A deep dive into creativity.

Storytelling.

Why people feel compelled to make things.

And why some people simply can’t stop pulling on weird little threads until they turn into full-blown obsessions.

This week, Jono and Dan sit down with filmmaker, storyteller, and creator of the podcast Jacob Reed and Me — Jacob Reed.

What follows is part creative masterclass… part late-night hangout… and part accidental therapy session.

They talk about:

The strange psychology behind making podcasts

Why “low effort projects” sometimes become life-changing

The brutal endurance game of creative work

AI slop, internet propaganda, and raising kids online

Same-name coincidences and investigative storytelling

Parasocial relationships and hearing your own voice back

Why most creatives fail simply because they quit

And the weird side quests that somehow become the main quest

There’s also:

Miss Rachel references.

Deadlock gaming talk.

Stories about Jimmy Kimmel Live.

A hotline for people with the same name.

And a surprisingly deep discussion about Shakespeare, self-doubt, and pooping on a mountain called Mount Disappointment.

In other words…

Exactly the kind of conversation this podcast was built for.

Most podcasts start polished.

This one starts honestly.

In the very first episode of the Side Quest Energy Podcast, Jono and Dan hit record before they had everything figured out — because that’s usually how the best adventures begin.

This episode is part microphone test, part late-night garage conversation, and part reminder that most people spend their whole lives waiting to feel “ready.”

Topics include:

• Starting before you feel qualified
• Creative risk-taking
• Entrepreneurship and building things from scratch
• Podcasting chaos
• Side quests, often level us up
• The strange pressure to have life figured out
• Why authenticity beats polish
• The energy of simply showing up and pressing record

There’s no fake guru nonsense here. No manufactured perfection. Just real conversations, real ambition, and the beginning of something that might become great.

Or crash and burn spectacularly.

Either way… we hit record.

Welcome to Side Quest Energy.

© 2026 Side Quest Energy Podcast.