December 19, 2024 • 49 mins
In this episode, host Rachel Foster is joined by guest Kory McDow for a discussion on the challenges of corporate life in tech. They discuss the concept of 'golden handcuffs' that keep professionals tethered to their jobs despite dissatisfaction and share personal stories of finding joy and fulfillment outside of corporate structures.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:12):
Welcome to Imperfect Genius, the podcast that provides technical advice on effectivelynavigating the business development journey and offers advice on building successful
careers in the tech industry.
I'm your host, Rachel Foster, a tech professional, educator, and entrepreneur.
With me today is my friend and former colleague, Kory McDow AKA Dr.
Rubik.
Kory, welcome back to the podcast.
(00:33):
Thanks for having me back.
I'm so excited.
man, it's been a minute.
It's been a minute, I know.
is going on?
Well, you we're going to talk about what's going on, but how you doing?
I'm doing great.
I'm doing fantastic.
Yes, I'm good.
Yeah.
We're going to talk about why you so good.
I want to start with like sort of like how this episode came about.
(00:56):
So in my previous episode, I did my origin story because here's the thing.
I have been teasing it like here and there, like in every podcast episode.
I always ask, you know, know this, I did this with the episodes with you.
always asked the guests to do their origin story and I always like throw in little detailsabout myself.
I'm like, yeah.
Remember that time in kindergarten when I got kicked out or, know, like I just throw theselittle things.
(01:19):
I'm like, I'll talk about that later.
Or I'm sure I talked about that before.
And then I realized, I was like, I don't think I've ever just done my full origin story.
Like from beginning, you know, to up until, you know, today.
Right.
So that was the last episode, but you know how much I talk.
like it like.
It was 45 minutes just getting to the point and it ended with when I left New Relic lastNovember.
(01:41):
It was like, okay.
And then I was like burned out and decided to focus on entrepreneurship.
So I left New Relic and at that point I was at the 45 minute mark.
I was like, okay, to be continued.
was like, you know, and then that brings us up to present day or this current year.
And we'll talk about, you know, my year in entrepreneurship.
And so that was sort of where that episode ended.
And I was like, to be continued, I'll pick up with like my year in review.
(02:03):
And I even had a suggestion.
Yazzie has suggested doing like a Spotify Wrapped style, summary of like, you know, socialmedia engagement and downloads and subscribers and you just sort of like that, which I am
going to do.
I'm to do that in a newsletter, but in terms of like, from a podcast episode, so much hashappened between when I recorded that episode in this episode and you and I talked about
(02:27):
that, like there's been a lot going on in my life.
and I just was not in the mood for that episode, like for it just, know, like the, happy,and I'm not, mean, Hey, I'm not happy.
Go lucky.
It's not my vibe anyway.
It's not like in the mood for that kind of a wrap up episode.
And you and I had been talking and you said something to me and we were talking aboutcorporate burnout.
(02:48):
were talking about entrepreneurship, but it was something you said to me and we startedthis conversation.
was like, this would be good for the podcast.
And you were like,
I wish you had never said to me the thing about tech being golden handcuffs.
And I was like, wait, say more about that.
And then you went on and that's when we started talking about like, you know, burnout.
And then we started talking about entrepreneurship and it was just such a greatconversation as, is typical with us.
(03:10):
were having a great conversation.
was like, wait, pause.
need to do, need to record this.
I was like, this is a podcast episode.
This is great content for the podcast.
So I'm like, okay, no, no, no, let's, let's hop on and let's record this.
So let's start with that.
Let's start with.
Why, what you said about the golden handcuffs and why you said it.
So like, I'm just going to throw it to you on that.
(03:32):
All right.
well, so the golden handcuffs, right?
Like it's, you know, it's this gold and there's this value and everything, but you'rehandcuffed.
You're not able to do everything that you want to do.
Right.
And so, yeah, corporate golden handcuffs, know, or, know, specifically tech industry, feellike, in that.
(03:54):
I was able to do a lot of the work that I wanted to do, but then there were some things Ijust couldn't get to, I couldn't get access to or be able to get into.
And so the pay was well, the pay is good, but it's not always about the money, right?
If you look quick, you're like, that's gold.
But then if you look closer, it's like, ooh, handcuffs.
(04:16):
But I'm chained to something.
I should mention that.
I can't take, I don't know where I heard it for like, can't take credit for originatingthat, that phrase.
I don't remember.
heard it a long time ago.
And just like you, like once I heard it, I couldn't unhear it.
Like it was like, it was in my head forever.
It was, look at this beautiful gold cuff on my arm.
(04:37):
It's like, wait, wait, why can't I move?
You know, like, no.
So yeah.
So I just want to say, I can't take credit for originating that phrase, but again, once Iheard it, I could.
so, and I guess I stuck it in your head too.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
It's gold is worth a lot of money.
But you can't you can't go nowhere.
You're stuck.
You're like you are chained to the desk or you're chained to the thing or whatever thething is, especially in tech, you know, and that so many people, so many people reach out
(05:03):
to me and they're like, I want to know how to get in the tech, you know, they well I'mlike,
I'm like, why do you want to get into tech?
It's always like for the money.
I'm like, yeah, you're going to pay.
You are going to pay, you know, like they're going to pay you, but you are going to paywith blood, sweat and tears and your soul, you know, especially in corporate America.
Corporate America in and of itself is its own thing, you know, but tech corporate America.
(05:28):
wow.
It's a whole nother level.
Like it's nother level.
The thing about it, like with the handcuffs part two is like
is great that a lot of tech companies are international, right?
You want that diversity of idea, that diversity of thought.
want to have, there's great people everywhere.
know, smart people doing good things, good people doing smart things.
(05:50):
And the heck of part of that is, right, is, okay, you have somebody working overseas andyour schedules don't line up.
So you got to make sure that y'all can meet face to face because sometimes async doesn'twork, right?
message here, message there.
It's like you send a message and you're waiting for them to give a feedback and then theygive you answer, but not the complete answer.
(06:13):
So you're then trying to decipher it and then, okay.
And you go back to them and now two days have already passed and you're no closer togetting the project done.
yeah, that's yeah, golden to handcuffs.
It's been stuck in my head.
Like, you know, there was a, a span when I'm just like, you know, man, my goodness, thisis
(06:35):
You know, I'm just, yeah, I wasn't able to spend time with family.
You know, I wasn't able to show up how I wanted to show up.
yeah, golden to handcuffs, man.
So you had that in your head and you made a big decision, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I made a big decision.
(06:56):
Yeah.
So I left tech.
I gave them notice and, and was just, you know, just like, well, why are you leaving?
I was like, you know,
It's just time.
It's just time.
I got to the point where I was working on this project.
I'm trying to learn something while doing the project, right?
(07:17):
And it was not going well.
It was not successful.
And I was just like, I'm trying to make sure this gets through.
But to what sacrifice?
Right.
Right.
I started, you know, like,
My wife and I, coach our youngest soccer team, our youngest kids soccer team.
so practice would start at 5.30 and there would be times where I would wake up, take himto school at 7:30 and then get back, get on the computer, be working all the way through
(07:49):
lunch.
And then it's like, and then more it's like, we gotta go, we gotta go.
And I'm like, okay, how about you go there first?
I gotta finish this up.
Cause I'm in a group while I'm talking with somebody.
And then I'll be there and then I would get there 20 minutes late.
And I just, it was just not, I was just not vibing with how I was showing up.
so it's great if you don't mind, you know, go to handcuffs.
(08:13):
It's great if you don't mind that lifestyle or that flow or that rhythm.
But if you don't, then it's time to get out and do something different.
Yeah.
I got to say that that is exactly what you just described, that thing where you're tryingto fit your life in between meetings.
You know, and zoom calls or whatever, you know, like that is the part that I just, Icouldn't deal with, you know?
(08:37):
And so, you know, we talked about, like you say, there was a lot that's been going on withme and I've been, you know, caring for a sick dog and whatnot.
And I've been so grateful that I didn't have to be like, okay, well, let me hurry up andget back from the vet's office for this zoom call.
I'm like, I could just take as much time as I need, you know, and just, I'm like, I'm justhere, you know, like I'm just here hanging out until as long as I need to be here.
(09:00):
And I can take time for the things that I need to do in my personal life.
So, and I just, there was just a number of times in the last several weeks where I'm like,I am so grateful that I don't have to go jump on a zoom call or I don't have to go jump in
a meeting or I don't have to, like, I can just take the time.
then I had, so then I even went so far as because, know, caring for anybody is tough, youknow, being a caretaker.
(09:25):
And I just needed some time for self-care.
Like I was like, okay, I need to take care of me.
And so I was like, you know what?
was like the middle of a day on Tuesday.
I'm like, I'm going to go see Wicked.
You know what?
I'm going to the movies.
And then a few days later, it was like, you know what?
I'm going to go paint some pottery.
There's this Paint Your Own Pottery studio.
live in suburbs of Atlanta, and I live near a little town square.
(09:49):
And on this town square, they've got this Paint Your Own Pottery studio.
And I spent, I didn't mean to spend this much time.
I picked something that was a little bit too intricate.
I spent three hours painting a reindeer in a sweater.
You I did that because I could, you know, because I could.
(10:09):
that's the thing.
It's like you just something about, I don't know, maybe it also has to do like, I feellike I'm also like sort of old and curmudgeonly and just don't have a lot of patience
anymore too.
But it's just like, I'm just, yeah, exactly.
Right.
raise your hand if you identify with that.
(10:30):
I just feel like just something about corporate.
Actually, there was, and I haven't written it yet.
I joked with somebody else.
I maybe I want to talk to you.
I joked.
yeah, I did.
It remember I was like, I don't know what made me think it was a good idea for a dyslexicto have a blog.
But what I wanted the blog post that I did not write that it was like a topic I had and Ijust haven't written it out yet was.
(10:54):
the title was going to Corporate America is Broken.
It was just going to be about like just all the ways in which corporate America is brokenin terms of the way that, you know, what they try to, you know, what they, I don't want
say like what they do to their employees.
It sounds worse than it is, but it is kind of true.
Just in terms of like what they're trying to wring out of you.
You know what it makes me think of?
(11:15):
I was listening to, I think it was,
might've been Trevor Noah's podcast, What Now?
Where they were talking about the, you know, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, assassin, or theguy who tried to assassinate the, or he did kill the, the, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
And they were talking about his grievances with corporate America and things like that.
(11:35):
But it made me think about, they were talking about how the healthcare industry responded,like the things that they did, like,
They went and they took all of their leaders pictures off of the websites.
And then they also were like, you can work from home.
like, so now that it infects you, it's okay to work from home.
But when I was like, I need to take care of a sick kid or whatever, you're like, no, youneed to be in the office.
(11:57):
You know, it's just like, like, it's just the, it's the hypocrisy.
And it's the, it's the fact that a lot of times in my opinion, they just don't.
view their employees as human beings.
know, like they're not treating their employees like human beings.
don't view them as human beings.
And it just, and even when they, even when it's, I'll admit to, even when it's a goodcompany and things, you know, feel okay, there's just still something about that
(12:23):
corporatization of everything, you know, that capitalist mindset that just sort of likesucks.
Like, I don't know, like it just, it does something to your soul.
I'm not sure exactly how I want to say it, but it-
I know what it is.
think maybe I was working on a project and two thoughts that made me think of one, workingon a project and was just talking about, more money, more money, more money.
(12:55):
It's just like, okay, more money, more money, know, get these customers to do this, getthese customers to do that.
You know, which buying program they're doing and whatnot.
And it was just, I was just like, man, like,
You're in business to make money.
Got that.
Tech, in business, providing software, helping the other companies do their thing, and yougot to make money.
(13:19):
But there's always this more.
like, you achieve your quota.
Okay, well, you achieve your quota 100%.
The following year, it's 105%.
The following year, you achieve that, that becomes a new 100%.
And then it's just always increasing because it's just always more, more, more.
And just chasing that dollar.
(13:39):
just, I, that just, you you know what it makes me think it's like one of the reasons thatI didn't, I stopped program.
didn't like programming anymore was you would spend all of this time writing code andperfecting the program, debugging it, getting it perfect.
And then it was like, and you release it and it's like, okay, now let's work on versionone dot one, you know, or two dot O or what?
(14:01):
It's like, it just was like the worst version of the movie Groundhog Day.
know, like you just keep, you just keep starting over.
You're like, but, but when do I get to the end where I've done enough that I can exit theloop?
You know, the way, have you seen the movie Groundhog Day?
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Like it's like, goes through it so many times.
Like, when do I get to exit the Like, what do I have to do to exit the loop?
(14:25):
I'm of this loop.
That's what it makes me think.
Like, what are you talking about?
Like, you know, where they just keep changing the baseline.
You know, like that's what it feels like.
It's like the worst version of Groundhog Day.
Worst version of Groundhog Day.
And then to your point about like, y'all can change stuff now?
Now?
I was working at a different company, right?
And they required everybody to come back to the office.
(14:51):
And this was before the whole, big movement of return office before COVID.
was years ago.
But came back and we were all working in this one big space.
One big space, right?
Open concept, know.
I'm using my, open concept.
Don't even me on Yeah, right.
(15:13):
I was like, you know, it's like available to, you know, you can always just reach out tothe person and there's more natural connection and water cooler talk and blah, blah, blah.
And they made it seem like it was greatest thing.
And then realized a few things.
One is loud.
Yes.
Everybody's talking.
You know, I'm not a small, I'm not a quiet talker.
(15:35):
My voice carries.
So I know that everybody there was hating this rule because of me.
But also it's like.
You're trying to get in the groove, right?
When you're coding, when you're writing documentation, or when you're figuring out thebest way to describe something, and you're in the flow, and somebody taps you on your
(15:55):
shoulder, and you're like, wait a minute, and they're like, their need is pressing, andthey need to get their question answered right now.
And then they're like, they tap you, and you're like, okay, what?
And then they'll ask you something like, can you just hit me a Slack?
I thought, now it takes 15 more minutes.
I'm going to go walk around the block.
And then your manager's like, well, I haven't been seeing you at your desk lately.
(16:21):
Exactly.
I need to get back into my groove because so-and-so wanted me to ask me about this thingthat could have been an email.
Right.
Exactly.
yeah.
Like you say, it's almost impossible to get in the flow.
Like, I'm not a person who can
work and concentrate with headset on.
(16:43):
you know, whether it's a podcast or music or whatever, like I need to like have likesilence or focus with it.
So if I'm in a room like that, I can't ever get in the flow state because I can't, likethere's just too much noise around me and I can't concentrate.
And if I put on headset, like, and that's just as distracting to me.
Like I'm like, I can't work like that.
know, like, it's just, I hate those open concept offices.
(17:04):
It just drives me crazy.
And you say, people are constant.
then even if they don't want something, they just want to stop by your just to chit chat.
I'm like, I don't have time to chit chat with you right now.
He'd be at lunch, you know?
Right.
But they did that.
And then a lot of people were just complaining.
And it was like, blah, blah, blah.
And they were like, no, no, no.
We got to do it this way.
We got to do it this way.
(17:25):
Right?
And then I forgot what the impetus was.
But then they changed their tune.
And they were like, OK.
I can't remember what happened, but they were like, okay, yeah, you can work from home,you know, some of the time.
And they just, they changed their tune because of something happened.
I don't want to get into the details.
(17:47):
But, but then I'm like, so we've been talking about this, not being efficient this wholetime, but as soon as something happens, right.
Right.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, it, and then
Speaking of like the just corporate America being broken and sort of that burnout, did youever see the movie Office Space?
(18:13):
Yes.
So the thing that I remember the most, of course there's a lot of like quotable andmemorable things about the movie, but the thing that I remember most about it is the
ending.
So do you remember like throughout the movie, there are several times that they would talkabout like, you know, I'd be better off just digging a ditch or whatever.
Like, you know, just like talking about lit.
exiting corporate America, exiting tech, et cetera, et cetera.
(18:34):
And at the end of the movie, you know, after the whole spoiler alert for anybody who hasnot seen this movie, but like the office burns down or let's say after the office burns
down everything and they have to close it.
And then the lead character again, spoiler alert at the end is literally like working forlike a utility company.
He's digging ditches and like his coworkers come across him.
digging ditches and they're like, dude, what are you like?
I'm so happy.
(18:55):
He's like, like he has never been happier.
He's just digging his ditches.
Nobody is bothering him and asking about any TPS reports.
He's so happy.
And so like, I think there's something to be said for just finding your joy, know,defining that thing that just brings you joy and just living in that, like, yeah, he's not
making the same amount of money he was making before he doesn't have the perfect, but he'shappy.
(19:18):
He's so happy.
He's so happy.
And yeah, you know, that reminds me of like, I've been in tech for, or I was in tech for awhile and, you know, go to the handcuffs and money and everything.
But then I was thinking about it, you know, why I exited, I was just like, you know what?
(19:39):
It's not about all the money.
It's not about all the money.
Like right now, right?
I'm able to cook more.
I'm making cocktails at home.
know, I'm, I'm, I'm doing stuff around the house, getting these projects done.
you know, it's just like, it's, it's just so freeing, right?
(19:59):
You know, and I'm working on other side projects, but that's who, but.
Let's talk about your, I don't know if we can talk about your big news about No ContextCan we talk about it?
Are we, are we clear to talk about that?
we can talk about it for sure.
Okay.
So let's talk about, so for the listeners.
Kory created a game called No Context and he's about to tell us about like how that gotcreated and sort of, and where it stands now.
(20:22):
But so he's actually a game creator.
So tell us about No Context, how it got started and sort of the path of it and what yournewest news is.
Yeah.
that's great timing.
Seque what?
So I was working at my first tech company and I'd been working there for a number of yearsand
(20:45):
they let me go just randomly.
And I was like, what?
When I work somewhere, I care.
I care about the customer.
care about showing up for everybody else.
For myself as well, I love learning, love excelling and everything like that, but showingup for everybody else.
(21:06):
then, and so I'm putting in all the stuff and then they let me go.
And I was like, wow, okay.
All right.
And so I was like, all right.
can I interrupt for one second just to say that's the other thing about corporate America,because you give them everything and, you're not valued.
It's like, but I gave you everything and you still just let me go.
Like, you know, they don't, they don't view you the same way you view them when you'regiving them all of that.
(21:30):
I'm sorry.
just wanted to interject that real quick, but go ahead.
And they want to say, use terms like, family, we're family.
Blah, blah.
And I'm like, you don't, you don't take away.
income from family members, do you?
Right, right.
Exactly.
Exactly.
you gotta kick them out.
But...
I know, yeah.
It depends on the family member what you got.
Yeah.
Sometimes you gotta kick them out through the nest or whatever.
(21:51):
But anyway, ahead.
So they let me go and I was like, what am gonna do?
And I have been, had been brewing on this, this concept of a game.
And I had been, you know, writing down a lot of the options for the game and everything.
And so I said, you know what?
I'm gonna use this time to create Fizz Game.
I'm gonna do this.
I've always wanted to put something out into the world and something you can tangible thatyou can hold and say, I did that, right?
(22:17):
And so I did a Kickstarter for it and it was successful.
And so before I go on, I'm telling you about the game.
(22:39):
So no context as you know, right?
But for the listeners and the viewers, it's a game where you have a card, like onehorse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses.
And so it's you and a teammate, you write down your answer of those two options.
You write down what you think your teammate wrote down for their options.
(22:59):
If you get each other's correct, you get one team point, three rounds, eight questionseach round.
straightforward, easy to learn, lots of laughs because you think you know somebody, thetagline is how well do know your friends or family or coworkers or random people in a bar.
(23:19):
It's super fun.
Everybody's like, I love this game because you find out more about it.
Why did you pick creamy?
I thought you were a crunchy person.
know, or ask her a little trick.
Well, I was thinking...
I was thinking gas stoves, but you were thinking electric cars.
Well, that's the trick about it is that you don't, it's the no context.
like, it's like you say like one horse sized duck or what, or what is it?
(23:42):
What's the, or a hundred duck sized horses.
Yeah.
And you're like, for what?
Like you're like, that's, that's all you get is like, believe, but what's the context?
And you're like, no, context.
You got to give me some context around it.
sorry, but go ahead.
Like that's the challenging part.
Right.
It's like, what?
Why would you think it that way?
know?
(24:03):
So, so I, so this was back in 2018.
And so I did a Kickstarter for it.
It was successful, thankfully.
And so I was able to print, do a print run and get it to the backers and then startselling it.
And when I did that, I was only selling it online and I've only been selling it online.
So I had it going and it just, I don't know how to market it.
(24:27):
Like, I don't know how to market a product like that.
And so.
so, yeah.
So, my goal was to get it on a games in a game store.
I want to see it on a shelf, like walk in, see it on the shelf.
Be like, that's me.
And so, I was talking to one game store, in February of 2020, you know where this isgoing.
(24:52):
And, and I needed to just send a follow up email.
Well.
The whole world is changing and I didn't and I was like, okay, I need to do this.
And, you know, doubt started creeping in.
was like, you know what?
I'm going to just work on my day job and still try to push it.
(25:13):
And I kept trying to push it.
And I was like, you know what?
I to just take a break.
And, but I'm going to keep it there.
I'm going to keep it going.
And then last week we were celebrating my wife's birthday and we stopped into this littlegame, this hobby shop.
that has games and everything and they great customer service.
I'm going to do a shout out in Hood River, Oregon.
(25:37):
They're called Hood River Hobbies and they're just great people.
I walked in and they were helping me like, what kind of game are you looking for?
And it's like, this game ended up walking out with four games, spending way more moneythan I was planning on.
then before I left, I was like, hey, I made a game.
Do you carry local game designers?
(25:57):
And they were like, yeah.
And so I told them about the game and then I was like, I have a copy of the car ran to thecar.
that's nice.
Keeping a copy in the car.
That's good.
I was like, thank you past self for thinking about this.
and so then I was talking to them.
They're like, yeah, I think you should talk to the owner.
(26:19):
And I reached out and I reached out to her and she was like, yes, they told me all aboutthe game.
I'm excited.
When can you get it in?
I was like, look,
I will drive to you tomorrow and drop off the purse.
And so I did it.
So now my game is in a game store.
So this goal that I set a long time ago, 2018, know, we're in 2024 right now.
(26:42):
And so six years later, I'm realizing this goal, right?
And so I'm super excited.
So that's the news.
That's the news.
That's with like, I'm so
I'm sorry, I cut you out.
What'd you say there at the end?
That was a way long-winded way of saying it.
no, Hey, it's a podcast.
Be as long-winded as you want.
It's called content, man.
Aren't you working on a podcast?
You should know this.
(27:02):
It's called content.
know.
I know.
Good to know.
I'm a record player.
It's all content, So first of all, super excited for you.
Congratulations.
That is like so, yay, I'm clapping.
So excited for you.
That is amazing.
Shout out to believing in yourself.
And like you say, shout out to your past self, remembering to keep copies in the car sothat when you just happen to roll up on a random game store, you can be like, wait, you
(27:29):
know what?
got a game in the car.
You might want to carry on your shell.
Like that is so amazing.
you know, like back to the, you know, the point about believing in yourself is just like,knew what you wanted for it.
You, you know, you knew it might take some time.
Like, and I hope, believe me, I get the thing about not being a marketer.
Like I spent way too, like, you know, terms of my like year in review for imperfectgenius, I spent way too much time this year on marketing stuff and I don't know what I'm
(27:56):
doing.
Like, that's why I spent too much time on it.
Like I way too much time on marketing stuff because I don't know what I'm doing.
and so like, you know, as I'm like looking to 2025 and figuring out how I'm going toadjust some things, I'm like, I spent like too much time on the actual marketing and not
enough time on the product.
for example, like I, there was, I had a goal of.
publishing three online courses by the end of this year.
(28:17):
I've published zero online courses because I wasted a bunch of time doing a bunch of, Iwas doing some actual, I was doing some corporate consulting.
was doing some public speaking.
was doing some other things.
So it wasn't like I wasn't doing anything, but I was spending too much time on those otherthings, which I mean, consider, I mean, public speaking is, is, is a pay gig, but it's
also like a marketing thing, right?
You know, like, so like, so I, and you know, the podcast, I consider that like a marketingthing.
(28:42):
So like I was spending.
time on things that could theoretically be classified as marketing, as opposed to buildingthe thing that I'm supposed to be marketing in the first place.
So, I mean, obviously my coaching and consulting, that's a whole different thing.
But I specifically had a goal.
There were three courses that I wanted to have published by the end of the year and I'vepublished a lot.
Now, mind you, I am close to publishing the first one.
(29:05):
And the only thing that stopped me is, like I say, like my world got turned upside down inthe past few weeks.
And I just like, I'm having to readjust and find some time.
so, but you know that I'm going to, I, I feel very confident that that course is going tobe published in January.
So, but my point is I didn't mean to go off on a tangent about me and my stuff, but justsaying like, first of all, I get the thing about, I don't know how to market.
(29:28):
Like I got this a great idea and I created this thing, but I don't know how to market it.
I don't know.
Like I'm not a salesperson.
I'm not a marketing person.
I don't know how to do that.
which is hence why I created a community so I can talk to other entrepreneurs and be like,Hey,
How do you do it?
What do you do?
know, the sales tech, who's that sales tech?
So there's But also, like I said, just believing in yourself and going, it's not justbecause it didn't, you you didn't get it in stores, right?
(29:57):
You know, right when you wanted it to.
And then, like you say, the thing that happened in 2020 and it didn't work out.
You didn't just throw your hands up and say, okay, well, I guess that, you know, I guessthat didn't work out.
You know, like you, cause here's the thing.
You didn't get it in stores in 2020.
But the reason I know about no context is because, you I, talked about it at work and I'mlike, that sounds cool.
You know, like I want a copy of that.
You know, and then you were, you would do it in like, know, occasionally do it in Slackchannels, like post the questions in Slack.
(30:22):
So like we all knew about it, you know, like, and, whenever there was like any kind ofevent and we were talking about, so, Kory's an entrepreneur.
He's got a game, you he did a kickstart, you know, so like, you never let it go and you'restill, you're like, one day I'm going to get it where it needs to be.
know, like, again, I wish.
Here's the thing that I would like, you know, if I could just have, okay, I'm let me, I'mtrying to form formulate my thoughts.
(30:46):
I don't have to finish the sentence yet.
Like I keep starting to not finishing them.
So here's what I wish.
So I'm a big Star Trek fan.
And the thing about the Star Trek universe is that theoretically in the Star Trekuniverse, it's a post-scarcity society.
So people don't have to work.
for, you know, they work to do whatever it is they enjoy doing.
(31:10):
Like they don't have to work for money and, know, like to eat and for healthcare andthings like that.
Basically, if you like to cook, then you open a restaurant.
You're not doing it because you want to make money.
It's just because you like to cook or, you like, you know, I guess Picard likes wine, sohe's got a vineyard or whatever.
My point is, it's a post-carcer society, so.
people just do the thing that they want to do, like in terms of like their vocation inlife.
(31:32):
They just do the things that they enjoy because they don't have to worry about money.
Now mind you, they never explain how they get to that post-scarcity society.
The only thing they ever say is that is after World War III and we have like everythinggets wiped out and we have to start over.
So we build a better world supposedly, which is a bit of a lot of hand waving.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Somehow we get to this post-scarcity society.
(31:55):
But my point is with back to like the wishes.
I wish we all could just spend the time on the things that we enjoy and doing them the waythat we want to do them and not the way that I'm going to put pen in that thought for a
second.
Like the way that other people say that we should, I'm going to talk about that in aminute, but like spend the time doing the things that we want to do and in the ways that
(32:17):
we want to do it, just because that's just what we enjoy.
Like that's, that's our flow state.
That's, know, that's what brings us joy, whatever.
And we don't have to worry about money and we don't have to worry about healthcare and wedon't have to worry about.
How am I going to eat?
And, know, we just do the things we want to do and everything else is taken care of again.
Very magic wand, hand wavy, you know, like no idea how to get there.
But I just wish that everybody could just do the thing that they enjoy and not have to,you know, go through the corporate grind.
(32:43):
thing that I put a pin in that I want to circle back on.
Well, first, let me just pause and let you see if you had any comments.
I'm like, that's what that's my wish for the world.
Yeah, no, I, yeah, no, everything you said, especially the part about.
in the way they want to do it.
Right.
You know, cause a lot of times it's like, you know, you like doing this.
you need to make money for it.
(33:04):
we talked about this before.
you need to make money on it.
It's like, no, it's not about the money.
It's about the love of the craft or the love of the art or the love of the service.
know, I, you know, it's just like, I love spreadsheets.
You know, have a spreadsheet consulting business, like,
I like just playing it's fresh.
(33:24):
Which just makes you the weirdest person I know, but good for you.
I can talk at like, you know how they say there's that, what's that thing you can talkabout?
No notes.
it's a 30 minutes, no notes.
Yeah.
I can talk about them.
(33:47):
That's why I sent you that text.
I saw this news story about the world championship of spreadsheets and I like theMicrosoft thing.
I was like, this is a thing.
I was like, wow, guess Cory's not as weird as I thought he was.
There's a lot of us.
I'm like, wow.
Wow.
But you know, I guess this is going to be my day, my episode to just like drop a bunch ofmovie and TV references.
(34:12):
But I think when we talked about this before, I was talking about the movie, Hope Floats.
And I talked about how in that movie, Harry Connick Jr.
He, he like, so it's Sandra Bullock goes back to her small home town and blah, blah, blah,whatever.
And Harry Connick Jr.
Is going around and he paints houses.
He just like paints houses, you know, for a living or whatever.
And at some point in the movie, Sandra Bullock, rolls up on him.
(34:34):
He's like building a house for himself.
And, and it's like really beautiful.
It's like out in the woods or whatever.
And it's like really beautiful, big house.
And she's like, you can do this and you're painting houses for a living.
He's like, because I love this.
And he's like, and if I took the thing that I love and tried to make money out of it, thenI wouldn't love it anymore.
He's like, that's why I paint houses.
You know, that's just for the money.
I do this for the love of it.
(34:55):
And it's basically, you know, when you take the thing that you love and you try to makemoney out of it, you twist it and torture it until you don't love it anymore.
And I like, I think that's when you were talking, we were talking about that before.
We're like, yeah, like I just want to do the thing because I love it.
I love spreadsheets.
I don't want to try to twist it and torture it until I'm making money.
Cause then I won't love it anymore.
Right.
Yeah.
So yeah, that's what I This must be my episode to just talk about movie references.
(35:19):
But so that, yeah, so that speaks to the thing that I put the pin in us that I want tocome back to is, you know, I have a very niche market that I'm targeting for, you know, my
consulting and my coaching and my community.
And as I'm trying to like build it, I get like two sides of the coin, like the people thattalk about community design, like, you got to make sure that you've got a very specific.
(35:42):
you know, niche market, but they don't call it niche market.
Like you got to focus on people in transition.
Like they got like a formula.
You got to focus on XYZ or whatever.
But then other people are like, maybe if you broaden it, cause here's the thing I'mfocusing on women of color, right?
They're like, what if you broadened it?
You know, what if you considered all women or consider men?
I'm like, if I'm trying to serve everybody, I'm serving nobody.
(36:02):
Right?
Like, if I'm trying to serve everybody, then I'm serving nobody.
I'm trying to, I'm trying to focus on.
an area where I know that there, I know there's a need because I'm in that area and I thatneed and I've met these women and I know that the need exists, you know, like, let me
focus on the thing that I want to focus on, you know, so, but it's like, but you mightmake more money if I'm like, I just do the thing I love?
(36:27):
Can I just do the thing that I enjoy that I'm passionate about?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Just let me do me, you know, like, yeah.
And the fact that you're bringing all your expertise to this, right.
And helping, helping
your, your target population, your target demographic, right?
Right.
Women of color and business.
Like that's dope.
(36:47):
And not everybody needs to be a part of it.
I don't need to be a part of it.
I'm like, well, I'm only going to talk to certain people.
I'm like, no, I'm talking to everybody and everybody can listen and anybody can sign upfor the podcast, et cetera, et cetera.
I'm like, but when it comes to coaching and specific things, like you say, there's a,there's a thing that what can you talk about for 30 minutes?
No notes.
(37:08):
Yeah.
Women in tech, women are calling it tech.
That's what I can talk about for three hours.
No, no.
know, like seriously.
And honestly, if you take that away from me, you take away my superpower.
Like that's my superpower.
Like that is the thing that I have lived and breathed for 30 plus years.
That's the thing I can talk about.
And then, you know, I'm on my second business.
I can talk to you for a good minute about, you know, entrepreneurship.
(37:29):
I'm not an expert in business, but if you're talking about tech and entrepreneurship,that's my jam too.
You know, like I that 30 minutes.
No, no.
You know, so like, don't, if you...
water down the thing that I'm trying to do, you take away my superpower, you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
take about the, what is the, I had a guy, I had a guy that, that concept, which I love it,but also there I have critiques of it where it's like, do what you love that sustains you,
(38:03):
that helps other people or something like that.
just said three circles.
Venn diagram.
And it's that sweet spot in the middle, right?
But like, don't take away my superpower.
Don't take away the that kernel that like special thing that you can't recreate, right?
Any other forum or that nobody can do for you, like, nobody has your experience in the waythat you have it and the variety of situations you've been in, nobody else has that.
(38:32):
So exactly, you're person to do that.
So don't
Let anybody else come in and take that from you.
That's your superpower.
Exactly.
How many other black women do you know who've been in tech for 30 plus years who wereprofessors, software engineering, who own multiple businesses?
(38:52):
I have a very particular Just roll unrolled.
Exactly.
I have a very specific, what's the phrase from that, you know, the Liam Neeson, don't evenget me started on Liam Neeson, but I very particular set of skills.
A very particular set of skills.
(39:13):
Yeah, I have a very particular set of skills.
Like, I'm not afraid to use, no, he didn't say that.
Something like, can't remember what it is.
Something like, very particular set of skills and I can't do it.
I don't do impressions.
can't do a linear impression.
But anyway.
yeah, so, so yeah, back to, like I say, like shout out to believing in yourself andfinding your joy and following.
(39:35):
Yeah.
So after I posted the origin story, episode, a friend of mine who I took all my classeswith an undergrad.
I commented on my LinkedIn post and he was like, well, no, don't ever say you don't followyour passion.
it's like, cause I was like, and then I left that to go do this and I left that.
And it's like, it's not like I'm a flight.
I'd spent like, you know, five and six years in, in certain things before I decided tomove on.
(39:57):
But it's like, if I'm not feeling it, I'm moving on, you know, I'm not feeling it.
I'm moving on.
And to circle back on something we said earlier, I feel like, so, you know, the oldergeneration, right.
was like, you stay in one job.
You stay there and work it.
And it's like, you don't go.
You work and retire, get the gold watch, whatever.
(40:21):
I understand why that was the case, because that's how society and the economy were going,where you just did that and you stay with it.
Well, it's different now, right?
Where it's like, OK, you get to follow your passions.
And you get to do the thing that
brings you joy that fills your cup, that helps other people, right?
(40:46):
And I feel like corporate America tech America has understood that it has brutalized it.
you want to work remotely?
Okay, we're going to throw all these benefits at you and work remotely.
Yeah, but also we expect you to wake up at 4am so that you can talk to this person overhere.
(41:09):
Or, you know, we expect you to put in 70 hours to do X, Y, or Z, right?
Because back then, could just work, you worked your shift, you went home, saw your family,you did the thing.
You could buy a house with white income, right?
Now it's a totally different ballgame.
so I feel like they've kind of exploited that a little bit.
(41:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, I agree.
I agree 100%.
So yeah, it's just a different world now.
And I don't know how we get to the Star Trek world where we can just all just do the thingwe love.
don't want to have to go through World War Three to get there.
I don't want have to go through that to get there, but you know, I know, I know.
(41:54):
well, Kory, so wait, so tell us, let the listeners know where can they find no context?
yes, they can find no context at no context game dot com.
And on there, there's, on there, you go to the website, you watch a video of it in actionthat explains the rules as I did earlier, but with people acting in it, my friends and
(42:17):
family acting in it.
And then also you can download a small subset of questions.
So you can just download them and print them for yourself and just play and test it outfor free without even, for free, right?
And then you download it and then, yeah, and then check it out, buy a copy.
now, what's the of the store that it's in again?
(42:39):
Hood River Hobbies in Hood River, Oregon.
Okay.
Cool.
Cool.
Cool.
but, that, that's the first store is going to be in.
That's the first store.
Nice.
Nice.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Awesome.
And what's going on with the spreadsheet agency?
We got anything to say on that yet?
Yeah, we, a little bit.
I'm I, so I was.
(43:01):
So I've had a couple of clients, right?
And we've helped them, you know, with their spreadsheet needs and that's cool.
And I'm moving toward more passive income, right?
Because with, you know, we're trying to, I'm like Sisyphus, right?
Like, okay, this boulder up and then, with this boulder up and this boulder up, cause Ijust have ideas and I want to execute on them.
(43:24):
But what I'm going to be doing, the next phase of spreadsheet agency is buildingtemplates.
And so,
building templates where you can just download them and use them and they're very easy touse.
They're set up well so that you don't have to know how to write formulas.
You don't need to know how to utilize Google Sheets, right?
(43:45):
I'm doing in Google Sheets just because the online feature.
yeah, and I'm actually working on one that I'm super excited about.
The Oscars.
So it's going to be a two-point.
where you download and all the once the nominations get announced in January, it'll have alist of all the movies and then have information about them.
(44:08):
It'll have the awards so that you're like, I want to watch all the best picture awards.
You can filter for that and then watch all the best pictures.
I want to watch the cinematography, then so you get points, you know, if you play withfriends, you get points for watching as many movies as possible.
But then part two is is the
trivia or is the, where you're picking, who you think is going to win each award and getpoints based on that.
(44:35):
so, so I shouldn't, I shouldn't talk about it before it's done, but I'm super excited.
know what?
Here's the thing.
Here's what I think about that.
So I think that speaking it aloud sort of like holds you to, it your feet to the fire alittle bit, which is why I said my course is going to be available in January.
I'm like forcing myself cause I'm going to publish this episode.
I'm forcing myself.
to make sure that course is now going to be available in January so that I don't turnmyself into a liar.
(44:59):
So think about it as a way of making yourself accountable for it.
And also I will say, let me know when you publish it because speaking of communities, Ibelong to a community that's all about movies and TV.
I'm sure that I'll post a link.
I'll a in that community.
So by the way, speaking of, I should send you the link to it so just so you can join too,but also
(45:24):
I brought you up in that community because we were talking about whether or Die Hard was aChristmas movie.
And I posted the clip from that episode where I was asking, were talking about you had adomain problem and you were like talking about that.
I was like, what's the domain?
You're like, it is a Christmas movie.
So anyway, my point is when you do the Oscars template, let me know.
(45:46):
I'll post the link there and I'll send you the link so you can join too.
But anyway, so my point is if like,
I'm saying that saying it out loud is sort of like forcing you to hold yourselfaccountable to actually to building it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I didn't say it now.
yeah.
You said it's going to be published.
It's going to be published in this one.
Is this a rare time when we're publishing or recording the week that the episode is comingout?
(46:10):
So it's going to be published this Thursday.
So you're going to be held accountable at beginning.
boy.
yeah.
So it's out there.
It's out.
It's out in the world now.
Now you got to do it.
Well, I just got to say.
Kory, thank you so much for joining me for this episode.
I said, I'm having a rough holiday season and I just wanted to have some fun.
And I was like, if I get Kory on, I'll have some fun.
(46:33):
I didn't invite Kory to come back.
We'll have some fun.
So thank you so much for joining me for this.
to the listeners, I'm going to say, okay, folks, that's it.
It's a wrap on 2024.
I want to sincerely thank you all for listening this year.
It's meant a lot to me to know that I'm not talking to myself.
And that I actually have, you know, subscribers and listeners.
And by the way, you know, if you want to see that newsletter, you know, the year andreview stats, the sort of like Spotify Wrapped style stats on imperfect genius, you can
(47:01):
subscribe to our newsletter at subscribe.imperfectgenius.com and you can get thatnewsletter.
And I'm going to put that out there.
That's going to I'm not going to say exactly when that's coming.
It's coming out in December.
But I'm not going to say like if it's this week or next week, but it's coming out inDecember.
In the meantime, you can follow us.
I should mention I'm taking a break.
So this is going to be the last episode for 2024.
(47:23):
And we're going to come back with new episodes, late January, early February.
Just I haven't set the schedule for next year yet, but we're going to take a little bit ofa break.
But in the meantime, if you miss hearing.
hearing us talking or you know want to catch up I'm going to be posting clips on socialmedia so you can follow us on social media at Ask Imperfect Genius and I'm going to be
posting some video clips from all the episodes this year so you can just see like like thethe clip of Cory talking about his domain problem for example I'm going to be posting
(47:52):
those video clips if you want to see the full videos for each episode those are not goingto be available to everyone so you can head over to community.imperfectgenius.com and
choose the travel logs planned.
access those.
And I would really love to answer some questions for everybody in 2025.
That was one of the things, that's one of the misses that I had this year in terms ofsomething, a goal I had and it just, didn't pan out, which is I thought a large portion of
(48:19):
the podcast was going to be me answering tech questions.
But I've gotten, like, I've not gotten anybody to like ask them publicly.
They'll ask me privately, but I can't get anybody to call in or text with an officialquestion for the podcast.
So I would love to answer some questions in 2025.
So please call or text your questions to 404-425-9862.
(48:39):
And until next time, this is Rachel Foster reminding you while your journey may not beflawless, it can be phenomenal.
Welcome to Imperfect Genius, the podcast that provides technical advice on effectivelynavigating the business development journey and offers advice on building successful
careers in the tech industry.
I'm your host, Rachel Foster, a tech professional, educator, and entrepreneur.
With me today is my friend and former colleague, Kory McDow AKA Dr.
Rubik.
Kory, welcome back to the podcast.
(00:33):
Thanks for having me back.
I'm so excited.
man, it's been a minute.
It's been a minute, I know.
is going on?
Well, you we're going to talk about what's going on, but how you doing?
I'm doing great.
I'm doing fantastic.
Yes, I'm good.
Yeah.
We're going to talk about why you so good.
I want to start with like sort of like how this episode came about.
(00:56):
So in my previous episode, I did my origin story because here's the thing.
I have been teasing it like here and there, like in every podcast episode.
I always ask, you know, know this, I did this with the episodes with you.
always asked the guests to do their origin story and I always like throw in little detailsabout myself.
I'm like, yeah.
Remember that time in kindergarten when I got kicked out or, know, like I just throw theselittle things.
(01:19):
I'm like, I'll talk about that later.
Or I'm sure I talked about that before.
And then I realized, I was like, I don't think I've ever just done my full origin story.
Like from beginning, you know, to up until, you know, today.
Right.
So that was the last episode, but you know how much I talk.
like it like.
It was 45 minutes just getting to the point and it ended with when I left New Relic lastNovember.
(01:41):
It was like, okay.
And then I was like burned out and decided to focus on entrepreneurship.
So I left New Relic and at that point I was at the 45 minute mark.
I was like, okay, to be continued.
was like, you know, and then that brings us up to present day or this current year.
And we'll talk about, you know, my year in entrepreneurship.
And so that was sort of where that episode ended.
And I was like, to be continued, I'll pick up with like my year in review.
(02:03):
And I even had a suggestion.
Yazzie has suggested doing like a Spotify Wrapped style, summary of like, you know, socialmedia engagement and downloads and subscribers and you just sort of like that, which I am
going to do.
I'm to do that in a newsletter, but in terms of like, from a podcast episode, so much hashappened between when I recorded that episode in this episode and you and I talked about
(02:27):
that, like there's been a lot going on in my life.
and I just was not in the mood for that episode, like for it just, know, like the, happy,and I'm not, mean, Hey, I'm not happy.
Go lucky.
It's not my vibe anyway.
It's not like in the mood for that kind of a wrap up episode.
And you and I had been talking and you said something to me and we were talking aboutcorporate burnout.
(02:48):
were talking about entrepreneurship, but it was something you said to me and we startedthis conversation.
was like, this would be good for the podcast.
And you were like,
I wish you had never said to me the thing about tech being golden handcuffs.
And I was like, wait, say more about that.
And then you went on and that's when we started talking about like, you know, burnout.
And then we started talking about entrepreneurship and it was just such a greatconversation as, is typical with us.
(03:10):
were having a great conversation.
was like, wait, pause.
need to do, need to record this.
I was like, this is a podcast episode.
This is great content for the podcast.
So I'm like, okay, no, no, no, let's, let's hop on and let's record this.
So let's start with that.
Let's start with.
Why, what you said about the golden handcuffs and why you said it.
So like, I'm just going to throw it to you on that.
(03:32):
All right.
well, so the golden handcuffs, right?
Like it's, you know, it's this gold and there's this value and everything, but you'rehandcuffed.
You're not able to do everything that you want to do.
Right.
And so, yeah, corporate golden handcuffs, know, or, know, specifically tech industry, feellike, in that.
(03:54):
I was able to do a lot of the work that I wanted to do, but then there were some things Ijust couldn't get to, I couldn't get access to or be able to get into.
And so the pay was well, the pay is good, but it's not always about the money, right?
If you look quick, you're like, that's gold.
But then if you look closer, it's like, ooh, handcuffs.
(04:16):
But I'm chained to something.
I should mention that.
I can't take, I don't know where I heard it for like, can't take credit for originatingthat, that phrase.
I don't remember.
heard it a long time ago.
And just like you, like once I heard it, I couldn't unhear it.
Like it was like, it was in my head forever.
It was, look at this beautiful gold cuff on my arm.
(04:37):
It's like, wait, wait, why can't I move?
You know, like, no.
So yeah.
So I just want to say, I can't take credit for originating that phrase, but again, once Iheard it, I could.
so, and I guess I stuck it in your head too.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
It's gold is worth a lot of money.
But you can't you can't go nowhere.
You're stuck.
You're like you are chained to the desk or you're chained to the thing or whatever thething is, especially in tech, you know, and that so many people, so many people reach out
(05:03):
to me and they're like, I want to know how to get in the tech, you know, they well I'mlike,
I'm like, why do you want to get into tech?
It's always like for the money.
I'm like, yeah, you're going to pay.
You are going to pay, you know, like they're going to pay you, but you are going to paywith blood, sweat and tears and your soul, you know, especially in corporate America.
Corporate America in and of itself is its own thing, you know, but tech corporate America.
(05:28):
wow.
It's a whole nother level.
Like it's nother level.
The thing about it, like with the handcuffs part two is like
is great that a lot of tech companies are international, right?
You want that diversity of idea, that diversity of thought.
want to have, there's great people everywhere.
know, smart people doing good things, good people doing smart things.
(05:50):
And the heck of part of that is, right, is, okay, you have somebody working overseas andyour schedules don't line up.
So you got to make sure that y'all can meet face to face because sometimes async doesn'twork, right?
message here, message there.
It's like you send a message and you're waiting for them to give a feedback and then theygive you answer, but not the complete answer.
(06:13):
So you're then trying to decipher it and then, okay.
And you go back to them and now two days have already passed and you're no closer togetting the project done.
yeah, that's yeah, golden to handcuffs.
It's been stuck in my head.
Like, you know, there was a, a span when I'm just like, you know, man, my goodness, thisis
(06:35):
You know, I'm just, yeah, I wasn't able to spend time with family.
You know, I wasn't able to show up how I wanted to show up.
yeah, golden to handcuffs, man.
So you had that in your head and you made a big decision, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I made a big decision.
(06:56):
Yeah.
So I left tech.
I gave them notice and, and was just, you know, just like, well, why are you leaving?
I was like, you know,
It's just time.
It's just time.
I got to the point where I was working on this project.
I'm trying to learn something while doing the project, right?
(07:17):
And it was not going well.
It was not successful.
And I was just like, I'm trying to make sure this gets through.
But to what sacrifice?
Right.
Right.
I started, you know, like,
My wife and I, coach our youngest soccer team, our youngest kids soccer team.
so practice would start at 5.30 and there would be times where I would wake up, take himto school at 7:30 and then get back, get on the computer, be working all the way through
(07:49):
lunch.
And then it's like, and then more it's like, we gotta go, we gotta go.
And I'm like, okay, how about you go there first?
I gotta finish this up.
Cause I'm in a group while I'm talking with somebody.
And then I'll be there and then I would get there 20 minutes late.
And I just, it was just not, I was just not vibing with how I was showing up.
so it's great if you don't mind, you know, go to handcuffs.
(08:13):
It's great if you don't mind that lifestyle or that flow or that rhythm.
But if you don't, then it's time to get out and do something different.
Yeah.
I got to say that that is exactly what you just described, that thing where you're tryingto fit your life in between meetings.
You know, and zoom calls or whatever, you know, like that is the part that I just, Icouldn't deal with, you know?
(08:37):
And so, you know, we talked about, like you say, there was a lot that's been going on withme and I've been, you know, caring for a sick dog and whatnot.
And I've been so grateful that I didn't have to be like, okay, well, let me hurry up andget back from the vet's office for this zoom call.
I'm like, I could just take as much time as I need, you know, and just, I'm like, I'm justhere, you know, like I'm just here hanging out until as long as I need to be here.
(09:00):
And I can take time for the things that I need to do in my personal life.
So, and I just, there was just a number of times in the last several weeks where I'm like,I am so grateful that I don't have to go jump on a zoom call or I don't have to go jump in
a meeting or I don't have to, like, I can just take the time.
then I had, so then I even went so far as because, know, caring for anybody is tough, youknow, being a caretaker.
(09:25):
And I just needed some time for self-care.
Like I was like, okay, I need to take care of me.
And so I was like, you know what?
was like the middle of a day on Tuesday.
I'm like, I'm going to go see Wicked.
You know what?
I'm going to the movies.
And then a few days later, it was like, you know what?
I'm going to go paint some pottery.
There's this Paint Your Own Pottery studio.
live in suburbs of Atlanta, and I live near a little town square.
(09:49):
And on this town square, they've got this Paint Your Own Pottery studio.
And I spent, I didn't mean to spend this much time.
I picked something that was a little bit too intricate.
I spent three hours painting a reindeer in a sweater.
You I did that because I could, you know, because I could.
(10:09):
that's the thing.
It's like you just something about, I don't know, maybe it also has to do like, I feellike I'm also like sort of old and curmudgeonly and just don't have a lot of patience
anymore too.
But it's just like, I'm just, yeah, exactly.
Right.
raise your hand if you identify with that.
(10:30):
I just feel like just something about corporate.
Actually, there was, and I haven't written it yet.
I joked with somebody else.
I maybe I want to talk to you.
I joked.
yeah, I did.
It remember I was like, I don't know what made me think it was a good idea for a dyslexicto have a blog.
But what I wanted the blog post that I did not write that it was like a topic I had and Ijust haven't written it out yet was.
(10:54):
the title was going to Corporate America is Broken.
It was just going to be about like just all the ways in which corporate America is brokenin terms of the way that, you know, what they try to, you know, what they, I don't want
say like what they do to their employees.
It sounds worse than it is, but it is kind of true.
Just in terms of like what they're trying to wring out of you.
You know what it makes me think of?
(11:15):
I was listening to, I think it was,
might've been Trevor Noah's podcast, What Now?
Where they were talking about the, you know, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, assassin, or theguy who tried to assassinate the, or he did kill the, the, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
And they were talking about his grievances with corporate America and things like that.
(11:35):
But it made me think about, they were talking about how the healthcare industry responded,like the things that they did, like,
They went and they took all of their leaders pictures off of the websites.
And then they also were like, you can work from home.
like, so now that it infects you, it's okay to work from home.
But when I was like, I need to take care of a sick kid or whatever, you're like, no, youneed to be in the office.
(11:57):
You know, it's just like, like, it's just the, it's the hypocrisy.
And it's the, it's the fact that a lot of times in my opinion, they just don't.
view their employees as human beings.
know, like they're not treating their employees like human beings.
don't view them as human beings.
And it just, and even when they, even when it's, I'll admit to, even when it's a goodcompany and things, you know, feel okay, there's just still something about that
(12:23):
corporatization of everything, you know, that capitalist mindset that just sort of likesucks.
Like, I don't know, like it just, it does something to your soul.
I'm not sure exactly how I want to say it, but it-
I know what it is.
think maybe I was working on a project and two thoughts that made me think of one, workingon a project and was just talking about, more money, more money, more money.
(12:55):
It's just like, okay, more money, more money, know, get these customers to do this, getthese customers to do that.
You know, which buying program they're doing and whatnot.
And it was just, I was just like, man, like,
You're in business to make money.
Got that.
Tech, in business, providing software, helping the other companies do their thing, and yougot to make money.
(13:19):
But there's always this more.
like, you achieve your quota.
Okay, well, you achieve your quota 100%.
The following year, it's 105%.
The following year, you achieve that, that becomes a new 100%.
And then it's just always increasing because it's just always more, more, more.
And just chasing that dollar.
(13:39):
just, I, that just, you you know what it makes me think it's like one of the reasons thatI didn't, I stopped program.
didn't like programming anymore was you would spend all of this time writing code andperfecting the program, debugging it, getting it perfect.
And then it was like, and you release it and it's like, okay, now let's work on versionone dot one, you know, or two dot O or what?
(14:01):
It's like, it just was like the worst version of the movie Groundhog Day.
know, like you just keep, you just keep starting over.
You're like, but, but when do I get to the end where I've done enough that I can exit theloop?
You know, the way, have you seen the movie Groundhog Day?
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Like it's like, goes through it so many times.
Like, when do I get to exit the Like, what do I have to do to exit the loop?
(14:25):
I'm of this loop.
That's what it makes me think.
Like, what are you talking about?
Like, you know, where they just keep changing the baseline.
You know, like that's what it feels like.
It's like the worst version of Groundhog Day.
Worst version of Groundhog Day.
And then to your point about like, y'all can change stuff now?
Now?
I was working at a different company, right?
And they required everybody to come back to the office.
(14:51):
And this was before the whole, big movement of return office before COVID.
was years ago.
But came back and we were all working in this one big space.
One big space, right?
Open concept, know.
I'm using my, open concept.
Don't even me on Yeah, right.
(15:13):
I was like, you know, it's like available to, you know, you can always just reach out tothe person and there's more natural connection and water cooler talk and blah, blah, blah.
And they made it seem like it was greatest thing.
And then realized a few things.
One is loud.
Yes.
Everybody's talking.
You know, I'm not a small, I'm not a quiet talker.
(15:35):
My voice carries.
So I know that everybody there was hating this rule because of me.
But also it's like.
You're trying to get in the groove, right?
When you're coding, when you're writing documentation, or when you're figuring out thebest way to describe something, and you're in the flow, and somebody taps you on your
(15:55):
shoulder, and you're like, wait a minute, and they're like, their need is pressing, andthey need to get their question answered right now.
And then they're like, they tap you, and you're like, okay, what?
And then they'll ask you something like, can you just hit me a Slack?
I thought, now it takes 15 more minutes.
I'm going to go walk around the block.
And then your manager's like, well, I haven't been seeing you at your desk lately.
(16:21):
Exactly.
I need to get back into my groove because so-and-so wanted me to ask me about this thingthat could have been an email.
Right.
Exactly.
yeah.
Like you say, it's almost impossible to get in the flow.
Like, I'm not a person who can
work and concentrate with headset on.
(16:43):
you know, whether it's a podcast or music or whatever, like I need to like have likesilence or focus with it.
So if I'm in a room like that, I can't ever get in the flow state because I can't, likethere's just too much noise around me and I can't concentrate.
And if I put on headset, like, and that's just as distracting to me.
Like I'm like, I can't work like that.
know, like, it's just, I hate those open concept offices.
(17:04):
It just drives me crazy.
And you say, people are constant.
then even if they don't want something, they just want to stop by your just to chit chat.
I'm like, I don't have time to chit chat with you right now.
He'd be at lunch, you know?
Right.
But they did that.
And then a lot of people were just complaining.
And it was like, blah, blah, blah.
And they were like, no, no, no.
We got to do it this way.
We got to do it this way.
(17:25):
Right?
And then I forgot what the impetus was.
But then they changed their tune.
And they were like, OK.
I can't remember what happened, but they were like, okay, yeah, you can work from home,you know, some of the time.
And they just, they changed their tune because of something happened.
I don't want to get into the details.
(17:47):
But, but then I'm like, so we've been talking about this, not being efficient this wholetime, but as soon as something happens, right.
Right.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, it, and then
Speaking of like the just corporate America being broken and sort of that burnout, did youever see the movie Office Space?
(18:13):
Yes.
So the thing that I remember the most, of course there's a lot of like quotable andmemorable things about the movie, but the thing that I remember most about it is the
ending.
So do you remember like throughout the movie, there are several times that they would talkabout like, you know, I'd be better off just digging a ditch or whatever.
Like, you know, just like talking about lit.
exiting corporate America, exiting tech, et cetera, et cetera.
(18:34):
And at the end of the movie, you know, after the whole spoiler alert for anybody who hasnot seen this movie, but like the office burns down or let's say after the office burns
down everything and they have to close it.
And then the lead character again, spoiler alert at the end is literally like working forlike a utility company.
He's digging ditches and like his coworkers come across him.
digging ditches and they're like, dude, what are you like?
I'm so happy.
(18:55):
He's like, like he has never been happier.
He's just digging his ditches.
Nobody is bothering him and asking about any TPS reports.
He's so happy.
And so like, I think there's something to be said for just finding your joy, know,defining that thing that just brings you joy and just living in that, like, yeah, he's not
making the same amount of money he was making before he doesn't have the perfect, but he'shappy.
(19:18):
He's so happy.
He's so happy.
And yeah, you know, that reminds me of like, I've been in tech for, or I was in tech for awhile and, you know, go to the handcuffs and money and everything.
But then I was thinking about it, you know, why I exited, I was just like, you know what?
(19:39):
It's not about all the money.
It's not about all the money.
Like right now, right?
I'm able to cook more.
I'm making cocktails at home.
know, I'm, I'm, I'm doing stuff around the house, getting these projects done.
you know, it's just like, it's, it's just so freeing, right?
(19:59):
You know, and I'm working on other side projects, but that's who, but.
Let's talk about your, I don't know if we can talk about your big news about No ContextCan we talk about it?
Are we, are we clear to talk about that?
we can talk about it for sure.
Okay.
So let's talk about, so for the listeners.
Kory created a game called No Context and he's about to tell us about like how that gotcreated and sort of, and where it stands now.
(20:22):
But so he's actually a game creator.
So tell us about No Context, how it got started and sort of the path of it and what yournewest news is.
Yeah.
that's great timing.
Seque what?
So I was working at my first tech company and I'd been working there for a number of yearsand
(20:45):
they let me go just randomly.
And I was like, what?
When I work somewhere, I care.
I care about the customer.
care about showing up for everybody else.
For myself as well, I love learning, love excelling and everything like that, but showingup for everybody else.
(21:06):
then, and so I'm putting in all the stuff and then they let me go.
And I was like, wow, okay.
All right.
And so I was like, all right.
can I interrupt for one second just to say that's the other thing about corporate America,because you give them everything and, you're not valued.
It's like, but I gave you everything and you still just let me go.
Like, you know, they don't, they don't view you the same way you view them when you'regiving them all of that.
(21:30):
I'm sorry.
just wanted to interject that real quick, but go ahead.
And they want to say, use terms like, family, we're family.
Blah, blah.
And I'm like, you don't, you don't take away.
income from family members, do you?
Right, right.
Exactly.
Exactly.
you gotta kick them out.
But...
I know, yeah.
It depends on the family member what you got.
Yeah.
Sometimes you gotta kick them out through the nest or whatever.
(21:51):
But anyway, ahead.
So they let me go and I was like, what am gonna do?
And I have been, had been brewing on this, this concept of a game.
And I had been, you know, writing down a lot of the options for the game and everything.
And so I said, you know what?
I'm gonna use this time to create Fizz Game.
I'm gonna do this.
I've always wanted to put something out into the world and something you can tangible thatyou can hold and say, I did that, right?
(22:17):
And so I did a Kickstarter for it and it was successful.
And so before I go on, I'm telling you about the game.
(22:39):
So no context as you know, right?
But for the listeners and the viewers, it's a game where you have a card, like onehorse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses.
And so it's you and a teammate, you write down your answer of those two options.
You write down what you think your teammate wrote down for their options.
(22:59):
If you get each other's correct, you get one team point, three rounds, eight questionseach round.
straightforward, easy to learn, lots of laughs because you think you know somebody, thetagline is how well do know your friends or family or coworkers or random people in a bar.
(23:19):
It's super fun.
Everybody's like, I love this game because you find out more about it.
Why did you pick creamy?
I thought you were a crunchy person.
know, or ask her a little trick.
Well, I was thinking...
I was thinking gas stoves, but you were thinking electric cars.
Well, that's the trick about it is that you don't, it's the no context.
like, it's like you say like one horse sized duck or what, or what is it?
(23:42):
What's the, or a hundred duck sized horses.
Yeah.
And you're like, for what?
Like you're like, that's, that's all you get is like, believe, but what's the context?
And you're like, no, context.
You got to give me some context around it.
sorry, but go ahead.
Like that's the challenging part.
Right.
It's like, what?
Why would you think it that way?
know?
(24:03):
So, so I, so this was back in 2018.
And so I did a Kickstarter for it.
It was successful, thankfully.
And so I was able to print, do a print run and get it to the backers and then startselling it.
And when I did that, I was only selling it online and I've only been selling it online.
So I had it going and it just, I don't know how to market it.
(24:27):
Like, I don't know how to market a product like that.
And so.
so, yeah.
So, my goal was to get it on a games in a game store.
I want to see it on a shelf, like walk in, see it on the shelf.
Be like, that's me.
And so, I was talking to one game store, in February of 2020, you know where this isgoing.
(24:52):
And, and I needed to just send a follow up email.
Well.
The whole world is changing and I didn't and I was like, okay, I need to do this.
And, you know, doubt started creeping in.
was like, you know what?
I'm going to just work on my day job and still try to push it.
(25:13):
And I kept trying to push it.
And I was like, you know what?
I to just take a break.
And, but I'm going to keep it there.
I'm going to keep it going.
And then last week we were celebrating my wife's birthday and we stopped into this littlegame, this hobby shop.
that has games and everything and they great customer service.
I'm going to do a shout out in Hood River, Oregon.
(25:37):
They're called Hood River Hobbies and they're just great people.
I walked in and they were helping me like, what kind of game are you looking for?
And it's like, this game ended up walking out with four games, spending way more moneythan I was planning on.
then before I left, I was like, hey, I made a game.
Do you carry local game designers?
(25:57):
And they were like, yeah.
And so I told them about the game and then I was like, I have a copy of the car ran to thecar.
that's nice.
Keeping a copy in the car.
That's good.
I was like, thank you past self for thinking about this.
and so then I was talking to them.
They're like, yeah, I think you should talk to the owner.
(26:19):
And I reached out and I reached out to her and she was like, yes, they told me all aboutthe game.
I'm excited.
When can you get it in?
I was like, look,
I will drive to you tomorrow and drop off the purse.
And so I did it.
So now my game is in a game store.
So this goal that I set a long time ago, 2018, know, we're in 2024 right now.
(26:42):
And so six years later, I'm realizing this goal, right?
And so I'm super excited.
So that's the news.
That's the news.
That's with like, I'm so
I'm sorry, I cut you out.
What'd you say there at the end?
That was a way long-winded way of saying it.
no, Hey, it's a podcast.
Be as long-winded as you want.
It's called content, man.
Aren't you working on a podcast?
You should know this.
(27:02):
It's called content.
know.
I know.
Good to know.
I'm a record player.
It's all content, So first of all, super excited for you.
Congratulations.
That is like so, yay, I'm clapping.
So excited for you.
That is amazing.
Shout out to believing in yourself.
And like you say, shout out to your past self, remembering to keep copies in the car sothat when you just happen to roll up on a random game store, you can be like, wait, you
(27:29):
know what?
got a game in the car.
You might want to carry on your shell.
Like that is so amazing.
you know, like back to the, you know, the point about believing in yourself is just like,knew what you wanted for it.
You, you know, you knew it might take some time.
Like, and I hope, believe me, I get the thing about not being a marketer.
Like I spent way too, like, you know, terms of my like year in review for imperfectgenius, I spent way too much time this year on marketing stuff and I don't know what I'm
(27:56):
doing.
Like, that's why I spent too much time on it.
Like I way too much time on marketing stuff because I don't know what I'm doing.
and so like, you know, as I'm like looking to 2025 and figuring out how I'm going toadjust some things, I'm like, I spent like too much time on the actual marketing and not
enough time on the product.
for example, like I, there was, I had a goal of.
publishing three online courses by the end of this year.
(28:17):
I've published zero online courses because I wasted a bunch of time doing a bunch of, Iwas doing some actual, I was doing some corporate consulting.
was doing some public speaking.
was doing some other things.
So it wasn't like I wasn't doing anything, but I was spending too much time on those otherthings, which I mean, consider, I mean, public speaking is, is, is a pay gig, but it's
also like a marketing thing, right?
You know, like, so like, so I, and you know, the podcast, I consider that like a marketingthing.
(28:42):
So like I was spending.
time on things that could theoretically be classified as marketing, as opposed to buildingthe thing that I'm supposed to be marketing in the first place.
So, I mean, obviously my coaching and consulting, that's a whole different thing.
But I specifically had a goal.
There were three courses that I wanted to have published by the end of the year and I'vepublished a lot.
Now, mind you, I am close to publishing the first one.
(29:05):
And the only thing that stopped me is, like I say, like my world got turned upside down inthe past few weeks.
And I just like, I'm having to readjust and find some time.
so, but you know that I'm going to, I, I feel very confident that that course is going tobe published in January.
So, but my point is I didn't mean to go off on a tangent about me and my stuff, but justsaying like, first of all, I get the thing about, I don't know how to market.
(29:28):
Like I got this a great idea and I created this thing, but I don't know how to market it.
I don't know.
Like I'm not a salesperson.
I'm not a marketing person.
I don't know how to do that.
which is hence why I created a community so I can talk to other entrepreneurs and be like,Hey,
How do you do it?
What do you do?
know, the sales tech, who's that sales tech?
So there's But also, like I said, just believing in yourself and going, it's not justbecause it didn't, you you didn't get it in stores, right?
(29:57):
You know, right when you wanted it to.
And then, like you say, the thing that happened in 2020 and it didn't work out.
You didn't just throw your hands up and say, okay, well, I guess that, you know, I guessthat didn't work out.
You know, like you, cause here's the thing.
You didn't get it in stores in 2020.
But the reason I know about no context is because, you I, talked about it at work and I'mlike, that sounds cool.
You know, like I want a copy of that.
You know, and then you were, you would do it in like, know, occasionally do it in Slackchannels, like post the questions in Slack.
(30:22):
So like we all knew about it, you know, like, and, whenever there was like any kind ofevent and we were talking about, so, Kory's an entrepreneur.
He's got a game, you he did a kickstart, you know, so like, you never let it go and you'restill, you're like, one day I'm going to get it where it needs to be.
know, like, again, I wish.
Here's the thing that I would like, you know, if I could just have, okay, I'm let me, I'mtrying to form formulate my thoughts.
(30:46):
I don't have to finish the sentence yet.
Like I keep starting to not finishing them.
So here's what I wish.
So I'm a big Star Trek fan.
And the thing about the Star Trek universe is that theoretically in the Star Trekuniverse, it's a post-scarcity society.
So people don't have to work.
for, you know, they work to do whatever it is they enjoy doing.
(31:10):
Like they don't have to work for money and, know, like to eat and for healthcare andthings like that.
Basically, if you like to cook, then you open a restaurant.
You're not doing it because you want to make money.
It's just because you like to cook or, you like, you know, I guess Picard likes wine, sohe's got a vineyard or whatever.
My point is, it's a post-carcer society, so.
people just do the thing that they want to do, like in terms of like their vocation inlife.
(31:32):
They just do the things that they enjoy because they don't have to worry about money.
Now mind you, they never explain how they get to that post-scarcity society.
The only thing they ever say is that is after World War III and we have like everythinggets wiped out and we have to start over.
So we build a better world supposedly, which is a bit of a lot of hand waving.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Somehow we get to this post-scarcity society.
(31:55):
But my point is with back to like the wishes.
I wish we all could just spend the time on the things that we enjoy and doing them the waythat we want to do them and not the way that I'm going to put pen in that thought for a
second.
Like the way that other people say that we should, I'm going to talk about that in aminute, but like spend the time doing the things that we want to do and in the ways that
(32:17):
we want to do it, just because that's just what we enjoy.
Like that's, that's our flow state.
That's, know, that's what brings us joy, whatever.
And we don't have to worry about money and we don't have to worry about healthcare and wedon't have to worry about.
How am I going to eat?
And, know, we just do the things we want to do and everything else is taken care of again.
Very magic wand, hand wavy, you know, like no idea how to get there.
But I just wish that everybody could just do the thing that they enjoy and not have to,you know, go through the corporate grind.
(32:43):
thing that I put a pin in that I want to circle back on.
Well, first, let me just pause and let you see if you had any comments.
I'm like, that's what that's my wish for the world.
Yeah, no, I, yeah, no, everything you said, especially the part about.
in the way they want to do it.
Right.
You know, cause a lot of times it's like, you know, you like doing this.
you need to make money for it.
(33:04):
we talked about this before.
you need to make money on it.
It's like, no, it's not about the money.
It's about the love of the craft or the love of the art or the love of the service.
know, I, you know, it's just like, I love spreadsheets.
You know, have a spreadsheet consulting business, like,
I like just playing it's fresh.
(33:24):
Which just makes you the weirdest person I know, but good for you.
I can talk at like, you know how they say there's that, what's that thing you can talkabout?
No notes.
it's a 30 minutes, no notes.
Yeah.
I can talk about them.
(33:47):
That's why I sent you that text.
I saw this news story about the world championship of spreadsheets and I like theMicrosoft thing.
I was like, this is a thing.
I was like, wow, guess Cory's not as weird as I thought he was.
There's a lot of us.
I'm like, wow.
Wow.
But you know, I guess this is going to be my day, my episode to just like drop a bunch ofmovie and TV references.
(34:12):
But I think when we talked about this before, I was talking about the movie, Hope Floats.
And I talked about how in that movie, Harry Connick Jr.
He, he like, so it's Sandra Bullock goes back to her small home town and blah, blah, blah,whatever.
And Harry Connick Jr.
Is going around and he paints houses.
He just like paints houses, you know, for a living or whatever.
And at some point in the movie, Sandra Bullock, rolls up on him.
(34:34):
He's like building a house for himself.
And, and it's like really beautiful.
It's like out in the woods or whatever.
And it's like really beautiful, big house.
And she's like, you can do this and you're painting houses for a living.
He's like, because I love this.
And he's like, and if I took the thing that I love and tried to make money out of it, thenI wouldn't love it anymore.
He's like, that's why I paint houses.
You know, that's just for the money.
I do this for the love of it.
(34:55):
And it's basically, you know, when you take the thing that you love and you try to makemoney out of it, you twist it and torture it until you don't love it anymore.
And I like, I think that's when you were talking, we were talking about that before.
We're like, yeah, like I just want to do the thing because I love it.
I love spreadsheets.
I don't want to try to twist it and torture it until I'm making money.
Cause then I won't love it anymore.
Right.
Yeah.
So yeah, that's what I This must be my episode to just talk about movie references.
(35:19):
But so that, yeah, so that speaks to the thing that I put the pin in us that I want tocome back to is, you know, I have a very niche market that I'm targeting for, you know, my
consulting and my coaching and my community.
And as I'm trying to like build it, I get like two sides of the coin, like the people thattalk about community design, like, you got to make sure that you've got a very specific.
(35:42):
you know, niche market, but they don't call it niche market.
Like you got to focus on people in transition.
Like they got like a formula.
You got to focus on XYZ or whatever.
But then other people are like, maybe if you broaden it, cause here's the thing I'mfocusing on women of color, right?
They're like, what if you broadened it?
You know, what if you considered all women or consider men?
I'm like, if I'm trying to serve everybody, I'm serving nobody.
(36:02):
Right?
Like, if I'm trying to serve everybody, then I'm serving nobody.
I'm trying to, I'm trying to focus on.
an area where I know that there, I know there's a need because I'm in that area and I thatneed and I've met these women and I know that the need exists, you know, like, let me
focus on the thing that I want to focus on, you know, so, but it's like, but you mightmake more money if I'm like, I just do the thing I love?
(36:27):
Can I just do the thing that I enjoy that I'm passionate about?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Just let me do me, you know, like, yeah.
And the fact that you're bringing all your expertise to this, right.
And helping, helping
your, your target population, your target demographic, right?
Right.
Women of color and business.
Like that's dope.
(36:47):
And not everybody needs to be a part of it.
I don't need to be a part of it.
I'm like, well, I'm only going to talk to certain people.
I'm like, no, I'm talking to everybody and everybody can listen and anybody can sign upfor the podcast, et cetera, et cetera.
I'm like, but when it comes to coaching and specific things, like you say, there's a,there's a thing that what can you talk about for 30 minutes?
No notes.
(37:08):
Yeah.
Women in tech, women are calling it tech.
That's what I can talk about for three hours.
No, no.
know, like seriously.
And honestly, if you take that away from me, you take away my superpower.
Like that's my superpower.
Like that is the thing that I have lived and breathed for 30 plus years.
That's the thing I can talk about.
And then, you know, I'm on my second business.
I can talk to you for a good minute about, you know, entrepreneurship.
(37:29):
I'm not an expert in business, but if you're talking about tech and entrepreneurship,that's my jam too.
You know, like I that 30 minutes.
No, no.
You know, so like, don't, if you...
water down the thing that I'm trying to do, you take away my superpower, you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
take about the, what is the, I had a guy, I had a guy that, that concept, which I love it,but also there I have critiques of it where it's like, do what you love that sustains you,
(38:03):
that helps other people or something like that.
just said three circles.
Venn diagram.
And it's that sweet spot in the middle, right?
But like, don't take away my superpower.
Don't take away the that kernel that like special thing that you can't recreate, right?
Any other forum or that nobody can do for you, like, nobody has your experience in the waythat you have it and the variety of situations you've been in, nobody else has that.
(38:32):
So exactly, you're person to do that.
So don't
Let anybody else come in and take that from you.
That's your superpower.
Exactly.
How many other black women do you know who've been in tech for 30 plus years who wereprofessors, software engineering, who own multiple businesses?
(38:52):
I have a very particular Just roll unrolled.
Exactly.
I have a very specific, what's the phrase from that, you know, the Liam Neeson, don't evenget me started on Liam Neeson, but I very particular set of skills.
A very particular set of skills.
(39:13):
Yeah, I have a very particular set of skills.
Like, I'm not afraid to use, no, he didn't say that.
Something like, can't remember what it is.
Something like, very particular set of skills and I can't do it.
I don't do impressions.
can't do a linear impression.
But anyway.
yeah, so, so yeah, back to, like I say, like shout out to believing in yourself andfinding your joy and following.
(39:35):
Yeah.
So after I posted the origin story, episode, a friend of mine who I took all my classeswith an undergrad.
I commented on my LinkedIn post and he was like, well, no, don't ever say you don't followyour passion.
it's like, cause I was like, and then I left that to go do this and I left that.
And it's like, it's not like I'm a flight.
I'd spent like, you know, five and six years in, in certain things before I decided tomove on.
(39:57):
But it's like, if I'm not feeling it, I'm moving on, you know, I'm not feeling it.
I'm moving on.
And to circle back on something we said earlier, I feel like, so, you know, the oldergeneration, right.
was like, you stay in one job.
You stay there and work it.
And it's like, you don't go.
You work and retire, get the gold watch, whatever.
(40:21):
I understand why that was the case, because that's how society and the economy were going,where you just did that and you stay with it.
Well, it's different now, right?
Where it's like, OK, you get to follow your passions.
And you get to do the thing that
brings you joy that fills your cup, that helps other people, right?
(40:46):
And I feel like corporate America tech America has understood that it has brutalized it.
you want to work remotely?
Okay, we're going to throw all these benefits at you and work remotely.
Yeah, but also we expect you to wake up at 4am so that you can talk to this person overhere.
(41:09):
Or, you know, we expect you to put in 70 hours to do X, Y, or Z, right?
Because back then, could just work, you worked your shift, you went home, saw your family,you did the thing.
You could buy a house with white income, right?
Now it's a totally different ballgame.
so I feel like they've kind of exploited that a little bit.
(41:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, I agree.
I agree 100%.
So yeah, it's just a different world now.
And I don't know how we get to the Star Trek world where we can just all just do the thingwe love.
don't want to have to go through World War Three to get there.
I don't want have to go through that to get there, but you know, I know, I know.
(41:54):
well, Kory, so wait, so tell us, let the listeners know where can they find no context?
yes, they can find no context at no context game dot com.
And on there, there's, on there, you go to the website, you watch a video of it in actionthat explains the rules as I did earlier, but with people acting in it, my friends and
(42:17):
family acting in it.
And then also you can download a small subset of questions.
So you can just download them and print them for yourself and just play and test it outfor free without even, for free, right?
And then you download it and then, yeah, and then check it out, buy a copy.
now, what's the of the store that it's in again?
(42:39):
Hood River Hobbies in Hood River, Oregon.
Okay.
Cool.
Cool.
Cool.
but, that, that's the first store is going to be in.
That's the first store.
Nice.
Nice.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Awesome.
And what's going on with the spreadsheet agency?
We got anything to say on that yet?
Yeah, we, a little bit.
I'm I, so I was.
(43:01):
So I've had a couple of clients, right?
And we've helped them, you know, with their spreadsheet needs and that's cool.
And I'm moving toward more passive income, right?
Because with, you know, we're trying to, I'm like Sisyphus, right?
Like, okay, this boulder up and then, with this boulder up and this boulder up, cause Ijust have ideas and I want to execute on them.
(43:24):
But what I'm going to be doing, the next phase of spreadsheet agency is buildingtemplates.
And so,
building templates where you can just download them and use them and they're very easy touse.
They're set up well so that you don't have to know how to write formulas.
You don't need to know how to utilize Google Sheets, right?
(43:45):
I'm doing in Google Sheets just because the online feature.
yeah, and I'm actually working on one that I'm super excited about.
The Oscars.
So it's going to be a two-point.
where you download and all the once the nominations get announced in January, it'll have alist of all the movies and then have information about them.
(44:08):
It'll have the awards so that you're like, I want to watch all the best picture awards.
You can filter for that and then watch all the best pictures.
I want to watch the cinematography, then so you get points, you know, if you play withfriends, you get points for watching as many movies as possible.
But then part two is is the
trivia or is the, where you're picking, who you think is going to win each award and getpoints based on that.
(44:35):
so, so I shouldn't, I shouldn't talk about it before it's done, but I'm super excited.
know what?
Here's the thing.
Here's what I think about that.
So I think that speaking it aloud sort of like holds you to, it your feet to the fire alittle bit, which is why I said my course is going to be available in January.
I'm like forcing myself cause I'm going to publish this episode.
I'm forcing myself.
to make sure that course is now going to be available in January so that I don't turnmyself into a liar.
(44:59):
So think about it as a way of making yourself accountable for it.
And also I will say, let me know when you publish it because speaking of communities, Ibelong to a community that's all about movies and TV.
I'm sure that I'll post a link.
I'll a in that community.
So by the way, speaking of, I should send you the link to it so just so you can join too,but also
(45:24):
I brought you up in that community because we were talking about whether or Die Hard was aChristmas movie.
And I posted the clip from that episode where I was asking, were talking about you had adomain problem and you were like talking about that.
I was like, what's the domain?
You're like, it is a Christmas movie.
So anyway, my point is when you do the Oscars template, let me know.
(45:46):
I'll post the link there and I'll send you the link so you can join too.
But anyway, so my point is if like,
I'm saying that saying it out loud is sort of like forcing you to hold yourselfaccountable to actually to building it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I didn't say it now.
yeah.
You said it's going to be published.
It's going to be published in this one.
Is this a rare time when we're publishing or recording the week that the episode is comingout?
(46:10):
So it's going to be published this Thursday.
So you're going to be held accountable at beginning.
boy.
yeah.
So it's out there.
It's out.
It's out in the world now.
Now you got to do it.
Well, I just got to say.
Kory, thank you so much for joining me for this episode.
I said, I'm having a rough holiday season and I just wanted to have some fun.
And I was like, if I get Kory on, I'll have some fun.
(46:33):
I didn't invite Kory to come back.
We'll have some fun.
So thank you so much for joining me for this.
to the listeners, I'm going to say, okay, folks, that's it.
It's a wrap on 2024.
I want to sincerely thank you all for listening this year.
It's meant a lot to me to know that I'm not talking to myself.
And that I actually have, you know, subscribers and listeners.
And by the way, you know, if you want to see that newsletter, you know, the year andreview stats, the sort of like Spotify Wrapped style stats on imperfect genius, you can
(47:01):
subscribe to our newsletter at subscribe.imperfectgenius.com and you can get thatnewsletter.
And I'm going to put that out there.
That's going to I'm not going to say exactly when that's coming.
It's coming out in December.
But I'm not going to say like if it's this week or next week, but it's coming out inDecember.
In the meantime, you can follow us.
I should mention I'm taking a break.
So this is going to be the last episode for 2024.
(47:23):
And we're going to come back with new episodes, late January, early February.
Just I haven't set the schedule for next year yet, but we're going to take a little bit ofa break.
But in the meantime, if you miss hearing.
hearing us talking or you know want to catch up I'm going to be posting clips on socialmedia so you can follow us on social media at Ask Imperfect Genius and I'm going to be
posting some video clips from all the episodes this year so you can just see like like thethe clip of Cory talking about his domain problem for example I'm going to be posting
(47:52):
those video clips if you want to see the full videos for each episode those are not goingto be available to everyone so you can head over to community.imperfectgenius.com and
choose the travel logs planned.
access those.
And I would really love to answer some questions for everybody in 2025.
That was one of the things, that's one of the misses that I had this year in terms ofsomething, a goal I had and it just, didn't pan out, which is I thought a large portion of
(48:19):
the podcast was going to be me answering tech questions.
But I've gotten, like, I've not gotten anybody to like ask them publicly.
They'll ask me privately, but I can't get anybody to call in or text with an officialquestion for the podcast.
So I would love to answer some questions in 2025.
So please call or text your questions to 404-425-9862.
(48:39):
And until next time, this is Rachel Foster reminding you while your journey may not beflawless, it can be phenomenal.
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