Just Some BS

Brandon Stanchock

Welcome to Just Some BS—the podcast for high-potential humans trying to figure it out without pretending they’ve got it all together.Hosted by Brandon, this is where personal growth meets real talk, career chaos meets clarity, and leadership lessons are served with a side of sarcasm.Each episode is part journal, part pep talk, part “did they just say that?”Expect stories from the trenches of work and life, honest reflections, and the kind of insights you’d only get from someone who’s been through the BS and decided to podcast about it.If you're into ambition, awkwardness, and a little bit of absurdity—you’re home.New episodes every Tuesday.  Stay weird.

  1. 2D AGO

    Can Schools Ban AI When the Real World Depends on It?

    Send a text AI is everywhere — except where we’re telling kids they can’t use it. In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with Billy Ostroski, school administrator and educator, to unpack the growing tension between education systems trying to restrict AI and a real world that increasingly depends on it. This isn’t a fear-based conversation. It’s a practical, honest look at what’s actually happening inside schools right now — and why banning AI may be doing more harm than good. In this episode, they discuss:  • How schools are currently policing AI use  • Why AI detectors are unreliable and creating conflict  • The real risk of students skipping foundational learning  • Bloom’s Taxonomy — and why it needs to be flipped  • AI as a think partner vs a shortcut  • Why “just banning it” doesn’t work  • How guided use builds critical thinking  • Parallels between AI and calculators in education  • What businesses actually want students to know  • Why reflection matters more than completion This conversation is for educators, parents, and leaders trying to figure out how to prepare the next generation — without pretending AI is going away. 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast  🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship  🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock  🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    55 min
  2. FEB 3

    I Don’t Use AI Like a Tech Bro. Here’s What Actually Works.

    Send us a text  I don’t use AI to replace people.  I don’t use it to pretend I’m smarter than I am.  And I definitely don’t use it like a tech bro on LinkedIn. In this solo episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon breaks down the 10 simple, boring, functional ways he actually uses AI every week — not for hacks or hype, but to reduce mental friction, think clearer, and stop spinning. This episode isn’t about tools or prompts.  It’s about how AI can help you think better, learn faster, and prepare smarter without replacing real thinking. In this episode, Brandon covers:  • How he uses AI to extract insights from massive data dumps  • Why AI works best as a think partner, not an answer machine  • Automating repeatable work without losing quality  • Using AI as a realistic fitness and nutrition coach  • His “Bob Vila” approach to home repairs and confidence  • Turning messy transcripts into clarity  • Process definition and workflow improvement  • Using AI for thumbnails, visuals, and placeholders  • Pressure-testing personal brand ideas without sounding corporate  • Why preparation reduces anxiety in leadership and life AI didn’t make him smarter.  It made him clearer. If you’re tired of AI hype and just want practical ways to reduce friction in your work and life, this episode is for you. 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast  🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship  🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock  🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    18 min
  3. JAN 27

    I Spent 7 Weeks Working the Shop Floor as CEO. Here’s What Changed

    Send us a text Most CEOs spend their time in conference rooms.  I spent seven weeks sweating in welding bays, loading trucks, grinding metal, and trying not to embarrass myself. In this solo episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon breaks down what happened when he spent seven weeks working in seven different departments at SWF Industrial — doing jobs he was absolutely not qualified to do. This wasn’t a stunt. It was an experiment in perspective, process improvement, and leadership humility. In this episode, Brandon shares:  • Why he chose to work the floor instead of running meetings  • What logistics, production, stainless, maintenance, and fabrication actually feel like  • The hidden stress inside every department  • Why starting a task wrong costs more than starting slow  • How physical exhaustion changes leadership empathy  • What shop work teaches you about quality, incentives, and accountability  • Why being bad at something can make you a better leader  • The real difference between hypothetical and lived process improvement  • How trust, humility, and effort earn real credibility If you’re a leader who wants a deeper connection to your team, better decisions, and fewer blind spots, this episode is a raw, honest look at what happens when you stop leading from a distance. 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast  🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship  🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock  🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    38 min
  4. JAN 20

    What CEOs Get Wrong About Their CFO (From Someone Who Advises Them)

    Send us a text Most CEOs think they understand what their CFO should be doing. Most are wrong. In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with Eric Segal, Managing Director at CFO Consulting Partners, to unpack the biggest disconnect between CEOs and finance leaders — and why it quietly costs companies margin, clarity, and momentum. Eric isn’t a traditional, in-house CFO. He advises CEOs and finance teams across multiple companies, which gives him a rare vantage point into the patterns most leaders miss. In this conversation, we cover:  • What CEOs actually misunderstand about their CFO • Why many finance leaders get stuck in accounting mode • The difference between reporting numbers and driving strategy • How incentive structures quietly break performance • Product and customer profitability blind spots • Why delivery matters more than credentials • How CFOs should communicate bad news • The human side of data-driven leadership • Why AI won’t fix broken finance fundamentals • What CEOs should realistically expect from their finance team This isn’t a finance lecture. It’s a practical, candid conversation about alignment, trust, and how finance should really support leadership decisions. 🔗 Connect with Eric & CFO Consulting Partners Website:  https://cfoconsultingpartners.com 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast  🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship  🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock  🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    58 min
  5. JAN 13

    I’m Nothing Special — And That’s Why This Works

    Send us a text “I’m nothing special.”  Mike Stern says that early in the conversation — and then spends the next hour proving why that mindset might be the most powerful leadership advantage there is. In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with Mike Stern, CEO of Preventus, Navy veteran, and former tech executive operating in high-pressure, military-adjacent environments where decisions actually matter. This conversation goes deep into:  • Why ego quietly destroys teams and organizations  • What Navy SEALs really understand about leadership  • Making decisions with incomplete information  • Getting comfortable with failure — before it finds you  • Why accountability isn’t saying “my fault,” it’s making things right  • Chain of command vs. real collaboration  • Why ordinary people are capable of extraordinary impact  • Building trust without rank, titles, or authority  • Knowing when leadership means stepping back  • Why succession planning should start on day one This isn’t motivational fluff. It’s a raw, honest conversation about humility, fear, decisiveness, and what leadership actually looks like when lives, teams, and outcomes are on the line. 🔗 Connect with Mike & Preventus Preventus:  👉 https://www.preventus.life 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast  🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship  🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock  🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    49 min
  6. 12/30/2025

    She Took Her Kids to All 63 National Parks: Here’s What It Taught Her About Life

    Send us a text What would you do if life kept reminding you that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed? In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with Leigh Ann Wilson, the organizational powerhouse who took her two kids to all 50 states and all 63 U.S. national parks — across 19 major trips, often with only carry-ons, school breaks, and a razor-tight budget. Leigh Ann shares: • How losing her mom and nearly losing her husband shaped her “life is short — book the trip” mindset • The exact moment her family travel project turned into a book • What traveling with kids really teaches you (and them) • The hardest meltdowns, longest hikes, and funniest “we’re never doing this again” moments • The packing systems, logistics hacks, and planning strategies behind 19 trips • The national parks that shocked her (good and bad) • The park experiences every family should steal • Why she wrote “Dear Nolan and Odette” as a love letter and legacy for her kids Whether you love travel, dream of visiting the parks, or just want to hear what’s possible when a family decides to go all-in on adventure, this episode is packed with heart, humor, and life perspective. Leigh Ann’s Links My website has links to the book.   https://la-order.com/travel-book-1 Publisher- https://store.bookbaby.com/book/dear-nolan-and-odette Amazon- https://a.co/d/5xOmqgf Barnes and Noble- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-nolan-and-odette-leigh-ann-wilson/1148669467?ean=9798317819668 Chapters  0:00 – Intro: 50 states, 63 parks, and a book 01:05 – Why Leigh Ann started documenting everything 03:20 – How grief shaped her “life is short” mindset 05:00 – The first trip that set everything in motion 07:25 – Traveling with kids: chaos, cliffs & bathroom emergencies 10:10 – What her kids taught her on the road 12:20 – Parenting meltdowns, backseat battles & device rules 14:00 – Alaska, near-misses & finishing the 63-park journey 16:15 – Most surprising & underrated parks 19:45 – Planning 19 trips + impossible logistics 24:30 – The organizational systems behind the madness 30:00 – Travel hacks every family should steal 33:40 – Life is short: the mantra behind the book 37:00 – What she hopes her kids feel when they read it 43:00 – Top five parks and why they matter 46:00 – The cost of 19 trips (exact number!) 50:30 – Her website, the book, and what’s next 🎙️ Like what you heard? This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast 🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship 🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock 🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    45 min
  7. 12/23/2025

    Why 60% of New Supervisors Fail (And How to Fix It)

    Send us a text 60% of new supervisors fail in their first 24 months. Today, we break down why — and how to build leaders the right way. In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with leadership trainer and manufacturing expert Becky Becker to tackle one of the most painful and expensive problems in the industry: promoting your best worker and hoping they magically become a great leader. Spoiler: hope isn’t a strategy. Becky has trained leaders in 43 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, and she reveals the real reasons supervisors struggle — lack of training, lack of mentorship, culture gaps, and unrealistic expectations. This conversation is packed with practical tools for manufacturing companies, HR teams, and new supervisors who want to succeed instead of sinking. This episode is a masterclass in fixing the frontline leadership crisis happening across the industry. CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro  00:08 – Why promoting your best worker often fails  01:00 – The NFL analogy that explains leadership mistakes  03:00 – Is leadership born or trained?  04:30 – Why the Navy trains leaders from day one  05:45 – Radical grace & culture expectations  07:30 – Why people need to feel appreciated at work  09:10 – Meeting people where they are  11:12 – Becky’s childhood story that shaped her leadership lens  13:40 – Why leaders must understand values & mission  18:50 – Why trust is a skill — not magic  20:05 – ABCD Model of Trust  21:30 – The human side of leading through chaos  22:45 – Staying consistent as a leader  23:48 – Becoming “unflappable”  25:10 – What Navy SEAL breathing teaches about emotional control  27:10 – Manufacturing’s massive supervisor failure rate  28:20 – Why new supervisors get almost no training  29:40 – The impact of bad supervisors on turnover  31:18 – Creating alternate career tracks for technical experts  32:20 – Why temporary supervisor assignments save careers  34:05 – Becky’s weirdest nerd hobby (and a secret 1940s York movie)  36:15 – What companies should screen for BEFORE promoting  39:40 – How to evaluate leadership readiness  41:10 – Preventing resentment when promoting non–star performers  44:00 – Why new supervisors default back to what they’re good at  45:45 – Sandbox vs. hot seat (training the right way)  47:20 – How to help someone step back without shame 48:30 – The hardest conversation Becky ever witnessed 51:00 – Why annual reviews shouldn’t deliver surprises 52:20 – The T-ball coaching analogy every supervisor needs 53:50 – How the Manufacturers Association trains supervisors 56:10 – How companies can prepare supervisors before training 57:30 – The leadership belief Becky changed her mind on 58:30 – What great supervisors really do 59:30 – What Becky hopes she’ll be remembered for 59:55 – Advice for anyone just promoted 01:01:00 – Final message + where to find Becky 🎙️ Like what you heard?This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe. Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more. 👊 Subscribe to the podcast 🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship 🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers 🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something 📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock 🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock Your Potential. Your Rules. Stay Weird.

    1h 1m
5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to Just Some BS—the podcast for high-potential humans trying to figure it out without pretending they’ve got it all together.Hosted by Brandon, this is where personal growth meets real talk, career chaos meets clarity, and leadership lessons are served with a side of sarcasm.Each episode is part journal, part pep talk, part “did they just say that?”Expect stories from the trenches of work and life, honest reflections, and the kind of insights you’d only get from someone who’s been through the BS and decided to podcast about it.If you're into ambition, awkwardness, and a little bit of absurdity—you’re home.New episodes every Tuesday.  Stay weird.