PODCAST · education
Points of Failure
by Steve Cauthren
Points of Failure is a podcast about what actually goes wrong, and the part people don't want to look at. Most conversations about failure happen after it's been cleaned up, framed, and turned into a lesson. This one starts at the breakdown and works backward. Through guest interviews and solo episodes, we examine the patterns behind failure in work, relationships, identity, and decision-making, with a bias toward what people are avoiding rather than what they're processing. If you're noticing a pattern you can't explain away anymore, you're probably in the right place. Questions, topic ideas, or guest suggestions: [email protected]
Episodes
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S4E30 - WealthNWisdom: Why Do We Fail?
Tell us what you think Tyler Kreiling had me on his show to talk all things failure. Tyler writes for his publication, WealthNWisdom, on Substack: https://substack.com/@wealthnwisdom Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
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S4E29 - Banana fibers and triathlons
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Carli Rosencranz. Carli has a 25-year corporate career in CPG and retail. She is the Co-founder of 10X Impact Ventures. She is married with two teenagers, and is a "back of the pack" endurance athlete, competing in triathlons. Now, she’s working…
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S4E28 - Circling
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the cost of not choosing. Not as a character flaw, but as something that happens when we keep revisiting the same decision without ever making it. I talk about how avoiding commitment keeps us stuck in potential, why the language we use around...
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S4E27 - Social Atrophy
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of social atrophy. Not as a flaw in who we are, but as something that develops when we spend less and less time engaging with the people around us. I talk about how modern life makes it easy to withdraw, why awkwardness and uncertainty…
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S4E26 - Becoming the Partner You're Looking For
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of becoming the partner we want to find instead of focusing only on finding the right person. I talk about what it means to meet ourselves first, how relationships tend to expose the parts of us we haven’t faced, and how alignment with…
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S4E25 - Transactional Relationships: A Follow-up
Tell us what you think On this episode, I follow up on my conversation with Dustin about whether healthy relationships are transactional. I unpack why that word made me bristle, the difference between giving to get and giving freely while expecting reciprocity, and how unclear expectations can...
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S4E24 - Fear of the unknown
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to John Hewitt. John co-founded the Jackson Hewitt tax company, Liberty Tax in Canada, and his current company, Loyalty Brands. John’s career spans 54 years. We discuss competing against yourself, fear of the unknown, and quitting before you win. We...
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S4E23 - Are Healthy Relationships Transactional?
Tell us what you think On this episode, guest co-host Dustin Solomon joins me to explore the difference between compromise and sacrifice. We talk about knowing your values and prioritizing what matters most, so it becomes clearer where compromise makes sense and where it starts to cost too much.…
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S4E22 - The Failure of Being Nice
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of being nice. Not as a personality trait or moral virtue. But as a pattern that feels safe and quietly disconnects us from ourselves over time. I examine why niceness often becomes a substitute for honesty, how approval replaces...
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S4E21 - It's good to get a no
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Sara Becht. Sara is a young professional balancing a full-time career, her college coursework, and a commitment to continuous self-improvement. She’s passionate about wellness and mindset, and she’s focused on building a life rooted in…
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S4E20 - The Villain Ethos
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of the Villain Ethos. Not as a single mistake or moral flaw. But as a pattern that feels clarifying at first, and quietly limits growth, the longer we stay inside it. We examine why blaming villains can feel productive, how outrage…
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S4E19 - Performative Masculinity
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of performative masculinity. Not as confidence or ambition. But as a pattern that looks good on the surface and quietly creates instability that you don’t notice at first. We examine why many men confuse performance with presence, how...
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Season 4 Teaser
Tell us what you think A small teaser for what's ahead. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
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S3E18 - How to choose your story
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Scott Rice. Scott is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Addy Award-winning commercial director. After studying under world-renowned film scholar David Bordwell, Scott began his career as an art director for Activision. He scripted the...
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S3E17 - The right way to open candy
Tell us what you think On this episode, Jamie Brindle. Jamie has been freelancing for 16 years, and in that time, he’s had the privilege of working with clients ranging from local mom-and-pop restaurants to Fortune 500 companies like Google, Hillshire, Netflix, and Lionsgate. In 2020, he began...
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S3E16 - Outlier's Edge: Restart Dead Projects, Win Big
Tell us what you think I was interviewed on the Outlier's Edge Podcast. This is the audio for that release. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
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S2E15 - Mental speed limits
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Dustin Solomon, owner of Mutiny FX, an Arkansas-based visual effects company that has been creating VFX work for over 12 years on shows with companies like Netflix, Disney+, and Universal. He is a widowed father of two and a small business owner,...
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S2E14 - I Won't Starve
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to J Haleem Washington, author, business coach, and corporate trainer. He went from working for $8.00 an hour at the Hampton Inn to earning 6 figures as a Commercial Photographer in just a few years. He accomplished all this while being a convicted...
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S2E13 - The slow build
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Dustin Williams, Owner, and Head Coach for Precision Fitness, Northwest Arkansas' premier group and personal training studio. Dustin attended one of the most prestigious boot camp training sessions in Las Vegas and has also trained with 4X Mr....
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S2E12 - Women in whiskey
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Lori Carcich, Founder and CEO of Country Smooth Spirits. She’s America’s first female founder of a whisky company. She proudly serves as a Member of the Board of Advisors for CW.COM, LLC and The UCSB PaCE Extension, Women in Leadership Executive...
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S2E11 - Mismatched socks
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Daniel Hintz. He’s the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Velocity Group, and co-owner of Bauhaus Biergarten in Springdale. He previously served as the Executive Director of both Downtown Bentonville, Inc., and Fayetteville Downtown…
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S2E10- Loving your life
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Jessica G. She’s a woman on a mission. With an established career as a successful entrepreneur, she combines her talents of brand management and persuasive speaking to be a beacon of light, creating momentum for change. Her natural ability to…
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S2E09 - Filling your sandbag
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Leah Thrasher. She's a mother, entrepreneur, investor, coach, and author. We discuss taking a business from the bottom to the top, breaking away from traditions, and why you should completely fill your sandbag. Support the show You can support…
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S2E08 - Pozole at Christmas
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Ana Vazquez. She's a former teacher turned real estate agent in Northwest Arkansas. We discuss overcoming setbacks, learning to delegate, and the joys of pozole at Christmas. Support the show You can support the show by going to:...
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S1E07 - Building things and smashing phones
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Brandon Gore. He’s a concrete craftsman, furniture designer, rammed earth builder, teacher, and father. We discuss failures in design, the importance of integrity, and being a judge on a design/build competition TV show. Find Brandon’s work…
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S1E06 - The difficulty of pancakes
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Chef Erin Rowe. She is the author of "An Ozark Culinary History," and the Founder of Ozark Culinary Tours, guiding people around the best food scenes of Northwest Arkansas' downtowns. We discuss globetrotting, employing yourself, and the…
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S1E05 - Hadly's Last Day
Tell us what you think This episode is an emotional tribute to our sweet Hadly, to whom we recently said our painful goodbyes. Part sweet angel, part little monkey. All perfect little blessing. We loved her so much.. Now she is at rest, and forever in our hearts. Support the show You can support...
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S1E04 - Top-down cultural failure
Tell us what you think On this episode we talk with Glenn Sibley, General Manager of the Wellington in Springdale, Arkansas. Glenn has over 30 years experience and has established himself as a leader and mentor in the bar and restaurant industry, as well as his local community. We discuss...
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S1E03 - Life as a booking agent
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Heather Fallen, Founder of Stage 28 Talent and Casting. She’s made a name for herself in the entertainment industry working as a model, a tour manager, and as an agent booking actors to work alongside stars like Ashley Judd. We discuss...
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S1E02 - Living the nomadic dream
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Brian Sage, founder and CEO of Sage Digital, a software agency that specializes in ecommerce, marketing, and fintech. He’s also had a lot of trial and error experience while wearing different hats at various startups and agencies—some successful...
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S1E01 - Lack of values and toxic masculinity
Tell us what you think On this inaugural episode, we talk to Jeremiah Beene. He served in Counter-Intelligence in the Army, and pursued a PhD in Psychology. We discuss several points of failure, including a lack of values and the reality of toxic masculinity. Support the show You can support the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Points of Failure is a podcast about what actually goes wrong, and the part people don't want to look at.
Most conversations about failure happen after it's been cleaned up, framed, and turned into a lesson. This one starts at the breakdown and works backward. Through guest interviews and solo episodes, we examine the patterns behind failure in work, relationships, identity, and decision-making, with a bias toward what people are avoiding rather than what they're processing.
If you're noticing a pattern you can't explain away anymore, you're probably in the right place.
Questions, topic ideas, or guest suggestions: [email protected]
HOSTED BY
Steve Cauthren
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Points of Failure have?
Points of Failure currently has 31 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Points of Failure about?
Points of Failure is a podcast about what actually goes wrong, and the part people don't want to look at. Most conversations about failure happen after it's been cleaned up, framed, and turned into a lesson. This one starts at the breakdown and works backward. Through guest interviews and solo...
How often does Points of Failure release new episodes?
Points of Failure has 31 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Points of Failure?
You can listen to Points of Failure on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Points of Failure?
Points of Failure is created and hosted by Steve Cauthren.
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