Keep Hustling

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon talks with Toni Caruso, who has spent more than thirty five years backstage producing events and working with hundreds of speakers. She traces the whole career back to a July birthday nobody wanted to come to, which taught her young how to throw a party people actually put in the calendar. That became proms, then corporate holiday parties, then r...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Anjan Kasi Sampath, a Gen Z leadership coach who spent most of a twenty five year corporate career as a software architect before turning to what he calls the most expensive problem in business today. Aaron opens by warning that the two of them may land on opposite sides of this one, then spends the episode genuinely testing him. I...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon welcomes the first second-generation guest in the show's history. Haley Thams is the owner and CEO of Plimsoll Media, the agency behind the video and social content for this podcast, and she is the daughter of Todd Thams from episode 65. She bought the agency from Bradley Flowers at twenty one, fresh out of college, having never worked a corporat...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon does something he has not done in 156 episodes. He interviews a guest he cannot see, whose voice has been altered, and whose name he does not know. The Salty Adjuster is a career catastrophe claims professional who launched a podcast in May 2026 and was inside Apple's Top 100 in the Careers category in two countries within the first month, withou...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Harland Merriam, a Presbyterian pastor, a retired Army colonel with thirty two years of service, a real estate investor, and the author of Profit Seeks Purpose. Harland has spent a career asking people the questions they tend to avoid, and he has a name for the one that stops successful people cold. I have achieved everything I set...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Dr. Bill Sodeman, a business coach in Toledo who spent more than thirty years inside dotcoms, nonprofits, and universities before building a business of his own. Aaron opens by reading a line from Bill's bio, an unwavering commitment to excellence, and asking where it comes from. The answer goes back to graduate school in the eight...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Jason Wright, founder of Intentionally Inspirational and an early adopter who was testing AI inside ActiveCampaign five or six years ago, well before most people had heard of ChatGPT. The feature was predictive sending, it beat regular sends by four to seven percent, and nobody cared at the time. What makes the conversation useful...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon reaches Dr. Denise Nussbaum in Maui, where she has lived for ten years and has not left the island since 2019. She spent more than two decades as a professor and department chair studying inequality, identity, and trauma, and she walked away in 2016 when, as she puts it, the job shifted from teaching students how to think to teaching them what to...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Ben Barbic, a recording artist, author, and real estate broker out of San Jose, for a conversation that starts with a pile of weight plates. Ben's house burned down in a forest fire when he was five. The plates in the garage were the only thing that survived, so he sandblasted them and lifted with them all through his teens. He sti...

In this episode, host Aaron Gordon sits down with entrepreneur and agency founder David V. Kimball to discuss the evolution of curiosity-driven side hustles and how experimentation, failure, and adaptability fuel long-term success. David Kimball shares how his early days building websites and following his interests taught him the value of persistence, even when instant results don't materialize....

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Michael Balarezo to talk through his path from Miami to claims work, Silicon Valley engineering, and a life in Colorado. Michael has seen insurance from both sides of the desk. He started as an all-lines adjuster, then built software for companies that included Google, Amazon, and Disney. In December 2021 the Marshall Fire hit his...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon welcomes Mark Lewis, author of Give a Damn: The Ticket to Cultural Change . They discuss the importance of serving others, the impact of small positive actions, and how empathy and intentional engagement can transform both professional and personal lives. Mark Lewis shares insights from his experience running CEO roundtables, his book's core principle...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with entrepreneur and author Paul Mikel to explore how generosity and relationship-building can become powerful advantages in business and life. Paul shares his journey from waiting tables in Texas to building multimillion-dollar businesses, highlighting moments when simple acts of kindness like tipping well or remembering personal deta...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon welcomes Jessi Hartnett , author of "Honor Your Heart: A Soulful Guide to Quitting Smoking" and host of the You Can Quit Smoking podcast, to discuss the emotional and spiritual aspects of overcoming smoking addiction. Jessi Hartnett shares insights about how most people start smoking out of a desire for belonging or as a way to cope with grief and emo...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with J Reed Durand, a highly accomplished Army veteran and leadership expert. Drawing on 40 years of military and professional experience, they dig into the realities of leadership, personal growth, and change management. J Reed shares hard-won lessons from his journey, including the shift from being led to leading, the power of owning...

Travel writer Whitney O'Halek joins Aaron Gordon on Keep Hustling to share her inspiring journey from growing up in rural Tennessee to exploring the world and overcoming unimaginable tragedy. Whitney recounts how her passion for travel, sparked early by a desire to experience global cultures, became the foundation of her life and marriage. The episode turns deeply personal when Whitney describes l...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with insurance entrepreneur Tyler Woodall to explore how unconventional hustle and genuine connections can shake up even the most traditional industries. Tyler shares his journey from fresh college graduate to successful agency owner. He explains how doubling down on effort, personalizing client relationships, and embracing technology, such...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with Joe Infante, former member of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division and a seasoned business consultant. Joe shares how his early struggles and military service transformed his work ethic and outlook. He went from underachiever to Dean's List student and successful entrepreneur. The conversation explores lessons about resilience, the impo...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with Phil Risher to explore his journey from humble beginnings to scaling successful home service businesses. Drawing on his experience as a local DMV entrepreneur, Phil shares how community roots, strong systems, and the shift from hands-on hustler to strategic leader fueled his growth. The conversation dives into proven strategies for scal...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with Phil DePaul to discuss the journey from backyard wrestling in Staten Island to building successful home service businesses. Phil DePaul shares insights on embracing your uniqueness, staying authentic, and channeling relentless drive, what he calls "Boom Zeal." The conversation covers the challenges and rewards of the home services indus...

In this episode, host Aaron Gordon sits down with US Martial Arts Hall of Famer Chris Harris to explore the mindset and discipline required for real personal and professional success. Chris shares his remarkable journey from a tough childhood in Dayton, Ohio, to becoming an elite trainer for Special Forces. He stresses that mental toughness matters far more than physical ability. Chris explains ho...

In this energizing episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon welcomes Justin Goodbread to explore the roots of grit, the power of strong family values, and the importance of relentless execution in business and life. Justin shares his journey from humble beginnings on a dirt road in rural Georgia, where his father's tough love and leadership forged his mindset and drive. The conversation highlig...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, host Aaron Gordon sits down with Sacha Awwa. Sacha is a dynamic entrepreneur with a multicultural background that spans Sweden, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Texas, New York, and now Miami. She shares her unique journey growing up as an expat, her drive to break free from conformity, and what inspired her to leave a successful C-suite role to launch her own marketing agenc...

In this powerful episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with Ken Miller, who shares his remarkable journey from a challenging upbringing and foster care in Anchorage, Alaska, to Ivy League achievement and a successful corporate career. Ken opens up about his battles with addiction, multiple incarcerations, and periods of homelessness, offering a raw look at the pain and consequences of h...

In this episode of Keep Hustling, Aaron Gordon sits down with David Nassief, who openly shares his remarkable journey from being fired at age 63 with nearly nothing in the bank to achieving financial freedom by 69. David discusses the hard lessons from failed businesses, mounting debt, and the challenge of redefining personal success. He explores the emotional toll of sudden career loss, the stead...