In this raw and deeply emotional episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Matt Dillon for a powerful conversation about adversity, identity, addiction, resilience, and what it truly means to build yourself back up when life breaks you down.

Matt opens up about leaving Australia for New York, starting over from nothing, navigating addiction, loneliness, and career pressure, and learning how to survive by showing up every single day, even when everything felt impossible. From swimming through rock bottom to rebuilding discipline, trust, and self-worth, this episode explores the realities most people never talk about.

The conversation also dives into Matt’s life-changing bond with a chimpanzee that gave him purpose during one of the darkest chapters of his life, reshaping how he views love, responsibility, and connection.

Key Takeaways

-Why rock bottom can become the foundation for real personal growth

-The difference between fake confidence and earned self-belief

-How eliminating toxic people and habits creates momentum

-Why discipline, presence, and self-trust change everything

-How purpose can come from unexpected relationships and responsibility

-Redefining success, greatness, and ambition on your own terms

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https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGA

Matthew Dillon

https://www.instagram.com/mattdillon1983/

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In this episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans entrepreneurship, immigration, resilience, artificial intelligence, and humanity’s next energy frontier: space.

Baiju opens up about growing up as the child of Indian immigrants, learning English by watching TV, and how that outsider perspective shaped his worldview, work ethic, and belief in opportunity. He reflects on building Robinhood in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the skepticism they faced, and how democratizing access to the markets reshaped an entire generation’s relationship with money.

The conversation then moves beyond finance into the future of energy and AI. Baiju introduces his newest venture, Aetherflux, and the bold vision behind what he calls the “Galactic Brain” a solar-powered AI data centers and energy grids built in space.

From space-based power transmission using lasers to solving the massive energy demands of artificial intelligence, this episode explores ideas that sound like science fiction but are rapidly becoming reality.

Key Takeaways

-Baiju Bhatt’s immigrant upbringing and how it shaped his mindset

-The real story behind building Robinhood after the 2008 financial collapse

-Why access to investing became a cultural and generational shift

-The philosophy of failure, stubborn belief, and customer-driven validation

-What the “Galactic Brain” means for AI, power, and the future of humanity

-How space solar power and laser energy transmission actually work

-Health, discipline, confidence, and how self-respect changes outcomes

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https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGA

Baiju Bhatt

https://www.instagram.com/realbaijubhatt/

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In this deeply moving episode of The Determined Society, host Shawn French sits down with Liz Caplan, world-renowned vocal coach, founder of Liz Caplan Voice Studios, and trusted voice teacher to some of the biggest names in film, television, and Broadway, including Hugh Jackman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andrew Garfield, Ben Platt, Stephen Colbert, and more.

From growing up with asthma to discovering that singing and breathwork could literally change how her body functioned, Liz explains how music became her first medicine, long before success, recognition, or a thriving business.

She shares how deep, intentional breathing can calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and create a natural “high” with no crash, no hangover, and no harm.

Liz also pulls back the curtain on her journey from teaching a few students to becoming one of the most trusted vocal coaches in the industry, explaining how small steps, word of mouth, and genuine care built a world-class career rooted in service, not ego.

Key Takeaways

-Your voice and breath are powerful healing tools, not just performance skills.

-Deep, intentional breathing can regulate the nervous system and reduce anxiety naturally.

-True success is built slowly through service, trust, and word-of-mouth consistency.

-Burnout often comes from absorbing others’ energy; learning to release it is essential.

-Creativity, music, and movement can be medicine when used with intention.

-Determination means continuing your mission with empathy, care, and integrity.

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https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGA

Liz Caplan

https://www.instagram.com/lizcaplan/

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