We’re a week late for First Tuesday Coffee, but Jack Spirko from The Survival Podcast, John Willis from Special Operations Equipment, and I are back for another round of conversation. This month we dig into what small business owners can do when sales slow down, why learning new things matters at every age, and how experience turns knowledge into wisdom. We also get into Starlink, government surveillance, raising capable kids, and a few rabbit trails along the way.
Featured Event: Soil Microscopy Intensive with Alan Booker: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/product/soil/
Learn to use a microscope to understand what’s living in your soil and how to improve it. The class is $465, with a $200 deposit to reserve your spot. We will choose the date together once ten people have signed up.
LivingFreeinTennessee.com
Today’s Topics
The mysterious morning rocket launch that had people wondering about aliens
What to do when your business is down and the economy looks ugly
John’s approach to identifying and serving his best customers
Using sales data, customer feedback, and social media to guide product development
Why you should focus on what already works before chasing new ideas
Finding opportunities in a changing economy instead of waiting for better times
Testing new products before investing heavily in production
Pricing your products to account for labor, materials, equipment, and overhead
Amanda’s soap business, subscription sales, and building a premium product
Using your existing relationships and distribution channels to grow a business
Business lessons from Henry Ford’s My Life and Work
John’s fig trees and regenerative orchards
The skills younger generations aren’t learning and what we can do about it
Learning new technology through experimentation, including AI and NotebookLM
Why challenging yourself and surrounding yourself with capable people matters
Knowledge versus wisdom: Why experience and failure are necessary
Open-ended toys, outdoor play, and teaching kids to solve problems
Learning to say no
Starlink internet, mobile connectivity, and the coming changes to cell service
Interest rates, savings, Bitcoin, and the difference between price and market value
Why your website needs to work for mobile customers
Flock cameras, surveillance, and tracking publicly funded vehicles
Safety regulations, personal responsibility, and unintended consequences
Gen X childhood, bicycle ramps, trampolines, and learning from mistakes
Resources
The Survival Podcast — Jack Spirko
Jack Spirko’s Laws of Life, Books 1 and 2
My Life and Work — Henry Ford
Special Operations Equipment — John Willis
Living Free in Tennessee — Soil Microscopy Intensive with Alan Booker
Holler Roast Coffee — Start your day with a great cup of coffee
Make it a Great Week!