Surviving the Side Hustle

In this episode of "Surviving the Side Hustle," Rob Tracz sits down with Daniel Sears, founder of NeuroGenesis, to explore how nervous system health impacts high performance, resilience, and overall well-being. Discover practical insights into managing burnout, improving emotional regulation, and enhancing performance through somatic practices and advanced neurofeedback technology. Key Topics: Dan...

In this episode, Rob Tracz shares key insights on how internal conversations and self-awareness shape your success and resilience. Discover how to lean into discomfort, reframe your identity, and harness energy for meaningful growth. Main Topics: The impact of internal voice and conscious reflection on personal development Why alignment often feels uncomfortable and how to navigate it Differentiat...

Discover how embracing discomfort and authenticity can lead to personal and professional growth. In this episode, Vinny Brusco shares his journey from radio to creating community spaces for men, the importance of internal dialogue, and building an aligned life. Main Topics: The power of conversation and authenticity from childhood to adult life Navigating discomfort and the role of alignment in gr...

In this episode, Rob Tracz explores how the principles of dating mirror the mindset needed for successful entrepreneurship and personal growth. The conversation emphasizes the importance of mindset, intentionality, and embracing change to prevent stagnation. Key Topics: How mindset and patterns influence business and life outcomes The origin story of a successful singles event from personal challe...

Discover how Jill Dunn transformed her personal journey into a thriving matchmaking business focused on authenticity, emotional intelligence, and genuine human connection. In this episode, Jill shares her insights on the importance of evolving your business as you grow, balancing heart-centered work with scaling strategies, and maintaining meaningful boundaries. Key Topics: Jill's origin story: Fr...

Are you hitting a growth wall that effort and strategy alone can't break? This episode explores how access to funding can be the game-changer for entrepreneurs looking to scale. Host Rob Tracz dives into the journey of Ali Badi, a credit expert turned financing strategist, revealing insights that can empower you to unlock growth opportunities. In this episode: How lack of capital often halts scali...

Unlocking Business Growth with Credit & Funding: The Score Machine Innovation In this episode, Ali Badi shares the inspiring journey from manually underwriting credit profiles to developing a cutting-edge AI-powered platform that helps entrepreneurs unlock funding faster and smarter. Listen to discover how systematizing credit analysis and leveraging smart tools can accelerate your business su...

Redefining Entrepreneurship: Finding Alignment and Authenticity In this episode, Rob Tracz dives into the real challenges of building a side hustle that truly aligns with your life and values, featuring insights from Megan Higney. Whether you're a founder or aspiring entrepreneur, discover how to create a sustainable, purpose-driven business without sacrificing your well-being. Key topics: The com...

Discover how Megan Higney transitioned from private equity to building her own brand rooted in messaging that empowers authenticity. Learn about the importance of internal alignment, overcoming societal expectations, and turning passion into a movement through her unique philosophy. Key Topics: Megan’s journey from private equity to founder of Message, a footwear brand inspired by self-message The...

How to Monetize Opportunities and Build Multiple Income Streams | Surviving the Side Hustle In this episode, Rob revisits a recent interview with side hustle expert Bart Merrill, who shares transformative insights on turning everyday opportunities into revenue streams, the importance of persistence, and leveraging adversity for success. Key Topics: The mindset shift from traditional side hustles t...

Join Bart Merrell, the Side Hustle Samurai, as he shares how life's challenges can be transformed into profitable ventures. Discover strategies for monetizing opportunities and the mindset needed for multi-stream income success. Key Takeaways: Bart’s early experiences shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. Always ask, "Can I monetize this?" to seize opportunities. Multiple income streams are crucial...

In this episode, Rob Tracz interviews Jay Setchel, a survivor who has faced near-death experiences, multiple surgeries, and catastrophic injuries, yet continues to push forward. Jay shares powerful insights on resilience, the importance of persistence, and how shifting perspective can redefine what is possible, especially for entrepreneurs facing setbacks. Key Topics: The mindset that "it's always...

This week on Surviving the Side Hustle, I sat down with Jay Setchell — Marine Corps veteran, lifelong entrepreneur, and author of The Strength Within You . Jay has survived over 70 surgeries, multiple near-death experiences, broken his neck more than once, built and rebuilt businesses… and lived by one belief for five decades: It’s too soon to quit. If you’re building something hard right now, thi...

This week on Surviving the Side Hustle, I brought Kennedy back into the spotlight — and this recap might hit even harder than the original conversation. If you’re building a side hustle, coaching business, or service-based brand… Posting consistently. Growing your list. Showing up everywhere. But still not converting attention into income… This episode is for you. Because the bottleneck isn’t effo...

This week on Surviving the Side Hustle, I sat down with Kennedy — former mind-reading comedian turned email marketing strategist — to unpack one of the biggest myths in online business: Growing your list isn’t the problem. Converting it is. Kennedy’s journey from global performer to founder of Email Marketing Heroes is a masterclass in reinvention, leverage, and understanding human psychology. The...

This week on Surviving the Side Hustle, I sat down with Robin Carr — speaker, mindset coach, and creator of Thrive Unapologetically — to unpack what really happens when identity collapses… and you choose to rebuild instead of retreat. If you’re a skill-built business owner navigating growth, comfort, or quiet dissatisfaction — this one’s for you. The Core Problem Skill-built entrepreneurs don’t la...

This week on Surviving the Side Hustle, I sat down with Robin Carr — award-winning motivational speaker, author, and mindset coach — whose journey from corporate security to full-time speaking and trauma-informed coaching is a masterclass in choosing growth over fear. Robin’s momentum didn’t start from confidence. It started from collapse. And what she built from that place is powerful. The Proble...

If you’re a skill-built business owner — someone with real expertise, strong work ethic, and a desire to build security without blowing your life up — this episode was built for you. Because here’s the trap most high-performers fall into: We know how to work hard. We don’t always know how to build wealth responsibly. We trade time for money. We add side hustles without systems. We chase upside wit...

What if real success isn’t loud, flashy, or viral — but patient, disciplined, and built with family at the center? That’s exactly what this week’s conversation with Jordan DePuy reveals. Jordan is a longtime banking professional in the Hudson Valley who has quietly built an impressive portfolio of side businesses while maintaining a full-time career, raising a family, and staying grounded in value...

What if the version of success you’ve been chasing your entire life was never actually yours? That’s the question at the heart of this week’s conversation with Caroline Sangel , and it’s one every driven, capable, high-performing listener needs to sit with. On paper, Caroline was the definition of success: high school valedictorian, PhD in polymer science, fellowship recipient, elite performer in...

What if the version of success you’re chasing isn’t wrong — but it isn’t yours ? In this episode of Surviving the Side Hustle , I sit down with Caroline Sangal , a former high-achieving scientist turned career coach, to unpack what happens when traditional success starts quietly draining your health, relationships, and sense of self. Caroline checked every box: valedictorian, PhD in polymer scienc...

What if the biggest advantage you could give yourself as an entrepreneur wasn’t speed — but patience? This week’s conversation with Michael K. Cobb was a powerful reminder that real success is rarely fast. In a world obsessed with overnight wins and viral moments, Mike represents the opposite: long-term vision, deep preparation, and the willingness to do work that doesn’t pay off for years — somet...

In this episode, Rob sits down with Michael K. Cobb , an international entrepreneur and investor with over 30 years of experience building businesses across Central and South America. What started as a “side hustle” overseas turned into long-standing enterprises in international banking, real estate development, timber, and global investing. This conversation is a masterclass in long-term thinking...

What happens when you achieve the life you were told to want… and realize it doesn’t actually feel like yours? This week’s conversation with Florian Kemmerich , founder of On Vocation , explores a quiet but powerful truth many high performers face: success doesn’t always equal fulfillment. This episode isn’t about quitting your job or blowing up your life — it’s about choosing your life consciousl...

What happens when you achieve the life you were told to want… and realize it isn’t yours? In this episode of Surviving the Side Hustle , Rob sits down with Florian Kemmerich — founder of On Vocation , author, investor, and global thought leader — to explore what it truly means to align your work with who you are. At just 33 years old, Florian walked away from a high-level corporate career, a marri...