In Pursuit of Purpose

Chase Friedman
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. 7h ago

    Running a Business While Raising a Family: When Work and Life Collide (with Jeff Hittner)

    In this episode, I'm joined by Jeff Hittner, executive coach, leadership expert, and founder of the Ambitious Dads Initiative, with a career that includes founding and leading IBM's global Corporate Social Responsibility consulting practice. Jeff has spent 25 years building better leaders and teams, and now coaches CEOs and senior executives across three continents. Together, we talk about what happens when an ambitious leader stops trying to be two different people, the driven professional at work and the present father at home. Jeff moved his family from Manhattan to Valencia, Spain, and what started as a one-year plan became a five-year reinvention of how he defines success. We get into why slowing down feels like failing. Why so many dads can name their career goals but go quiet when asked about their goals as fathers. And why the same skill that calms a crying child is the skill that makes you a better leader at work. This is not a conversation about balance. It's about becoming one whole person in both spheres, and learning to connect before you try to fix. This conversation is for anyone who is ambitious in their career and their parenting, and tired of feeling like they have to choose. What You'll LearnHow to lead with connection first, so the people you work with and parent actually move forward with youWhy trying to be two separate people at work and at home quietly drains your energy and your leadershipA practical reframe for spotting the emotional energy in a room before you tackle the hard conversationHow to build purpose intentionally instead of waiting to discover itWhy investing in your growth as a father is a leadership skill, not a soft skillKey Insights & Timecodes00:01 – Two Days in One: The Move to Spain "I felt like I had two days in one." 00:16 – A Values Leap, Not Just a Move "It was actually a values leap as much as anything else." 00:14 – One Engine: Ending the Work Self vs Home Self Split "It's very possible to be one and the same man in both spheres." 00:27 – Paper Airplanes and the Power of Connecting First "Instead of connecting with him first, I just went straight to trying to solve something." 00:44 – Purpose Is Built, Not Discovered "It's not something that you discover. It's something that you build." Resources & MentionsWebsite: Jeff HittnerNewsletter: Ambitious Dads on SubstackJeff Hittner on LinkedInFounding Fathers group (program hosted by Jeff)Connect with In Pursuit of PurposeListen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

    43 min

  2. Jun 10

    Stop Chasing the Competition: Build a Brand They Can’t Copy

    Episode DescriptionThere is nothing wrong with studying your competitors. But there is a point where research stops informing your strategy and starts replacing your self-trust. In this episode, I’m unpacking one of the sneakiest traps first-time founders, coaches, consultants, and independent experts fall into: competitor comparison. You look at someone else’s website, offer, content, testimonials, audience, or polished personal brand and suddenly start wondering: “Am I doing this wrong?” But comparison is not strategy. And the more you chase your competition, the more comparable you become. I’ll walk you through why competitor obsession makes your brand less clear, less memorable, and easier to judge on price, polish, and popularity. More importantly, I’ll show you how to come back to your own purpose, perspective, proof, and position so you can build a brand they can’t copy. Because your competitors can show you what exists. They cannot show you who you are. What You'll LearnHow to tell the difference between useful market research and fear disguised as “diligence”Why chasing competitors makes your brand less clear, less memorable, and easier to commoditizeHow to run the “They Can't Copy This” audit to find your real, uncopyable edgeThe five-part framework (Purpose, Perspective, Persona, Proof, Positioning) for designing your own categoryA 15-minute exercise to break the comparison spiral and commit to your own laneCore TensionWhat starts as smart market research can quietly slip into a spiral of comparison and self-doubt. For first-time founders, especially those leaving the borrowed credibility of a corporate role, the temptation is to grab onto what already looks successful and copy it. But comparison offers a false sense of certainty while slowly eroding the one thing that actually differentiates you: your own point of view. Episode PromiseYou'll walk away with a clear way to stop measuring yourself against everyone else and start building from what only you can offer. Instead of becoming a shinier version of someone else, you'll have the tools to become a much clearer version of yourself, and a path toward a category you can actually own. Key Insights & Timecodes00:46  Comparison Is Not a Strategy “The more you chase your competition, the more comparable you become.” 05:07  Fear Wearing a Fancy Blazer “It's just like fear wearing a fancy blazer. It's still fear.” 08:43  When Research Becomes Paralysis “There's a point where too much research stops informing your strategy.” 17:17  The Employee-to-Founder Identity Shift “Comparison will give you the illusion of certainty, but conviction requires you to tolerate uncertainty.” 38:34  The “They Can't Copy This” Audit “Become a much clearer version of yourself.”

    32 min

  3. Jun 4

    Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as a First-Time Consultant (Sara Cohen)

    In this episode, I’m joined by Sara Bliss Cohen, former Head of Content at Headspace and a veteran creative executive with experience across NBCUniversal, MTV, A. Smith & Co. Productions, and The Content Co-Op. Sara has spent her career developing stories, leading creative teams, building content strategies, and helping ideas find their audience. Together, we talk about overcoming imposter syndrome as a first-time consultant, especially when you’re making a career pivot, stepping out from behind a company title, and learning to trust the value of your own experience. Because becoming a consultant is not just a business move. It’s an identity shift. And when you start building something of your own, self-doubt can get loud fast. This conversation is for anyone starting a consulting business, betting on themselves, or learning how to turn their story, skills, and hard-earned experience into work that finally feels like their own. What You’ll Learn How to tell the difference between fear that protects you and fear that signals growthWhy your career background is your most powerful positioning tool in a crowded marketHow to bring your partner along during a career transition so it feels supported, not isolatingWhy purpose is the one differentiator in any marketplace that cannot be copiedWhat it means to show up fully as yourself in your work and why that consistency builds real leadership Key Insights & Timecodes 00:00 - Introduction 03:00 - Sara’s Career Journey 08:00 - The Pivot Into Consulting 14:00 - When Self-Doubt Gets Loud 32:00 - Building Confidence Through Action 38:00 - Advice for First-Time Consultants 43:00 - Final Reflection Guest Highlight: Sara Cohen is a brand strategist and content executive with 16 years of experience across entertainment and tech, including senior roles at MTV, NBCUniversal, USA Network, Sci-Fi, and most recently Headspace. At Headspace, she led branded content initiatives that brought the brand’s mental wellness mission to audiences across podcasts, YouTube Kids, and beyond. Now building her own consulting practice, Sara focuses on helping purpose-driven companies use storytelling to earn trust, grow audiences, and make a measurable impact. She is currently based in California with her family. Resources & Mentions Website: HeadspaceSara Cohen on LinkedInOn social –> @thevillagemomofficial Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose: Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

    36 min

  4. May 27

    From Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Stop Overthinking and Finally Make the Leap

    You have been sitting on this decision long enough. Changing jobs, leaving your role, building something on your own. You know it. And if you are being honest, the thing stopping you is not confusion. It is not timing. It is the weight of making a real commitment. This episode is for anyone who has been stuck in that in-between space where everything feels possible but nothing is actually moving. We call it strategic paralysis, and it is one of the most expensive places you can live. Not in money, but in momentum, confidence, and time. I am going to give you a clear framework for moving through the four stages of transition, a simple positioning statement to get you started, and the one mindset shift that changes everything: stop wondering if it could work, and start finding out what actually does. What You'll Learn Why overthinking your next move is not planning, it is delayed commitment, and how to tell the differenceThe four stages of career and business transition, and which one is costing you the most right nowHow the 10x framework and essentialism apply to making a decisive leap forwardA three-step action plan to go from rumination to real traction in 30 daysHow to write your first positioning statement so you can start showing up with clarity and confidence Key Insights & Timecodes 02:17 - Why You Are Still Stuck 05:55 - The Quadrant That Changes Everything 07:48 - Go Narrower to Move Faster 08:57 - The Four Stages of Transition 15:39 - Declare It Out Loud 🌐 Connect with In Pursuit of PurposeWebsite → https://chaseryanfriedman.com/Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inpursuitpurpose/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-friedman/

    21 min

  5. May 20

    The ROI of Purpose: How Impact Measurement & Storytelling Drive Real Business Growth (Julie Davitz)

    Most companies talk about PURPOSE like it's a charity project. A nice thing to do when the budget allows. But here's the truth: purpose is strategy, and if you're not measuring it, you're leaving serious money on the table. In this episode, I sit down with Julie Davitz, Founder and CEO of Plus Media Solutions, to dismantle the myth that purpose is a soft, unmeasurable idea. This is not a conversation about values statements or vague impact claims. It’s about Return on Impact. How belief becomes behavior. How story becomes action. And how action becomes revenue. If you believe in your mission but struggle to prove its business value, this episode bridges the gap between intention and performance and shows why purpose is not a cost center. It is a growth multiplier. What You Will LearnWhy purpose without activation creates noise, not resultsHow to measure Return on Impact alongside traditional ROIHow storytelling converts emotion into action and revenueWhere ESG and impact messaging often fail and why trust erodesHow solopreneurs, founders and SMBs can use purpose as real positioning power Key Insights & Timecodes00:00 Intro 02:45 Purpose Fails When Action Is Missing 06:30 Measurement Removes the Fear 10:15 Return on Impact Drives Return on Investment 17:10 Storytelling Is the Emotional Entry Point 29:30 Purpose as Market Differentiation Guest BioJulie Davitz is the Founder and CEO of Plus Media Solutions, an impact-driven media and measurement company helping brands turn storytelling into real-world action. An internationally recognized social impact leader, Julie bridges content, activation, and measurement to prove that purpose drives performance. Her work helps brands, creators, and platforms move beyond awareness into measurable outcomes that fuel trust, loyalty, and growth. Resources & Mentions Plus Media SolutionsLinkedIn: Connect with Julie DavitzUN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) referenced as measurement benchmark Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose: Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Watch on → YouTube

    42 min

  6. May 13

    From Employee to First-Time Founder: The Mindset Shift Nobody Talks About

    You’ve spent years building expertise inside someone else’s company. You became the reliable one. The strategic one. The person people trusted to solve problems, lead clients, manage teams, and deliver results. But lately, something feels different. Maybe you’ve outgrown the role. Maybe you’re burned out. Maybe you keep thinking about consulting, coaching, freelancing, or building something of your own. And maybe the thing keeping you stuck is this: You think starting a business means starting over. It doesn’t. You are not starting from scratch. You are starting from experience. In this solo coaching episode, I’m speaking directly to the future founder sitting inside the experienced employee. The professional who already has valuable expertise, relationships, perspective, and credibility… but hasn’t yet translated it into a business they own. I break down: the mindset shift from employee to founderwhy so many smart professionals stay stuck in overthinkinghow to stop waiting for perfect clarityand what it actually looks like to start building momentum in the real world This is not “quit your job and follow your passion” advice. This is a grounded conversation about how real consulting, coaching, and service businesses actually get built: through clarity, traction, strategic yeses, and learning by doing. If you’ve been quietly thinking: “I think I’m meant for more than this…” Start here.

    18 min

  7. May 7

    Scale With Intention: How Kareen Zahr Earns 7-Figures Only Using 10% of Her Time

    Most entrepreneurs are taught that success is a straight line climb faster, earn more, sacrifice everything in between. But what happens when you hit every external milestone and still feel empty on the inside? Kareen Zahr spent nearly two decades building and exiting 7 and 8-figure companies across tech, finance, and entrepreneurship. On paper, she was winning. In reality, she was functioning highly in dysfunction, tolerating too much, and ignoring her health to chase a version of success that wasn't even hers. In this episode, Kareen shares the full arc of that journey, including her Evolve Method a six-part framework for entrepreneurs who are ready to stop grinding and start leading with clarity and intention. If you have been scaling hard but feeling disconnected, this conversation will hit differently. What You'll Learn: Why “functional in dysfunction” stalls growth and how to spot itHow the Evolve Method helps you evaluate, clarify, and build toward exitWhat it takes to move from operator to true business ownerHow to align financial goals with your life, not consume itWhy “Own It” is where most get stuck and how to step into leadership Key Insights & Timecodes: 03:00 - The Entrepreneurial Spirit Starts Early 14:00 - Functional in Dysfunction 27:00 - The Evolve Method Breakdown 33:00 - 7 Figures on 10% of Her Time 40:00 - Health First, Hustle Second Guest Bio: Kareen Zahr is a coach, consultant, and entrepreneur who has spent nearly two decades building 7 and 8-figure tech and venture enterprises in corporate, in entrepreneurship, and across multiple exits. She has served in executive leadership, launched startups, and guided hundreds of entrepreneurs through scaling with intention using her proprietary Evolve Method. She is also the creator of the Hey Kareen AI App, designed to put on-demand business coaching in the hands of entrepreneurs wherever they are. Kareen's work sits at the intersection of strategic business growth and whole-life alignment. Resources & Mentions Purpose Positioning FrameworkProfit With Purpose CurriculumWebsite: heykareen.comInstagram: @therealkareenzLinkedIn: Kareen Walsh Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose: Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Watch on → YouTube

    45 min

  8. Apr 30

    Clarity Before Strategy: Build a Business That Serves the Life You Actually Want

    Too many founders jump straight into strategy without ever stopping to define what they are actually building toward. They chase growth, revenue, and momentum, only to wake up years later feeling burned out, boxed in, or disconnected from the life they thought entrepreneurship would give them. In this opening of season two, I wanted to create a hard reset. Before tactics. Before scaling. Before optimization. I break down why clarity is the real leverage point in business and how the lack of it quietly creates misalignment, burnout, and businesses that may look successful on paper but feel heavy in real life. This episode is about defining life first, then designing the business to support it. I walk you through the exact framework I return to anytime things feel scattered, including the five questions that bring focus, conviction, and direction back into your work and your decisions. Everything we build from here starts with clarity. What You Will Learn Why strategy without clarity leads to burnout, not freedomThe difference between push motivation and pull visionHow to define a business that serves your life, not consumes itThe five questions that create alignment before growthWhy winning on your terms must be defined before scaling Key Insights & Timecodes 01:45 - Season Two Starts With Direction, Not Tactics “Belief gets you started, but clarity decides where you go next.” Insight: Growth only works when it is anchored to a clear destination. Without direction, even the right strategy creates friction. 04:50 - Push Motivation Versus Pull Vision “Push levers create friction. Pull visions create momentum.” Insight: Hustle fades fast. A clear future pulls you forward when discipline alone runs out. 07:10 - Define the Life Before the Business “If the business can’t support the life you want, it will eventually demand you trade it away.” Insight: Lifestyle clarity becomes the filter for every business decision that follows. 10:10 - Redefining What Winning Actually Means “Revenue alone isn’t winning. Growth without alignment isn’t winning.” Insight: Success must be defined internally or you will spend years chasing someone else’s scoreboard. 12:45 - Strategy Is the Last Layer, Not the First “Aligned strategy exists to support the life you’ve chosen.” Insight: When strategy follows clarity, execution becomes simpler, faster, and more sustainable. Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose: Website → https://vanquishmediagroup.com Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music Watch on → YouTube Resources & Mentions Purpose Positioning FrameworkProfit With Purpose Curriculum

    20 min
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5
out of 5
12 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Chase Friedman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Chase Friedman
  • Show Website
    In Pursuit of Purpose