In Pursuit of Purpose

Chase Friedman

In business (and life) you were never meant to choose between doing good and doing well. For too long, entrepreneurs and business owners have been told they have to choose. …Between impact and income. …Between hustle and heart. …Between profit and purpose. This podcast calls BS on that lie. Welcome to In Pursuit of Purpose. A show for founders and leaders who are tired of burning out, done chasing someone else’s idea of success, and ready to build businesses that can profit with purpose. Hosted by Chase Friedman - brand strategist, Founder of the impact-marketing collective Vanquish, this show is unscripted, unpolished, and unapologetically real. Each week we’ll dive into the messy middle of life and business with: 🔍 Clarity through solo coaching to help you get unstuck and find your message 🌀 Confidence from real founder stories that reveal the messy middle ⚡ Conviction with actionable strategies to shift how you think, lead, and grow This isn’t about hacks, hustle, or hollow advice. It’s about building with integrity. Growing with intention. Leading with strategy and soul. Because purpose isn’t fluff — it’s fuel. It’s your greatest edge in a crowded marketplace. If you’re ready to get unstuck, reconnect with what matters, and build a business (and life) you love — welcome home. Subscribe, share, and start your journey today.

Episodes

  1. JAN 15

    Why Your Business Feels Stuck (It’s Not a Strategy Problem, It’s a Belief Bottleneck)

    If your business feels stuck — stalled growth, inconsistent momentum, or the sense that you’re working harder without getting further — this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth most founders miss: when growth stalls, it’s rarely a strategy issue. It’s a belief issue. In this solo coaching episode, Chase breaks down the concept of the belief bottleneck — the invisible assumptions, stories, and mental ceilings that quietly limit what you allow yourself (and your business) to become. These beliefs shape how you price, who you target, what risks you take, and how confidently you lead — often without you even realizing it. You’ll learn why piling on more tactics, tools, and strategies doesn’t fix stagnation, and what actually needs to shift before growth can resume. This isn’t mindset fluff. It’s a grounded, practical reframe for founders who feel stuck despite doing “all the right things.” If you’ve ever thought: “I should be further along by now.” “Why isn’t this working the way it should?” “Do I need a new strategy… or something deeper?” This episode will help you see the real constraint — and how to start removing it. What You’ll Learn: Why most growth plateaus aren’t caused by bad strategyHow belief bottlenecks quietly cap business momentumThe difference between external constraints and internal ceilingsCommon belief patterns that stall pricing, positioning, and confidenceHow to identify the belief you’ve outgrown — but haven’t released yetA simple reframe to unlock your next phase of growth Key Insights & Timecodes: 00:00 —When Growth Feels Stuck, Look Beneath the Strategy 01:40 — The Belief Bottleneck Explained 06:30 — Identity Beliefs Quietly Shrink Businesses 09:50 — Capability Beliefs Create Burnout Loops 12:50 — Future Beliefs Define Your Growth Ceiling Key Takeaway: You can’t outgrow the beliefs you built your business on — until you’re willing to challenge them. Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions Purpose Positioning FrameworkProfit With Purpose Curriculuma...

    20 min
  2. JAN 8

    Why Purpose Is Most Needed in Crisis: A Conversation on Transformational Leadership

    Too many leaders are exhausted, reactive, and stuck chasing short-term wins—while the world around them grows more complex, divided, and uncertain. In this episode of In Pursuit of Purpose, Chase Friedman sits down with Hamse Warfa for a deeply human and strategic conversation on what transformational leadership really requires in this moment. From growing up as a refugee fleeing civil war, to becoming a U.S. State Department advisor, fintech co-founder, and CEO of a national education nonprofit, Hamse’s journey reframes leadership as responsibility—not position. Together, they unpack why purpose is most needed in moments of crisis, how profit and impact can (and must) coexist, and what leaders must unlearn to create organizations that are resilient, inclusive, and future-ready. This is a conversation about belief, systems change, and why the shift from hero to guide may be the most important leadership evolution of our time. What You’ll Learn: Why purpose is a leadership discipline, not a branding exerciseHow transformational leadership drives ROI, resilience, and trustWhy profit and purpose are not opposing forces—but multipliersWhat leaders must change to prepare for a future we can’t fully predictHow identity, empathy, and community become strategic advantages Key Insights & Timecodes: 03:30 — Purpose Is Shaped by Lived Experience 07:20 — Profit and Purpose Are Not Binary Choices 12:30 — Leadership Must Embrace Complexity, Not Avoid It 24:20 — Everything Rises or Falls on Leadership 30:40 — Purpose Is Proven in Crisis Guest Bio: Hamse Warfa is a transformational leader, author, and systems thinker focused on equity, inclusion, and shared prosperity. Born in Somalia and raised as a refugee, he has served as a senior advisor at the U.S. Department of State, Minnesota’s Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development, and is currently the CEO of World Savvy, a national education nonprofit. He is also the co-founder of Banku, a blockchain-powered fintech platform expanding economic access for historically excluded communities. Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose: Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions: Hamse Warfa’s website & newsletter → https://hamsewarfa.coma...

    48 min
  3. 12/18/2025

    Stop Chasing Everyone: Focus on Your Super Consumers to Unlock Faster Growth

    Here’s a hard truth: you don’t have a competition problem — you have a clarity problem. When your message tries to resonate with everyone, it ends up resonating with no one. The result? Burnout, slow growth, low conversions, and a brand that disappears into the noise. In this fast, high-impact Quick Hit, Chase reveals why real momentum starts by focusing on your super consumers — the 20% of your audience who generate 80% of your results. These are the people who “get it,” need it, and feel emotionally aligned with the way you see the world. You’ll learn how narrowing your focus, claiming your own “blue ocean,” and building your brand around the people who value your purpose most can instantly increase clarity, conversions, and referrals. Less chasing. More magnetizing. If you feel like you’re shouting into the void, this episode shows you how to create your own space, your own tribe, and your own category. What You’ll Learn Why your biggest barrier isn’t competition — it’s lack of clarity and focus.How to identify your super consumers, and why they drive the majority of revenue.Why creating your own category beats fighting in crowded markets.How to connect with the emotional and psychological layers of your ideal client.A simple exercise to identify the 1–2 clients who represent your future best customers. Key Insights: 00:18 — Your Problem Isn’t Competition — It’s Clarity 01:05 — Stop Targeting the Masses — Start Calling In Your Tribe 02:40 — Create Your Own Category (Your Blue Ocean) 04:52 — Focus Beats Volume 10:45 — Find the 1–2 Clients You’d Clone Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music If this Quick Hit gave you clarity: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Send this episode to a founder who’s doing too much for too little 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    14 min
  4. 12/11/2025

    Confusion Is Killing Your Business: How to Align Your Messaging to Unlock Sustainable Growth

    50% of businesses fail in the first five years—not because they don’t care or don’t work hard, but because they can’t clearly explain why they exist and why it matters. When your message is muddy, your marketing is dead on arrival. In a post-trust, BS-sensitive marketplace, customers can smell misalignment faster than you can throw ad dollars at it. In this solo coaching episode of In Pursuit of Purpose—you’ll learn why confusion is far more expensive than clarity, and how misaligned brands quietly bleed trust, talent, and revenue. Chase walks you through a simple but powerful Brand Clarity Blueprint using an updated Golden Circle–inspired model to align your deeper purpose with your message and your offers. You’ll hear real-world examples from Tony’s Chocolonely, Allbirds, Bombas, Death Wish Coffee, and Liquid Death—brands that turn belief into bottom-line growth through operationalized purpose and radical alignment. If growth feels stalled, your team feels disconnected, or your marketing feels like shouting into the void, this episode offers one core concept, one actionable tool, and one truth: you’re not suffering from a lack of demand—you’re suffering from a lack of clarity and connection. Let’s fix that. What You’ll Learn Why most founders fail after launch—not from effort, but from lack of alignment.How to define a specific, non-generic purpose that attracts believers, not browsers.Why your “how” is your proof—and how great brands bake purpose into operations.How misalignment silently kills team morale, customer trust, and revenue.A 5-minute Brand Alignment Audit you can run today to check if your message is clear enough to scale.How to turn your purpose into a content engine using the Post with Purpose workbook. Key Insights & Timecodes: 00:01 — The Real Reason Businesses Fail 04:50 — Confusion Costs More Than Clarity 07:00 — Disengaged Teams Are a Hidden P&L Problem 13:20 — Turning Purpose into Proof (Framework in Action) 21:00 — The 5-Minute Brand Clarity Check Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions: Post with Purpose Workbook — Turn purpose into a content plan.Purpose Positioning Framework — Turn your mission into your market edge.li...

    25 min
  5. 12/04/2025

    Purpose to Performance: How to Build Impact Systems That Drive Real Business Results (with Sienna Jackson)

    Most founders talk about purpose — but the ones who win are the ones who can prove it. In today’s post-trust, post–purpose-washing economy, saying you care about impact isn’t enough. Stakeholders, customers, investors, and employees expect evidence. And the brands that can measure their impact are the ones gaining loyalty, improving performance, and widening their competitive moat. In this powerful conversation, strategist and cultural leader Sienna Jackson reveals how to turn purpose into performance by building simple, actionable impact systems that drive real business results. From Theory of Change models to stakeholder check-ins to low-tech measurement tools any founder can use, this is a masterclass in building impact the right way — grounded in accountability, data, and ROI. If you want to protect your credibility, strengthen your brand, and build purpose-driven systems that actually pay off, you’ll want to take notes. What You’ll Learn: Why purpose-washing destroys trust — and how to avoid itHow to turn vision into measurable outcomes that drive performanceA simple way small businesses can build a Theory of ChangeWhy stakeholder check-ins are your early warning systemHow impact measurement becomes a true competitive advantage Key Insights: 00:46 — Story Is Strategy 06:40 — Purpose Requires Proof 12:50 — From Purpose to Practice 17:35 — Small Teams Can Still Drive Big Impact 35:19 — One Practice Every Company Needs Guest Bio: Sienna Jackson is a strategist, cultural leader, and founder of Zoran Creative Strategy, advising nonprofits, global funds, and Fortune 500 companies on impact measurement and social value frameworks. She serves on the boards of Social Value International and Social Value US and is widely recognized for transforming ambitious purpose into measurable, sustainable systems that fuel real business performance. Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website→ vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources Mentioned: Social Value InternationalImpact Management PlatformPurpose Positioning Framework If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    39 min
  6. 11/13/2025

    What Is Purpose Positioning: How to Turn Your Mission Into Your Greatest Competitive Advantage

    But in today’s overcrowded, AI-driven, post-trust marketplace, purpose isn’t your story — it’s your strongest strategy and competitive edge for market differentiation in a ‘sea of sameness’. Purpose Positioning is a new framework that turns your mission into greater margin, market share, and momentum.It’s how purpose-driven businesses build trust, charge premium prices, and scale with integrity — not burnout.  In this solo coaching episode, Chase Friedman unpacks the Purpose Positioning framework and how it helps you transform belief into bottom-line growth. What You’ll Learn: 1️⃣ Clarify Your Purpose — Define the reason your business deserves to exist. 2️⃣ Find Your Perspective — Shape the beliefs that separate you from competitors. 3️⃣ Know Your Persona — Align your purpose with the people who share it. 4️⃣ Build Your Proof — Back up your message with evidence and impact. 5️⃣ Claim Your Position — Own the space only your brand can occupy. Because brands without purpose compete on price. Brands with Purpose Positioning compete on deeper levels of customer connection. If you’ve ever wondered how to connect your why to real-world ROI, this episode gives you the blueprint to lead with clarity, conviction, and confidence. Purpose isn’t fluff — it’s your sharpest competitive advantage. Key Insights: 00:25 — The Myth That’s Holding Founders Back 02:30 — When You Skip Purpose, You Lose Alignment 05:40 — Proof That Purpose Pays Off 08:05 — The 5 Ps of Purpose Positioning 12:32 — From Why to ROI 13:53 — The Purpose-Profit Paradox 15:15 — Your One-Sentence Challenge Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website→ vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions: Purpose Positioning Framework If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    16 min
  7. 11/06/2025

    Purpose Through Play: Marie Genevieve Pawlak on The Shift That Saved My Business

    When the C-suite grind stops feeling like success, what comes next? In this conversation, strategist and Prime Alchemy founder Marie Genevieve Pawlak shares how a layoff became the catalyst for a purpose-driven pivot—and why play is her unfair advantage in leadership transformation. Together, she and Chase unpack the power of transferable skills, authentic positioning, and building confidence by leaning into what lights you up. This episode is for anyone ready to reimagine their work without losing themselves in the process. What You’ll Learn: How to conduct a quarterly “career audit” for clarity and growthThe art of identifying transferable skills across industriesWhy play drives retention, collaboration, and culture in businessHow to position your business by leaning into authenticityWhy alignment—not hustle—is the foundation for purpose-driven success Key Insights: 01:20 — The Pivot That Started It All 05:58 — Burnout, Honesty, and Transferable Skills 13:36 — From Side Hustle to Sovereign Business 20:29 — Play Is a Serious Business Strategy 24:58 — Differentiate by Being More You Guest Bio: Marie Genevieve Pawlak is the founder of Prime Alchemy, a consultancy that transforms leadership through experiential, play-based learning. With a career spanning higher education and manufacturing, Marie blends systems thinking, humor, and heart to help leaders solve complex challenges with creativity and clarity. She’s also an author and advocate for civic education, bringing purpose and play to every room she enters. Resources & Mentions: Purpose Positioning Framework Additional Mentions: Prime Alchemy, Frameworks of the Mind by Howard Gardner, Click by Jack Knapp, Marie’s children’s civics series Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website→ vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    38 min
  8. 10/30/2025

    Why Most Entrepreneurs Stay Stuck (and How to Break Free)

    Most entrepreneurs aren’t stuck because they’re lazy or unmotivated — they’re stuck because they’re fragmented. In this solo episode, Chase unpacks the hidden cost of chasing every shiny object, the illusion of “busyness,” and how fragmented focus keeps founders trapped in overwhelm and burnout. Using his own story from agency life, he introduces the 3C Framework — a simple method to cut through the noise, reclaim your clarity, and finally create momentum that lasts. If you’ve been feeling like you’re doing everything but getting nowhere, this episode is your reset. What You’ll Learn: Why fragmentation — not burnout — is the real reason you feel stuckThe hidden trap of busyness and “hustle culture”How to use the 3C Framework (Cut, Clarify, Commit) to regain focusHow to identify and eliminate tasks that don’t align with your purposeWhy doing less — but better — creates momentum and freedom Key Insights: 00:35 — The Real Reason You’re Stuck 02:30 — The Noise That Keeps You Drowning 04:45 — The Power of Alignment 05:55 — The 3C Framework 08:12 — The Weekly Challenge Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions: Purpose Positioning Framework If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose for new weekly episodes

    10 min
  9. 10/23/2025

    What Is the Profit-Purpose Paradox?

    Every Entrepreneur faces the same fork in the road: Are you building a business that fuels you — or one that drains you? One that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and meaning…or one that keeps you stuck chasing money, metrics, and momentum that never feel like enough? In this solo episode, Chase dismantles one of the biggest myths in entrepreneurship—the belief that you have to choose between profit and purpose. Drawing from personal experience on both sides of the spectrum, he reveals why this paradox keeps so many leaders stuck in burnout or broke, and how to find the balance that leads to sustainable, purpose-driven growth. If you’ve been chasing success that doesn’t feel aligned, this episode will help you find clarity, conviction, and a better way forward. What You’ll Learn: Why the “profit vs. purpose” myth is keeping Entrepreneur stuck and burned outThe hidden ROI of aligning meaning and money in businessThe three traps that fuel the Profit–Purpose Paradox — and how to break themWhy purpose isn’t fluff—it’s fuel for performance, profit, and peace of mindA new model for growth: how to build momentum through Purpose-Driven Growth Key Insights: 00:30 — The Question Every Entreprreneur Must Ask 03:10 — The Gas and the Map 08:00 — The 3 Traps of the Paradox 11:00 — Purpose Isn’t Fluff—It’s Fuel 18:00 — The Shift: Purpose-Driven Growth™ Resources & Mentions: Purpose Positioning Framework Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website→ vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    22 min
  10. 10/16/2025

    I Built the Wrong Business: Parker Williams on Redefining Success and Finding the Balance of Profit and Purpose

    What happens when you realize the business you built no longer aligns with who you’ve become? In this debut episode, Parker Williams—producer, entrepreneur, and CEO of Light Beam—joins Chase Friedman to explore the messy middle between ambition and alignment. From his early agency days and rapid success at Wheelhouse Media to walking away and rebuilding a purpose-driven company, Parker opens up about chasing growth at all costs, rediscovering meaning, and learning that profit and purpose aren’t opposing forces. If you’ve ever questioned the definition of “success,” this conversation will hit home. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How the definition of success evolves from simply "getting by" to a complete life "reset" (e.g., with a new baby). ✅ The moment Parker realized he was a producer, loving the power to "hit record" and lead a team. ✅ Why producing content is like running "little mini entrepreneurial things"—short-lived businesses with a team, budget, and product. ✅ The pivotal moment where a client suggested adding an "extra zero" to a quote, instantly shifting the company's focus from TV shows to commercial production. ✅ How the trap of growth can lead to years of doing work for clients whose products you don't use or believe in, causing a sense of profound misalignment. ✅ Why you can't learn entrepreneurship in school and how the best way to be prepared is simply by "just doing it". Key Insights:00:02:30 – 00:06:30 | Success Redefined 00:06:39 – 00:09:25 | Jumping In Before You’re Ready 00:15:19 – 00:21:00 | The Extra Zero Trap 00:21:48 – 00:27:30 | When Growth Outpaces Alignment 00:27:35 – 00:30:00 | Identity & Letting Go 00:32:18 – 00:35:15 | Building Light Beam 00:36:12 – 00:39:08 | Life After Realignment 00:42:05 – 00:44:16 | Profit with Purpose Defined Memorable Quotes:“There’s no way to experience entrepreneurship without just doing it.” “I was proud of the work—but not proud to say what I was doing.” “If you can make money, you can contribute. You don’t have to suffer to add value.” “When people ask what I do now, it’s easy to answer—and that feels really good.” Guest Bio:Parker Williams is the CEO and Executive Producer of Light Beam, a purpose-driven media company producing uplifting stories that inspire hope and shift culture. Before launching Light Beam, he scaled Wheelhouse Media into a multi-market production company, created award-winning films featured at Tribeca, and co-founded Lead Wire, a platform reinventing independent journalism. Today, Parker champions storytelling with clarity, conviction, and purpose. Website → lightbeam.tv Instagram → @lightbeamtv Resources & Mentions: Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegieOrganization: LightBeam – producing positive, culture-shifting media Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website→ vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it...

    47 min
  11. 10/07/2025

    How to Profit with Purpose: Why Purpose Is the Most Powerful Growth Strategy in Business (and Life)

    In this Prologue episode of In Pursuit of Purpose™, host Chase Friedman shares his personal journey from filmmaker to brand strategist—revealing the burnout, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that shaped his mission to help founders do good and do well. Through raw honesty and hard-earned wisdom, Chase explains why purpose isn’t fluff—it’s fuel—and how aligning strategy with soul can completely transform the way you build and lead your business. This episode sets the tone for the series ahead: real conversations, actionable frameworks, and mindset shifts that challenge the myth that you must trade meaning for money. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why purpose-driven businesses outperform competitors in growth & profitability ✅ How burnout and breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs ✅ Why the “profit vs. purpose” mindset is a false choice ✅ How to rebuild your business from identity outward ✅ What to expect in future episodes—coaching frameworks, founder stories, and mindset shifts Key Insights: 00:01:00 — The Lie We’ve Been Sold 00:04:45 — Burnout Is a Symptom of Misalignment 00:06:40 — Rebuilding from the Inside Out 00:09:35 — The ROI of Purpose Is Real 00:10:50 — Purpose as Positioning Power Guest Bio: Chase Friedman is a brand coach, storyteller, and founder of Vanquish Media Group, an impact-driven marketing agency. With roots in film and a decade leading a seven-figure agency, he now helps entrepreneurs align profit with purpose—turning clarity into confidence and purpose into positioning. Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose™ Website → vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Resources & Mentions: Purpose Positioning Framework If this episode resonated: ⭐ Leave a quick review 🔁 Share it with one founder who needs to hear it 🎧 Follow In Pursuit of Purpose™ for new weekly episodes

    12 min
5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

In business (and life) you were never meant to choose between doing good and doing well. For too long, entrepreneurs and business owners have been told they have to choose. …Between impact and income. …Between hustle and heart. …Between profit and purpose. This podcast calls BS on that lie. Welcome to In Pursuit of Purpose. A show for founders and leaders who are tired of burning out, done chasing someone else’s idea of success, and ready to build businesses that can profit with purpose. Hosted by Chase Friedman - brand strategist, Founder of the impact-marketing collective Vanquish, this show is unscripted, unpolished, and unapologetically real. Each week we’ll dive into the messy middle of life and business with: 🔍 Clarity through solo coaching to help you get unstuck and find your message 🌀 Confidence from real founder stories that reveal the messy middle ⚡ Conviction with actionable strategies to shift how you think, lead, and grow This isn’t about hacks, hustle, or hollow advice. It’s about building with integrity. Growing with intention. Leading with strategy and soul. Because purpose isn’t fluff — it’s fuel. It’s your greatest edge in a crowded marketplace. If you’re ready to get unstuck, reconnect with what matters, and build a business (and life) you love — welcome home. Subscribe, share, and start your journey today.