Martin Sawa, Author of "The Other Side of Success, Money and Meaning in the Golden State" on How the American Dream has Changed, Life after Loss and More Artwork

Life. On Purpose

Brandi Eilert is the creator and host of Life. On Purpose — a podcast dedicated to the stories that awaken us, shape us, and remind us why we’re here. With a gift for deep listening and genuine connection, Brandi guides conversations that explore resilience, faith, healing, and the pursuit of meaning in a world that often values achievement over authenticity.

A lifelong seeker and storyteller, Brandi’s own path has been one of transformation — moving through challenge, loss, and reinvention to find a deeper sense of purpose. Through her interviews with athletes, advocates, thinkers, and everyday visionaries, she creates space for the kind of truth that heals and inspires.

Grounded, empathetic, and unafraid to ask the big questions, Brandi’s mission is simple: to help others live more consciously, love more deeply, and align their lives with what truly matters.

When she’s not behind the mic, you’ll find her immersed in family life, college basketball games supporting her husband, creative projects, or somewhere quiet (usually home - her sanctuary) — reflecting, reading, writing, and practicing what she preaches: living on purpose.

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Life. On Purpose

Martin Sawa, Author of "The Other Side of Success, Money and Meaning in the Golden State" on How the American Dream has Changed, Life after Loss and More

September 06, 2021 • Brandi Eilert • Episode 33

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Martin Sawa is a first generation Ukrainian American, former San Francisco real estate power broker, and author of "The Other Side of Success, Money and Meaning in the Golden State," a book about his remarkable rise to self-made wealth from the humblest of beginnings, how a devastating loss forced him to reevaluate the meaning of success, and how the impact of love, family, religion, and race shaped the metaphorical zoetrope of Martin’s own American Dream.

In this episode we discuss:

* The American Dream and how it has evolved over the past few decades and if it even still exists as it did when his parents emigrated from Ukraine

* Martin's definition of success and how it changed over time

* How love and loss helped him discover his spirituality again

* Putting skin in the game in business and life

* Discovering his family roots in Ukraine (his parents lived under Stalin and Hitler), what he learned and how it applies to the world in 2021

* His appraisal of his wins and losses in a volatile time of technological, social, and political change

...and much more

You can find more on Martin and his book:

website: https://www.martinsawa.com

Instagram: @martinlsawa

FB: /Martinsawa2020