Podcasts about emotional connection

What do you think of this episode? Do you have any topics you'd like me to cover?First love can be immensely powerful; a profound and unforgetable journey that shapes who we are. It teaches us about intimacy, boundaries and heartbreak and as parents it challenges all of our skills and perceptions.In this episode my daughter, Phoebe, offered to talk about her first experience; what it taught her, how it changed her, and what she thinks adults need to understand to support their teen; particularly one who is same sex attracted. What I learned from our experience is that the most important thing is knowing your child is in a kind, honest, loving relationship. Phoebe reflects on the problems with the long-distance aspect of her relationship, the struggle to gain assertiveness, and the eventual breakup. The conversation also touches on the role of social media, the importance of closure, and the growth Phoebe experienced as a result of her experiences. TOP BREAK-UP TIPS:Provide time and space for your teenager to process the breakup without pressure.Avoid making judgmental comments about the ex-partner or trying to convince the teenager they are "better off".Support your teenager in finding healthy coping mechanisms, such as focusing on personal goals and interests.Encourage your teenager to set boundaries with the ex-partner, including unfollowing on social media, if needed for the healing process.Recognize that the healing process after a first love breakup can take significant time, often 6 months or more.Support the showThank you so much for your support. Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. I don't have medical training so please seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. My email is teenagersuntangled@gmail.com My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact us:www.teenagersuntangled.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/Susie is available for a free 15 minute consultation, and has a great blog:www.amindful-life.co.uk

In this episode Aaron and Sarahbeth Smith share insights to the 8 years of their marriage while answering the question: “What are things to do and not do as a young married couple in ministry?” (Submitted by: Jacob, 26, Texas)Check out our website, Thehandlebarpodcast.com for more information, merch, how to partner with us and more. You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thehandlebarpodcast

Summary In this episode of the Experience Strategy Podcast, hosts Aransas Savas, Joe Pine, and Dave Norton delve into the strategic genius of Taylor Swift, exploring how her approach transcends music to embody principles of experience strategy. They discuss her emotional connection with fans, authenticity, and the aspirational roles she plays for her audience, particularly young women. The conversation highlights the economic impact of her experiences and the lessons that can be drawn for businesses in the experience economy.   Takeaways Taylor Swift's success is rooted in her emotional connection with fans. Her strategies reflect core principles of innovation and experience strategy Authenticity is key to maintaining relevance and trust with consumers. Super consumers are emotionally connected and deeply involved with the experience. Taylor Swift's evolution showcases the importance of staying true to oneself while innovating. Mentorship and community are significant aspects of her appeal to young women. Experiential engagement creates lasting memories and connections for audiences. The economic impact of her tours demonstrates the value of experiences. Her collaborations highlight the balance between authenticity and innovation. Taylor Swift serves as a modern case study for experience strategy in action.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Experience Strategy Podcast 01:24 Exploring Taylor Swift's Strategic Genius 05:36 Emotional Connection and Authenticity in Experience 10:32 Principles of Authenticity and Evolution 15:28 Aspirational Jobs and Mentorship 20:05 Experiential Engagement and Economic Impact Read more here: https://hbr.org/2025/03/the-strategic-genius-of-taylor-swift Register for the free membership in the Collaboratives here: https://www.thecollaboratives.com/contest Sign up for the Experience Strategist Substack here:  https://theexperiencestrategist.substack.com    

I am so excited to have Kel Haney back on the podcast. She is a fundraising expert who knows firsthand how a simple five minute conversation can transform donor relationships and significantly boost engagement. In this episode, we're exploring the power of picking up the phone to grow mid-level donors. Discover practical strategies to build meaningful relationships with donors through phone calls, ensure effective follow-ups, and leave impactful voicemails.If you're ready to learn how to pick up the phone and watch your donor engagement level up, join us in this conversation.How a 5-Minute Fundraising Call Can Boost Mid-Level Donor Engagement - in this episode:[04:10] Identifying and engaging with mid-level donors[07:48] Key moments in an effective 5 minute fundraising call[12:34] Leading a phone call with curiosity[15:14] The value of a follow-up[19:17] Leaving impactful voicemails[23:17] Text messages versus phone calls[26:28] Implementing a successful phone call fundraising strategy[30:47] Tracking the success of a 5 minute fundraising callRESOURCESE51: The Art of Fundraising as a Relationship-Building Opportunity with Kel HaneyGift Range Chart: Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies to help nonprofit leaders turn visions into reality, and create meaningful impact As the fundraising engine of choice for over 80,000 organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox's easy-to-use fundraising tools help you raise more money in more ways. Seamlessly embed a customizable donation form into your website that reduces donor drop-off with a 4x faster checkout, launch a crowdfunding or peer-to-peer campaign, sell event tickets, raise funds on the go with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and much more. Learn more at donorbox.org The EmC Masterclass by Dr. Lola Gershfeld will help you enhance your communication skills to raise more revenue for your mission. This groundbreaking Emotional Connection process has been integrated into top universities' curriculum and recognized by international organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART to enjoy a -10%.CONNECT WITH HALEYHaley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. She founded The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business, and has experience with nonprofits in human services, homelessness, and youth sectors. Specializing in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, Haley is dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders to create thriving organizations.Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFREWebsite: thesavvyfundraiser.comProduced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of the On the Runs podcast, hosts Eric and Erika welcome Darren Roy, the resident DJ for Millennium Running. They discuss Darren's journey into the world of DJing, the challenges he faced, and the lessons learned along the way. The conversation also touches on the importance of passion, personal growth, and reflections on pop culture, including favorite TV shows and music. Listeners gain insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of running events and the role of music in creating an engaging atmosphere for participants. In this engaging conversation, DJ Darren Roy shares his journey from a novice DJ to a full-time professional, highlighting the importance of passion, community, and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating memorable experiences at running events. He discusses the dynamics of teamwork, the evolution of his DJing career, and the impact of music on runners, all while emphasizing the joy he finds in his work and the relationships he has built along the way.Thank you to Wrightsocks for supporting our podcast.My Race Tatts Affiliate Page - 15% of your purchase goes towards our TEAM FORCE Fundraising efforts for the NYC MarathonWrightsock Affiliate Page - 15% of your purchase goes towards our TEAM FORCE Fundraising efforts for the NYC MarathonChapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:59 Behind the Scenes of Millennium Running05:58 Darren's Journey into DJing08:52 The Challenges of Being a DJ11:50 Lessons Learned from Early Mistakes14:51 The Evolution of Music and DJing17:43 Memorable Moments and Experiences20:42 Reflections on Growth and Passion23:50 Family Life and Streaming Culture24:55 The Journey to Becoming a DJ26:39 Building a Career in DJing28:13 The Evolution of DJing and Sound Equipment29:46 The Importance of Community in Running Events32:29 Behind the Scenes of Race Events33:59 The Role of a DJ in Running Events36:06 Creating a Memorable Experience for Runners40:15 The Dynamics of Teamwork in Event Management43:54 The Impact of Music on Runners47:53 The Emotional Connection to Running Events50:10 Preparing for Upcoming Events54:47 The Journey to Full-Time DJing59:12 The Influence of Music on Generations01:03:27 The Future of DJing and Events01:07:30 The Passion Behind the Craft01:09:33 The Importance of ShaMy Race Tatts Affiliate Page - 15% of your purchase goes towards our TEAM FORCE Fundraising efforts for the NYC Marathon Wrightsock Affiliate Page - 15% of your purchase goes towards our TEAM FORCE Fundraising efforts for the NYC Marathon Eric's NYC Marathon Fundraiser - Team FORCE, a dynamic organization that supports the hereditary cancer community Erika's Chicago Marathon Fundraiser - for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in memory of her brother, Nick Strava GroupLinktree - Find everything hereInstagram - Follow us on the gram YouTube - Subscribe to our channel Patreon - Support usThreadsEmail us at OnTheRunsPod@gmail.com

David Priemer, Founder of Cerebral Selling and former Salesforce VP of Commercial Sales, blends science and empathy to transform sales leadership. A bestselling author and Adjunct Lecturer, David's work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and more. Known as the “Sales Professor,” he brings over 20 years of high-growth leadership experience to the conversation.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by David Priemer, author of Sell the Way You Buy and founder of Cerebral Selling. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of emotion and authenticity in modern sales. David breaks down how buyer decisions are emotionally driven, even in B2B, and how sales professionals can tap into that by being human, intentional, and genuinely curious. With insights from neuroscience and psychology, David explains how the best sellers aren't pitch machines, but emotional architects who create memorable buying experiences rooted in trust. This episode is a masterclass on connecting with your buyer's heart before asking for their wallet.KEY TAKEAWAYSFeelings Drive Buying Decisions: Customers make purchases based on emotional resonance, not just logic or features.Authenticity Builds Trust: Selling with empathy and authenticity helps establish credibility and long-term relationships.The Buying Experience Is the Product: The way a client feels during the sales process often matters more than the product itself.Embrace Curiosity: Asking better questions helps uncover emotional motivators and deepens connection.Sales as Emotional Engineering: Top sellers shape the emotional narrative of the buying journey. HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"Selling from the heart means selling with humanity and authenticity.""What are people actually buying? It's feelings.""The experience is the product.""Whether you believe or you don't, your customers can tell."

Have you ever wondered if what you're feeling is truly love or just a fleeting crush? Dr. Gabe dives into some real talk, breaking down the honest (and sometimes hilarious) signs that you might actually be in love.From embracing your partner's unfiltered “at home” look and surviving petty arguments to buying gifts just because you thought of them and even compromising on movie night—Dr. Gabe shares the little (and not so little) ways love shows up every day.Need relationship advice? Text Dr. Gabe. Text bandwidth to 94000 to stay up-to-date on all things Bandwidth.Gabriel Powell MerchUse the code BAND10 for 10% off.WebsiteSupport the Bandwidth PodcastCash App $bandwidthpodcastConnect with Bandwidth Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter Connect with Dr. GabeInstagram | YouTube | WebsiteIf you are interested in advertising on this podcast or having Dr. Gabe as a guest on your Podcast, Radio Show, or TV Show, reach out to info@gabrielpowell.co

Send us a textIn this episode of the Infinite Life with Katische Haberfield podcast, host Katische Haberfield interviews Liz Fiedler Mergen, a remarried widow, former nurse practitioner, and thriving flower farmer from Minnesota. Liz shares her transformative journey of resilience and reinvention, detailing how she turned a family farm into Sunny Mary Meadow, a successful flower farm and business. The episode touches on topics such as grief, entrepreneurship, and the logistical and emotional challenges faced while balancing a new marriage, raising children, and running multiple businesses. Liz also discusses her plans for expanding her business to include a community-focused event space and shares insights from her forthcoming memoir, 'Flowers Bloom Anyway.'Chapter Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Infinite Life with Katische Haberfield00:39 Season 13 Kickoff: Multidimensional Insights01:05 Meet Liz Fiedler Mergen: From Grief to Growth01:54 The Journey of Sunny Mary Meadow03:32 Why Flowers? The Economics and Joy of Flower Farming05:29 Navigating Challenges in Flower Farming07:17 The Emotional Connection to Flowers11:33 Personal Stories and Symbolism in Flowers20:53 Expanding the Flower Farm: New Ventures and Community Engagement25:39 Balancing Life: Motherhood, Business, and Writing31:27 Publishing Journey Begins32:27 Dealing with Grief and Loss32:57 Navigating Legal and Financial Challenges34:58 Balancing Work and Family Life42:20 Entrepreneurial Insights and Business Growth48:11 Finding Love Again57:32 Coping with Anxiety and Moving Forward59:44 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsBook a mediumship session with Katische and the Divine Beings of Light. This will give you clarity and wisdom beyond your conscious mind's understanding to bring forth miracles in your life in the area you most need it. Namaste. Listen all the way until the end for a special activation gift from Archangel Zadkiel.Support the showFind out more about Katische and book sessions at https://katische.com/ Connect with and follow Katische on Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, YouTube and Amazon

Send us a textWhat if the key to lifelong fitness had nothing to do with intensity, but everything to do with sustainability?In this episode, I sit down with David Amerland, author of the groundbreaking book Built to Last, to explore how we can make fitness a lasting part of our lives—without burnout, rigidity, or unrealistic expectations. David draws from his science and engineering background, martial arts training, and deep understanding of human behavior to deliver a customizable framework that adapts to your life, not the other way around.We discuss:Why modern fitness routines often fail—and what to do insteadHow small daily habits (like taking the stairs) compound into long-term resultsThe role of dopamine and emotional connection in staying consistentHow to build a personalized routine that fits your goals, schedule, and motivationWhy sustainability—not intensity—is the real secret to lifelong healthWhether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, this conversation will help you rethink what fitness really means—and how to make it work for your real life.Grab the book: Built to Last by David Amerland Connect with David: Instagram, LinkedIn, X (old Twitter)Subscribe and leave a review if this episode helped shift your mindset around health and consistency.

Are you pulling your hair out trying to motivate your kids? Do chores feel like a constant battle in your house? Is homework a never-ending saga of lollygagging and procrastination for you too? If so, then this episode of The Dad Edge is definitely for you. I'm revisiting one of our most popular Q&A sessions because it's packed with the kind of crowdsourced wisdom that can really help us crack the code on kid motivation. This Q&A was originally recorded a couple of years back, but the principles we shared then are still incredibly relevant today. I wanted to bring this one back because I'm getting ready to launch my fifth book, Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood. It's been a journey getting this book out, and some of the core ideas I've been exploring were definitely in the air during this original Q&A. And hey, if your marriage could use a boost too, check out: www.thedadedge.com/extraordinary-marriage In this deep dive into real-life parenting strategies, you and I, along with the guys from The Dad Edge Alliance, explore: Creating Connection Through Ownership and Structure: Practical ways to foster responsibility in your kids. Modeling Responsibility and Emotional Intelligence: How your own actions speak volumes at home. Gamifying Contributions and Chores: Making tasks engaging and less of a battle. The Balance Between Incentives and Expectations: Finding the right approach to motivation. Proactive Communication and Family Agreements: Eliminating power struggles before they begin. Later in the session, the conversation shifts to the bedrock of the family: Emotional Connection and Marriage: The vital role of intentional communication. Small Shifts, Big Impact: How subtle changes in posture can build psychological safety in your most important relationships. While some specific examples regarding children's ages or routines might be from the past, the core principles and actionable takeaways shared in this Q&A remain incredibly valuable for fathers navigating the daily challenges of raising motivated and responsible kids, and building a strong family foundation. This special "WINSday" edition is all about celebrating our members' successes and sharing the valuable lessons they've learned on their journey to becoming better dads. Sit back, tune in, and get ready to be motivated by the remarkable guests of the Dad Edge community. www.thedadedge.com/alliance www.1stphorm.com/dadedge

The power of creating the reputation you want to have.Whether you know it or not, you have a brand. What that brand is, says Lorraine Lee, doesn't happen by accident. “You can either form and create it, or you can let people define it for you.”A teacher, content creator, speaker, and author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence and Catapult Your Career, Lee helps people improve their communication presence and define their personal and professional brands. “Your brand is essentially your reputation,” she says. And while she acknowledges that “it can feel intimidating” to actively steer how we're perceived, her EPIC framework helps navigate this challenge by examining our Experiences, Personality, Identity, and Community.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Lee and host Matt Abrahams explore strategies for showing up memorably in both virtual and in-person settings. From crafting "unique and powerful introductions" to honing your online presence, Lee's practical advice shows how to communicate your brand in today's digital workplace.Episode Reference Links:Lorraine K. LeeLorraine's Book:  Unforgettable Presence Ep.6 Quick Thinks: Communicating and Leading VirtuallyEp.7 Quick Thinks: Use This Framework to Speak up in Virtual Meetings  Ep.31 Quick Thinks: How to Shine Online and Excel at Virtual Communication Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (01:53) - Tips for Virtual Presence (03:51) - Public Speaking Insights (06:36) - The Importance of Mentors & Sponsors (07:51) - Personal Branding on Social Media (10:26) - EPIC Career Brand Framework (12:51) - Unique & Powerful Introductions (15:06) - Conversational Threading (16:15) - Avoiding Resting Business Face (18:07) - The Final Three Question (22:08) - Conclusion  ********This Episode is brought to you by Strawberry.me. Get $50 off coaching today at Strawberry.me/smartBecome a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.  

keywordscybersecurity, leadership, startups, failure, vendor trust, HACKERverse, communication, investment, innovation, beginner's mindset, job search, LinkedIn, networking, AI, personal branding, cybersecurity, lifestyle polygraph, superheroes, career advice, mentorshipsummaryIn this episode of No Password Required, host Jack Clabby and co-host Kaylee Melton engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Mariana Padilla, co-founder and CEO of HACKERverse.AI. The discussion revolves around the importance of embracing failure as a learning opportunity, the role of leadership in fostering a positive work environment, and the challenges faced in the cybersecurity vendor landscape. Mariana shares her insights on the need for better communication in the industry and the importance of a beginner's mindset in driving innovation. The conversation also touches on the future of investment in cybersecurity and the necessity of rebuilding trust within the industry. In this engaging conversation, Mariana discusses the challenges of job searching in the current landscape dominated by AI and the importance of networking and personal branding. She emphasizes that building trust and connections is crucial in the cybersecurity field. The discussion transitions into a fun segment called the lifestyle polygraph, where Mariana shares her thoughts on superheroes and their relevance to personal and professional growth. The episode concludes with Mariana providing insights on how to connect with her and her work.takeawaysEmbracing failure is crucial for personal and professional growth.Leadership should focus on transparency and learning from mistakes.A beginner's mindset can lead to innovative solutions in cybersecurity.The cybersecurity industry struggles with communication and trust.Venture capital influences the direction of cybersecurity startups.Sustainable business practices are essential for long-term success.The sales process in cybersecurity needs to be more efficient.Understanding vendor interoperability is critical for security.Cybersecurity vendors must demonstrate product viability effectively.The industry must evolve to meet the rapid pace of technological change. You're competing against AI for some of these jobs.Networking is so, so, so important.The online application system has been dying for quite some time.Your personal brand matters and you have to have one.Conferences are a prime opportunity to peacock a little bit.Batman has real feelings and real demons.The correct answer is Star Trek.Margot Robbie, I really like her.You're on the fantasy cybersecurity squad.Come follow me on LinkedIn for lots of shenanigans.titlesEmbracing Failure in CybersecurityThe Importance of Leadership in StartupsInnovating with a Beginner's MindsetHACKERverse: Revolutionizing CybersecuritySound Bites"It's all about leadership and leading by example.""I think we have a gap here.""We should focus on sustainably built businesses.""It's just a bunch of nonsense.""Networking is so, so, so important.""Batman has real feelings and real demons.""The correct answer is Star Trek.""Margot Robbie, I really like her.""You're on the fantasy cybersecurity squad."Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cybersecurity Conversations02:00 Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity06:02 The Role of Leadership in Startups09:00 The Value of a Beginner's Mindset11:58 Understanding HACKERverse's Mission13:59 Challenges in the Cybersecurity Vendor Landscape17:08 Shaking Up the Status Quo in Cybersecurity21:52 The Future of Investment in Cybersecurity24:36 Navigating Job Searches in the Age of AI29:35 The Importance of Personal Branding30:23 Lifestyle Polygraph: Fun and Games39:05 Superheroes and Their Lessons43:45 Connecting with Mariana: Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Fussy Cutters Club podcast, host Ange Wilson engages in a delightful conversation with Suzanne Campion, exploring her journey into the world of quilting, fabric design, and the art of fussy cutting. They discuss the joy of using beautiful fabrics, the transition from hobby to business, and the influence of historical designs on modern quilting. Suzanne shares her insights on the importance of utilizing fabric to its fullest potential and reflects on her aspirations for future quilting projects. They discuss how quilting serves as a creative outlet and a connection to the past, while also reflecting on the impact of nature and personal experiences on their work. The dialogue highlights the beauty of color theory in quilting and the legacy of influential designers, culminating in a celebration of the art of quilting as a form of personal expression.

Most men think they've got sex all figured out… but what if that confidence is exactly what's keeping them from mind-blowing connection? In this candid and wildly eye-opening episode of the Sex and Bacon podcast, Sarah is joined by Dallas Bluth, founder of Black Box Dating, to explore why so many men misunderstand what truly turns women on—and how they can flip the script for good. From porn culture and rushed foreplay to emotional unavailability and outdated masculinity myths, this convo dives into the core of male sexuality, desire, and how to create actual intimacy (that leads to the hottest sex of your life).

If you're a true music fan, you know the best songs are the ones that speak to your soul, and Las Vegas artist Kuttup is doing just that. On this electrifying episode of Music Monday, we sit down with Kuttup to uncover her journey into the music industry and what makes her style impossible to replicate. From her raw lyrics to her captivating stage presence, Kuttup is proving why she's one of the realest voices in the game right now. And to top it off, she takes the stage to perform her hit single, “What It Comes To.” Follow Kuttup: Instagram: @itskuttup TikTok: @kuttupmusic Stream her music on all platforms: Kuttup

In this conversation, Jason Martinkus discusses the evolution of his marriage coaching practice, Redemptive Living, focusing on the shift from sobriety to emotional work in recovery. He shares insights from his personal journey of overcoming betrayal and the importance of character change, particularly humility, in the recovery process. The discussion also covers how to measure progress in recovery, emphasizing the difference between streaks and trends, and the significance of integrating data with emotional understanding in personal growth. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the importance of emotional connection in relationships, particularly in the context of recovery from infidelity. They discuss the need to meet emotions with empathy rather than data, the dynamics of emotional and physical affairs, and the significance of understanding core wounds. The concept of the 'grieving boat' is introduced to illustrate the challenges faced during recovery, and the distinction between shame and conviction is explored. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the importance of building trustworthiness through character development and connection.   Got a Question? It Could Be on the Podcast! Submit It Through This Form Find Out More About My DeepClean Recovery Program Here Get A Free Copy of The Last Relapse, A Blueprint For Recovery Watch Sathiya on Youtube For More Content Like This   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Redemptive Living 03:11 Shifts in Recovery Focus 06:09 The Journey of Marriage Restoration 08:57 Character Change and Humility 11:51 Measuring Recovery Progress 15:01 Data vs. Emotion in Recovery 28:57 Emotional Connection vs. Data Response 31:07 The Role of Empathy in Relationships 32:50 Understanding Emotional and Physical Affairs 36:34 Embracing Core Wounds 39:29 The Grieving Boat Concept 45:55 The Importance of Connection in Recovery 51:15 Shame vs. Conviction 52:42 Building Trustworthiness in Relationships  

Hey Friends~  Boys communicate, process emotions, and navigate the world differently—but how can we support them in becoming emotionally healthy men?  Dr. Richelle Whitaker, educational psychologist and host of The Raising Sons Podcast, shares practical strategies for connecting with boys, fostering open communication, and guiding them through emotional growth.  From “windshield time” to movement-based conversations, we explore what really works.  Plus, the truth about common misconceptions and why middle schoolers need more guidance, not less. Always cheering you on!  Dinalynn CONTACT the Host, Dinalynn:  hello@thelanguageofplay.com   ABOUT THE GUEST:   Dr. Richelle Whittaker is a speaker, educational psychologist, parent advisor, and host of the Raising Sons podcast. As a heart-centered leader, she is passionate about helping families win. Her work equips and empowers parents/caregivers with tools to close learning gaps, find work-life harmony, and maintain mental wellness. She enjoys creating a space to help parents/caregivers explore tough topics and navigate solutions. At its core, Dr. Whittaker's work is about advocacy – being a voice and creating the space for families to thrive. CONTACT THE GUEST:   drrichelle@richellewhittaker.com Podcast: Raising Sons podcast Website: www.richellewhittaker.com IG: @dr_richelle YouTube: @drrichellewhittaker TikTok: @drwhittaker1   YOUR NEXT STEPS: FREEBIES:    Sign up for the Newsletter:  https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/newsletter-optin 5 Ways To Get Your Kids To Listen Better: https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/7ca5ce43-d436ea91 21 Days of Encouragement:  https://dinalynnr.systeme.io/1-21signup To discuss how we can work together:  https://calendly.com/hello-play/strategy-session   Love this podcast?   LEAVE A REVIEW:  https://lovethepodcast.com/play FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE IN 1-CLICK: https://followthepodcast.com/play Have a Comment or Question?   LEAVE A VOICE MESSAGE:  https://castfeedback.com/play   For Workshops, Speaking Events, or Partnerships:  https://calendly.com/hello-play/discovery-session ** For Speaking Engagements, Workshops, or Parent Coaching (virtual or live), contact me at hello@thelanguageofplay.com   IF YOU LIKED THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL WANT TO LISTEN TO THESE EPISODES: 201 Leroy Slanzi: Using Free Play And Structured Play With Intention To Develop Emotional Regulation 189 Your Child Is A Gestalt Language Learner? Uses Echolalia? 4 Tips To Help Expand Interactive Skills 184 Do Your Habits Reduce Your Child's Need To Speak? 4 Strategies To Build Opportunities For Communication Growth 183 Jeaneen Tang: Play Dumb & Sabotage! An Effective Way To Mindfully Expand Language 181 Gwen: Want Words To Replace Screaming In Your 1 Year Old? Listen To This Success Story!

In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, host Dr. Hemma Lomax sits down with strategist, author, and culture designer Amy J. Wilson to explore how compliance professionals can become catalysts for culture change, not just enforcers of rules. Together, they unpack what it really takes to evolve workplace culture from the inside out. Amy brings 20+ years of cross-sector experience—from serving as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow to founding Culture Shift Studio and Healing for Work. She's the author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World, a book that reframes empathy as a practical tool for systems change and leadership. Listen in as Amy shares: How to shift from “Old Power” mandates to “New Power” movements The real reason why 70% of change initiatives fail (hint: it's not a policy problem) The four pillars of successful culture movements: Emotional Connection, Grassroots Energy, Influence Over Enforcement, and Authenticity How compliance and culture must work together to build ethical, resilient workplaces Her signature framework, the Thriving Together Method, and how it helps organizations move from Awareness to Accountability Whether you're a compliance officer, people leader, or culture champion, this conversation will challenge how you think about influence, leadership, and lasting change. Highlights from the Episode: A White House Fellow's view on what makes change stick Why compliance should be participatory, not just punitive How psychological safety fuels ethical behavior Reframing compliance as a shared responsibility across the organization Practical steps to start building a culture movement within your team Resources: Amy's website: amyjwilson.com Empathy for Change(book): com/empathyforchange Thriving Together Method: com/empathyactionlab Amy on LinkedIn: com/in/realamyjwilson Newsletter: Empathy in Action Harvard Business Review article: “Changing Company Culture Requires a Movement, Not a Mandate”by Bryan Walker and Sarah A. Soule About Amy J. Wilson Amy J. Wilson is a nationally recognized leader in organizational transformation, specializing in emotional intelligence, systems strategy, and culture design. Amy is the founder of Culture Shift Studio, a consulting practice that partners with purpose-driven leaders to co-create emotionally intelligent, participatory, and values-aligned organizational cultures. She also leads Healing for Work, a workplace well-being initiative that supports individuals and teams in recovering from burnout, building emotional resilience, and fostering cultures of mutual care. Together, these two offerings form a holistic ecosystem—helping organizations not only evolve their structures and strategies, but also heal the human experience at work. Amy previously served as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, where she co-authored the Innovation.gov Toolkit and led the Better Government Movement, engaging thousands of public servants in redesigning institutional culture. She is also the author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World, a guidebook for changemakers committed to leading with care, clarity, and courage.

In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, host Dr. Hemma Lomax sits down with strategist, author, and culture designer Amy J. Wilson to explore how compliance professionals can become catalysts for culture change, not just enforcers of rules. Together, they unpack what it really takes to evolve workplace culture from the inside out. Listen in as Amy shares: ·  How to shift from “Old Power” mandates to “New Power” movements ·  The real reason why 70% of change initiatives fail (hint: it's not a policy problem) ·  The four pillars of successful culture movements: Emotional Connection, Grassroots Energy, Influence Over Enforcement, and Authenticity ·  How compliance and culture must work together to build ethical, resilient workplaces ·  Her signature framework, the Thriving Together Method, and how it helps organizations move from Awareness to Accountability Whether you're a compliance officer, people leader, or culture champion, this conversation will challenge how you think about influence, leadership, and lasting change. Highlights from the Episode: ·  A White House Fellow's view on what makes change stick ·  Why compliance should be participatory, not just punitive ·  How psychological safety fuels ethical behavior ·  Reframing compliance as a shared responsibility across the organization ·  Practical steps to start building a culture movement within your team Resources: ·  Amy's website: www.amyjwilson.com ·  Empathy for Change (book): amjywilson.com/empathyforchange ·  Thriving Together Method: amjywilson.com/empathyactionlab ·  Amy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/realamyjwilson ·  Newsletter: Empathy in Action ·  Harvard Business Review article: “Changing Company Culture Requires a Movement, Not a Mandate” by Bryan Walker and Sarah A. Soule Biography Amy J. Wilson is a nationally recognized leader in organizational transformation, specializing in emotional intelligence, systems strategy, and culture design. Amy is the founder of Culture Shift Studio, a consulting practice that partners with purpose-driven leaders to co-create emotionally intelligent, participatory, and values-aligned organizational cultures. She also leads Healing for Work, a workplace well-being initiative that supports individuals and teams in recovering from burnout, building emotional resilience, and fostering cultures of mutual care. Together, these two offerings form a holistic ecosystem—helping organizations not only evolve their structures and strategies, but also heal the human experience at work. Amy previously served as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, where she co-authored the Innovation.gov Toolkit and led the Better Government Movement, engaging thousands of public servants in redesigning institutional culture. She is also the author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World, a guidebook for changemakers committed to leading with care, clarity, and courage.

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter  or Bluesky for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcast.Competition ends on 21st May 2025. The winner will be contacted via Bluesky. Show references: Museum Wales website: https://museum.wales/Big Pit National Coal Museum: https://museum.wales/bigpit/Catherine Pinkerton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-pinkerton-b1905a110/Catherine Pinkerton is the Group Retail Manager at Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales.Having worked in senior management positions for some of the high street's most recognisable brands such as Harrods, Selfridges, Dior and Guerlain to name but a few, Catherine spent 20+ years in London building her management career. Catherine is now the Group Retail Manager for Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales). She is responsible for the management of all aspects of retail operations and development, across the national museums of Wales. Catherine is currently leading on a transformation project to create immersive retail experiences in each of the museum shops, reflecting the visitor experience and collections of each of the varied museums.Guests Also Featured in This Episode:Anya Kirkby, Freelancer - Anya Kirkby Ltd – Product Development and Graphic Design anyakirkby@gmail.comArantxa Garcia, Freelancer - Exibeo VM Creative Studio – Shop Design and Visual Merchandising Arantxa@exhibeovm.co.ukNia Elias, Director Relationships and Funding, Amgueddfa Cymru nia.elias@museumwales.ac.ukGuy Veale, Freelancer – Freelancer - Sound artist/designer - gbveale@gmail.comAmy Samways, Shop Supervisor, Amgueddfa Cymru - amy.samways@museumwales.ac.ukKate Eden, Chair, Amgueddfa Cymru - Members of Board | Museum Wales Transcriptions: Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue. I'm your host, Paul Marden. So today you join me on the top of a mountain in Blaenavon in Wales at Big Pit, the National Mining Museum. I'm here today for a really special event. I've been invited to the opening of Big Pit's new Museum Retail experience, which is a programme of work that's being done by the Museums Wales Group to improve the sense of place and the sense of feeling for what could be a blueprint for the rest of the group. We're going to be joined by a number of different people that have taken part in the project and without further ado, let's get started on our tour of Big Pit. Catherine Pinkerton: Morning, everybody. Hello, welcome. It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you all today and I know there's been a lot of you'd have travelled far and wide, so thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate you coming to see the amazing store that we've created and I hope you love it. We're just going to cut the river now. Paul Marden: First up I've got Catherine Pinkerton, Group Head of Retail at Museum Wales. Catherine, welcome to Skip the Queue. Catherine Pinkerton: Thank you very much. Thank you so much for having me. Paul Marden: Absolute pleasure. And this is a corker of an episode. I think everybody is going to be really interested in finding out about the retail, the gift shop experience that you guys have introduced at Big Pit and then you're going to go wider into. Into Museums Wales. This is a really weird episode because you and I are recording the morning after the day before. So yesterday was the big launch event and I was with you at Big Pit and I've met lots and lots of people and we're going to cut to them throughout the episode and hear from those people that were taking part in the project. But you and I have got the benefit of having enjoyed yester today's event and we can look back on what that experience was like and talk a little bit about the project. Paul Marden: Before we do that, I think it would be really lovely for you to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about Museums Wales and Big Pit specifically. Catherine Pinkerton: Absolutely. Okay. So I'm Catherine Pinkerton. So I head up all of the retail stores within Amgueddfa Cymru, which is National Museums of Wales. I've been with the museum just under three years and I'm good that Cymru hosts seven sites. It's an incredible establishment to be part of and I think, you know, coming from a very commercial background, this is very different for me, but I think it's given me lots of insights into bringing kind of. Lots of. Kind of different skill sets, I guess, to this cultural sector. I think when I first initially joined Amgueddfa Cymru, there were lots of challenges. And that's not to say that we still have those challenges as they are in many of our museums. And I think coming from a retail background, it's. It's looking at something that's not. That's commercial, Paul.Catherine Pinkerton: That's key. But actually, how can we make it very collection and story based on our amazing assets that we hold within our museums? And I think that I felt was probably the biggest thing that was missing because I thought we've got these amazing exhibitions, these amazing collections, amazing, you know, opportunities, and how are we putting that into the retail structure and how do we offer that to us, you know, to our visitors? And I think. I think sometimes it may be. Have forgotten that you go around these amazing spaces and it's very based on that visitor focus and how can we make that visitor feel very happy and engaged. But actually the end part of that process is nearly always coming through, exiting through the retail space. Right. Catherine Pinkerton: And if they've had this amazing opportunity to go and, you know, a lot of investment in these amazing spaces, and then they come through that retail space which has some elements, but not all of what our collections hold, there's a confusion there. You know, that end piece. And for me, customer service and visitor experience is absolutely key to how they. How they finish and how they end their day. And if they're ending their day with something, oh, okay, I'll just have a magnet then. Because there's nothing really else here. Yeah, that pains me. That really hurts me. I think, come on, guys, we can do better than this. We are in an element of. We have our own assets, our own elements to be able to kind of display that. Catherine Pinkerton:  And I think very much it would be very easy and to take the kind of easy road of having, you know, let's. Let's pop a dragon on a mug and yeah, we're a Welsh museum. No, we're not. We have assets here. We have beautiful exhibitions, we have beautiful spaces. And actually looking from further afield into. In terms of an emotional connection. And I think, you know, for me, from all of my past kind of previous work, I'm working with Amgueddfa Cymru. It's probably been the most challenging to get perhaps senior management to understand a crazy way of Catherine Pinkerton working into a. What's emotional retail? What does emotive selling mean? This lady is crazy. What's she talking about? But actually, it's really basic, isn't it? Catherine Pinkerton: Because for me, if I take my daughter or my husband to any kind of day trip, I want to take something emotional that I've connected with home with me, and that's so simple. But actually, sometimes it's not thought about in that way. And, you know, for me, I'm all about the emotional connection. And I think we put so much investment in curatorial teams to kind of give that to our visitors. We need to end that. That end part is so important for them to finish, you know, that journey with that emotional connection that they can take home as a souvenir. So, yeah, I've probably said more than I needed to there, Paul, but.Paul Marden: Absolutely. So I think you're capturing the need to curate the. The ending experience because, you know, the nature of. The nature of people's memory is they remember the beginning and they remember the end and the bit that is in the middle is hugely important to the storytelling experience they have whilst they're at the attraction. But if you don't end on a high, then their emotional connection to you and the space and the stories they've heard is not going to be as impactful for them. Catherine Pinkerton:  Absolutely, totally agree. I think it's really key, and not just in the kind of, you know, the cultural sector, but in any sector, really. I think it's really important that connection is instant, really, because that is what you need to. That's the hook, isn't it, of getting that person, you know, and. And actually understanding what the visitor needs. I mean, it's very easy for me to say on a personal level, I'd love to have this collection of products within the shop, but actually, that's not what data tells us. That's not what our demographic tells know, you know. And they are the ones that are important. Our local communities, our demographic is key for us to be successful. Paul Marden: You know, so one of the things that I took from yesterday was the importance that you were moving away from being just any other generic Welsh gift shop to being a gift shop associated with the place. Yeah, that. That's the. That was the nub of I think, what you were trying to get to how do you go about doing that? How did you make it feel so much like a gift shop? About Big Pit? Catherine Pinkerton: It's taken a process of really pulling everything back and getting under the skin, what is the detail and the personality of the site. But actually it's talking to people and being humour. And Paul, you know, I think, very much, as I say, it'd be very ignorant for me to say this is what I think will work. And that's absolutely not what we want. What we want is for the visitors to say, I really. I mean, what was really interesting, actually, is that we did quite a lot of data analysis in terms of the demographics of customers that come through our sites. But also what was really key is areas of the sites that were really kind of, you know, three key areas that they really enjoyed or they really loved. Catherine Pinkerton:  And actually, one of the top ones was the pit ponies that they all love the pit ponies, they love talking about it, they love the stories that the mining team would talk about. It was a really inspiring, you know, inspirational moment for them to think, oh, my gosh, the pit ponies lived underground. This is really so, you know, I think in some respects that was probably missed in terms of our retail offer, because what we did after that is that we had a workshop with all our retail team and we almost did a little bit like a Dragon's Den effect. We said, right, these are the products that we have, right? Can you pick up out of these products, which products represent the pit ponies? Which products represent the shower rooms? Catherine Pinkerton: And actually, when you're talking to the teams in kind of a literal sense, there wasn't a lot within our retail offer that we already had. And I think it was a bit of a light bulb moment, really, for the retail team and said, “Oh, Kath. Right, I see, Yeah, I understand what you mean.” That's not represented in our retail offer. So what's represented currently was wonderful things and lots of Welsh kind of products. But actually, what. What makes that relatable to our site? And so I think what I wanted to do originally is just go on a journey and to kind of really, from a very basic stage, is understand what the site's POS was and actually understand what their personality was and what the curatorial team were trying to push forward as being their identity. Catherine Pinkerton:  And I think once we got the identity, we then broke that down into themes in terms of there's pit ponies. That's a huge part of the, you know, the exhibition. The other huge part of the exhibition were the canaries. So, you know, that was something that was talked about. There's a huge story around that. And then, you know, the kind of mining history and the community was massive. And actually that element was so important to me and the retail team to make sure that we got right. Because this is history, right? And this is. I come from both my grandparents were miners. So for me it was very much a, you know, a very emotional time for me to make sure that we got it right and that it was respectfully done. Catherine Pinkerton:  So that was really key in terms of how do we deliver this. That's really. That we are not stepping on people's toes. We're not profiting from something that was, you know, the strike range is very significant within what we've offered, but we really wanted to make sure that was respectful and that it was done in a tasteful way that people felt they could take a souvenir away, but know that was actually part of the exhibition. So it was those kind of areas that we really wanted to work. So once we have those themes in place in terms of what those looked like, it was then developing that and how do we develop that into an actual concept? Paul Marden: Yeah, and you've drawn in lots of people. You've already mentioned the kind of wide team that you brought in from Big Pit itself, but from the wider team in the group. Talk a little bit about what that experience has been like as a team. Who have you brought into this? Catherine Pinkerton:  So originally, when we wrote the retail concept and the retail strategy, you obviously have to kind of involve quite a lot of internal candidates to be able to allow them to believe that this journey and vision is a good one. And I'm super thankful. I've got the most amazing manager, Marc Simcox. He's the head of enterprises and he is incredible. He's very commercial, but very trusting in terms of understanding what the business should look like and actually giving that freedom to say, yeah, I think this can work. Kath. So you, you go ahead and that. That's huge. Right. We're not talking about a small project here. So that firstly was great for me. And then I think having the, you know, the opportunity to be able to get some key people. Catherine Pinkerton: And Matthew Henderson we've worked with previously and we've, you know, I knew straight away, for me, Matthew Henderson has gotten. Got a very unique way of working and we work very well together. We've got quite similar kind of ways of working, but I think that development and concept phase is really key and I think it really got to the point where we just sat in a room and kind of really understood what are we trying to achieve here, how can we achieve that? And really just making it very basic in terms of the key themes. And then in terms of product development, we brought on Anya Kirkby. So she is an illustrator and a very clever lady indeed. And we have worked with lots of illustrators and lots of suppliers over the years. Catherine Pinkerton: But what we wanted something for Big Pit was to be quite different in terms of the illustration and the product development. Because what we wanted to deliver with Big Pit was something that had been my vision since the very beginning when I started with Amgueddfa Cymru. And that is, you know, going into the shop and having those guidelines, you know, pricing guidelines, information guidelines, those small details which would probably mean nothing to the average person walking through, but actually a price ticket on something that's been illustrated pains me to see, because the work that's gone on behind that is so key. Catherine Pinkerton: And, you know, for most people not understanding that a price ticket on that is so I think those details are really key, Paul, and I think she really worked stringently with me to make sure that was, was, that was kind of a massive aspect of that role. And then Arantxa Garcia, who is just the most incredible designer. She's, she's a genius in what she does. She's incredibly creative and sometimes you have to kind of pull her back and say, okay, you want this? Okay, can you deliver this rancher? Paul Marden: Yeah. Catherine Pinkerton: And what was really interesting with a rancher is that, you know, she's got a huge, amazing CV of working with lots of people within the cultural sector and designing amazing, incredible pieces. But I think were very nervous because the, the original kind of renders that she sent through to us were quite amazing and impressive. And I said, arantha, are you able to deliver this under the kind of, you know, the budget? We've got a tight budget here. Paul Marden: That's the challenge, isn't it? Catherine Pinkerton: I mean, isn't it? Paul Marden: You do not want to be paying, you don't want to be offered the picture of a Maserati when you have got a Ford Fiesta budget, do you need to know that you can afford it. Catherine Pinkerton: Absolutely. And I think with Aranta, she was very, again, super creative lady. And I think I, as soon as I saw that image, I did say to her, right, you need to deliver this now. You've, you've committed to it, Arantia, so this needs to happen. And then finally, Richard Evans, who has, is hugely respected in the cultural sector and he really supported in terms of project management and the, you know, I hate to say this, and you won't mind me saying this, but the kind of boring kind of financial Gantt charts and keeping me in line actually. Right, Cath, we haven't got a budget for that. You can't spend that. Come on, Richard, make it work. Move some things around, you know. Catherine Pinkerton: So I think that was kind of the main area and then internally, Tracy Lucas, who was kind of my right hand woman, is our operations manager within Amgueddfa Cymru and she really supported me along with Amy, the shop manager, shop supervisor to really look at the product development. So I think, you know, and I think it was really nice actually to have them on board because I think it gave an opportunity for them to see what could be. And I think, you know, definitely in terms of retail, it's been an opportunity for us to be able to say, look, this, the impossible can be possible. Catherine Pinkerton: Actually this is an amazing project and I think what was really incredible is that when we decided to work on Big Pit, the Big Pit team and all of the mining team actually just came on board, Paul, they took it on board and I think the reason why they did that is that one of the mining teams said to me, he said, kath, you know, we never get any funding here. It's always in this big cities, you know, we, the Cardiff and it's never here, you know, we're just in the middle of nowhere. And I was like, absolutely not. That is not what this is about. It's about, you know, making sure that the community in that area is solid. Catherine Pinkerton: And I think the mining industry and they're very proud of that in terms of who works there, they're incredibly proud of what they do. And so because we chose that as our first project, they were so helpful in terms of, yeah, we're going to make this work, let's make it a success. Cath, how can we do that? What do you need from me? I mean at one point we had two of the mining staff pulling one of the drums which we upcycled out of it was like a lake or, yeah, I suppose a lake with a tractor. And I was like, this is crazy. This is crazy but just amazing that these team members are willing to do above and beyond to kind of go and help and support.Catherine Pinkerton: Dwayne Smith, finally I have to mention him because he went above and beyond. He, he's an electrical engineer for Amgueddfa Cymru and no feat was kind of Too hard for him. He helped us massively. He's got a huge team of people and anything that we needed done, I'm not, you know, I'm not a trades person, so anything Trady. I was like, Dwayne, yeah, I'm on it, Kath, I'll do it. Which is great because I was like, okay, yes, that was massively helpful, but huge learning curve, Paul. I feel I've never been so excited about drums in my entire working career as I am now. Paul Marden: And I never heard of one until yesterday. But what I found interesting was you see them all the way through the underground experience. I went down in the. The cage to the bottom of the pit head, did the whole tour. You talk about these drams and the importance of them and the transportation of the coal from throughout the mine back up to the top. And then you walk into the shop and it's subtle. The way that you've blended the museum into the shop is a subtle experience. It doesn't feel, it doesn't feel crude. But you've got a dram in the middle of the workshop. Now, I know it's a real one because we talked about it yesterday and I know the pains that you went through, but it's very subtle placed in there so that it doesn't feel crude. Paul Marden: It doesn't feel like you're trying to overwork the metaphor of the mine in the shop. It's very cleverly done. Catherine Pinkerton:  Oh, that's great, great, great to hear. Because that's absolutely what we did not want. And I think in terms of visual merchandising, actually, and picking up on your point there, is that it's very easy for us and this is something that we're doing in a different shop. It's very easy for us to look at some of our assets and pop them on a tote bag and say, there you go, that's done, we'll sell that. But actually, no, what can we do that's different? That's more kind of innovative? That's more creative. That is a hint or perhaps an opportunity for us to show and display something that is. Is then part of the visitors question. So when they're coming into store and they're speaking to our retail teams, they're questioning, is this a real drum? Catherine Pinkerton:  You know, and that is a conversation opener, isn't it? You know, and I think Kerry Thompson, who is the curator for Big Pit, he's a really inspiring man. I could listen to him all day. And he told me lots about kind of the drums and the history of Big Pit and the strikes. He's such an interesting man, but I think having the inspiration from him allowed us to make sure that we did it not in a crude way, actually, Paul, but that it was representative of the site, but not in a way that's, I guess, too obvious, you know. Paul Marden: Look, Kath, we could carry on talking for ages, but let's cut at this point to hear about some of the voices from the team that you worked with, your internal team, some of the partners that you worked with, about the experiences that they've had on the project. Paul Marden: So let's hear from some of the internal team members involved in the project. Firstly, we have Amy Samways, the retail supervisor at Big Pit, followed by Kate Eden, the chair of Museum Wales. And lastly, Nia Elias, the Director of Relationships and Funding at the Museum of Wales. Hey, Amy, how you doing? Lovely to meet you. What's your role at the museum, Amy? Amy Samways: I'm the shop supervisor for Big Pit. Paul Marden: What have you been doing in this whole project? I guess you've been integral to the whole kind of making it all about the place. Amy Samways: Yeah, so I've worked with Anya, who did all the products for the new shop. So we walked around all the exhibitions. We did a lot of underground visits and a lot of museum visits and just put things together. I've done a lot of work before this project for the last two years to try and get things more relevant to us and not just a Welsh souvenir shop. So a lot of those products stayed and then we just expanded them then. Paul Marden: So how do you go about looking for those products that make it local to here? Amy Samways: Well, we've got a fantastic exhibition at the top of the hill. We've got obviously our ex miners and we also have a lot of events through the times as well. So this year was a lot about the strike because obviously it's the 40th anniversary and we've got a massive exhibition down in Cardiff and also there's a smaller one up year as well. So we just walked through the museum and obviously, you know that disasters are obviously a big issue. We didn't want to make a big issue about those, but obviously they need. They're part of history, aren't they? So more books. We made sure we had books around that. And as you walk through, there's a lot of signs that the staff liked as well, because a lot of our guys have been done about the new projects with those as well on. Paul Marden: So do you then go looking for local suppliers to help you with that? And where do you find those? Amy Samways: Etsy, Facebook. Paul Marden: Oh, really? Amy Samways: Yeah, a lot of them. And also online. And then we've also. Because we work with a lot of suppliers as well, I'll say we need this and then they'll say, oh, you should ask so and so, and then we'll go and ask both. Paul Marden: Brilliant. So one of the things that's really interested me this year is talking to people that are running museum retail and that kind of process that goes from you as a buyer, having an idea, what do you want? How do you stock the shop? I think is really interesting process to go through, but flip it on the other side, as a local creator, you've got your thing and you want it in the shop. How do you get it found? Well, yeah, sticking it on Etsy is something that they're going to do, but then that might help them get into the museum. Amy Samways: Even if there is something that we want. Like at the minute, we're looking for NCB soap. Paul Marden: For what? Amy Samways: NCB soap. Paul Marden: What's that? Amy Samways: It's either bright green or bright pink and they used to buy it in the canteen shop and it's just imprinted with NCB. The guides have been asking and asking for it, but we have actually found a supplier now who's going to be working on it. So that should be coming this summer. Paul Marden: Wowzers. Amy Samways: Yeah. That's really exciting for you. Paul Marden:  What was the highlight? What's the one thing about this space, about the whole experience of the project. Amy Samways: That jumps out for me is seeing all the stock we've worked on and somebody actually buying it. Paul Marden:  And what is it that people are picking up? What are they walking in and gravitating to? Amy Samways: Anything Big pet, really. The little enamel little mugs have gone really well. I think the wording on those are great because it says they must not be removed from the premises. So our guides are loving those. And also our retro sign, which we had for our 40th anniversary and three years ago, but we kept it because it's such a brilliant design. It was the original from 1983 and it was on the original road sign as you drove in. So we've had that recreated and that sells really well. Paul Marden:  That's really interesting. So my wife with the family about 25, 30 years ago, came on a family holiday and they had the original guidebook that they picked up when they were here with the kind of the retro. Retro signage on there. Amy Samways: Yeah, we're back selling it again. Kate Eden: Yes, So my name's Kate Eden. I'm chair of the board of Amgueddfa Cymru. Paul Marden:  Tell me a little bit about your involvement in this project. Kate Eden:  As the board, we've been tracking the development of commercial and enterprises over the past year. Really. And really thrown our way, weight and support behind what the team has been trying to do here as a kind of flagship, really, for what we would all like the new benchmark to be across all of the seven sites of anger for Cymru. So seeing it all come together this morning has just been such a special experience. It's absolutely fantastic. I'm going to bring the rest of the board here as soon as I can so the trustees can see this and see the reaction of staff and of visitors as well, because it's a fabulous achievement and it shows us what we can do now as a national museum. Paul Marden: How well does it tie back into the original pitch at trustees? So I'm a trustee of a charity as well. The pressures that we're all under in terms of reducing funding and having to generate our own funding is so hugely important. This must be integral to the conversations that you were having as trustees. Did you have this in mind when you were signing off the agreement to spend the money? Kate Eden: Yeah. So I don't think anybody realised just how successful this could be. We'd had some mock ups and we'd had a presentation, so there was a lot of excitement and there was sort of the fledgling idea years. So we've got a sense of what it could be. But I think importantly for us, it's about that marriage of financial sustainability because it's got to wash its face, it's got to provide a working profit that can go back into the running of Big Pit here.Kate Eden: But it's got to be authentic to this place. It can't be the add on the visitor should shop that you walk through at the end. And it's a bit of a tedious thing to get back to the car park. It's got to be an integral part of the whole visitor experience in this place. And I think that's what they've achieved. Paul Marden: It's so impressive. So impressive. You know, just the structure that they've built to give you the impression of the mine in a really subtle way. The product that they've chosen, the way that they've laid out that, the shop is amazing. I think they've done an amazing job. Kate Eden: That's it. I mean, this is my local site. Paul Marden: Okay. Kate Eden: I live about three miles over the mountain there. So I bring my friends and family here. This is our go to place when I've got visitors. And I think just the way they've opened up the room, they've removed the barriers, which is really important. It's a small thing, but really important so that people feel welcome. They can walk in or they can walk ground. Paul Marden: Yep. Kate Eden: And it's. And it just feels a little bit more inclusive. It feels a bit more kind of, you know, we're here, it's easy to come and see us, you know, and spend time and then spend a little. Paul Marden: A little bit of money. Yeah. So where do we go from here as trustees? Are you fully behind rolling this out now? Kate Eden: Yeah, I mean, I think now that we've seen what we can do and the type of data that's coming through from sales, this is now the new. This is the bar. Paul Marden: Oh. So it has made a discernible difference to say. Kate Eden: So early data from Easter is really promising. Yeah. So this is the benchmark now from all of the other sites. Nia Elias: Hi, Paul. Hi, I'm Nia. Paul Marden: Lovely to meet you. Tell me about your role at the museum. Nia Elias: I am Director of Relationships and Funding. It basically means I get to work with all of the teams across the museum that work on the reputation, the reach, but also the revenue of this wonderful charity and national museum that we are. Because as well as getting funding from Welsh government, we raise our own income so it can be invested.Paul Marden: What sort of split? Nia Elias: What sort of split? So the majority of the money that comes to us does come from Welsh government because we're a public service, we're here free of charge for the people of Wales and we look after the national collection, which is over 5 million items across seven museums and a collection centre. Nia Elias: But there's a proportion then of money that we raise ourselves about sort of 30%, which is from our cafes and our car parks and the experiences that people have, and most importantly, our shops. Paul Marden:  So what was the inspiration for this project? Why kick off a strategy project around the whole retail experience? Nia Elias:  Well, this whole project, in essence started three and a half years ago when the museum decided that it would bring a strategy together for all of its self generated income. So that means our philanthropic income generation and through our enterprise, including our retail. And from a retail perspective, we knew that what we wanted to achieve with all of the money that we raise ourselves is that it's really rooted in the collection, because we have an amazing collection. It tells the story of Wales and it's owned by the people of Wales. Paul Marden: Right. Nia Elias: And from a retail perspective, we knew if people could engage with that and could take away something from the wonderful experience that they've had on site, that it would be something that they would want and it would make it unique that it's only possible to have here. Developing a project like this is quite challenging. You need the time, you need the teams and expertise, some of which are on your permanent team, some of which are naturally not. And also you need investment. And so by starting the thinking and the route of where we wanted to get to three and a half years ago, it meant when we had the funding and the opportunity to do so here at Big Pit, we knew exactly what to do. Paul Marden: Okay, so you. You put all of those pieces together and then came here and did the first cookie cutter stamp. But what's interesting is it's not a cookie cutter stamp, is it? This totally feels like the gift shop for this museum, doesn't it?. Nia Elias:  Yeah. So we feel really strongly that we wanted the balance of knowing that you're at a National Museum Wales site, knowing that you're somewhere unique, but equally that it has a sense of a place. Because all of our seven museums together tell the holistic story of Wales, but you really get a sense of personality on all of those sites, not just from the collection and the buildings and the items, but also from the colleagues that work here as well. Paul Marden: Right. Nia Elias: They're very much a part of that in terms of the stories that they tell, their lived experiences, and we had a sense of responsibility and fun to bring that through in the shop. Not just the ambiance, but also the products themselves, so much of them, the majority of them actually, are grounded in being inspired by the collection in some way, and also has a really strong Welsh and local profit as well. What we think that will come through to our customers and visitors and guests is that because we've worked across all of the teams in the museum, so curators and people who care for the collection, our colleagues here at Big Pit, many of whom are former miners, and our colleagues front of house, it means that everybody will be able to speak about the product. Nia Elias: So as you're walking around picking things up, imagining them in your home or as gifts, our colleagues can talk about what they mean to the place. And that brings something additional that you can't really buy. Paul Marden: Yeah. There's a story to it. There's a background to it that roots it. Yeah. Lovely. For you, what's the standout experience from the whole project? What have you enjoyed the most? Nia Elias: Two things I think in terms of the way that it's been done, the fact that so many teams have worked together behind the scenes to make it happen. That means that as we want to change things or tweak things or improve things, we'll have all of the knowledge and expertise already baked in, especially learning from other suppliers who've come along and helped us. So we've got that baked in now, which is really exciting. And the second thing is that I can stand here knowing that this is the standard of a national museum that our guests and visitors expect and want to see. Paul Marden: And now let's hear from a few of the external partners that Kath brought into the project. Arantxa Garcia was the shop designer and visual merchandiser. Anya Kirkby was responsible for product development. And Guy Veal was responsible for sound design. Tell me about your involvement in the project. Arantxa Garcia: Sure. So I'm the shop designer and visual merchandiser. It's a freelance role, so. So I worked with the team, Matthew, Richard, Anne and Guy. Paul Marden: Excellent. Arantxa Garcia: So we kind of all came as part of a team and each one of us looked after different areas of the project. And my involvement was to kind of reinvent and reimagine what was already here. And the idea was to create a space that was connected to the experience and to the site itself. So we've basically ripped the space apart. We've kind of kept the structure, obviously, but we've opened up the space as well. Before the shop, it would be very separate. You'd have admissions and then you have the shop area, which meant that you were only really accessing the shop if you came to visit the site. But as a local, you wouldn't be able to come, for example. Or you could, but maybe not in such an open way. Paul Marden: Yeah, you wouldn't feel welcome. Arantxa Garcia: Exactly, exactly. You may not want to just because you didn't know, whereas now you can just come in and basically hang around and also browse the shop. Exactly. We took inspiration from life underground, from the mine itself. So before the building was white, the units were white, so it could be a shop anywhere. You know, it didn't really have a DNA, so to speak, or an identity that related it directly to the site. So when visiting down to the underground and King Call as well, the exhibition that we've got just up the hill, we took inspiration from basically sort of like the. The cladding that you've got on the walls. Cladding is not the right word. So if one of the miners hears me saying that, they'll be. Arantxa Garcia: That's not the word that we told you, but the idea is that all the materiality that we're using, it's really evocative of. Of the site and it's the materials that have been used underground. So even, like the safety lamps, they'll set authentic safety lamps. And the team on site, Dwayne Smith, has electrified them. So it means that now they work, obviously, as a normal light, but it's a safety. Paul Marden: But they are the original safety. Arantxa Garcia: They are the original safety. Paul Marden: Wowsers. And what about these styles? Arantxa Garcia: So, yes, I always like going for a hunt on the side. So basically the team took me to different rooms and we just found stuff, if you like. So they're like the pressure gauges, you know, we're gonna use them just to add, again, like, references to the site and the authenticity, of course. So you also find loads of tools that would have been used underground as well. Paul Marden: I would imagine that this has been a really enjoyable project for you. I can see it on your face, how much you've enjoyed it. Arantxa Garcia: It has. And I think for designers, sometimes there's projects that take a bit longer to emerge and you keep changing things because you just don't feel probably quite right. There's something. But with this one, it kind of. After the site visit, it was just. Paul Marden: I clicked immediately.Arantxa Garcia: It just clicked immediately. So we darkened the wall. So we've kind of given that sort of grey background just to kind of creating more of like a cosy and shrinking the space. Paul Marden: But you. It pops the orange. Arantxa Garcia: Exactly. And the orange is everywhere. So, like, we've also changed the lighting, so it's a lot warmer. So again, that hint of orange. Yeah, orange on the back, orange on the miners on here. And then it comes also from the products. So the identity is there, but without going fully corporate, if that makes sense. That's the colour that you remember, isn't it? You've just been on the ground. All our guides and miners wear the orange overalls and the sort of, like the blue jackets over it, whether it's a donkey jacket in the winter or then they wear the soft shells as well. So, yeah, it's all those details, like those hints to the experience that kind of are embedded in the design. And these are regional as well. The drums are regional, all the flatbeds. Arantxa Garcia:  So the team here took the metal sides off and then sort of like left the skeleton of the drum, varnished it. And then our shop fitters aren't here. They did all the sort of the cladding using reclaimed scaffolding boards. But the original Drums would have been made out of wood. Paul Marden: Beautiful. It's so tactile, isn't it? Arantxa Garcia:  It's tactile. Again, we're looking at the DNA all the time. And shops can be more than just shops. Shops can tell stories. You just connect with it in a very different way. And just having the time the team on site involved has been absolutely incredible. Like the sense of pride and belonging and provenance that this kind of has awakened, it's been great. It's your job done really as a designer. When you just feel like everyone owns it, that's your job, that's when you can walk away. Paul Marden: What an amazing testimonial for you and the work that everyone feels like that. Anya, lovely to meet you. Tell me, what was your involvement in the project? Anya Kirkby: So I mainly focused on product development. So we looked at where we could get inspiration from the site and how we could translate that really from the site experience into the shop experience as well. Paul Marden: Okay, so you're coming, you're experiencing what's going on and then looking to the outside world as to how you can source your products. Where do you go for the inspiration for the products? Anya Kirkby: Working with the team a lot. So Amy was a huge help on guiding us on what things would be very useful for visitors, what they really enjoyed when they were on site, what were their key take home messages that they experienced. And then working with Amy and Tracey as well to look at what products people like when they're in the shop anyway and how we can kind of marry those two up. Paul Marden: So what is it that people like when they come to Big Pit? Anya Kirkby: Well, unsurprisingly, the mine, they enjoy the mines, the mining experience. So that was just something that we already had in the shop. So we just expanded on that more if possible. But then we've also taken inspiration from signage. So they already had the original Big Pit signage and we looked at that and kind of again expanded on it. So then we've kind of expanded that to signage that you find in some of the other exhibits. So up in the showers, for example, in the canteen, signage, some of the original pieces from collections. We then translated that into products. So you'll see we've got the designs across mugs, original little metal signs, moved that across to prints, notebooks, postcards. Paul Marden: You've been developing a lot of the products yourself, so bringing that kind of the unifying feel to everything. Anya Kirkby: Yeah. So along with product development and making all the kind of the new things that we can have it's just bringing across the branding through the AC brand really strongly across everything. It's got such a strong message that we may as well have that on as many products as we possibly can do. Paul Marden: And how much of the stuff is actually locally sourced? Anya Kirkby: Oh, it's huge amounts. And the exciting thing is after speaking to Amy, the things that she needs to reorder are the local suppliers, which is so nice. So a lot of the confectionery that's locally sourced candles, soap, the coal figures, the wooden spoons, chocolate boxes, the biscuit boxes. So as much as possible. And then we've worked with local suppliers as well to do photography, to do some of the signage, to do the original signwriting in the shop as well. So beyond products, we've looked at the POS points like elements of the shop as well. So thankfully we've used as many local spires as we possibly can. Paul Marden: You've enjoyed this project, haven't you? Anya Kirkby: I absolutely loved it, yeah. It's fantastic to see it's absolutely amazing. Paul Marden: Yeah. Anya Kirkby: So yeah, it's really special. Paul Marden: And then from here you springboard on to the other seven sites. How do you, how do you come up with the ideas then? Anya Kirkby: Exactly the same process. So working with the teams to find out what it is that visitors absolutely love about their sites and bringing that into the shop experience. So again I get very lucky. I get to go around a lot museums and experience it. Paul Marden: It's a tough job, isn't it?Anya Kirkby: It's tricky. But basically finding out what they love and bringing that through the really things that visitors take home with them anyway and just making it into a product that they can actually physically take a piece of the museum home with them as well. Paul Marden: It's great because there are some pocket money items here because I take kids on school visits and it's a very expensive experience. You know, if they catch take a fiver with them, often they can't get anything with a fiver but they can walk in and they've got pencils, they've got rubbers and they'll walk out happy with those little bits. But at the same time you've got some beautiful stuff that the grown ups can come and pick up and really enjoy. Anya Kirkby: It's the same as any museum visitor. You kind of have to look at who's going to be visiting. It's all types of people that come and just gauging it from that as well. So having an offer for everyone that they can enjoy. Someone said to me once that children for the first time. It's often their first time having a transaction monetary wise. Is that a museum on a school trip? So it's just lovely to kind of have something for them to experience that as well. Paul Marden: Never thought of it like that. They're out on their own. They're not with mum and dad. So they've got the money themselves and they've got to make the decision. So we are at. I took some kids to the science museum last year. Anya Kirkby: Oh. Paul Marden: And the amount of time we took in the shop because of the indecision that they had. Anya Kirkby: It's the indecision decision and then the queue of all them having a five pound note and having all the change come back or not having quite enough. But I think it's such an important. If you can't do that in a museum, where can you do it? Paul Marden: Guy. Hi. Guy Veale: Hi. Paul Marden: I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about what was your part of the project? Guy Veale: I was sound designer for the soundscape which we can't hear when everyone's chatting. Paul Marden: I can hear some birds in the background. Is that. Guy Veale: Is that canaries? Living canaries. Not dead gas. Paul Marden:  Coal mine canary. Guy Veale: So I did a little bit of research sort of towards the end of the project after lots of stuff had been built in, when they decided that some low level sound would be a good part of the experience. And looking at the brief and the shape of the room, the acoustics, a lot of this new ducting that's gone in that was not then easy to put cables into. We had to go for a wireless solution. Paul Marden:  Okay. Guy Veale: As part of that I found a Swedish company that had a system that creates its own network which is like a weird dream because normally you've got to go the IT guys and then something goes wrong and there's some sort of address problems or. Bluetooth is not always reliable. This has been a revolution just in terms of. Guy Veale: Don't if you can see them. There's little. They look like light fixtures that are centrally over these panels. Paul Marden: Oh right. Guy Veale: And they're quite. Paul Marden: Oh. And so they're speaking speakers pointing down onto the panel to separate it. So what. What. The other kind of sound pictures that you're painting. We've got the canary. What else have you got? Guy Veale: So the whole idea is that you're trying to represent the industrial heritage of the site and have as many authentic sounds from the site as possible. Paul Marden: Right. Guy Veale: So we've reused some of the really high quality recordings that also feature at different parts of the site already. Paul Marden: Yep. Guy Veale: But then, also sourced about another 70 or 80 sound from the BBC archive. Paul Marden: Oh, wow. Guy Veale: Paid for. And so. But if you think about those sounds, they're quite punctuated and aggressive. You think of any industrial sound and like chipping away or different tipples working. You know, the idea is that you don't want to surprise someone that while they're shopping and leaning over next to a speaker and hearing. So it needed to be softened in some way. And you know, traditionally the way I've done work is music and sound design is using different textures and tonal design and like a drone, I suppose, is this as a sort of basis that can be moving and organic, not totally static? Paul Marden: Yeah. Guy Veale:  And the idea was to sort of try and include fragments of relevant songs using the male voice choir.Paul Marden:  Really.Guy Veale: And we tried several things and I looked at it and I realised that you might catch someone coming in for five minutes here and they catch a snippet and it's all well and good for them, but the staff and you've got to hear this eight hours a day, every day, you know, four weeks, a month, so forth. So even just one little identifiable recurring melody starts to get too much, even on quite a long five. Paul Marden: Oh, really? Guy Veale: And I found that it wasn't sustainable. So I, in the end, I ended up using the. Almost like the vocal warm ups and breaths of the choir artificially extended out so they're not breathing, just this constant low level, breathy sort of expulsion. I mean, if went quiet now, we'd hear it as the. As a backdrop and it's embedded with a few other little musical elements that just sort of try and soften and support. I think of it like the vowels of the track and then the consonants. Paul Marden: Or the industrial chipping noises and the harsher noises. Guy Veale: So they're harsher but they're there and they're a bit removed and reverberate and in the background. Paul Marden: But it's really interesting how you describe it in that kind of. Using the metaphor of the letters. Guy Veale: Yeah, that's what it felt like. Just trying to find something that was like a vocabulary of work that has to tick so many different boxes, including like a therapeutic retail experience. People leaving the site with a sense of well being. Also like summarising what they've been through, not sort of projecting them out the door with, you know, a completely new thing or somewhere that they haven't been through yet. So, you know, fair few things to try and fit in there and, you know, hopefully it works and we'll see how things are in a year's time. Paul Marden: Yeah. Cath, the last point I wanted touch on before we finish today is oh my God, how happy everybody was at that event yesterday. How positive the experience was for all of the team members. What was for you the big standout moment for the entire project? Catherine Pinkerton: I mean, there's so many, Paul. But I think for me it's an opportunity to see what can be achieved when people collaborate. And I think, you know, joining the museum three years ago is really collaborating with lots of different departments to achieve something as a team.Catherine Pinkerton: Teamwork is absolutely the key to kind of success and I think you can only achieve that by having that really product professional kind of embodiment with all of the collaborative teams to work together for the same goal. And I, I was really proud yesterday that it took a lot of work, but actually without a team of 40 people as well as the wider organisation, it would not have been, it was no mean feat, but it was certainly wasn't just down to one person saying this is my project because it was a team effort. Catherine Pinkerton: And I was so proud of everybody that was there to kind of thank them along the way to say, this is, we've done this and now onwards and upwards. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. You should be so proud. It really was. Catherine Pinkerton: Thank you. Paul Marden:  It's a demonstration of what a museum gift shop experience can really be like when you work together like that, when you collaborate. So well done to all of you. It was such a lovely experience yesterday. Thank you for inviting me. Catherine Pinkerton: Thank you so much for coming, Paul. I appreciate it. Paul Marden: Before we go though, I always ask for a book recommendation from our guests. Now it would have bankrupted me to have asked everybody yesterday for book recommendations. So you have to take the responsibility of a recommendation on behalf of everybody. What have you got for me? Catherine Pinkerton: The secret for me is, you know, that that book seems to be. I always go back to that book very often and I think it's a key one for lots of areas. So that's definitely a takeaway for me. But the other one I'm reading at the moment called A Monk's Guide to Happiness. I'm not sure if you've had enough to read it. Yeah, it's a 21st century take on A Monk's Guide. It's written by Gelong Thubten and he had a very high powered job and he had a burnout and interestingly he changed his whole mindset in terms of what makes him happy and really making it quite basic. Right. Catherine Pinkerton: So it's a, it's a real eye opener in terms of just pulling things back sometimes, you know, at the end of the day, come on, let's just live life and be happy but, you know, not stress out about things. I'm quite easy to do that. So this is very much a. Just breathe, Kath, get through it. But it's a good one. If you want to just strip it back and just kind of understanding the basics of being happy, then, yeah, he's great. Paul Marden: Oh, Cath, that's a great recommendation. If you go over to Bluesky and repost the show message that Wenalyn put out and say, I want Kath's book, then the first person that does that will get a copy of the book sent to them. Kath, it was absolutely delightful. I enjoyed my day wandering around Big Pit yesterday no end. Given that half my family is from the valleys and most of them were miners, I feel like I should have done this a very long time ago. But it was lovely. And to enjoy the experience of the celebration that you had yesterday, it was a real privilege. So thank you. Catherine Pinkerton: Oh, huge privilege to have you there. Paul. Thank you so much. I'm really appreciative. Did you purchase? Paul Marden: I did purchase on my way out. Catherine Pinkerton: Yay. Great, great, great.Paul Marden: Deal. Catherine Pinkerton: Deal. Thank you so much. Paul Marden: So after my trip 90 metres down to the bottom of the mine shaft, where I of course couldn't take microphones, I'm now back up on the surface, microphones back in hand and enjoying myself, wandering around currently in the winding house, which is where all the machinery is for lifting the cages that 90 metres down to the bottom of the pit head. I've had an amazing day here at Big Pit. It's been so interesting to see this museum and to talk to many of the amazing staff that have taken part in this big project to redesign their gift shops. Highly recommend a day trip to Big Pit. Really has been very enjoyable, if for no other reason, to see that amazing new gift shop experience. Paul Marden: Now, as always, if you'd like a copy of Catherine's book, head over to Blue sky and repost the show notice that Wenalyn will post out and say, I want a copy of Catherine's book and the first person to do that will get that copy sent over to them. So all that remains for me to say is thank you to Catherine for inviting me here to Big Pit today. And I'll see you again soon. Take care. Bye Bye. Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others to find us. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them to increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcripts from this episode and more over on our website, skipthequeue fm.  The 2024 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsDownload the 2024 Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

What if everything you've learned about love and relationships is only scratching the surface?Let's be real—today's dating and relationship landscape is confusing AF. With tech distractions, shifting roles, and a world that's constantly hustling, finding deep, meaningful connections feels more complicated than ever. Masculine and feminine energies are out of whack. Men feel unsure of their roles. Women are rising into power, and society hasn't quite caught up with how to balance it all.That's why I had to bring Dene Logan to The Happy Hustle Podcast. Dene is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an author, and a podcaster who's been in the trenches helping couples figure this stuff out. And in this episode, we unpack everything you're not being taught about relationships, self-discovery, and the energies that shape your love life.This convo goes way beyond “relationship advice.” We talked about the deep stuff—how people are seeking fulfillment outside themselves, how modern dynamics have shifted, and why couples often wait until things fall apart before asking for help. Dené broke down how self-awareness and healing are the real secrets to attracting the right partner. And she even dropped some wisdom about celibacy being a tool for growth, which, let's be honest, most people aren't even thinking about when they're out there swiping left and right.One thing that hit home was how love has been devalued in today's hustle culture. We chase money, success, followers—but forget that relationships are sacred. Dene reminded us: real relationships require intention, mindfulness, and communication. Not just when things go bad—but every damn day.We also got into some fire convo around masculine and feminine energy—and before you roll your eyes or think it's all woo-woo, listen up. These energies aren't about gender. They exist in all of us. The masculine craves direction, purpose, and trust. The feminine wants to be seen, to feel flow, and to be held in presence. The problem is, most of us were never taught how to honor and balance both.So now we've got dudes confused about how to show up. Women stepping into their power and getting labeled “too much.” And couples who love each other, but feel disconnected because no one taught them how to communicate their needs and hold space for each other's growth.Dene and I also touched on the sneaky issues wrecking intimacy these days—like porn addiction, lack of presence, and trying to force traditional roles that don't work anymore. It's wild, man. In a world where you can connect with anyone instantly, more people than ever feel alone. And the truth is, community and honest, face-to-face connections are the antidote.One of the things I loved most about this convo is that it's not about being perfect. It's about being conscious. Dené says the couples who make it long-term aren't the ones who avoid conflict—they're the ones who keep showing up with curiosity, gratitude, and a willingness to grow. Instead of nitpicking your partner's flaws, focus on what they do well. Watch how fast the energy shifts when appreciation becomes the default.She also reminded me that longevity in a relationship doesn't equal success. Just because you've been together for 10 years doesn't mean you're aligned or fulfilled. Real success is about shared vision, mutual respect, and daily efforts to connect, not coasting through out of habit or fear.We even got into how celibacy, for some, can be a reset. A way to cut the noise and figure out what you want, who you are, and what kind of energy you're bringing to the table. It's not about punishment—it's about powerful clarity.And you know I had to ask her about what makes love last. Her answer? Growth. If you're not growing, together or individually, the relationship stalls. Personal development fuels relational development. And when both people are doing their inner work? That's when the magic happens.This episode is a must-listen if you're an entrepreneur trying to build your empire and nurture a meaningful relationship at the same time. Because the truth is—you can't pour into your business if your personal life is draining you. And honestly, what's all that success for if you don't have anyone to share it with?So if you're tired of surface-level connections… if you're wondering why the spark is fading… or if you're just ready to understand how to show up more powerfully in your relationships—this episode is your guide.We get into the juicy stuff—real stories, practical insights, and tools you can use right now to deepen intimacy, grow through challenges, and stay aligned with your truth.It's time to bring more depth, more awareness, and more sacredness into your relationships. Because love isn't a distraction from the hustle—it's the fuel that keeps your soul in the game. In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction to Love and Relationships04:30 Understanding Masculine and Feminine Energies11:10 Navigating Modern Relationship Dynamics18:43 The Importance of Self-Discovery in Relationships24:30 Attracting the Right Partner in Today's World27:44 Reconnecting in Relationships34:00 Navigating Relationship Changes39:40 The Importance of Mindfulness in Relationships45:00 Gratitude and Appreciation in Love52:00 The Essence of Happy Hustlin'What does happy Hustlin mean to you? Dene says Happy Hustlin is just really trusting that whatever is meant for me will not miss me. So as long as I'm in alignment with following my bliss, normally everything that I'm meant to experience comes to fruition. So it's like worrying less and trusting.Connect with Denehttps://www.instagram.com/dene.logan/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1-RvtCuTlvGgbv3OkVNqQhttps://www.tiktok.com/@denelogan?_t=8hBC24D9WsE&_r=1Find Dene on this website: https://denelogan.com/Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featuredGet a free copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance https://www.thehappyhustle.com/bookSign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course https://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure https://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/“It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”Episode Sponsors:If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body actually needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all nightIf you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF.99 Designs- Need a killer logo, stunning website, or next-level brand design?Stop DIY-ing and start delegating like a boss with 99designs by Vista! Neurable- If you're looking to level up your focus, productivity, and mental wellbeing all at once, do yourself a favor and check out Neurable. You get a special hookup—just use the code HAPPY at checkout and get $100 off.

I am excited and honored to welcome Jeff Schreifels to this episode of Lead with Heart. Jeff is the principal and owner of Veritus Group - a global consulting agency specializing in major gifts and mid-level fundraising strategy. He is a pioneer of relationship-centered fundraising, and under his leadership, Veritus has helped increase mid and major gift revenue and decrease donor value attrition for hundreds of nonprofits worldwide.We're exploring the Veritus way of mid and major gifts fundraising, creating a culture of philanthropy within nonprofit organizations, integrating donors into your mission, and so much more.In this episode:[02:36] The Veritus Group's origin and focus on mid and major gifts[11:10] The difference between major and mid-level gifts[14:45] Key characteristics of a successful major gifts officer[19:11] Building a culture of philanthropy within an organization[31:51] Integrating donors into the mission beyond asking for money[36:19]  Indicators that an organization truly values its employees[39:32] Building relationships with major gifts officers and major donors as a leaderRESOURCESResources from the Veritus Group: https://veritusgroup.com/resources/ It's NOT JUST about the Money by Richard Perry and Jeff SchreifelsSend Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies to help nonprofit leaders turn visions into reality, and create meaningful impact As the fundraising engine of choice for over 80,000 organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox's easy-to-use fundraising tools help you raise more money in more ways. Seamlessly embed a customizable donation form into your website that reduces donor drop-off with a 4x faster checkout, launch a crowdfunding or peer-to-peer campaign, sell event tickets, raise funds on the go with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and much more. Learn more at donorbox.org The EmC Masterclass by Dr. Lola Gershfeld will help you enhance your communication skills to raise more revenue for your mission. This groundbreaking Emotional Connection process has been integrated into top universities' curriculum and recognized by international organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART to enjoy a -10%.CONNECT WITH HALEYHaley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. She founded The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business, and has experience with nonprofits in human services, homelessness, and youth sectors. Specializing in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, Haley is dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders to create thriving organizations.Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFREWebsite: thesavvyfundraiser.comProduced by Ideablossoms

BONUS: Nesrine Changuel shares how to create emotionally connected, delightful products! In this BONUS episode, we explore the concept of product delight with Nesrine Changuel. Nesrine shares insights from her extensive experience at companies like Skype, Spotify, Google Meet, and Chrome to help us understand how to create lovable tech experiences that drive user loyalty and differentiation. We explore the Delight Grid Framework she created, and discuss the importance of emotional connection in product design. We also touch on practical ways to incorporate delight into everyday product decisions. The Essence of Delight in Products "Creating emotional connection between users and products... What I'm usually vocal about is that it's not enough to solve functional needs if you want to create sustainable growth, and more particularly if you want to have your users love the product and create habits using your product." Nesrine explains that while most companies know how to solve functional problems, truly delightful products go beyond functionality to create emotional connections with users. This connection comes from anticipating user needs and surprising them on both functional and emotional levels. She emphasizes that delight emerges when users experience both joy and surprise simultaneously, which is key to exceeding expectations and building brand loyalty. Moving Beyond User Complaints "Most features that are built in products are coming from users' complaints... What I'm trying to be clear about is that if you want to build an emotional connection, it's about opening up a little bit more of your source of opportunities." Many teams focus primarily on addressing user complaints, which puts them in a reactive position. Nesrine encourages organizations to anticipate user needs by engaging with users in comfortable environments before problems arise. She suggests looking beyond direct feature requests and investigating how users feel while using the product, how they experience the journey, and what emotions arise during the experience. This proactive approach opens new opportunities for creating delightful experiences that users may not explicitly request. In this segment we refer to the KANO model for categorizing product features. Understanding Emotional Demotivators: The Zoom Fatigue Example "I tried to interview many users and realized that, of course, with the fact that we all moved into video conferencing, some demotivators started to surface like boredom, low interaction, overwhelm. There was a term that started to show up at the time - it's called zoom fatigue." Nesrine shares how her team at Google Meet tackled emotional demotivators by first deeply understanding them. By investigating "Zoom fatigue," they discovered through Stanford research that one major cause was the fatigue from constantly seeing yourself on screen. This insight led them to develop the "minimize self view" feature, allowing users to broadcast their video without seeing themselves. This example demonstrates how understanding emotional pain points can lead to features that create delight by addressing unspoken needs. The Delight Grid Framework "We want to delight the users, but because we don't know how, we end up only doing performers or hygiene features." Nesrine introduces her Delight Grid Framework, which helps product teams balance functional and emotional needs. The framework begins by identifying emotional motivators through empathetic user research. These motivators are then placed in a grid alongside functional needs to classify features as: Low Delight: Features that only solve functional needs Surface Delight: Features that only address emotional needs (like celebratory animations) Deep Delight: Features that solve both functional needs and emotional motivators She emphasizes that the most successful products prioritize deep delight features, which create lasting emotional connections while solving real problems. Detecting Opportunities Through User Journey Mapping "I use customer journey maps... One of the elements is feelings... If you do the exercise very well and put the feeling element into your journey map, you can draw a line showing peak moments and valley moments - these are pivotal moments for connecting with users at the emotional level." Nesrine advocates for using customer journey maps to identify emotional highs and lows throughout the user experience. By focusing on these "pivotal moments," teams can find opportunities to amplify positive emotions or transform negative ones into delightful experiences. She encourages teams to celebrate positive emotional peaks with users and find ways to turn valleys into more positive experiences. Real-World Example: Restaurant QR Code Payment "The waiter came with a note, and on the note, there is a QR code... What a relief that experience was! I've been very, very surprised, and they turned that moment of frustration and fear into something super fun." Nesrine shares a delightful dining experience where a restaurant transformed the typically frustrating moment of splitting the bill by providing a QR code that led to an app where diners could easily select what they ordered and pay individually. This example illustrates how identifying emotional pain points (bill-splitting anxiety) and addressing them can turn a negative experience into a memorable, delightful one that creates loyal customers. Creating a Culture of Delight Across Teams "It's very important to have the same language. If the marketing team believes in emotional connection, and the designer believes in emotional connection, and then suddenly engineers and PMs don't even know what you're talking about, that creates a gap." For delight to become central to product development, Nesrine emphasizes the importance of creating a shared language and understanding across all teams. This shared vision ensures everyone from designers to engineers is aligned on the goal of creating emotionally connected experiences, allowing for better collaboration and more cohesive product development. Recommended Reading Nesrine refers us to Emotional Design by Don Norman Designing for emotion, by Aaron Walter And Dan Olsen's The Lean Product Playbook About Nesrine Changuel Nesrine Changuel is a product leader, coach, and author with over a decade of experience at Skype, Spotify, Google Meet, and Chrome. She specializes in designing emotionally connected, delightful products. Her book, Delight, introduces a framework for creating lovable tech experiences that drive user loyalty and differentiation. You can link with Nesrine Changuel on LinkedIn and follow Nesrine's website.

In this compelling episode, I sit down with Robin Temple and Michael Moore who co-founders of Couple Solutions, where they hold marriage workshops. They share their unique wisdom on creating deep, lasting relationships. With 70+ years of combined experience and both journeyed through divorce, remarriage, and many life trials, they provide actionable tools for emotional connection, healthy communication, and building enduring love. Whether you're in a new relationship or navigating complex challenges, this episode empowers you to take control of your love life and cultivate a thriving partnership.Learn more about them at Couples.solutions.Curious if the Collective is for you? Start here: Fill out a⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quick form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and let's talk on a Divorce Breakthrough session! We will uncover your blocks and blindspots and find out if my program ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"The Get Over Divorce Collective" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠i⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠s a fit for you. Inside this program I will work with you personally to help you reach your healing and thriving goals.Want to join the best Facebook Divorce Support Group on the internet? Join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thriving Community, Women Supporting Women through Divorce.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, I talk about honesty as the highest form of intimacy, why emotional safety is the foundation of real connection, being able to argue without fear is a sign of a healthy relationship, how you're not dating a projection of your ideal, stubbornness is part of two autonomous people loving each other, the difference between love and lust and more.CONNECT WITH ME…→ Instagram — @mattgottesman→ Text Me — 480-530-7352→ My Substack — mattgottesman.substack.com → Apparel — thenicheisyou.comRESOURCES…→ Recommended Book List — CLICK HERE→ Workshops — CLICK HERE→ Masterclass — CLICK HEREWORKSHOPS + MASTERCLASS:→ Need MORE clarity? - Here's the FREE… 6 Days to Clarity Workshop - clarity for your time, energy, money, creativity, work & play→ Write, Design, Build: Content Creator Studio & OS - Growing the niche of you, your audience, reach, voice, passion & incomeOTHER RELATED EPISODES:What Your Obsessed With Isn't RandomApple: https://apple.co/42N4xeASpotify: https://spoti.fi/3EElIHi

In this episode, Lauren Stowell discusses her journey from a 16-year career at ESPN to directing Celtics City. Lauren shares her thoughts on the art of documentary filmmaking, particularly focusing on the importance of preparation, emotional connection, and the balance between knowledge and perspective. She discusses the challenges of interviewing high-profile subjects, the necessity of listening, and how her unique viewpoint as a filmmaker allowed her to connect with the audience.  A special thanks to Caleb J. Murphy (https://calebjmurphy.com/) and Musicbed (http://share.mscbd.fm/daltrogge) for the great tunes. School of Doc is hosted by David Altrogge (@daltrogge) and is a Production of Vinegar Hill (https://vinegarhill.film/)  

In this conversation, Michael Fisher, founder and CEO of Rotten, shares his journey of building a candy brand from scratch with zero experience in the industry. He talks about the initial trap that many startup CEOs fall into, himself included, of chasing the symbols of success instead of focusing on the business fundamentals. Michael then shares his personal connection to candy and the creative process behind building a brand narrative that emotionally resonates with consumers. During the conversation, we touch on the power of learning from advisors, the role of Kickstarter in validating his product concept, and his focus on healthier ingredients while maintaining great taste. Michael also shares insights on creative collaboration, the challenges of competing in the candy industry, including navigating legal issues with larger brands, and his vision for a better world through diverse product options.Key points from this episode:Transitioning from a startup CEO mindset to a real business is crucial.Learning from advisors and networking is key to success.Kickstarter served as a validation tool for Rotten's concept.A personal connection to candy inspired the brand's focus.Building a brand narrative is essential in a competitive market.World-building with engaging characters enhances brand identity through rich and engaging storytelling.The candy industry is brand-dominated, requiring strong branding to compete for loyalty.A significant portion of consumers are purchasing less candy due to health concerns.The brand aims to attract consumers who have never purchased better-for-you candy before.Formulation challenges are common when creating healthier candy options.The brand has undergone multiple reformulations to improve product quality.Legal challenges from larger brands can be daunting, but also indicate market presence.The goal is to provide consumers with better options that taste great.A better world means offering diverse food options, including healthier choices. Sound Bites:"It's really hard to remember that there isn't a playbook. What's going to work for your brand is going to be a unique path.""I stopped buying a lot of candy, actually, and I missed it. I missed the experience of eating candy.”"I really wanted to have a focus on building a strong brand that people could love.""We have worlds that haven't been explored, you know, Freektopia and all these fun places.”“More than a third of consumers in our category, non-chocolate candy, reported purchasing less candy over the last year. And the number one reason they report that is health and diet concerns."“We are showing that there is demand from people and people are willing to pay a premium for candy that still tastes incredible and gives them some of these health benefits.”“We're gonna win here is if someone eats our candy and it's their favorite candy, regardless of the health benefits.""So that was a fun time for me to play around in my kitchen, but I quickly learned that it's a very technical product to make." Links:Michael Fisher on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fisher1/Rotten - https://eatrotten.com/Rotten on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eatrotten/Rotten on Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eatrottenRotten on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@eatrottenRotten on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/eatrotten/posts/…Dr James Richardson - Evolve CPG episode 74 - https://modernspecies.com/brands-for-a-better-world-podcast/focus-on-your-fans-dr-james-richardson-premium-growth-solutions?rq=rampingRamping Your Brand Book - https://www.rampingyourbrand.com/…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radio Chapters: 03:00 Introduction to Michael Fisher and Rotten06:09 The Transition from Startup CEO to Real Business08:49 Learning the CPG Landscape12:00 The Role of Advisors and Networking14:59 Kickstarter: A Launchpad for Validation18:11 Personal Connection to Non-Chocolate Candy21:05 Building a Brand with a Narrative23:55 World Building in Brand Development28:31 Creative Collaboration in Candy Design31:49 Building Emotional Connections with Consumers33:01 Competing in the Candy Industry39:05 Formulation Challenges and Product Development47:42 Navigating Legal Challenges with Big Candy53:39 A Vision for a Better World through Options

Enjoy the episode? Send us a text!The silent treatment isn't always intentional. When your spouse emotionally checks out, it creates a painful void that can feel impossible to bridge. Dr. Joe Beam and Kimberly Holmes tackle this common marriage struggle with uncommon honesty, revealing the hidden causes behind emotional disconnection.If you're struggling in your marriage, don't wait. Get our FREE resource: The 7 Steps to Rescue Your Marriage

Earlier in the season, we discussed how important mindset is for an athlete's performance, success and their overall well being in their sport.  In another episode in this season of Two Dance Moms podcast, we also covered Emotional Connection in dance and how that may affect a dancer's mindset thanks to a little help from a friend of the podcast, Dr Chelsea Pierotti who not only has a Phd in Sports Psychology and her own Dance Podcast BUT is also a former professional dancer.  Today, we are bringing Dr Chelsea back to dive in to some practical tips on Pre and Post Performance Rituals to best prepare your dancer.  Welcome to Two Dance Moms Podcast!EPISODES MENTIONEDEp. 68 - Dr. Chelsea Pierotti: Improving Emotional Connection in DanceEp. 81 - Mindset: The Power of a Positive Mindset with Sports Psychology Consultant Chloe MaleskiLINKS FOR DR. CHELSEA PIEROTTIPassion For Dance Podcastwww.chelseapierotti.cominstagram @dr.chelsea.pierottiEPISODE SPONSORSDream Duffel, the original rolling duffel with a built in garment rack! Choose from multiple sizes, colors, patterns, & styles!www.dreamduffel.comApolla Performance Compression Socks, Made by dancers for dancers! Increase stability and support, while reducing pain and fatigue. www.apollaperformance.comRATE & REVIEWRate & Review Apple Podcast Rate on Spotify SOCIALS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twodancemomspodcast/

Send us a textWhat happens when a Green Beret turns patient, entrepreneur, and healing advocate?In this powerful episode of Security Halt!, host Deny Caballero sits down with Wren Murray, former Special Forces operator and founder of Revival Hyperbarics, to explore how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is transforming recovery for veterans suffering from TBI, PTSD, and Lyme Disease.Wren opens up about his personal battle with brain trauma and how HBOT became a life-changing solution. From being a struggling patient to launching a cutting-edge wellness clinic, Wren shares the emotional, physical, and entrepreneurial journey that led him to help others in their fight for healing.Together, Deny and Wren break down:The science behind HBOT and how it aids in cellular repair, brain health, and emotional recoveryThe unique challenges veterans face after service, especially when dealing with invisible woundsSuccess stories of patients treated at Revival HyperbaricsThe stigma around mental health, especially in high-performing communities like Special ForcesThe importance of advocacy, community support, and holistic wellness in long-term recoveryThis episode is a must-listen for veterans, families, caregivers, and anyone looking to understand cutting-edge treatments for brain injury and emotional trauma.

Send us a textStrap in for another riveting episode of the Customer Success Playbook, where empathy isn't just a buzzword—it's a business advantage. Hosts Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon are once again joined by communication maven Mary Schmid, who unpacks the neurological power of empathy and its pivotal role in client trust and loyalty. From the depth of scuba diving to the magic of emotional connection, Mary shares how listening with genuine curiosity can shift even the most transactional relationships into long-term partnerships.Detailed Analysis: In this Wednesday "One Big Question" edition, the trio explores how empathy drives client loyalty, especially in high-stakes sectors like finance. Mary challenges the misconception that empathy is about agreement, reframing it instead as a courageous act of understanding. Through her neuroscience-informed approach, she explains how empathy fosters psychological safety, laying the groundwork for trust.The conversation ventures into practical insights for customer success professionals: the importance of leading with emotional curiosity, the discipline of "listening to connect," and how to gracefully introduce differing perspectives once mutual understanding is established. Mary introduces a powerful sequence: empathy first, connection second, and then collaboration. The episode highlights that curiosity and compassion aren't liabilities—they are strategic tools.Also discussed: how leaders can break free from monologue mode by shifting into learner mode, and how to handle moments when your perspective diverges from the client's. Spoiler: it involves asking permission to share, not bulldozing your view across the conversation table.Roman humorously pitches Mary for a bigger stage beyond customer success, and honestly, we agree.The bottom line? Connection comes before correction. Action comes after understanding.Now you can interact with us directly by leaving a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/CustomerSuccessPlaybookCheck out https://funnelstory.ai/ for more details about Funnelstory. You can also check out our full video review of the product on YouTube at https://youtu.be/4jChYZBVz2Y.Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.

Struggling with mystery symptoms? Most people chalk up brain fog, fatigue, or joint pain to aging, but what if it's your body screaming for help? I sat down with Dr. Will Cole to discuss autoimmune conditions, gut health, and toxicity. Here's the truth: your symptoms might stem from hidden culprits like mold, heavy metals, or a stressed-out gut. Cleaning up your gut and reducing toxins lets your body do what it's built for… heal! Small, consistent changes can transform your health. Join the Ultimate Human VIP community and gain exclusive access to Gary Brecka's proven wellness protocols today!: https://bit.ly/4ai0Xwg Get Dr. Will Cole's book, “The Inflammation Spectrum”: https://amzn.to/4jnQe7r  Listen to “ Dr. Will Cole “ on all your favorite platforms! YouTube:https://bit.ly/4jmEv9c  Spotify:https://spoti.fi/4jCWkB7  Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4lzYenb Connect with Dr. Will Cole: Website:https://bit.ly/4iurxF0  YouTube: https://bit.ly/4jmEv9c  Instagram:https://bit.ly/3GlSihK Facebook:https://bit.ly/4lGTEUh TikTok:https://bit.ly/4444EVw X.com: https://bit.ly/4cI59qw LinkedIn:https://bit.ly/4jEMG02 Thank you to our partners: H2TABS - USE CODE “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4hMNdgg BODYHEALTH - USE CODE “ULTIMATE20” FOR 20% OFF: http://bit.ly/4e5IjsV BAJA GOLD - USE CODE "ULTIMATE10" FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3WSBqUa EIGHT SLEEP - SAVE $350 ON THE POD 4 ULTRA WITH CODE “GARY”: https://bit.ly/3WkLd6E COLD LIFE - THE ULTIMATE HUMAN PLUNGE: https://bit.ly/4eULUKp WHOOP - GET 1 FREE MONTH WHEN YOU JOIN!: https://bit.ly/3VQ0nzW MASA CHIPS - GET 20% OFF YOUR FIRST $50+ ORDER: https://bit.ly/40LVY4y VANDY - USE CODE “ULTIMATE20” FOR 20% OFF: https://bit.ly/49Qr7WE AION - USE CODE “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4h6KHAD HAPBEE - FEEL BETTER & PERFORM AT YOUR BEST: https://bit.ly/4a6glfo CARAWAY - USE CODE “ULTIMATE” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3Q1VmkC HEALF - GET 10% OFF YOUR ORDER: https://bit.ly/41HJg6S BIOPTIMIZERS - USE CODE “ULTIMATE” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4inFfd7 RHO NUTRITION - USE CODE “ULTIMATE15” FOR 15% OFF: https://bit.ly/44fFza0 Watch  the “Ultimate Human Podcast” every Tuesday & Thursday at 9AM EST: YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPQYX8 Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RQftU0 Connect with Gary Brecka: Instagram: https://bit.ly/3RPpnFs TikTok: https://bit.ly/4coJ8fo X.com: https://bit.ly/3Opc8tf Facebook: https://bit.ly/464VA1H LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4hH7Ri2 Website: https://bit.ly/4eLDbdU Merch: https://bit.ly/4aBpOM1 Newsletter: https://bit.ly/47ejrws Ask Gary: https://bit.ly/3PEAJuG Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:45 Definitions of Metabolic Health and Flexibility  13:23 Markers for Metabolic Inflammation Spectrum 17:16 Being Metabolically Healthy by Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices 19:50 Potential Impacts of the MAHA Movement 21:32 Toxic Burden Impacting Autoimmune Conditions 26:56 Leaky Gut Syndrome 29:56 Testing to Identify One's Conditions 33:49 Emotional Connection with the Gut 41:23 Implementing Lifestyle Habits to Address Stress & Trauma 45:27 Gratitude and Self-Compassion 52:43 Testing for Mold Toxicity 58:15 Role of Genetics  59:04 Practices to Improve Gut Health 1:03:01 Fasting as a Hormetic Therapy 1:06:20 Testing for Metal Toxicity and Resolutions 1:12:29 Daily Habits Causing Inflammation The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The Content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Cars and Kicks Show, host Jacques, Erik, and Nick welcome Aaron Cooper, a former Nike designer known for creating some of Nike Basketball's most iconic sneakers. The conversation delves into Aaron's journey from a creative upbringing to becoming a renowned designer, discussing the challenges he faced, the importance of mentorship, and his design philosophy. Aaron shares personal stories about his family, his experiences at Nike, and how he navigates dark days while finding inspiration in creativity. In this conversation, the speakers explore the emotional connections people have with footwear and cars, emphasizing the importance of focusing on people rather than profit. They discuss the role of empathy in design, the balance between intellectual and emotional intelligence in creativity, and the significance of collaboration in the creative process. The conversation also touches on the unique appeal of the Firebird and the solace found in creative pursuits. In this engaging conversation, Aaron Cooper discusses his vision for the future of sports and culture, emphasizing the importance of creativity, community, and listening to the younger generation. He reflects on the transition from play to work, the significance of cultural artifacts, and the legacy he hopes to leave through his design work. The discussion highlights the need for safe spaces for children to play and the power of imagination in fostering creativity.Connect with Aaron Cooper: https://www.instagram.com/aaron.ac.cooper/Connect with us: https://www.carsxkicks.comChapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest03:03 Aaron Cooper's Journey to Design05:48 Creative Upbringing and Early Influences08:58 The Path to Nike and Early Career11:56 Overcoming Personal Challenges14:59 The Importance of Mentorship and Support17:54 Design Philosophy and Career Choices21:04 Navigating Dark Days and Finding Light23:20 The Emotional Connection to Footwear and Cars24:43 The Importance of People Over Profit26:50 The Role of Empathy in Design29:14 Balancing IQ and EQ in Creativity33:05 Reading Between the Lines in Design Briefs35:13 The Collective Responsibility in Product Creation40:03 The Importance of Collaboration in Creativity41:50 The Unique Appeal of the Firebird44:32 Finding Solace in Creativity48:11 Envisioning the Future of Sports and Culture51:30 The Role of Creativity in Youth Sports52:40 Listening to Children: The Power of Imagination54:47 The Transition from Play to Work56:47 Cultural Artifacts and Community01:01:23 Legacy and Impact in DesignThe Cars and Kicks Show is hosted by:Jacques Slade is a multifaceted creator that explores the world of footwear and sports through the lens of culture. Through sneakers and golf, Jacques has cultivated an industry leading voice in the industry that can be seen online and on television. Or he is just an idiot. The jury is still out on that.Erik Valdez is a husband, father, actor, producer, and creator, whose passion and knowledge for cars is unmatched. You might have seen him on shows like General Hospital, Graceland, or Superman & Lois. He's driven in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, the Baja 1000, and the number of cars he's owned would rival the how collections of many sneakerheads.Nick Engvall is a consultant and creator who helps brands make more authentic connections with their customers. His obsession with cars and sneakers both toe the line of unhealthiness that is best described as, overly passionate. If he's not recording podcasts, he's probably at the burrito shop or chasing down ocean sunsets.

Thanks to our Partners, NAPA TRACS, and Today's Class Recorded at Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo 2025, two attendees of a communications class, led by Chris Cloutier and Craig O'Neill, were chosen as the top speakers during a Toastmasters style mock run-through. Their heartfelt and authentic stories resonated so strongly with the audience that they were invited to share their experiences on the podcast. What began as a simple role-play exercise turned into a powerful conversation about the role of communication and relationship building in the automotive shop industry. Our guests reflect on the value of active listening, vulnerability, storytelling, and how these traits fuel strong leadership and team culture in repair shops. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful moments are unplanned, and communication is at the heart of every successful business. Corey Evaldi, Olmstead Auto Care, Olmstead Falls, OH. Listen to Corey's Episodes HERE. Allen Garcia, A+ Auto & Diesel, Syracuse, KS Show Notes: Watch Full Video Episode Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo: https://visionkc.com/ Guest Introductions (00:00:00) Toastmasters Roleplay Overview (00:01:37) Importance of Communication (00:03:00) Corey's Speech Experience (00:03:57) Alan's Leadership by Example (00:05:03) Value of Communication (00:07:30) Vulnerability in Communication (00:08:08) Corey's Emotional Connection (00:15:01) Building Relationships (00:17:35) The Value of Training (00:19:12) Energy and Growth (00:22:04) Comfort Zone and Growth (00:24:03) Toastmasters Experience (00:25:45) The Importance of Storytelling (00:27:14) Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Today's Class Optimize training with Today's Class: In just 5 minutes daily, boost knowledge retention and improve team performance. Find Today's Class on the web at https://www.todaysclass.com/ Connect with the Podcast: -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Join Our...

On todays episode Eric, Erika and Tara preview their weekend plans for Saturday and Monday at the Boston Marathon. We also welcome our final 2 Boston Fundraiser mini series guest Lindsey and Andrew from Breakthrough T1D and Megan running for the Boston Public Library.Chapters03:02 Personal Updates and Pet Health08:56 Boston Marathon Excitement and 5K Plans12:56 5K Race Experience and Community Engagement14:36 Excitement for the Boston Marathon15:53 Meeting the Pod Fam17:36 Expo Plans and Merchandise19:30 Celebrity Sightings and Special Events21:54 Post-Race Plans and Food26:55 Final Thoughts and Fundraising Preview28:02 Breakthrough T1D Andrew and Lindsey30:47 Personal Experiences and Training for the Marathon33:42 Team Dynamics and Connections36:32 Motivation Behind Running for Breakthrough T1D39:30 Managing Type 1 Diabetes During Marathon Training42:40 Fundraising and Support for Breakthrough T1D43:37 Navigating Diabetes and Marathon Running47:42 Personal Experiences with Type 1 Diabetes51:44 Goals and Aspirations for the Boston Marathon55:43 Community Support and Encouragement56:35 Cheering for the Marathon: Support and Encouragement57:35 Personal Touch: Special Requests for Runners57:58 Introduction to Megan Nicholson01:00:27 Megan's New Role at GBH01:03:26 Connection to the Boston Public Library01:06:34 Journey to Running the Boston Marathon01:09:36 Training Challenges and Triumphs01:12:37 Support and Community in Running01:15:28 Race Day Preparations and Expectations01:18:25 Final Thoughts and Encouragement01:23:22 Kickoff and Gratitude01:26:26 Boston Marathon Anticipation01:29:22 Weather and Race Day Preparations01:32:23 Memories and Mindset for the Marathon01:35:28 Cheering and Spectator Tips01:37:09 Cheering for the First Time01:38:23 Books and Boring Fun01:39:37 Programming Notes and Upcoming Events01:42:50 Excitement for May and Future Plans01:45:45 The Masters Experience01:47:43 Closing Thoughts and Good Luck WishesEric's NYC Marathon Fundraiser - Team FORCE, a dynamic organization that supports the hereditary cancer community Erika's Chicago Marathon Fundraiser - for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in memory of her brother, Nick Strava GroupLinktree - Find everything hereInstagram - Follow us on the gram YouTube - Subscribe to our channel Patreon - Support usThreadsEmail us at OnTheRunsPod@gmail.com

Text us your questions or topics for the show! We got you!Cass Morrow, Author of Disrupting Divorce: The NEW Man. Saving Struggling, Sexless, and Toxic Marriages.Kathryn Morrow, Author of Behind The White Picket Fence.Getting Your Partner “On Board”In Episode 258 of The 'NEW' Marriage, we're diving into what it really takes to get your partner “on board.” Whether it's therapy, communication shifts, parenting styles, or even career moves—many people feel stuck when their partner won't engage. This episode gives you practical insights to lead with clarity, compassion, and confidence—without controlling or manipulating.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!Episode 259 – Dr. Bruce Chalmer: When Communication Isn't the Real Problem in Relationships (or in Society)What if the root of conflict in our relationships — and in our divided world — isn't a failure to communicate, but a failure to tolerate discomfort?In this episode of Derate The Hate, I sit down with couples therapist and author Dr. Bruce Chalmer to explore how anxiety, not poor communication, is often the true barrier to meaningful connection — both in marriages and across ideological divides.Bruce has worked with couples for nearly 30 years, and his book It's Not About Communication! challenges everything we think we know about relationship struggles. But what makes this conversation especially powerful is how deeply his insights apply beyond romantic partnerships — to how we engage in tough conversations with those we disagree with.In this episode, you'll discover:✅ Why communication isn't the root problem in many relationships✅ How anxiety disrupts connection and meaningful dialogue ✅ Why tolerating discomfort is essential to emotional intimacy ✅ How ideas lead to growth, but ideologies often create rigidity ✅ The impact of confirmation bias on both romantic and political conversations ✅ Why faith in others' humanity is foundational for bridging divides ✅ How the tools of couples therapy can strengthen civil discourseWe also discuss Bruce's podcast with his wife Judy, Couples Therapy in Seven Words, where they explore love, faith, and what it means to truly connect in a world that often prioritizes being right over being human.Key Takeaways:✅ Emotional connection requires vulnerability, not just technique✅ Communication “problems” are often anxiety in disguise✅ Real transformation comes from deep listening and mutual respect✅ The goal of conversation isn't to win — it's to connect✅ We must create shared space for dialogue, even amid disagreementLearn more about and connect with Dr. Bruce Chalmer by getting the full show notes at www.DerateTheHate.comWhat have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you've got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site's contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact If you would like to support the show, you're welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here! I look forward to hearing from you!

Send us a textIn this midweek edition of the Customer Success Playbook, Cairo Marsh returns to the mic to explore the layered world of empathetic marketing across cultures. From the Bronx to Tokyo, Cairo's lived experience adds a global lens to his practical insights on designing connection-first marketing strategies. He unpacks how empathy drives retention, not just acquisition, and reveals a three-tiered framework for building brand relationships based on product, brand identity, and social capital.Detailed Analysis: Cairo Marsh is back for part two, and the conversation dives even deeper. What begins as a lighthearted exchange about food adventures in Tokyo quickly transforms into a tactical discussion on what it means to build marketing strategies that resonate across diverse cultural contexts.The heart of this episode lies in Cairo's model of connection:Functional (product value)Emotional (brand resonance)Social (status or identity alignment)By structuring messaging and experiences around these layers, brands can meet customers where they are—geographically and emotionally. Cairo shares how this model works globally, with examples from his own bi-continental agency experience.But Cairo doesn't stop at strategy. He addresses the million-dollar question: how do you measure the impact of empathy? His answer is both practical and powerful: combine transactional data with perceptual insights to understand not just what customers do, but why they do it. That "why," he argues, is the leading indicator of business success.Crucially, the episode draws a bridge between marketing and customer success. Cairo emphasizes that empathy shouldn't end at conversion. It's the glue that holds the entire post-sale journey together—retention, loyalty, and advocacy all benefit when brands treat customers like humans, not just metrics.This conversation is a masterclass in global customer connection and a blueprint for embedding empathy across every phase of the customer journey. It's also a prelude to the next episode, where Cairo returns to unpack how AI fits into the empathy equation.Now you can interact with us directly by leaving a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/CustomerSuccessPlaybookCheck out https://funnelstory.ai/ for more details about Funnelstory. You can also check out our full video review of the product on YouTube at https://youtu.be/4jChYZBVz2Y.Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.

In this episode, we explore how recommitting to daily conversations and weekly date nights can reignite emotional intimacy and transform your relationship with your partner.• Gottman research shows mapping your partner's inner world is crucial for emotional connection• People constantly change and evolve—nobody remains the same person they were when you married• Commit to 20 minutes of daily connection through walking and meaningful conversation• Move beyond transactional topics (kids, chores, schedules) to discover what excites or stresses your partner• Ask questions like "What are you learning right now?" or "Who are you enjoying talking to lately?"• Use weekly date nights to explore the origins of beliefs about sex, money, relationships• Investigate childhood experiences to understand where your partner's core beliefs originated• "Weed out" unhealthy beliefs and intentionally plant new ideas in your relationship garden• Emotional connection naturally enhances all other forms of intimacy• Utilize resources like card decks, apps, and games for inspiration if you're struggling with conversation startersI invite you to go for a walk with your spouse every single day, start mapping their inner world with really good questions, and make sure you're getting date night on the calendar every week. I promise it will make a huge difference in the connection, closeness and emotional intimacy you feel with your partner.Send us a text

Are you struggling to engage visitors on your nonprofit's website? You're not alone. Many organizations find it challenging to tell their story effectively online, often missing the mark when it comes to showcasing the true impact of their work. In this episode, I'm joined by Daniel Molina, an accomplished marketing professional and entrepreneur, to discuss strategies for creating a compelling online presence that resonates with donors, volunteers, and those seeking help. Key Insights on Website Engagement - The power of video in storytelling and emotional connection - Balancing short-form and long-form content for maximum impact - Creating a redemptive narrative that inspires action - Transparency in fundraising and project goals - Avoiding political pitfalls in your messaging Crafting Your Nonprofit's Story Daniel emphasizes the importance of a three-part storytelling approach: - Highlight the issue with relevant statistics - Present your organization's solution - Showcase the fruits of your efforts By following this structure, you can create content that not only informs but also motivates visitors to get involved. Practical Tips for Website Optimization - Use video to capture attention and convey emotion quickly - Offer multiple engagement options: volunteer, donate, and seek help - Create project-specific fundraising goals to give donors a sense of ownership - Ensure your content remains timeless to avoid frequent updates “Don't have this black box that no one knows what's in it. You want to make sure that you are fully transparent and people know where the money is going, who's involved.” – Daniel Molina This episode provides actionable advice for nonprofit leaders looking to enhance their digital presence. You'll learn how to create a website that not only informs but also inspires action, ultimately helping you further your mission and make a greater impact. Ready to transform your nonprofit's online storytelling? Listen to the full episode for more valuable insights and strategies you can implement today. Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways: 03:55 Crafting Compelling Website Content for Nonprofits Create a narrative that includes the problem, solution, and impact. Use video to capture attention and convey emotion, followed by photos and text. Transparency is so important. Right now avoid political stances, and focus on the organization's core mission to connect with donors on a human level. 18:48 Effective Calls-to-Action and Conversion Strategies Conversion strategies are important. Create multiple options beyond just donating. Provide ways for visitors to volunteer, get help, or sign up for newsletters. Show project progress and costs to give donors a sense of ownership and transparency in how their money is used. Daniel Molina Daniel Molina is an accomplished marketing professional and entrepreneur, owning Red Palm Studios since 2002. With extensive experience and knowledge in the latest web trends, he has successfully worked with high-profile clients and small business startups, delivering maximum exposure. As a passionate entrepreneur, Daniel Molina believes in giving back to the community and making a positive impact. Through various initiatives and partnerships, he actively engages in community outreach, addressing social issues and supporting local causes. Daniel's dedication to creating a better society extends beyond business, demonstrating his commitment to improving lives and fostering a sense of unity. Learn more at www.redpalm.us https://danielmolina.life/ https://www.instagram.com/danielmolinalife/ https://www.instagram.com/redpalmmarketing/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-click Learn more about The First Click: https://thefirstclick.net Schedule a Digital Marketing Therapy Session: https://thefirstclick.net/officehours

Principled leadership is essential to nonprofit success—a belief strongly held by my guest, Andrew Olsen.Andrew helps nonprofit leaders increase impact through thriving organizational cultures that drive revenue growth. He's assisted over 500 nonprofits in raising half a billion dollars, authored bestselling books, and hosts the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast.We discuss leadership's role in fundraising, building strong donor relationships, and what's inhibiting change in nonprofits.In this episode:[02:35] Andrew's inspirational journey[04:19] Core principles for building a successful fundraising program[06:10] Challenges in nonprofit leadership relating to fundraising and philanthropy and how to combat them[13:35] Hiring an effective fundraiser[19:32] The connection between a positive internal culture and fundraising success[21:23] The factor that is inhibiting change in nonprofits[29:30] Strengthening relationships with major donors[34:39] Managing time to prioritize the most effective fundraising strategiesRESOURCES101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make and How You Can Avoid Them by Andrew OlsenCONNECT WITH ANDREWLinkedIn: Andrew OlsenInstagram: Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies to help nonprofit leaders turn visions into reality, and create meaningful impact As the fundraising engine of choice for over 80,000 organizations in 90+ countries, Donorbox's easy-to-use fundraising tools help you raise more money in more ways. Seamlessly embed a customizable donation form into your website that reduces donor drop-off with a 4x faster checkout, launch a crowdfunding or peer-to-peer campaign, sell event tickets, raise funds on the go with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and much more. Learn more at donorbox.org The EmC Masterclass by Dr. Lola Gershfeld will help you enhance your communication skills to raise more revenue for your mission. This groundbreaking Emotional Connection process has been integrated into top universities' curriculum and recognized by international organizations. Use code LEADWITHHEART to enjoy a -10%.CONNECT WITH HALEYHaley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. She founded The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business, and has experience with nonprofits in human services, homelessness, and youth sectors. Specializing in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, Haley is dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders to create thriving organizations.Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFREWebsite: thesavvyfundraiser.comProduced by Ideablossoms

Welcome to another episode of the Elite Expert Insider Podcast, where we pull back the curtain on the secrets of industry leaders and innovators. Today, we're thrilled to have Chloe Williamson joining us, a marketing maestro who specializes in getting you booked on the right podcasts to skyrocket your brand. She's an expert in health and wellness, with a keen eye for crafting marketing campaigns that not only build brand authority but also foster deep connections with your audience. Chloe peels back the layers of podcast interview marketing, revealing how to identify and reach your target audience effectively. Learn More: https://interviewvalet.com/

Text us your questions or topics for the show! We got you!Cass Morrow, Author of Disrupting Divorce: The NEW Man. Saving Struggling, Sexless, and Toxic Marriages.Kathryn Morrow, Author of Behind The White Picket Fence.Submit To Your Husband!In Ep256 of The 'NEW' Marriage, we unpack the powerful and often misunderstood idea of "Submit to Your Husband." Is it outdated, oppressive—or a gateway to deeper trust and unity in your marriage? We explore the difference between blind obedience and intentional, respectful partnership. This episode is for couples ready to redefine roles with love, clarity, and mutual commitment.

Today's guest, Victor Warring, has a quite provocative title - he is an Erotic ReWilder. Which includes his roles as a Somatic Sexuality Educator, mentor, coach and community facilitator. Victor is dedicated to supporting people in reclaiming their erotic sovereignty and removing any self-imposed, internalized or socially imposed obstacles that interfere with the expression of their bodily erotic brilliance.In this episode, we dive into the distinction between erotic and sexual—and why that difference matters.We also explore what it means to rewild after generations of colonization, and how we begin to deconstruct the narratives that have shaped our bodies, our pleasure, and our sense of self.What does it mean to rewild, decolonize, and reclaim our experience of pleasure and intimacy?How do we embody erotic sovereignty—not just in moments of intimacy, but in our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world?Victor shares how sexological bodywork can support this reclamation, the role of conscious pleasure practices, and how we can expand our capacity to experience pleasure—even amidst chaos, collapse, and collective overwhelm.What is Covered:(00:00) Remembering Tory Capron(02:05) Understanding the concept of erotic vs sex(04:02) The meaning of rewilding(09:08) Rewilding and the connection to ancestral selves(13:07) The Impact of colonization on body and sexuality(20:13) Grief, vulnerability, shame and their connection to eros(27:22) How to deal with performance anxiety in sexuality(34:25) Why we need to slow down to reconnect with the erotic(40:05) Navigating pleasure and pleasure practices amidst chaos(46:07) What is erotic sovereignty?(51:38) The role of sexological bodywork in reclaiming erotic sovereignty(56:15) How we can reclaim our erotic nature and erotic power(01:00:06) Why each decolonization experience is different and uniqueResources:- Sign up for the Power Reclamation Newsletter https://revealingwisdom.activehosted.com/f/9- Check out Victor's upcoming workshops and events: https://www.rewilderos.com/- A powerful film on death from our dear friend Tory Capron - The Mountains Remain, a film by Henna Taylor https://hennataylor.com/work/until-only-the-mountain-remains/- Follow Victor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonobo_man/- Find Victor on Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/bonobo_man/- Also, we referred to this podcast, which is fun if you've not listened: Savage Lovecast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/savage-lovecast/id201376301Connect with Anne-Marie Marron: - If you have a power reclamation story to share or questions, please send them to Ask Anne-Marie https://anne-mariemarron.com/ask- Find Anne-Marie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anne.marie.marron/- If you wonder whether Power Reclamation Coaching is for you, book a discovery call https://calendly.com/anne-marie-marron/30-minute-consultation- For more on customized immersions with Anne-Marie, please visit: https://anne-mariemarron.com/integral-leadership-immersion

Today on the Free Outside Podcast, I talk with Connor “Jackrabbit” Chapdelaine, who's attempting the Calendar Year Triple Crown—thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail all in a single year. We break down how the idea got planted during a hike on the AT, what it takes to train for 8,000 miles, and why he's bringing a pillow, a stove, and maybe even a thermos.Follow Connor/Jackrabbit online: https://www.instagram.com/JackrabbitHikes/Connor shares his strategy for navigating snow in the Sierra, reroutes on the PCT, and fires on the CDT—plus his plan to survive town stops without spending his entire budget. We also get into ultralight gear hacks, and his favorite trail meals. Connor breaks down his food tier list (spoiler: mushroom Knorr = trail exile) and how his dad is helping run the back-end logistics with a label maker and full “dad command center.”Support us by supporting our sponsors: CS Coffee: https://www.csinstant.coffee/Janji: https://janji.com/Garage Grown Gear: https://www.garagegrowngear.com/If you've ever been curious about the logistics, gear, food, and mindset needed to thru-hike the PCT, CDT, and AT in one year, this episode is packed with real insight and ridiculous stories—including tuna and peanut butter wraps, dry-scooped coffee, and a thru-hiker potluck that no one asked for.Chapters04:00 The Aspiration of the Calendar Year Triple Crown10:30 Overcoming Obstacles in the Journey13:51 Planning and Timing for Success19:25 Budgeting for the Adventure24:20 Family Support and Logistics25:12 Training for High Mileage31:29 Food Choices on the Trail37:58 The Quirks of Trail Humor38:51 Trail Food Favorites and Disasters40:56 Resupply Strategies and Bargain Finds41:59 The Art of Coffee on the Trail43:46 The Triple Crown Experience45:38 Friendships Formed on the Trail47:59 The Emotional Connection to Hiking50:04 Gear Essentials for Long Trails56:14 The Importance of Comfort Items59:34 Post-Hike Plans and Future Goals01:05:15 Memorable Trail Names and Their StoriesSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

What's up, folks? It's Brandon from Head, Heart, and Boots. In today's episode, Chris and I sit down with James from LiveSwitch to talk about some seriously cool tech that's changing the way businesses handle customer interactions—especially in the restoration game. This isn't just about fixing damage; it's about making real, human connections when your customers are in crisis. If you've ever wanted a way to connect with people on a deeper level, especially when they're stressed out and at their lowest, LiveSwitch is here to make that happen. [00:02:08] - What is LiveSwitch? [00:05:56] - Restoration Use Case [00:12:00] - Emotional Connection [00:16:33] - QR Code Lead Gen [00:20:20] - Sales & Training [00:40:30] - Pricing [00:45:42] - Accountability & Safety Thank you sponsors! Liftify is for restorers who are looking to accelerate their online reviews. Consistent and fresh Google Reviews are critical to growing your online presence and establishing trust with your brand. Don't leave it to chance; partner with Liftify and let them capture the feedback your team has earned. https://www.liftify.com/floodlight AnswerForce transforms the restoration industry by providing round-the-clock answering solutions. Their skilled team ensures no call goes unanswered, capturing and qualifying leads, scheduling appointments, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Benefit from industry expertise, scalability, and customized scripting while saving costs compared to in-house solutions. With AnswerForce, your business growth potential becomes limitless. https://www.answerforce.com/floodlight C&R Magazine is the industry's oldest and longest-running media outlet. The team brings restorers all the current news, developments, education and resources that impact our business and the teams we lead. From print media to podcasts, C&R ensures the industry news you need is accessible from anywhere. https://candrmagazine.com Actionable Insights. The Actionable Xactimate Profile by Actionable Insights offers live guidance for more accurate and complete estimates in Xactimate, preventing costly errors and improving your team's workflow. It's an essential upgrade for enhanced estimating accuracy and efficiency. https://getinsights.org/floodlight Did you know... Only 30% of businesses listed for sale actually find a buyer? Even more striking, just 10% of those sell for the price their owners anticipated or higher, meaning only 3% of all business owners achieve their desired sale price. By focusing on understanding and enhancing your enterprise value, you can significantly boost your chances of joining that successful 3%. Business Health & Value Assessment Start AssessmentKnow Your Enterprise Value. See Your Potential Gaps. Complete this assessment in less than 15 minutes and receive a free assessment for your business that includes: A Lite Valuation Of Your Business Your Value Multiplier Per Your Industry Health Assessment Per Our PYB Methodology Business Value & Growth Roadmap Tailored For You Value Acceleration Strategies

Ever feel like your emotions are driving the car... and you're just along for the ride?Yeah, I've been there too.In this powerful episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I sat down with transformation and mastery expert Joey Klein, and let me tell you—this convo is a game-changer for any entrepreneur who wants to stop reacting and start mastering their inner world.Whether you're scaling your biz, building a brand, or just trying to figure out how to balance life and hustle, Joey's wisdom hits deep. We dive into emotional awareness, the science of transformation, and why understanding your inner patterns could be the key to unlocking next-level success.Joey Klein isn't your average personal development coach. This guy has spent decades studying human potential, working with Olympic athletes, Fortune 500 execs, and everyday people who want to live on purpose. He's the creator of the Inner Matrix System—a framework that helps people master their emotions, thoughts, and nervous systems to create meaningful transformation. In other words... this dude knows his stuff.Joey shares how most of our choices and behaviors are pre-determined by emotional patterns we picked up early on. That anxiety before a big pitch? That procrastination on launching your product? Yup, all connected to how your nervous system has been wired.Joey gets real about his own past—how emotional avoidance led to destructive behavior and failed relationships. But instead of staying stuck, he turned that pain into purpose.Through his book, Relationship Alchemy, he teaches how to create thriving partnerships by taking 100% responsibility and understanding the emotional drivers behind every action.Joey also shares his InterMatrix app, a personal trainer for your emotional game. It helps you track your internal state, practice awareness, and shift into intentional action daily.If you're tired of feeling stuck in the same patterns—whether it's burnout, fear of failure, or toxic relationships—this episode will light a fire under your transformation journey.So go tune in. Get uncomfortable. Reflect. And start building that version of yourself who leads with clarity, confidence, and emotional mastery.Get Joey's newest book, Relationship Alchemy (you'll get 5 amazing bonuses too!)

On this episode of the Scandalous Podcast, I sit down with the incredible Katerina Kiranos, aka Katacombs. We dive into everything from childhood memories and navigating relationships, to the cultural richness of traveling—especially our adventures in places like London and Greece. She opens up about confronting life's challenges, the strength she's found through the support of loved ones, and the powerful freedom that comes from breaking away from societal expectations—especially the pressure to always be "polite." Throughout our chat, we touch on the feminine experience in music, the evolution of her voice, and the confidence it takes to stay true to yourself in a world that often pushes conformity. She also shares what touring has taught her, the ongoing journey of self-acceptance, and what it means to find empowerment at every stage of life. It's raw, it's real, and of course—it's a little bit Scandalous.Follow @ScandalousOfficial

David Drucker, Noel Tocci, and Deborah Corn discuss how print creates emotional connections, how thoughtful design choices help tell compelling stories, underused colors that have an emotional impact, and how designers can create unique and memorable experiences through print. Mentioned in This Episode:  Rodney Smith: https://rodneysmith.com/ The End: https://rodneysmith.com/theend/ David Drucker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-drucker-b1b5946/ highresolution printing and packaging: https://high-res.com Noel Tocci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noeltocci/ Tocci Made: https://toccimade.com/ Deborah Corn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahcorn/ Print Media Centr: https://printmediacentr.com Partner with Print Media Centr: https://printmediacentr.com/partnerships/ Subscribe to News From The Printerverse: https://printmediacentr.com/subscribe-2 Project Peacock: https://ProjectPeacock.TV Girls Who Print: https://girlswhoprint.net

In this episode of the Creative Genius podcast, I interview Rebe Huntman about her debut memoir, "My Mother in Havana, a memoir of magic and miracle." Rebe shares her personal story of losing her mother at a young age and the subsequent decades of feeling disconnected from her memory. Driven by a deep longing and intuition, Rebe embarked on a 30-day DIY pilgrimage to Cuba to seek a different perspective on grief and connection. The conversation delves into how Rebe's background as a Latin dancer led her to discover the spiritual roots of Cuban dances and the traditions of honoring the deceased.  Rebe recounts her experiences immersing herself in rituals dedicated to the goddess Oshun, visiting the sanctuary of Cuba's patron saint, and meeting with a spiritist who she hoped would connect her with her mother.Rebe and I discuss the importance of intuition and following one's unique path, even when it doesn't seem logical. We also explore the disconnect in Western culture from ancestral connections, magic, and meaningful rituals, contrasting it with the Cuban traditions of keeping the dead close.The conversation touches on the challenges of staying creative and connected to one's inner voice in the face of overwhelming global issues and personal fears. Rebe shares her belief in creativity as a portal and emphasizes the importance of honouring inner longings and choosing to champion humanity. She also shares her personal rituals for grounding and connecting with her intuition and ancestors, offering practical advice for listeners seeking to do the same. Ultimately, Rebe's story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, the wisdom of intuition, and the potential for magic and miracle in our lives, even in the darkest of times.