Burning The Ships

The Boat Crew

Burning the Ships is more than just a podcast—it’s a battle cry for those who refuse to settle. Brought to you by 608B Capital hosted by Jason Seward, we dive deep into the journeys of relentless entrepreneurs, high-performers, and risk-takers who have gone all in—leaving behind safety nets, doubts, and excuses to forge their own path. Each episode unpacks the mindset, strategies, and raw determination it takes to break free from the ordinary and build something extraordinary. Whether it’s leaving a comfortable career, pushing physical and mental limits, or overcoming impossible odds, our guests prove that greatness comes to those who commit fully. If you’re ready to burn the ships and bet on yourself, you’re in the right place. Let’s get after it.

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

    7H AGO

    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 Adrian Smude Instagram & Facebook: search Adrian Smude Book: Trailer Cash — available on social media and Amazon

    53 min
  2. Jason Seward: The Bad Habits Nobody Talks About Because They Feel Too Familiar

    MAY 17

    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

    47 min
  3. Jason Seward: The Difference Between the Ones Who Break Through & the Ones Who Don't

    MAY 10

    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

    33 min
  4. Kati Seward: What a Supportive Spouse Actually Looks and Sounds Like in Real Life

    MAY 3

    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 a*****e." "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

    1h 10m
  5. Jason Seward: Ten Rules for Life That Apply to Every Age and Every Room

    APR 26

    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

    42 min
  6. Jason Seward: The 3 Reasons You’re Not Taking Action in Life & Business

    APR 19

    Jason Seward: The 3 Reasons You’re Not Taking Action in Life & Business

    In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I break down one of the most misunderstood reasons people don’t take action — and it’s not fear. It’s comfort. Too many people blame fear for staying stuck, but the reality is much simpler. When there’s no urgency, no clarity, and no real consequences for staying the same, people stay exactly where they are. A “good enough” life becomes the trap that keeps them from ever reaching their full potential. I walk through the three real reasons people don’t take action, how I experienced this firsthand leaving a high-income W-2 career to pursue entrepreneurship, and how these same principles apply to health, business, and even personal challenges like stepping into something completely new. If you’ve ever felt like you’re capable of more but can’t seem to move, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Why lack of consequences keeps people stuck in comfort 00:23 The biggest regret people have at the end of their life — unfulfilled potential 01:12 Why this solo episode exists and what Jason is diving into 02:02 Taking massive imperfect action and building a relationship with risk 02:38 Why fear is not the real reason people don’t take action 03:05 Comfort and lack of urgency as the real problem 04:02 Why a “good life” can actually hold you back 05:02 The first reason people don’t act — lack of clarity 06:06 Why too many options create paralysis instead of progress 07:25 The biggest factor — no consequences for staying the same 07:49 Jason’s story of staying comfortable in a high-income insurance career 09:10 Why most people wait until things become painful before acting 09:54 How clarity gave him the ability to leave and pursue real estate 11:20 The pressure and doubt that come with removing your safety net 12:23 What an unfulfilled life would have looked like if he stayed 16:10 Stop blaming fear — it’s a clarity and comfort issue 16:58 Why unfulfilled potential is the ultimate consequence 17:23 Lessons from the DealMaker Conference and Chuck Glover 18:16 Why most people never define the consequences deeply enough 19:01 You’re not stuck — you’re comfortable 19:45 How to create urgency through accountability and pressure 20:39 The danger of staying comfortable doing the same thing every day 24:38 Setting clear goals: blue belt and competition 26:06 Competing for the first time and overcoming doubt 27:05 How clarity, commitment, and consequences drove action 28:13 Why you must create urgency if it doesn’t exist 29:08 The danger of having a “Plan B” mindset 30:09 Why people never put themselves in a position where they have to act 30:31 Living a life of constant growth and chasing potential Quotables “You’re not stuck. You’re comfortable.” “Most people don’t lack courage — they lack urgency.” “A good life is what keeps most people from a great one.” “You can’t attack something you can’t define.” “Too many options lead to zero action.” “If nothing has to change, nothing will.” “The ultimate consequence is unfulfilled potential.” “Stop blaming fear. It’s clarity and comfort.” “Create the pressure if it doesn’t exist.” “Burning the ships is about removing the option to retreat.” Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com Burning the Ships Podcast Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

    32 min
  7. Tom Dunkel: Building Your Life Plan Before You Build Your Business Plan

    APR 12

    Tom Dunkel: Building Your Life Plan Before You Build Your Business Plan

    In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Tom Dunkel — managing principal of Eagle Capital Investments, co-founder of U.S. Mortgage Resolution, self-storage investor, and a guy who spent ten years in corporate mergers and acquisitions before getting fired in 2006 and never looking back. Tom walks us through a career that started with aerospace deals and Harvard MBAs in DC, ran through a firing that turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, and evolved into a 20-year entrepreneurial journey that has generated close to $70 million in revenue. From wholesaling to distressed mortgage debt to a $55 million self-storage portfolio, Tom and his business partner Joe have built and rebuilt multiple times — and learned hard lessons each time about niching down, building teams, and creating a business that works without you. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Why niching down is the difference between businesses that succeed and ones that fail 01:41 Tom's background — William and Mary, corporate M&A, and the aerospace industry 03:21 Building financial models and raising capital alongside Harvard and Wharton MBAs 04:27 Getting fired in 2006 and why his ships were probably burned before that anyway 05:07 Having a wife and two young kids at home when the decision was made for him 05:53 Getting his face bashed in through the Great Recession as a brand new entrepreneur 06:20 Building U.S. Mortgage Resolution into a business that generated nearly $70 million 13:22 Walking out of a dream job interview because a voice in his head said don't do it 23:42 Discovering discounted mortgage notes and how his finance background made it click 34:37 Discovering self-storage through Scott Myers and doing the work before buying anything 35:52 Buying their first storage facility in 2020 and scaling to 18 or 19 facilities 36:37 Syndicating nearly all of the storage deals and raising about $20 million from investors 38:16 Building the business intentionally so it never became a full-time job for either of them 39:33 The mindset of running everything from an iPad on the beach — even back when iPads were new 44:38 Reading The E-Myth and why Darren Hardy's advice to build your life plan first changed everything 45:47 The early days of late night phone calls and grinding before the systems were in place 49:08 Advice on raising kids while building a business — prioritize, plan, and show up 50:13 A holistic view of education — scouting, music, and sports alongside the classroom 52:12 Eagle Capital Investments and how Tom helps investors transition into passive wealth Quotables "The riches are in the niches." "I got my face bashed in during the Great Recession trying to learn how to be an entrepreneur." "There's no such thing as corporate job security. I can go figure it out on my own." "I heard this little voice in my head saying don't do it. So I pulled my name from consideration." "Build your life plan first. Then build your business plan to fit inside of it." "If you're not careful, you don't build a business — you just build a job for yourself." "Go look at your calendar and your bank statements. That's what you're really focused on." "You've got to find the niche and go deep in it." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com Eagle Capital Investments https://investwitheagle.com The Wealth Builders Playbook by Tom Dunkel Available at investwitheagle.com

    58 min
  8. Julian Rivera: Likability Is a The Most Underrated Superpower in Business

    APR 5

    Julian Rivera: Likability Is a The Most Underrated Superpower in Business

    In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Julian Rivera — Virginia Beach-based DJ, realtor, and co-owner of Iron Valley Real Estate. Julian has never waited for permission to get in the room. He has just kept showing up, adding value, and letting the opportunities find him. Julian walks us through one of the most layered career journeys we have had on this show — from managing retail stores at 20, to driving comedians like Kevin Hart and Chelsea Handler around Hampton Roads, to burning the boats on corporate radio in January 2020, just one month before COVID shut everything down. Through all of it, one thing has stayed constant — his likability, his consistency, and his refusal to stop evolving. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 How Jason and Julian met at the TRIG ambassador summit 00:41 You are the brand — whether W-2 or full-time entrepreneur 04:15 Growing up in Virginia Beach and going all in without a plan 05:49 Turning down a Jimmy Choo opportunity in New York to stay local 06:37 DJ'ing since high school and building it into a real business 07:08 Working every role at the Funny Bone Comedy Club and what it taught him 07:51 Driving Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, and Tom Segura on press runs before they were famous 10:16 Winning Commercial of the Year for Virginia and going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 14:31 Burning the boats on January 30th, 2020 — and COVID hitting one month later 15:07 Pivoting to real estate during COVID with zero distractions and total focus 17:13 Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Diamond Awards back to back ever since 19:30 The leadership lesson that changed everything — stop fixing weaknesses, build on strengths 28:11 The go-giver approach that opened every door in his career 29:43 Why you never know who is watching and why showing up is half the battle 32:04 What comedians grinding the circuit taught him about consistency 36:00 Why likability and relatability have been his biggest superpower in real estate 44:38 Announcing his upcoming book — The Road 46:08 Family as his north star and the legacy he is building Quotables "Likability is a superpower. If I don't have haters, I'm not doing something right." "You are the brand. It doesn't matter if you're W-2 or independent." "There's never a right time to do anything. You just have to go." "Showing up is always half the battle. Always." "Stop trying to fix weaknesses. Build the strengths and delegate the rest." "I want to be the painting of Grandpa Julian on the wall that every generation sees." "Little did I know that everything I did in entertainment is pretty much the same thing you do in real estate." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com Your Peak Life Podcast Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Julian Rivera Instagram & Facebook: @julianrivera | djjulianrivera.com

    51 min
4.8
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Burning the Ships is more than just a podcast—it’s a battle cry for those who refuse to settle. Brought to you by 608B Capital hosted by Jason Seward, we dive deep into the journeys of relentless entrepreneurs, high-performers, and risk-takers who have gone all in—leaving behind safety nets, doubts, and excuses to forge their own path. Each episode unpacks the mindset, strategies, and raw determination it takes to break free from the ordinary and build something extraordinary. Whether it’s leaving a comfortable career, pushing physical and mental limits, or overcoming impossible odds, our guests prove that greatness comes to those who commit fully. If you’re ready to burn the ships and bet on yourself, you’re in the right place. Let’s get after it.

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