The Soul Proprietor

In this special Best Of episode, we revisit some of Curt and Melody's most thought-provoking conversations from the podcast archive, exploring the ethical questions that shape not just our businesses, but who we become. From the phrase "It's just business" to the tension between confidence and authenticity, these conversations wrestle with what happens when doing the right thing isn't the easiest—...

What makes an entrepreneur different from a business owner? Why do some minds seem wired to chase ideas, embrace risk, and constantly reinvent themselves.. even when it creates chaos? While Curt and Melody are away, podcast editor Ivan returns for another "Best Of" takeover, curating some of the most memorable conversations about the entrepreneurial mind. From sparkly brains and ADHD strategies to...

What if the biggest threat to your business isn't failure...it's your inability to stop working? In this "Best Of" episode, we revisit some of Curt and Melody's conversations about workaholism, entrepreneur burnout, identity, and the hidden cost of always being "on." Entrepreneurs often wear hustle like a badge of honor. Society rewards long hours, constant availability, and endless ambition. But...

Father's Day has a way of making us reflect.. not just on our fathers, but on the people who raised us and the parents we're becoming. In this heartfelt conversation, Curt and Melody explore the expectations we place on mothers and fathers, why holidays like Mother's Day and Father's Day can stir up unexpected emotions, and the freedom that comes when we stop expecting perfection from ourselves or...

What does a great interview actually sound like? In Part 2 of The Hiring Experiment , the roles are reversed as Curt interviews Melody using the hiring framework he relies on today. Instead of searching for perfect answers, Curt demonstrates an approach built on curiosity, authenticity, and understanding who a candidate really is beneath the resume. Throughout the conversation, Melody steps into t...

Melody just got back from a whirlwind week of deep cleaning an inn on Cape Cod while launching a full-blown vegan detox.. yes, at the same time! This episode kicks off with that chaotic personal story before rolling into a hilarious, slightly cringey role-play of how she used to run job interviews (and all the mistakes that came with it). It’s all about the messy, mysterious art of hiring: what’s...

In Part 3 of Curt and Melody’s conversation with Josh Latimer, the discussion moves far beyond business tactics and into the deeper questions entrepreneurs wrestle with underneath the surface. Josh shares candidly about boredom in business, the tension between creativity and leadership, why so many entrepreneurs chase goals they don’t actually want, and how identity shapes pricing, confidence, gro...

At what point do entrepreneurs stop dreaming and start only solving problems? In this deeply honest conversation, Curt and Melody explore the tension between creativity, ambition, technology, and being human in a world that never stops moving. What started as a conversation about entrepreneurship and AI turned into something much bigger: a reflection on dreaming itself. They unpack the addictive n...

What happens when your values deeply align with a room full of people… but your identity still feels complicated? In this episode, Melody joins Curt live from a Christian business conference in Arkansas and opens up about something unexpectedly vulnerable: feeling like a fraud in spaces where she actually feels deeply at home. What starts as a conversation about faith quickly becomes a much bigger...

Ever feel like your faith, your business, and who you’re becoming… don’t quite line up anymore? That’s where this conversation goes. Curt Kempton and Melody Edwards sit down with Josh Latimer for Part 2—and instead of clean answers, they follow the tension. The result is a conversation that moves through belief, doubt, identity, and what happens when long-held frameworks start to shift. This is ab...

In this episode, Curt and Melody sit down with longtime friend and mentor Josh Latimer for a conversation that goes far beyond business strategy. They dig into the uncomfortable side of growth... why leveling up often feels like loss, how identity quietly sets the ceiling for your success, and why confidence has less to do with what you know and more to do with what you’ve proven to yourself. Josh...

Melody’s nearly ready to start a fight club or at least dish out a little “petty justice.” This episode is basically what happens when you hit your late 40s and realize you’re done tiptoeing around fragile egos, especially when being “nice” never seems to work out. Curt and Melody share about a messy neighbor drama, the exhausting rules women are still expected to follow, and where standing up for...

Everyone keeps saying AI should make our work lives easier but is anyone actually working less? This week, Melody and Curt talk about burnout, why faster tech just puts more on our plates, and how even “delegating” can feel like another job. It’s one part therapy session, one part practical experiment in finding sanity as a business owner in the AI age. What They Talk About: Why Melody felt instan...

Curt and Melody are wrestling with what “normal” even means anymore.. especially for Gen X business owners living through the AI revolution. If you’ve ever wondered whether tech is actually making life easier or just making you feel like you’re always chasing your tail, this one’s for you. They dig into overwhelm, nostalgia, adaptability, and whether anyone actually knows what’s real online. What...

Ever wonder what really happens when workaholism, family expectations, and a purpose-driven heart collide? In this episode, Melody and Curt dig into the reality of entrepreneurship with Michael Hinderliter—aka the “power wash guy”—who’s lived through business reinvention, divorce, and the very human challenge of not losing yourself (or your mind) along the way. What We Talk About: The story of how...

Mental health is one of those things entrepreneurs love to ignore, but it sneaks up on all of us (usually in the form of workaholism, anxiety, or quarter-life crises... that somehow become annual). In this part 3 episode with Bobby Walker, Curt & Melody share about their own struggles, childhood trauma, religious dogma, and the ways business ownership can both help and hurt your brain. If you'...

Entrepreneurs love the thrill of chasing the unknown or do they actually crave certainty and stability more than they'd admit? In this episode, Melody and Curt spiral through the chaos, uncertainty, and optimism that seem baked into business ownership. It's a closer look at why we white-knuckle through unpredictability, and whether being “addicted to uncertainty” is actually a badge of honor or ju...

Sometimes you just have a "blah" day and if you’re an entrepreneur, the pressure to stay “on” can make you question everything. This episode is the business owner’s confessional: Melody admits she’s feeling stuck and a little sun-starved, and Curt brings stories of finding creative flow and how wisdom (or sometimes, exhaustion) shapes what actually matters in your workday. They talk through not-so...

Ever felt like your faith got you into business and then one day, it didn’t fit anymore? In this head-spinning, raw, and sometimes hilarious episode, Curt sits down with Bobby Walker (for round two!) to peel back the story of deconversion: from zealous Pentecostal minister to proud atheist, with marriage, business, and “the dark night of the soul” along for the ride. This one’s for anyone who’s ev...

Curt and Melody bring on Bobby Walker for the ultimate "what actually happens when you go from devout faith to atheism AND still try to build a purposeful business?" episode. Imagine three close friends debating God, morality, and whether Coldplay concerts count as spiritual experiences.. without any certainty, plenty of sarcasm, and zero patience for cheap shots. What They Talk About: The moment...

Ever wonder if staying quiet is actually neutral.. or if sometimes, silence is complicit? This week, Melody and Curt digs into the pressure to stay “out of it” when the world feels like it’s falling apart, and what happens when your values bump up against the chaos of politics, family, and business. What They Talk About: Why Melody thinks political fights rarely affect her daily life but the emoti...

Ever catch yourself thinking, “Am I happy, or am I just riding the emotional rollercoaster of everyone around me?” This week, Melody and Curt get brutally honest about the messiness of happiness.. how much of it we actually control, how much is tied up in our relationships (and our businesses), and whether you can ever really keep your emotions in your own sandbox. Melody & Curt Talk About: Wh...

Being present sounds easy, but for entrepreneurs whose brains never stop spinning business plates, it can feel downright impossible, especially when family and holiday expectations crash in. In this episode, Melody and Curt talks about what it really takes to show up for your people, why “just turn your phone off” is terrible advice, and how guilt, workaholism, and that familiar business-owner urg...

Letting people go, holding your team accountable, and figuring out what kind of leader you actually want to be.. none of it’s simple. In this episode, Melody and Curt talks about the messiness of managing people you genuinely care about, the emotional cost of firing, and what happens when your "people-first" values run up against business realities. Expect stories, frustration, a little sparring,...

Ever get that feeling your brain is sprinting in a million directions while the rest of the world is taking a slow stroll? This episode is all about living and thriving with ADHD as an entrepreneur. Melody shares the vulnerable, messy reality behind her diagnosis and running a business with a “sparkly brain,” while Curt brings his undiagnosed-but-oh-so-familiar Ferrari brain energy and the worry,...