Shows / FailCraft
FailCraft
FailCraft is a podcast about the messy, real side of success. Host Ezekiel Iferia dives into the stories of creators, founders, and everyday people who turned setbacks into stepping stones. From failed ideas to reborn dreams, each episode uncovers how failure shapes mastery — and why learning to fall is part of learning to fly.
Episodes
- FailCraft
Publishing a Thriller at 67: Why It's Never Too Late to Start - Buddy Howard
Do you have a dream you’ve been sitting on for years, but you secretly feel like you’ve "aged out" or it’s simply too late to start? Buddy Howard spent decades…
- FailCraft
Why 99% of Leadership Training Fails And How to Fix It - Maren Perry
Why do so many expensive corporate leadership programs end up collecting dust in a drawer? Maren Perry, Founder & CEO of Arden Coaching, has spent nearly two…
- FailCraft
Escaping the Rudderless Life: Why So Many Men Feel Lost - Maxim Shapiro
Do you feel like you are just drifting through life—going through the motions, lacking pride, and secretly knowing you aren't living up to your potential?…
- FailCraft
Piercing the Design Fog: How to Lead Effective Product Development Meetings - Dianna Deeney | Ep 150
Dianna Deeney is a product development expert with over 25 years of experience spanning the manufacturing floor to leading design teams. She specializes in the…
- FailCraft
Retiring at 28, Broke at 30: Surviving $1,000,000 in Debt - Chris Miles
What happens when the financial expert who supposedly "has it all figured out" loses everything and ends up on food stamps? Chris Miles, founder of Money…
- FailCraft
Twins at 25 Weeks: Surviving Divorce and the NICU Chaos - Tami Gaines
What do you do when your life spirals into complete chaos—navigating an unexpected divorce, two kids at home, and the sudden, terrifying birth of micro-preemie…
- FailCraft
The 4-Year College Trap: Why Your Teen is Anxious, Lost, and Stuck - Prasant Nukalapati
Are you pushing your teenager onto a "conveyor belt" toward a 4-year college just because it's what you are supposed to do? Prasant Nukalapati, an admissions…
- FailCraft
Death to Algorithms: How Big Tech is Hijacking Your Mind - Tobias Mark Jensen
Do you feel like you are stuck in an endless scroll, mindlessly consuming content, or burning out on dating apps that never lead to real connection? Tobias…
- FailCraft
Divorced at 42: How I Reinvented My Life One Quilt at a Time - Lorie Kleiner Eckert
What do you do when the only life plan you ever had—being a stay-at-home mom—suddenly ends in divorce after 21 years? Lorie Kleiner Eckert found herself facing…
- FailCraft
Personally Liable for $5 Million: How I Survived Ultimate Financial Collapse - Roy Coughlan
How do you keep living when the banks take your properties, your personal belongings, and lock you out of your own home while slapping you with a $5,000,000…
- FailCraft
The Neuroscience of Bad Leadership: Why Your Brain Sabotages Feedback - Yosi Kossowsky
Why do smart leaders make terrible decisions under pressure? And why does giving feedback often backfire and ruin team morale? Yosi Kossowsky, an executive…
- FailCraft
Laid Off at 60: Walking Away from a 6-Figure IT Career to Start Over - Jim Hauck
What do you do when you've dedicated nearly 30 years to the corporate IT world, only to have your position eliminated right before your 60th birthday? Jim…
- FailCraft
I Went to Sleep a Millionaire & Woke Up Broke: The Gift of Failure - Ari Rastegar
How do you go from flipping burgers as an immigrant kid in Dallas to being named the "Oracle of Austin" by Forbes and managing a multi-billion-dollar real…
- FailCraft
Why This Lawyer Left the Courtroom to Fight the System - Andrea LeDew
Andrea LeDew was trained as a lawyer to fight with briefs and contracts, but when the systems around her began to fail, she found a different weapon: creative…
- FailCraft
Brain Surgery, Wall Street & PTSD: Breaking the Armor of Leadership - Omar Ritter
What happens when a West Point graduate and combat veteran takes his hypervigilance to Wall Street, only to realize the "tough it out" mentality is slowly…
- FailCraft
Escaping the Victim Trap After Tragic Loss - Chanoa Inez
What happens when your picture-perfect life is shattered overnight, and the dream you were building suddenly disappears? Chanoa Inez, author of *Dream On* and…
- FailCraft
Lose Weight or Lose Your Life: Reversing a 53% Enlarged Heart - Hipolito Montero
What happens when a doctor looks you in the eye and tells you that if you don't change your lifestyle immediately, you won't live to see your five-year-old…
- FailCraft
High Functioning But Hurting: Why I Used Psychedelics to Heal Childhood Trauma - Katie Baker
What happens when you spend your entire life outrunning childhood trauma by being the "perfect" mom, wife, and professional—until the mask finally falls off?…
- FailCraft
I Quit Google at 43: Escaping the Golden Handcuffs of Tech - Daniel Rodgers
What do you do when you spend decades climbing the corporate ladder, only to realize it's leaning against the wrong wall? Daniel C. Rodgers, a former program…
- FailCraft
Stop the Content Grind: How to Fix Your Broken Podcast Strategy - Virginia Elder
Are you pouring hours into your podcast or content marketing, only to hear crickets and see zero ROI? Virginia Elder, founder of Podcast Abundance, joins the…
- FailCraft
Engineer Tries to Fix Politics: Oligarchs, Factory Farms, & Losing Elections - Dan Schaefer
What happens when an engineer tries to apply logic to the most broken, irrational system in America: politics? Dan Schaefer, an engineer and progressive…
- FailCraft
When Your Thoughts Make You Sick: The Painful Art of Unbecoming - K.K. Biernath
What happens when you build the "perfect" life—the house, the career, the family—but your body literally breaks down to stop you from living it? Karina, who…
- FailCraft
Faking Death to Save My Baby: The Making of a Psychic Detective - Nancy Orlen Weber
What happens when a near-death experience violently forces your mind and soul wide open? Nancy Orlen Weber, a former registered nurse, survived a horrifying…
- FailCraft
Successful But Empty: How Psychedelics Cured My Flat Life - Laura Watson
What do you do when you are a highly successful business coach with 30 years of experience, a stable marriage, and all the personal development tools in the…
- FailCraft
Amputation, Bungee Jumps, & Cancer Scares: Build Your Financial Safety Net - Bart Merrell
What happens when your spouse calls you with a cancer diagnosis, and your terrifying second thought is, "We can't afford to fight this"? Bart Merrell, a serial…
- FailCraft
Hit With a Stapler: How a Toxic Boss Fueled My Leadership Mission - Dr. Andy Neillie
Have you ever worked for a boss so toxic that it completely changed the trajectory of your life? Dr. Andy Neillie, a leadership expert and bestselling author…
- FailCraft
Success at Any Cost: The Tragic Wake-Up Call - Garrett Wood
We are often told that "success requires sacrifice." But what happens when the sacrifice is your life? Garrett Wood, a clinical hypnotherapist and executive…
- FailCraft
I Quit Being a Tech CEO at 40: The "Obituary Moment" - Ken Davenport
What do you do when you are a successful Tech CEO in your 40s, checking every box of societal success, but you realize the story you are writing with your life…
- FailCraft
The Prison of Burnout: Why Women Over 40 Collapse - Dr. Elizabeth Sherrell-Davis
Dr. Elizabeth Sherrell-Davis (Dr. E) knows two types of prisons very well. She spent years teaching incarcerated men inside a California State Prison, helping…
- FailCraft
Fired at 42 to Unemployed Stock Genius - Steve Farrington
What happens when a tenured finance professor gets fired at age 42, trades the classroom for a newsletter, and starts calling himself an "Unemployed Value…
- FailCraft
The "Defer, Defer, Defer" Trap: Why Your 401k is a Time Bomb - Lance Mays
We’ve been told for decades to "defer" our taxes and put money into 401ks and IRAs. But what if that advice is actually setting you up for a financial crisis…
- FailCraft
Hit by a Car at 55mph: The Champion's Mindset - JC Chamberlain
How does a man survive being hit broadside by a car traveling at 55 mph while riding his bicycle, then defy surgeons who told him he'd never ride again? JC…
- FailCraft
Told I'd Never Have Kids: Healing Chronic Illness & Self-Worth - Amy Lenius
What happens when doctors tell you as a teenager that you will be in pain forever, you might never have children, and your only option is a hysterectomy? Amy…
- FailCraft
Fortune 50 Exec Quits: The Quiet Crisis of Not Mattering - John R. Miles
What makes a Fortune 50 executive and former U.S. Navy officer walk away from the pinnacle of career success? John R. Miles, founder of Passion Struck® and…
- FailCraft
Why "Feeling It To Heal It" Is Dangerous - Steven Hoskinson
We are often told that to heal trauma, we must "feel it to heal it" and dig deep into our past pain. But what if that approach is actually making you worse?…
- FailCraft
Fired After Generating 5-Figure Monthly Revenue: The Truth About Agencies - Phil Bacon
What happens when you generate massive revenue for a company, only to walk in one morning and find your belongings in a box? Phil Bacon, a marketing strategist…
- FailCraft
From Window Fitter to £3.5M: Why Success Felt Like Failure - Chris Archer
How does a man who left school at 16 with no plan build a business to £3.5 million in revenue, only to find himself more trapped than ever? Chris Archer…
- FailCraft
From Invisible to Influencer: The 4 Stages of Leadership - Rahul Karan Sharma
Are you stuck in the "Invisible Stage" of your career, where nobody asks for your input and no one would notice if you weren't there? Rahul Karan Sharma, a…
- FailCraft
Waking Up With a Reset Brain: Coma, Cancer, & Rebirth - Shannon Michelle
Imagine waking up from a coma after a horrific accident and having no memory of the successful life you built for 25 years. Then, while trying to relearn who…
- FailCraft
Laid Off & Broke: Building a Business with 6 Mouths to Feed - John Pezoulas
What do you do when you are laid off, living on unemployment insurance, and have six mouths to feed between you and your business partner? John Pezoulas…
- FailCraft
7,000 Shows Later: Proving Them Wrong & Playing in Prisons - Tony Saint Tone
What does it take to perform over 7,000 shows worldwide, from big stages with rock legends to the inside of prisons and rehab centers? Tony Saint Tone, an…
- FailCraft
Robbed, Broke, & Sober: How to Recover from Everything - Robert Gaines
What do you do when your life's work—a recording studio—is robbed clean, just days after you ended your military career to pursue it full-time? Robert Gaines…
- FailCraft
Born Contaminated: Reversing Parkinson's & Alzheimer's - Mark Burnett
How does a man born into the toxic water crisis at Camp Lejeune, diagnosed with both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, end up running marathons after being told…
- FailCraft
Fired & Terrified to Employing 1,300 People - Merry Korn
What do you do when you are fired just two months into a "safe" job, you are a single mother with two kids heading to college, and you are terrified you might…
- FailCraft
New Age, Occult, & Suicide: The Call That Saved My Life - Jai Roza
How does a young man deeply involved in New Age occultism and channeling entities find his way back from the edge of suicide? Jai Roza, founder of Eden's…
- FailCraft
From RN to MFA at 65: Rewriting Life's Script - Joni Marie Iraci
Is it ever too late to rewrite your story? Joni Marie Iraci, a former Registered Nurse and mother of three, proves that reinvention has no age limit. At 65…
- FailCraft
Laid Off After 15 Years to Recruiting CEO - Susan Bortone
What do you do when a 15-year career vanishes overnight during a global pandemic? Susan Bortone, founder and CEO of Noble Talent Group, shares her inspiring…
- FailCraft
When It Hits The Fan: 5 Steps to Survive a Crisis - Mike Swenson
What happens when a company that has been in business for decades is shut down in just six months because of one mistake? Mike Swenson, founder of Barkley…
- FailCraft
Nearly Dying at 26: Why Success Felt Like Failure - Alan Lazaros
On paper, Alan Lazaros had won the game. He was a Computer Engineer with an MBA, earning great money in corporate America. But internally, he was…
- FailCraft
Hospital Bed to 3,500 Miles: The Stroke Survivor’s Mindset - Chip Scholz
How does a man who just suffered a stroke in the middle of a classroom—unable to speak or walk more than a block—go on to lose 100 pounds and walk 3,500 miles?…
- FailCraft
From 100 Rejections to 100 Interviews: Cracking the Job Code - Aparajita Sudarshan
How does a professional with an 18-year successful career across 6 countries suddenly become invisible? Aparajita Sudarshan, founder of Cvolve Pro, shares her…
- FailCraft
11 Years in a Wheelchair to Walking Again: Defying the Odds - Cyndee Dhalai
How do you survive when doctors tell you there is no medication you can take, you've flatlined multiple times, and you are destined to remain in a wheelchair…
- FailCraft
When Society Collapses: A USAID Director’s Warning - Clifford Brown
What does it actually look like when a country falls apart? And what happens when the agency designed to help stabilize them is suddenly destroyed? Clifford…
- FailCraft
2 Cancers in 2 Years: An Ironman’s Fight for Life - Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds
How does a 15-time marathon runner and Ironman triathlete end up fighting for his life against cancer—twice? Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, author of Every Mile…
- FailCraft
Beyond Mindset: Why Positive Thinking Fails - Michael Ostrolenk
Why do the "aha moments" we get from books and seminars often disappear by Monday morning? Michael Ostrolenk, a Master Coach for SEALFIT’s Unbeatable Mind…
- FailCraft
28-Year Marriage Collapse to Unstoppable Reinvention - Stacie Shifflett
What happens when the foundation of your life—a 28-year marriage—collapses and leaves you feeling like Humpty Dumpty, broken into a million pieces? Stacie…
- FailCraft
Fired After Cancer Diagnosis: The Fight for Resilience - DK Kang
What do you do when your wife is diagnosed with cancer, and one week later, you lose your job? DK Kang, author of Mindset Metamorphosis, shares his harrowing…
- FailCraft
Burned Out VP to Purpose Coach: Quitting the Numbing - Ben Stein
How does a high-level VP with "everything" on paper end up lost, numb, and dependent on alcohol just to cope? Ben Stein, founder of Purpose Up and a…
- FailCraft
Dyslexia, Burnout, & Cancer: From Invisible to Invincible - Pamela Cass
How do you go from hiding in a closet hoping to be found, to becoming a high-powered executive, only to burn out completely? Pamela Cass, a performance coach…
- FailCraft
Homeless Teen to Name on the Moon: Extreme Resilience - Jennifer Gligoric
How does a homeless teenager living in a tent end up as a government minister with her name physically on the moon? Jennifer Gligoric, a business crisis…