Big Shot

In today’s episode of Big Shot, we sit down with Mike Milken—legendary financier, philanthropist, and chairman of the Milken Institute.

Mike has been a driving force in medical research, public health, and education for over five decades. Fortune called him “The Man Who Changed Medicine,” and Forbes listed him among “Visionaries Reimagining Our Children’s Future.” 

Mike’s financial innovations helped launch industries like cable TV,...

In this episode of Big Shot, we’re thrilled to welcome the legendary marketing visionary Lynda Resnick. As the co-owner of The Wonderful Company, Lynda has shaped iconic brands like POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, and FIJI Water into household names.

With her husband, Stewart, Lynda also turned The Franklin Mint into a cultural sensation and brought fresh ideas to the floral industry with Teleflora’s innovative, long-lasting g...

In this special episode of Big Shot, recorded live at the iconic Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., we’re joined by Uri Levine, the co-founder of Waze. Uri is a visionary entrepreneur whose journey includes building Waze, the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app, which Google acquired for over $1 billion. Beyond Waze, Uri has co-founded several impactful startups like Moovit (acquired by Intel), FeeX, and Eng...

In today’s episode of Big Shot, we’re joined by Mindy Grossman, former CEO of Weight Watchers, who led the company’s transformation into a global wellness brand. Like many of our past guests, Mindy’s journey involves perseverance, bold decisions, and calculated risk-taking.

Mindy’s remarkable career began with a surprising choice—dropping out of college. She then worked up to executive roles at Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, the Home Sho...

In today’s episode of Big Shot, we’re joined by retail legend Mickey Drexler, whose transformative leadership reshaped some of the biggest names in fashion.

Over his 18-year tenure at The Gap, Mickey took the company from $400 million to $14 billion in revenue, revolutionizing casual wear and spotting a new retail opportunity that led to the creation of Old Navy.

His influence extends far beyond The Gap—he also founded Madewell, ...

In this special live episode of Big Shot, recorded at StartupFest, we are excited to welcome Heather Reisman, the trailblazing entrepreneur behind Indigo Books & Music. Heather's remarkable journey began as a single mother learning to code to support her children.

Fueled by grit, a bit of luck, and a talent for connecting with extraordinary people, Heather built Indigo into Canada’s largest bookseller. However, Heather'...

Harley Finkelstein and David Segal are back with Season 3 of Big Shot! Today, we chat with beauty industry icon Bobbi Brown. Known for her work as a makeup artist, Bobbi’s expertise has been showcased on the covers of leading magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Allure, Mademoiselle, and Teen. She’s the author of nine beauty books, with five achieving bestseller status.

In 1991, Bobbi founded Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, which Estée Laude...

In this episode of Big Shot, we sit down with the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of G-III Apparel Group, Morris Goldfarb. Morris took over running his father’s company at the age of 24. His journey is deeply rooted in the inspiring legacy of his father, Aron Goldfarb, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the U.S. and founded G-III in 1956. Morris has transformed the company from a small women's leather oute...

When you think about a "convenience store manager," you probably don't imagine a future billionaire. But that's exactly the path Ron Shaich took from humble beginners selling Tollhouse cookies to a $7.5 billion restaurant empire. In this episode of Big Shot, Harley Finkelstein and David Segal welcome Shaich, the founder of Panera Bread, who shares his incredible journey from a nonprofit convenience store to his pi...

In this episode of Big Shot, we sit down with Wall Street titan Leon Cooperman. The son of working-class Polish immigrants and a first-generation college graduate, Leon founded Omega Advisors after a successful 25-year career at Goldman Sachs, where he rose to become Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

Despite being one of the richest men on the planet, Leon lives modestly, even still changing his own lightbulbs.

...

In this episode of Big Shot, we sit down with another legendary real estate developer, Larry Silverstein. Best known for the 99-year lease he signed for the World Trade Center, just six weeks before 9/11, Larry’s story is one of persistence and strategic partnerships—and a whole lot of chutzpah. He shares with us today how he leveraged partnerships, refurbished properties on a shoestring budget and built a business that today is va...

In this episode of Big Shot, we're honored to host business mogul Peter May. But his path to managing more than $7 billion is not what you might expect. What started as a career as an accountant at the prestigious KPMG quickly became something much different once Peter crossed paths with Nelson Peltz, igniting a dynamic partnership that spanned decades. Together, they founded Triarc Companies and pioneered innovative funding st...

In this episode of Big Shot, we're thrilled to welcome the incredible David Rubenstein! As a co-founder of The Carlyle Group, one of the globe's top private equity firms, David's journey from a Baltimore kid with big dreams to a presidential advisor and business mogul is truly inspiring. Join us, as David reveals how he overcame rejection after President Carter lost his re-election and pivoted into private equity. Learn...

We’re back with Season 2 of Big Shot! In this episode of Big Shot, we're joined by Fran Weissler, a seven-time Tony award-winning producer and one-half of the dynamic duo behind Chicago, the longest-running American musical. Fran's journey epitomizes Jewish chutzpah, marked by bold choices—from leaving her first marriage to making decisive moves in her Broadway career. Today, Fran shares with us stories from her journey, in...

When you sit down with iconic entrepreneurs for two to three hours, it's hard to include every story in an episode. But that doesn't mean every story isn't worth telling. On this episode of Big Shot shorts, you'll hear some wild tales that didn't make it into individual episodes of season 1. You'll learn how Ed Sonshine anticipated the 2008 crash, what Aldo Bensadoun did to break into America when so many ot...

One of the hardest parts of being an entrepreneur is the stress and anxiety of never having enough time. When ambition flows through your veins, it’s difficult to balance your desire to build something great with your love for your family, friends, and other interests. Being an entrepreneur requires sacrifice — but how do you do that without giving up what matters most? On this episode of Big Shot Shorts, Issy Sharp, Charles Bronfm...

Did you know that less than .2 percent of the world is Jewish? And yet, more than 20 percent of all Noble Prize winners are Jewish. What explains the high likelihood of success? On this episode of Big Shot shorts, Harley Finkelstein and David Segal explore the history of Jewish entrepreneurship with legends Charles Bronfman, Aldo Bensadoun, and Ed Sonshine. Their competitive advantage? They had everything to lose, giving them no ch...

Some of the best stories in business are the ones you never hear about. They are the deals that fell through, the partnerships that never happened, and the employees who didn’t make it. Behind those moments are decisions that shape some of the best businesses. And, when you speak with some of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, you realize that those moments are shaped by strong values. In particular, the best entrepreneurs lean in...

It's cliché to say that you can see further when standing on the shoulders of giants. But it's also a mentality that has served some of the most successful entrepreneurs. No matter how brilliant the individual, great leaders know that building a world-class team can take a company from being a good idea to becoming a household name. And wise employees know that if they can find a leader who understands the value of a team, ...