The Playbook With David Meltzer

Latest Episodes:

Turning Customer Friction into Billion Dollar Growth Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Dushyant Sharma, founder and CEO of Paymentus, a company valued at over a billion dollars that powers the bill payment systems behind utilities, insurers, government agencies, and more. We explore how Paymentus has transformed a service nobody enjoys into a customer-friendly, cost-saving solution by offering flexibility, clarity, and choice. Dushyant shares how aligning payment processing with customer needs reduces costly service calls, improves collections, and creates a better overall experience. We also discuss the culture that keeps Paymentus nimble despite its scale, and why its growth strategy started by serving the clients everyone else ignored.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Resilience Defines the Restaurant Industry Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Tony Smith, CEO and Co-founder of Restaurant365, to talk about the Restaurant Transformation Festival and the community it’s bringing together. Tony shares how years of building software solutions for the restaurant industry led him to create an event that blends connection, innovation, and personal growth. We discuss why hospitality professionals operate with a different energy, how resilience shaped the industry during the pandemic, and why AI is set to redefine everything from training to scheduling. Tony also reflects on his company’s core value—love good food—and how it fuels both his vision and the festival’s spirit.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pause, Reflect, Grow Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I shared how true success starts from within. It’s not just about making money or chasing milestones; it’s about building the mindset, habits, and consistency that create lasting growth. I talked about the difference between earning money and engineering wealth, the importance of getting 1% better every day, and why taking intentional pauses is often the key to clarity and progress. My goal is to help you align your actions with your values so you can build not only success, but a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.

To join my next free Friday Training sessions, email me at david@dmeltzer.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Smaller LinkedIn Audiences Win Bigger Aug 31, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Aneesh Lal, founder of The Wishly Group, where he helps creators and small businesses build modern revenue engines rooted in trust and alignment. Known as the “Jerry Maguire of LinkedIn,” Aneesh has built a reputation for representing clients with an uncommon commitment to values, turning down $40 million in deals that didn’t fit their missions. We talk about why a small, engaged LinkedIn audience can outperform millions of TikTok views, how his three C framework—credibility, character, and charisma—guides every partnership, and why mission always comes before commission. Aneesh proves that meaningful success is never just about the money.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Visualization Shapes Reality Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with John Assaraf, a two-time New York Times bestselling author known for teaching people how to strengthen the brain’s “neuro muscles” through his concept of Innercise. John shares his personal transformation from a troubled teen to a committed student of personal growth after one life-changing question from a mentor. We explore how small, consistent actions can rewire thought patterns, build empowering habits, and unlock greater potential. John explains why visualization works, how habits form in the brain, and why reducing goals to the smallest possible steps creates lasting change. His story shows what’s possible when commitment replaces mere interest.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lifelong Benefits of Creativity Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Victoria B. Lozano, Executive Vice President of Brand Marketing at Crayola, to talk about how creativity shapes our lives across generations. She shares how Crayola’s mission has always gone beyond crayons, focusing on wellness, education, and inspiring simple creative moments every day. We explore how creativity improves problem solving, critical thinking, and emotional well-being—not just for children, but for adults seeking stress relief and joy. Victoria also discusses Crayola’s Campaign for Creativity, the evolving role of digital tools, and how the brand continues to innovate while staying true to its purpose of making humans more human.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Traits That Carry Athletes Beyond the Game Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Christopher “Chip” Paucek, a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of Pro Athlete Community (PAC). Chip shares how PAC provides a lifelong locker room for professional athletes, offering mentorship, coaching, and education that help them thrive well beyond their playing careers. We explore the unique challenges athletes face when the lights go out—judgment, isolation, and the struggle to find new purpose—and how PAC helps them channel the same grit and determination that carried them to the top of their sport into building fulfilling futures. Chip’s journey also reflects his own drive to keep learning, building, and giving back.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Hard Truth About Success No One Tells You Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Sahil Bloom, investor, writer, and bestselling author of The Five Types of Wealth. We talk about the moment that shifted his perspective on success, when he realized time with loved ones was finite and worth protecting at all costs. Sahil shares how that decision led him and his wife to move across the country to be near family, and how he now views time as the ultimate form of wealth. We also explore compounding investments in health, relationships, and curiosity, the concept of anti goals, and the power of defining a life razor to create clarity in chaotic times.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transforming Stress into Strength Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, I sit down with Dave Asprey, entrepreneur, author, and widely regarded as the father of biohacking. We talk about his new book Heavily Meditated and the tools he’s developed to help people reset their nervous systems, dissolve stress, and unlock inner peace. Dave explains how triggers are programmed into our bodies and how we can shut off the ones that no longer serve us. He also shares why recovery is often more important than stress itself, the science of sleep and jet lag, and why time as we know it may be an illusion.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Success Without the Hustle Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I share why the habits that have brought me the most success often go against what the world tells us. True growth doesn’t come from saying yes to everything, moving faster, or chasing perfection—it comes from small, consistent actions, slowing down to gain clarity, and creating space for what really matters. By learning to say no, trusting the power of compounding behaviors, and permitting yourself to pause, you’ll find that success becomes more sustainable and more fulfilling.

To join my next free Friday Training sessions, email me at david@dmeltzer.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Playbook With David Meltzer

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected