Podcasts about identify

Roger Whitney explores the idea that retirement always involves both excitement and uncertainty. While people spend years gathering information, running projections, and refining plans, there comes a point when no amount of additional analysis can eliminate risk. Through a conversation with Dr. Jordan Grumet, Roger discusses why retirement ultimately requires a leap of faith, how fear of running out of money can overshadow the risk of missing life, and practical ways to build confidence in spending and living intentionally. The episode also features listener reflections on decluttering, strategies for letting go of physical and financial clutter, and a Rockin' Retirement in the Wild story from Scott, who recently retired and embraced a long-awaited trip to Maui.OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN(00:00) Roger reflects on the “sweet and sour” nature of retirement and introduces the concept of taking a leap of faith.(01:56) Roger welcomes listeners, previews his conversation with Dr. Jordan Grumet, and invites listeners to the upcoming Noodle Live event.ROCKIN' RETIREMENT IN THE WILD(04:01) Scott shares a retirement story from Maui, including a chance encounter with Roger's realtor and reflections on taking the leap into retirement at age 57.PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT WITH DR. JORDON GRUMET(05:47) Roger and Dr. Jordan Grumet discuss why confidence can be one of the biggest challenges in retirement, even for those who have prepared well financially. (13:00) The conversation explores the tension between protecting financial security and fully embracing life's opportunities.(22:18) ) A discussion on longevity assumptions, retirement planning conservatism, and why many retirees may overestimate the likelihood of running out of money. (27:04) Practical strategies for building spending confidence, including the “fun bucket” approach. (35:24) Additional tactics for creating confidence, including prefunding near-term spending and focusing on purpose rather than optimization. (42:12) How values-driven planning can help retirees intentionally use money to support the life they want to create. (47:49) Key takeaways on abundance, mindset, and taking meaningful action despite uncertainty.SMART SPRINT(49:55) Identify one decision you've been researching, planning, or delaying. Ask yourself whether additional information will truly change the outcome, or if it's time to take a small leap of faith and move forward.DECLUTTERING DEBRIEF(51:06) Roger reflects on listener feedback from the decluttering series and shares a few practical insights and resources from the community. REFERENCESlivewithroger.com — Register for Noodle Live on June 18!Submit a Question for RogerSign up for The NoodleDr. Jordan Grumet / Earn & Invest PodcastNote: The opinions expressed are for informational purposes only and should not replace personalized advice from licensed professionals.

Last week we made the case for why you're not only allowed, but encouraged, to raise your standards for yourself, especially when it comes to your body. This week we build the practice. Because a philosophy you can't live isn't a philosophy, it's just a nice idea or a cute Instagram pist. In this episode, we're getting into what low standards actually look like in daily life. Not the obvious version, but the subtle, sneaky ways they show up disguised as practicality, selflessness, or just being realistic. The patterns that feel completely normal from the inside until someone names them and suddenly you can't unsee them. From there, I'm walking you through a four-step framework for actually raising your standards in real time. Not all at once, not through a dramatic overhaul, but in the specific, sustainable way that makes a new standard stick long enough to become identity. We're also getting into the concrete behaviors the high-standard woman actually lives by: how she trains, how she fuels herself, how she shows up, how she protects her non-negotiables when life gets hard. Not as inspiration, but as a blueprint.   Interested in a luxury 1:1 online health coaching experience? Look no further than FENIX ATHLETICA, where we fuse science and soul for life-long transformation (inside AND out). Follow me on Instagram Follow EMBody Radio on Instagram

Marcy Sagel is the founder and principal of MSA Interiors, a commercial interior design firm specializing in multifamily housing, student housing, senior living, affordable housing, and other complex commercial projects. With over 30 years of industry experience, Marcy has built a reputation for creating innovative, functional spaces that align with her clients' strategic and financial goals. She also co-founded Designer Bank, an online education platform that teaches design skills, space planning, software, and product knowledge to developers, investors, and aspiring designers.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Audit your top ten competitors before making a single design decision Prioritize closet space, in-unit laundry, lighting, and cabinetry in unit renovations Full-size stackable washers and dryers outperform compact units in resident satisfaction Furniture layout planning, including TV placement and door positioning, directly affects rentability Looking high-end and being expensive are not the same thing Cheap materials that fail early cost more over time than durable materials installed once Differentiate from the competition rather than replicate it     Topics What Residents Actually Want in a Unit Walk-in or large closets are now a baseline expectation, not a premium feature In-unit full-size stackable laundry is the preferred standard for most unit types Updated lighting, countertops, and kitchen cabinetry signal value to prospective residents Common Design Mistakes in Multifamily Layouts are not evaluated for furniture placement before construction or renovation TV placement and couch space are often afterthought considerations Excessive interior doors fragment rooms and reduce usable wall space Simple layout adjustments, such as moving a door 12 inches, can unlock meaningfully higher rents How to Stand Out Against the Competition List every competitor, their amenities, finishes, unit quality, and rents before setting a design direction Identify what the market is missing, then build toward that gap Boutique, differentiated spaces lease faster than properties that blend in Marcy cites a university-area project where a speakeasy-style hangout space and boutique design drove strong lease-up against large institutional competitors Looking Premium Without Overspending A $1.50 tile can look high-end with the right design approach Affordable housing projects should look as good as the budget allows, not be deliberately toned down Cheap, low-durability materials often require costly mid-cycle replacements that eliminate any initial savings Work with established vendors who can offer warranties and guarantee product longevity Designer Bank: Design Education for Developers Designer Bank is an online platform offering modules on Revit, rendering, space planning, lighting, flooring, and tile Modules are taught by industry practitioners with deep product knowledge Targeted at developers, investors, and anyone who wants to make better-informed design decisions    

Send us Fan MailYou see a colleague get the stretch assignment. You think, "Good for them." And then, quietly, "Why not me?"That moment is where most people stop. But that question, "Why not me?" is exactly where a negotiator starts. Research shows 46% of managers don't even know what their people want next. That's not on them. That's on you knowing it first.Getting what you want at work starts long before any conversation. It starts with being clear enough to say it out loud.In this episode, I'll cover:Identify what you actually want beyond just the next titleAsk the right people for perspective, including those outside your direct chainFrame what you want in a way that makes it easy for others to say yes_____________________

Did you like the episode? Send me a text and let me know!!How to Scale From 0 to 100 Customers: The Startup Distribution GuideThe Zero-to-One Blueprint: How Startups Find Their First 100 UsersEpisode DescriptionIn this episode of Business Conversations with Pi and PIET 2.0, Scoob, Pi, and PIET tackle the ultimate "Zero-to-One" startup hurdle: Where and how do I find my very first 10 to 100 customers when I have zero brand awareness, no marketing budget, and an imperfect prototype?Pulling from the battle-tested playbooks of Y Combinator, Close CRM, and top digital growth experts, this masterclass breaks down why doing things that "spectacularly fail to scale" is the only reliable way to build a foundation for massive growth. If you are an early-stage founder trying to map out a clear customer acquisition strategy, this blueprint is built for you.⏱️ Episode Timestamps[00:00:00] — Introduction to Episode 2.0Scoob introduces AI co-hosts Pi and PIET 2.0 to tackle real-world entrepreneurial growth and user acquisition bottlenecks.[00:00:50] — The Counterintuitive 100 Fanatics RuleAn analysis of Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky's core philosophy: Why it is infinitely better to have 100 people who absolutely love your product than a million who just sort of like it.[00:02:40] — The Archetype of the "Innovator"How to filter your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) based on raw pain intensity. Why early adopters buy half-finished, buggy software to solve an acute workflow disruption.[00:04:15] — Case Studies in Pain-Point ValidationExamining the early go-to-market strategies of Notion (targeting tech-savvy power users) and Brooklinen (targeting young urban professionals priced out of luxury department stores).[00:05:30] — The Trap of Generic Cash FlowWhy casting too wide of a net on Day 1 breaks your product roadmap feedback loop and creates a "Frankenstein monster" product that serves no one well.[00:07:15] — The Apollo 13 Scaling ParadoxSteli Efti's crucial warning against premature scaling. Why building a marketing funnel for 10,000 users before you have 10 is an entrepreneurial trap.[00:08:30] — Brute Force Acquisition TacticsHow Close CRM co-founder Steli Efti secured his first 7 B2B clients with zero lines of code written by manually targeting newly funded seed startups on Crunchbase.[00:10:00] — The 50-Profile LinkedIn Direct Outreach FormulaThe mathematical breakdown of hyper-personalized, founder-to-professional cold messaging. How to systematically manufacture a warm network with a 10–20% response rate.[00:12:15] — Moving From 10 to 100: The Hub-and-Spoke Distribution ModelHow to stop hunting individual footprints in the desert and start borrowing existing digital ecosystems.[00:13:00] — Historical Guerilla Growth HacksHow Netflix embedded inside fringe DVD bulletin boards, Etsy traveled to physical arts and crafts fairs, and Morning Brew manually collected emails via physical clipboards in college lecture halls.[00:14:40] — Navigating Digital Watering Holes SafelyThe rules of community reciprocity: How to launch on platforms like Reddit, Discord, or Hacker News without looking like a spammer.[00:15:45] — Building the Repeatable Growth EngineAn in-depth look at Lenny Rachitsky's journey. Why long-term hockey-stick growth only happens after a linear trend line of relentless, high-quality content consistency.[00:18:30] — Paradigm Shift: Customers as Unsalaried Co-FoundersPi and PIET reframe the entire acquisition process as a collaborative product development exercise.

Perennial weeds are in a different category than annuals. They don't just re-seed, they regrow from the ground up, season after season, from root systems that can run three feet deep or spread fifteen feet sideways underground. In this episode, we're tackling them systematically. First, a regional tour of the most aggressive perennial weeds in the U.S. - what they look like, how they spread, and why they're so hard to beat. Then, we work on management using Integrated Pest Management principles, starting with prevention and exclusion, moving through cultural and mechanical controls, and knowing when chemical options are appropriate. Finally, we close with a hard look at the homemade internet sprays that are all over social media - and why some of them could do more damage to your soil than the weeds ever would. Let's dig in. References: Montana State University Extension – Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) MontGuide MT201903AG https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT201903AG University of Nevada, Reno Extension – Managing Field Bindweed (Publication 4834) https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=4834 University of Minnesota Extension – Perennial Weeds Identification Guide https://extension.umn.edu/weed-identification/perennial-weeds University of Minnesota Extension – Canada Thistle Identification https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/canada-thistle University of Maryland Extension – Canada Thistle https://extension.umd.edu/resource/canada-thistle Colorado State University Extension – Canada Thistle https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/canada-thistle/ SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) – Canada Thistle: Manage Weeds on Your Farm https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/canada-thistle/ NC State Extension Plant Toolbox – Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sorghum-halepense/ University of Georgia Extension – Johnsongrass Control in Pastures, Roadsides, and Noncropland Areas https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/?p=62642 Schantz, M.C. (2025). Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense): a review of its invasion, management, and spread in the changing climate of the Southern Great Plains. Weed Science, 73(e31), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2025.7 University of Maryland Extension – Poison Hemlock Identification and Management https://extension.umd.edu/resource/poison-hemlock-identification-and-management Montana State University Extension – Poison Hemlock MontGuide MT200013AG https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT200013AG Purdue Extension – Poison Hemlock: Invasive Plant Series (FNR-437-W) https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-437-w.pdf Mississippi State University Extension – Kudzu https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/kudzu Mississippi State University Extension – Torpedograss (Panicum repens) https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/torpedograss UC IPM – Nutsedge (Yellow and Purple) https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/nutsedge.html West Virginia University Extension – Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/weeds/yellow-nutsedge Penn State Extension – Japanese and Giant Knotweed https://extension.psu.edu/japanese-and-giant-knotweed University of Wisconsin Extension – Perennial Knotweed Identification (Mark Renz, Extension Weed Scientist) https://renzweedscience.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/177/2025/05/Perennial-knotweed-identification.pdf Oregon State University Extension – Solve Pest Problems: Grasses & Grass-Like Pacific Northwest Weeds https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/grass-like Washington State University – Perennial Weed Control in the Pacific Northwest (PNW Pest Management Handbooks) https://pnwhandbooks.org/weed/agronomic/corn/field-silage-seed/perennial-weed-control-quackgrass-field-bindweed-canada-thistle-johnsongrass-etc-0 Colorado State University Extension – Weed Management (IPM) https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/weed-management/ NC State Extension – Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 8: Integrated Pest Management https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/8-integrated-pest-management-ipm Washington State University – Weed Management (Pesticide Resources and Education Program) https://pep.wsu.edu/weedmanagement/ UC IPM – Soil Solarization for Gardens and Landscapes https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/soil-solarization-for-gardens-landscapes/ University of Vermont Extension – Tarping, Solarization and Occultation https://www.uvm.edu/extension/news/tarping-solarization-and-occultation UConn Extension – Homemade Pesticide Issues: Understanding the Science (EXT014, Updated 2024) https://extension.uconn.edu/publication/homemade-pesticides/ Ask Extension (Cooperative Extension National Q&A Service) – Vinegar, Salt, and Dawn Weed Killer https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=888177 University of Florida IFAS Extension – Chapter 4: Integrated Pest Management (Weed Management Categories) https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CV298 Resources: Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 221: Justin Roethlingshoefer Final - The Executive's Guide to Holistic Leadership CapacityIn this inspiring health podcast, we explore the Holy Health Academy, a three-month program designed to foster spiritual growth. This Christian podcast highlights understanding your identity in God and interpreting your body's signals, like your heartbeat, as a form of divine communication. Discover how to embrace divine wellness and healing scriptures for a purposeful life.Discover how to align scripture and science for holy health and unlock your full leadership potential. In this powerful episode, Justin Roethlingshoefer, author of "Holy Health," reveals the profound connection between spiritual obedience and physical well-being, challenging executive leaders to move beyond performance-driven living to a life of abundant capacity.This masterclass dissects the critical corporate bottleneck of fragmented well-being, where leaders often compartmentalize faith and health. Justin provides a transformative framework for integrating mind, body, and spirit, enabling you to build sustainable rhythms that fuel your calling and prevent burnout, ultimately driving unparalleled team performance and executive resilience.

Today, we're focusing on navigating the pressure of running a business while staying connected to your bigger vision for your life and business. Stay tuned as Eric shares a simple five-step exercise to help you gain clarity, direction, and long-term alignment. The Sandwich Generation Many business owners are part of the "sandwich generation," taking care of parents while also raising children. That pressure adds to the demands of running a business, whether you're leading a large team or working as a solopreneur. A Long-Term Vision When pressure is high, it helps to reconnect with why you started the business in the first place. Most people fail to clearly define what they want their life or business to look like in the next 10 years. Identify the Different Areas of Your Life The first step is identifying up to seven areas of your life, including health, family and friends, fun, finances, work, personal development, and volunteering or charities. Rate Each Area Rate each area from 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 your ideal, to create a clear picture of where your life currently feels aligned and where you need to improve it. Define your Actions Define two or three actions for each area that will move the needle in the right direction for you. Small actions and little wins create momentum. Questions and Answers Make a list of questions about your life 10 years from now, including where you live, your health, your accomplishments, what clients are saying, and your personal wealth. Eric's advice is to take your time answering those questions and sleep on them instead of rushing through the process. Write the Script of Your Future Life Describe a specific day in your life 10 years from now. The goal is to create a two- or three-page story that feels exciting and aligned. Revisit the Vision During Difficult Moments Review the document once or twice a year, especially during moments of pressure, doubt, difficult client situations, or imposter syndrome. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Listen to The Business of Meetings podcast Subscribe to The Business of Meetings newsletter  

If you started your podcast and were surprised at the amount of time and effort that goes into it, you're not alone. Luckily, there are practical ways you can simplify your podcast workflow and save time in the process. This week, episode 38 of Successful Podcasting Unlocked answers the question: How can I simplify my podcast workflow?In this episode, I share:Identify the bottlenecks in your workflow and consider outsourcing the time consuming tasks, such as editing and social media promotion. Streamline production by batching tasks and using templates for repetitive elements. Leverage tools like Calendly and ClickUp to easily manage scheduling and workflow. Optimize your recording and editing by using tools like Riverside and Descript. Repurpose your podcast content for promotion across different platforms, using a social media scheduler to save time. Be sure to download the FREE Podcast Workflow Checklist to keep your workflow on track!Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips, tricks, and advice as I answer all your podcasting questions. Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don't forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!CONNECT WITH ALESIA GALATI:InstagramLinkedInWork with Galati Media! LINKS MENTIONED:Ep 3: Where to Find Quality Guests for Your PodcastPodmatch*ClickUp*Riverside*Meet Edgar**Affiliate LinkProud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

In this episode of Storage Wins, Alex Pardo welcomes back Dan Wentzel with a major announcement: after months of grinding through deals, cold calls, and follow-ups, Dan is officially under contract on a $2.625 million self-storage facility that has 234 units and 28,000 square feet in a growing market with strong demographics.   What makes this milestone so powerful isn't just the deal itself — it's the journey that led to it. Dan cold called this owner four years ago, followed up for over a year, sent somewhere between six and twelve offers, and refused to quit even when the seller went to a broker and the deal almost died twice. This is a masterclass in what persistence actually looks like in the real world of self-storage investing.   The conversation dives deep into how a single phone call to a local bank, uncovering better lending terms than anything previously available, completely changed what Dan could offer and finally got the deal done. It's a reminder that creative problem-solving and consistent action can unlock opportunities that feel out of reach.   Alex and Dan also work through the deal's financials in real time, breaking down back-of-napkin underwriting: starting with $275,000 in current revenue, applying a 35% expense ratio to arrive at a $178,750 NOI, and exploring what a conservative 20% rent increase could do (pushing projected NOI to over $217,000). With rates sitting 30–40% below market and only two competitors in the area (one of which appears to be at capacity), the upside is real. The episode closes with a cliffhanger. The numbers are promising, but the next episode will tackle how to structure the capital stack: debt vs. equity, investor returns, and whether this deal can fully support itself.   This is one of the most honest and instructive episodes in the series, proof that the deal of your life can be the one you almost walked away from. ⸻ You'll Learn How To: Push through analysis paralysis and doubt by staying in motion even when results aren't showing yet  Follow up with sellers over months and years without burning the relationship  Use simple back-of-napkin math to quickly evaluate any self-storage deal  Apply an expense ratio to calculate NOI and interpret cap rates in context • Identify value-add opportunities from below-market rents and unsophisticated operations  Use bank financing creatively to increase your offer and structure a better deal  Recognize what makes a market worth pursuing: population growth, median income, and limited competition  Build a simple, sustainable follow-up system that doesn't require an expensive CRM ⸻ What You'll Learn in This Episode: [0:00] Dan announces he's under contract on a $2.625 million storage facility [1:00] Alex reflects on Dan's journey — from stuck and overwhelmed to under contract [3:16] What the mindset shift actually looked like: keeping your head down and taking the next step [4:08] Was quitting ever a real thought? Dan's honest answer [5:38] Why Alex's mentor told him to "love the journey" — and what that actually means [6:35] The confidence that comes from persisting when others would have quit [7:40] Deal overview: how did Dan even find this opportunity? [8:43] Cold called the owner four years ago — couldn't get through [9:12] A VA finally made contact: seller wanted $3 million — the follow-up began [10:03] How finding better bank financing changed everything and unlocked the deal [10:41] The numbers: 28,000 sq ft, 234 units, plus 24 containers with upside potential [11:32] How many offers did Dan send this seller? "Somewhere between six and twelve" [12:07] Why seller financing was difficult: the seller wanted 40% down [13:03] What made this deal worth the persistence: unsophisticated owner, strong market [13:28] No Google Maps presence, no online rentals, no rate management — maximum upside [14:22] Dan's follow-up system: a Google spreadsheet and phone reminders [15:14] Why the best CRM is the one you actually use [15:55] Market demographics: 3% annual population growth, $90K median household income [16:22] Seller's motivation: retirement [17:06] Purchase price per square foot: $94 — high, but not the full picture [17:31] Current annual revenue: $275,000 at 95% occupancy [18:01] Walking through back-of-napkin math with Dan live on the show [19:47] NOI calculation: $275K × 65% = $178,750 — what that means as a 7 cap [21:07] Why cap rates alone don't tell the full story [22:22] How much can revenue grow? Rates are 30–40% below market [23:48] Analyzing worst case, likely, and best case revenue scenarios [25:11] Only two competitors — one appears to be at full capacity [26:40] How to review the P&L month by month to project ramp-up revenue [27:17] Conservative scenario: 20% rate increase = $60K in additional top-line revenue [27:41] New projected NOI: $217,750 — now buying at an 8 cap [28:29] What comes next: layering debt and equity onto the deal [30:29] The cliffhanger: tune in to the next episode for full capital stack breakdown ⸻ Who This Episode Is For: Investors who have been grinding without results and are questioning whether to keep going  Anyone trying to source their first off-market self-storage deal through cold calling  Listeners who want to understand how to underwrite a deal from scratch  Entrepreneurs learning how to structure persistent, respectful follow-up with sellers  Investors exploring how bank financing can improve deal terms  Anyone building a value-add self-storage investment thesis  People who need a reminder that the breakthrough is usually just on the other side of the next rep ⸻ Why You Should Listen: Most people give up long before the deal gets done.   Dan Wentzel cold called this seller four years ago, got nowhere, followed up for over a year, sent over half a dozen offers, watched it almost go to other buyers twice — and then found one bank with better terms that changed everything.   This episode is a real-time case study in what persistence, creative financing, and consistent action actually look like in the self-storage business. If you've been putting in the work and not yet seeing the results, this conversation will remind you why you can't afford to stop now. ⸻ Follow Alex Pardo here: Website: https://alexpardo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/ ⸻ Have conversations with at least three storage owners, brokers, private lenders, or equity partners inside the Storage Wins Facebook Group. Join for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/

🧭 REBEL Rundown 🔑 Key Points 🧩 Human Factors: The unseen behaviors, distractions and considerations critical in emergency medicine and the ICU, influencing patient care beyond just medical knowledge.🎯 System Design: Effective system design directly impacts team performance by creating environments that facilitate optimal decision-making. 🏥 Real-world Application: The application of human factors in healthcare leads to better team dynamics, reduced stress, and improved patient outcomes. 👷🏽‍️It’s Everyone’s Job: Building a culture of adaptability and openness to change can lead to better healthcare delivery, communication and interprofessional relationships🛠️ Practical Solutions: Start the conversation in departments for actionable and pragmatic changes to current healthcare environments to enhance practitioner efficiency and patient care quality. Click here for Direct Download of the Podcast. 👀Previously Covered and Related Content: REBEL EM: Titles Don’t Make LeadersREBEL MIND: Moving from Junior to Senior Leadership in Emergency CareREBEL MIND: The Dunning-Kruger EffectREBEL MIND: Growth vs Fixed Mindset 📝 Introduction Welcome back to Rebel MIND, the podcast where we sharpen the person behind the practitioner. MIND stands for Mastering Internal Negativity during Difficulty. This series emphasizes productivity, provider performance, and team optimization to ensure we are at our best during high-pressure situations. In this episode, host Dr. Mark Ramzy chats with special guests and master educators about the concept of human factors.Dr. Chris Hicks is an emergency physician and trauma team leader at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and co-founder of Advanced Performance Healthcare Design, a physician-led simulation and design group. Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak is an emergency physician and trauma team leader at St. Michael’s Hospital, and Medical Director of the Unity Health Toronto Simulation Program. He’s an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto where his research focuses on simulation for systems and design improvement and optimizing the care of the bleeding patient. Along with Dr. Hicks, he’s also President of Advanced Performance Healthcare Design, a consulting firm that works with high-performance teams and uses simulation to enhance and design better healthcare spaces Cognitive Question How can the integration of human factors improve decision-making and performance in emergency medicine and critical care environments? ️What are Human Factors? In the context of healthcare, human factors encompass the interplay between humans, the systems they work within, and the effectiveness of their interactions. It includes elements like communication, system design, environmental conditions, and behavioral patterns affecting individual and team decision-making processes. It’s the collective impact of individual behaviors, team dynamics, and the physical environment on performance and outcomes. The aim is to eliminate issues arising from human error by creating systems and environments that naturally guide and support optimal performance. 🏥How This Applies to the Emergency Department or ICU? Efficient integration of human factors in high-pressure settings like the Emergency Department (ED) or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) helps mitigate the risks associated with stressful and chaotic environments. By focusing on system designs that account for human behavior, healthcare professionals can reduce errors, enhance team coordination, and ultimately improve patient care. This is crucial as teams are often required to make rapid, life-saving decisions in these environmentsThe design of clinical spaces can either hinder or help efficient care. Poorly arranged equipment or cluttered workspaces increase stress and impede decision-making. Implementing structured design principles, such as dedicated equipment zones and clear visual cues, can streamline workflows and enhance team coordinationIt actually helps pave the way for more efficiency because you end up “working smarter instead of harder”.It speaks directly to the Daniel Kahneman’s theory of Type 2 Thinking – which is a slow, analytical cognitive process requiring deliberate thoughtWe’ll likely create a whole dedicated episode to this but if you want to read more ahead of time on it, check out his book Thinking, Fast and Slow ⏩Immediate Action Steps for Your Next Shift **Assess Your Environment**: Take note of any clutter, noise, or layout issues in your workspace that could hinder optimal performance. Identify problem areas that could be optimized.**Recognizable Hard-Stop** – Implement a “Stop-Point” Check for areas or issues that involve more than just patient safety (ie. workflow inefficiencies, sign-out, throughput, etc). Use predefined benchmarks during procedures to ensure clarity and efficiency.**Foster Open Communication** – Encourage an environment where every team member feels comfortable discussing their thoughts and decisions without fear of judgment.**Prototype Solutions** – Work with colleagues to identify problems and brainstorm quick, cost-effective solutions that could be tested in your department.**Role Clarity and Preparation** – Ensure roles are clearly defined and team members are prepared with necessary resources readily available during high-stakes scenarios.**Test and Refine** – Conduct quick pilot tests of new setups or processes during quieter times and gather feedback from your team. Conclusion Human factors play a critical role in shaping healthcare outcomes. Through structured system designs and attention to team dynamics, it is possible to reduce inefficiencies and enhance both patient care and provider well-being. It requires a shift in perspective from seeing design and systems as separate from human behaviors, to seeing them as intricately linked. By incorporating these principles, healthcare professionals can create environments that inherently support better, safer, and more effective patient care. 🚨 Clinical Bottom Line Incorporating human factors into healthcare isn’t just about preventing errors—it’s about creating an ecosystem where the healthcare team is empowered to perform at their best, even under the most challenging conditions. Implementing small, iterative changes can create a meaningful impact, paving the way for improved systems and processes. This starts by redesigning systems and environments with human factors in mind, which can significantly improve both the efficiency of care delivery and the safety of the healthcare environment. Further Reading Petrosoniak A, Hicks C. M&M rounds 2.0: the future of performance improvement. CJEM. Feb 2025PMID: 39979684Petrosoniak A, Hicks CDesign, build, train, excel: Using simulation to create elite trauma systems. International Anesthesiology Clinics. Publish Ahead of Print.Request the Article herePetrosoniak A, Hicks C, et al. Design Thinking-Informed Simulation: An Innovative Framework to Test, Evaluate, and Modify New Clinical Infrastructure. Simul Healthc. 2020 Jun 2020.PMID: 32039946Bleetman A, et al.Human factors and error prevention in emergency medicine. Emerg Med J. May 2012PMID: 21565880Hayden EM, et al.Human Factors and Simulation in Emergency Medicine. Acad Emerg Med. 2018 Feb 2018PMID: 28925571 Meet the Authors Mark Ramzy, DO Co-Editor-in-Chief Cardiothoracic Intensivist and EM Attending RWJBH / Rutgers Health, Newark, NJ Chris Hicks, MD, Med Co-Founder of Advanced Performance Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada Andrew Petrosoniak, MD, MSc Co-Founder and President of Advanced Performance Medical Director of Unity Health Toronto Simulation Program Showing Slide 1 of 3 The post REBEL MIND – Human Factors: The Hidden Architecture of Emergency & Critical Care Medicine appeared first on REBEL EM - Emergency Medicine Blog.

Text your thoughts and questions!The halfway point of the year brings up a mix of thoughts, from wondering where the time went to figuring out what comes next. Maybe your January intentions are thriving, or perhaps they quietly dissolved back in February, leaving you with low-grade guilt while you scrambled to stay busy.January 1st is an arbitrary date driven by culture rather than internal readiness. Forcing yourself to overhaul habits during the darkest, coldest, most energy-depleted stretch of the year forces your recovering nervous system to sprint when it naturally wants rest.June offers a perfect opportunity to check in and choose to change. Instead of relying on predictions or hopes, you now have six months of real data to assess what actually got your attention, where your energy went, and how to look both backward and forward at the same time.This week, episode 316 of the Positively Living® Podcast shares a simple, three-question framework to help you pause, clear out what isn't serving you, and make a sustainable plan on your own terms.Key Takeaways:Realize that sustainable change requires adequate energy and internal readiness, not just an arbitrary calendar date during winter depletion .Use the halfway mark of the year to work with actual factual information about your habits instead of relying on predictions or guesses .Name your systems and small wins without rushing through them, because identifying what went right shows you the conditions that helped you thrive .Identify where plans fell apart and look closely at the root cause, whether it was wrong timing, over-planning, or a lack of capacity .Choose how you want to feel or who you want to be over complex, rigid goals when your next immediate steps are unclear .Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don't forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about Positively LivingⓇ and Lisa at https://positivelyproductive.com/podcast/Stop trying to fit into someone else's productivity rules! Grab my free Productivity Toolkit, a collection of workbooks designed to help you explore how you work, uncover what truly matters to you, and create your very own energy-friendly systems. Get it here: www.positivelyproductive.com/plpkitCONNECT WITH LISA ZAWROTNY:FacebookInstagramResourcesWork with Lisa! LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Episode 136: Reflections Instead of ResolutionsEpisode 242: A Reverse Approach to Better Achieve Your GoalsBook a Clarity Call(Find links to books/gear on the Positively Productive Resources Page.)Dance Song Playlist V1, V2, V3Music by Ian and Jeff ZawrotnyStart your own podcast with Buzzsprout!Request this Toolkit and other free resources at the Resources Page.

The conversation around AI often focuses on what the technology can do. But the more important discussion may be what AI is exposing. Across organizations, AI Reality Gaps are appearing everywhere—not because AI is failing, but because it is revealing problems that were already there. Season 28 of Building Better Developers begins with a simple premise: AI is exposing the cracks. For years, companies have carried technical debt, process inefficiencies, undocumented systems, siloed knowledge, and weak decision-making structures. Those issues often remained hidden because people compensated for them. AI changes that equation. Why AI Reality Gaps Are Becoming Visible Many organizations approached AI as a solution. Need faster development? Use AI. Need better documentation? Use AI. Need more productivity? Use AI. The problem is that technology rarely fixes organizational dysfunction. It usually amplifies it. When teams introduce AI into poorly documented systems, AI inherits the confusion. When processes are unclear, AI accelerates inconsistency. When knowledge lives inside one person's head, AI has nothing reliable to learn from. The technology isn't creating new problems. It's making old problems impossible to ignore. AI often functions as an organizational mirror. It reflects existing strengths and weaknesses back to the business. AI Reality Gaps and the Documentation Problem One theme discussed in the season kickoff was the challenge of tribal knowledge. Many organizations operate on information that exists only in the minds of experienced employees. Systems work because certain people know how they work—not because anyone documented them. This model has survived for years because humans are remarkably adaptable. AI is far less forgiving. When an AI system encounters undocumented architecture, unclear workflows, or missing business rules, it cannot compensate with institutional memory. The result is often inaccurate recommendations, incomplete solutions, or confidence built on bad assumptions. The introduction of AI forces organizations to ask a difficult question: Do we actually understand our own systems? AI Reality Gaps Expose Process Weaknesses One of the most dangerous assumptions in technology is that speed automatically creates value. AI makes it easier to generate code, reports, summaries, and recommendations. But generating output faster doesn't improve the quality of decisions behind that output. Organizations that already have disciplined processes benefit enormously. Organizations without those foundations simply create bad outcomes faster. This creates a new reality for leaders: Success with AI depends less on the tool and more on the maturity of the systems surrounding it. Accelerating a broken process rarely fixes it. It usually increases the cost of failure. The Difference Between Automation and Understanding The season kickoff highlighted examples where AI produced misleading conclusions because it was given incomplete or poorly timed data. This is an important lesson. AI does not possess magical understanding. It processes the information it receives and generates conclusions based on that information. If the inputs are flawed, the outputs will be flawed. This reality shifts responsibility back to the people using the technology. The critical question becomes: Are we using AI to replace thinking, or are we using it to improve thinking? Organizations that treat AI as a decision-support system will generally outperform those that treat it as a decision-maker. Building Stronger Foundations Before Scaling AI As AI becomes embedded in software development, leadership, operations, and product management, foundational disciplines become more valuable—not less. Teams need: Better documentation Clearer ownership Consistent workflows Strong communication Shared understanding of business goals These capabilities may not feel innovative, but they create the conditions where innovation can thrive. AI rewards organizations that already know how to operate effectively. It punishes organizations that hoped technology would replace operational excellence. Identify one process your team relies on that exists primarily through tribal knowledge. Document it this week. The Future Isn't About More AI The future isn't simply about adding more AI. It's about creating organizations capable of using AI effectively. The companies that succeed won't necessarily be the ones with the most advanced tools. They'll be the ones with the strongest foundations. AI isn't exposing new problems. It's exposing old problems at a scale and speed we've never experienced before. Conclusion The biggest lesson from the Season 28 kickoff is that AI is not a shortcut around organizational discipline. Instead, it shines a spotlight on the areas businesses have neglected for years. The organizations that recognize and address these AI Reality Gaps today will be the ones best positioned to thrive tomorrow. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, takes a deep dive into food justice with Taylor Ryan, Founder and CEO of Change Today, Change Tomorrow (https://change-today.org). Taylor was last on the program in August of 2024 and 2023, but we're excited to have her back because next week she will be a featured speaker and honoree at the Food & Science Forum on Thursday, June 11th, 4-7:30pm, at Bates Memorial Baptist Church (620 Lampton St.). During Food & Science, a health forum hosted by UofL's Envirome Institute, we will celebrate community heroes and hear from an expert panel on the key intersections of food & science. The Envirome's “& Science” series is a quarterly health forum and this fourth installment of the series will focus on Food & Science, featuring leaders from different agricultural and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Together we will: Explore key intersections of nutrition, health and wellbeing; Identify drivers of food insecurity in Louisville; Discuss overcoming barriers that promote access to healthy food; and Envision a food secure future for all of Louisville. The event kicks off with a Community Block Party (Farmers Market & Community Fair) from 4:00 - 6:00pm, followed by a the presentation of the "& Science" Champion Award and the panel from 6:00 - 7:30pm. Our speakers include: - Taylor Ryan (Founder and Executive Director of Change Today, Change Tomorrow) - Cassia Herron (Healthy Communities Fellow, Aspen Global Innovators Group) - Vincent James (President and CEO, Dare To Care) - Dr. Wayne Tuckson (Kentucky Health Host, Kentucky Educational Television, retired Colon and Rectal Surgeon) - Dr. Kim Williams (Chairman of Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Professor, University of Louisville School of Medicine) Also Featuring: - Farmers Market hosted in collaboration with the South End Community Market - Community booths featuring the work of many non-profits tackling food and health issues: Feed Louisville, West Jefferson County Community Task Force, NAACP Louisville Branch, Catholic Charities - Common Earth Gardens, Food Literacy Project, Feeding Kentucky, Ag in the City, Greater Louisville Food Council/Food In Neighborhoods, and UofL's Trager Institute, Louisville Clinical & Translational Research Center, School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, and more. For more information, please contact Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, natasha.dejarnett@louisville.edu or (502)852-9354. This event is free, but please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-science-tickets-1988855934639?aff=erelexpmlt We also catch up with the work of Change Today, Change Tomorrow (CTCT), including:
 - CTCT's 2nd Annual Breaking Barriers Farm to Table Brunch on Friday, June 19th, 11am-2pm, Evan Williams (528 W Main) https://tinyurl.com/CTCT-BB26 - CTCT's new mobile market - Voter engagement with Feed the West families - CTCT's West End Farmers Market: Every other Sunday (next June 14th) through Oct. 18th, 3–7 PM at California Park (16th & St. Catherine) - CTCT's new food hub at 2339 Date Street (25th & Date in the California neighborhood) which hosts a Neighborhood Garden Club on Tuesdays, Fridays + every 2nd Saturday of the month, 10am – noon. As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Have you ever wondered why some companies dominate a market while everyone else competes in a crowded space, and what it takes to create a category of your own? If you're leading a business and looking for a way to stand out, this episode will challenge how you think about growth. Rather than competing in an existing market, you'll learn how category creation can help you define a new space, solve a bigger problem, and position your company as the leader others follow. Whether you're launching a new offering, refining your strategy, or aligning your leadership team around a bold vision, this conversation offers a practical framework for creating lasting competitive advantage. In this episode, you'll learn how to: Identify and define market problems that customers may not even realize they have—and turn them into opportunities for category leadership. Build a compelling strategic narrative that aligns your leadership team, sales organization, and entire company around a shared vision. Avoid the common pitfalls that cause category creation efforts to fail, including lack of commitment, poor internal alignment, and inconsistent market education. Listen now to discover how a united leadership team can create and own a category instead of fighting for position in someone else's market. Check out: 2:55 – Why Market Product Fit Beats Product Market Fit Mike explains why category creators design the market first and then position their product within it, challenging one of the most common startup and growth assumptions. 8:05 – The Category Point of View Framework Learn the storytelling structure behind successful category creation, including how to define the villain (problem), position the customer as the victim, and introduce the category as the hero. 26:20 – Getting Your Leadership Team and Organization Aligned Mike shares why category creation fails when only marketing owns the strategy and how CEOs can align the leadership team, sales organization, and employees around a common vision. About Mike Damphouse Mike "Damp" Damphousse brings an experienced, pragmatic aspect to strategic category design from three decades as a founder, CEO, CMO, startup advisor, and a limited partner with Stage 2 Capital. As co-founder of Category Design Advisors and co-author of The Category Creation Formula, he works with management teams and investors to design categories that create enduring market value. 

What if the feeling that your job isn't fulfilling enough isn't a sign you're in the wrong place — but an invitation to build meaning where you are?In this Season 6 episode of the Career Transitions Podcast, we sit down with Winnie Jiang, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at INSEAD Singapore, whose research sits at the heart of what this podcast is all about: how people make sense of their careers, find meaning, and navigate change.We explore why the "perfect job" myth can do more harm than good, and why meaning isn't something a job gives you — it's something you actively construct. Winnie introduces us to the concept of job crafting: the everyday, practical choices we make about tasks, relationships, and mindset that can transform how we experience our work right now, without changing roles.We also dig into the difference between meaning and purpose (and why it's okay not to have a grand "why"), the deeply social nature of career transitions — including what it really takes to claim a new professional identity — and how AI is reshaping meaning at work in ways that are more nuanced than the headlines suggest.Winnie's research on dancers navigating AI disruption offers a striking window into what meta agency looks like in practice: the shift from reactive adaptation to actively choosing how and where you grow.When was the last time you actively crafted your job — rather than waiting for it to feel more meaningful on its own?Connect with us on LinkedIn and let us know.Read more of Winnie's work:A Search for Daily Meaning: Building a Purpose-Driven CareerThree Lessons From Tech Layoffs on Building Career AgilityIs Working Yourself "To The Bone" Ever Worth It?Perceiving Fixed or Flexible Meaning: Navigating Occupational Destabilization (Administrative Science Quarterly, 2023)From Boundaryless to Boundary-Crossing: A Friction-Based Model of Career Transitions (Research in Organizational Behavior, 2024)Connect with us on LinkedIn: ·       Vanessa Iloste (Host)·       Vanessa Teo (Host) ·       Aaron Wu (Producer)

You are not overreacting. Your nervous system is not broken. It is doing exactly what it learned to do in environments where threat was the norm. In this episode, Jennifer Wallace and Elisabeth Kristof close out Season Five with one of the most important and least understood concepts in complex trauma: emotional flashbacks. Not the cinematic kind, not a sudden memory of a specific event, but the quiet, whole-system state shift that can color an entire day, week, or month in dread, loneliness, shame, and the bone-deep certainty that nothing will ever be okay. The episode opens with a reframe that changes everything: an emotional flashback is not a regression to the past. It is a real-time nervous system state that reorganizes how the brain filters reality. Perception shifts. Interpretation shifts. What feels possible shifts. And because it happens at the level of the whole predictive network, not just a single memory, it does not feel like the past. It feels like now. It feels like truth. Elisabeth and Jennifer trace exactly how this works through the lens of neuro somatic intelligence, constructed emotion theory, and the science of predictive processing. They explain what neuro tags are and how they get activated, why the amygdala hijack model is outdated and what a more accurate understanding of emotional flashbacks actually looks like, and why calling these states irrational or disordered misses the point entirely. The nervous system is not malfunctioning. It is preparing for threat based on what it has reliably learned to expect. Both hosts share vivid and honest personal examples. Elisabeth describes a recent subtle flashback triggered by being sick, underresourced, and feeling unsupported by her partner, and how quickly the narrative spread to her business, her relationships, and her sense of being completely alone. Jennifer shares the story of a red hummingbird feeder in her backyard that unlocked an entire somatic memory of loneliness and isolation she had not yet consciously connected to childhood. The episode also addresses something practitioners often ask about: how to tell the difference between emotional dysregulation that needs regulating, and an emotion that needs to be felt and moved through. The answer is not a clean line but a question of capacity, flexibility, and what the nervous system can hold in that moment. This is the final episode of Season Five and a natural bridge into Season Six, where Jennifer and Elisabeth will be expanding the lens from individual healing to collective nervous system dynamics, cultural structures, and what becomes possible when this work moves beyond the personal. Chapters 0:00 - Emotional Flashbacks Are Not Regressions. They Are Reality Shifts. 0:38 - Welcome: Closing the Season With Emotional Flashbacks 1:59 - What Neuro Tags Are and How They Get Activated 3:43 - Why Emotional Flashbacks Are Hard to Identify, Especially at First 4:42 - Constructed Emotion Theory and How the Brain Builds Emotional Reality 6:22 - How Physiology Shifts Perception: The Whole System View 7:37 - What It Feels Like From the Inside 9:22 - When You Have Lived in Flashbacks So Long They Feel Like Reality 10:31 - Elisabeth's Recent Subtle Flashback: Sick, Underresourced, and the Narrative That Spread 12:21 - Why Emotional Flashbacks in Complex Trauma Last Days, Weeks, or Longer 14:11 - How to Start Recognizing When You Are In One 15:22 - Moving Beyond Amygdala Hijacking: A More Accurate Model 18:27 - What Modern Neuroscience Actually Says About Emotion and the Brain 21:31 - Emotional Flashbacks as Coherent State Shifts, Not System Failures 23:42 - Why Sensory Precision Matters and What Happens When It Decreases 25:38 - Implicit Memory: How the Past Lives in the Body Without a Story 29:07 - Jennifer's Story: The Red Hummingbird Feeder 30:30 - How Safety States Open New Memory Files 31:41 - The Disproportionate Feeling and the Shame That Comes With It 32:30 - The Flashback Voice Speaks in Absolutes 33:26 - What Triggers Emotional Flashbacks: Sensory Cues, Patterns, and Relational Shifts 36:15 - It Is Not Trying to Remember. It Is Trying to Prepare. 36:42 - Dysregulation vs Emotion That Needs to Be Processed: A Real Question 40:45 - Flexibility as the Key Marker of Growth 41:41 - How NSI Practices Help Shift Neuro Tags in Real Time 43:44 - Closing the Season and a Preview of Season Six Ways to Engage with Neurosomatics    Join us inside Rewire: This is where you actually experience the practices Jennifer and Elisabeth talk about on the podcast that brought us freedom, self-attunement, a new relationship with food and our body.  rewiretrial.com   Explore the neurosomatics of boundaries: boundaryrewire.com   Introduction to neurosomatics for practitioners, coaches and therapists - The NSI foundations Bundle: https://neurosomaticintelligence.com/workshops/   Wayfinder Journal: Track nervous system patterns and support preparation and integration through Neurosomatic Intelligence: https://stan.store/illuminated   Join Jennifer on Sacred Synapse to explore the intersection of neurosomatics and Psychedelic neuroscience: https://www.youtube.com/@sacredsynapse-23   Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:  FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired   Trauma Rewired podcast  is intended to educate and inform but does not constitute medical, psychological or other professional advice or services. Always consult a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances before making any decisions based on what you hear.  We share our experiences, explore trauma, physical reactions, mental health and disease. If you become distressed by our content, please stop listening and seek professional support when needed. Do not continue to listen if the conversations are having a negative impact on your health and well-being.  If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, or in mental health crisis and you are in the United States you can 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.  If someone's life is in danger, immediately call 911.  We do our best to stay current in research, but older episodes are always available.  We don't warrant or guarantee that this podcast contains complete, accurate or up-to-date information. It's very important to talk to a medical professional about your individual needs, as we aren't responsible for any actions you take based on the information you hear in this podcast. We  invite guests onto the podcast. Please note that we don't verify the accuracy of their statements. Our organization does not endorse third-party content and the views of our guests do not necessarily represent the views of our organization. We talk about general neuro-science and nervous system health, but you are unique. These are conversations for a wide audience. They are general recommendations and you are always advised to seek personal care for your unique outputs, trauma and needs.  We are not doctors or licensed medical professionals. We are certified neuro-somatic practitioners and nervous system health/embodiment coaches. We are not your doctor or medical professional and do not know you and your unique nervous system. This podcast is not a replacement for working with a professional. The BrainBased.com site and Rewiretrail.com is a membership site for general nervous system health, somatic processing and stress processing. It is not a substitute for medical care or the appropriate solution for anyone in mental health crisis.  Any examples mentioned in this podcast are for illustration purposes only. If they are based on real events, names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved.  We've done our best to ensure our podcast respects the intellectual property rights of others, however if you have an issue with our content, please let us know by emailing us at traumarewired@gmail.com  All rights in our content are reserved  

Forgiveness has a pace of its own, and sometimes the most honest thing we can do is admit we're not there yet. This episode explores what it means to give ourselves (and each other) permission to be in process, without the pressure to be further along than we actually are.    LINKS: Book of Forgiving  |  Connect  |  YouTube  |  Coming Up   TRANSCRIPT: Brief framing before reading: We're talking about forgiveness in this series. About what happens when someone hurts us — or when we hurt someone else. And about the choices we have when that happens. I'm going to read you the first half of a book today. We're going to stop in the middle on purpose because the most important part of the story for TODAY is actually what happens right... here. And we're going to finish it next week. Read first half of Wally and Freya. Brief unpack after reading: What's happening in the story: someone got hurt. Both of them, actually. And now they have a choice. Two roads: get even, stay hurt… OR something harder, and maybe even braver. Forgiveness doesn't always happen right away. It takes practice. And the very first steps are: tell somebody you trust what happened, and then tell about what it felt like. When somebody does something that hurts me, I feel sad, and kind of mad. Sometimes it feels like I don't matter much to them. Just saying that out loud is an important thing to do! In the story, Wally and Freya are both sad. Both hurt. And now they have a choice to make. So do we. We'll find out what they choose next week. The Stone — Kids Practice Give each child a stone. This stone is like the hurt we carry when someone has hurt our feelings, or our bodies, or our hearts. It has some weight to it, just like the hurt does. You can return to your seats and work in their special kids Sunday Paper: Trace the stone on the paper. Inside the tracing, write or draw what the hurt is. Hold onto your stone. We're going to do something with it in a few minutes, everybody together. You can also listen in to what I'm saying, if you want to hear more about forgiving! Catching Everybody Up//Recap Welcome anyone who is new or wasn't here Week 1. I want to do a brief recap: We're in a series called The Book of Forgiving, drawing from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho's important work on what forgiveness actually is, and how to do it. The Tutus aren't theorists. Desmond Tutu chaired South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Mpho lost her husband to violent crime. These are people who have earned the right to talk about this. Their framework is called the Fourfold Path: Telling the Story → Naming the Hurt → Granting Forgiveness → Renewing or Releasing the Relationship. In wk 1 we looked at the first step: Telling the Story. Today: Naming the Hurt. The big idea underneath all of it: We desperately need an imagination bigger than the revenge cycle we live inside culturally. That cycle is everywhere— in our politics, our entertainment, our instincts. The Tutus show us a different road. The Problem with How We Do Forgiveness Let's be honest about why forgiveness is so hard to practice, even for people who believe in it. We've collapsed forgiveness into remorse. Someone says "sorry!"— maybe genuinely, maybe not— and suddenly the pressure shifts entirely to the person who was hurt: Now you have to forgive. We skip the whole middle. That's not forgiveness. That's cruel urgency dressed up as something kind. We've made forgetting the goal. But the Tutus are clear: forgetting is not only impossible, it's actually counterproductive. Memory is part of how we protect ourselves. Part of how we stay honest. Forgiveness is not amnesia. We've weaponized it. In religious spaces especially, "forgive" has been used to protect people who caused harm and to silence people who were hurt. When forgiveness gets wielded as a command that bypasses accountability — when it becomes "Jesus says you have to forgive, so stop talking about what happened" — that is not sacred or faithful. That is abusive. And yet — Jesus does make forgiveness an ultimate, limitless command. Seventy times seven. God forgives without limit; our response is gratitude and extending that same grace. So how do we hold both? How do we take forgiveness seriously without letting it become a weapon? The answer is: we stop skipping the important steps. Forgiveness Cannot Be Rushed The Fourfold Path is a path…  it has an order for a reason. You cannot get to granting forgiveness without first telling the story and naming the hurt. Trying to skip there is what creates the toxic, pressured, performative version of forgiveness we've all experienced. And we'll get into this later in the series, but granting forgiveness has nothing to do with the decision to either renegotiate or release that relationship.  Forgiveness needs to be as slow as it needs to be. It has a pace of its own. That pace deserves to be honored. (Callback to the stone practice from Week 1): Did anybody actually hold that stone in their non-dominant hand for six hours this week? What was that like? [[funny?]] That's the point. Six hours felt like a lot. Some of us have been carrying something for six years. Or sixty. It deserves time. The Second Step: Naming the Hurt  So what does it actually mean to name the hurt? It starts with telling your story… to yourself? To God? To people you trust. Not to everyone. Not on social media. Not to the first person who will listen. To the right people, in a safe space. The Tutus: Tell your story first to a friend, loved one, or trusted person. That's a good place to start. There is a reason confession exists across almost every spiritual tradition. Not as a transaction, but as the practice of being heard without being fixed. What naming the hurt does: It begins to move what happened from something that is happening to you — constantly, on loop — into something that happened, that you can now begin to look at. Bessel van der Kolk: the body keeps what the mind won't name. When we give language to an experience, we move it from the body's alarm system into the part of the brain that can begin to process it. The Tutus frame it this way: Identify the feelings within the facts. The facts are WHAT HAPPENED. The feelings are what it COST you. What naming the hurt does NOT do: It does not mean what was done to you was okay. It does not mean you've forgiven anything yet. It does not mean you owe anyone resolution. But there is something that begins to shift. There is relief– which to be clear, is not the same as justice, and not the same as healing, but real relief— when the hurt stops being the main character in your story because you finally named it out loud. The Tutus again: No feeling is wrong, bad, or invalid. Move forward when you are ready. We Are Only Human With Other Humans This is why we do this together. Not because community is always safe — sometimes it isn't. But because we cannot become fully human alone. The Tutus: We do not heal in isolation. Connecting with others is how we develop compassion for others and for ourselves. What makes a good witness to someone naming their hurt? The Tutus give us a short, countercultural list: Listen. Do not try to fix the pain. Do not minimize the loss. Do not offer advice. Offer your love and your caring. That's it. Stay in the room. Don't flinch. Don't fix. That is one of the most profound gifts one human can offer another. Invitation: The Stone Practice Now we're all going to do something together— kids and adults. Invite everyone to pick up or find their stone. Walk them through the Tutus' "Clenching the Stone" practice (Book of Forgiving, Chapter 5): Take your stone in your dominant hand. Think of a hurt you are carrying right now. Name it… silently, or under your breath. As you name it, clench the stone in your fist. Now open your hand. As you release your fist, release the hurt — not forever, not resolved, just... set down for a moment. You can clench and release again for each thing you're carrying. Breathe… We're not asking you to be over it. We're not asking you to forgive it yet. We're just asking you to name it, and take the permission you can give yourself to walk the path of forgiving, at a pace that is right for you. That's enough for today. That's the work.

 Nobody comes into the world afraid of disappointing people. That fear gets learned. It gets taught — sometimes directly, sometimes subtly — by the environments we grew up in, the relationships that shaped us, and the messages we absorbed about what made us lovable and safe. In today's episode, Celeste traces people pleasing back to its roots — and explains why understanding where it came from is the first step to changing it. If you've ever wondered why you are the way you are, this one is going to give you some answers — and a lot of compassion for yourself. Today's shift: Identify one message you received growing up — directly or indirectly — that taught you your needs mattered less than keeping others comfortable. Events Store Follow Celeste podcast page on tick tock , facebook and instagram Follow STWYT Wellness center on tick tock , facebook and instagram

Success is not about luck or connections handed to you — it comes down to two things: information and access, and most people are missing both. I learned this at a dinner with a highly affluent man, and it connected back to something my brother and I were already doing as kids hustling baseball cards in Abilene, Texas. In this episode, I break down exactly how to position yourself to attract the right information and earn your way into the rooms that matter. Key Takeaways Success breaks down to two core elements: having the right information and having access to execute on it. If you are the end user of news and social media, you are not in the loop — you are the product being sold. Become an expert in your field and people will naturally bring information to you instead of you having to chase it. Reliability is the key to access — people at high levels need to know that if you say you will do something, it gets done, no excuses. Networking only works when you bring either information or access to the table — without one of them, you are just exchanging business cards with people who do not care. Action Steps Audit where your information is coming from this week — if it is only social media or news, find one expert, mentor, or industry insider you can connect with who operates closer to the source. Identify one area where you can become so reliable and excellent that people in higher rooms begin to notice and invite you in. Before your next networking event or meeting, determine whether you are bringing information or access to offer — if you cannot answer that, do the work first before you show up. Notable Quote It is so much easier to attract people than it is to chase people. Be an attraction.

What does “responsible AI” look like in practice? In one of our most engaging episodes of the year, host Will Francis speaks with  Gordon Ryan, Senior Managing Consultant and Design Process Lead at Sopra Steria, about the growing impact of AI on work, business, and society, and the hidden trade-offs behind its adoption. From the future of design and marketing to productivity and identity, Gordon shares his perspective on where AI could take us next, and whether we're building the kind of future we want. Gordon's top 3 tips for responsible strategic use of AI: Reflect on what you value most in your work: Identify the parts of your role that feel meaningful and uniquely human Use AI intentionally: Focus on solving real problems instead of adopting tools simply because they're available Think beyond productivity: Consider how AI could improve wellbeing, relationships, creativity, and quality of life at work The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!  Timestamps: 0:01:57 – What systems-oriented design means 0:04:31 – UX design, digital experiences and systems thinking 0:05:10 – Will AI replace designers? 0:08:24 – Creativity, craft and the human side of design 0:09:24 – Are companies adopting AI without a clear strategy? 0:11:37 – The “Wild West” of AI inside organizations 0:14:41 – Gordon's most practical uses of AI today 0:16:00 – Using AI to analyze complex environmental and forestry data 0:18:36 – The human impact of automation and lost relationships 0:21:13 – What ethical AI really means beyond compliance 0:22:41 – Productivity, profit and the future of work 0:26:12 – Why business growth can't continue forever 0:30:18 – Is Gordon optimistic or skeptical about AI? 0:31:30 – AI, inequality and the environmental crisis 0:34:59 – Reconciling AI's benefits with its environmental impact 0:36:00 – Could AI enable shorter working weeks? 0:39:36 – The future of marketing and behavioral manipulation 0:45:50 – Marketing, persuasion and ethical responsibility 0:46:37 – How to use AI more mindfully 

As presenters, we want to be our best on the platform. Many of us attend workshops and seminars, purchase and devour resources, and practice diligently. However, something might be missing. Today, Mark and Darren discuss specific actions that some speaker's won't take, the reasons for avoiding those actions, and the benefits of taking those actions…all if which can help any presenter to be unforgettable.   SNIPPETS: • Go beyond stage time • Record presentations   • Watch and listen from the audience's perspective   • Review old recordings, compare them with latest version, track your growth   • Look for the 'WELL DONE' and the 'WORK ON'   • Identify what resonated unexpectedly   • Recordings help you become more audience-aware   • Research and customize   • Show your client that you're not delivering a 'back-pocket' speech   • Apply a personal touch   • Get qualified coaching   • Solicit help in all aspects of the speaking business   Work with Mark and Darren: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/   Check Out Stage Time University: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown"> I used to sneak out of the office on a random Tuesday at 2pm to get my eyebrows done and feel like that was what success looked like. First in, last out. Fitbit hitting 1,000 steps before sunrise. Lunch inhaled at my desk. Busy wasn't a compliment, it was a personality. And then one day I caught myself rushing through a 30-minute lunch with my husband. In my own house. On my own schedule. That's when I realized the problem wasn't my calendar. It was my conditioning. In this Fit Girl Magic episode, I'm breaking down the four ways women over 40 quietly blow themselves off, and handing each one a specific challenge to start undoing it. You'll know exactly which one you are by the time we're done. Maybe two. (I've been all four, sometimes in the same week.) If you've ever said "once things calm down" and meant it, this episode is going to hit. Take the quiz: https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/fflpersonaquiz_podcast Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/

In this episode of Your Retirement Planning Simplified, Joe Curry explains how pension income splitting works in Canada and why it can be one of the most effective tax-saving strategies for retirees. Learn how RRIF withdrawals, defined benefit pensions, and strategic retirement income planning can help couples reduce taxes, protect OAS benefits, and create more tax-efficient retirement income.   Resources CRA Form T1032 – Joint Election to Split Pension Income Government of Canada – Pension Income Splitting Overview   Thank you for listening! You can get a full breakdown of each episode on the Your Retirement Planning Simplified 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   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 Joe Curry 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.    About Retirement Planning Simplified Founded in 2022, it is our mission is to empower people to plan for retirement confidently, focusing not only on finances but also on a meaningful life. YRPS wants everyone to have access to simple, reliable tools that reflect their values and priorities. This ultimately helps create True Wealth, defined by the freedom to do what you love with those you love. By simplifying retirement planning and aligning it with the retiree's purpose, YRPS 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 ●      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.

Guest: Blaine Holt General Blaine Holt discusses routine Russian nuclear threats and the U.S. military's measured reaction. While such rhetoric is common, the U.S. closely monitors yearly exercises in Belarus to identify critical gaps in Russian readiness.1951 USAF

If episode thirty was about identifying analysis paralysis as the bottleneck, episode thirty-one is about the breakthrough that happens when you finally stop chasing certainty and start trusting yourself. In this episode of Storage Wins, Alex Pardo continues coaching Dan Wentzel through one of the biggest mindset shifts of the entire journey so far. After spending months overanalyzing deals and trying to craft the "perfect" offer, Dan reveals a major breakthrough: he recently underwrote a deal in just one hour—and for the first time, felt confident enough to move forward without needing additional validation. That realization sparks a deeper conversation about what was really happening beneath the surface all along. As Alex breaks it down, the issue was never about spreadsheets, underwriting skills, or lack of knowledge. The real problem was the need for certainty. By spending excessive time analyzing deals, Dan was unintentionally protecting himself from the discomfort of taking the next step—making offers, facing uncertainty, and risking failure. The conversation dives into the hidden ways investors self-sabotage, how perfectionism quietly destroys momentum, and why "the perfect offer" simply does not exist. Alex also explains how confidence compounds over time, and why trusting yourself becomes one of the most important skills in real estate investing. What makes this episode especially powerful is the visible shift in Dan's energy and confidence throughout the conversation. For the first time in the journey, the breakthrough feels real—not because a deal closed, but because the mindset finally changed. This episode is a masterclass in confidence, imperfect action, and learning how to move forward before you feel 100% certain. ⸻ You'll Learn How To: • Break free from analysis paralysis and perfectionism • Reduce the need for certainty before taking action • Build confidence through repetition and imperfect action • Identify hidden forms of self-sabotage during the deal process • Trust your underwriting skills without needing constant validation • Move from overthinking into momentum and execution • Focus on progress instead of crafting the "perfect" offer ⸻ What You'll Learn in This Episode: [0:04] Why the "perfect offer" does not exist [0:37] The real thing holding most investors back: certainty [1:22] Recap of Dan's journey through highs, lows, and mindset challenges [1:46] The previous breakthrough: reducing underwriting time [2:27] Dan reveals he recently underwrote a deal in just one hour [3:15] The key shift: feeling confident without needing more validation [4:12] Why certainty becomes a trap for investors [5:07] The danger of trying to craft the perfect offer [6:19] Perfectionism as a hidden form of self-sabotage [7:05] Why staying in spreadsheets feels "safe" emotionally [7:39] The confidence bank account analogy [8:06] What helped Dan reduce underwriting time from 4 hours to 1 [8:38] Learning confidence through comparing multiple buyer offers [9:20] Discovering that most investors arrive at similar conclusions [9:47] "Protect your confidence" as the entrepreneur's #1 responsibility [10:31] How overanalyzing creates a cycle of fear and doubt [11:25] The power of reclaiming 15 extra hours per week [12:07] Why coaching works when you remain coachable [13:03] Trusting yourself while still leveraging mentors and community [13:47] Why deal flow—not spreadsheets—is the real priority [14:12] The advantage of becoming great at finding opportunities [14:53] The big takeaway: enough confidence is enough to act [15:40] Alex identifies the real breakthrough: eliminating self-sabotage [16:14] Why Dan's energy and confidence finally feel different ⸻ Who This Episode Is For: • Investors stuck in analysis paralysis or overthinking • Listeners who struggle with confidence before making offers • Anyone trying to overcome perfectionism in business • Entrepreneurs who constantly seek more certainty before acting • People pursuing their first self-storage facility • Investors who feel stuck despite having knowledge and skills ⸻ Why You Should Listen: Most investors think they need more information before taking action. In reality, they usually need more confidence. This episode reveals how the need for certainty quietly keeps investors stuck in endless analysis, delays momentum, and creates hidden self-sabotage. More importantly, it shows how confidence is built—not by knowing everything, but by trusting yourself enough to take the next step. If you've ever felt trapped in overthinking, waiting for the "perfect" offer, or needing complete certainty before moving forward, this conversation will help you break that cycle and finally start building momentum. ⸻ Follow Alex Pardo here: • Alex Pardo Website: https://alexpardo.com/ • Alex Pardo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 • Alex Pardo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 • Alex Pardo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo • Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/ ⸻ Have conversations with at least three storage owners, brokers, private lenders, or equity partners inside the Storage Wins Facebook Group. Join for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/

Caleb and Brittany discuss the logistical challenges of managing a high-volume landscaping business during a busy spring season. They emphasize the importance of operational efficiency, highlighting how purpose-built facilities and software like Company Cam help prevent costly communication errors on job sites. Much of the conversation focuses on the growth mindset required to transition from a small-scale operation to a professional firm, including the need to optimize workspace layouts and streamline daily routines like fueling. Caleb reflects on the "cost of growth" as a process of abandoning old, inefficient mentalities to embrace specialized systems and better resource management. Key Takeaways: Maximize the efficiency of whatever space you currently have, whether it is a small garage, an old barn, or a large facility. Shift time-consuming tasks like fueling and loading equipment to the end of the workday to ensure a faster start the following morning. Use visual documentation and clear notes on every project to prevent costly miscommunications and delays. Identify and eliminate small, repetitive time-wasters that compound into significant operational costs over the long term. Challenge the mental barriers and old habits that limit your ability to scale and improve your professional life. Connect with Auman Landscape

A birthday cookout turned into one of the most powerful conversations I've had in a long time, and I had to bring it to you. I sat down with a new friend named Julissa, who founded LearningMind Diagnostics, and everything about her reminded me what it looks like when someone is truly on fire for their work. In this episode, I break down three raw lessons I pulled from that conversation that can immediately shift how you show up in your life, your work, and your community. Key Takeaways Genuine passion cannot be taught, coached, or replicated by AI. If you love what you do, you cannot be replaced. Authenticity always wins. You do not need the perfect words, you need the real ones that come from caring deeply. The power of one is real. Driving hours to help one child is not inefficient, it is exactly how you start a chain reaction of change. Stop trying to reach the masses. Focus on the one person in front of you, give them everything, and repeat that process daily. Your name is attached to your character, your integrity, and your legacy. Make people say it right and make sure it stands for something. Action Steps Ask yourself honestly: am I passionate about what I do, does it have purpose, and does it make someone's life better? If the answer is no, figure out what needs to change. Identify one person today, just one, that you can invest your full attention and effort into. Send the text, offer the help, make the call. Start the chain reaction. Take ownership of your name and your identity. Correct people when they get it wrong, because your name carries everything you have built and everything you are still building. Notable Quote In the end, authenticity always wins. If you're passionate about it, you'll have an audience because we as people need passion. We need people that love what they do.

Wednesday - 05/27/2026 - Alan Clayton

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM AI adoption fails when it stops at access to tools. This episode introduces a practical model that bridges the gap between AI tools like Copilot and measurable business outcomes. The focus shifts from technology to people, addressing key blockers such as time, confidence, and relevance. By grounding AI in real workflows, tailoring role-specific use cases, and measuring outcomes, organisations can move from low usage to meaningful impact fast.

In this episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell revisits part one of her conversation with Andy Holland about performance SEO...the kind of SEO that focuses on sales, revenue, and meaningful business growth instead of vanity traffic.Andy breaks down why chasing massive traffic numbers can be misleading, especially when that traffic does not convert into revenue. He shares how bottom-of-funnel, buyer-intent pages can create real business impact, even when they do not bring huge traffic spikes. The big takeaway? SEO should help brands capture people who are ready to buy — not just attract people who are casually browsing.If you have ever wondered why your traffic is growing but your sales are not, this episode will help you rethink what SEO success should actually look like.Key Takeaways1. Performance SEO is about sales, not trafficAndy explains that performance SEO is focused on helping brands increase turnover and capture sales. Traffic graphs are interesting, but they do not tell the whole story if revenue is not growing.2. Not all traffic is valuableA website can attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and still fail to create meaningful business results. Andy gives the example of content that brings in massive traffic but attracts people who are nowhere near buying the actual product or service.3. Bottom-of-funnel content can be more profitableInstead of focusing only on top-of-funnel informational content, Andy shares how commercially focused pages with high purchase intent can dramatically increase revenue, even with very small traffic gains.4. Organic search helps capture today's buyersSEO works best when it helps your brand show up when people are already in buying mode. Andy compares search to a supermarket aisle: people are browsing, comparing, and deciding what to put in their basket.5. SEO creates small but powerful nudgesAndy describes SEO as a way to create online nudges that influence buyers at the moment they are deciding. Ranking organically gives your brand a chance to be part of that decision without paying for every click.Episode Highlights“Performance SEO is ultimately about turnover.”“Traffic has to be meaningful, not meaningless.”“Go do me a strategy that makes me money, not traffic.”Listener Action ItemsAudit your traffic: Look at your highest-traffic pages and ask: are these visitors likely to buy?Identify buyer-intent pages: Find the pages, products, or services that people visit when they are closer to making a decision.Stop chasing vanity metrics: Measure SEO by revenue, leads, conversions, and business impact — not just clicks.Create better nudges: Improve your product pages, service pages, comparison content, and purchase-intent content so buyers have a reason to choose you.Build SEO around profit: Focus your strategy on pages that support sales, not just pages that look good in a traffic report.Text me your questions or comments!Hey, Shopify store owners! (Especially if you're selling on Etsy, too!)Here's a quick question: Are people actually finding your products on Google?If SEO feels confusing, overwhelming, or like something you'll "get to later", this is for you.I'm hosting a free, seven day Shopify SEO challenge that breaks it down into simple, doable steps.No tech headaches, no fluff. Join us at  Hey, Shopify store owners! (Especially if you're selling on Etsy, too!)Here's a quick question: Are people actually finding your products on Google?If SEO feels confusing, overwhelming, or like something you'll "get to later", this is for you.I'm hosting a free, seven day Shopify SEO challenge that breaks it down into simple, doable steps.No tech headaches, no fluff. Join us atSupport the showBook a Shopify Store Strategy Call With Crystal!Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO!Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)Grid and PixelNote: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Your audience changes with the seasons, and your marketing should too. In this episode, Emma breaks down the biggest Q2 marketing shifts that brands need to pay attention to as audiences move from winter routines into spring and summer lifestyles. From spending habits centered around experiences to shorter attention spans and increased visibility online, Q2 creates a completely different environment for content consumption and purchasing decisions. This episode explores how brands can create messaging that feels more emotionally relevant during this season by positioning products and services as part of the lifestyle people already want to live. Emma also dives into the importance of confidence-driven marketing, stronger hooks, shorter-form content, and showing proof that your offer actually works in real life. You'll hear why mid-year reflection creates a unique opportunity for brands to help audiences recalibrate their goals, plus how even businesses with outdated or inconsistent marketing can dramatically turn things around with the right strategy.  Listen in as Emma explains: Why Q2 marketing should align with seasonal lifestyle and spending shifts How confidence, visibility, and identity influence audience buying behavior Why shorter videos and stronger hooks matter more during spring and summer And so much more!   Connect with Ninety Five Media: Check out our website: ninetyfivemedia.co Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/ninety.five.media  Grow your brand's social media presence with us:  Tell us about your business goals and explore how our social media management services can help you reach them! ninetyfivemedia.co/stop-scrolling-start-scaling-inquiry  FREE AUDIT What if I told you your content isn't converting, your audience isn't engaging, and it feels like too much work - not because you're failing, but because your social media needs a check-up? Take our FREE Social Media Health Check today to: ✅ See where your social media stands today ✅ Identify your growth stage ✅ Discover the next step to level up your results Just because you haven't seen results yet doesn't mean it has to stay that way. We're here to help. Ready to find out how you're doing? Take our free Social Media Health Check: https://courses.ninetyfivemedia.co/social-media-health-check

This session challenges listeners to examine their faith, their commitment to obedience, and their willingness to let God dictate their paths. By examining the legacy of the Thessalonians and the faith of Abraham, we learn what it means to live out faith rather than just profess it.Scripture ReferencesHebrews 6Hebrews 11Hebrews 12Genesis 12Romans 4:20Key PointsThe Calling to Imitate: The early church in Thessalonica was praised for its quick faith and commitment to following the example of the apostles. True faith often begins with imitating the right examples.Faith is Active: The speaker emphasizes that true faith is not passive or merely internal; it is defined by action, risk, and pioneering. It requires an entrepreneurial spirit willing to take a leap and follow God's direction.The Cost of Faith: While God's plan is good, following it often means giving up comfort and facing significant obstacles. The call to obedience is an invitation to lay down our lives, our plans, and our preferences.The Journey of Abraham: Abraham is held up as a prime example of faith because he "believed God's promise." He left everything behind to follow God, though he still experienced moments of doubt and delay.God's Relentless Presence: Even when we are resistant or struggling with unbelief, God is with us and actively leading us. He does not abandon us in our doubts but patiently guides us toward his purposes.ConclusionA robust Christian faith is marked by action, imitation of godly examples, and a radical submission to God's leadership. We are called to leave behind our desire to uniquely innovate and instead confidently step into the paths of obedience marked out for us. As we do this, we reflect the glory of God to the world.Calls to ActionAssess whether your faith is currently active or passive.Identify the examples of faith around you that you are imitating.Examine areas of your life where you might be holding back from fully committing to what God has called you to do. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

This message tackles the modern difficulty of trusting and following established paths of faith. Through an exploration of the early church and the life of Abraham, we discover that true maturity often requires setting aside our need to uniquely innovate and instead committing to faithful imitation of proven models.Scripture ReferencesHebrews 5:11-14Hebrews 6:9-20Romans 4:20Genesis 11:31Acts 7:2-4Key PointsThe Calling of the Church: The church is called to imitate the examples of maturity and faithfulness that came before it, not to constantly reinvent the wheel.The Struggle to Follow: The author of Hebrews expresses frustration with the early church because they have become "spiritually dull and indifferent." They are still relying on basic teachings when they should be mature enough to teach others.The "But We Need Our Spin On It" Mindset: A major obstacle to maturity is the modern tendency to accept a proven truth or model but insist on customizing it or adding a personal "spin." This often weakens the effectiveness of the original truth.The Example of Abraham: Abraham is considered the father of faith, not because he was perfect, but because his faith grew stronger over time. Romans 4:20 says, "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God."The Delay in Haran: The story of Abraham's journey to Canaan reveals a crucial point about obedience. He received the call to go to Canaan, but stopped in Haran and stayed there until his father died. His father, Terah, became a form of baggage that delayed his obedience. God often waits for us to leave our baggage behind before moving us forward.ConclusionTrue spiritual maturity involves a willingness to follow without needing to be the innovator. It requires leaving behind the "baggage" of our own preferences and cultural conditioning. Like Abraham, our faith is proven not in instant perfection, but in a lifelong journey of growing trust and increasingly radical obedience to God's calling.Calls to ActionExamine your life for areas where you are insisting on your own "spin" rather than simply obeying God's word.Identify the "baggage" or comfortable stopping points (like Haran) that might be delaying your obedience to God's calling.Commit to imitating the faithful examples of mature believers in your community. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

This sermon addresses the modern difficulty of simply trusting and following established paths of faith. Through an exploration of the early church and the life of Abraham, we discover that true maturity often requires setting aside our need to uniquely innovate and instead committing to faithful imitation of proven models.Scripture ReferencesHebrews 5:11-14Hebrews 6:9-20Romans 4:20Genesis 11:31Acts 7:2-4Key PointsThe Calling of the Church: The church is called to imitate the examples of maturity and faithfulness that came before it, not to constantly reinvent the wheel.The Struggle to Follow: The author of Hebrews expresses frustration with the early church because they have become "spiritually dull and indifferent." They are still relying on basic teachings when they should be mature enough to teach others.The "But We Need Our Spin On It" Mindset: A major obstacle to maturity is the modern tendency to accept a proven truth or model but insist on customizing it or adding a personal "spin." This often weakens the effectiveness of the original truth.The Example of Abraham: Abraham is considered the father of faith, not because he was perfect, but because his faith grew stronger over time. Romans 4:20 says, "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God."The Delay in Haran: The story of Abraham's journey to Canaan reveals a crucial point about obedience. He received the call to go to Canaan, but stopped in Haran and stayed there until his father died. His father, Terah, became a form of baggage that delayed his obedience. God often waits for us to leave our baggage behind before moving us forward.ConclusionTrue spiritual maturity involves a willingness to follow without needing to be the innovator. It requires leaving behind the "baggage" of our own preferences and cultural conditioning. Like Abraham, our faith is proven not in instant perfection, but in a lifelong journey of growing trust and increasingly radical obedience to God's calling.Calls to ActionExamine your life for areas where you are insisting on your own "spin" rather than simply obeying God's word.Identify the "baggage" or comfortable stopping points (like Haran) that might be delaying your obedience to God's calling.Commit to imitating the faithful examples of mature believers in your community. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

This sermon from the Celebration CA camp series confronts the idol of expressive individualism in modern Western culture. It explores the tension between the modern desire to constantly innovate and the biblical call to submit, imitate, and reproduce proven models of faith.Scripture References1 Thessalonians 11 Thessalonians 2Key PointsThe Danger of the "Spin": There is a strong cultural tendency, particularly on the West Coast, to take a functional model and immediately add a personal spin to it. This relentless desire to be unique can often hinder a church's effectiveness.The Fruit of Submission: True growth often comes from radical submission to authority. A group of men experienced decades of trauma healed in just four days by submitting entirely to scripture and trusted leaders.Imitation over Innovation: A pastor from the Midwest successfully implemented a leadership track by simply copying a functioning model exactly as it was, demonstrating that straightforward imitation often yields better results than forced creativity.The Thessalonian Model: The early church in Thessalonica became an exemplary model to all of Macedonia and Achaia. They achieved this not by innovating, but by strictly imitating the apostles and the Lord despite facing severe affliction.The Idolatry of Independence: The ultimate, unquestioned value in Western civilization is often personal freedom and total independence, which can severely hinder the advancement of the Kingdom of God.ConclusionThe church is called to be a unified body of imitators. By laying down the prideful need to uniquely innovate every aspect of faith, believers can experience the profound power that comes from submitting to God's word and replicating faithful, proven models.Calls to ActionReflect on areas where expressive individualism and the need for independence have hindered spiritual growth or leadership.Identify faithful, working models of leadership in your church community and commit to imitating them without unnecessary alterations.Share this sermon with other leaders seeking to build healthy, unified church cultures. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

Send us Fan MailOn this episode Swig and Pudge discuss wether African Americans have a legitimate identity in Africa although blacks have lived in America for several generations. They discusse heritage in Africa,wether Africans view blacks as African? The origin and meaning of the word African American and a whole lot more!Support the show

Do you know what you need? Not what your kids need, or what your partner needs, or what your team at work needs. What you need. In my therapy practice, when I ask high-functioning women what they need for the coming week, many of them either freeze or hand me a list of responsibilities. Things they have to get done. These things are not the same thing. Read the show notes for today's episode at terricole.com/833

If your prospects are ghosting you, dragging their feet, or making the final decision based on whoever has the lowest number, the problem probably isn't your price. It's that you're selling the plunger. In this episode, Todd Dawalt breaks down why most contractors spend too much time talking about their company and not enough time talking about what the client actually wants. He shares a four-step sales framework for getting prospects to make faster decisions, stop hiding their budget, and see you as the obvious choice. Todd walks through how to uncover the desired end result, identify the risks and obstacles standing in the way, position yourself as the path of least resistance, and introduce the investment only after the value is fully established. If you've been winging the sales process and wondering why deals keep stalling out, this episode gives you a repeatable framework you can put to work right away.

In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Alumni relationships are shifting from tradition-bound loyalty to something more dynamic, personal, and value-driven. In this conversation, the focus turns toward what institutions are getting wrong and how listening more carefully could reshape the future of fundraising and engagement. Howard Heevner brings deep experience from a 30-year career in higher education fundraising, beginning at the University of Iowa and later serving as executive director of annual programs at UC Berkeley. He is also a co-founder of the National Alumni Survey. This large-scale initiative has grown significantly over time, expanding from tens of thousands of responses across dozens of institutions to well over 150,000 surveys. His work centers on understanding donor behavior patterns and challenging long-held assumptions about alumni generosity and awareness. The discussion highlights key shifts: declining donor participation, the emergence of distinct giving cultures across age groups, and the misconception that non-donors are simply uninformed. Instead, many already give elsewhere, signaling a need for institutions to move from assumed loyalty to earned trust. The conversation also emphasizes personalization, better use of technology for listening rather than broadcasting, and the importance of making alumni feel seen, relevant, and considered. Ultimately, it calls for a more responsive, value-aligned approach to engagement and fundraising systems. In this episode, you will be able to:  - Understand shifting trends in alumni engagement and fundraising behavior. - Recognize the importance of moving from assumed trust to earned trust. - Identify how alumni giving patterns vary across age and value systems. - Learn why personalization improves relevance and alumni connection. - Understand the need to make alumni feel seen and considered. - Identify gaps between investment in student vs alumni experiences. Get all the resources from today's episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

spent $135,000 to spend the day with Alex Hormozi.  Here's what he taught me about the conversion process and selling chiropractic care.  If patients are not saying yes to care, the problem may not be your passion, your systems, or even your recommendations - it's your offer.  Dr. Pete and Dr. Stephen break down why so many chiropractors struggle to convert despite deeply believing in what they do. Drawing from Dr. Stephen's recent coaching experience with Alex Hormozi and the framework of the irresistible offer, this conversation unpacks the four factors that shape every conversion decision: dream outcome, perceived likelihood of achievement, time delay, and effort and sacrifice. From learning how to stop selling process and start selling transformation to creating a patient journey that feels clear, trustworthy, and achievable, this episode gives chiropractors a practical roadmap for increasing conversion, strengthening certainty, and helping more people commit to care with confidence. In This Episode You Will: Understand why conversion constraints often begin with an unclear offer.  Learn how to sell the transformation instead of the process.  Discover the four parts of an irresistible patient offer.  Clarify how trust, proof, and certainty increase patient belief.  See how a clear roadmap makes care feel easier to commit to. Episode Highlights 01:04 - Identify why the question is not whether conversion has a constraint, but where that restraint is showing up. 04:12 - Discover how an irresistible offer becomes the first lens for diagnosing a stalled conversion process. 05:55 - Clarify why patients do not buy services, systems, or procedures before they believe in the transformation. 09:36 - Recognize how selling the outcome changes the emotional weight of the entire conversion conversation. 13:10 - Explore the four-part value equation that shapes whether a patient says yes or hesitates. 18:26 - Understand why conversion becomes a skill when the dream outcome is made specific, emotional, and compelling. 23:32 - Reveal how proof, testimonials, and certainty increase a patient's belief that care can work for them. 27:05 - Examine how time delay becomes a conversion restraint when patients cannot see a faster path to results. 29:19 - Differentiate between a hard process and a supported process that makes commitment feel possible. 34:42 - Recognize how the right offer combines accountability, support, and clarity into a decision patients can trust. 36:15 - As a Success Partner, Chiro-Ads Academy brings a powerful, in-house approach to digital marketing that helps practices take control of new patient acquisition. As Dr. Eric sits down with Dr. Travis Stewart, the conversation reveals how early struggles with inconsistent agency results led to a proven system that lowers lead costs, improves conversion, and drives predictable growth through trust-based advertising and data-driven decision-making. If you are ready to create consistent, scalable growth you will want to explore how this system can transform your practice.   Resources Mentioned To learn more about the REM CEO Program, please visit:  http://www.theremarkablepractice.com/rem-ceo For more information about Chiro Ads please visit: www.makingmuvs.com/TRP Book a Strategy Session with Dr. Pete - https://go.oncehub.com/PodcastPC Prefer to watch? Catch the podcast on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRemarkablePractice1 To listen to more episodes, visit https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast or follow on your favorite podcast app.

This Memorial Day weekend, Student Pastor CJ brings a high-energy message challenging us to wake up to the spiritual reality of the world we live in. We often live like we are in peacetime, but a spiritual war is raging all around us.   Drawing from Ephesians 6 and a trip down memory lane to Sunday school "Lord's Army" days, CJ reminds us that God's movement isn't confined to our walls. To be a follower of Christ is to be a soldier in the army of God, and the Church is the vehicle He uses to take ground. In this message on the heels of the Church Unbranded series, we are challenged to stop trading conviction for comfort, step off the bench, and start fighting from victory alongside a community that has our back.  

Today, we're diving into the four biggest thought loops that are likely costing you serious money in your business every single month, and more importantly, how to break out of them. Because the things that cost us the most in business are often the stories (aka LIES) we tell ourselves! And don't worry, this isn't an episode that's going to leave you feeling like sh*t. We're keeping it real, but we're also keeping it positive!In this episode, we talk about:Why "it won't work because it hasn't worked in the past" is the most expensive story you can tell yourself and how to separate data from your identityThe mindset shift that explains why your energy feels flat even when you're "going all in" on a launchHow to use other people's results as proof that it's possible for you instead of evidence that it isn'tThe "proof list" exercise that gives your brain the safety it needs to believe in a new outcomeWhy your content ideas feeling "too basic" or "too boring" might actually mean they're exactly right to postThe sneaky thought loop that's quietly killing your consistency and costing you clientsWhy you don't know other people's money stories and how that's keeping you from charging what you're worthThe pricing framework: 70% safe, 30% stretchy and why your clients need to be stretched tooThe mental reframe that will change EVERYTHINGEvery single situation in front of you is shaped not by the reality of it, but by the story you tell yourself about it. This episode is here to help you start telling a new one.If you have a desire, it just means the thing wants you back. You wouldn't want something if it doesn't want you back!Listen to Similar Episodes: 235. How to Identify & Remove the Subconscious Block Keeping You From Your Next Level206. It Cost Me $15K to Gain Clarity: I'm Pivoting!166. GlowTFU Fridays: The Top 4 Manifestation BLOCKS & How To Bust Through Them156. GlowTFU Fridays: 3 Not-So-Obvious Things Keeping You Stuck at the Same Income LevelP.S. When you rate and review the podcast, you'll receive my Connect to your Higher Self Visualization as a thank you! Click here to claim your gift. Ways to Work with Nora:1:1 Coaching Waitlist – Add your name to the waitlist to be the first to learn when spots open.90-Minute Intensives Waitlist – Limited openings for deep-dive, high-impact sessions. Join the waitlist to be notified when spots become available.Courses – Explore Nora's signature programs:Full Throttle – The ultimate business strategy courseElite – Business energetics + identity work coursePodcasting for Business Growth – Turn your podcast into profitConnect with Nora – Follow her on Instagram @iamnoravirginia for updates, tips, and inspiration.

In this episode I cover the four most common types of eating disorders so that you can identify and name your struggle.Grab your copy of my FREE 9 page Beginner's Guide to Food Sobriety https://www.foodfreedomwithmary.com/foodsobrietyguideFood Freedom Online Course: https://www.foodfreedomwithmary.com/foodfreedomcourseFood Sobriety Mini Course -https://www.foodfreedomwithmary.com/foodsobrietymcWant to learn more about me and my coaching programs? Do you need private coaching and intensive daily contact with a coach? Fill out my application so we can chat about whether or not my program is for you and which option is best for you. Payment plans available. Don't see a payment option that works for your pay schedule? Let's chat about a custom pay plan.www.foodfreedomwithmary.com/chooseyourpath Join my online community The Food Freedom Tribe! An online community of support, eduction, inspiration, accountability….. Learn more here: https://www.foodfreedomwithmary.com/tribemembership Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1upnWHYK0RXfmyRTqlsF_R06z3NA8LZYHIMWFykq7-X4/viewformInstagram: www.instagram.com/coachmaryroberts Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ketomary71 Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4915319108493196/?ref=share_group_linkWebsite: www.foodfreedomwithmary.com Join the email list.Email: mary@foodfreedomwithmary.com

By observing and learning about our local environments, we can begin to feel a deeper sense of connection to Nature - and to our extended, natural community. Learn more about Personal Rewilding online at www.rhnaturereconnect.com Join the Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley community on Patreon at www.patreon.com/cw/roberthensleynaturereconnectBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-paranormal--3589860/support.

A Memorial Day round of golf with a great friend John Donnelly, cracked open one of the most important reminders I needed — that the opportunities, peace, and beauty in your life did not just happen by accident, and it is your job to honor that by being present and paying it forward. I share lessons on gratitude, playing your own game, and why simply being a genuinely good person is still the greatest strategy for unlocking opportunity. If you have been so focused on getting to tomorrow that you are missing today, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways Gratitude is not passive — someone made sacrifices so that you could have the opportunities you have, and you owe it to them and yourself to acknowledge that. Stop rushing to the next thing. If you are always in a hurry to get to tomorrow, you will look back and realize you never truly lived today. There is no single path to your goal. Just because a method works for someone else does not mean it will work for you, and that is not a reason to quit. Know your game. Play to your strengths, understand your style, and stop measuring yourself against how everyone else does it. Being a genuinely good person is the foundation of every real opportunity. It is not about self-promotion — it is about authentic character. Action Steps Today, intentionally stop and take in the scenery of your current life — your home, your workspace, your relationships — and find something worth appreciating in what you have already built. Identify one goal you have been pursuing using someone else's method and ask yourself honestly how you would approach it if you were playing your own game. Do one thing today to make someone else's life better — buy a stranger a drink, send an encouraging message, or simply show up with kindness in whatever space you are in. Notable Quote You are in such a hurry to get to tomorrow that you look back and realize you never lived today.

In this third episode of the Profit Isn't an Accident series, Michelle Lynne dives into the hidden operational cost that many interior designers don't realize is quietly draining their profits: double entry. From project management platforms to accounting software, Michelle breaks down how disconnected systems create unnecessary labor, reconciliation headaches, bookkeeping expenses, and unreliable financial visibility. She shares real examples from her own firm, ML Interiors Group, and explains why so many design businesses are operating with what she calls a "Frankenstack" of disconnected tools. This episode explores: Why double entry is costing your firm more than you think The operational risks of disconnected project and financial systems Why bookkeeping alone does not equal real-time profitability visibility How inaccurate or delayed financial data impacts decision-making The difference between project health and financial reporting What integrated systems actually look like in a design firm How better operational infrastructure leads to better business decisions Michelle also shares the story behind The Profit Mixer, the operational platform she uses and teaches through The Design Bakehouse, and how it was designed specifically to eliminate the double entry problem for interior designers. Key Takeaways Double entry creates hidden labor costs every single month Separate systems inevitably drift out of sync over time Reconciliation work is expensive and often avoidable Clean bookkeeping does not automatically mean clear project profitability Your accounting system should remain the source of truth for financial data Better systems produce better data, and better data produces better decisions Operational clarity reduces stress and improves confidence as a business owner Action Steps from This Episode Michelle encourages designers to: Audit every operational and financial tool in their business Identify where information is being manually duplicated Trace a purchase order from placement to accounting reconciliation Review bookkeeping invoices to uncover reconciliation-related labor costs Evaluate whether their current systems are actually supporting profitability visibility Resources Mentioned The Design Bakehouse Profit Mixer SideMark Dove Agency QuickBooks Quotes from the Episode "You're paying somebody to do it twice." "The labor that double entry creates produces no value." "Better information produces better decisions." "Profitability is not an accident. It's operational clarity." What's Coming Next In the next episode of Profit Isn't an Accident, Michelle tackles what happens when untracked procurement turns into a true cash flow crisis — the small leak that eventually becomes a financial flood.  

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Read my NEW BOOK -- The Price of Becoming -  www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming Eric Ries is the author of The Lean Startup, one of the most influential business books of the past 25 years, and the founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange, the first new U.S. exchange to both list and trade multiple stocks since NASDAQ launched 50 years ago. His new book is Incorruptible. Key Learnings The more successful a company becomes, the more valuable it is as a target. Companies are worth stealing and taking over. Most founders are naive about this and don't understand what's coming for them. They've been following the so-called best practices about how companies should be built, structured, and governed. Most of those best practices are value-destroying. Sol Price was a lawyer before he became an entrepreneur. He believed a lawyer had a fiduciary duty to put the client's interests before his own. So when he became a retailer, he asked: "Who's my client?" The customer. He treated the customer as the person he would rather die than betray. When competitors sold a product for less, he'd put up signs in his own store: "Don't buy this from me. You can get it cheaper somewhere else." He capped his margins at 14 percent. He paid above-market wages. It is so much easier to destroy than to create. One day, Sol came into work and couldn't get into his office because the locks had been changed. Investors had pushed him out and forced Fedmart to practice retail best practices. Within seven years, they bankrupted the company. We've built an economy that rewards people for cost-cutting without holding them accountable for the consequences to trustworthiness, brand, or culture. The origin story of Costco: Sol took two weeks off, then leased the office upstairs from Fedmart and started Price Club. One of the young guys who left with him, Jim Sinegal, had worked his way up from stock boy. Jim eventually started his own company using the Sol ethos. A few years later, their companies merged to form what we now call Costco. Wall Street routinely calls Costco the exception to every rule. Wall Street analysts say things like: "At Costco, they take money that rightfully belongs to shareholders and instead invest it in the customer experience." As if that's a criticism. Costco endures because it's protected by a governance fortress. A series of worst practices that resist outside pressure structurally. The $1.50 hot dog has been the same price since 1986. A McDonald's Big Mac was $1.60 in 1986. Today that same Big Mac in California is over $7. Costco sells more hot dogs than every Major League Baseball stadium in America combined. If they raised the combo to $7, it would be a billion dollars of extra net income. They could do it. They choose not to. "If you raise the price of the effing hot dog, I will kill you. So figure it out." Jim Sinegal said it to his COO in 2008 when costs were rising. Figure it out. Costco vertically integrated the hot dog supply chain. They own hot dog production plants in multiple cities. They worked deals with soda vendors. They did all that extra work for the privilege of not making more money on the hot dog. Harder is easier. "When you take the hard road, when you make a principled commitment, you get these almost unbelievable values. Because you're generating the most underrated and most valuable asset in all of business: trustworthiness." "Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life." Jerzy Gregorek, Olympic weightlifter. "Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder. Nobody wanna lift these heavy ass weights." Ronnie Coleman, eight-time Mr. Olympia. Everyone wants the outcome. Nobody wants to do the actual thing. Culture and mission can be cultivated, not commanded. Most leaders get this wrong. They say "I'm in charge of my team." But can you command your team to have integrity? Can you command it to have a particular culture? You have to make consistent, responsible choices, just like cultivating health in your body. Get reps. Eric gave practice talks at a Hobee's restaurant at 7 AM to six people just to get the reps. Caring and trying to do a good job is so unbelievably rare. That alone is a competitive advantage. Feedback tells you something about the person giving it, not about yourself. If someone reads Eric's manuscript and says, "This book sucks," he hasn't learned anything about the book. He's learned this person doesn't like this kind of book. When he stopped arguing with negative customer reviews and started studying who they came from, he noticed patterns. People 16 and younger loved the product. People 16 and older hated it. He learned who his product was for. Separate qualitative from quantitative feedback. Qualitative is for hypothesis generation. Quantitative is for hypothesis validation. When test readers told him a chapter wasn't working, that was qualitative. When the platform data showed nobody was getting past that chapter, that was quantitative. You need both to know what to fix. It is always too early until it's too late. Eric tells the story of a multibillion-dollar founder he warned before his IPO. The founder talked to his bankers, lawyers, and CFO. They told him Eric was a downer. The founder went public anyway with conventional governance. Five months later, his stock dropped 90 percent, and he was ousted. The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago. The second-best time is today. Eric's checklist for building an incorruptible company: Encode your mission into the corporate charter. Most founders have never read their charter. If your mission statement says one thing but your legal charter says another, you're lying. The easiest fix: file a public benefit corp filing (PBC). Two pages. 44 states. Your lawyer can do it tomorrow. Identify your fiduciary commitments. Who would you rather die than betray? Is it your customers? Your employees? Product quality? You decide. If your answer is nobody, you're a sociopath. The whole book is for the people who actually want to accomplish something. Align your employees to that mission. Make sure everybody on the team is committed to the same fiduciary priority. Create a director's oath. Like the Hippocratic Oath for doctors, but for your board. They must pledge to commit to the company's mission. Board betrayal and investor pressure are leading causes of death of companies in the modern world. Make the directors accountable to somebody. Power without accountability is corrosive to the human spirit. Novo Nordisk is governed by a nonprofit foundation. Patagonia is governed by a perpetual purpose trust. John Lewis Partnership in the UK is governed by an employee ownership trust. IKEA, Vanguard, and REI all have these structures. The data shows these companies are dramatically more stable and higher performing than conventional structures. You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic. People love to blame the system. But you're not just a passenger. You're part of what creates the system. Where you work. What you buy. What you give your attention to. Every one of those choices is fueling somebody's company, somebody's algorithm, somebody's bonus. The richest people in the world spend billions on PR because they know your individual choices matter. Use that power. Eric's champagne moment a year from now: a grassroots movement around Incorruptible. This book won't get wall-to-wall media coverage. It's antagonistic to people in power. So Eric hopes readers will hand it to their founders, their bosses, their friends. If consumers and employees start demanding, "I want to work in an incorruptible company," that's the toast. Reflection Questions What is your equivalent of Costco's hot dog? The one commitment you'd defend even when it's financially painful, even when the easy move would be to abandon it? Have you ever read your corporate charter, or the foundational document of your team or department? Does what's actually written match what you say you stand for? Where in your work or life would the harder short-term path build something more durable in the long run? Are you willing to lift the heavy weights? More Learning #258: Jesse Itzler: Creating Your Life Resume & Living Outside the Box #529: James Clear: Setting Up Your Future Self & Becoming an Optimist #565: Noah Kahan: The Art of Asking For What You Want Podcast Chapters 00:00 The Price of Becoming - Pre-Order Now!  01:03 Meet Eric Ries  02:55 Is It Possible to Build an Incorruptible Company?  04:04 Why Culture Alone Won't Save You  05:13 Sol Price, Fedmart, and the Locks That Got Changed  07:56 Why Wall Street Calls Costco the Exception  09:11 The $1.50 Hot Dog Story  13:59 Harder Is Easier: The Principle Behind It All  16:48 Why Governance Is Just Soul Craft  19:50 Building the First New Stock Exchange Since Nasdaq  22:33 Eric's Communication Style: Reps, Not Talent  30:52 The Opportunity Hiding in Broken Markets  31:59 How to Know Which Feedback to Listen To  35:39 Qualitative vs. Quantitative: Why You Need Both  37:23 The Whole Foods Cautionary Tale  40:25 The Founder's Checklist for Building Something Durable  43:44 Encode Your Mission Into the Corporate Charter  47:35 You Are Not Stuck in Traffic. You Are the Traffic.  52:37 The Champagne Question: A Grassroots Movement  55:27 James Clear, Author's Equity, and the Future of Publishing 56:43 EOPC

How many times have you said — once things settle down, I'll start. Once the uncertainty passes, I'll make the plan. Once I feel less anxious, I'll show up fully. In today's episode, Celeste addresses one of the most common ways anxiety keeps us stuck — the waiting room. The place where we put our lives on hold until conditions are perfect. Spoiler: the conditions are never going to be perfect. And your life is happening right now. If you've been living in the waiting room, this one is going to challenge you to walk out of it. Today's shift: Identify one thing you've been postponing until things calm down — and take one small step toward it today anyway. visit the wellness center stwyt.com  Events Store Follow Celeste podcast page on tick tock , facebook and instagram Follow STWYT Wellness center on tick tock , facebook and instagram

SHOW NOTES Uncertainty is one of the hardest things for the human nervous system to sit with. When we don't know what's coming — financially, relationally, professionally, collectively — anxiety fills the gap. In today's episode, Celeste talks about what to do when the ground beneath you feels unsteady, and how to find your footing not by controlling what's outside of you but by anchoring what's inside of you. If you've been feeling unmoored by everything that's uncertain right now, this one will give you something solid to stand on. Today's shift: Identify three things that are certain in your life right now — and let yourself stand on those today. visit the wellness center stwyt.com  Events Store Follow Celeste podcast page on tick tock , facebook and instagram Follow STWYT Wellness center on tick tock , facebook and instagram