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In this episode, Travis brings on his producer to react to a viral Bobby Lee money clip and unpack what it really means to outsource all of your financial thinking to a “money guy.” Together they contrast celebrity-money problems with normal-life money pressures and break down a healthier, more intentional way to manage your finances. On this episode we talk about: Whether Bobby Lee's “I don't know what anything costs, my money guy handles it” strategy is actually smart or quietly dangerous Why celebrities and ultra-high earners can ignore day-to-day prices in a way normal people simply cannot How blind trust in money managers can turn into disaster stories like Dane Cook's embezzlement ordeal The mindset difference between “set it and forget it” and regularly keeping a pulse on your income, spending, and runway Practical habits like weekly account check-ins, building a plan, and using money awareness to fuel your drive to earn more Top 3 Takeaways You can delegate bill paying and investing, but you cannot delegate responsibility; you still need a basic pulse on what you earn, spend, and keep. Totally ignoring your money might feel freeing in the short term, but it massively increases the risk of overspending, lifestyle creep, or even getting stolen from. If you are not already wealthy, you must think about money often—track it, plan around it, and use that clarity to go make more—so you can eventually earn the right not to stress over every dollar. Notable Quotes “There's no way to get to a financial situation like that without thinking about money in some regard along the way.” “If you don't keep a pulse, you're dead.” “Money only solves money problems, but it's easier to solve the rest of your problems with money in the bank—so let's start there.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric react to a wild sermon clip from fundamentalist pastor Phil Kidd going off on church members about tithing, pastor lifestyles, and “God‑robbing thieves.” The conversation uses the clip as a springboard to unpack how money, ministry, and guilt-based giving often get tangled together in modern church culture. On this episode we talk about: Why “if you question my spending, you're a God‑robber” is such a manipulative framing How young Travis used to automatically trust anything said from a pulpit—and what changed as an adult The real tension in pastor salaries: compensating competence vs. hiding lifestyle excess behind spiritual language Why nonprofit and church structures can quietly turn into big, expensive machines where only a tiny slice reaches the stated “cause” A more honest view: church members do fund the pastor's life, just like taxpayers fund government salaries Why Travis prefers direct, quiet generosity to individuals over funneling everything through churches or large charities Top 3 Takeaways Guilt is a terrible financial advisor. “Give or you're robbing God” and “you didn't pay for my car” are emotional pressure tactics, not healthy teaching on generosity. Paying pastors well is not the problem; lack of transparency is. The issue is not income itself but how it is justified, explained, and held accountable. You can be generous without loving the institutional model. Supporting people and causes you believe in directly can often feel more aligned and impactful than blindly funding bloated structures. Notable Quotes “If you're good at what you do, you should get paid well—pastors included—but don't pretend the people in the seats aren't footing the bill.” “There's an inherent tension in nonprofit work: to tackle big problems, you need highly skilled people, and highly skilled people are not cheap.” “I'm not anti‑giving; I'm just not interested in giving to systems I don't trust.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1231: We close the year with the smartest auto industry analyst in the game. Paul and Kyle bring on Steve Greenfield to make sense of a fast-moving 2025 and what dealers should really prepare for in 2026. From tariffs to AI-driven efficiency, this is a clear-eyed look at what's coming and what's controllable.Greenfield says the biggest unresolved story from 2025 is tariffs. Automakers absorbed the pain last year, but that likely changes in 2026 with pressure flowing to MSRPs or dealer margins.Despite political, economic, and affordability headwinds, the auto industry proved once again how resilient it is. Consumers kept buying, and dealers kept selling.Front-end grosses are already back to pre-COVID realities for many brands, making F&I performance, cost discipline, and fixed ops efficiency more critical than ever.AI isn't about buzzwords—it's about efficiency. Dealers should start with the metrics they want to move, then choose technology that directly supports those goals.For dealers and vendors alike, having a clear, practical AI strategy is no longer optional. Investors, partners, and customers all expect it.Thank you to today's sponsor, Mia. Capture more revenue, protect CSI, and never miss a call or connection again with 24/7 phone coverage and texting (SMS) follow-up for sales, service, and reception. Learn more at https://www.mia.inc/Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric react to a fiery Dave Ramsey call-in segment about infinite banking and whole life insurance, breaking down what is actually happening inside these policies versus what TikTok and sales reps promise. The conversation unpacks cash value, dividends, “paid-up additions,” and why “buy term and invest the rest” still makes more sense for most people. On this episode we talk about: What infinite banking is supposed to be: overfunded whole life policies you borrow against as your “own bank” Why Dave insists cash value always disappears at death and how dividends really work (buying more insurance, not magically “keeping” cash value) The opportunity cost of putting thousands per year into low-yield whole life vs. a simple mutual fund or index strategy Claims that “banks use whole life” and why that talking point is so misleading for normal people The difference between true fiduciaries and commission-based insurance salespeople Why the mental gymnastics of whole life, points hacking, and complex credit schemes rarely beat straightforward saving and investing Travis' default rule of thumb: buy term life insurance and invest the difference in simple, long-term vehicles Top 3 Takeaways Complex does not equal better. If you need a whiteboard, a 90-minute pitch, and ten buzzwords to explain your insurance “investment,” odds are high it is built to benefit the seller more than you. Cash value is not a magic extra pile of money. In most whole life structures, what looks like “keeping” your cash value is really just using dividends to buy more insurance, with weak returns compared to basic market investing. For most people, simple wins. Term life plus steady, boring investing (index funds, mutual funds, real estate you understand) almost always beats exotic products marketed as secret wealth hacks. Notable Quotes “You're doing all this financial gymnastics to end up with way less than if you'd just put the money in a good mutual fund.” “Buy term and invest the rest is still the best non‑biased advice you will hear from real fiduciaries.” “Just because something sounds like a bank trick on TikTok doesn't mean it beats compound interest in the market." ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, host Travis Chappell answers a big-picture question from producer Eric: What is your current investment philosophy—and how has it changed since your first deal? He walks through hard-won lessons from real estate flips, angel bets, crypto, and his own failed startup to explain why most people should stop trying to “beat the market” and focus on boring, compounding plays instead. On this episode we talk about: Travis' early “invest in yourself and real estate” mindset—and what he actually got right from the start How chasing deals he did not fully understand (random startups, friend projects, private loans) mostly went to zero Why even elite angel investors like Jason Calacanis expect the vast majority of deals to fail Dan Fleyshman's rough allocation model: most into low-risk, compounding assets (index funds/blue-chip stocks), a slice into medium-risk plays (like real estate), and a small “home run” bucket for angel/venture-type bets Why Travis now sees the S&P 500 and broad market exposure as a better default than stock-picking or timing trades Regrets about selling real estate too soon and why his rule now is “never sell if humanly possible” How he currently thinks about crypto (Bitcoin/Ethereum-heavy, minimal alt-coins) and why he treats big swings as speculation, not core investing The crucial distinction between investing (long-term, compounding, boring) and speculating (fun, risky, totally optional) Top 3 Takeaways You are probably not going to beat the market. Unless investing is your full-time job, broad, diversified, long-term holdings will almost always outperform your attempts to time or outsmart the market. Real estate rewards patience, not flipping for quick cash. Selling properties early to free up a bit of short-term liquidity often means walking away from six-figure equity decades later. Speculation should be play money only. Crypto punts, angel rounds, and friend-startup checks belong in a small “casino bucket,” not in the same pile as your retirement and financial freedom money. Notable Quotes “If I had just put what I put into random companies into the S&P, it would be about double today instead of almost zero.” “Most people use 100% of their investing for play money—and then get mad when the ‘big swing' goes to zero.” “Time in the market beats timing the market. Put it in, let it ride, and stop trying to be a wizard trader.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1231: Paul sits down with Cars Commerce's Brian Kramer to break down how 2025 is ending and what dealers should expect in Q1 2026. The big themes: used car supply shifts, EV-heavy off-lease inventory, and why clarity beats cleverness heading into next year.Used car supply is finally climbing out of a multi-year trough, but it won't look like the past. The next wave of inventory is coming largely from leases signed during COVID-era production constraints.EVs will make up a bigger share of used inventory whether dealers “lean in” or not, driven by EV-heavy lease returns and rental fleet activity. Dealers won't really have a choice.Winning dealers are shifting focus from “look to book” to appraisal volume. If you sell 100 cars, you should be appraising closer to 200—automation is no longer optional.AI search engines are already fact-checking dealer websites against reviews, Reddit, and third-party content. Multiple CTAs, overpromises, or messy workflows can quietly tank visibility.Kramer sums it up with one word for 2026: clarity. Simple workflows, fewer claims, and actually delivering on what you promise online is now a competitive advantage0:00 Intro with Paul Daly2:07 Brian Kramer joins the show4:02 How used car supply finished 20255:05 Why EVs will dominate off-lease inventory6:50 What winning dealers are doing differently9:22 How AI search is changing dealer visibility11:43 Why clarity is the defining theme for 2026Thank you to today's sponsor, Mia. Capture more revenue, protect CSI, and never miss a call or connection again with 24/7 phone coverage and texting (SMS) follow-up for sales, service, and reception. Learn more at https://www.mia.inc/Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric wrestle with one deceptively simple question: What does “enough” money actually look like? The conversation ranges from private jets and yachts to first-class flights, five-star dinners, and court-side sports experiences—and why most people wildly overestimate what it takes to live an extraordinary, but not billionaire-level, life. On this episode we talk about: Travis' personal definition of “enough”: first-class flights, five-star dining, great seats at games and concerts, and rich family travel—without obsessively checking the bank app Why jets, yachts, and 17,000-square-foot mansions are not actually part of his goals How friends use money to buy unforgettable experiences (like chatting with Shohei Ohtani from behind the dugout or sitting courtside during NBA playoffs) The tradeoff between Grant Cardone/Alex Hormozi-level drive and the time cost of maintaining that lifestyle Why you must adjust either your goals or your expectations if you are not willing to work like an ultra-elite entrepreneur Data on what it really takes to be top 10% and top 1% income in the U.S.—and why that number is lower than most people guess Why an “extraordinary life” is more attainable than social media makes it seem if you define it thoughtfully Top 3 Takeaways “Enough” is personal—but it must be specific. For Travis, it is the freedom to buy high-quality experiences (travel, dining, memories with kids) without financial anxiety, not owning every luxury toy on earth. Ultra-wealth has a workload attached. If you want billionaire-style outcomes, you must be honest about whether you are truly willing to live the grind that level requires; if not, recalibrate. Extraordinary doesn't require billions. Hitting high-six-figure or low-seven-figure income and net worth—combined with sane spending choices—can fund a rich, experience-filled life for most people. Notable Quotes “I'm not chasing a jet and a yacht. I just want to take my family to Italy for three weeks and not worry about staying in a sketchy hostel.” “If you're not willing to work like Grant Cardone, you probably shouldn't expect Grant Cardone's life.” “Extraordinary is only one or two levels above where most people are now—not some impossible billionaire mountain.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric dig into one of the most dangerous trends in personal finance right now: exploding consumer debt from credit cards and “buy now, pay later” services—and what it reveals about how people actually spend. Using fresh data on U.S. credit card balances and global BNPL usage, they unpack why financing sneakers and burritos is wrecking budgets and what to do instead if you are serious about building wealth. On this episode we talk about: Why total U.S. credit card debt has climbed to roughly $1.33 trillion and what that means for everyday households How global “buy now, pay later” balances have surged to an estimated $560 billion, mostly for low‑ticket, nonessential items The top BNPL categories: clothing/fashion, electronics, furniture, and a fast‑growing share going to groceries How big-box stores and delivery apps now let you finance everyday purchases at checkout Why using debt for shoes, hoodies, and gadgets is fundamentally different from financing an HVAC unit or medical bill The psychological impact of seeing 4,000–10,000 marketing messages per day and how that fuels overspending Why blaming the economy while financing lifestyle purchases is a losing combo Practical alternatives: thrift stores, discount retailers, and simply opting out of nonessential buys Top 3 Takeaways If you have to finance it, you probably cannot afford it. Outside of big essentials like housing, transportation, or critical repairs, using credit or BNPL for clothes, tech, or takeout is a red flag. BNPL is still debt, even if it does not hit your credit report (yet). Spreading $60 here and $120 there across Klarna and Affirm quietly piles up into a bill that kills your ability to build wealth. You cannot out-complain your way to financial freedom. The economy may be tough, but personal discipline—saying no to financed lifestyle purchases and focusing on increasing income—is nonnegotiable. Notable Quotes “If you are financing sneakers and handbags and complaining about your finances, you have no right to be complaining.” “Just because it doesn't show up on your credit report doesn't mean it's free money—you still have to pay it back.” “Our parents were dealt a different hand; this is ours. Complaining about housing prices while running up BNPL on clothes is not a strategy.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1230: Paul and Kyle sit down with CMA's Liza Borches to talk people, culture, and leadership. From gratitude for the industry to intentional connection with employees, Liza shares how she's orienting her team for the year ahead.Liza reminds dealers that even during slow months or challenging cycles, the automotive industry remains a meaningful, life-impacting business that provides opportunity and stability for millions.She emphasizes optimism without naivety—acknowledging that 2026 will bring challenges, while reinforcing confidence that teams have the tools and strength to find solutions and grow through them.As CMA continues to grow, Liza's focus is alignment through intention. Her 2026 word is “reach,” guiding both customer engagement and deeper employee connection.On the employee side, she's prioritizing reaching voices that often go unheard—especially technicians—to better understand engagement, workplace needs, and long-term retention.Liza reframes great customer experience as a downstream result of great employee experience, noting that discretionary effort comes from feeling cared for, not just compensation plans.0:00 Intro with Paul Daly & Kyle Mountsier2:51 Liza Borches joins the show3:00 What 2025 revealed about people and culture4:33 How leaders should balance optimism with realism5:57 How CMA is aligning a growing organization around culture8:52 Why reaching deeper with employees matters11:30 How Liza is approaching NADA differently in 2026Thank you to today's sponsor, Mia. Capture more revenue, protect CSI, and never miss a call or connection again with 24/7 phone coverage and texting (SMS) follow-up for sales, service, and reception. Learn more at https://www.mia.inc/Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
durée : 00:04:44 - Capture d'écrans - par : Dorothée Barba - Les relations entre Brigitte Bardot et les médias ont toujours été ambigues. Elle fut adulée par la presse, traquée par les paparazzi, soutenue dans son combat pour la cause animale, contestée pour ses propos condamnés par la justice. Retour sur une vie médiatique... Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric swap stories about the strangest, most unconventional ways people are making real money—from TikTok shops to doodle detanglers—and how “weird” ideas can turn into serious income. Travis also opens up about his own nontraditional paths to getting paid, from door-to-door sales to a short-lived modeling side quest. On this episode we talk about: Creators making $40–50K/month purely from TikTok Shop affiliate commissions with no physical products How an eight-figure landscaper turned his experience into “Uber for lawn care” with the GreenPal app Flea market and Facebook Marketplace flippers who drive around, buy underpriced items, and resell them on eBay for five-figure profits on single deals A niche e‑commerce brand built around a single problem: detangling doodle dog hair and scaling it to seven figures Remote “job stacking” and how one guest runs three work‑from‑home jobs for a combined multiple six‑figure salary Travis' own unconventional income streams: podcast sponsorships, coaching days, Facebook Reels payouts, and even a paid modeling gig in college Top 3 Takeaways Weird often wins. The money is frequently in ultra-specific problems—like doodle hair detanglers or lawn-mowing logistics—rather than trendy, crowded ideas. Distribution is a cheat code. Platforms like TikTok Shop, Facebook Reels, and niche apps can turn other people's products and systems into meaningful cash flow if you understand how to drive attention. “Unconventional” is the new normal. Door-to-door sales, stacked remote jobs, arbitrage flipping, and content monetization show there are many viable ways to earn beyond a traditional 9–5. Notable Quotes “He doesn't even have products—it's all affiliate. He just cranks out videos and commissions.” “You can build a seven‑figure business solving one really specific problem… even if it is just tangled doodle hair.” “Almost everything I've done to make money has been the nontraditional route.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric react to a spicy clip from personal finance expert Ramit Sethi about why most people have no business obsessing over “generational wealth” when they are still buried in debt and struggling with basic money habits. The conversation turns into a practical breakdown of whose advice to follow, when ultra‑rich guidance stops applying to you, and how Travis' parents quietly passed him real financial advantage without ever cutting him a big check. On this episode we talk about: Why “generational wealth” has become a trendy TikTok buzzword—and why that's a problem if you have credit card debt How to filter advice from billionaires, gurus, and influencers so you do not copy the wrong things at the wrong stage The difference between how wealthy people built their money versus what they say now that they are already rich Why copying Tony Robbins' ice baths or a bodybuilder's current routine will not get you their results How Travis' parents taught him to tithe, save, and spend with a simple three‑slot piggy bank system Turning childhood savings into a first duplex in a rough neighborhood and what that deal taught him about delayed gratification Why dumping money on kids without money education often ruins them Practical ways Travis is teaching his own kids to connect work, math, and money (and why he makes them buy their own “extras”) Top 3 Takeaways Sequence matters. Generational wealth is a later‑stage concern; if you are in debt, can't afford housing, or investing almost nothing, your focus should be getting stable, increasing income, and building basic assets first. Copy the early steps, not the end state. Look at what successful people did when they were two or three steps ahead of you, not what they say or do after decades of wealth and security. Knowledge is the real inheritance. Teaching kids how money works—earning, saving, investing, trade‑offs—often does more for their long‑term wealth than writing a massive check. Notable Quotes “Just because someone is 40 steps ahead of you doesn't mean their current advice applies to where you are right now.” “My parents didn't just give me money; they taught me what to do with the money I earned.” “You don't get money just for existing—if you want extra stuff, you learn to earn it.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Capture it all!
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric run through a series of real‑world “curveball” scenarios—from surprise medical bills to flooded houses and lowball dream-job offers—to talk through how to respond without blowing up your finances. With a mix of humor, baseball metaphors, and practical frameworks, they show how to build decision rules that keep you calm and rational when life gets messy. On this episode we talk about: When to repair, replace, or go down to one car after a breakdown How to negotiate surprise medical bills and when to just pay them A $5,000 family loan request: help, enable, or say no? Whether to ever take a “dream job” that pays 30% less than you currently earn How a surprise baby would (and wouldn't) change Travis' budget Funding a child's gap year vs. making them pay their own way Using an emergency fund when your home floods and insurance denies the claim Evaluating “sure thing” investment tips from strangers Turning down paid speaking gigs or opportunities that could damage your brand Top 3 Takeaways Decide your rules before the curveball hits. Knowing in advance how you handle cars, medical bills, loans, and emergencies keeps you from making emotional, expensive decisions in the moment. Help without enabling. Supporting family or kids financially is generous, but repeatedly rescuing adults from the consequences of bad decisions only keeps them stuck. Protect brand and autonomy over short-term cash. Whether it is a lower-paying dream job or a shady speaking lineup, long-term reputation and control usually matter more than the immediate paycheck. Notable Quotes “With medical bills, always negotiate first—those numbers are almost never the real numbers.” “I'll take care of what needs to be taken care of. Anything extra you want, you need to learn how to earn.” “Brand is everything. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” Connect with Travis Chappell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell Website: https://travischappell.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric run through ten rapid‑fire “two‑minute” money scenarios—from surprise IRS letters to flooded houses and hidden luxury spending—to reveal how Travis actually thinks under pressure. The conversation blends practical frameworks, blackjack metaphors, and relationship dynamics to show how to make saner decisions when cash gets tight or emotions run high. On this episode we talk about: What Travis would really do if he found $1,000 on the street How he'd handle a surprise $15,000 IRS back‑tax bill What happens if a relative leaves him a $50,000 windfall The first expenses he'd cut if his income went to zero overnight How he'd respond to a business cash crunch (without immediately raising money) Spotting obvious crypto scams that promise “30% monthly guaranteed” Whether he'd ever buy a luxury watch and how he'd think about resale value Why he prefers funding individuals in need over big, bloated charities What he'd do if rent was due with no emergency fund How he'd handle discovering $5,000 of unplanned luxury spending in the family budget Top 3 Takeaways Have a default plan for every major category. Knowing in advance how you'll handle windfalls, tax surprises, medical bills, and income loss keeps you from reacting emotionally and blowing up your long‑term goals. Speculation is fine—if it is truly play money. Whether it is blackjack or alt‑coins, any high‑risk bet should be money you are fully prepared to lose, not rent or retirement funds. Money and relationships are tightly linked. From lending to family to surprise spending, clear communication, shared visibility (via tools like budgeting apps), and firm boundaries matter as much as the dollars themselves. Notable Quotes “The boring answer is I'd probably just put it in the bank. The fun answer is I'd probably go play blackjack.” “You haven't discovered the secret 30‑percent‑a‑month investment. If it were real, every hedge fund on the planet would already be in it.” “I'll take care of what needs to be taken care of. Anything extra you want, you need to learn how to earn.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Capture the essence of a sun-drenched afternoon with this beautiful golden wildflower. Standing out against a soft, earthy background, this bright yellow bloom brings a touch of rustic charm and natural warmth to any space. It's a simple reminder of the beauty found in the wild and the quiet joy of a summer field. Perfect […] Read more on this topic: First Paperwhites (Leucojum) of the 2026 Season From My Shop: Get These Dazzling Daylily Tops, Totes, iPhone Cases, and Much More! 40% OFF Everything Today including these Summer Sunflower Blankets, Tees, Mouse Pads, and Much More! [Shopping & Gifts] New Design: Vintage Blue Passion-flower Prints and other products [Shopping] New Design: Abstract Iris Products & Gifts from Douglas E. Welch Design and Photography
In this episode, Kyle Polich sits down with Cory Zechmann, a content curator working in streaming television with 16 years of experience running the music blog "Silence Nogood." They explore the intersection of human curation and machine learning in content discovery, discussing the concept of "algatorial" curation—where algorithms and editorial expertise work together. Key topics include the cold start problem, why every metric is just a "proxy metric" for what users actually want, the challenge of filter bubbles, and the importance of balancing familiarity with discovery. Cory shares insights on why TikTok's algorithm works so well (clean data and massive interaction volume), the crucial role of homepage curation, and how human curators help by contextualizing content, cleaning data, and identifying positive feedback loops that algorithms might miss. The conversation covers practical challenges like measuring "surprise and delight," the content deluge created by democratized creation tools, and why trust in tech companies is essential for better personalization. Cory emphasizes that discovery is "a good type of friction" and explains how the CODE framework (Capture, Organize, Distill, Express, plus Analysis) guides professional curation work. Looking to the future, they discuss the need for systems thinking that creates narrative connections between content, the potential for conversational AI to help users articulate preferences, and why diverse perspectives beyond engineering are crucial for building effective discovery systems. Resources mentioned include the newsletter "Top Information Retrieval Papers of the Week" and Notebook LM for synthesizing research.
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric break down missed opportunities, painful losses, and fraud-adjacent stories to show how real-world investors actually think through risk. Using everything from crypto FOMO to Shark Tank misses and Ponzi-style funds, they explore how to build a rational investing framework that can survive both wins and wipeouts. On this episode we talk about: Passing on early opportunities like crypto and what that really cost over time Famous “missed deals” like Ring and other Shark Tank passes that later exploded How to emotionally process investments that go to zero—even when they seemed “safe” Why trying to “beat the market” usually backfires for non-professional investors The blackjack analogy for setting clear investing rules and sticking to them Angel investing math: why most startups fail and what that means for your checks A real story of an investor-turned-felon running a quasi‑Ponzi fund How seemingly smart people slide from aggressive bets into outright fraud Why Travis shifted from big swings to boring, low‑risk, long‑term investments Top 3 Takeaways Losses are inevitable, so you need rules before you need returns. Approaching investing like blackjack—accepting losses as part of the game and sticking to a predetermined strategy—keeps you from going on emotional “tilt” after a bad beat. Most private deals will fail, even with “strong” founders. Angel and alternative investments should be treated as high‑risk, small‑allocation bets—not as the foundation of your net worth. Boring usually wins over time. For long‑term wealth, broad, diversified, low‑chance‑of‑zero investments (like major index funds) are a far more reliable base than chasing the next Uber or crypto rocket ship. Notable Quotes “You have to set rules and then stick to the rules—because losses are part of the game.” “You're not going to beat the market. Ray Dalio can't consistently beat the market, and he's the best in the world.” “There's no truly ‘no‑risk' investment. If someone promises that, they're either lying or they're going to prison.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
This episode features host Travis Chappell and producer Eric having a rapid-fire, hilarious, and surprisingly deep “Would You Rather” session built entirely around money, investing, and lifestyle tradeoffs. Using a list of AI-generated prompts, they unpack how real people should think about risk, retirement, lifestyle creep, and building wealth with their actual constraints in mind. On this episode we talk about: Whether to take $10 million today or $1 million a year for life Swinging for a 10x moonshot vs. locking in an 8% return forever Being “early to the next Apple” versus compounding slower, safer returns Choosing between keeping your investments or keeping your business Building one $100M company that burns you out vs. multiple smaller businesses you love Working 80-hour weeks for a few years to make work optional vs. coasting forever Unlimited VC money with no control vs. slow, bootstrapped freedom Fame with no privacy vs. quiet wealth no one sees Driving a paid-off Toyota with rentals vs. renting a house with a Lambo Taking a $250K job you hate vs. $75K doing work you love Top 3 Takeaways Safe, consistent returns beat reckless moonshots—especially early on. Travis leans toward guaranteed growth and stacking cash first, then taking bigger swings once a solid base is built. Your best wealth-building lever at first is income, not investments. Until your portfolio can support you, your business and skills are the engine that funds long-term wealth. Money decisions are really lifestyle decisions. Tradeoffs like privacy vs. fame, burnout vs. freedom, and hating a high-paying job vs. loving a lower-paying one matter more than raw dollar amounts. Notable Quotes “Get to a hundred grand, then put as much money as you can into the safe thing before you go start playing around.” “The goal isn't retirement; the goal is to make work optional.” “There's a massive difference between having to work to eat and choosing to work because you love what you do.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1228: The day after Christmas, Kyle flies solo with Brian Benstock to talk 2026 strategy. Benstock's take: the year will bring “difficulty mixed with opportunities,” and dealers who prepare now—especially around affordability messaging and trade-cycle tech—will be ready when the tide comes in.Benstock is bullish on 2026: lower inflation and easing interest-rate pressure should help affordability, which benefits dealers, OEMs, and the broader economy.He applauds policy moves that reduce EV mandates and questions consumer-subsidized EV incentives, arguing adoption should be driven by product superiority, not taxpayers.“Set up your fishing nets during low tide.” Benstock urges leaders to prepare teams now—process, messaging, and mindset—so they can capitalize quickly when demand rises.Trade-cycle management is the big unlock: real-time equity awareness + timely, personalized offers could move customers like telecom upgrades do—same payment, newest model.The blocker is vendor fragmentation: hundreds of tools that don't integrate, plus “toll booths” that limit data flow. Benstock calls integration the next frontier.0:00 Intro with Kyle Mountsier 1:46 Brian Benstock joins the show 3:26 Why Benstock is bullish on the 2026 economy 7:12 How dealers should prepare during “low tide” 8:36 Why trade-cycle management is the next frontier 12:45 How affordability messaging can grow SARThank you to today's sponsor, Mia. Capture more revenue, protect CSI, and never miss a call or connection again with 24/7 phone coverage and texting (SMS) follow-up for sales, service, and reception. Learn more at https://www.mia.inc/Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
Today's episode is a replay from a conversation that originally aired on the Capture the Chaos podcast with Brittnie Renee—and it perfectly captures this client communication shift I've been talking about more and more lately.We're diving into why clear client communication should be non-negotiable if you want to deliver a truly high-touch experience. Not luxury for the sake of luxury—but an experience that feels intentional, professional, and confidence-building at every step.If your systems technically work but still require too much babysitting, this episode will help you understand why communication—not more automation—is usually the missing piece.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why fixing broken workflows alone doesn't fix a poor client experienceHow email communication builds trust and connection throughout the processWhy clients need guidance even when your automation is workingThe difference between moving tasks forward and guiding people forwardHow clear communication supports a high-touch experience without adding more manual workMentioned Links & ResourcesEmail Like You Mean It (Live 5-Day Client Communication Sprint - starts Feb 2nd): coliejames.com/emailListen to Capture the Chaos podcast: brittnierenee.com/capture-the-chaos-podcast
Chiefs security SNAPS at Prime Video Cameramen trying to capture Travis Kelce's final home game!
In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric dive into what to do when the people around you—friends, collaborators, or industry peers—start making public choices that feel off-brand, unethical, or just flat-out embarrassing. They talk through when to quietly distance yourself, when to speak up, and how to manage association risk in a space where stages, podcasts, and social feeds are all interconnected. On this episode we talk about: How Travis thinks about friends or peers who start associating with questionable people (e.g., certain network marketing leaders) and why proximity can change how much he intervenes. The practical ways he “distances” himself: fewer recommendations, less collaboration, muting/unfollowing, and quietly stepping back from certain events or lineups. Why he almost never publicly “calls people out,” and how he uses a sleep-on-it rule to avoid drama-driven content that doesn't match who he wants to be. The responsibility that comes with doing exposé-style or investigative content, and why putting your real name behind accusations matters. How event panels could be more interesting if hosts deliberately surface disagreement instead of running a string of safe mini–TED Talks. Top 3 Takeaways Your level of involvement should match your level of relationship: close friends may warrant a direct, private conversation; distant acquaintances usually just warrant distance. Quietly stepping back—stop recommending, stop collaborating, mute or unfollow—is often more productive than jumping into public call-out culture. If you're going to publicly challenge someone's character or business practices, you owe it to everyone involved to fact-check, seek multiple perspectives, and be willing to put your own name on the line. Notable Quotes “It's not up to me to decide whether someone should use their platform for something just because I wouldn't—but I can decide how close I want to be to it.” “You can't shake off that filth as quickly as you'd like to; who you share a stage with matters.” “Don't completely write people off; if the relationship matters, at least try to understand their perspective before you walk away.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
This solo-style episode features host Travis Chappell in a vulnerable, highly practical conversation with his producer Eric about how so‑called “flaws” shape your career, income, and long-term direction. Together, they explore internal validation, boredom, sales, and why entrepreneurship can be a better fit for people who crave variety and new challenges. On this episode we talk about: Why Travis' biggest flaw is internalizing failure more than success How external validation and upbringing shape your “internal thermostat” for success The “flaw” of getting bored quickly and how it led Travis from sales into podcasting How bouncing between solar, alarms, water, and other products left money on the table Why commission checks are never truly “uncapped” and what pushed Travis toward online business How entrepreneurship provides new problems to solve beyond just “sell more” A simple two-part filter for deciding which feedback and advice to ignore Top 3 Takeaways Internalizing failure more than success silently caps your potential. If you only replay your mistakes and never allow yourself to own your wins, your “internal thermostat” will drag you back down the moment you start exceeding your self‑image. A trait that looks like a flaw can become a superpower in the right vehicle. Getting bored quickly hurt Travis' sales career, but it became an advantage in podcasting and entrepreneurship, where curiosity and variety are essential. Not all advice is worth following—even from successful people. Use both gut intuition and a “would I trade lives with them?” test across business, family, and personal values before you let someone's feedback reshape your path. Notable Quotes “I tend to downplay anything that I do well and overexaggerate anything that I do poorly.” “If you believe you're only capable of something at a certain level, the second you push past it, your internal thermostat resets you back down.” “Never take advice from someone you wouldn't want to trade places with—not just in business, but in every area of life.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Are you secretly relieved 2025 is over, even if you are smiling through Christmas? In Episode 327 of Small Business Talk for Coaches, Cathy Smith gives you a simple end of year reset to help you stop the “I should have done more” spiral and see what you actually achieved. Whether 2025 was your best year yet or it fell short, this episode helps you reflect with honesty, pull out the lessons, and carry your momentum into 2026 without pressure. You will learn a quick way to spot your real wins, even the quiet ones, plus a practical plan for staying visible over the holidays so you do not start January from scratch.
In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric have fun with icebreaker prompts (“What would you do if you had to double $10,000 in 30 days?”) before diving into how better questions shape better decisions, careers, and relationships. They break down the most powerful questions to ask yourself, to ask mentors, and to ask before you jump into any new opportunity. On this episode we talk about: Why Travis likes to ask himself, “This sucks, but what's the alternative?” and how that reframes hard seasons, workouts, parenting, and business grind without needing fake positivity. The importance of accepting that every meaningful path has its own kind of “suck,” and why trying to escape all discomfort leads to purposeless, unfulfilling stretches of life. The key mentor question: “Who do you know that I should know?”—and how that opens doors to new people, books, and resources beyond the mentor's own answers. The opportunity filter: asking “What is the absolute worst-case scenario?” and actually writing it out so fear shrinks to its real size instead of staying vague and paralyzing. Why Travis dislikes questions like “How can I add value to you?” and “What should I be asking you?” when they're lazy stand-ins for preparation or self-aware strategy. Top 3 Takeaways The quality of your life and results is closely tied to the quality of the questions you ask yourself and others. Before saying yes to new opportunities, force yourself to define the true worst-case scenario; most of the time, it's survivable and not nearly as catastrophic as your fear suggests. Great mentors are often most valuable as connectors; asking who they know that you should know can compound your network and knowledge far beyond one conversation. Notable Quotes “This sucks, but what's the alternative?” “If you're asking the wrong questions, you're probably going to end up with the wrong answers.” “That ‘how can I add value to you?' question is often a self-serving question disguised as an others-serving question.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric unpack how seemingly tiny decisions—good and bad—quietly compound into massive outcomes over time. Using the classic “tortoise and the hare” story as a metaphor, they talk through why consistent, boring actions often beat flashy sprints, especially in business and wealth-building. On this episode we talk about: The “tortoise vs. hare” mindset and why consistency beats short bursts of unsustainable effort in entrepreneurship. Why starting to create content early in his journey is one of the smallest but highest-leverage decisions Travis ever made. How old podcast episodes and clips continue to generate leads, sales, and brand equity years after they were created. The hidden cost of splitting focus too early—spinning up new offers, platforms, and projects instead of scaling what's already working. Why “small leaks” in systems (like weak onboarding or poor follow-up) become major problems once you start to scale. Top 3 Takeaways Creating content consistently is a tiny, repeatable decision that can produce outsized returns for years, especially as platforms and AI keep indexing and resurfacing your work. The fastest path to growth is usually doubling and tripling down on what's already working, not constantly chasing new offers, channels, or “shiny objects.” Small operational problems—like sloppy onboarding or neglected client communication—may look minor at low volume but can become business-threatening cracks in the dam once you scale. Notable Quotes “Content works for you while you sleep; it's still one of the most underrated, highest-leverage activities a business owner can do.” “Most of the time you are not tapped out on what's working—you just got bored and started looking for new stuff.” “Every action compounds over time; small good decisions compound positively, and small bad ones compound negatively.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode of The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast, Danielle Devota shares practical, boots-on-the-ground lessons from her first full season selling meat at a farmers' market. Drawing from her experience raising grassfed beef, pasture-raised chicken, and forest-raised pork, Danielle walks through the real considerations behind moving from selling meat shares to offering retail cuts—and what that shift meant for customer relationships, cash flow, and long-term planning. The episode explores the realities of small-scale, regenerative meat sales, including product availability, butcher scheduling, pricing confidence, and market logistics. Rather than offering theory, Danielle provides clear, experience-driven insights that can help producers decide if farmers' markets fit their operation—and how to do them better if they do.
Merry Christmas! In between looking at houses to rent and packing up the Granger house in Oklahoma City, Nick and John put together this yuletide conversation about perhaps the most neglected of Rowling's influences, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle. John was a reluctant reader, but, while listening to the audio book, reading the Gutenberg.com file on his computer, and digging the codex out of his packed boxes of books, the author of Harry Potter's Bookshelf was totally won over to Nick's enthusiasm for Castle.In fact, John now argues that, even if Rowling didn't read it until she was writing Goblet of Fire as some have claimed, I Capture the Castle may be the best single book to understand what it is that Rowling-Galbraith attempts to do in her fiction. Just as Dodie Smith has her characters explain overtly and the story itself delivers covertly, When Rowling writes a story, like Smith it is inevitably one that is a marriage of Bronte and Austen, wonderfully accessible and engaging, but with important touches in the ‘Enigmatist' style of Joyce and Nabokov, full of puzzles and twists in the fashion of God's creative work (from the Estecean logos within every man [John 1:9] continuous with the Logos) rather than a portrait of creation per se. Can you say ‘non liturgical Sacred Art'?And if you accept, per Nick's cogent argument, that Rowling read Castle many times as a young wannabe writer? Then this book becomes a touchstone of both Lake and Shed readings of Rowling's work — and Smith one of the the most important influences on The Presence.Merry Christmas, again, to all our faithful readers and listeners! Thank you for your prayers and notes of support and encouragement to John and for making 2025 a benchmark year at Hogwarts Professor. And just you wait for the exciting surprises we have in hand for 2026!Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Twelve Questions and ‘Links Down Below' Referred to in Nick and John's I Capture the Castle Conversation:Question 1. So, Nick, we spoke during our Aurora Leigh recording about your long term project to read all the books that Rowling has admitted to have read (link down below!), first question why? and secondly how is that going?Rowling's Admitted Literary InfluencesWhat I want is a single internet page reference, frankly, of ‘Rowling's Admitted Literary Influences' or ‘Confessed Favorites' or just ‘Books I have Read and Liked' for my thesis writing so I needn't do an information dump that will add fifty-plus citations to my Works Cited pages and do nothing for the argument I'm making.Here, then, is my best attempt at a collection, one in alphabetical order by last name of author cited, with a link to at least one source or interview in which Rowling is quoted as liking that writer. It is not meant as anything like a comprehensive gathering of Rowling's comments about any author; the Austen entry alone would be longer than the whole list should be if I went that route. Each author gets one, maybe two notes just to justify their entry on the list.‘A Rowling Reading of Aurora Leigh' Nick Jeffery Talking about ‘A Rowling Reading of Aurora Leigh' Question 2. ... which has led me to three works that she has read from the point of view of writers starting out, and growing in their craft. Which leads us to this series of three chats covering Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith and the Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott. I read Castle during the summer. Amid all the disruptions at Granger Towers, have you managed to read it yet? How did you find it?Capturing Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle: Elizabeth Baird-Hardy (October 2011)Certain elements of the story will certainly resonate with those of us who have been to Hogwarts a fair few times: a castle with an odd combination of ancient and modern elements, but no electricity; eccentric family members who are all loved despite their individual oddities (including Topaz's resemblance to Fleur Delacour); travel by train; a character named Rose who may have been one of the reasons Rowling chose the name for Ron and Hermione's daughter; descriptions of food that make even somewhat questionable British cuisine sound tasty; and inanimate objects that have their own personalities (the old dress frame, which Rose and Cassandra call Miss Blossom, is voiced by Cassandra and sounds much like the talking mirror in Harry's room at the Leaky Caldron).But far more than some similar pieces, I Capture the Castle lends something less tangible to Rowling's writing. The novel has a tone that, like the Hogwarts adventures, seamlessly winds together the comic and the crushing in a way that is reflective of life, particularly life as we see it when we are younger. Cassandra's voice is, indeed, engaging, and readers will no doubt see how the narrative voice of Harry's story has some of the same features.A J. K. Rowling Reading of I Capture the Castle: Nick Jeffery (December 2025)Parallels abound for Potter fans. The Mortmain's eccentric household mirrors the Weasleys' chaotic warmth: loved despite quirks, from Topaz's nude communing with nature (evoking a less veiled Fleur Delacour) to Mortmain's intellectual withdrawal. Food descriptions—meagre yet tantalising—prefigure Hogwarts feasts, turning humble meals into sensory delights. Inanimate objects gain voice: the family dress-frame “Miss Blossom” offers advice, akin to the chatty mirrors or portraits in Rowling's world. Even names resonate—Rose Mortmain perhaps inspiring Ron and Hermione's daughter—and train journeys punctuate the plot.The Blocked Writer: James Mortmain, a father who spent his fame early and now reads detective novels in an irritable stupor, mirrors the “faded glory” or “lost genius” archetypes seen in Rowling's secondary characters, such as Xenophilius Lovegood and Jasper Chiswell.The Bohemian Stepmother: Topaz, who strides through the countryside in only wellington boots, shares the whimsical, slightly unhinged energy of a character like Luna Lovegood or Fleur Delacour.Material Yearning: The desperate desire of Cassandra's sister, Rose, to marry into wealth reflects the very real, non-magical pressures of class and poverty that Rowling weaves into Harry Potter, Casual Vacancy, Strike and The Ickabog.Leda Strike parallels: Leda Fox-Cotton the bohemian London photographer, adopts Stephen, the working-class orphan, and saves him from both unrequited love and the responsibility that comes with the Mortmain family.Question 3. [story of finishing the book last night by candle light in my electricity free castle] So, in short Nick, I thought it astonishing! I didn't read your piece until I'd finished reading Capture, of course, but I see there is some dispute about when Rowling first read it and its consequent influence on her as a writer. Can you bring us up to speed on the subject and where you land on this controversy?* She First Read It on her Prisoner of Azkaban Tour of United States?tom saysOctober 21, 2011 at 4:00 amIf I recall correctly, Rowling did not encounter this book until 1999 (between PoA & Goblet) when, on a book tour, a fan gave her a copy. This is pertinent to any speculation about how ‘Castle' might have influenced the Potter series.* Rowling Website: “Books I Read and Re-Read as a Child”Question 4. Which, when you consider the other books on that virtual bookshelf -- works by Colette, Austen, Shakespeare, Goudge, Nesbit, and Sewell's Black Beauty, something of a ‘Rowling's Favorite Books and Authors as a Young Reader' collection, I think we have to assume she is saying, “I read this book as a child or adolescent and loved it.” Taking that as our jumping off place, John, and having read my piece, do you wish you had read it before writing Harry Potter's Bookshelf?Harry Potter's Bookshelf: The Great Books behind the Hogwarts Adventures John Granger 2009Literary Allusion in Harry Potter Beatrice Groves 2017Question 5. So, yes, I certainly do think it belongs -- with Aurora Leigh and Little Women -- on the ‘Rowling Reader Essential Reading List.' The part I thought most interesting in your piece was, of course, the Shed elements I missed. Rowling famously said that she loved Jo Marsh in Little Women because, in addition to the shared name and the character being a wannabe writer, she was plain, a characteristic with which the young, plain Jane Rowling easily identified. What correspondences do you think Little Jo would have found between her life and Cassandra Mortmain's?* Nick Jeffery's Kanreki discussion of Rowling's House on Edge of Estate with Two Children, Bad Dad ‘Golden Thread' (Lethal White)Question 6. Have I missed any, John?* Rockefeller Chapel, University of ChicagoQuestion 7. Forgive me for thinking, Nick, that Cassandra's time in church taking in the silence there with all her senses may be the biggest take-away for the young Rowling; if the Church of England left their chapel doors open in the 70s as churches I grew up in did in the US, it's hard to imagine Jo the Reader not running next door to see what she felt there after reading that passage. (Chapter 13, conversation with vicar, pp 234-238). The correspondence with Beatrice Groves' favorite scene in the Strike novels was fairly plain, no? What other scenes and characters do you see in Rowling's work that echo those in Castle?* Chapter 13, I Capture the Castle: Cassandra's Conversation with the Vicar and time in the Chapel vis a vis Strike in the Chapel after Charlotte's Death* Beatrice Groves on Running Grave's Chapel Scene: ‘Strike's Church Going'Question 8. I'm guessing, John, you found some I have overlooked?Question 9. The Mortmain, Colly, and Cotton cryptonyms as well as Topaz and Cassandra, the embedded text complete with intratextuual references (Simon on psycho-analysis), the angelic servant-orphan living under the stairs (or Dobby's lair!) an orphan with a secret power he cannot see in himself, the great Transformation spell the children cast on their father, an experiment in psychomachia a la the Shrieking Shack or Chamber of Secrets, the hand-kiss we see at story's end from Smith, love delayed but expressed (Silkworm finish?), the haunting sense of the supernatural everywhere especially in the invocation that Rose makes to the gargoyle and Cassandra's Midsummer Night's Eve ritual with Simon, the parallels abound. Ghosts!* Please note that John gave “cotton” a different idiomatic meaning than it has; the correct meaning is at least as interesting given the Cotton family's remarkable fondness for all of the Mortmains!* Kanreki ‘Embedded Text' Golden Thread discussion 1: Crimes of Grindelwald* Kanreki ‘Embedded Text' Golden Thread discussion 2: Golden Thread Survey, Part II* Rose makes an elevated Faustian prayer to a Gargoyle Devil: Chapter IV, pp 43-46* Cassandra and Simon celebrate Midsummer Night's Eve: Chapter XII, pp 199-224Let's talk about the intersection of Lake and Shed, though, the shared space of Rowling's bibliography, works that shaped her core beliefs and act as springs in her Lake of inspiration and which give her many, even most of the tools of intentional artistry she deploys in the Shed. What did you make of the Bronte-Austen challenge that Rose makes explicitly in the story to her sister, the writer and avid reader?“How I wish I lived in a Jane Austen novel.” [said Rose]I said I'd rather be in a Charlotte Bronte.“Which would be nicest—Jane with a touch of Charlotte, or Charlotte with a touch of Jane?”This is the kind of discussion I like very much but I wanted to get on with my journal, so I just said: “Fifty percent each way would be perfect,” and started to write determinedly.Question 10. So, I'm deferring to both Elizabeth Barrett Browning and J. K Rowling. Elizabeth Barrett Browning valued intense emotion, social commentary, and a grand scope in literature, which led her to favour the passionate depth of the Brontës over the more restrained, ironical style of Jane Austen. Rowling about her two dogs: “Emma? She's a bundle of love and joy. Her sister, Bronte, is a bundle of opinions, stubbornness and hard boundaries.”Set in the 30s, written in the early 40s, but it seems astonishingly modern. Because her father is a writer, a literary novelist of the modern school, do you think there are other more contemporary novelists Dodie Smith was engaging than Austen and Bronte?Question 11. Mortmain is definitely Joyce, then, though Proust gets the call-out, and perhaps the most important possible take-away Rowling the attentive young reader would have made would have been Smith's embedded admiration for Joyce the “Enigmatist” she puts in Simon's mouth at story's end (Chapter XVI, pp 336-337) and her implicit criticism of literary novels and correction of that failing. Rowling's re-invention of the Schoolboy novel with its hidden alchemical, chiastic, soul-in-crisis-allegories and embedded Christian symbolism can all be seen as her brilliant interpretation of Simon's explanation of art to Cassandra and her dedication to writing a book like I Capture the Castle.* Reference to James Joyce by Simon Cotton, Chapter IX, p 139:* The Simon and Cassandra conversation about her father's novels, call it ‘The Writer as Enigmatist imitating God in His Work:' Chapter XVI, pp 331-334* On Imagination as Transpersonal Faculty and Non-Liturgical Sacred ArtSacred art differs from modern and postmodern conceptions of art most specifically, though, in what it is representing. Sacred art is not representing the natural world as the senses perceive it or abstractions of what the individual and subjective mind “sees,” but is an imitation of the Divine art of creation. The artist “therefore imitates nature not in its external forms but in its manner of operation as asserted so categorically by St. Thomas Aquinas [who] insists that the artist must not imitate nature but must be accomplished in ‘imitating nature in her manner of operation'” (Nasr 2007, 206, cf. “Art is the imitation of Nature in her manner of operation: Art is the principle of manufacture” (Summa Theologia Q. 117, a. I). Schuon described naturalist art which imitates God's creation in nature by faithful depiction of it, consequently, as “clearly luciferian.” “Man must imitate the creative act, not the thing created,” Aquinas' “manner of operation” rather than God's operation manifested in created things in order to produce ‘creations'which are not would-be duplications of those of God, but rather a reflection of them according to a real analogy, revealing the transcendental aspect of things; and this revelation is the only sufficient reason of art, apart from any practical uses such and such objects may serve. There is here a metaphysical inversion of relation [the inverse analogy connecting the principial and manifested orders in consequence of which the highest realities are manifested in their remotest reflections[1]]: for God, His creature is a reflection or an ‘exteriorized' aspect of Himself; for the artist, on the contrary, the work is a reflection of an inner reality of which he himself is only an outward aspect; God creates His own image, while man, so to speak, fashions his own essence, at least symbolically. On the principial plane, the inner manifests the outer, but on the manifested plane, the outer fashions the inner (Schuon 1953, 81, 96).The traditional artist, then, in imitation of God's “exteriorizing” His interior Logos in the manifested space-time plane, that is, nature, instead of depicting imitations of nature in his craft, submits to creating within the revealed forms of his craft, which forms qua intellections correspond to his inner essence or logos.[2] The work produced in imitation of God's “manner of operation” then resembles the symbolic or iconographic quality of everything existent in being a transparency whose allegorical and anagogical content within its traditional forms is relatively easy to access and a consequent support and edifying shock-reminder to man on his spiritual journey. The spiritual function of art is that “it exteriorizes truths and beauties in view of our interiorization… or simply, so that the human soul might, through given phenomena, make contact with the heavenly archetypes, and thereby with its own archetype” (Schuon 1995a, 45-46).Rowling in her novels, crafted with tools all taken from the chest of a traditional Sacred Artist, is writing non-liturgical Sacred Art. Films and all the story experiences derived of adaptations of imaginative literature to screened images, are by necessity Profane Art, which is to say per the meaning of “profane,” outside the temple or not edifying spiritually. Film making is the depiction of how human beings encounter the time-space world through the senses, not an imitation of how God creates and a depiction of the spiritual aspect of the world, a liminal point of entry to its spiritual dimension. Whence my describing it as a “neo-iconoclasm.”I want to close this off with our sharing our favorite scene or conversation in Castle with the hope that our Serious Reader audience will read Capture and share their favorites. You go first, Nick.* Cassandra and Rose Mortmain, country hicks in the Big City of London: Chapter VI, pp 76-77Question 12. And yours, John?* Cassandra Mortmain ‘Moat Swimming' with Neil Cotton, Chapter X, 170-174* Cassandra seeing her dead mother (think Harry before the Mirror of Erised at Christmas time?): Chapter XV, pp 306-308Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe
SET THE STANDARD (START HERE)https://www.coreyboutwell.com/letsgo10 DAY CHALLENGE (BUILD YOUR BASE)https://setthestandard.com.au/10daychallengeNEXT LEVEL RETREAThttps://coreyboutwell.com/thenextlevelretreatDM me Here for infohttps://www.instagram.com/coreyboutwell/Most guys try to “think” their way out of stress, anxiety, shame, or that tight weird feeling in the body and it keeps looping because the body never got to finish the emotion. This Emotional Processing Meditation is a guided nervous system release to help you move trapped energy through (without overthinking it): lock onto the transition points of your breath, name the emotion, locate it in the body, identify its “texture,” then let it move the way it wants to move (yawning, coughing, shaking, tensing, tears, sound). You'll finish by bringing safety back online with gratitude + a quick reflection so the lesson lands and the charge doesn't run your life.00:00:00 Emotional Processing Meditation (setup)00:00:33 Drop into the body (sensations + relax)00:00:59 Breath transition points (in/out awareness)00:02:07 What “emotional processing” actually is00:04:21 Identify and label the emotion00:06:13 Where it lives in your body (locate it)00:07:06 Texture / object / direction (how it wants to move)00:08:39 Let the body do the “weird” release (yawn/cough/shake)00:10:45 Two-part dialogue (what do you need from me?)00:12:04 Expand it to extremes (move, sound, surrender)00:13:20 Self-guided release window (keep going)00:17:00 Tapping both areas (deeper integration)00:17:56 Capture the thoughts after (quick journal prompt)00:18:50 Gratitude + safety cues (thank the body)00:19:17 Closing (reach out / comment / forum) Apply here https://www.coreyboutwell.net/speaksoonWork With Me Here: https://www.coreyboutwell.com/letsgoMake sure you listen to the podcasts all the way through to get your discount code.
We’re breaking down The Capture of the Green River Killer. It’s the story of serial killer Gary Ridgway, who confessed to 48 murders and evaded capture for nearly 20 years, and the detective who refused to give up the chase. This true-crime drama shook a generation and delivers performances that are impossible to forget. The iconic Sharon Lawrence joins us with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We’re breaking down The Capture of the Green River Killer. It’s the story of serial killer Gary Ridgway, who confessed to 48 murders and evaded capture for nearly 20 years, and the detective who refused to give up the chase. This true-crime drama shook a generation and delivers performances that are impossible to forget. The iconic Sharon Lawrence joins us with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dr. Michael Breus—known worldwide as “The Sleep Doctor”—is a clinical psychologist, board-certified sleep specialist, bestselling author, and one of the ten most influential people in sleep. He's appeared on The Dr. Oz Show around 40 times, was named the top sleep specialist in California by Reader's Digest, and has spent over 25 years helping executives, entrepreneurs, and high performers use sleep as a true performance enhancer instead of treating it like a weakness. On this episode we talk about: Why “sleep is for the weak” is terrible advice for entrepreneurs, and how poor sleep quietly wrecks resilience, safety, creativity, and business performance. The truth about “how many hours you really need,” why 8 hours is a myth, and why consistently needing 9–10 hours is actually a red flag. How stress (physical, emotional, spiritual, and business-related) changes your sleep needs, and why waking up feeling good is the real metric that matters. The reality of wearables like Whoop and Oura: what data is useful, what's inaccurate, and how to avoid letting your sleep score hijack your day. Chronotypes (night owl vs. morning lark), why they're genetic, and how aligning your schedule with your type can dramatically increase productivity. Top 3 Takeaways Eight hours is not a universal rule—sleep need is individual, but less than six hours consistently hurts reaction time, decision-making, and creativity, all of which are crucial for making money. Most wearables are decent at telling you when you slept and woke up, but bad at sleep stages; use them to spot trends, not to obsess over nightly scores. Aligning your work, workout, and wind-down times with your chronotype (your genetic sleep–wake preference) can make you more productive without forcing “5 a.m. hustle” that fights your biology. Notable Quotes “Eight hours is a myth—not everybody in the universe needs eight hours of sleep.” “If you're getting less than six hours, that's when reaction time drops and things become highly problematic.” “There's no universe where your wearable is accurate, but it can be consistently inaccurate—and that's still useful if you look for trends.” Connect with Dr. Michael Breus: Website: thesleepdoctor.com Chronotype quiz: chronoquiz.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this solo-style episode, Travis and his producer Eric react to a viral Dave Ramsey clip where Dave flexes having a zero credit score while owning a campus worth roughly $500 million—and use it to unpack how “no credit, no debt ever” advice lands for people who aren't billionaires. The conversation explores the tension between hating the credit system, still needing to function inside it, and the practical realities of renting apartments, buying cars, and getting mortgages in the real world. On this episode we talk about: Dave Ramsey's “my FICO score is zero” flex, why it's objectively impressive, and why it doesn't translate cleanly to normal earners. How the credit system actually works in practice—hard inquiries, utilization, and why Travis once saw his score drop to the high 500s despite never missing a payment. The difference between disagreeing with how the game is set up and refusing to play it at all when you still need housing, transportation, or business funding. Why obsessing over cutting every $10 expense is usually less productive than figuring out how to earn more so gas prices and coupon clipping stop running your life. The line between using credit as a tool (responsibly) and using “points hacking” as an excuse for financial gymnastics that don't move the needle. Top 3 Takeaways The credit system is deeply flawed, but pretending it doesn't exist usually hurts regular people far more than it hurts multimillionaires who can just write checks. A strong credit profile—on-time payments, low utilization, limited hard inquiries—gives you options: better rates, easier approvals, and real emergency flexibility. It's more powerful to focus on making more money and using the system intelligently than to chase the moral high ground of having no credit score at all. Notable Quotes “I agree the system is dumb—but also, it's the system that's there.” “It's objectively better to have a good credit score than to have no credit score or a bad one.” “You're doing more mental gymnastics to brag that you have no credit score than you would be just managing a couple of cards responsibly.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
A federal grand jury has indicted two Texans, Gavin Rivers Weisenburg and Tanner Christopher Thomas, for allegedly plotting to invade Haiti's Gonâve Island with violent intentions. The indictment details an alleged plot targeting Gonâve Island, home to approximately 87,000 residents. Prosecutors claim the plan was in development for nearly a year and involved acquiring resources like a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, as well as recruiting homeless individuals from the Washington, D.C. area as mercenaries. Alleged preparations included learning Haitian Creole and attempting to gain relevant skills through activities like fire academy, sailing lessons, and military service. Weisenburg and Thomas are charged with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and a related child pornography charge. They face significant potential prison sentences if convicted, and both intend to plead not guilty. The investigation involved the FBI and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special InvestigationsBusiness Inquiries DaDojoProduction@gmail.com Insta https://www.instagram.com/senseink/ Pod Insta: https://www.instagram.com/dadojocast/ Sports Page @IKINDAKNOWBALL
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1226: We're talking rising auto prices and longer-term debt in the U.S., Kazakhstan's record-setting manufacturing momentum, and Simon Sinek's take on why Gen Z might be the most rational workforce yet.As new car prices have climbed 33% since 2020, affordability is slipping out of reach for many. Buyers are stretching loan terms to eight, nine, even ten years—trading short-term relief for long-term debt.Average new vehicle price broke $50K this fall, up from under $38K in early 2020.Monthly payments now average $760; rising prices and high interest rates are fueling defaults.One-third of buyers now take loans of at least 72 months; some exceed 100 months, especially on pickups.Automakers are lowering prices and leaning into base trims—Ford's Maverick jumped 76% in November sales.Kazakhstan's automotive sector is on a record-breaking run. Through the first 11 months of 2025, vehicle production has already topped the full-year total from 2024, signaling both rising demand and growing sophistication in local manufacturing. With nearly $4 billion in output, the industry is becoming a major economic engine.From January to November, Kazakhstan built 146,163 vehicles valued at $3.9B—a 15.7% jump from 2024.November alone set a monthly record with 22,580 units produced worth $601M, up 25.5% year-over-year.Auto manufacturing now makes up 41.7% of the country's entire machine-building sector, up from 2024.Growth was led by Allur (79K+ units) in Kostanay and Hyundai plants in Almaty and Shymkent (up 26.7%), including those operated by our friends at Astana MotorsSimon Sinek and Garry Ridge are taking aim at the "lazy Gen Z" stereotype. In a recent podcast conversation, the leadership thinkers argue that Gen Z's workplace demands are less about entitlement—and more about a rational response to broken corporate trust.On A Bit of Optimism, Sinek says Gen Z's need for upfront value stems from growing up in a world with "no loyalty from the company."Ridge, former WD-40 CEO, agrees: leaders must build trust and ditch outdated performance models.Both advocate for regular coaching check-ins over once-a-year reviews.Gen Z doesn't want delayed recognition—they want feedback, growth, and transparency now.“I don't want to wait 364 days for you to tell me what I should've done better,” said RidgeThank you to today's sponsor, Mia. Capture more revenue, protect CSI, and never miss a call or connection again with 24/7 phone coverage and texting (SMS) follow-up for sales, service, and reception. Learn more at https://www.mia.inc/0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier4:21 Average Monthly Payments arJoin Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
We need to stop the Federal Subsidies that are causing the nation to go broke.
Send us a textTwo Great authors and one inspirational city are the focus of this episode. Sinclair Lewis Sinclair Lewis's writing advice, often delivered directly to his students or in letters, focused on the practicalities of a writing life and the raw discipline required. Some of his most memorable guidance includes the reminder that "real writers" are unstoppable and the emphasis that writing is simply hard work. Focus and disciplineDon't fool yourself. Lewis advised writers, "You can fool the critics but never yourself". Embrace the hard work.Ignore discouraging words. Turn off distractions. Writing craftWrite with your ear. Lewis insisted that writers and readers should use their ears, not just their eyes.Write what truly interests you. He advised, "Write about what really interests you... and nothing else". Be painstakingly clear. Save your drafts. He suggested that if you give up on a piece of writing, you should put it in a drawer instead of throwing it away. He found that much of his best work came from revising or rewriting things he had abandoned years earlier.Know your words.Consider not using a typewriter.Advice to his studentsWhen Lewis taught at the University of Minnesota, he had some pointed words for his class. : Compete with the best. Possess a "divine egotism". Lewis encouraged a form of confidence and ambition in his students.Live righteously. Tennessee Williams Based on his journals and interviews, Tennessee Williams' writing advice centers on honest, emotionally-driven storytelling and consistent practice. He encouraged writers to focus on the human heart, avoid distractions, and embrace the fragile, conflicted parts of themselves and their characters. Write honestly and from withinFocus on inner tension. Be autobiographical. Identify with vulnerable characters. Williams found it easier to write about people who were fragile, lonely, or on the verge of hysteria,Embrace the full messiness of your characters. He encouraged writers to let their characters "fight," "claw their way toward something," and be "messy and holy and tired" instead of being quiet and acceptable. Overcome your inner criticBelieve in your first draft.Believe in yourself.Recognize the dual nature of your work. After the first draft, Williams noted that a play is never as good or as bad as you think it is. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, and a writer must push past these self-assessments. Cultivate a strong work ethicWork every day.Revise relentlessly. Be a "wasteful writer." Williams admitted to generating a lot of material that he didn't use, going through multiple drafts before finalizing a work. For him, a lot of writing was necessary to arrive at what was good. Capture and express emotional truthDon't bore the audience. Tell the truth, even if it's shocking. Find inspiration in small observations. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!!
In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric break down how to think about relationships in business—from early-stage networking, to picking partners, to knowing when it's time to walk away. Using personal stories (including a near “bridge-burning” moment that later turned into a restored friendship and new deals), Travis lays out a practical framework for building a network that actually supports your goals without turning you into a ruthless opportunist. On this episode we talk about: Why, early on, you should say “yes” a lot, go to events, and focus on volume and exposure instead of over‑filtering people too soon. How to distinguish between true business partners (like a marriage) and looser collaborations or joint ventures—and why the standards are different. What to look for in deeper partnerships: aligned values, shared vision, complementary skills, and genuine trust. When and how to end client or partner relationships that are technically profitable but are destroying your mental energy. The danger of “covert contracts” in friendships and business—unspoken expectations that, when violated, lead to resentment and broken relationships. Top 3 Takeaways Early in your career, prioritize exposure and reps: go places, meet people, and let real‑world interactions teach you what you actually value in partners and peers. Ending a partnership isn't just about money; it's about whether the relationship still serves both parties without draining your time, energy, and integrity. Before burning a bridge, ask what part you played in the breakdown, own your side, and rebuild your half of the bridge—you might recover a valuable relationship later. Notable Quotes “You don't want all your time taken up by people who have no goals—but that doesn't make them bad people. It just means you need to go find others who share your ambitions.” “Your job in sales and business is not to ‘win' against people; if only you win, that's a problem.” “Most broken partnerships are fueled by covert contracts—agreements you wrote in your head that the other person never actually signed.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
PGA Tour veteran Jay Delsing is a nationally syndicated host of Golf with Jay Delsing, a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and author of You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You: An Unforgettable Memoir of Golf, Grit, and a Blue-Collar Kid on the PGA Tour. From a modest, sports-obsessed upbringing in St. Louis to earning his PGA Tour card and building a hospitality business around pro-ams, Jay brings rare behind-the-scenes stories and practical wisdom on relationships, mindset, and money. On this episode we talk about: How a blue-collar kid from St. Louis earned a scholarship to UCLA and eventually a PGA Tour card Why caddying as a teenager became Jay's masterclass in soft skills, networking, and dealing with high achievers Wild stories from the course with Sean Connery, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus How Jay turned pro-am rounds into a multi-decade hospitality and entertainment business using simple follow-up tactics The mindset, gratitude practices, and “soft skills” he believes will separate winners in the next generation of business Top 3 Takeaways Deep competence in anything (golf, guitar, business, whatever) combined with soft skills and respect will open doors you can't predict. Small, “old school” touches like handwritten notes, genuine gratitude, and being great at the bottom rung of the ladder still massively differentiate you. You get more of whatever you focus on—shifting from excuses and victimhood to ownership and opportunity is a non‑negotiable money and life skill. Notable Quotes “You get what you think the most about.” “Write handwritten notes to people. Nobody does that now—and that's exactly why it works.” “You don't have to be good at golf, just don't be an ass. People do business with people they enjoy being around.” Connect with Jay Delsing: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-delsing-83142914 Twitter/X: https://x.com/JayDelsing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaydelsinggolf Other: https://jaydelsinggolf.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
You follow Lindsay Manfredi's wild, non-linear path from merch table to main stage, and she shows you exactly how saying yes, showing up, and outworking your fear can change your entire trajectory. You hear how she moved to Florida at twenty chasing a rock-star dream, became an instant Cold superfan, and eventually landed the bass gig through a Twitter message that felt too unreal to be real. She talks candidly about law-of-attraction moments, why every Cold song has to matter, and where the line sits between authentic human creativity and formulaic or AI-generated music. Through it all, she reminds you that most fears never materialize and it takes the same effort to believe in yourself as it does to doubt yourself. Always Be Performing. From there, you shift into the discipline behind her artistry: preparing for tours months in advance, running the set nearly every day, and over-preparing so the stage actually feels fun. She shares how making the road feel like home keeps her grounded, and how her book “The Girl Who Cried Love” came from losing her sense of self and rebuilding true self-worth, not just confidence. You explore dropping habits that don't serve you, reconnecting with what you really value, and even why revisiting Mad Men taught her to only compete with herself. Finally, you wrap with a deep dive into in-ear monitor strategy, why a great mix beats great gear, and the small decisions that make performing sustainable for the long haul. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 513 – Monday, December 22nd, 2025 December 22nd: National Cookie Exchange Day Guest co-host: Linsday Manfredi NAMM coming up! GG Coverage Sponsor: Ultimate Ears Pro! 00:01:30 Twenty years old, moved to Florida to become a rock star Sprung Monkey needed a “merch girl”, Lindsay grabbed the gig Saw Cold, loved the music, loved Scooter's voice. Instant fan! Unfuckwithable: A Guide to Inspired Badassery 00:04:45 Bringing the Law of attraction into the rock world Lindsay's Cold tattoo made it into the album insert 00:06:00 Getting the Cold gig… on Twitter in 2014 Picture Yes was playing at The Vogue in Indianapolis on tour with Saving Abel Check your Facebook messages: “Will you be in our band?” 00:07:32 Always say “yes!” — Build the plane while you're flying it. Bought a 5-String 00:09:09 Play music because you love to play music No fluff songs in Cold Every song matters 00:11:25 Fuck AI to create music Is Formulaic Music from humans just as bad as AI-Created Music When do we hit the point where it's OK to use AI to create music 00:20:13 If you're an artist, you're going to create art. 85% of what we're afraid of won't happen. It takes just as much effort to have faith in something as it does to fear something 00:23:46 Transitioning from fan to band member Scooter says: “bring your personality to it!” Capture the original intent and emotion Lindsay rewrote the run in “So Long June” and… it was welcomed! 00:27:30 Preparing enough to have fun on stage Months of practice before a tour In order to have fun on stage… I need to be an over-preparer! Fender P-Bass at home to learn and prepare for tour Heavier strings on the practice bass Run the set every day (almost) 00:33:42 Start rehearsal in December for tour in April It's more fun to be prepared 00:36:10 Making the road feel like home Making your bunk your own Cold is a family Touring is my favorite thing to do 00:39:52 The Girl Who Cried Love, a Pivot to Self Worth Lindsay: I lost myself into what became a failed relationship Trying to prove my worth to someone who didn't see my worth So many of us aren't taught what our true worth is Asking herself: “Lindsay, what do you really want in your life? What is your purpose? What are your values?” The difference between confidence and self-worth. 00:45:33 It's hard to drop the shit that's not serving you 00:46:37 How can I make the world a little bit better? Being in the audience first makes everything so much clearer 00:47:51 Identifying a bad habit before you can drop it “My goal in life is to wake up laughing every day” 00:49:01 Revisiting Mad Men, of all things Better to compete with yourself 00:51:19 In Ear Monitors Having a great mix Mix is more important than gear Dissecting in-ears Universal Fits Dave recommends: Ultimate Ears Universal Fit Soundbrenner Wave Huberman Lab episode on hearing health 01:01:52 Gig Gab 513 Outtro Follow Lindsay Manfredi On IG @Lindsay Manfredi ColdArmy.com Contact Gig Gab! @GigGabPodcast on Instagram feedback@giggabpodcast.com Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List The post Lindsay Manfredi's Road to Cold: Music, Micro-Pivots, and Radical Self-Worth — Gig Gab 513 appeared first on Gig Gab.
AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Turkey intelligence agents have captured who they believe to be a senior member of the Islamic State group along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Producer Eric joins Travis for a door-to-door sales deep dive, pulling from years of real-world canvassing experience in security, solar, and church outreach. From getting chased by dogs and dealing with “ostrich” homeowners to dissecting viral sales clips, this episode turns war stories into a practical masterclass on how to sell at the door without being sleazy or burning out. On this episode we talk about: Why door-to-door is still one of the fastest skill-building & income-boosting paths for young hustlers The fine line between having fun at the doors and sabotaging your own pitch Why “I know you hate door-to-door guys” is a terrible opener—and what to say instead How to reframe objections (“That's exactly why I'm here…”) and handle competitors without trash-talking them Ethics and strategy around “No Soliciting” signs, and how being older, a parent, and a homeowner changes the way you see canvassing Why pest control can be a sleeper-hit business model with strong recurring revenue and scalable door-to-door teams Top 3 Takeaways Never lead with shame or apology at the door; if you act like you're a nuisance, the prospect will believe you and treat you that way. Reframe objections as openings: “That's exactly why I'm here” keeps the conversation going and gives you time to build trust instead of slamming the door on yourself. Long term, the real money in door-to-door is often in owning the recurring-revenue business (like pest control) and building commission-only sales teams to feed it. Notable Quotes “Half your job as a door-to-door guy is just to get them to talk to you longer so you have time to earn trust.” “When you start telling people you're annoying them, you eventually believe it—and you start selling like it.” “There are unlimited doors; you don't need to win the ones that literally put a sign up saying they don't want you there.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Peter Imburg is the founder and CEO of Elfster, the world's most widely used Secret Santa and gift exchange platform, now serving over 40 million users globally. He bootstrapped the company from a side project in his basement into a profitable, affiliate-driven e‑commerce engine—without taking a dollar of venture capital or angel money. On this episode we talk about: How Peter went from paper routes and grocery bagging to tech consulting and then founding Elfster. The origin story of Elfster and how a frustrating family Secret Santa experience sparked a global platform. Bootstrapping for years without outside funding, including early experiments with sponsorships and brand campaigns. The pivotal shift from seasonal ad deals to an affiliate/e‑commerce model that finally aligned user growth with revenue. What Elfster looks like today: tens of millions of users, hundreds of millions in gross merchandise volume, and a lean global team. Top 3 Takeaways You don't need VC money to build something big; you do need a real problem, relentless iteration, and patience through years of “keeping the lights on.” Business models matter as much as product—Elfster didn't really turn the corner until it aligned its product with an evergreen revenue engine (affiliate commerce) instead of one‑off ad experiments. Long-term success often comes from saying yes to “small” opportunities (like a late‑season campaign) and then spotting the bigger strategic insight hidden inside them. Notable Quotes “There's got to be somebody doing this online…I looked all around, there's nothing.” “For years we were getting enough money to keep the lights on, but user growth didn't translate into revenue growth.” “Once we made the shift, as we grew users, our revenue grew too—that was the pivotal moment.” Connect with Elfster: Website: elfster.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric react to a series of viral skits that poke fun at B2B sales reps, door-to-door bros, and MLM stereotypes—and use them to break down what actually makes for good, ethical selling. The conversation hits on empathy, objection handling, long-term thinking, and why trying to “pound” customers for one big commission check is a terrible strategy if you want a real career in sales. On this episode we talk about: Viral comedy skits about B2B sales, breakups with sales bros, and door-to-door stereotypes—and why they're so accurate. Why great salespeople are genuinely empathetic, listen deeply, and try to understand prospects instead of waiting to talk. How phrases like “totally understand” and “so what I'm hearing is…” can be powerful when they're rooted in real curiosity, not manipulation. The difference between transactional, burn-and-churn sales (pest control, alarms, etc.) and relational, long-cycle sales where reputation matters. Why treating people well, solving real problems, and playing the long game leads to referrals, repeat business, and an actual book of business. Top 3 Takeaways The best salespeople don't see selling as “winning” against a customer; they aim for a genuine win–win where the client's problem is solved and the rep is fairly paid. Simple frameworks like “feel–felt–found,” restating what you're hearing, and handling objections are ethical and effective when you truly believe in your product and its fit. Burning customers for a slightly bigger commission check destroys long-term opportunity; taking care of people builds referrals, repeat deals, and an actual business instead of just a job. Notable Quotes "Your job as a salesperson is to remove all obstacles to the person making a decision that's going to help them." "If only you win in the deal, that's a problem—either your product sucks or you're actually in a pyramid scheme." "Most salespeople just want to get through the pitch; they forget there's an actual person on the other side of the call." ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Andrew Giancola is the creator of MasterMoney.co and host of The Personal Finance Podcast, a top personal finance show doing over 400,000 downloads every month. He started with no money, no investing knowledge, and the same fears around asking for a raise most people have, and now teaches millions how to build real, lasting wealth through simple systems, smart debt strategies, and increasing income. On this episode we talk about: How Andrew went from $30,000-a-year financial analyst to business owner, real estate investor, and top personal finance podcaster. Why most people dramatically overcomplicate money—and how automating your finances can free up your time and mental energy. The “1–3–6 Method” for building your emergency fund and getting out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Why paying off high-interest credit card debt is a “pants-on-fire” emergency and how credit card APR really works against you. The fastest paths to increasing your income: raising your W‑2 salary, smart side hustles, and stacking high-value skills. Top 3 Takeaways Build a rock-solid foundation with Andrew's 1–3–6 Method: save one month of expenses, pay off high-interest debt (6%+), then grow to three and finally six months of essential expenses before going aggressive on investing. High-interest credit card debt is compound interest working against you; if you're carrying balances at 20–30% APR, paying them off should be your top financial priority. Long-term wealth is built in “the gap” between your income and expenses—so you must both manage money well and actively increase earnings through negotiating raises, job-hopping strategically, certifications, and scalable side hustles. Notable Quotes "Credit card debt is compound interest basically working against you." "Once you have your foundation in place, the biggest catalyst for most people is increasing their income." "Everything out there is an opportunity—you just have to be able to see it and then take advantage of it." Connect with Andrew Giancola: Website: MasterMoney.co ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Travis teams up with his producer Eric to react to a wild news story about two Dairy Queen franchise owners in Long Island who got hit with a $6 million lawsuit over a technical payroll violation. Using their situation as a springboard, Travis unpacks the often invisible risks of small business ownership, the realities of razor-thin margins, and why the legal and regulatory environment can feel stacked against entrepreneurs. On this episode we talk about: The Dairy Queen “DQ sisters” case—how paying employees every two weeks instead of weekly triggered a multi‑million‑dollar lawsuit under an old New York pay‑frequency law. Why lawyers, not workers or owners, often walk away with the biggest payday from these kinds of class actions. The myth that small business and franchise owners are “rolling in cash” versus the reality of 12–16% profit margins and massive fixed costs. How minimum wage pressures, government regulations, permits, and franchise fees compound the financial strain on brick‑and‑mortar businesses. Why demanding higher pay without building new skills can backfire as automation and robotics become more attractive than hiring entry‑level labor. Top 3 Takeaways Small business owners—especially franchise operators—often operate on thin margins and can be wiped out by unexpected legal or regulatory hits, even when they're acting in good faith. Many “worker protection” lawsuits end up benefiting attorneys far more than employees, while leaving owners financially devastated and sometimes out of business. The most reliable way to increase your income is not to rely on lawsuits or mandated wage hikes, but to build valuable skills, increase your earning power, and keep extra cash reserves for the inevitable surprises of business and life. Notable Quotes "People think business owners are taking their workers to the cleaners, but a lot of them are barely keeping the lights on." "You might feel like you're suing ‘McDonald's,' but in reality you're wrecking the local franchisee who leveraged their house to open that one store." "We need a skill‑building mindset, not a ‘demand more money for the same work' mindset, or we'll just price ourselves right into being replaced by robots." ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Retired Navy Senior Chief Travis Winfield is a bestselling author and the CEO of Military Operated Real Estate (MORE), the first national real estate brand built specifically for service members and veterans. He went from growing up with almost nothing to building a powerhouse six‑agent team that has closed over 700 homes and more than $350 million in sales, and his mission now is to fix the financial literacy crisis holding military families back from real wealth. On this episode we talk about: How Travis went from bad credit, 25% car loans, and debt to building a multi‑million‑dollar real estate business. Why so many service members leave the military in a worse financial position than when they joined. The blended retirement system, why it's dangerous without financial literacy, and what it means for younger service members. How military families can use benefits like the VA loan, GI Bill, and state education programs to build long‑term wealth instead of selling key assets. How MORE and programs like SkillBridge and GI Bill on‑the‑job training help veterans transition into real estate with a real runway instead of starting from zero. Top 3 Takeaways You do not need to start wealthy to build wealth; understanding budgeting, debt payoff, and compound interest is enough to change your financial trajectory. Military benefits like the VA home loan, education benefits, and the new blended retirement plan can be powerful wealth tools—but only if service members actually know they exist and how to use them. Real estate remains one of the strongest paths to long‑term wealth for veterans, especially when combined with VA loan strategies, house hacking, and guided transition programs into the industry. Notable Quotes "Everybody thinks you need to have wealth to build wealth—but you can come from nothing and still build a multi‑million‑dollar business." "Congress basically banked on the lack of financial literacy with the blended retirement; if you don't understand it, you'll choose spending today over security tomorrow." "Every service member deserves to own a piece of the land they defend—hard stop." Connect with Travis Winfield: Website & book: traviswinfield.com Military Operated Real Estate: militaryoperatedrealestate.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Wherein dozens of Orca were kidnapped in an unspeakable scene and Christopher didn't bring a laptop (and John didn't have a camera yet). Certificate #41344.
John Hardie discusses US pressure on Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk and drop NATO bids for peace. He details Russian advances near Pokrovsk but doubts their ability to capture remaining fortress cities. Hardie notes Ukrainian resistance to territorial concessions despite Russian battlefield initiative and Western diplomatic maneuvering. 1859 Odessa
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