This week on How Success Happens, I sit down with Forrest Galante, a biologist, TV host, producer, and all-around wildlife maniac who’s been called a modern-day Charles Darwin with a splash of Indiana Jones. (And a splash of some squid slime as well.) You’ll see a lot more of Forrest as a host on the upcoming “Shark Week,” where his new special “Alien Sharks: Untamed America” dives into the wildest shark and ray species lurking in U.S. waters. We’ve broken down Forrest’s success insights to help you dive into your own plan for success in three, two, one!
Listen here
Subscribe now: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
Three Key Insights
1. Don’t Be Scared of Wanting More
Forrest came out of school like a lot of us, fired up to “change the world” in his chosen field of biology. Then reality hit: in his words, “I realized very quickly that following the traditional routes of being a biologist, I was not making any real impact.” Yes, he could save a worm or an ant, but it wasn’t on the scale that mattered to him. Instead, he pivoted into wildlife media so “millions and millions and millions of people have fallen in love with wildlife and conservation through some of the media that I have put together.”
Takeaway: If your current path isn’t creating the impact you crave, don’t quit your mission—change the medium you use to pursue it.
2. Build the Company That Does What You Want to Do
Forrest didn’t set out to be a production company founder; he set out to tell better wildlife stories. After pitching big, ambitious ideas to traditional producers and hearing “I don’t see the vision and I also don’t really know the point,” he realized, “the only way that I can do this is if I do it myself.” He co-founded Phantasticus Pictures, which he says is now “the largest production company in the world for wildlife media outside of the BBC,” all built on a simple north star: make more content, make it better, and stay true to the mission.
Takeaway: When gatekeepers don’t believe in your idea, become your own gatekeeper and build the platform that does.
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3. Bring Your Friends and Drink in the Occasional Misery
Forrest’s work is as wild behind the scenes as what you see on “Shark Week”—think croc poop in the mouth, experiencing “explosive diarrhea” during a show open, and 10–12-hour dive days that leave Humboldt squid slime on his body (and aroma) for weeks. But here’s the thing: he sees all of that chaos—the long drives, broken boats, logistical nightmares—as part of the fun, saying their secret sauce is “a bunch of bros cruising around with a shared passion that have diverse skill sets” and somehow turning that into great TV.
Takeaway: Embrace discomfort and chaos as the cost of doing something extraordinary—and build a trusted team that can laugh, adapt, and keep pushing with you.
Two Free Resources to Learn More
- You can follow Forrest’s adventures and watch his weekly wildlife videos on his YouTube channel, where he shares extinct animal rediscoveries, facility tours, and truly wild adventures. And don’t miss Forrest as a host on the upcoming “Shark Week,” especially his “Alien Sharks: Untamed America” special exploring the incredible diversity of sharks and rays in U.S. waters—from glow-in-the-dark swell sharks to gigantic sawfish and basking sharks off Plymouth Rock.
- Learn more about Forrest’s backstory in a chat we had with him back in 2020 as he was just starting to make his mark in media.
Forrest risked comfort, security, and a steady paycheck to build a company around his wildest ideas—often while living off his wife’s part-time teacher salary and not paying himself for years.
What’s something you’ve sacrificed — money, vacations, time spent on a hobby — to prioritize your dream?
Email your answer to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com—I’ll read some of your responses on a future episode.
About How Success Happens
Each episode of How Success Happens shares the inspiring, entertaining, and unexpected journeys that influential leaders in business, the arts, and sports traveled on their way to becoming household names. It’s a reminder that behind every big-time career, there is a person who persisted in the face of self-doubt, failure, and anything else that got thrown in their way.
This week on How Success Happens, I sit down with Forrest Galante, a biologist, TV host, producer, and all-around wildlife maniac who’s been called a modern-day Charles Darwin with a splash of Indiana Jones. (And a splash of some squid slime as well.) You’ll see a lot more of Forrest as a host on the upcoming “Shark Week,” where his new special “Alien Sharks: Untamed America” dives into the wildest shark and ray species lurking in U.S. waters. We’ve broken down Forrest’s success insights to help you dive into your own plan for success in three, two, one!
Listen here
Subscribe now: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
Three Key Insights
1. Don’t Be Scared of Wanting More
Forrest came out of school like a lot of us, fired up to “change the world” in his chosen field of biology. Then reality hit: in his words, “I realized very quickly that following the traditional routes of being a biologist, I was not making any real impact.” Yes, he could save a worm or an ant, but it wasn’t on the scale that mattered to him. Instead, he pivoted into wildlife media so “millions and millions and millions of people have fallen in love with wildlife and conservation through some of the media that I have put together.”