Podcast
The Alchemist's Library
Hosted by Ryan Ayala · EN
The Alchemists Library is dedicated to the exploration of becoming one's best self. With the goal of achieving a clear mind, fit body, and a house full of love. Episodes centered around: Health, Wealth, and Wisdom. The ancient practice of alchemy was about turning lead to gold but the secret was that it was never about physical gold. The real art was in turning the self from lead to gold.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Truth About Going Viral, Selling Millions, and Burning Out - Jake Karls
2w ago00:45:44Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailJake Karls, co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, breaks down how to go viral, build a CPG brand, and scale a snack business from a condo kitchen to thousands of retail stores — all while surviving entrepreneurial burnout. In this episode, we unpack the real story behind viral marketing, authentic brand building, getting into Whole Foods, and what it actually takes to sell millions in physical retail. Jake shares how showing up in person creates opportunity, why authenticity is the secret to standing out, and how he uses LinkedIn content to attract investors and retail partners.You'll also hear his honest take on burnout recovery, finding purpose, why he's a "rainmaker" not a CEO, and how to play your own game instead of someone else's. Whether you're a young entrepreneur, a founder chasing product-market fit, or building a personal brand, this conversation is packed with hard-won lessons.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Why Showing Up In Person Wins Deals02:30 – How Mid-Day Squares Started In A Condo05:00 – How Hard It Is To Sell In Retail Stores07:30 – Why Getting Into A Store Isn't Enough10:00 – How To Drive Retail Sales And Trial12:30 – Why Entrepreneur Burnout Almost Ended It15:00 – What Burnout Taught Me About Health17:30 – The Burnout Nobody Talks About: No Clarity20:00 – Why You Should Go All In When You're Young22:30 – Why I'm A Rainmaker And Not A CEO27:30 – How To Raise Capital As A Founder30:00 – How LinkedIn Content Attracts Investors32:30 – What Type Of Content Goes Viral35:00 – The Heartbeat Graph vs The Average Life37:30 – Why Being Weird Gets You Weird Results42:30 – How To Find Product-Market Fit In CPGConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →Eric Hinman on How Chasing Success Makes Most Men Miserable
3w ago00:54:55Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhy does chasing success make so many men miserable? In this episode of The Alchemist’s Library, Ryan sits down with Eric Hinman to talk about male ambition, self-improvement, entrepreneurship, social media, endurance training, wellness, personal branding, content creation, and building a life around “perfect days.”Eric shares how he went from chasing money, partying, and living for external validation to becoming an Ironman athlete, investor, brand builder, and community-driven entrepreneur. This conversation explores why public perception of success can become a trap, how hard physical challenges build stress resilience, and why attention is now one of the most valuable skills in business.They also discuss influencer marketing, wellness brands, AI, community, peptides, looksmaxing, virality, and the danger of building a life around applause instead of meaning. Subscribe for more conversations on business, health, philosophy, psychology, and self-mastery.#SelfImprovement #Entrepreneurship #MensHealthTIMESTAMPS00:00 – Why Chasing Success Makes Men Miserable04:06 – How To Design Your Perfect Day06:29 – How To Monetize Your Passions09:55 – How Eric Hinman Became An Investor12:26 – The Future Of Influencer Marketing16:25 – Why Attention Is The New Business Currency20:54 – Why Wellness Brands Need Community23:27 – How Hard Things Build Stronger Relationships27:28 – How Endurance Training Builds Stress Resilience30:19 – Why Long Runs Become A Spiritual Practice35:06 – How To Stay Motivated After The First Week41:03 – Why Shortcuts Fail Without The Foundations43:35 – The Truth About Looksmaxing And Male Insecurity48:50 – Why Chasing Virality Can Backfire53:00 – Eric Hinman’s World’s Toughest Mile EventConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →How to Actually Maximize Your 20s (Most People Get This Wrong)
May 601:03:25Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailHow to maximize your 20s, build mastery, and avoid wasting your most important decade, Ryan Ayala sits down with Kolby Kirschner to break down skill stacking, mentorship, environment design, and why most self-improvement advice keeps young men stuck. This conversation covers what Robert Greene's Mastery actually teaches, how to escape mental masturbation, and why boredom is becoming the rarest competitive advantage in the AI era.You'll learn how to curate your environment, why comparing yourself to Iman Gadzhi quietly destroys your ambition, how to think like a modern polymath, and the real reason most creators are about to lose their grip on attention. If you're in your 20s and serious about building something that lasts, this episode is the playbook.If this hit, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway and subscribe for more conversations on building wealth, mastery, and a life worth living in your 20s.Timestamps:00:00 – How to Actually Maximize Your 20s03:33 – Why Your Environment Shapes Your Future06:48 – The Dark Side of Self-Improvement Content09:24 – Why You're Not as Behind as You Think10:17 – What Robert Greene's Mastery Teaches About Skill12:19 – You Don't Need to Be a Genius to Win15:17 – Lessons From Leonardo Da Vinci on Curiosity17:35 – Why Polymaths Will Win the AI Era19:51 – How Skills Compound Across Different Industries44:22 – Mental Masturbation: The Trap of Learning Without Action47:25 – Why Writing Essays Is the Antidote to Brain Rot51:01 – Steal Like an Artist: How to Build Your Identity53:13 – The Death of the Creator Economy57:25 – Boredom as a Competitive Advantage1:00:32 – Why People Can't Think Deeply Anymore#MaximizeYour20s #SelfImprovementForMen #MasteryMindsetConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →Josh Suggs - How This 23 Year Old Started a Street Interviewing Empire
Apr 700:45:54Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailJosh Suggs went from walking 35,000 steps a day in Washington Square Park with a microphone to building Street Talk, a $9 million street interview agency with 94 employees — all before age 23. In this episode, Josh breaks down how he found product market fit in the content agency space, dropped out of college, and scaled a brand content business from zero using nothing but hustle, delusional confidence, and a powerful flywheel strategy for client acquisition.You'll learn how Josh built a repeatable system for selling street interviews to DTC and e-commerce brands, why authenticity is the ultimate moat against AI-generated content, how he recruited his first street interviewers from actor casting calls in a CVS lobby, and the exact partnership strategy that 4x'd his growth when he merged with his co-founder Luke. Whether you're starting your first business or scaling an agency, Josh's playbook on delegation, leverage, and building a real asset is packed with actionable lessons.Subscribe and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway from Josh's story.Chapters: 00:00 – How Josh Suggs Started Street Talk Agency02:34 – Why Street Interviews Are a Business Moat05:02 – From Special Ed to $190K in One Summer08:23 – Quitting a Job Before Day One to Go All In10:06 – Walking 35,000 Steps a Day in New York City12:36 – The Phone Call That Made Him Drop Out14:33 – Surviving Winter as a Solo Street Interviewer17:19 – Recruiting Street Interviewers From a CVS Lobby19:36 – How a Corporate Executive Joined a 21-Year-Old24:22 – Why Delusional Confidence Beats Experience25:35 – Finding Product Market Fit in a Niche Offer28:09 – Scaling From Solo Founder to 94 Employees31:06 – What Happens When the Business Outgrows You33:07 – Building Brand Authority With a Founder Series35:33 – Why AI Makes Street Interviews More Valuable38:48 – Best Advice for 19-Year-Olds Who Want to Start43:21 – The Twitter Flywheel for Landing Brand Clients46:14 – How to Trade Value for Authority at Every Stage#StreetInterviews #ContentAgency #YoungEntrepreneurConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →Mold, IQ Maxxing, Getting Shredded w/ Noah Ryan
Mar 2501:02:43Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailNoah Ryan returns for his fourth appearance on The Alchemist's Library to break down the hidden dangers of mold illness, share his complete mold detox supplement protocol, and explain how to get shredded without destroying your metabolism. In this episode, we cover mold toxicity symptoms, the HLA-DR genetic predisposition that makes some people hypersensitive to mycotoxins, the best nootropics stack for cognitive enhancement, why modafinil may not be worth the hype, and Noah's ShredMaxing protocol for burning fat while keeping testosterone high.Whether you're dealing with brain fog, looking for a smarter approach to fat loss through bioenergetics, or trying to build a personalized nootropic stack with compounds like bromantane, alpha GPC, and saffron, this conversation delivers actionable frameworks you can apply immediately. We also get into why weed is more dangerous than most people think and how to rebuild your dopaminergic system for long-term drive and focus.Subscribe and drop a comment with your go-to nootropic stack — we read every single one.#moldtoxicity #Nootropics #ShredMaxingTime Stamps: 00:00 – How Mold Illness Destroys Your Immune System02:09 – Why Florida and Humid Climates Breed Toxic Mold05:26 – HLA-DR Gene and Mold Hypersensitivity Explained08:52 – Co-Infections from Mold: Candida, SIBO, Heavy Metals13:05 – Chris Williamson's Mold Exposure Breakdown15:25 – Early Warning Signs of Mold Toxicity17:13 – Mold Symptoms That Mimic Concussion and Brain Injury19:17 – How Mold Destroyed Noah's Cognitive Function21:55 – Top 10 Supplements for Mold Detox Protocol24:12 – High Dose Melatonin for Mycotoxin Recovery28:21 – Best Glutathione and NAC Stack for Detox30:20 – Modified Citrus Pectin and Binder Cycling Protocol32:21 – Is Modafinil Worth the Hype for Focus?35:05 – Adderall vs Modafinil: Side Effects Compared37:00 – Best Nootropic Stack: Bromantane, Saffron, Alpha GPC40:19 – Noah Ryan's Personal Nootropic Stack Revealed42:53 – Why Weed Is More Dangerous Than You Think50:01 – Does CBD Actually Decrease Your IQ?55:09 – ShredMaxing: How to Get Lean Without Calorie Restriction57:50 – Why Caloric Deficit and Keto Destroy Your Metabolism1:01:13 – The Bioenergetics Approach to Burning Fat FastConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →Ecom, AI, & Scaling to 100k Months - TJ Bongiorno
Mar 1900:58:46Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailTJ Bongiorno of The Outgoing Co joins The Alchemist's Library to break down how he scaled his ecommerce brand past $100K months using Meta ads, landing pages, and a subscription-first business model. From bootstrapping his DTC supplement brand to rebranding from Ramp Health to Audi, TJ shares the real numbers behind scaling an online business including why ecommerce is not the cash flow machine most people think it is. This episode covers how to validate product market fit before launch, the role of AI tools in ad creative production, agency hiring mistakes to avoid, and the capital-intensive reality of breaking into the beverage industry. You'll also hear lessons from brands like Knobs Toothpaste and Frost Buddy on leveraging TikTok Shop and organic content to drive growth. Whether you're starting your first brand or trying to break past a revenue plateau, this conversation is packed with actionable strategy. Subscribe and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway.#Ecommerce #ScalingOnlineBusiness #DTCBrandTimestamps:00:00 – Why Private Equity Is Ruining Service Businesses02:50 – How Tesla Changed the Customer Experience05:12 – Combining Online Skills With Old School Business07:00 – Street Talk Agency and Building a Content Brand08:45 – Why Trademarks Matter: The Ramp Health Rebrand11:47 – What The Outgoing Co Products Actually Do13:23 – How Much Capital You Need for Canned Beverages20:58 – Why Knobs Toothpaste Is a DTC Masterclass24:00 – How to Use Meta Ads to Test Product Market Fit26:00 – Landing Pages That Took Revenue Past $100K/Month29:13 – The Truth About Ecommerce Profit Margins33:00 – How to Vet and Hire the Right Agency36:47 – Building Internal AI Tools for Ad Creative42:20 – Frost Buddy's $80M Organic Content Strategy49:00 – Entrepreneur Guilt and Work-Life Balance52:50 – Running a Brand With No Full-Time EmployeesConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →The Best Way to Make Money with AI in 2026 - David Reineke
Mar 1701:24:58Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailDavid Reineke, founder of Synthesis AI and former PayPal account executive, breaks down the best way to make money with AI in 2026 — from building an AI voice agent business to becoming a market maker in the age of artificial intelligence. In this conversation, David shares how he bootstrapped an AI startup with zero investor capital, scaled to six figures in revenue in under three weeks, and why the future of AI business is about connecting buyers and sellers — not chasing hype. You'll learn why most people fail in the AI agency model, how to use AI tools like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT strategically in your workflow, and what separates real AI entrepreneurs from the "10K MRR Twitter" crowd. David also shares his framework for relentless follow-up in sales, why he moved to Dubai to build Synthesis, and his bold predictions on AI robotics, energy, and the future economy. Whether you're starting an online business or scaling with AI, this episode is packed with real-world lessons from someone who's done it. Subscribe and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway.#AIBusiness #MakeMoneyWithAI #AIVoiceAgentsTime Stamps:00:00 – Best Way to Make Money With AI in 202601:34 – Why Market Makers Build the Biggest Companies03:30 – How David Built Synthesis AI From Scratch08:53 – Catching Trends Early as an Entrepreneur10:11 – The Sales Follow-Up Story That Closed a $100K Deal16:45 – Why Fear of Looking Stupid Kills Your Business20:35 – Why You Should Never Be Too Above the Work24:07 – How to Articulate Ideas Even Without Technical Skills26:48 – Why Vibe Coding Is Overhyped in 202530:26 – How to Actually Use AI Tools in Your Workflow37:24 – The $39 AI Agent Guy and Shiny Object Syndrome38:22 – How Synthesis Got Accepted Into Nvidia's Program46:23 – Why Most AI Hype on Twitter Is Fake53:06 – Value Chain Strategy for AI Voice Businesses1:02:44 – Bullish or Bearish on the Future of AI1:08:52 – AI Robots, Energy, and the Future Economy1:14:05 – Building an AI Voice Clone of Loved OnesConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →Jeremy Haynes Gives 5 Struggling Businesses a $1M/Month Plan
Mar 1201:03:47Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailJeremy Haynes breaks down 5 real struggling business owners and delivers a custom roadmap to scale each one to $1 million a month. From a $90K/month ecommerce agency stuck on lead quality, to a burnt-out health coach, a brand-new SMMA, a functional medicine doctor with untapped potential, and a 20-year-old trying to find direction — Jeremy diagnoses exactly what's holding each business back and what to fix first. You'll learn how to reinvest profits using the cost of growth framework, why mindset and echo chambers silently cap your revenue ceiling, how to think in probability like a doctor when testing new strategies, and when an offer pivot actually makes sense versus shiny object syndrome. Whether you're scaling an agency, launching a supplement brand, or figuring out paid ads vs. organic content, this episode is a full masterclass in business decision-making, pricing strategy, and growth architecture. Drop a comment with your current revenue and biggest bottleneck — and subscribe for more real breakdowns every week.#ScalingBusiness #MillionDollarBusiness #BusinessGrowthStrategyTime Stamps:00:00 – How a $90K Agency Can Scale to $300K/Month05:10 – Why Echo Chambers and Mindset Cap Your Revenue10:08 – How Your Worldview Dictates Business Decisions12:40 – Shiny Object Syndrome vs. Smart Offer Pivots17:00 – How to Test Business Ideas Like a Doctor18:31 – Using AI Agents to Replace Staff and Cut Costs24:53 – Why Most Businesses Need More Volume Not a Pivot28:15 – Scaling a Functional Medicine Practice With Pricing36:18 – Paid Ads Strategy for High-Ticket Health Offers44:18 – Health Coach Burnout: Supplement Pivot Gone Wrong48:25 – How to Grow a New SMMA From Zero to Scale58:52 – Advice for a 20-Year-Old With No Direction1:02:20 – How to Grow and Monetize a Podcast in 2026Connect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →How to Make AI 100x Better at Marketing with Corey Haines
Mar 1000:56:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailLearn how to make AI 100x better at marketing using Claude Code skills — downloadable prompt frameworks that turn AI into an expert-level marketer for email marketing, SEO audits, copywriting, and automation. In this episode, Corey Haines, creator of the open-source Marketing Skills repo and founder of Conversion Factory, breaks down how agentic AI tools like Claude Code and OpenClaw let you go from manual copy-paste workflows to fully autonomous marketing systems. Discover how to use AI skills to run email campaigns through Mailchimp or Resend, automate sponsor and backlink outreach with web scraping tools like Firecrawl, optimize on-page SEO at scale, and build self-learning AI agents that improve over time. Whether you're a business owner, content creator, or marketer — this episode gives you the exact playbook to stop being the middleman and start using AI the way Don Draper would use a team of typists. Drop a comment with the first skill you're going to try!#AIMarketing #ClaudeCode #MarketingAutomationTIMESTAMPS00:00 – How AI Skills Make Marketing 100x Better 04:06 – Where to Find and Download AI Marketing Skills 07:06 – How to Use Skills in Claude Cowork and Claude Code10:19 – Why the Terminal Is a Marketer's Secret Weapon 14:21 – The Don Draper Paradigm: AI as Your Typist 16:06 – How to Get Started with Claude Code as a Beginner 19:35 – Why Context Is King for AI Marketing Agents 21:11 – Automating Email Campaigns with Claude Code and Mailchimp 25:07 – Agent-Friendly Email Tools: Resend, Customer.io, and Kit 26:35 – SEO and Shopify Optimization Using AI Agents 32:02 – On-Page SEO Audit Automation at Scale 33:55 – AI-Powered Sponsor Outreach and Backlink Building 38:06 – Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw: Autonomous AI Compared 43:36 – The Future of Autonomous AI Marketing Agents 50:13 – Self-Learning AI Loops and Automated Task Triggers 52:55 – Why Marketers Should Think Like AI EngineersConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
Transcribe →The Skills AI Is Killing (And What to Learn Instead)
Mar 900:46:03Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWilliam Rivera scaled Ecom Degree to over $30 million using webinar funnels, personal branding, and paid ads — and now he's revealing which skills AI is making obsolete and what online business owners should learn instead. In this episode, we break down how AI tools like Manus, Claude, and Meta's ad platform are replacing copywriters, media buyers, and graphic designers, and why creativity, focus, and idea execution are the skills that will survive. Whether you're choosing between e-commerce, info products, or affiliate marketing, Will shares exactly how he evaluates online business models and why he pivoted from info to Medicare for recurring revenue and a real exit.You'll also learn why Will says we're in a "trust recession," how to pick one mentor and stop consuming conflicting advice, and why boring businesses paired with AI systems are the biggest opportunity right now for digital marketers. If you're an entrepreneur trying to figure out what to build next, this conversation will give you serious clarity.Drop a comment with the AI tool you're using most right now, and subscribe for more episodes on building real businesses.#aibusiness #onlinebusinesstips #entrepreneurmindset TIMESTAMPS00:00 – How William Rivera Built a $30M Info Business03:11 – How AI Is Changing E-Commerce and Online Business05:52 – Best AI Tools for Ad Creatives and Scripts07:44 – Info Products vs E-Commerce vs Affiliate Marketing10:23 – Why People Think Making Money Online Is a Scam12:04 – Trust Recession in the Online Course Market13:48 – How Medicare Brokers Make Recurring Revenue16:55 – How to Pick One Business Model and Stay Focused24:55 – Why Boring Businesses Are the Biggest AI Opportunity27:25 – What Jobs AI Is Actually Replacing Right Now30:48 – Why Middle-Skill Workers Are Most at Risk from AI36:31 – Skills AI Is Killing: Copywriting and Media Buying39:14 – Why Creativity and Ideas Still Beat AI41:42 – What to Learn at 18 Instead of Going to College43:41 – Warren Buffett's One-Word Success Secret: FocusConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala
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