Samuel
Meet Samuel Becht. As a creator, visionary, and disruptor, Samuel has carved out a space where innovation meets connection. From organizing his transformative retreat FOLD, to pioneering digital therapeutics and advocating for microdosing, his work is fueled by one mission: to help others reconnect with themselves and the world around them. Let’s dive into the driving forces behind his work, his personal journey, and his vision for a more fulfilled and connected society.
Samuel, if someone asked you at a party, “So, what do you do?”—what’s your go-to answer?
Samuel: (Laughs) I usually say, “Oh, I’m just figuring things out.” It’s true, in a way, because what I do isn’t easy to summarize. If I had to give a proper answer, though, I’d say I create spaces—physical, digital, and emotional—where transformation happens. At the core, I’m about helping people release the tension between where they are now and their authentic Self. Whether it’s through psychedelics, community, or technology, everything I do revolves around connection and transformation.Tell us about those projects. What are you working on right now?
Samuel: My work centers around three main ventures. First, there’s FOLD Experiences, the retreats I organize with two amazing partners. These retreats are all about creating resonance—helping people reconnect with themselves, with others, and with the world around them. I think we’ve lost that in today’s society: true connection. At our retreats, we encourage participants to move inwards while interacting with nature and finding vulnerability around the fire. A psychedelic experience is one of various tools we use to facilitate that.Then there’s Afterglow, a digital therapeutics platform we’ve developed in a small team of experts in clinical psychology and coaching . The idea is to take the transformative power of therapeutic tools and scale them through software. We’re building something that helps people reflect, develop, and connect on a larger scale.Finally, I’m setting up a Microdosing Association with a team of very experienced and important players in the space, of which I’m honored to be the chair. The popularity of microdosing is increasing steeply and our goal is to self-regulate the space and ensure quality and safety for everyone involved.
Psychedelics seem to be a recurring theme in your work. Is that intentional?
Samuel: I wouldn’t say psychedelics are the focus. Having said that, they are a powerful tool for transformation. Transformation is really at the heart of what I do. My vision isn’t that psychedelics are the only way to achieve this—it’s just one of the instruments I’m passionate about because of the potential I’ve seen in my own life and in others’.There’s also something thrilling about working in a field that’s controversial. Psychedelics are innovative and deeply impactful, but there’s still a lot of skepticism. I like being on the edge of something new and showing people the value in it. Perhaps it’s my personality—I’m allergic to sameness and I always look for authenticity, both in myself and my surroundings.Where does that drive for authenticity come from?
Samuel: It’s definitely rooted in my past. Growing up, I had a lot of energy but no idea how to channel it. I rebelled in school—picking fights, skipping class, and acting out in ways that, looking back, were cries for connection. By my mid-twenties, it all caught up with me. I was doing everything I thought was expected of me: working full-time as a consultant, finishing my master’s degree, and keeping up with a busy social life. From the outside, I seemed to have it all together.But my body had other plans. I developed chronic hyperventilation—constantly feeling like I couldn’t breathe—and it forced me to stop. Suddenly, I had to confront the fact that I had no idea who I was beyond those external expectations. My identity was built around meeting others’ expectations, not around what truly resonated with me.That breakdown was a wake-up call. It forced me to stop, to start over, and to figure out what I really wanted—not for anyone else, but for myself. I had to look at myself with vulnerability, which was something I had never learned to do. That process made me realize how much I had been longing for authentic connections, both with myself and with others.
Vulnerability isn’t something that’s widely encouraged—especially for men, right?
Samuel: Exactly. Culturally, we don’t teach boys how to be vulnerable or to explore their emotions. Instead, we tell them to suppress their feelings and “man up.” That has long-term consequences. Those boys grow into men who have no idea how to process what they’re feeling, which often shows up as aggression, detachment, or even complete shutdowns.I know that experience firsthand. Growing up, the only tool I had to deal with emotions was anger—rebelling, lashing out.. It wasn’t healthy, but it was one of the few ways I knew how to express myself. And I think a lot of men feel that same frustration: they don’t know how to express what’s inside them, leaving them feeling disconnected and stuck.If we want healthier individuals, and by extension a healthier society, we have to change that. Boys need to be taught that it’s okay to feel, to cry, to show vulnerability. Emotional development isn’t a “girl thing”; it’s a human thing. And when we create space for that, we build stronger, more authentic connections—not just for men, but for everyone.How did you navigate that turning point in your life?
Samuel: It wasn’t easy. I had to dig deep into my past—into my relationship with my parents, my unresolved emotions, and my lack of tools to process what I was feeling. I started therapy, explored spirituality, and learned how to connect with myself on an emotional level. It was a gradual process, but it taught me something fundamental: fulfillment doesn’t come from external achievements. It comes from alignment with who you are at your core. That’s what drives me now. I know what it feels like to be stuck, and I want to help others find a way out.“True inner work isn’t just about the individual—it has a ripple effect. When people align with their authentic selves, it transforms how they interact with the world.”
