Hike & Pod! How to Build a Business You Love Without Burning Out with Founder of Slashdev.io, Michael Ballard

What if building a successful business didn’t require grinding yourself into the ground? In this special Montana Mastermind hike and pod episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, Cary Jack sits down with entrepreneur Michael Ballard for a real conversation about business, health, money, spirituality, family, and creating a life you actually enjoy.

Michael is a software development business owner originally from Sequim, Washington, who has lived in Stockholm, Sweden for the past eight years. His business works across mobile apps, websites, and AI implementations. He shares practical lessons on doing work you love, improving your nutrition, saving and investing for financial security, unplugging from devices, and using business as a foundation for more freedom, not more burnout.

If you’re an entrepreneur who spends most of your time caught in the tactics, this episode is a reminder to zoom out. Success isn’t just about how much you build. It’s also about having the freedom to be with the people you love, spend time in nature, experience epic adventures, and enjoy the life you’re working so hard to create.