Azizi Podcast

#129 - Matthew Puzhitsky on Comedy, AI, and the Rise of Canadian Pride

In this episode of the Azizi Podcast, host Samir Azizi sits down with Canadian stand-up comedian and viral creator Matthew Puzhitsky for a raw, hilarious, and thought-provoking conversation about comedy, culture, and the future of humanity in the age of AI.

Matthew shares how he went from making short sketches online to selling out shows across Canada — all while defining what it means to be a modern Canadian comedian with Slavic roots. He talks about finding his audience, dealing with imposter syndrome, staying grounded through sudden fame, and how the new generation of comics is changing the game without relying on old Hollywood gatekeepers.

The conversation dives deep into:
🎭 How social media changed the path for stand-up comedians
🇨🇦 The new wave of Canadian pride and cultural identity
🤖 How AI could reshape creativity, comedy, and human purpose
🥊 UFC vs Boxing – who’s the real king of combat sports?
💬 Growing up Slavic in Canada and turning that experience into comedy
😂 The strange world of internet fame — from fan love to hate DMs
🧠 Why success doesn’t always feel “real” and how he keeps perspective

They also explore how humor helps us process big ideas — from history and politics to technology and the future of art itself.

Follow Matthew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattpuzhitsky/
More from Matthew: https://www.mattpuzhitsky.com/

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/SO6cJmVhFm8

#128 - From Stealth Startup to Toronto DAO | Husnain Interview

In this Azizi Podcast, Samir Azizi chats with Husnain — a core member of Toronto DAO and founder of a stealth startup.

We caught up at Solana Startup Village in Toronto, hosted by Superteam, to talk about building in Web3, leadership, and what makes Toronto DAO events stand out in Canada’s crypto scene.

In this conversation, Husnain shares:
 • His experience building a stealth startup focused on Web3 infrastructure.
 • The challenges of managing and motivating teams as a founder.
 • Why he prefers a leadership style based on intrinsic motivation over authoritarian management.
 • His role in Toronto DAO’s decentralized AI & data event and how interactive presentations made a bigger impact.
 • What makes Toronto DAO unique — from consistency in events and spaces to building a real community in the GTA.

If you’re curious about startup leadership, Web3 community building, and Toronto’s growing crypto ecosystem, this interview is for you.

📍 Recorded at Solana Startup Village, Toronto — shoutout to Superteam for the amazing space!

🔗 Connect with Husnain: https://www.linkedin.com/in/husnainpolo/

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/flBjImCCCiE

#127 - From Montreal to Metaverse: Semo’s Vision for Solciety on Solana

In this episode of the Azizi Podcast, Samir Azizi sits down with Semo (@semosolciety), the co-founder of Solciety — a metaverse and social layer being built on Solana.

Based in Montreal, Semo is on a mission to create Solana’s “town square” — a unified, social-first metaverse where communities, dApps, and users come together in one seamless experience. Think Roblox meets Web3, but fully integrated with Solana, Discord, and Telegram.

We dive into:
 • The vision behind Solciety and why Solana is the perfect foundation.
 • How Semo went from building a creative agency to developing in Web3.
 • Why community building is key for onboarding new users into crypto.
 • The role of Superteam in connecting founders, devs, and builders.
 • Partnerships and use cases, from DeFi integrations to on-chain audiobooks.
 • What’s next for Solciety as it expands its interoperable world across Solana’s ecosystem.

If you’re interested in Solana, metaverse building, NFTs, dApps, or Web3 community growth, this episode is packed with insights on the future of social interaction in crypto.

🔗 Follow Semo on X: https://x.com/semosolciety
🌐 Explore Solciety: https://solciety.ca/

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8CrzC4uPkxs?si=w9wo0730bS1QzQvA

#126 - Ledger’s Nabu on Building Trust, NFTs, and the Future of Web3 in Canada

In this episode of the Azizi Podcast, Samir Azizi sits down with Nabu (@nabu_lines), the dynamic force behind external partnerships, community, and KOLs at Ledger.

From building one of Iran’s first Groupon-style startups and selling it for $1M, to surviving the highs and lows of NFT launches, to becoming a respected voice in Web3, Nabu’s journey is anything but ordinary.

We dive deep into:
 • How Nabu transitioned from Web2 startups in a sanctioned country to thriving in Web3.
 • The challenges of launching NFTs under restrictions and what it taught him about resilience.
 • Why community trust matters more than short-term profits.
 • How he built authentic influence and avoided the meme coin trap.
 • Behind the scenes of working with Ledger, the global leader in self-custody and crypto security.
 • His thoughts on Solana Startup Village in Toronto, Web3 culture, and why he’s committed to pushing the Canadian Web3 scene for the next 5 years.

If you’re into crypto, NFTs, Web3 community building, partnerships, or self-custody education, this conversation is packed with insights and stories you won’t want to miss.

🔗 Follow Nabu on X: https://x.com/nabu_lines

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NA5ifB2fwYU

#125 - Exa vs ChatGPT: Building Bespoke Beaver – AI-Powered X Persona App | Kirill Spitsyn

In this episode of the Azizi Podcast, host Samir Azizi is joined by developer Kirill Spitsyn to explore the development journey behind Bespoke Beaver — a fun and functional AI-powered app created by the Toronto DAO team. This tool scrapes your Twitter persona and recommends 5 tailored locations in Toronto based on your online traits, using Exa and ChatGPT.

🔍 In this episode:

- Exa vs ChatGPT – performance, reliability, and use cases
- Inside the 3-Hour Dev Challenge that kickstarted the app
- Tech breakdown: Exa web scraping, ChatGPT for persona modeling, Google Maps API for location plotting
- Challenges with AI accuracy, costs, and output formatting
- Backend strategy: caching, defaults, and balancing speed with UX
- Real-world use cases for conferences like Futurist & Consensus Toronto
- Future plans: city expansion, gamification, and monetization through local partnerships

🛠️ Stack Used:
- Exa – AI web scraper for Twitter content
- ChatGPT (OpenAI) – generates user persona + location recommendations
- Google Maps API – interactive map visualization
- Simple backend glue logic to orchestrate flow & fallback

💡 Whether you're an AI enthusiast, indie hacker, or dev building scrappy MVPs, this episode dives deep into the practical and creative side of AI app development, persona modeling, and working lean with limited resources.

📍Try it out at upcoming Toronto events or just for fun: Bespoke Beaver gives AI-personalized location tips based on your X presence: https://bespokebeaver.tdao.to/

Follow Toronto DAO on X: https://x.com/dao_toronto
Connect with Kirill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirillspitsyn/
Connect with Samir Azizi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz

#124 - Goodbye Spotify? HIO CTO Tobi Akinwumi on 100 % Artist Payouts & the Web3 Music Revolution

Web3 is coming for the music industry, and CTO Tobi Akinwumi is on the front line. In this candid sit-down with host Samir Azizi, the HIO Music CTO explains how his Solana-based streaming service routes 100 % of every subscription dollar straight to the artists you actually listen to, no middle-men and no hidden pools. Tobi breaks down the invisible-wallet tech that hides the crypto complexity from everyday users, the token-powered rewards that turn superfans into stakeholders, and why most musicians still care more about great UX than catchy Web3 buzzwords.

Recorded live inside Toronto’s Solana “Startup Village,” the conversation also touches on:
 • The delicate dance of partnering with traditional distributors while disrupting their revenue model
 • Paying gas fees for the listener—why frictionless onboarding matters
 • Reconciling token price volatility with long-term product vision
 • Tobi’s return to indie-pop songwriting after a decade of pure coding
 • How Superteam Canada is cultivating the next wave of consumer-ready dApps

Whether you’re an artist hunting for fairer payouts, a founder shipping consumer crypto products, or a music lover curious about NFTs you don’t have to babysit, this episode delivers a masterclass in building for the mainstream without losing Web3’s superpowers.
HIO Music app: https://hiomusic.com
Follow Tobi: https://x.com/tobicodes
Follow Superteam Canada: https://x.com/SuperteamCAN
Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi
🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz

#123 - Inside Toronto’s Solana Startup Village w/ Superteam’s Fibonacci

Join host Samir Azizi at the heart of Toronto’s booming Web3 scene as he visits the Solana Startup Village, hosted by Superteam Canada. In this vibrant episode, Samir sits down with Fibonacci to uncover how a scrappy team pulled together an epic 16-day build station packed with hackathons, live workshops, and community vibes—all just before the Consensus conference.

From last-minute venue changes to planning investor panels and women-in-tech events, this deep dive captures the passion and chaos of building something truly special. Learn how local Web3 builders are shaping the Solana ecosystem in Canada—and why Super Team’s community-first model is becoming a global blueprint.

 • How Toronto’s Solana hub came to life ✨
 • The teamwork behind workshops, mentorships & events
 • Web3 vs Web2 builders: who’s showing up?
 • Behind-the-scenes of community-led crypto infrastructure
 • Super Team’s unique model for local blockchain growth

🛠️ Whether you’re a founder, dev, or crypto-curious, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes from the ground floor of Canada’s Web3 future.

Follow Fibonacci: https://x.com/fibonacci_sol
Follow Superteam Canada: https://x.com/SuperteamCAN

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz

#122 - John Caballero | Hacking the Human Mind – Cybersecurity, AI & Psychology

Can your mind be hacked? In this gripping episode of the Azizi Podcast, Samir Azizi sits down with cybersecurity veteran John Caballero – an expert with over two decades of experience securing IT/OT infrastructures and educating Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and even the Department of Defense. This conversation goes beyond firewalls and phishing—it dives deep into the human factor and the psychology behind modern cyber threats.

💡 From social engineering and zero trust frameworks to AI deepfakes, linguistic hacking, and the FOG model of behavioral manipulation, John shares how threat actors exploit language, emotion, and psychology to breach systems—and how we can fight back.

🚀 With an astonishing career spanning high-temp superconductors, LEO satellite development, and even a stint producing for Star Trek, John bridges the worlds of tech, defense, entertainment, and cybersecurity like few can.

🔐 Topics Covered:

What is Cyber-Psychology and why it matters

How hackers use language and psychology against us

Why Zero Trust is more than a buzzword—it’s a mindset

How AI is being weaponized through deepfakes & misinformation

Real-world stories of email security breakthroughs and business email compromises

The psychological tactics behind successful cyber attacks

How cybersecurity culture must shift—from leadership to front-line staff

Insights from working with the NSA, Space Shuttle comms, and sci-fi Hollywood

Tune in if you care about:
Cybersecurity | AI Ethics | Human Behavior | Digital Defense | Leadership | Deepfakes | Future of Work | Government & Military IT | Tech in Film

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-caballero/

Mentioned in the episode: https://futuredude.com/ https://futuredude.com/news/projects/parallel-man/ Parallel Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DXaRZDMd70

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz

#121 - How to Protect Your Business Online | Cybersecurity for Small Business | Ruth Aliu

I set down with Ruth Aliu - cybersecurity expert, tech consultant, and fellow board member at Cyber Security Global Alliance (CSGA). Ruth shares her powerful journey from Nigeria to Canada, her transition from IT support to cybersecurity specialization, and how small businesses can protect themselves in today's digital world. 

We dive deep into:

Ruth's immigration story 

How she built her career in cybersecurity

Cybersecurity essentials for small and medium businesses

The real dangers of phishing emails 

Password hygiene and how to avoid common mistakes 

Why small businesses are prime targets for hackers

How AI is reshaping cybersecurity (and what you must know!) 

Building a tech-enabled, secure business without feeling overwhelmed

This episode is a must-watch for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about cybersecurity basics, AI risks, and building strong digital defenses in 2025.

Connect with Ruth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthualiu/
Visit https://techityconsult.ca/

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz

#120 - The Business of Belonging: Sabine MacDonald on Cultural Fluency

In this inspiring episode, Samir Azizi welcomes Sabine MacDonald, a globetrotting professional and the Founder & CEO of Nexa Avenue, a Toronto-based consultancy helping impact-driven leaders thrive across cultures.

Sabine shares her personal journey—from growing up in Germany to living and working in seven countries, ultimately landing in Canada. She opens up about the challenges of adapting to new cultural environments, the value of global perspectives, and why multicultural fluency is becoming essential for business success.

At Nexa Avenue, Sabine helps organizations boost international performance with data-driven strategy, multicultural insight, and leadership development. In this episode, she shares practical wisdom from years of living and working across borders—and explains how stepping out of your comfort zone can transform your life and career.

🌍 Whether you're an entrepreneur, team leader, or global citizen, this conversation will leave you motivated to lead with empathy and think beyond borders.

Connect with Sabine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-macdonald/
Visit Nexa Avenue website: https://nexaavenue.com/

Connect with Samir Azizi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samirazizi
X: https://x.com/adoublezi

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FDd0dQi8vvTnQz5h5QwAz