Podcast
Open Residency
Hosted by Open Residency · EN
The show for ambitious operators scaling their businesses.
Hosted by Mark Brazil, co-founder of IKONICK, Open Residency is built around a simple idea: learn from the people who’ve already figured out what most entrepreneurs are still trying to solve—so you can become a more well-rounded operator.
Mark sits down with the operators, marketers, creators, and specialists who are world-class at their craft. These conversations go far beyond what they’ve built and why—they break down exactly how they’ve done it. The tactical insights, frameworks, and decision-making processes that help you think c
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Dom Iacovone - He Runs 7 Companies in 2026 — You Can Barely Manage One
1w ago02:23:21Tap to summarizeDom Iacovone broke it down in our conversation. We turned every framework, formula, and strategy from the episode into one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/dom-iacovone-playbookIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Dom Iacovone, the American CEO of The Quality Group — the holding company behind Raw Nutrition, Bum Energy, and a portfolio of brands including Cadence, 3D, Revive, and his newest launch, Onside. Dom breaks down how he went from "running and gunning" as a founder to operating at an entirely different level after the acquisition, and the systems that let him run 15+ companies at once.We also go deep on building a C-suite you can actually delegate to, the unglamorous truth about selling a company, and the full story behind Onside — the men's care brand with Jayson Tatum that landed full Target end caps. All signal, no fluff. Enjoy!📬 Get in Touch with Open ResidencyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com🎯 Powered by Ketone-IQVisit https://ketone.com/openresidency for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment—fun surprises like a free 6-pack, Ketone-IQ merch, and more.beehiivUse code MARK30 for 30% offLink: https://beehiiv.link/209nk800:00 Trailer01:25 Becoming a CEO: Before vs. After the Deal04:43 The Sustainable Growth Model (SGM) Explained12:44 Ops, Stage-gate Innovation, and Product Strategy22:05 Leadership Philosophy: Delegate and Elevate24:29 Preparing Your Company for an Exit27:50 The Acquisition Process and Due Diligence30:02 Rolling Over Equity and Strategic Partnerships35:04 The Marketing Strategy For Dom That's Actually Winning39:55 The Shift to TikTok and E-commerce Spillovers49:50 The Future: AI and the Importance of Relationships52:04 Athlete Education and Personal Brand Building01:01:28 Biggest Marketing Mistake
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Peter Rahal - They Sued Him For Building a Bar That Shouldn't Exist
3w ago01:58:51Tap to summarizePeter Rahal broke it down in our conversation. We turned every framework, formula, and strategy from the episode into one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/peter-rahal-playbook?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=peter_rahal_playbookIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Peter Rahal, founder of David and the operator who built and sold RXBAR for $600M. 255 days into David, Peter has already raised at a $725M valuation, survived a viral lawsuit, and acquired the most important ingredient innovation in food.We unpack how Peter scaled from zero to $100M run rate at lightning speed, the brand brief behind David, why "obvious but true" ideas kill campaigns, and the "consumer surplus" framework he believes is the real moat in product development. A masterclass in branding, supply chain, and second-time founder discipline. Enjoy!📬 Get in Touch with Open ResidencyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com🎯 Powered by Ketone-IQ - Visit https://ketone.com/openresidency for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment—fun surprises like a free 6-pack, Ketone-IQ merch, and more.beehiiv - Use code MARK30 for 30% offLink: https://beehiiv.link/209nk800:00:00 Trailer00:00:59 The 150 Calorie Lawsuit00:05:21 Epogee - The Most Important Ingredient Innovation00:13:12 0 To $100M In Under A Year. The Marketing Behind David00:29:24 Why Celebrity Doesn't Sell Product Anymore (And Who Does)00:31:34 As A Second Time Founder, What Advice Can You Give To Founders?00:39:20 Some Say Your Branding Is Polarizing, How Did You Come Up With It?00:53:34 Holistically with David, What Was Your Strategy On Retail?01:04:09 The Story Behind RX Bar And How He Sold For $600M01:36:40 The Roadmap Ahead For David?01:46:04 Quickstrike Questions
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Michael Brandt - Rogan, Jon Jones & Diary of a CEO: The Playbook They All Believe In (Ketone IQ)
Apr 2802:15:51Tap to summarizeMichael Brandt is giving you The Ketone-IQ Playbook → https://openresidency.com/michael-brandt-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=michael_brandt_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Michael Brandt, co-founder and CEO of Ketone-IQ, to talk about how he's building the category around what he calls the fourth macronutrient: ketones. Michael ran a 2:35 marathon, studied engineering at Stanford, and spent years in the early biohacking scene before betting everything on a molecule most people had never heard of.We talk about how Michael structures seven-figure influencer deals, why he leads with vibes over contracts, why whitelisting from a partner's handle beats brand accounts every time, and how a single shoot day gets cut into 16 pieces of mid- and late-funnel creative. This episode is packed with good stuff, so enjoy!Visit https://ketone.com/openresidency for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift with your second shipment—fun surprises like a free 6-pack, Ketone-IQ merch, and more.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:54 Why 50%+ of Budget Goes to Partnerships — Not Meta00:01:36 What Is a Ketone? The Fifth-Grade Version00:05:05 How Do You Pick A Partner? The Vibes-First Framework00:16:55 Whitelisting - What Percent of Your Meta Ads Are Partner Ads?00:29:02 The Secret Sauce Of The QR code00:37:43 What Does A Successful Retail Pitch Actually Look Like?00:44:21 What's The Biggest Thing You Learned In Retail?00:48:31 When's The Right Time To Go From D2C To Retail?00:55:06 What Does Product Development Look Like For Ketone IQ?01:02:46 What Are The Biggest Mistakes Founders Make In Product Development?01:06:41 How Do You Use Data And Metrics To Inform Your Products?01:08:55 The Ketone-IQ Principles And How It Defines Their Company Culture01:24:17 You've Raised $13 Million, What Was The Most Important Lesson?01:40:11 What's The Biggest Learning Lesson About Leadership At Scale?01:50:22 You Run A Sub-6 Min Pace For A Marathon. How Has That Bled Into Your Business?01:56:28 Quickstrike Questions🎯 POWERED BYbeehiiv - Use code MARK30 for 30% off Link: https://beehiiv.link/209nk8📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com
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Danny Yeung - How He Hit $100M in Under a Year (And Why You Won't)
Apr 2101:16:14Tap to summarize📬 Danny Yeung is giving you The $100m Velocity Playbook — https://openresidency.com/danny-yeung-playbookTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:52 What's Your Marketing Mix With IM8?00:04:16 What Does Your CAC to LTV Look Like?00:05:44 What Does Your Content System Look Like?00:07:41 Platform Risk and Where To Spend Next00:08:37 How Do You Keep Your Customers?00:15:05 Partnership With David Beckham00:22:14 Partnership With Sabalenka00:25:08 New Partners For IM800:29:46 AI Tools For Business00:31:51 Leadership Style00:33:09 The Crazy Groupon Story00:40:14 Getting Your Team To Move Fast00:43:02 How Much Is Luck vs Skill?00:47:20 How Did Prenetics Start?00:58:18 Transitioning Out of Covid Testing01:02:31 $1B to $40M Marketcap — What Did You Learn?01:05:43 How Did You Get To IM8?01:08:22 Quickstrike QuestionsIn this episode, we sit down with Danny Yeung, co-founder and CEO of Prenetics and the person behind IM8, the longevity supplement brand that went from zero to $100M annual run rate in under a year. Danny walks through the marketing engine running $100K+ per day on Meta alone, why he keeps 1,000–1,500 ads live at any given time, and the deal structures behind signing David Beckham, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Aryna Sabalenka.🎙 GUESTDanny Yeung, Co-Founder & CEO of Prenetics / IM8Website: https://im8health.com/📬 GET IN TOUCHInstagram: https://instagram.com/openresidencyWebsite: https://openresidency.com/🎯 Powered by Outer SignalYour next big customer already bought from you: https://outersignal.com🎯 Powered by PoppyGet $25 off: https://getpoppy.ai/openresidency (use code "OR")🎯 Powered by Universal Ads👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
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David Grutman - How He Built One Of The Most Powerful Hospitality Empires
Apr 1000:48:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with David Grutman, the founder of Groot Hospitality and the man behind LIV, Komodo, and Papi Steak, to break down how he built one of the most iconic hospitality empires in the world. David shares the ecosystem thinking that turned a single nightclub into a multi-venue flywheel, why he treats every concept as intellectual property, and the hard lessons that shaped how he operates today.We go deep on the deal structures behind his biggest wins and biggest losses, how he decides between lease deals and management deals, and why your audience will tell you exactly who you are. Even when your ego disagrees. David also opens up his venture portfolio, sharing what made him back Liquid Death, Colossal Biosciences, and Skinny Dipped — and what one failed investment taught him about founders who over-optimize for valuation over growth. He also talks about his new book, Take It Personal, and why caring deeply about the details is exactly why he's still winning.Take It Personal Book: https://zandoprojects.com/books/take-it-personal-hardcoverTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:46 Kim Kardashian Wrote The Forward Of Your Book, How Do You Look At Relationships?00:02:00 18 Year Ago, You Opened Up LIV, What Was That Aha Moment That You Could Create A Whole Ecosystem?00:03:31 On Komodo, You Raised $10 Million Initually, What Was That Biggest Lesson?00:06:45 Walk Me Through What You Learned About IP With Komodo?00:10:13 What Type Of EBITDA or Profit Does A Club Or Restaurant Actually Look Like?00:11:13 What About 1st Gen vs 2nd Gen For Restaurants and Clubs?00:12:47 Tell Me The Origin Story Of Poppy Steak?00:14:24 What Is It Like Doing Business With Friends?00:15:42 When You Open Your Own Venues, What Are Some Of Those Non-Negotiables?00:20:55 You're In Venture Now.00:23:15 When You Invest In A Company, How Do You Integrate It To Your Wold?00:24:56 What Are Those Red Flags When People Are Looking For An Investment From You?00:30:07 What's The Most Surprsing Company You've Invested In?00:33:04 What's The Hardest Lesson About Winkers?00:34:25 How Much Revenue Do You need For A Restaurant or Venue?00:39:51 Quickstrike Questions📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com
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Dan Martell - The AI Playbook Every Founder Needs in 2026
Mar 3101:28:24Tap to summarizeDan Martell is giving you the AI Operator Playbook, and it's in the link below. It's the exact system he uses to run 17 companies with a 1-person finance team, including his full 8-tool stack ranked, the Master Prompt Architecture that gives any AI five-year-colleague-level context in one upload, and the Zero Inbox System he has used for 3 years without reading a single email himself. The part most founders never reach: why using AI for content and marketing is the lowest-leverage move you can make, and which lever actually triples profit in 60 days.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/dan-martell-playbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=dan_martell_playbook&utm_term=playbook&utm_content=playbook_download_formIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Dan Martell, investor, entrepreneur, and one of the most followed voices in AI, to break down what's actually happening at the frontier of artificial intelligence. Dan tier-ranks the top AI tools, explains why most people are using AI completely wrong, and reveals the reverse prompting framework that's changing how he builds companies. We also go deep on the future of work… why AI-first operators are replacing entire departments, how Dan built Martell Ventures to 225M monthly impressions, and what it really means to buy back your time in the age of agents. If you're serious about building in 2026, this one is required listening.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:50 You've Tested 500 AI Tools And Narrowed Down To The Top 8. Let's Start With ChatGPT.00:02:33 What About Claude?00:14:47 Do You Recommend People Going Super Wide Or All In On One?00:17:14 What About Gemini?00:18:54 What About Grok?00:25:29 What is Wispr Flow?00:34:29 What is Apex.host?00:39:30 How Do You Stay Up To Date With All The AI News And Noise?00:45:05 What Is Moltbook?00:54:16 What's The Best Way To Structure Prompts Across Your Company?01:03:19 How Do You Use AI As A Business Leverage?01:07:52 Quickstrike Questions📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com🎯 Powered by beehiivUse code MARK30 for 30% offLink: https://beehiiv.link/n8whln🎯 Powered by PoppyA visual AI workspace for thinkers who hate linear chat.Get $25 off: getpoppy.ai/OpenResidency (use code "OR")
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Matt Gray - How To Build a Profitable Personal Brand (In Just 30 days)
Mar 1902:10:58Tap to summarizeMatt Gray is giving you the Founder Flywheel, the 3-layer audience system he used to build an 8-figure business that runs without him, and it’s in the link below.It’s the operating architecture behind 18,000+ founders helped, including the 7-System Business Blueprint and the Content Waterfall that turns one video into 24+ pieces across every platform.The part that changes everything: the one layer 99% of founders skip, and why skipping it means your audience can never become revenue.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/matt-gray-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=matt_gray_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Matt Gray, founder of Founder OS, to break down why most founders don't actually own a business — they own a job. Matt explains how 98% of founders are trapped in "founder prison," constantly reacting, firefighting, and unable to step away. He walks through the exact systems behind building a company that runs without you.We also go deep on founder-led content, the rise of personal brands as infrastructure, and how to build a media engine that compounds over time. This conversation is a masterclass on designing a business that creates freedom and why the future belongs to founders who think in systems, not effort.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:48 How Do You Design A Business That Works While You're Offline?00:04:28 Let's Go Into Your Systems, What's The First System That A Business Owner Should Do?00:16:32 What Does Your Content Team Look Like?00:42:18 What's Your Lead Magnet System?00:47:52 What's The Biggest Mistake Founders Make When Building Lead Magnets?01:00:49 Any Special Tactics You Use For Referrals?01:04:06 What Is Your Operating Rhythm for Founder OS?01:15:00 When Did You Realize That You Had Become A Bottleneck To Your Own Company?01:25:33 What's The Set Of Boundaries You Set As A Founder?01:35:58 Why Do You Think Personal Brands Are No Longer Optional For Founders?01:42:36 How Do You Handle Criticism And Negative Feedback?01:45:02 What Is The Best First Step For A Founder Building A Personal Brand?01:48:58 Quickstrike Questions📬 Get in Touch with Open ResidencyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com🎯 Powered by beehiivUse code MARK30 for 30% offLink: https://beehiiv.link/zxm5lp
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Taylor Holiday - The 2026 E-Commerce Masterclass That Will Make You Question Everything
Mar 502:41:43Tap to summarizeTaylor Holiday is giving you the Four Quarter Accounting System, and it’s in the link below.It’s the financial framework his team used to forecast $3 billion within 4% of target across 1,000+ brands, built on a principle most e-commerce founders have never heard: the forecast belongs in the marketing department, not finance.Inside: the exact P&L structure that tells you which of four numbers is killing your profit and what to do about it.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/taylor-holiday-playbook?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=taylor_holiday_playbookGet in touch for LLM SEO Consulting — https://form.typeform.com/to/cwwIwyNaIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective, to unpack what's actually happening inside modern e-commerce. Taylor explains why most founders are misdiagnosing their growth problems, how contribution margin and cash flow matter more than top-line revenue, and why the old DTC playbook is quietly breaking. This conversation reframes paid media, creative strategy, and capital allocation through the lens of real operators.We also dive into the narratives that are misleading founders, the difference between being a marketer and being an allocator of capital, and how to build a business that can survive rising CACs and shrinking attention. Taylor doesn't offer hacks, he offers a mental model shift. If you're scaling a brand, spending on ads, or trying to build something durable in 2026, this episode will challenge how you think about growth.TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:52 What Is This "Prophit" System That Allowed You To Scale Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars Profitably?00:10:32 What Does The Reality Look Like When You're Building Out These Forecast Models?00:26:58 What Is The Hierarchy of Metrics? What Should People Actually Be Looking At?00:45:16 You've Seen Thousands of Brands, What Are You Seeing Q1 2026?00:56:43 Meta, Google, TikTok, Amazon...What Other Platforms Are Working?01:00:58 What Is This Four Quarter Accounting Fit Planning Process?01:12:58 How Do You Use This Four Quarter Account to Optimize?01:28:48 The Flow Era: Why Is Constraint The Most Important Trade For Brands?01:31:26 You Had To Fire 100 People In 2022. How Did Constraint Help?01:33:52 What Is The Most Constraint Mistake Founders Are Making?01:35:27 Growth Through Paid Media or Creative Iteration. What's Your Rebuttal To That?01:41:15 What Is Your Product MVP Framework?01:45:59 Champions, Growth Drivers, Underperformers, Hidden Gems. How Do You Look At Each?01:53:06 Biggest Mistake Brands Make When Expanding Their Product Line?01:57:32 The Worst Creative Strategy Idea Ever. Iteration02:01:18 What Do You Think Is The Most Invisible Cash Flow Killer?02:06:37 Quickstrike Questions🎯 POWERED BYbeehiiv - Use code MARK30 for 30% off Link: https://beehiiv.link/wf441gUniversal Ads - Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zTTop ad teams use this tool to quietly spy on competitors' best ads: https://foreplay.co/?via=openresidency📬 GET IN TOUCH WITH OPEN RESIDENCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrazil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Email: info@openresidency.com
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Ross Mackay - Premium Isn’t About Price — It’s About Positioning
Feb 2401:43:49Tap to summarizeRoss Mackay is giving you the $2 Luxury Blueprint, and it’s in the link below.It’s the system he used to build the only consumer good under $3 positioned as luxury, going from $0 to $10M in 600 days with $40M projected in year two.Inside: the Core-Race-Recover product architecture, the retail economics formula nobody talks about, and the exact packaging decision that tripled sell-through with the same liquid.Download it free: https://openresidency.com/ross-mackay-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=ross_mackay_playbook📬 The playbook behind every episode, straight to your inbox: https://openresidency.com/signup⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/ross-mackayTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:51 How Do You Make a $2 Product Luxury?00:04:01 Why Did You Rebrand 3 Times in 1 Year?00:12:48 How Do You Actually Approach Retailers?00:18:36 Going Into Retail00:23:41 The Mafia That Controls Distribution00:27:32 Biggest Learning From Scaling Retail00:34:05 How Many SKUs Have You Launched?00:39:54 The One Rule To Approaching Manufacturers00:42:32 Being Sold Out For 200+ Days00:45:30 The Biggest Mistake A Brand Can Make00:49:38 How To Make Your Own Custom Product00:51:31 Testing Optimal Ratios As A Runner00:55:22 Content In Your Positioning Strategy01:01:21 Collabs With Bandit and RAW01:05:24 Why World Class Athletes Might Damage Your Brand01:08:21 Ad Strategy For Cadence01:11:18 Hiring Philosophy At Cadence01:22:32 QuickFire QuestionsIn this episode, we sit down with Ross Mackay, founder and CEO of Cadence — the brand redefining what "premium" means in a $200B beverage category. Ross breaks down how you turn a $2 drink into luxury through positioning, packaging, retail strategy, and relentless attention to detail. From obsessing over shelf velocity to rebranding three times in under a year, this is a masterclass in how modern CPG brands actually win.🔗 LINKS MENTIONEDCadence (10% off with code "OR"): https://us.usecadence.com/openresidency🎙 GUESTRoss Mackay, Founder & CEO of CadenceWebsite: https://us.usecadence.com📬 GET IN TOUCHInstagram: https://instagram.com/openresidencyWebsite: https://openresidency.com/🎯 Powered by beehiiv30% off with code MARK30: https://beehiiv.link/cjp31🎯 Powered by Universal Ads👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
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Jeff Byers - You’d Never Kill a $6M Product — And That’s the Problem
Feb 1801:33:59Tap to summarize📬 The playbook behind every episode, straight to your inbox: https://openresidency.com/signup⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/jeff-byersTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:49 Why Did You Kill A $6 Million Product Overnight?00:05:07 The Biggest Lie In The Supplement Industry00:06:36 Why Is Sourcing So Important?00:07:51 What Do 3rd Party Certifications Actually Mean?00:15:27 Product Development00:20:45 Biggest Misconceptions About Creatine00:29:15 How Did You Get Your First Partnership?00:32:37 How Did The Partnership With Andrew Huberman Start?00:39:16 Partnering With All 32 NFL Teams00:40:55 Big Learnings From Your Partners00:44:26 The Partnership With Arnold00:51:20 Fundraising and Raising Money01:01:46 What Did You Learn From Pete Carroll?01:10:30 What Do You Look For In Hiring?01:18:03 Quickstrike QuestionsIn this episode, we sit down with Jeff Byers, CEO of Momentous, to unpack what it really means to build a high-trust brand in a low-trust industry. Jeff shares why he killed a $6M product overnight to protect the company's standards, how Momentous became trusted by all 32 NFL teams, and why most supplement companies cut corners on sourcing, certification, and dosing.Get 35% off Momentous: https://crrnt.app/MOME/x3v_PO0nShareable (use code MarkMastrandrea)🎙 GUESTJeff Byers, CEO of MomentousWebsite: https://www.livemomentous.com📬 GET IN TOUCHInstagram: https://instagram.com/openresidencyWebsite: https://openresidency.com/🎯 Powered by Universal Ads👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
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