📘 Book launch day: Outrageous Startup Growth by Colin Hodge (Wiley) —out today (4/13).

The startup world is basically a myth factory…and founders inhale it like oxygen. Colin Hodge is here to punch a few of those myths in the face…with real receipts from building DOWN (formerly Bang With Friends) and spending years in the trenches of consumer psychology.

This one has a strong “listen twice” feel because it’s not hype. It’s mechanisms.

The 3 founder myths killing companies (and nervous systems)

1. You have to chase unicorn status, or you failed  
2. Growth comes from hacks, not understanding humans
3. Anything labeled “casual” can’t be meaningful (spoiler: it can)

The “viral moments” we unpack (aka the parts you’ll quote to your founder friends)

• Punching the unicorn myth: there’s another path to success that doesn’t require billionaire cosplay  
• Consumer psychology > hacks: stop chasing channels, start understanding how people choose  
• Good friction (IKEA effect): the right steps can increase commitment and retention with good friction
• One move you can run this week: use framing effects to shape decisions inside paywalls, onboarding, and pricing  
• Is Anything Real?: authenticity becomes a durable edge when the internet gets noisier and faker

Guest links

• Order “Outrageous Startup Growth: Uncovering the Secrets of User Psychology to Scale Your Success“, out today!
• Colin Hodge (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckbhodge/
• DOWN Dating & Social Apps: https://www.downapp.com/
• Email: [email protected]

For leaders in transition…

⚡ Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min):

https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

If you’re building a company right now and your brain feels like 27 tabs are open, send this to the one founder friend who needs the reminder: you don’t have to chase unicorns to be successful.

Most Recent Episodes

June 17, 2026

Have Fun & Get Sh*t Done: The Leadership System Behind Good Wipes | Ep. 66 w/ Sam Nebel (goodwipes)

Most leaders think “serious” is the price of credibility.Sam Nebel, co-founder of goodwipes, built the opposite operating system — and it’s not a slogan. It’s a leadership discipline:Have...

Listen · 29:45

June 10, 2026

Quick Pulse: The 90-Second Truth Test – We Proved It Live | Ep. 65 w/ Michael Brooke (The Inside Atlas)

We ran a 90-second “Quick Pulse” live — and it exposed the truth most high performers miss: Burnout isn’t a discipline problem. It’s a misalignment problem. In this episode, Michael...

Listen · 28:46

June 3, 2026

LinkedIn Isn’t a Selling Platform: The Human DM System That Converts | Ep. 64 w/ Troy Hipolito

LinkedIn is loud. AI made it louder. So how do you cut through without becoming another copy-paste bot?In this episode, Troy Hipolito (aka “The Not-So-Boring LinkedIn Guy”) breaks down how he...

Listen · 26:31

Load More Episodes

Adam W. Barney Transition Leadership Coach | Operating Rhythms That Hold Under Pressure 🎯 | Author & Podcast Host

Adam W. Barney works with transitioning leaders at pivotal moments - career shifts, leadership inflection points, and identity resets - helping them regain clarity, direction, and sustainable momentum.