Discover how these entrepreneurs achieved success in both business and life, hosted by Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA.
Each week, Alan Olsen invites accomplished individuals to share the secrets behind their success stories. Tune in and be inspired by real-world insights, life lessons, and practical tips you can use to pursue your own American Dream.
Meet Some of Our Guests
Key's to Life's Success
The American Dreams show was the brainchild of Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA. It was originally created to fill a specific need; often inexperienced entrepreneurs lacked basic information about raising capital and how to successfully start a business. Alan sincerely wanted to respond to the many requests from aspiring entrepreneurs asking for the information and introductions they needed. But he had to find a way to help in which his venture capital clients and friends would not mind. The American Dreams show became the solution, first as a radio show and now with YouTube videos as well. Always respectful of interview guests’ time, he’s able to give access to information and inspiration previously inaccessible to first‑time entrepreneurs who need it most. They can listen to venture capitalists and successful business people explain first‑hand how they got to where they are, how to start a company, overcome challenges, envision future opportunities, balance work and life, and so much more.
Topics from guests have included:
- Creating purpose in life
- Building a foundation for their life
- Solving problems
- Finding fulfillment through philanthropy and service
- Becoming self‑reliant
- Enhancing effective leadership
- Balancing family and work
American Dreams discusses many topics from some of the world's most successful individuals about their secrets to life's success.
Recent American Dreams Episodes
Redefining Wealth With Purpose
How Brad Connors Is Redefining Wealth With Purpose From Tragedy to Triumph When Brad Connors speaks about financial purpose, he’s not reciting a corporate mantra—he’s reliving a lifetime of lessons. At just two years old, Connors lost his father in a car accident that also left him hospitalized with a collapsed lung. That tragedy, coupled…
Marc Henn on Building True Wealth: Beyond Portfolios and Toward Purpose
When Marc Henn launched Harvest Financial Advisors nearly two decades ago, he wasn’t trying to reinvent the financial-services wheel. He was trying to realign it. After more than 35 years in the industry, Henn had seen what he calls the “black marks” of the profession—transactional mindsets, one-off sales, and the steady erosion of authentic client…
Beyond the Exit: Alex Bean on Why True ROI Means Return on Impact
Beyond the Exit: Why Divvy’s Alex Bean Believes True ROI Means Return on Impact For most entrepreneurs, selling a billion-dollar company would be the final chapter—the ultimate validation of long nights and relentless ambition. For Alex Bean, co-founder of Divvy, that milestone became only the beginning of a deeper journey. In 2016, Bean and longtime friend Blake Murray launched…
Connor Boyack on Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Connor Boyack never set out to be a children’s author or an architect of youth entrepreneurship programs. His career began in politics and web development, but a persistent search for meaning and impact ultimately led him to build one of the most influential educational movements of the past decade. Today, as founder of the Libertas…
Jerry Browder: A Mission Driven Legacy
Jerry Browder on Building Signet Health: A Legacy of Purpose, Faith, and Life-Saving Mental Health Care For most entrepreneurs, the journey is measured in revenues, exits, and market share. For Jerry Browder, founder of Signet Health, success is measured in lives saved, hope restored, and a mission that will outlive him. “I started Signet with a…
Why Scaling Requires Impossible Goals
Impossible Goals: Inside Dr. Ben Hardy’s Game Changing Psychology of Business Growth In a business world obsessed with incremental growth and conventional playbooks, Dr. Benjamin Hardy is breaking all the rules. An organizational psychologist and bestselling author, Hardy has spent the last decade redefining how entrepreneurs scale—not just their companies, but their very identities. Now,…
Howard Rosenfeld: Reshaping Local Food Systems
Bridging Fields and Communities: How Howard Rosenfeld’s Farmers Table Is Reshaping Local Food Systems At first glance, Warren, Connecticut, seems like countless New England towns—charming stone walls, rolling green hills, and sleepy roads winding past farmsteads. But beneath its pastoral calm, a quiet revolution in sustainable agriculture and community building is underway, led by Howard…
Faith, Freight & “Slaying the Tomb”
How the Moscrips Drove From Freight Tech to Faith-Fueled Media When Scott Moscrip launched Truckstop.com from a spare bedroom in 1995, he didn’t just build a freight-matching marketplace—he rewired a blue-collar industry for the Internet age. Thirty years, five kids, and one mayoral term later, the Idaho technologist and his wife, Carmen, are chasing an…
Fighting Homelessness and Addiction By Teaching Self-Reliance
How Joseph Grenny’s Other Side Village Is Rewriting the Homelessness Playbook A 2 a.m. Alarm and a Box of World-Class Doughnuts At two o’clock each morning in downtown Salt Lake City, former rough-sleepers slip into spotless aprons, fire up industrial mixers, and begin turning out pillowy brioche rings glazed with passion-fruit icing and drizzled…
Building a Legacy: A Fireside Chat with Martin Luther King III
In a thought-provoking fireside chat at our Legacy Builder’s Conference, Martin Luther King III shared profound insights on the concept of legacy, leadership, and the moral imperatives facing society today. Speaking with Alan Olsen, he reflected on his father’s enduring impact and his own efforts to carry forward that mission in today’s world. Defining His…
Turning Ordinary Lives into Living Legacies
“There was a measurable connection between how well they knew their family stories and how successful they were.” — Kasia Flanagan, founder of Everyday Legacies When historian‑turned‑biographer Kasia Flanagan examined the lives of mixed‑race German‑Samoan descendants for her PhD, she expected to chart migration patterns and cultural shifts. What she didn’t expect was the data point that changed her career:…
Roy Moëd on Turning Memories Into Masterpieces
“There are two dates: you’re born and you die — but it’s the dash in between that tells your story.”– Roy Moëd In an age of scrolling feeds and vanishing digital memories, Roy Moëd is championing something different — something timeless. Through his company LifeBook Memoirs, he’s helping individuals turn their life stories into beautifully…
Mark Lutz: A Lifelong Mission to End Extreme Poverty
When Mark Lutz speaks about eradicating extreme poverty, his passion emanates from a lifetime of service and firsthand experiences around the world. Lutz, Senior Vice President of Global Philanthropy at Opportunity International, has spent more than four decades raising funds for missions and microfinance—transforming countless lives in the process. A Childhood Shaped by Apartheid Born…
Aaron Manoucheri: Building a Multi Generation Legacy in Real Estate
Aaron Manoucheri, a third-generation real estate investor and partner at Manoucheri Brothers LLC, understands the delicate balance between tradition and innovation in the family business. In a recent interview on American Dreams, he shared his journey, philosophy, and insights on navigating the ever-changing real estate landscape while maintaining a deep connection to his roots. A Legacy…
Dr. Stel Nikolakakis on The Power of Vision Therapy
Unlocking Potential: The Power of Vision Therapy Vision therapy is emerging as a transformative tool for individuals with learning disabilities, ADHD, concussions, and even high-performance athletes. Dr. Stel Nikolakakis, an optometrist and a pioneer in neuro-visual training, discovered the profound impact of vision therapy through a deeply personal experience—his son’s diagnosis with cerebral palsy. His…
Bob Gay on The Pillars of Self-Reliance
The Pillars of Self-Reliance At the recent Legacy Builders Conference, Robert Gay captivated the audience with a profound message: true impact comes not from handouts, but from empowering individuals to achieve self-reliance. A distinguished investor, philanthropist, and humanitarian, Gay has spent decades applying the principles of entrepreneurship and accountability to lift millions out of poverty.…
From the Wrestling Mat to Data Innovation: How Dr. Naveen Singh is Reshaping Tech
In the world of high-stakes tech entrepreneurship, background stories don’t get much more unique than that of Dr. Naveen Singh. A former Olympic-style wrestler turned telecom executive, turned Distributed Ledger Technology pioneer, Dr. Singh has woven seemingly disparate fields—sports, healthcare, and cutting-edge tech—into a singular mission. Now at the helm of Inery, a decentralized database management system…
2025 State of Healthcare with Joe DeLuca
This week we welcome back Joe DeLuca, a healthcare innovator and executive leader with decades of experience in transforming health systems. Joe shares his journey from scientific research to becoming a trusted advisor and problem-solver in healthcare management and consulting. Key topics discussed: The current challenges and fragmented nature of the U.S. healthcare system. The…
Chris Kowalik: Simplifying Retirement Education
In this episode of American Dreams, we sit down with Chris Kowalik, founder and CEO of ProFeds, to discuss her inspiring journey from serving as a Marine Corps Arabic linguist to becoming a leader in retirement education for federal employees. Chris shares her insights on simplifying complex government benefits, empowering federal workers to make informed…
Dr. Kal Mentak: Eliminating Preventable Blindness
Dr. Kal Mentak: Eliminating Preventable Blindness This week we sit down with the Dr. Khalid “Kal” Mentak, a visionary in global eye care innovation. With over 45 technology patents and groundbreaking contributions to cataract surgery and ocular implant technologies, Dr. Mentak’s work has transformed lives worldwide. Now Dr. Mentak is spearheading a global humanitarian effort…
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“My Path” chronicles Alan Olsen’s personal journey and the transformative insights he’s gained from his acclaimed American Dreams show. Discover inspiring stories, practical advice, and the core values that empower entrepreneurs to achieve their American Dream.
Written by Alan Olsen
Co-Written by Andrew Olsen