From Stage to Strategy: What Pete Hegseth Teaches Us About the Performance Economy
Inconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
Release Date: 10/02/2025
Inconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
Just for fun this a 3rd person article but written by me In a world racing toward artificial intelligence, automation, and unprecedented technological power, a provocative question is quietly unsettling leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday workers alike: If Jesus were here today, would He use AI in his work and business? That question sits at the heart of a recent episode of The Jesus Entrepreneur Experience, a weekly exploration that looks at the life and leadership of Jesus not only as a spiritual figure — but as a model for meaningful, mission-driven entrepreneurship. Hosted by veteran...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
The storm is coming. You can feel it—not just outside, but everywhere. Schools closing. Churches canceling. Flights disappearing from the board like magic tricks gone wrong. We’re all being gently (or not so gently) told: stay home, stay put, stay warm. Which is exactly what I’m doing—sitting in my little radio studio, which also happens to be a television studio, a video studio, and a worldwide broadcasting station. No tower. No transmitter building. No million-dollar equipment. Just a good microphone, a decent camera, an internet connection, and a lifetime spent loving radio. I...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
In a culture crowded with slogans, outrage, and instant opinions, a recent radio program in The Jesus Entrepreneur Experience does something surprisingly rare: it asks people to stop, imagine, and think. The program poses a single, provocative question—not to shock or inflame, but to awaken reflection: If Jesus were here today—now, in our time and place—and if He were a young man living in Israel, what kind of man would He be if required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces? The result is a thoughtful, TED-Talk-length exploration that bridges history, faith, entrepreneurship, and...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
In this special birthday-commemoration edition of Inconvenient Ideas, broadcaster Stan Hustad invites listeners to pause, reconsider, and remember something easily overlooked in the story of one of America’s greatest heroes: the full and formative identity of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The program opens with a light, affectionate nod to radio history and the marvel of modern podcasting—how a single voice can now circle the globe without towers, transmitters, or billion-dollar budgets. From there, the focus turns to the meaning of this national holiday and to the man it honors....
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
Protest Backfires: The Inconvenient Politics of Noise, Power, and Human Nature In this episode of Inconvenient Ideas, veteran broadcaster Stan Hustad poses a question that at first sounds almost absurd—and then increasingly unavoidable: Why do the loudest opponents of Donald Trump and ICE often end up strengthening the very people they oppose? It’s a question rooted not in partisan rhetoric, but in something deeper and far more uncomfortable: human behavior, perception, and unintended consequences. A Radio Man Sounds the Alarm Drawing on more than four decades in broadcasting,...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
What kind of person pays six dollars for a newspaper in 2026? Apparently, I do. In this short episode of Inconvenient Ideas, I tell a simple story that turns out not to be simple at all—from being a 12-year-old paperboy delivering six days of news for 35 cents, to standing in a store today holding a weekend paper that costs more than I used to make in a week. Along the way, we talk about old-school radio, standing up to do a broadcast, dressing for the job even when no one can see you, and why some things that feel inconvenient—like slowing down, paying attention, or holding real paper in...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
This is a radio program that also happens to have the studio camera on. But it's a radio show and it is about an inconvenient idea... And that's about my concern that a number of friends and others are not being careful about how they are living right now and they are in effect possibly destroying their destiny, perhaps not doing what they were truly made for and what would give them some deep gladness, ... Maybe more later. Most people don’t wake up in the morning planning to ruin their future. And yet, according to this brief but pointed episode from the Inconvenient Ideas series, that may...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
Reflections on Culture, Power, and the Cost of Ignoring Inconvenient Ideas In this edition of Inconvenient Ideas, veteran broadcaster and performance coach Stan Hustad draws on decades of lived experience in Minnesota to explore a troubling question: How did a state long known for “Minnesota Nice” find itself at the center of one of the largest fraud scandals in recent American history? This is not a political rant, nor is it a partisan argument. Instead, Hustad offers a reflective, sometimes uncomfortable examination of how cultural drift, failed assimilation, technological dominance, and...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
On the first day of 2026, The What It Takes Radio Company opens the year with a simple, thoughtful, and surprisingly powerful eight-minute radio and television program designed to help listeners pause, reflect, and begin the year with intention. Hosted by Stan Hustad, the program does not offer a list of resolutions or predictions. Instead, it centers on one clarifying question—drawn from history, philosophy, and practical coaching—that has the potential to save time, sharpen focus, strengthen relationships, and improve effectiveness in life and work throughout the year ahead. A Question...
info_outlineInconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad...the Radio Man
On the first day of December, while many people are still digesting Thanksgiving leftovers and arguing about when it’s “socially acceptable” to play Christmas music, broadcaster and performance coach Stan Hustad steps up to the microphone with something more than seasonal sentiment. In his new Monday series, Inconvenient Ideas with Stan Hustad, he invites listeners into a world where what we see, hear, and even believe may be—quite literally—too real to be fake and too fake to be real. Stan begins with a memory from his days hosting the early morning show “Morning Sound” on a...
info_outlineThe Curiosity Zone, hosted by Stan Hustad, has always been a place where inconvenient ideas meet everyday wisdom. In his latest program, Stan takes listeners on a thought-provoking ride through media, leadership, and the surprising lessons of a fiery presentation given by former Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Whether you loved the message or loathed it, the performance itself offers a master class in communication for anyone navigating today’s performance economy.
The Power of Performance
Stan begins by reminding us that podcasting—whether with video or audio—has always been “radio at heart.” But the world has shifted: leaders, entrepreneurs, and even introverts must now learn to perform in front of a microphone or a camera. That’s where Hegseth’s speech comes in. Delivered to a room of 800 generals and admirals, it was not just a policy statement—it was performance art.
No teleprompter dependency, no stiff posturing. Instead, Hegseth walked, gestured, and energized the room. He made bold statements, accepted disagreement, and ended with something too few leaders remember: a benediction. Speaking well—even to those who might not like you—is a timeless tool for influence.
Lessons Worth Remembering
Stan doesn’t leave the audience with theory. He translates the moment into practical takeaways for anyone who wants to thrive:
Not everyone will like you—and that’s okay. About 25% will always cheer you, 25% will never like you, and the rest are persuadable. Focus your energy on the middle.
Presentation is a performing art. Business, politics, preaching, or teaching—all require performance skills now.
Passion beats perfection. Speaking from the heart often carries more weight than flawless slides or scripts.
Always close with goodwill. A benediction—whether “Live long and prosper” or “All the best to you”—sends people away with dignity.
A New Year, A New Economy
Stan closes with a challenge: this is not just the “information age” anymore—it’s the performance economy. To succeed, you don’t just need knowledge; you need to present it well. You need to be ready to step into the spotlight, whether on stage, behind the mic, or in front of a camera.
Call to Action
If you’re ready to sharpen your performance, grow your influence, and prepare for the economy that values presence as much as product, Stan Hustad is here to help. Reach out at Stan@witradio.net and explore more conversations in the Curiosity Zone at What It Takes Radio.
This year, don’t just work—perform. And in doing so, make it not just another year, but one of your very best.