Learning Forward (Not Bouncing Back)

Learning Forward (Not Bouncing Back)

From The First Play w/ Matt Stone by Matt Stone Enterprises

May 15, 2026 · 19 min

About this episode

Matt discusses the impact of economic forces on business and the importance of maintaining one's identity during career transitions.

Thirty-eight days until summer, and welcome to Backstage’s new Friday cadence. Matt’s breaking in a new format like new shoes, seeing what works best. This week started with a networking event with trades owners in southeastern Pennsylvania—flooring, painting, roofing companies. The vibe: more competition, people getting more bids and hanging on longer, not pulling the trigger as quickly. General unease about the economy. If you’re feeling like things aren’t moving, it’s likely not just you. Economic forces bigger than you individually are at play. When you’re hyper-focused on deals you’re getting or not getting, it can feel desperate. Just know there are forces out there impacting your business. He met Paul, a former chef who switched to real estate decades ago. That chef identity is still inside him, yet he’s all in on real estate—finding ways to bring his culinary background into the work. Differentiation in places like Manhattan is critical, and Paul’s creative edge lets him use kitchen metaphors people relate to. Reminder: if you’ve made a big pivot, you don’t lose that career. It continues inside you. Matt thinks about his law background—he struggles deeply with having a…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Stone

Guest: Paul

Topics covered

  • networking
  • economic forces
  • career pivot
  • identity
  • real estate
  • creativity

Keywords

  • networking event
  • real estate
  • career change
  • economic uncertainty
  • identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Backstage

Places: southeastern Pennsylvania

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