The Problem With...

Ed Lawrence joins James Smith for a brutally honest conversation about the problem with making money online, the illusion of quick success and the hidden grind behind overnight wins. From starting 12 years ago with terrible videos to generating $300,000 from a single YouTube upload, Ed reveals how the "make money online" promise is sold as easy… but requires years of eating shit instead. They discuss the reality of building a business, the trap of chasing views over revenue, the burnout of ad-dependent income and why most people give up right before the breakthrough. Ed opens up about parasites nearly killing his business, the obsession required to succeed and learning to build a sustainable income through content, tracking and understanding what actually converts rather than what goes viral. He explains: ◼️ Why making money online takes 10x longer than you think ◼️ How to escape the 9-5 without going broke ◼️ The trap of building followers who never buy ◼️ Why 800 views can make $33,000 (and millions of views can make nothing) ◼️ How YouTube teaches you every business skill you need Timestamps: 00:00 – The Problem With Making Money Online 02:14 – Why Side Hustles Fail vs Full-Time Focus 05:08 – The Trap of "Free" Gym Memberships 06:33 – The Truth About Business Ownership 08:48 – Don't Start a Business Just for Money 11:05 – Building Followers vs Making Money 13:17 – The Stress of Ad Revenue Dependency 16:38 – YouTube is Not a Search Platform 19:15 – Binge-Watching by Design 24:13 – YouTube Makes You Better at Everything 29:35 – Fail as Fast as You Can 32:56 – Packaging Boring Content 37:13 – Everything Has Been Done Before 41:55 – Copy Your Own Outliers 44:41 – Views Don't Equal Money 49:13 – The 10-Year Overnight Success 53:05 – Getting Stuck in Your Comfort Zone 56:12 – The Parasite Wake-Up Call 59:11 – Is AI the Biggest Opportunity Ever? 1:02:00 – Bitcoin vs Gold vs Traditional Money 1:04:09 – Stop Researching Investments, Build Your Business 1:05:13 – Closing Remarks Welcome to "The Problem With" where each week we look into a problem to get a better understanding of it. This podcast has no sponsors, only my businesses and investments, please check out the links below. I'm on a mission to help men check their levels of Testosterone, more info here: https://www.manual.co/smith Please check out and try Neutonic here: https://www.neutonic.com/jamessmith For a free trial of my online personal training app go here: https://www.affordableonlinecoaching.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Mack joins James Smith for an unfiltered conversation that will change how you think about ambition, success, and the hidden traps of productivity. They dive deep into the concept of agency (why some people take control of their lives while others stay stuck) and how it shows up across business, relationships, happiness, and identity. From the “busy trap” to the myth of hustle culture, George unpacks the subtle ways we self-sabotage under the illusion of progress. He questions whether high agency is even healthy… or just a sophisticated form of burnout. James and George explore the psychology of success, the role of genetics, language and culture in shaping mindset, and how becoming a parent can snap you out of your grind obsession. He explains: ◼️ Why high agency can be a hidden mental illness ◼️ The real reason some people stay stuck (and how to escape) ◼️ How productivity becomes a trap disguised as progress ◼️ Why writing things down on a whiteboard might change your life ◼️ What jiu-jitsu teaches us about fear, ego, and self-awareness Timestamps: 00:00 The Problem With Low Agency 02:04 The Jail Cell Test 05:16 Can You Train Agency? 09:05 Context-Dependent Agency 15:15 Life in Austin, Texas 18:04 UK Cynicism vs American Naivety 24:06 The Happiness Paradox 30:02 Language Shapes Thinking 36:07 Hater or Inspired? The Choice Is Yours 42:07 The Busy Trap 46:03 The $1,500 Chicken Sandwich Story 51:34 Parenthood: The Ultimate Agency Hack 59:58 Jiu-Jitsu and Personal Growth 1:03:02 The Gap and The Gain 1:07:26 Warren Buffett's Investment Exercise 1:12:25 Practical Agency Hacks 1:17:20 The A1 Paper That Changed Everything 1:29:11 Eat Frogs, Lick Toads 1:32:35 Why Jiu-Jitsu Hits All Four Brain Chemicals 1:35:31 Closing Advice Welcome to "The Problem With" where each week we look into a problem to get a better understanding of it. This podcast has no sponsors, only my businesses and investments, please check out the links below. I'm on a mission to help men check their levels of Testosterone, more info here: https://www.manual.co/smith Please check out and try Neutonic here: https://www.neutonic.com/jamessmith  For a free trial of my online personal training app go here: https://www.affordableonlinecoaching.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rapper Professor Green joins James Smith for an unfiltered conversation about the problem with fame, the illusion of success and the hidden loneliness behind recognition. From growing up in Hackney to playing Glastonbury, Professor Green reveals how fame promised to fix everything… and nearly broke him instead. They dive into the darker side of success, the pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the mental health toll of living as a public persona. Green opens up about his late autism and ADHD diagnosis, the self-sabotage of success and learning to rebuild a life grounded in honesty, fatherhood and self-awareness rather than applause. He explains: ◼️ Why fame magnifies your problems instead of solving them ◼️ How childhood trauma shapes ambition and anxiety ◼️ The reality of addiction, ego, and escapism in celebrity culture ◼️ Why becoming a dad finally made him stop performing ◼️ How self-understanding saved his life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedians Jacob Hawley and Jake Farrell, hosts of the hit podcast Screen Rot, join James Smith to dissect the madness of the modern internet - where everyone’s a brand, outrage is currency, and idiots become superstars overnight. From online fame to fake authenticity, steroids to OnlyFans, they unpack the comedy and chaos of living in a world that never logs out. Jacob and Jake, two of the UK’s freshest stand-up voices, bring their signature blend of humour and insight to questions that define our time: Is the algorithm killing culture? Why does everyone need a platform? And can you stay sane while being online for a living? They discuss: ◼️ Why the internet rewards bad behaviour ◼️ How outrage, moral superiority, and “hot takes” became entertainment ◼️ The rise of online characters - from influencers to politicians ◼️ The dark side of the creator economy and performance-enhancing everything ◼️ What the future of comedy, fame, and humanity might look like Welcome to "The Problem With" where each week we look into a problem to get a better understanding of it. This podcast has no sponsors, only my businesses and investments, please check out the links below. I'm on a mission to help men check their levels of Testosterone, more info here: https://www.manual.co/smith Please check out and try Neutonic here: https://www.neutonic.com/jamessmith For a free trial of my online personal training app go here: https://www.affordableonlinecoaching.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Louise Newson, world-leading menopause specialist and hormone health expert, joins James Smith to expose the truth about hormones, testosterone, and modern medicine’s biggest blind spot. From the history of contraception to the stigma around testosterone and the rise of synthetic hormones, Dr. Newson argues that hormonal health isn’t a “women’s issue”, it’s a foundation of human health we’ve ignored for decades. Dr. Newson is a GP, menopause specialist, and founder of the Balance Menopause app, used by millions worldwide. In this powerful conversation, she reveals how hormones influence mental health, metabolism, fertility, and performance… and why balancing them could prevent depression, dementia, and chronic disease. She explains: ◼️ Why testosterone isn’t just a “male hormone” and how it transforms mood and energy ◼️ The dark history of contraception and its lasting health impact ◼️ How inflammation and modern diets disrupt hormonal balance ◼️ Why women are prescribed antidepressants instead of HRT ◼️ The real science behind hormone replacement, fertility, and GLP-1 drugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will Storr, award-winning author and science writer, reveals why the Buddhist rejection of ego and ambition completely misunderstands human nature, and how status is the hidden force driving everything we do. In this episode of The Problem With… James and Will unpack the uncomfortable truth: without wanting, striving, and competing for recognition, civilisation itself would collapse. Will Storr is the author of The Status Game and The Science of Storytelling, and his work spans psychology, neuroscience, and culture. He explains why our obsession with hierarchy and belonging is baked into evolution, how status loss drives everything from online hate to violence and suicide, and why “connection and respect” are as fundamental to survival as food and water. He explains: ◼️ Why Buddhism gets human motivation wrong ◼️ How every person plays invisible “status games” daily ◼️ Why humiliation can trigger violence ◼️ How storytelling and culture shape our sense of self ◼️ The link between status, social media, and modern mental health I'm on a mission to help men check their levels of Testosterone, more info here: https://www.manual.co/smith Please check out and try Neutonic here: https://www.neutonic.com/jamessmith For a free trial of my online personal training app go here: https://www.affordableonlinecoaching.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daniel Priestley, bestselling author and leading entrepreneur, explains why AI is the most disruptive force of our lifetime - bigger than social media, mobile phones, or even the internet itself. He reveals why businesses that fail to adapt by 2027 will be left behind, how personal brands and communities will survive the AI wave, and why now is not the time to rest. Daniel Priestley is an internationally recognised speaker, author of five bestselling books including Key Person of Influence, and founder of multiple multimillion-dollar companies. In this episode, he shares powerful frameworks and predictions that every entrepreneur, creator, and professional needs to hear as AI reshapes the economy. He explains: What to look out for as indicators of change; Big Tech reactions. Why “your business is already dead”—and how to reinvent it with AI. The “sponge vs. icing” framework: how humans add the only value AI can’t. Why 2027 marks the turning point from “AI toy” to total disruption. The Loops & Groups model: running high-output businesses with lean teams. How to future-proof your career by becoming a director, not a doer. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:20 - The problem with.. Business & AI 3:12 - Reluctance to change 10:38 - How to think about AI 15:04 - Loops & Groups 18:26 - Positive Lifestyle Changes 24:20 - Is University Over? 32:33 - AI & Farming 37:32 - Wages & Productivity 42:48 - Personal Brands 56:50 - The Dog Trainer 1:03:14 - Staying Motivated #theproblemwith #jamessmithpodcast #ai Follow us on socials: www.linktr.ee/theproblemwith I'm on a mission to help men check their levels of Testosterone, more info here: https://www.manual.co/smith Please check out and try Neutonic here: https://www.neutonic.com/jamessmith For a free trial of my online personal training app go here: https://www.affordableonlinecoaching.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Problem With… isn’t here to give easy answers - it’s here to ask the uncomfortable questions behind today’s biggest trends and taboos. Each week, host James Smith digs into what’s really going on - from AI to wellness culture - through unfiltered chats with experts and insiders to uncover the truth behind the noise. New episodes every Tuesday 6PM BST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The introduction to The James Smith Podcast. James gives a brief overview about his new podcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices