FailCraft

In this episode of FailCraft , renewable energy electrical engineer and Mirror Talk podcast host Tobi Ojekunle joins Ezekiel todiscuss the transformative power of slowing down and facing yourself in themirror. Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, Tobi made the massive leap toGermany to navigate a brand new culture, master rigorous technical studies, andbuild a career from scratch. Operating in rele...

In this episode of FailCraft , clinical hypnotherapist, medical hypnosisspecialist, and author of Depression 180 ,Craig Meriwether, joins Ezekiel to pull back the curtain on subconscioushealing, chronic anxiety, and nervous system regulation. After enduring yearsof debilitating depression and anxiety dating back to his teens in the 1980s,Craig discovered that analyzing problems logically often fai...

In this episode of FailCraft , speaker, author, leadership coach, and hostof the Untamed Leader Podcast , Lauri Smith, joins Ezekiel tounpack how high achievers can break out of lifelong people-pleasingconditioning and lead with authentic presence. Raised as the "goodgirl" child of recovering alcoholics, Lauri spent years living a dividedlife—juggling a corporate office job by day while...

In this episode of FailCraft , certified personal trainer, mental healthadvocate, and host of the Relatively Normal podcast, Marc Paisant, joins Ezekiel to share how he broke free from deepdepression, debilitating anxiety, and an unfulfilling lifestyle to lose over100 pounds. Marc unpacks why fleeting motivation always fails, how pairing atherapist with a personal trainer transformed his disciplin...

In this episode of FailCraft , inspirational speaker, mental healthadvocate, and 3x published crime fiction author Jack Nolan joins Ezekiel toshare his journey from being sectioned under the Mental Health Act todelivering resilience keynotes for blue-chip companies like Sky and the NHS. At19, Jack watched his university and TV production dreams collapse due to severepsychosis, mania, and an eventu...

In this episode of FailCraft , 2x founder, venture capitalist (70+investments), and author Andrew Ackerman joins Ezekiel to pull back the curtainon startup reality. He reveals why contracts only keep honest people honest,how testing before building saves millions, the truth behind VC hypocrisy, andhow to fix a failing pitch.   Key Takeaways:             Connect with Andrew Ackerman:           Supp...

In this episode of FailCraft , former elite rodeo competitor, 2009 NationalHigh School Reserve Champion in Tie-Down Roping, and founder of Stronger 413,Tim Malm, joins Ezekiel to share his story of faith, resilience, and recoveryfollowing a catastrophic 2010 steer roping accident that resulted in a severetraumatic brain injury (TBI). Overnight, Tim went from an athletic career inthe arena to havin...

In this episode of FailCraft , Georgetown University leadership professor,four-time movement co-founder, and founder of ChangeLab, Nikola Ilic, joinsEzekiel to break down what it actually takes to lead when old playbooks failand no one in the room knows what's coming next. Learning how to mobilizepeople before he even had a driver's license on the streets of Belgrade duringthe youth moveme...

In this episode of FailCraft , cancer survivor, certified holisticnutritionist, and host of the Go Out Living podcast,Jonathan Brandt, joins Ezekiel to share the raw reality of navigating cancer,debilitating treatment side effects, and catastrophic loss. After his latewife, Kristie, was diagnosed with cervical cancer and Jonathan was diagnosedshortly after with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the couple found...

In this episode of FailCraft , bestselling author, TEDx speaker, andfounder of Liberté Press, Teresa Rodriguez, joins Ezekiel to break down howwomen leaders and creatives can conquer self-silencing and transform theirlived experiences into lasting legacies. From surviving a terrifying near-crashin an airplane over the Andes to delivering her landmark TEDx talk Owning Alone , Teresa shares why find...

In this episode of FailCraft , workplace wellness coach, somatictrauma-informed strategist, and founder of Work Is Not Family ,Katie Jean Hadiaris, joins Ezekiel to break down what toxic work environmentsactually do to the human body. After spending 15 years in corporate systems,Katie transitioned to a new role only to encounter severe emotional abuse andinstitutional dismissal from leadership—tri...

In this episode of FailCraft , former corporate CPA, strategic consultantof 15+ years, and founder of Empath Evolution™, Michelle J. Howe, joins Ezekielto unpack why the most accomplished leaders quietly give pieces of themselvesaway in the process of succeeding. Having spent over a decade advising C-suiteexecutives on complex operational systems, Michelle noticed a pervasivepattern: nothing colla...

In this episode of FailCraft , fractional growth architect, businessstrategist, and Founder/CEO of Limited to Limitless TransformationalConsultants, Lisa Murphy, joins Ezekiel to break down why sheer grit, 80-hourworkweeks, and hustle culture inevitably turn businesses into founder prisons. After building a venture generating multiple six figures a month within itsfirst 90 days, a catastrophic T-b...

In this episode of FailCraft , 84-year-old certified health and nutritionlife coach, investigative author, and longevity expert Michael J. Dorfman joinsEzekiel to dismantle the pervasive cultural myth that aging requires cognitivedecay, physical frailty, and lifelong pharmaceutical dependence. Havingembraced a vegetarian diet in 1976 and whole-food plant-based nutrition in2008, Michael shares how...

In this episode of FailCraft , storyteller, communicator, and host of When You Look (formerly Coincidence or God? ),Mick Wienholt, joins Ezekiel to explore the profound territory betweennear-death survival, devastating grief, and surrendered faith. At 19, Mickaccidentally triggered a catastrophic avalanche on a 14,000-foot Colorado peak,suffering a fractured skull in three places, a shattered jaw,...

In this episode of FailCraft , acquisitions editor at Morgan JamesPublishing, former literary agent, and author of over 60 books, W. TerryWhalin, joins Ezekiel to dismantle the pervasive illusions that sabotageaspiring writers. Drawing on more than 25 years in traditional publishing,Terry reveals why 90% of nonfiction books never earn out their advance andexplains how a six-figure publishing deal...

In this episode of FailCraft , Army veteran, lifelong industrial operationsleader, and author of Hard Hat Philosophy , Randy Bridge,joins Ezekiel to break down what real leadership looks like where the metalmeets the meat. Working his way up from a railroad laborer to seniormanagement, Randy learned how to manage people in high-stakes, unionizedenvironments where mistakes carry immediate, tangible...

In this episode of FailCraft , delivery and transformation consultant,former tech lead, and founder of The Curious Coffee Club, Simon Copsey, joinsEzekiel to explore why enterprise digital transformations so frequentlycollapse and how organizations constantly stand in their own way. Starting hiscareer writing code before realizing that the most debilitating bugs exist incommunication and team stru...

In this episode of FailCraft , host of The Valiant Forge podcast and men’s ministry director Mark Osborne joins Ezekiel to share the rawtruth about the quiet, isolating battles men fight behind closed doors. In hislate 40s, a sudden health scare, deep depression, spiritual dryness, and an exposedemotional affair nearly destroyed his 35-year marriage and leveled hisidentity. Mark pulls back the cur...

In this episode of FailCraft , brevity artist, poet, and author of A Man If West Destiny , Gerome Mauricio (known as"The Highway Cipher"), joins Ezekiel to unpack how extreme literaryconstraints became his lifeline through homelessness, addiction, and personalcrisis. After a permanent work injury in Southern California left him without ajob or a home, Gerome turned to writing as raw, nec...

In this episode of FailCraft , author, trauma survivor, and founder of theColin James Barth Outreach, Julie Barth, joins Ezekiel to share the raw realityof grief, caregiving, and escaping covert emotional and financial abuse. Afternavigating the complexities of raising a daughter with a rare genetic disorderand losing her first husband, Colin, to cancer in her late 30s with four youngchildren, Jul...

In this episode of FailCraft , founder of The Nourished Leader andmulti–7-figure entrepreneur Ashley Krooks joins Ezekiel to dismantle the myththat financial freedom and location independence automatically cure internalanxiety. Having built an automated, multi-million dollar business whiletraveling through more than 70 countries, Ashley realized that despite livingthe exact dream she had journaled...

In this episode of FailCraft , practicing equine veterinarian, stand-upcomedian, and author of Chomping at the Bit: How IBecame a Horse Vet (Against All Common Sense) , Dr. Matt Evans, joinsEzekiel to share what happens when you stubbornly chase a career you areuniquely unqualified for. Inspired by James Herriot stories as a kid despitehaving zero background with horses, Matt found himself thrown...

In this episode of FailCraft , keynote speaker, certified high-performancecareer coach, and host of the No Woman Left Behind podcast, Rosie Zilinskas, joins Ezekiel to unpack why talented, hard-working professionalsconsistently get passed over for executive promotions. Drawing from a 32-yearcorporate career rising to Executive Vice President at AIG, Rosie shares thedevastating moment a senior lead...

In this episode of FailCraft , life coach, student of Stoic philosophy, andcreator of PersonalityPeek, Arky Jones, joins Ezekiel to explore the hiddenarchitecture of human behavior and why high-performing individuals repeatedlyget trapped in destructive cycles. Reflecting on his own early struggles withescapism, avoidance, and short-term dopamine fixes, Arky explains howintegrating the ancient dis...