The Short Game – By NexYear

EP 050: The Ultimate Endgame: A Machine That Runs Without You (Clockwork)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You think you are the most important person in your business. You think that if you step away for a week, the entire operation will burn to the ground. You wear your exhaustion like a badge of honor, but the reality is that you are the biggest bottleneck in your own empire.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are hitting Episode 50 and closing out 'The Ruthless Architect Week' by reading the ultimate Tycoon endgame manual: Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz.

We are going to talk about the 4-Week Vacation Test and why true wealth is not just cash, but absolute freedom of time. At NexYear, my ultimate goal is not to personally pack and ship every VIP physical asset. My goal is to design an untouchable logistics network, protect the Queen Bee Role, and make myself completely obsolete to the daily operations. An Operator designs the machine, turns the key, and walks away.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why answering emails on your vacation means you failed as an architect.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear is designed to run the VIP logistics network completely independent of the CEO.
The Ruthless Architect Standard: Identify your company's most critical function, protect it, and systematically replace yourself.

Look at your operation right now. If you disappeared for four weeks, would the machine keep printing cash, or would it shatter? Stop being the bottleneck. Design the systems, step out of the way, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 049: The Architecture of Scale (Scaling Up)

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are trapped in the 'startup' phase. You think chaotic, unpredictable days mean you are grinding and hustling, but the reality is that your operation just lacks discipline. A Warlord does not run a messy startup; they run a highly synchronized machine.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon manual for hyper-growth: Scaling Up by Verne Harnish.

We are going to break down the 'Rockefeller Habits' and the absolute, unrelenting discipline required to take a company from a small operation to a massive empire. At NexYear, when we scale a new VIP logistics tier, we do not rely on motivation or good vibes. We rely on strict execution metrics, daily huddles, and a completely synchronized day-one crew. An Apex Predator tracks the data, enforces the rhythm, and removes the chaos.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why romanticizing the 'startup hustle' is actually keeping you broke and exhausted.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear uses strict communication rhythms and execution metrics to scale logistics.
The Ruthless Architect Standard: Implement the Rockefeller Habits, track your data, and force the discipline.

Look at your daily operation right now. Are you flying blind and just reacting to whatever happens, or are you executing a strict, disciplined rhythm? Stop acting like a messy startup, lock in your execution, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 048: Stop Treating Your Business Like a Job (Built to Sell)

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are currently working eighty hours a week, putting out fires, and bragging about your hustle. But you secretly know that if you stopped working today, your income would immediately drop to zero. You tell yourself that you are building an empire, but the reality is that you just built yourself a prison.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon manual for escaping the custom work trap: Built to Sell by John Warrillow.

We are going to talk about why saying yes to every custom client request is destroying your margins, and how to build a productized machine that prints cash without you. At NexYear, our strategic gifting consultancy does not invent a brand new process from scratch every time a CEO hands us a check. We have a standardized, productized VIP logistics architecture. An Operator refuses to break their own machine just to appease one client.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why being a 'jack of all trades' guarantees you will never scale.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear standardizes VIP logistics and refuses to do random favors.
The Ruthless Architect Standard: Pick your most valuable output, build a process around it, and refuse to deviate from the menu.

Look at your daily operations right now. Are you constantly stressed out because every single project you touch requires a custom solution? Standardize your output, stop trading your time for money, and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 047: Stop Building Bloated Bureaucracies (Systemantics)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You just spent three weeks designing a massive, 20-step morning routine, or a highly complex business strategy on a whiteboard. On day one of execution, the entire thing collapsed. You think you just need more discipline.

The reality is that complex systems designed from scratch are guaranteed to fail.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate underground manual for building infrastructure: Systemantics (The Systems Bible) by John Gall.

We are going to break down Gall's Law: A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. At NexYear, when we launch a new VIP gifting tier, we do not start by writing a 100-page standard operating procedure. We start with a brute-force, simple pipeline that successfully delivers the asset. Once the simple system works, we scale it. An Operator knows that complexity is the enemy of execution.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why planning a massive, complicated system before you even start is a recipe for catastrophic failure.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear builds simple, working logistics pipes before ever adding complex infrastructure.
The Ruthless Architect Standard: Stop planning. Build a simple, ugly system that works today, and let the complexity evolve later.

Look at the project you are currently stalling on. Are you building a massive bureaucracy before you even have a working prototype? Burn the whiteboard, build a simple system that actually works, and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 046: The Theory of Constraints: Breaking Your Bottleneck (The Goal)

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are currently working harder than anyone else in your industry, putting in twelve-hour days, but your output and your income aren't changing. You think the solution is to just put in more hours and brute-force the machine. The reality is that working faster at a non-bottleneck only creates a massive traffic jam and more chaos.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Ruthless Architect Week' by reading the ultimate Tycoon manual for operational efficiency: The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt.

We are going to break down the Theory of Constraints, and why finding the single choke point in your system is the only way to scale. At NexYear, if our vendor supply chain is the bottleneck for a massive VIP logistics deployment, I do not waste time optimizing my marketing. Driving more sales when the supply chain is choking will only destroy the company faster. An Operator finds the exact point where the machine is choking, and focuses all of their firepower on breaking it.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why doing "busy work" at a non-bottleneck is an illusion of productivity.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear isolates the choke points in complex physical asset deployments.
The Ruthless Architect Standard: Stop running in circles, locate the single constraint holding back your entire system, and break it.

Look at your entire operation right now. Are you just running around putting out fires, or do you actually know where the bottleneck is? Stop optimizing the parts of your life that do not actually move the needle. Find the constraint, clear the choke point, and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 045: Master the Two Systems of Your Brain (Thinking, Fast and Slow)

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You just made a massive, life-altering decision based entirely on your 'gut feeling.' You sent a reactive email, you blew your budget on impulse, or you quit a project because you felt stressed. You think you are being decisive.

The reality is that your brain is lazy, and you are letting your emotions drive the machine.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are closing out 'The Apex Predator Week' by reading the ultimate manual for the human brain: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

We are going to break down the two systems of your brain: System 1 (fast, emotional, reactive) and System 2 (slow, logical, calculating). At NexYear, when a massive VIP logistics deployment is on the line, I do not trust my gut. My gut does not know how to run a five-figure supply chain. I force my brain to slow down, ignore the emotion, and run the pure math. An Apex Predator never lets System 1 make a System 2 decision.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why relying on your 'gut instinct' is usually just an excuse for lazy thinking.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear removes emotion from high-stakes asset deployments.
The Apex Standard: Slow down, force the logical part of your brain to wake up, and execute the math.

Look at the last massive mistake you made. Did you actually think it through, or did you just react? Stop letting your emotions bankrupt you. Force the logic, control the board, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 044: The Underground Rules for Loyalty and Leverage (The Mafia Manage)

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You have a coworker who constantly asks for your advice, but shoots down every single solution you offer. You have a partner who messes up a simple task, and somehow manipulates the conversation to make it your fault. You think they are just difficult people.

They are actually running a subconscious psychological script to avoid accountability, and you are falling for it.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon manual for breaking passive-aggressive behavior: Games People Play by Eric Berne.

We are going to break down the hidden psychological games that Clowns play to stroke their egos and play the victim, specifically the 'Yes, But' game and the 'See What You Made Me Do' game. At NexYear, I do not have the time or the capital to play therapist for an underperforming vendor. If a supply chain breaks and a vendor tries to shift the blame, I do not engage in their game. I cut the contract. An Apex Predator refuses to participate in childish behavior.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why engaging with a professional victim is a complete waste of your mental bandwidth.
The Operator Reality: How to identify the 'Yes, But' game and instantly shut it down before it drains your energy.
The Apex Standard: Stop playing along. Break the frame, demand accountability, and force them to deal with reality.

Look at the person who is currently draining all of your energy. They are playing a game with you, and they are winning because you are participating. Stop playing by their rules, break the frame, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 043: How to Shut Down Passive-Aggressive Office Politics (Games People Play)

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

They are actually running a subconscious psychological script to avoid accountability, and you are falling for it.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon manual for breaking passive-aggressive behavior: Games People Play by Eric Berne.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why engaging with a professional victim is a complete waste of your mental bandwidth.
The Operator Reality: How to identify the 'Yes, But' game and instantly shut it down before it drains your energy.
The Apex Standard: Stop playing along. Break the frame, demand accountability, and force them to deal with reality.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 042: The Decoy Effect and Psychological Leverage (Predictably Irrational)

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You recently made a perfectly logical, mathematically sound pitch to a boss or a client, and you got completely rejected. Now, you are sitting around complaining to your friends that the other person is just stupid.

The reality is that you are the one who is stupid for thinking that human beings run on logic.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate playbook for exploiting human emotion: Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely.

We are going to talk about why people make completely insane decisions, and how an Apex Predator uses relativity to control the board. When I pitch a massive VIP logistics deployment at NexYear, I do not just hand a CEO a boring spreadsheet with one price on it. I build a decoy tier that is so aggressively expensive that the high-ticket option I actually want them to buy suddenly looks like a strategic steal. An Operator does not win with math; they win with psychology.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why believing humans run on logic is a fatal flaw in your strategy.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear uses relativity and the 'Decoy Effect' to close five-figure logistics plays.
The Apex Standard: Stop relying on spreadsheets, control the context, and engineer the 'yes.'

Look at the last time you tried to convince someone to do something. Did you try to force them into submission with logic and facts? Stop trying to win the argument and start engineering the context. Use relativity, create a decoy, and frame the board so that giving you exactly what you want feels like a massive victory for them.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 041: Stop Taking People at Face Value (The Laws of Human Nature)

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You recently got completely blindsided and screwed over by a friend, a business partner, or a coworker. You told yourself that it came out of nowhere, and that you never could have seen it coming. You are lying to yourself.

The signs were all there, you were just too naive to read them because you took their words at face value.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Apex Predator Week' by reading the ultimate survival guide for human psychology: The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene.

We are going to talk about the fake masks people wear, and why listening to what people say instead of watching what they do will eventually bankrupt you. At NexYear, when I am vetting a new vendor for a massive VIP logistics deployment, I do not care about their polished pitch. If they are overly aggressive and bragging about their capabilities, I know I am looking at a mask of deep insecurity. An Operator reads the underlying motive, not the corporate brochure.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why believing the polite facade makes you a massive target for sabotage.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear reads the baseline behavior of a vendor instead of listening to their pitch.
The Apex Standard: Assume everyone is wearing a mask until their daily actions prove otherwise.

Look at the people in your inner circle right now. Are you taking them at face value, or are you actually observing the micro-expressions and the actions that betray their true motives? Stop trusting the words, watch the actions, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 040: The Flywheel: Pushing the Machine Until It Breaks the Market (Good to Great)

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are completely exhausted right now because you keep starting over. You try a new strategy for a month, you don't immediately get rich, and so you pivot. You are looking for an overnight hack.

Every time you pivot, you lose all your momentum. Warlords do not look for hacks; they build heavy, unstoppable machines.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are closing out 'The Corporate Warlord Week' by reading the ultimate manual for momentum: Good to Great by Jim Collins.

We are going to talk about the Flywheel Effect and the Stockdale Paradox. At NexYear, our VIP logistics network did not happen overnight. It was built by pushing a massive, heavy flywheel in the exact same direction, day after day, until the momentum became self-sustaining. You have to confront the brutal facts of your current reality, but retain absolute faith that you will eventually conquer the board.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why constantly pivoting and looking for shortcuts guarantees you will stay broke.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear pushed the flywheel through the ugly, unglamorous phase to build an untouchable logistics machine.
The Warlord Standard: The Stockdale Paradox—face the brutal truth of today, but never doubt that you will win in the end.

Look at your execution right now. Are you pushing one massive flywheel, or are you pushing five different things an inch at a time? Stop pivoting, face the brutal facts, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 039: Stop Fighting for Market Share, Own 100% of It (Play Bigger)

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are exhausting yourself trying to be 10% better than your competition. You are cutting your prices, working longer hours, and fighting over the exact same tiny slice of the pie. If you are constantly comparing yourself to someone else, you have already lost the leverage.

Competing is for Clowns. A Warlord does not fight for market share; they invent a completely new category and own 100% of it.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon playbook for destroying your competition: Play Bigger by Al Ramadan.

We are going to talk about Category Design, and why being 'different' is infinitely more profitable than being 'better.' At NexYear, I do not compete with promotional product companies or corporate swag vendors. If I did, I would be fighting over pennies. I created a completely new category: Strategic VIP Asset Logistics. We do not have competitors because nobody else is playing our game.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why trying to beat your competition at their own game is a massive trap.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear used Category Design to make legacy competitors completely irrelevant.
The Warlord Standard: Stop trying to be better, invent a new category, and own the entire board.

Look at who you are currently trying to beat. Stop fighting a war on their territory. Redraw the map, invent a new game, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 038: Kick the Door In and Take the Market (Barbarians at the Gate)

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are sitting around right now waiting for someone to give you permission to be successful. You are waiting for your boss to notice how hard you work, and you are waiting for the perfect time to make your move. You are trying to politely ask for a seat at the table.

The world does not reward people who wait politely in line. The world rewards Warlords who take what they want.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate playbook for sheer, unadulterated audacity: Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar.

We are going to talk about the largest corporate raid in history, and what it looks like when apex predators decide to take over an empire. When I built NexYear, I did not politely ask the legacy corporate gifting companies if I could have a little piece of their market. I looked at their outdated, vulnerable systems, bypassed them entirely, and aggressively targeted the highest-level VIPs and CEOs. A Corporate Warlord does not wait their turn; they kick the door in and take the board.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why playing by the rules and waiting in line guarantees you will be left behind.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear used aggressive positioning to bypass the legacy competition entirely.
The Warlord Standard: Stop being polite, build your leverage, and force them to deal with you.

Look at your current strategy. Are you playing to conquer, or are you just playing not to lose? Stop asking for permission from people who do not even want you in the room. Build leverage, force their hand, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 037: Merit is a Myth: The Brutal Reality of Leverage (The Dictator's Handbook)

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are incredibly frustrated right now because you are the hardest worker in the room, but the lazy guy who plays golf with the boss just got the promotion. You are complaining to your friends that the system is broken and that office politics are unfair.

You are completely naive. The system is not broken; it is working exactly as intended, you just do not understand the rules.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate manual for raw, unfiltered power: The Dictator's Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita.

We are going to talk about why merit is a myth, and why power is based entirely on leverage and keeping the right people paid. I do not run NexYear as a democracy. I know exactly who my keys to power are, and I do not waste capital trying to make everyone happy. I violently protect and reward the exact people who keep the VIP logistics machine from failing.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why believing in a fair meritocracy makes you a highly replaceable pawn.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear identifies and rewards the 'essential few' who actually run the machine.
The Warlord Standard: Stop whining about fairness, learn how the game is played, and acquire leverage.

Look at your current position right now. Are you an absolutely essential key to power, or are you just a highly replaceable worker completely devoid of leverage? Stop expecting the world to be fair, acquire some leverage, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 036: Stop Celebrating Yesterday's Wins (Only the Paranoid Survive)

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You finally hit a goal, you got the promotion, or you lost the weight, and now you are coasting. You think because you won yesterday, you are safe today. That is the exact moment you become a target.

The second you get comfortable, there is someone hungrier than you waking up to take your spot.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Corporate Warlord Week' by reading the ultimate manual for market dominance: Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove.

We are going to talk about why success breeds complacency, and why complacency will bankrupt you. At NexYear, our VIP logistics model is completely dialed in, but I refuse to coast. We are actively building a custom AI tool to completely disrupt our own internal systems. A Corporate Warlord does not wait for the market to change; they burn the boats themselves.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why resting on your laurels makes you incredibly vulnerable to the real world.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear is using AI to attack and upgrade its own business model.
The Warlord Standard: Stop celebrating the past, get paranoid, and protect your territory.

Look at the area of your life where you are currently coasting. The rules of the game are changing every single day, and if you are not paranoid, you are going to get wiped out. Wake up, protect your territory, and go handle your business. See you inside

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 035: Stop Surrounding Yourself With Yes-Men (Principles)

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You surround yourself with people who tell you exactly what you want to hear. You pitch a terrible idea, and your friends tell you it is genius just to protect your feelings. You are building a comfortable little echo chamber, and it is going to bankrupt you.

If your ego is too fragile to handle the brutal truth, you have absolutely no business trying to build an empire.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we close out 'The Tycoon's Ledger' week by reading the ultimate manual for absolute reality: Principles by Ray Dalio.

Dalio built Bridgewater Associates into the largest hedge fund in the world using one core rule: radical transparency. At NexYear, I do not hire cheerleaders. If I design a logistics route that is going to fail, I expect my team to look me in the eye and tell me it is garbage before it costs us a VIP client. A Tycoon cares about being accurate, not about being right. Ego does not secure the physical asset.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why protecting your feelings over your progress is Clown behavior.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear runs on an 'idea meritocracy' where the best data wins, regardless of title.
The Tycoon Standard: Stop lying to yourself, fire your yes-men, and start demanding radical truth.

Look at how you handle criticism. Do you get defensive and make excuses, or do you extract the truth and use it to get better? Build a machine that runs on reality, not on compliments. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 034: Inversion and Extreme Patience (Poor Charlie's Almanack)

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You feel like you constantly need to be doing something to make progress. You tinker with your investments, you change your workout routine every two weeks, and you force conversations that should not happen. You think action equals results.

The reality is that forcing action usually just destroys value.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon playbook for extreme patience: Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charlie Munger.

We are going to talk about why the smartest guys in the room spend most of their time sitting on their hands. At NexYear, I do not take every single client that walks through the door. If a CEO wants a rushed, cheap deployment that breaks my logistics model, I walk away. I don't force a bad deal just to keep the machine busy. The ultimate Tycoon superpower is the ability to say no to a bad pitch.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why your addiction to 'busyness' is actually destroying your progress.
The Operator Reality: How to use the power of walking away to protect your capital and your time.
The Tycoon Standard: Stop trying to be brilliant and just focus on avoiding stupidity.

Look at the problem you are currently obsessing over. Instead of trying to figure out how to be brilliant, just figure out how to avoid doing something stupid. Sit on your hands, wait for the perfect pitch, and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 033: Stop Bleeding for Pennies (What It Takes)

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are completely exhausted right now, and you are exhausted over something incredibly small. You are losing sleep over a tiny promotion, a small side project, or a completely insignificant argument. You are putting Tycoon-level effort into a Clown-level goal.

If you are going to suffer, lose sleep, and stress out, you might as well do it for a massive payoff.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate blueprint for massive scale: What It Takes by Stephen Schwarzman.

He built Blackstone into a trillion-dollar empire, and his core rule is that it is just as hard to build something small as it is to build something massive. At NexYear, I do not sell cheap gift baskets. It takes the exact same amount of logistical headache, vendor negotiation, and stress to close a $500 deal as it does a $50,000 deal. We only hunt whales. An Operator refuses to bleed for pennies.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why fighting for scraps requires the exact same energy as fighting for the crown.
The Operator Reality: How NexYear structures its entire business model to only target whales.
The Tycoon Standard: Stop aiming low and start demanding a massive return on your suffering.

Look at where you are spending your energy right now. Are you fighting a massive war over a tiny patch of dirt? Stop thinking small and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 032: Life is Poker, Not Chess (Thinking in Bets)

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 031: Stop Buying Things to Impress Clowns (The Psychology of Money)

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0400

You are stressed about money right now because the second you got a raise, you went out and financed a car you cannot afford. You are buying clothes and going to expensive dinners just to prove to people on the internet that you are doing well. You are playing a status game, and it is keeping you completely broke.

Spending money to show people how much money you have is the fastest way to have less money.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Tycoon's Ledger' week by reading the ultimate reality check for your bank account: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel.

We are talking about the massive difference between acting rich and actually being wealthy. At NexYear, I deal with high-end luxury assets and massive VIP logistics every single day. But I do not buy those assets to flex my ego on Instagram. I deploy them as highly calculated weapons to force doors open and generate massive ROI. A Tycoon uses capital to buy freedom, not approval.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why spending money to look successful guarantees you will never actually be wealthy.
The Operator Reality: How to deploy capital as a strategic weapon instead of a status symbol.
The Tycoon Standard: True wealth is what you don't see—it's the cars you didn't buy and the time you actually own.

Look at your bank account and look at your closet right now. Are you actually wealthy, or do you just have a lot of expensive receipts? Stop trying to impress people who do not care about you and go handle your business. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 030: Your Comfort Zone is Making You Fragile (Antifragile)

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You completely fall apart the second your routine gets disrupted. If you get a hard assignment at work, or if your plan for the day changes, you get stressed out and complain. You have built a life that requires perfect, comfortable conditions just to function.

You are completely fragile. If you want to actually win, you cannot just build a life that survives chaos. You have to build a life that actually gets stronger because of it.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we close out 'The Untouchable Operator Week' by reading the ultimate cheat code for dealing with reality: Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

We are going to talk about why avoiding stress is the fastest way to make yourself weak. When a supply chain breaks at NexYear, it is a shock to the system. But we do not just fix the problem and move on. We use that failure to rebuild a completely new logistics route that makes the entire company faster and more lethal than before.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why needing a perfect routine makes you incredibly vulnerable.
The Operator Reality: How to use failures and friction to physically upgrade your systems.
The Sovereign Standard: Stop trying to build a safe life and make yourself harder to kill.

A muscle does not grow unless you tear it down with heavy weight. Your mind, your career, and your life work the exact same way. Have a good weekend, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 029: The Ugly Reality of Building an Empire (Shoe Dog)

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You want to be successful, but you want it to look pretty. You want the aesthetic morning routine, the cool title, and the cinematic montage. But the second the process actually gets ugly, you fold.

You quit your diet when you stop losing a pound a day, and you quit your project the second it stops being fun. If you want to actually build something great, you have to accept that the middle phase is always a nightmare.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate reality check for anyone trying to build an empire: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.

We are going to talk about how Nike was not built on clever marketing, but on decades of crushing debt, broken logistics, and a sheer refusal to quit. From the outside, NexYear looks like a sleek luxury brand that deals with VIPs and high-end aesthetics. But behind the scenes, it is a war room of vendor negotiations, broken supply chains, and fixing problems in the dirt.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why expecting success to be fun is the fastest way to fail.
The Operator Reality: How to navigate the brutal, unglamorous middle phase of any goal.
The Sovereign Standard: Stop complaining, embrace the dirt, and refuse to stop moving.

Look at the goal you are currently struggling with. Are you upset because the reality of the work does not match the fantasy in your head? It is supposed to be hard. Go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 028: Supreme Fearlessness and Dealing in Reality (The 50th Law: Fearlessness Unleashed)

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are avoiding a decision right now because you are terrified of looking stupid. You are not asking for the promotion, you are not starting the project, and you are staying in a comfortable situation because you are afraid of what might happen if you fail.

You think playing it safe is protecting you. It is actually the exact thing that is keeping you broke, out of shape, and stuck.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate manual for supreme fearlessness: The 50th Law by 50 Cent and Robert Greene.

We are talking about why the people who demand safety always get crushed by reality. When I am running logistics for high-level VIPs at NexYear, the stakes are always high and things always go wrong. If I was afraid of a vendor messing up or a CEO saying no, my company would not exist.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why demanding perfect, safe conditions is a Clown mentality.
The Operator Reality: How to embrace the chaos of the real world and attack the problem.
The Sovereign Standard: Accept reality exactly as it is, not how you fear it might be.

Look at the decision you are actively avoiding right now. You are not planning, you are just scared. Stop hiding and make your move. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 027: Hustle is a Symptom of a Broken Machine (Traction)

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are completely burned out right now because you think 'hustle' is a valid life strategy. You are trying to out-work your own disorganization. If your fitness routine, your work output, or your daily habits fall apart the second you have a bad day, you do not have an empire. You have a fragile house of cards.

Motivation is for amateurs. If you want to actually win, you need an Operating System.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate manual for building a machine that runs without your emotions: Traction by Gino Wickman.

I do not run NexYear based on how motivated I feel when I wake up. I take the logistics out of my head and build them into a machine so the VIP assets get delivered flawlessly, every single time. An Operator replaces emotion with mechanics.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why relying on motivation guarantees you will eventually burn out.
The Operator Reality: How we are building a master playbook and custom AI tool to automate execution.
The Sovereign Standard: Take your feelings out of the equation and rely on data and process.

If you get sick for a week, what completely falls apart in your life? Whatever breaks is where your system is weak. Stop relying on motivation and build a machine. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 026: Why You Don't Deserve a Trophy (Relentless-From Good to Great to Unstoppable)

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are waiting around for a trophy right now just because you did exactly what you were supposed to do. You think showing up on time, hitting your macros, or doing your baseline job makes you special. You want a pat on the back for simply doing what is expected.

That is the mindset of a Cooler. If you want to actually win at life, you have to stop looking for validation and start delivering results regardless of the circumstances.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Untouchable Operator Week' by reading the ultimate manual for becoming completely unstoppable: Relentless by Tim Grover.

Grover trained Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and he breaks down exactly what separates the average from the absolute killers. At NexYear, we do not pop champagne just because a custom physical asset was delivered in the mail. We are Cleaners. We deliver flawless execution and force the door open, even when the supply chain breaks.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why expecting praise for the baseline makes you weak.
The Operator Reality: How to execute at the highest level when nobody is watching.
The Sovereign Standard: Stop making excuses and become the person who simply delivers the result.

Look at your work output from last week. Are you operating like a Cleaner, or are you just hoping someone notices you doing your job? See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 025: The Marcus Aurelius Guide to Taking Your Mind Back (Meditations)

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Right now, you are probably blaming your boss, the economy, or your ex for why you are stressed out. You think that if the external world would just behave exactly the way you want it to, you would finally have peace.

That is the mindset of a slave. You cannot control the outside world, but the second you let those outside forces dictate your internal state, you have given away all of your power.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are closing out 'The Sovereign Week' by reading the ultimate manual for building an untouchable mind: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius .

Marcus Aurelius was the Emperor of Rome, dealing with wars and betrayals, and he wrote this book just to keep his own emotions disciplined. At NexYear, when a massive logistics operation falls apart, getting emotional does not fix the supply chain. Anger does not put the physical asset on the CEO's desk. I hold my frame, fix the system, and keep moving.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why letting a minor inconvenience ruin your mood is weak behavior.
The Operator Reality: How to separate the broken system from your emotional reaction.
The Sovereign Standard: Take absolute ownership of your mind and stop playing the victim.

Stop being a Spectator to your own emotions. Take your mind back and do not give anyone the power to ruin your day ever again. Have a good weekend, and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 024: Your Safety Net is Making You Weak (The 33 Strategies of War)

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are frustrated right now because you are not making the progress you want in your life. You think it is because you do not have enough time, enough money, or the right connections. Let me tell you the real reason: You gave yourself a Plan B.

Having a comfortable fallback plan is the enemy of greatness. When you know you can always just fall back into your comfortable job or your old habits, you will never fight at one hundred percent capacity.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading about the most ruthless psychological switch in history: The Thirty-Three Strategies of War by Robert Greene .

We are talking about the Death Ground strategy. When I built NexYear, I didn't do it as a safe little side hustle. When you are handling complex logistics for high-level VIPs, there is no Plan B. You deliver flawlessly, or you fail entirely. I burned the boats.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why having an excuse lined up guarantees you are going to use it.
The Operator Reality: How putting your back against the wall forces you to figure out how to win.
The Sovereign Standard: Why a King never hedges his bets on his own life.

Look at your career, your fitness goals, and your relationships. Where are you holding onto a safety net just in case things get hard? Burn the boats. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 023: Speed is the Ultimate Weapon (Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World)

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are sitting there right now watching people who are half as smart as you pass you by in life. They are getting the promotions, they are getting in shape, and they are winning.

It is not because they have better ideas than you. It is because you move too slow. You are sitting around waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan, and the perfect motivation. You are getting outpaced by Operators who understand that speed is the only thing that matters.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the historical blueprint for outpacing everyone around you: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford .

In the thirteenth century, a tribe of nomads conquered the known world because their logistics were untouchable. At NexYear, we use that exact same warfare. We build the physical supply chain and drop assets on a VIP's desk faster than our competition can even draft an email.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why the guy who acts immediately will always beat the genius who takes six months to plan.
The Operator Reality: How to build an untouchable physical and mental supply chain.
The Sovereign Standard: Stop waiting for the green light. Build your personal infrastructure and just move.

Look at that goal you have been talking about for the last six months. Stop obsessing over the details. Build your systems and go handle your business.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 022: Stop Doing Fake Work (The Book of Five Rings)

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are completely exhausted right now, but you have absolutely nothing to show for it. You think you are grinding, but the truth is you are just swinging a sword at the air.

Spending hours formatting a resume instead of talking to hiring managers, re-reading notes instead of taking the test, and arguing on the internet is not moving the needle. It is fake work. You are doing it because it feels safe.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate manual for ruthless efficiency: The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi .

Musashi was the greatest swordsman in history because he refused to make a single movement that did not result in a kill. I apply this exact same absolute pragmatism to NexYear. We do not waste time sending cheap promotional garbage just to say we did marketing. We deploy one perfect, high-end physical strike.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why being 'busy' is usually just procrastination in a suit.
The Operator Reality: How to identify and cut out the useless fluff in your daily routine.
The Sovereign Standard: If an action doesn't get you promoted, build your business, or buy back your freedom, cut it.

Pull up your calendar from today and look at what you actually did. Stop trying to look busy and start actually landing blows. See you inside.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 021: Nobody Owes You Anything (The Prince)

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

You are sitting there right now wondering why you keep getting passed over in life. You think if you just put your head down, work hard, and act like a nice guy, someone is eventually going to hand you a promotion, a deal, or a win.

Let me give you the hardest truth about human nature: Nobody owes you anything, and nobody cares how nice you are. Complaining that the world isn't fair is the ultimate Clown mentality.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Sovereign Week' by reading the ultimate manual for leverage: The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

I break down exactly how we deal in reality at NexYear. When we want a high-level CEO to take a meeting, we do not beg for their time. We deploy a physical asset that aligns with their incentives and forces the conversation to happen. A Sovereign doesn't ask for permission; he builds leverage.

In this episode:

The Universal Hook: Why expecting people to do you favors is a guaranteed way to lose.
The Operator Reality: How to engineer a scenario where the other person wants to do the deal.
The Sovereign Standard: Stop playing the victim and start aligning incentives.

Look at the biggest goal you have right now. Are you actually building leverage to get it, or are you just hoping someone does you a favor? See you in the deep end."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 020: If You Fight a Fair Fight, You Are a Clown (The Art of War)

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

I love watching people start a business and immediately go pick a fight they don't need to have.

They look at a massively crowded market and decide they are going to win by just sweating more than the next guy. They drop their prices by ten percent and call it a strategy. It is the exact same energy as sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic when there is a wide-open backroad right next to you. It just means you lack awareness.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are closing out 'The Leverage Week' with the ultimate playbook for asymmetric leverage: The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

If you are fighting a fair fight, you have already messed up. At NexYear, I do not compete with generic promotional companies for scraps. We bypass the entire frontline and drop a high-end physical asset directly on the CEO's desk.

In this episode:

The Traffic Jam: Why competing to be a '10% cheaper' agency is a race to the bottom.
Bypassing the Gatekeeper: How to use physical logistics to outmaneuver the digital noise.
The Tycoon Move: How to win the battle before it even starts.

Look at your business. Are you bleeding out in a fair fight, or are you changing the rules so you don't have to fight at all? See you next week.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 019: Chaos is a Filter (The Obstacle Is the Way)

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Everyone wants the freedom and the money of running their own company. But the second a supplier misses a deadline or a client yells at them, they completely fold.

They point fingers, they play the victim, and they quit. That is what a Spectator does. An Operator knows that the difficulty is the entire point.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate playbook for handling chaos: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday .

My entire business at NexYear is built on executing high-stakes logistics for VIPs. It is a total nightmare of broken timelines and damaged goods. And I love it. Because if it were easy, every lazy kid with a laptop would be doing it.

In this episode:

The Loser Mentality: Why complaining about friction proves you aren't built for the arena.
The Logistics Nightmare: How to handle it when a high-stakes campaign falls apart.
The Moat: Why the sheer difficulty of reaching a CEO is the only thing keeping your competition out.

Stop complaining that your industry is too crowded. Be grateful it's hard. See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 018: The Psychology of Forcing the Door Open (Influence)

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Every day, I see Spectators complaining that they cannot get a meeting with a high-level VIP. They send a hundred cold emails. They beg for fifteen minutes of someone's time.

It is a lazy, stupid system. If you are asking someone for a favor before you have provided any upfront value, you are playing a loser's game.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the book that changes the game: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini .

We do not beg CEOs for their time at NexYear. We drop a high-end, physical asset directly on their desk. We use the evolutionary psychology of reciprocity to create a debt. We do not ask for the door to be opened. We force it open.

In this episode:

The Cold Email Trap: Why relying on hope instead of leverage is the definition of insanity.
The Blueprint: How dropping custom Billykirk leather on a desk acts as a Trojan Horse.
Psychological Debt: Why humans are hardwired to return favors, and how to cash in that debt.

Stop asking people for their time without giving them a reason to care. Figure out what you can put on their desk first.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 017: Distraction is Incompetence (Deep Work)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

I cannot stand people who make life harder than it needs to be. Right now, most people cannot focus on a single complex task for more than forty-five seconds without checking their phone.

They claim they are grinding while scrolling TikTok. It is sloppy, it is oblivious, and it is entirely avoidable incompetence.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the book that fixes this: Deep Work by Cal Newport .

At NexYear, when we are building out a complex physical logistics campaign for a CEO, we cannot afford to be distracted. Real infrastructure requires real focus. If you want the freedom to live on your own terms, you have to stop doing fake work.

In this episode:

The Attention Deficit: Why context-switching destroys your ability to actually think.
The VIP Standard: You can't build bulletproof supply chains while answering 40 group chat messages.
The Freedom Metric: How to buy your freedom with two hours of uninterrupted execution.

Put your phone in another room for 90 minutes. Let's see if you even know how to sit with your own thoughts anymore.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 016: Stop Sweating, Start Building (High Output Management)

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

If you look at the internet today, everyone is bragging about how little sleep they get. They post pictures of their laptops at 2 AM and think exhaustion is a personality trait.

That is the Clown mindset. Working 18 hours a day doing low-level tasks isn't a flex; it's the business equivalent of sitting in the left lane going 45 mph.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are kicking off 'The Leverage Week' by reading the ultimate playbook for building a machine: High Output Management by Andy Grove .

I break down exactly how we use systemic leverage at NexYear. When you are building access campaigns for VIPs, you cannot afford to physically pack every box yourself. You have to be the architect, not the bricklayer.

In this episode:

The Incompetence Trigger: Why blindly hustling without a strategy means you lack awareness.
The Operator Reality: How to buy back your time so you can run the strategy, play golf, and actually live your life.
Systemic Output: Handle a vendor problem once, build the rule, and never deal with it again.

Look at your calendar. Are you actually moving the needle, or are you just driving slow in the fast lane? See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

🚨EMERGENCY DROP🚨: The Broken Mechanics of Modern Dating

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In this special Emergency drop of The Short Game, Drew Meitner steps away from the usual business playbook to analyze a fundamentally broken social economy: the modern dating market. For driven men in their 20s and 30s, the landscape has completely shifted. Dating apps and social media have created a rigged attention economy that artificially inflates options and funnels matches toward a tiny fraction of CEOs, VIPs, and clients.

This episode takes a raw, data-driven look at the harsh realities of modern courtship. We break down the illusion of endless choice fueled by filters and OnlyFans, the psychological toll on good men playing a zero-sum game, and the paradox of modern women wasting their prime years chasing casual encounters. Finally, we define what a truly rare, grounded 50/50 partner actually looks like today, and why your ultimate strategy must always be focusing on your own baseline value.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 015: The Victim Trap: Why Pointing Fingers Makes You Weak (Extreme Ownership)

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A massive logistics campaign goes wrong. A shipment is late. A custom box is ruined. What is your first instinct?

If you immediately point your finger at the shipping company or blame the client for sending the wrong file, you are a Clown. Playing the victim might protect your ego in the short term, but it proves you have zero control over your own business.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are finishing 'The Empire Week' by reading the ultimate leadership manual: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink.

I break down exactly how we handle broken supply chains and vendor failures at NexYear. When you are dealing with VIPs and CEOs, there are no excuses. If my vendor messes up, it is my fault for hiring them. If FedEx crushes a box, I do not blame the algorithm. I eat the cost, overnight a replacement, and take 100% of the blame.

If you want the glory, you have to wear the crown.

In this episode:

• The Ego Trap: Why pointing fingers destroys your chain of command .

• The Logistics Reality: How a 25-year-old Operator forces older supply chains to meet his standard.

• The Moat of Trust: How to turn a massive failure into an unbreakable relationship with a high-level client.

See you in the deep end."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 014: Silence is a Weapon (The 48 Laws of Power)

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

You got the meeting. You are sitting across from a CEO. And out of pure nervousness, you talk too much.

The moment you over-explain your product to prove you deserve to be there, you hand over your power. You become just another desperate vendor they can squeeze on price.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate survival guide for the corporate snake pit: The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene.

I break down exactly how I navigate high-stakes meetings with VIP clients at NexYear. We focus heavily on Law 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary.

When you pitch, state your price. State your value. And then shut up. Let the silence sit in the room. Force the other side to break it first.

In this episode:

• The Imposter Syndrome Trap: Why talking fast kills the deal.

• Weaponized Silence: How to make executives negotiate against themselves.

• The Peer Dynamic: Forcing CEOs to treat you as an equal, not a 25-year-old vendor.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 013: Speed is a Weapon (Amp It Up)

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Open your inbox right now. Count how many emails say, 'Let's circle back on this next week' or 'We will review this and get back to you.'

That is the sound of a company dying. Corporate America moves at a snail's pace because leadership tolerates a sluggish culture. Everyone is comfortable. Everyone is slow.

If you are a 25-year-old Operator trying to take market share from giant legacy companies, you cannot afford to be slow. Speed is your ultimate weapon.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the playbook for ruthless execution: Amp It Up by Frank Slootman.

We break down how to cure the disease of slow business by demanding the impossible. When a vendor or employee says a project will take two weeks, the Tycoon asks, 'Why can't it be done by tomorrow morning?'

I explain exactly how NexYear uses extreme velocity to beat out massive logistics agencies. We don't have a 30-year legacy brand to hide behind, so we operate like a strike team. If a vendor is slow, we cut them. If a standard isn't met, we burn it down and start over. Speed builds trust.

Stop tolerating a slow pace. Compress the timeline.

In this episode:

• The Disease of 'Next Week': Why delaying decisions destroys your momentum and your margins.

• Increase Velocity & Raise Standards: How to stop accepting 'good enough' from your team and your vendors.

• The NexYear Strike Team: How to use extreme execution to win Fortune 500 contracts as a young Operator.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 012: Escaping the "1 to n" Trap: Why Copycats Fail (Zero to One)

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Look around. Everyone in our generation is launching the exact same business.

The same AI wrappers, the same social media agencies, the same dropshipping stores. They look at a crowded market packed with a thousand identical companies and think, 'I'll just work harder. I'll just be 10% better.'

That is a race to the bottom. If you are competing on being slightly better or slightly cheaper, your margins are going to zero. You are playing a loser's game.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the ultimate Tycoon playbook: Zero to One by Peter Thiel.

We break down why copying what already exists (going from 1 to n) makes you a commodity, and why the only way to build massive wealth is to do something completely new (going from 0 to 1) .

I explain exactly how we built a moat around NexYear. If I had started another 'corporate gifting' company, I would be fighting 10,000 other 25-year-olds for scraps. Instead, we built a Monopoly on B2B Access. We have zero direct competitors because no one else is willing to build the hard, unsexy physical infrastructure required to pull it off.

Stop fighting for scraps. Build the monopoly.

In this episode:

• The 1 to n Trap: Why starting another copycat agency is a waste of your twenties.

• Competition is for Losers: Why true Capitalists avoid competition at all costs.

• The NexYear Monopoly: How doing the hard, physical logistics builds a moat no one can cross.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 011: The Operator vs. The Spectator (Skin in the Game)

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The internet is full of 23-year-old 'business coaches' and 'growth consultants' selling $10k retainers for slide decks.

If their advice bankrupts your company, they still keep the money. They are playing with fake chips. They have zero downside.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the book that separates the Operators from the Spectators: Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

I break down the Symmetry of Risk. We look at the ancient Hammurabi Code and why you should never take advice from someone who doesn't bleed when they are wrong.

I explain how NexYear wins Fortune 500 contracts not by selling PDF strategies, but by absorbing the client's physical risk. If a box gets crushed or a package is lost, I don't get to hide behind an analytics dashboard. I lose the money.

Stop taking advice from people who don't pay the price.

In this episode:

• The Consultant Trap: Why 90% of internet advice comes from 'Spectators' who have no real leverage.

• The Intellectual Yet Idiot (IYI): The danger of textbook theory without physical execution.

• The NexYear Guarantee: How to use your own physical risk as a massive competitive advantage to close enterprise deals.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 010: Compromise is for Losers (Never Split the Difference)

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

"You pitched the deal. Now they want a discount.

If you say 'Okay, let's meet in the middle,' you are a Clown. You just admitted your price was fake.

Today on The Short Game, we are reading Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.

We learn why 'Win-Win' is a lie and why 'No' is the most powerful word in the English language.

I break down the FBI Tactics I use at NexYear to negotiate with suppliers and Fortune 500 clients:

Mirroring: How to get people to reveal their hand .
Labeling: How to disarm an angry client in 10 seconds.
The Calibrated Question: How to say 'No' without ever actually saying the word 'No.'

Stop leaving money on the table.

See you in the deep end."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 009: Stop Begging. Start Framing. (Pitch Anything)

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

"You know the drill. You get on a Zoom call, and you say: 'Hi, thank you so much for your time. I know you're busy...'

Stop.

You just killed the deal. You signaled that you are low status. You begged.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the book that teaches us how to flip the script: Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff.

We break down the science of Neuro-Economics and why the human brain ignores boring people and respects dangerous people.

I explain the concept of Frame Control —the invisible game of status that happens in every meeting before a single word is spoken.

If you pitch NexYear like a 'vendor,' you get treated like a vendor. If you pitch like a Prize—if you make them prove to you why they deserve your logistics—you win.

Stop apologizing. Start framing.

In this episode:

The Crocodile Brain: Why logic fails and emotion wins.
Frame Control: How to seize the high ground in any negotiation.
The Prize Frame: Flipping the script so the client chases you.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 008: Stop Baking the Pies (The E-Myth Revisited)

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

"I have a confession to make.

I am tired.

I spent the last 48 hours checking shipping labels, answering customer support emails, and arguing with a supplier about cardboard thickness.

I look at my business card, and it says 'Founder.' But if I look at my calendar, I’m not a Founder. I’m a high-paid shipping clerk.

That is the Technician's Trap.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are reading the book that saves us from ourselves: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.

We are going to learn why 80% of businesses fail—not because the idea was bad, but because the Founder was too busy 'baking the pies' to build the bakery.

I break down the Three Personalities inside every entrepreneur :

The Technician: The doer (who hates management).
The Manager: The organizer (who cleans up the mess).
The Entrepreneur: The visionary (who lives in the future).

I explain how NexYear is shifting from a 'Person-Dependent' business to a 'System-Dependent' business .

Stop baking the pies. Start building the oven.

See you in the deep end."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 007: The Blood in the Water: Escaping the "Red Ocean"(Blue Ocean Strategy)

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Every agency looks the same. Every SaaS tool looks the same. Everyone is fighting to be 10% cheaper.

That is a race to the bottom. That is death.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we are breaking down Blue Ocean Strategy to find the 'open water' in your market.

I explain the exact moment I realized NexYear was fighting the wrong battle. We were trying to beat 1-800-FLOWERS at their own game. So we pivoted.

We used the Four Actions Framework to eliminate the fluff, raise the stakes, and create a new category: Access.

We aren't competing with gift shops anymore. We are competing with LinkedIn Ads—and we are winning because physical goods have a 100% open rate.

Stop fighting the sharks. Swim to the deep water.

In this episode:

Red Ocean vs. Blue Ocean: Why 99% of businesses are drowning in competition.
The Pivot: How NexYear shifted from 'Gifting' to 'Access.'
The Strategy: How to make your competition irrelevant.

See you in the deep end."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 006: Profit is an Opinion. Cash is a Fact. (Financial Intelligence)

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Stop looking at the scoreboard. Start looking at the bank account.

In this episode of The Short Game Podcast, Drew Meitner breaks down Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs.

We aren't talking about accounting; we are talking about survival.

Most "rich" people on social media are technically bankrupt. They show you the revenue (Vanity) but hide the cash flow (Sanity). They are playing "Clown Math."

If you run a business—especially a physical operation like NexYear where inventory burns money—and you don't know the difference between "Net Income" and "Cash from Operations," you are already dead.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Stripe Screenshot Scam: Why posting your revenue is a sign of weakness, not strength.

• The Golden Rule: Understanding why "Profit" is just an estimate, but "Cash" is the only truth.

• The NexYear Protocol: Why we stopped doing "Net 30" terms and started demanding upfront payment to build a Cash Fortress.

• DSO (Days Sales Outstanding): The one metric that separates the Operators from the Amateurs.

Quote of the Week:

"Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity. Cash is reality."

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 005: Loud Money vs. Quiet Money: The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Why I Act Crazy Online: The Rockefeller "Psyop" Strategy

Episode Description:

Everyone tells you to "Build in Public." They want you to dance on TikTok, share your revenue numbers, and be a "content creator."

They call it transparency. I call it Loud Money. And Loud Money is weak. Loud Money gets copied. Loud Money makes you a target.

In this episode, we are going back to the source code of the original Tycoon: J.D. Rockefeller. The man owned 2% of the entire US GDP and never bragged once. He understood that Silence is Power and Competition is a Sin.

I’m breaking down how I use Rockefeller’s "Dark Mode" strategy to build NexYear while everyone else is chasing likes:

• The Social Media Psyop: Why my "unhinged" posts are actually a tactical smokescreen to distract competitors while I lock down the infrastructure.

• The Monopoly Mindset: Why we stopped "competing" on creativity (subjective) and started dominating on Logistics (objective).

• The Pivot: Why NexYear isn't a "gifting company"—it's an Access Engine that sells the 30 seconds of attention you can't buy on LinkedIn.

• Acquisition vs. Competition: Why I stopped flaming my rivals and started looking at them as future subsidiaries.

If you are tired of the "Fake Guru" noise and want to know how real empires are built (in the dark), this is your manual.

Stop posting. Start building.

See you in the deep end.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 004: Stop Rotting. Start Building. (The Napoleon Hill Protocol)

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

The stats are in: The average man is checking out. Video games, VR, and cheap dopamine have destroyed the workforce.

Today, we use Think and Grow Rich to engineer a way out of the "Rot."

Featuring:

▪️ The "Ambition Gap" in 2026.

▪️ How to use Sexual Transmutation to outwork everyone else.

▪️ Why NexYear is betting on "Tycoon Energy" while everyone else is playing "NPC."

Short Game. Long Money.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 003: The Death of Privacy: Why Tycoons Don't Dance (Dale Carnegie)

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0500

The "Surveillance State" is here. Police are tracking cars across counties in 45 minutes using Ring doorbells. Privacy is dead. You live in a glass house now.

So, if you can't hide... you better make sure people like what they see.

Today on The Short Game Podcast, we weaponize the 100-year-old classic How to Win Friends and Influence People not just to be "nice," but to survive the simulation.

IN THE WAR ROOM:

The News: Why "The Grid" sees everything (and why you can't opt out).
The Strategy: Using Carnegie’s "Social Engineering" as a defense mechanism.
NexYear’s Dilemma: The Founder asks, "Do I have to dance on TikTok to win? Or can I be a Tycoon in the shadows?"
The Verdict: Why sending a physical gift isn't stalking—it's the only "Proof of Work" left.

Tycoons don't dance. They build.

Short Game. Long Money.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 002: The End of the Career Ladder: Why AI is Deleting Entry-Level Jobs (Naval Ravikant)

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0500

The old rules are dead. A new report predicts AI will wipe out 50% of entry-level jobs by 2027. If your plan was to "climb the corporate ladder," you are climbing a ghost.

In this episode of The Short Game, we open the war room to break down the only survival guide that matters: The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.

We discuss:

Why "learning to code" might be a trap (and what to learn instead).
Naval’s concept of Specific Knowledge: The one thing AI cannot automate.
NexYear’s Take: Is "Human Connection" the new luxury product?
How to stop selling your time and start building leverage.

The robots are coming for the average work. Stop being average.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof

EP 001: The Wartime CEO (Surviving the AI Crash)

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:00:00 -0500

Everyone has a plan until AI eats their market share.

Welcome to the premiere episode. The truth? 2026 is permanent "Wartime." We’re cutting through the noise of the Super Bowl’s "fake reality" to expose the cold, hard mechanics of this economy. Using Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things as our manual, we explain why "nice" leaders are about to get crushed.

What We Cover:

• The Vibe Shift: Why "Peacetime" leadership (perks, patience, consensus) is a death sentence in 2026.

• The Threat: The "White Collar Recession" and why middle management is the most dangerous place to hide.

• The Monday Move: A ruthless calendar audit for CEOs and the shift from "Writer" to "Editor" for high-performers.

Powered by NexYear

The relationship infrastructure for the Wartime economy.

🌐 Website: www.nexyear.com

Listen to the Audio Experience:

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-short-game-by-nexyear/id1876109541

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GIyob0JrM4UNblgLz7pAd?si=df34efe53fa94a84

Connect with NexYear:

💼 LinkedIn: NexYear LLC

📸 Instagram: @nexyear_

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: NexYear USA

#WartimeCEO #NexYear #2026Economy #BusinessSurvival #RecessionProof