In Episode 14 of Deal Flow Diaries, Alexandra and Elaine sit down with Giovanni Vaccaro, co-founder of Glamsquad and founder of Peak Mode Coaching, to explore the mindset behind building one of the beauty industry's most recognizable brands. Giovanni shares his journey from growing up in his family's Italian restaurant to becoming one of New York City's top hairstylists before leaving the security of a thriving career to help reinvent the beauty industry through on-demand services.

What began as a leap into cosmetology with no experience evolved into nine years at Frédéric Fekkai, where relentless discipline, curiosity, and relationship-building laid the foundation for Glamsquad, bringing luxury beauty services directly into clients' homes. Today, Giovanni also coaches founders, executives, and high performers through Peak Mode Coaching, helping them develop the identity, confidence, and habits required to reach their next level.

Join us as we talk about:

• Why confidence isn't something you're born with. It's built by keeping promises to yourself.
• How embracing discomfort, rather than avoiding it, creates the biggest opportunities for growth.
• Building Glamsquad by deeply understanding both the customer and the professional behind the service.
• Overcoming imposter syndrome while raising venture capital, and learning how to add value without pretending to know everything.
• Why the strongest teams are built around complementary strengths, preparation, and clearly defined roles.
• The identity-first coaching framework Giovanni uses to help founders, executives, and entrepreneurs unlock higher performance and avoid living with regret.

Whether you're building a company, leading a team, navigating a career transition, or simply looking to become a better version of yourself, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at what it takes to turn uncertainty into momentum—and ambition into lasting impact.

Follow Giovanni Vaccaro & Glamsquad:

Instagram: @giovannivaccaro, @glamsquad

Website: giovaccaro.com, glamsquad.com

LinkedIn: Giovanni Vaccaro

Questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you...send us a text!

Questions and comments; reach out to us at inquiries@dealflowdiariespodcast.com

Find out more about the dealflowdiariespodcast.com

To stay up to date with Deal Flow Diaries and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.

Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

Thank you for listening.

The legal industry doesn’t have to operate the way it always has. In Episode 13 of Deal Flow Diaries, we sit down with Shermin Lakha, founder of LVLUP Legal, to explore how she walked away from some of the most prestigious institutions in law and finance to build a modern legal platform designed for founders, creators, and growing brands.

Before the age of 30, Shermin left Goldman Sachs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and international Big Law behind to launch her own firm with a simple but unconventional idea: eliminate the billable hour, prioritize accessibility, and build genuine relationships before transactions. What began as a solo practice has evolved into a growing ecosystem spanning legal services, creator representation, community-building, AI education, and angel investing.

From networking her way into her first opportunities in New York City to building a nationally recognized brand with virtually no advertising spend, Shermin shares the lessons, mindset shifts, and strategies that have fueled her success.

Join us as we talk about:

• Why authentic networking—not transactional networking—became the foundation of LVLUP Legal's growth
• How Shermin built a thriving law firm by abandoning billable hours and embracing transparent pricing
• The power of personal branding, social media, and showing up authentically in business
• Building multiple businesses that complement one another, from LVLUP Legal to Tiger Tiger Creative Agency, The Connected Table, and The First Call
• How AI agents are helping entrepreneurs reclaim time, scale operations, and focus on higher-value work
• Shermin’s approach to angel investing, wealth-building, and empowering more women to participate in investing and entrepreneurship
• Why hard work, resourcefulness, and a willingness to do the unglamorous tasks remain the ultimate competitive advantages

Whether you're a founder, creative, investor, or professional considering a leap into entrepreneurship, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to build a business, a personal brand, and a life on your own terms.

Follow Shermin Lakha & LVLUP Legal:

Instagram: @shermin.lakha, @lvluplegal,

@tigertiger.social, @the.connected.table, @the.firstcall

LinkedIn

Email

Questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you...send us a text!

Questions and comments; reach out to us at inquiries@dealflowdiariespodcast.com

Find out more about the dealflowdiariespodcast.com

To stay up to date with Deal Flow Diaries and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.

Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

Thank you for listening.

Real estate is never just about properties. It's about people, trust, timing, and solving complex problems when the stakes are high. In this episode of Deal Flow Diaries, we sit down with Mark Jovanovic, co-founder of Paradigm Advisory, to explore how a terrible first experience buying an apartment in New York ultimately led him to build one of the country's top-performing real estate advisory businesses.

Mark shares his journey from arriving in Manhattan knowing only a handful of people to closing more than $2.5 billion in transactions and helping shape the technology infrastructure behind Compass during its earliest startup days. From leaving the security of an established brokerage to becoming one of Compass's founding agents, Mark offers an insider's perspective on what it takes to build, innovate, and thrive in an industry undergoing constant transformation.

This conversation goes beyond luxury real estate. It is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, relationship-building, and adapting to change. Mark reflects on the importance of playing the long game, embracing innovation before it becomes mainstream, and building teams rooted in trust, alignment, and shared purpose.

Join us as we talk about:

• Taking the leap from a successful career at Corcoran to helping build Compass as one of its earliest agents and product contributors
• Why technology and AI will continue transforming real estate, while human judgment and relationships remain irreplaceable
• The philosophy of treating every client relationship as a long-term investment rather than a transaction
• Building high-performing teams through trust, alignment, mentorship, and empowering others to lead
• Why authenticity, resilience, and a willingness to "go all in" are essential ingredients for innovation and long-term success

Whether you're an entrepreneur building something new, a real estate enthusiast curious about the future of the industry, or someone interested in how meaningful businesses are built, this episode offers valuable lessons on leadership, adaptability, and creating lasting impact.

Follow Mark Jovanovic & Paradigm Advisory:

Website

Instagram: @mark.jovanovic @paradigm_advisory

LinkedIn: Mark Jovanovic, Paradigm Advisory Team

Questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you...send us a text!

Questions and comments; reach out to us at inquiries@dealflowdiariespodcast.com

Find out more about the dealflowdiariespodcast.com

To stay up to date with Deal Flow Diaries and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.

Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

Thank you for listening.