I am Charles Schwartz Show

In this episode, Charles dives deep into the world of purpose-driven entrepreneurship with Lee Rhodes, a trailblazing female founder who transformed her personal battle with cancer into a $30 million empire that's revolutionizing business philanthropy. Lee unveils her groundbreaking approach to integrating charitable giving into every sale, demonstrating how companies can maintain profitability while making a meaningful impact in people's lives. From her early days receiving a small hand-blown glass vessel during chemotherapy to building Glassybaby into a beacon of hope and healing, Lee's journey is a testament to the power of authentic mission-driven business. She dissects her evolution from a mother of three battling cancer to a CEO who's donated $15 million to charity, all while maintaining a commitment to American craftsmanship and living wages. Charles and Lee engage in a candid conversation, exploring the unique challenges faced by female entrepreneurs and the revolutionary approach of making charitable giving a core business function rather than an afterthought. They unpack the counterintuitive decision to maintain American production despite pressure to outsource, the transformative power of point-of-sale giving, and why understanding the human impact of small gestures can create massive business success. Lee's insights crackle with practical wisdom as she breaks down her unique business model, from turning bank loan rejections into opportunities to maintaining authenticity in hiring and growth decisions. She challenges conventional business wisdom, advocating for a radical shift from end-of-year giving to integrated philanthropy that resonates with businesses ready to make a difference in the world. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Master the art of integrating charitable giving into your business model from day one • Learn why giving at point-of-sale is more powerful than end-of-year donations • Discover how to overcome gender-based obstacles in business financing and growth • Understand the power of authentic mission-driven leadership in building customer loyalty • Explore strategies for maintaining core values while scaling your business impact Head over to podcast.iamcharlesschwartz.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode. KEY POINTS: 2:04 Cancer Catalyst: Lee reveals how a cancer diagnosis with three young children sparked the creation of a $30 million empire. 4:11 Gender Barriers: Exposes the reality of women entrepreneurs facing systematic loan rejections and credibility challenges. 15:03 Survival Strategy: Details practical insights for managing chemotherapy while building a business empire. 19:31 Investment Journey: Chronicles the path from bank rejection to finding investors who believed in her mission-driven approach. 25:17 Purpose-Driven: Explores how maintaining unwavering purpose guides critical business decisions, including rejecting Chinese manufacturing. 35:50 Team Empowerment: Shares the delicate balance of leading with vision while letting your team take ownership of decisions. 38:18 Revolutionary Giving: Unveils Glassybaby's unique model of integrating charitable donations at the point of sale rather than year-end.

In this episode, Charles delves into the transformative world of virtual business scaling with Joe Rare, an entrepreneurial innovator who revolutionized the traditional business model by building multiple seven-figure companies run entirely by overseas teams. Joe reveals his breakthrough approach to leveraging global talent, showing how he scaled from zero to over a million dollars monthly revenue without a single local employee, offering a masterclass in the art of virtual team building and remote business optimization. From his humble beginnings as the son of a waitress and police officer to becoming a pioneer in virtual business operations, Joe's story demonstrates the power of breaking free from conventional business constraints. He shares how his virtual assistant service company evolved from a personal solution to a thriving enterprise, bypassing traditional overhead costs and office politics through an innovative direct-to-talent approach that spans multiple time zones. Charles and Joe engage in an illuminating discussion, exploring the delicate balance between maintaining quality and scaling rapidly in a virtual environment. They unpack the crucial distinctions between hiring specialists versus generalists, the importance of clear communication protocols, and why understanding your core business needs trumps the traditional office-bound model. Joe's practical insights shine as he breaks down his journey from a failed traditional agency with 27 local employees to building multiple successful companies with virtual teams. Joe's wisdom resonates with hard-earned experience as he details his company's evolution from startup to scaled success. He challenges conventional business wisdom, advocating for a radical shift from the "local talent only" mentality to building global, flexible teams that can operate efficiently across time zones and cultural boundaries. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Optimize Business Operations: Discover the systems and processes that enable seamless virtual team management • Scale Without Boundaries: Understand how to leverage time zone differences for 24/7 productivity • Transform Email Management: Learn how to completely remove yourself from daily email operations while maintaining control • Build Freedom Through Systems: Master the art of creating a business that runs without your constant involvement Head over to podcast.iamcharlesschwartz.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode. KEY POINTS: 4:03 Daily Workflow Revolution: Reveals how Joe transformed his daily operations by completely removing himself from email management, implementing a two-part daily briefing system that saves hours while maintaining full control of communications. 8:30 Talent Testing Blueprint: Details the unique testing methodology that ensures every hire is a specialist, not a generalist, involving a multi-step verification process where candidates prove their expertise by working directly on Joe's businesses before being offered to clients. 15:01 Business Reality Check: Exposes the critical importance of getting brutally honest about your business needs, breaking down tasks into specialized roles rather than seeking impossible "unicorn" employees who claim to do everything. 19:20 Virtual Assistant Evolution: Demonstrates how virtual assistants have evolved from basic task managers to specialized professionals, showcasing roles from operations directors managing thousands of employees to professors leading development teams. 22:34 Pricing Revolution Formula: Breaks down the exact pricing structure for building a world-class virtual team, revealing how to secure top-tier talent for $10-15 per hour while achieving the same quality as $80,000/year local hires. 32:36 Freedom Through Outsourcing: Maps out how Joe transitioned from a failed traditional agency to generating over a million dollars monthly using virtual teams, all while having the freedom to homeschool his children and control his schedule. 36:40 Zero to Millions Blueprint: Chronicles the rapid scaling strategy that took his business from zero to $109,000 monthly in four months, then doubled it, and eventually hit seven figures - all through strategic virtual team building.

In this episode, Charles explores the revolutionary journey of Steven Galanis, the entrepreneurial force behind Cameo who transformed a simple idea about celebrity connections into a billion-dollar tech phenomenon. Steven reveals his blueprint for building a platform that generated $100 million in revenue with zero marketing spend, offering a masterclass in the art of product-market fit and resilient leadership in the volatile creator economy. From his early days as an options trader nicknamed "the mayor" to becoming a pioneering force in celebrity-fan interactions, Steven's story demonstrates the power of finding your entrepreneurial Ikigai and building with unwavering focus. He shares how Cameo's innovative approach to talent acquisition led to tens of thousands of celebrities joining the platform, bypassing traditional gatekeepers through a groundbreaking direct-to-talent strategy. Charles and Steven engage in a riveting discussion, exploring the delicate balance between hypergrowth and sustainability, and the crucial distinction between chasing market trends and building lasting value. They unpack the game-changing "Hacker, Hustler, Hipster" framework for founding teams, the five Forever OKRs that guide successful CEOs, and why understanding your core business trumps diversification in times of market uncertainty. Steven's insights crackle with hard-won wisdom as he breaks down Cameo's journey from rapid expansion to strategic downsizing and eventual resurgence. He challenges conventional startup wisdom, advocating for a radical shift from the "growth at all costs" mentality to building sustainable, focused businesses that can weather any storm. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Master Product-Market Fit: Learn how Cameo identified and dominated their niche by focusing on authentic celebrity-fan connections • Build Dream Teams: Discover the "Hacker, Hustler, Hipster" framework for assembling founding teams that can execute at the highest level • Navigate Hypergrowth: Understand how to manage rapid scaling while maintaining focus on core business fundamentals • Master Resilient Leadership: Learn the five Forever OKRs that helped Cameo survive market downturns and emerge stronger than ever Head over to podcast.iamcharlesschwartz.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode. KEY POINTS: 5:19 Product-Market Fit: Reveals how Cameo found its sweet spot by expanding beyond athletes to internet celebrities and reality TV stars, achieving $100M revenue with zero marketing spend. 10:17 Co-Founder Framework: Breaks down the "Hacker, Hustler, Hipster" model that created perfect team synergy and division of responsibilities among Cameo's founders. 20:12 Post-Success Challenges: Details the difficult transition from unicorn status to managing a 50% drop in core business, and how rapid expansion led to burning $6M monthly. 22:58 Focus vs FOMO: Shares how resisting trendy opportunities (like NFTs and creator economies) in favor of core business optimization led to sustainable growth. 25:00 CEO's Forever OKRs: Introduces the five crucial objectives every CEO should focus on, learned from his mentor at Kleiner Perkins. 29:52 World-Class Teams: Explains the 1-5 scoring system for evaluating executive talent and maintaining a 4.25+ average for truly exceptional leadership. 32:32 Authenticity Strategy: Describes how choosing authentic, unpolished content over polished production became Cameo's key differentiator and growth driver.

In this episode, Charles dives deep into the world of wellness entrepreneurship with Shana Meyerson, a business maverick who transformed her corporate expertise into a global yoga empire. Shana unveils her blueprint for turning passion into profit, offering a masterclass in the art of building a successful business in a saturated market through strategic niche identification and conscious capitalism. From her early days as a high-powered executive in Hollywood's entertainment industry to becoming a pioneering force in children's yoga, Shana's journey is a testament to the power of authentic reinvention and strategic business development. She shares how her transition from the corporate world to yoga entrepreneurship led to the creation of a unique business model that generates up to $15,000 for a single weekend of teacher training. Charles and Shana engage in a candid conversation, exploring the revolutionary potential of the "yoga of money" philosophy and the crucial distinction between being a yoga instructor and a yoga entrepreneur. They unpack the counterintuitive approach of leveraging corporate experience in the wellness industry, the magic of creating premium value while maintaining accessibility, and why understanding your unique market position trumps following conventional wisdom in today's competitive landscape. Shana's insights crackle with practical wisdom as she breaks down her unique business strategies, from innovative niche marketing to the revolutionary concept of conscious capitalism in the yoga industry. She challenges conventional wellness industry wisdom, advocating for a radical shift from undervaluing spiritual work to creating sustainable, profitable businesses that maintain integrity and social impact. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Transform Failure into Success: Learn how Shana turned early career setbacks into the foundation for building a global yoga empire • Master Niche Domination: Discover how to identify and own your unique market position, even in a saturated industry, by leveraging your distinctive background and experiences • Scale Through Strategic Pricing: Understand how to balance premium pricing with accessibility while maintaining profitability through innovative approaches like sliding scales and teacher training programs • Build Financial Resilience: Learn the "yoga of money" philosophy that combines smart business practices with conscious capitalism, including saving strategies and charitable giving that sustain both profit and purpose Head over to podcast.iamcharlesschwartz.com to download your exclusive companion guide, designed to guide you step-by-step in implementing the strategies revealed in this episode. KEY POINTS: 2:21 Shauna's business journey: From corporate powerhouse to yoga pioneer 9:30 Yoga's impact on life: How discovering yoga three weeks before 9/11 changed everything 20:29 Business breakthrough story: One rabbi's call that launched an empire 27:03 Earning six figures: Transforming from $17,000 to six figures in year two 39:21 Yoga of money: A revolutionary approach to conscious capitalism 46:58 Finding your calling: "What would you do if you knew you wouldn't get paid for it?" 50:31 Balance your energy: Understanding money as shared vibration and treating it with respect