Regulated categories aren’t impossible - just unforgiving.Founder Alexandra Prochshenko (Veloria) and I get brutally practical about what still works in paid media when you’re competing in red-ocean auctions or navigating policy landmines. We cover tiny budgets that actually move the needle, how to avoid flags, and why your offer + funnel beats any hack.👉 Need a reality-first plan? Book your 20-min Exploration: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20minWhat you’ll learnRed-ocean truth: Meta/Google costs aren’t broken - you’re just bidding in crowded auctions. Here’s how to win anyway.$2/day local workshop play: tight geo, one clear outcome, short run, retarget all engagers - why this still converts.Small budget survival: most “failed” ads are offer/funnel failures; run 6–8 creative variations minimum.YouTube ads that work: story > length; open strong, stack proof, ship multiple cuts - not one “hero.”Regulated brands: use buffer pages, policy-safe language, and sequenced education to avoid flags.Search is changing: why founders should optimize for ChatGPT visibility (structured answers, sourceable pages).Diversify attention: blend paid with community, email, partnerships; measure signals over vanity.GuestAlexandra Prochshenko - Founder, Veloria (The app that brings pleasure back for women with pelvic pain.)Site: https://www.veloria.ca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-prochshenko/Email: prochshenko.a@gmail.com • veloria.app@gmail.comAbout the showIs Anything Real? with Adam W. Barney - Reality-First Leadership for founders and operators who want proof over theater and growth without burnout.Work with Adam👉 EnergyOS: book your 20-min Exploration → https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20min

Founder-First VC: Equity, Access & Real SignalsGeneral Partner Christina Quinn (SSC Venture Partners) sits down with Adam W. Barney to move beyond the panel talk and into practice: which signals actually earn a second meeting, how to translate messy early traction into credible proof, and concrete ways funds and founders can widen the on-ramp for underrepresented builders...without performative theater.In this episode:Signals VCs trust: customer pull, learning velocity, and the right kind of focusNoise to ignore: vanity metrics, bloated roadmaps, and “partnerships” that aren’tEquity → operations: process changes that expand access (deal flow, diligence, support)Deck clarity: the 6-slide path that respects everyone’s energy and still lands the pointEnergyOS move: one weekly habit to protect momentum while fundraising3 takeaways you can use todayClarity > volume. Lead with one sharp problem, one real customer proof, one next milestone.Access needs a system. Make inclusion a process, not a press release—change sourcing and the first-meeting gate.Protect your energy. Schedule your recharge/review loop before you ship; it’s how you keep signal high for the long game.Guest• Christina Quinn, General Partner - SSC Venture Partners• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinamquinn/• Firm: https://sscventurepartners.com/• Email: christina@sscventurepartners.comHostAdam W. Barney - Transition Leadership Coach & host of Is Anything Real?, the Reality-First Leadership show for builders who optimize for proof over theater.👉 Book a 20-min Foundation Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20minSupport the show (48-hour push)Follow on Apple/Spotify and turn on Auto-downloadDrop a 5★ review with “Lead with Humanity” in your note, language that helps others find it this weekChapters00:00 Why founder-first still wins02:11 Real signals vs. theater07:08 Equity into operations12:45 Turning early traction into proof18:10 Deck clarity and decision hygiene23:40 EnergyOS habit for momentum26:55 Next steps for founders

What if leadership stopped rewarding loudness and started rewarding truth?In this exclusive drop, Sharon Hurley Hall (journalist, author, anti-racism educator, and Co-Founder of The Introvert Sisters) joins Adam W. Barney to unpack impact without exhaustion: introverts as powerful leaders, boundaries that protect your best work, why “resilience” gets misused, and how to build communities that care while you still care for yourself.You’ll leave with a humane playbook and one EnergyOS move you can run today.  LinksSharon: https://sharonhh.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonhh/The Introvert Sisters (podcast): https://theintrovertsisters.com/Grab a copy of her book, "I'm Tired of Racism": https://www.amazon.com/Im-Tired-Racism-Stories-Existing/dp/9769546917Email: hello@sharonhurleyhall.comCheck out Hiyer: https://www.hiyer.pro/Work with Adam👉 20-min Exploration Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20min

“Say something true.” In this episode, Aaron Wolpoff (Owner and Fractional CMO, Double Zebra) and I unpack authentic growth: the one-truth positioning pass, when rev-share/partner models beat hourly retainers, and how to set boundaries so generosity doesn’t become unpaid consulting. We also cover making paid media feel human again - and the EnergyOS move that creates momentum today.HighlightsOne-truth positioning (cut the bloat, earn attention)Rev-share done right: incentives, pitfalls, guardrailsFrom “free advice” to formalized valuePaid media with a pulse: people at the centerEnergyOS: progress from what’s within reach - ship dailyGuest links• Website: https://doublezebra.com/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingaaron/• Email: aaron@doublezebra.comWork with Adam👉 20-min Exploration Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20min

Is spatial computing the next real channel...or another metaverse mirage? Adam Ortman (CEO/Founder, Kinetic319) brings operator truth: how to explore AR/VR without gambling the quarter, what the 1990s internet can teach us about adoption curves, and the 70/20/10 test budget that protects your core while finding edge wins. We also cover where the early inventory actually is (Roblox, console placements) and the leadership scripts that keep experiments sane.  You’ll learnA simple checklist for “is immersive worth it for us… now?”  The 70/20/10 play to test bold ideas without blowing trust or budget.  Channels to try first and how to attribute them sensibly.  One EnergyOS move to keep curiosity high and hype low.  Guest links• Site: https://kinetic319.com/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-ortman/• Email: adam@kinetic319.comWork with Adam👉 Book your 20-min Exploration Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20min