I Almost Quit 5 Times. Then We Hit 1,000,000 Downloads.
The real story isn’t the number. It’s the moments of near-failure, the pivots, and the relentless refusal to quit that got us here.
We just passed one million downloads of the Finding Peak podcast.
It’s a hell of a number.
A number I couldn’t have imagined when I hit ‘publish’ on the very first episode back in 2019.
If you are one of that million, thank you.
Truly. Your attention is the most valuable currency in the world, and you’ve chosen to spend some of it with me. I don’t take that lightly.
But this essay isn’t about the number. Vanity metrics are a trap.
This is about the brutal, ugly, and ultimately beautiful journey behind the number.
This is the story of the five times I was ready to kill this podcast…
The Grind is the Glory
Over 400 episodes since 2019.
That’s a lot of reps. A lot of conversations. A lot of hours behind the mic when no one was listening.
…and that’s the part no one talks about. The Dip.
That period Seth Godin writes about where you’re putting in the work, but the growth chart is a flat line.
The months where you’re shipping episodes into the void, and the silence is deafening.
The moments you ask yourself, “Why am I even doing this? Does anyone care?”
That’s the crucible.
It’s where most podcasts die.
It’s where most businesses die.
It’s where most dreams die.
It’s the point where the initial excitement has worn off, but the results haven’t shown up yet. It’s the gap between effort and evidence.
Pushing through that stagnation—that’s the whole game.
It’s the embodiment of what we talk about on this show: discipline, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of turning chaos into clarity.
The decision to keep going when it would be easier to quit is the only decision that matters.
The Five Times I Almost Quit
Success is a highlight reel. The grind is the full movie, and it’s mostly deleted scenes. Here are five of mine.
1) The Identity Crisis (Getting Fired)
The podcast started as a peak performance and fitness narrative because I was the CEO of a fitness franchise, Metabolic Meltdown.
It was my identity.
When I was fired, the show’s entire premise evaporated overnight. I wasn’t that guy anymore.
Who was I to talk about peak performance?
The imposter syndrome was deafening.
I almost quit because I thought the story was over.
2) The Time Scarcity Trap (Founding Rogue Risk)
After the firing, I went all-in on my next venture, Rogue Risk.
Every entrepreneur knows this feeling: you are a man on a mission, and anything that doesn’t directly contribute to that mission feels like a distraction.
The podcast was a time suck.
It was hours of recording and editing that could have been spent on sales calls or system development.
I almost quit because I didn’t think I had the time.
3) The COVID Chaos
When the world went insane in 2020, I had no idea what to say.
The narrative was chaotic, polarized, and dangerous.
People were getting canceled for breathing too loud.
How could I add value without getting swept into the outrage machine?
It felt impossible to be productive, and the risk of saying the wrong thing felt enormous.
I almost quit because I didn’t know how to lead in the chaos.
4) The All-In Moment (Selling Rogue Risk)
When the opportunity to sell Rogue Risk emerged, it demanded 100% of my focus.
An exit is not a passive event; it’s a full-contact sport that consumes your every waking moment.
The podcast was, once again, on the chopping block.
The deal was the priority.
Everything else was secondary.
I almost quit because the Rogue Risk mission required me to.
5) The Burnout & The Birth of Finding Peak
After the sale, I was free. But I was also burnt out.
I had spent years talking about insurance, and my creative well was dry. I couldn’t stomach the idea of recording another episode about the same topics.
This was the closest I ever came to actually pulling the plug.
But instead of quitting, I pivoted.
I killed “The Ryan Hanley Show” and rebranded to “Finding Peak.”
I changed the conversation from insurance to what I was truly obsessed with: power, leverage, and influence.
That final moment of near-failure became the catalyst for everything we are today.
The Conversations That Forged Us
These pivots were only possible because of the conversations that shaped the journey.
We didn’t get here alone.
The podcast was forged in the fire of conversations with some of the sharpest minds on the planet.
It started with Marcus Sheridan on communication. It was sharpened by iconoclasts like James Altucher and Carol Roth. It was humanized by leaders like Joey Coleman and Angus Reid. And it was optimized by brain-rewiring experts like John Assaraf.
These conversations, and hundreds more like them, are the bedrock of Finding Peak. They are the curriculum.
The Climb to 10 Million
One million was a milestone. Ten million is the mission.
Getting there requires a new level of commitment. An updated strategy.
It’s not about doing more of the same; it’s about being better.
Here’s the playbook:
Higher Profile Guests
We will continue to seek out and share the stories of the most impactful leaders, thinkers, and builders in the world.
The bar is being raised.
Better Post-Production
Your time is your most valuable asset.
We are investing in elevating the production quality to deliver a cleaner, tighter, more valuable listening experience.
Every second will count.
More Refined Value Proposition
We are doubling down on our core mission: providing the frameworks, systems, and processes that help leaders turn chaos into clarity.
No fluff. No filler. Just actionable intelligence.
More Audience Engagement
This can’t be a monologue.
The next phase is about building a true community of unreasonable people.
We will be creating more opportunities for you to engage, ask questions, and share your own journey.
This isn’t just about growing a podcast.
It’s about building an arsenal for leaders who are crazy enough to think they can adapt the world to themselves.
Join the Climb
Thank you for being part of the first million.
The gratitude is immense, but the hunger for what’s next is greater.
If you’ve been on this journey with us, thank you. If you’re new here, welcome.
Now is the time to subscribe. The climb to 10 million starts today.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
This is the way.
Hanley
—
P.S. If you’re sick of feeling invisible and want to finally build a personal brand that will create leverage, influence, and growth for your business…I’m taking 1:1 clients. DM me today to learn more.
♻️ Be sure to share this article with a friend that needs to see it!
this podcast is sponsored by…
Roam is the virtual HQ your team wishes you had already built.
A single map where you can see your people.
Drop into a room instantly.
Meet without scheduling.
Collaborate without 7 different tabs open.
Feel like an actual company again — not a group chat with payroll.
When I was scaling Rogue Risk, it felt like every week was a race against chaos:
Trying to get producers aligned…
Trying to keep momentum high…
Trying not to drown in back-to-back Zoom links and Slack pings.
Roam would’ve ended all of that.
Because Roam gives you the thing today’s leaders are missing:
Presence.
Velocity.
…and the ability to run a remote team like a real office — without being in one.
If your team is remote (or just pretending not to be), Roam is the upgrade.
👉 Stop running a company in the dark. Build your virtual HQ with Roam.
The post-production piece is so underrated. I've listened since the rebrand and the audio clarity has noticeably improved, those tight cuts really do keep momentum up. What alot of podcasters miss is that better editing isn't just about removing pauses, it's about protecting the listener's attention in a way that builds trust. Quality production signals that their time matters, wich builds loyalty faster than downloads ever will.