Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed

The Inspiration Engineer Who Turns Personal Brands into Legacies (Not Just Followers) - Cauveé [kaw-vay]

What if your brand wasn’t a business, but your legacy? In this powerful conversation, Junaid sits down with Kaveh, the Inspiration Engineer, to unpack what it really takes to build a legacy-driven personal brand in a noisy world. This is not another fluffy branding chat—this is about systems, mindset, and the uncomfortable truth that most “personal brands” fail because they never get past vanity metrics and free-99 thinking. Kaveh breaks down how he audits a brand, why templates don’t work, and the brutal reason most creators burn out or stall financially. From monetizing a tiny podcast audience to understanding when you must pay to play, he shares the exact mental shifts and strategic moves high performers need to make to turn content into conversions, impact, and a life they’re proud of on their deathbed. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why being “legacy-driven” changes every decision you make in your business The real reason most personal brands collapse within a few years How to turn your skills, story, and presence into a tailored brand strategy Creative, underrated ways to monetize a podcast beyond sponsorships How high performers can avoid burnout while still playing at a world-class level Key Timestamps [0:01:12] Legacy vs. fame – Kaveh explains what being legacy-driven really means at the end of your life. [0:02:48] The first move in building a brand – Why Kaveh always starts with a brutal audit, not a content plan. [0:05:47] Why most personal brands fail – Clarity, conversions, and the patience problem. [0:08:06] “My podcast isn’t growing” – Kaveh’s live breakdown of a struggling podcaster’s real issue. [0:11:22] Monetizing when you’re not “big enough” – Smart ways to use brands, proof, and digital products. [0:12:04] The lie of “free-99 growth” – Why you must invest (time, money, or both) if you want real numbers. [0:17:41] Burnout in high performers – How Kaveh coaches driven creators to protect their energy and longevity. [0:21:00] The message 100 years from now – Kaveh’s final word on breaking out of society’s boxes. 5 Big Takeaways Legacy over likes: Kaveh isn’t trying to be famous—he’s optimizing for the moment on his deathbed when he can say he truly impacted people’s lives. Audit before strategy: Every client starts with an audit of presence, skills, and assets—no templates, only tailored frameworks built around where they already are. Clarity equals conversion: Most brands die because they’re unclear on their message, audience, and offer—no clarity means no sales, and no sales means no brand. Stop chasing free-99: The biggest myth in the creator economy is that you can scale purely organically; serious numbers come from intentional financial investment or serious time investment (and usually both). High performers burn out in silence: Even the best struggle with belief, vision, and systems—coaching, delegation, and pre-scheduled rest are non-negotiables, not luxuries. Guest Links http://www.inspirationengineer.com https://open.substack.com/pub/cauvee https://www.youtube.com/@Cauveé http://www.linkedin.com/in/Cauvee http://www.facebook.com/Cauvee http://www.instagram.com/Cauvee https://cauveecreative.com/youtubemusic https://cauveecreative.com/Spotify https://x.com/cauvee?s=21&t=EFcP2Pz_VSApJuAOUCYvtw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cauveé [kaw-vay] The Inspiration Engineer: How Motivation Music, Adversity & Personal Branding Turn You Into Your Highest Self

What if the very adversity that tried to break you was actually the blueprint for your breakthrough? In this powerful conversation, TED speaker, coach, artist and strategist Cauveé – The Inspiration Engineer – breaks down how he transformed doubt, failure and “you can’t do that” into a repeatable framework for energy, execution and elevation. From selling out his first concert at 18, to missing the mark in a 3,500-seat auditorium, to helping clients break six figures and build rockstar personal brands, Kaveh shows that success isn’t an accident – it’s engineered. We dive deep into his SIP Method (Strategy, Instruction, Programming), why most people stay stuck in reasons instead of results, and how motivation music™ can rewire your subconscious faster than any speech. If you’ve ever felt like your dreams are bigger than your current reality, this episode gives you the mindset, tools and frameworks to finally close that gap. In this episode, you’ll learn: How one painful moment with his father turned Kaveh into “public enemy number one” – and ignited his life’s mission. Why adversity is the “gym” for your character and how to use it without burning out. The SIP Method and how Strategy, Instruction & Programming work together to build a rockstar personal brand. Why programming your subconscious matters more than getting “more information” or a better tactic. How motivation music™ leverages emotion, story and sound to hardwire new beliefs and performance. Timestamps [0:00] The Origin of The Inspiration EngineerHow Kaveh’s childhood, extroverted energy and early love for humans shaped his mission. [3:12] “You Can’t Do That” – The Moment That Changed EverythingThe father conversation that turned doubt into fuel and led to a sold‑out concert at 18. [6:26] From Local Fame to Life PurposeThe big win, the big flop, and the university coaching moment that redirected his entire career. [10:32] The SIP Method & Rockstar Personal BrandsBreaking down Strategy, Instruction & Programming – and why VCs are eyeing creator portfolios. [16:31] The Creator Economy, AI & What Will Actually Stand OutWhy diluted AI content will make real creativity, story and differentiation more valuable than ever. [18:44] Reasons vs Results: Reprogramming Your Default MindsetHow excuses, self‑sabotage and misaligned energy quietly destroy opportunity – and what to do instead. [28:33] Motivation Music™: Engineering Inspiration Through SoundThe science, stories and process behind putting speeches on beats and using music to rewire belief. Key Takeaways Adversity is design, not defect: you can choose the pain of discipline or the pain of regret – but you will pay either way. Most people don’t fail from lack of strategy; they fail from misaligned programming in their subconscious. The SIP Method combines strategy, instruction and programming so you don’t just know what to do – you become the person who does it. Personal brands are becoming portfolios: the next wave of investable “assets” are creators with multiple monetization streams. Music is an underused transformational tool: the right words on the right beat can bypass resistance and lock new beliefs into your nervous system. Guest Links http://www.inspirationengineer.com https://open.substack.com/pub/cauvee https://www.youtube.com/@Cauveé http://www.linkedin.com/in/Cauvee http://www.facebook.com/Cauvee http://www.instagram.com/Cauvee https://cauveecreative.com/youtubemusic https://cauveecreative.com/Spotify https://x.com/cauvee?s=21&t=EFcP2Pz_VSApJuAOUCYvtw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man Using AI To Let You Live Forever (Without Being Rich Or Famous) - Steve Endacott

What if your great‑grandchildren could sit down and talk to you… 100 years from now? In this emotional and mind‑bending conversation, entrepreneur  Steve Endacott reveals how he’s building Life Echo – an AI-powered legacy platform that lets anyone, not just billionaires and celebrities, preserve their voice, stories, and values for future generations. Steven shares the deeply personal story of losing his mother to dementia, how that pain led to building a “digital echo” of a life, and why he believes every “ordinary” person has an extraordinary story worth saving. We dive into the technology behind conversational AI autobiographies, the ethics of talking to someone after they’ve died, how this can transform grieving, and what AI really means for work, wealth, and meaning in the next decade. This episode will change how you think about memory, death, and legacy—and what you do with your next five hours on earth. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Life Echo turns a few short interviews into a 60‑page autobiography and an interactive AI “you” Why Steven believes only the rich being remembered is one of our greatest cultural failures The ethical rules they built to stop AI legacy from damaging the grieving process How AI, automation and “digital twins” could drive 25% unemployment—and what must change The small, practical step you can take today to start building a real legacy (beyond your LinkedIn bio) Timestamps 00:00 – Why almost nobody is remembered after three generations 02:10 – From Neural Voice to the world’s first AI MP for Parliament 06:45 – The birth of Life Echo: an AI version of you that speaks after you’re gone 08:40 – Dementia, dignity, and using AI to help people remember who they are 12:20 – Ethics, grief, and why Life Echo sets limits on how much you can use it 15:18 – Money, meaning, and why Steven stopped just building businesses 18:15 – AI, robots, and a future where 25% of people may not have jobs 19:56 – The one simple step to start building your legacy today Guest Links Life Echo Website: UK: https://www.lifeecho.co.uk US (launching): https://www.lifeecho.com Steven Endacott – LinkedIn: Search “Steven Endacott Life Echo” on LinkedIn Projects Mentioned: Newell River – Steven’s incubator (for Neural Voice and other AI ventures) Electric Car Organisation – Steven’s climate-focused give‑back initiative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Retire from Your Business Without Killing Its Growth (AI, Startups & the “Gray Hair” Advantage) - Steve Endacott

What if you could build a company you never have to run again—yet it keeps growing, thriving, and changing lives? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with entrepreneur, investor and mentor Steven Endacott, who sold his travel and insurance businesses (including Holiday Taxis for $60M) and then chose a new game: helping the next generation of founders build AI-powered companies he never has to operate. Steven reveals the model behind his incubator, where experienced “gray hairs” and young AI natives build disruptive B2B products together. He breaks down how to find people you can actually trust, how to structure equity so it doesn’t trap you later, and why most founders get “replacing themselves” completely wrong. If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping back from the day-to-day without stepping away from impact, this conversation is your blueprint. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Steven sold his companies and rewired his identity from operator to chairman The powerful model pairing “gray hair” experience with young AI talent Why you should never lock in all your co-founder equity on day one How to find, test, and keep the right people in high-speed startups Why most AI opportunities are B2B, not B2C—and how to think like a real disruptor Timestamps [00:00] The setup: building a business you never have to run again [01:59] Selling Holiday Taxis for $60M and choosing a new game [02:40] The Newer River model: gray hairs, young AI grads, and shared equity [04:32] Engines vs cars: how to actually win with AI in business [06:57] Who can you really trust? Building teams that move ultra fast [09:26] The biggest mistake founders make when replacing themselves [11:11] Why most AI startups fail—and how Steven recycles top talent Guest Links www.steveendacott.co.uk www.lifesecho.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Scott Durham Quit $10/hr & Built a 6‑Figure House Flipping Machine (Without HGTV Fairy Dust)

Most people watch house flips on TV. Scott Durham figured out how to own the deal in real life. In this episode, Junaid sits down with real estate investor and coach Scott Durham, who went from a $10/hour hotel job to flipping houses and building a repeatable system for wealth. Scott pulls back the curtain on his first flip, how he almost priced himself out of his own deals, and the simple math he still uses today to know—within seconds—if a property is worth the risk. If you’ve ever binged HGTV, scrolled past “before and after” photos on Instagram, or told yourself “I just need to learn a bit more before I start,” this conversation will hit hard. Scott exposes the real numbers behind TV flips, why “research without action is just entertainment,” and how ordinary people with no construction background can step into real estate with the right mentors, community, and mindset. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Scott went from hotel front desk to top agent to profitable flipper The exact back‑of‑the‑napkin formula he uses to spot real deals fast Why overthinking and underestimating costs both kill beginners—and how to avoid both Creative ways to fund your first flip, even if you don’t have the cash The mindset + community shifts that turn a one‑off flip into a real business Timestamps 00:00 – From $10/hour hotel job to real estate insider 03:39 – The first flip: clueless with contractors, $50k in profit 07:08 – What HGTV never shows you: the real costs of flipping 11:10 – The simple formula Scott uses to know if a deal is worth it 16:00 – “I don’t have the money” – funding flips with other people’s cash 20:29 – Surviving fear, 2008 scars, and the mental game of real estate 27:20 – Scott’s one piece of advice if you’re on the edge of your first deal Guest Links – Scott Durham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real.scottdurham Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices