In Pursuit of Purpose

Chase Friedman
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

You were never meant to choose between doing good and doing well. Between purpose and profit. A meaningful life and a successful business. In Pursuit of Purpose is for founders ready to stop chasing someone else’s version of success and start building on their own terms. Hosted by Chase Friedman, each episode blends real stories, practical strategy, and hard-earned lessons from the messy middle of entrepreneurship. No hacks. No hustle worship. No hollow advice. Just more clarity, confidence, and conviction to build a business that supports the life you actually want to live. Purpose isn’t fluff. It’s fuel. #StrategywithSoul

  1. Jul 22

    Building a Business Without Having All the Answers

    In this episode, I'm closing out season two of In Pursuit of Purpose, and it felt like the right moment to talk about something almost every founder wrestles with in private. You are never going to know it all before you start. This season has been about building clarity. Clarity around who you serve, what matters, and what needs to go. But clarity was never meant to be the finish line. It's what gets you moving. So today I'm talking about what happens next. How to take real action when you don't have certainty, when the plan isn't fully buttoned up, and when preparation has quietly turned into procrastination. Because here's the truth. You don't get certainty first. You get contact. Real conversations. Real offers. Real feedback. Sometimes a few bruises along the way. I walk through what I call the Founder Field Test, a simple framework for naming what you actually know, naming what you're only assuming, and running one focused test that tells you the truth instead of guessing it in your own head. This isn't about being reckless. It's about trading perfection for evidence. This conversation is for anyone standing at the edge of a decision right now. Holding back a launch, a pitch, or a next step because it doesn't feel ready yet. It probably never will. Take the step anyway. What You'll LearnWhy waiting for certainty before you act keeps you stuck, and what to do insteadHow to tell the difference between responsible preparation and preparation that's really procrastination in disguiseThe four steps of the Founder Field Test, from naming what you know to defining the evidence that proves or disproves your ideaWhy your first test result isn't the final verdict, and how much time to actually give an idea before you judge itHow to reframe failure and rejection as data instead of a referendum on your worthKey Insights & Timecodes00:05:10 – Clarity Isn't the Finish Line "Clarity is not meant to be the final destination." 00:07:25 – Picking a Launch Date Anyway "I've picked a date, and if not everything's ready, then so be it." 00:14:25 – When Preparation Becomes Procrastination "At some point, too much preparation just becomes procrastination." 00:20:05 – Expect to Fail, A Lot "You gotta be willing to fail at least nine times outta 10, at least." 00:21:57 – Introducing the Founder Field Test "I wanna take you through this founder field test." Connect with In Pursuit of PurposeListen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube If this episode gave you the push you needed, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with someone building something of their own. Head to ChaseRyanFriedman.com for more resources and to keep building your own purpose positioning strategy.

  2. Jul 16

    When Sh*t Hits the Fan: The Conviction to Stay the Course with Greg Hemmings

    In this episode, I'm joined by Greg Hemmings, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Hemmings House Pictures, a certified B Corp, and Hemmings Films, producer of documentaries and series for networks like NBC Universal and Syfy. This conversation is for anyone building something meaningful who needs a more honest conversation about what it takes to keep going when sh*t hits the fan. What You'll Learn How to tell the difference between conviction and stubbornness when the pressure is realWhy the easy yes can slowly turn your company into something you never meant to buildHow to recognize founder burnout and creative atrophy before it takes the business down with youA practical explanation of the triple bottom line (profit, people, planet) any business can applyWhy honest "things aren't good" conversations unlock real support in entrepreneur networks Key Insights & Timecodes 02:20 - Meet Greg Hemmings 05:05 - From Drummer to Filmmaker: Greg's Origin Story 13:55 - When Purpose Meets Payroll: Long COVID and Losing the Spark 21:00 - A Healing Journey in the Peruvian Andes 29:29 - The Cost of Saying Yes and the Courage to Say No 39:38 - The Triple Bottom Line and the Fourth P Guest Highlight Greg Hemmings is a pioneer in positive social impact filmmaking and the founder of Hemmings House Pictures, a certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet member based in Saint John, New Brunswick, and Hemmings Films, an original content company producing documentaries and television for global broadcasters including NBC Universal and Syfy. His accolades include the Royal Commonwealth Society's Vision Film Award, three Banff World Media Festival Rockies Awards, induction into Atlantic Business Magazine's Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame, and an honorary doctorate from the University of New Brunswick. After long COVID and a business downturn tested everything he'd built, Greg turned his camera on his own recovery. The result is Rewiring the Muse, a documentary series exploring the neuroscience of creativity, flow states, and music, and why creative practice is essential for leaders who've lost their spark. Resources & Mentions Website: Hemmings House & Hemmings FilmsWatch: Rewiring the Muse on YouTubeGreg Hemmings on LinkedIn1% for the Planet Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

  3. Jul 9

    Rebuilding Your Identity for the Business You’re Ready to Lead (with Jamie Grace)

    In this episode, I'm joined by Jamie C. Grace, Transformation Advisor, educator, and founder of the School of Original Design and Medicine For The People. With a background in Molecular and Cellular Biology and advanced training in neuroscience, psychology, trauma-informed transformation, and human development, Jamie has spent her career bridging faith, science, and practical wisdom to help people create lasting change. Together, we talk about identity, transition, and personal evolution, especially what happens when the version of you that got you here no longer fits the business, life, or leadership you are ready to step into next. Because you can build the career. You can grow the business. You can become the capable one, the strong one, the person everyone counts on. And then one day you realize the identity you worked so hard to build has quietly become too small for the life and business you actually want to lead. Jamie's signature message says it best: you're not broken, you're just out of design. We get into why transition feels so disorienting, how burnout can reveal an identity that no longer fits, the masks high performers wear, and how to rebuild from a place of truth, design, and deeper purpose. This conversation is for anyone standing between who they have been and who they are becoming. And for founders especially, it is a reminder that you cannot build a more aligned business while clinging to an outdated version of yourself. Resources & Mentions Website: Jamie C. GraceJamie C. Grace on LinkedInOn social –> @jamiestarcrawfordSchool of Original Design (URL to be added)Medicine For The People (URL to be added)Connect with In Pursuit of Purpose Listen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube Thanks for listening to In Pursuit of Purpose. If this episode helped you, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with someone who's building something meaningful. And remember: you are ready to take the next step. So what are you waiting for? Head to ChaseRyanFriedman.com to start building your own Purpose Positioning strategy, explore free resources, and find more inspiration for the road ahead. Onwards.

  4. Jul 2

    Burnout to Brilliance: Lessons on Delegation, Boundaries, and Purpose (with SaCola Lehr)

    In this episode, I'm joined by SaCola Lehr, a veteran educator, work-life harmony strategist, and host of the Work It, Live It, Own It! podcast. SaCola has spent her career helping women move from burnout to brilliance, and she's just released her new book, Harmony Hustle for Women. Together, we talk about the boss babe mentality and what happens when hustle becomes your identity instead of a season. Because the grind doesn't always look like failure from the outside. Sometimes it looks like success. Sometimes it looks like you having it all together, right up until your body forces you to stop. SaCola walks us through her PRONE to Power framework, born out of her own years of overworking, panic attacks, and a health scare that finally made her listen. We get into why delegation feels so hard, especially for women in leadership, and how learning to trust your team can free you up to lead better. This conversation is for anyone who has built their identity around being the strong one, the one who always shows up, and who is starting to wonder what it might cost them if they never learn to put themselves first. What You'll LearnHow to recognize the early warning signs your body gives before burnout fully hitsWhat the PRONE to Power framework is and how to apply each stepA practical way to delegate without guilt, even if you've never done it beforeWhy "let me get back to you" is a powerful leadership phraseHow to redefine purpose as something that shifts by season instead of staying fixedKey Insights & Timecodes (will update based on final edit)00:00 – The Boss Babe Mentality "I realized the boss babe mentality does not work. It is highly overrated." 06:00 – Where the Hustle Started "As a teenager, I said, I will do whatever I need to do. I will hustle to make sure that I don't go without." 08:54 – When the Body Forces You to Stop "Your body will tell you enough is enough." 14:34 – The PRONE to Power Framework "Prioritize what's important, delegate what's not important, because not everything that's important and urgent has to be done right away." 22:36 – Learning to Delegate as a Leader "Find out what lights them up inside. That's the part where you've got to get to know your people." Resources & Mentions Book: Harmony Hustle for Women: Master the Art of Thriving in Life and CareerPodcast: Work It, Live It, Own It!SaCola Lehr on LinkedInOn social –> @workitliveitownitConnect with In Pursuit of PurposeListen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

  5. Jun 26

    Do Less, But Better: The Founder's Guide to Strategic Subtraction

    If your calendar is packed and your business still feels unclear, the problem isn't your work ethic. It's that you haven't decided what actually matters yet. Most founders aren't overwhelmed because they lack discipline. They're overwhelmed because they've been trained to treat busyness as proof they're building something real. A full calendar is not always progress. A packed schedule is not always a success. And doing more is not always the answer. In this episode, I unpack the cultural badge of busyness, why open space is essential for deep thinking and strategic clarity, and how some of history's greatest thinkers protected time for walking, reflection, and focused work. Then I walk through two practical tools you can use right now: the Purpose Filter and the Clarity Cut. The Purpose Filter helps you evaluate what deserves your attention by returning to your purpose, people, positioning, proof, and peace. The Clarity Cut helps you decide what to cut, pause, delegate, protect, or commit to next. You don't need to become more productive at carrying chaos. You need to become more honest about what belongs in your hands. What You'll Learn Why busyness is not the same as progress, and why a full calendar is not proof you're building the right businessWhy founder overwhelm is often a clarity problem disguised as a capacity problemHow the Purpose Filter (purpose, people, positioning, proof, peace) helps you decide what deserves your timeHow the Clarity Cut helps you cut, pause, delegate, protect, or commit to what's left on your plateWhy sharper positioning earns you more nos from the wrong people, and why that's a sign alignment is working Key Insights & Timecodes 00:21 - Productive Can Look Unproductive 06:48 - The Badge of Busyness 14:42 - Overwhelm Is a Clarity Problem 31:36 - The Purpose Filter 38:27 - Earning More Nos Resources & MentionsPurpose Positioning FrameworkProfit With Purpose CurriculumPurpose Positioning Assessment Book mentioned: Essentialism by Greg McKeownConnect with In Pursuit of PurposeListen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

  6. Jun 17

    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

  7. 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 laneKey Insights & Timecodes00:46 - Comparison Is Not a Strategy 05:07 -  Fear Wearing a Fancy Blazer 08:43 -  When Research Becomes Paralysis 17:17 - The Employee-to-Founder Identity Shift 38:34 - The “They Can't Copy This” Audit Connect with In Pursuit of PurposeListen on → Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicWatch on → YouTube

  8. 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

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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

You were never meant to choose between doing good and doing well. Between purpose and profit. A meaningful life and a successful business. In Pursuit of Purpose is for founders ready to stop chasing someone else’s version of success and start building on their own terms. Hosted by Chase Friedman, each episode blends real stories, practical strategy, and hard-earned lessons from the messy middle of entrepreneurship. No hacks. No hustle worship. No hollow advice. Just more clarity, confidence, and conviction to build a business that supports the life you actually want to live. Purpose isn’t fluff. It’s fuel. #StrategywithSoul

Information

  • Creator
    Chase Friedman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Chase Friedman
  • Show Website
    In Pursuit of Purpose