Liftoff with Keith: Conversations with Super Founders and Growth Experts sharing useful insights

Steven Pivnik scaled his company to 200+ employees across 12 countries before executing a strategic acquisition to a $4B competitor. Along the way, he completed 17 IRONMAN triathlons and climbed at extreme altitude — including Everest.
In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, we break down:
The difference between growth and disciplined growth
Why founders should design their exit years in advance
How endurance training builds better leadership
Avoiding burnout while scaling under pressure
What it really means to “finish strong”
This is a conversation about commitment, structure, and the mindset required to endure when quitting would be easier.
If you’re building, scaling, or thinking about your long-term exit — this episode is for you.
Connect with Steven Pivnik:
Website: https://stevenpivnik.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpivnik/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpivnik/
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!
Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
#Entrepreneurship #Ironman #FounderMindset #Leadership #Endurance #StartupGrowth #BusinessLeadership #MentalToughness #PersonalGrowth

In this episode, Keith sat down with Michael Fors, inventor and owner of the Liquid Jazz Experience, to explore how a simple ritual turned into a patented product.
What started as a weekly wine night with friends evolved into something much bigger. Over time, Michael began to notice a small but consistent problem. Great wine often needed time to open up, but real moments do not wait.
That observation led to an idea. And that idea eventually became Liquid Jazz, a decanter designed to bring wine to life in minutes.
In this conversation, Michael shares:
How a 26-year tradition became the foundation for a product
The moment of insight that came from watching ocean waves
What it really takes to turn an idea into a patent
The challenges of bringing a product to market
Why not every idea should become a business
This is a story about paying attention, solving real problems, and knowing when to take something seriously.Connect with Michael Fors:
Website: https://liquidjazzexperience.com/pages/about Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/liquidjazzexperience/
Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]#StartupStory #ProductInnovation #FounderJourney #Entrepreneurship #DesignThinking #ConsumerProduct #Innovation #BusinessStory

In this episode, we sit down with Gal, Founder of Borenstein Group, to unpack what it really takes to be visible in an AI driven world.
Most founders still think visibility is about content or marketing channels. Gal takes a different view. He explains why visibility today is about building a system that AI can understand, trust and reference.
We talk about what he calls a “minimum viable visibility system” and why most companies get it wrong. Instead of trying to do everything, the focus should be on a few clear signals that help AI connect your brand to a specific problem.
The conversation covers:
Why most founders are invisible in AI search
The shift from traditional SEO to AI driven discovery
What a minimum viable visibility system looks like in practice
How founders can become the face of their category
Why clarity matters more than volume in content
If you are building a company and want to stay relevant as AI becomes the first place people go for answers, this episode will give you a simple way to think about visibility.
Connect with Gal Borenstein:
Website: https://www.borensteingroup.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galborensteinexecutiveprofile/
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/
Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications!
Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]#AIVisibility #FounderBranding #AEO #GEO #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #ContentStrategy #StartupGrowth #DigitalStrategy #AI

In this episode, Keith sat down with Ari Gootnick, Founder at Lume, to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in entrepreneurship—founder performance and burnout.
Ari shares his personal journey from burnout and depression while working in a high-growth tech environment to building Lume, a performance lab designed to help founders operate at their peak—mentally, physically, and emotionally.They dive deep into:
Why founders underperform before burnout actually hits
The difference between motivation vs. capacity
How hustle culture may be hurting more than helping
Practical frameworks to improve decision-making, focus, and energy
The role of health optimization, coaching, and peer support in scaling sustainably
If you're a founder, operator, or leader navigating high pressure and fast growth, this conversation will challenge how you think about performance—and give you tools to sustain it.Connect with Ari Gootnick:
Website: https://www.join-lume.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arigoot
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
#FounderBurnout #StartupFounders #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformance #StartupLife #FounderJourney #BusinessGrowth #MentalFitness #HustleCulture

In this episode, Keith sat down with Jimi Gibson, Vice President of Brand Communication at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, to unpack how visibility is changing in an AI-driven world.
Before working with CEOs and founders, Jimi spent years as a professional magician—learning how to capture attention, build curiosity, and create unforgettable moments. Today, he applies those same principles to help businesses stay visible in a world where AI is answering questions before users ever click.
We explore:
Why founder authority is becoming more powerful than traditional SEO
How zero-click searches are reshaping demand generation
The real reason many businesses are “disappearing” online
What AI actually looks for when deciding who to trust
A simple, practical framework to create content that stands out As search evolves from clicks to answers, visibility is no longer about ranking #1—it’s about being the voice AI trusts and surfaces.If you’re a founder, marketer, or business leader trying to stay relevant in 2026, this conversation will give you a completely new lens on content, brand, and growth.Connect with Jimi Gibson:
Website: https://thriveagency.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimi-gibson
Sponsor Info: We are strategic business advisors with decades of leadership experience and a proven track record of driving businesses’ growth. We specialize in creating custom-tailored strategies to introduce your company, drive growth, build leadership teams, and ensure companies implement appropriate compensation programs. Our mission is to utilize our expansive network to benefit your company https://www.compass-strategic-advisors.com/ Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/
Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: [email protected]#AIMarketing #SEO #ContentStrategy #FounderBrand #DigitalMarketing #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #GrowthMarketing #MarketingStrategy