Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.com

How do you get out of the rat race and live your ideal life? How can you set up a business that aligns with your passions, and provides financial independence? Alvaro Fernandez did just that – turning a blog into SharpBrains, the leading think tank and advisory in brain fitness. In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth picks Alvaro’s “sharp brain” to understand the mindset and strategies that transformed SharpBrains into the “go to” – and amplified Alvaro’s influence and impact. What resources are waiting for you to create? What powerful community can you activate to propel you and your ideas?

SHOW NOTES:

• Economics and seeing the brain as an asset
• A brief history of SharpBrains: from blog in 2005 to leading advisory in 2025
• “Becoming a platform to add value and fill a needed gap”: The secret sauce that underpins SharpBrains and has powered their success
• What brings credibility and trust?
• SharpBrains is NOT a non-profit – and did not raise outside capital! How Alvaro created value, but captured value – and made money.
• Find latent needs + protype and don’t overthink + quickly test: How SharpBrains assessed new business ideas
• Alvaro’s hard truth: the ability to say no to things you want to do, but may ultimately destroy your core
• The power of creating content: How Alvaro would cut through the noise today
• Two key conditions that causes a community to appear – and power you
• How to prevent people from “stealing” your idea: Ideas vs. Execution and knowing your business model

BIO AND LINKS:

Álvaro Fernández Ibáñez is CEO of SharpBrains, the leading brain fitness and neuroscience think tank and advisory. Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Alvaro has been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, AP, CNN, and more. He co-authored the book The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: How to Optimize Brain Health and Performance at Any Age, and is the Editor-In-Chief for seminal market reports on neurotechnology and digital brain health. Alvaro enjoys serving in the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Human Enhancement, and in the Global Teacher Prize Academy run by the Varkey Foundation. He holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Deusto, in his native Spain.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarofernandez/
• SharpBrains Advisors: https://sharpbrains.com
• His book, SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: https://a.co/d/gRrA0qC
• Public speaking: Alvaro featured on CNN’s Larry King Live and other recent talks: https://sharpbrains.com/about-us/speaking/
• Pervasive Neurotechnology market report: https://sharpbrains.com/pervasive-neurotechnology/
• Michael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74