The AI does in 30 minutes what your junior content writer used to spend 2 days on.

And now you’re sitting with something uncomfortable.

You could let them go.

You haven’t said this out loud yet. Not to your team. Not to your business partner. Maybe not even fully to yourself.

But the thought is there.

This is the part no one in your feed talks about.

The productivity posts tell you to “embrace AI.” Founders share screenshots of 10x output. Consultants sell you automation blueprints.

None of them tell you what it actually feels like to look at someone you hired ( someone who has been with you for 2, 3, maybe 5 years) and realize the tool you’re paying $50/month for just made their role optional.

That’s not a productivity problem. That’s a human one.

And there’s no clean framework for it.

Here’s what I’ve seen happen:

Some owners wait. They keep the person. They absorb the cost. They tell themselves it’ll work out.

Some move fast. They let them go. They feel guilty about it for months.

Some try to restructure. Retrain. Redeploy. Shift the role into something new. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it just delays the inevitable.

None of these are wrong. None of them are clean.

What I do know is this: the owners who navigate this best are the ones who face it directly instead of letting it fester quietly.

Because ignoring the decision is already a decision.

What makes this harder is that it’s not just about the person.

It’s about what it says about you.

About the kind of owner you want to be.

About whether efficiency and loyalty can coexist.

About what you actually value when the numbers are pointing in one direction and your gut is pointing in another.

That tension is real. Don’t let anyone make you feel naïve for feeling it.

If this is where you are right now, sitting with that uncomfortable number, not sure what to do with it, DM me.

No pitch. No framework. Just a conversation with someone who’s been there.

Not the “I need a vacation” kind. The kind that shows up as migraines, emotional numbness, and snapping at the people you love. The kind that makes you successful on paper while you’re falling apart inside.

Christina works with high achievers: leaders, business owners, people who look like they have it together. But this conversation isn’t just for them. It’s for anyone who’s ever ignored what their body was trying to tell them. Anyone who’s confused overwork with purpose. Anyone who’s traded joy for productivity and wondered why nothing feels right anymore.

We talk about how burnout actually shows up. Not as one big crash, but as a slow disconnect. You stop feeling things. Or you feel everything at once. You’re irritable with your family. Your body aches in ways you can’t explain. And you keep going anyway because that’s what you’ve always done.

Christina shares why most of her clients only reach out after they’ve hit rock bottom. She explains how we inherit expectations from our parents, our culture, our careers. And how those expectations shape the way we run ourselves into the ground.

She also gets personal. Two breakdowns. A toxic marriage. Chronic stress that rewired her entire life. She rebuilt everything: her career, her boundaries, her sense of self. And she did it without the myth of “balance.”

Here’s what we cover:

• Why numbness and overwhelm are both red flags

• How strength gets confused with emotional suppression

• Physical symptoms you’re probably ignoring right now

• Why snapping at loved ones is often the first sign something’s wrong

• The societal pressure to override your body, especially in high-stakes roles

• What integration looks like when balance doesn’t work

• The impossible standards women face trying to “have it all”

• How childhood shapes the way we seek validation as adults

This isn’t just a conversation about burnout. It’s about the cost of ambition when you’ve disconnected from yourself. It’s about learning to listen before your body forces you to stop.

If you’re exhausted even though your life looks good on paper, this one’s for you. If you’re tired of survival mode but don’t know how to get out, start here.

You don’t have to wait for collapse to change direction.

I sat down with Ralitsa, an email strategist and conversion copywriter who’s lived in more countries than most people visit in a lifetime. What started as a chat about her work turned into something deeper: a conversation about identity, belonging, and how constantly moving shapes who you become.

Ralitsa is half-Bulgarian, half-Russian, grew up in Greece, and now lives in Denmark. She doesn’t have a simple answer when people ask “where are you from?” And honestly, that’s the whole point. We talked about what it’s like when your passport doesn’t match the language you think in. When “home” is a complicated question. When you go back to visit and realize you don’t quite fit anymore.

That constant navigation between cultures? It shows up in her work. She connects dots other people miss. She sees gaps where others see walls. And she writes emails that actually feel human, probably because she’s spent her whole life translating between worlds.

We also got into the messier parts of her journey. Health setbacks that derailed plans. Academic pivots that seemed random at the time but make sense now. A career path that zigzagged through design, linguistics, and architecture before landing on copywriting. None of it was linear. But that’s kind of the theme here: the detours taught her more than any straight path could have.

One thing we kept circling back to was depth versus speed. Can you really connect with someone in 15 minutes? Are we losing something important in our rush to be efficient? Both of us feel like there’s this cultural obsession with quick wins and optimized everything, and it’s leaving people feeling lonely. We miss longer, slower conversations. The kind that don’t fit into a TikTok or a 20-minute calendar slot.

We talked about failure too. Ralitsa shared how burnout forced her to rebuild from scratch, and how that breakdown became the opening she didn’t know she needed. I shared my version of that story. We compared notes on what it’s like to start over in a new country where everyone already has their friend groups. On what it feels like to realize you’ve outgrown the place you came from.

This episode moves around a lot. We go from email strategy to cultural identity to loneliness to creativity. But that’s what made it good. It’s not a tips-and-tactics episode. It’s about the emotional stuff underneath the work. The parts we don’t usually talk about but that shape everything we do.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite belong, or if your path hasn’t been straight and you’re wondering if that’s okay, this conversation might resonate.

Enjoy!

Instead of chasing quick wins, we look at what happens when you approach AI with a sense of play. What if you asked it about something you know nothing about? What if you used it to test an idea you’ve never dared to try? You’ll hear stories of everyday experiments, from writing poems to solving real-world problems, and why these “small wins” often open the door to bigger breakthroughs.

We also break down one of the most common points of confusion: the difference between automation and AI. Automation follows rules you set in advance. AI can adapt and respond to new information. Both are powerful, but knowing when to use each is the real game-changer.

Along the way, we talk about why curiosity is becoming one of the most valuable skills you can have, not just for work, but for life. We explore how upbringing, access to resources, and even cultural attitudes shape our relationship to technology. And we discuss the importance of keeping a human perspective in the loop, questioning the answers AI gives you instead of taking them at face value.

By the end, you’ll see AI in a different light, not as a cold, technical system, but as a creative partner that can help you think bigger, learn faster, and see possibilities you might have missed.

If you’ve been stuck in “productivity mode” with AI, this episode will help you break out of it and start exploring what’s truly possible.

We start by digging into the hard truths about the startup journey. The excitement of going from 10 customers to 100 sounds thrilling on paper, but Gavin walks us through why that leap often breaks companies. He dismantles the romanticism of startup culture and puts the spotlight on the unglamorous, exhausting, but necessary grind that underpins real growth.

If you’ve ever thought about quitting your 9-to-5 or taking your side hustle full-time, Gavin offers perspective that’s both sobering and empowering. He breaks down the three kinds of people in the workforce, career employees, startup joiners, and entrepreneurs, and challenges listeners to figure out which one they really are. His advice? Try a small company once. You might never go back to corporate life again.

But this isn’t just a motivational pep talk. Gavin brings nuance to the conversation, exploring what it truly means to build something from the ground up. He draws attention to the growing trend of “boring” businesses, laundromats, plumbing services, small logistics companies, that are quietly changing hands as older owners retire. These businesses aren’t flashy, but they’re profitable. And unlike raising venture capital for a flashy tech play, they’re often self-sustaining.

We also get into the topic of education and whether a university degree is still necessary in today’s economy. Gavin makes a case for alternative paths and shares his own unconventional route through Japan’s tech scene, startups, and angel investing. His message is clear: you don’t need permission or a degree to build something valuable.

From there, we dive into the investor mindset. Gavin unpacks what he looks for as an angel investor and why so many founders, especially in the tech space, fail before they even begin. It’s not about having a groundbreaking idea. It’s about having a clear plan, the grit to see it through, and the self-awareness to know when you’re not cut out for it.

We also cover:

• The worst mistake most first-time founders make when raising VC money

• Why many startup ideas that use AI aren’t nearly as innovative as they seem

• The hidden value in buying existing businesses instead of starting from scratch

• How serving others can change the way you think about your own work

• Why sales, customer support, and folding t-shirts all teach lessons worth learning

This conversation doesn’t offer quick wins or viral success stories. Instead, it gives you a look behind the curtain at what real startup life is like, the stress, the strategy, and the soul-searching required to make it work. Gavin’s honest, no-nonsense take is something every aspiring founder or curious employee needs to hear.

If you’re debating whether to leap into entrepreneurship, or you're just trying to figure out your next step, this episode might give you the clarity you've been looking for.

And then she made a decision.

In this episode, we talk about what it actually takes to write and self-publish a book, from ZERO! No contacts. No roadmap. Just the desire to start.

Carolyn walks us through how she went from unfinished drafts and long summer breaks to releasing Adam and the Witch Queen and how the act of finishing that book made her revisit an older, messier manuscript with fresh eyes and sharper tools.

She shares:

• How she moved past the blank page and into a real writing routine

• Why she decided to self-publish and what she learned along the way

• The unexpected ways her readers and stories are now connecting

• What she's doing next (and how one story plants the seed for another)

This is a conversation about writing. But more than that, it's about fear, creative resistance, and the quiet discipline of showing up, even when you don't know where the road leads.

We dive into how Julio leveraged AI to streamline his new venture and why consistency in branding can be more important than perfection. He also opens up about his unexpected experiences, like finding a hidden talent for public speaking through tour guiding and how these skills later translated into teaching AI workshops.

Throughout our conversation, Julio offers a candid look at the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, the sacrifices made along the way, and the invaluable lessons learned from his diverse career path.

If you're curious about how to turn fear into fuel, or if you’re intrigued by the intersections of creativity, technology, and business, this episode is for you. Listen in to find out why sometimes, taking the plunge into the unknown is the best decision you can make.

For those who haven’t had a chance to look into the calendar, I’ll be running a Public Speaking LIVE coaching session on Aug 08 2024 from 12 ~ 1pm ET (New York time) via zoom!

To join us, just click on the zoom link below:

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

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The Importance of Feedback

Feedback is more than just a workplace necessity—it's a powerful tool for growth and improvement. It helps us understand our strengths and areas for development, and it's equally valuable in personal relationships. For instance, while we might not schedule formal feedback sessions with family members, the casual, everyday feedback we give and receive shapes our relationships and interactions.

Structured vs. Informal Feedback

Read more

I've been contemplating this idea for a while, even if I wasn't considering it when I started my podcast.

For the past 6 months or so, I've been involved in more speaking engagements and investing more time in creating workshops and masterclasses. Preparing content for these engagements takes time, effort, and a lot of energy. However, delivering these events and helping someone transform their business or life is so rewarding! It makes me wake up every day with a purpose, a mission! And I want to keep doing that, I hope you understand 😉

Most of the time, I've been doing these engagements behind closed doors, for small audiences. When some of my friends or potential clients ask me what I do, I have difficulty showcasing my work because these events weren't recorded for various reasons. Some are valid (e.g. the client didn't want to have confidential information recorded) and some were technical failures (e.g. recording or audio got messed up or someone forgot to press the record button on zoom). With failure, there's always a learning opportunity!

That's why I started recording some of my live coaching events and edit them myself. I don't know if you are aware, but editing videos is not a simple task, especially if you want to do a decent job. I did that myself in the past and I still fiddle with it (I love to learn new things and apply them, remember?) but it takes time. And time is an asset I cannot get back. So, to protect my time, I need help.

Right now, I'm sharing my own learnings in the form of "kinda short" podcast solo episodes, things that took me years to figure out by myself, either through trial and error or reading books. And I also started to interview some professionals who had an impact in my professional and personal lives, so they can share their own tips with you all. I'm sharing these for free here, at The Learn, Apply, Repeat Podcast and on my brand new YouTube Channel – The Learn, Apply, Repeat Channel (super creative, right? I know 😂)

My plan is to keep providing value to as many people as I can, subscribers paid or not. However, to achieve that in a timely manner and with decent quality, I need to hire people for video editing and design work.

My next step – which I'm putting in place as you read this fresh article – is to officially release my paid subscription 🎉

Here are the perks I have in mind:

Monthly/Annual subscribers

• ONE monthly LIVE coaching session about business, career advice or communication

• Discounts to any special event (extra LIVE coaching session, Ask Me Anything session or workshop) and merch I offer

Pro Members

• Everything the Monthly/Annual subscribers have PLUS

• At least ONE special event (extra LIVE coaching session, Ask Me Anything session, workshop or Guest Workshop/Ask Me Anything session)

• Bigger discounts to VIP Events and merch

• Monthly Giveaway: a Free 1-on-1 Coaching Session with me – currently valued at $500 – to one lucky Pro Member 😉

If you want to know more about the pricing for each tier, head to the subscription page.

Here's my big ask: if I've ever shared some knowledge with you that brought you an insight or financial opportunity and you've been looking for a way to give back, head to the subscription page and pick one of the paid memberships. But if you can't afford at least the monthly subscription – trust me, I've been there and I get it – you can still subscribe at the free tier and promote your unique referral link (you can find it on the leaderboard page)! You can get complimentary months as more people subscribe using your link. Help me grow the community and get some paid perks for free 😉

Ok, but maybe you don't know me at all and you don't trust me. I get it, I wouldn't trust a guy that I've just met. So here's the thing, this is my money back guarantee:

👉🏻 If you pay for the whole year (Annual subscriber or Pro Members) and you don't get ANY value our of my events after the first 6 months, talk to me, give me some feedback (it's my mission to keep improving), and I'll give your money back.

👉🏻 If you pay for the monthly membership and you don't get ANY value at all in the first 6 months, talk to me. Overtime, you'll be able to pay for one month and have access to a lot of coaching content at once and, let's be honest, without the commitment of a whole year. But I want to to be fair and hear you out... and ultimately, if you are really unhappy with my content, I'll give your money back. But just as heads-up: there are a lot of people that will just try to get all the value, steal content, and ask for a refund 😱. But I'm sure this won't be your case.

Lastly, as the community grows, my plan is to add even more perks to each one of the tiers. So, whatever I'm sharing right now, it's only the beginning! Keep an eye on the calendar page to see what’s coming!

If you've stuck with me until this point, a huge thank you!

P.S.: If you don't like me and you feel my content sucks, please share it with your enemies or other people you don't like 😂 let's make sure they get what "they deserve" 🤣

During our conversation, Imre discusses his transition from being a passionate coder to taking on a managerial role, highlighting the challenges and rewards of each step. He also reflects on his time in the Hungarian military and how it shaped his leadership philosophy. Additionally, Imre talks about his popular YouTube channel dedicated to retro computing, revealing the inspiration behind it and his love for vintage technology.

As someone who struggled with memorization during my academic years, the concept of memory always posed a challenge. From the endless lists of vocabulary in language classes to the complex biological terms in my later studies, the traditional methods of rote learning never seemed to work for me.

This all changed when I stumbled upon a performance by Darren Brown, who introduced me to the concept of the memory palace. This method, along with techniques from memory champions like Dominic O'Brien, transformed my approach to learning. O'Brien's linking method and his Dominic system, which uses visual and associative techniques to memorize sequences, opened new doors for me.

These techniques not only improved my memory but also boosted my confidence. They were particularly helpful as I transitioned from biology to web development, allowing me to quickly grasp new programming languages and concepts.

In this episode, I share these transformative strategies and their impact on both personal and professional aspects of my life. Whether you struggle with memory or just want to enhance your learning skills, diving into these techniques can offer significant benefits.

For anyone interested in exploring this further, I recommend starting with Darren Brown's work or picking up books by memory champions. Remember, like any skill, improving your memory requires practice and persistence.

Stay tuned for more insights and tips on how to leverage what you learn to make real changes in your life. Until next time, keep learning, applying, and repeating!

For those who don’t know me, I’m an easy going Brazilian who’s currently living in Toronto, Canada. And, I really like to learn new things! It gives me pleasure to spend my free time reading books, watching tutorials, attending to courses… but nothing really sticks unless I apply the knowledge I just acquired. Trust me, I tried to use brute-force, read or watch the same material many times but only after applying (or partially applying) what I learned, things got stuck in my mind.

The other piece you need to know is that I really love to teach. And I’ve done it since I was in school, with my friends. There are so many stories to be shared about those teaching moments… in due time though.

At this moment, I just wanted to tell everyone about these small peculiarities about me. I’ve been learning a lot about podcasting and writing, but it’s time to put in practice. The content will cover all the possible realms of knowledge I’ve visited and, hopefully, many others that guests will bring and teach me. Let’s see what the future will bring us… I’m super excited with this project and I hope I can bring you with me in this journey.

Lastly, one thing that I’ve learned about startups and products:

“If you don’t feel ashamed of the first version of your product, you shipped too late.”

So, here it goes. My first unpolished piece of copy (i.e. no ChatGPT involved), just moments before I release my first podcast episode. And I’ll leave you with a ‘mantra’ I like to say, once in a while:

“Today better than yesterday; tomorrow better than today.”

Here we go!

Gledsley

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