Zero Distortion with Russ Bates

Episode 20: Comfort Is Lying to You

Most people aren’t stuck because they’re unqualified — they’re stuck because they’re too comfortable.
In this solo episode, Russ Bates gets brutally honest about how comfort zones become cages. He shares his own experience of avoiding public speaking, staying behind the scenes, and letting fear dictate what opportunities were “for him.” That fear kept him quiet. And it kept him small.
But once he stepped out? Everything changed.
Now Russ hosts two podcasts, speaks on panels, and has delivered expert witness testimony that helped shape real state energy policy — all because he chose to get uncomfortable.
This episode is about what happens when you stop waiting to feel ready and start doing the hard thing anyway. It’s raw, personal, and packed with perspective for anyone who's been sitting in silence, waiting for a sign.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why “being realistic” is often just fear in disguise
How comfort keeps you from becoming the version of yourself you’re actually built to be
What discomfort really is (hint: it’s the soreness of growth)
How showing up imperfectly opens doors you didn’t know existed
The truth about what’s on the other side of the fear you’ve been avoiding
If you’ve been holding back, waiting to feel confident, or stuck in a cycle of “almosts” and “maybes” — this episode will hit different.You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be willing.
So get uncomfortable. On purpose. That’s where the growth is.
 
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.📣 Zero Distortion is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and everywhere you get your podcasts.📥 Interested in being a guest or collaborating? Reach out via the contact link in the channel bio.

Episode 19: Casey Weinstein on Corruption, Courage & a Possible U.S. Senate Run

Ohio State Senator Casey Weinstein joins Zero Distortion to talk about political courage, government corruption, the HB6 scandal, and whether he’ll run for the U.S. Senate in 2026.
In this unfiltered conversation with Russ Bates, Casey opens up about:
Fighting corruption in Ohio’s Statehouse
The truth behind the $600M HB6 energy scandal
What real leadership looks like in a broken system Gerrymandering, political cowardice, and the messaging wars
Whether he's ready to challenge the status quo in Washington
If you're tired of soundbite politics and want real talk about the future of leadership in America—this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube
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#CaseyWeinstein #ZeroDistortion #PoliticalCourage #OhioPolitics #USSenate #HB6Scandal #Leadership #CleanEnergy #RussBates #2026SenateRace #Gerrymandering #GovernmentCorruption

Episode 18-Clean Energy’s Next Chapter: Can We Thrive Without the ITC?

The Big Ugly Bill is now law — and clean energy is officially on the clock.
In this Zero Distortion panel, host Russ Bates is joined by Jessica Fishman, Jeff Wolfe, and Kevin Doffing to cut through the spin and break down what this means for solar, storage, and America’s energy future.
🔹 What the bill actually does (beyond the headlines)🔹 How it disrupts residential, commercial, and federal clean energy efforts🔹 The surge in electricity demand from AI, EVs, and manufacturing🔹 Why fossil fuel “alternatives” aren’t a viable path forward🔹 What comes next — and how the sector survives and evolves
This isn’t the end of clean energy — it’s a forced evolution.
📺 Subscribe, like, and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s next.
🎧 Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.
#CleanEnergy #BigUglyBill #SolarPower #ITC #EnergyPolicy #ZeroDistortion #InflationReductionAct #EVs #AI #GridCrisis #FossilFuels #SolarForAll #EnergyTransition

Episode 17: What Real Leadership Looks Like | Randal "Tiny" Smith on Strategy, Empathy & Team Performance

What makes a great leader in today’s world of constant pressure, rapid change, and overhyped management trends?
In this episode of Zero Distortion, Russ Bates talks with Randal “Tiny” Smith, a 6’7” British military veteran, aerospace engineer, and former Chief Operating Officer at Jaguar Land Rover, who’s led global teams in the military and private sector alike.
With deep experience in EV deployment, renewable energy strategy, and high-value manufacturing, Randal brings a grounded and battle-tested perspective to modern leadership.
🎯 Topics covered:
What real leadership means in high-stakes environments
The 3Ts Leadership Model: Trusted, Transparent, Tailored
How to lead large teams through stress, change, and crisis
Why empathy and emotional intelligence are critical leadership skills
How Randal helped lead the Jaguar I-Pace EV from concept to production
What leaders get wrong when they forget to build trust Lessons from the RAF, the shop floor, and the C-suite
Whether you're managing a team, leading a company, or just want to become someone people actually want to follow, this episode is full of insights, stories, and hard-earned truths about leadership that works.
🧠 Leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about people, clarity, and integrity.
🔗 Follow Randal “Tiny” Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evchargingsolutions/
🎧 Subscribe to Zero Distortion for more honest, high-impact conversations on leadership, energy, and personal growth.
#Leadership #MilitaryLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #TeamBuilding #COO #ZeroDistortion #RussBatesPodcast #EVLeadership #JaguarIPace #CleanEnergy #Empathy #ServantLeadership #BusinessStrategy

Episode 16-The Manosphere Exposed: Why Fake “Alpha” Culture Is Failing Young Men

In this episode of Zero Distortion, host Russ Bates dives into the rise of the manosphere—an online world of “alpha male” influencers like Andrew Tate, Sneako, Fresh & Fit, and Nick Fuentes. What started as self-help for struggling men has morphed into a toxic blend of misogyny, status obsession, and grievance-based masculinity. Russ shares his perspective as someone who grew up admiring figures like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Arnold Schwarzenegger—men who let their actions speak louder than their words. He explores how today’s “alpha” culture trades quiet strength for loud insecurity and why so many young men are falling into the trap.
We dig into:
-The origins of the manosphere
-The business model behind alpha content
-The connection between insecurity, hate, and performative masculinity
-Why real masculinity isn’t about dominance—it’s about character
This episode kicks off our Masculinity Distorted series. If you’re tired of the noise and ready for real talk about what it means to be a man in today’s world, this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.
📲 Subscribe for more honest takes on masculinity, mindset, politics, and power.
📣 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
#Manosphere #AndrewTate #Masculinity #AlphaMale #ToxicMasculinity #Sneako #FreshAndFit #NickFuentes #RedPill #ZeroDistortion #RussBates #ModernMasculinity #MentalHealth #MenNeedMentors #Podcast

Episode 15-Electric Julie on EVs, Clean Energy, and Why the Politics Shouldn't Matter Anymore

In this episode of Zero Distortion, Russ sits down with Julie Johnson—better known as Electric Julie—a powerhouse in clean transportation, logistics, and energy strategy.
From heavy-duty EVs to the future of sustainability, Julie shares her journey from pulp and paper to pharmaceuticals to becoming a national voice in clean tech. They dive into the reality of deploying electric fleets, the misinformation slowing progress, and how the clean energy movement is charging ahead—despite political headwinds.
🔌 Why EVs are more than just Teslas
🌎 How business leaders can navigate the chaos of the energy transition
💥 The truth about policy, cost, and what's really holding us back 📈 Where innovation is moving faster than the headlines
⚡ Her take on sand batteries, megawatt charging, and the global race for clean power
🎧 Don’t miss this one—real talk, no fluff, and zero distortion.
👇 Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: Electric Julie Johnson
Email: julie@electricjuliejohnson

Episode 13-State Rep. Tristan Rader: How Ohio Just Took Down Big Utility Corruption

In this episode of Zero Distortion, State Representative Tristan Rader joins Russ Bates to break down his first major legislative victory: HB 15, a sweeping, bipartisan clean energy reform law that repeals Ohio’s corrupt coal subsidies from HB 6, introduces new solar energy financing for schools, and puts real guardrails on utility billing practices.
Tristan shares what it’s like transitioning from local politics to the Ohio Statehouse, how the national political climate is bleeding into state-level policymaking, and why the fight for clean, affordable energy is far from over. We dive into utility accountability, energy system fragility, misinformation around renewables, and how federal threats to clean energy policy could impact states like Ohio. This is a real, honest look at what it takes to make change from the inside—and what gives Tristan hope despite all the noise.
🔋 Topics include: Repealing HB 6 coal subsidies HB 15 and Ohio’s new solar loan program Clean energy vs. utility monopolies Federal policy chaos and state-level resistance Political misinformation, ALEC influence, and energy grid realities What gives Rep. Rader hope—and how to take action
🎧 Subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts.
📩 Contact Tristan at: Rep13@ohiohouse.gov
📲 Follow Russ and Zero Distortion for more unfiltered truth.

Episode 13: Cowards in the Comments

In this solo episode, Russ cuts through the noise and breaks down why online bullies aren’t worth your time, how to spot the difference between ignorance and bad faith, and why staying focused is the most powerful response.
We don’t argue with keyboard cowards. We don’t feed the trolls. We let them boost the algorithm — and move on.
New episodes of Zero Distortion drop weekly. Subscribe and stay sharp. 🔔 Subscribe for more real talk
🎙️ Listen on Spotify/Apple
📩 Contact or book Russ: russ@nxtgencleanenergy.com
#ZeroDistortion #Trolls #RealTalk #CowardsInTheComments #Podcast #RussBates #NoFilter

Episode 12: Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Cuts Medicaid, Helps the Wealthy — Here’s What’s Inside

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” just squeaked through the House — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. In this episode of Zero Distortion, we unpack what this proposed legislation really means for America:
🔹 A massive extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts
🔹 Deep Medicaid cuts that threaten healthcare access
🔹 Huge tax breaks for corporations and the ultra-wealthy
🔹 Rollbacks on clean energy incentives
🔹 A projected $4 trillion added to the federal deficit Republican leaders claim it will grow the economy and benefit working families — but does it?
We examine the truth behind the promises, the impact on low-income Americans, and what happens next as the bill heads to the Senate. Don't miss this breakdown of one of the most consequential tax policy moves in years.
🎧 Full episode available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
#BigBeautifulBill #TrumpTaxCuts #MedicaidCuts #GOPTaxPlan #CleanEnergyCuts #TaxReform #FederalDeficit #WealthGap #MiddleClassStruggle #CorporateWelfare #AmericanPolitics #BidenVsTrump #CongressionalPolitics #ZeroDistortion

Episode 11-Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts: Who Really Benefited?

Did Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts really help working Americans — or just the wealthy elite? In this episode of Zero Distortion, host Russ Bates breaks down the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, what was promised, and who actually benefited. We analyze the real impact of the 2017 Trump tax law, including: How much the top 1% of earners gained from the tax cuts What middle-class families actually received Whether the law “paid for itself” or ballooned the national debt How foreign investors profited while the poorest Americans got crumbs With data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and insights from inside the energy and clean energy sectors, Russ breaks through the political spin to deliver the facts.
🔔 Subscribe for more episodes on tax policy, income inequality, and the fight for a fairer economy.
💬 What did you get from the 2017 tax cuts? #TrumpTaxCuts #2017TaxLaw #TaxCutsAndJobsAct #IncomeInequality #NationalDebt #ZeroDistortionPodcast #WhoBenefited #TrumpEconomy #MiddleClass #TaxPolicy #RussBates