{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":426,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-20T02:18:54.580675+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"Cole Sprouse: My Narcissistic Mom Destroyed My Childhood for Disney Money","slug":"cole-sprouse-my-narcissistic-mom-destroyed-my-childhood-for-disney-money","published_at":"2026-09-12T19:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/cole-sprouse-my-narcissistic-mom-destroyed-my-childhood-for-disney-money","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN3601698192.mp3?updated=1776258211","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN3601698192.mp3?updated=1776258211","summary":"What if the childhood you think you remember was actually a carefully constructed business strategy? Cole Sprouse exposes the brutal reality behind Disney's child star machine and how his mother traded his innocence for industry connections. Adrian Wells breaks down the psychological cost of growing up as entertainment. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why California's Coogan Law only protects 15% of child actors' earnings (spoiler: parents keep the rest) • The specific psychological patterns that develop when your childhood becomes content • How Disney Channel generated hundreds of millions from The Suite Life while paying child actors a fraction 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone passionate about personal growth who wants to understand the hidden systems that shape our culture. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces Cole's shocking revelations about child exploitation [01:45] The economics of child acting: who really gets paid [03:30] How narcissistic parents use kids as income streams [05:15] The Suite Life empire: Disney's billion-dollar strategy [07:00] Psychological damage: depression rates among former child stars [09:30] California's broken protection laws for minors [11:15] Cole's path to reclaiming his identity after fame Cole's story isn't just celebrity drama. It's a masterclass in recognizing exploitation disguised as opportunity. The same manipulation tactics used on child actors show up in toxic workplaces, MLM schemes, and family dynamics everywhere. Former child actors have 40% higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to the general population. That's not coincidence, that's consequence. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight…","meta_description":"What if the childhood you think you remember was actually a carefully constructed business strategy? Cole Sprouse exposes the brutal reality behind Disney…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1306,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/cole-sprouse-my-narcissistic-mom-destroyed-my-childhood-for-disney-money/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/cole-sprouse-my-narcissistic-mom-destroyed-my-childhood-for-disney-money.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}