Meet Jason Andrews

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Andrews. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Hi Jason, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I am a proud veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army, having dedicated several years to serving my country. My journey took a challenging turn when I was medically discharged due to an injury sustained during deployment, with doctors telling me I may never walk or run again. After numerous surgeries and years of hard work, I proved them wrong—regaining my ability to walk and run, albeit with persistence and mental fortitude.

Since overcoming my physical challenges, I’ve participated in Spartan Races and mud runs, and I’m currently working towards breaking a world record for push-ups. My experiences have instilled in me the military mindset of resilience and determination, which I carry into every aspect of my life.

Motivated by the alarming rates of suicide among my fellow service members, I created this podcast to foster a safe space for men to talk openly about their struggles without fear of judgment. I believe it’s crucial for men to support one another, to discuss mental health, physical well-being, and the challenges we face in daily life.

Our podcast serves as a platform to address these issues, covering everything from mental health and physical fitness to family life, sports, and the realities of being a husband and father. Set in a relaxed, bar-like environment, we invite our audience to join us for candid conversations, fostering a sense of community and understanding. Together, we aim to empower men to become better versions of themselves—physically, mentally, and emotionally—ultimately enhancing their roles as fathers, husbands, and leaders.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

The story behind our podcast began one evening over steaks and drinks at Saltgrass Steak House in New Caney, TX where Pedro and I found ourselves deep in conversation. For hours, we shared our experiences as fathers and husbands, supporting each other through personal challenges. Amid the laughter, I jokingly suggested starting a podcast, an idea that had lingered in my mind for some time as a way to help men navigate the ups and downs of life. What started as a light-hearted joke soon became a serious discussion as we decided to bring in our friend Jonathan. We gathered again at the same steakhouse, sharing meals and drinks while brainstorming our vision.

Within a couple of months, we laid the groundwork for our podcast, launching in November 2023. Initially, we focused on building our YouTube channel, setting up our social media presence, and creating an inviting set. On January 15, 2024, we recorded our first episode, officially launching on January 19, 2024. Since then, we’ve amassed over half a million views and more than 1,500 subscribers in just seven months.

Our growth speaks volumes about the connection we’ve forged with our audience. We’re not celebrities or millionaires; we’re everyday men who understand the struggles of fatherhood and marriage. Our podcast aims to create a supportive community where men can openly discuss their challenges without feeling judged. We tackle a range of topics—from mental health and motivation to fatherhood and sports—ensuring that our conversations resonate authentically.

We emphasize transparency and honesty, sharing our own experiences to show that it’s okay to reach out for support. Men often feel isolated, but we want to change that narrative. Our mission is simple: to foster an environment where men can share their stories, seek advice, and connect with one another over a beer or a casual chat. Together, we can navigate life’s challenges and celebrate our victories, proving that it’s always okay to talk and support each other.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Building a podcast from the ground up requires immense dedication and hard work, especially when none of us had prior experience with YouTube or social media. We embarked on this journey without a roadmap, so we had to learn everything from scratch. Countless hours were spent watching tutorial videos and researching best practices, allowing us to teach ourselves the ins and outs of recording video and audio that not only looks professional but sounds great as well.

If you compare our first episode to our sixteenth, the progress is clear. Episode one features poor lighting and subpar sound, while by episode sixteen, we proudly showcase a vibrant neon sign in the background, improved lighting, and enhanced audio quality. This transformation didn’t happen overnight; it was a continuous learning process.

When we welcomed Jonathan to the team, he made it clear that he was committed to doing this right. He emphasized that we weren’t going to take shortcuts or settle for mediocrity. This motivated us to spend three months preparing our setup before even recording our first episode. We were relentless in our pursuit of improvement, constantly refining our environment to enhance the viewer experience.

We dove into the mechanics of YouTube, mastering the use of shorts, hashtags, and compelling titles—skills we never anticipated needing. This commitment to quality has undoubtedly contributed to our growth in views and subscribers. We wanted our podcast to resonate with our audience, ensuring that they could absorb our messages and the advice we share to help them become better men.

Ultimately, our focus on continuous improvement and professionalism has been key to our success, allowing us to create a platform where men can engage, learn, and support one another.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

Over the past twelve months, the most significant area of growth for us has been mastering YouTube, particularly understanding its analytics and leveraging YouTube Shorts. Initially, we learned the hard way that simply uploading our podcast episodes to YouTube doesn’t guarantee that people will watch them. The platform has shifted toward short-form content, and YouTube Shorts have become incredibly popular. Viewers scroll through these brief, engaging clips—typically no longer than 60 seconds—at an impressive rate, which means that if we wanted to capture new audiences, we needed to adapt our strategy.

Recognizing this, we quickly realized the importance of creating Shorts that tease our full episodes. We invested in a system that allows us to cut our longer videos into compelling short segments. Each short is carefully crafted to ensure it captures attention and encourages viewers to click through to the full episode. We analyze our shorts extensively, focusing on elements like the right hashtags and titles to maximize their impact.

Timing also plays a crucial role in our success. We’ve learned that certain times of the day yield better engagement, with our Shorts gaining significant traction if posted at optimal moments. By delving into YouTube’s analytics, we’ve fine-tuned our approach, leading to dramatic improvements in our view counts. Where we once averaged 40 to 50 views per short, we now see numbers ranging from 500 to 20,000 views, thanks to our deeper understanding of the platform’s dynamics.

This journey of figuring out how YouTube works has been pivotal for us, transforming our outreach and helping us connect with a broader audience. Our growth in this area is a testament to our commitment to learning and adapting, allowing us to better serve our listeners and engage with the community we’re building.

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