Alex Morris has sent more than 200 issues of his newsletter Strat Scraps, typos, doodled monsters and all, and about 90 percent of his strategy business now comes through it. In this episode the brand strategist behind work for Hinge and Vice explains why polish kills momentum, and why sharing half-formed thoughts early makes you a better thinking partner.

Alex and Marc also talk about choosing conviction over chasing trends, the SaaS ad that promised a monster that does everything, cutting until it hurts, the one rule he holds for everything he publishes, why everyone has scraps worth keeping, and the power of being a regular somewhere.

You'll learn:

✅ Why polish kills momentum, and when it's time to slow down

✅ How sharing half-formed thoughts makes you a better thinking partner

✅ Why conviction resonates more than chasing audience trends

✅ How a clear North Star protects a brand from feature bloat

✅ Why the best strategy is what you leave out

✅ The one rule Alex sets for everything he publishes

✅ How to collect your scraps and connect ideas that don't seem related

💬 "Polish kills momentum."

Whether you're a creative who keeps polishing work no one sees or a business owner tempted to do everything for everyone, this conversation gives you permission to share sooner and focus harder.

Follow the show for more conversations on creativity, strategy, and doing your best work.

Hosted by Marc Scheff, gallery owner and transformational coach who works with accomplished people ready for their next chapter. He once spent three weeks in Prague with one goal, to become a regular somewhere, and by the end the bartenders at the Black Cat knew his name. marcscheff.com

Find Alex:

Newsletter: Strat Scraps (https://stratscraps.substack.com)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Alex Morris

02:36 Strat Scraps and the Permission to Share

05:25 Why Polish Kills Momentum

07:55 Half-Formed Thoughts With Clients

10:03 Conviction Over Chasing Trends

13:36 The North Star and the Monster That Does Everything

15:46 Cut Until It Hurts

19:31 Walking Away From a Bad Tagline

22:39 His One Rule for Publishing

25:08 Everybody Has Scraps

28:55 The Power of Being a Regular

32:00 Where to Find Alex

Shelly Waldman spent nearly a decade building a commercial photography career and was finally landing triple bids and bigger clients when she moved to London and had to start over. In this episode she names the pattern that stalls so many multipassionate creatives, a fear of success, and shares the four-step Shrinking Alice Protocol she uses when someone else's work makes her feel smaller.

Shelly and Marc also talk about remixing the assets you already have, how to tell when to pause a project and when to let it go, why she pivoted from kids photography to food, and the belief that makes a big move worth it: everything is figure-outable.

You'll learn:

✅ How to tell a fear of success from a fear of failure

✅ The four steps of the Shrinking Alice Protocol: name it, reality check, redirect, anchor

✅ Why a competitor's success proves there's a market for your idea

✅ How an evidence list of kind notes stops the spiral

✅ How to mind map and remix the assets you already have

✅ How to decide between pausing a project and letting it go

✅ What it takes to rebuild a creative career in a new country

💬 "If they're succeeding, there's a market."

Whether you're a multipassionate creative who keeps stalling out on good ideas or you're rebuilding your career somewhere new, this conversation gives you a protocol to use the next time you feel yourself shrinking.

Follow the show for more conversations on creativity, courage, and building a creative career.

Hosted by Marc Scheff, gallery owner and transformational coach who works with accomplished people ready for their next chapter. He has lost two Toyotas to Montreal, AirTags and all, and figured that out too. marcscheff.com

Find Shelly:

Free bundle: https://creativecamp.pro/bundle

Marketing without the algorithm: https://5marketingtips.subscribepage.io

Instagram: @shuttershelly (https://www.instagram.com/shuttershelly/)

Instagram: @creativecamp.pro (https://www.instagram.com/creativecamp.pro/)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Shelly Waldman

03:30 Fear of Success Versus Fear of Failure

06:28 The Shrinking Alice Protocol

11:40 Mind Mapping and Remixing Your Assets

15:32 Quitting Too Soon or Holding On Too Long

17:28 Pivoting from Kids to Food Photography

19:23 Energy, Resources, and the Season of Life

21:35 Moving to London and Starting Over

25:54 Why the Move Was Worth It

29:06 Everything Is Figure-Outable

31:10 Where to Find Shelly

Cody brings a black belt mentality to growing his business at Train Stop Jiu-Jitsu. He chooses slow, mindful growth over rushing. He talks about pushing through fear and uncertainty, building a culture that puts values and community first, and leading with empathy and consistency so members feel safe, supported, and at home.

Cody also opens up about jiu-jitsu's deeper purpose as a path to healing, mental health, and personal growth, and how inclusivity and attention to small details shape a member experience people never want to leave.

You'll learn:

✅ How a slow, mindful approach reduces risk and builds resilience

✅ How to overcome fear when starting a business

✅ How to create a gym culture rooted in values and mission

✅ How empathy and consistency build trust and community

✅ The healing and psychological benefits of jiu-jitsu

✅ How to adapt to injuries and keep your passion alive

✅ Practical advice for aspiring martial arts entrepreneurs

💬 "Jiu-jitsu is a path for healing and personal growth."

Whether you're a martial artist dreaming of your own gym or an entrepreneur building a community-driven business, this conversation is packed with lessons you can use.

**

Learn more about Cody's inspirational jiu-jitsu gym at

https://www.instagram.com/trainstopjiujitsu/

**

Follow the show for more conversations on entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth.

Hosted by Marc Scheff, gallery owner and transformational coach who works with accomplished people ready for their next chapter. He also trains jiu-jitsu 5-6 days a week and is on a first name basis with his osteopath. marcscheff.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Cody Christensen

02:02 From Black Belt to Opening a Gym

03:56 Overcoming Fear and Uncertainty

07:03 Building a Gym Around Personal Values

09:50 Creating Community and Trust

14:02 The Deeper Purpose of Jiu-Jitsu

17:00 Healing and Mental Health Benefits of Martial Arts

20:00 Leadership, Empathy, and Consistency

22:59 Adapting to Injuries and Staying Passionate

25:04 Advice for Aspiring Martial Arts Entrepreneurs

28:03 Small Details and the Member Experience

30:02 Inclusivity and Transforming Lives Through Jiu-Jitsu