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🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL7oNW13D3U 🛠️ Hire me to implement AI in your business: https://mjs.link/work?s=fbp-ep98🎓 Join my community and learn how to leverage AI: https://mjs.link/mbs?s=fbp-ep98💡 Book a 1:1 advisory call with me: https://mjs.link/advisory?s=fbp-ep98 🎙️ About this episode with Jake "The Wizard" TlapekJake "The Wizard" Tlapek built his agency on TikTok. He only started posting because a networking group needed someone to give a talk on social media, he was one month away from quitting it forever, and then two videos in a row hit a million views. At his peak he was pulling about 20 leads a week from organic TikTok alone, and he grew Wizard Marketing past seven figures before it was acquired. I'd been watching his stuff for years, and what got us talking was a recent video of his about walking away from done for you work to consult instead. I commented, we went back and forth, and here we are. We go through the whole story first: Air Force IT, a board game that sold 300,000 copies, a marketing job he took knowing nothing about marketing, and the day he handed his boss a resignation letter and an offer letter from his own agency in the same meeting. Then we get into where things are headed. Jake is pro AI and treats it as a tool, with a folder of 74 projects he's building with Claude and ChatGPT. He thinks execution is the first thing to go, gives Meta ads about two years before the whole thing is "give us your website and your budget," and argues that the part of this work that holds its value is the human, emotional side of helping a business owner. I pushed back a little from my side, because I think you can build a system that knows you well enough to catch some of that too. We also get into his book Eight Dominoes, his mastermind, why fun is the fuel, and whether this is the last great boom. 🔗 Connect with Jake "The Wizard" TlapekWebsite: https://www.jakethewizard.comBook (Eight Dominoes): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HD48KJGDMastermind: https://www.jakethewizard.com/mastermindConsulting: https://www.jakethewizard.com/consultingTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjakethewizardYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsjakethewizardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjakethewizard/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-tlapek-10b55962/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsjakethewizardX: https://x.com/JakeTtheWizard 🔗 Connect with Mark SzymanskiWebsite: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/fb?s=fbp-ep98Instagram: https://mjs.link/ig?s=fbp-ep98LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/li?s=fbp-ep98X: https://mjs.link/x?s=fbp-ep98YouTube: https://mjs.link/yt?s=fbp-ep98 🎧 About this showFueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here since episodes recorded in my car, thank you. We're still just getting warmed up 💪 🆓 Free Value- Get your AI Resource Bundle: https://mjs.link/resources?s=fbp-ep98- Full AI Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cd_ntgOuY- Claude Code Beginner's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nJ_8_77Yg- Follow my thinking between videos: https://mjs.link/newsletter?s=fbp-ep98 ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Cold open00:40 Intro03:51 Meet Jake the Wizard05:12 Air Force IT tech to marketing10:04 Marketing is a game with victory conditions13:21 Hearing aids, free vacuums, and learning offers17:37 The technical side: complex WordPress builds20:26 Quitting and making his old boss his first client24:33 The networking talk that put him on TikTok26:55 About to quit social media, then two million-view videos27:51 20 leads a week from organic TikTok29:29 A nine-person team of executors32:55 Lives, and why he never sold to other agencies35:36 The worst creator in the history of creators38:38 The Eight Dominoes Mastermind41:54 Most owners already know what to fix43:19 Writing Eight Dominoes, a 10-year process47:08 Why every first-time author needs an editor49:41 From doing the work to consulting50:36 Consulting takes the energy of two people54:09 Selling his shares and going solo55:32 Fun is the fuel58:40 Enter AI1:02:31 Beating up Claude and a folder of 74 AI projects1:03:24 When AI takes the shovel away1:04:47 The six types of working genius1:07:57 Everything gets commoditized, then artists get to play1:09:41 Why hire Jake when you could ask Claude?1:12:13 Execution is the first thing to go1:13:10 Jake's case for emotion1:17:34 You can't hold the hope, so borrow mine1:19:45 Building an AI that knows you better than you do1:25:39 AI vampires: 4x the output and more time1:26:11 Is this the last great boom?1:27:41 I want you to graduate1:30:01 He wants to create experiences1:30:55 Where to find Jake 📃 Ethics Statement: https://markszymanski.co/policies/ethics-statement/

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kas27lxen4 🛠️ Hire me to implement AI in your business: https://mjs.link/work?s=fbp-ep97🎓 Join my community and learn how to leverage AI: https://mjs.link/mbs?s=fbp-ep97💡 Book a 1:1 advisory call with me: https://mjs.link/advisory?s=fbp-ep97 🎙️ About this episode with Lars FayeLars Faye is a self taught developer with about fifteen years in the trenches, co founder of Chee Studio in Buffalo, and the guy who wrote "Agentic Coding is a Trap." That article hit the front page of Hacker News, got read on air by Theo (t3.gg), and got covered by Cal Newport. He and I actually met arguing about this stuff in the comments on LinkedIn, so this conversation is the long version of that argument. We trace his whole path first: five years old on an MS DOS prompt, a computer repair job he hated, his wife telling him he could just do it himself, first client websites in 2008 right as the economy collapsed, then going all in on agency work. Then we get into it. Lars is not anti AI. He uses agents every day and says every developer alive wants to type less. His argument is that there is no free lunch, that the tools which make you fast are the same tools that quietly stop you from learning, and that only a sharp developer can catch what a model gets wrong. We cover why he thinks the real problem is composition rather than code quality, what he means when he says the agents start to own you, why pointing an LLM at your own back catalog makes you stagnant, and the part I did not expect, which is that he thinks LLMs are going to cause the biggest surge of real programmers in history. I pushed back on a lot of this. He pushed back on me. If you are a builder trying to figure out how hard to lean into agents without hollowing yourself out, this is the conversation. Read the article: https://larsfaye.com/articles/agentic-coding-is-a-trap 🔗 Connect with Lars FayeWebsite: https://larsfaye.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@larsfayedevLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsfaye/Company: Chee Studio https://cheewebdevelopment.com 🔗 Connect with Mark SzymanskiWebsite: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/fb?s=fbp-ep97Instagram: https://mjs.link/ig?s=fbp-ep97LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/li?s=fbp-ep97X: https://mjs.link/x?s=fbp-ep97YouTube: https://mjs.link/yt?s=fbp-ep97 🎧 About this showFueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here since episodes recorded in my car, thank you. We're still just getting warmed up 💪 🆓 Free Value- Get your AI Resource Bundle: https://mjs.link/resources?s=fbp-ep97- Full AI Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cd_ntgOuY- Claude Code Beginner's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nJ_8_77Yg- Follow my thinking between videos: https://mjs.link/newsletter?s=fbp-ep97 ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Cold open00:40 Intro05:56 Meet Lars Faye06:25 The article that went viral, and Theo reading it on air07:42 Where "agentic coding is a trap" actually came from16:14 You need a job to get expertise and expertise to get a job23:08 Self taught from MS DOS, computer repair, and going solo26:14 First websites in 2008, then going all in on agencies36:05 Right tool for the job, and the sites nobody ever touches37:57 Why developers get ossified in one stack45:14 Writing custom blocks, and learning to love Gutenberg47:25 Building brand guardrails clients can't break52:27 Two ways into business, and the e myth trap55:57 I don't sell a tech solution, I sell the collaboration59:16 Enter AI1:01:09 Every developer wants to type less1:06:19 Cursor, OpenCode, and moving to Chinese models1:10:20 The three ways people actually use AI1:14:56 Why he won't hook an agent up to his Gmail1:16:25 Would he let an agent build the whole site?1:23:23 Code quality is fine, composition is the problem1:24:22 At that point, the agents own you1:27:55 Point an LLM at your old work and you go stagnant1:31:51 There's no such thing as a free lunch1:34:13 What happens to a generation missing expertise1:39:46 You can't learn to cook by watching1:40:49 Why a surge of real programmers is coming1:44:33 The steelman, the personal computer and the secretary1:47:21 Why he's long term optimistic1:51:29 We're arguing in front of the 0.01%1:53:26 Have LLMs already plateaued?1:56:00 Where to find Lars 📃 Ethics Statement: https://markszymanski.co/policies/ethics-statement/

🛠️ Hire me to implement AI in your business: https://markszymanski.co/work-with-me🎓 Join my community and learn how to leverage AI: https://ModernBuildersSociety.com💡 Book a 1:1 advisory call with me: https://markszymanski.co/advisory 🎙️ About this episode with Caleb RalstonCaleb Ralston is the brand strategist behind some of the biggest names online. He scaled Gary Vaynerchuk's TikTok from 300K to 3.5 million in three months, built an 18 person media team that generated billions of organic impressions for Alex and Leila Hormozi, and then stepped out on his own to teach founders how to do this for themselves. In this conversation we trace that whole path (carrying lights at his church, the Crush It book that changed everything, Team Gary, VaynerMedia, and the leap to going solo) and then get into the frameworks he teaches now. We cover why most people build a prison instead of a brand, what Gary really meant by document don't create, the student vs expert distinction that tells you exactly how to position yourself, why niching down is non-negotiable even though everyone tells you not to, the name as brand play behind Ralston, and how he uses AI as a multiplier of his own thinking instead of a source. If you have ever felt like you should be putting yourself out there but do not know how to start without sounding like everyone else, this one is for you. Watch Caleb's 6-hour course on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch4Sl0POBhU 🔗 Connect with Caleb RalstonYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CalebRalstonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebralstonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebralstonX: https://x.com/calebralstonWebsite: https://calebralston.com 🔗 Connect with Mark SzymanskiWebsite: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT 🎧 About this showFueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here since episodes recorded in my car, thank you. We're still just getting warmed up 💪 🆓 Free Value- Get your AI Resource Bundle: https://markszymanski.co/ai-crash-course-resources- Full AI Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cd_ntgOuY- Claude Code Beginner's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nJ_8_77Yg- Follow my thinking between videos: https://mjs.link/Newsletter ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro04:25 Meet Caleb Ralston05:23 Carrying lights to GaryVee, VaynerMedia, and the Hormozis14:08 Why he finally bet on himself19:30 Getting the guts to step in front of the camera20:33 A personal brand vs a prison you are stuck in22:52 Why most founders can't brand themselves28:23 What Gary really meant by document, don't create32:18 Student vs expert, and picking your pond38:03 Why niching down is non-negotiable41:18 The name as brand play, rebranding Ralston46:20 Show your persona while dispensing expertise49:02 The lines he won't cross55:33 AI as a multiplier, not a source59:54 Where to find Caleb 📃 Ethics Statement: https://markszymanski.co/policies/ethics-statement/

🛠️ Hire me to implement AI in your business: https://markszymanski.co/work-with-me🎓 Join my community and learn how to leverage AI: https://ModernBuildersSociety.com💡 Book a 1:1 advisory call with me: https://markszymanski.co/advisory  🎙️ About this episode with Mansel ScheffelMansel Scheffel is an independent AI builder and consultant (AtomicOps) breaking down what actually works in production with Claude Code, agentic workflows, and AI automation. He went from a hungover 22 year old pianist in South Africa to a solo consultant landing some of the largest banks and governments in the world, all without a degree and without ever hiring full time staff. In this conversation we trace that whole path (the leap to London, learning Splunk by getting thrown to the wolves, and the intermediary layer playbook he used to reach clients a solo operator should never have been able to reach) and then bring it into the present, where he runs his AI consulting business AtomicOps alongside a fast growing YouTube channel and community. We get into the no hype, no doom view of AI that we both share, the Anthropic billing change that just broke a lot of the elaborate AIOS builds people sell on YouTube, why he builds constraints first, and how he thinks about vibe coding, security, and what a software engineer is actually worth in a world where the model writes the code. If you are a builder or a solo consultant trying to figure out what actually ships, this one is for you.  🔗 Connect with Mansel ScheffelAI Transformation Academy (Skool community): https://www.skool.com/ainativeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansel-scheffel/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mansel.scheffel  🔗 Connect with Mark SzymanskiWebsite: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT  🎧 About this showFueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world.  If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here since episodes recorded in my car, thank you. We're still just getting warmed up 💪   🆓 Free Value - Get your AI Resource Bundle: https://markszymanski.co/ai-crash-course-resources - Full AI Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cd_ntgOuY - Claude Code Beginner's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nJ_8_77Yg - Follow my thinking between videos: https://mjs.link/Newsletter   ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:00 What Mansel does now (banks, cybersecurity, AI, solo) 07:54 South Africa to London at 22 10:25 Splunk, the first big bank, going solo 14:14 The worst risk is not taking the risk 17:59 The first solo year and land and expand 20:00 The intermediary layer playbook 22:48 Big clients vs small, and why he started a community 33:38 Starting YouTube and content as lead gen 46:48 No hype, no doom, and who is actually watching 50:01 The Anthropic billing change and constraints first 59:41 The community and the live workshop playbook 1:07:24 Syntax vs orchestration and vibe coding 1:14:38 Making AI builds secure, and the future software engineer 1:25:23 The AI skeptic at the family table   📃 Ethics Statement: https://markszymanski.co/policies/ethics-statement/

🛠️ Hire me to implement AI in your business: https://markszymanski.co/work-with-me🎓 Join my community and learn how to leverage AI: https://ModernBuildersSociety.com💡 Book a 1:1 advisory call with me: https://markszymanski.co/advisory 🎙️ About this episode with Jake GoldmanJake Goldman is the founder of 10up, the WordPress agency he scaled to about $45 million in revenue and roughly 300 people over twelve and a half years, before merging it into Fueled and stepping into a partner role. We get into how he started, why he deliberately built a company that was never about him personally, what it looks like to live through the AI transformation as a founder instead of just commenting on it, why he believes customers will keep paying agencies even as AI does more of the work, and his closing call to install one of the tools this weekend and just go try making something you didn't think you could. 🔗 Connect with Jake GoldmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobgoldman/Fueled: https://fueled.com10up: https://10up.com 🔗 Connect with Mark SzymanskiWebsite: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT 🎧 About this showFueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here since episodes recorded in my car, thank you. We're still just getting warmed up 💪 🆓 Free Value- Get your AI Resource Bundle: https://markszymanski.co/ai-crash-course-resources- Full AI Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cd_ntgOuY- Claude Code Beginner's Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nJ_8_77Yg- Follow my thinking between videos: https://mjs.link/Newsletter ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Cold open00:41 Mark's intro05:48 Meet Jake Goldman: how he started 10up12:42 Scaling 10up to $45M and 300 people18:06 Joyful UX and the developer mindset23:50 Jake's day to day at Fueled now25:34 Going all in on AI tooling37:18 Why this AI shift is genuinely different39:13 The "golden era" that minted today's web devs45:03 Personal brand vs entity brand49:49 Why customers still want humans accountable for code01:20:00 Emotion, defensiveness, and the AI debate01:32:49 Jake's advice: just go try and make something01:34:44 Mark's closing thoughts 📃 Ethics Statement: https://markszymanski.co/policies/ethics-statement/

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start This is a conversation with Josh Hall about building and selling his web design agency, transitioning to courses and community, the identity shifts that come with entrepreneurial evolution, and why being present for family is the real endgame. 🔗 Connect with Josh Hall:Web Designer Pro: https://webdesignerpro.com/Personal Website: https://joshhall.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshhallco/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshhallco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshhallco/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoshHallco 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark SzymanskiProduction --- Nathaniel DeHaven (https://elevatedmultimedia.com) Chapters:0:00 Cold Open0:40 Mark's Intro5:29 Welcome and the Freedom of Working From Home6:18 Topics Preview: Family, Business, and Community8:07 Josh's Origin Story: Cabinet Maker to Web Designer10:50 How the Band Translated to Business13:05 The Evolution of Web Design Over 15 Years16:05 Why Websites Became the Digital Hub19:38 The Rise of DIYers and Visual Builders24:04 Web Designers as Digital Strategists25:38 Selling the Agency and Going Full-Time Teaching27:06 What It Means to Be a Community Builder at Heart30:56 The Learn Build Teach Model37:55 Knowing When You're Meant for More Than Service Work43:18 Delayed Gratification and Passion Projects49:48 What Gets You Here Won't Get You There53:11 The Trajectory from Courses to Community59:57 Moving from Lifetime Access to Membership1:03:12 Staying Relevant After Leaving the Trenches1:09:57 Identity Shifts as You Evolve1:15:22 Content Strategy Going Forward1:21:08 Delegating and Building Mini-Coaches1:25:43 AI and the Future of Web Design1:34:36 How Web Designers Should Use AI1:40:08 Why Family Matters More Than the Business1:44:41 Wherever You Are, Be There1:48:03 Structuring Work Around Family1:54:53 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Josh

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start A candid conversation with Kia Ghasem about building an AI automation agency at 25 years old, why most AI solutions fail to deliver ROI, the trap of YouTube-dependent lead generation, and how he's pivoting from content creation back to product and service. 🔗 Connect with Kia Ghasem:Website: https://kamexa.ai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kia-ghasemX: https://x.com/KiaxGhasemYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KiaGhasem 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a long-form conversation series with builders, operators, and thinkers exploring business, technology, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life in a modern world. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark SzymanskiProduction --- Nathaniel DeHaven (https://elevatedmultimedia.com) Chapters:0:00 Intro0:28 Welcome and Kia's Background1:06 How Mark Found Kia on YouTube2:00 Kia's Origin Story - Computer Science to AI3:45 Getting Started in the AI Agency Space5:05 The Hard Truth About Early AI Sales6:42 Finding Solutions That Actually Bring ROI8:00 When Will AI Agents Actually Work9:01 Mark's Journey from WordPress to AI10:41 Working with Overwhelmed Business Owners13:00 Systems Thinking vs AI Hype14:06 Personal Branding and The Ecosystem Breakdown16:26 Building Unintentionally - YouTube, School, Agency19:07 Why Kia Chose Agency Over Content Creation20:00 The YouTube Lead Gen Problem23:02 DIY, DWY, DFY Ladder Explained24:18 Moving Toward Product26:06 The Gap - From Uni to Agency27:55 The 5AM Epiphany That Started Everything28:02 Did Entrepreneurship Come Naturally31:49 Social Media and The Comparison Trap33:33 Content Consumption Strategy36:01 Does YouTube Still Power the Agency39:40 Scaling Without Being the Content Guy41:40 Self-Awareness in Business43:44 Problem Solving Over Sales45:03 Team Structure - Staying Lean46:52 Niching Into Marketing Agencies49:01 Dealing with Unqualified Leads52:02 N8N, Code, and Service Delivery Breakdown57:58 When to Use No-Code vs Custom Software1:00:03 The 35-Interview Audit Lesson1:04:01 Three Interviews Is All You Need1:07:01 Building Community in the AI Space1:12:03 Will We Go Back to Anonymous Internet1:15:53 The Future of Content - Live Streaming1:17:46 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Kia

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start Julian Galluzzo shares how dropping out of school at 13, building agencies, and embracing AI-driven development reshaped his career — and why speed, curiosity, and progress matter more than credentials. 🔗 Connect with Julian Galluzzo:Website: https://juliangalluzzo.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-galluzzo-610379173X: https://x.com/galluzzo_julianYouTube: https://youtube.com/@galluzzojulian 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/linksVideo/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com Chapters:0:00 Introducing Julian Galluzzo4:03 From Freelancing to Running a 40-Person Agency8:35 Why Speed Beats Perfection13:48 How One Client Turned Into an Agency17:23 When Building Turns Into Managing Everything22:06 Leaving the Agency to Reclaim the Craft24:54 Getting Fired and Accidentally Stealing an Agency28:40 Joining Memberstack and Finding the Right Environment33:21 Webflow vs WordPress From a Builder’s Perspective41:14 Why WordPress Isn’t Outdated49:00 The Moment AI Changed Everything53:10 Building Real Apps With Claude and Gemini59:02 Training AI to Design Better Than Humans1:04:28 Why Knowing the Stack Still Matters1:10:56 Is Vibe Coding Legit or Dangerous1:18:53 Engineering Thinking vs Knowing Syntax1:24:24 Do You Actually Want to Be the Boss1:28:44 Would He Recommend Dropping Out of School1:35:02 What Julian Is Actually Optimizing For1:38:21 Where to Follow Julian’s Work

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start Stephanie Hudson shares her journey from freelance web developer to FocusWP founder, including how surviving a coma taught her the critical importance of business continuity planning that most solopreneurs completely ignore. 🔗 Connect with Stephanie Hudson:Website: https://focuswp.coFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.hudsonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/left-brainX: https://x.com/stepherrifficYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FocusWP 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/linksVideo/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com Chapters:0:00 – Introducing Stephanie Hudson2:25 – Growing Up in the 'Burgh (High School Colors & Sports Culture)6:55 – Stephanie's Journey: From Pittsburgh to LA to North Carolina10:50 – Discovering the WordPress Community13:34 – The Hidden Ecosystem Behind WordPress18:55 – How Focus on Your Biz Facebook Group Started22:24 – Early Web Days: Dial-Up, Dreamweaver & Tables29:19 – Meeting Tom & Starting Focus WP36:41 – The Visionary vs. Integrator Problem (Rocket Fuel)42:08 – Freelancer Struggles & Imposter Syndrome48:43 – The Niche Discussion: Service vs. Audience54:58 – Niching Into a Service (Not Just an Industry)1:04:50 – The Coma Story: Getting "Hit by a Bus" for Real1:09:22 – What Is a Continuity Plan?1:14:37 – Password Managers & 2FA: Critical Single Points of Failure1:23:38 – Pittsburgh Pride: Heinz Ketchup & Ranch Culture1:29:00 – Mark's Content Strategy & Daily Videos Discussion1:39:38 – Stephanie's Community Platform Dilemma (Facebook vs. Fluent)1:49:30 – Body Doubling & ADHD Co-Working Ideas1:56:57 – The 3D Glasses Website & Accessibility Controversy2:02:25 – Agency Safety Net: The New Course & Service

⚡Want to build a business that actually works? My team at Motive11 can help—websites, systems, and strategy for modern entrepreneurs → https://motive11.com A deep, raw conversation with Spencer Forman about the real state of WordPress, the entrepreneurial mindset, the cycles of reinvention, and how to build a life and business that actually makes sense. 🔗 Connect with Spencer Forman:Website: https://spencerforman.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/spenceformanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencerformanLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/spencerformanX: https://x.com/spencerformanYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WPLaunchify 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/linksVideo/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com Chapters:0:00 – Introducing Spencer Forman1:56 – Starting the Conversation3:34 – Why Mark Started the Podcast4:12 – Shared Entrepreneurial Energy5:02 – The Three Stages of Life5:43 – Reinvention vs Comfort6:35 – Balancing Money, Ethics, and Happiness7:16 – Comparison Is Poison8:13 – Happiness vs Money Over a Lifetime9:04 – Life Journeys, Setbacks, and Perspective10:11 – Are We in a Human Reality Game?10:36 – Finding Tribe and Identity11:00 – Entrepreneurs as Problem Solvers12:03 – Jumping Between Industries12:34 – Entrepreneurs vs Employees13:35 – Developing the Entrepreneurial Instinct15:02 – Early Stories of Hustle16:03 – The Pattern of Reinvention17:11 – Seeing the Dots in Hindsight18:57 – Why Mark Is Wired This Way20:02 – Documenting Life and Introspection21:03 – Journaling Through Hard Times22:50 – Stoicism and Preparedness24:38 – Looking Back at Hard Seasons26:04 – Why Many Entrepreneurs Start After Crisis28:05 – The Real Goal: Enough, Not Infinite29:04 – The Boat Builder Parable30:02 – Modern Wealth and Power Dynamics31:22 – Escaping the Billion-Dollar Mindset32:33 – What Money Actually Changes33:26 – The Catalyst That Finally Forces Action35:29 – Financial Illusions and True Needs37:04 – Building the Nut First39:49 – When the Rug Gets Pulled Out41:06 – The Monopoly Analogy43:03 – Why the Middle Class Got Squeezed45:06 – Can We Fix It?47:02 – Should Everyone Be an Entrepreneur?48:01 – The World Needs All Roles50:07 – How Boomers Broke the System52:05 – The Coming Reset53:46 – You Can’t Predict the Chaos55:27 – Focus on What You Can Control56:56 – Stop Worrying About What You Can’t Control58:23 – Serenity, Stoicism, Reality1:00:14 – Cause and Effect, Energy, Momentum1:01:32 – WordPress Today: Problems and Potential1:02:37 – What People Truly Need from WordPress1:03:28 – Spencer’s Free-Call Strategy1:04:47 – Mark’s Identity Problem: What Do You Sell?1:05:50 – The Need for a Clear Niche1:07:00 – Mark’s Superpowers: Data, Architecture, Systems1:08:26 – Listening to the Market1:10:00 – Mark’s Cycles of Obsession1:11:09 – No Offers, No Sales Process1:13:00 – You Can’t Sell Everything to Everyone1:15:04 – The Value Ladder Reality Check1:16:11 – Avoiding the Consultant Trap1:18:02 – Reverse-Engineering the $30K Month Goal1:20:06 – Messaging, Offers, and CTAs1:21:40 – Reinventing When the Business Gets Heavy1:23:10 – You Can’t Scale Doing Everything1:25:02 – Productizing and Automating the Craft1:26:21 – Why Mark Hasn’t Been Selling1:28:01 – The Campfire Story of WordPress1:29:59 – Understanding WordPress Lore1:32:00 – The Emotional History of WordPress

⚡Want to build a business that actually works? My team at Motive11 can help—websites, systems, and strategy for modern entrepreneurs → https://motive11.com Agency founder Chris LaFay joins me to talk about growing a web business from small-town freelancing to seven figures, the power of sharing experience instead of advice, and what it really takes to scale sustainably without losing yourself. 🔗 Connect with Chris LaFay:Website: https://www.classiccity.netLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislafayX: https://x.com/chrisjlafay   🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/linksVideo/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com Chapters:0:00 Intro and why I film first conversations1:12 Meet the guest Chris LaFay and Classic City Consulting3:11 How we got connected through Andy Milligan4:30 Accountability partner dynamic and daily check-ins6:40 Experience vs advice and why stories land better8:46 Lessons from Entrepreneurs’ Organization on sharing experiences10:46 My learn try share motto and staying authentic12:10 What I’m excited about now daily shorts streak hits 10013:20 Documenting life systems and personal website roots15:03 Chris’s background slow and steady agency growth16:25 Content ramp up and finally starting a podcast18:58 Framing the studio and committing to a setup20:06 Content to drive Classic City sales the game plan21:17 Collaborations and mini series with agency partners22:52 The dual CTA idea and jabs before the right hook24:05 My path agency vs creator split and tradeoffs25:27 Chris’s origin suburbs of Atlanta and early freelancing27:12 Pricing mindset shift charging more with confidence29:21 Scaling to 1.3M and hard lessons on expenses30:53 Selling to CMOs vs founders and changing rooms33:04 College path MIS degree and real world skills35:39 First WordPress class and stepping up to teach37:49 From Dreamweaver to WordPress becoming the core stack41:26 Shopify side work and where it fits42:53 What Chris does today founder CEO head of sales44:38 Relationship driven sales and creating a repeatable engine48:04 Why ads waited the need for a foot in the door offer50:14 ICP clarity B2B SaaS with complex content models52:18 Component libraries CPTs and empowering marketing teams54:50 How they entered B2B SaaS referrals and Slack groups56:40 Personal sites as scratch pads and short posts59:28 Substack vs WordPress and owning the home base1:02:44 Personal brand ideas fractional consulting with founders1:05:20 Building new lines of business inside existing engines1:06:56 Community and mentorship possibilities1:07:24 Wrap up and where to find Chris LinkedIn and Classic City

⚡Want to build a business that actually works? My team at Motive11 can help—websites, systems, and strategy for modern entrepreneurs → https://motive11.com In this episode, 24-year-old agency founder Andy Milligan reveals why he ditched WordPress, built 30+ sites on Webflow + Framer, and publicly tracks every dollar of revenue.   🔗 Connect with Andy Milligan:Website: https://www.mmgdesign.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindulmilliganInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilliganLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesignX: https://x.com/mmg__designYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mmgdesign 🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:Website: https://markszymanski.coFacebook: https://mjs.link/FBInstagram: https://mjs.link/IGLinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LIX: https://mjs.link/XYouTube: https://mjs.link/YT About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪 Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/linksVideo/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.comSponsor --- NitroPack: Get 10% off with code "MJS" at https://mjs.link/NitroPack Chapters:0:00 - Intro0:43 - Meet Andy Milligan: 24-Year-Old Making $10K+/mo (Golf Pro → Web Agency)6:35 - From Scratch Golfer to Eating Disorder Recovery (Raw Story)15:51 - How Personal Training & Golf Lessons Became His First Business21:47 - Instagram Reels → $40/hr Golf Lessons (Early Hustle Exposed)26:21 - NitroPack Ad: Make Your Site Blazing Fast (Use Code MJS for 10% Off)27:20 - Why Daily YouTube Shorts = Therapy + Lead Gen Gold31:26 - Identity Lags Reality: “I Still Wake Up Like the Kid Who Got Laid Off”35:56 - Discipline = Where Your Calendar Is (Not Motivation)44:55 - Painful Feedback = Probably True (Family vs. Internet Trolls)50:00 - Whole Foods Diet: Meat, Eggs, Fruit, 5lbs of Potatoes (Mark’s Catalyst)1:12:38 - Discipline Is NOT Blanket — It’s Pillar-Based1:26:54 - Balancing Deep Relationships vs. Shallow Founder Network1:34:39 - WordPress vs. Webflow/Framer: The REAL Builder War (No BS)1:40:02 - “You Have to Code PHP to Customize WordPress” — Andy’s Old Myth1:47:30 - Why Gen Z Designers Flock to Framer & AI Tools (And Fail)1:53:31 - “Clients Don’t Care About the Tool — They Care About Leads”1:58:24 - Don’t Switch Platforms If You’re Making Money (Mark’s Warning)2:01:41 - Final Verdict: Tool Debates Are for Technicians, Not Founders2:02:00 - Where to Find Andy (Agency, Podcast, LinkedIn)

Fueled By Progress is back. New studio, fresh clarity, same mission: candid conversations that document the journey and help us all move forward. In this solo relaunch, I share why “MJS Podcast” never fully resonated, the story behind the FBP name (and why I’m proud to bring it back), how my year reshaped my direction, and what’s coming next—guests, deeper conversations, and consistent momentum. What’s inside: Why I sunset the MJS Podcast and revived FBPThe naming story and brand decisionsA quick history of FBP (car recordings → guest era)Reworking the RSS feed + channel setupThe roadmap for upcoming episodes and guestsSubscribe & follow: Fueled By Progress on your favorite podcast app: https://fueledbyprogress.com/YouTube (Fueled By Progress): https://youtube.com/@FueledByProgress/My main channel:  https://youtube.com/@markjszymanski/Second channel (BTS / real-time updates):  https://youtube.com/@MarkSzymanski2/About the show:Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since the car recordings—thank you. We’re just getting started.

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start Join me for a conversation with Nick Saraev, AI automation expert, agency owner, and content creator who scaled his service business to $72K/month. In this episode, we explore the intersection of technology, business mindset, and content creation strategy. Nick shares his journey into AI automation, revealing why focusing ruthlessly on revenue-generating activities is the key to success. We discuss the power of transparency in marketing, the value of personal branding, and practical advice on building systems that deliver demonstrable ROI for clients. Whether you're looking to transition from technical skills to entrepreneurship, scale your service business, or leverage AI automation for growth, this conversation offers actionable insights from someone who's built successful businesses in both the technical and educational spaces. Plus, Nick shares his time management philosophy that allows him to create massive amounts of content while still maintaining a thriving agency and personal life. GUEST: Nick Saraev- Website: https://nicksaraev.com/- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicksaraev- Maker School: https://www.skool.com/makerschool/- Make Money With Make.com: https://www.skool.com/makemoneywithmake/ Chapters:0:00 - Introduction to Nick Saraev8:35 - Conversation with Nick starts9:04 - Nick's perspective on why transparency and authenticity will be crucial in an AI-saturated future11:05 - Comparing our journeys from web development to exploring automation opportunities14:11 - Nick's path from struggling with WordPress to discovering front-end and AI technologies17:56 - The limitations of web design and why ROI-focused services are more valuable20:18 - The generational differences between WordPress and AI/automation communities25:12 - Why you need existing profitable processes before applying automation and AI29:04 - How to identify automation opportunities that deliver 100x results for businesses33:09 - Navigating criticism when sharing revenue figures and dealing with "trust fund kid" accusations38:13 - Nick's advice on when to start teaching: "learn, achieve, then share" to build credibility42:17 - Time management secrets: effectiveness over efficiency and the $500/hour mindset45:00 - Being ruthless about focusing only on tasks that generate significant ROI51:00 - Why growth solves most business problems better than optimization or hiring56:20 - The technician vs. entrepreneur spectrum and moving beyond technical skills59:08 - Three recurring revenue models for automation businesses explained in detail1:01:15 - Nick's inspiring story about confidence in success and where to find his content

Join me for an enlightening conversation with Matt Medeiros, the "Podfather of WordPress" and creator of The WP Minute, as we dive deep into the world of content creation, personal branding, and playing the long game in the digital space. In this episode, Matt shares his 15+ years of experience as a digital professional and reveals why he consciously chose to build without chasing fame or algorithms. We explore: - The true value of personal branding vs. building sellable assets- Why Matt avoids the content hamster wheel of viral marketing- The importance of creating for the love of the game, not just metrics- How podcasting serves as the ultimate "dynamic resume"- The transition from WordPress to AI and what's next- Strategic insights on when to name products after yourself (and when not to)- The "blue collar digital worker" mindset- How authentic content creation leads to unexpected opportunities- Building sustainable content businesses without burnout Matt discusses his journey from running a WordPress agency to becoming a key voice in the podcasting space, his experiences with various ventures (from The Matt Report to The WP Minute to South Coast FM), and why staying "in the mix" has been his most valuable content strategy. Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, or someone interested in building a lasting digital presence, this conversation offers invaluable insights on creating meaningful content that stands the test of time. GUEST: Matt Medeiros- Website: https://craftedbymatt.com- WP Minute: https://thewpminute.com- Gravity Forms: https://gravity.com