I didn’t expect a 24-hour lesson to smack me in the face, but it did: wake up in Maine and go to bed in Texarkana, Arkansas, and you realize how much life can fit inside one day. I’m running hot lately, riding deadlines, feeling the walls close in, and trying to claw my way back to solid ground. Then my wife says the simplest thing that changes everything: go. Take the break. Get out of the foxhole for a minute.

So we do something ridiculous. Brian Palmolo and I fly out, hit Houston, Uber down to Navasota, buy a 30-ish foot RV, and point it toward home with almost no plan beyond staying flexible. Along the way we deal with the realities everyone’s talking about: travel stress, TSA chaos, and the cost of the road. But we also run into the best parts of America: helpful people, strange surprises, and the kind of moments you can’t schedule.

We end up camping at the Texarkana fairgrounds during a barrel racing championship, getting an unreal view over the Mississippi River from the Memphis Bass Pro pyramid, and living that Broadway night in Nashville where strangers turn into instant friends. We even pull off the sketchy “act like you belong” move to catch a few hours of sleep near the Tennessee Titans stadium before we roll out at 4 a.m. Then it’s Smoky Mountains views, Gatlinburg energy, a real business opportunity for Loud Proud American, and one personal moment that hits me hard: spotting a bald eagle and feeling like my dad is still riding with me.

If you’ve been feeling burnt out, stuck, or boxed in, let this be your nudge toward a factory reset. Listen now, then subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a shove, and leave a review so more people find the story. What’s one “do it anyway” trip you’ve been putting off?

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
Find all you need to know about the show https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/
Official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077724159859

Join the 2% of Americans that Buy American and support American Together we can bring back American Manufacturing https://www.loudproudamerican.shop/
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Thank you for Supporting My American Dream!

The fastest way to feel crazy as a small business owner is to do “everything right” and still watch people walk by with empty hands. We just got back from the Eastern Maine Sportsman Show at the University of Maine in Orono, and we’re giving you the unfiltered recap: booth cost, hotel, fuel, meals, the sales goal we set, and why landing at about half of what we hoped for still didn’t make the weekend a total loss.

We dig into the real-time signals we’re seeing at vendor events, fairs, festivals, and sportsman shows, especially the bag-to-person ratio. When you stop seeing bags in a crowd, you feel it at the register. We also talk about another trend that hits hard for traveling vendors: more people putting purchases on credit instead of paying cash. Pair that with rising costs and shrinking breathing room, and it explains why so many entrepreneurs are carrying the same two feelings right now, uncertainty and nervousness.

From there, we connect the dots with what we’re hearing from other small business owners across totally different industries, and we deliver a needed shot of hopium. I share my forecast for where things are headed, why I believe we’re going to see relief, and how to keep your head straight while you weather the storm. We close with gratitude, a big shout out, and a story about getting surprised with WWE Monday Night Raw tickets that reminded me why joy and community matter just as much as the grind.

If you’re building a brand, selling made in the USA apparel, or simply trying to make the next right move with your money, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a fellow business owner, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
Find all you need to know about the show https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/
Official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077724159859

Join the 2% of Americans that Buy American and support American Together we can bring back American Manufacturing https://www.loudproudamerican.shop/
Loud Proud American Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loudproudamerican
Loud Proud American Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loud_proud_american/
Loud Proud American TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@loud_proud_american
Loud Proud American YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmYQtOt6KVURuySWYQ2GWtw

Thank you for Supporting My American Dream!

Everybody loves the highlight reel of entrepreneurship. The booth photos, the road trips, the “we’re chasing a dream” energy. What people don’t see is who’s back home keeping the whole machine running when one of you leaves and the bills, chores, pets, and a one-year-old tornado don’t pause.

My wife joins me to tell the other side of the story: the chaos coordinator life, the extra responsibilities that land on one person’s shoulders, and the surprising ways role reversals can build real respect. We talk honestly about marriage and small business stress, financial pressure, and how simple things like a text message can turn into a fight when you’re both exhausted and trying to hold it together. You’ll hear our take on why relationships are 100% and 100%, not 50-50, and how “uncomfortable conversations” keep resentment from taking root.

We also get into the practical side of making this work, from carving out a dedicated home office to planning the next events on the road as a family. If you’re balancing a startup, a side hustle, work from home life, or parenting with ambition, this one hits the real stuff: teamwork, perspective, and the village it takes to keep a dream alive.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with someone building something hard, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you’re taking into your own relationship.

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
Find all you need to know about the show https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/
Official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077724159859

Join the 2% of Americans that Buy American and support American Together we can bring back American Manufacturing https://www.loudproudamerican.shop/
Loud Proud American Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loudproudamerican
Loud Proud American Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loud_proud_american/
Loud Proud American TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@loud_proud_american
Loud Proud American YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmYQtOt6KVURuySWYQ2GWtw

Thank you for Supporting My American Dream!