Podcasts about as dustin

In this episode, hosts Alan Sanders and Walt Murray sit down with Dustin Lollar, a podcaster and YouTube producer for Radio Labyrinth. We start with Dustin's first brushes with the show and how he and Jeff Lieboff actually crossed paths first. They both love the films of Kevin Smith and met on a dedicated Facebook group. As Dustin become more and more of a fan of the podcast, Radio Labyrinth, he started doing some artwork and even created a private group for the show called The Radio Shack. As time passed, he was brought on the show from time to time. In July of 2020, Dustin suggested porting the content to YouTube and volunteered to edit and produce the stream. Over the last year, he has been building what is basically a side cast to the main podcast. He has become a regular, diving head long into the editing of both audio and video content, while still being an admin for the private group. As we wrap the interview, he hopes to keep pushing the shows even more as the listening and viewing audience continues to grow. After the interview, Dustin hangs out as Walt dives into the movie review. Ironically, Dustin not only saw the same terrible movie, but also likes to watch those kinds of films. He even suggested one for Walt to add to his list. Next, Alan and Walt dive into the strange news segment. They finish with the entertainment segment where they all discuss what they have been watching, reading and listening to. WATCHING Walt binged through the Netflix docu-series, Heist. He is also re-watching Santa Clarita Diet and caught the documentary, Inventing David Geffen. Alan highly recommends the self-produced film, Val, about Val Kilmer. He also kept up with some of his favorite YouTube channels: Ashleigh Burton, who reacted to The Neverending Story, Big and Forest Gump; Popcorn in Bed, who reacted to Fury and Blade Runner; and, The Daily Doug. Doug Helvering, a prior season guest, reacted to Metallica's, "Blackened," song and then mentioned a YouTube channel called, ProjectMetallica. There, the fans of ...And Justice for All remixed the songs, bringing up the bass of new member, Jason Newsted. They call their version, ...And Justice for Jason. Dustin suggest the Hulu show, Reservation Dogs, Ted Lasso on Apple TV, UFO on Showtime and The Empty Man on HBO Max. READING Alan finished reading, "The Importance of Being a Parent, Not a Friend," by Eden Pontz. Dustin loves reading anything by Stephen King, having just finished the audiobook, "Billy Summers." LISTENING Walt has been listening to The Best of John Coltrane. Alan remarked it must be the influence of Bosch, since he had done the same thing! Alan listened to Nightwish live at Wacken from 2013. He also listened to the album, Moving Pictures, by Rush, saying it is perfect from start to finish. As to podcasts, Alan suggests The Great Escape Minute, Radio Labyrinth and 60MW Podcast. Dustin has been diving back into the discography of Tom Waits. For a podcast, he suggests Your Mom's House.

Thanks for tuning in to the Armor Men's Health Hour Podcast today, where we bring you the latest and greatest in urology care and the best urology humor out there.In this segment, Donna Lee is joined by NAU Urology Specialist's own Dustin Fontenot, PA-C. Dustin is the director of our Armor Men's Health program  and provides oversight for our weight loss program and nutraceutical therapies. Today, he reminds us all what urologists actually do, including the surgical training they receive. He also gives us an overview of what an elevated PSA (prostate specific antigen) result means, why you might not necessarily want to lower it, and what supplements you could take to support prostate health. Finally, Dustin talks about Spark Wave or shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction. At NAU Urology Specialists, our shockwave treatment is called "Spark Wave," and it uses painless, low-intensity shocks to encourage the body to regenerate blood vessels in the penis to help restore the blood flow necessary for erections. Many so-called men's health clinics offer similar-sounding services for high price tags, sometimes even with "money back guarantees;" but these programs often turn out to be ineffective at best. As Dustin reminds us, beware any "guarantees" in medicine. Instead, you should have a urologist determine whether you are a good candidate for successful shockwave or Spark Wave therapy for ED before you shell out big bucks. At our clinic, we offer 6 Spark Wave treatments for $2,000, and we won't recommend this treatment if you are unlikely to benefit from it. If you or a loved one are experiencing ED symptoms, have questions about your prostate health or PSA results, or would like to find out more about the Armor Men's Health program, please give us a call today!  Check our our award winning podcast!https://blog.feedspot.com/sex_therapy_podcasts/https://blog.feedspot.com/mens_health_podcasts/Dr. Mistry is a board-certified urologist and has been treating patients in the Austin and Greater Williamson County area since he started his private practice in 2007.We enjoy hearing from you! Email us at armormenshealth@gmail.com and we'll answer your question in an upcoming episode!Phone: (512) 238-0762Email: Armormenshealth@gmail.comWebsite: Armormenshealth.comOur Locations:Round Rock Office970 Hester's Crossing Road Suite 101 Round Rock, TX 78681South Austin Office6501 South Congress Suite 1-103 Austin, TX 78745Lakeline Office12505 Hymeadow Drive Suite 2C Austin, TX 78750Dripping Springs Office170 Benney Lane Suite 202 Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Today’s guests are Dustin Granger and Danielle Granger Nava, the brother-sister duo behind Toujours Planning. Toujours is a full service wealth management firm that caters to professionals and pre-retirees across the US. They join Charlie today to talk about what it’s like to work with a sibling, and how they have been able to foster a great working relationship.  Key Takeaways:[2:40] - When it comes to working with siblings or family, there are generally two camps: 1. Yeah, I could do that, and 2. Absolutely not. Dustin and Danielle’s father was in the financial planning business, and Dustin started working for him first before he recruited his sister to join him. [6:40] - Danielle talks about her resistance to joining her brother, not because of hesitance about working with her brother, but because of fear about making her way in an industry mostly dominated by males. Dustin also experienced some imposter syndrome as a young professional in the industry.[11:25] - The family dynamics are something that had to shift when Dustin took over and Danielle later came on board. Being able to work with his father was a wonderful learning experience, and now Dustin is like a mentor to Danielle. In a similar way, Danielle helps to calm Dustin down, so their dynamic is kind of a hybrid between siblings and best friends. Open communication has been key![17:38] - One of the biggest challenges of working together has been adjusting to their respective managerial roles, and syncing up their communication styles. Whenever there is tension, they resolve it quickly through a conversation. [22:00] - They’ve grown together as they have worked together to figure out their roles in a small business, especially the org chart and defining that, not only for Dustin and Danielle, but also for their team. [29:10] - Setting boundaries between work and family has been an important part of growth since they started working together as well. It’s important for any working partnership (friend-friend, partner-partner) to know when you should talk about work versus separating those elements and relationships. [33:45] - As Dustin hopes to pivot, he is having to let go of some of his managerial style. Danielle is trying to take the best elements of both of their styles as the primary responsibility shifts to her, while they are still both being true to themselves. [36:45] - One of the hardest things about working with a sibling for Danielle is being worried about a huge rift or something coming in between their sibling relationship or working relationship. For Dustin, one of the hardest things is feeling protective of Danielle from a business standpoint, but also giving her the space to grow.[44:30] - Danielle’s advice for anyone who may be interested in going into the family business is to avoid going into business with a family member who you frequently find yourself in conflict with. For Dustin, having a sense of humor is important to keep things light. Using face-to-face communication to talk and work things out is also incredibly important. [49:10] - Danielle’s challenge for any women listening is to go for those big opportunities that are out there. You can do it! Don’t play the comparison game or let fear overtake what you really want for your career. Dustin’s challenge/invitation is to not be afraid to form your business to what fits your personality, especially as relationships evolve. Mentioned in This Episode:Productive FlourishingStart Finishing, by Charlie GilkeyToujours PlanningThe Ensemble Practice, by Philip Palaveev

Dustin Pari returns to complete our own, personal interview Trilogy!  Looking forward to our equivalent of "Rocky 4" when Dustin returns! Such a wonderful man...We had a blast chatting with "GHOST HUNTERS" star, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, AUTHOR and PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR, Mr. DUSTIN PARI!  As Dustin himself proclaimed, he loves coming back to "The Alternate Route Podcast" for a potpourri of nonsensical and positive fun!  This episode doesn't disappoint...The conversation runs the gamut from "THE MANDALORIAN" to all things paranormal to the good ol' days of WWF WRESTLING! Again, we are always honored to speak with Dustin, and we look forward to our next chat...Don't miss this one! 

“Entrepreneurship plays an essential role in solving major social and environmental issues, but the way we support it limits us.”- Dustin Shay Over 90% of VC goes to male-founded teams; less than 75% of US VC is deployed outside of CA, NY, and MA; and less than 3% goes to Black or Latinx founders. Entrepreneurs are problem solvers, but the path to success is only open to a select few people - and most of those people are white, male, and urban. If we want entrepreneurial innovation to make progress on big social and environmental issues, we have to change how supporting entrepreneurship works. As Dustin stated, "If not us, then who? If not now, then when?" Join us as we sit down with Dustin Shay to discuss how he is creating and scaling equitable pathways to success for entrepreneurs working on the biggest challenges society faces today. Investors, allies, entrepreneurs - listen up for how you can really make a difference!

When you think about buying something — a plain ol’ shirt, for example — what’s your thought process? How do you decide what shirt to buy? Maybe you think, “I don’t want to spend over $20 on this shirt.” Or, “I need it fast, so I need to buy it online from a store that offers free two-day shipping.”  How often are you thinking, “I need a shirt that’s sustainably and responsibly made from a locally owned clothing boutique”?  This is an example of using your money to make an impact. Every purchase you make has a ripple effect. That’s why it’s important to understand that impact. In our newest episode, Dustin and Joseph discuss the idea of “voting with your dollars” — what it means and how you can start practicing it through spending and investing. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN [02:17] What “voting with your dollars” means  [05:05] Changing our spending habits  [09:22] The draw of cheapness and convenience  [12:10] What makes a monopoly?  [14:20] A tip for buying clothes (and really, anything)   [16:09] Why we just “buy a new one”   [18:30] ESG investing  [25:27] It goes both ways: voting affects your money too   Cheapness and Convenience Let’s go back to our hypothetical shirt situation.  We buy the shirt from Amazon because it costs ten bucks and it’ll arrive tomorrow. With that purchase, whether consciously or not, we’re choosing to support a big corporation over our local clothing shop down the street. A big corporation that doesn’t even need your business. Meanwhile, mom-and-pops go to great lengths to compete with giant companies like Amazon, for example. They’ll match the price, even if they have to show a loss. They just want your business. Sad, right? The truth is, though, that we are choosing to ignore how that shirt from Amazon is made; many workers in the fashion and textile industry suffer from labor abuse and unethical practices. (Just listen to Episode 80 with Stephanie Hepburn to learn more.) We’re not trying to guilt trip you, promise. This is just to illustrate the fact that, in our culture, cheapness and convenience often motivate our decisions to buy stuff. If you want to start spending your money differently, you have to be more mindful of what you’re buying. Changing our Buying Behavior  How do we start changing the way we make purchases? Think of everything as an investment. This quick little thought process can help us buy quality clothing over fast fashion. An electric car vs a gas car. Organic food instead of cheap, unhealthy food.  It can even influence how we buy replacements for things we already have, like a busted TV or a phone. Decades ago, we’d hire someone, maybe a local handyman or specialist, to repair a broken device. Not anymore. It’s usually quicker, and costs you less money and less time and stress, to just ‘buy a new one’ of something. Cheapness and convenience strike again.  We may understand the factors influencing our purchases, but that doesn’t make it any easier to change. As Joseph put it: “We’re less likely to change our behavior because, ‘well, I already paid for the Prime membership this year, so…’” But we can change for the better. We Can Do Better It’s not all doom-and-gloom, folks. You can begin investing and spending your money the way that you want. Change takes time, so you shouldn’t expect to get rid of any bad spending habits all at once. One thing you can do is be more selective of the businesses and organizations you support with your dollars. Research companies before you buy from them. Practice ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing.  You can invest in “regular” stocks, watch your wealth grow, and see businesses change in response to their shareholders’ behavior. Or, you can focus on “impact investing,” where companies address certain social or environmental needs through special stocks or funds. Either way, ESG investing isn’t that hard. And the benefits are two-fold: you can grow your wealth and know that your money is supporting your values. Change can happen, but it has to start within each of us.  As Dustin put it: It’s not always just about profit, cheapness, and convenience. We can live in the world that we want. But we have to change the way we spend our money, how we outline our budgets, and the way we invest. This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED   Buy n Large, and how our society is like the one in WALL-E  Quick history lesson on trusts and Teddy Roosevelt  Sustainable Fashion & Social Good with Stephanie Hepburn: Episode 80 Build Wealth and Make an Impact with ESG Investing: Episode 76 The Volkswagen emissions scandal on Dirty Money Check out our new program, Wealth by Design™ DIY! Join the Know Your Numbers challenge Schedule a free call with us — Are we a good fit for your financial planning needs?   CONNECT WITH DANIELLE AND DUSTIN Ask Your Questions On Facebook On Twitter Danielle’s Instagram

We often think of “money” as a stack of bills with a bunch of dead presidents on them, right? That’s money as a concept. But when was the last time you carried cash on you? If you don’t see it or touch it, does it actually exist?  Yes. And no. Maybe? Dustin and Joseph do a deep dive into the concept of money in our latest episode. They also cover how financial systems evolved from thousands of years ago into what it is now to support a global economy. Tune in to learn about the power of money, how it can be used as a weapon, and how the world seems to revolve around the American dollar. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN [03:41] What the heck even is money?  [04:39] The early barter system  [07:33] Money is based on our shared beliefs  [09:39] Why the American dollar is the currency of power  [11:40] An example of how the reserve currency system works  [1:530] The alternative to a global economy  [18:09] Power (and consequences) of printing money  [21:35] The weaponization of finance   [24:50] Trust the system  What is money? So, is money real or not? If we only see numbers on a statement or on a banking app, that’s not really money… is it? This is where Dustin and Joseph have a bit of a back and forth about what money is and what it means. As Dustin says, you may not be physically handling money, but it still exists. Dollar bills don’t actually have intrinsic value. What they do is represent our money system. They hold value because we all agree that they do.  We’ve evolved into this system using paper money because… well, our previous barter system wasn’t really built to last, nor was it the most efficient. People in ancient civilizations used to trade livestock for building materials, or one food for other types of food, for example.  Instead of “carrying all your commodities around with you,” as Joseph put it, we turned to trading precious metals, coins, and eventually, bits of paper. And over hundreds of thousands of years, we’ve continued evolving into our current system, where the American dollar is used around the world. The reserve currency system and a global economy America is what’s called the “reserve currency,” which means that basically the entire world revolves around one dollar. Our dollar. This reserve currency system supports a global economy. Dustin further explained it in this way: imagine that someone in one country wants to buy a product from another country. Both countries, however, use a different currency. What’s the point of selling that product if you can’t use the money you’d receive? Think of the United States as the middleman in this situation. We’d buy the product from one country and sell it to the other. Because the American dollar is the single currency used for exchange, we allow the global economy to keep going. Having that power is one of the perks to the reserve currency system, but it’s also a burden. That’s why you hear about America being in debt to so many nations in the news. But the alternative is: we go back a thousand years to how it was before a global economy, or someone else has to be the reserve currency instead of us.  What’s the alternative? Understandably, the idea of having only a few entities with so much power can make many feel uneasy. Dustin points out though, that this system we have has been adjusted and tweaked over thousands and thousands of years. Something about the system is working, because it hasn’t all crashed and burned just yet. If you’re not down with this global financial system, there aren’t very many alternative options for you to explore, unless you want to join a hippie community in India that uses a barter system instead. (Thank you for pointing this out to us, Joseph. Link is in the show notes, if you’re curious.) The best thing to do is accept and trust how money works in our world today. And you can learn how to make the system work to your advantage from financial planners like us. This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED The National Debt, Visualized Go back to the barter system in this hippie community in Goa, India Check out our new program, Wealth by Design™ DIY! Join the Know Your Numbers challenge Schedule a free call with us — Are we a good fit for your financial planning needs?   CONNECT WITH DANIELLE AND DUSTIN Ask Your Questions On Facebook On Twitter  

- Dustin Kaehr And I think there are some people that are so scared of dying that they never truly live. And so so I think if we can help people understand how to truly live. Because once you get that. Once I have that, I'm way more understanding.   INTRO Dustin Kaehr is many things.  He is a leadership and business coach.  He is a trainer and speaker and author and entrepreneur.  And he is all of these things while living with a terminal disease, HATTR, that has no cure.  HATTR is genetic, passed through his family line.  What is it like to live with this uncertainty?  To love and to raise children under this spectre?  How to let them know about his condition?    Dustin shares about his journey towards meaning, his book, and his purpose in today’s episode.  But Dustin is more than just his diagnosis.  And I want to introduce you to him.  Dustin married his high school sweetheart.    - Dustin Kaehr You know, we were we started dating my see you. We went to prom together my junior year of high school. She was a year older than I was. We went together. We went to prom my junior year. And then we dated, dated all through the rest of my high school and then through through college.   They went to different schools here in Indiana where they were both college athletes.  She playes volleyball and he played golf.    - Dustin Kaehr She graduated from Purdue on Sunday. And then we got married the following Saturday back in nineteen ninety nine. It was a crazy I don't know that I would recommend that to anybody ever. But you know, we were young and in love and probably dumb, so it all sort of worked out well.   They have four boys together and Dustin enjoys golfing and camping with the boys.    - Liesel Mertes One of the things that we want to talk about today is something that happened a little bit later on in your family life. You set the stage for us. Right about when your first son was being born.   - Liesel Mertes Where were you in life when you got news of your diagnosis?   - Dustin Kaehr Yes. So it was May 2003. And it was my my first son, Evan, was born May 16th. And it was right around that time that that I had gotten an email back confirming a diagnosis that that I was was I probably had instinctively known was coming just because of my history with with the disease.   - Dustin Kaehr And we'll talk about that here in a second. But a diagnosis, confirmation from from IU Med Center and some bloodwork I'd send down. They confirmed that I did, in fact, have the same rare genetic disease that that my dad had and that my grandfather had and that came into our family through my great grandmother.   - Dustin Kaehr And it was it's sort of it's one of those diseases that if the parent has it, the child has a 50 50. It's it's a genetic flip of a coin. And if the parent doesn't have it, then then you don't.   - Dustin Kaehr So at 26, I found out I had have that disease in a disease that has really no cure and early onset. And knowing that, you know, if I look at my family history, my grandfather passed away at 63.   Dustin Kaehr He had a brother die at 64. He had another brother die at 54. My uncle passed away at fifty eight. My dad passed away at 53. So no cure. And so tell us. Good.   - Liesel Mertes Tell us a little bit. Tell us a little bit about each HATTR.   - Dustin Kaehr Hereditary amyloidosis trans-thyretin. So, trans-thyretin TTR. It's a protein in our bodies. Your body has it. Everybody's body has it. The majority of it is produced in the liver and it's a it's a protein that's that's a carrier protein. So it's designed to carry thyroxine and retinol. That's the trans thigh written. So it's a it's a protein that bonds together and it carries those chemicals through through your body. Well my TTR protein mis-folds, because of a of a of a defect in my in my DNA, then we know exactly where it is genetically.   - Dustin Kaehr So that protein misfold. So when it misfolds then all those misfolds clump together and then they start to deposit themselves in my body in different places and depending on the strain of this rare disease. And so it is a rare disease. So we talk rare disease. We're talking probably less than fifty thousand people in the world, less than three thousand people in the United States.   - Dustin Kaehr And then it starts to deposit that that protein that amylase protein starts to deposit itself in different places throughout the body and depending on the strain, could determine what parts of the body it attacks and how it progresses.   - Dustin Kaehr But for us, it attacks our peripheral nerve system. So that means that the nerves in our hands and our my feet.   - Dustin Kaehr So my hands are usually always tingling at some level of numbness. My feet as well, though not thankfully, not yet quite as bad. My grandfather lost the ability to walk as he got to the end of his life because of the because of the nerve damage. And then eventually,   - Dustin Kaehr What kills you from the disease is eventually it starts to attack places like your heart. And so you think about your heart being a muscle, the beats, but it's got a lot of nerves in it.   - Dustin Kaehr Well, that protein starts to build up on those nerves and that heart muscle starts to become enlarged. And so you die of of congestive heart failure in an enlarged heart. Like my dad's heart was almost twice the normal size when he passed away. And my grandfather's was over three times as large because of the AMA. So.   - Liesel Mertes So is this something as a child, you were growing up and you were aware of this sort of potential diagnosis that hovered over you?   - Dustin Kaehr For sure. Yeah. I mean, one of the leading research facilities in the world for this disease is I you met.   - Dustin Kaehr And so I remember being five and six years old and having doctors and nurses come to family reunions and collect blood samples as they were trying to find cures and in treatment options for this disease, so I you know, I had been around it my my entire. Been around it my entire life, my grandfather passed away in September of the year. I had went off to college in 1995. And I had already at that point his his two brothers had passed away.   - Dustin Kaehr I knew my dad had the disease, you know, by the time I was in middle school.   - Dustin Kaehr And again, we don't even necessarily know what it was called. But you knew we had the same thing Grandpa had. I mean, you look the same.   - Dustin Kaehr His hands were the same. You could tell his hands bothered him. My dad was a truck driver his entire life. So, you know, his hands bothered him anyways. But live growing, you know, I can tell you, there are times now we're just living with the disease now, I think.   - Dustin Kaehr And my dad, I'd be in so much pain because I know I'm in and then I know what he was was going through. So. So, yeah.   - Dustin Kaehr So when I, you know, say at twenty six I received a diagnosis that I'd probably. Thought was coming. I had always sort of made the assumption my dad and I are we look alike. We were built like some of the like there or a lot of same characteristics. So I always just sort of in my head always thought, yeah, I have I have employed.   - Liesel Mertes So this this was something that was part of just who you were growing up. This awareness, it sounds like. But I'm I'm struck that this is really particular thing for a child. And then a teenager and an adolescent to grow up with this awareness of...how is that framed for you in a way that didn't wreck you or, you know, kind of spin you off?   - Liesel Mertes What were things that people were communicating to you or you were doing to ground yourself?   - Dustin Kaehr You know, it's funny. And I think especially and when you talk about rare diseases where there's there's not a lot of there's no cure and all the treatments are simply to take care of, you know, the symptoms.   - Dustin Kaehr Our family in our extended family. They didn't talk about it a lot and they still don't. I mean, it's a conversation I'm trying to have more and more of with people, as there actually are some. There's no cures.   - Dustin Kaehr There's some treatment options that are that are just within the last 18, 24 months or starting to come to the market. But it was just something that we never that we never talked about.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, we would sort of deal with the health issue as it arose in the moment, recognizing, hey, the reason this is happening is because of this other thing.   [- Dustin Kaehr But we're not we don't ever really talk about. We don't really talk about it. I mean, don't ever remember having having a sit down conversation with my mom and dad about amyloid or even what it was, what it was called.   - Dustin Kaehr So it just it wasn't something we talked about. It wasn't. And it's a weird thing, right. Because how do you what kind of conversations do you have? And I think there was there got to be a point where there becomes is fatigue and talking about something where OK, well, let's talk it out. And where does it end? Well, always. Yeah.   - Dustin Kaehr You do write letters and will do well.   - Dustin Kaehr And I'm not a fan to go, there's no hope. But there really, really wasn't. I mean, there wasn't like, OK, well, here you can go to this, go to Mayo Clinic or go to Cleveland or go to San Diego like there's a while. It might not be here, but I mean, that's that's not that's not the case.   - Dustin Kaehr And so faith was always a part of our family as well. And so, you know, I think framing it through, watching people live out their faith through through disease and through complications was probably all the framework that I had.   MUSICAL TRANSITION   - Dustin Kaehr You know, where it also created some interesting conversations because I mentioned my wife and I were high school sweethearts. She was very familiar with the disease. And so those were all conversations that we had to have even as we were dating and wanting to talk about marriage going, OK. I mean, let's just make sure you know what you're signing up for. Right.   - Dustin Kaehr Right. I didn't know do. I remember I did that.   - Liesel Mertes Did that feel like it's one thing to say now, you know, more than 20 years past that those feel especially freighted and emotional and real. Yeah. Like what? With his conversations.   - Dustin Kaehr Like, yeah, I had no framework at twenty at twenty one. Twenty two. You know, when we were having, when we were having those, I mean you know I was 18, she was 19 when my grandpa died. And by then we'd been together for a couple years. So instantly was already this big elephant in our relationship. Yeah. But as we got closer to thinking about engagement, I remember just going, hey, we just probably need to talk about this.   - Dustin Kaehr Like, I don't know. Listen, I'm going to assume I have. I don't know. But I assume I do. And so I don't know what that means. And I think it's, you know, yeah, it was it was frayed and awkward because I didn't have a good we don't have good words for it. But at the same time, I think, you know, there's there's some of that where that that youth and exuberance and at some level naivete to go.   - Dustin Kaehr No, no. I love you. It's OK. We'll figure that out.   - Dustin Kaehr I can tell you is a more structured conversation. When we found out I had it, when we then said, OK, our first son is born. How many kids do we want to have? Because every with every child, it's a 50 50, it's a 50 50 flip of a coin of whether you're gonna pass that disease down to your child and then subsequently, if they have it, your potential, your grandchildren and perpetuating it through the generations.   - Dustin Kaehr That was a much harder conversation to have.   - Liesel Mertes How did you even begin to I mean, you said a structured conversation. There's the logic and then there's the deep emotion. What were some of the things that were swirling for you as you made your way to now the four boys that you have?   - Dustin Kaehr You know, there was a real rustle with am I doing the responsible thing as a human to continue to have children knowing I have this genetic defect? To Pat to potentially pass it on. So that was that was at the core of the RSL, right? Was was that was that.   - Dustin Kaehr And for me and for Amber, my wife, I mean, it really it came back to. It came back to our faith.   - Dustin Kaehr It came back to you know, we had always said we wanted four kids as we talked about marriage, as we talked about families, we talked about what we wanted in our lives and what we saw God wanted for our lives for was always the number, you know.   - Dustin Kaehr And so we took you know, we just had trust and faith in that. I mean, in the same way, when we had four boys and people go, well, are you going to try for a girl?   - Dustin Kaehr And we're like, you know, it was never about trying for a girl. It was always about what this was. And so we're not going to we weren't gonna try to make it something for the sake of making everyone else feel OK. And I and I'm sure, you know, I never had anyone in my family come right out and tell me this. You know, he really for kids.   - Dustin Kaehr I mean, I've got you know, I know that, you know, we've got my dad's got some cousins and there's there's some that have more than that have. You have four. Have five or have six or maybe even maybe even one that has seven and. And no one's ever talked about it. But you would know, you just know there's probably people maybe either inside or even outside the family that know that. Look at that and go. That seems you're responsible.   - Dustin Kaehr And that's really hard.   - Dustin Kaehr And now you know what's interesting, Liesel, is you're to spot your spot with technology where if you were if you were doing in vitro fertilization, you could make that determination whether that embryo had HATTR or not before you went ahead and implanted it. Do you do that or not? Like that opens this whole ethical this whole ethical conversation.   - Dustin Kaehr Right, about am I going to play God right. And I think that was what I don't know that we put those words to it. When I was twenty one and twenty two. But I think that's the question we were wrestling with. And you know the answer. My wife and I came to it, said, no, we're not. We're going to we're going to live our lives.   - Dustin Kaehr And at deep down, there's always been a hope that technology will catch up with with where we are. And we're right we're right in that spot now.   - Liesel Mertes Right. Well, and I'm struck you. You have four children and you are now raising these young men in the world. You spoke about your own upbringing and some of the culture of silence that was present. What choices are you making out of that experience in how to talk about this disease with your boys?   - Dustin Kaehr Yeah. So. When my dad passed away, the boys were William, our youngest, was just born. He was not even five weeks old. So we they were newborn to four and six years old. So, they you know, the older ones remember grandpa all. They remember that he had a bad heart.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, one of the things that came out of me living with this disease was a real clarity and focus around who I am and what I'm going to do with my life and the way I'm going to raise my boys.   - Dustin Kaehr So one of the blessings that came out of living with this disease was I wrote a book for my boys called Dear Boys The Letter Every Son Needs From his Father. And it's a letter that I've written in case something were to happen to me. Right. Because everyone knows life is short. But until you experience it in a real, tangible way, it's just sort of this cliché when in reality, none of us are even guaranteed tomorrow. Right. So I wrote this letter for my boys.   - Dustin Kaehr If something were to happen to me, it's ten sentences long and it's actually designed for me and my sons to go through together. And in there I talk about I talk about the disease briefly is sort of this idea that genetics isn't on my side and this is my motivation for doing it.   - Dustin Kaehr So when my boys turned fifteen, we spent a year going through that book together in preparation for their 16th birthday. So the plan was always to talk to them about it.   - Dustin Kaehr By the time they got into their into their teenage years, now, that was assuming my health was going to stay continue to be good. And we wouldn't have to have that conversation. We wouldn't have to have that conversation earlier because of some sort of, you know, health health issue.   - Dustin Kaehr We weren't going to not talk about it, but but again, how do you have. How do you have a conversation about a rare genetic disease with a nine year old and that that they can understand? And so we had made the conscious choice when we when the time comes. When we're gonna take him through the book or something happens, then we're going to we're going to be open and honest, but we're gonna speak it at.   - Dustin Kaehr We don't need to flood them with information. And, you know, for me, I think with with kids, especially in those types of conversations, you want to just unload at all so you can feel better about finally have say, having said it, but you sort of have to learn.   - Dustin Kaehr I don't want to give you any more than you need. And I certainly don't need to answer any more than what the question you're asking is.   - Dustin Kaehr Right. Because that's what happens, right? Someone comes up, mommy, where does babies come from? And next thing you know, they unload. And all they really wanted to know was, you know, something really simple. And you could have stopped seven words in and they would have been fine for six months. But we we talk through our nervousness with that sometimes.   - Dustin Kaehr And so in July of 2018, I had tried a couple of years earlier to get on a trial drug that wasn't approved but was going through trials and didn't get on the trial drug. Well, I got a callback from Northwestern, said, hey, there's another drug that we'd like you to come up and see if you could qualify to get on their expanded access program. All that means is it was really close to coming to market. And so they were opening up, opening up access.   - Dustin Kaehr So I went up and did some testing and found out that I qualified to receive the drug. And so that meant at the end of July, July 30th of 2018, it was a Monday.   - Dustin Kaehr I was going to Northwestern to get my first my first dosage of of this drug.   - Dustin Kaehr And so that that was a trigger. Now, on Sunday or that weekend, we had to sit down and talk with the boys. Because we needed them to know what was going on. And so, you know, at that point, they're 14. Twelve. Ten and eight.   - Dustin Kaehr And so we sit him down at the kitchen table and say, hey, you guys. Some of you don't remember, but you get older. Evan and Joe, you got an immigrant, lot of bad heart.   - Dustin Kaehr You guys know how my hands bother me. And they they've known my hands numb and my hands bother me. It's part of the it's the first symptom. And I'm like, so there's this disease that runs in our family and it's called HATTR. Hereditary amyloidosis trans threaten its HKT are amyloid just for disremember. It is amyloid. And here's what it looks like.   - Dustin Kaehr And thankfully I was able to pull up some pictures and some great videos from educational resources. And you know, I say Grandpa had the disease and so, you know, I have the disease and I'm gonna go get a drug. And I said, I said, so now here's what this means, is it is each one of you. You may have it or you may not. Right. It's, it's a genetic. It's just it's in genetics.   - Dustin Kaehr So my my 10 year old. Owen And looks at me and says, so do I have it. And I just sort of look at him and I go, I don't know buddy, I go we could find out. I mean it it's a simple blood test to find out. I said, but and we don't need to find out. I said, and here's why.   - Dustin Kaehr And this is exactly what I told them, I said, listen, I said, I'm going up and I'm going to get on a drug that we hope is going to slow, maybe even stop this disease completely.   - Dustin Kaehr It's brand new. It's been in development for over 15 years. The technology, the technology they're using for this drug. Won the Nobel Prize in medicine 17 years earlier. That's how long.   - Dustin Kaehr It's just how long it's taken. To come to market, I said, but here's what I do know. I said, here's here's the hope I have. I said, I have a real hope boys for the first time in a long time that I'm not going to die like Grandpa did from this disease. Because of the medicine and the way medicine works. I said, here's what I know for sure. I said, I have full confidence. And by the time any of you would know if you had it or not. Or even have any symptoms because you're at least 15 years from symptoms in your early 30s, the way medicine evolves, there is going to be a pill you're going to take and your life won't be anything like my life or grandpa's life with the disease.   - Dustin Kaehr And that was the conversation and it was maybe a seven minute, seven to 10 minutes and we let it go. And I said, do any of you guys have any questions? No, no. 14 year old was doing whatever in the end. Right. And I cannot get to the other like.   - Dustin Kaehr All right. So who's gonna watch us? Are you guys who's driving me to soccer? Yeah.   - Dustin Kaehr Can we get. Can I still play x box like that's. And so we left it at that. And so now these conversations, they're just sprinkled.   - Dustin Kaehr So I spent last week in Cleveland Clinic for a couple days. What do you want a clinic for? I just got some appointments with some doctors. Oh, for the disease. Yeah. OK.Right. It's it.   - Liesel Mertes It allows you to meet their emotional moment and not exceed it and be responsive to that.   - Dustin Kaehr That's exactly right. That's exactly right. The only difference has been then as my boys got older. So now I have a 16 year old where we harmonize. We went through the book. We would be able to have some deeper conversations just about. About health, about life, about living life on purpose. About having clarity and focus. About why it's so important to know what you were designed to do.   - Dustin Kaehr And to appreciate life. And so, I mean, that's a message I want to share with everybody that I'm certainly going to share with them as they're mature enough. Maybe he wasn't ready for. But he was certainly mature enough and he needed to have.   - Liesel Mertes Well. And those are some of the themes that you bring powerfully into your work as a keynote speaker as well, aren't they?   - Dustin Kaehr Correct. I mean, it. Everything that that I do in in the keynote speaking in the leadership, in the leadership work, that the leadership training and coaching that I do comes out of that place that that I think as individuals. You know, we have to understand who we are at our core, that we live out of our identity. And, you know, knowing that and then knowing what you're chasing every day and then knowing what values matter most to you, when you can do all of that, you start to get real clarity and focus around what you're here for and and how to live.   - Dustin Kaehr And I think that's great to lead your personal lives. I think that's great for leaders in a professional setting in an across the board. So it really has formed. I mean, it really has formed and shaped who I am and what what I do every single day.   - Liesel Mertes And if people are interested in contacting you, hearing more about your book or your work, we're going to include some links and best ways to reach out to you.   - Dustin Kaehr That'll be great. That's awesome. I would I would like to hear.   -  Liesel Mertes And there are links to Dustin’s book and his work in the show notes; check it out.  I want to take a brief moment here to thank our sponsors.  We are sponsored by Fullstack PEO.  Fullstack provides benefits solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs.  As we move towards open enrollment, let Fullstack manage your benefits so you can focus on growing your business.  We are also sponsored by Handle with Care Consulting.  Do you find yourself in sticky situations, wondering what to do or say when people are going through something hard?  At Handle with Care Consulting, I offer workshops, trainings, and coaching, empowering you to come alongside your people with care and compassion when it matters most.   - Liesel Mertes So it sounds like you have done a lot of work professionally and personally and how you live each day. What do hard days look like for you?   - Dustin Kaehr Hard days. Hard days for me. So hard days can come from me seasonally. Right. My dad passed away December 16th. So the holidays are always hard. As I get into as I get into those Hosie anniversary days, right, I get into December.   - Dustin Kaehr And I mean, I just I there are days where I don't feel like getting out of bed because I'm you know, I'm just real super reflective of my dad and the time.   - Dustin Kaehr And, hey, today would've been the last time we talked on the phone and all of those those types of things. I even get, for me super reflective around my birthday, although I don't think about it a lot. But you're not going to be 40. I'm going to be forty four.   - Dustin Kaehr And then there's just some instant math. I always do.   - Dustin Kaehr Well, my dad would have been 64. OK. Right. Well, I'm 44. So now I'm. I'm nine years and I'm nine years from how old my dad was like that. Fifty three. That birthday for me hangs right now over my head because that's how old my dad wasn't. And I don't know, I think there's some normalcy to that. I think if you lose a parent like that, you start going, well, am I gonna outlive my parents in that regard?   - Dustin Kaehr Am I going to be able to live longer than them, especially in this environment? So those days, those mental those days are hard mentally for me when my physical health isn't great.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, I just went to Cleveland Clinic last week.   - Dustin Kaehr I won't be going back again. I've got some tests I need to do. Coming up, those hang on me. Right. And so it's in those when they when they do, I. I do a couple of things. And I've I've I've given myself way more grace and patience as I've gotten older than I used to. Right. This idea that just suck it up, buttercup like not nothing's happening today. So relax. Right. Like that's always was the mindset.   - Dustin Kaehr And in reality, I've just given myself the space to go. I don't feel very good today.   - Dustin Kaehr So, yeah, I work from home and that's OK. And I'm not I'm not ashamed to tell anyone that wants to. If anyone has an issue or problem with that and let's talk about it. So I've been I've probably given myself more grace and space and and then at some level, like, I continue to keep my eyes just on the bigger picture of my life and going, why am I here?   - Dustin Kaehr What am I doing? What am I chasing after? Right. What? Why do I do what I do? Where does that come from? Lean into my faith. Into my family. Lean into my friends.   - Dustin Kaehr And so, yeah, that's that's I don't know that I have more hard days than I used to. Like I said, I probably give myself more space and grace for those days.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, empathy was never a strong attribute of mine. I've had to work really, really hard to develop my sense of level of empathy, not only with other people, but I think with myself,   - Dustin Kaehr Because I think when you're when a person like me that, you know, your you can be hard and you're a you know, I can give you all my all my personality letters and numbers that would all make sense. That type of person. Right.   - Dustin Kaehr But that's not an excuse for not right. Not in my mind.   - Dustin Kaehr I guess my Meyers Briggs on you and get the greatest Myers Briggs, the Enneagram and give you all of that and you'll go, oh, you're that kind of person. Yeah. No, that that's my natural tendency. But that's not an excuse for behavior. I can't go. Well, that's just the way a D is like I'm sorry I said I'm a Doberman Pinscher.   - Dustin Kaehr Like that's I just brought people over. That's right. Right. And I think that's always and that's the fear.   - Dustin Kaehr And those types of things is we we start using anything we can to validate behaviors and feelings. Right. That well. Any interest for anybody?   - Liesel Mertes  I'm struck even, you know, as you thought about your own progression and giving yourself more grace in space. It touches on what is at the core of living life with empathy, which is we actually treat people the way we treat ourselves.   - Liesel Mertes Like there's this overflow. And if we have this uncompromising hard driving, like there's no space for weakness voiced towards other people, it's also deep internal voice because that voice is driving our internal person as well.   - Liesel Mertes And that has its own, like, unrelenting sense of exhaustion. And sometimes we celebrate that we're like, that's so great. You get so much done, but that the total internally is pretty toxic over time, especially when compounded with, like, physical limitations.   - Dustin Kaehr Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, at the core, I am a firm believer that we're all meant for relationships.   - Liesel Mertes What are ways that your community of people have come alongside you in this journey in a way that has really mattered to you?   - Dustin Kaehr Yeah. And, you know, it's funny for for a really long time.   - Dustin Kaehr It wasn't even something that beyond our family, Amber and I would even talk about. With with friends. If they knew my family, they knew my extended family. Then there was then there was some familiar charity and connection and connection with it. My wife and I moved to where we live now about about eight, about eight years ago. So my dad passed away while we were up here.   - Dustin Kaehr So there was there was a little of that. But it wasn't even something that we really that we really had talked about a lot. And mostly because there wasn't any. There wasn't anything immediate. Right. It wasn't like a Dustin's going into the hospital. We need some help here or something. Something like that. So we didn't have any of these immediate gaps that people could step in and fill.   - Dustin Kaehr What I most have appreciated, though, as I've gotten over the last several years, more comfortable just putting words to the story and telling the story are people who were two things are willing to listen. But even more than that, they're willing to ask how you feel and have your hands. Hey, how's the drug you're on? And again, I've started to become more and more public about it. And so I think if you're if you're if you become public with it, that that gives people permission sometimes.   - Dustin Kaehr And I think that's why it's more important that I be a little more public, because I want people to know I want to educate people. I want. I want people to know it's OK to have those kinds of conversations, because those are the kind of conversations that that really matter when we think about life and work and everything else.   - Dustin Kaehr So it's been people who are willing to listen and people who are willing to ask you how you feel them and then be OK with. When I don't give them an answer that they want. Sometimes you ask how someone's doing and they unload on you. And you were like, Oh man, I wish I wouldn't have asked.   - Dustin Kaehr It was just something on the way to the bar. Were you right? They just right.   - Dustin Kaehr The you know, the the standard answer. But, you know, there's been a few. There's been a few.   - Dustin Kaehr I've got a few really close friends that I can send to that I can send a quick text to to go, hey, I'm really struggling with this. And they're like, hey, I got Chhay, we're thinking, hey, we're praying for you? And they'll follow up. And I think that that's to me is really, really important. Right. That's the people you're on with. Right.   - Liesel Mertes Well, I'm struck that you are, how you're choosing to walk with this disease necessitates its own level of bravery and trailblazing, because it's not that you saw this necessarily. Like, I'm I'm sure you saw some some beautiful aspects of living and dying with this disease modeled for you by a public facing communicating proactively.   - Liesel Mertes  It's not like you're just doing what your dad or your grandfather did. Like you're charting your own course for you, for your son's very purposefully. How did that look? You know, you mentioned days of deciding I need to work from home.   Dustin, at the time of this interview, was working for Lippert Components.  His is now out of on his own as an entrepreneur, but his reflections of working in a larger, corporate setting are still so meaningful.    - Liesel Mertes How did you decide to communicate with your employer about this? And how did that conversation go?   - Dustin Kaehr Tony Gwynn, you know, because I had been I'd been public with sort of, you know, the disease and that type of stuff with people, people around me that I was that I was working with. And again, I had I had leaders who would ask then. Right. He would lean in and go, hey, how are you? How you feeling? How you doing? Or, Hey, I'm going to. I need to take a day because I've got an appointment or or whatever it is.   - Dustin Kaehr And so because they would ask, I would I would feel even more comfortable to to share. And I think as that deepened then it really I would say. It's it's been no big deal. But. But I haven't felt like there's this tension. There's been this this tension there. Right. Yeah. I mean, anytime I've needed to needed to go hey, I happened to be working from home today.   - Dustin Kaehr And again, I've got a role and a job that allows me, you know, maybe some more of that flexibility than if I had to show up to be at a spot every single day.   - Dustin Kaehr But I but I still get the sense of that, that, you know, I've I've had some of that where I can have that conversation go, hey, just not feeling like I need to cancel, I need to cancel this meeting or I'm not real and make it. And so there's that flexibility and right after that. Yeah, right.   - Dustin Kaehr And it's and again, it's a reminder of grace and space. Like it's like there gets to be a point where you continue to miss, miss, miss, miss, miss.   - Dustin Kaehr And now we talk about what disability looks like. And that's a whole separate conversation.   - Dustin Kaehr But I think but I think it's just that idea of giving people giving people space for when they may need it, because you don't you don't necessarily even know what's going on again and again, I, I live mine out publicly because I for education for you know, I want everyone to know why they get up every day and do what they do and so on.   - Dustin Kaehr Because I think, you know, again, life is short. And in reality, you know you know, the dedication in my book is to my dad and says and showing me how to die. You showed me how to live.   - Dustin Kaehr And I think there are some people that are so scared of dying that they never truly live. And so so I think if we can help people understand how to truly live. Because once you get that. Once I have that, I'm way more understanding.   - Dustin Kaehr If someone that works with me says, hey, I've got a kid at home that's sick, I need to take I go, I like you don't have to tell me anymore. Like, I don't need any more X, like, go.   - Dustin Kaehr Right, because I've got that. And so as I and I'm thankfully I'm surrounded by a group of leaders that I get to interact with and that understand that as well. So when I simply tell them, hey, I'm going to be going to be out for a couple days. OK, no problem. Like, move on. We don't need to belabor it. We don't need to note it and put it in your file and and move on.   - Dustin Kaehr And I think that's what a workplace culture that that is driven around wanting to care about people. And making sure that the people matter first. I think that's the kind of environment it creates and I would argue that's kind of environment everybody wants to be in.   - Liesel Mertes Right. Were there seen in that way? Yeah.   [00:46:31.660] - Liesel Mertes You've, you've talked about aspects of ways in which you've been supported. The importance of people asking   - Liesel Mertes what are some of the worst things that you've been met with, things that have just kind of set your teeth on edge or felt really bad that people didn't either purposefully or inadvertently in your community?   - Dustin Kaehr Where I probably get most frustrated just it is because of the clarity I have around trying to live my life and the way I want people to live. I really frustrate when I see people selling themselves short. You know what I mean when you're gone. Mean, like, I wish I could. I wish I could tell you that you're settling. And I know you think this is great, but you're settling because life is so much more than.   - Dustin Kaehr That's probably where at this stage my journey, I find myself more times than not. Like you really. When about that like. Right.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, with my kids, like how we raise our kids. I have a different perspective on what I want for my boys. And so when I see people that get really upset about things related to their fourth grader or their sixth grader, and I go really like, do you think that mattering.   - Dustin Kaehr That doesn't matter. That doesn't matter. Like, by the way, then what are you teaching your kid? That that that that matters. And that doesn't matter. Like, that's where I find probably find myself getting irked if that's the right word on if it is. But but I'm fired up certainly. Probably more places than not. Hmm.   - Liesel Mertes But any words that you would offer to someone who is, you know, living with a disease that doesn't have a cure or for people who are living with them? Yeah.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, as we as I went through this journey, even in just the last couple of years. Right. So I grew up around this disease, my family here in northern Indiana. We knew it was a rare disease. But I was still you know, we talked about the herd you run with. And while it is a rare disease, what I've been most encouraged about over the last couple of years are the other people I've met that have the disease.   - Dustin Kaehr Who aren't family members right from from around the country. Through through an Android support group, through a Facebook group, through doing some patient advocacy stuff with with people and getting to spend time with other patients and their caregivers. That that is given. That fires me up. That gives. I mean, they just sort of gives life even to me more. So we are now it's you know, we're at the end of February. And the last day in February every year as rare disease day.   - Dustin Kaehr And so my wife and I on. Later this week are going to head out to Boston to be with the company that produces the drug that I'm taking for their rare Disease Day celebrations. We're going to be part of a panel discussion. And so we're going to be. We're gonna get a go out to dinner with other people who are on this journey. And I love that I love Canal because because they've got a point of reference that nobody else in the world has, when we want to have a conversation about something, other people, other people can maybe understand it.   - Dustin Kaehr Right. There's a difference, I think to me there's a real difference between between having empathy. I'm going to put myself in your spot to going. I've been in your spot. All right. Right. Understand having an understanding I think is different than empathy. Empathy is I'm going to try really hard and I'm going to give space and grace. Understanding is now. I've been that. Yeah. My hands wake. I wake up every morning between three and four o'clock because my hands are numb too.   - Dustin Kaehr Right. And so that has been that's what I appreciate the most, is interacting with with those groups. And there was a piece of this for me late last year.   - Dustin Kaehr I was in Dallas, Texas, with a group of them going through some training, and they were all a generation older than me. And a lot of them were sort of first generation and their family found out they had the disease. So the fact that I've known for years and years has been a unique thing.   - Dustin Kaehr But for me, it was it was moving humbling and rewarding.   - Dustin Kaehr As I got to sit with all of them for a couple days at the end of a couple of days, I got to look at them and I said, all of you are old enough to be my dad. You're all in that age group. You're you're 60, 60 to 68, 70 years old, I said. And so you all have kids and some of your kids know they have the disease or some don't. And so some of them would never say this to you.  But some.   - Dustin Kaehr But let me on their behalf, say thank you for doing the work you're doing to fight the disease. Right. I never got to thank my dad for all the times he would go down to IU and sit in a lab for a couple days and give tissue samples to help progressed the disease. Right. I mean,   - Dustin Kaehr we donated his body, my grandpa's body, so they could do organ harvesting so they could use those so they could use what they know of their body to help us. The drug I'm on is a direct result of some of those samples and tissues that my dad and my grandpa gave.   - Dustin Kaehr So to be with another group of people and tell them thank you for fighting this disease and and let's connect. Let's have this conversation. If you're someone who has one of those rare diseases, there is a community. They are you are rare, but you're not alone.   - Dustin Kaehr And I think that to me has maybe been critical, like there's only three thousand people in the country, but there are three thousand people in the country. And I've been fortunate to meet one hundred and some of them already.   Dustin Kaehr Right. And that there that there's probably more than ever ways and venues to connect that weren't available to your father, to your grandfather. Yeah. Not a word. It's a sport. We all know there were no Facebook groups.   - Dustin Kaehr You know, back in back there. And now with technology, we have all of that available to us. Right.   - Liesel Mertes Facebook bringing you more than election news and baby photos. Yeah. Connection that matters.   MUSICAL TRANSITION   Here are a few key takeaways from my conversation with Dustin If you are struggling with a rare or incurable disease, finding community is important.Dustin talked about how meaningful it is to be with people who get it, who are likewise fighting the same disease.  As Dustin said, “You are rare, but you are not alone.”  Whether it is through Facebook groups or communities through your research hospital, finding your people matters.   Having staggered, honest conversations with your children matters.Dustin shared about how he and his wife have navigated these conversations with their boys.  Whether you come to the same conclusions or different ones, keeping lines of communication open is so important, especially with children.  If you are a manager, give people the space that they need at work.Dustin talked about the importance of bosses that checked in with him, that allowed him flexibility when he needed to take time off or work from home.  This sort of open-handed support builds trust and powerfully manifests a supportive culture at work.    OUTRO   Find out more about Dustin and his consulting work at thinkleadlive.com   And you can learn more about his book at www.dearboysbook.com

Welcome back everyone for episode 23 of the zero analytics podcast, where we explore the karting world to hear the journey from top performers in all aspects of our sport. In Today’s episode we visit Memphis, TN to visit with Dustin Stagen. Like some of the previous guest, Dustin and I became friends on social media as a result of the podcast and I’ve kept up with his post and racing through the last year. Most of the questions and requests I’ve received through the podcast have been from guys that run higher HP classes, often times more along the lines of what some would call the backyard circuit. When I say backyard I don’t mean any less competitive.... it just happens to be their only way to race due to the lack of tracks in their area. As Dustin and I mention in the podcast.... I want to make sure I don’t get tunnel vision and stick to only the southeast or even just high level guys that race all the time for big money. Our sport is made up of alll kinds of racers and teams and I want the podcast to be able to help everyone in some way. Dustin has raced at all levels with success and we had a great conversation... touching on all sorts of topics. I hope you enjoy this wide ranging conversation as much as I did.... ladies and gentlemen without any further adu.... my friend Mr Dustin Chase Stagen!

You don't have to have kids of your own to be familiar with the commotion that takes place when you've got children on a plane. You feel for the parents as they're carrying around strollers and bags and car seats and a baby that has to get situated. This was the case for a couple named Dustin and Caren. They were flying with their child and I was just stunned by what ensued next thanks to flight attendants on board.As Dustin gets up to change his new baby's diaper, he starts talking with one of the flight attendants. This flight attendant finds out that Dustin and Caren have just adopted their new daughter and are bringing her home for the first time. As they head back to their seats, Dustin and Caren are surprised to hear the flight attendants come over the intercom to introduce the rest of the passengers on board to their brand new child. Then, midair, they decided they were going to throw this family a baby shower by passing out napkins to write words of encouragement and advice for the new parents!The thing I want to encourage you with is no matter what you may do for a living, you have the ability to step out and encourage someone whos walking into your world. What a beautiful blessing from God!

Today, we are joined by Dustin Welborn, president and CEO of Down in Front Productions in Birmingham. As Dustin explains, he was a passionate Blazer fan before setting foot on campus as a student. A huge UAB fan, he was able to use his experience with the athletic department as a launching point to found his own production company. And now, company that was accidentally formed is showing great growth.

Kinsella on Liberty Podcast, Episode 275. This is my appearance in Episode 54 of the Did You Know Crypto Podcast, with host Dustin Dreifuerst. We talked about ownership of bitcoin and related issues.  As Dustin summarized in his show notes: Stephan and I talk about… Ownership, Control & Property as Legal concepts Why you cant actually “own” Bitcoin How Bitcoin is about secrets not property Ownership is a state augmentation Why this isn’t an attack on Bitcoin (I previously appeared on this podcast: KOL266 | Did You Know Crypto Podcast, Ep. 36: Bitcoin Patent Trolling.) For more information see this episode and related show notes: KOL274 | Nobody Owns Bitcoin (PFS 2019).

**Summer Replay: Here is one of our favorite episodes we are re-releasing with a new introduction. Stay tuned for all new episodes coming later this summer** On this episode of Worth It, Dustin R. Granger, CFPⓇ and I interview Jesse Patel, the cofounder of Workflowy, the fastest, most flexible list maker on the planet and one of our absolute favorite tools for business and at home. We discuss how this simple, but powerful tool has changed our lives and his. We dig into his journey from working a typical 9-5 job, to joining an incubator, to creating  the ultimate list-making program, where you can shift focus from the big picture to minute details in a fluid fashion. So take a pause from your to-do list and listen to our interview with the creator of the ultimate to-do list app!   HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN [2:34] The journey behind the creation of WorkFlowy: from idea to incubator to success [16:41] How the app appeals to people on both ends of the organization spectrum [27:54] What are the changes and goals does Jesse envision for Workflowy [32:25] How Jesse strives for balance and flexibility as co-founder of a startup company while raising twin toddler girls with his wife WHAT IS WORKFLOWY  According to Jesse Patel, it’s a way to think big, but start small. It is basically a giant to-do list, where you can dump all your ideas in and then create order from the chaos. From podcast notes to procedure manual, Dustin and Danielle use WorkFlowy at work (it’s completely essential to their business!) and at home. As Dustin says, it becomes an extension of your brain, where you can work out your thoughts. It is the perfect tool for thinking and focusing because you can shift your focus from big picture ideas to the tiny details in a fluid fashion.   THE IDEAL CLIENT FOR WORKFLOWY CAN BE ANYONE The app appeals to people on both poles of the organization spectrum, from Type A to the more scattered brain types. It fulfills a core need for people, to be able to see all their thoughts catalogued and searchable. It has been used by doctors, lawyers, screenwriters, and more. No matter the career path, users can create their own systems and processes tailored to whatever business they are in.   THE FUTURE OF WORKFLOWY Even though the key to WorkFlowy is the simplicity, Jesse hopes to continue to improve and add to the app. One of the key features he believes is missing, is a dates & reminder system - a way for the app to pull out certain parts from across various lists and create a daily to-do list. Despite this challenge, users continue to use the app for hours a day. Danielle put it best, once you use, you are hooked and there is no going back.   HOW TO BALANCE IT ALL  Jesse is a CEO of a successful start-up, father to twin toddler girls, and loving husband, how does he do it all? He stresses the importance of setting up specific work hours during the day in order to not fall back into his workaholic ways. Jesse also learned to understand when to step back in his business and trust in the work of others, you can’t do all the things always. Occasionally you also need to give yourself some space (maybe on a skateboard) to be creative.   Resources & People Mentioned WorkFlowy WorkFlowy on Twitter Connect With Danielle and Dustin Ask your questions! On Facebook On Twitter

**Summer Replay: Here is one of our favorite episodes we are re-releasing with a new introduction. Stay tuned for all new episodes coming later this summer** The most liquid asset is cash, but what about other assets? And what does liquidity mean? On the Worth It podcast, we dive deep on what liquidity is (and is not) and what it can do for your finances. --- Which is easier to drink when you’re thirsty: a block of ice or cold water straight from the tap? The tap water, right? It makes sense in this context, but many people — especially business owners — have a hard time understanding how this applies to their assets. Liquid assets are the kind of assets that are easy to buy and sell without affecting the asset’s price. This means that you, whether as an individual or as a business, can easily liquidate (sell) assets without worrying about delays in time or decreases in value. Think of the difference between selling some stock and selling a house; the stock has a very clear value assigned to it and you can sell it in a matter of minutes, while a house can take weeks to be valued, put under contract, and finally sold. In this week’s episode of Worth It, Dustin and Danielle are talking all about liquidity and why your business needs it to operate properly. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 01:04 The definition of liquidity 01:25 Why liquid assets are easy to buy and sell 03:15 Why real estate non-liquidity was one of the main causes of the financial crisis 06:20 How flipping houses are just real estate speculation (and not liquid at all) 10:16 Why business owners especially need liquid assets 10:46 The negative results of illiquid assets in a business 11:50 The tendency to look at illiquid assets as “superior” 15:25 Why real estate may not be the best asset option (price drops) 16:43 People are always willing to take your money 18:12 How giving back and investing in others doesn’t necessarily mean great ROI 20:13 Private equity and real estate investments aren’t always in your best interest 21:45 X ways to become liquid 22:12 The difference between liquidity and speculation in your asset classes 23:02 How investing in public investments with a financial advisor can up your liquidity THE PROBLEM WITH ILLIQUID ASSETS As Dustin and Danielle explain in this week’s episode, liquidity is kind of a big deal. One of the biggest reasons that the recession in 2008 hit so hard is the “illiquidity” (lack of liquidity) of real estate. The bubble burst and housing prices tanked; people didn’t know the value of their house and they couldn’t get a buyer. They either ended up being underwater (owing more than the house was worth) or they lost money on the sale of their house. If they didn’t have enough liquid assets — like cash — their net worth was essentially wiped out. Unfortunately, many people seem to have a short memory when it comes to the real estate and economic crisis of 2008. More and more, people are choosing to invest in assets like real estate and other businesses to try and grow their wealth. But what many people may not realize is that these purchases are illiquid — they can’t be bought or sold quickly, and the value of these investments can change from day to day. As Dustin and Danielle explain, it’s easy to see illiquid assets as more valuable than liquid assets because you can see them, touch them, use them, etc. It’s hard to touch money or liquid assets because they’re often in funds, ready to be bought or sold. However, it’s hard to buy and sell illiquid assets, and it’s also harder to know the value of them. Back to the crash of 2008; people often assumed their house was worth the same value as before, and they were taken by surprise when it came time to sell. You don’t want the same to happen with your personal or business finances, which is why it’s important to focus on building liquid assets to counteract illiquid ones (after all, the majority of assets are illiquid, especially if you’re a business). To do this, you’ll need to know what really qualifies as a liquid asset. KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIQUID ASSETS AND SPECULATIVE ASSETS When you have investable assets (money you want to invest) set aside, it can be tempting to consider real estate, tech, business, or other investment pitches that come your way. But real estate and private equity investments aren’t liquid assets — they’re speculative. Essentially, a speculative asset has a lot of risk involved in it, but it can also gain a lot of money. Think of fixing and flipping houses; that may seem like a liquid asset because you can sell the house as soon as you’re done fixing it up. But the value of the house is not guaranteed — and you can’t sell the asset as quickly as you’d think. The same goes for other assets, such as private equity investments in startups or product inventions. Essentially, if there’s a risk that you could lose all your money before you’re able to cash out, it’s a speculative investment rather than a liquid one. In the episode, Dustin and Danielle discuss why these different investments may not be the best option, especially if you’re trying to up your liquid asset levels. They also talk about why investing in the stock market is one of the best ways to up your liquidity. THE STOCK MARKET ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE SCARY The stock market is composed of some of the most successful businesses in the world. Rather than investing in a single business with a high level of risk, or focusing on building a “fix-n-flip” real estate portfolio, why not look into the stock market? An investment portfolio will mix up a portfolio of stocks in a number of these businesses and will help you grow your liquid asset portfolios. A liquid portfolio can be easily sold in a matter of days to get you flush with cash, or you can keep letting these assets grow so that you have what you need to get kids through college, create your work-optional lifestyle, or weather a tragedy. Investing in the stock market is less cost, less stress, and less overall risk than other investments or illiquid assets. It gives you peace of mind too, knowing that you’ll have a liquid portfolio that can provide financial support in just a couple days. The best part? You can still start investing in these liquid portfolios without an advisor. There are a lot of great resources or you can even start an account online with any online investment firm. If you are interested in working with a financial planner who can help you understand how much you need in liquid assets and which investments you should consider, contact Toujours Planning. You take the quiz to see if you’d be a good fit! This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED Net Worth Worksheet inside our Resource Vault Investopedia: Liquidity Investopedia: Speculation The Toujours Planning Quiz — are we a good fit for your financial planning needs?

Kinsella on Liberty Podcast, Episode 266. This is my appearance in Episode 36 of the Did You Know Crypto Podcast, with host Dustin. We talked "about the possibility of using patents as an attack vector on Bitcoin." As Dustin summarized in his show notes: Stephan and I talk about… What is a Patent? Differences in EU/US & China Why is it so “hallowed” Open Source Software and patents What is a “Patent Troll” Craig Wright’s patents Can Bitcoin developers be sued? NOTES: Stephan on Twitter Stephan’s website History of Patents Paris Convention Patent cooperation treaty Current (2019) US /China Tarriff dispute Craig Wright v. Stephan Kinsella debate Tom Woods w/Stephan Kinsella – Ep 225 “Patents & Liberty” Tom Woods w/Stephan Kinsella – “Libertarianism & Intellectual Property” Article on Nchain Hiring Patent Lawyer

The most liquid asset is cash, but what about other assets? And what does liquidity mean? On the Worth It podcast, we dive deep on what liquidity is (and is not) and what it can do for your finances. --- Which is easier to drink when you’re thirsty: a block of ice or cold water straight from the tap? The tap water, right? It makes sense in this context, but many people — especially business owners — have a hard time understanding how this applies to their assets. Liquid assets are the kind of assets that are easy to buy and sell without affecting the asset’s price. This means that you, whether as an individual or as a business, can easily liquidate (sell) assets without worrying about delays in time or decreases in value. Think of the difference between selling some stock and selling a house; the stock has a very clear value assigned to it and you can sell it in a matter of minutes, while a house can take weeks to be valued, put under contract, and finally sold. In this week’s episode of Worth It, Dustin and Danielle are talking all about liquidity and why your business needs it to operate properly. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 01:04 The definition of liquidity 01:25 Why liquid assets are easy to buy and sell 03:15 Why real estate non-liquidity was one of the main causes of the financial crisis 06:20 How flipping houses are just real estate speculation (and not liquid at all) 10:16 Why business owners especially need liquid assets 10:46 The negative results of illiquid assets in a business 11:50 The tendency to look at illiquid assets as “superior” 15:25 Why real estate may not be the best asset option (price drops) 16:43 People are always willing to take your money 18:12 How giving back and investing in others doesn’t necessarily mean great ROI 20:13 Private equity and real estate investments aren’t always in your best interest 21:45 X ways to become liquid 22:12 The difference between liquidity and speculation in your asset classes 23:02 How investing in public investments with a financial advisor can up your liquidity THE PROBLEM WITH ILLIQUID ASSETS As Dustin and Danielle explain in this week’s episode, liquidity is kind of a big deal. One of the biggest reasons that the recession in 2008 hit so hard is the “illiquidity” (lack of liquidity) of real estate. The bubble burst and housing prices tanked; people didn’t know the value of their house and they couldn’t get a buyer. They either ended up being underwater (owing more than the house was worth) or they lost money on the sale of their house. If they didn’t have enough liquid assets — like cash — their net worth was essentially wiped out. Unfortunately, many people seem to have a short memory when it comes to the real estate and economic crisis of 2008. More and more, people are choosing to invest in assets like real estate and other businesses to try and grow their wealth. But what many people may not realize is that these purchases are illiquid — they can’t be bought or sold quickly, and the value of these investments can change from day to day. As Dustin and Danielle explain, it’s easy to see illiquid assets as more valuable than liquid assets because you can see them, touch them, use them, etc. It’s hard to touch money or liquid assets because they’re often in funds, ready to be bought or sold. However, it’s hard to buy and sell illiquid assets, and it’s also harder to know the value of them. Back to the crash of 2008; people often assumed their house was worth the same value as before, and they were taken by surprise when it came time to sell. You don’t want the same to happen with your personal or business finances, which is why it’s important to focus on building liquid assets to counteract illiquid ones (after all, the majority of assets are illiquid, especially if you’re a business). To do this, you’ll need to know what really qualifies as a liquid asset. KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIQUID ASSETS AND SPECULATIVE ASSETS When you have investable assets (money you want to invest) set aside, it can be tempting to consider real estate, tech, business, or other investment pitches that come your way. But real estate and private equity investments aren’t liquid assets — they’re speculative. Essentially, a speculative asset has a lot of risk involved in it, but it can also gain a lot of money. Think of fixing and flipping houses; that may seem like a liquid asset because you can sell the house as soon as you’re done fixing it up. But the value of the house is not guaranteed — and you can’t sell the asset as quickly as you’d think. The same goes for other assets, such as private equity investments in startups or product inventions. Essentially, if there’s a risk that you could lose all your money before you’re able to cash out, it’s a speculative investment rather than a liquid one. In the episode, Dustin and Danielle discuss why these different investments may not be the best option, especially if you’re trying to up your liquid asset levels. They also talk about why investing in the stock market is one of the best ways to up your liquidity. THE STOCK MARKET ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE SCARY The stock market is composed of some of the most successful businesses in the world. Rather than investing in a single business with a high level of risk, or focusing on building a “fix-n-flip” real estate portfolio, why not look into the stock market? An investment portfolio will mix up a portfolio of stocks in a number of these businesses and will help you grow your liquid asset portfolios. A liquid portfolio can be easily sold in a matter of days to get you flush with cash, or you can keep letting these assets grow so that you have what you need to get kids through college, create your work-optional lifestyle, or weather a tragedy. Investing in the stock market is less cost, less stress, and less overall risk than other investments or illiquid assets. It gives you peace of mind too, knowing that you’ll have a liquid portfolio that can provide financial support in just a couple days. The best part? You can still start investing in these liquid portfolios without an advisor. There are a lot of great resources or you can even start an account online with any online investment firm. If you are interested in working with a financial planner who can help you understand how much you need in liquid assets and which investments you should consider, contact Toujours Planning. You take the quiz to see if you’d be a good fit! This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED Net Worth Worksheet inside our Resource Vault Investopedia: Liquidity Investopedia: Speculation The Toujours Planning Quiz — are we a good fit for your financial planning needs?

If you’re a die-hard entrepreneur, you’re made to build, launch, and profit from the businesses you’ve thought up. And thanks to those businesses, you’re able to afford the life you want to live and do what you’re good at each day. But as you probably know, maintaining and running those businesses is hard work. When you stop working or clients dry up, those businesses can be a serious risk to your financial wellbeing.   In this week’s episode of Worth It, Dustin and Danielle are shedding a little light on this topic and explaining why building and owning multiple businesses isn’t the same as diversification… and how it can actually be a risk to your future financial wellbeing. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 03:05 Why you don’t want to be like the creator of the Fyre Festival 07:33 Why starting another business isn’t true “diversification” 08:22 The risk of starting multiple businesses 08:57 The true definition of diversification 09:08 The difference between utility and luxury businesses 09:48 Different types of asset classes   10:20 How diversification can protect you and your family from bad times & personal disasters 15:44: How much you should be saving and giving 18:13 Which assets you can use to fund different savings goals 19:07 Why diversification needs to be a priority now, not later   THE DOWNSIDE OF MULTIPLE BUSINESSES Basically, diversification means allocating money and “changing up” your income streams in ways that reduce risk. You want to have multiple sources of income and investments to make sure that you don’t have all your eggs in one basket. In this week’s episode, Dustin and Danielle use this definition to explain why owning multiple businesses is NOT a good diversification strategy. Luxury vs. Utility Businesses (Hint: Still Not Diversification) One of the main arguments they debunk in this episode is that owning many different types of businesses counts as diversification. As Dustin explains, entrepreneurs are likely to build businesses in the same skillset, industry, or model that’s been successful in the past — even if it’s seemingly an entirely different product or service. On top of that, if the economy takes a hit and you’re operating three “luxury” businesses (products or services that aren’t necessary to get by), those three businesses are going to take a hit — and so are your income and savings. Even if you were to diversify between “utility” companies (products or services that are necessary for living, like food) and luxury companies, the businesses still depend on extra consumer cash to stay afloat. When the economy takes a nosedive, it’s often harder to find new customers, making it more expensive to do business. Disasters and Downsides But most of all, Dustin and Danielle explain how multiple businesses can be more of a burden than a blessing during times of disaster. Entrepreneurs tend to overlook the risks of owning multiple businesses when it comes to disasters of the personal, professional, or economical type. What happens if you get sick, or the office catches fire, or your dog dies? The momentum you’re responsible for in each of your businesses will decrease and you won’t be making the same amount of money. In this sense, no matter how wildly different your businesses are, your income is truly reliant on your ability to work That’s why true diversification is so important, and why Dustin and Danielle are diving into it on this week’s episode.   TRUE DIVERSIFICATION FOR LONG-TERM STABILITY In this episode of Worth It, Dustin and Danielle dig into what true diversification looks like, including the types of income and investment avenues you have. Yes, your business income(s) count as a spoke in your “wheel of wealth,” but what are the other ones? Do you: Own real estate? Have stocks or bonds? Have piles of cash on hand? Collect valuable artwork? Have savings or retirement accounts accruing interest? Own commodities (like gold)? Invest in bitcoin? Each of these are different asset classes and they count as diversification. Having more than one of these assets gives you a safety net should anything happen to the others. Even in a major economic downturn or disaster, these different asset classes can be used to keep you (and maybe your businesses) afloat. See how that works? DIVERSIFYING YOUR GOALS AND ASSETS In this episode, Dustin and Danielle also give you some tips on how to better diversify your wealth, and also discuss the importance of financial goals. To meet your financial goals, including retirement or saving for your dream yacht, you’ll need to use different asset classes and short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals — called buckets. The “Bucket Strategy” can help you break down your financial goals and make it easier to see how different asset classes (rather than another business) can help you reach each of them. If you’re worried about investing and stocks, or don’t understand it, Dustin and Danielle have you covered with their Stock Market 101 Guide. If you’re tempted to start another business to fund your lifestyle, or you want to use another service or product to create a “passive source of income,” this episode is a must-listen. While creating and building new businesses is what you’re good at, it’s also important to arm yourself with other tools. Diversifying your wealth means that you can do what you love everyday without worrying about losing it all. RESOURCES & PEOPLE MENTIONED Stock Market 101 Guide The Bucket Strategy (Episode 004) Diversification Asset classes CONNECT WITH DANIELLE AND DUSTIN Ask your questions! On Facebook On Twitter Connect with Dustin on Twitter: @DRGranger

On this episode of Worth It, Dustin R. Granger, CFPⓇ and I interview Jesse Patel, the cofounder of Workflowy, the fastest, most flexible list maker on the planet and one of our absolute favorite tools for business and at home. We discuss how this simple, but powerful tool has changed our lives and his. We dig into his journey from working a typical 9-5 job, to joining an incubator, to creating  the ultimate list-making program, where you can shift focus from the big picture to minute details in a fluid fashion. So take a pause from your to-do list and listen to our interview with the creator of the ultimate to-do list app!   HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN [2:34] The journey behind the creation of WorkFlowy: from idea to incubator to success [16:41] How the app appeals to people on both ends of the organization spectrum [27:54] What are the changes and goals does Jesse envision for Workflowy [32:25] How Jesse strives for balance and flexibility as co-founder of a startup company while raising twin toddler girls with his wife WHAT IS WORKFLOWY   According to Jesse Patel, it’s a way to think big, but start small. It is basically a giant to-do list, where you can dump all your ideas in and then create order from the chaos. From podcast notes to procedure manual, Dustin and Danielle use WorkFlowy at work (it’s completely essential to their business!) and at home. As Dustin says, it becomes an extension of your brain, where you can work out your thoughts. It is the perfect tool for thinking and focusing because you can shift your focus from big picture ideas to the tiny details in a fluid fashion.   THE IDEAL CLIENT FOR WORKFLOWY CAN BE ANYONE   The app appeals to people on both poles of the organization spectrum, from Type A to the more scattered brain types. It fulfills a core need for people, to be able to see all their thoughts catalogued and searchable. It has been used by doctors, lawyers, screenwriters, and more. No matter the career path, users can create their own systems and processes tailored to whatever business they are in.   THE FUTURE OF WORKFLOWY   Even though the key to WorkFlowy is the simplicity, Jesse hopes to continue to improve and add to the app. One of the key features he believes is missing, is a dates & reminder system - a way for the app to pull out certain parts from across various lists and create a daily to-do list. Despite this challenge, users continue to use the app for hours a day. Danielle put it best, once you use, you are hooked and there is no going back.   HOW TO BALANCE IT ALL   Jesse is a CEO of a successful start-up, father to twin toddler girls, and loving husband, how does he do it all? He stresses the importance of setting up specific work hours during the day in order to not fall back into his workaholic ways. Jesse also learned to understand when to step back in his business and trust in the work of others, you can’t do all the things always. Occasionally you also need to give yourself some space (maybe on a skateboard) to be creative.   Resources & People Mentioned WorkFlowy WorkFlowy on Twitter Connect With Danielle and Dustin Ask your questions! On Facebook On Twitter Connect with Dustin on Twitter: @DRGranger

After 10 years in the music industry, Dustin Ray started to hear about entrepreneurs in the tech space and felt the pull towards the flexibility that the online entrepreneurial field had to offer. As Dustin points out, there is no ceiling in the industry – as long you can build something scalable, you can take it as far as you want. The notion that you can create a value and see return relatively quickly was also an intriguing concept to Dustin. Dustin's company IncFile, specializes in the formation of business entities. Since starting, they have assisted more than 150,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners form their businesses. When Dustin got his start with the company they were not thriving but he and his team managed to grow it into an 8-figure company in a relatively brief amount of time. Today he's here discussing how modifying funnels and honing customer acquisition strategies allowed for that growth. We also touch on the challenges of scaling a team to that size in a short time span and navigating the growing pains that inevitably pop up. Episode Highlights: How Dustin got into IncFile. The processes that Dustin and his partner put into place to ensure the rapid growth of the company. How IncFile is filling a gap and taking care of the stuff that no entrepreneurs want to deal with. Through streamlined tactics and low costs, IncFile has become the leader in the industry and has continued to grow despite increasing competition. Dustin shares the key elements to a good sales funnel and the tools his the team uses to work and refine their funnel. Dustin shares his a 3-point strategy for finding a good starting point to getting into entrepreneurial tech. How Dustin's company was able to pass those pivotal “choke points” that many growing companies experience. Scaling doesn't necessarily equate with hiring. Hire slow and get the right people. The importance of worrying about what you're good at and building on that rather than trying to improve what you are not good at. Double down on your strengths. Buyers who are often the most successful in their acquisitions are those who hone in on what they are good at. Transcription: Joe: So it amazes me, Mark, the people that we meet at these different events and that are just laid back casual seem like just good guys you want to go hunting or fishing with … not that I hunt or fish, it's been a long time. I live in a lake but I haven't gone fishing for a while or I haven't caught anything for a while. Anyway, Dustin Ray strikes me as one of those people. I met him at Rhodium a few years back; totally laid back. I think you introduced him to me and surprised me later when you start talking about the numbers and what this guy is doing and so humble yet doing such incredible numbers. You had a chance to have him on the podcast recently. Mark: Yeah I did and Dustin is one of those guys whenever he and I talk on the phone and you know it's not as frequently as maybe I would like but whenever we talk it ends up being like an hour and a half conversation. Rest assured this is not an hour and a half long podcast but it could have been because he's got a ton of information. His background is fascinating. He started out in the music industry promoting some of the biggest artists that we know. He was telling me that when he was driving down through Las Vegas and seeing some of the artist's stuff on the board that are coming in, I mean these are … he knows who's behind these things. This was his industry for a long time but he decided to leave that industry and was really drawn to the internet world and got his start with a company that was not doing that great at the time. He didn't know it at the time but didn't know at the time and he's now a partner of that company. And really under his guidance and some of the other work his team has done they've grown it into an eight figure company relatively quickly. And really just through being able to modify their funnels, understand better customer acquisition strategies, and get that conversion rate as high as it can and really make it a product that works well for his customers. A really cool discussion about modifying those funnels, modifying your customer acquisition process but also we touched on and I want to have him back on again. I say this with a lot of guests but I definitely want to have him back on again about some of the challenges as well of scaling a team when you go from this one million in revenue up to five million in revenue, up to ten million in revenue and then beyond that as well. There's always this natural choke points where it's not as easy to scale that team and they've been going through that. They've been going through some of those growing pains but doing it really really well. So we talked about a little bit of that as well in this episode. Joe: Well Dustin's much more interesting than the both of us so let's jump right to the podcast. Mark: Sounds great. Mark: All right Dustin hey thanks so much for joining me on the podcast. Dustin: Hey thanks for having me, Mark. Mark: I know you're a loyal listener like you don't miss a single episode of this thing so you know what we do. We know that we'd like you to introduce yourself. Why don't you give just kind of a quick background on yourself? Dustin: Sure my name is Dustin Ray and I'm a co-owner at the IncFile.com. We're an incorporation service that services all 50 states. We help people form LOCs incorporations. We've been in business for a little over 15 years now and we've helped over 150,000 entrepreneurs get their business launched. Mark: You didn't start in this though, I mean this is … you have a background beyond that and you … full disclosure you and I met at Rhodium. What was it three years ago now I think? Dustin: Yeah. Mark: Yeah and we talked over dinner a little bit and you shared some of your background. You have a background in the music industry as well. Dustin: That's right so I kind of accidentally fell onto the tech space I guess you could say. So I grew up playing sports, going to school. I kind of grew up in the music scene and that meant recording stuff with friends and then throwing parties and club promoting and working at eventually a managing company, a record label, and then I went over and launched the hip-hop division for music marketing nationally for Monster Energy Corporation. So I was in the music business for about 10 years and it was ironic that we're here talking on the podcast because literally as I'm in the music business I kind of stumbled upon entrepreneurship in a podcast about it and that was kind of how I got introduced to the whole tech space. And when I was listening to just the different entrepreneurs … you know I didn't have any friends around me in the tech space. I didn't grow up coding. I'm not a coder. I'm not a technical person. So it was very much like an outer space experience when someone mentioned something tech. And so for me, it opened up a whole new world for me and it started speaking to every existence in my body about it. I love the fact that it was flexible. It's not like a physical store that you're at every single day. You need your laptop, you need your phone and you could be anywhere in the world. So I like that flexibility and I like the fact there wasn't a ceiling. As long as you can build something scalable you could take it as far as you want. And then the other thing, of course, is the trading was I mean the value creation right? It was like you would read an article and it was like how in the world would somebody build something in 18 months and then they're selling it or it's getting acquired for millions of dollars. Like how is that even possible? That was like a foreign concept to me. I thought you got work hard, put in the time, be a savvy investor and when you have a lot of white hair then you have your money. So that was kind of how I got introduced to the tech space and then I'll let you take it from there if I'm not rambling on but that was my introduction into the tech space. And then I found my way in through Incfile. Mark: Cool. Yeah, I want to get into that but I just made a quick observation and something I've noticed over the years is that people who come from outside of the tech world depending on your background it's fascinating to watch what you're able to bring in. The music industry and the entertainment industry in general and you can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure this is accurate; crazy competitive space right? You've got to be top of your game if you're going to be promoting artists and I mean everybody wants to be a music star of some sort. So if you're in that promotions game you've got to be on top of your game there. I mean- Dustin: Yeah just like a lot of businesses I mean competition is fierce. You got a singer or a rapper or something on every corner and just like really in any other businesses it's how are you going to stand out? How are you going to break through? It's not always just talent. That's where it starts but it's really the first events that really … it's what separates an entrepreneur, a musician, an artist, a rapper from the next. So yeah it's completely … and it's not a pretty industry either. I mean you hear some of the horror stories. I mean you've got to fight and claw your way to just get the money that's even owed to you. It's not like we have this automatic draft where if you owe me it's got to be paid or this automated payments like we do in the tech space where it's automatically … an invoice comes in and it's paid. I mean in the music industry you have to have some fight in you. You have to know how to do all of that. Navigate and fight your way through to survive. And that does translate into any business but in tech space too I mean super competitive. Anybody can come in and make you either irrelevant with new technology or they could come in with more resources and push you out. So you still have to have that the same perseverance inside. Mark: That's fantastic and I have a story to tell but I'm not going to tell it right now. Maybe you and I can talk about this another time or anyone that's listening if you meet up with me at a conference I'll tell you the story about the time I sat on an airplane and sat next to a multiple gold album recording artist who was sitting back in coach and had made millions and millions of dollars at the music industry and had almost none of it to his name because of managers and stuff like that that were taking the money from him. A fascinating conversation, a spoiler alert he was crying by the end of the conversation. So fun story but we would definitely go down a rabbit hole I don't want to get into right now. I want to talk about Incfile. I want to talk about kind of your background there, how you got into it and also the scalability and some of the challenges that come along with scaling a business like you have with Incfile. So that's about 15 years old, how did you get into Incfile in the first place? Dustin: So I've been with Incfile now for 4 ½ years in all in perspective. So the way I got in was a good friend of mine and business partner for a time; we had a graphic design company. And parlaying into the music conversation we were working with record labels in designing all the marketing packages for some of these artists that they have. You know the album covers, [inaudible 00:09:31.3], mind spaces at the time, anything graphic design wise. And ironically through a mutual friend, my business partner now at Incfile who grabbed me in, co-founder Nick he liked for what he saw out there as far as one of the designs we have put out. And by way of a mutual friend, I got introduced to him and we started working in a design capacity for Incfile. And at the time Incfile was much smaller than it is today and so there was ups and downs and I started kind of building rapport and Nick and I shared a lot of the same philosophies on business and perspective. It was interesting for me at the time because just like I mentioned I was listening to podcast and super fascinated with this world at that time and this is back in 2009 probably. You know we started working, Nick was open to new ideas and I didn't have experience but I was just kind of sharing thoughts and experience because when you think about design you think about user experience at that time. I didn't have any training but a lot of it is just psychology. It's human behavior, human nature, kind of how people operate. And so Nick and I would collaborate on these efforts and be speaking late until the night and then into the early morning building that rapport. So at the time Incfile really needed to kind of turn a corner and so I started consulting with Nick. He asked me to help him to kind of redefine our sales funnel and our work process. And at the time it was a big deal, I didn't realize how big of a project it was for Incfile it was … there wasn't a lot of business coming in at the time so it was a kind of critical moment but I didn't know that at the time or there would have been more pressure. So I started helping Nick and we started collaborating on redefining the order process and it really was our big sling at trying to turn a corner. And luckily enough through the efforts and months that we put in doing that it started to turn a corner and things started getting better and Incfile started growing. And we kind of continued helping each other out over the course of the next few years and it just finally got into a point where we're saying look what we could do part time what could we accomplish together if we are both all in? And then that's when I'd left Monster Energy and jumped in all in with Incfile at the time. And that was in 2014. Mark: That was in 2014. I don't want to get into specific numbers and ask you to be sharing numbers but you guys have been growing pretty much consistently since 2014 right? Dustin: Yeah. We've been steadily growing year over year. Our business has been growing at a healthy rate as well. So anywhere between 50% to 80% year over year and that's both top line and bottom line. And so we really are at this point we're focused on growth. We're a growth company. And we're just constantly trying to redefine and push the anvil up to continue that growth. Mark: Yeah. So let's talk about the funnel work that you did when you first came on. Did Incfile have funnels in place before that or did you come in and tweak what was already existing or did you have to kind of rewrite that book? Dustin: Now we had to rewrite the book. And I mean, to be frank, this is both from Nick who's at Incfile and started the company and then myself coming in and helping. You know these are two guys that are just figuring out at how to go. He didn't have previous experience in the tech world or building an online business and neither did I. So it's literally just two guys figuring it out. So there wasn't any specific processes in place or any sort of funnel analyzation or anything like that going on because again it's back in '08, '09. Things are a lot more sophisticated now in terms of analytics and marketing and tools and things like that. But we were literally just figuring it out. We didn't … we weren't … at the time we didn't have a lot of data to kind of drive some of the decision makings. So we just figured it out as we went and that's why I think I said luckily we did something right and it started turning around. And to be frank and to be honest I mean we're still figuring out as we go. We've been growing and I guess part of that is intuition with part of the strategy that we're deploying. The other half is having a phenomenal team. We have great team members to help. I mean everybody is … it's an understatement to say everybody is working hard because it's beyond working hard. Everybody is really pushing a full play and we've been able to grow but literally, we're starting to figure it out and getting a little bit more pieces in place to be more strategic and more structured. But up until really recently I mean we've just been figuring out as we go. Mark: One of the things that I love every time that we talk you're always talking about tweaking and finding other things of that sales funnel that you missed before. I absolutely love that because I tend to set and forget. A lot of times I'd get a sense from you guys that you're always looking, always experimenting with your funnels. Dustin: Yeah and that's a good point to touch on because one characteristic too that Nick and I share is that we have this obsession with a fish in sea and process. And so tweaking it is really the game that we like to play. So we like to be building the product. We like to be refining it. We take pride in trying to be innovative and have the best product in the industry. Not even as a strategy but just more of a personality and characteristics traits. That's what we've been doing since day one. It's just constantly keeping our head down focusing on the product and making it better every single day. Mark: Yeah and obviously having a good product helps quite a bit. And we've talked a little bit about your product privately and what it does. I mean some of the services you guys offer are phenomenal. Making sure things are kept up to date and having that subscription portion of it as well. People can literally not worry at all about their filings. It's a really cool service because I know I had to file actually in Texas for a company of mine and I started getting these notices and I'll tell you as a business owner and entrepreneur you get all these things from the government all the time and you're like I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to have to spend an afternoon trying to decipher all of this. And so you guys are really committed to filling that gap which is cool. Dustin: Yeah and I'm sitting in the same seat as you. Having private companies to even working at Incfile same thing, I didn't know even what a registered agent was or what a franchise tax report was for the state of Texas. Somehow I must have put myself or something down for it but it wasn't until I got to Incfile where I actually even understood it. And that's where I think we fill a big void in the entrepreneurial journey. It's just taking care of that stuff that really no entrepreneur wants to take care of. It's not a sexy business in terms of like the way we might talk about the music industry or celebrities but it's a fundamental core piece of running a business. If you're going to be an entrepreneur and you're going to be in business you're going to have to take care of these things that we offer. So we try to make it … we streamline the process and make it easy. So we're constantly innovating to make things faster and at the same time, we're the low cost leader in the industry so we drive the price down. So where most people that may go to … historically speaking it's a little bit more out there now because a lot of people are comfortable with doing business online now versus 10 years ago. But it really was the kind of fundamentals where people would know that they need to have a registered agent. There's this state mandate that's saying you have to do these things. But like I said it just frankly isn't fun or people don't want to deal with it. When you're starting a business you've got 15 hats you're wearing and you're putting out fires, and you're worried about sales, and doing all these other things. So we've really drove down the prices well to make it convenient and affordable to where a lot more entrepreneurs these days. It's just part of starting a business nowadays. Nowadays it's like okay I know I don't want to worry about that it's only going to cost me this much money so let them worry about it and they can deal with it for as long as I'm in business. Mark: Yeah, that's cool. I want to go back over to the funnel stuff and ask you kind of a basic question. What in your opinion makes up the key elements to developing a funnel, a good sales funnel? Dustin: One is always … I mean some of this stuff may sound rudimentary but simplicity, right? Because in an industry like ours where things are very technical, you've got secretary of state, you've got government agencies, and the IRS and a lot of formalities with these bureaucracies that it could become intimidating and cumbersome when you think about legal services in general. So us not being attorneys for one has kind of served and helped us in a lot of ways as well. We are entrepreneurs our self so we can put our own hand on and think about how would we want this to work and simplicity is number one. I mean don't make me think is the philosophy. If I had to think about something it's already too difficult, too hard, and our sales funnel isn't as fast as like selling a t-shirt. I mean you still … even though we've simplified and streamlined it you're still going through in some cases depending on which package you have you may go up to 15 pages to get through the end of the funnel. So it's very important to be fast. Just ask me the basics of what we need and in some cases, we'll [inaudible 00:19:15.7] process where we will gather additional details that may be needed. But if you frontload your funnel that's a recipe for disaster because people get exhausted and if you get in too many decisions you give them too many chances to change their mind. And really they want to get it done that's why they came there. So if you can make it a simple process to go through and then worry about making the connection and introducing yourself and working one on one if need be to solve the rest of the information gaps. But we see a lot of our competitors … I mean it is very word heavy and very cumbersome to go through their cellphone. So we just try to streamline that. Mark: Yeah, keep it all simple. When you say front loaded you mean asking all the questions on that page one and somebody sees this big huge form and they have to get through that he would form it with complex language? Dustin: That is one but also I mean front loaded just meaning the entire funnel. So if once you get to the back end of our system, if there's additional information or if there's something that is unique to your business that we may need additional information on those are emails and conversations that we can gather afterwards. But I mentioned we may have a funnel that could be 15 pages but if we put everything into the funnel they may need … it could be much longer and people don't want that. They want to get in, they want to pay, they want to have information; know that we are taking care of it and if you need something let me know but I'm already … once I click pay if you're handling it and I'm off to the next thing. Mark: What are some of the tools that you use to really work and refine that funnel? I mean it sounds like you're trying to gather some intelligence from your customers and watch their behavior to see where is the sticky points, where people are tripping up, do you guys use different tools to be able to collect some of that information and figure out hey you know what this is just not working? Dustin: We do not. Like I said we were just figuring it out and working along intuition for years. It's kind of how you are where any business is focused on sales, you're focused on sales and then you're focused on servicing those sales. So years go by and business grows and at some point, we're like man it's a lot harder to implement these processes now that the train is moving at 120 miles an hour to implement the process. So that's been an extreme challenge for us for the past couple of years. But we're at the point now to answer your question about tools where we now have complete tracking setup for all engagement. So a lot of it goes through GA but we're using a lot of different … whether it's a UDM code or whether it's an event tracking code on the website to understand where people are coming in and coming out. We're using user testing on the back end so things like VWL for user testing and constantly refining that. Just tinkering with every page or basically not everybody married to anything on the page. So it's kind of a philosophy where hey just because we've stared at it so many times for so long don't get stuck in it. Everything is fair game, anything can go. And now we're using VWL and Google Analytics and a lot more tracking into Google Analytics to tell us some of that data behind what's happening in there. And we just started doing live user testing as well. So besides the quantitative data we're using web services that actually have live users coming in that aren't familiar with your page and then going through and giving you kind of like we are with this podcast a stream recording with their … they're speaking while they're going through it and giving you all the pitfalls and challenges and get things that they like and don't like about it. So marrying that quantitative data with qualitative has really helped us just in this year alone. Mark: Yeah and just to be clear GWL being Google Web Optimizer I would assume right? Dustin: Yeah we use that as well, the search console but VWL is a— Mark: Oh VWL. Dustin: VWL. Mark: Okay. Dustin: In other words, it's a Visual Website Optimizer; VWL.com for user testing. There are other competitors for that but that's worked for us so far. Mark: If you can answer this … don't feel like you have to but how many experiments would you say that you guys run in any given month? Dustin: Not that many. Because we were running at least … or I should say we wanted to run five to 10 in a week and just kind of push it up, push it up, push it up. But now we're content having more patience and so we want to get it right. So we're not being short sighted with it and now we're really trying to really just run things that don't interfere. It may just be one test a week, two tests a week at the most that we're introducing only because we want to compare apples to apples. So if we make too many variable changes then the numbers and the statistical significance get kind of skewed and then assumptions come into play. So we limit it to one to two now. Mark: All right so you're throwing around words statistical significance and you're looking at biases and you're looking at all these different assumptions that are coming into it but you started off on this without really any background in CRO and kind of this funnel optimization. Somebody listening to this that they just bought a business or maybe they're looking to do something similar on their own, what's a good starting point in your opinion for somebody that is just starting out in this area? Or maybe somebody that's intermediate and knows a little bit about it but hasn't really seen the returns yet from focusing on this continual tweaking and improvement? Dustin: Yeah I mean and you're right I didn't know anything coming in. So for me literally not having friends in the industry, peers of any sort, nobody around me locally, I rely heavily on podcast. You know podcast people speak freely, it's a casual environment, people want to help other people, like minded individuals and I benefited tremendously from podcasting just from learning. And of course now with hands on training, being … working in an environment in the tech space you're learning things every day. So one, learn by doing. Two, reach out for the resources like podcasting. And then the third thing I would say too that is when you reach a point when you could come up for air I would encourage to try to go to different networking events and meet other individuals and just get their perspective outside of your own that they might share that maybe you wouldn't hear at podcasts. It might be more frank or direct or they might have encountered a situation that they can actually help you … give you advice for a scenario where as a podcast it's more educational and you're listening but you can't just jump in and ask the questions so to speak. So those are the three areas that I would focus on. Mark: Okay, cool. I'm going to change gears completely here and spend our last 10 minutes or so. I want to talk about the growth with your company. And in my experience, because I watched a lot of companies grow, you know people that I'm just friends with and we talk about the challenges. But then also people that I have been advising as well. And I tend to find that there is this … there are certain choke points with companies where they have troubles turning certain corners. You know when you're first starting up a company oftentimes that's when your revenues start hitting 250 300,000 and then there's another choke point once you get to about seven figures and trying to get up to the higher seven figure range so on and so forth. What's been your experience? You came on at a critical point with this company when you guys weren't really sure about the future and then you've been able to grow it since. What has been your experience with some of these choke points within the company's growth, the company's culture and I guess I should probably ask instead of assuming I mean have you guys experienced that? Dustin: Absolutely. You know it's funny because… and this is a great topic. We should spend some time on this. As an entrepreneur or as a small business owner on the startup of a small company and I kind of am speaking more in the vein of like bootstrapping because we've been self-funded from the beginning. We've never taken any rounds of funding so I don't have experience to speak on there. But as far as doing it yourself one thing I can say is focusing on … or I usually think that hiring people right is going to solve your problems. And it does … that comes into play later but it comes in very strategically later but what I figured out was that … like for example our biggest our advantages when we were smaller became our biggest challenges as we try to turn corners. And I'll elaborate a little bit on that and so for example in our industry we were bootstrapped, we're a small team, we're still a small team. We're competing side by side with companies that are Goliath's in the industry that have either been acquired or have raised funds and are billion dollar companies. And we're competing with these guys directly and we're a very small team. So we're probably 15 people in our office and then additional people in terms of remote resources outside of that. But what I'm getting at is that that worked into our advantage when we were small. So when you think about it we were able to think about it and have a conversation today and then we could start building it tomorrow. And we could … we were very efficient and we push and we work hard so we could roll things out at tremendous speed. And that kind of led some of the innovation that we now have that's really industry leading now at this point because we were small and we can move fast. We're still small but now that we've grown in size it's … you face new challenges right? And so the challenge for us now is now it's our disadvantage being this small. Because now we need to accelerate growth beyond where we are and our capacity is limited in terms of what our team could do beyond what they're doing now. Because as I mentioned earlier everybody is pushing, everybody is already at capacity. And so even though you feel like conceptually okay well I … we're managing the advertising so to speak, all the PPC and all that stuff. It's been self-managed all the way up until this year. We had to bring on a team to help manage that. We've had to bring on team members to help us in different areas from SEO, content marketing, we've expanded our dev team. So the other things that we're doing now to help turn the corner but what you realize is that you could keep iterating and moving but when your smaller you can solve problems quickly. Because the problems you have are generally something that can be solved quickly. When you grow, the challenge has become not overnight fixes. So you're going to spend a longer time fixing it and then for your growth, there's a reason why not everybody grows to be giant companies it's because it gets harder, it doesn't get easier. And so what we've realized too is we could see an opportunity and seize it and go take that hill so to speak and then we experience growth. We open up a new channel and we experience growth. Where we are now is we actually have to have a strategy and team to forecast ahead six months or more so we can invest in that today and then experience that growth hopefully six months, 12 months from now. So that's one area that we have certainly run into a wall on and had to figure out how to maneuver around it. Because you get used to thinking that your core strength and your competitive advantage is always your competitive advantage. So it's something like we've got to always be objective and look in the mirror and say oh wait a second is that now [inaudible 00:31:10.2] is this now the one thing that's holding us back? Maybe it's not so great. I need to think that was like what we hang our hat on but now you really got to think how to move forward and you have to remain objective about it. Mark: Why do you think that is? I mean why do you think that as companies grow … and this sounds actually by the way very similar to the same conversation I had with Rob Walling from Drip because they were the same sort of environment. A few dabs working together and they had an idea for something, they rolled it out and coded it out and pushed it out within a day and that was it. They were able to do that and then as they grew the same sort of challenges. Why do you think that is that as you grow it's not as easy to just flip out new solutions? Is it because there's more people involved or is it because the growth and the changes that you need to make are more sophisticated or … I mean what's going on there? Dustin: I think it's competition. Because once you kind of turn corners or try to go to the next level it's a new game. You're playing against different competitors and their strengths and what they do best and why they were in the top positions that you're taking market share away from is because they're doing something really well. And so you have to be able to then compete directly with them and do what they did well and take market share from them. So you have to constantly evolve. It's not just internally what's happening but just in the industry for competition, nothing in business is just standstill. So you're in the gaining realm or losing realm and when you reach new heights or next levels the competition gets more fierce and you have to have even deeper strategies. You have to be thinking future, you have to have more of a focus because we could cover a lot of ground and a lot of places and growth but it might be more short sighted. It might be just low hanging fruit and we're catching that. But at some point, you're going to run out of low hanging fruit. And so once you run out of low hanging fruit it becomes all about strategy and long term strategy because you have to build things that are scalable and you have to compete against these guys in the course of six to 12 months and beyond. So it really takes a different mindset to turn the corners. I mean you can operate in the same manner as the same culture and the same type of people and teammates but the game and the rules become more fierce. Mark: You said something a little bit ago about you used to think that the scale you just hired or something to that effect but then you kind of learned that that wasn't the case. Why is that? I mean obviously you need to hire to scale at some point but— Dustin: I think a lot of people try to scale too fast and I don't … I mean some people can do it and some people are that experience so they can pull it off. For us, if we could have hired earlier then we potentially could have got further faster. We were reluctant to hire rapidly because we knew we were growing but we didn't want to take the growth for granted. Expecting the growth to come so we would make sure that we had the business, captured the business and then when the need was dire we bring somebody in. But honestly, if we would have brought somebody in and forecasted at six months in advance we might have been able to keep the momentum going faster. But looking back in hindsight I do think there was some benefits of not hiring faster because again we focused on product and we focused on our customers. And so the product was constantly improving and essentially when you think about scaling what are you really scaling right? You've got to have a strong foundation to scale or build on top of it. So not hiring people at that time … I mean the last several years and the investments we've made and you know we weren't … in our industry we were known but outside our industry, it's not like we're flying on anybody's radar. And that's because we have our head down and we were just building the product. And now that the product and the machine and so on is really strong in terms of foundation now we're hiring rapidly in a sense. We're really trying to accelerate it and bring on very strategic hires to fill specific niches or voids that we need to fill in terms of areas of expertise. And so it's working for us now in terms of hiring for your right and not to hire to scale but at the same time if we wouldn't have focused so much on the product and building the foundation that is … you know everything innovative and automated that we have it could be the death of us. We could grow too fast and then if the machine doesn't work then you got sizable problems and when you're talking about thousands of users and thousands of people on your platform, it's not just two people calling and saying [inaudible 00:36:02.9] we're talking about your phones ringing by the thousands and people trying to get those needs resolved. Mark: It's fascinating. With culture and when you're growing a company like that and you're bringing on people and hiring quickly after a certain amount of time because you need to be able to support that growth. Have you guys been able to keep that kind of grinder spirit that you seem to exude with every time I talk to you? You know it's that classic entrepreneur hustle. Have you been able to keep that culture with your company? Dustin: We have. So that's a big deal for us too. I mean the people that you worked alongside with and the people that you entrust in helping to make decisions and contribute they kind of have to be in line with your philosophy and with the rest of the team. Otherwise, they're searching between team or there's a conflict of philosophies. And it's a lot easier if there's a culture fit to be able to rally everybody together for the common good and push forward. So in a lot of ways … in our case we certainly want people who are capable but if we had a scale of one to 10 and the most talented person was a ten we would still rather work with eight. Let him come on to the team out work everybody, fit with the culture and then we're not going to have the kind of pitfalls or speed bumps that we may have if we have friction with somebody. So we definitely identify and work better with those types of folks and at the same time, I think that they appreciate that about us as well. Because depending on what environment they came from if they had the same spirit or they're a fit for our culture generally it's a place they like to work and with an environment people that they want to invest their time with. So I think that's been huge for us and up until this point it's work and as we continue to scale and grow it becomes more of a challenge to try to keep everybody in the same culture fit. But it's important to hire slow and make sure you get the right people than to hire fast and then be reverse engineering that and figuring out how to let them go and get somebody else then. It's counterproductive. Mark: Right we've gone a little bit over time but mainly because it has been a fascinating conversation so any last bits that you would want to put in or if anyone wants to reach out to you are they able to do so? Dustin: Yeah, absolutely my e-mail address is ray@incfile.com I'm on LinkedIn, Facebook, my name is Dustin Ray or my handle on Instagram or anywhere else would be drayonline. But if I was going to leave any other nugget of information with folks just from our experience or my experience one thing that people kind of find interesting but I think is very important is that a lot of people in our society try to focus on self-improvement. We all work on self-improvement but I think it kind of gets lost in transition with entrepreneurs because we're constantly … we're builders and we want to improve but society kind of teaches us in a way to work on our weaknesses. If you're already good at something don't worry about that, you've got to worry on what you're not good at and improve in that area. And really just through experience life not just business, I kind of think it's more important to focus on your strengths as for a self-improvement and be self-aware to say this is the area that I'm good at let me build you, fill gaps, and bring on people to help me execute whatever the task at hand is. But I think too many people focus on improving on what they're not good at. Like for example, we ran a graphic design business for a while, okay I was interested in design. I like design. If I stuck there and invested my time into getting better at design and using Photoshop yeah I'm going to improve. I'm going to get better. But at the end of the day, my best is going to be mediocre. So I'm never going to be able to compete with the guy who's a phenomenal designer. So rather than focusing on your weaknesses just be mediocre at them, I think you got to double down on your strengths. Be self-aware and know what you're good at. And I think it kind of encompasses more of a positive mindset when you're focusing with confidence on what you're good at. You know even when you're trying to improve on what you're not good at it's kind of a negative feeling right? It's kind of you know you're not good at it and you're kind of getting down about it because that's human nature but if you … you know the entrepreneur journey is tough so if you focus on your strengths and bring people on to help you where you need I think you could get further faster. Mark: Well, don't tell my kids that because I keep telling them to work on the stuff that they're struggling with in school. But I think when you are applying it where you're applied it you're 100% right. Dustin: Your kids they're learning right so they don't know exactly what they're good at and what they're not so I do the same for my kids. Mark: Right. Dustin: You're teaching them to work through the problems. More problem solving than self-improvement at this point. Mark: Right. Exactly and also if you want to become an all-around good person work on finding those things. But you're right as far as with your business and entrepreneurs and we see this with buyers all the time. Buyers that just kill it are the buyers who come in and they know their strengths. They might be CRO gurus, they might be SEO gurus, they might be really really good at just setting up operations or what have you and they look for the businesses that are deficient in those areas so that they can take them. And those are the guys that come back with two X, three X, five X businesses in a few years because they've taken their strengths and they're not going to bother trying to work on the stuff that they're bad at. They're going to outsource that if they have to, make sure that somebody else is taking care of it and they won't deal with it and it works. Dustin: That is so true. I gave up Mark … I gave up on trying to be smarter. I said well I'm going to self-improve but I'm not going to get any smarter so now I tend to focus more of my time on becoming a better leader than trying to get smarter. And so you can only build a company so big on your own so if you want to get smarter you're only going to get it so big, you're going to have to work with more people and bring in people to grow a sizeable company. So for myself today I try to focus on being a better leader and working with people and empowering them to be the smartest person in the room. Because their areas of expertise, they are always going to be smarter and better than I would be in that space. So I just try to focus on becoming a better leader and I gave up on trying to be smarter. Mark: I love it. That sounds like a great way to end this episode of you on the podcast. Thank you so much for coming on this has been awesome. Dustin: No, I can't thank you enough for inviting me. I hope your audience gets something from it and I'm looking forward to catching up with you soon. Mark: Sounds good. Links and Resources: IncFile Dustin's Instagram Dustin's LinkedIn

Dishing Disney - Aladdin (1992) For this movie review episode, we sat down and watched 1992's Aladdin. As Dustin's favorite Disney animated movie, this was a highly demanded episode. Join us as we discuss Robin Williams manic impressions, when the movie actually takes place, the attractiveness of Princess Jasmine, and much more.  Tune in next time for our Pixar Top 5 episode featuring the return of Drew. Be sure to Like, Share, and Subscribe in your favorite podcast app, Tweet us @dishingdisney, follow in Instagram @dishingdisneypod, and follow us on Facebook here. Dustin & Briana, a couple who love all things Disney, sit down twice a month to discuss and analyze a variety of Disney films and topics with a grownup perspective and an adult sense of humor. Dishing Disney will give film reviews with the memories of a child filtered through an adult frame of mind. So wish upon a star, give a little whistle, and be a part of our world as we explore the Wide World of Disney together!

I wonder why the boat ramp is empty? Guest Profile Dustin Murray is a National Guard recruiter who hails from the oldest city in the U.S., St. Augustine. With a rich history, numerous attractions, and beautiful beaches, it is a popular destination for many folks. However, to the avid angler it’s the fishing that’s the big draw. Dustin is all about that, and enjoys both inshore and nearshore saltwater fishing in the St. Augustine waters. Yet, when the fishing is that good in a place, it’s rare that you find the boat ramp empty. A little Category 5 hurricane can change all that. Time for some hurricane fishing! Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dustin.murray YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9AKaHzONyD-HZ6sikEkL6Q/ Fishing experience Dustin catches all of the salty species in the St. Augustine area. Inshore, these include redfish, spotted seatrout, flounder, and snook. Nearshore, tarpon and cobia are the big ticket items. But not to be overlooked is the crevalle jack, aka “ghetto permit”. These feisty fish take a back seat to no other in the fight department. As Dustin learned when doing a little hurricane fishing (no that’s not a typo), when they get fired up there’s gonna be mayhem. Dustin Murray with a friendly neighborhood crevalle jack (center) and some other epic St. Augustine saltwater catches Location This episode takes place in St. Augustine, Florida. Catch of the Day Cravelle Jack Hurricane fishing for Cravelle Jack This episode is about hurricane fishing for crevalle jack. No kidding. Sponsor Brought to you by reelsandtackle.com, your small business, family-owned online tackle store with great products, great service, and great prices!!! Check them out for all of your tackle needs, and don’t forget to use code TellTaleFish10 for a 10% discount off any product! About TTF Podcast The Tell Tale Fisherman podcast is the place for all avid anglers (not just guides and tournament professionals) to share their fishing story of a lifetime and become fishing legends. Fresh water or salt water, middle of the ocean or middle of a stream, on this fishing podcast we are on a quest to catch the most EPIC fishing adventures from around the world—to inspire yours! If you are an avid angler, we would LOVE to have you as a guest on the show. So, if you love to fish, and find yourself often sharing your fishing pictures or talking fishing with other anglers, then you are EXACTLY the type of guest (and listener!) this show is all about.

In today’s episode of Just the Tips, Dean and I talk with a man with his own empire, Dustin Mathews, the founder and CEO of Speaking Empire, about how he conquered his own fear of public speaking, and how you can sharpen your speaking skills. Dustin is the co-author of the No B.S. Guide to Powerful Presentations with Dan Kennedy, and one of the most sought-after experts on public speaking. In this episode, Dustin walks his through the early days of his career, what set him on the path to discovering what makes a great presentation, and when we ask him for one or two tips for making a great presentation, he switches it up on us. Promising to “overdeliver,” he gives us five things you can do right now to level up your presentation. There’s no way you can miss this episode. In the beginning, there was nothing What’s interesting about Dustin is that he didn’t initially have the entrepreneurial drive. Out of college he got a job and set out to work his way up, but then he read Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, and that set him on his current path. He volunteered for a startup in his town and got to see how the business was run behind the scenes. And after working there for three years, managing marketing and sales, he decided it was time to go do it for himself. But of course, it’s never that easy, and Dustin is very candid about the challenges and pitfalls that awaited him as he started out, something the Just the Tips audience could not only sympathize with, but learn from. How he went through a public speaking “trial by fire” Dustin told us about how his first pitch, really his first experience public speaking, at the tender age of 25 got him his first business. But that doesn’t mean he was a natural. He told us how he was initially very nervous about public speaking, and that he actually dodged a public speaking requirement in college. He really only came into his own via “trial by fire,” he says, when at his new company he was forced to speak. And surprise surprise, it wasn’t that bad. And after that speaking engagement landed them new customers, it “completely changed his world” and how he viewed public speaking. It opened his eyes to how powerful speaking can be, and how it can trigger people into action. And hearing him talk about that on this episode of Just the Tips, you may be inspired to take that leap, too. “The excitement that lets me know I’m alive” One of the turning points for Dustin was when he stopped thinking of the “butterflies” before getting onstage as something bad, but rather as “the excitement that pulses through my body that lets me know that I’m alive.” He picked that up from Rolling Stone interviews with famous musicians, where they talk about how they feel before they go onstage. It may surprise you that he borrows from music, but actually, he claims his new book about making powerful presentations is “about choreography.” The book, No B.S. Guide to Powerful Presentations (which he co-wrote with Dan Kennedy), is about more than just making a presentation. As Dustin says in this episode of Just the Tips, it’s about “the whole picture,” what goes into a presentation before and after it’s made. As he says, “You don’t have to be a Tony Robbins to get people to act,” and he provides great insight into what factors add up to a successful presentation. The five core components of a persuasive presentation Dustin is extremely generous with his time, and instead of giving us just one or two tips, he walked us through his five core components of a persuasive presentation, with a tip for each component. Now, you’re going to want to listen to this episode again and again, because he packs so much good advice in there, and there are some really easy, but transformative tips you won’t want to miss. One, which seems so easy and simple but so few people do it, make sure you’re introduced, whether by another person or a video. It helps set you up as an authority, and it brings an energy to the room that wouldn’t have been there if you simply walked out onstage. He dives into way more than that, including the central importance of story in a presentation, and really delivers a ton of value for Just the Tips listeners. We think this episode will be one you have on repeat for a long time. Outline of This Episode [2:50] Dustin’s entrepreneur origin story [4:24] The challenges at the start of an entrepreneurial career [6:31] How he became a dynamite public speaker [8:19] The two things that radically changed Dustin’s life [16:40] Five core components of a persuasive presentation [21:34] Writing a solid call to action [27:25] Dustin provides an example of a persuasive presentation Resources & People Mentioned Speaking Empire Dustin Mathews on Twitter No B.S. Guide to Powerful Presentations Rich Dad Poor Dad Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Connect With James and Dean James P. Friel: AutoPilot Entrepreneur Program: www.jamespfriel.com/autopilot Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autopilotentrepreneur Site: www.jamespfriel.com Dean Holland: Blog: www.DeanHolland.com FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/DeanHollandHQ Digital Business Entrepreneurs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalBusinessEntrepreneurs/

You can always preach positivity but it is inevitable that there will be a negative time, what matters most is how you deal with that time or better yet how you can maximize it. Believe it or not, there CAN be benefits. As Dustin will tell you, some of his best ideas and products have come from or during a darker time. Join in on this week’s episode of the Dustin LeBleu CEO Podcast and listen in if you struggle with daily / weekly negativity that effects your workflow. If you enjoy the podcasts, don’t forget to hit that subscribe button and make sure that you leave a truthful review! This podcast is done purely for informational and educational purposes only and is not monetized nor used for any monetary gain.

In this episode, entitled "The Monster": Nancy and Jon get the crap scared out of them in the woods, have a slumber party, and then decide go shopping for some items that would probably put them on a watch-list had they done so today. Chief Hopper and Joyce are out of town questioning a comatose Terry Ives when Jonathan cleans Steve Harrington's clock. Luckily, Terry's sister is chatty and well informed. 11 gets hungry after being a little hard on herself after the fight at the scrapyard. She uses illegally obtained Eggo waffles to ease the pain. Lucas goes on a solo recon mission to Hawkins Labs and sees a small mobilization of guys that look like trouble for his friends. Dustin and Mike learn the true meaning of friendship when 11 saves their butts from getting tossed into the quarry or carved up with a pocketknife. As Dustin says, "She's our friend and she's crazy!" The bullies learn the true meaning of telekinesis as 11 uses it to break their arms and push them around.

Simon is out and Luke is back, as well as returning guest Dustin. As Dustin becomes increasingly frustrated with Luke's fan theories, we discuss the second in a long line of Billy love interests, incredibly awkward teen romance dialogue, and the chosen faith of moon monsters.