logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2020
42m 5s

9. Skip the Plan and Learn by Doing with...

Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin
About this episode

When starting something new, most of us tend to research, analyze, plan, and procrastinate. Because we don't want to fail. We don't want to be exposed as imposters. And we don't want to take big risks. But in novel and complex spaces, that strategy doesn't help, it only slows us down without increasing our odds. Instead, we need to start by starting and learn by doing so that our ideas can make contact with reality as soon as possible. 


In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans explore how to get on with it—by starting small and working iteratively—so that more good things make it out into the world. And speaking of good things, later they're are joined by Ben Kaufman, founder and CEO of the revolutionary toy store CAMP, who shares why he feels compelled to start impossible projects, and how he rushes in before all the reasons he shouldn't overwhelm him.


Learn more about Ben on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Learn more about CAMP at their website.


Resources mentioned:

-"The Marshmallow Test" from Tom Wujec's 2010 TedTalk "Build a tower, build a team":


------------------------------------

Our book is available now at bravenewwork.com

We want to hear from you. Send your guest ideas and feedback to podcast@theready.com

Looking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

Up next
Today
AUA: How to Change When People Are Loyal To The Past
How do you change the way work happens when everyone agrees on what to do—but no one wants to change how it’s done? In this mini episode of At Work with The Ready, Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin tackle a listener question about navigating change inside legacy systems where authorit ... Show More
7m 31s
Oct 20
35. Fighting Burnout At Work
Burnout has become the quiet epidemic of modern work. We tell people to “set better boundaries” or “take more time off,” but the real problem isn’t a lack of self-care—it’s that most organizations are designed to exhaust their people. Fear-based cultures, unclear priorities, and ... Show More
47m 54s
Oct 13
AUA: Promotion Problems - Managing Former Bosses
What happens when your promotion puts you in charge of your former boss? In this mini Ask Us Anything episode of At Work with The Ready, Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin answer a listener’s question about one of the trickiest transitions a leader can face—managing the people who used ... Show More
8m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Increase Risk Tolerance and Embrace Failure as Part of the Formula for Success with Chase Jarvis
If you’ve been feeling stuck in your business - ask yourself this, where am I allowing the fear of failure stop me from taking action? This episode is full of ways to change your mindset, and take action to create a life you love. Chase Jarvis, award winning photographer, directo ... Show More
1h 4m
Mar 2020
Brave New Work 17. What We Can Learn About Org Design from the Coronavirus
Facing a pandemic, many of the world's institutions are finally giving remote work, agility, responsiveness, and basic human decency some deep consideration. Meanwhile, it's becoming clear that organizations who have already been prioritizing adaptivity and humanity at work are s ... Show More
36m 16s
Feb 2025
Founder Mistakes – Why Most Founders Fail (and How Coaching Helps You Succeed) w/ Alexis d'Amecourt
As a startup founder, are you constantly putting out fires and feeling overwhelmed? You may be falling into some common pitfalls without even realizing it. In this episode, Yaniv and Chris are joined by Alexis D’Amecour, Head of Coaching at Mochary Method, to discuss the top foun ... Show More
58m 50s
Feb 2025
622: Alex Hutchinson - Why We Seek Big Challenges, Adding Texture To Time, The Explorers Gene, Working Through Uncertainty, Tom Hanks, and Pushing The Limits of Human Performance
Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes. The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,00 ... Show More
56m 38s
Apr 2018
Finding the Motivation to Learn - & Stay Agile
In this week's podcast we move on to the final Agile Principle, number 12: "At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly." The hard truth is that learning is horrible. It means coming face to face with y ... Show More
18m 12s
Dec 2023
#152: AI Is Here to Stay—Here’s What Business Owners Need to Do Now
Join us on February 1, 2024 at Coach Builder Summit, the ultimate free livestream event all about helping coaches and consultants build and grow their businesses. Lock in your spot at CoachBuilder.com/CoachSummit.   --   Artificial intelligence is here to stay and understanding h ... Show More
26m 31s
Dec 2024
First Principles Thinking - Don’t Doom Yourself to Mediocrity (Replay)
Disrupt or Digitize? The Art of Breaking the Status Quo Why do some startups revolutionize entire industries while others just digitize legacy processes? Disruption isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a mindset and one that too many founders shy away from. Are you pre-compromising your v ... Show More
37m 47s
Sep 2024
Ignore the Hype - Startup Different with David Sinkinson
David Sinkinson is a proven SaaS entrepreneur and Chief Podcast Officer of Startup Different. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. One of the most real challenge that entrepreneurs face is psychological and it changes over time. 2. Your business needs you to be you and that is the biggest psycho ... Show More
23m 16s
Nov 2024
Early Ideation - Your Idea Is Worthless (Replay)
Ever had someone tell you "I have this great idea for an app"? While everyone seems to have the next billion-dollar idea, the reality of startup success is far more complex than just having a clever concept. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explore the real value o ... Show More
33m 37s
Aug 2024
Jack Smith On Biohacking, 2 Easy Business Ideas, PLUS Why Procrastination Is Good
Episode 621: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk to Jack Smith ( https://x.com/_jacksmith ) about his under-the-radar biohacking experiments plus 2 $1M dollar business ideas. —Show Notes: (0:00) Is reverse-aging a scam(3:23) The 1% ... Show More
1h 1m