When a Cold Call Goes Wrong...
The Matt J Hanham Show
A cold call on my personal mobile this week turned into a useful reminder. The call wasn’t malicious. The pitch wasn’t terrible. But within a minute it became clear we were in the same line of work. In this short Inside Out episode, I unpack how cold calls and outreach can go wrong not because the execution is bad, but because the context is missing. Marketing and sales are investments of time, money, and attention. When the who isn’t clear, even good effort can quickly backfire. This episode is a simple reminder to slow down just enough to do the homework, understand the context, and...
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The Mexican Fisherman and the Banker: Are You Chasing Freedom or Living It?
The Matt J Hanham Show
In this Inside Out episode, I read a short parable often referred to as The Mexican Fisherman and the Banker and share a few reflections it brings up for me. It’s a simple story about ambition, success, and the idea of “someday.” How easily we can postpone the very freedom we say we’re chasing. This episode isn’t against ambition or rejecting growth. It’s about pausing to ask a better question: Are we building businesses and careers that support our lives, or are we deferring life in the name of building more? Inside the episode, I reflect on: The difference between chasing...
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How to Stop "Trying" and Just Decide
The Matt J Hanham Show
How many times have you said you’re trying to get fit, start a business, create content, or make a change? The truth is, “trying” isn’t effort. It’s a delay tactic. In this Inside Out solo episode, I unpack why the word trying keeps us stuck in limbo, how it lets us avoid real responsibility, and why a simple decision can change everything. Inspired by the famous Yoda quote “There is no try” this episode is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from motivation or perfection, but from commitment and action. If you’ve been stuck negotiating with yourself, this is your nudge to...
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Only the Learners Will Thrive in the AI Era: Are you one of them?
The Matt J Hanham Show
AI isn’t coming for your job. Someone who’s willing to learn faster than you is. In this Inside Out episode, I explore a simple but confronting idea: in times of massive change, it’s not the experts who win — it’s the learners. Inspired by Eric Hoffer’s quote about learners inheriting the earth, this episode looks at how AI is accelerating the gap between people who stay curious and people who cling to what they already know. This isn’t about becoming technical or mastering every new tool. It’s about identity, humility, and the willingness to start again. Inside...
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Why Different Beats Better: The Power of Your Two-Word Brand
The Matt J Hanham Show
Most leaders get stuck competing on better. Better service. Better price. Better results. But “better” puts you in the same box as everyone else. In this episode, I break down why different always beats better — and how the two-word brand concept helped me simplify and clarify my entire identity. Inside this episode: Why “better” is the trap that keeps you stuck How “different” creates instant separation The psychology of a simple, memorable personal brand What a “two-word brand” actually is How I arrived at The Creative Accountant Why clarity is the #1...
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The Paradox of Choice: How to Decide Faster & Stop Overthinking
The Matt J Hanham Show
If you keep putting off a decision, you’re already making one, and it’s probably the wrong one. In this Inside Out episode, I unpack the Paradox of Choice. Why indecision keeps us stuck, how perfectionism disguises itself as “thinking it through,” and a simple way to force clarity, fast. Ironically, I recorded this episode months ago… and then delayed publishing it. I told myself I needed to “re-launch properly” or wait until I was consistently recording again. Classic decision paralysis. After all that hesitation, it took less than 10 minutes to finally upload it, proving the...
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Is AI really coming for your job? And what should you do about it?
The Matt J Hanham Show
Is AI coming for your job? And what should you do about it? If you think it’s not going to happen to my job, I’m not at risk, you might just be the most vulnerable. One message I’m seeing a bit is an ad from Jack Delosa from the Entourage, who said “If you’re a business owner, AI is not going to take your business, but a competitor with AI will.” In this Inside Out episode, I unpack that message and call to action, and what you should do about it, whether you think AI is a threat to your industry, job or business right now or not. I think that Jack (Delosa) is on the money,...
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5 ways to not write the book you’ve always wanted to write
The Matt J Hanham Show
Writing a book. In my experience, so many people say they could if they wanted to, or should write one when you talk to them at a BBQ. But should you do it? My thinking is, if you're talking about it, you should find a way to start doing it. Or stop lying to yourself that you will one day. The truth is for most of us, like many things out there, you have no idea what you are doing which is one of the reasons you haven't started. Why should you know the "how to's" and the "ins and outs" of something you've never done before. The only way to make progress is to start and figure it out...
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How to avoid the "self-promotion" trap when marketing your business
The Matt J Hanham Show
I start this inside out episode with a clip from the On Purpose Podcast with Jay Shetty interviewing Adam Grant which spoke to me when I Adam said “So many people limit themselves by saying I dont want to self-promote.” I think that creating content or art even isn’t for everyone, but if you’re going to do it, be you. I unpack this quote, what it means to me, and how it relates to creating content in the real world so you don't get caught in the self-promotion trap when marketing your business.
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Will you let your big dreams go to this graveyard?
The Matt J Hanham Show
In this Inside Out episode I unpack an excerpt from a conversation Price Pritchett had with Lewis Howes on the School of Greatness Podcast. It struck a chord with me, especially around planning for our big dreams, our excuses for not taking action and what to do to avoid the over-populated graveyard "The Planning Place" as Price branded it.
info_outlineIf you’ve listened to the show before then you’ll know who Scott Gellatly is. Mostly because Scott is the founder and CEO of Scale My Empire, a business consultancy specialising in growth management and system creation...and also because Matt won’t stop talking about him.