Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

A special episode of The Dark Horse Podcast recording from Staples Studios in Boston! Dani sat down with Jason Frishman the Founder & CEO of Netcapital. Netcapital helps entrepreneurs raise money on their platform.

EP #55: Counting Crows Frontman Adam Duritz + Comic Sherrod Small by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Liza Colby dropped by the studio ahead of her sold out Bowery Electric show in NYC to chat about her new album, psychedelics and hew musical influences.

Dr. George Sachs joined Dani for a terrific 54th episode of the Dark Horse Podcast. Dr. Sachs shares his insights gathered from a lifetime living with ADHD and a career in mental health. Co-hosting is comedian and trainer Jordan Rosengarten, who shares what it takes for him to work through his own ADHD symptoms to focus on achieving his personal goals.

For Episode 53 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani welcomes Super Cofee Co-Founder Jim DeCicco, comic co-host Cat Zini, and producer Dan Greenwald. Jim breaks down how he and his brothers took a personal solution for a sugar-free workout recovery drink and turned it into a lifestyle brand. He shares what it was like to pitch Kitu Super Coffee to Whole Foods in 2015 before they had standardized packaging for their products.

For Episode 52 of the podcast, Dani welcomes a pretty sweet guest. Solomon Choi, Founder/CEO of 16 Handles, shared highlights of his journey from college graduate with a knack for flipping failing restaurants to savvy entrepreneur hungry for a slice of a new dessert market. Plus, comic co-host Eitan Levine knows why Orthodox Jews love Friendly's ice cream so much.

This week on the podcast, Dani welcomes former Spacehog frontman Royston Langdon and comedienne/model/aspiring ukulele expert Niamh Adkins to the Dark Horse studio. Royston shares which British glam rock icons inspired him the most, what it's been like to live in his adoptive home longer than he did in his hometown, and a few tracks off of his new album "Everything's Dandy". Plus, Niamh went to a Taylor Swift concert her first week living in the city, and Taylor sang "Welcome To New York" just for her (or so she thought).

For our 50th episode, we welcomed an innovator, inventor, and all-around great dude. Howie Busch pitched his Dude Robe product on ABC's "Shark Tank" in 2017, making a ton of connections and picking up better business practices along the way. Host Dani Zoldan is joined by co-host and comedienne Katie Haller, plus Dan Greenwald and Ari Ginsberg. The gang hears about Howie's past gigs as a contract lawyer and what strong support he's received from the Shark Tank alum network.

For Episode 49 of the podcast, Dani is joined by architect-turned-entrepreneur Lori Cheek, founder of the dating app Cheek'd. Comic co-host Rosa Escandon shares her experience taking over friends' dating apps because they were swiping on the wrong people. Plus, Dani wonders if there will ever be an app that breaks it to really long-term users that "maybe it's them..." Tune in for a remarkable story of finding success after being rejected on ABC's Shark Tank.

He sang "Eye of the Tiger" and now joins Dani and comic co-host Aaron Berg on The Dark Horse Podcast. Tune in to hear former Survivor frontman Dave Bickler shares stories of success, failure, and mayhem on the 80s rock scene.

For Episode 47 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani is joined by Janet Lieberman founder and CTO of Dame Products. Guest co-host Shmuley Boteach shares his perspective as a rabbi who has written books on the importance of a healthy sexual relationship in marriage. On the docket for discussion? Busting archaic myths about gender, the difficulty of mass-producing personal products, and the impact of feminist porn.

On Episode 46 of the podcast, Mary Lee Kortes joins Dani and co-host Alex Fossella to share highlights from her career, including her breakthrough live performance of Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" which earned her band Mary Lee's Corvette a chance to open for Dylan himself in New York.

Who did Dani get to speak with on Episode 45? Primatologist and StarTalk Radio correspondent Natalia Reagan stopped by the studio to answer any and all questions regarding spider monkey behaviors and the business of scripted comedy. Plus, Pete Stegemeyer co-hosts and flexes his comedy chops.

On Episode 44 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani sits down with TodayTix's VP of Marketing Sarah Bidnick, comic co-host Benjamin Freeberg, and Daniel Greenwald. Sarah explains what it took to build up trust between customers and a brand that seemed too good to be true. Plus, Benjamin shares how finding stand-up comedy helped him power through a tough bout with cancer.

For Episode 43 of the podcast, host Dani Zoldan is joined by queen of comedy Jill Kimmel, Ari Ginsberg, and Daniel Greenwald to learn about Justin's long battle with addiction, his journey to sobriety, and how's he managed to find love and support in his relationship with his wife Sarah. Plus, somehow Jill forgot to mention that her brother is none other than Jimmy Kimmel! Tune in to see how that all plays out with this group of comedy fans.

For Episode 42 of the Dark Horse Podcast, legendary saxophonist Jeff Coffin joined Dani and Sopan Deb to share what it was like to play with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones and then share the stage with Dave Matthews for the last 8 years. Plus, Dani and Sopan are curious about the strangest fan interaction Jeff's ever had... and it's nothing like you'd expect!

Dani's guest on Episode 41 of the Dark Horse Podcast is none other than film legend Dennis Quaid. Dani, comic Co-host Abby Feldman, and Dan Greenwald dive into Dennis' past and learn he started doing stand-up at 16, has been playing with his band The Sharks since 2000, and just released a debut studio album at 64. Plus, Dennis gives some insight into how he's begun preparing for a role as Ronald Reagan.

On Episode 39 of the podcast, Dani chats with Ishveen Anand and stand-up comic Akaash Singh about religion, Indian family structures, and what was wrong with the sports marketing industry before Open Sponsorship was created. Ishveen shares her journey from sports agent to entrepreneur, eventually starting a digital marketplace that matches sponsors and athletes with similar values. Plus, avid podcaster Akaash gives Dani his impressions of the Dark Horse studio! Tune in for a great conversation covering sports, comedy, and market innovation.

Episode #37: Ajay Yadav + Christina Cote by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode 40 of Dark Horse Podcast features Rebecca and Megan Lovell, two sisters who make up one hell of a rock duo called Larkin Poe. Dani and Dan Greenwald are also joined by comics Olga Namer and Chloe LaBranche to hear the band share their musical influences and how gender roles and outdated expectations persist today in the world of female rock musicians. Music lovers, you're going to want to check this one out!

For Episode 38 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani welcomes musical legend Engelbert Humperdinck and actress/comedian/screenwriter Marion Grodin. On the agenda is the origin of the icon's stage name, Engelbert's earliest appearances on American platforms like The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, and how his dalmatian used to steal bread from John Lennon's house next door! Plus, Dani finds out who got Engelbert onto the Instagram scene.

On Episode 36 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani is joined by Brendan Candon, Co-Founder and CEO of SidelineSwap, a digital marketplace for athletes to buy and sell their used sporting equipment. Co-hosting is Jordan Raybould, host of the Anxiety Now Podcast. Before you ask, yes, the question of whether people think it's gross to buy someone else's athletic gear is asked (and you'll be surprised at Brendan's answer).

For Episode 32 of the Dark Horse Podcast, genre-bending and barrier-breaking band Gangstagrass sit down with Dani Zoldan to break down what it means to create a genre from scratch. Responsible for the Emmy-nominated theme from Justified, the band brings together the essential beat of hip-hop with the natural melody of bluegrass riffs. They share stories about getting scoffed at when first suggesting rapping to a steel guitar beat and what it was like to get bluegrass performers to move with the beat during live shows. Tune in to hear Dani, Chloe, and Dan Greenwald learn that even though country music in New York City seems like a "needle in a haystack situation", there's a lot more genuine interest in the genre.

Episode 34 of the Dark Horse Podcast features Steven Page from the Barenaked Ladies as he joins Dani to talk about the ups and downs of his 30-year career... and why he can’t vote in Canada anymore. Steven and Craig Northey share how they wrote together, gave each other honest feedback, and sometimes struggled to keep their friendship separate. Also present is Greg Stone, a NYC-based comedian who’s a regular on Sirius XM and NPR’s Snap Judgement. Tune in to hear Steven and Greg vibe over the “adrenaline of bombing” experience musicians and comics share — don’t worry, they usually dig themselves out of it! Plus, Steven touches on the obligation for artists to comment on social and political issues that resonate with them and affect their fans.

Episode 35 of the Dark Horse Podcast features Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, and LaughFest Comedy Festival alumnus Mike Lasher. Jason explains to Dani and Mike how a hypothetical premise involving a married couple critically reviewing their sex life became the subject of a novel he wrote and published with his wife. We learn a detailed account of everyone’s daily routine, how Mike only needs 5 hours of sleep to function, and how Jason gives his staff at Entrepreneur the freedom to manage themselves. Plus, Ari Ginsberg enthusiastically defends his preferred pronunciation of “GIF” — tune in to see where you stand on that debate!

On Episode 33 of the Dark Horse Podcast, Dani welcomes Garren James, CEO of Cowboys4Angels, and stand-up comic Erin McGuire. Being a former international runway and print model, Garren’s been fortunate to have come in contact with some of the most alluring men in the world. We learn that he’ll always take a solid candidate whose personality is a 10 even if his appearance isn’t... good news for those 7s with a killer personality! Tune in for Erin’s feelings on the Greenwich Mean Time hype and what her ideal date night includes. Plus, find out what Garren’s most memorable guest speaking gig — spoiler alert: it’s not what you expect!

For Episode 31, Dani sits down with rock duo We Are Scientists and stand-up comic Ryan Schutt, who are alumni of the same small liberal arts college in southern California. Whether this was a coincidence could not be confirmed — but we did learn that vocalist Keith Murray saw Marilyn Manson perform over two dozen times in small club venues while growing up in Florida. Keith and guitarist Chris Cain pick Ryan's brain about his bit writing process and all three discuss what it takes to keep their style distinct from other artists in their respective industries. Since being signed by Virgin Records in 2005, Keith and Chris have toured the US and internationally extensively — tune in to hear how they manage their friendship spending months together at a time on the road. Plus, Dani is really into Meatloaf at the moment and Ryan shares the best and worst moments from touring with fellow comedians.

Episode #29: Dev Aujla + Phil Rizdon by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #30: Ben Cohen + Sarah Cooper by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #28: Lara Crystal + Jason Salmon by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #27: Joel Wishovsky + Ben Rosenfeld by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

EP #25: Spin Doctors Frontman Chris Barron + Candi Clare by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

CEO of Electric Ryan Denehy blew our minds on Dark Horse's 26th episode. Ryan shared with Dani and stand-up comic and writer Jeff Kreisler how he started a successful sports video production/distribution company at 17 years old and what lessons from that early entrepreneurial life he carries with him today bringing massive innovation to the IT support space at Electric.

Episode #24: Vladimir Vukicevic by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #23: Rob Schutz + Eric Neumann by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #22: Nick Greenfield + Elon Gold by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #21: Jennifer Fitzgerald + Zack Andresen by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #20: Rachel Ten Brink + Iris Bahr by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #19: Matt Meeker + Jeff Arcuri by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Episode #18: Dave Kerpen + Jonathan Randall by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

Dani Zoldan sits down with Alexandra Zatarain, the founder of smart-mattress start-up Sleep Eight. Comedian Steve Marshall joins them.

Episode #16: Esther Chen + Pete Stegemeyer by Dark Horse Podcast with Dani Zoldan

The man who broke his penis and wrote a book about it and a stripper turned relationship guru join me to talk about life in the extremely memorable Episode 15 of the Dark Horse Podcast. Ross Asdourian, a filmmaker and producer is the author of the book Broken Bananah — a comedic take on a horrific sex accident that broke his penis. The co-host of this hilarious and stomach-turning episode is my good friend Dante Nero who has been seen on The Blacklist and has a hit podcast called The Beige Phillip Show.

Dani takes on the gig economy in episode #14 of the Dark Horse podcast as he interviews Nathan Hirsch, CEO of FreeeUp. Nathan created his first company at 20 years old and leveraged Amazon to amass over $20 million in sales. Now, he is creating the new wave of freelancers. I’m joined by “The View” warm-up comedian Tom Kelly.

Matchmaking, Trinidadian phone lines, and stuttering. Tune into Episode #13 of the Dark Horse Podcast as Dani Zoldan interviews Lauren Magura the CEO of Cinematcher, a company currently revolutionizing the field of film production. Described as the Tinder for film hiring, Cinematcher is an app that enables users to hire and get hired for film and digital projects. Dani is joined by comic Lee Valentin and his former business partner Chris Costache.

Former NBA Star, philanthropist, and Charlotte Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues sat down with Dani to talk basketball, foundation work, and childhood stories. From surviving getting shot in the hood of Baltimore to blocking Patrick Ewing as a 5' 3" guard, Muggsy Bogues is the epitome of a Dark Horse. Monroe Martin co-hosts this episode of The Dark Horse Podcast.

Hall of Famer Rick Barry takes a second out of BIG 3 coaching to talk basketball, life, and philanthropy. Topics include making the maximum guaranteed NBA salary 5 Million dollars, the media’s infatuation with Lavar Ball, the importance of being a giver, and Rick's controversial move to the ABA. I'm joined by comedian James Mattern on Episode 11 of the Dark Horse Podcast.

Living in NYC doesn’t lead to the healthiest of lifestyles (especially for comics), so we turned to well-being journalist Kate Faithfull-Williams for some advice on episode 10 of the Dark Horse podcast. Tune in to hear Kate attempt to right the ways of myself and my co-host Brendan Sagalow a writer for MTV’s Joking off and winner of the 2015 New York Comedy Club Comedy Competition.

This week’s guest is comedian and writer Nick Kocher, who’s written for shows It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and SNL, and my (fake) son Max Marcus. Nick got his start right out of college, posting sketches on YouTube with his friends. Once they went viral, The Cartoon Network and College Humor started reaching out to him for gigs. He believes making your own stuff can help “skip steps” on the ladder to success. Instead of slogging as an assistant, he slogged as an amateur sketch comedian until he made it. Tune in to hear us berate Max and maybe learn a thing or two about the TV industry!

On Episode 8 of the Dark Horse Podcast, I talked with Vasu Kulkarni, CEO and founder of Krossover, an online basketball analytics platform. Vasu has been deeply passionate about basketball since he was growing up in India, where he was listening to games on the radio at 6 in the morning before school. He knew he wanted to be involved in basketball somehow, and decided to start at the top, writing a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern asking for a job. When that didn’t pan out, he decided to start his own company, and 10 years later, found himself celebrating the Cav’s championship win in the locker room. Tune in to hear more about his journey, his potential stand up career, and our co-host Johnny Saliano’s amazing stories about Prince!

We’re onto Episode 7 of Dark Horse podcast, and still no one can pronounce my name. Geno Bisconte, our producer Dan, and I sat down with MLB pitching coach Rick Peterson to talk about his career as a pitcher and a coach, how he uses humor to defuse stressful situations, and how to use the body’s biomechanics to optimize performance. Some advice from Rick: Don’t try your hardest, try your best.