The Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time this century, and Sam has a front row seat to the story. He grew up playing high school ball with Jalen Brunson, and he shares what it was like watching a kid who wasn't the biggest or the most talented outwork everyone in the room. From the goals taped to his bedroom wall to the mantra that shaped his entire career, we dig into the mindset that took Brunson from second round pick to the NBA finals.

Parker and Sam are days away from the busiest month in Elevation Nation history - a summer speaking tour across five states, multiple camps, and a whole lot of time in a rental car together.Parker's pumped. Sam's a little tired. And somewhere in between those two feelings is the real conversation: how do you stay present when everything is moving at once? The guys get honest about anxiety, perspective, and why sometimes the suck is exactly where you need to be.

Elevator 248: Joseph DiMeo is a motivational speaker from New Jersey. In July 2018, at 20 years old, he fell asleep at the wheel on the drive home from a shift he picked up for overtime. The accident left him with 80% burns, burnt eyelids, and amputated fingers. After waking from a three-and-a-half month coma, Joe went on to become the first successful face and double hand transplant recipient in the world.In this podcast: Joe takes us back to the moment he woke up from that coma and the first thing he asked about was his rims. We talk about how humor became a survival tool, what it actually felt like to hear his diagnosis at 5am through a haze of painkillers, and how he's built a full life — traveling the world, chasing good food, and showing up every single day with two mental mottos that say everything about who he is.

Bill Villafranco is a trustee of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, a private philanthropic organization that has distributed over $100 million in grants supporting women in the arts, medical research, underprivileged youth, and humanitarian initiatives around the world. He also serves as Executive Director of myFace, a nonprofit supporting individuals with craniofacial differences, and brings decades of experience from his career in wealth management.In this podcast: Bill takes us inside the nursing school he helped build in Thailand that has now graduated over 550 young women out of trafficking and poverty. He opens up about losing his son at birth at 28 years old, the 15 years it took him to make sense of that grief, and how the question "why not me?" became the through-line for the people he now surrounds himself with. We dig into legacy-driven giving, intergenerational mentorship, and why young people are starving for the kind of perspective only someone older than them can offer.

The WSJ publisehd a piece this week showing that the backlash against AI has been bigger than expected. Sam and Parker upack what the rebellion says about society today, talk through their fears with the advancement of AI, and what they plan to do about it.

Elevator 246: Jonathan Belfer (JB) is the Founder of High Frequency Coffee. After navigating the finance world, writing blogs, and producing cooking videos, he channeled his diverse experiences into building a brand centered around coffee and positive energy. High Frequency is more than a company name; it’s a lifestyle built on the belief that positive experiences are contagious and what you consume impacts how you feel.In this podcast: Jonathan flips the script and hits us with his own rapid-fire questions, diving into morning rituals, the power of a daily walk, and the best American rock bands of our generation. We talk about the importance of giving people grace, the benefits of alternative plant medicine, and why operating at a "high frequency" changes how you show up in the world.Check out the High Frequency Coffee website: drinkhighfrequency.com

Are younger people spending less time on building side hustles? Sam and Parker came across an interesting trend that went against their assumptions.Millenials and Gen-Z may actually be more hesitant to start a business in 2026 than years prior.

Elevator no. 245: Vance Row is a retired Public Safety professional from Ocean City, Maryland, and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. After finding his own recovery from mental health and substance abuse challenges, he became a Registered Yoga Teacher to help active and retired first responders process their traumaIn this podcast: Vance opens up about the heavy toll of working in law enforcement and why seeking help is still heavily stigmatized within the police force. We discuss the benefits of breath-work, the mechanics of trauma recovery and how prioritizing self-awareness can completely transform your mindset.

Sam and Parker recap an incredible week down in Orlando, Florida where they attended the EY Future Leaders Summit with over a thousands incoming interns. They had the opportunity to keynote their "Elevate Your Mindset" workshop with the attendees, marking the biggest speaking gig of their lives.

Braxton Bartlett is the CEO of Paladin Capital LLC, Managing Director of The Bartlett Group, Partner at the KB Collective, and a former collegiate and professional basketball player. Confronting the physical limits of his athletic career with total honesty, he started his entrepreneurial journey by fixing and flipping real estate while still completing his college education. Now he is the founder of his own VC firm.In this episode, we discuss the heavy reality of extreme ambition, exploring the vulnerability of failed business ventures and the absolute necessity of defining clear boundaries for financial success. We also detail his highly practical daily productivity habits and share why forcing yourself into unfamiliar situations is the most effective way to discover what genuinely makes you feel alive.

Upon Noah Kahan's new album release, Sam and Parker came across a documentary that uncovers the life of the growing rock star. Their main takeaway: Noah Kahan epitomizes what it means to be an elevator. We dive in.

Elevator 243: Yoni Kirschner is the founder and CEO of 1Konnection, a platform leveraging AI to fix the broken, inefficient cycles of networking and market intelligence in healthcare. After a career spent in the trenches from selling candy in a red wagon to becoming a top regional sales manager at CVS Health, Yoni has mastered the art of turning a "no" into momentum.In this podcast: Yoni shares how he used the resilience learned from door-to-door sales to build an AI platform with zero coding experience. We dive into why interpersonal skills are the only thing that will save your career from automation and how to leverage "Authentic Intelligence" to differentiate yourself in a tech-driven world.

Sam and Parker are ten days away from the first leg of their summer speaking tour. Starting off with 1,000 people in Orlando, Florida then driving through five states in June, there will be plenty of elevating.The guys then talk through some rapid fire questions to see where their heads are at.

Sam and Parker discuss the origins of the 5-day workweek, how it could be a 100-year trap and if a 4-day work week could actually happen.

Elevator 242: Lia Maiuri has spent over a decade in communications and media, working on major entertainment brands like NBC and Paramount Pictures. After navigating the high-pressure worlds of This Is Us and Days of Our Lives, she shifted her focus to helping the next generation bridge the gap between college and the workforce.In this podcast: Lia shares the tactical lessons she learned in the most competitive media environments in the world to help young professionals build a career path. We dive into the "Day 1" reality of starting your career, how to build a resume that lands an interview, and the mindset required to stay resilient in an evolving professional landscape.

Elevator 218: Julia Resnick is a Pyschotherapist at Be You Psychotherapy who specializes in anxiety, OCD, and chronic illness. She brands herself on a "lived-in approach," turning her personal challenges with arthritis and Crohn's disease into a higher level of empathy and purpose for her clients.In this podcast: We discuss holistic wellness in 2026 and the trap of "over-optimizing" our lives through wearable tech and rigid routines. Julia breaks down why flexibility is the ultimate mental health "cheat code," the rise of "reassurance seeking" through AI, and the truth behind the loneliness epidemic facing young men today. From "anchor habits" like sleep to the simple joy of eating a New York bagel again, this conversation is a reminder that mental fortitude isn't about being perfect, it’s about being consistent even when you're only at 60%.

Parker and Sam explore the "EEK and AWE" leadership framework and challenge listeners to reclaim true elevation by intentionally seeking out discomfort and wonder to break through professional stagnation.

Sam started his week off with a challenging start and the guys talk through how he looks refrain him mindset to get back to elevating during the week.

Elevator 241: Keri Hope Richmond is a multi-hyphenate leader, storyteller, and the Executive Director of Unbelievably Resilient. From influencing child welfare policy in Washington, DC, to serving as the CEO of Keri Hope Co, she’s spent her career designing spaces that help young people and families move from surviving to thriving.In this podcast: Keri pulls back the curtain on her transformative journey from the corporate world to a life dedicated to mindfulness and community. We dive into the impact of travel on perspective, the "Blue Zone" science behind longevity and connection, and why in-person relationships are the ultimate antidote to a digital age. Keri breaks down how to deconstruct old narratives, embrace evolution, and turn lived experience into real-world impact.

Sam and Parker explore the importance of introspection in personal and professional growth to elevate in life.