The Mello Millionaire with Tommy Mello

Bill Gurley is a longtime Silicon Valley investor, entrepreneur, and thought leader on innovation, market dynamics, and career strategy. As a General Partner at Benchmark, he has backed iconic companies including Uber, Zillow, OpenTable, Grubhub, and Nextdoor, helping shape the modern internet economy.
Before venture capital, Bill was a top-ranked Wall Street analyst covering Amazon’s IPO and began his career as a design engineer at Compaq. Known for his deep thinking on network effects, marketplace economics, and disruptive technology, he has become one of the most respected voices in venture capital.
His book, Runnin’ Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love, distills decades of investing, learning, and reflection into a blueprint for building a meaningful, differentiated career in an age of rapid technological change.

Check Out My Social Media:
Tiktok  ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello
Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/
Facebook ⟶https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

My other podcast:
Home Service Expert ⟶ https://open.spotify.com/show/4WHQ3ldGThHsP1cfzNF33G

Live Q&A submission form:
https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions

00:00 Introduction to Bill Gurley and His Journey
03:04 The Inspiration Behind Writing a Book
06:14 Identifying Key Traits in Successful Entrepreneurs
08:59 The Importance of Continuous Learning and Humility
12:01 Navigating Career Choices and Regrets
14:56 The Impact of Technology on Employment
17:49 Mentorship and Leadership Lessons
20:57 Reflections on Major Investments and Market Disruption
24:14 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
27:06 The Role of Passion in Career Success
30:02 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

Dr. Guy Winch is a licensed clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and leading voice in the science of emotional health. With more than 35 million TED Talk views and books translated into nearly 30 languages, he has helped bring the conversation around emotional hygiene into the global mainstream.

While mental health often focuses on diagnosable conditions like depression and anxiety, Dr. Winch’s work centers on the everyday emotional injuries like rejection, failure, burnout, loneliness, guilt, and heartbreak. He promotes the science-based tools we can use to treat these injuries before they escalate. His TED Talks, including Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid and How to Fix a Broken Heart, have become some of the most widely viewed psychology talks in the world.

He is the author of the bestselling books Emotional First Aid, How to Fix a Broken Heart, The Squeaky Wheel, and Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life. In addition to maintaining a private practice in New York City, he co-hosts the Ambie-nominated Dear Therapists podcast with Lori Gottlieb and writes the popular “Dear Guy” advice column for TED.

Through his clinical work, global keynotes, and advisory roles with governments and major organizations, Dr. Winch advocates for integrating the science of emotional health into daily life, empowering individuals to build resilience, strengthen relationships, and protect their psychological well-being in an increasingly demanding world.

Check Out My Social Media:
Tiktok  ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello
Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/
Facebook ⟶https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

My other podcast:
Home Service Expert ⟶ https://open.spotify.com/show/4WHQ3ldGThHsP1cfzNF33G
Live Q&A submission form:
https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions

Learn more about Guy Winch here: https://www.instagram.com/guywinch/?hl=en

Alex Bean is the co-founder of Divvy, an expense management platform that was acquired by BILL.com for $2.5 billion in 2021. He is a founder, operator, investor, and author dedicated to helping entrepreneurs build meaningful companies and navigate the often-overlooked realities that come after success. Having experienced hyper-growth, acquisition, and the personal complexities that follow, Alex now focuses on supporting founders through both the business and human sides of entrepreneurship. He is the Managing Partner of Tandem, an investment firm built to back founders who are actively in the arena.
At Tandem, he invests in founder-led companies with strong go-to-market fundamentals, while also building a community centered on purpose, relationships, and long-term impact. His investment philosophy prioritizes founder quality, resilience, and product-market fit, with a hands-on approach to scaling. Alex is the author of Factory for Good: The Pitfalls of Prosperity and How to Avoid Them, where he explores the emotional side of wealth, identity, and success—topics rarely discussed in startup culture. Through his writing, speaking, and work with founders, Alex helps the next generation build not just valuable companies, but lives and legacies rooted in clarity, contribution, and purpose.

Check Out My Social Media:
Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello
Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/
Facebook ⟶https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

My other podcast:
Home Service Expert ⟶ https://open.spotify.com/show/4WHQ3ldGThHsP1cfzNF33G
Live Q&A submission form:https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions
Learn more about Alex Bean here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbean

0:00 - Introduction and Happiness Audit
5:52 - Founding and Growth of Divvy
11:44 - Challenges and Successes in FinTech
17:36 - Product Market Fit and Early Days
23:28 - Post-Exit Reflections and New Ventures
29:20 - Balancing Personal and Professional Life
35:12 - Philosophy on Wealth and Legacy
41:04 - Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs

Gary Vaynerchuk — widely known as GaryVee — is a serial entrepreneur, global marketing authority, investor, and six-time New York Times bestselling author. He is the Chairman of VaynerX, CEO of VaynerMedia, and Creator and CEO of VeeFriends.Before founding VaynerMedia, Gary first gained recognition by growing his family’s wine business from $3 million to over $60 million in annual revenue. He's now running a global advertising and communications agency helping Fortune 1000 brands compete for consumer attention. He's a prolific angel investor who made early investments in Facebook, Twitter, Uber, Snapchat, Venmo, Coinbase, and Tumblr. He is also the co-founder of VaynerSports, Resy (acquired by American Express), and Empathy Wines (acquired by Constellation Brands).Through his content, keynote speaking, bestselling books, and daily documentation of life as a CEO, Gary reaches more than 50 million followers worldwide and generates billions of impressions annually. Known for his ability to spot cultural shifts early and translate them into practical business strategy, Gary helps leaders understand how attention, relevance, and execution drive long-term brand and company growth in an ever-evolving digital economy.
Check Out My Social Media:
Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello
Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/
Facebook ⟶https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/
My other podcast:
Home Service Expert ⟶ https://open.spotify.com/show/4WHQ3ldGThHsP1cfzNF33G
Live Q&A submission form:https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions
Learn more about Gary: https://www.instagram.com/garyvee/?hl=en

Shirin Behzadi is a transformational CEO, investor, board member, and bestselling author whose career is defined by resilience, disciplined leadership, and purpose-driven growth. After arriving in the United States alone at 17 and working as a gas station cashier, Shirin built a remarkable business career spanning finance, private equity, and franchising. She rose from CPA and CFO roles to become CEO of Home Franchise Concepts, where she led the company’s transformation into a billion-dollar platform of home services brands, overseeing hundreds of millions in systemwide sales and a successful private equity-backed exit.Today, Shirin serves as a trusted advisor, board director, and keynote speaker, helping leaders turn adversity into strategic advantage. She has raised more than $900 million in private equity, served on corporate and nonprofit boards, and is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and women’s empowerment. Her national bestselling memoir, The Unexpected CEO: My Journey from Gas Station Cashier to Billion-Dollar CEO, chronicles her journey from war-torn Iran to the C-suite and offers a powerful framework for leading with vision, empathy, and courage. Known for her ability to combine operational excellence with human-centered leadership, Shirin inspires executives and entrepreneurs to build enduring success — because they can.

Check Out My Social Media:
Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello
Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/
Facebook ⟶https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/
My other podcast:Home Service Expert ⟶ https://open.spotify.com/show/4WHQ3ldGThHsP1cfzNF33GLive
Q&A submission form: https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions
Learn more about David: ⟶ https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirin-behzadi/

00:00 The Power of Empathy in Leadership01:24 Shereen's Journey: From Iran to CEO02:43 Overcoming Adversity: The Path to Resilience09:24 The Secret Sauce of Business Success14:03 The Superpower of Adversity19:33 Leadership Lessons: CFO vs. CEO Perspectives24:35 Life After a Life-Threatening Experience30:56 Balancing Life: Priorities Beyond Finance34:27 Navigating Burnout and Finding Growth35:15 The Unexpected CEO: A Roadmap for Success