We’ve tried this a few times now, but this one actually felt different.
The first attempt was just me and Luke. For a first pass, it went surprisingly well. Good chemistry, no tech issues, and a solid flow. But we walked away from that session feeling like something was just missing. We didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, it was Kat.
The second session? The full team showed up, but everything else fell apart. The mics didn’t charge. The cameras overheated. One tripod leg made a full cameo in the shot. Audio syncing was a disaster. We got through it, but just barely.
This time? Big step forward.
We came into Sunday’s shoot more prepared than ever. Every camera had a secure mount. Every mic was charged, with backups. We ran two four-person lapel mic setups to cover all angles. The energy felt different. Everyone was more grounded. The conversation flowed. I was way more relaxed. Kat was locked in. Luke came in strong. For the first time, it felt like we were actually filming a podcast, not just trying to hold one together.
That said, we’re still learning, and we have a ways to go.
We forgot to hit record on the GoPro, our main center camera, at the start. We realized it quickly, before the conversation really got going, so quick fix, but still a miss. And somewhere between setup and rolling, the GoPro must’ve gotten bumped. I was perfectly framed on the left, but Kat’s front shoulder slipped off screen on the right, especially when she leaned back. Not enough to junk the footage, but it’s noticeable. One of those things I’m sure we’ll laugh about later.
And after just over an hour of consistent recording, which, compared to the 7 to 9 minute chunks we got last time, felt like a win in itself, the GoPro overheated and shut off. We were maybe five minutes from wrapping. We restarted it and hit record, but it froze about fifteen seconds in and never captured the close.
Thankfully, my S24 Ultra was still running. I was facing it. It had its own mic. And the final segment came through clean. That wasn’t the plan , but I’m glad we had the foresight to run multiple cameras and double up the mics.
I didn’t really write this to dig into what we discussed in the episode. I’ll share more on that later. This one’s more about the process. About the build-up. About what it took just to get to a place where we could hit record and walk away with something tangible.
Final Thoughts
We’re not quite ready to drop the episode. We want to take our time to dial in the editing, not just for this one, but for every episode that follows.
But this was a big milestone. The first full shoot that worked. Not flawless, but solid. We’ve got usable footage, cleaner sound, and a team that’s getting stronger every time we sit down together.
Compared to where we started, it’s night and day.
The lights are on. The team is in place.
And the future’s looking bright.
Yeah… I gotta wear shades.
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About the Author
James Farias is the founder and co-host of The Other Side of Strong, a podcast exploring what strength really means in 2025, beyond image, ego, or empty flex.
He’s a father of six, a business owner, and a man who’s rebuilt himself from the inside out. With over 30 years of leadership experience, James creates space for conversations that most people never get to have about growth, grit, fatherhood, failure, and the warpath to becoming someone worth following.
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