FailCraft

In this episode of FailCraft , marketing executive, former award-winningjournalist, host of the Rethinking Communication podcast, and author of Can I Ask a Question? , MichaelAshford, joins Ezekiel to break down why traditional education completely failsto teach professionals how to navigate high-stakes communication and conflict. Reflecting on a painful corporate merger where poor communication w...

In this episode of FailCraft , intuitive movement guide, internationalretreat leader, and author of Shine On & Off the Mat ,Veronique Ory, joins Ezekiel to unpack the hidden toll of romanticizing thestarving artist hustle. After spending 17 years running Athena Theatre in LosAngeles and New York City—surviving on dollar pizza slices, chronic sleepdeprivation, and high-stress grant deadlines—a...

In this episode of FailCraft , master teacher, transformational successcoach of nearly four decades, and private retreat leader, Julie Hutton, joinsEzekiel to explore how stripping away societal expectations reveals authenticinner brilliance. Drawing on 39 years of guiding clients through deep personalbreakthroughs, Julie shares why genuine self-love is the only foundation thatstops chronic emotio...

In this episode of FailCraft , revenue architect, founder of IntegratedGo-To-Market Solutions, and the "Rebel CRO," Mark Gordon, joinsEzekiel to reveal why most B2B companies stall between $1M and $30M in revenue. Having built and exited his first business in his twenties, Mark learned thehard truth that growth without industry-leading profitability is just noise. Heexplains why throwing...

In this episode of FailCraft , brand strategist, former VP Global Head ofInsights at HP, and founder of Beautiful Power Studio, Sunaina Mehta, joinsEzekiel to share the raw truth behind walking away from the pinnacle ofcorporate success. From being uprooted from America to India at twelve andlater returning with just $1,000 of rejected dowry money, to climbing thecompetitive ladders of global powe...

In this episode of FailCraft , author, educator, and lifelong independentresearcher Dr. Sheldon Greaves joins Ezekiel to discuss forging a rigorousintellectual life outside the traditional university system. After earning hisPhD from UC Berkeley during the dot-com boom, Dr. Greaves realized that rigidacademic hyper-specialization was a dead end for his broad intellectualcuriosity. He shares how le...

In this episode of FailCraft , CEO of YU2SHINE and Director ofUnconquerable mE®, Marla Ballard, joins Ezekiel to unpack how high-performingleaders, entrepreneurs, and transitioning veterans can move beyond performativehustle to build sustainable, purpose-driven success. Drawing on over 30 years ofexecutive experience—from running operations on a Kentucky racehorse farm toscaling a global wellness...

In this episode of FailCraft , certified life and weight loss coach,Havening Techniques® practitioner, and founder of the One Bite Done program,Nan Saysana, joins Ezekiel to break down why high-discipline women stillstruggle with binge eating after dinner. After battling a 30-year cycle ofdaytime restriction followed by nighttime overeating, Nan discovered that foodcravings aren’t a character flaw...

In this episode of FailCraft , life and business transformation coach,founder of Complete Concierge Solutions, and creator of the Sober Boss Babemovement, Heather Simco, joins Ezekiel to unpack why high-achieving womenquietly trap themselves in cycles of alcohol, overworking, and burnout. Drawingon over two decades in entrepreneurship and twelve years of continuoussobriety, Heather shares her surr...

In this episode of FailCraft , Cambridge-educated psychologist, behavioralscientist, and CEO of Influence 51, Dr. JonRobert Tartaglione, joins Ezekiel tounpack the counter-intuitive science of human decision-making and genuinepersuasion. After becoming the first in his family to graduate college andnavigating the disorientation of finding his path, JonRobert committed hiscareer to understanding wh...

In this episode of FailCraft , author, speaker, and host of The Journey of My Mother's Son , Dan Clouser, joinsEzekiel to share what happens when you dismantle a comfortable, predictablelife to pursue purpose on the open road. After 30 years building and running abeloved youth sports nonprofit organization, Dan and his wife Sandy made theradical decision in 2020 to sell their house, purge two...

In this episode of FailCraft , former head of school, certified executivecoach, and founder of NeuroDiscipline, Adam Tilove, joins Ezekiel to unpack whyhigh-achieving, intelligent professionals struggle with an invisible graveyardof unfinished projects. After spending 11 years leading complex educationalinstitutions, Adam was forced to confront his lifelong struggle with executionwhen his contract...

In this episode of FailCraft , licensed clinical social worker, traumatherapist, and bestselling author of Out of the FOG Into the CLEAR , Shannon Petrovich, joinsEzekiel to break down the psychological mechanics of narcissistic abuse andcodependent patterns. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and her YouTubeplatform Therapist Talks , Shannon reveals how childhood survivaltemplates create u...

In this episode of FailCraft , practicing attorney of 39 years,international abstract artist, certified high-performance coach, and author of The Midlife Reboot , Julie Waas, joins Ezekiel todismantle the cultural myth that life after 50 is a slow decline. Havingwitnessed her own mother collapse into a six-week depressive paralysis when theempty nest arrived decades earlier, Julie made a solemn ch...

In this episode of FailCraft , rapid growth specialist, executive coach,and creator of the SMT Method™ (Subconscious Monetization Technology™), Dr. Joseph Drolshagen, joins Ezekiel to break down why task-based hustle failswithout subconscious alignment. Drawing from a 28-year career rising to VP ofSales alongside a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Joseph reveals how childhoodconditioning in Detroit co...

In this episode of FailCraft , multi-company founder, executive delegationstrategist, and CEO of Virtually Aligned, Anna Brambilla, joins Ezekiel toshare how high-performing entrepreneurs can escape the operational weeds toscale without burnout. While running a high-demand franchise coachingconsultancy, Anna hit a severe wall: by micromanaging every administrativedetail herself, she had quietly be...

In this episode of FailCraft , award-winning screenwriter, high-performancebusiness coach, founder of Crown Yourself®, and CEO of Communication Queens,Kimberly Spencer, joins Ezekiel to unpack how radical self-ownership transformsadversity into exponential impact. From surviving a household with an addictfather, battling severe bulimia, and breaking free from abusive dynamics, todropping out of co...

In this episode of FailCraft , mentor, coach, author, and host of theglobal top 1% Personal Development Mastery podcast, Dr. AgiKeramidas, joins Ezekiel to share how he walked away from a prestigious careerin aesthetic dentistry to build a life of purpose. After graduating with amaster’s degree in dentistry and realizing the summit left him confused andunfulfilled, Agi began the internal journey o...

In this episode of FailCraft , entrepreneur, former Navy sonar technician,executive chef, and founder of Red Spinach Company, Richard Perry, joinsEzekiel to share how a devastating cycling accident became the catalyst forpioneering a breakthrough functional food category. Drawing from decades ofnavigating high-pressure commercial kitchens, publishing companies, andhigh-stakes startup setbacks, Ric...

In this episode of FailCraft , accomplished stage actor, ordainedinterfaith minister, and resident voice coach for MagicThread Media, SandraBargman, joins Ezekiel to break down how leaders can move beyond sterile,polished performance into genuine vocal authority. Having spent over 35 yearscommanding theatrical stages, Sandra reveals the moment she realized she washiding behind scripts and characte...

In this episode of FailCraft , researcher, educator, Dean of the HonorsCollege at the University of New England, and author of Certain About Uncertainty , Dr. John Austin, joinsEzekiel to explain why traditional strategic planning fails in chaoticenvironments. Drawing on 25 years of research working with executive teams, Dr. Austin explores how adult conditioning breaks our natural tolerance foram...

In this episode of FailCraft , 15-year sales veteran, mentor, and author of Pitching Sales! , Bryan Charleau, joins Ezekiel tounpack the brutal reality of the first 18 months in a sales career. Startingout pitching car wax on full commission at gas stations, Bryan learned early onhow to dismantle the fear of rejection and overcome crippling impostersyndrome. He pulls back the curtain on why mass-h...

In this episode of FailCraft , former firefighter turned beverageentrepreneur Alex Baumeister joins Ezekiel to share the chaotic reality of launchingDelta Vine, the nation's premier THC-infused wine, with zero prior businessexperience. After serving a decade in the fire service and facing a bilateraldouble hip replacement at just 38 years old, Alex and his wife bootstrapped abrand to fill the...

In this episode of FailCraft , business growth coach and founder of ScalifyOS, James Graham, joins Ezekiel to reveal how founders of $1M–$20M businessescan build owner-independent operations that scale without chaos. After leavingnearly $900,000 on the table when exiting his first company, James spent adecade as an operations executive at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? mastering the systems thatturn founder-depe...

In this episode of FailCraft , podcast mentor, strategist, and host of Say Yes to Podcasting , Anja Lordanić, joins Ezekiel toshare the unvarnished reality of turning ideas into sustainable audioplatforms. Despite recording over 200 episodes across multiple formats andlanguages, Anja didn't start as an effortless broadcaster—she spent two fullyears completely paralyzed by overthinking, perfect...