Best Week and Worst Week (Somehow Both)

Hey Beyonder!

You know that feeling when life throws so much at you in one week that you're not sure whether to celebrate or sit in a corner and question everything? Yeah, that was my last seven days.

Let me take you through it.

When Your Work Comes Full Circle

Last week, I attended a creator event in the city. Standard stuff, right? Influencers, networking, the usual chaos.

But here's what wasn't standard: The moment I walked in, I got surrounded. Not by sponsors or brand managers, but by creators. Budding ones, new ones, people I'd never met before.

And they started telling me their stories.

"I've been following you since the beginning."

"I started creating content after watching your videos."

"I remember when you did this specific thing in your journey, that changed everything for me."

Look, I've received awards this year. Multiple ones. But nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to standing in a room full of people who took action because of something you created.

These weren't just followers. These were people who watched what I did, got inspired, and actually did something about it. They didn't just consume, they created.

That hit different.

Best Podcaster of the Year (Wait, What?)

And then came the award: Best Podcaster of the Year 2025.

I'm still processing this.

You want to know something funny? When I shot my first podcast, I had zero clarity. Absolutely none. I just had a guest who was willing to show up, I found a studio, and I thought, "Let's just do this."

And because I was completely ignorant about how podcasting works, I shot two podcasts on the first day.

Yeah. Two.

Most seasoned podcasters wouldn't do that. But I didn't know any better. I thought that's just how it's done!

Since then, every single episode has been about tiny improvements. Better questions. Better setup. Better editing. Better experience for the guest and the listener.

And somehow, all those minuscule changes added up to this award.

Oh, and I shot three podcasts last week. That's the most I've ever done in a single week, and I loved every single one of them. One of them was with Rio (watch it here), I watched his film last weekend and got to ask him questions the very next day. How cool is that?

The Rollercoaster Nobody Warns You About

Now here's where things get real.

Running an agency is like being on a rollercoaster you can't get off.

One week, everything's perfect. Cash flow looks great, payments are rolling in, your team is crushing it, and you feel like you're in the highest ROI job in the world.

The next week? Complete opposite.

Last week was one of those weeks where I had to sit alone and really introspect. I had to pull my team together and ask the hard questions:

Are we going in the right direction?

Are we actually making the best use of our talents?

Are we leveraging what we have, or are we leaving money and impact on the table?

But the questions that kept me up at night were even deeper:

Am I doing this because I love it? Or because there's an ROI? Or because my identity is now attached to it? Or worse, because of ego?

I don't have all the answers yet. But I'm sitting with these questions, and I think that's important.

What This Week Taught Me

Here's the weird part about this week: I got recognized as the best podcaster of the year, I had creators tell me I inspired them to start their journey, and at the same time, I'm questioning everything about my business and my motivations.

It's like life is showing me the impact I've created while simultaneously asking, "But why are you really doing this?"

And maybe that's exactly what I needed. Maybe success isn't just about winning awards or getting surrounded by fans at events. Maybe it's about constantly checking in with yourself and making sure you're still doing this for the right reasons.

I remember something from that creator event, watching those people who started because they watched me. They didn't wait for perfect clarity. They didn't wait to have everything figured out. They just started.

Kind of like how I shot two podcasts on my first day because I didn't know any better.

Maybe that's the lesson here: Take action, improve as you go, but never stop asking yourself why you're doing it.

Over to You

If you've read this far, I have a question for you:

Hit reply and tell me. I'm genuinely curious about your stories.

And if you spotted what's wrong with my award picture, definitely let me know that too!

See you next Wednesday,
Epaphra