Big thanks to Justin Grimaldo for producing and editing the episode, please find links to his work below:🔗 Portfolio: https://www.sightseerproductions.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justingrimaldo_editor/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCNUUgZDIeToq3UKeHPAeD_A Is the race to the bottom already over? Most creators and business owners are celebrating the speed of AI, but they’re ignoring the "Brutal Truth": if your product can be made in half the time, it’s worth half the price.In this 2.5-hour masterclass, Andrew and Luke Kennedy sit down with Justin Grimaldo. A filmmaker who transitioned from a JVC camcorder at church to high-end narrative and wedding filmmaking to discuss why the "Human Experience" is the only premium product left in 2026.While 90% of the world is chasing "Fast & Cheap," we’re talking to the 10% who are building a legacy. We dive into the "P-Pill" of marketing, the reality of the Humboldt film scene, and why Justin believes our dependence on AI will be the creative world's eventual demise.

Is Humboldt County’s refusal to grow killing its economy? We’re sitting on a multi-million dollar goldmine of sports tourism and local talent, but we treat our growth like a "local hobby." In this episode of BTRC 2.0, we sit down with Alicia, a student worker at the Cal Poly Humboldt School of Business and a local entrepreneur who is tired of seeing 90% of businesses struggle while the solution is staring us in the face.We dive into the "Brutal Truth" about why big firms aren't hiring out of Humboldt, how AI is actually a tool for human connection, and the "Butter Metaphor", a blueprint for any entrepreneur trying to find their place in a crowded market.Chapters:00:00 Cal Poly Protest 2026 Explained (What Actually Happened)06:34 Is GTA 6 About to Hurt the Economy?13:55 Is Humboldt County a Good Place to Build a Future?21:38 Why Networking in High School Gives You an Unfair Advantage30:03 Building “Butter Together” From the Ground Up38:45 Stop Watching, Start Doing (The Career Shift That Changes Everything)43:40 Is Entrepreneurship Taking Over Traditional Careers?46:48 Why Alesia Chose Humboldt County51:28 The Truth About “Doing What You Love”54:46 Should a Cal Poly Merge With a Community College?57:22 How to Start College With a Clear Plan01:01:58 What It’s Like Being in 500+ Person College Classes01:05:17 Would Big Companies Fix Humboldt’s Retention Problem?01:09:24 Is AI Destroying Human Connection?01:12:51 Rapid Fire Questions + Final Thoughts

In Episode 19 of Behind the Redwood Curtain, Hannah Winans breaks down what it really takes to succeed in real estate, especially in a competitive and evolving market like Humboldt County.From getting her start in the industry to launching her own brokerage, Hannah shares the biggest challenges new agents face, how to stand out in an oversaturated market, and what most people misunderstand about being a realtor. She also explains the difference between brokers and agents, how marketing actually drives sales, and how new transparency laws are changing the game.This episode goes beyond the basics, covering the emotional side of selling homes, why property values can drop after listing, and what both buyers and agents should be paying attention to moving into 2026. Whether you are trying to break into real estate, grow your business, or understand the market better, this conversation offers a real look behind the scenes.We also dive into opportunities in real estate videography, the role of AI and technology in the industry, and how to balance career growth with everything else on your plate.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:32 How Hannah Got Started in Real Estate05:07 The Hardest Challenge as a New Realtor10:21 Realtor vs Broker Explained (What’s the Difference?)12:00 Boutique Brokerage vs Big Real Estate Firms13:51 How to Compete in a Competitive Real Estate Market16:41 How New Real Estate Agents Can Break Into the Industry18:41 Starting Her Own Real Estate Brokerage20:35 Are Real Estate Agents Actually Business Owners?22:54 Is the Real Estate Market Oversaturated?25:02 The Reality of Working in Humboldt County Real Estate26:25 What Real Estate Was Like Before AI and Tech34:19 How Marketing Actually Drives Real Estate Sales36:01 New Real Estate Laws and Transparency Changes Explained40:02 How to Get Into Real Estate Videography43:35 Selling Homes With Emotional Attachment46:04 Why Home Values Can Drop After Listing48:05 Balancing Career Growth With Extracurriculars50:52 Rapid Fire Questions52:33 What Realtors Should Watch for in 2026CONNECT WITH US:Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@behindtheredwoodcurtain?si=0J-iVlSrQ2oxOkhJInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindtheredwoodcurtainpodcast/Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6n0mYaKdYW4kgbixUJ9hrt?si=7fiyltvnQzC5O6juCpyYawStartup Humboldt: https://startuphumboldt.org/