Standing in the Fire

Bonus Episode: Open Loops, Hiring Pains, and Not Quitting

June 24th, 2026

A lost episode, finally found and worth the wait. John and Kris get into the real conversations founders rarely have out loud.

Topics covered:

  • Recording in person vs. remote - why it changes everything from the conversation to the edit
  • Zoom fatigue and the surprising reason video calls wear you out
  • The compounding effect: Atomic Habits applied to building a podcast (and a business)
  • Hiring contractors vs. in-person employees - the messier, harder reality
  • Patience as a founder - why wanting things to move faster creates its own kind of damage
  • Open loops, stress, and why celebrating closed wins matters more than we admit
  • The cost of being a yes-person when your time is your most valuable asset
  • What's fueling the fire: books, podcasts, community events, and people showing up

Mentioned:

  • Atomic Habits – James Clear
  • Ready, Fire, Aim – Michael Masterson
  • $100M Leads – Alex Hormozi
  • My First Million Podcast
  • Momentum (coworking space, South Bend)

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