The Investor Betting on AI to Protect Students in Schools – Justin Freishtat Explains
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this compelling episode of the Level Up podcast, host Paul Alex interviews Justin Freishtat, a former door-to-door salesman turned investor who has scaled companies to 8-figure valuations. Justin shares his transformation journey from selling cookware and appliances door-to-door for ten years to becoming a capital raiser and fund manager with SafeSpace Global—a pioneering AI company revolutionizing safety technology. The conversation dives deep into SafeSpace's ambient AI system that uses cameras and facial recognition to prevent school shootings, detect falls in senior care facilities, and secure public spaces across education, transportation, and prison sectors (04:33). Justin reveals how the company recently tripled its stock price in two weeks and successfully raised $10 million in just three weeks from friends and family investors (20:58), positioning SafeSpace for a potential NASDAQ uplisting within 2-3 months while targeting billion-dollar status in the next 3-5 years.
Speakers
Paul Alex (Host)
Former law enforcement officer turned 8-figure entrepreneur, creator of the Level Up podcast (ranked #1 in business on Apple Podcasts, top 25 all categories). Founded and scaled multiple companies over seven years, specializing in bootstrapped business growth and motivational content for ambitious professionals.
Justin Freishtat
Door-to-door sales veteran turned private equity investor and fund manager at Pitch Equity. College dropout who built his resilience through 10 years of direct sales before transitioning to high-level investing. Currently helping scale SafeSpace Global, an AI-powered safety technology company targeting schools, prisons, and public spaces with ambient surveillance systems.
Key Takeaways
Master the Vehicle Before the Destination
Door-to-door sales taught the crucial lesson that "the vehicle is everything" - working with low-margin products forced relentless execution to barely break even. (02:12) Use this constraint as training for future high-margin opportunities: grind through difficult fundamentals first, then apply those battle-tested skills to ventures with monster margins and recurring revenue models.
Bet on Proven Teams Over Trendy Tech
When evaluating early-stage opportunities, prioritize team pedigree above all else. (05:27) Look for executives leaving cushy seven-figure positions at Google, CFOs who've taken companies public four times, and CEOs with multiple exits. These aren't just credentials—they're predictive indicators of execution capability under pressure.
Lead From the Front, Insert Where You Lack
Authentic leadership means never expecting others to show up in ways you won't, while simultaneously having zero ego about inserting superior talent where your skills fall short. (11:16) Master the balance: lead by example in your strengths, hire ruthlessly for your weaknesses, and maintain complete transparency about both.
Time-Block Your Way to Exponential Capacity
Structure your day into focused working sessions separated by physical reset periods—workout, cold plunge, sauna at midday. (25:25) Become a "slave to your calendar in a good way" until managing complexity becomes automatic. There's a breakthrough point where you stop struggling with one thing and can suddenly handle multiple high-stakes projects simultaneously.
Delay Investor Mode Until Six-Figure Deployment
Resist the urge to become an "investor" with your first $5K-$10K—watching $500 stock positions dilutes focus from your primary earning engine. (28:13) Wait until you qualify as an accredited investor with legitimate deployment capital. Until then, every dollar should flow into skill development, marketing, or business reinvestment that amplifies your earning capacity.
Statistics & Facts
- SafeSpace raised $10 million in three weeks from friends and family investors, demonstrating strong confidence in their AI safety technology and team credentials. (20:01)
- The company's stock tripled in two weeks, creating 100 millionaires from investors who bought at 10¢ per share in January. (22:50)
- There is $7 trillion sitting in money market accounts earning 3% returns, representing untapped investment capital for legitimate opportunities offering higher returns. (27:36)
