Burning The Ships

In this heartfelt episode of Burning the Ships, I’m sharing the story of a life-changing father-daughter retreat that Emma and I took to Utah. From conquering cross-country travel anxiety to bonding over unexpected adventures in Las Vegas and the red rock deserts of St. George, I reflect on what it means to lead, love, and learn as a father.

This isn’t just about a trip—it’s about intentionally creating moments that bring you closer, stretch your comfort zone, and build lifelong connections.

Whether you’re a parent, a mentor, or simply someone looking to deepen your relationships, this episode is a reminder that courage, curiosity, and connection can change everything.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

03:10 JJ’s Joke of the Week

04:49 The Dad Edge

06:51 Pushing through Emma’s anxiety about new people and places

11:59 Landing in Vegas and hitting the ground running

15:34 Cirque du Soleil + unexpected fine dining surprise

20:51 Driving to Utah: Red rock, open skies, and new perspectives

22:43 Emma’s transformation from nervous to the heart of the group

25:43 ATV riding in the desert—top 10 life experience

27:26 The highlight of the trip: Leading a living room singalong with 20 strangers

31:30 Teaching kids to lean into fear and become leaders

35:20 Parenting pivot: Letting kids learn through experience

38:22 Creating family core values on the ride home

41:58 Why every parent should plan a 1-on-1 trip like this

Quotables

“She leaned into the fear and just said, I’m going to be courageous. And she lit up the room.”

“We’re going to approach life with a good attitude, treat it as an adventure, and figure stuff out.”

“If I use everything she does—even the good stuff—as a chance to teach, she’ll start to feel like nothing is ever good enough.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this deeply personal and long-awaited episode, I finally convinced my wife, Kati Seward, to sit down and share her side of the journey. From supporting me through my career leap to growing into her own as a passionate educator and dedicated mom, Kati opens up about anxiety, parenting, faith, marriage, and what it truly means to be the partner behind the dream.

You’ve heard me talk about mindset and burning the ships but this week, you’ll hear from the other half of the story. Expect laughs, lessons, and raw insight into the glue that holds the Seward family and business together.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

00:50 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:15 Getting to know Kati Seward

03:30 The blind date that started it all

07:10 Where Kati’s passion to teach young kids comes from

10:08 The impact of teaching kids with special needs

15:01 Why Kati chooses to teach smaller kids

18:44 What motivates Kati to continue teaching?

22:23 Wanting to help people and influence childhoods

24:53 How our habits and interests have shaped our children

26:09 Allowing your children to have independence and experience adversity

28:02 Kati’s Battle with Anxiety: The Real, Raw Side

31:43 How communication in your marriage helps foster trust and understanding

34:40 Techniques and strategies to overcome anxiety

40:51 What helped Kati overcome anxiety as I left my full-time job

46:53 How choosing business full-time brought the family closer together

51:34 The impact of clear communication in a marriage

53:04 Prioritizing time together and modeling love for their kids

57:12 What Kati is looking forward to (within the next 10 years)

01:00:07 Kati’s advice for spouses of risk-takers

01:01:30 What should your Plan B look like?

Quotables

“I had to realize it wasn’t trust issues—it was a genuine fear that something bad happened to you.”

“We might see them fail, but that failure builds resilience.”

“Every child is not a cookie-cutter child. It’s not black and white, it’s a lot of gray.”

Links

608B Capital

https://www.608bcapital.com

In this week’s Burning the Ships, I talk about one of the most underrated superpowers in life, business, relationships, and health: consistency.

From the early days of building this podcast and putting out videos no one was watching, to conversations with people who say they can’t open Instagram without seeing my face, I unpack how staying consistent even when it’s uncomfortable leads to real, lasting impact. Whether you’re trying to grow a business, become a better parent, or just feel better in your own skin, this episode breaks down how daily discipline becomes long-term success.

Consistency won’t just change your results, it’ll change your identity.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:20 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:51 The idea behind wanting to disappear from social media

04:35 The mindset shift to embrace social media as a growth tool

06:11 Real-world validation from 3 different conversations this week

08:45 The compounding power of content and showing up daily

11:15 The long-term play: consistency over virality

16:58 Physical health as the clearest example of compounding effort

22:20 Setting and chasing new strength goals in your 40s

25:57 Consistency in marriage: simple acts that make your spouse happy

29:30 Consistency in parenting: leading by example, keeping your children happy

32:50 Consistency in communication: overlooked mostly in leadership

35:18 Are you showing up consistently for your team and family?

37:13 Instant gratification vs. long-term results

39:36 How consistency builds reliability

Quotables

“If you’re not showing up every day, don’t be surprised when nothing changes.”

“Consistency in communication is a superpower in business.”

“Your reputation is built one consistent decision at a time.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this week’s episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Justin Cook—insurance agency leader, high-performance coach, and now author of the brand new book Freedom Beyond Wealth.

Justin shares his journey from 20 years in the insurance industry to coaching high-achievers on how to build a life of time freedom, intentionality, and purpose beyond just the grind for more money. We dive into his personal habits, daily structure, and how being consistent in the small things has led to massive wins over time without losing sight of what matters most: family, faith, and fulfillment.

If you’re feeling the pull between hustle and happiness, this episode will hit home for you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:51 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:14 From insurance industry to mentorship: Justin’s background

05:30 Daily discipline: ten pages of reading, movement, and gratitude

07:03 Managing ADD/ADHD through structure and habit stacking

11:35 Balancing entrepreneurship and fatherhood with intentional time blocks

13:49 Justin’s approach to being a present dad: gratitude exercises with his kids

18:07 Prioritizing family first and fitting business into life (not the other way around)

19:30 Measuring weekly success through a personal “parenting scoreboard”

23:47 Time blocking for life: how structuring around family changes productivity

29:05 Attitude + activity + ability - excuses = success

35:15 The structure of daily team meetings for productivity and success

42:18 Launching Freedom Beyond Wealth Coaching: why Justin mentors high-achievers

49:46 Moving beyond ego and redefining personal identity

54:18 Investing in yourself: why a coach is essential to your next level

01:01:27 The power of public consistency on social media

01:03:46 Why you need to start thinking with abundance

01:06:40 How to get Justin’s book: Freedom Beyond Wealth

Quotables

“Freedom isn’t just a number in a bank account—it’s what you do with the time that number buys you.”

“Posting daily isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing up for yourself and for others.”

“Success is not what you’ve achieved. It’s who you’ve become along the way.”

Links

Justin Cook

https://www.facebook.com/justin.cook.79

Freedom Beyond Wealth

https://freedombeyondwealthcoaching.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this Weekly Ramble, I dive into a topic that’s been changing my life over the past year—disconnecting intentionally. I’m not just talking about taking a vacation or turning off notifications. I’m talking about leaving the phone behind for hours, even days at a time, and the surprising mental clarity and connection that comes with it.

I share personal stories from the last year, the challenges of breaking the habit of being “always on,” and the benefits I’ve seen in my relationships, my mindset, and my energy. If you’re feeling stretched thin, stressed out, or like you’re missing the real moments with your family, this episode is your wake-up call.

Sometimes the best connection starts with disconnection.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:36 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:17 Disconnection on vacation is easy

03:17 The Boston experiment: 2 full days without a phone

06:15 Realizing the chaos on my phone was self-generated

08:14 Outbound activity = more inbound chaos

09:15 How disconnecting one weekend changed my routine permanently

11:50 Accountability: letting my kids call me out 13:23 Strengthening family connections by being fully present

14:45 The personal benefit: a calmer, more relaxed mindset 17:05 How phones feed constant, unnecessary stimulus

18:02 Challenge: Try it for a weekend and feel the difference

20:32 Your phone isn’t urgent. Your life is.

Quotables

“You can’t earn back the moments you miss staring at a screen.”

“Presence is the best present you can give to the people you love.”

“The world doesn’t end when you leave your phone behind—but your experience of it finally begins.”

Links

608B Capital

https://www.608bcapital.com

In today’s episode, I sat down with Peter Russell, a real estate entrepreneur who took his wholesaling business experience and turned it into a unique solution for the investing world—transactional funding specifically designed for wholesalers.

Peter shares how he transitioned from putting up bandit signs to scaling a wholesaling business and how spotting pain points led him to create Double Close Funding, a transactional lending business serving wholesalers nationwide. We get into his journey from corporate sales to full-time entrepreneur, the challenges of sticking it out when success didn’t come easy, and how staying consistent eventually led him to freedom—both financially and with his time.

If you’re in real estate, if you’re an entrepreneur, or if you’re looking for ways to scale smarter, this conversation is packed with insights you can’t afford to miss.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:14 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:51 How Peter got into wholesaling real estate

05:43 The long game: four to six months before his first wholesale deal

09:27 The hidden power of posting even when nobody is liking or commenting

11:00 Peter’s corporate sales background and how rejection resilience helped

15:36 Transitioning from wholesaling into transactional lending: spotting the pain point

21:33 The need for smooth double closings and how Double Close Funding was born

26:01 Double closing vs. Traditional wholesaling

28:22 How double closing your deals will protect both parties

32:38 Terms, fees, and process of Double Close Funding explained

37:38 How experience in wholesaling gives Peter an edge in double-closing deals

42:11 Lessons learned from wholesaling that helped shape his lending business

48:00 Fund growth and the upcoming opportunity for investors

51:59 Get in touch with Peter and his team

53:39 Peter’s passion for travel and how he designs his business for freedom

57:28 Building a business by solving your own biggest frustrations

Quotables

“If you stay consistent, deals will work out. But most people quit before they get there.”

“Posting content is like playing your greatest hits over and over—people need to hear it repeatedly before they act.”

“Freedom isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about choosing how you spend your time.”

Links

Peter Russell

https://www.instagram.com/peterussell.official

608B Capital

https://www.608bcapital.com

In this Weekly Ramble, I unpack one of the most game-changing mindset shifts I’ve ever made—learning to treat time like money. Most people know time is more valuable, but our habits, calendars, and lifestyles say otherwise.

I walk through the exact shift that happened after leaving my corporate job, how I restructured my calendar to reflect what matters most, and how I went from being “time bankrupt” to living with intentionality, clarity, and peace. If you’re feeling stretched thin, missing family time, or constantly stuck in the “someday” loop, this episode is for you.

Stop managing your life around your work. Start managing your work around your life. That’s the move.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:30 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:08 Changes in preparing Weekly Ramble episodes

04:31 The things that stretch my time thin

06:49 Time vs Money: what is more important?

08:06 Why habits don’t reflect what we say we value

09:35 The trap of working more “for them” while spending less time with them

11:32 Overtime culture and the regrets that followed

14:40 A decade of putting work before family

19:57 Running at full bandwidth: stress, burnout, and losing your true self

21:06 Why I left my highest-paying role to get my time back

22:30 The calendar shift that changed everything

24:45 Starting the week with a blank slate every week

27:07 Prioritizing movie nights, baseball games, and presence over status

28:02 3 hours of focus > 8 hours of distraction 30:20 Abundance vs Scarcity mindset

32:21 The biggest difference between time and money

35:24 Doom-scrolling and time you’ll never get back 37:05 Why most people operate like they have unlimited time (and don’t)

39:08 Time management exercise: 2-week time audit (track every 30 minutes)

41:41 Time bankruptcy = saying yes to too many things 43:03 What legacy really means and what your kids will remember 45:02 Budget your time like your life depends on it… because it does

Quotables

“You can earn back a dollar. You can’t earn back a minute.”

“I used to fill my calendar with work and squeeze in life. Now I fill it with life and fit in the work.”

“If you’re missing your kid’s game to sit in a meeting that could’ve been an email, you’re not managing your life. You’re outsourcing it.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

For Episode 150, I’m flipping the mic toward the man behind this very show—Josh Culler of Culler Media. If you’ve noticed how the podcast audio, video, and consistency leveled up… that’s all Josh. But today’s episode goes deeper than tech and editing.

Josh shares his journey from forklift operator to founder of a media company serving real estate brands, coaches, and investors nationwide. We talk about the power of consistency on social, building credibility over time, what makes content actually convert—and how Josh has pushed through tough seasons in business without quitting.

If you’re building something and feel stuck in the “no traction” zone, or if you’ve been hiding from content because you’re scared of judgment… this one’s for you. Josh keeps it real about entrepreneurship, marketing, and staying the course when results don’t come fast.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

00:25 JJ’s Joke of the Week

06:00 Who is Josh Culler?

08:44 Josh’s story: from forklift driver to marketing director to entrepreneur

12:52 Transitioning from W-2 to full-time media business in 2019

14:50 How COVID changed his business and made him pivot faster

16:35 Problem solving as a superpower in business

19:23 Detaching your self-worth from your business results

24:54 Why social media feels awkward—but why you must show up

29:22 The truth about content metrics: 1 lead > 10,000 views

33:11 Jason’s social content experience: no likes, but still working

35:10 Marketing with money vs. marketing with time

36:27 DIY content: start with your phone, then scale up

38:03 Answer real questions your audience is asking

40:44 How to start on social media: just do it

44:11 Product marketing lessons from running a sneaker side hustle

47:13 Jordan vs. LeBron: Josh’s surprising answer

50:33 Josh’s next evolution: digital consulting and fractional CMO

53:05 Get in touch with Josh

Quotables

“You need to emotionally detach from the results to make good marketing decisions.”

“Start scrappy. CapCut, your phone, your face, and a clear message—that’s all you need to start.”

“Detach your identity from the result. You are not your likes. You are not your metrics.”

Links

Josh Culler

https://www.facebook.com/cullerjosh/

https://www.instagram.com/joshkculler

https://www.youtube.com/@joshculler

608B Capital

https://www.608bcapital.com

In this weekly ramble, I break down one of the most influential books I’ve ever read—Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. This episode isn’t a chapter-by-chapter summary. It’s a deep dive into how the mindset of extreme ownership has transformed the way I lead, parent, invest, and handle adversity.

I share real-life stories—from my early flips and hiring missteps to leading a sales agency and raising my kids. And the common thread in all of them? At the end of the day, you are responsible. When things go wrong, it’s not about pointing fingers—it’s about stepping up and owning the outcome. That’s how real leaders think. That’s how people who win long-term operate.

If you’ve ever struggled with blame, excuses, or the need to control what’s out of your hands, this one’s for you. Let’s talk about owning your life.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

02:00 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:05 The core principle: you are responsible for everything in your life

04:16 Why most people deflect, blame, and point fingers

06:27 You can’t change the past—only what you do next 09:11 How you should be taking extreme ownership 13:34 Leadership lessons: owning what your team does under your name

17:13 How taking extreme ownership as a leader builds trust

21:01 Ownership = Control

23:55 Inventory check: where are you deflecting responsibility right now?

Quotables

“Extreme ownership isn’t about blame, it’s about control. It’s about what happens next.”

“When things go wrong, ask: what did I do or not do to let this happen?”

“Leaders who blame rarely grow. Leaders who own get better, stronger, and more trusted.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

Extreme Ownership

https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057

In this powerful sit-down with my good friend Tim Bratz, we go beyond real estate and straight into resilience, ego, family, and leadership. Tim’s story isn’t just about building a real estate empire, it’s about rebuilding with intention when everything gets hard.

From climbing to 4,800 doors and then intentionally scaling back to just 2,000, Tim shares the lessons he learned the hard way—through lawsuits, market shifts, partner friction, and being millions underwater. We talk about staying consistent, navigating failure with integrity, and the massive impact that community and mindset have when your back’s against the wall.

If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or high achiever in any space, this episode will hit home. Real talk, real strategy, and real legacy—it’s all here.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction 04:13 Why Tim’s consistent voice built trust over time 05:45 Tim’s response to public criticism on BiggerPockets

11:45 Tim’s story: from blue collar Ohio kid to multifamily investor 13:35 Growing his rental portfolio to 4500 doors by 2021

14:36 COVID chaos, eviction moratoriums, and carrying toxic deals 16:02 Two biggest survival tools: community & doing the work

19:05 Narrowing from 12 states to 2: getting lean and focused 21:10 Ego & real estate: did the door count ever matter too much? 23:00 “More” = more stress, more problems, more distraction 25:00 Tim’s first mastermind story: drunk on New Year’s Eve, PayPaling $5K 29:45 The ROI of proximity: how he tripled his income in 10 months 34:19 The birth of Legacy Family 37:31 From liability to asset: how a game night became a mastermind 41:40 The mindset to have everything figured out

43:50 Surviving a $100M Texas deal gone wrong and raising $20M to fix it 50:04 The difference between relational vs. transactional members in masterminds 51:38 The 3-year Principle

55:40 Social media presence ≠ real reach

01:01:31 The impact of reputation and consistency in networking

01:08:28 How Tim prioritizes family over everything (including business)

01:12:16 Why proximity builds better kids and how his family travels with his mastermind 01:14:05 Time blocking, boundaries, and making work serve your life

Quotables

“I made $400,000 in 10 months after I finally invested in the right room. That wasn’t luck—it was community + doing the work.”

“The people who’ve stayed in the room for 2–3 years? That’s who I’ll be judged by.”

“More wasn’t better. More was just heavier. Heavier debt, heavier stress, heavier everything.”

Links

Tim Bratz

https://www.instagram.com/timbratz/

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com