#223 Baiju Bhatt - Co-Founder of Robinhood & CEO of Aetherflux
Baiju Bhatt is the Founder and CEO of Aetherflux, a space-based solar energy startup launched in 2024 that aims to beam power from orbit to Earth using infrared lasers. A first-generation American of Gujarati descent, Bhatt co-founded Robinhood in 2013 with Vlad Tenev, serving as co-CEO until 2020 and Chief Creative Officer until March 2024, helping to revolutionize commission-free trading.
He holds a BS in Physics and an MS in Mathematics from Stanford and previously started two finance companies in New York before launching Robinhood. Inspired by his father’s career at NASA, Bhatt founded Aetherflux, which has raised \$60 million in funding with plans for a 2026 satellite demonstration to deliver clean energy to remote regions. He is a Forbes-listed billionaire with a net worth of $2.5 billion and an advocate for commercial space innovation.
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Baiju Bhatt Links:
Aetherflux - https://www.aetherflux.com
X - https://x.com/BaijuBhatt
IG - https://www.instagram.com/realbaijubhatt Robinhood - https://robinhood.com
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3:13:02
#222 Brian Armstrong - Co-Founder & CEO of Coinbase
Brian Armstrong, born in San Jose, California, is the co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, which he launched in 2012 with Fred Ehrsam. A Y Combinator alumnus, Armstrong grew up in a middle-class family and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from Rice University in 2005, followed by an M.S. in Computer Science in 2006.
Before founding Coinbase, he worked as a software engineer at Airbnb developing anti-fraud tools and founded UniversityTutor.com, an online tutoring marketplace. Under his leadership, Coinbase went public via direct listing in 2021, reaching a $100 billion valuation. As of 2025, it serves over 110 million users with a market cap around $60 billion.
A Forbes-listed billionaire with a net worth of approximately $10 billion, Armstrong is a vocal advocate for clear crypto regulation. He founded the Stand With Crypto PAC in 2023 to support pro-crypto politicians, promotes decentralized identity solutions, and has pledged 99% of his wealth to charity through the Giving Pledge.
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Brian Armstrong Links:
X - https://x.com/brian_armstrong
LI - https://linkedin.com/in/barmstrong
Coinbase - https://coinbase.com
Blog - https://blog.coinbase.com/author/brian-armstrong
Stand With Crypto - https://standwithcrypto.org
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3:06:46
#221 Joe Pyfer - UFC 17-Sec KO Secrets, Meeting Mike Tyson and Terrifying Childhood Stories
Joe Pyfer, born in Vineland, New Jersey, is an American professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC's Middleweight division, nicknamed "Bodybagz" for his devastating knockout power.
Raised in a challenging environment marked by abuse and homelessness, Pyfer began training in martial arts at age four, starting with jiu-jitsu and judo, and later wrestling in high school. Turning pro in 2018, he captured the Art of War and ROC middleweight titles before earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 with a second-round TKO.
With a record of 14-3, including nine knockouts and three submissions, Pyfer has delivered highlight-reel finishes in the Octagon, earning Performance of the Night bonuses for wins over Alen Amedovski, Abdul Razak Alhassan, and Marc-André Barriault. His latest victory came via unanimous decision against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316 in June 2025.
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Joe Pyfer Links:
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UFC Profile - https://www.ufc.com/athlete/joe-pyfer
Journey to the UFC: Joe Pyfer debuts on Daily Wire+ July 25th
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3:43:46
#220 Simone Ledeen - Fmr. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy
Simone Ledeen is a national security expert and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where she oversaw U.S. defense strategies for countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and others.
With an MBA and finance background, she served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and later as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, leading the launch of its multi-national financial crime compliance program. Ledeen has held roles at the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and is a Senior Fellow at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin.
Her expertise spans technology, special operations, intelligence, and geopolitical issues, as seen in her 2025 discussions on Israel-Iran conflicts. The daughter of historian Michael Ledeen, she advocates for innovative defense solutions and public-private partnerships to address global threats. Based in Austin, Texas, Ledeen consults through Maven Defense Solutions and Vantage ROI, focusing on strategic advisory in defense and finance.
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Simone Ledeen Links:X - https://x.com/SimoneLedeen
LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen
Website - www.simoneledeen.com
Maven Defense - www.mavendefense.com
Strauss Center Profile - https://www.strausscenter.org/person/simone-ledeen
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4:07:48
#219 Isaiah Taylor - CEO of Valar Atomics
Isaiah Taylor is the audacious visionary behind Valar Atomics, an El Segundo based startup on a mission to reinvent atomic energy and fuel the future of mankind. Isaiah Taylor dropped out of high school at 16 to start a business and write software for the world's largest hedge fund, but his real obsession, inherited from his physicist great-grandfather, is nuclear energy.
After ten years of obsessive research, Isaiah founded Valar Atomics with a radical plan to reboot the atomic age with mass-manufactured nuclear reactors which can make energy for AI and reverse combustion itself, turning atmospheric CO2 and water into carbon-neutral jet fuel and gasoline cheaper than drilling for oil. In one year, Valar Atomics has already built a 100,000-pound prototype reactor, the first step on their journey to making civilization beautiful again with abundant energy.
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Isaiah Taylor Links:
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X - https://x.com/isaiah_p_taylor
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The "Shawn Ryan Show" is hosted by Shawn Ryan, former U.S. Navy SEAL, CIA Contractor, and Founder of Vigilance Elite. We tell REAL stories about REAL people from all walks of life. We discuss the ups and downs, wins and losses, successes and struggles, the good and bad in a respectful but candid way with our guest. We're better than entertainment, we're the REAL thing. Please enjoy the show.
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