Discover More

39. Discover More Books: The Impossible First by Colin O’Brady

"The idea of impossibility and possibility is entirely self-determined. And, it is our personal responsibilities to identify the potential sticking points and reframe them as growth points. We have to commit the effort, the time, and the energy to venture into the unknown. That is the most effective way to conquer your own impossible first."
Welcome back to another episode of Discover More. 
This week, we have another episode of Discover More Books, where we’ll be reviewing and discussing the book, “The Impossible First” by Colin O'Brady.
The Impossible First tells the story of how Colin O’Brady became the first person to cross the landmass of Antarctica, completely unassisted and unsupported. The expedition spanned 54 days, with absolutely zero companionship or supply drop offs. This required pulling a 375 pound sled for 932 miles through temperatures as low as -112 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the journey itself is powerful & inspiring, we believe the true value of this book lies in the lessons, mindsets, and approaches to life that Colin shares throughout his journey. When he was visiting Thailand at age 22, he severely burned his legs during a flaming jump rope accident. He was told he would never walk again, shattering his identity as a high-level endurance athlete. However, instead of focusing on the negative, his optimistic mother challenged him to set a goal and take the first step during recovery.
Colin set a goal of running a triathlon, a seemingly impossible goal for someone in his position. Through his patience, visualization, and hard work, Colin went on to not just complete, but win the Chicago triathlon, just two years later. This story illustrates the very ethos of the Impossible First, that anything is possible if we remove the limits we put on ourselves.
He believes that we are the stories we tell ourselves, and by re-writing these narratives, everyone has the power to change what is possible. We highly recommend reading this book, not just for the entertaining story, but also for the profound and inspiring lessons that O’Brady shares.
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow. We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More Books. Thank you.

38. Successfully Retiring at 30 through Mindset Development and Real Estate with Tu Pham

"I like to describe wisdom as the self-reflection of past experiences. It’s like, what are you extracting out of these moments to make you a wiser person." - Tu Pham
Tu Pham (@tupham918 ) is an accountant turned real estate Investor who successfully achieved his American dream by retiring from his 9-5 at the age of 30.
The crazier thing, he submitted his two weeks in March 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic.
Tu was also the first guest on the Discover More Podcast, where he courageously announced his vision on our first interview. Now, just one year later, he has even more than he predicted, and we are remarkably excited to have him back in the studio.
In this week’s episode, Tu shares the mindsets that enabled him to achieve this goal, including the transformational powers of vision and belief. Further, we discuss the challenges of retiring in such an uncertain time, as well as the importance of self-reflection and mentorship.
Please check out Tu's favorite book “Twelve Universal Laws of Success” by Herbert Harris.
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Tu Pham. Thank you.

37. Balancing Entertainment and Entrepreneurship through College On Tap with Sarah Bennett

"One main thing I learned is that it's really not that easy to start a business. That may sound simple, but I think a lot of kids are looking for quick money scheme, and I just don't think those really exist out there." - Sarah Bennett
Sarah Bennett is the founder of College On Tap, an entertainment blog written by college students, for college students. Imagine the platform of Barstool Sports, with a mission of information and empowerment.
In this episode, we discuss the story and mission of College on Tap, as well as Sarah’s beliefs around the growth mindset and the process of entrepreneurship.
Sarah shares the story of her first business; a custom sock company that she founded at age 14. Although this venture ended up failing, it instilled in her the ethos of entrepreneurship; taking risks, failing often, and extracting lessons from those failures.
Fast forward to quarantine 2020, when Sarah found herself with more free time than she’s ever had, and therefore, rediscovered her passion for entrepreneurship. She realized that college students deserved a social media site where they can learn and have fun at the same time, so she decided to launch College On Tap, with the partnership of her co-founder and best friend, Carly Christofi.
Please check out their brand @c0llege0ntap (website: http://collegeontap.com ; twitter: @TapCollege; fb: College On Tap) and Sarah’s favorite book “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” by Adam Grant.
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Sarah Bennett. Thank you.

36. Redefining Success and Connecting Passion with Purpose with Aamer Rehman

"Success is subjective. Everyone has their own level and definition of what success is." - Aamer Rehman
Aamer Rehman (@Heelaamer)is a Personal Trainer and a Specialized Sales Manager in the healthcare industry.
In this week’s episode, we shift our discussion from Aamer’s personal and fitness journeys to his masterful understanding of sales and relationship building.
We believe that sales is one of the most underrated, yet practical skillsets in life.
The truth is, we are practicing sales on a daily basis. Whether it be in business, relationships, or social media, we are constantly selling ourselves, our values, and/or our ideas.
We also discuss how we believe success should be defined, as well as the importance of connecting purpose and passion.
Follow Aamer on social media (@Heelaamer) and reach out to him if you’re interesting in training to bring out the best version of yourself.
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Aameer Rehman. Thank you.

35. The Victor Mindset, Health as Life’s Centerpiece, and the Beauty of the Attempt with Aamer Rehman

"Everyone has different circumstances and situations, but do you let those circumstances and situations control you, or do you control your situations and circumstances?" - Aamer Rehman
Aamer Rehman (@Heelaamer) is a Personal Trainer and a Specialized Sales Manager in the healthcare industry.
In this episode, we discuss Aamer's transformational journey as an Indian-American in the fitness space, the importance of placing health and wellness at the center of one's life, and the beauty of the attempts, in whatever you do.
Aamer shares the important distinction between the victim vs. the victor mindset - through both his journey as a former football player and as an Indian American growing up in a hardworking blue-collar immigrant household - choosing the victor mindset means becoming the master of your circumstances.
Check out his favorite book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey.
We'd really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow. We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Aamer Rehman. Thank you.

34. Discover More Books: Top 10 Lessons from The Third Door by Alex Banayan

“The Third Door” by Alex Banayan is one of the most entertaining and compelling books we have ever read.
Filled with adventurous stories and profound pieces of wisdom, The Third Door illustrates the true power of passion, persistence, and having a mission greater than ourselves.
In The Third Door, Alex tells the story of how, at 18-years old, he decided to let go of his pre-med track at USC, and instead, follow his heart towards his mission; to interview the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and discover their secrets to success.
The Third Door takes readers on an incredible journey - from hacking the Price Is Right for start-up money, to chasing Larry King through a grocery story, to booking interviews with some of the world’s most impactful thinkers. Interviews with Bill Gates, Maya Angelou, and Steve Wozniak, as well as a collection of others revealed one thing they all have in common; they all took the Third Door.
Now, “What is The Third Door?, you may ask.
As Alex explains,
Life, business, success… it’s just like a nightclub.
There are always three ways in.
There’s the First Door: the main entrance, where 99 percent of people wait in line, hoping to get in.
The Second Door: the VIP entrance, where the billionaires and celebrities slip through.
But what no one tells you is that there is always, always… the Third Door. It’s the entrance where you have to jump out of line, run down the alley, bang on the door a hundred times, crack open the window, sneak through the kitchen—there’s always a way.”

33. Seeking Mentorship, Cultivating Curiosities, and Leaning into Discomfort with Montay Fowler

"Schools are where students feel safe, which is condusive to learning, and where they feel supported. They feel loved, they feel seen, and they feel heard. That stuff can change a person's life." - Montay Fowler
Montay Fowler (@Montayf_) is a Youtuber (@TayLoso), MSW UPenn Graduate, a real estate entrepreneur, and a well-recognized leader in the communities of Philadelphia for his civic engagement and services.
In this episode, we shift our focus from the macro racial issues to the personal aspects of Montay’s upbringing. We discuss his unique evolution as a former collegian athlete to an academic scholar after a major heartbreak, his journey to start a real estate business with his partners through self-education, and much more. This is part 2 of our conversation with more lighthearted topics, and we shared quite a few laughs listening to Montay’s remarkably inspiring and entertaining journey.
Check out Montay’s favorite spot in the city: Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books (@unclebobbies).
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow. We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Montay Fowler. Thank you.

32. Black Lives Matter is the Baseline with Montay Fowler

“Education is the easy part. It’s easy to pick up a book. It’s easy to search for something online. If you have family members upholding systems of white supremacy, or have friends with racist beliefs, but you do nothing about it, I think you're further contributing to the problem.” - Montay Fowler
Montay Fowler (@Montayf_) is the co-founder of non-profit initiative Project Pledge Philly (ipledgephl), a MSW graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, and a well-recognized leader in the communities of Philadelphia for his civic engagement and services.
In this episode, we discuss the importance of recognizing one’s privilege, the contexts of systematic racism, and other wide-ranging conversations related to the Black Lives Matter movement. This episode focuses on these macro issues and how they have attributed to Montay’s adolescent years in the child welfare system and education experiences. Here are the sources that were discussed in the episode: “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, 12 Years a Slave” by Solomon Northup, “How to Be Black” by Baratubde Thurston, “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi, Brene Brown: the Call to Courage, and 13th on Netflix.
We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow. We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us and Montay Fowler. Thank you.

31. The Power of Clarity, Transitioning Careers, and WFH Predictions

In this episode, hosts Benoit Kim and Aidan Weinmann sit down for a wide range of conversations from getting a new job to discussing work culture shift during the quarantine. They also discuss the power of clarity, three important questions to self-examine during career transitions, and work-from-home predictions in the post COVID era.

30. How To Find Calmness Amidst COVID through meditation and Stress Less, Accomplish More by Emily Fletcher

This week, we’ll be reviewing Stress Less, Accomplish More by Emily Fletcher @emilystellafletcher on Instagram.
This book is a how-to meditation book for achievement minded individuals who believe they either don’t have the time to mediate or the ability to meditate consistently.
Emily tells the story of how the stresses of a 10 year career on Broadway, led her to India to study the only thing that got her through those crazy years, meditation.
She shares the wisdom she learned while studying Eastern meditation in India for 3 years.
She then explains the Z-Technique, the meditation practice that she developed for the ordinary person and used to start her meditation company, Ziva.
This book is packed with science-based studies around the neurological benefits of meditation that explains the transformative power of meditation. The compelling research and immutable results of meditation, paired with Emily’s remarkable story-telling, makes for an incredible page-turner that can make a profound impact on reader’s lives.
In the first few chapters, Emily poses a powerful question, “Would you be willing to invest 2 precent of your day if you knew it would improve the other 98 percent?” We believe this is a no brainer.
She explains, “Meditation is simply a tool to help you reach your goals; it’s never the goal itself. We Meditate to get good at life, not to get good at meditation.” Both Beniot and I have been meditating every morning for the past year, however this book transformed the way we look at and approach our practices.
In this episode, we will discuss our biggest takeaways from Emily’s book, the many scientific benefits that she presents, as well as our significant experiences with and from meditation.
We hope this episode brings you an effective toolkit that allows you to find a sense of calmness and composure amidst this challenging time.