Podcasts about reimagine

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Stephanie Baker, Chief Experience Officer and artist. She highlights her journey of moving beyond achievement, sharing how embracing vulnerability, creativity, and leading with empathy has redefined what true success means, for herself, her teams, and those she mentors. In today's episode, we discuss: Reimagine your definition of success. Step back from titles and checkboxes. Ask yourself whether your work aligns with your core values and your true impact. When your work is a reflection of who you are, fulfillment finds you, not the other way around. Lead with empathy and inclusion. Performance isn't just about KPIs; it's about how people feel in your presence. When you foster empathy, inclusion, and psychological safety, you build teams that are resilient, innovative, and engaged at every level. Make becoming a lifelong pursuit. You don't have to have it all figured out. The most effective, impactful leaders are those who stay open to growth and keep redefining who they are—at work and in life. Protect your energy unapologetically. Learn to say "no"—and realize that it's a complete sentence. Being deliberate with your time and focus allows you to say "yes" to what truly matters and show up at your best. Give yourself permission to explore new interests. Try picking up something new—painting, mentoring, creating. You never know which hidden strengths or sources of joy are waiting for you. (Check out her paintings in the show notes. She is GIFTED!)   RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Stephanie Baker is a Senior operations executive with 20+ years of experience driving enterprise performance and operational excellence. A trusted partner to CEOs and Boards, I specialize in aligning people, processes, and technology to deliver exceptional outcomes for customers and employees. Recognized for building inclusive, engaged teams and leading transformational change with clarity and purpose. Website/Social Links www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-baker-5833b78 slbaker28@gmail.com Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

This week, we start the Reimagine for S1, Chapter 4 (A Slanted Reflection), and I take a brief moment to remember the eldest Dave, who has joined the Great Gig in the Sky. All that and more after a message to our Heroes! —--------------------- Want more 7th Valkyrie? Check out our Patreon to become a Hero of Edara, where you can shape the future of the series, decide on merch drops and incentives, get early access to new episodes, enjoy bonus features and content, and help us hit the major checkpoints on the Path of Heroes!  https://www.patreon.com/7thvalkyrie  

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by CORE Learning. You can access the webinar recording here.This first edWeb podcast of Structured Literacy for Every Learner Week examines national priorities for strengthening instructional quality and accelerating academic recovery, with a focus on literacy, support for diverse learners, and coherent pathways from early learning through postsecondary success. Listeners explore leadership and policy strategies that center student achievement while expanding access and opportunity.This edWeb podcast is of interest to K-12 school and district leaders.This edWeb podcast is part of Structured Literacy for Every Learner Week.CORE LearningTransform teaching and learning so that every student thrives.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

What does it take to build something that lasts—not just for years, but across generations? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Alfredo De Massis, a globally recognized expert on family enterprise and author of The Family Business Book: A Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Families to Prosper Across Generations. As one of the most cited scholars in the field and a trusted advisor to multi-generational family businesses around the world, De Massis offers a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world relevance.But don't expect a conversation limited to family-owned companies. This episode is about how all leaders—especially those responsible for long-term value—can rethink legacy, leadership, and innovation. De Massis argues that great leaders don't just pass down businesses; they design systems that outlast them. From ownership mindsets to innovation strategy and governance architecture, the conversation provides a blueprint for building organizations that remain relevant and resilient across time.A central theme of the discussion is the distinction between succession planning and legacy design. De Massis challenges the outdated belief that continuity depends on finding the next version of the current leader. Instead, he introduces the concept of the "family galaxy"—a flexible, multi-entity model that allows different generations to thrive in different ways, based on their talents and motivations. He also breaks down the three layers of governance essential for long-term success: business governance, family governance, and the often-overlooked interface between them.For CEOs, board members, and senior executives thinking beyond quarterly results, this conversation delivers both intellectual depth and actionable insight. It's a masterclass in how to lead with intention—not just for today, but for the future you won't be around to control.Actionable TakeawaysYou'll learn why the best leaders don't plan succession—they design systems for continued relevance.Hear how to reframe ownership as a responsibility to be developed, not a status to be inherited.Explore the “family galaxy” model—and how to structure a system where multiple generations can create value.Understand how great organizations govern at three levels—and why ignoring the “interface” layer can derail everything.Discover why tradition can be a strategic asset when leaders know how to reinterpret—not resist—it.Learn how emotional dynamics influence strategic decisions in family and legacy enterprises.Find out why leadership earned through credibility—not entitlement—is key to generational success.Get practical insights into how to align governance, ownership, and innovation around shared purpose.Take away powerful questions to evaluate whether your legacy is built to evolve—or simply to endure.Connect with Alfredo De MassisAlfredo De Massis LinkedInAlfredo De Massis IMDThe Family Business BookConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Do you ever feel like the only way to stand out online is to post more, be on more platforms, and keep up with every new trend? It's exhausting. And it's not the reason people remember you. In this episode, I'm sharing a different way to think about standing out in 2026. One that's less about volume and noise, and more about clarity, depth and trust. Because the businesses that stand out aren't the ones posting the most. They're the ones who are clear about what they stand for and show up consistently in a way that feels human. I talk about why creating more content can sometimes dilute your message, how to build recognisability without being everywhere, and why designing a content rhythm that actually works for your life and business is one of the most powerful things you can do. If content has started to feel heavy or complicated, this episode will help you come back to something simpler and more intentional. Key Takeaways Why creating more content can dilute your message instead of strengthening it. How going deeper with fewer ideas can help you build authority and connection. Why clarity matters more than chasing trends. How creating a sustainable content rhythm helps you build trust over time. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Why standing out starts with clarity, not more content 02:35 – The hidden cost of constantly creating more 04:52 – Depth over volume: choosing ideas you want to be known for 07:05 – Reimagining one core idea across multiple pieces of content 08:02 – Moving away from trends and focusing on clarity 10:41 – Why being recognisable matters more than being everywhere 13:53 – Why trust matters more than the algorithm 17:12 – Designing a content rhythm that actually works for you 20:05 – Reflection questions and wrapping up If this conversation resonated with you, I'd love to invite you to my upcoming training Designing the Right Content Rhythm. It's where we explore how to create a sustainable rhythm for your content so you can show up consistently, build trust, and grow your business without feeling like you have to do all the things.   Links mentioned in this podcast Designing the Right Content Rhythm The Content Effect   If you enjoyed listening to this episode, then you'll also love: Episode 168 - Reimagine your content: How to do less and still make an impact Episode 10 – The power of reimagination   Ready to work with me? Buy my book The Power of Content Join my membership The Content Effect Work with me 1:1 with The Content Accelerator Join my free Facebook Group The Content Project   For more conversations on content with heart, connect with me here: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website   I use and recommend Podbean and Descript to edit my podcast. There are affiliate links in these show notes. I will receive a small compensation if you use these links. There's no extra charge to you, but it helps me create more free content like this podcast, for you.

In this week's episode, AgingIN CEO Susan Ryan sits down with MaryCay Durrant, founder of Leading Naturally. In this enlightening discussion, MaryCay shares her journey from corporate leadership to developing nature-inspired practices that help organizations thrive. Drawing from her upbringing in North Dakota and a transformative personal awakening, MarCay challenges transactional workplace models and instead looks to ecosystems as a guide for cooperation, resilience, and trust. She introduces her WORK framework — Wake Up, Orient, Reimagine partnering, and Keepnourishing what matters — and the concept of Return on Energy (ROE), encouraging leaders to measure vitality and alignment, not just ROI. Through approaches such as equine-assisted learning, MaryCay helps organizations reduce burnout, strengthen connection, and build sustainable cultures grounded in partnership. More about MaryCay here: https://marycaydurrant.com

Reimagine We Begins with Reimagine WeIt is not just a philosophy, a brand or even a framework. It represents an evolutionary process towards empowerment. Most empowerment models start with confidence. Reimagine We starts with awareness of inner formation. We envision empowerment as human development not motivation. Further, we recognize that people often try to change systems without understanding the psychological and moral architecture that created the system. In this episode, we explore the power of worldview formation and collective imagination in creating a better world together. Listen in as we discuss the transformative potential of evolving our mindset and shaping our culture and society for the future. Reimagine We treats empowerment as human development, not motivation. And development always unfolds in stages. Reimagine We is not a political ideology. It is not a self-help motivation platform nor a social justice club. Instead, it is a worldview formation process.Worldview Formation CycleOur purpose here is to expose listeners to a worldview formation process that examines how we interpret reality, how we live in that reality, and how we shape society. Understanding worldview formation begins with understanding that our words, actions, and behaviors are not random. They are downstream of an inner worldview framed by our thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. The inner worldview shapes how we interpret outer reality; how we value ourself and others;  and how we decide what is possible. All of that is to say that our innermost thoughts, beliefs, and ideas shows up in our words, actions, behaviors as a function of our worldview formation. The Hidden Reality: Humans Are ConditionedCore Concept – people do not start life thinking independently. We start life absorbing narratives as sources of formation—who we are; where we come from; and what matters.  The range of narratives include family stories, cultural/historical roots, media exposure, identity/self concept, fear/trauma, education, and more. And on top of all that,  we also experience shifts in worldview as we experience life daily. The Worldview Formation Cycle operates on four major planes: Informing our decisions, behaviors, and culture.Shaping our perception: trust, building, meaning, and identity.Creating results in society, community, justice. Conflict or cohesionFinally, the Worldview Formation Cycle continues through Praxis (consciously and unconsciously): Actions, Habits, Policies, Relationships, and Institutions.Worldview Is the Invisible Architecture That Produces Your Identity A worldview is not what you believe. A world view is what your life consistently assumes is true about realty, people, power, and purpose. Worldview is reflected in how you show up. Now ponder these questions:How do you show up?Who/what do you represent when you show up?Why do you show as you do?What is the impact of how you show up?Who do you show up as?Women's History Month HighlightIn this Women's History Month moment, we honor Sandra Babu-Boateng. She is a media entrepreneur, global strategist, and convener focused on the intersection of Africa, the African dipora, and global power.Sandra is also the co-founder of Dana Genius, as global media and experiential company that connects people, brands, and ideas through culture. She stands off a platform of Power, Promise and Path Forward. 

What if the biggest AI disruption isn't your marketing… but your customer's mind? In this powerful return to Your Truth Shared, marketing futurist Mark Schaefer joins me to unpack the urgent ideas in his latest book, How AI Changes Your Customers. We've talked before about how marketers must adapt in an AI world. But this conversation flips the lens. Because AI isn't just changing how we work. It's changing how humans think. How they relate. How they decide. How they define purpose. And if your customer is being psychologically rewired in real time… your strategy must evolve too. Why You Need to Listen If you're a business owner, founder, strategist, or leader navigating AI, this episode will help you: Understand how cognitive offloading is reshaping decision-making Recognise why customers may feel more adrift, anxious, or disconnected See how AI is influencing identity, purpose, and agency Avoid the trap of outsourcing your wisdom (and your voice) Reimagine how your brand can become more human, not less This is not an anti-AI conversation. It's a deeply thoughtful exploration of how to use AI without losing your humanity. You'll walk away clearer, braver, and more intentional about how you build your business in this new era.

What happens when an everyday woman reinvents herself — not once, but many times over? In this episode, Jo sits down with Anita McLaughlin, founder of Sequins and Sand, co-host of Midlife Unfiltered, and passionate advocate for women's bone health. From swimwear confidence to bone density scans in the outback, Anita's story will leave you inspired and ready to advocate for yourself.In this episode, we explore:How 13 moves and a military marriage shaped Anita's love of change and reinventionThe body confidence work behind Sequins and Sand — and why so many women were moved to tearsAnita's personal osteoporosis diagnosis and why she became her own health advocateThe power of knowing your bone health before a crisis hits — and the technology making that easierWhy "who I am is not what I do" became Anita's most important midlife realisationIf you've ever felt like you're just getting started — even in your fifties or beyond — this episode is your reminder that you absolutely are. Come listen in.Links mentioned in this episode:46. Better Bone Health with Professor Belinda Beckhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/2a2mv7BXJQCO8ISV6AcJ8Y?si=qgiOCZqoRs-nTDf3Ji67Fw118. What Every Woman Should Know About Neurodivergence in Midlife with Dr Sascha Kowalenkohttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1RcP4ZxDchBSBHYxyZMLke?si=e7jliu6eTByPlmhRO6DlxgConnect with Anita McLaughlinMidlife Unfiltered on Substackhttps://midlifeunfiltered.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsSequins and Sandwww.sequinsandsand.com.auConnect with JoBook a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resourcesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

On this first Sunday of the Lenten season, guest speaker and former Unity of Fairfax Senior Minister Rev. Donna Johnson invites us into this season with a message focused on both release and renewal.

What if Mercury Retrograde isn't here to create chaos, but clarity? From February 25 through March 20, 2026, Mercury retrogrades in Pisces from 22° back to 8°, inviting you to reimagine your soul purpose. In this episode, we explore how this Mercury Retrograde in Pisces is less about miscommunication and more about recalibration. With Mercury bookended by the North Node and aligned with Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and the Aries Ingress, this retrograde is a powerful spiritual reset before the astrological New Year. This is a Mercury Retrograde for visionaries, healers, and changemakers ready to turn imagination into aligned action. If you're navigating Pisces season, eclipse energy, or preparing for Aries season 2026, this astrology forecast will help you move with cosmic timing instead of against it.

What happens when a visionary leader is brought to their knees by a family crisis? In this heartfelt episode, Laura Brazan welcomes Brad Hoffman, pastor and grandparent raising his grandchildren after the loss of his daughter, to explore the transformational power of integrating personal adversity with leadership.Together, they discuss the unique challenges grandparents face as primary caregivers, reveal practical strategies for self-care, and unpack the shifting nature of identity after trauma. This episode dives into reframing success, the importance of presence over productivity, and the necessity of dreaming even in hard seasons. The conversation tackles why leaders must move past compartmentalization, develop a “theology of weakness,” and embrace vulnerability as a core leadership strength. For more information about Brad, please visit his website or listen to his podcast "REimagine" here.If you're navigating a major life transition or searching for community and support while leading through pain, this episode offers honest insight, resources, and permission to breathe. Join us as we rewrite legacies, nurture through adversity, and redefine what it means to run the race set before us.Send a textA grandmother raising grandchildren leaves a review and share her story and how every listener encourages her in her role as a kinship caregiver, one podcast at a time. In this special pre-roll segment, I'm sharing a moving letter from a member of our community, Laurel. Her story of loss, resilience, and raising her grandson after the unthinkable is a raw reminder that none of us are walking this path alone.We want to hear from you. If Laurel's story resonates with you, or if you have a journey of your own to share, join our private community. Your story might be the exact lifeline someone else needs to hear today. Thank you for tuning into today's episode. It's been a journey of shared stories, insights, and invaluable advice from the heart of a community that knows the beauty and challenges of raising grandchildren. Your presence and engagement mean the world to us and to grandparents everywhere stepping up in ways they never imagined. Remember, you're not alone on this journey. For more resources, support, and stories, visit our website and follow us on our social media channels. If today's episode moved you, consider sharing it with someone who might find comfort and connection in our shared experiences. We look forward to bringing more stories and expert advice your way next week. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other.Want to be a guest on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Nurturing Through Adversity? Send Laura Brazan a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/grgLiked this episode? Share it and tag us on Facebook @GrandparentsRaisingGrandchilden Love the show? Leave a review and let us know! CONNECT WITH US: Website | Facebook

“No” is a complete sentence—but do you understand the power it holds.In today's episode, “The Power of ‘No' in Creating the Success You Want,” host Jacquette breaks down why this small word is one of the most transformative tools you have. Saying “no” isn't about rejection. It's about integrity, discernment, and protecting the boundaries that allow you to grow. It's how you honor your capacity, your values, and your vision.Being in a constant state of “yes” can drain your energy, blur your priorities, and pull you away from what actually matters. While a well-placed “no” creates space, space for the “yeses” that are aligned, fulfilling, and capable of moving your life forward.You can't reimagine, rebuild, or experiment if you're afraid to use your “no.” It's risky, yes, but so is every meaningful step toward the life you want.For Clarity: Money Clarity | 5 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself — Jacquette TimmonsWant More? Check Out:www.jacquettetimmons.comwww.jacquettetimmons.com/digital-productswww.instagram.com/jacquettemtimmonsBuyMeACoffee.com/JacquetteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Public Health Joy Podcast, Dr. Joyee Washington sits down with Quisha Umemba—registered nurse, public health leader, and CEO of Umemba Health—to talk about what it really looks like to bring AI into public health work with clarity, integrity, and impact. Quisha shares her journey from initial resistance (“this is cheating!”) to becoming a certified AI consultant who now trains organizations to reduce busy work and increase people work. Dr. Together, Dr. Joyee and Dr. Umemba unpack what AI can do, what it shouldn't do, and why public health is in an era of redesign that demands innovation without abandoning ethics, community wisdom, or human insight.Key Points From This Episode:Building Umemba Health at the intersection of public health expertise + learning innovation [1:45]Why “AI translator” is the perfect title for leaders helping teams cut through complexity [40:00]The mindset shift: AI doesn't replace your expertise—it amplifies it [4:57]Why public health burnout makes AI's time-saving potential especially relevant [7:34]The “AI iceberg”: why ChatGPT is only the tip, and what else exists beyond it [14:09]How AI can reduce curriculum development time from 20–40 hours down to 4–6 hours [22:40]Using AI for qualitative analysis, data storytelling, and leadership reporting—while keeping a human in the loop [23:27]Real concerns: ethics, privacy, intellectual property, environmental impacts, and “knowledge decay” [32:30]Planting seeds, building confidence, and helping people move from confusion to clarity [39:46]If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review! For more transcripts, show notes,and more visit: Click Here

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Gregory: I have the ability to recognize and reframe patterns.Startup failure rates have hovered around 90% for over 30 years. Gregory Shepard, Founder and CEO of Startup Science, decided to tackle this persistent challenge with a comprehensive, science-backed approach. His goal is nothing short of transformative: to reduce failure rates and create a better ecosystem for entrepreneurs.Gregory's research revealed that 47.1% of startups fail within the first 18 months, with the remaining failures often linked to poor decisions made during that critical period. “There's no industry I can think of that would be okay with 90% of the people trying to succeed failing,” he explained. “I decided to do something about it.”Startup Science offers a centralized platform where entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and support organizations can connect and collaborate. Gregory has worked to eliminate fragmentation in the startup ecosystem by providing tools, resources, and education—all free for founders. This mission is fueled by his belief that entrepreneurship drives innovation and can create opportunities for people from all backgrounds.Gregory's commitment to democratizing entrepreneurship extends to the way he's raising funds for Startup Science. He's launched a regulated crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder, allowing anyone—not just accredited investors—to support his mission. “If somebody invests in Startup Science, you're investing into all of the startups that we're helping, which is 100,000 of them at the moment,” he said.Gregory's passion is deeply personal. Growing up in poverty, he understands the barriers many entrepreneurs face. That empathy drives his vision to create an accessible, equitable platform that empowers founders to succeed while transforming the global economy.By leveraging his scientific approach to analyzing startup success and failure, Gregory is helping entrepreneurs avoid predictable pitfalls and build sustainable businesses. His efforts could fundamentally reshape the entrepreneurial landscape, enabling innovation to thrive.To learn more or support this initiative, visit Startup Science's crowdfunding campaign. This is an opportunity to back a proven entrepreneur who's committed to doing good for the world.tl;dr:Gregory Shepard shares his mission to reduce startup failure rates with his platform, Startup Science.Startup Science connects fragmented startup ecosystem elements, offering free tools and resources for founders.Gregory discusses his scientific research on startup success and his passion for democratizing entrepreneurship.He highlights his Wefunder campaign, inviting anyone to invest in Startup Science and support entrepreneurs.Gregory explains his superpower, pattern recognition, and how it drives his success in building ecosystems.How to Develop Pattern Recognition As a SuperpowerGregory's autistic diagnosis has sharpened his ability to identify and reframe patterns; a skill he calls pattern recognition. “I have the ability to recognize and reframe patterns…startup science is a result of this,” he explained. Gregory sees connections others might overlook, enabling him to create solutions that integrate fragmented systems into cohesive ecosystems. He describes it as understanding how seemingly separate components interact, much like a solar system where the founder is the sun and other elements orbit around them.Gregory's superpower was pivotal in building and selling Affiliate Traction to eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions. He noticed that affiliate marketing—now a cornerstone of influencer marketing—was fragmented, with disconnected tools and processes. Gregory envisioned a unified system and developed software that brought these elements together. By connecting the dots, he transformed the industry and created a successful company, later replicating this approach with other ventures.Tips for Developing Pattern Recognition:Identify the structure of a system or process by analyzing its components and relationships.Observe how elements interact within a system and look for inefficiencies or gaps.Reimagine connected systems as an ecosystem where all parts work collaboratively.Practice applying this framework in various contexts, from business to social environments.By following Gregory's example and advice, you can make pattern recognition a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Register Now!Guest ProfileGregory Shepard (he/him):Founder and CEO, Startup ScienceAbout Startup Science: Startup Science is the unified platform for the startup ecosystem, built to support founders and the organizations that help them succeed.We serve entrepreneurs, accelerators, universities, government programs, mentors, investors, and service providers in one connected system, so everyone operates with shared structure, shared data, and clearer outcomes.Entrepreneur Support Organizations work with Startup Science to provide modern program management infrastructure to run their cohorts, deliver consistent curriculum, track founder progress, and report measurable impact, without reinventing the process every cycle.Founders gain access to trusted education, tools, and ecosystem support in one place as they work with their advisors, software and service providers, and other key stakeholders to build their companies.Our mission is to bring clarity, coordination, and effectiveness to entrepreneurship at scale. Website: startupscience.ioCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/bossstartupscienceInstagram Handle: @startupscience.io Other URL: wefunder.com/startupscienceBiographical Information: Gregory Shepard is a visionary entrepreneur and business leader who has built and sold twelve companies across BioTech, TransitTech, AdTech, and MarTech. In 2016, he sold two of his businesses in a landmark $925 million cross-brand deal, earning four private equity awards.In 2024, he published The Startup Lifecycle with Penguin Random House, receiving acclaim from global leaders and institutions. He has contributed over 100 articles to major publications, hosted Startup Science on Forbes Radio, and co-founded the Fulbright Entrepreneurship Initiative.A sought-after speaker, Shepard has delivered keynotes at TEDx, Ivy League universities, and top conferences worldwide. His personal journey—from overcoming dyslexia, neurodivergence, and poverty to becoming a serial entrepreneur—adds depth to his inspiring message.Committed to “altruistic capitalism,” he integrates social and environmental responsibility into business. His journey proves that with passion, resilience, and a willingness to challenge convention, extraordinary success is within reach.LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/gregshepardInstagram Handle: @gregshepard_ Personal Twitter Handle: @GregShepard_The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, is proud to have been named a finalist in the media category of the impact-focused, global Bold Awards.Support Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include rHealth, and SuperCrowd26 featuring PurposeBuilt100™️. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on March 17th at 1:30 PM ET/10:30 AM PT. Mark your calendar. We'll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today!Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

What would change if, instead of prioritizing romantic relationships, we made friendships the center of our lives? NPR's Rhaina Cohen joins Reimagining Love to explore the possibilities embedded within that question. In her new book, Rhaina invites us into the worlds of people who've organized their lives around deep friendship and, in doing so, challenge our ideas and assumptions about which relationships should be at the heart of a fulfilling life. Resources worth mentioning from the episode:The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center by Rhaina CohenListen to "Dear Friend," the song inspired by Rhaina's bookConnect with Rhaina online"Parent–adult child estrangement in the United States by gender, race/ethnicity, and sexuality" from the Journal of Marriage and FamilyContinue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resourcesOrder Dr. Alexandra's book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra's Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

THE CAREER IDENTIFICATION COMPASS: How To Be Certain Your 15 To 25 Year Old is On The Right Path to Launch With Confidence–Not Confusion. In This Free Session You'll Discover: The two common mistakes even supportive parents make that quietly stall momentum and increase dependence. How to know with confidence if their next step — college major, career path, or other training — actually fits who they are. What you can do now to help support your young person avoid floundering or falling behind. To access this free training, click the link click here: https://courses.flourishcoachingco.com/a/2148233090/PLHdxFCx ---------- Appealing Financial Aid: AFREE Expert-led Financial Aid Webinar Tuesday, 2/17/26 @ 8pm ET: Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4117679100106/WN_eLa7PW5YR9yhNmQjcD9lKw ---------- Featured Scholarships: $1000 Clark & Howell "Headlights for Hope" Scholarship $2000 Price Benowitz "social Justice" Scholarship $1000 Act of Kindness Scholarship $37,000 Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest $1000 Law Office of David E. Gordon and Elissa M. Coombs "Nuclear Family" Scholarship $2000 Smarter College Better Financial Future Scholarship $1000 Appily Easy Money Scholarship Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/ ---------- Josh See is a former educator of 13 years—teacher, advisor, and principal—turned founder of College In High School. He's helped 3,000+ people as well as high schools rethink the college journey, starting early to save time and tens of thousands in future college costs, utilizing readily available opportunities that are free or discounted. Driven to reimagine what college can be, Josh challenges the outdated view of starting college after high school at great expense.. In our conversation, Josh and I discussed: How “reverse engineering” college allows students to save time and money The four methods for students to earn college credit while in high school, including: One method that can often be done for free! The role of Advanced Placement courses and tests Taking college classes on a college campus or on your high school campus An online option with a well-known state flagship university The pros and cons of each of these four methods And much more… To connect with Josh, visit is website: https://stan.store/joshsee You can also connect with Josh on his socials: Instagram: @collegeinhighschool Facebook: @collegeinhighschool TikTok: @collegeinhighschool1 YouTube: @collegeinhighschool1

In this episode, Jo tackles the exhaustion so many midlife women feel. That constant 3 pm slump and the endless reach for caffeine. She shares five practical, guilt-free ways to boost your energy that don't involve another coffee or pushing through. If you're tired of feeling tired, this conversation offers small, supportive shifts that actually work.In this episode, we explore:Why tuning into your body's signals matters more than powering throughExercise snacking: tiny bursts of movement that wake up your energyHow to fuel yourself for steady energy instead of spikes and crashesWays to lighten your mental load and actually ask for helpHow to rest without guilt (and why it's essential, not lazy)You don't need a complete overhaul or perfection. This episode will help you pick one small shift that feels right for you—and notice what changes.Connect with Jo Book a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

On this episode of The CJ Moneyway Show — powered by CJ Moneyway Entertainment and Bleav Network — CJ sits down with Dr. Rachel Laryea, a powerhouse at the intersection of finance, culture, and social impact. She's a Yale-trained double-PhD, former Goldman Sachs analyst, current JPMorgan researcher, and the founder of Kelewele, a cultural lifestyle brand that honors West African heritage and values. She's also the author of the forthcoming book Black Capitalists: A Blueprint for What Is Possible, where she challenges outdated economic narratives and invites a new model of intergenerational wealth for Black communities. In this thought-provoking conversation, we dive into: Why reimagining capitalism matters in 2026 and beyond The tension between thriving in systems vs. transforming them Lessons from Wall Street and anthropology for entrepreneurs of color How to build wealth while staying rooted in cultural values What it means to reshape ownership for the next generation This is more than a conversation — it's a framework for how to align legacy, leadership, and liberation. Guest Resources Book – Black Capitalists: A Blueprint for What Is Possible Penguin Random House Buy on Amazon Official Website rachellaryea.com LinkedIn Dr. Rachel Laryea on LinkedIn Listen + Subscribe Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Rate + Review the Show Powered by: CJ Moneyway Entertainment GI: The States Capital Planting Seeds with CJ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Mark Twain's words remind us that the past is a guidebook, not a relic. In today's episode, “The Human Work of Progress: Reflections on Dr. King's Legacy,” Jacquette explores how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s radical reimagination of America was far more than hope; it was strategy, courage, and a refusal to accept the default.Reimagination is often the first act of change. It asks us to question norms, challenge the status quo, and examine what we truly value. Jacquette reflects on the endurance and experimentation that fueled the Civil Rights Movement, and how Dr. King understood that progress was never linear and never achieved through a single act.She invites listeners to take a lesson from his legacy: the How and the When matter just as much as the What. When you honor all three, you move with intention, resilience, and clarity—especially in the moments that test you most.Tune in and let Dr. King's examples strengthen your own path forward.Want More? Check Out:www.jacquettetimmons.comwww.jacquettetimmons.com/digital-productswww.instagram.com/jacquettemtimmonsBuyMeACoffee.com/JacquetteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we've got the S1 Chapter 1 Reimagine and Listen-Along dropping, we've got up to Chapter 10 in final edits, and I'm learning a lot about trying to hold true to a goal in the face of insane chaos. All that and more in TABTA, but first, a message to our heroes! —--------------------- Want more 7th Valkyrie? Check out our Patreon to become a Hero of Edara, where you can shape the future of the series, decide on merch drops and incentives, get early access to new episodes, enjoy bonus features and content, and help us hit the major checkpoints on the Path of Heroes!  https://www.patreon.com/7thvalkyrie  

In this episode, Jo calls herself out on the harsh inner voice that had quietly crept in around her changing body. If you've ever caught yourself being more critical of your own body than you'd ever be to anyone else's, this honest conversation will feel familiar. It's not about forced body positivity, it's about noticing the cost of comparison and choosing a kinder path forward.In this episode, we explore:How negative self-talk about our bodies quietly becomes our normThe impossible standards we hold ourselves to (and who profits from them)Why we compare our current body to younger versions—and to other womenThe real cost of spending this chapter at war with ourselvesWhat choosing awareness and kindness over criticism can actually look likeThis conversation is a helpful starting point if you're ready to stop wasting precious time on negative thoughts about your body.To follow the post that inspired this episode, please visit https://www.instagram.com/p/DUWzttpkzjD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Connect with Jo Book a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

“Buy now! Sell now! Decide now!”We hear it everywhere, but "now" isn't always the answer. Sometimes the most powerful move you can make is to pause.In today's episode, “Here's an Important Reminder—Not Everything Needs to Be Decided Right Now,” Jacquette shares how her three guiding and grounding words for the year — reimagine, rebuild, experiment — are helping her resist what she calls “The January Effect,” that rush to make fast, definitive decisions. She reminds us that this perceived pressure doesn't disappear after January; in money, business, and life, it's constant. What matters is how you navigate it. One thoughtful decision at a time. One flexible step after another.If you've been feeling the push to decide everything immediately, this episode offers the permission — and the perspective — to slow down and choose with intention.For Clarity: Offer Portfolio Blueprint™ | Pricing Clarity for Entrepreneurs — Jacquette Timmonswww.jacquettetimmons.comwww.jacquettetimmons.com/digital-productswww.instagram.com/jacquettemtimmonsBuyMeACoffee.com/JacquetteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 5 of The Public Health Podcast opens with a powerful keynote from Dr. Joyee Washington, delivered at the 2026 Public Health Joy Summit.In Rest, Reimagine, Rebuild, Dr. Joyee invites the public health community into a deeply honest reflection on where we are, and where we must go next.This episode acknowledges the collective grief, exhaustion, and disillusionment many public health professionals are carrying. Rather than rushing past it, Dr. Joyee names it. Honors it. And reframes it as a necessary starting point for transformation.At the heart of this keynote is a radical but essential message: rest is not a reward, it is a strategic weapon. Dr. Joyee challenges listeners to move beyond survival mode and reclaim rest as a tool for sustainability, clarity, and power.From there, she calls on the community to reimagine public health through abundance, not scarcity, to dream bigger than burnout has allowed and to remember what drew us to this work in the first place. This vision is not meant to be carried alone. Dr. Joyee emphasizes the necessity of rebuilding together, through community, mutual support, and shared responsibility.This episode is both a grounding and a rallying cry. A moment to pause and a call to act.The promise of public health is not broken. It is not over. And it is not small.It is waiting to be rebuilt stronger, wiser, and more expansive than ever before.Key Points From This Episode:Reflect on what public health means to you. [1:55]Grief is a necessary part of the healing process. [3:15]The current state of public health is a war. [5:46]Rest is a strategic weapon, not a retreat. [12:45]Dreaming in abundance is essential for progress. [15:00]Community building is crucial for rebuilding efforts. [19:00]Sacrifice is often required in the fight for justice. [21:40]Each generation has its own assignment to fulfill. [23:00]We are in a war, and we will win. [25:45]If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review! For more transcripts, show notes, and more, visit: Click Here

What are the “rugs” that your association keeps tripping over but no one talks about? What if there was a common, accessible language to help your staff and board name and move those obstacles? How can an association help members lead with more heart in a fast-moving, AI-driven world?In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Sherry Budziak, Founder and CEO, and Kevin Ordonez, President and Managing Director of OrgSource. Sherry and Kevin discuss:Why they wrote their new book, RUG: How to Move What You're Tripping Over and Lead with Heart, and how the real-life story of a literal rug in a boardroom inspired it.The H.E.A.R.T. Framework: Humanize, Empower, Ascend, Reimagine, and Transform.How the book offers a practical toolkit with discussion questions and “micro-moves” to help teams identify and address cultural and operational obstacles.Why the rug metaphor is so powerful, creating safe, non-threatening language to name problems.How using “the rug” as a metaphor has allowed teams to have more honest conversations and make real progress.Examples of typical “rugs” in associations: over-reliance on outdated processes, fear of making decisions, board bottlenecks, and member experiences designed for internal convenience.How leaders often misattribute cultural or operational issues to technology alone.The need for associations to reframe how they see AI not just as a tech initiative but as a strategic shift in how work gets done.Why leadership involvement is key to moving the “AI rug” and reimagining what's possible.OrgSource's new Mastermind and AI Accelerator groups that help leaders and teams take action on these ideas.References:.orgSource WebsiteGet the book: Rug: How to Move What You're Tripping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T.

Glen connects with Randy Salser to discuss his initial takeaways as NACUSO's new CEO, and why this April's Reimagine conference is a must-attend for credit unions as well as CUSOs. Also- Playing 3-D Chess with Trump Accounts, and a deep-pocketed twist on a de novo CU.   Links related to this episode: NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/  NACUSO's Reimagine conference, April 27-30 at the Disney Yacht & Beach Club in Lake Buena Vista, FL: https://reimagine.nacuso.org/ Visa's initiative to enable cash back card rewards to be transferred directly to newborn Trump accounts: https://www.thestreet.com/economy/visas-new-trump-cash-back-move-shakes-up-credit-card-rewards  The CU Daily's coverage of Aven's role in launching Haven Federal Credit Union: https://thecudaily.com/fintech-explains-why-its-donated-millions-to-get-new-cu-off-the-ground/    Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/  to learn more and register. Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This month's session will feature remarks from Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint (formerly Digital Storefront). The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required:  https://www.cutownhall.com/     Follow us on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Mario Bros. is the biggest franchise of all time. Bigger than Star Wars, Marvel… bigger than Harry Potter. Nintendo is an empire. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… Well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [Travis Crawford Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. Dave Young here with you, and Stephen Semple’s alongside, with another empire-building story for us that- Stephen Semple: An exciting story. Dave Young: It’ll take you back to childhood, but it doesn’t take me back to childhood because I’m too goddamned old. Stephen Semple: Well, it depends how you look at this, this might be- Dave Young: No, I suppose. I suppose the company [inaudible 00:01:55]. Stephen Semple: It might be older than your childhood, but depends what we decide to talk about. Dave Young: Yeah, it’s just like when the big games came out, the… So we’re talking about Nintendo today. Stephen Semple: Correct. Correct. Dave Young: And I had Atari and things like that. And my kids all had the Nintendo. I actually have a Nintendo Switch, but I didn’t get that until I was… Stephen Semple: It also originally started as an arcade game, if we go back, because we are going to go back far enough. Dave Young: Well, that’s true. That’s true. Stephen Semple: Yes, yes. But if we actually went back to the company, Nintendo, we would be going back to 1889. Dave Young: Okay. So not so much my childhood. There you go. Stephen Semple: 1889. Yeah. And we’re really not going to talk so much about the origin and Nintendo as a company, but really, the origin of the video game business, and more specifically Donkey Kong, and went on later to become the Mario Brothers franchise. That’s really what we’re going to talk about. Dave Young: Now, hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Now, I don’t know everything, but I’m pretty sure video wasn’t around in 1889. Stephen Semple: It was not. Dave Young: There was no video games. Stephen Semple: No, there was not. So that’s why we’re really going to be talking about more of the recent history of Nintendo. Dave Young: A real Donkey Kong, climbing ladders and throwing barrels. Stephen Semple: Okay. That’s it. That’s it. Dave Young: Or a monkey, a gorilla. Yeah. Stephen Semple: And here’s the thing, the Mario Brothers franchise is huge. It’s one of the biggest franchises in history. There’s been 800 million video games sold worldwide, making it the bestselling video game of all time. It’s bigger than Pokemon in game sales alone. The estimated lifetime sales across all revenues for the Mario Brothers franchise is $60 billion. Bigger than Star Wars, bigger than Harry Potter, bigger than Marvel. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: The movies alone sold over a billion dollars. There’s theme park now. It’s huge. It’s absolutely massive. And the Nintendo company is very old. It was founded back in Kyoto, Japan in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi. That’s it, Yamauchi. Dave Young: Oh. Stephen Semple: Boy, I’m going to struggle with these names. Dave Young: What were they doing back then? What was the company doing? Stephen Semple: The first product they did was a playing card called Hanafuda, and it was very, very successful. So they actually started- Dave Young: As a gaming company. Stephen Semple: … in game business doing playing cards. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Now, during the 1950s, during Japan’s economic recovery, because if you remember, the economy was decimated in World War II, and through the Marshall Plan and whatnot, there was this rebuild going on. And during that time, they had a new leader, Hiroshi Yamauchi, who decided to explore all sorts of new businesses. He was doing all sorts of stuff. They had taxis, they had love hotels. Yes, you heard it right, love hotels. Dave Young: Love hotels. Stephen Semple: Instant rice, and of course, toys. And most of the things they did failed, except toys held a promise, so they continued to lean into toys. So it’s April 1978, so this is basically really where our story starts, and Taito, a competitor, releases a game called Space Invaders. Dave Young: Oh, right. I remember Space Invaders. Sure. Stephen Semple: Remember Space Invaders? And of course, this is back in the day of arcades, and you’re putting money into the games. This is so big in Japan, there’s 100 yen shortage. It would be like being in the U.S., and we run out of quarters. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: It’s so big. So Nintendo, because it’s having some success in the game space, decides to make a knockoff of Space Invaders. So it’s October 1980, they create this knockoff called Radar Scope, and they decide also to ship it to the U.S., because they’ve started up a U.S. division. And it takes four months for the game to travel from Japan to the United States, and once it arrives, the trend has changed, it’s no longer Space Invaders, it’s now Pac-Man is the big game. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So they’re left with these 2,000 unsold cabinets sitting in the United States. Enter Shigeru Miyamoto, who’s a graphic designer with Nintendo, and he has an idea, and he says to them, “Look, let’s reuse the cabinets, and let’s just create a new game. Let’s do that.” And it’s like, “What the heck? Let’s give this a try.” So Shigeru grew up in rural Japan, and this deeply influenced how he looked at games, because he grew up in a place where there was no television, none of these things, and he would go and he would play in like a cave that was nearby, and he would create all of these stories and characters. And this is the ’80s where the games do not have characters or a story. Dave Young: Okay. Yeah. Stephen Semple: They didn’t have that. Dave Young: Space Invader, you’re just knocking down… Stephen Semple: Right. Pac-Man, the same thing, there was no story. Pong, all that stuff, no stories. He takes a look around and he realizes that Nintendo has the rights to use Popeye, so Shigeru makes a suggestion to create a game using Popeye, where they already have the rights, and he moves ahead and does that. And so he also decides to make a game where characters move up rather than scrolling left to right, and there’d be different levels, which was also a relatively new idea. And he created this whole thing where they could jump, and using just a joystick in the buttons that already existed. So they started to create this game, but they hit a snag. Just before the release, they discovered Nintendo only had the rights to use Popeye for playing cards. Dave Young: For playing cards. Darn it. Stephen Semple: Now, turns out this was a gift from heaven, and the best thing that could ever happen in Nintendo. Dave Young: So it would’ve been Bluto up at the top, and Popeye trying to get up there, climbing the ladders and- Stephen Semple: And saving- Dave Young: So sort of a nautical theme? Stephen Semple: And saving olive oil. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Because remember, he would always capture olive oil. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And Popeye was this love triangle, right? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So what does Shigeru do? Replaces- Dave Young: Bluto becomes- Stephen Semple: … with- Dave Young: … the gorilla. Stephen Semple: Right. Popeye becomes Mario. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And olive oil is Princess Peach. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: It’s the same story. Dave Young: Yeah. Beautiful. Stephen Semple: It’s exactly the same story. And if you think about it, even the whole idea of this gorilla capturing the princess kind of sounds like King Kong, doesn’t it? Dave Young: A little bit. Sure. Stephen Semple: A little bit. And of course, they can’t use the name King Kong, so it’s Donkey Kong. And the reason why Donkey Kong is, he went looking through English dictionaries, and there’s all this stubbornness, and all this other things that go along with it. So we went, “You know what? This monkey, this Kong is kind of stubborn.” So Donkey Kong is the name of the game. Dave Young: Did they run into any issues with the King Kong folks? Stephen Semple: Nope. Dave Young: No? Stephen Semple: No, because you think about it, it’s a completely different name, Donkey Kong, right? Dave Young: Yeah, but it’s still a big gorilla with the word Kong in it. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Nope, no. It was different enough. Dave Young: [inaudible 00:09:14] just because it’s stubborn, and it sort of went with the word Kong? Stephen Semple: Yep. So it was different enough. It was all great. And the original character was not Mario. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] Let’s pick up our story where we left off, and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: And the original character was not Mario. The original character was Jumpman. Jumpman. Dave Young: I kind of remember that. Stephen Semple: Jumpman. And the game allowed them to reuse the cabinets, and just do it. And think about it, the objective of this, because he was also just a very junior graphic designer, and the objective on this was, “Hey, if we can sell these 2,000 unsold cabinets sitting in the U.S., that’ll take the financial strain off of our U.S. operations, and it will be great, it will keep them afloat.” And here’s what happened, they sold in 1981 alone 60,000 cabinets. Dave Young: I tell you, I poured a lot of money into one of those cabinets when I was in college. Stephen Semple: So Shigeru goes from this low-level designer to the creator of one of the best performing games up to that point. And one of the things that also ends up happening, he starts making modifications to the game. And one of the modifications is, he’s walking one day, and he sees these pipes, and he realizes character should be a plumber, and the landlord for one of the Nintendo properties’ name was Mario. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So that’s where the whole idea of Mario came from, and eventually evolved to being brothers, Mario and Luigi. And of course, there was continuing success, and other formats and differing games. And Mario Brothers grew beyond Donkey Kong, it went from Donkey Kong to really the franchise being the Mario Brothers, with all sorts of new characters being added, and all sorts of new themes, like there’s go-kart racing and all sorts of different things. But the birth of the idea happened when they had this problem of, “We’ve got to have these cabinets…” And Shigeru saying- Dave Young: “And we either have to make a whole bunch of Popeye playing cards, or we have to find something to put in these cabinets.” Stephen Semple: “We have to find something to put in these cabinets.” And Shigeru saying, “It needs to be a story.” Dave Young: Yeah. No, that’s brilliant. And I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out to our listeners here in the U.S. that Steve is Canadian, and he pronounces it Mario, and everybody I’ve ever met says Mario. Stephen Semple: Mario. Dave Young: Mario. It’s Mario Brothers. Stephen Semple: Mario. Dave Young: It’s sort of like you say Mazda, we say Mazda. Stephen Semple: Right. Yes. Yes. Dave Young: So- Stephen Semple: Yeah, that’s true. Dave Young: Here’s a weird tangential thought. Do you have a minute for one of my weird tangential thoughts? Stephen Semple: Isn’t that why we’re here? Just for your weird tangential… Isn’t what we tune in for? Dave Young: That’s the way I look at it. I wonder if the guy that shot the UnitedHealthcare… Luigi, I wonder if there was a little bump in Nintendo stock. Stephen Semple: Oh, I wonder. Dave Young: And I wonder too, what was the discussion inside Nintendo about that? At first it was probably, “Oh my God, a guy named Luigi just shot someone.” And that was probably, “Oh my God, a guy named Luigi just shot someone that… Okay.” It’s not cut and dry. Stephen Semple: Well, it isn’t, because sometimes these negative events actually have positive impacts on sales. The one that I always remember that always comes to mind, I always find bizarre, is the white two-door Ford Bronco was due to be discontinued until O.J. Simpson went and did a joyride on LA freeways, and it actually extended the sales of that vehicle several years. And to this day, the white two-door Ford Bronco is a premium price from that year. Dave Young: Yeah- Stephen Semple: It’s nuts. Sometimes these crazy things happen. Dave Young: I don’t know if it was a joyride, but yeah. But we remember it, for sure. Stephen Semple: But we remember it. But- Dave Young: And those things have these impacts that you couldn’t buy that. There’s nothing Ford Motor Company could do that would’ve done that, that would’ve saved the Bronco. Stephen Semple: So here’s the interesting thing, coming back to Nintendo, that I find… So one of the influences it had was it was the first game that came along and basically said, “We should have a story.” And if we take a look at video games today, they’re all very heavy story based. And in fact, the stories are unbelievably rich, like Zelda, and all these other ones are these very complex universes that have been created. And he was kind of the first to come along, and his influence from that came from the fact that he didn’t grow up with these things. Dave Young: Yeah, he grew up with stories. Stephen Semple: So again, it’s this whole outside… We had this graphic designer that didn’t grow up with these things saying to a game, “Here’s what it should do. It should have this story, and there should be this imagination.” And all these things. And when you think about it, there was a couple of accidents, a couple of lucky happenstances that led to the birth of this. First of all, the console. Because if you think about it, if it was the creating of a brand new game, you wouldn’t take some junior graphic artist and put on it. The objective was, “All we need to do is move these 2,000 consoles.” So it was like, “Okay, so we’ll give it to the junior guy to do.” And then it blows out of the water. The other lucky happenstance is, think about how Nintendo’s fortunes would be completely different if they actually had the rights to use Popeye. Dave Young: Yeah, it would have been, like, Mario Brothers, that whole universe would never have come about, and- Stephen Semple: Well, the whole universe would be Popeye Universe, even if it worked. Dave Young: And I can’t see that happening. Stephen Semple: Right. But even if it worked, it would not have been theirs, it would have been- Dave Young: Oh, true. Stephen Semple: The people who would have made all the money were the owners of the Popeye license, would have been a licensee. Dave Young: Yeah, that’s true. Stephen Semple: So they had a couple of really lucky, fortunate things that happened that totally changed the trajectory of Nintendo. But here’s the other interesting lesson, and look, we talk about this all the time in storytelling, is there’s a couple of things you can do in storytelling. One is, you can take an existing story and just change the characters. We just took Popeye, changed as Donkey Kong. And what you know is, we knew that story worked, so it’ll work over here with different characters. Or what you can do is, you can take existing characters, and you can change the setting. In magical worlds, you’re always talking about how Sherlock Holmes, and- Dave Young: House M.D. Stephen Semple: … House M.D. is the same story. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: It’s just one is a detective during Elizabethan times, and the other one is an emergency room doctor in modern times. Same character, different setting, changes the story. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: So when you’re looking to use stories, find ones that work, and do that. Dave Young: Find the popular stories and just take the framework. And I’ll give you another example- Stephen Semple: Right. Either change the characters, make it same story with different characters, or take the characters and put them in a different setting. Dave Young: … there’s a book called the Bible that had this story about this Jesus fella. Stephen Semple: I think it’s rather a relatively popular book. Dave Young: And then in 1605, a guy named Miguel Cervantes wrote a book called Don Quixote, and he took a lot of the storylines and metaphors from this story in the Bible and created a book that became the second bestselling book of all time right after the Bible. Then a guy named John Steinbeck took a lot of the stories from Don Quixote, and renamed characters, and put them in different situations, but took the structures of the stories, and… So this works. Just do this. Stephen Semple: Oh, yeah. Dave Young: Just find a story you like- Stephen Semple: Absolutely. Dave Young: … and take the [inaudible 00:17:59]. Stephen Semple: Reimagine it. Reimagine it. Reimagine it. Either change it, keep the same story and change characters, or take the characters and put them in a new setting. Dave Young: I mean, the cool thing is, you can’t copyright a story arc, right? Stephen Semple: No, no. Dave Young: Something bad happens to someone and they overcome it. “Okay, no, that’s mine.” Stephen Semple: I’m still waiting for the overcome part. Dave Young: Yeah. Right? Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: That’s still the part of the story. Oh, I love it. Stephen Semple: I just found these things that came together for the creating of the Mario Brothers to be really interesting. And it’s also interesting when you consider who was expected to be the star of the show was the donkey, and it ended up becoming the Mario Brothers. Dave Young: Yeah. Great story. And I see it. Thank you for switching to English. American English. I’m sorry. Stephen Semple: American. Dave Young: [inaudible 00:18:54]. Stephen Semple: All right. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Where can we go play some Donkey Kong next time? Stephen Semple: Well- Dave Young: Anybody got an old Donkey Kong console? Stephen Semple: Yeah. You know what? My kids have got some old play stuff, I’ll bring it down. Dave Young: No, I want the console. I want the big- Stephen Semple: Oh, you want that… Well, I think we may have to look hard for that. Dave Young: Yeah, that’s good. Well, keep your eyes out. Stephen Semple: I will. Dave Young: Thanks for the story of Nintendo, Stephen. Stephen Semple: All right. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute empire-building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

In this episode, Jessica Westerduin and Carla Cummins speak with Sarah Dirsa, principal at KG&D Architects, about radically student-centered design in educational spaces. Sarah shares her unique journey from English teacher to architect, explaining how her teaching experience in Florence and St. Louis shaped her approach to creating flexible, individualized learning environments. She discusses innovative projects featuring collaborative zones, adaptable classrooms, and spaces that foster student agency and ownership. The conversation emphasizes the importance of listening to stakeholders, meeting learners where they are, and designing schools that evolve beyond traditional classroom models to prepare students for future careers and technologies. Takeaways: Listen first: Understand pedagogical goals and community needs before designing Meet learners where they are: Accommodate diverse learning styles with flexible spaces Challenge assumptions: Reimagine schools beyond traditional classroom models Design for choice: Create varied zones for individual, small group, and collaborative learning Think ahead: Build adaptable spaces for evolving technology and teaching methods Learn More About Kay-Twelve: Website: https://kay-twelve.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kay-twelve-com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kay_twelve/ Episode 302 of the Better Learning Podcast Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com. For more information on our partners: Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/ EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/ Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/ Want to be a Guest Speaker? Request on our website

Novo Nordisk's new drug CagriSema has outperformed Ozempic in a recent Phase III trial for type 2 diabetes patients, according to Clinical Trials Arena. In the REIMAGINE 2 study, CagriSema reduced HbA1c levels by 1.91 percentage points and achieved 14.2 percent weight loss after 68 weeks, compared to 1.76 percentage points and 10.2 percent with Ozempic. No weight loss plateau occurred with CagriSema, and 43 percent of patients lost at least 15 percent of their body weight. Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk's executive vice president and chief scientific officer, stated that combining semaglutide and cagrilintide delivers superior blood glucose control and weight reduction.Researchers are urging a more holistic approach to weight loss amid the Ozempic era, as reported by Medical Xpress on February 3. Experts like Martin Binks and Raedeh Basiri from George Mason University note that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic cause rapid weight loss but can lead to nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and struggles without proper nutrition, exercise, and psychological support. Many patients receive only prescriptions without multidisciplinary care, and access remains limited by cost and insurance gaps. Binks predicts broader availability with upcoming pill forms.A study highlighted by Science Daily on January 29 warns of rapid weight regain after stopping drugs like Ozempic, with people regaining about 0.4 kilograms per month, often faster than with diet and exercise alone. Heart health and diabetes risk improvements also reverse quickly, emphasizing the need for long-term strategies beyond medication.Oprah Winfrey has shared her experiences with GLP-1 medications, similar to Ozempic, in recent interviews covered by AOL and other outlets. At 71, she regrets not using them sooner, saying they silenced the food noise in her head and helped her view obesity as a disease, not a personal failure. She gained 20 pounds after stopping briefly but now sees these drugs as a lifelong tool, like blood pressure medication, and encourages others without shame.These developments show evolving options and cautions in weight loss treatments. Listeners, thanks for tuning in, please subscribe, and remember, this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please go to Quiet Please dot Ai. Come back next week for more.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann, Josh Cooper from Knutson Construction and Sal Bagley from Wold Architects & Engineers discuss the latest updates for the reimagine Northfield High School project. 

In this deeply reflective episode, I share the story of my wonderful 30-year marriage. The highs, the hard seasons, and what's kept our love growing stronger. If you've ever wondered whether long-term love can deepen rather than fade, this honest reflection will give you hope and perspective.In this episode, we explore:Why love in midlife feels different (and why that's beautiful)How friendship becomes the foundation that carries you through hard timesChoosing to grow together rather than apart when life gets heavyThe power of shared experiences and making joy a priorityWhy strong relationships require intention, not perfectionThis conversation is a helpful starting point if you're navigating your own relationship shifts in this season of midlife, too.Connect with Jo Book a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

If you're a worship leader, you plan services. It comes with the territory. It's part of the job. Most of the time, that comes down to picking songs. But what are we missing in our churches when service planning, programming, and worship leading is reduced to merely picking songs? W. David O. Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary as well as the director of various initiatives in worship, theology and the arts. He teaches courses in systematic theology, art and worship, art and theology, art and beauty, spiritual formation through the psalms, and theology and science fiction. He is the author of the books Glimpses of The New Creation, Prayers for the Pilgrimage, A Body of Praise, Open & Unafraid, as well as the upcoming book To Set the World Aflame: How Artists Bear Witness to the Fullness of God's Creation. David is a deep well of wisdom when it comes to worship and the arts. What I love about this conversation is he helps us see more expansive view of what worship is and can be in the church. We discuss why artists are necessary and how they help us see more of God. The value of silence in our gatherings. The kinds of songs we need to be singing today. Why the predominant worship model today isn't wrong, but inadequate. You can reach me anytime at david@beyondsundayworship.com. Thank you for listening. Topics Covered: The difference between formation and experience in worship Why our current model of worship experiences isn’t wrong, but inadequate The value of silence in our gatherings Why we need artists in the church Creative ways to introduce silence, reflection, and community in our worship spaces The kinds of songs the church needs to be singing today Resources Mentioned: Show Sponsor: Planning Center Glimpses of the New Creation by W. David O. Taylor Show Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Planning Center, an all-in-one church management software made to help churches help people. You can organize your ministries and keep everyone on your team communicating and aligned around what's going on. As a worship leader, good communication is key to building a strong worship team. You can cultivate relationships while ensuring everyone has what they need to successfully prep for your services. But why not take it up a notch using the chat feature? Built right into the Services mobile app—which, by the way, you should totally download if you haven't already—chat helps you coordinate all the service details with your team. Plus, you can have fun while doing it! No more juggling emails, group texts, and multiple apps to ensure your whole team is aligned. Chat will simplify your communication in one convenient place through the Services mobile app. And everyone can ask questions, request prayer, or join the banter in real-time with one another. The really cool part about chatting with your teams? Team members are dynamically added or removed from conversations as availability changes! So if your original bass player suddenly declines (why is it so hard to find a bass player, anyway?), your newly scheduled bass player is automatically added to the chat conversation. All of your chat conversations stay in sync. No more outdated group threads or irrelevant messages! So what are you waiting for? Download the Services app and start chatting! The post #382: Uncommon & Creative Ways to Reimagine Your Worship Services with W. David O. Taylor appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

January often arrives with pressure- the push to go bigger, better, faster. But what if that instinct is steering you in the wrong direction?In today's episode, “Here's a Different Take on How to View January — It's Not About Optimization,” host Jacquette invites you to rethink the start of the year entirely. Instead of rushing to optimize, she explores why slowing down, reimagining, and choosing with intention can set you up for a more grounded and sustainable year. Because when you lead with an optimization mindset, it's easy to slip into overcommitment before you even realize it.This conversation is a reminder that perfection isn't the path to your goals — financial or otherwise. Experimentation and openness are. When you allow for multiple outcomes, you stop defining success as a single, rigid result. So, give yourself permission to experiment. To trade certainty for honesty, and answers for awareness. Neither approach is “better,” but this episode offers you the freedom to explore what truly works for you.For Clarity: Offer Portfolio Blueprint™ | Pricing Clarity for Entrepreneurs — Jacquette Timmonswww.jacquettetimmons.comwww.jacquettetimmons.com/digital-productswww.instagram.com/jacquettemtimmonsBuyMeACoffee.com/JacquetteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Jo explores what it really means to live with intention in midlife, and why simply wanting change isn't enough. If you've been feeling like something's off or you're ready for your next chapter to feel different, this conversation offers practical ways to move from autopilot to intentional design. You'll discover why this stage of life is your greatest opportunity yet.In this episode, we explore:Why most of us live on autopilot—and how to interrupt that patternThe difference between wishing for change and actually creating itSimple daily tools to design your life more intentionallyHow to check which areas of your life need more attentionWhy energy is information—and how to start listening to itIf you're ready to stop repeating the same year over and over, this episode will give you gentle, actionable ideas to begin shaping your next chapter with more clarity and intention.Your Free Resource 2025 Reflection Guide: joclarkcoaching.com/reflect Connect with Jo Book a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

  Dr Sue Carter Collins | Author, keynote speaker, and transformational coach. Dedicated to helping high-achieving women and conscious leaders rewire their minds, overcome imposter syndrome, and lead with grounded confidence and purpose.Core Focus: Mind Mastery • Whole-Being Leadership • Organizational Transformation • Self-Empowerment & Spiritual Growth Her forthcoming book, From Mastering Your Mind to Mastering Your Life, and her signature keynote, The Mind Mastery Solution™, integrate neuroscience, practical psychology, and metaphysics to teach individuals and organizations how to identify limiting beliefs, reprogram thought patterns, and align daily actions with their highest potential.As the creator of the Self-Empowerment Breakthrough (SEB) Process™, Dr. Sue guides clients through a powerful five-phase framework—Reflect, Reimagine, Release, Reprogram, and Recreate—to create lasting personal and professional transformation. Originally designed for personal mastery, this process now drives leadership and culture development, helping organizations rewire imposter culture and embody Whole-Being Leadership.Dr. Sue brings a rigorous professional background as an attorney (Florida Bar) and as Emeritus Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University, where she taught leadership, organizational management, and change to leaders in high-performance fields. Her work as a police legal trainer and consultant to law enforcement organizations further shaped her evidence-based approach, emphasizing integrity, decision-making, and accountability.In addition to her professional and academic accomplishments, Dr. Sue is an Ordained Metaphysical Minister, Reiki Master Teacher, energy healer, and certified mindfulness meditation instructor. Her unique integration of science, strategy, and spirit empowers clients and audiences to achieve sustainable transformation in every dimension of their lives. 

Send us a textIn this Aviatrix Writers' Room conversation, former NASA public affairs specialist and author of four nonfiction picture books, Kirsten W. Larson talks about writing true stories for young readers. We dig into how she learned the craft, the communities and organizations that helped her grow, and the realities of traditional publishing timelines (especially for illustrated nonfiction).Kirsten shares a clear-eyed look at writing “school and library” work-for-hire books, what those contracts mean for rights and creative control, and why she ultimately shifted her focus toward her own trade projects. We also talk about nonfiction kidlit craft—how research becomes story, why emotional connection matters, and the revision mindset behind her Reimagine Your Writing craft books Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book: A Step-by-Step Revision Guide and her latest launching February 1st -  Telling it True: How to Write Non-Fiction Kids (and Teens) Want to Read (Reimagine Your Writing). What we cover• How Kirsten developed her craft (study, critique, repetition, feedback)• Communities that helped: critique groups, SCBWI, NFFest, webinars, classes• What “kidlit nonfiction” really asks of the writer: story first, facts supported in back matter• The publishing timeline reality for illustrated books (and why it takes years)• Work-for-hire school/library books: what the contracts typically mean (flat fee + publisher holds rights)• How to break in: magazine clips, portfolios, pitching educational publishers• Why she wrote Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book (and what it's designed to solve)• What she's building next: a broader nonfiction craft “prequel” + a middle grade graphic novel project• Encouragement for new writers: read what's being published now, learn the medium, write, revise, repeatDid you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker

Episode Topic: Equity and ResilienceJoin YoungND for a compelling conversation about "Equity and Resilience," featuring three 2025 Domer Dozen honorees: Kaleigh Yost '15, who is leading research to improve infrastructure and community resilience to natural hazards, Linde Hoffman '20, who is working to safely and sustainably shrink the criminal justice system, and Anna Benedict '21, who is fighting mental health stigma through the power of storytelling. Reimagine justice and resilience through innovation.Featured Speakers:Anna Benedict '21, Our Stories ProjectLinde Hoffman '21, RecidivizDr. Kaleigh Yost '15, Pennsylvania State UniversityRead this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/f99b8a.This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Notre Dame Leaders. Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career. Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu. Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.

In this episode, Jo sits down with psychotherapist Niki Grennell to explore what happens when the connection in a long-term relationship starts to fade beneath the weight of responsibility and everyday life. If you've ever felt more like flatmates than partners, this conversation will help you understand why—and what you can do about it.In this episode, we explore:The difference between sex and intimacy—and why intimacy often disappears firstWhy personal growth can either strengthen or create friction in midlife relationshipsThe three layers of connection: with yourself, your partner as they are now, and your shared futureHow to know whether to stay and work on things—or when it's time to leaveSimple, compassionate ways to begin shifting a relationship from one sideIf this topic has been quietly weighing on you, this episode offers a grounded, compassionate place to start thinking it through.Connect with NikiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584104932896Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taoby_retreatsWeb: http://taoby.lifeEmail: retreats@taoby.lifeConnect with JoBook a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

In this powerful episode of Reclaim Your Life with Irina, author and traditional naturopath Allison McCune Davis challenges everything we've been taught about aging and vitality. Her journey from serious health struggles to writing the book “60 Is a Good Start” offers a hopeful, grounded perspective on life after 60, showing how health, purpose, and energy can expand—not decline—with age.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

In This Episode Just as mobile was once a separate vertical within banking, has digital transformation simply become part of everything we do? In this week’s episode of Breaking Banks, hosts Jason Henrichs, Brett King, and JP Nicols debate this and more as they discuss the current state of banking, the impact of fintech, and the evolution of digital banking. They cover the challenges posed by legacy systems, the rise of digital-only banks, and the role of AI and stablecoins in shaping the future of finance. The top 50 fastest growing FIs in the world are all digital direct players, pure players. Is AI going to be a vector in the growth of banks? Will AI change how banks are structured? Is it time to rewrite the rules? Think about things differently? Reimagine what the future of financial services looks like? Brett, JP and Jason look forward to another year of exploring the future of banking and financial services together. Reach out, send us your thoughts and any topics you’d like to see us address in a future episode of Breaking Banks.

Tired of living the same year on repeat? In this episode, I share a simple yet transformative practice that has shaped my last six years. Choosing one focus word to guide your entire year. It's free, takes minutes to implement, and turns intention into action.In this episode, we explore:Why our brains love familiarity (and how it keeps us stuck)The neuroscience behind why change feels so hardHow one word can interrupt autopilot livingMy focus words from 2020–2026 and what they taught herPractical ways to make your word stick (beyond just choosing it)If you're ready to stop sleepwalking through your days and start living with more intention, this episode provides a gentle yet powerful starting point.Your Free Resource 2025 Reflection Guide: joclarkcoaching.com/reflect Connect with Jo Book a 20-minute connection call: https://calendly.com/jo--138/20min?month=2025-07 Re Imagine mentoring: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/work-with-meResources and programmes: https://www.joclarkcoaching.com/resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joclarkcoaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joclarkcoaching/

Stephanie Cordes knows what it means to chase success—and then intentionally redefine it. After spending more than twenty years building a strong corporate career in healthcare leadership, she made a bold pivot and now helps others take ownership of their careers on their own terms. As a Career Ownership Coach with The Entrepreneur's Source, Stephanie creates a safe, no-pressure space for professionals to explore what they truly want next—whether that's flexibility, control, additional income, or a complete career reinvention.In this episode of “People in Transition”, host Bob Gerst and Stephanie dive into the real emotions and practical realities behind career decisions. They unpack why reassessing your goals is essential, how unmet needs can cloud your ability to identify what you actually want, and why money often represents much more than a paycheck. Stephanie introduces the idea of a personal “North Star”—a clear framework built around income, lifestyle, wealth, and equity—to guide smarter, calmer decision-making.This conversation is grounded, honest, and empowering. Transition doesn't have to be dramatic to be meaningful—and clarity is often the most powerful first step. If you're feeling stuck, restless, or quietly questioning what's next, this episode will help you slow down the noise and move forward with intention.For more information from Stephanie, visit her web site: https://scordes.esourcecoach.com/contact/Send us a text

Send us a textThis week we go back to the start of last year and a pretty unusual time!The Reimagine podcast is gearing up for a string of new episodes so stay tuned!

Dr. Julie Chung shares how T3 reimagined hair tools as beauty products, not appliances. Learn how to create a luxury category by changing placement, design, messaging, and retail strategy. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Send us a textAs we move into a new year, it's never too late to pause, reflect, and intentionally choose what comes next. In this episode of Feed Your Soul with Kim, I share the soulful New Year reflection practice I use every year to release what no longer serves me and invite in what I truly want. This gentle, grounded process helps you look back on the past year with compassion without shame or pressure and move forward with clarity, intention, and peace. You don't have to have everything figured out. This is a living reflection you can return to throughout the year by crossing things out, adding new intentions, and allowing yourself to evolve. If you're craving a slower, more intentional way to enter the new year — one rooted in self-trust, clarity, and inner peace — this episode is for you.  Join us on the Feed Your Soul with Kim Podcast as we explore: Learn the 9 key areas to focus on as you reflect on the past and reimagine the future.Embrace a way to keep you focused this next year. Be guided through meaningful questions to help you recognize what worked, what was challenging and the lessons you are ready to carry forward. Please note this podcast is not a substitute for mental health therapy or seeing your physician. Please see a qualified professional if you think you have mental health struggles. Grab the free New Year Guide mentioned in this episode to journal along and create your own soul-centered vision for the year ahead. https://go.feedyoursoulunlimited.com/newyearjournal2023  Get your Downloadable copy of How to Choose Your Right Therapist https://go.feedyoursoulunlimited.com/choosetherapist-completeguide  Connect with Kim Therapy: https://feedyoursoultherapy.com/ Coaching: https://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/ You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTuSnNrSDhLvbhxoTMXZgog  Kim McLaughlin, MA Kim McLaughlin is a psychotherapist. coach, speaker, and author. She helps people who feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and overloaded, and it shows up in feeling unsatisfied in your life. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology. Kim is a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, helping people to gain peace with food. We would love to get your feedback on this show and let us know what you would like to hear about in upcoming shows. Email us at info@FeedYourSoulUnlimited.com  Thank you for listening. Please be sure to leave a review for others to find us and share this podcast with a friend. Join us for more conversation at:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/feedyoursoulunlimited/@feedyoursoulunlimitedWebsite:http://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/We would love it if you would leave us a 5 star review on your favorite platform.Thanks for listening to the Feed Your Soul with Kim Podcast.

What happens when a VR agency stops leading with compliance—and starts leading with trust? In this episode of Manager Minute, Carol Pankow sits down with Lea Dias, Director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, to talk about rebuilding an agency from the inside out. Facing high vacancies, low morale, and years of monitoring pressure, Lea chose a different path—one grounded in listening, kindness, and belief in her people. The result? ✔ Renewed staff engagement ✔ Stronger community partnerships ✔ Improved employment outcomes ✔ A culture moving from survival to purpose This is a powerful reminder that real change doesn't start with spreadsheets—it starts with people.   Listen Here   Full Transcript   Lea: I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level, thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. People talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part rapid and ongoing engagement. If you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   {Music} Intro Voice: Manager Minute, brought to you by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center. Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host, Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today is Lea Dias, director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Lea recently participated in a panel at the fall CSAVR Conference, sharing Hawaii's journey to improving employment outcomes and what she calls their secret sauce. So how are things going in Hawaii?   Lea: Oh gosh, a lot better now that the shutdown is over. And we got a couple of our grants came through recently. And so that's all good. I think a lot of people think, oh, Hawaii, it's Paradise, right?   Carol: Yes.   Lea: But we have the same sort of issues I think, that many other agencies do. But things are getting better in Hawaii. I'll say that.   Carol: That is awesome to hear. It's so good to see you again. Oh my gosh.   Lea: you too.   Carol: So for years, Hawaii has faced real challenges, including declining employment outcomes, significant work tied to addressing findings from an RSA monitoring report. In fact, you all were monitored the same year I was when I was still with Minnesota Blind back in 2019. And so I remember having a bond with you guys.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Because we were all going through it together.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Now, I know when you stepped into the director role following the former director's retirement, you really brought this stabilizing, steady calmness that the agency really needed. And under your leadership, the team is rebuilding momentum, strengthening systems and really seeing some meaningful progress in the work being done across the islands. So today we're just going to explore that journey. What's changed, what's working and what other states can learn from your experience. So let's dig in.   Lea: Okay.   Carol: Can you start by sharing your journey with Hawaii VR and what led you into the director role?   Lea: Sure, Carol. Well, first of all, aloha, and thank you for having me. I have been with Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we're a combined agency, by the way, for over 30 years. And I started off about 34 years ago as an entry level VR counselor at the general site of our agency. And then in 2000, I moved over to become the supervisor of field services at our Ho'opono, which is our services for the blind branch. And Then I stayed there for a while. I then assumed the role of director of our New Visions Structured Discovery Orientation Center, and eventually I became the administrator of Blind Services, and I was honored to serve in that role until about July of 2023. So the majority of my career so far was spent at home. And I learned so much there, you know, working for a blind agency beyond what I got from my master's degree and all that. I learned so much about consumer empowerment. And, you know, the real dramatic changes that vocational rehabilitation can make in people's lives. So anyway, when the former Hawaii VR administrator left pretty abruptly, our agency was in a tough place. We had a vacancy rate of over 40%, I want to say close to 45% and rising low morale. We had that heavy corrective action plan you talked about from RSA and many staff were feeling really overwhelmed. So initially I stepped in as a temporary assignment just because I care so much about our agency. I love this profession. I care about the people we serve, and I wanted to do what I could to help stabilize and restore hope. And also, I had several staff approach me and ask me to do it, and that meant a lot to me. So I decided to apply after that. And I've been official in this job just a little over two and a half years, since July 2023.   Carol: That has gone really quickly.   Lea: Yes it has.   Carol: Well, and when you said bringing kind of that stabilizing calmness, everybody talks about that. You've been credited with doing that. How did you approach leading through that uncertainty and kind of rebuilding trust.   Lea: Oh gosh. Well, thank you for the compliment. But when I stepped in we were struggling across the board. And I know because I was part of that. Right. Coming from within the agency, we had declining successful employment outcomes way down. And a lot of the outcomes we had, they weren't really careers. In many cases, we had something like 77% of eligible participants leaving us before they even got to the point of IPE.   Carol: Wow!   Lea: Which is really atrocious. Super high vacancies. And because of those super high vacancies, we had counselors having to cover other counselors caseloads. So people were really burned out, overwhelmed. And because we had been working since 2019 to resolve that corrective action plan with RSA, and we had been so focused on that, staff were, I think, drowning in compliance tasks. And not that compliance isn't important because it is, of course, but there was a lot of blaming and overcorrecting in my opinion, and I think the human side of VR had been kind of pushed aside. When I was preparing for my speech for CSAVR, I kind of asked the line staff, I told them what I was going to be doing and asked them what they thought. And one counselor really summed up for me how it was by saying, just quote, we were all just Surviving.   Carol: Oh.   Lea: That's kind of pretty much where it was.   Carol: That's quite a statement.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: it really is. And I know I worked with your team too throughout that.   Lea: Mhm.   Carol: You know, when we were trying to work on getting corrective actions done and just kind of redoing policies over and over and fifth iteration, sixth iteration.   Lea: Right.   Carol: Oh my gosh. It was.   Lea: Right.   Carol: It was a lot. And you lose that sense of, you know, you lose the sense of the people and the reason you're all there. I can completely understand that being in the midst of that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I know at CSAVR the whole panel was talking about the secret sauce. What do you think has been the biggest impact so far for your agency?   Lea: Well, I focused on listening first and staff told me they felt hurt and they had felt mistrusted and they had felt disrespected. They talked about too many barriers to getting their work done. And, you know, I believed them because like I said, I know.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: So I developed a pretty tight group of folks on my leadership team up here who I knew I could trust really implicitly to help me, you know, listen to people struggle with and overcome these barriers for our staff and our consumers. And this tight group of people, they shared my vision for the agency and my philosophy of the purpose of this great program called vocational rehabilitation. So we opened up leadership meetings. I decided to bring in frontline supervisors rather than just the people in the quote unquote, ivory tower, and line staff at all levels into our conversations. I really emphasize transparency and consistency and kindness and respect for ourselves. I demanded it to each other and to our consumers, because I really had to rebuild safety and rebuild trust. In the beginning because of the way our agency had been. When I would open up the floor, you know, for people to talk, it was crickets. People just didn't want to speak up. All of that to say, I think there's really to me and I think I said this at CSAVR, I don't think there's really a secret sauce, to be honest. We've made many improvements, but we still have a long way to go, particularly with our data collection and data analysis and reporting are performance measures. Still need a lot of work and my staff and I are learning together. I guess you could say our secret sauce is trust plus autonomy, plus removing barriers and trying to find a way to yes for our consumers and for our staff.   There's lots of little examples, you know, based on feedback that we got from our staff, we started allowing counselors to close their own cases. They weren't allowed to do that, as a result of the reaction to the corrective action plan. I would say we eliminated some things that were outdated or unnecessary, like some financial needs testing language. I stopped the communicating via solely via memo. All communication via memo. Training via memo. I mean, that kind of stuff just doesn't work. It's a good backup, but you can't rely on just written stuff.   Carol: No.   Lea: I cut out what I saw as unnecessary multi-layers of approvals for things as simple as a payment for a service to a consumer would have to come all the way up to the administrator's level if it was, I think, over $2,500. And I was like, this is ridiculous. We really started making a culture shift, I think, from compliance first to people first from distrust, mistrust, and I would say custodialism to communicating my belief, you know, in the skills and judgment of our people tried to make it a less intimidating environment where people could speak their truths and make suggestions for improvements because, you know, like I mentioned, I'm a leader, but I'm also a leader who in a lot of ways has been where they've been. And I know the power of what we can achieve when we all work together and I really believe all those things. I think all those little examples and more have really helped to make a difference.   Carol: I love that because you can always sense your authenticity. Always. I remember meeting you way back, you know, with NCSAB, and we would do work together on committees and all of that good stuff. And it's like, oh my gosh, I always just thought you were amazing because you truly, you walk the talk that you say and people believe you, you know, you're believable. And I think that trust you've put in your people. I could see a difference when we were out there, even last year as a TA center and came for a visit, there was just a whole different sense with that whole group. It was really nice to see. I can just tell. I mean, I can tell from the outside, having seen you all before in meetings where, you know, things were it just felt more chaotic and people didn't feel free to speak. And now you can just see everybody's faces. I mean, it was just their whole affect was so much better.   Lea: Oh, thank you. Thank you for your kindness. That makes me so happy to hear that. I see it, too. But it, I'm always questioning. Is it enough? Am I doing enough? There's still so much to do. But you gotta start somewhere.   Carol: Well, you have to start somewhere.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I think you've done an incredible job with that.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol:  What do you feel like? Maybe. What progress are you most proud of? Or. And what maybe lessons would help other agencies because other people are going through this. You are not the only one in the entire, you know, system here. It is all over the country.   Lea: Yeah. Well, I mean, closing out that corrective action plan was a huge milestone. Very proud of that, especially after so many years. So it took from 2019 till just earlier this year, 2025 for us to finally, you know, get out from under that so that we can focus on other things. But we didn't do it alone. You know, like you mentioned, Doctor Chaz Compton, Chaz and you and the entire VRTAC QM team were really instrumental in helping us get there, and you guys really walked alongside us with empathy and clarity and unwavering support. Even with the time difference and, you know, being an ocean away. I mean, you guys were always there. And, you know, after I assumed this role, you know, Doctor Compton visited us twice so far for in-person, all staff meetings. So I brought in all staff, not just counselors, not just rehab teachers, everybody on staff for in-person sessions. Zoom is great for a lot of things, but sometimes you need everyone there in person for kind of a call to action, you know what I mean?   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Anyway, those sessions that we had together with Chaz were, I think, really helped us along in this transformation. His ability to connect with staff and reframe challenges helped us ignite what we're calling our Reimagine and Renew initiative. I also want to acknowledge you, Carol, you know, your leadership at the VRTAC QM and the way, you know, you mentioned you and your team guided our agency and you helped us see this journey not as a series of failures, which is how we felt, but really an opportunity more so for growth and renewal. So what am I most proud of? I am most proud when I see our line staff coming up with these fantastic suggestions and being willing to talk to me about it, and then acting on those where we can and making those changes.   I am proud that I see in so many of them, their passion reigniting. I'm proud that many of them don't just see this as a drudgery, kind of 9 to 5 case manager job sitting in front of a computer all day. They're out in the community a lot more now, engaging with consumers, engaging with other agency partners. And when I say engaging with consumers, things like evenings and weekends, graduations, award ceremonies, things like that might seem like a small thing to some, but I know those consumers remember and they appreciate that and their families. I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. I see a lot less finger pointing in both directions, because I know when I was on the line, I'd be like those people in administration and administration, people going, are those people on the line? They don't. I see a lot less of a lot less of that. And I'm really pleased that a lot of our partners in the community are ready to talk to us again. I think a lot of those relationships, for various reasons, had been pretty badly damaged, and that's actually been a big part of my job, too, is rebuilding those relationships. So I would say the biggest lesson for other states is this you can't transform an agency just through compliance tasks alone. You need trusted partners, you need honest conversations, and you really need a willingness to go to the mat to rebuild your agency culture, like from the inside out.   Carol: That is really good advice.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I always think in this role it takes a village. Like when you were talking about assistance from the QM. And I know when we come alongside any state agency, we always refer to it like we. We always feel like we're part of you.   Lea: You are.   Carol: You know, even in the when we're meeting with staff and staff, it's like, okay, this is what we're going to do next, or...   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: ...let's work on this. And we always feel like we just become another we're another staff like in the group to help facilitate whatever getting done. And so.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: That has been so fun and really fun to see. Like your people embracing all of it. You just see such a difference. It really is pretty incredible.   Lea: Yeah. And I want to be really clear. It's not about me. It's not. It's the village. It's everybody together that is making progress. And I think things are looking up.   Carol: But you did make it possible because you open the space and it takes time. Like you said, people at first weren't really willing to talk because there'd been a long time where you couldn't talk about it.   Lea: Yeah, yeah.   Carol: You know, you couldn't bring things up. I remember the whole finger pointing back and forth all the time. People were like, oh, people in Central office. They don't know what's going on out here.   Lea: Yeah, yeah. And it still happens sometimes, you know, I get it, but not, not as much as before.   Carol: Not like before, No, but it takes that. And that took you really coming in and opening up the space. And it's a time factor. Like look at you've been doing it over two years now. Probably another lesson would be it doesn't go quick. Like it takes time to do this and repairing relationships.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: That's a time factor. They've got to trust you and over and over see what you're doing.   Lea: Yeah. And this is probably bad advice, but forget the work life balance thing. For me, it's like I'm at home thinking about this stuff. Like, what can I do? You know what I mean?   Carol: I know I used to sleep, I'd sleep with a pad of paper by my bed, because I'd often wake up in the middle of the night and be like, I'd have an idea, and I'd write it down because I didn't want to lose it for the morning. And then I'd come in. I'd be like, I was thinking last night, and staff would be like, oh my God, you had your pad of paper by the bed?   Lea: Yep, I talked to Siri. Siri, take a note.   Carol: Yes!   Lea: yes.   Carol: Oh, that's so funny. What strategies do you think just a little bit on your, you know, the employment outcomes. And you've done better with those. Chaz was super jazzed about that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: What strategies do you think contributed most to those improvements you've had in your employment outcomes?   Lea: I've been thinking about this. I think our internal strategies, people talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part, rapid and ongoing engagement. Talking, you know, just like a broken record, talking with staff about that and the importance of that. And I'm seeing that happening more like I mentioned with those evenings, weekends being out in the field.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Streamlining processes, as I mentioned, empowering our counselors and trusting them to do their jobs. I think those were all essential. But and of course, the partnership and the help that we got from the TAC-QM, helping us look at our systems with fresh eyes and supporting us in building some sustainable, long term solutions so that external guidance also gave us confidence and helped accelerate our progress. So with all of those pieces kind of working together, some of our results have really improved dramatically. So you mentioned our successful closures. So between program year 23 and program year 24 our successful closures more than tripled. Okay.   Carol: Amazing.   Lea: The numbers are the numbers are small okay. Compared to like New York or something. But you know, in prog ram year 23 we had 30 closures. In program 24 we had 107.   Carol: That is awesome.   Lea: So yeah, I think that's pretty cool. I'm talking some of them are real careers, too, to real success story.   Carol: Oh, I love that.   Lea: That whole thing with the attrition before IPE has dropped really sharply. University of Hawaii at Manoa. They do a consumer satisfaction survey right for clients post closure, and we had the highest return rates ever and the highest levels of satisfaction ever, according to the university Hawaii, who's been doing these surveys for us. And then just some other stats to throw at you. But from program year 23 to 24, we saw our applications increase by 55%. That's applications for services. Determinations of eligibility increased by 59%, IPE development went up by 52%, and our vacancy rate for our staff has dropped to about 30 something percent. It's still high, but it's a lot lower than it was, and it's continuing to drop. And I've been able to fill some really key leadership positions where we had lost some very good people over those tumultuous years. So yeah, I hope I answered your question, but it's I think it's a lot of factors.   Carol: You did. It's been amazing though. And you look at that. I love that those kind of family sustaining wages, people in careers. That was always super important to me. I didn't want to just, you know, jobs and food, filth and flowers. Although people can do, you know, there are people that do want those jobs, but that isn't the only job that's out there.   Lea: Right. And that thinking long term.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: You know, Chaz did training with us too. I'm thinking long term, like nurse's aide.  Or have you thought about nurse? Let's see. What are the differences here.   Carol: right.   Lea: Yeah, I like that.   Carol: Chaz is great at that. Bring it all.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Oh my gosh. Good for you though. Look at I think that just shows the power of when staff are trusted and they're feeling really good about their work and they're you're all in alignment on the same mission. You can really make huge things happen and including impacting your vacancy rate for employees, because I know you were much higher. I mean, it felt like you were like at 50% or something. So to have it even down to 30 is better.   Lea: Yeah. I'm also looking at revising our CSPD requirements because they're super high right now. And of course, I believe in the master's degree and the CRC and all that, but I think there's some room for us to loosen that up just a bit, still be in line with federal regulations. But that's another thing that I've heard from staff.   Carol: Yeah, that's a good idea. And there's probably a lot of people we could connect you with. Other states have done something similar to...   Lea: Yes.   Carol: ...kind of create space and layers and ways for people to get in and all of that.   Lea: Yes. Now is a good time because of the Unified State Plan is coming.   Carol: Yes. Perfect timing.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Good pitch to make. It's like take advantage of that state plan. Time to make those changes.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: So what kind of advice would you have for other VR directors navigating tough challenges based on this experience? Do you have any other things you could offer your colleagues across the country? Because we got a lot of new people in, and there's a lot of really tough situations happening everywhere. You had quite a lot on your plate. So is there any other kind of things that could help them?   Lea: Gosh. Well, I would say start by listening. Trust your staff. They already know what the barriers are. Trust yourself. Listen to your consumers. Your consumer organizations encourage, expect, I should say, rapid and ongoing engagement with our consumers. Help them to dream big and to think long term. Find a way to say yes wherever possible. Give our consumers all the skills and confidence that they need to really achieve their life goals. Celebrate wins, even the small ones. Be a broken record if you have to. Keep your mission visible. And just remember, if you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   Carol: Really good advice.   Lea: Yeah, there's just no task too big when it's done together.   Carol: Oh, Lea, look at you go.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol: you made it all happen. Oh my God.!   Lea: Oh, stop it, I'm gonna cry.   Carol: Nah, you've been great. It's so fun to talk to you. I know chaz said at the conference people were crying when you had talked. There were so many people crying and coming up to you and really feeling so engaged and energized.   Lea: And I was surprised how many people came up because I thought our story was going to be like the worst in the whole, you know, all VR. And I had people coming up kind of, yeah, sharing that they had gone or they are going through a similar situation and, people, can I hug you?   Carol: Oh yeah.   Lea: And I was like, oh sure. You know. So no, I, I'm, I'm so humbled and honored that you even asked me to speak here because although I know we've made as a team some progress, we still have a way to go. But we're going to get there.   Carol: Yeah. See I just want other people to hear your message of hope and positivity, because I think we have a lot of directors feeling pretty, pretty sad right now. I'm pretty tough there in some pretty tough spots. And it you kind of you get that all internalized. I know from being a director too. Boy, it's hard to kind of pull out of all of that when you have just all of this piled on top of you, right? And it's hard to see sort of the light at the end of the tunnel. But your, your vision and just your whole message of really the hope and, and living into that mission and really the trust and all the things you've done, you've been doing the right things. And I think other people need to hear it. So I appreciate you doing this so much.   Lea: Oh, thank you so much again. Thank you.   Carol: Well, so I wish you much continued success. Thanks for your time. I hope you have a great day. Thank you.   Lea: Thank you, thank you.   {Music} Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time. One minute at a time. Brought to you by the VRTAC. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Rob: I've been an environmentalist forever… I have this understanding of what an efficient vehicle should and can be, and I've worked to bring the public's passions together with the mission of the company.The idea of a solar-powered vehicle that's part bike and part car may seem futuristic, but Rob Cotter, CEO and founder of Organic Transit, has already delivered over 800 of them to customers in 15 countries. Known as the “Elf,” this innovative solar-electric bicycle vehicle is redefining transportation. Weighing just 160 pounds yet capable of carrying 550 pounds, the Elf offers a sustainable and affordable alternative to cars.“What's amazing is that the Elf gets the equivalent of 1,800 miles per gallon,” Rob explained during today's episode. “And in sunny parts of the country, many customers have told us they've never even needed to plug it in—they've powered it entirely by sunlight for years.”Designed for practicality, the Elf provides all-weather protection and enough room for a passenger and a dozen bags of groceries. Because it's legally classified as a bicycle, no license, insurance, or registration is required. It's a solution designed not just for environmentalists but for anyone looking to save money, reduce their carbon footprint, and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.Although Rob and his team achieved remarkable early success, challenges with investors forced the company into a period of rebuilding. Now, Organic Transit is poised for a comeback, raising capital via a regulated crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder. Rob shared how crowdfunding aligns perfectly with the company's mission and values: “The population overall—the retail consumers—have been our biggest advocates. If we had done an equity crowdfunding campaign earlier, it would have been a perfect fit.”Priced at $7,500 for the base model, the Elf is not only affordable but also pays for itself quickly. Rob shared stories of customers who reported saving $8,000 annually by using the vehicle instead of a car.In today's episode, Rob's passion for creating a sustainable future was contagious. With the Elf's proven technology and a growing community of supporters, Organic Transit is ready to redefine what vehicles can be. For those interested in supporting this exciting venture, you can learn more and invest at s4g.biz/organic.tl;dr:Rob Cotter explained how the Elf's design combines solar power, practicality, and bike-like efficiency.Organic Transit delivered 800 Elfs globally before challenges forced the company into rebuilding mode.The Elf costs $7,500, pays for itself quickly, and doesn't require insurance or registration.Organic Transit is now raising capital via crowdfunding to relaunch the Elf.Rob shared how his environmental vision fuels his passion for creating sustainable transportation solutions.How to Develop Environmental Vision As a SuperpowerRob's superpower is his ability to activate environmentalism into actionable, innovative solutions. As Rob explained, “I've been an environmentalist forever… I have this understanding of what an efficient vehicle should and can be, and I've worked to bring the public's passions together with the mission of the company.” This unique combination of environmental commitment and technical expertise has allowed him to create groundbreaking solutions like the Elf, which reduces pollution while promoting healthier lifestyles.Illustrative Story:Rob shared how decades of experience with innovative vehicles combined with his environmental activism led to the creation of the Elf. He drew inspiration from lightweight designs in bicycles, aircraft, and boats, ultimately reimagining what a vehicle could be. By integrating solar power and practical aerodynamics, he created a vehicle so efficient that some customers in sunny regions have powered their Elfs solely with sunlight for years.Tips for Developing This Superpower:Develop expertise in a field that aligns with your values, like Rob's work with vehicles.Combine technical skills with a passion for environmental causes to create innovative solutions.Align your work with the public's values to build support for your vision.Reimagine existing paradigms—don't let traditional boundaries limit your creativity.Think globally but act locally; start with practical, small-scale solutions that can scale up.By following Rob's example and advice, you can make environmental vision a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileRob Cotter (he/him):CEO/ Founder, Environmental Transit AuthorityAbout Environmental Transit Authority: Organic Transit (OT) designs, builds and distributes the cleanest, most efficient vehicles on the planet. ELF is the cornerstone of the company but there are several vehicles smaller and larger than the ELF currently in the prototype phase. Environmental Transit Authority (ETA) is the parent company and was formed to acquire OT and serve as a platform to offer other sustainable transportation solutions.Website: organictransit.comCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/organictransitOther URL: wefunder.com/organictransitBiographical Information: Rob Cotter, founder and CEO of Organic Transit, where we design and build solar-powered, enclosed pedal-assist vehicles that combine the practicality of a car with the efficiency of a bicycle. My work is driven by a simple question: why are we using multi-ton vehicles to move 200-pound people? I've been building innovative human-powered and solar vehicles for decades. Early in my career, I served as Vice President of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association, where I oversaw cutting-edge designs and races for bicycles now capable of exceeding 90 mph. I also directed the first U.S. solar car race in 1988 and contributed to projects that inspired modern electric vehicles, drones, and hydrofoils. Before launching Organic Transit, I worked with Porsche, led multimedia projects as a creative director, and ran human rights and environmental campaigns with Anita Roddick, combining technical skill with storytelling and advocacy. Other clients: IBM, Lexus/Nexus, and Environmental Advisor to Gov. Jerry Brown. In 2012, I founded Organic Transit and began developing the ELF, a three-wheeled, solar-powered Pod vehicle with an advanced polymer body and lightweight, aircraft aluminum chassis, 1 horsepower, and an efficiency equivalent of 1,800 miles per gallon. Over the years, we delivered 850 vehicles across 15 countries, accumulating over 10 million miles of user experience feedback. Many of our ELFs are still in daily use today, highlighting the durability and versatility of the design. After a challenging period of ownership transitions, I reacquired the company and am now leading a comeback with ELF 3.0, incorporating over a decade of learning and community insights. Our shop is fully solar-powered and off-grid, reflecting our commitment to sustainability. I'm passionate about making safe, practical, and sustainable mobility accessible to everyone, and believe crowdfunding and community engagement are key to scaling this vision. Organic Transit is about building a resilient, green transportation future.LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/rob-cotterSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, and RISE Robotics. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Mike Green, Envirosult | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.SuperGreen Live, January 22–24, 2026, livestreaming globally. Organized by Green2Gold and The Super Crowd, Inc., this three-day event will spotlight the intersection of impact crowdfunding, sustainable innovation, and climate solutions. Featuring expert-led panels, interactive workshops, and live pitch sessions, SuperGreen Live brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and activists to explore how capital and climate action can work hand in hand. With global livestreaming, VIP networking opportunities, and exclusive content, this event will empower participants to turn bold ideas into real impact. Don't miss your chance to join tens of thousands of changemakers at the largest virtual sustainability event of the year.Demo Day at SuperGreen Live. Apply now to present at the SuperGreen Live Demo Day session on January 22! The application window is closing soon; apply today at 4sc.fun/sgdemo. The Demo Day session is open to innovators in the field of climate solutions and sustainability who are NOT currently raising under Regulation Crowdfunding.Live Pitch at SuperGreen Live. Apply now to pitch at the SuperGreen Live—Live Pitch on January 23! The application window closes January 5th; apply today at s4g.biz/sgapply. The Live Pitch is open to innovators in the field of climate solutions and sustainability who ARE currently raising under Regulation Crowdfunding.Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.Join UGLY TALK: Women Tech Founders in San Francisco on January 29, 2026, an energizing in-person gathering of 100 women founders focused on funding strategies and discovering SuperCrowd as a powerful alternative for raising capital.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Send us a textDee and Carol discuss some of their favorite topics from the past year as they sign off for 2025. To watch this episode on YouTube, click hereFor more information, check out our Substack newsletter.Insect of the WeekSnow fleas, a type of springtail, and Snow Fleas?! Yes, They're Real and Found in IndianaFlowers:Recaps of favorite flowers from 2025 episodesZinniasPansiesLisianthusSignet MarigoldsViolasVegetables:Recaps vegetable topicsCole crops - have we talked people out of them?Why Dee doesn't grow squash (Burpee's self-pollinating squash is ‘Sure Thing.')Microgreens!Start as early as you can in the spring (Peas!)Green beansOn the Bookshelf:Recaps of favorite books from 2025 episodes.Carol: Pansies: How to Grow, Reimagine, and Create Beauty with Pansies and Violas by Brenna Estrada (Amazon Link)Dee: The New Romantic Garden by Jo Thompson (Amazon Link), also Vintage Roses by Jane EastoeDirt:Forget Pantone's Cloud Dancer… All the colors of the year for 2026…from The Spruce, and Rabbit Holes:Dee: Songlever on InstagramCarol: Another Lost Lady of Garden Writing, Thalassa CrusoCheck out our affiliate links here.  Thank you for listening and supporting us!Support the showOn Instagram: Carol: Indygardener, Dee: RedDirtRamblings, Our podcast: TheGardenangelists.On Facebook: The Gardenangelists' Garden Club.On YouTube.

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