<![CDATA[Hat & Tat]]>Craig and Steve have been getting together for decades, talking business over a beer. They decided to press record.

Join Craig and Steve as they riff on the corporate world, sharing their favorite moments and anecdotes from businesses and founders. Combining decades of professional experience with the kind of shorthand only forty years of friendship can produce, Steve and Craig break down complex business concepts into conversations that you'd overhear in the boardroom or barroom.

]]>hatandtat.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:54:56 GMTFri, 08 May 2026 04:13:26 GMT60Craig & Steve<p>Craig and Steve have been getting together for decades, talking business over a beer. They decided to press record.</p><p></p><p>Join Craig and Steve as they riff on the corporate world, sharing their favorite moments and anecdotes from businesses and founders. Combining decades of professional experience with the kind of shorthand only forty years of friendship can produce, Steve and Craig break down complex business concepts into conversations that you'd overhear in the boardroom or barroom.</p>episodicCraig & Stevehello@stevemacleod.meno<![CDATA[Hat & Tat | S1E5 | Haven Lifestyles]]>Craig and Steve discuss the brilliance of Haven Lifestyles, a "magazine" empire pulling in $10 million a year through high-end print real estate listings. They explore how this analog business model turns real estate lookbooks into status symbols. It turns out snail mail isn't dead.

Takeaways

  • High-end realtors pay for print features because walking into a listing presentation with a glossy lookbook makes them look elite
  • Bypass the headache of building a traditional digital audience by using the postal service to drop your product directly onto the doorsteps of the right audience
  • While every online marketer is fighting for attention on oversaturated screens, tangible snail mail offers a different experience

Resources

Listen to the original discussion on My First Million

]]>056e6662-c04d-492b-b562-5a4bbf8a443eFri, 10 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT<p><b>Craig and Steve</b> discuss the brilliance of Haven Lifestyles, a "magazine" empire pulling in $10 million a year through high-end print real estate listings. They explore how this analog business model turns real estate lookbooks into status symbols. It turns out snail mail isn't dead.</p><h3>Takeaways</h3><ul><li>High-end realtors pay for print features because walking into a listing presentation with a glossy lookbook makes them look elite</li><li>Bypass the headache of building a traditional digital audience by using the postal service to drop your product directly onto the doorsteps of the right audience</li><li>While every online marketer is fighting for attention on oversaturated screens, tangible snail mail offers a different experience</li></ul><h3>Resources</h3><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-weird-businesses-doing-%2410m-%2420m-%2430m/id1469759170?i=1000774823788" target="_blank">Listen to the original discussion on My First Million</a></p>no00:12:1615Hat & Tat | S1E5 | Haven Lifestylesfull<![CDATA[Hat & Tat | S1E4 | Pixar and Ed Catmull]]>This episode breaks down the fascinating organizational psychology behind Pixar by discussing the career and management philosophies of its co-founder, Ed Catmull. The episode explores how Catmull successfully balanced cutting-edge technology with world-class storytelling while establishing workplace practices that completely stripped away fear and ego from the creative process.

Takeaways

  • Why Catmull turned down a dream job at Disney to focus entirely on making the first full-length computer-animated film.
  • Pixar’s "Brain Trust" and how it was constructed to create candid feedback in a safe environment.
  • People in power or perceived power should speak last in meetings to encourage new ideas and diverse opinions.
  • Reviewing rough, daily work-in-progress eliminates the paralyzing fear of criticism.

Resources

]]>50e197ee-9cd1-47f5-b067-53803f587a45Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT<p>This episode breaks down the fascinating organizational psychology behind Pixar by discussing the career and management philosophies of its co-founder, Ed Catmull. The episode explores how Catmull successfully balanced cutting-edge technology with world-class storytelling while establishing workplace practices that completely stripped away fear and ego from the creative process.</p><h3>Takeaways</h3><ul><li>Why<b> </b>Catmull turned down a dream job at Disney to focus entirely on making the first full-length computer-animated film.</li><li>Pixar’s "Brain Trust" and how it was constructed to create candid feedback in a safe environment. </li><li>People in power or perceived power should speak last in meetings to encourage new ideas and diverse opinions.</li><li>Reviewing rough, daily work-in-progress eliminates the paralyzing fear of criticism.</li></ul><h3>Resources</h3><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ed-catmull-co-founder-of-pixar/id1836497887?i=1000772605875" target="_blank">Listen to Ed Catmull on Founders Podcast</a></li></ul>no00:38:3414Hat & Tat | S1E4 | Pixar and Ed Catmullfull<![CDATA[Hat & Tat | S1E3 | Founder Mode and Airbnb]]>This conversation dives into the world of Founder Mode, exploring Brian Chesky’s insights on the Invest Like the Best podcast. The episode breaks down how the Airbnb CEO took control to steer the company through a crisis, the real definition of auditing versus micromanaging, and why the future of AI might mean the end of traditional middle management layers.

Takeaways

  • Founder mode is less about micromanaging, and more about auditing and coaching employees before gradually backing away to grant them full autonomy
  • Creating small, focused teams with direct access to top leadership to solve problems and unlock growth
  • Maintaining grit and a willingness to do unscalable things is the path to finding product-market-fit
  • How AI could reshape the workplace in unexpected ways

Resources

]]>bae9ce9c-8c22-4ea6-a896-d981f5a39df0Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT<p>This conversation dives into the world of Founder Mode, exploring Brian Chesky’s insights on the <i>Invest Like the Best</i> podcast. The episode breaks down how the Airbnb CEO took control to steer the company through a crisis, the real definition of auditing versus micromanaging, and why the future of AI might mean the end of traditional middle management layers.</p><p></p><p><b>Takeaways</b></p><ul><li>Founder mode is less about micromanaging, and more about auditing and coaching employees before gradually backing away to grant them full autonomy</li><li>Creating small, focused teams with direct access to top leadership to solve problems and unlock growth</li><li>Maintaining grit and a willingness to do unscalable things is the path to finding product-market-fit</li><li>How AI could reshape the workplace in unexpected ways</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Resources</b></p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brian-chesky-ai-founder-mode/id1154105909?i=1000766196703" target="_blank">Listen to Brian Chesky on Invest Like the Best</a></li></ul>no00:35:2213Hat & Tat | S1E3 | Founder Mode and Airbnbfull<![CDATA[Hat & Tat | S1E2 | Vortic]]>Vortic Watch Company is a unique business that repurposes vintage pocket watches into wristwatches, focusing on storytelling, nostalgia, and American-made craftsmanship.

Takeaways

  • Storytelling and nostalgia are powerful marketing tools
  • Challenges of domestic manufacturing and the importance of American-made craftsmanship
  • The founder's vision for scaling production and creating a new brand

]]>08eb5f8c-c118-47c7-8bb2-1b61ed0e0672Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>Vortic Watch Company is a unique business that repurposes vintage pocket watches into wristwatches, focusing on storytelling, nostalgia, and American-made craftsmanship.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Storytelling and nostalgia are powerful marketing tools</li><li>Challenges of domestic manufacturing and the importance of American-made craftsmanship</li><li>The founder's vision for scaling production and creating a new brand</li></ul><p></p>no00:22:5212Hat & Tat | S1E2 | Vorticfull<![CDATA[Hat & Tat | S1E1 | The Hard Thing About Hard Things]]>The conversation delves into the key takeaways from 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things' by Ben Horowitz, emphasizing the importance of embracing the struggle, leadership during tough times, the value of grit and perseverance and the impact of family support on success.

The discussion also covers missed opportunities and lessons learned.

Takeaways

  • Embrace the struggle
  • Leadership during tough times
  • The importance of grit and perseverance
  • The value of simplicity and utilitarianism
  • The impact of family support on success

]]>dd46cf11-4e0a-4b6b-851b-832450da1147Fri, 15 May 2026 18:35:31 GMT<p>The conversation delves into the key takeaways from 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things' by Ben Horowitz, emphasizing the importance of embracing the struggle, leadership during tough times, the value of grit and perseverance and the impact of family support on success.</p><p></p><p>The discussion also covers missed opportunities and lessons learned.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Embrace the struggle</li><li>Leadership during tough times</li><li>The importance of grit and perseverance</li><li>The value of simplicity and utilitarianism</li><li>The impact of family support on success</li></ul><p></p><p></p>no00:28:2311Hat & Tat | S1E1 | The Hard Thing About Hard Thingsfull