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Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Junaid Ahmed
Hacks & Hobbies is where passions turn into profit stories. Host Junaid Ahmed interviews entrepreneurs, creators, and builders who are turning what they love into real momentum—income, confidence, community, and impact. Expect practical takeaways on podcasting, video content, home studios, personal branding, systems, and mindset—so your next idea doesn’t stay “someday.” If you’re building something (a show, a brand, a business, a better version of yourself), you’ll feel at home here.
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- 4 days ago39 min
Founder of Suka on Reclaiming Focus: The One Daily Habit That Quietly Changes Your Life - Steven Puri
Short description If you keep waking up and losing the morning to scrolling, this episode is for you. Steven Puri — from IBM and Hollywood sets to building Suka — walks Junaid through the exact mental switches and tiny systems that turn distraction into sustained, creative output. This is not fluff about productivity hacks; it’s a candid, emotional conversation about intention, environment, and the quiet cost of “zero-effort dopamine.” In part two of our conversation, Steven gets tactical: how to define a single daily intention, time-block and time-box effectively, design your physical place for deep work, and use tech (without letting it own you). Practical, humane, and urgent — these are the moves you can test tomorrow that compound over a year. 5 takeaways Intention first: pick one thing each morning that will actually move you or your team forward — and protect your best brain time for it. Simplify to overcome overwhelm: hide the noise; surface the 3 tasks that matter and build momentum. Environment matters: dedicate a place for work so your brain learns to “enter focus” when you walk in. Block, time-box, repeat: treat deep work like a sacred meeting with yourself and limit time to beat Parkinson’s Law. Leverage tech, don’t bow to it: tools like Suka can block distractions, provide music and community, but only after you choose to use them intentionally. 0:00 — Opening & why this conversation matters: from IBM and Hollywood to Suka 2:23 — Start with intention: the single question you must ask each morning 7:28 — Why most people get focus wrong (procrastination vs. distraction) 11:16 — The “phone check” moment: a one-second pause that changes behavior 13:27 — Use place to train your mind: why moving rooms ruins deep work 20:36 — Steven’s top 3 daily techniques: intention, time-blocking, time-boxing 25:25 — Community & flow: why a productivity “run club” helps you actually ship Guest links Suka (product / try free for 7 days): https://suka.co Email (Steven Puri): steven@suka.co How to use this episode: Listen with a notebook. Pause at 2:23 and write your single intention for tomorrow. Block 60–90 minutes in your calendar and treat it like a meeting. Try one of Steven’s micro-experiments for a week (hide all but three tasks; time-box a blog post to 45 minutes; or put your phone in a different room and notice what happens). Small consistent changes here compound into creative freedom — and fewer nights feeling “I didn’t ship today.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 4 days ago42 min
From Hollywood VFX to Flow: How the Founder of Suka Rebuilt Focus, Beat Distraction, and Helped Creators Win Back Their Time - Steven Puri
A filmmaker turned software founder shares the inciting moment when Hollywood craft collided with personal focus, sparking an app built to help creators reclaim deep work and meaning. In this episode Steven Puri — visual effects producer (Independence Day, Transformers), serial builder, and CEO of Suka — walks Junaid through the pivots, creative rituals, and real-world constraints that shaped his quest to protect productive, meaningful time from attention economies. In 40 minutes of candid story and practical insight, Steven explains how engineering discipline, Hollywood storytelling, and a personal ADHD diagnosis converged to create Suka — a flow-first focus app for people who want to do the work that matters. If you’re turning a hobby into income, leading teams, or simply desperate for longer stretches of undistracted work, this episode gives a human roadmap: why story and mission matter for hiring, how chronotypes unlock your best hours, and the exact mental shifts that turn procrastination into progress. Key takeaways Flow is not magic — it’s a predictable state you can design for: align skill, challenge, and meaning to create sustained deep work. Storytelling is leadership: frame the opposing force and the mission to recruit great people and earn trust — remote or in-person. Chronotype optimization: know your biologic “when” (morning vs. night) and schedule high-skill, high-value work in that window. Practical focus habits: batch distractions, use environmental barriers (e.g., off-hours, quiet spaces), and track what actually yields flow. Product insight: Suka was born from user answers to “why do you pay?” — people pay to protect irreplaceable time (kids, meaningful projects), not just features. Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction: Steven’s unusual resume (news → IBM → VFX → startup) 3:35 — From IBM to Hollywood: mentorship, systems thinking, and early lessons 8:50 — Creativity mechanics: why giving the brain multiple threads sparks original ideas 11:18 — Diagnosis & discovery: ADHD, distraction, and designing for divergent minds 14:31 — Leadership lessons from big-budget filmmaking: hiring, trust, and mission 25:55 — Why Suka exists: the tug-of-war between creators and attention economies 36:16 — The naming story & user insight that defined the product: “why I pay you” Guest links Suka (flow & focus app): https://thesukha.co LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago19 min
Style Strategist on Using Story, Color & Three Truths to Show Up with Unshakable Confidence - Elaine Johnston
You don’t need perfect to be magnetic — you need one story, one palette, and the courage to practice. In this intimate, practical conversation, Elaine Johnston — a storytelling and style strategist — walks Junaid through a simple, repeatable framework for turning the mess of self-doubt into a confident, memorable public presence. This episode is part how-to, part therapy: the kind of tactical coaching that changes what you say, how you look, and how you feel when you hit record. Elaine strips brand-building down to essentials: practice relentlessly, pick three guiding values, and anchor your visual voice in color and descriptive words. Expect emotional clarity, wardrobe psychology, and immediate actions you can take today to blend strategy with style — no massive budget or reinvention required. 5 takeaways Practice beats perfection: record yourself in different settings until showing up feels normal, not terrifying. The power of three: choose three core values/messages to funnel every piece of content through for instant clarity. Color is strategy: pick a small palette that reflects your brand psychology and use it consistently across content. Work your wardrobe: you already own stories in your closet; journal looks and remix instead of always buying new. Story = connection: your unique experiences are your competitive advantage — share them to build trust and community. Timestamps 0:00 — Welcome & episode setup: why part two gets practical (why this matters now) 1:00 — The simplest path to confidence: practice, practice, practice 3:00 — The “three things” rule: how three core values create instant clarity 4:14 — Storytelling as confidence: why your personal story is your advantage 5:50 — Style meets strategy: using color, texture and words to shape perception 9:00 — Common mistake: why constantly buying new clothes sabotages your brand 10:55 — 3 practical steps to act today: color, words, and your story Guest links Website(s)- Thecryptidatlas.com- Recklessmedia.co (not .com!)SocialIG, TikTok @_elainejohnstonYouTube @elainejohnston Elaine Johnston teaches a deceptively simple brand formula: show up often, choose three guiding truths, and let color and descriptive words carry your visual story. This episode gives you both the mindset reset (you don’t have to be perfect) and the tactical moves (pick colors, audit what’s in your closet, and journal your story) so your presence becomes meaningful, memorable, and scalable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago33 min
Style Coach & Storyteller: How Dressing with Purpose Builds Trust - Elaine Johnston
Style is more than clothes — it’s the first sentence of your story. In this emotional, curiosity-driven conversation, Elaine Johnston traces a lifetime of fashion and writing that led her to help people translate presence into trust. From journaling outfits in high school to co-founding a podcast production company and launching a cryptid storytelling show, Elaine shows how constraints, practice, and playful creativity can shape a magnetic professional identity. Elaine and Junaid dig into the intersection of style and strategy: why a misaligned look undermines your message, how practicing on camera dissolves fear, and how hobbies (yes—Halloween and cryptids) fuel authentic content. This episode is for creators and entrepreneurs who want tactical confidence and a little creative spark to show up more memorably. Five key takeaways Your outfit is the three-second hook: style communicates values before words do. Alignment matters: style that doesn’t match your messaging confuses and erodes trust. Practice beats perfection: recording often (even privately) builds on-camera confidence. Bring childlike curiosity into your work—hobbies and personality deepen audience connection. Consume intentionally: study formats, titles, and storytelling templates to adapt them to your voice. Timestamps 0:00 — Welcome & Elaine’s origin story: journaling outfits, early blogging, and the creative red thread 2:53 — From blog to business: Reckless Media, podcasting, and a pandemic‑era pivot 9:40 — Style = presence: why clothes are communication and the confidence beneath them 12:24 — When style and strategy clash: the cost of misalignment on trust and clarity 15:30 — Camera fear & practice: how TikTok and simple repetition lower the barrier to showing up 19:45 — Bringing a spark of creativity: applying childhood passions (Halloween, cryptids) to content 23:36 — Inspiration sources & tools: podcasts, Pinterest, and studying successful creators Guest links Instagram: @_elainejohnston (as shared on the episode) YouTube & TikTok: Elaine Johnston (handles referenced in-episode) Podcast / Production: Reckless Media (co‑founded by Elaine & her husband) Current show mentioned: Cryptids Across the Atlas Notes for show notes / SEO Include full guest handles and links in the episode webpage (IG, YouTube, TikTok, Reckless Media, Cryptids Across the Atlas). Use keywords in the page title/metadata: "style coach", "podcast host", "personal branding", "showing up on camera", "style strategy". Pull quote options for social: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago25 min
Serial Entrepreneur & Marathon-Minded CEO on Building Businesses That Fuel Life (Not Consume It) - Leo Gestetner
What if success didn’t mean sacrificing your health, family or sanity? In this episode Junaid sits down with Leo Gestetner — founder, CEO, and late-blooming endurance athlete — to unpack how to build thriving companies without burning out. Leo recounts starting as a 13‑year‑old selling secondhand computers, transforming his life from “couch potato” to marathoner and triathlete, and reframing entrepreneurship as a long race, not a sprint. This conversation blends practical routines (what gets scheduled gets done), hard-earned resilience (the “wall” in marathons and business), and the emotional payoff of pacing yourself for a sustained, meaningful life. If you’re tired of hustle porn and want a playbook for sustainable ambition, this episode is a masterclass in balance, discipline, and reimagining success. Top takeaways: Schedule your life: you won’t make time for fitness, family, or reflection unless you calendar it. Build for the long game: treat business like a marathon — pace, recovery, and consistency matter more than bursts. Reframe failure: setbacks teach more than success; willingness to fail is a core entrepreneurial advantage. Manage energy, not just time: focus on what gives you the most value and protects your health span. Small, repeatable habits scale: achievable challenges compound into lasting transformation. Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro & Leo’s origin story: selling computers at 13 02:30 — From entrepreneur’s DNA to need-driven hustle: early influences 04:40 — The turning point: choosing sustainable success over pure scale 06:50 — Scheduling, boundaries & routines that protect family and fitness 09:40 — Marathons as metaphors: hitting the wall in sport and business 14:00 — Culture of failure: what Steve Jobs and Corning taught about risk 17:30 — Pacing life: digital nomad chapter and lessons on reinvention Guest links: Website: https://leogestetner.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leogestetner (search “Leo Gestetner” on LinkedIn) Podcast appearances & resources: (see personal website for links) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago25 min
From Couch Potato to Fitness Freak: How Leo Gestetner Built Global Businesses Without Burning Out
What if the real flex isn’t how big you build your business, but how fully you live your life while building it? In this episode, Junaid sits down with entrepreneur and endurance athlete Leo Gestetner, a man who went from being 95 pounds heavier and non-athletic to running marathons, completing triathlons, and building global teams — all while protecting his health, family, and freedom. Leo breaks down how he shifted from chasing success at all costs to designing a sustainable, balanced life where business fuels his lifestyle instead of consuming it. He shares how he thinks about health span vs. lifespan, why “what gets scheduled gets done” is the most underrated performance hack, and how hitting “the wall” in marathons taught him everything he needed to know about entrepreneurship, failure, and resilience. If you’ve ever felt guilty for not doing enough, struggled to find time for the gym or family, or wondered whether balance is even possible for ambitious entrepreneurs — this conversation will challenge how you see success, discipline, and your own potential. In this episode, you’ll learn: How a 13-year-old hustler turning one family computer into a business became a lifelong entrepreneur Why Leo believes balance is non-negotiable — and what that actually looks like day to day The mindset shift that took him from 95 pounds overweight to multiple marathons a year in his 50s How to protect your time and energy with one simple rule: what gets scheduled gets done Why hitting “the wall” in a marathon is the perfect metaphor for entrepreneurship and failure Timestamps [00:00] The question no one asks: What if success is about life, not just scale?Junaid sets the tone: most entrepreneurs chase growth until they run out of gas — Leo is here to show another way. [01:20] A 13-year-old and a second-hand computer: the first businessLeo shares how selling his family’s computer led to buying and selling second-hand PCs before the internet even existed. [02:49] Redefining success: from pure ambition to sustainable ambitionLeo explains why balance — family, health, fun — became more important than just “winning” in business. [03:55] From 95 pounds overweight to marathons and triathlons in his 50sThe transformation story: how Leo became the fittest he’s ever been later in life, and why he focuses on health span over lifespan. [06:53] What gets scheduled gets done: the discipline behind balanceLeo breaks down how he protects time for fitness, family, and business — and why entrepreneurs will always “feel busy” if they don’t schedule priorities. [08:15] Busy vs productive: escaping the trap of constant reactivityA candid look at being intentional, choosing what really matters, and planning for both business and personal life. [09:55] The wall: why most people quit and what entrepreneurs must learn from marathonersLeo shares a powerful quote on “the wall,” why it exists to keep others out, and how it mirrors the hardest moments in building a company. [17:32] Life as a digital nomad: pacing yourself for the long gameLeo talks about becoming a digital nomad, living across countries, and learning to pause, breathe, and play the long game in life and business. [19:34] Where to find Leo and what’s coming in Part 2How to connect with Leo and a teaser for the next conversation on protecting your energy and leading teams without losing yourself. Guest Links Website: https://leogestetner.com LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/leogestetner/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago43 min
Filmmaker & Brand Architect: How to Build Cinematic Stories That Outlive Algorithms - Lefteris Koutinas
THIS IS YOUR PERMISSION TO STOP CHASING VIRAL HITS AND START BUILDING A WORLD. Lefteris (Lefty) Koutinas — 10x award-winning filmmaker, DJ-turned-storyteller and founder of the Persona Club — explains why entrepreneurs must think like directors, not content spammers. In this raw, cinematic conversation Junaid and Lefty unpick the mechanics of emotional storytelling: music first, lenses matter more than cameras, and short-form should be a trailer, not the whole movie. Five quick takeaways Treat your brand like a season, not a single post: consistent director, cohesive visual rules, and repeatable pacing build trust. Use short-form as trailers to funnel attention to long-form — that’s where the seven hours of relationship-building happens. Begin with sound and music — audio shapes emotion faster than visuals and defines the story before the camera rolls. Constraints win: limit gear, lenses, lighting choices and force creative coherence across episodes. Invest in a consistent creative lead (or be one). Cutting corners with mixed crews/styles kills narrative continuity. Timestamps 0:00 — Episode opener: Lefty’s mission to build worlds that outlive algorithms 2:30 — First spark: WWE cinematic storytelling that hooked a young Lefty 6:00 — The 1,000-story mission: why scale needs community (Persona Club) 11:10 — Nonverbal power: DJing taught Lefty how music moves audiences 18:30 — The short-form trap: why 30s content won’t build customers alone 22:50 — Shorts as trailers: a practical funnel from bite to binge 28:00 — Filmmaker’s checklist: lenses, natural light, and putting rules on projects Guest links & where to find Lefty YouTube: Search “Lefty Koutinas” or his “big fat origin story” (Lefty’s long-form work and trailers live here) Facebook: Lefteris Koutinas (Lefty) — personal/profile page mentioned on the episode Persona Club: Lefty’s community for DIY + Do-It-With-You storytelling (join via Lefty’s social links) Episode notes / production tips (quick, actionable) Before you pick up a camera: build a 1-page sonic palette (3 tracks + 5 SFX) to set mood. Choose one lens and one shot type per episode to create a signature look. Use 15–60s clips as trailers only — always include a clear CTA to the long-form episode. If you can’t keep a visual director, pay for one for your first season to lock the aesthetic. Want part 2? Lefty teases living the story — how hobbies, rituals and main-character energy feed cinematic brands. Tune for the next episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago48 min
Award‑Winning Filmmaker & Brand‑World Architect: How to Live Your Story (Build a World, Not Just Content) - Lefteris Koutinas
Stop chasing virality. Start building a world. In this episode Lefteris “Lefty” Koutinas — a 10x award‑winning filmmaker and branding strategist — takes us past tactics and into mythology: how to treat your life and business as a cinematic universe so your brand becomes a place people want to live in, not just another feed to scroll past. Over the course of this conversation we unpack universe‑building (characters, recurring environments, and antagonists), why “boring” routines are your richest story assets, and how entrepreneurs can document, sculpt and script their five‑year business story. Expect practical prompts you can use this week plus a mindset shift: personality, not gimmicks, is the currency that lasts. Key takeaways Universe > Viral: Build characters, recurring environments and conflicts so your work survives algorithm shifts. Document to discover: Observe daily rituals and behaviors — they’re the smallest, most repeatable story units. Define your enemy: A clear antagonist (copy‑paste culture, a system, fear) creates tension and attracts a loyal audience. Story as a plan: Treat your five‑year business plan like a screenplay — map characters, scenes and likely plot twists. Legacy over ROI: Create content your future family will want to watch; long‑term value beats short bursts of attention. Timestamps 0:00 — Intro: Why this episode goes deeper than “content” (Why Lefty treats storytelling like mythology) 2:40 — Universe building explained (MCU, Bluey, and why worlds keep people engaged) 7:26 — Live the story: how everyday routines are story assets (turn boring into cinematic) 20:00 — Core components of a brand world (characters, environments, and three conflict types) 25:50 — The villain every entrepreneur should name (copy‑paste culture & other enemies) 35:20 — Practical first steps: observe, note, and build character profiles this week 44:00 — Legacy thinking: create work your family will watch long after you’re gone Guest links & ways to find Lefty www.Lefteriskoutinas.comwww.YouTube.com/@lefteriskoutinas Episode actions (quick for creators) Today: Spend one hour observing and journaling five repeatable micro‑routines. This week: Pick one micro‑routine and film a 60–90s story around it (character + small conflict). Next month: Write a 1‑page “five‑year screenplay” of your business — list characters, scenes, and the enemy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed
Hacks & Hobbies is where passions turn into profit stories. Host Junaid Ahmed interviews entrepreneurs, creators, and builders who are turning what they love into real momentum—income, confidence, community, and impact. Expect practical takeaways on podcasting, video content, home studios, personal branding, systems, and mindset—so your next idea doesn’t stay “someday.” If you’re building something (a show, a brand, a business, a better version of yourself), you’ll feel at home here.
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