A LOT with Audra

What happens when your five-year-old asks, "When can you retire?" and it forces you to reconsider everything? Today's guest, Bryan Steele—the producer of this podcast—shares the story of how that single question from his daughter revealed a profound truth: the corporate path he'd carefully followed wasn't creating the life he actually wanted. After 15 years as an aerospace engineer, Bryan found himself building a recording studio in his basement, falling backwards into podcasting, and eventually making the leap to full-time entrepreneurship. We talk about following breadcrumbs from music to recording to podcasting, setting financial milestones before leaving corporate life, and creating the freedom and flexibility he'd been chasing all along. If you're feeling the tension between the life you're living and the life you want, or if you've been ignoring those creative side quests that keep calling to you, you'll want to hear this conversation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The moment Bryan's daughter asked when he could retire—and how her simple question revealed he needed to change everything about his career path

• Why Bryan built a recording studio in his basement while working full-time as an aerospace engineer

• How Bryan accidentally fell into podcasting through Wichita State basketball in 2014

• The two milestones Bryan and his wife set before he could leave his corporate job: becoming debt-free and building a two-year financial cushion

• Why tearing his ACL delayed Bryan's entrepreneurial leap but didn't stop it

• The 13-year timeline from first creative exploration to full-time business owner

• How Bryan balanced side hustle work while staying present for coaching his kids' sports teams

• The "putting ideas in amber" strategy for managing creative distractions without losing focus

CHAPTERS

[1:03] Introduction and Welcome

[1:53] Engineering Success Path

[3:46] Big Company Machine

[4:46] Redefining Success

[6:24] Values Misalignment

[8:58] Creative Roots Return

[9:42] Basement Studio Side Hustle

[10:50] Falling Into Podcasting

[12:45] Breadcrumbs To Business

[14:33] Daughter's Retirement Question

[18:04] Building Time Boundaries

[20:31] Outsourcing And Support

[21:50] Outsourcing Home Tasks

[22:12] Debt Free Milestones

[24:03] Building a Safety Net

[25:25] Torn ACL Setback

[27:21] From Studio to Full Time

[29:19] Following Breadcrumbs

[30:52] Ideas in Amber Method

[32:17] Launching Side Hustle Dad

[34:15] Why It's for Dads

[35:17] Mindset Strategy Tactics

[35:47] Where to Listen and Wrap Up

RESOURCES

• The Side Hustle Dad Podcast - Bryan's new podcast launching to help dads create flexibility and freedom through side businesses; www.thesidehustle.dad

• Forge Podcast Co. - Bryan's podcast production company; www.forgepodcast.co

Want to learn more?

Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.

Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.