Zach Hanson was thriving in the world of AI and big tech...until the layoffs came. Two mortgages, a family to support, and no job in sight, he did what few with a white-collar background ever dare: he turned to trapping to survive. In this raw and timely conversation, Zach reveals how losing the comfort of corporate life reconnected him to skills that most of society has forgotten, skills that may be our only hedge in an uncertain future. Travis and Zach explore what it means to be truly self-reliant in a world increasingly propped up by fragile systems. From welding school to wolf trapping, from modern brain rot to the mental health cost of career fragility, this is a conversation about grit, identity, and rediscovering the value of getting your hands dirty. Zach's new book, The Trade Gap , might just be the blueprint for how to stay human in an AI-powered world. Order Here: https://geni.us/the-trade-gap https://thetradegap.com/ https://www.instagram.com/letmedielearning/ ______ Silvercore Club - https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training - https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Other Training & Services - https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise - https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog Page - https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav Silvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors ____ Timestamps of Key Moments: 00:01:42 – The nostalgic charm of Merits Café and small-town hospitality 00:04:50 – Fishing in Idaho and the surprising joy of tenkara rods 00:08:00 – Life in Atlanta, Idaho and Travis' transformative trip to the Hansons' cabin 00:09:55 – From white collar to off-grid: Zach’s journey into trapping and trades 00:10:45 – Laid off and out of options: how trapping paid the mortgage 00:14:10 – Welding school, starting from zero, and why it matters 00:15:30 – How America abandoned trades and built a fragile workforce 00:18:45 – The great shift in education: STEM vs. self-reliance 00:22:15 – Redefining general education and the modern renaissance person 00:26:50 – The Venn diagram of AI and trades: where the winners will be 00:30:05 – Brain rot, social media, and the cost of convenience 00:34:45 – Travis' AI blunder with GSP and the perils of outsourcing sincerity 00:39:00 – Should we disclose when AI helps us? Ethical lines in creativity 00:44:20 – The power draw of AI and the trades crisis nobody’s ready for 00:47:05 – Oklahoma’s model for reviving trades in high school 00:52:25 – TVM vs. TVE: Why building it yourself will always matter more 01:00:55 – What do you really do? Redefining identity outside of job titles 01:04:00 – What success looks like when you stop chasing titles 01:10:30 – A friend lost to suicide and the mental health cost of obsolescence 01:15:15 – The Adobe example: fear of learning something new vs. choosing growth 01:17:00 – Why The Trade Gap is ultimately about giving people more options
