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Full Stack Founders

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by Mike Bledsoe & Ted Phaeton

10 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview

For operator-founders building for the AI era. Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaeton host. Mike's been an entrepreneur for 19 years: Navy veteran, built CrossFit gyms, Barbell Shrugged, a SaaS product for operators, and now consults operators rebuilding their businesses around AI. Ted's earlier on the path. Part of the show is Mike mentoring him through the conversation in public. The rest is keeping the audience up to speed on what AI is actually doing to the game in real time. When there are guests, they're operators worth having in the room. When there aren't, Ted drives the questions. Usually the ones most operators won't ask out loud. They walk through the work together. Most business podcasts are entertainment for operators pretending to build something. This one is for the ones actually building. No guru energy. No performance. Two operators thinking out loud about what ownership actually requires now. New episodes every Tuesday.

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Publishing Since

5/16/2026

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Recent Episodes

Episode thumbnail for $343 a Month for a Family of 5: The Health Insurance Play Founders Don't Know

June 10, 2026

$343 a Month for a Family of 5: The Health Insurance Play Founders Don't Know

<p dir="ltr">Mike Bledsoe paid $80,000 for a hernia surgery. His friend got the same surgery for $5,000 in cash. That's the entire game.</p> <p dir="ltr">Michael Caz, founder of ShareWise and producer at Virtuous Benefits, walks Mike and Ted through what most operator-founders don't know about US health insurance — and the alternative that costs a family of five $343 a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The conversation goes deep on why insurance companies want prices to go up, what a "Charge Master price" actually is, why United Healthcare's denial rate is 33% and CrowdHealth's is less than 1%, how Pharmacy Benefit Managers hide 40% of Big Insurance's profits, and the 100x markup on drugs like Ozempic.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you're a self-employed founder, a business owner running 6 to 7 figures, or a W-2 employee staying at a job you hate just for the benefits — this one's for you.</p> <p dir="ltr">Key insights from this episode:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Why the average healthy founder is overpaying $5,000–$10,000 a year on insurance</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The Charge Master scam: how hospitals anchor a fake $80K price to negotiate with insurance</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Why insurance companies are incentivized to RAISE healthcare prices, not lower them</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The denial rate gap: 33% at United Healthcare vs. less than 1% at CrowdHealth</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">What a health share plan actually is (and the two waiting-period rules that make it work)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">How a family of five can pay $343/month for healthcare instead of $1,800</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Chapters:</p> <p dir="ltr">00:00 What the fuck are we even paying for </p> <p dir="ltr">01:00 Welcome to Full Stack Founders </p> <p dir="ltr">02:20 The health insurance war zone for the self-employed</p> <p dir="ltr">04:34 Michael's ACA marketplace nightmare </p> <p dir="ltr">07:00 How Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Big Hospital actually work together </p> <p dir="ltr">09:49 The healthcare system isn't broken. It's working perfectly. </p> <p dir="ltr">11:18 Why the healthy are subsidizing the sick </p> <p dir="ltr">13:00 Why insurance companies want prices to go up </p> <p dir="ltr">15:17 The $80K hernia surgery that costs $5K in cash </p> <p dir="ltr">16:33 The Charge Master scam: how hospital pricing actually works</p> <p dir="ltr"> 17:32 What a health share plan actually is </p> <p dir="ltr">20:08 $343 a month for a family of five </p> <p dir="ltr">21:00 The waiting period and the pre-existing condition rule</p> <p dir="ltr">27:48 PBMs: how Big Insurance hides 40% of profits </p> <p dir="ltr">29:14 The 100x Ozempic markup </p> <p dir="ltr">31:44 Why insurance should be like car insurance </p> <p dir="ltr">33:36 33% denial rate vs. less than 1% 36:07 Inside CrowdHealth's transparency model </p> <p dir="ltr">40:01 The personal responsibility clause </p> <p dir="ltr">44:28 What a health share covers (pregnancy, midwives, travel) </p> <p dir="ltr">49:09 How to pick the right plan as a founder </p> <p dir="ltr">51:08 ShareWise vs. Virtuous Benefits </p> <p dir="ltr">54:50 Where to find the marketplace </p> <p dir="ltr">55:30 Ted's recap and gems</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Where does this fit in the Stack? This episode focuses on OUTPUT. To learn how to integrate this into your daily leadership practice, take our free training "See The Game" inside the Full Stack community: <a href= "https://www.skool.com/the-mission-after-2227/about?ref=12e63552edce482b85cc08369565c495"> https://www.skool.com/</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Connect with Michael Caz: ShareWise (the health share marketplace): <a href= "https://www.sharewize.com/about">https://www.sharewize.com/about</a></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Ted: </p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://www.themodernmanpodcast.com/">www.themodernmanpodcast.com</a></p> <p dir="ltr">X: <a href= "https://x.com/TheModernMan8">TheModernMan8</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyA3-wtyv7xVqUbPyB0eOg">The Modern Man Podcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/themodernmanpodcast/">themodernmanpodcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Facebook: <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/TheModernManShow">TheModernManShow</a></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Mike: </p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://bledsoe.life/">bledsoe.life</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@MikeBledsoe">@MikeBledsoe</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/mike_bledsoe/">@mike_bledsoe</a></p> <p> </p>

Episode thumbnail for Local AI Agent Architecture for Executive Leverage (The Sovereign Folder Protocol)

June 6, 2026

Local AI Agent Architecture for Executive Leverage (The Sovereign Folder Protocol)

<p dir="ltr">Most 7-figure founders are running multi-million-dollar output on completely bloated, rented hardware. They spend 40 to 60+ hours a week trapped in manual administrative drag, typing prompts into platform-hosted web apps like ChatGPT or Claude.ai, completely unaware of the structural risk. If the platform goes down, shifts its rules, or raises pricing, your entire digital workforce vanishes.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this tactical masterclass, Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaeton deconstruct how to move your AI systems from "rented" web apps to a local, "owned" digital workforce sitting right on your hard drive. Using Claude Cowork and a sovereign local folder directory, Mike shares how he built an autonomous "Content Ecosystem Pipeline"—going from a simple desire to post on Instagram to a fully automated distribution machine that writes emails, schedules social posts, and safely filters client data while he sleeps.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you are tired of the hustle, sick of manual copy-paste loops, and ready to install true system architecture in your business, this is your blueprint.</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">00:00 - Why Platform-Locked AI is a Severe Risk to Your IP</p> <p dir="ltr">01:50 - The Sovereign Alternative: Local Files vs. Rented Chat Sidebars</p> <p dir="ltr">02:51 - Chat vs. Agent: The True Definition of Autonomous Execution</p> <p dir="ltr">04:53 - The Harvard Grad Metaphor: Why Models Fail Without Native SOPs</p> <p dir="ltr">06:55 - The 5 Core Components of a Sovereign AI Agent</p> <p dir="ltr">07:59 - The Bloated Prompt Mistake: How to Separate Skill from Memory</p> <p dir="ltr">10:27 - Re-Architecting Local Folders: The Claude Cowork Folder Blueprint</p> <p dir="ltr">13:20 - The 10-Hour System Clean-Up Rule (How to Clear the "System RAM")</p> <p dir="ltr">15:31 - System Scope Creep: From a Simple IG Post to an Entire Pipeline</p> <p dir="ltr">19:57 - The "One Transcript" Pipeline (LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Email)</p> <p dir="ltr">22:24 - Compliance & Safety: How the Local Tagger Strips Client Data</p> <p dir="ltr">27:07 - Why.ai Web Skills Fail (and Why You Need Local.md Files)</p> <p dir="ltr">30:17 - Reducing Token Spend: Streamlining Your Master Claude.md File</p> <p dir="ltr">36:19 - The Brand Architect Framework: Distilling Complex Industry Frameworks</p> <p dir="ltr">44:53 - API Integrations: Connecting Kit, GHL, and Skool Natively</p> <p dir="ltr">52:04 - The Death of SaaS: Why Consolidated Local Systems are Replacing Reposters</p> <p dir="ltr">58:51 - Tracking State: Managing a 120-Step Business Rebuild Natively</p> <p dir="ltr">01:01:08 - System Sovereignty: Buying Back Your Temporal Currency</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p>Where does this fit in the Stack? This episode focuses on OUTPUT. To learn how to integrate this into your daily leadership practice, take our free training "See The Game" inside the Full Stack community: <a href= "https://www.skool.com/the-mission-after-2227/about?ref=12e63552edce482b85cc08369565c495"> https://www.skool.com/the-mission-after-2227/about?ref=12e63552edce482b85cc08369565c495</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Ted: </p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://www.themodernmanpodcast.com/">www.themodernmanpodcast.com</a></p> <p dir="ltr">X: <a href= "https://x.com/TheModernMan8">TheModernMan8</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyA3-wtyv7xVqUbPyB0eOg">The Modern Man Podcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/themodernmanpodcast/">themodernmanpodcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Facebook: <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/TheModernManShow">TheModernManShow</a></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Mike: </p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://bledsoe.life/">bledsoe.life</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@MikeBledsoe">@MikeBledsoe</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/mike_bledsoe/">@mike_bledsoe</a><strong id="docs-internal-guid-45021d08-7fff-45d6-cc08-c151f37a8a61"></strong></p>

Episode thumbnail for Why Your AI Dashboard is a "Ferrari Without an Engine" (The Output of Success)

June 5, 2026

Why Your AI Dashboard is a "Ferrari Without an Engine" (The Output of Success)

<p dir="ltr">Most founders are running 7-figure output on "bloated" code and hollow dashboards. You've seen the "Jarvis" setups and the high-end interfaces, but if your AI isn't connected to the functional mechanics of your business, you just have a Ferrari idling in the driveway. </p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode, Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaeton break down the massive market gap in AI adoption and why most leaders are burning their most valuable resource, time, on systems that look good but don't move.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chapters:</p> <p dir="ltr">0:00 - Intro Hook: The Ferrari in the Driveway </p> <p dir="ltr">0:52 - Insights from Austin's Claude Code Day </p> <p dir="ltr">8:26 - Why Your Dashboard is Lying to You </p> <p dir="ltr">15:04 - Dashboard vs. Mission Control: Actually Flying the Plane </p> <p dir="ltr">20:50 - The Token Economy: Why You're Running Out of Gas</p> <p dir="ltr">26:30 - The 200-Line Rule: Architecting Niche AI Skills </p> <p dir="ltr">34:55 - Scaling through Delegation: The CMO Agent Model</p> <p dir="ltr">40:30 - How to Use Handoff Docs to Avoid System "Compaction" </p> <p dir="ltr">53:47 - The Maintenance Tax: Why AI is Not "Set and Forget."</p> <p dir="ltr">1:01:48 - The Future of Compute: Will GPU Prices Kill Your ROI? </p> <p dir="ltr">1:09:18 - Full Stack Recap: Building for Sovereignty </p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Where does this fit in the Stack? </strong></p> <p>This episode focuses on OUTPUT and HARDWARE. To learn how to integrate these systems into your daily leadership practice and unlearn the rules of the "hustle" economy, take our free training "See The Game" inside the Full Stack community<strong id= "docs-internal-guid-bf7de0e0-7fff-0390-f85b-41512eb132f1">: </strong><a href="https://www.skool.com/the-mission-after-2227/about?ref=12e63552edce482b85cc08369565c495">www.skool.com</a></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Follow Ted: </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://www.themodernmanpodcast.com/">www.themodernmanpodcast.com</a></p> <p dir="ltr">X: <a href= "https://x.com/TheModernMan8">TheModernMan8</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyA3-wtyv7xVqUbPyB0eOg">The Modern Man Podcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/themodernmanpodcast/">themodernmanpodcast</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Facebook: <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/TheModernManShow">TheModernManShow</a></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Follow Mike: </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href= "https://bledsoe.life/">bledsoe.life</a></p> <p dir="ltr">YouTube: <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@MikeBledsoe">@MikeBledsoe</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Instagram:  <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/mike_bledsoe/">@mike_bledsoe</a></p> <p><strong id= "docs-internal-guid-c94952eb-7fff-5b1c-0f39-906c01fdee83"><br /> <br /></strong>#FullStackLeadership #AIBusiness #MissionControl #Sovereignty #CEO #Scaling #EstablishedFounders #HumanOperatingSystem<strong id= "docs-internal-guid-c94952eb-7fff-5b1c-0f39-906c01fdee83"><br /> <br /></strong></p>

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What is Full Stack Founders?

For operator-founders building for the AI era.

Mike Bledsoe and Ted Phaeton host. Mike's been an entrepreneur for 19 years: Navy veteran, built CrossFit gyms, Barbell Shrugged, a SaaS product for operators, and now consults operators rebuilding their businesses around AI. Ted's earlier on the path. Part of the show is Mike mentoring him through the conversation in public. The rest is keeping the audience up to speed on what AI is actually doing to the game in real time.

When there are guests, they're operators worth having in the room. When there aren't, Ted drives the questions. Usually the ones most operators won't ask out loud. They walk through the work together.

Most business podcasts are entertainment for operators pretending to build something. This one is for the ones actually building.

No guru energy. No performance. Two operators thinking out loud about what ownership actually requires now.

New episodes every Tuesday.

How often does this podcast release new episodes?

This podcast updates daily.

Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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