In partnership with

Grief is a strange guy.

We all gotta meet him someday.

If we’re lucky enough to live long, we have to meet him too much. It’s like those dudes named Chad in college — lots of ‘em, never quite the same, and they suck a little every time (sorry if anyone’s named Chad, but I assure you if you read this, you’re a good Chad 😉).

I’m at a weird stage of the ‘forward momentum’ journey following this loss — two weeks out from my dad’s passing, but a month out from our last real conversation. I cry less, I stare into space more.

Chad can have that effect on you. You get used to him, but you still don’t like him being around that much.

I’m working on getting back to the ‘grind’ — but if you recall (and if you’ve read my newsletter since I launched in February of 2025), this whole Hustle + Chill started because I had just lost my best friend/big brother figure, and I felt the need to approach my hustle with more chill. More ease. More joy. Less ick. Less hamster wheel.

I feel that now even harder than ever… the life we are building is meant to be enjoyed.

There’s enough stress just staying alive. Or walking by any downtown Chicago 7-eleven.

I feel cellularly different after this loss. Losing a parent — literally part of your DNA — does alter you on a cellular level.

They say the body replaces cell types every seven to ten years, with the exception of the neurons in your cerebral cortex, which stay with us from birth to death. This means every seven to ten years, you’re literally an entirely new person. With the exception of your mind. Which you have to decide to change.

I feel like I just went through a full shedding in the last month. (Year of the snake —> year of the fire horse much? Maybe there’s something to that…)

Maybe new Natasha was meant to happen for this next phase. Maybe we are all meant for rapid change. Maybe it’s good for us.

Preferably without added pressure from Chad.

The Hustle

New Natasha is dragging a little ass, but she's also building something meaningful.

Here's what's actually happening while I navigate this weird grief fog:

I'm in pre-production for my second comedy special. I can't announce the director yet, but when I do, you'll understand why I'm vibrating with excitement. I will tell you I named my next special while in the hospital with dad:

unConditional

This special is being produced through Alchemy Venture Studios, the company I co-founded with my London-based business partner.

We're a different kind of production and venture house. We're focused on creating content through thoughtful and aligned brand partnerships. And building a portfolio of people-and-story-centric creative projects that excite us. More details on this to come.

My Break-Up Registry is evolving too. It started as one platform to help people navigate divorce and breakups, but we're expanding into MBR Media — basically a content and community space for anyone going through major life transitions. A community for overlooked, common ‘Chads’ — divorce, loss of a pet or loved one, job loss — things that don’t belong in the catastrophic category like a GoFundMe would support.

The overall vision is simple: what if entertainment could actually help people feel less alone and shitty? I know comedy does this big time.

These are all extensions of my comedy built to scale.

I've been quietly building this for months with people that I love working with. This newsletter is where I bring it all together under my personal lens.

It doesn't feel like hustling anymore. It feels like... thoughtful architecture.

Intentional. Ease (not to be confused with easy). Fun. Purposeful.

Like dad would have wanted. ❤️

Today we have an ‘interlude of curiosity…’

My friends, my community, my network — in an age rife with Ai and content overload, I keep thinking of the value of personal branding and real-life “IRL” experiences to move us through in this unknown, future territory.

I’m curious if anyone would be interested in a Hustle + Chill retreat of sorts. A weekend somewhere dope where people from this community could come together, and have the opportunity to expand their mind and network in both the business of building and the business of rewiring our minds. Led by people with an impeccable sense of humor, business acumen, and the mindset to back it all up. Toss some live comedy in the mix.

I feel a lot of retreats are one or the other — come ‘retreat’ and focus on all business and networking… or come ‘retreat’ and do yoga and zen and bunch of woo-woo. This would be the cool person hang for both sides of the spectrum, done differently.

Just throwing this out there. I’m a travel, adventure and people lover, and nothing like this seems to exist. And I have a network of brilliant, insanely fun people to be around.

Feel free to reply directly to this email if something like this would interest you in 2027.

Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.

Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing — no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.

Read the newsletter trusted by 4.5 million fact-seekers.

The Chill

The thing about cellular change is sometimes it happens slowly, and then all at once.

I've been on this journey for a while now. This newsletter literally started because I was already shifting how I approached life and work after losing my best friend. The whole "hustle + chill" philosophy came from realizing that grinding yourself into the ground isn't sustainable, smart, or even admirable.

But losing dad? That accelerated everything. Like those neurons in your cerebral cortex that never regenerate — some changes just get locked in deeper.

I'd already been choosing ease over stress. Already been saying no to things that drained me. Already been building toward ownership instead of just hoping someone else would give me opportunities.

What's different now is the clarity feels sharper. The "who” and “why" behind all of it feels more urgent. Not in a panicked way, but in a "life is happening right now" way.

I want to own what I create. I want to work with people who get excited about the same things I get excited about. I want to build something that would make sense to my seven-year-old self and my seventy-year-old self. I want to have enough trust established with my people — both my business partners, support system and audience — that they’ll come along on all future rides with me.

That's what Hustle + Chill has always been about — approaching ambition without the anxiety. Building something meaningful without burning out. Creating from joy instead of fear. Living a life filled with togetherness and memories and adventure… and having the flexibility to only say yes to what feels good or what aligns.

Grief… Chad… is unfortunately a part of life’s messy ride.

But we don't have to let him drive the car.

The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

Retirement savings face two quiet threats: cash flow gaps and inflation eroding purchasing power over time. The 15-Minute Retirement Plan helps investors with $1,000,000 or more account for both and build a portfolio designed to last the distance.

Download your free guide.

Upcoming Shows

I’ll be closing out the month with a potential drop-in to New York, and a return trip to Charlotte.

Upcoming in April: shows in Iowa, and shows/speaking engagements in Florida.

Stay tuned for all the details.

Love you all and cheers to the hustle + chill. We never let Chad drive… not after last time.

xx NPH