---
title: "Close to the Sun Without Getting Burned - Full Wattage"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/209e958e-3035-4015-aa4a-5962bbd4aa2d
source_url: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-close-to-the-sun-without-getting-burned-james/id1896755543?i=1000796127153"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/podcast/stack/db6c2ff5-df7c-4037-9797-8258971d0351
summary: "James Orsini discusses how to achieve success without losing yourself, drawing from 40+ years in elite organizations like Goldman Sachs and VaynerX. The episode explores the power of the second seat, adapting to environments while maintaining identity, and building businesses on your own terms."
tags: "podcast, career-development, leadership, identity, success, ambition, business"
key_entities: "James Orsini (person), Gary Vaynerchuk (person), Courtney (person), Goldman Sachs (organization), Saatchi & Saatchi (organization), VaynerX (organization), Factotum USA (organization), Vyve (organization), Full Wattage (organization), Newark, New Jersey (location), second seat (concept), Full Wattage Episode 10 (event)"
classification: "audio"
content_hash: "sha256:578d95f02e703fae458b38095504b8035e8b446cf63c5c639696c9759949eedb"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 390
visibility: public
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status: "final"
---

# Close to the Sun Without Getting Burned - Full Wattage

October 13 #10 Close to the Sun Without Getting Burned - James Orsini on Success Without Losing Yourself Full Wattage 44m How close can you get to power without losing yourself? James Orsini has spent more than 40 years in rooms most people spend their careers trying to enter. Goldman Sachs. Saatchi & Saatchi. VaynerX, where he helped Gary Vaynerchuk turn an ambitious vision into a global powerhouse. Not bad for the son of a plumber from Newark, New Jersey. But James's story isn't really about climbing to the top. It's about knowing who you are, recognizing your value, and building extraordinary success without needing to be the biggest personality in the room. In this episode of Full Wattage, James and Courtney explore the power of the second seat, why being told he was "too nice" to become a CEO didn't change him, and the difference between adapting to your environment and losing yourself to fit in. James also shares how he's approaching his next chapter as Chairman of Factotum USA and co-founder of Vyve, still building businesses, but on his own terms. An unexpected perspective on ambition, identity, and what it really means to make it. Connect with James: Instagram: @jamesorsini LinkedIn: James Orsini X / TikTok: @jimmythepencil Factotum: factotum.com Vyve: vyve.co Full Wattage: Join the Full Wattage Mailing List Follow on Insta Follow the Full Wattage Show Full Wattage. For people who refuse to live dialed down. Information Show Full Wattage Published October 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC Length 44 min Episode 10 Rating Explicit