The Seven Eight Podcast

Episode 1: Fall Down Seven. Get Up Eight. Why We’re Here.

The vulnerable backstory that started it all—and why you belong here, too.
You don’t start a movement because everything is going well—you start it because you’ve been knocked down, hard. 
 
In this first episode of the Seven Eight Podcast, Michael Johnson and Lexi Ruffell open up about the heart behind the brand, the meaning of the name, and why this show exists. You’ll hear the story behind the fall that started it all—and the rise that followed.
This episode isn’t polished or pretty. It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s a promise that you’re not alone.
Whether you’re in your own fall, somewhere in the middle, or trying to rise again—this is your place.
Welcome to 7/8. This is where the comeback begins.
Video link
https://youtu.be/mFoiYxgy2gU
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 2: The Proverb, The Alchemist, and The Logo

You’ve heard the phrase “Fall down seven, get up eight.” But what 
does it really mean to live it?
 
In this episode, we break down the deeper logic behind the 7/8 movement. Michael unpacks the wisdom of the ancient Japanese proverb, explores the transformative message of The Alchemist, and reveals the hidden story behind the 7/8 logo.
 
This is more than a quote—it’s a way of seeing the world, your setbacks, and your ability to rise differently every time you fall.
 
If you’ve ever felt like you were on a journey with no map… this episode might be your compass.
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/mkEjhvG5JoQ
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.
 

Episode 3: The Stories You’ll Regret Missing

The brands you know. The falls you didn’t. The episodes that will shift everything.
 
This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a series of wake-up calls wrapped in comeback stories. And what’s coming next… will stay with you.
In this episode, Michael and Lexi preview some of the powerful stories that will define the next phase of the 7/8 movement—starting with Disney, Nike, and KFC.
You’ll hear how some of the world’s most iconic brands were born from failure, and why the stories you think you know… aren’t the stories that really matter.
This episode is your glimpse into what’s ahead—and why you won’t want to miss a single moment of what’s coming.
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/rdeBCBxSnjk
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
 
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 4: What No One Tells You About Starting Over

A behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to rise.
You can lose your job, your direction, and even your identity. But sometimes the fall you didn’t want… is the one that changes everything.
This episode opens the curtain on a deeply personal fall—the kind that strips you bare and makes you question everything you thought you were building.
It’s a story about what happens when you hit the ground, not just financially or professionally, but emotionally and spiritually. And it’s also a story about what can emerge from the wreckage—if you’re willing to rise again, differently.
If you’ve ever had to start over, this episode is for you.
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/cciX7XhU7y8
 
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 5: You Can’t Build a Life on Everyone Else’s Opinions

An interview of one of your hosts Lexi Ruffell
What happens when your identity has been built on performance, approval, and leadership—but you realize you haven’t built belief in yourself?
 
In this episode, we explore what it means to rise through critique, pressure, and high expectations, especially when those expectations have come from everyone but you.
 
It’s a reflection on internalizing judgment, performing strength, and slowly realizing that without self-belief, everything starts to collapse.
 
If you’ve ever tried to lead while being picked apart, or struggled to hear your own voice beneath the noise, this conversation will resonate.
Video link
https://youtu.be/xYjj7YQmLsY
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
 
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 6: The Graveyard of Great Ideas

A candid look at what we built, what failed, and why it all mattered.
 
No one builds something great without a few misfires along the way.
In this episode, we take you behind the curtain of the many businesses we’ve launched—and left behind. From partnerships to pivots, products to programs, you’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and why every step was essential.
This isn’t just a list of projects. It’s a real-time reflection on what it takes to keep rising when your ideas don’t hit the way you hoped.
If you’ve ever wondered how many wrong turns lead to the right one—this episode proves the answer is “a lot.”
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/qQCYebnwFlY
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Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
 
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 7: We’re Not Here to Glorify the Fall

The truth about failure, growth, and what the 7/8 movement really stands for.
 
We don’t believe in failing on purpose. We believe in learning when life forces your fall.
In this episode, we clarify a key piece of the 7/8 philosophy: this isn’t a celebration of struggle. It’s not about chasing collapse or glamorizing burnout.
It’s about accepting that life has seasons—ups and downs, highs and lows, expansion and contraction. The fall isn’t the goal. But it’s often where the deeper story begins.
This conversation unpacks what it means to fall with awareness, rise with creativity, and choreograph your comeback—without shame, and without pretending the pain doesn’t matter.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between judging your failure and forcing your rise, this episode is your breath in the middle.
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/j4B6BUb2GHk
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*************************
Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
Ready to build something impactful of your own?
Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.

Episode 8: Walt Disney’s First Studio Went Bankrupt. And That Was Just the Beginning.

The true 7/8 story behind one of the world’s most iconic dreamers.
 
Before Disneyland, before Mickey, and before the empire—Walt Disney’s first animation studio went bankrupt.
 
This episode uncovers the real 7/8 story behind one of the most iconic creators of all time. It’s not just about what Disney built—but how he responded when everything he built was taken from him.
 
We dive into the early fall of Laugh-O-Gram Studios, what nearly broke him, and why his ability to rise became more influential than any castle he ever dreamed up.
This is the beginning of our ongoing series spotlighting real stories of visionary leaders who fell—and then got back up stronger.
 
Video link
https://youtu.be/_NB1I-4YezM
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*************************
Visit SevenEight.life to explore the movement, share your story, or
wear the message that reminds the world you got back up.
 
Ready to build something impactful of your own?Start your journey at CreateMyImpact.com and take the first step toward
creating the business you were born to lead.