E191 - How a Teacher Built a Tech Recycling Business Without Quitting His Day Job w/ Michael LeBeau

E194 - Lessons from Cindy Van Eeckhout: Are You Rich on Paper but Poor Inside?

In this episode, Rob Tracz chats with Cindy Van Eckhout about redefining success beyond financial metrics. They explore how high achievers can feel empty despite outward success, and how to build a life aligned with inner joy and purpose. KEY TOPICS * The distinction between being rich (money) and wealthy (fulfillment) and why it matters * Recognizing the signals of misalignment before burnout using body awareness and mindfulness * The importance of listening to your inner "feeling" and how nature can reconnect you with your truth * Adopting a growth mindset: "You either win or you learn," especially during challenges * Joy as a way of being, not a goal to achieve at the end of the journey * The four joy blockers: misalignment, overload, emotional suppression, and physical depletion * Building an aligned, sustainable path where happiness is part of the process—not the reward * Practical advice: Start small, ask what brings you joy, and take consistent steps toward it TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction: Rethinking success beyond appearances 02:19 - Would you have the courage to shut down a thriving business? 03:00 - The trap of being rich on paper but poor inside 03:56 - Cindy's bold move to France and building authentic success 04:53 - Difference between being rich and truly wealthy 05:16 - Personal reflection: chasing societal success vs authentic fulfillment 06:11 - Listening to the body's signals of misalignment 07:00 - How nature and silence help reconnect with inner guidance 08:12 - Your internal state as a dashboard for life alignment 09:01 - The growth mindset: challenges are lessons, not losses 09:48 - Embracing difficulty as a catalyst for growth 10:41 - Challenges as opportunities for learning, not failure 11:11 - Resilience as a foundation for sustainable growth 12:33 - Joy is the journey, not the destination 13:32 - The four joy blockers and how to identify them 14:30 - Misalignment is common, but fixable 15:00 - The fallacy of suffering now and happiness later 15:59 - Joy is created on the way up, not at the top 16:50 - The risks of building success based on others’ definitions 17:19 - Connect with Cindy and her resources 18:47 - Small steps toward joy and success, inspired by Denzel Washington CONNECT WITH CINDY * Website: allegracoaching.eu [https://alegriacoaching.eu/] * LinkedIn: Cindy Van Eckhout [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-van-eeckhout/]

E193 - How Emotional Misalignment Can Sabotage You with Cindy Van Eeckhout

Discover how Cindy Van Eeckout transitioned from corporate leadership in Belgium to building multiple thriving businesses in the South of France. In this episode, she shares lessons on overcoming burnout, the importance of mindset during pivots, and redefining success to prioritize joy and well-being. Perfect for entrepreneurs balancing side hustles with life’s demands, this conversation offers actionable insights to realign your goals with your inner fulfillment. MAIN TOPICS COVERED: * Cindy’s journey from corporate Belgium to entrepreneurship in France * Recognizing misalignment and the decision to pivot * The significance of listening to your feelings for groundedness * Strategies to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate self-awareness * Four key lessons for startup success: heart-led decisions, action, support, and learning * How mindset determines resilience during change * Understanding sustainable success: feeling as good as it looks * The four joy blockers: mental overload, emotional suppression, physical depletion, spiritual dissonance * Women’s unique challenges with balance and self-care * Future projects: podcast and book about creating a life that feels as good as it looks TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction & Cindy’s inspiring story of reinvention 02:19 - From Belgium to south of France: chasing a dream 04:29 - Recognizing misalignment and the courage to pivot 05:52 - The importance of joy in life and business 07:01 - Staying grounded and present through nature and mindfulness 09:00 - Lessons learned when launching multiple businesses 10:13 - Four lessons for entrepreneurial success 11:32 - Surrounding yourself with support and like-minded peers 14:24 - Pivoting during the pandemic: a growth mindset approach 16:39 - Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth 17:26 - Managing emotions with clarity, self-care, and mindfulness 22:49 - Defining sustainable success: feeling as good as it looks 24:36 - The joy blockers and how to overcome them 28:49 - Supporting women in finding joy and balance 30:35 - Upcoming podcast and book projects 32:24 - The power of conversations for growth 33:39 - How to connect with Cindy and her offerings 36:19 - Final advice for side hustlers seeking joy RESOURCES & LINKS: * Alegria Coaching - Website [https://alegriacoaching.eu/] CONNECT WITH CINDY VAN ECKOUT: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cindy_alegriacoaching/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-van-eeckhout/] * Website [https://alegriacoaching.eu/] This episode is packed with concrete strategies to prevent burnout, enhance self-awareness, and build sustainable success aligned with joy. Whether you're at the start of your side hustle or navigating scale, Cindy’s insights will inspire you to realign with your true self and cultivate a fulfilling life.

E192 - Lessons from Michael LeBeau: The Ultimate Side Hustle Reframe

In this episode, host Rob Tracz explores how entrepreneurs can build sustainable businesses without quitting their day jobs. Featuring insights from Michael LeBeau, a high school teacher and electronics recycling entrepreneur, the discussion challenges common myths about entrepreneurship and offers practical strategies for side hustlers. KEY TOPICS: * How a full-time job can be an asset, not an obstacle, in building a side business * The importance of leveraging stability and structure from your day job * The power of awareness and education in creating new business opportunities * Why not all entrepreneurship needs to look grand—focus on solving manageable problems * The mindset shift from performing as an entrepreneur to simply solving problems * The concept of building slowly and safely to sustain long-term success * How identifying overlooked problems can create unique business niches * Practical ways to start and grow a side hustle without immediate full-time commitment TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction: Building sustainable success on your own terms 00:33 - The Prime Performance Process explained 01:22 - Invitation to book a free strategy session 02:13 - Reframing the side hustle: What if your job is the advantage? 02:39 - Michael Lebeau’s story: Building a company as a teacher 03:08 - Why Michael doesn’t identify as an entrepreneur 04:05 - The value of structure and stability from a day job 05:04 - The power of doing the next thing, step-by-step 06:31 - Leveraging constraints and structure for growth 07:19 - Challenging the narrative: Your job can be your advantage 08:36 - Awareness as a key business asset 09:36 - The importance of educating about hidden problems 10:34 - The opportunity gap: Educate, guide, and build trust 11:27 - Success without a leap: Building in the margins of life 12:24 - How to connect with Michael and his services 13:20 - The mindset: Not needing to be an entrepreneur, just a problem solver 14:10 - Final encouragement: Start small, solve problems, love the work 14:50 - Closing remarks: Share, review, and connect RESOURCES & LINKS: * Tech Cycle Solutions [https://www.techcyclesolutions.com/] * Support email: support@techcyclesolutions.com [support@techcyclesolutions.com] * Contact phone: 617-302-6306

E191 - How a Teacher Built a Tech Recycling Business Without Quitting His Day Job w/ Michael LeBeau

In this episode, Rob Tracz chats with Michael LeBeau, a high school computer science teacher and founder of Tech Cycle Solutions, who is making waves in the electronics recycling industry. They explore balancing a full-time teaching job with launching a side hustle focused on sustainability and data security, offering insights into starting, growing, and maintaining a purpose-driven business. Main Topics: * The importance of secure electronics disposal and common misconceptions (0:00 - 2:57) * How Michael transitioned from a tech background into electronics recycling (3:24 - 8:37) * The role of support systems and managing imposter syndrome as a side hustle founder (8:37 - 9:43) * Data destruction processes and regulatory compliance (11:40 - 13:31) * The impact of AI and evolving tech on e-waste (15:52 - 16:37) * Tips for juggling multiple roles, avoiding burnout, and maintaining motivation (17:01 - 21:27) * Growth strategies, hiring, and scaling a sustainability-focused business (22:06 - 25:30) * Connecting residential and corporate recycling efforts for greater impact (25:30 - 25:52) * Practical advice for others balancing side projects with full-time jobs (29:23 - 29:56) Timestamps: 00:00 - The risks and myths of improperly disposing electronics 02:57 - Introduction to Michael LeBeau and his side hustle 03:24 - How teaching supports Michael’s entrepreneurial efforts 04:06 - The journey from tech background to electronics recycling 06:47 - Why secure data destruction is critical and how it's done 08:37 - The impact of technology trends on e-waste 09:43 - Overcoming imposter syndrome and managing work-life balance 11:40 - Compliance standards like NIST and HIPAA in data destruction 13:31 - Cost-effective security solutions for businesses 15:52 - Effect of AI on electronics turnover and disposal 17:01 - Juggling roles and maintaining motivation 18:25 - Balancing work and personal life with strategic breaks 22:06 - Scaling through hiring and expanding operations 25:30 - Moving from residential to large-scale corporate recycling 29:23 - The key to surviving a side hustle: passion and conviction Resources & Links: * Tech Cycle Solutions [https://www.techcyclesolution.com/] Connect with Michael LeBeau: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lebeau-528361274/] Whether you’re considering a side project or looking to make an impact in sustainability, Michael’s story illustrates the importance of passion, support, and strategic growth. Don’t miss these actionable insights on balancing your ambitions while contributing to environmental responsibility.

E190 - Lessons from Glenn Bostock: Reimagining Business Success

In this episode of Surviving the Side Hustle, Rob Tracz dives into a transformative perspective on entrepreneurship with Glenn Bostock, founder and CEO of Snapcab. Glenn challenges traditional business models, emphasizing kindness, authenticity, usefulness, and seeing the business as a living organism. Discover how to shift from hustle culture to a more sustainable, value-focused approach. MAIN TOPICS COVERED: * The limitations of conventional hustle and top-down leadership in business growth * Building a business on values: be kind, be authentic, be useful * Starting in the neighborhood: the importance of unglamorous work as a foundation * Transitioning from technician to leader for scalable success * The power of surfacing and solving problems: systems that reward transparency * Treating your business like a body: creating a self-healing, ecosystem-like organization * Practical steps for entrepreneurs to build resilient, purpose-driven companies TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction and core question: Is the traditional business operating system holding you back? 02:19 - Glenn's unusual entrepreneurial journey from cabinet maker to CEO of a $30M company 04:55 - The three core values: be kind, be authentic, be useful, and their impact on business culture 06:36 - The importance of starting in the neighborhood: doing unsexy work to grow into your dream business 07:55 - Glenn’s example: building from refinishing furniture to elevator interiors, growth through humility 08:46 - The value of unglamorous work and embracing the early, imperfect steps 10:00 - The transformation from technician to leader as a key to scalability 11:41 - Hiring and building a team around your weaknesses, not just your strengths 14:02 - The concept of “gold in problems”: building systems to surface issues openly 14:53 - Reward employees for reporting mistakes, and view problems as growth opportunities 16:36 - Building a business like a body, with a nervous system for rapid feedback and self-healing 17:41 - The importance of sensing disconnection and misalignment early 18:53 - Creating a self-healing, ecosystem-like business model that outlives the founder 20:05 - Practical advice: obsess over usefulness, value, and building systems that support growth 20:52 - Glenn's upcoming book, A Human Business, and how to learn more 21:17 - Encouragement for entrepreneurs to focus on what lights them up and add value persistently RESOURCES & LINKS: * A Human Business by Glenn Bostock [https://www.amazon.com/Human-Business-People-First-Lasting-Success/dp/B0GCHGXDBF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DWJVWYBRY25W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sYtzXIDhS8zE8sk2UUJKHinzpFTAFf8YmoQqvtbUPTUJUMj_ls7LCTANWd2GFr6UaH7ox9CwF3PxLltf9nYX1rDppB2IIopSQQAbmv3Slsiqh4f3yQHHNFOlvhXuUYeFxtQ3G-PpHyAmJiT2Iz44qyYWYb-eig6QgUvkL1yXSAFYk1Br5wwbk_06R_uJeAdYTq3PShtQ8Esqbc-1dqKoDafcrkWxuAigS7nj-n_fLPY.nngEpQsf1mLhhFar_D5jtvoIkRk0CwOPXqQyuETQSLU&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+human+business&qid=1770208047&sprefix=a+human+business%2Caps%2C386&sr=8-1] (Book release June 16th) * Glenn Bostock Consulting Website [https://glennbostock.com/] FINAL THOUGHT: ROB EMPHASIZES THAT BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IS ABOUT LONG-TERM USEFULNESS AND ALIGNING WITH WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP—FOCUSING ON VALUE OVER QUICK HACKS LEADS TO REAL GROWTH AND RESILIENCE.