Podcasts about north star

Evan, Michelle, & David Dennis Jr. discuss the new article Ramona Shelburne dropped, a deep dive into Giannis' contentious relationship with the Bucks. Chiney Ogwumike joins to discuss the new WNBA CBA as well as what to expect in the women's NCAA Tournament. After eight straight wins, can we call the Lakers contenders? John Starks ruined the summer of 1994 for Nuno. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evan, Michelle, & David Dennis Jr. discuss the new article Ramona Shelburne dropped, a deep dive into Giannis' contentious relationship with the Bucks. Chiney Ogwumike joins to discuss the new WNBA CBA as well as what to expect in the women's NCAA Tournament. After eight straight wins, can we call the Lakers contenders? John Starks ruined the summer of 1994 for Nuno. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever felt like you're carrying the weight of growth, but struggling to shift your company from band-aids to real, sustainable breakthroughs?Meet Nicki Baty, COO at Freshpet, who's rewriting the playbook for second-in-command leadership inside a rocketship culture. In this revealing conversation, Nicki Baty opens up to host Sivana Brewer about pioneering a COO role from scratch, installing trust (in teams and at home), and building a business fueled by missionary drive, not mercenaries.Explore how to turn constant change into your secret weapon, earn buy-in when the North Star keeps moving, and design a culture that scales with speed without chaos.You can't afford to run on autopilot or yesterday's wins. Discover the steps that separate successful COOs from those stuck in a cycle of busyness. Listen now for exclusive insights you can't afford to miss. The next wave of growth is already here, and this episode holds the edge.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] - The one guarantee for every COO—how to win when change is constant[03:41] - Missionaries vs. mercenaries: Why purpose-driven teams deliver differently[07:40] - Moving a family across continents for growth—what business leaders really learn[12:11] - “Making room in the boat”: Building trust, networks, and resilient teams on the fly[19:12] - Nicki reveals how to plan post-onboarding in a brand new leadership role[23:35] - Finding your “most valuable pet parent” and reshaping the company around them[28:35] - The surprising power of Freshpet's pioneering spirit—and what big companies still get dead wrong[37:13] - The real difference between strategic priorities and tactical noise (and how most teams get stuck)About the GuestNicki Baty is the Chief Operating Officer at Freshpet, a company redefining the pet nutrition industry with its human-grade, refrigerated pet food. Formerly President and General Manager of Hill's Pet Nutrition US (Colgate-Palmolive), Nicki's career has spanned the globe—from the UK and Europe to Asia and the Americas. She is recognized for her track record in scaling organizations, her passionate belief in purpose-driven work, and her relentless focus on building trust and sustainable growth in fast-moving environments.

In The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations, B. Joseph Pine II argues that an economic shift is underway, in which transformations—not commodities, goods, services, or experiences—will become the highest form of value creation.Pine is an internationally acclaimed author, known for having coined the term “experience economy” in the 1990s. He works as a speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 companies. In his new book, he suggests that most companies compete by improving what they sell, while missing what customers actually want: to become different people.In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, Pine discusses the evolution of economic value creation, the North Star for transformation businesses, and how to scale from one to many transformation journeys.Key topics discussed: 01:01 | The evolution of economic value creation03:35 | How to get into the transformation business10:35 | The North Star for transformation businesses15:07 | Scaling beyond individual transformation journeys16:46 | Different types of transformation journeys20:37 | Making transformations last24:12 | Taking the first step toward the transformation economyAdditional inspirations from B. Joseph Pine II:The Experience Economy, With a New Preface by the Authors: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money, co-authored by James H. Gilmore (Harvard Business Review Press, 2019)

Greetings, comrades, and welcome back to the bunker. Today, we're broadcasting live from The Eagles—just 22 kilometers from the Russian border—and stepping straight into the geopolitical Twilight Zone.Usually, we analyze the collapse of the Russian Empire using logic, economics, and military strategy. But the Russian elite has officially abandoned reality. The cognitive dissonance of losing a war to Ukraine has broken their imperial brains, and the Z-Swamp has devolved into an incoherent, Roswell-level conspiracy cult. Evita joins me to wade through the absolute darkest, most radioactive ideological rot the Russian internet has to offer.In this episode of The X-Files of the Z-Swamp:

It speaks volumes when an urban planner, an expert in housing, community and economic development who has served in leadership positions in the federal government, national nonprofit intermediaries, and in a community-based Latino serving organization decides that his passion lies in working at the hyper-local level with communities that are often underserved and underestimated. Manuel Ochoa, my guest on this week's episode of Power Station, launched Ochoa Urban Collaborative in 2019 to support the change making aspirations of marginalized communities in the US and globally. He shares his contributions to the Purple Line Corridor Coalition, a public-private and community partnership, supported by the University of Maryland's National Center for Smart Growth, whose mission is to ensure that the state's largest transit investment is designed and implemented with equity as its North Star. Manuel focuses on the scores of small businesses along the Corridor, mostly immigrant owned, that managed to survive the pandemic and are now navigating an economic downturn and the White House's anti-immigrant agenda. And we talk about the role of the arts in community development and more personally, in Manuel's life. 

(Mar 16, 2026)

(Mar 16, 2026) The company that runs the hospitals in Ogdensburg and Carthage says, without state funding in the very near future, it will have to take “drastic cost-cutting measures". But New York's health commissioner says North Star is in charge of restructuring itself, not the state. Also: An Indigenous cultural center in the Adirondacks is adding 600 acres of land to its property, one of the largest returns of private land to Indigenous people in state history.

"Milan is a place that seems to open itself slowly - grave, rich, and full of quiet splendour" - Henry James, Italian HoursMilan is a city of Art, Design, Architecture, Innovation and Commerce. It is full of great art and history. And a wonderful place to discover more about Italian culture. Here is Part 2 on some of the fabulous places you can visit in Milan Italy - Da Vinci's Last Supper and suburb Museums & Villas. I also include some history and detail about the many places to visit while in the city of Milan.Enjoy, Michelle xShownotes A Writer in Italy InstagramSubstack - At My TableMichelle's BooksMusical Scores by Richard JohnstonA Writer in Italy is about travel, art and life. A place to share the beautiful travel journeys and the discoveries along the way. Italy has many attractions - art, design, architecture, history and the wonderful food culture. Michelle shares her love of books on Italy and the places and regions that have inspired her along the way.Michelle started 'A Writer in Italy Podcast' to share personal stories and the love of books on Italy that would lead to beautiful conversations with people and like minded souls who share a deep love affair with Italian Culture and the country as a place of beauty and spiritual renewal.Michelle Johnston lives in Australia with her family.© 2026  A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and lifeMusic Composed by Richard Johnston © 2026Support the show

"In Milan, one feels at once the charm of a great city and the sweetness of Italian life" - Stendhal (Marie-Henri Beyle)Welcome to Episode #134:Today I share some fabulous things to do if you are on a budget or just a savy traveler and why Milano should not be ignored. It is one of the most charming and underrated cities in Italy and very beautiful too. So I want to share my favourite things to do for free and what to eat. There is so much to do and see, from the fabulous historic trams to wandering the Navigli Canals to hanging out on the high street in the fashion district, the 'quadrilateral della moda' in Milan just to appreciate the aesthetics on offer and the wonderful architecture. Milan is sophisticated and beautiful, yes, but it is not a gate keeper. It is a city of family's and students and has a great vibe. Is more casual than you think and I felt right at home there. The food is excellent and the aperitivo scene is all happening. Milan is vibrant, kind of cool and lots of fun and you should definitely make time to explore this great northern city of Italy.Enjoy, Michelle xShownotes A Writer in Italy InstagramSubstack - At My TableMichelle's BooksMusical Scores by Richard JohnstonA Writer in Italy is about travel and life. A place to share the beautiful travel journeys and the discoveries along the way. Italy has many attractions - art, design, architecture, history and the wonderful food culture. Michelle shares her love of books on Italy and the places and regions that have inspired her along the way.Michelle started 'A Writer in Italy Podcast' to share personal stories and the love of books on Italy that would lead to beautiful conversations with people and like minded souls who share a deep love affair with Italian Culture and the country as a place of beauty and spiritual renewal.Michelle Johnston lives in Australia with her family.© 2026  A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and lifeMusic Composed by Richard Johnston © 2026Support the show

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Shirin Behzadi, author of The Unexpected CEO and an extraordinary leader who has lived what many would call three lifetimes in one. Shirin's journey is a masterclass in perseverance, resiliance and what some would describe as anti-fragility. She rose from being alone, as an 18-year-old immigrant, working behind bulletproof glass as an all-night gas station cashier, to becoming the CEO of a billion-dollar home improvement franchise network. Along the way, she navigated a high-stakes, nine-figure private equity exit and overcame a life-threatening health crisis—a brain tumor—that forced her to redefine everything she knew about leadership. In this episode we dive deep into why your point of view—not your ability—is often your greatest limitation and how to transform adversity into your ultimate competitive advantage. Key Wisdom from this Episode includes: The “North Star” Vision: Why expecting success is a higher level of energy than simply dreaming of it. Radical Empathy: How Shirin doubled her company’s value by launching “listening tours” to engage people at every level of the organization. The 1.8% Rule: Why you should never let statistics or “naysayers” limit your ambitions. Doing Well by Doing Good: Why making your stakeholders successful is the most effective path to financial success. As Shirin puts it, “If the world doesn’t believe in you, that’s terrible, but if you don’t believe in you, that’s tragic”. SHOW NOTES: SHIRIN BEHZADI: BIO: https://shirinbehzadi.com/my-story/ BOOK: https://amzn.to/4cMsiKw WEBSITE: https://shirinbehzadi.com/

Unlock the full potential of astrology with New Moon Alignment: https://quietmindastrology.com/newmoonThe waitlist is open now!Enrollment open to 15 founding members on March 20thLIving Your AstrologyIt's what you do AFTER a horoscope that unlocks the potential of astrology. When you actually live it. In this episode, I sit down with musician Eleri Ward to explore how astrology, intuition, and creativity intersect. We talk about Saturn returns, trusting your inner guidance, and how creative expression can help you understand your life in a deeper way. She shares how astrology has influenced her music and her personal growth, especially as she completes her Saturn return and prepares for a new cycle of life. If you've ever wondered how to move from simply knowing astrology to actually applying it in your life, i think you'll love Eleri's insights. QUOTES“Living life from the inside out will always give you more than the outside in.”“Sometimes astrology just validates what you already feel inside.”“You can't build the house on a bad foundation.”TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Living AstrologyThe importance of moving beyond hearing a horoscope to actually integrating astrological wisdom into daily life.02:43 – Astrology as a FoundationEleri discusses how astrology has been a lifelong "background" resource that now informs her songwriting and decision-making processes.05:01 – Anchoring Your EmotionsHow the act of writing music serves as a tangible container for abstract emotions and a way to "anchor" oneself in fluid emotional waters.08:22 – Universal Creativity and IntuitionA breakdown of why creativity isn't just for "artists"—it stems from imagination and intuition, which are accessible to everyone.11:43 – Navigating Saturn ReturnEleri reflects on the "muddy" middle of her Saturn Return and the reverence she feels as she approaches its completion in April 2026.13:29 – Numerology and Personal YearsA look at the transition from a "Personal Year 9" (closings and endings) into a "Year 1" (new beginnings) and how this mirrors larger astrological shifts.15:39 – Western vs VedicJeremy shares the difference between Western and Vedic systems.17:47 – Science & SpiritualityEleri describes her current creative project, which blends spiritual practices with quantum physics and existential themes.21:26 – Astrology in Eleri's MusicEleri shares specific lyrics that are influenced by astrology and introspection. 25:33 – Lessons on Self-Trust and SurrenderThe major gifts of Eleri's recent journey: releasing the need for control, overcoming people-pleasing, and standing by gut decisions.29:01 – Discerning Intuition from ThoughtPractical advice on finding clarity through stillness and recognizing that the "first feeling" is often the most accurate North Star.34:27 – Advice for Astrology IntegrationWhy personalized birth chart readings are more valuable than "broad" social media horoscopes and how to use transits to validate your inner experience.38:06 – Stepping Through Music VideoA showcase of Eleri Ward's music video, highlighting the themes discussed in the interview.KEYWORDSVedic astrology forecast, Saturn return, astrology and creativity, intuition, spiritual growth, astrology interview, applying astrology in daily lifeFREE RESOURCES⭐️ Free Birth Chart: http://www.quietmindastrology.com/freebirthchart⭐️ Podcast (Spotify, Apple, etc): https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/astrology⭐️ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/quietmindastrology⭐️ YouTube: http://www.quietmindastrology.com/youtube⭐️ Yoga Teacher Training Podcast: ⁠https://www.anchor.fm/yogateachertrainingWORK WITH ME⭐️ Book a Reading: http://www.quietmindastrology.com/reading⭐️ Mentorship: http://www.quietmindastrology.com/mentorshipNEXT STEPFollow Eleri Ward at ⁠www.eleriward.com⁠Unlock the full potential of each lunar cycle with New Moon Alignment: ⁠https://quietmindastrology.com/newmoon⁠

In this episode of Retail War Games, Jeremy sits down with Jason and Meradith Christensen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Blue Unicorn Bar. After building Northstar into one of the largest home security companies in the nation and exiting to private equity, Jason "disrupted himself" to enter the brutal world of CPG.  We dive into the "Willy Wonka" chemistry behind their proprietary manufacturing, the logistical nightmare of shipping real chocolate in the summer, and how they landed major retailers like Harmon's and Associated Food Stores in record time. From the high-stakes pivot of a tech founder to the molecular science required to create a "fluffy" protein bar without additives, this conversation reveals what it truly takes to scale a premium brand while maintaining total control over production.  

Many leaders today are exhausted. The demands of service, the pressure of results, and the constant pace of change can quietly pull leaders into what Dr. Matt Paden calls “the fog.” In this episode, Scott and Scott sit down with leadership coach and author Dr. Matt Paden to unpack what burnout really looks like and how leaders can find their way back to clarity and purpose. The conversation centers on servant leadership, resilience, and the power of reconnecting to your personal North Star. If you have ever felt the weight of leadership isolation or watched your energy slowly drain, this episode offers a practical reset. You will walk away with mindset shifts and leadership habits that help teams trust more deeply, perform more consistently, and sustain momentum over the long run.  In this episode we talk about and answer these questions:  • what leadership burnout looks like before it becomes obvious  • how “the fog” leads leaders to isolation and poor decisions  • why purpose acts as a resilience engine during difficult seasons  • how shifting from “got to” thinking to “get to” thinking changes leadership presence  • what servant leadership looks like when building high trust teams  • how leaders can regain energy by focusing on effort, attitude, and purpose  Click Here to Submit Your Questions  Links from show:  Emerging Leaders program from ServiStar  Check out our Coaching for Performance course The Core: Eight Principles to Great Leadership by Dr. Matt Paden  Subscribe to ServiStar Leadership Podcast on your favorite streaming service 

Who is Mitchell?Mitchell Levy is a passionate advocate for purpose-driven business relationships. Through his work, Mitchell observed a common frustration among professionals on platforms like LinkedIn: many reach out without a clear purpose or differentiation, often leading with sales pitches rather than genuine value. Recognizing this disconnect, he champions the power of having a “North Star”—a clear vision and understanding of the problem you solve and the unique value you bring. Mitchell encourages business owners, regardless of their size, to approach networking with intention and a customer-centric mindset. His insights help professionals articulate their purpose and foster meaningful, effective connections in the digital age.Key Takeaways* Mitchell Levy reveals the power of clarity: leaders and business owners need a simple North Star—a CPOP—in under 10 words. When you know where you're headed, decisions get easier and credibility follows.* Tired of random LinkedIn messages? Mitchell shares why real connection starts when you understand who you truly serve and their real pain or joy. Purposeful outreach beats cookie-cutter pitches every time.* Small business? Big CEO? Mitchell's “executive abundance” works for all. Growth happens when you get clear on your purpose, your people, and the possibilities you can create. Alignment is everything.* Elevator pitches are overrated. What matters is knowing, in a few words, who you're helping and why. That's your true vibration—one you won't need to memorize, just live.* Want credibility? Keep learning, stay coachable, and be willing to reset your focus. Mitchell's path: clarity, purpose, connection. Change your story, and your impact grows—no matter your size.Don't forget: If you want to connect, ask questions, or get notified about upcoming guests like Mitchell, subscribe to the Systemise.Me newsletter here. You only need your first name and email—easy as (coffee) pie!Thanks for sharing a cup with us this week. Here's to strong coffee, smart hiring, and believing in the dreams you're just starting to imagine.And don't forget: keep an eye out for next guest. To submit your own questions, subscribe to our newsletter and join the conversation!P.S. Loved this episode? Hit reply and let us know what resonated most_________________________________________________________________________________________________Subscribe to our newsletter and get details of when we are doing these interviews live at www.systemise.me/subscribeFind out more about being a guest at : link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/beaguestSubscribe to the podcast at https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/podcastHelp us get this podcast in front of as many people as possible. Leave a nice five-star review at apple podcasts : https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/apple-podcasts and on YouTube : https://link.thecompleteapproach.co.uk/Itsnotrocketscienceatyt!Do You Need a P.A.T.H. to Scale?We help established business owners with small but growing teams:go from feeling stuck, sceptical, and tired of wasting time and money on false promises,to running a confident, purpose-driven business where their team delivers results, customers are happy, and they can finally enjoy more time with their family -with a results-based refund guarantee: if you follow the process and it doesn't work, we refund what you paid.This is THE P.A.T.H. to scale your business.————————————————————————————————————————————-TranscriptNote, this was transcribed using a transcription software and may not reflect the exact words used in the podcast)SUMMARY KEYWORDSexecutive coaching, credibility, LinkedIn sales tactics, business owners, CEOs, executive abundance, fast-growing companies, Inc 5000, Marshall Goldsmith 100 coaches, clarity, North Star, customer point of possibilities, CPOP, marketing cookie cutter, business scaling, founders, path to scale, leadership, business strategy, elevator pitch, business clarity, operating system of credibility, business growth, credibility expert, solopreneurs, company purpose, personal compass, decision-making, business differentiation, referral partners, customer focusSPEAKERMitchell Levy, Stuart WebbStuart Webb [00:00:31]:Hi and welcome back to five Questions over Coffee. Here is my coffee. Now be careful spill that, it's quite full at the moment. Mitchell. Yeah, well done. It's a Guinness, so well done. Mitchell Levy here is a leading executive coach, a global credibility expert and I'm looking forward to him walking through his process today talking to us a little bit about how he helps get leaders real credibility. So Mitchell, thank you for making a few minutes available to come and speak to us here on It's Not Rocket Science.Stuart Webb [00:01:06]:Five Questions over Coffee.Mitchell Levy [00:01:08]:My pleasure. Thanks for having me Stuart. Really nice to, really nice to engage with you.Stuart Webb [00:01:14]:Well that's terrific. So let's start by trying to understand the sort of person you're reaching out to with helping them with their credibility.Mitchell Levy [00:01:25]:You know it's interesting, I, I have two distinct audiences. So as an executive coach, so I'm part of The Marshall Goldsmith 100 coaches, some of the top executive coaches on the planet. And for that audience it is fast growing CEOs leading the future with executive abundance. Now in if you were in the U.S. i say Inc 5000, which basically is the, the top five, 5,000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. but yeah, since this is Australian, I'll just say fast growing company. So that is one group of one audience. And, and executive abundance is a new framework I'm introducing into the marketplace.Mitchell Levy [00:02:12]:It's been my executive coaching for years. But one of the things you, you asked me in the green room, how you doing? Last week I advanced to candidacy on my PhD program and so I am actually doing a dissertation and then we'll, we'll write a book, do coursework and chatbots on executive abundance.Stuart Webb [00:02:33]:On your Congratulations. Thank you doctor. Not a, not a, not an easy thing to do as I recall. So tell me a little more about sort of the people that you're helping that you've just sort of described. Give us an example of sort of things that they might have tried before and the ways in which you help them.Mitchell Levy [00:02:54]:Well so by the way, let me do the second audience and then you could tell me which one you want me to.Stuart Webb [00:02:59]:Oh, no problem.Mitchell Levy [00:03:00]:So the second audience is business owners escaping slimy LinkedIn sales tactics. Perfect. Perfect. That's exactly what I want to get right. It's, I've been on LinkedIn since before they were making money. Now a couple hundred thousand people could say that, but there's one thing I could say that nobody else in the planet can say and that is I was in the room with two, with two of the five founders And I was commissioned to have written and published the first book on LinkedIn. I've looked at a couple hundred thousand LinkedIn profiles and I have a system and approach that helps people drive one to one business relationships with people on LinkedIn. And I can do it at scale.Mitchell Levy [00:03:43]:And so it's the 5% on LinkedIn functionality that brings 80% of value. So that sort of answers that question for the business owner side. On the executive coaching side, the question is what sort of things, what have they tried before? You know, I think I'm going to generically say something and then you could, you could drill me in if we need to. Life is, and business is really, really simple.Stuart Webb [00:04:14]:It's not easy, right?Mitchell Levy [00:04:17]:And what's not easy about it is the fact that even if you know the answer in your heart, in your head, in your body, you know exactly what to do. There's chaos out there and there's these experts who have what I call marketing cookie cutter approaches. And so in, in your vernacular, there's a wicked problem they have and they're trying to solve it. They're going to go out and talk to a ton of people and they get such a diverse range of answers and then they hit one they like, but they don't hold on to it. And so for those that I work with on executive coaching, the first thing we need to do is establish the clarity, establish the playground they play and establish what I call their cpop, their customer point of possibilities. And that is in less than 10 words, where they're executing on their purpose. That's for the company or for the individual. And once you have that, then you can deploy an operating system of credibility.Mitchell Levy [00:05:23]:But until you have that, it's really hard to make decisions because you need a compass, you need a personal compassion that you can actually live by. You need your own North Star. And, and so that's, in terms of business, we need a North Star and that's, that's where we start. And after that, when I hang out with somebody who's doing executive coaching, I'm just, I'm just helping them understand how they're making decisions in their North Star, how they propagate it throughout the organization. It's, it's always fun to see and everyone's different. Some are really fast, some take a little bit more time, some need to fall down a couple of times so they can get up. But generally speaking, what I do is extremely simple, but apparently it's not so easy.Mitchell Levy [00:06:18]:Let me just try and link those two customer types together. In some way, I think something like LinkedIn requires somebody to have what you've just described in terms of the Northstar, what they're doing and be very clear about what their problem solution is. I see an awful lot of people on LinkedIn just sort of, you know, reaching out quite randomly to people, sending the immediate, why don't we just. Why don't we just cut to the chase? Buy my. Buy my stuff, buy my thing. And I find myself very frustrated by the fact they don't actually have, as you've just described it, a real purpose, a real point of differentiation, a real customer focus behind that message, because they're not able to actually articulate what it is they're actually going to do. So there's a great deal of sort of overlap between those two things that you've described, because business owners, even if they're small, need to have that North Star about what it is they're reaching out to do with LinkedIn and why they need to do it. Am I wrong?Mitchell Levy [00:07:24]:No, no, no. It's, it's a great observation. Thank you for seeing it. It shows a little bit about who you are. It turns out that if I'm working with a CEO with a couple hundred, couple thousand, tens of thousands employees, there's a lot more what to say, politics and vested interest and vested groups in place. When I'm working with a CEO who's a solopreneur, where they've got five or 10 people in their organization, it's a whole lot easier to make change. And so it's a different price point, a lot less expensive for the LinkedIn work. And it turns out that the lessons I learned in both places apply to each other.Mitchell Levy [00:08:14]:I call the LinkedIn guys mini executive abundance, even though I don't necessarily call it to them. In my mind, I, I'm deploying executive abundance at the individual level as well, which is a great way to. So it's, it's technically the same thing, but most of the time I don't, I don't say it that way.Stuart Webb [00:08:33]:Yeah. And thank you for. Thank you for sort of endorsing the fact that I had misunderstood it, because I do think that this idea of executive abundance applies to some smaller businesses. They just don't know it applies. They just don't recognize it in themselves. And I think a lot of business owners probably don't grow because they don't know how to do that. They don't know how to start to let themselves have that abundance. So talk to me a bit, a little bit Mitchell about.Mitchell Levy [00:09:01]:Well, I know you've got a valuable offer that you're going to put. And we've got this, we're going to have this in our vault, which I'm going to show now on screen, which is a www.systemize sys t e m I s e me free stuff. So you'll be able to get hold of some of the stuff that Mitchell is going to talk about there. So Mitchell, talk to me a little bit about the process that you go through. So if people were thinking I need to get and understand this guy a bit more, talk about the process. Talk about how you help them with this abundance as you're talking about.Mitchell Levy [00:09:38]:So we'll practice on you. Stuart, you've demonstrated that I should do that. What, what I ended up doing. And I'll share. This is actually what I do second, but I'm, I'm sharing on screen. Oh, not working at the moment. Looks like I, looks like I have a small problem with my, my screen sharing. So I will not do that.Mitchell Levy [00:10:00]:I ended up interviewing 500 thought leaders on, on credibility. And with those 500, I was able to articulate the definition of credibility, which turns out to be a good operating system. We live by credibility is the quality which we TR light. And it turned out that I unlocked a superpower. My superpower is deploying the framework of clarity. So I sit with any company, any human, help them articulate in less than 10 words where they're executing on their purpose. Now, I call that a C pop. Your customer point of possibilities, that's, that's that north star.Mitchell Levy [00:10:36]:That's the compass we're talking about. And Stuart, let's create that view. I looked at your LinkedIn, looked at your website. There's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing wrong. What I will promise you is that after you hear your C pop, you're going to go, oh, I have to make changes because it's just going to help focus you right. Now let me say something and I'm going to guess right away. I'm going to guess that you're in a 10%.Mitchell Levy [00:11:03]:And I'll tell you what I mean by that. When I share a C pop with somebody, I'm they. We as humans, we vibrate out of frequency. And so what happens is the, the C pop represents in words, the frequency you vibrate at. It's who you are. It's, it makes you feel aligned with who you are. I've done this over 1200 times and in 1200 cases, the person's Feeling aligned. Now here's the scary part.Mitchell Levy [00:11:37]:In 90% of the cases, they will get unaligned between two hours and two weeks because of the chaos and noise out there. I'm going to assume that you're going to be in the 10%. So we'll see next time we talk.Stuart Webb [00:11:49]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:11:52]:Now, I also will tell you something else. I will give you the formula. It's a secret formula. And I will gift that to you and we'll go through the exercise together. When I was doing the interviews, I created a video and I would share the formula and say, listen, what I found so far. I created the video somewhere around interview 50. And what I said, what I found so far is even when somebody had the formula, only 2% would actually articulate their C pop. Because even with the formula, it's hard because we get stuck on this marketing cookie cutter stuff.Mitchell Levy [00:12:30]:And even after they got the video, they. There was still only 2% of people could walk in. So I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna give you in the audience the formula and we'll walk through it together. The C pop is less than 10 words, and it's really two components. The first is the who. And I'm gonna go in and ask you the questions. Who do you serve? If we're credible, we're servant leaders.Mitchell Levy [00:12:55]:So who do you serve? And the second piece is from their perspective. What is their pain point? Or what is their pleasure point?Stuart Webb [00:13:04]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:13:05]:So let me ask you these questions. So who is it that you serve?Stuart Webb [00:13:10]:So I serve a business leader who has a really bright idea but doesn't know how to get that and make it into a positive business reality.Mitchell Levy [00:13:20]:Now, it's funny because you're LinkedIn says founders.Stuart Webb [00:13:26]:That's true. It is true.Mitchell Levy [00:13:28]:So when you think about where 80% of your revenue comes from, is it from corporate businesses and business leaders, or is it from founders? Or who. Who is it?Stuart Webb [00:13:38]:It's 80% comes from founders.Mitchell Levy [00:13:41]:Okay, so good thing I looked at your LinkedIn. All right, so from the. I think you said it, but I'm going to ask you both pain and pleasure, what's their primary pain point?Stuart Webb [00:13:58]:They have no ability or starting point to make that business strategy or business idea an actual reality in the marketplace. They are unable to articulate, possibly even to themselves, where they start to go from. This would be brilliant to. It is there and it's making me money.Mitchell Levy [00:14:29]:So you're talking about really founders, pre revenue founders.Stuart Webb [00:14:34]:Now, a lot of the people that I deal with are. They've already Got a product, but they've got one product. They need two because they want to scale. And the problem they have is I've got a great idea for my second product, but the way I did it first, but now I've got a small team, it doesn't work the second time.Mitchell Levy [00:14:57]:Interesting. Okay, so they, they have money because they've, they've been able to get something in the marketplace, but now they want to scale. Either scale what they're doing or scale into another product.Stuart Webb [00:15:14]:Essentially, yes.Mitchell Levy [00:15:16]:Oh, oh, Tell me how to get it wrong. Tell me what you got.Stuart Webb [00:15:20]:No, no, no, you're absolutely right by saying essentially, yes. The only other thing that I would add into that is there are. There are sometimes businesses who have managed to get that second product, but it's now tanking because they have got all the wrong. They're trying to do it the way they did it before, and therefore, you know, the, the mechanisms they're using are wrong for where they are because they're now a bigger company. You were talking about politics. They're now sort of saying, it's got to be done by other people, but it's got to be done my way, in the way that I started this. And that just doesn't work if they start instructing in that way. Whilst we're doing this.Mitchell Levy [00:15:55]:While we're doing this, Mitchell, I know you're just doing a bit of typing, such like, I'd invite anybody. If anybody's hearing this and thinking to themselves, I need to make comments or I need to actually sort of, you know, leap in. At this point, Mitchell and I will be monitoring the comments on LinkedIn after this. So if you've got questions or if you're looking at this and thinking, I want somebody to talk to me about this, post your questions there. I can guarantee Mitchell will get onto that and we'll answer your questions because he's that sort of guy.Mitchell Levy [00:16:22]:Thank you, Will. Interesting. Okay, give me a pleasure point, not a pleasure point of working with you, but we'll just fast forward to a period of time after they've had a chance to spend time with you. How are they feeling? What are they doing? What. What makes sense to them?Mitchell Levy [00:16:41]:Let me give you a very real example of that. Working with a company, the founders needed to start to scale something. We turned their service that was poorly defined couldn't be delivered because they couldn't really articulate it. It's now much more of a sort of defined product idea, although it's still a service, but it's got a Logo. It's got a description, it's got a series of processes which their staff can operate, and they're selling that multiple times per week. And it's now. It's now. Then they're now proud of it.Mitchell Levy [00:17:18]:They're now saying, I'll use the name of it. They're now saying, threat sure is a great product. It was a great idea, and now it's something which is actually making us money. And customers love it.Mitchell Levy [00:17:32]:Cool. Nice. Okay, thank you. So yours is easy.Mitchell Levy [00:17:42]:I don't want it to be easy, Mitchell.Mitchell Levy [00:17:44]:Let me rephrase that. Yours was really simple. And it was only after I started talking to you to see who I was seeing this morning that I. Because, remember, we talked in the green room. Should we do this live? And sometimes there's a lot of marketing, cookie cutter stuff that gets in the way, but everything you said reinforced. Wait, let me count the words. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 words. Would you be happy if you could describe yourself?Mitchell Levy [00:18:11]:Wow. Okay, that is now. I will say now. This is where people. If you are watching this live and if you are going to go onto LinkedIn, you need six words. I have never been able to articulate this in six years. Six words. I can articulate it in two or three hours if you ask me to.Mitchell Levy [00:18:26]:But six words, that's impressive.Mitchell Levy [00:18:28]:So let me. Let me say that. Or just say less than 10.Stuart Webb [00:18:34]:Right?Mitchell Levy [00:18:34]:Because if you. If you think about it, and, and this is. This is for people paying attention. When you asked me my two audiences, I gave you my seat, my two C pops. C POP stands for customer Pointed Possibilities. So my executive coaching is nine words. Inc. 5000 CEOs leading the future with executive abundance.Mitchell Levy [00:18:55]:The goal when you share your CPOP is that the referral partner or the prospect says, oh, tell me more, Mitchell, what's this executive abundance thing?Stuart Webb [00:19:02]:Right? Or.Mitchell Levy [00:19:04]:Or the other one when I'm talking to a business owner. By the way, Stuart, you're a business owner, right? So when I talk to your founders or business owners, When I talk to business owners, it's business owners escaping slimy LinkedIn sales tactics. And I either get the laugh that you gave before or the visual reaction because you just remember being slimed recently.Mitchell Levy [00:19:23]:Yeah. Yeah.Mitchell Levy [00:19:24]:In either case, the goal when I share those words or is to paint a compass, to paint a. A playground that I plan. And then when I answer what comes next, I get more credibility because I've been so finite in terms of the playground. So in your particular case, your playground is six words. And I'm Putting it in chat, because I'm a visual person, so you could see it as well. But I'll share it out loud. Founders needing a path to scale.Mitchell Levy [00:20:01]:Brilliant.Stuart Webb [00:20:02]:Right?Mitchell Levy [00:20:03]:And so, by the way, once again, anybody who is watching this, that is such a brilliant summary. I could not. I couldn't have done. I couldn't have done that without Mitchell's help. But that is a fabulous summary.Mitchell Levy [00:20:18]:I'm going to say thank you. And it's. By the way, it's you. Because, by the way, although what happened, you're marketing cookie cutter stuff, which I'm glad I looked at your LinkedIn. You said the word founders, and that seemed important to me, so I had to ask you, where does 80% of revenue come from? Yeah, right. And it's. But other than that, everything you said reinforced. And you already have this on your LinkedIn.Mitchell Levy [00:20:46]:You have a couple other things which I might encourage you to remove. But everything you said reinforced. Having a path to scale. Even the pleasure point was talking about a path to scale.Stuart Webb [00:20:59]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:20:59]:And so when you now have these six words, and by the way, what I was typing in on the back end is, I have a Mitchell Levy chatbot, and I said, if this is your C pop, what could the acronym path stand for? And I'm putting it in chat. We don't have to talk about it, but this is just my gift for you. You know, path could stand for, you know, basically, purpose, action. Ooh, team, and. And. And harmony. Sorry, I. It didn't cut.Mitchell Levy [00:21:37]:It didn't cut and paste really well. And then it talks about what. That what stuff is. But. But I think. I think the way to think about it for you is, is when you share with somebody. Let me do your. Tell me more, if you don't mind.Stuart Webb [00:21:54]:I'll.Mitchell Levy [00:21:54]:I'll do it. Because we're recorded. Right, so. And now a superpower I have is the ability to do this. It's a formula, and I've just done it over 1200 times, so it's easy. I'm happy for people to grab it. It's the who and the what. Who in the what comes before why.Stuart Webb [00:22:12]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:22:12]:Just to be clear. Comes before Simon Sinexy. Who in the what comes first? It's a C Pop. And a ancillary superpower is if I know somebody C Pop most of the time, I could do their tell me more better than them until they feel good about it. So let me tell you, Stuart, what I mean by this. When in the future, when you share your cpop now, if somebody says to you, hey, what's your cpop? Now, maybe a couple hundred thousand people know this word, so most likely they're gonna say, who are you?Stuart Webb [00:22:45]:Right?Mitchell Levy [00:22:46]:What do you do? Who are you? And in that particular case, you need to put a.Stuart Webb [00:22:51]:A.Mitchell Levy [00:22:51]:A hook up front. The hook is, hey, there's an audience I spend a lot of time with, or there's an audience I do really well with, or my clients all get success in a certain area.Stuart Webb [00:23:01]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:23:02]:Whatever the hook is. Then you do a pause, and then you say, founders needing a path to scale. Then you drop the mic, and then you may say something. Oh, let me tell you a little bit more. Listen, I work with a series of founders. A lot of times they've already put their first product out there. They've already been successful, and they need to scale. They need to get to the next level, and they get stuck.Mitchell Levy [00:23:29]:They either don't know how to move forward or they've already moved forward, but they've deployed what worked in the first product to the second, and it doesn't work. What I do is help them lay out the path that will allow them scale going forward.Mitchell Levy [00:23:45]:Mitchell, that is the best way I have ever heard somebody describe what is effectively an elevator pitch. You'd have heard elevator pitch. And they're all. They're all very difficult for people to do, and most of the time, they're not very good. So I'm not going to say that, because there are a lot of people on here will be offended by that. But that.Mitchell Levy [00:24:04]:Oh, I'm gonna say it. I'm gonna say to you and everyone else, if you've memorized an elevator pitch, please forget it.Mitchell Levy [00:24:13]:Yes.Stuart Webb [00:24:15]:Right, stop.Mitchell Levy [00:24:15]:Now.Mitchell Levy [00:24:16]:It comes from here. Your elevator pitch comes from your head. And your goal when you talk to somebody is you want them to feel the energy inside. You want them to feel your heart. So memorize the six words or nine words or three. A couple people have three words, right? So memorize your C Pop. But you won't have to memorize it. It's your.Mitchell Levy [00:24:38]:It's your vibrational energy. And then your.Stuart Webb [00:24:40]:Your.Mitchell Levy [00:24:41]:What would have been your elevated pitch is more the tell me more. Which you custom tailor to the person you're talking to.Stuart Webb [00:24:47]:Yeah, absolutely. I love what you're saying. Look, Mitchell, I could keep you here for another couple of hours, but I have a feeling you have important business to go and speak to other people who need this. Once again, I'm going to invite anybody listening live or in future, when you see this, drop comments into the comments Below, Mitchell, I know, will come back, give you some very, very good advice to try and get this sort of thing into your life, because we need more clarity. I am, as Mitchell has probably managed to sort of convince me. I spend a lot of my time with people who haven't got the clarity they need. And it is always difficult to get that clarity because in their own head, they're trying to rationalize, they're trying to sort of apply a set of rules. You know, they've done all the courses, they've read all the books, they've.Mitchell Levy [00:25:43]:They've been out and seen all the YouTube videos, and somehow that's actually created less clarity than if they just sat down and did a very simple exercise like Mitchell is doing here. So drop your questions, drop your comments. I know we can get some clarity back in the world. But Mitchell, how did you get to this? Where did you come from that this became your mission in life?Mitchell Levy [00:26:07]:It's really interesting, I think, what happened because of time. I'll try to do this super quick. My undergraduate was a Bachelor of Science in Stochastic and Deterministic Models of Operational Research. In essence, I was taught how to model. Well, as long as I could say the words and the syllables come out of my mouth, I'm still happy. And one day I won't be able to do that anymore, right?Mitchell Levy [00:26:34]:So.Mitchell Levy [00:26:36]:But I was taught how to model people and systems and improve them. And what I learned then I got an MBA, and as I mentioned previously, I'm doing the PhD thing, right? So what. What I learned was, although I only speak English and it's American English, and so it's bad English, I don't speak those multiple languages. I do speak multiple languages of functions, you know, so marketing. Funny. Marketing, talking to sales, talking to engineers. I mean, it's just, whoever you are, I could speak your language because I'm feeling the energy of what does it mean to be who you are? And then it was in 2019 that I went on a Napoleon Hill journey And I interviewed 500 thought leaders on credibility between 2019 and 2020. And so I.Mitchell Levy [00:27:27]:It turns out I asked everyone five questions. And the first question that just sort of magically appeared to me is, what's your C Pop? That's the first thing I wanted to. I wanted to learn from people. And. And it took me a couple years, post the interviews, post the TED Talk, post the book that I wrote on it. By the way, I've written 65 books. My 66 is the most important. It's the one I'm writing now called Executive Abundance.Mitchell Levy [00:27:57]:It took a number of years afterwards to really understand. As a matter of fact, what happened is I went to the Purpose Summit. Now, when you go to a summit called the Purpose Summit, you got a lot of people talking about purpose, bringing purpose into corporations, what people's purpose are. And, you know, everyone had a different definition and it meant many different things to different people. And at some point in time, I thought the C pop had to do with purpose. But as it turns out, the C pop is where one is executing on their purpose today.Stuart Webb [00:28:30]:Yeah, brilliant, right?Mitchell Levy [00:28:32]:And I'm like, oh, my God. And then once that started happening, and then. I'll give you one last. One last thing. It was about seven months ago, eight months ago. So, by the way, if you haven't figured this out, being credible means you're always learning, you're always growing, you're always coachable.Stuart Webb [00:28:47]:Right?Mitchell Levy [00:28:49]:About seven, eight months ago, I realized something, and this put everything into perspective. I've known this my entire life. I've been in Silicon Valley, started 20 companies, and sat on the board of a public firm.Mitchell Levy [00:29:01]:And.Mitchell Levy [00:29:01]:And I've known this my whole entire life, but have not ever executed on it until about seven or eight months ago. Sell them what they want, deliver what they need.Stuart Webb [00:29:13]:Yeah, brilliant.Mitchell Levy [00:29:14]:So let me. I'll just finish that. So what's interesting is I ended up spending five and a half years of my life focused on what people need. Clarity and credibility are what people need. It's not what they want. So you sell them something else, but behind the scenes. So I'll make a. I'll make an offer for you.Mitchell Levy [00:29:31]:And listen, there are many people who actually sell clarity, and they could still use the CPOP and what they work. So I do, once a month, I do a clarity session. Have your clients come with your client to one of my clarity sessions. Have them get their CPOP and then do your thing and do your magic, right? And. And it's. It's the. It's the partnership thing that we've been taught not to spend time on and not to focus on. But, you know, if you can bring your client to get a C pop.Mitchell Levy [00:30:03]:And. And then all of a sudden, everything you do from then out in is so much easier. You know, just an offer, if that's interesting here.Mitchell Levy [00:30:12]:Brilliant. Mitchell, I am very aware that there must be a question that you are waiting for that you are begging me to ask, but I haven't yet asked, and I am obviously unable to articulate that question because I don't know what it is. So what's the question you think I should have by now asked? And then clearly you're gonna have to answer it because I haven't yet thought about.Mitchell Levy [00:30:35]:You know, that's always my favorite. That's my favorite question.Mitchell Levy [00:30:39]:It's the one. It's one I like best because I don't have to do any work for that one.Mitchell Levy [00:30:43]:Yeah, you know, I didn't really, given I'm looking at the time, I didn't really have anything. I guess the. Probably the biggest question is it's along the lines of, Mitchell, what you did with Stuart was so simple and so straightforward and so quick. Why is it that Stuart didn't already know that? Or why? Why? If you say you've done this 1200 times and every time they've had the same reaction with Stuart, how come you're not known universally around the world? That would probably be the answer.Mitchell Levy [00:31:30]:And the answer.Mitchell Levy [00:31:32]:I'm still, I'm still grokking. I'm still trying to grok all that.Stuart Webb [00:31:35]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:31:35]:Still trying to figure that out. The, the. A lot of the answers. There are many people who, who focus on clarity and focus on credibility and, and I think ultimately it's the best way I could think about it now. It really is what people need, but not exactly what they want. What I found is that 90% of. Of. Of people, or let's even go down to the C pop level, 98 of people don't know their C pop.Mitchell Levy [00:32:14]:And if you ask them if they have clarity, they're either going to say yes or they're going to say, I don't care, I don't need it. But 98% of people, 98% of the audience has figured out that. That understanding where they're executing their purpose in less than 10 words is not important to them yet. And so it's hard to imagine that you could sit with somebody and they could look at you and they could. They could actually present a summarized version of how you're showing up in the world so quickly. And, you know, there are people who watch us who would think it's staged, that we did it ahead of time.Stuart Webb [00:33:00]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:33:01]:And it's not. So. But the answer, I don't. I don't know exactly. I just know that when I talk to somebody, whether it's a CEO of a large company, if, if you're my client, I'm going to stick with you and you're going to play in your playground.Stuart Webb [00:33:15]:Right.Mitchell Levy [00:33:16]:But if you're somebody who I'm just Sort of giving a gift to or you're. You've paid me to be in my clarity session. The it, it's so easy to get off track. It's so easy to get out of alignment that people often do. And they go, yeah, it was good talking to Mitchell for a period of time, but I didn't do anything with it. Right when and, and what I'll say to you is last week was also, it was a great gift. It's when I advanced a candidacy for the PhD. I also had a woman join me and apparently I had talked to her three years, three years earlier.Mitchell Levy [00:33:56]:And the first words out of my mouth, out of her mouth was, Mitchell, I've been thinking about you for the last three years. Which is one of those things that are really, you know, you know, how do I interpret that? And she goes, I was about ready to enter an extremely difficult chapter of my life. And what you gave me, that C pop was the best gift I've ever received in my life because it allowed me to actually pull myself out of that chapter to focus on my business. And I've served 259 clients over a five year period. Most of those came after year two because that's when you and I spoke. And I am just so honored to have spent time with you. That's an example of somebody who heard it, understood it and used it. And I did.Mitchell Levy [00:34:54]:I challenge anyone. If you get your C pop and I'm someone who supports you or where you could take the formula in the 2% and you can make it work for you, I'm going to encourage you to live it and see what happens. I guarantee that your life will be different.Stuart Webb [00:35:10]:Mitchell, that is a brilliant story to end on. I've got nothing very much else to say. I'm going to ask people if they would just go to this link www.systemize.me subscribe. You need to go to that link because that link is a link to a form which will allow me to send you an email and you will then get an email once a week when we have brilliant guests like Mitchell on. And you can just sit and learn from people like Mitchell because they are worth listening to. Mitchell, you have been an inspiration. I have got some words to add to my LinkedIn profile, but better than that, I've got some living to do now because I have now got a challenge from you to live up to something that you have set down as a standard for me. I cannot believe what you do and you should be world famous and I'm going to try and make it so.Stuart Webb [00:36:05]:Mitchell, thank you so much for spending a few minutes with us. I really appreciate it.Mitchell Levy [00:36:09]:Oh, Stuart, my. My pleasure. I. I look forward to whatever our next conversation and seeing who you are the next time I have a conversation with you.Stuart Webb [00:36:19]:Terrific. Thank you. Mitchell. Mitchell, that. Get full access to It's Not Rocket Science! at thecompleteapproach.substack.com/subscribe

Special Guest: Bradley Koch   Welcome back to Podcast Profits Unleashed, the show that helps coaches, consultants, and business owners grow through smarter strategy, stronger positioning, and systems that actually work.   In this episode, Karen Roberts sits down with Bradley Koch, a small business coach who helps entrepreneurs create what he calls “boring profit”—steady, reliable revenue without the constant stress, hustle, and emotional rollercoaster.   If your business feels like a cycle of pushing hard, burning out, then scrambling to make sales again, this conversation will help you rethink what real growth looks like.   Bradley explains the power of compounding action—small, focused, repeatable actions done consistently over time. Instead of chasing the next big breakthrough, he shows how quiet momentum creates long-term success.   If you are tired of reinventing your business every quarter, this episode is for you.  

Episode 81: Slopeside with the Summit Syndicate Different episode today, featuring slopeside interviews from our second Summit Syndicate trip of 2026. The Summit Syndicate is a Lake Tahoe day trip event co-hosted by Cole-Frieman & Mallon, Eisner Amper, V17 Advisors and Juniper Square. We chartered a bus from SF, drove to Northstar, skid a full day and drove back to the city.    We had excellent turnout from industry friends old and new, and even if you didn't make the trip you can re-live it right here, on Tokens of Wisdom. If you have crazy fomo right now, reach out to your favorite podcast host and join us for the next trip! Key Points From This Episode: What's one thing you've learned on the mountain that you can apply to your work life? Disclaimer: This show is for informational purposes only. Nothing presented here constitutes legal, investment or tax advice. The guests that join us share their considerable fund-related wisdom, but everything they share here is their personal opinion and for educational purposes only. On this show, they are speaking for themselves, and not for their employer or any affiliated entity. Tokens of Wisdom is produced by Dave Rothschild, partner at Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit https://colefrieman.com/ Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dave Rothschild - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcrothschild/Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP - https://colefrieman.com/Music by Joe Ginsberg - https://www.instagram.com/thejoeginsbergFor any questions or comments, email: tow@colefrieman.com

On APTA Michigan's Waves podcast, host Andy Wicks interviews Dr. Bill McGehee, current Speaker of APTA's House of Delegates (term ending Dec. 31, 2026), about his background as a physical therapist and Tufts University DPT clinical professor, and his path from chapter service in Illinois to APTA House of Delegates Speaker of the House (elected 2020). McGehee explains the House as the membership's representative body of 450+ delegates from 51 chapters and 18 sections that sets association policy and positions, adopts bylaws and the profession's vision, and elects APTA leaders, while the Board of Directors holds fiduciary responsibility for the $50M organization and must balance House priorities with strategy, risk, and timing. He discusses the speaker's leadership/servant role, the value of mission and vision as a “North Star,” and how Roberts Rules protect minority voices and keep proceedings productive. McGehee's “soapbox” is that society knows what PTs do; key barriers are access and other constraints, and PTs should lead and practice at the topof their scope. If you are a PT or PTA in Michigan, you can earn PDR creditfor license renewal just by listening to this episode! Fill out the Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant General Response Form from LARA and save it for your records. 00:00 Welcome to Waves00:52 Meet Bill McGehee03:50 Service Path to Leadership06:14 Running for Vice Speaker09:02 Speaker Role and House Purpose12:12 House Energy and North Star15:21 Speaker as Leader and Servant19:02 Board Duties and Tension22:04 Strategic Plan Reality Check23:18 Why Motions Get Opposed23:48 Covington's Vulnerable Moment25:48 Trust and Communication Gaps28:20 Robert's Rules Explained29:47 Learning to Chair Efficiently35:25 Delegate Mindset Shift37:33 Soapbox on PT Value40:19 Wrap Up and Credits

(Mar 9, 2026) Amid its ongoing financial turmoil and bankruptcy filings, the relationship between the North Star Health Alliance and a healthcare consulting group has come under scrutiny; prisons are still understaffed, family visits are limited, and inmates are enduring the consequences a year after the end of the illegal strike by thousands of guards; and we get a preview of the upcoming season of the Howl Story Slam events hosted by NCPR and the Adirondack Center for Writing.

Tune into the newest episode of our Energy Works Podcast, where science meets spirit to help you heal, energize, and thrive. After noticing “time blocking” highlighted in a popular time-management article, Lauren reflects on her ongoing struggle to protect open, unscheduled time. Blaine, who teaches time blocking to entrepreneurs inside the Conscious Business Builders Club, shares why she considers it a proven and surprisingly liberating method.They have some fun discussing what time blocking really is: scheduling everything, including self-care, creative play, and even “free time” to reduce decision fatigue, close mental open loops, and increase focus and follow-through. Blaine explains how intentional structure can quiet the nervous system and support meaningful momentum.But this isn't a productivity pep talk. Lauren and Blaine explore the yin/yang dance between formless creativity and structured output. They dive into the tension between flow and discipline, the importance of protecting personal time, and how alone time fuels creative emergence. This episode offers a grounded, energetic lens on time, inviting you to experiment with flexible structure while honoring the sacred space where inspiration is born. Now available wherever you get your podcasts!Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:29 What Time Blocking Is 01:47 Elements and Resistance02:58 Free Time Keeps Filling Up05:00 Blaine's Business Lens 07:49 Yin Yang and Commitments 09:36 How Blaine Schedules Life 11:17 Boredom vs Focus 15:34 Friends Visits and Open Blocks 18:12 Protecting Personal Time 18:24 Sunday Nothingness Day 19:28 Craving Space to Recharge 20:23 Alone Time Fuels Creativity 22:25 Self Worth Beyond Productivity 24:32 Creating From Enoughness26:39 Service as a North Star 29:27 Inspiration and Better Productivity 31:09 Time Blocking Takeaways 33:30 ConclusionEpisode Resources:EMYoga Online Courses: emyoga.thinkific.com/collections/emyoga-coursesShop our EMYoga Store: emyogastore.com/Sign up for our FREE weekly Newsletter: www.energymedicineyoga.net/Listen on Spotify: Energy WorksListen on Apple Podcasts: Energy WorksFollow us on Instagram: @EnergyMedicineYogaFollow us on Facebook: @EnergyMedicineYoga#EnergyMedicineYoga #EMYoga #EnergyWorksPodcast #WellnessPodcast #TimeBlocking #IntentionalLiving #CreativeFlow #SacredSpace #ProductivityWithPurpose #MindfulLiving #WomenInBusiness 

Many leaders assume that company culture is something that just "happens"—a byproduct of the team they hire. But as Katherine Robinette points out: culture happens whether you plan it or not. The real question is whether you are intentionally designing it to support your goals, or letting it evolve by accident. In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with leadership strategist Katherine Robinette to unpack the "Core Dimensions of Leadership." They explore how to move away from the "Flavor of the Month" management style and toward a structured, intentional approach that protects your team's energy and clarifies your organization's true North Star. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The 4 Core Dimensions: How to balance Mindset, Method, Metrics, and Mood. ✅ Why your "North Star" isn't a goal to achieve, but a reason to exist. ✅ Identifying "Method" problems: Why team burnout is usually a system failure, not a people failure. ✅ How to use "In-Progress Metrics" to keep your team motivated during long-term projects. ✅ The art of saying "No": How to protect your team's energy by knowing what to stop doing. ✅ The Stop-Start-Continue framework: A tactical gut-check for any organization. ✅ How to transition from an individual executor to a strategic leader without the burnout. Connect with Katherine Robinette: Her Website: https://keystoneandraven.com/ LinkedIn: / katherine-robinette-speaker Curious how your leadership, team, or workplace is showing up? Download these reflection tools to get a sense of what is really going on at work: https://keystoneandraven.com/resources Contact Josh: leadinquarters@gmail.com Follow Leadership in Quarters: Instagram, YouTube & TikTok @leadinquarters Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode on navigating the complexities of modern leadership! Music by https://www.bensound.com License code: US7J7IREGSLNT8B0 Artist: : Benjamin Tissot #LeadershipInQuarters #IntentionalLeadership #CoreDimensionsOfLeadership #LeadershipMindset #CompanyCultureDesign #BurnoutPrevention #StrategicPlanning #LeadershipDevelopment #ManagementSystems

A masterclass in the nuts and bolts of running a world-class restaurant.In this episode, Dan sits down with one of Britain's most uncompromising chefs to talk about building a two-Michelin-star restaurant in the least glamorous location imaginable — a strange little oasis tucked under a Nottingham flyover, surrounded by graffiti, traffic, and the occasional burning car.But that's exactly the point.Sat explains why great restaurants aren't just about food — they're about theatre, emotion, risk, and creating something so memorable that people will travel across the world to experience it. From the philosophy behind Restaurant Sat Bains to the psychology of hospitality, the conversation dives into why authenticity beats polish, why imperfection can be powerful, and why chasing Michelin stars is often the least interesting part of running a restaurant.Along the way they explore Sat's unconventional ideas — like the now-famous “Sat's Gamble” wine lottery — the realities of attracting true travelling food lovers, and what it actually takes to build a restaurant that people obsess over.This is a conversation about vision, stubbornness, and why sometimes the best restaurants in the world are built in the most unlikely places.00:00 Gastronomic Narnia00:03:30 Why Every Detail Matters in Fine Dining00:07:00 The Secret Behind the Perfect Plated Dish00:10:00 Teaching Knowledge After 30 Years in Kitchens00:15:00 Building a Two-Star Restaurant Under a Flyover00:19:00 Food Should Reveal the Chef's Identity00:50:00 Why Freedom Beats Mentors in Creativity01:03:00 Lessons From Growing Up in a Shop01:07:30 Creativity Means Nothing Without Business01:17:00 The £50 Two-Michelin-Star Breakfast Idea01:42:00 Why Honesty Beats Perfect Social Media01:43:00 Sat's Gamble Wine Lottery Explained02:05:00 Turning Art Into Michelin-Star Dishes02:10:00 How Creative Ideas Become Real Plates  ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It'll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/

[NOTE: Due to a technical glitch some listeners may have received an incorrect audio file last night. The problem is now corrected. Thank you for your patience and understanding] Gunfire struck three Toronto-area synagogues in less than a week, prompting police to promise a “relentless” investigation into what leaders say are antisemitic attacks. In this episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner reports from outside Beth Avraham Yoseph synagogue in Thornhill and also listened in outside the Shaarei Shomayim congregation in North York Sunday as police, politicians and Jewish leaders gathered for a show of solidarity. Bullet holes were discovered this weekend at Beth Avraham Yoseph congregation in Thornhill and Shaarei Shomayim synagogue in North York. Temple Emanu-El had been targeted earlier in the week. A Jewish-owned restaurant and a Jewish school were also struck the same day. The attacks have stunned Toronto's Jewish community and sparked calls for stronger action from governments and police before someone is seriously hurt or killed. Keywords: Toronto synagogues, antisemitic attacks, Jewish community Canada, North Star podcast. Related stories: Read The CJN's comprehensive coverage of the week of gunfire against Toronto-area Jewish businesses and synagogues: beginning with Temple Emanu-El and a restaurant and education academy shot at on March 2 , Then the BAYT and Shaarei Shomayim shot at separately on the night of March 7 . Read what the politicians and the police promised, on March 8, in The CJN . Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@TheCJN https://www.youtube.com/@TheCJN Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)

Best Investment Strategy for 2026 Market Uncertainty | How to Protect and Grow Wealth in Uncertain Markets — In this episode of The Core Report Weekend Edition, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Chintan Haria, Principal Investment Strategist at ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited, about how investors should think about investment strategy in 2026 as markets face rising uncertainty across geopolitics, trade tensions, commodities, inflation, global debt, and shifting capital flows.As volatility returns and the easy gains of recent years fade, investors everywhere are asking the same question: how do you protect and grow wealth in uncertain markets? In this conversation, we explore where to invest in 2026, how to build a resilient portfolio, and why asset allocation may matter more than stock picking alone.From stocks, gold, silver, fixed income, and hybrid funds to sector rotation, commodities, global markets, and India's economic growth, this episode provides a clear framework for navigating market volatility and investment decisions during uncertain times.Govindraj Ethiraj and Chintan Haria discuss the best investment strategy for 2026 market uncertainty, why protecting capital is critical in volatile markets, and how investors can think about portfolio diversification, wealth creation, and long-term investing. The discussion also covers India vs global investing, investor behaviour, sector opportunities, and the importance of disciplined asset allocation.Key topics covered in this episode include:(00:00) Introduction(01:20) Has Investment Strategy Really Changed in 2026?(03:48) Post‑COVID Euphoria Fades, New Cycles Emerge(06:00) Metals, Turbulence and Rethinking Portfolio Strategy (07:56) Sector Rotation and the IT Conundrum(12:02) Retail Investors Now Shape Market Behaviour(16:30) How ICICI AMC Applies Strategy Across Funds(19:10) Tracking the 650‑Stock Portfolio(20:30) India's Market Depth and New Listings(21:50) Capital Formation vs IPO Frenzy(23:25) The Next Wave of Emerging Themes(25:38) India's GDP as the Market's North Star(28:29) Stock Picking in a Fast‑Shifting Economy(29:58) Commodity Cycles and Marginal Cost of Extraction and Mining(31:30) Staying Calm Through Turbulent Markets(34:32) Global Money Printing and the Reset Ahead(38:20) Beyond SIPs: Hybrid Funds for Volatile Times(39:40) Fear vs Greed: What Drives Markets Today?With markets increasingly shaped by global debt, geopolitical tensions, and commodity cycles, this episode offers insights for investors looking to navigate volatility, build resilient portfolios, and make smarter investment decisions in 2026 and beyond.Whether you are a professional, investor, entrepreneur, or someone interested in business, finance, markets, and wealth creation, this episode of The Core Report will help you understand how smart investors approach uncertainty and long-term investing.Watch till the end for an important insight: fear in markets can create opportunity, but disciplined asset allocation remains the foundation of successful investing.Subscribe to The Core Report for more conversations on business, markets, economics, investing, and the forces shaping India and the global economy.

Tina Ahava Azarin constantly checks the news about the war between Iran and Israel. But for the Ottawa resident, it's not just distant headlines. An Iranian-Jewish entrepreneur, Azarin was born in Isfahan and raised in Tehran before leaving Iran for Canada in 2001 with her husband and their newborn daughter. Today, that daughter is studying in Israel — making the conflict between the two countries Azarin loves deeply personal. The latest escalation between Iran and Israel followed an Israeli air strike last weekend that killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an attack reportedly carried out with support from the United States. The strike and Iran's retaliation have raised fears of a broader regional conflict, leaving many people in the Iranian and Jewish diasporas watching events unfold with deep personal concern. Growing up in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution meant living under strict social controls. While Azarin was at university, she was detained by the regime's morality police. Some neighbours and relatives were killed. Now living freely in Canada for more than two decades, where she and her family are active members of Ottawa's Jewish community, Azarin says she felt “overwhelmed with joy” after learning of Khamenei's death. Despite everything, Azarin still dreams of one day bringing her children back to visit Iran to see the roots of one of the world's oldest Jewish communities. Jewish life in Persia dates back roughly 2,700 years, although today fewer than 10,000 Jews remain in Iran. On this episode of The CJN's flagship North Star podcast, Azarin speaks with host Ellin Bessner about living between three loves — Iran, Israel and Canada — and how cooking Persian Jewish dishes helps her cope as she watches the conflict unfold. Related stories Read an essay which our guest, Tina-Ahava Azarin, wrote for the Ottawa Jew Ottawa Jewish Bulletin ish Bulletin in January 2026 while she was watching the tensions build in Israel and Iran. Meet Iranian Jewish Canadian lawyer and politician Dyanoosh Youssefi, who fled Iran as a schoolgirl with just the clothes on her back, in 1982, after the Islamic Revolution,  on The CJN's North Star podcast from 2022. Why Jewish Canadians have been receiving support at their pro-Israel rallies from the Iranian Canadian community, in The CJN from 2024 . Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@TheCJN Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)

What if grief wasn't something to “get over,” but something that could guide you toward deeper purpose? In this moving conversation, Amana Mayfield-Faulkner, founder of Amana Be Love and former palliative care nurse, shares how profound personal loss reshaped her understanding of life, death, intuition, and connection.From witnessing her first love take his final breaths in his twenties… to giving birth to her daughter and holding her through her last moments… Amana's journey through grief has been both devastating and transformative. Through these experiences, she discovered that grief does not end — it changes. And when honored instead of suppressed, it can become a compass.In this episode, we explore:• What working in palliative care teaches about presence and responsibility• Why grief doesn't follow a timeline — and shouldn't be rushed• The importance of community when navigating loss• How to support someone grieving without expectation• What “post-traumatic growth” can look like• Reconnecting with your intuition as a source of strength• Why transitions — like in birth — often feel darkest right before breakthroughAmana reminds us that grief exists because love exists. And when we allow ourselves to move through the “underworld” of loss — without building our home there — we can emerge with greater depth, compassion, and even access to joy we didn't know was possible.Her message is especially powerful for anyone navigating uncertainty, loss, or major life transitions:Start small. Start with yourself. Trust your inner voice. And remember — transitions do not last forever.This episode is a beautiful reminder that influence often shows up in quiet presence, deep listening, and the courage to share what is often unseen and unspoken.Listen in and be inspired to show up — for yourself and for others — with compassion, responsibility, and trust in your own inner guidance.Website URL: www.amanabelove.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanabelove/

What happens when you feel too rock for country and too country for rock? We put that identity to the test with a rapid-fire breakdown of 35 tracks that blur the lines, from Hardy and The Cadillac Three to CCR, Eric Church, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. We wrestle with what truly makes a crossover—songwriting grit, backbeat, guitar tone, or that undeniable chorus—and call out the picks that earned their place, plus a few that surprised us.Then we hit the headlines shaping the scene. Jason Aldean announces a 2026 Songs About Us Summer Tour and drops fresh tracks. CMA Fest lines up rising voices like Ella Langley and Shaboozey, while big festivals keep the season packed from Panama City Beach to Florida's Gulf Coast. Kane Brown builds a four-story Broadway hub, and Dolly Parton tips her hat to Son of Jolene, proving legacies grow when new artists answer the canon. A Ronnie Milsap tribute reminds us why the Opry remains a North Star.We open the floor to you with a walk-up song throwdown—Jukebox Hero to Tom Sawyer, the Rocky theme to One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer—and share our own entrance anthems. Expect a practical mini-masterclass on intros, tempo, and how to build energy before a first lyric. Charts get their due as we compare mainstream risers and indie breakthroughs, showing why a sticky hook can outlast any hype cycle.The mailbag pulls no punches: are record deals still worth it for mid-level artists, is radio failing because it won't take risks, and what gets more valuable as AI music improves? We make a strong case for live performance, brand voice, and community as the true moat. We also talk long game—the “ten-year town” reality—and how to measure progress without losing heart.If you're chasing better playlists, smarter career moves, or just need a gateway between steel strings and power chords, this one's for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and drop your walk-up song in the comments—what track announces you to the world?Episode LinksDalila Mya: https://jayfranze.com/episode102/Send a text Support the showLinks Jay Franze: https://jayfranze.com/ JFS Country Countdown: https://jayfranze.com/countdown/ Contact Contact: https://jayfranze.com/contact/ Socials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfranze TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayfranze X: https://x.com/jayfranze YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jayfranze Services Services: https://jayfranze.com/services/ Books Books: https://jayfranze.com/books/ Merchandise Merchandise: https://jayfranze.com/merchandise/ Support Support: https://jayfranze.com/support/ Sponsor the Show: https://jayfranze.com/sponsor/

How does a medical aesthetic practice scale to a nation-wide brand without sacrificing quality or values? In this episode of Medical Spa Insider, Alex Thiersch sits down with Jen Seisler, COO of SkinSpirit and George Baxter-Holder, VP of Talent Development, for a conversation about growth, training and leadership in medical aesthetics. Recorded at AmSpa's new training center ahead of a hands-on cadaver lab with the Academy for Injection Anatomy, the discussion explores how SkinSpirit has grown from a single clinic in Palo Alto to more than 60 locations while maintaining a strong culture of safety, education and provider-first leadership. Discussion points include: Why cadaver anatomy training should become a minimum standard for injectors The provider-first strategy behind SkinSpirit's expansion How culture and training reduce turnover in aesthetic practices Why responsible growth matters more than rapid scaling How corporate partnerships are helping legitimize medical aesthetics Why safety and trust remain the industry's true North Star

What does a city government owe its residents? Host Stephen Goldsmith speaks with Eyal Feder-Levy, CEO of Zencity, to explore how GenAI is fundamentally transforming the way cities measure, understand, and respond to resident needs. For decades, performance management in government has relied on operational metrics like crime numbers, pothole repairs, traffic flow. But what happens when the data looks good, yet residents feel less safe? When efficiency improves, but trust declines? In this episode, Feder-Levy argues that citizen satisfaction and perception should be the true North Star for city government. Using social sentiment analysis, AI-powered data agents, and real-world examples, he explores how GenAI is cutting response times, revealing hidden patterns, and closing the gap between statistics and lived experience. Listener Survey: bit.ly/datasmartpod Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa About Data-Smart City Solutions Data-Smart City Solutions, housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, is working to catalyze the adoption of data projects on the local government level by serving as a central resource for cities interested in this emerging field. We highlight best practices, top innovators, and promising case studies while also connecting leading industry, academic, and government officials. Our research focus is the intersection of government and data, ranging from open data and predictive analytics to civic engagement technology. We seek to promote the combination of integrated, cross-agency data with community data to better discover and preemptively address civic problems. To learn more visit us online and follow us on LinkedIn.

Reichen klassische Planungsprozesse noch aus, um langfristig die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu sichern – oder braucht es ein grundlegend neues Strategieverständnis? In dieser Folge des The Agenda Podcasts von Sherpany, erläutert Dr. Zeno Staub – Verwaltungsrat von Vontobel und Präsident des Universitätsrats St. Gallen – wie Vorstände und Aufsichtsräte die Entscheidungsfindung in Zeiten der Ungewissheit und KI in einer von stärken können. Dr. Staub stellt ein strategisches Modell vor, das die klassische Langzeitplanung mit agilen, KI-gestützten Entscheidungszyklen verbindet. Im Mittelpunkt seines Ansatzes steht die Kombination eines klar definierten „Nordstern“ mit einem dynamischen, kontinuierlich aktualisierten Portfolio strategischer Maßnahmen. Dies hilft Führungskräften, sich auf das Wesentliche zu konzentrieren und sich gleichzeitig schnell an neue Marktsignale anzupassen. Warum klassische 3- bis 5-Jahres-Planung in volatilen, fragmentierten Märkten an ihre Grenzen stößt – und was Vorstände stattdessen tun sollten. Wie ein klar definierter „Nordstern“ als strategischer Kompass funktioniert, der Unternehmen auch in schnelllebigen Organisationen auf Kurs hält. Warum Strategien oft nicht aufgrund von Kapital- oder Fachwissensmangel scheitern, sondern aufgrund von Misalignment zwischen Teams und Führungsebene. Wie KI die Phasen „Beobachten“ und „Orientieren“ des OODA-Loops skaliert und beschleunigt, sodass Führungskräfte Signale früher erkennen, Komplexität besser verstehen und genauere strategische Entscheidungen treffen. Wo die Grenzen der KI in der Strategiearbeit liegen – insbesondere in Bezug auf Verantwortung, Urteilsvermögen und Rechenschaftspflicht. Wie Vorstände KI nutzen können, um Blind Spots, aufkommende Risiken und alternative strategische Szenarien aufzudecken. Warum zukünftige strategische Exzellenz von Führungskräften abhängt, die über das durchschnittliche Weltwissen hinausdenken und vorherrschende Annahmen hinterfragen. Chapters: 00:00 Einführung: Strategie in volatilen Märkten neu denken 01:20 Warum Strategie weiterhin zentral bleibt 02:00 Grenzen klassischer 3 bis 5-Jahres-Planung 03:39 North Star als langfristiger Kompass 06:10 Guided Evolution und Initiativen-Portfolio 08:09 Observe, Orient, Decide, Act: Der moderne Strategiezyklus 11:00 Neue Unsicherheiten: Geopolitik, Demografie, Technologie 13:04 KI als Skalierung von Beobachtung und Orientierung 18:03 KI im Board-Kontext: Einsatz, Grenzen und Verantwortung 23:20 Warum jetzt der Zeitpunkt zum Handeln istThe Agenda wird von Ingo Notthoff moderiert – Podcast-Produzent und -Moderator mit langjähriger Erfahrung in Führungs- und Managementrollen auf Konzern-, Mittelstands- und Verbandsebene. Sie sind an tiefgehenden strategischen Themen für Vorstände, Aufsichts- und Verwaltungsräte interessiert? Abonnieren Sie den The Agenda Podcast von Sherpany, dem führenden Anbieter von Lösungen für das Meeting-Management. https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenostaub/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zenostaub_observe-orientdecide-act-activity-7421431701358149632-Xaut/  Thank you for listening! Visit us at Sherpany.com or follow us on LinkedIn for board, board committee, and executive meetings solutions.

For decades, Iran's regime has targeted Canada's Irwin Cotler — publicly denouncing him, threatening him, and, according to Canadian authorities, plotting to assassinate him for the last two years. Now, after the military campaign launched by Israel and the U.S. this past weekend that took out Iran's Supreme Leader, and many of his top regime officials, Cotler isn't thinking about letting down his guard. Instead, he's speaking out about what must happen next, even with the war is still going on. In today's episode of The CJN's flagship North Star podcast, Canada's former justice minister and retired Special Envoy on Combatting Antisemitism argues that this moment is not only about celebration — but should be about accountability, too, including for the estimated 35,000 Iranians executed by the regime in January's popular protests. And Cotler explains to host Ellin Bessner why what he calls a 26-year “culture of impunity” which persisted for so long, may finally be coming to an end. Related stories: In 2024, Irwin Cotler was warned of an imminent threat on his life at the hands of Iranian agents, and received 24-hr protection, on The CJN North Star . How Canada's lax immigration policies allowed Iranian regime members to come quietly to live in Canada, Irwin Cotler charged, on The CJN North Star podcast from June 2025. Read Irwin Cotler's letter to The CJN after Ottawa scrapped the position of Canada's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, from Feb. 2026, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@TheCJN Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)

Nationwide Whole Foods distribution. A seven-figure DTC engine. A five-person team. In this episode, Ashley Nickelsen, the founder and CEO of nutrition bar and chocolate brand B.T.R. Nation, breaks down the systems behind her brand's growth, from using DTC zip-code data to unlock retail expansion, to building a creative-first Meta ads strategy that drives real revenue (not just impressions).  She shares why velocity is her North Star metric, how she thinks about omnichannel as a flywheel – not separate businesses – how she evaluates when syndicated data is worth the cost, and why she chose to self-warehouse to maintain margin and operational control.  Ashley also unpacks her approach to pricing across channels, portfolio expansion beyond a single hero SKU, and constant creative testing in one of grocery's most competitive categories.  Show notes: 0:20: Ashley Nickelsen, Founder & CEO, B.T.R. Nation – Ashley talks about her deep ties to New York City and a life largely spent on the road for work. She also shares her path into CPG from a master's in higher education and then into the supplement world and applied lessons from her experience to B.T.R., Ashley's discusses evolution as a spokesperson and her belief that brands need a consistent "face," explains B.T.R.'s origin story and how losing both parents to rare cancers before age 30 shaped her mission and her decision to avoid natural flavors. She describes how trust and community grew "organically" through direct customer engagement and helps generate retail discovery and online reorders across channels. She also details how B.T.R. approaches growth with constant iteration while keeping affordability and velocity in mind, and shares practical learnings on Meta advertising and how to pair digital attribution with retail data stories to win new accounts. Brands in this episode: B.T.R. Nation, Spindrift, Mid-Day Squares, Graza, Simple Mills, Siete, Perfect Bar, Lily's, Unreal, Heinz, Crumbl

In this episode, Heather Stewart, President and CEO of APG Solutions, shares how manufacturers can break down silos by replacing protectionism with curiosity and tying metrics to organizational North Star goals. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what's working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.mfrall.com/hmi/ Become a Member: https://www.mfrall.com/membership/ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5orRRXkVgAkbAeUuCj1dP5 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-manufacturers-improve/id1677078610 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfj2OPOknywMeVwzPJX7Ifw

What does conscious leadership look like in the age of AI?As artificial intelligence accelerates and uncertainty intensifies, leaders are realizing that strategy alone is no longer enough. The future of business won't be shaped by AI alone — it will be shaped by conscious leadership.In this episode of The Conscious Leadership Revolution, Susan Hobson and fractional COO Raymond Ussery explore:• Psychological safety as the foundation of innovation• Emotional intelligence and nervous system regulation in high-performance leadership• Ethical AI implementation and values-driven decision making• Healing as a catalyst for leadership growth• Why your “North Star” matters more than ever in 2026 and beyondIf you're navigating burnout, imposter syndrome, AI disruption, or organizational uncertainty, this conversation will help you lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose.Because in an AI-driven world, the real competitive advantage is human: presence, regulation, ethics, and aligned leadership.AI may shape our systems.But conscious leadership will shape our legacy.

Last week, millions of people watched one of our own stand behind a podium on Jeopardy! — and win. Toronto lawyer James Hirsh, co-host of The CJN's long-running Menschwarmers podcast, became the latest Canadian contestant to compete and succeed on the iconic American game show. Hirsh says it was “the thrill of a lifetime” to be selected, to fly down to the Alex Trebek studio at Sony Pictures in Culver City, near Hollywood, where he taped several episodes of Jeopardy! It all happened about three weeks ago, but he's had to keep quiet about how he fared. Until now, as the episodes started airing this week on millions of television screens across North America. Hirsh had decades of practice to prepare for his small-screen debut: as a teenager, he was reigning champion at his summer camp's version of the game show, over four seasons. The prize money back then was enough to buy some beers. This time, his actual Jeopardy! winnings will help the father-of-three pay off his family's mortgage. He also won a custom Jeopardy! hat and a tote bag, but he says the best prize is a coveted tagline to his bio: he can now say “I was on Jeopardy!” On today's rebroadcast of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner chats with James Hirsh about what it was like under the bright lights, what questions stumped him and how he regrets wearing the wrong shoes. Credits Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver Producer: Michael Fraiman Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ") Support The CJN Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

AI in customer experience, fraud prevention, and back-office operations is moving fast in banking and financial services, and the firms that fall behind risk losing both customers and competitive ground. Tedd Huff, CEO of fintech advisory firm Voalyre and founder of Fintech Confidential, sits down with Mamta Rodrigues, Chief Client Officer of Banking, Financial Services and Insurance at TP, one of the largest employers in the world with over 500,000 people globally. Mamta brings decades of hands-on experience across American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Synchrony, and she holds a patent, a signal that she has spent real time building products, not just advising on them. The conversation covers practical AI use cases in fraud, collections, and compliance, along with what separates clients who get results from those who stall out after a pilot.The pressure on banks and fintechs right now comes from two directions at once. Consumer expectations keep rising because people interact with payment products every single day. At the same time, fraud is accelerating. Every time the industry catches up, fraudsters adapt faster and the cycle resets. That means fraud teams, product teams, and customer experience teams are all fighting for resources and attention at the same time. For treasury managers, CFOs, and compliance leaders, this creates a real tension: how do you invest in AI-powered fraud prevention and still deliver a smooth experience that keeps customers loyal?The numbers from inside TP's client work tell a clear story. Fifty percent of TP's solutions are now AI-led, with the heaviest concentration in back-office operations like fraud, financial crime, and claims management. Mamta describes a recent deployment of TP's AI blueprint, tp.ai fab, layered into an existing client's operations to prevent and predict fraud. The results showed significant improvement in key metrics. On the collections side, predictive analysis now arms agents before a call even starts with propensity to pay, likely timing, expected recovery percentage, and recommended remediation paths. That kind of preparation changes the entire tone of a collections interaction from adversarial to solution-oriented, and the outcome is measurable: increased repayment, stronger loyalty, product expansion, and reduced breakage.One of the clearest signals Mamta uses to gauge whether a client will actually get results versus abandon the effort after a test: the composition of who shows up. When the cross-functional team walks through the door, operations, product, IT, and data leaders together, that's when real progress happens. She describes a design thinking approach where the client provides a problem statement in advance, both sides bring the right people, and in a single day they can shape a solution direction. The typical pattern is that they start with one problem statement and end the session with additional problem statements and new opportunities they had not considered. Clients who send a single department to "explore AI" without bringing the other stakeholders rarely make it past the pilot stage.Looking three to five years out, Mamta expects advanced AI and predictive analytics to fundamentally reshape how customer experience operates, powered by stronger data foundations and more mature tech stacks. She predicts continued growth in AI-led back-office solutions, deeper fraud protection capabilities, and a rising focus on elevating talent rather than replacing it. The human factor, she says, will always remain because both the customers and the agents serving them are still people. Her single piece of advice to fintech executives and founders: "Be comfortable with the uncomfortable." The firms that try, pivot, learn, and avoid the belief that they already know everything will be the ones that pull ahead.Key HighlightsFraud Signals Your Phone RevealsEvery mobile transaction generates thousands of hidden data points including gyroscope movement, touch pressure patterns, key press timing, and screen angle behavior that machine learning models use to verify identity. IP address matching combined with geolocation checks can confirm whether the person making a payment is physically located where their device says they are, adding layers of fraud protection most consumers never realize exist.Automation Is Not Replacing AgentsTP proposes automation first in every client engagement, yet the goal is augmenting agent performance through AI-powered training, quality assurance, and workforce management tools. Mundane tasks like balance inquiries have already moved to apps, while new roles in data analysis, predictive modeling, financial crime investigation, and fraud prevention are growing faster than the positions being phased out.Consumer Behavior Now Drives FintechBanking and payments typically lead BFSI adoption cycles because consumers transact with payment products daily, while insurance interactions are infrequent and purpose-driven. That frequency gap means consumer expectations hit banking and fintech firms first, forcing faster response times and creating pressure that insurance companies eventually absorb as a fast follower.Living On Cash Taught Product ThinkingOne of the sharpest product leadership lessons came from spending an entire month using only cash, no cards, no checks, no electronic payments, to understand what consumers actually experience when they lack access to modern payment tools. That hands-on immersion shaped a framework for understanding customer pain points from the inside out, a method still applied today when onboarding new clients by finding internal employees who already use the client's products.The Real Meaning Of DataThe phrase "so what of the data" reframes the entire conversation around why raw data collection means nothing without a clear connection to personalization, spend analysis, and predictive outcomes. Combining multiple data sources with analytics can reveal buying power, transaction patterns, location behavior, and propensity to pay, turning passive information into active intelligence that drives customer engagement and retention.Storytelling Aligns Stakeholders FasterComplex enterprise sales involving operations, product, and executive teams require more than technical specs to move forward, and framing solutions around a clear North Star with a human impact story accelerates buy-in. Using a collections call as an example, the narrative centers on saving a customer relationship rather than recovering a balance, which reframes cost of acquisition against breakage and makes the ROI case emotionally and financially persuasive.Banks Now Seek Outside PerspectiveA year ago, most banking clients told TP they would solve AI and CX challenges internally within their own teams and systems. In the last twelve months, that posture has shifted sharply toward requesting peer group insights, consortium-style knowledge sharing across 350+ global BFSI clients, and collaborative problem solving that treats the current wave of change as an industry-wide learning curve.Culture Shapes Customer Experience StrategyThree years of living and working in India reinforced that cultural context directly affects how customers respond to service interactions, communication styles, and engagement approaches across different regions. Global CX strategies that ignore cultural layers risk delivering a technically sound but emotionally flat experience, which is why regional adaptation matters as much as the tech stack powering the interaction.Hidden Fraud Detection Through BiometricsBeyond standard two-factor and three-factor authentication, financial services firms are now layering behavioral biometrics that track how a person physically handles their device during a transaction. Screen touch patterns, movement signatures, and Face ID verification create a composite identity profile that runs silently behind every interaction, catching anomalies that traditional password-based security would miss entirely.Meeting People Where They AreCross-functional leadership across global teams starts with something as simple as asking a new direct report which communication channel they prefer, whether that is Viber, WhatsApp, text, or another platform. That small signal of respect sets the tone for a people-first management approach where multiple perspectives are actively solicited, because the operating principle is that one brain is never as effective as seven or eight working together.Five Key Takeaways1️⃣ Bring Cross-Functional Teams To Every PilotSending one department to evaluate AI or data analytics tools is how pilots die quietly after 90 days. Get your operations lead, product owner, IT or data leader, and digital officer in the same room with one shared problem statement before you commit budget. That combination forces the real blockers to surface early, things like legacy system constraints, rule adjustments, and use case selection, so you can design around them instead of discovering them after you have already spent the money.2️⃣ Use Your Own Products Before SellingThe fastest way to understand a customer's pain is to become one. Before pitching a solution or onboarding a new client, find people inside your own organization who already use that client's product and pull them into the conversation. You will learn more about friction points, feature gaps, and real user behavior in one week of hands-on product use than in six months of reading market research decks.3️⃣ Arm...

1 Timothy 4:8 NIV “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”   *Transcription Below*   Brian Smith, author of The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, is a staff member with Athletes in Action and a cross-country coach at Lowell High School. A former collegiate runner at Wake Forest University, he earned a BA in Communications and Journalism before completing his MA in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary. Brian lives in Lowell, MI with his wife and three children. You can find him on Twitter @BrianSmithAIA.   Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades' experience discipling college and professional athletes. With a heart for reconciliation and justice, he also works as a racial literacy consultant and marriage conference speaker, blending Biblical wisdom with practical living in the midst of complex cultural realities. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in Xenia, Ohio.   The Christian Athlete Website   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions and Topics We Cover: What is one of kids' greatest game day complaints?  Is it true that young athletic success is a predictor of adult athletic success? What are a few tips for instilling a heart of gratitude in our young athlete, rather than entitlement?   Related Savvy Sauce Episode: 230 Intentional Parenting in All The Stages with Dr. Rob Rienow   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:11)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:51) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today, over 55 years later, at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka.   Owned and operated by the Bertschi family, Sam Leman and Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over Central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com.   Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski are my guests for today.   They are co-authors of this recent amazing book entitled, A Way Game, A Christian Parents Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. And from the very beginning, I was captivated, even with one of the endorsements from Matt Martens, who's the president and CEO of Awana, and he summed it up this way, A Way Game provides a much needed perspective shift on one of the most sacred idols in our culture, youth sports. So, Brian and Ed are all for youth sports, and yet you're going to hear there's a different way to approach it than what we've been trained in culture.   And they're going to share some wonderful and very practical insights. I can't wait to share this with you. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Ed and Brian.   Ed Uszynski & Brian Smith: (1:51 - 1:54) Thanks for having us, Laura. Yeah, good to be here, Laura.   Laura Dugger: (1:54 - 2:04) So, excited about this chat. And will the two of you just start us off by sharing your family's stage of life and your involvement in sports?   Brian Smith: (2:05 - 3:29) Yeah, there could be a lot on the back end of that question. I'll start with sports, then get into family. I've been involved in sports my entire life, played every sport imaginable growing up, got cut from just about every single sport my freshman year of high school, ended up running track and cross country because it was the only sports that you could not get cut from at my high school.   And I ended up being pretty good at it by the time I was a senior, won some state championships, ended up getting a scholarship to run at Wake Forest University. So, I did that for four years right out of college. I coached a little bit collegiately.   Soon after that, I joined staff with a sports ministry called Athletes in Action that Ed and I have a combined 50 years with Athletes in Action. And really, that's been my life ever since. I've been ministering to college and pro athletes, discipling them, helping them figure out what does that actually look like to integrate faith in sport.   Even today, I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I coach high school cross country while I'm still on staff with Athletes in Action. I have a middle school Bible study that I run on Wednesday mornings.   Been married to my wife, who I actually met in high school. She was a distance runner too, and she ran at Wisconsin. So, we've been married for 20 years.   We have three kids, a high schooler, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler who are all involved in sport at some level, some way, shape, or form.   Laura Dugger: (3:30 - 3:34) Wow, that's incredible. Thank you, Brian. And Ed, what about you?   Ed Uszynski: (3:34 - 5:04) Well, my story is very parallel to Brian's, just different sports and some different numbers. Just tack on 15 years. Yeah, I was a basketball player.   Grew up on the west side of Cleveland with a high school football coach. My dad was, but I was a basketball player. I played at high levels all the way through my 20s, got to play overseas.   I mean, this was a long time ago, but I got everything I could out of that sport. And as soon as I graduated from college, though, I started to work with that Athletes in Action ministry that Brian mentioned. So, I've been working with college and professional athletes for 34 years now.   And same, coached at different levels, have four kids. Amy and I have been married for 26 years. We have four kids, three are in college, and one's in ninth grade, who has a game this afternoon, actually.   So, we've just been going to games and have been involved in going to sports stuff for the last 20 years with our kids. And really what happened with Brian, and I is that we looked up a decade ago and realized this youth sports thing was a fast train that was moving in directions that we weren't used to ourselves, even though we've been around sports our whole life. It's like, there's something different happening now.   And then thinking about it as Christians, like, how do we do this well as Christ followers? We don't want to separate from it. We don't want to just go for the ride. How do we do this as Christian people? And that's what got us talking about it and eventually led to this book.   Laura Dugger: (5:05 - 5:23) Well, the book was easy to read and incredible. And I'd like to start there where you begin, even where you go back before going forward. So, when you're looking back, what are the factors at play that changed youth sports over time?   Ed Uszynski: (5:26 - 6:17) Well, I'll say this and then Brian, maybe you jump in and throw a couple of them out there. I mean, youth sports is a $40 billion industry today, which is wild to think about. It's four times how much money gets spent on the NFL, which is just staggering.   I can't even hardly believe that that's true, but it is. And it's really just in the last 20 years that that's happened. I mean, 50 years ago, you couldn't have had the youth sport industrial complex, as we refer to it.   You couldn't have had it. There were a bunch of things that had to happen culturally, as is true with any new movement or any paradigm shift that happens in culture. You've got to have certain things be true all at the same time that make it possible.   So, Brian, what were a couple of those? Again, I'll throw it over to you. There's six of them that we talk about in the book. And I think it's really fascinating because I'm a history guy.   Brian Smith: (6:18 - 8:40) Yeah. And we can obviously double click on any of these, Laura, that you want to, but we talk about how the college admissions process became an avenue where youth sports parents saw, man, if we can get our kids involved in some extracurriculars and kind of tag on high level athlete to their resume, it actually helps with the college admissions process. And so even the idea of college scholarships became an opportunity for youth sports parents to get their kids involved.   And then, yeah, maybe sports can actually get them into college. We talk about the economic shifts that happen, the rise of safetyism and helicopter parenting. ESPN was a massive one in 1979.   This thing called ESPN starts, and we get 24-7 coverage of sports, which they started exploring even early on. What does it look like to give coverage to something like Little League World Series and saw that it didn't really matter how young the sport was, it's going to draw a national audience. And so, we've almost been discipled by ESPN really over the last 50 years with this consistent coverage.   We talk about the rise of the sports complex. This one to me is like the most fascinating out of all of them. In 1997, Disney decided to try to get more people to come to their parks.   They built a sports complex, just a massive sports complex. The idea was, are the older kids getting sick of the Buzz Lightyear ride and the Disney princesses? So, let's build a sports complex and maybe it'll be something else that will draw this older crowd too.   And what happened was, I mean, a lot of people started coming to it, but kind of the stake in the ground game changer was when 9-11 hit. In the months and years after that, they saw a lot less people go to their parks, but population actually doubled going to the sports complex, which is wild to think that people were afraid to go to theme parks for a vacation, but they were willing to travel across state lines to play sports at the Disney complex. So other cities and municipalities took notice of that.   Today, there's over 30,000 sports complexes like Disney's, which again, this is all adding to the system of the youth sports industrial complex. Did I miss any, Ed?   Ed Uszynski: (8:41 - 10:47) Well, no, and that's good. And the reason why we even put all that on the table, again, everybody kind of intuitively knows if you're involved, you know, something's not right. But I think it's important to say this is not normal what's happening.   It's a new normal that's been manufactured by a bunch of cultural trends, by a bunch of entrepreneurs that are doing what entrepreneurs do, and they're taking advantage of the moment, and they are generating lots of money around it. So, it should be encouraging. If it's not normal, that means actually there's a counter way of going about this.   There really can be reformation. But when all this money gets involved, the two biggest consequences that come out of that is our kids start getting treated like commodities, which they are, and we could talk the whole time even just about what that means. But maybe even more importantly, or what comes out of that is that beyond their physical development, most coaches and clubs are not paying any attention to their emotional development, their psychological development, their spiritual development, all the different aspects of what it means to be human that, frankly, used to be paid quite a bit more attention to in youth leagues when I was growing up.   I'm 58 now, so I was playing in the 70s and the 80s. And it used to be expected, at least at some level, even among non-Christian people, that you would take those aspects of a kid's life seriously. And now those just aren't prioritized.   And so, what do we do about that? Again, that's kind of our whole point is, well, as Christian people, we're really supposed to be our kid's first discipler anyways. And part of that role and part of taking on that identity is that we would be asking, what is God trying to do in the wholeness of their life, the entirety of their life, even in the context of sports?   So again, I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but that's why we're trying to poke into that to say, oh, we could actually make change. We may not change the whole system. In fact, we won't. Most of us won't be expected to do that, but we can make significant change in our corner of the bleachers and what happens with our kids.   Laura Dugger: (10:48 - 11:05) That's good. And just like you said, to double-click on a few places, first of all, real quick, the 30,000 number, I remember that shocking me in the book, but I'm forgetting now, is that worldwide, the amount of sports complexes or is that just in America?   Brian Smith: (11:05 - 11:06) That's domestically in the US.   Laura Dugger: (11:07 - 11:52) Yeah. That is staggering. And then one other piece, all of this history was new to me as you brought it all together, but it was also fascinated.   This is from page 32. I'll just read your quote. The American youth sports ball began rolling when a British movement fusing spiritual development with physical activity made its way across the Atlantic Ocean at the turn of the last century.   And Ed, that's kind of what you were touching on, that they were mixing, I'm sure, spiritual, psychological discipleship, physical. Can you elaborate more on what was happening and where it originated? Because we've come very far from our origins.   Ed Uszynski: (11:53 - 13:18) Yeah. And there's been a bunch of really great books written about this topic called muscular Christianity. This idea, like you just said, Laura, of wedding physical activity through sports with our spiritual development and expecting and anticipating that somebody that was taking care of their body and that was engaging in sport activity, that was the closest thing to godliness.   That opened up the door for you to also be developing spiritually. And there was an expectation that both of those are going on at the same time. A bunch of criticism about that movement, but it was taken seriously.   The YMCA is actually a huge byproduct of the muscular Christianity movement. The Young Men's Christian Association created space for sports and for athletic activity to take place under the banner of you're also going to grow spiritually as you're doing this. So again, that was a hundred years ago.   And that's not really what AAU stands for today. The different clubs and leagues that we get involved in just don't talk that way anymore. Of course, culture just in general has shifted away from sort of a Judeo-Christian ethic guiding a North Star for us.   Even if we're not Christian people, that used to be more of a North Star. That's gone now. And so, it really is not expected in sports anymore.   Brian Smith: (13:18 - 13:55) And what we're saying is we cannot expect organizations to own that process for our kids. We can't outsource the discipleship of our kids to the youth sports industrial complex or the YMCA or the AAU. It really does start with us as Christian parents to be the primary discipler of our kids.   And there is a way to take what's happening on the field or the court or the pool and turn it into really amazing discipleship opportunities. But it means, and Ed is starting to tease this out, it means we need to change our perspective as parents when we sit in the bleachers or on the sidelines of what we're looking for and even the conversations we have with our kids on the back end.   Laura Dugger: (13:57 - 15:29) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Bertschi family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle.   This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different.   I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business.   Learn more at their website, LemanEureka.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them on 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Laura Dugger: (15:30 - 15:31) And I want to continue getting into more of those practicals. Do you want to give us just a taste or an example or story of what that might look like?   Brian Smith: (15:32 - 16:54) We keep saying, we keep talking about the importance of the car ride home that it's tempting for us and not us broadly in the U.S., tempting for us, Ed and I, as people who have done this for 50 plus years and who should know better, it's tempting for us as discipled by an ESPN over analyzing everything culture and want to talk about sports to get in the car ride home with our kids and all we want to talk about is how game went, what they did right, what they did wrong, what they could fix next time.   Maybe instead of passing to Tim, they should take the shot next time because they're wide open. They just hit three in a row. So, and what our kids need from us in those moments is less coaching, less criticizing, less critiquing, and they just need us to connect with them.   The stats on kids quitting youth sports is crazy right now. Its 70 percent are quitting before the age of 13, in large part because it's not fun, and a lot of kids are attaching this idea of it not being fun to the car ride home with their parents who, let's say this too, most of us are well-intentioned parents. We're not trying to screw our kids up.   We want what's best for our kids, but the data and the research and the lived experience continues to tell us what our kids need from us is just to take a deep breath, connect with them, less coaching. Ed keeps saying less coaching, more slurpees.   Laura Dugger: (16:55 - 17:07) I like that. And that ties in. Is it called the peak-end principle that you discovered why kids are resisting that critique on the way home?   Brian Smith: (17:07 - 18:17) Yeah, absolutely. The peak-end rule in psychology is known as this: we, just as humans in general, not just kids, we largely remember things in our lives based on the peak moment of that event, but also how the event ends. And so, the peak moment in sport can be anything from something that goes really well, like they scored a goal or made a basket or something that did not go well, just like a massive event that took place that they're going to remember.   But then it's also married to how that event ends. So, if you think for kids, how does every youth sport experience end? It ends with the car ride home.   So, if they're experiencing the car ride home as I did not live up to mom and dad's standards, or there's fear getting into the car because they don't know what their parents are going to say, how are they remembering the totality of their youth sport experience? It is, I didn't, I didn't measure up. I wasn't enough.   It felt like sports was a place that I needed to perform for my parents or my coach. And I always feel a little bit short. We want to help parents see like there's a different path forward that can be more joyful for you, but hopefully more joyful for your kid as well.   Ed Uszynski: (18:17 - 21:37) Well, and, and I'll just, let me keep going with that, Brian. I thought you really articulated all that so well. I can just imagine a parent maybe thinking, was there never a time to correct?   Is there never a time to give input? And we would say, well, of course there, there is, they need far less of it from us than we think they need when it comes to their sport. And again, we can talk about that.   They need far less of that from us. They need us to be their parents, not to be their coaches. Even if we are their coach, they need us to be more their parents.   But there is a time to do it. We're just saying the car ride home is the worst time to do it. And that's usually the time that most of us, you know, we've got two hours of stuff to download with them.   And that's just, it's not a good time. But the other thing that Brian and I keep talking about is how about, what if we had some different metrics that we were even trying to measure? So, most of the time our metrics have to do with their performance.   Like what, what are we grading them on? Again, depending on what the sport is, there's these different things that we're looking for to say, how you did today is based on whether you did this or you didn't do that and whatnot. And we're saying as parents, and again, starting with us, we needed some other metrics that were actually more concerned about what was going on in their soul.   So again, I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but the virtues, how did love show up in the way they competed today? Where that usually is tied to them noticing somebody else. Do I, am I even asking them any questions about that?   Are they experiencing peace in the midst of all this chaos and anxiety that shows up at every game? How do we teach them to experience peace? How do they become other-centered instead of just self-centered all the time in a culture, a sport culture that's teaching them to always be the center of attention and try to be?   So, we just have needed to exchange some of what we had on that performance list, like tamper that down a little bit and maybe expand the list of categories that we're looking for that actually will matter when they're 25. And we keep saying this, our goal is that they'd come home for Thanksgiving when they're 25. And so, we need to stay relationally connected to them and how we act on the car ride home day after day after day after day, year after year is doing something to our relationship.   But we also are recognizing that it's really not going to matter whether Trey finishes with his left hand at the game today when he's 25, it's not going to matter. It's not going to matter probably a year from now, but how he goes through the handshake line after the game and the way he addresses other people, and whether or not he's learning to submit to authority, whether or not he's learning to embrace other people's humanity. Yes, even in the context of sports, that's really going to matter when he's 25.   It's going to matter when he's married. Those are the things that will matter. And we say that as people who are older and have been involved in ministry and have worked with college athletes and see what happens in their lives even after they're finished, and they have no idea who they are anymore.   And this thing that's dominated their life has not actually prepared them well to do life. And that's a problem that we say, let's start changing that when they're six and not hope they're figuring it out when they're 22.   Laura Dugger: (21:38 - 22:11) I love that because that's such a theme throughout those virtues that you talked about, but discipleship and sports are a tool or a way that we can disciple our kids. I also love that you give various questions throughout the book and even quick phrases. So to close that conversation on the car ride home, if we say, okay, that's what I've been coaching the whole way home, what is a question we could ask our child afterwards and a statement we could say and leave it at that and do it a better way?   Brian Smith: (22:12 - 23:56) The question I have consistently asked my kids after learning that I've been doing this the wrong way for a long time, I tweet my question to they get in the car and I say, is there anything that happened today from the game that you want to talk about? And it's frustrating to me because 99% of the time they say, no, can we listen to the radio? And we listen to the radio, or they play a on my phone, but I'm respecting their desire that they're done with what just happened and they're ready to move on to the next thing, even though I really want to talk about what just happened.   And then the statement that I want to make sure that I'm consistently saying that they're hearing is I love you and I'm proud of you. So, game didn't go well. Yeah, you did play well today.   That's okay. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you. Game went well today.   Awesome. Great job. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you.   So I want that to be the consistent theme that they're hearing for me, which is hopefully going to help them better understand the gospel later in life, that as they get older and older, hopefully they'll begin to realize it seemed like the way that my mom and dad interacted with me when I was performing in sport, but their love was not attached to my performance. That seems really similar to what I'm learning more and more that Jesus does for me, that I'm trying to do all these things that are good. But from what I'm understanding about the gospel, it seems like Jesus loves me in spite of what I do.   He loves me just because He's connected to me, that God loves me because I'm a son or daughter, not because I'm performing as a son or a daughter. So, in a very real way, I really am hoping that I'm giving a good teaser for my kids now for when they fully experience the gospel as they go through the life.   Ed Uszynski: (23:56 - 24:47) Another really good connecting question. I love how you said all that, Brian, is if they don't want to talk about the game, is it okay, did you have fun today? And they can only go in one of two directions.   No. Well, tell me about that. Why not?   And it opens up the door to talk about, well, because I didn't get to play or because something bad happened. And again, tell me more about that. Tell me more about that.   Or they say, yes, great. What happened that was fun? And it creates a very different conversation in the car.   And it opens up, again, relational possibilities that go way beyond, why do you keep passing it when you should be shooting it? Wow. And just all the different ways that that comes out of us, depending on sport, depending on their age.   But those are great questions. Go ahead, Brian.   Brian Smith: (24:47 - 25:41) I just asked my son this morning. He's a freshman. His wrestling season is almost done.   And I just asked, like, what has been most fun for you in wrestling this year? And his first thing was, I feel like I'm learning a lot. And that's really fun for me, which he's on a really good team.   He's had a lot of success. He's made a lot of good friends. But even that gave me a window into his characters.   My son enjoys and I knew this is true about him. But my son enjoys learning, which means he enjoys the process of getting better and better and better, which can happen in school, it can happen doing stuff in the yard, it can it can also happen in sport. But for me to remember moving forward, yeah, he he's probably going to have a different metric for what's fun in sport than I often do for him.   Yeah, like I wanted to learn. I want him to win though, too. He's happy with learning right now.   So, I need to be happy with that for him.   Ed Uszynski: (25:41 - 26:34) If I can say this, too, again, I don't want to be vulnerable on your behalf. But then knowing this, he's lost a lot this year to really good kids. Yeah.   And so much of the learning has been in the context of losing. So, you as a dad, actually, you could be crushing him because of those losses and what he needs to do to fix that and what he needs to do so that that doesn't happen again. And it's like he's already committed to learning.   How do you just how do you celebrate the loss? Like he took the risk to try something new in this movie. He tried to survive an extra period.   That's a process when and it's we just need to get better at that. Like you genuinely can celebrate that. That's not just a that's not like a participation trophy.   It's acknowledging now, do you're taking you're taking the right steps that are actually making you a winner, even if you don't have more points at the end of the game right now.   Laura Dugger: (26:34 - 26:54) Yeah. Yeah. And that long term win that you're talking about, even with character and you've talked about fun and asking them about fun.   Is it true that that's the main reason kids are dropping out of sports at such a rapid rate before age 13 is that it's just not fun anymore?   Ed Uszynski: (26:55 - 28:58) Yeah. Yeah. And why is it not fun?   And again, this is where Brian and I are always getting in each other's business. And we know that this conversation gets in all of our business as adults. But why is it not fun?   It's not fun because of the coaches and it's not fun because of the parents. We are creating stress. We are creating again collectively because we're all in different places on the on the spectrum on this in terms of what we're actually doing when we show up at games.   But if you even just go to any soccer game and you be quiet and just listen to what's happening and everybody's shouting and screaming things and there's contradictory messages being sent and there's angst at every turn and there's an incredible celebration because this eight year old was able to get the ball to go across the line for another goal. And what that's doing inside the kids is it is creating a not fun atmosphere. Let's just say it like that.   That's a not fun atmosphere when you're eight, when you're 10, when you're trying to figure out how to make your body work. You're trying to learn the game that you're unfamiliar with and you're trying to do what this coach is telling you to do. And you're also trying to do what all the parents are telling you what to do.   And if it's a team sport, you're trying to interact and play with other kids who are all in that same state of disarray, which is very stressful and frustrating. And we're just adding to it. So instead of removing it, instead of playing a role that says, we're going to keep diffusing that stress.   And again, I'll speak for myself. Too often, I have been the one that's actually adding to it. And so, kids are just like, why would I do this?   Why would I want to get in that car again with you? It's not fun. This is a game.   And so, there's a million other things that I can do with my time where I don't have everybody yelling at me and I don't have to listen to you correct me for two hours.   Laura Dugger: (29:00 - 29:21) Well, and one other thing that surprised me, maybe why kids are dropping out, you share on page 47, a quote that research reveals a strange correlation. The more we spend, the less our kids actually enjoy their sport. So, did you have any more insight into that?   Brian Smith: (29:21 - 30:50) Yeah, this was a real study that was done at Utah State. Researchers found that the more money parents are spending, again, let's say well-intentioned parents, the more we're spending in sports, the less our kids are enjoying. And the more they have dug into it, they're finding, and intuitively it makes sense.   If you buy your kid a $600 baseball bat, what's the expectation that they're supposed to do with this really expensive bat? When they swing, they better hit the ball, and they better get on base. If we're going to buy you this expensive of a bat, you can't just have process goals with it.   You better swing and hit it. And that's causing stress for kids. If you travel across state lines and you go to Disney to play at their sports complex, you're not there for vacation.   You're there to perform. So even if parents are saying we're trying to have fun, kids know when you're traveling and you're getting all this good equipment and you're on the elite team and you're receiving the best of the best stuff, they know it comes with some sort of an expectation. College athletes can barely handle that type of pressure and expectations, but we've placed this professional on youth sports from fifth five-year-olds to 15-year-olds, and it's just crushing them.   It's crushing them. Again, college athletes and professional athletes can barely handle it. They need mental health coaches for sports, but we're expecting that our five-year-olds can handle it, and they can't.   Ed Uszynski: (30:51 - 31:19) And they may not even be able to articulate it. So that's the other thing. They may not be able to identify what's actually going on inside and put it into words.   So again, that's why we're trying to sound the alarm for ourselves and for others who are listening, because we can do it different. Again, just to even keep spinning it back in an encouraging direction, we can do this different. We can change this this week in our corner of the bleachers.   We can start over again.   Laura Dugger: (31:21 - 31:48) Absolutely and make a difference. And before we talk about even more of the pros with sports, I think it's also necessary to reflect and maybe even grieve a few things. So, what would you say are some things families are missing out on when they choose youth sports to overfill their calendar, that that's all that they make time for?   What do you think they're missing out on?   Brian Smith: (31:51 - 33:16) Yeah, I think a couple that come to mind are family dinners are a big one. That's big for us in the Smith house, is just having the ability after a long day to sit at the dinner table together, to eat food together, and to process the day and be with one another. But when my kids' practice goes late, it means we're either eating almost towards bedtime or we're eating in different shifts.   And so that's something that we grieve. I think for me, when my schedule is full, I'm tempted to adopt the mindset that what's happening on the wrestling mat or on the track matters more than it actually does. And it robs me of the ability to just take a deep breath and smile and enjoy watching my kids play sports.   That without an intervention or a pregame devotional in the car for myself, I risk sitting in the stands or being on the sidelines, being stressed out and putting pressure on myself and pressure on my kids and gossiping about why the coach didn't put this kid into the people next to me, instead of just enjoying the gift that is sports and watching my kid try and succeed and try and fail. That is a gift available to me as a dad to watch my kid do that. But the busyness often robs me of that perspective.   Ed Uszynski: (33:17 - 36:06) Well, and the busyness robs, again, if you're married, that busyness eventually wears away at your relationship. And it's not just sports. I mean, busyness, we can fill our schedule, overfill our schedules with any number of things.   We can overfill our schedules with church stuff to a point where it becomes detrimental to our relationship. If we don't set boundaries so that we're making sure we're doing what we need to do to be face-to-face and to be going to areas beneath the surface with each other in our relationship and being able to do that with our kids as well, eventually there's negative consequences to that. It may not happen right away, but I've definitely experienced that.   We've experienced that in our home where it's easy to maybe chase one kid around for a while, but what happens when you add three into the mix and you haven't really done a time budget or paid attention to the fact that when we sign up for all these things, you get a month into it and you realize, oh, we have to be in different places at the same time. So, we're not even watching stuff together anymore. We're just running.   I can endure anything for a season, but what youth sports wants now in every sport from the youngest ages is that it becomes a year-round commitment. So, you're not even signing up to play a season anymore. You're signing up for a year in most cases because after the games, then they're going to have training.   They're going to have this other thing going on. And so again, can we say, well, we'll play the actual season, but then we're not going to do the additional training over these next three months. Again, we want to give parents' permission that you can say no to that.   Well, we paid for it. Well, it's okay. If you want your kid to be on that team and you like this club or whatever, then you pay the money and you just say, we're going to sit those three months out and we're going to use those three months actually to have people over our house for dinner.   Again, whatever's on the list, Laura, that you said about being more holistic and not letting sport operate like an idol in our life where it's taken on, it's washed out everything else in our life. We can get back in control of that by just saying no a little bit. You can go to church on Sunday.   Even if there's tournament games going on on Sunday, you can go to the coach early and say, hey, we just, in our family, we just don't want to be available before 12. Are you okay with that? And most of the time coaches will be.   The kid might have to sit extra maybe for not being, whatever. Okay. That's not going to be the end of the world that they had to sit out an extra game or had to sit out a half because they weren't available on Sunday morning.   It might actually make a huge difference that they weren't at church for two and a half years in the most formative time of their life.   Laura Dugger: (36:07 - 37:36) And a lot of times the way of wisdom includes reflection, getting alone with the Lord and asking, have we overstuffed our schedule this conversation today? Let's talk specifically with youth sports. Is that trumping everything else?   Because what if we're putting it in a place it was never intended to be as an idol where we sacrifice hospitality or discipleship or community or even just a more biblical way of life? I think we have to bring wisdom into the conversation for what you've mentioned. Whether it's worth it, if they're even enjoying it, how much we're spending on it, and do we have the budget to allocate our finances that way and evaluating the time just to see and make sure that it's rightly ordered.   Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights? Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy!   But if we flip that to if youth sports are rightly ordered, then what are some things that we can celebrate or reasons that you would want families to give this a try?   Brian Smith: (37:37 - 40:09) The massive positive that we keep coming back to is we have a front row seat to see our kids go through every possible emotion in sport, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And then if we have the right perspective, we are armed with awesome opportunities and awesome information that we're seeing. We get to see what our kids are really good at.   We get to see their character gaps. And then we get to be the ones who, again, who are their primary response, primary disciplers. It really goes back to like, are we trusting youth sports for too little in our kids' lives?   Like many of us are trusting that our investment is going to get them a spot on a team, or maybe they get an opportunity in high school, maybe in college. And what we're saying is, yeah, that maybe. And that's not a bad end goal.   But if that's everything that you're investing into youth sports, it's not enough. Like what you have available to you every single day is to ask your kid if they showed somebody else's dignity on the field. You don't know if your kid's going to hit a home run today.   That may not be available to them their entire life. What's available to them every single day is to ask a question to their teammate, to see somebody and show dignity to them. And that's really, it's like, it's almost the opportunity of a lifetime for us as parents who, when our kids get home from school, we really don't know what happened most of the day.   We asked them how it went and we get the one-word answer. In sports, we don't have to guess. We get to see everything that happens.   And again, if we are actually trusting youth sports for discipleship investment, that's a good ROI. That's a good return on our investment. But we need a consistent intervention almost daily to say, no, this is why they're in sports.   Yes, I want to see them get better. I want to see them have fun, but Holy Spirit, would you help me see things today that I normally don't see? Holy Spirit, would you put them in circumstances and relationships today and in the season that's going to help them look more and more like Jesus by the time the season's done?   Holy Spirit, would you convict me in the moment when I am being a little too mouthy and saying things that I shouldn't? Would you help me to repent? And God, in those moments where I'm actually doing wrong on behalf of my kid, would you help me to humble myself and apologize to them?   And God, would you repair our relationship that way? So again, all of these options are available just because our kid's shooting a ball or they're on the field with somebody else tackling other people. We're trusting youth sports for too little.   Ed Uszynski: (40:10 - 41:10) That's all big boy and big girl stuff. It just is. I don't normally naturally do any of that.   I have to be coached into that. I have to be discipled myself. I have to work through my own issues, my own baggage, my own fears about the future, my own idolatrous holding onto this imagined future that I have for my kid, irrespective of what God may or may not want.   I've got my own resentment. I've got my own regrets from the past. I wish things had gone differently for me, so I'm going to make sure they go different for you when it comes to sports.   And it's hard to look in the mirror and admit that I have anger issues. I mean, youth sports create a great opportunity for me to get up all my pent-up frustration from the day. We've given ourselves permission to do that, in most cases, to just yell and yell at refs and gripe about coaches and yell at kids.   Brian Smith: (41:10 - 41:31) Because that's what we do at the TV, right? When our favorite team is playing, we've conditioned ourselves to say, awful call, that was terrible. Then we get on social media and we complain about it.   We are discipling ourselves to this is how it's normative to respond within the context of sports. Then we carry all that baggage to our six-year-old soccer game.   Laura Dugger: (41:33 - 42:02) Well, I love how you keep pointing it back toward character and discipleship. You clearly state throughout the book, sports don't develop character, people do. But could you maybe elaborate on that a little bit more and share more now that we've listed pros and cons, you still list a completely different way that we can meaningfully participate while also pushing back?   Brian Smith: (42:04 - 43:49) I'll start with the first part, and then you can answer the second. We use the handshake line as a great example of why character needs to be taught to our kids. If you just watch a normal handshake line left without coaching, the kids are going through it, especially the ones who lose with their head down, they have limp hands, there's no eye contact, and they're mumbling good game, good game.   Sometimes they don't even say it, they'll say GG stands for good game. They don't just learn character by going through the handshake line. If anything, that's going through it like that without any sort of intervention or coaching, that's malforming their character.   That's teaching them when things don't go well, that it's okay for them not to be a big boy or a big girl and look somebody in the eye and congratulate them. What needs to happen? An adult needs to step in and say, hey, as we go through the handshake line, whether you win or lose, here's how we do it with class.   We shake somebody's hand, we look them in the eye, and we say good game. Even if in those moments we don't actually mean it, we still show them dignity and honor. And then when we're done going through the handshake line, guess what we're going to do?   We're going to run down the refs who are trying to get in their car and get out of here, and we're going to give them a high five and say, thank you so much for reffing today. That stuff needs to be taught. Our kids don't just come out of the womb knowing how to do that.   We have to teach them how to do it. Sometimes good coaches will do that, but the more and more we get sucked up into the sports industrial complex, we're getting well-intentioned coaches, but we're getting coaches who care more about the big W, the win, than the character formation stuff that happens.   Ed Uszynski: (43:49 - 45:27) They need to keep hearing it over and over again. I have a ninth grade Bible study in my house the other day with athletes and a whole bunch of my son's basketball team. Exactly what Brian just said, I actually was like, wow, I've got them here.   There was a big blow up at a game the other day, and we wound up talking about it. I said, I'm going to take this opportunity actually to say what Brian just said. When you go through a handshake line, this is how you go through it.   I watched what happened in the game a couple days later. Basically, they did the exact opposite of what I told them to do, and they lost. It was just what Brian said.   They went through limp handed. They didn't look anybody in the face, and they weren't even saying anything. I just chuckled to myself, and you know how this is as a parent.   They may or may not do it. Of course, those aren't my kids. I have more stewardship over my child, who actually, he is doing what I've asked him to do because I've re-emphasized it across time now.   It's not a failure because they didn't do what I said. Again, the pouty side of me wants to be like, forget it. I'm just not even going to try anymore.   It's like, no, they're kids. That was the first time they've heard that. They're going to do what their patterns have, the muscle memory that's been created by their patterns, just like we do as adults.   The next time I have a chance to bring that up again, I'm not going to shame them. I'm just going to go over it again with them. Here's how we do it.   It's super hard to do this, guys, when you just want to be violent with people or you want to cry. You got to pull yourself together. That's what big men do.   That's what big women do in life. They pull themselves together in those moments and do the right thing.   Brian Smith: (45:28 - 46:01) You don't know whether the fifth time you say it is going to stick or the 50th time. Your responsibility as the Christ-following parent is to do it the sixth time and the seventh time and the seventh time and trust that God is going to take those moments and do what he does. We're ultimately not responsible for our kids' behavior.   We're responsible for pointing them in the right direction, and then hopefully, yeah, the Holy Spirit steps in and transforms and changes and convicts in those moments, but it might take some time.   Ed Uszynski: (46:02 - 47:47) Tom Bilyeu So that's how you push back, Laura. You were asking that. How do we push back without being just completely involved in it or going for the same ride that everybody else is going for?   There's just little moments like that scattered throughout. Literally, every day that my kids are involved in youth sports, the car ride over, what happens on the way home, how we talk about it, what happens during the game and what we wind up talking about out of that, the side conversations that happen that just get brought up apart from games of how we interact with people and so-and-so looks like they're struggling. What do you know about that?   That's how we push back, that in our corner of the bleachers, oh, how we interact with other parents. We haven't even talked about that yet, that I can take an interest in more than just my own kid in the bleachers and spend way more energy actually in cheering for other kids and just trying to give them confidence and spend way less time trying to direct that at my own child who knows that I'm there. In fact, my side kid has said he doesn't want to hear my voice during the game.   It distracts him. He's like, I'd much rather that you cheer for other people. It's like, okay.   Having questions ready for other parents during timeouts and as you sit there for hours together, what do you talk about? Well, I could be the one that actually initiates substantive conversations over time with them and asks them about what's going on in different parts of their life. And in having done that, people want to talk.   They want a safe place actually to share what's going on in their So let me be the sports minister. Let me take on that identity and actually care about other people.   Laura Dugger: (47:49 - 49:47) I love that. Even that practical idea of just coming to each game, maybe with a different question, ready to open up those conversations. And I'll share a quick story as well.   Our two oldest daughters recently just gave cheerleading a try at a local Christian school that allows homeschool kids to participate. And this is an overt way that somebody chooses the different way. So, it's the coach of the basketball team.   His name is Cole. And at the end of every game, we saw him consistently throughout this season when it was a home game, whether their team won or lost, he would ask them, okay, shut off the scoreboard. It's all blank.   He gathers both teams. As soon as the game is over teams, cheerleaders, the stands stay filled with all the parents. And he says, this is not our identity.   The world and Satan, our enemy, who's very real. He wants us to put our identity here, but it's not here. You made us better tonight by the way that you played and you were able to shine Jesus.   And we're going to go a step further and we're going to do what we call attaways. So, he's like, all right, boys, you open it up. And his team is trained.   They say to the other team, Hey, number 23, what's your name? I loved how you pushed me so much harder tonight and says, my name's Ben. And so, their Attaway is, Hey, Ben.   And everybody goes, Hey, Ben. Yeah, Ben. Yeah, Ben Attaway.   And everybody just erupts in clapping. And the other team is always blown away and they are just grinning, whether they just lost. So, the boys go through that for a while and then they open it up to the other team and they start sharing Attaways.   And then they open it up to the crowd and the parents are able to say, I see the way you modeled Jesus by being selfless with the ball or whatever it is. So, Cole said that his college coach did that many years ago and he's passed that on. And I love that's one way to redeem the game.   Ed Uszynski: (49:47 - 51:39) Wow. Beautiful. Beautiful.   Yeah. That's amazing. And, you know, I, so Brian and I talk about this too.   And I coached at a Christian school. So, we, we think that it's really important if you're going to play sports and you're going to be a Christian coach that you actually take the game seriously. And that we actually are here to compete and we are here to try to win.   There's nothing wrong with that. And we're going to pursue excellence when we show up with our bodies, and we train for this sport and we're going to try to win. Cause I think sometimes we end up kind of going all or nothing, especially within our Christian circles.   We're uncomfortable with that. And it's like, yes, do that. And on the backside of that to do what that coach did is amazing.   It's that, that is, that is exactly what we're saying. We're also going to try to form our souls in the midst of this. We're going to try to win on the scoreboard.   Okay. The game's over, we lost, we won, whatever. There's more going on here than just that. And can we access that together? And again, that's so rare. Probably everybody listening has never even heard of anything like what you just said.   It would be amazing if a bunch of people did, but that's what we're saying. Let's do more of that. Let's find ways to have more of those conversations in our sphere of influence.   Maybe we're not the coach, but we can do that in our car. We can do that when we're at dinners with the other, with other players and other team, you know, we, we can do that. We can take that kind of initiative.   If we have those categories in our mind, instead of just being frustrated that my kid didn't get to play as much tonight. And I'm that bugs me. It's like, okay, it can bug you.   And now I gotta, I gotta be a big boy and get more out of this than just being frustrated that he or she didn't get to play as much. It's hard.   Laura Dugger: (51:40 - 52:11) Absolutely. Well, and like you guys are doing having Bible studies outside of the, the team that you can instill values in that way and share scripture that they're memorizing to go out there with excellence for the Lord. So, I love all of that.   And I've got just a few quick questions, just kind of for perspective. I want to draw out something from the book. Is it true that young athletic success predicts adult athletic success?   Brian Smith: (52:13 - 53:51) It is not true. This is, this is not a hot take. This is researched back more and more research they're doing on this.   And they're finding that there's not a direct correlation between a young elite athlete and them continuing that up into the right trajectory and being an elite athlete later in life in large part, because when puberty hits, like everything is a game changer. So, this is, I found this fascinating and this is probably going to be new to you too. This just came out today.   At the time we're doing this podcast, the winter Olympics is going on in Norway. It's just like, they're killing it. Nor Norway's youth sports system.   This is wild. They give participation trophies for all the kids. They don't keep score until 13 years old.   They don't do any national travel competitions, no posting youth sports results online. So, there's no online presence of youth sport results. And their country motto is joy of sport for all.   And they're, they're killing it right now in the Olympics. So, like, that's not to say, like you got to follow their model and then you're going to win all these gold medals, but it is, there is something to just let the kids have fun. And the longer they play sport, because it's fun, the better opportunity you're actually going to have to see them blossom and develop some of these God-given gifts that they might have.   Don't expect it to come out before they're 13. Even if it does, there's no guarantee that it's going to continue on until they're 23. Just let them have fun.   Ed Uszynski: (53:52 - 55:55) Brian, we, Brian and I got to speak at a church the other day about this topic. And there was a couple that came up afterwards and they asked the question of what, so when do you think we should let our kids play organized sports or structured sports? And so again, Brian and I are careful.   Like I, there's no, there's no one size fits all answer to that. We would suggest as late as possible, wait as long as possible. Because once you start doing structured sport where there's a coach and you have to be at practices and the games are structured and there's reps, it just cuts away all the possibility they have to just play and just to go up to the YMCA and just play for three hours at whatever it is that they like to do.   And they said, well, it's encouraging to hear that they said, because we, we actually are way more into just developing their bodies physically. And so, we do dance with them, and we do rock climbing and they were kind of outdoorsy people, and they just started listing off all these things they do because we want them to become strong in their bodies, and learn to love activity like that. And I just thought, again, that's, that probably would cause a lot of people to freak out to hear that, that they have eight, nine-year-olds that aren't on teams yet.   They're just, they're training their bodies to appreciate physicality and to become coordinated and to, you know, to get better at movement. And it's like, what sport is that not going to be super helpful in five years from now, even when they're 12, 13 years old. And now they really do want to play one sport, and they do want to be on a team.   They're going to be way ahead of the kids actually that just sat on benches or stood in the outfield, you know, day after day after day at practices. Again, that's maybe hard to hear, but maybe there's some adjustments that need to be made again; to give ourselves permission to say, we don't have to get on that train right now. You don't have to, your kid's not going to be behind.   They actually could be ahead. If you do the kinds of things we just talked about.   Laura Dugger: (55:56 - 56:11) I love that. And even that example with what it looks like played out with Norway and also, do you have any other quick tips just for instilling and cultivating a heart of gratitude and youth sports rather than entitlement?   Brian Smith: (56:13 - 57:33) I'm a high school cross country and track coach, and I have kids on my team who want to get faster at running, but instead of running, they want to lift weights and they want to do plier metrics. So, there's, yes, there's a spot for that. But the way you get better at running is to run.   You got to run more miles and more miles. And I think gratitude is similar. That gratitude, part of it is a, it's a feeling, but it's also a muscle that we can flex even if we don't feel it.   And so, I would encourage parents who are trying to instill gratitude into their kids to give them practical things like, hey, after practice, just go shake your coach's hand or give them a fist bump and tell them, thanks for practice today, coach. That that's a disciplined way to practice gratitude that will hopefully build the muscle where they're, they're using it later in life. After a game, I taught my kids this when they were young and they still do it today.   Go shake a ref's hand. I mentioned this earlier, just a really, really practical way to show thankfulness and gratitude to somebody who really doesn't get a whole lot of gratitude pointed at them during a game or after a game. If anything, they have people chasing them through the parking lot for other reasons.   I want my kids to be chasing them down to give them a fist bump or a high five. And so, gratitude is something that we can just practice practically. And hopefully the discipline practice will lead to a delight and actually doing it.   Ed Uszynski: (57:34 - 59:39) And how do we cultivate an inner posture? Cause I tend to be a cup half empty type person. I'm a, I'm a whiner by nature and a continuous improvement.   There's always something wrong. And I'm, it's easy for me to find those things just as a person. I'm not even saying that as a dad or a coach or anything.   And it's been super helpful to me in the last decade, even to just like, I can choose to shift that. There, there is, there's a list of things that are broke, but there is always a list of things that are good. There's always something good here to be found.   And even as I've tried to like, again, tip the scales more in that direction, I can keep pushing that out of my kids. So, so this, you know, my ninth-grade son tends to just like, he doesn't like a whole bunch of what's going on in basketball right now. So, I keep asking him if he's having fun.   He says, no, like, why not? Or like, who did, why did you not have fun today? So, it's just the same thing every day.   I'm like, okay, who did you enjoy even being with today? Nobody. And I'm like, dude, I don't believe that actually.   I just, I don't believe that. There was somebody that you had some moment with today that you enjoyed, or you wouldn't want to keep going back up there because, and he does. So, give me a name.   Okay. Lenny. What happened with Lenny that was fun? And I make him name it. Like I'm, I'm, I'm trying to coach him through it. And sure enough, he does have some sentences of what was fun today.   And it's like, good, let's, let's at least hold onto that in the midst of all the other stuff that's not right. Let's choose to see the thing that was good and that you enjoyed and that we could be thankful for. Not everybody got to have that today.   Again, I have to have my, I have to be the parent. I have to be the discipler. I have to be in, you know, in charge of my own soul that wants to be negative all the time and say, nope, we're going to, we're going to choose gratitude today because the Bible tells us to do that.   There's something about that posture that opens the door for the gospel to be expressed through us. So, let's practice.   Laura Dugger: (59:40 - 59:50) Well said, and there's so much we could continue learning from both of you. Where can we go after this chat to learn more from each one of you?   Brian Smith: (59:52 - 1:00:14) Yeah, we do a lot of our writing online at thechristianathlete.com. And so, if you go there, you can see articles that are specifically written for parents, for coaches, for athletes, all around this idea of what does it look like to integrate faith and sport together? So, the

Ben Schilaty, a former BYU Honor Code administrator, is a social work professor and author who discusses his life as a gay Latter-day Saint. He details his professional background, and his current work with the Gather Conference. Schilaty shares his personal faith journey, explaining how he reconciles his sexual orientation with his commitment to the Church through prayer and personal revelation. He advocates for radical empathy and honoring the individual agency of LGBTQ members, whether they choose to stay in or leave the faith. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of sincere listening and building supportive communities where diverse experiences are validated. https://youtu.be/EzjYxEAfsYs Don’t miss our other LDS Faith Journeys: https://gospeltangents.com/tag/lds-faith-journeys/ Ben Schilaty: Navigating Faith and Identity Ben Schilaty is a professor of social work at Utah Valley University and author of A Walk in My Shoes. He shared a deeply personal look at his life as a gay Latter-day Saint. Schilaty, who humorously describes himself as “fame-ish” due to the parasocial relationships readers and listeners have formed with him, offers a unique perspective on the intersection of faith, identity, and belonging. Journey of Three Stages Ben describes his internal journey in three distinct phases. In his 20s, he felt “broken” and believed he needed to be “fixed” to fit the mold of a traditional Latter-day Saint marriage. In his early 30s, the pendulum swung, and he felt that if he couldn’t change, perhaps the Church had to change. Today, he focuses on “living in what is,” a practice of accepting reality as it is to find health and happiness. A pivotal moment in this journey occurred when Ben nearly left the Church after a painful heartbreak. Despite his parents' full support and their promise to honor his agency regardless of his choice, a prayerful encounter with Matthew 26 changed his path. Reflecting on Christ's prayer in Gethsemane, Ben felt a “clear and very annoying prompting” that his “cup” was to live his life within the teachings of the Church—a choice that transformed his religious practice from a burden into something life-giving. BYU Honor Code Providing a rare look into his four years as an Honor Code administrator at BYU, Ben dispels common myths about the office. While many assume the office is preoccupied with “morality” or LGBTQ+ issues, Ben notes that same-sex romantic behavior reports were uncommon, occurring only about ten times a year. Instead, the vast majority of his work involved academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and timecard theft. Building Bridges: The Gather Conference Ben is a co-founder of the Gather conference, a Christ-centered support system for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their allies. He describes it as a “middle space” compared to other organizations like Affirmation or Northstar. Gather serves a diverse group—about 80-90% of whom are active in the Church—including those in same-sex marriages, those choosing celibacy, and parents or leaders seeking to understand their loved ones better. Radical Acceptance and the Power of Story A major theme of the discussion was radical acceptance and honoring the agency of others. Ben emphasizes that: Listening is a Christlike act: Allies should listen to and validate the pain of those who feel they must leave the Church for their mental health. Forgiveness brings peace: Ben shared a powerful story of inviting a former Stake President over for dinner to find personal peace after a disagreement regarding his temple recommend. Prescription for Revelation: He warns against using his story as a “blueprint” for others, noting that God speaks to us as individuals and we each have our own “prescription” for personal revelation. Ben’s final invitation to the audience is simple: instead of just reading his book or listening to his podcast, invite the LGBTQ+ people in your own life to tell you their stories. What do you think of Ben's experience as an active, gay Latter-day Saint? 0:00 Introduction/Background 1:58 Faith and Identity 3:11 Turning Point and Parental Support 6:36 Supporting LGBTQ Members Who Leave 14:01 BYU Honor Code Office16:11 Religious Policy and Universal Standards 20:00 Celestial Kingdom Questions and Future Doctrine 34:28 Elder Clark Gilbert’s Call 39:10 Radical Acceptance and Social Work Philosophy 41:07 Gather Conference and Support Organizations 46:36 Accusations of Complicity 49:48 Social Work Training and Church History 54:22 Listening to Individual Stories Check out LDS Faith Journeys website.

In this episode of the Lead Up Podcast, host Mike Harbour welcomes Anney Perrine, Partner and Senior VP of Growth at Palm Health, for the Elite Leader Series The conversation explores how Palm builds leadership capacity and culture through director self-development, cross-department accessibility, leadership training, frequent check-ins around personal values, and shared frameworks like the five dysfunctions of a team. Annie also outlines Palm's focus on “caring and collaboration,” reinforced through five North Star metrics and day-to-day behaviors that support member retention. They discuss employee retention strategies, including treating employees as individuals, building community across diverse teams, celebrating wins at individual, team, and organizational levels, and hiring for values fit using a temperament and character assessment emphasizing cooperativeness and reward dependence. Annie closes by emphasizing meaning and purpose as central to sustainable performance, employee engagement, and the future of organizational culture. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave a 5-star review on your streaming platform. Mike encourages you to reach out to him through Mike@harbourresources.com to share your thoughts on this episode & to share some topics you would like him to cover in the future.

In today's episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast, we go behind the scenes of two major labor victories where workers refused to back down in the face of corporate pressure. Segment 1: USW District 1 & Libbey Glass (0:00 - 15:30) USW District 1 Director Donnie Blatt joins the show to recap the conclusion of a grueling five-month strike at Libbey Glass in Toledo. Blatt details how three separate USW Locals—65T, 59M, and 700T—maintained 24/7 picket lines to protect their craft jurisdictions and seniority rights. We discuss the transition from bankruptcy concessions to a contract that restores wage growth and secures healthcare for the future. Segment 2: UPMC Magee Nursing Victory (15:31 - End) Registered Nurses Adrienne Andrews and Sharece Abee explain how they helped lead a successful organizing campaign at UPMC Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Working with SEIU Healthcare PA, these frontline caregivers overcame intense anti-union messaging to win their election. They share updates on the first-contract negotiations that began in January and why safe staffing remains their North Star. For more information on these stories, visit our blog at awf.labortools.com

Become a Distance to Empty subscriber!: https://www.patreon.com/DistancetoEmptyPod Get some free DTE Swag by supporting out sponsors!Check out Mount to Coast here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mounttocoast.com/discount/Distance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code DISTANCE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Janji.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and be sure to select 'podcast' > 'Distance to Empty' on the post purchase "How did you hear about Janji" page. Thank you!Patrick J. Yalon was training for Moab 240 when a routine surf at Ocean Beach in San Francisco went catastrophically wrong—his board stopped, his body didn't, and he broke his neck, drowned, and was revived on the sand before undergoing a nine-and-a-half-hour spinal fusion and learning to move again one toe at a time. Just three months later, still battling nerve pain and fear of re-injury, Patrick toed the line at Moab anyway—finishing 144+ miles before making the hard call to stop, knowing the difference between “good pain” and “bad pain.” In this episode, he walks us through the mental darkness before the accident, the identity reset that followed, and why Moab became his North Star—then returns in 2025 for redemption, fighting brutal weather, river crossings, shredded feet, and soul-level lows to finally earn the finish. It's a raw conversation about gratitude, grace, and pushing forward “aid station to aid station”—and why Patrick believes he may never find his distance to empty.

At SocialPacific 2025 in North Vancouver, Warren Thompson, Co-Founder and Director at Olo Metrics, sits down with guest host Rachel Thexton to demystify marketing data.Warren explains why most teams don't have a data problem, they have a clarity problem. Instead of obsessing over every metric in the funnel, he shares how focusing on a few “North Star” KPIs can simplify decision-making and drive real growth.From performance marketing and SEO to AI's impact on emerging marketers, this conversation explores how technical skill, strategic thinking, and creative craft must now work together, not in silos.Clearer metrics. Smarter decisions. Stronger teams.Recorded live at SocialPacific 2025 in North Vancouver. Produced by TAKT.

Send a textAs an environmental economist, Elizabeth Schuster helps conservation organizations solve complex challenges at the intersection of nature and communities. In this episode, Elizabeth describes how her firm, Sustainable Economies, applies systems-level thinking to messy, long-horizon environmental problems to turn them into clear, shared action. Her clients include watershed districts, non-profits, park districts, and various local and national environmental organizations. Hear how her strategies apply to any organization seeking to incorporate a sustainability and a community mindset into their work with examples from projects with The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and Summit County Metroparks. Elizabeth's advice? Set a clear North Star, listen across sectors, code what you hear, and write goals in language anyone can repeat. This process, which starts with stakeholder engagement, helps align conservation goals with community needs, often with surprising results. Clarity of purpose and effective internal and external communication are at the heart of any successful organization and are vitally important for organizations with social and environmental missions. Whatever your purpose, this episode provides tips on how to surface blind spots early and how to align staff so everyone rows in the same direction.Learn More:Elizabeth Schuster, Partner and Environmental Economist, Sustainable EconomiesProjects and ClientsSupport the showBecome a Subscriber Follow Eco Speaks CLE on LinkedIn, Facebook, and InstagramContact Diane and Greg - hello@ecospeakscle.com

We all face fear in life, especially when it comes to pursuing our big Delusional Dreams that seem over our head. When you hit this fork in the road, you have two choices: quit and stay stuck where you are, OR move forward in boundary-busting faith and GROW! In this Year of the Fire Horse, trust your gut and intuition. They are your North Star. Don't waste the powerful energy of this year by playing small and quitting. Let's take a chance on growing our deeply-rooted Delusional Dreams and watch how they bloom and ignite the world!

In this forward-looking episode of Develop This!, Dennis sits down with acclaimed speaker, author, and CEO Mark C. Perna to unpack one of the most important shifts facing economic and community development professionals today: the rise of the entrepreneurial generation. With 84% of Gen Z expressing interest in entrepreneurship, communities must rethink how they build talent pipelines, support startups, and cultivate opportunity. Mark shares insights from his 27+ years of building impactful businesses and explains why today's youth view risk, safety, and control differently than previous generations. For them, entrepreneurship isn't rebellion—it's stability. It's ownership. It's purpose. Drawing from his bestselling book Answering Why and his work through TFS Results, Mark explores how communities can better align education, workforce development, and economic strategy to support this shift. This episode is packed with practical takeaways for economic developers, chamber leaders, workforce boards, and higher education partners looking to future-proof their ecosystems. Key Insights for Economic Developers The Generational Shift 84% of Gen Z are interested in entrepreneurship. Young people see traditional employment as riskier than ownership. Control, flexibility, and purpose are powerful motivators. Lower Barriers, Bigger Opportunities Physical storefronts are no longer required to launch a business. Social media, freelance platforms, and digital tools have democratized entrepreneurship. Communities must pivot from recruitment-only strategies to startup cultivation. Managing Risk & Building Resilience Risk management—not risk avoidance—is the true entrepreneurial skill. Failure is data. Reflection drives growth. Adaptability is the competitive advantage of modern founders. Leadership in the New Economy Integrity and vision are non-negotiable. Decisiveness builds confidence in teams. Shared vision is critical when managing remote and distributed teams. Avoiding Mission Creep Clarity of purpose prevents dilution. A strong "North Star" helps organizations streamline offerings and maximize impact. Focus drives scalability. Why This Matters for Community & Economic Development Entrepreneurship is no longer a niche strategy—it's a central economic development driver. Mark discusses his Education with Purpose & Employment with Passion movement and his involvement with the International Economic Development Council, emphasizing the need for tighter alignment between: K–12 education Higher education Workforce development Employers Economic development organizations Communities that connect these dots will win the future talent war. Practical Takeaways Start small—but start. Define your North Star. Build ecosystems, not just incentives. Teach risk literacy. Focus on value creation over scale. Use failure as a confidence-building tool. About Mark Mark C. Perna is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and CEO who has examined education and careers through a generational lens since 2019. He is the founder of TFS Results and creator of the Education with Purpose & Employment with Passion movement. A graduate of John Carroll University, Mark serves on the Advisory Council for the Coalition for Career Development and is a member of the International Economic Development Council. His viral writing on the education crisis continues to spark national dialogue around workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and generational change.  

Jason chats up Anoka Mayor Eric Skogquist about how the failed Northstar commuter rail could actually be a positive, why the Amtrak Empire Builder would be a great fit, how investments work with each and more.

This hour Jason discusses the city of Anoka's situation after the failed Northstar commuter rail and why that could be a net positive, he chats up Dave Schwartz about the Gold Medal winning United States Men's and Women's Hockey teams, plus we have the DeRush Hour Headlines.

  What happens when you feel outside pressure to make work that doesn't feel like you? In this episode, Kat sits down with Philadelphia-based artist and curator Jessica Libor for a deeply honest conversation about identity, persistence, and building a creative life on your own terms. Jessica shares the story of applying to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts several times before getting in, navigating the tension between her love of fairy tales and beautiful imagery and an academic environment heavily influenced by postmodern aesthetics. She opens up about making dark, tortured paintings to fit in - and how she eventually found her way back to the work she was always meant to make. They also dig into how Jessica launched Era Contemporary, her own gallery and curatorial project, and why creating your own opportunities is sometimes the most powerful move an artist can make. You'll also hear about the mindset tools Jessica swears by - from attending high-end exhibitions and imagining yourself in the room as an exhibiting artist, to journaling and scripting her ideal creative life. She also shares the manifestation story behind getting into Spring Break Art Fair, one of New York's most exciting independent art events. This episode is full of honest reflection on imposter syndrome, developing a personal aesthetic under pressure, and what it really means to stay connected to your North Star as an artist. ABOUT JESSICA LIBOR Jessica Libor is a Philadelphia-based artist whose work explores feminine identity, storytelling, and personal mythology through a lens deeply rooted in global fairy tales and folklore. She holds an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and has pursued classical training at the Grand Central Atelier and the Florence Academy of Art. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including solo shows in Paris and Philadelphia, and she was selected for the prestigious SPRING/BREAK Art Show in New York in 2025. Her paintings are held in private collections worldwide and have been featured in American Art Collector, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and on WHYY/PBS. She is also the host of The Creative Heroine Podcast. Follow her work at jessicalibor.com and on Instagram at @jessicaliborstudio. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Leave a review on iTunes and share with a fellow artist or art lover. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and visit www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art to submit your work to our latest open call in partnership with Square One Gallery. Join our weekly newsletter: https://createmagazine.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Have you ever looked at your life, your career, your success on paper… and quietly asked yourself, “Who am I really?”In this deeply inspirational and motivational episode, Reginald D sits down with career strategist and purpose-driven leader Sienna Dean, Siena delivers a powerful motivational speech conversation on finding purpose, aligning your career, and reclaiming your identity beyond your job title.If you've ever felt successful but empty… driven but drained… accomplished but misaligned — this episode is your wake-up call.This isn't just another career talk.This is an inspirational story about purpose, self-improvement, education, faith and motivation, and learning how to live and work in alignment with who you truly are.In today's world of layoffs, AI disruption, comparison culture, and career anxiety, many professionals are running fast — but don't know why.You may be:Feeling pressure to “figure it all out” right nowComparing yourself to peers on social mediaQuestioning whether your job is a paycheck or your callingWondering if it's time to pivot, pause, or push throughFeeling behind in your career journeyLiving someone else's expectations instead of your own purposeThis episode delivers powerful motivational and inspirational education around career alignment, confidence building, leadership growth, and discovering your North Star.Through this inspirational conversation, Sienna Dean shares:How to identify when you're living out of alignmentHow to rebuild confidence when you feel lost or behindWhy purpose must lead before paycheckHow nonlinear careers can actually strengthen your futureWhy ego must be released before stepping fully into purposeHow to take small, tactical steps toward massive transformationThis episode is packed with motivational speech moments, inspirational stories, practical self-improvement strategies, and faith-driven mindset shifts that will help you reconnect to who you truly are.If you're ready to stop running someone else's race and start building a career aligned with your purpose, press play now and begin your next level of motivational and inspirational growth today.Siena Dean's Contact Info:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siena-deanSend a textSupport the showFor daily motivation and inspiration, subscribe and follow Real Talk With Reginald D on social media:Instagram: realtalkwithreginaldd TikTok: @realtalkregd Youtube: @realtalkwithreginald Facebook: realtalkwithreginaldd Twitter Real Talk With Reginald D (@realtalkRegD) / TwitterWebsite: Real Talk With Reginald D https://www.realtalkwithreginaldd.com Real Talk With Reginald D - Merchandise

Register here to attend the live virtual event "Why Central Florida is the Year's Most Compelling Housing Market" on Thursday, February 19th at 8pm Eastern. Keith explores how a shift in mindset can change the way you build wealth, why so many new landlords are entering the market, and what recent economic trends could mean for future rents.  You'll also hear how one Florida investor is navigating a changing housing landscape, and learn about a timely opportunity in one of the country's fastest‑growing real estate markets—all without needing to be a hands-on landlord. Resources: Register for the event at GREwebinars.com Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/593 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, the risk of delayed gratification is denied gratification. There's a new wave of landlords. Wages are rising faster than both inflation and home prices. Learn what that's going to mean for rents. Hear the voices of five different Federal Reserve chairs, then GRE announces our biggest event of the year, and you're invited today on get rich education.   Corey Coates  0:32   Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast or visit get rich education.com   Keith Weinhold  1:16   mid south home buyers, with over two decades is the nation's highest rated turnkey provider, their empathetic property managers use your return on investment as their North Star. It's no wonder smart investors line up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone headquartered in Memphis, with their globally attractive cash flows, mid south has an A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau and 4000 houses renovated, there is zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate with an industry leading three and a half year average renter term. Every home they offer you will have brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter in an astounding price range, 100 to 150k GET TO KNOW mid south enjoy cash flow from day one at mid southhomebuyers.com that's mid southhomebuyers.com   Corey Coates  2:19   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  2:35   Welcome to GRE from the Adriatic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and across 188 nations worldwide, I'm Keith Weinhold, and this is get rich education. Sometimes we all need a mindset reset, and this can include me. Sometimes. James clear, the author of atomic habits, says there are four types of wealth, financial wealth, which is money, social wealth, which is status, time, wealth which is freedom, and physical wealth, which is health. Be wary of jobs that seduce you with one and two but rob you of three and four. That is to say, be careful with jobs that seduce you with financial and social wealth but rob you of time and physical wealth that is definitely going to happen to you during your life, especially early in your working career. But many people, even most people, they don't do much about this. They just go on and on, selling their soul to their employer for decades. Sometimes paychecks aren't compensation. They're a bribe from an employer to give up your dreams early in your career, delayed gratification actually makes some sense, because you need capital formation, you need down payments, you need dry powder. That is totally fair and the time in your life for delayed gratification. But there's a point that most people miss, the point where delayed gratification quietly mutates into denied gratification. This is huge. Most people miss this inflection point. When is this point in your life? That's when I'll do it later becomes, well, I guess I never did it at all. They look up at what they've got at age 65 and realize that they have a respectable title. They still wear Dockers pants. They have a 401, K that they must start paying tax on, and knees that creak louder than. The front door. Compound Interest hardly outpaces taxes and inflation. That's just going to keep you in one spot, you know, and you're never going to get that time back. There is no do over there. So you need to get to the point where you can be more frugal with your time than your money. Younger people have a harder time adopting this mindset, and that's a little natural, because they have more time and less money. Sooner than later, you must desperately get financially free so that you can simply be your self workaholics, optimize income instead of assets, and you can't let that happen, because labor does not compound and capital does compound, your quality of life will exceed your cost of living when your life is funded by what you own, not by what you do that takes a different mindset. You can either be a conformer or you can build wealth when you invest in real estate that pays five ways. It's like what you're doing is buying future Tuesdays, where you never have to work again and then later, add on future Wednesdays, where you never have to work again because you got the compound leverage instead of the impotent compound interest. I mean, just consider your two and a half million dollar portfolio that is passively doing the same work as someone who sells 40 to 50 hours a week of their life away for 100k in yearly salary. All right, maybe you're thinking, Oh, that all sounds thought provoking, but if you're not engaged on that, it can sound airy and philosophical and even risky. It's sort of like, yeah, you're cueing the acoustic guitar music and slow motion images of someone pensively gazing at a sunset.   Keith Weinhold  7:12   All right, what is the concrete plan? It's not all about mindset. It only starts with mindset. You got to make that actionable. Well, we constantly provide concrete plans for you here on this show, and I've got another concrete plan for you toward the end of the show today. This harkens back to what I discussed with you seven weeks ago, seven episodes ago on the show. That's when I discussed the world's first billionaire, John D Rockefeller and his enduring quote from about 100 years ago, he who works all day has no time to make money. Yeah, that's the quote a little review. What you learned seven episodes ago is that Rockefeller meant, if you spend your life doing tasks, you're never going to rise high enough to own things that pay you for life. The bottom line here is that earning a living is a distinctly different activity than building wealth. That's what we're talking about here.    Keith Weinhold  8:14   Well, there is a new wave of landlords entering the market, and they are reshaping what owning rentals looks like. One survey by rental platform avail of nearly 2000 users. It's really influential. It found that 53% of landlords became landlords in the last five years. So you have a lot of new landlords with the most 17% of landlords entering the market in just the last year, most purchased a property specifically to rent it out, and 1/3 sort of backed into this business by renting out their former residence. Of course, some people want to rent out their former residence today, if they got locked into that sexy owner occupied three and 4% financing from 2022 and earlier, the survey went on to tell us with some really good takeaways here, 72% of landlords manage between one and four units, and this avail survey. I mean, it's just another one that shows that the majority of landlords operate small portfolios, classic mom and pop investors. That one's not too surprising. The top three reasons that landlords gave for entering the rental market, they're pretty interesting. The number one reason for getting into this at 41% of respondents is building long term wealth. Next 33% for generating passive income, and the third most popular one, it's a distant third, it is preparing for retirement at 13% so building long term wealth is the number one reason for getting into this, and that is the right reason. Them when it comes to ownership structure, 64% said that they own the property individually, whether that's through a single member LLC or in their own name, doing it, yeah, individually, rather than with a family member or a business partner. So really, the summary of this terrific, recent avail landlord survey is that if you're just getting started, you're not alone. A lot of people are most own properties solely in their own name, and the number one reason for doing it is to build long term wealth. Now there's another pervasive set of economic trends out there in the broader economy, but it's really a benefit for real estate investors, and that is the fact that wage growth has now outpaced consumer price growth for three years. Yeah, another way to say that is that wage growth has outpaced inflation for fully three years. Yeah, most people just aren't feeling it yet. So you might be taken somewhat aback by that, and why aren't people feeling that wage growth is faster than inflation, the pandemic inflation spike that was so huge, it was like getting hit with a freight train, and then someone tells you, good news, the train has stopped. Yeah, that's nice. You are still lying on the tracks, rubbing your ribs. That's because we're all still absorbing spiked prices for everything from a lumber two by four to a York Peppermint Patty, year over year, wages are up 3.8% and consumer inflation is 3% All right, so wages above inflation, that means things are getting a little more affordable, but both wages and inflation have grown faster than home prices, which have only grown about one and a half percent, and this is all per the BLS in the FHFA, so wage growth Being more than double home price growth. Well, that trend really makes properties more affordable, but historically, they're still not that affordable. Everybody knows that home prices soared until about 2023 that was the turning point, and now wages are in their catch up phase. All right, but what really matters to real estate investors is, when will this wage growth translate to rent growth, historically, big rent growth that lags big home price growth by about two to four years. So you have the big home price growth, big rent growth hits two to four years later, historically. Now, if that holds true, we should finally see substantial rent growth this year or next year. Rent growth has still been pretty soft in the one to four unit space, and even there are rent decreases in the overbuilt apartment space. Future income growth promises to make homes more affordable. Affordability has already improved, with mortgage rates hovering near three year lows. There's one problem, though, that most people overlook, and that is this wage growth has been skewed toward the higher income deciles, renters, especially workforce renters, they don't feel it until later. So this 3.8% wage growth, it's heavier for higher income people, and it's lighter for lower income people. I swear, when there are enriching economic trends, it always hits the higher income people first, and it doesn't trickle down until later. So if you as an investor, are positioned before the rent wave hits, you are surfing, and if you wait to feel it, you're swimming behind the boat. Higher wages should translate to higher rents in the next one to two years. And as far as some other forces, as we all know, the man occupying the oval office in the White House, the President, he wants lower rates. The current Fed Chair isn't so willing to do that. The next one, the one he appointed, Kevin Warsh, who arrives in May. He seems more receptive to lower rates, but it's gonna take a while. It all moves so slow. We have had 16 fed chairs before worsh over 112 years. And look how much of an econ nerd Are you? Are you as bad as me? These voices are in chronological order, and I can name each speaker.   Corey Coates  14:47   You're going to have to live with the fact that forecasts have a range of uncertainty, irrational exuberance.   Corey Coates  14:54   In my opening remarks, I'd like to briefly first review today's policy decision, but   Corey Coates  14:58   first I'll review recent. Economic developments in the Outlook, and we are well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.   Keith Weinhold  15:06   If you can name each of those speakers, I would love to give you a free property from gremarketplace.com but I can't quite swing that in order. Those voices are Paul Volcker. He served from 1979 to 87 he was known for crushing double digit inflation by jacking rates to near 20% it was painful medicine, but it worked the next one. Alan Greenspan sir, from 1987 to 2006 that was a long reign, almost 20 years. He oversaw the 90s economic boom, the.com bubble and the early housing bubble. Years so far, Greenspan is the only Fed chair that I have met in person. Then Ben Bernanke, he was the Fed chair from 2006 to 2014 he took the helm right before the 2008 financial crisis. He rolled out QE and emergency lending on an historic scale. In fact, he was nicknamed helicopter Ben because it's like he would print so much money that he just dropped it out of huge sacks, dollar bills in huge sacks, dropping them from an airplane, metaphorically, not literally. Then Janet Yellen, 2014 to 2018 she kind of continued this post crisis normalization, and she was the first woman to chair the Fed and then, of course, Jerome Powell serving from 2018 to 2026 he navigated the covid stimulus, ultra low rates. And then after that, the fastest rate hiking cycle in decades to fight inflation back in 2022 being the Fed chair is the most important job in this economy, and over the decades, there's been more of a movement of the fed into the public eye. You just hear about them more in the media than you used to. But like I touched on last week, it just still doesn't mean as much to real estate investors as a lot of people think, people sometimes look for someone else to come save them, but it's more about you and the choices that you make that's what means more housing supply and demand means more real estate investors have profited during every one of those Fed Chair reigns, which go back almost 50 years from Volcker to today, I think everybody knows that fed chairs don't control property prices, and they don't even control long term interest rates. What's a little paradoxical is that Trump has been vocal about how he wants more affordable home prices, yet at the same time he wants existing homeowners to have their home prices go up, those two things seem to be in tension. They're in conflict with each other. The only way you can possibly get both are through lower mortgage rates. But is he going to see later today you as a GRE follower, you don't have to wait for lower rates income, property still feels less affordable than it did five years ago, because it is that's real but here's the key distinction in what makes real estate investors different from owner occupied homeowners. Affordability isn't about the price of the property, it's about whether the property pays for itself and grows your net worth while inflation does the heavy lifting. Higher prices don't kill investors. Inaction during inflation does you're not buying a say, $350,000 property. You're controlling it with $70,000 while your tenant and inflation do the rest. We do not rely on hope or appreciation. We start with income tax benefits and debt pay down and then leverage appreciation typically happens as well. GRE only succeeds when investors close on properties that perform long term. One bad referral costs us years of trust, so we don't do that. The best question for you really isn't whether property is affordable. The question is whether owning an investment property is better than inflation compounding against you. That's the investor lens today.    Keith Weinhold  19:24   coming up next week on the show here, we're going to discuss apartments. It's been a truly be leaguered sector, where their prices have fallen 2030, and 40% in many markets. We've discussed apartments here on the show a lot before, like with Grant Cardone on episode 264, with Ken McElroy, countless times with me monologuing about apartments. And next week, we're going to talk to a multifamily educator who is known as the apartment King. Later on, a future show, we've got the return of the financial. Firebrand, and lately, the financial comedian Garrett Gunderson, a powerful speaker. That's definitely going to be interesting. As for today, you'll hear a first person account from a Florida resident about why he's moved to Florida and why he invests there. You've heard of this guy before. That's next. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to Episode 593, of get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  20:26   Flock homes helps you retire from real estate and landlording, whether it's one problem property or your whole portfolio, through a 721, exchange, deferring your capital gains tax and depreciation recapture, it's a strategy long used by the ultra wealthy. Now Mom and Pop landlords can 721, the residential real estate request your initial valuation, see if your properties qualify@flockhomes.com slash GRE. That's f, l, O, C, K, homes.com/G. R, E,    Keith Weinhold  21:02   you know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year, I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program. When you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products. They've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom family investments.com/gre, or send a text. Now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach directly again. 1-937-795-8989,   Keith Weinhold  22:13   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally. While it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Zack Lemaster  22:47   this is rental retirement Zach Lee Masters. Listen to get rich education with Keith bleinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  23:02   I'd like to welcome in our own in house. GRE investment coach, we haven't had you on the show since November. Welcome in Naresh.   Naresh Vissa  23:11   Kwith, It's a pleasure to be back on the show. Thanks for having me on.   Keith Weinhold  23:16   We're just playing it all casual and comfortable here in house. You were just finishing up, what ice cream or a container of something right before we got started   Naresh Vissa  23:25   here, all done with the ice cream and ready to record the podcast.   Keith Weinhold  23:29   Yeah, all right, keeping cool for our chat. Well, you know you do live in Florida, so you must have your own perspective on the Florida market. You live in the Tampa area, and the reason that that's a germane topic is that's something we've been talking about here lately as really an opportunity, and that is because most of Florida has seen some temporary property price attrition, but yet more population growth is projected. So that's why we feel like that's temporary. But why don't you tell us about what you see on the ground there?   Naresh Vissa  24:07   Keith, I've lived in Florida for 11 and a half years now. That's Tampa, Florida. I like Florida a lot. I moved here December 2014 for similar reasons that many people are moving here today. So I moved to Florida in December 2014 because of no state income tax, because of, at the time, lower cost of living. Florida was one of the states I got hit the hardest during the 2008 financial crisis, or nothing called in a real estate crisis, Florida, Arizona, those few others got hit really, really hard. So Florida at that time was still rebounding from 2008 so I moved for the affordability, the no income tax, of course, the weather better. Weather. And then most places in the Northeast I've lived so weather is a big deal when it comes to real estate and geography as well. These are all different reasons to move to Florida, and these are the reasons why I moved to Florida. I was also single in my 20s, so I was much younger at the time. I was single in my mid 20s, and Florida is very good for that too. For 20 something Gen Z folks today, Florida is definitely a place that they should consider. I moved down here and I fell in love with it. From day one. I got a place living right on the water, a beach. Got beaches everywhere. Florida's tour. And I say all this because these are all enticing features of Florida, for renters, for tenants, for snowbirds. I had never even heard of what a snowbird was until I moved down to Florida, where you have people who literally live here for seven months of the year, and then they live in their home state for five months of the year. So that's generally what it is, seven months in Florida, five months in their home state, which can be the people I know personally are from New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio. The list goes on and on. Basically anywhere that's north of Florida could be considered a snowbird area. So that's another reason why Florida is a very hot market. Now, obviously, during the pandemic, in end of 2020, people started moving to Florida in droves. Part of it was politically, because you didn't have the restrictions that other states had during that crazy time that we lived through. And another part of it was work from home. So similar to me, in 2014 when I became full time work from home, I wanted to move somewhere for all those different reasons that I gave you the total package, and Florida fit that there was maybe one other state that fit the bill, based on everything that I told you, probably one other state. That's it. So Florida fit the bill, and that's why I think Florida is always going to be despite the hurricane prep, Florida is always going to be a destination that people will seriously look at whether you're older, retirement age or younger. Like I said in my mid 20s, single guy Florida is always going to be that destination for all the reasons that I laid out. So with that being said, what does that mean for real estate? What that means for real estate is that there's going to be a constant supply of people coming into Florida, and when there's a constant supply of people coming into Florida, then you can expect real estate prices to at least not decline. We passed, you know, all sorts of bills, including Dodd Frank post 2008 to prevent people from taking out mortgages that they couldn't afford. So now that that's out of the way, when you have a constant supply of people who are able to afford homes, who are able to afford rents, well, that's going to be a constant supply. So that's good for investors, that's good for appreciation. It's good for cash flow. And that's why I'm a huge fan, not just of the state of Florida, but also investing in Florida. And I own real estate in Florida, and you can say that I lucked out, but I bought a property in 2019 and it nearly doubled in value, yeah, when I say doubled in value in a matter of I want to say, like, two years, two and a half years, it nearly doubled in value. So with that being said, Florida, this was a rare cyclical trend when we just saw this huge upswing, rare cyclical trend. But I don't anticipate cycles like this, where you're going to have booms and busts. Moving forward, we haven't seen a bus since 2008 like I said, the the law has been taken care of in that sense, the regulation. I love the state. I've lived in six major cities, but maybe five different states, and Florida is hands down my favorite. That's why I've lived here for what did I say? 11 and a half or 12 and a half years? I don't even remember anymore. It's actually 11 and a half. My roots are here. I now consider myself a Florida person, even more so than the state of Texas, where, which is where I spent 18 years. I have no doubt that I'll surpass 18 or 19 years in Florida, and that this is it, right here. And a major reason is because this is just such a great state. It's free, it's real estate friendly. This is for people who are looking at buying primary residences, not for investment properties. But the governor has put on the ballot this coming election cycle to remove, to abolish the property tax in the state of Florida. So if you own, if you live full time, not a snowbird, not investors, but if you live in Florida permanently, then no more property tax if the vote passes. So that's another huge plus for owning property if you're a permanent resident in Florida,   Keith Weinhold  29:57   yeah, even if the property tax is abolished. Which seems unlikely, you could just tell what the tenor and the temperature of the tax climate and the investing climate is like in Florida, if they're even spearheading such a proposal, and they're a national leader in something like property tax abolition, like they are and Naresh about eight years after you moved there, which would be, what about 2020? 2022, somewhere in there, we had that strong pandemic migration push into Florida. What's happened is that that flow has slowed down. There's still positive net in migration in there in Florida. But the builders, they got ahead of this, and the pandemic migration wave waned, and they had a temporarily overbuilt condition, and they still do now, which is one reason why we've seen prices fall somewhat in most Florida zip codes, and this spells part of the opportunity. So you do have all these new build properties, some of which are vacant, but you have a good chance they're going to get absorbed pretty soon. And there are some obvious advantages to owning new build.   Naresh Vissa  31:11   Well, Keith, there is brand new construction in Florida, like you said. The work started in 2021 and there are homes that have not been sold. I don't want to say, since they were finished building in 2021 they recently finished building in 2025 and these homes could be a variety of reasons. It could be economic related. It could be hurricane related. In Tampa, the Central Florida, we had two horrible hurricanes back to back within a 15 day period, two really bad hurricanes towards the end of 2024 September and October 2024 and people lost their homes. Renters lost their homes. Other people just were freaked out and scared and said, You know what? I don't want to deal with. I've got PTSD from these hurricanes. I'm moving up to Alabama or Georgia or Orlando, you know, somewhere in Central Florida, that's a way. But even that area, you know, the hurricane still made it through to those areas too. People just picked up and said, You know what I'm done with Florida. It's a great state, but I don't want to deal with these hurricanes. And so regardless, whatever the reason, this is a pie, and these are all slices of the pie, I don't know what's been more of a contributing factor than which one has been more than the others. But with that being said, there are tons of properties in Florida, pretty much the entire state of Florida, where, especially new construction properties, are below at the time when they were being built, they're below what they anticipated being listed as. And So Keith, we're having a special webinar this Thursday, talking about these properties because they are discounted properties. They are properties that are selling at tremendous discounts, like I said to when Ground was broken years ago. So join that webinar. Gre, webinars.com gre webinars.com. Again, brand new construction. Many of these properties already have tenants in place. Not all of them, but many of them do already have tenants in place. There are all sorts of incentives that the builder is offering. And there are many builders in that, not just this one that's going to be on the webinar, but in Florida, there are many builders who are offering discounts, rate, buy downs, other incentives, because the home values have fallen somewhat a bit. Why have the home values falling? Because the demand has fallen as well. So again, the next question people might have is, well, if the demand is falling, if home home values are falling, why would I buy the trend is downward. And the answer is, whether it's a stock or any other security, you don't necessarily want to have the FOMO to buy at an all time high, just because everyone else is buying it. And I actually have family members who bought real estate at the peak of 2022 there was FOMO and there was, hey, you know, I need to get a flip, and they're down. They bought peak 2022, and they're down today. Because, look, you can pick any housing market in the country, especially a prime state like Florida. Look at any 30 year period, and you will see that home values are up double digits, even if you look at 2009 when the housing market crashed and we reached something like 10 year bottom in housing, if you look at the 30 year period, well, if someone who bought a house in Florida in, say, 1979 was still way up on their property in 2009 30 years later, we're not buying Bitcoin here where it can go up 30% in one day or go down 30% in one day. We're talking real estate, and real estate has been proven. It's been tested. It's been proven throughout time, not even a 30 year period. I think if you take any 20 year period, you're going to see the same trend of double digit gains, double digit growth. On real estate appreciation. So I'd say, if you're skeptical about Florida, you see these home values, all these discounts, that's the first thing I hear from followers. They say, why are they offering so many discounts? I'm a little concerned about all these discounts and incentives, and I don't know if that's a good thing. Well, I say, Well, I mean, you can buy full price in another state, if you'd like, you know, in California or so you could, you're more than free to buy full price. But we're talking Florida here. We're not talking about West Virginia or Rhode Island, or, you know, Nebraska. We're talking Florida. This is still the land of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, this is the land of the best beaches in the country. I mean, they there's just no arguing or debating these facts. Florida all the reasons that I stated earlier, is going to continue to be a hot, hot market. So I highly recommend people, if you want to get in on these discounted deals, G R E, webinars.com G R E, webinars.com register for our upcoming online and live special event this Thursday evening at 8pm Eastern Time, 8pm Eastern Time, gre webinars.com you won't want to miss this free, online and live special event.   Keith Weinhold  36:25   When a pound of oranges is on sale or a pound of zucchini is on sale, consumers are often attracted to that sale. Should probably be the same way with you considering adding to your real estate portfolio, and it's funny, when oranges of zucchinis are on sale, no one tries to find fault with it and think that they're rotten inside or something like that. But somehow with real estate or an investment that tends to get scrutiny from people, but these are real discounts that you're getting over buying, say, two years ago, and we're talking about a motivated seller here. And as you know, Naresh, we had the builder on the show last week, the one that's going to be co hosting the webinar with you on Thursday, and he talked to us about buying down mortgage rates to between 3.75% and 4.25% and we're here at a time where the owner occupied rate is six to six and a quarter the investor rate is seven, so you're getting about a three percentage point buy down. That's really the attraction. And Naresh, before I ask you, if you have any last thoughts, yes, again, it is our live event that you can attend from the comfort of your own home, Thursday the 19th, at 8pm eastern in just a few days, here with Naresh and the builder who you heard on last week's show, co hosting a live webinar for Central Florida so inland new build income property. It's free. You're invited, and the benefit of you attending live is that you can have any of your questions answered in real time. You're going to learn more about the Central Florida market and more about the home building process, and you are going to be able to see available new bill property, real addresses, with some of these pretty grand incentives that we've talked about again. GRE webinars.com, any last thoughts? Naresh   Naresh Vissa  38:17   I get a lot of questions about is right now the time to buy? Should I buy later? What's going to happen with real estate? And I know the number one question, or the number one caution our followers are going to have, is, is right now the time is March or April, the time. And I say, look, with real estate, I already gave you the figure that you take any 20 year time period, any 30 year time period, and that's our time horizon here at GRE again, we're not trying to buy bitcoin here and flip it, you know, two days later, we're looking to buy and hold for, I don't want to say forever, but I know my time horizon in general is the full 30 year term, at least for my properties, and some people you know, want 10 or 15 years. That's fine too, but that's the time horizon. It is not one year, two years. We're not flipping new construction properties here in Central Florida. We are looking to buy and hold over the long haul, get some very good, high quality tenants in there, in these new construction properties, so that you, the GRE follower and the investor, can collect your monthly cash flow as well as over that 20 year period, or that 30 year period take part in appreciation as well. We've also talked extensively, Keith in previous episodes about interest rate cuts that the Federal Reserve is going to be doing, and just know this, there's a reason why the builder is offering these incentives where you can get the rates so low, your mortgage rate can be so low, and it's going to take at least a year, even if the Fed goes to zero. I mean, it's going to take mortgage rates a very long time. And to reach that point of getting such low interest rates that you just laid out, so that even makes it more enticing, like, Hey, I basically have a head start on the Federal Reserve because I follow the Fed pretty closely. We don't need to get into those details, but it's looking heavily like they are going to be start cutting again later this year, this summer. So it's looking like they're going to do that, but again, now you can have a head start, because when the Fed starts doing that, and when the mortgage rates fall, then everybody's going to jump in. And what's going to happen to the home values once everybody jumps in, well, they're going to go up. You want to jump in when everybody is not jumping in, and when you can get an amazing deal on these interest rates thanks to the builder buying down your interest rate. So this is a GRE special you can't get these deals. I challenge our followers to go on the internet and try to find better incentives or deals. And what you're going to see on this webinar, on this online, live special event. So gre webinars.com you can join me as well as our special guest. He heads up the builder. His name is Jim. He's going to be on with me. And please join us at grewebinars.com sign up for this free and live online special event.   Keith Weinhold  41:20   These are some great points. There's a lot of anticipation for Thursday, Naresh. We'll see you then.   Naresh Vissa  41:25   Thanks, Keith.   Keith Weinhold  41:32   Oh yeah, a first person account on Florida life and opportunity from our own Naresh nationally, the build to rent model that has been a real success, building single family rentals with the intent that they are rentals. From day one, over 321,000 homes have been built specifically as rentals this way since 2012, and more than three quarters of those in just the last five years. So the build to rent trend is picking up steam. About 1/3 of Americans rent their home, and although the word rental for some people that still conjures up visions of high rises packed with apartments, but a growing number of today's rentals are these freestanding, single family homes and duplexes like we're talking about today, nestled in suburban communities with top notch schools, and that's why a growing number of mom and pop investors have hopped on the build to rent bandwagon. They take less maintenance. It attracts quality tenants who stay longer, and the rentals have changed, but so had the renters. 20 years ago, it felt like tenants had to rent, like they had no choice. Today, you've got more and more tenants that choose to rent. Many of them make 100k to 125k or more. Today, rentals are cheaper than owning for those people, and they're less of a headache. A lot of them don't want to fix things, and you as the owner, don't want to either. That's why new build is attractive. Then, you know, I just sent that great map to our newsletter subscribers about which states saw the most population gain from 2020 to today, the South had more population growth than every other US region combined, which is jaw dropping and within the South, the state with the most population growth since 2020 is Florida, with An 8.9% population gain in that span, narrowly beating out Texas and South Carolina. By the way, even if it weren't for the attractive builder interest rate near 4% these Sunshine State deals could still make sense. New build single family rentals from the 270s new build duplexes, 395 to 420k low insurance rates, positive cash flow, a builder warranty. And it's really even better than that. These properties are centered on Ocala, Florida, which received national recognition as the fastest growing city for this second year in a row. That's according to a U haul report, and Florida is the epitome of investor friendly. Florida is the first state to enact a law allowing law enforcement to immediately remove squatters. It distinguishes them from legal tenants. You might come to the webinar event, perhaps thinking about 80k or 500k that you want to allocate toward property or maybe nothing and you just want to learn at the event you will evaluate realistic opportunities learn how property management is handled, and understand how today's inventory fits into your disciplined, long term strategy that all takes place on. On Thursday the 19th at 8pm Eastern. It's our biggest event of the year, and it is called Why Central Florida is the year's most compelling housing market. One last time for Thursday, it is gre webinars.com, until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Unknown Speaker  45:20   You nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  45:52   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building get richeducation.com