Curt and Melody are wrestling with what “normal” even means anymore.. especially for Gen X business owners living through the AI revolution. If you’ve ever wondered whether tech is actually making life easier or just making you feel like you’re always chasing your tail, this one’s for you. They dig into overwhelm, nostalgia, adaptability, and...
Ever wonder what really happens when workaholism, family expectations, and a purpose-driven heart collide? In this episode, Melody and Curt dig into the reality of entrepreneurship with Michael Hinderliter—aka the “power wash guy”—who’s lived through business reinvention, divorce, and the very human challenge of not losing yourself (or your mind) along the way. What We...
Mental health is one of those things entrepreneurs love to ignore, but it sneaks up on all of us (usually in the form of workaholism, anxiety, or quarter-life crises… that somehow become annual). In this part 3 episode with Bobby Walker, Curt & Melody share about their own struggles, childhood trauma, religious dogma, and the ways business ownership can both help and hurt your brain. If you’ve ever felt like you’re rolling a boulder uphill or hiding your symptoms behind “just working really hard,” this conversation is for you. What They Talk About: Why Melody thinks workaholism is basically a generational sickness (and also the only way to survive entrepreneurship) The story about Bobby Walker realizing he was “depressed”.. months into not being able to get out of bed Curt’s framework for how religion shaped his view of mental health (and how the paradigm crumbled) Why “Rub some dirt on it!” was the emotional regulation lesson of the ’80s/’90s The false idea that business success equals happiness (and how the next big win is always… less satisfying than you hoped) How trauma, dissociation, and ADHD show up as secret weapons (and sometimes landmines) in business Melody’s perspective on why female entrepreneurs carry extra guilt, even when they’re supporting their families The importance of moving from sympathy (thinking “that must be hard”) to real empathy (“this is what it feels like, and it changes how I lead”) Key Takeaways: Self-awareness is the first step, but you have to actually want to look inward otherwise you’ll just keep distracting yourself with work or goals “Doing it for my family” can become an excuse for avoiding real healing and perpetuating unhealthy cycles Empathy (not just sympathy) changes how you show up for your team, your customers, and yourself.. even if it takes a few decades and a lot of therapy to get there Powerful stuff (business, habits, trauma) can build roadways or blow things up—it’s about how you wield it Entrepreneurship doesn’t automatically make you “better”—it just reveals what you haven’t dealt with yet Here’s the link about the addiction bird Curt mentioned about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUngLgGRJpo Timestamps: 0:00 – Childhood lessons on ignoring pain 7:00 – Emotional regulation and “rub some dirt on it” 18:00 – Religion vs. mental health 28:00 – When the paradigm breaks down 41:00 – Workaholism, cycles, and entrepreneur guilt 54:00 – Self-awareness, acceptance, and juggling family vs. business
Entrepreneurs love the thrill of chasing the unknown or do they actually crave certainty and stability more than they’d admit? In this episode, Melody and Curt spiral through the chaos, uncertainty, and optimism that seem baked into business ownership. It’s a closer look at why we white-knuckle through unpredictability, and whether being “addicted to uncertainty”...
Sometimes you just have a “blah” day and if you’re an entrepreneur, the pressure to stay “on” can make you question everything. This episode is the business owner’s confessional: Melody admits she’s feeling stuck and a little sun-starved, and Curt brings stories of finding creative flow and how wisdom (or sometimes, exhaustion) shapes what actually...
Ever felt like your faith got you into business and then one day, it didn’t fit anymore? In this head-spinning, raw, and sometimes hilarious episode, Curt sits down with Bobby Walker (for round two!) to peel back the story of deconversion: from zealous Pentecostal minister to proud atheist, with marriage, business, and “the dark night...
Curt and Melody bring on Bobby Walker for the ultimate “what actually happens when you go from devout faith to atheism AND still try to build a purposeful business?” episode. Imagine three close friends debating God, morality, and whether Coldplay concerts count as spiritual experiences.. without any certainty, plenty of sarcasm, and zero patience for...
Ever wonder if staying quiet is actually neutral.. or if sometimes, silence is complicit? This week, Melody and Curt digs into the pressure to stay “out of it” when the world feels like it’s falling apart, and what happens when your values bump up against the chaos of politics, family, and business. What They Talk...
Ever catch yourself thinking, “Am I happy, or am I just riding the emotional rollercoaster of everyone around me?” This week, Melody and Curt get brutally honest about the messiness of happiness.. how much of it we actually control, how much is tied up in our relationships (and our businesses), and whether you can ever...
Being present sounds easy, but for entrepreneurs whose brains never stop spinning business plates, it can feel downright impossible, especially when family and holiday expectations crash in. In this episode, Melody and Curt talks about what it really takes to show up for your people, why “just turn your phone off” is terrible advice, and how guilt, workaholism, and that familiar business-owner urgency sabotage our best intentions. What They Talk About: Curt’s history of literally working through family outings and the moment he realized “being there” doesn’t mean being present Why Melody felt mom guilt even when she was always aware of ignoring her family—and how it’s different for men and women entrepreneurs The story of Curt being “white hot mad” on Christmas Eve and his sister’s reality check about presence and perspective When providing for your family becomes the excuse for not enjoying them (and why that mindset is so seductive) “Holding things lightly”—the Buddhist therapist hack that changed Curt’s approach to frustration, stress, and ultimately, family time Melody’s transition from workaholic identity to re-learning how to savor moments with her kids, nephew, and actually herself Meditating, being silent (even if only for a tenth of a second), and why decompressing is a skill—not an automatic reward for burning out The only short-term hack that works: If all else fails, just make “being delightful” your job at the family party (it’s weirdly effective) Key Takeaways: Most family “resentment moments” aren’t about the actual holiday mishap—they’re business stress finding a scapegoat. Presence is uncomfortable because silence and unstructured time can feel scarier than replying to emails. Treating holidays like time you “give your family out of generosity” is an ego trap; true presence is a gift to yourself. You won’t change overnight—getting present takes experimentation, therapy, self-mockery, and sometimes just faking it for a couple hours at a time. Timestamps: 0:00 – Why being present feels impossible (especially during holidays) 4:05 – Curt’s all-time low point for family presence 15:00 – The “hold it lightly” therapy metaphor 18:46 – Melody’s three things that finally shifted her presence 25:55 – When your brain craves work stress more than silence 34:16 – Real secrets (and cheats) for putting down the phone and actually being there
Letting people go, holding your team accountable, and figuring out what kind of leader you actually want to be.. none of it’s simple. In this episode, Melody and Curt talks about the messiness of managing people you genuinely care about, the emotional cost of firing, and what happens when your “people-first” values run up against...
Ever get that feeling your brain is sprinting in a million directions while the rest of the world is taking a slow stroll? This episode is all about living and thriving with ADHD as an entrepreneur. Melody shares the vulnerable, messy reality behind her diagnosis and running a business with a “sparkly brain,” while Curt...
