Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed

Junaid Ahmed
  • 5.0 (65)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED DAILY

This is more than a podcast — it’s a space for dreamers, builders, and creators who believe that passions aren’t just pastimes… they’re the seeds of purpose and profit. Each episode uncovers real stories, practical strategies, and powerful lessons to help you build confidence, authority, and success. From hobbies to business breakthroughs, discover how your passion can become your purpose — and your legacy. 🎙 Wanna be a guest? Apply on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/member/hacksandhobbies 📖 Junaid’s book Home Studio: https://homestudiobook.com 🔗 LI: https://linkedin.com/in/superjunaid

  1. Aurora Winter on Book-Borne Wealth, Brand Building & Unseen Income Streams

    4D AGO

    Aurora Winter on Book-Borne Wealth, Brand Building & Unseen Income Streams

    Could your next book be the spark for seven-figure success? Meet Aurora Winter, bestselling author, publisher, and master of turning words into wealth, as she unpacks the secrets behind building authority, attracting premium clients, and multiplying income—all from the written word. In this episode, Aurora reveals actionable strategies—from “show me the money” mindset to leveraging books for brand-building, speaking gigs, and alternative revenue streams that most authors overlook. With stories of legal thriller authors, dentists, and entrepreneurs, each insight builds on curiosity: What if your book isn’t just a calling card, but the gateway to your next million? What you'll learn: Writing a book is just the beginning—clarity, branding, and monetization must be woven into your strategy from the start. Build and nurture your audience before launching your book to avoid its release into a “vacuum.” A published book opens doors: speaking, higher fees, media, partnerships, and more—your authority multiplies. Seven (and even eight) distinctive ways to monetize your message—beyond book sales—include speaking, merchandise, training/certification, and affiliate revenue. Independent publishing puts you in control—of your story, your brand, and your profits. Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome Back: Aurora Winter on Wealth-Building Books [00:41] “Show Me the Money”: Why Books Are Business Tools [02:00] Making Experts Famous—From Lawyers to Dentists [04:41] Building an Audience Before Publishing: Essential Steps [06:00] Turning Brand into Premium Pricing [11:52] Books as Gateways to Startups, Speaking, and Merchandising [15:00] The Free Book Funnel—How Upsells Generate 6 Figures [21:10] The Hidden 8th Strategy: Affiliate Income [22:39] Final Takeaways and Free Resources Guest Links: Website: SamePagePublishing.com Book: Turn Words Into Wealth – free eBook and resources! Aurora’s Free Business Breakthrough Call: BookCall.biz Aurora’s Profile: AuroraWinter.com Socials: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurorawinter/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/aurorawinterauthor/) This episode is packed with actionable strategies and heart-stirring inspiration. Ready to let your story work for you? Dive in.

    24 min
  2. Silicon Valley to Hollywood – How Storytelling and Ghostwriting Unlock True Influence and Wealth (Aurora Winter)

    6D AGO

    Silicon Valley to Hollywood – How Storytelling and Ghostwriting Unlock True Influence and Wealth (Aurora Winter)

    What if the path to real influence wasn't about shouting the loudest, but about mastering your story? In this episode, best-selling author, publishing mentor, and entrepreneur Aurora Winter shares the powerful journey from childhood inspiration to helping leaders craft bestselling books and unforgettable brands. With raw honesty and actionable wisdom, Aurora breaks down the costly mistakes most aspiring authors make, reveals the invisible structures behind magnetic stories, and offers a blueprint for moving from expert to authority—even if you doubt your story matters. Learn from Aurora: Why most entrepreneurs fail at communicating their value, and how to finally monetize your message The secrets behind ghostwriting for the world’s top thought leaders How to turn testimonials into stories that convert fans into followers Battling imposter syndrome and shifting your focus to service Innovative ways to share your wisdom: from video books to bestsellers **Timestamps:** 00:01 – The Spark: Aurora’s childhood dream and Silicon Valley DNA 02:45 – Why Entrepreneurs Fail at Messaging (and How to Fix It) 06:40 – Ghostwriting Exposed: What Actually Happens Behind the Scenes 10:55 – Authority Unlocked: How Clarifying Your Story Changes Everything 14:38 – The Power Structure: Making Any Story Unforgettable 18:20 – Battling Self-Doubt: Why Your Story Really Does Matter 22:13 – Humanity’s Code: Stories as a Blueprint for Life**Guest Links:** Website: Same Page Publishing LinkedIn: Aurora Winter Instagram: @aurorawinter Book: Turn Words Into Wealth What you'll learn : Turn your expertise into authority with professional storytelling—don’t go it alone. Even global leaders rely on ghostwriters to craft and elevate their messages. A compelling testimonial is a ‘hero’s journey’—structure matters. Focusing on service, not self, defeats imposter syndrome and deepens impact. Experiment with new formats—video books, interviews, and emotional hooks—to stand out and genuinely connect. Guest Links: Aurora Winter Media Page: https://www.aurorawinter.com/media/Aurora Winter PR Photos: https://www.aurorawinter.com/prphotos/Aurora Winter Website: https://www.aurorawinter.comSame Page Publishing: https://www.samepagepublishing.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/AuroraWinterYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AuroraWinterLinktree: https://linktr.ee/AuroraWinterTwitter: https://twitter.com/AuroraWinterMBATikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aurorawinterMBAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aurorawinterMBAMarketing Fasttrack Amazon: https://a.co/d/8xrIglKTurn Words Into Wealth Amazon: https://a.co/d/7RRkVYb

    30 min
  3. How a Corporate Leader Reinvented Himself—Building a Thriving Voiceover Career From Scratch (Jerry Dugan)

    OCT 30

    How a Corporate Leader Reinvented Himself—Building a Thriving Voiceover Career From Scratch (Jerry Dugan)

    Have you ever felt the itch to leave it all behind and create a life on your own terms?In today’s episode, Jerry Dugan reveals the honest, often messy truth behind walking away from a secure corporate role to chase a creative dream—becoming a full-time voiceover artist. From risking it all on gig platforms to navigating the loneliness of entrepreneurship and mastering the art of authentic storytelling, Jerry shares every raw milestone, failure, and hidden lesson. Curiosity, hustle, and emotional grit: these are the cornerstones Jerry credits for lasting success. Whether you crave creative freedom, or simply wonder what it takes to get paid using your voice, Jerry’s journey is a masterclass in reinvention. What You'll Learn : Why traditional careers can stifle creativity—and the turning point that sparked Jerry’s leap. The tactical steps to break into voiceover—without a safety net (or big budget). How to land your first client—even when everyone says you’re not “qualified.” Surviving rejection, client drama, and tough transitions: inside the emotional rollercoaster. The power of leadership skills—how corporate lessons become creative superpowers. Timestamps: 0:02:00 The Leap: Jerry’s wake-up call from corporate to creative. 0:04:00 First Blood: The hustle to find gigs—Upwork, Fiverr, ACX, and getting paid the first time. 0:07:00 Client Chemistry: Navigating relationships, tricky feedback, and finding your “groove.” 0:12:00 A Day in the Life: Jerry’s exact daily routine as a full-time voiceover artist. 0:18:00 Brutal Truths: Rejection rates, authenticity, and the persistence required to win. 0:27:00 Leadership Rewired: Why old business skills are the secret edge in creative work. 0:35:00 Dreams & Impact: Jerry’s personal project wishes—and how to turn stories into legacies. Guest Links: Website: jerryduganvoice.com Upwork, Fiverr, Voices.com profiles linked on website

    38 min
  4. From Corporate Chains to Creative Freedom—The Emotional Leap That Changed Everything (Jerry Dugan)

    OCT 28

    From Corporate Chains to Creative Freedom—The Emotional Leap That Changed Everything (Jerry Dugan)

    How far would you go to reclaim your life?In this transformative, heart-on-sleeve interview, Jerry Dugan peels back the curtain on his bold escape from corporate leadership into the uncertain but exhilarating world of creative entrepreneurship. With raw honesty, Jerry shares the moment he realized success was a golden cage, how his family catalyzed his leap, and why reinventing yourself demands both courage and vulnerability. If you’ve ever questioned the path you’re on, this episode is for you. What You'll Learn: The emotional toll of “golden handcuffs”—and the price of freedom How a single conversation at home can change your entire life trajectory Three mentors’ uncanny advice that pointed Jerry to his true calling The struggle to build a business from scratch (and why the right “why” matters) Powerful lessons on identity, letting go, and crafting a life on your terms Timestamps: [0:00] Full Circle Moments: Jerry Returns—The Backstory Behind the Leap [2:00] “Put Yourself In a Prison”—The Real Cost of Corporate Success [7:45] Three Conversations That Changed Everything—Listening Between the Lines [10:00] Building ‘Beyond the Rut’: From Podcasting to Publishing [12:00] Burnout, Blessings, and Saying No to the Wrong “Yes” [15:30] The Uber Chapter: Reinventing, Recharging, and Rethinking What’s Next [20:00] Lessons from Dune & Beyond—Leadership, Identity, and Curiosity Unleashed Guest Links: Website: https://beyondtherut.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrydugan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrydugan/ Book: “Beyond the Rut” – https://amzn.to/yourbooklink

    30 min
  5. Jeff Greenfield on Reinventing Marketing Attribution: How AI and Data Are Changing the Game

    OCT 23

    Jeff Greenfield on Reinventing Marketing Attribution: How AI and Data Are Changing the Game

    What if you could finally measure what really drives revenue—without cookies, guesswork, or silos?In this episode, Jeff Greenfield, the authority behind Provalytics, takes us on a riveting journey through the future of marketing measurement. Get ready for a conversation that shatters the myths of digital attribution, revealing how data and AI can uncover the true impact of every marketing dollar—even in a world without third-party cookies. Jeff opens up about the emotional weight of uprooting the status quo and shares how “being less wrong” might be the most valuable marketing mindset of all. What You'll Learn: The seismic shift from click-driven to impression-driven attribution Why legacy analytics are failing marketers (and how AI closes the gap) The real story behind multi-channel campaigns and the customer journey How to finally connect brand awareness to hard business results The one marketing metric that keeps CEOs and marketers up at night Timestamps: [00:01] Welcome back, and why marketers are in crisis without cookies [03:30] AI-driven attribution: going backwards to find real answers [07:08] The full customer journey: from website to Amazon to everywhere [10:20] Breaking organizational silos—unifying finance, marketing, and agencies [14:13] Proving the value of brand-building: connecting impressions to revenue [16:52] The metric that changes everything: Time to Conversion [20:07] Jeff’s vision for the next 2–3 years in marketing measurement Guest Links: Website: provalytics.com Additional resource: Provalytics Attribution Certification Course

    26 min
  6. How Jeff Greenfield Is Rebooting Marketing Attribution: From C3 Metrics to AI, The Truth Behind What Really Works

    OCT 21

    How Jeff Greenfield Is Rebooting Marketing Attribution: From C3 Metrics to AI, The Truth Behind What Really Works

    Imagine discovering that the data guiding your marketing dollars is a lie. On today’s episode, Junaid Ahmed unpacks a seismic shift in marketing attribution with Jeff Greenfield—CEO and founder of Provalytics, pioneer behind C3 Metrics, and a leader whose ideas are rewriting the rules in a world with no more cookies. Jeff shares hard-won truths from his three-decade journey, exposing why most marketers are blind to what’s truly driving results—and how a privacy-first, AI-driven future is not just possible, but necessary. This is a must-listen for marketers, founders, and anyone chasing real ROI in a post-cookie world. What You'll Learn: Marketing’s biggest myth: Why the numbers you trust are often wrong. The collapse of cookie-based tracking—and the rise of privacy-first measurement. Inside the walled gardens: How Amazon, Facebook, and Google obscure real impact. Impressions vs. clicks: The mindset shift every marketer must embrace. Why AI and machine learning are the keys to attribution’s future. Timestamps: [00:01] The paradigm shift: Attribution in a privacy-first world [02:15] Covid, habit change, and the measurement “black hole” [03:02] The commission crisis: How Jeff discovered the problem [08:09] What broke traditional attribution & why impressions matter [13:02] A world without cookies: What marketers get wrong about ROI [17:42] Big lessons & mind flips from data-driven marketing [20:00] What’s next for marketers: The AI-driven future Guest Links (please verify before publishing): Website: https://provalytics.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/provalytics C3 Metrics (Legacy): https://c3metrics.com

    22 min
  7. From Bootstrapped Hustle to Million-Dollar Mindsets — The Brutal Truth About Scaling Without Funding - Brian Clayton (GreenPal CEO)

    OCT 21

    From Bootstrapped Hustle to Million-Dollar Mindsets — The Brutal Truth About Scaling Without Funding - Brian Clayton (GreenPal CEO)

    What does it really take to go from nothing to a thriving company—without a safety net? Brian Clayton, CEO and cofounder of GreenPal, returns for a raw, curiosity-fueled conversation on the lonely reality of building, scaling, and letting go. Discover why delegation can kill a startup—or make it unstoppable, how bootstrapping turns founders into wild animals on the hunt, and which hidden traps you must dodge as you raise (or reject) funding. Brian’s story is packed with lessons that will resonate with every founder, leader, and dreamer. This episode dives into why founders must wear every hat—until the moment they must let go. You’ll learn what separates a founder from a true CEO, how “having less” forges true innovation, and why sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when you’re forced to get scrappy. What You'll Learn: Delegation is a double-edged sword—do it too soon or too late, and you’ll pay. Founders thrive when their backs are against the wall—even bootstrapping, out of necessity. Building an org chart early creates a roadmap for scalable growth. There is a big difference between being a founder and being a CEO—know the transition point. Real innovation is often born from limitation—not luxury or funding. Timestamps & Labels 0:00:00 A No-Holds-Barred Welcome Back—Brian Clayton’s origin story, unfiltered. 0:01:00 The Delegation Trap—Why outsourcing can nearly kill your company. 0:03:30 Surviving the Trenches—From doing everything to building a real team. 0:05:36 Founder vs. CEO—The mindset shift every entrepreneur faces. 0:09:22 Bootstrapping vs. Funding—Why having less makes you more dangerous. 0:12:37 Innovation from Constraint—How limitations fuel creativity and drive. 0:15:10 If I Had to Start Over—The pain points ripe for disruptors in 2025. Guest Links Website: [GreenPal](https://www.yourgreenpal.com/) LinkedIn: [Brian Clayton on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-clayton-a96b33214/) Instagram: [@brianmclayton](https://www.instagram.com/brianmclayton/) Book Mentioned: "The E Myth" by Michael Gerber

    19 min
  8. How Brian Clayton Bootstrapped GreenPal to $30 Million: The Untold Truths About Grit, Hustle, and the Uber of Lawn Care

    OCT 16

    How Brian Clayton Bootstrapped GreenPal to $30 Million: The Untold Truths About Grit, Hustle, and the Uber of Lawn Care

    What if the secret to building a multi-million dollar business is hidden in door-to-door flyers, no shortcuts, and your personal cell number? In this emotional and curiosity-driven conversation, Brian Clayton—CEO and co-founder of GreenPal—reveals the raw journey of turning an old-school lawn mowing hustle into a $30 million empire. Forget Silicon Valley fairytales. This is a masterclass in resilience, relentless customer obsession, and why most entrepreneurs focus on the wrong things. Discover why Brian believes hand-to-hand selling and direct feedback are the lifeblood of any real startup—and learn the lessons he wishes he’d known before fighting for every customer. This episode will make you rethink growth, funding, and the true price of entrepreneurial success. What You'll Learn: Bootstrapping isn’t just possible; it’s a superpower—if you focus on true customer needs. The best funding comes from happy customers, not investors. Scaling a company? Tackle it like a video game: one level at a time, and don’t worry about level ten until you master level six. Reliable service and speed matter more to users than being the cheapest option. Entrepreneurship is the ultimate personal development engine—more powerful than any book or classroom. Timestamps:00:02 – Brian’s Origin Story: The Hustle Behind GreenPal02:00 – The Painful Truth About Early Growth (and Why No One Came)05:00 – Real Lessons from Hand-to-Hand Customer Combat09:00 – Why Brian Chose Bootstrapping Over VC Cash12:00 – The Moment He Knew It Would Scale15:00 – Direct Feedback, Star Ratings & Building for Users, Not Investors20:00 – Brian’s Resilience Hack: The “Never Give Up” RuleGuest Links: Website: https://www.yourgreenpal.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmclayton Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianmclayton

    24 min
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5
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65 Ratings

About

This is more than a podcast — it’s a space for dreamers, builders, and creators who believe that passions aren’t just pastimes… they’re the seeds of purpose and profit. Each episode uncovers real stories, practical strategies, and powerful lessons to help you build confidence, authority, and success. From hobbies to business breakthroughs, discover how your passion can become your purpose — and your legacy. 🎙 Wanna be a guest? Apply on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/member/hacksandhobbies 📖 Junaid’s book Home Studio: https://homestudiobook.com 🔗 LI: https://linkedin.com/in/superjunaid

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