THE FLIP SIDE with Andy Mai

Trenton Miguez is a former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer and intelligence educator with extensive experience in intelligence collection, analysis, and operational tradecraft. He served in contested regions across the Middle East and helped develop training programs for the U.S. Army’s intelligence officers. Today, through EverydaySpy, he applies intelligence-based frameworks to decision-making, leadership, communication, and understanding human behavior.Find your Spy Superpower:https://yt.everydayspy.com/45cuYfYExplore Spy School:https://everydayspy.comListen to the podcast:https://youtube.com/@EverydaySpyPodcastLearn from a CIA Spy:https://youtube.com/@Andrew-BustamanteCHAPTERS:0:00 – Introduction1:22 – Meet Trenton Miguez2:31 – Trenton’s Role at EverydaySpy4:29 – Military Intelligence vs. Other Intelligence Agencies6:53 – Trenton’s 15 Years in the Intelligence World8:23 – What Does an Intelligence Officer Do Day-to-Day?9:26 – James Bond vs. Real-Life Spies13:50 – How Trenton Became an Intelligence Officer17:05 – From Analyst to Intelligence Officer18:21 – How to Identify What People Actually Want Using Intelligence Skills19:47 – Elicitation: Asking Questions to Understand People20:39 – What is a “Frame” and how does it shape a conversation?21:10 – Triage: How to Prioritize People and Problems23:36 – How to Choose the Right Goal: The 3x ROI Rule for Your Life26:30 – The Health, Wealth & Relationships Triangle28:43 – How an Intelligence Officer Views Marriage and Finding a Partner33:11 – Do You Need to Read Between the Lines?34:54 – Honesty vs. Transparency vs. Radical Transparency36:30 – The Layers Behind What People Say38:22 – How to Handle Difficult Conversations41:33 – Trenton Shares How to Build Common Ground in a Social Setting45:52 – How Intelligence Officers Store Information About People49:24 – The Safest Way to Store Passwords & Sensitive Data51:09 – How to Start a Conversation by Setting an Active Frame53:41 – Trenton Talks About the Three Seeds of Conversation54:14 – Why Feelings Beat Logic in Conversation55:32 – How to Cold Approach Someone Without Scaring Them58:55 – Trenton Talks About How to Approach Strangers1:03:51 – What to Do When Someone Talks Behind Your Back1:08:15 – Using Empathy to Shift Someone’s Perspective1:10:52 – What to Do When Your Friend Goes After the Girl You Like1:13:28 – The Role of Constructive Feedback1:14:38 – Becoming the Mediator Between Two People1:15:40 – How Much Should You Trust Your Friends?1:18:03 – Controlled Disclosure: Who Should Know What?1:20:03 – How Much Should You Share About Your Love Life?1:20:59 – Vague vs. Precise Communication1:21:39 – Trenton Talks About Creating Personas1:23:37 – Courage to Be Disliked vs. People-Pleasing1:24:26 – Identifying Who Really Holds Power1:25:46 – How Would an Intelligence Officer Handle a President?1:27:46 – The Wealth Triangle: Money, Assets & Network1:30:17 – Can AI Replace Human Workers?1:36:51 – Will AI Replace Lower-Paid Workers?1:39:53 – Building Wealth Through Skills & Networks1:45:16 – A Framework for Detecting the Hidden Agendas of Powerful People1:47:13 – The “Cone of Uncertainty”: Separating Facts From Predictions1:48:14 – Using Probability to Understand People1:50:09 – How Secrets Can Change the Narrative1:51:39 – Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Breakup: Skepticism vs. Suspicion1:57:15 – Trenton’s recent life discoveries1:58:47 – Applying the Prisoner’s Dilemma to Friendship2:02:02 – Trenton’s Goals and Focus for the Next 6 Months2:04:00 – Connect with Trenton2:06:50 – Outro

Adam Bohn is the founder and CEO of Artix Entertainment and the creator of AdventureQuest, one of the longest-running online RPGs. A self-taught game developer, he has spent over two decades building beloved games, fostering a passionate player community, and growing an independent game studio known for titles like DragonFable, MechQuest, EpicDuel, and AdventureQuest Worlds.Connect with Adam Bohn!https://www.instagram.com/artixkriegerhttps://www.artix.com0:00 - Introduction1:33 - Meet Adam Bohn3:09 - Andy on Growing Up with AdventureQuest4:52 - How AdventureQuest Began5:54 - How Adam Learned to Code7:51 - Going to the Gym with His Crew8:41 - Creating 1,000 Games Before AQ10:15 - The Story Behind Land of Rising Evil11:10 - Land of Rising Evil into AQ11:32 - How Adam Named AdventureQuest12:03 - Adam's Goal for AQ's Growth13:09 - How Adam Started Making Money from His Game14:34 - Upgrading and Adding Features to AQ16:08 - How Captain Rhubarb Helped Fix the Game19:30 - AQ Worlds Infinity's $2.149M Kickstarter20:02 - Recruiting Talented Players from the Community20:30 - How AQ Has Delivered Weekly Content for 24 Years21:14 - How Buying Advertising Changed Everything23:43 - Artix Entertainment Reaches $500k/month in Ads 200726:41 - How He Scaled His Company27:25 - Creation of DragonFable29:07 - Adam on the Launch of DragonFable30:27 - Artix Entertainment Operated Out of Adam's House36:01 - Adam on Working Side Jobs While Making AQ38:15 - The Success of DragonFable38:46 - Why Creators Should Promote Their Work40:04 - His Journey Making Games44:13 - MechQuest Surpasses DragonFable's Launch44:42 - Adam on AQ Worlds' Rough Start Before Success49:14 - Artix Entertainment Receives an $84 Million Acquisition Offer51:57 - Artix's Real-Time Payment and Sales Tracking System Surprises Larger Companies52:59 - The Story Behind the EpicDuel Acquisition54:20 - How the Company Grew from Adam's House into Multiple Offices57:38 - Adam Looks Back on 2015's Toughest Moments59:07 - Adam on Bringing AQ into 3D1:00:08 - The Story Behind Artix's First Mobile Game, Battle Gems1:01:06 - How a Four-Day Business Seminar Reset His Mindset1:03:40 - Adam Decides to Turn the Company Around and Recommit to AQ 3D1:06:06 - Adam's Journey Launching the Kickstarter for AdventureQuest 3D1:12:25 - How Artix Entertainment Monetizes Its Games1:13:37 - Adam on the Growth of Artix's Development Team1:18:12 - Adam Talks About Artix Entertainment's 20th Anniversary Celebration1:19:41 - Adam Explains His Philosophy of Taking Massive Action1:23:14 - Adam's First Game, Dungeons and DoomKnights1:28:58 - Adam Talks About the Three Circles Philosophy1:29:42 - The Story Behind Dungeons and DoomKnights 8-Bit/NES and Lessons from the Project1:36:15 - Remaking AdventureQuest Worlds into AdventureQuest Worlds Infinity1:38:13 - Adam Talks About Launching the Kickstarter for AdventureQuest Worlds Infinity1:41:30 - AdventureQuest Worlds Infinity: From a $1 Kickstarter Tier to 214 Million Percent Funded1:42:45 - AdventureQuest Worlds Infinity's $500, $1,500, and $5,000 Custom Reward Tiers1:47:02 - Adam Talks About IoDA (Item of Digital Awesomeness)1:48:13 - Adam Talks About the Kickstarter Backer Rewards1:50:46 - Adam on Rebuilding the Original Development Team1:52:21 - Adam Shares Plans for Multi-Platform Game Releases1:53:35 - Artix Entertainment Looks Ahead to Its 25th Anniversary1:54:34 - Andy Recalls Playing MapleStory as a Child1:56:45 - Andy Asks Adam About GTA 6 and Where the Gaming Industry Is Heading1:58:18 - Adam Talks About the Kickstarter's $250 Statues1:59:51 - Adam Talks About the Alpha Testing of AdventureQuest Worlds Infinity2:01:38 - Adam Shares How He Found His COO2:04:50 - Adam Talks About the Company's Large Office and the Shift Toward Remote Work2:07:30 - Adam's Recent Life Discoveries2:14:34 - Adam's Personal Goals and Focus for the Next Six Months2:17:23 - Connect with Adam Bohn2:17:43 - Outro

Andrew McDonald is an Australian master shoemaker and founder of A. McDonald Shoemaker, a bespoke footwear workshop based in Sydney's historic Strand Arcade. Since establishing his business in 1990, Andrew has spent more than three decades handcrafting custom shoes renowned for their exceptional fit, durability, and timeless design. A 1996 Churchill Fellow, he trained with master shoemakers in Britain and France before bringing traditional European techniques back to Australia.Connect with Andrew McDonald!https://andrewmcdonald.com.auhttps://www.instagram.com/amdshoemakerCHAPTERS:0:00 – Introduction1:18 – Meet Andrew McDonald1:41 – Andrew's shoemaking workshop3:33 – How custom shoe lasts are made to fit each customer's feet5:16 – How Andrew turns foot measurements into a custom shoes6:24 – Different toe shapes and how to choose the right style7:25 – Why Andrew offers multiple shoe widths instead of more designs8:38 – The story behind Andrew's sneaker-boot design9:39 – What actually makes a shoe comfortable?10:39 – Andrew shares which shoes last the longest11:34 – Andrew's 7-year-old boots and building shoes to last for decades12:52 – Why traditional shoes have raised toes14:14 – Handmade leather bags and designing products that age beautifully15:15 – How Andrew decides which products to create16:08 – Where Andrew sources premium leather18:33 – Andrew explains how leather is sourced from animals19:57 – Andrew showcases a transparent kangaroo leather shoe21:35 – Why premium shoes use leather instead of plastic supports22:46 – Why leather soles outperform synthetic materials24:31 – Why quality shoelaces matter more than people think26:33 – Andrew talks about hand-dyeing leather and creating custom shoe colors27:39 – How a shoe should actually fit your feet28:42 – Why quality leather shoes need a break-in period29:43 – What shoe support really means for your feet30:30 – What impresses a master shoemaker when he sees someone else's shoes32:08 – Why Andrew chose The Strand and his journey through Sydney retail34:38 – Andrew talks about Sydney's emerging bespoke fashion districts35:22 – Is custom shoemaking a dying industry?35:49 – What has kept Andrew passionate after 35 years36:52 – What Andrew's typical workday looks like37:27 – Andrew talks about building a shoemaking team and training craftsmen38:05 – How Matthew joined the business with no shoemaking experience39:54 – Why running a shoemaking business is harder than making shoes41:21 – Andrew's custom order backlog and 12-week production process42:17 – Step-by-step: How a custom shoe is made43:05 – How Andrew tracks every custom order43:21 – Andrew measures and analyzes Andy's feet52:27 – Andrew talks about the ready-to-wear shoes available in their store53:02 – Wallets, bracelets, and other handmade leather goods54:55 – Ready-to-wear vs. custom-made shoes55:45 – Why Andrew manufactures his ready-to-wear shoes in Vietnam56:58 – How AI could change custom footwear in the future59:13 – Why the future of retail is all about customer experience59:55 – Andrew talks about customer loyalty after more than 35 years in business1:00:33 – Andrew talks about a loyal customer who reordered 16 pairs of shoes over 10 years1:01:38 – Reordering custom shoes without another fitting1:02:38 – Andrew's advice for entrepreneurs pursuing what they love1:03:59 – Andrew shares the hardest years of building the business1:05:04 – Andrew talks about hustling for orders during difficult times1:05:43 – Why chasing rapid business growth is a mistake1:06:03 – Will Andrew's children continue the family business?1:07:14 – Outro

James Wakefield is the co-founder and Managing Director of Institchu, an Australian made-to-measure tailoring company he launched with Robin McGowan in 2012. Under his leadership, Institchu has grown into one of Australia's leading custom menswear brands by combining traditional tailoring with modern technology and an omnichannel retail experience. Wakefield is passionate about using innovation to make premium custom clothing more accessible, while building a scalable business focused on exceptional customer service and personalization.Connect with Institchu!https://www.instagram.com/institchuVisit Institchu:https://institchu.comCHAPTERS:0:00 Introduction1:19 Meet James and the story behind Institchu3:23 Why Institchu consolidates showrooms instead of opening more locations4:42 How Institchu acquires customers6:01 Pricing evolution from $199 to $2.5K per suit7:38 Why made-to-measure suits are expensive8:39 Where most bespoke suits are actually made9:33 History of Institchu's flagship showroom11:56 Learning tailoring with no fashion experience14:37 Building a grounded company culture16:10 The complete Institchu customer experience21:09 Why Institchu built its own technology platform23:13 Online orders vs. showroom appointments25:09 Hiring philosophy and finding great people26:27 Typical customer appointment length27:24 Fabrics, customization, and apparel beyond suits29:10 Managing demand and future expansion30:50 Tour of Institchu's second showroom32:01 Negotiating commercial leases33:04 Showroom capacity and operations33:36 Bringing marketing completely in-house35:38 Customer lifetime value and repeat business36:12 How the Institchu team is structured38:07 Scaling nationwide from Sydney39:01 Staying ahead with AI and technology44:41 Tracking profitability by garment46:22 Learning and implementing AI tools47:52 Managing large wedding suit orders49:37 James' custom suit and fabric choices51:00 Life after Drapr AI and Jerome Clothing55:20 Tariffs and the supply chain56:35 Manufacturing partnerships58:21 Owning vs. leasing retail locations59:33 Where Institchu stores its fabrics1:00:20 Weddings, growth, and expanding beyond suits1:02:52 Friends-and-family discounts as marketing1:04:26 Why personalization is the future of fashion1:06:30 Advice for founders running out of runway1:08:51 Hiring people for long-term success1:10:40 Entrepreneurship, marriage, and family1:13:12 When James quit his job to go all-in1:14:58 Choosing the next showroom location1:17:43 Testing new markets before expansion1:19:24 Filling pop-up stores without large ad budgets1:20:34 Hosting wedding-style whiskey nights1:21:50 Partnerships that fueled growth1:23:45 The mentors who shaped Institchu1:28:38 Building teams for new showrooms1:30:35 Employee incentives and compensation1:31:56 Why every showroom manager also sells1:33:44 Motivating staff beyond commissions1:35:40 Turning customer service into a competition1:36:54 Managing multiple showrooms1:37:57 Balancing meetings and leadership1:38:35 Institchu's long-term vision1:40:03 Family life1:41:10 Fabrics and the suit ordering process1:44:08 Cheapest vs. most expensive fabrics1:46:17 Why Institchu chooses Australian Merino wool1:48:10 Technology behind manufacturing in China1:50:02 Handmade suits with 70,000 hand stitches1:51:04 The one evergreen suit every man should own1:53:00 Connect with James1:53:18 Outro

Sebastian Siegel is a British-American filmmaker, author, and speaker. He directed the film Grace and Grit, based on Ken Wilber's book, which premiered at The Chinese Theatre IMAX and now streams on Apple and Amazon in the US, and on Netflix in most international territories. Siegel writes on consciousness and depth psychology, with work that often blends philosophy and dynamic story telling.Connect with Sebastian Siegel!instagram.com/sebastiansiegel1x.com/sebastiansiegelWatch his TEDx Talk on Youtube!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64AOAXoABgVisit his Website to learn more!http://www.DeeplyConscious.com Watch his Youtube Series: The Eight Questionshttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrsuqkj6LGLWyYzTyceEsjJoVeeJMl_qJ&si=Syp2iceWyg2FWdP3Learn more about Exosomes here!https://www.aexo.bioCHAPTERS:0:00 – Introduction2:17 – Meet Sebastian Siegel3:23 – Sebastian talks about exosomes and stem cells8:06 – Sebastian on supporting AEXO.bio's exosome approach09:18 – How exosomes may aid recovery, healing, and rejuvenation16:18 – What is the difference between exosomes and stem cells?18:38 – How did Sebastian solve the puzzle of making money doing what he loves?26:06 – Why saying “no” creates the energy to fully show up when you say “yes”29:30 – How has Sebastian’s perspective on AI evolved over the last two years?34:12 – Why AI-generated communication risks homogenizing human consciousness35:02 – Why influencers and short-form creators may face challenges in an AI-driven future37:53 – What is Sebastian’s upcoming chess film, Labyrinth, about, and how did the idea originate?43:17 – Sebastian shares how he finds actors who fit the characters in his film Grace and Grit47:40 – How does Sebastian handle rejection, fundraising, and relentless follow-up?50:13 – How should you price your services when a friend or mentor hires you?53:40 – Why many people undervalue access, wisdom, and meaningful connections55:30 – Sebastian talks about how he maintains and builds relationships with people he admires57:26 – Sebastian shares how he and Bobby Kennedy became friends58:52 – Andy shares his insights on how Star Wars relates to Biblical stories1:01:18 – Sebastian discusses the Mahabharata connection behind his chess film about Abhimanyu Mishra1:03:55 – Connect with Sebastian1:04:54 – Outro