The Shift with Mike & Joe

"I can't figure you out."
That's what Joe's first counselor told him in treatment. She had clients who'd been born addicted, clients who'd watched a parent murdered, and then she had Joe — good childhood, both parents, both sets of grandparents, no reason anyone could point to. She couldn't work out how he'd ended up in the chair across from her.
This is Part 2 of the two-part swap. Last episode Joe asked the questions. This week Mike turns it around, with help from ChatGPT, and gets a lot further than either of them expected.
The first half is the long way round. Queen Anne Colony, the year and a half when his parents split and he lived across the bridge at Cape St. Clair, and coming back to Centreville in fifth grade as the new kid in the lowest grade in the school. Karate from middle school to seventeen. Hunting with his dad, then guiding for his uncle's outfitting business until fourteen-hour days in the cold burned it out of him. The guitar his dad bought off another kid his senior year, and the hours spent getting Blackbird wrong until it was right.
Then the jobs, and there are a lot of them: scraping and waxing boat bottoms at Island Yacht Brokers at thirteen, alone in the yard hitting rocks with a piece of wood and calling the play-by-play. Painting houses. Landscaping in Juneau, Alaska, and a salmon and halibut charter. A seasonal naturalist gig at Tuckahoe State Park with owls and red-tailed hawks. Cutting greens at Queenstown. And thirty minutes at J.Crew before he told them he had to get something out of his car, drove away, and never went back.
After the break it turns. Joe got clean at 31, when his son was two, and then spent about six years working inside addiction treatment — residential coordinator, admissions, and eventually a counselor. He's clear-eyed about what he saw: treatment is a good thing and treatment is a business, and the further up the chain you go the more the second one shows. He walks through two clients he had at the same time, one on private insurance and one on state, and why the one who needed him most got seen least.
And then his own story, told plainly. Skoal as a cart boy at Prospect Bay. Beers left behind after tournaments. Being against weed until he wasn't, then a full-blown pothead inside two weeks. The first Percocet, which he names as the real turning point. The Oxycontin years. Why he never ended up shooting heroin — and the night before treatment when he asked his dealer to do it for him, and the dealer said no, because he knew Joe wouldn't go if he did.
Two relapses after that, one at ninety days installing satellite dishes for DirecTV, and one nobody knew about for two years until it surfaced during step work with his sponsor. He changed his clean date and told his home group. He's just as matter-of-fact about a couple of drinks in the last six months.
The hardest decision he's ever made wasn't getting clean. It was accepting he had to go all in — and it came down to reading a pamphlet in a common room between groups and not being able to answer no to a single question on it.
The last half hour is lighter and better for it: how he found out he could sing by calling his own answering machine and singing into the voicemail, the only book he's ever read and the ten pages of it he skipped, and what success actually means when you're honest that it includes money.
There's a baby due October 2nd, a twelve-year-old with two travel teams, a print-on-demand t-shirt idea he keeps not starting, and a barn studio he'd build tomorrow.
Part 1 — where Joe asks the questions — is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJJ31SxHqSk
What shift have you experienced in your life?
CHAPTERS00:00 Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund00:45 Welcome to Episode 4101:12 Part 2 of the swap — Mike asks the questions01:44 "What's your favorite thing about me?"02:16 A weekend of gigs, and a voice that's shot03:00 The guy who asked to sing at Betty's05:47 "You don't cuss anymore"06:29 "I wish you would just buy a new car"07:18 Childhood, and a brother named Jake08:55 His parents split — moving to Cape St. Clair09:21 Back to Centreville in fifth grade10:25 The new kid in the lowest grade in the school11:40 Redneck row, and where Joe parked instead12:18 Hunting with his dad13:21 Guiding in his twenties, and burning out13:52 "Have you ever killed a man?"14:11 When music entered14:57 Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam15:33 The guitar his dad bought him senior year16:05 Sitting down with Blackbird17:59 Karate, middle school to 1719:40 Mentors, and both grandfathers22:13 Mr. Nicely and the wood carving class24:12 A real fear of heights24:41 Wishing he was a better guitar player25:34 Maine, Alaska, Yellowstone — and never Europe26:40 Every job he's ever had27:06 Island Yacht Brokers at 13, and hitting rocks with a stick29:30 Thirty minutes at J.Crew29:55 Brett, and the move to Juneau31:56 Tuckahoe State Park, owls and hawks33:15 What's the actual goal when you cut grass?34:09 Queenstown Golf Course grounds crew36:54 Getting clean, and going to work in treatment37:25 Serenity Acres, and what an RC actually does38:46 Admissions, insurance, and a pay cut to go back41:30 George, and the job at Evolve42:34 Burning out, and picking up a camera42:59 Sponsor — Wayfinders THF & Putts Fore! Nuts44:31 What makes a treatment center good or bad44:49 "It's a great thing. However, it is a business."46:53 Why insurance decides who gets care47:48 Private insurance vs. state insurance50:50 Too much recovery, recovery, recovery52:12 Skoal at Prospect Bay53:33 Against weed, then full-blown in two weeks54:27 Percocet, and the real turning point56:39 The Oxycontin years58:05 Why he never shot up59:04 The night his dealer said no59:41 Going to treatment at 311:01:05 DirecTV, and a thought out of nowhere1:02:07 Back to treatment the second time1:03:22 The Tylenol with codeine he hid for two years1:04:33 Telling his home group, and changing his clean date1:05:50 The hardest decision he's ever made1:06:11 Going all in on a 12-step program1:08:00 The NA pamphlet in the common room1:08:51 Two weeks of "Hi, I'm Joe"1:09:29 Why videography1:11:36 Learning aperture off YouTube1:14:10 Priorities — and a baby due October 2nd1:16:13 Print-on-demand t-shirts1:17:23 "Drunken Grown Ups" and other dumb shirts1:18:47 If money weren't an issue1:20:08 The studio he'd build1:21:49 When he figured out he could sing1:22:12 Singing into his own answering machine1:24:18 Finding your voice, and being scared to belt it1:27:37 Rapid fire1:27:52 The only book he's ever read1:29:38 Dog or cat1:30:34 What does success actually mean?1:31:04 "That definitely does include money"1:31:38 Wanting to spend $5,000 without worrying1:34:09 The dream house, and a big finished barn1:36:07 What he hopes his grandkids say1:37:31 When he feels most alive1:38:31 What would surprise someone who knew him at 181:40:10 Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WAYFINDERS TESTICULAR HEALTH FUNDBe Bold. Be Brave. Be Aware.
Wayfinders THF is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to impacting the lives and health of young men by combating testicular cancer through awareness, education, fundraising, and community support — with a focus on men aged 14 to 35. A component fund of Chesapeake Charities.
Website: https://www.wayfindersthf.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfindersthfDonate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2419
PUTTS FORE! NUTS — 2nd Annual Charity Mini-Golf TournamentSaturday, October 17, 2026 · 11:30 AM – 6:00 PMEmbers Island Mini-Golf, 2305 Philadelphia Ave Suite #4, Ocean City, MD 21842Event info: https://www.wayfindersthf.org/putts-fore-nutsRegister / donate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=2419Sponsorships available at every level — team, tee box, prizes, t-shirts and more.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEDave Matthews Band · Nirvana · Soundgarden · Stone Temple Pilots · Pearl Jam · Toadies · Phish"Come As You Are" · "Blackbird" · "Yellow Ledbetter" · "Wild Horses" · "Folsom Prison Blues" · "Bad Moon Rising" · "Stir It Up" · 40oz. to FreedomQueen Anne Colony · Cape St. Clair · Centreville Middle School · Kent Narrows · Betty's · Pintail Point · Prospect Bay · Queenstown Golf Course · Tuckahoe State Park · Juneau, Alaska · Salisbury University · Mardela Springs · FairleeIsland Yacht Brokers · J.Crew · DirecTV · Serenity Acres · Evolve · Narcotics AnonymousChesapeake by James Michener · Surviving the Game · Ultimate Guitar · ChatGPT
SUPPORT THE SHIFT WITH MIKE & JOEWebsite: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: info@theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoe-jf9otInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574975860350TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theshiftwithmikeaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
CONNECT WITH MIKE & JOE
Michael Waskey MusicWebsite: https://www.michaelwaskey.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwaskeymusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelwaskeymusic
Kent Island Academy of Music (Mike)Website: https://kentislandacademyofmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KentIslandAcademyOfMusic/
Image & Sound Media (Joe)Website: https://www.imagesoundmedia.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094021747690Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imageandsoundmediaTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imagesoundmediaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imagesoundmedia
Joe Bryan MusicWebsite: https://www.joebryanmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550810556745Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joebryanmusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joebryanmusic
PODCAST PRODUCTION GEAR (EPISODE 41)Cameras: Sony A7 IV, Sony A7 V, Sony FX3Main Audio: Shure SM7B (Joe & Mike)Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 18i18Audio Software: ReaperVideo Editing: DaVinci Resolve StudioLighting: Amaran 100x & 200x softboxes + Amaran tube lights
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media.https://www.imagesoundmedia.com
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free and confidential: 1-800-662-4357.
#TheShiftPodcast #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessTalk #mikeandjoeshow #KentIsland #EasternShore #Annapolis #MarylandPodcast #Recovery #WayfindersTHF

"I felt like a hero, Joe."
Mike Waskey owns 42 bags. He can recite the model names from memory. And by the end of this conversation he can tell you exactly why — it goes back to a pair of pants that split open on his second day working at Starbucks.
This is Part 1 of a two-part swap: no guest, no format, just Mike and Joe interviewing each other. Joe takes the chair this week and asks Mike the questions. Next episode, Mike turns it around — with help from ChatGPT, since he's decided that's fair play.
Joe did zero preparation, and it shows in the best way. The first hour wanders through beef tallow hair product, a pair of $400 Randolph sunglasses, Project Hail Mary, Silo, and a dad joke that probably shouldn't have survived the edit.
Then it gets somewhere real. Mike's father grew up in the Plymouth Brethren — a religious group headquartered in Australia where children weren't allowed to listen to the radio, and where leaving meant your entire family stopped speaking to you. He got out by enlisting as a conscientious objector. Mike walks us through what he knows of it, why he thinks people are drawn to that kind of thing, and his own view that any organization worth joining should probably be a little bit cultish.
We trace the stages of Michael Steven Waskey: the soccer-and-karate kid, the skateboarding guitar player with the 90s haircut, the kid who quit the soccer team after fighting three teammates who were picking on someone smaller, the high schooler recording an album with Statue Spread, the heavy phase with Clockwork, and the college student who found out he could sing in an ear training class.
And the Heavy Fred years — which means the crab tater tots story. Joe walking off stage mid-song to eat by the handful, Mike hiding his keys, the band leaving without him, and the intervention that took another year and a half to work. Both of them tell it straight.
After the break Joe asks what Mike's morals and values actually are, and Mike takes it seriously: family as the basis of society, four adopted children, faith, and the parts he doesn't live up to. He's unusually honest about it — the word games he plays with pricing to make more money, jealousy, and a resistance to authority that runs from claiming cash tips all the way down to wearing a seatbelt.
Then the bags. Mike pulls one off camera and gives an unrequested tour, and it becomes the most revealing part of the episode: a wrench pulled out of a tire on vacation with paracord and a hitch, the ripped pants at Starbucks, and what it actually feels like to be the person who has what everyone needs.
We also get into what's next — pivoting from bar gigs to weddings, funerals, and corporate events, playing fewer but better shows, and the fact that he needs to go buy a suit.
What shift have you experienced in your life?
CHAPTERS00:00 Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund00:45 Welcome to Episode 40 — no guest this time01:41 The plan: we interview each other02:11 "Did you do any research on me?"02:47 First question: beef tallow hair product03:53 $400 sunglasses and the Randolph rabbit hole07:15 The $40 glasses with magnetic clip-ons08:26 Project Hail Mary10:06 Silo, and drip-feeding a story12:32 The jeans, the air conditioner, and "give me your login"13:12 A dad joke that shouldn't have made the edit13:46 Michael Steven Waskey — born Easton, raised Kent Island14:39 Mike's dad grew up in a cult16:44 The Plymouth Brethren, and leaving through the military17:52 What draws people to cults?18:30 "Any organization worth joining should be a little bit cultish"20:47 Why Mike's dad got out22:18 The Amish, the Mennonites, and friction as a feature23:49 Raw milk, herd shares, and a solar-powered bathroom26:06 The stages of Michael Waskey: soccer and karate27:38 Skateboarding, guitar, and the 90s haircut28:24 Quitting the soccer team over a fight29:10 First bands, John Gunther, and Statue Spread32:17 Recording in high school, and going heavy with Clockwork33:48 College, learning to sing, and going solo34:36 Trading time for money vs. writing songs36:08 Musical influences — and the Heavy Fred years36:57 The crab tater tot story37:42 The intervention that took another year and a half38:28 Singers you can't get past42:21 How a band survives 40 years and two heroin addictions46:12 What Mike actually listens to now50:04 The Charles Ponzi series51:36 How the Ponzi scheme actually worked57:04 Letting AI invest your money58:57 Sponsor — Wayfinders THF & Putts Fore! Nuts1:00:26 What are your morals and values?1:00:59 Family, faith, and four adopted children1:02:32 Where morals come from1:04:59 Following the Bible, and why people interpret it differently1:07:19 Do you live up to your own values?1:08:54 Being honest with yourself1:10:28 Pricing, word games, and the urge to be dishonest1:12:49 Authority, seatbelts, and claiming cash tips1:14:28 Laziness, oversleeping, and the chicken coop1:17:34 The bag segment begins1:18:19 The Vertx Urban Ghost sling1:20:37 Hero clips, rapid access tabs, and CCW compartments1:22:56 Why bags? The doomsday prepper phase1:24:32 The wrench in the tire1:27:40 The ripped pants at Starbucks1:28:25 "I felt like a hero, Joe"1:29:12 Joe needs a bag1:31:32 Does a sling look manly?1:33:04 The Vanquest Katara, and knowing all the names1:33:49 What's next: pivoting to private events1:35:23 Weddings, funerals, and what to charge1:38:28 Foster care, and MSW upside down1:39:14 Mike's crowd work1:41:33 Taking a break vs. working the room1:43:51 Why private gigs feel different1:44:37 Rating Joe's interview skills1:44:54 Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WAYFINDERS TESTICULAR HEALTH FUNDBe Bold. Be Brave. Be Aware.
Wayfinders THF is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to impacting the lives and health of young men by combating testicular cancer through awareness, education, fundraising, and community support — with a focus on men aged 14 to 35. A component fund of Chesapeake Charities.
Website: https://www.wayfindersthf.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfindersthfDonate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2419
PUTTS FORE! NUTS — 2nd Annual Charity Mini-Golf TournamentSaturday, October 17, 2026 · 11:30 AM – 6:00 PMEmbers Island Mini-Golf, 2305 Philadelphia Ave Suite #4, Ocean City, MD 21842Event info: https://www.wayfindersthf.org/putts-fore-nutsRegister / donate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=2419Sponsorships available at every level — team, tee box, prizes, t-shirts and more.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODERandolph Engineering sunglasses · Zenni · Project Hail Mary · Silo · Plymouth BrethrenStatue Spread · Clockwork · Heavy Fred · John GuntherCounting Crows · Third Eye Blind · Matchbox 20 · The Get Up Kids · Mineral · Bright Eyes · Deftones · Meshuggah · Radiohead · Red Hot Chili Peppers · Jason IsbellDead Drop · Theo Von · Joe Rogan · Diary of a CEO · Sean Ryan Show · Lex Fridman · The Gigging Musician Podcast · Blurry Creatures · Haunted Cosmos · Alex O'ConnorVertx Urban Ghost sling · Vanquest Katara · HeroClip
SUPPORT THE SHIFT WITH MIKE & JOEWebsite: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: info@theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoe-jf9otInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574975860350TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theshiftwithmikeaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
CONNECT WITH MIKE & JOE
Michael Waskey MusicWebsite: https://www.michaelwaskey.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwaskeymusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelwaskeymusic
Kent Island Academy of Music (Mike)Website: https://kentislandacademyofmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KentIslandAcademyOfMusic/
Image & Sound Media (Joe)Website: https://www.imagesoundmedia.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094021747690Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imageandsoundmediaTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imagesoundmediaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imagesoundmedia
Joe Bryan MusicWebsite: https://www.joebryanmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550810556745Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joebryanmusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joebryanmusic
PODCAST PRODUCTION GEAR (EPISODE 40)Camera: Sony A7C IIMain Audio: Shure SM7B (Joe & Mike)Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 18i18Audio Software: ReaperVideo Editing: DaVinci Resolve StudioLighting: Amaran 100x & 200x softboxes + Amaran tube lights
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media.https://www.imagesoundmedia.com
#TheShiftPodcast #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessTalk #mikeandjoeshow #KentIsland #EasternShore #Annapolis #MarylandPodcast #TesticularCancerAwareness #WayfindersTHF

"I wasn't the best. I was the most consistent out of any of my competition."
Jason Morton has run roughly 800 Facebook ads in three years — one for every show, no matter how small — and he can now walk into a venue negotiation with the data to back up his rate. This is the most practical conversation we've had on this show.
Jason Morton of Jason Morton & The Chesapeake Sons is back for his second appearance, 32 episodes after he sat in a plastic chair as one of our first guests ever. He's just off a plane from Nashville with four new songs, the masters back last week, and a rebrand in progress: the same country rock bones with poppier vocal melodies laid over the top.
We start with how he got here — piano at four, guitar through middle school, a jock in high school who played alone in his room, then a biology degree at Salisbury he picked almost by accident and never used. He tells the story of driving home halfway through college to tell his dad he was quitting biology for music, and what his father said back.
Then it turns into something closer to a masterclass. Jason walks through the promotion system he's built: a Facebook event page for every single show, a video embedded in it, a boosted ad geo-targeted to twenty-five miles, separate ads for engagement and for ticket sales, and the club owner added as a co-host so the venue has skin in the game too. He explains why you delete old event pages, why your Instagram grid matters more than any single post, and why one ad for one show is meaningless but a hundred and fifty of them is leverage.
The other thread running through the whole episode is Atomic Habits, which Jason picked up because he kept reaching the end of a day and wondering where it had gone. Cue, craving, response, reward. Design the environment instead of relying on willpower. Say "I'm a musician," not "I play music." He's up at 5am now, gym first, ten to two for content — and he's honest that the reason he falls off is always that he let the environment slide, usually a cluttered garage.
We also get into the hard conversation most local bands never have: live players versus studio players, and what it costs to tell the guitarist who's driven all those miles with you that his parts aren't going on the record.
We also talk about why less polish outperforms more right now, the artist who cut 500 reels for a single song, taking the last record offline, changing your sound and losing fans, Wim Hof breathing, learning to regulate your nervous system, what a hospice nurse hears people regret at the end, and the mentor who beat Paul Reed Smith for Small Businessman of the Year.
What shift have you experienced in your life?
CHAPTERS00:00 Sponsor — Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund00:30 Cold open: first listen to "Fishin' in Tennessee"01:15 Why Mike hates a fade-out02:35 When a fade-out is actually the right call03:00 Writing music you can see before you can hear it04:18 Every YouTuber starts with the thumbnail05:40 Jason Morton is back, 32 episodes later06:30 The brown pants07:30 Five Metallica shirts, Monday through Friday08:45 Just back from Nashville with four new songs09:30 The rebrand: poppy melodies on country rock bones10:14 "Psychedelic myopic rock" and why venues pull old bios12:00 The band that's been together ten years13:30 How he ended up a biology major by accident15:19 Piano at four, guitar in middle school, jock in high school17:00 Telling his dad he was quitting biology for music18:44 Does your degree actually matter?20:25 The trades, HVAC, and the friends who did better21:17 Construction, beers at 2pm, and getting stuck23:00 Why rehab fails when you return to the same environment23:50 Atomic Habits enters the conversation25:00 A wife who's up at 6am with four horses26:22 Why self-help books stop working after three months27:14 Design the environment, not the willpower28:05 The guitar on the stand instead of in the case28:56 Cue, craving, response, reward30:37 Cravings that arrive without a cue31:27 "I'm a musician" beats "I play music"32:17 The heaviest weight in the gym is the front door33:08 The 400-pound guy who just had to walk in34:49 Paralysis by analysis35:40 Why less polish performs better now37:24 From two videos a week to fifteen clips a day38:15 Kels, and the 500 reels for one single39:57 Instagram trial reels40:49 The horse manure video his wife was right about43:21 People want the personality, not the production46:44 Posting every day changes you as a person47:35 The stroller review that proved the point49:17 When a person becomes a brand50:11 The label that paid $10,000 for a brand guide52:43 Make a Facebook event page for every single show54:24 Embed the video, boost the ad, target 25 miles56:06 The people who show up after seeing you for two years56:57 150 shows, 150 ads, and the data to prove it58:39 Using ad data to negotiate your rate1:00:21 Make the club owner a co-host1:02:02 "How many people are you bringing tonight?"1:05:26 Separate ads for engagement and for tickets1:07:59 What Joe has been doing differently1:08:49 4:5 for the feed, 9:16 for stories1:12:19 Delete your old event pages1:14:04 What your Instagram grid says about you1:15:46 Taking the last record offline1:16:36 Will you lose fans by changing your sound?1:17:27 Sturgill, Tyler Childers and the Black Crowes1:19:10 Two producers, two completely different records1:21:44 Live players versus studio players1:22:35 Brian Wilson and the Wrecking Crew1:23:26 Telling your guitarist his parts aren't on the record1:25:08 Take your local band to Nashville1:28:32 Recording outside cuts, and imposter syndrome1:30:17 Back to Atomic Habits: what actually changed1:31:10 The 5am alarm and the clothes on the nightstand1:32:51 Ten to two is video content1:34:32 Priming the garage1:35:24 Self-awareness as the real skill1:36:15 Learning to regulate your nervous system1:39:41 Jefferson Fisher: no response is a response1:40:31 Wim Hof breathing1:41:22 Soft White Underbelly and the generational disconnect1:43:23 Sponsor — Wayfinders THF & Putts Fore! Nuts1:45:37 The chain reaction of one good habit1:47:21 When "that's a trigger for me" becomes a cop-out1:49:02 "Would a healthy person eat this?"1:51:33 Why you fall off, and what to check first1:55:00 Habit stacking1:59:18 Zig Ziglar: action first, motivation follows2:01:00 Wanting the result right now2:02:42 Ten pages a day is a book a month2:05:14 The book that admits you're going to fail2:06:07 The morning after a conversation goes wrong2:08:39 Larry Ray, Big Vanilla, and beating Paul Reed Smith2:10:21 "I wasn't the best. I was the most consistent."2:11:11 Why we don't get any of this at 242:13:44 Denzel Washington on the process2:14:35 What hospice patients actually regret2:16:20 The new music, and which song lands first
CONNECT WITH JASON MORTON & THE CHESAPEAKE SONSWebsite: https://www.chesapeakesons.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjasonmorton/Facebook (band): https://www.facebook.com/chesapeakesons/Facebook (Jason): https://www.facebook.com/iamjasonmorton/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MFDWIQmH337VK1kDJLxkgSoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/iamjasonmortonTour dates: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15198364-jason-morton-and-the-chesapeake-sonsBooking: chesapeakesons@gmail.com
Jason was previously on Episode 7 of The Shift with Mike & Joe.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WAYFINDERS TESTICULAR HEALTH FUNDBe Bold. Be Brave. Be Aware.
Wayfinders THF is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to impacting the lives and health of young men by combating testicular cancer through awareness, education, fundraising, and community support — with a focus on men aged 14 to 35. A component fund of Chesapeake Charities.
Website: https://www.wayfindersthf.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfindersthfDonate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2419
PUTTS FORE! NUTS — 2nd Annual Charity Mini-Golf TournamentSaturday, October 17, 2026 · 11:30 AM – 6:00 PMEmbers Island Mini-Golf, 2305 Philadelphia Ave Suite #4, Ocean City, MD 21842Event info: https://www.wayfindersthf.org/putts-fore-nutsRegister / donate: https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=2419
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEAtomic Habits (James Clear) · Zig Ziglar · Jefferson Fisher · Wim Hof · Soft White Underbelly · Diary of a CEOKels · Tyler Childers · Sturgill Simpson · The Black Crowes · Whiskey Myers · Zach Top · Denzel WashingtonTommy Hardin (Alabama) · Will Edwards · Jason Heizer · Rob · The Cheaters · The Wrecking Crew · Brian WilsonShea Springer / Sweetfoot Studios · Chris Hahnemann · Larry Ray / Big Vanilla Athletic Club · Paul Reed SmithSalisbury University · Rams Head · The Avalon
SUPPORT THE SHIFT WITH MIKE & JOEWebsite: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: info@theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoe-jf9otInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574975860350TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theshiftwithmikeaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
CONNECT WITH MIKE & JOE
Michael Waskey MusicWebsite: https://www.michaelwaskey.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwaskeymusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelwaskeymusic
Kent Island Academy of Music (Mike)Website: https://kentislandacademyofmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KentIslandAcademyOfMusic/
Image & Sound Media (Joe)Website: https://www.imagesoundmedia.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094021747690Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imageandsoundmediaTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imagesoundmediaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imagesoundmedia
Joe Bryan MusicWebsite: https://www.joebryanmusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550810556745Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joebryanmusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joebryanmusic
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media.https://www.imagesoundmedia.com
#TheShiftPodcast #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessTalk #mikeandjoeshow #KentIsland #EasternShore #Annapolis #MarylandPodcast #AtomicHabits #CountryRock #MusicMarketing

In Episode 38 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with business and marketing coach Peggy Re James to talk about her unconventional upbringing, her path into entrepreneurship, and how she built a business designed to support her life instead of consuming it.
Peggy opens up about growing up as one of eight sisters in a highly controlled religious environment connected to the organization featured in the documentary series Happy Shiny People. She shares how that experience shaped her childhood, how her family eventually recognized what they had been part of, and what it was like to begin questioning and deconstructing those beliefs.
We also explore Peggy’s journey from stay-at-home mom and virtual assistant to six-figure business owner, coach, course creator, and host of the Six Figure Shift podcast. She explains how she surpassed her husband’s corporate salary within months, why specialization makes a business easier to scale, and how she helps established entrepreneurs make more money while working fewer hours.
Peggy also shares why your business vision should support your life vision, how systems and boundaries create freedom, why marketing is about more than simply posting online, and how she is applying her own framework to launch a local cleaning company without becoming the person doing the cleaning.
We also talk about personal branding, outsourcing, motherhood, jiu-jitsu, debt, investing, short-term rentals, perfectionism, decision-making, and the challenge of building a business without becoming trapped by it.
Connect with Peggy Re James:
Website: https://peggyrejames.comPodcast: https://peggyrejames.com/listen/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggyrejames/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@peggyrejamesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyrejames/
Learn more about The Shift with Mike & Joe:
Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350

In Episode 37 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with Daniel Alvarez — musician, videographer, photographer, audio engineer, producer, and the creative force behind Spilling Pictures Studio.
 
Daniel shares his story of growing up in Colombia before moving to Maryland, discovering guitar as a teenager, playing in original bands, and eventually building a creative life around music, video, photography, and audio production. We talk about the name Spilling Pictures, his band Leo & Cygnus, the Annapolis music scene, and how his older brother helped introduce him to film and video work.
 
This conversation also gets into the real side of creative work: pricing yourself, raising your rates, dealing with imposter syndrome, working with musicians who may not have big budgets, learning by trial and error, and trying to balance passion with business.
 
Daniel also opens up about losing his DC studio in a house fire in 2024, the gear and creative space he lost, and the way the Annapolis creative community, AMFM, friends, family, and supporters helped him rebuild.
 
We also talk about AI in creative work, where it can be useful, where it starts to feel like “AI slop,” and why live performance, human taste, collaboration, and real creative connection still matter.
 
Huge thanks to our sponsor Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, Maryland — a brewery, taproom, restaurant, and live music venue on Kent Island.
 
In this episode, we talk about:• Daniel’s childhood in Colombia and moving to Maryland• Learning guitar and falling in love with music• The story behind Spilling Pictures Studio• Leo & Cygnus and the Annapolis music scene• Getting into video, photography, and audio production• Filming musicians, live sessions, and music videos• Shooting in the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower• Capturing real ambience in live performance videos• DaVinci Resolve, AI tools, and creative workflow• Pricing creative work and learning to value your time• Losing a studio in a fire and rebuilding through community• Recording artists and why having another person in the room matters• Building a creative life around music, cameras, and collaboration
 
Follow Daniel / Spilling Pictures Studio:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spillingpicturesstudio/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@spillingpicturesstudio
 
Follow Daniel personally:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniver92/
 
Follow Leo & Cygnus:https://leoandcygnus.com
 
Sponsor:Cult Classic Brewinghttps://cultclassicbrewing.comhttps://www.instagram.com/cultclassicbrewing/
 
Support The Shift with Mike & Joe:Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: theshiftwithmikeandjoe@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
 
Connect with Mike & Joe:Image & Sound Media: https://imagesoundmedia.comJoe Bryan Music: https://www.joebryanmusic.comKent Island Academy of Music: https://kentislandacademyofmusic.comMichael Waskey Music: https://www.michaelwaskey.com
 
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media.https://www.imagesoundmedia.com

In Episode 36 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with guitarist, teacher, bandleader, and Priddy Music Academy owner Lee Priddy to talk about building a life around music, teaching, family, and community.
 
Lee shares how he first got hooked on guitar after hearing Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio,” how players like Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Allan Holdsworth, and Guthrie Govan shaped his playing, and how years of lessons, gigging, touring, and teaching eventually led him to build one of the area’s most performance-focused music schools.
 
We also talk about the growth of Priddy Music Academy, from private guitar lessons to a full music academy in Millersville with multiple teachers, student bands, adult bands, showcases, charity events, and real-world performance opportunities. Lee breaks down what students can’t learn from YouTube, why fundamentals still matter, how band programs build confidence and responsibility, and what it takes to manage 20-plus bands.
 
The conversation also covers Lee’s family band Honey Sol, PRS guitars, pedalboards, live tone, performance anxiety, music education, charity events, sound production, and the community that has grown around Priddy Music Academy.
 
Question for you:What shift have you experienced in your life?
 
Connect with Lee Priddy / Priddy Music Academy:Priddy Music Academy: https://priddymusicacademy.comLessons & Bands: https://priddymusicacademy.com/music-lessonsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/priddymusicacademyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/priddymusicacademy/
 
Honey Sol:Website: https://www.honey-sol.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/honeysolband/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeysolband/
 
Support The Shift with Mike & Joe:Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350
 
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media:https://www.imagesoundmedia.com

John Haywood on Nashville Songwriting, Outlaw Country, Stage Fright + Chasing Something Real - EP 35
In Episode 35 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with Maryland-born country artist and songwriter John Haywood to talk about his path from writing novels and short stories to chasing songs in Nashville. John shares how a trip through Music City sparked the idea for a book about Nashville’s songwriting scene, only for that project to eventually turn into a much bigger shift toward writing and performing music himself. We get into his early days playing open mics at places like Cult Classic, the confidence he found through learning guitar, his battle with stage fright, and what it was like moving to Nashville as a shy person trying to break into one of the most competitive songwriter communities in the country.
John also breaks down the reality of Nashville writers rounds, bar gigs, networking, recording music on a budget, touring after losing his day job, and building a career around original songs without chasing the more polished, radio-friendly version of country music. We talk about his outlaw and gothic country influences, his Maryland roots, his time performing overseas in Scotland and England, his appearance as lead singer of Gamblers in the Neon on AXS TV’s Banded: The Musician Competition, and the mindset behind wanting to become one of the best writers of his time. It’s a conversation about music, confidence, discomfort, old-school country, creative ambition, and the strange but necessary process of becoming the person you always hoped you could be.
Question for you:What shift have you experienced in your life?
In this episode, we talk about John’s Maryland roots, moving to Nashville, writers rounds, stage fright, outlaw country, recording music independently, touring overseas, appearing on Banded: The Musician Competition, and what it means to chase something real instead of settling.
Support The Shift with Mike & Joe
Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: theshiftwithmikeandjoe@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
Connect with John Haywood
Website: https://johnhaywood.infoTour Dates: https://johnhaywood.info/tourEPK / One Sheet: https://johnhaywood.info/epk-onesheetLinktree: https://linktr.ee/HeyhaywoodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyhaywood/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyhaywood/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg1gXUaZjNSBU_lL5sy2E9ASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5yQUEBrCLsgRvH8ceG7TTMApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/john-haywood/1694806429
Connect with Mike & Joe
Image & Sound Media: https://imagesoundmedia.comJoe Bryan Music: https://www.joebryanmusic.comKent Island Academy of Music: https://kentislandacademyofmusic.comMichael Waskey Music: https://www.michaelwaskey.com
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media.

Jay Fleming on Documenting the Dying Waterman Industry + Preserving Chesapeake Bay Culture - EP 34
In Episode 34 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with Maryland photographer Jay Fleming to talk about his career documenting the Chesapeake Bay, the seafood industry, and the people whose lives are tied to the water.
Jay shares how growing up around photography through his father, former National Geographic photographer Kevin Fleming, shaped his eye from an early age. He also talks about early wildlife photography, fisheries work, Maryland seafood marketing, and how those experiences led him toward his first major book, Working the Water.
What starts as a conversation about photography becomes a deeper look at the changing reality of the Chesapeake Bay’s watermen, the economics of local seafood, and why so much of this culture is disappearing so quickly.
We also get into Jay’s self-published books, his sold-out Smith Island photography workshops, documenting Tangier and Smith Island for Island Life, boat bow photography, underwater images of blue crabs and rockfish, AI’s impact on photography, his next book Atlantic Harvest, and the realities of working inside small island communities.
It’s a conversation about photography, preservation, local identity, and what it means to capture a way of life before it changes forever.
Question for you:What shift have you experienced in your life?
In this episode, we talk about:• Jay Fleming growing up around photography• Kevin Fleming’s National Geographic work• Learning photography on film with an old Nikon• Winning an EPA photo contest as a teenager• Working with DNR, Yellowstone fisheries, and seafood marketing• How Jay connected to the waterman industry• Creating Working the Water• Self-publishing, printing overseas, and taking a $40,000 risk• Selling books directly and building a local business• Island Life and documenting Smith and Tangier Islands• Chesapeake Bay island communities changing fast• The decline of the waterman industry• Rising costs, regulations, imports, and younger generations leaving the work• Luke McFadden and the new model for modern watermen• Local seafood vs. imported seafood• Crab meat, restaurants, and what people may not realize they’re eating• Jay’s sold-out Smith Island workshops• Bringing business and positive attention to island communities• The Tangier Island boat vandalism story• Boat bow photography and Jay’s fine-art print business• Next book project, Atlantic Harvest• Photographing commercial fishing from Canada to Cuba• Offshore fishing boats, rough seas, and dangerous conditions• Underwater photography in the Chesapeake Bay• Drone photography with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro• Jay’s editing philosophy and keeping images authentic• Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw, and Photoshop instead of Lightroom• AI, authenticity, and avoiding heavy manipulation• Email newsletters, open houses, and building a direct audience• Preserving local history before it disappears
Connect with Jay Fleming:Website: https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayflemingphotography/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayFlemingPhoto/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JayPennFlemingWorkshops: https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/workshopsShop / Books / Prints: https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/shopWorking the Water: https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/shop/the-book-workingthewaterIsland Life: https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/shop/islandlife
Support The Shift with Mike & Joe:Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: theshiftwithmikeandjoe@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
Connect with Mike & Joe:
Image & Sound Media:https://imagesoundmedia.com
Joe Bryan Music:https://www.joebryanmusic.com
Kent Island Academy of Music:https://kentislandacademyofmusic.com
Michael Waskey Music:https://www.michaelwaskey.com
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media:https://www.imagesoundmedia.com

From College TV Show to Global Cooking Classes + Why Chef Egg Still Wants to Be a Rock Star - EP 33
In Episode 33 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with Eric Berlin, better known as Chef Egg, to talk about the unconventional career he built by teaching people how to cook. What starts as a conversation about culinary school and restaurant life quickly turns into a much bigger story about performance, education, and connection.
Eric breaks down how he carved out a lane far outside the traditional kitchen: teaching hands-on cooking classes at colleges, working with health departments and veterans groups, appearing on Baltimore and DC television, traveling internationally with the military, and helping people overcome the fear that keeps them from cooking for themselves in the first place.
We also get into the origin of the name “Chef Egg,” his early public-access cooking show, how relationships and follow-through created major opportunities in Baltimore, and why he still sees himself as a musician at heart. The conversation also touches on virtual cooking classes, Chef Egg soap, trying to turn creativity into income, and the 25-year journey of writing his first novel.
This is an episode about making things, staying open to unexpected opportunities, and chasing the kind of work that makes you feel most alive.
In this episode, we talk about:
Reconnecting after college
What Chef Egg actually does
Why restaurant life wasn’t the right fit
Cooking classes at colleges, schools, and community events
Teaching knife skills, sautéing, and kitchen confidence
Why people are scared to cook
Food habits, health, and convenience culture
Making healthier food without making it miserable
The origin of the name “Chef Egg”
The first Cooking with Egg show
Public-access TV and building creative projects with no money
Live TV cooking segments in Baltimore and DC
Farmers markets, festivals, and word-of-mouth growth
Music, performance, and the overlap between cooking and entertaining
Traveling gigs with the military in Egypt, Germany, and beyond
Hands-on classes and virtual cooking instruction
Why passive-income ideas never fully clicked
Chef Egg soap and unusual branding that actually worked
Tallow, bone broth, and whole-animal cooking
Time, priorities, and the real reason people say they don’t cook
Creativity, discipline, and accepting you can’t force people to change
Parenting, work ethic, and teaching kids responsibility
Curiosity, opportunity, and learning from other people’s work
Writing a novel 25 years in the making
Current music projects and still wanting to be a rock star
Performance mindset, preparation, and not fearing mistakes
Connect with Chef Egg:Website: https://chefegg.com/Book Chef Egg: https://chefegg.com/booking/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefegg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefEgg/
Support The Shift with Mike & Joe:Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.comDonate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1Email: theshiftwithmikeandjoe@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshiftwithmikeandjoe/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574975860350Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065Podbean: https://joer7.podbean.com
The Shift with Mike & Joe is fully produced by Image & Sound Media:https://www.imagesoundmedia.com

Filming John Mayer & Santana at PRS + The Cancer Shift That Changed Everything | Andrew Dorbin (EP 32)
 
In Episode 32 of The Shift with Mike & Joe, we sit down with Andrew Dorbin, Senior Videographer at PRS Guitars in Stevensville, Maryland. Andrew takes us inside the PRS world—working around Paul Reed Smith, filming product demos where both lighting and audio have to be flawless, and capturing artists on the road. We talk PRS’s quality-first mindset (from SE to Private Stock), how custom builds work through dealers, and what changes when you’re filming legends like John Mayer and Carlos Santana.
 
Then the conversation goes deeper. Andrew shares how a testicular cancer diagnosis reshaped his priorities and led him to launch the Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund. He walks through early warning signs, how he discovered it, why early detection matters, and what’s next for the nonprofit— including Putts for Nuts and a potential comedy fundraiser. This is an episode about craft, pressure, meaning, and the kind of shift you don’t get to choose.
 
In this episode:
What makes PRS different (Paul + quality-first culture)
SE vs Private Stock + how custom builds work
Filming guitars: lighting challenges + capturing great audio
Artist shoots: the Santana lesson + working with John Mayer
Cancer, perspective shifts, and building Wayfinders
 
Wayfinders Testicular Health Fund: https://www.wayfindersthf.org/
 
Support / follow the show:
Website: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com
Donate: https://www.theshiftwithmikeandjoe.com/giving-page-2-1
Email: theshiftwithmikeandjoe@gmail.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheShiftwithMikeandJoe
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shift-with-mike-joe/id1813198065
 
Produced by Image & Sound Media: https://www.imagesoundmedia.com