Steve Cauthren
Points of Failure
Points of Failure is a podcast about what actually goes wrong, and the part people don't want to look at. Most conversations about failure happen after it's been cleaned up, framed, and turned into a lesson. This one starts at the breakdown and works backward. Through guest interviews and solo episodes, we examine the patterns behind failure in work, relationships, identity, and decision-making, with a bias toward what people are avoiding rather than what they're processing. If you're noticing a pattern you can't explain away anymore, you're probably in the right place. Questions, topic ideas,...
Author
Steve Cauthren
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 18, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
S4E30 - WealthNWisdom: Why Do We Fail? 18.06.2026 55:30
Tell us what you think Tyler Kreiling had me on his show to talk all things failure. Tyler writes for his publication, WealthNWisdom , on Substack: https://substack.com/@wealthnwisdom Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
S4E29 - Banana fibers and triathlons 20.04.2026 1:16:41
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Carli Rosencranz. Carli has a 25-year corporate career in CPG and retail. She is the Co-founder of 10X Impact Ventures. She is married with two teenagers, and is a "back of the pack" endurance athlete, competing in triathlons. Now, she’s working to find balance as a consultant while building a startup. Carli and I discuss banana fibers...
S4E28 - Circling 13.04.2026 10:30
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the cost of not choosing. Not as a character flaw, but as something that happens when we keep revisiting the same decision without ever making it. I talk about how avoiding commitment keeps us stuck in potential, why the language we use around indecision is often just a cover for staying comfortable, and how the slow drift of not choosing eventuall...
S4E27 - Social Atrophy 18.03.2026 10:35
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of social atrophy. Not as a flaw in who we are, but as something that develops when we spend less and less time engaging with the people around us. I talk about how modern life makes it easy to withdraw, why awkwardness and uncertainty are normal parts of interaction, and how avoiding those moments can slowly make connection feel harder th...
S4E26 - Becoming the Partner You're Looking For 09.03.2026 17:26
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of becoming the partner we want to find instead of focusing only on finding the right person. I talk about what it means to meet ourselves first, how relationships tend to expose the parts of us we haven’t faced, and how alignment with our values changes how we approach connection. If you’ve ever spent time wondering why relationships keep...
S4E25 - Transactional Relationships: A Follow-up 01.03.2026 12:38
Tell us what you think On this episode, I follow up on my conversation with Dustin about whether healthy relationships are transactional. I unpack why that word made me bristle, the difference between giving to get and giving freely while expecting reciprocity, and how unclear expectations can quietly turn compromise into sacrifice. If you’ve ever struggled to know when you’re flexing in a healthy...
S4E24 - Fear of the unknown 23.02.2026 46:09
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to John Hewitt. John co-founded the Jackson Hewitt tax company, Liberty Tax in Canada, and his current company, Loyalty Brands. John’s career spans 54 years. We discuss competing against yourself, fear of the unknown, and quitting before you win. We hope you enjoy this episode. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://point...
S4E23 - Are Healthy Relationships Transactional? 16.02.2026 42:19
Tell us what you think On this episode, guest co-host Dustin Solomon joins me to explore the difference between compromise and sacrifice. We talk about knowing your values and prioritizing what matters most, so it becomes clearer where compromise makes sense and where it starts to cost too much. We examine how compromise is necessary in healthy relationships, but how it can drift into sacrifice w...
S4E22 - The Failure of Being Nice 09.02.2026 8:38
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of being nice. Not as a personality trait or moral virtue. But as a pattern that feels safe and quietly disconnects us from ourselves over time. I examine why niceness often becomes a substitute for honesty, how approval replaces self-trust, why conflict avoidance gets mistaken for maturity, and how unspoken expectations slowly turn int...
S4E21 - It's good to get a no 02.02.2026 37:58
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Sara Becht. Sara is a young professional balancing a full-time career, her college coursework, and a commitment to continuous self-improvement. She’s passionate about wellness and mindset, and she’s focused on building a life rooted in discipline, growth, and authenticity. As she navigates her 20s, Sara is intentional about becoming the best ver...
S4E20 - The Villain Ethos 26.01.2026 10:46
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of the Villain Ethos. Not as a single mistake or moral flaw. But as a pattern that feels clarifying at first, and quietly limits growth, the longer we stay inside it. We examine why blaming villains can feel productive, how outrage gets mistaken for movement, why certainty replaces curiosity, and how responsibility slowly gets outsource...
S4E19 - Performative Masculinity 19.01.2026 15:45
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of performative masculinity. Not as confidence or ambition. But as a pattern that looks good on the surface and quietly creates instability that you don’t notice at first. We examine why many men confuse performance with presence, how competence becomes brittle, validation supplants self-trust, and why “having it together” often unravel...
Season 4 Teaser 12.01.2026 1:06
Tell us what you think A small teaser for what's ahead. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
S3E18 - How to choose your story 02.09.2025 1:05:06
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Scott Rice. Scott is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Addy Award-winning commercial director. After studying under world-renowned film scholar David Bordwell, Scott began his career as an art director for Activision. He scripted the groundbreaking hit game SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, and has since written on assignment for Elizabeth Avellan (SPY KIDS)...
S3E17 - The right way to open candy 08.06.2025 48:39
Tell us what you think On this episode, Jamie Brindle. Jamie has been freelancing for 16 years, and in that time, he’s had the privilege of working with clients ranging from local mom-and-pop restaurants to Fortune 500 companies like Google, Hillshire, Netflix, and Lionsgate. In 2020, he began producing social media content for his fellow freelancers on social media. And now, across multiple platf...
S3E16 - Outlier's Edge: Restart Dead Projects, Win Big 26.03.2025 43:55
Tell us what you think I was interviewed on the Outlier's Edge Podcast. This is the audio for that release. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
S2E15 - Mental speed limits 13.06.2023 51:22
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Dustin Solomon, owner of Mutiny FX, an Arkansas-based visual effects company that has been creating VFX work for over 12 years on shows with companies like Netflix, Disney+, and Universal. He is a widowed father of two and a small business owner, so he spends a good deal of time with one eye open, one eye closed, and fingers crossed on both hands....
S2E14 - I Won't Starve 07.06.2023 1:00:01
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to J Haleem Washington, author, business coach, and corporate trainer. He went from working for $8.00 an hour at the Hampton Inn to earning 6 figures as a Commercial Photographer in just a few years. He accomplished all this while being a convicted felon. While working for $8.00 an hour he developed his mantra #IWon’tStarve, which was the catalyst fo...
S2E13 - The slow build 10.04.2023 42:04
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Dustin Williams, Owner, and Head Coach for Precision Fitness, Northwest Arkansas' premier group and personal training studio. Dustin attended one of the most prestigious boot camp training sessions in Las Vegas and has also trained with 4X Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler. He has been studying functional neurology through Z-Health since 2014. In add...
S2E12 - Women in whiskey 04.04.2023 51:23
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Lori Carcich, Founder and CEO of Country Smooth Spirits. She’s America’s first female founder of a whisky company. She proudly serves as a Member of the Board of Advisors for CW.COM, LLC and The UCSB PaCE Extension, Women in Leadership Executive Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Lori has been engaged as a keynote speaker to m...
S2E11 - Mismatched socks 26.02.2023 36:57
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Daniel Hintz. He’s the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Velocity Group, and co-owner of Bauhaus Biergarten in Springdale. He previously served as the Executive Director of both Downtown Bentonville, Inc., and Fayetteville Downtown Partners. Daniel brings with him a broad range of experience and knowledge, and he shares his wisdom and unique...
S2E10- Loving your life 04.02.2023 45:42
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Jessica G. She’s a woman on a mission. With an established career as a successful entrepreneur, she combines her talents of brand management and persuasive speaking to be a beacon of light, creating momentum for change. Her natural ability to raise the vibration of any room is felt through her illuminating sparkle, tenacity, and desire to create h...
S2E09 - Filling your sandbag 04.10.2022 1:30:56
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Leah Thrasher. She's a mother, entrepreneur, investor, coach, and author. We discuss taking a business from the bottom to the top, breaking away from traditions, and why you should completely fill your sandbag. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
S2E08 - Pozole at Christmas 20.04.2022 48:28
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Ana Vazquez. She's a former teacher turned real estate agent in Northwest Arkansas. We discuss overcoming setbacks, learning to delegate, and the joys of pozole at Christmas. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
S1E07 - Building things and smashing phones 28.12.2021 1:34:08
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Brandon Gore. He’s a concrete craftsman, furniture designer, rammed earth builder, teacher, and father. We discuss failures in design, the importance of integrity, and being a judge on a design/build competition TV show. Find Brandon’s work online at www.goredesignco.com , and Instagram at www.instagram.com/hardgoodsco Support the show You can sup...
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