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There's a lie you've turned into identity—that you must perform vulnerability to earn belonging. This week, Toni Collier joins me to pull the veil off emotional infidelity hidden in silence, the orphan wounds we carry in isolation, and the spiritual manipulation we excuse as authenticity. She's walked through heartbreaking betrayal, spiritual misuse, and the long deconstruction of self‑worth in ministry circles. And she has found that true vulnerability isn't performative—it's sacred, grounded, sacrificial, and healing. In this episode, we dismantle the theology of emotional scarcity, expose spiritual control disguised as care, and confront the cost of emotional isolation. Toni challenges common assumptions: that therapy alone solves trauma, that forgiveness equals denial, that age or faith automatically heals wounds. This conversation calls you home to integrity, community, and emotional wholeness. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
For the first time in three years, Pete is free of lower back pain, and he shares with Jen his journey and learnings on his way to healing.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:Why might we hide from our problems by creating a self-diagnosis?How can we work on discovering what our problems actually are?Who are the people in our lives who might serve as mentors and coaches?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
There's an architecture to dysfunction. It starts with broken beliefs about who you are, and it becomes lifestyle chaos. This week, Ed Latimore joins me to dismantle that architecture from the inside out. A former heavyweight boxer turned Stoic philosopher, physicist, and master of emotional discipline, Ed knows what happens when discipline outruns self-awareness and toughness becomes armor, not healing. We go deep on how distorted thinking drives destructive behavior; how emotional regulation isn't about feeling control—it's predictive science; and why optimism without realism becomes denial. This episode is a surgical blueprint for rethinking how you think, feel, and engage with life's stress. If you're tired of overthinking, overdoing, and still not seeing change, listen closely. Because transformation begins the moment you question what you're telling yourself about your own strength, your pain, and your beliefs. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
This week, Pete and Jen return to basics, and ask the questions: How is it that we build skills?Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:Are there finite and infinite skills?How might we coach and lead groups of people to build skills?How might we return to basics and question the methods we use every day?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
Let’s get real—how often are you actually asking for feedback in your business? In this episode, Stacey unpacks why feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s an essential ingredient in sustainable growth. Whether you’re craving more customers, stronger retention, or smoother systems, chances are the answers are already in your community… if you’re willing to ask. You’ll learn: ✨ The difference between validation (hello, Insta likes) and true feedback✨ Why only 42% of businesses are asking for regular feedback—and why that’s a massive missed opportunity✨ Practical ways to invite feedback from clients, your team, and even non-customers✨ How Stacey uses “Feedback Fridays” in her business to create consistent, low-pressure insight loops This episode will help you create simple systems for gathering meaningful feedback—and teach you how to use it to strengthen relationships, improve service, and spark real innovation.
Send us a Positive Review!In this episode, Valerie shares an inspiring journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth with The Wholeness Network. The theme was Brene Brown's exploration of the concept of "Braving the Wilderness" and on the heels of three years of learning to live & love one's truth at a potentially high social cost, Val felt that she had a couple of things to say about this. This episode is a sharing of history, emotion on both ends of the spectrum and ultimately, a tale of courage, compassion, and finding one's true place in the world. 00:00 Finding My Path: Early Struggles and Discoveries00:40 A Surprising Call to Ministry01:06 Discovering a Passion for Therapy02:38 The Journey to Graduate School03:18 Embracing Complexity in Faith and Life04:40 Launching a Podcast: Unexpected Success07:40 Understanding the Faith Journey08:11 Stages of Faith and Personal Growth10:25 Challenges and Courage in Faith Transitions15:40 The Role of Compassion and Empathy23:45 Trusting Oneself and Embracing the Divine Within27:49 The Price and Reward of Spiritual Journeys28:05 Experiences of Resonance and Support33:28 Navigating Faith and Personal Growth42:36 Understanding Patriarchy in Faith Communities50:58 The Impact of Enmeshed Family Systems58:22 Embracing Wholeness and Self-Integration Afterward: After their forced resignation from the LDS church in March of 2025, Val & Nathan were invited to share their stories on about a dozen podcasts. Due to Nathan's currently heavy travel schedule, most of these guest appearances are (unfortunately!) just Valerie. Thanks for sharing this journey with the Hamakers! Support the showListen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Subscription $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Subscription $10 Valerie's Support & Processing Groups Donate: Venmo or Patreon Visit our Website
In Episode 315:7 of the Best Books for Women with ADHD, You Will Discover: Powerful books that help you feel seen in your ADHD experience The neuroscience of ADHD to work with your brain instead of fighting it Resources offering both validation and practical strategies you can implement today Work With Me:
Welcome to the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith welcomes Dr. Tracey O'Connell, a radiologist whose career journey took a transformative turn when she left a toxic private practice after 16 years. Together, they dive into Dr. O'Connell's path from aspiring psychiatrist to radiologist and ultimately to her work focusing on vulnerability, shame resilience, and expressive writing—especially among physicians and marginalized groups. Dr. O'Connell opens up about her early influences, the emotional challenges of medical training, and how technological shifts in radiology contributed to feelings of isolation. She shares her personal experience of grappling with shame and the toll that unsustainable work practices can take on mental health. Dr. O'Connell also discusses how discovering expressive writing and the work of Brene Brown helped her reconnect with herself and build resilience—insights she now brings to her coaching and writing workshops. If you're a clinician looking for ways to create a more sustainable career and life, or interested in how vulnerability and self-reflection can transform your wellbeing, this candid conversation offers inspiration, tools, and hope. Let's dive in! Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode: Vulnerability is Key to Physician Well-being: Dr. O'Connell highlights that being vulnerable with ourselves is a crucial first step. This can be made more accessible through expressive writing, providing a safe space for self-reflection before sharing with others. Redefining Career “Success” in Medicine: Her story challenges the idea that conforming to traditional work patterns is the only path forward. Doing things differently to protect personal well-being sometimes feels isolating, but it's a vital part of creating a sustainable career. Expressive Writing as a Healing Tool: She describes how non-judgmental self-reflection through writing can unlock growth and be a gateway to real change—especially for those struggling with burnout, shame, or isolation in clinical settings. Meet Dr. Tracey O'Connell: Tracey O'Connell, MD is a radiologist, professional certified coach, consultant, educator, and facilitator of expressive writing and Brene Brown's shame resilience programs. She provides tools for good people having a hard time, tired of feeling lonely, negative, or out of place. After many years of feeling "not enough" as a person, a physician, a parent, or partner, her work fosters positive self-worth, psychological safety, and shame resilience for others. She is currently adjusting to life as an "empty nester" and is curious about what's next for her. Physician Coach | Traceyoconnellmd.com -------------- Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here **** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine. Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca **** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don't forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released. **** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life. **** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.
This week, Jefferson Fisher—a trial lawyer turned communication expert—walks us through why the art of slowing down a conversation is more powerful than shouting louder. He unpacks the truth about overexplaining, reveals why emotional manipulation often hides in plain sight, and shows how minor shifts can resolve arguments faster than any volume ever could. Jefferson also challenges the lie that talking proves knowledge. Instead, he shows why restraint builds trust, clarity, and real influence. If you've ever found yourself talking in circles, replaying conversations in your head, or trying to shout down someone else, this episode will give you the tools to stop reacting and start leading. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
As time hurtles by at lighting pace, there is scarcely a second to take stock and breathe. Across the world, work seems increasingly harried and fraught and it's taking its toll on engagement and organisational performance. In this episode, Dom, Jen and Cat talk with Megan Reitz and John Higgins about their most recent research report, Permission to pause: Rediscovering spaciousness at work. They look at what it is, and why it's a business-critical issue. Against a rising tide of stress anxiety and burnout, spaciousness is the one permission we should all be granting ourselves, not least if we stand any chance of resolving society's most pressing challenges. To find out more go to www.johnhigginsresearch.com, www.radicalod.org, and www.meganreitz.com About Megan Reitz Megan is Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, Oxford University and Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Hult International Business School. She focuses on how we create the conditions for transformative dialogue at work and her research is at the intersection of leadership, change, dialogue and mindfulness. She is on the Thinkers50 ranking of global business thinkers and is ranked in HR Magazine's Most Influential Thinkers listing. Megan has written a number of books, most recently Speak Out, Listen Up which is the second edition of her bestselling book Speak Up, with Financial Times Publishing. Speak Up was shortlisted for the CMI Management Book of the Year 2020. Megan is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. She has presented her research on the BBC and CNBC. Her TED talk on the topic of employee activism has been viewed more than one and a half million times. She is mother to two wonderful teenage daughters who test her regularly on her powers of mindfulness and dialogue. Find Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganreitz/ Megan's website: https://www.meganreitz.com/ About John Higgins John is a widely published researcher and author who for many years has been exploring, with Megan Reitz, what it takes for truth to be spoken to power at work – and how this shapes workplace activism. Their work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review and the European Business Review – and on various public platforms, from Radio 4's ‘The Bottom Line' to Brene Brown's ‘Dare to Lead' podcast. For the last year and a half, John and Megan have been looking at the concept of spaciousness, and what it takes for organisations to marry a more spacious mode to enrich an over-focus on tasks and busy doing. Alongside this John has written two books, alongside Mark Cole, which critique the taken for granted assumptions about what counts as good organisational management and leadership. John's website: http://www.johnhigginsresearch.com The report: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/597729cbcf81e0f87c7f6c61/t/677b9b9a26a22a7351dce717/1736154022120/SpaciousnessREPORT_90pp_FULL.pdf Articles: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/create-mental-space-to-be-a-wiser-leader/ https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-to-give-yourself-more-space-to-think
This week, Jen shares an aha moment with Pete that she learned during the intensive process of caramelizing onions.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:Why might efficiency not always be the best route to an end goal?What can we learn by practicing patience, and not rushing?What are some tactics for continuing with a project when it seems uncertain?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
Think innovation, relationship-building, and communication are all on your shoulders? Think again. In this episode, Stacey continues the series on business growth and unpacks why scaling your business shouldn’t be a solo sport. Whether you're the founder, front of house, or back of house, everyone has a role to play in delivering an exceptional customer experience—and that experience is what drives growth. Tune in as we cover: ✨ Why strategic innovation is a team effort (not just a CEO task)✨ How to create a culture where every voice is heard and valued✨ The power of a 5-star customer moment (including the champagne surprise at the Roar Awards!)✨ Simple ways to bring your team into conversations around strategy, systems, and service Stacey also shares practical ideas for setting up team systems that foster ownership, spark innovation, and keep your customers coming back again and again.
In this episode of The GoodKind Podcast, Clayton Greene, Chris Pappalardo, and business partner and friend, Arthur Tew engage in a light-hearted conversation about the importance of playfulness in the home and its connection to spirituality. They explore how play can enhance family dynamics, foster deeper connections, and contribute to personal growth. The discussion also touches on the challenges adults face in maintaining a playful spirit and how to navigate playtime with children amidst adult responsibilities. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes the value of embracing interruptions and being open to playful moments in life.TakeawaysPlay is essential for spiritual growth and family dynamics.Children naturally embody playfulness, which adults can learn from.Creating space for play can enhance relationships and personal well-being.Playfulness is linked to humility and vulnerability.Adults often lose their playful spirit due to societal pressures.Living an abundant life includes embracing all aspects of human experience, including play.Saying yes in advance to play can foster a more playful environment.ResourcesThe Power of Fun, by Catherine Price https://www.amazon.com/Power-Fun-Feel-Alive-Again/dp/0593241401 The Fun Habit, by Mike Rucker https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982159065/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20fun%20habit%20by%20mike%20rucker&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_13_de&crid=1AM710KRFDBCQ&sprefix=the%20fun%20habitThe Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Imperfection-Think-Supposed-Embrace-ebook/dp/B00BS03LL6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B6GAUSKWY50Z&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GK7i91ZGiTfzEF3gCtOK03qEKVwBr5gksbrxLOy_MzLuKnLaZYxBzjRO_49JXefWDwur47rqfYJVdHNzT3kGTCFud6V82Sjn3UAJUnc2NYJ8zA0TlbiW5tuCAiJCacRVWU-zWo-Cw2bdYqrFwoCRgpR6g59N-r989_iKwu5GX3HGYLSIxCSLbwKeldqQOO4UACcMa9OZrv_rN3OCUFBWxGIKOufg5kx4V7FXvNcWSKk.Acx1krghCgX027691qSCzwkE7U-XqIrIYJjiJOruaCM&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+gifts+of+imperfection&qid=1754074532&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+gifts+of+imperfection%2Cdigital-text%2C111&sr=1-1Invitation to a Journey, by Robert Mulholland https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830846174/?bestFormat=true&k=invitation%20to%20a%20journey%20by%20robert%20mulholland&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_13_de&crid=1HVV5PZC6C5YR&sprefix=invitation%20to
This week, we're concluding a special encore series with Jamie Winship, one of the most powerful voices we've ever featured. These conversations aren't just interviews; they're invitations. Each episode is a call to trade fear for peace, performance for identity, and isolation for union with the Lord. If you've been wrestling with pain, confusion, or the ache to live from truth instead of striving, don't miss this mini-series. It's time to unlearn the lies that keep you stuck and rediscover the wholeness you were made for. July 16: Turning Chaos into Opportunity July 23: The Lie of Being Alone, Radical Individualism, and Why Pain is Good July 30: Why Separation Creates Suffering, the Necessary Practice of Self-Emptying, and a Right View of God Then join me August 6 for a brand-new conversation with communication expert and viral voice of reason, Jefferson Fisher. Episode Links Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Mastering Life's Adventures: Being Your Best Self Through Soul Evolution!
In this episode, we delve into the complex topic of how societal expectations have shaped men's emotional growth and identity. Hosts discuss the historical transformation of male stereotypes, the struggle for emotional balance, and the significant impact of gender roles on personal development. Key insights include integrating both 'Alpha' and 'Omega' energies and the importance of living authentically. The conversation also touches on biblical examples and provides practical steps for men to expand their emotional range. This discussion aims to support men in becoming their fullest selves, benefiting not only their own growth but also their relationships.00:00 Introduction and Purpose00:33 The Emotional Struggles of Men00:59 Societal Expectations and Changes02:17 Brene Brown's Insight on Men03:18 The Role of Emotions in Men04:06 Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energies05:30 Living Authentically11:22 The Example of King David14:16 Practical Steps for Emotional Growth22:10 The Example of Jesus26:12 Final Thoughts and Encouragement27:49 Conclusion and Contact InformationAbout Our GuestDr. Mark A. Hicks is an author, speaker, ghostwriter, and relationships coach with expertise in mental health and family dynamics. Holding a Doctor of Ministry Degree, a Masters in Mental Health Counseling, a Masters of Divinity, and a Bachelors in Psychology, his educational background reflects his unwavering commitment to understanding the human psyche and guiding individuals toward healthy relationships and meaningful lives.Mark's goal is to spread a message of love that is practical, tangible, and a realistic life for everyone regardless of your relationship experience so far. In his book, Learning Love, he teaches the five components of love anyone can learn and practice to build healthy, happy, thriving relationships.
This week, Jen and Pete focus on appreciation being an added bonus, and not an intention, in creating a project or developing an idea.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:How might we think about appreciation, in relationship to our work?In what ways might we unintentionally be working for an outcome of appreciation? How might we shift our thinking towards solving problems and showing up through our work?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
In this heartfelt and reflective episode, Julie Beem and Ginger Healy return to a profound conversation from Season 1 with the late Cissy White—trauma survivor, fierce advocate, and the originator of the term Joy Stalking.As the world faces rising despair and isolation, Julie and Ginger explore what it means to stalk, savor, and sustain joy—especially in the face of pain, trauma, and fear. Drawing from Cissy's wisdom, Brene Brown's research, theological insights, and their own personal journeys, they unpack how joy can be a radical act of healing and resistance.You'll discover why joy is not the same as happiness, how trauma can block joy, and why cultivating even the tiniest moments of joy might just be one of the most important things we can do—for ourselves, our children, and our communities.“Joy stalking is always healing and useful. It's about savoring life through sensing, using my body, absorbing, feeling all the good stuff.” — Cissy White“Joy isn't the opposite of sadness. It's the opposite of fear.” — Anne Robertson via Brené Brown“Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism… joy is a fine initial act of insurrection.” — Rebecca Solnit“We can't experience joy when we're scanning for danger. Trauma blocks joy—but healing invites it back in.” — Julie & Ginger
In this follow-up to last week's conversation, Stacey dives deeper into what real business growth actually looks like and spoiler alert, it’s not always sexy. It’s vulnerable. It’s uncomfortable. And it requires way more than just shouting “I want more customers!” In this episode, you’ll learn: ✨ Why growth doesn’t just “happen” (unless you’re Rihanna at the Super Bowl)✨ The three key levers to pull when you're ready to grow: Innovation, Customer Relationships, and Communication✨ How to meet your customers where they actually are (hint: it’s not just in your newsletter)✨ Why vulnerability is a business superpower and what happens when you embrace it From early business missteps (anyone else wanted to print “Have you read the newsletter?” t-shirts?) to failed offers that taught big lessons, Stacey keeps it raw, real, and relatable. Ready to grow? This episode will help you do it with intention, resilience, and a whole lot of heart.
In Week 3 of our series, we explore what it means to live with integrity—choosing courage over comfort and practicing our values in real life. Through the story of Ruth and Brene Brown's Living BIG framework, we reflect on how integrity strengthens meaningful relationships, especially in hard moments. Find out more about Storied Church @ STORIEDCHURCH.org TO GIVE storiedchurch.org/give JOIN SC DISCORD: https://discord.gg/XuVCyZZ3 JOIN OUR LISTSERVE: storiedchurch.org/connect instagram.com/storiedchurch facebook.com/storiedchurch YouTube: @storiedchurch921
We're continuing a special encore series with Jamie Winship, one of the most powerful voices we've ever featured. These conversations aren't just interviews; they're invitations. Each episode is a call to trade fear for peace, performance for identity, and isolation for union with the Lord. If you've been wrestling with pain, confusion, or the ache to live from truth instead of striving, don't miss this mini-series. It's time to unlearn the lies that keep you stuck and rediscover the wholeness you were made for. July 16: Turning Chaos into Opportunity July 23: The Lie of Being Alone, Radical Individualism, and Why Pain is Good July 30: Why Separation Creates Suffering, the Necessary Practice of Self-Emptying, and a Right View of God Then join me on August 6 for a brand-new conversation with communication expert and viral voice of reason, Jefferson Fisher. Episode Links Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
In this episode of "Building Texas Business," I sit down with Molly Voorhees, the president of Beck's Prime, Winfield's Chocolate Bar, and Agnes Cafe. Molly shares her journey from Silicon Valley back to her roots in Houston's culinary scene. She talks about how her passion for food and community has shaped her approach to running family-run businesses and the importance of customer service. We explore the challenges of maintaining a successful family business, emphasizing the importance of respecting individual expertise and fostering a collaborative environment. Molly discusses how she integrates technology into operations, which can be challenging for mid-sized companies. Her experiences provide insight into the practical hurdles of implementing new systems while maintaining efficiency. Molly also reflects on the entrepreneurial spirit in Texas, particularly in Houston, where local businesses benefit from a supportive community. She shares how this environment has been beneficial, despite the uncertainties and challenges in the business world. Her approach to leadership involves patience and listening to her team, allowing them to voice their opinions and ideas. The conversation also touches on the importance of authenticity and resilience in business. Molly shares how facing challenges early on, like financial struggles and an empty restaurant, taught her valuable lessons. She emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness in corporate culture and maintaining open dialogue about success and failure. As Molly looks forward to upcoming projects, she invites listeners to experience the culinary adventures that celebrate innovation and community. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Molly shares her journey from Silicon Valley back to Houston, taking on leadership roles in Beck's Prime, Winfield's Chocolate Bar, and Agnes Cafe, emphasizing her passion for food and community. The episode explores her innovative approach to maintaining high standards in Beck's Prime while expanding into the chocolate business, highlighting the importance of customer service and community connection. Listeners gain insights into managing a family-run business, where respecting individual expertise and fostering collaboration are essential for effective decision-making and business success. We discuss the integration of technology in operations, acknowledging the challenges faced by mid-sized companies and the potential for improved efficiency through technological advancements. The supportive entrepreneurial spirit in Houston is highlighted, showcasing how local businesses benefit from a community eager to see them succeed, even amidst ongoing challenges and uncertainties. Her reflections on entrepreneurship emphasize authenticity, resilience, and mental health awareness in corporate culture, encouraging open dialogue about success and failure. Excitement for upcoming projects is shared, inviting listeners to join in a culinary adventure that celebrates innovation and community in Houston's vibrant food scene. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Beck's Prime GUESTS Molly VoorheesAbout Molly TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode you will meet Molly Voorhees, president of Beck's Prime, winfield's Chocolate Bar and Agnes Cafe. Molly shares her passion for bringing people together over quality food and service and how, in difficult times, she looks for the next right thing to do to keep the company moving forward. Molly, I want to thank you for coming on Building Texas Business. Thanks for coming in today. Molly: Thank you for having me Excited to be here. Chris: So we have a lot to talk about with you because you cover a lot of areas. So let's start Just tell everyone kind of what it is you do, the companies that you're involved in and what they're known for. Molly: So we started Beck's Prime back in 1985. I was just 10 years old so I did not start it, but my dad, a lawyer, winn Campbell, and an operating partner, a guy named Mike Knapp, started it together. And really my dad, winn, loves food and grew up in the burger business in Dallas. Chris: Ok, what was the burger place in Dallas? Molly: It was golf. Chris: I've had lots of golf, yeah, so he was 14. Molly: He tells some fantastic stories about, you know, his first day on the job, cutting onions and being a human trash compactor and sort of all the love, and ended up getting a law degree. But always loved the food industry, always wanted to be in it and came up with the concept of Vex Prime in 1985. I convinced a lot of people to gamble with him and invest and that was the very first Vex Prime on Kirby. Chris: OK. Molly: I was 10, just kid watching, watching it all happen, while I, you know, played sports and did all the things you do and went to college, ended up in um tech out in silicon valley for a long time during the the boom and bust period okay and which was fun went to business school and then wanted to to come back and be in the restaurant industry and grow it. Food is fun. It's very personal. I had sold being in tech. You're not selling something that brings necessarily as much moment-to-moment joy as feeding people Okay, necessarily as much moment to moment joy as feeding people. And I really felt like with Beck's Prime we had something great and then it was time to grow it and so I've moved back here in 2006, back to Houston, and we started growing and building more Beck's Prime and then we took over the management five years ago, chocolate bar and rebranded that Winfield's chocolate bar and built a factory and new stores and now we're selling wholesale and corporate gifting. And then we have a little side concept that I did with a friend called Agnes. Chris: Okay. Molly: Agnes Cafe and Provisions. Chris: Oh, we're off the internet, right. And that was my crazy covid baby I was. Molly: I thought everyone wanted to get back to work and we needed to create jobs and he's desperate for community and the restaurant industry to come back. And there was a restaurant that had closed there and decided to open up a neighborhood cafe with a friend who was crazy enough to say yes when I brought her the idea and we opened Agnes four years ago in June and it is a local neighborhood favorite. Chris: That's great. That's great. So original inspiration, I guess obviously is your dad, and being exposed to the business Great. So original inspiration I guess obviously is your dad and being exposed to the business. What was it that got you to kind of branch into chocolate, because that's much different than kind of a full service meal concept. Well, in theory it was going to be easier. Molly: Famous last words. Famous last words. You know, I love how food brings people together and what we do at Beck's Prime is really hard, which is, you know, you walk up to the window or you drive through our drive-thru and I mean we are cut, grinding and patting all the burgers every day. Nothing's frozen. I mean we're cutting those French fries it is busy back there and we're going to get you a made from scratch meal in eight to ten minutes. And that's hard. So I thought, okay, let's be in the food business, but let's scoop ice cream and cut cakes and sell chocolate. Um, well, when we took the business, they weren't doing the highest quality version of that. So I was like, okay, well, I'm going to apply the Beck's Prime model to it and I'm going to make it all really high quality and we're going to make all of our own cakes and ice cream. And so now I've made it as hard or harder than go back to your roots. I mean, nothing is easy. Chris: Right Molly: But yeah, I think they're similar in the sense of how you manage a restaurant, all of the different services, and how you buy food and how you work on cleanliness and operations. So there's a lot of similarities. Chris: And, I would think, critically important to people you hire to be customer-facing. Right, to make that experience, the food's got to be great, but if the people aren't great as well, right, you have to get both right. Molly: Yeah, and there's actually some evidence that the people matter more than the food. So you'll be surprised the number of text messages I get and there's some science behind this too, not just anecdotal. But oh my gosh, that guy over at Memorial Park. Or the cute drive-thru cashier over there at Kirby who always gets my sandwich right and says, hello, I love her so much, she loves my dog. There's nothing about what they ate or if they enjoyed their meal or it tasted good. It's the people. So you know, I think that part we've done well, which is why we're still in business. Chris: So let's kind of go down that route a little bit. What is it that you have done? I guess it that you have done, I guess first at Beck's and now at Winfield chocolate to focus on getting the hiring right, the processes you put in place, what did mistakes you made that you learned from, kind of. To me that is the key to the kingdom and I think our listeners could learn a lot from what you've done to put such a good system in place to get the right people. Molly: So it's interesting. I think the basics matter right how we treat people every day. I think we've always done that really well inside of our team how we hire. So when we hire managers, we will never hire a general manager for a store. We will only hire an assistant manager and then they can move up to a general manager. But when we hire, we actually take a team member through a number of different steps. You know. Obviously they interview with our management team, they interview with other managers, they interview with the other managers, then they'll do a shadows shift where they'll come and work a shift with the team. So we're really trying to make sure we get people who see themselves working in our environment. Chris:Right. Molly: Right. If you don't, if you want to be a white tablecloth restaurant manager or employee, we're not the right place. So sometimes people will come and they'll spend a shadow shift with us and they don't want to be in the environment. And then we'll also ask them. We'll give them dinner passes and we'll say bring a loved one to lunch or dinner with you here. And we'll say bring a loved one to lunch or dinner with you here. And that test is does somebody who's close to you see you working here? Chris: Oh yeah. Molly: You know, and so we try to help employees find a couple touch points so that they know whether or not, culturally, we're a good fit for them. But from my perspective it's really interesting. I think we have incredibly loyal long-term team members who've been with us forever. If you ever go in one of our stores, you'll see these posters that celebrate, you know, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 years of with us. People are like, oh my gosh, those people have been with you for so long and I'm like, well, those are just the people on the poster that year. Right, and really I think it comes down to basic manners, boundaries, respect, helping each other. But just treating people as you would want to be treated goes a really long way. Chris: Yeah, like I said, that's the basics right, and to have that longevity in your industry is remarkable. Molly: Transparency, kind but also clear. Hey, this is how this needs to happen, Not having policies. We're not a big policy company. Chris: I love that because. I feel, the same way. I think. As soon as you create a policy, then all you're dealing with is all the reasons there should be an exception to the policy. Exactly so just treat people humanly, and humanely and reasonably. Molly: Yeah, and if we need to figure it out we will. But you know, if we had a policy that you know you can't take care of a customer if it's going to cost us more than $15. Let's say we had some limit, or something. And that would just be such a buffer. And it turns out the manager who's trying to take care of the customers all of a sudden handcuffed Right Right, and they just want the ability to do the right thing. Chris: Right. Molly: They're in the service business. People don't go into the service business unless you enjoy serving people. Chris: Well, and if you know, I think if you're watching your business, if someone's abusing a system, you'll see it and that's not a policy issue or lack of policy issue, that's a character issue, right, that surfaces, that you maybe didn't catch in the hiring process. I also like what you said because I think I'm hearing more of this in the corporate world the experimental part of the interview process where you you put someone in a skills assessment situation. So you said the shadow session or whatever. I know we're trying to do that and assessing skill. You know it's one thing to ask questions and be you know in a conversation, but people's skill sets matter in these jobs, right, that's how they're going to sink or swim. So I think that you've incorporated that is something that I see more and more people trying to do. Yeah, and I love to bring the loved one in. Molly: We try to do the same as well. Chris: It's like do something social with your spouse or significant other, because you're going to be away from them with us a lot. Molly: you're going to be away from them with us a lot they're going to spend more time with us than they are, you know, with you so? Do you see them and you know? Chris: okay with us, yeah do you like? Molly: do you like us? Yeah? Chris: so let's let's back up a little bit, because you mentioned, obviously, dad and a partner started VEX Prime. At some point you come in and kind of take over. What was that kind of transition? Molly: like it's still in transition. Chris: Okay so. Molly: I would say we certainly do not have a policy of nepotism in our business, policy of nepotism in our business, but to say that we don't have a lot of dads and daughters and family members and cousins and aunts and uncles all working together, we would have a long laugh. So my dad is still involved in the business. He's still a full-time lawyer. He's still a full-time lawyer and he is, you know, he helps us with all sorts of higher level finance, legal type ideas. I mean he's all over the map there, Our chief operating officer, Mike Knapp, the original partner. He's still working and he manages all of our managers and operating team. His daughter is our HR director and we have a marketing director who's been with us for almost 20 years and her husband is a project manager for us. So, and then on our you know extended family, I mean we really we have have tons and tons of family members working together and we actually view it as a real asset because we're all so passionate and deeply engaged in the business, because we're looking for it to be as best as it can be, but we are also, I would say, have investors from our community and our friends and family. We've raised a lot of money and so we are very careful because we're trying to make money for all of our investors. We have a fiduciary duty to that. So, I think in many ways, part of our culture is we are a family business, but we're not run like a family business at all Right. So how was it? I guess? Chris: you coming back in and you know I guess dad and his partner letting go of some things, and I mean you know, I know from experience. You know we have clients that go through this and I've had some guests on the podcast. You know everyone experienced a little different. What can you share about maybe some of the things that, looking back, probably could have done better or things that actually went well? ADVERT Hello friends, this is Chris Hanslick, your Building Texas business host. Did you know that Boyer Miller, the producer of this podcast, is a business law firm that works with entrepreneurs, corporations and business leaders? Our team of attorneys serve as strategic partners to businesses by providing legal guidance to organizations of all sizes. Get to know the firm at boyMillercom, and thanks for listening to the show. Molly: Yeah, I mean, I think one of the things I mean it's always hard and I think that there's an ebb and flow to it. And you know, one of the things I think we did really well and we still do really well is we stay in our lane and I think we're really good at the active debate and listening and having hard conversations but listening to each other's points and coming together to make a decision that is methodical and thoughtful, versus well, you know, it's going to be my way, or the highway, like we very rarely would let someone just take something and run with the decision. We're very consensus oriented but we also stay in our lane. So, if you know, I've probably my strongest background is in marketing. If I feel really passionate about something related to marketing and and I've got my reasons and I'm, you know, persuasively getting everyone on board everyone's gonna be like, okay, cool, cool, yeah, you got it, got it, you know. Or my dad's like the contract needs to read this way. You know, with the Cisco vendor, we're like, okay, cool, great, you got it. So I think one thing we've done well is we. We have a lot of people with very specific expertise and we're able to learn from each other, but not stomp on each other. And so, like Mike Knapp, who's our chief operating officer, and we have got some other great operators on our team they know how to run a restaurant. Well, if I go in there and tell them how to do it, like I'm way overstepping them my lane. Chris: Right. Molly: Right. But if I go in there and I'm like, hey, I noticed like this seemed inefficient, what's going on there? They'll either be like oh gosh, we got to go fix that, Thank you. Or well, this is why we're doing it this way and I can learn from that. Chris: I think there's a lot of humility in that for the whole team Right. Molly: Yeah, you know, or feedback, that happens. Chris: Yeah, you know, no egos. Molly: Yeah, I mean we all have egos. But yeah, I mean I can say to my dad, if we cross that out, we're never going to make this deal, Like, stop being a lawyer. Chris:Right. Molly: I mean you know how it goes. It's like there's always the lines there, but I think we do a good job of being honest, transparent, giving feedback and then, when we cross the line which family members can do, we do a good job of like coming back together. Chris: Good, so there's grace too, right. Molly: Forgiveness grace. That wasn't my best moment, I'm sorry. Chris: Yeah, okay, wasn't my best moment, I'm sorry, yeah, okay. So let's talk a little bit about you know you're, you've grown this business and you've added to it. What are you think about like technology or innovation? Are there things in that realm that you've implemented to kind of help either with the growth or, once the growth has happened, help kind of manage and make it more efficient? Molly: So I came from tech right in Silicon Valley, so it's like, okay, let's get some platforms on this business right. 2000 was the year, and so I've now been through a lot of point-of-sale changes and QuickBooks to Great Plains Accounting, all these Clover, uber, online ordering, and we have tended to actually be pretty early adopters. We probably had online ordering off your phone earlier than most companies in Houston, and it's interesting because they're so great and, in theory, they're going to make your life so much easier and everything is going to be faster and more efficient. I don't always feel that it has worked out that way. Oh okay, feel that it has worked out that way. Okay, you know, I think the layers, the layers can add just more work or buffer or time, even in how long it maybe takes to place an order. And I think we went through. If we go back a decade, I think that was the painful era of technology in the restaurant space, I think. Where we are now with some of the point of sale systems and how they're integrating, how can I let me explain this when a decade ago, or even five years ago, you would be in our restaurant and you would see we'd have our point of sale system, we'd have the drive-thru speaker, we'd have an Uber iPad, a DoorDash iPad, a Favor oh wait, favor called in and then paid with a real credit card. So just imagine. All of that is like just messy. Chris: And you'rust trying to keep up. Molly: Right, we're just coming at you and all we want to do is take the order, take your money and send you on the way with your food right. So, like that transaction, for us that 20 years ago was you walked up to the counter, you paid and you left. Now we've got all these things right and and if the DoorDash order comes in on this tablet, I've got to enter it in this system on the cash register, or it won't go to the kitchen and then the kitchen doesn't get a ticket. So it seems like, in theory, we should all love all of this. And for the consumer who's like beep, beep, beep. Chris: On the sofa at home, right. Molly: Great. It's great for them. For us, it's been hard, you know, and and it has taken a lot of time. And now what? What? My point with technology now is that all those systems are finally talking to each other, and so we were taking more orders through a single unit. There's less double entry. Chris: So technology is catching up right Kind of with the innovation, all the innovation of all that. Now technology is catching up, so it's integrated. Molly: And then behind the scenes is like how our accounting and everything flows over whether it's from our vendors that we're buying food from, and finally everything is catching up. But I think we all take for granted how easy that integration is, and when you're a mid-level size company, like we are, you don't have the financial resources to spend money on the consultants that you really need to hire to help you integrate that, and so it just can be hard. Yeah. Chris: Well, that's a great point, I think, with aspiring entrepreneurs, right, that you you've got to face these challenges and sometimes the only way through them is you know it's going to be extra time and hours on you to figure it out because you don't have the capital to just go hire a consultant to come fix it. And that's one of those lessons learned, right? It sounds easy, sounds fun, but when you're in the middle of it it's either you're going to do it or it's not going to happen yeah, and you get. Molly: I mean, there's so many great ideas out there and great technologies and great marketing ideas, but the the thought process around implementation and execution typically isn't thought through by many companies that we're partnering with. Right. You know, oh, you just do this, this and this, which is a trigger for all of us. We always laugh when we're in a meeting. It's like, oh, it's no problem to switch from this point of sale system, this point of sales, and we're like right they're never there. Chris: That's sweet they're never there past the sales delivery. Right, it's just like. Then they're gone. You're off to sell someone else, that employee will quit if if I say we're gonna switch yeah well, let's talk a little more about. I guess you know you're born and raised here. Becks started here Chocolate Bar. Winfields now, what are some of the advantages that you feel like that you've experienced as a result of being a Texas based? Molly: company. I think Texans are unique in that we embrace entrepreneurs. In Houston, I have, in particular, found this to be an incredibly warm and receptive and we believe in you, molly attitude. I'm out there hustling chocolate so hard. I'm out there selling to businesses and people want to see us succeed. It's not like being in a part of the country where I feel sometimes like well, we'll see if she can make that happen, where they kind of mock you, whereas here I feel like people are behind us and that's such a positive that happen. You know where they kind of mock you, whereas here I feel like people are behind us and that's such a positive place to work, whether it's people who you're partnering with or buying from you or, you know, just giving you money to go make it happen. Right, it's hard to make a business happen without the ability to raise money. Chris: Sure. Molly: And there's faith involved in someone giving you their money to go make something happen. I mean, you never know, right, right. Chris: No, it makes sense. I couldn't agree more. I don't think what you described as kind of that spirit of Houston, houstonia, just kind of a very entrepreneurial, very welcoming and supportive community, love to see others succeed. So you know, let's talk about the contrast of that as we sit here today, and you're in the middle of it, and you're in the middle of it. Molly: What are some of the headwinds that you are dealing with or that you kind of see around the corner, that you're trying to prepare for? You know, I think everything feels a tiny bit chaotic right now, and I think it doesn't matter. You know where you are on any sort of belief system as a business person, you're sort of like what's happening right? And I think our hr director always says this. She's like what's the next right thing to do? What's the next right? And I think, with all the challenges and headwinds, and I think, with all the challenges and headwinds which I have to just globally say I can't specifically mention I'm like, oh, I could be like, oh, the tariffs are this or that. Maybe the tariff goes away tomorrow. It's not really a worry, but it could be a worry. It's just the uncertainty. Yeah, and uncertainty can be a significant economic headwind. Uncertainty can be a significant economic headwind because when we go into uncertainty mode, we are stuck. And we just. It's like we're all of a sudden we're standing on the Galveston beaches and our feet are sinking in that squishy sand. That's so warm right now and lovely. Chris: And we literally can't come out of it we don't do anything. Molly: It creates paralysis. We just go into, like, and so I think what's hard as a leader and as a texan and as an entrepreneur, is to not let that stop us from making decisions and moving forward. Yeah, so I go back to my hr director and says okay, what's the next right thing I need to do? Chris: let that stop us from making decisions and moving forward. So I go back to my HR director and says, okay, what's the next right thing I need to do? Yeah Well, I mean, I think it's one good you have a partner, whether it's any officer or not, but someone that you can lean on and have that. What's great about that is it's simple right. It's how you eat the elephant right, one bite at a time. So big picture can be overwhelming, create a lot of uncertainty, could create paralysis. So, okay, let's go back to the basics and what's the next right step, right, and then maybe with one step, it's easier to take the second step which leads to the third step and all of a sudden you've built some momentum. Molly: Yeah, and you can do something with that. Chris: Yeah. Molly: But it is you know, and at the same time as you take the next step, you've got to kind of know where you're driving towards. Chris: Yeah, so let's talk a little bit about leadership styles, and how would you describe your leadership style? How do you think that's evolved over time? Molly: You know I think I'm not very patient and I think that's hard, and I think it's hard to probably work with me, because we all have a tendency of we've got a great idea. We wanted to have happened two weeks ago. Chris: Right. Molly: Right, not just, not just an idea. It's like oh, that's a great idea, why don't? Why aren't we already doing it? Chris: And why is it already? Why isn't it done already? Molly: Like what's the problem? And so I think one of the things I've really had to work on is patience as a leader, and it's far more fun to be part of a team with a patient leader versus a chaotic always and and I don't do this perfectly well, and so either. I would believe you if you said you did, yeah, you wouldn't you know me for half an hour and you can tell this, but I think I love being a leader that people can say no to now. I think I love being a leader that people can say no to now. I think, it's really hard sometimes to be. You can be the type of leader people can't say no to because they're scared of you or they don't want to say no. But when my team has now in a place where we're close enough and capable enough, where they can say molly, that is a great idea, and if we try to do that right now, we will fail yeah like, okay, I can be mature enough to hear that now and I appreciate you saying that. So I think, I think I don't want to stop pushing us, but I've tried to learn as a leader where kind of thinking of an organ? Right now right, which pedals I should be pushing harder on or less hard? Chris: I think you raise a great point, because I think it's like anything. I think if there's too much of one thing, it's not good. It's that statement of everything in moderation, and I think one of the challenges of a leader is to know when to push and when to back off. So you had to when to be a little forceful versus empathetic and, you know, maybe demonstrating some more grace. But every situation is a little different. So a good leader assesses it and go okay, what type of leadership does this moment call for? Yeah, and it's that awareness, almost right, and learning to be a little bit versatile, because I think if you're all one all the time, you're not going to be as successful as you want. To be right, you will be in some moments, but you're going to fail miserably in others. And again, that's much easier said than done in practice, right? Molly: I mean, it's much easier said than I don't know. You know, I'm so critical of my own leadership skills. It's hard to even walk in here right now and be positive. And yet I would say I'm doing so much better than I was, and, in part, I think it's having people around me who have helped coach me to be a better leader. I've hired coaches, or I have people who've helped me through how to handle certain situations. I think tools help. It's interesting Six months ago, about a year ago we implemented this easy calendar tool so we could watch our projects and hold each other a little more accountable, and we got so crazy. We got off of using that tool and the team was like, hey, can we bring that back? Oh yeah, why do we stop doing that? And so I think when you do have tools that help you as a leader lead, they can be really useful. If they become a way for you to stop having, I think, the productive conversations and you're just kind of using it as a checklist, I think it can be dangerous, but there's ways to use all this technology and tools out there to benefit us as leaders. Sure, and I think that's something I've learned to do a little bit better in recent years. Chris: Any anything you can point to. I always like to ask this is not the fun question but failure or mistake that you experienced or encountered, that you learned from that. You're like that was a growth moment. In hindsight, man, it felt terrible, whatever I look back. And what a growth moment for me, anything you can share there, because I always find that that's such a great learning and it hopefully dispels for listeners, right, because you feel like you're the only one out there failing and he's like, no, you're not. Molly: Oh my gosh, you're going to learn from it. Yeah, and I think you know there's so much shame we only talk about our successes or people only talk about their successes, right, or it's more fun. I mean, I don't want to walk around talking about all the things I've done wrong, and this was a little while ago and I rely on it now because not everything we try. We've just released product at Central Market in June. We just yeah, super exciting. Chris: A chocolate product, a chocolate bar. Molly: We've got truffles and boots and some go to Central Market and buy our products. But also at the airports in the market, we've got some great fun Texas themed products at Intercontinental Airport. So if you're going through the airports, buy some Winfield's chocolate. So you go out there and I'm so excited right now to tell you about this. Right, we're in these great new major retailers and we're in 12 Kroger's. Well, what I'm not telling you is I've been in 15 Kroger's and now we're in 12 because we only find those. I'm not going to tell you about the three that we're not in anymore because they're not. You know, the others are doing great. Go find us at the Buffalo Kroger or the West Gray, go find us at the airport, and I'm not going to come back and be like, well, that didn't work. They never bought from us again. Which is, you work so hard to make those deals happen and get out there in the world and there's so much hustle and it may just not work. So, going back in time, I had an investor and this was a decade ago and we had opened some stores in Dallas, some Bex Prime restaurants, and one of them had failed and we were going to close it and I mean, I was devastated, ashamed, sad, all of the things, and I'd gone out and raised $2 million and I had lost that money. It was over and I had to call our investors and let them know what had happened. Phil Plant, he says so you stubbed your toe for the first time. I was like I did. He's like, yeah, you're going to keep stubbing your toe if you keep at this long enough. Chris: If you keep trying hard enough, right? Molly: If you keep trying hard enough and you keep putting these projects together and businesses. He's like you're going to have some wins and you're gonna have some losses and you're gonna stub your toe but keep going. And it meant I can't. I'm gonna cry thinking about it. He's a really great person and but that meant so much to me in that moment because I mean I had failed big time. I had the. Chris: It didn't work, you know talk about the value of having the right people around you, right? Wow, that's pretty cool. Molly: You know and with Agnes I mean that restaurant took a solid two years to take off. You know I had to go borrow some money to keep it going and now it is a place where our community meets and people love it and then it is neighborhood joy and connection. I could not be more proud of it. But I'm telling you, walking into a restaurant on a Friday night, that you have opened and convince people to give you money to open, and there there's not a single soul in the place not a single soul. Very humbling. Chris: Right, you wanted to go walk the neighborhood streets, going, come on. Molly: Yeah, and so I think you know now with my team I can, we can take the wins and the losses with a little more grace. Chris: Yeah. Molly: You know well, that didn't work. What are we going to try next? Chris: Yeah Well, I think you know it sounds like part of the culture, right, is you said? The one thing about you said as a leader is people aren't afraid to tell you no. And it sounds like you've created a culture where people aren't afraid to fail and learn from it and keep going, and that's to me a sign of a really strong culture. Molly: Well, and it's okay to say like well, that sucked. I screwed that up pretty bad. Chris: Well, we're conditioned to, like I said, we don't talk about failures. I think we're conditioned that, oh, don't talk about that, because it's got to look like it looks on Facebook and everybody's smiling and happy when we know that's not reality. And so we can get past that and just be transparent. Molly: Yeah, authentic. Chris: I think the better off we're all. Molly: But don't you think being more authentic has happened as part of post-COVID? Chris: era. Molly: Don't you think people are more open about their wins and losses? Chris: I think, so I don't know. It's kind of the chicken or the egg. I think Brene Brown started talking about it a lot more and it caught on in the corporate world and that was happening pre-COVID but close to COVID, and then with that the world goes upside down. I don't think anybody knew what. So about uncertainty, no one knew. So I think it did create a feeling of I don't know what's next and this okay to be authentic. And as we started coming out of that, then there's a lot probably exposed more in the sports world about mental health and all that kind of just built on itself, where I think we're learning it's okay and it's more acceptable to be more authentic. Right, it's a good thing, it's a great thing. Molly: It's way more fun to live in this world. I think I'm not. Fun is not the right word, it's just grounding. Chris: Yeah. Molly: It's more real. Right, I meet more real people. Chris: Agreed, agreed. So well, let's turn to a little bit more of a light side, okay, okay, so what's your favorite vacations place? Molly: Oh my gosh. Well, I'm a, I love adventure. So you know, skiing, hiking, colorado one of those Texas and Colorado type people for sure Love going down to Galveston and fishing and being on the beaches down there, and then we love to scuba dive. So hit the Caribbean. Chris: Awesome, that's all great things. Molly: I can identify with that Stay out of the sun. Chris: You're in the food business, but, and so this is my favorite question to ask every guest Do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Oh man Hardest question of the podcast. Molly: This is so hard that I might have to Gosh. You know I'm probably a barbecue person. I think I'm going to go. Chris: We have a lot of good barbecue around here. Look, it's a hard question for a reason we have a lot of good barbecue, a lot of good tex-mex. You know, I've even had people try to answer it by combining both there's not. Molly: you know, look at levi good, he's got his tex-ex and his barbecue. He's sort of doing it right, that's right, that's right. Chris: So well, I want to, you know, just wrap this up by saying thank you for coming on and sharing your journey, excited to see what you're doing. Obviously, we watched the Becks on Kirby get redone because we're right around the corner, but what you're doing with the windfield chocolate sounds exciting and uh. Hopefully, now people hear this, they'll know more about agnes and yeah, come to all of ours. Molly: You can do breakfast at agnes, lunch at beck's, dessert at windfields. Chris: You hit them all I like it, yeah, so there you go, uh kind of a full service yeah, integrated, you can do it. Them all love it it Well, Molly, thank you for coming on. Molly: Thank you for having me. Chris: Really appreciate you taking the time. Special Guest: Molly Voorhees.
This week, Jen and Pete noodle on the notion of habits, and why some might be easier to reignite than others.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:What happens when we let a habit get off track?How does our environment effect our habits?How might we keep our habits by reducing their scope?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
Hey, humans. I want to talk about something that so many of us struggle with, and that's the feeling of not being enough. This is a part three of a series called "What If". I highly recommend going back and listening to the previous two if you haven't heard them already. I know that shame spiral all too well; when my life shifted in a single moment almost ten years ago, I found myself in a very dark place, believing I was flawed and unworthy. And as Brené Brown's research shows, that's the difference between guilt—I did something bad—and shame, which is the belief that I am bad . Let me say that again: Guilt is 'I did something bad,' shame is 'I am bad'. So what if we could change that narrative? What if you truly believed, right now, that you are enough, because you already are? Your assignment this week is to find one moment, maybe even write it on your mirror like I do, and tell yourself, 'I am enough exactly as I am' . We have the power to control our own script, so let's start there. Stacie More episodes at StacieBaird.com.
In this episode, we explore the transformative journey after a breakup, focusing on how your attachment style affects your healing process. Discover practical growth strategies for anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles. Learn to reflect on past relationships, identify patterns, and implement self-soothing techniques while establishing healthy boundaries. We'll discuss fostering supportive relationships that encourage emotional vulnerability. Tune in to turn your breakups into opportunities for personal growth and resilience, redefining your relationship with yourself and others on your path to healing! Ready to Fast-Track Your Breakup Recovery? Join my FREE upcoming webinar "How to be Happier, Healthier, and More Successful After a Breakup or Divorce." Grab your webinar spot here: https://www.angieday.com/webinar/ Take the free quiz to discover your Relationship Attachment Style: Start the quiz here: https://www.angieday.com/free-quiz/ If you think you or someone you love may be struggling after a breakup or divorce and you'd like help with this or any other topic, feel free to reach out to me. Email me at: angie@contactangieday.com Voicemail me at: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheBacktoHappyPodcast
Join Pastor Tara Lamont Eastman in this enriching episode of Holy Shenanigans as she delves into the concept of wholehearted living, inspired by the actions of Captain Marvel and the wisdom of Parker Palmer and Brene Brown. Discover Parker Palmer's 'Habits of the Heart' and learn how integrating mind, body, and spirit can strengthen individuals and communities. This episode also invites listeners to participate in a Zoom discussion on the topic and offers practical questions for personal and communal reflection.Send Tara a Text MessageJoin Tara for a free online discussion about wholehearted living on Sunday, August 24 at 6 pm EST. The Wild Goose Festival is Thursday, August 28 to Sunday, August 31. It is a transformational community grounded in faith-inspired social justice. Come learn and grow by co-creating art, music, story, theater, and spectacle, and engaging in a wide variety of robust, courageous conversations with each other and with thought leaders and artists from other communities.Support the showRev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary's Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Princeton Seminary. She has served in various ministry and pastoral roles over the last thirty years in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of America). She is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Warren Pennsylvania. She has presented workshops on the topics of faith and creativity at the Wild Goose Festival. She is a trainer for Soul Shop Suicide Prevention for Church Communities.
In this episode of How to Run a Successful Business (and Still Have a Life!), Stacey gets real about the evolving expectations of today’s customers and what that means for how we market, connect, and deliver our products and services. Gone are the days of long blog posts and one-size-fits-all content. Your audience is busy, savvy, and has Google at their fingertips. So how do you meet them where they are? Stacey dives into: ✨ Why your customer journey needs to be more flexible than ever✨ The critical shift from “look at me” marketing to connection-focused storytelling✨ What Dance Moms, Google reviews, and stir-frying dinner have in common (trust us on this one)✨ How to stand out by leaning into what makes you and your business different This is the first in a mini-series on deeper customer engagement because loyal customers don’t just want convenience… they want connection.
David Charlton and Duncan O'Brien discuss the emotional challenges in football, focusing on blame, shame, guilt, and anger in this week's episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness. Duncan, influenced by Brene Brown's work, emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and collaboration in coaching. He highlights the need for coaches to create supportive yet challenging environments, using tools like Clean Language to foster self-awareness and resilience. They explore how emotions like shame can manifest in players, affecting their performance and behaviour. The conversation underscores the significance of coaches communicating effectively and setting clear expectations to help players navigate stress and criticism, ultimately fostering a more supportive and effective coaching dynamic. Key Learning Points: · Explore using clean language techniques in football coaching to help players develop self-awareness. · Encourage players to ask questions of each other rather than giving direct orders or criticism during challenging situations. · Educate coaches and players on the difference between shame and guilt, and how to address feelings of shame in a constructive way. · Mistakes are common in football and pointing the fingers, blaming can lead to guilt, impacting players' confidence and bravery. · Vulnerability is essential to encourage courageous behaviours and collaboration, however it is dependent on the relationship and trust developed between coaches and players. Connect with Duncan O'Brien LinkedIN Connect with David Charlton Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN Podcast Episodes To Encourage A Positive Sporting Experience Ep286: Nathan Sherratt - How To Understand Neurodiversity Better In Football Refereeing Ep285: Adam Batstone - Football Coaches: How To Help Neurodiverse Players Thrive Ep249: Dr Edward Hall – Understanding Workplace Collaboration In Coaching In Team Sports Ep105: Hannah Bromley – Overcoming Psychological Challenges in Professional Women's Football Ep065: Dr Amy Izycky – Encouraging Mentally Healthy Cultures in Sport Other Valuable Resources To Encourage A Positive Sporting Experience Podcasts for Sport Coach Development Cricket Psychology Resources Hockey Psychology Resources Rugby Psychology Resources Soccer Psychology Resources
For the next three weeks, we're diving into a special encore series with Jamie Winship, one of the most powerful voices we've ever featured. These conversations aren't just interviews; they're invitations. Each episode is a call to trade fear for peace, performance for identity, and isolation for union with the Lord. If you've been wrestling with pain, confusion, or the ache to live from truth instead of striving, don't miss this mini-series. It's time to unlearn the lies that keep you stuck and rediscover the wholeness you were made for. July 16: Turning Chaos into Opportunity July 23: The Lie of Being Alone, Radical Individualism, and Why Pain is Good July 30: Why Separation Creates Suffering, the Necessary Practice of Self-Emptying, and a Right View of God Then join me on August 6 for a brand-new conversation with communication expert and viral voice of reason, Jefferson Fisher. Episode Links Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
BREAK UP WITH BROKE: amyvanmeijl.com/breakupwithbrokeThe audio journey designed to release worry, reframe debt and recalibrate your thinking to welcome in expansion and wealth into your life.Get on the INSIGHTS email list: amyvanmeijl.com/insights--Brene Brown calls it "dress rehearsing tragegy". We all do it, all the time, and we do it effortlessly.And it's stealing our joy.Today's episode will shift how you see fear and worry, and move you closer to being present in the moment (no matter what).Press play babe.--WORK WITH ME 1:1:90 Mins 1:1: amyvanmeijl.com/coaching3 month Next Level Intensive Mentorship: amyvanmeijl.com/nextlevel> Want to book a quick chat to see if we'd be a fit? Click the link on the Next Level booking page.--GO DEEPER:Freebies, coaching & money programs: amyvanmeijl.com -- SUBMIT A QUESTION: Submit a question to the podcast: amyvanmeijl.com/podcastquestions -- SOCIALS & SHARE A REVIEW:
In exploring the relationship between goal setting and practicality, Jen and Pete noodle on all things related to opportunity cost and rule development.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:What is opportunity cost, and what might the fears be that surround that?How might we set a minimum engagement fee for ourselves?What are some strategies we can use to be more practical, when deciding on our goals?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
In this episode of Asking For A Friend with TalkDoc, co-hosts Dr. Pamela Kreiser, Meredith Edwards Nagel, and Teighlor Polendo discuss the impact of assumptions on relationships and provide practical tools to replace these assumptions with clarity. Through real-life examples, they explore how silent assumptions can fuel misunderstandings and share strategies for fostering open communication and trust. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls like judging intentions, predicting behavior based on past actions, and failing to communicate expectations. Discover the importance of asking clarifying questions and using Brene Brown's technique,”the story I'm telling myself,” to improve your relationships. Music by epidemic sound. SHOW NOTES: Experts : Dr. Brene Brown, Esther Perel Resources : Dare to Lead by Dr. Brene Brown https://brenebrown.com/hubs/dare-to-lead/ Esther Perel https://www.estherperel.com
When you're ‘not quite ready’ to raise prices, hire more team members, up that advertising spend… What’s the hidden toll? How to recognise the subtle ways shrinking back is costing you visibility and revenue. Playing bigger doesn’t have to be reckless, today's episode is about choosing discomfort on purpose. About the power of small, strategic risks that move you forward: raising prices by 10%, hiring a VA for 5 hours a week, or investing in a professional development opportunity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Unlock the Power of Self-Validation Inspired by a recent therapy session, in this solo episode of 'Don't Cut Your Own Bangs,' Danielle Ireland explores the practice of self-validation. She shares insights on how to validate your own experiences, calm your nervous system, and push back against self-doubt. The episode includes practical examples, journaling tips, and real-life applications, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to strengthen their self-awareness and emotional well-being. RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE TO “DON'T CUT YOUR OWN BANGS” Like your favorite recipe or song, the best things in life are shared. When you rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast, your engagement helps me connect with other listeners just like you. Plus, subscriptions just make life easier for everybody. It's one less thing for you to think about and you can easily keep up to date on everything that's new. So, please rate, review, and subscribe today. DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW I greatly appreciate your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Connect with Danielle: Watch the show on YouTube Instagram The Treasured Journal Wrestling a Walrus 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:12 Understanding Self-Validation 01:00 Practical Examples of Validation 02:12 Benefits of Validation 03:11 Self-Validation Techniques 05:39 Journaling for Self-Discovery 06:49 Client Story and Real-Life Application 07:57 Navigating Uncertainty with Self-Validation 10:22 The Power of Truth in Self-Validation 15:41 Children's Book and Emotional Education 16:56 Conclusion and Listener Engagement Self Validation Solocast [00:00:00] Danielle: Hello. Hello. This is Danielle Ireland and you are listening to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs. And today I'm coming at you [00:00:07] Hello. Hello, this is Danielle Ireland and you are listening to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs. And today I'm coming at you with a tasty little treat, a little snack of a solo cast, we're gonna talk about validating the self, how this is a practice that you can do on your own, in your mind, in a journal. You can take this anywhere with you, and it is a fabulous tool to regulate the nervous system. [00:00:32] To calm down the chatter of self-doubt, those that overwhelming spiraling self-talk that we can get lost in. And I'm gonna talk about what validation is and what it's not, and how you can actually practice this in your own life. It came out of a really powerful therapy session that I gave this week, and almost as soon as I signed off of that call, my first thought was, oh dang, I need to share this. [00:00:56] So here we are validating the self. Simply put it is naming your experience. If we were thinking about it in terms of relationships, if it was me communicating with somebody else, validation is that I can hold space. I can see the reality and the truth of your experience, and I can honor that as true for you. [00:01:22] So for example, if. With my four, my 4-year-old daughter, for example, I can see for her experience, you really want a Popsicle. You really want a Popsicle right now, and I'm telling you it's time to go down for a nap. You're really upset that I told you you're not gonna get a Popsicle, and I can see how hard that is for you. [00:01:43] I'm validating that you are having an emotional experience that is different from me. In this moment, even though we're having, we're in the same room, right? We're breathing the same air, but you're having a very different experience than me, and I can see that is true and that is real for you. That is just a silly, small example. [00:02:05] Although it's based on very real, very real experiences. But that is how we can offer validation for somebody else. The benefit of doing that for someone else is it lets them know that they're not crazy. It's not just in their head. It's all of the invalidating language that I'm sure we are all very familiar with. [00:02:26] Like you're being dramatic. You're being over the top. Calm down. It's not that big a deal. You just need to get over it. You're not being logical, too emotional. Those are all ways that we can be invalidated, that we have been invalidated, and that we can invalidate somebody else. So to repeat what validation is, is I can see the truth of your experiences based on the circumstances that are before you. [00:02:55] You, there's something you really want. There's something that you didn't get your experiences, you're disappointed and upset. You're telling me you don't wanna go to bed, and I can see that is true for you, and I can hold space for myself for having a different experience. So now we're talking about validating the self, and I'll talk about how you can also do that outside of an interaction with somebody. [00:03:18] In my experience, my daughter's upset. She's screaming about a Popsicle. She's telling me she doesn't wanna go down for a nap. She's telling me she's not tired. And then here's my experience. Here's what I know. What I know is it's 1230 I. You normally go down for a nap at 12, you're already getting tired. [00:03:36] I've seen you rubbing your eyes. I've been down this road with you many times before. I know it's hard for you to stop having fun when you wanna keep having fun, and I also know I'll pay for it later. If I don't get you down for a nap. There's likely gonna be a meltdown later. So my experience is I'm witnessing the emotional eruption and upheaval. [00:04:00] Of having to tell you, no, you can't have a Popsicle, and yes, you are going down for a nap. That's stressful for me. This isn't what I want either. What I want is to just give you what you want so that I can go chill and read my book [00:04:14] I don't wanna deal with a tantrum. This is hard for me to, I know that it's the right thing to do, so I'm going to do it anyway. And I also know that you are for. And your brain is only developed four years, and your job is to want what you want. And my job is to do the best I can to take care of your beautiful brain and body. [00:04:35] So I can honor that. That is my experience, and I'm not making her responsible for my experience because she's entitled to have her own. And it's very different than mine, even though we're breathing the same air, we're in the same space. I can regulate myself and I can regulate my own nervous system. [00:04:53] By honoring, you're doing what you know is right, you're doing the best you can in this moment. You're frustrated too. You're disappointed too. You don't like dealing with this either. You wish this were easier, all of those things that are true. And each time I allow myself to acknowledge the truth of my experience to myself, even if it's just in my own mind. [00:05:19] I can feel what I actually physiologically experience, I physically experience like tingles in my legs. That must be a way that my nervous system is letting me know that it's calming down, but I breathe and I'm speaking the truth for myself to myself. That always puts me in a clearer frame of mind. [00:05:39] If you've ever wanted to start a journaling practice but didn't know where to start, or if you've been journaling off and on your whole life, but you're like, I wanna take this work deeper, I've got you covered. I've written a journal called Treasured, a Journal for unearthing you. It's broken down into seven key areas of your life, filled with stories, sentence stems, prompts, questions, and exercises. [00:05:58] All rooted in the work that I do with actual clients in my therapy sessions. I have given these examples to clients in sessions as homework, and they come back with insights that allow us to do such incredible work. This is something you can do in the privacy of your own home, whether you're in therapy or not. [00:06:17] It has context, it has guides. And hopefully some safety bumpers to help digging a little deeper feel possible, accessible and safe. You don't have to do this alone. And there's also a guided treasured meditation series that accompanies each section in the journal to help ease you into the processing state. [00:06:36] My hope is to help guide you into feeling more secure with the most important relationship in your life, the one between you and you. Hop on over to the show notes and grab your copy today. And now back to the episode. [00:06:49] Danielle: so in this session with a client where this concept came out, this was one of those moments where. My client, had just made a really, really hard decision about her life and her family, and she was in that really tender early stage of making a new decision where there's a fork in the road and you're starting down this new path based on the new choice that you've just made. [00:07:18] You're not so far down the road. It's like you're almost walking parallel paths before they really start to split off into a v and I'm making these new steps forward, but it's hard and it's scary and it's new. [00:07:33] This is definitely unknown. And then I can still see the well worn path next to me that I. Could have been on if I had just stayed the same. And it's in that space where validating the self can be. If you find yourself in a similar couple steps past a fork in the road moment, this too may be really impactful for you. [00:07:57] And it's not about knowing. The outcome of your choice, because that is impossible. It's so easy to just try to get our hooks into something that feels safe and sturdy and stable. But all you know, I'm here. I've made this decision. This is hard. This is scary, this is new. [00:08:22] And even though you're not making a false promise to yourself, and you may actually be admitting something that's hard, like this is really challenging, I feel really uncertain. I don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring. I feel lost those statements. It's not false hope, and it's not toxic positivity. [00:08:42] You're not trying to spin the truth into something palatable. You're letting the truth exist, and you're also making the statement with a period at the end of the sentence, I feel lost. I don't know what to do tomorrow. I'm here. I've done it. I'm scared. It's a statement and then it, there's a period at the end of that sentence. [00:09:07] Each time you do your own version of that, which is self validation, your nervous system calms down. There is this activation that can happen with anxiety and self-doubt, especially when we feel lost. Our mind is looking for certainty, and so it'll start asking us questions and in particular questions like, why? [00:09:35] Why did this happen to me? Why are they doing this? Why aren't they calling me back? Why aren't they texting me? And the problem with those types of questions phrased in that particular way, you're asking yourself questions that you can't know the answer to. That will activate more anxiety because more questions you can't know the answer to will lead to more questions you can't know the answer to, and you will start to experience that as dread and doom and or you will also very likely, and this is referencing Brene Brown, here, you will insert your worst fear with your uncertainty, like your uncertainty gaps of knowledge and understanding. [00:10:13] I'm just gonna insert the worst fears I have about myself or the worst possible outcome I can think of. This does not help your nervous system. This does not help you feel safe. Validating the self. It's not false hope, it's not toxic positivity. It is to the simplest, most base way you can say it. [00:10:31] What is the truest thing? The truest thing about what you're experiencing in this moment and let it exist. Take a breath. [00:10:40] Say the thing, and it might be a hard thing. It also might be a simple thing. It might be, I don't know, but even saying you don't know is radically different for your brain and body in terms of being able to regulate and deescalate. Saying you don't know is different than asking a question you cannot answer and. [00:11:04] Sometimes, I don't know, is the truest thing you can access, but I can guarantee you, even though I probably shouldn't be making a guarantee, I can guarantee you, you say you don't know and you take a beat. You follow up with, well, what do I know? You will have an answer. I promise you will have an answer. [00:11:25] What I know is I can't go back. What I know is I made the best possible decision I could in the moment. What I know is I'm here. What I know is I'm breathing. I'm sitting in a chair. What I know is I can feel my blanket on my lap whatever it is. If you sit with the unknown and you let it exist for just a couple of breaths, something will reveal itself to you, and this is why self validation can be so powerful. [00:12:00] Your body responds to truth. So just a little information about lie detector tests. They don't detect lies. There's actually no way to measure physiologically a lie. What lie detectors measure is your body's stress response. Most of us, not all, some people can hijack the system, especially if people have low empathy. [00:12:22] That are affected by lies or it's not practiced out of them. But I would say for the majority of us, when we speak something that isn't true in our mind or allowed, our heart rate will raise, perspiration will increase, and your body will have a reaction to stress. So when you speak the truth, whatever that truth may be, there is a reason why. [00:12:50] When I am in a session with somebody and either it comes out of my mouth or it's their own knowing in the moment when the truth is known, it stabilizes you. And sometimes it is a really hard hard truth, but the truth, no matter how hard it's the right kind of hard and arguably more. Certain and more safe than any well told pretty half truth. [00:13:24] And if anybody who has either been in therapy or had, you know what Oprah calls an aha moment, it's like you go, oh, that's what it is. That's the thing I haven't let myself see for so long. That's the thing I've been afraid to admit or say for years, and now it's here. And there's often work to do after, but what we're talking about is in that moment when the truth is spoken, your body relaxes. [00:13:56] The shoulders come down the jaw on clinches, the pressure in the chest releases the legs. For me, tingle a little. The truth is settling and calming to the nervous system. And what validation is not is feeling somebody else's feelings, knowing somebody's experience For them, it is acknowledging that there can be more than one truth that exists in any given moment, and yours matters as much as anybody else's, but validating the self. [00:14:33] We're really just talking about you. There is a truth to your experience that only you know, and when you admit that truth to yourself, it will set you free. What I encourage you to do, grab a journal, a blank piece of paper, or take a voice memo app on your phone and go for a walk if there is something that you're wrestling with a conversation you keep having with somebody in your mind, or a memory that your mind keeps going back to, there's almost always a thought that catches up to us when we're in those calm, relaxed, stable moments. [00:15:07] So when a thought like that sneaks up on you, grab your pen and paper, grab your journal. Maybe it's the Treasure Journal. [00:15:13] Take a breath and ask yourself what is true about this for me? If the answer is you don't know, that's okay. Start with you don't know. I don't know. I don't know yet. I don't know. I'm gonna figure it out though. I don't know. But what if I did know? If I had to say something about this, what would that be? [00:15:37] Then take another breath and see what comes. [00:15:41] When I set out to write a book, I only knew two things. One was I wanted to make big feelings, feel less scary and more approachable, and I wanted to bring some lightness to the feelings themselves. What I know to be true as a therapist is that emotions are energy in motion. They have information to tell you to inform the next right step to take and self-doubt, fear, anxiety, live in that space between knowing and not knowing. [00:16:05] The second thing I knew was that I wanted to have fun in the process of making. This thing. The result is this wrestling a walrus for little people with big feelings, beautifully illustrated children's book that has a glossary at the end for some of the bigger feeling words. What this story does in a light and loving way is create context for those relationships. [00:16:25] You can't change those people that you wish would treat you different. The things in life that we cannot control and yet we face that are hard. This book, it's a conversation starter for any littles in your life. Who want to create more safety and love and patience for some of those experiences. So hop one over to the show notes. [00:16:43] You can pick it up@amazon.com, barge de noble.com or my website. I hope that you do because I believe in this little book. I freaking love this little book, and I cannot wait to hear your experience with it. Thanks so much for listening and get back to the episode. [00:16:56] Danielle: Thank you so much for joining me on this little nugget episode of Don't Cut Your Own Bangs. I love sharing these insights here with you and your time and attention here mean more to me than you could possibly know. This is such. Such a joy and such a pleasure. [00:17:13] So I want to hear from you. Let me know. What did you think of this concept? What questions do you have about it that you would like me to help answer? I want to continue to grow this conversation with you. The best things in life are shared, and so being able to share this space is an absolute joy for me. [00:17:31] A 10 outta 10. Thank you for listening. Thank you for being here. And before you hop off, I wanna invite you to take a look at the show notes because there are always links and resources for you. Whether it's resources that I offer or when I'm in interviews with other guests, links to their amazing content too. [00:17:47] So make sure to check that out before you hop away. And please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. It is the best way to help this podcast reach other people that could benefit from it too. It helps it grow and we can just continue to build things together. Thank you so much for being here, and I hope that you continue to have a wonderful day. [00:18:05]
I hope this quote from Brene Brown helps you innovate and create. Join the FREE Facebook group for The Michael Brian Show at https://www.facebook.com/groups/themichaelbrianshow Follow Mike on Facebook Instagram & Twitter
EPISODE SUMMARY: Transitions are such an important part of life, and one of the most challenging transitions is going from peer to supervisor. In this episode, Cara Vock, Program Manager and Chapter Development at Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center, and Christina Rouse, Program Manager for CAC Development at Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center explore the complexities of this shift, sharing practical strategies and personal experiences to help you navigate it this career shift. From redefining relationships to establishing boundaries and building leadership skills, they offer valuable insights for anyone stepping into a supervisory role. Tune in for tips on leading effectively while maintaining trust and respect with your team. Topics in this episode: Importance of Transitions (3:17) Skill Building as a New Supervisor (8:15) Competence Confidence Impact Emotional Impact (18:50) Maintaining Relationships (28:35) Soft Skills for New Leaders (39:30) Support and Mentorship (49:50) Resources (1:00:03) GUESTS: Christina Rouse is the Program Manager for CAC Development at Southern Regional CAC. Christina is an experienced forensic interviewer, program developer, and leader. Driven by service to others and eagerness to raise the bar, she takes pride in troubleshooting solutions that elevate people and programs. During her time as a forensic interviewer, she interviewed over 2,500 children, helped coordinate and facilitate 11 MDT jurisdictions, and oversaw the daily operations of the three CAC office locations in the program. Christina's passion for collaboration and cognitive flexibility enables her to be the ultimate team player by elevating people and programs beyond their current operative levels. Outside of the CAC movement, she is the ultimate board game player, whether at a convention, on her podcast, or at home with her husband and daughter. Cara Vock is the Program Manager for Chapter Development at Southern Regional CAC. Cara is an experienced leader, advocate, and facilitator. Driven by a love for connection and innovation, Cara helps to grow, strengthen, and enhance Chapter programs across the South. During her time at CACs of Illinois, Cara implemented numerous state-wide systems to improve services to its members and their clients through data collection and analysis. She shifted efforts across the state to focus on various topics in a collaborative and cohort-style, continuous professional development framework. In July of 2023, Cara expanded her work from supporting one State Chapter to supporting 16, bringing a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to our SRCAC team. With a deep commitment to making a difference and building connections, Cara provides crucial support to programs across the Region. When Cara is not being caught reading and referencing “Upstream” by Dan Heath, she can be caught kayaking downstream across Illinois. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace by John C. Maxwell: https://a.co/d/7pqZPAG Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes by William Bridges and Susan Bridges: https://a.co/d/ge0TF3N Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brene Brown: https://a.co/d/c9r2S3c Radical Candor: https://www.radicalcandor.com Working Genius: https://www.workinggenius.com Southern Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.srcac.org Northeast Regional Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.nrcac.org Regional Children's Advocacy Centers: https://www.regionalcacs.org Looking for training and technical assistance for your Chapter, Children's Advocacy Center, or multidisciplinary team? Northeast Regional CAC provides training and assistance services to help you implement an effective, sustainable, collaborative response to child abuse. Visit NRCAC.org/request to learn more and request assistance today! Have an idea for a future Team Talk guest or topic? We want to hear from you! Click here to share your suggestions. Disclaimer: This project was sponsored by NRCAC from Grant Award Number 15PJDP-22-GK-03061-JJVO awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, OJJDP or NRCAC.
You've been taught vulnerability is strength, but what if that's half the truth—and it's costing you more than you realize? This week, DawnCheré Wilkerson joins me to dismantle the hidden toll of isolation. She shares how walking through infertility, life's furnace, and unsurfaced grief fractures the soul, and how secrets rob you of belonging before you even realize it. DawnCheré exposes why vulnerability isn't a spotlight; it's a sanctuary that demands integrity. She unpacks the orphan spirit every believer must resist, warns against idolizing therapy as the endpoint, and offers a path forward: a refusal to run, safety in community, and the spiritual grit to stay alive. If you're tired of pretending you're fine…if your pain feels invisible…and if you've mistaken therapy for healing, this episode is your call to come home. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
This week, Jen tells Pete all about her new hobby, and together they dive in to the positive aspects of snorkeling on land.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:What lessons from snorkeling in the sea can be brought to land?What are some areas we may take for granted in our lives?How might we renew our curiosity and observance of our surroundings?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Nicola Mason, co-founder of Smitten Merino, shares how she built a thriving Tasmanian fashion brand from her dining table to a $4M business with 30 staff. Using premium Merino wool, they've championed local manufacturing and sustainability, growing through clever strategies like authentic, personal email marketing. Nicola talks about navigating challenges during COVID, balancing rapid growth with family life, and how resilience and creativity turned their dream into a lasting success story. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Nicola Mason, the hardest thing in growing a small business is making sure you don't damage family relationships along the way—especially in a family-run business. Balancing intense work demands with family harmony takes real intention. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Nicola Mason shares that The E-Myth was one of the first business books that truly helped her, alongside Brene Brown's work on vulnerability and leadership, and she recently found Hanging by a Thread by Erin Dearing particularly relevant. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? According to Nicola Mason, some of the best resources to help grow a small business include the Grow a Small Business Podcast, Diary of a CEO, Huberman Lab, and anything by Brene Brown. She finds these not only practical but also inspiring for both business strategy and personal development. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Nicola Mason believes the best “tool” for growing a small business isn't software or tech, but the qualities of passion and resilience—showing up every day, even when it's tough. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Nicola Mason would tell herself on day one to keep going, hold onto the dream, trust the vision, and know that despite the setbacks, it truly will work out in the end. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey. Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Layer up in wool, layer up in courage — both will get you through the cold days — Nicola Mason Our customers don't just wear our clothes — they become part of our family story — Nicola Mason If you love what you do, you'll keep reinventing, even when the world wobbles — Nicola Mason
When you're ‘not quite ready’ to raise prices, hire more team members, up that advertising spend… What’s the hidden toll? In today's episode, Stacey unpacks The Subtle Signs You’re Playing Small in your Business (and Don’t Even Know It). Sometimes shrinking back doesn’t look like fear—it looks like being “busy”, over-preparing, or endlessly tweaking. Such as: Avoiding awards, speaking gigs or collaborations because “others are more qualified” Saying yes to work that’s not aligned because you’re afraid to say no Delaying launching because “it’s not perfect yet” This is part 2 of a 3 part series, stay tuned to next week's episode to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you want to hear what happens when two powerhouse speakers sit down to talk about passion, purpose, and connection, this one's for you! I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Leigh Brown, a real estate mogul, best-selling author, and all-around badass. We dove deep into the power of saying YES, the loneliness of success, and how trust is the real currency in this disconnected world."People are hard to hate close up. Move in." – This gem from Brene Brown sparked a conversation about how we navigate relationships, leadership, and even sales. Because at the end of the day, it's ALL about connection.Tune in now—this episode is packed with wisdom, humor, and the kind of real talk we all need. Let us know in the comments:#Podcast #FeelingSeen #ConnectionMatters #RealTalk #PowerOfYes #TrustCurrency #SayYes #WomenSupportingWomenFollow Leigh:Facebook: leighbrownspeaker https://www.facebook.com/LeighBrownSpeaker/Youtube: leighbrownspeaker https://www.youtube.com/leighbrownspeaker?sub_confirmation=1Instagram: leighthomasbrown https://www.instagram.com/leighthomasbrown/LinkedIn: leighthomasbrown https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighthomasbrown/Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/leighthomasbrownTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leighthomasbrownSubstack: https://housesandchickens.substack.com/Real Estate Training Courses: https://www.leighbrownuniversity.com | https://answers.realestatePodcast: Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate https://www.crazyshitinrealestate.compatriotrelieffund.comhttps://www.facebook.com/PatriotRelief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You've been told therapy is the answer to everything. That if you just unpack hard enough, you'll finally be free. But what if that's not the full story? This week, Terry Crist joins me to challenge beliefs that cause deeper destruction. He's seen how long-standing secrets fracture the soul, how the orphan spirit grows in Christian homes, and how many believers never outgrow wounded identity, even into legacy years. In this conversation, Terry decodes why running away from truth never works, how idolizing therapy can drain godly authority, and why healing is never finished, even if you've been in the room for decades. He brings the fight where healing meets holiness, and shows how to refuse lie-lay, stop hiding, and step into belonging. If you've ever carried a secret, felt disconnected in the Church, or believed your wounds had an expiry date, you need to hear this episode. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
This week, Pete and Jen noodle on the practice of question and answer sessions, including their importance and the possible fears surrounding the unknown.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:What are some tactics and tips to host a successful question and answer session?How might we answer a question that we may not know the answer to?How might hearing questions from your audience allow you to gauge what is most important to address?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
When you're ‘not quite ready’ to raise prices, hire more team members, up that advertising spend… What’s the hidden toll? In today's episode, Stacey unpacks how to recognise the subtle ways that shrinking back is costing you visibility and revenue in your business. Whether that be:* Missed income from undercharging* Burnout from doing everything yourself* Stagnant growth from under-investing in visibility This is part 1 of a 3 part series, stay tuned to next week's episode to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this rebroadcasted episode, Dr. Wes Eggett shares the BRAVING framework from Brene Brown as way to articulate the various aspects of trust. Dr. Eggett makes the case that dental team members and leaders can utilize this framework when trust has been broken to determine exactly what about the relationship caused the trust to be damaged. By putting words to why trust is broken, teams and leaders can work together to repair those aspects of trust and grow closer together.With trust being the first part of the TEACH Leadership Model, the importance of trust can not be overstated! Tune in to hear how you can better identify where trust can grow in your relationships and in the relationships with your team!Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/matrika/funk-style - License code: KUYOIZCBFCF1FOMP https://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/bolt - License code: RS1AU6Y5DGD5A3H8. https://uppbeat.io/t/doug-organ/boogie-time License code: 5EUWDIFBWYHENXPQ
In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on something my therapist said that really stuck with me: Does this align with your values? That question has been guiding everything lately—whether it's thinking about having a third baby, how I handle conflict, where I want to live, or how I show up in relationships. I talk through how I'm defining my core values (with a little help from Brene Brown), what it's like parenting two very different kids, why I'm rethinking LA, and why being single is actually a vibe when you do it right. This is a flowy, heart-centered catch-up—and I hope it helps you reconnect with yourself, too.Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
You've hit the wall. You've circled the same fears, same failures, same question: Now what? This week, Craig Cooney joins me to map out the 7 Stages of Life Transition—that spiritual, emotional, relational journey we all face when momentum crashes into burnout. He's walked past every threshold: loss, disillusionment, plateau, crisis. And he understands what happens when you blitz through “surviving” and find… something new on the other side. In this episode, Craig names the pain of transition: the loneliness of midsize dreams, the temptation to spin in place, the hidden grief behind “I'm tired,” and the silent desperation of burnout nobody talks about. And he exposes the breakthrough waiting when you refuse to stay stuck at the wall. If you're in the pause, the plateau, the painful “In-Between”—this episode will help you understand what stage you're in, give language to the hardship you're living, and show you the transformation lurking on the other side. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
This week, Jen and Pete reflect on how grateful they are for their clients, and what they can do when a genius is standing in front of them, ready to be coached.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:Why might a person who is excellent at their craft crave further guidance from a coach?What are some tactics and strategies for coaching a genius?How might ego stand in the way of coaching or leading?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading at the beach and sisterly bookish tattoos Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: all the ins and outs of morning reading The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 4:12 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 4:35 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore 5:23 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver 6:31 - Literally A Bookshop 1:37 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 7:02 - Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown 9:45 - Our Current Reads 10:03 - Ascension by Nicholas Binge (Meredith) 13:55 - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 13:56 - Recursion by Blake Crouch 14:06 - The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier 15:20 - Love and Saffron by Kim Fay 15:38 - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Kaytee) 17:44 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 17:48 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 19:49 - Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor (Meredith) 20:59 - 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann 26:11 - Stolen Focus by Johann Hari (Kaytee) 26:14 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt 26:17 - CR Season 7: Episode 40 31:40 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Meredith) 37:20 - Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston (Kaytee) 41:58 - All About Morning Reading 43:25 - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron 50:48 - Jobs to be Done by David Farber 50:59 - The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni 55:30 - Meet Us At The Fountain 57:38 - If you are interested in adding to your bookish life, do it in the form of a book club. (Meredith) 59:34 - I co-sign Meredith's wish this week! (Kaytee) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
Ever catch yourself thinking, “I'll be happy when…”? This episode invites you to shift that belief. Through presence, gratitude, and self-awareness, you'll explore how real peace and joy are built from the inside out—starting in this very moment. Tune in to reconnect with simple, steady practices that help you feel more grounded, resilient, and free. This is a repeat of one of my most impactful episodes—a message always worth revisiting. If you found this podcast enjoyable, kindly consider subscribing and leaving a rating or review. Additionally, I'd appreciate it if you could share it with your friends to spread the love! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you are interested in my work, please check out my books, The Gift of Maybe: Finding Hope and Possibility in Uncertain Times (including a new audiobook), A Year Without Men: A 12 Point Guide To Inspire and Empower Women and my new Audiobook, Maybe Everything Is Okay, A Parent's Guide To Less Stress and Worry. Also you can check out my new Maybe Cards: A Path to Stress-Free Living or my new digital Maybe Journal. Above all, my sincere wish is that this podcast has contributed to less suffering and more joy in your life!
You've been sold a lie: that authenticity means spilling everything and bleeding on everyone. That your pain validates your platform and makes you more mature. This week, Levi Lusko joins us to dismantle that fallacy. He's faced the brutal shock of grief and the hidden ruins of unsurfaced trauma. He's walked through the disillusionment of midlife irrelevance. And he's learned the hard truth: healing doesn't include weaponizing your pain, and authenticity doesn't mean emotional anarchy. In this episode, Levi pulls back the curtain on what happens when grief blindsides you, why trauma must be surfaced before it surfaces on others, and how midlife loss of relevance can become the birthplace of greater purpose. We talk about the toxicity of “authenticity culture”—why sharing pain doesn't always lead to healing, and why containment, resilience, and sacred boundaries are essential. If you've ever bared your struggle and felt worse… if you're deep in grief or navigating a midlife low… this conversation will give you clarity, grace, and a restoration plan. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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