneurs from across the world. Justin & Dylan talk about why starting your own company can help you become the CEO of your own life, and how they’re leading their own company during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jackie Gansky is a content creator who makes comedy and lifestyle videos. She has a following of over 1.6 million on TikTok where she is known for the pranks she does on her mom. Jackie talks about navigating the entertainment industry, how to grow a massive following on social media, and persevering when you are confronted with doubters.
Partha Unnava is the founder and CEO of Lasso. During college, Partha broke his ankle and spent six weeks on crutches, leading him to found Better Walk to create a crutch that didn't hurt a user's armpits and other revolutionary medical devices. Partha speaks about presenting to President Obama at the White House, his new company Lasso, and balancing leadership and mental health as an entrepreneur.
Emily Samuel is a celebrity fitness trainer based in West Hollywood, California. Emily’s clients include Vanessa Hudgens, Lucy Hale, Nina Dobrev, Pia Mia, and more. Emily speaks about her journey in the fitness world, her battles with eating disorders and drug abuse, and how she is using her platform of health and wellness to inspire others across the country.
Jesse Kay, at 20 years old, is the CEO of Vyber Media, a digital consulting agency helping Fortune 500 brands, professional athletes and businesses. Jesse speaks about running a business as a teenager, landing Marc Cuban as a guest on his Podcast, and mobilizing Gen-Z leaders to raise over $120,000 for the Makin’ Lemonade Fund.
Having big dreams is common, but figuring out how to achieve those dreams is rare.
Legislator Josh Lafazan interviews celebrities, athletes, and industry leaders from all walks of life to share their journeys to success, and give you the tools to reach your dreams.
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