Podcasts about exceptional

Letha Sandison is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and the founder of Four Moons Spa in Encinitas, California—a unique wellness destination that combines traditional spa treatments, alternative healing therapies, community events, workshops, and retail experiences. After a transformative chapter living and working in Uganda, Letha returned to the U.S. with a mission to create a business centered on connection, healing, and purpose. In this episode, she shares how building community has become both her competitive advantage and her business philosophy. On this episode we talk about: How living in Uganda reshaped Letha's perspective on gratitude, purpose, and entrepreneurship Why community has become one of the biggest opportunities in the growing wellness industry The realities of building and operating a successful wellness business—from leases and staffing to logistics and margins How Four Moons Spa survived COVID and expanded into retail products and merchandise Marketing strategies that leverage user-generated content, PR, and memorable customer experiences instead of paid advertising Top 3 Takeaways The most successful businesses often solve a deeper human need—in Four Moons' case, creating meaningful community alongside wellness services. Before launching a wellness business, define your vision first. Your services, location, staffing, and financial model should all support that specific mission. Exceptional customer experiences generate authentic word-of-mouth marketing that is often more valuable than paid advertising. Notable Quotes "You can create a role for yourself that is deeply fulfilling and still sustains you." "I wanted to create something that had impact beyond just me." "We do almost everything we do as marketing." Connect with Letha Sandison: Website: https://www.fourmoonsspa.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fourmoonsspa/ A Word from Our Sponsors: - Visit DrinkAG1.com/TMM to get a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last.  - Go to Leesa.com for 25% OFF select mattresses (through August 23, 2026) PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code TMM, exclusive for my listeners  - To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go to https://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Hawk arrived at Miami University the day after high school graduation, with a plan to earn the starting quarterback job and make it to the NFL. Two years later, a 6'5" kid from somewhere in Ohio showed up and took the job away from him. That kid turned out to be Ben Roethlisberger. What Ryan did with that moment became the entire foundation of The Learning Leader podcast, one of the most respected leadership shows in the country, and his new book The Price of Becoming. He joins Joe and OG to talk about the habits, frameworks, and daily actions that compound into something exceptional -- and what to do when the plan doesn't survive contact with reality.What You'll Walk Away WithCoach Hepp's three-sentence leadership philosophy that Ryan has never forgotten: have a plan, work the plan, and plan for the unexpectedWhy being told "he gives us a better chance to win than you do" was the most valuable coaching Ryan ever received -- and what it teaches about adding value versus wanting creditThe imitate-then-innovate framework: why The Beatles were a cover band first, why Wayne Gretzky took handwritten notes watching players smaller than himself, and why copying the greats isn't theft -- it's the fastest path to finding your own voiceRyan's first draft pick for becoming exceptional: a five-to-ten minute nightly prompt exercise built around one Charlie Munger question that compounds like a great investmentWhy truth tellers -- people willing to look you in the eye and tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear -- are the most underrated asset in any high performer's lifeThe superpower Ryan has found in every great leader he's interviewed across 11 years and hundreds of conversations: deep, specific curiosity -- and why it's the ultimate form of showing loveSweat more than you watch other people sweat: Scott Galloway's physical discipline framework applied to every area of lifeThe Brock Purdy late-round pick: why bringing a notebook to every meeting -- something almost no intern or young employee does -- is the single easiest way to stand out and learn fasterThe boomerang kids debate: why nearly half of Americans under 30 now live with a parent, when OG thinks it's a great idea, when he thinks you suck, and why it only works if there's a real plan with a real end dateJames from the community: how retiring at 52 let him become his daughter's bank in a hot real estate market -- loan document, market rate, free labor but zero say in the houseWhy This Matters NowThe gap between people who become exceptional and people who almost do isn't talent -- it's the daily actions they're willing to stack. This episode is the practical blueprint for what those actions actually look like.From the BasementRyan Hawk joins Joe and OG to talk about getting benched, the imitate-then-innovate path from cover band to original voice, and the five draft picks that build a great life -- including one that Joe immediately connects to hiding money from himself. The Wall Street Journal's piece on boomerang kids gives OG a platform to explain exactly when it's smart, when it's lazy, and why his kids should not take this as an invitation. Doug arrives with Cleveland trivia and the story of how a newspaper's cheap typesetting permanently changed the name of a major American city. James from the community sends a letter that makes OG quietly admit he was wrong about the appraisal.Resources MentionedThe Price of Becoming: The Compounding Practices of High Performance by Ryan Hawk -- available wherever books are soldThe Learning Leader podcast -- Ryan Hawk; available wherever you listen to podcasts; learningleader.comSteal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon -- referenced for the imitate-then-innovate frameworkSet for Life by Scott Trench -- referenced for Joe's kids; biggerpockets.comBroke Millennial by Erin Lowry -- referenced for Joe's kids; brokemillennial.comWall Street Journal -- "Living With Your Parents Is No Longer Viewed as a Failure to Launch" by Rebecca Picciotto and Nicholas G. MillerStacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkitStacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basementSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the most profound lessons I have learned as a professor after decades of studying human performance is simple: I am no better than average.When I internalize this, everything changes. When I think I am really smart, I recalibrate and remind myself I am no better than average. When I think I have some special skill, I remind myself I am no better than average.This protects me from stupid mistakes. I stop thinking I can beat the market. I stop believing I will be spectacular overnight. I assume I will suck at first. And that assumption is powerful.Most performance follows a trend line. Incremental improvement over time. Not genius. Not hacks.If I follow the average trend line and do the tried and true things consistently, I do spectacularly well.Not because I am exceptional.Because I accepted that I am ordinary.

This Sunday Worship episode features dynamic Pastors, Preachers and Reverends that speak truth to power and wake us up. I capture these Sermons from various sources to share as our Church On-Line that I started back during 2020 shutdown. Rev. Dyson sermon was aired on WHUR 96.3 FM Radio. He preached from the Bible verse 2 Corrinthian 12:7-10..  

Warren Buffett says “never bet against America”. But plenty of people spent the last eighteen months doing exactly that — betting the dollar would be dethroned and the "Sell America" trade would finally pay off. They're still waiting. We ask whether the United States is still exceptional, or just expensive. And in the Dumb Question of the Week: Is the US the best performing stock market ever? --- Thank you to Raisin UK for sponsoring this episode. Receive a £100 welcome bonus when you register for a Raisin UK account using the code JULY100, open a fixed-rate bond with a term of 1 year or longer and deposit a minimum of £25,000 by 31 July 2026. https://raisin-uk.pxf.io/c/4012142/3930337/12683?sharedid=uk-cmp-bonus-pensioncraft-podcasts-0726 New customers only, terms apply. ---Get in touch

What if the biggest leadership breakthrough for your construction business isn't a new system but the tiny conversations you're not having?   Whether you're leading project managers, growing a construction company, or managing demanding clients, success often comes down to communication, curiosity, and building trust. In this episode, Erin Stetzer shares with Bradley Hartmann how lessons from elite athletics, entrepreneurship, and custom home building have shaped a leadership philosophy that helps teams perform at a higher level while creating exceptional client experiences.   In this episode you will Discover how micro communication eliminates confusion, builds trust, and keeps projects moving forward. Learn why hiring for curiosity, and developing each person's unique strengths, creates stronger, more engaged teams. Understand practical leadership habits that improve accountability, communication, and long-term business growth.   Press play to learn practical leadership strategies you can implement immediately to build stronger teams, happier clients, and a more effective construction business.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com. The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization. Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com. New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.   This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.        

Read the Instructions | Proverbs 13 Wisdom That Could Save You Years of FrustrationHave you ever ignored the instructions because you thought, "I've got this," only to realize later that the mistake was completely avoidable? In this episode of The VIBE with Kelly Cardenas, we're diving into Proverbs 13, where timeless biblical wisdom teaches us why following instructions, seeking wise counsel, staying humble, and applying what we learn can transform every area of our lives.I have to confess something...When Brooklyn and I moved to Carlsbad, our kids were little enough to sleep in bunk beds, so we headed to IKEA to pick one up. Like every responsible dad, I carefully laid out every piece, organized every screw, and diligently read every page of the instructions...Yeah... not even close.I skimmed the instructions just enough to get started. Once I felt confident, my ego whispered those dangerous words:"I got this."Everything seemed perfect until I reached the very last piece.It didn't fit.Naturally, I did what any mature adult would do...I blamed IKEA.Surely they forgot a part.After a few minutes of frustration, I swallowed my pride, went back to the instructions, and discovered the truth.Every piece was there.Every step was there.The only thing missing......was my willingness to keep reading and applying what was already in front of me.That lesson has followed me far beyond building furniture.Proverbs 13 reminds us that wisdom isn't just hearing truth—it's applying it.In this episode we talk about:Why following instructions is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.How pride quietly convinces us we don't need guidance.Why wise counsel always beats isolated confidence.The power of diligence over laziness.Why successful people talk about ideas while unsuccessful people spend their time talking about people.How "Big hat, no cattle" is still one of the best leadership lessons I've ever heard.Why doing the right thing in the dark eventually shines in the light.Why Inchstones always become milestones.Protecting hope at all costs.Building an inheritance that lasts for future generations.Stopping comparison and starting praise.One of my favorite reminders from my Pops was:"Walk with the wise and become wise."The older I get, the more I realize Mama and Pops weren't just giving advice.They were leaving me an inheritance.An inheritance of wisdom.And that inheritance only has value if I actually apply it.So before you assume you already know the next step...pause.Read the instructions.Then live them.If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that humility isn't thinking less of yourself—it's being willing to learn.Remember...Speak Life.Your words create worlds.

Transformation Tip: "The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." — Jimmy JohnsonGood teams get the job done. Exceptional teams never stop growing.In this episode, Steve and Pete explore why so many organizations plateau—not because they're failing, but because they've become comfortable. Using the 5 E's of Organizational Growth, they discuss how teams can recognize where they are in their journey and what it takes to continue moving forward instead of settling for success.You'll also hear practical insights on navigating difficult conversations, building healthy accountability, investing in people, and viewing failure as a catalyst for growth rather than a setback.Whether you're leading an organization, serving on a team, or influencing those around you, this conversation will challenge you to pursue excellence with intentionality.Transformation Application: This week, identify where your team fits within the 5 E's of Organizational Growth. Then ask yourself: What is one thing we've been tolerating that's preventing us from reaching the next level?Connect On Social:Podcast Facebook PageSteve Facebook Steve InstagramSteve LinkedInPete FacebookPete Instagram Pete LinkedIn

This episode kicks off with Dr. Drew's discussion with retired Intel officer Drew Miller about societal collapse and grid-down scenarios. Miller warns that in the event of a total grid failure, chaos could erupt in as little as 72 minutes, with millions of gang members and prisoners turning into marauders. The conversation explores the need for self-defense, community, and preparation, painting a stark picture of how modern dependency on government and technology could accelerate a swift breakdown of order.Then I dive into American exceptionalism, reflecting on how the United States has repeatedly shown its unique character throughout history. From fighting a war within itself to end slavery, to rebuilding former enemies like Japan and Germany after World War II, America's capacity for self-correction and generosity is unlike any other nation. It is this spirit, rooted in natural rights and resilience, that underpins why America remains exceptional.I also touch on World Cup updates, lying, jury duty experiences, funny online posts, modern feminism, and so much more.

Leadership is the problem, leadership is the solution.  On this episode I share what it takes to become a better leader.  And whether you realize it or not, everyone is a leader.  Everyone is influencing others. So if you want to be a better leader for your family, your team, or your business, this is for you. 

Explore places of people with needs to find more meaning, money, and momentum:“Leaders leave thinking they're on the same page.”“You can't pull out the nuances over the phone.”“Get out there, see the reality.”The table, cat, kitchen, route, and agent may know what AI misses...See BoldEncounters.TVTable Turners SeriesIn Table Turners, Mark invites former guests to reverse roles and interview him on subjects he has spent a career studying, testing, and teaching. In this series, Angela Finlay presses Mark on Bold Immersion: getting close enough to clients, users, employees, patients, workflows, and actual places to see what meetings, reports, AI, dashboards, and assumptions often miss.Opening SummaryFormer guest Angela Finlay reverses roles and interviews Mark about Bold Immersion, the practice he names as the strongest predictor of better client outcomes, stronger financial impact, and deeper passion at work. Angela begins with Harvard Business Review's “false alignment” problem: leaders meet, discuss Artificial Intelligence, strategy, and customer needs, then leave seeing different parts of the elephant.Core ValueBold Immersion means entering the real world of the person you serve before you decide what to build, sell, fix, lead, or automate. Mark connects it to customer journey mapping, in-home observation, ride-alongs, product ethnography, contextual inquiry, Voice of the Customer, workflow observation, Human-Centered Design, Design Thinking, Lean improvement, product development, field marketing, and customer experience. The deeper move is simple: replace secondhand confidence with firsthand reality.Inside This Episode• Why false alignment can be more dangerous than visible disagreement.• How Chad Wells used Medicare customer journey mapping and ride-alongs at UnitedHealth Group.• Why camera crews, kitchens, old books, artifacts, and a cat revealed hidden customer context.• How Queens and Bronx sales-agent ride-alongs changed what marketing needed to build.• Why Bold Immersion belongs in ordinary workflows, not only innovation, UX, Lean, or product roles.Go Deeper — Premium Action PlanThis four-part Table Turners series culminates in Mark's Premium Action Plan. Begin this week by selecting one customer, employee, user, patient, beneficiary, prospect, agent, partner, or internal customer whose reality you have only experienced secondhand. Decide whether your next move requires a ride-along, contextual interview, workflow observation, site visit, customer journey review, or field conversation before your next important decision.Listen + Connecthttps://www.BoldEncounters.TVAngela Finlayhttps://www.windwardhcm.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ablumfinlay/Chad Wellshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-j-wells/Mark S. Cookhttps://www.WindfallPartners.comMoments To Revisit• Angela's elephant-vantage warning about AI, meetings, and false alignment.• Chad Wells describing hundreds, maybe thousands, of in-home Medicare appointments.• The dining-room customer who could not be understood through a phone call.• The female sales agent entering places that changed the marketer following her.• The UnitedHealthcare sales kit born from seeing agents and customers in motion.What Now?Watch Part 1, then continue the Table Turners Bold Immersion series at:https://www.BoldEncounters.TVThank YouChad Wells, customer journey mapping and ride-alongs at UnitedHealth GroupCalvin Cook—Caljo, original music, @Caljo MusicSach Arias, Post Production, aliyahmpena@gmail.comAliyah Peña, Post Production, aliyahmpena@gmail.comSkyler Maudsley, Video Editing, skylermaudsley@gmail.comRosalie McGinn, Social Media, rosalie.mcginn1@gmail.com

A conversation with Nick Smith of South Africa's Soul Barrel Brewing. Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.This Episode is Sponsored by:John I. HaasWhen every pound of hops matters, brewers need products that work harder in the brewhouse. LupoMAX® was engineered to deliver concentrated lupulin, intense aroma expression, and reduced process loss, helping breweries improve yields while maintaining true-to-type hop character. Available in standout varieties like Citra®, Mosaic®, Krush®, and more, LupoMAX gives brewers a smarter path to bold flavor and operational efficiency. Talk with your Haas Sales Representative or visit lupohops.com for details.All About BeerAt All About Beer, we're honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn't do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.Host: John HollGuests: Nick SmithSponsors: John I. Haas, All About BeerTags: South Africa, Wine, Beer, Tradition, InnovationPhoto: By John Holl

What does it take to create extraordinary experiences that make customers happier and tell others? Stacy Sherman and featured guest Mark Sanborn reveals proven principles to consistently deliver positive emotion and go beyond the ordinary. You'll learn the 4 principles from his book, "The Fred Factor" focussed on a real-life postal carrier who made a difference. You'll discover how to reinvent, build relationships, and add value without spending more. And, some of the best advice about leadership, customer experience, and succeeding in the age of AI. What You Will Learn Ask your team a version of the Sanborn question after key transactions: "Are you happier you chose us than a competitor?" Use the responses to identify specific moments where the answer is no. Direct training budget toward frontline employees, since customers interact with delivery drivers, support agents, and reception staff far more often than they interact with executives. Give employees permission to add a small, no-cost gesture at one point in the customer journey, similar to the pizza driver who asks to give a child a piece of candy at the door. Set a rule for AI use on your team: AI drafts content, but a person still asks the original question, checks the output for accuracy, and carries out the final action. Write down, in one sentence, what your team is trying to accomplish this quarter, then ask five employees the same question and compare the answers. Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.

For families who rely on it, the Exceptional Family Member Program can shape everything from assignments to access to care. Jessica Hulter knows that firsthand from years spent navigating the system while caring for her daughter, and her experience sheds light on what it takes for military families to find their way through it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the first episode of the Summer School series, Phil challenges professionals to adopt the mindset that separates top performers from the rest: thinking like a CEO. Regardless of your title, you're running a business within a business, and success depends on leading it with intention. In this episode, Phil outlines seven essential questions every advisor, entrepreneur, and business leader should answer to define their mission, identify their ideal clients, market their value, and build a sustainable business that creates lasting impact. If you're ready to stop drifting and start designing the future of your practice, class is officially in session. Resources: Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com Please send First Friday Feedback Submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com   Transcription: Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I'm Phil Buchanan, Executive Chairman of Canon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push, and motivational insight to live your best life. Thanks for joining. Good Monday morning, Canada Nation. It is Phil here with episode 755 of Monday Morning Mojo. Throughout the month of July, we're headed back to school. Not the kind of school with desk, textbooks, and final exams. We're talking about the kind of learning that can transform careers, elevate businesses, and ultimately change lives. I'm calling this the Monday Morning Mojo Summer School. And each week in the month of July, we're going to tackle a different lesson that every exceptional business leader, be them a wealth management professional or entrepreneur, should master. Today's lesson is simple, but it may be the most important one of the entire series. You are the CEO of your business. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Phil, I'm not a CEO. I work for a bank. I work for a trust company. I'm part of a family office. I manage advisory relationships. I counsel clients. Now, all of that is true. But regardless of your title, every one of us operates a business within a business. Now, the elite professionals understand this. The average professionals ignore it. Elite performers think like owners, and owners think like CEOs. So let's head into today's summer school lesson. CEOs are responsible for the business thesis. Now, every successful company begins with a simple question. Why does this business exist? That's the business thesis. What problems are we solving? Who are we serving? Why should someone choose us? Look at any great company and you'll find a very clear thesis behind it. The same should be true for you. If I ask you right now, what is your professional business thesis? Could you answer in a simple one-sentence explanation? Not your firm's mission statement, not a generic value proposition, your thesis. For example, I help closely help business owners transition wealth and leadership successfully across generations. Or I help affluent families reduce complexity and increase confidence in every aspect of their financial lives. That is a thesis. Now, many professionals spend years working hard without ever defining exactly what business they're in. CEOs can't and don't make that mistake. Before they build a company, they define the mission. Before you build your business, you should define yours. Lesson 2, what type of business will you build? Once you've established your thesis, the next question is simple. What type of business are you trying to create? Now, many professionals drift throughout their careers, accepting whatever opportunities arrive. CEOs intentionally do not drift. They design. Do you want a highly specialized advisory practice? Do you want a multi-generational family office business? Do you want to become the leading advisors to entrepreneurs in your market? Do you want a smaller number of relationships or a larger number of smaller relationships? There is no right answer. That's the beauty of this business. But the value is in your clarity. The future you're building today is being shaped by the decisions you're making right now. Every client you accept, every niche you pursue, every referral source you cultivate, every hour you spend, all of it is either helping build your intended business or helping build someone else's vision. CEOs don't leave that to chance. Neither should you. Lesson 3, who are your target clients? One of the greatest mistakes professionals in any business makes is trying to serve everyone. When you try to be relevant to everyone, you become memorable to no one. The most successful businesses in the world know exactly who they serve. You should too. Who is your ideal client? What is the type of client that has issues and has challenges in their lives that cause them to search for someone with your expertise? What opportunities excite your ideal client? What obstacles frustrate them? What stages of life are they navigating? What decisions are weighing on them? The more clearly you define your audience, the easier it becomes to create value. The advisor who specializes in business owners thinks differently than the advisor who specializes in retirees. The family office professional serving ultra-high-net-worth families faces different challenges than the private banker focused on emerging wealth. Specificity creates relevance. Relevance creates trust. Trust creates multiple opportunities. Lesson #4, what services do your ideal clients need? Now here's a critical distinction. Don't, and I mean never, start with your services. Start with your clients. Too many professionals lead with what they want to sell. CEOs focus on what clients need to buy. What keeps your ideal clients awake at 2 A.m.? Is it succession planning, asset protection? tax complexity, family dynamics, charitable planning, a business transition, wealth transfer, risk management. Your value grows when you become a solution to meaningful problems. The deeper your understanding of client needs, the more indispensable you become. Remember this, clients don't buy products and services. They are buying outcomes. They are buying confidence. They are buying clarity. They are buying peace of mind. Lesson 5, how will you market your value? To be brutally honest, many talented professionals struggle here. Not because they're incapable. Rather, they've convinced themselves that marketing is someone else's job. CEOs know better. Marketing is not advertising. Marketing is helping people understand the value you create. It's your visibility. It's your reputation. It's your voice. It's your willingness to educate and engage. Today's marketplace rewards expertise that can be found, that can be searched for, that is digital and identifiable. Write articles. Host education events, create content, speak at industry gatherings, build relationships in your community, share your insights generously. When people consistently associate your name with expertise, opportunities begin to find you. Marketing is not about self-promotion, it's about value promotion. Lesson #6, what's your go-to-market strategy? Great ideas are useless without execution. Again, every CEO knows this. That's why they develop a go-to-market strategy. How will opportunities become relationships? How will relationships become clients? How will clients become advocates? What's your process? What referral sources are you cultivating? What centers of influence are important to your growth? How frequently are you engaging your community of practice? How intentional are you being? Growth rarely, if ever, happens, certainly on a sustainable business by simple chance or accident. Great businesses execute a deliberate plan. Great professionals do the same. Lesson #7, how will you service clients once they arrive? Perhaps the greatest CEO lesson of all time. Acquiring clients is important. Keeping clients is essential. What happens after someone chooses to work with you? Do they receive a deliberate onboarding process? Do they communicate proactively? Do you create clear service expectations? Exceptional service creates loyalty. Loyalty creates retention. Retention fosters referrals. And of course, referrals help accelerate growth. And then suddenly, one day, you realize you've built something sustainable instead of something dependent solely upon constant prospecting. The best businesses in the world don't just attract clients. They create advocates. Your practice should do the same. As we wrap up today's summer school lesson, I want to leave you with a challenge this week. Carve out 30 uninterrupted minutes. Grab a notebook, silence your phone, and answer these seven questions. Number one, what is my business thesis? Number 2, what type of business am I building? Number 3, who are my ideal clients? Number 4, what problems do they need solved? Number 5, how will I market my value? Number 6, what is my go-to-market strategy? And #7, what is my client servicing model? Because whether you've realized it or not, you're already the CEO of your own business. The only remaining question is, are you running it intentionally? Ladies and gentlemen, summer school is officially in session, and until next week, class is dismissed. Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute. Executive producer of Monday Morning Mojo is Sarah Jones. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brewer. Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan, reminding you to be a force for good. Have a great week, and thanks for being part of the Mojo community.  

CrossPolitic — Show Notes: America's 250th Birthday Special On this Fourth of July special, Gabe, Pastor Toby, Knox, and Steve Deace gather to mark America's 250th birthday — not with blind celebration, but with honest reckoning and confident hope. Gabe walks through 15 ways America has been conquered not by guns but by cultural war, from forgetting its Christian founding to pastors who preached niceness over faithfulness. Steve calls for revival-or-bust thinking and eulogizes Charlie Kirk's missional courage. Knox opens Nehemiah and calls for four months of mourning, fasting, and repentance before the wall gets built. And Toby reminds us that the same God who marched slaves out of Egypt with Pharaoh's chariots sinking behind them is still Lord of armies — and he doesn't need our numbers. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro — America's 250th birthday and the CrossPolitic crew 02:47 — Gabe's 15-point thread: how America was conquered by cultural war, not guns 03:20 — Starting point: forgetting the Christian founding and pretending all religions are equal 05:25 — Majoring in the minors — bald eagle eggs, 60 million babies, and government fraud 07:57 — Pastors who preached faith out of politics and handed government the church's job 09:56 — The 11th commandment — thou shalt be nice — and the feminization of Christianity 13:44 — Steve responds: two things can be true at once — and we're in revival-or-bust territory 16:06 — The window is closing: worldview steel cage match, and the check coming due 18:08 — Knox: we are subsidizing our own destruction — the church and Christian schools teaching socialism 21:13 — Toby on the Matt Chandler church-closure clip: worship skipped for construction 23:43 — Stonewall Jackson writing from the battlefield about the Confederacy running mail on the Sabbath 29:03 — Gabe preaching through Judges: 3,000 men of Judah handing Samson to the Philistines 33:34 — Sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategies 35:57 — Steve: repentance + reformation = revival — and being worthy of the bullet Charlie Kirk took 40:11 — Christian donors, media, and why the other side outspends us on missions they believe in 44:01 — The church has zapped masculine ambition — where are the parable-of-the-talents sermons? 48:48 — Knox: you can't outsource to the church what the home isn't doing — father hunger and the three governments 52:51 — Toby: family, church, and state — and how the magisterial Reformation recovered each government's lane 57:44 — Steve's close: dominion without permission — act on behalf of the Father regardless of consequences 1:00:05 — Knox: they don't matter — stop acting like false-god worshipers determine what God's people do 1:00:18 — Knox's three things: mourn for God's name, fast and pray, repent — the Nehemiah math 1:06:09 — Gabe: 300 men repenting — Gideon's army and what a small faithful remnant can do 1:07:20 — Knox: COVID was a grace — trouble wakes people up when comfort puts them to sleep 1:10:21 — Toby: the arc of history is every knee bowing — God will do what it takes to glorify his name 1:13:05 — The colonial army had no business winning — ragtag Presbyterians with psalters for musket wadding 1:16:15 — Conference announcement: Fight Laugh Feast 2026, Holy Wars — early bird extended 1:19:06 — Toby on Exodus: Israel is called the armies of the Lord — Pharaoh just has chariots Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Kicks off with Beer & Psalms on Thursday, pre-business makers conference Thursday afternoon, and closes with a live CrossPolitic show Saturday. Early Bird pricing has been extended — get your tickets now. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Keep your number, keep your phone. Get a free month of service with promo code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Phone: 972-PATRIOT Dominion Wealth Strategies Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and multigenerational vision. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today. Website: reform.money About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #America250 #FourthOfJuly #Revival #ChristianNationalism #ChristianMedia #HolyWars

CrossPolitic — Show Notes: America's 250th Birthday Special On this Fourth of July special, Gabe, Pastor Toby, Knox, and Steve Deace gather to mark America's 250th birthday — not with blind celebration, but with honest reckoning and confident hope. Gabe walks through 15 ways America has been conquered not by guns but by cultural war, from forgetting its Christian founding to pastors who preached niceness over faithfulness. Steve calls for revival-or-bust thinking and eulogizes Charlie Kirk's missional courage. Knox opens Nehemiah and calls for four months of mourning, fasting, and repentance before the wall gets built. And Toby reminds us that the same God who marched slaves out of Egypt with Pharaoh's chariots sinking behind them is still Lord of armies — and he doesn't need our numbers. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro — America's 250th birthday and the CrossPolitic crew 02:47 — Gabe's 15-point thread: how America was conquered by cultural war, not guns 03:20 — Starting point: forgetting the Christian founding and pretending all religions are equal 05:25 — Majoring in the minors — bald eagle eggs, 60 million babies, and government fraud 07:57 — Pastors who preached faith out of politics and handed government the church's job 09:56 — The 11th commandment — thou shalt be nice — and the feminization of Christianity 13:44 — Steve responds: two things can be true at once — and we're in revival-or-bust territory 16:06 — The window is closing: worldview steel cage match, and the check coming due 18:08 — Knox: we are subsidizing our own destruction — the church and Christian schools teaching socialism 21:13 — Toby on the Matt Chandler church-closure clip: worship skipped for construction 23:43 — Stonewall Jackson writing from the battlefield about the Confederacy running mail on the Sabbath 29:03 — Gabe preaching through Judges: 3,000 men of Judah handing Samson to the Philistines 33:34 — Sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategies 35:57 — Steve: repentance + reformation = revival — and being worthy of the bullet Charlie Kirk took 40:11 — Christian donors, media, and why the other side outspends us on missions they believe in 44:01 — The church has zapped masculine ambition — where are the parable-of-the-talents sermons? 48:48 — Knox: you can't outsource to the church what the home isn't doing — father hunger and the three governments 52:51 — Toby: family, church, and state — and how the magisterial Reformation recovered each government's lane 57:44 — Steve's close: dominion without permission — act on behalf of the Father regardless of consequences 1:00:05 — Knox: they don't matter — stop acting like false-god worshipers determine what God's people do 1:00:18 — Knox's three things: mourn for God's name, fast and pray, repent — the Nehemiah math 1:06:09 — Gabe: 300 men repenting — Gideon's army and what a small faithful remnant can do 1:07:20 — Knox: COVID was a grace — trouble wakes people up when comfort puts them to sleep 1:10:21 — Toby: the arc of history is every knee bowing — God will do what it takes to glorify his name 1:13:05 — The colonial army had no business winning — ragtag Presbyterians with psalters for musket wadding 1:16:15 — Conference announcement: Fight Laugh Feast 2026, Holy Wars — early bird extended 1:19:06 — Toby on Exodus: Israel is called the armies of the Lord — Pharaoh just has chariots Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Kicks off with Beer & Psalms on Thursday, pre-business makers conference Thursday afternoon, and closes with a live CrossPolitic show Saturday. Early Bird pricing has been extended — get your tickets now. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Keep your number, keep your phone. Get a free month of service with promo code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Phone: 972-PATRIOT Dominion Wealth Strategies Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and multigenerational vision. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today. Website: reform.money About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #America250 #FourthOfJuly #Revival #ChristianNationalism #ChristianMedia #HolyWars

CrossPolitic — Show Notes: America's 250th Birthday Special On this Fourth of July special, Gabe, Pastor Toby, Knox, and Steve Deace gather to mark America's 250th birthday — not with blind celebration, but with honest reckoning and confident hope. Gabe walks through 15 ways America has been conquered not by guns but by cultural war, from forgetting its Christian founding to pastors who preached niceness over faithfulness. Steve calls for revival-or-bust thinking and eulogizes Charlie Kirk's missional courage. Knox opens Nehemiah and calls for four months of mourning, fasting, and repentance before the wall gets built. And Toby reminds us that the same God who marched slaves out of Egypt with Pharaoh's chariots sinking behind them is still Lord of armies — and he doesn't need our numbers. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro — America's 250th birthday and the CrossPolitic crew 02:47 — Gabe's 15-point thread: how America was conquered by cultural war, not guns 03:20 — Starting point: forgetting the Christian founding and pretending all religions are equal 05:25 — Majoring in the minors — bald eagle eggs, 60 million babies, and government fraud 07:57 — Pastors who preached faith out of politics and handed government the church's job 09:56 — The 11th commandment — thou shalt be nice — and the feminization of Christianity 13:44 — Steve responds: two things can be true at once — and we're in revival-or-bust territory 16:06 — The window is closing: worldview steel cage match, and the check coming due 18:08 — Knox: we are subsidizing our own destruction — the church and Christian schools teaching socialism 21:13 — Toby on the Matt Chandler church-closure clip: worship skipped for construction 23:43 — Stonewall Jackson writing from the battlefield about the Confederacy running mail on the Sabbath 29:03 — Gabe preaching through Judges: 3,000 men of Judah handing Samson to the Philistines 33:34 — Sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategies 35:57 — Steve: repentance + reformation = revival — and being worthy of the bullet Charlie Kirk took 40:11 — Christian donors, media, and why the other side outspends us on missions they believe in 44:01 — The church has zapped masculine ambition — where are the parable-of-the-talents sermons? 48:48 — Knox: you can't outsource to the church what the home isn't doing — father hunger and the three governments 52:51 — Toby: family, church, and state — and how the magisterial Reformation recovered each government's lane 57:44 — Steve's close: dominion without permission — act on behalf of the Father regardless of consequences 1:00:05 — Knox: they don't matter — stop acting like false-god worshipers determine what God's people do 1:00:18 — Knox's three things: mourn for God's name, fast and pray, repent — the Nehemiah math 1:06:09 — Gabe: 300 men repenting — Gideon's army and what a small faithful remnant can do 1:07:20 — Knox: COVID was a grace — trouble wakes people up when comfort puts them to sleep 1:10:21 — Toby: the arc of history is every knee bowing — God will do what it takes to glorify his name 1:13:05 — The colonial army had no business winning — ragtag Presbyterians with psalters for musket wadding 1:16:15 — Conference announcement: Fight Laugh Feast 2026, Holy Wars — early bird extended 1:19:06 — Toby on Exodus: Israel is called the armies of the Lord — Pharaoh just has chariots Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Kicks off with Beer & Psalms on Thursday, pre-business makers conference Thursday afternoon, and closes with a live CrossPolitic show Saturday. Early Bird pricing has been extended — get your tickets now. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Keep your number, keep your phone. Get a free month of service with promo code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Phone: 972-PATRIOT Dominion Wealth Strategies Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and multigenerational vision. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today. Website: reform.money About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #America250 #FourthOfJuly #Revival #ChristianNationalism #ChristianMedia #HolyWars

What if the move most men never make in midlife is the one that changes everything?Greg Scheinman has had two seven-figure exits — one acquired by Disney CEO Michael Eisner. He's coached over 100 executives, completed HYROX Nationals, and at 53 is in the best shape of his life. But things weren't always that way. Greg has been through alcoholism, depression, the loss of his father at 17, and hit rock bottom twice. What he found on the other side became the Midlife Mail — a weekly newsletter followed by over 50,000 men who are done going through the motions. In this episode, Greg joins Jon and Will to talk about the one move most men in midlife never make: releasing instead of adding. Dropping the old titles, the ego armor, the relentless accumulation of achievement — and designing the life you actually want.IN THIS EPISODE:1.  Why midlife is about releasing, not reinventing — and what that actually looks like in practice2.  The Six F's framework: redefining success around Family, Fitness, Finance, Food, Fashion, and Fun3.  Conformity, complacency, and redundancy — the three traps keeping most men stuck4.  Show me your calendar, I'll show you your priorities: the design-over-default framework5.  Why knowledge doesn't make you better — and the one thing that actually doesFollow Greg Scheinman:-Website: https://gregscheinman.com-Newsletter, Podcast & More: https://midlifemale.com-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregscheinman/ (@gregscheinman) GET MORE FROM MTM:Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletterSubscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-pageA2A COURSE:12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness.https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-courseBRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM:Custom training for your organization. In-person or online.https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-usProduced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

I'm delighted to welcome Dr Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan back to the show to discuss their brand new book "Captain: The Athlete's Guide to Being an Exceptional Team Leader". Jerry is a performance, leadership and coaching expert helping people of all ages and abilities in all arenas of performance to develop the qualities of courage, integrity, fearlessness, tenacity, patience, persistence in order to overcome mental and emotional blocks. Jerry helps individuals and teams to create confidence, mental toughness, inspiration and empowerment for competitive events and to better navigate the unchartered waters of life. He has worked with athletes and teams at universities such as The University of North Carolina, Duke, Maryland, Oregon State, Stanford, Harvard, and more. John is an internationally known speaker for coaches, parents and youth sports organisations, and has spoken for TEDx, the US Olympic Committee, US Soccer, USA Wrestling, USA Swimming, Ireland Rugby, Australian Rugby League and at numerous events around the world. John's work has been featured by CNN, Outside Magazine, ESPN, NBC Sports and numerous other media entities. John's background as an athlete and coach led him to start the Changing the Game project with the mission to put the 'play' back into 'play ball' by providing parents and coaches with the information and resources they need to make sport a healthy, positive, and rewarding experience for their children. In their new book, 'Captain', Jerry and John share wisdom accrued from decades of consultation with well over 100 championship teams, dozens of Hall of Fame coaches, and hundreds of interviews with Olympic, world champion, and professional athletes and team leaders. The lessons in this book will help readers start leading in a positive and constructive way, stop certain behaviours before they destroy team culture, and face the many challenges of being a team captain. Through numerous stories of well-known leaders such as Tim Duncan, Steve Kerr, Carla Overbeck, Abby Wambach, Carles Puyol, Richie McCaw, and Simone Biles, as well as lessons from Eastern philosophy and Western psychology, this book will help readers become a respected leader and a trusted bridge between coaches and teammates.

Episode Overview- Overlooking microscopic organizational details causes expensive long-term damage.- Elite teams seamlessly balance spiritual depth with excellence.- Discerning God's will always trumps forcing our own.- True owners care deeply about long-term value creation.- Exceptional leaders routinely clean up trash in facilities.- External physical excellence beautifully mirrors God's creative design.Show Notes & Resources

Here we go... the seventh and final layer of The Natural Order of Things, the one that really decides everything: Deep Transformation.Here's the reframe at the heart of this episode. Your job was never to teach, coach, or deliver content. Your job is to hold space while your client does the work only they can do. You can't transform anyone. You can build the container that lets them transform themselves.The small things, done consistently. Timekeeping, boundaries, kept promises, full presence. The co-creation that turns a perfectly good client experience into one people can't stop talking about.And because this is layer seven, it's also where the whole framework comes full circle. Exceptional delivery feeds back into every layer before it. It grows your confidence, fuels your courage, and hands you the best marketing you will ever have: other people, telling the truth about what changed for them.Get the free book, The Natural Order of Things: https://gillmoakes.com/natural-order-bookDownload the prompts for this layer: https://gillmoakes.com/217Come and do this work in community inside The Wild Way: https://gillmoakes.com/wildway This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gillmoakes.substack.com

Around 1,000 excess deaths have been recorded during France's exceptional heatwave. With 85% of those who died aged 65 or older. Officials warn the health impact could continue for days after temperatures ease. Anton spoke to Lara Marlowe, Paris based Author and Journalist.

Investing Beyond the Pitch & Building Great Companies with Alex Chompff What separates legendary venture capital firms from everyone else? How do experienced angel investors identify startups with the greatest potential before everyone else sees it? In this episode, we sit down with Alex Chompff, an accomplished entrepreneur, angel investor, and venture capital executive whose career has included working alongside some of Silicon Valley's most influential investment firms, including Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Sequoia Capital, and the Barksdale Group. Alex has also played an active role in California's innovation ecosystem through startup mentoring, angel investing with Sacramento Angels, and advising emerging technology companies. Drawing from decades of experience evaluating entrepreneurs, funding innovation, and navigating rapidly changing markets—including the evolution of cryptocurrency and emerging technologies—Alex shares practical insights for founders, investors, and anyone interested in building successful businesses. Whether you're raising capital, making your first angel investment, or simply curious about how world-class investors think, this conversation provides an inside look at what separates exceptional companies from the rest. In This Episode Alex's journey through some of Silicon Valley's most respected venture capital firms What the best VC firms consistently do differently Lessons learned from working with legendary investors How angel investors develop an investment thesis The characteristics that matter more than financial projections How experienced investors evaluate founders and leadership teams Common mistakes first-time angel investors and VCs make Why long-term success depends on much more than market size The evolving startup landscape and opportunities for entrepreneurs Key Takeaways Great venture investing is driven by pattern recognition and disciplined decision-making. Exceptional founders often stand out through resilience, adaptability, and execution rather than perfect business plans. Financial metrics tell only part of the story—leadership, culture, and market timing can be equally important. Successful investors develop repeatable frameworks instead of relying on instinct alone. Long-term value creation comes from backing great teams solving meaningful problems. Featured Guest Alex Chompff Alex Chompff has built an impressive career spanning venture capital, entrepreneurship, startup advisory, and angel investing. Having worked with firms such as Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Sequoia Capital, and the Barksdale Group, he brings firsthand experience from the heart of Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystem. Alex continues to support entrepreneurs and early-stage companies through mentoring, investing, and leadership within Sacramento Angels. Memorable Discussion Topics What makes iconic venture capital firms consistently successful? How do experienced investors recognize exceptional founders? What should entrepreneurs know before approaching angel investors? Why investment decisions extend well beyond spreadsheets and market analysis. The biggest misconceptions new investors have about startup investing. Connect with Alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexchompff/ Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC. Listeners should consult their own professional advisors before making any investment or business decisions.

CrossPolitic 101 — Show Notes: PCA General Assembly Recap On this episode of CrossPolitic 101, the Waterboy brings in a panel of guests fresh off the 53rd PCA General Assembly to break down what happened in Louisville the week of June 22nd. Pastor Josh Howard (New Covenant Church, Pittsburgh), Pastor Corey Wang (Sheer Presbyterian Church, Morrisville, NC), and Josiah Stowe (co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists) join Gabe to walk through the major outcomes — from the roundhouse defeat of Overture 37 on female deacons, to the cheeseburger patriotism moment, to the partial Christian nationalism study committee report and what it means for the denomination going forward. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro & sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategists 03:07 — Meet the panel: Pastor Josh Howard, Pastor Corey Wang, and Josiah Stowe 06:45 — Overview of the 53rd PCA GA — Louisville, June 22nd; Mel Duncan moderator, Fred Greco clerk 08:29 — Why denomination meetings matter — Acts 15 and God working through the church 09:15 — General assessment: was this a good GA? Corey's take from the conservative 20% 11:05 — Overture 37 — female deacons: what it proposed and how it was defeated 14:07 — Can the overtures committee screen clearly unbiblical overtures before the floor? 15:13 — Why the PCA lets these come to a vote: gauging denominational health, not just screening error 17:49 — The 14 who voted for it — what happens next? Matthew 18 and the presbyteries 22:03 — Josiah's outside perspective: comparing Overture 37 to the SBC's Muller amendment 24:53 — Were conservatives also frustrated? The related overtures that didn't get floor debate 26:13 — Performative masculinity vs. functional female officers — a rhetorical imbalance? 30:18 — What the PCA needs: courageous young men, not crass ones — Pastor Josh 31:57 — Cheeseburger patriotism — Overture 66 and giving thanks to God for 250 years of America 36:04 — The Christian nationalism study committee report — overture vs. report, what's the difference? 38:13 — Dr. David Strain, the partial report, and why the committee asked for one more year 40:00 — Is the CN report fair? The problem of defining terms in a big-tent denomination 44:01 — Gabe's backstory — PCA roots, CrossPolitic's origin, and the deficiency in political theology 48:34 — Was the CN report too little too late? Pastors weigh in on the church's political theology gap 51:38 — Progressive sanctification and the PCA — Corey's framework for denominational growth 56:22 — Josiah's closing take: bounding the tent, defining good Presbyterian Christian nationalism Connect with This Episode's Guests Pastor Josh Howard Church: New Covenant Church — Monroville (Pittsburgh), PA Seminary: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (adjunct professor) Pastor Corey Wang Church: Sheer Presbyterian Church — Morrisville, NC Podcast: Civically Minded Josiah Stowe Role: Co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists Website: reform.money Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks, with 100% U.S.-based customer support. Dollars go toward religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and tell them CrossPolitic sent you. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Dominion Wealth Strategists Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and more. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today. Website: reform.money About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #PCA #GeneralAssembly #ChristianNationalism #Presbyterian #ChristianMedia #ReformedTheology

CrossPolitic 101 — Show Notes: PCA General Assembly Recap On this episode of CrossPolitic 101, the Waterboy brings in a panel of guests fresh off the 53rd PCA General Assembly to break down what happened in Louisville the week of June 22nd. Pastor Josh Howard (New Covenant Church, Pittsburgh), Pastor Corey Wang (Sheer Presbyterian Church, Morrisville, NC), and Josiah Stowe (co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists) join Gabe to walk through the major outcomes — from the roundhouse defeat of Overture 37 on female deacons, to the cheeseburger patriotism moment, to the partial Christian nationalism study committee report and what it means for the denomination going forward. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro & sponsors — Patriot Mobile and Dominion Wealth Strategists 03:07 — Meet the panel: Pastor Josh Howard, Pastor Corey Wang, and Josiah Stowe 06:45 — Overview of the 53rd PCA GA — Louisville, June 22nd; Mel Duncan moderator, Fred Greco clerk 08:29 — Why denomination meetings matter — Acts 15 and God working through the church 09:15 — General assessment: was this a good GA? Corey's take from the conservative 20% 11:05 — Overture 37 — female deacons: what it proposed and how it was defeated 14:07 — Can the overtures committee screen clearly unbiblical overtures before the floor? 15:13 — Why the PCA lets these come to a vote: gauging denominational health, not just screening error 17:49 — The 14 who voted for it — what happens next? Matthew 18 and the presbyteries 22:03 — Josiah's outside perspective: comparing Overture 37 to the SBC's Muller amendment 24:53 — Were conservatives also frustrated? The related overtures that didn't get floor debate 26:13 — Performative masculinity vs. functional female officers — a rhetorical imbalance? 30:18 — What the PCA needs: courageous young men, not crass ones — Pastor Josh 31:57 — Cheeseburger patriotism — Overture 66 and giving thanks to God for 250 years of America 36:04 — The Christian nationalism study committee report — overture vs. report, what's the difference? 38:13 — Dr. David Strain, the partial report, and why the committee asked for one more year 40:00 — Is the CN report fair? The problem of defining terms in a big-tent denomination 44:01 — Gabe's backstory — PCA roots, CrossPolitic's origin, and the deficiency in political theology 48:34 — Was the CN report too little too late? Pastors weigh in on the church's political theology gap 51:38 — Progressive sanctification and the PCA — Corey's framework for denominational growth 56:22 — Josiah's closing take: bounding the tent, defining good Presbyterian Christian nationalism Connect with This Episode's Guests Pastor Josh Howard Church: New Covenant Church — Monroville (Pittsburgh), PA Seminary: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (adjunct professor) Pastor Corey Wang Church: Sheer Presbyterian Church — Morrisville, NC Podcast: Civically Minded Josiah Stowe Role: Co-founder, Dominion Wealth Strategists Website: reform.money Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Exceptional nationwide coverage utilizing all three major networks, with 100% U.S.-based customer support. Dollars go toward religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and tell them CrossPolitic sent you. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic Dominion Wealth Strategists Financial strategies aligned with biblical principles — budgeting, saving, debt management, insurance, legacy planning, and more. Dominion exists to equip Christians to take the dominion mandate seriously: build wealth, protect it, and use it to further the kingdom. Book your free consultation today. Website: reform.money About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #PCA #GeneralAssembly #ChristianNationalism #Presbyterian #ChristianMedia #ReformedTheology

The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – Our Constitution and religious beliefs have been under assault for decades by many who stand opposed to American values and virtues. Because it's these two elements that are at the heart of American exceptionalism. Victor Davis Hanson expounds accurately on American exceptionalism - what made it and what will destroy it...

In this recap, Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack the deeper implications of Adrian Starks' conversation on purpose, grief, and the resistance that comes from fighting your own path. They explore how purpose isn't something you find, but something you actively build, and why the attempt to force alignment often backfires. The episode tackles the unglamorous realities of change, self-reflection, and what happens when perfection gets in the way of progress. Whether you're struggling with imposter syndrome or questioning your direction, this conversation invites you to reclaim agency over your own story. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:How supporting LGBTQ+ communities strengthens your own alignment and values.The importance of taking control of your purpose before it gets defined for you.Why the more effort you put into controlling something, the more it slips through your fingers.How self-reflection reveals when you're outgrowing something or being called into something newImposter syndrome shows up when you're going against the grain of your purpose.Episode References/Links:OPC for 40 days for $40 - opc.me/40eLevate 2028 Waitlist - lesleylogan.co/elevateOPC Flashcards - opc.me/flashcardsSummer Tour (Powered by Balanced Body) - opc.me/tourPrism Foundation - arprismfoundation.orgAdrian Starks Website - https://adrianstarks.comEp 191. with Adrian Starks - https://beitpod.com/ep191100 Acts of Love by Kim Hamer - https://a.co/d/0dugkBGkEp 244 with Kim Hamer - https://beitpod.com/ep244Ep 235 with Krista St-Germain - https://beitpod.com/ep235Ep. 688 Outgrowing Series 1 - https://beitpod.com/ep688 Ep. 689 Outgrowing Series 2 - https://beitpod.com/ep689Submit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  We think purpose is just going to find us, and we're gonna be like, "Oh my god, that's what I'm here for, that's the thing," right? Instead, what clearly seems actionable is purpose is something that we are out there doing, and whether or not we chose to do it, we're still out there doing it.Lesley Logan 0:21  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:04  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap, where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the purposeful convo I had with Adrian Starks in our last episode. You know what, I think that's what we said the first time he was on, because his podcast is all about being purposeful, so if you haven't yet listened to that interview, you can pause this and go listen to that one.Brad Crowell 1:23  What is he like? 190-something?Lesley Logan 1:26  It was like 151. Brad's gonna look it up and... and you can then come back and listen to this one, or you can listen to this one, because we chat about a bunch of stuff, and then our favorite things. And then you can go listen to the amazing one, because you have all the choice in this world. You get to do what you want to do, and we got to meet a bunch of you amazing podcast listeners when we were in Arizona the other day.Brad Crowell 1:46  It was 191.Lesley Logan 1:47  191Brad Crowell 1:48  Yes, I can't believe.Lesley Logan 1:50  Wow, nailed it.Brad Crowell 1:51  I did.Lesley Logan 1:52  I don't even know. You must have cheated. You must have seen it.Brad Crowell 1:55  I heard it in the episode.Lesley Logan 1:56  You heard it in the episode.Brad Crowell 1:59  Because I went back and listened to it. Lesley Logan 2:00  I was like I love you, but there's no way you came up with that on your own. Anyways, we met a bunch of listeners at the POT Arizona last month.Brad Crowell 2:10  We sure did.Lesley Logan 2:11  I love that you love the pod, and also I heard that people are loving the solo episodes. If that's the case, please leave a review and tell me what you want me to talk about. Also, another way you can support this show is to become an OPC member, because when you're an OPC member, that money also supports this podcast. Just be honest, so the best thing you can do is to go be a member of OPC. One, you actually get extra stuff out of it. If you like these little pep talks that I do on the podcast that are solo, at the end of every one of my classes, I give you a little pep talk. It's not a mantra, but it's something close. So you can go to opc.me/40, and then you can join OPC for 40 days for $40, and then you can see how great we are. Okay, today is June 25, 2026. It's Bourdain Day.Brad Crowell 3:00  It's Bourdain Day, and this is.Lesley Logan 3:02  A quote from Mr. Anthony Bourdain: "If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move as far as you can, as much as you can, across the ocean or simply across the river, walk in someone else's shoes, or at least eat their food. It's a plus for everybody." Anthony Bourdain backed up his words with action, all the while urging us to do a lot more than simply try new foods in exotic places with fascinating strangers. He desperately wanted us to break out of our comfort zones and see the world in person through the eyes of people we would never otherwise meet. Watching his TV shows, first No Reservations, and then Parts Unknown, enabled us to spend time with the real-life explorer who trotted around the world in search of, well, the things that make us all human: food, yes, but also love, spirit, and passion. Bourdain, who suffered from depression, took his own life in 2018 at the age of 61. "Anthony was my best friend," tweeted French chef and close friend Eric Ripert at the time. "Exceptional human being, so inspired and generous." Ripert, along with another longtime friend, José Andrés, who does some amazing work in this world, declared June 25, Bourdain's birthday, Bourdain Day in 2019. So, if you are thinking of suicide, or worried about a friend, or in need of emotional support, the Lifeline Network is available 24/7 across the US. Call 800-273-8255. I think there's also a short number, I feel like there's a short number that you can call, but we had a dear friend.Brad Crowell 4:20  You can call 988 in the United States.Lesley Logan 4:22  Thank you. Yeah, yeah, who worked with a suicide prevention network in Nevada. And life's really hard right now. It's harder than people think. You look at people and they seem to have it all together, and they don't. A lot of people are tired, a lot of people have a lot going on. So reach out to a friend you haven't heard from or talked to in a while. You just never know. You might help them out, but also make sure you have these numbers, because there are people who are experts who can also support.Brad Crowell 4:49  Yeah.Lesley Logan 4:50  Upcoming travel, Brad, predict this, because what, go ahead, Brad.Brad Crowell 4:54  Yeah, Anthony Bourdain was very inspirational for me. He was living the travel bug that I always had, and when I was in college, my friend and I used to watch his show every single week, No Reservations. I just loved that he was so angry at his producers in that show, and he would get so pissed about cursing and smoking cigarettes on TV. I guess it wasn't live, but on TV, and then.Lesley Logan 5:23  They could just edit it out.Brad Crowell 5:24  hey could have edited it out, but they didn't. Yeah, it just was really inspirational for me. And then he did some amazing stuff too. He was in Beirut when that.Lesley Logan 5:36  Yes! And then also, don't forget his wonderful documentary about food waste.Brad Crowell 5:40  Yeah, food waste.Lesley Logan 5:41  If you haven't seen it, you must see it.Brad Crowell 5:43  It's called Wasted!Lesley Logan 5:44  I think it's called Wasted!Brad Crowell 5:45  Yeah.Lesley Logan 5:45  We actually watched it, and the next day he died by suicide.Brad Crowell 5:48  Yeah.Lesley Logan 5:49  That was really tragic, and that documentary stuck with me. So it's really, really important, because we all need to be aware. In certain countries, they're doing a much better job about food waste than we are. Go Japan! You were commenting from the documentary, so yeah, for me.Brad Crowell 6:03  It was amazing because I never was a chef, but he worked in the food industry, I worked in the food industry, and I got his book Kitchen Confidential when I was in my early 20s. I just thought he was amazing. So, yep, in honor of Anthony Bourdain, and as Lesley was mentioning, if you or anyone you know is suffering with suicidal thoughts, there is support out there for you.Lesley Logan 6:28  Yeah.Brad Crowell 6:29  Yeah.Lesley Logan 6:29  In other news, there are no spots left in Elevate. Every single week in the last few weeks that you've heard that there are spots was a lie.Brad Crowell 6:37  They are sold out.Lesley Logan 6:40  For 2027 anyways. We are already taking applications for 2028. We'll be able to let you snag your spot and reserve it, and all that stuff. But we're going to have a wonderful Q&A call this summer on July 9, I believe it's at 1 PM Pacific time. You can go to lesleylogan.co/elevate to get on the waitlist. We'll have that call information, and you can register for the call. Oh, I should do ll.co/waitlist. Actually, sorry, my producer is doing this in real time, everyone. Anyways, what I want you to do is get on that waitlist, because I do update you monthly on when we have dates and when we're accepting applications, and when you can deposit. I know that 2028 will fill up as soon as we open up those applications, but that means you have a whole year-plus to protect those dates like your life once I figure out what they are. Lesley Logan 7:31  summer tour is coming, but the tickets are available. They've been available for a few weeks, actually a month to be precise, and many cities are sold out. You're like, "Lesley, now that I know you record this in the past-future, how do you know?" Because I do! When we were in Arizona, we actually met many people who were like, "Oh, I'm going to Tucson," and I was like, "Okay, we're probably out of spots in Tucson." So I know that some of these slots are sold out. You want to go to opc.me/tour. Our tours are sponsored by the wonderful Balanced Body and Contrology company. Balanced Body is celebrating 50 years, so it's a really big year for them. It's kind of amazing what they're doing, and it's really special. So I want you to make sure that you join us, because Balanced Body allows our tours to go to more than six places and to do it with a lot of fun. We're bringing Contrology products into the studio so you can try them out. And if you're new here...Brad Crowell 8:25  Welcome.Lesley Logan 8:25  Hi! We also have Pilates flashcards. Did you know that we do? You don't have to be a Pilates instructor to love them. They're actually really wonderful for helping you have access to great Pilates where you are. They're so great, in fact, that people steal my images all the fucking time to put them in their shitty books, but you can get the real thing with the best information that has been edited many times and has quality videos at opc.me/flashcards. Sorry, I'm a little pissed off over here about something, but I am. If you follow me on Instagram, you know how long this has been going on, and just as we were about to hit record, I found out another fucking person is stealing my images from my flashcards.Brad Crowell 9:08  Three more people.Lesley Logan 9:09  Three more people.Brad Crowell 9:10  Yeah, so it's a thing. That's crazy. Anyway, you should know what's crazy.Lesley Logan 9:16  Is that they thought someone wouldn't find out? You know what I mean?Brad Crowell 9:21  I mean, maybe they just don't care.Lesley Logan 9:22  Maybe they don't care, or they're like, "Oh, she only has like 30,000 followers, so no one will know." But my followers know me, and even people who don't follow me are telling me, because I am recognizable at any rate. But you can get my flashcards, the real deal, and support a small business who is going to take on some of these big-ass companies, because there is a company that is a big name that we're about to take down anyways. I'm excited about it. Lesley Logan 9:49  Before we get into... we used to do audience questions here. If you're new, you don't know that, so this is not a new thing for you. But if you're old and you're like, "Oh, I just popped in here on this one," we don't do that anymore. We answer questions on YouTube at 9 AM Pacific Time Live, and that is where I answer them. If you're a member, I answer questions wherever you are a member, so as long as it's part of your membership, right? If you're an agency member, you can ask business questions there. If you are an OPC member, I answer personal Pilates questions there—I answer all those. Plus, there's YouTube, and YouTube is free. People don't know that, but it is. It's free. You have to watch, according to one comment, a diabolical amount of commercials, but it's free. Yes, "diabolical" was the word that was used. However, what we decided to change this to is many of you want to help out people in your life, but often don't know how to help, and there are so many different shitstorms in the world, like, which firestorm do you help with? The reality is that you can help either by just sharing with a friend who needs to hear that this charity exists for them, or you can share your time, or you can share it on your platform, or you can give them money, even $2. Lesley Logan 10:55  So, because June is Pride Month, we are going to wrap up the month's theme with another wonderful LGBTQ+ charity. This is the Prism Foundation, and it was founded in 2021. The Prism Foundation was started to organize and execute initiatives for the LGBTQ+ community in the state of Arkansas, using a multifaceted approach to achieve the following outcomes: increase access to affirming and comprehensive healthcare, align resources that address barriers to care and health disparities among the community, and create safe spaces for both virtual and physical activities and services that serve LGBTQ+ Arkansas.Brad Crowell 11:32  Correct me if we're wrong here, but I think it's Arkansans.Lesley Logan 11:35  What is also exciting, because I was doing some research on them, they are also really aware of what is happening in the states that are surrounding them that are affecting trans people. Part of their vision is: "We are increasing access to healthcare as top of our priorities. We're also focused on creating pathways to fulfill our basic needs, including overcoming barriers to legal aid services and developing supportive community spaces physically and virtually." Lesley Logan 11:59  I think this is really important because unfortunately, and at the time of this recording, there have been some awful things that have been said about trans people from the government that we are under in this country. I won't even repeat his words, because they are too horrible to repeat, that he said this week. But we need to be protecting our people who are different than us, because the fucking people who are taking from you are billionaires. So support the LGBTQ+ people in your area, because one, they are beautiful human beings, and two, they are always there supporting.Brad Crowell 12:39  That's true, there's very much of an activism mentality in that community.Lesley Logan 12:45  Yeah.Brad Crowell 12:45  Really like.Lesley Logan 12:46  And also, my goodness, they have to be tired. I'm sure they are. Anyways, I really like what that Prism organization is doing. I think it has to be hard to do what they do in the areas that they're doing it, so if you want to support, there you go.Brad Crowell 13:05  You can go to their website at arprismfoundation.org to read more about what they are doing and how you could support them.Lesley Logan 13:14  And if that is not your area, because you're like, "I'm not Arkansan," or "I'm not in the Midwest," then look up ones in your area that are doing something locally for you, because there is always a local outlet of something, like we've talked about before on this podcast. We love supporting a restaurant because Bronze Cafe—everyone who's local to Las Vegas who listens to this show, when you buy meals from them, they support the LGBTQ mental health community center here.Brad Crowell 13:38  If you have an organization that is doing good things that we should find out about, and you want to be featured on the pod, call us and leave us a voicemail.Lesley Logan 13:49  I love that. Then it's your favorite charity.Brad Crowell 13:52  At 310-905-5534 and tell us why they're amazing. You can also submit wins, by the way, at beitpod.com/questions so that we can get you in on the Friday episode.Lesley Logan 14:09  Times now, Brad, I have had people tell me that they heard their win months after they submitted it, and it really made their day because they were having a rough day. So I tell people this. Also, just so you know, we've changed the Friday FYF. I bitch about something, and then you were gonna come, but we haven't had a chance for you to bitch about something.Brad Crowell 14:30  Oh, yes.Lesley Logan 14:31  Which is what we do at our other communities, and then I celebrate a win, and then I share their wins. That's cool, and I do a mantra, so we had a change to it because it's quite nice. Maybe my new "need a moment" is that all these people use my fucking image.Brad Crowell 14:46  Well, we'll save that for Friday's episode. Stick around, we'll be right back. Brad Crowell 14:51  All right, now let's talk about Mr. Adrian Starks. Adrian is a professional speaker, voice narrator, and host of the Your Purposeful Life podcast, who openly embraces his authentic, unpolished self, including his fun side as a comic card and superhero fanatic. Having shed the rigid suit-and-tie expectations of his early career, Adrian is deeply protective of the energy he puts into the world, intentionally choosing to step away from the microphone rather than record an episode if he's having a bad day. So, good vibes, right? As a fellow human seeking purpose, he helps his audience navigate what he identifies as the three continuous cycles of purposeful living, and encourages people to make a mess, figure out what works, and ultimately have fun with their journey.Lesley Logan 15:36  Well, we love mess over here. We love messy action, and we're so big on that. Yeah, I also love... I mean, we had a great conversation about evolution, but one of the things we talked about is he said when we try to make things perfect when they're not meant to be—well, nothing's supposed to be—there's going to be major resistance because everything has to flow a certain way. He used the metaphor of salmon noting their journey upstream against the flow of the river is what ultimately exhausts them, and I think that's so true. I think we try to get things to be so perfect, just like, you know, we make it too precious, and you kind of hold on to it too tight. Then you aren't able to hear amazing things or be curious to go a different direction, you know what I mean?Brad Crowell 16:19  I was just talking about the idea of, like, the more effort you put into controlling something, the more it slips through your fingers. And yeah, I mean, I totally get that. Here's how I equate this. This is going to be an amazing parallel for all you ultimate frisbee players out there, of which I know I'm speaking to the right audience. Obviously.Lesley Logan 16:40  I'm sure we have a good two.Brad Crowell 16:42  Clearly, clearly the right audience. I grew up playing very, very competitively, playing ultimate frisbee, and whenever you were gonna throw the frisbee all the way down the field—the disc, as it were, if you put all of your might into that throw, that huck, as it were, is what we would call it, inevitably, you would mess it up. It would curve to the right, or go out of bounds, or whatever. But if you took a half a second before that huge throw, and you just eased and paused when you threw, you paused, and then just let it happen—it would go where you wanted it to every time. It took a long time, and I could always tell as soon as I released the disc, like, "Oh man, I did not do that right." I feel like life is like that too. When you are forcing it, things do not go the way that you want them to, but when you go with the flow, you know, while you're directing it, then things seem to happen a lot more organically, usually. All the things, right?Lesley Logan 17:49  Yeah, it's like a tough balance, right, because.Brad Crowell 17:52  Still have to direct it.Lesley Logan 17:53  Well, because you don't want to just be blowing with the wind, but you also need to feel the flow, right? Like, there are some obstacles that tell us, like, "Not that door," right? That doesn't mean it's a stop sign, it's just like a doorway, like, "Nope, not that door." And I think it's like really understanding, you know, why are you doing this? Why are you doing any of this? Because if you can keep your "why" in mind, it can keep the perfection from taking over, because perfection will honestly end up making something so clean and perfect, no one wants to touch it and do it, or they don't really know what it is, and it's exhausting. It's exhausting to be perfect. Lesley Logan 18:30  Oh my god, there's just certain people in my life, whenever I see them, I'm like, "How long does it take them to get out the door?" Because we just saw someone this past weekend at an event, and every time I see her, I'm like, she's so perfectly coiffed, it must take forever to get out the door, because there's not a hair amiss. The outfit is... the nails match the shoes match the... I mean, like all of it. I'm like, I know how long it takes to get my nails done, so they're just gonna be what they are for four weeks. So, I don't know, I'm just saying this is... if you want to be my friend, don't be perfect, okay?Lesley Logan 19:06  The last thing I'll say is he explained that when we go against the grain of what our purposes are, it creates major resistance that makes us feel like we're not worthy. So, hello, my people who feel imposter syndrome, it's because you're going against the grain of your purpose. If we're truly good at where we are, while we always can improve, we don't need to be perfect. There is this thing... "improve" is the wrong word. We are always... this is something that happens with Pilates instructors that I meet. You always are going to be learning. There's never a point that you're not learning, but there's a difference between chasing down every single person to go through their version of a program with, and also just learning from the body in front of you today. You know what I mean? Every time I teach a new person, a new client, I learn a new way of explaining something. Today we were doing OPC spring training, and this wonderful person asked a great question. I was like, "You know what, I've explained this before, but never to a person with that brand of equipment, with that years of experience, with that understanding of the exercise." So even I am learning something I already know in a different way so I can explain it. It's just... there's ways to learn and improve yourself without having to constantly feel like you've gotta sign up for this next thing, you know? So, anyways.Brad Crowell 20:21  Stay tuned, because how do we know what our purpose is, you know? How do we even know if we're going against the grain? Stick around, because we're going to talk about that in the Be It action items. Brad Crowell 20:32  But what I really wanted to talk about myself was grief, which is interesting because it was an interesting topic that y'all skipped over. You were talking about grieving, not just like a person who might no longer be with us, or obviously a pet or any of that, but even an experience that was supposed to happen, but it didn't, you know? And you were very excited about it, or you had a lot of effort and planning into it. I mean, we know we've been talking about opening a studio for a really long time, and we spent a lot of money, we spent a lot of time at the beginning of this year and last year—beginning of this year like really thinking, planning. I mean, I can't even tell you how many phone calls I made to the city, and I spent hours putting together a plan, a business plan for this. And then three months in, we decided to pause the whole thing because we realized that we were pretty much forcing it, you know, because there was one key thing that was holding us up that was like, "Wait a minute, how are we going to solve this problem?" It was kind of like one of those, "Well, we're gonna... we could... we'll make it work. We'll figure it out. It's gonna..." you know. All of a sudden I was like, "Why do we need to do that? We don't even need to do the studio. It's just gonna cause a lot of stress. And what we could be doing right now is opening a major problem for ourselves." So what we decided to do instead was solve the problem that we would be opening for ourselves first, but that's going to take time.Lesley Logan 22:01  Yeah.Brad Crowell 22:02  Right. So even though we spent this time putting this whole plan together and decided to hit pause, it's interesting because, okay, there's actually another path that is going to set us up for success in the future when we do bring that studio back around. However, it doesn't mean that you don't feel bummed about it. I drive by the location that we picked out, that I've talked with the landlord.Lesley Logan 22:26  I know.Brad Crowell 22:27  And the neighbors, and the city about, and a contractor about.Lesley Logan 22:30  And I envisioned the sign.Brad Crowell 22:32  100 times.Lesley Logan 22:33  I still don't think it's not going to be in that center. I just think it's not that unit. It's just that unit needed way too much money. Yeah, not the rent, but the build-out was like jaw-dropping. It honestly made the grief a little bit easier, I'm not gonna lie, because it was such a "fuck no," you know what I mean? Like, it was just like no fucking way. And so, I do understand there's grief because that's not happening today, and so we still drive by it every single time, but I also think this is where good reflection comes from, too. It's like, in reflecting, it's all out of our control—the parts that are the obstacles, yeah. So I go to bed knowing we did the best we could with what we had in the moment, and had we not had this other stupid bill come through that we're like, "That's a fuck no," we probably would have forced the salmon up the stream a little bit. I think so, because we definitely.Brad Crowell 23:34  Would have.Lesley Logan 23:34  Anyway, would have made it work, but it would have been a hard stress.Brad Crowell 23:38  More complicated than it needed to be. Yeah, but.Lesley Logan 23:40  I do think there is a way you have to grieve changes. We have Elevate members who are like, "I'm grieving the teacher I used to be," because they used to just narrate a Pilates class, for lack of a simple thing. And it's like, "Well, no, now you get to watch it, and you get to see what it is." Part of you is excited because you know better now and you have these more potential possibilities now, but also there was a time that it felt easier, right? And you're a different person when you're in this unknown space. So, like, I'm excited when we open that studio. I'm past the grief thing, but also sometimes I look back at that studio, it would have been really great if it was a Pilates on it already.Brad Crowell 24:19  Yeah, well, that's the thing. You know, you were talking about how grief doesn't really go away because you had built a mental pattern around a person or a thing or an experience that was supposed to happen. You had built that into your thinking, and what ends up happening over time is we think that way a little bit less. It doesn't mean we don't think about the thing, but the expectations that we had alter, they shift, right? And so, you know, what Adrian was talking about was someone, I think he was talking about someone who died, if I recall, and he said sometimes he just needs to embrace when that emotion comes up. He embraces it, he leans into it. He's like, "It's okay for me to feel this right now," and he encourages letting that emotion flow for multiple reasons. It's a testament to how someone or something impacted you, but also it's really important to feel those emotions. So.Lesley Logan 25:16  Yeah, it's hard. I don't know, it's like there's certain... you know, it's really interesting, like there's certain people, places, or things that you grieve in different ways. Our LA studio, I don't ever look back and have tears, like I'm sad with that studio, because it was the right thing to do to make the change, but I do miss having that cute little space.Brad Crowell 25:37  Yeah.Lesley Logan 25:37  You know, I miss it. Yeah, I think back of it fondly, not tears, like, "Oh, I don't have that place anymore," but like, "What a fun two years I had in that space." It was such a... like a treehouse, you know. So, grief doesn't always have to be devastating either, but you have to feel it. We have some great grief podcasts, by the way. Haven't had any recently, but the two that we had were so good: Kim Hamer and another woman... I want to say Kara, but I don't think that's what it was. She's like Coach Something, and they're both on grief. Kim Hamer has a wonderful book on 100 Acts of Love, and her episode about her husband and that grief was so interesting, and what she has done. She was so raw and wonderful and thoughtful. And then there was a woman before her in the episodes, and I'm just talking like as if it's going to come back to me, she actually, unfortunately, watched her husband die, and then she went through all this grief and she was like, "How come this is happening, and why am I not over it?" She literally became a grief coach.Brad Crowell 26:42  Yeah.Lesley Logan 26:42  I want to say it's Kara, but it's not.Brad Crowell 26:44  I have no idea.Lesley Logan 26:46  Anyways, our wonderful producers will figure it out, I'm sure. But you can just go into our catalog; it's definitely in the first 200 episodes. Good luck! Well, here's the thing: if you can find Kim Hamer, it's within two months of Kim Hamer that I remember. So, okay, we're gonna get into our Be It action items, and I can see Brad is going to Google that.Brad Crowell 27:05  Yeah, one was Krista St-Germain.Lesley Logan 27:08  That's the one.Brad Crowell 27:09  And the other was.Lesley Logan 27:12  Kim Hamer. Kim Hamer! So sorry, replace Hamer everywhere I said Scott. There you go.Brad Crowell 27:23  All right, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna dig into those Be It action items. Brad Crowell 27:29  All right. Well, welcome back. Let's talk about those Be It action items that we got from Adrian Starks. What bold, executable, intrinsic, or targeted action items can we take away from your combo, Adrian? It's weird to call him Starks. Starks, it sounds like he's like... like.Lesley Logan 27:48  Tony.Brad Crowell 27:49  Yeah, but I was thinking like a football player, like the way that you.Lesley Logan 27:52  I just want to go "Adrian," that's all.Brad Crowell 27:54  Starks redefines the word goal, and I've really loved this, y'all. He's so full of these quippy things that are so applicable, and this one really blew my mind. He said, "I love a goal, but I redefined it with the acronym of Get Out and Live, Get Out and Live." And I was like, "Wow, that's really great." I love that he views goals not as rigid markers but as triggers to move outside of one's comfort zone, scare yourself a little bit, and then break a rut. He suggests regularly asking yourself, what is actually going on here? What am I not happy about? What do I actually want? Specifically focusing on immediate desires rather than five-year plans, he recommends detoxing from social media for several days at a time to avoid the world of comparisons that definitely leads to self-doubt and imposter syndrome.Brad Crowell 28:51  Imposter syndrome, yeah, exactly.Lesley Logan 28:53  Comparison is the thief of joy.Brad Crowell 28:54  Comparison is the thief of joy. What about you?Lesley Logan 28:58  Well, he said your purpose in life is not something you find, it's something that you do, and it's going to change. It's going to evolve with time, and I couldn't agree more. It's so funny. Recently, I posted pictures of myself as a brand new Pilates instructor. I actually wrote a whole series called Outgrowing Yourself, and it's either already come out or it's coming up. No idea. I think it already came out, outgrowing your old version of yourself. And it's so funny, because I don't look back at her going, "Oh my god." I mean, when I said, "Oh my god, I look so young..."Brad Crowell 29:27  You look like a child.Lesley Logan 29:28  I look like a child. I was 25, but I think about what her goals as a new teacher were to where I am right now, and I can say looking back I never have thought, "Oh my god, I'm no longer living my purpose," because my purpose has evolved as a teacher. Because I've evolved in the more that I know, and the people that I teach, and the things that I'm drawn to. There's things that people like, "Don't you want to do this?" and it's like, "No, that's a no, I don't." And even right now people like, "Oh, what about next year?" I'm like, "I think I'm staying home a lot, actually a significant amount of time. I'm staying home." And they're like, "Oh, really?" And it's like, "Yeah, because if you do take the time to get to know yourself, and you do stay aligned with what you want, and you do stay aligned with your purpose, your life has to evolve." And then, because that evolves, and your purpose evolves, I'm like, "My life has to reflect what I'm doing, and then what I'm doing then takes me to my next thing, which means my life has to reflect what I'm doing, and so..."Brad Crowell 30:26  I agree with you on this, but also let's go back to his statement, because I think I remember trying to figure out, like, what am I going to do with my life, or what's my purpose? And we all know that it's important to have purpose in our lives, but I also think a testament to this is the conversations that I've had recently with my parents, who just retired.Lesley Logan 30:51  Yeah.Brad Crowell 30:51  Right. And then the interview that we had with the retirement coach, whose name I'm not recalling, but it was in the last 100 episodes. Lesley Logan 31:01  Definitely. It was definitely, was it this year?Brad Crowell 31:04  But the point is that we think purpose is just going to find us, and we're gonna be like, "Oh my god, that's what I'm here for, that's the thing," right? Instead, what clearly seems actionable is purpose is something that we are out there doing, and whether or not we chose to do it, we're still out there doing it. I mean, I think about my parents with their job, and the thing that was keeping my dad focused on the job was the job. Ultimately, if you step back and look at that, it's not necessarily like whatever... I don't even know what the projects were that he was working on.Lesley Logan 31:45  Ever.Brad Crowell 31:46  Yeah, but the point... I mean, I wasn't intimately involved in the company they work for, so I don't actually understand all the nuance of the things, but he built that purpose over a career of 42 or 43 years, and then now all of a sudden he's thinking about ending it. It doesn't matter how mundane the job is, he's, "Oh, what am I going to do with myself after this? I'm not sure, I don't know," you know. And so that's where we find ourselves unwilling to make a change as well, but then you have... that's like.Lesley Logan 32:16  No, I want to argue with you a little bit, and I'm glad your dad doesn't listen to this podcast. I feel like he did what a lot of people his age did, which is like, "This is my job," and that job became the purpose. Yeah.Brad Crowell 32:31  But that's the point of what Adrian said.Lesley Logan 32:33  But I don't think so, because I think it goes to that saying: if you don't have goals, someone will make their goals your goal, and so I feel like.Brad Crowell 32:43  Your purpose can be inadvertent. Yeah, if you don't take control of what you do, then your purpose will be defined for you, or it can accidentally become your purpose. Yes.Lesley Logan 32:53  And if you don't like it, then you're the person going, "Why is my purpose just to do this project for this many years?" Where I think it's important is this is where self-reflection is so important, because when you self-reflect, you are aware of when you are outgrowing something, or you are being called into something. I don't know if we had a conversation with Adrian, but I definitely had a conversation, and I wrote a newsletter on it, is that a lot of people in the Pilates industry, like, "I need to figure out what my space is in this industry," and it's like, never do that, don't do that. Because no one that you admire ever sat and goes, "What is my little circle in this industry?" No, they went out and carved their path, they created their thing. There'll be an episode coming out that hasn't already with me on Balanced Body's podcast, where they're like, "You carved out this thing." I'm like, I had to, I had to create the thing that I needed. Some of you are already living your purpose, but you actually are looking at other people and going, "I need to look like them," and you haven't taken the time to reflect back, going, "Actually, the thing that I'm doing is the thing that's my purpose, and it's helping these people. And so now that I'm aware of that, I amplify that." Because you're out there amplifying and doing it, it will evolve, because you will continue to hone in and understand and be curious, and change things. So either it inadvertently finds you, and you're doing someone else's purpose, and they'll be grateful, or you discover what it is. But if you look inside.Brad Crowell 34:20  But that's... yeah, it goes... you were both talking about self-reflection, but it goes back to, you know, your purpose in life is not something you find, it's something that you do.Lesley Logan 34:29  Yes.Brad Crowell 34:30  And it is also... it's a change and evolve over time.Lesley Logan 34:33  It's kind of like those movies where the person goes out in seek of what their purpose is, but really their purpose was there all the time, but they weren't taking the time to see that it was there. Go self-reflect anyways. Anything else, Brad?Brad Crowell 34:47  Yeah. He said with purpose you can navigate and make adjustments, right? And he talked about figuring out what actions match the frequency and energy of where you're at right now.Lesley Logan 34:57  Yeah, that's true. That's great.Brad Crowell 34:59  Yeah, I mean, we'll just leave it... we'll just leave that there. Go back and listen, because...Lesley Logan 35:04  Adrian is great.Brad Crowell 35:05  Yeah, he's great.Lesley Logan 35:05  And I, by the way.Brad Crowell 35:06  He does voice acting. How cool.Lesley Logan 35:08  Well, let's listen to his voice.Brad Crowell 35:09  Yeah, it's amazing.Lesley Logan 35:10  Honestly, like, he should really write sleepy stories, like those sleep stories. I would listen every day.Brad Crowell 35:16  Yeah.Lesley Logan 35:17  I also would even listen to him share bad news with that voice, because it's just like, you know, like the BBC type, where it's just matter-of-fact, you know what I mean? Like, I think I could be like, "Okay, well, we're not all gonna die, so there we go." Adrian, thanks for being you. Thanks for being back. You guys, I'm Lesley Logan.Brad Crowell 35:34  And I'm Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 35:35  Share our episodes with a friend who needs to figure out what their purpose is, and then leave a review. Yes, and then send in your win, because you're someone who likes this podcast, or someone likes a checklist, and I just gave you three things that are easy to do, easy to check off. You're gonna feel super successful in your day, so then you can go Be It Till You See It.Brad Crowell 35:52  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 35:53  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 36:36  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 36:41  It is transcribed, produced, and edited by the epic team @desenio.co.Brad Crowell 36:45  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music, and our branding by designer and artist Gianfranco Chofi.Lesley Logan 36:52  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals,Brad Crowell 36:56  Also to Angelina Herrico for adding all of our content to our website, and finally to Meredith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

An exceptional and fun conversation with new artistic co-manager Chantelle "Naa" Ofori: introduction, creative goals, and objectives.

Diving deep into the Summer House Aftermath and briefly into In The City and The Valley with the hilarious, brilliant, beautiful, and insightful Emily Rose, host of Who TF Knows With Emily Rose. 

Diving deep into the Summer House Aftermath and briefly into In The City and The Valley with the hilarious, brilliant, beautiful, and insightful Emily Rose, host of Who TF Knows With Emily Rose. 

Great leadership begins long before strategy, trust, or culture — it begins with character. In this episode -- the second in our six-part series on the essentials of leadership -- we redefine character not as a list of virtues but as congruence: the full alignment of what you value, what you say, and what you do. Discover the two most dangerous "character gaps" — insincerity and inconsistency — and why people quietly lose trust when they sense them. Learn how character behaves like a fractal, repeating at the level of the individual, the team, and the entire organization. And discover how closing gaps in character unleashes agility, speed, and innovation through the Congruence Accelerator™. If you want to lead in a way that endures, this is where it starts. Tune in and begin building the structural integrity that makes great leadership possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"A million dollars a shot is my price. But I only take one a year. The rest of the time I maintain my skills." That was Francisco Scaramanga, the villain in The Man With the Golden Gun, played by the superb Christopher Lee. Who, interestingly, was a cousin of James Bond creator Ian Fleming and a regular golfing partner of his. Now, while I certainly wouldn't recommend following Scaramanga's career path, there's a valuable lesson in that line. The reason Scaramanga could ask such a high price was not because he worked all the time. It was because he spent most of his time practising, refining, and maintaining his skills so that when the moment came, he could perform at an exceptional level. And that brings us to this week's question, which is all about developing, and more importantly, maintaining, your skills at managing your work and your time.   Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin   The COD Productivity Method  Learn more about the Quiet Productivity Method here   Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page   Script |421 Hello, and welcome to episode 421 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show.  There's a belief, held by many, that becoming better at time management and productivity is something you learn once and then you're set.  Or all you need to do is buy the latest productivity tool and all your struggles disappear.  Hahaha, it's not quite so easy.  Theoretically, it may be possible to add a new app or use a new process for getting your work done. Unfortunately, life doesn't fit perfectly into the little boxes we create. There's always something different or new.  This is why the idea of plotting out every minute of your day on your calendar doesn't work in practice.  Simple, natural things are not always predictable. You don't know when you will need a bathroom break, or if a colleague asks you a question, or perhaps you spill your coffee all over your desk.  If any of these things happen when you have carefully mapped out every minute of your day, your day is ruined.  The missing pieces are flexibility and practice, and that is where this week's question comes in.  So, let me now hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question.  This week's question comes from Kathy. Kathy asks, Hi Carl, I've recently taken your Time Sector System course and loved it. One thing that's worrying me, though, is that no matter how well I plan my week, by Tuesday, my whole plan is ruined. Do you have any tips on staying on plan when things become hectic? Hi Kathy, thank you for your question.  This is a common discovery. Once you know the theory, putting it into practice can show up bumps in the road that cause problems.  One of the first problems people face is changing habits. If, for instance, you've never planned a week or a day, getting into the habit of consistently doing so is hard.  After all, you've spent most of your life so far without having a plan; skipping a daily or weekly planning session isn't going to cause too many problems.  Yet when you are building your system, it's that skipping that causes a problem. The more times you don't do it, the longer it will take you to build the essential habits.  The goal is to use your new knowledge automatically. When you're processing your inbox, you instinctively know what to do. It's like there's a voice in your head asking the three questions: What is it? What do I need to do with it? When will I do it? When you start, asking these questions can be slow. You're naturally thinking too much. But when you've done it consistently for a few weeks, you think less, and you automatically move things to their rightful place.  Today, I can process an inbox of twenty items in less than 6 minutes. When I first started following this sequence of questions, though, it would easily have taken me twenty to thirty minutes. I was overthinking and learning patterns.  In one scene in The Man With the Golden Gun, Bond and Scaramanga are having lunch. The lunch begins amiably, but soon turns hostile. At one point, Bond reaches into his coat pocket to pull out his gun. The camera pans to Scaramanga, who is pointing his legendary golden gun at Bond.  The surprising thing here is that Scaramanga had to build his gun from a golden cigarette case, a lighter, a fountain pen, and a cufflink. All Bond had to do was pull his gun from his shoulder holster.  How was Scaramanga faster? Practice.  How many hours would Scaramanga have had to practice putting his gun together to get that fast?  I know, it's fiction. But the point is, you get faster the more you do something.  This is why people who continually switch apps are also consistently behind on their work. They remain stuck at being slow.  What's happening there is they have to learn new ways of getting things into their system, and then moving tasks, and learning all the new features. And that doesn't account for the time it takes to move everything over to the new app.  It's dead time. Instead, sticking with the apps you already have forces you to get better and faster at using them.  Then we come to the realisation that no two weeks are ever the same. No matter how carefully we plan something, things will inevitably go wrong.  This is where practice and experience come in.  I have a client who travels for work a lot. Sometimes he travels domestically; other times he travels internationally, often to the other side of the world, which involves 20 hours of flying time.  He found the Time Sector System worked brilliantly when he was working from his office, but it fell apart when he had to travel.  When we analysed the problem, we discovered that he was trying to run things the same way while travelling as he did at his office.  How many times have you booked a flight, found that WIFI would be available for the flight and thought, ah, I'll catch up on my email and messages when flying, only to discover that the WIFI doesn't work? Now, you could respond to your actionable emails while flying, but you won't be able to send them until you get into a WIFI zone. But that disruption to your plans can leave you feeling very frustrated.  The solution in this case was to have a travelling routine. On days when my client was travelling, he reduced his task list to the essentials. Rescheduling or postponing routine tasks  He also set up a routine for international travel, using the flight time to plan and clean things up. None of which required WIFI.  The first few times he used this new process, he found he needed to make adjustments, but after a few tries, he had it working perfectly.  And that's the key part. Build in flexibility.  In my client's case, it was not to try and follow the same system when travelling as he does when at the office.  When you plan your week, allow for the unexpected.  One way to do this is to ensure that, when you plan your week, you have time for the essential things. That would be your core work and the parts of your life you have decided are important. Time with family and friends, hobbies and exercise, for example.  Once you have those on your calendar, then really you have the beginnings of a solid plan that should be flexible enough.  Hopefully, you have already locked in your core work.  When I was a teacher, I had an hour each day protected for class preparation. I was teaching around four to five hours a day; those times were fixed each month and were non-negotiable. I had to be in the classroom teaching.  The class preparation time did change from day to day, but it was always there, and I tried to fix it around the same time each day, which made it much easier to make it a habit.  The unknowns often come from project work. Projects, by their very nature, are unique. Each one requires something different. You will find that while you may not be able to plan precisely what needs to be done at a weekly level, scheduling time to work on your projects each week will help ensure you have enough time to keep these moving forward.  If you've ever read Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you will no doubt remember the chapter: Sharpen the Saw.  In the chapter, Stephen Covey uses the example of a wood cutter who's working so hard that they never stop to sharpen the saw. Over time, the time required to cut the tree increases, not because the woodcutter is getting weaker, but because the saw is becoming blunter.  Your time management and productivity skills operate the same way. Sometimes you have to stop and sharpen your skills.  For example, I use an iPhone, and every time Apple updates its iPhone operating system, I review my collecting methods to see if anything in the new software will make collecting faster.  For example, when Apple added the action button to their phones, it let me map that button to add tasks to my task manager's inbox. It's super fast, and after a few days it became automatic for me to tap the action button when I needed to add something.  The most productive people I know spend time improving their ability to produce. This is why athletes train, musicians practise scales, pilots rehearse procedures, and surgeons continually update their skills. The performance people see is only possible because of the preparation and practice nobody sees. This is also why the Scaramanga quote fits this question. His point was essentially the same. As he said: “The rest of the time I maintain my skills.” Scaramanga's version is darker, of course, but the principle is identical. Exceptional performance is not the result of the moment itself; it's the result of the time spent preparing for that moment. If you find that by Tuesday your plan for the week looks destroyed, allow for that when you plan your week.  One way you can do this is to plan your objectives.  What is it that you want to get accomplished next week? These could be: To finish an important proposal Get on top of your emails To clean up the garden  To exercise a minimum of four times To update your LinkedIn profile With these five objectives, you can then decide when you will do them.  One tip here is to front-load your week with these activities. This way, if you do get waylaid, there's still time to recover in the week.  This reminds me of a story from one of the world's top rugby coaches. When he joined a new team, he found that if the team got ahead early in the game, they invariably won.  However, when they went behind early on, the likelihood was they would lose.  When he analysed this, he found that the team panicked when they fell behind, dropped their plan, and spent too much of the game taking unnecessary risks to get ahead.  He reminded the team that it was an 80-minute game and that what really mattered was sticking to their plan.  Tackle aggressively, maintain their defensive line and minimise mistakes. If they stuck to that, they would likely end the game ahead.  You don't win games in the first twenty minutes. You win the game over 80 minutes. It's the same for you, Kathy; you don't win or lose the week early on. You win the week by sticking to your plan and making adjustments where necessary, without losing sight of it.  I hope that has helped. Thank you for your question. And thank you to you, too, for listening.  It just remains for me to wish you all a very, very productive week.   

How we Raised Three Children to Become Exceptional Adults: With No Instruction Manual by Mr Les Duncan, Mrs Sharon Duncan https://www.amazon.com/Raised-Children-Become-Exceptional-Adults/dp/B0DZ6DLJKL You have brought your first child into the world, and your duty is to raise him or her to become a mature, independent, and exceptional adult – a daunting task. You search for an instruction manual but cannot find one, except feeble attempts full of psychological babble. Join Les and Sharon Duncan for practical, successful real-world experience in child rearing. Learn the importance of telling your children you love them and are proud of them – when someone asks you how your children are, seize the opportunity to brag. Discover why it is crucial to praise in public but critique them in private, always beginning on a positive. Ascertain the significance of a glowing and inviting smile, enabling children's social growth by making new, lasting friends quicker. Hear why our children valued our efforts to acquaint them with different countries, customs, and traditions, preparing them for today's Global Economy; plus, ways to achieve this without extensive travel. Discover why it is crucial to praise in public but critique in private, always beginning on a positive. Ascertain the significance of a glowing and inviting smile, which helps your child'ssocial development by enabling them to quickly make new, lasting friends. Hear why our children appreciated our efforts to acquaint them with different countries, customs, and traditions, preparing them for today's Global Economy; plus, ways to achieve this without extensive travel. See how efforts making Special Occasions, a cause for celebrating. Comprehend Les and Sharon's efforts to make Special Occasions SPECIAL, with festive decorations, music, family traditions, including a traditional meal, passed down for many generations. Learn how to celebrate profusely – there are no shortage of occasions to celebrate. Free of psychological babble, this book will guide you to be an outstanding parent, raising your children to become mature, independent, exceptional adults. Note: Les and Sharon sought their children's input, asking each child, independently, to tell them how their parents behaved to guide them to become the exceptional adults they are. Their responses are melded into the book, complete with quotes and key parental behaviors.

Carole Annett talks to Charu Gandhi of Elicyon about what it takes to create luxurious, welcoming spaces for a discerning clientele. 'There's always something I'm worrying about. For the months the project is with you they are like your children. I've recently been fretting about a pair of bar stools in a project - are they the right height and if the cushions are plump enough. There's a soap dish on another project I don't like… do we need a soap dish, are soap dishes cool? I really care,' she laughs, 'and I should care as clients are entrusting us with a meaningful part of their lives'. Tune in for more including an insight into the Elicyon x Lalique bar at this year's WOW House at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.

Most speakers show up, deliver their talk, and leave. They're competent but forgettable. Exceptional speakers ask one question: "What else can I do to serve this audience and this organization?" That question is what separates a good speaking career from a great one. In this episode, Peter shares six practical ways to go the extra mile—from offering a bonus session and creating pre-event engagement videos, to following up personally and offering unexpected resources. Small acts of thoughtfulness create raving fans, repeat bookings, and a reputation that grows because people talk about how you exceeded expectations. • PeterGeorgePublicSpeaking.com • The Captivating Public Speaker on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ8HRPWC

6-9 Adam and Jordana 11a hour

Hosts: Ed Jones (Owner – Nutrition World) & Clint Powell A variety of topics for living a healthy life Presented by: Nutrition World www.nutritionw.com Broadcasting from the Nooga Dentistry Studio www.noogadentistry.com Production of: Whitfield Media Group www.vitalhealthradio.com Title: Digestive Enzymes, Gut Health, and Omega-3's with Guest Brenda Watson [0:00:00] Show Intro,  National Club Foot Day & Prior Episode Reference Ed mentions National Club Foot Day (previous Wednesday). References a prior Vital Health Radio episode where he strongly criticized a local Chattanooga physician for poor club foot care that nearly harmed his grandson. Ed urges: Anyone with a child/grandchild with club foot seeing providers in Chattanooga  listen to our Feb 15th (2026) episode Contact: NutritionWorld@comcast.net to get details of that show and the physician referenced. Emphasis on truth, empowerment, and avoiding harm from medical “inefficiency and ignorance.” [0:03:58] Delta-8 Gummies, Anxiety/Sleep & Lifespan Extension Concepts Recap of a recent show with Hemp House. Ed explains: Only about three weeks left to legally purchase Delta-8 gummies at Hemp House or Nutrition World. Why someone might use Delta-8: Anxiety Trouble sleeping Need to stay functional but calmer Must find the right dose individually (no standard dosing). Safer than many anti-anxiety drugs when used properly. He is saving several containers in his freezer for future “bumps in the road” (periods of poor sleep or high stress). Notes dogs may benefit for anxiety, thunder phobia, pain, etc., when used correctly and from a trusted company. Ed recommends Dr. David Sinclair's “Lifespan” podcast: Focus on practical drugs, supplements, and lifestyle strategies to extend lifespan. Central concept: cellular repair – if we repaired cells at 50 as well as at 20, lifespan could drastically increase. Key tools Dr. Sinclair highlights (as relayed by Ed): Rapamycin – Ed takes this drug himself; impacts mTOR; can extend lifespan even when started later in life. AMPK activators – sold at Nutrition World; support clearing out old/dysfunctional cells. Resveratrol – mimics some effects of fasting. Hyperbaric oxygen – discussed as a potential lifespan extender. Ed shares Sinclair's animal-longevity illustrations: A mole rat living ~20x longer than regular rats → proves there are mechanisms of extended lifespan. A long-lived whale (Clint jokes and riffs on the name) said to reach ~200 years, suggesting humans might mimic similar mechanisms. [0:08:46] Call for Listener Stories & Introduction of Guest Brenda Watson Ed invites listeners to share personal health recovery stories, especially involving “the Green Pharmacy” (natural, nutritional, and lifestyle approaches, including Nutrition World support). Announced collaboration with Clint Powell on a new podcast: Short, credible motivational/educational stories (5–20 minutes). Focus: “I was in bad shape, now I'm much better” recovery narratives. Participants receive a $50 Nutrition World gift card. Recordings at a studio ~5 minutes from Nutrition World. Introduction of guest Brenda Watson, founder of Vital Planet. Described as a guru of gut health and the microbiome: Leaky gut, SIBO, broad digestive health expertise. Ed recalls her long-running NPR fund-raiser specials on gut health that reached tens of thousands. [0:13:25] Digestive Enzymes, Gut Health & Problems with Acid Blockers Topic: What is an enzyme? Why does it matter? Brenda's explanation: Enzymes “break things apart”: Protease → breaks proteins into amino acids. Amylase → breaks starches into glucose. Lipase → breaks fats into fatty acids. Ideally, stomach, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder work together to digest food into absorbable units. Early digestive symptoms: Heartburn, gas, bloating, etc. Many people self-treat with OTC antacids or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and this often worsens underlying issues. Her main point: For early digestive symptoms, start with a full-spectrum digestive enzyme (protease, amylase, lipase) with meals, not acid-blocking drugs. As we age, natural digestion weakens, compounded by poor food quality. If food is not properly digested: It rots in the gut → gas, overgrowth of “bad bugs”. Contributes to SIBO, leaky gut, and broader dysbiosis. Leads to poor absorption of nutrients and worsening health. Enzymes as Step One: Should be a first-line intervention alongside or even before probiotics. Emphasizes that digestive enzymes for digestion must be taken with meals. Brenda notes she ran a stool test program with 12 people; often saw imbalanced gut bacteria driven by undigested food. Modern enzyme formulations can be more targeted: Gluten-support enzymes. General high-potency formulas. Formulas for dairy and fat, especially for people on keto who need extra fat-digesting support. She reiterates: Poor digestion = bad bacteria, leaky gut, SIBO, multiple gut issues. Digestive enzymes are a “no-brainer” first step when digestive symptoms appear. [0:23:47] Enzymes as a Foundational Strategy & Aging, Pancreas/Bile Physiology Emphasizes: Rotting food analogy: leftover food in a trash can on a 97°F day = what undigested food can be like inside the gut. Even without symptoms, after age ~40–45, enzymes may be wise especially for people who: Overeat Eat a lot of dairy or gluten Notes loose stools and general poor health can be caused by lack of pancreatic enzymes. Shares a case where a client's stool test showed zero pancreatic enzyme production, correlating with constant sickness. You can “get away with” some other health issues, but you cannot have a dysfunctional digestive tract and still expect even average health. Brenda further explains physiology and pH: Stomach should be very acidic (pH ~2) during digestion. When partly digested food moves into the small intestine: Bicarbonate is released to neutralize acid. Pancreas releases enzymes (protease, amylase, lipase). Liver/gallbladder release bile for fat digestion near the same region. If stomach acid is suppressed, the chain reaction is disrupted: Poor enzyme activation. Poor bile function. pH shifts can foster candida and other imbalances (e.g., colon getting too alkaline). She underscores: From mouth to colon, each region needs appropriate pH. Chronic use of acid blockers has long-term downstream consequences. Ed mentions a simple at-home baking soda test to roughly gauge stomach acid (baking soda in water between meals, watching for burping). Important caution: If you're on acid-blocking medications, you must wean off slowly; do not stop abruptly. Nutrition World's pharmacist, Dr. Curt Dearing, helps people step down from PPIs and H2 blockers safely (in partnership with their physicians). [0:30:58] Omega-3s , Purity, and Heart/Brain Health Ed highlights Vital Omega (Vital Planet): #1 selling product at Nutrition World. Exceptional purity and transparency (heavy emphasis on contaminant-free sourcing). Very high potency (2350 mg of EPA/DHA per serving). No “fish burp” complaints and virtually no returns. Contains lipase enzyme to support fat digestion and further reduce digestive discomfort. Omega blood tests on customers show high omega-3 levels when using this brand. Brenda agrees: Omega-3s are critical at any age, especially in today's toxic environment. You might skip a multivitamin, but you should not skip omega-3s. Ed's additional points: Olive oil and flax oil are not the same as concentrated EPA/DHA. EPA/DHA are essential for cell membranes, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. Warns of contaminated fish oil from polluted waters (mercury, heavy metals, etc.). Website plug for Vital Planet: VitalPlanet.com for education, and product details. Ed reiterates his respect for Brenda's decades of ethical, passionate work and says they'll have her back on again.   [0:38:54] Lifestyle, Local Food, Pillows, and Environmental Toxins Ed and Clint return; Ed summarizes the show's philosophy: Better aging is about strength, clarity, mobility, energy, not just added years. Introduces term “peak span”, maximizing the years we're at peak function, not just lifespan. Critiques normalization of poor health (hunched posture, chronic pain, poor sleep, anxiety) as “just getting old.” Local food talk: Discussion of Tallow House in Cleveland (burger restaurant, cousin of Tony from Portofino). Two-hour waits, excellent reviews, smash burgers, buns from Neidlovs bakery. Dust mites and pillows: Ed cites data that about 1/3 of a pillow can be dead skin + dust mites over time. Many pillows also contain fire retardant chemicals leading to chronic exposure while sleeping. Ed searched for non-toxic pillows via Mamavation: A site that tests products for chemical residues and rates them. His previous pillow (from Avocado) came out top-rated, so he bought a new Avocado pillow. Recommends buying via Mammovation's affiliate link for a small discount. [0:44:00] Essential Oils, Green Pharmacy & Polypharmacy Ed on essential oils quality: A test of 20 lavender oils from Amazon found: Only 3 were pure. 17 were diluted/contaminated with other oils. Smell alone isn't a reliable indicator of quality. Nutrition World only carries brands with Certificates of Analysis; dropped an entire line a few years back over quality concerns. Ed shares a Taiwanese blood pressure study: 58 adults with high blood pressure, many on meds. wore a face mask with a cotton pad containing small amounts of real lavender oil for 15 minutes/day over 7 days. Result: systolic blood pressure reduced by ~10 points. A placebo (fake) oil did not reduce blood pressure. One-day use showed no benefit – consistent use was required. He frames this as an example of the “Green Pharmacy”: Mentions Dr. Curt Dearing (pharmacist at Nutrition World): Helps people review and rationalize medication lists, with the goal of reducing polypharmacy in collaboration with prescribing doctors. References a recent Vital Health Radio episode on polypharmacy (average American takes ~17 prescriptions per year). [0:56:48] Meditation, Mindset, Ancient Wisdom & Fulfillment Story from the Daily Stoic: Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller at a billionaire's party: Vonnegut points out the host made more money yesterday than Heller's Catch-22 ever did. Heller replies he has something the billionaire never will: “the knowledge that I've got enough.” Ed uses this to emphasize: The power of knowing you have enough. Shifting from chasing money to working for fulfillment once basics are covered. Clint adds: You must learn to be content with what you have while still pursuing goals. More stuff doesn't automatically create a content person. Ed reads a longer reflection on “ancient wisdom” vs. modern medicine: Fundamental philosophy: alignment with nature. Humans thrived for millennia without pharmaceuticals (acknowledges infectious disease issues before hygiene and antibiotics). Nearly every drug has unintended consequences and rarely treats root causes. Cites estimate: medical errors as the 3rd leading cause of death in the US (~250,000 deaths/year). Notes ~90% of American calories now come from processed foods and seed oils Argues seed oils are among the most destructive components of the modern diet. Many cardiologists still recommend them as heart-healthy, highlighting the conflict between mainstream and holistic views. Plug for Ed's book: “Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired” available at TheHolisticNavigator.com, built around ancient wisdom.  The post Radio Show / Podcast – June 7, 2026 first appeared on Vital Health Radio.

* As we celebrate the 250th birthday of America…fewer Americans think the US is special compared to other nations or think that democracy is central to our identity. We'll dive into the new report with political scientist David Schultz. * Breaking down a new LSU commitment

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on a poll showing fewer Americans see their country as exceptional as America 250 approaches.

This is the Man who Would be Khan.  While a first-year Russian student at West Point, then Major Mark Derber dropped an article from The Atlantic on my desk, Robert D. Kaplan's "The Man Who Would Be Khan". It changed my life. 20 years later, you get to hear my interview with the Man himself. COL (R) Tom Wilhelm shares his path from West Point (commissioned infantry in 1980) through a dual-track infantry/aviation start, declining the new Aviation Branch, and entering the FAO program in the mid-1980s as a Soviet/Russian FAO. Wilhelm recounts an extensive Cold War-era pipeline (FAO course, DLI Russian—joined fully by his wife—graduate school, a summer in Leningrad, and the US Army Russian Institute/Marshall Center), then FAO work with OSIA conducting arms-control inspections (Vienna Document, INF, CFE) and the Provide Hope humanitarian mission in Tajikistan amid civil war. He describes a “knife fight” to regain infantry key jobs during post–Cold War drawdowns, deployments in Macedonia and Bosnia, being imbedded with a Russian airborne brigade, a later Tajikistan attaché tour with family hardships and evacuation, Marshall Center faculty/FAO mentorship, Mongolia as dual-hatted defense attaché/security cooperation chief, an Afghanistan/Pakistan tour, retirement, and directing the Foreign Military Studies Office. He emphasizes FAO risk-taking, networking, access, and conveying what partners think, not what Americans want to hear. To read the original Robert D. Kaplan article you can find it on The Atlantic's website.  If you don't have a subscription, the WayBack Machine is your friend: https://web.archive.org/web/20121020120633/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/03/the-man-who-would-be-khan/302899/   COL(R) Tom Wilhelm's Recommended Reading List: GENERAL FMSO https://oe.t2com.army.mil  Look for FMSO stuff but many products from T2Com G2 are useful for FAOs. Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training https://adst.org Exceptional repository of detailed interviews that provide unparalleled country and regional backgrounds over eras. Red Team Handbook https://home.army.mil/wood/application/files/6115/8222/0759/RedTeamHB.pdf  There are actually ways to approach alternative, critical thinking—very helpful to cross-cultural communication and telling us how “they” think. Culture Shock: Leadership Lessons from the Military's Diplomatic Corps (ed. Graham Plaster, Jason Criss Howk—Book by FAOs for FAOs)  The Worldly Philosophers (Robert Heilbroner; entry level book into developing an understanding of economics and society—a baseline subject for all FAOs. Try also The Mystery of Capitalism by Hernando deSoto) The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization (Arthur Herman—before you can tell us what we think they think, you should probably want to know how “we think.”)    RUSSIA The Russian Way of War (Les Grau and Charles Bartles—on FMSO website [above] or just Google it.) How Russia Fights https://www.army.mil/article/286922/how_russia_fights (Ted Donnelly, Jeff Hartman, Tom Butler, et.al.) Swimming the Volga: A US Army Officer's Experiences in Pre-Putin Russia (Peter Zwack) The Leviathan (Movie; award winning Russian film has good representation of the individual's relationship to power in Russia, among other cultural and political-social insights. Made me feel that I was back in Russia, drinking vodka and shooting bottles with an AK47.) The Trauma Zone (Seven-part series on YouTube; for a sense of post-Cold War chaos in Russia. “Chaos” conjures something tangible in Russia; it's not just an adjective.) Seventeen Moments of Spring (12-part series on YouTube; addresses the question: Why a 2025 statue to this 1973 Soviet spy thriller television series was recently installed in Moscow. Part of the answer has to do with those untrustworthy Americans in secret alliance with Nazis against Russia—a once and current theme.)   WHILE YOU LAYOVER AT THE SERRAI The Empire of the Steppes (Renee Grousset—dense but essential for anybody that thinks they are a Eurasianist, and mandatory for all Silk Road FAOs.) Mission to Tashkent (F.M. Bailey) News From Tartary (Peter Flemming) Eastern Approaches (Fitzroy Maclean) The Great Game (Peter Hopkirk) Some Far and Distant Place (Jonathan Addleton) Across Mongolian Plains (Roy Chapman Andrews—American FAO archetype, 1916-17) The Wilder Shores of Love (Lesley Blanch—Isabel Burton, Jane Digby, Amiee Dubucq, and Isabelle Eberhrdt join my long-suffering bride, Cheri, in FAO-like misadventures abroad)   00:00 Meet Tom Wilhelm 01:28 The Man Who Would Be Khan 02:24 West Point to Dual Track 07:11 Choosing the FAO Path 11:05 Soviet FAO Pipeline 14:01 Leningrad Language Adventure 19:12 Russian Institute and IRTs 23:33 Wall Comes Down Up Close 27:02 Echo Network and Mentorship 31:04 First FAO Job Arms Control 35:32 Provide Hope in Tajikistan 40:31 Back to Infantry in Europe 42:39 RIF Era Career Knife Fight 44:36 FAO Cuts and Reassignments 45:54 Branch Qualifying Knife Fight 46:08 Macedonia to Bosnia Pivot 48:42 Self Deploying to Bosnia 50:27 Joint Commission in War Zone 53:03 Inside the Russian Brigade 55:11 How Russians Command 58:48 FAO Lesson on Mission Command 01:06:51 Tajikistan Arrival and Isolation 01:09:17 Embassy Life and Local Allies 01:13:29 Surviving Dushanbe Living Conditions 01:18:15 Civil War and Afghan Spillover 01:23:55 Family Evacuation and Zinni Meeting 01:28:28 Soft Power And Access 01:28:51 Peacekeeping Expertise Built 01:31:20 FAO Track And Command List 01:34:19 Marshall Center Fellowship 01:37:03 Mongolia Dual Hat Role 01:44:32 9/11 And Mongolia Pivot 01:46:33 Building Mongolian Peacekeeping 01:55:10 Mongolian Curse Artifact 02:01:27 Back To Marshall Center 02:04:43 Afghanistan To Pakistan Liaison 02:07:23 Retirement And FIMSO 02:09:16 Hall Of Fame And Farewell

High end remodeling and high end landscaping have more in common than most people realize.Kyle sits down with Jeffrey Scott of Jeffrey Scott Consulting to unpack the similarities between successful design-build remodelers and top landscape companies. They talk about emotionally invested clients, protecting margins, managing high expectations, building trust, handling handoffs between sales and production, and why scaling an “artisanal” business is harder than most owners expect.There are a lot of practical takeaways in this one for remodelers looking to improve client experience, tighten systems, and grow without losing quality!The Summer Growth Summit in Detroit is a hands on growth experience for lawn and landscape business owners and their teams, featuring behind the scenes access to Great Lakes Landscape Design and Troy Clogg Landscape Associates.Tour two outstanding companies, meet their leadership teams, and learn practical strategies for marketing, sales, operations, AI, culture, and growth from the people driving success every day.Walk away with fresh ideas, proven systems, and practical tools to help take your company to the next level.To learn more and get event details, check it out here: https://jeffreyscott.biz/summer-growth-summit-26/If you're serious about improving your remodeling business, you should check out the Rise Conference from Remodelers On The Rise, happening August 11 and 12 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This two day event is built specifically for remodeling business owners who want practical strategies they can actually implement, from improving your sales process and marketing to building a stronger team and running a more profitable business. You'll connect with remodelers from across the country, hear from experienced industry leaders, and walk away with ideas you can put into action right away. To learn more and grab your ticket, head over to remodelersontherise.com/rise.Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key TakeawaysHigh-end clients prioritize emotional fulfillment over rational factors.Exceptional detail management is crucial for high-end success.Branding and reputation serve as a psychological safety net for clients.Effective handoffs and communication routines are critical for scaling.Protecting margin requires active scope and scope change management.Building trust through consistent branding reduces perceived risk.An advisory role elevates professionalism beyond mere order-taking.Scaling success relies on systematizing processes and delegating roles.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Jeffrey Scott and His Background05:45 Transitioning from Family Business to Consulting10:32 Understanding Client Emotions in High-End Sales15:32 Managing High Expectations in Service Industries20:24 The Importance of Details and Quality Control26:24 Effective Communication and Client Relationships30:46 Building Trust Through Branding and Reputation35:32 Advisory Role in Client Relationships40:44 Scaling a Business Without Compromising Quality

Myth: Leaders need to be balanced. Fact: Together, you and your team can be balanced. In this week's episode, John Maxwell reveals why the dream team isn't about perfection in individuals, but about creating collective balance through diversity of skills, passion, and perspective. After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede dig into high-level strategy for building a team where everyone's strengths thrive and the leader's vision multiplies. Key takeaways:  A balanced team is built on diverse strengths—no single leader can or should do it all alone. Exceptional leaders replace assumptions with curiosity, listening and learning from their team before leading.  The most successful teams are intentionally shaped through shared values, growth, and a genuine commitment to multiplying each other's impact. Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What Your Dream Team Should Look Like Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/DreamTeam and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."   Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today! References:  Watch this episode on YouTube! Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off Apply this week's episode with other growth-minded leaders in the Maxwell Leadership Podcast Social Community Order your copy of John Maxwell's resilience guide, How to Get a Return on Failure How to Attract Leaders Podcast Episode Join the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team

Mental Models for Exceptional Capital Allocation by Mohnish Pabrai at The University of Nebraska, Omaha on May 1, 2026. (00:00:00) - Introduction (00:02:11) - Charlie Munger's mental models (00:03:43) - Model 1: The Bedrock: Take a simple idea and take it seriously (00:04:06) - Model 2: Ben Graham's Fundamentals (00:04:59) - Model 3: Do not overdose on Ben Graham; Poor Charlie's Almanack, Philip Fisher, and Pulak Prasad (00:05:16) - Model 4: Buffett's lifetime 20-punch card (00:06:05) - Model 5: Stay in the epicentre of your circle of competence; John Arrillaga (00:07:52) - Model 6: A high error rate is guaranteed in investing (00:08:06) - Model 7: Circle the wagons: the 4% rule (00:08:44) - Berkshire's 12 best decisions in 60 years (00:09:41) - Mistakes in investing: Ferrari, Progressive Insurance & Goldman Sachs (00:12:10) - Model 8: Do not cut flowers and water weeds (00:13:02) - Model 9: Be a shameless cloner; VIC; Dataroma & SumZero (00:15:11) - Model 10: History does not repeat itself - but it does rhyme (00:16:16) - Model 11: Explain your investment thesis to a 10-year old in 3-4 sentences (00:16:41) - Model 12: You always need a rope to get out of the deepest well (00:20:50) - Model 13: Pursue quality intensely; Nick Sleep, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (00:25:31) - Model 14: Thou shall not use Excel (00:25:52) - Model 15: Develop and use a pre-investment checklist (00:27:54) - Model 16: Be singularly focused like Arjuna (00:29:31) - Read the footnotes; Turn every page: Robert Caro (00:31:44) - Model 17: Enjoy hunting for needles in haystacks; Buffett's childhood entrepreneurial adventures (00:33:41) - Japanese Company Handbook; My introduction to Charlie Munger & Debbie Bozanek (00:38:02) - Model 18: Your deepest desire is your destiny (00:41:15) - Model 19: You should always have someone to discuss your investment ideas with; Li Lu (00:42:53) - Model 20: The mistress always looks hotter than the wife!  (00:43:30) - Model 21: Neither a short-term borrower nor a long-term lender be (00:43:54) - Model 22: Introduce randomness into your life; Peter Lynch's One up on Wall Street (00:46:28) - Model 23: Be a Swiss Army knife (00:46:36) - Model 24-26: Focus on spin-offs, uber cannibals & spawners (00:47:18) - Model 27: Arbitrage is wonderful; Rupert Murdoch (00:48:26) - Model 28: Heads I win, Tails I don't lose much!; IPSCO and CONSOL Energy (00:51:43) - Model 29: Focus on low-risk; high uncertainty bets (00:52:56) - Model 30: Do not skim off the top (00:53:37) - Book recommendations: Poor Charlie's Almanack, Influence & Excellent advice for living (00:54:48) - Importance of the Bedrock model (00:55:30) - Finding great businesses (00:58:11) - Focusing on my deepest desire (00:59:23) - Berkshire Hathaway A-shares (01:00:35) - Intrinsic value of a company (01:02:17) - The Founders Podcast & Value Investors Club (01:05:34) - Pursue your passion (01:07:49) - Making of a Great American Capitalist by Lowenstein (01:09:05) - Family-run businesses; Walmart (01:10:24) - The Dakshana Foundation & Giving back (01:12:45) - Micron (01:13:43) - Warren's Too Hard pile & Charlie's pie-counter trips The contents of this website are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and do not purport to be, and are not intended to be, financial, legal, accounting, tax or investment advice. Investments or strategies that are discussed may not be suitable for you, do not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs and are not intended to provide investment advice or recommendations appropriate for you. Before making any investment or trade, consider whether it is suitable for you and consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids podcast, Dr. Kathy discusses the pressures teenagers face to be exceptional, referencing a 2024 study from the University of Indiana. The study reveals that over half of surveyed teens feel pressured by expectations surrounding their achievements, future plans, and even their appearance. As graduation approaches, the conversation often shifts to what comes next for students, amplifying this pressure. Dr. Kathy emphasizes the dangers of these expectations and encourages a shift in perspective, highlighting the benefits of being average and the importance of allowing kids to explore their paths without the burden of needing to be extraordinary. Tune in for insights on how to support kids during this pivotal time in their lives.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Ben Orthlieb of Blue Moon David Ulevitch of Andreessen Horowitz Jake Saper of Emergence Capital We asked guests to discuss the most visionary founder that they've worked with and what makes them so special. The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

There is no shortcut around the grind but there is a better way to handle it. Kyle and Chris Shurian from Bootstraps and Battle Scars Podcast share hard-earned lessons on mindset, leadership, and customer experience that can help you build a stronger business and a better life at the same time.Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key TakeawaysResilient entrepreneurs view setbacks as lessons, not failures, enabling faster recovery.A positive mindset is an active discipline that fuels perseverance during hardships.Exceptional customer service thrives on relentless consistency in daily actions.Building a business that supports life balance requires intentional design.Risk management hinges on conservative financial practices and strategic growth.Continuous learning enriches entrepreneurial intuition and leadership growth.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background06:12 Entrepreneurial Journey and Lessons Learned08:22 Coaching and Helping Others

The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – Both our Constitution and religious beliefs have been under assault for decades by many who stand opposed to American values and virtues. Because it's these two elements that are at the heart of American exceptionalism. Victor Davis Hanson expounds accurately on American exceptionalism - what made it and what will destroy it...