Best Lighthouse IT Solutions Podcasts (2025)

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Lessons Learned in 2025 1:12:05

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2h ago1:12:05

1:12:05

As 2025 comes to a close, what have we learned and what should we be ready for in 2026? In this special year-end Gabfocus LIVE episode, we reflect on the highs and lows of the self storage industry in 2025 with three seasoned professionals. We break down trends in occupancy, rates, technology, operations, and customer behavior, and we talk honestly…

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Self Storage Goals for Every Facility 36:30

9h ago36:30

36:30

As we wrap up the year, Josh and Melissa close out the podcast season with a forward-looking conversation on setting the right goals for 2026. In this episode, we focus on the importance of establishing SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—that actually move the needle for self storage operators. Rather than chasin…

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Valve’s 2026 Trinity, Opus 4.5, AI Inventors, and the AI Spy Game 49:43

7d ago49:43

49:43

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - December 12th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff cover: 🧊 Valve's Gaming Trinity: Frame, Machine, and Controller Walk Into 2026 📝 AI Can Invent, But Humans Get the Patents (And the Lawsuits) 🤖 Anthropic's Opus 4.5: Smarter, Cheaper, and More Effort-Conscious 💻 Anthropic Disrupts First Fully AI‑Orchestrated, China‑Linked Cyb…

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Overcoming Customer Objections 42:31

8d ago42:31

42:31

Every self storage manager hears objections from customers—but how you respond can make the difference between a lost lead and a new tenant. In this episode, we into the art of overcoming customer objections with empathy and strategy. Through practical role-playing and real-world examples, we explore some of the most common pushbacks, including: "D…

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Self Storage Finances 101 with Brooks Lumpkin and Amber Crucian 1:25:01

11d ago1:25:01

1:25:01

Understanding the financial side of self storage is critical—whether you're just getting started or already scaling your portfolio. In this rebroadcast of our popular webinar, we're joined by Brooks Lumpkin and Amber Crucian to break down the financial fundamentals every owner and operator should know. We cover: The key reports and KPIs to track yo…

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State of Lighthouse Address - 2025 51:06

22d ago51:06

51:06

Join us for our annual end-of-the-year address where we dive into the latest advancements and initiatives at Lighthouse IT Solutions, as well as what the future holds. This session covers changes in digital presence, AI applications, operational automation, enhanced IT security measures, and a new face in the company. Key topics include the transit…

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Louvre Heist, SonicWall Breach, AI Dumber on Mondays, & Pinterest's Purpose 39:49

1M ago39:49

39:49

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - November 14th, 2025This week, Matt and Griff cover: 🔐 Password = “LOUVRE” ☠️ SonicWall Breach: Mandiant Confirms State-Sponsored Attack 💸 Nvidia Breaks Records: First $5 Trillion Company 🤖 Is AI Dumber on Mondays? 🤐 Your ChatGPT Prompts Are Showing in Google Search Console 🔎 AI Training on Google Search Results Featuring…

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Most Companies Expand Wrong — Here’s the Process That Actually Works 52:10

1M ago52:10

52:10

Most people think global expansion is strategy… but the truth is companies don’t get destroyed by bad strategy — they get destroyed by invisible operational decisions they didn’t know they were making. The only reason Tesla didn’t get burned is because Shan Nair had a repeatable process. → Get the Lighthouse Leadership newsletter + weekly framework…

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Everyday Uses for AI in Self Storage Part 2 35:07

1M ago35:07

35:07

In this practical follow-up episode, Josh and Melissa dive deeper into real-world ways self-storage operators can use AI to improve their daily workflow, marketing, and operations. They break down: The right way to write a useful AI prompt How to use AI to build a social media calendar Using AI to analyze competitors and improve your market positio…

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The Keyboard Derby: How Transparency Built the iPhone Keyboard 19:28

2M ago19:28

19:28

Most people imagine the iPhone keyboard was born from pure genius — a single spark. But in 2005 Apple had no keyboard that worked. If the team couldn’t solve typing on glass, the iPhone would be canceled. Steve Jobs paused nearly every UI effort and forced one rule: show your work — near-daily public demonstrations of prototypes. This episode shows…

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AWS Outage, Redis Red Alert, Claude Skills, AI Browser, & Reels First 41:14

2M ago41:14

41:14

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 31st, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff cover: 📉 #AWS US-East-1 outage disrupted major services 🛏️ Eight Sleep smartbeds malfunctioned during AWS outage 🌐 #OpenAI launches #ChatGPT Atlas browser, starting the AI browser wars 💼 Meta revives job listings in Facebook, but within Marketplace 💬 Meta to shut down Messenge…

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2025 Storage Legal Update with Joe Doherty 1:14:40

2M ago1:14:40

1:14:40

In this rebroadcast of our live webinar, attorney Joe Doherty joins Melissa Huff and Tommy Nguyen to unpack the most pressing legal topics facing self storage owners and operators in 2025. From website privacy lawsuits and predatory ADA claims to evolving lien laws and tenant disputes, this session is packed with practical legal insight. You'll lea…

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Doomscrolling Sora 2, Discord Hack, Palo Alto Scans, & InfoSec Burnout 40:24

2M ago40:24

40:24

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 17th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff cover: 🤖 #OpenAI’s launch of #Sora2, a new #AI video platform that’s already topping the App Store charts and blurring the line between content creation and social media. ☠️ A potential zero-day threat brewing for #PaloAltoNetworks. 🤳 #Discord’s first major age-verification da…

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Self Storage State Associations 101 - and Updates From Lighthouse 26:40

2M ago26:40

26:40

In this special episode, Melissa and Josh reflect on a big moment: being featured on the cover of Modern Storage Media's October issue! 🎉 They share what it means to be recognized and the exciting shifts happening behind the scenes at Lighthouse Storage Solutions. Melissa opens up about her recent transition away from managing a state association t…

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Jaguar Land Rover Hack, SpamGPT, No Chrome Sale, & Mischief Marketing 28:54

3M ago28:54

28:54

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - October 3rd, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff cover a range of topics, including Jaguar Land Rover's recent £1.5 billion loan to recover from a cyber attack, the emergence of Spam GPT, GPT's interaction with online shopping, and upcoming features like Chat GPT Pulse. We also touch on the ongoing legal battles of tech giant…

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Who Are Your Customers? 35:57

3M ago35:57

35:57

Do you really know who's renting your storage units? In this episode, Josh and Melissa Huff dive into one of the most overlooked aspects of effective self-storage marketing: creating clear, specific buyer personas. Understanding your customers is the first step to attracting more of them—and retaining them longer. We break down how to analyze your …

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The Power of Purpose: Connecting Personal and Shared “Why” 14:50

3M ago14:50

14:50

Purpose shows up in the grandest and simplest of moments—whether facing the end of life with a loved one or answering the question, “So, what do you do?” In this episode, I share a deeply personal story of loss, explore how identity and purpose are intertwined, and show how leaders can harness the power of a shared “why” to unite teams and unlock e…

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Choosing the Right Management Fit with Brad North 1:07:34

3M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Whether you're a hands-on owner-operator or a passive investor looking to scale, finding the right management style can make or break your self-storage success. In this episode, guest host Brad North walks us through the various management setups—from on-site managers and remote tech-driven operations to hybrid and hub-and-spoke models. We explore …

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Auditing Your Self Storage Facility 45:16

3M ago45:16

45:16

None of us would go a year between oil changes for our cars. I can't even go 6 months without descaling my Keurig. But how long has it been since you did a tune-up of your self storage facility? The word "Audit" has gotten a bad wrap over the years, but it is one of the most essential things you can do to ensure your facility runs smoothly and avoi…

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AI-Dominated Web Traffic & AI Becoming Both the Threat and a Shield 39:01

3M ago39:01

39:01

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - September 19th, 2025 This week, Mark and Matt examine the new reality where AI bot traffic has surpassed human web activity, while simultaneously exploring how AI is reshaping both threats and defenses. We cover emerging challenges from Gen Z workers' security blind spots, AI-powered ransomware targeting developer tools,…

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Remembering the Fallen - Never forget 9/11 - Never Forget Charlie Kirk 17:16

3M ago17:16

17:16

Another generational event has happened, and it's worth taking a break from self storage to talk about. The events of yesterday, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, remind us of the last great generational tragedy from 24 years ago today. In both cases, evil individuals plotted and carried out deadly killings against people and ideals they disagreed…

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SonicWall Exploit, Cracker Barrel's Logo, & YouTube Age Guessing 30:02

4M ago30:02

30:02

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - September 5th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff discuss the wild intersection of cybersecurity, branding blunders, and algorithmic overreach. From an exploit that ripped through SonicWall to a disgruntled developer’s revenge code that landed him in prison, the digital world is anything but quiet. Add in Cracker Barrel’s $1…

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Getting a Self Storage Education (Even If You Missed the SSA Show) 38:06

4M ago38:06

38:06

If you're like us, you didn't make it out to Vegas this year for the Self Storage Association 50th Anniversary Conference. But don't despair! We have tons of other ways to find the education, networking, and vendor updates you need to keep your business competitive. Whether it's in-person events, virtual webinars, podcasts, or papers, we share all …

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The Turning Point: How Bill Gates Learned Teams Outperform Individuals 21:00

4M ago21:00

21:00

Bill Gates once believed in the myth of the lone genius—that brilliance alone could change the world. But a sharp critique from a NASA engineer, a high-stakes project at TRW, and the collaborative creation of Altair BASIC showed him otherwise. In this episode, Evan Hickok unpacks Gates’ transformation from solo coder to builder of one of the larges…

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The End of Dial-Up, ChatGPT-5, AI Browsers, & Pinterest Won Over Gen Z 36:33

4M ago36:33

36:33

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - August 22nd, 2025 Join us in this episode of the Lighthouse IT Solutions podcast as we dive into a variety of topics! From discussing weekend movie plans including 'Barbarian', 'Him', and 'Nobody 2', to talking about technological advancements and AI's impact on the economy. We cover wins in the tech industry, such as Ep…

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Disaster Prep & Recovery with Kevin Leebrick and Scott McLaughlin 1:10:54

4M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

Today we focus on something every self storage operator hopes they never have to face—but absolutely need to be ready for: disasters. When the worst happens, every decision matters. Kevin Leebrick and Scott McLaughlin join Tommy and Melissa to share real stories from their own crisis experiences—fires, floods, and more—and the lessons they've learn…

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Get Team Alignment like Amazon 15:14

4M ago15:14

15:14

In this episode of the Lighthouse Leadership Podcast, Evan Hickok unpacks one of the most overlooked but essential elements of team success: alignment. He shows how clarity around what needs to be done, why it matters, and who is responsible can transform a group of talented individuals into a high-performing team. Through stories ranging from JFK’…

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Legal Landmines: ADA, Arbitration, & Antitrust in Self Storage - Legal Chat Episode 6 with Carlos Kaslow and Scott Zucker 42:30

4M ago42:30

42:30

As the self storage industry moves further online, legal risks are evolving fast. In this Legal Chat episode, Carlos Kaslow and Scott Zucker break down the biggest legal challenges operators face today—and how to prepare for them. Key topics include: Website accessibility & ADA lawsuits Deceptive Trade Practices and Drip Pricing Mandatory arbitrati…

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Seeing is Believing: The Role of Transparency in Knowledge Work 7:48

4M ago7:48

7:48

In this episode of the Lighthouse Leadership Podcast, Evan Hickok explores why making progress visible is essential for keeping teams engaged and motivated—especially in knowledge work where results aren’t always tangible. Drawing on neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and examples from companies like Pixar and Apple, Evan shows how transparent pro…

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Seismic Phones, AI Browsers, DNS Malware, and Linux Desktops 45:43

4M ago45:43

45:43

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - August 8th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff uncover the hidden superpowers of everyday technology: 🫨 Millions of Android phones are now part of a crowdsourced earthquake alert system. 🐧 The surprising surge of Linux on desktops as it challenges Windows and macOS. 🤵 Microsoft Edge gets an AI 'Copilot' butler. 🏫 ChatGPT get…

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Everyday Uses for AI in Self Storage with Jennifer Barroqueiro 57:14

4M ago57:14

57:14

AI is everywhere in the self storage world—but how can operators actually use it day-to-day? In this episode, Jennifer Barroqueiro from All-Purpose Storage joins Josh and Melissa Huff to share real, practical ways managers and owners can leverage AI to save time, improve communication, and boost efficiency. We discuss: How AI can streamline emails,…

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Future-Proofing with Upgrades & Expansions: with Nigel Kreft 1:10:41

4M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Is your self storage facility ready for the future—or falling behind? In this episode, Nigel Kreft from Elevate Structures joins Tommy Nguyen and Melissa Huff to talk about how to keep your property competitive, profitable, and positioned for growth through the right upgrades and expansions. We discuss: When and why to upgrade or expand (from occup…

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AI Feature Requests, Instagram Indexed, Grok 4, Foldable iPhone, & Ingram Micro Hack 39:52

5M ago39:52

39:52

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - July 25th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff dive into: 🎸 Soundslice's Accidental Feature: Music learning platform Soundslice noticed users mistakenly believed it had a feature for scanning ASCII tablature for guitar due to misinformation from ChatGPT. Instead of correcting the error, Soundslice decided to develop the featu…

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Incentivizing Your Managers 44:35

5M ago44:35

44:35

Your facility manager isn't just an employee—they're running your multi-million-dollar business. Are you training, empowering, and compensating them to reflect that responsibility? In this episode, we cover: What NOT to incentivize (and why the wrong goals can hurt your bottom line) How to educate your manager (or yourself) so they fully understand…

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Run It Like You're Selling It 41:43

5M ago41:43

41:43

Whether you plan to sell next year or in 20 years, one thing is certain: you won't own your self storage facility forever. So how do you ensure it's gaining—and retaining—value? In this episode, we explore what it means to steward your storage asset with the future in mind. We break down three key areas that directly impact your facility's long-ter…

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Apple's F1 play, BlackSOD, PNG 3.0, Bots Paying Up, & Agent2Agent Ads 39:13

5M ago39:13

39:13

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - July 11th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff dive into: 🏎️ Apple's F1 Movie Races to the Big Screen, and Controversy 🪦 RIP Blue Screen of Death. Meet Its Dark Successor 🖼️ PNG Format Is Back, and It's Better Than Ever 🗣️ Branding 101: Should Your Company Yell or Whisper? 🤑 Cloudflare Tells Bots to Pay Up 📈 Bots Buying Ads? …

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Social Media is Back! - How AI and META are Changing How People Find Self Storage 34:59

5M ago34:59

34:59

How's your social media presence? Do you post once a month? Once a year? If your Facebook page or Instagram profile are low priorities, it might be time for a change. A HUGE update from META dropped today. Posts on social can now be indexed on Google. Plus, Google is launching AI Mode to go along with their traditional search. What does this mean f…

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The Collapse of Sonos: How Leadership Drift and Ignoring Risk Ruined a Great Brand 38:49

6M ago38:49

38:49

In this episode of Lighthouse Leadership, Evan Hickok breaks down the slow, public unraveling of Sonos—a brand once synonymous with seamless, multi-room audio. What began as a visionary pursuit of whole-home wireless music degraded into a cautionary tale of leadership drift, neglected risk, and a product update that shattered customer trust. This i…

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Making Tech Work For You with James Hatfield & Michael Brevdeh 1:27:30

6M ago1:27:30

1:27:30

We sat down with James Hatfield from LiveSwitch and Michael Brevdeh from Cubby to unpack how self storage operators can make the most of their technology—whether you're working with what you already have or considering your next big upgrade. We dive into: The essential tech tools every facility should have in place The most underutilized features o…

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Scattered Spider, Handheld Wars, and the Future of AI Search 30:19

6M ago30:19

30:19

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - June 27th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff dive into critical cyber alerts as the "Scattered Spider" group targets insurance firms and CISA issues urgent warnings for TP-Link and Zyxel devices. In the gaming world, a new handheld war begins with the Microsoft/Asus ROG Ally taking on the record-breaking Nintendo Switch 2. …

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The Essential Signs For Your Facility 39:03

6M ago39:03

39:03

Clear, intentional signage isn't just for looks—it can shape the entire customer experience, reduce confusion, and cut down on unnecessary phone calls. In this episode, we break down the essential signs every facility should have and why they matter. We cover: Why your main sign should be simple and brand-driven—no phone numbers required The one si…

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How to Beat the Low Intro Rates 26:16

6M ago26:16

26:16

One of the biggest questions we get asked is, "How can I compete with my competitor down the street who is offering the same unit as me but for 50% less?" Low intro rates are a strategy many large companies are using, but don't worry. You have options other than bottoming out your prices and losing money for the first several months of a rental. We…

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Real Life VS Running a Business - Can Your Self Storage Business Run Without You? 27:37

6M ago27:37

27:37

Sometimes real life just smacks you in the face. That was our week, and it happens to us all. If you run a small business, like self storage, it can hit a little different. What happens to your business if you get that call or text that forces you to focus all of your attention on something else? If you have to step away, will your business survive…

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Claude 4, Forever Trials, Gen Z Data Deals, LinkedIn Algorithm & SEO 2.0 33:27

6M ago33:27

33:27

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - June 13th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff discuss the future of AI, spacey software loopholes, Apples rebranding, Gen Z's surprising take on data privacy and why your LinkedIn post probably isn't going viral. https://hub.lighthousesol.com/blog/lighthouse-podcast-2/claude-4-forever-trials-gen-z-data-deals-linkedin-algorit…

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Dealing with Dead Tenants 28:57

7M ago28:57

28:57

What do you do when a tenant passes away while renting a storage unit? This was the opening question AI came up with... Hopefully, no one has ever passed away in your office while renting a unit, but dealing with an existing tenant who has died happens more often than you think. This is one of the most uncomfortable but critical situations self sto…

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Optimizing Occupancy with Andrew Sherrard 1:15:41

7M ago1:15:41

1:15:41

In this episode, we're joined by Andrew Sherrard, owner of Reliable Storage in Seattle, to talk all things occupancy—and not just how full your units are, but how well your business is performing overall. In this rebroadcast of the May 29 webinar, we break down the three types of occupancy (yes, there are three!) and how to evaluate what's actually…

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Holy Cards, Cheating Grads, Coinbase Bribery, Buying 23andMe & IT Cuts 47:29

7M ago47:29

47:29

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - May 30th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff talk about how HBO is renaming itself again, the Pope's trading card craze, Collage students using AI to "cheat", Apple and BYOD, Coinbase's breach due to bribery, Regeneron buying 23andMe, why your IT budget might be dangerously low, and much more! https://hub.lighthousesol.com/b…

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Personal Curb Appeal - Seeing Yourself As a Self Storage Amenity 28:11

7M ago28:11

28:11

We talk a lot about amenities in self storage—security cameras, clean units, keypads, gates—but what about you? The manager is one of the most important amenities at a facility, and often one of the most under emphasized. Appearance, attitude, and professionalism can either enhance or hurt your facility's image. What you wear and what you support d…

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How a Song Crashed HDDs, App Store Freedom, an EV Truck, & AI Shakeups 41:33

7M ago41:33

41:33

The Lighthouse IT Podcast - May 16th, 2025 This week, Matt and Griff discuss: 🕹️ How Gemini 2.5 Pro beat Pokémon Blue 🎵 The Janet Jackson Song Crashed Laptops for 9 Years 🔑 OpenAI's Restructuring and Microsoft Holding the Keys 📊 AI Usage Stats in 2025: Beyond Search and Code 🔍 When AI Workers are coming and the Security Risks ⚖️ The new App Store F…

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Why Feeling Like a Fraud Means You’re Growing as a Leader 17:17

7M ago17:17

17:17

Host Evan Hickok explores the “valley of despair,” the grim dip on the Dunning–Kruger curve where confidence plummets just as competence begins to climb. Drawing on stories from Natalie Portman, Albert Einstein, Tom Hanks, and his own career pivots, Evan shows new managers how that anxious “I don’t belong” feeling signals real growth. He maps the r…