Time, Fuel, & Money
Time, Fuel, and Money is a conversation for founders, investors, operators, and high-performers who want to understand the deeper forces that shape how we live, build, lead, and make decisions. Hosted by Deborah Moorad, Karim ReFaey, and Vassili Kotlov, the show blends neuroscience, psychology, business, energy, and human behavior—turning complex ideas into practical, emotionally intelligent frameworks.
Each week, we explore what really drives progress: alignment, awareness, relationships, incentives, momentum, and the hidden energy behind ambition. Through stories from biotech, venture capital, government, aviation, engineering, and everyday life, we break down how time, fuel, and money work together—and how they quietly shape careers, companies, and character.
This is not a hustle show. It’s a clarity show.
A place to think deeper, grow wiser, and operate with more intention—without losing your humanity.
New episodes weekly. Join us and rethink the rules.
Time, Fuel, & Money
When Business Gets Personal: Expectations, Deception & the AI Mirror
How to stay yourself when the room gets weird
Episode 25 dives into a week of misreads, mismatched intentions, and unexpectedly charged meetings. Deb, Karim, and Vassili unpack how character shows up before the pitch, why narratives slip, and why people behave unpredictably when fear, ego, or incentives collide. They explore AI’s emerging role in negotiation psychology — not as a replacement for trust, but as an amplifier of human tells.
This episode serves as a field guide for navigating power dynamics without losing your center.
Topics:
- Your gut compass & recalibration
- Deception, fear states & awareness
- Culture, generation & communication
- AI as an emotional mirror
- Boundaries, energy protection & pacing
- Relaxed presence in high-stakes rooms
- Character as the ultimate due diligence