Joseph Fasano is a poet, novelist, and educator who spent two decades teaching literature before leaving academia to build his own independent academy focused on cultivating full human expression through language.
In a conversation that felt like channeling the Beatnik days of City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, listen in as two writers compare scars, laugh through heresy, and tell the truth about art, God, and why crafting words is still one of the best forms of resistance.
Joseph grew up in a house that prized silence over feeling. I grew up in a church that worshiped control over wonder. We both turned to language to find oxygen for our souls and meaning for our minds.
We went everywhere: Rilke, Merton, Thomas Keating, Christ, moral clarity, fatherhood, and the sacred weight of words. We talked about how real faith feels less like belief and more like surrender.
Links:
This episode of The Third Way Podcast was a gift. I got to sit down in person with my dear friend Wendy Colonna, a much loved Austin-based singer-songwriter, creative coach, and one of those rare artists who is both a master of her craft and endlessly collaborative. Wendy is woven into some of my most cherished Austin memories, from surprising Virginia with a tear-inducing cover of “Humble and Kind” for her 50th birthday to Wendy featuring the song she wrote for my dear friend, Mohan Rangarao, at her concert at the Regal Room.
We recorded the episode on the back patio of The Hive in South Austin, just days before Virginia and I left Austin to move to Mexico City.
Our conversation covers a lot: Wendy’s journey from being “too much” as a kid to releasing nine studio albums, her work helping creatives escape the poverty mindset, and her role in founding Wavemakers: Women in Music 40+ , a movement amplifying the voices of women who are in the prime of their creativity, defying industry ageism, and building bridges with brands who want real connection with women over 40.
We dig into the craft of songwriting, the difference between songs written to serve an artist vs. songs written to stand on their own, and the magic of turning everyday objects and moments into talismans of meaning (including my favorite Wendy song, The Water’s Fine).
We also talk about activism without burnout, paradigm-breaking approaches to music and business, and why intentionally choosing to be joyful might be the most subversive act of all.
This one’s part music geek-out, part creative manifesto, and part love letter to the power of women’s voices.
Links
In this special in-person episode, I sit down with my dear friend Sarah King inside Aurora House, the creative sanctuary she founded in Austin, Texas. The last time I did an in-person interview, I was in Idaho talking horse training with my little brother. This one’s a bit different.
Sarah’s story is a remarkable transformation. A former top product leader in the high-growth tech world, she climbed the ladder fast and played the game well, until she realized the game was costing her her health, her values, and her true self. So, she walked away. What followed was a powerful reckoning: surgery, travel, deep embodiment work, and ultimately, the creation of Aurora House, a space for women and non-binary individuals to reconnect with creativity, community, and their essence.
We talk about:
How her rise through tech was fueled by charisma, grit, and a quiet desperation to prove herself.
The inner cost of performing a version of herself that wasn’t true.
Her journey from corporate warrior to creative founder, through grief, burnout, and a literal reconnection to her womb.
The cultural binaries that distort feminine identity and how Aurora House exists to dissolve them.
This episode is also a broader conversation about reclaiming our creative life force, why entrepreneurship is a spiritual act, and what happens when women gather without performance or pretense. Sarah shares wisdom for women in corporate life, calls bullshit on the “boss babe” hustle myth, and casts a vision for the future of Aurora House, including expansion, sponsorships, and community impact.
Links
Aurora House website
Aurora House Instagram
Books Mentioned
Trevor Perry and I have something rare in common: we were both raised in one of the most controlling Christian sects you’ve never heard of, the Two by Twos. Trevor got kicked out at 19 for keeping the wrong company. I walked out on my own terms years later. Either way, we both know what it’s like to have your identity dictated by dogma.
In this episode, we get honest about what it means to grow up in a system that fears questions, punishes doubt, and demands obedience. We talk about the lasting imprint of that kind of control, how it screws with your sense of self, and how the internet—and some good old-fashioned courage—has helped a lot of folks break free.
Trevor’s now a non-theist, a skeptic, and the founder of the School of Dangerous Ideas—a place where he helps teams and leaders inject courage, play, and perspective back into their work. We talk about why dangerous ideas matter, not just in religion, but in business, leadership, and life. We also dig into family secrets, the power of fellowship, and the upside of questioning everything.
Connect with Trevor:
For a lot of business owners, marketing feels like a necessary evil—something you know you need but would rather not spend your time on. That’s why delegation isn’t just practical; it’s freedom. Handing off the parts you don’t love (and probably shouldn’t be doing anyway) gives you the space to focus on what actually matters—your vision, your craft, your people.
In this episode of The Third Way Podcast, I sit down with the brilliant and badass Javiera Corea, the founder of Motion Rocket. Javiera shares her story of walking away from corporate law in Nicaragua to follow something that made her feel much more alive—helping businesses tell their story through marketing. Javiera believes that marketing doesn’t have to be a grind or a numbers game. To her, it’s an ecosystem—one that only works when it’s built on clarity, connection, and something real.
We talk about why so many small business owners struggle with marketing—not because they aren’t trying, but because they’re approaching it like a checklist instead of a creative process. Javiera breaks down the idea of a Virtual Marketing Team (VMT) and why it works when it’s built on shared values, not just tasks.
This conversation is about more than marketing. It’s about alignment, intuition, and learning to trust the process.
Links
Leadership isn’t about control—it’s a creative act. Yet too often, leaders default to org charts, titles, and vanity metrics instead of the courage and creativity needed to build real trust. The bottom line gets in the way of belonging, and businesses exploit people rather than empower them.
In this conversation, Dan Dowman and I unpack why so many organizations struggle to create cultures of connection—and why three core virtues can change everything:
🔹 Wholeness over Rightness – Wholeness is a superpower. It disrupts defensiveness, creates space for adaptability, and reveals when to break from the status quo. It’s the foundation for real collaboration and innovation.
🔹 Reciprocity over Extraction – True leadership moves from “me” to “we.” When reciprocity is prioritized, teams transform into ecosystems of shared interest, trust, and advocacy.
🔹 Sovereignty over Commodity – People aren’t resources or targets. Sovereignty honors agency and autonomy, leading to genuine connection, shared ownership, and lasting trust.
If you want to lead with liberation instead of control, this conversation is for you.
In this Manologue, I dig into a truth too many people would rather ignore: silence is the fuel that keeps tyranny burning. Authoritarianism isn’t just about silencing dissenters—it thrives on the privileged keeping their mouths shut. From my own experience in a high-control religious environment to the broader patterns of history, I break down why silence is complicity and why moral clarity matters now more than ever.
I call on business leaders—those with influence, resources, and platforms—to speak up. It doesn’t always have to be loud and brash; sometimes, a simple, firm "no" is enough to shake the foundations of power. I also re-introduce the New Resistance Roundtables, a space for business leaders committed to resisting authoritarianism.
The next New Resistance Roundtable is on March 11. Register here.
This episode is about a different kind of grief—the kind that lingers when something you believe in gets betrayed. I was raised on the Western Code: protect women, judge a person by their work, and give no mercy to horse thieves. It wasn’t an idea. It was a lineage that started in the grit and dust of the Old West and was lived by every generation - until the last 10 years.
Now, I see men who once embodied that code looking the other way, making excuses for a man who assaults women, flaunts his ill-gotten wealth, shits on the military, and dismantles democracy. A man who, in the Code of the West, would’ve been run out or worse.
This isn’t just about politics—it’s about the loss of honor, the erosion of trust, and the heart ache of seeing people trade integrity for excuses. Some betrayals you can’t come back from.
In this episode of The Third Way Podcast, I sit down with my friend and client, Joe Bova, for a deep and insightful conversation about his unconventional journey—from Hollywood to owning a bakery to becoming a therapist and coach.
Joe shares his “Finding the Gold” story, inspired by a clay-covered Buddha, which serves as the core metaphor for his Story Restoration™ model. He opens up about the struggles of self-acceptance and the lifelong work of uncovering who we really are beneath the layers of conditioning and expectations.
Together, Joe and I explore identity, personal growth, and empowerment. We talk about the unique challenges facing Millennials and Gen Z, the weight of social labels, and the power of owning your truth. Joe’s perspective is a reminder that we all have inherent resilience—if we’re willing to tap into it.
Joe is, in every sense of the term, the ideal client and a case study of who I love to work with in my Studio Sessions. He has done the inner work, listened to his calling, committed to the process - and along the way built a visually and mentally stimulating brand and a unique offer in a very crowded space.
Learn more about Joe’s work on his website.
As mentioned in the episode, use the code BADASS20 at checkout to receive 20% off his upcoming 3-part Story Restoration workshop series.
I met Mohan in the most serendipitous way: through my dear friend, Stacy Ennis, (who I also met in a serendipitous way many years ago in Boise, ID). But here is the cosmic part… Stacy lives in Portugal. Mohan lives in Mysore, India. I live in Austin. The odds of Mohan finding Stacy are astronomical.
That back story is important context for why I’m sharing this conversation I had with Mohan. Last summer, Mohan came to Austin with just the draft of a book called “Myopia”. I sensed that there was a much, much bigger calling here; that Mo had received some first-hand and deep insight on the nature of suffering, grief, and sorrow. And that his engineering mind and mystical soul had an idea that the world desperately needed to know about.
Sitting in my office after many hours of extracting, framing, debating, there was a moment - the kind of moment that affirms why I do what I do. And Amopia was born - as a philosophy, a business, a community.
Amopia launched on 12/19/24. You can read here why Mo selected that date.
Here are a few asks and links:
* Please visit Amopia website
* Get on the early release list for “Myopia”
* Follow Amopia Instagram
And then … please share Amopia with everyone you know. Literally, everyone. The world needs to know about the core message of Amopia; that suffering is sacred; about the 13 Principles that will transform your relationship with grief.
With the election tomorrow, we’re standing on the edge of a potential milestone. But regardless of the outcome, women are already leading us forward in all areas of life. That’s why I sat down with Shuronda Robinson, a client of The Fractional XO and a dear friend, to have a raw, honest conversation on allyship—one that gets to the heart of what real support for women in leadership looks like.
Why now? Because allyship isn’t a checkbox; it’s about showing up with intention. If we’re serious about supporting women in leadership, we have to get clear on what that truly means. With years of friendship and trust, Shuronda and I took on some big questions:
* What does allyship for women leaders actually look like?
* How can men start recognizing and addressing their own biases?
* What are the “don’ts” for anyone committed to genuine allyship?
* And what’s Shuronda’s message to conservative men who may be hesitant?
For men, especially those in positions of power, this episode is an invitation to self-reflect. How are you showing up? How are you actively supporting women in leadership? And what role will you play as we move into this next chapter?
As mentioned in the conversation, Shuronda is hosting a 3-day live virtual event called “True to You: Women of Influence” on Nov 7 - 9. This program is specifically designed to help women step into powerful roles in their businesses and communities. Each day focuses on specific skills and tools to become a woman of influence. Learn more here.
In this episode, I'm shaking things up and stepping away from the 3D traditional interview model to see if a conversation can carry itself without a script. I'm bringing back Kelly Campbell—my "spiritual doppelganger," a dear friend who shares my Scorpio intensity and Enneagram 8 energy. We're diving deep into the art of unscripted dialogue and exploring how our identities shape our work, relationships, and growth.
Note: this is my last episode using the 3D format. I will be continuing the bi-weekly Manologues but updating and tweaking the format when having guests on. Stay tuned!
Kelly’s Links
Buy her amazing book, Heal to Lead!
Some supporting information for the terminology I use in this Manologue.
Critical Intelligence:The practical to combine critical thinking, self-awareness, cognitive skills, and spiritual values to make informed and balanced decisions. It involves analyzing information carefully, recognizing personal biases, and applying logical reasoning, all while staying grounded in a sense of purpose and ethical considerations.
For the purposes of using Critical Intelligence to discuss the 2024 Election, I’m using these elements:
Information Gathering and Evaluation
* Data Collection: Ability to identify relevant information sources and gather data systematically.
* Source Evaluation: Assess the credibility, relevance, and accuracy of information sources.
* Bias Recognition: Recognize and account for biases in information sources and one’s own thinking.
Analytical Thinking
* Problem Identification: Accurately define and frame problems or questions.
* Pattern Recognition: Identify patterns, trends, and relationships in data and information.
* Logical Reasoning: Apply logical reasoning to draw valid conclusions from available information.
Ethical Reasoning
* Ethical Considerations: Identify and consider ethical implications in decision-making processes.
* Fairness: Ensure that conclusions and decisions are just, equitable, and unbiased.
* Accountability: Take responsibility for the outcomes of decisions made.
Historial context for presidential races:
* Character
* Policy
* Performance
* Cognition (a recent issue)
Indicators of Low Critical Intelligence
There are at least 10, but I selected these for framing this particular discussion:
* Reliance on Cognitive Biases:
Frequently falling prey to biases such as confirmation bias, where one only seeks information that supports pre-existing beliefs, and ignores or dismisses opposing evidence.
* Frequent Use of Logical Fallacies:
Regularly employing flawed reasoning tactics, such as ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, false dilemmas, and other logical fallacies in discussions and debates.
* Resistance to Self-Reflection*:
Avoiding introspection or the examination of one’s own thought processes and beliefs, leading to a lack of self-awareness and growth.
If you're a Trump supporter or a far-left progressive and want to discuss these ideas further, I invite you to come on to my podcast. Just drop me a message.
In this episode, I do something I’ve never done on a podcast episode: talked directly about branding and marketing! Thanks to an introduction from our mutual friend, Kelly Campbell, I was able to have a 3D conversation with brand communication expert, Ben Guttmann. We discuss his new book, our mutual advocacy for simplicity in branding, and how marketing has eroded the power of language and the need to return to clear, authentic communication.
Ben’s links:
My buddy, Todd Lieman, was on my podcast way back in January of 2022. Since then, Todd has brought an incredible book into the world, “Dinner at God’s House”. It is one of the best spiritual fables I’ve ever read. As I mention in the episode, writing fables well is difficult, but spiritual fables are even more so. In this episode, Todd and I explore the book’s inspiration, its central messages, and the journey of spiritual discovery it invites readers on, along with themes of spirituality, storytelling, and the profound connections that shape our understanding of the universe.You can pick up a copy of “Dinner at God’s House” here.
Connect with Todd on LinkedIn.
In this Manologue episode, I share the difference between cognitive biases and logical fallacies and how logical fallacies are direct threat to American ideals and truth itself.
As mentioned, I am including a partial list of both …
Here are some of the top cognitive biases:
* Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions.
* Anchoring Bias: The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered (the "anchor") when making decisions.
* Availability Heuristic: The tendency to overestimate the importance of information that is readily available or recent.
* Hindsight Bias: The tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.
* Self-Serving Bias: The tendency to attribute positive outcomes to one's own abilities and efforts, and negative outcomes to external factors.
* Fundamental Attribution Error: The tendency to attribute others' actions to their character while attributing one's own actions to external circumstances.
* Ingroup Bias: The tendency to favor members of one's own group over those in other groups.
* Sunk Cost Fallacy: The tendency to continue investing in a decision based on the cumulative prior investment (time, money, resources) rather than future benefits.
* Bandwagon Effect: The tendency to adopt beliefs or behaviors because others are doing so.
* Overconfidence Bias: The tendency to overestimate one's own abilities, knowledge, or predictions.
A list of the top 10 logical fallacies:
* Ad Hominem: Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.
* Straw Man: Misrepresenting or oversimplifying someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
* Appeal to Ignorance (Argumentum ad Ignorantiam): Arguing that a proposition is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa.
* False Dilemma (False Dichotomy): Presenting two options as the only possible choices, when in fact there are other alternatives.
* Slippery Slope: Arguing that a small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related (negative) events.
* Circular Reasoning (Begging the Question): The conclusion of an argument is assumed in the premise.
* Hasty Generalization: Making a broad generalization based on a small or unrepresentative sample.
* Red Herring: Introducing an irrelevant point into an argument to distract from the original issue.
* Appeal to Authority (Argumentum ad Verecundiam): Believing a claim is true simply because an authority figure endorses it.
* Appeal to Popularity (Argumentum ad Populum): Arguing that a proposition is true because many or most people believe it.
In this episode, I had the privilege of an in-person conversation with one of my best friends, Bryce Hoffman. As it is with all of our conversations, we discussed a wide range of things, including the importance of critical thinking in leadership, emphasizing its role in navigating today's volatile and uncertain world, the decline of critical thinking education and its impact on society, and addressing the systemic issues faced by businesses and governments.
Key Highlights:
- Critical thinking is the most essential skill for today’s leaders, yet it's one of the hardest to hire for due to its decline in education.
- The importance of stopping self-defeating behaviors and policies in organizations.
- The lack of courageous leadership in addressing critical issues like climate change and systemic racism.
- A call for a return to thoughtful leadership and critical thinking to navigate the complexities of the modern world.Bryce’s LinkedIn
In this Manologue, I share the social significance of the show “Suits” - especially in light of Harrison Butker’s comments and a pervasive anti-femininity bent in much of our culture.
Byron Reese is a futurist who thinks a lot about the past. I first learned about Byron when I read his book, “Stories, Dice, and Rocks that Think” , a book that celebrates the advancement of humanity rather than decries is. I describe Byron as “indescribably brilliant”. I also like how he is described in his bio:There are the people who hope the future will be better, then there are the people who reason the future will be better. Byron is the second variety. Both a futurist and optimist, Byron believes we are approaching a fourth age for humanity that promises to be infinitely better than anything we have seen before.
In this episode, we have a 3D Conversation on interconnectedness, a topic spanning complexity science to mysticism. We also talk about his new book, “We are Agora”.
Enjoy!
In this Manologue episode, I share how the pressures of our current life can tempt us to return to an old part of us.