Joel Benge's Blog: MessageSpecs Musings

S02 EP028: Delete Your F***ing Meetings: Building the Virtual Office: with Katmai’s Erik Braund

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Episode Summary:

What if the future of work isn’t another meeting—but a place to actually be together?

In this episode, Joel Benge sits down with Erik Braund, founder and CEO of Katmai — a virtual office platform on a mission to delete your f***ing meetings.

From his roots as an Alaskan grunge musician and music producer for artists like Sting a...

S02 EP027: Taking Back Control of Your Business Narrative with Anti-Algorithm Coach Lidia Axe

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Episode Summary:

In this Season 2 kickoff, Joel Benge sits down with Lidia Axe, an executive-turned-entrepreneur whose career leapt from PWC’s boardrooms to the front lines of personal transformation.

After thirteen years in corporate finance and risk management, Lidia walked away from the predictable climb to partnership to build something far more meaningfu...

EP026: Headlining Bands and Writing Headlines that Land with Anthony Pierri

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Episode Summary:

After a book-launch hiatus, Joel returns In this high-energy and insight-packed conversation with Anthony Pierri, co-founder of Fletch PMM, a product marketing consultancy that has helped more than 400 venture-backed B2B startups clarify their product positioning and bring it to life on their homepages.

Anthony shares his winding “nerd origin story” from aspirin...

Congratulations to the winners of the GoodReads ebook giveaway.

I'm honored that almost 800 people signed up to read Be a Nerd That Talks Good!

If you received one of the free copies, I look forward to reading your reviews.

If you didn't win, that's okay. I hope you can get your hands on a copy.

I'm also opening up my Author Inbox to answer questions to help you become a nerd that talks good!

EP025: Cut the Bullshit, Keep Believing with Guy KawasakiThis is a special video episode! Listen to audio above or watch the video below.Episode Summary:

In this episode of Nerds That Talk Good, we sit down with tech evangelist, author, and Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki to unpack what it really means to make people believe in your big idea. From his early days evangelizing the Macintosh at Apple to empowering the non-technical with Canva, Guy reveals how true influence d...

EP024: Take Your Content From Borrowed Attention to Owned Authority with Matthew RawleEpisode Summary:

In this empowering episode of Nerds That Talk Good, Joel sits down with Matthew Rawle, an owned-media consultant who helps B2B consultants build newsletters and podcasts that drive trust, pipeline, and authority—without relying on the algorithm.

They dive deep into the difference between rented attention and true audience ownership, break down the long game of content creation, and...

You don’t need more ideas. You need a message systemBuilding a Messaging System (That Doesn’t Suck)

Because duct-taping taglines together isn’t a strategy.

If you’ve ever sat in a conference room (or more likely a Zoom meeting) watching your team try to jam a mission statement, some scattered value props, and a few KPI slides into a homepage headline—this one’s for you.

Messaging isn’t about copywriting. Not at first.

It’s about alignment. It’s about coherence.

And alignment is a system problem—not a...

EP023: Algorithms, Activism, & the Cost of Eggs, Political Psychology with AbbyEpisode Summary:

In this thoughtful and engaging conversation, Joel sits down with Abby, creator of Political Psychology with Abby, a YouTube channel that brings evidence-based political psychology to life for curious learners, activists, and everyone trying to make sense of modern political behavior.

Abby shares her nerd origin story—from growing up with a physicist mom and a jury consultant dad, to diving...

EP022: Kintsugi to Cognitive Biases with Re:Mind Creator Juan CarlosEpisode Summary:

In this reflective and inspiring episode of Nerds That Talk Good, Juan Carlos joins Joel to unpack the power of mental models as tools for strategic thinking, healing, and personal growth. A former indie filmmaker turned nonprofit founder and product strategist, Juan shares how his journey through creativity, collapse, and clarity led him to develop Re:Mind—a mental model card deck and companion app that...

EP021: Don’t Mix Bleach & Bullsh*t with Chem ThugEpisode Summary:

This episode is pure chemistry—bonded with brains and humor. Joel interviews Chem Thug—a PhD chemist, science communicator, and internet-famous explainer of all things chemical and practical. With a loyal following across TikTok, YouTube, and beyond, Chem Thug is known for translating complex science into everyday logic, debunking viral pseudoscience, and reminding the world that science is as much about curiosity as it is...