#305: Big 3: Three Wins, Three Concerns, and Three Experiments for May

#305: Big 3: Three Wins, Three Concerns, and Three Experiments for May

Author: Jay Clouse May 19, 2026 Duration: 35:49
Every month inside the Lab, I do a full retrospective: wins, concerns, experiments, with all the numbers on the table. I've never felt comfortable putting the whole thing out publicly, but I do think the practice itself is worth sharing. So this episode is my lightweight version: three big wins from April, three things I'm genuinely worried about heading into May, and three experiments I'm kicking off. I'm also testing a new name for this format: the Big Three. April was, by most measures, a really good month. A baby boy on the way, the biggest partnership deal I've ever signed, and a speaking slot at Press Publish LA. But sitting alongside all of that is a real anxiety: I'm watching my audience pull back, sales slowing, people tightening up. And I'm rebuilding a lot of the business simultaneously, too. This episode is me thinking out loud about all of it. The Lab — Creator Science membership community Circle — community platform powering the Lab Press Publish LA — Colin & Samir's creator event, late May Build a Beloved Membership — Jay's membership course (cohort coming July) Full transcript and show notes *** TIMESTAMPS (00:14) Introducing the lightweight retro format ("the Big Three") (01:38) Win #1: Baby boy on the way — and what it means for the next six months (04:28) Win #2: Biggest partnership deal ever — Circle for the rest of the year (06:03) Win #3: Speaking at Press Publish LA (07:24) Concern #1: The oxygen mask moment — slowing sales and audience withdrawal (09:47) "Give where it hurts" — the counter-intuitive move in uncertain times (13:41) Concern #2: Rebuilding the business from the ground up (18:56) Concern #3: Are we trying to do too much? (19:25) Experiment #1: Building out the team (Ana, Ritzy, and Tubey in Slack) (27:46) Experiment #2: The Membership Summit (June 23–26) + cohort in July (30:41) Experiment #3: A new AI-forward product model, piloting inside the Lab first *** RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE #291: 48 Hours With Clawdbot: How I’m Using It and Initial Reactions *** ASK CREATOR SCIENCE Submit your question here *** WHEN YOU'RE READY 📬 Creator Science Newsletter 🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system) 🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community) 🧞 Get a Personalized Offer *** CONNECT 🐦 Connect on Twitter 📸 Connect on Instagram 💼 Connect on LinkedIn 📹 Subscribe on YouTube *** SPONSORS 💼 View all sponsors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For anyone trying to build something meaningful online, the sheer volume of advice can be paralyzing. Creator Science cuts through that noise with a focus on what’s proven, not just popular. Host Jay Clouse sits down with a different builder each week-think James Clear, Ali Abdaal, Tim Urban, or Codie Sanchez-for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like a practical workshop. They dig into the specific systems, experiments, and mental models that have driven real growth in their businesses. You won’t just hear inspirational stories; you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the iteration and observation that actually moves the needle. This isn't about quick hacks. It's about developing a sustainable, evidence-backed approach to creative work, which is why this podcast has become a trusted resource for so many. Each episode is built to give you a tangible strategy or framework you can test, making the weekly listen a consistent source of actionable insight for your own path as a creator.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Creator Science with Jay Clouse
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