I wanted to be ready—this webinar was important, and everything else could wait. It was the start of my next mastermind product, and it went extremely well.

It wrapped up at 11:30 PM, and without hesitation, I put on my running shoes and went out for a run in the rain. I’m doing a 28-day running challenge, so skipping a day wasn’t even an option.

By the time I got back to my computer, it was almost 1 AM. But I wasn’t done. I had final edits to make on my Thursday YouTube video. I stayed up, worked through it, and finally crashed at 3:30 AM—completely exhausted but satisfied.

And that’s when it hit me.

A lot of what I do doesn’t feel like work—it feels like a hobby, something I want to do. I’m pushing myself not out of obligation, but because I enjoy it.

So here’s a question for you:
What do you love doing? What do you want to do more of?

In today's storyletter:

• Embrace your fears

• Stop repeating yourself

• The personal poll

• Building in public

• From the web
  

  Let’s go!
  
  

THOUGHTS

Have you ever made a list of your fears? Would you?

Most things that scare us come from past beliefs—things we heard as kids, things that hurt us (or people close to us), the fear of rejection, or the fear of loss. But what if you made a list and started tackling them, one by one?

Funny enough, we all want to improve. We have lists of dreams and goals, a bucket list, places we want to go—but how many of us have ever made a list of things we want to get rid of? The one thing holding us back more than anything is fear.

Even now, as you’re reading this, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

For me, it was—and still is—going up to a woman and getting rejected. Making a video that gets five views when everyone else has thousands or millions. I could name so many more, but when I look at the past year, so much has changed just by sitting down and having a real, written conversation with myself about why I do certain things. And over and over again, the answer was fear.

Overcoming these fears required effort, but facing them freed me to do other things—to improve, grow, and propel life in different directions.

Here’s how you can start tackling yours:

✅ Identify a fear – Personal, business, relationships, anything. Write it down.

✅ Understand it – Where does this fear come from? What triggered it? What would you like to change?

✅ Visualize the change – If you were free of this fear, how would life look? What would that mean for you?

✅ Plan small steps – Read about the topic, talk to a professional, expose yourself to it in small ways. What are you willing to do to change?

✅ Create a timeline – By this date, I will… Then reverse-engineer the steps to make that happen.

✅ Tell someone you trust – Don’t do this alone. Accountability is key. Find a friend, mentor, or coach who can help push you forward.

One more thing: Progress isn't linear. Some days, you'll feel like you're making huge progress. Other days, you’ll feel like you took a step back. Both are part of the process. Keep going.

We can always become a bit better by letting go of the past—even just 1% better than yesterday.

And I’m writing this to remind myself that I still have work to do.

On March 7th, I’ll be giving my first keynote about resilience and overcoming tough times. This post is one of many I’ve been writing as I search for the best ways to share that message.

A challenge for you:

What’s one fear you’re going to write down today? Reply and let me know—or just write it for yourself. But do it.

Storytelling

Tips and tricks

Repetition is a powerful tool, and you're misusing it 90% of the time.

This week’s writing tip applies to pitching, writing, and—what sparked this thought—voice messages.

First things first: stop overusing voice messages. Use audio when it adds value—when you need to articulate something clearly, when intonation and pacing matter, or when you want to convey emotion. Otherwise, you’re just making someone else do the work of deciphering your words.

Yes, text can strip away tone, but that’s no excuse to dump your inability to be concise on someone else’s time. You can always call instead (do people still call?).

But here’s where it gets interesting—we naturally communicate through repetition. We repeat ourselves to make sure we were heard, to fill awkward silences, or (when done right) to ensure our main message sticks.

Yet, when we write, we don’t say things three times. So why do we do it when we pitch, sell, or send a message? Be intentional about repetition. Ask yourself:

👉 What’s the ONE thing they need to take away from this message?

That’s what will stick. That’s what they’ll remember. And since you can control that, why not use it to your advantage?

Harness repetition; don’t abuse it. And for the love of all things productive, stop sending me five-minute WhatsApp voice messages saying the same thing three times. Deal?

Suggestion
Next time you send a voice message or pitch, ask yourself—what’s the one thing they need to remember?

Building in public

What a Week Here in Da Nang, Vietnam

It’s been rainy and cloudy most of the week—exactly what I needed to get some deep work done.

Something I Realized: Don’t Run a Webinar Like Everyone Else—Do It My Way.

I spent over two days prepping a webinar for 30 business owners from Texas. It was structured, well-organized, and packed with great information… but something felt off.

A big part of this building in public journey is trusting my gut, and my gut was telling me this session was too technical. It lacked me—the way I naturally interact, think, and solve problems in real time.

So, I changed the plan:
✅ Instead of running through slides, I asked attendees to drop their struggles in the chat.
✅ The topics: Brand, Marketing, Sales, Messaging, and Customer Journey.
✅ One by one, I tackled each issue, breaking it down on the spot with creative solutions.
✅ After solving each problem, I explained the thinking behind my approach.

The response? 🔥
The session felt different—more engaging, more impactful. When we wrapped up, the organizer told me she loved how it felt like a conversation with them, rather than a lecture at them.

💡 Lesson learned: Everyone can repeat good information, but when you bring yourself into a session, you make a bigger impact. Seeing people reach out afterward, because they felt a personal connection, confirmed this approach is the way forward.

YouTube Update 🎥

I’m beyond happy to say I’ve been doing this for five weeks straight—and I feel proud. It’s not as polished as I’d like yet, but instead of looking back, I’m excited to see what happens over the next 50 videos.

📈 Key progress this week:
✔ 80% of viewers are first-timers – new people are discovering the content
✔ Watch time is increasing – meaning people are staying longer
✔ 5% subscriber growth – slow, but steady

But what I’m most proud of:
✔ YouTube filming & editing is now scheduled in my calendar—a priority, not an afterthought
✔ I’m writing more ideas for content—momentum is building
✔ I see it as something I want to do, not something I have to do

🎬 This week's videos:
📌 Building in Public – Episode 05
Watch here

📌 The Best Way to Improve is to Talk to Yourself
Watch here

A Quick Note About Work

🚀 Mastermind Launch – I've been asked to launch a mastermind group focused on marketing, sales, and brand growth. While it wasn’t originally in my plans, the demand is there, and I know my knowledge can help businesses make a real impact. If this sounds interesting, feel free to reply.

📅 Office Hours – I’ve been wanting to start this for a while, and now it’s happening! If you have questions about marketing, branding, or sales—send them in. Video submissions are best, but I’ll take anything. The plan is to start answering more of these publicly and turn them into useful content for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Feeling very grateful for this community and this journey. Let’s keep learning, building, and improving together. 💡
My top three priorities are always available. Click here for my updates file

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About Building in Public

Sharing the journey in an open, unfiltered way, the good, the bad, and the behind-the-scenes of scaling my next idea.

Just for Fun

Enjoy these nuggets

🎵 Music: This week’s newsletter was created while listening to the Coffee Room channel. Perfect background music for focus and creativity. Listen here.

🎥 Video: I’ve been cutting down on carbs, and it ain’t easy in Vietnam. So, I really enjoyed this video about the best croissant in Paris. Watch here.

🎬 A Trailer: Paul Rudd will never get old (so maybe I’m not getting old either?). Check out the trailer for his latest film. Watch here.