The Shawn Ryan Show

https://bunkr.life – USE CODE SRS

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

Go to https://bunkr.life/SRS and use code “SRS” to get your 25% off your family plan

https://helixsleep.com/srs

https://ziprecruiter.com/srs

Brian Armstrong Links:

X -⁠ https://x.com/brian_armstrong⁠

LI -⁠ https://linkedin.com/in/barmstrong⁠

Coinbase -⁠ https://coinbase.com⁠

Blog -⁠ https://blog.coinbase.com/author/brian-armstrong⁠

Stand With Crypto -⁠ https://standwithcrypto.org

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#221 Joe Pyfer - UFC 17-Sec KO Secrets, Meeting Mike Tyson and Terrifying Childhood Stories Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Joe Pyfer, born in Vineland, New Jersey, is an American professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC's Middleweight division, nicknamed "Bodybagz" for his devastating knockout power.

Raised in a challenging environment marked by abuse and homelessness, Pyfer began training in martial arts at age four, starting with jiu-jitsu and judo, and later wrestling in high school. Turning pro in 2018, he captured the Art of War and ROC middleweight titles before earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 with a second-round TKO.

With a record of 14-3, including nine knockouts and three submissions, Pyfer has delivered highlight-reel finishes in the Octagon, earning Performance of the Night bonuses for wins over Alen Amedovski, Abdul Razak Alhassan, and Marc-André Barriault. His latest victory came via unanimous decision against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316 in June 2025.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org

https://masachips.com/srs – USE CODE SRS

Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order

https://lumen.me/srs

https://ziprecruiter.com/srs

https://drinkhoist.com – USE CODE SRS

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

Joe Pyfer Links:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/joepyfer

UFC Profile - https://www.ufc.com/athlete/joe-pyfer

Journey to the UFC: Joe Pyfer debuts on Daily Wire+ July 25th

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#220 Simone Ledeen - Fmr. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Simone Ledeen is a national security expert and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where she oversaw U.S. defense strategies for countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and others.

With an MBA and finance background, she served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and later as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, leading the launch of its multi-national financial crime compliance program. Ledeen has held roles at the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and is a Senior Fellow at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin.

Her expertise spans technology, special operations, intelligence, and geopolitical issues, as seen in her 2025 discussions on Israel-Iran conflicts. The daughter of historian Michael Ledeen, she advocates for innovative defense solutions and public-private partnerships to address global threats. Based in Austin, Texas, Ledeen consults through Maven Defense Solutions and Vantage ROI, focusing on strategic advisory in defense and finance.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org

Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order

https://lumen.me/srs

https://ziprecruiter.com/srs

https://drinkhoist.com – USE CODE SRS

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

Simone Ledeen Links:
X - ⁠https://x.com/SimoneLedeen⁠

LI - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen⁠

Website - ⁠www.simoneledeen.com⁠

Maven Defense - ⁠www.mavendefense.com⁠

Strauss Center Profile - ⁠https://www.strausscenter.org/person/simone-ledeen

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#219 Isaiah Taylor - CEO of Valar Atomics Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Isaiah Taylor is the audacious visionary behind Valar Atomics, an El Segundo based startup on a mission to reinvent atomic energy and fuel the future of mankind. Isaiah Taylor dropped out of high school at 16 to start a business and write software for the world's largest hedge fund, but his real obsession, inherited from his physicist great-grandfather, is nuclear energy.

After ten years of obsessive research, Isaiah founded Valar Atomics with a radical plan to reboot the atomic age with mass-manufactured nuclear reactors which can make energy for AI and reverse combustion itself, turning atmospheric CO2 and water into carbon-neutral jet fuel and gasoline cheaper than drilling for oil. In one year, Valar Atomics has already built a 100,000-pound prototype reactor, the first step on their journey to making civilization beautiful again with abundant energy.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN

NMLS 182334, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

https://aura.com/srs

https://helixsleep.com/srs

https://hexclad.com/srs

https://preparewithshawn.com

Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order

https://moinkbox.com/srs

https://shopify.com/srs

https://americanfinancing.net/srs⁠

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

Isaiah Taylor Links:

Valar Atomics - ⁠https://www.valaratomics.com⁠

X - ⁠https://x.com/isaiah_p_taylor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#218 Gavin Newsom - Governor of California Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

Gavin Newsom, born in San Francisco, California, is the 40th Governor of California, serving since 2019. A Democrat, he was Lieutenant Governor (2011–2019) and San Francisco’s youngest mayor in a century (2004–2011), gaining national attention for issuing same-sex marriage licenses in 2004. Diagnosed with dyslexia at age five, Newsom graduated from Santa Clara University in 1989 with a BS in Political Science.

He founded PlumpJack Group in 1992, growing it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with wineries, restaurants, and hotels. Newsom survived a 2021 recall election and was reelected in 2022 with 59% of the vote.
He authored Citizenville (2013), advocating digital governance, and has hosted the podcast This is Gavin Newsom since 2025. Newsom champions progressive policies.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

https://aura.com/srs

NMLS 182334, ⁠www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org⁠

https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN

https://helixsleep.com/srs

https://hexclad.com/srs

https://mypatriotsupply.com/srs

Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order

https://moinkbox.com/srs

https://shopify.com/srs

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

Gavin Newsom Links:

Website - https://www.gov.ca.gov

X - https://x.com/GavinNewsom

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GavinNewsom

YT - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisisGavinNewsom

PlumpJack Group - https://www.plumpjack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#217 Augustus Doricko - Did Cloud Seeding Cause the Texas Floods? Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Shawn Ryan Show has donated to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.

Donate & Get Involved - https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201

Augustus Doricko is the founder and CEO of Rainmaker Technology Corp., a company focused on cloud seeding and weather modification. A Thiel Fellow and rising figure in climate tech, Doricko has recently faced public scrutiny following the major floods in Texas. His team conducted a brief cloud seeding operation on July 2 in a limited area of the state, then suspended operations out of caution. While some have raised questions about a possible connection between his work and the recent flooding, Doricko joins us to explain what cloud seeding actually involves—and to weigh in on the growing speculation surrounding it.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

https://masachips.com/srs

https://ROKA.com

Augustus Doricko Links:

Rainmaker - https://www.rainmaker.com

X - https://x.com/ADoricko

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/augustus-doricko-660b20145

Substack - https://substack.com/@doricko

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#216 Katherine Boyle - America's Defense Tech Renaissance Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Katherine Boyle is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and cofounder of its American Dynamism practice, investing in sectors such as defense, aerospace, manufacturing, and infrastructure. She serves on the boards of Apex Space and Hadrian Automation, and is a board observer for Saronic Technologies and Castelion.

Previously, she was a partner at General Catalyst, where she co-led the seed practice and backed companies like Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs. She was also a reporter at The Washington Post.

Katherine holds a BA from Georgetown, an MBA from Stanford, and a Master's from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She sits on the boards of The Free Press and the Mercatus Center.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

https://hillsdale.edu/srs

https://masachips.com/srs – USE CODE SRS

https://paladinpower.com/srs – USE CODE SRS

https://trueclassic.com/srs

https://blackbuffalo.com

Katherine Boyle Links:

Website - https://a16z.com/author/katherine-boyle

X - https://x.com/KTmBoyle

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#215 Charles Hoskinson - Cardano Founder on the Secret DARPA AI Project That Became Siri Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

Charles Hoskinson is the CEO and Founder of Input Output Global (IOHK), the company behind the Cardano blockchain, a proof-of-stake platform hosting the ADA cryptocurrency. A mathematician by training, Hoskinson co-founded Ethereum in 2013.

He launched IOHK with Jeremy Wood in 2015, raising $62 million in a 2017 ICO for Cardano, initially targeting the Japanese market before global expansion. Hoskinson advocates for decentralized governance, as seen in Cardano’s 2024 Voltaire framework and 2025 Wyoming Integrity PAC to challenge state stablecoin policies.

His ventures extend to longevity science, with a $100 million investment in the Hoskinson Health & Wellness Clinic in Wyoming, and quirky pursuits like glow-in-the-dark botany and a 2023 Papua New Guinea expedition for extraterrestrial objects. With a net worth estimated at $1.2 billion, he owns an 11,000-acre Wyoming ranch and remains a vocal critic of centralized control in crypto.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

https://hillsdale.edu/srs

https://masachips.com/srs – USE CODE SRS

https://paladinpower.com/srs – USE CODE SRS

https://trueclassic.com/srs

https://blackbuffalo.com

Charles Hoskinson Links:

X - https://x.com/IOHK_Charles

YouTube - www.youtube.com/@charleshoskinsoncrypto

Input Output Global - https://iohk.io

Cardano - https://cardano.org

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#214 Jay Cal - SAS Operator Charged with Murder Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Jay Cal is a former British special forces operator who served in the elite 22 Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment following a distinguished career as a Royal Marine Commando. After passing the grueling SAS selection process—known for its 90% dropout rate—Jay went on to serve in high-stakes operations including counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and covert reconnaissance. A seasoned operator, he embedded with Delta Force and later served as a trainer for Navy Special Warfare Development Group’s Green Team.

Since retiring from the military, Jay has worked in private security and consulting, applying his deep expertise in tactical operations and risk management. He now brings that experience to his current role with GBRS Group.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org

This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self.

https://hillsdale.edu/srs

https://masachips.com/srs

https://paladinpower.com/srs – USE CODE SRS