iTrust Capital: Use code IMPACTGO when you sign up and fund your account to get a $100 bonus at https://www.itrustcapital.com/tombilyeu
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
Welcome back to the Tom Bilyeu Show! I’m Tom, and this week’s episode is a whirlwind tour through one of the wildest stretches of news and culture we’ve seen in a long time. Alongside my producer Drew, we dig deep into the global headlines making waves—from the bizarre and chaotic end to the 12-day war between Israel and Iran and Trump’s headline-grabbing ceasefire announcement, to China’s explosive rise in cultural exports and gaming.
We don’t just skim the surface—we’re getting into the realpolitik that drives international decision-making (and why most people get it wrong), what Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination really says, and how Supreme Court decisions around deportation could reshape the landscape at home. There’s a lot happening domestically, too: we’re breaking down the surge in socialist-leaning policies in New York’s mayoral race, questioning if “free” is ever truly free, and tracing the roots of America’s current populist moment.
On the tech and relationship front, Drew and I react to the latest wave of AI-generated memories with deceased loved ones, what that might do to our sense of reality, and even a hot take on how to make straight relationships work in the modern era. Plus, with China dominating in gaming, we reflect on what it’ll take for America to recapture its creative edge.
This episode is jam-packed with hot takes, practical wisdom, and just enough laughter to keep things moving—so if you’re ready for some unfiltered analysis and real talk about the week’s craziest stories, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in!
00:00 Intro
07:58 Middle East Tactical Diplomacy
13:18 Casual Presidency Shift
18:15 Political Loyalty and Experimental Strategy
25:46 Corn Subsidies and Market Distortion
30:55 "Challenges of Entrepreneurship"
32:22 Price Controls Inefficiency Impact
40:29 Rent Freeze Leads to Decline
46:53 "Misconceptions About Government Spending"
50:55 Deportation Tactics Under Scrutiny
56:11 "Mirrored Therapy for Phantom Pain"
01:01:21 Marriage Dynamics and Respect
01:05:36 Rethinking Relationship Dynamics
01:11:54 Game Development Milestone Reflections
Israel-Iran War, Trump Nobel Peace Prize, Supreme Court deportation ruling, Realpolitik, US-Iran relations, nuclear weapons, Abraham Accords, populism, social media influence, China cultural warfare, socialism in New York, NYC mayoral race, city-owned grocery stores, free public transportation, rent control, income inequality, government subsidies, union influence, economic innovation, property values, AI-generated memories, false memories technology, international politics, US-Mexico border, deportation policy, generational cycles, cultural identity, video game industry, Chinese gaming exports, US economic policy
Welcome to the Tom Bilyeu Show Live prep. Reminder Superchats will be read at the bottom of the second hour, unless over a threshold of 19.99.
And as always:
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
When you look at Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, and criticize them for the fact they don't directly code their software or build their rockets... you're missing the point.
Today on Impact Theory, @rickcarusola and I break down what sets great leaders apart from the rest.
The secret? Great Leaders are good at their craft, they're good businessmen, AND they have a VISION for the company that carries their team.
Rick breaks down a beautiful example in Walt Disney in this clip, and you can watch the full interview right now.
Context.ai: Organize everything in one place - sign up for free at https://context.ai
SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at https://www.skims.com/impact #skimspartner
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
On this episode of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu sits down with real estate developer and civic leader Rick Caruso for a powerful conversation about leadership, crisis management, and the future of Los Angeles. As political divisiveness and public safety concerns grip the city, Rick brings his firsthand experience tackling LA’s toughest challenges—from the riots and police reform to wildfire recovery and urban renewal. Rick shares candid insights on what it takes to drive culture change, hold government accountable, and inspire real action in both the public and private sectors. With stories from rebuilding after devastating fires to navigating City Hall bureaucracy, you’ll hear why Rick believes leadership, vision, and a commitment to competence are the keys to restoring pride and safety in our communities. Whether you’re passionate about civic change or looking for inspiration on effective leadership, this episode delivers a masterclass in getting things done—even when the odds are stacked against you.
00:00 Intro
05:24 Pathway to Citizenship Advocacy
08:01 Trump's Methods Critiqued
10:42 "Critique of Radical City Policies"
14:34 Effective Leadership: Inspire and Collaborate
19:33 "Leadership Critique of LA Mayors"
21:23 "Prioritizing Competence Over Ideology"
26:04 Fire Response Strategy Development
27:53 Preparedness Prevents Disaster in LA
31:26 Steadfast's Progress Amid Challenges
34:05 Elon Musk Podcast Speculation
37:05 Leadership Paralysis and Decision-Making
41:16 LA County Crime Policy Dynamics
44:17 "Action Over Words: Progress Focus"
48:11 "National Economic Divide"
49:45 "Subscribe and Be Legendary"
LA riots, political divisiveness, culture change, Los Angeles corruption, LAPD, defunding police, fire department budget cuts, law enforcement, property destruction, stand down orders, protest vs. riot, illegal immigration, citizenship pathway, economic workers, family separation, gang violence, paid agitators, political organizations, city council disruptions, leadership, culture shift, USC crisis, entrepreneurship, visionary leadership, homelessness, housing reconstruction, wildfire preparedness, artificial intelligence in plan check, recall election, public safety.
Shortform: Try Shortform free and get 20% off your annual subscription at http://shortform.com/tombilyeu
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
00:00 Intro
00:25 The Day Argentina Died: A Glimpse Into America’s Future
01:21 America’s Fate? Debt, Division, Disaster
03:05 Why the U.S. Is In Late-Stage Collapse (Phase 5)
05:06 Phase 1: The Fake Boom – Early Expansion
05:54 Phase 2: Bubble Building – When Growth Gets Dangerous
08:14 Phase 3: Euphoria – The Debt Trap Nobody Sees
11:04 Phase 4: Crisis – When It All Starts to Burn
15:41 Phase 5: Internal Disorder – Trust Dies, Riots Rise
17:17 Phase 6: Total Collapse – Pick Your Poison
18:59 How Debt Fuels Political Extremism
20:26 The Shocking Truth About How Money Is Created
23:09 Why The Rich Get Richer—and The System Breaks
26:02 “Tax the Rich” Won’t Save Us
35:40 We’re Arguing About the Wrong Things
38:01 How Collapse Follows a Pattern (And We’re in It)
41:27 What Comes Next? Beautiful Deleveraging or Ruin
45:12 How to Escape Collapse: The 4 Tools of Deleveraging
56:16 The Playbook: How To Engineer a Safe Economic Landing
59:04 The Final Step: Rebuilding Confidence and Growth.
1:00:13 The Bottom Line: 98% Collapse, But 2% Rebuild
Catch Our Full Slate Of Content:
Monday - Tom's Deepdives
Tuesday - Interviews
Wednesday - Tom Bliyeu Show Live!
Thursday = Tight 60 (Our weekly review show)
Friday - Tom Bilyeu Show Lives!
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
ButcherBox: New users that sign up for ButcherBox will receive their choice between steak tips, salmon, or chicken breast in every box for a year + $20 off their first box at https://butcherbox.com/impact
Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at http://NetSuite.com/Theory
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
00:00 Intro
09:45 JD Vance Chimes In
18:30 Can We Afford This War
32:57 Proxy War In Russia
41:57 FBI And IRS Crack Down On Riots
56:50 US Backed StableCoins On The Way
01:04:00 Movies and Anime
Israel Iran conflict, US involvement, G7, Trump, air superiority, nuclear weapons, Iron Dome, Tel Aviv, Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, antisemitism, international community, sanctions, Iranian nuclear program, Weapons of Mass Destruction, democracy, theocracy, October 7th, Biden, American foreign policy, non proliferation, bunker buster, Fordow facility, LA riots, FBI, IRS, political violence, reserve currency, war economy, stablecoins
Welcome to the Tom Bilyeu Show Live prep. Reminder Superchats will be read at the bottom of the second hour, unless over a threshold of 19.99.
And as always:
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
CashApp: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/v6nymgjl #CashAppPod
iRestore:Give yourself the gift of hair confidence this year. For a limited time only, our community is getting a HUGE discount on the iRestore Elite when you use code IMPACT at https://irestore.com
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact
Hey Impact Theory family,
This week’s episode is one for the books! I sat down with MIT-trained computer scientist, author, and video game entrepreneur Rizwan Virk to dive deep into one of the most mind-bending questions of our time: Are we living in a simulation?
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll find in this episode:
Quantum Physics Meets Video Games The episode starts with Tom referencing a ground-breaking scientific discovery: In 2022, Nobel Prize winners confirmed that “the universe is not locally real.” In plain English—reality only “renders” when you observe it, just like in a video game (no, seriously!).
Simulation Hypothesis 101 Rizwan shares how his background in gaming and his research into quantum physics led him to believe that a simulated universe actually makes more sense than a purely physical one. Ever heard of Schrodinger’s cat being both alive and dead until observed? That quantum weirdness is central to Rizwan’s argument for simulation theory.
Memory, Probability, and Purpose The conversation gets wild as Rizwan and I debate ideas like the multiverse, free will, and whether the past is “real” or just rendered on demand. We explore why our universe seems so ‘perfectly tuned’ for life, and whether that supports the idea of some kind of higher intelligence or just infinite trial and error—simulation style.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Tech Rizwan draws fascinating connections between the world’s mystic traditions (think Hinduism, Buddhism, and even Christianity and Islam) and modern technology. Did you know Eastern religions talk about reality as a “dream” or “illusion”? Rizwan suggests they were describing something akin to a simulation all along but didn’t have the vocabulary we have today.
NPCs vs. Players: Do We Have Free Will? Are we just characters running on autopilot, or are we players choosing our path? Tom and Rizwan tackle the age-old free will debate—contrasting rules-based programming (NPCs) with the possibility of having a “player” or soul controlling our conscious experience from outside the simulation.
Life After Death, Near-Death Experiences & The Game Metaphor From near-death experiences to the idea of a “life review,” this episode explores what happens when the game of life is over. If we are in a simulation, is death game over, or just logging out until next time?
What Does It All Mean for You? Whether you’re skeptical or convinced, the Simulation Hypothesis offers a new framework for thinking about personal challenges, meaning, and the nature of reality itself.
Chapters:
00:00 Simulated Multiverse and Efficient Universes
17:57 Simulation Hypothesis and Reality Perception
22:54 Simulation Theory: Metaphysical Perspectives
36:09 Delayed Choice in Quantum Mechanics
41:45 Evolution of AI: From Rules to Networks
57:01 Exploring Universality in Religious Teachings
01:05:53 "Life Preview and Review Theory"
01:21:56 "Intent-Driven Advertising Insights"
01:29:52 Questioning Materialist Paradigms
01:35:38 Aliens: Scientific Possibility and UFOs
01:44:11 Religious Mysticism and Theophany Origins
01:55:45 Simulation Theory: Coexisting Roles & Glitches
02:05:11 The Illusion of Kompromat
Welcome to the Tom Bilyeu Show Live prep. Reminder Superchats will be read at the bottom of the second hour, unless over a threshold of 19.99.
And as always:
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
OpusClip: Get your first month of Opus Pro FREE at https://www.opus.pro/clipanything?coupon_code=impact
iTrust Capital: Use code IMPACT when you sign up and fund your account to get a $100 bonus at https://www.itrustcapital.com/tombilyeu
Do you need my help?
STARTING a business: join me here inside ZERO TO FOUNDER (https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder)
SCALING a business: click here to see if you qualify (https://tombilyeu.com/scale)
Get the exact systems, mindset shifts, and principles that built a $1B brand delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free (https://tombilyeu.com)
Check out our Video game - Project Kyzen: (https://projectkyzen.io/)
Catch Me Streaming on Twitch - (https://twitch.tv/tombilyeu)
Link to IT discord: https://discord.gg/TZKJ2etPbT
Tom's Favorite Things List: https://amzn.to/41Ftt7e
Welcome back to the Tom Bilyeu Show! In this episode, I’m joined by my co-host Drew as we jump straight into the headlines and controversies shaking America right now—most notably, the recent immigration riots that sparked nationwide debate about law, order, and what holds our country together.
Before we get into the serious topics, Drew and I warm things up with some classic banter—everything from movies and workouts to jiu-jitsu—and then we get right into the complex issues at the heart of the news cycle. We talk about government power, media narratives, property rights, and the cultural clashes dividing the nation. I bring in some big-picture context, comparing these events to cycles seen in history, like the fall of the Roman Empire and the perils of late-stage empires, while Drew challenges me with important questions about compassion, resistance, and how marginalized groups are treated in times of upheaval.
Digging even deeper, we cover Ray Dalio’s warning signs about civil conflict, the dangers of runaway debt and economic instability, the rise of populism, and how easily societies can be manipulated when emotions run high. We don’t shy away from the messy, uncomfortable debates—like policing tactics, the responsibilities of leaders, and what it means to have shared values in a melting pot like America.
It’s a raw, honest, and sometimes fiery conversation—exactly the kind of discussion I think we need right now. If you want perspective, challenge, and a no-spin look at what’s really going on behind the headlines, you won’t want to miss this episode of the Tom Bilyeu Show.
00:00 Intro
00:31 Riots vs Protests
45:08 Shellenberger On Immigration Crisis In America
51:34 Newsom Spoiled His Chance To Be President?
57:06 Ray Dalio On His Civil War Article
01:11:55 Kash Patel Lying on Joe Rogan
01:18:13 Highlights From The Live
Connexion
