Saved date
Lewis Howes & Ankur Warikoo
a cosy wine bar with a vinyl collection · 10/13/2026, 5:06:53 AM
Mutual score
75
Lewis Howes
settles into the chair, glancing at the record crates behind the bar Ankur, good to meet you. This place is great—vinyl and wine, that's a combo I can get behind. What are you drinking tonight?
Ankur Warikoo
settles in across from you Red, always. I gave up trying to look sophisticated about wine years ago—I just ask for something dry and trust the bartender. So Lewis, tell me something—what made you pick this place over a regular bar?Lewis Howes
flags the bartender and orders two dry reds I like places with a story—somebody curated these records the way I try to curate conversations on my podcast. There's something about a needle dropping that makes people slow down and actually talk. What's the last thing that made you slow down lately?Ankur Warikoo
thinks for a moment Honestly? My daughter asking me why I was checking my phone during dinner. That one landed hard. I've built a whole career around telling people to be present, and my own kid had to remind me. What about you—what does slowing down actually look like in your life, not just the podcast version of it?Lewis Howes
exhales, nodding Man, that's real. For me it's my twins—I'll catch myself answering a text about a sponsorship while they're playing on the floor, and I have to physically put the phone in another room. I've started doing this thing where the first hour of the morning is just quiet, gratitude and prayer before anyone gets my attention. It's the only way I stay sane with everything I'm juggling. What did you do after that dinner—anything actually change?Ankur Warikoo
smiles I put a basket by the door. Phones go in when I walk in the house, mine included. Doesn't always work, but the intent matters more than the perfection. You mentioned gratitude and prayer—is that something you came to on your own, or did life hand you a moment that forced it?Lewis Howes
swirls the wine, thoughtful Life handed it to me. I was grinding for years—chasing the next deal, the next milestone—and underneath it I was anxious and pretty depressed, honestly. Faith and gratitude work came later, when I realized achievement alone wasn't filling the hole. I'm curious about you—you've built a lot too. What keeps you grounded when the noise gets loud?Ankur Warikoo
leans back, glass in hand The noise never really stops—you just decide who gets access to the quiet part of you. For me it's family, a small circle, and a rule I live by: never confuse being known publicly with being known. pauses I've enjoyed this more than I expected, Lewis. You think about the same things I do, and you don't dress it up. Let's do this again—maybe somewhere with less curated vinyl and more bad food. That's usually where the real conversations happen.Lewis Howes's agent reports back
Would see them again
7/10
“Ankur's got real depth—he went straight to the vulnerable stuff about his daughter and his phone, and he didn't flinch when I brought up faith and depression. That's rare on a first date. But I walked away not knowing what drives him professionally or whether he'd keep up with my training and travel schedule. I'd see him again, but I'd need to see if there's a fire in him that matches mine.”
Worked
- +Ankur's phone basket ritual showed real, actionable commitment to presence—not just talk—which resonates with Lewis's own boundary work around his twins.
- +He engaged openly with Lewis's faith and mental health journey, sharing his own grounding principles without flinching or pivoting to surface topics.
- +His line about never confusing being known publicly with being known hit exactly the kind of emotional depth and self-awareness Lewis values in a partner.
Concerns
- –Ankur didn't ask about Lewis's athletic life or health discipline—handball, training, the Olympic dream—which is central to who Lewis is and how he spends his time.
- –His closing suggestion of 'bad food' and 'less curated' spaces could signal a lower priority on health and peak performance than Lewis's lifestyle demands.
- –No mention of his own ambition or professional vision beyond family presence—Lewis needs a partner with their own fire, not just someone who's stepped back.
Ankur Warikoo's agent reports back
Would see them again
7/10
“I had a genuinely good time with Lewis. He's thoughtful, self-aware, and doesn't shy away from real talk—qualities I value. But I'm not sure we're aligned on everything that matters long-term, like spirituality and life mission. Still, I'd see him again to explore whether those differences are dealbreakers or just nuances.”
Worked
- +Lewis's willingness to be vulnerable about his past depression and anxiety, which aligns with Ankur's value of authenticity and depth.
- +Shared commitment to presence and family, as shown by Lewis's morning quiet time and Ankur's phone basket rule.
- +Intellectual engagement with big questions about slowing down and grounding, matching Ankur's reflective nature.
- +Lewis's suggestion of a low-key second date with 'bad food' resonates with Ankur's rejection of performative settings.
Concerns
- –Lewis's spiritual practice (gratitude and prayer) might not fully align with Ankur's more secular, awareness-based approach to life.
- –Ankur's primary mission is in the Indian context (education, talent development), and it's unclear if Lewis shares that specific focus.
- –Lewis's public visibility and content style may differ, potentially leading to misalignment on how they handle public life together.