The Hardest Thing

By Kristopher Priemer

Success rarely comes from a single breakthrough. It comes from navigating the moments that almost made you quit. On The Hardest Thing, Kris Priemer sits down with founders, investors, creators, athlet... more

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FAQs about The Hardest Thing:

How many episodes does The Hardest Thing have?

The podcast currently has 6 episodes available.

The Hardest Thing episodes:

July 24, 2026 Episode 6: One Yes Away: Former Olympian Priscilla Loomis on Grit, Resilience, and Starting Over
Episde 6: Kris (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Nate Spangle (https://www.instagram.com/priscilla_frederick/)
Former Olympian and motivational speaker Priscilla Loomis joins Kris at Idea Week to talk about how the mindset that took her to the Olympics is the same one driving her entrepreneurial journey, and why being told no just means you're asking big enough.
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Show Notes:
(0:00) Welcome & Intro: Priscilla Loomis
(1:00) Entrepreneurship Isn't Trendy. It's Hard.
(3:30) Training for the Olympics Backwards
(7:00) Stay in Your Lane: Hiring for What You're Not Good At
(10:30) The Pan American Games & What the Medals Mean
(13:00) Eight Years of Training for One Day of Competition
(15:00) The Moment She Knew She Had to Go Back
(19:00) Olympic Mindset vs. Entrepreneur Mindset
(22:00) Why the Nine to Five Was Never Going to Work
(24:30) Boundaries, Family & Protecting Your Energy
(27:00) Scaling in 2026: Mentors, Advisors & Coaches
(30:00) Decision Fatigue & Compartmentalizing
(33:00) You're One Yes Away
(37:00) What's Next & Where to Find Priscilla
Special Guest: Priscilla Loomis.
...more
39min
July 17, 2026 Episode 5: Rebecca Rogers: Millions of Followers. No Plan. No Regrets.
Episde 5: Kris (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Rebecca Rogers (https://www.youtube.com/@Rebecca.Rogers)
Former teacher turned content creator Rebecca Rogers joins Kris at Idea Week to talk about leaving the classroom cold turkey, building a massive social media audience, and why being an open book has been her greatest entrepreneurial asset.
Show Notes:
(0:00) Welcome & Chai Latte Chaos
(3:30) Rebecca's First Idea Week & Why She Came Back
(7:00) The Social Media Friend Group That Shows Up
(9:00) Rescuing Spanish Greyhounds in Spain
(16:00) Leaving the Classroom: The Honest Answer
(22:00) The Meeting That Made Her Quit on the Spot
(28:00) The Week She Made Double Her Teacher Salary
(33:00) Entrepreneurial Roots: Always the Group Leader
(38:00) Using Data to Drive Content Strategy
(43:00) What's Next: Children's Books & a Memoir
(47:00) Speaking Up About Domestic Violence
Special Guest: Rebecca Rogers.
...more
50min
July 10, 2026 Episode 4: Dabblers Die: How Nate Spangle Built a Media Empire in the Midwest
Episde 4: Kris (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Nate Spangle (https://www.instagram.com/natespangle/)
Nate Spangle, Indiana's biggest cheerleader, shares how he turned a content side hustle into a statewide media company, and what it really takes to stay relevant, lead a team, and build roots in the Midwest.
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Show Notes:
(0:00) Welcome & Idea Week Energy
(2:00) Friends First, Business Cards Never
(3:30) Dabblers Die: How Nate Found His Thing
(6:00) Building a Modern Media Company in Indiana
(9:00) 80 Million Views and a Team of Four
(11:00) Growing Where You're Planted
(14:00) The Loneliness of Entrepreneurship
(17:00) Mentors, Sounding Boards & Leading for the First Time
(21:00) What Keeps Nate Up at Night: Relevancy
(25:00) Bulking and Cutting: How Nate Scales New Ideas
(29:00) Get South Bend Newsletter & What's Next
Special Guest: Nate Spangle.
...more
32min
June 30, 2026 Episode 3: From Pop-Up to Acquisition: Sarah Larson Levey on Building, Scaling, and Letting Go
Episode 3: Kris (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Sarah Larson Levey (https://www.instagram.com/sarah_ayako/)
Sarah Larson Levey, founder of Y7 Studio, walks through building a yoga brand from a free pop-up to 15 locations and an eventual acquisition, including the COVID shutdown and what it meant to lose the thing she'd built her identity around.
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Show Notes:
0:00 Who's Building Something Right Now?
1:00 The Injury That Started It All
3:00 The First Pop-Up Class on Craigslist
5:30 Finding the First Studio in Williamsburg
8:00 The Moment She Quit Her Job
9:50 Bootstrapping to Six Studios & Taking PE Money
10:30 2020: COVID Hits Mid-Expansion
13:40 Rebuilding After 18 Months Closed
14:00 The 2024 Acquisition & Letting It Go
15:30 Audience Q&A: Leases, Funding & Working with Your Spouse
30:00 The Marketing Philosophy Behind Y7
Special Guest: Sarah Larson Levey.
...more
46min
June 30, 2026 Episode 2: Celebrate Authentically: The Loneliness and Wins of Building a Business
Episode 2: Kris (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Matt Metzger (https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadershiptap/)
Kris and talk about why entrepreneurs struggle to celebrate their wins, the unexpected loneliness of building a business, and the power of surrounding yourself with the right people.
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Show Notes:
(0:00) Welcome & Momentum Mimosas
(1:00) The "Celebrate Authentically" Philosophy
(3:00) Do Ribbon Cuttings Actually Feel Like Celebration?
(6:00) Champagne Chilling for Six Months (Momentum Mondays)
(8:00) The Gap and the Gain: Why We Don't Stop to Celebrate
(10:30) Spontaneous vs. Planned Celebrations
(13:30) Gatsby Energy & Knowing Who You Are
(19:30) The Unexpected Loneliness of Entrepreneurship
(24:00) Never Enough: Staying Motivated After Success
(29:30) Finding Your Point of the Spear
Links:
Kris' Projects
Coworking Offices in South Bend - https://momentumsb.com
Podcast distribution - https://fireside.fm
Speaker Deck - https://speakerdeck.com
...more
33min
June 29, 2026 Episode 1: Acid in Your Stomach: What It Really Takes to Be an Entrepreneur
Episode 1: Kris Priemer (https://www.instagram.com/kristopherpriemer/) and Mike Haarlander (https://runwayz.com).
Kris and Mike Harlander get real about the mental and emotional side of entrepreneurship: the stress, the pivots, and why your mindset matters more than your idea.
Show Notes:
(0:00) Welcome & Introducing Mike Harlander
(1:00) Why Mike Keeps Coming Back to South Bend
(3:00) What the Region Needs to Retain Entrepreneurs
(5:00) The Emotional Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship
(6:30) Amsterdam, Empty Bank Account & Going on Offense
(9:00) Nobody Cares as Much as You Think
(10:30) What Investors Are Really Betting On
(11:30) Knowing Your Role & Letting Your Ego Die
(14:00) The Power of the Notre Dame Network
(18:00) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
(20:00) Don't Get Married to Your Idea
(22:00) Let the Market Tell You What It Will Bear
Links:
Kris' Projects
Coworking Offices in South Bend - https://momentumsb.com
Podcast distribution - https://fireside.fm
Speaker Deck - https://speakerdeck.com
...more
24min

FAQs about The Hardest Thing:

How many episodes does The Hardest Thing have?

The podcast currently has 6 episodes available.