In this powerful episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, Joe Gallagher—founder and CEO of Apastioli and a former Grammy-nominated musician—shares his remarkable journey from rising rock artist to surviving a devastating car accident, spiraling into addiction, facing legal battles, and ultimately finding faith, sobriety, and a new entrepreneurial purpose. Joe recounts how a simple batch of his grandmother’s pasta sauce sparked the launch of Apastioli, a rapidly growing food and fragrance brand intertwined with his mission to help others in recovery. He also reveals his vision for a regenerative farm, upcoming film and TV projects based on his story, and why manifestation, service, and trusting God now guide his life and business.
Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/BrUi_wDB3ug
Learn more about him at: https://www.apastioli.com
Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/joegallagherjr/
Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on:
Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/innovationradio
X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation
Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/AgentsOfInnovationPodcast
You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys
You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com
00:00 – Intro to Joe Gallagher and the Agents of Innovation podcast.
01:20 – Meeting Joe in Charleston
03:20 – The Fearless Journeys community & upcoming Chile–Argentina trip
04:24 – What is Apastioli?
04:59 – Grammy Nomination & The Car Accident
06:18 – Injuries, Recovery, and Identity Crisis
07:42 – Attempted Murder Charge
09:56 – DUI, Addiction, and Hitting Bottom; The downward spiral and legal consequences.
13:17 – Rock Bottom to Redemption.
14:30 – Pasta Sauce Sparks a Business; How feeding friends in recovery launched Apastioli.
21:41 – Packaging, FDA, and Scaling Challenges
23:10 – Vision for a Regenerative Farm
26:13 – Discovering the 1,700-acre Long Wing Plantation
27:38 – From Bars to Jars (the Book); Joe’s first book and the storytelling strategy behind it.
28:36 – Angel Studios Reaches Out
29:38 – Writing the Fictional Sequel; A future vision in book form
31:28 – The Power of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship; How Joe’s story builds brand connection.
32:14 – Angel Studios, The Chosen & Film Industry Insights
36:02 – The Apastioli Brand Expands to Fragrances; Moonshine lessons, oil extraction, and luxury fragrance development.
40:38 – Vision, Manifestation & Mapping the Future; Why Joe writes fiction to shape reality.
42:24 – The Letter to God That Came True; A year of manifestations unexpectedly becoming reality.
43:30 – How to Get Joe’s Book, "From Bars to Jars," and where to find it online.
44:21 – Apastioli: Products, Website & Trademark Story; Where to buy Apastioli sauces and fragrances.
45:44 – Joe’s Film/TV Development Team; Managers, agents, producers—full momentum ahead.
48:36 – The 1,700-Acre Farm Update: Why the owners are holding out for Joe’s project.
49:36 – Investment Opportunity; Joe is open to investors and shares potential ROI.
50:17 – Joe’s Message to Anyone Struggling: Why his phone number is public and how he wants to serve others.
51:30 – Closing Thoughts: Faith, manifestation, service, and Joe’s gratitude.
All content for Agents of Innovation is the property of Francisco Gonzalez and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this powerful episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, Joe Gallagher—founder and CEO of Apastioli and a former Grammy-nominated musician—shares his remarkable journey from rising rock artist to surviving a devastating car accident, spiraling into addiction, facing legal battles, and ultimately finding faith, sobriety, and a new entrepreneurial purpose. Joe recounts how a simple batch of his grandmother’s pasta sauce sparked the launch of Apastioli, a rapidly growing food and fragrance brand intertwined with his mission to help others in recovery. He also reveals his vision for a regenerative farm, upcoming film and TV projects based on his story, and why manifestation, service, and trusting God now guide his life and business.
Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/BrUi_wDB3ug
Learn more about him at: https://www.apastioli.com
Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/joegallagherjr/
Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on:
Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/innovationradio
X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation
Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/AgentsOfInnovationPodcast
You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys
You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com
00:00 – Intro to Joe Gallagher and the Agents of Innovation podcast.
01:20 – Meeting Joe in Charleston
03:20 – The Fearless Journeys community & upcoming Chile–Argentina trip
04:24 – What is Apastioli?
04:59 – Grammy Nomination & The Car Accident
06:18 – Injuries, Recovery, and Identity Crisis
07:42 – Attempted Murder Charge
09:56 – DUI, Addiction, and Hitting Bottom; The downward spiral and legal consequences.
13:17 – Rock Bottom to Redemption.
14:30 – Pasta Sauce Sparks a Business; How feeding friends in recovery launched Apastioli.
21:41 – Packaging, FDA, and Scaling Challenges
23:10 – Vision for a Regenerative Farm
26:13 – Discovering the 1,700-acre Long Wing Plantation
27:38 – From Bars to Jars (the Book); Joe’s first book and the storytelling strategy behind it.
28:36 – Angel Studios Reaches Out
29:38 – Writing the Fictional Sequel; A future vision in book form
31:28 – The Power of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship; How Joe’s story builds brand connection.
32:14 – Angel Studios, The Chosen & Film Industry Insights
36:02 – The Apastioli Brand Expands to Fragrances; Moonshine lessons, oil extraction, and luxury fragrance development.
40:38 – Vision, Manifestation & Mapping the Future; Why Joe writes fiction to shape reality.
42:24 – The Letter to God That Came True; A year of manifestations unexpectedly becoming reality.
43:30 – How to Get Joe’s Book, "From Bars to Jars," and where to find it online.
44:21 – Apastioli: Products, Website & Trademark Story; Where to buy Apastioli sauces and fragrances.
45:44 – Joe’s Film/TV Development Team; Managers, agents, producers—full momentum ahead.
48:36 – The 1,700-Acre Farm Update: Why the owners are holding out for Joe’s project.
49:36 – Investment Opportunity; Joe is open to investors and shares potential ROI.
50:17 – Joe’s Message to Anyone Struggling: Why his phone number is public and how he wants to serve others.
51:30 – Closing Thoughts: Faith, manifestation, service, and Joe’s gratitude.
Episode 158: Vuk Velebit, Pupin Initiative, Belgrade, Serbia
Agents of Innovation
1 hour 4 minutes 27 seconds
4 months ago
Episode 158: Vuk Velebit, Pupin Initiative, Belgrade, Serbia
Vuk Velebit is the co-founder and executive director of the Pupin Initiative, which has become the hub for bolstering US-Serbia ties, doing so through collaborative and non-partisan efforts and policies. The Pupin Initiative was established with the same values that renowned Serbian-American scientist and inventor Mihajlo (Michael) Pupin espoused over 100 years ago. They bring together young entrepreneurs, cross-field experts, and value creators from both the United States and Serbia, focus on creating impactful networks through a bottom-up approach, and provide an authentic understanding of local contexts. The Pupin Initiative is privately funded to ensure commitment and efficiency, and to surpass any bureaucratic shortcomings.
Vuk Velebit is a leading new-generation political analyst, renowned for his expertise in foreign and security policy, media analysis, and political strategy.
You can also watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/5qvATL-79q8
You can learn more about the Pupin Initiative at: https://pupin.org
Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on:
Instagram: / innovationradio
Twitter: / agentinnovation
Facebook: / agentsofinnovationpodcast
You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys
You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org
0:00 Episode Intro
1:55 Introduction of Vuk Velebit
3:52 Why the Pupin Initiative?
5:55 Who was Michael Pupin?
10:28 Serbia's dynamic geographic location
14:06 U.S. companies with hubs in Belgrade
16:08 Serbia's startup ecosystem & US trade partnership
17:00 High-skilled tech talent
18:16 Why most Serbians speak English
24:05 Real Estate Investment in Belgrade waterfront
28:53 The need for internal investment in Serbia
30:43 Serbian economy and access to international markets
37:15 Serbian Dinar a very sound currency
37:50 Visiting Belgrade & learning its history
43:40 U.S. Presidential visits to Serbia
46:38 Connecting Belgrade and Miami
48:45 The affect of Russia, Ukraine, and Israel on Serbia
51:48 Serbian Orthodox Church & rich history in Belgrade
54:25 Events and Activities of the Pupin Initiative
58:01 Meeting with decision makers in Washington DC
1:01:06 The future of Serbia and U.S.-Serbia relations
Agents of Innovation
In this powerful episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, Joe Gallagher—founder and CEO of Apastioli and a former Grammy-nominated musician—shares his remarkable journey from rising rock artist to surviving a devastating car accident, spiraling into addiction, facing legal battles, and ultimately finding faith, sobriety, and a new entrepreneurial purpose. Joe recounts how a simple batch of his grandmother’s pasta sauce sparked the launch of Apastioli, a rapidly growing food and fragrance brand intertwined with his mission to help others in recovery. He also reveals his vision for a regenerative farm, upcoming film and TV projects based on his story, and why manifestation, service, and trusting God now guide his life and business.
Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/BrUi_wDB3ug
Learn more about him at: https://www.apastioli.com
Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/joegallagherjr/
Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on:
Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/innovationradio
X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation
Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/AgentsOfInnovationPodcast
You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys
You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com
00:00 – Intro to Joe Gallagher and the Agents of Innovation podcast.
01:20 – Meeting Joe in Charleston
03:20 – The Fearless Journeys community & upcoming Chile–Argentina trip
04:24 – What is Apastioli?
04:59 – Grammy Nomination & The Car Accident
06:18 – Injuries, Recovery, and Identity Crisis
07:42 – Attempted Murder Charge
09:56 – DUI, Addiction, and Hitting Bottom; The downward spiral and legal consequences.
13:17 – Rock Bottom to Redemption.
14:30 – Pasta Sauce Sparks a Business; How feeding friends in recovery launched Apastioli.
21:41 – Packaging, FDA, and Scaling Challenges
23:10 – Vision for a Regenerative Farm
26:13 – Discovering the 1,700-acre Long Wing Plantation
27:38 – From Bars to Jars (the Book); Joe’s first book and the storytelling strategy behind it.
28:36 – Angel Studios Reaches Out
29:38 – Writing the Fictional Sequel; A future vision in book form
31:28 – The Power of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship; How Joe’s story builds brand connection.
32:14 – Angel Studios, The Chosen & Film Industry Insights
36:02 – The Apastioli Brand Expands to Fragrances; Moonshine lessons, oil extraction, and luxury fragrance development.
40:38 – Vision, Manifestation & Mapping the Future; Why Joe writes fiction to shape reality.
42:24 – The Letter to God That Came True; A year of manifestations unexpectedly becoming reality.
43:30 – How to Get Joe’s Book, "From Bars to Jars," and where to find it online.
44:21 – Apastioli: Products, Website & Trademark Story; Where to buy Apastioli sauces and fragrances.
45:44 – Joe’s Film/TV Development Team; Managers, agents, producers—full momentum ahead.
48:36 – The 1,700-Acre Farm Update: Why the owners are holding out for Joe’s project.
49:36 – Investment Opportunity; Joe is open to investors and shares potential ROI.
50:17 – Joe’s Message to Anyone Struggling: Why his phone number is public and how he wants to serve others.
51:30 – Closing Thoughts: Faith, manifestation, service, and Joe’s gratitude.
