The Dylan Gemelli Podcast – Episode #53 Featuring Adam "SOS" Sosnick
The Inspiration Episode: The Right Mindset to Succeed, Perseverance, Accountability, Overcoming Adversity, Finances & More
Date: September 28, 2025
Host: Dylan Gemelli
Guest: Adam “SOS” Sosnick (Co-Host of the PBD Podcast, VP of Sales at Welcome Funds, financial coach)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into building the mindset needed for long-term success, overcoming adversity, the crucial role of accountability, and practical financial wisdom. Dylan Gemelli welcomes Adam "SOS" Sosnick, who shares his personal transformation story from humble beginnings to financial freedom and becoming an influential voice on the PBD Podcast. The conversation is packed with advice for entrepreneurs, young men, and anyone seeking inspiration to take control of their lives.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Adam’s Background & Impact (03:33 – 13:05)

• Adam’s Upbringing:
  • Grew up in Miami; father with cerebral palsy, mother a nurse.
  • Attended a prestigious school on scholarship—often the poorest kid surrounded by privilege.
  • Early lesson: “Whether you’re the richest kid or the poorest kid, be humble, be real, don’t try to be somebody you’re not, and get along with all types of people.” (09:29)

• Early Career Hustle:
  • Juggled hospitality, substitute teaching, sports/real estate agent work, standup comedy, but stayed broke.
  • Pivoted as a cold caller at a finance startup, Welcome Funds. Made only $5k his first year—stuck with it (“stick with itness”); made $100k in year two; financial crisis was a lesson in saving. Became VP of Sales and financially independent by 35.

• Meeting Patrick Bet-David (PBD):
  • Met PBD at a gym during a conference—relationship grew from there; eventually became PBD Podcast co-host.
  • Adam credits much of his growth to mentorship from PBD, constantly striving for improvement:

  “I have a leader around me, PBD, who kicks my ass or gives me a hug sometimes, depending on what I need…gives me accountability and allows me to strive for greatness...” (12:40)

2. Handling Adversity, Perseverance, & Mindset (13:05 – 16:00)

• CPR: The Secret to Success
  Adam’s formula:
  • Consistent
  • Persistent
  • Resilient

  "If you want the secret to success, it's something called CPR... you don't win or lose, you win or learn." (13:30)

• Learning from Failure:
  • “You can't be a good winner without being a good loser... When you realize you needed it (loss), it makes you better.” (14:31)

3. The Financial Education Crisis (16:00 – 27:00)

• Why Schools Fail at Teaching Personal Finance:
  • No focus on credit, budgeting, asset appreciation, or basics of money management; most teachers themselves are underpaid and not money experts.
  • Adam’s analogy: “Money is a language… and if you speak broken money or finance, you’ll end up broke.” (18:30)

• Real-World Consequences:
  • Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, regardless of income.
  • "It's not an income thing. A lot of the times, it's a spending problem or it's a not understanding money problem." (19:45)

• Adam’s Practical Advice on Debt:
  • Always know your interest rate and pay off high-interest debt before saving or investing.
  • Memorable moment: Adam helps a young NBA hopeful realize he’s paying 25% interest (“You’re going backwards 25%...The best thing you can do is pay off this…weight you’re carrying around—get that out of your life.” (24:57)

  "Personal finance is personal... Just like self-esteem is on you, just like personal development is on you—nobody else is going to do it for you." (25:46)

4. Sports, Competition, & Life Lessons (27:00 – 38:01)

• Adam’s Sports Background:
  • Multi-sport athlete; captained high school football and basketball teams; college football; semi-pro/rec leagues post-college.

• Life Lessons from Sports:
  • “Sports taught me how to be competitive, taught me leadership, teamwork. It taught me CPR—Consistent, Persistent, Resilient.” (30:53)
  • Drew a parallel to Michael Jordan: “He got cut in high school... turned out to be the greatest.” (31:35)

• Letting Go of Consuming Sports & Focusing on Growth:
  • Adam dropped fantasy football to reclaim his time; started social media and personal brand on those Sundays.

  “What would happen if I take all my time and effort and resources and do something [productive] like this?” (33:52)

• Dylan and Adam’s Cautionary Tales:
  • Shared experiences with gambling, working for bookies, and the traps of chasing easy money.

5. Dealing with Change, Adversity, and Being Prepared (38:01 – 41:21)

• On Staying Ready:
  • “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity… Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” (38:07)
  • Example: Tom Brady staying ready as a backup turned him into the GOAT.

• Complacency Trap:
  • Dylan: “The minute that you get complacent is the minute something bad is about to happen. It’s inevitable… Just be ready.” (37:48)

6. Mentorship, Role Models, and Dreaming Big (41:21 – 48:17)

• Learning from PBD:
  • Adam describes PBD as a mentor, friend, big brother, and sometimes even a father figure.
  • PBD’s outlook pushes him to “dream bigger”—from being ‘the man in Miami’ to wanting to “take over the world,” not for ego, but to spread value.

  “Sometimes it… you might think you're here, but you see somebody that sees your capacity to go much further." (44:03)

• Biggest Sin: Wasted Talent:
  Reference to the movie "A Bronx Tale":

  “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” (45:19)

• Accountability:
  • Both discuss importance of honest self-reflection and taking ownership.

7. Staying Rational, Overcoming Victim Mentality, & The Stoic Approach (48:17 – 57:40)

• Stoicism & Balance:
  • Adam credits "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius for helping him develop emotional control and fairness:

  “Life is 20% what happens to you, 80% how you react to it.” (48:45)

• Overcoming Victimhood:
  • The modern excuse culture is stifling: “Victim mentality… is just so unattractive… If you believe in yourself… good things will happen.” (52:27)

• Living in America: A Land of Opportunity:

  “There’s nothing systemically preventing anyone from doing anything… In America today, the world is your oyster.” (56:00)

• Resilience and Redemption:
  • America loves a comeback story; both host and guest share how overcoming adversity has shaped their lives.

8. Criticism, Authenticity, and Kindness vs. Niceness (57:40 – 66:16)

• Coping with Criticism:
  • The bigger your impact, the bigger the target: “The bigger you get, the bigger the target on your back.” (58:46)
  • On authenticity: “With podcasts—there’s no script… People are so done with the fake… being authentic is the name of the game right now.” (61:10)

• Tough Love & Growth:
  • Difference between being nice (short-term pleasantries) and kind (long-term constructive criticism):

  “Nice is to make you feel good short term, but has zero long term benefits. Kind might be hurtful in the short term, but it’s out of genuine concern.” (65:00)

9. Final Advice: Long Game, Work, and the Future (66:16 – End)

• Long Game and Self-Improvement:
  • “Work, earn, save, invest.” (Adam’s mantra for both money and life)

  “As long as you put in the work and play the long game, good things will happen. It happened to me, it happened to you, it’ll happen to anybody in the audience that uses that blueprint.” (71:01)

• Impact and Course Launch:
  • Adam announces a forthcoming course on personal finance and manhood; shares where to follow him:

  “Anything on my socials, it’s all SOS Talks Money. And be on the lookout because we’re launching a personal finance and what it means to be a man in America course…” (72:23)
  • Also touts Manect, the expert Q&A app where he provides 100% response rate.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On CPR for Success:

  "Consistent, Persistent, Resilient. That’s the ‘secret’ to success.” – Adam Sosnick (13:30)

• On Financial Education:

  “Money is also a language. And if you speak broken money or broken finance, guess what? You're going to end up broke.” – Adam Sosnick (18:30)

• Personal Development:

  “It's personal finance for a reason. Ain't nobody going to figure this thing out for you.” – Adam Sosnick (25:46)

• On Mentorship:

  “PBD inspired me to say, yeah, you’re doing okay. You’re doing good. You can do better.” – Adam Sosnick (44:24)

• Victim Mentality vs. Taking Action:

  “A lot of people have the wrong mindset, victim mindset. They're choosing to lose before they've even played the game.” – Adam Sosnick (53:26)

• Authenticity:

  “People are so done with the fake, with the inauthentic… being authentic is the name of the game right now.” – Adam Sosnick (61:10)

• Kindness over Niceness:

  "Nice for short-term pleasantries… Kind might be hurtful in the short term, but it's out of genuine concern and empathy for the long term." – Adam Sosnick (65:00)

• Final Blueprint:

  “Work, earn, save, invest—good things take time, but if you play the long game, you win.” – Adam Sosnick (71:20)

Important Timestamps

• Intro, Guest Impact Story: 03:33 – 08:07
• Adam’s Background & Philosophy: 08:55 – 13:05
• Perseverance, CPR & Success: 13:26 – 14:31
• Financial Education Crisis: 16:00 – 20:58
• Real-World Finance Lessons: 21:21 – 27:00
• Sports & Life Lessons: 27:28 – 38:01
• Preparation and Opportunity: 38:01 – 41:21
• Mentorship & Dreaming Big: 41:21 – 48:17
• Fairness, Stoicism, Mindset Shift: 48:17 – 57:40
• Criticism, Authenticity: 57:40 – 61:10
• Kindness vs. Niceness: 62:56 – 66:16
• Final Reflections & Where to Find Adam: 71:01 – 73:50

Episode Tone and Style

Adam “SOS” Sosnick brings practical, no-nonsense advice, peppered with humor and vivid anecdotes from real-life struggles and triumphs. Dylan provides thoughtful, affirming engagement, focusing on actionable insights and real-world utility for listeners. The conversation maintains an upbeat yet pragmatic energy, emphasizing personal responsibility and the rewards of staying authentic and resilient.

Where to Find More

• Adam "SOS" Sosnick: Socials @SOSTalksMoney
• Manect App: Connect with experts and get direct answers, including Adam and PBD.
• Upcoming Course: Watch for @SOSTalksMoney announcements on personal finance and manhood in America.

Summary prepared for those seeking all the inspiration and tactics, minus the full episode runtime!