x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast

I will help you find shortcuts to business success and personal growth by sharing my stories of ups and downs on my journey through corporate innovation and software startups. Join thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators who read each week. theworkaround.substack.com

technology

All Episodes

16:22

Revealing My Alter Ego: The Sign Avenger

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/04/08

There are some pretty obscure superheroes in the Marvel Universe.ForgetMeNot has the power to make people forget he exists the moment they stop looking at him. He’s been a member of the X-Men for years, but no one remembers.Gin Genie creates seismic vibrations, but only when drunk.Bailey Hoskins has the power to explode…once. You might remember him from X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever.But there is a hero even Marvel forgot to cover: The Sign Avenger.By day, he’s Bob, a mild-mannered advertising industry

en

24:35

Know Your Non-financial Motivators

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/04/01

There are two topics that routinely trigger my attention and ire:1. When consultants claim to know things the rest of us don’t.2. When business leaders still don’t understand how to properly manage humans.McKinsey’s State of Organizations 2026 report hits on both. It suggests leaders don’t know how to build culture or motivate their employees, despite many of them spending billions with consultants like McKinsey.The company has made billions per year advising these kinds of companies—their

en

13:57

A Commission Cap is a Growth Cap

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/03/25

There are some things you learn in business that are so utterly basic—such absolute no-brainers—that you figure the whole world understands it by now.But every few weeks, someone reminds me that there are a lot of simple mistakes being made out there. It’s stuff you shouldn’t have to learn through a $100k MBA or $10k leadership retreat. Common sense is free. But something bigger and more common gets in the way: Our Egos.This is the story of a classic business blunder, and a signal for when it’s time

en

15:40

What Your Biography Says About Me

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/03/18

Have you ever thought about what the things you read say about you? Like everything else we do or say, our choices are mirrors.The other day, I realized that almost every piece of long-form content I consume now is biographical. Substacks that focus on personal stories. Autobiographical books. And podcasts with hosts and guests that share life experiences.I suddenly wondered why I turned this way, and came up with a few insights.Here’s why delving into biographies might be the next to-do for you,

en

10:34

Who is They? This is Us

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/03/11

How would you like to read people’s minds?As a business leader, wouldn’t you love to know if your employees are happy or disgruntled? If they are concerned or focused? Locked in for the long haul—or interviewing for a new gig?It’s possible. Right now.This doesn’t require an AI bot to surf CRM activity. It’s not some kind of SaaS tool that checks employees’ LinkedIn latest connections for warning signals. And you don’t have to hire an in-house medium.But it does involve the use and observation of

en

11:26

Buying from Friends, Read Speed, and Marker Management

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/03/04

It’s another Bob’s Bites, where every couple of weeks, I share a handful of short stories and lessons…Today:1. “I’m only working with friends from now on”—a Heard on the Street trend?2. The Need for Read Speed—a cool demo to see for yourself what speed reading can do3. Magic Marker Management—Bob’s Whiteboard Etiquette Relevant links:Speed Reading Demo: https://substack.com/@jameslucasit/note/c-202186114Schedule Office Hours with Bob:

en

16:23

I Crashed an Annual Offsite

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/02/25

Nearly two years ago, I announced the launch of A2 Influence, a reboot of the startup we sold in 2020, aimed at bringing our dream team back together and delivering click-worthy custom content and influencer campaigns.A big difference in this reboot, and a first for me in founding startups: I’m not the CEO.It was a bit surreal to be a participant in the company’s annual offsite. But it gave me the chance to observe some old and new ways a company can get off to a strong start in both financial and

en

61:50

Playing Business with Ryan Watson

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/02/18

Ryan Watson has been my buddy in building startups since 2015. He’s also a partner at Upsourced Accounting, a financial advisory firm for over 100 creative agencies. In between, he’s a husband, father of three, and the most organized youth soccer coach in the Greater Dayton, Ohio region.I can’t think of anyone better to host on my 100th podcast episode!Every few months, Ryan and I have a private conversation about what we’ve learned in business that is too good to keep to ourselves. Today’s podcast

en

10:05

Seeing through Silence, Foaling Around, and What...

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/02/11

It’s another Bob’s Bites, where every couple of weeks, I share a handful of short stories and lessons…Today:1. What Would You Do?—a tricky sharing situation2. Seeing Through Silence—another trick that people play on usRelevant links:Schedule Office Hours with Bob: https://calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hoursFleet: https://fleetholdingco.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

en

11:55

Don't Serve the Sh*t Sandwich

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/02/04

Last week, I wrote about a wonderful leader from my P&G years, with whom I had repeated interactions.Regular listeners might know about his opposite: “George”, my three-up manager at the company, who taught me how not to inspire others. These kinds of reverse role models can be useful to learn from, too.George was the guy who taught me the art of making a Sh*t Sandwich. And I’m here to try and stop you from using it. Relevant links:Schedule Office Hours with Bob:

en

22:37

True Leadership is Treating Others

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/28

I’ll bet you’ve had a few brushes with greatness in your life.But we’re not talking selfies with celebrities here. I mean those rare moments when people in high leadership positions glide down to meet us at our junior ranks as peers rather than superiors. These encounters produce lifelong memories that we enjoy sharing with others.John Pepper is one of these special people.Today I’m sharing a few short stories about how he became part of my life, along with thoughts on why people like him are so

en

12:15

Smile Through Pain and Why VCs Rarely Make Intros

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/21

It’s another Bob’s Bites, where every couple of weeks, I share a handful of short stories and lessons…Today:1. Why VCs Rarely Make Intros—get into their shoes and out of your head2. Smile When It Hurts—how to turn a tough conversation positive3. The Coin of Complaint—a little client service lesson that might save you $ millions Relevant links:Choosing Sides on the Coin of Complaint: https://theworkaround.substack.com/p/choosing-sides-on-the-coin-of-complaintSchedule Office Hours with

en

11:28

Choosing Sides on the Coin of Complaint

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/19

When you serve clients, screw-ups are inevitable. But how you react can make it worse, or turn it positive.A few years ago, I came across an analogy that brought this lesson home perfectly.I call it the Coin of Complaint. There are two sides to this coin: “No Big Deal” and “Very Big Deal.” When a service issue occurs, the Customer or the Server picks one side of the coin, and the other party gets the other side.This little coin might save you millions of dollars.Schedule Office Hours with Bob:

en

45:04

AI Predictions are Projections

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/14

At the end of 2025, it was time to tally the results from a bunch of big predictions about what AI would bring us…Nearly every one of them was wrong.I came up with my own AI prediction for the year ahead. It got me pretty riled up.I started to draft it here, but then realized it wasn’t really a prediction; it was a projection of a shadow lurking inside me.This turned into a story of how AI is unearthing the shadow sides of ourselves.AI can do a lot, and much more is to come in the long term. But

en

11:55

No Comparisons, New Lessons from Old Shirts, and the...

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/07

It’s another Bob’s Bites, where every couple of weeks, I share a handful of short stories and lessons…Today:1. There is No Comparison—life lesson from a pro golf coach2. Old Shirt, New Lesson—remembering a dumb thing I did as a leader3. Prediction for 2006—the Corporate Empire Strikes Back… Relevant links:Coburn Ventures podcast with Morris Pickens:

en

29:30

How I'm Meeting People Now

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2026/01/01

At the end of 2023 and 2024, I looked back at my calendar and measured the years by the people I met. Today I share the results of 2025 in meetings…This year was about quality over quantity, as I worked on being a much better meeting partner with the people who grabbed time on my calendar.If you’re shopping for a meaningful New Year’s Resolution, I’ve got a few tips that might make it an excellent year for you and the people you spend time with.Warning: This is not the kind of stuff you’ll see in

en

11:41

Meeting the People in Our Neighborhood

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2025/12/17

There’s a song from Sesame Street that I think of around this time of year. You know it, too, so sing it with me:Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?In your neighborhood?In your neighborhood?Why do I think of this song this time of year? Because it’s the holidays, when our Postal and other Delivery People are very busy, and we see them daily in our neighborhoods.It’s a reminder to thank them for all they do for us—and maybe think differently about our future together. This is a public

en

27:47

What if We're Already in Hell?

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2025/12/10

My conversations with friends increasingly include a disturbing topic: What are we going to do when s**t goes down?You know, like, when whatever disaster we expect to happen finally hits.I once felt this stress, and I know how insidious it is. And they are in good company. Many people in our country and in the world live daily in fear of disaster.I feel for the pain that my friends and so many in our world today are going through. But I found a way to free myself. It starts by realizing we’re

en

17:11

Picking a Slate of Vendors and Saving Your Holiday...

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2025/12/03

It’s another Bob’s Bites, where every couple of weeks, I share a handful of quick stories and lessons that have been on my mind lately…Today:1. Choosing a Vendor? Pick a slate instead of a single winner2. Saving your next holiday dinner discussion by first re-stating another person’s position3. Two Founders, Two Bobs, One Podcast Relevant links:Technocratic podcast with Bobby Tahir: https://newsletter.technocratic.io/p/advice-for-startup-founders-withSchedule Office Hours with Bob:

en

71:40

Building a Business on YouTube with Alice Turner

The Workaround by Bob Gilbreath Podcast ·

2025/11/26

I’m excited to share the next podcast episode in my series of conversations with interesting people on topics where business and life intersect.My discussion partner this week, Alice Turner, is a highly experienced Doula and Lamaze-certified childbirth educator who has supported more than 300 births. She has helped both women and men make childbirth a positive experience.She’s also a certified star YouTube creator who just earned her 100,000th subscriber.Before becoming a doula, Alice earned a

en

110 results

Similar Podcasts

Lead With AI

Tamara Nall

Linux in the Ham Shack

Black Sparrow Media

Data Engineering Podcast

Tobias Macey

Eye On A.I.

Craig S. Smith

Reflections

Livewire Labs