Podcast appearances and mentions of chris learn

In this episode of Building Texas Business, I chat with Renee Morris, Chief Curl Officer at Uncle Funky's Daughter. We explore her path from management consultant to leading a national hair care brand. Renee shares her approach to maintaining business control by relying on personal savings and family support rather than external investors. She discusses forming partnerships with major retailers like Target and Walgreens while building a creative team to drive innovation. I learned how she tackles recruitment challenges and ensures brand visibility at a national level. Looking ahead, Renee explains her vision to expand into skincare and education, and serving communities of color in new ways. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Renee Morris discusses her journey from management consultant to Chief Curl Officer at Uncle Funky's Daughter, emphasizing her desire to balance career ambitions with family life. We explore Renee's decision to purchase an existing company rather than starting from scratch, leveraging her experience in sales and marketing strategy within the consumer products sector. Renee highlights the importance of having a financial safety net when transitioning to entrepreneurship, sharing her personal experience of not drawing a salary for years and relying on her husband's support. We talk about Renee's strategic decision to avoid third-party investors to maintain control over her business, focusing on conservative growth and solving customer problems. Renee explains her approach to forming strategic partnerships with major retailers like Target and Walgreens, discussing the role of distributors in helping small brands enter national markets. We discuss the challenges of recruiting and nurturing talent, emphasizing the importance of fostering a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and creative thinking. Renee outlines her vision for expanding the brand into adjacent areas such as skincare and education, aiming to serve the community of color more broadly. We explore Renee's leadership style, focusing on adaptability and learning from failures as she considers new business ventures. Renee shares personal insights from her early career and hiring experiences, emphasizing the importance of trusting one's instincts during the recruitment process. We examine the role of social media and influencers in maintaining customer confidence and visibility during brand transitions, particularly when changes are made to product packaging. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Uncle Funky's Daughter GUESTS Renee MorrisAbout Renee TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode you will meet Renee Morris, chief Curl Officer at Uncle Funky's Daughter. Renee shares her passion for helping curly girls solve their hair problems with unique and innovative natural hair products. Renee, I want to thank you for coming on Building Texas Business. It's so glad, happy to have you as a guest. Renee: Thank you, I'm excited to be here. Chris: Okay, so you won the award so far for having the coolest and, I would say, funky, but that would be. Renee: Play on words Right. Chris: But as far as a name for a company, uncle Funky's Daughter, yes. Okay, tell us what is your company known for and what do you do? Renee: So Uncle Funky's Daughter is a hair products company. We're based here in Houston, texas. I bought the company, so the parent company is Rotenmore's Consumer Group. But I bought the brand Uncle Funky's Daughter 10 years ago from a husband and wife team. So Uncle Funky's Daughter curates natural hair products for women, men and children who choose to wear their hair naturally, and so that's shampoos, conditioners, curl definers, moisturizers, stylers, finishers. Shampoos, conditioners, curl definers, moisturizers, stylers, finishers you name it, we make it. We also have a thermal protection line for women who want to blow dry and style their hair with heat, and we're distributed nationally Target, walgreens, kroger, cvs, heb, locally, so you name it, other than Walmart, we're there. Chris: Beauty Easy to find, easy to find, easy to find well, I have to ask this because I have daughters. I mean Sephora or Ulta. Renee: No, Sephora or Ulta. Yet we've been working that line. We can talk about that as part of this deep dive, but we've been working that line and but no land in Sephora or Ulta just yet okay, very good. Chris: So how did you find your way into the hair care product world? Because you didn't start there. Renee: No, I am a former management consultant 20 years management consulting, advising clients multi-billion dollar companies on how to drive revenue growth and through sales and marketing. And I was a mother of three kids. At the time my son was probably three or four, my daughters were two and I was flying back and forth between Houston and New York for a client. And I had this realization that I didn't want to do that as a mom. I needed to be home, but I still wanted to be a career person. So I knew I am not built to be a stay-at-home mother. That is not who I am, and COVID taught me that with isolation. And so what I started deciding was I wanted to figure out what I wanted to do next and I realized I had some options. Right, it's that fork in the road that you go through. You start to look inwardly every time you have that fork in the road and I did that and I said okay, your option A is to go find a company based in Houston and be a VP or senior VP of some operation. Option B is you find a small company and you're like a big fish in a small pond kind of thing. Option C is you just go do your own thing. And after I kind of went through it, I realized I worked for the Coca-Colas, like in GE Capitals of the world, in my past. I didn't want to go work for a big company. I didn't think I wanted to work for a small company because of my personality style, right, um. And so I decided I wanted to go buy something and then or have my own company. And so then the question becomes do you build or do you buy my? I'm a management consultant by heart, so it's always go buy something. Why? Because I can take it, I can fix it and I can grow it. And so then it became all right, well, what are you going to go buy? And so, like most people out there, they're thinking about buying a company. I started reaching out to brokers, I started doing some networking, calling attorneys, people that work on deals, that kind of stuff, just putting my name out there, and I got all the things that you normally get when you're looking to buy a company the gym, the dry cleaner, the storage facility, the gas station, all the things that I didn't want to buy because I didn't have a passion for them. And so, also, for background, my consulting experience in sales and marketing strategy has been predominantly in consumer products. So I know consumer products, I know revenue growth, I know marketing strategy. So I was like okay, so I kept looking and I used this hair product called Uncle Funky's Daughter. I found it when I first moved here in 2000. Like all curly girls out there back then, that was almost 20 years ago, my goodness. But 15 years ago back then there weren't a lot of natural hair products out there for women of color and women of curly hair with curly hair specifically. And so I googled when I first moved here natural hair products, curly hair, houston and Uncle Funky Stoddard came up. I've never heard of this company right. So I go to rice village and buy this product and I start using it. Extra butter, start using it. And for those out there that are, you know, african American descent, you know thick, curly hair, we do this thing called two strand twists to what. I love it. Two strand twist. Chris: Okay. Renee: So, you take your hair and you twist it in like instead, instead of braiding it, you put it in twists, and there are single twists all over my head right. So that's how I would style my hair wear it, rock a two strand twist. Those out there will understand that, look it up and then Google it and then and so that worked on my hair really well. And so, again, for those with tight, curly hair, finding the right hair product that works for your hair is tough. It is not easy, as you know. One of your team members, courtney, was talking about. She's gone through all the products Because you go through this product journey trying to find something that works for you right. So found Extra Butter, worked, loved it, and then I would stop using it while I'm traveling because I would forget it right at home sure. I would go back to some other competitive brand and it didn't work for my hair. So I'm like, okay, uncle Funky's daughter is the only thing that works for my hair. So I go in to get my Uncle Funky's daughter one day, after I, you know, had braids and wash them out. And yada, yada, yada. I'm going in, I'm getting my extra butter and this guy behind the counter who I bought hair products from for the past at this point, five years, says yeah, my wife and I are going through a divorce and I'm like, oh, so I do have an MBA right. I'm not some, you know, trying to sound like a shark, but my MBA said distressed asset might be willing to sell stress asset might be willing to sell. Like literally, that is the voice that went in my head. And so I was like, oh really. So I stood there in that store and I just chatted with him for hours and about the company, you know what, you know personally what he was going through, because divorce, you know, for those that may have gone through it, can be an emotional, you know troubling time. So I was a listening ear. But as I'm listening, I'm also thinking about like, okay, what's the story behind the brand? Is this going to resonate? And I'm also watching people come in and out, right. And so I said, well, if you guys are you guys thinking about selling it? And he gives me a story about you know what's happening with the sell and cell and I said, well, if you're ever thinking about selling it, let me know. So I walk out, I Google, because you know this is horrible to say, but divorces are public right right. Chris: Is it filed in state court? Renee: it's a public record so I'm figuring out what's happening with the divorce and I find out that the company is in receivership. And for those who don't know, because I did not know at the time what a receivership was, a receivership happens when a divorce is happening and the husband and wife aren't operating, behaving appropriately. Chris: Well, they can't agree on the direction of the company and it can be not in a divorce. But basically, owners cannot agree and a court may appoint a receiver to run the company. Renee: Exactly. Thank you, that's why you're the attorney and a court may appoint a receiver to run the company Exactly. Chris: Thank you. That's why you're the attorney. Renee: Have a little experience with that yes, so the judge had appointed this guy to be the receiver. I reached out to the gentleman and I said I'm interested in the sale of Uncle Funky's daughter, if that so happens to be the case. And so the one thing I did learn and you can probably expound on this is oftentimes in a divorce, when the receiver comes in, at that point that receiver is really thinking about how to get rid of this asset. And so those are all the things that I learned during this process, and I was like, okay, so he wants to sell because he wants to get paid and he knows nothing about this business. Chris: He was, you know no offense, no emotional tie to it, for sure no emotional tie. Renee: He's an older white gentleman who knows nothing about black hair products and so I was like, okay, so he doesn't know, he doesn't have an appreciation for the value of the company. And so I reached out and I said, okay, here's a number. You wouldn't believe the number I gave him and he counted with some minor you, some minor adjustment, and we bought this company for less than $100,000. And they had a revenue at the time. When I saw their tax returns, I think it was maybe a million or so that they claimed in revenue. At some point they said, but at least for sure I think our first year of revenue was probably around and it was a partial year. Probably a quarter million dollars is what revenue they generated, and so we really, if you talk about a multiple of sales, we bought it on a tremendous it's a heck of a deal the deal. Okay, I can't find those deals these days. If anybody has one of those deals, you come let me know and so. So that's how we ended up buying this company ten years ago and shortly thereafter, target comes knocking at the door and says, hey, we were having this discussion with the owners about, you know, potentially launching. Would you be interested? And I'm like, absolutely. And it was because they were going through this divorce that they couldn't get over the finish line, right? And so shortly after we buy, we're launching in target. But before I did that, one of the first things I did was because, if you ever, if any, it's probably so old you can't find it. But the label. When I first bought the company, when I was buying it, it was this woman's face with a big afro on the front and it had a cute little 70s vibe on it and it was in this white hdpe bottle which, by the way, those aren't recyclable. So I said first, we need to change this, we got to change the packaging, we got to upgrade the label, we need to make it universally appealing to all curly girls, because if I look at a woman with a big afro, I think tight, curly hair like mine right and our products work across the spectrum from wavy, like Courtney, to really tight, like Renee, and that wasn't representative on the label okay so we redesigned the label, changed the bottle from an HDPE bottle to a PET bottle, which is recyclable, and then just upgraded this packaging to what I consider a sleeker new look. Chris: Very good, Great story, Thank you. So back up a little bit, share a little bit, because so you go from big corporate consulting job some comfort in there probably. You mentioned travel and you did mention the mom aspect playing a role. But let's talk a little bit about actually getting the courage to take that leap out of the big corporate role into. I'm going to buy something that's all on me now to either make it or break it. Yeah, that had to be scary. Renee: It was, and I am fortunate in that. You're right. I had comfort. We have financial security. I had a husband who was, who still is, who's a senior executive in medical devices has nothing to do with anything about consumer products, but you know, we have the luxury for him to say I can carry this load, financial load, and I think that's the big mix, right? I tell people all the time if you're going to take that leap, you got to make sure you've got cash flow, because for not only for your, you know, for the company, but for you personally, right? Because there were several years where my husband called my business a hobby Because I was contributing nothing to the financial plan. Chris: In fact, you were probably taken away. Yeah, I was taken away. Renee: So every year I mean. So I wasn't drawing a salary. I didn't draw a salary for a couple of years after I, I didn't draw a salary until our tax accountant said you have to draw a salary because we're changing you from whatever tax to an S-corp. And I was like oh, wow, really Okay. So what am I going to pay myself? Okay, and then he goes Well, you have, and it has to be reasonable. So for probably three or four years after I bought the company, I didn't draw a salary. I was paying my employees but I wasn't paying myself. And so I think and I say all that to say yes, it takes a leap, but it also takes the ability and the willingness to take that financial hit Right. So were there things that we probably wanted to do as a family that we didn't do? Probably so. Chris: Yeah. Renee: Because I'm growing this brand and was there times I went to my husband like I need another thirty thousand dollars? Probably so. And because one of the things I specifically had chosen is I did not want, and I currently still don't want, to pull in private equity, vc any type of third party investor funding. That is a personal decision I've made and it's because I am a former accountant and I'm extremely financially conservative and I also don't want different incentives to help influence how I run my business, different incentives to help influence how I run my business, and what I mean by that is I personally just didn't want to have a PE company saying you need to do these three things because your multi, your EBITDA needs to look like this and your revenue growth needs to look like that. Right, so I could have we could have easily grown really fast, like a lot of brands do, and grown themselves out of business, or, but I chose the path to grow really conservatively Now, and so I think I say all that to say I think, yes, financially speaking, having the bandwidth to be able to float yourself and your company for a while is critical, and so don't take the leap if you're still, if you're at your job today, living paycheck to paycheck right, you have to have a cushion. Your job today, living paycheck to paycheck right, you have to have a cushion. So what that means is, maybe if you're trying to start the company, then you're running your business while you're living paycheck to paycheck and oh, by the way, you gotta stop living paycheck to paycheck because you got to start to build that cushion, right. So some of the you got to make sacrifices and I think that's the hard thing. Not everyone's willing to make the financial sacrifice that it takes to really run and grow a business without third party support. Now, in today's world, you can go get bc capital funding and you know money is flowing, or at least it was, you know but there, but there's sacrifices, but there's sacrifices with that, and so, yeah, that's great advice, you know. Chris: The other thing that you mentioned, as you were evaluating companies is one of my favorite words when it comes to business is passion. You passed on a ton of things because you weren't passionate about it. Renee: Yeah. Chris: You found something you were passionate about, and I think that's a lesson for people too, right Is? It's not easy to do. As you mentioned. Sacrifices have to be made. So if you're not really passionate about that decision to go be an entrepreneur, start your own business. It's going to be tough. Renee: Yeah, it's going to be tough, and so, because I have to wake up every day, I my passion is really helping people solve problems, and I do that through hair, because hair is a problem in the curly hair community. How do I maintain frizz? How do I keep it under control? How do I keep it healthy so it doesn't break? How do I keep it healthy so it can grow? How do I stop the scalp irritation? There's so many problems that happen in hair and so I what I think about. Like literally yesterday I was with my marketing team and we're talking about a campaign for the next month for products etc. Or really November, and I said, OK, what problem are we helping her solve? And that's literally the way I think about stuff what problem are we helping her solve? Because if we're not helping her solve a problem, then I don't have anything to talk about. Chris: Ok, Right, yeah, it's not going to move off the shelf. Renee: It's not going to move off the shelf thing to talk about. Chris: Okay, right, yeah, it's not going to move off the shelf. It's not going to move off the shelf. So another thing that you kind of alluded to, you went through somewhat. It sounds like a kind of transforming the business that you took over, right? You mentioned the product label and packaging. Let's talk. What else did you, you know, in taking that business over, did you find yourself having to change, and how did you go about making those decisions? Are either prioritizing them and you know we can't do it all- at once yeah, so what walk? us through some of the learning you went through that well, you know what's interesting is. Renee: So it wasn't much of a transformation, but it was. If you think about learning from a marketing standpoint, if you're going to buy a business, especially a consumer product company, and you buy it in today's world where we're so used to knowing who the owner is the first people don't like change. So one of the first things I had to do was convince our current customers that nothing had changed other than the label. The minute your package changes and it looks different, they're like the formulas have changed, it's not the same be the same. It's not the same product. So the first thing I had to do was convince them that this is the same product. In fact, I brought back discontinued SKUs that the receiver had stopped selling because they were slow moving. **Chris: How did you go about convincing the existing customer base? Nothing changed. Renee: So news articles, facebook articles, facebook social ads, like having live conversations, going live on social media all of those were things that I had to go in and dispute or Dubuque being like I was the person respond. There was no team, it was me and one other person. The first person I hired was a social media person. Okay, wasn't a warehouse person, it was a social media person because I knew being the being in the face of the customer was so important. So being live and answering questions online, answering the phone and people would call they will go. I heard that this wasn't the same formula. No, ma'am, it's the same formula. And actually having those, it was me having those live, one-on-one conversations. And so I think really touching the customer and being personal with her was the key to our success in in gaining that confidence. And we also you know this was early in the days of influencers we also had to partner with people to be able to talk about. Like it's the same stuff, guys, this is the bottle. This is the old bottle. This is the new bottle. This is both sides of my hair, no change. Chris: Okay, okay, very smart to especially, like you said, I mean so many people now the social media influencers have such impact on what products get picked up in the mainstream. 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 boyermillercom, and thanks for listening to the show. Chris:So let's move forward a little bit. Part of changing things new products. There's a level. You mentioned your marketing meeting yesterday. What do you do within the company to help kind of foster innovation and inspire your people to be innovative about the products? Renee: That's a tough one because it's hard. Here's the challenge that we have as a small company. As a small company, it's hard for me to afford to pay me like the equivalent of a me right. The woman or a man with the MBA in marketing who's got, you know, 10 years at Coca-Cola. I am oftentimes recruiting talent, that's learning and I'm teaching, as they, you know, grow up in our company and so innovation is really. You know, I'm usually in that meeting asking the provocative question Like do these assets, does this story come together like cohesively, what problems are we helping them solve? Like, I am there helping them think through and push their thinking a little bit forward. We'll sit and we just do brainstorming with, you know, little toys in the room and stuff to play with, but it's really just helping them kind of. All right, just toss some ideas out there. Let's just throw like what is this, what does this mean? What's her brand voice? What does she sound like? What does she look like? Like asking those questions to help them just kind of think outside of the box. Now, if she looks like this, so what kind of tone is she going to have? All right, so what would she say then? Okay, so let's talk about, like how then that manifests itself and how it shows up creatively, and so just helping them kind of drill down to the so what is really kind of the role I like to play. It's the role I'm playing right now because I'm looking for a marketing director. Chris: Okay, yeah, anybody listening out there. Renee: Anybody listening out there? Submit resumes. Chris: So you talked about some major players as partners that you have right, yeah. Target and Walgreens and CVS, et cetera. So let's talk a little bit about that. How did you go about? You kind of you told a little bit about Target, but what have you done and what have you found to be successful? And maybe strategies that weren't successful in forming those relationships, but maybe, even more importantly, fostering and maintaining those relationships. Renee: So forming on the forming side retailers. For those who may or may not know the space, they want to come to you in one of two ways either direct or indirect through a distributor. For a small brand like mine, it's usually hey, I don't want to service direct, I want you to go through a distributor. And usually it's because when you first launch, you're going to be in a handful of their stores not full distribution is what they call it so not in all 1700 Target stores, but I think we started out in a hundred and so we had to go through a third-party distributor, and so that distributor then opened the door to other national retailers for us. So if you're thinking about launching into a national retail partner and you're a small company like mine, your best route to market is finding a distributor that represents your category in a national retailer. So whether that's peanut butter, hair products, lotions, flat tires, whatever, so you have to go and find that distributor. So that was step one. Once we got that relationship, our job is to grow it by driving traffic through the stores and getting that sell through. If it's not generating units per store per week, it gets pulled right. So one person wisely said a retail shelf space is like real estate. Once you buy your home, you don't want to lose it to foreclosure. So once you've got that slot, my job is to defend those two slots. And when I say we're national retailers, we're not like a P&G where P&G dominates the shelf. We've got sometimes two slots, sometimes four, but we're not, we don't have 10. So our slots are really important for us at a retailer and so for me, maintaining the relationship comes back to driving the traffic to the store. But, more importantly, supply chain. So when I talked about growing too fast for some brands and having measured growth, it was very important for me because I understood I came from a consulting company, although I did did sales and marketing most of what we did as an organization was supply chain. I wasn't the supply chain person, but I like to say I knew enough to be dangerous when I bought Uncle Plunky's daughter. So because I understood supply chain, I knew that not, we could not risk. We needed to have safety stock, we need to have inventory levels that look like x, and so that's why I did what I called measured growth. And so you know the distributor may come to me and go. I can get you into Kroger, walmart. Nope, we're going to do one retailer a year, one big guy a year, because I need to make sure I can scale, I need to make sure my contract manufacturers can scale, I need to make sure my team knows what to do and they know how to execute and fulfill the requirements of that specific retailer and so that we are successful. So that was the way that we grew and that's kind of the way we've continued to grow. Chris: That's so smart, that discipline right. It's easier said than done, because you just start a company and you go a couple years not making any money, or what you do make you put back in the company and then you got all these great opportunities. Come at you once. Renee: It's easy to say yes yes, yes, yes and yes, but you can't fulfill those promises, no one will come back. And there are horror stories where brands have been like yes, I'll go into Target, walmart, kroger, heb, cvs and Walgreens all at the same time and they can't meet the demand or they launch and they don't have enough awareness in the consumer market to be able to support and drive the traffic in all of those stores. So you really have to focus on how you're going to grow, where you're going to grow, and how you're going to drive traffic into these markets and into those stores. Chris: I mean any details you can put behind that, just as some examples to make it a little more tangible of things that you did, things that you thought about. Okay, we have to get this right to kind of prove that we can go to the next level. Renee: Yes. So for Target we did a lot of in-store events, so we took Target. So imagine if I was doing replicating this across like five different retailers. But for Target back in the day, for social media was much more organic and less pay-per-play than it is now, right, so we would do like it's a 10-day countdown. You know, to Target we're launching in 10, 9, 8, like on social media, it was like running ads. Then we did a find us in the Target, so we would do these fun games on social media and our followers would have to find us in their local Target and if they found us and they won a gift card, so we were doing anything we could. We would do in-store events where we would just have a table popped up where you can try products, give away products, get coupons, you name it. We were doing it. Gotcha, we were doing events outside the store. Inside the store. I was rogue because I didn't have permission from Target to do this. I mean because that would have cost me tens of thousand dollars, right, Target, I hope you're not listening and so we would literally just grab a camera and kind of come in and we would kind of sneak our little basket through the store down the hall and we would sit in there and the manager would come like, oh, we're just doing some footage, and I would say I just launched and I'm really trying to help my business and they would get it because you know, their local store manager, and so they would allow us to do like a little bit of a, a little bit of a pop-up shop kind of thing, and they would allow it. Now, today they probably wouldn't allow it because we're probably a lot more disciplined, but 15 years ago, 10 years ago, they would allow it and so, yeah, so those are the things that we had to do. So imagine if I was doing that for sally, for walmart, for kro, all in the same year, and I'm still trying to drive the traffic right, because we were still a small brand. Chris: Sure. Renee: I still call us a small brand because you know, if I go to you and I say, have you heard of Uncle Funky's Daughter? And your answer is no, then I'm a small brand, right. If I say you cause, everybody's heard of Clorox, coca-cola, pepsi, all the things, right, lacroix, you name it, they've heard of it, they haven't heard of Uncle Funky's Daughter. And so we're still in constant mode of brand awareness, and so trying to build that brand awareness and drive demand in every retail shelf at the same time would have been a daunting task for a brand like ours. Chris: Sure, do you still have the Rice Village? No, okay, shut that down we shut it down. Renee: I shut it down when I bought the company. That was the condition of the acquisition, because the day that I went and discovered who the owner was of the brand and I was sitting there chatting up the guy, in about a four hour period that I was there, maybe three people walked into that door okay so that you know, my brain said all right, that's a like a revenue killer. I'm not, you're not driving revenue right you need to focus on driving traffic on the retail shelf, and so are. We have no physical retail store now. Will we once again one day, maybe in a different format? Right, because now you, my friends? Other people have said you guys should open up a salon, and I'm like so maybe we'll open up a salon where the products are available and featured, but a retail store exclusively focused on our products will not be in a timeline. Chris: Okay. So there's an example right of an idea from friends. Maybe you thought about it, of branching out from what's core to your business. So far you've said no because you haven't done it. Maybe it's still out there. Why have you not done that? And I guess what could you counsel some listeners if they're faced with that? Or maybe they've done it and trying to make it work Again. That's another danger point, right Before you kind of branch into something different. Renee: So there are two things what I think about. Again. I always go from management consultant first right when I think about my business. I don't think about it personally, right, I think about it objectively. So I can go deep in my vertical or I can go wide horizontally, and I can do both. And so right now, where we are as a brand, honestly, is we need to go deeper in R&D and innovation. So we have not had an opportunity to launch a new product since COVID, and so we're in the process of developing a new product, so that's my primary focus. A new product line so we're developing a new product line, so that's my front focus. New product line so we're developing a new product line, so that's my front focus. Then, as I start to think about adjacency, about how do we take our core and expand and pivot beyond. Do you go to Skin next and stay in consumer products and go into Skin? Do you go in the two places that I'm more actively looking at Skin is out there as a product extension, but that's still core to Uncle Funky's Daughter. Do you go and do you buy another small company within Rote Morris Consumer Group and now you build a portfolio of brands? Because that's, really what I wanted to do when I started Rote Morris Consumer Group. My vision is to have a portfolio of consumer goods brands that meet the needs of the community of color, whether it's beauty, so for beauty. So that could be hair, that could be skin, it could be makeup, it could be a variety of different things that help her solve her problems every day. So that's really the vision. And then I bought this building a couple years ago and we have this wonderful, amazing space, and so and I open up this space I'm looking around. What are we gonna do with the rest of this space? We have this whole first floor, we have a whole second floor that's unoccupied, and even before I bought the building, this idea of building talent and a pipeline of funky junkies is what we call our followers funky junkies yeah that's what we call our followers, our customers. But how do you start to build not only a pipeline of loyal customers but a pipeline of loyal users? And so I started thinking about what if you actually had a trade school? What if you actually started? What if you were the next Paul Mitchell for African-American hair products, right when there's a Paul Mitchell school and you're teaching natural hair instead of you know other treatments that they do, and those exist outside of Texas. There's one that exists in Houston, but not focused on natural hair, but focused on beauty school. And so for those people out there who choose to have a different path in life and not go to college, but they're looking for a vocation or trade school and they want to be a hairstylist or barber, do you create a space for them to be able to do that? So that's the second adjacency. And then the third adjacency is then do you go the other end? So I know how to do hair, I'm learning how to do hair, I've got hair products, I'm doing hair on the other side and that's where the salon comes in. So in all both ends of the spectrum, I am a deep analytical person, so it's understanding what's happening in the market. So in the salon side, you look and you have to figure out and this is for anyone right. You never take a leap in adjacencies just because you think you have the money, the capability, the resources, whatever. You have to understand what's happening in the market because you're not smarter than the whole market. You might be smarter than a couple people in the market, but not the whole market. And so when I look at the hair salon space, I knew of several people in the Houston market that had launched salons and they had failed. They had failed within a three-year cycle and they had failed because the type of offering service offering that they wanted to provide was challenging. And that's the same service offering that we would need to provide as a brand. Chris: Right. Renee: And resources and talent. Going back to this other end of the pipeline I was talking about, in the supply chain, those can be sometimes challenging resources to recruit and retain in a salon side, and so when I do the analysis, it's looking at the risk versus reward. How am I smarter than the next person? How do I learn from those failures and ensure that I can recruit talent where I'm not? I don't have a high degree of turnover. I can create brand consistency. I can create service levels that meet the needs of not only what I want to offer, but what our customers expect. I need to exceed it, and so, because I haven't gotten that magic formula yet, we're leaving the salon right here in the marketplace. Chris: It's still on the drawing board right. Still on the drawing board, I like. I like it well, as it should be, until you figure it out, right? Yeah well, so let's turn a little bit and talk a little more about you yeah in leadership. How would you describe your leadership style? How do you think that's changed or evolved in the last 10 years? Renee: so I am a type a, hardcore type a. I am a driver and I know that about myself. But I also know that one of my weaknesses as a leader is I don't micromanage. What I have learned to evolve because of my consulting background, right In a consulting world you know 20 plus years is how I was trained. I'm a former salesperson. You just go get it done right, you know. So that is that's kind of like my bread and butter, and you have a team of type A's that are pretty much driven just like you are. So when you guys have a clear plan and you've got the end goal, all you're doing is managing the type A's to make sure that they get to the goal right at a very high level. No one needs to. You set meetings to review the spreadsheet and the spreadshe's done right. Fast forward to Uncle Funky's daughter. You set meetings to review the spreadsheet and it's like, oh, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, what you wanted me to do, so it requires much more. What I'm learning is it requires me to evolve my leadership style from one that's hands off, that's a little bit more hands-on, to make sure that my team understands where the bar of excellence is what our customers want from us, what the implications are when we miss deadlines, what the implications are if we ship the wrong product to the wrong customer, and so showing them and teaching them is where I've kind of learned. That's where my role is as a leader, really helping them really understand the implications of behaviors. And so I've evolved to from a leader that's I'm still. I still tell my team hey, I don't micromanage. If I have to, if I know it before you do, that's probably a problem, and so so they understand that, and so I think I'm still evolving my leadership style to adapt to a smaller company with a different team that thinks differently from the type A consultants with the MBAs that I'm used to working with, to the ones who you know maybe they don't have the MBA or maybe they're going to get it, or maybe they have a desire to get there, and so it really has required. It's a growth opportunity for me that I'm still learning to grow in, to be able to shift my mental mindset away from I got a team of driven people to I got a team that needs to be inspired, you know. Chris: Yeah, that's great. So what have you done to try to help you in the hiring process? Make sure you're making the best decision you can make about who you're bringing on your team? Renee: You know it's the hire slow, fire quick. Chris: Yes, another easier said than done. Renee: Easier said than done and that's where I am right now. Even in this open marketing director job that I'm looking for, it's really making sure I've gone through I go through so many, I go through all the resumes. My assistant will filter out the trash. But once she's filtered out the trash, I'm looking at those resumes going okay, is this someone who's going to? Because I'll openly say the reason I'm looking for a marketing director. I'll tell you this story. So I hire this person and she's from Adidas. She comes from Adidas background in marketing and she's Under Armour in marketing and she was in Latin America director of Latin America markets and she's just moved from Houston. So I'm thinking I've got a Latina because it's part of my demographic. That's awesome. She's got this global brand experience that's awesome. All in athleisure but transferable skills. It's marketing. She quits three months later, found another job in athleisure. So I interviewed, interviewed and found this one and this woman, you know, sold me on. I mean we had multiple conversations. I was like you know, sold me on. I mean, we had multiple conversations. I was like you know, hey. Chris: I'm really concerned about whether or not you know you can migrate from big company to this small company Cause it is a very valid concern. Renee: It's a big change. Right, you don't have a team. Your team is a team of three, not a team of 20. Right, and so your role really changes. And so she. You know, she convinced me that, but the lesson learned was that you know my spidey senses. I didn't listen to them. Like my spidey senses said, she may not stay. Like there were little things that happened along the way you get enamored with all the other stuff. Right, but I was so hungry to have a big company, someone to come in to show my team other than me, for them to hear it from someone other than me that this is what marketing looks like, Right, this is the marketing discipline that we need to have. And so she came in. She brought some marketing discipline. She heard that, you know she brought some value in the three months, but it was. It's been really a painful learning process, right, because now I'm short of marketing director, I'm stepping in, yeah, yeah. Chris: Well, what you alluded to there, right, is just the cost hard cost and soft cost when you make a bad hiring decision yeah Because you know you're having to fill the role or someone else. Renee: Yep, so that distracts, you, it's me right now. Chris: It distracts you from doing your full-time else. Yep, so that distracts you. It's me right now. It distracts you from doing your full-time job. Yep, you're now spending time going through resumes and going to be interviewing and you wasted, if you will, all the time on the one that only lasted three months. Yeah, so there's a lot of cost there. There's a lot of cost there. Renee: And then you're sitting there and knowing I've got to restart this whole process, I've got to try to maintain the momentum within my team this is the second marketing person they've had in the past year so and so how do you start to just kind of manage through that and so, instead of and when you get burned, that one time, as I'm looking at resumes, I'm looking at people with deep experience in a particular industry and I'm going oh nope. Chris: Learn, that is, that there's that bias creep right you're. You have to not let yourself penalize these people you've never met, just as they might look the same on paper yeah, as the one bad actor in the group. Renee: Yeah, and so you and you're right, and so I'm going well, and I'm having these conversations and then yeah, so it's just. Yeah, I think that's like one hiring, firing, hiring slow, firing quick. Chris: Sometimes, even when you hire slow, you still get I tell people it's part science, it's part art and it's the more process I think you can put in place and follow the better. But you're never going to be 100 right and I think figuring out the characteristics that work in your organization is something that you can incorporate into your hiring process and know that this is the kind of background traits, characteristics that thrive here. Renee: Yeah, and even and I would also say, listening to that, you know, those spidey senses that are coming with those thoughts creep in like, and they were coming like there were things, there were triggers that happened through the hiring process. Then I was like I'm not sure she's going to be a good fit. Like you know, for example, she called and said hey, can I work from home? I was like no, you cannot work from home. So that was like that was. Oh, renee, we're gonna do a whole episode on work from home. Oh yeah, oh yeah. And so those were the triggers of like, okay, she might not be the good fit. And when those were the when that happens to you, you got to listen to it and like and be okay with backing out. But I didn't listen to the trigger because we were so far down in the negotiation and I should have just said, you know, I don't think this is going to work out Right, and rescinded the offer. But I had already extended the offer, right, and I didn't want to have egg on my face. Chris:Sure. Renee: So I mean I, what I should have done is just let my ego go, rescinded the offer and continue to look. Chris: Yeah, or at least be upfront about this is starting to give me concerns. Here's why. Renee: Yeah. But I you know you know it's which I did that I did that okay, she covered it up she covered that up. She told me exactly what I wanted to hear, but still the those doubts were in my head and I should have listened to my gut. And that gut is a powerful thing. You know that, maxwell Galt, maxwell Galt Gladwell, it's a powerful thing. And if, when you listen to it, you're usually right, 100%. Yeah, 100%. Chris: Renee, this has been a fascinating conversation. Just to wrap it up, I have a few just personal things. I always like to ask yeah, what was your first job as a kid? Renee: Newspaper. I was a newspaper girl. You had a newspaper route? Yes, Absolutely I did. I'll be darned. My sister got up in the morning and helped me through my newspapers. Chris: You're not the first guest. That was their first job it was fairly common. Renee: You had to make me dig deep for that one. Chris: Okay, you made me dig deeper on this one. Sometimes people say this is the hardest question. Yeah, do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Renee: Barbecue no sauce Seasoned, very well seasoned, no hesitation. Chris: No, no hesitation and the woman knows what she wants. Yes, right. Renee: Don't bring me brisket with sauce on it. No. Chris: No sauce Extra seasoned. Renee: I want seasoned brisket, the moist kind. Okay, and, by the way, I'm not a Texan, but I moved to Texas and now I've been here 15 years and now it's like brisket barbecue. It's the only thing that I eat. Chris: I eat it's the only thing I want to eat. I might die of a heart attack, but it's the only thing I want to eat. I love it All right. So because you have four kids and I know your life's running crazy, this will be more of a fantasy. Renee: Yeah, if you could take. Chris: If you could take a 30 day sabbatical, where would you go? What would you do? Renee: Oh, I would be somewhere, probably in South Africa, in the, probably on a safari. I would tour safaris. I would go South Africa, kenya. I want to see the migration of animals. I would do that. Chris: I love it. Renee: That's where I would be. Chris: Renee, thank you so much for being on. This has been just a pleasure getting to know you and hear your story. Renee: Thank you. This is awesome. I listened to NPR how I built this. So this is like my. I feel like I'm excited. I've kind of done the NPR check. I like the how I built this check. Do you listen to that? Chris: I do, I do, I love it. I love that analogy. Renee: Yeah, it's great. Chris: Thanks again. Renee: Thanks for doing this. Special Guest: Renee Morris.

After 151 episodes, Chris is taking a pause from recording. It's not “goodbye” — it's "see you later!" Just like a great bourbon, this show will be ready in a bigger, better, and bolder expression with some patience and time. Thank you for listening and sharing the show!If you'd like to connect with Chris or learn more about his one-on-one coaching for business owners, his entry-level Breakthrough Coaching program, or his Bourbon and Breakthroughs Live Events, go to goodmancoachinginc.com and click the "Work with Me" button.Key Points From This Episode:Pressing pause. Why Chris has decided to take a break from the podcast. Other ways to connect with him. A word of thanks to listeners. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris Goodman Chris Goodman EmailGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Are you thinking about taking the leap and starting your own business? Have you got passion and a great idea, but lack a solid plan? In this episode, we sit down with Amine Karaoud, Founder of Old Louisville Whiskey, to discuss the path to starting his own business and the role of patience and diligence in creating a quality product. In our conversation, Amine shares his entrepreneurial journey, from a first-generation immigrant to owning and running his own whiskey brand. We discuss the defining moment when Amine decided to embark on his whiskey-making venture and the importance of embracing risk and seizing opportunities. He shares lessons from opening up his first store, how he was able to gain traction in the market, what he would do differently, and why timing is the key to success. Gain insights into his approach to managing stress, why he finds the entrepreneurial path so fulfilling, why taking the time to do it right is essential, and much more. Pour yourself a glass of Old Louisville Whiskey and join us as we explore how to be a tenacious, successful entrepreneur and why there is no substitute for patience and aging with Amine Karaoud!Key Points From This Episode:Introduction to Amine and a special blend of Old Louisville Whiskey.He explains the process behind his Single Barrel #1 Whiskey.How he knows when the whiskey is mature enough for bottling. Amine shares his background and entrepreneurial journey.Why the corporate track did not fulfill his ambitions.Lessons and breakthroughs from opening his first store. Embracing risk and the role of timing in his success.The moment he decided to start his own whiskey company.Explore how he deals with stress and anxiety. Old Louisville Whiskey's unique approach to customer experience. Discover how he stays motivated, fulfilled, and happy. Hear what kind of ingredients make up the Amine cocktail!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Amine Karaoud on LinkedInOld Louisville WhiskeyOld Louisville Whiskey on InstagramOld Louisville Whiskey on FacebookOld Louisville Whiskey | Single Barrel #1Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Sometimes, it's the simplest changes to your routine, your behavior, or your mindset that can have the biggest effect on your results. Today's episode responds to listener requests for more actionable content with two ultimate hacks for better or more effective results in your life and business! You'll learn how to take more responsibility, suspend fear, judgment, and doubt, take bold action, and give better than you get, plus, you'll receive a whole lot of practical advice in between. For a valuable shift in perspective to help move you forward, tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:The value of “owning it” rather than shifting blame.Steps you can take to visualize forward momentum and take bold action.How to determine where you can take more responsibility in your business.What it looks like to step out of ego and into service or contribution.Why most business books talk about the importance of mission and vision.The significance of shifting from I to we.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Have you ever hired a new employee and instantly felt like you went from business leader to babysitter? It might not be what you want to hear, but this often happens because you didn't hire well in the first place! In this episode, host and professional life and business coach, Chris Goodman walks you through some of the hiring breakthroughs he's had in his many years of experience so that you can avoid the challenges and potentially costly errors that can result from not putting the work in upfront. Tuning in, you'll learn 10+ tips for creating a methodical hiring process, reading between the lines on resumes, taking your ego out of the equation, recruiting against a set of strong values, putting simple metrics between you and the business, and much more. Whether you're revamping your hiring process, building a business, or doing anything that requires enrolling and enlisting help from others, this episode is full of practical advice and valuable insights that you won't want to miss!Key Points From This Episode:How to shift your perspective on the traditional hiring/firing model.The value of a clear and methodical hiring process and tips for creating one.What people reveal about themselves in the language on their resume.Why a quick conversation or call with an applicant is an important next step.When to check references (and why earlier is better).A potentially controversial take on behavioral assessments.The significance of someone's personal and professional track record.Your cue to slow down and detach from the outcome.Reasons that the conversation is the relationship.A guide to values-based recruitment.Questions to ask yourself when a potential hire is on the right track.The importance of expectation setting and external feedback.How to craft a strong offer and operating agreement (as well as a disagreement!)What it means to put something between you and the business.Advice for implementing a GROW coaching model.The story of why Chris is so passionate about life and business coaching.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Ep 17: Breakthroughs from Training with Mark Willis, CEO of Keller WilliamsKeller Williams Leverage SeriesMark Willis LeadershipFierce LeadershipAlex HormoziGary KellerThe ONE ThingThe ONE Thing PodcastChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc DISC AssessmentGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Although there won't be any sharing of bourbon on today's episode, you'll walk away with valuable insights as we focus solely on some of the epic breakthroughs from Chris' recent trip to Texas. Chris spent two days in training with the CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Mark Willis, and one of their other top leaders Melanie Kennemann, who is on their executive leadership team. In no particular order, Chris takes listeners through several key breakthroughs he walked away with from his time at the Leverage Series. He unpacks a few noteworthy quotes by Mark Willis, why he loves a particular line from The Prosperous Coach, shares his best breakthrough from Melanie about honing your approach and walking your team to self-discovery, and much more. So, get ready as Chris breaks down two days of intense learning for you. He'll also share actionable insights that you can plug right into your life and business, so you can rock and roll. Thanks for listening, enjoy!Key Points From This Episode:What you can expect from this episode of the Bourbon and Breakthroughs Podcast.How you can gain the most out of today's episode.Coaching tip: by the end of the podcast you should be able to clearly identify what you are going to take immediate action on.A quick overview of the course Chris took with Keller Williams Realty: Leverage Series.Chris unpacks a quote from Mark Willis, current CEO of Keller Williams; “You get the most control out of your life by letting go of the things that hold you back.”Why Chris loves the line from The Prosperous Coach: “My business plan has one line: Meet new and inspiring people.”His encouragement to listeners: who would open up all kinds of doors for you?“There's nothing about leadership that's telling people what to do” — Mark Willis; and why it's more about inspiring them.Chris shares his two cents about Mark Willis saying, “If you want 9/10 level talent, you must be, and play at, a 9/10 yourself.”A note on the previous breakthrough; talent wants to be challenged and pushed in a good way.What Chris means when he says, “The only things that change are the 20%'s and the standards.”Chris parallels his thought of “If you can cast a vision around anyone, you can cast a vision around anyone” to a similar quote by Zig Ziglar about selling anything to anyone. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Melanie Kennemann on LinkedInMark Willis on LinkedInMark Willis LeadershipLeverage Series Keller WilliamsKeller WilliamsKeller Williams HeadquartersFrom Passive to PassionateThe Prosperous Coach: Increase Income and Impact for You and Your Clients (The Prosperous Series)Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Today on Bourbon and Breakthroughs, we're doing something a little bit different! Joining us for a live coaching session is life and business coach, host of the Life Coach Hotline Podcast, and Chris' beautiful wife, Lindsey Mango. In this thought-provoking episode, Lindsey speaks candidly about the trepidation she feels when it comes to expanding her family, shares her mission to create deeper and more intimate friendships in 2024, and reflects on the gap between how she shows up in her business now versus how she shows up in her personal life. Our conversation reveals the importance of vulnerability for business owners, C-suite executives, and others in leadership positions, but it also demonstrates Lindsey's inspiring openness and her willingness to change her mind, which is an essential part of being “coachable” and making the changes we want to make in our lives. As you'll discover, this episode was actually recorded for Lindsey's podcast, but it was too good not to share! If you're looking to learn and grow as a leader but feel like you're hitting a wall, this live coaching session might just open you up to a new perspective, so be sure to tune in today.Key Points From This Episode:Reasons that coaches need coaches too!Three areas in her life that Lindsey is seeking coaching for.What Lindsey means when she talks about making expansion optional.The important role of compassion when addressing the parts of you that are afraid to grow.What Lindsey would say if a million people were listening.The distinctive lens she brings to her coaching work and that makes her so hungry for growth.Distinguishing between experience and performance.An unexpected shift or transformation that took place for Lindsey during this session.Why we shouldn't hold ourselves back when we have something to share.Next steps for Lindsey, including paying attention to her unique perspective.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Lindsey MangoLife Coach Hotline PodcastLindsey Mango on LinkedInLindsey Mango on InstagramLindsey Mango on FacebookBittersweetLoudermilkChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Hiring a business coach is a valuable investment in not only your professional growth as an entrepreneur or business owner but your personal growth too. Just ask Mitch Cammidge, a business coach and advisor to more than 10,000 business owners, multi-event speaker, small business marketing genius, and visionary of Mitch Cammidge Coaching. There are three things Mitch believes any business needs to be successful: a simple design, elegant operations, and repeatable systems. In this episode of Bourbon and Breakthroughs, he unpacks each of these essential elements and shares some practical steps to help you take your business from chaos to legacy. We also discuss the importance of human capital, why a formal education isn't a prerequisite for success, how to take the ego out of being the centerpiece of your business, ways to stay calm and dependable in the face of business warfare, and more! For actionable advice and some harsh but helpful truths from the Savage in Business, be sure to tune in today.Key Points From This Episode:Complex doesn't equal sophisticated: why a successful business is simple in its design.Human capital as the most important investment for any business.Reasons that an MBA isn't necessarily a talisman for success.What it looks like for a business to be elegant and repeatable in its operation.Practical steps for building a bridge from chaos to legacy.From function performer to knowledge center to recognized expert: removing ego from the equation while still being the face of your business.Why you need to be prepared to say goodbye to customers.The action-packed story behind the phrase, “savage in business.”Tips for maintaining a cool, calm, collected attitude in the warfare of business.How to have your “buckle-up moment” and work with Mitch!Key components of Mitch's strong and straight-to-the-point Savage in Business cocktail.Parting advice for getting after it and taking advantage of the opportunities in front of you.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Mitch CammidgeThe Savage PlaybookWorld Wide Entrepreneur Academy (WWEA)Savage in Business – The PodcastMitch Cammidge on LinkedInMitch Cammidge on XMitch Cammidge on InstagramMitch Cammidge on YouTubeMitch Cammidge on FacebookUndisputed MasteryTony RobbinsOban WhiskeyChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

This episode is the first of our new 2024 series – Preparing for a Cell and Gene Future. In this episode, we take a look back at a banner year for cell and gene therapies and what to expect in 2024 in terms of next-generation therapies and gene editing progress with Chris Learn, Senior Vice President and Head of the Cell and Gene Center of Excellence.

What would it take for you to live the life you truly want? Maybe it's time to stop asking how much money you need to achieve it, or how you're going to get there, and instead, uncover what type of life would excite you most. Joining us today is Rob Murgatroyd, whose life-changing transformations have been years, if not decades, in the making. While the bulk of Rob's career was spent as a chiropractor, his life today could not be further from that reality. Not only has he moved his family from the US to beautiful Florence, Italy, but his TikTok videos on being an American in this food-obsessed country have made him a social media sensation! However, his journey from being a chiropractor to where he is today has not been straightforward or smooth. There is no way he would have reached his destination if he had not been willing to step off the familiar path. Similarly, our conversation today takes many fascinating turns that never would have happened if we had tried to plan it all out. While our conversation kicks off with Rob's first taste of Bourbon, it ends with profound reflections on the nature of creativity, with insights on where it comes from and how you can learn to turn down the noise and listen to the voice within. In between all that Rob shares the many side journeys he had to go on, like traveling, becoming a DJ, and receiving coaching, to uncover the revelatory lessons that would help him shift his mindset and find himself where he is today. Join us for a truly expansive conversation and find out how his wife's fateful words 'I like you better in Italy' prompted his transformative journey, why he decided to use this phrase as the title of his upcoming book, and what ingredients he would use for his cocktail 'la dolce vita', and much more!Key Points From This Episode:Welcoming back today's guest, all the way from Florence, Italy, Rob Murgatroyd.Chris breaks down everything you need to know about drinking bourbon for the first time.Rob tries out his first-ever bourbon drink according to Chris's instructions.The transformations Rob has gone through since he and Chris first met.What Rob gained from chasing what made him feel alive; from traveling to becoming a DJ.The challenge of subtracting what doesn't bring you joy.Rob's experience of trying to leave his chiropractic career behind.His advice to anyone going through a transformation, or gathering the courage to do so.The confluence of influences that helped Rob change his mindset.Answering the question ‘Where does creativity come from?'Learning to turn down the noise and listening to the voice within.Detailing and naming Rob's cocktail, La Dolce Vita!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Rob Murgatroyd on LinkedInRobMurgatroyd on TikTokRob Murgatroyd on XRob Murgatroyd on InstagramRob Murgatroyd on FacebookThe Next Chapter PodcastChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching IncGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Today we are joined by one of the most prolific guests we've ever interviewed! Phil. M. Jones is a notorious speaker and author with EIGHT number-one bestsellers, and he is also the founder and author of the book-turned-movement, Exactly What to Say. Phil is fully focused on turning services into products as is evident in his vast reach and influence, and Exactly What to Say is fast becoming a household name around the world. After Phil introduces us to Exactly What to Drink and the story behind it, we explore Phil's professional journey, and how his life's plan evolved especially when he lost $2 million overnight. We discover why he says it's impossible to write, perform, and edit at the same time, and how to remain truly present yet purposeful in everything you say. Phil discusses what it's like to allow others to use his work as their own, how he vets prospective business partners, and why it's important to understand visibility, credibility, authenticity, and availability. He also explains how creating constraints can actually be a catalyst for your biggest breakthroughs.After hearing this fascinating conversation, the only drink you'll want to reach for is "The Always in Fashioned!"  Learn more about Phil and his work in the show notes and at philmjones.com Key Points From This Episode:Welcoming the larger-than-life, Phil M. Jones, and introducing Exactly What to Drink.Taking a look at Phil's initial vision of his professional journey and how it's evolved.How he's extended his service offerings to real estate. Why you can never write, perform, and edit at the exact same time.How to balance staying present with being purposeful in your speech. Why Phil is so focused on turning services into products and his goal of collective ownership.The breakdowns and breakthroughs he's had in allowing others to make his work their own.How he chooses the people that he wants to work closely with. The ins and outs of visibility, credibility, authenticity, and availability. How creating constraints helped Phil achieve a plethora of professional breakthroughs.  His entry-level bourbon recommendation and any-bottle-in-the-world choice. The Always in Fashioned. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Phil M. JonesPhil M. Jones on LinkedInPhil M. Jones on InstagramPhil M. Jones on XPhil M. Jones on YouTubePhil M. Jones on Facebook Heaven's Door  Michter's Rye‘The Million Dollar Speaker | Phil M. Jones Interview'Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc The Relentless Growth MastermindGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

This episode is one for the books, as our guests are also the creators of one of the wonderful bourbon-based variations we'll try on the show. Janell and Mike Bass are the founders of Ponyboy Slings, a brand that offers up a new and exciting way to drink whiskey. Their passion for beverages and decades-long experience in the industry made this venture a no-brainer for the dynamic duo, and they've developed innovative techniques for working as a couple that are applicable to all industries. Today, we taste all three of Ponyboy Slings' drinks, starting with their flagship offering the Bourbon Popstar, and working our way through the Derby Cream Soda to end with My Cherry Amour. Janell and Mike offer some insight into the effort it takes to bring a new product to market, why having an excellent palate is both a blessing and a curse, and their unique perspective on building trust as business partners. They also share their beautiful wedding story before diving into the long-term vision for their brand, their advice for prospective startup owners, and what they want people to know and remember about Ponyboy Slings. We loved every single one of Ponyboy Slings' unique cocktails in a can and will be ordering the Bubbly Bombshell and the Ponyrony on repeat! Key Points From This Episode:How Janell and Mike ended up choosing their company name: Ponyboy Slings. The way their passion and experience in the beverage industry fueled their business. Rocket Fuel: How Janell and Mike have engineered new ways to work as business partners. Getting into Ponyboy Slings' products, starting with their flagship drink, the Bourbon Popstar.Discussing the effort it took to bring their drinks to market and some breakthrough moments. Why it's a blessing and a curse to have an excellent palate.The story of Janell and Mike's surprise wedding. The ins and outs of Ponyboy Slings' wildcard cooler, the Derby Cream Soda.Moving on to our final Ponyboy Slings taster, My Cherry Amour. Mike and Janell explain the long-term vision for their brand.What they want people to know about Ponyboy Slings, including the Ponywagon. The Bubbly Bombshell and the Ponyrony!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Janell BassJanell Bass on LinkedInJanell Bass on InstagramMike Bass on LinkedInMike Bass on InstagramPonyboy SlingsPonyboy Slings on InstagramPonyboy Slings on YouTubePunchbowl ProjectJanelle and Mike's WeddingChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc The Relentless Growth MastermindGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Sitting down with us for this episode of Bourbon and Breakthroughs is the founder of The Unrule/y Entrepreneur, none other than Andrea Crowder! Andrea has such a passion for life and business, and her amazing story of evolution and the premium she gives to creativity is bound to strike a chord with each and every listener in a variety of ways. We get to hear from Andrea about why many of our ideas about success can be unhealthy and fictitious, how she handles pressure, ways to use the power of imagination and the best strategies for overcoming the inevitable challenges that life throws at us. Andrea also shines a light on managing emotions and learning from errors, two things that have made all the difference for her and her business. One of the grounding principles at The Unrule/y Entrepreneur is the culture of celebration that they embody, and by listening in you will get some great insight into how this leads to making a profit while having fun, so join us to hear it all from Andrea Crowder.Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today's bourbon from Heaven's Door and its notable characteristics. Andrea talks about being a 'people coach' and her main areas of expertise. The dangers of entrepreneurship and our common myths about success. Prioritizing creativity, focus, and logic in your business. An explanation of Andrea's 'pleasure over pressure' ethic. A few of Andrea's recent highlights and the massive income increase she has facilitated.  Why the highest paycheck is not always the best option. Letting go of the obligations that do not serve us and our energy levels! Andrea's thoughts on hiring smartly and the best practices for leaders and their teams. Advice for aligning company culture; self-regulation, learning from mistakes, and more. Enjoying the possibilities of the contemporary business landscape and having fun! Underlining the most important question that Andrea wants listeners to ask themselves.Andrea shares her beliefs about the source of her great results.  Detailing and naming Andrea's cocktail! Rapid fire questions with Andrea about meaning, excitement, transformation, and more. How and where to connect with Andrea online.  Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Heaven's DoorAndrea CrowderDaddy EnergyAndrea Crowder on InstagramThe Unrule/y Entrepreneur PodcastEntrepreneur MagazineBob DylanJoe DispenzaChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Dr. Jon ConnellyFree Training with Dr. Jon ConnellyGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any particular field. Now consider 40,000 hours: anyone with that much experience in one thing is bound to be devastatingly excellent at it! With over 40,000 hours of coaching and training experience, today's guest, Pat Mancuso, is a bottomless pit of knowledge, information, and expert advice on how to survive as a business leader. To add to his coaching expertise, Pat has more than 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur, and all of this comes together in a formidable man who was able to grow a company from zero to 1 billion dollars in sales in only four years!  Fueled by the deep flavors of Heaven's Door Double Barrel Whiskey, we begin this insightful conversation with Pat describing his coaching style and what it takes to become a great mentor and advisor. Then, we examine why some are comfortable in discomfort whilst others aren't, why leaders should be willing to receive constructive feedback, why having a coach is for everyone, and the ins and outs of what it takes to make the right hires. We also explore what you need to run a successful restaurant, how to know when to stay or leave your job, Pat's fin-in-the-blank answers, and why “I Can't Believe He Said That” is the perfect way to describe today's remarkable guest. Key Points From This Episode:A warm welcome back to the show to our good friend, Pat Mancuso.Today we are trying Bob Dylan's preferred brand of bourbon, Heaven's Door. Pat describes his style of coaching and explains what it takes to be a great coach. His take on why some people are willing to lean into discomfort more than others. Why leaders need to care more about openly receiving honest feedback from staff members.Exploring why every type of person can benefit from receiving some level of coaching. The way Pat determines the ROI of his coaching endeavors. How hiring the wrong person can cost a business four to five times that employee's salary.The dos and don'ts for hiring the right personnel. How to know whether you should stay in your current job or leave. Why Pat's hypothetical book on leadership would be titled, The Leadership Light Switch. It's Not About You, his favorite coaching resources, and his ideal drinking partner.I Can't Believe He Said That: the Pat Mancuso cocktail. Our guest explains the work that he's doing with businesses around tax and tax recovery.Everything you need to know before working with Pat.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Heaven's DoorPat MancusoPat Mancuso on LinkedInPat Mancuso on XPat Mancuso on YouTubePat Mancuso on Facebook Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc The Relentless Growth MastermindGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

No one is a self-made success. It all takes other people. Todd Paxton has empowered many other people to find real estate and personal success and he joins us today to tell his story. While sipping on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan, Todd sits down to share his breakthrough following a near-death experience last year and how this affected how he leads his team. Using the tale of the young and old bull, he explains his strategy of slowing down to speed up. We discuss parallels between Todd's work as a sports coach and a leader in real estate and Todd shares the biggest breakthrough he has had: to meet people where they are. Hear about the necessity of looking for talent everywhere and Todd's quick-fire answers to essential leadership questions. Todd encourages listeners to embrace failure without fear, never to suffer from leadership loneliness, and to have hard conversations with yourself first before bringing them to others. Tune in to hear more about how to live in a way that is ferociously simple. Thanks for listening! Key Points From This Episode:Welcome to Todd Paxton, real estate agent, investor, coach, and mentor. Todd and Chris's history as friends and co-founders.Today's bourbon: Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan.The artisanal approach to distillation at Heaven's Door.Todd's gracious lion of a father and the great qualities he inherited from him.A breakthrough Todd experienced during a near-death experience last year.How this affected how he leads his team. The tale of the young and old bull to illustrate slowing down to speed up.Parallels between Todd's work as a sports coach and a leader in real estate.The value of always looking for talent everywhere.Todd defines the best and worst things a leader can do.Knowing when it's the right time to fire someone.Identifying the qualities that show culture fit.Creating a culture of grace by bringing in a coach.Advice for leaders: don't suffer from leadership loneliness.Todd's relationship with leadership-related books.KASH: Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, and Habit.The power of having conversations with yourself first and others second. Essential ingredients to the cocktail of Todd: Ferociously Simple.His closing recommendations to pave the way to success. Taking care of the people who are in your world while looking for talent everywhere. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Todd Paxton on LinkedInThe Paxton GroupThe Paxton Group on FacebookThe Paxton Group on Instagram The Paxton Group on XTodd Paxton EmailChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Bourbon and Breakthroughs on InstagramDISC AssessmentGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series, and today we welcome award-winning mixologist, Karla Green, who is the Creative Director of Watch Hill Proper. Karla's focus is now squarely on menu design, creative drink ideas, education, training, and testing, and she brings 20 years of bartending experience into her current position. Karla also helped imagine and design the impressive bar at Watch Hill Proper, which boasts the world's largest collection of American whiskeys. On the menu today is the Hemingway Rye First Edition, and we have a great time tasting and reflecting on this rather rare item, with Karla sharing her best tasting practices and the different ways she likes to serve it up. From there, our guest delves into some really interesting professional ideas, talking about her belief in taking ownership, setting a good example for her team, her quality control practices, and her prioritization of great communication. We get the inside perspective on her growth-oriented mindset, and listeners will come away with a fresh appreciation for the world of whiskey, and the need to trust the journey of life. So make sure to tune in and hear all that Karla has to say! Key Points From This Episode:First impressions of today's whiskey, Hemingway Rye First Edition. Karla talks about her tasting protocol and the best ways to experience a new whisky. Unpacking Karla's role at Watch Hill Proper, and her proudest moments so far. How Karla approaches maintaining the integrity and standards of her recipes. Thoughts on customer complaints and how the team manages issues like this.  Management and leadership strategies that Karla finds helpful and effective. The film that Karla featured in recently, highlighting women in the whiskey industry!  Karla's philosophy towards recipe development, and exploring the idea of 'destroying to create'.Some thoughts on the state of bourbon culture and perceptions at present.  The evolution of the Old Fashioned, and how it differs across states.Karla shares the recipe for her personal cocktail, The Devil's Advocate! How to find and connect with Karla online.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Hemingway Rye First EditionKarla Green on InstagramKarla Green on LinkedInWatch Hill ProperHeaven Hill DistilleryEvan Williams BourbonChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series. Today, we are so happy to be joined by the unstoppable and inspiring force that is Johanna White! Johanna is the brains behind Design by Jo, where she helps her clients realize their brand dreams and step beyond the limitations that hold so many of us back. Johanna has an amazing personal story that she gives us a glimpse into, including how the discovery of a brain tumor in 2013 impacted her trajectory and why it was, ultimately, the catalyst for her success! This episode is peppered with so many breakthroughs and insights, with Johanna talking about trusting her own value, targeting the right buyer for an offer, authoring your own story, taking action on beliefs, and much more. We also spend some time indulging in Rabbit Hole's Heigold bourbon and trading cocktail recipes before Johanna shares some closing thoughts about stepping into your limitless potential. Be sure to join us to catch it all in this great conversation!Key Points From This Episode:A look through Johanna's inspiring and varied personal and professional bio.Johanna talks about her usage of the word 'expensive'. Introducing the 'Kentucky chew' and today's bourbon from Rabbit Hole!Recounting the arrival of Johanna's health troubles in 2013 and her road to recovery.The roots of Johanna's fears and how she unpacked the deeper layers.  How Johanna approached the task of choosing joy! The importance of acting on faith and not merely believing it.  Dealing with setbacks and jumping back into the work of confronting fear.  The life-changing power of taking control of the mind and our mental habits.Johanna shares some great resources that have helped her. Her response to potential doubts about the power of the mind.  Looking back at Johanna's fears about failure and self-worth. How Johanna's brain tumor provided her with the path to her current success. Honing your own genius (and how this plays into pricing). How Johanna's rebrand allowed her to reimagine her business and income.  Finding the right price point to catch the ideal client base.  Some final words of encouragement about the realms of possibility.    Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Rabbit Hole HeigoldJohanna White on LinkedIn Design by Jo Design by Jo on InstagramTony RobbinsLouise HayJoe DispenzaRewiredGaiaSoundtracksYou Are the PlaceboCarl JungGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series, where we sit down with the best and brightest in their fields to discuss a wide range of topics, all while enjoying a glass of fine bourbon. In this episode, we have the pleasure of meeting Jess Burns, a seasoned property manager, and top-notch real estate agent with a passion for investment. With a trusted team of experts and a knack for listening, Jessica puts her clients at ease while fiercely advocating for their best interests. Her unwavering integrity and dedication to high standards make her a go-to for achieving results. In our conversation, we dive into how Jessica takes ownership of her life and uses her passion to drive her success in business. We discuss her relationship-oriented approach to business and the benefits of putting yourself into uncomfortable positions. We also explore her coaching experience and the many breakthroughs she had, including her insight that one should not live on default. Jessica shares her incredible career journey, her perception of success, how your thinking shapes your outcomes, and much more. We do all of this over a fine glass of Heigold bourbon, teach Jess  “The Kentucky Chew,” and unpack its amazing taste. Tune in now!Key Points From This Episode:How she leverages her personality to drive success in business.Why Jess prefers bourbon to other spirits and she shares her tasting notes.Jess tells us about the breakthroughs that impacted her life the most.Hear how Jess was able to persevere through past failures.Find out about the many successes she has had from her breakthroughs.The rule she lives her life by, and the importance of self-care.Her formulae for success and how she developed it over time.Discover how to shift your mindset and begin your journey to success.We debate the correct way to make an old fashioned.She shares the biggest surprise from the success she has achieved.The importance of not being afraid to make mistakes.Overcoming a negative mindset and taking her business to the next level.The biggest mistake that she does not regret making.A final takeaway that Jess has for listeners. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Jess BurnsJess Burns on InstagramRabbit Hole DistilleryHeigold — Rabbit Hole DistilleryBoxergrail — Rabbit Hole DistilleryDeath & CoEpisode 110: Healing Trauma in 3 Minutes with Dr. Jon Connelly, Founder of Rapid Resolution TherapyChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series. For trauma survivors, even seemingly ordinary life experiences can trigger negative beliefs, painful emotions, and problematic behaviors that feel impossible to resolve. Attempting to heal or create lasting change without eliminating the influence of past events would be like putting a Band-Aid over a bullet wound. This is the belief of today's remarkable guest, Dr. Jon Connelly, whose early career experiences as a child protective service worker and clinical supervisor helped him develop Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT), a pioneering method for clearing the ongoing effects of traumatic events quickly and painlessly. Join us today as we discuss Dr. Connelly's work with RRT and get a sneak peek into his process during a live session with Chris, all while enjoying a glass of Cavehill Kentucky Straight Bourbon from Rabbit Hole Distillery. You'll find out why Dr. Connelly believes that making a difference starts with personal responsibility, why he rejects the idea that you need to feel bad in order to feel better, what is in his “strong, deceptively powerful, and sweet” signature cocktail, and so much more. To learn how to overcome your fears, heal trauma, and shift your perspective using Dr. Connelly's revolutionary RRT system, be sure to tune in today!This episode carries a trigger warning for listeners who are sensitive to trauma, accounts of traumatic events, and references to abuse. Please listen with care.Key Points From This Episode:Reflections on the taste and aroma of Cavehill Kentucky Straight Bourbon.How you can test the waters of RRT with the free weekly Solutions! Group.The need to overhaul systems that blame the people they fail.Intentions of RRT: eliminating suffering while ensuring that treatment isn't painful.Insight into Dr. Connelly's work with law enforcement to help survivors of sexual assault. The high level of responsibility that Dr. Connelly assumes in order to make a difference.Breaking the cycle of victimhood quickly and painlessly.A live session with Chris to help him receive and appreciate his unique ideas like gifts.A visualization exercise featuring a mythical life form that inspires gratitude and excitement.Improving emotions, thoughts, habits, and behaviors with a subtle shift in perspective.How Dr. Connelly teaches people to communicate in ways that cause automatic change.Some of the ways that you can get started on your RRT journey today!Dr. Connelly as a cocktail: strong, deceptively powerful, and sweet.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:The Institute for Rapid Resolution TherapySolutions! Free Weekly GroupInstitute for Survivors of Sexual ViolenceGrief is Not SacredChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Cavehill Kentucky Straight BourbonRabbit Hole DistilleryGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning. For listeners who wish to avoid themes of human trafficking, please skip the audio between [54:57] and [1:04:06]. In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Waggoner, a serial entrepreneur, psychologist, and high-level coach who has been practicing for nearly 25 years. He has worked with a range of clients, including Navy SEALs, politicians, and billionaires. He has also dedicated himself to several causes and charities aimed at making the world a better place. With his wealth of experience, he is regarded as the best and most valuable coach available. In our conversation, we discuss how to effectively manage your time, tactical ways to improve your experience of time, and how to honor your sages and not be a slave to your negative inner thoughts. Hear about the definition of celebration and living in the moment, being the “feeder” to yourself and those around you, what he means by “being dangerous”, the value of rituals, what force multipliers are, and the true definition of passion. We also talk about his non-profit, Operation Rescue Children, and the amazing work they do to combat human trafficking by training and equipping operators with the tools they need. Tune in for a fascinating discussion with the inspirational Dr. Keith Waggoner!Key Points From This Episode:We start by finding out what Dr. Waggoner has to celebrate in life.His approach to networking and building a strong inner circle. What he means by “feeding” relationships.We unpack the concept of sages and saboteurs.Steps to take to be aware of the sages and saboteurs in your life.Learn how you can face your saboteurs and “feed” your sages.How to create a framework for effective time management.Why you need to commit to what is important to you.Discover the four crucial principles of effective time management.Find out about the five vital currencies in life.He shares his passions and how he endeavors to pursue them.Details about Operation Rescue Children and the incredible work they are doing. For listeners who wish to avoid themes of human trafficking, please skip the audio between [54:57] and [1:04:06].Dr. Waggoner discusses the progress that Chris has made on his journey.A key takeaway message that Dr. Waggoner has for listeners.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Rabbit Hole DistilleryDareringer – Rabbit Hole DistilleryDr. Keith WaggonerDr. Keith Waggoner on LinkedInDr. Keith Waggoner on TwitterDr. Keith Waggoner on FacebookDr. Keith Waggoner on YouTubeUndisputed MasteryOperation Rescue ChildrenDonate to Operation Rescue ChildrenGlobal Slavery IndexHarley Elmore on LinkedInGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series, today's guest is the inspiring co-author of The ONE Thing, Jay Papasan. If you have listened to any episode of this show before, you will be aware that Jay's book is philosophically fundamental to so much of what we do, and has the power to immediately change your life in a positive way. To give you an understanding of its power and reach, The ONE Thing has sold over 3 million copies, and has been translated into 40 different languages! In this conversation with Jay, we get to hear exactly what the 'one thing' is, how individuals can go about prioritizing their lives correctly, the central role that impact plays in everything that Jay does, and the idea of continuous learning. Our guest also spends some time expanding on the concept of counterbalancing and how it fits into the book's framework, so to catch all of this and a whole lot more, over a delicious glass of today's choice rye from Rabbit Hole, make sure to tune in!Key Points From This Episode:Jay talks about the success of the book and the impact it has made globally. Reflections on a decade since the book was published and how Jay has remained passionate about the project. The eternal path of learning; Jay talks about his continual identification as a student. Today's tasty treat: Rabbit Hole's Boxergrail Rye.Jay introduces the central question from The ONE Thing and the story behind it. The community that Jay and Gary have built through publishing this book. The importance of priorities and some of Jay's grounding principles for helping people with these. Jay unpacks some ideas about habit formation and the 'halo effect'. Unpacking the concept of counterbalancing.   Exploring the themes of choice, commitment, and identity.Time and money; lessons from billionaires about creating more abundance. Jay talks about his 'cocktail' recipe; grit, determination, curiosity, and impact.Where to find Jay online and learn more about his impactful work!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Rabbit Hole Boxergrail RyeJay PapasanThe ONE ThingJay Papasan on TwitterThe ONE Thing PodcastThe Twenty Percenter NewsletterGary KellerBenjamin GrahamWarren BuffettThe Power of HabitJames PattersonChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series, a new series from the Relentless Growth podcast. For the past two years, we've been dedicated to exploring what it takes to constantly grow in life and business and now, we're switching things up and bringing you a brand new experience. Bourbon & Breakthroughs is all about sitting down with the very best people in their respective fields and discussing a range of topics over a glass of fine bourbon. In this short introduction, we'll give you a taste of what you can expect from this exciting new series. We'll tell you about the type of guests we'll be interviewing, from business leaders to experts in various industries, and give you a sneak peek into the motivation behind Bourbon & Breakthroughs. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of your favorite bourbon, and join us for fun, relaxed conversations with some of the most interesting people around. Tune in to the Bourbon & Breakthroughs series, and let's explore the world of success and achievement, one sip at a time!Key Points From This Episode:What the show has planned for upcoming episodes.Chris explains what listeners can expect from the new series.The focus on bourbon and the reason for the name.How listeners can help spread the word about the series.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series. Set clear boundaries, show compassion, and live every moment to the fullest! That is the advice that we are urged to follow from today's remarkable guest, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Chris Harder. Chris has a relentless work schedule and he explains how he is able to remain enthusiastic throughout, before detailing the importance of the mantra ‘people deserve it' and why we all need a more holistic understanding of time. Our guest walks us through how he celebrates little moments of victory, why we should all lead with gratitude, why Rabbit Hole Distillery is onto something special, and how he went from being a perfectionist to thriving in chaos. We discuss the need for nonjudgmental approaches to life, how to reframe problems into opportunities, how all rewards come with risk, and why Chris chose compassion as his emotional base. We end with a lesson on overcoming negative thoughts and people, how to manage close relationships at work, what makes Chris who he is, why setting boundaries is more of an invitation than a barrier, and a reminder to everyone who is listening to never, ever, settle! Key Points From This Episode:A warm welcome to today's guest, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Chris Harder. How Chris manages to stay enthusiastic throughout his extremely busy schedule.Why ‘people deserve it' is such an important mantra for Chris. The importance of having a more holistic understanding of time. How our guest celebrates good days by living in the moment and with intention.Why taking inventory and showing gratitude is the best way to celebrate good fortune.Chris and Chris review the latest gin offering from Rabbit Hole Distillery. How our guest went from being a perfectionist to thriving in the mess. The way Chris navigates judging himself and others now compared to in the past. How to catch and reframe the problems in your life for more positive results.Forgetting the ego and accepting being wrong sometimes. How Chris's approach to risk has brought him much success. How our guest overcomes negative emotions and the people who put him down. The way he manages having multiple close relationships in the workplace. How great relationships are forged on the back of setting clear boundaries. The traits that combine to make Chris Harder. A reminder for everyone who is listening: Don't settle!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris Harder Chris Harder on LinkedInChris Harder on TwitterChris Harder on Instagram Chris Harder on Facebook The Psychology of MoneyChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc.  Rabbit Hole DistilleryGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

This is the story of how Chris overcame the pain and trauma of his first marriage, and after ten years forgot the anniversary of the wedding! All of us go through difficult and uncomfortable seasons in our lives, whether it is personal or business-related, and how we respond to these challenges has a huge impact on what follows. Chris' story stands testament to the power of finding the right support, namely coaches, mentors, and therapists, taking uncomfortable action, following curiosity and lightness, and getting intentional about what we want! The idea that underpins all of this is that life improves through, and because of these periods of pain, and it is only a matter of how we chose to take action. So to hear all about Chris' journey, and the practical steps you can take to move through troubled waters, press play on this episode of the Relentless Growth!Key Points From This Episode:Recounting the events of the wedding and the doomed marriage that followed. How coaches, mentors, and trainers helped keep things on track. Getting through the most difficult seasons and the fruits on the other side.Learning, growing, and healing; the process of stepping out of anger and pain. What the right coaches and mentors offer; perspective, questions, and healing.  The power of curiosity and using it to replace damaging habits. Taking note of the weight of things and following the guidance of lighter energies.Getting clear on what you do want and the expansive power of our focus. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris GoodmanJim RohnEpisode 95 with Brad SeaBrad Sea on LinkedIn Goodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Are you tired of feeling like you were born to make a difference, but something mysterious keeps holding you back? What if the biggest obstacle is yourself? In this episode, we speak to high-performance coach and business mentor Jake Kauffman about his journey to finding his true purpose and why the pain stops when you embrace truth. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for sexual abuse. With a background in healthcare sales, Jake has pivoted to coaching, providing a guiding hand to entrepreneurs, coaches, and influencers. By unlocking their potential for personal growth, he helps pave the way for business expansion and game-changing breakthroughs. In our conversation, we discuss his new book, Let Love In, why he decided to write it, the context of the book, how the writing process has helped him grow, what he hopes to achieve with the book, and the hurdles he faced while writing. We also delve into his approach to coaching, the difference between conscious and unconscious desires, why pain is not necessarily bad, and the dire state of mental health. Hear about a defining moment in his life, why you need to accept your weaknesses, key insights from the book, the risks of unprocessed pain, and much more. Tune in to discover the power of letting love in and allowing yourself to be seen with Jake Kauffman!Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Cancer is not one disease, which means it cannot be addressed by one type of treatment or research. In this episode, Chris Learn, Vice President of Cell and Gene Therapy at Parexel, talks about oncology research, cell and gene therapies, and the patients' journey navigating this space. Chris discusses next-generation therapies and the challenges common sites may face in adopting them. Tune in to learn more about cancer research and treatment developments from Chris! Click this link to the show notes, transcript, and resources: outcomesrocket.health

We all know the feeling of our emotions bubbling over in response to something that somebody else has said or done. These emotions may come in the form of rage, grief, shock, or anything in between. No matter our age or stage of life, emotional triggers are unavoidable, so it is vital that we learn how to deal with them in a healthy way. While you may not be able to control the initial thought that pops into your head when you get triggered, you can gain full control of your second thought, and that is what is most important! In today's episode, Chris shares some powerful tools that you can use to de-escalate a triggering situation and turn a potentially harmful interaction into a more positive one. Tune in to find out how to live a happier, more peaceful life by proactively controlling your emotions!Key Points From This Episode:Sharing some of the exact tools Chris teaches clients to use when they get triggered, offended, or hurt by someone's words. This is all about keeping your personal power in the moment!Learning how to be aware of your own thoughts.Having a compassionate view of the world and believing the other person is doing the best they can.Asking the question: is this true, kind, or helpful?Thinking “in a moment like this…”Understanding that the other person is allowed to have an opinion and their own emotions.Using curiosity as a conversational tool.Creating psychological safety using time, quiet, and physical space.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Chris GoodmanGoodman Coaching Chris Goodman on InstagramWork With MeLindsey Mango CoachingThe Life Coach School (Brooke Castillo)Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

If you're looking to grow your service-based business, identifying the gatekeepers in your field and building relationships with them may be the best way to do so. It may sound obvious, but sometimes we lose track of the foundations when we hit a slow season. That's why it's so important to slow down and go back to the basics of business! In this episode, you'll find out what gatekeepers are, how to get them on your side, and how to bring value to them and their communities while reaping the rewards of their connections. Tune in to discover the value of real relationships in business, then go forth and find your gatekeepers!Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Are you giving yourself permission to evolve? This is something that many people struggle with, and it comes up frequently in coaching. People often struggle to give themselves license to reach the next level and take on the persona or identity of the person they want to become in order to have the life and business that they really, truly, deeply want. In this episode, Chris opens up about his own personal career journey by sharing examples of times when he gave himself permission to evolve. He poses questions that will make you think about what is holding you back, what you would do if you only had two or three years left to live, and what could happen if you did give yourself permission to evolve. Tune in today for some practical tips on how to confront the shame, guilt, fear, doubt, or lack that may be holding you back and advice on where to find the right support to help you achieve the life you really want. Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Committing to a challenge over a set period of time can kickstart your growth and help you get focused on what's most important to you. Where could you stretch yourself? Will you be committed enough to actually do the work? If you're interested in pushing yourself in nearly every category of your life and business, this is the episode for you! Tuning in, you'll hear all about the 100 Day Warrior Challenge that Chris is doing, from the excuses he overcame with the support of his community to how he left complacency behind and set achievable short-term goals for himself. Find out what motivated him, what you can do if 100 days sounds like too much, and why it's so important to be purposeful when you decide how to challenge yourself. For all this and much more, make sure you don't miss today's episode!Key Points From This Episode:How to secure a 50% discount for Chris Goodman's Mastermind for March 2023.What to do if you can't commit to a 100-day challenge.Why the first step is to take stock of the areas in your life where you can improve.Taking action to implement what you have realized about your life.Excuses Chris had to overcome to do the 100 Day Warrior Challenge.The different goals participants had for the challenge.Chris' motivation behind the 100 Day Challenge.What he came up with to challenge himself. Why being realistic with yourself is important.A glimpse into what Chris' morning routine looks like. The importance of being purposeful with your challenge.A reminder that rites of passage are meant to be difficult (and even dangerous).How Chris has used NuCalm to manage his energy levels.The challenge of saying no to things.Structuring accountability in your challenge. The real purpose of tracking and the dangers of complacency. Why the substance of this experience should be transformative and life-changing.Insight into Chris' belief that who we are in life is who we are in business.Where to start: by choosing one commitment!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:EP 125: Men's Retreat Breakthroughs (Undisputed Mastery)Undisputed Mastery NuCalmTractionWho Not HowThe Prosperous CoachThe Psychology of MoneyLIIFT4Dr Keith WaggonerHabit TrackerChris GoodmanGoodman Coaching ApplicationGoodman Coaching Inc The Relentless Growth MastermindGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Today, we are flipping the script! Our dedicated host, Chris Goodman, takes on the role of guest as his wife, Lindsay Mango, picks up the host's mantle. During this discussion about Chris' recent men's retreat at Undisputed Mastery, he explains how he ended up there without knowing all the details, and how the decision to enter the unknown shifted his mentality. Chris tells us how danger is synonymous with growth and success, why being uncomfortable is something that we should all pursue, what he learned from letting go of his fear, and how mastery requires patience, repetition, and perseverance. We then get into some of the personal transformations Chris experienced on the retreat, including how to be vulnerable, how to let go of what is unnecessary, and how to apply vulnerability to everyday life. Finally, Chris gives us some parting words of wisdom as well as a reminder to support the incredible work being done by Operation Rescue Children. Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Today we have a special one-on-one coaching session to share with you! Mother, business owner, wife, and real estate agent Kelsey Joy Rinker sits down with Chris for a deep dive into her dreams and ambitions as a realtor and a look at some of the things that have been holding her back recently. Spoiler alert! Since this chat, Kelsey has already made some amazing progress and has started putting some of the ideas discussed into practice. She is truly an amazing example of what is possible with an open mind and some healthy curiosity. Chris cycles in and out of a few different coaching modalities, applying some basic yet profound ideas to some of the hurdles that Kelsey has been encountering. When we get our issues and doubts out into the open, it always makes them more manageable and conquerable, it is just a matter of allowing them to be seen more clearly. So if you need a little boost and a clear example of the power coaching; from the physical steps we can take to calm our inner critic to stepping up as our own cheerleader, make sure not to miss this great conversation with Chris and Kelsey!The Anything but Average Life Membership: https://lindseymangocoaching.mykajabi.com/abalifemembershipGet to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

After Chris's trip to Iceland for a leadership retreat with the team from UberStrategist, along with his wife Lindsey, our host is back for another episode of the Relentless Growth Podcast. From earthquakes to snorkeling in 37-degree water and experiencing the Blue Lagoon, today Chris shares with us his 16 most memorable experiences from Iceland and the lessons he learned along the way. You'll hear about the UberStrategist team, what makes them so great, and how they informed Chris's realization that business should be fun (and great people make business fun). He also explains what he learned about the global language of kindness, staying off your phone, and the rewards that come with getting out of your comfort zone before he challenges us to get out of ours. To hear about these and other profound lessons that Chris learned on his trip, tune in today!Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

It's so important to have a strategy for those times in life when you experience major stress. Not all stress management techniques are created equal, and during today's episode, our host equips listeners with some powerful tools for stress management. Join us to hear how Chris manages extreme stress, why even non-traditional forms of coaching are beneficial, and how you can use the metaphorical ‘glass wall' to shield yourself from the opinions of others. We explore how fixating on the future can cause suffering in the present moment, and Chris introduces us to a laughably simple idea that will help you manage your stress. Stress management changes when you consider yourself first and get clear on the one thing that you really want. Tune in to start to equip yourself to handle anything life throws at you today!Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Leading from the front means being visible and active at the helm of your team while still being able to see the wood for the trees. It is all a matter of perspective, which Daniel Del Real has in spades! Daniel is a first-generation American, one of the top realtors in the United States, and the leader of The Del Real Group, which has been ranked in the Top 2 among America's Best Real Estate Professionals. Daniel started his real estate career nearly two decades ago, after serving four years in the US Air Force. Today, he has fully embraced the entrepreneurial lifestyle, and not only in his professional life. He carries those leadership lessons into his family and spiritual life too, which you will learn more about in today's episode. Ultimately, Daniel attributes his success to one simple core belief: that we are only stewards of what God has entrusted us with. In today's episode, Daniel shares his philosophies on sacrificing comfort for growth, making spiritual progress through revealed knowledge, and the importance of clarity, humility, and discipline, plus so much more. As you'll discover, Daniel's wisdom and experience when it comes to wealth, business, and building something meaningful is highly applicable, whether you own a business or not! Tune in today to learn more.Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Scott Duke has founded 11 companies during his entrepreneurial journey; from fleece clothing to a hot-dog stand to a property management firm. All of Scott's experiences taught him the value of building transferability into a business so that one day, when you're ready, your business can be sold rather than shut down. It takes work to make a business attractive to buyers, and that's where Scott's expertise comes into play. Tune in this episode to hear some of the key lessons that he has learned about building to sell, what you should expect from the selling process, the importance of having a plan for your life post-sale, why you must avoid the “owner's trap,” and more! Today, Scott is the owner of OpnRoad, a merger and acquisition advisory firm, and if you're looking to sell your business, there's nobody better to have in your corner! Get to know Chris - Connect on Instagram Coach with Chris Learn more about Goodman Coaching

Chris Learn, Head of Cell and Gene Center of Excellent at Parexel, discusses his participation at the recent Clinical Research Virtual Summit hosted by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, and the implications for clinical research.

For whatever reason, most real estate agents shy away from partnering with investors. But here's the thing: Rehabbers and wholesalers are already spending tens of thousands of dollars every month on motivated seller leads. They convert about 10% of those and throw the rest away! So, what if you could turn those turndowns into listings? Chris Craddock is the Founder and CEO of The Redux Group, a real estate team out of Northern Virginia built around an investor-agent lead generation model. His team specializes in closing on distressed properties, selling nearly $120M in volume last year. Chris is also the creator of the REI Agent Program and the co-host of Uncommon Real Estate, a podcast dedicated to helping agents and investors grow their business with creative real estate solutions. Chris shares where to find real estate investor partners and what his team does to build relationships with these rehabbers and wholesalers. He explains how his team closes on investor referral leads at a high level, turning trash into cash and commanding an above-average commission. Chris provides insight on positioning yourself as a problem-solver, and how to leverage investor referrals to get listings! Suggested Topics (more on Bio Sheet!) What inspired Chris to build a team around an investor-agent model How much investors spend on finding motivated sellers Why Chris team commands an above-average commission Positioning yourself as a problem-solver, not a typical real estate agent How Chris turns an investors turn down deals from trash into cash What Chris does to build relationships with rehabbers and wholesalers Chris 17-step process for closing 50% of his investor referral leads How to identify the reason someone is moving in a distressed situation Chris advice on where to look for real estate investor partners Connect with Chris Learn more about Chris at chriscraddock.com and listen to Uncommon Real Estate at chriscraddock.com/podcast. Follow Chris on Instagram at instagram.com/craddrock/ or Facebook at facebook.com/ChrisCraddockBusiness/ Look for REI Mastermind Network and subscribe through iTunes or your favorite podcast app! If you like what you hear please give us a rating, like, and share. It really helps the show grow. • reimastermind.net • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_6OpKSfSGvgGDG1qtBQw9Q • https://www.facebook.com/REIMastermindNetwork • https://twitter.com/rei_mastermind As you can already tell we have made some changes and a few more are on the way. If you are interested in what we have planned, head over to Patreon.com/REImastermind, and support the show today. Financial contributions are always appreciated along with a LIKE, SHARE, and REVIEW. It really helps us grow and reach more people with this valuable information. See you next time and tell a friend! "You can invest 10,000 hours and become an expert or learn from those who have already made that investment." - JD

A recent video out of Japan finally gave us our first look at PlayStation 5's innards, a nice change of pace from a mysteriously silent Sony as we approach Zero Hour. The teardown gave us a glimpse at the console's technical configurations and setups, though it also revealed the machine to be a bit of a beast, size-wise. Either way, for those in pursuit of power, the newest PlayStation should be a tantalizing product. Also: Sony revealed a surprise reconstruction of the Trophy landscape, Jim Ryan expects PS5 to sell big, Cyberpunk 2077 has gone gold amidst pseudo-controversy, internal mini-team PixelOpus is officially hiring for its third game, and more. Then: Is Cory Barlog teasing something non-God of War-related out of Santa Monica Studio? Could Level-5 be on a downward trend? Should consumers purchase extended warranties for consoles? Has depression and despair fully gripped Chris? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personally, I feel burdened by the daily overproduction of knowledge. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach: I consume countless articles and podcasts, but I can never fully digest it all. Can someone please just tell me what to pay attention to?   Enter Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. I love the opening line of the book, “In a world deluged by irrelevant information, clarity is power.” Clarity, being able to think critically, and focus clearly on what's important vs. what's noise — is probably one of the most valuable skills you can have. According to Harari, it may save your life, and it may save humanity,    "If the future of humanity is decided in your absence, because you are too busy feeding and clothing your kids — you and they will not be expect from the consequences. This is very unfair; but who said history was fair?" — Harari    Yuval Noah Harari is best known for his first book Sapiens (2011) which is about humanity's past (check out the On Books Podcast episode on Sapiens to learn more). Homo Dues (2015), his second book, then came out with a look at how Harari thinks about humanity's future. And now, 21 Lessons, builds on those first two books to bring you a book about the present. Jobs, AI, Community, War, Nationalism, Religion. All of our past stories about reality are being stripped away, and replaced by what? What new stories are being created to give meaning to the human-animal?  I really loved this book. 5 stars! All the way. I hope you enjoy it too. In this episode I read from the book, share some highlights and added context to make sure that you love 21 Lessons as much as I do.    Best! Chris Learn more at www.on-books.com Subscribe on iTunes! And follow On Books: Twitter: @onbooksshow (http://www.twitter.com/onbooksshow) Facebook: /onbooksshow (http://www.facebook.com/onbooksshow) Instagram: @castig (https://www.instagram.com/castig)    

Focusing on the family can be hard when you’re moving every two years and scaling a large tech company in the Midwest. Yet, Chris Byers, CEO of Formstack manages to balance family with work in an awe-inspiring way. And he does it all while empowering his kids to approach life in the same nontraditional ways.   If you’d like to learn more about Chris you can check out this podcast, Ripple Effect. In the meantime, we’d love for you to subscribe - you have zero excuses not to. See you next time!  Connect with Chris Learn more about Formstack Check out Chris’ podcast, Ripple Effect Connect with Nick Learn more about GadellNet Consulting Services

"Marketing needs to generate more leads," says sales.  "Sales needs to follow up on the leads we're sending them," says marketing.   Sales and marketing: two functions that are critical to a business’s success. And from the first time something was sold, sales and marketing have worked independently.  This gulf, this canyon, this gaping sinkhole between sales and marketing has been around for a long time. That’s where Chris Wallace (@ChrisWallaceIVG), Co-Founder and President of marketing consulting firm InnerView, comes in.  In this episode, you’ll hear Chris’ solution on how to bridge the canyon between your marketing and sales teams. Listen in.  Resources and links discussed: Connect with Chris Learn more about InnerView Check out the brand transfer score blog Follow Brian on Twitter @bmassey  Learn more about Conversion Sciences

Today we are joined by Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton, the co-CEOs of Omni Talk, and the co-founders of Third Haus, which is a co-working space in a retail lab in Minneapolis. Anne and Chris are really putting a lot out into the world, being involved in many different retail projects, both virtual, and locally in Minneapolis. In today's episode, we discuss how brick and mortar retail is changing, and how brands should adapt.   Learn more about Omni Talk Connect with Anne Connect with Chris Learn more about Third Haus

Let’s be honest: Some of us love getting feedback. While others hear this phrase and have nightmares. The same goes for the giver. It always feels good to give someone feedback for a job well done, but when it comes to delivering critical feedback, it can riddle even the strongest leaders with anxiety. In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris Bittinger (@c_bittinger), President of Open Pivot, Inc. Chris explains why it’s important to view feedback as an ongoing conversation between both parties to reduce the anxiety that comes with event-based feedback, in which employees find themselves bracing for what they’re about to hear.  Listen in as Emplify CEO and Co-Founder Santiago Jaramillo (@santiagojara) discusses why moving toward a new understanding of feedback is a necessary step for leaders who want to empower their top talent and create the type of culture where everyone thrives.  Connect with Santiago Connect with Chris Learn more about Open Pivot, Inc. Learn more about Emplify

Let’s be honest: Some of us love getting feedback. While others hear this phrase and have nightmares. The same goes for the giver. It always feels good to give someone feedback for a job well done, but when it comes to delivering critical feedback, it can riddle even the strongest leaders with anxiety. In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris Bittinger (@c_bittinger), President of Open Pivot, Inc. Chris explains why it’s important to view feedback as an ongoing conversation between both parties to reduce the anxiety that comes with event-based feedback, in which employees find themselves bracing for what they’re about to hear.  Listen in as Emplify CEO and Co-Founder Santiago Jaramillo (@santiagojara) discusses why moving toward a new understanding of feedback is a necessary step for leaders who want to empower their top talent and create the type of culture where everyone thrives.  Connect with Santiago Connect with Chris Learn more about Open Pivot, Inc. Learn more about Emplify

Chris Nolan [not the Batman movie director] is the Senior Growth Strategy Manager at BigCommerce - and a former Conversions Sciences employee. Although Brian Massey and the team misses Chris, they have enjoyed seeing how a conversion scientist takes on a big organization like BigCommerce, a company that builds e-commerce software for businesses. Chris jumped out of his lab coat and into the fire as BigCommerce recently redesigned its website. You’ll hear Chris’ challenges and triumphs as a new hire nudging a culture from the bottom during a website relaunch. His challenge is the same challenge that "woke" marketers are facing in every industry - how do I get an entrenched culture to adopt data and testing? In this episode, you’ll hear Chris walk us through agency relationships, differentiating mobile from desktop sites and how to think ‘market-first’ to get the right site experience for your next redesign. Resources and links discussed: Connect with Chris Learn more about BigCommerce Follow Brian on Twitter @bmassey Learn more about Conversion Sciences

Chris Burns is the podcast host of Becoming Your Greatest Possible Self and founder of Burn It Up coaching. His podcast is renowned for for interviewing experts on a 12-hour Facebook livestream in which he encourages people to share inspiring stories and connect with each other. Chris is known for his ability to hold people accountable, encourage others to be their best selves, and guide people toward a higher level of personal and professional performance.In this episode, Chris tells his story of hitting rock bottom at an early age. His wake up call came when he found himself in jail. With what could have resulted in a larger consequence, Chris was let off with a warning and at that point, Chris made a firm decision to live a better life and quickly changed his path. Chris talks about loving the journey you are on. He explains that there is so much value held in embracing personal growth and the biggest disservice you can do to yourself is comparing yourself to others’ success. He truly believes that in order to overcome adversity, you must stop trying to carry the burden alone and surround yourself with people in which you can confide to share your struggles and grow past them.Connect with Chris:Learn more about Becoming Your Greatest Possible Self podcastLearn more about Burn It Up coaching servicesConnect with Chris on FacebookConnect with Lance:Subscribe on Messenger to get the latest episodes and tips straight to your inbox! Connect with Lance on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. About University of Adversity PodcastLearn how to overcome failure and tragedy, while becoming your best self with the University of Adversity podcast. Join your host Lance Essihos as he interviews successful individuals that have fought the hard battles to overcome life’s obstacles. Lance started the University of Adversity podcast after overcoming his own adversities shared in episode 01. Join him and thousands of other entrepreneurs in learning how to use Adversity as a fuel to ignite your inner flame and live the life you have always desired. Tune in weekly for a dose of positivity, strength, and real-life practical advice to achieve your life goals.Support the show (https://www.lanceessihos.com/)