“Our fundamental belief is that what we currently understand as these conditions that are treatment-resistant or intractable, we will have ways to treat them such that people can not just get to their baseline, but actually ultimately flourish. And that’s really, I would say, a huge focus of ours,” says Greg Kubin, as he refers to conditions like depression and PTSD. He discusses the future of mental health solutions and the role PsyMed Ventures plays in driving this change.

In this episode, Alex Raymond is joined by Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky, partners at PsyMed Ventures, to talk about the intersection of psychedelics and venture capital. What does it take to invest in breakthrough therapies that could transform mental health care? Greg and Matias walk us through their mission to fund startups that tackle mental illness, from psychedelic medicine to neurotechnology, and explain why they believe healing, ethics, and profitability can align.

They also talk about the shifting landscape for psychedelics, especially with potential FDA approval for MDMA on the horizon, and how this could be a game-changer. How do these investors spot the right opportunities in such a complex and evolving field? And why is founder resilience so important in ventures like these? Tune in for an insightful discussion on how VC is driving real change in mental health.

Quotes

• “For me, investing is a means to an end. It’s a vehicle through which we have a positive impact… How we think about it is that we don’t get to choose between great returns and great societal impact. Without great returns, there’s no chance to keep on doing this for many, many more decades. And without societal impact, it’s like, why are we even focusing on this? What’s the point?” (09:23 | Matias Serebrinsky)
• “Our fundamental belief is that what we currently understand as these conditions that are treatment-resistant or intractable, we will have ways to treat them such that people can not just get to their baseline, but actually ultimately flourish. And that’s really, I would say, a huge focus of ours.” (13:40 | Greg Kubin)
• “Psychedelics definitely helped, and it helped scientists and researchers understand better how our brain works and what are the receptors that elicit certain behavioral changes and feelings and emotions.” (18:38 | Matias Serebrinsky)
• “At the end of the day, I think if you're going to introduce a new technology or way of operating into the world, there’s just so much status quo that you need that larger-than-life individual.” (24:03 | Greg Kubin)
• “In order to be supportive in that capacity, I think you first need to really establish a relationship that's based in trust and transparency and vulnerability.” (30:40 | Greg Kubin)

Links

Connect with Greg Kubin and Matias Serebrinsky:

Website: https://psymed.ventures/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“For me, every time I fasted, the goal was to gain clarity on a specific aspect of the entrepreneurial journey—like the calling, who I understood God needed me to be,” says Samella Watson, tech entrepreneur and founder of BLCK. She joins Alex Raymond in this episode to share how faith and spirituality have been key to her growth, both personally and in business. Fasting, in particular, has been her way of quieting the external noise to gain focus and reaffirm her purpose as an entrepreneur.

Samella opens up about how this practice helped guide her during pivotal moments, such as the decision to shift BLCK from a short-term rental model to a membership-based home exchange platform—an approach that reflects her belief in making travel more accessible. How can aligning a business with deeper values, grounded in faith, create lasting impact? Samella believes it’s essential and shares how building a community of like-minded entrepreneurs has been a core part of that journey. Her story encourages us to think about how our own spiritual practices can shape both personal and professional growth, connecting our work to a larger sense of purpose.

Quotes

• “The reason I fast is to turn off the outside noise of the world because it’s loud—very loud. When you’re trying to do something that’s not physically in your face and you don’t know how to do it, it can be intimidating. For me, every time I fasted, the goal was to gain clarity on a specific aspect of the entrepreneurial journey—like the calling, who I understood God needed me to be. I needed clarity on that, and the best way to gain that clarity was to shut the world off as much as possible and be fully present, ready to receive insights.” (16:29 | Samella Watson)
• “I believe that because we’re in a climate where people are becoming more aware of the ‘bleasure’ lifestyle, it’s something that BLCK really wants to focus on. We don’t have to work our fingers to the bone or stay on this hamster wheel to be great, add value, and do awesome things.” (29:17 | Samella Watson)
• “Another area that I have focused on is mindset shifting. I had to dig through that with the spiritual part of it, but a lot of times, we don’t challenge our choices. We just assume we think a certain way for some reason. But once you start asking, ‘Why do I think that way? Where is this coming from?’ you can clarify things and become more authentically yourself. So, mindset shifting is huge.” (31:11 | Samella Watson)

Links

Connect with Samella Watson:

Website: https://samellawatson.com/

Website: https://theblck.io/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Mattering is our inherent need to feel significant and to feel significant to the people around us,” explains Zach Mercurio, an expert on mattering and its crucial role in creating meaningful and engaging workplaces. In his conversation with Alex Raymond, Zach stresses that mattering is more than just a feel-good concept—it’s a fundamental human need that can transform motivation, productivity, and overall well-being. When people feel like they don’t matter, it often leads to disengagement or even quiet quitting.

Zach explains how crucial it is for leaders to make their teams feel noticed, affirmed, and needed. Why? Because when employees believe their work contributes to a larger purpose, they find deeper meaning in their roles. By fostering an environment where individuals feel valued and connected to the organization’s mission, leaders can inspire greater engagement and long-term success.

Quotes

• “Mattering is our inherent need to feel significant and to feel significant to the people around us. And it’s three primary things. It’s a fundamental human instinct. So, for everyone listening, the first thing you did when you opened your eyes was tilt your head upward. You looked for a caretaker, then reached out your hands and grasped for significance. And so, your very survival as a human, depended on you procuring mattering to someone else, enough to keep you alive. It’s a basic survival instinct. It’s a fundamental need for motivation. When we look at motivation in life and work, it is almost impossible for anything to matter to a human being who doesn’t believe that they matter.” (02:47 | Zach Mercurio)
• “It’s hard for anything to matter to someone who doesn’t believe that they and what they’re doing matters.” (03:47 | Zach Mercurio)
• “Meaningful work is doing what matters to us and what matters to the world. It’s mattering by default.” (05:47 | Zach Mercurio)
• “Mattering is really at the core of these concepts: it’s I feel valued and I know how I add value.” (06:07 | Zach Mercurio)
• “Feelings of not mattering either result in acts of withdrawal or acts of desperation. What’s an act of desperation? I matter more than you think. Complaining, blaming, protesting. A lot of difficult employees are, in my practice, the most difficult employees are employees who feel the most unseen, unheard, unacknowledged, and misunderstood.” (08:16 | Zach Mercurio)

Links

Connect with Zach Mercurio:

Website: https://www.zachmercurio.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://amplifyam.com/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm