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Showing episodes and shows of
Paul Austin-Menear
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The Business Owner's Journey
Paul Austin-Menear: Building Customer Feedback Systems That Fuel Innovation
Full Episode Page: Paul Austin-Menear: Building Customer Feedback Systems That Fuel InnovationPaul Austin-Menear is a business strategist and founder known for building customer feedback and innovation systems for purpose-driven entrepreneurs.In this episode of The Business Owner’s Journey, host Nick Berry and Paul Austin-Menear explore how founder-led companies lose customer signal as they scale and how to build feedback systems that sustain growth. Paul introduces the Innovation Heartbeat approach to operationalizing customer listening through structured habits, rituals, and scalable feedback loops. You'll hear -Why feedback breaks as...
2026-02-17
34 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Jeff Sesol
What happens when you blend early-internet battle scars with decades of leadership coaching? You get a brutally honest conversation about humility, timing, and why people... not processes... determine whether companies scale or stall.In this episode, Jeff Sesol shares lessons from building one of the internet’s earliest cloud platforms, navigating uncharted technical and economic territory, and ultimately refocusing his life’s work around leadership development. From first-mover mistakes to modern AI parallels, this conversation unpacks what builders often learn the hard way.If you’ve ever felt like your business is moving too fast to thi...
2026-02-05
46 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Anita Bruinsma
What happens when a 25-year banking veteran leaves the stability of corporate life to build a business grounded entirely in transparency, education, and human connection? In this episode, Paul speaks with Anita Bruinsma of Clarity Personal Finance about the rise of advice-only planning and why unbiased guidance matters more than ever.Anita walks through her early career, the spark that made her commit to helping people understand their finances, and the uncomfortable leap into entrepreneurship during a period of global uncertainty. She breaks down the differences between traditional financial planning and fee-only models, the growing wave of...
2026-01-08
1h 11
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Happy Holidays!
The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archiveHappy holidays from all of us at Six Catalysts. This week's episode is a replay of Paul's Substack Live with Khadejah J at Story Craft on December 9, 2025. Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-12-16
1h 02
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Jennifer Houle
In this episode, Paul and Jennifer Houle explore why the hiring process continues to feel broken for both candidates and organizations—and what a better system could look like. They discuss the shift toward human-centred HR, the growing need for cross-functional integration, and the hidden signals embedded inside job postings. They also dissect a real job description line-by-line, surfacing mismatches, unrealistic expectations, structural tensions, and cultural tells. The conversation closes with practical guidance for candidates trying to stand out in an increasingly competitive, ATS-dominated market.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full arch...
2025-12-09
1h 11
The Journey : Podcast Edition
UPDATED : Does LinkedIn Hate Substack?
Is LinkedIn quietly suppressing posts with links, especially Substack links? This episode breaks down a two-week, apples-to-apples experiment comparing impressions across posts with no links, posts linking to LinkedIn Newsletter articles, and posts linking to Substack. The findings challenge assumptions about “algorithm penalties,” highlight when and how audiences actually engage, and reveal why even on-site links may be treated unfavourably by the feed.We explore what drives LinkedIn’s incentives, what the data actually showed, and how creators can make smarter strategic decisions about when to include links—and when to avoid them entirely.The Journey...
2025-12-02
12 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Reed Hansen
What does it take to build a marketing agency in a post-COVID, AI-accelerated world? For Reed Hansen, it started with childhood lessons in grit and ownership... and it grew into MarketSurge, an agency focused on building lead machines for small business clients. In this episode, Reed unpacks what it means to niche with intent, use automation without losing humanity, and adapt SEO strategy in an era of no-click AI search results.They talk about early missteps, sales rejection, pivoting to deeper client engagements, and how building authority—not just delivering services—is the key to long-term growth.
2025-11-27
50 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Hiring for Humans : Building the Team to Take on the World
What happens when you stop hiring like a Silicon Valley VC and start hiring like someone who actually wants their company to survive?In this episode, we break down the mythology of “hire fast, fire fast” and uncover how incentive structures, investor expectations, and startup hero worship push founders into rapid-fire decisions that weaken culture, waste capital, and sabotage long-term resilience.Then we flip the script.We explore what it looks like to build a camel—a business designed for durability and stability rather than hype cycles. That means hiring slow, evaluating soft skills...
2025-11-25
15 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Hiring For Humans : A Special Feature
Enough with the bots. Enough with the ATS black holes. Let's hire with PEOPLE in mind. Hiring is one of the most consequential decisions any organization makes. It’s also one of the places where HR practitioners and hiring managers most often butt heads.So we decided to explore how we can get on the same page, and why it’s important.This special feature drops November 25, 2025.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full access t...
2025-11-24
00 min
Denise Griffitts - Your Partner In Success™ Radio!
The Entrepreneur’s Role in Community Growth
My guest today on Your Partner In Success Radio is Paul Austin-Menear, founder of Six Catalysts and the voice behind The Journey, his publication and podcast for entrepreneurs who want fewer bumps on the road to building something meaningful. In this conversation, we’re digging into the real impact entrepreneurs have on their local communities: how even the smallest business can spark resilience, how entrepreneurship clarifies purpose, why proximity creates better solutions, and why “local first” doesn’t mean thinking small.About Paul: Paul grew up in a small town and now works in Canada’s biggest city, so h...
2025-11-24
59 min
Pull the Chute - Grow your People, Grow your Company Podcast
The $2M to $10M Revenue Leap with Paul Austin-Menear
Send us a textPull The Chute: Scaling Secrets - The Specific Challenges of Growing from $2 Million to $10 Million (Feat. Paul Austin-Menear)Are you stuck in the revenue gap, trying to bridge the distance between $2 million and $10 million?In this tactical episode of Pull The Chute, we move beyond the 5,000-foot view and dive deep with scaling expert Paul Austin-Menear to the 2,000-foot level. Paul breaks down the specific, often-overlooked challenges that companies face as they attempt to hit these critical growth milestones.We...
2025-11-23
24 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Creating an Innovation Supply Chain
Most teams think “collecting feedback” means sending a survey and glancing at the results. That’s not innovation. That’s housekeeping.In this episode, we go way deeper.We walk through the Scalable Feedback Engine: a repeatable system for fuelling innovation with real customer insight.Here’s what you’ll learn :* Why enshittification is an opportunity for you to differentiate.* How to build a culture of innovation that’s impossible to copy.* The four layers of the engine : Champion, Surveying, Insights, Communication.* The difference between baseline feedback (“How satisfied were you?”) and actionable fee...
2025-11-18
47 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
How to Know When to Open Your Chequebook
Ever wonder when to stop DIY’ing and start paying for help? In this episode of The Journey : Podcast Edition, Paul dives into the tricky psychology behind spending decisions for founders and scrappy builders.From fear-driven frugality to opportunity cost, he breaks down how to treat your time as an investment portfolio. You’ll learn a practical framework for evaluating whether to “buy or DIY,” complete with a tool to calculate the real cost of your choices—including risk, learning value, and strategic leverage.Paul also explores the paradox of control, showing why holding onto everything...
2025-11-04
13 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Benjamin Lappalainen
Benjamin Lappalainen—creative technologist, educator, artist, and XR lead at UKAI Projects—joins Paul Austin-Menear to talk freelancing, AI, and culture. From building screen mirroring tech at Nanoleaf to experimenting with reverse RFPs at UKAI, Benjamin shares stories of navigating pivots, teaching others, and embedding art into the future of technology.Highlights include :* Why he left aerospace engineering for tech and creativity* Lessons from Nanoleaf and building screen mirroring tools* Teaching technical literacy and running AI models locally* The risks of AI advertising and anthropomorphized systems* Ukai’s miss...
2025-10-30
1h 12
Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
The Cost of Hustle: Your Team’s Burnout Is Killing Growth with Paul Austin-Menear
What happens when the hardest workers on your team start burning out?In this episode, Bill is joined by Paul Austin-Menear for a conversation about the unseen toll of hustle culture on your team, your operations, and your long-term performance. Together, they explore the red flags leaders often miss, from rising sick days to unchecked overachievement, and offer practical ways to build smarter, more resilient companies. You’ll hear stories about simplifying systems, protecting downtime, acting on feedback fast, and creating environments where people thrive instead of burn out.Topics explored in th...
2025-10-29
46 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
[AMA] Selling Serenity : Convincing Investors to Believe in Forest Bathing
Hana in Kyoto blends VR tech with ancient Japanese forest bathing... and wonders how to get investors to see the potential. In this AMA episode, Paul breaks down how to align vision, valuation, and vibe to attract the right kind of funding for your idea.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/ama-selling-serenity-convincing-investors Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-10-28
13 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
The Flywheel and the Funnel, a Marketing Fable
Are these marketing models really in competition—or are they undercover lovers?In this episode, Paul explores the long-running debate between the primacy of the marketing funnel and the flywheel, showing how both can coexist and even reinforce each other. From focusing your campaigns to sustaining customer momentum, learn how to build a “funwheel” that powers growth long after the sale.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/marketing-the-flywheel-and-the-funnel Get full access to The Journe...
2025-10-21
16 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Measuring the Flames : Marketing Analytics for Builders (Part 2)
In this episode of The Journey : Podcast Edition, Paul breaks down the builder’s approach to marketing analytics. Learn how to focus on what truly matters, design a measurement program that drives growth, and even create your own custom metrics to uncover insights unique to your business.Explore the coexistence of the funnel and flywheel models, understand key metrics like Conversion Rate, MER, CAC, and LTV, and hear why sometimes the most valuable data point is the one you define yourself.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https...
2025-10-14
20 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Measuring the Flames : Marketing Analytics for Builders (Part 1)
Marketing analytics aren’t about numbers for numbers’ sake—they’re about unlocking insights you can act on. In this episode of The Journey : Podcast Edition, we explore how segmentation, data integration, and simple tools can help builders like you stand out in competitive markets. From coffee shops to startups, the lesson is the same : track what matters, not just what’s easy.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/measuring-the-flames-marketing-analytics Get full access to The Journey by...
2025-10-07
16 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Steven Werley
From military service to sales enablement—Steven Werley has built, failed, and rebuilt. In this conversation, Steven opens up about the chaos of running agencies, the heavy cost of misaligned incentives, and the practices that helped him overcome impostor syndrome and self-doubt. We dig into stoicism, the Alter Ego Effect, and why documenting your journey may be the single best investment you can make.The highlight : Steven’s creation of Closable.ai, a system designed to help sales teams close more deals, capture lost revenue, and bring consistency where chaos often reigns. Along the way, we discuss how...
2025-10-02
59 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Stoking the Fire with Remarketing
Remarketing isn’t just a digital ghost story—it’s one of the sharpest tools in your paid ads toolbox. In this episode, we break down how remarketing works, why it matters, and how to use it strategically without creeping out your audience or wasting your budget. Learn how to amplify your best content, re-engage warm leads, and make every ad dollar go further.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/stoking-the-fire-with-remarketing Get full access to The Jou...
2025-09-30
14 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Feeding the Fire with Paid Advertising
Paid ads are like fire : powerful when controlled, destructive when mismanaged. In this episode, we explore how to balance paid advertising in your marketing mix. Learn the good, the bad, and the downright ugly—and how to capture residual value by building your own audience alongside campaigns.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/feeding-the-fire-with-paid-advertising Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-09-23
22 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Sparking the Fire with Affiliate Marketing
When you’re strapped for cash and trying to grow, affiliate marketing offers a low-risk way to spark the fire. But is it sustainable? In this episode, Paul breaks down the affiliate model, shares his own experiences, and offers a playbook for integrating affiliates into your broader marketing mix. If you’re building from scratch and want smarter ways to scale, this one’s for you.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/sparking-the-fire-with-affiliate Get full acces...
2025-09-16
17 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Phil Bean
What happens when a chef-turned-logistics-pro follows a creative itch across continents? You get Phil Bean : a dad, a blogger, and now, a self-published children’s book author. In this episode, Phil shares the highs, lows, and accidental wisdom earned from writing about restaurants, blogging from China, and figuring out how to get a rhyming book into readers’ hands (spoiler : it’s harder than it looks).In this episode, we talk about :Why blogging for strangers can build creative momentum >> The lessons hidden in failure (and failed uploads) >> Navigating AI as a writer who values craft and vo...
2025-09-10
48 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
AMA : Being Green Without Greenwashing
How can sustainable startups avoid greenwashing and build real loyalty? This AMA tackles the challenge of authentic storytelling—covering certifications, crossing the adoption chasm, and avoiding the trap of discount-driven branding. Learn how to back up claims with proof, keep promises, and build trust that lasts.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/ama-being-green-without-greenwashing Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-09-09
22 min
Chasing The Insights
Paul Austin-Menear on creating a "Scalable Feedback Engine"
In this episode of Chasing the Insights, I talk to Paul Austin-Menear. Paul talks to us about creating a "Scalable Feedback Engine". Paul Austin-Menear is the founder of Six Catalysts and the writer behind The Journey, a publication and podcast for entrepreneurs and builders who believe that business should serve people—not the other way around. Raised in a small town and now based in Toronto, Canada, Paul brings both a grassroots sensibility and global perspective to his work. He began his career in marketing and communications before spending a decade helping take a c...
2025-09-06
35 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Building the Fire with a Self-Reinforcing Marketing System
What if your marketing system worked like a campfire—warm, continuous, and self-sustaining?In this episode, we break down the five core domains of marketing (Product, Price, Placement, Promotion, and People), explore how to build a self-reinforcing system, and unpack the power of respecting your customers’ attention. Plus : metrics that matter, the danger of doing too much at once, and an offbeat Friday-afternoon riff on marketing acronyms.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/building-the-fire-with-a-self-reinforcing
2025-09-02
28 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
The Paradox of Success : Why Customers Fall Out of Love With Growing Brands
In this episode of The Journey : Podcast Edition, we dig into the paradox of success—why fast-growing brands lose touch with customers and how that leads to decline. More importantly, we explore the antidote : building a Scalable Feedback Engine that preserves the voice of the customer at every stage of growth.Learn about the Scalable Feedback Engine here.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/the-paradox-of-success-why-customers Get full access to The Journey by Six Ca...
2025-08-26
13 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
The Innovation Heartbeat
Innovation doesn’t just happen at billion-dollar companies. In this episode of The Journey: Podcast Edition, we unpack The Innovation Heartbeat, a simple framework to keep ideas alive as your business scales.You’ll discover :* Why organizations stop innovating as they grow * The three phases of the Innovation Heartbeat * The critical role of the Internal Champion * How to grade and prioritize feedback effectively * Metrics to measure the strength of your innovation cultureThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https...
2025-08-19
18 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with John Kennelly
What happens when a founder who “hates sales” builds a business around helping other founders learn how to sell? This conversation with John Kennelly is essential for anyone trying to get their first dollar in the door. From his Silicon Valley background to the failures that shaped him, John opens up about what it takes to keep going—especially when you’re unsure if you’re any good at what you’re doing.Topics include :> Why cold outreach is unavoidable—and how to get better at it> The impostor syndrome trap, and how to break out o...
2025-08-14
47 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
HOLY BLEEP : A Guide to Sales Forecasting
Sales forecasting doesn’t have to be scary—or a wild guess. In this episode of The Journey, we break down four practical, time-series-based methods that any builder of tangible goods can start using right away. From smoothing out volatility with a moving average to modelling demand spikes for new product launches, we cover how to pick the right approach, refine your process, and manage risk when you don’t have historical data.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/holy...
2025-08-12
19 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
My Big Fat Lovable Product : Building the One Worth Launching
Should you launch with one amazing product—or hedge your bets with a few decent ones? In this AMA edition of The Journey, we help a Greek entrepreneur explore how to test a mythology-themed travel startup without burning out. From low-cost pilots to portfolio careers and storytelling strategy, this episode is packed with practical advice.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/my-big-fat-lovable-product-building Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/su...
2025-08-05
21 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Survey Smarter : How to Turn Questions into Gold
Exceptional businesses don’t just ask for feedback—they embed it into their operations. In this episode, we dive deep into how to ask the right questions, align feedback with team purpose, and build a rhythmic Innovation Heartbeat that keeps fresh ideas flowing. Whether you run a startup or a scaling team, this guide will help you build smarter by listening better.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/survey-smarter-turn-questions-into-gold Get full access to The Journey...
2025-07-29
22 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
In Conversation with Katelyn McArdle
When nonprofits, small businesses, and startups hit moments of transition, Katelyn McArdle is the person they call. In this episode, she joins Paul to unpack how and why she built Functional Authority LLC, her solo consulting business helping teams make better marketing and systems decisions—without becoming dependent on external help.They dive into the business fundamentals no one talks about: the mindset needed to navigate layoffs, how to test-fit client relationships through free coaching, and the critical role of project-based pricing. Katelyn also reflects on her own early missteps, and shares advice for aspiring soloists on bu...
2025-07-22
41 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
AMA : I Want to Hire, But I Can’t Afford It
Hiring too soon can break you. Waiting too long can burn you out. In this AMA, we explore when a solo founder should scale past one. We dive into Olivier’s real-world dilemma—balancing product work, SEO, and revenue constraints—and break it down across three essential lenses: organization, product, and finances. Whether you’re building an empire or a solo practice, this one’s packed with insight.The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion post and downloads here : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/ama-i-want-to...
2025-07-15
14 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Two Tin Cans and a String : Building a Scalable Feedback Engine from Scratch
How do you make sure your customers’ voices get heard as your company grows?In this episode of The Journey, we break down how to build a Scalable Feedback Engine—a structured way to collect, analyze, and activate customer insights using the right mix of tools, processes, and people. You’ll learn how to choose survey tools, how to segment communication lists ethically, how to avoid bias in your research questions, and how to design a system that actually delivers feedback to decision-makers inside your organization.Whether you’re a scrappy startup or scaling fast, this one...
2025-07-08
13 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Working ON the Business
Running your business ≠ building your business. This episode breaks down the difference between working in vs. on the business—and why the magic happens when you do both the right way. Includes practical tips like treating your business as a product, viewing employees as internal customers, and time-segmenting your weeks for higher leverage.Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/working-on-the-business-newThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subs
2025-07-02
12 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Testing Ideas : The Market-Maker Method
Think your idea is too new, too risky, or too expensive to test? Think again. In this episode, we dive into the Market-Maker Method—your playbook for simulating a full product launch before you ever build the real thing. Discover how to test offers, pricing, and market interest with real data from real users. This is your roadmap to high-confidence decision-making.Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-market-maker-method-newThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full access to The Jo...
2025-06-23
15 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Tariff Tantrums : Minimizing the Cashflow Smackdown from Uncle Sam’s New Import Tax
Tariffs just spiked—but your margin doesn’t have to suffer. In this episode, we explore the hidden financial risks of the new US import tax regime and show you how to warehouse smart across borders. Whether you’re considering US, Canadian, or Mexican distribution, we break down the pros, cons, and cashflow impact of each model—plus a hybrid option for complex logistics. Bonus: get a free modelling tool to forecast your own numbers.Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/tariff-tantrums-minimizing-the-cashflow-newThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive he...
2025-06-19
31 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Testing Ideas : The Customer-Centric Method
What happens when you take your idea to the streets—literally? In this episode, we unpack the hands-on customer validation method that has you pitch to strangers, gather direct feedback, and test your idea without building a thing. Yes, it’s uncomfortable—but it’s also deeply rewarding. If you’ve ever wanted raw, honest input before committing time or money, this one’s for you.Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-customer-centric-newThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full acc...
2025-06-10
12 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Testing Ideas : The Alignment Method
Ever wish you could simulate the future to see if your idea has legs? That’s the core of The Alignment method—a collaborative exercise that imagines the world where your idea is the best option for the customer. Learn how to run it effectively with cross-functional teams, align leadership around strategic sparks, and avoid the pitfalls of groupthink. This one’s perfect for retreats, brainstorms, and early-stage product ideation.Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-alignment-method-newThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archiv...
2025-06-07
09 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Testing Ideas : The Contrarian Method
In this episode of The Journey, we dive into a surprisingly effective idea validation tactic: The Contrarian Method. Learn how to play devil’s advocate—with yourself or others—to uncover flaws, refine assumptions, and stress-test your next big idea. Includes practical steps, caveats, and notes on using AI effectively in the process.Companion Post: https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-contrarian-method-updatedThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscr
2025-06-03
05 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
AMA : Cocktail Kits for the Sober Curious
In this Ask-Me-Anything episode of The Journey, Paul tackles a real question from a DTC founder in Prague building a subscription box for non-alcoholic cocktail kits.The challenge?Plenty of early interest—newsletter signups, social follows—but low conversion to first purchase.We unpack what might be going wrong (and what’s probably not), how to diagnose issues with pricing vs. traffic vs. positioning, and what to look for before making a pivot.This one’s packed with actionable advice for anyone launching something new—and wondering why interest isn’t turning into...
2025-06-02
08 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
READOUT : The Spark is Not the Strategy
Original long-form post published on March 25, 2025. This is the introduction to a four-part series on how to validate ideas (sparks of inspiration).Companion Post: https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/the-spark-is-not-the-strategyThe Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-05-28
07 min
The Journey : Podcast Edition
Coming Soon : Podcast Edition
Sometimes, there’s just no time for reading. The Journey : Podcast Edition is coming soon, so you can keep up while you’re on the go. Podcast episodes will feature readouts of our written posts, interviews with builders just like you, and sometimes I’ll even hop up on the soapbox for a minute or two. Get full access to The Journey by Six Catalysts at 6catalysts.substack.com/subscribe
2025-05-23
00 min