Somewhere between Willy Wonka, Silicon Valley wellness culture, and two entrepreneurs stubborn enough to spend a year making mushrooms taste luxurious, Episode 222 of Biz-Souls was born. Well, Welcome back, Kotter and Room 222.

In this delightfully smooth episode, hosts Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler sit down with Graham Bailey and Lee Ribeiro, the masterminds behind Mana Bars (https://manabars.com) - a California-based functional chocolate company turning adaptogens, nootropics, and wellness mushrooms into something shockingly rare: Chocolate that actually tastes like chocolate.

Not dirt. Not regret. Not “wellness” disguised as dessert. Real, silky, craveable chocolate.

The episode kicks off with dreams of Formula One racing, Olympic swimming, music careers, and entrepreneurship before veering gloriously into cognitive-enhancing cacao, calming mushroom blends, and the kind of startup chaos every founder secretly recognizes.

There’s packaging talk, Expo West war stories, manufacturing realities, influencer culture, and enough entrepreneurial wisdom to fuel at least three LinkedIn gurus and one exhausted MBA student.

What makes Graham and Lee compelling isn’t just the product. It’s the collision of craftsmanship and curiosity. One minute they’re discussing functional wellness and sourcing mushrooms from Southern California. The next they’re debating why white chocolate lovers are apparently a secret underground movement worthy of protection. And somehow, it all works.

The real magic of this conversation is that it never feels like a pitch. It feels like two builders obsessing over experience. They didn’t want “healthy chocolate.” They wanted chocolate-forward indulgence with an actual functional payoff:

• Focus without feeling jittery

• Calm without tasting medicinal

• Energy without drinking something neon from a gas station refrigerator

In true Biz-Souls fashion, the episode also drifts into the wonderfully human side of entrepreneurship and why:

• patience matters more than hype

• theory and practice are constantly kung fu fighting

• relationships matter more than algorithms

And why every entrepreneur eventually learns that fires are not occasional events, they’re basically recurring calendar appointments.

The conversation also explores the growing “sober curious” wellness market, influencer-driven branding, and how modern consumers increasingly want products that feel both indulgent and intentional. Functional mushrooms, adaptogens, and nootropics have exploded across wellness categories recently, but Mana Bars is trying to bring actual flavor credibility into the space. And yes… there’s an Austin Powers “One Billion Dollars!” moment. Because no Biz-Souls episode should ever become too respectable.

Other delicious Biz-Souls Episodes:

Episode 139: Play for Better Living! Why Play Makes Every Life Better

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EOyx44QYvEkrzE6Fg6fA8

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUd8cU1JXg

Episode 125: How to Retrain Your Brain with Kelley Raleigh

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sl8zVZB6Jx5DMHg8lN9aH

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA4P9HvbKVI

Episode 127: Tickled About Piccles! with Chris Bent

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/1m0lrAjU0EoA0YpWqq9n9K

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNREqXwV8k

Episode 137: Just Say No! Maybe.

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ffpbkA2n8

Episode 136: Mature Gnome with Ego

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SrTBRzWZ9MbhycJw5Nkwv

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6sKzNUWTo

Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler welcome back recurring guest and hospitality insider Nick Morton to unpack a story that rocked the culinary world - centered on famed chef René Redzepi of Noma. This isn’t just another ‘celebrity chef gone rogue’ story. It’s a full-on reality check about internships, unpaid labor, and the culture of ‘abuse-as-education’.

Redzepi’s empire didn’t crumble overnight. It wasn’t until former interns began speaking out about toxic conditions of emotional and physical abuse when René’s cake was left out in the rain.

Here’s the kicker: This isn’t just a restaurant problem.

Nick draws a bold, and frankly uncomfortable, parallel to the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and even elite events like the US Open Golf Championship that all take advantage of free labor.

The question is, ‘When billion-dollar industries rely on unpaid work is it an educational tradition or exploitation with better branding?

For the restaurant business, Nick draws a line between the brigade system, popularized by Auguste Escoffier, and the current culture. His system was designed to bring order to the chaos of commercial kitchens: Think military precision with butter.

Things went sideways when the culture moved from a ‘Yes, Chef!’ attitude to flying sauté pans.

The abusive culture has only continued to grow. While shows like ‘The Bear’ may win awards, they normalize dysfunctional behavior and environments. You know the characters from reality shows: Marco Pierre White and TV titan Gordon Ramsay. Their behavior is excused as fiery personalities and show ratings are strong.

Nick and Biz-Souls ask the real question: Must apprenticeship go hand-in-hand with abuse. And you know the answer, and so do the creators and stars of the ‘The Great British Bake Off’.

Saying drama sells is just an excuse for limited minds. Still, before you swear off dining out forever, take a breath, because this episode isn’t a takedown, it’s a wake-up call.

Nick highlights the leaders who don’t make headlines for bad behavior. Mentors who teach instead of terrorizing. Operators who build people up instead of breaking them down. Restaurateurs like Danny Meyer who prove hospitality can actually include hospitality.

Turns out, kindness isn’t bad for business. Who knew?

If you believe this isn’t just about restaurants, and it’s about every industry where ‘experience’ is used as currency instead of cash, then you’re drinking from the same glass as Nick and our Biz-Souls hosts.

As for these billion dollar enterprises paying apprentices and ‘volunteers’, if only those with the means to fund themselves can afford to learn, the system isn’t building talent, it’s filtering it.

So, listen in, follow, subscribe, share and share again. Because this message is an important message to pass around.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a former would-be radio DJ, a philosophy major, body builder, and a “professional button pusher” walk into a podcast… this episode is your answer.

This week on Biz-Souls, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler sit down with Alex Fredricks, a growth strategist who has done everything short of becoming Wolfman. From mixing records with oscilloscopes to scaling brands across tech, wellness, and even blockchain, Alex’s career path reads like a masterclass in “I didn’t plan this, but I absolutely meant to.”

The real twist? He’s now decoding your voice—yes, your actual voice—to tell you what’s going on inside your body. Not metaphorically. Not spiritually. Literally.

In this episode, you’ll get:

• A crash course in how frequency, physiology, and voice intersect

• Why most “data” is just noise unless it tells you what to do next

• The difference between measuring your life and actually improving it

• A surprisingly compelling argument that your best wellness tool… might already be in your pocket

And, of course, the usual Biz-Souls chaos: Tech hiccups, gentle roasting, and big ideas wrapped in wit and wonder.

Alex doesn’t just talk about innovation—he translates it into action. Or as he might say: stop tracking your problems and start solving them.

Tune into your voice and your health. And while you’re at it, listen in, subscribe, and share this episode of Biz-Souls with everyone you care about.

Here are other episodes that pair perfectly with this one—same sharp insights, same unfiltered delivery:

Episode 216: Grace Under Fire

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/bizsouls/episode216

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bizsouls216

Episode 219: Distilled Ambition: From Mortuary to Martini Bar

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/bizsouls/episode219

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bizsouls219

Episode 139: Play for Better Living!

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/bizsouls/episode139

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bizsouls139

Episode 127: Tickled About Piccles!

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/bizsouls/episode127

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bizsouls127

If you thought the Biz-Souls Podcast was just about deep business insights and the occasional philosophical mic drop, think again. This episode takes a hard left turn into barrels, booze, and beautifully crooked labels at the one and only Hollywood Distillery.

Welcome to Biz-Souls’ educational buzz tour! Where Rona and Jeffrey (your behind the scenes camera guy) roll up like serious business journalists on a Seinfeld Episode.

They start with ‘the barrel’. The “we’re-never-opening-this-because-it’s-our-firstborn” barrel. Because nothing says smart business strategy like, “We’ll never monetize this asset… but wow, it looks great on the wall.”

Somewhere between organic date farms and award-winning vodka, the team uncovers a powerful business lesson:

Step 1: Take dates

Step 2: Turn them into syrup

Step 3: Ferment, distill, win double gold

Step 4: Casually say “anyone can do it”

Then casually build a custom 1,000-gallon copper still that takes two years and probably a small emotional support group and a bitcoin account to complete.

Let’s be clear—this is a highly technical tour.

• You’ll learn about:

• “The big ball thing”

• “The giant cooker situation”

• And everyone’s favorite: “those window tray things where the vodka goes up… and then down… and then up again”

MIT, please update your curriculum immediately.

We’re talking Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Not one gold. Not “participation bronze.” Double Gold, because Single Gold is for Quitters.

At some point, things get legitimately impressive. We’re just not sure when that occurs.

Our dynamic duo has maybe met it’s match, because who asks, “What if… we just put the labels on crooked?” Not by accident. On purpose. And then does it.

Truth is, when your product is sitting behind a bar, competing for attention…Why be perfect when you can be perfectly off? That’s branding with a cocktail in hand.

So, join the Hollywood Distillery tour with Biz-Souls for the insight, then stay for the rye bourbon smash.

Then follow, subscribe, and share the spirits of the Biz-Souls Podcast with all your contacts.

And remember, the Biz-Souls Podcast is never distilled or filled, so it can never be legally taxed.

This episode was recorded live at Hollywood Distillery (yes, across from a cemetery—because branding matters), this is entrepreneurship with a pulse… and also without one, depending on the building’s earlier tenants.

More Biz-Souls Episodes Worth Your Time (and Possibly Your Sanity):

Episode 139: Play for Better Living!

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EOyx44QYvEkrzE6Fg6fA8

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUd8cU1JXg

Episode 137: Just Say No! Maybe.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ffpbkA2n8

Episode 136: Mature Gnome with Ego

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SrTBRzWZ9MbhycJw5Nkwv

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6sKzNUWTo

Episode 127: Tickled About Piccles! with Chris Bent

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1m0lrAjU0EoA0YpWqq9n9K

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNREqXwV8k

Episode 125: How to Retrain Your Brain with Kelley Raleigh

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sl8zVZB6Jx5DMHg8lN9aH

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA4P9HvbKVI

This episode of Biz-Souls is what happens when business strategy meets… booze with a backstory.

Recorded on location at Hollywood Distillery, Rona Lewis takes the mic solo (don’t worry, Jeffrey is lurking off-camera like a true executive producer ninja) and dives headfirst into a story that proves entrepreneurship is equal parts vision, timing… and apparently, several thousand pounds of dates.

Because nothing says “business pivot” like turning a former mortuary into a buzzing distillery across from Hollywood Forever Cemetery. That’s right: where spirits once departed, they now get bottled.

Larry Newberg, Hooch Commander, which frankly should be an MBA concentration, walks us through how a casual conversation at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce turned into a full-blown distilling operation on historic Route 66 under the Hollywood Sign. Because if you’re going to disrupt an industry, you might as well do it somewhere iconic.

This isn’t your average “burn-your-soul-then-text-your-ex” vodka. This is date-based vodka that strolled into the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019 and casually walked out with title Best Vodka in the World and a double gold award. No label. No expectations. Just delightful vibes and victory. It’s smooth. It’s sippable. It’s the kind of drink that makes you ask, “Wait… vodka can taste like this?”

Between laughs and pours, and Rona getting progressively more enthusiastic about liquid research, there are actual takeaways:

• Say yes to weird opportunities - even if you don’t know where they might be heading.

• Own the asset, not just the idea. Landlords are not known for their enterprising spirit.

• Expect chaos and economic stress: Especially when your project involves the city, construction, and a global pandemic.

• If you’re going to fail, which they refuse to do, fail with a full bodied commitment, and preferably with a tasting room.

Why you should listen!

• Because this episode has everything:

• A business origin story that starts with “Wait… can we even do this?”

• A uniquely concocted product.

• Hollywood history, legends, and Hollywood dreams.

• And just enough hooch to loosen up those uptight city folks.

If you’ve ever thought, “I have an idea, but it’s probably too crazy…” This episode politely pushes you to jump in with both feet and with a glass in hand.

Listen to Biz-Souls at Hollywood Distillery where the only thing stronger than the vodka… is the entrepreneurial spirit.

And while you’re toasting to this episode, share the toast and the podcast. Then follow along and subscribe. You’ll be glad you did.

In the meantime, here are some other Biz-Souls award winners:

Episode 139: Play for Better Living!

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EOyx44QYvEkrzE6Fg6fA8

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUd8cU1JXg

Episode 137: Just Say No! Maybe.

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ffpbkA2n8

Episode 136: Mature Gnome with Ego

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SrTBRzWZ9MbhycJw5Nkwv

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6sKzNUWTo

Episode 127: Tickled About Piccles! with Chris Bent

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1m0lrAjU0EoA0YpWqq9n9K

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNREqXwV8k

Episode 125: How to Retrain Your Brain with Kelley Raleigh

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sl8zVZB6Jx5DMHg8lN9aH

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA4P9HvbKVI

If you’ve ever thought, “You know what this podcast needs?” More accounting.” Congratulations, this episode is your Siberian Gulag. (Don’t you really wish it was more cowbell!)

Rona does her very best to make this a fun episode. Still, everyone suffers just a little.

This is the perfect podcast episode if you’ve ever said, “I should understand finance…” and then immediately open Hulu instead.

On this thrilling installment of Biz-Souls, Rona Lewis bravely admits accounting is not her thing, while Jeffrey Handler enthusiastically proves… it is absolutely his thing.

Together, they tackle:

• The five drawers of accounting (no, not underwear… unfortunately).

• Why QuickBooks makes entrepreneurs question their life choices?

• The difference between accounting and finance. Spoiler alert: one records your pain, the other analyzes it!

• And the magical world of ROI, where everyone pretends they know what they’re talking about.

You’ll also learn:

• Why might accountants secretly enjoy confusing you?

• How “assets = liabilities + equity” became a personality test.

• And how to get 100% ROI by doing absolutely nothing (finally, a strategy we can all commit to).

Meanwhile, Rona’s eyes glaze over in real time, Jeffrey builds a metaphor about a filing cabinet that somehow becomes the entire financial system, and you’ll walk away knowing just enough to be dangerous at dinner parties and in boardrooms.

Or at least enough to say “GAAP” confidently and hope no one asks follow-ups.

This episode proves one thing: Accounting isn’t hard… it’s just loved by people who enjoy watching others suffer.

So, share the pain, and follow and subscribe for a regular dose of pain only tickling usually generates. And sent Jeffrey a note if you’d like to see him develop more programs for your educational needs.

Here are other Biz-Souls episodes … ones without numbers:

Episode: Grace Under Fire (our 2nd most popular episode to date)

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizSoulsPodcast

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QZkzexampleBizSouls

Episode: How To Retrain Your Brain

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizSoulsPodcast

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QZkzexampleBizSouls

Episode: Play Games for Better Business!

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizSoulsPodcast

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QZkzexampleBizSouls

This is the perfect podcast for anyone who’s ever tried to have a rational discussion and had it turned into a verbal explosion.

In this episode of Biz-Souls, Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler dive headfirst into moral framing that confounding when a simple conversation turns into good versus evil, us versus them, and “you’re wrong and I’m morally superior.” Critical thinking disappears in a single breath.

From storytelling wisdom inspired by Annette Simmons to timeless insights from Aristotle – you know, the guy from all ancient Greece, and a more recent oldie, Don Miguel Ruiz.

Meanwhile, social media (cough Mark Zuckerberg) might be pouring gasoline on the fire - because nothing says “healthy discourse” like algorithms designed to keep you outrage-scrolling at 2 a.m.

But don’t worry, this isn’t just a rant-fest, Rona and Jeffrey supply real tools too:

• Keep your cool when conversations heat up

• Ask smarter questions instead of launching verbal grenades

• Reframe arguments without losing your mind

• And, brace yourself, how to listen better

If you’ve ever wanted to win an argument without destroying a relationship or at least understand why Uncle Bob went off the rails at Thanksgiving, this episode is your playbook.

Or maybe you just want to listen to discover how our Biz-Souls duo manages to stay funny on such a serious subject.

Listen now. Think better. Argue smarter. And maybe… just maybe… don’t grab the serrated bread knife.

Then follow, subscribe, and share for even more fun in the future.

#BizSouls #MoralFraming #Leadership #CommunicationSkills #CriticalThinking #Storytelling

Other Biz-Souls Episodes:

Episode 169: Positive, Normative, and Positively Normative Thinking (VERY CLOSE to moral framing)

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Episode 125: How to Retrain Your Brain

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Sl8zVZB6Jx5DMHg8lN9aH

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA4P9HvbKVI

Episode 137: Just Say No! Maybe…

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9pVnMLtrVRHfSrkE3dZn

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ffpbkA2n8

Episode 164: Managers Not Okay and Melting in the Middle

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SrTBRzWZ9MbhycJw5Nkwv

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6sKzNUWTo

Episode 173: Play and Profit (Story + perception framing)

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Episode 167: From Ikigai to AI (meaning-making + narrative framing)

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNREqXwV8k

This is the perfect podcast to follow Episode 215: Grace Under Fire… because apparently, grace only gets you so far when you can’t agree on the definition of basic words.

Welcome to Biz-Souls Episode 216, where Rona Lewis and Jeffrey Hansler do what all great business leaders do…debate, disagree, double down—and then invite you to decide who’s right (with pizza on the line, no less).

This episode has everything:

A philosophical showdown over empathy versus sympathy (spoiler: no one leaves unscathed), and real-world leadership dilemmas that prove business decisions aren’t just spreadsheets, they’re human.

Jeffrey brings the “I’ve trained leaders on this for years” energy while Rona brings the “I will absolutely challenge that” energy. Together, they bring… confusion, conviction, and comedy.

Along the way, things escalate from: “Let’s define empathy…” to “You have it backwards...” to “We probably should’ve looked this up first...” to “Jane, you ignorant…” (Yes, it goes there.

Thankfully, no turtles were harmed in the making of this episode… although several were mentioned.

And beneath the laughs is a seriously relevant conversation:

• How do leaders make tough calls without becoming cold and robotic?

• Where’s the line between caring and carrying too much?

• And is it possible to lead with heart without losing your head?

If Episode 215 was about keeping your cool under pressure, Episode 216 is about what happens when the pressure turns into a full-blown semantic sparring match.

So… who’s right? Team Rona or team Jeffrey?

Or are you just here for the occasional cats and the chaos?

Tune in, weigh in, and maybe, just maybe, learn something about leadership, language, and why you should always Google definitions before you hit record.

Biz-Souls: where business gets real… and occasionally ridiculous.