Podcasts about identify

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Hi Nurse friend, February. The month when the world celebrates love with cards, chocolates, and flowers. But for so many nurses in the trenches of burnout, love feels like something we give away but never quite know how to receive. We pour ourselves out shift after shift, caring for everyone but ourselves, all while a quiet voice whispers we're not quite enough. Not worthy enough. Not deserving enough. But today, I want to remind you of the most profound truth that exists: God's love for you isn't based on your productivity. It's not earned by your perfect charting or how many extra shifts you picked up. His love isn't measured by how many lives you saved or how well you held it together when everything was falling apart. God's love for you is unconditional. Unfathomable. Unrelenting. Unmeasureable. Amazing. And it's already yours. In this season when we're surrounded by messages about love, I want us to breathe in the deepest love of all—the love that sees you completely, knows you fully, and calls you beloved without condition. Inhale: LOVE , Exhale: UNWORTHINESS - with me for 3 minutes.  Shalom Shalom,  Shan  ……CONNECT…… Are you in burnout or just stressed?? Take the Free QUIZ

Black Glove Found in Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping — DNA Could Identify Suspect we have a major development in the kidnapping investigation of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie — and this one is important because for the first time investigators may be holding physical evidence directly connected to the suspect. A black glove — possibly worn by the masked individual captured on the Ring camera — has now been recovered. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Everything can't be a priority. Learn to identify genuine non-negotiables for midlife health during perimenopause and menopause, then build life around protecting them.  Discover how to distinguish true non-negotiables from shoulds for women over 40, communicate boundaries around what matters most, and design schedules honoring core values. Perfect for women overwhelmed by competing demands, struggling with boundaries, or losing themselves in others' priorities. Includes non-negotiable identification exercises and boundary-setting scripts. If you want to take this work deeper, grab my book The Consistency Code: A Midlife Woman's Guide to Deep Health and Happiness. ✨ It's the roadmap midlife women are using to lead themselves powerfully in the health arena and beyond. Available now at https://theconsistencycode.com 

I'm Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I've spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.In this episode, I talk about the difference between being a manager and being a restaurateur, and why that gap is where a lot of restaurant owners get stuck. The problem is rarely effort. It is usually spending your time on the wrong things. I break down the high leverage activities that actually drive growth, and how getting buried in daily operations keeps you from making real progress. We dig into how to step back, spot hidden revenue opportunities, and focus on the moves that create momentum.   TakeawaysDid the year actually pay you or just add stress?January sets the pattern for the year ahead.A restaurateur builds systems; a manager runs shifts.Most owners are managers with equity, not restaurateurs.Focus on high-leverage activities for business growth.Identify what only you can do as an owner.Teach your team to maintain standards without you.Stop doing work that anyone else can do.Engage with your audience for feedback and questions.Utilize available resources to enhance your business.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Challenges01:35 The Role of a Restaurateur vs. Manager05:23 Shifting Mindsets for SuccessIf you've got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

Combating Teen Anxiety: Teen-Parent Communication Journal by Gina Nelson Combatingteenanxiety.com Authenticgains.com https://www.amazon.com/Combating-Teen-Anxiety-Teen-Parent-Communication/dp/1949642895 Is your teen struggling with anxiety and you don’t know how to help? This journal will teach you and your teen to communicate in a non-confrontational way, using emotionally safe prompts to express vulnerable thoughts, feelings, and responses. Combating Teen Anxiety Parent-Teen Journal will help you both: Initiate discussions using a fill-in-the-blank prompt so that you both can express your feelings in a clear and productive manner. Identify body sensations and the emotions associated with your thoughts so that you can slow down your responses until you are feeling calmer. Navigate vulnerable conversations in an emotionally safe way that will increase understanding and improve connection between you. This journal is a powerful tool to help you navigate the challenging conversations that arise during the emotionally charged teen years. You and your teen will ultimately form a stronger bond and develop skills that last a lifetime. As a special gift for you, I want to offer you a complimentary express course on how to catch your teen’s anxiety before it gets out of control. To access your Free Mini-Course go to www.CombatingTeenAnxiety.com

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're talking with Jason and Nan Britt from Bethlehem Church, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country with three campuses in Georgia—and a fourth on the way. Jason serves as Lead Pastor, while Nan has pioneered a powerful inclusion ministry called Bethlehem Buddies, designed to help children, students, and adults with special needs fully participate in the life of the church. In this conversation, they unpack how inclusive ministry became a defining part of Bethlehem's culture and how any church—regardless of size—can take meaningful steps in this direction. Is your church unsure how to serve families affected by special needs? Do you feel overwhelmed by where to start or afraid of doing it wrong? Jason and Nan offer practical, hope-filled wisdom rooted in real-life experience. Revitalization with intentional mission. // Bethlehem Church is a revitalization story at every campus. When Jason arrived 14 years ago, the church had plateaued and was struggling to reflect its surrounding community. Rather than questioning the church's heart, Jason focused on intentionality—helping the congregation shift from insider-focused habits to an outward-facing mission. Located near Athens, Georgia, Bethlehem serves a family-centric community, prompting leaders to double down on reaching families and the next generation. That commitment laid the groundwork for inclusion ministry, even before the church realized it. Seeing an unreached community. // Nan's background in special education played a critical role in shaping Bethlehem Buddies. Long before it became a formal ministry, Jason and Nan were deeply immersed in the lives of families affected by disability. When they arrived at Bethlehem, they recognized that many families in their community wanted to attend church but lacked the support to do so. Rather than being opposed to special needs ministry, churches often feel overwhelmed by it. Bethlehem chose to take a different approach—starting small, stepping in with humility, and learning along the way. Inclusion, not separation. // Nan defines inclusion as inviting people with disabilities into the same environments as everyone else—preschool, kids ministry, student ministry, and adult worship—rather than isolating them into separate spaces. Inclusion honors the individual and recognizes that people with disabilities don't all look the same or need the same support. A five-year-old with autism and a 30-year-old man with Down syndrome should be welcomed into age-appropriate environments, with individualized support when needed. The goal isn't just inclusion, but belonging—creating space for people to contribute and use their gifts within the body of Christ. The buddy model at scale. // Bethlehem Buddies pairs each individual with a trained volunteer—called a “buddy”—whose role is simple but powerful: be their best friend for 90 minutes. Buddies focus on connection over compliance, valuing relationship more than control. While some individuals prefer quieter environments, most are included directly into existing ministries with one-on-one support. Parents can attend worship knowing their child or adult family member is safe, known, and loved. Over time, this model has grown from serving one child to serving more than 300 families every weekend. Unexpected volunteer impact. // One of the biggest surprises has been how Bethlehem Buddies shapes volunteer culture. The ministry attracts people who might never serve in traditional kids or student roles—men, teenagers, business leaders—and cultivates empathy, humility, and ownership. Jason notes that the ministry has become one of the strongest volunteer-recruiting pipelines in the church, strengthening the overall mission and heart of Bethlehem. From program to culture. // Early on, Nan personally recruited volunteers by tapping shoulders and inviting people she saw potential in. Over time, inclusion became embedded in the church's DNA. Today, the culture itself recruits. Serving families affected by special needs has reshaped Bethlehem's understanding of the gospel—reinforcing the truth that the kingdom of God is for everyone, especially “the least of these.” Jason emphasizes that while inclusion started as the right thing to do, it has become one of the most spiritually formative aspects of the church. Simple steps for churches. // For churches wondering where to begin, Nan encourages leaders to start with one service, one plan, and one conversation. Decide how you would respond if a family arrived this Sunday. Identify a few volunteers who could serve as buddies. Use a detailed family intake form to prepare volunteers and build trust with parents. Jason urges pastors to see opportunity rather than obstacles—and to remember that you don't need to be an expert to start, just willing to learn. To learn more about Bethlehem Church and the Bethlehem Buddies Network, visit bethlehemchurch.us. Churches interested in starting or strengthening inclusion ministry can email Nan directly and take take a look at Bethlehem’s Buddies Volunteer Handbook. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Risepointe Do you feel like your church’s or school's facility could be preventing growth? Are you frustrated or possibly overwhelmed at the thought of a complicated or costly building project? Are the limitations of your building becoming obstacles in the path of expanding your ministry? Have you ever felt that you could reach more people if only the facility was better suited to the community’s needs? Well, the team over at Risepointe can help! As former ministry staff and church leaders, they understand how to prioritize and help lead you to a place where the building is a ministry multiplier. Your mission should not be held back by your building. Their team of architects, interior designers and project managers have the professional experience to incorporate creative design solutions to help move YOUR mission forward. Check them out at risepointe.com/unseminary and while you’re there, schedule a FREE call to explore possibilities for your needs, vision and future…Risepointe believes that God still uses spaces…and they're here to help. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey, friends. Welcome to the unSeminary Podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. I really want you to lean in today. This is one of those issues that we see in churches all the time that I really hope tons churches that are leaning in or listening in today will lean in on this issue, particularly if you’re a growing church. This might be one of those just up over the horizon issues that it that you can get ahead on and work ahead on now and and actually create more space for more people in your community. Rich Birch — Really excited to have Jason and Nan Britt with us. They’re from Bethlehem Church. It’s repeatedly one of the fastest growing churches in the country with three locations, if I’m counting correctly, in Georgia. Jason is the lead pastor and Nan has championed a program called Bethlehem Buddies. And we’re really looking forward to pulling this apart. They offer that all campuses and they provide inclusive support to help preschooler, child, teenager, and adults with special needs transition smoothly into one of the church’s worship environments. So Jason, Nan, welcome to the show. So glad that you are here.Nan Britt — Thank you. Jason Britt — And we’re thankful, thankful for for you having us.Rich Birch — Yeah, Jason, why don’t you tell us, kind of give us the picture of Bethlehem Church, kind of tell us a little bit about the church, kind of set the picture. If we were to arrive… Jason Britt — Yeah. Yeah. Rich Birch — …on a typical weekend, what would we experience?Jason Britt — Yeah. It’s three campuses, hopefully four soon. They’re all revitalization story. We just actually relocated our broadcast campus about a mile down the road. We’re a year in now… Rich Birch — Nice. Jason Britt — …December when you’re broadcasting this. And so we opened, new and it’s a revitalization story, multiple services, and it’s just a church that had history. And all of our campuses, Rich, are revitalization stories, too.Jason Britt — And it was a church with history that just had the courage, if you will, to envision a new future or be open to envisioning a new future. And we’ve been here for 14 years. It was my first senior pastorate, and it’s been a phenomenal year. And the church has just embraced the mission of leading people to discover new life in Christ in all areas of our ministry.Rich Birch — Why don’t we stick with you, Jason, and double click on revitalization. Jason Britt — Yeah. Rich Birch — Kind of pull apart that picture a little bit, help people, because I know there’s people that are listening in today that are on the other side of revitalization. And they’re thinking, hey, you know, what were some of, you know, you first stepped into that journey. What were some early questions that you were asking that really about that kind of led you to the place of like, hey, this is what I think the church could become. Where what started that journey for you?Jason Britt — Yeah, I think even in the process of, you know how it goes in different denominations or tribes have different ways of calling a pastor. And so for me, as I talked with the group that was selecting a pastor, the church had been plateaued for a number of years, plateaued, declining, kind of fell on that. And ultimately, my question for them is, what’s your limiting, have you guys considered your limiting factor? You know, and I think our church, although the heart was there, it did not reflect the community as a whole. And so by that, I mean the heart for mission was there, but not the intentionality of mission, if you will.Jason Britt — And so we really kind of began a two to three year journey of what would it look like for our church to reflect our community. And our community, Rich, we’re outside we’re kind of the bedroom community of Athens Georgia. Rich Birch — Okay. Jason Britt — All of our campuses surround the college town of Athens and it’s very family-centric, very kid-centric. I mean it’s not a high single adult population out here, if you will. This is where families live. And so we really needed to double down and become incredibly serious about the next generation and reaching families.Jason Britt — And I think it was just the reality of getting intentional with what our mission and heart was. The church wasn’t, I think I heard years ago, maybe on your podcast or somebody else, a pastor say, when you take over a church, one of two things are happening. They either believe they won the Super Bowl or they believe they’re losing every game.Jason Britt — Neither he goes, neither—I think it was Jud Wilhite said, I’m not sure… Rich Birch — Okay. Yeah, yeah. Jason Britt — …He goes, neither are true. Rich Birch — Right. That’s good. Jason Britt — But you have to understand their psyche… Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — …and the way they see their ministry. So for me, the gift of Bethlehem, Rich, was they were, they were, they were ready to win. I didn’t have to convince them they had to change a ton. I just had to, in many ways, give permission to see things differently. That if you will, the local church tends to be drift toward insider focused…Rich Birch — Yep, that’s true. Yeah.Jason Britt — …and the gospel is very outsider focused. And so for us, it was a lot of, if you will, deconstructing some things before we reconstructed, a lot of examining the fruit of what we were doing, not the intent. You know, that was a lot of the earliest, probably where lot people that you’re listening, your listeners are in revitalization. A lot of it’s not what we, early on, is not what we need to do that we’re not doing is what we need to stop doing that we’re doing.Rich Birch — Right. That’s good.Jason Britt — Right. And that’s the hard part, the deconstruction.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. That’s true.Jason Britt — That was my first two or three years. It’s when I had a full head of hair and no gray, you know what i’m saying, bro? And so it was good though, man.Rich Birch — Yes, for sure.Jason Britt — And so that was our early days of really the heart didn’t need a lot of work. The direction and the intentionality to mission, if you will, strategy and vision. So.Rich Birch — Well, I think there’s a lot of churches that are listening in that I think can relate with that idea of like, hey, the heart of our church is is right, but we’re not really taking intentional steps. And at some point as a leadership team, you realized that there were families that wanted to participate fully, but needed something different in order to do that. That’s ultimately what led us to what we’re talking about today. Rich Birch — What opened your eyes to that gap? What kind of got the ball rolling for you as a leadership team, for you specifically or for our leadership team as you were thinking about this issue?Nan Britt — Yeah, so, um you know, we’ve always been in ministry, Jason in ministry, but really my calling has been early on in special education. You know, that was my training and experience.Rich Birch — Okay.Nan Britt — And ah so professionally, you know, that was my job as a teacher. And so really for the first 10 years of our marriage, Jason walked alongside that road with me. And so the students that I taught really had a lot of needs. And so we really got to know those families. We were really immersed in the special needs community of families.Nan Britt — And so as we came to Bethlehem, we knew, we just knew this was such a great need. This was really an unreached group of people in our community. And so we were excited at the opportunity to be able to serve these families. You know, with him taking that role as as lead pastor, we wanted to make that a priority with our church.Nan Britt — And so that was that was an easy way for me to get involved as a volunteer. So I served as a volunteer for several years because that was just my experience and training and gifting and, you know, what I felt called to to do to to take what I had learned and really use that, you know, in the church.Jason Britt — Yeah, I think we’ve been to some great, we served at two great churches before we came here, awesome churches. If I said them, many of your listeners would know they were awesome and we have nothing, but I remember us being there. A lot of times it was, as we as we were serving there, it was not a, nobody’s against special needs ministry. It just seems overwhelming. Rich Birch — That’s true. Yeah.Jason Britt — Right. And that’s what you find is nobody’s against doing it. It’s just kind of what it seems overwhelming, if you will, or where do we even start? And so I think for us, when we came, our kids were young. And as Nan began to It just began as with one person. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And really beginning inclusion there. It was more of instead of being overwhelmed by it, almost, if you will… Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — …taking a step in and giving the example of what of what that looks like.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. I love that. And let’s let’s start, we’re going to get into some tactics in a second, but Jason, I want you to think about from like at a 30,000 foot point of view. My impression as an outsider, looking at this, you know, what you guys are doing, it’s pretty robust. You’ve created a pathway for children, students, adults with special needs to be fully included. And we’ll talk about what that means in a minute. But it to me, i think this could struggle if it’s just a tactic. It seems like what you’ve done has been able to talk about it really at kind of a cultural, this who we’re trying to be. So talk to us how we do that as senior leaders. How do we move this from beyond just like this is another thing we do to like, oh, this is a part of who we are. This is how we see ourselves.Jason Britt — Yeah, and and Nan could probably fill a little bit of the gaps here, but I think for me, I would say two things to senior leaders or senior teams if you’re talking about that. I think the cultural piece is when it becomes a kingdom of God, everybody’s invited at the table. Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — The least of these, marginalized, which we know the gospel – Jesus is more drawn to empty hearts and empty lives than he is full rooms, if you will, you know? And so then in our society, the poor, the marginalized or the least of these is not only poor and impoverished, but oftentimes it’s families who have lived and wrestled with and, walk through this. And so creating space for everybody, I would say was a very, for us, Jesus-centric type thing. Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — It was like this, if we are for the least of these, if we are for all people, that was one of our kind of core values as Bethlehem Church is a church for all people, right? Gospel, for God so loved the world. That’s a pretty broad path right there, the world.Rich Birch — Right. Yes.Jason Britt — So then let’s be intentional there. And, and the thing that I would tell you now, and as Nan gets into the tactics, we didn’t do this to start. This wasn’t the reason. The reason was it was the right thing and we could do this, but, Rich, man, I am telling you, when you begin to serve these families and and you see the joy and the blessing and what it does to the heart of the church, you cannot exchange.Rich Birch — That’s true.Jason Britt — Serving these families, when I talk to other pastor buddies that are stepping into this or some good friends that are in the Buddies Network who would do this, I’m like, man, what it does for the whole of your church when it comes to the heart of Christ, you know, and we’ve seen it go from one kid to three serving 300 families a weekend now. And so it’s been a crazy thing. But what it does for the overall mission and heart of the church and the volunteers and the church seeing this is a powerful thing.Rich Birch — Yeah, I would agree. You know, we talked a little bit beforehand about yeah when I esrved at Liquid Church for years, and this has been a part of our story there. It’s like of my proudest things that we had been a part of. And but but I want to take a step back. And Nan, can you help us understand when you say the word inclusion, what do you mean by that as opposed to separation?Rich Birch — So I’ll paint a bit of a picture for you. Maybe I’m a church of, I don’t know, 5-, 600 people. And sure, there are some kids that we can see. There are kids with special needs. And and I’m like, don’t don’t we just want to create a place where we can like put those kids away so they don’t bother us? Again, I’m I’m using hyperbole. Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — Obviously, I’m playing a bit of the devil’s advocate. I don’t actually believe that. Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — But what what do you mean by inclusion, not separation? What does that look like?Nan Britt — Yes. Well, inclusion simply means that you are, in the church setting, looking at preschool ministry, kids ministry, students, adult ministries, and really just looking for opportunity to include everyone into those environments. You know, and we know that some people, individuals with disabilities, just may need some individualized love, care, and support. But I think inclusion also speaks more importantly to honoring people and seeing people as individuals. Rich Birch — So true.Nan Britt — And so, for example, we know that a 30-year-old man with Down syndrome looks very different than a five-year-old with autism. And so inclusion is honoring and seeing a person for who they are. And so we want to invite a 30 year old man with Down syndrome into the same opportunities that we’re inviting other 30 year old men in in the church. Nan Britt — And so, so that just gives an example and it actually simplifies things a lot. You know, you you’re really whatever is being offered, you know, at your church, for each age group, you’re you’re simply just opening up that opportunity for our kids and adults with disabilities and special needs to be a part of that.Nan Britt — And then, like we said, we just know sometimes that may mean they need some individualized support in order to be a part of those ah great ministries happening. But it I think inclusion really speaks to honoring that individual and seeing them, what they can contribute to the body of Christ. Nan Britt — And so we know everyone wants to be included, but belonging is really the goal. You know, people, we we know the difference, you know, as people when we’re included in a place, but when we’re invited to to to contribute back… Rich Birch — So good. Nan Britt — …and to use our gifts and strengths, you know, that’s when you really feel a sense of belonging. And so I think that’s the power of inclusion versus just, hey, let’s just provide a separate space and because this is what we’re supposed to do.Rich Birch — Right. Right. So can you get tactical on that? What does that actually look like for, because I, you know, I, I understand doing this at a one or two people, but at scale, 3-, 400, 500 every weekend over a year, like that’s, how do you actually do that? We’ll stick with you, Nan. If I’myeah, what what does that look like? How do how do we provide that care? How do we and how do we learn how we can best support people and then communicate with them and all that? What does it kind of… Nan Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — I know there’s a lot there, I understand… Nan Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — …but but give us kind of an overview. We start there.Nan Britt — eah, that’s a great question. I think it’s really important to first define your goal of like… Rich Birch — Right. Nan Britt — …okay, what is our goal and why are we we providing disability ministry, special needs ministry? And what I believe is the goal of it is that so a family can attend worship, can attend a worship service together on a Sunday morning.Rich Birch — Great.Nan Britt — That is the goal. You know, first, over other nights of programming happening at your church, we believe that we want our families to hear the gospel message, the hope of Jesus, to experience worship, prayer, sit under preaching. And so that’s why we we want to focus on inviting them and providing support around a worship service. We know most likely for parents to be able to attend the service, then that means their child or adult is going to need some individualized support and care.Nan Britt — And so that’s that’s where the Buddies team, the Buddies ministry comes in. And so ah you’re going to need some some volunteers. And so really, i think that simplifies it a lot because I think churches get overwhelmed to think, man, do we need to provide something every time the doors of our church are open? And I would say a great place to start and focus on is we want families to be invited to your worship service. Nan Britt — And then equally, ah we want our individuals to experience the love of Christ, grow in their faith, be be in community um with others. And so I think that’s the place to start is while mom and dad get to attend a service and they’re siblings, then we provide a volunteer to pair up with kids and adults with disabilities.Nan Britt — And then from there, you already have these great ministries happening in your church, kids ministries, student ministries, sometimes on a Sunday morning. And then you’re able to just join in the great ministry happening with that buddy support with a child.Nan Britt — And then I do think that if you have the space at your church, you can also offer a classroom space for kids and adults who prefer a quieter setting or do better in a small group setting. Then you can offer another space that that also has the same great ministry happening. So I really think those volunteers drive the ministry… Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — …and then just get to participate in with with all the great things happening on a Sunday morning at your church.Rich Birch — I love that. Jason, can you, let’s talk about it from the side, because Nan was talking there about the volunteer side of the equation. Let’s talk about it from that end.Rich Birch — What have you seen, kind of what impact has adding buddies and adding a really robust inclusion culture to your church?Jason Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — How has that kind of impacted the volunteers who are and engaged in this ministry?Jason Britt — Yeah, I think a couple things and our kids will be examples, but they’re friends as well. What you see is there, and and we’ve seen this with male leadership, is there are people that would probably not raise their hand and say, hey, I want to be in preschool or kids ministry. But the chance to pair up and walk with a teenager with special needs, to be included, to be a one-on-one individualized and walk into our kid’s town or our midtown, which is our younger environments, it’s very empowering. And, I mean, it just opens opportunities for connection. And that’s one thing that we’ve seen, that we see people who may not want more than handing out a, but if you will, just on the Sunday service, if you were the Sunday morning weekend environment, serving opportunities, obviously there’s more in the church, but those coffee, parking lot, greeter, than kids ministry. A lot of your churches that you minister to look similar ours, you know what I mean? Jason Britt — And so what we found was that stream of empowering and inviting, and candidly our buddies ministry, is stronger in the recruiting aspect than our kids or student ministry because it’s so unique and it calls things out of people that maybe the other don’t, if you will. We’ve seen that. And so I would say that that was one of the benefits that we didn’t know early on. Nan maybe did just because of her background in special needs. But as we’ve seen it, I mean, you know, students, it’s a powerful thing when you’re watching a 16-year-old, 17-year-old high schooler, when you’re watching them walk with a five-year-old with autism or Down syndrome into a children’s ministry class. That’s just a pretty powerful thing. The humility, the ownership, there’s just… Nan Britt — Empathy. Jason Britt — …empathy. That rich, the discipleship piece of that’s incredibly strong. You know… Rich Birch — Yeah, absolutely. Jason Britt — …that just in this simple, it’s not filling a hole, it’s empowering. And so that’s one of the things we’ve seen. I mean, I know you’ve been around, if you were Liquid, even the Night to Shine, obviously the the Tim Tebow thing. Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s fantastic. Jason Britt — Even that, that’s probably the big mass on a mass scale we do where the church is incredibly involved. But then the opportunities it’s opened up for us on the outside of the church to partner with other nonprofits and bring nonprofits that for serve families with special needs, but we get to bring a gospel presence to that. Rich Birch — Love it.Jason Britt — And that’s because of what we’re doing internally. So I’ve seen both of those things that the mission fulfilled in ways that it’s not just serving those families with special needs, but taking the church to a place we’ve never been.Rich Birch — Yeah, I love that. And, you know, to underline something you said there that we’ve seen through multiple conversations that I think when we cast a big picture and a big responsibility to volunteers, they will step up to that. In fact, they’ll actually lean in. They’ll be like,I’m this is great. This requires a lot of me.Jason Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — I would love to lean in.Jason Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — So Nan, what have you learned about, let’s keep keep on this whole topic here, volunteers. What have you learned about recruiting, finding these volunteers, training them so they feel prepared, confident, like, you know, this is your professionally, you said this… Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — …your this is your professional background, but, you know, you take your average 16-year-old, they’re not professionally equipped for this. And so how do you help them get to a place where they can be a buddy?Nan Britt — Right.Rich Birch — Talk us through what that looks like.Nan Britt — Yes. It’s, it’s really, it’s so exciting. That’s something that I’ve always been passionate about to connect people to purpose. And so, and then like you said, to take what I have learned and, and really, put it into terms and, and easy ways, easy strategies for, everyday volunteers to feel equipped.Nan Britt — And, and, and so I think that we, a lot of our training materials have come from that that we love to share with churches because we that’s something that we prioritize is we we have many volunteers that serve that do have a background in special education a lot like myself with experience, and I think they’re needed for sure in this ministry. But we have the majority of our volunteers are teenagers and adults who are businessmen. They own their own construction company. Women who you know are stay-at-home moms. Teenagers who, yeah, who would say, hey, I have a heart for this. I’m available. And we love that. We think that that is absolutely the right person to serve. And so we’ve just found some easy ways. Nan Britt — We are highly prepared on our end as a staff. to ah provide the best experience possible for the volunteer and the child on a Sunday morning. And so we do that with, we have a great family form that we have all of our families fill out. We’ve done that for 11 years. It’s a really detailed form. And so we feel like that gives us so much great information about the child or adult that we’re working with, that the parent has given us. Their interests, their likes, things that their dislikes, what to do to to help them stay calm and engaged. We utilize that every week. We get that in the hands of the volunteers so they feel equipped to to know the child they’re paired up with. Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — And then we we have great just engaging activities and and Bible stories and worship that that just provide the best experience possible for for an hour and a half on a Sunday morning while they’re with us. We want our volunteers to feel supported, to just enjoy being with their child or adult. You know, we say your role is to be their best friend on a Sunday, to hang out. We really prioritize connection over compliance. You know, we’re highly relational. It’s very individualized. And so we, I think that takes away a lot of the nervousness for our volunteers. Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — And we really, do have great experiences because church is different. Church is different and should be different than school, than therapy, than camp.Rich Birch — Right.Nan Britt — And so you really can have such a a great experience, you know, for an hour and a half, you know, during a service and people feel equipped. We encourage them. We support them. And, and as you know, Rich, people step in to, to volunteer and, but they always come back to us and say, they are so much more of a blessing to me.Jason Britt — Yeah, yeah. Nan Britt — You know, they, they are really ministering to me because our kids and adults, you know, just have such a, a peaceful presence and unhurried spirit, gracious. They’ll pray for you. And so they turn around and bless our volunteers and minister to them. And in so many greater ways than we, than we ever really do for them. Jason Britt — It’s good.Rich Birch — Yeah, love that. And you use the word buddy, and I’d love to double click on that. You you talked about this, Nan, this idea of be their best friend that, you know, for that 90 minutes every week. It’s not about compliance. Talk us about talk to us about that a little bit more, kind of unpack that a little bit. What does that look like? Because that’s a nuance that I think people might, who have not been around this kind of ministry might not understand that. So unpack that a little bit more. What’s that look like?Nan Britt — Yes. So that’s, that’s what we choose to call our volunteers, buddies, buddy volunteers. And we we think it’s, it fits whether you’re with a child or with your, whether you’re with an adult with a disability. And I think that, the the beauty and the success of the ministry is it’s just individualized, you know, undivided attention for a whole, like you said, 90 minutes where we want our kids and adults to feel seen and heard and valued.Nan Britt — And so if you’re a buddy volunteer, you you have that permission to just celebrate and make that morning just all about their child and get on their level, play with them. You know, we we give a lot of direction around ways to interact with people that have differences. You know, if they’re in a wheelchair, if they don’t verbally communicate, hey, here’s some creative ways of of how you can interact with your buddy. And just to that, you know, to to just place such a high value on that child or adult. And yeah, and there there’s so much celebration around it and so much joy. I think people who walk by buddies or around our ministry, that’s the culture of it’s just so much joy and celebration.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s great.Nan Britt — Even when they’re you’re in the presence of so many complex needs, you know, this is a group of people who have a lot of hardships and and very complex needs on paper, but yet you can still just have such a great experience as a buddy volunteer. And like I said, I think that the reason for it is it’s so individualized and it’s ah based around their interest, what they like, and really valuing them and then sharing the love of Jesus. Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — You know, that unconditional love. That is what we are we strive to share, you know, as a buddy volunteer to our kids and adults. Jason Britt — And I think, we’re Rich, I would add, I think in your churches that are listening, now, then we’re 10 years in, the culture recruits. Nan Britt — True.Jason Britt — Early on, early on, I would say Nan, and she doesn’t give herself enough credit for this, she shoulder tapped a lot of people and would say, hey, you know this is when the church was very smaller and it was. But in the early days, it was a lot of, just like there’s individual care, I would just say the recruiting was individualized… Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — …by Nan, tapping shoulders, saying, hey, I see this in you, or hey, I think you could help me. I mean, I think about… You know, our friends, Richard, Andy, some of these guys who were men’s men that are friends of mine that and and she would just be very specific. Would you and and all of them were like, absolutely. Nan Britt — Yeah.Jason Britt — Before they even knew what they were getting into.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — I just think early on, I would tell you now our culture does a lot of the recruiting.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jason Britt — But early on it was individualized. I see this in you, that shoulder tapping. Nan Britt — Yep, that’s true. Jason Britt — It was never necessarily my vision for it, recruiting people. It was more of the individualized. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jason Britt — And then now it’s part of our culture, but I would say it didn’t start. It just became a part of our culture. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — Does that make sense?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s 100%. 100%. That’s a great thing to underline, even just in general… Jason Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — …but specifically in this this ministry, that those early people that we get involved really do kind of cast vision for the future of like, oh, we’re looking for more of these kind of, like you said, whoever those guys are, your men’s men guys.Jason Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — It’s like, well, that then creates a door for like other guys like that to say, hey, I want to be a part of that.Nan Britt — Absolutely.Rich Birch — And yeah, that’s good.Nan Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — I was also don’t underestimate the the power of the person asking. I know you highlighted this celebrating your wife, but that’s very true. Like that you want to, the person you put in in charge of this wants to be the kind of person that is trusted and is loved and has got some wisdom. So Jason, sticking with you, I’m sure you get calls from leads, from other lead pastors or executive pastors that might have some like common misunderstandings or fears that about starting a special needs ministry. What are some of those fears that they have and what do you say to them to try to say, no, no, you should do this. What are what are the things that come up in a conversation like that?Jason Britt — It’s great question. I think a lot of times it’s not, it’s, if you don’t have a background or awareness or someone in your family or close to you that has special needs or disabilities, there is a lot of what if, what if, what if.Rich Birch — Right.Jaon Britt — And so like, what if the needs extreme, you know, they have feeding tube or they kind of create the worst case scenario or the hardest situation to go, I don’t know if we could ever. Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — And what you realize is the vast majority, the, the, the, the needs not that extreme. So it’s kind of almost right size and go in. No, no, no, no. I think you’re, you’re out thinking, you know, in church, you’ve been around church, Rich, you know, we have a way of out-thinking ourselves somehow of going, well, what if…Rich Birch — Sure. Sure.Jason Britt — Hey, Hey, Hey, there’s a really good chance, you know?Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And so I think that’d be one of going, no, I think, but a lot of times it’s not from against, it’s just a lack of awareness. Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — You know, it’s not, we can’t do this because. I think liability, something that comes up, I mean, candidly, Rich, you know, in this day and age of liability and stuff like that. And I think again, the reality is, we are 10 years in, 300 families. It’s just not something we’ve ever dealt with. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — You know, got think these families love these kids more than we could ever love these kids.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And so we’re going to be fully equipped and they’re, they’re not, if there’s great needs that, that are, that, they’re probably not going to check them in. They’ll sit with them in the service. You know what I mean? Something like that.Rich Birch — Yep, sure.Jason Britt — I think sometimes that would be one. And then… Nan Britt — Well, yeah, and I would just say, I think that’s when it’s important to have have humility and invite in someone that, like myself that, and I only say myself because like a teacher. Someone who has experience and training professionally in this field so that they’re able to to answer those questions, and to really right size and give a realistic. You know, and I’ve been in some of those conversations before to say, you know, in 11 years, that’s not something that we’ve ever dealt with the church… Jason Britt — Right. Yeah. Nan Britt — …but, but, Hey, here’s something else that you need to think about.Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — And so I think it’s, it’s really important. I have a lot of respect for leaders who show humility in saying, Hey, I, I even admit I have some ignorance about this conversation… Rich Birch — Yeah. Right. Nan Britt — …and I’d like to invite in so ah someone, an expert in this area to help us move forward in this conversation. Yeah.Jason Britt — Yeah, that’s been the, I think that’s the, yeah, that’s what we have talked to. Again, it’s almost permission, that Nan’s right, humility and just going, okay, we don’t know what we don’t know, let’s just ask some questions. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — But the other thing I would say is, like, we don’t have, um if you will, a room. We don’t have space. We don’t, we’re we’re for it. And I think we go back to our early days, neither did we. You know It was all inclusion-based and all still is before we had a safety room, if you will, or before we had, what do you call it?Nan Britt — We don’t call it a safety room. It’s just a buddy space. Jason Britt — Buddy Space. Like like you know if there’s a kid that’s having an issue or or you know something. We didn’t we have a little more now than we did, but back in the day, it was more inclusion and just start where where you’re at. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — You can do something.Nan Britt — That’s right.Rich Birch — Yeah. I think that’s a good word, Jason, that I think we get way too far ahead of us. And we’re like, we and we picture 300 families and like, oh my goodness, what’s going to happen? It’s like, well, how about but we start with the two kids that are right in front of us?Nan Britt — That’s right. Jason Britt — That’s it.Rich Birch — And what can we do to support those families? Nan, you said this, I’d love to invite you in on these conversations. I’m sure there’s churches that are listening in there like I would love Nan’s help. Talk to me about the buddies network. This is a way—I love this—you guys have stepped out to try to help more churches. Talk us through what that is. How do you help churches? How can you engage with them that sort of thing.Nan Britt — Yes. I mean, you’re exactly right. That’s that’s where the idea came from, is that in our area, you know, around metro Atlanta, around Athens, we are in weekly conversations with churches of of how to start a ministry or just begin, like you’re saying, what are some easy steps, tangible ways to serve families, bring awareness to it. And so we just decided, you know, out stewarding, being a good steward of the the great work God has done at Bethlehem, the resources he’s provided for us that we love. Nan Britt — Jason and I, we, we, our big kingdom church people. We love partnering with churches. We love knowing other pastors. And, and so that’s been exciting for me just to work with other churches and share with them. I think we’ve learned so much at Bethlehem, like Jason said, from being very small with no budget, no space, being very conservative in, in what we’ve done to now having a huge ministry, a large ministry, having great space. Jason Britt — Right.Nan Britt — I think we just have learned so many ways to be able to equip churches. And and that’s really the heart behind it. And so we’ve done this last year, really, I have I’m leading that and and kind of initiating that. We just have put in quarterly quarterly lunches if you are nearby and close to us to join us for that. Quick things to your inbox that give ideas. We share our resources. We’re where we don’t want you to recreate something, spend time on that.Bethlehem Church — Because like you said, a lot of that a lot of times it’s kids’ ministries, people who already wear a lot of hats at their churches. I mean, they are overwhelmed. They are leading kids’ ministry. We have some a part of our network that are family pastors, and then they have also been given this task of, hey, figure out special needs ministry as well.Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — Or volunteers. They’re not paid. So it’s our desire just to get in there and help equip. Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — And to make it fit the structure of your church. You know, every church is unique. And so ah we just want to make this tangible and easy. And so, yeah. And so we we walk alongside churches really at their own pace, you know, of what they say, hey, we need help with this. Jason Britt — Yep.Nan Britt — And in 2026, we hope to keep expanding resources and more so online that really allow churches outside of Georgia, you know, to access more resources.Rich Birch — Yeah, that which you’ve provided and we’ll link to this, the Buddies Volunteer Handbook. I thought this was great, kind of a I know I love this kind of thing. I’m always like diving deep on, wow, it’s so cool to see what people do. I love this. Talk to us a little bit about this resource. How does it fit in your… Nan Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — …like in your process with Buddies and all that?Nan Britt — Yes. For sure, you know, the first few years, like we’re saying of our ministry, that our our procedures and systems looked more like just a Word document. Rich Birch — Right.Nan Britt — You know, something that I would share onboarding volunteers of, hey, this is your role as a buddy. You know, this is what it means to serve at our ministry. This is these are the expectations. This is… And then in time, you know, we created that. It turned into a handbook, you know, a nicely you know printed handbook that that matched really what our kids ministry handbook and our student ministry handbook looked like. And so it is a great resource that that’s how we onboard volunteers and kind of their their first invitation into the ministry of we go through that handbook with them. We prioritize, hey, this is what we say is your role and what a win is in our ministry. So it goes through a lot of our our systems put around the ministry, the procedures. And what I like to share with churches is kind of what Jason was saying. Really, special needs ministry fits neatly into that that umbrella of all the systems and procedures and policies that a church already has in place for kids ministry… Rich Birch — Yeah. Nan Britt — …and student ministry, special needs ministry fits within that. And that is the way we function at our church. And so there, back when you said there really is not additional liability or additional policies for special needs ministry. So, that’s contained in our handbook. And yeah, it’s a great resource to share with our volunteers and drives the the goals and expectations of the ministry. Jason Britt — Yeah . Rich Birch — That’s so good. Nan Britt — And that’s what we share a lot with we share our handbook with churches and then our family form. Most churches are saying, hey, you mentioned the form that you give to parents.Rich Birch — Yeah. Help us understand that. Yeah. Yes.Nan Britt — Hey, can you share that with us? And we say, absolutely. Just just take our logo off of it. You put your church logo on there. Rich Birch — Yes. Nan Britt — And you just just just start using that because that’s that’s another great resource we share.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. So as we’re coming down to land, kind of a same similar question to both you. I’ll start with you, Nan. Let’s picture that you’re a leader within a church who’s got a passion for this area and is like thinking, hey, we we need to take some steps in the next, maybe the next six months, next three months to kind of move this from, hey, we’re helping a couple kids to we want to create a bit more structure there. What would you say to them to like, Hey, here are some first steps that you should be taking to try to expand this beyond something that’s informal to like, we’re trying to make this a little bit more part of what we do, not just something we’re kind of dealing with. It’s like, we’re going to actively add this.Nan Britt — Right. Yeah, I think that’s a great question. I think something immediately that churches can do is to have a conversation, you know, around kids ministry, around the team on Sundays, and essentially just to have a plan in place of, okay, what would we do if a family visited our church? And just by having a conversation and being prepared, really just allows you to welcome that family without the stress and panic on your face. Rich Birch — Sure. Right. Nan Britt — You know, of that we know it’s unintentional, but we never want a family to feel like an inconvenience or a burden or unwelcomed at our church. But simply by having a plan of okay, what would we do if a family came? And I think that that could easily be we’re going to get them checked in and they’re going to go into our kids’ ministry environments. But maybe we can have two or three extra volunteers on call that we would utilize or we might pull from our existing kids ministry classes to be a buddy for that morning for that child in the second grade class. That’s that’s pretty easy to do. But if you have already talked through that, then when a family comes, it doesn’t send you in a into panic mode.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah. Nan Britt — And and then, like because as we said, the parents are still there. They’re in service. You can always call them or text them with a question or a need that you might have. And then from there, I think it gives you time to put some systems in place. What that might be like is you you prioritize a Sunday morning service. If you if you offer multiple services, I always tell churches, hey, you know, pick, choose a service and build your volunteer team around one service. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good.Nan Britt — And then that is a service you can communicate to the community of, hey, we’re offering our buddies team at the nine o’clock service on Sunday morning. We’d love to invite you to attend at this time. That’s pretty manageable for churches rather than feeling overwhelmed of, wow, do we need to offer her volunteers at every service that we have on a Sunday? So just starting small. Jason Britt — Yep, yep. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Nan Britt — And then, like I said, an easy step is, is, getting access to a family form. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Perfect. Nan Britt — And like I said, we can easily share that with you because you collect such great information that really helps you feel prepared for the hour and a half that the family’s with you on a Sunday morning.Rich Birch — Yeah. That’s great. So similar question, Jason, let’s say you’re, imagine you’re a lead pastor and, you know, somebody on their team comes to you and says, Hey, we, we had this conversation as a huddle, like, Hey, what could we do? And we realized we’ve got to add some more emphasis on this. We, you know, if, if we had a family come today, oh, I’m not sure, you know, we might be able to serve one kid or two kids if they came or one or two people if they came, but we’re not, I’m not sure if we had any more than that, that we, and we’d like to add some more volunteer time. We’re not looking for money, just kind of some more emphasis. What would you say to a lead pastor who had someone come to them? How would you kind of coach them to respond to that, to a, to a leader that came with them with that kind of request?Jason Britt — Yeah, I would say just because I know how does a senior pastor would, hey, we got this, we got this. It seems like there’s always about five things pressing and and and it’s like another thing, you know. I would say see the opportunity.Rich Birch — Love it.Jason Britt — That’s what I would just go, man, the opportunity and, you know, see the opportunity for gospel presence. I mean, I think some of my favorite stories, and we don’t have time to get to them, have been families that came or brought their special needs adult or student, or and they’ve been baptized because of that, you know. So the opportunity of it, it is a communit… Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. Jason Britt — …of people that in the local church we are for, but oftentimes unintentionally we haven’t been prepared for or, and again, it’s legitimate and get it. I think it’s the, also there’s just great resources. Like I just got, we just came off, I mean, you know, this stuff, Rich, there’s just like there’s people who help out. We just came off of a two-year generosity initiative. And I need help thinking strategically. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — I don’t need, you know, and and they help that. Well, there’s people like Nan. Uh, there’s people that are out there that are there to help.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And I think there’s a lot more similarities in churches with people who can help… Nan Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yes. Jason Britt — …than just like I needed in the general there. That’s the same thing I would tell a pastor. Don’t be overwhelmed. See the opportunity. Nan Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good.Nan Britt — I would add, I think that’s key that, you know, in the same way that, like you’re saying, in the world of production or other ministries, we are familiar with contracting with people who that’s their specialty. That’s their skill. That’s their experience. I think it’s the same way in this conversation with special needs ministry. I think that is the quickest way to… Jason Britt — Yep. Nan Britt — …move along the conversation is to maybe to consider contracting with a person that that has that is a professional in this. It it it will eliminate all of those what-if questions… Jason Britt — Yep. Nan Britt — …the fear around it, and someone who knows this this ministry and knows what to do. Jason Britt — Yep. Absolutely. Rich Birch — That’s so good. Nan Britt — You know who’s not surprised by the needs of people with disabilities and special needs. So I think that for churches that And like we said, it’s it’s similar to contracting with other needs around the church.Rich Birch — Right. Good.Nan Britt — So just as quickly as you can, get someone in the conversation that is an expert and kind of knows ah you know what how to care, how to care for these kids. Jason Britt — Yep, yep.Rich Birch — So good. Well, Nan, we’ll give you the last word. If people want to get in touch with with you, with the church to talk about the network or to just just even learn more, where do we want to send them online so they can access more information, you know, that sort of thing?Nan Britt — Yes. So ah they are welcome to email me, nan@bethlehemchurch.us. I would love that to just, like I said, eat weekly, that’s really my role on our staff now is is talking and training and and just working alongside churches. So I would love to connect. And then our website is BethlehemChurch.us, which they can find our Bethlehem Buddies page. Just see a lot of great resources there and then get in touch with our staff there as well. Jason Britt — Yep.Rich Birch — That’s great. Appreciate you guys being here today. Thank you so much. And thanks for what you’re doing. Appreciate being on the show today.Nan Britt — Thanks so much. Jason Britt — Thank you.

David C. Baker recently published a fascinating thought experiment about what he’d do if starting an agency from scratch today—and it’s packed with provocative ideas worth serious consideration. His article offers a comprehensive blueprint covering everything from organizational structure to compensation philosophy, and much of it aligns with how Chip and Gini think about building sustainable agencies. But the most interesting conversations happen when smart people disagree, which is why this episode focuses on the handful of points where Chip and Gini see things differently. Not because Baker’s ideas are bad, but because they expose the tension between aspirational agency management and the messy realities of running a business with real budgets, real people, and real client demands. In this episode, Chip and Gini tackle mandatory one-month sabbaticals for every employee, open-book finances published on your website, 360-degree reviews, and incentive compensation structures. They dig into why ideas that sound compelling in theory often create unintended consequences in practice—like how retention-based bonuses can fuel scope creep, or why forced sabbaticals don’t actually solve the single-point-of-failure problem they’re designed to address. The conversation reveals thoughtful nuance on both sides. Gini shares her brutal experience with anonymous feedback that backfired when presented poorly. Chip explains why he sees most performance measurement systems as “performance theater” while still advocating for more financial transparency with teams. They discuss the logistical nightmares of scheduling multiple month-long absences and why backup systems for unexpected departures matter more than planned time off. Throughout, they return to a central theme: what works brilliantly at one stage of growth can be completely wrong at another. The goal isn’t to declare Baker’s ideas right or wrong, but to test assumptions and recognize that even the most well-intentioned frameworks deserve scrutiny before implementation. Key takeaways Chip Griffin: “Really to deal with single points of failure, you need to be able to handle those unexpected absences, right? Someone has a family emergency, someone has a health issue. Those are the kinds of things that you wanna make sure you’ve handled.” Gini Dietrich: “When you’re constantly slacking or texting or calling while on vacation, and we don’t give you a response, it makes people angry. But what I’m trying to do is give you the time off because you deserve it and I want you to come back refreshed and ready to work.” Chip Griffin: “When you have incentive compensation, whether that is commissions or for hitting profit targets, the problem that you run into is people tend to focus on the thing that gets them the commission. It doesn’t mean that it’s good revenue. It doesn’t mean that it’s profitable.” Gini Dietrich: “I subscribe to give ongoing feedback. You get feedback consistently. And when we’re in a meeting and I see something that you did really great or I see something that could use some work, I tell you that immediately.” Turn Ideas Into Action Read Baker’s full article and identify your three favorites. Don’t just focus on the disagreements—pull out the ideas that resonate most with your vision for your agency and commit to implementing one of them this quarter. The value in thought experiments like this isn’t picking sides, but using them to clarify what you actually want to build. Spend 30 minutes reading, then schedule time to test one concept that genuinely excites you. Identify your true single points of failure. List every critical role in your agency, then honestly assess what would happen if that person disappeared tomorrow without warning. Focus on unexpected absences—not planned sabbaticals—because those expose the real vulnerabilities. For each critical role, document who could cover the basics for 1-2 weeks while you figure out a longer-term solution. This takes less than an hour and protects you better than mandatory vacation policies. Replace annual reviews with ongoing feedback. If you currently do annual or 360-degree reviews, shift to giving immediate feedback when you observe something—positive or negative. Make it a two-sentence conversation: “That client presentation was excellent because you anticipated their objections” or “When you miss that deadline without communication, it creates problems for the team.” Save annual conversations for compensation changes and goal-setting, not for dumping a year’s worth of stored-up feedback all at once. Resources David C. Baker’s article If I Started A New Firm, Now Related Starting your own agency Should you force employees to take time off? Setting your agency's PTO, vacation, and leave policies Employee compensation essentials for agencies View Transcript The following is a computer-generated transcript. Please listen to the audio to confirm accuracy. Chip Griffin: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast. I’m Chip Griffin. Gini Dietrich: And I’m Gini Dietrich. Chip Griffin: And Gini, we’re going back to a place that we’ve used for inspiration before. And no, I’m not talking about Reddit this time. Oh, I’m, I’m sorry. Dear listeners, this is not one of our Reddit episodes. Gini Dietrich: I, I’m always scared of the Reddit episodes. Chip Griffin: The Reddit episodes are always, they’re interesting. We’ll leave it at that. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. I saw one the other day that I was like, oh boy, okay. In the real world… Chip Griffin: Sometimes I just, I read those posts in the, in the agency subreddit, and I just, I wonder if, if they’re actual, real people posting about real stuff, because some of it just seems so insane that it just couldn’t be real. Gini Dietrich: Yes. And some of it is very junior level entitled frustrations who don’t understand how a business operates. And so some of it you’re just like, Ugh. Okay. Chip Griffin: Yep. But I mean, we were all once those people sort of a little bit Gini Dietrich: Fair, true. Chip Griffin: At one point in time. Gini Dietrich: Yes. So absolutely. Chip Griffin: But that is not what this episode is. We are going to use another source of inspiration for us that we’ve used in the past, and that is David C. Baker. And, in this case, he had a post in his newsletter recently about what he would do if he was starting his own agency today. And it’s a lengthy article that walks through all of the different choices, that he would make strategically and tactically for the business. And there’s a lot of good food for thought in there. It’s, mm-hmm. It’s probably gonna inspire a few additional episodes, down the road as we dig deeper into some of the specific topics there. But, one of the things that I did on LinkedIn was I broke out into four buckets, my perspective on it, and broke it into things that I agree with, things that I agreed to disagree with. It depends because, hey, that’s our motto here, so why not? It does depend. Yes. Yep. And then of course, food for thought. So, there are far too many points for us to cover in a reasonably length podcast episode. So. I figured why not be controversial? Let’s deal with the disagrees that I had on my list and, use that as our jumping off point. And we’ll of course include a link to the article in the show notes that you can go read the full article as well as additional context around what we’re gonna talk about today because there is a lot to, to explore here. Gini Dietrich: And I think the buckets that you, you broke it into are really good. And for the most part I agree with how you’ve compartmentalized them all. But there are some interesting ones on the agree to disagree bucket. So let’s, let’s do that. Let’s start there. Chip Griffin: Alright. Do you have, do you have one that you would like to start with or do you want me to just start calling ones out? Gini Dietrich: Let’s see. Yeah, there’s, well, yes I do. That we require one month annual sabbatical to eliminate single points of failure. Sounds lovely. I would also like a one month sabbatical every year. Chip Griffin: It’s as, as I understood the article, and it is possible, I misunderstood the intent in the article, but as I understood it, he was suggesting that every year, every employee. Gini Dietrich: Everyone. Yes. Chip Griffin: Had to take a full one month sabbatical. Gini Dietrich: Yes. That’s how I read it as well. Chip Griffin: That is, I mean, it’s a nice idea. I think it is highly impractical for most organizations. And look, I think the, stated intent here is truly a good one, which is to avoid those single points of failure, over reliance on any individual team member. Yeah. ’cause this is a giant problem for agencies, honestly, of most sizes until you get to be giant. But it is something that, that you need to be conscious of. I don’t know that you need a full one month sabbatical for every employee every year in order to get there. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, and I mean, truth be told, like if you’re designing in the agency of the future and you’re starting from scratch today, I don’t know how you do that. I mean, to your point, even in a large organization, I don’t know that how, you do that because it costs a lot of money. Not just resources and time, but it costs money to have people out. And so, you know, if you’re a, you’re an agency of three people or you’re an agency of 50 people, or you’re an agency of hundreds of people, it still costs money. And so requiring that I think is a bit too much. And also, I will say that as somebody who has an extraordinary flexible and generous paid time off plan. There are people who take advantage of those things and you have to adjust to that, unfortunately. And I just don’t think it’s realistic. I don’t think it’s something that you could actually do. I don’t think it’s something you could enforce. I think it would be extraordinarily stressful for the person and for their team, even though it might be nice in writing. I don’t think it’s, realistic in practice. Chip Griffin: Well, I, think you, I mean, you, have a number of logistical issues that come into play here in addition to everything else. And particularly because one of the other, tenants in there that I, disagreed with was, that you would require all employees to take four one week vacations. Over the course of the year. So now you’ve, essentially got all employees out for two out of 12 months. Gini Dietrich: Two outta 12 months. Yes. Chip Griffin: And, that is logistically challenging because how do you do this and make sure that you don’t have too much overlap because inevitably there are certain times where people are going to prefer to do this. I mean, absolutely. If you want to take a one month sabbatical, most people are probably gonna want to do that over the summer months. Yes. When perhaps, you know, family members have access to vacation or those sorts of things. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: Or they may want it end of year around the holidays and those kinds of things. So you, have collisions between people wanting the same time. If, they, can’t get what they want now, they may be frustrated that I gotta, you know, I have to take off a month in February. What good is that gonna do me? I mean, it’s cold, it’s snowy outside. My family can’t take the time off. My significant other won’t go. Like, Gini Dietrich: yeah, Chip Griffin: so what am I just gonna sit around in my house all day for the month. so I think there are some logistical challenges. So I guess what I, this is one of those ones where I’d say the ideal is nice. I’m not sure that it is practical to implement in the vast majority of firms. I would encourage instead that owners look and try to identify single points of failure and make sure that you have backups. Yes, yes. And frankly, those are important, whether you have someone taking a month off or a week off. And my view is that every employee should have a backup who can at least do the, minimum required for that role while they’re out. Particularly if they’re out suddenly, right? Because being able to plan for it. You’ve got a sabbatical, it’s on the calendar, six months ahead of time. You can get some stuff done early, you can push off some deadlines. There’s a lot of things you can do, but really to deal with single points of failure, you need to be able to handle those unexpected absences, right? Someone has a family emergency, someone has a health issue. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: Someone gets an opportunity to go on a game show, I don’t know, whatever it is, that takes them away suddenly. Those are the kinds of things that you wanna make sure you’ve, handled, with single points of failure. So. Nice idea. I just, I, don’t think it’s practical for most firms. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. And the other thing I’ll say on the single point of failure piece is one of the things that I experience as an agency owner quite often is that my certain members of my team will take time off, but they can’t… They can’t allow themselves to take time off. So they’re constantly checking in and they’re constantly asking for updates and they’re constantly, and so one of the things I do with them is. You know, ensure A, that you have some backup, and B, that when you’re asking for updates or you’re constantly slacking or texting or calling, that we don’t, we don’t give you a response. And, it makes people angry. But what I’m trying to do is A, give you the time off because you deserve it and, I want you to come back refreshed and ready to work. And B, well, I’ll say C. Actually there’s three, three things, B there, nothing’s going to burn down while one person is out because we have backup and we do have places where there is not a single point of entry. And lastly, it’s really demeaning to your team, like it’s demeaning. And even me as the owner sometimes I’m like, well, don’t you trust me to fall to take care of your clients while you’re gone? Like, come on, seriously. Right. That’s how it makes you feel. So I would say that it’s important from a single point of entry perspective as well to ensure that on the opposite side, that the team feels comfortable taking time off, that they don’t feel angst about taking the time off, that they can take the time off, and that the team behind them is, feels empowered and ready and trusted to do the work. Chip Griffin: Spot on. Alright, well there’s, there’s a lot on this list. So let’s move on to, to something different. How about we talk about open book finances, because this is, one that, I, will say that I disagree with an asterisk. So I, what he’s advocating in his piece is open book finances, including public disclosure of finances on the agency’s website. Gini Dietrich: Nope. Chip Griffin: So, and in general, I am not a fan of full open book either internal or external. Gini Dietrich: Nope. Chip Griffin: However, I do believe that most agency owners would be better off being more transparent than they currently are with their teams. That doesn’t mean being complete open book, but it does mean at a minimum, sharing with them more specifically the trends that are going on with the agency. You know, Even if you take actual numbers out, I like to show charts that show the directionality of revenue, the directionality of expenses. You know, so that you can kind of see those mapped up against each other so that as an employee, you start to understand more about the fundamentals of the business. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: And it starts to make you less surprised when you’re seeing growth and less surprised when you’re seeing, you know, a narrowing of the gap, say, between revenue and expenses. So therefore, profit is shrinking. I, think that there does need to be more communication about that with, as I always say, education. You can never provide numbers, whether that’s percentages or charts or actual numbers to your team without helping them to understand the economics of the business. Because otherwise you’re just giving them numbers that they will interpret however they want. But I do think the smarter you make your team about these things, the better they can help to manage project budgets, the better and more realistic they can be about compensation and bonuses. All of these things, information helps, but not in my view all the way to full open books, either internal and certainly not external. No, definitely not. I don’t see enough upside doing it external. Gini Dietrich: Definitely. I, can’t imagine doing it externally because all that does is open up the, an invitation for your clients to say, well, you don’t really need to be that profitable, so let’s, take some, let’s take a percentage off like the No, no, no, no, no. And I also think, if I read it correct, his article correctly, he was advocating for open book on everyone’s salaries too. And no, I mean, we do salary bands, but you, do not know exactly how much every person makes. That’s not, that does not contribute to any sort of morale building inside a culture. Absolutely not. Chip Griffin: Yeah. I mean, the only thing I will say to that is that, I, agree with you. However, the reality is that most people have a pretty good idea of what everybody else in the business except the owner is making anyway. And perhaps other select senior level people depending on, how your organization is structured. But pretty much all the juniors know what all every other junior makes. They all talk. Gini Dietrich: Well, and that’s why we have salary bands ’cause everybody pretty much makes the same Chip Griffin: right Gini Dietrich: amount. Right? Like they all make the same, but I’m still not publishing it. Chip Griffin: Exactly. And salary bands, you know, protect you. On that. And so, I mean, you could make the, case as long as you have tight salary bans. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: Disclosure actually isn’t a problem. But you know, I don’t, I think as long as you have salary bands, you don’t need that. Obviously a lot of states are in here in the US are now requiring more disclosure around salary bands and that kind of stuff. So, you know, we’re headed there as an industry one way or the other. but I do think that salary bands are probably sufficient and, we don’t need to share actual salaries with team members. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, I totally agree with that. Chip Griffin: You know, that said, I will say that all of your employees think you make far more than you do. We’ve talked about this before, so there may actually be an upside for, most owners to share what their actual take home is because Gini Dietrich: that like 10 people actually make more than I do. Chip Griffin: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I know a lot of agencies where the owner is making less than team members. Gini Dietrich: Yes. Chip Griffin: Which is wild to me, but. Gini Dietrich: There’s also the upside on that though, if, you’re profitable and you make enough money at the end of the year, you get, you get that. But yes, from a salary perspective. Chip Griffin: Right, right. Alright, how about, 360s? My, one of my pet peeves. I consider it performance theater. I think most KPIs and OKRs and all these things, I think it’s all performance theater. I think it has very little to do with what actual performance outcomes you get from your team. But, 360s, you know, they’ve been popular for a couple of decades now. I don’t understand them. You know, I’ve been in organizations that, have done them. I will confess that, that, you know, at various points in time, my own businesses have experimented with them, and most of the feedback that you get from them is borderline worthless. Because most of it falls into the category of nobody wants to say anything really bad about anything else, it’s, you know, at worst it’s lukewarm. But then of course, you always get the random ones who just, they have an ax to grind Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: And they’re gonna use the 360 Yep. As their way to grind an ax against a colleague. Yep. Or, or another department. Yep. Or whatever. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: And I, I’ve yet to see any, that actually helps to provide good feedback from the employees to the owner themselves. That’s just, I mean, you can tell people it’s anonymous. You can use an outside advisor to organize it, but people are not gonna put in writing. Even if they think it’s anonymous, any perspective about the owner, it just, it doesn’t happen in, the real world. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. I agree with you. The only time I’ve, and it this happened to me, the only time I’ve seen it be effective is I, early in my agency life, business life, I hired somebody externally to do interviews. It was all anonymous, it was all verbal, nothing was recorded, and people were absolutely brutal. And the way he presented it to me made me so defensive that I couldn’t take even the kernels of feedback that I needed to hear. And there was some in there, but it was so brutal. And he, the way, and he presented it, I, in retrospect, I think he embellished some of it to make me, I, to make it like more jarring and alarming. Because he thought that that would make me wake up and pay attention. And in fact, it had the opposite effect. It was not, not good at all. And then I didn’t feel good about the people I had hired. Because it was, it was brutal. So I agree that, they’re not great. I subscribe to the give feedback, ongoing feedback. And so I don’t do annual reviews, I don’t do 360 reviews. You get feedback consistently. And when we’re in a meeting and I see something that you did really great or I see something that could use some work, I tell you that immediately. When I’m trying, when I want to coach you on something, I do that immediately and I ask my team to do the same with their team. So there’s, we have the ongoing feedback and then the annual review, quote unquote, is, Hey. We met our goals, we did really, really well. Here’s a raise, or you know what? This year was shitty and it sucked. You did your part in trying to make it better. I’m gonna give you a cost of living raise or whatever it happens to be, right? But it’s not a, here’s all the shitty things that your clients say, and here’s all the shitty things that your colleagues say and more about, I, you already know that you’re doing a great job in these areas. You already know that these are areas that need to be worked on, and we just continue to move forward. Chip Griffin: Yeah, I mean, I’ll say from, an owner trying to get, you know, feedback and perspective from the team there. You know, you, I wouldn’t do it through a, you know, a normal 360 review process, but you know, what, you’ve described part of it, I think the, whoever you hired got it right in having, you know, very anonymous conversations with team members. And I think that bringing an outside advisor who has those kinds of conversations, nothing in writing, it’s just it, you know, it’s dialogue back and forth. I do those for my clients from time to time. I’ll be honest, I, you know, I would say it’s maybe 50/50 whether I feel like I’m truly getting candid feedback. Gini Dietrich: Sure. Chip Griffin: from the team members, because usually I don’t have any prior relationship with them, so they don’t know whether they truly can trust me or not. But you know, it’s, I mean, even 50% in most cases is enough to start, you know, pulling some common threads. But the whole, the way you use that information as an outside advisor, the way you present that. Matters a lot. And so you need to really understand how is it gonna land best with the owner that has hired you. And is that by being blunt, is that by sort of internalizing the knowledge and sometimes I’ll just use it in my ongoing conversations to try to steer things. Yes. To address some of that feedback. Sure. Without even explicitly saying, well, Gini Dietrich: yes, Chip Griffin: you know, the whole team said you’re very bad at X, Y, and Z. Gini Dietrich: Brutal. Chip Griffin: But instead, try to find other ways Yes. To, achieve the same outcome, because then the team starts to feel like it was useful to talk with me, and the owner then starts to feel good about the way the team starts to pull together and all that kind of stuff. But it, is, delicate and, I would say that, you know, the, typical 360 process where it tends to be, you know, written survey feedback form type things, I, just, I think that’s, it’s very difficult to see that working in most cases and in my own experience, it has rarely worked out, the way people would like it to. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, totally agree. Chip Griffin: All right. let’s see. We have time probably for at least one more, or maybe just one more here from the list. I don’t know if there’s something that, that jumps out at you that you would like to have, covered. Gini Dietrich: Let me look, let me look. Uh, maybe we can mush board of advisors and direct access to CEO together. Chip Griffin: Sure. Although they’re, well no, because the direct access to CEO is the CEO of the client. Gini Dietrich: Oh, oh, got it, got it, got it. Chip Griffin: So they, they are, they are separate issues. Got it. But I, mean, I think either, either board of advisors, the other one I would throw out there is a possible one is the, tying all, employee comp to have an incentive component. Oh, yeah. I, think either one of those would be good. So I’ll let you pick between board of advisors or employee comp. Gini Dietrich: Employee comp. Chip Griffin: So, this is, this is one of my pet peeves. And I’m sure that David doesn’t know this, and, if he did that… Gini Dietrich: Ha! He wrote it just because he knew it was your pet peeve. Chip Griffin: But, but his argument was that every employee should have at least some of their compensation effectively at risk as part of a, an incentive compensation plan. And I hate this idea. I hate formulaic, incentive-based compensation for virtually all employees. And I’ll be controversial here, it doesn’t really apply to most agencies, but I don’t think it should apply to most sales reps either. Because I think that when you have incentive compensation, whether that is commissions or for hitting profit targets or you know, other things, the problem that you run into is people tend to the extent that they pay attention to it at all. Right? So. You’ve got a couple of risks here. One is that you’re paying people for things they don’t even care about. Right? Right. You know, I mean, I’ve had sales reps they were gonna sell or not sell, and it had nothing to do with the commission they were getting. Gini Dietrich: Fair. Chip Griffin: Now that’s rare. Most sales reps are incented by their commission and, so they will try harder to get it, but what are they doing? They’re, focused on the thing that gets them the commission, which is the actual signature on the contract and the revenue. It doesn’t mean that it’s good revenue. It doesn’t mean that it’s profitable. It doesn’t mean that it’s a good client. It doesn’t mean you can get results for them. It doesn’t mean any of those things. And you’re now creating tension because if you have more than one sales rep, nobody wants to help each other because then they gotta split the commission. And so, but this goes beyond, you know, sales and other ways of doing incentive compensation. You still have, it’s very difficult to craft a plan. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. Chip Griffin: That doesn’t have unintended consequences. Yeah. And particularly when you’re outside of the sales realm, my experience is that most employees are not truly motivated to hit specific targets for their incentive comp. They’re either gonna do a good job or they’re not. And it has nothing to do with you saying if you hit this target, you’ll get a little bit extra. But to the extent that it is, it does have those unintended consequences because now they’re fixated on, I mean, let’s say it’s client retention. So now what if, if you’ve got a client retention target and if you have a client retention over 85%, you get a bonus. Sounds great. Right? Because we’re, retaining clients. Except that what are we doing to retain those clients? Right? Oftentimes that means we’re going to go way down the, rabbit hole of scope creep. Yep. And, we’re just gonna be giving them all sorts of freebies to keep them around. And so those are the things we need to think about. And it’s, why in general, I’m opposed to all forms of incentive comp. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, I agree with you. I mean, one of the things that we do do is we say you can earn up to a certain percentage of your salary in bonus. It’s the end of year bonus. And here are the, gates, like revenue, profitability, all the things. But most of it is not reliant on the individual. Most of it’s reliant on the company as a whole. And so we all have to work together to achieve those goals. And then they sort of know like, okay, well this, this is where we are, so I’m gonna make 90% of that percentage or whatever it happens to be. So they are they are clear about those kinds of things and they tend, because of that, they tend to ask… They tend to be more engaged and ask more strategic questions about work, and they’re more thoughtful about it. But to your point, we don’t reward scope creep. We don’t reward, you know, keeping a client longer than we should. Those kinds of things. Those, like, we take those pieces out. So we, do it based on, we don’t do it commission or incentive based, but we do do it based on a certain percentage of your salary if we meet certain objectives as an organization. Chip Griffin: I mean, that’s better, but I’ll be honest, I still don’t like it. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. It works for us. It’s highly motivating for us. Chip Griffin: And that’s, the thing. I mean, the, as we say at the end of every, episode, it depends. So even these things where Gini Dietrich: mm-hmm. Chip Griffin: You know, we may disagree, you know, where David has different ideas than we do, that doesn’t mean that, that none of them can work in your agency. Right. and I think that it’s, that’s a point that, that he made in a LinkedIn conversation that, that we had, recently as well. You know, some of these may be good ideas, some of them may be bad ideas. Some of them may be good ideas, but you know, wrong place, wrong time or wrong agency, wrong time. And, some of these ideas are good at different stages of the lifecycle of even your own agency. So something that works when you have two employees may not work when you have 20 or 200. Right. And so, you know, I just, I, love articles like this though, because it gives you that food for thought. It makes you think, it makes you, you know, to test your assumptions. You know that I’m a huge, advocate of curiosity generally. And so, you know, making you think about things is helpful. And so hopefully we’ve made you think just as David made us think. And, so we, appreciate that and, we hope that we’ve given you those insights here that may help you think through decisions for your own agency. And of course, you know, check out the full article for many, many more ideas beyond what we were able to cover today. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, absolutely. It was a really good, really good article. Chip Griffin: Absolutely. So thank you all for joining us. That will conclude this episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast. I’m Chip Griffin. Gini Dietrich: I’m Gini Dietrich, Chip Griffin: and it depends.

Could nature-based principles outperform modern productivity hacks? This episode, Dr. Aldrich Chan connects neuroscience, Daoist wisdom, & bioharmonized living to help high achievers move out of survival mode & into a more grounded, adaptive, & high-performing state. Meet our guest Dr. Chan is a neuropsychologist, psychotherapist & award-winning author of Reassembling Models of Reality & 7 Principles of Nature: How We Strayed & How We Return. He is the founder of the Center for Neuropsychology & Consciousness in Miami, with a background in research on Alzheimer's disease, trauma & the Default Mode Network, plus experience teaching at Pepperdine University. His work integrates neuroscience, psychotherapy, mindfulness, creativity & long-standing study of Daoism & Zen. Thank you to our partners Outliyr Biohacker's Peak Performance Shop: get exclusive discounts on cutting-edge health, wellness, & performance gear Ultimate Health Optimization Deals: a database of of all the current best biohacking deals on technology, supplements, systems and more Latest Summits, Conferences, Masterclasses, and Health Optimization Events: join me at the top events around the world FREE Outliyr Nootropics Mini-Course: gain mental clarity, energy, motivation, and focus Key takeaways Modern suffering stems from separation, alienation, & discord (SAD) as brain networks drive disconnection in today's world Living by CPR West—Creativity, Process, Relationship, Wholeness, Equilibrium, Spontaneity, & Transformation—provides a blueprint for optimal living Creativity reflects change & adaptation, not artistic talent, with every mind wired for continual reinvention Prioritizing process over perfection invites presence by engaging with life's constant flow instead of rigid routines or identities Challenges like ADHD reflect evolutionary mismatch or misalignment with natural principles rather than simple disorders to suppress Intuition functions as rapid unconscious processing that guides strong decisions in complex or uncertain situations Human connection synchronizes biology & brain function with people & nature, supporting mental & physical health Growth emerges from accepting all parts of the self, including unwanted traits, & channeling them productively Regulating aspirational, selfish, & survival desires reduces overwhelm by simplifying choices Playfulness, flexibility, & continual adaptation drive true performance, with transformation remaining an ongoing process Episode highlights 01:17 Identify why modern life creates suffering 05:39 Use nature-based principles to restore function 09:57 Apply creativity & process for adaptive performance 36:14 Strengthen relationship & wholeness 54:27 Maintain equilibrium without rigidity 01:01:06 Activate spontaneity & transformation Links Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-HLS8qYAY_M Full episode show notes: outliyr.com/248 Connect with Nick on social media Instagram Twitter (X) YouTube LinkedIn Easy ways to support Subscribe Leave an Apple Podcast review Suggest a guest Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for us? Let me know in the show notes above and one of us will get back to you! Be an Outliyr, Nick

When it comes to CPP and OAS timing, most Canadians ask the wrong question: "What if I die early?" In this episode, Joe Curry reframes CPP as longevity insurance -  a core part of retirement income planning designed to protect you from the real financial risk: living longer than expected and running out of money.   Thank you for listening! You can get a full breakdown of each episode on our blog: https://www.retirementplanningsimplified.ca/blog  Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more simplified retirement planning insights!    Ready to take the next step?  Identify your retirement income style with the RISA questionnaire at  https://account.myrisaprofile.com/invitation-link/88QG1TMQ12   Want a retirement plan that adapts as your life evolves? Discover our True Wealth Roadmap — a step-by-step process to align your finances with your ideal retirement. Learn more here: https://matthewsandassociates.ca/vsl/    About Joe Curry Joseph Curry, also known as Joe, is the host of Your Retirement Planning Simplified, Canada's fastest-growing retirement planning podcast, where he provides accessible, in-depth financial advice. As the owner and lead financial planner at Matthews + Associates in Peterborough, Ontario, Joe and his team are committed to helping people secure both financial stability and purpose in retirement. His mission is to ensure people can sleep soundly knowing they have a solid plan in place, covering both financial and lifestyle aspects of retirement. A Certified Financial Planner and Certified Exit Planning Advisor, he values true wealth as more than money—it's about creating meaningful experiences with loved ones and fostering opportunities for the future.  You can reach out to Joe through: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curryjoe Website: https://www.retirementplanningsimplified.ca/ Website: https://matthewsandassociates.ca/vsl/    About Retirement Planning Simplified Founded in 2022, its mission is to empower people to plan for retirement confidently, focusing not only on finances but also on a meaningful life. RPS wants everyone to have access to simple, reliable tools that reflect their values and priorities, helping them create True Wealth—the freedom to do what they love with those they love. By simplifying retirement planning and aligning it with the retiree's purpose, RPS aims to support building a retirement that feels fulfilling and secure. To know more about RPS you can visit the links below: ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retirement-planning-simplified/ ●      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retirement_planning_simplified ●      Podcast/Blog: https://www.retirementplanningsimplified.ca/blog ●      Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@retirementplanningsimplified       Disclaimer Opinions expressed are those of Joseph Curry, a registrant of Aligned Capital Partners Inc. (ACPI), and may not necessarily be those of ACPI. This video is for informational purposes only and not intended to be personalized investment advice. The views expressed are opinions of Joseph Curry and may not necessarily be those of ACPI. Content is prepared for general circulation and information contained does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any investment fund, security or other product or service. 

To my committed followers, I have been distracted from doing the thing I love, which is this podcast. Please extend some grace:) Here is the truth, I figured since I didn't drop a new episode a few months in a row, that it didn't matter if I ever recorded another one. I was consumed and allowed so many other things to dictate my time and priorities, while completely losing focus. Imposter syndrome set in too; THEN, in the span of one week, two women wanted to know when I was recording the next one, they actually listened to it and looked forward to it. Thank you to those women, you might know who you are. It only takes one to set you straight:) Here is my question to you: what have you stepped away from what you enjoy, because you have allowed other people's priorities to override yours?? OUCH!1) Identify what's holding you back and take action.2) Practice Presence over Pre-Occupation3) Surrender to gain controlThank you for tuning in. BOOK Mentions: Ichiro Kishimi 2 Books Collection Set (The Courage to be Happy, The Courage To Be Disliked): Fumitake Koga: 9789124372194: Amazon.com: Bookswww.teresaleet.comhttps://lovlilife.org/

In our news wrap Wednesday, Canadian police said the mass shooting suspect who killed eight people was an 18-year-old with a history of mental health issues, investigators in Arizona are widening their search for Nancy Guthrie after releasing a man they had detained for questioning and "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has died after a battle with cancer. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

You're not stuck. You're not broken. You're battling a stronghold.  These invisible barriers often show up as fear, doubt, or repeated cycles that keep you from stepping fully into your purpose. In this solo episode, Emily uncovers how strongholds take root in your mind, how they quietly control your decisions, and the practical and spiritual strategies you can use to break free. She reveals how these hidden barriers can block your purpose, and how to take every thought captive so you can pursue your calling with clarity, confidence, and unshakeable resolve. By the end, you'll know exactly how to stand firm and step fully into the life you were meant to live.  What You'll Learn: The difference between personality and strongholds Common types of strongholds and how they show up The role of spiritual anchoring in overcoming strongholds The four-step framework to break free Why consistency beats intensity in rewiring your mind and building belief Timestamps: (00:29) -  Psalm 16:8 - Never Be Shaken (02:53) - Understanding Emotional Instability & Repeated Cycles (04:30) - God as Our Unshakeable Foundation (07:15) - Strongholds: What They Are & How They Form (08:37) - Identity Strongholds & Limiting Beliefs (12:40) - Fear, Rejection, and Control Strongholds (17:22) - Comparison and Social Media Traps (18:45) - Performance and Perfectionism (21:37) - How Strongholds Grow (23:29) - Awareness as Freedom: Breaking Strongholds Without Shame (24:24) - Four Steps to Break Free from Strongholds (29:49) - Consistency Over Intensity (31:35) - Emily's Prayer: Breaking the Lie and Protecting Your Calling Are You Seen as a True Crowned Authority™ with Your Personal Brand? Take the Crowned Authority™Assessment | https://quiz.fordivine.com/ More from Emily & FORDIVINE: Website |  https://meetemilyford.com   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/itsemily         Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/itsemilymethod    YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/ITSEMILYFORD  Called & Crowned Podcast | https://www.instagram.com  

I want to hear your thoughts about the show and this episode. Text us here...What if neurodiversity isn't a barrier to success, but a set of strengths that can shine in the right environment? In this episode, Julie sits down with Shea Belsky, an autistic leader, advocate, and tech professional, for a practical and eye-opening conversation about what neurodiversity really means, why accessibility is equity, and how workplaces and communities can better support neurodivergent individuals.Shea shares his “superpower” (attention to detail and tenacity), but also makes an important point: strengths only show up when people have the right support systems. Julie and Shea talk about the difference between mentorship vs sponsorship, why sponsorship is often the game-changer for career growth, and how companies can scale inclusive practices without making it feel complicated or performative.They also unpack the reality of unemployment and underemployment for neurodivergent people, what accessibility looks like beyond ramps and captions, and the simple mindset shift that can change everything: listen better, drop assumptions, and treat each person as an individual.In this episode, you'll learn:What “neurodiversity” includes (and why it's an umbrella, not one experience)Why neurodivergence can be innate or acquired (including cognitive changes after illness)The difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why sponsors change careersWhat accessibility actually means and why it matters in daily life and workHow to support neurodivergent people in your workplace and your communityWhy “if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person” is the truthHow to challenge stereotypes in your own corner of the worldConnect with Shea Shea's best place to connect is LinkedIn (search “Shea Belsky”, he says there's only one!). Julie also links his website and contact info in the show notes.Julie's Closing Reminder If this episode helped you, leave a review and share it, because conversations like this create real change. And as always… go confidently in the direction of your dreams.Support the showOther helpful resources for you: For more about me and what I do, check out my website. Are you ready to get some help with:Podcast launch/re-launchPodcast growth, to increase your authority and position yourself as the thought leader you are. Or Leveraging your podcast to build your online biz and get more clientsSign up for a FREE 30 minute Confident Podcast Potential Discovery Call In this session I will: Identify the pain point that is holding you back. Suggest a next step strategy for solving the pain point.https://calendly.com/goconfidentlycoaching/30-minutes-free-coaching-sessioin Then we will talk about working together to accelerate the process. Do you want a podcast audit? Check out this link If you're looking for support to grow your business faster, be positioned as an authority in your industry, and impact the masses, schedule a call to explore if you'd be a good fit for one of my coaching programs. ...

What happens when the things you're drinking from to find satisfaction only leave you more dehydrated? This week, we explore the difference between managing your thirst and finding the fountain that never runs dry. In this episode of The Cutting Room Floor, Neil sits down with Lydia Florence and Connor Hall to dive deeper into the narrative of the Woman at the Well. Lydia explains why this story is such a powerful revelation of Jesus' heart. The team discusses the "Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" dilemma, the practicalities of trading "salt water" habits for living water, and why your personal story, regardless of how "boring" you think it is, is a vital testimony of God's faithfulness. The ChallengeAudit your "camera roll, calendar, and bank account" this week. Identify one "well" you've been turning to for comfort or security that isn't Jesus, and consciously choose to take that need to Him in prayer first. Hosts: Neil Gregory, Lydia Florence, and Connor Hall. What We Discuss C.S. Lewis' famous "Liar, Lunatic, or Lord" quote and why Jesus doesn't leave room for neutrality. The primary ways we "drink" living water through the Bible, prayer, and community. How to find your true priorities by looking at your time, memories, and money. The danger of looking for "quick fixes" in faith versus building a long-term relationship. A practical illustration of how Jesus changes our "palate" for sin. The exegetical distinction between feeling thirst and being thirsty in a state of spiritual dryness. Why the Woman at the Well serves as the first evangelist despite her social status. Overcoming "main character disease" to see your testimony as a story about God's faithfulness. About Southland Christian Church Southland is one church meeting in multiple locations across central Kentucky. We believe Jesus came for the lost and the broken, which means there's a place for everyone here. Around here, that means we worship defiantly, speak truth unashamedly, and extend grace generously. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach across Central Kentucky and all around the world, visit: https://southland.church/give

Text us a comment or question!If you're over 50, short on time, low on energy, and wondering how fitness is supposed to fit into an already full life… this episode is for you. Most people don't fail at fitness after 50 because they're lazy or unmotivated. They fail because they're trying to follow advice that was never designed for busy, tired adults with real responsibilities. In this episode, Coach Kevin breaks down a smarter, simpler approach to getting fit — one that builds strength, energy, and confidence without living in the gym. No extremes.No guilt.No 6-day-a-week programs. Just what actually works. In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why more gym time doesn't equal better results after 50What “busy and tired” really means — and why it's not your faultThe Minimum Effective Dose of fitness for real lifeWhy strength training matters more than cardio marathonsHow sleep, stress, and recovery affect results more than willpowerThe most common traps busy people fall into (and how to avoid them)How to reframe fitness as a system that supports your lifeWhat a realistic, sustainable approach to fitness after 50 looks like You don't need more time.You don't need more workouts.And you definitely don't need to live in the gym. You need a plan that respects your energy, your schedule, and your recovery —and still delivers results. Fitness after 50 should support your life, not drain it. 

In This Episode: The Internet Archive saves an old car. AI Bird IDs. Claude code. Ringing Lost Dogs. This week the TEH Podcast is hosted by Leo Notenboom, the “Chief Question Answerer” at Ask Leo!, and Gary Rosenzweig, the host and producer of MacMost, and mobile game developer at Clever Media. (You’ll find longer Bios on the Hosts page.) Top Stories 0:00 LN: Internet Archive to the rescue My wife is visiting my sister-in-law, and the parking brake in her 2000 Honda CRV (originally my mother’s car) froze up. The pull-lever i the center wouldn't budge. I got messaged for help. I searched for “2000 honda crv maintenance manual”. The second entry is The Internet Archive's scan of the ~1400 page manual. https://archive.org/details/HondaCRV19972000  I was able to send her images from the manual about how to access and lubricate the pull lever. This isn't the first time IA has popped up randomly to help. It's an amazing resource. 5:45 LN: What bird is  that? Another story of things coming together. My wife takes a photo with her phone (Pixel 4a) of a hawk sitting on a fence in our neighborhood. https://flic.kr/p/2rVhrLG  The photo is auto-uploaded to her Google Photos account. I grab a copy and crop it. Original is 4032×3024, so there are lots of opportunities. Not bad. https://flic.kr/p/2rVjh8d  7:00 I fire up Topaz Gigapixel AI, and, with a little adjustment of settings, upscale the image 4x. I then crop it further to focus more closely on the bird. Also not bad, though there are some tell-tale signs that this was AI upscaled. https://flic.kr/p/2rVisjk  9:15 My wife asks me what kind of hawk that might be. No clue. So I decided to try … ChatGPT. I upload the upscaled image, and ask simply, “What kind of bird is this?” Likely ID: Red-tailed Hawk (juvenile) Based on the bulky buteo shape, overall brown upperparts, the pale “checkerboard” pattern on the wings, and the strongly banded tail (common in young birds before they develop the classic red tail), this looks most consistent with a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk. We do indeed have red-tailed hawks around here. It’s interesting that it ID'd a juvenile. 15:00 Identify birds. https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/  18:00 LN: Claude Code Installed on my PC because it promised to be able to work on local data 20:00 Non-trivial install (at least for Windows – WSL, and then you're running in an Ubuntu bash shell). 21:10 Scenario 1: My Obsidian vault – all plain text (.md) files. I can now ask questions and run analyses across the entire collection of notes. 24:00 Scenario 2a: My personal blog. Pointed it at leo.notenboom.org – did OK, but incomplete. 25:00 Scenario 2b: exported by personal blog content from WordPress as an XML file. Dense, lots of cruft. Gave that to Claude and got a very complete, detailed analysis / summary of what I've been doing there since 2004. 27:00 Scenario 3: downloaded the contents of 23 years of Ask Leo! Articles. https://askleo.com/ask-leo-analysis-via-claude-code/  38:00 GR: Ring Doorbell Superbowl Ad ? Pretty sure I was “ringing this bell” many years ago right here LN: We Rate Dogs take on it: https://www.tiktok.com/@weratedogs/video/7605333665031245069 Ain’t it Cool GR: Dungeon Crawler Carl LN: Archive.org BSP: Blatant Self-Promotion LN: Managing Windows File Explorer's Navigation Pane – https://askleo.com/188995 GR: How To Keep Using Pages, Numbers and Keynote If You Don’t Want Apple Creator Studio Transcript teh_260 Video https://youtu.be/Q7JXOLNvLi4

In this episode, we break down the Jack Westin daily CARS passage “Sibling Relationships” (Feb 11) sentence-by-sentence to train you how to:Identify key ideas in each sentence and paragraphTrack repeating themes across short paragraphsLock in the main idea (without bringing in your own opinions)Build a clean passage map you can use on test dayAvoid the #1 trap: letting your personal experience change your answersWe also unpack the passage's biggest throughline: how sibling competition, family roles, and birth order connect to personality traits (first-born vs last-born vs middle child), plus terms like de-identification and finding a “niche” in the family environment.✅ Try the passage before you listen (recommended): pause here, attempt it, then come back and follow along with the walkthrough.

DescriptionChristopher Perrin explores why “classical education” is both widely used and widely misunderstood—and why the language we choose matters. He surveys common assumptions people attach to the word classical (Greek and Roman history, Great Books, elitism, Eurocentrism) and explains why the modern renewal is, for better or worse, “stuck” with the adjective. Perrin argues that we cannot speak clearly about education without metaphor and analogy, since language itself is rooted in metaphor (from lingua, “tongue”). He then turns to the ancient Greek and Latin vocabularies of education—especially paideia (formation) and trophē (nourishment)—to show how earlier cultures understood education as shaping a human person, not merely transmitting information. Using Ephesians 6:4, he compares Greek and Latin renderings (Paul and Jerome) to illustrate how meaning is often “lost in translation” when rich terms are flattened into single English words. Perrin closes by suggesting that if he had to choose one word to gather the tradition, it would be formation—a metaphor that points to education's deepest aim.Episode OutlineWhy “classical education” is misunderstood: common reactions and cultural assumptionsWhy we keep the word classical: branding, public discourse, and the need for clearer definitionMetaphor is unavoidable: language, analogy, and the “dead metaphors” we no longer noticeGreek terms for education: paideia (formation) and paidia (play), plus other educational vocabularyTrophe as nourishment: education as bringing up, feeding, and forming a childEphesians 6:4 as a case study: Paul's Greek terms and Jerome's Latin translation Translation problems: why one English word rarely matches a rich Greek/Latin term The need for “economy with clarity”: using more words (and better words) to describe educationA proposed center-word: formation as the best single term to gather education's aimsWhere to continue learning: the podcast, ClassicalU, and ongoing reflections on definitionsKey Topics & TakeawaysWords carry history—and drift over time: Even identical spellings (like “educate”) may not mean what they once meant.Metaphor isn't optional: We describe complex realities (like education) through images, comparisons, and inherited figures of speech.Education is formation, not mere information: Ancient terms frame schooling as upbringing, cultivation, and shaping character.Greek paideia is richer than a single English equivalent: Translations often require multiple terms (training, discipline, instruction) to approximate meaning.Education is nourishment (trophe): The image of feeding and raising up reinforces education's humane, embodied, relational nature.Translation always involves choices: Comparing Paul's Greek with Jerome's Latin exposes what can be gained—and lost—across languages.Clear speech requires more words, not fewer: When society forgets education's purpose, precision often demands fuller description.Questions & DiscussionWhat does it mean to study the past “in its pastness”?Discuss why people in the past may act in ways we do not recognize—or approve. How can teachers pursue truth without turning history into propaganda or therapy?What do people assume when they hear “classical education” in your context?List the top three assumptions you encounter (e.g., “Great Books only,” elitist, Eurocentric, test-driven). Draft one sentence you could use to clarify what you mean—and what you don't mean.Where do you see metaphor doing “hidden work” in the way educators talk?Identify common metaphors you use (pipeline, outcomes, delivery, rigor, standards, growth). What do those metaphors emphasize—and what might they obscure?If education is “formation,” what exactly is being formed?Name the top three aims you believe education should form (virtue, wisdom, piety, civic responsibility, attention, love of truth). How does your school's daily life (not just its curriculum) support those aims?How does the image of education as “nourishment” challenge modern schooling?What “diet” are students receiving—intellectually, morally, spiritually, culturally? What might “malnourishment” look like in a school (and what would renewal look like)?Suggested Reading & ResourcesMortimer Adler: The Paideia Way of Classical Education by Robert Woods, Edited by David DienerThe Good Teacher: Ten Key Pedagogical Principles That Will Transform Your Teaching by Christopher A. Perrin, PhD and Carrie Eben, MSEd Festive School by Father Nathan CarrAn Introduction to Classical Education: A Guide for Parents by Christopher A. Perrin, MDiv, PhDA Student's Guide to Classical Education by Zoë PerrinThe Liberal Arts Tradition by Kevin Clark, DLS, and Ravi Scott JainLatin Vulgate: Ephesians 6:4 Amplified Bible: Ephesians 6:4Expanded Bible: Ephesians 6:4 ClassicalUClassicalU Course: Introduction to Classical EducationClassicalU Course: ParentU: Is Classical Education Right for Your Children?ClassicalU Course: A Brief History of Classical EducationClassicalU Course: The Liberal Arts TraditionClassicalU Course: Classical Education History and Introduction

In our news wrap Wednesday, Canadian police said the mass shooting suspect who killed eight people was an 18-year-old with a history of mental health issues, investigators in Arizona are widening their search for Nancy Guthrie after releasing a man they had detained for questioning and "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has died after a battle with cancer. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Roger Knecht talks with David Wachs, founder of Handwrytten, about the unexpected power of personalized, robotic handwritten notes in an increasingly digital world. Learn how this unique approach to communication can build stronger client relationships, enhance marketing efforts, and ultimately elevate your accounting firm's brand to a luxury service. In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to Handwrytten 02:10 The Origin Story of Handwrytten 05:04 Authenticity of Robotic Handwriting 08:47 Applications for Handwritten Notes 12:00 Impact and Durability of Notes 15:09 Differentiating with Handwritten Notes 19:04 Luxury Pricing and Emotional Connection 21:50 Scaling Handwritten Communication 26:22 Accounting Lessons from Business Sale 31:57 Gratefulness and Call to Action 36:39 Conclusion and Promotional Offers Key Takeaways: Differentiate your business by leveraging handwritten notes to cut through digital noise. Cultivate stronger post-sale client relationships with personalized thank-you's, birthday cards, and holiday greetings. Improve client retention and perceived value by providing a premium, personal touch in communications. Identify the tipping point for automating handwritten notes to scale personal outreach efficiently. Understand how robust accounting practices, like switching to accrual, can directly influence business strategy and valuation. Featured Quotes: "People don't remember what you say or what you did. They remember how you made them feel." - David Wachs (11:26) "The most underutilized inbox is the one at the end of your driveway." - David Wachs (03:54) "It's often not a choice between doing it yourselves and handwritten. It's a choice between handwritten or nothing at all." - David Wachs (23:15) Behind the Story: David Wachs, founder of Handwrytten, shares his journey from mobile marketing with SellIt to creating a solution for digital communication overload. He discusses how technology allows businesses to send personalized, robotic handwritten notes, distinguishing them from competitors and strengthening client relationships. This episode highlights the importance of emotional connection in business, even in professional services like accounting, and how modern solutions can scale traditional gestures. Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.   Offers: Use signup code PODCAST for $20 in automated handwritten notes https://www.handwrytten.com    Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable.  These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services (CAS - Client Accounting Services) you should offer as you run your business. Help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve. Follow the Turnkey Business plan for accounting professionals.  This is the proven process to start and build the premier accounting firm in your area.  After more than 40 years we've identified the best practices of successful accountants and this is a presentation we are happy to share.     Also learn the best practices to automate and nurture your lead generation process allowing you to get the bookkeeping, accounting and tax clients you deserve.  GO HERE to see this presentation and learn what you can do today to identify and engage with your ideal clients.   Check it out and see what you can do to be in business for yourself but not by yourself with Universal Accounting Center.   It's here you can become a:   Professional Bookkeeper, PB Professional Tax Preparer, PTP Profit & Growth Expert, PGE   Next, join a group of like-minded professionals within the accounting community.  Register to attend GrowCon and Stay up-to-date on current topics and trends and see what you can do to also give back, participating in relevant conversations as they relate to offering quality accounting services and building your bookkeeping, accounting & tax business.   The Accounting & Bookkeeping Tips Facebook Group The Universal Accounting Fanpage Topical Newsletters: Universal Accounting Success The Universal Newsletter   Lastly, get your Business Score to see what you can do to work ON your business and have the Premier Accounting Firm. Join over 70,000 business owners and get your score on the 8 Factors That Drive Your Company's Value.   For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!   Be sure to join us for GrowCon, the LIVE event for accounting professionals to work ON their business. This is a conference you don't want to miss.   Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal. Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.   Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have.  We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback   For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your accounting, bookkeeping & tax business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 8012653777  

Canada is in mourning after a mass shooting left at least eight people dead and dozens wounded at a school and home in British Columbia. Police have identified the suspect as an 18-year-old and resident of the area.

Episode Summary Doc Danny shares the single most beneficial exercise PT Biz ran at their staff retreat: a team SWOT analysis. Learn how to use strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to uncover blind spots, improve hiring, and align your team around smarter decisions. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why documentation burnout is one of the biggest frustrations for clinicians How a movement-first retreat cadence improves focus, creativity, and team connection What a SWOT analysis is and how to run it with your staff Why you need team members who see the world differently than you do How to spot alignment themes your clinic should prioritize immediately How this exercise strengthens culture by making staff feel heard and valued How to Run a SWOT Analysis With Your Team Have everyone write down Strengths. Share answers, discuss differences, and note where there is strong agreement. Repeat for Weaknesses. Look for blind spots, bottlenecks, and internal issues the owner may not see day to day. Repeat for Opportunities. Identify growth plays, niche expansion, and improvements that could create leverage. Repeat for Threats. Surface risks early so you can plan around them instead of reacting later. Key Takeaway A great team is not built by hiring people exactly like you. You need diverse perspectives to reduce blind spots, balance optimism with risk awareness, and make stronger decisions as you scale. Technology Spotlight Clinicians hate notes for a reason. Want to remove most of your documentation time? Try Claire free for 7 days and see how an AI scribe trained for physical therapists helps you stay present with patients and get your time back. Free Resource Want a clear plan to go from part-time to full-time in your cash practice? Join the free 5-Day Challenge. Connect Physical Therapy Biz PT Entrepreneur Podcast

The opposite of quitting is recommitting. And sometimes that means you need a spelled-out roadmap to help you define what steps you can take to recommit to recovery. Today's episode is different. I'm not speaking in theoretical terms or giving advice I wouldn't follow myself. I'm sharing exactly what I would do if I was trapped in an eating disorder right now. The actual steps. The concrete path forward. The golden nugget roadmap I would follow myself. Whether you're experiencing a relapse, stuck in your recovery, or wish you could go back and tell your younger self what to do—this episode is your clear, actionable guide. In this episode, you'll discover: The 6-step roadmap I'd follow if I was trapped in an eating disorder today Why relapse is normal and doesn't mean you've failed Step 1: Recognition and acceptance—how to get out of denial faster Step 2: Immediate outreach—breaking the isolation that keeps you stuck Step 3: Implementing structure—what to do RIGHT NOW to support yourself Step 4: Investigating triggers—what's really driving this beneath the surface Step 5: Developing a crisis response plan—how to create lasting recovery Step 6: Reconnecting with your WHY—the values your ED is violating What I wish I could tell my younger self 15+ years ago Why recovery isn't about perfection—it's about progress How to recommit to your best self starting TODAY If you're in the trenches, if you've relapsed, if you're struggling—this roadmap is for you. Not theory. Just honest, practical steps. THE 6-STEP RECOVERY ROADMAP STEP 1: RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE The hardest step: Admitting where you are is no longer where you want to be. If I was relapsing today, I know I'd experience a strong pull toward denial. I might tell myself: "I'm just being more careful about what I eat" "I'm having a few bad days" "I can handle this on my own" What I'd do instead: ✅ Name what's happening - Get out of denial faster ✅ Ask myself: Am I skipping meals? Preoccupied with food thoughts? Anxious around mealtimes? Weighing myself? ✅ Practice self-compassion - Not excusing the behavior, but acknowledging eating disorders are complex illnesses, not personal failures ✅ Say to myself: "This is really hard. I don't have to do this alone." This step creates the foundation to move forward in ACTION instead of sitting in denial. STEP 2: IMMEDIATE OUTREACH Eating disorders thrive in isolation. My counter-attack would be CONNECTION. What I'd do: ✅ Contact someone I trust - In my case, my mom. I'd say: "I'm struggling with my thoughts and behaviors. I need support." ✅ Get professional help immediately If I had a treatment team: Contact them and say "I'm experiencing relapse. I need an appointment ASAP." If I didn't: Call primary care doctor, get a referral, look into local ED treatment centers ✅ Get accountability - Schedule meals, keep appointments with myself, check in with someone Key truth: Don't wait until things get "bad enough." Early intervention makes a tremendous difference. Breaking isolation doesn't mean everyone needs to know. It means strategically connecting with people who can provide support. STEP 3: IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE What I'd put in place immediately: ✅ Regular eating patterns - Have a plan ready, no reinventing the wheel during vulnerable times. Use the same meals daily to reduce decision fatigue. ✅ Clean up social media & entertainment Unfollow accounts that trigger comparison or food obsession Avoid shows glorifying thinness or dieting Curate recovery-supportive content Join communities like Her Best Self Society (HerBestSelfSociety.com) ✅ Set clear boundaries with exercise - Temporarily pause formalized exercise, focus on gentle movement (This requires support—I couldn't do this alone) ✅ Document thoughts & feelings - Not to be perfect, but to increase awareness of patterns and triggers. Rebuild trust with body and mind. Structure = support. Not rigidity, but safety. STEP 4: INVESTIGATING TRIGGERS Eating disorders aren't just about food or weight. What's really happening beneath the surface? Questions I'd ask myself: ❓ What changes in my life have happened recently? (Transition, loss, increased responsibility, relationship change) ❓ What emotions am I struggling to manage? ❓ What am I trying to numb, distract from, or control? ❓ What needs aren't being met right now? ❓ What external pressures am I responding to? ❓ What beliefs am I believing about my worth, body, or identity? The truth: Eating disorders flare during periods of change and loss of control. Understanding triggers helps you heal beyond just the behaviors—you learn to process emotions in healthier ways. STEP 5: DEVELOPING A CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN Lasting recovery requires more than just putting out fires. What I'd create: ✅ Coping strategies - Tools to use when urges arise ✅ Relapse prevention plan - Document early warning signs, high-risk situations, actions to take ✅ Support system - Who to call, when, and why The sustainable plan is about building a life where: The eating disorder becomes less necessary and less powerful Recovery feels like moving TOWARD something meaningful Not just running away from illness Work with someone to determine exactly what support you need and put that planning in place. STEP 6: RECONNECTING WITH YOUR WHY The most important step: Remember what the eating disorder is stealing from you. What I'd do: ✅ Identify the values my ED violates The ED promises control, safety, worth. But it actually undermines: freedom, joy, creativity, authenticity, relationships, purpose. ✅ Compile a list: What has this ED taken from me? Holidays ruined Relationships lost Moments with loved ones missed Energy wasted Dreams on hold Future opportunities destroyed ✅ Ask: What present moments is it stealing RIGHT NOW? What future opportunities will be destroyed if I don't fix this? ✅ Dream beyond the disorder - What do I want my life to look like? Who is my BEST self? If I could go back 15+ years and tell my younger self: "You're gonna go through this godawful period, but on the other side is MAGICAL. You'll experience things you never would've allowed—wonderful relationships, contributions to the world, PURPOSE. Start dreaming NOW of the vision beyond this disorder." KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

Hi Nurse friend, What happens when chronic pain, burnout, and nervous system dysregulation start stealing your ability to feel — not just physically, but emotionally and intimately? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Honey Hull, NP, a pain and sex coach who understands firsthand what it's like to live in a body shaped by stress, trauma, and exhaustion. Honey shares her personal story of burnout and chronic pain, and how it led her to explore the deep connection between the brain, body, and nervous system. Honey Hull is a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Coach, and the founder of Small Steps Equals Big Changes. She has a unique and vital specialty: helping people with chronic pain have better sex. After experiencing her own burnout working in high-volume pain clinics, Honey realized that pills and procedures weren't enough to heal the whole person. She now uses a holistic approach to help clients gently retrain their pain pathways, turning down the body's 'false alarm' signals. Honey is dedicated to helping you move past fear so you can rediscover safety, connection, and pleasure in your body. In this episode, Honey offers practical, compassionate tools to restore body trust, improve sexual intimacy, and elevate overall quality of life — especially for nurses and healthcare professionals living under chronic stress. Shalom Shalom,  Xx, Shan  ……CONNECT…… WITH HONEY HULL FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/17kSYDsjqF/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/honeyhull?igsh=MWFsMW5oaXNmbzh4bg== TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honeymorrishull?_r=1&_t=ZT-92Abl86UC0j Website: https://ssebc.com/ email: hhull@ssebc.com Please reference my Calendly link for people to schedule a consultation: https://calendly.com/hhull-ssebc/1-hour-session Are you in burnout or just stressed?? Take the Free QUIZ

Fired at 63 with only two years of financial runway left, David Nassief rebuilt his financial life by 69 through disciplined saving, simple low-cost investing, and a one page wealth compass.Most people believe they have more time than they actually do when it comes to money. They work hard, earn a living, and assume things will somehow work out.In this episode of Give A Heck, Dwight Heck sits down with David Nassief to examine what happens when that assumption collapses later in life. After being fired at 63 following 18 years with one company and a 40-year career behind him, David was forced to confront the reality that he was on track to be broke by 65. What followed was a six-year rebuild grounded in clarity, discipline, self-education, and simplicity.This conversation explores late stage financial fear, industry conflicts, the cost of complexity, and why clear direction matters more than income level when it comes to building lasting financial peace.

Trade & Tech Series – Episode 4 Hosts: Renee Chiuchiarelli & Julie Parks Hammer and Heels Length: ~12 minutes Format: Simply Trade Tips (Trade & Tech series) Episode Summary In this episode of Simply Trade Tips, Renee Chiuchiarelli and Julie Parks dive into the evolving role of audit automation in global trade compliance — and why traditional, reactive auditing models are no longer enough. With increased enforcement focus from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Justice, companies can no longer rely on trust-based assertions or post-liquidation corrections. Instead, trade compliance is shifting from passive, after-the-fact reviews to active, continuous validation powered by technology and AI. Renee and Julie break down how automated audit controls can help companies defend tariff positions, validate origin and classification claims, and identify risk before it becomes an enforcement issue — all while freeing human auditors to focus on higher-value analysis. Key Topics Covered Why audit programs are now a regulatory expectation, not a “nice to have” DOJ and CBP enforcement priorities impacting import compliance The limits of traditional sample-based audits and post-liquidation fixes What audit automation really means in trade compliance Using technology to continuously validate: Classification Valuation Country of origin FTA eligibility Trade remedy exposure How ERP data changes can impact compliance in real time The importance of defensibility over perfection Why AI doesn't replace judgment — it enhances it Data readiness: understanding what data you actually have before deploying AI tools Key Takeaways Compliance today is about proof, not assertions Regulators don't expect zero errors — they expect reasonable, documented controls Audit automation helps identify risk before entry finalization or liquidation Technology enables trade teams to review more data with fewer resources Human auditors are still critical — automation removes low-value tasks so they can focus on what matters most Defensible audit programs protect both the company and leadership This Episode's FIO (Figure It Out) Pause and kick the tires on audit automation. Identify one provider or tool Understand what comparisons they can run using your existing data Evaluate what low-hanging fruit automation can remove from your auditors' workload Use technology to enhance — not replace — human expertise Even testing one tool can reshape how you think about audit readiness and defensibility. Join the Conversation How are you auditing your trade data today? Are you still relying on samples and spreadsheets — or moving toward continuous validation? Join the discussion in the Trade Geeks Community and let us know how you're approaching audit automation. Credits Hosts: Renée Chiuchiarelli Julie Parks Producer: Lalo Solorzano

After watching this episode, you’ll understand exactly why owning your website matters. And here’s the good news: as a Protrusive community member, you can get 50% off your professional dental website – built specifically for associates who want to stand out.

Civ Robotics is automating construction layout—the process of translating blueprints into physical markers on job sites—using autonomous ground robots instead of traditional surveying crews. Founded by civil engineer Tom Yeshurun after he spent $2 million on a four-person surveying team for a single project, Civ has scaled from initial concept to deploying robots across the United States, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, with 12 robots currently operating in Saudi Arabia alone. In this episode, Tom breaks down his tactical approach to product-market fit, why he pivoted from aerial drones to ground vehicles based on customer feedback, and how he's building sales teams by recruiting construction professionals rather than traditional sales reps. Topics Discussed: How Tom identified the construction layout automation opportunity while managing $120-500 million infrastructure projects The two-year pivot from aerial drones to ground robots after target customers cited safety concerns Market differences between Israel and the US: subcontracted surveying firms versus in-house EPC operations Converting tier-one contractors like Bechtel and Primoris through persistence and geographic proof points The product development framework: one request = document, two requests = build, three requests = should be done Transitioning from paid digital ads to SEO/AIO optimization with measurable improvements in inbound quality Using AI workflows to audit website metadata and align content with buyer personas instead of investor messaging Sales hiring strategy: grooming construction engineers into customer success and sales roles versus hiring pure sales talent International expansion through remote deployment and a LinkedIn-driven sale that generated 12 robots in Saudi Arabia Product roadmap from layout automation to machine guidance and full construction equipment autonomy GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Interview customers in your actual target geography, not just accessible markets: Tom built his initial prototype after interviewing Israeli and European companies, but the US market operates fundamentally differently—EPCs like Bechtel and Primoris handle surveying in-house due to volume, while Israeli EPCs subcontract to surveying firms. This changed the buyer persona, sales motion, and value proposition entirely. When he finally interviewed US companies, the feedback was immediate and actionable. Don't optimize for interview convenience—validate where you plan to sell. Let technical decisions be customer-driven, not engineering-driven: Tom's team spent two years developing an aerial drone solution because it was technically more complex and exciting for engineers. Three early adopters said they liked the concept but feared the drone—if it was ground-based, they'd reconsider. Tom scrapped two years of development and rebuilt for ground vehicles. His takeaway: bring both options to target customers before committing development resources. Engineering preferences create technical risk; customer preferences create market risk. Use the "one-two-three rule" for product prioritization: Tom's framework eliminates guesswork in product roadmaps: one customer requests a feature, document it; two customers request it, begin development; three customers request it, it should already be shipped. This prevents building "cool features" that product managers or engineers want but customers don't need, and ensures development resources map directly to revenue opportunities. Deploy proof before the pitch to collapse enterprise sales cycles: When a major contractor asked if Civ's robot could handle Texas mud, Tom responded that they already had a robot deployed "literally a mile away" on an adjacent project. That proximity proof turned a Wednesday discovery call into a Monday deployment, followed by a one-month trial and conversion to a customer now running 15 robots. For hardware or complex B2B sales, having operational deployments near prospects eliminates the biggest objection: "will this actually work in our environment?" Position yourself as a peer, not a vendor: Tom doesn't introduce himself as CEO or founder in sales conversations—he leads with his background as a civil engineer and field engineer who managed the same types of projects his buyers manage. This reframes the conversation from vendor-buyer to peer-to-peer, making it easier to discuss pain points candidly. In technical industries, domain credibility matters more than sales technique. If you lack it personally, your customer-facing team must have it. Audit your website metadata as a conversion optimization lever: Tom discovered his road robot product page was showing solar farm videos in link previews because metadata wasn't optimized per product line. His team systematically reviewed every page's metadata, primary content, and video assets to ensure alignment with the specific buyer viewing that page. This granular optimization improved inbound quality measurably. Most B2B companies ignore metadata entirely—it's a high-leverage, low-effort fix. Hire from industry for sales, hire generalists for marketing: Tom's board challenged him to "duplicate himself" as the company's best seller. His answer: recruit former construction project managers and field engineers who already communicate effectively and understand buyer pain points, then train them on sales process. For marketing, the talent pool with construction automation experience is too small, so he hired a generalist. This isn't about industry knowledge being unimportant—it's about recognizing where domain expertise is essential (customer-facing) versus learnable (content creation). Create reciprocal value loops with influential customers: One customer produces professional-quality content about Civ's robots because showcasing innovation differentiates him with his own clients. Tom reciprocates by cutting the subscription price by 50%, explicitly framing it as "you're a great influencer and helping us spread the word." This relationship generated Civ's Saudi Arabia opportunity—12 robots sold—when the customer's LinkedIn post drew a comment from a prospect. Identify which customers benefit from being seen as early adopters, then structure commercial terms that reward amplification. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM Meta Description: Tom Yeshurun, Co-Founder & CEO at Civ Robotics, shares his framework for product-market fit, hiring construction pros into sales roles, and scaling robotics deployments internationally on BUILDERS.

Most founders think fundraising fails because of "bad luck." Usually, it fails because of simple physics.Fundraising is a sales funnel. If you have a structural leak at the top, no amount of "slick" pitching will produce a check at the bottom. In this episode, we pop the hood on pre-seed fundraising to look at the four filters your startup must pass before you even think about building a deck.Stop the "Fundraising Theater" and start building a machine that investors actually want to buy.Read the full blog post: https://ftb.bz/127BWatch the video: https://ftb.bz/127V[FREE TOOL] THE INVESTMENT READINESS SCORECARDDon't guess if you're ready. Use the same diagnostic tool I use to screen startups for the North Bay Angels. Identify your gaps and fix them before you waste your one "bite at the apple."Get the Toolkit & Scorecard: https://www.FeelTheBoot.com/raiseWHAT WE COVER:Filter 1: The Math (Portfolio Physics): Why a "nice" business isn't always a venture-investable business. We look at the $100M revenue requirement and the "Why Now" delta.Filter 2: The Evidence (Market Pull): The difference between "that's a good idea" and "I need this now." We discuss unit economics and why $1 of marketing must generate $2 of net profit.Filter 3: The Moat (Structural Defensibility): Why being a "first mover" is often a disadvantage and how to build friction that stops well-funded predators from crushing you.Filter 4: The Machine (Founder-Market Fit): Why investors don't fund science experiments and how to prove you have the unique insight to execute your blueprint.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 The "Fundraising Theater" Trap1:30 Why 99% of Success is Decided Before the Pitch3:15 Filter 1: The Harsh Math of Venture Capital5:45 The "Corpse Audit": Why Timing is Your Delta8:10 Case Study: The "Empty Box" Pitch at North Bay Angels11:20 Filter 2: Proving Customer Hunger14:45 Filter 3: Defensibility & The First-Mover Fallacy17:30 Filter 4: The Machine & Unique Insights20:15 Is Your Startup Default Alive or Default Dead?22:00 Your Next Step: The Readiness ScorecardABOUT FEEL THE BOOTI'm Lance Cottrell. I'm a former astrophysicist and successful tech founder turned startup advisor. I view company building as an engineering problem with solvable mechanics. No fluff. No hype. Just the hard truths you need to reach escape velocity.Subscribe for more pragmatic startup advice: [Link to your channel]#PreSeedFundraising #StartupFunding #VentureCapital #AngelInvestors #PitchDeck #Entrepreneurship #FounderTips #FeelTheBoot

In this episode of The Health and Wellness Coach Journal Podcast, Dr. Jessica Singh is joined by Dr. Michael Baran, social scientist and CEO of Iris Inclusion. Through his speaking engagements, writings, consulting, leadership development, workshop facilitation, and digital products, he and his diverse team help organizations build cultures of inclusion, psychological safety, innovation, and performance. Before making the shift to full-time consulting work, he taught courses at Harvard University and the University of Michigan, and he worked as an applied researcher at the FrameWorks Institute and the American Institutes of Research. His book, Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions was coauthored with Dr. Tiffany Jana. The book has won several awards, has been a Hudson News and Amazon bestseller, and has been named by Forbes as one of “11 Books to Read to Be a More Inclusive Leader.” In this episode, Dr. Baran shares how his journey into inclusion work began with curiosity about inequity, exclusion, and belonging. This curiosity led him to doctoral research in cultural anthropology, extensive fieldwork in Brazil, and eventually to applied research, teaching, and consulting with organizations seeking meaningful culture change. A central focus of the episode is the concept of subtle acts of exclusion, a framework Dr. Baran co-developed with Dr. Jana as a more accessible and actionable alternative to the term microaggressions. He explains how subtle acts of exclusion often emerge from a disconnect between intent and impact—moments where someone may be trying to connect, help, or compliment, yet the interaction lands as hurtful, stressful, or exclusionary. Over time, these repeated experiences can have significant mental, physical, and organizational consequences. Dr. Baran shares why reframing the language has helped reduce defensiveness, increase buy-in, and create more productive conversations about culture and inclusion. The episode also explores how cultural insight becomes practical action. Dr. Baran describes how anthropological research methods—such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups—help organizations better understand what is actually happening within their systems and day-to-day practices. Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions, this approach allows organizations to design culture change strategies that are responsive, effective, and grounded in lived experience. Drawing from his work in healthcare, Dr. Baran shares a case study from Tufts Medical Center, highlighting what large-scale culture change can look like in complex, high-pressure environments. He discusses the importance of leadership buy-in, thoughtful framing, and scalable strategies that respect the realities of frontline work. Dr. Baran also addresses the broader political and cultural uncertainty surrounding inclusion work today. He reflects on how polarizing language and shifting external pressures have affected organizations' willingness to engage in this work, and why focusing on clear values—such as inclusion, fairness, and belonging—remains essential. The episode closes with a message of empowerment for coaches and healthcare professionals. Dr. Baran emphasizes that culture is shaped not only by those in formal leadership roles, but through everyday interactions. Coaches, regardless of niche or title, play a vital role as culture shapers by helping individuals develop awareness, empathy, and the capacity to respond thoughtfully to subtle acts of exclusion. For detailed show notes, resources, and information to connect with Dr. Baran, visit: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/blog/navigating-subtle-acts-of-exclusion-dr-baran-on-culture-change-and-inclusion To be notified of new episodes, subscribe here: https://www.centerforhealthandwellnesscoaches.com/stay-connected Timestamps: 0 - 2:01 Introduction 2:02 - Learning Inclusion by Living It: Dr. Baran on Fieldwork, Culture, and Understanding 6:35 - From Research to Practice: Dr. Baran on Workplace Culture Change and Inclusion 9:38 - Subtle Acts of Exclusion: Dr. Baran on Reframing Microaggressions 14:09 - When Culture Shifts: Dr. Baran on Buy-In and Impact 18:43 - Dr. Baran on Navigating Inclusion in Uncertain Political Times 22:25 - Dr. Baran on Approaching Subtle Acts of Exclusion as Human Learning Moments 24:56 - Building Inclusion in Healthcare: Dr. Baran's Culture Change Work at Tufts Medical Center 30:13 - Coaches as Culture Shapers: Dr. Baran on Inclusion in Practice 35:54 - Takeaways

In this episode, Mark Cardone and Theron Feidt dive into the concept of "Quick Wins." The duo discusses how to close the gap between having a great idea and actually executing it. Whether you are a perfectionist struggling with "analysis paralysis" or a visionary with a mile-long to-do list, this episode provides a framework to stop thinking and start doing. The Three Pillars of Immediate Action 1. The 24-Hour Micro-Action To prevent "idea decay," you must commit to a tangible action within 24 hours of having a new idea. Identify the First Domino: Don't try to flesh out the entire concept. Find the one small step that gets the ball rolling. Avoid the Research Trap: Research is important, but it often becomes a form of procrastination. Don't let AI or Google searches keep you from taking the first step. 2. Leverage the "Do It Badly" Rule Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. This rule encourages you to embrace Version 0.01 rather than waiting for Version 1.0. Lower the Barrier to Entry: Make the start so easy it's impossible to say no (e.g., five pushups instead of a full gym hour). Iterate Based on Feedback: You can't improve what doesn't exist. Launching quickly allows you to get real-world feedback and pivot as needed. 3. Create an Environment of Immediacy Your environment should pull you toward action, not push you away with friction. The 2-Minute Rule: If the setup for a task takes more than two minutes, the mental effort to start becomes exponentially higher. Keep your "tools" ready to go. The Go/No-Go Filter: Not every idea is gold. Quickly filter your ideas: if it's a "Go," hit the 24-hour rule. If it's a "No-Go," file it away and stop thinking about it. Public Accountability: Share your goals with a partner or coach. Hearing your own excuses out loud often reveals how ridiculous they are. Quick Reference Guide Concept Key Takeaway Idea Decay The longer you wait to act, the less likely you are to do it. Analysis Paralysis Overthinking leads to stagnation; action leads to clarity. The First Domino Focus only on the very next step to build momentum. Accountability Consistency is easier when someone is watching. "When you hear yourself make your excuses to someone else, you realize how ridiculous they sound most of the time." Ready to start? Visit AchieveResultsNow.com to get a free copy of the book, Ignite Results, and start taking daily actions today. ARN Suggested Reading: Blessings In the Bullshit: A Guided Journal for Finding the BEST In Every Day – by Mark Cardone & Theron Feidt https://www.amazon.com/Blessings-Bullshit-Guided-Journal-Finding/dp/B09FP35ZXX/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=blessings+in+the+bullshit&qid=1632233840&sr=8-1 Full List of Recommended Books: https://www.achieveresultsnow.com/readers-are-leaders Questions? 1.   Do you have a question you want answered in a future podcast? 2.   Go to www.AchieveResultsNow.com to submit. Connect with Us: Get access to some of the great resources that we use at: www.AchieveResultsNow.com/success-store www.AchieveResultsNow.com www.facebook.com/achieveresultsnow www.twitter.com/nowachieve Thank you for listening to the Achieve Results NOW! Podcast.  The podcast that gives you immediate actions you can take to start seeing life shifting results NOW!

Brent Ness, CEO and President of Aclarion,  highlights the challenges of diagnosing and treating chronic lower back pain, a leading driver of healthcare costs and opioid addiction. Traditional MRI and CT imaging do not reveal the biochemical source of pain within spinal discs, leading to misdiagnosis and unsuccessful treatment. The Aclarion technology uses MR spectroscopy to measure pain-causing biomarkers and, through a cloud-based, AI-powered SaaS model, analyzes the raw data and sends the physician a report within minutes. Brent explains, "The diagnosis and accurate treatment planning of back pain are incredibly complex. And when you think about pain management physicians, rehab, all the way up to spine surgery identifying the source of pain accurately leads to better treatment and then obviously better outcomes.There are 266 million people around the world who suffer from chronic low back pain. So I'm not talking about the kind that you had a rough weekend skiing, golfing, or hiking, and you're a little sore. I'm talking about the kind that keeps people from participating in a meaningful life. " "When you think about the joints and the sources of blood flow, the nerves that are all around your spinal cord, the vertebral columns, and there's just a lot of moving parts and a lot of really, let's just call it high-value real estate that can actually be the source of pain. And really, our superpower is to help physicians see the invisible. Meaning that normally when you go to the doctor, and they do a workup on you, they'll use an MRI or a CT scanner. And those modalities are really good at pinpointing anatomical issues that might be causing pain. What we do is we use MR spectroscopy, not to make a picture of your back, but rather to measure the biomarker content inside the discs that are invisible on a normal MRI. And as it turns out, what's inside your disc can actually be the source of pain." #ACON #CLARITYtrial #lowbackpain #spinesurgery #MRSpectroscopy #Biomarkers #AugmentedIntelligence #innovation  #ChronicPain #BackPain #MedicalTechnology #AI #HealthcareInnovation #SpineCare #MRI #PainManagement #DigitalHealth #Diagnostics #HealthTech #PatientCare aclarion.com  Listen to the podcast here

Brent Ness, CEO and President of Aclarion,  highlights the challenges of diagnosing and treating chronic lower back pain, a leading driver of healthcare costs and opioid addiction. Traditional MRI and CT imaging do not reveal the biochemical source of pain within spinal discs, leading to misdiagnosis and unsuccessful treatment. The Aclarion technology uses MR spectroscopy to measure pain-causing biomarkers and, through a cloud-based, AI-powered SaaS model, analyzes the raw data and sends the physician a report within minutes. Brent explains, "The diagnosis and accurate treatment planning of back pain are incredibly complex. And when you think about pain management physicians, rehab, all the way up to spine surgery identifying the source of pain accurately leads to better treatment and then obviously better outcomes.There are 266 million people around the world who suffer from chronic low back pain. So I'm not talking about the kind that you had a rough weekend skiing, golfing, or hiking, and you're a little sore. I'm talking about the kind that keeps people from participating in a meaningful life. " "When you think about the joints and the sources of blood flow, the nerves that are all around your spinal cord, the vertebral columns, and there's just a lot of moving parts and a lot of really, let's just call it high-value real estate that can actually be the source of pain. And really, our superpower is to help physicians see the invisible. Meaning that normally when you go to the doctor, and they do a workup on you, they'll use an MRI or a CT scanner. And those modalities are really good at pinpointing anatomical issues that might be causing pain. What we do is we use MR spectroscopy, not to make a picture of your back, but rather to measure the biomarker content inside the discs that are invisible on a normal MRI. And as it turns out, what's inside your disc can actually be the source of pain." #ACON #CLARITYtrial #lowbackpain #spinesurgery #MRSpectroscopy #Biomarkers #AugmentedIntelligence #innovation #ChronicPain #BackPain #MedicalTechnology #AI #HealthcareInnovation #SpineCare #MRI #PainManagement #DigitalHealth #Diagnostics #HealthTech #PatientCare aclarion.com Download the transcript here

I discuss reframing weakness from a flaw into a strategic advantage for business growth. Learn how I identify recurring weaknesses, treat them as data, and implement systems to overcome them, fostering self-management and accelerated progress in my career and business.In This Episode:00:00 Weakness as Information01:06 Identifying Recurring Weaknesses03:25 Weakness as a Signal05:08 Systems Beat Willpower06:40 Managing Weaknesses Strategically08:52 Growth and Self-TrustKey Takeaways:Identify recurring weaknesses in my career or business.Analyze weaknesses as informational data, not personal verdicts.Implement systems and processes to manage weak areas.Acknowledge weaknesses strategically to accelerate my progress.Boost self-trust and reduce friction by addressing my blind spots.Resources:Well Why Not Workbook: https://bit.ly/authormauricechismPodmatch: https://bit.ly/joinpodmatchwithmaurice*FREE* 5 Bold Shifts to help you silence doubt and start moving: https://bit.ly/5boldshiftsConnect With:Maurice Chism: https://bit.ly/CoachMauriceWebsite: https://bit.ly/mauricechismTo be a guest: https://bit.ly/beaguestonthatwillnevrworkpodcastBusiness Email: mchism@chismgroup.netBusiness Address: PO Box 460, Secane, PA 19018Subscribe to That Will Nevr Work Podcast:Spreaker: https://bit.ly/TWNWSpreakerSupport the channelPurchase our apparel: https://bit.ly/ThatWillNevrWorkPodcastapparel 

Your process for goal achievement is key. Because you’re doing a lot behind the scenes before anyone even knows that you’re alive. So we’re essentially moving from being invisible and working hard behind the scenes — to ideally, at some point, bursting on the scene and being recognized as a force in your marketplace. But none of that happens by accident and it doesn’t just come from setting goals. It requires having those processes in place. David: Hi, and welcome to the podcast. In today’s episode, co host Jay McFarland and I will be discussing your process for goal achievement. Welcome back, Jay. Jay: Hey, David. Thank you. It’s always a pleasure to be with you. I’m going to be brutally honest here. I’m really good at setting goals. But I’m not very good at mapping out how I’m going to accomplish those goals. I think it’s good that I’ve taken that first step. And I kind of have a mental idea, but I never really go back and say, “yeah, I accomplished that thing.” So I think I’m missing some of the motivation to set more goals. That’s one of the key things about goals. Once you’ve checked ’em off, you should feel good about yourself and then do more goals. And I don’t know if I ever reached that point. David: Interesting. And I think a lot of people feel the same way. I know I’ve certainly had that situation over the years and still do to some extent. We talked about goals several weeks ago. I really wanted to get to the idea that it’s great to have the goal. But it’s like looking at the top of a ladder and saying, okay, that’s where I want to go. Or it’s like looking at the sky, that’s where I want to go. But ultimately, the goal isn’t what’s going to get you there. The goal may motivate you, but the goal is not going to get you there. Ultimately, it’s the process that’s going to get you there. Assuming you have a process. So if the goal is to generate a certain amount of revenue in your business, or have a certain amount of money in your personal bank account, or start a business, whatever your goal is, the next step is to say, okay, what are the specific steps? What are the combinations of tasks and projects that are going to be necessary to help me achieve that goal? Because the tasks, the individual things I have to do, and the projects, essentially the things that are composed of a bunch of tasks, are what’s going to get us there. And the combination of these things is essentially the process. If my goal is to generate a certain amount of sales revenue, and I’m not there yet. I generally want to start with a process that says, Okay, let’s take a look at exactly how much your existing clients are worth to you. What did they spend with you last year? And then, do I think they’ll spend more, less, or about the same this year? And generally, you’ll have a reasonable idea of that. Whether it’s going to be about the same, maybe a little more, maybe a little less. You won’t know for sure, but it’s a great place to start. Then you say, “Okay, if I can count on my existing customers for this level of revenue, and I want to get to that level, how do I fill that gap? Because if this is the goal and this is where I am now, then we have to look at the process that will get us there. What’s the combination of tasks and projects that will allow us to reach that revenue goal? When we focus on that, everything we do during any given day now leads toward the goal. As opposed to just having scattered focus, just doing a bunch of different things. Just thinking about our goal, but not exactly sure how we’ll get there. But when you start to think of it in terms of tasks, projects, and ultimately your process, that’s what’s really going to make the biggest difference. Jay: Yeah, I think if you don’t do that, it can be really demotivating, right? I think I’ve told you in the past, when I was in the restaurant business just starting out, I would have an area manager come into the store and we would set goals, and the first one is always what you’re talking about. How are you going to increase sales? And he would just increase our sales on the goal by ten percent, right from the previous year and never tell me what I can do to, you know, I’m new, “okay, how am I going to do that? What are the steps?” And it was just this arbitrary number that he came up with and never trained me or told me how I could accomplish those things. So then the follow up is like, “oh, you didn’t achieve your goal.” And I’m like, “well, you never told me how to achieve my goal,” right? David: Yeah, the what is very often easy, it’s in the how that we get into all the details. And that’s what’s missing with a lot of people .And that’s why when we work with our clients in our Total Market Domination course, majority of it is the how, the specific steps that need to be taken in order to get to the desired goal. And when I say how, it doesn’t mean that you have to do it, either. It means somebody has to do it, right? So you can get into this idea of who versus how, which is a great book, by the way. Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben Hardy wrote a book called Who Not How. Excellent book. But that concept still requires somebody to know how to do the things. So either you’re going to find somebody who has that skill and you’re going to get them to take those actions, or you’re going to have to know what to do, either do it yourself or train someone else to do it so that those things can be done. And then when you start focusing on that sort of approach, that becomes your process. You say, “okay, when I take this action, then I am likely to get this result.” And then you look at those results and you gauge it based on what you’re expecting. And then you tweak and adapt it as you go. But ultimately it’s all about the process and whether the process is figuring out what to do or knowing what to do and then taking the action to do it, or whether the process is identifying the right people that you need to bring into your organization to help you with it, it ultimately all boils right back down to the process. Jay: Yeah, I think it’s so important to say it’s not all on you, right? Identify those things that you need to do and put the other things on other people’s shoulders so that you can focus. I also love how you pointed out that as you’re assessing your goals, if you’re not getting there, you need to tweak and change. I think sometimes we just say, Oh, that was it. Didn’t work. So I guess that that goal wasn’t right and so again, you’ve demotivated yourself instead of kind of reworking that goal. David: Yeah, and so often we don’t even realize how close we are to something until it actually happens. And it reminds me of that analogy about how an airplane is off course for 90 percent of the flight. And so the pilot’s job is to make constant little tweaks to get you back on track toward wherever it is that you’re going. So you take off, you’re headed in a direction, and then there’s a little bit of wind and it sends you one way and then they have to compensate for it. So most of the little steering we do, even when we’re driving a car, your hands are moving slightly back and forth. And the reason it’s doing that is because you’re slightly off course most of the time. When you use an analogy like that, and when you recognize that it’s exactly the same in life, it’s exactly the same in business, you’re going to be off course, most of the time. And so you have to just keep adapting and keep making these tweaks to make sure that you’re back on track and following the path that you’ve set, which, of course, in what we’re talking about today is your process, the tasks, the specific things that have to be done, the projects, the longer term things that require multiple actions and the ultimate process that you’re using to get there. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. And I also think when you talk about, you know, find the who, I think that one of the biggest mistakes that I see people make is they don’t, and I really struggle with this, they don’t share their process with other people. They don’t seek mentorship. And so they’re reinventing the wheel. You know, a lot of these things have been tried and tested and you can skip a lot of pain and a lot of hassle if your who includes somebody else, just another ear call you, right? You know, bend people’s ear and see what they think. And like I said, I really struggle with this. I do everything quietly. And if it doesn’t work, then I’ll go, okay, I should do something else. Cause I don’t want somebody else to know that I failed. David: And of course you haven’t failed until you’ve decided that you failed until you give up on it, right? Because a lot of times we can be trying the same thing and it’s not working. It’s not working. It’s not working. And you keep doing it. And then eventually it works. So it’s like, okay, but if you quit before then, you may consider it a failure, but it might not have failed as long as you keep going. It’s also interesting when you talk about the idea that people tend to keep to themselves and they don’t share stuff. That’s really where we came up with our brand, TopSecrets.com, is the idea that not so much that these things are impossible to find out. It’s just that they’re not often shared. A lot of sales and marketing training boils down to essentially fortune cookie kind of stuff. Be good to your clients and they’ll be good to you. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. And these platitudes are maybe a little helpful, but until you know how to put them into action, until you know the specifics of, “okay, what do I do with that information? How do I get people to know, like, and trust me” if that’s the goal? And they’re three different things, right? First of all, do they know that I’m alive? You know, creating that initial awareness. And so in our program, we refer to it as First Contact. What is your First Contact with a new prospect or client going to be? Because that’s going to determine whether or not they even know you’re taking in air on the planet, which is a prerequisite to them either being able to like you or being able to trust you. It all starts with that. And so when you have specific processes in place for here’s what we do to get ideal prospects, not just anybody who can fog a mirror, but here’s what we do to get ideal prospects to know who we are. And then here’s what we do to get them to like us and trust us better. We don’t really use those terms specifically in our program, but what we do focus on is how do we create that level of awareness in the mind of the ideal client, so that they think of you as the obvious go to choice for them? Because if they don’t think of you that way, and they think of someone else that way, then it’s very likely that someone else is going to get the business. Jay: Yeah. , those are all really, really good points. And like you said it’s a process. You have to be meticulous about it. I think one of the things that is hard is that, you know, we compare ourselves to successful people in business and we know them as already successful. And so we don’t really understand that they went through these processes, right? They suffered. They struggled. And so the fact that you’re going through that, the fact that it’s hard and it doesn’t look hard to other people, it’s deceptive, right? We don’t see what they’ve had to go through. We don’t see that they took these steps. David: Right. And neither does the market. If the people that could buy from us don’t know we’re alive, they have no idea what we’re going through. They have no idea that we’re struggling because we haven’t figured out a way to introduce ourselves to them that is in any way compelling, right? It’s just like “overnight success” in any capacity usually doesn’t happen that way. There’s usually a lot of behind the scenes. One of the things that we also focus on in our training is the idea, since that theme is so common, we focus on the idea that a lot of what you do in the early stages is going to be invisible. And so, you’re doing a lot behind the scenes before anyone even knows that you’re alive. And so we’re essentially moving from that, being invisible and working hard behind the scenes, to ideally at some point bursting on the scene and being recognized as a force in your marketplace. But none of that happens by accident and it doesn’t just come from setting goals. It requires Having those processes in place. Jay: Yeah, I think that’s so important. Every once in a while, you see somebody who had an idea and it just explodes, right? And they fall into a pot of gold. But, you know, we tend to think that that’s how it’s going to happen for us. You know, I see these people who are like influencers on YouTube or whatever, and they have millions of views. I’ve looked at some of their stories. What you don’t see is that they publish videos without any success or following for an entire year before their channel blew up. They just kept pounding their head against a wall, but they had goals and they had plans and they worked towards it. And that’s the work sometimes that we’re just not seeing. David: Right, and clearly they resonated with other people because back to what we were talking about earlier You’re not going to generate that level of revenue unless you’re impacting enough people. So if your story is just that compelling and other people say “wow, this is really impressive,” then yeah, then you can really sort of attract that thing without a whole lot of effort. But for most people particularly if you’re going to do something as a business, it’s going to require a little more thought. Jay: Yeah, it’s going to be hard, right? But that effort is going to change you. It’s going to change your views. And I think you find out after the journey and after the pain that you’ve learned so much and now you’re better prepared to, you know, set your new goals and to work towards them. You build a strength, like you build muscle mass, right? So how can people find out more? David: You can go to TopSecrets.com, schedule a call with myself or my team. We’d love to have a conversation with you. If you know where you want to be in terms of your goals, and you’re not quite sure about the processes for getting you there, this is a great way to have a conversation. We can see if we think the same way, if our approach makes sense for you. If it does, great. Even if it doesn’t, we’ll have a great conversation. You’ll probably get a lot of good ideas from it. Jay: Yeah. And sometimes that conversation is enough to get you kind of moving in the right direction. David, as always, it’s great pleasure to talk to you. David: Thanks Jay. Are You Ready for the Processes that Will Get You To Your Goals? If so, check out the five primary ways we help promotional product distributors grow: Just Getting Started? If you (or someone on your team) is just getting started in promotional products sales, learn how we can help. Need Clients Now? If you're already grounded in the essentials of promotional product sales and just need to get clients now, click here. Want EQP/Preferential Pricing? Are you an established industry veteran doing a significant volume of sales? If so, click here to get End Quantity Pricing from many of the top supplier lines in the promo industry. Time to Hire Salespeople? If you want to hire others to grow your promo sales, click here. Ready to Dominate Your Market? If you're serious about creating top-of-mind-awareness with the very best prospects in your market, schedule a one-on-one Strategy Session here.

Pierre Poilievre's pay-to-play leadership 'victory'; Liana's nightmarish journey through our health care system - just to get a medical check-up; The Muppets finally re-capture the magic; Wonder Man breaks the Disney/Marvel TV mould - so it doesn't suck; why can't AI identify bicycles? Listen to Liana on It's Not Therapy wherever you get podcasts or notttherapyshow.com Listen to Ed on The All-Night Show LIVE, weeknights midnight - 5AM on 94.9 The Rock/therock.fm/94.9 The Rock App Find the shows in podcast form at therock.fm On-Demand section, look under Ed the Sock on The Rock All-Star All-Night Show featuring the best of the week Saturdays & Sundays, midnight - 5AM on 94.9 The Rock/therock.fm/94.9 The Rock App  

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonSponsors:  Spiritbuilding Publishers Website:  www.spiritbuilding.comTyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487The Miserable Middle is a place of uncertainty, of fickle joy, as the result of too much closeness and assimilation with the world. If we, even in part, live according to the world, then we are susceptible to the doubt and fear within it. Without full, complete, wholehearted commitment to Christ, any joy we build will be temporary, shallow, and within the confines of our own power. But God offers so much more! In Christ, entirely in Christ, there is eternal, deep, and founded in the power of the almighty God! How do we get there? Here are some things that can help.1) Pray for God's Help - and Believe He Will Provide It. 2) Identify your Mission - Why God Saved You. 3) Build your life around Time With God.4) Remove what Dulls your Spiritual Appetite.5) Tie Every Role in Your Life to Your Mission.6) Surround Yourself with People who are ALL IN.

In this episode of 4.0 to Pro, Michael O'Neal and Mircea Morariu break down one of the most important strategic decisions in modern pickleball: when to attack. As paddles become more powerful and the game continues evolving into a more offensive style of play, knowing when to speed up — and when to stay patient — can be the difference between winning and losing at higher levels. Michael shares early impressions of a new “CRBN Barrage” paddle and how modern paddle technology is changing resets, counters, and energy output. From there, the conversation shifts into practical strategy for attacking intelligently in today's faster game. The hosts outline key principles for successful speed-ups and instigation, including balance, control, partner positioning, and anticipating counters. They also discuss how the pro game has evolved since the late 2010s, why control still beats power at higher levels, and how to use early attacks as “data points” to understand opponents' tendencies. The episode wraps with discussion of the instigator drill, partner coordination during attacks, and strategic adjustments when you're losing the soft game battle. If you're trying to move from 4.0 to 4.5 and beyond, this episode will help you attack more confidently — and more intelligently. Key Takeaways Modern pickleball is increasingly offense-driven Location > Spin > Power at higher levels Only attack from a stable, balanced base Attack when the ball is in your control Your partner must be ready for the counter Anticipate the next shot before you attack Use early attacks as information gathering Identify and target body positioning weaknesses The instigator drill is one of the best ways to train attack recognition If you're losing dink rallies, shorten the point Upcoming EventMichael O'Neal and Mircea Morariu will be in Mesa, Arizona (March 7–8).Visit PickleHelp.com if you're interested in a clinic or VIP session. 4.0 to Pro is your pocket-size pickleball podcast — one shot or strategy every episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Self-determination throughout your team: it sounds simple, but implementing it effectively could give your startup a razor-sharp competitive edge.In this episode, Chris and Yaniv unpack the 'Recursive Principle of Self-Determination', a framework for designing autonomous startups that maximize agency at every layer of the business. They explore how high-agency decisions shape product strategy, engineering, go-to-market, fundraising, teams, and culture, and why AI is accelerating the shift toward founder empowerment. In this episode, you will:* Understand the concept of recursive self-determination and why it applies across the entire startup stack* Identify low-agency decisions that slow innovation (agencies, misaligned partners, restrictive funding)* Design products that increase customer empowerment by reducing friction, cost, and dependency* Evaluate tech stack and vendor choices based on incentive alignment and long-term control* Apply high-agency go-to-market strategies by selling directly to customers* Structure teams as cross-functional, autonomous squads that move fast and learn faster* Leverage AI as a force multiplier for founder and team agencyThe Pact Honor the Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:Follow, rate, and review us in your listening appSubscribe to the TSP Mailing List to gain access to exclusive newsletter-only content and early access to information on upcoming episodes: https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/ Follow us here on YouTube for full-video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNjm1MTdjysRRV07fSf0yGg Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media followingKey linksThis episode of the Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.This episode of the Startup Podcast is sponsored by .tech domains. Forget weird prefixes and creative misspellings; the availability for .tech domains is simply way better than .com. For a clean and memorable name, go to https://⁠get.tech/tsp.Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/Learn more about Chris and YanivWork 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/ Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/ Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthurIntro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

Are you suffering from "Ethical Fading"? Discover actionable strategies to navigate a compromised world and cutthroat office politics without losing your soul or your competitive edge.We spend a significant amount of our collective energy frustrated by the state of the world. We look at the headlines, we watch the news, and we see a parade of compromised characters—politicians who trade influence for favors, CEOs who prioritize quarterly earnings over human safety, and public figures who seem to have surgically removed their shame. It is easy, and perhaps even cathartic, to point a finger at the screen and declare them the problem. It feels good to position ourselves as the moral observers of a crumbling society. But today, I want to ask you to do something much harder. I want you to lower that finger, turn away from the screen, and look in the mirror.This isn't about politics. This isn't about the grand stage of global affairs. This is about you. It is about the subtle, quiet, and often invisible ways that the corruption of the world seeps into our own bloodstreams. We all hate the corrupt politician, but we need to have a very honest, uncomfortable conversation about whether we fudge our own taxes. We despise the corporate liar, but do we embellish our resumes? We loathe the system that seems rigged, but do we grease the wheels of our own small lives with convenient untruths?The reality is that integrity is not a binary state. You aren't simply a "good person" or a "bad person." Integrity is a muscle, and like any muscle, it atrophies if you don't exercise it, and it tears if you put it under too much weight without training. In a world that often rewards the shortcut and celebrates the shark, maintaining your integrity is not just a moral luxury; it is a strategic necessity for your long-term mental health and professional survival. We are going to break down exactly how good people end up doing bad things, and more importantly, how you can navigate a compromised workplace—the office politics, the toxic bosses, the gray areas—without losing your soul or becoming part of the problem.We have to start by understanding the mechanism of our own undoing. Psychologists and behavioral economists have a term for this phenomenon: Ethical Fading. It is a fascinating and terrifying concept. Ethical fading occurs when the ethical dimensions of a decision fade from view, and the decision is reclassified as a business decision, a strategic maneuver, or a necessary evil. It is the process of numbing ourselves to our own small dishonesties. It doesn't happen overnight. You don't wake up one morning and decide to be a corrupt person. It happens by degrees. It is the boiling frog experiment applied to your soul.Think about the last time you faced a minor ethical dilemma. Maybe it was an expense report where you rounded up a few figures. Maybe it was telling a client that a project was "90% done" when you hadn't even started, just to buy yourself a weekend of peace. In that moment, you didn't think, "I am a liar." You thought, "I am managing expectations," or "I am just making sure I get reimbursed for the hassle." That is ethical fading. You strip the moral weight away from the action and replace it with utilitarian language. You convince yourself that the ends justify the means, or that "everyone else is doing it," or that the system is so broken that your small transgression is merely a drop in the ocean.But here is the bottom line: those drops accumulate. When you allow these small acts of "fading" to occur, you are retraining your brain. You are raising your threshold for discomfort. The first time you lie to your boss, your heart races and your palms sweat. That is your conscience working; that is your biological alarm system. But the second time, the alarm is a little quieter. The tenth time, there is no alarm at all. You have successfully numb yourself. The danger here is not just that you are becoming dishonest; it is that you are becoming blind. You lose the ability to see where the line is, and eventually, when a big compromise is demanded of you—a serious breach of ethics—you might just cross it without even realizing you have left the safety of the shore.So, how do we stop this slide? How do we maintain a rigid spine in a flexible world? It starts with a brutal personal audit. You need to look at your life with the cold, hard gaze of a forensic accountant. Where are you leaking integrity? This isn't about guilt; guilt is a useless emotion unless it drives change. This is about data. Are you honest in your relationships? Do you keep the promises you make to yourself? Do you present an unfiltered version of reality to your team, or do you curate the truth to make yourself look better?One of the most common places where this integrity leak occurs is in our professional identities. The resume is often the first casualty of the truth. We live in a hyper-competitive market, and the temptation to "polish" our credentials is immense. But there is a massive difference between highlighting your strengths and fabricating your reality. When you claim a skill you don't have or inflate a title you didn't earn, you are building your career on a foundation of sand. You are creating a future based on the fear that you are not enough as you are. And practically speaking, the anxiety of maintaining that lie, of constantly looking over your shoulder waiting to be exposed, is a massive energy drain. It taxes your mental resources—resources that you could be using to actually learn the skill you lied about.This brings us to the battlefield where most of us face these challenges daily: the workplace. The modern office is often a breeding ground for ethical compromise. We have all been there. The toxic manager who takes credit for your work. The colleague who smiles to your face and gossips behind your back. The pressure from upper management to hit targets that are mathematically impossible without cutting corners. This is where the rubber meets the road. It is easy to be virtuous when you are sitting alone in a room. It is much harder to be virtuous when your mortgage payment depends on your ability to survive in a corrupt ecosystem.You might be asking, "How do I survive office politics without becoming a politician?" The answer lies in shifting your mindset from "playing the game" to "mastering the terrain." You do not have to become a snake to survive in a snake pit, but you do have to know where the snakes are hiding and how to handle them.The first strategy is to become the master of the paper trail. In a compromised environment, the truth is often the first thing to be distorted. Your best defense is documentation. This isn't about being paranoid; it is about being professional. When a directive comes down that feels unethical or risky, you confirm it in writing. You send the follow-up email: "Just to clarify our conversation this morning, you would like me to proceed with X, despite the potential risk of Y." You do this neutrally, without emotion. You are essentially creating a reality anchor. Corrupt systems thrive on ambiguity and verbal orders that can be denied later. By forcing things into the written record, you introduce accountability. You shine a light. Often, just the act of documenting a shady request is enough to make the requester back down, because they know that their "ethical fade" won't survive the scrutiny of a written record.However, documentation is just the defensive line. You also need an offensive strategy, and that strategy is competence. In a corrupt or highly political environment, competence is the ultimate currency. People who rely on politics usually do so because they lack the substance to succeed on merit. They need the smoke and mirrors. If you focus on being undeniably good at what you do, you create a layer of insulation around yourself. When you deliver results that are tangible, measurable, and high-quality, you become harder to manipulate and harder to remove. You become an asset that even the corrupt players need to keep the ship afloat.But let's go deeper into the interpersonal dynamics. How do you handle the gossip, the backstabbing, the alliances? The pragmatic approach is to view yourself as Switzerland—neutral, observant, and armed. You can be friendly without being intimate. You can listen without participating. When someone comes to you with gossip, you have a choice. You can fuel the fire, or you can let the flame die with you. The most powerful phrase you can learn in office politics is a non-committal, "That sounds frustrating for you," followed by an immediate pivot back to work. "That sounds frustrating. Anyway, have you seen the data on the Q3 report?" By refusing to engage in the mudslinging, you signal that you are not a player in that game. You are there to work. This might alienate you from the "clique" temporarily, but in the long run, it earns you something far more valuable: respect. Even the snakes respect the person who refuses to be bitten or to bite.There is a nuance here that we must address. There is a difference between being "difficult" and being principled. Some people use "integrity" as a shield to be obstructionist or self-righteous. That is not what we are aiming for. We want to be the person who solves problems, not the person who creates bottlenecks. When you have to say "no" to something because of an ethical concern, you should always try to offer an alternative path. Don't just be the stop sign; be the detour. "I can't do X because it violates our compliance policy, but I believe we can achieve the same result if we do Y and Z." This shows that you are still on the team, that you are still driving toward the goal, but that you are insisting on getting there on a road that doesn't collapse beneath you.Now, we have to talk about the hardest part of this equation. We have to talk about the breaking point. There is a limit to how much you can navigate a corrupt system before the system begins to change you. You can wear a hazmat suit to work every day, but eventually, the radiation gets through. You need to know your "walk away" price. This is a concept I want you to define for yourself today, not when you are in the middle of a crisis. What is the line you will not cross? Is it lying to a client? Is it firing someone unjustly? Is it breaking the law? You must define these non-negotiables now, while your head is clear.If you don't define your non-negotiables, you will fall victim to the "slippery slope" we discussed earlier. You will justify the first small crossing of the line, and then the next, until you are miles away from who you wanted to be. But if you have that line drawn in the sand of your mind, when you approach it, an alarm will go off. And when that alarm goes off, you have to be willing to act. This is where the "pragmatic" part of our coaching comes in. Integrity sometimes requires an exit strategy.I am not telling you to quit your job tomorrow in a blaze of moral glory without a plan. That isn't smart; that's reckless. I am telling you that if you find yourself in an environment that consistently demands you compromise your values, you need to start plotting your escape. You need to update that resume (honestly), start networking, and save your money. Financial stability is one of the greatest guardians of integrity. When you live paycheck to paycheck, you are vulnerable. You are terrified of losing your income, and fear is the enemy of ethics. Fear makes us compliant. But if you have an emergency fund, if you have a "freedom fund," you have the power to say "no." You have the power to walk away. Money, in this sense, buys you the luxury of a conscience.Let's shift gears and look at the internal cost of corruption. Why does this matter? Why shouldn't you just fudge the numbers, play the politics, and get the promotion? Why not just lie on the resume if it gets you the foot in the door? The answer lies in the concept of "cognitive load."Lying, pretending, and managing a false persona takes an immense amount of brainpower. When you are living a lie, you have to remember the lie. You have to constantly calibrate your story to match your previous fabrications. You have to monitor other people's reactions to see if they suspect anything. This is a background process that is running in your brain 24/7, eating up your battery life. It causes low-level anxiety, chronic stress, and a pervasive sense of impostor syndrome.On the other hand, the truth is efficient. When you live with integrity, you don't have to remember what you said, because you said what happened. You don't have to worry about being exposed, because you have nothing to hide. This liberates a massive amount of mental energy. You can focus that energy on creativity, on problem-solving, on actual growth. Integrity is the ultimate productivity hack. It simplifies your life. It streamlines your decision-making process. When you know what your values are, you don't have to agonize over every choice. You simply ask, "Does this align with my values?" If the answer is no, the decision is made.Furthermore, we must consider the compounding interest of reputation. In a world that is increasingly transparent, where digital footprints last forever, your reputation is your most valuable asset. You might gain a short-term advantage by cheating—you might get the sale, or the job, or the tax break. But if you are caught, or even if people just start to sense that you are not trustworthy, the long-term cost is catastrophic. Trust takes years to build and seconds to break. In business and in life, people prefer to work with those they can trust. If you are known as a straight shooter, someone whose handshake actually means something, opportunities will flow to you. People will bring you into the inner circle because they know you won't stab them in the back. Integrity is a long-term greed. It pays better dividends over a lifetime than dishonesty ever could.Let's look at some specific, actionable steps you can take today to begin strengthening your integrity muscle. We need to move from the philosophical to the practical.First, I want you to practice "Radical Honesty" in low-stakes situations. We often lie about small things to avoid minor social friction. We say we are "five minutes away" when we haven't left the house. We say we "loved the dinner" when it was cold. Start catching yourself in these micro-lies. Correct them in real-time. If you are running late, say, "I am running 20 minutes late because I managed my time poorly." It is uncomfortable, yes. But it trains your brain that truth is the default setting. It builds a tolerance for the minor discomfort of honesty, which prepares you for the major discomfort of difficult ethical stands later on.Second, identify your "Ethical Blind Spots." We all have them. Maybe you are incredibly honest with money, but you tend to exaggerate stories to be the center of attention. Maybe you would never steal a pen from the office, but you regularly steal time by scrolling social media when you are on the clock. Be honest with yourself about where your weak points are. You cannot fortify a wall if you don't know where the cracks are. Once you identify a blind spot, set a specific rule for it. If you doom-scroll at work, use an app blocker. If you exaggerate stories, practice the discipline of understatement.Third, find an "Accountability Mirror." This can be a person—a mentor, a partner, a friend who you know will tell you the unvarnished truth. Give them permission to call you out. Ask them, "Do you ever see me compromising on my values? Do I ever come across as disingenuous?" It takes courage to ask that question, and it takes even more courage to listen to the answer without getting defensive. But that external perspective is invaluable. We are often the best lawyers for our own defense, rationalizing our bad behavior. You need a judge.Fourth, change your language. Words shape reality. Stop using euphemisms that disguise unethical behavior. Don't call it "creative accounting"; call it "fraud." Don't call it "padding the resume"; call it "lying." Don't call it "office politics"; call it "manipulation." When you use the raw, ugly words to describe the actions, they lose their seductive power. It becomes much harder to commit fraud than it is to engage in creative accounting. By stripping away the corporate speak, you force yourself to confront the reality of what you are doing.Let's return to the concept of the "Compromised World" for a moment. It is easy to become cynical. It is easy to look at the billionaire who cheated his way to the top and feel like a fool for playing by the rules. You might think, "nice guys finish last." But I want you to challenge that definition of "winning." If winning means having a massive bank account but being unable to sleep without medication because of the stress of your deception, is that winning? If winning means being the CEO but having a family that despises you and a staff that fears you, is that winning?We need to redefine success to include the quality of our inner life. A "clean" success—one achieved through hard work, smart strategy, and ethical behavior—tastes different. It is sustainable. It is robust. It belongs to you in a way that stolen success never can. When you achieve something honestly, no one can take it away from you by revealing a secret. You own it completely.There is also a ripple effect to consider. We often underestimate the power of our own example. In a corrupt workplace, one person acting with integrity can change the atmosphere. It is contagious. When you refuse to gossip, you create a safe space for others to stop gossiping. When you admit a mistake openly instead of covering it up, you give permission for your team to be honest about their failures, which leads to faster problem solving. You have the power to set the standard. You are not just a passive observer of the culture; you are a creator of it.This is particularly true for those of you in leadership positions. If you are a manager, your team is watching you like hawks. They are looking for cues on how to behave. If they see you fudge a number, they will fudge ten. If they see you lie to a client, they will lie to you. The culture of a team is a reflection of the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate—in themselves and in others. If you want a high-performance team, you must demand high integrity, and you must embody it first.Now, let's address the naysayers. There will be people who tell you that this advice is naive. They will say, "This is the real world, you have to get your hands dirty." To them, I say: Look at the long game. The graveyards of industry are filled with the careers of people who thought they were smarter than the truth. They thought they could outrun the consequences. They thought they could manage the web of lies. They were wrong. The house of cards always falls. It might take a year, it might take ten, but gravity always wins. Building on a foundation of integrity is the only way to build a structure that withstands the storms of life.Navigating this path requires a specific kind of courage. It isn't the loud, heroic courage of the movies. It is a quiet, daily courage. It is the courage to be the only person in the room not laughing at an inappropriate joke. It is the courage to say, "I don't think that's the right way to handle this," when everyone else is nodding along. It is the courage to accept a short-term loss for a long-term gain. This is the courage that builds character. And character, in the end, is destiny.As we move toward the conclusion of this discussion, I want to leave you with a strategy for when you feel overwhelmed by the corruption around you. It is called "The Circle of Control." You cannot control the politicians. You cannot control the economy. You often cannot control your company's upper management. When you focus on these things, you feel helpless and angry, which makes you more likely to say, "Screw it, why should I try?"Instead, draw a small circle around yourself. Inside that circle are your actions, your words, your work ethic, and your treatment of others. That is your kingdom. Rule it wisely. Make that circle a zone of absolute integrity. No matter how chaotic or corrupt the world outside that circle becomes, inside the circle, standards are maintained. Inside the circle, promises are kept. Inside the circle, truth is spoken.What you will find is that over time, your circle will expand. People will want to be in your circle. They will want to hire you, partner with you, and follow you, because your circle is a refuge of sanity and reliability in a crazy world.So, here is your homework. I want you to take one specific action today. Not tomorrow, today. Identify one small area where you have been letting your standards slip. Maybe it's how you talk to your spouse. Maybe it's how much effort you put into your work when the boss isn't looking. Maybe it's a small recurring lie you tell to avoid conflict. Fix it. Right now. Send the text, make the apology, redo the work. Reclaim that piece of territory for your integrity.Don't do it to be a saint. Do it to be strong. Do it because you refuse to be a passive victim of a compromised culture. Do it because the most pragmatic, powerful thing you can be in this world is a person who cannot be bought, who cannot be intimidated, and who dares to tell the truth.The world may be compromised, but you do not have to be. The corruption stops at your doorstep. The ethical fading stops with your next decision. You have the tools. You have the strategy. Now, go out there and execute. The world needs more people who are playing the long game. Be one of them.

Master Career Coach Mark Langford will guide you in discovering your true calling and making a successful transition into a fulfilling role or a profitable entrepreneurial venture. With experience spanning eight industry changes, founding three businesses, and helping over 1,000 professionals secure jobs or launch ventures aligned with their skills and interests, Mark Langford has the expertise to help you clearly define and achieve your professional goals. Discover how to leverage your unique talents and abilities.Craft a vision statement that reflects your true aspirations.Identify and prioritize the industries, professions, and roles that best suit you.Set SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-specific—to guide your progress.Develop a step-by-step strategic action plan.Create a compelling value proposition that highlights your strengths.He is the author of Thank God It is Wednesday: The Business Professional's Guide to Realizing Purpose, Passion, and Life/Work Balance. https://c-synergy.com/http://www.yourlotandparcel.org

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!In this coaching episode, podcast listener Claire is exploring career options, but worries she lacks the lateral thinking skills to come up with possible ideas. I am not a career coach, but we use this example as an opportunity to explore how limiting beliefs can prevent you finding solutions and how there are many routes to creative ideas. Listen in as we discuss her situation and identify a path forward. If you want to be on the podcast in the future, make sure you're on my newsletter to hear about future chances to volunteer! If you liked this episode, you should check out my episode on How to make decisions you love and this episode on how PhD Students Can Network Smarter & Avoid Career Panic with Dr David Mendes from Beyond the Thesis****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.

Recent developments in HIV prevention — including the FDA approval of a 6‑month injectable option and updated clinical guidance — are changing the landscape of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) therapy. This course reviews the latest developments, compares prevention strategies, and examines how these changes affect PrEP delivery, counseling, and monitoring. You will gain timely insights to better counsel patients, support adherence, and contribute to prevention strategies in your practice.HOSTRachel Maynard, PharmDGameChangers Podcast Host and Clinical Editor, CEimpactLead Editor, PyrlsGUESTDavid Hachey, PharmD, AAHIVP Professor Idaho State University  Pharmacists, REDEEM YOUR CPE HERE!CPE is available to Health Mart franchise members onlyTo learn more about Health Mart, click here: https://join.healthmart.com/CPE INFORMATION Learning ObjectivesUpon successful completion of this knowledge-based activity, participants should be able to:1. Describe key new HIV PrEP therapy options recently approved or recommended, including their dosing schedules and clinical indications.2. Identify pharmacist responsibilities when counseling patients about PrEP, including initiation, adherence, monitoring, and risk-benefit discussions. Rachel Maynard and David Hachey have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.0.05 CEU/0.5 HrUAN: 0107-0000-26-049-H01-PInitial release date: 2/9/2026Expiration date: 2/9/2027Additional CPE details can be found here.

Recent developments in HIV prevention — including the FDA approval of a 6‑month injectable option and updated clinical guidance — are changing the landscape of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) therapy. This course reviews the latest developments, compares prevention strategies, and examines how these changes affect PrEP delivery, counseling, and monitoring. You will gain timely insights to better counsel patients, support adherence, and contribute to prevention strategies in your practice.HOSTRachel Maynard, PharmDGameChangers Podcast Host and Clinical Editor, CEimpactLead Editor, PyrlsGUESTDavid Hachey, PharmD, AAHIVP Professor Idaho State University GET CE FOR THIS LISTENING!The GameChangers Clinical Update Series for Pharmacists delivers 52 expert-led podcast episodes and 30+ hours of clinically actionable continuing education, all for a one-time purchase of just $99—that's less than $3 per hour for high-impact learning you can apply immediately in practice. Click here to enroll. PRACTICE RESOURCEReceive the exclusive Practice Resource to use as a reference guide for this episode by purchasing the GameChangers Clinical Update Series. CPE REDEMPTIONThis course is accredited for continuing pharmacy education! Click the link below that applies to you to take the exam and evaluation:If you are already enrolled in this course, click here to redeem your credit. To purchase the Clinical Update Series and claim your CPE credit, click here or to purchase this course individually, click here.  CPE INFORMATIONLearning ObjectivesUpon successful completion of this knowledge-based activity, participants should be able to:1. Describe key new HIV PrEP therapy options recently approved or recommended, including their dosing schedules and clinical indications.2. Identify pharmacist responsibilities when counseling patients about PrEP, including initiation, adherence, monitoring, and risk-benefit discussions. Rachel Maynard and David Hachey have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.0.05 CEU/0.5 HrUAN: 0107-0000-26-049-H01-PInitial release date: 2/9/2026Expiration date: 2/9/2027Additional CPE details can be found here.Follow CEimpact on Social Media:LinkedInInstagram

You’ve got a champion. Someone inside the account who gets it. They love your solution, they’re fighting for your proposal, and they’re feeding you intelligence about the decision-making process. So you’re golden, right? Wrong. One reorganization, one promotion, one departure, and your deal could vanish overnight. Research from LinkedIn Sales Solutions analyzed thousands of enterprise deals and found something most salespeople refuse to believe: sales teams that build relationships with multiple stakeholders inside an account are 34% more likely to win.  That’s the difference between hitting quota and missing it. Between a banner year and a brutal one. Why Single-Threaded Deals Die On average, 4-7 people influence a complex B2B buying decision. Even if you nail the pitch, you’re still just one voice in a conversation happening behind closed doors. A conversation where people you’ve never met are raising objections you’ll never hear. Where priorities you don’t know about are shifting the criteria.  Your champion can be dismissed as “the person who likes that vendor.” But when you’ve got three advocates from different departments? Consensus wins deals. Your Champion Won’t Stick Around One in five of the people you’re counting on right now won’t be in their role twelve months from now. They’ll get promoted, reassigned, poached by a competitor, or laid off in the next restructuring. When that happens to your sole contact, your deal doesn’t just stall. It dies. The new person in that role has zero relationship with you, zero context on your solution, and zero incentive to champion something their predecessor started. But if you’ve built what top performers call “account insulation”—relationships with two, three, or four people across different departments and levels—the web flexes when someone leaves. It doesn’t break. Weak Ties Matter More Than You Think We’re trained to go deep with our primary contact. Build trust. Understand their pain points. Tailor every message to their specific needs. That’s not wrong. It’s just incomplete. In complex selling scenarios, influence often spreads through what researchers call weak ties—the casual, adjacent connections that link clusters of strong relationships. These are your amplifiers. A brief introduction. A shared article. A helpful insight that makes someone in operations remember your name when your solution comes up in a meeting you’re not in. These loose connections become the difference between a deal that stalls and one that scales. Think about how deals from referrals close. They close twice as fast as deals that start cold. Accounts with multiple contacts grow larger, stay longer, and refer more business. The pattern is clear. Get enough internal referrals, and you stop being the vendor someone works with. You become the partner everyone trusts. Five Mistakes That Keep You Single-Threaded Account multithreading fails most often before it ever really begins. Not because it is hard, but because salespeople sabotage it with impatience, poor judgment, or misplaced effort. If you recognize any of these behaviors, they are costing you leverage inside the account. Trying to build fifty superficial relationships instead of multiple deep, meaningful connections. Spray and pray doesn’t work in prospecting, and it doesn’t work in account multithreading. Asking for referrals before you’ve built credibility. You can’t extract value before you’ve created it. Failing to nurture the relationships you’ve already initiated. You can’t plant seeds and never water them. Ignoring the law of reciprocity. If you don’t offer value first—business insights, useful data, relevant introductions—people won’t feel any obligation to help you. You’ll burn through goodwill and get nothing back. Wearing out your welcome. If you’ve reached out multiple times with relevant insights and gotten silence, that’s a signal. Move on. How to Build Your Account Web With Multi-Threading Start by mapping the web of people connected to your account. Decision makers, influencers, skeptics, the quiet analysts whose opinions shape what the decision makers think. Write it down. Visualize the relationships you have, the ones you need, and the blank spaces in between. Then ask questions that open doors and show you recognize the decision is bigger than one person. “Who else on your team would have a point of view on this?” “Would it be helpful if I shared what other departments are doing with similar tools?” “Is there someone else who should see this?” Or use my favorite: “I need your advice on this.” That phrase invokes reciprocity and dramatically increases the probability they’ll give you the referral. When trust is formed, asking for a direct referral becomes an act of generosity rather than an intrusion. Frame it around value, not obligation. “Would you be willing to introduce me to your colleague in operations? I think she’d have an interesting take on what we’re talking about.” “If anyone else on your team might benefit from this, would you mind sharing my name?” People say yes far more often than you think when you ask this way. The Quiet Chorus That Closes Deals The more people who trust you, the faster and further your message travels inside the account. You’ve got accounts in your pipeline right now sitting on a single thread. One job change, and that deal you’ve been nursing for months vanishes overnight. Stop searching for the one perfect contact. Start building a small community inside every account. It’s not a single voice that carries your deal through. It’s three voices in three different departments saying the same thing about you when you’re not in the room. Protect Your Pipeline with Discipline Account multithreading isn’t complicated, but it requires discipline and a shift in how you approach relationship-building. If you’re ready to protect your pipeline, increase your win rate by 34%, and build accounts that grow instead of churn, start mapping your key accounts today. Identify the blank spaces. Ask better questions. Build the web before you need it. Ready to close more deals? Explore Keith Lubner’s courses on Sales Gravy University. 

I want to hear your thoughts about the show and this episode. Text us here...What happens when a high-achieving leader stops performing and starts returning to herself?In this powerful episode of Casa De Confidence, Julie sits down with leadership coach, writer, and former Fortune 100 executive Jan Turner for a deeply human conversation about burnout, reinvention, creativity, and what it truly means to live a fierce life.After spending nearly three decades leading multi-billion-dollar businesses, Jan experienced multiple life-altering burnout moments that forced her to confront patterns of perfectionism, over-responsibility, and self-abandonment. Instead of pushing through, she chose a braver path: slowing down, reconnecting with creativity, and redefining leadership from the inside out.Together, Julie and Jan explore:Why burnout is not a badge of honor for high-achieving womenHow creativity and play are essential tools for regulation and healingThe hidden leadership patterns that keep women stuck and exhaustedWhy vulnerability is not weakness, but a powerful leadership skillWhat it means to live and lead fiercely in midlife and beyondJan also shares the story behind her mother's parting message, “Live a Fierce Life,” and how it continues to shape her work today.Free Gift: Jan is offering listeners her Fierce Weekly Reset, a simple and powerful guide to reset your energy, priorities, and mindset each week. Visit jan-turner.com.If you're a woman navigating leadership, transition, burnout, or a desire to return to yourself, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.Support the showOther helpful resources for you: For more about me and what I do, check out my website. Are you ready to get some help with:Podcast launch/re-launchPodcast growth, to increase your authority and position yourself as the thought leader you are. Or Leveraging your podcast to build your online biz and get more clientsSign up for a FREE 30 minute Confident Podcast Potential Discovery Call In this session I will: Identify the pain point that is holding you back. Suggest a next step strategy for solving the pain point.https://calendly.com/goconfidentlycoaching/30-minutes-free-coaching-sessioin Then we will talk about working together to accelerate the process. Do you want a podcast audit? Check out this link If you're looking for support to grow your business faster, be positioned as an authority in your industry, and impact the masses, schedule a call to explore if you'd be a good fit for one of my coaching programs. ...

Continuing in Nehemiah 4–9, this message highlights that while the enemy consistently opposes God's work through discouragement, distraction, and division, God always completes what He begins. Through the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, we see that God brings not only physical restoration but deep spiritual renewal through His Word. Believers are called to recognize opposition, respond faithfully through prayer and persistence, and remain anchored in Scripture as the ongoing means of transformation.Main Points:The enemy opposes God's work (through discouragement, distraction, and division)God always completes His workGod works renewal in His people through His wordScripture Referenced: Nehemiah 4-9 (main passage); 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:10; John 15:20; Ephesians 6:12; Joshua 1:9; Nehemiah 4:14; Nehemiah 6:3; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Nehemiah 6:15; Psalm 133:1; Romans 12:18; Matthew 18:15; Daniel 4:35; Psalm 19:7; John 6:63Community Group Guide:Begin with PrayerBegin by thanking God for bringing your group together and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your discussion and reveal how He wants to work through each person present.Discussion QuestionsPart 1: Understanding Opposition (Read Ephesians 2:10)The sermon identified three tactics of the enemy: discouragement, distraction, and division. Discuss each of these through the questions below.Discouragement Discussion: Discouragement is theological, not just emotional—it happens when we believe something that is out of step with God's power or promises. What specific area of discouragement in your life might actually be a crisis of belief about who God is?Distraction Discussion: Newley shared “Distraction doesn't usually announce itself as disobedience. It shows up as overcommitment.” What “good things” might be pulling you away from the “great work” God has called you to?Division Discussion: Are there any relationships in your life where unity needs to be pursued or restored? Do you find biblical conflict resolution (Matthew 18:15-17) difficult to follow? If so, why?Part 2: God's Faithful Completion (Read Nehemiah 6:15-16)Newley admitted struggling to believe God could use Grady as a worship leader because of his limitations, yet God was already doing it differently than expected. Where might you be putting God in a box by defining what completion or success must look like in your life?Part 3: Renewal Through God's Word (Read Psalm 19:7 and John 6:63)If someone asked you, “Tell me what you're learning from God right now. What are you reading in God's word?” would you have an answer?In Nehemiah 8-9, The Israelites' renewal came through hearing, studying, weeping over, confessing, and acting on God's word. How would you honestly assess your own active and intentional engagement with Scripture right now?Personal Reflection and Practical ApplicationCombat DiscouragementWrite out 3-5 promises of God from ScriptureWhen discouragement hits, speak these truths out loudShare with one person how God is at work, even if you can't see the finish lineEliminate DistractionIdentify one “good thing” that's pulling you from the “great work” God has called you toMake one practical decision to create margin for God's prioritiesPractice saying “no” to something this week, internally remembering Nehemiah's words: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down”Pursue UnityIf there's division in a relationship, pray for the Spirit to help you take the Matthew 18:15 step this week as He leads: Reach out privately, speak truth in love, and pursue restorationIf no division exists, encourage someone in the body of Christ who might be strugglingWorship Setlist: Psalm 150; Lord I Need You; Stand Firm; Behold Him