Hacks & Hobbies

Most founders are obsessed with “new customers” and blind to the fortune sitting in their existing list. In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Nikita Vakhrushev, founder of Aspect Agency and retention specialist for over 100+ direct-to-consumer brands, to expose the hidden systems that turn casual buyers into lifelong customers. If you’ve ever felt guilty about “not emailing your list enough” or wondered why your campaigns don’t translate into real revenue, this conversation will flip the way you think about email, SMS, and retention forever. Nikita breaks down why “set it and forget it” is killing your profitability, the real difference between campaigns and lifecycle marketing, and how to think about retention as a revenue engine, not a “nice-to-have” side project. From customer psychology and buyer journeys to plain-text emails that quietly print money, this episode is a roadmap for founders who are ready to stop leaking profit and start building a brand people return to again and a

Most brands think they need more traffic. Nikita says they’re already sitting on a goldmine. In this episode, email & SMS strategist Nikita Vakhrushev, founder of Aspect, breaks down how direct-to-consumer brands are quietly leaving $200,000–$400,000 a year on the table by ignoring the “boring” retention channels: email and SMS. After helping over 100 DTC brands and turning broken automations into $40,000/month profit engines, Nikita reveals why the real leverage isn’t in your next ad campaign—it’s in how you follow up. Junaid and Nikita go deep into the exact flows, systems, and mindset shifts that separate brands who coast from brands who compound. If you’ve ever wondered why your Klaviyo is “set up” but not really printing money, this episode is your wake-up call. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Nikita turned a failing email setup into $40k/month in just a few months The core email & SMS flows every brand needs (and how most are set up wrong) Why constant discounting destroys your brand and

Are your stories changing lives—or quietly causing harm? In this powerful conversation, nonprofit messaging strategist Maria Bryan returns to go deeper into trauma‑informed storytelling—and why every marketer, nonprofit leader, and creator needs to rethink how they collect and share stories. If you’ve ever shared a client story, testimonial, or case study “for the cause,” this episode will challenge you—in the best possible way. Maria explains how to move from well‑meaning to well‑practiced: embedding safety, consent, and dignity into every stage of your storytelling workflow. From fundraising campaigns to podcast interviews, she breaks down practical steps to reduce harm, protect the people behind the stories, and protect yourself from vicarious trauma. Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, creative, or solo podcaster, you’ll walk away with a new lens on your work—and a clear path to doing it more ethically and sustainably. 5 Key Takeaways Why trauma-informed storytelling matters even if you’re “just” a

What if the way you tell stories is quietly harming the very people you want to help? In this episode, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Maria Bryan, a trauma-informed storytelling trainer and host of the When Bearing Witness podcast. Maria has trained thousands of nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and storytellers to share stories that inspire change without exploitation, re-traumatization, or stripping people of their dignity. Together they unpack how traditional nonprofit and marketing storytelling—especially “success stories” and testimonials—can unintentionally cause deep harm, and what it really looks like to tell stories rooted in safety, consent, and agency. From rethinking “we need hundreds of stories a year” to creating harm repair plans and no-questions-asked takedown policies, this conversation is a blueprint for anyone who interviews, fundraises, or shares lived-experience stories. In this episode, you’ll learn: How trauma-informed storytelling radically differs from traditional marketing and fund

If your life feels successful on the outside but empty, chaotic or exhausted on the inside, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Irina Alexander – a high-performance coach who blends neuroscience, leadership, and ancient wisdom – to unpack what it really takes to stop living on default and start living by conscious choice. Irina shares how she burned out as a driven business owner and mother, the moment she realized her “normal” was actually toxic, and the exact inner work she used to rewire her brain, heal from autopilot patterns, and build a life that feels aligned at a soul level. You’ll learn her 3P method (pause, pull back, physical scan), how to integrate what you know into how you actually live, and why small 1-degree shifts can completely change the trajectory of your life. If you’ve ever felt like you’re smart, capable, and high-performing—but still not at peace—this episode will show you a new way forward. 5 Big Takeaways Awareness is the real starting

What if 95% of your life is being run by programs you didn’t choose? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Irina Alexander, professional mental trainer and founder of the Academy of Motive, Action. With 20 years in neuroscience, entrepreneurship, and global wisdom traditions, Irina has helped hundreds of high-stress professionals step out of autopilot, dismantle hustle culture, and rebuild a life that actually feels like their own. Irina shares the moment she broke down on the highway, called her mother, and realised the successful life she’d built… wasn’t actually hers. From selling a thriving business to redefining success as soul-aligned living, she walks us through the inner rewiring required to move from obligation, burnout, and busyness into clarity, courage, and conscious choice. If you feel like you’re doing “all the right things” yet still feel empty, this conversation is a wake-up call. In this episode, you’ll learn: How your subconscious is programmed before age s

Most people don’t fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they get lost in the middle. In this raw and practical conversation, Junaid sits down with high‑performance coach Jake Smolarek to dismantle the myths around success, discipline, and “luck.” Jake introduces his powerful 1080/10 framework and Vision GPS, revealing why the middle 80% of any journey—the boring, lonely, repetitive part—is exactly where champions are made and everyone else quits. If you’ve ever felt stuck, started strong and faded, or secretly feared both failure and success, this episode will give you a new roadmap. You’ll learn how to think in decades, build systems that work when you sleep, and develop the kind of discipline that quietly turns you into “the lucky one” everyone talks about. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why the first 10% and last 10% are easy—and how the messy middle 80% actually creates your future The 1080/10 sequence: learn → practice → master → become a legend (and why you can’t skip steps) How t

What if the only rule you followed was to never have a 0% day? In this powerful conversation, host Junaid Ahmed sits down with high-performance coach and entrepreneur Jake Smolarek, who arrived in the UK with just £150 and went on to build multiple successful businesses. This isn’t about hacks or hype. It’s about the brutal honesty, discipline, and obsession required to build a life you’re proud of. Jake breaks down his core frameworks — No 0% Days, the 10-80-10 rule, and a preview of his Vision GPS system — and shows how ordinary people with families, full-time jobs, and limited time can still build something extraordinary. From why we keep promises to others but break them to ourselves, to how to treat your side hustle like a plane taking off at 100% thrust, this episode will challenge the way you think about discipline, success, and what you’re truly capable of. You will not see your “busy schedule” the same way after this. Key Takeaways: Why moving to the UK with £150 forced Jake to redefine risk,

Most entrepreneurs are not failing because of their product… they’re failing because of their numbers. In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Paden Squires, founder of Squires Tax Planning, who has quietly helped business owners save tens of thousands of dollars and rebuild their relationship with money. This isn’t a “tax tips” episode. It’s a deep dive into identity, behavior change, and the simple financial habits that separate stuck founders from those who compound wealth year after year. Paden shares how Ray Dalio’s “Principles”, radical transparency, and his own philosophy of integrity and alignment shape the way he coaches entrepreneurs. From saving a client $30,000+ in taxes with a few structural moves, to spotting patterns in thousands of tax returns, Peyton reveals how the real unlock isn’t a secret loophole—it’s the willingness to face your numbers, do the work, and change who you are as a business owner. If your finances feel overwhelming, confusing, or “not your thing,” thi

Most entrepreneurs are building impressive businesses on a completely broken financial foundation. In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Paden Squires, a CPA, CFP, and founder of Squires Tax Planning, who walked away from the corporate world to help business owners finally feel in control of their money. Paden reveals why even multi–million-dollar businesses are often a financial mess behind the scenes, why “just hiring a CPA” isn’t enough, and how simple systems, the right tools, and proactive tax planning can completely change the trajectory of your business and your life. This conversation is a roadmap for solopreneurs and small business owners who are tired of dreading tax season, guessing from their bank balance, and hoping it will all “work out somehow.” Paden breaks down how to think about profit, how to pay yourself, what numbers actually matter, and how to use AI and systems to build a business that doesn’t depend on you grinding 70 hours a week. You’ll walk away seeing finan

What if your brand wasn’t a business, but your legacy? In this powerful conversation, Junaid sits down with Kaveh, the Inspiration Engineer, to unpack what it really takes to build a legacy-driven personal brand in a noisy world. This is not another fluffy branding chat—this is about systems, mindset, and the uncomfortable truth that most “personal brands” fail because they never get past vanity metrics and free-99 thinking. Kaveh breaks down how he audits a brand, why templates don’t work, and the brutal reason most creators burn out or stall financially. From monetizing a tiny podcast audience to understanding when you must pay to play, he shares the exact mental shifts and strategic moves high performers need to make to turn content into conversions, impact, and a life they’re proud of on their deathbed. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why being “legacy-driven” changes every decision you make in your business The real reason most personal brands collapse within a few years How to turn your skil

What if the very adversity that tried to break you was actually the blueprint for your breakthrough? In this powerful conversation, TED speaker, coach, artist and strategist Cauveé – The Inspiration Engineer – breaks down how he transformed doubt, failure and “you can’t do that” into a repeatable framework for energy, execution and elevation. From selling out his first concert at 18, to missing the mark in a 3,500-seat auditorium, to helping clients break six figures and build rockstar personal brands, Kaveh shows that success isn’t an accident – it’s engineered. We dive deep into his SIP Method (Strategy, Instruction, Programming), why most people stay stuck in reasons instead of results, and how motivation music™ can rewire your subconscious faster than any speech. If you’ve ever felt like your dreams are bigger than your current reality, this episode gives you the mindset, tools and frameworks to finally close that gap. In this episode, you’ll learn: How one painful moment with his father turned Kav

What if your great‑grandchildren could sit down and talk to you… 100 years from now? In this emotional and mind‑bending conversation, entrepreneur  Steve Endacott reveals how he’s building Life Echo – an AI-powered legacy platform that lets anyone, not just billionaires and celebrities, preserve their voice, stories, and values for future generations. Steven shares the deeply personal story of losing his mother to dementia, how that pain led to building a “digital echo” of a life, and why he believes every “ordinary” person has an extraordinary story worth saving. We dive into the technology behind conversational AI autobiographies, the ethics of talking to someone after they’ve died, how this can transform grieving, and what AI really means for work, wealth, and meaning in the next decade. This episode will change how you think about memory, death, and legacy—and what you do with your next five hours on earth. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Life Echo turns a few short interviews into a 60‑page aut

What if you could build a company you never have to run again—yet it keeps growing, thriving, and changing lives? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with entrepreneur, investor and mentor Steven Endacott, who sold his travel and insurance businesses (including Holiday Taxis for $60M) and then chose a new game: helping the next generation of founders build AI-powered companies he never has to operate. Steven reveals the model behind his incubator, where experienced “gray hairs” and young AI natives build disruptive B2B products together. He breaks down how to find people you can actually trust, how to structure equity so it doesn’t trap you later, and why most founders get “replacing themselves” completely wrong. If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping back from the day-to-day without stepping away from impact, this conversation is your blueprint. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Steven sold his companies and rewired his identity from operator to chairman The powerful model pairi

Most people watch house flips on TV. Scott Durham figured out how to own the deal in real life. In this episode, Junaid sits down with real estate investor and coach Scott Durham, who went from a $10/hour hotel job to flipping houses and building a repeatable system for wealth. Scott pulls back the curtain on his first flip, how he almost priced himself out of his own deals, and the simple math he still uses today to know—within seconds—if a property is worth the risk. If you’ve ever binged HGTV, scrolled past “before and after” photos on Instagram, or told yourself “I just need to learn a bit more before I start,” this conversation will hit hard. Scott exposes the real numbers behind TV flips, why “research without action is just entertainment,” and how ordinary people with no construction background can step into real estate with the right mentors, community, and mindset. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Scott went from hotel front desk to top agent to profitable flipper The exact back‑of‑the‑na

If your book, course, or expertise is sitting on a shelf, this episode is for you. Junaid sits down with learning strategist Parchelle Tashi, founder of The Author’s Leverage, to unpack how authors, coaches, and experts can turn years of experience into powerful, scalable learning assets that create income, impact, and freedom. They dive into how to productize your expertise, choose the right format (course, membership, licensing, B2B, enterprise, or experiences), and design learning that people actually use—not just binge once and forget. You’ll also hear Parchelle’s concept of “stickiness” for digital learning, the Learning Leverage Loop, and how to build systems that make your IP live far beyond one-to-one delivery. You’ll learn: How to productize what’s in your head into step-by-step assets that others can implement The framework for choosing between B2C, B2B, B2E, and live experiences as profit paths The Five I’s learning journey and how to meet your audience where they really are Why com

Most online courses fail not because the expert isn’t brilliant, but because the learning experience is broken. In this conversation, former high school math teacher turned video producer and learning architect Parchelle Tashi, founder of The Author’s Leverage, reveals how she helps authors, coaches, and consultants transform their books and intellectual property into high-impact, profitable learning assets. Parchelle shares the real story behind leaving the classroom, building a production career up and down the East Coast, and finally discovering the “full circle” intersection of curriculum design, media, and scalable products. She breaks down why most courses don’t stick, the biggest mistake experts make when they teach online, and how to design learning that actually changes people — without stuffing everything you know into another 8-hour video course. 5 Key Takeaways Why simply turning your book into a video course almost always fails your audience The “burrito test” for knowing when your cour

You can build an empire and still lose everything that matters. In this raw and practical conversation, high-performance men’s coach Mitchell Osmond returns to reveal why so many successful entrepreneurs are secretly failing at home — and how to flip the script without sacrificing their ambition. Mitchell breaks down the three pillars every driven man must master: marriage & key relationships, fitness, and mindset. He explains why delegation at home is not laziness but leadership, how to treat your time as your most valuable currency, and why your kids don’t need your words — they need your example. If you’ve ever felt like a hero at work and a stranger at home, this episode is your blueprint to change that. 5 Big Takeaways You don’t have to choose between success at work and success at home — that’s a lie most high performers have quietly accepted. Marriage, fitness, and mindset are the three pillars Mitchell uses to help men reclaim their home life without burning their careers down. Delegat

What if your biggest success story begins at your lowest point? In this raw and deeply honest conversation, leadership consultant and Dad Nation founder Mitchell Osmond shares how he went from a depressed, addicted, $100k-in-debt ex-executive on the brink of divorce… to rebuilding his marriage, paying off all his debt, losing 60 pounds, and becoming the man his family actually wants to follow. We break down the moment everything snapped on the living room couch, the haunting question he heard at a stranger’s funeral, and the exact inner work and community he used to rewrite his story. If you’ve ever felt like a high performer at work but a failure at home, this episode will challenge how you define success—and give you a blueprint to start again. You’ll learn: How a brutal fight over money became Mitchell’s rock-bottom turning point The single funeral question that forced him to confront his legacy Why high-achieving men win at work but quietly lose at home The “eulogy exercise” to redefine su

What if selling cars had nothing to do with cars—and everything to do with your face on camera? In this episode, Junaid sits down with Ina Coveney, founder of Auto Social Consulting and the creator behind Auto Social Gal, to dismantle every excuse dealerships and local businesses use to avoid short-form video. Ina reveals why you shouldn’t try to be an “influencer,” why copying trends is actually the smartest move you can make, and how a simple 30-day content sprint can completely change the way your community sees you. Whether you run a dealership, a coaching business, a restaurant, or any local service, this conversation will change how you think about Instagram Reels, TikTok, and building a personal brand inside a bigger company. If you’ve ever felt stuck, camera-shy, or skeptical about social media “ROI,” this is your playbook. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why original content is overrated and how to ethically “steal” trends for your brand The mindset shift from “influencer” to “creator” that