This week, we’re riding the high of getting things out the door. Deploying a brand-new website, sending our very first monthly newsletter, and hitting “go live” on our first stream. It wasn’t perfect (or polished) but it was real, energising, and deeply satisfying. A reminder that progress beats polish, and that showing up is half the magic.

Some weeks don’t go to plan, and that’s okay. In this episode, I reflect on a week where time was tight and progress felt slower than expected. Rather than focusing on what didn’t get done, I unpack why showing up for even a small amount of time matters more than the size of the output. We’ll talk about building rhythm instead of chasing productivity, and how consistent, imperfect momentum is often what really moves the needle forward. Oh, and I talk about some big news for next week!

It's very easy to get stuck with perfection paralysis, especially when getting started. In this episode I reflect on how having accountability through this podcast helps me overcome this affliction and lean into progression over perfection. We'll dive into how I'm progressing getting the socials, website and general brand identity together, and what you can expect by next week.

This is the first episode of Pause & Preamble, a weekly check-in on what it actually takes to build a retro gaming YouTube channel.

I’m Ben Wilkinson, a product designer with over 15 years of experience , but absolutely no background in game design or content creation. I’m not coming at this as an expert. I’m learning in public, as a peer, driven by curiosity about how games work and why they feel the way they do.

In this episode, I explain why I’m starting Pause & Preamble, what I’m trying to build, and how this podcast fits into a broader goal of documenting the process honestly. True progress, missteps, and all.

Think of this as a calibration episode: setting the tone, intent, and accountability loop for everything that follows. Enjoy.