Truthache

Our relationship is built on trust, and sometimes it’s candy-coated.
In this episode of Raw Truth, Carrie Herndon, Daniel’s wife, talks about how she expects the raw truth, even when it hurts. But the guys point out that sometimes the truth hurts, and it’s easier to say that everything is going to be okay, even when you don’t know that it is. This recording was captured after an episode that we didn’t even release (it wasn’t that good), but after we ended the episode, the real conversation started.
We talked about how hard it is to serve your family when things get tough, and how sometimes honesty has qualifications. Carrie doesn’t agree.
About The Guest:
Carrie is an owner and administrator at HRNDN, LLC, a brand strategy agency, and as it turns out, a coworker in life to one of our hosts.
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://airaa.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/ 
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

About whether poverty is a choice or a trap, and how it impacts some people permanently. We open by discussing what people care about discussing – you know, to try to figure out how to make a good podcast. After not getting anywhere, we get into a discussion about social class and whether you can move from the poverty class to a more thriving middle class or better. Does it take determination, or is that not enough for some people?
We talk about underpaid jobs, supportive communities, growing up with lack, the word “moxie,” and what it takes to make a better life for yourself. This gets us into the dart theory – the notion that some people only have so many shots to create a better life, and if you’re starting out from a deficit, that may not be enough. This leads to Daniel revealing what he believes is the perfect ripeness of a banana and why. We realize we see this quite differently, not just bananas, but also poverty, and whether we should do anything about it.
About The Guest:
Chris Handberg is a non-profit operations consultant with the Handberg group. Find him at https://www.thehandberggroup.com/.
Mentioned in this episode:
Naturally, we talked about The Lorem Ipsum, and in particular, this issue, which was the original inspiration for today’s topic, which we did not get to at all: https://danielkherndon.com/mystic-waves/.
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://airaa.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/ 
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

Can Zohran Mamdani bring socialism to the USA? If he gets his way in New York City, will it work?
We talk about ghosts and whether we believe in them, but that’s not the only thing supernatural we talk about. We also cover the possible next Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and his three big policy ideas.
Free Busses
Freezing Rent
Civilian Corp Policing 
Can Mamdami usher in a new culture of acceptance of socialist ideas? More importantly, where will New York City be if he manages to implement his policy proposals?
About The Guest:
Chris Handberg is a non-profit operations consultant with the Handberg group. Find him at https://www.thehandberggroup.com/.
Mentioned in this episode:
“Mamdani’s Ideas Hurt Everyone but the Rich” https://www.thefp.com/p/mamdanis-ideas-hurt-everyone-but 
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://airaa.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/ 
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

After the No Kings protest, we’ve been thinking about what good leadership looks like in business and government. When do we trust the experts, and when is it time for the veteran leaders to step aside? Do we want new blood or generational wisdom?
Andrew Soley joins us to talk about how he sees leadership in his line of work, and what that tells us about leadership in the world around us. He also brought a bottle of bourbon (from a brand that is not a sponsor), which means we are set for the next two episodes without having to tap into Daniel’s studio stash. This is going to be great!
We talk about the positives and negatives of term limits, whether CEOs and middle managers need to bring their years of experience, balanced against when they need to bring in new talent to introduce energy and fresh ideas.
About The Guest:
Andrew Soley is a territory rep at SanMar. Find him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-soley-452333a7/ 
Mentioned in this episode:
Economist interview with Steve Banon: https://www.economist.com/insider/the-insider/inside-the-mind-of-maga-a-conversation-with-steve-bannon 
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://airaa.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

Does sending troops to US cities create chaos or put a stop to it? 
Truthache explores how to create chaos, which we do all too well on this podcast. We discuss the broken window theory, which says that one small act can create disorder and spread amongst everyday people, regardless of their culture, socioeconomic background, or geography, and we talk about how that might apply to the issues of the day.
In this episode, we talk about the tensions in Chicago and Portland (did we mention Aaron was from Portland?), among other US cities where the Trump administration has sent troops to quell protests and tamp down crime. We talk about the question of whether it’s a good move or a bad one, and discuss, based on a study conducted in the late 1960s, that suggests that once the rules are broken a little, people will break them a lot. 
As you can expect, Aaron points to a conspiracy, while Daniel says Trump is threatening civil order and First Amendment rights, and Michael says we should all just get along. It’s a riveting episode, and moods are up in our new studio space in Indianapolis.  
Mentioned in this episode:
"How to Lose a Democracy" Sam Harris episode with Damon Linker: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/439-how-to-lose-a-democracy
Instagram post about Phillip Zambardo study: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPmXRstDIdX/?img_index=10&igsh=ZmY1bW84YXVpdHoz
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://airaa.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/
Michael Salemi: 
https://colored-threads.com

Fertility Rates, being a good dad and the changing traditional values.
In this episode we talk about the difference between urban vs. rural perspectives, the power of listening, and balancing order with freedom. They touch on personal safety, community dynamics, and when stricter rules—like in crises—might actually help, all while stressing open dialogue to bridge divides and maintain civility in chaotic times.
Have you ever wondered if a brush with danger could shift your views, or how it might shape your kids' outlook years later? What sparks real understanding in debates across different lifestyles? Is there a time when authority does more good than harm, like during health emergencies? Could capping time in power lead to fresher, fairer decisions? The episode ends with the crew teasing Aaron's lengthy tangents, as Michael relays fan quips: "Who's this Aaron guy who talks so much?"
If you like what you hear, visit us at https://truthachepodcast.com or subscribe to "Truthache: The Podcast in the Room" on your favorite podcast platform.
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas
https://airaa.org
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

From suit and tie to sneakers and jeans, the world has become more casual, and no one has manners anymore. What flimsy doilies will we be wearing in 25 years? Is this the beginning of the end?
Fabian Rodriguez joins us to talk about his role as a Lu Lu Lemon Ambassador and pickle baller wearing shorts and still claiming to be professional. 
We explore the erosion of traditional social norms in an increasingly casual world, where formal attire like suits and ties has given way to everyday staples such as sneakers and jeans. This shift may reflect broader cultural changes, which prompts questions about whether manners are becoming obsolete and what unconventional or minimalist fashion choices do for our lives and what they say about decorum. 
Fabian, as an ambassador for the athletic apparel brand, embodies the "sweatlife" philosophy—emphasizing sweat, growth, and community connections through active pursuits and comfort with an F bomb. Should the prevalence of more comfortable attire and more frequent swearing challenge outdated codes? And while we're talking about that, why is it that we all feel that we have to practice this decorum, but in Washington, no such practice of civility seems to exist? We talk about what we think about it.
 
More about Fabian and Culture Collaborative: 
https://www.culturecollaborativemedia.com/
About The Hosts:
Daniel Herndon: 
HRNDN.com
danielkherndon.com
Aaron Douglas:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/ 
https://airaa.org
Michael Salemi:
https://colored-threads.com

What was it like in the days approaching the Third Reich? Are there parallels between today and then, or are some of us overreacting?
In this episode of Truthache, hosts Daniel Herndon, Aaron Douglas, and Michael Salemi tackle politics, power, and division, from urban-rural voting splits and cancel culture hypocrisy to media manipulation and government overreach in COVID and censorship debates. They draw parallels between Trump's strategies, Project 2025, and Hitler's 1930s rise in Germany, questioning if we're heading toward authoritarianism amid cycles of chaos versus civilization.
Have you ever wondered if a gun-rights advocate like Charlie Kirk, if shot, would rethink their views—or if their kids would decades later? What fuels media hoaxes like the "fine people" narrative that shaped campaigns? Is authoritarianism justified in crises, from vaccine mandates to cracking down on perceived threats? Could term limits end lifelong politicians exploiting constitutional loopholes? The episode wraps with the hosts ribbing Aaron's long rants, as Michael notes listeners asking, "Who's this Aaron guy who talks so much?"
Learn more about the hosts:
Daniel Herndon https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielherndon/
Aaron Douglas https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronddouglas/
Michael Salemi https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-salemi-40b54b16/
If you like what you hear, visit us at https://truthachepodcast.com or subscribe to "Truthache: The Podcast in the Room" on your favorite podcast platform.

Is America still the land of opportunity? We discuss what it takes to make it in business and career.What does it take to pivot from a nuclear engineer in Russia to a designer in America, or from a dentist in India to restarting credentials in Indianapolis while holding down a government job in Florida? What kind of resilience turns refugees into thriving entrepreneurs, banding together in multi-generational homes to build businesses from scratch? And finally, is America still the ultimate land of opportunity where ambition trumps all—or are we just one overpriced beer in Canada away from packing it in? On a lighter note, one host confesses he's only politely told a customer to pound sand once in decades of business, proving even winners sometimes bite their tongue.
In this episode, hosts Michael Salemi, Daniel Herndon, and Aaron Douglas dive into the raw realities of success and failure in America, debating winners, losers, and contenders in a cutthroat economy. They explore business adaptability amid disruptions like COVID, AI's role in reshaping jobs and treating agents like employees, and the immigrant hustle that fuels innovation—from Asian families pooling resources for liquor stores to Europeans navigating visa hurdles for a fresh start. Touching on healthcare woes, family values eroded by individualism, and why no one truly "deserves" a win without earning it, the conversation celebrates America's unique ethos of opportunity while questioning if we've forgotten the communal grit that built it.
If you like what you hear, visit us at https://truthachepodcast.com or subscribe to "Truthache: The Podcast in the Room" on your favorite podcast platform.

Exploring Wealth, Faith, and Moral Capitalism.
Daniel, Michael, and Aaron sit down with guest Frank Eagan to discuss a wide array of topics revolving around wealth, faith, and moral capitalism. The conversation delves into whether billionaires are necessary, the role of moral capitalism in society, and the intersection of faith and wealth. Frank shares insights on his work with the Fortune Institute at Marian University, which aims to teach moral capitalism and civic engagement. This episode also touches on the societal impact of trades versus college education, the philanthropic spirit, and personal anecdotes on giving and generosity. Join us for a compelling discussion that challenges common perceptions about wealth and morality.
 
00:00 Introduction and Initial Banter
00:26 Questioning the Need for Billionaires
02:09 Introducing the Guest: Frank Egan
03:03 Frank's Career Journey and Fundraising Insights
04:10 Discussing Wealth, Faith, and Fundraising Strategies
12:44 The Role of Billionaires in Society
22:31 Debating Moral Capitalism
27:56 Bitterness Towards Success
28:43 Changing Views on Wealth
30:00 The Value of Trades
31:29 Moral Capitalism Debate
36:41 Philanthropy and Wealth
51:36 Personal Stories of Wealth
01:00:17 Concluding Thoughts