Podcasts about Pitfall

Investing in a high-quality microphone is better when you can afford one. In today's episode, Adam talks about why spend money on a mic for your podcast and how much they cost. You may also refer to Episode 14, as it also talks about choosing the best microphones.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Why do you need a microphone? Types of affordable mic you can buy Best mic stand to use Mixer for your podcast   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED Ep14: How To Choose The Best Microphone - Pitfall #19 CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

Happy New Year! This week Josh and Drusilla discuss their favorites of the year, both first time watches for the show (The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover, Pitfall, Day of Wrath,  The Shout, The Vanishing, Deliverance, The Ugly Stepsister, Martin, Who Killed Teddybear?, etc.)   and new brand new movies that just came out (Weapons, Eddington, Bugonia, Pavements, Dust Bunny, Train Dreams, Universal Language, One Battle After Another, Sinners, etc.)The movie of the week is The Eternal Daughter (2022). From wiki: “The Eternal Daughter is a 2022 Gothic mystery drama film produced, written and directed by Joanna Hogg. It stars Tilda Swinton in a double role, as both a middle-aged filmmaker and her elderly mother who are guests at a mysterious hotel. Joseph Mydell and Carly-Sophia Davies are featured in supporting roles.”NEXT WEEK: Onibaba (1964) Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

In today's episode, learn more about this giant misconception in podcasting and the essential steps to take before getting your podcast in front of the right people! If you want real listeners (not just downloads), we break down the proven strategies that actually put your show in front of the right audience.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR 5 Tips to get you to the next level Ways to get to other people's podcasts Utilizing social media hacks and paid marketing Advantages of doing an interview swap and working with non-famous guests Understanding ASKC: Answer, Speak, Know, Call to action   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED Podmatch PodBooker Interview Valet Answer The Public CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! We also have free courses for you on everything you need to know about starting a great podcast! Check out our first six episodes through the links below!   Identify Your Avatar - Free Course 1/6 What To Do BEFORE You Launch Your Podcast - Free Course 2/6 How To Launch A TOP Show - Free Course 3/6 Best Marketing And Growth Strategies - Free Course 4/6 How To Monetize Your Podcast - Free Course 5/6  Top 22 Pitfalls On Starting Your Own Podcast - Free Course 6/6 Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

In today's episode, Adam discusses the various podcast hosting services that he recommends using. Wait until you hear why "free" platforms might be secretly killing your podcast's growth. Plus, he exposes the four paid hosts that can instantly boost your SEO, fix your analytics, and finally get your show discovered.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Best podcast hosting platforms Pros and cons of using other hosting services Benefits of using trusted podcast hosting platforms Advantages of paying for your podcast platform   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED Buzzsprout Libsyn Podbean Captivate CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!  

TLDR: It was Claude :-)When I set out to compare ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD for writing Product Requirement Documents, I figured they'd all be roughly equivalent. Maybe some subtle variations in tone or structure, but nothing earth-shattering. They're all built on similar transformer architectures, trained on massive datasets, and marketed as capable of handling complex business writing.What I discovered over 45 minutes of hands-on testing revealed not just which tools are better for PRD creation, but why they're better, and more importantly, how you should actually be using AI to accelerate your product work without sacrificing quality or strategic thinking.If you're an early or mid-career PM in Silicon Valley, this matters to you. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: your peers are already using AI to write PRDs, analyze features, and generate documentation. The question isn't whether to use these tools. The question is whether you're using the right ones most effectively.So let me walk you through exactly what I did, what I learned, and what you should do differently.The Setup: A Real-World Test CaseHere's how I structured the experiment. As I said at the beginning of my recording, “We are back in the Fireside PM podcast and I did that review of the ChatGPT browser and people seemed to like it and then I asked, uh, in a poll, I think it was a LinkedIn poll maybe, what should my next PM product review be? And, people asked for ChatPRD.”So I had my marching orders from the audience. But I wanted to make this more comprehensive than just testing ChatPRD in isolation. I opened up five tabs: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD.For the test case, I chose something realistic and relevant: an AI-powered tutor for high school students. Think KhanAmigo or similar edtech platforms. This gave me a concrete product scenario that's complex enough to stress-test these tools but straightforward enough that I could iterate quickly.But here's the critical part that too many PMs get wrong when they start using AI for product work: I didn't just throw a single sentence at these tools and expect magic.The “Back of the Napkin” Approach: Why You Still Need to Think“I presume everybody agrees that you should have some formulated thinking before you dump it into the chatbot for your PRD,” I noted early in my experiment. “I suppose in the future maybe you could just do, like, a one-sentence prompt and come out with the perfect PRD because it would just know everything about you and your company in the context, but for now we're gonna do this more, a little old-school AI approach where we're gonna do some original human thinking.”This is crucial. I see so many PMs, especially those newer to the field, treat AI like a magic oracle. They type in “Write me a PRD for a social feature” and then wonder why the output is generic, unfocused, and useless.Your job as a PM isn't to become obsolete. It's to become more effective. And that means doing the strategic thinking work that AI cannot do for you.So I started in Google Docs with what I call a “back of the napkin” PRD structure. Here's what I included:Why: The strategic rationale. In this case: “Want to complement our existing edtech business with a personalized AI tutor, uh, want to maintain position industry, and grow through innovation. on mission for learners.”Target User: Who are we building for? “High school students interested in improving their grades and fundamentals. Fundamental knowledge topics. Specifically science and math. Students who are not in the top ten percent, nor in the bottom ten percent.”This is key—I got specific. Not just “students,” but students in the middle 80%. Not just “any subject,” but science and math. This specificity is what separates useful AI output from garbage.Problem to Solve: What's broken? “Students want better grades. Students are impatient. Students currently use AI just for finding the answers and less to, uh, understand concepts and practice using them.”Key Elements: The feature set and approach.Success Metrics: How we'd measure success.Now, was this a perfectly polished PRD outline? Hell no. As you can see from my transcript, I was literally thinking out loud, making typos, restructuring on the fly. But that's exactly the point. I put in maybe 10-15 minutes of human strategic thinking. That's all it took to create a foundation that would dramatically improve what came out of the AI tools.Round One: Generating the Full PRDWith my back-of-the-napkin outline ready, I copied it into each tool with a simple prompt asking them to expand it into a more complete PRD.ChatGPT: The Reliable GeneralistChatGPT gave me something that was... fine. Competent. Professional. But also deeply uninspiring.The document it produced checked all the boxes. It had the sections you'd expect. The writing was clear. But when I read it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was reading something that could have been written for literally any product in any company. It felt like “an average of everything out there,” as I noted in my evaluation.Here's what ChatGPT did well: It understood the basic structure of a PRD. It generated appropriate sections. The grammar and formatting were clean. If you needed to hand something in by EOD and had literally no time for refinement, ChatGPT would save you from complete embarrassment.But here's what it lacked: Depth. Nuance. Strategic thinking that felt connected to real product decisions. When it described the target user, it used phrases that could apply to any edtech product. When it outlined success metrics, they were the obvious ones (engagement, retention, test scores) without any interesting thinking about leading indicators or proxy metrics.The problem with generic output isn't that it's wrong, it's that it's invisible. When you're trying to get buy-in from leadership or alignment from engineering, you need your PRD to feel specific, considered, and connected to your company's actual strategy. ChatGPT's output felt like it was written by someone who'd read a lot of PRDs but never actually shipped a product.One specific example: When I asked for success metrics, ChatGPT gave me “Student engagement rate, Time spent on platform, Test score improvement.” These aren't wrong, but they're lazy. They don't show any thinking about what specifically matters for an AI tutor versus any other educational product. Compare that to Claude's output, which got more specific about things like “concept mastery rate” and “question-to-understanding ratio.”Actionable Insight: Use ChatGPT when you need fast, serviceable documentation that doesn't need to be exceptional. Think: internal updates, status reports, routine communications. Don't rely on it for strategic documents where differentiation matters. If you do use ChatGPT for important documents, treat its output as a starting point that needs significant human refinement to add strategic depth and company-specific context.Gemini: Better Than ExpectedGoogle's Gemini actually impressed me more than I anticipated. The structure was solid, and it had a nice balance of detail without being overwhelming.What Gemini got right: The writing had a nice flow to it. The document felt organized and logical. It did a better job than ChatGPT at providing specific examples and thinking through edge cases. For instance, when describing the target user, it went beyond demographics to consider behavioral characteristics and motivations.Gemini also showed some interesting strategic thinking. It considered competitive positioning more thoughtfully than ChatGPT and proposed some differentiation angles that weren't in my original outline. Good AI tools should add insight, not just regurgitate your input with better formatting.But here's where it fell short: the visual elements. When I asked for mockups, Gemini produced images that looked more like stock photos than actual product designs. They weren't terrible, but they weren't compelling either. They had that AI-generated sheen that makes it obvious they came from an image model rather than a designer's brain.For a PRD that you're going to use internally with a team that already understands the context, Gemini's output would work well. The text quality is strong enough, and if you're in the Google ecosystem (Docs, Sheets, Meet, etc.), the integration is seamless. You can paste Gemini's output directly into Google Docs and continue iterating there.But if you need to create something compelling enough to win over skeptics or secure budget, Gemini falls just short. It's good, but not great. It's the solid B+ student: reliably competent but rarely exceptional.Actionable Insight: Gemini is a strong choice if you're working in the Google ecosystem and need good integration with Docs, Sheets, and other Google Workspace tools. The quality is sufficient for most internal documentation needs. It's particularly good if you're working with cross-functional partners who are already in Google Workspace. You can share and collaborate on AI-generated drafts without friction. But don't expect visual mockups that will wow anyone, and plan to add your own strategic polish for high-stakes documents.Grok: Not Ready for Prime TimeLet's just say my expectations were low, and Grok still managed to underdeliver. The PRD felt thin, generic, and lacked the depth you need for real product work.“I don't have high expectations for grok, unfortunately,” I said before testing it. Spoiler alert: my low expectations were validated.Actionable Insight: Skip Grok for product documentation work right now. Maybe it'll improve, but as of my testing, it's simply not competitive with the other options. It felt like 1-2 years behind the others.ChatPRD: The Specialized ToolNow this was interesting. ChatPRD is purpose-built for PRDs, using foundational models underneath but with specific tuning and structure for product documentation.The result? The structure was logical, the depth was appropriate, and it included elements that showed understanding of what actually matters in a PRD. As I reflected: “Cause this one feels like, A human wrote this PRD.”The interface guides you through the process more deliberately than just dumping text into a general chat interface. It asks clarifying questions. It structures the output more thoughtfully.Actionable Insight: If you're a technical lead without a dedicated PM, or you're a PM who wants a more structured approach to using AI for PRDs, ChatPRD is worth the specialized focus. It's particularly good when you need something that feels authentic enough to share with stakeholders without heavy editing.Claude: The Clear WinnerBut the standout performer, and I'm ranking these, was Claude.“I think we know that for now, I'm gonna say Claude did the best job,” I concluded after all the testing. Claude produced the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and strategically sound PRD. But what really set it apart were the concept mocks.When I asked each tool to generate visual mockups of the product, Claude produced HTML prototypes that, while not fully functional, looked genuinely compelling. They had thoughtful UI design, clear information architecture, and felt like something that could actually guide development.“They were, like, closer to, like, what a Lovable would produce or something like that,” I noted, referring to the quality of low-fidelity prototypes that good designers create.The text quality was also superior: more nuanced, better structured, and with more strategic depth. It felt like Claude understood not just what a PRD should contain, but why it should contain those elements.Actionable Insight: For any PRD that matters, meaning anything you'll share with leadership, use to get buy-in, or guide actual product development, you might as well start with Claude. The quality difference is significant enough that it's worth using Claude even if you primarily use another tool for other tasks.Final Rankings: The Definitive HierarchyAfter testing all five tools on multiple dimensions: initial PRD generation, visual mockups, and even crafting a pitch paragraph for a skeptical VP of Engineering, here's my final ranking:* Claude - Best overall quality, most compelling mockups, strongest strategic thinking* ChatPRD - Best for structured PRD creation, feels most “human”* Gemini - Solid all-around performance, good Google integration* ChatGPT - Reliable but generic, lacks differentiation* Grok - Not competitive for this use case“I'd probably say Claude, then chat PRD, then Gemini, then chat GPT, and then Grock,” I concluded.The Deeper Lesson: Garbage In, Garbage Out (Still Applies)But here's what matters more than which tool wins: the realization that hit me partway through this experiment.“I think it really does come down to, like, you know, the quality of the prompt,” I observed. “So if our prompt were a little more detailed, all that were more thought-through, then I'm sure the output would have been better. But as you can see we didn't really put in brain trust prompting here. Just a little bit of, kind of hand-wavy prompting, but a little better than just one or two sentences.”And we still got pretty good results.This is the meta-insight that should change how you approach AI tools in your product work: The quality of your input determines the quality of your output, but the baseline quality of the tool determines the ceiling of what's possible.No amount of great prompting will make Grok produce Claude-level output. But even mediocre prompting with Claude will beat great prompting with lesser tools.So the dual strategy is:* Use the best tool available (currently Claude for PRDs)* Invest in improving your prompting skills ideally with as much original and insightful human, company aware, and context aware thinking as possible.Real-World Workflows: How to Actually Use This in Your Day-to-Day PM WorkTheory is great. Here's how to incorporate these insights into your actual product management workflows.The Weekly Sprint Planning WorkflowEvery PM I know spends hours each week preparing for sprint planning. You need to refine user stories, clarify acceptance criteria, anticipate engineering questions, and align with design and data science. AI can compress this work significantly.Here's an example workflow:Monday morning (30 minutes):* Review upcoming priorities and open your rough notes/outline in Google Docs* Open Claude and paste your outline with this prompt:“I'm preparing for sprint planning. Based on these priorities [paste notes], generate detailed user stories with acceptance criteria. Format each as: User story, Business context, Technical considerations, Acceptance criteria, Dependencies, Open questions.”Monday afternoon (20 minutes):* Review Claude's output critically* Identify gaps, unclear requirements, or missing context* Follow up with targeted prompts:“The user story about authentication is too vague. Break it down into separate stories for: social login, email/password, session management, and password reset. For each, specify security requirements and edge cases.”Tuesday morning (15 minutes):* Generate mockups for any UI-heavy stories:“Create an HTML mockup for the login flow showing: landing page, social login options, email/password form, error states, and success redirect.”* Even if the HTML doesn't work perfectly, it gives your designers a starting pointBefore sprint planning (10 minutes):* Ask Claude to anticipate engineering questions:“Review these user stories as if you're a senior engineer. What questions would you ask? What concerns would you raise about technical feasibility, dependencies, or edge cases?”* This preparation makes you look thoughtful and helps the meeting run smoothlyTotal time investment: ~75 minutes. Typical time saved: 3-4 hours compared to doing this manually.The Stakeholder Alignment WorkflowGetting alignment from multiple stakeholders (product leadership, engineering, design, data science, legal, marketing) is one of the hardest parts of PM work. AI can help you think through different stakeholder perspectives and craft compelling communications for each.Here's how:Step 1: Map your stakeholders (10 minutes)Create a quick table in a doc:Stakeholder | Primary Concern | Decision Criteria | Likely Objections VP Product | Strategic fit, ROI | Company OKRs, market opportunity | Resource allocation vs other priorities VP Eng | Technical risk, capacity | Engineering capacity, tech debt | Complexity, unclear requirements Design Lead | User experience | User research, design principles | Timeline doesn't allow proper design process Legal | Compliance, risk | Regulatory requirements | Data privacy, user consent flowsStep 2: Generate stakeholder-specific communications (20 minutes)For each key stakeholder, ask Claude:“I need to pitch this product idea to [Stakeholder]. Based on this PRD, create a 1-page brief addressing their primary concern of [concern from your table]. Open with the specific value for them, address their likely objection of [objection], and close with a clear ask. Tone should be [professional/technical/strategic] based on their role.”Then you'll have customized one-pagers for your pre-meetings with each stakeholder, dramatically increasing your alignment rate.Step 3: Synthesize feedback (15 minutes)After gathering stakeholder input, ask Claude to help you synthesize:“I got the following feedback from stakeholders: [paste feedback]. Identify: (1) Common themes, (2) Conflicting requirements, (3) Legitimate concerns vs organizational politics, (4) Recommended compromises that might satisfy multiple parties.”This pattern-matching across stakeholder feedback is something AI does really well and saves you hours of mental processing.The Quarterly Planning WorkflowQuarterly or annual planning is where product strategy gets real. You need to synthesize market trends, customer feedback, technical capabilities, and business objectives into a coherent roadmap. AI can accelerate this dramatically.Six weeks before planning:* Start collecting input (customer interviews, market research, competitive analysis, engineering feedback)* Don't wait until the last minuteFour weeks before planning:Dump everything into Claude with this structure:“I'm creating our Q2 roadmap. Context:* Business objectives: [paste from leadership]* Customer feedback themes: [paste synthesis]* Technical capabilities/constraints: [paste from engineering]* Competitive landscape: [paste analysis]* Current product gaps: [paste from your analysis]Generate 5 strategic themes that could anchor our Q2 roadmap. For each theme:* Strategic rationale (how it connects to business objectives)* Key initiatives (2-3 major features/projects)* Success metrics* Resource requirements (rough estimate)* Risks and mitigations* Customer segments addressed”This gives you a strategic framework to react to rather than starting from a blank page.Three weeks before planning:Iterate on the most promising themes:“Deep dive on Theme 3. Generate:* Detailed initiative breakdown* Dependencies on platform/infrastructure* Phasing options (MVP vs full build)* Go-to-market considerations* Data requirements* Open questions requiring research”Two weeks before planning:Pressure-test your thinking:“Play devil's advocate on this roadmap. What are the strongest arguments against each initiative? What am I likely missing? What failure modes should I plan for?”This adversarial prompting forces you to strengthen weak points before your leadership reviews it.One week before planning:Generate your presentation:“Create an executive presentation for this roadmap. Structure: (1) Market context and strategic imperative, (2) Q2 themes and initiatives, (3) Expected outcomes and metrics, (4) Resource requirements, (5) Key risks and mitigations, (6) Success criteria for decision. Make it compelling but data-driven. Tone: confident but not overselling.”Then add your company-specific context, visual brand, and personal voice.The Customer Research WorkflowAI can't replace talking to customers, but it can help you prepare better questions, analyze feedback more systematically, and identify patterns faster.Before customer interviews:“I'm interviewing customers about [topic]. Generate:* 10 open-ended questions that avoid leading the witness* 5 follow-up questions for each main question* Common cognitive biases I should watch for* A framework for categorizing responses”This prep work helps you conduct better interviews.After interviews:“I conducted 15 customer interviews. Here are the key quotes: [paste anonymized quotes]. Identify:* Recurring themes and patterns* Surprising insights that contradict our assumptions* Segments with different needs* Implied needs customers didn't articulate directly* Recommended next steps for validation”AI is excellent at pattern-matching across qualitative data at scale.The Crisis Management WorkflowSomething broke. The site is down. Data was lost. A feature shipped with a critical bug. You need to move fast.Immediate response (5 minutes):“Critical incident. Details: [brief description]. Generate:* Incident classification (Sev 1-4)* Immediate stakeholders to notify* Draft customer communication (honest, apologetic, specific about what happened and what we're doing)* Draft internal communication for leadership* Key questions to ask engineering during investigation”Having these drafted in 5 minutes lets you focus on coordination and decision-making rather than wordsmithing.Post-incident (30 minutes):“Write a post-mortem based on this incident timeline: [paste timeline]. Include:* What happened (technical details)* Root cause analysis* Impact quantification (users affected, revenue impact, time to resolution)* What went well in our response* What could have been better* Specific action items with owners and deadlines* Process changes to prevent recurrence Tone: Blameless, focused on learning and improvement.”This gives you a strong first draft to refine with your team.Common Pitfalls: What Not to Do with AI in Product ManagementNow let's talk about the mistakes I see PMs making with AI tools. Pitfall #1: Treating AI Output as FinalThe biggest mistake is copy-pasting AI output directly into your PRD, roadmap presentation, or stakeholder email without critical review.The result? Documents that are grammatically perfect but strategically shallow. Presentations that sound impressive but don't hold up under questioning. Emails that are professionally worded but miss the subtext of organizational politics.The fix: Always ask yourself:* Does this reflect my actual strategic thinking, or generic best practices?* Would my CEO/engineering lead/biggest customer find this compelling and specific?* Are there company-specific details, customer insights, or technical constraints that only I know?* Does this sound like me, or like a robot?Add those elements. That's where your value as a PM comes through.Pitfall #2: Using AI as a Crutch Instead of a ToolSome PMs use AI because they don't want to think deeply about the product. They're looking for AI to do the hard work of strategy, prioritization, and trade-off analysis.This never works. AI can help you think more systematically, but it can't replace thinking.If you find yourself using AI to avoid wrestling with hard questions (”Should we build X or Y?” “What's our actual competitive advantage?” “Why would customers switch from the incumbent?”), you're using it wrong.The fix: Use AI to explore options, not to make decisions. Generate three alternatives, pressure-test each one, then use your judgment to decide. The AI can help you think through implications, but you're still the one choosing.Pitfall #3: Not IteratingGetting mediocre AI output and just accepting it is a waste of the technology's potential.The PMs who get exceptional results from AI are the ones who iterate. They generate an initial response, identify what's weak or missing, and ask follow-up questions. They might go through 5-10 iterations on a key section of a PRD.Each iteration is quick (30 seconds to type a follow-up prompt, 30 seconds to read the response), but the cumulative effect is dramatically better output.The fix: Budget time for iteration. Don't try to generate a complete, polished PRD in one prompt. Instead, generate a rough draft, then spend 30 minutes iterating on specific sections that matter most.Pitfall #4: Ignoring the Political and Human ContextAI tools have no understanding of organizational politics, interpersonal relationships, or the specific humans you're working with.They don't know that your VP of Engineering is burned out and skeptical of any new initiatives. They don't know that your CEO has a personal obsession with a specific competitor. They don't know that your lead designer is sensitive about not being included early enough in the process.If you use AI-generated communications without layering in this human context, you'll create perfectly worded documents that land badly because they miss the subtext.The fix: After generating AI content, explicitly ask yourself: “What human context am I missing? What relationships do I need to consider? What political dynamics are in play?” Then modify the AI output accordingly.Pitfall #5: Over-Relying on a Single ToolDifferent AI tools have different strengths. Claude is great for strategic depth, ChatPRD is great for structure, Gemini integrates well with Google Workspace.If you only ever use one tool, you're missing opportunities to leverage different strengths for different tasks.The fix: Keep 2-3 tools in your toolkit. Use Claude for important PRDs and strategic documents. Use Gemini for quick internal documentation that needs to integrate with Google Docs. Use ChatPRD when you want more guided structure. Match the tool to the task.Pitfall #6: Not Fact-Checking AI OutputAI tools hallucinate. They make up statistics, misrepresent competitors, and confidently state things that aren't true. If you include those hallucinations in a PRD that goes to leadership, you look incompetent.The fix: Fact-check everything, especially:* Statistics and market data* Competitive feature claims* Technical capabilities and limitations* Regulatory and compliance requirementsIf the AI cites a number or makes a factual claim, verify it independently before including it in your document.The Meta-Skill: Prompt Engineering for PMsLet's zoom out and talk about the underlying skill that makes all of this work: prompt engineering.This is a real skill. The difference between a mediocre prompt and a great prompt can be 10x difference in output quality. And unlike coding or design, where there's a steep learning curve, prompt engineering is something you can get good at quickly.Principle 1: Provide Context Before InstructionsBad prompt:“Write a PRD for an AI tutor”Good prompt:“I'm a PM at an edtech company with 2M users, primarily high school students. We're exploring an AI tutor feature to complement our existing video content library and practice problems. Our main competitors are Khan Academy and Course Hero. Our differentiation is personalized learning paths based on student performance data.Write a PRD for an AI tutor feature targeting students in the middle 80% academically who struggle with science and math.”The second prompt gives Claude the context it needs to generate something specific and strategic rather than generic.Principle 2: Specify Format and ConstraintsBad prompt:“Generate success metrics”Good prompt:“Generate 5-7 success metrics for this feature. Include a mix of:* Leading indicators (early signals of success)* Lagging indicators (definitive success measures)* User behavior metrics* Business impact metricsFor each metric, specify: name, definition, target value, measurement method, and why it matters.”The structure you provide shapes the structure you get back.Principle 3: Ask for Multiple OptionsBad prompt:“What should our Q2 priorities be?”Good prompt:“Generate 3 different strategic approaches for Q2:* Option A: Focus on user acquisition* Option B: Focus on engagement and retention* Option C: Focus on monetizationFor each option, detail: key initiatives, expected outcomes, resource requirements, risks, and recommendation for or against.”Asking for multiple options forces the AI (and forces you) to think through trade-offs systematically.Principle 4: Specify Audience and ToneBad prompt:“Summarize this PRD”Good prompt:“Create a 1-paragraph summary of this PRD for our skeptical VP of Engineering. Tone: Technical, concise, addresses engineering concerns upfront. Focus on: technical architecture, resource requirements, risks, and expected engineering effort. Avoid marketing language.”The audience and tone specification ensures the output will actually work for your intended use.Principle 5: Use Iterative RefinementDon't try to get perfect output in one prompt. Instead:First prompt: Generate rough draft Second prompt: “This is too generic. Add specific examples from [our company context].” Third prompt: “The technical section is weak. Expand with architecture details and dependencies.” Fourth prompt: “Good. Now make it 30% more concise while keeping the key details.”Each iteration improves the output incrementally.Let me break down the prompting approach that worked in this experiment, because this is immediately actionable for your work tomorrow.Strategy 1: The Structured Outline ApproachDon't go from zero to full PRD in one prompt. Instead:* Start with strategic thinking - Spend 10-15 minutes outlining why you're building this, who it's for, and what problem it solves* Get specific - Don't say “users,” say “high school students in the middle 80% of academic performance”* Include constraints - Budget, timeline, technical limitations, competitive landscape* Dump your outline into the AI - Now ask it to expand into a full PRD* Iterate section by section - Don't try to perfect everything at onceThis is exactly what I did in my experiment, and even with my somewhat sloppy outline, the results were dramatically better than they would have been with a single-sentence prompt.Strategy 2: The Comparative Analysis PatternOne technique I used that worked particularly well: asking each tool to do the same specific task and comparing results.For example, I asked all five tools: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This forced each tool to synthesize the entire PRD into a compelling pitch while accounting for a specific, challenging audience. The variation in quality was revealing—and it gave me multiple options to choose from or blend together.Actionable tip: When you need something critical (a pitch, an executive summary, a key decision framework), generate it with 2-3 different AI tools and take the best elements from each. This “ensemble approach” often produces better results than any single tool.Strategy 3: The Iterative Refinement LoopDon't treat the AI output as final. Use it as a first draft that you then refine through conversation with the AI.After getting the initial PRD, I could have asked follow-up questions like:* “What's missing from this PRD?”* “How would you strengthen the success metrics section?”* “Generate 3 alternative approaches to the core feature set”Each iteration improves the output and, more importantly, forces me to think more deeply about the product.What This Means for Your CareerIf you're an early or mid-career PM reading this, you might be thinking: “Great, so AI can write PRDs now. Am I becoming obsolete?”Absolutely not. But your role is evolving, and understanding that evolution is critical.The PMs who will thrive in the AI era are those who:* Excel at strategic thinking - AI can generate options, but you need to know which options align with company strategy, customer needs, and technical feasibility* Master the art of prompting - This is a genuine skill that separates mediocre AI users from exceptional ones* Know when to use AI and when not to - Some aspects of product work benefit enormously from AI. Others (user interviews, stakeholder negotiation, cross-functional relationship building) require human judgment and empathy* Can evaluate AI output critically - You need to spot the hallucinations, the generic fluff, and the strategic misalignments that AI inevitably producesThink of AI tools as incredibly capable interns. They can produce impressive work quickly, but they need direction, oversight, and strategic guidance. Your job is to provide that guidance while leveraging their speed and breadth.The Real-World Application: What to Do Monday MorningLet's get tactical. Here's exactly how to apply these insights to your actual product work:For Your Next PRD:* Block 30 minutes for strategic thinking - Write your back-of-the-napkin outline in Google Docs or your tool of choice* Open Claude (or ChatPRD if you want more structure)* Copy your outline with this prompt:“I'm a product manager at [company] working on [product area]. I need to create a comprehensive PRD based on this outline. Please expand this into a complete PRD with the following sections: [list your preferred sections]. Make it detailed enough for engineering to start breaking down into user stories, but concise enough for leadership to read in 15 minutes. [Paste your outline]”* Review the output critically - Look for generic statements, missing details, or strategic misalignments* Iterate on specific sections:“The success metrics section is too vague. Please provide 3-5 specific, measurable KPIs with target values and explanation of why these metrics matter.”* Generate supporting materials:“Create a visual mockup of the core user flow showing the key interaction points.”* Synthesize the best elements - Don't just copy-paste the AI output. Use it as raw material that you shape into your final documentFor Stakeholder Communication:When you need to pitch something to leadership or engineering:* Generate 3 versions of your pitch using different tools (Claude, ChatPRD, and one other)* Compare them for:* Clarity and conciseness* Strategic framing* Compelling value proposition* Addressing likely objections* Blend the best elements into your final version* Add your personal voice - This is crucial. AI output often lacks personality and specific company context. Add that yourself.For Feature Prioritization:AI tools can help you think through trade-offs more systematically:“I'm deciding between three features for our next release: [Feature A], [Feature B], and [Feature C]. For each feature, analyze: (1) Estimated engineering effort, (2) Expected user impact, (3) Strategic alignment with making our platform the go-to solution for [your market], (4) Risk factors. Then recommend a prioritization with rationale.”This doesn't replace your judgment, but it forces you to think through each dimension systematically and often surfaces considerations you hadn't thought of.The Uncomfortable Truth About AI and Product ManagementLet me be direct about something that makes many PMs uncomfortable: AI will make some PM skills less valuable while making others more valuable.Less valuable:* Writing boilerplate documentation* Creating standard frameworks and templates* Generating routine status updates* Synthesizing information from existing sourcesMore valuable:* Strategic product vision and roadmapping* Deep customer empathy and insight generation* Cross-functional leadership and influence* Critical evaluation of options and trade-offs* Creative problem-solving for novel situationsIf your PM role primarily involves the first category of tasks, you should be concerned. But if you're focused on the second category while leveraging AI for the first, you're going to be exponentially more effective than your peers who resist these tools.The PMs I see succeeding aren't those who can write the best PRD manually. They're those who can write the best PRD with AI assistance in one-tenth the time, then use the saved time to talk to more customers, think more deeply about strategy, and build stronger cross-functional relationships.Advanced Techniques: Beyond Basic PRD GenerationOnce you've mastered the basics, here are some advanced applications I've found valuable:Competitive Analysis at Scale“Research our top 5 competitors in [market]. For each one, analyze: their core value proposition, key features, pricing strategy, target customer, and likely product roadmap based on recent releases and job postings. Create a comparison matrix showing where we have advantages and gaps.”Then use web search tools in Claude or Perplexity to fact-check and expand the analysis.Scenario Planning“We're considering three strategic directions for our product: [Direction A], [Direction B], [Direction C]. For each direction, map out: likely customer adoption curve, required technical investments, competitive positioning in 12 months, and potential pivots if the hypothesis proves wrong. Then identify the highest-risk assumptions we should test first for each direction.”This kind of structured scenario thinking is exactly what AI excels at—generating multiple well-reasoned perspectives quickly.User Story GenerationAfter your PRD is solid:“Based on this PRD, generate a complete set of user stories following the format ‘As a [user type], I want to [action] so that [benefit].' Include acceptance criteria for each story. Organize them into epics by functional area.”This can save your engineering team hours of grooming meetings.The Tools Will Keep Evolving. Your Process Shouldn'tHere's something important to remember: by the time you read this, the specific rankings might have shifted. Maybe ChatGPT-5 has leapfrogged Claude. Maybe a new specialized tool has emerged.But the core principles won't change:* Do strategic thinking before touching AI* Use the best tool available for your specific task* Iterate and refine rather than accepting first outputs* Blend AI capabilities with human judgment* Focus your time on the uniquely human aspects of product managementThe specific tools matter less than your process for using them effectively.A Final Experiment: The Skeptical VP TestI want to share one more insight from my testing that I think is particularly relevant for early and mid-career PMs.Toward the end of my experiment, I gave each tool this prompt: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This is such a realistic scenario. How many times have you needed to pitch an idea to a skeptical technical leader via Slack or email? Someone who's brilliant, who's seen a thousand product ideas fail, and who can spot b******t from a mile away?The quality variation in the responses was fascinating. ChatGPT gave me something that felt generic and safe. Gemini was better but still a bit too enthusiastic. Grok was... well, Grok.But Claude and ChatPRD both produced messages that felt authentic, technically credible, and appropriately confident without being overselling. They acknowledged the engineering challenges while framing the opportunity compellingly.The lesson: When the stakes are high and the audience is sophisticated, the quality of your AI tool matters even more. That skeptical VP can tell the difference between a carefully crafted message and AI-generated fluff. So can your CEO. So can your biggest customers.Use the best tools available, but more importantly, always add your own strategic thinking and authentic voice on top.Questions to Consider: A Framework for Your Own ExperimentsAs I wrapped up my Loom, I posed some questions to the audience that I'll pose to you:“Let me know in the comments, if you do your PRDs using AI differently, do you start with back of the envelope? Do you say, oh no, I just start with one sentence, and then I let the chatbot refine it with me? Or do you go way more detailed and then use the chatbot to kind of pressure test it?”These aren't rhetorical questions. Your answer reveals your approach to AI-augmented product work, and different approaches work for different people and contexts.For early-career PMs: I'd recommend starting with more detailed outlines. The discipline of thinking through your product strategy before touching AI will make you a stronger PM. You can always compress that process later as you get more experienced.For mid-career PMs: Experiment with different approaches for different types of documents. Maybe you do detailed outlines for major feature PRDs but use more iterative AI-assisted refinement for smaller features or updates. Find what optimizes your personal productivity while maintaining quality.For senior PMs and product leaders: Consider how AI changes what you should expect from your PM team. Should you be reviewing more AI-generated first drafts and spending more time on strategic guidance? Should you be training your team on effective AI usage? These are leadership questions worth grappling with.The Path Forward: Continuous ExperimentationMy experiment with these five AI tools took 45 minutes. But I'm not done experimenting.The field of AI-assisted product management is evolving rapidly. New tools launch monthly. Existing tools get smarter weekly. Prompting techniques that work today might be obsolete in three months.Your job, if you want to stay at the forefront of product management, is to continuously experiment. Try new tools. Share what works with your peers. Build a personal knowledge base of effective prompts and workflows. And be generous with what you learn. The PM community gets stronger when we share insights rather than hoarding them.That's why I created this Loom and why I'm writing this post. Not because I have all the answers, but because I'm figuring it out in real-time and want to share the journey.A Personal Note on Coaching and ConsultingIf this kind of practical advice resonates with you, I'm happy to work with you directly.Through my pm coaching practice, I offer 1:1 executive, career, and product coaching for PMs and product leaders. We can dig into your specific challenges: whether that's leveling up your AI workflows, navigating a career transition, or developing your strategic product thinking.I also work with companies (usually startups or incubation teams) on product strategy, helping teams figure out PMF for new explorations and improving their product management function.The format is flexible. Some clients want ongoing coaching, others prefer project-based consulting, and some just want a strategic sounding board for a specific decision. Whatever works for you.Reach out through tomleungcoaching.com if you're interested in working together.OK. Enough pontificating. Let's ship greatness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

As the year winds down and business stress kicks up, it's easy for gym owners and fitness professionals to fall into familiar traps. In this solo episode, Jay Croft of Prime Fit Content breaks down six common pitfalls he sees gym owners make—especially when trying to grow with more clients over 50.From cutting communication when money's tight to relying too heavily on social media, Jay offers actionable advice rooted in real-world conversations and personal experience. If you're trying to reach and retain older clients, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you stay the course and grow smarter—not just harder.What You'll Learn:Why cutting marketing during slow months is a major mistakeHow often you should email your list (and why two emails a week is just right)The role of consistent storytelling—including from outside your gymWhy social media is not your best marketing assetWhat over-promoting discounts can really cost youWhy AI can't replace authentic, human communicationTimestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Why pitfalls creep in during stressful times 01:45 – Pitfall #1: Cutting communication when money's tight 04:00 – Pitfall #2: Thinking two emails a week is too much 06:30 – Pitfall #3: Avoiding stories from outside your business 08:45 – Pitfall #4: Relying mainly on social media 10:20 – Pitfall #5: Overloading emails with promotions 12:30 – Pitfall #6: Believing AI can replace human connection 15:15 – Recap of all 6 pitfalls 16:00 – Final thoughts and encouragement

In today's episode, Adam shares some equipment and how to use them properly to avoid common mistakes when treating sound for your shows. Join in as he walks you through the biggest pitfalls podcasters face when recording. Plus, why proper mic technique can save you hours in post-production and prevent distorted or unusable recordings.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Places where you should not be recording Importance of acoustic panels for sound treatment Proper way of using your microphone while recording Advantages of using earphones/headphones for your podcast   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED FREE Equipment Guide  CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

What's in it for your listener if you'll use the right microphone? In this episode, Adam talks about different types of microphones and why it's important to have the best one for your podcast. What's in it for your listener if you'll use the right microphone? In this episode, Adam talks about different types of microphones and why it's important to have the best one for your podcast.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Why you should stop using a wrong microphoneWhy you should stop using the wrong microphone Difference between condenser and dynamic microphoneDifference between Condenser and Dynamic microphone Where to find the best microphone for your podcastWhere to find the best microphone for your podcast What's the use of "cardioid mic"   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED FREE Equipment GuideFREE Equipment Guide   CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! We also have free courses for you on everything you need to know about starting a great podcast! Check out our first six episodes through the links below!   Identify Your Avatar - Free Course 1/6 What To Do BEFORE You Launch Your Podcast - Free Course 2/6 How To Launch A TOP Show - Free Course 3/6 Best Marketing And Growth Strategies - Free Course 4/6 How To Monetize Your Podcast - Free Course 5/6  Top 22 Pitfalls On Starting Your Own Podcast - Free Course 6/6 Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

Feeling stuck in your business?

Ever heard of the worst advice you get in starting your show? You should always have a plan in place to start each day of the week and see it through. In today's episode, you will learn what you should do and how to get started with your podcast.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Difference between Ready, Fire, Aim and Ready, Aim, Fire Just start, don't overthink it: Is this bad advice? Pros and cons that could happen from just starting a podcast Things you should do in creating the podcast to avoid mistakes The importance of Marketing in starting a podcast   RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle  CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!  

Today's episode talks about the common reasons why you don't want to monetize your shows and what you can do to overcome this pitfall. You must adapt to gain money from your shows. The things that you might learn here are the things that could help you earn from your podcasts.   WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Reasons people say they don't want to monetize What you can do to change your mind in not wanting to monetize Things that could happen if you DON'T monetize your shows Advantages if you DO monetize your shows   CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

Today's episode tackles the pitfalls of your podcast process. It also provides some of the best practices and processes on how to make it better, and which part of the process needs action and improvement. The nuggets you'll learn from this episode will surely catch the listeners' attention to your podcast.    WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Mistakes to avoid so you won't fail as a podcaster Learn how to connect with potential guests and learn some interview techniques Some of the recommended podcast automation processes, recording platforms, and publishing platforms Learn tips about the teasers, intro music, and outro music 6 essential parts in creating show notes  Ways on how to upgrade your marketing and tips on how to market your show RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED Zoom Riverside Canva Headliner Libsyn Buzzsprout PodBooker PodMatch Interview Valet Calendly CONNECT WITH US If you are interested in getting on our show, email us at team@growyourshow.com. Thinking about creating and growing your own podcast but not sure where to start? Click here and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams! We also have free courses for you on everything you need to know about starting a great podcast! Check out our first six episodes through the links below!   Identify Your Avatar - Free Course 1/6 What To Do BEFORE You Launch Your Podcast - Free Course 2/6 How To Launch A TOP Show - Free Course 3/6 Best Marketing And Growth Strategies - Free Course 4/6 How To Monetize Your Podcast - Free Course 5/6  Top 22 Pitfalls On Starting Your Own Podcast - Free Course 6/6 Subscribe so you don't miss out on great content and if you love the show, leave an honest rating and review here!   

Show Notes On this week's podcast, Dan and Kris board the SAG Cartoon Express to discuss an episode of the Dragon's Lair cartoon. With a game this creative and colorful as its source material, surely it must be at least okay, right? RIGHT? Then, in Week Old News, James Pond is back! AGAIN! Limited Run's LRG3 brings some unexpected revivals our way, Final Fantasy's history is all but gone, and the creator of VVVVVV makes a game about an egg for some reason. Finally, in the Checkpoint, Dan and Kris had some rough weeks, and didn't have much time for games. Or sleep. Enjoy! Useful Links Support us on Patreon StoneAgeGamer.com The Gratuitous Rainbow Spectrum Safe at Home Rescue Shoot the Moon Stitches Art of Angela Dean's Substack SAG's theme Song “Squared Roots” by Banjo Guy Ollie Social Stuff Join us on Discord! Stone Age Gamer YouTube Twitch Geekade Facebook Stone Age Gamer Facebook Geekade Twitter Stone Age Gamer Twitter Geekade Instagram Stone Age Gamer Instagram YouTube Geekade Contact Us

Wirklich toll zu sehen, wie LA das Ding zum zweiten Mal in Folge geholt hat! Toll, ganz ganz toll… so toll, die Sportart müssen wir da ja wahrscheinlich nicht mal erwähnen. Was würde wohl der alte "Pudding Face” dazu sagen? Aber keine Sorge, diesmal wird es direkt zu Beginn nischig. Denn mit Jonas Diabolos auf Steroiden wird hier aber mal komplett aus der Reihe getanzt. Da geht die hohe Kunst "Refrigeration and Air Conditioning" fast unter! Jetzt erst mal back to the Basics. Denn Mats muss weiterhin für die Zeit nach der Karriere gewappnet werden. Er soll ja nicht jedes Pithole mitnehmen…oder war es Pitfall? Auf der Zielgerade geht es dann nochmal Richtung NBA und Ihr bekommt einen Blick auf den aktuellen Stand des AIS-Tippspiels. Das Rennen ist mittlerweile allerdings fast so spannend wie der heutige Tipp für PSG gegen Bayern. Jetzt noch schnell aus der Folge geblökt und dann haben wirs auch schon.

Episode 109 of Fangoria's COLORS OF THE DARK Elric and Bekah discuss new films MATCH, PITFALL, GOOD BOY, COYOTES, CHAIN REACTIONS, THE ICE TOWER & the remake of THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE.  The duo then list some of their favorite lesser known Found Footage films for the Halloween season. 

Alle reden über Bitcoin – aber wie entsteht er eigentlich? Unser Host Gregor erkundet eine Bitcoin-Mine und taucht ein in die Welt des digitalen Goldes.Hinweis: Diese Folge wurde am 20. Februar 2025 aufgenommen, auf eventuelle Bitcoin-Kursschwankungen können wir daher nicht eingehen.**********An dieser Folge waren beteiligt: Gesprächspartner: Kristian, besitzt eine Bitcoin-Mine und ein mittelständisches Unternehmen Hosts: Gregor Lischka und Marcus Wolf Produktion: Uwe Breunig Redaktion: Anne Göbel**********Die Quellen zur Folge:Gill, M. and Stinner, J. and Tyrell, M. (2024): Economic Limits of Bitcoin's Environmental Promises: Pathway or Pitfall for the Green Transformation?  Nakamoto, S. (2008) Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.Eine Zusammenfassung der Studie, die sich mit der Umweltbelastung des Bitcoin-Mining und den Potenzialen bezüglich Erneuerbarer Energien beschäftigt, findet ihr hier: Studie der UW/H nimmt die Umweltbelastung des Bitcoin-Mining unter die Lupe .**********Habt ihr auch manchmal einen WTF-Moment, wenn es um Wirtschaft und Finanzen geht? Wir freuen uns über eure Themenvorschläge und Feedback an whatthewirtschaft@deutschlandfunknova.de.**********Ihr könnt uns auch auf diesen Kanälen folgen: TikTok und Instagram .

Is casual dining just surviving or thriving? In this dynamic roundtable from The Depot in Salt Lake City, Barry McGowan (Fogo de Chao) leads a conversation with Kaleb Harrell (Hawkers), Christine Magrann (FB Society), and Jeff Chandler (Hopdoddy) to explore why many believe casual dining is in the midst of a renaissance.Together, they unpack how operators are innovating without losing hospitality's soul, why experiential dining is driving growth, and how culture remains the foundation for sustainable expansion. From pricing strategies and tech adoption to guest connection and brand integrity, this panel delivers actionable insights for restaurateurs, founders, and foodservice investors alike.⏱️ Chapters00:00 | Intro: The Casual Dining Renaissance03:01 | Hawkers: Origin Story & Why Casual Lasts07:01 | Guests Want Approachable Excellence10:45 | Hospitality Is Human Connection15:11 | Scaling Culture Without Losing the Soul18:45 | Balancing Tech with Leadership Intuition21:28 | Owning and Nourishing Company Culture26:00 | Innovation Done Thoughtfully27:34 | Guests Crave Experiences & Shared Moments29:23 | Experimenting with Craveable Value32:15 | Team Input & Operational Reality Checks34:05 | Pricing Strategy: Art Meets Science39:33 | The Promise & Pitfall of Technology42:52 | Final Thoughts & Mic Drop Moments Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you like the episode? Send me a text and let me know!!From Layoff to a 7-Figure Doodle Brand

What makes circular business models fail to scale? In this new four-part series, we'll be exploring the common mistakes businesses make on their journey towards circularity.Based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's new report: How not to fail: Avoiding 10 common pitfalls when scaling circular business models, Pippa is joined by Maddy Oliver and Ella Hedley, who led the research on the paper.You'll hear about the experiences of pioneering companies, and learn about the practical steps that businesses can use to avoid common pitfalls and enable circular business models to reach transformative scale.In this episode, we explore:What opportunities circular businesses can offerHow the report came about, and why it focuses on failureWhy lacking a plan of scale from the outset is the first pitfall and some solutions to considerWhat happens when circular business models don't align with the existing strategy of the business, and how to avoid thisExplore the reportIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.

Can you live a minimalist lifestyle in a big house? In this episode of Paring Down, I explore what it really means to live minimally in a large home—and whether buying in bulk actually helps you save money or just adds more clutter. Discover how American home sizes have changed over time, why the “bigger is better” mindset often backfires, and how to practice realistic minimalism and intentional living no matter how much space you have. In this episode, you'll learn:

Black Friday: Profit or Pitfall? The Retail Game Plan for Indie Brands Black Friday isn't designed for indies, so why do so many small retail business owners still feel pressure to play? In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I pull you behind the screens and into the real numbers; sharing where the opportunities actually lie for UK product businesses come November, what the headlines miss, and how you can plan Black Friday on your own terms. No boss babe myths. No one-size-fits-all answers. Just straight-talking product business advice from 25 years in the retail trenches. I'll help you squeeze more margin, build customer loyalty, and avoid the stress spiral—whatever you decide about Black Friday.Why listen? Flip mainstream Black Friday thinking and capture the month's biggest wins—for your bottom line and your valuesSqueeze more profit from your Q4, not just turnoverTame your promotions calendar, reduce customer “discount fatigue”Reward loyal customers in a way that fits your brandUse cash flow for retailers and inventory management podcast tactics to plan stock (not just hope for the best)Hear exactly how successful indie retailers choose, pace, and communicate their Black Friday offers—without losing themselves in the noiseDM me @resilientretailclub on Instagram with your Black Friday takeaways or guest ideas for the podcast. If this episode clears the fog, rate and follow the show in your favourite retail podcast UK app.

Episode 595 - Terry Kirk - Pitfall, Chicago trader Frank Cork navigates the 1929 Market Crash. He's at the top of his game... and then he's notI write historical fiction novels—fast-paced, gritty financial thrillers that delve into real-life cataclysmic events.  Follow my cast of characters through three novels.In Pitfall, Chicago trader Frank Cork navigates the 1929 Market Crash. He's at the top of his game... and then he's not. Can he fight his back to his family, his fortune, and his life? Plunder is coming soon. Frank is dispatched to London at the behest of the President in July 1940 to raise a War Chest. Beset by bombs and politics, he must come up with a plan to finance the costs of America's entry into World War II. So much is riding on Frank's plan.  Probe is up next. Frank's daughter has taken the reins at the firm and helping the cash-starved Martin Company (now Lockheed Martin) launch a response to the Russian sputnik.Follow the Cork family on a rollicking journey through these world-changing financial events and more. Each book will send you reaching for the next in this multi-generational family saga.I have a Juris Doctor (Law) degree and practiced law for more than a decade. There is no better way to uncover riveting stories! Later, I migrated to the innovator sector as  Founder & CEO of Funding portal, a fintech platform for helping companies find funding. Recently, I led the sale of the company to a global firm.PITFALL IS FOR SALE ON AMAZON, INDIGO, AND OTHER MAJOR PLATFORMS AND BOOKSTORESPITFALL is Book #1 in my historical fiction series featuring rogue trader Frank Cork. Visit the 'PITFALL' page for a summary, and listen to Chapter 1.  The fast-paced, gritty historical fiction has been named a 'Top Book to Read this Spring' by CBC Reads!Coming Next I  PLUNDER. Beset by bombs and politics, Frank goes to London to build a war chest to fund America's entry into World War II. So much is riding on Frank's success! Visit the 'PLUNDER' page to learn more.https://terrykirkbooks.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 Last week, the Preacher left us with a big principle . . . Pitfall #1: fear of man Fearing God keeps down the fear of man Pitfall #2: love of money Fearing God helps you value work over possessions Pitfall #3: discontentment Fearing God enables you to accept your lot

Are investment-linked plans really balancing protection and wealth growth? Hosted by Michelle Martin. ILPs now make up 43% of new life insurance sales, but complaints have surged alongside. Regulators are considering classifying them as complex products by December 2025. Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, joins Michelle to unpack how ILPs have evolved with bonuses and fund choices. Are costs still a dealbreaker despite fat bonus sweeteners? And should investors keep insurance and investments separate?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1982, David Crane pushed the Atari 2600 to its limits with only four kilobytes of memory, creating Pitfall!, a jungle adventure that became one of the system's best-sellers. Our conversation traces Crane's journey from Atari to co-founding Activision, his experiments that led to the iconic “running man” sprite, and the algorithm that generated 255 screens on the fly. We highlight how Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saturday cartoons, and clever coding shaped Pitfall Harry's swings on vines, leaps across crocodiles, and treasure hunts. We also revisit its commercial success, Jack Black's cameo in a TV ad, and the technical marvel of Pitfall II: Lost Caverns. Though later revivals varied, the original proved consoles could deliver real adventures. Join us as we revisit the leap that defined platforming on today's trip down Memory Card Lane.Read transcript

In this episode I sit down with Kim De Coster to explore how purposeful partnerships can help you turn passion into profit—without losing sight of meaning. We talk about Kim's compass of passion, purpose, and profit, and how to navigate its four quadrants: from the Profit Trap that keeps us stuck, to the Power quadrant where passion meets impact. Together, we dive into finding your right crowd, knowing your values and non-negotiables, and the difference between a simple collaboration and a true partnership. You'll also hear how to test partnerships safely, have the money and vulnerability conversations that matter, and why profit is about more than money—it's about joy, energy, and freedom. This conversation will inspire you to create aligned, impactful partnerships that strengthen both your business and the change you want to see in the world. In this episode we discussed: The balance of passion, purpose, and profit – the trifecta for meaningful work Kim's compass with four quadrants: Pitfall, Profit Trap, Progress, and Power Why the Profit Trap feels safe but keeps you stuck, and how to move out of it The importance of being in the right crowd and finding your people The difference between collaborations and partnerships Knowing your values, principles, and non-negotiables before stepping into partnership How to test partnerships with small experiments (like co-hosting an event) The role of vulnerable conversations around money, concerns, and expectations Why profit isn't just money—it's also joy, energy, time, and freedom The reminder that good people making good money creates more positive impact Practical first steps: start with your existing network, ask for introductions, or join/create the right "room" -- Speaker 0: hey, kim. it's good to hang out with you and talk about Speaker 1: passion, profit, and partnership. Speaker 2: hello. it's great to be here. thank you for the invite. it's always a pleasure. Speaker 1: yeah. um, we're here because you're part of the humane marketing circle community. and during our last expo, you proposed a great workshop, which i missed, but luckily there was a replay. so i got to see that, um, around this topic of passion, purpose, and profit. right? it's kinda like this trifecta, those three things that, uh, go together. and, um, i yeah. i just thought it was such a great topic and it fits my seventh p of the human in marketing mandala, which is partnership. and so i thought it'd be really great to talk about it here on the, on the podcast. to people will be listening. and so you just have to kind of explain the four different components of this compass. Speaker 2: um, so for me, first of all, the compass is kind of before you start going into partnerships and so on and so on. i think the first very step is where am i currently at? and that's what the compass is for, to kind of see where do i start from. so you have, um, two things we'd be measuring somehow, which is on the one hand, you have passion on the lower end, and then you have purpose. and, obviously, you can work low on passion, or you can work high on passion. and then the same thing for purpose. low on purpose or high on purpose. before i explain, like, the four quadrants we've made, i do wanna make it clear what i mean with purpose and passion. so purpose for me because you hear the word a lot and also passion, they're a bit overused probably. but, um, purpose for me is not just what is my purpose, it's a positive impacts purpose on planet and society, so on planet and people. right. and because i'm all about sustainability. so that for me is, are you working alone? does it have not really an impact, a positive impact on planet or society, on humanity, or does it really have a high impact? so that's where the purpose lies. and then passion, we can all be passionate about stuff and let's be honest, everybody that has a business or has a job, there's always things even if you're passionate about what you do, there's always things you like more and you like less in every single job. but let's say that, like, 85% of your time, you're working on something that you really, really like almost to that effect that it doesn't feel like you're working because you enjoy it so much. Speaker 1: that's yeah. Speaker 2: the feeling that's passion for me. Speaker 1: yeah. so Speaker 2: there's four quadrants. one is low on passion, low on purpose, which is i'm not really doing what i'm enjoying, and it does not even create a positive impact. um, that one is called, um, the pitfall. and then you have the right next to it, which is you're still low on purpose, but you're really high on passion. you love what you do, but it doesn't have that positive impact on the rest of the world, let's say, like that. Speaker 1: so it's kind of missing also that meaning for you. right? like, it doesn't give you meaning. mhmm. Speaker 2: so you do like doing a lot of people say how is that possible, but i can give an example later on of how that is exactly possible because i've been through that. and that for me, and i've seen it in more people, is an absolute profit trap because it makes you money. it pays the bills, and you actually like doing it. and then what i hear about some, uh, from some entrepreneurs are kind of like, how do i move from here to working with impact? because i seem to be stuck. well, yes. and if you go there, you'll get stuck for quite some time. Speaker 1: mhmm. Speaker 2: and when there's the top two quadrants to say it like that, there's the progress one, which is actually the one you wanna be in to get to the power one, which is the one i love what i do, and i'm creating a really good impact on planets and people. the progress one for me is not exactly entirely excited by the actual job or tasks that i'm doing, but it does pay my bills, and it does create an impact at the same time. now there's a reason why i'm saying that the progress quadrant is the one you wanna be in to move on to the the power one. um, on power as well, i know it's a word with a really negative connotation. and in general, this is a a side mark. i use a lot of words, even prophets. like, in our realm, they're not used a lot. and for me, i decided to use them specifically because i want people to give them another meaning. like, they are what they mean to you, and i decided to give them a positive meaning for me. so being in it's all about empowering. if you're in your power, creating a lot of impact, making money, uh, working on your passion, then that is a perfect quadrant to be in. Speaker 1: it's also why why we're talking about this and we know each other because as you might remember, passion is my first p, and then personal power is my second p. but, yes, i hear you. you know, people think, oh, personal power, is that, like, too strong? is that over no. you have to stand in your in your personal power, and that's what makes you unique. and and for you, uh, it is that powerful position where you know who you are that you can go into trustworthy relationships and partnerships as well. Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. exactly. Speaker 1: love that. yeah. yeah. okay. so those are the four quadrants. um, what came up during the, uh, the workshop? where did you see that most people were at when you asked them? Speaker 2: to be fair, a lot of people were in the power quadrant already, but that is because of the audience, obviously. um, as i said, this was during the the humane, um, export that we did together. so, obviously, there's people in there that are already more aligned, um, that already are really clear on their purpose. they've worked through this and so on. so for me, i think they were mainly there to kind of figure out, oh, wait. the partnership thing in whole of this, what where does that take me? now there was a couple of people, i think, that were, um, leaning more towards the progress one, and then maybe one person that was a little bit in doubt as in, am i stuck in a profit trap? kind of. so but i said, it depends on the audience you have, and it was really nice to hear that a lot of them were already in that power quadrant, actually. Speaker 1: yeah. it's really good to analyze that for yourself to think about, uh, whether you're in the wrong crowd, because that's something that comes up quite often in the marketing. like, we're human program where people are like, yeah. but whenever i look around, i'm not seeing that kind of way of showing up in the world. and and often it's because, yeah, they are in the wrong crowd. and so it feels very it feels lonely to be in the wrong crowd. right? if you're the only one who cares and everybody else is talking about how to make a million dollars in three days, then then you feel very lonely when you think, yeah, but is that really what i want? um, and so i think i think it's this journey of a creating this awareness and knowing, okay, i might be in the wrong crowd. how do i work my way towards a different different audience? and and i'm actually doing that right now a little bit as well, um, with the inner development goals. i, i, i really saw that these were my people. uh, and so i started and this has been three years in the making. i started, you know, being there, connecting. and now last year, i created a new community with someone else. but it's like this slow, steady, this is where i want to be and these are my people and then working towards that, i think. yes. yeah. that's why it resonated so much with me to to see, oh, yeah. this is this is the journey, right, through these quadrants. yeah. Speaker 2: it is. that's why i say the profit trap is where you get stuck because you love what you do, but you're not in the right room. yeah. um, so you won't it's really hard to move from that one to the progress one. it's actually easier to go from the pitfall one, which is low passion and and low in purpose, um, to progress. Speaker 1: because you hate it. you're like, uh, let me get out of here. right? yeah. Speaker 2: one. and secondly, if you accept things that you might not be overly excited about work wise or project wise, it will at least get you in the room with the right people. because if it's a higher on purpose, then you know, like, okay. this is just a step. i've been through that. it's kind of like i need to get here to then move on to power. yeah. because you're more motivated as well. like, okay. this is not what i wanna be doing, but at least i'm surrounded, and i get to know more and more people that are my crowd. Speaker 1: yeah. in the in that workshop, you also shared an example that sometimes you just need to accept a a job for the money. yes. but then you made some distinction, like, how do you do that so that you don't get stuck in that trap there? Speaker 2: the i i can give actually because, obviously, everything this was created from my very own experience that i noticed, like, okay. i've been through this, so this is, um, my advice. the profit trap, for instance, i got i love software. i love everything that has to do with tech. um, i i love implementing it. i love figuring it out. so i had an offer when i just started my business, and this was someone who knew that i really liked that and was really good at that. and they said, don't you wanna come and do a consultancy for us for, like, a year more or less, and we'll give us a quote and so on. and it's to implement a crm, but it was a business that value wise and purpose wise was not aligned with my values nor but still, i found myself thinking, well, this is twelve months of this much money coming in every month. i think it was because this has been five to six years ago. in between 1,500 and 2,000, but that a month, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. and i think a lot of people will reason then. i'll take that and on the side, and i'm like, no. that's not what i started my business. i ended up sending them the quote, and then a week later, contacting them again saying, i'm sorry. i thought about this. it's not the right time currently for me to collaborate. yeah. because i know you need to think long term. you need to think long term. don't do this. you'll get stuck, and then other references will come up and recommendations and so on, and and you'll go where you don't wanna be. Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. Speaker 2: that is an example of low purpose, high passion. so it is possible. Speaker 1: yeah. i'll just i just have to share another example of of my son. uh, just recently, he needed to look for an internship, and he's a a graphic designer in, you know, in school. and and so he didn't have a a spot until, like, the very last minute, like, two weeks before it's he was supposed to start. got a lot of no's. and then, uh, a coach that he's working with pushed him to accept this offer where it was more like according to him, it was more more like a coffee shop. and he's like, i'm gonna hate it. it's the worst. he was like, i don't wanna be there. and and then us parents, we had to kind of, like, you know, make this decision. well, do we take that risk, um, that he says no to this one, the only thing he has? or do we also think long term and think, well, he can keep looking and who knows? maybe he'll find something that he's really passionate about and it's gonna be great. it's gonna give him great references. and so, yeah, in the end, he did find, like, his dream position. it's actually on the on the website. i had to laugh at it said, like, we only work with humane projects. i'm like, there you go. and so yeah. but just having holding that uncertainty, right, in this case, as parents, there's no money involved. but holding that uncertainty and and say no to something is is really, really difficult and even more so if it brings in, you know, a certain amount of money. so, yeah. Speaker 2: add on to the equation in my case that i am a sole widowed parent with a mortgage and a son, and i still sit on. yeah. i think for me, there's two things to keep into account, and this is an exercise that i always do when i feel that fear comes up and takes over because we start making fear based decisions. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: at that point, one, a lot of it has to do with trust the process, trust yourself, you will be fine, which already is a really hard one. but then if i notice, oh, there's a fear coming up, like, will i be able to pay my bills? will i this? i go back every single time to wait. what is the worst thing that can happen? mhmm. and in the end, if you start breaking it down, like, really breaking it down, kinda like, well, that no other project comes up, and then i'm gonna have to look for a job again and leave my business behind. that's not such a bad thing. so it kind of tones the risk down, and it gives me at least that's the trick i keep on doing. that's what i use when i moved countries every single time. it's like, what? wait. what's the worst that can happen? Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. and then you realize that's the worst thing. it's like there's much worse things than that. Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. and then you go ahead and you do it anyway. and, um, i have to say five years later, um, i'm very, very happy. i took that decision that day of saying no and and paving my way further on into the purpose Speaker 1: one. yeah. because we're we're creating with every yes, we're creating an ecosystem for ourselves. right? and the minute you say yes to the wrong thing, well, that's the beginning of your ecosystem. and then more and more and more of these offerings will come your way, and soon enough, you're trapped in that thing. so yeah. so important. okay. so we have the the four quadrants. we have the compass, uh, and then you said, well, that's really the beginning of thinking about partnerships. so it's kind of like an analysis that you do before you step into partnership, um, mode. so once you have this awareness, what do we do next? Speaker 2: well, there's a a couple of things because for me, um, it's not, oh, yeah. now i'm gonna find the partner and that was that. um, it's a bit slower than that. right. you've got certain phases as well, like, um, values that you need and need to figure out. now what i also say is i know people going into partnerships works best if you're already clear on your very own purpose, call it ikigai, whatever it is. if it's not, what i did learn very fast is kind of, well, it's actually by doing that you'll figure it out. you can go into, i don't know, how many online videos, um, and so on to figure it out, but it's also by doing an actual project that you figure things out. um, so the next one from there is kind of like, what are my principles? um, so there's actually five. there's trust. there's shared values. there's shared impact goals because if you go into a partnership, obviously, you need to make sure and i'm not talking money. i'm not talking just like, oh, profit is in is a goal. no. i'm talking beyond the money. like, what is it that the two of us want to gain out of this? yeah. profustrating, like, the balance of return. and then you mentioned it before the, um, the people that kind of go make a million dollars in three days. yeah. even though i talk about profit, this is not gonna happen in three days. right. so slow growth is is another one. Speaker 1: yeah. i love that. so, uh, again, trust, shared values, shared impact goals, and shared impact goals, again, are bigger than just the project that we're creating. right? it's like, you know, what is this impacting in the world, the work that we're doing together? Speaker 2: i think it's really important to know that because i've seen that partnership is yet another word that sometimes for me what it means. and when i speak about partnerships, it's actually all co creation mode. it's not you have your business. i have mine. let's collaborate. that's a collaboration. so all partnerships are collapse, but all collaborations are definitely not partnerships. a partnership for me goes deeper than that. it's kind of like, let's create a business or a project together. doesn't have to be a business, but it can be a project or something. but we co create this. like, we do this together. so hence, well, what are our shared impact goals then? and impact goals, again, for us, but also remembering purpose. what do we wanna reach? what's the impact we wanna create together on everybody else? Speaker 1: yeah. i love the distinction you make between collabs and partnerships. i think there could probably be also collaborations with shared impact goals, but they're time restricted, where a partnership to me feels like more open Speaker 2: long term. Speaker 1: long term. right? yeah. Speaker 2: yeah. yeah. definitely. yeah. no. definitely. i think in each and every collaboration, even, um, for me, for and then it comes on on the shared values. i very much know what my nonnegotiables are. and my nonnegotiables are so strong that i even do that when i accept a client. mhmm. um, so it's not just towards it's clients, collaborations, and partners. so it's actually everything. um, but, yes, for collaborations, that is also really important. yeah. Speaker 1: i'm i'm actually collaborating right now with, uh, for my new program, uh, sell how to sell in 2026 and beyond with with this group expert, small group expert, uh, carrie dobson, and we're recording our collaboration prep. and in the last call, we, um, she took me through these questions on the collaboration. and one of them that i think is is good to add here is she asked me what are your concerns about this collaboration? right? what are you worried about for us working together? um, and i think it's so important to talk about that and, you know yeah. with vulnerability, speak about our fears. do they have to do with the ego? do they have to do with being worried about who knows what? but address that. and and and then it feels like, oh, we talk it's kinda like what's the worst thing that could happen. right? it's like, oh, here are the concerns. we talked about them, and now we can build, uh, on that. Speaker 2: i think as well, um, what i've noticed as well is at times and i think the same thing happens with concerns. you think you know. you think before going into a partnership or a collab, you think you know what your nonnegotiable is and what your main concerns are until you go into partnerships. the only way to learn or collabs is do that. Speaker 1: right. Speaker 2: because you'll notice, like, oh, i thought this was actually my nonnegotiable, but this bugs me more or this upsets me more or this so you get to know a lot about yourself as well as a business owner or an entrepreneur or even a professional in general when you start collaborating. Speaker 1: yeah. if anything, you grow yourself. maybe you won't grow your business with this one, but you grow yourself. and then you can apply next time. yeah. Speaker 2: it's a really important one as well to allow yourself to make mistakes. it's fine from every single partnership. i've i've had partnerships that went totally wrong. i learned a lot from them. it was brilliant. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: very grateful for that thing going wrong. yeah. but that is Speaker 1: i mean, we started out with a partnership and and or collab and and that specific small project, well, it didn't go so well. but where he's still here. you know, Speaker 2: we're still collaborating. so yeah. exactly. Speaker 1: so so what are some ways that people can test, um, partnerships? so maybe it is those collabs. is that the step the first step? Speaker 2: yes. yeah. um, there's one recommendation i always do, um, and i get that it depends a little bit on on the type of business you have or, uh, the project you're working on. but if there's one recommend that's my way of testing it out a lot is co create a small event, however small it is. a webinar, uh, an online talk, a get together, it doesn't matter. just yeah. because when you set up an event, however small it is, actually, a lot of things are needed. like, what are the goals of this event? how are we going to promote this? um, who are we talking to? what's our audience? what what are we gonna get out of this, how are we gonna set up, what are the tools we're gonna use. um, all of that teaches you so much about one another. because when you set up an event, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. you're the techie one. i'm not. oh, you wanna have that audience? no. i was actually thinking of another audience, and that's where the difference has come up most definitely. like, for me, that's my go to to see, is this gonna work? let's test. and i think in a lot of businesses or or even for solopreneurs, it's actually very feasible to do that. everybody can do a webinar or something. and collaborating on that is an interesting exercise yeah. as a small test. Speaker 1: and i i think you're right when you said, you know, when you asked people where they're at in the when you hosted that workshop in the community, they already knew who they are. yes. so that is very helpful to go into partnership. because if you are still at the stage where well, first of all, you haven't done any inner work, but you're also very new in your business. there's a lot of doubt. right? and so that's why i see most people go, oh, don't wanna do any collaborations. i'm not even sure what i can bring to this collaboration. so in a way, it's like, well, that's that's the challenge, though. it's like work on that because you will grow as as you are having these collaborations. Speaker 2: when it comes to because we crossed over right into the alignment phase with the test, um, because, actually, there's stages to creating a partnership. um, so one, there's the principles you kind of need to think about in advance, but then for me, a lot of networking nowadays has a negative connotation. once again, i'm like, let's make it a positive one then. um, i'm not changing the words. i'll give it another connotation. in my case, yes, we put slow networking in front of it. um, the first step is you're solo. it's just you. start thinking about you, what do you want, those principles. and then you go into networking. now networking for me is very different than connecting. the word connection and connecting nowadays as well. hey. wanna connect with me? hey. wanna connect with me? mhmm. Speaker 1: and then nothing happens. i made Speaker 2: yeah. exactly. it's like, yeah. sure. let's be in touch because networking is just a first contact. it's, hi. this is me, and this is you. and then you can decide, do i go into creating a connection with that person where you start to get to know each other a bit more? you start nurturing the contact. that's when you start connecting. and then once you've connected enough, that's when i think you can well, that's when you can go into maybe we should cocreate something small. let's see. and that's the alignment phase. you need that before going into a full blown old partnership to check, like, is this right for us yeah. for the both. and then you step into a partnership, actually. Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. yeah. that's good. you know, we we we're calling this episode, how can purposeful partnerships turn your passion into profit. so so far, we've talked a lot about purpose and partnership. let's talk about profit. so how where does the money come in? and, yes, we agree. okay. it's slow. um, but we do have to have this money conversation eventually. so when do we when do we have the do we start with the money conversation? and then, yeah, how can we turn our passion into profit? Speaker 2: so for me, um, the partnerships is a vehicle to get to the profit for different reasons. lots of us are indeed solopreneurs or small businesses. um, so even more, in the purpose realm, lots of us feel alone. that's why there's so many communities. that's why your community exists. that's why mine exists. so there are so through a partnership, it has several advantages. it's not one plus one is two. it's one plus one is three. and that comes to the impact you're creating. that comes to the profit you're creating because you put your experience together. you put your audience together. you put so many things together that that then automatically makes you stronger. you strengthen one another. um, the money conversation obviously needs to be had because this is another thing people misunderstand lots of times. not every partnership is a fifty fifty when it comes to money. you can go into partnerships saying, this is a thirty seventy. whatever. it needs to feel right for you. that's the most important thing. and what i've seen, funnily enough, is also that i recommend very much partnering with people that might be passionate about totally different things work wise, like task wise than i am that you're complementary. so i love stuff marketing related. i hate the writing up reports type of things. and i co created a brand with somebody that doesn't really like the marketing side of things. but, yeah, more excited about the paperwork. that was a brilliant partnership because that was the one thing that i maybe couldn't always give to my clients, and he had that the other way around. so it's kind of like, let's combine this because we have shared impact, all shared values, and so on, and we complement one another. and that automatically led to a lot more profit because we were capable of doing certain projects together and have more reach, um, which automatically translates into. and i very much realized if i should have done this by myself, then either i need to pay somebody to kind of do this work for me, but i can't yet. so it's kind of like this it's just me. how do i tackle all this? so it strengthens you a lot, and and that's where the profit lies. i feel a lot of solopreneurs are just trying to do it all by themselves even though they're part of a community and so on. and it's kind of like, well, why don't you, like, create a partnership somehow? yeah. besides what you keep doing, which is perfectly fine. i mean, you can keep doing your own project, but it'll it'll really get you into into more profit. Speaker 1: more profit. and and and maybe we can also say that profit is not always money. profit is also more time to be human, more joy because you're working with someone who is very aligned. um, what else? more fun. so, yeah, profit can take many, many different versions. Speaker 2: more energy as well. i said, for me, it it's it's brilliant that there is somebody that absolutely loves reading these really, to me, boring reports and outlines that our clients sometimes ask, and and they're like, this is fun. and i'm like, yay. Speaker 1: yeah. and and vice versa, they're like, oh, i can't understand how she thinks this other thing is fun. but exactly. exactly. that's why we're Speaker 2: all different. so for me, that's priceless Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. Speaker 2: to be fair. because it's so and i think it's an important thing that people have to see in partnerships as well. it's it's yeah. what do you like doing that i might not like as much and the other way around? and is that compliment can we use that together? yeah. and it's amazing. goes beyond money, obviously. but for me, profit is also something i think this came about as well because i noticed so many solopreneurs in the purpose realm struggling with money or struggling with profit. one, i still feel due to limiting beliefs and the negative connotation money has in society as in the billionaires of this world are all bad people, and they're creating the wrong impact and so on. and i even myself heard myself saying lots of times in the beginning, like, just need to pay my bills and i'm fine and it's all good and, like, kind of down i don't know how to say that in english. Speaker 1: yeah. play small. right? exactly. exactly. yeah. Speaker 2: and then i came to the realization that that is not what i want. that, um, i feel the more money and more profit, and i'm just talking money wise. it's good to have all those add ons, obviously. the more impact i'll be able to create because that'll make it possible for me to hire people aligned with my values as well to maybe even invest in companies that are doing a really good job or help out solopreneurs. so there's so many things added to that. but for me, it's kind of like, let's talk about profit because it is important. we need to make profit. it's fine to make profit. it's fine even to make good money. it's fine. Speaker 1: yeah. we need more good people make good money. right? exactly. the good people will always bring back the money to where we need it. Speaker 2: i'm gonna use that, sarah. yeah. we need more money. good people making good money. yeah. i love that. yeah. Speaker 1: i think that's a a nice quote to to wrap up here, but, um, i'm glad we we yeah. we need to talk about the money. so that that is just and i think i think it's part of that vulnerable conversation also at the beginning of a partnership, you know? Speaker 2: yes. Speaker 1: it's like, let's have this money conversation. Speaker 2: so exactly. Speaker 1: yeah. maybe as a as a final question, if someone, you know, has never worked either on a collab or a partnership, like, what's a what's an easy first step for them to to do? Speaker 2: i think the the first one is if you're still remembering the phases. right? so low networking connection and so on. a lot of people are like, oh, so i need to get myself into the right room as a first step. yes and no because there's one before. take up your phone or your linkedin or whatever it is and see who's already there within your everybody has a network. don't tell me you don't have a network. everybody has a network, but you might feel that it's not the right network. but maybe there's someone in there that you can actually go to and talk and not as much as in to get in the networking or connection stage. if it's somebody that you feel might be aligned with you, then, yes, start connecting with them. start nurturing that connection. but if it's not, they might be connected. and i think a lot of people are scared to ask for introductions. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: and for me, a really important step is ask for an introduction. if somebody is already there that you know or you look up to and isn't that purpose realm and ask for an intro. if you see i do that all the time. if i see somebody's connected and i'm like, well, i i would love to connect with that person or get to know that person. and i ask. i'm like, could you possibly introduce me? yeah. and what's the worst can happen? they say no. yeah. that's fine. if that's not possible, then get yourself into the right room. and in my case, i didn't find the right room, so i basically created the right room yeah. which is also a possibility. yeah. you're like, well, the right room does not exist, and i'll just create it. and i started with the slow networking of it because for me, that was kind of like, let's start like this. Speaker 1: yeah. nobody else is talking about that. so let me let me do it myself. yeah. yeah. i think it's it's it's so it's so key to, um, also, like you mentioned, connect with someone, but we can also just see, for example, what events are they attending. and and then, you know, kinda get into those events. and and then you're like, all of a sudden you notice, oh, there's many more of my people, and i'm not alone. yeah. Speaker 2: it is exactly because, um, if you go on linkedin in the beginning, obviously, i came from the corporate world. so my linkedin was filled with maybe not my crowd or not exactly. and, funnily enough, the events that came up Speaker 1: yeah. not the corporate team. right. Speaker 2: then i started looking for them, and now it's a constant show up of things i could now it's kind of like, no. stop. Speaker 1: there's too many. i can't attend them all. yeah. Speaker 2: and, um, but that's that's how you do it. Speaker 1: that's where Speaker 2: where you start. and then even if it is because i i understand that there's a lot of introvert people as well for anybody listening. like, oh, i don't wanna then just join a webinar. mhmm. but going through the people that are there, and then afterwards connect with them on linkedin via message like, hey. i saw you in this webinar. would love to kind of stay in touch on here and start the conversation in writing. Speaker 1: yeah. it's Speaker 2: not always about showing up in person and having to speak face to face. there are other ways as well. Speaker 1: yep. great. great ways to start collaborating more. i think it's really yeah. it's it's where we're heading. i can see that it's, you know, when you started, it was kinda like this new thing, but now you hear a lot more people talking about it, which is great, which is great. and and i think it goes together with knowing who you are because then you show up in partnership with your boundaries, with your, you know, with your clear expectations. and and that makes a really good partnership. Speaker 2: exactly. Speaker 1: yeah. great. uh, that was awesome. kim, please do share where people can find you. tell us about your community as well. Speaker 2: um, i just launched and haven't really sent it to anybody, but i finally created a little small website, um, just with my name, kimdekoster.com. because everything about me is on there. like, all of my brands, the projects i'm involved in, i'm like, i need this little thing where everybody so that's one. great. and i think all the info is is Speaker 1: is on Speaker 2: that site. yeah. okay. is on that website, basically. Speaker 1: well, maybe what you can do is send me, you know, the compass, if you can send me that, and i'll include that in the show notes. so in case people are like, i don't know what she's talking about, they can go and look Speaker 2: it up. i will. yeah. i'll i'll take out that page because, um, by now, there's a playbook, obviously, as well. um, and so it comes with a little like, you can do the exercise by yourself. um, i'll take out that page and and send it over to her so people have that compass. Speaker 1: yeah. that's great. and if they if they can download it on your website, well, that, you know, if you make that available, then let me know and i'll link to that as well. Speaker 2: i will. perfect. Speaker 1: thanks so much for being a guest, kim. Speaker 2: thank you for having me, ovelyn. it was fun. thank you. Speaker 1: thank you.

In this episode I sit down with Kim De Coster to explore how purposeful partnerships can help you turn passion into profit—without losing sight of meaning. We talk about Kim's compass of passion, purpose, and profit, and how to navigate its four quadrants: from the Profit Trap that keeps us stuck, to the Power quadrant where passion meets impact. Together, we dive into finding your right crowd, knowing your values and non-negotiables, and the difference between a simple collaboration and a true partnership. You'll also hear how to test partnerships safely, have the money and vulnerability conversations that matter, and why profit is about more than money—it's about joy, energy, and freedom. This conversation will inspire you to create aligned, impactful partnerships that strengthen both your business and the change you want to see in the world. In this episode we discussed: The balance of passion, purpose, and profit – the trifecta for meaningful work Kim's compass with four quadrants: Pitfall, Profit Trap, Progress, and Power Why the Profit Trap feels safe but keeps you stuck, and how to move out of it The importance of being in the right crowd and finding your people The difference between collaborations and partnerships Knowing your values, principles, and non-negotiables before stepping into partnership How to test partnerships with small experiments (like co-hosting an event) The role of vulnerable conversations around money, concerns, and expectations Why profit isn't just money—it's also joy, energy, time, and freedom The reminder that good people making good money creates more positive impact Practical first steps: start with your existing network, ask for introductions, or join/create the right "room" -- Speaker 0: hey, kim. it's good to hang out with you and talk about Speaker 1: passion, profit, and partnership. Speaker 2: hello. it's great to be here. thank you for the invite. it's always a pleasure. Speaker 1: yeah. um, we're here because you're part of the humane marketing circle community. and during our last expo, you proposed a great workshop, which i missed, but luckily there was a replay. so i got to see that, um, around this topic of passion, purpose, and profit. right? it's kinda like this trifecta, those three things that, uh, go together. and, um, i yeah. i just thought it was such a great topic and it fits my seventh p of the human in marketing mandala, which is partnership. and so i thought it'd be really great to talk about it here on the, on the podcast. to people will be listening. and so you just have to kind of explain the four different components of this compass. Speaker 2: um, so for me, first of all, the compass is kind of before you start going into partnerships and so on and so on. i think the first very step is where am i currently at? and that's what the compass is for, to kind of see where do i start from. so you have, um, two things we'd be measuring somehow, which is on the one hand, you have passion on the lower end, and then you have purpose. and, obviously, you can work low on passion, or you can work high on passion. and then the same thing for purpose. low on purpose or high on purpose. before i explain, like, the four quadrants we've made, i do wanna make it clear what i mean with purpose and passion. so purpose for me because you hear the word a lot and also passion, they're a bit overused probably. but, um, purpose for me is not just what is my purpose, it's a positive impacts purpose on planet and society, so on planet and people. right. and because i'm all about sustainability. so that for me is, are you working alone? does it have not really an impact, a positive impact on planet or society, on humanity, or does it really have a high impact? so that's where the purpose lies. and then passion, we can all be passionate about stuff and let's be honest, everybody that has a business or has a job, there's always things even if you're passionate about what you do, there's always things you like more and you like less in every single job. but let's say that, like, 85% of your time, you're working on something that you really, really like almost to that effect that it doesn't feel like you're working because you enjoy it so much. Speaker 1: that's yeah. Speaker 2: the feeling that's passion for me. Speaker 1: yeah. so Speaker 2: there's four quadrants. one is low on passion, low on purpose, which is i'm not really doing what i'm enjoying, and it does not even create a positive impact. um, that one is called, um, the pitfall. and then you have the right next to it, which is you're still low on purpose, but you're really high on passion. you love what you do, but it doesn't have that positive impact on the rest of the world, let's say, like that. Speaker 1: so it's kind of missing also that meaning for you. right? like, it doesn't give you meaning. mhmm. Speaker 2: so you do like doing a lot of people say how is that possible, but i can give an example later on of how that is exactly possible because i've been through that. and that for me, and i've seen it in more people, is an absolute profit trap because it makes you money. it pays the bills, and you actually like doing it. and then what i hear about some, uh, from some entrepreneurs are kind of like, how do i move from here to working with impact? because i seem to be stuck. well, yes. and if you go there, you'll get stuck for quite some time. Speaker 1: mhmm. Speaker 2: and when there's the top two quadrants to say it like that, there's the progress one, which is actually the one you wanna be in to get to the power one, which is the one i love what i do, and i'm creating a really good impact on planets and people. the progress one for me is not exactly entirely excited by the actual job or tasks that i'm doing, but it does pay my bills, and it does create an impact at the same time. now there's a reason why i'm saying that the progress quadrant is the one you wanna be in to move on to the the power one. um, on power as well, i know it's a word with a really negative connotation. and in general, this is a a side mark. i use a lot of words, even prophets. like, in our realm, they're not used a lot. and for me, i decided to use them specifically because i want people to give them another meaning. like, they are what they mean to you, and i decided to give them a positive meaning for me. so being in it's all about empowering. if you're in your power, creating a lot of impact, making money, uh, working on your passion, then that is a perfect quadrant to be in. Speaker 1: it's also why why we're talking about this and we know each other because as you might remember, passion is my first p, and then personal power is my second p. but, yes, i hear you. you know, people think, oh, personal power, is that, like, too strong? is that over no. you have to stand in your in your personal power, and that's what makes you unique. and and for you, uh, it is that powerful position where you know who you are that you can go into trustworthy relationships and partnerships as well. Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. exactly. Speaker 1: love that. yeah. yeah. okay. so those are the four quadrants. um, what came up during the, uh, the workshop? where did you see that most people were at when you asked them? Speaker 2: to be fair, a lot of people were in the power quadrant already, but that is because of the audience, obviously. um, as i said, this was during the the humane, um, export that we did together. so, obviously, there's people in there that are already more aligned, um, that already are really clear on their purpose. they've worked through this and so on. so for me, i think they were mainly there to kind of figure out, oh, wait. the partnership thing in whole of this, what where does that take me? now there was a couple of people, i think, that were, um, leaning more towards the progress one, and then maybe one person that was a little bit in doubt as in, am i stuck in a profit trap? kind of. so but i said, it depends on the audience you have, and it was really nice to hear that a lot of them were already in that power quadrant, actually. Speaker 1: yeah. it's really good to analyze that for yourself to think about, uh, whether you're in the wrong crowd, because that's something that comes up quite often in the marketing. like, we're human program where people are like, yeah. but whenever i look around, i'm not seeing that kind of way of showing up in the world. and and often it's because, yeah, they are in the wrong crowd. and so it feels very it feels lonely to be in the wrong crowd. right? if you're the only one who cares and everybody else is talking about how to make a million dollars in three days, then then you feel very lonely when you think, yeah, but is that really what i want? um, and so i think i think it's this journey of a creating this awareness and knowing, okay, i might be in the wrong crowd. how do i work my way towards a different different audience? and and i'm actually doing that right now a little bit as well, um, with the inner development goals. i, i, i really saw that these were my people. uh, and so i started and this has been three years in the making. i started, you know, being there, connecting. and now last year, i created a new community with someone else. but it's like this slow, steady, this is where i want to be and these are my people and then working towards that, i think. yes. yeah. that's why it resonated so much with me to to see, oh, yeah. this is this is the journey, right, through these quadrants. yeah. Speaker 2: it is. that's why i say the profit trap is where you get stuck because you love what you do, but you're not in the right room. yeah. um, so you won't it's really hard to move from that one to the progress one. it's actually easier to go from the pitfall one, which is low passion and and low in purpose, um, to progress. Speaker 1: because you hate it. you're like, uh, let me get out of here. right? yeah. Speaker 2: one. and secondly, if you accept things that you might not be overly excited about work wise or project wise, it will at least get you in the room with the right people. because if it's a higher on purpose, then you know, like, okay. this is just a step. i've been through that. it's kind of like i need to get here to then move on to power. yeah. because you're more motivated as well. like, okay. this is not what i wanna be doing, but at least i'm surrounded, and i get to know more and more people that are my crowd. Speaker 1: yeah. in the in that workshop, you also shared an example that sometimes you just need to accept a a job for the money. yes. but then you made some distinction, like, how do you do that so that you don't get stuck in that trap there? Speaker 2: the i i can give actually because, obviously, everything this was created from my very own experience that i noticed, like, okay. i've been through this, so this is, um, my advice. the profit trap, for instance, i got i love software. i love everything that has to do with tech. um, i i love implementing it. i love figuring it out. so i had an offer when i just started my business, and this was someone who knew that i really liked that and was really good at that. and they said, don't you wanna come and do a consultancy for us for, like, a year more or less, and we'll give us a quote and so on. and it's to implement a crm, but it was a business that value wise and purpose wise was not aligned with my values nor but still, i found myself thinking, well, this is twelve months of this much money coming in every month. i think it was because this has been five to six years ago. in between 1,500 and 2,000, but that a month, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. and i think a lot of people will reason then. i'll take that and on the side, and i'm like, no. that's not what i started my business. i ended up sending them the quote, and then a week later, contacting them again saying, i'm sorry. i thought about this. it's not the right time currently for me to collaborate. yeah. because i know you need to think long term. you need to think long term. don't do this. you'll get stuck, and then other references will come up and recommendations and so on, and and you'll go where you don't wanna be. Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. Speaker 2: that is an example of low purpose, high passion. so it is possible. Speaker 1: yeah. i'll just i just have to share another example of of my son. uh, just recently, he needed to look for an internship, and he's a a graphic designer in, you know, in school. and and so he didn't have a a spot until, like, the very last minute, like, two weeks before it's he was supposed to start. got a lot of no's. and then, uh, a coach that he's working with pushed him to accept this offer where it was more like according to him, it was more more like a coffee shop. and he's like, i'm gonna hate it. it's the worst. he was like, i don't wanna be there. and and then us parents, we had to kind of, like, you know, make this decision. well, do we take that risk, um, that he says no to this one, the only thing he has? or do we also think long term and think, well, he can keep looking and who knows? maybe he'll find something that he's really passionate about and it's gonna be great. it's gonna give him great references. and so, yeah, in the end, he did find, like, his dream position. it's actually on the on the website. i had to laugh at it said, like, we only work with humane projects. i'm like, there you go. and so yeah. but just having holding that uncertainty, right, in this case, as parents, there's no money involved. but holding that uncertainty and and say no to something is is really, really difficult and even more so if it brings in, you know, a certain amount of money. so, yeah. Speaker 2: add on to the equation in my case that i am a sole widowed parent with a mortgage and a son, and i still sit on. yeah. i think for me, there's two things to keep into account, and this is an exercise that i always do when i feel that fear comes up and takes over because we start making fear based decisions. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: at that point, one, a lot of it has to do with trust the process, trust yourself, you will be fine, which already is a really hard one. but then if i notice, oh, there's a fear coming up, like, will i be able to pay my bills? will i this? i go back every single time to wait. what is the worst thing that can happen? mhmm. and in the end, if you start breaking it down, like, really breaking it down, kinda like, well, that no other project comes up, and then i'm gonna have to look for a job again and leave my business behind. that's not such a bad thing. so it kind of tones the risk down, and it gives me at least that's the trick i keep on doing. that's what i use when i moved countries every single time. it's like, what? wait. what's the worst that can happen? Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. and then you realize that's the worst thing. it's like there's much worse things than that. Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. and then you go ahead and you do it anyway. and, um, i have to say five years later, um, i'm very, very happy. i took that decision that day of saying no and and paving my way further on into the purpose Speaker 1: one. yeah. because we're we're creating with every yes, we're creating an ecosystem for ourselves. right? and the minute you say yes to the wrong thing, well, that's the beginning of your ecosystem. and then more and more and more of these offerings will come your way, and soon enough, you're trapped in that thing. so yeah. so important. okay. so we have the the four quadrants. we have the compass, uh, and then you said, well, that's really the beginning of thinking about partnerships. so it's kind of like an analysis that you do before you step into partnership, um, mode. so once you have this awareness, what do we do next? Speaker 2: well, there's a a couple of things because for me, um, it's not, oh, yeah. now i'm gonna find the partner and that was that. um, it's a bit slower than that. right. you've got certain phases as well, like, um, values that you need and need to figure out. now what i also say is i know people going into partnerships works best if you're already clear on your very own purpose, call it ikigai, whatever it is. if it's not, what i did learn very fast is kind of, well, it's actually by doing that you'll figure it out. you can go into, i don't know, how many online videos, um, and so on to figure it out, but it's also by doing an actual project that you figure things out. um, so the next one from there is kind of like, what are my principles? um, so there's actually five. there's trust. there's shared values. there's shared impact goals because if you go into a partnership, obviously, you need to make sure and i'm not talking money. i'm not talking just like, oh, profit is in is a goal. no. i'm talking beyond the money. like, what is it that the two of us want to gain out of this? yeah. profustrating, like, the balance of return. and then you mentioned it before the, um, the people that kind of go make a million dollars in three days. yeah. even though i talk about profit, this is not gonna happen in three days. right. so slow growth is is another one. Speaker 1: yeah. i love that. so, uh, again, trust, shared values, shared impact goals, and shared impact goals, again, are bigger than just the project that we're creating. right? it's like, you know, what is this impacting in the world, the work that we're doing together? Speaker 2: i think it's really important to know that because i've seen that partnership is yet another word that sometimes for me what it means. and when i speak about partnerships, it's actually all co creation mode. it's not you have your business. i have mine. let's collaborate. that's a collaboration. so all partnerships are collapse, but all collaborations are definitely not partnerships. a partnership for me goes deeper than that. it's kind of like, let's create a business or a project together. doesn't have to be a business, but it can be a project or something. but we co create this. like, we do this together. so hence, well, what are our shared impact goals then? and impact goals, again, for us, but also remembering purpose. what do we wanna reach? what's the impact we wanna create together on everybody else? Speaker 1: yeah. i love the distinction you make between collabs and partnerships. i think there could probably be also collaborations with shared impact goals, but they're time restricted, where a partnership to me feels like more open Speaker 2: long term. Speaker 1: long term. right? yeah. Speaker 2: yeah. yeah. definitely. yeah. no. definitely. i think in each and every collaboration, even, um, for me, for and then it comes on on the shared values. i very much know what my nonnegotiables are. and my nonnegotiables are so strong that i even do that when i accept a client. mhmm. um, so it's not just towards it's clients, collaborations, and partners. so it's actually everything. um, but, yes, for collaborations, that is also really important. yeah. Speaker 1: i'm i'm actually collaborating right now with, uh, for my new program, uh, sell how to sell in 2026 and beyond with with this group expert, small group expert, uh, carrie dobson, and we're recording our collaboration prep. and in the last call, we, um, she took me through these questions on the collaboration. and one of them that i think is is good to add here is she asked me what are your concerns about this collaboration? right? what are you worried about for us working together? um, and i think it's so important to talk about that and, you know yeah. with vulnerability, speak about our fears. do they have to do with the ego? do they have to do with being worried about who knows what? but address that. and and and then it feels like, oh, we talk it's kinda like what's the worst thing that could happen. right? it's like, oh, here are the concerns. we talked about them, and now we can build, uh, on that. Speaker 2: i think as well, um, what i've noticed as well is at times and i think the same thing happens with concerns. you think you know. you think before going into a partnership or a collab, you think you know what your nonnegotiable is and what your main concerns are until you go into partnerships. the only way to learn or collabs is do that. Speaker 1: right. Speaker 2: because you'll notice, like, oh, i thought this was actually my nonnegotiable, but this bugs me more or this upsets me more or this so you get to know a lot about yourself as well as a business owner or an entrepreneur or even a professional in general when you start collaborating. Speaker 1: yeah. if anything, you grow yourself. maybe you won't grow your business with this one, but you grow yourself. and then you can apply next time. yeah. Speaker 2: it's a really important one as well to allow yourself to make mistakes. it's fine from every single partnership. i've i've had partnerships that went totally wrong. i learned a lot from them. it was brilliant. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: very grateful for that thing going wrong. yeah. but that is Speaker 1: i mean, we started out with a partnership and and or collab and and that specific small project, well, it didn't go so well. but where he's still here. you know, Speaker 2: we're still collaborating. so yeah. exactly. Speaker 1: so so what are some ways that people can test, um, partnerships? so maybe it is those collabs. is that the step the first step? Speaker 2: yes. yeah. um, there's one recommendation i always do, um, and i get that it depends a little bit on on the type of business you have or, uh, the project you're working on. but if there's one recommend that's my way of testing it out a lot is co create a small event, however small it is. a webinar, uh, an online talk, a get together, it doesn't matter. just yeah. because when you set up an event, however small it is, actually, a lot of things are needed. like, what are the goals of this event? how are we going to promote this? um, who are we talking to? what's our audience? what what are we gonna get out of this, how are we gonna set up, what are the tools we're gonna use. um, all of that teaches you so much about one another. because when you set up an event, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. you're the techie one. i'm not. oh, you wanna have that audience? no. i was actually thinking of another audience, and that's where the difference has come up most definitely. like, for me, that's my go to to see, is this gonna work? let's test. and i think in a lot of businesses or or even for solopreneurs, it's actually very feasible to do that. everybody can do a webinar or something. and collaborating on that is an interesting exercise yeah. as a small test. Speaker 1: and i i think you're right when you said, you know, when you asked people where they're at in the when you hosted that workshop in the community, they already knew who they are. yes. so that is very helpful to go into partnership. because if you are still at the stage where well, first of all, you haven't done any inner work, but you're also very new in your business. there's a lot of doubt. right? and so that's why i see most people go, oh, don't wanna do any collaborations. i'm not even sure what i can bring to this collaboration. so in a way, it's like, well, that's that's the challenge, though. it's like work on that because you will grow as as you are having these collaborations. Speaker 2: when it comes to because we crossed over right into the alignment phase with the test, um, because, actually, there's stages to creating a partnership. um, so one, there's the principles you kind of need to think about in advance, but then for me, a lot of networking nowadays has a negative connotation. once again, i'm like, let's make it a positive one then. um, i'm not changing the words. i'll give it another connotation. in my case, yes, we put slow networking in front of it. um, the first step is you're solo. it's just you. start thinking about you, what do you want, those principles. and then you go into networking. now networking for me is very different than connecting. the word connection and connecting nowadays as well. hey. wanna connect with me? hey. wanna connect with me? mhmm. Speaker 1: and then nothing happens. i made Speaker 2: yeah. exactly. it's like, yeah. sure. let's be in touch because networking is just a first contact. it's, hi. this is me, and this is you. and then you can decide, do i go into creating a connection with that person where you start to get to know each other a bit more? you start nurturing the contact. that's when you start connecting. and then once you've connected enough, that's when i think you can well, that's when you can go into maybe we should cocreate something small. let's see. and that's the alignment phase. you need that before going into a full blown old partnership to check, like, is this right for us yeah. for the both. and then you step into a partnership, actually. Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. yeah. that's good. you know, we we we're calling this episode, how can purposeful partnerships turn your passion into profit. so so far, we've talked a lot about purpose and partnership. let's talk about profit. so how where does the money come in? and, yes, we agree. okay. it's slow. um, but we do have to have this money conversation eventually. so when do we when do we have the do we start with the money conversation? and then, yeah, how can we turn our passion into profit? Speaker 2: so for me, um, the partnerships is a vehicle to get to the profit for different reasons. lots of us are indeed solopreneurs or small businesses. um, so even more, in the purpose realm, lots of us feel alone. that's why there's so many communities. that's why your community exists. that's why mine exists. so there are so through a partnership, it has several advantages. it's not one plus one is two. it's one plus one is three. and that comes to the impact you're creating. that comes to the profit you're creating because you put your experience together. you put your audience together. you put so many things together that that then automatically makes you stronger. you strengthen one another. um, the money conversation obviously needs to be had because this is another thing people misunderstand lots of times. not every partnership is a fifty fifty when it comes to money. you can go into partnerships saying, this is a thirty seventy. whatever. it needs to feel right for you. that's the most important thing. and what i've seen, funnily enough, is also that i recommend very much partnering with people that might be passionate about totally different things work wise, like task wise than i am that you're complementary. so i love stuff marketing related. i hate the writing up reports type of things. and i co created a brand with somebody that doesn't really like the marketing side of things. but, yeah, more excited about the paperwork. that was a brilliant partnership because that was the one thing that i maybe couldn't always give to my clients, and he had that the other way around. so it's kind of like, let's combine this because we have shared impact, all shared values, and so on, and we complement one another. and that automatically led to a lot more profit because we were capable of doing certain projects together and have more reach, um, which automatically translates into. and i very much realized if i should have done this by myself, then either i need to pay somebody to kind of do this work for me, but i can't yet. so it's kind of like this it's just me. how do i tackle all this? so it strengthens you a lot, and and that's where the profit lies. i feel a lot of solopreneurs are just trying to do it all by themselves even though they're part of a community and so on. and it's kind of like, well, why don't you, like, create a partnership somehow? yeah. besides what you keep doing, which is perfectly fine. i mean, you can keep doing your own project, but it'll it'll really get you into into more profit. Speaker 1: more profit. and and and maybe we can also say that profit is not always money. profit is also more time to be human, more joy because you're working with someone who is very aligned. um, what else? more fun. so, yeah, profit can take many, many different versions. Speaker 2: more energy as well. i said, for me, it it's it's brilliant that there is somebody that absolutely loves reading these really, to me, boring reports and outlines that our clients sometimes ask, and and they're like, this is fun. and i'm like, yay. Speaker 1: yeah. and and vice versa, they're like, oh, i can't understand how she thinks this other thing is fun. but exactly. exactly. that's why we're Speaker 2: all different. so for me, that's priceless Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. Speaker 2: to be fair. because it's so and i think it's an important thing that people have to see in partnerships as well. it's it's yeah. what do you like doing that i might not like as much and the other way around? and is that compliment can we use that together? yeah. and it's amazing. goes beyond money, obviously. but for me, profit is also something i think this came about as well because i noticed so many solopreneurs in the purpose realm struggling with money or struggling with profit. one, i still feel due to limiting beliefs and the negative connotation money has in society as in the billionaires of this world are all bad people, and they're creating the wrong impact and so on. and i even myself heard myself saying lots of times in the beginning, like, just need to pay my bills and i'm fine and it's all good and, like, kind of down i don't know how to say that in english. Speaker 1: yeah. play small. right? exactly. exactly. yeah. Speaker 2: and then i came to the realization that that is not what i want. that, um, i feel the more money and more profit, and i'm just talking money wise. it's good to have all those add ons, obviously. the more impact i'll be able to create because that'll make it possible for me to hire people aligned with my values as well to maybe even invest in companies that are doing a really good job or help out solopreneurs. so there's so many things added to that. but for me, it's kind of like, let's talk about profit because it is important. we need to make profit. it's fine to make profit. it's fine even to make good money. it's fine. Speaker 1: yeah. we need more good people make good money. right? exactly. the good people will always bring back the money to where we need it. Speaker 2: i'm gonna use that, sarah. yeah. we need more money. good people making good money. yeah. i love that. yeah. Speaker 1: i think that's a a nice quote to to wrap up here, but, um, i'm glad we we yeah. we need to talk about the money. so that that is just and i think i think it's part of that vulnerable conversation also at the beginning of a partnership, you know? Speaker 2: yes. Speaker 1: it's like, let's have this money conversation. Speaker 2: so exactly. Speaker 1: yeah. maybe as a as a final question, if someone, you know, has never worked either on a collab or a partnership, like, what's a what's an easy first step for them to to do? Speaker 2: i think the the first one is if you're still remembering the phases. right? so low networking connection and so on. a lot of people are like, oh, so i need to get myself into the right room as a first step. yes and no because there's one before. take up your phone or your linkedin or whatever it is and see who's already there within your everybody has a network. don't tell me you don't have a network. everybody has a network, but you might feel that it's not the right network. but maybe there's someone in there that you can actually go to and talk and not as much as in to get in the networking or connection stage. if it's somebody that you feel might be aligned with you, then, yes, start connecting with them. start nurturing that connection. but if it's not, they might be connected. and i think a lot of people are scared to ask for introductions. Speaker 1: yeah. Speaker 2: and for me, a really important step is ask for an introduction. if somebody is already there that you know or you look up to and isn't that purpose realm and ask for an intro. if you see i do that all the time. if i see somebody's connected and i'm like, well, i i would love to connect with that person or get to know that person. and i ask. i'm like, could you possibly introduce me? yeah. and what's the worst can happen? they say no. yeah. that's fine. if that's not possible, then get yourself into the right room. and in my case, i didn't find the right room, so i basically created the right room yeah. which is also a possibility. yeah. you're like, well, the right room does not exist, and i'll just create it. and i started with the slow networking of it because for me, that was kind of like, let's start like this. Speaker 1: yeah. nobody else is talking about that. so let me let me do it myself. yeah. yeah. i think it's it's it's so it's so key to, um, also, like you mentioned, connect with someone, but we can also just see, for example, what events are they attending. and and then, you know, kinda get into those events. and and then you're like, all of a sudden you notice, oh, there's many more of my people, and i'm not alone. yeah. Speaker 2: it is exactly because, um, if you go on linkedin in the beginning, obviously, i came from the corporate world. so my linkedin was filled with maybe not my crowd or not exactly. and, funnily enough, the events that came up Speaker 1: yeah. not the corporate team. right. Speaker 2: then i started looking for them, and now it's a constant show up of things i could now it's kind of like, no. stop. Speaker 1: there's too many. i can't attend them all. yeah. Speaker 2: and, um, but that's that's how you do it. Speaker 1: that's where Speaker 2: where you start. and then even if it is because i i understand that there's a lot of introvert people as well for anybody listening. like, oh, i don't wanna then just join a webinar. mhmm. but going through the people that are there, and then afterwards connect with them on linkedin via message like, hey. i saw you in this webinar. would love to kind of stay in touch on here and start the conversation in writing. Speaker 1: yeah. it's Speaker 2: not always about showing up in person and having to speak face to face. there are other ways as well. Speaker 1: yep. great. great ways to start collaborating more. i think it's really yeah. it's it's where we're heading. i can see that it's, you know, when you started, it was kinda like this new thing, but now you hear a lot more people talking about it, which is great, which is great. and and i think it goes together with knowing who you are because then you show up in partnership with your boundaries, with your, you know, with your clear expectations. and and that makes a really good partnership. Speaker 2: exactly. Speaker 1: yeah. great. uh, that was awesome. kim, please do share where people can find you. tell us about your community as well. Speaker 2: um, i just launched and haven't really sent it to anybody, but i finally created a little small website, um, just with my name, kimdekoster.com. because everything about me is on there. like, all of my brands, the projects i'm involved in, i'm like, i need this little thing where everybody so that's one. great. and i think all the info is is Speaker 1: is on Speaker 2: that site. yeah. okay. is on that website, basically. Speaker 1: well, maybe what you can do is send me, you know, the compass, if you can send me that, and i'll include that in the show notes. so in case people are like, i don't know what she's talking about, they can go and look Speaker 2: it up. i will. yeah. i'll i'll take out that page because, um, by now, there's a playbook, obviously, as well. um, and so it comes with a little like, you can do the exercise by yourself. um, i'll take out that page and and send it over to her so people have that compass. Speaker 1: yeah. that's great. and if they if they can download it on your website, well, that, you know, if you make that available, then let me know and i'll link to that as well. Speaker 2: i will. perfect. Speaker 1: thanks so much for being a guest, kim. Speaker 2: thank you for having me, ovelyn. it was fun. thank you. Speaker 1: thank you.

In this episode I sit down with Kim De Coster to explore how purposeful partnerships can help you turn passion into profit—without losing sight of meaning. We talk about Kim's compass of passion, purpose, and profit, and how to navigate its four quadrants: from the Profit Trap that keeps us stuck, to the Power quadrant where passion meets impact. Together, we dive into finding your right crowd, knowing your values and non-negotiables, and the difference between a simple collaboration and a true partnership. You'll also hear how to test partnerships safely, have the money and vulnerability conversations that matter, and why profit is about more than money—it's about joy, energy, and freedom. This conversation will inspire you to create aligned, impactful partnerships that strengthen both your business and the change you want to see in the world. In this episode we discussed: The balance of passion, purpose, and profit – the trifecta for meaningful work Kim's compass with four quadrants: Pitfall, Profit Trap, Progress, and Power Why the Profit Trap feels safe but keeps you stuck, and how to move out of it The importance of being in the right crowd and finding your people The difference between collaborations and partnerships Knowing your values, principles, and non-negotiables before stepping into partnership How to test partnerships with small experiments (like co-hosting an event) The role of vulnerable conversations around money, concerns, and expectations Why profit isn't just money—it's also joy, energy, time, and freedom The reminder that good people making good money creates more positive impact Practical first steps: start with your existing network, ask for introductions, or join/create the right “room” -- Speaker 0: hey, kim. it's good to hang out with you and talk about  Speaker 1: passion, profit, and partnership.  Speaker 2: hello. it's great to be here. thank you for the invite. it's always a pleasure.  Speaker 1: yeah. um, we're here because you're part of the humane marketing circle community. and during our last expo, you proposed a great workshop, which i missed, but luckily there was a replay. so i got to see that, um, around this topic of passion, purpose, and profit. right? it's kinda like this trifecta, those three things that, uh, go together. and, um, i yeah. i just thought it was such a great topic and it fits my seventh p of the human in marketing mandala, which is partnership. and so i thought it'd be really great to talk about it here on the, on the podcast. to people will be listening. and so you just have to kind of explain the four different components of this compass.  Speaker 2: um, so for me, first of all, the compass is kind of before you start going into partnerships and so on and so on. i think the first very step is where am i currently at? and that's what the compass is for, to kind of see where do i start from. so you have, um, two things we'd be measuring somehow, which is on the one hand, you have passion on the lower end, and then you have purpose. and, obviously, you can work low on passion, or you can work high on passion. and then the same thing for purpose. low on purpose or high on purpose. before i explain, like, the four quadrants we've made, i do wanna make it clear what i mean with purpose and passion. so purpose for me because you hear the word a lot and also passion, they're a bit overused probably. but, um, purpose for me is not just what is my purpose, it's a positive impacts purpose on planet and society, so on planet and people. right. and because i'm all about sustainability. so that for me is, are you working alone? does it have not really an impact, a positive impact on planet or society, on humanity, or does it really have a high impact? so that's where the purpose lies. and then passion, we can all be passionate about stuff and let's be honest, everybody that has a business or has a job, there's always things even if you're passionate about what you do, there's always things you like more and you like less in every single job. but let's say that, like, 85% of your time, you're working on something that you really, really like almost to that effect that it doesn't feel like you're working because you enjoy it so much.  Speaker 1: that's yeah.  Speaker 2: the feeling that's passion for me.  Speaker 1: yeah. so  Speaker 2: there's four quadrants. one is low on passion, low on purpose, which is i'm not really doing what i'm enjoying, and it does not even create a positive impact. um, that one is called, um, the pitfall. and then you have the right next to it, which is you're still low on purpose, but you're really high on passion. you love what you do, but it doesn't have that positive impact on the rest of the world, let's say, like that.  Speaker 1: so it's kind of missing also that meaning for you. right? like, it doesn't give you meaning. mhmm.  Speaker 2: so you do like doing a lot of people say how is that possible, but i can give an example later on of how that is exactly possible because i've been through that. and that for me, and i've seen it in more people, is an absolute profit trap because it makes you money. it pays the bills, and you actually like doing it. and then what i hear about some, uh, from some entrepreneurs are kind of like, how do i move from here to working with impact? because i seem to be stuck. well, yes. and if you go there, you'll get stuck for quite some time.  Speaker 1: mhmm.  Speaker 2: and when there's the top two quadrants to say it like that, there's the progress one, which is actually the one you wanna be in to get to the power one, which is the one i love what i do, and i'm creating a really good impact on planets and people. the progress one for me is not exactly entirely excited by the actual job or tasks that i'm doing, but it does pay my bills, and it does create an impact at the same time. now there's a reason why i'm saying that the progress quadrant is the one you wanna be in to move on to the the power one. um, on power as well, i know it's a word with a really negative connotation. and in general, this is a a side mark. i use a lot of words, even prophets. like, in our realm, they're not used a lot. and for me, i decided to use them specifically because i want people to give them another meaning. like, they are what they mean to you, and i decided to give them a positive meaning for me. so being in it's all about empowering. if you're in your power, creating a lot of impact, making money, uh, working on your passion, then that is a perfect quadrant to be in.  Speaker 1: it's also why why we're talking about this and we know each other because as you might remember, passion is my first p, and then personal power is my second p. but, yes, i hear you. you know, people think, oh, personal power, is that, like, too strong? is that over no. you have to stand in your in your personal power, and that's what makes you unique. and and for you, uh, it is that powerful position where you know who you are that you can go into trustworthy relationships and partnerships as well.  Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. exactly.  Speaker 1: love that. yeah. yeah. okay. so those are the four quadrants. um, what came up during the, uh, the workshop? where did you see that most people were at when you asked them?  Speaker 2: to be fair, a lot of people were in the power quadrant already, but that is because of the audience, obviously. um, as i said, this was during the the humane, um, export that we did together. so, obviously, there's people in there that are already more aligned, um, that already are really clear on their purpose. they've worked through this and so on. so for me, i think they were mainly there to kind of figure out, oh, wait. the partnership thing in whole of this, what where does that take me? now there was a couple of people, i think, that were, um, leaning more towards the progress one, and then maybe one person that was a little bit in doubt as in, am i stuck in a profit trap? kind of. so but i said, it depends on the audience you have, and it was really nice to hear that a lot of them were already in that power quadrant, actually.  Speaker 1: yeah. it's really good to analyze that for yourself to think about, uh, whether you're in the wrong crowd, because that's something that comes up quite often in the marketing. like, we're human program where people are like, yeah. but whenever i look around, i'm not seeing that kind of way of showing up in the world. and and often it's because, yeah, they are in the wrong crowd. and so it feels very it feels lonely to be in the wrong crowd. right? if you're the only one who cares and everybody else is talking about how to make a million dollars in three days, then then you feel very lonely when you think, yeah, but is that really what i want? um, and so i think i think it's this journey of a creating this awareness and knowing, okay, i might be in the wrong crowd. how do i work my way towards a different different audience? and and i'm actually doing that right now a little bit as well, um, with the inner development goals. i, i, i really saw that these were my people. uh, and so i started and this has been three years in the making. i started, you know, being there, connecting. and now last year, i created a new community with someone else. but it's like this slow, steady, this is where i want to be and these are my people and then working towards that, i think. yes. yeah. that's why it resonated so much with me to to see, oh, yeah. this is this is the journey, right, through these quadrants. yeah.  Speaker 2: it is. that's why i say the profit trap is where you get stuck because you love what you do, but you're not in the right room. yeah. um, so you won't it's really hard to move from that one to the progress one. it's actually easier to go from the pitfall one, which is low passion and and low in purpose, um, to progress.  Speaker 1: because you hate it. you're like, uh, let me get out of here. right? yeah.  Speaker 2: one. and secondly, if you accept things that you might not be overly excited about work wise or project wise, it will at least get you in the room with the right people. because if it's a higher on purpose, then you know, like, okay. this is just a step. i've been through that. it's kind of like i need to get here to then move on to power. yeah. because you're more motivated as well. like, okay. this is not what i wanna be doing, but at least i'm surrounded, and i get to know more and more people that are my crowd.  Speaker 1: yeah. in the in that workshop, you also shared an example that sometimes you just need to accept a a job for the money. yes. but then you made some distinction, like, how do you do that so that you don't get stuck in that trap there?  Speaker 2: the i i can give actually because, obviously, everything this was created from my very own experience that i noticed, like, okay. i've been through this, so this is, um, my advice. the profit trap, for instance, i got i love software. i love everything that has to do with tech. um, i i love implementing it. i love figuring it out. so i had an offer when i just started my business, and this was someone who knew that i really liked that and was really good at that. and they said, don't you wanna come and do a consultancy for us for, like, a year more or less, and we'll give us a quote and so on. and it's to implement a crm, but it was a business that value wise and purpose wise was not aligned with my values nor but still, i found myself thinking, well, this is twelve months of this much money coming in every month. i think it was because this has been five to six years ago. in between 1,500 and 2,000, but that a month, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. and i think a lot of people will reason then. i'll take that and on the side, and i'm like, no. that's not what i started my business. i ended up sending them the quote, and then a week later, contacting them again saying, i'm sorry. i thought about this. it's not the right time currently for me to collaborate. yeah. because i know you need to think long term. you need to think long term. don't do this. you'll get stuck, and then other references will come up and recommendations and so on, and and you'll go where you don't wanna be.  Speaker 1: yeah. yeah.  Speaker 2: that is an example of low purpose, high passion. so it is possible.  Speaker 1: yeah. i'll just i just have to share another example of of my son. uh, just recently, he needed to look for an internship, and he's a a graphic designer in, you know, in school. and and so he didn't have a a spot until, like, the very last minute, like, two weeks before it's he was supposed to start. got a lot of no's. and then, uh, a coach that he's working with pushed him to accept this offer where it was more like according to him, it was more more like a coffee shop. and he's like, i'm gonna hate it. it's the worst. he was like, i don't wanna be there. and and then us parents, we had to kind of, like, you know, make this decision. well, do we take that risk, um, that he says no to this one, the only thing he has? or do we also think long term and think, well, he can keep looking and who knows? maybe he'll find something that he's really passionate about and it's gonna be great. it's gonna give him great references. and so, yeah, in the end, he did find, like, his dream position. it's actually on the on the website. i had to laugh at it said, like, we only work with humane projects. i'm like, there you go. and so yeah. but just having holding that uncertainty, right, in this case, as parents, there's no money involved. but holding that uncertainty and and say no to something is is really, really difficult and even more so if it brings in, you know, a certain amount of money. so, yeah.  Speaker 2: add on to the equation in my case that i am a sole widowed parent with a mortgage and a son, and i still sit on. yeah. i think for me, there's two things to keep into account, and this is an exercise that i always do when i feel that fear comes up and takes over because we start making fear based decisions.  Speaker 1: yeah.  Speaker 2: at that point, one, a lot of it has to do with trust the process, trust yourself, you will be fine, which already is a really hard one. but then if i notice, oh, there's a fear coming up, like, will i be able to pay my bills? will i this? i go back every single time to wait. what is the worst thing that can happen? mhmm. and in the end, if you start breaking it down, like, really breaking it down, kinda like, well, that no other project comes up, and then i'm gonna have to look for a job again and leave my business behind. that's not such a bad thing. so it kind of tones the risk down, and it gives me at least that's the trick i keep on doing. that's what i use when i moved countries every single time. it's like, what? wait. what's the worst that can happen?  Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. and then you realize that's the worst thing. it's like there's much worse things than that.  Speaker 2: exactly. yeah. and then you go ahead and you do it anyway. and, um, i have to say five years later, um, i'm very, very happy. i took that decision that day of saying no and and paving my way further on into the purpose  Speaker 1: one. yeah. because we're we're creating with every yes, we're creating an ecosystem for ourselves. right? and the minute you say yes to the wrong thing, well, that's the beginning of your ecosystem. and then more and more and more of these offerings will come your way, and soon enough, you're trapped in that thing. so yeah. so important. okay. so we have the the four quadrants. we have the compass, uh, and then you said, well, that's really the beginning of thinking about partnerships. so it's kind of like an analysis that you do before you step into partnership, um, mode. so once you have this awareness, what do we do next?  Speaker 2: well, there's a a couple of things because for me, um, it's not, oh, yeah. now i'm gonna find the partner and that was that. um, it's a bit slower than that. right. you've got certain phases as well, like, um, values that you need and need to figure out. now what i also say is i know people going into partnerships works best if you're already clear on your very own purpose, call it ikigai, whatever it is. if it's not, what i did learn very fast is kind of, well, it's actually by doing that you'll figure it out. you can go into, i don't know, how many online videos, um, and so on to figure it out, but it's also by doing an actual project that you figure things out. um, so the next one from there is kind of like, what are my principles? um, so there's actually five. there's trust. there's shared values. there's shared impact goals because if you go into a partnership, obviously, you need to make sure and i'm not talking money. i'm not talking just like, oh, profit is in is a goal. no. i'm talking beyond the money. like, what is it that the two of us want to gain out of this? yeah. profustrating, like, the balance of return. and then you mentioned it before the, um, the people that kind of go make a million dollars in three days. yeah. even though i talk about profit, this is not gonna happen in three days. right. so slow growth is is another one.  Speaker 1: yeah. i love that. so, uh, again, trust, shared values, shared impact goals, and shared impact goals, again, are bigger than just the project that we're creating. right? it's like, you know, what is this impacting in the world, the work that we're doing together?  Speaker 2: i think it's really important to know that because i've seen that partnership is yet another word that sometimes for me what it means. and when i speak about partnerships, it's actually all co creation mode. it's not you have your business. i have mine. let's collaborate. that's a collaboration. so all partnerships are collapse, but all collaborations are definitely not partnerships. a partnership for me goes deeper than that. it's kind of like, let's create a business or a project together. doesn't have to be a business, but it can be a project or something. but we co create this. like, we do this together. so hence, well, what are our shared impact goals then? and impact goals, again, for us, but also remembering purpose. what do we wanna reach? what's the impact we wanna create together on everybody else?  Speaker 1: yeah. i love the distinction you make between collabs and partnerships. i think there could probably be also collaborations with shared impact goals, but they're time restricted, where a partnership to me feels like more open  Speaker 2: long term.  Speaker 1: long term. right? yeah.  Speaker 2: yeah. yeah. definitely. yeah. no. definitely. i think in each and every collaboration, even, um, for me, for and then it comes on on the shared values. i very much know what my nonnegotiables are. and my nonnegotiables are so strong that i even do that when i accept a client. mhmm. um, so it's not just towards it's clients, collaborations, and partners. so it's actually everything. um, but, yes, for collaborations, that is also really important. yeah.  Speaker 1: i'm i'm actually collaborating right now with, uh, for my new program, uh, sell how to sell in 2026 and beyond with with this group expert, small group expert, uh, carrie dobson, and we're recording our collaboration prep. and in the last call, we, um, she took me through these questions on the collaboration. and one of them that i think is is good to add here is she asked me what are your concerns about this collaboration? right? what are you worried about for us working together? um, and i think it's so important to talk about that and, you know yeah. with vulnerability, speak about our fears. do they have to do with the ego? do they have to do with being worried about who knows what? but address that. and and and then it feels like, oh, we talk it's kinda like what's the worst thing that could happen. right? it's like, oh, here are the concerns. we talked about them, and now we can build, uh, on that.  Speaker 2: i think as well, um, what i've noticed as well is at times and i think the same thing happens with concerns. you think you know. you think before going into a partnership or a collab, you think you know what your nonnegotiable is and what your main concerns are until you go into partnerships. the only way to learn or collabs is do that.  Speaker 1: right.  Speaker 2: because you'll notice, like, oh, i thought this was actually my nonnegotiable, but this bugs me more or this upsets me more or this so you get to know a lot about yourself as well as a business owner or an entrepreneur or even a professional in general when you start collaborating.  Speaker 1: yeah. if anything, you grow yourself. maybe you won't grow your business with this one, but you grow yourself. and then you can apply next time. yeah.  Speaker 2: it's a really important one as well to allow yourself to make mistakes. it's fine from every single partnership. i've i've had partnerships that went totally wrong. i learned a lot from them. it was brilliant.  Speaker 1: yeah.  Speaker 2: very grateful for that thing going wrong. yeah. but that is  Speaker 1: i mean, we started out with a partnership and and or collab and and that specific small project, well, it didn't go so well. but where he's still here. you know,  Speaker 2: we're still collaborating. so yeah. exactly.  Speaker 1: so so what are some ways that people can test, um, partnerships? so maybe it is those collabs. is that the step the first step?  Speaker 2: yes. yeah. um, there's one recommendation i always do, um, and i get that it depends a little bit on on the type of business you have or, uh, the project you're working on. but if there's one recommend that's my way of testing it out a lot is co create a small event, however small it is. a webinar, uh, an online talk, a get together, it doesn't matter. just yeah. because when you set up an event, however small it is, actually, a lot of things are needed. like, what are the goals of this event? how are we going to promote this? um, who are we talking to? what's our audience? what what are we gonna get out of this, how are we gonna set up, what are the tools we're gonna use. um, all of that teaches you so much about one another. because when you set up an event, it's kind of like, oh, yeah. you're the techie one. i'm not. oh, you wanna have that audience? no. i was actually thinking of another audience, and that's where the difference has come up most definitely. like, for me, that's my go to to see, is this gonna work? let's test. and i think in a lot of businesses or or even for solopreneurs, it's actually very feasible to do that. everybody can do a webinar or something. and collaborating on that is an interesting exercise yeah. as a small test.  Speaker 1: and i i think you're right when you said, you know, when you asked people where they're at in the when you hosted that workshop in the community, they already knew who they are. yes. so that is very helpful to go into partnership. because if you are still at the stage where well, first of all, you haven't done any inner work, but you're also very new in your business. there's a lot of doubt. right? and so that's why i see most people go, oh, don't wanna do any collaborations. i'm not even sure what i can bring to this collaboration. so in a way, it's like, well, that's that's the challenge, though. it's like work on that because you will grow as as you are having these collaborations.  Speaker 2: when it comes to because we crossed over right into the alignment phase with the test, um, because, actually, there's stages to creating a partnership. um, so one, there's the principles you kind of need to think about in advance, but then for me, a lot of networking nowadays has a negative connotation. once again, i'm like, let's make it a positive one then. um, i'm not changing the words. i'll give it another connotation. in my case, yes, we put slow networking in front of it. um, the first step is you're solo. it's just you. start thinking about you, what do you want, those principles. and then you go into networking. now networking for me is very different than connecting. the word connection and connecting nowadays as well. hey. wanna connect with me? hey. wanna connect with me? mhmm.  Speaker 1: and then nothing happens. i made  Speaker 2: yeah. exactly. it's like, yeah. sure. let's be in touch because networking is just a first contact. it's, hi. this is me, and this is you. and then you can decide, do i go into creating a connection with that person where you start to get to know each other a bit more? you start nurturing the contact. that's when you start connecting. and then once you've connected enough, that's when i think you can well, that's when you can go into maybe we should cocreate something small. let's see. and that's the alignment phase. you need that before going into a full blown old partnership to check, like, is this right for us yeah. for the both. and then you step into a partnership, actually.  Speaker 1: yeah. yeah. yeah. that's good. you know, we we we're calling this episode, how can purposeful partnerships turn your passion into profit. so so far, we've talked a lot about purpose and partnership. let's talk about profit. so how where does the money come in? and, yes, we agree. okay. it's slow. um, but we do have to have this money conversation eventually. so when do we when do we have the do we start with the money conversation? and then, yeah, how can we turn our passion into profit?  Speaker 2: so for me, um, the partnerships is a vehicle to get to the profit for different reasons. lots of us are indeed solopreneurs or small businesses. um, so even more, in the purpose realm, lots of us feel alone. that's why there's so many communities. that's why your community exists. that's why mine exists. so there are so through a partnership, it has several advantages. it's not one plus one is two. it's one plus one is three. and that comes to the impact you're creating. that comes to the profit you're creating because you put your experience together. you put your audience together. you put so many things together that that then automatically makes you stronger. you strengthen one another. um, the money conversation obviously needs to be had because this is another thing people misunderstand lots of times. not every partnership is a fifty fifty when it comes to money. you can go into partnerships saying, this is a thirty seventy. whatever. it needs to feel right for you. that's the most important thing. and what i've seen, funnily enough, is also that i recommend very much partnering with people that might be passionate about totally different things work wise, like task wise than i am that you're complementary. so i love stuff marketing related. i hate the writing up reports type of things. and i co created a brand with somebody that doesn't really like the marketing side of things. but, yeah, more excited about the paperwork. that was a brilliant partnership because that was the one thing that i maybe couldn't always give to my clients, and he had that the other way around. so it's kind of like, let's combine this because we have shared impact, all shared values, and so on, and we complement one another. and that automatically led to a lot more profit because we were capable of doing certain projects together and have more reach, um, which automatically translates into. and i very much realized if i should have done this by myself, then either i need to pay somebody to kind of do this work for me, but i can't yet. so it's kind of like this it's just me. how do i tackle all this? so it strengthens you a lot, and and that's where the profit lies. i feel a lot of solopreneurs are just trying to do it all by themselves even though they're part of a community and so on. and it's kind of like, well, why don't you, like, create a partnership somehow? yeah. besides what you keep doing, which is perfectly fine. i mean, you can keep doing your own project, but it'll it'll really get you into into more profit.  Speaker 1: more profit. and and and maybe we can also say that profit is not always money. profit is also more time to be human, more joy because you're working with someone who is very aligned. um, what else? more fun. so, yeah, profit can take many, many different versions.  Speaker 2: more energy as well. i said, for me, it it's it's brilliant that there is somebody that absolutely loves reading these really, to me, boring reports and outlines that our clients sometimes ask, and and they're like, this is fun. and i'm like, yay.  Speaker 1: yeah. and and vice versa, they're like, oh, i can't understand how she thinks this other thing is fun. but exactly. exactly. that's why we're  Speaker 2: all different. so for me, that's priceless  Speaker 1: yeah. yeah.  Speaker 2: to be fair. because it's so and i think it's an important thing that people have to see in partnerships as well. it's it's yeah. what do you like doing that i might not like as much and the other way around? and is that compliment can we use that together? yeah. and it's amazing. goes beyond money, obviously. but for me, profit is also something i think this came about as well because i noticed so many solopreneurs in the purpose realm struggling with money or struggling with profit. one, i still feel due to limiting beliefs and the negative connotation money has in society as in the billionaires of this world are all bad people, and they're creating the wrong impact and so on. and i even myself heard myself saying lots of times in the beginning, like, just need to pay my bills and i'm fine and it's all good and, like, kind of down i don't know how to say that in english.  Speaker 1: yeah. play small. right? exactly. exactly. yeah.  Speaker 2: and then i came to the realization that that is not what i want. that, um, i feel the more money and more profit, and i'm just talking money wise. it's good to have all those add ons, obviously. the more impact i'll be able to create because that'll make it possible for me to hire people aligned with my values as well to maybe even invest in companies that are doing a really good job or help out solopreneurs. so there's so many things added to that. but for me, it's kind of like, let's talk about profit because it is important. we need to make profit. it's fine to make profit. it's fine even to make good money. it's fine.  Speaker 1: yeah. we need more good people make good money. right? exactly. the good people will always bring back the money to where we need it.  Speaker 2: i'm gonna use that, sarah. yeah. we need more money. good people making good money. yeah. i love that. yeah.  Speaker 1: i think that's a a nice quote to to wrap up here, but, um, i'm glad we we yeah. we need to talk about the money. so that that is just and i think i think it's part of that vulnerable conversation also at the beginning of a partnership, you know?  Speaker 2: yes.  Speaker 1: it's like, let's have this money conversation.  Speaker 2: so exactly.  Speaker 1: yeah. maybe as a as a final question, if someone, you know, has never worked either on a collab or a partnership, like, what's a what's an easy first step for them to to do?  Speaker 2: i think the the first one is if you're still remembering the phases. right? so low networking connection and so on. a lot of people are like, oh, so i need to get myself into the right room as a first step. yes and no because there's one before. take up your phone or your linkedin or whatever it is and see who's already there within your everybody has a network. don't tell me you don't have a network. everybody has a network, but you might feel that it's not the right network. but maybe there's someone in there that you can actually go to and talk and not as much as in to get in the networking or connection stage. if it's somebody that you feel might be aligned with you, then, yes, start connecting with them. start nurturing that connection. but if it's not, they might be connected. and i think a lot of people are scared to ask for introductions.  Speaker 1: yeah.  Speaker 2: and for me, a really important step is ask for an introduction. if somebody is already there that you know or you look up to and isn't that purpose realm and ask for an intro. if you see i do that all the time. if i see somebody's connected and i'm like, well, i i would love to connect with that person or get to know that person. and i ask. i'm like, could you possibly introduce me? yeah. and what's the worst can happen? they say no. yeah. that's fine. if that's not possible, then get yourself into the right room. and in my case, i didn't find the right room, so i basically created the right room yeah. which is also a possibility. yeah. you're like, well, the right room does not exist, and i'll just create it. and i started with the slow networking of it because for me, that was kind of like, let's start like this.  Speaker 1: yeah. nobody else is talking about that. so let me let me do it myself. yeah. yeah. i think it's it's it's so it's so key to, um, also, like you mentioned, connect with someone, but we can also just see, for example, what events are they attending. and and then, you know, kinda get into those events. and and then you're like, all of a sudden you notice, oh, there's many more of my people, and i'm not alone. yeah.  Speaker 2: it is exactly because, um, if you go on linkedin in the beginning, obviously, i came from the corporate world. so my linkedin was filled with maybe not my crowd or not exactly. and, funnily enough, the events that came up  Speaker 1: yeah. not the corporate team. right.  Speaker 2: then i started looking for them, and now it's a constant show up of things i could now it's kind of like, no. stop.  Speaker 1: there's too many. i can't attend them all. yeah.  Speaker 2: and, um, but that's that's how you do it.  Speaker 1: that's where  Speaker 2: where you start. and then even if it is because i i understand that there's a lot of introvert people as well for anybody listening. like, oh, i don't wanna then just join a webinar. mhmm. but going through the people that are there, and then afterwards connect with them on linkedin via message like, hey. i saw you in this webinar. would love to kind of stay in touch on here and start the conversation in writing.  Speaker 1: yeah. it's  Speaker 2: not always about showing up in person and having to speak face to face. there are other ways as well.  Speaker 1: yep. great. great ways to start collaborating more. i think it's really yeah. it's it's where we're heading. i can see that it's, you know, when you started, it was kinda like this new thing, but now you hear a lot more people talking about it, which is great, which is great. and and i think it goes together with knowing who you are because then you show up in partnership with your boundaries, with your, you know, with your clear expectations. and and that makes a really good partnership.  Speaker 2: exactly.  Speaker 1: yeah. great. uh, that was awesome. kim, please do share where people can find you. tell us about your community as well.  Speaker 2: um, i just launched and haven't really sent it to anybody, but i finally created a little small website, um, just with my name, kimdekoster.com. because everything about me is on there. like, all of my brands, the projects i'm involved in, i'm like, i need this little thing where everybody so that's one. great. and i think all the info is is  Speaker 1: is on  Speaker 2: that site. yeah. okay. is on that website, basically.  Speaker 1: well, maybe what you can do is send me, you know, the compass, if you can send me that, and i'll include that in the show notes. so in case people are like, i don't know what she's talking about, they can go and look  Speaker 2: it up. i will. yeah. i'll i'll take out that page because, um, by now, there's a playbook, obviously, as well. um, and so it comes with a little like, you can do the exercise by yourself. um, i'll take out that page and and send it over to her so people have that compass.  Speaker 1: yeah. that's great. and if they if they can download it on your website, well, that, you know, if you make that available, then let me know and i'll link to that as well.  Speaker 2: i will. perfect.  Speaker 1: thanks so much for being a guest, kim.  Speaker 2: thank you for having me, ovelyn. it was fun. thank you.  Speaker 1: thank you. 

Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom Session: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/ticket Subscribe to the podcast: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/subscribe Podcast show notes, links and transcript: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/  This episode, I'm joined by Dr Jan Eppingstall to talk about why so many of us who hoard struggle to trust our future selves to cope without keeping everything “just in case.” We get into how doubts about our own resourcefulness and fears about scarcity keep us stuck, and share practical ways to build confidence in our ability to handle whatever comes next. If you've ever worried you won't manage without every single spare part or backup item, this conversation's for you. Trusting Our Future Selves to Be Resourceful The psychological struggle of believing in one's ability to cope without keeping everything Personal anecdotes from the host about surprise resourcefulness Exploration of cognitive distortions surrounding trust in future adaptability Resourcefulness in Hoarding Behaviour Contradiction: Resourceful justifications for keeping items vs. fear of not being resourceful if they're discarded The role of loss aversion and catastrophic scarcity thinking Imagining multiple uses for broken items versus inability to visualise coping without them The ‘Just in Case' Myth Reading and analysis of Ru Kotryna's Instagram post on ‘just in case' keeping Discussion of how this reflects distrust in future self Emotional impacts: fear of change, sufficiency, and facing the future without backup How Distrust in Future Selves Manifests in Hoarding ‘Insurance hoarding' and duplicate/back-up keeping Information hoarding for fear of forgetting needed details Emotional insecurity and sense of powerlessness Host's personal examples (nature as a self-soothing tool and fear of its impermanence) Navigating Ephemerality and Change Conversation about the fleeting nature of things and the difficulty in accepting impermanence Reflection on attempts to freeze time by hoarding Behaviours and Thoughts Stemming from Lack of Self-Trust Executive function issues (planning, organisation, working memory) Trauma and past experiences of genuine scarcity Shame and immediate anxiety-reduction through keeping Avoidance and ‘comfort objects' as safety strategies Psychological Mechanisms Behind ‘I Don't Trust Future Me' Discontinuity between current and future self Impact of ADHD and perimenopause on executive functioning and time perception Cognitive gaps between imagining needs and recalling/locating stored things Irony of ‘preparedness' leading to greater unpreparedness Building Trust in Future Resourcefulness The value of journalling resourceful moments Small experiments: let go of duplicates and record how needs are met afterward Reviewing past examples of having coped or improvised successfully Consumerism and the Illusion of Solutions Attraction to gadgets and solutions for perceived problems The sunk cost fallacy and struggles to let go Owning up to aspirational or impulse purchases and being flexible in letting go if they don't work Scarcity Thinking and Its Long-Term Effects Personal stories of genuine scarcity and the enduring fear it creates How fear of not having enough directs attention to objects as solutions, rather than inner resourcefulness Difficulty breaking the object-focused habit even after circumstances change Breaking the Pattern: Psychological Approaches in Therapy Building evidence of existing skills and resourcefulness Addressing deeper self-worth issues and messages from childhood The importance of social connections, seeking help, and curiosity The Power and Pitfall of Backup Systems Possessions as emotional and practical backup Drawback: Items often become inaccessible or forgotten The paradox of keeping as “preparation” that often fails in practice due to volume and executive dysfunction Strengthening Connection with Future Self Using ACT techniques and self-compassion Treating your future self like a friend and planning for their needs Internal monologues about preparing spaces and making life easier for future-you Alternative Pathways to Security and Preparedness Community and social resource sharing (borrowing, lending among friends/family) Developing adaptability, self-confidence, and skills rather than accumulating more items Experimenting with minimalism and embracing uncertainty Actionable Steps for Building Trust in Resourcefulness Saying “I'll figure it out when I need to” Experimenting with running out of non-critical supplies Documenting and reflecting on resourceful problem-solving Letting go of low-risk items and noticing outcomes The reminder that listeners have survived all past problems resourcefully Encouragement to recognise and trust personal growth and capabilities Emphasis on learning, adaptability, and present-focused living Links The Ru Kotryna Instagram post that inspired this episode Podcast ep 183: ADHD, executive dysfunction and creating hacks and systems to reduce clutter chaos, with Carrie Lagerstedt Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom session: Accountability Booking Form Dr Jan Eppingstall at Stuffology https://www.facebook.com/stuffologyconsulting/ https://twitter.com/stuff_ology https://www.instagram.com/stuff_ology/ Dr Jan Eppingstall on Pinterest Website: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding Become a Dehoarding Darling Submit a topic for the podcast to cover Questions to ask when dehoarding: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/podquestions Instagram: @thathoarderpodcast Twitter: @ThatHoarder Mastodon: @ThatHoarder@mastodon.online TikTok: @thathoarderpodcast Facebook: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder Pinterest: That Hoarder YouTube: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder Reddit: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder subreddit Help out: Support this project Sponsor the podcast Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to the podcast here

In episode 290 of China Manufacturing Decoded, Renaud Anjoran is back and joins Adrian to explore seven common pitfalls that can derail manufacturing projects during the critical transition from prototype to production. A working prototype may look and feel like the final product, but moving from prototype to mass production is a far more complex journey than most teams expect. From premature tooling to unreliable crowdfunding campaigns, missing test plans, and skipped pilot runs, these mistakes can cost enormous time, money, and credibility if not handled correctly.   Episode Sections: 01:19 – Why moving from prototype to production is more complex than expected 04:26 – The analogy of the factory as “a big 3D printer” and why it's wrong 05:42 – Preview of 7 pitfalls discussed in this episode 05:56 – Pitfall #1: Confirming a product design that isn't ready for mass manufacturing 10:02 – Pitfall #2: Going for tooling before the product design is frozen 13:40 – Pitfall #3: Running a Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaign too early 19:33 – Pitfall #4: Crowdfunding with no margin (and the debt it creates) 23:30 – Pitfall #5: Not preparing a test plan for performance and reliability 27:29 – Pitfall #6: Skipping pilot runs before mass production 30:07 – Pitfall #7: Failing to have the manufacturer sign a development/manufacturing contract 36:01 – Recap of all 7 pitfalls and final thoughts   Related content... The New Product Introduction Process Guide Product Tooling: Possible To Avoid Paying for it in Full?  Crowdfunding Failures: 4 Great Prototypes That Failed To Launch  Prototype, Patent, then Market: A Misguided Concept  Avoid Sending Immature Product Designs to a Chinese Manufacturer! How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products Why A Pilot Run On A New Product, Before Mass Production, Is Very Helpful How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP   Get in touch with us Connect with us on LinkedIn Contact us via Sofeast's contact page Subscribe to our YouTube channel Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB

Podcast Description In this episode of School Owner Talk, Duane Brumitt and Allie Alberigo sit down with Gus Lopez of Lead Hunter Media to uncover the three biggest pitfalls martial arts school owners make with their marketing—and how AI can help solve them. From struggling with poor lead quality to failing at consistent follow-up, this conversation highlights the gaps that prevent schools from growing—and introduces practical, AI-driven solutions that school owners can implement right away. Whether you're stuck in “paralysis of analysis,” just coasting with mediocre results, or ready to dial in your marketing systems, this episode provides insights that will help you generate better leads, increase show-up rates, and maximize your enrollment process. Key Takeaways School owners fall into three categories: Level 1 – Do nothing (paralyzed by indecision). Level 2 – Do something, but without systems or tracking. Level 3 – Optimize everything with the right systems and support. Pitfall #1: Lead Quality. Many schools rely on Facebook lead forms that produce junk contacts. Using dedicated sales funnels that require people to manually enter their info increases commitment and filters out bad leads. Pitfall #2: Follow-Up. Most schools fail to follow up effectively. Leads often come in after hours, and without a system, they go cold. AI follow-up solves this by responding instantly, 24/7, with personalized answers and booking links. Pitfall #3: No-Shows. Even booked trials often fail to show. Having a small prepay system ($5–$20) dramatically increases show-up rates to 90%+. Bonus Pitfall: Sales Process. Even with great leads, some schools struggle to close. Without a structured, tested sales process, school owners miss opportunities and leave money on the table. Action Steps for School Owners Audit Your Current Leads. Check whether you're using forms that just “look” like they're generating leads—or whether they're actually converting into conversations. Implement AI Follow-Up. Use an AI system that responds immediately with real answers and booking prompts. This saves 10–20 hours a week and boosts show rates. Introduce Prepay Trials. Even a nominal prepay eliminates no-shows and ensures more committed prospects. Refine Your Sales Process. Don't stop at getting people in the door—make sure your process closes the deal. Invest in training, scripts, and systems. Track Your Numbers. Booking rate, show-up rate, and close rate are key metrics. If you're not tracking them, you can't improve them. Additional Resources Mentioned Lead Hunter Media – Gus Lopez's agency specializing in martial arts marketing with AI-powered systems. Visit Lead Hunter Media (or Google “Lead Hunter Media”). School Owner Talk Podcast Archive – Past episodes with Gus on summer marketing, retention, and AI systems. Books Referenced: Atomic Habits by James Clear and Grant Cardone Sales University were discussed as resources for building better systems and mindset.

Discover what every successful leader must remember to keep being successful

Ep.306 Join Gabriel Shahin, CFP® and host of More Knowledge, More Wealth, as he unpacks the high-risk reality of options trading, a strategy that often promises quick gains but rarely leads to long-term wealth.Here's what you'll learn:→ Why options trading is more of a gamble than a sustainable growth strategy→ How options actually work, from calls and puts to leverage and timeframes→ The difference between amateur traders chasing speculative gains and sophisticated investors using options for protection→ How billionaires like Jeff Bezos use options to hedge risk and reduce taxes, rather than to gamble on overnight fortunes→ Why focusing on authentic financial goals is more powerful than chasing social media bragging rightsThis episode will challenge common misconceptions about options and give you a clearer path toward building a resilient financial future.

In this one, Eddie and Jerry break down why they aren't into Tron even though they always try, talk Cocoon, Short Circuit, the amazing G.I. Joe Classified toy line and so much more... enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's certainly not a new topic to the ClayTrader world, but it's a topic that I'm not sure can ever be talked about too often. Good ole' demo trading is one of the more complicated dynamics in all of trading. I think this is because there are so many different angles and considerations that need to be made in regards to its actual value. As the years continue to pass me by and I hear more and more stories from traders, I've begun to get a bit more solid in my current position on the topic. While I'm not saying I am 100% right, what I'm quite confident in claiming is that more times than not “demo trading” is a total pitfall for traders. How so? What are the solutions around this problem? Let's discuss! 

Teaching private yoga can be enormously fulfilling, but it also has the potential to create a whole new set of challenges for teachers. In this episode, host Rachel Land speaks with returning guest Elena Cheung about the pitfalls of private yoga sessions and some potential ways to avoid them. We discuss how to set student expectations early, manage anxiety regarding that first session, and offer tips on setting boundaries, taking payment, and setting cancellation policies. Listen in to learn how to navigate the pitfalls of private yoga like a pro, and find your niche. — Show Notes: Positives of private yoga [2:08] Pitfall #1: Scheduling and admin time [9:38] Pitfall #2: The unstructured unknown of the first session [12:08] Pitfall #3: Research and planning time [19:08] Pitfall #4: Cancellations and no-shows [24:55] Pitfall #5: Homework that works [28:31] Pitfall #6: Uncertainty whether you'll be able to help [35:34] Pitfall #7: Blurry boundaries [41:38] Pitfall #8: Mismatched expectations; find your niche [50:15] Final takeaways [54:20] — Links Mentioned: Watch this episode on YouTube Previous Yoga Medicine Podcast Episodes: Episode 109: Teaching Yoga One-on-One Episode 74: Yoga for All The Art of Teaching Impactful Group Classes Online Course For those left hanging by the podcast, the left hemisphere of the brain is generally associated with analytical thinking, logic, and language, while the right is linked to intuition, creativity, and spatial awareness. Connect with Elena Cheung: Instagram | Elena Shapeshifts | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-141. And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com. To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Insert Credit nominates and celebrates the greatest, most influential, and most personally beloved game development studios of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. View the finalized list at insertcredit.com! Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: “Now bear my game podcast!” ICOM Simulations Video Game History Foundation Divorce Other Ocean Demonschool Chuck Mangione Flugelhorn Feels So Good ‘King of the Hill' Reboot Ozzy Osbourne 1: Brandon's First Pick (08:00) Human Entertainment Roger Corman Fantastic Four (1994) Albert Pyun Alien (1979) Francis Ford Coppola Sandlot Earth Defense Force series Spike Chunsoft Nude Maker Grasshopper Manufacture Fire Pro Wrestling series Formation Soccer series Human Grand Prix series Mizzurna Falls Grand Theft Auto III Deadly Premonition Clock Tower series Twilight Syndrome series The Firemen series Suda51 Mechanized Attack 2: Ash's First Pick (12:29) Aggro Crab Games Going Under Another Crab's Treasure Cult of the Lamb Devolver Digital Peak 3: Frank's First Pick (14:59) Bobby Kotick Activision Atari H.E.R.O. Pitfall! Barnstorming Electronic Arts David Crane 4: Brandon's Second Pick (19:05) Taito Space Invaders Cadash Growl Darius Night Striker Sega Saturn Darius Gaiden Elevator Action Returns Landmaker Layer Section Cleopatra Fortune Bubble Bobble Puzzle Bobble Lufia Densha De Go Battle Gear Gunbuster Bujingai: The Forsaken City 10,000 Bullets Spac3 Invaders Extr3me Groove Coaster Square Enix Gunslinger Stratos Taiko no Tatsujin Bandai Namco Entertainment Nintendo Entertainment System Retronauts Operation Wolf 5: Ash's Second Pick (24:39) Kaizen Game Works Paradise Killer Neon White Promise Mascot Agency Ben Esposito Donut County Oli Clarke-Smith forums.insertcredit.com 6: Frank's Second Pick (28:23) Nintendo Hanafuda Super Mario Bros. Satoru Iwata Wii Music Nintendo Labo Donkey Kong Bananza John Romero Konami Microsoft Sony Ubisoft The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Animal Crossing 7: Brandon's Third Pick (34:43) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Red Entertainment NEC Hudson Soft Bonk's Adventure Tengai Makyō: Ziria Ryuichi Sakamoto Gate of Thunder Galaxy Fräulein Yuna series Sakura Taisen Tempo Nostalgia 8: Ash's Third Pick (37:56) Eidos Tomb Raider series Sega Game Gear Nintendo Game Boy Color Sony PlayStation Ms. Pac-Man Mortal Kombat Street Fighter Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Angelina Jolie Embracer Group Core Design Bubba ‘N' Stix Wonder Dog Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck Impossamole Herdy Gerdy Swagman 9: Frank's Third Pick (41:24) Monty Python's Flying Circus Dynamite Düx Fighting Force Soulstar Rocksteady Arkham Knight Batman: Arkham series Call of Duty series Batman Marvel Spider-Man series Joker Mark Hamill Slipstream (1989) Batman: the Animated Series Urban Chaos Chao Garden Sonic Adventure 2 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Batman: Arkham VR Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) 10: Brandon's Fourth Pick (48:49) Compile Puyo Puyo Aleste Zanac Devil's Crush M.U.S.H.A. Disk Station series MSX Alien Crush Blazing Lazers Gun-Nac 11: Ash's Fourth Pick (52:52) Enix King's Knight Chrono series Final Fantasy series Kingdom Hearts series Yuji Hori Akira Toriyama Dragon Quest series Racing Lagoon Einhänder Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring Tobal series Harvestella Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Game of Thrones 12: Frank's Fourth Pick (57:01) LucasArts The Secret of Monkey Island George Lucas SCUMM Backyard Baseball Ron Gilbert Wadjet Eye Games Star Wars (1977) Amanda Lucas 13: Brandon's Fifth Pick (01:02:23) SNK Neo Geo Capcom Metal Slug Data East Bally Midway WonderSwan Fantasy Donkey Kong Sasuke vs Commander Naruto Ikari Warriors Samurai Shodown 14: Ash's Fifth Pick (01:08:27) Sega Atlus Sonic the Hedgehog series Sega Dreamcast Persona series Metaphor: ReFantazio Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza universe Sega Genesis Sega Saturn Super Monkey Ball series Shin Megami Tensei series TurboGrafx-16 Super Nintendo Entertainment System 15: Frank's Fifth Pick (01:16:24) Evening Star Penny's Big Breakaway Sonic Mania Superman (2025) Sonic X Shadow Generations Freedom Planet 16: Brandon's Sixth Pick (01:21:06) Bandai Namco Shadow Labrynth Pac-Man Secret Level Concord Ridge Racer series OutRun Galaxian3: Project Dragoon Katamari Damacy Rolling Thunder 3 The Outfoxies Tekken Image Comics Namco Museum series 17: Ash's Sixth Pick (01:27:40) PlatinumGames Bayonetta Vanquish Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance NieR: Automata NieR MadWorld Grasshopper Manufacture Killer7 Lollipop Chainsaw No More Heroes Van Wilder (2002) Babylon's Fall Greensboro Grasshoppers Infinite Space Ninja Gaiden series Mass Effect series 18: Frank's Sixth Pick (01:32:20) Harmonix Rock Band Guitar Hero Fortnite The Osbournes Chroma 19: Brandon's Seventh Pick (01:37:27) Hudson Soft Cavia Bullet Witch The Bouncer Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Drakengard Military Madness Neutopia Bomberman Adventure Island Momotarō Dentetsu Star Soldier Ninja Five-O Nihon Falcom Ys: Book I & II Fighting Street Nintendo Switch HAL Laboratory Hello Kitty 20: Ash's Seventh Pick (01:43:34) BioWare Dragon Age series Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Alistair 21: Frank's Seventh Pick (01:50:52) Kirby series Mother series Sunsoft Batman: The Video Game Fester's Quest Blaster Master Gremlins 2: The New Batch Ufouria: The Saga Mr. Gimmick The Pirates of Dark Water Batman: Return of the Joker Celebrated Mentions (01:55:14) Fill-in-Cafe Asuka 120% series Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force Panzer Dragoon Panzer Bandit Treasure Gunstar Heroes Dynamite Headdy Light Crusader Silhouette Mirage Sin & Punishment McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure Radiant Silvergun Ikaruga Bangai-O Vic Tokai Psycho Fox Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibōken DEcapAttack Battle Mania series Socket Nihon Telnet Valis Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Cosmic Fantasy series Tenshi no Uta series Wolf Team Tales series Wild Arms Irem R-Type Ninja Spirit Undercover Cops In the Hunt R-Type Final Raw Danger! Steambot Chronicles Granzella Data East FACE Ys series Trails in the Sky series GAU Entertainment Rain Jerks Crusader of Centy Flight-Plan Camelot Traveller's Tales Clockwork Tortise Alpha System NEC Avenue Sacnoth Koudelka Shadow Hearts Supergiant Blizzard World of WarCraft The Adventures of Batman & Robin Sludge metal Wolverine Grime music X-Women Doom metal Ranking Nominees (02:03:35) This week's Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. To submit your own horrible buzzer, send an original recording no longer than two seconds in mp3 or wav format to show@insertcredit.com, and maybe we'll use it on the show! Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Insert Credit nominates and celebrates the greatest, most influential, and most personally beloved game development studios of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. View the finalized list at insertcredit.com! Watch episodes with full video on YouTube Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums SHOW NOTES: “Now bear my game podcast!” ICOM Simulations Video Game History Foundation Divorce Other Ocean Demonschool Chuck Mangione Flugelhorn Feels So Good ‘King of the Hill' Reboot Ozzy Osbourne 1: Brandon's First Pick (08:00) Human Entertainment Roger Corman Fantastic Four (1994) Albert Pyun Alien (1979) Francis Ford Coppola Sandlot Earth Defense Force series Spike Chunsoft Nude Maker Grasshopper Manufacture Fire Pro Wrestling series Formation Soccer series Human Grand Prix series Mizzurna Falls Grand Theft Auto III Deadly Premonition Clock Tower series Twilight Syndrome series The Firemen series Suda51 Mechanized Attack 2: Ash's First Pick (12:29) Aggro Crab Games Going Under Another Crab's Treasure Cult of the Lamb Devolver Digital Peak 3: Frank's First Pick (14:59) Bobby Kotick Activision Atari H.E.R.O. Pitfall! Barnstorming Electronic Arts David Crane 4: Brandon's Second Pick (19:05) Taito Space Invaders Cadash Growl Darius Night Striker Sega Saturn Darius Gaiden Elevator Action Returns Landmaker Layer Section Cleopatra Fortune Bubble Bobble Puzzle Bobble Lufia Densha De Go Battle Gear Gunbuster Bujingai: The Forsaken City 10,000 Bullets Spac3 Invaders Extr3me Groove Coaster Square Enix Gunslinger Stratos Taiko no Tatsujin Bandai Namco Entertainment Nintendo Entertainment System Retronauts Operation Wolf 5: Ash's Second Pick (24:39) Kaizen Game Works Paradise Killer Neon White Promise Mascot Agency Ben Esposito Donut County Oli Clarke-Smith forums.insertcredit.com 6: Frank's Second Pick (28:23) Nintendo Hanafuda Super Mario Bros. Satoru Iwata Wii Music Nintendo Labo Donkey Kong Bananza John Romero Konami Microsoft Sony Ubisoft The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Animal Crossing 7: Brandon's Third Pick (34:43) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Red Entertainment NEC Hudson Soft Bonk's Adventure Tengai Makyō: Ziria Ryuichi Sakamoto Gate of Thunder Galaxy Fräulein Yuna series Sakura Taisen Tempo Nostalgia 8: Ash's Third Pick (37:56) Eidos Tomb Raider series Sega Game Gear Nintendo Game Boy Color Sony PlayStation Ms. Pac-Man Mortal Kombat Street Fighter Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Angelina Jolie Embracer Group Core Design Bubba ‘N' Stix Wonder Dog Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck Impossamole Herdy Gerdy Swagman 9: Frank's Third Pick (41:24) Monty Python's Flying Circus Dynamite Düx Fighting Force Soulstar Rocksteady Arkham Knight Batman: Arkham series Call of Duty series Batman Marvel Spider-Man series Joker Mark Hamill Slipstream (1989) Batman: the Animated Series Urban Chaos Chao Garden Sonic Adventure 2 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Batman: Arkham VR Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) 10: Brandon's Fourth Pick (48:49) Compile Puyo Puyo Aleste Zanac Devil's Crush M.U.S.H.A. Disk Station series MSX Alien Crush Blazing Lazers Gun-Nac 11: Ash's Fourth Pick (52:52) Enix King's Knight Chrono series Final Fantasy series Kingdom Hearts series Yuji Hori Akira Toriyama Dragon Quest series Racing Lagoon Einhänder Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring Tobal series Harvestella Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Game of Thrones 12: Frank's Fourth Pick (57:01) LucasArts The Secret of Monkey Island George Lucas SCUMM Backyard Baseball Ron Gilbert Wadjet Eye Games Star Wars (1977) Amanda Lucas 13: Brandon's Fifth Pick (01:02:23) SNK Neo Geo Capcom Metal Slug Data East Bally Midway WonderSwan Fantasy Donkey Kong Sasuke vs Commander Naruto Ikari Warriors Samurai Shodown 14: Ash's Fifth Pick (01:08:27) Sega Atlus Sonic the Hedgehog series Sega Dreamcast Persona series Metaphor: ReFantazio Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza universe Sega Genesis Sega Saturn Super Monkey Ball series Shin Megami Tensei series TurboGrafx-16 Super Nintendo Entertainment System 15: Frank's Fifth Pick (01:16:24) Evening Star Penny's Big Breakaway Sonic Mania Superman (2025) Sonic X Shadow Generations Freedom Planet 16: Brandon's Sixth Pick (01:21:06) Bandai Namco Shadow Labrynth Pac-Man Secret Level Concord Ridge Racer series OutRun Galaxian3: Project Dragoon Katamari Damacy Rolling Thunder 3 The Outfoxies Tekken Image Comics Namco Museum series 17: Ash's Sixth Pick (01:27:40) PlatinumGames Bayonetta Vanquish Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance NieR: Automata NieR MadWorld Grasshopper Manufacture Killer7 Lollipop Chainsaw No More Heroes Van Wilder (2002) Babylon's Fall Greensboro Grasshoppers Infinite Space Ninja Gaiden series Mass Effect series 18: Frank's Sixth Pick (01:32:20) Harmonix Rock Band Guitar Hero Fortnite The Osbournes Chroma 19: Brandon's Seventh Pick (01:37:27) Hudson Soft Cavia Bullet Witch The Bouncer Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Drakengard Military Madness Neutopia Bomberman Adventure Island Momotarō Dentetsu Star Soldier Ninja Five-O Nihon Falcom Ys: Book I & II Fighting Street Nintendo Switch HAL Laboratory Hello Kitty 20: Ash's Seventh Pick (01:43:34) BioWare Dragon Age series Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Alistair 21: Frank's Seventh Pick (01:50:52) Kirby series Mother series Sunsoft Batman: The Video Game Fester's Quest Blaster Master Gremlins 2: The New Batch Ufouria: The Saga Mr. Gimmick The Pirates of Dark Water Batman: Return of the Joker Celebrated Mentions (01:55:14) Fill-in-Cafe Asuka 120% series Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force Panzer Dragoon Panzer Bandit Treasure Gunstar Heroes Dynamite Headdy Light Crusader Silhouette Mirage Sin & Punishment McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure Radiant Silvergun Ikaruga Bangai-O Vic Tokai Psycho Fox Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibōken DEcapAttack Battle Mania series Socket Nihon Telnet Valis Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Cosmic Fantasy series Tenshi no Uta series Wolf Team Tales series Wild Arms Irem R-Type Ninja Spirit Undercover Cops In the Hunt R-Type Final Raw Danger! Steambot Chronicles Granzella Data East FACE Ys series Trails in the Sky series GAU Entertainment Rain Jerks Crusader of Centy Flight-Plan Camelot Traveller's Tales Clockwork Tortise Alpha System NEC Avenue Sacnoth Koudelka Shadow Hearts Supergiant Blizzard World of WarCraft The Adventures of Batman & Robin Sludge metal Wolverine Grime music X-Women Doom metal Ranking Nominees (02:03:35) This week's Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. To submit your own horrible buzzer, send an original recording no longer than two seconds in mp3 or wav format to show@insertcredit.com, and maybe we'll use it on the show! Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Have you ever felt the urge to jump into a “hot” stock or mutual fund after seeing it dominate the headlines? You're not alone, and that instinct is exactly what this episode is all about. President and Senior Financial Planner, Paul Moffat, and co-host, Director of Financial Planning, Jordan Naffa,break down why chasing past performance is one of the most common and costly mistakes investors make.In this episode, you'll learn:Why media hype can cloud your investment decisionsHistorical data on how top-performing companies often underperform after gaining popularityHow diversification across global markets helps mitigate risk and capture long-term gainsWhy a slow and steady approach tends to outperform emotional, reaction-based investingWhat a surprising Fidelity study reveals about the best-performing investorsIf you have any questions, call the Arista Wealth Management office located in Las Vegas, NV at 702-309-9970Connect with Arista Wealth:Website: https://www.aristawealth.comEmail: support@aristawealth.comCall our office: 702-309-9970The opinions expressed in this podcast are for general purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. It is not intended to provide tax or legal advice. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital: please seek advice from a licensed professional.Arista Wealth Management is a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where our firm and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Arista Wealth Management unless a client service agreement is in place.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. 

In this episode, we ask: Who will you become? Do you or your loved ones have a TSP or Thrift Savings Plan? Who is Amanda Neely? Would you like to hear Episode 113 or Episode 362? What has Amanda learned as an author? What about joy and peace? What did Amanda discover? Do I need...

Click here to read the episode highlights.   The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.    The 5 Pitfalls are descending steps. One step connects to another with predictable effects.    Some leaders have referred to the descent as a “chain reaction.”    The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things.  To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose.    These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one finds freedom from them.   People Become Things Leaders enter the world of doing good because they wish the pain of the world to be treated, bettered, or healed.    However, as the leader slips into the pitfalls:  the people that the leader wishes to serve become burdensome objects that have to be dealt with the people that the leader works with become objects that have to be manipulated his/her family members become burdensome objects of needs that have to be met the leader who originally planned to benefit others reaches a significant crisis point they must move into neediness as human beings or fade into despair as “human doings.”   The leader whose worth is trapped in work, and whose performance is valued more than their presence shows symptoms of people becoming things   They experience “feeling drained” of the passion or energy that had compelled them in the beginning.    Whether slowly or rapidly, the leader becomes restless, irritable, and discontent.   Indicators of restlessness and irritable can be overt or covert, but the symptoms are “known” to the leader, but not accurately taken responsibility for.    Compulsivity takes over for “being compelled.” Blame, projection onto others, and denial are hallmarks of the impaired leader at Pitfall #3.   *The family is usually affected first and foremost, before the signs are noted by others who the leader influences.   In the name of loyalty the family members begin to take on feelings of “self-blame” and toxic shame that comes with the leader's self-negligence.   Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.   The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.    The Pitfalls are descending steps, one connects to the other with predictable effects.    Some leaders have referred to the descent as a “chain reaction.”    This descent can be stopped at any time, with an intervention from others who the leader listens and healthily responds to, or a cry out from the leader in descent who is heard and responded to by others.    The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things.  To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose.    These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one is freed from them.    Pitfall #2: Performance Begins to be Valued More than One's Presence: When a leader's primary personal value is associated with performance, they become someone they are not—"human doings.”    To be present means to be able to present the truth of our inner selves as human beings to others.  Presence is the ability to speak the feelings, needs, desire, longings, and hopes of one's own heart.    People who are actively present can be “in need” and be led.    Performers develop contempt for their neediness. They also eventually develop secret contempt and fear towards the needs of others because they see others as the ones who demand that they perform.    The “ease” of being one's true self is lost in the “dis-ease” or stress of believing that one is only valuable for their performance.   People who are performers can be driven by anxiety A leader who believes that their performance matters more than their personal presence is actually driven by anxiety, more than they are compelled by inspiration or mission/calling.   These performers: compete and compare, more than they are called and compelled tragically believe that they are only measured by their last mistake, or the mistakes they haven't made yet have pride and arrogance, rooted in toxic shame, can drive the leader away from being in need   A leader is expected to be effective and productive  A leader is expected to perform and meet the needs of those they are on mission to help, which is good. However, every leader needs a place to go where they can honestly share their own needs, without toxic shame, and where others can do the same.    Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

(1:40) – Pat and Denny take issue with an under-discussed moment in Game 2 of the NBA Finals(5:20) – Top Headlines: Texans sign Nick Chubb, Jaxon-Smith Njigba reportedly to lineup outside more in 2025(18:00) – More News & Notes: Play action impact on Aaron Rodgers-DK Metcalf connection, Liam Coen continues to praise Trevor Lawrence(29:25) – Other Items of Intrigue: Jaylen Wright preps for sophomore season, Ravens extend Rashod Bateman(35:55) – Mid-Round WR Values, Pt. 1: Calvin Ridley and Khalil Shakir(43:45) – Mid-Round WR Values, Pt. 2: Josh Downs, Jakobi Meyers, and Luther Burden III

Still searching for the perfect program to fix your fitness? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, strength coaches Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson expose why the “one right plan” mindset is keeping lifters stuck. They break down how perfectionism, rigid programming, and unrealistic expectations sabotage long-term progress—and share smarter, more sustainable ways to train for strength, health, and life. Whether you're burned out, frustrated, or just tired of starting over, this episode will help you trade pressure for progress.

This episode tackles overcoming the 3 big training pitfalls that silently sabotage lifters: mindless snacking, all-or-nothing thinking, and poor boundaries. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson break it down with practical tips, real-life stories, and strategies that actually work for strength, longevity, and real-life training.