Well, well, well, my friends, I bet you didn't expect to see me pop up in your feed.

Let's get back to it.

It's Matthew Vela here and welcome back to the Ground Up show.

I'm back to doing my podcast again for the first time in five years.

Holy shit.

So much has changed over that time. I started the ground up show before I started

my YouTube channel. It was one of the first pieces of original content I created when I made the leap

from being a freelancer back in 2017. The ground up show was really a pivotal chapter in my

creative journey as it blended my passion

for storytelling with a platform to connect with inspiring individuals.

Through this podcast, I explored the lives and mindsets of creators, entrepreneurs, and thought

leaders who were building something meaningful from the ground up.

For me, it was more than just a podcast.

It was really a story of personal growth.

It gave me the opportunity to dive into topics like overcoming self-doubt, mastering habits,

and pursuing a purposeful life. Each conversation left me with insights that helped to shape my approach to work in creativity,

while also helping me refine my skills as an interviewer and storyteller.

Listeners of The Ground Up Show have often shared how these conversations resonated with them,

providing practical advice and a sense of camaraderie for anyone navigating the messy middle

of their own journeys. It was a wild time, one that got me to interview people who helped

to shape my own journey, from those who helped me understand personal finance like Ramit Sadie,

or those who taught me how to be more intentional with how I

...