In this episode of the Breakfast Leadership Show, Michael sits down with Chris Kline, Co-Founder and CRO of BitcoinIRA, to unpack what it really takes to build long-term wealth in an economy where traditional retirement systems are no longer guaranteed.

Chris shares the unfiltered origin story of BitcoinIRA, from leaving Colorado for Los Angeles, living in a motel, and grinding through long days, to scaling the company into a platform serving more than 200,000 users and managing over $12 billion in assets. Along the way, he reflects on the leadership tension between scaling complexity and the clarity of early-stage simplicity.

The conversation expands into the broader retirement crisis facing North America. With pensions disappearing and nearly half of Americans not actively participating in retirement planning, Michael and Chris challenge listeners to rethink responsibility, ownership, and strategy when it comes to long-term financial security.

They explore how Bitcoin fits into a modern, diversified portfolio, not as a speculative gamble, but as an alternative asset shaped by scarcity, adoption, and long-term macro trends. The discussion covers due diligence, dollar-cost averaging, portfolio diversification, and the persistent myth that Bitcoin is inaccessible due to price, despite the ability to invest fractionally.

Beyond Bitcoin, the episode addresses the importance of diversified income streams. Michael and Chris share real-world examples of building resilience through multiple revenue channels, passive income strategies, and investments across traditional markets, AI, defense, and digital assets. The message is clear: in an uncertain economy, relying on a single paycheck is a structural risk.

The episode closes with a reminder that leadership extends beyond business. Chris shares a personal story about his daughter’s passion for helping others, reinforcing the idea that purpose, curiosity, and long-term thinking are skills worth teaching the next generation.

Listeners also learn about a limited-time BitcoinIRA incentive, including a $1,000 reward for new accounts opened before April 15th, designed to encourage proactive retirement planning.

This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone thinking seriously about financial resilience, leadership, and building a retirement strategy that reflects today’s economic reality, not yesterday’s assumptions.

http://bitcoinira.com/breakfastleadership

In this episode, Michael sits down with Steven Puri, a former Hollywood studio executive turned founder of Sukha, to explore career reinvention, sustainable creativity, and the science behind focus and flow. Drawing from Steven’s journey through the film industry and his transition into building tools for deep work, the conversation uncovers practical strategies for productivity, work-life balance, and long-term creative success.

Steven and Michael begin by unpacking Michael’s career trajectory in the film industry, from working directly on major motion pictures to stepping into senior executive leadership. Michael shares stories from his time collaborating with renowned directors and how those formative experiences shaped his understanding of storytelling, leadership, and execution.

His career evolved into executive roles at DreamWorks as Executive Vice President, where he oversaw high-profile projects including Transformers and Fringe, and later as Vice President at 20th Century Fox, managing large-scale summer action franchises. These experiences laid the foundation for his later work in leadership, burnout prevention, and performance.

Steven shares insights from his own career about the importance of craftsmanship and sustainability, particularly for writers and creative professionals. Rather than relying on bursts of inspiration, he emphasizes designing environments that consistently support deep focus and high-quality output.

He highlights examples of successful creatives who intentionally tied their work to specific locations, including writing teams who returned to the same villa in Puerto Vallarta or repeatedly booked the same room at the Universal Hilton to trigger a focused mental state. Steven encourages listeners to identify or create their own dedicated spaces that signal it is time to do meaningful work.

Michael reflects on his early experience working remotely as far back as 2007, long before remote work became mainstream. He explains how he established rituals to mentally transition into and out of work, including maintaining a dedicated workspace, dressing as if going to an office, and even using intentional entry and exit routines to mark the workday.

Steven connects this to his own writing on the concept of “commuting to your home office,” reinforcing how rituals can replace the psychological cues that traditional offices once provided.

As a father and entrepreneur, Michael shares how he learned to balance presence with productivity. He discusses setting clear boundaries during work hours while remaining fully engaged with his children outside of them, a strategy that helped him avoid burnout while maintaining performance.

The conversation moves into procrastination and task management, with Michael explaining how breaking large projects into smaller, manageable steps helps reduce resistance. Steven adds insights from his work with Sukha, noting that limiting visible tasks to just three at a time can significantly improve focus and execution.

The episode concludes with a deep dive into flow states, drawing on the research of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Steven and Michael explore how elite performers across industries enter flow and the conditions required to sustain it.

Steven shares a pivotal personal experience of entering a deep flow state during a flight, which ultimately inspired the creation of Sukha. The company’s name itself came from a user who described how the tool helped them find balance between meaningful work and family life, perfectly capturing the mission behind the platform.

• Sustainable success is built through intentional environments and rituals, not constant hustle

• Flow states can be designed, not left to chance

• Clear boundaries support both productivity and well-being

• Limiting task overload is a powerful antidote to burnout and procrastination

For more information on Steven Puri and his work, visit https://thesukha.co or reach out directly at https://www.thesukha.co/media

Urban residents are increasingly adopting dopamine fasting as a structured way to disconnect from the constant noise of modern life. In cities like Austin, New York, and Cleveland, residents utilize this practice to seek relief from digital distraction and overstimulation.

According to the sources, here is how urban residents use these techniques to address overstimulation and burnout:

Residents in top-ranking cities for this trend engage in intentional breaks from activities associated with instant gratification. Rather than a literal "reset" of brain chemistry, the practice is focused on reducing the frequency of dopamine spikes triggered by modern behaviors. Common strategies include:

• Digital Detoxes: Taking multi-day or week-long breaks from social media and video gaming to break compulsive reward-seeking loops.
• Dietary and Lifestyle Changes: Avoiding sugary snacks, processed foods, and alcohol as part of a broader effort to manage stimulation.
• Reengaging with Low-Stimulus Activities: Using the time gained to focus on nature, reading, or direct social connection, which provides deeper satisfaction than digital inputs.

Urban residents utilize these breaks specifically to combat the "constant connectivity" that leads to burnout. By stepping away from incessant stimulation, they aim to achieve several psychological benefits:

• Mental Clarity and Productivity: Participants report increased focus and executive function, which are essential for navigating demanding urban work environments.
• Emotional Regulation: The practice is linked to improved mood, reduced anxiety, and a decrease in symptoms of depression.
• Present-Moment Awareness: By removing digital distractions, residents find they can cultivate greater mindfulness and intentional living.

The trend is also being recognized as a tool for holistic wellness in professional settings. Leaders and HR professionals are encouraged to support employees in setting boundaries with technology and taking intentional breaks to support long-term well-being and build healthier workplace cultures.

While many see it as a healthy practice, experts in the sources suggest that the most effective way to address burnout is through moderation and purposeful reduction rather than total deprivation. Taking the practice to extremes can lead to isolation or decreased life satisfaction; therefore, it is often recommended as a component of a balanced lifestyle rather than a rigid "fast".

Analogy for Understanding: Think of dopamine fasting like letting an overheated engine idle. The goal isn't to remove the oil or fuel (the dopamine) which the engine needs to run, but rather to stop redlining the motor so it can cool down and operate efficiently again without burning out.

Link to research: https://www.breakfastleadership.com/blog/why-dopamine-fasting-is-trending-across-american-cities-and-what-it-means-for-mental-clarity-focus-and-behavioral-health