Invest in You

Latest Episodes:

Stepping into the Unknown: Travelling, Hiring, and Growing Globally Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Imagine cutting your staffing costs significantly while actually paying your team above-market local wages. The shift to remote work has completely transformed how companies build their operations. Instead of battling for expensive local talent, tapping into nearshore resources in Latin America or offshore hubs offers a massive competitive edge. Whether setting up a team in Bogota or sourcing top-tier graduates abroad, the world is truly flat for hiring. Time zones matter heavily, making nearshoring appealing for seamless communication and easier team meetups. By arming a virtual assistant or automation engineer with artificial intelligence tools, daily workflows can be streamlined immensely. From using an employer of record to direct hiring, building a global workforce is an incredible way to grow without limitations.

Key Takeaways

Remote working removes geographical limitations, allowing businesses to hire the best talent globally rather than competing solely in their local markets.

Nearshoring to Latin America offers comparable time zones to the US, making daily communication and travel significantly easier than traditional offshore locations.

Hiring talent in regions like Colombia provides substantial cost savings for the employer while simultaneously offering the employee a salary above their local market rate.

Empowering a remote personal assistant with artificial intelligence tools can dramatically multiply their output and save countless administrative hours.

When managing remote teams, success relies heavily on setting clear expectations, ensuring solid communication strategies, and measuring performance based on output rather than hours worked.

Quotes:

I went travelling about sixteen, seventeen years ago. Went through a lot of Latin America and I made it to Bogota and I just kind of forgot to get on that flight back.

What US companies pay in Latin America, they're having a decent cost savings. But at the same time, people who are being hired... they're often getting significant raise.

I don't care when they work, how they work, just get the job done.

Sometimes it might be easier to buy a team of ten or fifty people who are already hired and trained together instead of trying to be bound up.

The unknown is often more exciting than the known... embrace the unknown and just move forward.

About the Podcast

Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom.

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Eric Tabone

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericrtabone/

Website: nearshorebusinesssolutions.com

The Hidden Costs of AI You Are Not Seeing May 31, 2026

Show notes

Ever wondered if the relentless march of technology is quietly evaporating our resources while we aren't looking? Dive straight into the unfiltered realities of artificial intelligence, moving beyond the standard chatbot hype to uncover the massive hardware demands and the staggering water usage required to cool data centres. We explore the hidden vulnerabilities of shadow AI creeping into daily workflows and the urgent need for robust security before deploying agentic systems. Expect a direct, no-nonsense look at how global hardware limitations and compliance laws are forcing massive shifts towards local, on-premise compute power. Discover what it takes to genuinely build secure frameworks, and how staying true to your guiding principles is essential when navigating this fast-paced digital frontier.

Key Takeaways

The AI industry faces significant hidden environmental costs, notably the massive water evaporation required to cool data centres hosting large AI clusters.

Unregulated shadow AI poses a massive risk, as employees using public AI tools may unknowingly feed sensitive company data into frontier models.

Before launching any agentic AI system, organisations must establish strict data provenance and a dedicated governance committee to prevent data leakage.

Rapid AI compute demands mean massive hardware investments may become obsolete quickly, driving a shift towards local AI processing and future photonics.

The rise of autonomous AI agents and embodied robotics will drastically alter the job market, making it vital to maintain personal agency and ethical principles.

Quotes

"The big macro thing is that I think people don't see as the hidden costs of AI. Like the fact that, you know, the huge water usage."

"If you're not really thinking about AI observability... what data is going out to them, those companies are very not aware of that."

"If I have my AI internally, then I don't have to worry about where my data is going because I know where it's going."

"You need to have a governance committee that's actually built up of more people than you would think."

"The more we get into using agents and relying on all this stuff, the less we do, the less agency we have."

To Connect With Robert

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rvandervoort/

Website https://robertvdv.com/

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Selling Your Business: Why Terms Often Matter More Than the Number May 28, 2026

Show notes

What do you do when you’ve climbed the ladder of success only to realize it might be leaning against the wrong building? Mike Brcic joins Fredrik to discuss the "midlife chrysalis"—that disorienting but necessary phase where an old version of yourself must dissolve to make room for something truer. We dive into Mike's transition from running a world-class mountain bike tour company to guiding entrepreneurs through deep soul work in the world’s wildest places. This episode isn't just about adventure; it’s a masterclass in business reality, covering the traps of seeking validation through scaling, the "peanuts" that a good broker is actually worth, and why understanding your gross margins is non-negotiable for an exit. From the monastic stillness of Bhutan to the importance of "Ubuntu" in Uganda, Mike shares why the ultimate benchmark isn’t your revenue, but how deeply you are connected to yourself and those you love.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Second Mountain: Achievement and status are valid for early life, but true fulfillment comes from shifting toward "high alignment" and soul-driven work in the second half of life.

Alignment over Achievement: Rapid business growth is often driven by an internal quest for validation rather than a sound business strategy; solving the emotional void is cheaper and more effective than scaling a burnout-prone business.

Business Sale Heuristics: In any deal, there is the money and the terms; being humble enough to accept a lower "number" can secure the freedom and clear exit that many founders actually crave.

Revenue Per Employee: Cost of labor is often an organization's highest expense; tracking satisfaction and ensuring people are in the "right seats" is the most direct path to increasing productivity and profit.

Psychological Safety: Drawing from Google’s Project Aristotle, the most productive teams are those where members feel safe to show up as themselves and voice ideas without fear of reprimand.

QUOTES

"Once you've been in the world of entrepreneurship for long enough... you realize it's ultimately not getting you what you really want."

"If you're going to climb the ladder of success, make sure it's leaning on the right building."

"The caterpillar essentially dissolves... for all intents and purposes, the caterpillar is dead. This old version is dead."

"The world does not care about your idea. Your customer does not care about your idea. They care about their problem."

"Life is too important to be taken seriously."

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Personal Branding: Why It’s Not About You, But the Value You Create May 24, 2026

Show notes

Most leaders think personal branding is a vanity project, but it’s actually about the value you offer the world. Alejandro Sanoja, a brand expert and finance professor, joins the show to explain how high-level executives can declutter their stories to move people and funding. We discuss his journey from 1,000,000% inflation in Venezuela to the University of Houston, exploring why relationships and communication matter more than grades. Alejandro breaks down the "asymmetrical" advantage of being a podcast guest—borrowing trust from hosts to build evergreen authority. Whether you’re an introvert avoiding the spotlight or a CEO looking to master your origin story, this episode reveals how to use "warmth" and "contrarian views" to break through the attention wall.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Branding is Service: Successful personal branding is a service to the audience, shifting focus from "me" to the specific value you create for others.

Warmth Before Competence: In your origin story, lead with warmth to build human connection before showcasing your authority or stats.

The Podcast Advantage: Guesting on podcasts is a high-ROI strategy, allowing leaders to borrow the host's trust and generate evergreen content.

Contrarian Thinking: To be memorable, leaders should share a contrarian point of view or a unique framework that disrupts standard thought patterns.

AI and Authority: Consistent mentions and podcast links help build a leader's digital footprint, making them more authoritative in the eyes of AI algorithms.

QUOTES

"Personal branding... is not about you. It's about the value that you can create in the world."

"It's important to show before what you've done is who you are."

"If you fokus on... the value that you're going to create and the people that you're going to help, that's one quick way to get out of that fear."

"You can borrow that trust and you didn't put in all the work and all the episodes."

"Prepared stories [are] actually a service to the audience to have tight stories that you know you can deliver."

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Mindfulness and Money: Recalibrating Your Internal Wealth May 21, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the life you planned is suddenly derailed by chronic illness and the world tells you that you’ll "never work again"? Tre’Anne Burlett faced that exact reality, moving from a clinical role to a patient advocating for her own recovery. Now a Master Certified Life Coach and investor, she joins Fredrik to discuss how mindfulness is more than just a buzzword—it is a practical tool for reality-checking our fears and staying present in a world designed to distract us. This episode dives deep into "Mental Wealth," exploring why we often run from pain rather than toward joy and how to identify the internal "holes" in our foundation that keep us stuck. Whether you are navigating a health crisis, a business plateau, or the complexities of the crypto market, Tre’Anne’s insights on "authentic intelligence" and resilience offer a transformative perspective on what it truly means to invest in yourself.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Candle Principle: Giving your "fire" or knowledge to others does not weaken you; it strengthens your own flame and builds collective resiliency.

Mindfulness as Reality-Checking: True mindfulness is the ability to focus on what is actually happening in the moment rather than getting stuck in worries about the past or future.

The Power of Internal Dialogue: What we say to ourselves about ourselves is the most important factor in growth; believing "I can" is the first step to overcoming rejection.

Identifying Foundation Holes: Just as one crooked brick can topple a house, unaddressed mental blocks or "holes" in our personal foundation will eventually undermine external success.

Wealth vs. Riches: There is a massive difference between the two; true wealth involves legacy, generational mindset, and the ability to give back to others.

QUOTES

"If you give away fire from your candle... your candle will actually be strengthened."

"I can light this path with you, but I'm not creating the flame."

"If I tell myself I can't, I will not. I know this for a fact."

"Investing in ourselves is the highest, highest form of self-love."

"Authentic intelligence... is so much more important [than AI]—that interpersonal connectedness."

TO CONNECT WITH TRE ANNE

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tr%C3%A8-anne-msw-65386997/

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

AI in Law: How to Use Artificial Intelligence Without Legal Risk May 17, 2026

Show notes

Waiting for a legal crisis to strike before calling a lawyer is a bit like waiting for a toothache to see a dentist—by the time you get there, the news is rarely good. Florida-based business attorney Matthew Fornaro joins the show to explain why "fixing it later" is the most dangerous mindset an entrepreneur can have. We dive into the essential foundations every startup needs, from LLC operating agreements to the "bad lever" clauses that protect founders when partnerships sour. Matthew also shares his pragmatic approach to mediation, the reality of legal life versus what you see on Suits, and why your business account is not your personal piggy bank. Whether you’re curious about the tax advantages of the Sunshine State or how to properly vet a legal advisor through trusted referrals, this episode provides a roadmap for staying legally sound while you scale.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Prioritize Foundation Documents: Governing documents (like LLC operating agreements) must be in place before business starts to define who is liable and how disputes are resolved.

Verify AI Outputs: While AI is a powerful tool for SEO and drafting, the "buck stops with the human"; legal professionals must check for "hallucinations" to ensure factual and legal accuracy.

The Infallibility of Referrals: The best way to find a legal partner is through trusted referrals from other professionals like accountants or bankers, rather than relying solely on easily manipulated online searches.

Maintain Corporate Formalities: To avoid personal liability, business owners must keep business and personal finances separate—using a business account for personal expenses like "Big Macs" can trigger "alter ego" legal issues.

Mediation Requires Compromise: A mediator cannot resolve a deadlock unless both parties are actually willing to settle; success comes from identifying "lines that don't cross" and finding a hypothetical universe where they can meet.

QUOTES

"You can always put it off. But when you finally go there, you're going to get bad news."

"The buck stops here... I make sure I quality control and check everything that I put out that's touched by AI."

"You can have a two-page contract that's great and you can have a hundred-page contract that's terrible."

"You can't run your business like it's a hobby... you can't take the kids to McDonald's and use your business account."

"Unless they're really willing to compromise and do stuff, it doesn't matter who you got in there... it's not going to happen."

TO CONNECT WITH MATTHEW FORNANO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfornaro/

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Push, Push, Push: Military Lessons on Leadership and Legacy May 14, 2026

Show notes

Growing up in Detroit and heading straight into the military instead of college wasn’t just a detour—it was the foundation for a career built on grit and strategy. Norm Olgud joins the show to unpack why life experience often punches way above its weight when sitting at the same table as Ivy League grads. This conversation dives deep into the "push, push, push" mentality, exploring how to navigate a career that zigs and zags, the psychological art of leading from the front, and why the education sector is facing a massive reckoning. From the front lines in Korea to selling a successful education company, Norm shares why true leadership is about passing on knowledge without strings attached. We also get a look at the future of AI enablement and why businesses must look for efficiencies long before the sun stops shining on their current model.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

True staying power comes from leaders who pass on their knowledge to others without strings attached rather than just polishing their own "golden egg".

Sitting at a prestigious table isn't about where you got your degree; it's about realizing your unique life experience gives you the right to be a voice there.

Effective leadership requires creating a safe environment for transparent communication, such as "coffee talks" where frontline feedback can refine high-level strategy.

The internet gave us twenty years to adapt, but AI won't give us that luxury; organizations must move toward AI enablement now to avoid a "cliff".

Success is a whole-person endeavor, requiring a foundation of physical health, family balance, and continuous learning rather than just career wins.

QUOTES

"The ones that last are the ones that pass on their knowledge to others."

"It’s okay to think... but why are you thinking that?"

"Fix the roof while the sun is shining."

"AI allows us to focus in as humans on what we do best."

"If you come under enemy fire, you push forward when the enemy is believing that you're going to stop."

TO CONNECT WITH NORMAN ALLGOOD

https://www.linkedin.com/in/norm-allgood-a3a7571/

Norman's Books

10 Pillars of AI Enablement

https://amzn.to/3Oi73Xe

Push-Push-Push: Never Quit

https://amzn.to/3Qt9LJZ

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Why the Best Leaders See Themselves as Servants May 10, 2026

Show notes

True leadership isn't about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about being the one who serves the room best. Ron Cox joins the show to share how a life-altering medical diagnosis and a mentorship with Dr. Stephen Covey shifted his entire perspective on success. From the grit of military-style discipline to the nuances of community leadership, this conversation dives deep into why character, integrity, and humility are the ultimate drivers of business value. We explore how to navigate "wrong ladder" moments, the power of an accountability mirror, and a real-world case study of turning a multi-million dollar loss into a massive exit by focusing on culture over product. Whether you are leading a family, a small business, or a massive organisation, this episode offers a roadmap for aligning your mission with your actions.

5 Key Takeaways

Leadership is fundamentally an act of service, rooted in a "servant mentality" rather than a desire for power or control.

Success is hollow if you reach the top only to realise your ladder was leaning against the wrong wall; always assess your direction early and often.

Creating a "culture of accountability" requires empowering those around you—including partners and employees—to call you out when you drift from your mission.

To build a resilient organisation, you must ensure the right people are in the right seats at the right time, focused on a collective definition of success.

Empathic listening is a leader's most underutilised tool; using the ratio of two ears and one mouth allows for better decision-making and team unity.

Quotes

"Service to others is one of the greatest things that you could do."

"If you're the smartest man in the room, you're in the wrong room."

"That's not a major decision, grandson, go have some fun."

"I want to be giving in my time, my talent, my treasure."

"We ended up going to market... it would be a quarter of a billion dollar deal... because of the culture."

To connect with Ron Cox

https://www.rcdevsolutions.com/

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Why Most Traders Lose (And How to Sell the News) May 07, 2026

Show notes

Most people react to the headlines, but the real money is made in the backstory everyone else missed. Brad Olesen joins the show to pull back the curtain on how financial news is actually manufactured and why being "first" is worthless if you don't have context. We dive into the shifting landscape of media, from the rise of AI-generated "slop" to the dangerous allure of vanity metrics on social media. Brad shares why the most successful traders focus on preserving wealth rather than getting rich quick and how psychological biases often lead us into failed investment campaigns. Whether you're an entrepreneur tracking your competition through SEC filings or a self-directed trader looking for a speed advantage, this conversation is a masterclass in separating signal from noise in a world of constant distraction.

5 Key Takeaways

Context over Content: Headlines alone can lead to the wrong side of a trade; understanding the market's anticipation is key to "selling the news" effectively.

Wealth Preservation First: Focus on sustaining yourself long-term; mathematically, a 10% loss requires much more than a 10% gain just to break even.

Competition Intelligence: Entrepreneurs should dive deep into SEC filings and public disclosures to find strategic weaknesses in their competitors.

Watch Action, Not Words: Rely on aggregate data of what customers actually do rather than the loudest voices or vanity metrics.

The Trust Deficit: As AI makes content creation cheaper, the value of established brands with human "checks and balances" will continue to rise.

Direct Quotes

"The more you understand a particular asset class... the better positioned you're going to be to trade."

"We want to make sure that they're just not turning around and disintermediating the very people that they're looking to train upon."

"It's less about getting rich quick and more about how can you sustain yourself longer term."

"Losing money hurts a lot more than making a little bit of money."

"Watch what they do, not what they say."

Brad Olesen

Best place to connect https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradolesen/

Company website https://www.benzinga.com/

About the Podcast

Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective.

Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent.

Community & Contact

Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k

Fredrik Sandvall

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Pressure-Proof Your Leadership: How to Stay Calm in a Crisis May 06, 2026

Show notes

Being an amazing leader is easy when things are going well, but what happens when the wave hits and your "castle of sand" begins to crumble? Most leaders believe that pushing through pressure is just a matter of grit, but biology tells a different story. When pressure peaks, our brains default to ancient survival patterns—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—often leading to delayed decisions or agitated reactions that can cost organisations millions.

Claire Hayek joins us to discuss the "pressure-proof" operating system for leadership. We explore the brain's neuroplasticity, the power of pausing for just five seconds to re-engage the prefrontal cortex, and why the most important work a leader can do is to focus on themselves first. From navigating perimenopause to managing global mining projects, Claire provides a framework for turning pressure into a foundation for growth. If you’re ready to stop letting your brain run you and start running your brain, this conversation is your starting point.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Brain CEO: Decision-making should occur in the prefrontal cortex (the brain CEO), but pressure shifts blood flow to the amygdala, triggering unaligned survival responses.

The Hidden Cost of Pressure: A single delayed or wrong decision made under pressure can cost a C-suite leader between $500k and $1 million in hidden financial impact.

The Five-Second Reset: Pausing for even five seconds during a confrontation allows your biology to shift from a reactive "reptile brain" state back to a sane, aligned decision-making state.

Help Yourself First: Leadership impact is reciprocal; you cannot effectively lead or change a team until you have done the self-work to manage your own patterns and triggers.

Reframing Challenges as Gifts: Resilience is built by intentionally searching for the "gifts" or lessons within hardships, which allows you to "spiral up" rather than drowning in self-doubt.

QUOTES

"The most underestimated factor in our leadership is pressure and how it affects us."

"Help yourself first... and just by doing that, see how everybody around you will change."

"Your brain is not the enemy... its only job is to keep us alive."

"Courage doesn't arrive all of a sudden. It comes in when you're acting, when you're doing the thing that's scaring you the most."

"Try to turn every challenge into a gift. There's always a gift."

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Neuroleadership: Managing the "Brain CEO"

08:15 – Forged in Beirut: Choosing High-Pressure Environments

15:30 – The Rent is Due Every Day: The Persistence of Resilience

22:45 – Self-Work: Why Leaders Must Upgrade Their Own Operating System

31:10 – The Five-Second Reset and the Say-It-Out-Loud Rule