Episodes

  • Why I Work Until 3AM on Projects Nobody Might Ever See

    Why I Work Until 3AM on Projects Nobody Might Ever See
    Jan 14 2026

    This is about the psychology of building things that might not work, and why I keep doing it anyway. Why do I stay up until 3AM working on projects that nobody might ever see or use?

    This episode explores:

    • The difference between building for external validation vs. internal satisfaction
    • Why the process of creating is often more valuable than the outcome
    • How working on "pointless" projects develops skills for projects that matter

    Sometimes the most important work you do is work that doesn't immediately pay off. Those late-night projects that nobody sees are where you develop the skills, confidence, and judgment that make your public work successful.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ReGJddLa1Hg

    If you struggle with building things that might not succeed:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    9 mins
  • What I Learned: Failed Businesses vs. Ones That Made Millions

    What I Learned: Failed Businesses vs. Ones That Made Millions
    Jan 12 2026

    The differences between businesses that fail and ones that succeed aren't what most people think. After building businesses that failed spectacularly and others that sold for millions, here's what I learned from both sides.

    What separates failure from success:

    • It's not about having better ideas (failed businesses often had great ideas)
    • It's not about working harder (I worked incredibly hard on things that failed)
    • It's about understanding timing, market fit, and knowing when to persist vs. when to pivot

    The most valuable lessons often come from businesses that didn't work. Success teaches you what's possible, but failure teaches you what's necessary. Both are essential education for anyone serious about building something sustainable.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/6HzWX8Igc_k

    If you want to learn from both success and failure:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    8 mins
  • You're Not Failing – You're Just Following the Wrong Advice

    You're Not Failing – You're Just Following the Wrong Advice
    Jan 9 2026

    Maybe you're not bad at business. Maybe you're just following advice from people who've never actually built what you're trying to build.

    This episode explores why so much business advice doesn't work:

    • How to identify advice from people who've actually done what you're trying to do
    • Why the loudest voices in entrepreneurship education often have the least real experience
    • The difference between studying business and practicing business

    Before taking any advice, ask: "Has this person actually built what I'm trying to build?" You'll be surprised how often the answer is no. The best business advice comes from people who are still in the arena, not from people who stepped out years ago to teach what they used to do.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/PjY8vjkXGW4

    If you're overwhelmed by contradictory business advice:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    10 mins
  • Why Fear of Failure Is Actually Fear of Something Else

    Why Fear of Failure Is Actually Fear of Something Else
    Jan 7 2026

    "You can't just delete your fear of failure. That is not how it works. There's always going to be something new that you're afraid of, and there's always going to be a reason not to try."

    This is Art's most psychologically sophisticated episode about the real fear behind "fear of failure." After 25 years of working with entrepreneurs, he's discovered that people aren't actually afraid of business failure - they're afraid of what failure would mean about them.

    The breakthrough insight: "When you dig deeper into what people mean when they say they're afraid of failure, you discover it's rarely about the practical consequences. Most potential entrepreneurs can survive losing the money they'd invest. Most can handle the time cost of trying something that doesn't work. What they can't handle is the story failure would tell about who they are."

    The Four Hidden Fears Disguised as Fear of Failure:

    1. Fear of confirmation - "If I try and fail, it will prove I'm not as capable as I thought"
    2. Fear of judgment - "People will think I was foolish for trying something so risky"
    3. Fear of wasted identity - "I've spent years building expertise. Starting over means throwing that away"
    4. Fear of inadequacy - "I'm not the type of person who succeeds at this kind of thing"

    Why this misdiagnosis keeps you stuck: When you think you're afraid of failure, you try to solve the wrong problem. You spend time researching to reduce the chance of failure. You create elaborate plans to minimize risk. You wait for perfect conditions that will guarantee success. But you can't research your way out of identity fears. You can't plan your way to self-worth.

    The reframe that changes everything: "Notice that none of these fears are actually about business failure. They're about identity failure - the fear that trying and failing would reveal something terrible about who you are."

    The solution framework:

    • Name the specific fear (confirmation, judgment, wasted identity, or inadequacy)
    • Practice one small failure to build evidence that failure isn't fatal
    • Build identity around your ability to handle uncertainty, not around avoiding it
    • Understand that failure doesn't mean anything about you except that you had courage to try something uncertain

    Art's key insight: "You're not afraid of failure. You're afraid of what failure would mean. Change what it means, and you'll change what becomes possible."

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/wE4nyBFKnMc

    If fear of failure is keeping you stuck:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    7 mins
  • The Problem with 'Thinking Like an Entrepreneur' (I Still Don't Know What I'm Doing)

    The Problem with 'Thinking Like an Entrepreneur' (I Still Don't Know What I'm Doing)
    Jan 5 2026

    Everyone talks about "thinking like an entrepreneur" as if there's a specific mindset that guarantees success. Here's the truth: I've been building businesses for 25 years, and I still don't know what I'm doing half the time.

    This episode explores:

    • Why "entrepreneurial thinking" is often just confidence masquerading as knowledge
    • How uncertainty and not knowing are actually advantages
    • Why admitting you don't know what you're doing is more honest than pretending you do

    Maybe the real entrepreneurial mindset is being comfortable with not having all the answers.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/dNHJ_XSxR5c

    If you're waiting to figure it all out before starting:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    9 mins
  • How to Turn Your Existing Ideas Into Something You Can Actually Build

    How to Turn Your Existing Ideas Into Something You Can Actually Build
    Jan 2 2026

    You probably have more good ideas than you could execute in a lifetime. The problem isn't generating ideas - it's turning them into something real. This episode is about bridging that gap.

    How to move from idea to reality:

    • Why most ideas stay ideas (and how to change that)
    • The minimum viable version of any idea
    • How to test whether an idea is worth pursuing before investing significant time

    Stop collecting ideas and start building one of them.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/TevNMYi62rc

    If your ideas never become reality:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    7 mins
  • How to Know If You Can Handle the Psychological Reality of Starting

    How to Know If You Can Handle the Psychological Reality of Starting
    Dec 31 2025
    "The real question isn't whether you have a good idea or the right strategy. The real question is: Am I wired for this? Am I going to be able to handle the quiet times, the silence? Am I going to know what to do when absolutely nothing is going my way and there's nobody telling me what the next step really is?" This is Art's most insightful episode about entrepreneurial psychology. The reality is, if you want to start anything—whether it's a business, a creative pursuit, or just find a way to transform your life—it's not going to come down to the idea you have or the strategy you put in place. It's all going to come down to how you manage the uncertainty and the times where you have to figure things out. The 3 Signs You're Wired to Be an Entrepreneur: Sign #1: You Move Through the Maze "Imagine that you wake up in the morning and you're just trapped in the middle of a maze. What do you do?" Most people wait for help, look for instructions, or give up. But some people just start moving - taking any path, learning from dead ends, adjusting their approach. They understand that moving with incomplete information is better than not moving at all. If you're someone who moves through uncertainty instead of waiting for clarity, that's the first sign you're wired for entrepreneurship. Sign #2: You Persist Without Feedback "Do you keep going when there's no immediate reward, no one cheering you on, no external validation telling you you're on the right track?" Most people need constant encouragement to continue. Entrepreneurs have to develop the ability to persist through silence - sometimes for months or years - without knowing if their efforts will pay off. This isn't about being stubborn. It's about having internal motivation that doesn't depend on external validation. Sign #3: You Fix Problems Without Permission Do you see something broken and automatically start thinking about how to fix it? Do you take initiative to solve problems even when it's not your job or responsibility? Entrepreneurship is fundamentally about solving problems for people. If you naturally see problems as opportunities rather than inconveniences, you're thinking like an entrepreneur. The psychological reality most people aren't prepared for: Long periods with no clear progressMaking decisions with incomplete informationHandling criticism and rejection repeatedlyWorking without external structure or validationDealing with the isolation of being responsible for everything Art's key insight: "Terror doesn't show up when you're just daydreaming about entrepreneurship. It shows up when your subconscious mind realizes you're actually going to do this." The terror you feel isn't a stop sign - it's a starting signal. It means your brain recognizes this is real, and you're about to step outside your comfort zone into genuine uncertainty. The readiness paradox: When you're not really ready, starting feels exciting and abstract. When you're actually ready, it feels terrifying because you understand what you're about to undertake. Final question to ask yourself: "Am I willing to be uncomfortable for an extended period of time while I figure things out?" If the answer is yes, you might be more ready than you think. Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/5kgKzzlJZto If you want to test your entrepreneurial wiring: 🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge 🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    6 mins
  • The Early Mistake That Dooms Businesses (I Made It Too)

    The Early Mistake That Dooms Businesses (I Made It Too)
    Dec 29 2025

    There's a mistake that most entrepreneurs make in the early stages that almost guarantees their business will struggle. I made this mistake too, and it cost me months of progress and momentum.

    This short episode (5 minutes) covers:

    • The mistake that seems logical but is actually destructive
    • Why good intentions can lead to bad business outcomes
    • How to avoid this trap when you're just starting out

    Learning from other people's mistakes is cheaper than making them yourself.

    Original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/Wi2EDF3b3jY

    If you're in the early stages of building something:

    🎯 Free Challenge: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com/free-challenge

    🚀 Full Program: https://www.firststepentrepreneur.com

    This podcast is the audio version of the First Step Entrepreneur YouTube channel.
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    5 mins