“Another Link in the Chain”
A Yom HaShoah Conversation with Lawrence Burian
With Yom HaShoah upon us, I had the privilege of sitting down with Lawrence Burian—COO of LIV Golf and the son of Holocaust survivor Andrew Burian—for one of the most meaningful conversations we've had on Shtark Tank to date.
It’s a conversation about contrast: from Auschwitz to the executive suite, from $10 in an immigrant’s pocket to a very successful business career.
But more than that—it’s a conversation about responsibility.
Here are a few things that stuck with me:
1. Legacy isn’t just something you inherit—it’s something you build on.
Lawrence grew up knowing his father wasn’t just a survivor. He was a mensch, someone who fought to preserve his dignity under impossible conditions and then rebuilt with purpose. That identity—the son of a survivor—was never just history. It was mission.
“Having the Holocaust background made me feel an extra responsibility to be another link in the chain of our mesorah that Hitler tried to destroy. I always feel like my father had to have survived for some reason.”
2. Kiddush Hashem can happen anywhere—even in the C-suite.
Lawrence has sat in some of the most powerful boardrooms in sports and entertainment. Through it all, he’s been clear about who he is and what he stands for—even when it’s uncomfortable.
“I don’t say I have a personal appointment—I say I have to leave for Shabbat. I don’t say I’m not hungry—I say I keep kosher. That clarity matters.”
He believes that integrity and consistency—not apologetics—are what earn respect. And that being a visibly committed Jew, even in unexpected places, is a real opportunity to make a difference.
3. Resilience is inherited—and earned.
Lawrence’s father wasn’t trying to reinvent Jewish life. He was trying to return to it.
That framing is powerful: we don’t come from “nothing.” We come from deep roots that were violently interrupted—but not erased. Rebuilding wasn’t about starting over. It was about picking up where the story left off.
4. Holocaust education in 2025 needs to shift from memory to meaning.
As the survivor generation fades, Lawrence argues that we need to stop focusing solely on what happened—and start focusing more on why it matters now. The goal isn’t just remembrance. It’s relevance.
“You can’t just expect people to come to the mountain. You have to bring the content to them—and make sure there’s a takeaway.”
🎧 Want to hear more?
We spoke about trauma, success, parenting, Shabbos in the workplace, and what October 7th reawakened for American Jews. It's a deeply human, reflective episode—and one I hope you'll listen to in full.