unReactive

Join Kyle Morck and Jeff Reynolds as they explore the concept of calm companies—businesses that prioritize sustainable growth, balance, and well-being. Drawing from their own experiences in building companies, Kyle and Jeff share insights, strategies, and stories that show how success doesn't have to come at the cost of burnout.

The Right Kind of Busy

The role of expertise in small teams and communication overload.

12-10
42:30

One Day Remote Work Is In, The Next Day It's Out

We talk Heidi Klum's Halloween costumes, using nerdy chess tools to prioritize work, and Sahil Lavingia giving up on remote work.

11-05
52:54

Is cold outbound antithetical to calm companies?

Does doing cold outbound sales make any sense?

10-22
49:51

Platform Risk and Puppies

This week Kyle and Jeff discuss seasonal depression, hosting a guest puppy, and the dynamics of open source business models.(00:00) - Platform Risk and Puppies (00:18) - Guest Puppy (08:03) - WordPress Drama (19:38) - Platform Risks and Business Lessons

10-01
40:38

The Baby Pygmy Hippo in the Room

This week, Kyle and Jeff dive into Moo Deng, the challenges of hiring, the evolving landscape of the creative industry and the ensuing creative crisis facing business.(00:00) - The Baby Pygmy Hippo in the Room (00:18) - Caffeinated Conversations (01:27) - Moo Deng Miscomoonications (05:28) - Hiring Creativity (26:12) - Marketing in Maintenance Mode (29:38) - The Creative Crisis in Corporations (36:56) - Balancing Multiple Business Ideas

09-24
54:04

Thursday is the New Friday

This week, Kyle and Jeff chat about the challenges of implementing a four-day workweek, setting meaningful goals, and the challenge of keeping a dog clean.(00:00) - They shouldn't let dogs work the mines (04:04) - How do you set goals anyway? (11:08) - Four days a week

09-17
47:11

An Anti-Email Culture

This week, Kyle and Jeff talk about ditching internal emails, what we can learn from plumbers about calm workplaces, and how the importance of the labor movement.(00:00) - Out of Office (04:38) - The Case Against Internal Emails (08:53) - Creating a Culture of Calm (25:41) - Gen-x is the Problem and the Labor Movement is the Cure

09-03
48:46

Horrible oats and (potentially) horrible business ideas

This week Kyle walks Jeff through his SaaS idea that might just be doomed from the start, and gets advice on whether or not he should monetize it or just give it all away for free.(00:00) - Overnight Oats (02:20) - Why Kyle's software project might be a horrible idea (07:41) - Shorting Orange Juice Futures (20:20) - The Idea (27:41) - Potentially even more horrible pricing strategies (52:20) - The Three Hesitations LinksReynolds+MyersJeff's Twitter / LinkedInKyle's Twitter / LinkedIn

08-27
01:02:50

Lazy Perfectionism

This week Kyle and Jeff chat about what it means to run a 'calm company,' balancing client and employee needs, and why lazy perfectionism just might be the best way to work.(00:00) - Jeff's Returns (01:23) - Kyle Bought a Car (06:01) - Calm Companies (27:59) - Intentional Work (37:59) - Longevity and Retirement LinksReynolds+MyersJeff's Twitter / LinkedInKyle's Twitter / LinkedIn

08-20
48:19

How do you talk like a 3rd grader?

Jeff and Kyle talk about the importance of simplicity and context when talking about your work.

05-23
18:46

What is self-documenting communication?

Kyle and Jeff Reynolds delve into enhancing the efficiency of communication through self-documentation. They share practical strategies for refining team collaboration, ensuring that every step is documented without overburdening the team.

05-09
17:10

How do you run an effective marketing stand-up?

Kyle and Jeff focus on enhancing the efficiency of marketing meetings. They share practical strategies for refining stand-up and other full-team meetings, ensuring they're as productive as possible without overburdening the team.

04-25
20:49

When is a project a project?

It's easy for marketing departments to get bogged down with endless ideas, tasks, and quasi-projects that never get off the ground. This week, Kyle and Jeff discuss how to effectively separate the real projects from the mental clutter. They give tips on how to streamline your processes so you can maintain focus and make consistent progress.TopicsThe pitfalls of letting unvetted ideas and tasks accumulate in an unruly backlog.Having a clear definition for when something officially becomes an "active project" worthy of focus.Maintaining a distinct space for active projects, separate from areas capturing ideas and to-dos.How poorly defined "projects" lead to wasted energy, unproductive meetings, and team frustration.Practical tips for keeping project management focused solely on actively working, properly vetted initiatives.

04-11
20:24

Why do we hunt for silver bullets?

We probably don't need to tell you that silver bullets don't work - but why are they still so dang enticing? Jeff & Kyle breakdown the psychological appeal of silver bullets, and some ways to avoid their siren call.

02-06
25:15

What stage is your marketing department?

Comparison is the thief of joy, and it's probably messing up your marketing. Kyle & Jeff lay out the four stages of the evolution of a marketing department - to help you understand where you're at and where your focus should be.

01-23
33:58

When is "good" good enough?

In which Kyle & Jeff start to practice what they preach with the production of this podcast.

12-11
15:54

What's the role of experimentation in marketing?

Have you built experimentation into your marketing department? How can you build up organizational support to run marketing experiments?

06-20
22:38

Have we lost sight of the craft of marketing?

Has our focus on tools, data, and execution caused us to lose sight of the craft of marketing? What even is the craft of marketing? P.S. - It would mean a lot if you could answer our quick, three-question survey at https://unreactive.io

06-13
25:58

How should your team handle project management?

Project management is an under-appreciated aspect of successfully leading a marketing department. Kyle and Jeff take you through a detailed overview of the project management system, process, and philosophy specifically tailored to marketing departments that they have been honing for the last four years. Learn about the pitfalls most teams make when setting up their project management, and the simple ways you could improve yours today.

06-06
34:29

Does marketing exist to serve sales?

What is sales and marketing alignment anyway?

05-30
33:04

Recommend Channels