The Secret to Winning Every Negotiation: Lessons from the Mat | Ep. 4 Artwork

The Ageless Warrior Lab

Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | Co-founder and CEO of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation

David Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist.

David co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world’s largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.

Today, David leads Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation, leading in farm animal welfare and the protein transition movement. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.

In his athletic career, David has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans (“the Dirty Dozen”) to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998, and continues to compete, winning world championship titles in his age division.

As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal’s Tenshin Dojo, and developed globally used grappling curricula with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris’s UFAF association.

Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored key books on BJJ and pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.

David resides in the San Francisco Bay, and continues to coach BJJ athletes while actively managing Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation.

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The Ageless Warrior Lab

The Secret to Winning Every Negotiation: Lessons from the Mat | Ep. 4

September 23, 2025 • David Meyer • Season 1 • Episode 5

What if the secret to winning—on the mat, in business, and in life—wasn’t about overpowering your opponent, but about understanding them better than they understand themselves?

In this episode, BJJ World Champion and entrepreneur David Meyer shares the life-changing lesson he learned from a crushing defeat at the World Championships in Rio. Discover how the principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can help you close multimillion-dollar deals, build powerful partnerships, and even navigate tough conversations in today’s divided world.

You’ll learn:

The 3 rules for guiding anyone to a win-win outcome
How to leave your ego at the door and unlock new opportunities
Real stories from the world of martial arts and business
How to apply these lessons to product development, marketing, job interviews, and more

If you want to become a better negotiator, leader, or communicator, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiring stories.

This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, produced by Robbie Lockie, with music kindly provided by Robel Borja.

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Episode Sections

00:00 - Introduction: Lessons from the Mat

00:41 - Learning Through Loss: The 1998 World Championships

02:13 - The Power of Understanding What Others Want

02:38 - The Three Rules for Winning Negotiations

04:23 - Balancing Intent and Adaptability

05:31 - Applying the Rules: From Judo to Business

09:15 - Creating Win-Win Solutions for Sponsors