I Played Dead for a Girl

Episode #287 with Henry and Dylan (0:00) Intro (1:28) Podcast dynamics and business perception (6:34) Figuring out cartoon pilot (9:31) "SpongeBob" inspiration: humor and storyboarding (14:01) World-building challenges and character creation (22:17) Overcoming creative block and finding vision (29:11) Developing the cartoon's main character (38:21) Planning physical comedy and visual storytelling (44:43) Next steps

Episode #286 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro (02:59) Brainstorming cartoon ideas from scratch (05:18) Learning from SpongeBob, South Park, and animation greats (09:31) The inspiration behind SpongeBob and parallels to Smart Nonsense (12:38) Developing the cartoon world and its teaching potential (19:14) The premise: Derd’s motivation and learning adventures (22:43) Building Derd’s universe and unique characters

Episode #285 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(02:26) Pickleball mornings(03:35) Revisiting Shaan's pitch: SAT prep or cartoons(05:13) The SAT struggle: why it didn’t work(07:44) Cartooning as the next direction(09:31) Discovering animation: lessons from SpongeBob(11:16) South Park vs. big studio cartoons(12:29) Pitching Shaan: conviction in the cartoon vision(14:00) A unique concept: Hardcore History meets Rick and Morty(15:52) The power of educational cartoons(16:47) Thinking big with Shaan’s support(17:53) Moving from base hits to home runs(18:59) Embracing the cartoon dream: fun over SAT prep

Episode #284 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(03:07) We blew up the deal(05:32) Shaan’s big mission: undervalued talent with potential(07:17) Searching for direction: mission struggles exposed(10:15) Jack saves the call: introducing Sketchy(12:26) Starting with SAT: the SpaceX satellite analogy(14:11) Teaching to the test: a new perspective on prep(17:12) Getting pwned(20:12) The challenge of teaching SAT hacks(22:36) Breaking the fourth wall: making it fun(24:59) Bigger vision: instilling curiosity in learning

Episode #283 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(03:01) Shaan’s pitch: shiny objects and textbook dreams(05:47) Delegation chaos(08:29) Patrick Campbell’s insight: the grenade framework(10:51) Ignoring Shaan: balancing shiny objects with focus(13:19) Sabbatical reflections(14:32) Shaan’s email: operation reading railroad proposal(19:03) The vision: transforming education with premium content(21:22) Free vs. paid models(23:01) Compounding growth: SAT prep, Clipt, and new potential(24:39) Before the call: hopes and fears for the Shaan meeting

Episode #282 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(01:59) Jack’s role: taking the business from 1 to 10(03:39) Lessons learned: stability and cash flow(06:55) Jack’s unconventional career journey(08:44) Adjusting to a video production company(11:18) Tight feedback loops and rewarding work(14:51) Financial challenges and creative problem-solving(22:49) Refining client-editor relationships(26:01) Building a solid foundation for growth(33:07) Trust and the importance of working with family

Episode #281 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(02:16) Resetting content creation(06:18) The golden era(09:32) The importance of having a team(10:07) Training our producer and the writer's room

Episode #291 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro (01:31) CEO Mindset Shift (03:29) Google Fame and Funny Searches (05:54) US Open Adventures (13:09) Crashing the Night Match (22:05) The Sickest Match Ever

Episode #280 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro(01:07) My new outfit(03:03) Favorite comedians and creative inspiration(07:36) Peak performance: musicians and cult followings(09:56) Awkward party moments and missed opportunities(13:10) Navigating a 3-person dynamic at 5 a.m.(17:17) Reflecting on social struggles and personal boundaries(24:23) Finding purpose

Episode #279 with Henry and Dylan (00:00) Intro (02:23) Best friend has cancer (05:26) Allergies, burnout, and emotional troughs (13:14) Business updates and optimism (17:40) Shorts success: from 2M to 10M views (20:07) Monetization potential and scaling content (24:18) Creative tangents and weekend plans