1102: College vs. Trades | Skeptical Sunday

David Packouz (@DavidPackouz) is an entrepreneur, inventor, musician, and CEO of Singular Sound. He's also a former arms dealer, whose story was portrayed in the movie War Dogs with Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, and Bradley Cooper. [This is part two of a two-part episode. Catch up with part one here!] What We Discuss with David Packouz: How does an Orthodox Jew with 10 siblings become an international arms dealer? How federal government contracts work — and why some of them almost always go over budget. How corruption at every level of the Russian government hamstrings its military and stifles innovation. How David and his partner Efraim Diveroli got hooked up with lucrative government arms deals when they were barely adults. The countless ways in which Efraim is not as charming as Jonah Hill made him out to be in War Dogs. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/839 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25 Maj 20231h 17min

David Packouz (@DavidPackouz) is an entrepreneur, inventor, musician, and CEO of Singular Sound. He's also a former arms dealer, whose story was portrayed in the movie War Dogs with Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, and Bradley Cooper. [This is part one of a two-part episode. Carry on to part two here!]  What We Discuss with David Packouz: How does an Orthodox Jew with 10 siblings become an international arms dealer? How federal government contracts work — and why some of them almost always go over budget. How corruption at every level of the Russian government hamstrings its military and stifles innovation. How David and his partner Efraim Diveroli got hooked up with lucrative government arms deals when they were barely adults. The countless ways in which Efraim is not as charming as Jonah Hill made him out to be in War Dogs. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/838  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Maj 20231h 25min

Ever since being sexually assaulted by someone you trusted as a friend in high school, it seems like you only wind up in relationships with people who will similarly hurt you. It's such a troubling pattern that it's got you wondering: are you somehow at fault when you're a magnet for assault? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: A pattern of troubling relationships after being sexually assaulted by a trusted friend in high school has you wondering: are you somehow at fault when you're a magnet for assault? Are you obligated to honor the dying wish of a manipulative parent who's never really been there for you in your time of need? The extreme poverty you experienced in childhood no doubt contributed to the mindset that got you where you are today: successful by most metrics and financially well-rewarded. But you also live in fear that one wrong move could take this all away and leave you destitute once again. How can you ever feel safe from the looming specter of poverty? You're a science-rooted skeptic, and your otherwise perfect significant other has a career in alternative medicine. You can live with a difference in views, but you're afraid that important health decisions for your kids could cause major conflict in the future. Is there room enough here to find a middle ground? You're doing work you feel is important, but you often find yourself struggling to get fired up and motivated about following through with it. Is there a way to stay more consistently connected to your purpose, or is this a sign that it's not really your purpose? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/837 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

19 Maj 202354min

Dr. Scott Lyons (@drscottlyons) is a neuroscientist focusing on cognitive psychology and the impact of mindfulness on mental well-being, founder of The Embody Lab, host of The Gently Used Human podcast, and author of Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis and Chaos in Yourself and Others. [TW // Self-harm and suicide are discussed.]  What We Discuss with Dr. Scott Lyons: What drama addiction is, and why it's so much more than just seeking constant attention from others. How to recognize drama addiction in yourself and others. How to grasp the ways in which drama addiction affects your well-being. How to build and uphold boundaries in our drama-ridden lives. How to heal a drama addiction and live a more peaceful, less chaotic life. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/836  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

16 Maj 20231h 21min

While working for yourself can be fulfilling and financially rewarding, it's important to understand that it takes a lot of effort and sacrifice — especially when you're just starting out. Unfortunately, there are scammers aplenty who want to sell you on get-rich-quick schemes that only make them rich at your expense. So how can you tell the difference between legitimate business opportunities and shams perpetrated by shady shysters eager to drain your bank account? This week on Skeptical Sunday, we're joined by Steve Chou — e-commerce entrepreneur, host of The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, and author of The Family-First Entrepreneur: How to Achieve Financial Freedom Without Sacrificing What Matters Most — to separate the wheat from the chaff. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: According to the FTC, Americans were scammed out of $249 million through fake business and job opportunities in just the first three quarters of 2022 — but get-rich-quick schemes really started gaining traction in 2020 as criminals took advantage of people who lost their jobs during the pandemic. The real math it takes to build a fortune from creating YouTube videos — and why relying on AI to create content from the ether is an unsustainable "strategy." Why buying an impressive-looking "done for you" e-commerce site pre-populated with dropshipping products will likely lose you money in the long run. How the astronomical income promised by countless dropshipping automation companies pans out when real-world middlemen and unreliable sources are factored in. Why it's essential to research and verify any business opportunity before investing time and money into it — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real businesses require effort, time, and some sacrifice to gain the momentum needed to make them rewarding. And much more! Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you want us to tackle something here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Steve at his website, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and check out The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast and The Family-First Entrepreneur: How to Achieve Financial Freedom Without Sacrificing What Matters Most!  Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/835 This...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Maj 202348min

A one-night stand with your girlfriend's sister resulted in her pregnancy. You've agreed to keep quiet about it to avoid causing problems within the family, but you're wondering how to break the news to your girlfriend — or if you ever should. Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: That one-night stand with your girlfriend's sister resulted in her pregnancy. You've agreed to keep quiet about it to avoid causing problems within the family, but you're wondering how to break the news to your girlfriend — or if you ever should. You love your job as a local news reporter, but struggle with low pay and lack of creative energy. You want to move out, travel, and pursue other interests, but you're not sure how to find a more fitting career path. Where should you begin? You want to exit your relationship with a dishonest and uncooperative business partner who overcharges invoices and refuses to sell or buy out. Which of these four possible exit strategies seems to be your best bet: suing, starting a new business, paying dividends and leaving, or getting a job? [Thanks to attorney Neil Rombardo for giving us some direction with this one!] Your 14-year-old sister is dating her 23-year-old camp leader. In spite of your concerns over this grossly inappropriate "relationship," you were shocked to discover that your parents like the guy and support their love as "pure." You feel it's your responsibility to put a stop to this, but you don't know how. What can you do? As an elementary school teacher, you cut an imposing figure at 6'6" and 270 pounds. You want to be the caring but blunt teacher you needed during your adolescence, but your size — in addition to an admittedly "resting bitch face" — seems to make you less approachable than you'd like. How can you demonstrate a more welcoming stance to your students? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi. Full show notes and resources can be found here: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 Maj 202352min

Nathan Paul Southern (@NathanPSouthern) and Lindsey Kennedy (@LindsAKennedy) are investigative journalists working to bring awareness to the growing issue of cyber-slavery in Southeast Asia facilitated by Chinese triads with links to local government and law enforcement agencies. What We Discuss with Nathan Paul Southern and Lindsey Kennedy: Aided by corrupt government and law enforcement agencies, organized criminals hold thousands of people in modern-day slavery in Southeast Asia, forcing them to run cyber-scams worldwide. Victims are lured by promises of lucrative online trading jobs, and abducted against their will when they arrive — for a minimum of six months — to work as cyber-slaves. These captives are beaten, electrocuted, and tortured if they try to escape or don't make enough money. Suicides, with victims jumping from balconies to their death, have become commonplace. The Cambodian Prime Minister's nephew has been implicated in the human trafficking trade, which is why embassies have been ignored when they plead for intervention. What those of us in the Western world can do to fight back against these organized crime groups and ensure their dirty deeds can no longer be done dirt cheap enough to turn a profit. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/833 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Maj 20231h 16min

Why are weddings so expensive — and how does the wedding industry sucker us into thinking they have to be? This week on Skeptical Sunday, comedian Michael Regilio joins Jordan to propose the facts on what you’re really getting with a wedding and explore alternatives that won't test the durability of a new marriage with massive debt from day one. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: The pressure to have an extravagant wedding can sometimes lead to couples investing more in the one-day festivities than in the hard work that goes into the lifelong commitment of a successful marriage. Weddings are becoming increasingly expensive, and the wedding industry is constantly churning out new ways to overcharge its clientele. "Age-old" wedding traditions like diamond rings aren't rooted in history, but in clever marketing schemes that exploit couples' desires for a perfect wedding. Evidence suggests that the more money a couple spends on a wedding, the less likely they are to stay together. Weddings don't have to break the bank — eloping or planning a backyard ceremony are affordable and creative alternatives to traditional weddings. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Michael at his website, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and make sure to check out the Michael Regilio Plagues Well With Others podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/832  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 Maj 20231h 2min