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JOIN THE 7 DAY RESET - ▶️ www.therebuiltman.com/7dayreset Most men fail to break free from porn because they keep trying to fight it with willpower alone. But willpower always fades when temptation hits. Napoleon Hill , author of the legendary book Think and Grow Rich said it best: “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” In this episode of The Rebuilt Man Podcast, Coach Frank breaks down how Hill's 6-step formula for turning desire into reality can be the exact framework you need to finally quit porn for good. You'll learn how to stop desiring temporary comfort and start building a burning desire for freedom, purpose, and integrity, so strong that porn no longer fits in your life. This isn't about running from temptation. It's about running toward the man God created you to be. If you're tired of relapsing… if you're sick of shame and stuck in the cycle… this episode will show you how to ignite the fire inside you that leads to lasting transformation.
This week, Jeff Clark, former Forrester Research Director, is back, and he and our host Ian Truscott, discuss some new research into the hidden B2B buyer from Edelman, and, adhering to the Rockstar CMO editorial policy, they share 5 f'in' things to help reach them through your thought leadership. The five f'in' things this week: The "safest choice" isn't always the winning one Develop the extended personas Define tactics that attract the hidden buyer Why thought leadership works when other tactics don't Setting up your CRM to identify hidden buyers As always, we welcome your feedback. If you have a suggestion for a topic that's hot for you that we should discuss, please get in touch using the links below. Enjoy! — The Links The people: Ian Truscott on LinkedIn Jeff Clark on LinkedIn Mentioned this week: The Rise of the Hidden Buyer: Rethinking B2B Influence Beyond the Obvious | Edelman Map your Buying Groups and Stakeholder Committees in your CRM — Squivr Velocity B Rockstar CMO: The Beat Newsletter that we send every Monday Rockstar CMO on the web, Twitter, and LinkedIn Previous episodes and all the show notes: Rockstar CMO FM. Track List: Stienski & Mass Media - We'll be right back The Rasmus - In the Shadows (Official Music Video) You can listen to this on all good podcast platforms, like Apple, Amazon, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Premiado, O Agente Secreto chega, pela primeira vez, no Brasil. O longa estreia nesta quarta-feira (10) na cidade em que foi rodado, Recife, a terra do diretor, Kleber Mendonça Filho. Quem conta mais história e Conversa Bem Viver é Thomás Aquino, ele interpreta o personagem Arlindo no longa. Na entrevista ele fala mais sobre as cenas em Vale Tudo e também na série Guerreiros do Sol
Brock and Salk dive into Dan Wilson's level of grace that he and his coaches show to their players and talk through why that one word will define the Mariners season. They also react to their conversation with Mike Macdonald why they feel as if he was so frustrated. In Blue 88, Brock takes a look at one of the most disappointing controllable aspects in the Seahawks loss, an argument for why the Seahawks should have gone for it on 4th down and how the Seahawks team themselves in the NFC West this upcoming Sunday.
This week, it's just me and Kristin taking a BuzzFeed quiz to figure out what kind of doctor we are—and, well, the results raise some eyebrows. We also talk about a new bill being introduced in Massachusetts and answer a listener email about surgical etiquette: should you chat during procedures or keep it strictly scalpel business? Takeaways: Kristin and I take a BuzzFeed quiz that tells us what kind of doctor we are… and the results hit a little too hard. We break down a Massachusetts bill that's being voted on soon! A listener asks if it's okay to talk during surgery—and we definitely have opinions. — To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can't get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! – http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact. For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14 Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 -- A friendly reminder from the G's and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit http://www.EyelidCheck.com for more information. Go to http//www.cozyearth.com and use code KNOCKKNOCK for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more. Trust me—you'll feel the difference the very first night. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who will you need to become to lead the next iteration of your business? Here's what Remarkable CEOs know: What got you here will keep you here unless you change who you are as a leader. Dr. Pete and Dr. Stephen challenge chiropractors to lift their heads from daily operations and lead with Vision. They map a simple grid to align belief and behavior across three roles—Operator, CEO, and Investor—over the timelines of now, next, and ultimately. You'll learn how identity shapes behavior, behavior drives outcomes, and how to build a practice that grows without sacrificing your life..In this episode you will: Learn why “what got you here won't get you there” and how identity shifts unlock growth.See how to hold the CEO posture: head up, eyes forward, accountable for tomorrow's growth.Use the Vision Grid to set beliefs and behaviors for Operator, CEO, and Investor across time.Understand the link between beliefs, behaviors, and business outcomes.Apply “what's important now, next, and ultimately” to every department. Episode Highlights01:35 - Step into a leadership conversation that challenges you to ask who you need to become.02:22 - Discover why your mission only moves forward when you step into CEO-level leadership.03:02 - Learn how the CEO posture of head up and eyes forward pulls your business into tomorrow.04:48 - See why what got you here will keep you here unless you shift your identity.05:36 - Understand how beliefs shape behaviors and why behaviors always determine outcomes.06:12 - Explore why growth begins inside and why leadership is always an inside job.07:28 - Reflect on the last 90 days and recognize where the old version of you isn't enough.08:42 - Hear how the Rubik's Cube analogy explains the complexity of building a business that also supports your life.09:47 - Organize your focus with the framework of what's important now, next, and ultimately.10:34 - Apply “what's important now” across marketing, sales, retention, team, and business office.12:15 - Identify who you need to become in the next 90 days, one year, and three years.16:10 - Break down your three roles—Operator, CEO, and Investor—across each timeline of growth.17:53 - Learn how vision casting is like driving: where your eyes go determines your next move.20:44 - See how clarity on your three-year ultimate vision helps you choose the right lane today.21:37 - Realize how your future earning potential grows when you make decisions today with tomorrow in mind.23:10 - Understand why you don't have the luxury to ignore vision casting and how the Vision Grid makes it practical.24:05 - Use the Vision Grid to align belief and behavior in every role you hold.25:18 - Define success as alignment between vision, values, and actions—and see why that's the true mark of leadership.26:20 - Dr. Bobby is joined by Success Partner, Alan Poric from AP4 Wealth, a firm known for helping chiropractors take control of their finances. If you've ever put off dealing with insurance, superannuation, or retirement planning, this interview is a must-listen. Alan explains why getting your financial ducks in a row early is so important, and how AP4 Wealth creates solutions designed just for chiropractors. Discover practical tips on protecting your income, caring for your family, and building a secure financial future. Resources MentionedDownload your copy of the Leadership Vision Grid here: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast-ep322-leadershipvisionJoin the TRP Remarkable Attraction Immersion - Oct 10 and 11 in Phoenix, AZ and Oct 24 & 25 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/For more information about AP4 Wealth please visit: https://www.ap4wealth.com.auSchedule a Strategy Call with Dr. Pete - https://go.oncehub.com/PodcastPCPrefer to watch? Catch the podcast on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRemarkablePractice1To listen to more episodes, visit https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcastor follow on your favorite podcast app.
Heritage poultry breeding isn't nostalgia—it's a disciplined, data-driven path to better birds and better outcomes. In Part 1 of this deep-dive, Frank Reese, Jr. joins Carey Blackmon and Jeff Mattocks to unpack what “heritage/standard-bred” really means, how USDA recognizes certified standard-bred labels, and why the American Poultry Association's Standard matters on the farm and in the marketplace. We cover picking your purpose (meat, eggs, or both), matching breeds and lines to goals, and the real-world economics of selling eggs, processing birds, and staying solvent. You'll hear practical guidance on breed/line selection (New Hampshires, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Delawares, Wyandottes, Buckeyes, Jersey Giants, Brahmas), realistic timelines and dress weights for frying vs. roasting birds, why roosters drive egg-production genetics in their daughters, and how to source from local breeders who select for utility—not just feathers. We also dig into maintaining a line without “chasing crosses,” culling with purpose, and building a small, sustainable program that pays its own way.Key takeaways • Define & defend “standard-bred/heritage” using APA standards and accepted definitions • Start with outcomes: eggs to offset feed vs. meat sales vs. both • Dual-purpose classics that still perform—and what to ask breeders about their selection goals • Processing economics 101: when small-scale works (and when to pivot) • Linebreeding, selection, and culling: how to actually improve year over year • Part 2 drops next Tuesday—subscribe so you don't miss the conclusionListen to this episode at www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com#PoultryKeepersPodcast #PoultryKeepers360 #PoultryBreedersNutrition #ShowProFarmSupply #HeritagePoultry #StandardBred #DualPurpose #BackyardChickens #HomesteadPoultry #PoultryBreeding #APA #GoodShepherdConservancy #BarredRock #NewHampshire #DelawareChicken #Wyandotte #Buckeye #JerseyGiant #Brahma #FlockManagementYou can email us at - poultrykeeperspodcast@gmail.comJoin our Facebook Groups:Poultry Keepers Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/907679597724837Poultry Keepers 360 - - https://www.facebook.com/groups/354973752688125Poultry Breeders Nutrition - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4908798409211973Check out the Poultry Kepers Podcast YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@PoultryKeepersPodcast/featured
Right People, Right Seats: The Hidden Profit Killer in Your Business with Pam Meissner When profit is slipping, most businsess owners look to cut costs or push sales harder. But what if your biggest drain isn't on the P&L at all—it's in your people? In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Pam Meissner—COO and CFO at CathCap—pulls back the curtain on why “right people, right seats” isn't just an HR slogan. It's one of the most powerful levers for profit growth that most companies ignore until it's too late. The Gap: Why Profit Leaks Hide in Your People: You can have a stellar product, growing sales, and tight cost controls—and still lose money. The reason? People issues that don't show up as a neat line item on your P&L. Pam sees it all the time: companies hanging on to team members who no longer fit, tolerating culture-killers because they perform well in one area, or promoting loyal employees into roles they can't succeed in. The Four Quadrants Every Leader Needs to Know: Pam breaks down the four categories of employees, based on competency and alignment with core values: Stars – High performers who live your values. Puppies – Aligned with values but lack skill; worth investing in if trainable. Rats – Low competency, no values alignment; they have to go—fast. Gremlins – Highly competent but toxic to your culture; they hold you hostage and quietly drain profit. Ignoring the “rats” and “gremlins” doesn't just hurt morale—it actively drives away your stars. Why Core Values Aren't Just a Poster on the Wall: Most companies have core values, but few hire, fire, and promote based on them. Pam's advice: Define your values clearly. Interview with them in mind (AI tools like ChatGPT can help craft questions). Involve peers in hiring to assess fit. Hold quarterly conversations so performance and alignment are never a surprise. The Real Cost of a Bad Hire: Replacing someone can cost multiple times their salary—especially if you use recruiters. But the hidden costs of keeping the wrong person are even higher: Lost productivity Star employee turnover Extra resources to “work around” problem employees Pam stresses: The cheapest solution is to hire right the first time—and act quickly when you don't. The Profit Plan: Align People, Process, and Purpose: To plug these hidden leaks: Audit your team using the four quadrants. Invest in “puppies” with clear timelines and training plans. Remove “rats” immediately and plan a strategic exit for “gremlins.” Keep your stars engaged and appreciated.
As the Building Better Developers with AI season nears its close, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit a topic every team faces but few get right: code consistency. In this episode, they explore how shared conventions, smart tooling, and simple documentation transform messy projects into scalable, high-quality systems. The Hidden Cost of Inconsistency Picture opening a project where every file tells a different story: mixed naming styles, conflicting error handling, and folders arranged on a whim. Before you can fix a bug or add a feature, you're lost in formatting chaos. Callout: Inconsistency wastes time, complicates onboarding, and hides defects—long before code reaches production. Rob notes that AI can now help. Define your preferred patterns—naming, structure, logging—and tools like ChatGPT can propose refactors that enforce uniformity. What Code Consistency Looks Like Consistency isn't about stifling creativity—it's about shared, predictable choices that reduce cognitive load. The essentials include: Naming & Structure – Clear, conventional names; sensible modules/packages. File Organization – Standard project layouts (Maven for Java, src/app folders in web projects). Comments & Docs – Concise explanations paired with readable code. Error Handling & Logging – A single, unified approach across the app. Michael highlights that without these agreements, containerized deployments break easily and new developers struggle to contribute. Why Teams Benefit from Code Consistency Rob compares a consistent codebase to a band playing in sync: individual instruments can vary, but the music holds together. That's the impact of code consistency. Benefits include: Communication: Developers spend less time deciphering quirks. Maintainability: Predictable structure accelerates debugging and onboarding. Quality: Automated tools enforce standards and prevent regressions. Professionalism: Consistent code signals engineering maturity, not just coding skill. Tools That Do the Heavy Lifting Michael insists that every team should enforce linters, formatters, and pre-commit hooks. Without them, a small change can appear as a full-file rewrite, confusing reviews and merges. Start with community standards like PEP8, Google Java Style, or eslint/prettier. Add checks to CI/CD pipelines. Document expectations in CONTRIBUTING.md or a team wiki. Pro Tip: One rule set, many editors. Don't let each IDE invent its own defaults. Debunking the Myths of Code Consistency “Standards kill creativity.” True creativity lies in solving problems, not inventing new brace styles. “It slows us down.” Alignment may take effort initially, but it saves hours of confusion later. “Every project is different.” Standards should evolve as living guidelines, not rigid laws. Michael adds that consistent libraries allow teams to reuse components across projects instead of duplicating them. How to Put Standards Into Practice Here's a simple rollout path: Choose a baseline such as PEP8 or Google Style. Automate formatting and linting. Add pre-commit hooks to stop violations early. Focus reviews on consistency, not just correctness. Document standards and revisit them quarterly. Encourage adoption. Praise clean diffs and fast merges. Your Developer Challenge Here's your action step: Pick one project and audit three files. How many naming styles, error-handling patterns, or file structures do you find? Then: Apply a linter or formatter. Document two conventions (naming + logging). Share them with your team. Small steps toward code consistency will save your team time, money, and frustration down the road. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Coding Standards – A Personal Approach Look More Professional With Personal Coding Standards One-Offs, Side Projects, and Veering From Standards Updating Developer Tools: Keeping Your Tools Sharp and Efficient The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content
It is September, and many farmers, agronomists, and retailers are already focused on the 2026 season, and leading the charge of those agronomic decisions is seed. Mark Menke, seed products agronomist with Wilbur-Ellis, shares how with the tough economic situation in row crops, stubbing your toe with a seed selection can be even more painful.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us a textIn this episode I'm joined by marketing strategist TanIa Fielding (Little Luxe Marketing), whose career spans Nova, 3AW, Fairfax Media, the Canberra Times and WIN. Between us we've lived through marketing before social, watched the rise of digital, and now blend both every day.We dig into what many businesses are missing right now: traditional media still delivers when you pair it with smart digital execution. Think radio activations that feed email lists, local print that drives QR scans, a wrapped vehicle that points to a landing page, and community events that generate real conversations.We also talk personal brand. It isn't new or gimmicky - radio announcers, TV presenters and real estate agents have built careers on it for decades. The lesson for the rest of us: people buy from people. You don't have to share your life story; you just need to decide what you want to be known for and show up consistently.What you'll hearWhy the foundations of marketing haven't changed - only the channels have.Real examples of traditional done well: radio street teams, local paper partnerships, mobile billboards, market stalls and community collabs.How to make traditional measurable with unique URLs, QR codes, dedicated landing pages and simple offer mechanics.Where personal brand fits for service providers and e-comm founders alike (and why real estate has been nailing it for years).How to set sensible KPIs for offline channels so you can compare apples with apples.Key takeawaysTraditional isn't old-school - it's underused. Your audience still listens to radio in the car, reads community media and turns up at local events. When you engineer a hand-off to digital (QR codes, vanity URLs, landing pages, email capture), your brand benefits twice: you get reach and you get data.Personal brand isn't about oversharing. It's about clarity. Decide the handful of themes you'll speak to, keep your tone human and consistent, and let repetition do the heavy lifting. As Tanya puts it, own your story and the right people will lean in.Actions you can take this monthPick one offline test that suits your audience: local radio live read, a community paper strip ad, a market stall, or a simple in-store collaboration (think colouring-in comp with a popular café or bakery).Make it trackable: a campaign-specific URL, QR code to a short landing page, or an offer code that's only shared via that execution.Define success up front: impressions or foot traffic for awareness; scans, site visits and sign-ups for response; sales for conversion.Start your personal brand cadence: choose three topics you want to be known for and post once a week using your own words and examples.DOWNLOAD MY CONTENT PLANNER - https://becchappell.com.au/content-planner/Instagram @bec_chappellLinkedIn – Bec Chappell If you're ready to work together, I'm ready to work with you and your team.How to work with me:1. Marketing foundations and strategy consultation 2. Marketing Coaching/ Whispering for you a marketing leader or your team who you want to develop into marketing leaders3. Book me as a speaker or advisor for your organisation4. Get me on your podcastThis podcast has been produced and edited by Snappystreet Creative
In the industry, they call it the 'second season'. Only eight teams remain as the NRL gears up for a finals series rich with storylines. What are the narratives that will define finals time? Maybe it's the Panthers seeking to find innovative ways to win the title, again. Perhaps it's the Roosters harnessing star power old and new. The infrastructure of the Storm. The complicated momentum of Brisbane. The romaticism and excellence of Canberra. Finals season is here. Featured: Nick Campton, NRL reporter, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter
NESTA EDIÇÃO. Governo define como vai funcionar mandato de biometano criado pelo Combustível do Futuro. Meta começa em 2026, com 1%, e CNPE precisa apresentar estudo de impacto até novembro. No mercado de gás, Petrobras se movimenta pelas importações da Argentina; ANP adia decisão sobre recurso de distribuidoras contra alocação de capacidade da NTS; e pede ‘freio de arrumação' em agenda regulatória.
In this message, Pastor Finu unpacks Romans 5:12–21 to show how humanity's story is divided between two representatives: Adam and Christ. Through Adam came sin and death, and through Christ comes grace and life. We do not simply struggle with bad habits, we carry a sinful nature that needs rescue. The good news is that Jesus, the new Adam, offers justification, reconciliation, and transformation as a free gift. Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. In Christ, we move from death to life and are invited to reign in his power and grace. Sermon: What Breaks You Doesn't Have to Define You Series: Romans Speaker: Finu Iype Full Service: https://youtu.be/6mN-x9F5BT0 Apple Podcast: http://thisisvillage.church/podcast/apple Spotify Podcast: http://thisisvillage.church/podcast/spotify Your Next Steps: http://thisisvillagechurch.com/nextsteps Village Kids Online: http://villagekids.online Give: https://thisisvillagechurch.com/give Website: https://thisisvillagechurch.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VillageChurch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisvillagechurch/ X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/thisisvillage TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisisvillagechurch
What happens when a major US insurance tech player sets its sights on Europe? This week, Robin Merttens speaks with Chris Quirk, VP and General Manager at Insurity, to unpack the drivers behind the company's international expansion and what it signals for the wider market. Chris brings a unique cross-market perspective, working with carriers, MGAs and brokers on both sides of the Atlantic. He shares how Insurity is navigating the challenges of scaling legacy systems into modern, cloud-native platforms and why interoperability and open ecosystems are now critical in a post-consolidation world. Key themes include: Why the US market is looking to London and Europe for growth The role of private equity and M&A in shaping cross-border expansion Common pitfalls when exporting US tech to the UK and how to avoid them How Insurity is balancing tried-and-tested functionality with modern scalability The growing importance of structured data in preparing for agentic AI Strategic partnerships with Viper, Coherent and OIP InsurTech What a truly “distributed” insurance ecosystem could look like in the near future Chris also offers insight into where Insurity is investing over the next 12 months and why the industry may be underestimating just how much technology has matured. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. You can also contact Christopher Quirk on LinkedIn to start a conversation! Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme. By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives: Explain the role of structured data and cloud-native systems in enabling AI adoption in insurance workflows. Define the concept of an “open ecosystem” in insurance technology and its advantages over closed platform models. Identify key industry partnerships that support seamless data exchange and workflow integration across markets. If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 371 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast. To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.
The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo, Japan
At some stage in every career, the moment arrives: you're asked to give a presentation. Early on, it may be a straightforward project update delivered to colleagues or a report shared with your manager. But as you advance, the scope expands. Suddenly you're addressing a whole-company kickoff, an executive offsite, or even speaking on behalf of your firm or industry at a public event. That leap — from small team updates to high-stakes presentations — is steep. And so are the nerves that come with it. Why Presentations Trigger Nerves In front of colleagues, we often feel confident. But standing before the Board, or a large public audience, the pressure intensifies dramatically. Under the spotlight, it can feel less like support and more like interrogation. Your heart pounds, your palms sweat, your throat goes dry, and your stomach turns. These symptoms are the fight-or-flight response in action. Adrenaline surges through the body, shunting blood to large muscle groups and away from the stomach, leaving it unsettled. Your pulse races as your system prepares for action — even though you're not about to sprint offstage or wrestle with the Board. And this nervousness isn't unique to beginners. Frank Sinatra famously admitted he was always nervous before stepping on stage. Nerves, in other words, are normal. How to Calm the Body While you can't prevent adrenaline entirely, you can manage it. Two simple techniques help: Deep breathing slows the heart rate and steadies your voice. Purposeful movement — pacing, stretching, walking privately — burns off nervous energy. These physical resets won't eliminate the reaction, but they make it manageable. Why Preparation Matters More Than Slides The second, and often overlooked, antidote to nervousness is solid preparation. Yet many presenters make the same mistake: they obsess over perfecting the slide deck and neglect rehearsals. This imbalance undermines confidence and delivery. True preparation rests on three cornerstones: Know your audience. What do they want, and why are they there? A senior executive once gave a polished talk on personal branding, but the audience was almost entirely small-business staff. The mismatch meant her message fell flat. Define one clear message. Every strong presentation can be distilled into a single sentence. That sentence becomes your anchor, guiding the structure, supporting points, and conclusion. Plan your opening and closing. A compelling opening draws people in. A strong conclusion ensures your message sticks, even after the Q&A. You Are the Boss, Not the Slides Slides should support you, not control you. Too often, presenters become servants to their decks, filling them with text and losing the audience's attention. I coached a senior Japanese auto executive preparing for an international car show. His PR team had created a detailed English script for each slide. It looked professional — but it was impossible for him to memorise and still deliver naturally. The solution was simple: we reduced each slide to one word. Each word acted as a trigger. He could then speak authentically, in his own voice, without being trapped by a memorised script. The difference was dramatic. From Fear to Focus The encouraging truth is that once you start speaking, adrenaline begins to subside. The spotlight feels less harsh, and your focus shifts away from your nerves and onto the audience. You begin to notice whether they're engaged, nodding, or leaning in. With rehearsal and repetition, this transition happens faster. Over time, presentations lose their fear factor. They become opportunities to persuade, inspire, and lead. Key Takeaways How can you deliver your first major presentation with confidence? Accept that nerves are normal and manageable. Use breathing and movement to calm the body. Prepare with audience needs in mind. Build your talk around one clear message. Take control of your slides — don't let them control you. Rehearse until delivery feels natural. By following these steps, presentations stop being ordeals to survive and become moments to make a genuine impact.
In this value-packed episode of Business Coaching Secrets, Karl Bryan and Rode Dog dig deep into the realities of business acquisitions, cost-cutting strategies for maximizing profit, and the importance of crafting a life (and business) that supports your version of peace over mere happiness. They break down a real client scenario involving the purchase of a laundromat, dissect the difference between personal perks and profit in a company, and end on a powerful discussion around intuition, energy, and building a purpose-driven environment for both business and home. Key Topics Covered Should You Buy That “Passive Income” Business? Karl and Rode Dog respond to a listener's question about buying a laundromat as a side investment. Karl shares his skepticism, emphasizing that “the second business eats the first” and passive income is rarely as passive as entrepreneurs hope. He breaks down what due diligence looks like for a potential acquisition: digging into financials, lease terms, equipment status, and verifying true cash flow—especially in cash-heavy businesses. The pitfalls of overpaying based on inflated numbers and the importance of understanding the multiple (valuation) that makes sense for this kind of asset. How to Evaluate Expenses: Personal Perks vs. Real Profit They tackle a classic business owner dilemma: is it smarter to maximize company “perks” (and minimize tax) or cut costs and boost reported profits? Karl unveils his two-question rule for every line item: “Does this get a client or keep a client?”—if the answer is no, it might be on the chopping block. The discussion highlights defining a “great life” first and using a feedback loop to reinvest savings into business and personal growth. Intuition, Energy, and Redefining the Goal The episode wraps up with a moment of Zen that ties together intuition, honesty, and the importance of seeking peace—rather than chasing endless happiness or status. Rode Dog and Karl share quick-hit frameworks for staying focused (“If your goals excite you but your daily activities bore you, you're doing it right.”) and the power of eliminating distractions rather than adding complexity. Notable Quotes “Your greatest weakness is your greatest strength turned up too loud.” —Karl Bryan “Remember, you make money when you buy, not when you sell.” —Karl Bryan “The second business eats the first.” —Karl Bryan “Does this get a client, does this keep a client? If not, cut it.” —Karl Bryan “Focus isn't about getting focused, it's about eliminating distractions.” —Karl Bryan “If your goals excite you, but your daily activities bore you, you're doing it right.” —Rode Dog Actionable Takeaways 1. Scrutinize Every New Opportunity: Don't buy a business just because it sounds passive—do thorough due diligence, start negotiations low, and understand the realities behind “hands-off” ventures. 2. Prioritize Costs That Drive Growth: Review all business expenses using Karl's standard: If a line item doesn't directly get or keep a client, consider cutting it for immediate, 100% profit retention. 3. Set Clear Personal and Business Goals: Before making any move—acquisition, investment, or cost cut—get laser clear on the life and business you want to build. Define your “starting line” and “finishing line.” 4. Reinvest Wisely: Feed savings from optimized expenses back into marketing, key hires, or personal time-creation measures (like outsourcing chores) to accelerate growth and improve life quality. 5. Cultivate Peace and Focus: Strive for calm and clarity in your business and home life. Eliminate distractions, manage your energy, and remember that sustainable success is usually “insanely boring.” Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software™ (by Karl Bryan) — The tool to instantly demonstrate value and cash flow opportunities to prospective clients. Business valuation multiples and negotiating frameworks for small business acquisitions. The “get a client/keep a client” expense filter for maximizing meaningful profitability. Jeff Bezos's “be your own best customer” model—delete distractions, compound focus on your main business. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and leave a review. See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets! Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don't wait! Listen now and propel your results. Visit Focused.com for more on Profit Acceleration Software™ and to join a thriving community of business coaches.
Send us a textPodcast Show Notes: Facebook Ads Don't Work… Unless You Do This (Ch 19. Build Your Audience)For more resources and to get the “Your Message Matters” book series, visit platformgrowthbooks.com.Episode Summary:Host Jonathan Milligan dives into the “Paid Traffic Playbook” and reveals how to use Facebook lead campaigns to grow your email list—without falling into the common traps that waste money. Learn the mindset, strategy, and step-by-step process for turning paid ads into a long-term investment in your business growth.Key Topics Covered:The story of Founder magazine's explosive list growth and course launch using Facebook ads.Why most people fail with paid ads: lack of strategy, unrealistic expectations, and focusing on quick sales instead of building relationships.The importance of treating paid advertising as an investment in future revenue, not just an expense.The Paid Traffic Playbook:Set Your Budget:Decide how much you can invest in ads, thinking long-term rather than expecting instant results.Define Your Target Cost Per Lead:Research industry benchmarks and set realistic goals for your campaign.Craft Your Lead Magnet:Create a valuable, relevant free offer that addresses your audience's pain points.Design Your Landing Page:Keep it simple and focused on capturing email addresses with a clear call to action.Set Up Your Facebook Ad Campaign:Use the conversions objective, start with your warm audience, and test your ad copy and images.Monitor and Optimize:Track key metrics, A/B test different elements, and refine your campaign for better results.Nurture Your Leads:Develop an email sequence to build relationships and introduce your paid offerings.Action Step:Write your first lead campaign ad:Define your free offer and ideal audience.Craft a punchy headline and compelling ad copy.Choose an eye-catching image.Set your daily budget and plan your landing page.Key Takeaways:Approach Facebook lead campaigns as a long-term investment in building your list, not a quick sales tactic.Set a budget, create valuable lead magnets, and nurture your leads for maximum ROI.Consistent measurement and optimization are essential for success.Connect:For more resources and to get the “Your Message Matters” book series, visit platformgrowthbooks.com.
In today's dynamic lending environment, meeting client needs requires more than individual excellence; it demands shared ownership and accountability across every level of the organization. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Mike Evans, author and speaker on leadership, and speaker at the upcoming Sales Leaders Conference. He shares insights into building resilient, accountable and high-performing teams in an increasingly complex and demanding landscape, and what leaders can do to increase accountability on their teams. Episode Insights Include: Drivers behind the demand for increased agility Peak-performing organizations know that accountability and leadership are essential. Excelling in ‘future work' requires the fast, flexible and agile will succeed. Those who are unwilling to adapt will find themselves increasingly vulnerable. Common obstacles that impede accountability Are you an accountable person? Do you need to see more accountability in your team or organization? If we consider ourselves accountable, why do we still demand more accountability from others? 100 people will give you 100 different definitions of accountability. How can it be standardized? Many organizations have a generally negative definition of accountability. If accountability is viewed as a negative, people will resist embracing it. Redefining accountability What percentage of leaders believe that they communicate well? What percentage of teams believe that their leaders communicate? How can the gap between these two numbers be decreased in effective ways? Define meaningful, measurable, and memorable goals to improve results. Nurturing a culture of accountability The 20 best practices will help employees clearly understand where they need improvement. Leaders need to model best practices first. Teams need to see a behavior in their leaders before they will take it on themselves. Best practices must be integrated into daily routines. Accountability, collaboration and mindsets are essential to thriving in today's competitive landscape. The impact of AI in today's competitive landscape A variety of futurists and global leaders weigh in on the change that AI will bring. How will your company stand out when competing with all-knowing machines? Curiosity is an essential key to standing out. First steps for leaders to encourage accountability What your team sees you do is what they will do. Does your team have the resources necessary to keep learning? If you're not listening to your team, don't expect commitment from them. Leaders need to develop these skills in themselves first. You can't make anyone else more accountable. Watch for warning signs that accountability is not taking place. Create a culture that is more focused on results than activity. Remain open to the perspectives of others. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Mike Evans — Mike Evans Get in touch info@fccsconsulting.com “Those who are unwilling to adapt will find themselves vulnerable and at the mercy of the competition.” — Mike Evans “We may think that we see ourselves as doing things really well when it comes to accountability, but we don't see where we're dropping the ball.” — Mike Evans “When leader communication is crystal clear, people will surprise you with their ingenuity.” — Mike Evans “When people can see the why, they will astound you with their ability to become engaged, collaborative, innovative and creative.” — Mike Evans “Leaders can't expect anyone else to change their behavior unless they demonstrate it first.” — Mike Evans “The white waters of change are not going to calm anytime soon. If anything, they are going to become more turbulent.” — Mike Evans “What we've done in the past cannot be relied upon to get us where we need to be in the future.” — Mike Evans
Keeping a healthy perspective about future outcomes and learning from our failures are key pieces to mental health as we move through life. Having an extreme reaction to a loss/failure could prevent us from realizing future successes. Visit ConfidenceThroughHealth.com to find discounts to some of our favorite products.Follow me via All In Health and Wellness on Facebook or Instagram.Find my books on Amazon: No More Sugar Coating: Finding Your Happiness in a Crowded World and Confidence Through Health: Live the Healthy Lifestyle God DesignedProduction credit: Social Media Cowboys
In today's episode, I sit down with two of the greatest running backs to play the game, Steven Jackson and Austin Ekeler. We talk about what it means to live out a dream that has a natural expiration date, and how identity shifts once a playing career ends. Steven shares the symbolic act of cutting his long hair at retirement to embrace a new version of himself, while Austin reflects on treating life as chapters, each with its own opportunities. Together, we explore the balance between loyalty and business in football, the realities of short NFL careers, and building meaningful ventures beyond the field.
On vampires, and deep work, and what it means to actually be (and feel) successful. Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Hundred Loves of Juliet and The Incredible Kindness of Paper. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, her books have been published worldwide and translated into sixteen languages. Find out more at EvelynSkye.com.
In today's episode, we have the pleasure to interview Philip Portman, author of The Three Keys to Success: Define Your Version of Success and Achieve It.Phil is a serial entrepreneur, founder and CEO of TextDrip, and a proud member of the Forbes Technology Council. He's launched multiple startups in automation and communications, he helps businesses scale with AI-driven solutions, and even owns a horse farm in Michigan focused on employee well-being.In this episode, you'll learn how redefining success can help you break free from hustle culture, why writing down your goals isn't just motivational—it's transformational, and how building self-confidence might be the most underrated driver of success.We hope you enjoy this incredible conversation with Philip Portman.To Learn More about Philip and buy his book visit: The Book: https://a.co/d/6SbH8QkWebsite/Socials: https://philportman.com/https://www.instagram.com/phil.portmanhttps://www.facebook.com/philportmanhttps://twitter.com/philportmanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/philportman/https://www.youtube.com/@successispodcastChapters: 0:00 Intro1:23 The influence of Phil's mom raising him and his 6 siblings3:15 The pursuit of approval limits intelligent decisions12:59 Having balance, time-freedom and making a difference18:36 The reason why you work hard20:43 Slowing down to achieve more23:20 Defining & sharing your goals with a goal-partner27:06 100 Goals to tell your life where you want to go29:59 Phil's most ambitious accomplishment33:26 Habits of high-achievers (exercise & reading)36:13 Discipline & the habit of saying “no”39:19 Building self-confidence & pursuing discomfort43:28 To slow down time, get uncomfortable45:15 Connect with Philip & get the book!46:44 Phil's book suggestions49:16 You are far more capable than you realize________________________________________________Join the world's largest non-fiction Book community!https://www.instagram.com/bookthinkers/The purpose of this podcast is to connect you, the listener, with new books, new mentors, and new resources that will help you achieve more and live better. Each and every episode will feature one of the world's top authors so that you know each and every time you tune-in, there is something valuable to learn. If you have any recommendations for guests, please DM them to us on Instagram. (www.instagram.com/bookthinkers)If you enjoyed this show, please consider leaving a review. It takes less than 60-seconds of your time, and really makes a difference when I am trying to land new guests. For more BookThinkers content, check out our Instagram or our website. Thank you for your time!
We recorded another episode with Secular Pro-Life's Monica Snyder, our favorite practically co-host, to discuss Secular Pro-Life's recent survey on the differences between how both sides of the issue define abortion. A critical part of clear communication is making sure you and your dialogue partner are using the key words in the same way. Pro-life and pro-choice people often mean VERY different things when they use the word "abortion," but they don't know that, and miscommunication ensues. This episode will help you avoid that miscommunication. The ERI team offers several practical dialogue tips stemming from what we can learn from this survey. Related Links: Take SPL's survey SPL blog post: How pro-lifers and pro-choicers define abortion: results from SPL's survey Figure 1: Which scenarios are abortions? Figures 4 and 5: Pro-choice and Pro-life perspectives Figure 6: Is it an abortion if it doesn't cause death? Figure 7: Is a miscarriage an abortion? Figure 8: Are there ethical abortions? The journal article that originally gave Monica Snyder the idea for this project: “Technically an abortion”: Understanding perceptions and definitions of abortion in the United States EFL Podcast: Defining the Word “Abortion” Will Change Your Dialogues (with Dank Pro-Life Memes) Charles Camosy: Beyond the Abortion Wars: A Way Forward for a New Generation Chapters: 00:00: Introducing the survey 04:48: Figure 1: Which scenarios are abortions? 25:14: Figures 4 & 5: Pro-choice and pro-life perspectives 27:55: Figure 6: Is it an abortion if it doesn't cause death? 31:34: Figure 7: Is a miscarriage an abortion? 33:07: Is a C-section an abortion? 41:52: Figure 8: Are there ethical abortions? 56:39: Should we define abortion? ERI Links: Equal Rights Institute Website Equal Rights Institute Blog Equipped for Life Academy Equipped for Life Course Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass Hosts: Josh Brahm, Emily Geiger, Rebecca Carlson Guest: Monica Snyder Audio/Video Editors: Joshua Head, Josh Brahm Publisher: Ellen Campbell
Actionable TakeawayStart owning your reactions. They will shape your life more than the events themselves.Ask yourself today: Am I willing to do the work to grow?Stop chasing approval. Build so much self-worth that you no longer need it.Step out of your comfort zone. It is the only place growth happens.Turn your pain into power. Use it as fuel, not an anchor.Define your purpose. Give yourself a reason to leap out of bed every morning.Choose to grow through life, not just go through it. Connect with Keith Sampson:Learn more about Keith SampsonKeith on LinkedInKeith on InstagramKeith on FacebookConnect with Christian "Boo" Boucousis:Learn more about Christian BoucousisBoo on LinkedInBoo on InstagramBoo on YouTube Support the Podcast:If this episode meant something to you, please consider subscribing and reviewing the show. It helps more leaders and future leaders discover these stories.And if someone comes to mind while you're listening, send it their way. A small share can go a long way.
Actionable TakeawayDo the thing that makes you uncomfortable.Start now, even if it's messy.Be honest about what's holding you back.Take one small step every day.Show up, especially when you don't feel like it.Surround yourself with people who challenge you.Define success in your own words.Make decisions your future self will thank you for. Connect with Brett Eaton:Learn more about Brett EatonBrett on LinkedInBrett on Instagram Connect with Christian "Boo" Boucousis:Learn more about Christian BoucousisBoo on LinkedInBoo on InstagramBoo on YouTube Support the Podcast:If this episode meant something to you, please consider subscribing and reviewing the show. It helps more leaders and future leaders discover these stories.And if someone comes to mind while you're listening, send it their way. A small share can go a long way.
Send us a textIn this compelling episode of "Business Growth Talks," Mark Hayward delves into the power of micro-experiments in business growth. This episode is ideal for business owners who feel stuck in their decision-making processes regarding pricing changes, messaging revamps, or feature enhancements. Mark emphasizes how small, deliberate tests can provide quick evidence, enabling entrepreneurs to make informed decisions without extensive risk commitments.The episode provides a detailed guide on how to effectively conduct micro-experiments. These tests are designed to gather data rapidly and are cost-effective, allowing businesses to pivot swiftly based on the outcomes. Mark discusses the importance of keeping experiments small and focused, advising listeners to define clear hypotheses, measure specific metrics, and maintain a disciplined approach to decision-making. Throughout the episode, listeners are equipped with practical examples and strategies to implement micro-experiments across pricing, messaging, and new feature development.Key Takeaways:Micro-experiments accelerate learning: They help businesses make informed decisions quickly and confidently.Keep tests simple: Change only one variable at a time to clearly identify what influences the outcome.Set clear hypotheses and metrics: Define what success looks like before running a test for clarity and focus.Act on results swiftly: Make decisions within 24 hours after test completion to maintain momentum.Cultivate a culture of experimentation: Regular testing fosters evidence-based decisions and builds a growth-oriented environment.Resources:If you would like to find out more about Zack Southall Fitness go to - https://form.jotform.com/zacksouthallfitness/contact-form?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwMOx-BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp4lkOycarYgVfpJWyBLde_3Xa509atL9GTHOlk_7GoFgaoQmLT_g82kL2ugH_aem_dnl3CVd0VbwXqM38vKYKaALearn more about Mark Hayward's work and his business, Podcast Introduction: podcastintroduction.comListeners are encouraged to dive deeper into the insightful exploration provided in this episode by tuning in to the full conversation. Stay connected with "Business Growth Talks" for more valuable advice and practical strategies for business success.Support the showIf you want to watch the full video of this episode go to:https://www.youtube.com/@markhayward-BizGrowthTalksDo you want to be a guest on multiple podcasts as a service go to:www.podcastintroduction.comFind more details about the podcast and my coaching business on:www.businessgrowthtalks.comFind me onLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hayw...Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mjh169183YouTube Shorts - https://www.youtube.com/@markhayward-BizGrowthTalks/shorts
Bro. Blayne Muse - Sunday Morning - 08.24.2025
Welcome back to ESPN's Fantasy Focus! On todays show, Field Yates, Daniel Dopp, and Stephania Bell breakdown their players that will define the fantasy season. Which second-year players are poised to break out? Can a rookie running back be a league winner? And which QBs are ready to turn heads and be big time fantasy contributors right out of the gate? All that and more on Fantasy Focus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Yankees next 12 games lead to a passionate debate between Evan and Shaun
In this empowering conversation, Lesley Logan welcomes back sex educator Dr. Celeste Holbrook to talk about her new book Missionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture. Together they unpack healing from harmful narratives, navigating seasons of change in your sex life, and discovering the ‘glittery middle,' where you get to define pleasure, intimacy, and authenticity on your own terms.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:How to let your sex life evolve with every stage of life.The five-year journey and setbacks behind Celeste's debut book.The four archetypes for healing and reclaiming sexual agency.Why faking orgasms is a “fawn response” and how to break the cycle.The freedom of defining your own sexual ethic in the “glittery middle”.Episode References/Links:Dr. Celeste Holbrook's Website - www.drcelesteholbrook.comDr. Celeste Holbrook's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drcelesteholbrookDr. Celeste Holbrook on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrCelesteHolbrookMissionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture by Dr. Celeste Holbrook - https://a.co/d/3UimUKxA Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings - https://a.co/d/ibRaesYFourth Wing Series by Rebecca Yarros - https://a.co/d/7Qhgk2REp. 202: Jake Kelfer - https://beitpod.com/jakekelferEp. 265: Daniella Mestyanek Young - https://beitpod.com/daniellayoungGuest Bio:Dr. Celeste Holbrook is a sex educator, speaker, and small-town Texas horse girl who's on a mission to make conversations about sex less awkward and way more empowering. With a Ph.D. in Health Education from Texas Woman's University and a thriving virtual practice, Celeste helps people create lives filled with pleasure, connection, and confidence—starting in the bedroom. After years of struggling with pain and shame around sex, she set out to find answers no one else could give her—and ended up becoming the expert she needed. Today, she guides women toward pleasurable sex by helping them understand their bodies, claim their worth, and ask for what they want without apology. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Celeste Holbrook 0:00 Expecting your sex life to look the same when you are 20 and 30 and 50 and 70 is not helpful for you, and so allowing it to mature as you mature is the most helpful thing that you can do for yourself, I think, when when it comes to your sex life.Lesley Logan 0:19 Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:02 Hey, Be It babe, okay, this might be the first guest that is coming on for a third appearance. I think she won. I could be wrong, but I think she won. Dr. Celeste Holbrook is back. She's back. We're gonna talk about a couple of things. We're gonna talk about sex, we're (inaudible) we're gonna talk about her book. We're gonna talk about the journey that one goes on to get their work out into this world. And so even if you are like, I don't want to talk about the sex part, like, well, we should talk about the sex part. That's actually what we should do. But I want you to hear this, because I think it's so easy to hear people on a podcast go, oh, it's so easy for them because they got on a podcast, like, it's so easy, and you don't hear all the doors that get shut all the time. And I also am excited for you to hear like there are people in this world who just want to help each other out, and I think we need evidence of that. And I'm super, super excited that I get to be a cheerleader for amazing humans in this world like that. When I think about my, like, genius zone or something like that. Like, sometimes I think it's that I just get to cheer on people who are doing hard things and go, I see you, and you're doing great. And I can't wait. I can't wait. So guys, I'm gonna stop this, because we're gonna get right into we get right into it. And if you have this is the first time you're hearing about Dr. Celeste Holbrook, I really encourage you to go back to the first two episodes we did together. Go do the oldest one, then the second one, because I think you'll get a full picture of everything. We talked about a lot of good stuff. So she's gonna change your life. All right, here she is. Lesley Logan 2:31 All right, all right. So you guys, we're just gonna get right into this episode. Dr. Celeste Holbrook is back. You guys, third time won't be the last time. I somehow have to have her on annually. I think, Celeste, can you tell everyone why you're back. Let's just get in. Let's just start there. Celeste Holbrook 2:46 Okay, so I'm so excited, I can't even, like, contain myself. So I'm back because I have a book out, and I have a book really, truly because of Lesley Logan, because I have tried to publish this book for so long with traditional publishing, and I just got closed door after closed door after closed door for a lot of different reasons, which maybe we do and don't go into, I don't know, but Lesley reached out to me and was like, Celeste, I have this company. They do professional publishing. They're really great, and I just latched onto it, and I did every single thing that they suggested, and it was such a beautiful experience. So the whole point of this is I have a book, and I have a book because of you, and I want to aggressively love you today for encouraging me to do this.Lesley Logan 3:38 I am taking all that love also like this podcast, is why you have it, because I met that guy, because I interviewed him. And I have to, like, I'm not even I'll have to go back to the archives to figure out how I got this person, but I interviewed him, and I'm like, I really like this person. Like, I think he's great. Like, I've written a book, and I would have loved his help. Then, because I met him and had him on the pod, we had three of our clients use him, so I got to see from different perspectives how it was so when, and here's the thing, you were always on my feed, like, the algorithm would always, like, send you, and I like, just love all your stuff. And then it, like, kind of stopped, because I don't know that's how the algorithm works. And I happened to look at your stories, it was your stories, I'm pretty sure, and you were sharing this thing. And I'm not normally someone who's like, let me go in on the six minutes of a story. But I was like, I'm procrastinating. I'm in and so I was like, wow, what perfect timing this was, because I could have easily missed that whole section. And so I just want to, I'm just so grateful for divine like, I think that, like, there's divine appointments and divine interventions in a non-church way, guys, but we're meant to be in each other's lives and this book. Okay, so I guess, in case people don't know who you are, maybe we should do a quick like, who are you? Because we have new listeners, right? Hi, new listeners. You're going to want to go back to the other two. We're going to link them in the show notes. But can you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at? Celeste Holbrook 4:57 Yes, absolutely. So my name is Dr. Celeste Holbrook, I am a sex educator, and I have a PhD in health behaviors with a postgraduate emphasis in sexual behaviors. So I help people, a lot of women and lots of couples, figure out how to make sex better, whether that is they are experiencing pain or they're experiencing shame from growing up in like, ultra religious household, or they just need, like, some help through menopause or through after having a baby or things like that. So I am your very practical sexual health help. That's what I do. Lesley Logan 5:38 I love it the practical because, you know, like, I will say, having lived in L.A. and going to different sex shops, you don't look like the person who works the sex shop. Celeste Holbrook 5:48 No, no. Lesley Logan 5:50 Not to like, like to stereotype. But there's a, there would be a type that, like, works at the sex shop, and it's not you.Celeste Holbrook 5:56 Yeah, no, it's not me. And I just want to be super accessible, because not everybody wants to, like, swing from the chandeliers all the time. You know, a lot of people are out there just struggling to find the time to connect. Like, I cannot tell you how many times I have had a conversation about what to do with the dog in your bedroom when you want to have sex so the dog's not looking over at you or jumping on the bed, or, like, these are the practical applications that we are talking about in sex education in my consult sessions.Lesley Logan 6:27 Yeah, well, and because, because I think everyone's just so overwhelmed, like I saw something, and someone's stories, and they're like, went to their friend, their niece's like, soccer game, and she's like, looking around just like, no wonder no one's having sex. Like everybody is at the soccer game and they're exhausted, and then get the soccer game they're fighting about to do or you forgot the thing. Like, no, no answer. But nobody wants to have sex after this. Celeste Holbrook 6:53 No, no. Why would you want to have sex after that? Exactly right. That's exactly right, yep. Lesley Logan 6:59 So, so I want to touch on, like, there's a lot of different chapters, and maybe this is something that your book covers, but like, there's, you know, I think when we're younger and like, it feels like it's easier to do things, maybe, and then you get older, and like, there's more responsibilities and there's more stuff to think about. And like, it becomes something that goes away, and then your hormones change. So, in your book, do you cover, like, the journeys that were all going on, or is it more specifically for people from the purity culture, like, what? What were you excited to write about?Celeste Holbrook 7:30 Sure. So the book is called, I have the manuscript and printed out right here. It's called Missionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture. So I do take the approach of, like you growing up in a purity culture background, in, like, a high demand religion background, evangelical culture, things like that. But the book is in four parts. So like a four-part guide to basically healing, and you can apply these steps to any issue you are having in sex. So, yes, I do talk quite a bit about the effects of purity culture and how to overcome those effects. But it can, you can apply it to, you know, the trauma you had from a sexual assault. You can apply it to just the doldrums of being married to the same old penis for like, 20 years or whatever, you know, like you can apply these steps to anybody. So basically, there's four steps, and I have made them into archetypal women. So your first step is your analyst. She's like, the nerd she's looking at, like, okay, what are we carrying around? What does your backpack look like that you're carrying around? Is it full of shame? Is it full of neglect? Is it full of fear? Like she's the analyst. Your second archetypal woman is your assassin. She's she is taking what the analyst has found, and she is just like, slicing through it, right? She's your assassin. She's your inner assasin. She's your deconstruction, basically. Your third archetypal woman is your healer. So after you've done the work of understanding what's in your backpack, slicing out what needs to go, then your healer starts helping you regenerate your ideas about sex through a gentle reeducation. So we're relearning about some things that maybe we have always thought one way about. Maybe we're relearning about the idea of virginity. We're relearning the I about masturbation. We're relearning about what great sex is, right? The healer is our gentle reeducation, and then our fourth archetypal women woman is our explorer, and she's like, gonna try some new things. She's gonna go to the sex toy store, she's going to touch herself in a new way, and maybe, if that's too much, maybe she's gonna try sex with the lights on, right. And so these are the four women. They represent four steps, and within each step there are some really practical things that you can do to help move you to the next step. So you can apply this to any issue you're having in sex, and get to the other side where you're trying, you're you're now exploring, you're trying new things.Lesley Logan 10:12 I that's a way. I mean, well, like an archetype. I like that. And I've, you've been on my mind a lot lately, because society is quite interesting right now, like the trad wife situation. I'm like, that looks really beautiful. Like, I would love, like, I have white countertops. I'd love them to clean all the time. I'm certainly not capable of doing it. But I'm like, I don't know that. I think they're doing a really good job marketing a beautiful esthetic without realizing, like, all the stuff that comes with that, you know, like, all the religious stuff that comes with that, and how that can harm how we feel about our bodies. And I, I like, was raised in purity culture, and I didn't think it affected me. I'm like, I'm good. But actually, no, actually, I remember, like, I remember, oh, it does, because you're like, you think that you're like, oh, I'm on that. I'm that doesn't affect that like you, you start to realize, even if you weren't raised in church, just the way that public school systems have appropriated some of the modesty rules, like what you're told, what you can wear to school and and how thick this the tank top strap can be, and you can't be disruptive, even though the boys' pants are halfway down their legs, and I'm looking at underwear all the time. You know, I think that even for people who weren't raised where they're told, like, your father has you until you're given away to someone else, there is some level where all of us were affected by like, don't be a distraction. Don't, make sure you don't wear that so you don't look like a certain like you're not attracting bad people, you know, that kind of a thing.Celeste Holbrook 11:44 Yeah, I totally agree, Lesley. I think that there's very few people in the United States that have a great, comprehensive, inclusive sex education. I think very few of us. I think this is changing, and hopefully with, you know, recycle breaking next and next generations, but American society in general wants to put sex on either end of a spectrum. We want to either like, don't think about it. Don't talk about it. This is not for you until you are reaching a certain age or marriage or whatever, and then on the other side is like, why aren't you liberated enough to have all to do all these things you know, like, so there's these two, like, ends of the spectrum, and all of us really live in the middle. Yeah, none of us is really on either side at all, but we but it like breaks America's brain to try and think about, like, living outside of one of those two spectrums. So I talk about in the book about the non, about the non-binary. We are not binary people. As far as what we want to do in our sex life, and figuring out, how do you live in the middle area, which we often call gray, but I call glitter. Yes, it's the most fabulous place to live is in the middle, in this glittery middle, where you get to define your own sex ethic based on your value system, on your intuition, on your sex education, and you get to decide what works best for you. And maybe that is boundaries around when you have sex awesome, as long as it's your choice that's amazing. And maybe that is opening your relationship up and trying swinging or whatever it is that's awesome as long as it's your decision and not one manipulated by society or cultural values or religious values.Lesley Logan 13:27 Yeah, I think that's, I think I like to think about that even this thing, it's, you're right, it's America, it's people like, I'm in Pilates industry. And I said something the other day where I was like, well, you can say that, but it doesn't like, there's also the idea that we could prepare people for an exercise, right? And this person, like, went off on me, and I was like, so you need to understand that what you're mad about me is what you're doing here. Second, Pilates is not black or white. It's not this or that. It's a lot of gray. It's a lot of glitter, like glitter. It's like, because our bodies are different and where we are in our practice, where we are in our life, maybe what season we're in, maybe you're in a season of young children, it's going to be very different what you're wanting and ready for, and have the capacity to take on versus they're teenagers and out of the house and really don't care where you are versus you don't have kids at all. Like, there's all these different seasons. And I think we are like, oh, this is how I've always liked it, so this is how I have to keep liking it. Celeste Holbrook 14:25 Yes, yes, that's so wise, Lesley, that's so wise. I think there are a lot of and we talked about this in our last on our last podcast together, a lot of the similarities between what happens in sex and what happens in like a Pilates, a workout space or Pilates space, as far as how we view our bodies and what we feel is like, right, or what we feel is appropriate, I guess, for our bodies like I should be wanting this, because that's what I did when I was 27 or I should be looking like this, because that's what I looked like when I was whatever, 30 or whatever. And I think there's lots of room to allow ourselves compassion to grow as we grow in our sex life, in our workouts and whatever, expecting your sex life to look the same when you are 20 and 30 and 50 and 70 is not helpful for you, and so allowing it to mature as you mature is the most helpful thing that you can do for yourself, I think, when, when it comes to your sex life. Lesley Logan 15:28 Yeah, we'll keep talking about this, it'll come up. But I do, I do want to go back to like, the journey of this book, because this book has been in you for a really long time. And I think whether or not people want to write a book, you can insert goal, whatever your goal is, because you we will all in trying to get something out into the world or get something that we desire done, hit roadblocks. So you hit some roadblocks. Can we talk about, how many years of roadblocks? Can we talk about what you like, what kind of roadblocks you were hitting and, like, how did you keep going? Because quite honestly, I'm surprised you even told the story, you know what I mean, like, I'm surprised you didn't go, okay, well, that's that, the door, the door has been slammed shut.Celeste Holbrook 16:12 Yeah, yeah. And I really appreciate you asking this, because I know sex is really fun to talk about, but this is, like, my personal, like, lifelong dream is to have a book, and it feels really, I feel really seen when you ask about the process of it, and when I think about the be it, you know, be it till you see it, bold, executable. I think I'm getting this right, intrinsic, targeted, so I think about my word for this year was bold. So that was like, my like, I gotta be more bold. I want to say what I want to say. I don't want to be making myself smaller anymore. So the story behind the book, I have always thought about writing a book. I myself am a slow reader. I don't read very fast, and I for a long, long time I thought I was dumb because I don't read very fast, which is silly when I think about it now, but all growing up, I was slower than all of my friends reading. It was frustrating to read. And I've just, I like, I was still a good student. I still did all of the things that I needed to do, but I just, I just took time. I just took more time to write, to read all of those things, and I think in part, that's what made me get a PhD, because I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't dumb. Turns out, I'm not dumb. I just am. I need to go at my own pace. And so one of the things that you talk about a lot on the podcast is like, how do you prioritize yourself? I prioritize myself by allowing myself to go at my own pace, like I can read as slow as I need to read, I can answer emails as slow as I need to answer emails. It's frustrating to me and other people, but at the end of the day, like it, it's honestly who I am. I'm just considerate and slow and thoughtful, and I've learned to like that about myself instead of hate that about myself. So the idea of writing a book was really, like tantalizing to me, but I had a lot of insecurities about my ability to actually do it. I'd written a dissertation, which is I, in my opinion, harder because it's boring. Lesley Logan 18:19 Yeah, yeah, no, that's one of the reasons why I, like, stopped going to school. I was like, I can't write another boring paper.Celeste Holbrook 18:25 Oh, my God. Like, who's reading? Like, my mom didn't even read it. She's like, oh, congratulations. It's like, collecting dust, right? So I had done that, and so I thought, like, well, if I'd written a dissertation, it just take you just take a chunk at a time. I can surely write a book. So in 2000 and let's see 2016, Nate and I was like, Nate, I really want to write a book. I'm going to go to a writer's conference. So he's like, great, let's go. I was like, found one in Hawaii. He's like, even better, let's go.Lesley Logan 18:55 I love, I love when a goal and a tax write off can be in a place you want to go. Celeste Holbrook 19:01 That's right, that's exactly right. We ended up getting a tent. There's like, these glamping tents on Maui that you can get, and it's just, like, really fun. It's like, on the beach, but you still have, like, sort of a bathroom, you know. But so we're, like, we needed to do it on cheap, because we were kind of broke, like, got these glamping tents, and I went to these writers conference during the day, and Nate did whatever during the day was at this writing conference, and it was through Hay House, and there was a contest. So if you went to the writers conference and you wrote a proposal, you could enter it in, and they were going to pick three writers to to give a book deal to, I would, and this is me being so sure of myself. Like, yes, I've spent a lot of time feeling insecure that about my reading and writing. But for the most part, my whole life, I have been, like, with no good reason, confident. Like, I'm just like, I don't know, confident.Lesley Logan 19:53 Yeah. I mean, that's cool. That's a great that's so many people don't inherently have that. I. And like to kind of have that and then use it is a wonderful, it's a wonderful thing. Celeste Holbrook 20:06 Yeah, I just, I just was like, no, I'm gonna get this, you know, I'm gonna write this proposal. People are gonna love it. I'm gonna get this competition. Anyway, long story short, did not win any (inaudible). Lesley Logan 20:16 Oh, I thought this was going towards you won. Oh, my God, she won. It. (inaudible) second look. I automatically just assumed you're gonna slay. So I'm just like, she won.Celeste Holbrook 20:32 This is about closed doors, Lesley. Lesley Logan 20:34 Okay, that's true. That's true. Celeste Holbrook 20:36 Yes. So I did not win. I was for sure I was gonna win, did not win, not even, like, a hello, right? So I was like, oh, maybe I need to work a little harder. So I had this whole proposal. My book was like, looking back, I'm like, I'm so glad that I didn't win. My book was called Sexual Wealth. Lesley Logan 20:54 Oh, yeah, that's that's not you.Celeste Holbrook 20:57 It's not me. I was like, it was like, sex through finance, bro language or something. And I was just like, this is a terrible idea, but the spark was there, like, I really wanted to write a book. So that was 2016 I kind of held onto it, thought about it, kind of put it in a drawer for a while. In 2019 I got on a fairly large podcast with Jen Hatmaker, so she's an author, and she does a lot of work in, like the ex-evangelical space, or had started down that road. So I got on this podcast through just like pitching. I got on this podcast. It's pretty big, big podcast. And not long after that, a person from HarperCollins, like a division of Harper Collins, reached out to me and said, hey, have you ever considered writing a book? So the publisher reached out to me, which is very unusual. Lesley Logan 21:47 That is cool, though. Yes. Celeste Holbrook 21:49 Yeah, yeah, very unusual. Usually, you are pitching to publishers. So they heard me on the podcast, and they were like, hey, you know, we're interested in you submitting a proposal. I'm like, I'm freaking out. Like, this is so exciting, right? I realize I probably need representation, so I get a literary agent. I kind of shop around and get a literary agent. She's amazing, Rochelle, and I end up pitching my proposal. I worked it out, you know, I update it from sexual wealth to something else. I update it, I pitch it, and they're pretty slow. The publishing industry is so slow, you know this, you know this, so slow. Lesley Logan 22:24 I have watched too many of my friends write books. I'm so great. I'm proud of all of them. But also the ones that have gone traditional publishing, it is slow, like molasses moves faster, you guys. That's, you know, like, just don't bet on don't hold your breath.Celeste Holbrook 22:40 Oh my gosh, it's the slowest process of all time. And so I was like, okay, I, you know, they reached out to me. So I'm here in my very confident space, like, oh no, they're gonna laugh. Yeah, they're gonna choose. They reached out to me. Why wouldn't they choose me? At this point, I have like, 1500 followers. I have, like, I have no platform, right? I still have a very small platform, but a bunch of really engaged, lovely humans. So I'm, I'm fairly sure they're going to choose me. Eventually, months and months and months later, they get back to me and they're like, yes, we want it is literally like, I don't know, six months later, they're like, we want to offer you a contract, and we want to go under contract, just small. It's a $20,000 contract. They're gonna pay me 10,000 upfront, and then 10,000 the book publishes. I was like, great, I have to pay out my agent too. So I'm I'm coming home with like, $8,500. I was like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. Just to get one dime to like (inaudible).Lesley Logan 23:36 I mean that you got anything, because it's not, it's not always normal that even a first time writer gets anything until the book sells. So, yeah.Celeste Holbrook 23:44 Yes. So I was thrilled. I was thrilled. So I started writing my little heart out. They don't actually give me anything, a contract or anything, until my my my first draft is due. So I turned in my first draft and then they signed me. So I write the whole book without a contract. So submit the first draft. This is like March of 2020, so keep that in, put to context. Things that are. Lesley Logan 24:08 Things are things are going on. Celeste Holbrook 24:10 Things are going on. What's happening? So I get my first round of edits back. I'm still super excited. And then in July, my agent calls me, and she's like, I hate to have this conversation with you, but your book has been orphaned. Your editor left the company, and nobody else wants to pick it up. Lesley Logan 24:32 No, no. Celeste Holbrook 24:35 Yeah. So this is like, in the big scheme of things, like, it was the way it needed to work out, because they were already giving me feedback. It was the (inaudible) the imprint. And I'm not trying to slander any publishing industry, but this is just what happened to me, right? I was getting feedback of, like, oh, I don't know if you should, like, go that hard. Or I don't know if you should. You might alienate readers. If you talk about religion in this way, or, you know, this is you're gonna lose your Catholic audience. I'm like, I'm not trying to make the Catholics happy. I'm sorry. Lesley Logan 25:12 Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I interviewed, I don't know if it was in my interview, but when I was talking with Daniella Mestyanek Young who wrote Uncultured, she was only allowed to talk about three sexual like, misconduct, things that happened to her, and not even the worst ones. They actually, like, got rid, yes, yeah, they were like, and you can only talk like they she had to. And she's been very vocal about it. She's like, because she was talking about God and all these things and like, like, yeah, you can't really talk about that. And then she was like, you know, saying that she got raped in military. And they're like, so we don't like, maybe we just do only one of those, like, very and so, and she was with a publisher, and she got published, but she it's a watered down version of her story, because apparently readers wouldn't be able to handle the true thing. And it's like, you know, like, we're, how are we supposed to change the world? We don't know what's going on. So anyways, yeah. Celeste Holbrook 26:02 Yeah, I and I heard, I heard that kind of from different places, like, oh yeah. I had to, like, say this instead of that or whatever. And I'm like, yeah, that's a little bit happening to me. And I had written it with the understanding, like, this is for a still Christian audience. I understood this, it was with a Christian publisher. So I'm like, that's fine. Like, as a sex educator, you have to be able to be fluid enough to write to the audience that's in front of you. Like, when I go speak, sometimes I'm in front of really conservative audiences, and I adapt my language. That's fine. Like, that's okay to do. I'm still, I still feel helpful. I still feel like I'm pushing the envelope, but in a way that feels the most accessible for the audience in front of me. So I'm okay adjusting, but also like I didn't, I didn't want to water it down so much that I felt like it wasn't me. Lesley Logan 26:51 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Celeste Holbrook 26:53 So anyway, lost my contract in July 1st of 2020, which was and that whole thing, the whole next two years was really difficult. My husband is an emergency medicine physician and it was just a real hard time in the family, family. Lesley Logan 27:09 Yeah, no, lots, lots going on, lots of stress, lots of worry, lots. Yeah, you're afraid, yeah, you know. So like, you know. So we live where we live, and not everyone believe we're going through certain things. So that's even more stressful. Yeah. Oh, my God, that's a lot. The book, the book hit a wall.Celeste Holbrook 27:26 It hit it hit a wall, and probably had to find time. But I was, I was really, just really sad. Rochelle, my agent, was like, okay, we're just gonna, like, pick it back up. We have this proposal, we have a book written. It's, it'll be easier for another publisher to pick us up. And so we start, like, pitching to these other publishing companies. She has all these connections, you know, she's pitching, pitching, pitching, nothing's landing. I'm getting good feedback back. Like, you know, your platform's too small. That's fair. I started trying to grow it. You know, that's when Instagram was a little easier to grow. Now it's super hard to grow. But started growing it. I went from 1500 to 20,000 you know. Lesley Logan 28:04 That's a big deal, because other 20,000 like, those are not bought, you know, like, yeah.Celeste Holbrook 28:09 No, yeah. And I'm a hard follow. I get that. I have, like, you know, dildos in my videos. Like, I get that I'm not an easy follow. It's not and I'm, you know, Shadow banned all the time, and I get all these notifications that my stuff is not being shown to new audiences. I get that. I get that I'm a hard follow, but that's what publishers want. They want you to have a ready-to-buy platform, which I get. They're trying to make money. But I got a lot of that feedback. I got a lot of, ooh, this is a little it's a little too much for us as a Christian publisher. Like, okay, I get that. And then it was kind of like this line for non, non-Christian publishers, like, we don't really, we don't really talk about religion that much, and then we're not really talking about sex that much.Lesley Logan 29:00 Right? So you're like, too much of the different things for the different people, that's really rough, because it's like, we'll never be everything for anyone, but to not feel like you fit somewhere when you have something to say, that's hard.Celeste Holbrook 29:13 Yeah, yeah, it is really hard. And I think it's what people needed. It's because it's, again, it's the glitter, it's the middle. Like, yeah, I don't fit into either of these spaces. I'm kind of like exploring the middle, right? So that was the feedback I was getting. And finally, we did that for five years, from 2020 to 2025 October of 2025 Rochelle had a call with me, and she's like, honey, I have nowhere else to go. I'm sorry. This has to be the end of it. Bless her. She she did the best that she had, and I am forever grateful for her. But that was it, and that was that's where we're caught up to, where you saw my story, and I was like, just sharing with my audience like I had an unhappy ending, and I'm gonna sit in my sadness right now and just tell you, like life isn't always hunky dory for a sex educator, for anybody, for you for me, and this is where I am right now, and I'm pissed and I'm sad, and the end, right? And then sweet Lesley shows up in my DMs, and she's like, babe, I have this great idea for you. I'm like, okay, so she you send me this information for this company I have a call with, I think Jake who you interviewed. Lesley Logan 30:19 Yeah, Jake Kelfer. Yep, yep, yep. Celeste Holbrook 30:21 I have a call with Jake, and let me tell you, working with them has been and I'm not getting paid for any of this right to for BIB, but working with them has been so healing, so much agency in the process. I got to say exactly what I wanted to say. I got to go at the pace that I wanted to go, like, it was just incredible. Lesley Logan 30:44 So is this book, like a new book? It's not what you're pitching around. It's the glitter you really wanted to write. Celeste Holbrook 30:51 It's the glitter I really wanted to write. Totally different. Yeah.Lesley Logan 30:54 Yes, oh, I love that. And also, like, so, first of all, you guys, did you hear five years? Five years and now we're going on, you know, like, so, yeah, five years and then now big. But here's the other thing, like going through all of those things, you got feedback and made tweaks and did these things. So then when you're writing the book that we're gonna all get to read, I can't even wait to read it. It's the best version of a book that could ever be, because it's really not your first book you've written so manyCeleste Holbrook 31:24 You're so right. And over the course of the years, I changed, as we should. I hope I look back in five years and go like, yeah, I'm a different, new person from who wrote this book. But I was different, and I was more comfortable, like, straight up saying I'm not a Christian anymore. You know, I was more comfortable saying, like, is this a religious book? Yes, because we talk about religion. Do I identify as Christian? No, because of these reasons. Do I think we could learn some stuff from the Bible? Sure. Do I think we're going to talk about the Bible? Yes. I think we have to, because we're talking about purity culture. But I don't, you know, certainly not in 2020 was I willing to be like, yeah, I'm not a Christian, but so much stuff happened between 2020 and 2025, that just took me right on out.Lesley Logan 32:10 Yeah, yeah, no, I hear you on that. I and, you know, like, I have a brother in seminary school, so it's very interesting around here. And I had just said, you know, if, if, the if, all the Christians in the world actually did what Jesus said, like, we would have solved child child poverty and immigration and health care. And, you know, I've had a family member respond, well, if everyone just came to know, and I'm like, no, no, no, that's actually not what the Bible says. Here's the problem, I've read it so like I where I am in my life, which five years ago I was definitely not. Is just like I'm frustrated that a book, any book, has controlled people in such a way that's affecting even their sex lives, but also just lives, the lives of people who didn't even read the book. And so that's where, like, I get upset we don't have to have religious talk on this podcast. But that's that's just where, like, I'm coming from as a person with it. I'm, like, I have a really hard time with it, because it's not a loving world, and it with all the people who say they are, you know, believers. It should be. It should be a very loving world. So, so I think it's really I love. Thank you for sharing the story. This is great.Celeste Holbrook 33:30 Yeah, I totally. I just want to affirm what you're saying. Because I think the the main bottom line for me was it has harmed more than it has helped. Has it helped? Absolutely, there's some really beautiful ways in which Christianity has helped, but has it harmed more than it has helped? I absolutely believe, yes. And so for me, that was the final straw. Do I think Jesus was cool? Yeah. I think He was a radical non-white dude who did really amazing things that we can learn from, right? I believe he saved me from my sins. Not really, but, yeah, that's where I landed. And I was able to say this in in this book, which I would never have been able to do before. Lesley Logan 34:09 Well, also, thank you for sharing it with us, because I also just someone like to see it's a really interesting thing to say, like my husband and I, like go like to say out loud, it's very I don't want to speak for him, because, like, maybe it was a different but, like, it's really hard to say out loud when you're like, I don't believe anymore, and you're like, you know?Celeste Holbrook 34:29 Right, it feels really weird. Lesley Logan 34:31 Yeah, it does. But because it's such an identity that you're raised with, and I think going back to, like, that purity culture that your book is about, and by the way, everyone, like, I just want to say, like, even if you haven't been in that, it's, I think that reading about those things really helps me. It makes it helps make the world make sense to me. Like, I read Tia Levings book, A Well-Trained Wife, and I was like, oh, I get it now. I get why they're acting like this. I get why they're thinking this. Because, like, otherwise, you're like looking at people like they're aliens, and you're like, I don't understand. So I also think it can be really impactful to read just to understand, what are people thinking? What are they going through? Why is it harder for some people to have great sex, or want to have great sex, or feel comfortable having great sex, than for other people? Celeste Holbrook 35:18 Yeah, I totally agree with you. It's so fun, interesting. Most of couples that I talk to, most of them are straight couples, heterosexual couples, and a lot of times, the woman in the partnership will, you know, talk about sex in one way, and the man in the partnership will talk about sex in a different way. And just like, I just don't get it. If it feels good, why wouldn't you want to do it? And so when we kind of like, deconstruct and explain, like, well, she's been taught that sex is dangerous her whole life, and so her nervous system feels on alert, even when there are good things in the future to come with that sexual experience. So to have to overcome this idea of fear and danger in your nervous system, just to get to the beginning of arousal is a whole different ball game than you who starts at arousal, and because it feels very regulating, like, I lean into arousal because it feels regulating as a straight man who's raised in America, and so like, just being able to, like, if you're a dude who picks up this book, It might help you understand the women in your life a little bit better, even if they didn't grow up in purity culture. Most of us grew up with the idea that sex is going to harm us. Lesley Logan 36:28 Yeah, yes. Well, I mean, like, yeah, it's like, even if you weren't raised that way, you also, as a woman, were raised like, be fearful of any bad any man who's coming near you, walking up next to you, like, all these different things. And so it is very difficult to just like, let that go. It's not like, it's like, oh, it's Halloween. I can get Todd Kenny from a stranger now, like, this doesn't work like that. You know, like especially because it's like, your whole life these just little things that are being told. I think that's great for men to read. I think that's such a that's a, what a wonderful way to think about it, who this book could be helpful for? I want to take a brief detour, because you said something on your Instagram a bit ago that truly, like, blew my mind and also made so much sense, right? You said, if you're faking an orgasm, you're fawning, right? It's a fawn response. So can we talk about what a fawn response is? And that a little bit, because I think too many women do that. I only say that because I have friends who talk about it and I'm like, I mean, I just wouldn't just would be like, it's not working today, sir.Celeste Holbrook 37:38 Yes, yeah. I mean, I've done it when I was experiencing really painful sex when I first got married, because of vaginismus, because of purity culture, like I did anything to try and get out of the situation, right? So, so a fawn response is something that we do in response to something traumatic. When something traumatic happens, we go into fight, flight, freeze or on. So fawn is I'm pleasing you know this, this circumstance or person in my life, so there are no negative consequences, all right. So when we fake orgasms, and a lot of women have a lot of guilt around doing this, and this is why I posted that, because I want you to feel not guilty about this. I don't want you to do it forever, but I want you to understand why you're doing this. We fawn response an orgasm when we feel overwhelming pressure to have an orgasm when we feel overwhelming pressure to have an orgasm, it's coming from a fragile man who cannot handle or has put too much value on your ability to come as a validation for his ability to be great, right? I put too much pressure on your ability to be to come is a validation of my ability to be good or great. So part of the work has to become men saying like my validation is not wrapped up in her ability to come, without saying, I still can't give her pleasure. It's kind of, it's, it's, it's nuanced, but I really want women to understand when you're fawning, when you're faking an orgasm, you are essentially doing harm reduction. I don't want the negative consequences of his fragility, so I will fake it so I don't have to deal with that. That is easier for me. That is harm reduction.Lesley Logan 39:47 Right, right, right. And one would hope that a conversation or few could be had, like, here's what's going on and here's how I don't want you to feel and here like, yeah, that's probably where you come in. Celeste Holbrook 40:01 Yes, yeah. It's a really delicate situation. I do have lots of times people come in and the female, the woman in the partnership, will be like, hey, you know, this is what's going on, and this is why I want us together to come but to sessions, but like, I don't know how to tell him, like, it's been years and I've been faking it for years, right? Okay, no problem. We don't have to. I don't believe full transparency is always kind. I believe in honesty. I don't necessarily believe in full transparency. Like, you can, you can be really unkind with full transparency, but you can still be honest. Like, hey, I really want to experience a little bit more sensation when we have sex. Can we work on some new techniques? Can I show you how I masturbate? Can we make it slower so I can feel something different? I really want to make my orgasm stronger, right? So we can be clear with what we want going forward without being like, you know what? I faked it for the last 12 years, right? Because that's on you for not for not saying something as well. Lesley Logan 41:08 Yeah? Because that doesn't like, it can only be, it's not anyone's fault. But also, like, they can't change if they don't know, yeah. Oh, you're so brilliant. You're so amazing. Wait, when is the book coming out? When do I get to read it? When can I preorder, like.Celeste Holbrook 41:23 You are so cute. So it'll by the time this drops, it'll already be out, and we'll send links to to upload it, but it comes out on June 10th and so it's right around the corner. Lesley Logan 41:32 Okay, well, I'm gonna pre I'm gonna pre order. I gotta or I'll order on June 10th. So we can make you a number one, Bestselling Author. We get whatever we get to do, so I can write my authenticated review. After buying it, all the things I can't wait. I'll take it with me on tour.Celeste Holbrook 41:49 Thank you. I'm so like, I just like, I'm cheesing so hard because I'm so excited about it. I reread it again this morning, just like as a skim to look at all the layout on the pages. And I'm just so proud of it. I'm so proud of it, like it finally is here.Lesley Logan 42:07 I have so many chills. I'm gonna cry. Okay, we're gonna take a brief break. We're gonna find out how people can find you, follow you and work with you. Celeste Holbrook 42:14 Okay. Lesley Logan 42:15 All right, Dr. Celeste Holbrook, where do you hang out? You said Instagram. Is there anywhere else? What links? What input handles? Where can they go to buy the book is it on your website, all the things.Celeste Holbrook 42:25 Yes, the book is on the website, but you can buy it the most easily on Amazon. If you do, please leave a review that would be really helpful. And you can go to my website to get into Pleasure Club. That's my monthly subscription where we have a sex ed session every month and a book club session every month we flip between fiction and nonfiction books, which is really, really fun. Lesley Logan 42:44 Oh, fun. I know Brad and I got into the, of course, like everybody in the world, we got into the the dragon situation, yeah. Okay, every. Celeste Holbrook 42:52 Fourth wing? Lesley Logan 42:53 Yeah, yes. Fourth wing, the second one, the third one. You guys, we actually reread the first and second one to listen to the third one, we're going to go back through all three. Highly recommend it with your, with your partner. I think it's a great she writes good sex stories. They don't it's not super cheesy. So I really like them. Celeste Holbrook 43:13 I love that. I think this revolution. I mean, people have been reading Roman ensembles forever, but I think it's really healing. I actually wrote about this in my newsletter this week. Reading sex scenes through a female lens is really, really healing and really helpful, because it it gives you the confidence to be like, oh, I can ask for that, or I can wait for that, or I can ask to slow down or speed up, or whatever, and I can expect somebody to listen and garner consent and all of those things. So reading sex scenes through the female lens or listening to them, I think, is very, very helpful. Celeste Holbrook 43:46 Yeah, yeah. Anyways, I got distracted from your book club. So what's your website again? What's your handle? Celeste Holbrook 43:53 So you can find me at Dr. Celeste Holbrook on Instagram, on and on YouTube, and my web, my website. drcelesteholbrook.com. I just had like a whole mind blowing, like I was thinking about sex scenes written through the female Iens and I couldn't I couldn't go back. Yeah.? So, drcelesteholdbrook is where you can find me almost anywhere. Dr Celeste Holbrook. Lesley Logan 44:14 Perfect, yeah. Sorry, I have an ADHD brain. Lesley Logan 44:16 I love it. I love it. Lesley Logan 44:18 Bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it. What do you have for us this time? Celeste Holbrook 44:23 Oh, well, something we talked about already earlier. But the way that I am best executable is actually just to go at my own pace, even though it's slow.Lesley Logan 44:32 Yeah. Oh, I love that. I really do love that. And I also, you mentioned, like, the prioritizing of self. That's one of the ways you did it. I wanted to acknowledge like when you sat in your car and you shared that something had come to an end, that is also a way of prioritizing yourself, because you're feeling your feelings, and you're also letting people know that you're feeling these feelings, like we don't have to, like pretend around people, so just thank you for being you, and always for, you are always in the word gets misused, but you are so authentic and so authentic and just, I really feel like I've it's been so fun over the past five years to watch you grow with what you're doing and how you're educating people and how you're supporting people. And so I'm just so grateful to be on your journey. I can't wait to read your book. I'm so stoked for you. This is the coolest thing. And and you guys, how are you gonna use these tips in your life? Please tag Dr. Celeste Holbrook, send this to a friend. Here is the deal, not all friendships talk about sex, so one of the things you can do is just send the podcast or the book. You don't have to have the if you're not there yet, that's okay. But I think like, the more, the more women hear about all these different things that could be glitter, the more life we're living and the more fun we're having, the more we feel seen. So just thank you so much for being you, Dr. Celeste Holbrook.Celeste Holbrook 45:53 Lesley, you are the reason this book exists. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you so much for having me in your life and on your podcast. And someday, someday we will hug each other in real life.Lesley Logan 46:03 Yeah, yeah, yeah. We will. It'll happen. I think this winter tour, I feel it in me. All right, you guys, you know what to do. Until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 46:12 That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 46:54 It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 46:59 It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 47:03 Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 47:11 Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 47:14 Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
If I put your fashion brand side by side with three of your competitors — would your customer immediately know why they should choose you? That's the power of your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). In this episode of the Fast Track Your Fashion Brand Podcast, I'm breaking down Step 5 of the Fashion Launch Blueprint and teaching you my 6-step framework to make your brand unforgettable. You'll learn how to: Get crystal clear on your customer Identify the real problem your brand solves Write your UVP statement Add an emotional hook that sells Define your product differentiators Create a hero tagline that sticks
Little did we know our Pricing and Salary Survey results were going to give us great nuggets of information that we could share for many future podcasts to come! One of the biggest challenges we found designers face is defining their product. Too often, “full-service design” means something different to every designer—and that inconsistency makes it nearly impossible to set confident fees, manage scope, or show clients the real value of design work. The secret lies in creating clear deliverables with a written scope of work, and structured meeting agendas that are always advancing the project. If you are not keeping track of your time--as many do not--this reveals where designers tend to undervalue themselves. You must trust in the value of your own work--define it, control it, manage expectations, and most importantly, position yourself as the expert in the room.Have a question--click here to ask us.RESOURCE LINKS:Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - WebsiteThe best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today. The Design Paradigm - The Interior Design Paradigm - WebsiteA 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.Join our FREE Facebook GroupsSmall Business - Think Big - FacebookWhat They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook GroupFor designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. Subscribe to our Newsletter and get our FREE downloadHidden Keys for Growth for 2025 - DOWNLOAD NOW***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
In this season of Building Better Developers with AI, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit a past topic: 'Transform Your Projects: The Ultimate Guide to Effective User Stories.' This episode offers a fresh perspective on how teams can achieve greater success by writing better user stories. The hosts initially tackled this subject in an earlier season, but they return to it because the challenge remains timeless: poorly written user stories continue to derail software projects. This time, they dive deeper into lessons learned, customer-centric approaches, and frameworks that make user stories truly work. Why Writing Better User Stories Still Matters Rob opens with a familiar frustration: sitting in sprint planning and realizing the user stories don't make sense. Vague requirements create confusion, rework, and wasted effort. A user story is not a specification—it's a promise for a conversation that builds shared understanding. By writing better user stories, teams maintain focus on outcomes, rather than implementation. They deliver features that users actually need, instead of technical solutions that fall short. The Philosophy of Writing Better User Stories User stories should always: Stay customer-centric by focusing on what the user wants, not the technical details. Break down work into small, manageable chunks that improve agility and estimation. Emphasize outcomes over implementation, avoiding the trap of data tables and CSS classes too early. Rob illustrates this with the ATM example: “As a customer, I want to withdraw cash so that I can access money in my account.” This keeps the story grounded in the user's experience. The Anatomy of Writing Better User Stories At the core of writing better user stories is a simple formula that makes requirements clear and human: As a [user role] I want [goal] So that [reason] This framework ensures that every story is tied directly to a user's perspective, their needs, and the value they'll receive. However, strong stories extend beyond this sentence structure. Rob and Michael highlight two key frameworks that add depth and clarity: The Three C's – Card, Conversation, and Confirmation, which explain how stories spark dialogue and define “done.” The INVEST Model – Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable- is a checklist that helps teams evaluate whether a story is ready to move forward. Finally, one important reminder: each story should only have one meaning. If a story can be interpreted in multiple ways—or contains “if/then” scenarios—it should be split into smaller, more focused stories. This keeps the backlog clean and avoids confusion later in development. The Three C's of Writing Better User Stories 1. Card The card represents the user story itself. Traditionally, teams would write stories on index cards. Today, tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana take their place. The key is that the card is just a placeholder for a conversation, not the entire requirement. It captures the essence of the story but leaves room for discussion. 2. Conversation The conversation is where the real value happens. Developers, product owners, and stakeholders discuss the story, ask clarifying questions, and uncover details that weren't written down. These discussions ensure that the team shares a common understanding of the user's needs. Without this step, the story risks being too vague or misinterpreted. 3. Confirmation The confirmation defines how the team knows the story is complete. This typically takes the form of acceptance criteria or test cases. Confirmation transforms a story from an idea into a verifiable piece of functionality. It answers the critical question: What does “done” look like? Card captures the idea. Conversation builds the understanding. Confirmation proves the work is complete. The INVEST Model for Writing Better User Stories The INVEST model is a simple but powerful checklist that helps ensure user stories are clear, practical, and actionable. Each letter represents a quality that a strong user story should have. Independent A good user story should stand on its own. That means it can be developed, tested, and delivered without being blocked by another story. Independence reduces dependencies and keeps projects moving smoothly. Negotiable User stories are not contracts carved in stone—they're open to discussion. Teams should be able to negotiate details, scope, and implementation during conversations. This flexibility encourages collaboration and prevents rigid requirements that may not fit real-world needs. Valuable If a story doesn't provide business or user value, it doesn't belong in the backlog. Every story should clearly tie back to outcomes that matter for the end-user or the organization. This keeps the team focused on delivering impact, not just features. Estimable A story should be clear enough that the team can estimate the effort to complete it. If it's too vague or too large, it can't be accurately sized. Estimable stories make sprint planning realistic and help track progress more effectively. Small Stories should be small enough to complete within a single iteration. Large stories, sometimes called “epics,” should be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Small stories are easier to understand, estimate, and test. Testable Finally, a user story must be testable. The team needs to know how to verify it's “done.” This often takes the form of acceptance criteria or test cases, ensuring the functionality can be validated from the user's perspective. The INVEST model keeps stories clear, focused, and actionable. If a story fails any of these tests, refine it before moving forward. Lessons From the Trenches: Writing Better User Stories in Practice Michael highlights a recurring issue: customers often don't fully understand their “why.” They may use outdated paper trails, redundant processes, or even misuse tools they already own. Sometimes developers must reverse-engineer requirements by observing workflows, asking why at each step, and uncovering hidden pain points. Rob adds that trust plays a huge role—stakeholders may initially follow the “official” process, but only reveal their real practices after rapport is established. Avoiding Common Pitfalls Even with good intentions, stories can fall short when they are: Too vague or incomplete. Disconnected from actual business processes. Written without acceptance criteria. Michael stresses that implied requirements are dangerous. Developers should always strive for clearly defined acceptance criteria that leave no room for ambiguity or uncertainty. Practical Tips for Writing Better User Stories The hosts wrap up with actionable guidance for developers: Speak up – Don't code vague tickets without asking questions. Push for the “so that” – The business value matters most. Write acceptance criteria – Define what “done” means. Break down big stories – Smaller, testable stories are easier to validate. Stay user-focused – Keep technical details in subtasks, not in the story. Example: Bad: Add a contact form. Good: As a potential customer, I want to fill out a contact form with my name, email, and message, so that I can get in touch with the company about their services. This richer story sparks the right questions: Which fields are required? Should multiple contact methods be supported? These clarifications lead to solutions that match real needs. Final Thoughts By revisiting this subject, Rob and Michael remind us that user stories are more than backlog items—they are bridges between developers and customers. Writing better user stories keeps teams aligned, prevents rework, and ensures projects deliver meaningful results. Implied requirements are not good requirements. Defined requirements are good requirements. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Updating Developer Tools: Keeping Your Tools Sharp and Efficient Building Your Personal Code Repository Your Code Repository and Ownership of Source – Consulting Tips Using a Document Repository To Become a Better Developer The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content
In this episode of “That Will Never Work,” Maurice and Kafi Chism explore the complexities of authenticity in professional environments, discussing how to balance being true to oneself with the need to adapt to workplace expectations. They tackle imposter syndrome, code-switching, and the importance of sustainable success through genuine self-expression. This episode offers actionable advice for those struggling to navigate the tension between personal identity and professional demands.In This Episode:00:00 The Journey to Authenticity01:08 Introducing Kafi: A Personal Perspective03:22 Navigating Corporate Expectations05:09 Defining Authenticity in a Professional World08:14 The Evolution of Professional Norms10:13 The Importance of Consistency12:15 Customer Service and AuthenticityKey Takeaways:Recognize when you're code-switching and manage its impact on your energy levels.Define what “authentic self” means in different contexts, adapting your presentation as needed.Balance conforming to professional norms with expressing your personality genuinely.Prioritize sustainable success by showing up as yourself consistently, avoiding burnout from constant performance.Understand that others' discomfort with your authenticity may reflect their own challenges, not your shortcomings.Resources:Well Why Not Workbook: https://bit.ly/authormauricechismPodmatch: https://bit.ly/joinpodmatchwithmauriceConnect With:Maurice Chism: https://bit.ly/CoachMauriceWebsite: https://bit.ly/mauricechismPatreon: https://bit.ly/CoachMauriceonPatreonTo be a guest: https://bit.ly/beaguestonthatwillnevrworkpodcastBusiness Email: mchism@chismgroup.netBusiness Address: PO Box 460, Secane, PA 19018Subscribe to That Will Nevr Work Podcast:Spreaker: https://bit.ly/TWNWSpreakerSupport the channelPurchase our apparel: https://bit.ly/ThatWillNevrWorkPodcastapparel
Social media strategist, author, and TEDx speaker, Robin Nathaniel, unpacks the connection between human relationships and digital platforms. With fresh ideas and candid energy, Robin introduces his SYNC Method—a framework designed to help nonprofits create authentic, meaningful engagement online.Robin explains, “S is for simple. Messages you can say in four words—don't say in twenty. Don't overcomplicate your story.” He challenges organizations to focus less on technical jargon and more on clarity. The “Y” stands for Yield—yielding to intention. Instead of just pushing events, campaigns, or donation requests, he urges nonprofits to ask themselves what feelings and actions they want their audiences to experience before hitting “post.”“N” is for Natural. Too often, Robin points out, organizations spend hours in the “makeup room,” worrying about lighting, graphics, and backgrounds. Instead, he recommends the “best friend test”: write and speak in a way your closest friend would understand. Finally, “C” is for Change It Up. Social media is not a box-checking exercise. Robin stresses adaptability: experiment, reset, and test new content approaches as platforms evolve.Nonprofits often overwhelm supporters by blasting out too much information at once. Robin's framework offers a more human and sustainable way forward. He also adds a crucial reminder: “The real measure isn't clicks or conversions. It's how you improve the lives of the people receiving your content.”The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Robin shares his Joy Audit, developed after the tragic loss of his brother. By redefining his life through the lenses of Create, Connect, and Contribute, Robin discovered how to realign time and energy toward purpose—linking directly to nonprofit burnout, recognizing how leaders often wear multiple hats without space for renewal. Robin takes the time to lay out a Nonprofit Social Media Startup Plan:1. Identify bandwidth and the right person for the role.2. Define your true audience.3. Learn where they spend time online.4. Match the right team skills to the right medium.5. Commit to six months of consistent effort before reassessment.Investing in social media is not optional—it's fundable, scalable, and mission-enhancing. This robust discussion blends strategic insight with heartfelt wisdom, offering nonprofits a playbook for building digital trust while protecting the joy and resilience of their teams. #TheNonprofitShow #SocialMediaStrategy #NonprofitCommunicationsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show
El pensamiento más digno del ser humano lleva también muchos siglos intentando utilizar su corazón y sus dedos para hacer música. Pero las teclas de su piano sucumben bajo los malos ruidos. Ni siquiera la polarización crispada de la política en España debería hacernos olvidar las bombas, los lamentos y los disparos que día a día llenan de sangre Gaza debido a la política asesina del Estado de Israel.
Hour 1 1:12 - Week 1 Won't Define the Commanders 11:46 - Do You Trust the Commanders' Offense or Defense More in Week 1? 24:40 - Calls: Do You Trust the Commanders' Offense or Defense More in Week 1?
The season might be starting soon, but the questions surrounding the offseason continue into Week 1 of the fantasy football season! Join Ryan Wormeli, Derek Brown, and Pat Fitzmaurice as they break down the 10 biggest fantasy questions ahead of the 2025 season! Which one player will define the fantasy season in the same way Ja'Marr Chase and Saquon Barkely did last year? Are we downplaying the potential for the Chiefs' offense to be as explosive as they used to be in the past? Start the first week of NFL season with the Pros! Timestamps: (May be off due to ads) 0:00:00 - Intro0:03:04 - Q1 - Which offensive mastermind makes a bigger fantasy impact in Year 1: Ben Johnson in Chicago, or Liam Cohen in Jacksonville?0:09:18 - Q2 - Who is one player that you feel like you personally have not really talked about on shows this draft season and want to weigh in on?0:22:03 - DraftKings Read0:22:49 - Disclaimer0:23:21 - Q3 - Besides the Bengals, who is this year’s Bengals (high-octane offense, bad defense circus team for fantasy goodness)?0:27:10 - Q4 - Who will be this year’s most disappointing NFL team for fantasy (non-injury reasons)?0:32:55 - StitchFix0:34:03 - Q5 - Pick one TE each outside Tier 1 who will finish with more fantasy points this season than at least one of Brock Bowers, Trey McBride or George Kittle.0:38:22 - Q6 - Who is the single best value at any position in drafts this season?0:42:00 - Fantrax0:43:11 - Q7 - Which rookie are you LEAST interested in drafting at cost this season?0:47:14 - Q8 - DBro’s favorite late QB is JJ McCarthy. Pat’s is Drake Maye. Worm’s is Jordan Love. Make the case for your guy.0:53:41 - Draft Assistant0:54:09 - Q9 - Are we downplaying too much the possibility that the Chiefs' offense looks closer to their past explosive selves?0:58:32 - Q10 - Which one player will DEFINE the 2025 fantasy season the way Saquon Barkley and Ja’Marr Chase did last year?1:00:16 - My Playbook Promo1:00:52 - Outro Helpful Links: Draft Assistant - Get live support during your fantasy football draft with the Draft Assistant. Connect the Draft Assistant to your draft and get real-time suggestions based on expert rankings, team needs, and positional scarcity. Get the most value out of every pick in your fantasy football draft with the Draft Assistant. Learn more at fantasypros.com/assistant or download our Fantasy Football Draft Wizard app on Google Play or App Store. Draft Simulator - Master your draft strategy by testing it out in minutes using our Draft Simulator. The Draft Simulator allows you to practice quick and fun, realistic mock drafts based on your league settings in minutes. Sync your league for FREE and try it today at fantasypros.com/mock. Follow us on Twitch - The team here at FantasyPros is taking questions all week, every week on Twitch. We've got exclusive live content there every single weekday. Follow us on Twitch at twitch.tv/fantasypros and never miss a stream! Discord – Join our FantasyPros Discord Community! Chat with other fans and get access to exclusive AMAs that wind up on our podcast feed. Come get your questions answered and BE ON THE SHOW at fantasypros.com/chat Leave a Review – If you enjoy our show and find our insight to be valuable, we’d love to hear from you! Your reviews fuel our passion and help us tailor content specifically for YOU. Head to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts and leave an honest review. Let’s make this show the ultimate destination for fantasy football enthusiasts like us. Thank you for watching and for showing your support – https://fantasypros.com/review/ BettingPros Podcast – For advice on the best picks and props across both the NFL and college football each and every week, check out the BettingPros Podcast at bettingpros.com/podcast, our BettingPros YouTube channel at youtube.com/bettingpros, or wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
https://healthrangerstore.com/laborday - Economic System and Resource Extraction (0:10) - Impact of AI on Employment and Cognition (5:16) - The Future of Work and AI's Role (21:26) - The Rise of AI and Its Economic Implications (32:02) - The Role of AI in Government and Society (38:14) - The Ethical and Moral Implications of AI (39:48) - The Impact of AI on Health and Medicine (42:39) - The Role of AI in Preventing Diseases (58:15) - The Future of AI and Human Society (1:06:20) - The Ethical Considerations of AI (1:06:45) - One World AI Government and Depopulation Concerns (1:13:40) - Government Control and AI Language (1:28:40) - Introduction to Dawson Knives and John Roy (1:30:12) - Challenges with Magna Cut Steel and Tariffs (1:38:01) - Craftsmanship and Training at Dawson Knives (1:50:27) - Education and Community Engagement (1:53:56) - Future Products and Innovations (1:58:15) - Impact of AI and Automation on Skills (2:11:12) - Promotion of American-Made Products (2:25:04) For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com
Does our family history define us? How do you fight your idols? Why is worship important? In today's episode, Keith shares how 1 Kings 15:9-24 encourages us to fight the idols in our lives so that we might worship the true God. If you're listening on Spotify, tell us about yourself and where you're listening from! Read the Bible with us in 2025! This year, we're exploring the Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings. Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: 1 Kings 15:9-24
Alex Smereczniak's entrepreneurial journey began in college, where he scaled a simple laundry service into a $300,000 a year business with a single, brilliant marketing hack. That early success was so powerful that he walked away from a prestigious corporate job after just 18 months, convinced the 9-to-5 was a broken system. His next venture led him into the world of franchising, where he uncovered its dark side: an industry filled with biased brokers and misaligned incentives. To fix this, he built Franzy, a revolutionary AI-powered marketplace known as the "Zillow for franchises," designed to bring transparency and data-driven matching to aspiring entrepreneurs.In this episode, Alex demystifies the path to successful business ownership and breaks down who franchising is truly for—from the corporate warrior seeking an exit to the investor looking for a profitable side hustle. He provides a clear roadmap for starting a business, detailing how to secure financing through options like SBA loans and identify the business ideas that genuinely align with your lifestyle goals, and explains the myth of passive income. Tune in to learn how to avoid costly industry traps and leverage a proven playbook to find the franchise that will build your future.Takeaways:- A single clever marketing angle is more powerful than a large budget; Alex turned a $30k business into $300k with one strategic move at student orientation.- Don't wait for the "perfect time" to start your business, as it will never come; the best time to take the entrepreneurial leap is always today- Franchising can nearly double your chances of success, with 85% of franchises surviving past five years thanks to a proven playbook and support system.- Define your personal "why" before buying a business; true wealth is aligning your work with goals like lifestyle and happiness, not just chasing the highest profit.- Be skeptical of franchise brokers, as their large commissions from specific brands can create biased recommendations that benefit them more than you.- Business ownership is more accessible than you think with financing options like SBA loans and using your retirement funds tax-free via a ROBS rollover.- AI platforms are disrupting the old franchise model by providing unbiased, data-driven recommendations, removing the need for biased brokers.- The idea of passive income from a new franchise is a myth; success requires consistent, hands-on effort, especially in the beginning.- A corporate job can be the perfect catalyst for entrepreneurship by revealing the flawed systems you want to escape and build something better for yourself.- Accelerate your success by surrounding yourself with mentors and peers who are already further along on the entrepreneurial journey you wish to take.Tags: SaaS, Entrepreneurship, AI, Passive Income, FranchisingResources:Grow your business today: https://links.upflip.com/4oZ9D1w Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-%F0%9F%A6%81-40310329/
If a problem feels urgent today, it started months ago.
When it comes to insomnia, many people begin their journey staring at the clock after yet another middle-of-the-night bathroom trip and wondering: is it my bladder or my sleep that's broken? In this episode, we will:Define what nocturia is—and what counts as normal versus abnormalExplore why most people wake up first and then feel the urge to urinateReveal how nocturia can be a surprising red flag for obstructive sleep apneaDistinguish between urinary problems that happen all day long versus nighttime-only frequency linked to sleep disordersChallenge the myth that cutting off fluids during the day is an effective fixReassure you that a single nightly bathroom trip can be perfectly healthyProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
Send us a textWhat's up PE Nation!Today we dive deep into "Level 3" equipment for physical education programs, exploring how to dream big and significantly elevate your PE offerings beyond the basics. From securing $9,000 obstacle courses to writing effective grants, this episode provides a roadmap for transforming your program with strategic equipment investments.• Define your "why" before investing in major equipment• Create a list of "moonshot" equipment dreams you'd like to pursue• Focus on equipment that benefits many students simultaneously• Write effective grants by demonstrating educational impact through pre/post testing• Partner with school foundations, PTOs, and local businesses for funding• Think beyond traditional PE equipment to create unique, memorable experiences• Don't let rejections stop you from pursuing program-enhancing equipment• Ensure equipment aligns with your program vision and curriculum needs• Transform teaching from a job into a passionate career through strategic investmentsTake care and happy teaching,Dave Please take 3.5 seconds to leave a reviewArticle on Level 3 Equipment with checklistBeg, Borrow, Build and Steal ebook with links, Free game PDFs and my personal grant writing files: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Beg-Borrow-Build-and-Steal-Equipment-13063549Join my Substack newsletter, where I share PE tips, games and strategies.FREE E-Book on setting up your PE programMy website: https://www.supersizedphysed.comPlease take 3.5 seconds to leave a review
In this Throwback episode, Chad Franzen interviews Josh, who shares his proven seven-step hiring process designed for business owners scaling to 8 figures and beyond. Josh details how to define roles, set KPIs, attract top talent, and rigorously assess candidates through assessments, test projects, and in-depth interviews. Listeners will learn actionable strategies to efficiently filter large applicant pools and secure high-performing team members. Chad and Josh's discussion is packed with practical tips and real-world examples, offering a blueprint for building world-class teams and accelerating business growth.Chapters:Overview of the Seven Steps (00:00:00)Josh outlines the seven-step process for hiring effective team players, giving a broad overview.Introduction of Chad Frandsen and Episode Context (00:01:18)Chad is introduced as the interviewer, and the episode's focus on hiring is set.Step 1: Define the Role and Success Criteria (00:01:52)Discussion on clearly defining the role, identifying business bottlenecks, and conducting a time study.Step 2: Set KPIs and Responsibilities (00:03:21)Explains how to set measurable KPIs and clarify day-to-day responsibilities for the role.Step 3: List the Job on Multiple Sites (00:04:37)Covers creating a compelling job description and posting it on various job sites, especially for international hires.Step 4: Applicant Assessments (00:06:06)Describes using assessments (like Criteria Corp) to quickly filter a large pool of applicants.Step 5: Test Projects for Applicants (00:07:44)Explains giving test projects to shortlisted candidates and provides examples of effective test assignments.Step 6: Conduct Interviews (00:12:09)Details the interview process, focusing on identifying patterns of success and using reference-based questions.Step 7: Extend Offer and Role Profile (00:14:23)Discusses making the final offer, sometimes to multiple candidates, and ensuring clarity with a role profile document.Reflections and Closing Remarks (00:15:27)Josh reflects on the process's effectiveness, and both speakers conclude the episode.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites Upwork now Fiverr Online Jobs Indeed Criteria Corp Books and Case Studies Harvard Business Review Case StudiesTranscript:Chad 00:00:00 Why don't you go through the seven steps? Just kind of a broad view of the seven steps, and then we'll dive into each one individually. Awesome. All right.Josh 00:00:07 So there's seven main steps to hiring a effective a team player for your business. Number one is you've got to define the role and what success looks like. Number two you've got to set KPIs and identify what the day to day responsibilities and tasks are going to be. Number three, you've got to list the job and on multiple websites and promote it on multiple websites. Step number four is once you start receiving applicants, you need to have those applicants take assessments. Step number five you need to give those applicants that pass your assessments test projects to complete. And step number six, those people that pass your test projects that you give them. You need to actually do interviews with them. Okay. And during these interviews you'll be looking for a pattern of success in their career. We'll dive into all of these in more detail, but step number seven is to extend the offer in correlation with having them sign a role profile document so that everybody is on the same page in terms of what the expectations are, so that when they start, they understand that this is a probationary time.Josh 00:01:18 They've got to earn the job. Today I'm excited to introduce to you Chad Franzen. He is here with rise 25, who has done hundreds of interviews with successful entrepreneurs and CEOs. We have flipped the script and he will be interviewing me today.Chad 00:01:34 the last time we spoke, we spoke about kind of the some of the difficulties you had getting going with various things. And one of those things was hiring people and kind of hiring them into ambiguous roles. Now, I know the thing. The time period you talked about was a few years ago. You've certainly drilled that down. And we'd like to talk about maybe your hiring process this time.Josh 00:01:52 You've got to be able to clearly articulate what success looks like from the onset and also understand how. Why is that one of the most pressing issues in your business right now? Why are you hiring them? So that's the first step is is actually defining the role. So what does this mean? It means you need to go through and assess in your business where is your biggest bottleneck.Josh 00:02:15 And rather than just saying, hey, I look at all these other companies and everybody has, let's say an operations manager. Just because everybody else has an operations manager doesn't mean that that needs to be your first hire. So you do a two week time study where you're literally analyzing where you spend your time every 15 minutes of the day. This is even personal time and your working time. And then at the end of those two weeks, take a step back and then look at the results, right. Where are you spending most of your time? And if you can identify wow, I'm doing a lot of operational tasks. Well, maybe you need to hire a project manager or wow, I'm doing a lot of marketing tasks or I'm doing a lot of influence or partnerships or whatever that might be. If you can identify that that is where you begin to say, okay, it looks like this is where a lot of my time is going. If I can then replicate somebody else to be doing what I'm doing, at least 80% or better, look at how much time this is going to free up for myself.Chad 00:03:21 That kind of leads us into step two. Then set KPIs and day to day activities and responsibilities.Josh 00:03:27 The next step in step number two is actually defining how you're going to measure that success, right? Don't just say, well, you're you're running the business. Okay. What is that? What does that mean? Right. You're making sure all the projects get completed. The setting KPIs forces you to create measurable activities or events in your business. So for me, I listed one of our KPIs that I listed for our new VP of operations is that 90% of all of our team member KPIs, because every single one of our team members have their own KPIs. 90% of all of those team member KPIs that are reporting to him need to be green. Like we're meeting those targets and above, right? So that's very clear. Like it's not this hey, I need to make sure your team is performing well. It's it needs to be 90% of or above. And we get to measure this specifically every single week I can get a report and say, this week we're at 80%.Josh 00:04:27 All right. We got some room for improvement. This week we're at 95%. Okay, good. We're headed in the right direction. So KPIs are are super important. They've got to be measurable events.Chad 00:04:37 So step three then is listing the job on multiple sites. Are all these things that you have determined in that job posting or is that just handy to know when you've hired t...
For this time, your take-away is the first 3 points: 1. Define the reward 2. Consider the business 3. Understand the effort It's good to think about the effort needed for the reward you're after when choosing a business.
Send us a textIn this energizing episode of the Joey Pinz Discipline Conversations podcast, Joey talks with Scott Barlow, Global VP of MSP and Cloud at Sophos, about how MSPs are becoming the true frontline of cybersecurity—and what vendors must do to support them.
In this week's episode of the podcast, we dive deep into the tricky tightrope walk of balancing structure and flexibility at home—because let's be honest, parenting (and homeschooling) neurodivergent kids isn't for the faint of heart! This episode is your breathe-and-hit-reset permission slip. Here's a peek at what we covered: Structure is Comforting… Until It Isn't Structure helps our kids (and us!) feel safe. Predictable routines can seriously reduce anxiety, especially for those with executive functioning challenges, ADHD, autism, or sensory processing issues. But too much rigidity? It can spark rebellion, burnout, and meltdowns—especially with creative, passionate, gifted kids. What Does Flexibility Really Mean? Flexibility doesn't mean winging it! It means responsive teaching—letting your child's needs, interests, and even energy levels guide your day. I share my own family's rhythm, from color-coded calendars to built-in time for unexpected appointments and sibling support. Practical Strategies to Try Now Here are some actionable takeaways to help you find your family's sweet spot: Start with Your “Must Do's”: Define your “minimum viable day”—the simplest version of what needs to happen (e.g., a little reading, writing, and math). Ease into your routine and build up slowly. Anchors, Not Timetables: Instead of strict schedules, anchor your day around meals, read-alouds, or physical routines. Visual Tools & Ownership: Use checklists, whiteboards, or color-coded calendars so your kids know what's on deck. Support Executive Function: Scaffold routines gently and model breaking big tasks into small steps. Embrace Interest-Led Learning: Let your child's passions drive parts of the curriculum for greater engagement. Built-in Downtime: Everyone—including you!—needs breaks to recharge. You're Not Alone (Even When It Feels Like It) If your Instagram doesn't look like those homeschool highlight reels, that's normal. Messy days aren't failures—they're feedback. Looking for More Support? If you want ongoing resources, coaching, or community, check out the Learner's Lab or subscribe to our email list for info on upcoming small group cohorts for middle/high schoolers and executive function workshops. You're the perfect parent for your child—just as you are. Give yourself grace, celebrate the small wins, and remember: structure and flexibility are both just tools. Links and Resources from Today's Episode Thank you to our sponsors: CTC Math – Flexible, affordable math for the whole family! Night Zookeeper – Fun, comprehensive language arts for ages 6-12 Why Create a Schedule Command Center? Setting Up a Homeschool Schedule Executive Function Struggles in Homeschooling: Why Smart Kids Can't Find Their Shoes (and What to Do About It) Beating Homeschool Overwhelm With Heart and Flexibility Understanding Executive Function Skills in Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Children Strengthening Bonds | Building Family Routines and Rituals Changing Rhythms | Homeschooling in Sync with the Seasons A Thriving Homeschool | Strategies for Setting Boundaries
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