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Ep 322. 38 Special Productions: The Media Company Behind PodHouse! - Side Hustle Squad | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Ep 322. 38 Special Productions: The Media Company Behind PodHouse!

Side Hustle Squad

Thu Apr 02 2026

Summary

Side Hustle Squad Podcast: Ep 322

"38 Special Productions: The Media Company Behind PodHouse!"

Host: Mike Garvey
Date: April 2, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Mike Garvey sits down with Eric (aka "Pond Digger") and Jason Triplet to unpack the origin story of 38 Special Productions, the powerhouse media company behind PodHouse. What began as two drastically different personalities—Type 8 (Challenger) and Type 3 (Achiever) from opposite corners of the country—casually crossing paths at industry events, quickly evolved into a partnership blending entrepreneurial drive with creative chaos. The discussion digs into personality types, behind-the-scenes media company formation, branding nuances, and lessons learned in collaborative growth—all with candid banter and the signature Side Hustle Squad energy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Serendipitous Origin of 38 Special Productions

Accidental Collaboration:
- Eric, a California pond builder and trainer, and Mike Garvey, a New Jersey state trooper and side hustle podcaster, met at industry events (LCR Summit, Equip) and bonded over shared media ambitions ([00:52–04:12]).
- Their connection solidified during deep discussions about the Enneagram personality framework.
Personality Dynamics:
- Eric identifies as a Type 8 "Challenger"—driven, direct, protective.
- Garvey is a Type 3 "Achiever"—strategic, polished, performance-oriented ([11:50–13:00]).
- The blend of a Challenger and an Achiever led to "a dangerous amount of forward movement"—both dynamic and, for some, intimidating ([12:00]).

"When you combine an achiever and a challenger, you get a dangerous amount of forward movement."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [12:00]

2. Enneagram Epiphanies and Team Chemistry

The Test That Changed Everything:
- Garvey took the Enneagram test at Eric’s urging, revealing his Type 3 results—surprising both men, as Eric historically struggled working with "3s" ([05:31–07:58]).
- This personality revelation kicked off meaningful introspection around compatibility and business roles.
- Jason Triplet recalls learning his wife was a Type 9 and observing team dynamics in a whole new light.

"You have that favorite person you want to be around, maybe even aspire to be. There's part of that, too."
— Jason Triplet [32:00]

Learning from (and about) Each Other:
- Both reflected on prior work partnerships, identifying how clashing or complimentary types affected leadership and growth.
- Eric explains the value—and sometimes the necessity—of "judging a book by its cover" for safety, leadership, and team building ([09:22]).

3. Branding and Identity: The "38 Special" Name

Homage to Personality & Leo (Law Enforcement Officer) Culture:
- The company name merges their Enneagram types (3 + 8) and nods to law enforcement with a "38 Special" firearm symbolism ([15:17–16:45, 36:55]).
- The branding is intentionally authoritative and professional, drawing attention, fostering trust, and standing out at industry events ([16:55–18:25]).

"The branding's like, on point, and I'm not just blowing smoke up your ass. That's professional, that's responsive, that's got a really clean look to it."
— Jason Triplet [17:25]

Roots in Collaboration:
- The name was hatched organically after a marathon week at industry events, solidifying over brainstorming sessions in Airbnbs and informal post-event gatherings ([29:37–30:59]).

4. Why the Partnership Works

Mutual Respect and Admiration:
- Jason admires Eric’s teaching ability, style, and energy; he sees Eric as the older brother he never had ([32:00–34:27]).
- Eric values Jason’s ambition and clarity in executing new ventures with speed and little friction ([34:27–34:49]).
Power in Opposites:
- Their different styles are a source of strength, bringing a unique blend of action and analysis to 38 Special ([36:01–36:53]).
- Jason notices a pattern: he’s consistently drawn to Type 8s, especially in high-stakes or creative partnerships ([35:29]).

5. Media Company Mission & PodHouse Philosophy

Mission Statement:
- 38 Special Productions exists to serve as a content engine, specifically for PodHouse, but designed to scale for broader creative and industry objectives ([40:30–41:45, 42:35–43:34]).
- Its focus is on documentary-style content, brand and creator partnerships, and post-event debriefs that capture honest, chaotic, and insightful industry moments.

"It's not just podcasting. It's more of content, chaos, creation—all wrapped up in one."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [36:55]

PodHouse Magic:
- PodHouse is a relaxed retreat from the hustle of live shows—no distractions, no fanfare, just deep dives with plenty of unscripted moments.
- The informal, content-rich atmosphere is fertile ground for authentic conversations and creative breakthroughs ([41:45–42:11]).

"PodHouse gives us that space...deeper connection with brands, deeper connection with content creators, deeper connection with content altogether. Documentary, the journey, and building our media."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [43:33]

6. Lessons, Challenges, and Looking Ahead

Learning by Doing:
- First-year PodHouse events were more chaotic fun than serious content, but the team learned how to market, pitch, and build major buzz with brands by "taking over booths" ([37:59–39:05]).
- The importance of personal branding—distinctive apparel, vibe, and coordinated presence—was reaffirmed as a powerful differentiator at industry expos ([44:23–45:21]).
Ambition and Growth:
- Up to 16 events are planned, with wider goals to expand PodHouse-type content, live streams, and larger-scale projects ([40:43–41:01]).
- Strategic thinking around trademarks, scaling, and organizational structure is underway, with awareness of both tax and legal needs ([46:02–46:23]).

"When you connect with the achiever and overachiever—number three—right? That's what happens."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [46:16]

Notable Quotes & Moments

"When you combine an achiever and a challenger, you get a dangerous amount of forward movement."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [12:00]
"You have that favorite person you want to be around...maybe even aspire to be. There's part of that."
— Jason Triplet [32:00]
"The branding's on point...that's professional, that's responsive, that's got a really clean look to it."
— Jason Triplet [17:25]
"It's not just podcasting. It's more of content, chaos, creation—all wrapped up in one."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [36:55]
"PodHouse gives us that space...deeper connection with brands, deeper connection with content creators, deeper connection with content altogether."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [43:33]
"When you connect with the achiever and overachiever—number three—right? That's what happens."
— Eric (Pond Digger) [46:16]

Timestamps for Key Segments

Personality Types & Enneagram Discussion: [03:00–08:39]
38 Special Productions: Naming & Law Enforcement Branding: [15:17–18:27]
Formation of PodHouse & Chemistry Between Partners: [29:37–35:27]
Mission & Philosophy of 38 Special / PodHouse: [40:30–43:33]
Lessons Learned & Forward Vision: [37:59–41:01]
Final Reflections & Partnership Dynamics: [43:33–46:30]

Conclusion

This episode provides a front-row seat to the convergence of personality, vision, and hustle that birthed 38 Special Productions and PodHouse. With humor, honesty, and insight, Eric (Pond Digger), Jason Triplet, and Mike Garvey reveal the heart and hustle behind building a next-gen media company for the green industry—and beyond. For side hustlers, podcasters, and entrepreneurial collaborators, the lessons in branding, partnering, and executing are invaluable.

For more Side Hustle Squad content and to connect with Mike Garvey, check out the links in the show notes.

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Transcript

Mike Garvey (0:01)

Are you ready to kick back and get inspired? Grab your favorite drink, pop the top and join the side Hustle Squad with Mike Garvey. This podcast is the perfect resource for anyone who's already started their side hustle or is just considering taking the lead. With in depth interviews featuring guests from the green industry and beyond, you'll gain valuable insights and learn what it takes to succeed in running a business while juggling a full time career. From personal stories to practical tips, the Soc side Hustle Squad podcast has everything you need to turn your passion into a thriving business. Now, here's your side Hustle Squad host, Mike Garvey.

Eric (Pond Digger) (0:52)

Today is more of an episode about how two completely different personality types. A type 8 challenger, me and my dear friend Mike Garvey, a type 3 achiever, accidentally started building a media company together. Total accident media company. Like, listen to this. Listen, listen, listen, listen. Mike Garvey, a New York Jersey state trooper, security detail for the fucking governor. You know what I mean? Like, this is serious shit security detail. And here I am on the other side of the country digging Ponds. Entrepreneur training guys how to be the best version of themselves. Building Ponds, California. Two completely different worlds. But when we started breaking down the Enneagram and what we want to do together and how our two visions align, we realized something really weird. I didn't even realize this. This actually came from Garvey and. And you're going to get a chance to hear from this more specifically. But I was speaking at LCR Summit and I, I went really deep on any Enneagram personality types and the whole room was mesmerized by was. It was actually a really special conference for me. And in a nutshell, if I just tell you I had a slide presentation and it somehow failed and they didn't have it for me. So I had to like roll without a slide presentation and talk to, you know, 50, 60 contractors with no cues, no prompts. I just went hard on it. But it was really powerful. And because of that, I didn't have the cues correctly. I was like in a silence mode a little bit more and I was like a little bit more thoughtful, a little slower cadence and it hit it a little whole lot different. But when I went into the personality types, you know, a lot of people in the room came up to me at the end of the conference said, I want that test. I want to figure out who I am. I want to know more about myself so I can be a better version of myself. And Garvey was one of those guys. And we Determined. He was a type 3, which I'll just be straight up. Like, threes are almost the worst for me. They're, like, almost the hardest person for me to. To jive with. But he ended up as type three. I'm a type eight, and you know, Garvey and his big juicy butt. Like, somehow him and I, like, hit it off, and we're, like, really cool, everything together. But he's a three, and I am an eight. And together, somehow he came up with it. Scissors. No, not scissors. What? This is my brother old conversation. Somehow, somehow, together.38 special. Okay, so today we're going to unpack what that actually means. And, yeah, let's kick it off. Let's kick it off with Garvey, and let's. Let's. Because I think it was a real eye opener for him to figure out what. What his three personality even meant, because I knew what the eight meant to me, and like, that unfolded. So let's. Let's take it off, Garvey.

Eric (Pond Digger) (23:46)

Yeah. And there's, like, this giant circle of, like, weighted netting, and this shark's doing circles in the netting, and he jumps the whole circle in the netting, like. Right. So there was a moment where, like, it was around 1985, if I remember this pretty quick. Clearly in 1985. They talked about in 1978 or whatever, when Fonzie jumped the shark. That. That's when he. They ran out of ideas and. And happy days went downhill from there. Now they still had lots of reruns and all that stuff, because it was, like, back then, there wasn't a lot to do. But jumping the Shark meant, like, it's over for that company. Like, it's over for the show. And I had come in, and someone. One of my customers had told my wife that had been with me for, like, 15 years and loved everything that I did. He saw me add valor to my fleet and put canine unit on the truck in special operations. And, like, my dogs in my truck. He's like, babe Pondinger jumped the shark. He jumped the shark. Like, it's over for him. He doesn't know what to do, right? And I had walked in the kitchen, and I was like, what the. Does that mean, Jump the shark? And my wife's like, I'll tell you later. I'll tell you later. And I went out and, like, went to work. And then I. Then I later learned, and it was just interesting to me because he thought when I added the canine unit to my company, like, I was just trying to, like, strive for attention or something, right? And so I did a whole podcast on it. I loved that podcast, actually. It was really good. But what I want to circle back to is. And if you want to know more about that, you just have to go listen to that show. It's not too long back. Jump the Shark. But when we did the 4x4x48 challenge, we went back to this. You know, it's a fundraiser for our wildlife foundation, and we're, like, back at the thing, and my buddy that I love and adore, even though we have incredibly different political positions, you know, we're like, we're still really good friends. And I was telling him about Las Vegas, and I was like, hey, there's this really cool moment. You know, it was on my truck. I didn't even have my dog. Unfortunately, I wanted him there, but I didn't. And the Las Vegas PD had saw my truck, and they're like, hey. And they fucking stopped traffic for me. They're like, boom. Stepped into traffic. They're like, hey, boom. Boom. They, like, stopped traffic for me, and they let me in. And then my friend, he's like, well, that's what happens when you're deceptive about marketing and. And, like, it. It pissed me off. I was so upset, and I'm like, what? What's deceptive about it? You know? He's like, well, you know what? What is your dog gonna do as a military Dog. I'm like, he can be a military dog, but he's not doing military stuff. He's like, how's. How. What kind of police stuff does he does? I'm like, he doesn't do anything police related. I'm like, I'm not. I'm not an Leo. But this brings it back to 38 special. I'm like, I'm not an Leo. But it does have that. It does have an aura about it. Yes, it does have an aura that it's Leo canine unit operations or whatever. But, you know, I can have a dog on my team to. For a wildlife abatement from a golf course pond or, you know, a home pond. You know, we could. We could flush wild geese and get them to get back in the air so they can migrate correctly. Like, there's a lot of really cool, cool fashions for that. I just ran them through rattlesnake aversion training, and, you know, like, that was incredibly cool. And then literally the next day. I didn't tell you this, but the next day I was trying to work in my. In my trash bay at my ranch, and he came into that trash bay and did a little circle and came out and. And then he sat out there, and I was trying to get him to come back in. He would not go back in. It was like, identical to his rattlesnake aversion training the day prior to that. He's like, I'm not going in there. Something's not right in there. And I literally was like, I think there's. I think there's. Ralph's thinking here, which is like, the pr. The area is begging for it.