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Don’t Wait for Permission or Perfection
In this solo episode of the American Dream Factory podcast, Nick Smoot explores a simple but powerful idea that keeps people stuck. Waiting.
Waiting for permission.
Waiting for perfection.
Waiting for someone else to go first.
Nick shares a personal story about solving a ridiculous traffic problem with a bucket of yellow paint and a little courage, and how that small act quietly changed behavior for hundreds of people and eventually the city itself.
This episode is a reminder that cities do not change because of committees alone. They change when ordinary people take responsibility for the problems they see and act on them.
If you feel lonely, disconnected, or frustrated with your city, this conversation is for you.
Why waiting for permission keeps cities stagnant
How perfection becomes an excuse to avoid meaningful action
A real story of grassroots problem-solving that actually worked
Why no one will ever invite you to build the world you see
Taking responsibility for the chaos you notice around you
Creating beauty, value, and order through small actions
Why community begins with initiative, not authority
You do not need permission to care about your city.
You do not need perfection to get started.
The gap between the life you want and the impact you could have is often one small action.
Nick also shares how Build helps people take action together. Build is a community platform where you can:
Post projects you are working on
Share challenges your city needs solved
Create events and third-place hubs
List skills you want to learn or contribute
Get introduced to people nearby through AI-powered matching
Learn more at buildcities.com
Nick invites listeners to the upcoming Build Summit on January 16–17, featuring two legendary mentors:
Flint Dille
World-builder, storyteller, and creator behind iconic universes including work with Steven Spielberg, Pokémon Go, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Chronicles of Riddick. Flint will lead a workshop on world building, games, and creative storytelling.
Amish Patel
Inventor, technologist, and venture builder whose work includes the Xbox controller, smartwatch sensor technology, and advanced robotic surgery systems. Amish will teach a workshop on venture capital and what is investable in 2026.
The summit includes workshops, fireside chats, pitch sessions, community-voted micro-grants, and time to connect with builders working on real projects.
Website: buildcities.com
Email Nick: [email protected]
If this episode resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and take one small action this week that creates beauty and value in your city.
The world does not need more spectators.
It needs builders.
If this episode resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and take one small action this week that creates beauty and value in your city.
The world does not need more spectators.
It needs builders.
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By A build_ cities podcast hosted by Nick Smoot and Joe Toney
5
88 ratings
In this solo episode of the American Dream Factory podcast, Nick Smoot explores a simple but powerful idea that keeps people stuck. Waiting.
Waiting for permission.
Waiting for perfection.
Waiting for someone else to go first.
Nick shares a personal story about solving a ridiculous traffic problem with a bucket of yellow paint and a little courage, and how that small act quietly changed behavior for hundreds of people and eventually the city itself.
This episode is a reminder that cities do not change because of committees alone. They change when ordinary people take responsibility for the problems they see and act on them.
If you feel lonely, disconnected, or frustrated with your city, this conversation is for you.
Why waiting for permission keeps cities stagnant
How perfection becomes an excuse to avoid meaningful action
A real story of grassroots problem-solving that actually worked
Why no one will ever invite you to build the world you see
Taking responsibility for the chaos you notice around you
Creating beauty, value, and order through small actions
Why community begins with initiative, not authority
You do not need permission to care about your city.
You do not need perfection to get started.
The gap between the life you want and the impact you could have is often one small action.
Nick also shares how Build helps people take action together. Build is a community platform where you can:
Post projects you are working on
Share challenges your city needs solved
Create events and third-place hubs
List skills you want to learn or contribute
Get introduced to people nearby through AI-powered matching
Learn more at buildcities.com
Nick invites listeners to the upcoming Build Summit on January 16–17, featuring two legendary mentors:
Flint Dille
World-builder, storyteller, and creator behind iconic universes including work with Steven Spielberg, Pokémon Go, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Chronicles of Riddick. Flint will lead a workshop on world building, games, and creative storytelling.
Amish Patel
Inventor, technologist, and venture builder whose work includes the Xbox controller, smartwatch sensor technology, and advanced robotic surgery systems. Amish will teach a workshop on venture capital and what is investable in 2026.
The summit includes workshops, fireside chats, pitch sessions, community-voted micro-grants, and time to connect with builders working on real projects.
Website: buildcities.com
Email Nick: [email protected]
If this episode resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and take one small action this week that creates beauty and value in your city.
The world does not need more spectators.
It needs builders.
If this episode resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and take one small action this week that creates beauty and value in your city.
The world does not need more spectators.
It needs builders.