Cost of Goods Soul – “Experts, Impostors, and Lived Experience”

In this episode of Cost of Goods Soul, Andrew reflects on the difference between information and wisdom, and why lived experience matters far more than hot takes from the sidelines. He calls out the rise of “experts” who have only read about business, parenting, or investing, and contrasts that with actually sweating payroll, navigating staff crises, or driving 16 hours with kids melting down in the back seat. Using examples from venture capital, parenting, and fitness, Andrew urges listeners to do a self-audit before giving advice and to build authority on the back of real scars, not just screenshots and summaries. He closes by grounding his own credibility in his story—as a founder, dad, believer, and sober entrepreneur who has built, sold, and failed at businesses—and invites listeners to lean into their most authentic, hard-earned expertise instead of copying someone else’s script.