Reflecting on friendships: making, maintaining and missteps.
After returning from a month-long hiatus – and another month to get round to editing this episode Karl got a job!) – we discuss what we been up to, including trips to Portugal and the Alps. We then dive deep into the topic of friendships, sharing personal experiences and stories on how hard it can be to make and maintain friends, particularly when you hit midlife.
We cover work friends, hobby friends, fleeting friends, female friends and lifelong friends.
We also explore the challenges of friendship within work contexts, communication breakdowns (ghosting anyone?), and the importance of shared experiences to build deeper connections.
Finally we reflect on the qualities that make valuable friendships and the importance of having difficult, but necessary conversations – especially for men.
00:00 Introduction and Catching Up
00:11 Travel Stories and Experiences
01:46 Discussing the TV Show 'Friends'
02:48 Podcasting and Audience Engagement
04:20 Snack Time and Reveals
05:23 Challenges of Making Friends in Midlife
11:07 Work Friendships and Business Partnerships
21:44 Defining Company Values
22:14 Balancing Family and Business
22:58 The Happy Startup Journey
23:25 Qualities in a Friend
24:44 Honesty and Integrity in Friendships
26:30 Regrets and Lessons Learned
27:19 Communication Breakdown
31:06 Lifelong Friendships
38:25 Energy and Connection in Relationships
41:18 Wrapping Up and Reflections
Links:
- Mark Steadman https://www.hellosteadman.com/services/
- Friends https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/70153404
- The Happy Startup School https://thehappystartupschool.com/
