Podcast
Going Direct Conversations
Hosted by Jordan Wolfe · EN
Going Direct explores the decentralization of the real economy and how new technologies can bring us closer to the products we buy and the people who make them.
goingdirect.substack.com
goingdirect.substack.com
13episodes
Episodes
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#65 Jay Acunzo: Storytelling & Becoming Irreplaceable in the Age of AI
1w ago01:04:15Tap to summarizeI sat down with Jay Acunzo, author, speaker, and storytelling consultant, to discuss how to matter more and make people care in a world drowning in mediocre content.Jay shares his core philosophy of, “resonance over reach,” storytelling in the age of AI, how to escape the commodity trap, and how to become irreplaceable by developing a real point of view.This was one of my favorite episodes to date. There is a ton of invaluable information here.Enjoy.Recording date: May 7, 2026Chapters0:00 Introduction03:46 Jay’s Background08:03 The Broken Script Of Tech And Business11:20 Understanding Storytelling17:11 4-Step Framework To Make People Care20:36 Why Humans Are Drawn To Stories24:01 Balancing Data And Humanity28:05 Impact Of AI On Content Creation: Resonance Over Reach41:30 Why LinkedIn is Underrated (Despite Being Hated)45:08 "Sprezzatura": Making The Difficult Look Effortless48:16 Outside-In VS. Inside-Out Communication51:26 Becoming Irreplaceable: The Emotional Connection58:00 Escaping The Extractive Attention Economy01:02:07 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Jay Acunzo* Website: https://jayacunzo.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacunzo/* Podcast Why They Resonate: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xMty2O4GBcG8F7ySudeXlRemember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#64 Simon Owens: Business Of Content, $100 Billion Middlemen, & Future of Media
2w ago00:58:53Tap to summarizeI sit down with Simon Owens, an independent media industry journalist and specialist on the business of content.Simon breaks down the “Ozempic Effect” in AI-Generated content, why the “creator economy” is just the economy, middlemen in online advertising, and the future of monetizing content. If you want to understand how to build a media business today, you will enjoy this episode.Enjoy.Recording date: May 6th 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction03:43 The Business Of Content08:38 Misunderstanding The Creator Economy10:54 Depth Over Scale13:54 Changing Economics Of Media16:51 The Ozempic Effect With AI-Generated Content21:13 Scarcity In An AI-Driven World24:16 Simon's System for Writing 5 Days a Week27:56 Middleman Economy in Advertising37:28 Challenges With Gatekeepers In The Ad Model46:33 Creators As Infrastructure50:44 Legacy Media52:57 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Simon Owens:* Newsletter: https://simonowens.substack.com/* Website: https://www.simonowens.net/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-owens-77030514/* The Business of Content Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-of-content-with-simon-owens/id1339451218* YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/nomissnewoRemember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#63 Duncan Young: Jobs Are Dead. Long Live The $10 Million Niche.
3w ago01:12:58Tap to summarizeI sit down with Duncan Young to discuss an essay he recently published on Substack that went a bit viral: “Jobs are dead, long live the $10 million niche.”Duncan explains why AI is coming for repetitive tasks rather than the work itself, why mid-career professionals are facing an existential crisis, and why building your own ladder is now a far better bet than climbing a corporate one.Enjoy.Recording date: May 4, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction03:38 Duncan's Background07:42 Writing With AI11:18 First Job Compression: Industrialization14:05 Second Job Compression: Great Offshoring22:57 AI Came For the Margin, Not The Work25:47 Building A Ladder vs Climbing One32:17 Math Behind The $10 Million Niche40:29 Building Relationships Over Margins42:10 Leveraging AI To Build Direct Distribution44:06 Two Doors: Build Your Own vs Build Inside49:34 Shift From Hierarchies To Platforms56:20 Decentralized Business Ownership01:00:16 Four Levers Of Internal Entrepreneurship01:05:13 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Duncan:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanmayoung/* Substack: https://substack.com/@saorsapartners* Jobs Are Dead. Long Live the $10 Million Niche Article:* Human Scale Article:Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#62 Brian Morrissey: The Great Decentralization of Media & New Media Energy
Apr 2901:01:30Tap to summarizeI sit down with Brian Morrissey, and independent journalist and the founder of The Rebooting, to discuss a recent piece he wrote called, “New Media Energy” and our transition to a truly decentralized media landscape where the legacy media gatekeeper is no longer relevant.Among the topics we discuss are:• “New Media Energy” vs the unearned authority of legacy media• Why VCs are building their own media networks• Axios Local and the “Business in a Box” model for journalists• The most overrated and underrated platforms todayIf you want to understand where the media industry is heading, you will enjoy this episode.Enjoy.Recording date: April 27, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction01:20 Brian’s Background & Digiday03:42 Leaving Institutional Media And Going Independent09:40 Defining New Media16:17 Rise Of Citizen Journalism18:52 Future Of Media And Information Ecosystems23:06 Dichotomy Of Decentralization And Centralization27:19 Prediction Markets & Hidden Media Incentives30:54 Shift From Institutions To Individuals In Media32:20 TBPN & The Trade Magazine Model36:53 The Rise Of Direct Expertise In Media41:40 AI Content & Synthetic “Slop”49:05 Business In A Box For Local Media: Axios Local56:31 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X- https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Brian Morrissey:- Website: https://www.therebooting.com/- The Rebooting Show: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Rebooting-g4c- People versus Algorithms Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@peoplevsalgorithms- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmorrissey/- Substack: https://therebooting.substack.com/Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#61 INSIDE GOING DIRECT: What, “Going Direct” Actually Means
Apr 2102:09:10Tap to summarizeI sit down with Rafik Kheffache, founder of Heliosand, for our first-ever in-person episode in Paris.This was a different kind of episode where Rafik asks me to pull back the curtain on Going Direct - why I started it, what I actually believe, and where it’s all going.Over the past year, I’ve had 50+ conversations with founders, engineers, and builders working on decentralized production, AI infrastructure, and the future of the real economy. This one was about connecting the dots and honestly, just have some fun over a few glasses of whiskey.It’s part philosophy, part story, part rant.Enjoy.Recording date: March 31, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction01:18 Going Direct Podcast Adventure14:39 Geopolitics and Decentralization24:47 Heliosand Is Turning Garbage Into Gold32:31 Why Decentralization Is So Important37:48 Doing Business In Europe As An American42:14 The Minitel, Concorde, And Failed Innovation In France46:04 The French VC Scam & Work Culture55:21 French Lifestyle Is Pretty Damn Good01:05:00 Trading Bitcoin In Switzerland01:08:29 Is Elon Musk The Riches Men In The World?01:17:33 Simulation Theory01:26:54 Money = Freedom01:41:30 Incident With The French CIA (DGSE)01:46:34 French vs American Cultural Differences01:53:34 Bridge Building Between The US And France02:00:09 Importance Of Community And RelationshipsFollow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Rafik:* Heliosand – https://heliosand.com/* LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafik-kheffache/?locale=en* X – @KheffacheR62805Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#60 Aleks Gampel: America Needs High Quality, Affordable Homes
Apr 1500:48:07Tap to summarizeI sit back down with Aleks Gampel, the co-founder and COO of Cuby, to talk about why construction has become less productive over time, why skilled labor shortages are getting worse, and why the current system still relies on fragmented crews and outdated methods.Cuby’s answer is to build mobile micro-factories that produce home components close to where the homes are actually being built.Among the topics we discuss are:* Why construction productivity has gotten worse since the 1950s* Why construction is really a logistics problem* Cuby’s proposed solution - Mobile Micro-Factories (MMFs)* Eliminating middlemen through vertical integration* Launching the first Cuby micro-factory in New MexicoEnjoy.Recording date: April 08, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction03:50 Revisiting The Bottlenecks In Housing Construction06:04 Why Construction Has Regressed Over 60 Years09:32 Non-Obvious Problems In The Construction Industry11:26 Cuby's Approach To Housing14:03 Building High-Quality, Affordable Housing19:16 Cuby's Mobile Micro-Factory Progress23:22 Deploying The First Factory In The US27:16 The Going Direct Economy35:48 Applying The Toyota Production System To Construction37:38 Coordination vs Control41:10 Eliminating Middlemen43:03 Regulatory Maze & Zoning Codes45:43 Future Plans And Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Aleks Gampel:* LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamaleksandrgampel/* Cuby – https://cubytechnologies.com/home* X - https://x.com/buildwithcuby?lang=enRemember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#59 Will Fry: The Great Wealth Transfer And Saving Small Business Ownership in America
Apr 701:03:30Tap to summarizeI sat down with Will Fry, founder and CEO of American Operator, to talk about one of the biggest questions in the U.S. economy: who will own the next generation of small businesses?Among the topics we discuss are:* Why allowing Private Equity to buy up Main Street is a disaster for local communities.* The Great Ownership Transfer (6 million businesses for sale).* The fatal flaw in most small business acquisitions.* American Operator’s, “Operate-to-Own” Model: From 10% to 70% equity.* Why Capital, not Operators, is the biggest bottleneck.Enjoy.Watch/listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple PodcastsRecording date: April 1, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction04:02 Importance Of Local Business Ownership07:05 From Mainshares To American Operator17:28 Will's AHA Moment20:20 The Operate-To-Own Model Explained25:50 Scaling And Governance Challenges27:42 How To Create Leverage For Local Business Owners30:18 Why AO is a Holding Company, Not a PE Fund32:17 The Vision For Going Public And Reviving The American Dream35:11 Will's Background42:21 Financialization And Its Effects On Society48:36 The Future Of Small Business Ownership In America53:25 Problems With The Franchise Model57:59 Using Content To Build Trust01:01:19 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Will:* X (Twitter) – https://x.com/buysellsmb* LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/fryw* Website – https://americanoperator.comRemember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#58 Aaron Feigelman: A New Model for Food Distribution in America
Mar 3101:05:28Tap to summarizeI sit down with Aaron Feigelman, the head of food systems at Cultured Supply, to discuss the hidden monopoly of broadline food distributors and the need to reimagine wholesale food distribution from the ground up. We discuss why the current supply chain forces suppliers to kill the nutrients in our food, High Pressure Processing (HPP) technology, and how the company we’ve been incubating, CS Juice, is using AI to build a decentralized distribution network for food service.Enjoy!Watch/listen on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple PodcastsRecording date: March 25, 2026Chapters00:00 Introduction03:19 Aaron's Interest In Improving The US Food System05:12 Taking A Full-Stack Approach07:23 Introducing CS Juice?10:54 Understanding Broadline Distribution14:44 High Pressure Processing (HPP) Technology17:17 HPP vs. Heat Pasteurization18:45 HPP Products In The Food Industry20:10 Why New Local Food Distributors Keep Failing26:19 The Production Layer & Vertical Integration30:44 Why Vertical Integration Is Not Common In Food40:24 Importance Of Going Direct42:45 70% Margin Or Die In Traditional Retail45:27 Why Software Alone Doesn’t Work48:56 Americans Pay A Lot For Low Quality Product52:26 Reimagining The Food System From First Principle53:40 Amazon vs Etsy59:28 Customer Service & Building Loyalty* Follow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfe* Connect with Aaron:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfeigelman/* CS Juice: https://www.csjuice.com/Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#57 Scott Porter: America Runs on This $80 Billion Industry
Mar 2401:08:31Tap to summarizeI sit down with Scott Porter, founder of Dynamic Green Products (DGP), to unpack an overlooked, unsexy corner of the real economy that literally keeps everything moving: industrial lubricants.Nearly 99% of lubricants today are petroleum-based. They’re part of an old, centralized system built on commodity inputs, distributor choke points, and entrenched incumbent brands.DGP is building high-performance, bio-based lubricants made from American-grown plants and soybeans. They are engineered to be drop-in replacements that outperform petroleum.But this conversation goes beyond oil. It’s about:* Changing how professionals buy lubricants by going direct* Disrupting a distributor-dominated industry* Competing with entrenched incumbents* Rebuilding domestic supply chains from the ground upEnjoy.Listen/watch on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple PodcastsRecording date: January 29, 2026Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:18 What’s Wrong With Industrial Lubricants06:23 Dynamic Green Products Overview11:42 Performance: Why Plants Can Beat Petroleum16:38 People: Operator Health And Safety19:22 Planet: Using American-grown Plants, Not Petroleum20:09 Working With World’s Largest Equipment Brands24:07 Applying The Going Direct Framework To DGP26:11 Pillar #1: Production30:41 Pillar #2: Wholesale Distribution34:30 Amazon vs Bricks-and-Mortar Retail45:49 Pricing Strategies for Bio-Based Products49:02 Supporting American Farmers And Building Domestic Supply Chains54:01 Reconnecting Production And Consumption55:03 Creators And The Future of Buying Lubricants01:01:26 Importance Of Knowing Your Customers01:06:13 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X:* https://x.com/jrwolfeScott & DGP Links:* Website: https://dgpworks.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-porter-a09644b/Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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#56 Andra Keay: 5 Ethical Laws of Robotics & The Future of Automation
Mar 1700:53:30Tap to summarizeI sit down with Andra Keay, a researcher on human-robot culture and head of Silicon Valley Robotics. We discuss the importance of ethical design in robotics, why humans form deep emotional bonds with physical machines, her 5 ethical laws of robotics, and how we can design robots that are actually good for humans.Enjoy!Recording date: March 10, 2026Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple PodcastsChapters00:00 Introduction01:30 About Silicon Valley Robotics08:49 Designing Robots That Are Good For Humans17:51 Why We Treat Robots Like Humans21:46 Children And Robots25:36 Creating Robots That Emulate Humans30:38 Ethics And Incentive Structures In Robotics34:51 Andra’s Five Laws Of Robotics42:55 Policy And Regulation In Robotics44:26 Community Building In Robotics45:46 Andra’s Work At Singularity University48:48 Rapid FireFollow Jordan on X* https://x.com/jrwolfeConnect with Andra Keay* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andra-keay* Substack: robotsandstartups@substack.com* Silicon Valley Robotics: https://www.svrobo.org/Remember to go direct!JordanP.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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