In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I’m breaking down one of the most powerful forces behind everything I’ve built in business and life: networking. This conversation was recorded the morning after hosting our very first Deal Maker Hampton Roads event, and it gave me a fresh perspective on just how differently people experience rooms full of strangers.

I share why networking has always been my biggest strength, how it’s shaped my career, and why being “resourceful” often just means knowing who to call. But more importantly, I talk about introverts—the anxiety they feel walking into events, the courage it takes just to show up, and a simple question that can completely change the experience. If you’ve ever avoided networking because it feels uncomfortable, intimidating, or draining, this episode is for you.

This isn’t about collecting business cards or forcing sales conversations. It’s about creating environments, building real relationships, extracting value, and giving value—no matter your personality type.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why networking events don’t have to be big or expensive

01:15 Why this is a solo episode after hosting our first Deal Maker event

02:03 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:54 Why networking has been my biggest professional advantage

04:16 How networking both energizes and drains me

05:13 Being resourceful by knowing who to call—not how to do everything

06:08 Building trust by doing what you say you’ll do

07:18 The power of long-term relationship building

08:16 Why curating environments brings me the most joy

12:08 Hosting events—from backyard cookouts to 60-person meetups

13:53 The introvert moment that changed my perspective

14:27 Half the room identifying as introverts

15:15 Understanding anxiety through someone else’s lens

16:41 Vulnerability required just to show up

17:11 The simple question that breaks the ice: “Where are you from originally?”

23:59 Extracting value without chasing money

25:25 Why avoiding networking limits opportunity

26:14 Bill Phillips as the introvert example—and why it still works

27:26 Joining our first mastermind and jumping into the deep end

33:10 How Amanda Holbrook became our financial strategist

34:15 Building our brand through relationships, not transactions

35:45 How every major piece of our business came from networking

36:48 Two mindsets to bring into every event: give value + extract value

38:08 The junk removal example—and why showing up matters

39:35 Why free local events can change everything

40:39 How real conversations actually build trust

41:21 The joy of watching connections happen

42:47 Why facilitating relationships is the real reward

44:12 Why impact matters more than direct profit

46:16 Gratitude after seeing it all come together

47:04 The (true) mom story and empty brewery joke

51:35 Final encouragement to get in the room—even if it’s uncomfortable

52:38 Closing thoughts on networking, perspective, and growth

Quotables

“Networking isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about knowing who to call.”

“Half the room is uncomfortable, even if it doesn’t look that way.”

“If you’re an introvert, ask one question and let curiosity do the rest.”

“Go to events with the intent to give value and extract value.”

“The best opportunities in my life came from rooms I almost didn’t walk into.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Bryce Matheson—founder of Lender, a fast-growing software platform built specifically for private and hard money lenders. Bryce’s story is a perfect example of how real businesses are built: through trial and error, painful lessons, and the willingness to take action before everything feels “ready.”

We walk through Bryce’s journey from house hacking and rentals, to flipping homes, to losing money on a deal that changed everything—and ultimately to becoming a lender himself. Along the way, Bryce explains how his tech background naturally led him to build systems to solve his own problems, why most lending software misses the mark, and how Lender was born out of pure necessity rather than some grand startup vision.

This conversation goes deep into entrepreneurship, resilience, capital raising, lending risk, family sacrifice, and building tools that actually serve real operators. If you’re in real estate, private lending, tech, or trying to build a scalable business without losing your sanity, this episode is packed with real-world insight.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 The internal struggle every entrepreneur faces: work vs. family guilt

01:16 Introducing Bryce Matheson and his move from Idaho to Arizona

02:52 How Bryce and I first connected through private lending

04:19 Early entrepreneurial instincts and selling candy as a kid

05:21 Starting the “traditional” path: college, tech job, and early rentals

06:21 Buying his first house in 2016 and accidentally house hacking

07:17 Scaling rentals, then burning out as a landlord

07:55 Transitioning into flipping houses—and why they loved it

08:38 The flip that went wrong during COVID and lost $50K

09:59 The moment Bryce realized: “I need to be the bank”

11:05 Moving into private lending with his own capital

12:32 Why underwriting is easier when you’ve flipped houses yourself

14:21 Seeing operational gaps and naturally building software to fix them

15:32 Building and selling an early QuickBooks-style tool

17:02 Are entrepreneurs born or built? Bryce’s take

18:59 The role of resilience in every successful entrepreneur

37:27 Managing loans with phone notes—and why that couldn’t last

38:42 Demoing existing lending software and deciding to build his own

40:07 Launching Lender as an MVP—and letting customers shape it

41:28 Our experience transitioning 60+ active loans into Lender

44:26 How customer feedback directly drives product development

45:15 Growth strategy, conferences, and expanding the team

49:13 Using AI to automate document review and insurance tracking

50:14 The future of AI-powered underwriting

52:23 How Lender replaces full-time employees and reduces risk

53:28 Building trust with investors through systems and safeguards

Quotables

“You can’t fail if you don’t quit.”

“If I’m going to live in a system all day, it better be built well—and built for real operators.”

“Most people underestimate how important underwriting experience is in lending.”

“Capital always finds a home if you keep your marketing turned on.”

“Every business starts messy. The ones that survive are the ones that build systems.”

Links

Lender Software

https://lender.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I talk about something that drives nearly every decision I make: the example I’m setting for my kids. This isn’t about parenting hacks, discipline strategies, or telling your kids how to live—it’s about modeling the life you hope they grow into by how you show up every single day.

I walk through how my wife and I think about love, gratitude, kindness, health, work ethic, independence, and emotional safety inside our home—and why actions will always matter more than words. From how we treat strangers, to how we handle adversity, to how we take care of our bodies and pursue non-traditional paths, this episode is a reflection on what kids really absorb when they’re watching us closely.

If you’re a parent (or planning to be one), this episode will challenge you to take a hard look at whether your behavior aligns with what you’re asking your kids to become.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why my kids never see me be rude to anyone

01:48 Why this is another solo episode to close out the year

02:54 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:22 Introducing my kids: Emma (14) and JJ (9)

04:22 The reality of parenting: none of us get it exactly right

05:15 Why kids model behavior more than they follow instructions

05:59 Making our home the safest place on the planet

07:06 Modeling emotional safety, vulnerability, and expression

07:59 Why “I love you” is said constantly in our house

09:36 The long-term impact of growing up in a loving home

11:12 Teaching kids that love should be expressed, not withheld

12:00 Gratitude as a daily practice, not a concept

13:13 Why gratitude protects against a “woe is me” mindset

14:49 Avoiding a culture of complaining inside the home

16:36 Turning negative situations into positive reframes

17:57 Why modeling behavior doesn’t guarantee outcomes—but it increases the odds

18:38 Natural traits vs. behaviors I have to work at

19:42 Why health and wellness are non-negotiables for me as a dad

25:53 The difference between coaching and leading by example

27:13 Why my wife models health through constant movement

29:23 Changing my own habits so I could set a better example

31:09 Modeling healthy eating through moderation, not restriction

33:24 Showing kids there’s more than one path in life

34:58 Why I want my kids to see both corporate success and entrepreneurship

38:53 Modeling generosity, tipping, and respect for service workers

40:11 The danger of preaching what you refuse to practice

41:20 Why kids follow examples—not expectations

42:32 Closing thoughts on intentional parenting and personal accountability

Quotables

“Your kids won’t become what you tell them to be—they’ll become what you show them.”

“I don’t preach kindness. I model it.”

“If you want your kids to be healthy, loving, and disciplined, you better be those things first.”

“Our house is their safest place—and everything starts there.”

“You can’t ask your kids to live a life you refuse to live yourself.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com