Howdy Do That: Recent Episodes
John Pham
Sharing stories of people who have figured something out.
Getting to work on what you love seems so rare these days. Many people work to live rather than getting to live to work. My goal with this podcast is to share stories of people who have figured out what they love, how they got there, and what we can learn from them.
On the journey of figuring out what you love, you'll likely have to figure out things like how to pay your bills, travel, save, and invest. So I'll be sprinkling in episodes on those topics as well!
So excited to bring you this special episode with my friends who make cool music from their music studio in Boston! Join me in learning more about Fuzzy Bumble and how they bring their music and art to life.
Also, check out the video option in Spotify because there's some great b-roll in the video as well!
Fuzzy Bumble Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gqOVmzrXeyA4cgIduduFZ?si=2aJ63ePSSoSJbtHPm3X6rg
Fuzzy Bumble YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FuzzyBumble
Fuzzy Bumble Instagram: https://instagram.com/fuzzybumbleband?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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Welcome back to a special Episode of the Howdy Do That Podcast! Today, we're welcoming back Vu Nguyen from Ep. 3 to discuss all things money and personal finances. Vu and I love nerding out about personal finances, and this episode provides a look into the mistakes we've made and lessons we've learned over the years. We hope that you'll find something helpful in this episode that you can easily apply and implement into your financial journey as well. Talking about personal finances can be a really vulnerable conversation, so thank you Vu for being so willing to share your experiences with me and others. 0:00 - Welcome Back Vu!2:14 - Not Financial Advice Disclaimer2:56 - Developing a Financial Mindset12:15 - Prioritizing Paying Down Debt vs Investing20:38 - Creating a System to Track Your Money24:38 - Our Approach to Investing39:28 - How to Hedge Against Inflation46:02 - Why We Don't Carry Our Debit Cards49:26 - How to Protect Your Financial Assets OnlineLink to John's Personal Finance Template: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gIDXOPTohC4uJSJXaMJfbmKUJxwpC_8k/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115458426403520357922&rtpof=true&sd=trueReferral Link for Empower App (Money Tracking and Budgeting App): https://empowerreferral.link/j58594WealthFront Referral Link for 4.5% HYSA: Use this link to sign up for a Wealthfront Cash Account and we’ll both get +0.50% on the current APY! https://www.wealthfront.com/c/affiliates/invited/AFFB-UFZZ-8WHG-NEAJLinks to Freeze/Lock Credit Reporthttps://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
https://service.transunion.com/dss/orderStep1_form.page
https://my.equifax.com/consumer-registration/UCSC/#/personal-info
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In this episode, Julio, a firefighter with an entrepreneurial spirit, shares his journey and experiences. He talks about his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter, his rigorous training, and the risks involved in the job. In addition to his firefighting career, Julio is also passionate about opening ketamine clinics. He shares what he looked for in a co-founder and the challenges of entrepreneurship. This episode provides a glimpse into the life of a firefighter and the challenges and rewards that come with the profession.
0:00 - Cheers
3:35 - 8-Year-Old Julio's Dream
6:30 - Training for Firefighting
8:58 - Ready in 90 Seconds
13:28 - Mitigating Risks
16:35 - Handling Difficult Moments
19:33 - Life on Ambulances vs Firetrucks
21:12 - Firefighting and Family
23:47 - Opening Ketamine Clinics
26:19 - What to Look for in a Cofounder
37:26 - Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship
41:06 - Ketamine Treatment Experience and Benefits
47:47 - Advice to a Younger Julio
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Join us for an exciting episode of Howdy Do That! John Pham is joined by Brittany Castañeda to delve into the world of ketamine-assisted therapy. They explore the work at Austin Within Center including ketamine ceremonies, the science behind ketamine, and the future of psychedelic treatment.
0:00 - Intro
0:36 - Ketamine Assisted Therapy at Austin Within Center
6:34 - About Ketamine Experiences and Ceremonies
9:40 - The Science of Ketamine
13:18 - The Team and Community at a Ketamine Clinic
18:10 - Future of Psychedelic Treatment
22:16 - Getting Out of Your Own Way
27:09 - Nurses vs Nurse Practitioners vs Physician Assistants
32:10 - Importance of Shadowing and How to Find Someone to Shadow
37:44 - Triage of Control and Body Scans
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Howdy Friends! I'm excited to share the story of my friend and realtor, Audrey Pudder. Audrey helped me and a few of our friends in Austin buy our first homes. In this episode, she shares her journey from a career in marketing to becoming a realtor, tips for home buyers, and insights into life as a realtor in Austin. This episode is packed full of fantastic information! You can find more info about Audrey here: https://www.audreypudder.com/
0:00 - How Audrey Helped Us Buy Our House in Austin
6:07 - Working with Southwest and Herb Kelleher
9:09 - “Must be Football Season” Southwest Ad Campaign
12:28 - Transitioning to Family and Real Estate
18:14 - How to Stand Out as a Realtor in a Competitive Market
22:58 - Tips for Finding a Great Realtor
29:08 - On Talking Clients Out of Buying Real Estate
32:01 - What to Consider Before Buying a Home
35:35 - Evolution and Current State of the Austin Real Estate Market
43:03 - The Challenges of Entrepreneurship
51:14 - Advice for Young People
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In this episode of the podcast, Kenny shares his grandpa's story of being a POW in the Vietnam War, his educational background in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and his insights on automation in the food and semiconductor industry, while also providin advice on thinking in first principles and navigating company politics.0:57 - POW Grandpas In the Vietnam War 3:57 - Studying Agricultural and Biological Engineering 8:27 - How You Package 400 million M&M's 15:03 - Career Progression as an Automation Engineer 18:12 - Why You Shouldn't Trust the "Best By" Date 21:28 - Automation in the Semiconductor Industry 25:52 - Will Automation Replace Humans? 31:24 - Semiconductor vs Food Industry 39:13 - Thinking in First Principles 42:18 - Navigating Company Politics 48:49 - Advice for a Younger Kenny 50:58 - Kenny's Best Investment--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/howdydothat/message
In this episode, Rebecca Thai shares her story of transitioning from a nursing career to becoming a wedding and event designer. From her early years immigrating to the US, to working as a nurse, starting a flower shop, and finding her passion in event design, Rebecca takes us through her journey. She also shares tips for newly engaged couples and the difference between a wedding designer, planner, and coordinator.
Timestamps:
2:23 - Immigrating to the US at 2.5 years old
4:02 - Life as an Oncology Floor Nurse
6:38 - Transitioning to Full-Time Mom
8:10 - On Starting a Flower Shop and Becoming a Florist
18:33 - Shifting from Flowers to Wedding Event Design
27:34 - How Nursing Experience has Helped Rebecca with Weddings
30:08 - Wedding Planning Tips for Newly Engaged Couples
35:57 - Difference Between Wedding Designer, Planner, and Coordinator
38:47 - Advice Rebecca Would Give to Her 19 y.o. Self
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Join us on this episode of Howdy Do That as we sit down with Kristen Partridge, a leader in higher education and student affairs..
KP shares her journey and offers valuable advice on finding mentorship, evaluating career opportunities, and building lasting relationships.
We also delve into the importance of finding work that aligns with your values and goals, and the value of being adaptable and open to growth in new roles.
KP offers her perspective on who should consider a career in higher education, and shares a helpful tool for assessing life satisfaction levels.
Tune in to this episode to get an inside look at the exciting world of higher education with Kristen Partridge, and learn how to navigate the challenges and opportunities it presents.
7:19 - Falling in Love with Education
10:21 - Student Affairs as a Profession
13:40 - “Knock on the Door” and Advice on Mentorship
20:41 - On Finding the Right Imperfect Job
30:11 - Growing and Adapting to New Roles in Student Affairs
37:06 - Who Should Consider a Career in Higher Education
41:42 - Tool for Assessing Life Satisfaction Levels
48:07 - On Being a Chaos Slayer and New Side Quest s
52:15 - Advice on Building Relationships and Community
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In this episode of Howdy Do That, we sit down with Hank Cavagnaro, a seasoned multimedia journalist turned supervisor. He discusses the skills and qualities it takes to be a successful multimedia journalist, including the importance of soft skills and the challenges of being a reporter. Hank also shares his thoughts on what makes a good story and offers advice for college students and new graduates considering a career in journalism. Throughout the conversation, Hank shares anecdotes from his time as an MMJ, including a close encounter with Taylor Swift and his transition to management. Tune in to hear Hank's insights on earning career capital and the importance of hard work and persistence.
1:39 - Living in OKC vs Austin
4:09 - Sports Journalism vs News
9:26 - What it takes to be a Multimedia Journalist
11:10 - Life as an MMJ and Almost Meeting Taylor Swift
12:45 - On Earning Career Capital (Chips)
15:52 - Transition to Management
21:44 - What Makes a Good Story
24:25 - Importance of Soft Skills
34:02 - Challenges of Being a Reporter and
41:01 - Considerations for a Career in Journalism
43:14 - Advice for College Students and New Grads
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In today's episode, Tiffany shares her journey from a corporate career in biotech and medical device sales to following her dream of creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding dresses. Tiffany talks about the challenges she faced and the rewards of owning her own business, as well as the process of designing and bringing to life custom dresses for her clients.
Timestamps:
2:54 - Cover Bride for Brides of Oklahoma
6:50 - On Making Dresses for Date Parties
10:42 - Transitioning from Medical Devices to Focusing on Avari Bridal
16:50 - The Process of Creating a Custom Dress
22:40 - Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur
28:15 - Advice for Entrepreneurs
40:13 - On The Wedding Industry and Tips for Wedding Planning
47:46 - Advice for College Students and New Grads
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Aric is an old colleague, who I met when working in consulting at GE Healthcare. He has earned both a PhD and a Masters in Healthcare Administration. In this episode, Aric shares his story to consulting and what he's learned from earning 4 promotions over the last 5 years.
Timestamps:
1:42 - Ruby vs Football
7:03 - On Pursuing a PhD
16:30 - What to Consider When Pursuing a PhD
20:17 - Moving into Healthcare Administration
23:10 - Navigating Being Laid Off
36:34 - Life as a Consultant
41:18 - On Earning Promotions
57:21 - Best $100 Investment
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Hello! Last week, I came across Cal Newport's book called "So Good They Can't Ignore You" which is all about how to find and get to do work that you love. It immediately caught my attention since it's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. I listened to it on 2.5x speed, only slowing down to jot down notes and highlights.
This episode is my summary of the book, where I try to extrapolate how you can apply Cal's research in your life. This book also gave me a lot of inspiration on what to ask and look for with upcoming guest interviews.
I hope you enjoy!
Timestamps:
3:32 - Rule #1: Don't Follow your Passion
4:25 - Rule #2: Be So Good They Can't Ignore You
6:43 - 3 Traits that make for Great Work
8:45 - How Deliberate Practice Can Help You Build Career Capital
9:53 - 5 Steps to Apply Deliberate Practice
13:35 - 3 Reasons to Leave a Job
14:50 - Rule #3: Turn Down a Promotion, or Importance of Control
16:56 - Rule #4: Think Small, Act Big
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Vu Nguyen works in Cyber Security while also managing a Mobile Pet Grooming with his wife.
In this episode, Vu shares tips on how to protect yourself on the internet, use credit cards to travel, and turn failures into learnings.
Timestamps:
1:29 - Impact of Family Moving to US from Vietnam
3:16 - Working in Cyber Security
13:19 - How People Can Protect Themselves Online
19:09 - Most Worthwhile Investment Vu Has Made
29:01 - Process of Buying an Existing Business
38:47 - Learning from Business Failures
48:45 - Advice for College Students and Newly Grads
52:47 - Using Credit Cards for Free Travel
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Liz shares her story of growing up in rural Oklahoma, how the students at Teach for America changed her life, and her experiences at Georgetown Law.
This episode is filled with great advice for young people who are searching for or pursuing their passions.
Timestamps:
2:48 - Growing Up in Oklahoma
7:04 - How Teach for America Impacted Liz
19:12 - Influencing Factors on Deciding to Go to Law School
30:36 - Life as a Georgetown Law Student
37:04 - Managing the Emotional Weight of Practicing Law
43:58 - Next Chapter with a Big Law Firm
52:46 - Advice for Young People
I'm on a journey to find the work that I love! In this first episode, I dig into what it means to me to do what you love, why I think it's important that we figure this out, and how I'm trying to get closer to what I love.
Thanks for listening and being an OG Phamily member :)