Agents of Innovation

A podcast 🎙 that features conversations with entrepreneurs 💡, philanthropists 👼🏼, and artists 🎸 Hosted by Francisco Gonzalez. #myfearlessjourney

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

We sat down with @Mod77art inside his own studio — Galleria 77 -- in Guatemala City.

Once an anonymous graffiti artist painting stencils on city walls, he’s now a celebrated contemporary artist.

Watch Episode #163: https://t.co/XqFhv1udvJ or listen on any platform.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Great to hear @join_praxis talked about on episode 488 of @mikeroweworks podcast with @cboyack. I thought Mike was ahead of the game but I had Praxis founder @isaacmorehouse on episode 1 of my @AgentInnovation podcast back in 2015!

https://t.co/OA32N4lD2V

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Everything is coming to Miami including @chessboxing!

Great to see my friend @MovingWithMat in Miami today kicking off the first ever USA Chessboxing tryouts here in Miami at Chessboxing Miami.

I will never forget first meeting Matt in 2018 (when I interviewed him in Atlanta for the @AgentInnovation podcast) shortly after he discovered chess boxing and just before he became the first American to compete in the World @ChessBoxing Championships.

When Americans compete, we compete to win, and Matt became the first American to be the World Chessboxing Champion in 2018!

Now he is leading not just a sport — but a movement.

While I have known him for eight years and have showed up for any of his other events, including the charity he started @BrawlforaCause, today was the first time I’ve seen THE COACH in action.

What an incredible workout session he led all these newcomers through today, as they sweated in the heat and humidity of the beginnings of the Miami summer. It was so amazing to see this starting up so strong in Miami, and in a gym led by a Cuban boxer.

If you like chess and / or boxing you may want to follow Matt and check out Chessboxing Miami — at the House of Pain boxing gym just west of Wynwood — we might be lucky to see the legendary Matt Thomas back in the 305 quite often, especially if this sport keeps growing. I have no doubt it will because of the man that is leading it here for the 🇺🇸

You can also read more about Matt Thomas in my book, “The Heart of the American Dream.” https://t.co/SQ9fcmMqvl

Love continuing to follow Matt’s journey and blessed to have him as a friend and inspiration in my own life. No one is truly fearless (he once told me) but he comes pretty close!

Keep brawling! 🥊 🇺🇸

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

This week on the Agents of Innovation Podcast, @jeralpo shared how his experience at Google led him to launch @swyftcities and rethink how people move through growing cities like Miami.

Short clip below.

Full episode 168 here: https://t.co/chmpIMlbu4

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

What if the future of transportation is closer than we think?

That question inspired both my latest Substack article and Episode #168 of the @AgentInnovation Podcast featuring @jeralpo, founder and CEO of @swyftcities

Jeral spent 15 years at Google working in transportation planning and real estate development, giving him a front-row seat to some of the world's most ambitious mobility projects. What surprised him was the conclusion he reached: many of the transportation solutions receiving the most attention—including autonomous vehicles and flying cars—may do little to solve congestion in rapidly growing cities.

Instead, he's helping develop a different vision: autonomous, on-demand vehicles that travel above traffic on an elevated cable network, providing direct trips without stoplights, congestion, or unnecessary stops.

As someone who lives in Miami—a city experiencing tremendous growth and increasingly challenging traffic—I found the conversation fascinating. It also reminded me of a broader lesson: entrepreneurs often see possibilities where others see problems.

In my latest Fearless Journeys Substack article, "The Future of Transportation May Be Closer Than You Think," I explore what this conversation taught me about innovation, travel, curiosity, and the importance of imagining solutions that don't yet exist.

You can:
📖 Read the article on Substack: https://t.co/JuDA5VicMW

🎙️ Listen to Episode #168 of the Agents of Innovation Podcast -- availably on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

📺 Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://t.co/wJ0LDAXrVW

🚠 Learn more about Swyft Cities and their vision for the future at https://t.co/Jz3KncdAgN

Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, transportation, real estate, technology, city-building, or simply how innovation shapes our daily lives, I think you'll find both the article and podcast conversation worth your time.

@NickGarzilli

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

A fantastic evening! If you thought my conversation with @RoyKAltman was great on the @AgentInnovation podcast, you should have been at dinner with us in Brickell. Even better!

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

Check out this short clip of @RoyKAltman on the Agents of Innovation podcast episode 167. His new book, "Israel on Trial" uses the legal approach of the First Amendment to hold government accountable while balancing media hype.

Full episode: https://t.co/6ughOqLLYN

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

What a privilege it was to have @RoyKAltman, US Federal District Court Judge, of the Southern District Court here in Miami, on the @AgentInnovation podcast.
Judge Altman is the author of a new book, Israel on Trial, which is now available.

Check out this short clip about how we can apply one of the objective standards of the courtroom to testing the claims made in the Hamas - Israel conflict.t

I encourage you to then listen or watch the full discussion on Episode 167 of the Agents of Innovation podcast available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Watch here: https://t.co/zadZCWoVkB

And check out Judge Altman's book, "Israel on Trial" for a deeper dive: https://t.co/NOnujKQie4

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Innovation Isn’t Always About Technology—Sometimes It’s About Truth

We often think of innovation in terms of AI, startups, and new business models.

But one of the most important innovations we may need right now… is a better way to think.

On Episode 167 of the @AgentInnovation podcast, I sat down with The Honorable Roy Altman, a U.S. District Judge and author of the brand new book, "Israel on Trial."

His idea is simple—but powerful:

What if we evaluated public claims the same way a jury evaluates evidence?

In his book, Judge Altman puts six of the most common claims about Israel “on trial”—not to offer political opinions, but to test them using a courtroom framework built over more than 250 years.

That framework includes:
• Scrutinizing incentives
• Examining objective evidence
• Weighing third-party verification
• Distinguishing facts from narratives

It’s a system designed for truth—not speed.

And that’s exactly why it matters today.

We’re living in a world where:
• Information spreads instantly
• Narratives form in minutes
• AI and social media amplify everything

The challenge isn’t access to information anymore. It’s discernment.

As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, this conversation feels even more relevant.

Because this isn’t just about Israel on Trial.

It’s about whether the American experiment—rooted in the rule of law and disciplined truth-seeking—can hold up under modern conditions.

👉 Will we apply these principles outside the courtroom?
👉 Will we slow down long enough to ask better questions?

This episode is a reminder:
Before reacting to a headline or sharing a post, pause and ask:
• Who is making this claim—and why?
• What evidence supports it?
• Has it been independently verified?

That mindset may be one of the most important innovations of our time.

🎧 Watch or listen to Episode 167 of Agents of Innovation on any of your favorite podcast apps (Spotify, Apple, etc) or watch on YouTube here: https://t.co/zadZCWoVkB

📘 And check out Judge Altman's book, "Israel on Trial" for a deeper dive: https://t.co/NOnujKQie4

Because after 250 years, the real question isn’t whether the system works.

It’s whether we’re still willing to use it.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

My new book, "The Soundtrack of Success: What Musicians Can Teach Us About Entrepreneurship and the American Dream," is available now on Amazon — and it features more than 15 musicians and bands with lessons that apply far beyond the music industry.

Chapter 4 features @matthewkfowler — a singer-songwriter from Orlando, Florida who chose music over college, learned entrepreneurship from his father's fine dining restaurant, and built a solo career the right way: slowly, intentionally, and with the right people around him.

I first met Matthew when my friends in the band @The_Currys brought him to a house show at my Orlando condo. He told us he had a sore throat that night. You wouldn't have known it. He was that good.

A few months later I caught more of his shows around Orlando. And in the summer of 2018, we sat down at a coffee shop to record an interview for my Agents of Innovation podcast. What he shared that day has stayed with me ever since.

Because Matthew Fowler doesn't just think like a musician. He thinks like a CEO.

"Like anything, being a musician is like owning a small business. You invest in it. You try to find the people that know what they're doing the best in it — and hire them."

He found a manager who not only believed in him but challenged him to get better. Then they worked together to find a PR company he could afford. Bit by bit, he built a support system around his solo career — not a band, not a co-founder, but a functional team behind the curtain focused on the long game.

That's not how most people think about a solo music career. But it's exactly how the best entrepreneurs think about building anything.

"I don't think people realize how much work being a musician is. I don't party at all. I work a lot."

And perhaps the line that resonates most with anyone building something from scratch:

"It takes ten years to create an overnight success in the music industry. I'm not shying away from that. I'm excited about that."

That's the mindset. Not dreading the process — embracing it.

Matthew Fowler's story is a reminder that no matter what you're building — a music career, a business, a brand — the team you surround yourself with and the patience you bring to the process are often the difference between giving up and going the distance.

📖 Grab your copy on Amazon: https://t.co/O80HZEye0P

And come find us at https://t.co/iwTKU7asvL.

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

Luke Mickelson found out child endlessness was a problem and he did something about it. One bed at a time. That's what led to @SHPbeds to be a solution.

Watch our full conversation with Luke on Episode 166 the Agents of Innovation podcast: https://t.co/VYAr60dQJc

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Four years ago, I heard a story on The Way I Heard It by @mikeroweworks that stuck with me.

It was about a “farm kid from Idaho” who built a bunk bed for a family in need.

That one act turned into something much bigger.

Today, Luke Mickelson and his nonprofit, Sleep in Heavenly Peace (@SHPbeds), have helped build nearly 400,000 beds for kids who would otherwise be sleeping on the floor.

This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Luke on my @AgentInnovation podcast.

And what stood out most wasn’t just the scale—it was how it all started:
No master plan.
No perfect timing.
Just action.

A few takeaways that apply far beyond nonprofits:
• You don’t need to be an expert to start
• Small actions compound into massive impact
• If you want to scale something meaningful, empower others to take ownership locally
• Purpose often comes after action—not before

Luke is also now helping others do the same—coaching nonprofit leaders on how to grow and scale their impact.

If you’re building something—or feel like you should be—this conversation is worth your time.

Watch here: https://t.co/sy4yXbb5mZ

What’s the “one bed” in your life?

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

My new book, "The Soundtrack of Success: What Musicians Can Teach Us About Entrepreneurship and the American Dream," is now available on Amazon — and it features more than 15 musicians and bands whose stories have plenty to teach anyone about entrepreneurship, values, and the American Dream.

One of those people is Josh Jenkins (@ThisisJJenkins)

You may know Josh as the frontman of Green River Ordinance — a band out of Fort Worth, Texas that has built one of the most loyal followings in independent music over the past two decades. He's also a solo artist and a songwriter for others, now based in Nashville. But what I want to talk about today isn't his discography. It's his definition of success.

I first saw GRO on my very first @TheRockBoat in 2010. They immediately became one of my favorite bands — not just for their music, but for the heart behind it. In the fall of 2019, I finally sat down with Josh for a conversation on my Agents of Innovation podcast at a @RockByTheSea event in Fort Lauderdale. That conversation stuck with me.

Here's why.

Green River Ordinance signed with Capitol Records. They had a top 15 radio hit. They were offered a second record deal. And they turned it down.

Why? Because they needed space to "go be human and not live in a 15-passenger van." They weren't chasing the next rung on the ladder. They were protecting something more important: their values, their families, and their sense of purpose.

"Success is living out our values and that's what we value," Josh told me.

In a world that measures success almost exclusively by revenue, followers, and headlines — here was a man who had been offered more of all of those things and said no. Not out of fear. Out of clarity.

He also spoke about humility and staying the course:
"Maintain that humility and be teachable. You can be successful one day and then the next day, things change. You have to reorient."

"You're going to encounter areas of being uncomfortable. You can either check out or you can hang in there. Define your goal and be willing to see it through."

In 2024, GRO released a new album and played reunion shows. The fans never left. Because when you build something on values rather than hype, it lasts.

Josh Jenkins didn't just build a music career. He built a life aligned with what he believes. And that's one of the clearest definitions of the American Dream I've ever encountered:

Not fame. Not fortune. Freedom — the freedom to live out your values every single day.

That's a sneak peek into Chapter 8 of The Soundtrack of Success. There are 12 more just like it.

📷 Grab your copy on Amazon here: https://t.co/O80HZEye0P

And come find us at https://t.co/iwTKU7asvL.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

The reviews are coming in for my new book, “The Soundtrack of Success.” Today is the final day to get your FREE Kindle / ebook version of the book on Amazon. Once you do, please kindly write a verified review. It will help boost the book into a broader audience. Thank you!

Get it here: https://t.co/cNRReoi30p

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

First heard on this podcast. Now lessons in a new book!

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

In Chapter 1 of my new book, "The Soundtrack of Success: What Musicians Can Teach Us About Entrepreneurship and the American Dream," I write about the moment I first heard Matt Brown play live.

It was at a house show in Clermont, Florida. I was mainly there to see my friend JD Eicher. But then Matt picked up his guitar — and I stopped. Bluesy grit. A magnetic voice. A rhythmic style that spoke to my soul. I introduced myself after the show and told him about my podcast. A friendship was born.

Matt grew up in Washougal, Washington, surrounded by the sounds of Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and The Beatles. He built a successful wood shavings business — yes, you read that right — serving 50 to 60 horse farms across his region. It gave him the financial breathing room to play music on the side.

But the pull of music eventually became too strong to ignore.

In 2014, he sold the business, listed his house, and moved to Nashville.

"With every passion, you take the plunge at some point. I was getting comfortable. I think whenever you get too comfortable, it's good to take risks."

Nashville humbled him quickly.

"It was intimidating moving there because you feel like a little fish in a huge, huge pond. You're this small-town hero musician who is on the up and up — and then you move to Nashville and everyone is a singer-songwriter. Your dentist is a writer and performer."

That statement still makes me laugh. But what came next is the real lesson.

"You have this short-term identity crisis of who am I and how do I shine here? You find that your only way of making it is being you and being authentic."

Authenticity as competitive advantage. In music. In business. In life.

It's a lesson every entrepreneur needs to hear — especially when they find themselves in a crowded market wondering how they'll ever stand out. The answer is almost never to become someone else. It's to become more fully yourself.

Matt's story is one of more than 15 musicians and bands featured in The Soundtrack of Success. Each one is different. The lesson at the core of each one is remarkably the same.

📷 Grab your copy on Amazon: https://t.co/ujAWL0w8ro

And come find us at https://t.co/iwTKU7asvL.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

My new book, "The Soundtrack of Success: What Musicians Can Teach Us About Entrepreneurship and the American Dream," is out now — and I want to tell you about the person whose story opens it.

I first met @AmyGerhartz in 2009 at the @RockByTheSea music festival. Over the past 15 years, I've watched her perform everywhere from @TheRockBoat to living rooms. I've seen her grow, evolve, and add an entirely new dimension to her already remarkable career — mindset coaching.

She impressed me so much early on that she was also featured in my first book, "The American Dream is a Terrible Thing to Waste." And when I launched my Fearless Journeys community in 2021, she was one of the first people I invited as a Featured Innovator.

It was in that role that she led a live session for our members called "Make Fear Your Friend." That conversation was so powerful, so immediately applicable to every member on that Fearless Journeys call, that it became the foundation of the introduction to The Soundtrack of Success.

Watching Amy over 15 years — as a musician and now as a mindset coach — has taught me something I'll never forget.

Her approach to fear is unlike anything I've heard before. She doesn't ask you to eliminate it. She asks you to understand it.

"Fear is an emotional response — real or imagined — that comes from your subconscious mind trying to keep you safe."

For musicians, that fear might be stepping on stage for the first time, or sending a demo to a record label. For entrepreneurs, it might be leaving a comfortable job, launching before you feel ready, or hiring your first employee. The situations differ. The fear is the same.

Her solution isn't to push through blindly. It's to shine a light on it.

"Be proactive with your fear, not reactive. That's where your power is."

She compares it to shining a flashlight into a dark room — once you face what scares you, it usually shrinks. She also offered this image that has never left me:

"Every emotion is like a child on the school bus of your life. Fear wants to drive — but you're the one behind the wheel."

"Fear can be your greatest motivator if you learn to work with it instead of against it. It can actually be used as an incredible navigator for whether you're on the right path."

"There is no fearless journey without the fear."

That last line is also why I named my community Fearless Journeys. And it's why Amy opens this book. She is the perfect embodiment of what The Soundtrack of Success is about — a musician who is also an entrepreneur, an artist who is also a teacher, and a friend who has been walking the walk for a long, long time.

If her words resonate with you, there are 13 chapters of musicians who have plenty more to teach us about entrepreneurship and the American Dream.

📖 Grab your copy on Amazon: https://t.co/59YSsS330B

…and don’t forget to write a review!

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

This podcast helped shape this book. Pick up The Soundtrack of Success today to find out how!

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

🎶 It’s officially out today.

My new book, "The Soundtrack of Success: What Musicians Can Teach Us About Entrepreneurship and the American Dream," is now live on Amazon.

This project has been years in the making—built from conversations with musicians who have dedicated their lives to mastering a craft, navigating uncertainty, and continuing to show up through every high and low.

What I’ve learned from them is simple, but powerful:

Success isn’t about the polished hit.
It’s about the journey behind it—the missed notes, the small wins, the setbacks, the reinvention.

And those lessons don’t just apply to music—they apply to all of us.
Because the stories behind the soundtrack aren’t just for musicians—they’re for anyone who wants to build something meaningful.

They offer a blueprint to help you build the soundtrack of success in your own life and career—no matter your field.

Whether you’re building a business, leading a team, or pursuing something meaningful, the same traits show up again and again:
creativity, resilience, risk-taking, and the willingness to keep going.

📘 The book is available in both paperback and Kindle formats
⚡ And for the next 48 hours, the Kindle version is free

Get it here: https://t.co/sx507sd9ll
Paperback here: https://t.co/vLGqj8y2r4

If you’re open to supporting the launch, I have one small ask:
👉 Download the Kindle version (or grab the paperback)
👉 And leave a quick review on Amazon right after

That early momentum makes a huge difference in helping the book reach more people.

This book also completes a trilogy I’ve written on the American Dream, following "The American Dream is a Terrible Thing to Waste" and "The Heart of the American Dream." Each one explores a different path—but this one may be the most practical… and the most fun.

Because who doesn’t love the story behind the music?

Grateful to the many musicians who shared their stories and inspired these lessons—and to all of you who have supported my work along the way.

Let’s see how far we can take this.

#TheSoundtrackOfSuccess #Entrepreneurship #AmericanDream #Leadership #Creativity #Startups

[Agents of Innovation @AgentInnovation]

A clip from Episode 165 of the Agents of Innovation podcast -- on board The Amigo, the sister vessel to Hemingway's Pilar, with Captain Ryan Doyle of @DoyleMarineM and host @fgonzalez1978

[Riley Kaminer ✍️ @rileywk]

You don’t need a writing habit.

You need a thinking habit that leaves a paper trail.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends and to Jewish communities around the world. 🕎

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of a small flame that refused to go out—a reminder that faith, identity, and light can endure even in the most challenging moments.

This photo was taken during my first trip to Israel in 2018, standing near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem—the spiritual heart of Judaism for more than 3,000 years. This is the site of the First and Second Temples, the very place connected to the Hanukkah story and the Maccabees’ determination to preserve Jewish worship, culture, and self-rule.

What has always struck me about Jerusalem is how the past and present coexist so powerfully here. Hanukkah isn’t only about history—it’s about continuity. It’s about carrying light forward.

In less than six months, you can stand right here with me.

From May 23 – June 4, 2026, I’ll be leading a Fearless Journeys “Biblical Business Trip” to Israel, in partnership with my friend Yoav Rotem, an Israeli tour guide with deep historical knowledge and remarkable local connections. We’ll walk the streets of Jerusalem, visit the Galilee, and experience Israel not just as tourists—but as students of faith, history, and innovation.

Just as Hanukkah reminds us that a small group with conviction can change history, Israel today remains one of the most innovative places on Earth—a modern miracle built on ancient foundations.

Chag Sameach.
May this season of light bring strength, renewal, and hope.

[Francisco Gonzalez @fgonzalez1978]

Every once in a while, a story comes along that shakes you a bit… in the best way.

As we head into Thanksgiving, I want to call your attention to a powerful new episode of the @AgentInnovation podcast — one that blends food, faith, redemption, and entrepreneurship in a way I’ve rarely encountered.

I recently sat down with Joe Gallagher Jr. , founder and CEO of @apastioli

Joe was a Grammy-nominated musician whose rising career was cut short by a sudden car accident. What followed was addiction, legal trouble, and a rock-bottom moment that forced him to completely rebuild his life.

And where did that rebuilding begin?

With faith.
With sobriety.
And with a simple family recipe.

A batch of his grandmother’s pasta sauce became the spark for Apastioli, a brand now expanding into food products, fragrances, books, and film projects — all grounded in Joe’s mission to help others in recovery and pursue purpose through service.

His journey is a reminder that redemption is real, that purpose can be reclaimed, and that sometimes the ingredients for our future success are already right in front of us.

If you need a dose of inspiration before Thanksgiving — or know someone who does — I invite you to watch or listen to Joe’s story:
🎥 YouTube: https://t.co/sZ3pZPGpCH
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/R59icmxgyy
🎧 Spotify: https://t.co/97Wjnk7V4h

I’m grateful God continues to place incredible people along my path — people whose lives remind me why storytelling matters and why community is essential.

Wishing you a meaningful and gratitude-filled Thanksgiving.

#Entrepreneurship #Resilience #RedemptionStory #FaithDriven #PersonalGrowth #PurposeDriven #AgentsOfInnovation #FearlessJourneys