In 2008/2009, I obsessively studied for and passed the two hardest bar exams in the country- New York and California.  That brutal year of tests, combined with the stress of extremely high stakes litigation and the ups and downs of life, exacerbated an existing eating disorder to the point where I knew I needed help. Life coach Mike Bayer was the one who I reached out to to help me find treatment. Fast forward to 2021, Coach Mike and I have both evolved a lot! It was so great to catch up with Mike and reflect on how things were back then, his rising stardom and success (2x NY Times bestselling author, a Dr. Phil regular, recovery expert and Tik Tok star), and all things law, life, victimhood and so much more.  Check out this episode to hear about all this, and how he got over 4M likes on Tik Tok by giving out advice while wearing Speedos.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Law Flip

WTF is a life coach? | LawFlip Ep 62

Issues surrounding the Trans community have become a part of the mainstream media in recent years, and yet, for some reason, I’ve have a hard time talking about this subject. In fact, I’ve written and rewritten this summary five times. Why is it so tough? Maybe it’s because I don’t want to offend anyone?  But as a lawyer whose practice centers around fighting for the oppressed, including the LGBTIA community, I know my heart is in the right place.  So that is precisely why I feel so lucky to have Cadyn Cathers(PsyD) on Lawflip this month. He is an entrepreneur, professor of psychology, who happens to be a trans man.  Cadyn and I discuss his childhood, how he came out (he actually came out multiple times), common trans misconceptions, how to combat transphobia, why over 80 percent of us do not know a Trans Person, and if Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox adequately represent the Trans community.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Does Caitlyn Jenner Speak For the Trans Community? | LawFlip Ep 61

Divorce is one of the most challenging events one can experience. I know because I’ve gone through it myself. It’s also possible to go through it and have everyone come out stronger on the other side. I’m still in the early stages of this chapter of my life, but I couldn’t think of a better person with whom to discuss this subject than Laura Wasser.  She just so happens to be the most famous divorce attorney in the world.On this week’s episode of lawflip, we speak about how famous people deal with divorce, prenuptial agreements, how information is power and much more. Laura represents a who’s who of “A Listers”, including Kim Kardashian, Johnny Depp, Britney Spears and many others. She’s also dealt with divorce herself and has not one, but two baby daddies.  Laura discusses the balance of being a top lawyer, a startup founder of It’s Over Easy and mother of 2 and has great advice for those considering marriage or divorce.  Somehow, we still managed to make the conversation light and fun.  For the full episode, please click the link in the bio.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Do Celebrities Divorce Like Us? | LawFlip Ep 60

There can be no doubt that Los Angeles is one of the greatest cities in the world.  It’s also deeply fraught with corruption, nepotism, and insider politics.  In this episode of LawFlip, Yale educated (smarty pants) Sam Yebri Joins us for an entertaining and informative discussion.  We discuss the biggest issues facing Los Angeles: homelessness, crime, Black Lives Matter, Newsom/Garcetti, anti-semitism, Persian food/culture and so much more.  Sam, a dedicated husband and father of four, describes what might seem like a mind-boggling decision (particularly for a Persian in LA)  to give up his private law practice to work for the City of Los Angeles.  By the end of the episode, that decision starts to make sense.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Is Sam Yebri The Perfect Persian To Fix LA? | LawFlip Ep 59

How to Get Successful as an Entrepreneur: At a Glance➢ Have a solid business plan➢ Have a futuristic and realistic mindset➢ Have a business strategy in place➢ Make sure that you have a talented, loyal, and reliable team➢ Hold everyone accountable for their actions➢ Take risks when necessary for what you believe in➢ Keep it consistent, and don’t try to do everything by yourself➢ Communicate to get past stuff that’s stopping you from exploding as a businessRead on for insights and a better understanding.In this episode of LawFlip, Benjy Smith discusses entrepreneurship mindset, strategies, partnerships, and family support with our guest, Brett Marz. Brett is the co-founder of now 200 million dollar company BAMKO—one of the leading branding platforms that help manufacturers make real-time, informed business decisions.Brett started the company 20 years ago in a dorm room with a childhood friend. Brett and his team took a disruptive approach towards a more rewarding, long-term problem-solving business model.BAMKO team had a relentless mindset as they were hungry for success. It’s a story of struggle, betrayal, hardships, and some early failures.What got Brett through tough times was the trust that he had in his partners, the support that he got from his loving friends and family, and the ideals of business that he inherited from his parents.If you are an aspiring or struggling entrepreneur, watch this episode to refresh your lost or newly found entrepreneurship spirit again!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

How to Get Successful as an Entrepreneur | LawFlip Ep 58

Before telling you about this month’s episode of Lawflip, I’m going to share something very personal about what’s been going on with me:  It’s been 55 days since I began experiencing what turned out to be a combination of partial hearing loss and tinnitus. For those of you who don’t know about tinnitus, it’s a miserable condition that causes you to hear sounds in your ear (like ringing, clicking, and other crazy sounds that make the voice that’s ordinarily inside your head sound chill). Aside from dealing with these terrible symptoms, I’ve had a series of treatments in hopes of resolving them (including, among other things, several steroid injections in my eardrum and spending time in a hyperbaric chamber). While things aren’t as bad as they were at their worst, these conditions and treatments are definitely NOT fun and the unknown can be scary. Because life does sometimes imitates art, it’s worth noting that just six months ago I had the amazing Ronen Nazarian (a board-certified otolaryngologist in Los Angeles) on Lawflip to talk about his amazing work to restore people’s hearing. During these past 55 days, Dr. Nazarian has been incredible for me (to say the least)! In light of these recent experiences, Dr. Kaveh Navab (an incredible anesthesiologist and deep philosophical thinker) and I spend this episode of Lawflip discussing various setbacks and challenges (including health, business, financial, and others). I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I always enjoy conversing with him. When going through tough times, it’s critical to remember that you have to hold on tight to special friends who will be there for you (like Ronen and Kaveh)! With these thoughts in mind, please give this month’s episode a listen!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Do You Hear Me? | LawFlip Ep 57

After working in law, then restaurant management, Gabriel Halimi took an idea for a water leak detection system that his father (an engineer) came up with in his garage and built a successful start-up company (which he then sold for a substantial, but undisclosed, sum to a publicly-traded company). This episode follows Gabriel&apos;s entrepreneurial journey from startup to acquisition. Benjy and Gabriel discuss an array of topics including the role of a startup company&apos;s CEO as a storyteller for potential investors, time management and optimizing productivity for entrepreneurs and startups, the challenges of fundraising (including some fundraising strategies that actually worked), and finding mutually beneficial working relationships with employees while recognizing that people change companies at various points during their careers. The episode closes with the Legal Tip of the Month sponsored by Smith & Benowitz!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

From Leaking Pipes to Raining Money: Gabriel Halimi’s Journey as an Entrepreneur

Raised as a chubby kid by a single mother in South Africa, Alex Simpson is now living the dream as a FinTech entrepreneur in sunny Southern California. He joins host Benjy Smith on this month’s episode of LawFlip. From this wide-ranging interview, you’ll learn what FinTech is, how a young man leveraged the South African banking industry in building one of his first startups, what Alex does now to build on his success (while being extremely fit and not at all chubby), and how working with purpose (and devoting less mental energy to sex and social media) can help you achieve your dreams! The episode closes with a Legal Tip of the Month. (Spoiler Alerts:  There’s a lot more value in this episode that you can only get by listening, and virtual sexual harassment is DEFINITELY a thing!)Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Learn How Being Less Horny Can Help You Succeed! | LawFlip Ep 55

Bitcoin, crypto, r/wallstreetbets, GameStop, Steve Cohen, robinhood app, and David Portnoy calling for everyone to go to jail. What is even going on? Even if you don’t understand what’s going on (we’re still trying to figure quite a few things out ourselves), you’re seriously living under a rock if you haven’t heard about the biggest financial market stories of 2021. With Bitcoin surging, robinhood app halting trading of certain securities like GameStop, and now calls for regulations to prevent retail investors from coordinating on social media, many (including Elon Musk) are now arguing the case for cryptocurrencies only grows strongerKeeping all of this in mind, there’s no better time than now for talking to Bitcoin expert Travis Kling. We discuss what Bitcoin is, the case for it, and why Travis (a relatively risk-averse guy) decided to make a career of Bitcoin in spite of the potential risks.So if you want to learn about Bitcoin, hear the case for it, or otherwise get inspired, check out this fire first 2021 episode of LawFlip!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Betting on Bitcoin? Welcome to 2021! | LawFlip Ep 53

A year later, Sam Mollaei makes his second visit to LawFlip after appearing on the podcast’s inaugural episode. Sam inspires entrepreneurs across the legal industry and guides them in scaling their practices. He also helps them prioritize what matters to them (like spending time doing things they really love instead of getting bogged down in the brutal and the mundane). In this episode, Sam and Benjy give what may be that missing spark to get you to take a shot at starting your own business or changing the way you operate your existing business.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Learn How Not to Be Miserable | Ep 53

52 straight weeks. Inspiring guests. Thinking about law and life differently than ever before. Taking you on that journey with me! You’ve journeyed with me through a lot:  the infancy of Smith & Benowitz, personal struggles, a physical transformation, and the covid-19 pandemic. I’ve felt insanely inspired at times and not so much at others. My partner Louis supported the LawFlip podcast concept. We&apos;ve found it rewarding. It has generated leads and business opportunities for our firm. We&apos;ve made new friends and we&apos;ve learned a lot. We&apos;ve also had a dedicated and amazing producer, Arian Tabibian. Arian is a 19-year-old phenom who has blessed us with his hard work, skill, and effort. I&apos;ve tried really hard for this show not to be about me. From its inception, I&apos;ve always wanted the show to be about people I respect and admire. I&apos;ve wanted it to be about people who provide value, maybe even inspiration to take the next best step in your life - personally, professionally, or otherwise. I&apos;ve appreciated all of the wonderful guests we&apos;ve had on the show. I&apos;ve also appreciated everyone who has listened, shared, subscribed, etc. I appreciate all the feedback (good, bad, and ugly). As I&apos;ve said many times, I don&apos;t pretend to know all the answers but am always looking for answers. I hope we&apos;ve helped you find answers to some of your questions!As always, I&apos;m available to speak with anyone about anything - mental health, law, business, or otherwise. Human connection is critical for me. While I know we have to be happy with ourselves first, it&apos;s often necessary to surround ourselves with positive and inspiring people. The LawFlip community is full of them and, if you watch this Year in Review video, it shows why I feel that is so important!Please check this Year in Review episode out and follow us everywhere. It&apos;s been a fun year of episodes and we look forward to producing more exciting content for you to enjoy. Happy holidays and nothing but love for all of you!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

LawFlip's 52 week Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Entrepreneur and recovering lawyer Ryan Wenger joins Benjy Smith for a truly inspirational episode. While in the midst of practicing law, Ryan had a transformational idea for people buying travel and built it out from the ground up. That idea originated as a consumer travel platform, and transformed into a corporate travel platform. More impressively, that idea became a company that was acquired by a much larger company in the middle of a pandemic when far fewer people are even traveling! Ryan and Benjy discuss a whole gamut of topics, ranging from balancing entrepreneurial risk with financial security, leveraging connections, finding opportunities in times of adversity, and building a happy and productive business culture. The episode closes with the usual Deal and Legal Tip of the Week segments. So give this episode a listen and prepare to learn a lot of things—including how Ryan got 1 million users for his platform within the first week from sneaking into a party!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Ep 51: Ryan Wenger - Silicon Valley CEO

Most viewed guest and complex personal injury litigator Raphael “RJ” Javid joins host Benjy Smith for a scintillating conversation full of positive energy. In a highly informative episode, Benjy and RI share some of their insights into marketing, advertising, and networking, providing value, being creative in the legal business, taking risks, and building businesses and business relationships. The episode closes with the Legal Tip of the Week. Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Ep 50: Raphael “RJ” Javid Returns

In this very special episode, Louis Benowitz joins host Benjy Smith and they breakdown some pieces of the prolonged 2020 election week. They discuss, among other things, Jim Carrey, conspiracy theories, election litigation, the upcoming runoffs in Georgia to determine control of the US Senate, and some of the potential impact of Trump’s judicial appointments on Democrats’ policy goals. The episode closes with a Legal Tip of the Week.Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Ep 49: LawFlip Election WEEK Special

Sasha Solonin joins host Benjy Smith for another exciting episode of LawFlip. Sasha is only 24 years old, but you’d never know that based on his maturity and accomplishments. He’s a former NCAA Division 1 tennis player who works in commercial real estate at CBRE, and has quickly brought high end properties into his portfolio. He, along with Benjy, also co-founded @motion_la, a workout group that connects entrepreneurs through fitness. In this episode, Benjy and Sasha discuss how they met, the role of athletics and fitness on finding life structure and balance, the challenges of succeeding on your own in a commission-only business, and the importance of persistence in doing it. They also discuss the interplay between social media and people’s insecurities, how buying fake followers fits into that relationship, and embracing your skeletons in finding happiness. Finally, the episode closes with the usual Deal and Legal Tip of the Week segments. Remember to subscribe to the LawFlip YouTube channel so you never miss out on your weekly dose of enlightenment!Support the show (http://lawflip.com)

Ep 48: Sasha Solonin - Putting Everything in @Motion_LA

Law Flip is a weekly podcast hosted by Benjy Smith and Louis Benowitz. Each week they'll be covering the top Law related news stories and give you the realist and most thought provoking sauce on the subject. Tune in on Monday's at 5 AM EST/ 2AM PST!

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