ESO Network, Have Coffee Will Travel

Bees, Bills and YouTube Thrills

☕ Episode 49: Bees, Bills and YouTube Thrills

This episode starts where a lot of conversations seem to live these days—YouTube.

We dig into the world of influencers and content creators. Some are making amazing stuff. Others? Not so much. When you have to post to stay relevant, even the most mundane moments become “content.” We wonder out loud: has influencing gone too far… or is this just the new normal?

Somewhere between algorithms and authenticity, we try to figure out where we fit in.

That leads into Shawn launching a brand new YouTube channel: The Long Way Around (@thelongwayshow). It’s a fresh start, a new direction, and—like everything online these days—a bit of an experiment. If you like what we do, this is your gentle nudge to go hit subscribe. Every click helps more than you think.

Meanwhile, real life doesn’t pause for content creation.

Leah is starting a new part-time job this week. Her foot care business is still growing, and this extra income will help keep things steady while she builds it up. It’s one of those practical, necessary steps that doesn’t get talked about enough—the in-between phase where dreams and bills have to coexist.

And speaking of busy schedules… we’ve got bees to pick up. In about a month, we’re heading south to grab a starter nuc for Leah’s new backyard hive. Yes, actual bees. It’s exciting, a little intimidating, and definitely a step into something completely new.

From bees, we somehow find our way back to YouTube—and then into LEGO. We watched a video about a daughter selling her late father’s LEGO collection. The estimated value? $165,000. That sparks a whole conversation about collecting, nostalgia, and why tiny plastic bricks still have a hold on us even now. We talk about the sets we love, the ones we want, and how hard it is to let go of “cool stuff”… even when you’re trying to simplify your life.

Because let’s be honest—decluttering is a lot harder when everything you own has a story.

We also revisit our old podcast, The Soul Forge. Even though it ended in 2024, it somehow pulled in 900 downloads last month—more than it ever did while we were actively making it. Go figure. The internet works in mysterious ways.

That leads us into creating and reading a brand-new promo for Have Coffee Will Travel, because apparently our network overlords require fresh promos every six months. So yes… we comply. (But we make it fun.)

We wrap things up with Etsy updates. Leah’s shop has been picking up steam lately—outperforming Shawn’s this past month, which we’re absolutely fine with… mostly.

🎙️ In This Episode:

The reality of YouTube influencers and content burnout
Launching The Long Way Around
Balancing passion projects with paying the bills
Leah’s new job and growing her business
Road trip plans to pick up bees 🐝
A $165K LEGO collection and why we still love it
The struggle of letting go of “stuff”
Unexpected success from The Soul Forge
Recording a brand-new podcast promo
Etsy wins (and friendly competition)

🚐 Final Sip

Life right now is a mix of building, rebuilding, and figuring things out as we go. Whether it’s YouTube, bees, or just paying the bills, we’re taking the long way—and learning a lot along the way.

This week’s podcast promo: Monkeeing Around