Mystery Chowder

Join Rick Buczynski and Corey Smith as they navigate their dreams in the midst of work and family. Each episode is like a mystery chowder. A bunch of things are thrown into the pot, seasoned and stirred, and nobody is ever quite sure what's going to come out.

46 - F This Event 04/08/2024

46 - F This Event In this episode, Rick shares some reflections on his career and some recent changes that have forced him to look at what it means to face growth, and to wrestle with the fears that come with change. "Will we do it right?" or "Will it look the way I was liked it before?" These are exactly the pivotal moments in business that will often make or break it. Join Rick and Corey as they talk through adaptation, not giving up, and maturing your business. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/30383203

What the heck happened to Mystery Chowder? ... An Apology 04/05/2024

What the heck happened to Mystery Chowder? ... An Apology Listen to Corey blabber on about Mystery Chowder and how great it is, and how maybe, just maybe, there could still be a future here. DM us on X or follow us to get updates about new episodes! @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/30689188

45 - Diamonds in the Rough 02/05/2024

45 - Diamonds in the Rough In this episode, Rick and Corey share stories about some their encounters with strangers in passing who have imparted wisdom or interesting tidbits if knowledge. Everybody has something of value to offer. But are we always living in expectation for it? Do we allow ourselves to get into positions of encounter and connection with people? There's a ton to cover here. Join us for an another exciting episode! /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/29797953

44 - How to Leave a Legacy - Microwave Chowder #12 01/19/2024

44 - How to Leave a Legacy - Microwave Chowder #12 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: What legacy do you hope to leave behind? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/28767833

43 - 9 Women Can't Make a Baby in a Month 01/15/2024

43 - 9 Women Can't Make a Baby in a Month "It takes the time that it takes." Or, "9 women can't make a baby in a month." In this episode, Rick & Corey unpack beliefs and schools of thought around estimating time and effort. Can we, should we, accept challenges to accomplish our goals faster? And do accepted strategies to scaling for speed actually help? DM us on X or follow us to get updates about new episodes! @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/29487383

42 - Executive Skills 01/08/2024

42 - Executive Skills Rick and Corey join forces in an exciting episode of Mystery Chowder where they delve into the essential skills and mindset needed to reach the pinnacle of executive leadership in one's career. Join them as they share their insights and experiences on how to make your way up the corporate ladder and achieve success at the highest level. With their combined expertise, this episode is sure to inspire and guide listeners towards their own path to becoming an executive leader. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion! DM us on X or follow us to get updates about new episodes! @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/28058304

41 - The Impact of Writing 10/03/2023

41 - The Impact of Writing How has writing helped you process your thoughts, feelings, dreams, and plans? Do you write at all? And what mediums do you use for writing? Join us for this episode as we talk about how writing–whether on paper, blogs, digital notepads, and even programming–has enabled us to reflect on our life and to deal with difficult situations. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/28057749

40 - It's Only Impossible If You Don't Do It 08/07/2023

40 - It's Only Impossible If You Don't Do It Rick and Corey are tired, but Mystery Chowder is so pumped! In this episode, our heroes discuss the reality of the difficult, or even the perceived impossibilities and how to get started when there's little hope of success. This is especially worth a listen if you believe you're up against an impossible task, or believe you've hit a ceiling on any project or in life. DM us on Twitter or follow us to get updates about new episodes! Twitter: @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/27593394

39 - The Contention of Contentment and Other Interesting Thoughts - Mystery Guest 07/31/2023

39 - The Contention of Contentment and Other Interesting Thoughts - Mystery Guest Rick and Corey welcome a brand new Mystery Guest, a long-time friend and fellow deep thinker. Join us in our longest but possibly most fun conversation yet while we explore multiple topics, from grabbing ahold of opportunities to to strinking a balance between contentment and drive. DM us on Twitter or follow us to get updates about new episodes! Twitter: @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/27257958

38 - What's Your Religion? - Mystery Guest 07/24/2023

38 - What's Your Religion? - Mystery Guest Corey and Rick welcome back Andy with a topic a little outside of their norm. Inspired by Andy's obsessive book reading and a question he's been pondering, the trio dives into the question of "What is religion?" and can a science or school of thought be just as valid a religion as any ancient practice or belief. This was a fun challenge and an interesting break from the usual discourse. DM us on Twitter or follow us to get updates about new episodes! @mystery_chowder And don't forget to subscribe /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26957190

37 - Imposter Syndrome - Mystery Guest 07/17/2023

37 - Imposter Syndrome - Mystery Guest Welcome Andy, our friend and very first Mystery Guest as we navigate the all-to-common and familiar waters of Impostery Syndrom. As Andy, a tech-industry outsider, sees the world very differently from Rick and Corey, this is sure to be an interesting take on Imposter Syndrome. We all loved this experience and think you will too! DM us on Twitter or follow us to get updates about new episodes! Twitter: @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26957184

36 - What Makes Me Me and Can I Be Not Me? 07/12/2023

36 - What Makes Me Me and Can I Be Not Me? Rick and Corey take the back road in an effort to explore the nature of "calling" and destiny, and the things that impact us along the way. What role does media play in shaping us into who we become? Is it healthy to let others shape us? How do we filter the voices that speak into our souls along the way? Look us up on Twitter to stay informed about the latest episodes or DM us for questions! Twitter: @mystery_chowder /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26956938

35 - Ask Not What Your AI Can Do For You - Microwave Chowder #11 06/09/2023

35 - Ask Not What Your AI Can Do For You - Microwave Chowder #11 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: You are creating an artificial intelligence in humanlike form. What is the most important governing rule or factor that you would program into that robot? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26957070

Why Do I Have To Be Naked?! (or, How to Start a Business in the Buff) 06/05/2023

Why Do I Have To Be Naked?! (or, How to Start a Business in the Buff) This episode started as a Microwave Chowder but was too good to contain in a 10-minute segment. So we've blown it out into a full episode. It started with a scenario: You're droped in the middle of a busy city street, naked, along with 9 other people. You can bring only 3 items with you, and you must be able to carry them. Your goal is to build the most profitable company of the 10 participants in 90 days. Corey has to answer: What 3 things are you bringing? And what are the first 3 steps taken to build your business? Listen in as Corey takes on building his business in the buff. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26957058

Live Your Life on the Silver Screen - Microwave Chowder #10 06/02/2023

Live Your Life on the Silver Screen - Microwave Chowder #10 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: Name a movie that you wish were real. Let's talk about it. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26759769

You Put the Hot Dog in What?! 05/29/2023

You Put the Hot Dog in What?! Product-market fit is a term used to describe the degree to which a product satisfies a strong market demand. From Google Glass to cooking hot dogs in unexpected places, we'll reflect on some products or ideas over the last century that failed to be adopted by their target market. You may remember some of them, and some are just outright strange. But why did they fail? Was the product right but the timing wrong? Let's find out. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26679234

Your Ideal Alternate Reality - Microwave Chowder #9 05/26/2023

Your Ideal Alternate Reality - Microwave Chowder #9 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: What is one thing that is not true or real that you wish were true or real? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26759610

Management is Communism 04/25/2023

Management is Communism Today's corporate management culture comes with all kinds of lingo centered around productivity, efficiency, and innovation. But does it actually inspire people to do and become their best? Or are these messages of "positivity" actually something more insidious in nature? In this episode, we talk about some unusual similarities between management language today and that of a previous generation. We explore what's behind some visionary statements from unlikely figures in history, and compare them to our own modern-day points of view. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26539479

How To Spend Too Much Money - Microwave Chowder #8 04/15/2023

How To Spend Too Much Money - Microwave Chowder #8 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: What would you do tomorrow if you retirement-level money appeared in your bank account? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26550645

ExMachina Unchained - Microwave Chowder #7 04/14/2023

ExMachina Unchained - Microwave Chowder #7 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: 2 parts: first, what one job would you not give up to AI, and second, what job do you hope to see given up in your lifetime to AI? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26399466

Laser Focus 04/10/2023

Laser Focus How well can you focus on a goal or vision? Not just for a minute, hour, day, week, or month–but for a year or more? Do you create a plan for the year and stick to it, measure it? How about over a decade? In this episode, we look at the driving forces and proverbs of some of America's capitalist giants, and have come up with one conclusion: hyper-focus is often the difference between success and failure. Whether you're in the business of building railroads or optimizing zippers, what may separate you from the pack is in your ability to retain focus on an idea. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26361678

Viva la Robot Revolución 04/03/2023

Viva la Robot Revolución Jarvis, and Rosie, and Bears, Oh My! What are we to make of a future in which AI could become sentient, or intelligent enough to identify its own needs as distinct or more important from that of its maker? Maybe we're getting too far ahead of ourselves. In this episode, we talk about the role of automation as means to advancing our quality of life, to a point–the point at which it begins to encroach upon our sense of humanity is where things get a little uncomfortable. And that's exactly where we intend to go. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25817385

Loyalty or Drive - Microwave Chowder #6 03/31/2023

Loyalty or Drive - Microwave Chowder #6 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: Would you rather have an employee low in loyalty but very driven to succeed, or very loyal but not as driven? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/26399289

The Birth Canal of Responsibility 03/28/2023

The Birth Canal of Responsibility Almost everyone at some time has found themselves taking on more responsibility than they can or should handle. The real test in life is in knowing what is beyond your abilities or domain and learning to delegate. But it's not always so easy to discern and draw these lines. In this episode, we compare our experiences in parenting to being leaders in business, taking an introspective look at how, when, and when not to assume responsibility for something; when to let someone fail and how to pick them back up. And, how to avoid being a control freak. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25817250

Sports are Awesome 02/20/2023

Sports are Awesome Get yer boots strapped in and your pigskins ready (laces out), 'cuz we're talkin' sports tonight. Sports, especially competitive, are such an important part of our development. In this episode, we share stories from childhood about our favorite, and not so favorite, sports; from baseball, to mountain biking, to street luging, football, skateboarding, snowboarding, and many more. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25817127

Implosion vs. Explosion - Microwave Chowder #5 02/17/2023

Implosion vs. Explosion - Microwave Chowder #5 /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25319382

Perfect is the Enemy of Good 02/13/2023

Perfect is the Enemy of Good Would you consider yourself a perfectionist? Can the pursuit of excellence turn into an unhealthy lifestyle of perfection? Join us for this episode of Mystery Chowder, as we talk about what it's like to deal with the weight of wanting to be perfect in every area of our lives. And stick around, as we'll share some strategies for re-balancing your expectations of yourself, friends and family. /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/24994344

Year In Review - Microwave Chowder #4 02/10/2023

Year In Review - Microwave Chowder #4 /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25817280

Intensity vs. Consistency 02/07/2023

Intensity vs. Consistency /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/25816941

What NOT to Say at a Business Meeting - Microwave Chowder #3 12/23/2022

What NOT to Say at a Business Meeting - Microwave Chowder #3 Today we're bringing you a "microwave chowder"--all the fun of a regular episode but WAY faster. Either Corey or Rick will pose a unrehearsed, random question to the other, and we have 10 minutes to discuss it. The TOPIC for this segment: What are two things you wouldn't say at a business meeting but wish you could? /episode/index/show/mysterychowder/id/24827328

Mystery Chowder

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