Break Free™

Hosted by David Mansilla

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Episodes

257

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Feeling stuck in your career, business, or entrepreneurial journey? You’re not alone—and more importantly, you don’t have to stay there. If you’re ready to move beyond the frustration of spinning your wheels and start gaining real clarity in your professional path, this podcast is for you. Each episode features powerful business stories, expert insights, and transformational lessons from successful entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and mission-driven professionals. You’ll discover strategies to break through limitations, identify new opportunities, and confidently step into the business and life you were designed to lead. Your breakthrough in business starts now. Hit play—and start building with purpose, direction, and lasting impact.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 10, 2026Episode 2839 min

From Immigrant Roots to a $40 Million Empire: The Playbook Most CEOs Ignore

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Break Free Podcast! Host David Mansilla sits down with Juan Valerio, CFO-turned-CEO, to dive deep into the real-world realities of executive leadership, business strategy, and legacy building. Juan shares his incredible transition from advisory consulting to steering a 30-year-old food manufacturing and distribution power enterprise. Together, David and Juan explore how to navigate tight industry margins, lead teams with empathy and accountability, and scale nationwide while staying unapologetically rooted in cultural identity. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: (1) The Mindset Pivot: How to transition from an advisory mindset (CFO) to strategic enterprise direction (CEO) through effective delegation. (2) Low Margins, High Value: Why long-term consumer trust and volume scale beat short-term price spikes every single time. (3) Empathy Meets Discipline: How to hold tough performance conversations with tact and treat feedback as an act of mentorship. (4) Authentic Scaling: Expanding a brand nationwide while preserving its core cultural roots, family values, and founding legacy. (5) Giving Back to the Community: How corporate success creates an ecosystem to uplift causes, support families, and drive social impact. Learn more about Break Free Podcast: https://www.davidmansilla.com/ https://www.breakfreepodcast.co/ #BreakFreePodcast #DavidMansilla #JuanValerio #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLeadership #FoodIndustry #CorporateCulture #CFOtoCEO #LatinoEntrepreneurs

July 23, 2026Episode 2746 min

Why "Getting Rich Fast" Is Ruining Your Future (And What Works Instead)

In this episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla welcomes Jeff Panik, founder of Balance Wealth Partners, CFP®, author, and U.S. Army veteran. With over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry, Jeff shares his battle-tested strategies for overcoming debt, mastering compound growth, and building a business that aligns with personal happiness and long-term peace. Whether you're a young entrepreneur navigating your first venture, an executive looking to pivot, or a pre-retiree preparing for your next chapter, this conversation offers a clear roadmap through the noise. 💡 Key Takeaways: (1) The Truth About Debt & Growth: Why fast wealth often leads to faster drops, and how steady, unsexy compounding wins the long game. (2) Fiduciary vs. Traditional Advisers: How to ensure your financial partners put your best interests ahead of their commissions. (3) The High-Yield & Emergency Reserve Rule: Why keeping a 3-6 month liquid cushion is essential for surviving business volatility. (4) Unplugging in a 24/7 World: Setting intentional boundaries with technology to preserve your focus, health, and primary relationships. (5) The Education & Career Strategy: Strategic ways to minimize student debt early so you can invest in business opportunities faster. (6) Gratitude & Benchmarking: Why you must stop comparing your progress to others and start measuring yourself against who you were yesterday. 👍 Enjoyed the episode? Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell for more high-impact interviews on business, wealth, and freedom! #Entrepreneurship #FinancialLiteracy #WealthManagement #BreakFreePodcast #Leadership

July 10, 2026Episode 2636 min

Corporate Exodus to Business Acquisition: Overcoming Failure with Jason Umidi

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Break Free Podcast! In this episode, host David Mansilla is joined by Jason Umidi—an author, recovery coach, former international construction project manager, and the current owner of Metemporium, a thriving durable medical equipment store in Chesapeake, Virginia. Jason opens up about his dramatic transition at age 57 from corporate security to small business ownership. He shares the raw realities of his entrepreneurial journey, including losing everything in the 2008 housing market crash, surviving foreclosure and bankruptcy, fighting severe chronic pain after 5 spinal surgeries, and ultimately finding the life-changing sobriety that reshaped his entire perspective on leadership. If you are a business leader trying to balance risk management, scale a side hustle, or find deep-rooted joy and hope amidst market volatility, Jason’s story will completely shift the way you look at success. 🚀 Key Takeaways from the Episode: The Power of Acquisition Entrepreneurship: Why buying an existing, cash-flowing family business can be infinitely more successful and less volatile than starting a brand-new concept from scratch. Purpose-Driven vs. Profit-Driven Decisions: How aligning your core values and empathy (inspired by Jason's journey as a parent to a disabled daughter) creates sustainable community equity and repeat customers. Extracting Equity from Failure: How navigating macro-economic disasters like the 2008 crash teaches critical lessons about overleveraging, debt, and building an unstoppable mindset. The Anatomy of a Side Hustle: Inside Jason’s strategic blueprint for a parallel scooter rental startup in tourist markets, engineered for nationwide franchising. The Executive Anchor: Why integrating core faith, authentic relationships, and deep gratitude is the ultimate shield against the emotional isolation of corporate success. 💬 Join the Conversation: What was your biggest takeaway from Jason's journey? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to LIKE , SHARE , and SUBSCRIBE for more deep-dive interviews with transformative business leaders. #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #Franchising #SobrietyJourney #Resilience #PodcastInterview

June 29, 2026Episode 2338 min

From Rock Bottom to 25k Patients a Month: Scaling Urgent Mental Health with Dr. Tamir Aldad

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Break Free Podcast with your host, David Mansilla! Today, we are shining a light on a visionary leader who is radically disrupting the mental health system. Dr. Tamir Aldad is a trained addiction psychiatrist who chose to step away from a comfortable one-on-one private practice, head to business school at the University of Chicago, and build a massive, data-driven solution to the mental health crisis. As the founder and CEO of Mindful Care, Dr. Aldad now leads a staff of over 300 professionals providing critical same-day and next-day urgent psychiatric services across six states. In this deeply moving and emotional episode, David and Dr. Aldad strip away the corporate masks. David shares his vulnerable, Christ-centric testimony of surviving a work-induced heart attack, escaping the dangerous illusions of self-medication, and finding true freedom through spiritual deliverance and a life-changing ADHD medical diagnosis. Together, they discuss what it truly means to lead with a macro-vision, build a profitable business that honors human souls, and step out in faith to change the world. ✨ WATCH THE FULL EPISODE TO LEARN: (1) The Scale Shift: How to move from the mindset of self-employment (healing one person at a time) to true entrepreneurship (building a multiplier system). (2) Bridging the Treatment Gap: Why same-day and next-day mental health infrastructure is the missing link in fighting the healthcare crisis. (3) Overcoming the Entrepreneur's Trap: Recognizing the dangerous intersection of workaholism, chronic stress, and hidden neurological struggles like ADHD. (4) The "Forest vs. Trees" Leadership Style: How Dr. Aldad balances the visionary drive to "take over the world" with quantitative, data-driven metrics. (5) The Building Block Blueprint: Dr. Aldad’s actionable advice for anyone who wants to solve massive world problems but feels trapped by limited resources. Connect with Dr. Tamir Aldad & Mindful Care: 🌐 Website: www.mindful.care If this episode spoke to you, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to help us break the stigma and empower more leaders to find true, sustainable freedom! #BreakFreePodcast #DrTamirAldad #DavidMansilla #MentalHealthMatters #EntrepreneurWellness #ADHD #AddictionPsychiatry #KingdomBusiness

June 29, 2026Episode 241 hr 9 min

You Think You’re Just Stressed From Work, But Is It Actually Hidden PTSD Driving Your Burnout?

What is the true cost of success? In this deeply moving and transparent episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla sits down with Robert Greene, a holistic trauma counselor based in Bali, Indonesia. Together, they pull back the curtain on a silent crisis affecting countless entrepreneurs, veterans, and high-stress professionals: unhealed psychological trauma. Robert shares his intense life trajectory—from dealing with chaotic family environments and serving as a US Navy hospital corpsman during Operation Iraqi Freedom, to surviving a sudden family tragedy and his own severe battle with PTSD and substance abuse. After walking away from a corporate job and spending years seeking healing through extreme lifestyle shifts (including living off-grid with native tribes in the Philippines and studying under monks in India and Tibet), Robert reveals why modern "quick-fix" wellness trends often fail and what it actually takes to heal. If you are a leader struggling to balance high-pressure environments with your inner peace, this episode will give you a completely new perspective on turning your pain into your greatest superpower. 🔑 Key Takeaways: (1) The Danger of Compartmentalization: Shoving trauma "into a box" to survive high-stress corporate or military environments works temporarily, but eventually leads to emotional burnout, violent mood swings, or addiction. (2) The "New Age" Wellness Critique: Popular commercialized trends like app-guided meditation and isolated breath-work classes often trigger intense emotional responses without giving individuals the lifestyle framework, discipline, and support required to actually process them. (3) Presence Over Escape: Escaping reality—whether through substances, radical isolation, or obsessive spiritual practices—creates a conflict of interest with daily life. True meditation is simply the habit of being completely focused and present in your current 3D reality (work, family, daily tasks). (4) The Price of Wisdom: Growth doesn't happen without friction. True emotional resilience comes from reframing our deepest psychological discomfort as a necessary "gym workout" for character and leadership development. (5) Testing Your Path: David and Robert discuss the necessity of having a solid mental and spiritual container so that exploring inner consciousness doesn't blur the lines into psychological instability. 🔗 Connect with our Guest: Learn more about Robert Greene's programs and grab a copy of his book at: unfiltered-wisdom.com 📢 Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more powerful episodes on breaking free and leading with value! #BreakFreePodcast #LeadershipMindset #TraumaRecovery #EntrepreneurLife #MentalHealthMatters #PresenceOverGrind #Resilience #UnfilteredWisdom

June 29, 2026Episode 2548 min

How to Survive the Leadership Traps and Financial Realities of Growth

Welcome to another high-impact episode of the Break Free Podcast! In this episode, host David Mansilla is joined by Natalia Zacharin, the founder and CEO of Zacharin Consulting, a nationwide firm specializing in bookkeeping, payroll, and elite fractional CFO services. Building a business is arguably the hardest thing you will ever do in your life. It exposes every single one of your strengths and 10xes your deepest weaknesses. Natalia shares her raw journey from navigating poverty to bootstrapping a self-funded, fully remote enterprise that survived and thrived through major economic crises. If you have ever felt blindfolded by your financial data or overwhelmed by the heavy emotional toll of leadership decisions, this masterclass is exactly what you need to hear. 🔑 Key Takeaways From This Episode: Profit $\neq$ Cash: Discover why a business can look incredibly profitable on a P&L statement while simultaneously running out of cash in the bank. The Golden Payroll Ratio: Learn why service-based industries need to target a payroll-to-revenue metric of 30% to 35% to remain safely automated, lean, and profitable. The 3-Month Survival Rule: Why maintaining a minimum of three months of operational expenses in liquid cash is the foundational baseline for pivoting during unexpected market shifts. The Trap of Hero Leadership: A sobering look at why carrying underperforming team members or keeping a payroll your revenue cannot support out of "loyalty" is actually a form of pride that results in everyone losing their jobs. The Three Wealth Buckets: How to transition highly volatile primary business revenue into a stable trinity of assets—specifically leveraging passive real estate to hedge against inflation and secure long-term equity. ✨ Subscribe to the channel for more raw, unfiltered conversations with elite business leaders changing the world. 👉 Watch the full episode now to take total control of your business's financial destiny! #FractionalCFO #CashFlowIsKing #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipStruggles #RealEstateInvesting #PassiveIncome #RemoteWork #Bootstrapping #Mindset #SmallBusiness

May 8, 2026Episode 2249 min

I Sabotaged My Medical Career to Build a Global Business That Actually Matters

Welcome to the Break Free Podcast! In this deep dive, host David Mansilla interviews Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak , the President and CEO of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) . Wendy’s journey is a masterclass in long-term career architecture—starting as an intern, leaving to gain "street cred" in the corporate world, and returning to lead the organization at the highest level. This conversation moves beyond standard business advice, focusing on the behavioral science of consumption and the high-stakes world of crisis management and proactive stakeholder engagement. Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs & Leaders: The Value of the Pivot: Why abandoning a prestigious path (Medicine) allowed Wendy to create a broader impact in the global food value chain. Behavioral Science in Business: Understanding why "Taste" is the #1 factor in consumer decisions and how to apply these insights to any product. Managing Executive Risk: How Wendy navigated a "million-dollar plan" by pressure-testing her ideas with those who disagreed with her. The "Right of Passage": A look at the specific moments of diligence and sacrifice that signal to stakeholders you are ready for the C-Suite. Sustainable Leadership: Why the most effective leaders prioritize "Love Without Agenda" to build trust within their teams and industries. About Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak: Wendy is a Registered Dietitian and executive leader who has navigated both the nonprofit and agricultural sectors. As CEO of IFIC, she leads the charge in providing science-based information on food safety, nutrition, and sustainable food systems. If you’re looking to scale your impact and lead with more courage, SUBSCRIBE for more interviews with top-tier business leaders. #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessPivot #CEOInterview #NutritionScience #Entrepreneurship #CrisisManagement #BehavioralEconomics #BreakthroughPodcast

May 1, 2026Episode 211 hr 1 min

I discovered the "warming oil" secret that raises your IQ and restores your entrepreneurial edge

In this powerful episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla welcomes Udo Erasmus, a world-renowned authority on healthy fats and the creator of Udo’s Choice. After suffering from pesticide poisoning, Udo dedicated his life to uncovering the truth about nutritional health and the spiritual nature of human existence. Udo’s journey is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership. He shares how he engineered specialized machinery to protect essential oils from damage, navigated complex regulatory hurdles with the FDA, and expanded his mission to 40+ countries—all while maintaining a profound sense of inner peace. Key Takeaways: (1) The Temple of Health: Your body is a self-renewing machine designed by God; 98% of your atoms are replaced every year, making recovery possible through proper stewardship. (2) The Power of Stillness: Why "seeking the Kingdom first" through daily stillness is the ultimate competitive advantage for entrepreneurs. (3) Essential Oils & IQ: How undamaged Omega-3 and Omega-6 can increase energy by 40-60% and even raise your IQ. (4) Leading with Enthusiasm: How a deep sense of purpose can drag you through personal fears, including shyness and a fear of flying. (5) True Freedom: Understanding that freedom is not about doing whatever you want, but about the responsibility and bliss of being who you truly are in Christ. About Our Guest: Udo Erasmus is the co-founder of the Udo's Choice supplement brand and the author of the classic Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill. With a background in Biochemistry and Counseling Psychology, he has impacted millions by teaching how to achieve total health through nature and human nature. Listen to the full episode here: https://youtu.be/ZvaW_5z5DAE #UdoErasmus #HealthPioneer #SpiritualLeadership #Biohacking #HealthyFats #BusinessSuccess #InnerPeace #BreakFreePodcast

April 3, 2026Episode 2040 min

I Chased Financial Freedom Until My Body Broke: Here’s the Legacy I Almost Lost.

Building a business is a grind, but are you building a foundation or just chasing a paycheck? In this episode, Perry Braun (President & CEO of Benefit Advisors Network) joins David Mansilla to discuss the raw reality of leadership and why "patience" is the most underrated skill in entrepreneurship. With nearly 40 years of experience, Perry explains how he transitioned from an executive role to owning his firm and why he prioritizes "breaking bread" with clients over cold transactions. If you are a business owner feeling the weight of the "treadmill," this conversation is your permission to step off, decompress, and realign your heart with your mission. Key Takeaways from this Episode: Strategic Succession: Why internal acquisition bypasses the startup learning curve. The "Eulogy" Test: How to define your professional identity by the legacy you want to leave behind. Kaizen in Business: The power of continuous improvement and tiny shifts for giant results. Leading Like a Servant: Why the most successful leaders enter the room looking to serve, not be served. The Danger of Burnout: David and Perry share personal warnings on the cost of "winning" too fast. About Our Guest: Perry Braun is a visionary industry leader who excels at forecasting trends and building high-performance cultures. He leads an international network of employee benefits brokers across the U.S. and Canada. Don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more insights on high-level entrepreneurship! #Entrepreneur #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #SuccessionPlanning #CEOInterviews #ProfessionalDevelopment #Kaizen #ServantLeadership

March 2, 2026Episode 195 min

Why this former CEO now spends her days in a Senior Home

What happens when a high-level corporate executive chooses the "trenches" over the corner office? In this golden nugget from the Break Free Podcast, Esmerelde Lee shares her incredible journey. Esmerelde Lee moved from South Africa to the U.S. and completely redefined what it means to lead. After facing immense personal loss, she found a way to bridge the gap between seniors, caregivers, and families through a "Mutual Benefit Loop." 🔗 LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtu.be/RTYFW_VFDxE If you found value in this clip, please LIKE this video and SUBSCRIBE for more insights on career development, leadership, and personal growth. #BreakFreePodcast #EsmereldeLee #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerPivot #SeniorLiving #ExecutiveCoaching #PurposeDrivenLife #OvercomingGrief #BusinessLeadership