Andrew and Jay talk about why relationships matter a lot in business. Sometime more than products, systems, or raw talent. They dig into the practical value of local relationshipsfor staying informed and connected as decisions get made around you. From there, the conversation ranges across manufacturing, housing, leadership, parenting, and team dynamics. They also discuss when a product is finished enough to release, why over-tinkering stalls progress, and the role of people who know when to stop refining and move things forward. The episode closes with a clear-eyed look at AI in business: where it’s useful, where it falls short, and why responsibility still sits with the owner.

As 2026 begins, Andrew and Jay take a look at one of the most dangerous traps for founders and small shop owners: becoming the hero who always steps in to save the day.

Andrew introduces a personal document he titled “Andrew Is Fired,” a deliberate decision to remove himself from roles that feel productive but quietly limit growth. The conversation explores why constantly “going above and beyond” can actually be a form of selfishness, how undocumented processes turn leaders into bottlenecks, why clarity around ownership matters more than raw effort, and more.

In this end-of-year episode, Jay and Andrew unpack all kinds of things:

• Why business owners are wired to over-promise at the buzzer
• The difference between employee thinking and owner thinking
• Calendars, automation, and why “the best calendar is sometimes no calendar”
• Paying people well, shutting down between Christmas and New Year’s, and using PTO wisely
• Net terms, cash flow, and refusing to be a bank for bigger companies
• Why some founders need to sign checks or take tech support calls to stay grounded
• The danger of over-optimizing leadership—and losing the human side
• Tracking improvement with marbles instead of spreadsheets