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PODCAST

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed

Hacks & Hobbies is where passions turn into profit stories. Host Junaid Ahmed interviews entrepreneurs, creators, and builders who are turning what they love into real momentum—income, confidence, community, and impact. Expect practical takeaways on podcasting, video content, home studios, personal branding, systems, and mindset—so your next idea doesn’t stay “someday.” If you’re building something (a show, a brand, a business, a better version of yourself), you’ll feel at home here. 🎙 Wanna

education self-improvement

All Episodes

38:38

James Showalter — From Hurricane Survival to...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/04/08

He survived hurricanes, built a system in his backyard — and then built a company that took on the solar incumbents. In this raw, curiosity-driven conversation James Showalter explains how necessity, grit and obsessive customer focus turned a DIY garage project into a hardware and battery empire that scaled to tens of millions without VC. Expect candid stories about broken batteries, brutal permitting, value-driven pricing, and the moment he decided to build a “Solar Home Depot.” James unpacks

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39:10

Tom Freiling — Publishing Powerhouse: Why AI Is...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/04/06

From telemarketing to shaping New York Times bestsellers — Tom Freiling’s publishing journey is a lesson in curiosity, grit and human storytelling. In this episode Tom pulls back the curtain on 30+ years in publishing, the shift from bookstore gatekeepers to Amazon-era discoverability struggles, and why the rise of AI makes the uniquely human elements of a book more valuable than ever. Tom shares hard-won operational lessons (how a bootstrap mindset scales), the mistakes that make self-published

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46:51

How Dan Schinder Built a 100M‑View Media Brand With...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/04/01

What if everything you’ve been taught about social media growth is wrong?In this episode, returning guest Dan Schinder — founder of Drum Talk TV, a global media brand reaching over 100 million people a year organically — breaks down how he did it without ads, SEO tricks, or jumping on every “trending” hack. From celebrating 10+ years of Drum Talk TV and launching a virtual membership playground for music fans, to dismantling the “hashtag hustle” and exposing how most creators are just copying the

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22:16

Adam Torres: From 6,000 Interviews to 30,000 – How...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/30

What happens when a shy finance kid, terrified to go on camera, commits to doing 30,000 interviews?In this raw and inspiring conversation, Adam Torres, co-founder of Mission Matters and host of a top 2.5% global podcast, reveals how he went from managing millions in assets as a financial advisor to building one of the most prolific interview catalogs in modern media. He shares the divine moment that pushed him out of a safe 14-year finance career, the flood that destroyed his hard-earned licenses

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21:30

David Schafran: How Salsa, Emotional EQ & Embodiment...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/25

If you feel successful on paper but numb inside, this conversation is your wake-up call. In this episode, Junaid sits down (for part two) with David Schafran, founder of Somo Loco salsa immersions, to explore how dance, emotion, and embodiment can completely transform the way you lead, sell, and show up in your life. David shares how Latin partner dance became the missing piece that made him feel whole as a founder — unblocking his emotions, deepening his relationships, and turning “sales” into

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30:04

How to Legally Bulletproof Your Podcast & Brand –...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/25

Most creators are one wrong clip, one lazy reaction video, or one AI mistake away from a legal nightmare. In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Gordon Firemark – “The Podcast Lawyer” – to expose the legal blind spots that threaten podcasters, YouTubers, coaches, and online creators every single day. From “fair use” myths and reaction videos, to trademarks, LLCs, and the hidden risks of AI tools, Gordon explains—plainly and practically—how to protect your content, your brand,

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29:42

How Salsa Saved My Life: MIT Entrepreneur David...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/25

He built a cutting‑edge healthtech company at MIT. Then, in one brutal week, he lost his company, his relationship, and turned 30 — and walked away from everything. In this episode, Junaid sits down with David Schafran, an MIT‑trained entrepreneur who traded boardrooms and burnout for salsa, soul, and full‑body healing in Medellín, Colombia. David went from building smartphone‑based eye diagnostics to building transformational dance immersion retreats for founders, high performers, and

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32:54

The Podcast Lawyer Exposes the Legal Traps That Could...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/25

Most podcasters are one email away from losing everything they’ve built — and they don’t even know it.In this episode, Junaid sits down with Gordon Firemark, the industry’s go-to “Podcast Lawyer” and veteran entertainment & media attorney, to reveal the uncomfortable legal truths creators avoid until it’s too late. If you’ve ever thought, “They use it on radio, so I can use it on my podcast, right?” — this conversation is your wake-up call. Gordon breaks down the quiet legal risks hiding in

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22:32

How Curiosity Destroys Limiting Beliefs and Builds...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/23

What if the stories you tell yourself are the biggest thing holding you back? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Jon Bassford, a former lawyer turned nonprofit founder, startup scaler, and organizational strategist, whose superpower is curiosity. Jon shares how being “the inquisitive kid who always sat with the adults” turned into a career of challenging the status quo, rebuilding cultures from the inside out, and helping leaders create teams that feel safe enough to

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23:33

How Curiosity Can Save Your Company, Transform...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/23

What if the question you’re not asking is costing your company millions? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Jon Bassford – an operational change agent and former COO who helped lead a $7M nonprofit out of a downward spiral, 20% revenue growth, and 500% programming growth… all starting from one simple question: “Where is this written?” Jon reveals how curiosity is not a soft skill – it’s an operational strategy. From uncovering broken systems buried in conference manuals to

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29:57

The Fearless Pricing Blueprint That Turns...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/16

Most coaches, consultants, and creatives are quietly terrified of saying their prices out loud. In this episode, Junaid sits down with Robin Waite — best-selling author, founder of Fearless Business, and pricing strategist for coaches and freelancers — to dismantle the “underselling epidemic” that keeps brilliant entrepreneurs broke and burned out.Robin reveals how childhood money stories, “charge by the hour” thinking, and fear of rejection trap us in low-ticket offers… and how a few brave

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28:32

The Pricing Coach Who Built a 6-Figure Practice from...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/16

What if one podcast interview could replace four and a half years of marketing? In this powerful conversation, business coach and author Robin Waite reveals how he built a six-figure coaching practice not through funnels, ads, or endless content—but through partnerships, patience, and radical alignment. After burning out from posting “a squillion times” on social media and following every marketing guru’s playbook, Robin walked away from the noise and doubled down on three simple assets: speaking,

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28:40

How Creative Leadership Unlocks Your Team’s Hidden...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/11

What if your most powerful leadership skill isn’t strategy or execution – but creativity? In this episode, Junaid sits back down with creative leadership coach and CEO Kate Volman to unpack a radically human approach to leading teams, building culture, and reigniting your own creative spark. This is part two of their conversation, but it stands alone as a deep dive into why people feel stuck at work, how culture kills creativity, and what leaders can do to bring it back to life. From corporate

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27:54

The CEO Who Proves You Don’t Have To Quit Your Job To...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/11

What if the most creative version of you never has to quit their day job?In this episode, Junaid sits down with Kate Volman – CEO of Floyd Coaching, host of Create For No Reason and Lead With Culture, and author of “Do What You Love: A Guide to Living Your Creative Life Without Leaving Your Job.” Kate shares how a chamber of commerce job in her 20s unexpectedly rewired her idea of work, purpose, and creativity. She reveals why not every passion should be monetized, how to protect your creative

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25:40

How to Build a Business That Doesn’t Break Your...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/09

You can have the house, the car, the titles… and still wake up numb. In this intimate conversation, third-generation entrepreneur and systems strategist Jennifer Bennett reveals how she went from “doing everything right” in real estate — high-ranking roles, multiple states, accolades, and a thriving career — to realizing the hustle model was quietly destroying her joy, her presence as a mom, and her sense of purpose. Jennifer unpacks the real cost of high-performance culture, why so many

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25:26

How Soulful Systems Give Entrepreneurs Their Freedom...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/09

What if scaling your business didn’t cost you your family, your sanity, or your soul? In this powerful part two, productivity strategist and founder of Get Desky, Jennifer Bennett, returns to dissect the how behind true entrepreneurial freedom. She shares how leaders can design their days, build teams they trust, and create systems that protect what matters most—family, health, and impact. From hiring before you feel ready, to stopping the “spaghetti bowl” of chaotic delegation, to raising

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41:48

The Retention Architect Reveals Why Your Brand Is...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/04

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

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40:20

The 7-Figure Retention Engine Hiding in Your Email...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/04

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

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20:36

Trauma-Informed Storytelling, Vicarious Trauma & How...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/03

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:

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38:53

Trauma-Informed Storytelling, Nonprofit Fundraising &...

Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed ·

2026/03/02

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

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283 results

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