In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with someone whose work has impacted not just my life, but the lives of millions around the world — Sharon Lechter, co-author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and a global pioneer in financial literacy.

This conversation is personal for me. Back in 2016, while I was still in my W-2 career, a single book lit a fire that eventually led to me burning the ships on corporate America. Since launching this podcast, more than half of my guests have referenced that same book as a pivotal moment in their journey. So getting the chance to sit down with Sharon — the powerhouse behind that movement — was something special.

We go far beyond Rich Dad Poor Dad. Sharon shares stories about growing up in a family that talked about assets at the dinner table, becoming one of the first women in public accounting in the 1970s, burning the ships on her own career, building the Rich Dad brand globally, serving on presidential advisory councils, partnering with the Napoleon Hill Foundation, and continuing to “refire” instead of retire at 72.

We also talk about marriage, adversity, losing a child, faith over fear, mentorship, legacy, and what true wealth really means. If you’ve ever felt called to something bigger, questioned retirement as the ultimate destination, or wondered what lasting impact really looks like — this episode is for you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 “I’m not retiring — I’m refiring.”

01:06 The book that changed my life and so many of my guests’ lives

03:50 How David Richter connected me with Sharon

05:00 Growing up discussing assets, liabilities, and cash flow at the dinner table

07:30 Becoming one of the first women in public accounting in the 1970s

08:33 The “Why not?” philosophy that shaped her career

09:56 Leaving a secure W-2 to become an entrepreneur

11:02 A failed business decision that led to meeting her husband of 46 years

12:23 Building a global children’s publishing company through Disney licensing

14:17 Dedicating her life to financial literacy after her son’s college debt wake-up call

16:21 Meeting Robert Kiyosaki and turning a board game into Rich Dad Poor Dad

18:57 Realizing the book had taken on a life of its own

22:52 The power of association and building authority

24:36 Sharon’s personal success equation (Passion + Talent × Association × Action + Faith)

29:15 “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

31:13 Why she chooses to refire instead of retire

33:17 Introducing her new book: Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth

36:49 Losing her son in 2012 and choosing to move forward

39:16 Turning fear into faith and purpose

41:00 Marriage advice after 46 years together

44:12 Why the journey is the destination

Quotables

“Why not? Why not take the road less traveled?”

“We can control three things: our thoughts, our words, and our actions.”

“True wealth is not what you accumulate — it’s who you become along the way.”

“I’m not going to retire. I’m going to refire.”

“Respect your spouse even more than you love them.”

“Turn fear into focus, and focus into fuel.”

Links

Sharon Lechter

https://sharonlechter.com

Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth

Available wherever books are sold

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Chris Lloyd — a young but incredibly sharp real estate investor and broker who built serious momentum in a very short period of time. From selling sunglasses out of his lunchbox in high school to running a high-volume real estate team and leading a Coast-to-Coast brokerage in Virginia, Chris’s story is all about action.

We talk about what it really looks like to leave a “safe” W2 job, grind through six months of zero results, reinvest your first commission instead of upgrading your lifestyle, and build a real estate business around investors instead of retail buyers. Chris breaks down why working with investors supercharges an agent’s career, how to build systems instead of burnout, and why most people fail simply because they won’t take consistent action.

If you’re an agent, investor, or entrepreneur stuck in analysis paralysis — this episode is your reminder that the only difference between where you are and where you want to be… is action.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why working with investors supercharges a real estate career

01:03 Introducing Chris Lloyd and his background

02:00 JJ’s Joke of the Week

04:00 Selling sunglasses in high school and building a “mini CRM” in a lunchbox

05:50 Learning high-ticket sales at a bicycle shop

07:20 Taking the “safe” job at Newport News Shipyard

08:11 Realizing performance doesn’t equal promotion in corporate America

09:40 Reading Rich Dad Poor Dad and the lightbulb moment

11:00 Buying a duplex, house hacking, and living for free

13:00 The $6,000 sewer repair as “cost of tuition”

15:00 Taking action when others don’t

17:59 Why courses don’t matter if you won’t act

21:00 Accountability vs. lone wolf entrepreneurship

29:22 Getting his license and grinding six months with zero results

31:00 Reinvesting his first commission instead of upgrading lifestyle

32:00 Quitting his W2 job after proving the math

34:00 Time blocking, discipline, and earning his spouse’s support

44:00 Burnout from doing everything alone — and building a team

47:00 Connecting with David Greene through Instagram Live

49:00 Raising your hand when opportunity appears

53:00 Why most agents avoid investors (and why that’s a mistake)

54:00 Building recurring business through investor clients

57:00 Telling clients NOT to buy bad deals

58:00 Playing the long game with investor relationships

Quotables

“Information means nothing unless you take action.”

“My $6,000 sewer bill was cheaper than my college tuition — and way more valuable.”

“I wasn’t happy being restricted by tenure instead of performance.”

“You don’t need more clients — you need better ones.”

“Choose the work you want to do. Real estate is going to be work either way.”

Links

Coast to Coast Brokerage (David Greene)

https://coasttocoastbrokerage.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Ray Burkhalter from Tuscaloosa, Alabama—founder of RBI Funding Partners and a seasoned private lender who’s been through multiple market cycles, business models, and personal growth seasons. Ray’s journey spans nearly two decades, from engineering and real estate rehabs to private lending, coaching, and now building a scalable lending business with legacy in mind.

We talk about what it really looks like to leave a stable career, navigate the 2008 crash while holding private money, manage stress inside a marriage when you’re building together, and eventually shift from “doing deals” to running a true business. Ray shares powerful lessons on discipline, faith, savings, tone in relationships, and why most people underestimate the importance of systems until it’s too late.

This episode is equal parts business strategy and life wisdom. If you’re in real estate, lending, entrepreneurship—or you’re considering burning the ships on a career path—Ray’s story offers clarity, caution, and encouragement all at once.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 “Your network is your net worth” and the Deal Maker creed

00:28 Welcoming Ray Burkhalter from Tuscaloosa, Alabama

01:09 How we met at a hard money lending mastermind

02:14 Ray’s background: mechanical engineering and international travel

04:12 Discovering Rich Dad Poor Dad and a new way of thinking

07:17 Learning business the hard way in early real estate years

08:17 The ripple effect of Rich Dad Poor Dad across entrepreneurs

10:09 Leaving a W2 without fully replaced income—but with runway

11:29 The role of faith, saving, and discipline in risk-taking

18:37 Getting stuck with a dozen rehabs when lending froze

19:28 Creative exits: lease options, rentals, and survival mode

20:17 Working full-time with a spouse and managing stress

22:08 Introvert vs. extrovert energy—and building around it

23:36 How Ray and his wife’s personalities complemented each other

25:07 Trusting intuition in borrower selection

26:29 The reality of working with your spouse—and learning respect

28:16 How tone matters more than words in marriage and business

34:10 Learning finance, capital stacks, and public speaking

36:22 Discovering EOS and turning lending into a real business

37:12 Making the first hire during COVID

41:46 Tripling investor capital through compounding relationships

42:08 Deal-by-deal lending vs. fund model challenges

47:08 Shifting from founder vision to shared leadership

49:46 Launching a local Deal Maker meetup

50:39 The power of curating rooms and facilitating relationships

52:14 Networking as the source of deals, hires, and growth

53:54 Legacy isn’t deals—it’s people succeeding because you built the room

55:45 Final advice: think like a business owner, not just an investor

Quotables

“Your network is your net worth—but only if you actually invest in it.”

“Savings don’t eliminate risk, but they buy you time to think clearly.”

“Sacrifice the business before you sacrifice the marriage.”

“Tone matters more than words—especially with the people you love.”

“The biggest shift is when you stop thinking like an investor and start thinking like a business owner.”

Links

RBI Funding Partners

https://rbifundingpartners.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with David Richter—real estate investor, founder of Simple CFO Solutions, and author of Profit First for Real Estate Investing. This conversation goes deep into a problem I see constantly in our industry: people who look wildly successful on the outside but feel stressed, broke, and out of control behind the scenes.

David shares his journey from cutting his teeth inside a high-volume real estate operation doing 25 deals a month, to realizing they were spending more than they were making—and that deal count means nothing without financial clarity. We unpack why so many entrepreneurs are incredible at generating revenue but terrible at keeping it, how shame and avoidance keep people stuck, and why most investors are unknowingly playing the wrong game with money.

This episode is tactical, psychological, and honest. We break down the Profit First framework in a way that’s approachable for non–numbers people, talk about slowing down to build real foundations, and connect money systems back to what actually matters—family, time, peace of mind, and freedom. If you’re building a business that looks good on paper but doesn’t feel good to live in, this episode is for you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why many entrepreneurs are great at making money—but terrible at keeping it

01:13 Introducing David Richter and why this episode gets more tactical

02:01 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:53 David’s early real estate career and learning every seat in the business

04:31 Doing 25 deals a month while spending 26 worth of revenue

05:24 The illusion that deal volume equals success

06:38 Discovering that numbers tell the real story of a business

12:23 The impact of Rich Dad Poor Dad and early money mindset shifts

14:17 Why thinking through problems is an entrepreneur’s real superpower

16:21 Moving to Richmond and helping an investor clean up chaotic books

17:53 The moment clarity changed everything for that investor

18:57 The lightbulb moment that led to Simple CFO Solutions

26:19 Why more deals don’t equal financial freedom

27:56 Shame, fear, and avoidance around finances

29:05 The emotional cost of 20 years stuck in the rat race

30:48 Using income growth to avoid financial discipline

38:26 The envelope system and separating bank accounts

39:30 The three most important accounts every investor should have

41:13 Starting small—even with 1%—to build healthy habits

44:21 Does Profit First slow growth—and why that can be a good thing

45:39 The story of doing fewer deals and making more money

46:29 Scaling from reserves instead of revenue

47:48 Recognizing when growth outpaces infrastructure

49:56 Healthy paranoia and disciplined growth

51:08 Defining success beyond money

52:00 Why time with family is the real currency

Quotables

“Deal count doesn’t matter if you don’t know where the money is going.”

“Most entrepreneurs are playing defense with money instead of offense.”

“You don’t fix money problems by making more money—you fix habits.”

“Profit shouldn’t be an event. It should be a habit.”

“A business should fund your life, not consume it.”

Links

Simple CFO Solutions

https://simplecfosolutions.com

Profit First for Real Estate Investing

Available wherever books are sold

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Daniil Kleyman—one of the most respected real estate developers and educators in the Richmond market and someone whose name has come up repeatedly on this podcast over the years. This was our very first conversation, and it did not disappoint.

Daniil shares his powerful journey from growing up in the Soviet Union, standing in line for hours at government-run grocery stores, to immigrating to the U.S. at 12 years old and eventually building a multi–eight-figure real estate portfolio. We talk about adversity, immigration, resilience, getting fired from Wall Street, moving back into his parents’ spare bedroom at 28, and deliberately burning the ships to build something meaningful.

This conversation goes far beyond real estate. It’s about discomfort, ethics in capital raising, why experience matters before scale, how development actually works, and the tension parents feel when trying to raise resilient kids in a comfortable life. If you’ve ever questioned your career path, struggled with playing it safe, or wondered whether hardship is a prerequisite for growth, this episode will hit home.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why you can’t be afraid to fail—especially in real estate development

01:19 Introducing Daniil Kleyman and why his name kept coming up on the podcast

02:50 Daniil’s childhood in the Soviet Union and living through real scarcity

05:21 Standing in line for hours for bread and milk at government grocery store

11:02 Why his family immigrated to the U.S. as Jewish refugees

12:50 Watching his parents rebuild their careers from scratch in America

20:09 Fighting, adversity, and character formation in middle school

22:24 Academics, discipline, and immigrant expectations around education

23:47 Choosing UVA over NYU for value, focus, and survival

25:58 Studying finance for the wrong reason: chasing money over meaning

32:11 Why “financial engineering” felt meaningless

33:28 The danger of waiting “one more bonus” before chasing your dream

34:54 Getting fired—and why it was the best thing that happened

39:10 Burning the ships and refusing to apply for another job

40:27 Moving into his parents’ spare bedroom at 28

41:58 Cutting expenses to zero to think long-term

43:22 Why financial pressure kills good decision-making

51:25 Managing ~$70M in assets without syndication hype

52:46 His frustration with misleading “unit count” claims

55:05 Responsible vs. irresponsible syndication

56:36 Creating Rehab Valuator out of personal necessity

59:01 Helping investors analyze deals and raise capital ethically

1:00:15 Coaching, Inner Circle, and building real community

1:02:13 Launching Cash Flow Developer Academy

1:03:13 Parenting, privilege, and the fear of raising soft kids

1:04:19 The shared struggle of successful parents everywhere

Quotables

“You can’t be afraid to fail. Especially if you want to build something meaningful.”

“I wasn’t building anything on Wall Street—I was just moving money around.”

“It’s very easy to postpone your dreams for one more bonus.”

“Raising money without experience is incredibly dangerous.”

“To build something long-term, you have to cut your expenses so you can think long-term.”

Links

Rehab Valuator

https://rehabvaluator.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I’m breaking down one of the most powerful forces behind everything I’ve built in business and life: networking. This conversation was recorded the morning after hosting our very first Deal Maker Hampton Roads event, and it gave me a fresh perspective on just how differently people experience rooms full of strangers.

I share why networking has always been my biggest strength, how it’s shaped my career, and why being “resourceful” often just means knowing who to call. But more importantly, I talk about introverts—the anxiety they feel walking into events, the courage it takes just to show up, and a simple question that can completely change the experience. If you’ve ever avoided networking because it feels uncomfortable, intimidating, or draining, this episode is for you.

This isn’t about collecting business cards or forcing sales conversations. It’s about creating environments, building real relationships, extracting value, and giving value—no matter your personality type.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why networking events don’t have to be big or expensive

01:15 Why this is a solo episode after hosting our first Deal Maker event

02:03 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:54 Why networking has been my biggest professional advantage

04:16 How networking both energizes and drains me

05:13 Being resourceful by knowing who to call—not how to do everything

06:08 Building trust by doing what you say you’ll do

07:18 The power of long-term relationship building

08:16 Why curating environments brings me the most joy

12:08 Hosting events—from backyard cookouts to 60-person meetups

13:53 The introvert moment that changed my perspective

14:27 Half the room identifying as introverts

15:15 Understanding anxiety through someone else’s lens

16:41 Vulnerability required just to show up

17:11 The simple question that breaks the ice: “Where are you from originally?”

23:59 Extracting value without chasing money

25:25 Why avoiding networking limits opportunity

26:14 Bill Phillips as the introvert example—and why it still works

27:26 Joining our first mastermind and jumping into the deep end

33:10 How Amanda Holbrook became our financial strategist

34:15 Building our brand through relationships, not transactions

35:45 How every major piece of our business came from networking

36:48 Two mindsets to bring into every event: give value + extract value

38:08 The junk removal example—and why showing up matters

39:35 Why free local events can change everything

40:39 How real conversations actually build trust

41:21 The joy of watching connections happen

42:47 Why facilitating relationships is the real reward

44:12 Why impact matters more than direct profit

46:16 Gratitude after seeing it all come together

47:04 The (true) mom story and empty brewery joke

51:35 Final encouragement to get in the room—even if it’s uncomfortable

52:38 Closing thoughts on networking, perspective, and growth

Quotables

“Networking isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about knowing who to call.”

“Half the room is uncomfortable, even if it doesn’t look that way.”

“If you’re an introvert, ask one question and let curiosity do the rest.”

“Go to events with the intent to give value and extract value.”

“The best opportunities in my life came from rooms I almost didn’t walk into.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Bryce Matheson—founder of Lender, a fast-growing software platform built specifically for private and hard money lenders. Bryce’s story is a perfect example of how real businesses are built: through trial and error, painful lessons, and the willingness to take action before everything feels “ready.”

We walk through Bryce’s journey from house hacking and rentals, to flipping homes, to losing money on a deal that changed everything—and ultimately to becoming a lender himself. Along the way, Bryce explains how his tech background naturally led him to build systems to solve his own problems, why most lending software misses the mark, and how Lender was born out of pure necessity rather than some grand startup vision.

This conversation goes deep into entrepreneurship, resilience, capital raising, lending risk, family sacrifice, and building tools that actually serve real operators. If you’re in real estate, private lending, tech, or trying to build a scalable business without losing your sanity, this episode is packed with real-world insight.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 The internal struggle every entrepreneur faces: work vs. family guilt

01:16 Introducing Bryce Matheson and his move from Idaho to Arizona

02:52 How Bryce and I first connected through private lending

04:19 Early entrepreneurial instincts and selling candy as a kid

05:21 Starting the “traditional” path: college, tech job, and early rentals

06:21 Buying his first house in 2016 and accidentally house hacking

07:17 Scaling rentals, then burning out as a landlord

07:55 Transitioning into flipping houses—and why they loved it

08:38 The flip that went wrong during COVID and lost $50K

09:59 The moment Bryce realized: “I need to be the bank”

11:05 Moving into private lending with his own capital

12:32 Why underwriting is easier when you’ve flipped houses yourself

14:21 Seeing operational gaps and naturally building software to fix them

15:32 Building and selling an early QuickBooks-style tool

17:02 Are entrepreneurs born or built? Bryce’s take

18:59 The role of resilience in every successful entrepreneur

37:27 Managing loans with phone notes—and why that couldn’t last

38:42 Demoing existing lending software and deciding to build his own

40:07 Launching Lender as an MVP—and letting customers shape it

41:28 Our experience transitioning 60+ active loans into Lender

44:26 How customer feedback directly drives product development

45:15 Growth strategy, conferences, and expanding the team

49:13 Using AI to automate document review and insurance tracking

50:14 The future of AI-powered underwriting

52:23 How Lender replaces full-time employees and reduces risk

53:28 Building trust with investors through systems and safeguards

Quotables

“You can’t fail if you don’t quit.”

“If I’m going to live in a system all day, it better be built well—and built for real operators.”

“Most people underestimate how important underwriting experience is in lending.”

“Capital always finds a home if you keep your marketing turned on.”

“Every business starts messy. The ones that survive are the ones that build systems.”

Links

Lender Software

https://lender.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I talk about something that drives nearly every decision I make: the example I’m setting for my kids. This isn’t about parenting hacks, discipline strategies, or telling your kids how to live—it’s about modeling the life you hope they grow into by how you show up every single day.

I walk through how my wife and I think about love, gratitude, kindness, health, work ethic, independence, and emotional safety inside our home—and why actions will always matter more than words. From how we treat strangers, to how we handle adversity, to how we take care of our bodies and pursue non-traditional paths, this episode is a reflection on what kids really absorb when they’re watching us closely.

If you’re a parent (or planning to be one), this episode will challenge you to take a hard look at whether your behavior aligns with what you’re asking your kids to become.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why my kids never see me be rude to anyone

01:48 Why this is another solo episode to close out the year

02:54 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:22 Introducing my kids: Emma (14) and JJ (9)

04:22 The reality of parenting: none of us get it exactly right

05:15 Why kids model behavior more than they follow instructions

05:59 Making our home the safest place on the planet

07:06 Modeling emotional safety, vulnerability, and expression

07:59 Why “I love you” is said constantly in our house

09:36 The long-term impact of growing up in a loving home

11:12 Teaching kids that love should be expressed, not withheld

12:00 Gratitude as a daily practice, not a concept

13:13 Why gratitude protects against a “woe is me” mindset

14:49 Avoiding a culture of complaining inside the home

16:36 Turning negative situations into positive reframes

17:57 Why modeling behavior doesn’t guarantee outcomes—but it increases the odds

18:38 Natural traits vs. behaviors I have to work at

19:42 Why health and wellness are non-negotiables for me as a dad

25:53 The difference between coaching and leading by example

27:13 Why my wife models health through constant movement

29:23 Changing my own habits so I could set a better example

31:09 Modeling healthy eating through moderation, not restriction

33:24 Showing kids there’s more than one path in life

34:58 Why I want my kids to see both corporate success and entrepreneurship

38:53 Modeling generosity, tipping, and respect for service workers

40:11 The danger of preaching what you refuse to practice

41:20 Why kids follow examples—not expectations

42:32 Closing thoughts on intentional parenting and personal accountability

Quotables

“Your kids won’t become what you tell them to be—they’ll become what you show them.”

“I don’t preach kindness. I model it.”

“If you want your kids to be healthy, loving, and disciplined, you better be those things first.”

“Our house is their safest place—and everything starts there.”

“You can’t ask your kids to live a life you refuse to live yourself.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I’m wrapping up the year with a raw, unfiltered conversation about the single most powerful skill that has shaped my life, my business, and this podcast: consistency. This episode also marks a milestone I didn’t even realize we had hit—200 episodes over two years—and that realization sparked a deeper reflection on why showing up matters more than talent, metrics, or motivation.

I talk about why I intentionally avoid obsessing over podcast numbers, rankings, and downloads, how chasing attention early on pulled me off track, and why I ultimately came back to doing this podcast the only way I know how—authentically. From mindset and positivity, to business adversity, fitness, and long-term habits, this episode is about how consistency compounds quietly in the background and eventually changes everything.

If you’ve ever struggled with staying the course, felt frustrated by slow progress, or questioned whether showing up really matters when results aren’t immediate—this episode is for you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 The mindset that nothing can ruin my day

01:36 Why this is the final episode of 2025

02:08 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:00 Why I intentionally avoid podcast metrics and rankings

05:05 Realizing we quietly crossed 200 episodes

06:24 Why chasing numbers can sabotage authenticity

07:28 The temptation to chase “big” guests and social media reach

09:30 Why I stopped trying to game growth and refocused on being myself

11:13 Why I’ve refused outside sponsors (so far)

12:22 Why consistency is the most underrated human skill

13:53 Skills vs. consistency—and why consistency wins

15:21 Obsession, focus, and staying consistent until interest fades

16:12 Positivity as a learned, practiced habit

18:08 How adversity in childhood shaped my mindset

19:46 Why daily problems don’t knock me down anymore

20:45 A real-time business challenge—and how I approach it

21:55 “Good.” Turning problems into puzzles

23:35 Why positivity becomes automatic through repetition

24:04 Consistency as the reason this podcast still exists

25:05 Beating 99% of podcasts by simply not quitting

26:25 How fitness became a daily non-negotiable

27:05 Working out every single day since September 1, 2021

28:11 The compounding effects of health and energy

29:07 How consistency masks weaknesses and creates “luck”

30:06 Why most people quit right before results show up

31:28 Final thoughts on consistency and carrying it into 2026

Quotables

“Consistency is the number one skill a human being can have.”

“Nothing is going to ruin my day—I won’t allow it.”

“I don’t win because I’m the best at things. I win because I show up longer than most people.”

“Consistency masks all the things I’m not good at.”

“You don’t need motivation. You need repetition.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Joe Jones—the inventor of the Roomba and one of the most fascinating engineers and thinkers I’ve ever had on the show. Joe’s story isn’t just about robotics; it’s about curiosity, patience, resilience, and spending decades chasing meaningful work without ever obsessing over fame, money, or an “exit.”

Joe walks through his journey from growing up in a small rural town, to discovering robots at MIT’s AI Lab, to getting fired for building a robot vacuum cleaner—twice—before finally helping launch what would become one of the most successful consumer robots of all time. We talk about why most ideas are bad, why passion matters more than payoff, why price matters more than technology, and why Joe has never believed in the concept of retirement.

This conversation goes far beyond Roomba. It’s about building things that matter, sticking with ideas for years when there’s no guarantee of success, filtering out shiny distractions, and finding work so meaningful you never want to stop doing it.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Joe’s philosophy on ideas: assume they’re bad until proven otherwise

01:00 Introducing Joe Jones, inventor of the Roomba

02:00 Growing up in rural Missouri with a passion for the future

03:30 Discovering robotics at MIT’s AI Lab in the early 1980s

05:00 Building the first robot vacuum cleaner as a personal side project

08:50 Rebuilding the robot vacuum concept years later—and getting buy-in

10:20 Launching Roomba in 2002 and creating the first affordable home robot

12:00 Why price—not technology—was the real breakthrough

14:30 Managing creativity vs. economics when building products

17:30 Why most robotics attempts failed before Roomba succeeded

20:00 The importance of leadership that understands creative people

29:45 Joe’s contrarian take on humanoid robots and AI hype

32:00 Why demos are easy—and real products are brutally hard

33:30 Passion, persistence, and working for decades without guaranteed payoff

35:30 Why Joe never planned for retirement

38:00 Writing Dancing with the Roomba and telling the untold story

41:00 The danger of chasing shiny ideas

49:00 Advice for parents raising curious, future-focused kids

51:00 What Joe wants to build next—and why the work never ends

Quotables

“Almost all ideas are bad. Your job is to kill them as quickly as possible.”

“People don’t want robots. They want clean floors.”

“It’s easy to make a demo. It’s incredibly hard to build a product that earns its keep every day.”

“I never thought about retirement. I just want to keep doing fun, meaningful work.”

“If there’s a cheaper, simpler way to solve the problem than using a robot, that way will win.”

Links

Joe Jones – Dancing with the Roomba

https://dancingwiththeroomba.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com