Most people think entrepreneurship is about strategy, hustle, and execution.

It’s not.
It’s negotiation.
With people.
With systems.
And most of all, with yourself.

In this episode of The Leaders Arena, former UFC & Bellator Fighter Clifford Starks and Nate Fochtman go deep into the realities founders don’t talk about: survival mode, self-inventory, over-ownership, addiction in all its forms, leadership embodiment, and why most people avoid the internal work until life forces them to stop.

We talk about why stepping into the arena is always harder than expected, how society tells people what to do instead of asking what they want, and why failure, discomfort, and aggressive mistakes are often the fastest teachers. We unpack parenting, mentorship, hiring, negotiation, abundance mindset, and the danger of confusing external validation for internal alignment.

This conversation also marks the announcement of Nate’s new founder and executive coaching program - built for operators who are tired of chaos, fire drills, and carrying everything in their head, and ready to turn vision into systems that actually work.

If you’re building something, leading people, recovering yourself, or questioning the path you’re on - this one will hit.

Recorded for founders, leaders, and people who are done running from the mirror.

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