In this candid episode, host Samuel reflects on the first year of his podcast "Stories That Shape Us" and the emotional rollercoaster of pursuing a passion project alongside a full-time job and family commitments. He shares his struggles with slow growth, self-doubt, and feeling overwhelmed, but also the encouragement he receives from listeners that keeps him motivated.

Key Topics:

• The "startup curve" concept and the "trough of sorrow" phase where growth stagnates
• Dealing with uncertainty, doubts, and considering pivots like rebranding
• The importance of listener feedback and small encouragements
• Lessons from Phil Knight's book "Shoe Dog" about persevering through failures
• Transparency about the highs and lows of an ambitious side project
• Invitation for listeners to share their own resilience stories

Quotes:

"Fear not failure, but learn from it, start afresh, be smart."

"We'll run this podcast, right, committed, not swayed. By disappointments that ruffle this vision to fade, it is one that we believe in, our efforts will tell."

Call to Action: Share experiences dealing with letdowns or lack of progress on personal pursuits by emailing podcast@samuelagbede.com.