📘 Book launch day: Outrageous Startup Growth by Colin Hodge (Wiley) —out today (4/13).The startup world is basically a myth factory…and founders inhale it like oxygen. Colin Hodge is here to punch a few of those myths in the face...with real receipts from building DOWN (formerly Bang With Friends) and spending years in the trenches of consumer psychology.This one has a strong “listen twice” feel because it’s not hype. It’s mechanisms.The 3 founder myths killing companies (and nervous systems)You have to chase unicorn status, or you failed  Growth comes from hacks, not understanding humansAnything labeled “casual” can’t be meaningful (spoiler: it can)The “viral moments” we unpack (aka the parts you’ll quote to your founder friends)Punching the unicorn myth: there’s another path to success that doesn’t require billionaire cosplay  Consumer psychology > hacks: stop chasing channels, start understanding how people choose  Good friction (IKEA effect): the right steps can increase commitment and retention with good frictionOne move you can run this week: use framing effects to shape decisions inside paywalls, onboarding, and pricing  Is Anything Real?: authenticity becomes a durable edge when the internet gets noisier and fakerGuest linksOrder "Outrageous Startup Growth: Uncovering the Secrets of User Psychology to Scale Your Success", out today!Colin Hodge (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckbhodge/DOWN Dating & Social Apps: https://www.downapp.com/Email: c@downapp.comFor leaders in transition...⚡ Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min):https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20minIf you’re building a company right now and your brain feels like 27 tabs are open, send this to the one founder friend who needs the reminder: you don’t have to chase unicorns to be successful.

Daniel Perumal and Nick Alter (ThriveSide/Founders Best Friend) explain why paid ads don’t work like they used to...and what founders should do when they can’t “buy growth” anymore.  We unpack the post-iOS reality, shrinking trust, platform incentives, and ThriveSide’s founder maturity model for building sustainable growth without skipping steps.  You’ll hear when ads still help (micro-validation), why founders confuse spend with strategy, and the simple move most people avoid: build a list, start real conversations, and build community that referrals can run through.  Guests:Daniel Perumal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-perumal-882a1652/Nick Alter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasalter/ThriveSide: https://thriveside.com/Founders Best Friend: https://www.foundersbestfriend.com/Host: Adam W. BarneyTransition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min): https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

Jim Matuga (proud resident of West Virginia and Founder of Inner Action Media) has built a 14+ year agency, a statewide storytelling platform, and a leadership philosophy that flips the script: real influence often comes from the middle, not the corner office.  In this episode, we talk about:The hidden power of followership (and why it’s not “less than”)  How to exercise influence right now without a titleWhy most people communicate, but few truly connect  The “first second” reality of modern attention  How a consistent local podcast became a compounding impact engine  Guest: Jim Matuga: jim@inneractionmedia.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmatuga/Inner Action Media: https://inneractionmedia.com/Book: https://humbleinfluencebook.com/ Positively West Virginia: https://positivelywv.com/positively-wv/Host: Adam W. BarneyTransition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min): https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

Penny Hill (Three Threads Consulting) brings a reality-first leadership take on one of the most worshiped myths in B2B marketing: that paid ads drive direct revenue.In 25 years, Penny says she’s never seen paid ads tie cleanly to direct revenue in B2B...and that the real role of paid is often air cover and brand surround sound, not pipeline heroics.  We also dig into the leadership failures that quietly wreck growth:ICPs that are too complex to operationalizeattribution models that create sales vs marketing turf warsdashboards that reward quantity over qualityPenny shares what to simplify, what to measure honestly, and how to stop gambling with budget and start building a system sales can trust.  Guest: Penny HillLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-hill-644a42/Three Threads Consulting: https://www.threethreadsconsulting.com/Host: Adam W. BarneyTransition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min): https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

Episode 50 is a milestone - but it’s also a pivot report.After 50 conversations across growth, leadership, culture, equity, energy, and truth-telling, the same pattern kept showing up: most advice sounds good in a vacuum. This episode is about what still works under constraint.No guest, just me, host Adam W. Barney - transition leadership coach and author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full: The Path To Empowered Optimism and Autonomy.The 5 TruthsConstraints reveal reality.Trust compounds outcomes.Energy is the constraint.Clarity beats volume.Systems beat willpower.The Reality FilterBehavior → Trade-off → Proof → Constraint test.If it can’t pass those, it’s not strategy, it’s noise.Work with AdamIf you’re leading through change and want a reality-first reset, book a Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min): https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20minLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwbarney/My Website: https://www.adamwbarney.comMy Newsletter: Plugged In LeadershipGuests mentioned (thank you):Patty Civalleri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattycivalleri/Nikhil Vaish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilvaish/Pauline Schmiechen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-schmiechen/Colin James Belyea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinjamesbelyea/Chuck Garcia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-garcia-015128/Sharon Hurley Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonhh/Yasmine de Aranda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasminedearanda/Alexander Michael Gittens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amgittens/Christina Quinn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinamquinn/Mike Tadasco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todasco/Steve Biegel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-biegel-1b03503/