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Inside The Forge
From Broke To A Better Man
By Cody Laughlin
I'm Cody — 39, husband, dad to three kids, career professional by day, and relentless builder of an entrepreneurial empire on the side. (And yeah, sometimes it feels like all of it is on fire at once.)
A few years back, I hit rock bottom in ways that still sting. I buried myself in debt after a business launch went sideways.
Then came the bigger blow: failed real estate syndications where I lost hundreds of thousands of my own money... and investor’s money.
The financial hit was brutal, but the stress it dumped on my marriage and family? That was the part that almost broke me.
I wasn't the sharp, unstoppable guy anymore.
I was just a man trying not to drown while keeping everyone else afloat.
In those low moments, I started having raw, no-filter conversations with my friend Brian, who's fought through his own version of the same trenches.
We talked about the pressure men carry every day: entrepreneurial risks, family demands, money mistakes, personal growth under fire... and how we actually turn those challenges into strength instead of letting them define us.
That's how Under Pressure was born - a podcast, newsletter, and growing community for men like us.
No guru fluff.
No highlight-reel BS.
Just honest stories, hard lessons, and practical ways to rise.
Three truths I earned the hard way (and still remind myself daily):
Focus ruthlessly on what's truly important — Family first. Legacy over endless hustle. Everything else is negotiable.
Become a better steward of money — Respect it, protect it, learn discipline from loss. Chasing blindly almost cost me everything.
Failures aren't final, they're teachers — Stop dwelling. Start applying the lessons. Growth lives on the other side of ownership.
If any of that hits home, and if you're feeling the squeeze right now in business, family, finances, or just wondering how to become a better man while the world keeps turning, know you're not alone.
This newsletter will drop 2x per week with:
Strategies on how to be the best version of yourself
Quick-hit, learned lessons from Brian & Me
Resources to handle pressure better
Listener stories & wins
Stay strong,
Cody
What Most Men Don’t Say Out Loud
A lot of men feel like they’re behind.
Not because they’re doing nothing, but because they’ve quietly set a standard for themselves that keeps moving.
They look around and think they should be further ahead. Making more. Doing more. Providing more.
So even when things are going well on paper, it doesn’t always feel like it.
There’s always another level they think they should already be at.
And most of the time, that pressure isn’t coming from anyone else.
It’s coming from themselves.
From The Podcast
Cody & Brian dive into the pressures and challenges faced by entrepreneurs, emphasizing the often unspoken struggles of doubt, fear of failure, and the importance of vulnerability.
Something Worth Thinking About
One quiet idea to carry into the week.
Your kids won’t remember how busy you were.
They’ll remember whether you were there.
Sometimes “being there” isn’t about doing something big. It looks more like putting the phone down, listening a little longer, or giving your full attention for a few extra minutes before the day gets away from you.
When they look back, what do you want them to remember?
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A Question For You
What’s one small way you can be more present with your kids this week?
Hit reply and let us know. We read every response.
If this resonated with you, share it with someone who carries a lot of responsibility too.
See you next week.
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The Forge | 2026