Would you rather speak to 1,000 people from a stage—or make small talk with 20 strangers at a barbecue?

Billy and Joe both chose the stage.

In Episode 22, two self-described introverts explore what introversion actually means, why it isn’t the same as shyness or social anxiety, and where “ambiverts” fit into the equation. They compare social batteries, recovery time, work conferences, unexpected grocery-store encounters, solo travel, remote work and the strange comfort that comes from having an assigned role at a social event.

Billy shares how volunteering completely transformed an intimidating singles gathering, while Joe reveals why filming wedding B-roll provides the perfect excuse to briefly disappear. They also discuss practicing social skills, finding the balance between solitude and isolation, and why enjoying people doesn’t mean wanting unlimited access to them.

Plus: an introvert rapid-fire round covering texts versus calls, concerts versus house parties, solo vacations, Irish goodbyes and strangers at the door.

Where do you fall: introvert, extrovert or ambivert? And which would you choose—1,000 people from a stage or small talk with 20 strangers?

🌐 Learn more about the show: https://opentabspc.com

Subscribe, leave a comment and join Billy and Joe for two friends, zero structure and way too many open tabs.

Chapters:

00:00 1,000 People or 20 Strangers?

01:20 Two Introverts Walk Into a Podcast

03:33 What Introversion Actually Means

05:38 Introversion vs. Shyness and Social Anxiety

07:34 Do We Become More Introverted With Age?

12:50 Introvert, Extrovert, or Ambivert?

13:08 The Wedding Test

16:09 Billy’s Singles-Group Story

19:45 Volunteering at Dragon Con?

20:12 The Work Conference Dilemma

23:30 Can Social Skills Be Practiced?

30:05 Avoiding People at the Grocery Store

35:52 Five Seconds of Fear or a Lifetime of Regret

38:08 Paying the Social Battery Bill

40:38 How Work Drains Introverts

43:02 Remote Work, Isolation, and Finding Balance

46:59 Introvert Rapid Fire

51:39 What We Love About Being Introverts

53:48 We Like People in Manageable Doses

#Introvert #SocialBattery #OpenTabsPodcast

Joe shares the personal story of recently being laid off and what he's learned about faith, careers, leadership, and preparing for the unexpected.

Then we shift gears and do something completely ridiculous...

We challenge AI to write a brand-new hip-hop theme song for the Open Tabs Podcast—and honestly... it's way better than either of us expected.

Along the way we talk Fourth of July traditions, Atlanta's Peachtree Road Race, AI creativity, reality TV, foldable phones, pineapple on pizza, and bring back one of our favorite fake sponsors.

If your brain has 37 tabs open at all times... you're in the right place.

👍 Like the video
💬 Tell us: Would you actually listen to an AI-generated song?
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

New episodes every week.

Ctrl + Alt + Discuss.

00:00 Welcome & Fourth of July Weekend

04:20 Atlanta's Peachtree Road Race & Night Nation Run

09:30 Joe Opens Up About Being Laid Off

31:05 Faith, Careers & Preparing for the Unexpected

39:20 Can AI Really Make Good Music?

42:15 Creating an AI Theme Song Live

48:10 Open Tab or Closed Tab?

57:00 Listening to Our New AI Theme Song

1:00:50 Fake Sponsor: LinkedIn Premium

1:02:20 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

Everybody online seems to have a side hustle making thousands of dollars a month... so why does it feel so much harder in real life?

In Episode 20 of the Open Tabs Podcast, Billy and Joe share their honest experiences trying everything from Uber, Lyft, Turo, ACX audiobook narration, YouTube, Facebook Marketplace ideas, consulting, candle making, and more.

Some ideas worked. Some failed spectacularly. Others taught valuable lessons without making a dime.

We also dive into:

• Why social media makes side hustles look easier than they really are
• Hidden startup costs nobody talks about
• Whether hobbies should stay hobbies
• Creative side hustle ideas you've probably never considered
• What we'd actually do if we needed an extra $1,000 a month today

Whether you're looking for extra income or just curious about the reality behind the hype, this episode is an honest conversation about trying, failing, learning, and finding opportunities.

We'd love to hear from you:
What's the best side hustle you've ever had?

Leave a comment and let us know!

🎧 New episodes every Monday.

Connect with us:
🌐 https://opentabspc.com
📧 connect@opentabspc.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome! Are Side Hustles Really Worth It?
02:20 My First Side Hustles: Golf Balls, Candy & eBay
05:00 Uber & Lyft: When the Gig Economy Actually Paid
11:00 Why Gig Apps Aren't What They Used To Be
17:20 Turo: Airbnb for Cars... What Could Go Wrong?
26:35 ACX Audiobook Narration: 21 Auditions, Zero Jobs
30:00 The Hidden Cost of Creative Side Hustles
32:00 Should You Turn Your Hobby Into a Business?
32:45 The $9,000 Candle Hobby
40:30 The Most Creative Side Hustles We've Seen
49:30 If We Needed $1,000 This Month...
54:05 Side Hustle Myths Nobody Talks About
56:45 Does Every Hobby Need to Make Money?
1:00:15 Rapid Fire: Side Hustle Edition
1:02:30 Why Taco Mac Doesn't Sell Tacos
1:03:50 Final Thoughts

#SideHustles
#PassiveIncome
#Entrepreneur
#GigEconomy
#OpenTabsPodcast