Grief & Pizza

Fellow Notion consultant, self-described “ops artist,“ and generally just one of our favorite people, Alex Antoszek joined us for a conversation about what matters in tech work: his path from photography to the Notion world, why he runs his consulting practice “more like a therapist for business owners,” and his honest skepticism about AI from inside an increasingly AI-first ecosystem. Also: the value of “strategic imbalance,” Poland’s post-Soviet growth story, and why the most durable value in tech is the human stuff a machine can’t replicate.LinksWork, BalancedBalanced SystemsCreators & Guests Marie Poulin - Host Benjamin Borowski - Host Alex Antoszek - Guest

Marie Ng, founder of Llama Life, shares her journey from advertising to software development and the challenges and successes she encountered along the way. She discusses the importance of building a customer base and the resonance of her product with the ADHD community.LinksLlamaLife.coMarie on TwitterChapters(00:00) - Living the Llama Life with Marie Ng (00:28) - What has your journey been thus far? (04:50) - How long did it take to get to the first sale to another person? (10:57) - The perfect storm of COVID and everyone suddenly working from home (15:43) - The benefits of being funded vs bootstrapped (26:29) - What did you hire for when you got funded? (33:57) - Life as a founder with ADHD (01:05:18) - What are you excited about? What's coming up next? (01:08:35) - Why Llama? TakeawaysTransitioning from one career to another requires dedication and a willingness to learn new skills.Building a customer base requires effective marketing strategies and resonating with a specific target audience.Seeking funding can provide opportunities for growth and expansion.Hiring the right team members is crucial for filling skill gaps and supporting the growth of the business. Hiring is a challenging and time-consuming process, but having prior experience working with someone can help ensure a good fit.Design and branding play a crucial role in creating a distinct and enjoyable user experience.Creating a supportive team environment with open communication and low ego is essential for managing ADHD as a founder.Entrepreneurship allows for more control over one's work environment and the ability to solve personal problems.Building and scaling a product involves making decisions and managing tech debt, but it's important to prioritize and focus on the customer experience.Creators & Guests Marie Poulin - Host Benjamin Borowski - Host Marie Ng - Guest

In this episode, we spoke with Jonny Miller, the mind behind Nervous System Mastery, about the critical role of understanding our nervous system. Jonny shared insights from his personal journey through grief, leading him to delve into the connections between emotions, physicality, breathwork, and the nervous system. He introduced the concept of interoception and its importance in building emotional resilience, alongside the complexities involved in teaching and sharing the nuances of mastering our nervous systems. Our conversation also ventured into the realms of psychedelics and their potential to deepen our connection with our nervous systems, the impact of COVID-19 on professional life, and the hurdles faced while scaling an online course. Jonny's story is a testament to the power of curiosity, the expression of emotions, and the search for joy in times of sorrow.LinksNervous System MasteryCurious Humans PodcastJonny on TwitterChapters(00:00) - Nervous System Mastery with Jonny Miller (02:47) - The Impact of Grief (06:26) - Resources for Approaching Grief (08:15) - On Burnout (13:18) - Integration of Grief and Nervous System Work (16:15) - Transition to Teaching Nervous System Mastery (19:03) - Framing the Work (21:27) - Cultivating Interoception (24:14) - Measuring Interoception (26:29) - Exploring Psychadelics and the Nervous System (40:00) - Behind the Scenes (42:50) - Current Challenges (47:19) - Finding Jonny TakeawaysUnderstanding and mastering the nervous system is essential for emotional resilience and overall well-being.Grief and burnout can be transformative experiences that lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of oneself.Interoception, the ability to notice and interpret bodily sensations, is a key aspect of emotional awareness and regulation.Communicating the concepts and practices of nervous system mastery can be challenging, but finding relatable language and using personal experiences can help make it more accessible. Interoception is gaining more attention in the research community, with studies showing its correlation with conditions like ADHD and PTSD.Measuring interoception can be done through assessments like the MAIA, which evaluates different areas of interoceptive capacity.Psychedelics, like MDMA and ayahuasca, can play a role in nervous system healing by surfacing incomplete reflexes and providing a space for emotional completion.Teaching and guiding others in emotional exploration requires setting boundaries and referring individuals to somatic therapists when necessary.Grief can be a transformative experience that leads to a deeper understanding of joy and connection.Future plans include in-person retreats and strategic collaborations with freelancers or contractors.Challenges include prioritizing projects, investing in assets that appreciate over time, and maintaining a sustainable and enjoyable approach to teaching and scaling the course.Creators & Guests Marie Poulin - Host Benjamin Borowski - Host Jonny Miller - Guest

Barrett Brooks, former COO of ConvertKit and now an executive coach, shared his deep connection with nature and the significance of confronting past pain. He reflected on the complexities and rewards of executive coaching, the balance between coaching and personal creative work, and the necessity of personal growth and clear professional agreements. Barrett discussed his own experience of leaving a company, highlighting the lessons learned about boundaries, contracts, and the challenges posed by conflicting desires for company growth. He stressed the importance of navigating company departures, processing grief, and understanding the interplay between grief and joy. Additionally, he talked about his future plans, including writing a memoir and starting a podcast.LinksBarrettBrooks.comBarrettABrooks on TwitterReferencesRichard Schwatz - No Bad PartsReboot CoachingEmotion Sensation WheelFrancis Weller - Wild Edge of SorrowRuthie AckermanMaggie Smith - You Could Make This Place BeautifulChapters(00:00) - Introduction (06:17) - The brokenness of the natural world and organizations (12:22) - Finding inner and outer alignment (16:05) - Patterns from childhood and their influence (26:14) - Transitioning to coaching (29:50) - Coaching's influence on writing (33:13) - How would you coach yourself? (35:53) - Navigating joining and leaving ConvertKit (46:24) - The cost of joy is grief (59:34) - Power of memoirs (01:07:13) - A beautiful future TakeawaysNature can have a profound impact on our well-being and should be protected.Acknowledging and integrating past pain is essential for personal growth and success.Coaching can be a valuable tool for individuals to navigate their personal and professional challenges.Creating space for personal growth and creative pursuits is crucial for maintaining balance and fulfillment. Having clear boundaries and a contract is essential when entering into agreements.Incompatible desires for company growth can lead to conflict and ultimately the decision to part ways.Navigating the complexity of leaving a company requires open communication and a willingness to process emotions.Grief and joy are interconnected, and allowing oneself to fully experience grief can lead to a deeper appreciation of joy.Writing and ritual can be powerful tools for processing grief and creating closure.Storytelling and making meaning are important for personal growth and understanding.Creating a beautiful future involves healing and integrating past pain.Writing a memoir and starting a podcast can be powerful ways to share personal experiences and inspire others.Creators & Guests Marie Poulin - Host Benjamin Borowski - Host Barrett Brooks - Guest