Podcasts about monday morning radio

Linda Pastam wrote a marvelous poem called “Driving West” in which these lines appear:We are the pioneersof our own histories, drawnto the horizon as if it waited just for usthe way the young are drawnto the future, the old to the past.“…the way the young are drawn to the future, the old to the past.”I need you to hold those words tightly in your hands, even though they wriggle and thrash like slippery fishes anxious to escape your unfamiliar fingers and return to the quiet darkness where they can breathe water and feel entirely at home.Hold on to those words.Dr. Roger Sperry was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1981 for his documentation of the differences between the two hemispheres of our brains.One half of your brain puts you in touch with this Present Moment in this Real World.The other half puts you in touch with the Past and the Future in that mystical – magical – hallucinatory unreliable World of Imagination.Dr. Sperry discovered that what appears to a brain divided into two halves could more accurately be described as two separate, competing brains.In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Sperry said,“Each brain half appeared to have its own, largely separate, cognitive domain with its own private perceptual, learning and memory experiences, all of which were seemingly oblivious of corresponding events in the other hemisphere.”Dr. Sperry later said,“Each hemisphere of the brain is indeed a conscious system in its own right, perceiving, thinking, remembering, reasoning, willing, and emoting, all at a characteristically human level, and both the left and the right hemisphere may be conscious simultaneously in different, even in mutually conflicting,mental experiences that run along in parallel.”Regardless of which half you prefer, both halves are equally important.One half of your brain puts you in touch with This world.The other half puts you in touch with Possible worlds.One half puts you in touch with the sciences.The other half puts you in touch with the arts.Now let's get back to those wriggling fish that I asked you to hold.The Future to which the young are drawn, and the Past to which the old are attracted, are different time zones in the world of imagination.The young live in the brightness of the noonday sun. The old live in the twilight and remember the light of day.Most Americans attempt to persuade each other with facts. We do this because we trust Science and we worship Mathematics, and that is why we write such terrible ads.Most of us, most of the time, trust our instincts.We trust our intuitive hearts.This is what Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman described as System 1 or “Thinking Fast” in his book, “Thinking Fast and Slow.”Behavioral scientists estimate that roughly 90% to 95% of our daily decisions are made automatically and unconsciously using System 1 thinking.Most people don't want to admit it.In fact, most people refuse to accept it.But the scientific truth is that we make at least nine-tenths our decisions in that half of the brain where the darkwater fish glimmer effortlessly and thoughtlessly, silver and gold in the moonlight.Study the arts. Learn to win the heart.If you win the heart, the mind will follow. The mind will always create logic to justify what the heart has already decided.Roy H. WilliamsPaul Kesig uses the acronym L.O.V.E. to encapsulate his approach to sales.L is for celebrating Little wins.O is for asking Open-ended questions.V is for creating and communicating Value.E is for building an Emotional connection.Paul says that pairing love with sales strikes many people as contradictory. This is usually because their experiences with bad salespeople have taught them to truly hate the sales process.Listen in as Paul explains to roving reporter Rotbart that those who have adopted his approach have quickly discovered that L.O.V.E. really can spell success; MondayMorningRadio.com

Paul Kesig honed his sales coaching skills across multiple segments of the healthcare industry, but his insights apply to any products or services a business owner or entrepreneur offers. Paul uses the acronym L.O.V.E. to encapsulate his proven approach to sales. L is for setting and celebrating little wins. O is for asking open-ended questions. V is for creating and communicating value. And E is for building an emotional connection. He is the author of How to LOVE Sales: A Framework to Build Confidence and Success. Pairing love and sales as a strategy for success may at first strike many professionals as contradictory, Paul admits, since so many people hate the sales process. Yet as he explains, those who adopt his approach will discover that LOVE really can spell success.  Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Paul KesigPosted: August 31, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 50:56 Episode: 707

Following a 27-year career as a CEO and entrepreneur, Jim Ellis became a professor and — from 2007 to 2019 — dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Many of his former students are successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Jim — author of the new book, A Journey of Insights: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy — says he learned as much as he taught by listening to the ideas and feedback of students, colleagues, alumni, family members, and even strangers. Many attributes distinguish a great leader from a good one. However, as Jim explains, being a discerning listener may be the most important leadership skill of all. You won't need an MBA to learn from Jim. All you need is to tune in to this week's episode. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jim Ellis, A Journey of InsightsPosted: August 24, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 43:50 Episode: 706

August 17, 2026“Trust” is a fuzzy word.We know the meaning of the word, but it conjures no clear image in the mind.“Razor blade” is a vivid word. Every time you hear it, you can see that razor blade clearly on the visuospatial sketchpad of working memory – also known as your imagination – in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of your brain.Trust is abstract.Razor blade is concrete.Trust is an artistic, emotional, relational word.Razor blade is a scientific, logical, transactional word.If you are thinking, “Razor blade is not a word; it is two words,” please be aware that I know this.“Razor blade” is a 3-syllable construct that conjures a vivid, concrete image in the mind. But those 3 syllables* require the combination of two nouns, “razor” and “blade” to deliver clarity.Were I to say only “blade,” you might think of a sword or a pocket knife or the knife with which you carve the turkey at Thanksgiving.Were I to say only “razor,” you might think of that classic, metal shaving instrument that slowly opens to reveal a thin, double-edged blade when you twist the knob at the bottom of its handle.Or you might think of that black, blue and chrome Norelco Aquatec that currently lies in a drawer below the mirror gaze into which you gaze as you run that buzzing little beast over the stubble on your bleary-eyed face each morning.Yes, I know that “razor blade” is two words. But for the purpose of this essay, I am thinking of it only as a series of 3 syllables that deliver a concrete image.“Trust” is a single syllable that does not deliver a concrete image, but it does deliver a meaningful impression.Do you trust your husband?Do you trust your wife?Would you trust your dogto protect your life?Do you trust the government?Do you the trust the police?Do you trust your insurance companyor are you being fleeced?In those nine seconds, I aimed the eyes of your imagination at 6 different subjects, but that single syllable – “trust” – delivered what I needed it to deliver each time.Let me summarize what I have spoken.Abstract versus Concreteis essentiallyImpression versus Clarity.Reader, are you troubled that I said, “I have spoken,” when the technical truth is that I have written?Here's another little tidbit for you. The written word has no meaning until it has been translated into the spoken word it represents. Even when you are reading silently, you are hearing words in your mind. When you translate t-r-u-s-t into the single syllable that those 5 letters represent, the written word becomes the spoken word in your mind.You have been told that one picture is worth a thousand words.Maybe you even believe it.Let's put that to the test.Draw, paint, photograph, or use AI to create a picture of “trust.”The impression that we want to deliver to the viewer is the identical impression that is delivered by that glorious single syllable, “trust.”The image you create can contain no words, no letters, no sounds, no numerals. We are looking for that mythical picture that is supposedly able to deliver what cannot be delivered in a thousand words.When you have created your picture, show it to 100 people. Say only, “Tell me what you see.”I do not believe that you can create a picture that will cause anyone to look up at you and say, “Trust.”Let it be written it letters of fire across the skies: “One word is worth a thousand pictures.”I wish for you a joyous and productive day.Roy H. Williams*ray-zur blayd or /ˈreɪ.zɚ ˌbleɪd/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet“Working hard” is usually considered a virtue. But what happens when work becomes so central to your identity that you can't switch it off? Do you continue working even when you are exhausted, on vacation, or spending time with the people who matter most?Dr. Angelica Perez-Litwin has spent more than two decades observing high-achieving clients — and, as she candidly explains, she has experienced this problem herself.As she explains to roving reporter Rotbart, “A person does not need to surrender their ambition. The solution is to build a healthier relationship with achievement. Professional and financial success can remain important without becoming the only measure of who you are.”Listen and learn at MondayMorningRadio.com

For ambitious owners and entrepreneurs, working hard is usually considered a virtue. But what happens when work becomes so central to your identity that you can't switch it off — even when you're exhausted, on vacation, or spending time with the people who matter most? That's the problem clinical psychologist Dr. Angelica Perez-Litwin has spent more than two decades observing high-achieving clients — and, as she candidly explains, she has experienced herself. Dr. Perez-Litwin is the founder and CEO of Lumin, a therapy and career advisory practice, and the author of the forthcoming book, The Great Unraveling: The Silent Crisis of High Achievers and the Path to Career Harmony. As Dr. Perez-Litwin details on this week's podcast, the solution isn't to surrender ambition. It's to build a healthier relationship with achievement — one in which professional and financial success remain important without becoming the sole measure of who you are. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dr. Angelica Perez-LitwinPosted: August 17, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 50 minutes Episode: 705

Ron Lieback has loved motorcycles as long as he can remember. Despite a hectic schedule, he still finds time to ride at least 30,000 miles a year. Making the most of limited time is Ron's professional expertise. He has built a successful consultancy— 360 to Vision — teaching business owners and executives a proprietary framework for using each day's 1,440 minutes more wisely — and achieving greater professional and personal satisfaction. Ron is the author of Time Management Inverted: Live with Intentional Focus, Become the Best You, which challenges a basic assumption about productivity: We can't always manage time, but we can manage where we direct our focus. As Ron explains, gaining control of a demanding schedule requires much the same focus and foresight as safe motorcycling. The farther leaders can see down the road, the better prepared they are to avoid distractions, navigate obstacles, and reach their intended destination. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ron Lieback, 360 to VisionPosted: August 10, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time:  38:24 Episode: 704

The Three Quivering Questions of Modern Society:How can I achieve my goals with less effort?How can I achieve my goals in less time?How and where can I find pleasure?These are the “How to…” questions.(I call them the Quivering Questions because they contain an anxious energy similar to that of an addict looking for his or her next “fix.”)Shortcuts, pro tips, life hacks, and insider secrets are snippets that exist to tell you “How to…”Schools, seminars, master mind groups, and countless consultants exist to tell you “How to…”Millions of books and Youtube videos have been written and produced to tell you “How to…”The answers to the “How to” questions are always Informational.The Three Ancient Questions That Echo Within Us:Who Am I? (Identity)Why Am I Here? (Purpose)What Must I Overcome? (Adventure)Those are the “Fascination” questions.Fascination is the drive behind our search for God and our hunger for entertainment.Faith and entertainment seem incongruent until you realize that both of them fascinate us because they change our mood and lift us higher.The answers to the “Fascination” questions are always Relational.When you understand these 6 questions, you understand the essence, attraction, and purpose of social media.Youtube offers only “How to” videos and “Fascination” videos.Likewise, every book is either a “How to” book or a “Fascination” book.Television shows are either “How to” or “Fascination.” Movies and music lend themselves mostly to fascination.I told you, “Fascination is the drive behind our search for God and our hunger for entertainment.”When we contemplate our existence and the possibility of God, we ask,Who Am I?Why Am I Here?What Must I Overcome?Your answers to those questions will determine your faith, whether it be Judeo-Christian, Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, or one of the many other belief systems with millions of followers.When entertainment elevates our mood, our fascination comes from identity reinforcement.The books, movies, and television shows that we love are the ones that show us a reflection of ourselves.When we identify with a character, we vicariously experience the challenges they face. These challenges are known as the plot or the “narractive arc.”We likewise experience the evolution of that character when they are changed by those challenges. This is known as the “character arc.”The characters with whom we identify remind us of who we are.Identity reinforcement is the essence of affinity groups.An affinity group is any group of people who are attracted to the same thing.Every religion is an affinity group.The fans of a sports team are an affinity group.People who follow fashion are an affinity group.If you like jazz music, or hip-hop, or Jeeps or NASCAR or backpacking or sewing or science fiction or romance or current events or capitalism or gossip, you are in an affinity group.Mass media and social media exist to attract and serve affinity groups.The size of a business opportunity is largely determined by size of the affinity group it serves.If you are an electrician, a plumber, or an HVAC technician, your affinity groups will be people who like and need electricity, running water, and comfortable temperatures. Your limiting factors will bethe population of your trade areathe strength of your competitors.how often the average person needs your servicesWhether or not your name is the one people think of first and feel the best about.If you are a dentist, a jeweler, a lawyer, or a tree trimmer, your limiting factors will bethe population of your trade areathe strength of your competitorshow often the average person needs your servicesWhether or not your name is the one people think of first and feel the best about.If you own a restaurant, a grocery store, or sell some other product that people need weekly, your limiting factors will bethe population of the neighborhood in which you are locatedthe quality of the customer's experiencethe visibility of your locationBelieve it or not, everything I have told you in these 727 words is extremely important when you are creating the messages that you will spend your advertising budget to deliver.I understand if you are surprised by this, but it is true, nonetheless.Roy H. WilliamsFacebook has 3.07 billion monthly active usersYouTube has 2.5 billion monthly active usersInstagram has 2 billion monthly active usersTikTok has 1.58 billion monthly active usersLinkedIn has 930 million monthly active usersNOTE: Monthly Active Users tells you only the Reach of these platforms. But to compare Effectiveness, you would need to know how much time each week a user spends on each platform. You would also need to know how many times each week the same user could be reached on that platform. I'm Indy BeagleTHIS WEEK on Monday Morning Radio: Steven Mercer speaks from personal experience when he tells entrepreneurs how to build a service practice without sacrificing their values, their time, or their financial stability.Deputy rover Maxwell Rotbart asks brilliant questions and scribbles notes while Steven Mercer explains how to transition gradually from current employment to independent practice. He then explains how to attract clients through referrals and valuable content. He also explains how to decide when advertising makes sense.Do you want to know the best ways to set fees, establish boundaries, and handle difficult clients?Class will begin the moment you arrive at MondayMorningRadio.com.

Dr. Steven Mercer, an adjunct professor at the University of California-San Diego and an independent educational consultant, speaks from personal experience when he instructs solo entrepreneurs and consultants on how to build a service practice without sacrificing their values, time, or financial stability.  According to a 2025 Census Bureau report, there are 29.8 million solopreneurs in the United States who contribute an estimated $1.7 trillion to the US economy. On a bare-bones marketing budget, Dr. Mercer has managed to grow his business — Mercer Educational Consulting, which consults high school students and their parents on the best ways to get accepted into college — into a global enterprise. On this week's episode, Dr. Mercer offers lessons on how to transition gradually from employment to independent practice, attract clients through referrals and useful content, and decide when advertising makes sense.  Although there will not be a test, listeners will be schooled on the best ways to set fees, establish boundaries, and handle difficult clients. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dr. Stephen Mercer, Mercer Educational Consulting Posted: August 3, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 50 minutes Episode: 703 [Be sure to pick up your copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, the new Monday Morning Radio anthology featuring 21 world-class thinkers and leaders.]

Life is an adventure of choices and consequences.Choices and consequences.I believe that with all my heart.But I do not believe that wise choices will always yield the outcome you desired.The Book of Ecclesiastes is filled with the wisdom and insights of Solomon, who had this to say in chapter nine;“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but Time and Chance happens to them all.”I agree with what Solomon wrote, so I dare not say that a wise choice will always produce the desired outcome. But I will say that in the absence of unlucky timing and plain old bad luck, good Choices usually lead to good Consequences.Vi Wickam, one of my Wizard of Ads partners, wrote 140 words last week that knocked my socks off.I am typing these words to you on a computer that sits on top of my desk. Below that desk are my bare feet.My socks are nowhere to be found.These are the 140 words that Vi Wickam wrote for American Business Secrets.Make a Decision.Many people talk about decisions, but few people understand what it really isto make a decision.Not every choice is a decision.Decide comes from the Latin words “de” – meaning OFF – and “caedere”, meaning to CUT.To decide is to Cut Off the other possibilities.Few things are as powerful as a true decision.To decide is to move in a direction and to cut off the others.To decide is to keep your focus, and to not look back.To decide is to face your fear of loss.Every decision comes with loss, and you must face it.When you face that fear, you will feel relief.You will breathe easier.To decide is to stop second guessing yourself.To decide is to move forward with clear vision, and clear purpose.Make a decision today.With American Business Secrets, I'm Vi Wickam.Do you often have to explain, justify, and defend your decisions?Me, too.These are the 3 key sentences in Vi's 140-word essay that jerked my eyes open and blew my socks away:Not every choice is a decision.To Decide is to Cut Off the other possibilities.Every decision comes with loss, and you must face it.Some people believe that if you delay long enough, a solution will arise that causes no discomfort, no inconvenience, and no awkward moments.You will find these people waiting for their luck to turn, waiting for their ship to come in, waiting for their big break, waiting to begin this long, awkward, funny, delightful and difficult Walk of Life.Roy H. WilliamsSaturday, August 1st, will mark the 150th Anniversary of Colorado's admission to the Union as the 38th state.That milestone might not seem to relevant at first glance, but your opinion will quickly change.Maxwell Rotbart reveals in his new book, “Becoming Colorado,” the Rocky Mountain territory's long struggle for statehood offers valuable lessons for today's business executives in leadership, negotiation, coalition building, crisis management, branding, and strategy.Chief rover Dean joins deputy rover Maxwell to explore the business counsel hidden within Colorado's remarkable journey to statehood. Together, they will validate Winston Churchill's famous observation: “The longer you can look back, the farther you can look forward.”Are you ready to be fascinated? The place to be is MondayMorningRadio.com

Saturday, August 1st, will mark the 150th Anniversary of Colorado's admission to the Union as the 38th state. That milestone might not seem to offer business owners and entrepreneurs much in the way of actionable advice — but as Monday Morning Radio co-host Maxwell Rotbart reveals in his newly released history book, Becoming Colorado, the Rocky Mountain territory's long struggle for statehood offers valuable lessons for today's business executives in leadership, negotiation, coalition building, crisis management, branding, and strategy. Maxwell Rotbart Monday Morning Radio founding host, Dean Rotbart, joins Maxwell this week to explore the timeless business counsel hidden within Colorado's remarkable journey to statehood, and together they validate Winston Churchill's famous observation: "The longer you can look back, the farther you can look forward." Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Maxwell Rotbart, Becoming ColoradoPosted: July 27, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 54 minutes Episode: 15.6 BOOKS BY MAXWELL ROTBART: Becoming Colorado: The Colorful, Contentious Tale of Statehood - A Sesquicentennial History All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings: A Fresh Monday Morning Radio Anthology of Actionable Advice All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: A Monday Morning Radio Anthology of Actionable Advice https://tinyurl.com/BColo-Amazon

Road Atlanta is a famous roadracing track 800 miles from Tulsa, Oklahoma, a grueling trip to make in the back seat of a 1972 BMW 2002.Tony and Indy ride in the front seats. Pennie and I ride in the back.We stop only for gas.Arriving in pre-dawn Atlanta, we get a few hours sleep, then go down to the track where 67 racecars are parked in the dim sunlight of a misty morning.We are invited to examine all 67 of the racecars. At the end of 40 minutes, Tony points to car number 52, a 1978 Buick Skyhawk. He says,“Unless the driver sticks it into the wall or the engine explodes, that's the car that will win.”I looked at number 52, then glanced around at all the other cars and said, “Why?”Tony said,“That's a ten-thousand-dollar paint job, and paint jobs don't win races.”“You're telling me that the owner is an idiot. So why do you think his car will win?”Tony slowly shook his head, then said,“The fact that he spent $10,000 on a paint job lets me know that he spared no expense doing everything that matters. This guy did hundreds of important things to this car before he gave a single thought to the paint job. This paint job was the very last thing he did.”When I understood what Tony was saying, I repeated it back to him. “The fact that he has spent a ton of money to repaint a brand-new car that was already beautiful means that he has already done everything else that could help him win this race.”Tony said,“Ten-thousand-dollar paint jobs don't win races.”I nodded my head, then we silently climbed the hill where we would sit to watch the race.The track at Road Atlanta is two-and-a-half miles of hills, valleys, winding curves, and long straightaways that eat most of the cars and drivers who dare to place tires on its asphalt.A grass-and-tree-covered park sits in the center of that fierce track like a glittering jewel. This is where we will sit on blankets and watch cars fly past at startling speeds as 67 drivers try to outdistance each other for 6 screaming hours.At the end of the appointed time, only 24 cars remained on the track.Number 52 won by an impressive margin.A client said something to me three weeks ago that triggered my memory of standing on that racetrack with Tony 48 years ago.When a young client said that he was thinking about spending a huge amount of money for new truck wraps, I was instantly transported back to that track, listening to Tony explain why the car with the $10,000 paint job would win the race.My client owns a fast-growing home services company that sends technicians to houses to fix things that are broken. He has only been in business a few years.I accepted him as a client because I saw that he had already begun doing the things that will take his company higher than the tops of the mountains that surround him.When he told me that he was thinking of investing a shocking amount of money to have his service trucks re-wrapped, I asked, “Why?”He said he had read a list of extremely successful companies who had all used the same graphics house to design their new truck wraps.I asked,“Was it the owner of the graphics house that compiled and published the list?”My client said “Yes.”I said, “I once went to an Italian Restaurant in Weehawken, New Jersey that had a prominent sign in the foyer that said, “This Dining Establishment is Highly Recommended by its Owner.”We both laughed. Then I said to my client,“Paint jobs don't win races and truck wraps don't grow companies. The owners of every company on that list had already done everything they could do that would make a difference. When they had run out of ways to spend money on things that actually matter, they decided to get an expensive paint job.”Then I concluded my counsel by saying,“You own this company. I do not. My job is to help you do whatever you choose to do. If you feel like you have already done everything that you know for sure will make a difference, then spend the money for the truck wraps. But don't think that those companies became successful because of their truck wraps. Those companies became successful because they had already done everything else that matters.”I do not yet know what my young client will choose to do.But I do know two things:He is smart, hard working, and is outdistancing all of his competitors.Paint jobs don't win races.Roy H. WilliamsRon Robinson says that successful organizations continuously evaluate their vulnerabilities, engage employees in solving problems, and remain flexible as conditions change.Listen as Ron describes to roving reporter Rotbart his four-step framework for anticipating disruption and responding before challenges become existential threats.Ron's goal is straightforward: Help leaders weather the storms of uncertainty and emerge stronger in their aftermath. A storm is definitely coming. Escape that storm and emerge stronger at MondayMorningRadio dot com

Successful organizations continuously evaluate their vulnerabilities, engage employees in solving problems, and remain flexible as conditions change. That's the bottom-line message of leadership consultant Ron Robinson, who has spent decades advising organizations of all sizes on how to remain resilient in the face of an increasingly unpredictable business environment. This week, Ron — author of Practices of Resilient Companies: Overcome Disruption with Compassion, Collaboration and Knowledge — shares his four-step framework for anticipating disruption and responding before challenges become existential threats. His goal is straightforward: help leaders not merely weather the storms of uncertainty, but emerge stronger in their aftermath. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season, is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ron RobinsonPosted: July 20, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 47:45 Episode: 15.5 tinyurl.com/AYCEBW2-Unsigned

I received an email last Thursday from my friend Doug Burdon in which he mentions a story told by Jesus.That story is often called “The Parable of the Sower and the Seed.”The story goes like this:A farmer is slinging seed.Some of the seed falls on the compacted soil of the pathway where the birds came and ate it.Seeds fall on rocky soil where it spouts, then dies because the soil is thin.Some of the seed falls among thorns where it sprouts, then gets choked out by the aggressive weeds.Seeds fall on good soil where it returns a massive harvest.Doug referred to that story to make an altogether different point than the one that I am about to make, but I think that there is a solid chance that Doug would agree with me.Look at the sower of the seed as an advertiser, and the seed itself as the message that his advertising contains.You will notice that Jesus did not say, “Target the good soil.”(He does not say it in Matthew 13, He does not say it in Mark 4, and He does not say it in Luke 8.)Think about that for a moment; a pathway is easy to see. Rocky ground and thorny patches are likewise obvious.Why did Jesus NOT tell us to avoid spreading seed in places where it is unlikely to grow?Why did Jesus NOT tell us to target the good soil?(Yes, I am talking to you about the wisdom of using un-targeted mass media to spread your message. The consistent, long-term use of broadcast television and broadcast radio continues to be wildly effective even though they reach the untargeted, unfiltered, unwashed masses.)I am convinced that Jesus was familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes, which was written hundreds of years before He was born. These are the high points of what you will find in the first 6 verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 11.“Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.” [Translation: Don't fall into the trap of short-term thinking – RHW] …”Whoever watches the wind will not sow seed. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap a harvest. But you do not know the path of the wind… Sow your seed in the morning, and in the evening do not let your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”In other words, “Quit trying to know the end from the beginning. Energetic activities are more far productive than data collection and analysis.”Do not fall into the trap of short-term thinking.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Do not try to target the good soil.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Do not worry about whether or not “this” is the right time.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Quit thinking that you have the ability to predict the future.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Perhaps my beliefs are completely wrong, but if they are, then it would appear that Jesus and Solomon were wrong, too.Roy H. WilliamsColin Hodge knows that rapid business growth begins with understanding why customers think, choose, and behave as they do. Colin applies practical insights from psychology to strengthen customer loyalty and make better decisions through continual experimentation.As he tells roving reporter Rotbart, this mindset proved essential after his first successful app was abruptly pulled from Apple's app store, forcing him to start over.Today, Colin's company is back on Apple and has more than 17 million users. His story demonstrates how every setback can become the springboard to even greater success.Are you ready to run down that springboard, bounce high into the air, and reach for the stars? If your answer is “Yes,” the place for you to be is MondayMorningRadio.com.

This week, Monday Morning Radio celebrates its 700th episode of providing weekly, all-you-can-eat business wisdom. Since its debut in June 2012, the podcast has become a trusted resource for entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners seeking actionable advice rather than theory. In October 2025, the podcast surpassed one million downloads, a testament to its growing audience and enduring appeal.] Serial entrepreneur Colin Hodge, president, founder, and owner of DOWN — one of the top ten dating apps in the United States — knows firsthand that rapid business growth begins with understanding why customers think, choose, and behave as they do. He is the author of Outrageous Startup Growth: Uncovering the Secrets of User Psychology to Scale Your Success. Colin has built his career by applying practical insights from user psychology to improve marketing, strengthen customer loyalty, and make better strategic decisions through continual experimentation rather than guesswork. As he shares this week, that mindset proved essential after his early breakout dating and hookup app, Bang With Friends, was abruptly pulled from Apple's app store, forcing him to rethink his business and start over. Today, Colin's company is back on Apple — facilitating honest dating and interesting conversations with over 17 million users — demonstrating that setbacks can become the springboard to even greater success. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season,  is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Colin HodgePosted: July 13, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 56:36 Episode: 15.4

Drawing on three decades of executive recruiting experience, workforce strategist Chris Flakus offers practical advice on how job candidates can land better positions and how companies can hire and retain exceptional employees. Chris is the CEO of CSI Companies and author of Stay Relevant: Conquer Workplace Change at Every Phase of Your Career. For job seekers and employees alike, his message is straightforward: Stay relevant by demonstrating 1) adaptability, 2) curiosity, and 3) a commitment to lifelong learning. For employers, his recommendation is equally clear: Hire, develop, and reward people who embody those three qualities. As Chris explains, in today's rapidly evolving, AI-influenced workplace, technical skills remain essential, but character increasingly distinguishes those who succeed. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Chris Flakus, CSI CompaniesPosted: July 6, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:10 Episode: 15.3 [Be sure to pick up your copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, the new Monday Morning Radio anthology featuring 21 world-class thinkers and leaders.]

There is a big difference between a boundary and a wall.A boundary is a friendly agreement that keeps people from going too far.But a wall separates people.A wall isolates people.A wall keeps people away.In business, there are few things more important than the management of expectations through the use of clearly-worded boundaries.In business, these boundaries are called “up-front agreements.”An “up-front agreement” clarifies – at the very beginning of the relationship – what is INCLUDED, and what is EXCLUDED.It lets everyone know what they CAN expect, and what they CANNOT expect.“Up-front agreements” are how you establish boundaries with your customers.Boundaries are friendly.Walls are unfriendly.When you tell a customer “NO” by announcing that something is against your “company policy,” you build a wall that protects you from your customer.That wall will also make your customer feel like they need to be protected from you.Boundaries give people clarity and confidence.Walls give people anxiety and doubts.Boundaries make people feel happy and safe.Walls make people feel angry and afraid.Businesses thrive and customers are happy when the boundaries are clearly known.A clearly worded “up-front agreement” gives your customers confidence because it lets them know the boundaries in advance.But any time you say “NO” to a customer by telling them of some unknown “company policy,” you are putting up a wall that says,“We don't want you here.”“You should not have come here.”“Please tell everyone you meet.”I have told you two things:If you want your business to grow, make your boundaries known so that everyone knows in advance what is – and is not – included, and what can – and cannot – be expected.If you want your business to grow, never, ever, surprise a customer with a “wall” that they did not know was there.– Roy H. WilliamsMost companies struggle with how to turn good ideas into successful outcomes. Jeffrey Lambert knows exactly why we struggle, and how to correct it. A veteran project-management expert, Jeffrey can explain in plain English why companies always benefit from clear project ownership, well-defined goals, and disciplined execution.As he tells roving reporter Rotbart, the best business plans and transformation initiatives fail when organizations rely too heavily on technology and systems, while overlooking the importance of culture, communication, and employee readiness. Are you ready to quit being frustrated? Your solution awaits you at MondayMorningRadio.com

If your business struggles to turn good ideas into successful outcomes, Jeffrey K. Lambert knows why — and what to do about it. For more than two decades, Jeff has helped organizations improve execution, modernize technology, establish project management offices, and lead transformation initiatives that deliver measurable business outcomes. Jeff's experience includes many years working in project management roles at Caterpillar Inc., and, since June 2020, serving as a consultant with Blue Fusion Partners. This week, Jeff explains why even small and mid-sized companies benefit from clear project ownership, well-defined goals, and disciplined execution. Even the best business plans and transformation initiatives can fail, Jeff says, when organizations rely too heavily on technology and systems while overlooking the critical importance of culture, communication, and employee readiness. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jeffrey K. Lambert, Blue Fusion PartnersPosted: June 29, 2026Monday Morning Run Time: 44:40Episode: 15.2 Former Colorado State Historian Dr. Tom Noel describes Maxwell Rotbart's new book, Becoming Colorado, as "a thoughtful and engaging exploration… a rollicking tale of bravery and deception that places Colorado's admission into the broader context of Reconstruction politics and western expansion" Available Now from Amazon

If your message is predictable, your message is invisible.If your advertising is predictable, your advertising is invisible.When something never changes, we quit paying attention to it.But we always pay attention to things that are new, surprising, and different.What qre you doing for your customers that is new, surprising, and different?Talk about those things in your advertising.Most business owners are fearful of making a mistake.But you cannot do things that are new, surprising, and differentunless you are willing to take a chance.If you never make mistakes, you'e not taking enough chances.Take a chance.Offer your clients a product, a service, a benefit, or a guarantee that surprises and delights them.The first step is to decide how you will surprise and delight your customers.The second step requires energy and activities.Energy and Activities.Energy and Activities.Energy to Energize.Activities to Organize.Let's review what we have learned.ONE: Predictability is Invisibility.TWO: You will delight your customers with something that is new, surprising, and different.THREE: Business growth is fueled by energy and activities.Decide what you will do that is new.And then do it.– Roy H. WilliamsStarting with a single strand of pearls that he purchased for his girlfriend, Jeremy Shepherd has become one of America's most successful sellers of pearls and pearl jewelry. Intrigued by the pearl business, he became rich in pearls of wisdom as he accumulated a treasure trove of entrepreneurial insights through his successes and his mistakes.Roving reporter Rotbart credits Jeremy with recognizing a business opportunity and then having the determination to transform himself into one of the industry's leading experts. If you're looking for profit-making advice that has real luster, Jeremy's insights glow with it.Pearls of wisdom are free today – and on the way – at MondayMorningRadio.com

Jeremy Shepherd is rich with pearls of wisdom — both literally and figuratively. Starting with a single strand of pearls that the former flight attendant purchased for his girlfriend on a layover in Beijing, Jeremy has become one of America's largest sellers of pearls and pearl jewelry. Along the way, he accumulated a treasure trove of entrepreneurial insights, drawn from both his successes and his mistakes. Jeremy, along with his wife, Hisano, are the power duo behind Pearl Paradise and a large and devoted community of pearl collectors around the world. Jeremy is president of the Pearl Association of America. Jeremy recognized a business opportunity and then had the determination to transform himself from someone who knew virtually nothing about the pearl business into one of the industry's leading experts If you're searching for profit-making advice with real luster, Jeremy's insights are genuine gems. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jeremy Shepherd, Pearl ParadisePosted: June 22, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 59:25 Episode: 15.1

Do you want to become a great ad writer?Follow these ten steps and you will rise high and go far.1. Read poetry every day.2. Memorize at least two dozen poems.3. Recite them out loud when you are alone.4. Perform them spontaneously when you have an audience.5. Feel the pulsating rhythm that is the heartbeat of every poem.6. Wiggle your way through the unexpected twists and turns that are its dance.7. Ask a few business owners to evaluate the ads that you have written for them.8. Listen respectfully to everything they tell you. Even when they are wrong.9. Do not try to change their mind about anything. Just write exactly what they would say if they could write as well as you do. Remember: This is their business, not yours.10. Never write ads that rhyme. Use the heartbeat and the dance instead.The pulsing heartbeat is called poetic meter. Study it.The slide and glide of the dance is contained in its unexpected combinations of common words. Look, listen, and take note of these phrases in the poems that hit you the hardest.Common words used in uncommon ways contain powerful magic.Squeeze those phrases and drink the juice.If you do the things I told you, your ads will dramatically outperform the ads of your peers.You will make a lot of money, but your college-compliant peers will tell you that you are “doing it wrong.”Let me now say it as plainly as I can:Successful advertising is not informational. Successful advertising is emotional.Powerful ads do not speak to the mind.They speak to the heart.Like a poem.– Roy H. WilliamsOne more thing:Everything I told you is true when you are writing for social media or for mass media. But the things that I told you do NOT apply to B2B (Business to Business writing) and they only partially apply to website copy. Websites and business communications need to deliver more facts and logic because THAT is what the customer is looking for in those moments.Tim Whitt is a business coach who learned his craft from termites, mosquitoes, and stinging bees. Seriously. After more than 45 years in the pest-control business, Tim says every business owner can learn a lot from the problems that insects and vermin create for homeowners.Listen as Tim tells deputy rover Maxwell Rotbart about the striking parallels between household pests and the damage that toxic employees can inflict upon an organization. He also names the steps that you can take to correct those problems.If troublesome employees are infesting your workplace, Tim's pest-control perspective may be exactly the advice that you need. It's time to get crazy at MondayMorningRadio.com

Timothy P. Whitt is a small business owner, franchisor, and leadership expert whose business mentors include termites, mosquitoes, and stinging bees. Really. After more than 45 years in the pest-control industry, Tim — founder and CEO of Pied Piper Pest and Lawn — says every entrepreneur can learn a great deal from the problems insects and critters create for homeowners — and the methods professionals use to eliminate or control them. In his new book, Infested: End Workplace Drama, Stop Toxic Employees, Build a Thriving Small Business, Tim explains how business owners can spot human "pests" before they cause serious damage, how to distinguish between employees who need coaching and those who need to be let go, and why leadership — not just hiring — is often the key to preventing workplace infestations. Whether you manage five employees or five hundred, Tim's practical insights on hiring, training, accountability, and culture can help you build a stronger organization and avoid the kinds of personnel problems that drain time, morale, and profits. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Tim Whitt, Pied Piper Pest and Lawn Posted: June 15, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 46 Minutes Episode: 14.50 RELATED EPISODES Discovering Your Inner Octopus: Stephen Wunker on How to Grow Your Company into a Super Intelligent Organization School Teacher Turned Entrepreneur Collars Celebrities and Their Canines She May Be a Pig Farmer, But She's Also One Savvy Entrepreneur

Business owners ask, “How can we get customers to do what we want them to do?”And then they create an app and insist that you download it.How many apps have you been told that you need to download? (Look at your phone and count them.)Generally speaking, retail apps are good because they reduce the friction of your shopping experience. Service provider apps are bad because they increase the friction of your service experience.How many times have you had to reset your password?Have you ever had an app demand the answer to a question that sent you on a mission to find the answer?How many times have you been presented with a pick-list that did not include your need?Do you sometimes feel like you are making things easier for the service provider instead of them making things easier for you?Six different service apps have recently increased my frustration to the point that I am now searching for six new service providers to replace them.I was not surprised when I learned that all six of those companies are in decline.And I'll wager that none of them knows why.Operational efficiency is a worthy objective. Just be careful that you are not shifting your workload onto the shoulders of your customer.Every designer of a service app believes their app is going to be user-friendly, easy to understand, frustration-free, and save the customer a lot of time.In reality, these apps are felt to be unfriendly and frustrating.We both know that the objective is not to save time for us, but for us to save time for the service provider. They have established neat little cubicles to meet their own needs, and now they are telling us to crawl into each little cubicle and do what we are told.This technology is not working for me. It is forcing me to work for them.Wealthy superstar business owners do not ask, “How can we get customers to do what we want them to do?”Superstars ask, “How can we do what customers wish we could do?”Brian Scudamore, Dewey Jenkins, and Aaron Gaynor are superstar builders of service businesses.Each of these superstars has elevated their service business to become a shining star in the dark night of every customer.These men say:“How can we make it effortless and frustration-free for the customer?”“We have to find more ways to make it easier for people to do business with us!”“How can we delight the customer in ways they did not expect?”“We will always have a solution for every customer. No one will be left behind. We never walk away from a person who needs us.”Brian Scudamore built 1-800-GOT-JUNK into the World's Largest Junk Removal Service by making every problem his problem.“We make junk disappear. All you have to do is point.”For many years Brian has been pondering the question, “How can we do what customers wish we could do?”Brian identified four big things that his customers wished were possible, but that were clearly impossible.Last month Brian Scudamore figured out how to do all four of those things!When he makes his big announcement, I expect his company to quickly double in size.I would tell you to buy stock in his company, but I can't.Brian owns the whole thing. No investors, stockholders, or board of directors.Now you know how miracles are made.Roy H. WilliamsNOTE FROM INDY: I put an Aaron Gaynor radio ad on the first page of the rabbit hole for you. – Indy BeagleSmall-business growth creates a frustrating paradox: the more a business succeeds, the more overwhelmed the owner becomes. Small-business coach Jason Rosado helps small-business owners strengthen their teams, and create more free time for their owners.In this week's episode of MondayMorningRadio Jason tells roving reporter Rotbart how a business owner can identify whether their business truly needs more customers — or whether it is operational inefficiencies and leadership inflexibility that are preventing growth. If you could use some practical techniques for reducing stress and preventing burnout, check out Jason Rosado at MondayMorningRadio.com

For many small-business owners, growth creates a frustrating paradox: the more the business succeeds, the more overwhelmed the owner becomes. For two decades, small-business coach Jason Rosado — founder of Distinctive Coaching for Business Success — has used his proprietary methods to help his clients increase revenues, strengthen their teams, and create more free time for their owners. Among the insights that Jason shares on this week's podcast is how to identify whether your business truly needs more customers — or whether operational inefficiencies and leadership inflexibility are preventing growth. If you can use practical techniques for reducing stress and preventing burnout while growing your company's profitability, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jason Rosado, Distinctive Coaching for Business SuccessPosted: June 8, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 45 minutes Episode: 14.49 POPULAR EPISODES: What Zig Ziglar Would Advise Business Leaders in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Cookbook Author Ellen Wright on How Preparation, Creativity, and Simplicity Drive Success in Both the Kitchen and the Boardroom Pulitzer Prize-Winner Karen Elliott House on the Man Reshaping Global Politics, Energy, and Industry

Direct response ads are written to take the customer from Attention to Interest to Desire to Action in a single encounter.Direct marketers have a product or a service to sell. They don't have a brand to protect.This is why ROAS is the perfect analytical tool for them.ROAS is the acronym for Return On Ad Spend.In other words, it is the Return On Investment of your ad budget.You can:measure lead generation with ROAS.compare the effectiveness of media with ROAS.track sales attribution with ROAS.But you will never build a brand with ROAS.In fact, the measurement of ROAS will always – without exception – lead to the disintegration of your brand.Here's why:To produce an impressive result in a short period of time, your ad must contain a degree of urgency.Urgency is not sustainable, nor is it scalable.The longer you run urgent ads, the less well they work.ROAS always looks great on paper for about a year, sometimes even 18 months.But then the wheels fall off and you can never put those wheels back on again. Your brand will never be more than a shadow of its former self.Consider this:A successful Going Out of Business sale is simply a massive extraction of the stored value in a brand. This “stored value” is the reputation of the company and the trust of its customers.These are variables that determine the success of every Going Out of Business Sale:Has this company routinely advertised a Sale or offered a discount?How highly do people esteem this brand?How credible is the urgency contained in the ad copy?ROAS always leads to short-term thinking because ROAS rewards ads that extract the largest amount of stored value from the brand.Have you built a brand?Do people feel a connection to your brand?The day that you begin using ROAS to determine which ads work best, you will have launched a Going Out of Business Sale whether you intended to or not.Roy H. WilliamsOne in every five American adults is the customer of a family that you have never heard of. Their company generates more than $32 billion in annual revenue. And the $17 trillion in customer accounts and investment funds it manages exceeds the gross domestic products of Germany, Japan, and India combined. Despite the enormous influence of Fidelity Investments, relatively little is known about the singular family behind the Boston-based multinational financial services giant.Justin Baer, the deputy markets editor at The Wall Street Journal, reveals the dramatic three-generation saga of the fiercely private Johnson family in his new book. He also explains how they helped transform American investing.Listen and be amazed as Baer shares with roving reporter Rotbart the behind-the-scenes story of Fidelity's success. You will also gain insights from Fidelity's rise in leadership, their marketing, their innovation, and their succession planning. The story begins the moment you arrive at MondayMorningRadio.com

One in every five American adults is a customer. The company generates more than $32 billion in annual revenue. And the $17 trillion in customer accounts and investment funds it manages exceeds the combined gross domestic products of Germany, Japan, and India. Yet despite Fidelity Investments' enormous influence, relatively little has been known about the singular family behind the Boston-based multinational financial services giant. In his new book, House of Fidelity, Justin Baer, deputy markets editor with The Wall Street Journal, reveals the dramatic three-generation saga of the fiercely private Johnson family and how they helped transform American investing. This week, Baer shares the behind-the-scenes story of Fidelity's success and the universal lessons Fidelity's rise offers in leadership, marketing, innovation, and succession planning. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Justin Baer, The Wall Street Journal Posted: June 1, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 1 Hour 3 Minutes Episode: 14.48 RELATED EPISODES: T. Rowe Price's Sébastien Page Shares 18 Groundbreaking Leadership Principles If You Had a Chance to Visit With the Late Charlie Munger, What Would You Ask Him? Your Savings and Investments: A Conversation with 'America's Money Answers Man'  

Jon Erlichman spent 25 years as a television business news anchor, helping viewers make better financial and investing decisions. But it turns out his most remarkable expertise is self-marketing. Since leaving mainstream journalism in October 2024 to launch his own digital brand — Ticker Take — his social media videos have been viewed a whopping 2 billion times. His formula, as he shares on this episode, relies on short-form content, authenticity, storytelling, and plenty of silliness. For business owners and entrepreneurs wondering how to draw massive audiences to their digital content, an investment in this week's Monday Morning Radio episode rates "a strong buy." Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jon Erlichman, Ticker TakePosted: May 25, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 56:25 Episode: 14.47 [Be sure to pick up your copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, the new Monday Morning Radio anthology featuring 21 world-class thinkers and leaders.]

Effective advertising is not about delivering information; it is about delivering persuasion.Don't tell your audience how to feel.Make them feel.Great ad writers are secret poets.Poetry is not about making words rhyme. Poetry is about leading people to a realization.Poetic ad writers open your eyes and cause you to realize.They lead you to a conclusion, then let you discover it for yourself.Great writers don't tell you. They show you.This poem will do that:What of the watchman on the wall?What says the watchman?“It is 10pm, let the night begin.”What says the watchman?“It is 11 at night, everything is all right.”What says the watchman?“It is midnight, the bell has rung. Every song has been sung.”What says the watchman?“It it is 1am, I am all alone. I am all alone.”What says the watchman?“It is 2am, scrolling on my phone.”What says the watchman?What says the watchman?What says the watchman?What says the watchman?The watchman watched his phone.The enemy arrived.The watchman is gone.Don't just deliver information. Deliver persuasion.Open their eyes. Make them realize.When they see what you see, they will do what you want them to.Win the heart and the mind will follow.The mind will always create logic to justify what the heart has already decided.Roy H. WilliamsCheryl Strauss Einhorn helps executives, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams make smarter, more confident choices and avoid costly mistakes. As a Decision Science strategist, Cheryl developed the widely used AREA Method, a framework designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, reduce cognitive bias, and improve judgment in high-stakes situations.In this week's episode of Monday Morning Radio, Cheryl explains to roving reporter Rotbart that while “gut instinct” plays a valuable role in business, too many leaders rely on it entirely, rather than grounding their decisions in real-world testing, stakeholder input, rigorous analysis, and evidence. Listen and learn at MondayMorningRadio.com

Cheryl Strauss Einhorn has spent years helping executives, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams avoid costly mistakes and make smarter, more confident choices. A former financial journalist turned decision-science strategist, she developed the widely used AREA Method — a structured framework designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, reduce cognitive bias, and improve judgment in high-stakes situations. As Cheryl explains, while "gut instinct" has a legitimate place in business, too many leaders rely on it rather than grounding their choices in evidence, real-world testing, stakeholder input, and rigorous analysis. Her newly published book, The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI, explores how entrepreneurs and executives can leverage AI as a decision-support tool without surrendering their own judgment to the machine. This conversation offers practical insights for anyone who wants to think more clearly, lead more effectively, and make better decisions in an increasingly AI-driven world.  Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. [Be sure to pick up your copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, the new Monday Morning Radio anthology featuring 21 world-class thinkers and leaders.] Photo: Cheryl Strauss Einhorn,  Decisive AREA MethodPosted: May 18, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 45:00 Episode: 14.46 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CHERYL STRAUSS EINHORN'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON MONDAY MORNING RADIO: When the Stakes Are High and the Choices Difficult, Here's a Framework for Deciding What to Do OTHER BOOKS BY CHERYL: Problem Solver: Maximizing Your Strengths to Make Better Decisions Investing in Financial Research: A Decision-Making System for Better Results Problem Solved: A Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Confidence and Conviction 

Find out what people already want, then offer them exactly that. Quit trying to convince customers that they should want what you are selling.Speak to everyone, everywhere, about widely felt needs, deeply held beliefs, and personal values. Quit telling yourself that you need to reach “the right people” with your advertising.A: The media doesn't make the message work. The message makes the media work. I've never seen a business fail because they were were reaching the wrong people. But I've seen hundreds fail because they were saying the wrong things.B: Anyone who has a friend, a relative, a co-worker, or a neighbor is an influencer. Is there anyone that you DON'T want to say good things about you?C: Powerful brands like Ferrari, Rolex, and Harley Davidson are known, loved, and admired by hundreds of millions of people who will never own a Ferrari, a Rolex, or a Harley. Do you think those brands would be better off if they were known only to the people that the brands chose to “target” as potential customers?Customers buy from personalities they know, like, and trust.A: People don't bond with corporations, they bond with personalities.B: Brands that have personalities are exactly as real to us as our favorite characters in novels, television shows, cartoons, and movies. Who doesn't love R2D2, C3PO, and Yoda? You realize those characters are purely imaginary, right? But we feel as though we know them.C: Does your brand have a distinctive personality? If not, why not?I will now summarize each of those 3 Steps in exactly 12 words.People want friends, honesty, encouragement, access, and to know that they matter.Buy mass media. Quit fishing with a hook. Use a net instead.Don't be so boring. Find some courage. Be a distinctively memorable personality.Roy H. WilliamsZig Ziglar would have turned 100 this year.This week, Tom Ziglar shares some little-known stories about his father with roving reporter Rotbart and deputy rover, Maxwell, including the fact that despite Zig's worldwide fame, he once carried a stranger's luggage to the guest's hotel room simply because the out-of-towner took one look at Zig's red sports coat and thought he was a bellman.But todays episode is more than a nostalgic look backward, as Tom Ziglar offers a thoughtful meditation on legacy, leadership, and the enduring power of optimism. Things are looking UP at MondayMorningRadio.com.

Had he lived, Zig Ziglar — the legendary motivational speaker who died in 2012 — would have turned 100 later this year.  To honor his father, Tom Ziglar, who now heads the Ziglar organization, is planning a gala event in Franklin, Tennessee, on October 16th. Limited to 1,500 high achievers, the once-in-a-lifetime gathering will feature members of the Ziglar family and well-known inspirational figures, including personal-finance guru Dave Ramsey and UFC champion Michael Chandler. This week, Tom shares little-known stories about his father, including the fact that despite Zig's worldwide fame, he once carried a stranger's luggage to the guest's hotel room simply because the out-of-towner mistook Zig in his red sports coat for a bellman.  More than a nostalgic look backward, this week's episode offers a thoughtful meditation on legacy, leadership, and the enduring power of optimism. [Register for See You At The Top: The Ziglar 100 Transformation Experience. Seats are limited.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Zig and Tom Ziglar, Ziglar Inc.Posted: May 11, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 47:30 Episode: 14.45 Popular Episodes: An Appetite for Success: The Business Lessons Hidden in a Well-Prepared Meal How an Accidental Inventor Built a Life-Saving Company — And What Business Owners Can Learn From Him Veteran Journalist Thomas E. Weber on Weather Literacy as a Form of Strategic Business Intelligence

Starting over at age 30 with a pregnant wife, no money, and a shattered career dream could have broken Jack Oujo. Instead, it became the unlikely foundation for building one of America's largest tax-focused wealth management firms. Jack, founder of Oujo Wealth Strategies, relied on discipline, preparation, and relentless self-education to reinvent himself. Successful leaders, as he learned from personal experience, need a "Plan B" for when things don't go as planned. He also explains why consistent processes often matter more than lofty goals — and why trust and customer service became the cornerstone of his business philosophy.  Before entering wealth management, Jack spent eight years as a professional baseball umpire. As he notes, however, unlike ballplayers, most people don't get three strikes when it comes to managing their finances. [Be sure to pick up a copy of Jack's book, Too Smart to be an Umpire, here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jack Oujo, Oujo Wealth StrategiesPosted: May 4, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 46:56 Episode: 14.44 Now Available, The Much-Anticipated Sequel to All You Can Eat Business Wisdom Signed, first-edition softcover copies from Gutenberg's Store:  tinyurl.com/GutenbergSigned Unsigned copies from Amazon: tinyurl.com/AYCEBW2-Unsigned

I could be wrong, but I think I see a line of 6,603 standing dominoes with a forefinger poised to flick the first domino.Take a step back, I'll give you some facts, and then we'll return to the dominoes.There are 6,602 FM radio stations in America, 597 FM stations in Canada, and 234 in Australia on which you can air radio ads for local businesses. These radio stations are producing miraculous results for business owners who hire great ad writers to enchant the audience and savvy media buyers to schedule those ads to air with correct repetition 52 weeks a year.Sadly, most business owners do exactly the wrong thing. They run short schedules to “test the waters,” and then announce, “I tried radio and it didn't work.”ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX are producing miraculous results for business owners who hire great ad writers to enchant the audience and savvy media buyers to schedule those ads to air with correct repetition 52 weeks a year.Sadly, most business owners do exactly the wrong thing. They run short schedules to “test the waters,” and then announce, “I tried television and TV didn't work.”Did you notice the similarity that united those two easily proven facts?Anyone who believes that online media has made mass media obsolete is comically delusional. I never waste time attempting to correct these people.We will now return to the dominoes.Nielsen Audio is the media measurement company that allows savvy media buyers to create miraculous radio schedules. Without Nielsen, they are flying blind without instruments and very likely to crash their flying machines.Cumulus owns multiple radio stations in 84 important cities in the U.S. Their current financial difficulties make it impossible for them to pay Nielsen for their measurement services.Nielsen has responded by announcing that Cumulus radio stations will no longer be measured or listed in future ratings reports.The resulting invisibility of those stations will cripple even the savviest media buyers.An emerging measurement system, DTS AutoStage, shows promise but I remain convinced that it will be at least a few more years before it has sufficient breadth of data to replace Nielsen.The finger of Nielsen is flicking the domino that will knock over the other 6,602 dominoes in the chain that will ultimately result in the demise of Nielsen.I have no way of knowing whether or not Nielsen realizes that.Nielsen was purchased by private equity on October 11, 2022, less than 4 years ago.Things are looking good for ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.Roy H. WilliamsWhen people talk about the Chicago Cubs and their historic 2016 World Series victory — ending a 108-year drought — Joshua Lifrak is a name you rarely hear. But he wears a Cubs World Series ring. Joshua Lifrak's job was to help players perform under extraordinary pressure. Today Joshua works with business leaders to sharpen focus, build mental resilience and perform at their best. Be fascinated as Joshua tells roving reporter Rotbart and deputy rover Maxwell how peak mental conditioning is a “home run” skill that anyone can learn and practice, regardless of what they do for a living. Batter up! at MondayMorningRadio.com

Effective workplace mentoring isn't a 'sometimes' thing. It's a habit. That's a leadership lesson that Kimberly Lee has learned after more than two decades of hands-on experience in human resources, and helping businesses embrace what she dubs "a coaching culture." Kim is the founder and CEO of Lotic Systems and author of Building a Coaching Culture: The Ripple Effect. She is also the creator of RipplelQ, an AI-powered leadership coaching tool. Many workplaces struggle to get the best from their people; however, Kim says a coaching approach can change that. She finds that employees who feel supported and invested in are more likely to take initiative, collaborate effectively, and stay with the organization. For entrepreneurs and business owners, Kim's message is clear: Don't just manage performance — coach it. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Kimberly Lee, Lotic SystemsPosted: April 13, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 41:54 Episode: 14.41 RELATED EPISODES: Are Your Customers and Clients Likely To Wear Your 'Team Colors' As They Clap and Stomp for Your Success? How to Create a Business Culture Where Everyone Can Thrive Creating a Culture of Excellence is Game, Set, and Match

With the Artemis II mission underway, this week on Monday Morning Radio, we're joined by Mark L. Fox—former Chief Engineer for NASA's Space Shuttle program and a legendary instructor at Wizard Academy. In a conversation recorded just 24 hours after the Artemis launch, Mark bridges the gap between lunar missions and terrestrial entrepreneurship. He discusses his latest venture, Resona Health, and how he's using PEMF (targeted electromagnetic pulses) to treat pain, depression, mild cognitive impairment, and dozens of other ailments — without pills or invasive procedures. Mark taught the popular Wizard Academy course, DaVinci and the 40 Answers, on creativity and problem-solving for businesses. Among the insights he shares this week: how to think unconventionally, why simplicity often beats complexity, and how to turn setbacks — including near-catastrophic ones — into momentum. These are down-to-earth insights that every entrepreneur and business owner can put into action. The countdown to greater business success begins the moment you arrive at MondayMorningRadio.com. Books by Mark L. Fox DaVinci and the 40 Answers: A Playbook for Creativity and Fresh Ideas Go Find Joy: The Science of Calm: Erasing Anxiety with Energy Therapy What On Earth Are We Doing To Our Health: A Rocket Scientist Investigates Out Of This World Therapies Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Mark Fox, Resona HealthPosted: April 6, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 1:02:48 Episode: 14.40

What can a beautifully prepared dinner teach about running a successful business? Quite a lot, according to Ellen Wright, a five-time cookbook author who trained with culinary icons Julia Child and James Beard. In this week's episode, Ellen shares how the principles that guide her cooking translate seamlessly into leadership, entrepreneurship, and everyday decision-making. Her approach is refreshingly practical: keep things simple, prepare in advance, and don't panic when something goes wrong. A collapsed dessert can become a new creation. A business misstep can spark innovation. The key is adaptability. Ellen also highlights something many leaders overlook — success is less about perfection and more about people. Whether hosting a dinner party or managing a team, the goal is to create an environment where others feel comfortable, engaged, and valued. From disciplined preparation to creative problem-solving, Ellen's insights offer a recipe for success that any business owner can follow. If you're hungry for fresh ideas — and practical strategies you can apply immediately — this episode is a feast. Bon appétit. [Ellen's latest book is Best of The Best: Select Recipes from 4 Cookbooks and 60 Years of Cooking. Order your copy here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ellen Wright Posted: March 30, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 48:20 Episode: 14.39

Fauzia Burke is a veteran marketing strategist and founder of FSB Associates, which specializes in book publicity, author websites, and consulting. Founded by her in 1995, it was one of the first firms specializing in digital publicity. Not one to rest on her laurels, Fauzia's latest frontier is artificial intelligence — not only enhancing the capabilities of FSB Associates but also teaching other business owners and entrepreneurs how to integrate AI into their operations and reap its benefits. Among Fauzia's recommendations is using AI as a "thinking partner." Executives and entrepreneurs can brainstorm marketing angles, generate multiple versions of product descriptions or biographies, and test different messaging approaches. The key is not to accept AI's output unquestioningly — human judgment and experience must always refine the results. Despite the many doomsayers, Fauzia says AI will not replace professionals who are already good at what they do. Instead, AI will empower those who embrace it to outperform those who don't. [Listen to Fauzia's first appearance on Monday Morning Radio here. Visit Fauzia Burke's Substack here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Fauzia Burke, FSB AssociatesPosted: March 23, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 55:10 Episode: 14.38 RELATED EPISODES: AI Visionary Sol Rashidi Offers Proven AI Strategies for Non-Technical Business Leaders Dr. Michael Lenox Explains Why Keeping Up with AI and Other Technologies is a Matter of Business Survival Raj Venkatesan is One of the Nation's Most Respected Experts on Using AI to Drive Sales

March 16, 2026I am sitting in front of a computer that can deliver love letters to billions of addresses across the twenty-four time zones that encircle this watery rock we live upon.I sit and stare and look with wonder at the glittering ocean called Youtube, deeply aware that I know next-to-nothing about it. This gives me a tremendous advantage.It keeps me from doing what everyone else is doing.Naive ignorance becomes nitroglycerin when it is energized by the spirit of adventure. Handled carefully, you can move mountains with it. But if you are reckless, clumsy, or just plain unlucky, that same TNT can blow you into pieces.I looked at myself in the mirror and said, “Let's go exploring.”Mirror-me thought it sounded like fun, so he passed through the glass to join me on my side of the mirror.Energized by the spirit of adventure, I launched @GreatWritersSeries on Youtube and Mirror-Me launched @TribalGospel.On Feb 12, 2026, GreatWritersSeries had 480 views and a few dozen subscribers.On March 12, 2026, it had accumulated 5,146,423 total views and 44,684 subscribers.TribalGospel had zero views on Feb 12 to but quickly accumulated 8,299,137 total views and 105,707subscribers by March 12.GreatWriters Series received fresh content once a day.TribalGospel received fresh content at a much faster pace, up to 3 times a day.Indy Beagle has posted some Youtube screenshots in the rabbit hole for you, along with a couple of the most successful videos.I will now answer your questions:Q: “Can you teach me how you did this?”A: Yes, but the information will probably not be useful to you. But if you insist on hearing all of the details, be in the tower at Wizard Academy on May 26-27. I will spend one hour of that two-day class answering the questions of whoever is in that room.Q: “Why has TribalGospel outperformed GreatWritersSeries?A: GreatWritersSeries is carrying water to the ocean. TribalGospel is carrying water to the desert.Q: “What do you mean?”A: GreatWritersSeries is published for people who love literature that was written in the English language. This widely diverse but relatively small group is scattered across the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and Ireland, with a few additional outliers flung here and there.GreatWritersSeries wants only to tempt people to become lovers of literature, whereas TribalGospel is published for people in every time zone who are thirsty for encouragement and hope.English is not their first language, but they can understand it if they can read along with what they are hearing.Look at the comments @TribalGospel and these things will immediately become apparent to you.A startling number of TribalGospel subscribers are in Iraq, Ukraine, Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and throughout South America. I knew this would be the case, so I leaned into it.Are you beginning to understand why only a spattering of what I have learned during these past 28 days will be useful to you? TribalGospel wants only to make a difference – to lift people up for a moment – so that channel went to where it could most easily encourage the largest number of people.Traditional wisdom would have said that only an idiot would sing flashes of Bible stories and the message of Jesus to nations that are predominantly non-Christian.But I have always been an idiot.Q: Does everyone consider it to be encouragement?A: Of course not. You will notice that about 10 percent of the Youtube comments are rage posts from people who want to tell me why I am wrong.But I ignore those people because have found more than 100,000 people in just 28 days who have clearly said, “Thank you! And will you please send me more of this?”Q: Do you believe this will be sustainable or is it a flash in the pan?A: I have no way of knowing. My suspicion, though, is that TribalGospel will continue to grow, but GreatWritersSeries will ebb and surge like the tide.Q: Why do you think so?A: The world has billions of forgotten people, overlooked people, and many of those people are carrying smart phones. The message of TribalGospel will be very consistent, mostly just variations of an uplifting theme. This causes me to believe that TribalGospel will gain new subscribers faster than it loses old ones.But I do not make that assumption about GreatWritersSeries.A person who subscribed when they heard a Shakespeare song is going to be angry and confused when they hear the gonzo writing of Tom Robbins. To have a stable subscriber base, GreatWritersSeries would have to choose a narrow niche within the already narrow “Lovers of Literature” niche.The hope of GreatWritersSeries is to expose people to a writer that enchants them enough to read a book by that writer. You can think of GreatWritersSeries as a dealer who is giving away samples in the hope of creating new addicts.I apologize for that metaphor, but I couldn't think of a better one.The adventure continues. Snow-capped mountains loom ahead and winter is coming.Roy H. WilliamsMost people believe that business success is the product of talent, hard work, and persistence. But what if success could be analyzed — and improved — using the laws of probability? Kyle Austin Young maintains that most goals can be analyzed and improved by understanding their underlying odds. This is true of whatever you do. Launching a product, raising funds, publishing a book, whatever. Kyle calls his consulting methodology “probability hacking.” It says that the odds of your success are determined by the odds of each of the necessary things going right, multiplied together. Roving reporter Rotbart predicts that the odds are very high that this episode of MondayMorningRadio will improve your company's top line. The explanation begins the moment you arrive at MondayMorningRadio.com

Business success is often portrayed as the product of talent, hard work, and persistence. But what if success could be analyzed — and improved — using the logic of probability? Kyle Austin Young, a sought-after strategy consultant, maintains that most goals — whether launching a product, raising funds, or publishing a book — can be analyzed and improved by understanding the odds behind them. Kyle is the author of Success is a Numbers Game: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds, a fresh and insightful exploration of goal-setting and goal-achieving. Drawing from his consulting work with entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and business leaders, Kyle reveals a practical framework he calls "probability hacking." The concept is simple but powerful: break ambitious goals into the individual steps required for success, estimate the likelihood of attaining each progression, and then deliberately improve the odds. Listeners will also learn why traditional "think positive" advice can sometimes sabotage success. Instead, Kyle advocates "think negative"— objectively identifying risks and obstacles so they can be reduced or eliminated. The odds are excellent that this episode will change the way you view business opportunity and risk. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Kyle Austin YoungPosted: March 16, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 46:26  Episode: 14.37 Coming April 2026: All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings

One thing always leads to anotherThat's why big sisters have baby brothersAnd how King George gave away a nationwhen he said “No” to representation.He did not not know how much it meantfor those colonies to have seats in Parliament.Think about it. The cry of the colonies was only this:“No taxation without representation.”What if King George had said…“That is a fantastic plan!Each colony needs to choose a man.”And if the colonies had responded,“We'd like to send two.”And King George had said…“Then two seats it will be!Because you people are important to me.”The difference that would have made in history,Will forever be an unsolved mystery.But I do know this, and I know it for sure:That having an open mind is a powerful curefor avoiding problems that can spiral out of controland haunt you forever, wherever you go.If there is a moral to this story,I guess it would be this:Never shout “No” when there isa workable way to say Yes.Never shout “No” when there isa workable way to say Yes.Never shout “No” when there isa workable way to say Yes.One thing always leads to another.I was speaking with Clara, the wife of Danny, one of my clients.Clara collects silverwork made by the world's great silversmiths.One of Clara's hopes is to someday acquire an exceptionally fine piece of silverwork made by – “The British are coming! The British are coming!” – Paul Revere.Were you aware that Paul Revere was a famous silversmith?The unseen silverwork of that midnight man was floating in a slow circle in the asteroid belt of my mind when the haunting voice of Paul Revere whispered silently in my ear,“What would have happened if King George had said ‘Yes' and given each of his thirteen American colonies two seats in Parliament?”A conversation about what Clara collected quickly became a quirky poem that quietly abandons seven words of subtle sexual humor to move into the story of a stupid king who launched a faraway war he could never win.Creative thought is not sequential; it is relational, a pinball that ricochets off levers and bumpers at unexpected angles, the energy of the unexpected, triggering bells in the brain and flashing lights in the mind.Crazy Jack Kerouac had rules for writing:9. The unspeakable visions of the individual8. Write what you want, bottomless from bottom of the mind7. Blow as deep as you want to blow.My few lines of accidental verse soon became a song sung by imaginary singers who are currently touring the world.You can catch their show in the rabbit hole.Roy H. WilliamsCourtney De Ronde is a financial decoder. She studies the same financial data that business owners and their accountants review, but she uncovers opportunities and risks within those numbers that are almost always overlooked. This is why Courtney De Ronde has evolved as a scaling expert. She helps businesses grow by avoiding the missteps that non-strategic growth always causes.As Courtney shares with roving reporter Rotbart, most business owners will expand their revenues but end up working harder, hiring more people, piling on expenses, and somehow ending up with the same — or even less — profit. Learn what you need to know at MondayMorningRadio.com

Courtney De Ronde is a financial decoder. As the CEO of Forge Financial & Management Consulting in West Des Moines, Iowa, she studies the same financial data that owners and comptrollers review, but she uncovers opportunities and risks within the numbers that most business leaders miss. Additionally, Courtney is the creator of the Simple Scale-Up System, a framework designed to help established businesses grow in a smarter way — increasing revenue and profitability without adding unnecessary complexity. As Courtney explains, not all growth is good growth. Many companies expand their revenue but find themselves working harder, managing more people, incurring additional expenses, and somehow ending up with the same — or even less — income. True scaling, she explains, happens when leaders build systems, processes, and teams that allow their companies to grow efficiently and with fewer headaches. If you're running a company and want to make smarter financial decisions, improve profitability, and scale your organization without burning yourself out, this is one episode you don't want to miss. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Courtney De Ronde, Forge Financial & Management Consulting Posted: March 9, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 55:15 Episode: 14.36

February 26, 2026Kronos is chronological time.Kronos appears more than 50 times in the original New Testament.Kairos is a pregnant moment in time, an inflection-point of consequence.Does in surprise you that Kairos appears more than 85 times?Each of us vividly remembers those Kairos moments when we decided to turn the steering wheel of Life and begin traveling in a whole new direction.Jim Burns is a counselor. His voice is heard on more than 800 radio stations each day and he has 3 million books in print. But I didn't know any of that prior to him appearing as a guest speaker at our church last week.I tell you this only because Jim Burns said something that I really needed to hear.“I had to learn to say 'no' to good things, to say ‘yes' to the most important things.”That was a Kairos moment for me because it instantly crystallized something in my mind that had previously been only the foggy awareness that I was speaking with so many people each day that I no longer had time to take a deep breath and calm my thoughts.Then Jim said it again, but differently. “Sometimes we just have to say ‘no' to good things, even to say yes to the most important things. That's how we declutter. That's how we run light.”Two days later, I was surprised by a video on Youtube in which my friend Ryan Deiss mentions me by name. He had posted that video a couple of weeks before Jim Burns spoke at our church.Speaking of himself, Ryan says,“I literally had zero recollection whatsoever of what I did, or what any of my companies did those weeks, either. It's just like they were a complete blur. More than likely, I spent all my time responding to whatever emergency someone else decided was important for me on that particular day.”Wow. Ryan Deiss was speaking exactly what I had been feeling for more than a year.There are now 87 Wizard of Ads partners and many hundreds of clients, so I go to bed most nights exhausted by the long days, the countless conversations, and the constant feeling that I am somehow letting everyone down.But Ryan wasn't finished.“Scale creates chaos. So if you want to get bigger, you have to insist on focus and simplicity. It is a bit of a paradox, but the key to scale is actually to do less, not more. Because when you force yourself to do less, you shift the emphasis from quantity to impact. And at scale, output matters a lot more than activity.”We – not just me, but all of us – need to be on guard that we don't allow the “merely urgent” to displace the truly important.Have you ever noticed that the things that are truly important are rarely urgent, and things that are “exclamation-point URGENT” are rarely of lasting importance?Urgent things are momentary, but constant.Important things are forever, but they can always wait.And then one day, they can't wait any longer.And by then, it's often too late.For those of you who are curious, Indy Beagle has posted in the rabbit hole the Ryan Deiss Youtube video that I mentioned, as well as the Youtube video of Jim Burns speaking at our church.Those two messages, just 48 hours apart, created a Kairos moment for me.If you have been feeling what I was feeling and what Ryan was describing, maybe those videos will do the same for you.You can watch the videos or click past them if you don't have time.Believe me, I completely understand.Roy H. WilliamsAmerica's top CEOs pay Doug C. Brown to teach them how to rethink their approach to sales. Doug has consulted Procter & Gamble, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Embassy Suites. Doug C. Brown is not a lightweight. Doug tells roving reporter Rotbart, “most companies can quickly realize a 20-30% improvement in operating profits” when they follow his straightforward recommendations.Doug says that it is more important “to know the right prospects to approach” than to know how to close the sale. If you think you've heard it all, listen to Doug C. Brown. There is a chance that maybe you haven't heard it all. Doug C. Brown will light you up. The right time to listen is up to you. But the place will always be MondayMorningRadio.com

This week's guest is Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and a leading authority on building predictable, measurable, and scalable sales growth.     After a career as a top salesperson, including serving as president of sales and training for peak performance coach Tony Robbins, Doug is now advising CEOs on how to rethink their approach to sales.   Among the companies Doug and his team have advised are Procter & Gamble, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Embassy Suites. Doug challenges the belief that charisma, closing tricks, or motivational hype drive sales success. Conversational selling, he explains, builds trust faster than persuasion-based tactics. Doug has spent three decades finding hidden profits for founder-led companies. Most companies can quickly achieve a 20-30% improvement in operating profits by following his recommendations. For business owners, CEOs, and entrepreneurs, this episode provides a clear framework for turning sales into a reliable engine for valuation, cash flow, and sustainable growth.   Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Doug C. Brown, CEO Sales Strategies Posted: March 2,, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: One hour and two minutes Episode: 14.35 RELATED EPISODES: UX is the Most Powerful Differentiator in Today's Highly Competitive Business World Huddle Up. Head Coach Rob Cornilles is About To Share the Secrets of His Sales Playbook Starting Today, You Can Profit by Running Your Business Like It's "Day One"

People may not know his name, but regular viewers of cable news instantly recognize Arthur Lih and his ubiquitous commercials for LifeVac — the non-invasive rescue device designed to save choking victims when the Heimlich maneuver and other traditional methods fail. To date, his invention is credited with saving 5,450-plus lives. As Arthur shares on this week's edition of Monday Morning Radio, inventing a life-saving device is one challenge. Building a company around it and sustaining that business in a highly regulated, highly competitive environment is exponentially harder. Arthur's insights are indispensable for entrepreneurs, business owners, and inventors committed to developing products that matter — and companies that endure. Read Arthur's Book: Sorry, Can't Is a Lie: Life Stories of Decision-Making — Don't Be a Flat Squirrel. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Arthur Lih, LifeVac Posted: February 23, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 45:29 Episode: 14.34

David and I began building oilfield heat exchangers in a heavy steel fabrication shop in Oklahoma when we were 14 years old. We were universally known as, “them schoolboys.”Steel shops are notoriously noisy, but when we heard “Schooolboy!” ring out above the cacophony of hammers and grinders, we would swivel our heads toward the sound and begin walking toward whomever was looking at us.“Hard, dirty and dangerous” describes the work and the men we worked with.To call them “drunks, deviants, and derelicts” would certainly be less kind, but no less accurate.There were also 8 or 9 solid family men, most of whom were foremen and supervisors.The oil coolers we built were the size of a two-car garage. And several times a day these metal monsters would be lifted 5 or 6 feet off the ground by an overhead crane and go swinging through the air to another part of the shop as far as 300 feet away.Heavy steel flying through the air is entirely unforgiving. One of my responsibilities was to drive injured guys to the hospital. But few of my bloody passengers were injured in accidents. Most of them were injured in fistfights with coworkers.When we were both 16, David and I were joined by a boy named Jay. Dark hair, dark eyes, and skin that was decidedly not English, Irish, Scottish, or German. We liked him immediately.David put a quarter into the machine and yanked a Pepsi from its mechanical jaws. He handed it to Jay and asked, “Are you some kind of Puerto Rikkan or something?”Jay scowled and said, “No, I ain't no dang Rikkan.”David smiled, clicked his Pepsi bottle against the one that Jay was holding, took a long drink, then said, “It's good to meet you, Rikkan.”We found out later that Jay was Italian, but his name was Rikkan from that day forward.A few days later, Rikkan began calling David “Cliff” and my name somehow became “Dean.” Rikkan never told us why he chose those names, but he refused to call us anything else, so David and I fell into line. I began calling him Cliff and he began calling me Dean.Jay, David and Roy became Rikkan, Cliff and Dean for the next 3 years. Utterly absurd, but completely true.Devin Wright has a sparkling laugh and I've always enjoyed hearing it.So when Devin began working with me 20 years ago, I would walk into his office each afternoon and ask a ridiculous question. Devin would laugh his sparkling laugh and I would walk away smiling.One day I popped my head into his office and looked at him quizzically, as though I was confused. He looked back at me, equally puzzled. With a completely straight face, I asked “Did you get a spray tan?”For once, Devin didn't laugh. He vigorously denied it, utterly aghast that I would ever think that he was so vain and shallow that he would ever stoop to such a ridiculous…I quit listening after that.So now you know how “Spraytan” was born.Jacob Harrison became “Boxwine” in a similar fashion,Dave Cullen became “Skunkmeat”Howard Wolowitz became “Fruit Loops”George Costanza became “KoKo”and Jeffrey Eisenberg became “Jet.”No, “Jet” is not a reduction of Jeffrey.When we agreed to meet for lunch last week, Jeffrey suggested by text that we meet at 1300 hours.I texted him back, “I never knew that you were in the Air Force. Did you fly fighter jets?”If all of this sounds lowbrow, redneck, hick, uncultured, ill-refined, outmoded, outdated, dinosaur-ish and in poor taste, I agree.But no one can spend 4 impressionable years working with drunks, deviants, and derelicts and walk away without at least one bad habit.Roy H. WilliamsDean Rotbart is taking a short Sabbatical from Monday Morning Radio for the next few weeks to travel across America gathering detailed...

Bestselling author Michael Lewis has spent decades practicing the habits of the sharpest business thinkers: questioning assumptions, navigating past blind spots, and revealing why conventional wisdom so often leads smart people astray. Lewis is the author of a remarkable run of business bestsellers, including Liar's Poker, Moneyball, Flash Boys, The Big Short, Boomerang, The Undoing Project, and Going Infinite. Both Moneyball and The Big Short were made into Oscar Best Picture-nominated films, as was The Blind Side, another of Lewis's non-fiction classics.  In this exclusive episode of Monday Morning Radio, Lewis reflects on why true success derives from taking the long view rather than aiming for quick results, and how doing the hard, unglamorous work others avoid can create an outsized, enduring advantage.  Lewis's conversation with founding Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart was recorded when the author was honored as a Business News Visionary. While the interview dates back several years, in this abridged version of their talk, the insights Lewis shares are strikingly current — offering inspired ideas that apply to entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners navigating uncertainty, disruption, and change today. [Michael Lewis will be featured in All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, coming in April 2026. The anthology is the sequel of co-host Maxwell Rotbart's award winning first edition, All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: A Monday Morning Radio Anthology of Actionable Advice.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo Credit: Tabitha Soren Posted: January 19, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 49:22 Episode: 14.33 The Great Writers Series from Roy H. Williams: YouTube Shorts HemingwayTalks About Pamplona

Many entrepreneurs and business owners know how to make money. Far fewer truly understand how to protect it, manage it wisely, and plan for the long arc of life once the hard work of earning is done. Jeffrey Panik is a U.S. Army veteran and a certified financial planner with more than 25 years of experience helping individuals, families, and business owners clarify complex financial decisions. He is the founder of Balance Wealth Partners and the author of two practical, plain-spoken books, one with a focus on young adults who are just starting out and the other on those individuals who are approaching retirement. Your Future Is Now: A Guide to Mastering Your Finances and Independence Your Future Is Now: Your Blueprint for Solving Your Retirement Puzzle Rather than offering one-size-fits-all prescriptions, Jeff shares his emphasis on individualized planning, long-term thinking, and the importance of communication — between spouses, across generations, and with trusted advisors. Drawing on both professional experience and personal history, he challenges common assumptions about financial planning and retirement readiness. Jeff's bottom line can be summarized in six words: clarity today can prevent regret tomorrow. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jeffrey Panik, Balance Wealth PartnersPosted: January 12, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 39:02 Episode: 14.32 POPULAR EPISODES: Sweet Success: How Two First-Timers Revitalized a 110-Year-Old Chocolate Brand Discover the Unlimited Power of Mastering Intentions: How You Can Transform Your Professional and Personal Life Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Success and Happiness

Monica Ballard knows why so many marketing campaigns fail. It's not for lack of clever slogans, talented spokespeople, or catchy jingles. Surprisingly, the cause is trying to project "perfection" rather than authenticity, which includes acknowledging the struggles and risks inherent in running a business. Monica is a veteran marketing strategist, storyteller, and one of the elite Wizard of Ads Partners. Drawing on her background in theater, radio, and live performance, Monica explains why empathy and emotional honesty create bonds with customers and prospects that no discount or gimmick ever could. Being real isn't a liability, Monica assures — it's a decisive competitive advantage. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Monica Ballard, Wizard of AdsPosted: January 5, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: One Hour, Six Minutes Episode: 14.31 Hear From Other Featured Wizard of Ads Partners: How Vi Wickam's Strategic Focus Delivers Extraordinary Results Mick Torbay Will Change the Way You Think About Marketing Forever Johnny Molson, a Marketing Maestro, on the Two Words That Transform Branding Steve Semple: Strategies to Rev Your Advertising and Marketing Campaigns

Ruben Gonzalez, four-time record-holding Olympian, bestselling author, and sought-after keynote speaker, returns to Monday Morning Radio for a wide-ranging, deeply practical conversation about perseverance, belief, and the wisdom of following proven leaders. Ruben's story is anything but conventional. He didn't begin competing at an elite level until his mid-20s, and has never used his lack of natural athleticism as an excuse for falling short. His career — on the luge track and beyond — has been built on desire, discipline, and a stubborn refusal to quit. Now in his 60s, he offers practical strategies for building courage through small daily choices, managing risk intelligently rather than avoiding it, and reframing success not as medals or riches, but as significance — the impact you have on others. As always, this episode draws out insights that go beyond inspiration, focusing on actionable steps every listener can take to compete at their highest level — in sports, business, and life. [More details on Cafe Olympia Coaching are available here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ruben GonzalezPosted: December 29, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 47:14 Episode: 14.30 RUBEN'S PREVIOUS APPEARANCES: Has Anyone Ever Told You That You're Too Old to Chase Your Dream? "Iron Sharpens Iron" From Benchwarmer to Olympic Record Holder and Business Champion

This week, hosts Dean and Maxwell Rotbart offer their third annual holiday treat for Monday Morning Radio listeners: a reading of the inspirational adult Yuletide tale, A Christmas Day Miracle, by Dean and Talya Rotbart. Since the book was first published in 2021, it has become a perennial holiday favorite. A Christmas Day Miracle tells the true story of one man, Riyaz Adat, on death's doorstep, his devoted wife, Margaret, and Riyaz's miraculous survival and recovery. It's a poignant reminder for people of all faiths of the wonder and power of life's unexpected blessings.  This is a once-a-year exclusive presentation you don't want to miss. A Christmas Day Miracle is available in a keepsake softcover edition on Amazon for only $9.75.  Photo: Riyaz and Margaret Adat Posted: December 22, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Episode: 14.29 Other books from TJFR Press: But I Said I'm Sorry — A book for children 5-11 years old. Highly recommended by Dr. Laura Schlessinger The Boy Who Answered the Call of Kilimanjaro: The Adventures of Riyaz — Based on the true story of a Tanzanian boy who sets out on an adventure, walking with two schoolmates more than 600 miles from Dar es Salaam to Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Also available from Amazon in Spanish and French) All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: A Monday Morning Radio Anthology of Actionable Advice — Described by Kirkus Reviews as a well-mounted business self-help book that's actually helpful – and a good read, too. Perfectly Ordinary, Yet Extraordinary: Making a Meaningful Difference in the Lives of Others — An inspirational text designed to facilitate the undertaking of homegrown charitable projects. September Twelfth: An American Comeback Story — A thrilling and inspiring tale of journalistic dedication — Kirkus Reviews

What? You don't see the happy times?But they are right there!Right there inside you.Oh, I see. You have something that is keeping you from seeing and feeling and living the sparkling clear and happy times that are struggling to rise up from the depths of your soul.I see that you are worried.That's the problem.Worry is the cork that keeps the champagne of happiness from spraying a smile on your face and a sparkle in your eye and joy into your heartIf you will allow me, I will try to do for you what Julius Rosenwald and Thomas Jefferson did for me.Julius Rosenwald was an immensely successful businessman who used his money – all of it – to help people rise above their circumstances and experience the wonders of the world in which they lived.This is what Julius Rosenwald wrote to me 100 years ago:“Early in my business career I learned the folly of worrying about anything. I have always worked as hard as I could, but when a thing went wrong and could not be righted, I dismissed it from my mind.”Friend, when a thing goes wrong and cannot be righted, dismiss it from your mind.An army of people surround us whose only job is to make us fearful and afraid. You must not allow these people to capture your attention.Journalists have been shouting deceptive and inflammatory headlines at us since the days of the American Revolution.But the journalists and podcasters of today have discovered new ways of shouting. Emails and websites and Youtube and cable and streaming services promise, pledge and swear to keep us highly informed and deeply unhappy. They feed our worries like stokers feeding firewood into the boilers of steam trains.They want us to ride on their rails of steel so that they can take us where they want us to go.Don't ride their train. Jump off of it. Thomas Jefferson did.He said,“I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.”He went on to say,“Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper. The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.”Thomas Jefferson avoided the news and said he was infinitely the happier for it.You should do it, too.Julius Rosenwald and Thomas Jefferson discovered that Jesus was telling the truth in Matthew chapter six when he said,“Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”Don't worry.Be happy.Roy H. WilliamsDavid Ackert is making his list and checking it twice — but he's no Santa Claus. The gifts David brings are powerful insights for professionals who want to grow. David Ackert challenges the long-held belief that success depends on building a massive network of connections. In his view, quantity is a distraction. The thing to do is cultivate a small, curated list of at least 9 not more than 30 “high-value” relationships with people who have the ability to help you reach your goals.Send everyone else a Christmas card.Rotbart goes roving with David Ackert this week, at MondayMorningRadio.com