POPULARITY
Categories
Episode 316Sponsored by:WTB WoodworkingCheck out WTBwoodworking.com for all your woodworking needs! In store specials, Giveaways, custom wood milling, and more!Huntingdon Valley PA Store now open!Enter the giveaway by going to:https://www.wtbwoodworking.com/giveawayBits+Bits CoGet your hands on the best bits in the business! With their proprietary AstraHP Coating that helps keep your bits cool and stay sharper, longer. Most orders ship the same business day if placed before 2:45 pm pacific. Use code “AWP” for 10% off your order!https://bitsbits.com/ Referenced Links:Built-ins video - https://youtu.be/68wa9yNytFA?si=pBwyKMaxal8Rp68HFilefinity by Onefinity CNC - https://filefinity.comhttps://twofinitycnc.com00:00 Introduction and Back Pain Chronicles02:46 Patreon and Community Engagement05:45 Upcoming Events and Sponsorships08:49 CNC Bits and Quality Tools11:41 Laser Technology and Market Competition14:39 Filefinity and CNC File Sharing17:47 YouTube Video Release and Project Updates22:40 The Journey of Self-Improvement24:31 Project Management and Collaboration27:26 Challenges in Execution30:20 Transforming Spaces with Built-Ins33:29 The Cost of Customization36:24 Innovations in Home Automation39:36 Balancing Work and Personal Projects45:34 The Value of Craftsmanship47:44 Navigating Online Criticism49:08 Going Viral: The Power of Content51:09 Engaging with Influencers: The T-Pain Connection54:40 The Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneurship59:44 Tool Talk: Quality and Performance01:09:28 Sanding Techniques and Preferences01:14:04 Quality vs. Cost in Tools01:18:36 Upcoming Events and Festivals01:24:34 Future Plans and Community EngagementPlease consider becoming a patron of our show!http://ILOVEAWP.comPodcast:https://www.instagram.com/anotherwoodshoppodcast/https://www.youtube.com/anotherwoodshoppodcast https://www.etsy.com/shop/awpstore Dan:https://www.instagram.com/danieldunlap.woodworks/ https://www.youtube.com/danieldunlap https://www.etsy.com/shop/ddwwstore Braden:https://www.instagram.com/littlebugwoodworking/ https://www.youtube.com/@littlebugwoodworking https://littlebugwoodworking.com/Support the show
Biology may be the most important technology we take off planet, and Mario Maggio is building the hardware to prove it. The founder and CEO of Ambrosia Space joins Erum Azeez Khan and Karl Schmieder to explain why space bioprocessing has been stuck at 10 to 20 milliliters while bench scientists on Earth work at 250 milliliters and beyond, and what changes when a two and a half liter fed batch bioreactor with pH, dissolved oxygen, and total cell density sensors finally flies. Mario traces his path from aerospace propulsion and the Nova C lunar lander at Intuitive Machines to life support systems at Paragon and Axiom Space, and the realization that biology is the best CO2 scrubber, oxygen source, and chemical factory available for long duration missions where petroleum, farms, and easy resupply do not exist. The conversation digs into the engineering reality of fluids and gas in microgravity, why glass and ceramics never fly, the stainless steel and aluminum builds that replace them, the intentional and unintentional bacteria that come with building a bioreactor from scratch, and the NASA TechLeap winning CellSep continuous flow centrifuge that carries cells and secreted products into downstream processing without gravity. Mario also lays out the near term commercial case, from protein crystallization and monoclonal antibodies that behave differently in orbit to biofuels, vitamin production, medicines, and the big silver tanks that will feed astronauts because there will be no farms or cattle. He offers a candid read on artificial gravity gradients, why the Moon matters for building large vehicles in space, and why the same hardware that grows yeast for beer on Mars becomes the root of better biomanufacturing on Earth. Erum and Karl open with field notes from Bio Innovations North America in Omaha, including Midwest feedstock advantage, consortia momentum, the 30 percent of cost hiding in downstream processing, and why Smucker and Mars are actively scouting biotech innovators.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and speak with the leaders and innovators using biology to change the world. Biology is the world's oldest technology, and it can be engineered. So, what are we growing?Learn more at www.messaginglab.com/groweverythingChapters:(00:00:00) Why Biology Is the Best Commercial Case for Space(00:04:52) Bio Innovations North America and the Midwest Bioeconomy(00:07:21) Why Smucker and Mars Are Scouting Biotech Innovators(00:11:42) Inside Ambrosia Space: Bioreactors Built for Orbit(00:15:24) Scaling Past 150 Milliliters: Space Biology's Volume Problem(00:18:12) Stainless Steel, Leaks, and Why Glass Never Flies(00:21:36) NASA TechLeap and the CellSep Continuous Flow Centrifuge(00:26:08) Protein Crystals and Monoclonal Antibodies Made in Microgravity(00:31:22) Artificial Gravity, Lunar Bases, and Closing the Loop on Life Support(00:36:12) Quick Fire: Space Food Reality, HAL, and Biologics in OrbitLinks and Resources:Mario MaggioAmbrosia Space LinkedInAmbrosia Space111. Space Genes and Subway Scenes: Chris Mason on Planning Life's Next Big Leap93. Houston, We Have a Protocol: NASA's Kate Rubins on Biotech in Space187. One Small Step for a Microbe: Lynn Rothschild's Leap from Astrobiology to Bioengineering at NASA185. Brick Happens: Chris Maurer of Redhouse Studio Redesigns Remote Living for Earth and Mars152. Crystals in the Cosmos: Varda Rewrites Drug Formulation in MicrogravityGrow Everything LinkedInTopics Covered:space biomanufacturing, Ambrosia Space, orbital bioreactors, microgravity biotechnologyHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553Instagram / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube / Grow EverythingMusic by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media
Security at testing centers is almost as tight as screening at American airports. Yet some test takers still find ways to cheat on the ACT or at least raise suspicions. Amy and Mike invited school counselor Desiree Rodriguez-Gould to explore the process of ACT score review and validation. What are five things you will learn in this episode? How does ACT, Inc. handle score review and validation? What roles can counselors and test prep professionals play in the review process? How badly can ACT score cancellation impact some students? In what ways does the SAT score review process differ? What are some possible ways to avoid ACT and SAT score review? MEET OUR GUEST Desiree Rodriguez-Gould, M.Ed., born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, is a first-generation Latina college graduate and is passionate about college admissions and educational opportunities for all. She was a College Counselor at St. Edward High School. Desi is married to Matt and has three beautiful children, plus an adorable Labradoodle, Riff. With a background in college counseling and strong involvement in professional development organizations and university advisory boards, Mrs. Rodriguez-Gould is an eager student and higher education advocate. LINKS ACT-Test Security-Procedures for Conducting Individual Score Review What should you do if your ACT score is under review? A lawyer answers. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
This episode explores how Bryce McPartland built a personal injury law firm on his own terms. He and Kevin Daisey dig into what it looks like to choose a practice, a place, and a lifestyle that actually fit the way you want to live. Bryce shares his path from small firm work to opening his own practice, then expanding across Washington and into Idaho. He also explains why remote leadership, intentional office placement, and a strong team have helped the firm keep growing. In this episode you'll learn: Why Bryce knew it was time for a new boss How farming shaped his patience for personal injury work Why office location can affect search visibility and client convenience How core values like creativity, curiosity, consistency, and courageousness guide hiring Why people, not just systems, are the hardest part of firm growth How curiosity and abundance help law firm owners keep improving For managing partners and law firm owners, this conversation is a practical reminder that growth does not have to follow a traditional model. If you want a firm that performs well and supports the life you want, this episode offers a clear blueprint. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro and Welcome(00:02:19) - Bryce's Journey to Law and Starting His Firm(00:05:53) - Firm Locations and Expansion in Washington(00:07:36) - Living Remotely While Running the Firm(00:09:58) - Brick and Mortar vs Online: Office Strategy(00:12:40) - Choosing Submarkets Over Big Cities(00:17:04) - Challenges: People, Mistakes, and Growth(00:19:53) - Core Values and Hiring for Culture(00:23:25) - Personality Testing and Team Dynamics(00:26:05) - Anonymous Surveys and Employee Feedback(00:30:22) - Starting Out: Taking the Leap and Building Referrals(00:35:20) - Networking, Resources, and Building Relationships(00:38:30) - Closing Thoughts and Final Advice
Episode 192: Stuart J. Green & his book, The Regenerate Leap: How Leaders Transform Crisis into Enduring GrowthABOUT STUARTStuart J. Green is the founder of Blue-Green Advisors and the author of The Regenerate Leap (2026). He works with boards and chief executives of conservation and environmental organisations facing operating conditions that have moved beyond the reach of their current models. His advisory work focuses on operating model redesign: the structured process of retiring what no longer fits, rebuilding the substrate, and designing the governance architecture for what comes next. Stuart has held institutional roles at the UK Blue Planet Fund and the Asian Development Bank, and has sat on a range of charity, government, and industry advisory boards. His book draws on ecological systems theory -- specifically the science of serotinous fire ecology -- to reframe how organisations respond to compound, permanent pressure rather than episodic shock. He argues that resilience, the instinct to return to a prior state, is the wrong governance endpoint when the prior state is no longer available. The alternative is regeneration: using structural pressure as data about what to release and what to grow next. Stuart developed the Operating Model Fitness Index, a diagnostic instrument used by CEOs and board chairs to assess governance readiness under compound environmental and economic change. He writes and speaks internationally on operating model redesign, board governance, and the AI transition in mission-driven organisations. CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS• Stuart explains why he works with leaders in conservation, climate, oceans, and coastal economies who are facing problems their current operating models can no longer solve.• The difference between resilience and regeneration and why “going back to normal” is often the wrong goal when the system itself has changed.• How Stuart's early curiosity about water systems, fish, and biology led him into fisheries work, then into a systems-level understanding of poverty, incentives, and governance.• Why he prefers to listen first, tell the truth plainly, and identify the real problem before jumping to solutions.• The loss of his wife in 2017, the family's move back to the UK, and how that rupture became the emotional and conceptual foundation for The Regenerate Leap.• His book's three-part structure: raise, enrich, grow, a framework built from both ecological recovery and his family's experience of rebuilding after trauma.• Stuart's view on AI as a major system shift that will reward small agile teams while putting legacy organizations under severe pressure unless they rethink their model.The MAIN QUESTION for you that comes out of my conversation with Stuart is, How do reinvent and regenerate beyond your past "normal" after experiencing losses in business, life, and leadership? FIND STUARTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bluegreenadvisors/Twitter/X: @SGreen62161Diagnostic Instrument: theregenerateframework.comLinkedIn - Full Podcast Article:CHAPTERS• 00:00 - The Book Leads Podcast - Stuart Green• 01:07 - Introduction & Bio• 03:15 - Who are you today? Can you provide more information about your work?• 06:43 - What did you path to today look like?• 28:32 - How does the work you're doing today reconcile to who you were as a child?• 31:06 - What is your superpower?• 36:36 - What does leadership mean to you?• 37:46 - Can you introduce us to the book we're discussing?• 42:48 - Can you provide a general overview of the book?• 46:43 - What's changed in you in the process of writing this book?• 49:13 - What's next for your writing?• 55:56 - What book has inspired you?• 57:40 - What are you up to these days? (A way for guests to share and market their projects and work.)This series has become my Masterclass In Humanity. I'd love for you to join me and see what you take away from these conversations.
Send us Fan MailSeiko is known for precision, but the surprise is where that precision ends up: inside industrial inkjet printheads that can survive dust, heat and heavy-particle inks. We sit down with returning guest Ali Eranpurwala to map Seiko's 25-year journey into printing, starting with a story from Olympic timekeeping where handwritten results created avoidable errors and a simple question changed the trajectory: why not print the data directly?From the early days of the 510BN printhead in 2001 through the 508GS series, Ali explains the engineering choices that matter in production, including isolated channel technology to reduce crosstalk and open the door to faster, more stable printing. We then get into the moment ceramics became the proving ground. With the RC1536 and recirculation, Seiko targets the realities of ceramic tile printing: higher print gaps, higher throughput, viscosity fluctuations, and the need to run at genuine industrial speeds. The payoff is not only performance, but simpler machines too, thanks to a wider 108 mm print width that can reduce head count, electronics and ink systems.We also talk ink collaboration and lifetime testing, plus what Seiko plans to demonstrate at Tecna (booth number D1401): waveform work aimed at jetting higher viscosity inks around 45 cP on standard technology, and progress on water-based “glue” printing that supports lower emissions and more sustainable ceramics production. We close with a look ahead to the next 25 years, including a 600 dpi push and where Seiko sees opportunities across corrugated packaging, textiles, décor and embellishments.Subscribe for more, share this with a colleague in industrial printing, and leave us a review. What application do you think will drive the next big leap in inkjet?Listen on:Apple PodcastGoogle PodcastSpotifyWhat is FuturePrint?FuturePrint is a digital and in person platform and community dedicated to future print technology. Over 20,000 people per month read our articles, listen to our podcasts, view our TV features, click on our e-newsletters and attend our in-person and virtual events. We hope to see you at one of our future in-person events:FuturePrint Packaging, Labels & DTS Summit, 29-30 September '26, Valencia, SpainFuturePrint Industrial Print Show, 11-12 May '27, Munich, Germany
Do you actually need a Leap Card when visiting Dublin or traveling around Ireland? Maybe, but the Leap Visitor Card isn't automatically the best choice just because you're a visitor. Dublin city centre is compact and very walkable, and I rarely use public transportation when I'm exploring the city. Depending on your plans, individual fares or a Standard Leap Card may cost less than a Visitor Leap Card. Full article for indepth info & links: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/leap-card-ireland/ireland-travel-tips/ In this episode I'll explain: • The difference between a Standard Leap Card and Leap Visitor Card • How much the Leap Visitor Card costs • Whether a Leap Card can actually save you money • Where you can use a Leap Card in Dublin and around Ireland • Where Leap Cards aren't accepted • Why you may not need a Leap Card at all • How and where to purchase one Planning to take the DART to Howth? I'll also show you a real-world fare comparison that may make you rethink the €8 one-day Visitor Card. Additional information mentioned in the episode: - How to get around Ireland: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/travel-ireland-bus-car-train/planning-your-irish-vacation/ - How to use your mobile phone in Ireland: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/tips-using-mobile-phone-ireland/ireland-travel-tips/ - WifiCandy: IrelandfamilyVacations.com/wifi (use code IFV10 for discount_ - Ireland Itinerary Review: irelandfamilyvacations.com/review Ireland Travel Resources: - Car Rental & Driving Guide: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/drive - DIY Ireland Travel Planner: https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/compass - Expert Ireland travel advice by email: https://ifv.kit.com/51952569c5
Robert Munson, CEO of SOCAP Global, the company behind SOCAP, joins David Bank. The annual impact investing conference this fall leaves its longtime San Francisco home to convene in Chicago.They discuss this year's emphasis on getting out of the conference center in Willis Tower and into Chicago's neighborhoods, as well as the anxieties swirling around politics, funding and AI, and the excitement running through this year's themes, including Pathways to Shared Prosperity and A Future that works for everyone.
Students often approach their college applications as if each essay is the most important piece of prose they've ever written, which leads to overthinking and anxiety. There is a better way! Amy and Mike invited essay specialist Jill Margaret Shulman to share guidance for writing a stress-free college essay. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. What are myths that exist in essay writing? 2. What stops students from getting started with their essay in the first place? 3. What techniques help empower students to write? 4. What are some positive steps if a student gets stuck? 5. What is the one piece of advice about personal essay writing that every student needs to hear? MEET OUR GUEST Jill Margaret Shulman is the author of College Admissions Cracked: Saving Your Kid (and Yourself) from the Madness and College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay. She's also the founder of In Other Words, a college essay coaching service. She has spent decades shepherding families through the college admissions process and has evaluated applications at elite colleges. Shulman has also taught writing at The New School, City University of New York, and NYU and has been featured in Forbes, LA Times, The New York Times, Parents, and elsewhere. She lives in the higher education mecca of Western Massachusetts. Jill can be reached at jillshulman.com. LINKS College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE ESSAY SECRETS MAKING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS COUNT DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
LEAP Officer Brent Williams was on a routine patrol at Monwabisi Beach when he noticed a young boy in distress in the water. With no lifeguards on duty because it is out of season, Williams removed his tactical gear and ran into the water to help. Although he has no formal lifeguarding experience, his swimming ability, quick thinking and the assistance of members of the public helped bring the boy safely back to shore. Williams speaks to Lester Kiewit about the moments that led to the rescue and his decision to act. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/xGkqLbT or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/f9Eeb7i Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
"Yeah I didn't know exactly what I was signing up for which is part of the fun." Brad Parnell is a former magician, punk rocker, and current ultra distance runner. In this episode, Brad chats with Luis about how they met, his podcast Believe in the Leap, running his first 100 miler at Blood Root, running with folks, his work doing sales marketing, Spartan races, what he has coming up next, and where he would take you for a run in Texas. Support Road Dog Podcast by: 1. Joining the Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/roaddogpodcast 2. Subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on. 3. Get exclusive RDP merch here: https://roaddogpodcast-shop.fourthwall.com/ GO SLEEVES: https://gokinesiologysleeves.com HAMMER NUTRITION show code: Roaddoghn20 Listeners get a special 15% off at https://www.hammernutrition.com DRYMAX show code: Roaddog2020 Listeners get a special 15% off at https://www.drymaxsports.com/products/ LUNA SANDALS "Whether I'm hitting the trails or just hanging out, LUNA Sandals are my favorite. They're designed by Barefoot Ted of Born to Run and made for every adventure—ultra running, hiking, or just kicking back. Its minimalist footwear that's good for your feet!" Check them out and get 15% off at lunasandals.com/allwedoisrun. Allwedoisrun.com Luis Escobar (Host) Contact: luis@roaddogpodcast.com Luis Instagram Kevin Lyons (Producer) Contact: kevin@roaddogpodcast.com yesandvideo.com Music: Slow Burn by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Original RDP Photo: Photography by Kaori Peters kaoriphoto.com Road Dog Podcast Adventure with Luis Escobar www.roaddogpodcast.com
The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession
In this episode of Fully Booked, Elicia Crook explores what Brené Brown's Daring Greatly can teach massage therapists about running a business. She looks at vulnerability, perfectionism, boundaries, and the courage it takes to put yourself and your work out into the world. Host: Elicia Crook is a business coach and mentor for massage therapists, sharing the tactics she used to create her business success over 16 years. She is a diploma-qualified remedial massage therapist, using modalities such as Bowen and craniosacral therapy, and has a Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, which she used while teaching massage for several years. Through her career and business experience, Crook discovered who she needed to be and what is required to run a deeply satisfying massage business. Now she takes the Fully Booked Without Burnout blueprint to other therapists around the world to create more success and passion. For more information, visit https://healthleaderco.com/ Resources: If you are new to Brene - you can see one of the world most watched Ted talks of all time here:https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o?si=Xs8ySZtdUalc5XKE For more info on Health Leader Mastery - check out https://healthleaderco.com/mastery "Making the Leap to a Full-Time Business" https://www.abmp.com/learn/course/making-leap-full-time-business-part-1-mindset Sponsor: Save time and reduce stress with MassageBook. It's not just software—it's a comprehensive solution that handles online scheduling, payment processing, and marketing campaigns, making it easier for you to provide your clients with top-notch care. Enjoy free, unlimited access for 30 days and save on your monthly subscription with your exclusive ABMP member discount. Special Offer: Right now, MassageBook is offering listeners $50 off when they sign up with coupon code ABMP50. Start your free 30-day trial today and transform your practice with tools designed to increase bookings and streamline client management. Connect with MassageBook: Visit their website: MassageBook Follow MassageBook on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
Expanding your tutoring business with MentoMind with educator Amit Jain What are five things you will learn in this episode? How are tutors using MentoMind? How is the MentoMind platform evolving? What are the users of MentoMind like? What kind of courses are tutors creating on MentoMind? What is the new video solution platform Think10x all about? ABOUT MENTOMIND MentoMind is a white-label platform that helps tutoring companies, test prep businesses, and college advisors scale their SAT, ACT, and AP prep services. Your curriculum, ours, or both: use MentoMind's expert-created practice questions and full-length tests across SAT, ACT, and AP, bring your own, or run entirely on your existing curriculum. Tutor-led or fully automated: deliver it through your tutors, or run it fully automated with no added workload on staff — opening up a lower-cost, self-paced option for families who can't afford or fit into your tutoring schedule. MentoMind's Think10x is an AI product that generates step-by-step whiteboard-style video solutions — complete with figures and diagrams — narrated in the teacher's own voice, in English, Spanish, and many more, giving students 24/7 support for every question in the curriculum. It is integrated into MentoMind and also available as a standalone platform. Amit first appeared on the podcast in episode 539 to discuss How Can Tutors Use AI?, in episode 631 for a SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind, and in episode 691 for another SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: MentoMind. To learn more about MentoMind, please reach out to amit.jain@mentomind.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
Send us Fan MailWhat if the trip you keep waiting to take is exactly what you need?We are all guilty of it. Waiting for the right timing, the right stage of life, the right circle of friends, while the months quietly pass and the vaca never leaves the group chat.In this episode, we have Ally Pintucci, founder of The Girls Trip Series, a community of 37,000-plus women built on small, curated trips for women who hate tours. After nearly a decade in travel sales and operations, a layoff at 23, and being stood up in Portugal, Ally landed in a surf town that changed everything and launched her first trip, which sold out in 24 hours. She joins us to talk about the real cost of running trips, where pricing meets integrity, and why you should stop waiting to go.What does it actually cost to run a group trip? More than people assume. Between scouting a destination and running it, Ally can spend 10 to 15,000 dollars of her own money before a single traveler pays. The margin is not in packing people in, it is in the experience, which is why she keeps her groups small on purpose.Where does pricing meet integrity in the travel world? Ally is candid that the industry is murky. Some influencers white-label a trip that costs 2,500 to run and resell it for 6,800. She prices to reflect real value and real community, not to become the biggest travel company in the room.What money decisions do women forget when booking a trip? The ones that hit late: visas, vaccinations, currency conversion, and tipping the local team. Ally sets those expectations up front, often a year out, so there are no painful surprises at the destination.Should you wait for friends before you travel? No. 99% of the women who come do not book with a friend, and they arrive just as nervous as you would. As Ally says, not all friends are compatible to travel, and time stops for no one.We would love to hear what you thought of this episode, any questions it sparked, what resonated most, or any topics you would love us to cover next. Click here to send us a message!Ready to stop waiting and design the the life, you actually want? Join us for the next Money Talks, “Can I Afford to Reinvent My Career? Put the Numbers on Paper Before You Make the Leap” with Bill Promes. Click here to register for FREE and bring your questions!Follow & connect with Ally Pintucci:Instagram (The Girls Trip Series)Instagram (personal)Want to take this conversation one step further? Join us for our next Money Talks, a free 30 minute live session where we'll dig into a question we hear all the time from women business owners: Budgeting for Businesses to Offer Benefits. Click here to register for FREE and bring your questions! Follow & connect with us!Website Facebook PageFacebook groupInstagramTikTokLinkedInYouTubeReddit ResourcesHave questions? Click this to check out our expert Q&A for tips from industry experts, tailored to help women address their most comm...
While all teenagers are alike in certain ways, those at the very top and very bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum share some disconcerting similarities. How are these peer groups connected, and what can be done to help them? Amy and Mike invited psychiatrist Anthony Villani to bring clarity to the topic of anxiety and socioeconomic status. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What fascinating aspects of teen life has Dr.Suniya Luthar uncovered in her research? What behaviors do teens at the highest and lowest socioeconomic levels exhibit? Does gender enter into the teen anxiety equation? How can parents, educators, and counselors mitigate these levels of teen anxiety? How does envy undermine teens in school? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Anthony Villani is a practicing psychiatrist, former school board member, parent of two teens, and college applicant interviewer. He's also a competitive math coach. LINKS Children of the Affluent: Challenges to Well-Being (Suniya S. Luthar and Shawn J. Latendresse) RELATED EPISODES COLLEGE TRANSITIONS AND DISTRESS TOLERANCE FROM STAGE TO TEST: WHAT PERFORMANCE TEACHES US ABOUT TEST ANXIETY DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
Apple's long-awaited foldable iPhone could finally be revealed, but will a $2,000+ price tag turn it into an instant sensation or a tech novelty? The team debates whether Apple's ecosystem power is enough to make folding phones mainstream. • Anticipation, rumors, and pricing speculation on Apple's foldable iPhone • Apple event predictions: iPhone, Apple Watch, Ultra, and other possible launches • Apple TV/home hub speculation and Siri AI as the next major push • Apple is still working on a foldable Mac • Apple Maps and Google Maps controversy: renaming Lake Ontario • M6 MacBook Pro and MacBook Neo 2 launching this fall, and MacBook Ultra in 2027? • Apple drops Intel support for new Mac App Store apps • Vision Pro gets FDA approval for surgery use • Netflix iOS games reach 80+ ad-free iPhone and iPad games • Apple TV racks up Emmy wins, with Widows Bay set for awards sweep • New Apple TV projects: Silo universe expansion, The Waffle House Index thriller Picks of the Week • Christina's Pick: You Can See Everything trailer • Leo's Pick: Airfoil • Andy's Pick: soundcore P31i Wireless Earbuds • Jason's Pick: XTEINK X4 Pro & Crosspoint Reader Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Jason Snell, and Christina Warren Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/macbreak horizon3.ai/macbreak
(0:00) It's a Sunshine Day! Paul Perillo from Patriots.com joins the show to talk all things Patriots-Seahawks leading off the NFL season tonight. (14:50) The show and Paul discuss the Patriots chances to win the AFC East and Barth's hatred for the Buffalo Bills. (25:30) Calls come in on all things Patriots-Seahawks, Vrabel-Russini and more. (32:40) The show wraps up the hour with Paul revisiting Drake Maye's struggles in the SuperBowl against the Seahawks and how he can look to improve tonight. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apple's long-awaited foldable iPhone could finally be revealed, but will a $2,000+ price tag turn it into an instant sensation or a tech novelty? The team debates whether Apple's ecosystem power is enough to make folding phones mainstream. • Anticipation, rumors, and pricing speculation on Apple's foldable iPhone • Apple event predictions: iPhone, Apple Watch, Ultra, and other possible launches • Apple TV/home hub speculation and Siri AI as the next major push • Apple is still working on a foldable Mac • Apple Maps and Google Maps controversy: renaming Lake Ontario • M6 MacBook Pro and MacBook Neo 2 launching this fall, and MacBook Ultra in 2027? • Apple drops Intel support for new Mac App Store apps • Vision Pro gets FDA approval for surgery use • Netflix iOS games reach 80+ ad-free iPhone and iPad games • Apple TV racks up Emmy wins, with Widows Bay set for awards sweep • New Apple TV projects: Silo universe expansion, The Waffle House Index thriller Picks of the Week • Christina's Pick: You Can See Everything trailer • Leo's Pick: Airfoil • Andy's Pick: soundcore P31i Wireless Earbuds • Jason's Pick: XTEINK X4 Pro & Crosspoint Reader Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Jason Snell, and Christina Warren Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/macbreak horizon3.ai/macbreak
Join Ravi Shekhar, Founder and CEO of Terra-X, for an honest, no-nonsense exploration of sustainable fashion-tech and the real mechanics of eco-friendly footwear manufacturing. The fashion industry produces billions of shoes annually, yet the vast majority end up in landfills—bound together by non-biodegradable synthetic polymers, petroleum-based foams, and toxic glues. While many legacy brands rely on "greenwashing" buzzwords and superficial recycled-plastic marketing, real sustainability requires a fundamental overhaul of supply chains, materials, and product performance. Drawing from extensive global experience working across Milan, international sourcing networks, and top-tier luxury labels (Armani, Dior, Marc Jacobs), Ravi shares how Terra-X builds high-performance, 95%+ bio-based footwear that rivals synthetics in durability while gently returning to the earth.
The apprenticeship model of academia requires more than just passive learning from students. How can applicants seeking entry to selective programs demonstrate that they have the ability and ambition to contribute to their desired fields? Amy and Mike invited professor Robert Malkin to consider what student research matters the most to colleges. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the different forms of research high school students have access to? Why are in-person lab experiences becoming increasingly valuable for high school students? What are the biggest mistakes students make when trying to find research or lab opportunities? How can students approach professors, universities, or labs even if they don't have prior experience? What makes a research experience truly meaningful from a college admissions perspective? MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Robert Malkin is a Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering and Global Health, Emeritus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the International Research Institute of North Carolina. Previously, he was the Herbert Herff Professor of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, and The University of Tennessee. Before moving to Tennessee, Dr. Malkin was a professor of Electrical Engineering at The City College of New York and a member of the graduate faculty at The City University of New York and a research associate at Columbia University. Dr. Malkin was the founder and Director of Engineering World Health and The Global Public Service Academies, organizations dedicated to improving healthcare in the developing world. Dr. Malkin received his MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Duke University in 1993. Prior to attending graduate school, Dr. Malkin taught English in Thailand, worked at EM Microelectronics in Switzerland designing integrated circuits, worked for Cordis Corporation designing pacemakers, and worked for Sarns Incorporated designing heart-lung machines. Dr. Malkin served as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization's Advisory Group on Healthcare Technology, Advisory Group on Innovative Technologies, and on the World Health Organization's subcommittee on medical equipment donations. Dr Malkin received the BS degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan in 1984. Dr. Malkin has received numerous awards, including service awards from The Republic of Nicaragua; EM Microelectronics and Cordis Corporation. He was named an Engineering Hero Award by IEEE and received an Outstanding Faculty Research Award from The College of Engineering, an Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association, and an award for Innovation and Excellence in Undergraduate Education from The President of The City College of New York. Currently, he serves as the Founder and Executive Director of IRI, wherein they provide STEM remote research opportunities to students around the world with the goal of empowering young minds that can potentially advance human knowledge, especially through their peer-reviewed journal publications. Bob can be reached at robert.malkin@duke.edu. LINKS International Research Institute of North Carolina RELATED EPISODES HOW STUDENT RESEARCH IMPACTS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CREATING A PASSION PROJECT CULTIVATING AND RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC CURIOSITY FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
(00:00) Tim McKone and Matt McCarthy talk about Drake Maye and whether he'll make a Year 3 leap. What will constitute a “successful” season for Maye and the Patriots?(14:24) McKone and McCarthy take a deep dive into the state of the AFC. Who are the true contenders for the Conference Title? McCarthy declares “no wagons” in the AFC.(25:49) McKone and McCarthy get into their big picture concerns for the Patriots heading into the 2026 NFL Season. Callers pile on McCarthy over his Drake Maye takes.(33:51) What has a chance to derail the Patriots season? McKone and McCarthy continue to offer their expectations for the Patriots this season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Learn How to Win Scholarships by Applying for Real Scholarships Most families know scholarships can help pay for college. What most families do not know is how to actually win them. They are overwhelmed by where to start. They are unsure which scholarships are worth pursuing. They do not know what scholarship judges are really looking for. And many students wait too long to begin. That is exactly why the Scholarship Bootcamp was created. The Scholarship Bootcamp is a five-week guided program for high school students in the Classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. But this is not just another course full of generic scholarship advice. Students will actually apply for real scholarships during the program, with expert guidance, personalized feedback, and step-by-step instruction along the way. By the end of the program, your family will not only understand how the scholarship process works, but will also have the knowledge and confidence to continue applying for scholarships for years to come. The Fall Scholarship Bootcamp begins on September 14th. Click here to learn more. Or visit scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-bootcamp-fall-2026 ---------- When our kids turn 18, we lose many rights that we take for granted when they are minors. That is why I recommend getting a Power of Attorney in place. Mama Bear Legal Forms makes the process quick and easy, and listeners can save 20% with discount code ScholarshipCoach20 when you use this link: https://www.mamabearlegalforms.com/youngadult?oid=1&affid=44 ---------- Featured Scholarships: Goostree Law Group $1000 Bright Futures Scholarship $1000 Building Bridges Scholarship Scholarships360 Making the Leap for Transfer Students Scholarship “Get Inspired” TikTok Scholarship
Send us Fan MailTraderJoe's Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023Stags Leap District is a very exclusive AVA.Value-priced wines are definitely not the norm.One of the wineries won the Judgment of Paris award for Cabernet Sauvignon in 1976!These wines are the real deal.And now, in 2026, these wines can be value-priced!Buy them now and figure it out later.Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com
"There has to be accountability for different actions or actions not taken, and we don't have to impart shame and blame. We can explore and problem-solve, and that calls people up. Shame and blame pushes them down; coaching calls them up— and that's our job as parents, and that's our job as leaders." —Natalie Lavelock Most leadership advice ignores the one variable that actually determines whether your team listens to you: personality types in leadership. In this episode, Daniel Gomez sits down with registered nurse-turned–executive leadership coach Natalie Lavelock to unpack why so many leaders unconsciously speak their own personality "language" instead of their team's — and how that single habit quietly damages trust at work, in marriages, and with kids. Natalie brings 20+ years of leadership experience and the same root-cause thinking she used as a nurse to break down the four dominant personality colors — red, blue, green, and yellow — and how to identify them by pace, tone, and word choice. She also shares a raw, real-time story from a live event where her own red personality nearly cost her a business relationship, and how she repaired it. This episode is for managers, parents, coaches, and anyone tired of watching the same communication breakdown repeat itself on their team or in their home. • A great leader doesn't speak their own color — they learn to speak their team's color, the same way you'd change languages to be understood. • Replacing "you always do this" with "I've been experiencing this — help me understand" defuses conflict before it escalates. • Reds and blues tend to move and speak fast; yellows and greens slow down, ask questions, and need the plan before they commit. • Comparing siblings or team members ("why can't you be more like...") ignores that each person's personality is wired differently by design. • Life crises — illness, loss, major stress — can temporarily or permanently shift how a person's dominant personality shows up. • When your usual method of leading someone isn't working, the fix is rarely trying harder — it's choosing a different method entirely. Listen to the full conversation and hear Natalie's story of leaving a secure nursing career to build her coaching business on faith. Be Inspired! with Daniel: Website (Makings of a Millionaire Mindset) Website (Daniel Gomez Global) Facebook Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest YouTube Podcast Episode Highlights: 00:53 Meet Natalie Lavelock: RN Turned Leadership Coach 02:37 The Real Leadership Crisis Facing Teams Today 04:11 How to Diffuse an "I Already Know" Mindset 07:33 Why the Word "You" Sparks Conflict in Leadership 12:37 The Four Personality Colors Every Leader Needs 17:18 Spotting Someone's Color by Pace and Language 21:50 Parenting and Leading Different Personality Types 31:03 Best Leadership Advice: Do the Next Right Thing 38:39 From Secure RN Job to a Leap of Faith
Gregg Rosenthal and Brett Kollmann give you their candidates for making the leap in 2026. Find out which pair of tight ends Gregg and Brett think will ascend to the top of their position next season. Can C.J. Stroud make the leap back into the top tier of quarterbacks? Will Omarion Hampton give the Chargers offense a spark with his play next season? Those answers and more! NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Week 1 games Auburn opens season vs. Baylor Buzz for Lane Kiffin's debut at LSU The battle between LSU, the SEC and the NCAA heads to a Louisiana courtroom. With Lane Kiffin pursuing former professional players such as Dae'Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris and Blake Cotton, the case could have major implications for NCAA eligibility rules, SEC authority and the future of college football roster construction. PLUS, Tyler's Viewing Menu presented by Michelson Laser Vision! SUBSCRIBE: @NextRoundLive - youtube.com/@nextroundlive @TNRClips - youtube.com/@TNRClips FOLLOW TNR ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zlofzLZht7dYxjNcBNpWN FOLLOW TNR ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-round/id1797862560 WEBSITE: https://nextroundlive.com/ MOBILE APP: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-next-round/id1580807480 SHOP THE NEXT ROUND STORE: https://nextround.store/ Like TNR on Facebook: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Twitter: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Instagram: / nextroundlive Follow everyone from the show on Twitter: Jim Dunaway: / jimdunaway Ryan Brown: / ryanbrownlive Lance Taylor: / thelancetaylor Scott Forester: / scottforestertv Tyler Johns: /TylerJohnsTNR Brooks Carter: /BrooksACarter Sponsor the show: sales@nextroundlive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gregg Rosenthal and Brett Kollmann give you their candidates for making the leap in 2026. Find out which pair of tight ends Gregg and Brett think will ascend to the top of their position next season. Can C.J. Stroud make the leap back into the top tier of quarterbacks? Will Omarion Hampton give the Chargers offense a spark with his play next season? Those answers and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas With Bela and Mike
Welcome to The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas. In this episode, hosts Bela Musits and Mike Wasserman sit down with business growth expert Brad Fisher, founder of Scalable Leadership.Many midsize companies hits a wall where growth stalls, operations clutter, and founders find themselves working 80 hours a week just to keep up. Brad explains how to identify if you are stuck in the "scalability trap" and outlines exactly what it takes to break free. If you want to transform your business from a boss-centric operation into a self-sustaining asset, this episode is a must-watch.Key Concepts Discussed in This EpisodeThe First Leap vs. The Second Leap: The first leap is the courage it takes to quit your job and start a company. The second leap is shifting from a stage-one, founder-dependent boutique structure to a scalable, stage-two structure where a leadership team runs day-to-day operations.The Scalability Trap: Typically hitting companies around $5 million to $15 million in annual revenue, this occurs when complexity outgrows centralized command-and-control systems, leading to founder exhaustion.The Leadership Leverage Ratio ($T/H$): A framework explaining that individual contributors focus on maximizing personal effort ($H$ for Hero), whereas executive leaders must minimize the hero factor and maximize team capacity ($T$ for Team)."Who, Not How": Shifting your mindset from "How am I going to solve this problem?" to "Who is going to solve this problem for me?"The 6 Scalabilities of a Company: Brad introduces the blueprint for building a functional organizational chart: Leadership and Culture, Growth Engine, Business Model and Finance (Money Machine), Human Capital, Technology and Infrastructure, and Operations and Innovation.Takeaways for Business LeadersBela and Mike share their final takeaways on the importance of outside perspective, executive coaching, and learning self-compassion. The ultimate test of your business structure is simple: Can you take a full month off from work without negative consequences to your company?Connect With the HostsHave questions about scaling your business or making your own second leap? Reach out to Bela and Mike directly!Email: bela.andmike@gmail.comIf you found this conversation valuable, please remember to hit that LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE for more inspiring stories from entrepreneurs who are paving their own path to innovation. Leave us a review in the comments below to help other leaders discover the channel!
Many of today's high school students somehow appear to cram 30 hours of academic, extracurricular, work, and social commitments into each of their 24-hour days. Is that frenzy of activity sustainable or even healthy? Amy and Mike invited school counselor Eric Domroes to analyze the need for bringing critical balance to high schoolers' lives. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does balance mean for a high school student? Where does the pressure to do too much come from? What should students consider when planning for life after high school? Is balance just a euphemism for doing too much? How can counselors help students find balance? MEET OUR GUEST Eric Domroes is a 21-year veteran educator and lead school counselor at Pittsford Mendon High School, which has the notable distinction of consistently achieving top academic standing in all of Upstate New York. His work developing a diversity of students gives him some unique perspectives on how best to support good planning and advocacy for student preparation for college and beyond. RELATED EPISODES DESTRESSIFYING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
Mindy Diamond on Independence: A Podcast for Financial Advisors Considering Change
Andy Schwartz CEO, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners | Kevin Spahn Founder, Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG) Two former Northwestern Mutual advisors, two very different paths. Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn share what it takes to build, grow, merge, and create lasting enterprise value. In Summary What separates a successful advisory practice from an enterprise with the ability to grow well beyond its founders? Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer two different perspectives on that question. Both spent decades at Northwestern Mutual, but their paths eventually diverged. Andy left to help build what is now OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ firm expected to surpass $20B by year-end. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual's top practices before deciding to merge his business into OnePoint and become an equity partner. Louis talks with Andy and Kevin about the decisions behind both journeys: creating a true firm rather than an aggregation of practices, transitioning advisors from 1099 to W-2, using outside capital without relinquishing control, rethinking succession, and determining when equity in a larger enterprise can offer greater opportunity than continuing to build alone. Underlying it all is a factor that's much harder to quantify: trust. The Storyline Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn have known each other for roughly 30 years. They met while both were building careers at Northwestern Mutual, where Andy became an important mentor to Kevin as Kevin transitioned from practicing law and estate planning into wealth management. After roughly 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets to launch independently. What began as Bleakley Financial eventually became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ enterprise that Andy expects will surpass $20B by the end of 2026. That kind of growth required more than attracting assets. Andy describes the evolution from a predominantly 1099 structure into a firm where more than 85% of advisors and AUM are now W-2. The shift created a more cohesive enterprise, gave advisors access to equity, and ultimately positioned OnePoint to bring in minority capital from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners. Andy makes an important distinction about that relationship: OnePoint is “private equity invested,” not “private equity owned.” The structure gave the firm capital and expertise while allowing its partners to retain control. Kevin faced a different decision. After more than 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, his practice had grown to 18 people and approximately $2B in assets. He was happy at the firm, but his clients had evolved, his business had become increasingly complex, and the internal succession plan he once envisioned carried risks he could no longer ignore. He could have built an independent firm himself. Instead, he chose to merge with OnePoint. The decision wasn't driven by the largest possible check. Kevin saw the opportunity to become an equity partner in a larger enterprise, give his team and clients a more durable future, and leverage infrastructure he didn't want to recreate himself. For both men, the story ultimately comes back to the same principle: The right economics matter, but sustainable partnerships require trust, shared philosophy, and the belief that everyone involved can create more value together than separately. Topics Covered Building an enterprise versus building a practice Northwestern Mutual and the path to independence OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners' growth from ~$3B to $18B+ Organic growth versus M&A Creating a growth-oriented advisor culture Moving from a 1099 model to a predominantly W-2 structure Equity ownership and advisor alignment Minority private equity investment Rise Growth Partners and Joe Duran Internal succession versus an external merger Selling versus merging an advisory business Merging versus teaming versus going it alone Evaluating equity versus cash in a transaction The economics of leaving a captive firm Centralization versus advisor autonomy Trust as a factor in partnerships and transactions > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors How did Andy and Kevin's 30-year relationship ultimately lead to a transaction? (04:11)Kevin explains how Andy helped him transition from attorney and estate planner into wealth management, beginning a professional relationship that would eventually make their partnership possible decades later. Why did Andy leave Northwestern Mutual after roughly 30 years? (08:45)Andy describes wanting greater flexibility, a multi-custodial platform, and more optionality for clients and the business—a decision that ultimately led to the creation of OnePoint BFG. Why did Kevin decide his longtime Northwestern Mutual practice needed something different? (15:49)Kevin explains how his clients, service needs, and business evolved over time, while concerns about his original internal succession plan led him to consider a different path. What has driven OnePoint's growth from approximately $3B to $18B+? (21:41)Andy outlines the firm's emphasis on client experience, advisor experience, organic growth, and carefully selected inorganic growth—and why helping advisors grow is fundamental to the model. Why does Andy say OnePoint is a firm rather than an aggregator? (23:54)The distinction comes down to alignment, shared responsibility, centralized resources, equity, and a partnership structure in which advisors are accountable to one another. How did OnePoint convert a predominantly 1099 advisor base into a W-2 enterprise? (29:26)Andy explains why capital and equity became necessary to build the next stage of the business and why trust was essential to bringing advisors into a more integrated structure. Why did OnePoint choose minority private equity investment? (33:13)Andy shares why Rise Growth Partners offered something previous potential buyers had not: a structure designed to benefit the broader advisor partnership while preserving control. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than shop his practice broadly? (36:43)For Kevin, maximizing price wasn't the objective. His decision centered on trust in Andy, confidence in OnePoint's infrastructure, and creating a strong future for clients and employees. Why did Kevin choose equity in the larger firm instead of simply cashing out? (40:57)Kevin explains why he believes participating in the future growth of a larger enterprise offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the future growth of his own practice. How should advisors evaluate the “golden handcuffs” that can make leaving difficult? (46:42)Andy argues that the analysis needs to compare what an advisor gives up with the potential growth, economics, equity, and leverage available on the other side. How much conformity does a true enterprise require? (49:06)Andy explains why OnePoint sits somewhere between complete advisor autonomy and complete centralization, seeking enough consistency to create enterprise value without eliminating entrepreneurial flexibility. What would Andy and Kevin tell their younger selves? (52:06)Kevin emphasizes surrounding yourself with the best people possible, while Andy reflects on having the courage to make a difficult change after a successful 30-year run. Key Takeaways Building enterprise value requires more than asset growth. OnePoint's evolution included changing its ownership structure, integrating advisor practices, creating equity opportunities, and investing in centralized capabilities. Organic growth remains central even in an M&A-driven market. OnePoint targets approximately 10% organic growth and evaluates prospective partners partly on whether they are growth-oriented and whether the firm can meaningfully help them grow. A collection of successful advisors does not automatically make a firm. Andy sees shared ownership, alignment, accountability, infrastructure, and centralized services as critical distinctions between an enterprise and an aggregator. Outside capital does not have to mean giving up control. OnePoint chose a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners that provided capital and strategic support while leaving control with its operating partners. Succession can expose risks that growth may obscure. Kevin began reconsidering his internal succession strategy when he recognized its dependence on his continued production, key employees, and the future economics of an aging client base. The highest purchase price isn't always the most valuable transaction. Kevin prioritized equity participation, infrastructure, continuity for his employees and clients, and confidence in his future partners over broadly shopping his business for the highest bid. Trust can determine whether structural change is possible. From OnePoint's 1099-to-W-2 conversion to Kevin's decision to merge, both guests repeatedly point to established trust as the foundation that allowed significant business decisions to happen. https://youtu.be/jkIoynpZj6Y Quotable Moments “The biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit.”— Andy Schwartz “We're not an aggregator, we're a firm.”— Andy Schwartz “The biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don't.”— Andy Schwartz “I wasn't looking to sell my business. I was looking to merge it.”— Kevin Spahn “You have to trust them. You have to see that they provide value. And you need to be on the same page philosophically.”— Kevin Spahn “Associate yourselves with the best people you can… It accelerates your trajectory in ways that you can't do on your own.”— Kevin Spahn FAQs Why did Andy Schwartz leave Northwestern Mutual? After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. How large is OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners? At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. What has driven OnePoint's growth? Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. Why did OnePoint move advisors from 1099 to W-2? The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. What does “private equity invested, not private equity owned” mean? Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Why did Kevin Spahn leave Northwestern Mutual? Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than launch his own independent RIA? OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Why didn't Kevin shop his practice to multiple buyers? Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. How do Andy and Kevin suggest advisors evaluate a potential partner? Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. Related Resources Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class Firms From Insurance Sales to $8B RIA: A Northwestern Mutual Breakaway Story The 4th Annual Advisor Transition Report Andy SchwartzCo-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer Andy Schwartz is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where he also serves as a Wealth Management Advisor. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® with more than 40 years of experience, Andy has built his career around helping clients make confident, well-informed financial decisions at every stage of life. He works extensively with physicians and business owners on wealth building, retirement planning, and tax-efficient asset transfer across generations. A 2026 finalist for Wealth Management Awards CEO of the Year (under $25B AUM), Andy brings the same discipline to leading the firm that he brings to client relationships: comprehensive planning, long-term thinking, and an unwavering commitment to independence and integrity. Beyond his client work, Andy is deeply invested in the advisory profession itself. He co-hosts The Advisor’s Compass podcast, offering candid, practical guidance on the business and responsibilities of being an advisor. His mentorship philosophy is straightforward: pass the ladder back down. His industry recognition spans more than a decade, including Top 1,200 Advisor by Barron’s (2018–2024), Top 250 Wealth Advisor and Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes (2018–2024), Top 400 Financial Advisor by the Financial Times (2018–2020), and Top 100 Independent Advisor (2020–2023). He was named Executive of the Year by NJBIZ in 2019 and was a finalist for the Invest in Others Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 20 years of service with NJ SEEDS. Andy holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Rowan University and is actively involved with Nourish NJ, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and JSDD. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and time with his family at the beach. Kevin SpahnPartner and Wealth Advisor Kevin Spahn is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, bringing more than three decades of experience in comprehensive financial planning to his clients and the firm. Kevin’s path to wealth management is rooted in the law. After earning degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as a practicing attorney before making a deliberate pivot toward financial planning in 1993. He joined Northwestern Mutual, then founded Spahn Financial, building a practice centered on thoughtful, holistic planning for families and business owners. That practice joined OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners in 2025. His approach has remained consistent throughout: help clients build and protect wealth not just for themselves, but for the generations that follow. Kevin works with clients on comprehensive financial plans that account for the full picture, understanding that the impact of good planning extends well beyond an individual portfolio to families, businesses, employees, and the broader community. Kevin is based in the greater Chicago area. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise A conversation between Louis Diamond, Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and Kevin Spahn, Founder of Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG). Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise. It’s a conversation with Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Kevin Spahn, founder of Spahn Financial, now OnePoint BFG. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. Each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions, and more, inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: There’s a big difference between building a successful practice and building an enterprise. I think Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer a unique perspective on that distinction from two very different sides. Both spent decades in the Northwestern Mutual system. Andy ultimately left to build what became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, taking the firm from roughly three billion to nearly 20 billion and transforming just about every aspect of the business along the way. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual’s top practices before reaching a different inflection point, deciding what he wanted the next phase of his career and business to look like. Rather than go independent on his own or simply monetize what he had built, he chose to become part of Andy’s growing enterprise. That makes their story particularly relevant for our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Andy can speak to what it takes to build a firm capable of becoming an acquirer, from converting advisors from 1099s to W-2s, to creating equity opportunities, to bringing in outside capital while remaining very deliberate about being private equity-invested rather than private equity-owned. And Kevin brings the seller’s perspective, how you evaluate the economics, the trade-offs, and ultimately the people you’re trusting with the business you spent more than 30 years building. Because whether you’re building, buying, or considering a transaction of any kind, the numbers are only part of the equation. As you hear from both Andy and Kevin, trust may be the most important currency of all. So let’s get to it. Andy and Kevin, thank you so much for both joining us today. Andy Schwartz: Great to see you again, Lewis. Thank you for having us. Louis Diamond: I’ve been excited about this interview for a bunch of reasons. One, our Build, Grow, Transact series has become a real staple of our show and we got lots to talk about there. But also, the friendship, the relationship that you two have had for over 30 years really stood out to me. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, talk about your relationship. How’d you guys meet, and how did your career stay so intertwined together when you’re in different geographies and at different firms, and have each been very successful in your own rights? Andy Schwartz: Sure. Kevin, do you want to start with that? Kevin Spahn: Sure. I started in this career in 1994 and met Andy sometime after that. He was a more advanced financial planner. I was an attorney, and then I transitioned into this business. So when I first joined Northwestern Mutual, which is my first broker dealer, I didn’t really have a background in investments. At the time, a lot of Northwestern Mutual reps were learning the investment business because they maybe originally started with Northwestern Mutual focusing more on insurance planning. My background was more estate planning. At the time, if you think early ’90s, if you did estate planning, insurance often went hand in hand with that. The estate exemption in early 1990s was about $600,000. So if you pass more than $600,000 to your children, there was a 55% tax. One way around it was to put insurance in an irrevocable trust, help cover the tax that way. So it really was a popular common strategy back then, and it’s really what got me into the business. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want my future to be insurance and estate planning. And there was a conflict if you acted as someone’s attorney and sold insurance. So I had to pick one way or the other. I decided long-term it would be better for me to move into the wealth management space. But with that little background in that, I had a lot of work to do. So took a lot of tests, became a certified financial planner. But the person that helped me the most along the way was Andy. We became friends, we sat on committees together. That’s really how we met, I would say. So we worked side by side interacting with our home office and representing the field, bringing issues to the home office that we thought were beneficial to the field. As we did that together, I got to know Andy. And then separately, I learned from him how he built his business and how they would review clients’ portfolios and come up with solutions. So I really credit Andy with helping me more than anyone else to transition from attorney, financial planner doing more estate planning insurance to wealth management. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Hey, I would say, maybe I’m a little biased, that, Kevin, you picked the right path in hanging up the law shingle and coming into wealth management. Kevin Spahn: I tell a lot of people I’m a reformed attorney. Andy Schwartz: Great. Louis Diamond: Exactly. My dad would say the exact same thing. Very common at dinner tables in the Diamond households. Andy Schwartz: I was always grateful that I wasn’t smart enough to be an attorney. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: That’s where my gratitude lies. Yeah. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: Some would say he’s too smart. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy, question for you. I mean, anyone who is at or was at Northwestern Mutual, I mean, you’re like Elvis to them. It’s absolutely crazy the amount of fanfare and brand recognition that you and your brother Scott have. But for those who maybe missed your first podcast appearance with us a number of years ago, or aren’t or weren’t within the Northwestern Mutual system, or haven’t been familiar with Bleakley and now OnePoint BFG, just give us the cliff notes, the origin story, how you got into the business, and how’d you get from here to there? Andy Schwartz: Yeah. So the origin is probably pretty common, probably by accident. Going into my senior year in college, I was working in a restaurant, had a falling out with my boss. I happened to be dating a woman who was living with a general agent with Fidelity Union Life. No one will have ever heard of Fidelity Union Life, but their secret sauce was they sold life insurance to college seniors on a note. So if you can get a $10 money order, because where I went to school, nobody had a checking account, then you could basically get a note signed and they would buy insurance. And then when they graduate, hopefully they’d pay for it. I started selling life insurance my senior year in college. And then my twin brother Scott, who is my partner, and has been for over 40 years, he took an interview with what was the nucleus of our present firm actually. I just went up to Northern New Jersey in May of 1984 because I was an expert. I had been selling life insurance to college kids for six months, so I knew everything you had to know. We met with these guys, and we both ended up joining them. So that was a Northwestern Mutual district agency, and that was 1984. We got licensed right away. I got my CFP in ’86. We always knew that it was going to be about planning. So I think we had the right idea. We were a little ahead of the curve because there weren’t a lot of CFPs in ’86. We got securities license immediately. So before Northwestern had securities license, we got securities license with US Life actually. And then it was really a volume business, a client-building business. We always tried to act as a firm and share resources. We were small, but like a lot of people, we started out selling A shares and B shares and C shares, doing financial planning, selling insurance, and then we made a lot of really good hires along the way. And then after 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, which was a great experience for me, and I have nothing but respect for the institution and certainly the advisors that are there, Kevin certainly was one of them, and I know he feels the same way, but we just wanted to have a little more flexibility. We went independent about 11, almost 12 years ago. We wanted to be able to be multi-custodial. We wanted to have a little bit more optionality for our clients and for ourselves. We left Northwestern at three billion or so in assets, and that was in 2015. It’s in March of 2024, I get introduced to this guy with a crazy accent named Joe Duran. Funny, probably the only person in the industry that had no idea who Joe Duran was me. I’d never heard of Joe Duran. I don’t pay attention. I worry about our firm. I don’t worry about what’s going on outside. So I get introduced to Joe by a mutual friend, and we had an interesting conversation, and it took us probably about four or five months to figure out what we wanted to do. And then in August of ’24, myself and my three partners, we rolled in. And then in ’85, the rest of the firm rolled in. And we can talk a little bit more about that. Today we’re 18-plus billion, growing quite a bit. We’ve been very lucky that we’ve made some very good decisions along the way. We’ve made some bad ones too. But most of the decisions had to do with the people that we hired, the people that we brought on to help us, because I think it’s really important. I always say that the biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit, and I try not to, and I realize that I’m smart enough, but I’m certainly not the smartest guy. I’m rarely the smartest guy in the room. So what we try to do is hire lots and lots of really smart people. And we’ve done that. They’ve been loyal to us, we’ve been loyal to them. Yeah, so we’re blessed to have a really great team and lots of good partners. Yeah. Louis Diamond: Yeah, we’ll definitely get into more of the nuts and bolts of the decision to take on capital, partner with Joe Duran’s Rise, but that’s an amazing background. Andy, I have to give you credit because your style, and I think I’m sure there’s business benefits, but it comes from a good place, I’m sure. But the coaching and consulting and just assistance that I’ve heard you provide to so many past and current Northwestern Mutual advisors through sports camps is absolutely incredible. It’s very near and dear to my heart because we always try to lead with education and helping people. So I just wanted to call that out, that your reputation for just providing amazing guidance and coaching to advisors is unparalleled. Andy Schwartz: And it’s been the best part of our journey. We’ve been able to help so many people. We get way too much credit by the way. So everybody gives us way too much credit. But the way I look at it is, I’ve been able to leverage my life because I’ve been able to build a great life for myself and my family, but we’ve been able to leverage that, and that’s where the real gift is. So yeah, it’s been a joyful journey for us. Louis Diamond: Amazing. Kevin, question for you. You walked through your little bit unorthodox background to get into Northwestern. Can you talk about where your personal practice is today? And then I want to ask you about the decision to leave Northwestern and sell and team up with Andy and team. Kevin Spahn: Well, I have to go back to the beginning. What was attractive to me about this business is I went from a career which was confrontational adversarial. I was a trial attorney for six years, and every day I would fight with people over things I didn’t necessarily have a personal interest in and I didn’t really believe in always. But the adversarial confrontational nature wasn’t really my personality, and I would take it too personally. So sometimes I’d go home in a bad mood because I was fighting with somebody taking a deposition. At night, after so many years as a trial attorney, I started going to people’s houses and doing wills and trusts. And that’s where the dynamic of working with a client or a potential client, feeling that you helped them and walking out of the meeting where they would appreciate what you did for them, and you build a relationship and actually all of a sudden have a friend, that dynamic was attractive to me. That’s really what got me to transition into the business. So I think it was really helpful to me at the beginning of this career. As Andy said, we all grew our businesses one client at a time. There’s a lot of doors closed, phones hung up on. There’s many people that don’t want to talk to you. There’s many people that don’t call you back. There’s many people that you think you’re getting somewhere with and you don’t. And that’s difficult for people because people often, young reps take that as personal rejection. I had the benefit of comparing what I was dealing with as a young financial planner to what I had dealt with as an attorney in litigation. I think it just was perspective that I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. So the negatives to this business didn’t seem that bad to me. I loved the independence. I loved all the relationships that I was building. And that part of it is to this day my favorite part of the business. When you ask about the present, what basically happens is you start out taking anybody and everybody as a potential client or as someone that you would be willing to work with. And then over time you work with more successful people. So where I’m at today is working with pretty successful people, but they’re all the same, meaning we like working with nice people. If people are nice, we work with them. I feel we can help anybody. Over the years, one client at a time. The thing that I probably, if I could go back, would change is I think Andy and I are both good at meeting people and building trust and providing value, so that’s why they work with us. So I think that’s just something we’ve both been able to do. He’s much better than I am at building an organization. So I built an organization basically hiring people, that whenever we got too busy, I hired another person. Drawback in terms of that is, anybody that I interview I think is great, and I think they’d be great to join the organization. I like them all. In spite of that, I’ve also brought in many good people that I love. At this point, my firm has 18 people. We’re a little subset of Andy’s larger firm. I think one of the most attractive things to me about joining Andy’s firm is what Andy mentioned before: the people. As opposed to me having to build this all out myself, going independent, Andy already did that. And he has the infrastructure that would allow me to just merge right into that and not have to go through the pain of figuring all that out, which I don’t even think I’m capable of, to be honest with you. Louis Diamond: You’re probably selling yourself short because the way I understood it, you had one of the top practices within the entire Northwestern Mutual systems, and it’s a firm filled with very successful advisors. For you, Kevin, what was the driving force to leaving NM after all these years? What was bothering you or frustrating you that indicated to you that it was time to do something different? Kevin Spahn: To be honest with you, I was pretty happy at Northwestern Mutual. I love the company and the people. I still have many good friends there that I truly miss. The big thing for me, I don’t know if it was any one thing, to be honest with you, is Andy said there’s optionality, especially on the investment side. I think one of the things that happened to me is, when I first started, I was 31 years old, and most of the potential clients that I would meet and work with, they weren’t what I would call today great investment clients. They didn’t have a lot of money. They had great futures. They might’ve been earning significant income or on the way to earning significant income. So what did they need at that point in their life? They needed planning. They needed protection. They didn’t really need investment management because most of their investments were going into their 401(k). But a lot of those clients that we would take on, and I think that’s the big advantage of Northwestern Mutual, you take on clients that a lot of the investor firms don’t want because they don’t have large investment portfolios. But at some point down the road, all of a sudden you wake up and they do have large investment portfolios. So you bring them in as clients that might buy life insurance from you or disability insurance or something like that. And then you help them, and you give them advice, and you build a relationship with them. Down the road, they make more and more money. They leave jobs, they roll 401(k)s, they have the ability to invest money, stock options, things like that. Next thing you’re doing more comprehensive planning that incorporates investments. As that progresses even further, you work with larger and larger clients, much more significant net worth, more complexity, bigger tax issues. Some of the strategies and opportunities that we now have at this independent RIA are very attractive for these high-net-worth clients. Along the same lines, less of what I do at this point in my career is insurance, mostly because a lot of the people that I meet are older, they already bought insurance, they’re looking more for investment advice as opposed to insurance. So one of the things that most attracted me to Northwest Mutual was their strong insurance products, which helped me for many years. As time went on, I was doing less of that. Louis Diamond: Makes complete sense. So it was a changing of what clients wanted and just the circumstances of your clients where you said, “What got me here when I was 31 was insurance planning, and that’s what my clients needed. But as my practice has evolved, I’ve aged, my clients are older, have more money, the focus shifted from insurance to investments.” And then the distinction was, am I at the best place to run investments in addition to insurance planning, et cetera? It’s a very interesting dynamic. Just the shift in basically your legacy clients was what drove you to consider change. Kevin Spahn: That was a big factor. I think the second big factor was I had my own firm with 18 people. My succession plan was that at some point I would shift ownership of the firm to people that worked with me. So as they owned more of the firm, they would have revenue that was currently at the time being paid to me. In my mind, as it shifted to them, they would buy me out using revenue from the clients that we already had. And I realized that there were some issues with that. In our business, as you get older, in your client’s age, they start taking money out of their portfolios. So everyone understands that in our business, the younger average age client you have makes your book more valuable. I was the biggest driver of new business at my firm, and I started to see that there were some problems with my succession plan. They included, if something happened to me during this succession, that would be a real problem for the people that were buying my business from me if I went that way. If something happened to some of my key people, that would’ve been a problem as well. So it was really attractive to me to… I wasn’t looking to sell my business, I was looking to merge it. So I merged it with Andy’s business. I believe that Andy and what he’s put together and the actual idea of having partners. So I never really had partners, but now I do. Having partners that we’re all on the same page, we all have similar backgrounds, we all bring something different to the table, and we can learn and benefit from working with each other. But also, owning a little piece of a much larger firm was, number one, it put me in a better position in terms of the potential risk of something happening to me or one of my key people. But secondly, I just think it’s more likely to grow at a greater pace than my firm would’ve as I aged from my 60s to my 70s. Louis Diamond: Very interesting. It’s a great realization. I think it’s one that probably every firm owner grapples with at some point, is the romanticism or the ease, some would say, of an internal succession plan. Rewarding those who have helped you build the firm is something I think everyone is interested in. But once that’s put into practice, whether it’s because of capital or sky-high valuations or right people on the bus or risk, et cetera, nowadays oftentimes leads to a firm owner looking at a transaction, whether it’s a merger, a sale, a private equity, capital infusion as a means to solve for succession. So it’s a very interesting way you framed it. Andy, I want to turn it over to you for a little bit. So you mentioned when you launched Bleakley Financial, which was the old name of your firm, out of Northwestern, you’re about three billion. I think I read that you’re about 10 billion or so when Joe Duran and Rise invested you in 2024. You just said you’re at 18 billion now in the middle of 2026. That is absolutely incredible and amazing. Andy Schwartz: We’ll be well over 20 by the end of the year without any additional organic growth. Louis Diamond: That’s absolutely incredible. Andy Schwartz: We’ve got a lot going on right now. Louis Diamond: What’s actually driven that? What’s been the playbook? Andy Schwartz: The three areas that are most important for us, and we had our town hall this morning, and we always talk about the things we focus on as a group, the first and most important is the client experience. I always say to people, if you are their advisor, then that means someone else isn’t. These people, they all deserve to be really well taken care of. They deserve the best service, they deserve the best advice. So that’s something we take really personally. So client experience first. Then we also understand that we don’t just work for clients, we work for our advisors. So I have two jobs. I have, I don’t know, 500 clients I service with my team, and I work for Kevin and 36 other partners and all of our employees. Because again, I recognize that the decision Kevin made… We’re in the middle of a transition out with another advisor, and we pretty much talk to her every day, and I know how hard this is. A transition is so difficult. When you come from a good place, because any of the Northwestern advisor who joins, they’re coming from a good place, it’s not like they have to go anywhere, it’s difficult. So we have the massive responsibility that three or four or five or 10 years from now, that there better be hugs around that this was the best decision ever made or otherwise. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. So we’ve got to take care of our client experience, we’ve got to take care of our advisor experience. And then obviously, we’ve got to grow the firm so the firm grows organically. So part of this whole idea of serving our advisors is we have to help our advisors grow. I talk to a lot of people on the acquisition side, and if I’m talking to an advisor, it doesn’t matter how big they are, we kind of think of it as a OnePoint way. There’s flexibility in the OnePoint way. But if I can’t help them grow, I don’t want them, because I say it all the time, I’m not the mafia. I’m not here to get a taste. Louis, if you weren’t interested in joining us, if I thought that we could help you grow by doing that, then I want you bad. If I don’t think I can help you grow because we’re so different, or because you’re not going to adapt what we do, or there’s no leverage in it, or you’re already better than we are, I don’t want it. So for us, organic growth, number one, and I think you know the industries well enough, that’s got to be the key. We shoot for 10% organic growth. We’re at a little over 5% so far halfway through the year. So assuming we have the similar second half of the year, we’ll hit our 10. Last year we’re at 7.5%. The second is the inorganic growth. If you truly build a platform, if you truly build a firm that advisors know that they’ll be supported, that they’ll be loved, and you’ll help them grow their businesses, it does make it easier for us. We’re not the highest bidder typically. We can’t. We respect our client’s capital, we respect their equity, so therefore we’re not going to go out there. We’re not an aggregator, we’re a firm. But I think that if we can get that message across, and I think we have, then advisors join us. So that’s been a big part of the growth. And then the market’s helped. Obviously, over the last two years, the market’s been helpful. So that’s how we’ve gone from 10 to 18 and on our way to 22 by year-end. Louis Diamond: This is absolutely incredible. Any advisor or firm owner would say organic growth is important, but just saying it’s important doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. So what are the ways in which you help your advisors or your own practice grow organically? What is it that OnePoint is doing for your advisors? Andy Schwartz: Starting with bringing on growth-oriented advisors. I mean, look, Kevin Spahn and I come from the same place. We learned how to sell. The great thing about coming out of whether they’re broker dealers or out of the different insurance BDs is, these are people that know how to sell. These are people that don’t think that selling is a bad word. A lot of times you go to the wirehouses and they’re not necessarily sales guys. They’re really smart. They think that they’re investment mavens and investment geniuses. I’m not interested in investment geniuses. I’m interested in people that want to take care of their clients, provide everything they can, clients first, do the proper planning, be good advisors, but they’re growth-oriented. So as long as we’re talking with the right advisors. Again, if I’m talking to advisor and they might have a big practice, if they’re not growers, we’re not interested. There’s a sense of responsibility for all the partners because we are a true partnership. It’s not an aggregation. This is a firm. I’m responsible for Kevin. Kevin’s responsible to me. All of our partners are responsible to each other, because if we’re going to do a 10% organic growth target, and if some partner is negative 3%, we don’t put them through the spanking machine, but everybody is very aware of where everybody is and nobody wants to let their partners down. I think either you’re a growth-oriented advisor or you’re a zoo-fed bear. There’s another expression that I got from another Rise Growth Partner or Rise Growth firm. We all kind of communicate and talk to each other. And I was talking about zoo-fed bears, and he said, we call them house cats that think they fight. So they’re house cats, but they have no claws. But I think if you’re careful about who you bring on as partners, and if they are workers, growers, they understand that their job in life is to serve the people. We talk about referrals, we do lots of training to help on referrals. We work on organic growth strategies from the firm, but a lot of it comes from the advisors themselves. Louis Diamond: Makes sense. So it sounds like, to boil it down, it’s being really selective and having a really clear sense of who’s the right fit for your firm. Not that there’s not amazing advisors out there, but just because you’re an amazing advisor, doesn’t mean you’re the right fit to join OnePoint. Andy Schwartz: I think the one big distinction and difference is other than the fact that we are minority-owned with private equity. So we own our business. I mean, I’m the CEO of the firm. I also have the biggest book in the firm. At least for right now, I mean, Kevin was transitioning, so I’m sure next year he’ll be the leading advisor. But I lead the firm, because as far as I’m concerned, you have to lead by example. We are completely aligned. I know exactly what Kevin does every day because I do the same thing. I’m not some attorney or accountant or private equity boss that’s saying, “Oh, I’ve got an idea for growth. We’ll just raise our fees by 5%.” Brilliant. Yeah, we are completely aligned, all of us. I think that makes us a little bit unique, and it really helps us, I think, in our growth trajectory. Louis Diamond: I would agree. The challenge that a lot of advisors-turned-firm-owners or turned-enterprise-builders have is the tug of war between the client work, which either is their ultimate passion and driving force, or it’s something they’re really good at minimum, versus being the owner, the operator, et cetera. I resonate very much, Andy, with the way you handle it. I do the same thing running a company, but also working with advisors. To me, I need to do both in order to do my job well. But that tug of war is tough. So I’m curious, your firm is very large now, you’re a steward of external capital, and you have a $3 billion book yourself. How do you do it? How do you balance the two? Andy Schwartz: Well, fortunately, my kids are grown, so I’m not coaching sports anymore. So I do have a little more time than most. Look, we have a great team. So the idea that I run the firm… I mean, I lead the firm, I don’t run the firm. We have great partners. We have great… Our manager team is fantastic. So I mean, they really run the firm. But this is where my passion is for now. So I don’t mind. Days are typically pretty long. I don’t play golf during the week. Mara and I don’t travel probably as much as we should. Vacations are always a little bit mixed. There’s always room for calls and meetings and whatever. But to me, I mean, I’m grateful to be in this situation. I’m enjoying it. This is such a privilege to be the person that people recognize as the leader of this bunch, of this group. I mean, it is the honor of my life. So I don’t think of it so much as work. It’s my advocation. It does get busy. There are some times where I have to remind myself, “Just enjoy the ride.” I get a little overwhelmed, but I get lots of help and that makes it possible. Louis Diamond: Yep. If you’re not doing the job of the folks that you’re encouraging and leading to do, how do you have fodder to train them, to teach them, to empathize with that? Andy Schwartz: Exactly, you don’t have the credibility. I can ask them to do almost anything because they know I do it myself, and I think that helps. Louis Diamond: Yep. So moving more into the decision to bring on private equity capital, what I thought was probably the most interesting component of your announcement that you took on PE investment was that you completely restructured or reoriented your firm prior to Joe Duran coming in 2024. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bleakley Financial Group was almost all 1099 contractors. So everyone owned their own books of business, paid Bleakley a fee or an override for certain services. But now, today, over 85% of your advisors and your AUM are W-2 employees, meaning you converted them from 1099 to acquiring them or merging with them. To me, that’s the dream. It’s had to have been very, very, very hard and challenging because there’s so many aggregator firms or platforms that support independent advisors, but the value that they’ve created is fairly minimal relative to one cohesive firm. So can you just talk about that decision, a very big and brave decision to go down the path of acquiring or merging with the practices rather than letting them continue to operate independently? Andy Schwartz: Well, look, we had to… It’s funny because we had been having conversations for years with consultants, and they kept telling us what we had to do. Again, we’re not that smart, so we just kept thinking, “No, we don’t have to do that.” But we were told 10 years earlier that the only way that this thing has any value to the world is you’ve got to have EBITDA for the firm. We talked to all the smart people, we ignored all of them. But what happened was we needed capital and we needed equity in order to bring people on, because people aren’t just joining us just because we can help them grow a bigger business. So the reason we went in the direction we went initially was we just needed capital. We wanted to grow the firm, and the only way we were going to get to is… What’s the old saying? What got us here is not going to get us there. So we needed capital. But we also realized that I had to have something I could sell in the marketplace. And people want equity. So they want cash, but they also want equity, because we’re talking to entrepreneurs. Kevin owned his own firm. He has $2 billion of assets. He wasn’t interested in being someone’s employee, but he was interested in being able to get leverage and be a partner and share equity in a larger firm that had the chance to grow even more. So what the gift that Joe Duran, the Rise folks gave us was that gift of structure and understanding. So that was really helpful, and that’s been a big part of our success. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s an amazing journey. Again, I think you could probably write a book or a case study on how that happened. I’m sure there were some downfalls, some people that weren’t all that excited about it, but the results speak for itself. Andy Schwartz: I think people ask all the time because I do get phone calls. People are trying to do this, and they’re struggling. It took us 90 days to basically do it. People say, “I’ve been at this for two years.” And the biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don’t. At the end of the day, I always went to the advisor here, we were a firm for 30-plus years prior, and these guys knew that we always did what we said we were going to do, and we always did. If your people trust you, then you can do it. If your people don’t trust you, it isn’t going to work. Louis Diamond: In other words, your firm added immense value to the advisors as well. Aside from trust, if you weren’t providing a service or services that they found a value that they couldn’t access on their own, it would’ve been 85/15 going the other way for sure. Andy Schwartz: Yeah, 100%. I know it’s not easy, but it wasn’t that hard for us. Louis Diamond: Good. It’s well-earned. So I believe you were Rise Growth Partners’ first investment. Andy Schwartz: We were. Louis Diamond: That’s cool. It’s exciting. You get to be someone’s first, but did it make you uncomfortable that you were the first investment or did you see that as a positive? Andy Schwartz: I actually saw it as a positive. Well, one, because I recognized immediately that Joe Duran and his team were way smarter than we were certainly, and certainly with what we were trying to do. And I figured that it’s almost like the first child. They were so excited to have somebody, and there was so much time and energy, so they just really doted on us. They were really able to help us. Now they’ve got four or five groups that they work with, and obviously we’ve been launched. So the younger babies are getting more time and attention, although we get everything that we need from them. But yeah, that never concerned me. I always thought that would be our advantage. It actually turned out that way. Louis Diamond: Interesting. In thinking through a sale or a minority sale, did you entertain other types of capital, whether it was a family office or a multitude of other private equity sponsors or selling the firm outright? Andy Schwartz: Yeah, we probably had four or five very, very serious conversations. Actually, some got pretty close to the end where we basically just made the decision not to do it. One was a much larger firm, good people. But the problem always was… I was always going to get rich out of the deal because it was going to be 100% sale, but there was really no lift or leverage from the advisors. So the principals, they were willing to pay me a big multiple and my partners a big multiple, and pay these guys basically an average multiple. So we had always told our guys, “Let’s stay together, and someday, this thing, whatever it’s going to turn into be, will benefit everyone.” So with the Duran situation and the deal with Rise did, it gave everybody a chance to benefit from what we were doing. But what was good about all of those false starts was, it taught me a lot because I had… I know you’re involved in this, so you know better than I do, but we’d start conversations, somebody would reach out to me, I would be very specific about what I needed. They would say, “Yep, we can do that.” And then you get to the finish line, and it’s almost like, I started out, I wanted a tomahawk steak and a baked potato, and I ended up getting a two-day-old hamburger with some cold French fries. It’s like, I know I’m not that smart and I know you’re the PE guys, but for God’s sakes, we’re not stupid. So it was funny because in January of ’24, I told my partners, “I don’t want to have any more of these conversations. It was a waste of time and energy. I’m sick of talking to these people. Let’s just put our heads down, and then let’s grow the firm a little bit more, and then we’ll see what the world looks like.” And then I get introduced to Duran. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Makes sense. Yeah, so you were well-educated on the market, the types of buyers, and I always say it’s almost more important to understand what you don’t want more than what you do want. The only way oftentimes to understand what you don’t want is to experience it and touch and feel it and really get into the weeds on it. I like too, Andy, I saw in an article, you said that “we’re private equity invested, we’re not private equity owned,” which is a very cool dynamic. I could imagine why that was important to you to retain majority control. Kevin, I want to bring you back into the conversation. Thank you for being patient here. But I mean, I would imagine you had some real choices. I mean, you could have stayed at Northwestern and been very successful, gone through with your internal succession plan. You could have gone to an independent BD, monetized, figured out succession later. You could have sold the business to a strategic acquirer. You were big enough to take on an investor in some capacity on your own. So options wasn’t your problem. Maybe just walk us through. Did you consider any other pathways? And what were the pros and cons in your mind that led you to doing a transaction with Andy? Kevin Spahn: I’m a little different, I think, than most people in this industry. Even as you grow your business at a certain percentage, none of that stuff has ever really meant anything to me. All I know is I like what I do. So when I came into the business, because I like it, I enjoy it, I spend time doing it, I’ve tried to get better at it. But it comes naturally because it’s something that I don’t look at Monday mornings as, “Oh, no, it’s Monday morning.” I’m excited to go to work. My entire career, once I left law, my business has just grown over the years naturally. But you said something before, Louis, and I think this applies to me. I love to work with the clients. I don’t like what I have to do in terms of running the firm. I never have. It’s never been my cup of tea, but you have to do it if you run a firm. So number one, the thought of all the due diligence that I would have to do to research all the firms out there, I wasn’t really all that interested in doing that. At the end of the day, it comes down to this word trust. I trust Andy. I trust the other partners here too, because I’ve known not just Andy, but I’ve known Scott and many of the other partners for years. So I knew what I was getting myself into. At the end of the day, I knew what they built. I was very comfortable with it, and I was either going to stay at Northwestern Mutual or I was going to come here, but I wasn’t going to go anywhere else. I will say, since I’ve gone, it’s been exactly like I thought. I thought I trusted Andy. And if something happened along the way with the transition, everything that he said has been true, thing that he promised is real. As you deal with more complexities with a bigger book and more and more employees, I knew that I was almost at the breaking point in terms of my own organization and to merge into this organization that, as I said before, he’s already built out. I don’t have to do it. And to benefit from these great people that he has as part of his organization, that’s all been a real blessing for me and my team. So I didn’t shop the marketplace really, but I knew what I was getting into, and it’s worked out clear as I thought it would. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. I think that’s what most people would covet. But it is a decision in and of itself to not shop the marketplace. I mean, from representing buyers or prospective buyers, I know the pricing leverage or the negotiation leverage and the valuation lift that comes from having an open market, having multiple bids, et cetera. It sounds like that wasn’t the… Obviously you wanted to get fair value for your firm, but for you, it was more, it’s trust, “I’m either going to just stay at Northwestern, which is the devil I know or it’s what I’ve known where I’ve been successful, or I’m going to go to the individual that I trust and forget about all the other noise.” Kevin Spahn: Well, Andy says things, but I know they’re true because I’ve seen him at work. I’ve seen how he’s acted. I’ve seen how he interacts with people. But here’s an example. He cares about the people that are at his firm. He says that, but I know it’s true because I see it. I’m the same. I really care about the people in my firm. So as I think about, well, what about the future of two groups, my clients, but also the people that work in my firm? They’re going to be around long after I am. Well, I don’t want myself to retire someday, get a big check, because there’s all sorts of options to get a check. If I get a check and then my client’s scatter to the wind, and my employees don’t really have a future and they just have to go and find their own way, that wasn’t attractive at all to me. So one of the things that I really appreciate about this opportunity is that there is a plan for both my clients and my employees or the younger team members at formerly Spahn Financial, where I feel very good about the fact that they have a solid, secure future in an industry that they’ve all grown to love without them having to go out and make their own way. Louis Diamond: Makes sense to me. We noted a couple of times in this interview, you talked about equity, partnership, both of you have. So Kevin, for you, what did it mean differently for you to become a partner and get equity in a larger firm rather than, we’ll say, the less risky move of just taking everything in cash? Why was that an important distinction for you? Kevin Spahn: For many years, when I left law and came into this business, I didn’t have any money at the time. I was just starting to make money as a lawyer. It takes a while. I started low. I got trial experience working for the government, so they didn’t pay much. That was three years. Then I was at a firm, and I was just starting to make more money. Then I made this big shift into a career tha
Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: From Anxiety to Acclaim: A Manager's Leap into Confidence Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2026-09-03-22-34-02-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A világítás a modern irodában ragyogott az asztalok felett.En: The lights in the modern office shone brightly over the desks.Hu: A nagy ablakokon át Budapest utcái láthatóak voltak.En: Through the large windows, Budapest's streets were visible.Hu: A késő nyári nap sugarai meleg fényben fürdették a várost.En: The rays of the late summer sun bathed the city in warm light.Hu: Balázs, a középszintű menedzser, az asztala mellett ült.En: Balázs, the mid-level manager, sat beside his desk.Hu: Előtte egy laptop, mellette papírok szétszórva.En: A laptop was in front of him, with papers scattered beside him.Hu: Balázs gondolatai a közelgő konferencia körül forogtak.En: Balázs's thoughts revolved around the upcoming conference.Hu: Tudta, hogy ez az esemény fontos lesz a karrierje szempontjából.En: He knew that this event would be important for his career.Hu: Titkon azon töprengett, hogyan tudná túllépni a félelmeit.En: Secretly, he pondered how he could overcome his fears.Hu: Balázs szeretett volna előléptetést, és ez a bemutató lehetett a kulcs hozzá.En: Balázs wanted a promotion, and this presentation could be the key to it.Hu: Az irodában Zsófia, a szomszéd asztalnál, mosolygott rá biztatóan.En: In the office, Zsófia, at the neighboring desk, smiled at him encouragingly.Hu: Kata, aki az eladási osztály vezetője volt, szintén odament hozzá.En: Kata, who was the head of the sales department, also approached him.Hu: "Sikerülni fog, Balázs!En: "You'll do great, Balázs!"Hu: " - mondta Kata vidáman.En: said Kata cheerfully.Hu: "Nehéz, de megéri.En: "It's tough, but it's worth it."Hu: ""Remélem, igazad van" - sóhajtott Balázs.En: "I hope you're right," sighed Balázs.Hu: Mindig is rettegett a nyilvános beszédtől.En: He always dreaded public speaking.Hu: És most is rohan az idő.En: And now, time was running fast.Hu: Mégis elhatározta, hogy szembenéz a kihívással.En: Yet, he decided to face the challenge.Hu: Délután mindenki készült az utazásra.En: In the afternoon, everyone was getting ready for the trip.Hu: A vonat hamarosan indul Budapest belvárosába, ahol a konferenciát tartják.En: The train was soon departing for downtown Budapest, where the conference was being held.Hu: Balázs kabátját felvette, és elindult munkatársaival.En: Balázs put on his coat and set off with his colleagues.Hu: Kicsit szorongott, de elhatározását megerősítette.En: He felt a bit anxious, but his determination was strengthened.Hu: Megérkezve a konferencia helyszínére, Balázs megállt a hatalmas épület előtt.En: Upon arriving at the conference venue, Balázs paused in front of the huge building.Hu: Mély levegőt vett.En: He took a deep breath.Hu: A konferenciaterem tele volt emberekkel.En: The conference room was filled with people.Hu: A szíve gyorsan vert, amikor a dobogó felé tartott.En: His heart raced as he headed towards the stage.Hu: Kata és Zsófia bátorítóan néztek rá a tömegből.En: Kata and Zsófia looked at him encouragingly from the crowd.Hu: Balázs a pódiumra lépett, és elhelyezkedett.En: Balázs stepped onto the podium and positioned himself.Hu: A tenyerében izzadság gyűlt.En: Sweat gathered in his palms.Hu: A szemek rá szegeződtek.En: All eyes were on him.Hu: De akkor, egy mély lélegzetvétel után, belekezdett a prezentációba.En: But then, after a deep breath, he began the presentation.Hu: Lassú, biztos hangon beszélni kezdett.En: He started speaking in a slow, steady voice.Hu: Ahogy haladt előre, magabiztossága nőtt.En: As he progressed, his confidence grew.Hu: Amikor befejezte, a szobában tapsvihar tört ki.En: When he finished, the room erupted in applause.Hu: Kata és Zsófia odaszaladtak hozzá, gratuláltak.En: Kata and Zsófia ran over to congratulate him.Hu: A főnöke is elégedetten bólogatott.En: His boss nodded approvingly.Hu: "Nagyszerű munka, Balázs!En: "Great job, Balázs!"Hu: " - mondta.En: he said.Hu: A feladat sikerült.En: The task was accomplished.Hu: Balázs egy nagy kő esett le a szívéről.En: A great weight was lifted off Balázs's heart.Hu: Megtanulta, hogy képes legyőzni a félelmeit.En: He learned that he was capable of overcoming his fears.Hu: A siker új lendületet adott neki.En: The success gave him new momentum.Hu: Ahogy visszarohant az asztalához a vonatúton, tudta, hogy új kihívásokat is bátran fog vállalni.En: As he rushed back to his desk on the train ride, he knew he would bravely take on new challenges too.Hu: Az irodai élet új távlatokat ígért.En: Office life promised new horizons.Hu: Balázs mosolyogva nézett ki az ablakon, a városi lét szépségeit élvezve.En: Balázs looked out the window smiling, enjoying the beauty of city life. Vocabulary Words:modern: modernshone: ragyogottvisible: láthatóakscattered: szétszórvarevolved: forogtakupcoming: közelgőconference: konferenciapondered: töprengettovercome: túllépnipromotion: előléptetéstencouragingly: biztatóancheerfully: vidámandreaded: rettegettdeparting: indulanxious: szorongottdetermination: elhatározásátvenue: helyszínérepause: megálltpodium: pódiumrasweat: izzadságpalms: tenyerébensteady: biztosconfidence: magabiztosságaapplause: tapsviharcongratulate: gratuláltakapprove: elégedettenmomentum: lendületetcapable: képesraced: gyorsan verthorizons: távlatokat
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Hosts: Brett Hammer (@bhammertimeshow), Caleb Lyons (@Caleb_Lyons7), Zach Robinson (@zach_robinson17) Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676
College golf is changing fast, and Shauna Taylor is one of the few people who's lived its evolution from every angle - elite player, head coach, recruiter, mentor, and Hall of Famer. If you care about what actually builds winning programs, this conversation will show you why the best teams are built on values, relationships, and the courage to adapt. Shauna Taylor, the head coach of Arkansas Women's Golf, opens up about the team retreat that may have set the tone for her entire season - including two hole-in-ones, a course record, and a viral behind-the-scenes look at her players being exactly who they are. She explains how she uses values exercises to shape locker-room culture, and why player-led teams are often stronger than coach-led ones. Taylor also shares the deeply personal side of her journey - from growing up in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to becoming a decorated Georgia star, to navigating a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis that changed her path from pro golfer to coach. Her story is a reminder that the best leaders are often the ones who've had to rebuild their own definition of success. We also get into the future of women's college golf: the rise of LEAP, the real value of education in the NIL era, and why Taylor believes programs must reward players fairly without losing sight of what makes college golf special. Along the way, she talks about the power of Arkansas's home event, the Blessings Intercollegiate, the prestige of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, and what makes upcoming inaugural events like the Haskins tournament and the NANEA worth watching. Taylor's Hall of Fame recognition, her habit of writing thank-you notes every morning, and her commitment to relationships over transactions make this episode a must-listen for coaches, college golf fans, and anyone who wants a masterclass in building something that lasts. Shauna Taylor - Arkansas Women's Golf Coach The Back of the Range - All Access Subscribe to The Back of the Range Subscribe in Apple Podcasts and SPOTIFY! Also Subscribe in YouTube, Google Play , Overcast, Stitcher Follow on Social Media! Email us: ben@thebackoftherange.com Website: www.thebackoftherange.com Voice Work by Mitch Phillips
TODAY'S QUESTION: To my favorite trio of advice professionals, I have been with my wife for ten years and married for six years. I love her dearly and try to make sure I always have her back. She is smart, talented, and supportive. She also believes she was put on this planet to help and heal people. One of the many things I love that about her. The problem is, her version of healing relates less to medicine and science and more towards energy work and spirituality. She wants to start a business that is part reiki healing and part body energy work. We're not destitute, but we definitely don't have that ‘pursue a seemingly volatile business idea' kind of money either. Especially in a time where everything feels like it's on fire and extra money for these types of services seems to be at a premium. While I'm not completely against her pursuing these healing opportunities, how do I stay supportive of her dream while very much not supporting this specific business idea? Keep up the good work, fellas Sincerely, Stuck in #@%-@$$ Douglas County LINKS See the Grawlix live at the Bug Theatre on Saturday, September 26th with Dave Ross and Chris Walsh! Follow us for show dates and more: Adam Cayton-Holland • Ben Roy • Andrew Orvedahl • The Grawlix Support this podcast on Patreon to get ad-free episodes, bonus videos, birthday shout-outs and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Real improvement takes time, which is to say that a single class or lesson can only take us so far. However, getting off to a good start can go a long way towards an ideal ending. Amy and Mike invited educational entrepreneur Lisa Tran to explore the importance of making the first coaching session matter. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What does rapport mean in an educational or coaching context? What does an ideal first session structure actually look like? How can educators and coaches cultivate effective rapport? What is the role of students and parents in making the first session work? What happens in a first session that makes students want to come back? MEET OUR GUEST Lisa Tran built her tutoring business, Lisa's Study Guides, from her own one-on-one students up to 35 tutors and 200+ students, and eventually sold it. She now runs Tutorboss, where she helps tutoring business owners stop being the bottleneck in their own businesses and step into being the CEO. She is an Aussie based in London. Lisa can be reached at tutorboss.co or @imlisatran on Instagram. LINKS The 7 Traits of Top Tutors How Building Rapport Helped My Students Take Risks RELATED EPISODES THE ROLE OF RAPPORT IN EDUCATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH A CAREER TUTOR CULTIVATING AND RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC CURIOSITY ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
The Chicago Bulls may not have an internal playoff mandate for 2026-27 — but does development-first basketball mean fans should lower expectations?On today's Chicago Bulls Central, Haize dives into some of the most underrated storylines surrounding the Bulls, starting with Jalen Smith, who could quietly become one of Chicago's most important bench pieces. Nic Claxton is the defensive anchor, but Smith's shooting, rebounding and offensive versatility could make him the big man who unlocks lineups around Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson.Then there's Noa Essengue, Chicago's forgotten 2025 lottery pick. After his rookie season was essentially wiped out by shoulder surgery, Essengue now returns to a completely different developmental landscape featuring Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, an ascending Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller and Patrick Williams. The question isn't whether Noa dominates immediately — it's whether he can reestablish himself as part of Chicago's long-term future.Haize also examines a brutal early schedule that could shape the tone of the entire season. Chicago opens with six of its first eight games on the road while trying to integrate a new coach, three new starters, a rookie power forward, a new defensive center and an unsettled bench-scoring hierarchy. A rough start would not automatically mean the rebuild is failing — but it could impact rotations, roster decisions and trade conversations quickly.The episode then shifts to Matas Buzelis, whose second-year development suggests he may be much closer to legitimate two-way stardom than skeptics realize. Matas averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season and became the youngest player in NBA history to combine at least 100 blocks and 150 made threes in a season. His defensive matchup difficulty and isolation-defense numbers also improved dramatically.Finally, Haize reacts to ESPN reporting that there is no internal pressure on the Bulls to reach the play-in or playoffs. Bryson Graham's stated focus is internal growth, while Caleb Wilson has already made his own mentality clear: “I do expect to win.” Those ideas do not have to conflict — but they create the biggest philosophical question of the season: Can Chicago prioritize development without allowing patience to become lowered standards?
HEADLINES:• LEAP 2026 Opens With $15 Billion AI Push as Saudi Arabia Lands Global Tech Deals • LIV Golf prepares for bankruptcy filing in September, FT reports • UAE's Arada Plans $7 Billion Syria Development in First Investment Newsletter: https://aug.us/4jqModrWhatsApp: https://aug.us/40FdYLUInstagram: https://aug.us/4ihltzQTiktok: https://aug.us/4lnV0D8Smashi Business Show (Mon-Friday): https://aug.us/3BTU2MY
Bleav in Celtics host Zach LeBlanc breaks down Payton Pritchard's expanded role next year following the Jaylen Brown trade and what he can capitalize on. The Celtics are bringing back an old jersey for their city edition, while receiving an NBA Cup jersey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Fluent Fiction - Catalan: The Aqueduct Time Traveler: A Dreamer's Leap of Faith Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ca/episode/2026-08-31-07-38-19-ca Story Transcript:Ca: Sobre el fons del cel blau de l'estiu, les formes antigues de l'aqüeducte romà es perfilaven amb majestuositat.En: Against the backdrop of the blue summer sky, the ancient forms of the Roman aqueduct stood in majestic silhouette.Ca: La llum del sol jugava amb les ombres dels seus arcs de pedra, que ballaven sobre el terra polsegós mentre una brisa suau acariciava el paisatge.En: The sunlight played with the shadows of its stone arches, which danced over the dusty ground as a gentle breeze caressed the landscape.Ca: Oriol, amb els ulls brillants d'aventura, caminava al costat de Laia i Marcel.En: Oriol, with eyes bright with adventure, walked alongside Laia and Marcel.Ca: El guia turístic estava a punt d'explicar-los un altre fragment de la història antiga, però Oriol ja tenia altres plans.En: The tour guide was about to tell them another piece of ancient history, but Oriol already had other plans.Ca: Alguna cosa dins seu li deia que aquell aqüeducte podia ser més que només una resta històrica; potser era la clau per viatjar en el temps.En: Something inside him told him that this aqueduct could be more than just a historical relic; perhaps it was the key to time travel.Ca: "Això va més enllà de simples ruïnes", va dir Oriol somrient, amb aquell aire somiador que li era tan característic.En: "This goes beyond mere ruins," said Oriol, smiling with that dreamy air that was so characteristic of him.Ca: "És clar, Oriol", va replicar Laia amb un mig somriure, sabent com li encantava imaginar històries fantàstiques.En: "Of course, Oriol," replied Laia with a half-smile, knowing how much he loved to imagine fantastic stories.Ca: "Encara creus que sovint els teus somnis es converteixen en realitat?"En: "Do you still think your dreams often come true?"Ca: Marcel va riure, sempre disposat a riure's d'aquestes idees.En: Marcel laughed, always ready to make fun of these ideas.Ca: "Com ho faràs, Oriol? Correràs pels arcs esperant alguna màgia?"En: "How will you do it, Oriol? Will you run through the arches hoping for some magic?"Ca: Oriol va mirar als altres dos amb una brillantor decidida als ulls.En: Oriol looked at the other two with a determined sparkle in his eyes.Ca: "Exactament això. He llegit que a vegades només cal creure una mica!", va respondre ell, fent un pas cap als grans arcs del aqüeducte.En: "Exactly that. I've read that sometimes you just need to believe a little!" he replied, stepping toward the large arches of the aqueduct.Ca: Laia i Marcel es van mirar, més divertits que alarmats.En: Laia and Marcel glanced at each other, more amused than alarmed.Ca: A poc a poc, s'apropaven a l'aqüeducte, entre els murmuris d'altres turistes que ja observaven la peculiar escena.En: Slowly, they approached the aqueduct amid the murmurs of other tourists already watching the peculiar scene.Ca: Amb un gest dramàtic, Oriol va començar a córrer cap a l'arc central de l'aqüeducte.En: With a dramatic gesture, Oriol began running toward the central arch of the aqueduct.Ca: Els batecs alegres dels altres turistes es van aturar, i les càmeres s'alçaren per immortalitzar aquell moment tan insòlit.En: The cheerful chatter of the other tourists stopped, and cameras rose to capture that unusual moment.Ca: Quan finalment Oriol va travessar l'arc, va acabar exactament a l'altre costat, els seus amics queien de riure.En: When Oriol finally crossed through the arch, he ended up exactly on the other side, his friends bursting out laughing.Ca: "No has tornat al temps dels romans, però has fet història avui!", va exclamar Marcel, secant-se les llàgrimes de riure.En: "You haven't gone back to Roman times, but you've made history today!" exclaimed Marcel, wiping away tears of laughter.Ca: Laia va afegir: "Potser no hem viatjat al passat, però sí que has aconseguit animar aquest matí."En: Laia added: "Maybe we haven't traveled to the past, but you sure have brightened up this morning."Ca: El guia turístic, que també havia rigut, es va apropar al grup.En: The tour guide, who had also laughed, approached the group.Ca: "Sabeu, podria incloure aquesta història a les meves pròximes visites! Potser algun dia, algú ho provarà de nou."En: "You know, I could include this story in my future tours! Perhaps someday, someone else will try it again."Ca: Oriol, amb un somriure gran, va admetre que la seva teoria potser havia fallat, però va afegir amb decisió: "Suposo que hora d'aprendre més sobre arqueologia. Mai se sap on et portaran els somnis."En: Oriol, with a wide smile, admitted that his theory might have failed, but added decisively: "I suppose it's time to learn more about archaeology. You never know where dreams might lead you."Ca: I així, mentre sortien del camí de l'aqüeducte, Oriol havia après que, tot i que no sempre els seus somnis es complien, cada pas, fins i tot un fallit, podia portar a una gran aventura.En: And so, as they walked away from the aqueduct path, Oriol learned that although his dreams didn't always come true, each step, even a failed one, could lead to a great adventure. Vocabulary Words:the backdrop: el fonsmajestic: majestuositatthe silhouette: el perfilthe arches: els arcsthe dusty ground: el terra polsegósthe breeze: la brisathe tour guide: el guia turísticthe fragment: el fragmentthe ruins: les ruïnesthe sparkle: la brillantordetermined: decididathe murmur: els murmuristhe chatter: els batecspeculiar: peculiarthe arch: l'arccheerful: alegrethe laughter: les llàgrimes de riureto brighten up: animarthe scene: la escenainsolent: insòlitto cross: traversarthe sparkle: la brillantorfailed: fallitadventure: aventuraunusual: insòlitto approach: apropenthe chatter: els batecsfuture: pròximesfantastic: fantàstiquesto believe: creure
Today on the program, a trip into the archive and a return to Episode 149, my conversation with Terry Tempest Williams. We were talking about her book When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice, available from Picador. Air date: February 17, 2013. Terry Tempest Williams is the award-winning author of over twenty books of creative nonfiction, including the environmental classic, Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place. Among her other books are Leap; Red; The Open Space of Democracy; Finding Beauty in a Broken World; The Hour of Land; and Erosion: Essays of Undoing. Her work has been translated and anthologized worldwide. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Lannan Literary Award, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters and is currently writer-in-residence at the Harvard Divinity School. She divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts and Southeastern Utah. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Get How to Write a Novel, the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to Brad's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Instagram TikTok Bluesky Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession
Selling products doesn't have to feel awkward or salesy. In this episode of Fully Booked, Elicia Crook shares simple strategies for recommending products you genuinely use, love, and believe can help your clients. Host: Elicia Crook is a business coach and mentor for massage therapists, sharing the tactics she used to create her business success over 16 years. She is a diploma-qualified remedial massage therapist, using modalities such as Bowen and craniosacral therapy, and has a Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, which she used while teaching massage for several years. Through her career and business experience, Crook discovered who she needed to be and what is required to run a deeply satisfying massage business. Now she takes the Fully Booked Without Burnout blueprint to other therapists around the world to create more success and passion. For more information, visit https://healthleaderco.com/ Resources: I love being a massage therapist, but there was a point where I'd realized I'd built a really busy practice and also accidentally built a business that completely relied on me. If I didn't treat, I didn't earn, and I knew I wanted more, more income, more impact, more freedom, but mostly more choice. I didn't wanna stop being a therapist. I wanted to build a business that supported the life I actually wanted, and learning how to think like a business owner changed everything for me, and that's why I created Mastery. So if you love what you do, but there's a part of you thinking, "I know my business could be more than this," book a Mastery call. You can apply at the bottom on the page and book a call with my Christine or James to get eyes on your business. Let's put 20 minutes of eyes on your business to see what's possible. https://healthleaderco.com/mastery "Making the Leap to a Full-Time Business" https://www.abmp.com/learn/course/making-leap-full-time-business-part-1-mindset Sponsor: Jane is a practice management platform for health and wellness clinics, used by more than 245,000 practitioners worldwide. Jane helps practitioners schedule appointments, chart treatments, bill insurers, and get paid all in one secure, beautifully designed platform. Learn more about Jane at jane.app/demo and if you're ready to get started, use the code ABMP1MO for a one-month grace period on your new account. For more details, visit jane.app, jane.app/pricing, and jane.app/features.
John continues his conversation with Alice Sesay Pope about how AI is changing business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Alice explains how Generative and Agentic AI can help entrepreneurs and small businesses work faster, save money, and grow without huge teams. They also talk about trust, guardrails, and how to wisely use AI. About Alice Sesay Pope: Alice Pope is a Fortune 100 Customer Experience and Operations executive who helps enterprise organizations transform CX into a measurable driver of revenue, retention, and loyalty — while modernizing cost-to-serve through digital enablement, automation, and Generative AI. She leads at the intersection of customer trust, operational excellence, and innovation — because the organizations that win at scale don't choose between efficiency and empathy. They build intelligent systems that deliver both. With more than 30 years of executive leadership in complex, global environments, Alice has led large-scale transformations that connect the full CX ecosystem — product, engineering, analytics, care, and field operations — turning customer insight into sustained business performance. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - How The Trust Algorithm can help entrepreneurs [04:17] - Being a conduit [06:03] - What leaders should think about before implementing Agentic AI [08:00] - Every business starts with people [09:15] - What does it take to be a great leader in the AI age? [12:22] - Utilizing AI from day one when starting a new business [17:10] - How Alice's faith impacts her business [19:33] - Alice's definition of success [20:07] - The most valuable skill sets in the AI era [22:35] - Traits of a great leader [23:23] - #1 daily habit [24:23] - The legacy Alice wants to leave behind [26:11] - Book recommendations [28:17] - How Alice invests in her marriage [29:34] - Circle 10 and why this program is important to her [32:31] - Best way to connect with Alice [35:18] - Wrap-up NOTABLE QUOTES: "Don't take everything that a Generative AI gives you as gospel. Still inspect, still conduct your audit." "Life and business are all about relationships. There's nothing before that. There's nothing after that." "Every business is a problem solver of some kind." "Success is utilizing your God-given talents to make the world a better place. So, when you go to bed at night, you feel good about what you do." "You can have an advisor, or a coach, Generative AI. But there's nothing more powerful than a real person who could be a coach, who can exchange an idea with you, who can feel your pain when you've had a failure, and help you say, 'Get back up again,' and encourage you." "There will be people who embrace the tools that will build wealth in ways that we've never seen before … but, at the same time, there are people that will be too scared of it … and it will widen the wealth gap." "Don't just launch a generative AI solution just to be launching it … Start with your customer. What can you solve for your customer faster? Will it reduce customer effort? Will it increase loyalty?" "There's something that's still powerful about a human connection and I hope our world doesn't lose that." BOOK MENTIONED: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't by James C. Collins (https://a.co/d/0aXgmwDX) USEFUL LINKS: https://alicesesaypope.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicesesaypope/ https://www.instagram.com/alicesesaypope/ https://x.com/Alicesesaypope https://www.youtube.com/@alicesesaypope The Trust Algorithm: How Leaders Build Trust with Generative AI - https://a.co/d/0aKOKLBw Transformation From The Inside Out - https://a.co/d/0esUYdS0 CONNECT WITH JOHN Website - https://iamjohnhulen.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnhulen Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnhulen X - https://x.com/johnhulen YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@iamjohnhulen EPISODE CREDITS Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/
On the show today our guest is John Black, CTO of Brain Corp. John shares how Brain Corp has evolved from proving autonomous navigation in public spaces to operating at fleet scale across cleaning, scanning, retail analytics, and new manipulation use cases. He explains why the real challenge is not just making robots smarter, but building the guardrails, infrastructure, and platform reuse needed to deploy them safely and reliably in the real world. John joins Gene Demaitre and Mike Oitzman to unpack how Brain Corp moved from proving autonomous navigation in public spaces to operating fleet scales across cleaning, inventory intelligence, and shelf scanning. He explains why the company's next leap is less about building one perfect robot and more about creating a platform that can support many robot form factors, many applications, and many customers at once. You'll discover: Why public spaces are the hardest test for autonomous robots, and how Brain Corp designs for safety without killing productivity How Brain OS evolved into a full-stack platform with cloud infrastructure, OTA updates, manufacturing tools, trust centers, and fleet management Why 50,000 connected robots and tens of millions of operating hours create a data advantage smaller fleets simply cannot match If you want a clear-eyed look at where physical AI is headed — and what it takes to make robots commercially useful instead of just impressive — this episode delivers the strategy behind the scale. ### Register now for RoboBusiness 2026: https://cvent.me/w0eRN9?RefId=podcast
The Tests and the Rest podcast consistently focuses on exploring important topics in testing, admissions, education, and learning with amazing expert guests. Sometimes, though, we enjoy an unstructured opportunity to discuss our own takes on major issues, upcoming events, and our endeavors at the intersection of business and education. Catch up with us in the latest episode of EXTEMP with Amy & Mike. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What have Amy and Mike been up to this month? Why is Mike headed to NYC during a busy month? What big project did Amy complete? What is a habit Amy and Mike are trying to build or break? What's coming up in the next month for Amy and Mike? We definitely want to respond to listener questions in our next EXTEMP episode, so reach out to us on social media or get in touch through our contact page. Let's get this Tests and the Rest mailbag rolling! LINKS Tutor: Perfectionism is About Fear Seeley Test Pros/ LEAP HSPT On-Demand Course RELATED EPISODES EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: July 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: June 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: May 2026 EXTEMP WITH AMY & MIKE: April 2026 ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.
Todd Archer, a Dallas Cowboys reporter for ESPN, joined Sports Talk. Archer broke down the Cowboys' offseason entering the preseason finale against the Saints. He shared his thoughts on rookie S Caleb Downs, DC Christian Parker, and the NFC East.
This episode was sponsored by Cardiff LightSpeed VT: https://www.lightspeedvt.com/ Dropping Bombs Podcast: https://www.droppingbombs.com/ Today's Dropping Bombs episode delivers a brain-bending conversation with Jim Kwik, the world's most recognized brain performance coach who turned a childhood head injury into a 34-year career training half of the Fortune 500, including Google, Nike, SpaceX, and the U.S. Air Force. Jim breaks down his LEAP method for learning faster in the age of AI, why human intelligence (not artificial intelligence) will decide who wins the next wealth gap, and the sleep inertia window quietly running your entire day before you even open your eyes. Everyone thinks their memory, focus, or intelligence is just who they are. Jim proves it's actually a skill, one you were never taught and can start training today. If you've ever been curious about the true limitless power of the mind, this episode delivers.
If you’ve ever doubted whether you still had the “music in you,” to take a bold leap at midlife, this conversation with Edi Matsumoto offers proof that reinvention is possible. After 30 years as a nurse practitioner and disallusioned by the health care system, Edi traded in her stethoscope for a paintbrush. We talk about the moment she realized her calling had shifted, the leap of faith that led her to open her own gallery in California, and how a whimsical concept called “Otter Therapy” became a genuine source of joy and healing for thousands of people. In this episode, you'll discover: Why burnout and disillusionment can be the universe’s way of pointing you toward your next chapter, not a sign that you’ve failed. How Edi found her niche by paying attention to what people genuinely responded to, not just what she thought she “should” be painting. Why the Japanese concept of ikigai offers a simple framework for midlife reinvention. How community, like Edi’s monthly “Carmel Bohemian Club” gathering, became essential fuel for staying the course when self-doubt crept in. About My Guest Edi Matsumoto spent nearly 30 years as a nurse practitioner before leaving healthcare in 2021 to become a full-time artist. She’s the creator of “Otter Therapy,” a series of whimsical fine art pieces that reimagine beloved paintings and portraits with sea otters. She’s also the owner of own gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Edi is the author of “Otter Therapy” and hosts a monthly community gathering for local artists called the Carmel Bohemian Club. Connect with Edi Website: edimatsumoto.com Email: edi (at) edimatsumoto.com Book: “Otter Therapy” available on Amazon and in bookstores Resources & links mentioned: The concept of ikigai – a Japanese framework for finding life’s purpose Carmel Bohemian Club – Edi’s monthly community gathering for local artists Watch more conversations like this one, completely free, on New Reality TV. Consciousness, healing, the paranormal, the unexplained, all in one place. Available on Roku, FireTV, iOS, and Android. newrealitytv.com Design Your Life, Your Way – next steps: Learn more about working with Gloria Grace Rand at gloriarand.com Explore the Life On Purpose Accelerator: lopa.cc If this episode spoke to you, leave us a review. Follow/subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. Share this with a friend who's navigating transition, reinvention, or a fresh start after 50. Connect with me on LinkedIn @GloriaGraceRand to continue the conversation about midlife, meaning, and living on purpose.
Quitting your job without a plan is not courage.It is unnecessary risk.In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Paul Alex breaks down how to transition from a 9-to-5 into entrepreneurship by using clear financial benchmarks instead of emotion.The goal is not to escape your job as quickly as possible.The goal is to prove the business works before your paycheck disappears.Build the offer.Get paying customers.Create consistent revenue.Then make the move when the numbers support it.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why quitting without proof of concept can destroy your business before it starts• How to validate your side hustle while keeping the security of your salary• Why revenue targets and emergency savings should determine your exit timing• How a calculated transition allows you to enter entrepreneurship with greater confidenceThe truth is simple:Do not let frustration write your resignation letter.Run the numbers.Build the revenue.Create the emergency fund.Prove the model before you remove the safety net.When the business consistently covers your essential expenses and your reserves are strong, the leap stops being reckless.It becomes calculated.Your Network is your NETWORTH!Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhDAD1JyGGzSQUPD9lc9HQLinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you:www.CashSwipe.comFREE Copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold - The New American Dream”www.officialPaulAlex.com
Help us raise money for St. Jude Children's Hospital here: https://tinyurl.com/FFTDonate2026Adam, Jamey, and Heath welcome Chris Harris of Harris Football to give the wide receivers who could make the biggest fantasy leap in 2026. Chris kicks things off with Jameson Williams (4:44), who could take on a bigger role in Detroit, and Jayden Higgins (8:19), a late-round target with WR2 potential in Houston. Jamey likes DeVonta Smith (18:52) stepping into a WR1 role and remains high on Emeka Egbuka (20:05) despite recent camp news, while Heath highlights Zay Flowers (21:17) with potential league-winning upside and Luther Burden (27:15) as an ADP bargain. We wrap up with a case for Parker Washington (30:46) & Ladd McConkey (31:55) as emerging stars. Check out the rest of our breakout series to find the must-know picks from QB, TE, & RB to help you dominate your draft and win your fantasy football league!Fantasy Football Today is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcastsWatch FFT on YouTube