In this Beauty and the Beast episode of Coffee With Dan, Dan Meredith (@therealdanmeredith) and Laura Baker (@girlgainzblog) get into the messy, funny and brutally honest world of standards — the ones men have, the ones women have, and the ones society piles on top of both.

From what it actually takes for a woman to get ready for a date, to how little effort most men put in, to the very different pressures around ageing, appearance, dating, income and attraction, this episode hits every angle with the usual mix of honesty, chaos and humour.

Dan and Laura talk candidly about beauty expectations, grooming, money, dating culture, confidence, communication, why women feel judged more harshly, why men are now feeling new pressures of their own, and how both genders secretly misunderstand each other. They also dive into age, lifestyle, gym habits, fashion, the shift from partying to carpet cleaner enthusiasm, and why both men and women become more invisible as they get older unless they actively work on themselves.

But beneath all the laughs is a simple takeaway:
Your standards shape your results.

If you want better attention, better partners, better friendships or better opportunities, you have to raise your own standards first.

Here's what you can expect:

00:00 – Intro and welcome
01:00 – The reality of effort: men vs women getting ready
04:30 – Why standards matter more than people admit
07:00 – Ageing, attraction and lifestyle catching up with you
11:00 – Appearance pressure on women vs men
15:00 – Habits, routines and why confidence beats looks
18:30 – What people think is attractive vs what actually is
22:00 – Men putting in the bare minimum
25:00 – How women curate themselves and why men don’t notice
28:00 – The invisible years: ageing, confidence and invisibility
31:30 – Gym habits, health, fashion and self-maintenance
34:00 – The “effort gap” in dating culture
37:00 – Standards, self-respect and who you attract
40:00 – When your standards rise but your behaviours don’t
43:00 – How men and women misinterpret each other
46:00 – Raising your standards in a way that feels good
49:00 – Final thoughts and next episode tease

Whether you’re single, dating, partnered up or just curious how the other side thinks, this is one of the most relatable Beauty and the Beast episodes yet — raw, ridiculous and surprisingly insightful.

Send your stories, questions or dating disasters to coffeewithdanpodcast@gmail.com

Follow @therealdanmeredith and @girlgainzblog on Instagram.