On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey welcomes Steve Pivnik — an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the book Built to Finish: How to Go the Distance in Business and in Life. Steve shares his story of arriving in America at three years old, growing up in a family that taught him the grind through living it, and building a company from nothing to a successful exit — all while facing the kind of adversity that shapes real character.
Watch the Full Episode with Steve Pivnik
From the Soviet Union to the American Dream
Steve Pivnik’s story begins in the former Soviet Union. His family immigrated to the United States when Steve was just three years old. He tells Ethan that he learned the grind by watching the grind — growing up in a typical immigrant family that struggled to make ends meet while building a new life in an unfamiliar country. The work ethic that Steve carries today was not taught in a classroom. It was modeled by his parents every single day.
Growing up, Steve experienced the harsh reality of wealth disparity firsthand. He was ridiculed for his clothes and the car he drove in high school. But instead of letting that define him, a mindset slowly developed: this is not how my chapter ends. He did not know how or when things would change, but he was determined not to stay at the bottom.
Built to Finish: The Book and the Philosophy
Steve wrote Built to Finish to capture the lessons he learned on his journey from immigrant kid to successful entrepreneur and speaker. The book is about going the distance — not just in business, but in every area of life. Steve explains to Ethan that most people are built to start. They have energy and enthusiasm at the beginning of any new venture. But the people who actually build something lasting are the ones who are built to finish — who keep pushing through the middle when the excitement fades and the real work begins.
Building and Selling a Company
Steve did not just write about entrepreneurship — he lived it. He built a company from the ground up and eventually sold it, completing the full lifecycle of entrepreneurship that many people talk about but few actually experience. He shares with Ethan the stepping stones along the way: the lessons learned from his parents’ work ethic, the mindset forged through childhood adversity, and the discipline required to sustain a business through its toughest seasons.
The sale of his company was not the end of Steve’s story — it was the beginning of a new chapter focused on speaking, writing, and helping others develop the endurance to go the distance in their own journeys.
Why Adversity Builds Endurance
A recurring theme in this conversation is how Steve’s early adversity — immigration, poverty, bullying — became the raw material for his later success. He does not romanticize the struggles, but he is clear that they forged something in him that privilege alone cannot create: endurance. The ability to keep going when everything around you is telling you to quit is not something you can learn from a book. It is something you build through lived experience.
Why This Episode Matters
Steve Pivnik’s conversation with Ethan Van De Hey is for anyone who feels like they are starting from behind — whether that means immigrating to a new country, growing up without resources, or simply feeling like the odds are stacked against you. Steve’s message is clear: where you start does not determine where you finish. What matters is whether you are built to finish — and that is a choice you make every single day.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Corey Kaiser: Discipline and Success Strategies
- Dan Marzullo: Discipline and Focus: The Real Cheat Code to Winning
- Matt LeBris: Turn Failure into Fuel for Success
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