He Had a PhD and Still Thought He Was Worthless ft. Dr. David Leitner of Rhydlwood

Dr. David Leitner, known as Dr. D, has worn many hats. IDF special operations soldier, direct PhD graduate, eight-year academic director at Bar-Ilan University, strategy advisor who has pulled founders back from the edge of collapse, and now, founder of Rhydlwood, a business hub for founders who are tired of figuring it out alone.

Dr. D. was injured during the Second Intifada while serving as a sniper in Maglan, one of the IDF's elite special operations units. His injuries led to a severe nerve disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, one of the worst known pain syndromes on the face of the planet. It is also known as the "suicide disease".

But across the two decades that followed, Dr. D wasn't just pushing through. He was paying attention. To what strategy actually looks like under pressure. To what leadership costs when the stakes are real. To what it takes to keep building when your energy is finite, and the world doesn't slow down for you. He took everything he was living, learning, and using with his clients and turned it into something more.

That became Rhydlwood, a business hub where founders and small team leaders work through real business strategy together, with expert moderators, practical frameworks, and people in the same situation who actually understand.

Hear all about Rhydlwood and Dr. D's journey in this week's episode hosted by Yoel Israel.

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