Start With Stoke

The Moment Before the Leap: Edward & Eryan’s Send Off for South America

The ritualistic pause before the leap of faith. In this episode, Michael sits down with his brother, Edward, and future sister-in-law, Eryan, for a reflective send-off before they leave San Francisco to travel through South America for an extended period of time. Together, they unpack what it means to close a chapter intentionally — saying goodbye their stable careers and beloved community — and step into uncertainty with purpose. Edward and Eryan share the origin story of their journey, from the fast-paced Western work culture to a deeper pull toward cultural immersion, slowing down, and re-examining how they want to live. The conversation weaves through identity, partnership, heritage, personality frameworks like the Enneagram, and the courage it takes to step out of the “caterpillar game” of conventional success. This episode is a snapshot in time — a ritualized before-moment — capturing intention, vulnerability, and excitement just before everything changes. Please note: This episode was actually recorded in March 2025, just 2 weeks before they originally were supposed to leave for this trip. Finally got around to publishing - better late than never! :) Hope you enjoy the lookback!

Vibing with Shane: His Inspiring Journey Into Vibe Coding

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Shane to explore the emerging world of “vibe coding” and how AI is radically lowering the barrier between ideas and reality. Shane shares from his own inspiring journey of discovering vibe coding, how it helped him pivot into his dream role, and how he’s used it to create real impact both at work and in personal pursuits. Along the way, we dive into live demos (via screen share!), practical takeaways, and a broader reflections on how leaning into curiosity, creativity, and stoke can help us ride this wave of change into a brighter future.

Dhamma Bros: Mike and Shane Reflecting on Vipassana

In this episode, Shane and I share some reflections and experiences from our 6 year journey with Vipassana meditation. It’s a practice we both love and have gotten much value from, so we figured we’d pay it forward and share our stoke around it! Whether you’re actively experimenting with meditation, or are just curious to hear what Vipassana is like (albeit from a student’s perspective), this one’s for you.  I’d like to give special thanks to our teacher S.N. Goenka, and the long line of teachers who kept the practice alive from the time of The Buddha to now. Your contributions mean the world to me, and have changed my life for the better 🙏

Shane’s Journey: From Internet Plumber to Cyborg Hero

Summary: After getting laid off, Shane turned uncertainty into opportunity — rebuilding his life around purpose, discipline, and stoke. We talk about how he made a career pivot that aligns with what he loves (nature and friends), built powerful daily practices (cold plunges, meditation, and more) to help him through dark periods of unemployment, and is now using AI as a tool to grow, create, and stay inspired - both at work and in life! Chapters 00:00 – Heartfelt Introduction 03:20 – Career Pivot: From Data to OceanTech Shane shares how he turned unemployment into opportunity — reflecting on self-doubt, re-evaluation, and following curiosity toward work that aligns with his love for nature and purpose. Subtopics: Finding direction after a layoff · Doing what you love · Cultivating energy and fulfillment through aligned work 24:20 – Personal Practice: Discipline, Cold Plunges & Meditation A deep dive into Shane’s powerful morning routine — 5 a.m. wake-ups, stretching, cold plunges, Vipassana meditation — and how doing hard things daily builds calm, focus, and self-trust. Subtopics: Discipline as freedom · Transforming discomfort into growth · Vipassana and cultivating equanimity 54:20 – Artificial Intelligence & Expansion Shane shares how embracing AI has amplified his creativity, accelerated his career pivot, and opened new ways to solve problems — including projects that helped him land his dream job and innovate at work. Subtopics: Seeing AI as a partner, not a threat · Using AI to learn, create, and level up personally and professionally ******* Please support our continued growth with your valuable input. In the episode we touch on many different topics. I already know we’ll do a few follow ups to dive deeper into specific topics we’re both interested in - like our journey, reflections, and experiences on Vipassana meditation, deep dive on his work at SoFar (OceanTech startup making big impact on the world), and AI - but I’d also like to hear from listeners on what they’d like to hear more about. Please use the poll feature of Spotify, or comment on your podcast platform of choice to let us know!

From Spreadsheets to Saddles: Edward’s South American Adventure

Edward shares his ongoing South American travel journey after quitting his job to pursue a slower lifestyle centered around personal growth, cultural immersion, and farm experiences. He reflects on the highs and lows of traveling, working on farms, building resilience, learning Spanish, overcoming fears, and discovering joy in children, animals, and new ways of living.