Burning The Ships

Adrian Smude: Building Wealth Through Mobile Homes and a Mindset Built to Last

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Adrian Smude — mobile home investor, mastermind leader, mindset coach, and one of the most genuinely interesting people to come through this show. Adrian grew up literally inside a family business in Plant City, Florida, and has been wired as an entrepreneur since before he could remember. Adrian walks through a journey that includes buying his first house at 20 years old with $1,500 out of pocket, getting evicted multiple times before he owned anything, taking a 48% loss on his second property during the 2008 cycle, surviving on tuna and Lipton noodle packets at $5 a day, and eventually finding his niche in mobile homes with land — a space he has been quietly dominating for over a decade. What makes this conversation special is that Adrian is as passionate about mindset, coaching, and personal development as he is about real estate. The two topics are completely intertwined for him, and it shows. We also dig into his belief that 60% knowledge is enough to take action, why he has coaches for everything from business to relationships to fitness, the ripple effect of helping people, and why health span matters more than any number in a bank account. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:41 How Jason and Adrian met at the Dealmaker conference in Richmond 01:43 Growing up inside a family business in Plant City, Florida 02:22 House hacking before it was a thing — spaghetti wrestling parties and getting evicted constantly 03:28 The second house, the adjustable rate mortgage, and the 48% loss 09:40 Going to four to eight meetups a week and driving up to two hours to get there 10:03 Being super shy and introverted — and wearing a Ninja Turtles shirt so people would come to him 15:18 What steered him into mobile homes — cash flow was the one thing his coach helped him clarify 16:47 The ego that kept him from hiring a coach for years — and why he has had one ever since 17:53 Coaches for business, finance, relationships, health, and writing his book 27:37 Everyone who is super successful has massive failures behind them 29:18 The temptation to go back to a W2 — and why he will live under a bridge before he does 33:11 The Savannah Bananas book Fans First and how it changed how he builds his team 35:57 Running his mastermind and the ripple effect of watching others succeed 37:00 Kelly Garrett and the mentor who helped him build a competitor — and why she did it 40:37 Health and fitness as a non-negotiable — started in high school and never stopped 43:39 Health span over lifespan — what is the point of retiring if your body can't keep up Quotables "I was ignorant enough to not ask a million questions, so I could actually take action." "At 60% knowledge you've got to do something. By 80% you know everything that can go wrong and you'll never move." "I throw mud at the wall and whatever starts sticking, I do it." "If your mindset is not right, your whole life is not right, and your business will never be right." "There's enough sunshine for all of us. You taking some sunshine isn't taking it away from me." "If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want." "I want to not just live a long life. I want to enjoy that life I live." "Success is in the mundane of everyday things that has to get done." "I will live under a bridge before I go back and work for someone." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com] Adrian Smude Instagram & Facebook: search Adrian Smude Book: Trailer Cash — available on social media and Amazon

Jason Seward: The Bad Habits Nobody Talks About Because They Feel Too Familiar

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to tackle a simple but counterintuitive idea that stopped him in his tracks while reading — quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones. The premise is straightforward: you have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket. Jason walks through what that actually looks like in real life — why people default to addition instead of subtraction, how youth masks bad habits until the body starts pushing back, and how he spent years adding intermittent fasting on top of a bad diet, too much alcohol, and no real sleep routine and wondered why nothing was changing. He breaks down the most common leaks across four categories — mental, relationship, financial, and physical — and gets personal about the ones he has had to plug himself, including impatience, a condescending tone, alcohol, distraction, and identifying himself as busy all the time. This episode is not about adding more to your life. It is about being honest enough to look at what is quietly draining it. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:23 The quote that sparked this episode — quitting bad habits is more impactful than starting new good ones 00:52 The bucket analogy — you cannot fill a leaking bucket by just pouring more water in 01:34 Why adding new habits without removing old ones leads to stagnation or going backwards 02:24 Why people love addition and hate subtraction — new habits feel productive and exciting 09:12 The squirrel in the backyard — what ADHD actually looks like mid-recording 10:46 Why building new habits feels immediately productive even when the leaks are still there 11:16 Jason's intermittent fasting story — adding a new habit while everything else was still broken 13:28 When his blood work finally showed what was actually going on beneath the surface 14:47 The real change started when he stopped the leaks — not when he added more in 16:47 Sleep example — buying melatonin while still doom scrolling and eating right before bed 18:09 His current nighttime routine — sauna, shower, and calm wind-down before 10pm 20:31 Mental leaks — doom scrolling, negativity, and comparison 22:38 How he intentionally curated his Instagram feed to make scrolling less of a leak 28:27 Physical leaks — poor sleep, alcohol, junk food, and stress 29:39 The most honest admission — using alcohol to cope during the transition out of his career 31:09 Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity 32:47 The boat analogy — if your boat is taking on water you do not slam the throttle down 44:16 Your next level may not require becoming someone new — it may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could be Quotables "Quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones." "You have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket." "Nobody wants subtraction. It is painful to take away the things you perceive as pleasurable." "Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity." "Most people are not losing because they lack opportunity. They are losing because they keep leaking." "That bad habit is part of your identity. So you protect it." "I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't." "Your next level may not require becoming somebody new. It may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could be." "I have intentionally curated this life. So why the hell am I telling everyone how busy I am." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]

Jason Seward: The Difference Between the Ones Who Break Through & the Ones Who Don't

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to break down one of the most powerful concepts he has come across in his reading — the Pike Effect. It is a real research study, it is a little dark, and once you hear it you will not be able to stop applying it to your own life. A researcher puts a pike — one of the most aggressive predatory fish there is — in a tank separated from its prey by a glass divider. The pike slams into that glass over and over, day after day, until it finally gives up. When the researcher removes the divider, the prey swims freely around the pike. The pike never tries again. It starves to death with the thing it needs most right in front of it. Jason walks through what the Pike Effect looks like in real life — in business, in parenting, in personal goals — and shares three stories that bring it to life: his mother raising three kids as a single mom who refused to quit, Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning who nearly gave up right before COVID launched him into a mega brand, and his own early days building 608B Capital when nothing was moving and he just kept showing up anyway. This is a short, punchy episode with a message that will stick. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Introducing the Pike Effect and why it applies to almost everything in life 01:14 The research study — what the pike did and what happened when the glass came down 03:13 Day by day the pike keeps hitting the glass until he finally stops trying 05:40 What this means for humans — giving up right before the barrier breaks down 07:17 Every goal in life requires pushing through resistance — sometimes it seems impossible 08:12 The two reasons people stop — they lose faith in the goal or they stop believing they can break through 09:50 Jason's mom — a car accident at 16, a hard marriage, and raising three kids alone with no high school diploma 15:25 Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning — grinding for years with barely any traction 16:10 How Covid broke the glass wall for Dan — and what would have happened if he had quit in December 2019 17:28 The word he banned from his house — and why he would rather hear the F word than the C word 19:22 How he handles it when JJ says he can't do something — and what happens next 20:50 The rule on mistakes — I do not care if you fail when you are making the effort 22:52 Building 608B Capital — talking to investors and getting no wires for months 24:07 Just keep banging your head into the glass divider and tweaking as you go 25:28 The breakthrough moment — when the glass finally came down and everything started compounding 26:32 JJ in baseball — tucked in right field for years and now batting leadoff on two teams 29:35 The takeaway — don't be the pike, be like JJ, be like Dan Oliver, keep going Quotables "75 to 80 percent of businesses get to the point where the walls are not breaking down and they just give up." "She was life's mosquito. You are not going to knock me down." "I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't." "I do not care if a mistake is made because you were making an effort to do something you thought you couldn't do." "The only thing I knew to do with confidence is just keep banging my head into that glass divider day after day." "Don't go tuck yourself in the corner and die. Go get the goal." "Some people are just too dumb to know when to quit. And those are the ones who break through." "Keep slamming your head into the wall. Keep thinking of ways around it, above it, through it — until something breaks." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]

Kati Seward: What a Supportive Spouse Actually Looks and Sounds Like in Real Life

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason sits down with the most important person in his life — his wife Kati — for an honest conversation recorded in honor of their wedding anniversary. Kati has been the quiet backbone behind everything Jason has built, and this is the first time listeners get to hear the story from her side. They talk about how they met on a blind date that almost ended early, Kati's decade-long journey as a teacher from special education to second grade, and what it actually looked like for her when Jason decided to leave a stable career and go all in on entrepreneurship. Kati opens up about her lifelong battle with anxiety — what it felt like at its worst, how it affected their relationship in the early years, and the strategies she has used to get to a much healthier place. She also shares what she told Jason the night he needed to hear something real before turning in his resignation letter. This episode is for anyone building something big while trying to be a great partner and parent at the same time. It is a reminder that burning the ships is rarely a solo decision — and that the person standing beside you makes all the difference. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:25 Introducing Kati Seward and why Jason had to beg her to come on for two years 01:10 JJ's joke of the week — fitting for a teacher 03:13 How Jason and Kati met on a blind date in 2006 and the escape plan that never got used 05:33 Kati's side of the blind date story and her own secret exit strategy 07:05 Growing up wanting to be a teacher and the elementary school teachers who never gave up on her 08:25 Going back to college as an adult to finish her degree and graduating in 2015 11:55 How her special ed experience made her a better mom to JJ and Emma 13:25 What she has taught Jason about meeting kids — and adults — where they are 15:19 Why she will never want to teach middle or high school and what keeps her coming back 17:52 Jason asking her to stay home for years and her refusing every time 25:24 What she sees in their kids now that tells her the parenting is working 27:46 Introducing the anxiety conversation and how far back it goes 29:04 What anxiety actually feels like from the inside — worst case scenarios, breathing problems, and constant fear 45:26 The Nashville trip that made Jason's mind up — and the conversation in bed that sealed it 46:19 What she said that had his resignation letter written within a week 47:09 Life two and a half years after the leap — happier, more present, more flexible 57:33 What Kati is excited about in the next chapter — Outer Banks house, more travel, more freedom 01:00:26 Advice for spouses of aspiring entrepreneurs — what you need to hear before they leap Quotables "I trust you. That's all I kept saying. I trust you." "Our kids don't give a damn how much money you make. They want you here and they want you happy." "I wanted to make sure the kids were still going to be okay. That was the biggest thing for me." "You have to accept that you have a problem and then go find somebody who can help you with it." "I'm not trying to control your life. It is a genuine fear that something is wrong." "We don't have a problem telling each other when we think the other person is being an asshole." "We started this thing as you and I. We're not going to make the kids 100% of our lives and forget about us." "You've been a lot happier. You come home and there's no stress. That says everything." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]

Jason Seward: Ten Rules for Life That Apply to Every Age and Every Room

In this episode of Burning the Ships, host Jason Seward flies solo to share something that started as a career day presentation at his kids' school and turned into one of the most universally applicable episodes he has put together. Jason was asked to present on finance and his career to a group of high schoolers — and ended up with fourth graders in the room too after a presenter no-showed. He had to scrap his entire deck on the fly and break everything down to its simplest form. What came out of it were ten life rules that he walked those kids through, rules that turned out to be just as relevant for adults as they were for nine year olds. The best question of the day came from a fourth grader, and it reminded Jason that kids are always paying closer attention than we think. This episode is a reminder of the fundamentals — the things that sound simple but most people are not consistently doing. If you have kids, this one is worth sharing with them. If you are an adult building something, it is worth asking yourself honestly whether you are living all ten of these rules or just preaching them. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Your reputation is your currency and other people are the ones defining it 00:50 Why Jason is flying solo again — 608B Capital growth and team building demands 02:11 The career day presentation that turned into this episode 03:05 Getting thrown into presenting to fourth graders with no preparation 04:38 Why these ten rules apply to every age and every area of life 08:52 Rule two — Be early, not just on time, and what Jason's grandfather JJ modeled about this 11:05 Why being early signals an extra level of respect for people and situations 12:15 Rule three — Work hard when no one is watching 13:31 Kobe Bryant showing up at 5am before anyone else arrived and what that compounded into 14:24 Doing things for others when no recognition or return is coming 17:07 Rule five — Don't be afraid to ask questions, ego is what silences them 18:38 The fastest learners ask the most questions regardless of how they land 19:03 Rule six — Read and learn constantly, not just what school forces on you 20:33 Self-inflicted education as the real driver of growth and the ability to help others 20:56 Rule seven — Take care of your body, it is the only vehicle you get 24:52 Are the five people around you lifting you up or pulling you back down 26:30 Rule nine — Proactively choose to do hard things, not just the ones life forces on you 27:14 Reps of hard choices build confidence and the ability to take on more 31:42 Are you modeling these ten things for your kids or just preaching them 33:12 The closet and the truck — when his wife called him out for preaching what he wasn't living 38:15 How his daughter's Instagram algorithm led him to his next podcast guest Quotables "Most people eliminate themselves from an opportunity simply by not showing up." "If you were supposed to be somewhere at noon, he'd be there at 11. That was my grandfather." "Work hard when nobody is watching. That's where the real reps happen." "Your reputation is your main currency in life. Spend it wisely." "Silencing your questions equals slow growth." "You are given one body. You have a responsibility to take care of it." "Look around at the five people you spend the most time with. Are they lifting you up or pulling you back down?" "If you're waiting to feel ready, that is the fastest way to stay stuck." "Action gives you experience. Experience gives you confidence. Repeat that cycle and it works every time." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]