1114. From Michelin Stars to Mental Clarity: The Nootropic Revolution

Coming to you live from Austin, Texas, I can’t wait for you to meet Dan Freed—a man who’s journeyed from the hot kitchen of high-end cooking to the frontier of brain improvement. Dan’s the founder and CEO of Thesis, a company that’s revolutionizing the way we think about our brain’s potential, and his journey is one of resilience and innovation.

Picture this… A kid struggling with focus throughout childhood, he drops out of high school and claws his way up in the ruthless restaurant industry to become a saucier in a three-star Michelin kitchen. But the real twist comes when Dan, grappling with burnout, stumbles upon cognitive performance supplements. This discovery didn’t just change his mental game, it transformed his entire life.

Fast forward through degrees from Yale and INSEAD, and you have the Dan that sits down for this interview—committed to helping others harness their brainpower to the fullest.

We get into the nitty gritty of nootropics and the supplement industry, talking about how Dan’s fight with burnout and learning challenges led to the birth of Thesis Nootropics. We share tips on adapting human biology to our modern world, discuss the thorny issues of regulation and quality in the supplement industry, and explain how Thesis uses a unique combined approach of customizing nootropics and expert support for their customers.

We round it all off with a look at the remarkable, results-driven formulas that Thesis offers, and how focus is the key to unlocking our greatest potential. Dan’s story is a living proof that sometimes, a couple of stumbles can lead to an incredible leap forward, thanks to some conscious action. That’s the kind of journey we all can learn something from.