How do you know when it’s time to stop pushing and shut your side hustle down? Every guru online says keep going, success is right around the corner. But sometimes the right move is to quit, and nobody wants to talk about that. So let’s face it head-on. I’ll walk you through four tests that tell you whether it’s really time to let a side hustle go: you hit your goal, you hit your stop-loss number, you gave it a full 90 days with no traction, or you wouldn’t start it again today. Then we get honest about what keeps us hanging on: sunk costs, our identity, the fear of letting clients down, and worrying about what our kids will think when Dad stops. I’ll also share the story of the funny engineering T-shirt business my wife and I started, and why we shut it down. The business failed. We didn’t. And if you’re there, neither did you. Finally, I’ll lay out how to close a business cleanly, from the client note to the last bank account, and what you get to keep long after the doors are shut. HIGHLIGHTS If your side hustle met the goal you started it for, it’s okay to wind it down and get your balance back. Four tests: success, the stop-loss limit, the 90-day traction test, and “Would I start this business today?” Sunk cost is a gambler’s trap. Don’t keep throwing time and money at something just because you already have. Your business isn’t your identity, and nobody is thinking about you as much as you fear. Stopping isn’t teaching your kids to quit. It takes courage to start, and it takes courage to stop. The business failed. You didn’t. It has no bearing on your worth or your value. Shut it down cleanly: talk to your family, finish commitments, refund deposits, refer clients to someone you trust, and don’t ghost. Close the money: final invoices, pay vendors, cancel subscriptions, set aside the tax bucket, then close the account. Save your data: CRM export, testimonials, photos, and your evidence folder. Pick a last day and don’t keep “just one client” on the side. You keep the skills, the proof people paid you, your network, and a clearer sense of your why. You didn’t lose two years. You got an education in being a business owner. CHAPTERS  00:00 Maybe it’s time to quit  01:13 Test 1: You hit your goal  02:35 Test 2: The stop-loss limit  02:53 Test 3: The 90-day traction test  04:06 Test 4: Would I start it today?  04:43 Why we hang on: sunk cost  05:36 Why we hang on: identity  06:23 Why we hang on: letting people down  07:00 What will my kids see?  07:57 Our funny T-shirt business  10:08 The business failed. You didn’t.  11:06 How to shut it down cleanly  12:33 Closing the money  13:11 Keep your receipts and data  14:05 Mark the last day and let it go  15:13 What you get to keep  17:09 Give yourself space to reflect  18:01 Your call to action RESOURCES MENTIONED The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 2 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 6 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

What if the biggest thing standing between Kansas and a top-tier health ranking isn't resources, or funding, or even policy — but a failure of imagination? Ed O'Malley and Susan Kang dig into Chapter 18 of Leading Health, welcoming back Hutton Company CEO Ben Hutton for a wide-ranging conversation on why bold vision creates the kind of healthy pressure that drives real progress, and why "average and proud of it" might be the most dangerous mindset of all. Highlights Kansans told the Kansas Health Foundation, through extensive listening, that a lack of bolder vision was holding back progress on things people say they care about. Examples of bold organizational vision discussed: the Kansas Jayhawks aiming for a national title every season, the Wichita YMCA striving to be the best YMCA network in the world, and the University of Kansas Health System's vision to provide the best patient care in the nation. Ben Hutton shares the origin of Hutton Company's "Make no little plans" mural, quoting 1909 Chicago city planner Daniel Burnham. The conversation distinguishes "casting" a bold vision (the visionary's role) from "embracing" it (everyone else's role) — a key reason the chapter is titled embrace bold vision, not cast bold vision. Ben explains how trust and enablement allow teams to act on a leader's bold ideas, even when the leader can't execute them personally. Ben shares two examples of "healthy pressure" driving better outcomes: expanding Hutton's services beyond construction, and publicly committing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for his brother's 40th birthday. Discussion of the "art and science" of setting a vision that's bold but achievable — including a comparison of state-level America's Health Rankings movement versus the static nature of county-level rankings. Closing takeaways: bold vision must create a demand for forward action, and statewide progress requires growing the percentage of organizations actively embracing capital-H health, not a single dramatic leap. Chapters 0:48 — Setup 2:23 — Why Bold Vision Matters 5:38 — Authority and Big Goals 9:00 — Ben Hutton Joins 9:39 — Make No Little Plans 11:35 — Beyond Best Practices 16:19 — Casting Versus Embracing 22:21 — Healthy Pressure Stories 25:46 — Realistic Bold Visions 31:34 — Scaling Bold Vision Statewide 33:05 — Takeaways and Next Chapter Resources Mentioned With Purpose — Ben Hutton's podcast America's Health Rankings — the national ranking referenced throughout the conversation Leading Health is an invitation to move the needle on Health in Kansas, and we invite you to join us in leading the way.  Don’t have a copy of Leading Health? Claim your copy and learn more about the movement at kansashealth.org/leadinghealth Continue the discussion with these resources: Book Clubs Speakers and Workshops Share Your Story And be sure to subscribe, and drop a comment to let us know what you think.

How does it feel to hold a billion-dollar telescope at the end of a robotic arm, floating above the Earth, knowing you're about to let it go and change our understanding of the universe forever?  We sat down with someone who did exactly that — not once, but twice. Steve Hawley grew up in Salina, Kansas, decided he wanted to be an astronomer in third grade, and went on to fly five Space Shuttle missions over a 20-year career at NASA. He deployed the Hubble Space Telescope on STS-31, serviced it on STS-82, and launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory on his final flight. He's one of the only people — maybe the only person — to have worked on Hubble in space and then used it for research back on the ground. We talked about everything from his Kansas roots and KU education, to the terrifying pad abort on Discovery's maiden voyage, to the Hubble Deep Field, dark matter, the future of space telescopes, and the deeply personal story behind his new memoir, Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation. Steve also shared stories about his father — a Presbyterian minister who became, in effect, the astronauts' chaplain — giving the invocation at the Challenger memorial service and writing messages for crews spending Christmas in orbit. This is a conversation with a Kansan who helped write some of the most important chapters in the history of space exploration. We think you'll understand why it was a pivotal moment for us. HIGHLIGHTS • Steve recounts spotting a Starlink launch streaking across the Kansas sky near Colby — and nearly running off the road. • The third-grade science unit that sparked a lifelong passion for astronomy, and the fifth-grade launch of Alan Shepard that opened the door to the idea of people in space. • How Steve fought to keep the astronomy major alive at KU after the sole astronomy professor retired. • The fateful bulletin board posting at UC Santa Cruz: NASA was hiring a new role called "mission specialist astronaut." • Steve's gut-wrenching decision to walk away from a prestigious postdoc in South America for a two-year astronaut candidacy with no guarantees. • The dramatic pad abort on Discovery's maiden flight in 1984 — main engines fired, then shut down at T-minus four seconds, followed by a hydrogen fire no one could see. • Operating the Canadarm to release Hubble into orbit, and what it meant to Steve as an astronomer to be the person who let it go. • Returning to Hubble seven years later on STS-82 and finding it scorched, peeling, and weathered — and why servicing missions kept it alive for decades beyond its planned lifetime. • The Hubble Deep Field: a 10-day exposure of a seemingly empty patch of sky that revealed 1,200 galaxies — and rewrote our understanding of how full the universe really is. • Dark matter and dark energy make up 95% of the universe, and we still don't know what either of them is. Steve calls that "progress." • The "Hubble Tension" — two independent ways of measuring the age of the universe that don't quite agree, and what that discrepancy might mean for physics. • Why Steve initially said no to flying the Chandra mission — and how his boss persuaded him to change his mind. • Steve's father, a Presbyterian minister, serving as a de facto chaplain to the astronaut corps — delivering invocations at the Challenger memorial and writing Christmas messages for crews in orbit. • The deeply personal story behind Steve's memoir: weekly Zoom calls with his younger brother during cancer treatment, and how those conversations became a book. CHAPTERS 0:00 — Starlink Sky Surprise 1:24 — Podcast Welcome and a Pivotal Moment 2:59 — Meet Steve Hawley 4:04 — Third Grade Astronomy Spark 6:34 — Kansas Roots and KU Path 8:57 — From Telescopes to NASA Offer 12:41 — Applying to Be an Astronaut 19:28 — Facing the Risk of Launch 20:27 — Discovery Scrubs and Pad Abort 27:17 — Deploying Hubble in Space 32:28 — Servicing Hubble and Aging Signs 34:22 — Keeping Hubble Alive Long Term 36:05 — Was Servicing Always the Plan 36:53 — Management Over Missions 37:47 — Back to Space Again 38:41 — Chandra and Great Observatories 40:25 — Last Landing Reflections 41:36 — Science From Orbit 42:21 — Hubble Tension Explained 45:14 — Dark Matter and Dark Energy 47:19 — Ground vs Space Telescopes 49:22 — Hubble Deep Field Shock 52:08 — Early Universe Mysteries 54:17 — Robots vs Astronauts 56:34 — Why Hubble Captivated 59:03 — Memoir: Eyes to the Stars 1:03:16 — NASA Chaplain Dad 1:06:23 — Kansas Sky Perspective 1:08:13 — Post Interview Wrap 1:09:29 — Launch Abort Addendum 1:11:20 — Credits and Sign Off RESOURCES MENTIONED Eyes to the Stars: A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation Fili Creative  Forge Podcast Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What’s the room you’ve been avoiding because you don’t feel ready for it yet? As of October, I’ve stepped into a new role as CEO of The Women’s Network, and I’m still leading The Thread. That means I’m walking into a space where I don’t have it all figured out and choosing to show up anyway. So for the rest of the year, we are pulling together the moments from 93 episodes that have stuck with us most, organized around a different theme each week. We’re kicking off with the theme that started it all: showing up messy. You’ll hear the story behind my “show up” bracelet and a cheer tryout I’ll never forget. Therapist and confidence coach Emily Stevens explains why confidence starts with self-compassion, not faking it. My friend Jenna Bottolfsen shares how she left corporate HR, came back around to entrepreneurship, and found the “five seconds of insane courage” that led her to buy Wallace Associates. And I close with a pep talk I recorded this summer about getting your dream out of your Notes app and into the world. Highlights: Why the next step always feels scary, no matter how much success you’ve had The rooms most worth being in are the ones where you feel least qualified The kinder you are to yourself, the more confident you’ll be, and saying it out loud matters Can’t say “I love myself” yet? Start with “I’m okay with myself” “Face it till you make it”: what would the future version of you be doing today? A first attempt that doesn’t work out isn’t the end. You can try again You don’t need courage forever, just five seconds to hit send or walk in the door The most dangerous place for your dream to live is in your head, your journal or your Canva account Shorten the timeline: what could you do in the next year instead of the next five? Chapters:  00:00 Big news: my new role at The Women’s Network  01:56 A season of curated themes  02:28 The “show up” bracelet (Ep. 3)  05:14 Comfort zones and the cheer coach lesson  09:07 Emily Stevens: confidence starts with self-compassion (Ep. 37)  14:27 Fake it vs. face it till you make it  17:42 Jenna Bottolfsen: second chances and insane courage (Ep. 72)  24:21 Do the Thing pep talk (Ep. 77)  31:16 Your turn to show up Resources mentioned: The Women’s Network: https://womens-network.org/ Little Words Project: https://littlewordsproject.com/ Global Leadership Summit: https://globalleadership.org/ Emily Stevens: https://laidbackachievers.com/ Jenna Bottolfsen, Wallace Associates: https://www.wallaceassociates.com/ The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware: https://www.amazon.com/Top-Five-Regrets-Dying-Transformed/dp/140194065X Ep. 3, Just Show Up: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/3 Ep. 37, The Confidence Cure with Emily Stevens: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/37 Ep. 72, The Importance of Detours with Jenna Bottolfsen: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/72 Ep. 77, Do The Thing: https://alotwithaudra.transistor.fm/77 Share where you’re showing up this week, DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audradinell/ Want to learn more? The Thread Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

What if the smartest business move you could make right now is to pause? That's exactly what we're tackling today. We're walking through how to recognize when life is telling you to hit pause on your side hustle—and how to do it without burning bridges, losing clients, or feeling like a failure. Whether it's a newborn, an aging parent, a kid who needs you, or your own health hanging by a thread, sometimes the bravest thing you can do is put the business in amber and walk away for a season. We cover a practical 90-day pause plan: how to set the date, communicate with clients, shut down marketing, cut costs, document everything for a smooth restart, and then ease back in leaner than before. Because stopping for a season is how you make sure there's a next season. Highlights Why grinding through a life crisis backfires—missed deadlines, sloppy work, and dried-up referrals The "sandwich generation" reality: 47% of adults in their 40s and 50s are caught between kids and aging parents What it means to put your business "in amber" like the mosquito in Jurassic Park—preserving it to unthaw later The 7-step 90-day pause plan: set the date, align with your spouse, wrap clients, shut off marketing, cut costs, write a restart note, and do a monthly checkpoint How to communicate with clients so you look professional—not flaky—when stepping away Why you should refund deposits for work you haven't started yet What to turn off: booking links, social automations, CRM notifications, and app alerts The monthly checkpoint: 20 minutes to check email and the bank account, nothing more How to restart the right way—evaluate your motivation, warm up your list, and ease back in at a slower pace Why coming back leaner might be the biggest win of the pause Chapters 0:00 — New Dad Overwhelm 1:32 — When Life Demands Pause 2:56 — Health Comes First 4:04 — Why Grinding Backfires 6:15 — Business In Amber 6:58 — Set Date And Align 7:45 — Wrap Clients And Leads 9:57 — Shut Off Marketing 11:52 — Cut Costs And Document 13:38 — Monthly Checkpoint 15:38 — Restart The Right Way 17:25 — Ease Back In Leaner 19:28 — Three Closing Challenges 21:51 — Protect The Next Season Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.