This month my business partners had to cover rent on our restaurant. All of it. And in this episode I'm being completely honest about what that means, what led to it, and what we're doing about it.

Basil & Bourbon is in a critical stretch right now. One partner holding down the floor alone. A staffing situation that's teaching me hard lessons about what early stage hiring actually requires. A partnership navigating real financial pressure. And a July trip where I'm showing up in person — with my 14-year-old son Carter — to try to turn the corner.

This isn't a success story. It's a conversation from inside the messy middle of entrepreneurship. The income isn't where it needs to be. The problems aren't fully solved. But showing up anyway — for the business, for your partners, for your kids — that's the job.

If you're building something right now and it's harder than you expected, this one is for you.

CONNECT WITH DAN:
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DieselD
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danthompsonphoto/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dieseld83
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wolfemediagroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-dan-thompson-2b18676/
🐦 X: https://x.com/dieseldan83
🌐 Website: https://www.wolfemedia.studio/

Most people aren't stuck because they lack talent. They're not stuck because they don't have ideas. They're stuck because somewhere along the way, somebody told them to put the camera down — and they're still listening.

In this episode, Dan shares the story of a GoPro, a fallen firefighter's procession, and the moment he got called in the next day for sharing it. It wasn't the last time a system told him to wait before sharing. But it was the moment that made him start paying attention to how deep that conditioning actually goes.

This one isn't a motivational speech. It's an honest conversation about the invisible permission structures that follow us long after the original rule is gone — and what it actually looks like to stop waiting for a green light that was never coming.

In this episode:

• The real cost of waiting that never shows up on any invoice
• Why "I'll start when I'm ready" is just delay with better branding
• What niching down into 3D printing taught Dan about reps over permission
• The conversation with his sons about public speaking that said more than he expected
• What "bet on yourself" actually looks like when you strip away the cliché

Connect with Dan:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DieselD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danthompsonphoto/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dieseld83
Website: https://www.wolfemedia.studio/

The gear you have right now is enough to start. In Episode 6, Dan breaks down why equipment perfectionism is just another form of inertia — and what actually matters when you're building a podcast or content brand from the ground up.

Drawing from 20+ years in photography and his own content creation journey, Dan shares the moment phone-shot content outperformed his full studio setup, the real hierarchy of what to prioritize (audio first, always), and a practical starter kit for any budget.

If you've been waiting to start until you have a better setup — this episode is for you.

Key takeaways:

• Audio matters more than your camera. Always.
• Your smartphone is a legitimate content creation tool right now.
• The "shoot it on a potato" philosophy: make it, post it, improve one thing next time.
• What a real starter kit looks like at $100–$500.

New episodes every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen.