Podcast
🎙️ 33 CONVERSATIONS PODCAST
Hosted by Michael Abney · EN
33 Conversations Podcast is a space where mission-driven founders are witnessed in their becoming. Not a podcast about success stories, this is real-time reflection: the messy middle, the identity shifts, and the truth behind building something that matters.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The End of More and The Return to Human Storytelling
Yesterday00:34:19Tap to summarizeMarc da Motta, founder of Pathfinder Content Marketing, joins Michael to discuss the quiet rebellion against the 'more is more' content machine. This conversation explores why Marc walked away from the traditional agency model to build a boutique consultancy focused on the foundational power of brand positioning and the 'narrative spine.'Key Themes Include:- The pivotal shift from content quantity to messaging clarity.- What a 'narrative spine' is and how to build one for your brand.- Why 'positioning-first' is essential in a noisy, AI-saturated world.- Letting go of vanity metrics to focus on the deep work of your craft.- The relationship between storytelling, authentic value, and human connection.This episode is for founders, marketers, and entrepreneurs who feel trapped on the content treadmill and want to build a more authentic, effective, and sustainable brand narrative. If you're tired of creating content that doesn't connect and want to get to the root of what makes your business valuable, this conversation offers a clear path forward.
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The Energetics of Branding
3d ago00:35:40Tap to summarizeIn this conversation, Michael sits down with brand strategist and founder Gio Petrucci to explore the delicate line between the founder and the human. Gio shares his journey of realizing his business, once built as 'proof' of his worth, was consuming his identity | and the path he's now on to separate, nurture, and reintegrate the two.This episode is for founders, creatives, and strategists who feel the tension between who they are and what they're building. This is for anyone who has used their work as a shield or as proof, and is ready to build from a more authentic place.Key themes include:- The internal conflict between founder and human.- Letting go of the need for 'security' and financial validation.- The influence of immigrant parents on an entrepreneur's drive.- Why human connection is the core of meaningful branding.- Navigating founder anxiety and self-doubt.- Building a business that is honest, not just big.This isn't a conversation about marketing tactics. It's a vulnerable look at the inner world of a founder, touching on the universal fears and desires that drive us. It’s a permit to be more human in your work.
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Authority, Vulnerability, and the Search for Your True Voice
1w ago00:37:48Tap to summarizeIn this conversation, Michael sits down with executive communications strategist J.T. Compeau to explore the gap between earned authority and the feeling of uncertainty many leaders face when asked to speak. They discuss why credentials aren't enough, the delicate balance between authority and vulnerability, and the 'unnamed' shifts in our culture that are changing the way we must communicate.Key Themes:- The search for certainty, not just words.- Navigating the authority vs. vulnerability equilibrium.- The evolution of leadership communication post-2020.- Why 'authenticity' is a misunderstood and overused concept.- The power of being a 'witness' to someone's message.- How to find your core message by asking 'What's this really about?'This episode is for founders, executives, and emerging leaders who are masters of their craft but feel a sense of doubt when it comes to public speaking or shaping their message. It's for anyone who wants to communicate with more clarity, confidence, and human resonance.If you've ever felt that your expertise gets lost in translation, or that you're not quite connecting with your audience, this conversation will provide profound clarity. J.T. Compeau offers a masterclass in the subtext of communication, revealing how the true work of finding your voice is about calibration, not just performance.
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Seeing the Universe in People
1w ago00:25:30Tap to summarizeWhat does it mean to lead from the heart? Daniel Tataje, author and founder of a 13-location, Inc. 5000 dental group, joins Michael Abney to discuss his journey from an immigrant dentist facing endless hurdles to a CEO building a company culture rooted in service and humility. This conversation is a deep dive into his core philosophy: that every person is a unique universe, and the role of a leader is to help them flourish.In this episode, you’ll learn about:- Seeing the universe in each person- The 7 Marks of Leadership: a practical framework- How personal struggles shape a leader’s empathy- The power of saying 'I believe in you'- Scaling a mission-driven business- Living a life of service as the key to happinessThis episode is for founders, leaders, and entrepreneurs who are navigating the complexities of growth and want to build an organization with a strong, positive culture. It's for anyone who believes business can and should be a force for good. If you're tired of leadership advice that focuses only on metrics and strategy, this conversation offers a refreshing and actionable alternative.
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Life After the Game
2w ago00:29:40Tap to summarizeIn the new era of college sports, opportunities and exploitation exist in equal measure. Attorney and NFL Agent Justin Brashear joins Michael to discuss the world beyond the game | navigating the pressures of NIL and the transfer portal, why an athlete's identity cannot be tied to the uniform, and why the most important question isn't about the next contract, but what makes you happy after the stadium lights go dark.Key themes in this conversation:- The mental weight on student-athletes today.- Navigating NIL and the transfer portal with a long-term vision.- Why your identity must be separate from your performance.- Planning for your 'second career' while still in your first.- The role of family and character in a professional career.- Finding fulfillment beyond the game.This conversation is for student-athletes trying to build a future, the parents and coaches who support them, and anyone who has ever wrapped their own identity too tightly in their work. If you're curious about the human side of the massive changes in college sports, this episode provides a grounded, thoughtful perspective that moves beyond headlines about money and focuses on the person who has to live the life long after the game is over.
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The Messy Middle of Building
2w ago00:35:58Tap to summarizeThis is a conversation about the part of building a business that nobody talks about: the messy middle. 3x entrepreneur Corinne Cavanaugh joins Michael to discuss founder loneliness, why authenticity is the new currency, and how to hold the vision when the results haven't caught up.Key themes include:- Navigating the 'messy middle' of entrepreneurship.- The post-COVID loneliness paradox.- The shift from corporate to fractional work.- Why authenticity is your greatest differentiator.- Building with scale in mind.- Holding your 'why' as an anchor through hard times.This episode is for founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are currently in the thick of building their company and carrying the weight of the vision.If you feel like you're grinding it out alone, this conversation will feel like a long exhale. It's a raw, honest reminder that the struggle is part of the process and that your presence and authenticity are more powerful than any strategy.
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Founder Pressure, Legacy, & Letting Go
3w ago00:34:19Tap to summarizeThis episode explores the unseen side of entrepreneurship through a conversation with Claudio Vilas, a business broker and advisor working closely with founders during business exits.Key themes include:The psychological pressure of being a business ownerWhat founders risk that most people never seeThe emotional complexity of selling a companyHow identity shifts after major transitionsWhy legacy becomes more important over timeThis episode is for founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating growth, burnout, or transition.It’s especially relevant for those considering selling their business or questioning what they’re building—and why.
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The Human Problem Behind Every System
3w ago00:30:23Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Michael sits down with Korede Oludiran, founder of Echo Oscar Inc., to explore why collaboration—not technology—is the real bottleneck inside modern organizations.Key ThemesThe gap between talent and alignmentWhy teams struggle to work togetherThe role of trust in performanceAI adoption and human resistanceLeadership responsibility in changeWho This Is ForFounders building teamsLeaders navigating AI adoptionAnyone managing people inside systemsOperators feeling friction inside organizationsWhy It’s Worth Listening ToThis conversation goes beyond strategy and tools.It breaks down the human dynamics that determine whether anything actually works.
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Leadership, Empathy, and the Future of Growth
4w ago00:27:10Tap to summarizeThis conversation explores the shift happening inside modern marketing and leadership.Dilara Cossette shares how traditional demand generation models are breaking—and what’s replacing them. From event strategy to empathy in leadership, this episode looks at how trust is becoming the core driver of growth.Key themes:The failure of large-scale event modelsTrust as a measurable growth driverThe role of empathy in leadership performanceFounder identity shifts and career transitionsWhy selling too early damages relationshipsThis episode is for:Founders, early-stage entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating growth, pressure, and evolving business models.Why listen:It offers a grounded view of what’s actually working now—and what needs to change if you want to build something that lasts.
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Small Choices, Real Change
Apr 2100:29:22Tap to summarizeThis episode explores what it really takes to build sustainable health and clarity in a high-pressure world.Chandni Sacheti shares how small, intentional choices can create lasting change—without rigid systems or burnout.Key themes:Habit formation without overwhelmFounder energy and mental clarityListening to your body vs following trendsMovement as a mindset toolConscious living in everyday lifeWho this is for:Founders feeling overwhelmed by health and productivity adviceAnyone struggling to build consistent habitsPeople looking for a simpler, more grounded approachWhy it’s worth listening:This conversation cuts through noise and offers a practical way to create real change—one decision at a time.
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