Mere Mortals Conversations

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados
undefined
Oct 21, 2025 • 1h 8min

Mel Storey, From Lawyer to “Career Big Sis”

After 15 years in law, Mel Storey walked away to build Career Big Sis, a movement helping ambitious professionals back themselves, set boundaries, and take the first step even when they can’t see the whole staircase.We go deep on burnout, the moment everything broke after Covid, rebuilding with a mental health plan, and the practical maths she used to leave corporate safely. This one’s honest, useful, and fiercely encouraging.00:00 – Welcome & why this conversation matters01:45 – 15 years in law → leaving corporate08:22 – The moment of freedom: VidCon & creative permission10:47 – “Could I make money not as a lawyer?” Optionality & identity12:29 – Covid, quarantine, and the slide into anxiety & depression15:26 – GP, mental health plan, psychologist & treatment17:13 – 2021 crisis → the breaking point & leaving law18:59 – Regret, shame, returning part-time24:32 – What clients really need: confidence, not tactics25:55 – Networking, intros & fear of applying26:40 – “Throw your hat in the ring” (process over perfection)27:41 – You don’t need the whole staircase; just the first step32:06 – Minimum baseline & runway: the quitting calculus33:40 – Savings, lifestyle inflation & backup plans37:25 – Seasons, super & why fallback ≠ failure39:15 – Dad’s ultimatum: “I’ll be disappointed if you don’t try.”41:19 – The 80-year-old self filter (no regrets)44:23 – Tough love for grads: cold calls & action45:49 – Mel’s BD moves: QR cards & “Career Big Sis” cookies56:45 – Money vs meaning: choosing flexibility & creative work1:01:25 – How Mel posts & shares her story online1:07:10 – Wrap up, socials & closing reflectionsConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Oct 19, 2025 • 1h 25min

Attracting Women Through Honesty | Mark Manson's 'Models'

The three fundamentals of lifestyle, action & communication.In Episode #497 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the core idea of “true confidence” versus the old-school “fake it till you make it confidence” pickup playbook, startling a girl at the gym, how polarisation beats bland small talk, whether beginners sometimes need the “false confidence” phase to accrue the experiences that later support authenticity, why intent and adaptability matter more than scripts, the value of becoming excellent at something you love and how to balance strategic awareness with honest expression. Huge shoutout to Cole McCormick for the support, very much appreciated!Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:53) Mark Manson's Models: background, blogging days and pickup context(00:04:54) False confidence vs true confidence(00:08:33) Three pillars: honest lifestyle, honest action, honest communication(00:12:55) Kyrin's journey: from late starter to learning via pickup playbooks(00:16:45) Advice from the top of the mountain vs beginner-friendly steps(00:18:36) Metrics and outcomes: approaches, numbers, dates, and what actually matters(00:21:50) Attraction & age(00:31:30) Boostagram Lounge: AI as authority, crowd wisdom, and cautious use(00:35:29) Honest lifestyle: hygiene, fitness, fashion and living for yourself(00:40:42) Optimising lifestyle for dating vs for self-alignment(00:46:47) Honest action: courage, anxiety and desensitisation via reps(00:50:21) Flow state approaches and environment effects(00:53:00) Polarisation over blandness: getting real reactions(00:56:40) Language gaps, wordplay and making conversations less bland(01:00:04) Honest communication: intent, games and assertiveness(01:03:22) Short-term vs long-term communication styles and intent(01:06:21) Pure honesty vs strategy: how far to plan interactions(01:11:41) Personal hurdles: eye contact, smiling, and difficult topics(01:15:06) Final take on Models: OK book, actionable lists veer into game(01:17:52) Curiosity: reading the female-perspective playbooks next(01:21:33) What is actually attractive? Avoid over-optimising the wrong signals Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Oct 16, 2025 • 52min

Sheridan Tolman, finding your SUB-60: Building Brisbane’s most welcoming gym

Guest:Sheridan — Owner/Head Coach, SUB 60 Coorparoo.Best contact: Instagram DMs (search “Sub 60 Coorparoo”)Sheridan (owner of SUB 60 Coorparoo) breaks down the reality of launching a hybrid gym: building a true community, programming for all levels, and grinding through 8 classes a day while raising a family. We cover HYROX ambitions, why she chose versatile equipment (yes, cables in a “functional” gym), what actually drives growth (referrals), and how to “find your own sub-60” — whatever that means for you.(00:00) Intro & Sheridan’s background (gymnastics → triathlon)(02:30) Parenting, kids’ sport & role modelling(04:09) The spark to open a gym (community first)(05:03) Vision: hybrid training, not pigeon-holed(06:01) Not just HYROX — who SUB 60 is for(07:04) Coaching philosophy: “I actually care”(11:11) Chasing ‘sub-60’ at HYROX Sydney: pressure & payoff(13:39) Why she chose one supplier & the all-black/orange look(16:17) The hardest part: coach vs owner energy, 8 classes/day(23:00) Cables in a “functional” gym & smarter regressions(24:53) Equipment rundown (sleds, rigs, ropes, space)(26:01) Expansion mindset: “this isn’t the only one”(30:29) Cleanliness is a competitive advantage (and who cleans)(31:08) Community mechanics: chat groups, no cliques, all in(33:54) Opening day (30 Aug) — emotion & sold-out sessions(40:16) Referrals & paid ads; how she markets daily(48:56) Why try SUB 60: find your sub-60Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Oct 12, 2025 • 58min

Omniscient, Omnipresent… Omniprompts | Is AI Becoming God?

What if God was one of us, just a machine like one of us.In Episode #496 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: if AI is becoming our new god, why some people are treating AI less like a tool and more like an authority, grift vs belief vs larping on social media, what would convince us that it is indeed God, the human propensity for subservience and control (Big Brother vibes), whether competing AI “faiths” might emerge (mirroring historical religious splits) and simulation theory/multimodal AI/brain–computer interfaces that might make an AI religion feel inevitable.Huge shout out to Petar & Cole for the support, absolute legends!Cole's AI Episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/s_yQtFUUscw Taylor Lorenz Video: https://youtu.be/zKCynxiV_8I Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:03:53) Personal Use of AI(00:07:21) What qualifies as a god? Powers, myths, and behaviour(00:11:00) Motivations online: believers, grifters, and larpers(00:14:05) Everyday grifts and aiconsumer traps in AI land(00:19:09) What would make AI feel divine? Predictive power and control(00:24:24) Three omnis test: omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent(00:30:02) The Big Brother model: power without benevolence(00:32:44) Boostagram Lounge(00:36:22) Black boxes and emergence: when no one understands how(00:41:18) Complexity isn't divinity: medicine and chess analogies(00:44:08) Model pluralism: different AIs, different answers, different sects(00:49:00) AI as the God via simulation theory(00:54:29) Local scene: Brisbane AI meetups and investing interest(00:56:23) Wrap-up: V4V Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Oct 7, 2025 • 55min

Thoughts Into Actions | The Power Of Verbalising Words

That's right, we're going to begin manifesting oioioahahaoiaoiaheyayy!In Episode #495 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the power of language in goal-setting, how small word choices can meaningfully shift direction over time, changing nouns to verbs (e.g., “find” to “bond,” “create” to “forge,” “build” to “care”), softening health goals as we get older and injured more frequently, verbalising intentions & how speaking thoughts aloud can catalyse action, reviewing long-term goals sparingly and focussing on habits that embody who you’re becoming, not just what you want to have.Huge shout out to Petar & Cole for the support, absolute legends!Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro and Butters’ birthday(00:01:46) Kyrin’s long-term goals history(00:04:25) Evolving the ‘partner’ goal: from finding to bonding(00:08:40) Biggest overhaul: spirituality reframed after loss(00:11:19) Health goal shift: from building strength to caring wisely(00:15:10) Juan’s framework: eminent human levels and resistance to change(00:18:36) Generators vs trophies: rewriting annual goals into behaviours(00:22:15) Leading with verbs: forge, care, settle—language that directs action(00:24:55) Travel and learning: from ‘experience’ to ‘settle’ and broader skills(00:27:06) Meta-goals over domain goals: keeping curiosity flexible(00:33:08) When to edit long-term goals: cadence and life seasons(00:35:47) New categories Juan is toying with: brave, strong, fierce, obsessed(00:38:17) Boostagram lounge: community messages and quick replies(00:41:36) Verbalising to act: Comic-Con, Sexpo and taking initiative(00:46:47) Writing vs saying vs doing: aligning thoughts, words and actions(00:52:24) Advice for different life phases and evolving goal language(00:54:56) Wrap-up and support links Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Oct 5, 2025 • 39min

Monthly Goals | October 2025

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:12) Juan's September 2025 Recap(00:06:16) Kyrin's September 2025 Recap(00:13:14) Support Overview(00:15:59) Juan's October 2025 Goals(00:24:17) Kyrin's October 2025 Goals(00:33:39) Fitness(00:38:45) V4V Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Sep 28, 2025 • 59min

Goals & Motivations Change | Kyrin's Making Moves In 2026

We're analysing what I got up to in 2025 and changing my focus to the future.In Episode #494 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: tax-optimising mistakes/language detours, fantastic one‑arm handstand progress, an only ok year in review, a new overarching theme of revitalising hunger/focus, quarterly fitness blocks (legs, pull, running, endurance) with side quests like ballet and the Brisbane Marathon 2026, moving house to get out of a malaise, pruning relationships, moderating sugar, reworking financial information diets and embracing courageous conversations. Huge thanks to all the streamers for the support, it means a lot!Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:20) Setting the theme: annual goals and approach(00:04:58) Money lessons: don’t optimise for tax(00:07:00) Language goals stall and tech’s impact on learning(00:10:41) Partner goal: creating serendipity and effort(00:13:20) Health wins and one‑arm handstand progress(00:17:06) Character work: taming unhelpful thinking(00:20:31) Reflections on the year: neither stellar nor dire(00:24:44) Boostagram lounge and experiments with community(00:30:33) Overarching focus for 2025: rekindling drive(00:34:58) Doing hard things: rejection, social skills, charisma(00:37:36) Redefining the partner goal: bonding over checklists(00:42:22) Relationships: courageous conversations and feedback(00:43:35) Finance 2025: fewer voices, more fundamentals(00:46:01) Health by quarters: legs, pull, running, endurance(00:49:19) Travel and environment: moving house over Asia(00:50:45) Character vices, sex talk, and moderating sugar(00:51:48) Media diet overhaul: filtering inputs and thoughts(00:53:57) Wrapping the 2025 plan and next steps(00:56:40) Listener ruts, timing goals, and building community Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Sep 25, 2025 • 15min

Generators vs Trophies: Why Chasing Goals Will Always Fail You

In this episode of Mere Mortals, I break down the crucial difference between trophies (wealth, fame, happiness) and generators (the daily actions and systems that actually create them). Chasing the scoreboard leads to shortcuts, burnout, and emptiness. But when you build the engine—your habits, integrity, and craft—the trophies arrive as inevitable by-products. I share personal stories, practical frameworks, and timeless wisdom to help you shift from chasing shadows to building substance.(00:00) – Why You Shouldn’t Chase Money, Status, or Happiness(00:28) – Personal Backstory: Goals at Age 27(01:23) – Setting “Trophy” Goals: $1M Assets & $8.5k Monthly Income(03:01) – The Hidden Power of Generators(04:24) – What Really Produces Wealth, Love & Happiness(05:32) – The Feeling of True Success(06:14) – Breaking Down the Generator Equation (Action × Consistency × Time)(08:23) – Why You Overestimate a Year & Underestimate a Decade(10:28) – The Dangers of Chasing Fast Trophies(12:08) – The Bee & Honey Analogy: Purpose vs By-products(13:04) – The Importance of Choosing the Right Generators(14:20) – Sleep, Habits & Foundations That Build Everything Else(14:54) – Final Reflections: Why Generators Always WinConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Sep 16, 2025 • 53min

Andrew Taylor: Go until it breaks, scaling Live Co

What does it really take to build a cult brand? Andrew Taylor, founder of Live Co, returns to share the uncomfortable truth: belief beats noise, community beats clout, and data beats feelings. We dig into 300% growth in a year, the Ultra Fit hat that solved a real problem, why followers/likes don’t matter, and his “push it till it breaks” method for scaling ad spend. We also cover picking the community’s car (hello HSV), limited-edition strategy, and the next 5–10 years.00:00 – Intro & setup01:12 – Belief swings & 300% growth reality03:36 – Community over everything; customer service focus04:28 – Who buys Live Co? Ranger / C63 / HSV archetypes; more women coming in05:48 – Ultra Fit origin (up to 68cm), sell-outs & NZ street tests09:07 – Limited drops: 65–70% returning customers; lesson from “too many” drops11:11 – No influencer marketing; how the Troy partnership actually works16:56 – Channels that matter now (IG, TikTok underrated) + content plans (YouTube series)19:28 – Community-chosen brand car experiment (HSV)23:06 – The vanity metrics trap: why followers/likes/views don’t matter24:10 – “Push till it breaks”: redline scaling & attribution overlaps27:16 – Marketing expense ratio & stepwise ad scaling (real client jump)30:37 – Systems, process, and protecting mental health/time34:07 – 5–10 year vision: #1 hats AU/NZ; US push; acquisitions to help foundersConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
undefined
Sep 14, 2025 • 1h 5min

World Building Analysed | Creating A Popular New Universe

Is Juan about to create the newest version of LOTR or Gorillaz?In Episode #493 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the origins of various types of lore, how these worlds are constructed with varying degrees of complexity and interactivity, hard versus soft world building, a creator's control over the narrative, how modern technology and platforms like Fandom wikis allow easier access, the challenges of maintaining a coherent narrative in a world where anyone can contribute to the story and the strategy we would take to create a new universe.Huge thanks to The Late Bloomer Actor for the support, greatly appreciated!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:38) World Building in Fiction & Examples(00:05:36) Hard vs Soft World Building(00:17:26) Entry Points into World Building(00:24:36) Boostagram Lounge(00:30:28) Interactivity and Audience Participation(00:44:06) Challenges and Future of World Building(00:50:15) Personal Approaches to World Building(01:04:06) V4V Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app