guyslikeus

Paul Fattinger & Marc Winter

Two guys old enough to know better—but curious enough to keep asking. A former CEO and an undercover poet—from Vienna and New York, two longtime friends share (lightly) decanted reflections on life, work, and everything in between. Guys Like Us — home of champagne problems and existential questions. IG: https://www.instagram.com/guyslikeus.official/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfattinger/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-winter-6138679/

  1. Oct 13

    Great Is Not a Feeling | Ep 61

    We love to think we can analyze our way to the right answer — but what if your body already knows and you're just not listening? This week we dig into gut feeling: when it saves you months of overthinking, when it leads you straight into disaster, and how to tell the difference between instinct and just being excited or horny. Paul shares how his gut told him to fire someone twelve months before he actually did it, while Marc admits his gut has spectacularly failed him in love and career moves. We cover Jeff Bezos' one-way door framework, why hiring decisions feel impossible, and the Lego plate constellation that finally convinced Paul to get a dog. The real question isn't whether to trust your gut — it's whether you can actually feel what your body is telling you in the first place. Paul reveals how a coach taught him the vocabulary to describe bodily feelings beyond "great" or "fine," and why connecting to your body might be the only way to stay present when life gets overwhelming. 0:00 Introduction0:05 Terminator and Idiot of the Week6:12 The Role of Gut Feeling in Decision Making12:09 Gut Instincts vs. Rational Thinking: A Personal Journey18:04 The Balance of Gut and Brain in Leadership18:08 The Power of Gut Feelings21:13 Balancing Gut and Rational Decision-Making23:55 Navigating Complex Decisions26:53 The Role of Relationships in Decision-Making30:02 Connecting with Your Body and Emotions32:59 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward | Ep 61

  2. Oct 6

    Couples Therapy for Co-Hosts | Ep 60

    We love to romanticize the idea of building something with your best friend — instant trust, shared vision, no awkward getting-to-know-you phase. But the reality? It's a minefield. This week, we sit down to talk about what actually works when you start a business with friends, and more importantly, what doesn't. Marc shares the story of his failed custom suit venture with a party friend (spoiler: two dreamers, zero execution), and Paul reflects on the partnership in his late 30s that actually thrived — complementary skills, brutal honesty, and annual therapy walks in the woods. We also get uncomfortably transparent about our own working relationship: Marc's chronic lateness, Paul's need to be charmed out of his annoyance every recording, and the fact that we both answered "f**k no" when asked if we'd ever work for the other. The takeaway? Friendship and business are two separate things, and the hygiene around keeping them distinct is what makes or breaks the partnership. Chapters:0:00 Introduction3:55 The Idiot of the Week6:57 Starting a Business with Friends9:27 Lessons from Failed Ventures12:11 Building Successful Partnerships15:48 Therapeutic Reflections on Collaboration18:26 Navigating Annoyances and Appreciations21:08 The Dynamics of Working with Friends23:34 Investing in Friendships and Business25:31 The Complexity of Hiring Friends30:02 Maintaining Professional Boundaries33:14 The Importance of Clarity and Hygiene in Relationships | Ep 60

  3. Sep 15

    Our Kids vs Elon's 10-Year AI Forecast | Ep 57

    It's easy to tell yourself your kids will figure it out—but what if the world they're walking into looks nothing like the one we grew up in? We sit down to unpack Elon Musk's 10-year AI forecast and what it actually means for how we're raising our children. If combined artificial intelligence surpasses all human intelligence within five years, what are we even teaching them? Marc breaks down his "unautomatable" framework—the human skills that matter when everything else can be done by machines. Paul asks the question that keeps him up at night: if work becomes optional, how do we teach our kids the value of effort? We cover everything from why universities have no plan for AI, to whether we should pull college funds and invest in AI stocks instead, to the uncomfortable reality that billionaires are already building bunkers. Plus: what the children of the ultra-wealthy actually do with their time, why Paul's considering a backup farm in the Austrian mountains, and the real skills our kids need to learn before it's too late. Chapters:0:00 Introduction and Humor0:17 Elon Musk's 10-Year Forecast and Parenting Implications1:08 Idiotic Thing and Idiot of the Week1:08 Personal Updates and Upcoming Events6:54 Transitioning to AI and Its Impact on Future Generations16:47 The Impact of AI on Education17:11 Homeschooling vs Traditional Schooling18:33 The Future of Work and Purpose22:05 Teaching Personal Purpose in the AI Era24:32 The Role of Education in a Changing World26:19 Critical Subjects for Future Generations29:04 Investing in the Future: Education vs AI Stocks32:13 The Wealth Gap and Future Revolutions35:13 The Future of Global Power Dynamics | Ep 57

  4. Sep 8

    Do You Have a Woman Friend? | Ep 56

    We love to believe we're open-minded, evolved guys — but when Paul's hairdresser asked mid-cut, "Can men and women really be friends?", his gut answer was no. Marc's was yes. So we sat down to figure out why. We dig into the real barriers: the jealous partner problem, the social weirdness of going to dinner alone with a female friend, and the Tinder mindset that trains you to see every interaction as either a romantic match or irrelevant. Marc makes the case that the world would be better if we all had more cross-gender friendships. Paul admits his only female friends are basically sisters — women he's known for decades — and wonders if he's been avoiding new ones just because he's afraid of mixed signals. We cover why it's easier when you're married (built-in guardrails), why it's harder when you're single (everything feels loaded), and the cocky move of actively "friend zoning" someone. Plus: why online dating deleted the friendship category entirely, and Paul's realization that maybe he should stop letting social norms dictate who he grabs dinner with. 0:00 Introduction01:40 Summer Reflections and Personal Updates01:48 Wine Adventures and Idiots of the Week04:25 The Rise of Robotics and AI06:31 Can Men and Women Be Friends?09:22 Attraction and Friendship Dynamics12:17 The Value of Female Friendships15:29 Navigating Friendships and Romantic Interests18:26 Navigating Friend Zones and Relationships19:53 The Value of Diverse Friendships20:26 Barriers to Cross-Gender Friendships21:13 The Impact of Online Dating on Friendships23:21 Social Norms and Their Influence25:30 The Importance of Intentional Friendships27:10 Friendship Dynamics in Different Life Stages30:24 Setting Expectations in Friendships32:05 The Call for More Cross-Gender Friendships34:07 Challenging Social Norms for Better Relationships | Ep 56

  5. Sep 1

    Let Go of Your Dreams | Ep 55

    It's easy to tell yourself you'll take a break when the timing is perfect, or that you'll finally pursue that screenplay when things settle down. But what if the dreams you're still clinging to are actually holding you back? We sit down to unpack the surprisingly messy art of letting go — not just past grudges, but the future you always thought you'd have. Paul confesses he'll never run another company as CEO (unless it genuinely serves him), and Marc shares what it felt like to hand off a passion project he couldn't execute alone. We cover the real mechanics of midlife recalibration: forgiving yourself for mistakes that still sting, the joy of abandoning b******t goals like Ferraris and marathons, and why it's harder to let go of things you did than things done to you. Plus: Paul's smoking relapse update (he's quit again, we're counting days), Marc's rear-end collision story with two sleeping kids in the back, and the uncomfortable question underneath it all — when does letting go become giving up? The answer: it's about trust. Trust that you'll be okay without the next thing lined up. Trust that redefining winning on your own terms isn't losing. Trust that some dreams are worth releasing so better ones can arrive. 0:00 Introduction to the Art of Letting Go2:59 Terminator and Idiotic Thing of the Summer4:13 The Meaning of Letting Go and Emotional Burdens8:11 Letting Go of Control and the Journey of Unburdening11:50 The Difference Between Giving Up and Surrendering15:57 Letting Go of Past Hurts and Future Dreams19:46 The Joy and Liberation in Letting Go23:01 Societal Expectations and Defining Your Own Success26:10 Trust, Control, and the Continuous Practice of Letting Go28:32 Revisiting Old Dreams and Embracing New Paths32:00 The Inner Work of Forgiveness and Self-Compassion35:33 The Balance Between Control and Surrender38:56 Final Reflections and Practical Takeaways for Letting Go | Ep 55

About

Two guys old enough to know better—but curious enough to keep asking. A former CEO and an undercover poet—from Vienna and New York, two longtime friends share (lightly) decanted reflections on life, work, and everything in between. Guys Like Us — home of champagne problems and existential questions. IG: https://www.instagram.com/guyslikeus.official/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfattinger/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-winter-6138679/

You Might Also Like