Podcasts about Rotary

696. How did a 19th-century merchant rebuild his life after the War of 1812 and use his fortune to secretly transform the city of New Orleans? We're joined by author Audrey Ades to talk about her picture book biography, Judah Touro Didn't Want to Be Famous. We dive into Judah’s quiet legacy of stealth philanthropy, the importance of bringing unsung Jewish historical figures to young readers, and the timeless lesson of helping others without needing acclaim. Ades is a children's book author with a passion for uncovering overlooked historical figures and bringing meaningful, character-driven stories to young readers. Known for her thoughtful approach to themes of community, social justice, and Jewish history, she specializes in translating complex historical legacies into accessible narratives for children. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 222 years. Order your copy today! This week in the Louisiana Anthology. Benjamin Moore Norman. Norman's New Orleans. In 1699, eighteen years after La Salle had demonstrated the connection of the Mississippi with the Gulf of Mexico, by passing out at its mouth, Iberville succeeded in entering it from the Gulf. Ascending as far as the junction of Red River, he returned, and proceeded, by way of the Gulf, into Lake Pontchartrain. He formed a settlement and erected a fort, at Biloxi, which he left under the command of his brother Bienville, while he returned to France, to induce others to join the colony. Soon after he left, the new commander ascended the Mississippi as far as the present site of New Orleans. In returning, he met a British vessel of sixteen guns, under the command of Capt. Bard, who enquired the bearings of the great river, intimating that it was his intention to establish a colony upon its banks. Bienville, in reply, directed him to go farther west, and thus induced him to turn about; from which circumstance, the place of their meeting was called “The English Turn,” a name which it retains to this day. This week in Louisiana history. September 18, 1799. Sebastian Calvo is appointed governor general of Louisiana.  This week in New Orleans history. September 18, 1947: A major hurricane struck the city, causing the Mississippi River to rise to dangerous levels and flooding parts of the West Bank. This week in Louisiana. Alligator Festival September 25'28, 2026 West Bank Bridge Park, 13825 River Rd. Luling, LA 70070 Website: lariverparishes.com The Alligator Festival is a long‑running St. Charles Parish tradition held each September at West Bank Bridge Park in Luling. Hosted by the Rotary Club of St. Charles Parish, the festival raises funds for community projects while offering four days of food, music, rides, and family fun along the Mississippi River. Live Music: A full weekend lineup of local and regional bands on the main stage. Food Booths: Classic Louisiana festival fare ' including fried alligator, alligator sauce piquante, and other River Parishes specialties. Rides & Games: A midway with carnival rides, games, and children's activities. Arts & Crafts: Dozens of vendors selling handmade goods, jewelry, d'cor, and local crafts. Community Mission: Proceeds support Rotary scholarships, playgrounds, and local service projects. Postcards from Louisiana. Tycoon on Decatur St. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

Few contemporary novelists have captured the complexities of family, friendship, and the ties that bind as beautifully as Ann Patchett. Over the past three decades, she has become one of America's most celebrated writers, earning the PEN/Faulkner Award. Patchett also owns Parnassus Books in Nashville. In this episode, Past RI President Stephanie Urchick explains Patchett's connections to Rotary before Scott Simon sits down with the author to discuss her new novel, Whistler.

Send us Fan MailWe catch up with Evan Burrell for a third conversation, from his lowest point of depression and nearly quitting Rotary to finishing a tough year as district governor. We talk honestly about criticism, leadership pressure, member experience, and why he still believes in showing up for the bigger mission. • Evan's path from burnout and clinical depression to re-engaging with Rotary • How connection and belonging bring leaders back from the edge • Becoming district governor and discovering what the role really demands • Handling bullying, harassment, financial issues, and club conflict with process and care • The gap between a public persona and the serious work of leadership • Why Rotary critics exist and how to respond without losing your center • Membership retention as an experience problem, not just a recruitment problem • Tradition as a foundation not a handbrake • What Evan wants next: speaking, hands-on projects, and being a “changemaker” As usual, tell friends about it, be them other Rotarians, other friends. Got anybody I should interview? You know the drill, RotarianPod at gmail.com. Support the showJoin me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE

What does it take to turn a single moment of compassion into a lifelong mission? After a career spent supporting children in Vancouver's inner-city classrooms, Patti Shales Lefkos set out on a journey that carried her far beyond anything she'd imagined — into the remote mountain villages of the Nepali Himalaya, where a village asked her to help rebuild a school that was falling down around its students. She didn't promise anything. A year to the day after she stood in that village, the 2015 earthquake flattened it. Host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff talks with Patti about the schools, homes, and scholarships that grew out of that moment, what she learned about listening instead of assuming, and why, at 79 and about to turn 80, she's packing for Kanchenjunga. Guest Patti Shales Lefkos, Founder, Nepal One Day at a Time Society. Following a rewarding career as a teacher, administrator, and advocate for Vancouver inner-city children, Patti studied journalism at Langara College. She's a graduate of the University of Toronto, Toronto Teachers College, Simon Fraser University, and a wilderness leadership program. She is the author of Nepal One Day at a Time: One Woman's Quest to Teach, Trek, and Build a School in the Remote Himalaya and Grounded by Granite, a coming-of-age story of family connection and personal resilience framed by summers on a remote island in the Canadian Shield. A third book, about the 800-kilometre Great Himalaya Trail trek she completed at 77, is currently seeking a publisher. She founded the British Columbia nonprofit Nepal One Day at a Time Society to support education, health care, and home building in Nepal, and lives near Silver Star Mountain in the BC interior. What is Nepal One Day at a Time Society? A small British Columbia nonprofit that funds education, health care, and home building in remote Nepali villages — the kind of places that sit at the end of the road, where children walk two hours each way to reach a classroom and the nearest bookstore is a two-day journey to Kathmandu. The organization works through long-standing relationships with a Nepali trekking company and its affiliated NGO rather than parachuting in. Two partner schools. The first, whose original 55-year-old building had a condemned top floor and rain coming through into the classrooms below, now runs kindergarten through grade ten and serves roughly 350 students. The second, a small primary school in the far northwest reached during the Great Himalaya Trail trek, serves about 150 children in classrooms with dirt floors and bare cement walls. Three homes rebuilt after the earthquake, at roughly $15,000 USD each — a two-room house with an outdoor bathroom and a front porch, built to post-earthquake standards with rebar corners. Student sponsorships. Rosina, sponsored from grade five in the village, is now 23, has graduated in physiotherapy, and lives in Australia. The guide's 12-year-old son is next. School supplies and technology. A first gift of $500 for library books — the school had none — followed by $6,000 for supplies, more books, and three computers for a staff that had none. Low overhead. The partner NGO is staffed by young people from the region who handle administration through the trekking company, keeping admin costs to roughly 3–5%. Funded by Rotary clubs in Vernon, BC, and Kingston, Ontario, profits from Patti's books, photo art cards of Nepal and Tibet, speaking engagements, and individual donors. Key Topics Covered A book in grade ten, and forty years of waiting. Patti grew up an outdoor kid on an island with no electricity, drinking straight from the lake, long before screen time. Then a novel on the grade ten curriculum — Lost Horizon — put the magic of the Himalaya in her head, and she filed it away. A year of high school in Switzerland got her a passport and a taste for adventure, and then she did all the expected things: university, teachers college, a career. It was only after retiring, and after journalism school, that she and her husband picked up passports again and started walking. A coast-to-coast hike across England was the shakedown. Tibet was next, including a three-day circumambulation of sacred Mount Kailash at an altitude she'd never experienced. She was hooked. The decision to go alone. They'd planned to return to Nepal together to visit their guide's and porter's villages and volunteer as teachers. Days before departure, her husband ruptured his Achilles tendon. Friends and family were getting sick. Her reasoning was blunt and worth hearing: you don't know what will happen to you next. With her husband's blessing, and with the same guide and company guaranteed, she went by herself. "Would you help us build a school?" After her volunteer teaching, her guide Raj took her to a village at the end of a road that had never received outside help. The school building was 55 years old, built by the villagers themselves. The top floor was condemned. They were still using the main floor, with rain coming through from above. The villagers asked her directly. Her honest first thought: they think all Westerners are rich — what could I possibly do? She promised nothing and went home to think. A year to the day, while still in Nepal, she'd met a Buddhist monk in Upper Mustang who was building a school for children with no access to education at all, funding it by giving teachings in Singapore five months a year. That conversation about what was possible stayed with her. She came home, mulled it over, looked into what starting a nonprofit would take — and then, a year to the day after she'd stood in that village, the earthquake hit. The area she'd visited was at the epicenter. Every home in the village was gone. Her husband, an outdoor guy who hates computers, built a slideshow. They showed it at Silver Star Mountain and raised $1,000 the first night. Then she joined her local Rotary Club, and everything scaled from there. Coffee, tea, and the discipline of listening. The most transferable lesson in the episode, and it comes from Vancouver, not Nepal. Trying to get parents involved at an inner-city school, Patti's team put out coffee every morning for the grandmothers dropping off the primary kids. They didn't want coffee. They wanted tea. She carries that into every village: don't decide what people need. Ask them. When she stood on that school playground in northwestern Nepal, the question she asked was simply, " Do you have any library books? Would you like some"? Being told about her own privilege, Patti recounts a former staff member giving her what she describes as a long lecture — that as a white, middle-class woman whose parents and grandparents went to university, she was operating from privilege. Her response, decades later and on the record: "that was really good for me to hear." Laura connects it to the reason the relationship works — the villages hold parades for her, which is not how a colonial dynamic looks. How she vets where the money goes: Patti admits she was long reticent about charities and what share actually reaches the work. Her answer has been to build relationships rather than write checks: a good feeling about the head of the trekking company that a first trip confirmed, a principal who traveled two days to Kathmandu to buy books and sent photos back, a guide who translates and vouches, and a partner NGO whose admin is handled by local young people at a few percent of the total. 800 kilometres at 77 In 2023, believing they had one last long trek in them, Patti and her husband designed their own route on the Great Himalaya Trail, which runs the length of Nepal. They walked 800 kilometres over 75 days with a guide, a cook who had cooked as high as Camp Two on Everest, and a donkey man with five or six animals carrying food and camping equipment. In the first 50 days they met perhaps seven or eight other Westerners — which is exactly what they wanted, because it meant being with Nepali people the whole way. She journaled daily and photographed a wipe-off sign each night recording the day number, kilometres walked, total distance, and altitude. Why she doesn't trek with big groups anymore On the Tibet trip, a man on their trek died of altitude sickness — a man who had climbed Kilimanjaro the year before. On her first Nepal trek, feeling sick at 12,000 feet, Raj simply said they'd stay put another day and see. She was fine. In a group of thirty, she notes, you're pressured forward: go ahead when you don't want to, or lose the group. Being able to make your own call is the whole point. How to Get Involved Learn more and see photos of the schools, the children, and families in their new homes — and reach Patti directly through the contact form — at her website PattiShalesLefkos.com Follow the September trek: Patti will post to her Facebook page as reception allows Read the books: Nepal One Day at a Time and Grounded by Granite — profits go back into the projects, an idea Patti took from Conor Grennan's Little Princes Photo art cards of Nepal and Tibet are also available, with proceeds supporting the work If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.https://givelink.app/en? Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way!

Season 5, Episode 1 (Episode 945)After 944 episodes and six years of daily content, Julie stepped away from the podcast for a sabbatical. In this reunion episode, she shares what that season of rest actually revealed, why doing and being are not the same thing, and what's ahead for Season 5, including how you can vote on the topics that matter most to you.What's the difference between a human being and a human doing?Being human means your worth isn't based on your output. It's based on who you're showing up as, not what you're producing. Doing is still allowed, it's just not what proves you belong.Julie unpacks this distinction through her own family of origin, where performance and productivity were the measure of worth, and connects it to why stepping away from a daily podcast schedule triggered an identity crisis before it revealed anything else. She uses two picture-clear metaphors, a dahlia seed that can't grow into an oak tree, and a chocolate cake that can't happen if you bake it with chili powder instead of cocoa, to show why what's rooted at the identity level always determines what grows above it.Is there really a mental health crisis?Julie doesn't answer this one in the abstract. She shares that 75% of her household has been navigating an ADHD journey this past year, including her son, and that recalibrating 20 to 30 year old assumptions about what ADHD actually is has become one of the most important things she's done recently, personally and as a parent. She's inviting her son onto the podcast to talk about ADHD and teenagers, and bringing Steve back on to talk about what it's like for adults to get diagnosed later in life.Inside this episodeWhy the sabbatical felt "incredibly foreign," and the identity loss Julie faced the first Monday she didn't sit down to createWhat actually happens when a high achiever's capacity opens up, and the temptation to fill it right back up with something elseLeaving the 4AM club and what that release revealed about rigor, restriction, and restThe root-level work: how success amplifies whatever is already at the identity level, for better or worseJulie's own recalibration around alcohol, and how healing at the identity level freed her from needing to prove she belongedDoing vs. being, and why this distinction lands differently depending on generation, especially for fellow Gen XersA look at the 15 topics Julie is considering for Season 5, and an invitation to vote on the ones you want coveredWhy Julie joined Rotary this summer, and what it revealed about the kind of community she'd been missingThe launch of Julie's new community, a lower-commitment space for people between the cohort and 1:1 coachingWhat's ahead: new episodes every Wednesday, with occasional bonus episodes featuring Steve, Julie's son, or her daughterVote on Season 5 topicsJulie's opening Season 5 up to you. Topics on the table include AI and your career, breaking generational patterns, life transitions, leadership, the high-performance life, money mindset, success, marriage, faith and spirituality, alcohol and addiction, and mental health and ADHD.CLICK HERE to take 90 seconds to vote for your top three to five topics.Join the communityJulie has opened a new community for listeners who want ongoing support and connection, without the full commitment of the cohort or 1:1 coaching. It's a year-long commitment, but you can join anytime.Sign up before November 1st and you're locked in as a founding member for life, at the founding rate, with these included:Two live trainings each month (recorded, so you can always catch the replay)A recurring book clubOne 1:1 session with JulieAnd moreCLICK HERE TO learn more and joinExplore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you→ Learn about The Recalibration Cohort→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes.→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights→ Download the Misalignment Audit→ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter→ Books to read  (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.)→  One link to all things...

The Rotary Club of Wilson County will meet Monday, Sept. 21, from 6-7 p.m. in Jack's Café in Floresville. The club meets on the first and third Mondays of the month. Rotary offers opportunities for fellowship, professional and leadership development, community service, and more. Members participate in service to their club, community, youth, Rotary International, and more. For information, call Iris Kaplan at 719-502- 0174. Article Link

Foundations of Amateur Radio Over the weekend I had the opportunity to participate in two completely different community events, one aimed at an amateur radio audience, the other at the general public. Every year, several of the amateur radio clubs in my area hold their individual swap meet, where the aim of the event is to bring amateurs together and to use it as a social fund raising event. Some jokingly refer to it as a junk library where one person's junk is the next person's treasure, only for it to turn up on their table the next year. This particular event is held inside what can best be described as a large high school gymnasium. Mind you, my experience with high school facilities predates my amateur radio birthday by quite some decades, so, a building with a wooden floor, basket ball court and other sports markings on the floor. Mind you, this building has a canteen, a foyer and a big parking lot, so it only resembles my reminiscing in abstract ways; I grew up with bicycles and snow - from time to time, not cars and sun. Individuals and organisations can book and pay for one or more tables to display their wares. There's a raffle, growing in scope each year, the universal bloke yelling unintelligibly into a microphone, signal unreadable with an RST of 2 and 9, and there's food for sale with drinks, and tables to sit and chat. It had been a while since I'd last attended and with it came memories of setting up the local news broadcast team so we could do a live edition of the weekly amateur radio news, hard work, lots of planning and very rewarding, also good practice. This year the entry price went up, the event was down on numbers and there were half a dozen or so empty tables. I'm guessing these were booked and the participants didn't turn up, but I don't know. For the organising club this must have been heartbreaking. I know for me, it was disappointing. That said, it offered the opportunity to catch up with plenty of friends and acquaintances, new and old amateurs, people who knew me before I knew them, the typical face to face experience that you might get from accidentally being in the same place at the same time. If this description leaves you with the sense of longing, you know how I felt when I drove away to travel to the other side of the city to attend the second event. Organised by a local council as an Open Day, it brings together a bunch of different organisations to a central location, augmented with food vans, sausage sizzle, ice-cream and coffee, the whole thing was outdoors. One of the organisations represented was a different amateur radio club, based at the site, with a small display and the ability for people to talk, have a sticky beak and mosey on. Interestingly, the kids attending were given a treasure hunt sheet with questions about each of the organisations there, including two questions about the amateur radio club. Funnily enough, a local community radio station is also on site and it too had questions in the treasure hunt. This dynamic allowed kids and their parents to approach the club and ask silly questions and the confusion between "amateur" radio and "community" radio allowed for more information to be shared with more laughter to go around for all. The sausage sizzle, a local Rotary club fundraiser, was a hit with a steady stream of people lining up for a bite. This is the second time this event has been hosted and both times I spoke with many people who were not radio amateurs, people who had electronics projects in need of guidance, and the odd local politician, some more than others. Over the years I've attended plenty of amateur radio events and while there's a place and need for each of them, I have to say, talking to an interested kid about a homebrew quadrifilar helix antenna has to my favourite experience. So, why am I talking about this, you ask? It's pretty simple. Ask yourself, does a particular amateur or amateur adjacent event spark joy, or does it represent an opportunity for reflection and renewal? Do we need another swap meet, I think locally we have at least five across the year, or could you do a fundraiser with a bingo night in a pub? What about an exhibition, or an auction? A BBQ or a breakfast? A course or a camp out? Have you considered a shack open day or a school visit show and tell? What about joining forces with other community groups and clubs? What could the ultimate event bring and who would you like to see there? What would they take away and what resources might you need to pull it off? I'm Onno VK6FLAB

For more than a decade, the STEP Ladder Tutoring Program has been helping middle school students in Kewanee and Wethersfield strengthen their academic skills, build confidence, and prepare for success in high school. During a recent interview on Wake Up Tri-Counties, Etta LaFlora, Executive Director of the Sunshine Community Services Center, discussed the program's history and its continued importance to local students. The STEP Ladder program began with a simple observation. A friend of LaFlora's who was teaching at Black Hawk College noticed students struggling academically and wondered when those difficulties began. That conversation led to the creation of a tutoring program focused on middle school students. After a pilot program at the Kewanee Public Library in 2011 showed positive results through pre- and post-testing, the program expanded into the schools in 2012. Since then, STEP Ladder has served 242 middle school students and involved 82 volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and staff. The program's motto is “Helping One Child at a Time.” LaFlora said the goal is to make every student feel important while providing individualized or small-group assistance. STEP Ladder helps students with: Completing homework Preparing for tests and quizzes Mastering core academic skills Developing better study habits Learning how to take notes and stay organized Building a more positive attitude toward school and learning LaFlora said middle school is a particularly important time to provide this support. Students are navigating significant academic, social, and emotional changes while preparing for the transition to high school. The program serves students after they complete sixth grade and continue through eighth grade, including the summer before they enter high school. A summer program is held at the Kewanee Public Library. Funding the program has become increasingly challenging as community needs have grown. Sunshine Community Services Center has relied on donations, grants, and support from organizations including Rotary, Kiwanis, and United Way. Schools also contribute by providing space, while Central School provides transportation. The organization has shifted from some of its traditional fundraising efforts to online fundraising. Donations can be made through the Sunshine Community Services Center website at www.sunshinecsc.com, through an upcoming GoFundMe campaign, or by mail to P.O. Box 405, Kewanee, IL 61443. LaFlora emphasized that every donation helps provide free tutoring, healthy snacks, and learning supplies for local students. The program also continues to benefit from community volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Sunshine Community Services Center at 309-853-7751. Volunteers must complete the required school background check and fingerprinting process. One of the most rewarding aspects of STEP Ladder has been seeing former students return to give back. LaFlora recalled students who participated in the program when they were younger and later returned to serve as tutors themselves. Beyond tutoring, Sunshine Community Services Center also participates in community programs, including Black History programming, Martin Luther King Jr. activities, and community events. AmeriCorps members also assist with tutoring at Black Hawk College, including helping GED and ESL students. The STEP Ladder Tutoring Program is scheduled to begin its new school-year session on Tuesday, September 8th. LaFlora said the ultimate goal remains straightforward: helping local students develop the skills and confidence they need to successfully make it through school and into high school. Families interested in enrolling a student, community members interested in volunteering, or individuals wishing to support the program can visit www.sunshinecsc.com or call 309-853-7751. STEP Ladder Tutoring Program Offers Academic Support to Local Middle School Students The STEP Ladder Tutoring Program is providing additional educational services to middle school students in the Kewanee and Wethersfield communities. The program is available to 7th and 8th grade students attending Central Junior High School and Wethersfield Jr. High School. During the school year, tutoring sessions are held Monday through Thursday at each student's respective junior high school. Tutoring Locations and Times Central Junior High School 215 E. Central Blvd. Kewanee, IL Monday–Thursday | 3:00–4:15 PM Wethersfield Jr. High School 439 Willard Street Kewanee, IL Monday–Thursday | 3:00–4:15 PM The STEP Ladder program also offers tutoring during the summer at the Kewanee Public Library, located at 102 S. Tremont Street. Summer Tutoring Sessions Kewanee Public Library Tuesday–Thursday | 1:00–2:15 PM

Marco betreibt seit 20 Jahren ein B2B-Wirtschaftsmagazin und hat daraus ein Netzwerk gebaut, für das Unternehmer bis zu 15.000€ im Jahr zahlen – aktuell 41 zahlende Mitglieder, 500.000€ Jahresumsatz. In der heutigen Folge geht es darum, wie er es geschafft hat über Content so ein Highprice-Angebot zu bauen und wie die nächsten Schritte sind, um zu skalieren. ➡️ Bewirb dich auf eine kostenfreie 1:1 Scaling-Session: https://funnels.leadersmedia.de/scaling-session/Arbeite mit mir: https://funnels.leadersmedia.de/mentoring/?utm=youtubeIn dieser Live-Session gehen wir seinem größten Engpass auf den Grund: Er hat aus einem klassischen Anzeigengeschäft heraus ein hochpreisiges Netzwerk-Modell entwickelt, aber noch kein System, um systematisch Gäste in zahlende Mitglieder zu konvertieren. Wir sprechen über seine drei Mitgliedschafts-Pakete, warum er bewusst Interessenten ohne ausreichendes Budget aussortiert, wie er Online-Content (LinkedIn, Newsletter mit 2.800 Kontakten) 1:1 in Offline-Events übersetzt, und warum ein bewusst polarisierender Post gegen etablierte Netzwerke wie Rotary ihm mehr Anfragen brachte als klassische Werbung. Du siehst, wie aus einem sterbenden Print-Geschäftsmodell eine skalierbare, planbare Neukundengewinnung wird.Ich bin Robert Heineke von Leaders Media und wir machen B2B-Unternehmen skalierbar. In diesem Format berate ich Unternehmer, Berater und Agenturinhaber live zu Angebot, Positionierung und Vertrieb, direkt und ohne Skript.KAPITEL:0:00 Intro1:02 Vom Print-Magazin zum 15.000€-Netzwerk10:06 Der Geniestreich: Wie aus Online-Content ein Live-Event-Funnel wird23:10 Der Rotary-Diss: Wie ein kontroverser Post neue Mitglieder bringt33:19 Das Problem mit Mitgliedern, die zu spät starten40:43 Der Fahrplan zu 100 zahlenden MitgliedernUnsere aktuellen Case Studies und Testimonials: https://www.leadersmedia.deMelde dich gerne bei Fragen unter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-heineke#b2b #positionierung #unternehmer #eventmarketing #robertheineke

Most businesspeople have no idea how low the standard of professional presenting really is. We attend the same conferences, listen to the same internal speakers and watch the same predictable corporate presentations. Because everyone around us is operating at roughly the same level, mediocre communication begins to look normal. The Japanese proverb, "The frog in the well doesn't know the ocean", perfectly captures the problem. The frog assumes its small environment represents the entire world. In the same way, businesspeople often assume the presentations they regularly see represent the highest possible standard. They don't. To become more persuasive, credible and memorable, presenters must climb out of their familiar well and explore the much larger ocean of world-class communication. Why do businesspeople accept mediocre presentations? Businesspeople accept poor presentations because mediocre speaking is usually all they have ever experienced.When the surrounding standard is low, audiences and presenters become conditioned to expect very little. Most of us were not exposed to brilliant public speakers while growing up. High-school teachers often knew their subjects but were not trained to communicate them dynamically. University professors delivered hundreds of lectures, yet many relied on dense slides, academic jargon and monotone explanations. Politicians on television often avoid direct answers and retreat into carefully tested statements designed to offend nobody. Graduation speakers frequently offer predictable stories and tired advice. The same pattern continues in business. Internal meetings are filled with data dumps, crowded PowerPoint slides and speakers reading information that the audience can already see. Eventually, the frog assumes the well is the world. Do now: Stop judging your presentation skills only against colleagues. Compare yourself with outstanding professional communicators. Why is persuasion power so important in modern business? Persuasion power is essential because audiences are overwhelmed by information and have endless opportunities to ignore us. Good information alone is no longer enough to gain attention or inspire action. Executives receive emails, instant messages, dashboards, reports, videos, podcasts and social-media content throughout the day. Hybrid work has added even more online meetings and digital distractions. When a speaker begins presenting, the audience may be physically present but mentally elsewhere. They are checking messages, thinking about their next meeting or wondering whether the presentation has any relevance to them. A giant data dump will not solve the problem. Even accurate and valuable information loses impact when it is delivered without structure, emotion or context. Effective presenters combine credible data with storytelling, examples, contrasts and clear recommendations. They explain not only what the numbers are, but why they matter and what the audience should do next. Do now: Before presenting any data, identify the decision, action or change you want that data to support. How can storytelling improve a business presentation? Storytelling makes business information easier to understand, remember and act upon. It gives facts a human context and helps the audience see why the message matters. This does not mean every executive presentation needs a dramatic Hollywood-style narrative. A useful business story can be short and practical. You might describe a customer who nearly left, a project that failed because warning signs were ignored or a team that achieved a breakthrough after changing its approach. The story creates interest, while the supporting data gives the message credibility. Japanese business presentations often emphasise accuracy, detail and risk reduction. American presentations may place more emphasis on energy, confidence and individual recommendations. European and Asia-Pacific organisations vary considerably, but every audience benefits from clarity and relevance. The strongest approach combines the disciplines: solid evidence, cultural awareness, concise structure and a relatable example. Do now: Attach one customer, employee or project example to every major recommendation you make. Where can professionals find examples of great speakers? Professionals can now study outstanding speakers more easily and cheaply than at any previous point in history.The presenting ocean is available through YouTube, TED, podcasts, business associations and professional events. Content marketing has encouraged experts to place their ideas and communication skills on public display. Potential clients can sample a consultant, trainer, author or executive before deciding whether to engage them. Search for skilled speakers in your industry, but do not limit yourself to your own field. A technology executive can learn audience engagement from an educator. A financial specialist can learn storytelling from a documentary presenter. A sales leader can study structure and timing through a well-delivered TED Talk. In Tokyo, Chambers of Commerce, professional associations, universities and organisations such as Rotary regularly host speakers. Some will be excellent. Others will provide memorable lessons in what not to do. Both types are useful. Do now: Select three outstanding speakers and study how they open, transition, use stories, emphasise key words and close. What should you study when watching a professional speaker? Do not merely watch great speakers for entertainment; analyse the techniques producing the impact. Improvement comes from deliberate observation rather than passive consumption. Start with the opening. Does the speaker begin with a question, story, surprising fact or strong statement? Notice how quickly the topic becomes relevant to the audience. Listen to the voice. Skilled speakers vary their speed, volume and tone. They pause before or after important points. They emphasise keywords instead of giving every word identical weight. Observe physical delivery. Look at eye contact, posture, facial expression and gestures. Note whether movements appear natural or rehearsed. Examine the structure. Strong speakers guide the audience from one idea to the next. They use examples to clarify abstract concepts and repeat central messages without sounding repetitive. Also study unsuccessful speakers. Ask where you lost interest and what caused the message to become confusing. Do now: Keep a presentation observation notebook and record specific techniques you can test in your next speech. How much time does it take to become a better presenter? One focused hour of study each week can quickly separate you from most business presenters. The advantage comes not from extraordinary talent but from consistently doing what most people never do. Businesspeople often say they have no time to improve their communication skills. Yet persuasion affects leadership, sales, client relationships, change management, executive meetings and career advancement. The issue is rarely a complete absence of time. It is usually a question of priorities. Watch one excellent speaker for an hour each week. Take detailed notes. Before your next presentation, review those notes and select one or two techniques to apply. Do not attempt to transform everything simultaneously. Work first on the opening. Next, improve vocal variety. Then strengthen storytelling, eye contact or the closing recommendation. Small improvements compound. Within a year, you will have completed more deliberate presentation study than most professionals undertake in an entire career. Do now: Reserve one recurring hour each week for presentation study, note-taking and deliberate practice. How can leaders escape the presenting well? Leaders escape the presenting well by deliberately expanding their exposure, practising new techniques and refusing to accept mediocrity. Access to great examples means nothing unless it leads to changed behaviour. The modern presenting ocean is enormous. World-class speakers, executive interviews, university lectures, conference presentations and communication training are available online and offline. The barrier is no longer access. It is discipline. Persuasion is not an optional decorative skill for leaders. Leaders need people to understand priorities, support change, make decisions and take action. That requires messages that are clear, concise and convincing. Study the best speakers. Study the disasters. Take notes. Rehearse. Ask whether your presentation is built for the audience or merely convenient for you. The frog can remain comfortable inside the well. The professional presenter has to climb out. Conclusion Most business presenters are not competing against world-class communicators. They are competing against people who make little effort to improve. That is encouraging. A modest but consistent investment in observation, preparation and practice can place you well ahead of the field. Use stories to humanise data. Structure messages around audience needs. Study skilled speakers and deliberately apply what you learn. The ocean is already available. The only question is whether you are willing to leave the well. Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" in 2018 and 2021 and received the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, as well as Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His books have also been translated into Japanese, including ザ営業, プレゼンの達人, トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう and 現代版「人を動かす」リーダー. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.

Membership attraction and engagement are crucial for Rotary's success. In this two-part series, we'll hear from four women in Rotary leadership positions who have successfully achieved membership growth in their U.S.-based clubs or districts. In episode one, RI Membership Growth and Engagement Specialist Taylor Evans Ghosal sits down with Julie McKinney, a club membership chair and past club president from California, and Barbara Bartle, an assistant Rotary coordinator for membership and past district governor from Nebraska.

Travis Christopher from the Fargo Rotary talks about how the Rotary walked into taking up the local Imagination Library. All the details on how you can learn more and SUPPORT our local Imagination Library!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vicki Dilley and Jennifer Tonko from Northfield Rotary discuss this year's bike tour, happening Saturday, September 12th. 

Jefferson Rotary Past President Sam Harding talks about the recent grant awards that they gave out from last November’s charity auction proceeds.

Chris Pritchard and Lee Johnston sit down with 14-time TT winner Peter Hickman and TT statistician Phil Wain to talk all things Norton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early August, in the space of a week, three people who were homeless died after sleeping in the winter cold. Which is harrowing and heartbreaking. Rotary clubs across the country have responded to the growing issue of homelessness by importing a shipping container of shelter bags. To explain what they are, Central Auckland Rotary community leader Malcolm Stapleton joins Jesse.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of 9x90™, Adi Soozin sits down with David Gershon, architect of the Peace Moonshot 2030, and her godmother Stephanie Urchick Past President of Rotary International, to unpack the mechanics of "Social Change 2.0" and global transformation. Together, they reveal how leveraging tipping point science—specifically mobilizing 40 million people to achieve systemic coherence—can fundamentally shift the global paradigm. By merging Rotary's massive grassroots network of 46,000 clubs with a $30 million mezzanine investment strategy, they aim to engineer a culture of cooperation worldwide. For the empire builders and industry titans watching, this conversation highlights why "culture eats strategy for breakfast" and why establishing peace zones is the ultimate prerequisite for securing healthy investor returns on long-term infrastructure projects and driving sustainable macroeconomic change.A special thank you to our sponsor, ⁠National Energy Holdings⁠ . For the empire builders and developers looking to execute on this exact strategy, ⁠National Energy Holdings⁠ is the premier firm engineering, constructing, and operating energy infrastructure for commercial real estate. By utilizing highly profitable 80/20 revenue-share models over 25-year terms, they navigate the technical complexities so you can instantly transform your existing physical footprint into a high-yield energy asset without the standard operational friction.

Solutions journalism, which delves beyond “bad news” to examine what people are trying to do about it, can be traced back to a 2010 column in The New York Times called “Fixes.” The column, co-written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tina Rosenberg, investigated solutions to social problems, covering what worked and what didn't. Chicago journalist Mark Caro sits down with Rosenberg, who co-founded the Solutions Journalism Network in 2013, to discuss how this approach can help address systemic issues, and how Rotary clubs can benefit from following its best practices.

Trash Five delivers an executive level staff brief (12 dumpsters, 3 available), Grant spots a grandpa doing one-legged bosu ball holds and preaches the barbell gospel, and the Big 12 sells its name to Monster for $20M a year. Plus: Florida's Spurrier throwbacks, South Carolina's crimson crisis, roundabouts vs. rotaries, Rhode Island's secret clam chowder, and a War College Clausewitz update. Powered by The Strength Co.Podcast Hosts:Grant Broggi: Marine Veteran, Owner of The Strength Co. and Starting Strength Coach.Jeff Buege: Marine Veteran, Outdoorsman, Football Fan and LifterTres Gottlich: Marine Veteran, Texan, Fisherman, Crazy College Football Fan and LifterJoin the Slack and Use code OKAY:⁠https://buy.stripe.com/dR6dT4aDcfuBdyw5ks⁠Check out BW Tax: ⁠https://www.bwtaxllc.com⁠BUY A FOOTBALL HELMET:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thestrength.co/mrhelmet/?utm_source=The+Okay+Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=Okay_Pod⁠Timestamps:00:00 - Intro03:03 - Staff Brief10:45 - Squat Tee15:08 - Rotary Rage18:14 - Clam Chowder26:44 - Florida Uniforms31:22 - Monster Sponsorship37:41 - Bosu Balls vs Barbell Gospel46:46 - Online vs In-person Coaching53:00 - War College Update01:06:42 - Saved Rounds

Michael Brunker, incoming District Governor for Rotary International District 5340, Gordon Boerner, Board President for the Kiwanis Club of San Diego and Jose Cruz, Past President of the San Diego Lions Club, discuss how the Burnham Center for Community Advancement 's OneSD initiative is mobilizing Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and other service clubs for a countywide day of service on October 24. They share strategies for breaking down silos, engaging youth and executives in community leadership and turning one day of action into lasting impact. Listen Where You Live!About Spotlight and Cloudcast Media  "Spotlight On The Community" is the longest running community podcast in the country, continuously hosted by Drew Schlosberg for 20 years.  "Spotlight" is part of Cloudcast Media's line-up of powerful local podcasts, telling the stories, highlighting the people, and celebrating the gravitational power of local.   For more information on Cloudcast and its shows and cities served, please visit www.cloudcastmedia.us. Cloudcast Media | the national leader in local podcasting.   About Mission Fed Credit Union  A community champion for over 60 years, Mission Fed Credit Union with over $6 billion in member assets, is the Sponsor of Spotlight On The Community, helping to curate connectivity, collaboration, and catalytic conversations.  For more information on the many services for San Diego residents, be sure to visit them at https://www.missionfed.com/

Betty and Bob talked about The Rotary Foundation and Rock Falls Matching grant program.

This month on The Found Podcast, we're doing something a little different. We're bringing the boys in for a few episodes (don't worry, we'll be back to our women founders soon), and first up is somebody I've admired for a long time: my friend Ed Raber. Ed is the Director of Planning and Development for Dubuque County here in Eastern Iowa, but honestly, that title barely scratches the surface. Ed is a connector. A mover. The guy with an $8 Staples name badge who has spent thirty years showing up to Rotary, to library meetings, to coffee shops, to whatever room needed one more person willing to raise their hand. We talk about what it actually means to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in a place like Dubuque County (spoiler: it starts with "no wrong door"), why farm ground and residential zoning matter more than you'd think, and the advice from a pastor that has shaped Ed's entire career: if you want to make a difference, you've got to stick with it. What You'll Hear Ed's path from urban planner to nonprofit economic developer to Dubuque County's Planning and Development Director Why he still wears a name badge everywhere he goes (and why you should too) What makes Dubuque County's rural population unlike almost anywhere else in Iowa The "no wrong door" philosophy behind a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem How 1 Million Cups came to Dubuque and why it works The Farley library project that started with one meeting Ed called himself Ed's answer to The Found Podcast's closing question, and the pastor's advice that changed how he shows up in the world Resources & Links Mentioned 1 Million Cups Dubuque Rotary International HACAP (Hawkeye Area Community Action Program) Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Iowa Rural Development Council Dubuque County Library system (Farley, Epworth, Peosta, Holy Cross) Community Vitality Center, Iowa State University Small Business Development Center, Dubuque The Innovation Lab, Jones Street, Dubuque Connect with Ed Find Ed on LinkedIn Listen and Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcasts Share This Episode If this episode reminded you to go order your own name badge, or hyped you up to finally show up to that thing you've been putting off... send it to a friend who needs the nudge. And tag us. We love seeing who's listening.  

Pete's Apology Tour: Dunk on Pete Day at Duffer's | Lake Forest Podcast

When most people think about Lake Country, they picture beautiful sunsets, sparkling water, championship golf courses, and a community that's growing and thriving. But like every community, there's another story, one that isn't always visible. It's the story of families quietly wondering how they'll put enough food on the table. It's the story of grandparents raising grandchildren on a fixed income. It's the story of hardworking people who, because of an unexpected illness, job loss, or simply the rising cost of living, find themselves needing a helping hand. The good news is... they're not alone. Every month, something remarkable happens right here in our community. Long before most of us are enjoying our Saturday morning, a dedicated group of volunteers comes together with one simple purpose: to make sure their neighbors have enough to eat. It's called Second Harvest, and while thousands of pounds of food are distributed, what they're really delivering is something much greater: hope, dignity, and the reassuring reminder that this community cares. My guest today is Bill Bonnington, a longtime Rotarian and one of the leaders behind this incredible outreach. We'll talk about his own journey of service, the hidden reality of food insecurity in our community, and why Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self" is much more than just words, it's something lived out month after month by volunteers who simply want to make a difference. Whether you've volunteered before, have wondered how Second Harvest works, or simply want to hear a story that reminds us of the very best in people, you're going to enjoy this conversation. Because at the end of the day, a strong community isn't measured by the wealth of its few... It's measured by how well it cares for those who need it most. Guest: Bill Bonnington - Second Harvest Website: https://secondharvestga.com/ Sponsors: Tim Broyles State Farm Insurance https://mydowntownagency.com/ Lake Oconee Family Fitness & Fero Fit https://loffc.net/ Second Chance Boutique https://colinc.org/second-chance-boutique/

In today's episode, we are kicking off WAugust, the number TWO Washington Wine Month, with our friend, Lisa Tussing-Hatch with Vehrs. We've known Lisa for years and it's hard to believe she hasn't been a guest on our podcast yet! Lisa is bringing and AMAZING assortment of Washington Wines for us to taste through and we love on all of them! #HappyFriday! #ItsWineTime! #Cheersing #WAugust #MerLittle #70IsTheNew30 Wines this episode:2025 Gård Franc Blanc ($21 at area stores)2025 Readers Chenin Blanc ($15 at Pilgrim's Market)Lucius Chillable Mourvédre ($23 at Pilgrim's Market)2021 Upchurch Vineyards Counter Part Red Wine ($46 at Pilgrim's Market)2021 Dunham Cellars Syrah ($40 at area stores)2022 Va Piano Cabernet SauvignonA HUGE thanks to our sponsor: Eternal Wine, J. Bookwalter and Liberty Lake Wine Cellars!Eternal Wine: Are you a Rhone Ranger or just really love Syrah? Then you need to check out Eternal Wine! Their focus is on single vineyard Rhone valley wines in Washington State. Also check out their Drink Washington State brand of approachable wines! Visit https://eternalwine.com for more information or simply call 509-240-6258. Eternal Wine: Drink Wine, Be Happy.*Check out The (Almost) Tragic Story of Carménère by Eternal Wine by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKOK6oRKVsJ. Bookwalter: Celebrating their 40th year of producing award-winning wines crafted from the finest Columbia Valley vineyards, J. Bookwalter wines bring excellence and quality to every glass. Visit https://www.bookwalterwines.com for more information or simply call or 509-627-5000.Liberty Lake Wine Cellars: Looking for amazing wine? Taste Liberty Lake Wine Cellars' big, bold reds from Red Mountain, along with their delightful Tahija whites and Rosés. Join their Wine Club for exclusive benefits including their Thursday Wine Club night. Get all the details at https://www.libertylakewinecellars.com/ or call 509-255-9205. Liberty Lake Wine Cellars: Celebrating 20 years of making exceptional Washington wine!The Pilgrim's Market Wine Word/s of the Week - Rain ShadowThe geological effect where a high mountain range (the Cascades) blocks rain-bearing weather systems. It leaves Eastern Washington desert-dry (getting just 6–8 inches of rain a year), making precise drip irrigation essential.Check out Pilgrim's Market for an expansive selection of fine wines with wine club prices EVERY day and weekly complimentary tastings! Visit pilgrimsmarket.com or call 208-676-9730!Mentions: Next Level Consulting, Judy Tebow, Kevin Olsonberg, Josh & Lisa Lawrence, Vine & Olive, Matías Kúsulas, Ed Holmes, Rotary on the Rocks, Russell Mann, Nickie Zepedas, King Estate, Daou, Crickets, Northstar, Andrew Latta, Latta Wines, Kind Stranger, Metropolitan Grill, André Mack, Chris Upchurch, DeLille Cellars, Charlie Hoppes, Fidélitas Wines, Long Shadows Vintners, Leonetti Cellars, Woodward Canyon, Quilceda Creek, Figgins Wine, Riedel Stemware, Hospice of North Idaho, Andrea Robinson, M.S., La Condesa, Joanne Dunham, Mike Dunham, Eric Dunham, John Marzden, Steve White, Justin Wiley, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Seasons of Coeur d'Alene, Angelos Ristorante, CDA Gourmet, Naked Wines, Gary Vaynerchuk, Clearwater Canyon, Koenig, Cinder, Rivaura, Flame & Cork, Jared Burns, Revelry Vintners, Teodora Bernadette Baba, Sam Lange, Kari and Joe Miller, Tecolote Vineyards, Alan Holtzeimer, Silver Bell Winery, Brett Moury and Sara Lane.Check out Episode 254, Wine is Like Music with Keven Olsonberg! Some wines we've enjoyed this week: Negru de Drăgășani, Santa Virdina Vinho Verde, LeEcole No 41 Cabernet Sauvignon, a J. Bookwalter Double Plot Chardonnay and a Duckhorn Chardonnay.Please find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WineTimeFridays), Twitter (@VintageTweets), Instagram (@WineTimeFridays) on our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@winetimefridays and on Threads, which is @winetimefridays. You can also “Follow” Phil on Vivino. His profile name is Phil Anderson and will probably “Follow” you back! © 2026 Wine Time Fridays - All Rights Reserve

Hidden tax leaks and underutilized strategies quietly drain the profits of otherwise healthy companies. Today's guest, Ralph B. Watkins went from losing a $10 million real estate empire to helping mid-sized businesses uncover “money hiding in plain sight” using a powerful, tax-advantaged benefits structure called the FICA Flip. In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Ralph breaks down how companies with at least 10 full-time W-2 employees can implement a self-insured medical expense reimbursement plan (SIMERP) that effectively lets them get paid to offer world-class health benefits. Instead of sending all those FICA dollars straight to the IRS, businesses can legally redirect a portion back into their own bottom line, typically around $640 per employee per year in employer savings, while also putting roughly $100 more per month into employees' take-home pay. Ralph explains how this SIMERP structure layers on top of existing health benefits without replacing them, giving employees access to a robust suite of virtual primary care, urgent care, mental health counseling, financial counseling, and a zero-deductible pharmacy with 1,000+ medications at no cost, covering the employee plus up to five family members, 24/7. He shares why enrollment and retention rates are so high, and why the most common objection he hears is simply that it “sounds too good to be true.” Beyond the financial strategy, Ralph walks through how he's using AI daily to find opportunities, design outreach, and scale his impact, leveraging tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Lemlist, webinars, and local business/service groups (Rotary, chambers, etc.) to get this message in front of decision makers. He shows how AI-powered prospecting, smart drip campaigns, and speaking to rooms instead of just individuals can rapidly compound recurring, per-employee revenue for marketers and advisors who partner on this model. https://youtu.be/4rfHdoBTC6Q?si=5veFPiYu61-4ehmR Underneath the tactics is Ralph's deeper philosophy: authenticity, resilience, and service first. Drawing from his heart attack scare, major financial losses, and the lessons that led to his book “10 Habits of Shit Creek Survivors,” he encourages entrepreneurs to see life and business as a series of experiments, to be kinder to themselves, and to focus on genuinely helping others win. If you're a business owner, advisor, or marketer looking for a real, compliant way to boost cash flow, improve benefits, and build residual income, while using AI as a force multiplier, this episode with Ralph Watkins is packed with ideas you can put to work right away. Quotes: “The future belongs not to the people whose jobs are displaced by AI, but to the ones who grab onto it and learn how to use it to get more done.” “There is no success, there is no failure; we live in a lab. Every day we're running experiments and simply getting results.” “When your biggest objection is ‘this sounds too good to be true,' that's an objection I like dealing with.” Contact Details: Start Your FICA Flip Journey Today Ready to Earn Dual Commissions? Apply Today and Start Keeping More of Every Deal Get the Book That's Changing Lives; Visit NASCS.Org today Connect with Ralph Watkins on LinkedIn for Practical Financial Wisdom 10 Habits of Shit Creek Survivors: Lessons from Hell to Hope on Amazon

Send us Fan MailWe catch up with our friend Aaron Stines as he wraps up his year as district governor and comes home from his first Rotary International Convention in Taipei with his daughter. He shares why he wrote The Power of Significance and how choosing impact over impressions changes the way we lead, serve, and tell our stories. • finishing a district governor year with pride in relationships and connections • why district leadership can feel lighter than leading your home club • bringing a 16-year-old to convention and what it teaches about service and values • the “coming down the mountain” moment after a big Rotary high • why he wrote The Power of Significance despite “hating reading” • ignite rotary, inspire impact, instill significance as a framework for purpose-driven leadership • significance versus success and why people need to hear the human impact • social media visibility that still fails to explain what Rotary is • the core line: your life is defined by impact, not how impressive you look • where to find the book and his speaking work at aaronstines.com Please feel free to like us, follow us, tell a friend about us, etc. Rotarianpod at gmail.com Support the showJoin me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE

In this rambling, affectionate episode our hosts trade rapid-fire memories and bad jokes about disappearing technologies: payphones, rotary dials, operators, phone books and the notorious 976 lines. Between anecdotes about arcades, CD stores and TV repair shops, they reflect on the small cultural shifts that make the present feel unmoored from the past. The tone is nostalgic and irreverent—equal parts fondness and mockery—as they poke fun at themselves, riff on famous songs and celebrate weird relics of pre-digital life while admitting how much they miss simple human interactions.

Hear the incredible story of Shirley Brooks-Jones, a 9/11 "Plane Person" who turned tragedy into hope.We welcome Shirley Brooks-Jones, a remarkable individual whose life was forever changed by the events of September 11, 2001. Shirley shares her compelling story as a passenger on Delta Flight 15, which was rerouted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, amid the chaos of 9/11. Along with nearly 7,000 other stranded travelers, quickly dubbed “the plane people, ”Shirley experienced firsthand the extraordinary kindness and generosity of the people of Newfoundland.Shirley reflects on her background at The Ohio State University, her unexpected role in fundraising, and how those early experiences helped shape her response to the crisis. She recounts what it was like to wait for over 28 hours aboard her plane, the confusion and fear among passengers, and how calm leadership made a difference in such a tense moment.When Shirley and her fellow travelers were finally welcomed into the community of Lewisporte, the outpouring of support was unforgettable. The local Lions Club, alongside townspeople, provided comfort, food, shelter, and even medical help, asking for nothing in return.Deeply moved, Shirley and fellow passengers began the Lewisporte Area Flight 15 Scholarship Fund, an endowed scholarship that now sits at $2 million and has supported over 460 students as of this year.Shirley also shares heartfelt stories of gratitude from the scholarship recipients and their families, and she recounts touching encounters with Canadian citizens and dignitaries, including being honored with the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador and a meeting with King Charles III.Throughout our conversation, Shirley offers wisdom on giving back, the impact of community, and how each of us can find fulfillment in service, regardless of age. Her story is a powerful reminder of the good that can arise from even the most challenging circumstances.If you like this episode, please let us know. We appreciate the feed back, and your support of offset costs of producing the podcast!FAQ about Shirley Brooks-Jones and Lewisporte Area Flight 15 Scholarship Fund1. Who is Shirley Brooks-Jones and why is she featured on this episode?Shirley Brooks-Jones is a former Ohio State University staff member and a passenger on Delta Flight 15, which was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on September 11, 2001. She shares her story of the kindness shown by the people of Lewisporte, Newfoundland, and her efforts to give back through the creation of the Lewisporte Area Flight 15 Scholarship Fund. 00:392. What happened to Shirley Brooks-Jones during 9/11?Shirley was returning from volunteering and meetings in Europe when her plane was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland after the US airspace was closed on September 11, 2001. She spent 28.5 hours aboard the plane before being welcomed by the community of Lewisporte, who cared for her and the other "plane people" for several days. 09:233. What is the Lewisporte Area Flight 15 Scholarship Fund?The fund is an endowed scholarship established by Shirley and fellow Flight 15 passengers as a way to thank the citizens of Lewisporte for their generosity. The fund, managed through the Columbus Foundation, has grown from $15,000 to $2 million and has provided hundreds of scholarships to local students. 27:304. How has the scholarship fund impacted the community in Newfoundland?As of the current school year, 461 scholarships have been awarded to students in the Lewisporte area, helping many pursue higher education and vocational training. The initiative has created lasting positive change in the lives of the recipients and their families. 45:155. How can retirees or seniors stay engaged and make a difference, according to Shirley Brooks-Jones?Shirley encourages retirees to join service clubs such as Lions, Rotary, or Kiwanis and to get involved with organizations that help others. She emphasizes that volunteering is fulfilling and energizing, suggesting there are countless ways for seniors to give back and stay active. 54:15We would love to hear from you.Give us your feedback, or suggest a topic, by leaving us a voice message.Email us at hello@lookingforwardourway.com.Find us on Bluesky and Facebook.Please review our podcast on Google!And of course, everything can be found on our website, Looking Forward Our Way.Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/Copyright 2026 Carol Ventresca and Brett JohnsonMentioned in this episode:Listener DisclaimerThe views and opinions expressed by the experts interviewed on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. The information provided in these interviews is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified professionals for specific advice or information related to their individual circumstances. The podcast host and producers do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information provided by the experts interviewed. Listener discretion is advised.

[29:10] Sometimes all it takes is one invitation. In this episode, Greg Gazin talks with 16-year-old Runfeng Bruce Yu, whose first Toastmasters experience inspired him to help other young people discover the confidence and encouragement that changed his own life. What began with a single club visit soon grew into a remarkable leadership journey. Bruce went on to charter the Sea Dragons Gavel Club, creating a supportive environment where students could grow as communicators and leaders. Along the way, he discovered that creating a welcoming community was every bit as important as helping members become better speakers.Bruce also shares the unexpected challenges of launching a student-led Gavel Club, the creative ways he earned credibility and attracted support, and the leadership lessons he learned along the way. Whether you're looking to strengthen your own club, encourage younger members, or simply enjoy hearing how one person can make a difference, Bruce's story is an inspiring reminder that leadership often begins with a single invitation.Listeners will also hear...Why Bruce believes creating a sense of community comes before building communication skills.How storytelling helped students understand what makes Toastmasters different from traditional speech and debate.What Bruce did when some adult Toastmasters questioned whether his Gavel Club was real, including reaching out to Past International President Richard E. Peck and World Champion Mark Brown for help.How partnerships with Rotary created new leadership and service opportunities for students.Why volunteers from around the world now help support the Sea Dragons Gavel Club.Bruce's advice for Toastmasters clubs hoping to attract more young people.How one invitation ultimately inspired Bruce to create the same life-changing experience for others.Bruce Yu's article, "From Inspiration to Action: Discovering Toastmasters launched my student journey into the program, “ can be found in the August 2026 issue of Toastmaster magazine.About Bruce YuBruce Runfeng Yu is a high school student and Charter President of the Sea Dragons Gavel Club, a student-led Gavel Club in China with an international reach. He serves on the Youth Advisory Board at Erika's Lighthouse, contributing to youth mental health initiatives, and advocates for youth participation through the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth. Passionate about expanding educational opportunities, Bruce is committed to helping young people develop the confidence and leadership skills to make a positive impact in their communities.Bruce lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China and can be reached through his club's website: https://seadragonsgavel.org/ or his personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/runfengbruceyu/ or Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/runfengbruceyu/Find out more about Gavel Clubs.References: Supplied by Bruce YuOur club's:Website: https://seadragonsgavel.org/Volunteer opportunities page (Idealist.org): seadragonsgavel.org/volunteerSpeech contests: https://seadragonsgavel.org/contests/Online educational session page: https://seadragonsgavel.org/resources/educational-sessions/History: https://seadragonsgavel.org/about-us/history/Causes: https://seadragonsgavel.org/about-us/causes/Linktree: seadragonsgavel.org/connectPromotional video by Richard E. Peck: https://youtu.be/RkZrbhReG1E?si=sE3ysww3mewETroXPromotional video by Mark Brown: https://youtu.be/e4tlpWN1Vzs?si=XexqUngMSjFnKbMY

Cambridge is closing out summer with a busy community calendar. The final concert in the park is set for Thursday, July 30th, at 6:30 PM in College Square Park, featuring two bands and free music. Saturday brings the Rotary Car Show downtown, with registration from 8 to 10:30 AM, trophies, food, and a 50-50 raffle. The FFA drawdown follows at 5 PM, with a street dance at The Combine from 8 to 11 PM. Looking ahead, the Cambridge Historical Museum marks its second anniversary on August 8th, and iCash with Senator Anderson comes to the Village Office on August 25th.

Jonny Reinhardt talks with Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock as well as Kristen Bawks, Superintendent St. Joseph Public Schools and Coordinator of the Rotary Essay Contest as well as Daniel Kondrat, Winner of the Rotary Essay Contest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the fastest path out of exploitation isn't aid, but a paycheck? That's the premise behind Theodora Africa, a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged women in Ghana escape poverty and exploitation not through short-term assistance, but through real, paid work. Small & Gutsy host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Theodora Africa Founder and CEO Michael Podolny to trace how a business consulting trip to Ghana turned into an organization named for a 6th-century empress who rose from actress to co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire, and reshaped the systems that once judged her. Guest Michael Podolny, Founder & CEO, Theodora Africa Michael brings decades of experience coaching businesses and building professional networks in the US. He had no intention of starting a nonprofit when he traveled to Ghana through Rotary International to offer free business coaching. A chance introduction to a young woman named Mary and the discovery that her polished business plan was written by a woman surviving through sex work with no other options redirected his mission entirely. What is Theodora Africa? Theodora Africa takes a market-first approach to social impact. Instead of starting with aid or training alone, it starts with paid, in-demand work, specifically virtual assistant services for US-based solopreneurs and small businesses, and builds skills, training, and a pathway to greater independence around that income. The organization operates two connected entities: a US-based corporation that handles client billing, and a Ghana-based company that covers salaries, rent, and operating costs, with funds flowing directly from US clients to the women providing the services. Key Topics Covered The Empress Theodora connection Empress Theodora, born around 500 CE, rose from a low-status background as an actress and performer to become co-empress of the Byzantine Empire, actively shaping policy and using her position to improve protections for vulnerable women. Michael, a self-described history buff, chose the name deliberately: it's a symbolic through-line for women moving from constrained circumstances into agency and influence, and it resonated immediately with the women in the program when he shared the story with them. Mary's story Theodora Africa's origin traces back to one woman, Mary, whom Michael met while coaching small businesses in Ghana through Rotary. After a couple of meetings, Mary revealed she was a sex worker, having been left on her own as a teenager, unable to find legitimate work despite writing a genuinely strong business plan. Michael began teaching her marketing skills, newsletter tools, and connecting her to a built-in network of business contacts who owed him favors. That one relationship became the model for the entire organization. Mary is now Theodora Africa's operating manager in Ghana and sits on the board of a Rotary Club focused on ending human trafficking, with plans to become its president in 2027. Jobs first, not just training Michael is direct about what sets this model apart from many social service and anti-trafficking programs: most offer job training and placement, but placement often doesn't hold. Theodora Africa instead built its own small virtual assistant business first, so women are earning income and building real client relationships from day one, rather than being trained and released into an unsupported job market. Navigating cultural change Michael speaks candidly about the friction of building a US-style participative management culture inside a system shaped by generations of distrust, a legacy he attributes in part to the historical effects of the slave trade on West African society. He describes a period, worsened by COVID-19 fundraising collapses, when he was forced into day-to-day operations he wasn't suited for, and a crisis where staff felt he had favorites. His advisors, he says, often let him make mistakes rather than warning him in advance, believing that was the only way he'd truly learn. "Self-trafficked" and the illusion of choice Michael shares a phrase one of the women in the program used to describe her own path: "self-trafficked," the feeling of having made choices when, in reality, a lack of alternatives had made the outcome nearly inevitable. He describes this as one of the most effective forms of gaslighting, and frames Theodora Africa's economic model as a way of restoring real choice, not by preaching or condemning individual decisions, but by building better options. Scaling the model Theodora Africa currently supports five women with about 15 US-based clients, each biller earning wages that place them solidly in Ghana's middle class. New trainees go through roughly a year of training, paid throughout, before taking on their own clients, with recruitment and training handled through vetted partners like local Rotary clubs and the Muslim Family Counseling Service rather than direct outreach. Michael describes a "champion" model for expanding into new markets or regions: a US-based partner who understands a specific market's needs, paired with a local partner on the ground, tested and iterated over roughly a two-year pilot period. The organization also maintains an internal resource hub, "Theodora University," to help onboard and train new team members as tools and best practices evolve. A note on inspiration Michael describes his path into this work as something he didn't set out to do, framing it in spiritual terms as a kind of unexpected calling that reshaped his plans after arriving in Ghana with an entirely different mission in mind. How to Get Involved Learn more about the nonprofit: TheodoraAfrica.com Hire a virtual assistant or explore services for your business: TheodoraGhana.com Connect: Theodora Africa is looking to build a community of people and organizations who share similar goals and are rethinking how social impact is delivered Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way! If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.https://givelink.app/en.    

https://youtu.be/IQoIp4pY_bM Mailani Veney, CEO of Kana Systems, is driven by a mission to help people and organizations flourish through the aloha spirit by delivering trust and speed while transforming complex government data into actionable intelligence that empowers better decisions. By combining advanced AI-powered data solutions with a people-first culture rooted in trust, curiosity, and service, Mailani has built Kana Systems into a trusted defense technology company that helps government organizations solve mission-critical challenges faster while enabling employees, customers, and partners to thrive.  In this conversation, Mailani introduces The Aloha Way Framework—Know Who You Are & Why You Are The Prize, Aim for the Bullseye, and Co-Build with Speed. She explains why leaders must first understand their unique identity and value before attracting the right people and opportunities, how curiosity and empathy uncover customer needs while building lasting trust, and why collaborating with customers accelerates innovation and delivers measurable business outcomes. Mailani also shares how decades of service built the trusted reputation that led to government recruitment and enabled Kana Systems to transform siloed data into AI-powered solutions that strengthen long-term partnerships and dramatically improve operational efficiency. — Deliver Trust & Speed with Mailani Veney Good day. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast, and my guest today is Mailani Veney, the CEO of Kana Systems, a company changing the future of defense technology by transforming siloed, messy data into usable information to drive better insights for government customers. Mailani, welcome to the show. Aloha.  Aloha. You sent me a link this morning with the correct terms that I should be using for a Hawaiian native on the podcast, and I read the article. It was very long. But I figured that there are some terms that I may be able to use on this podcast as well. So thanks for doing that.  Yes, absolutely. So you have a very interesting background. You’re from Hawaii, but you studied in Central Europe, in Slovenia. You run a company in Nebraska, but right now you’re calling from Florida, so it’s a little bit confusing. So tell me, how did you fall into government contracting, and why not do it from Hawaii? So I actually was recruited by the largest customer in the world, our U.S. government, to help modernize technology, and it was in the area of nuclear weapons technology. So I actually didn’t choose this particular career path or this domain. I was running another technology company at the time, and our government found me and recruited me to help with this very important initiative. And this was pre-generative AI.  I had a platform that I was using in my other company to help small businesses make better decisions using data, and that was using machine learning and artificial intelligence. So I’ve since expanded the scope of what we’re doing across the department and spreading aloha spirit, which is helping others flourish. We help people be heroes at work. And when they do their work well, our country stays safe.  Wow. That is very cool. One of the terms that I noticed in your article was ʻohana.  Yes.  We’ve been staying in a beach house in Sandbridge Beach for the last few years called Ohana Bay, and we always thought it was something to do with Omaha Bay. I never thought it meant family, community, that kind of stuff. So that was super interesting. This is a super-secret project.  I don’t know if we are allowed to talk about it on the podcast. Your nuclear technology and machine learning, that’s probably highly confidential. So what I’d really like to ask you is, what is your personal ‘Why’, and how are you manifesting it in Kana Systems? Yes, and I want to relate this to the people who are watching. 348: Deliver Trust & Speed with Mailani VeneyShare on X That’s how I was raised. That’s how my ʻohana is. That’s how I run my businesses. That’s how I serve. It’s that mentality. It’s that service above self, which is the Rotary motto. I’m a fervent Rotarian. That is really the ‘Why’.  But let me dive into that a little bit more. I’ve taught fitness for 30 years. I still do. I run a defense intelligence company that the U.S. government recruited me to build. People don’t expect those two things to go together, but to me, they’re the exact same job because what I’ve done my whole life is one thing. I find people, and I help them flourish. So in a fitness class, that’s obvious. I help them feel good about themselves and their health.  In the businesses that I’ve started, when I was a professor, when I was the president of one of the largest Rotary clubs in the world, doing good across the world and in our own local communities, all of those things. And then the most important job I’ve ever had, which is raising three children, two of whom now help me run this company. I never did that to build a reputation.  Although when I was a professor at the University of Nebraska and we got to meet with Warren Buffett—he’s a pretty successful businessman—one of his famous quotes is about reputation. But what he told us in person was, “Your reputation is really the only asset you have.” People who chase building a reputation rather than authentically building it up—I think that’s the big difference.  So for me, we build reputation, and I build my personal reputation by doing good for others over and over and over for years.Share on X So when the government, I get asked this question all the time: “How did they recruit you?” They went looking for someone to trust—an entrepreneur to trust—in a very specific domain. They researched. They found me. They found 30 years of that. I didn’t chase that largest customer.  They came to me because of the service. And I build a business the same way I build a strong body—not with one big move. You can’t do it in one big move. You show up day after day, and you do good reps for a very long time. So that’s my ‘Why’. And that’s what I do for the world, for my ʻohana, and just in life in general.  I love it. Very inspiring. It’s very reassuring. So thank you for having that ‘Why’. That’s very powerful. I didn’t realize that you got recruited because of your reputation. I mean, they say they hire people for who they are and then train them for the skills. That’s basically what they did, I guess, on a big scale when they recruited you. Yeah.  And I specifically… At first, when they recruited me and I was running another company, I was getting ready to be president of Rotary 14, and I told them no because I don’t like to do a job that I can’t do well. So then, for about six months, they impressed on me the importance of bringing in small businesses with innovation, speed, and a different outlook. They’re called non-traditionals.  Originally, when they said they wanted me because I was non-traditional, I was thinking, “Well, it’s because of my gender, my ethnicity, or my age. I don’t know.” And they said, “No, no. It’s that you have not had a cost-based contract with the government.” So “non-traditional” has a very specific meaning. The government is very smart in recognizing that, “Hey, we need to bring in those waves of new ideas and entrepreneurs.” That’s what they were looking for when they found me.  And my reputation, they told me, I said, “What is the reputation you’re hearing?” And they said they heard that I was a good person, that I had a really strong culture, and that I got really good results. That’s the reason they recruited me. The technology that I brought over is a byproduct of those things, but they didn’t recruit me just for the technology. Okay. So now I’m very, very curious about your system. I know that it’s based on your personal identity, your ethics, and all that stuff, but I love to turn things into systems. And you say that your secret sauce is finding people and helping them flourish. So how do you do that? Do you have a framework that you can share with me and with our audience about the steps to finding people and helping them flourish? Sure. So we have our own Kana Operating System, and it's something I highly encourage companies to do—to really spend the time and create their own operating system.Share on X It’s not one-size-fits-all. But within that Kana Operating System, we have a system called The Aloha Way. So ha is breath, and aloha is, of course, the way we say hello, goodbye, and greetings. But it’s also a time to exchange good energy and compassion.  So really spending the time on The Aloha Way to think about what that operating system is—all of it stems around our values. And this will tie back to what you’re asking me as far as recruiting. There are three steps in this. One, you have to know who you are and know that you’re the prize. I think this is an area… I’ve been an angel investor for 20 years. I’ve been in the entrepreneurship world for decades now. Those companies, founders, and entrepreneurs who don’t know who they are, don’t know why they’re the prize, and cannot articulate that are at a severe disadvantage. So that’s step number one.  Number two in The Aloha Way is Aim for the Bullseye. And I can tell you how I do that a little bit later. But it’s finding that bullseye because it’s a two-way street. This is never about pushing on somebody, pushing on a company, or pushing on someone you want to hire. So, Aim for the Bullseye. How do you know what’s in the bullseye? And then number three is Co-Building with Speed. That is really what we’rezon AWS and Microsoft.  We’ve literally had meetings this morning and yesterday where, again, they’re emphasizing how fast we work as a company—with good results and trusted results. So those three things make up The Aloha Way: Know You’re the Prize, Aim for the Bullseye, and Co-Build with Speed. And where do people fall into this? They’re at the very top. People always come first in what we’re doing. When we know who we are, what our mission is, and the fact that we're here to make an impact in a good way, we have a terrific track record of recruiting the right people. People know they're going to flourish. People know we're going to treat…Share on X  And in turn, they become excellent partners with us. We just got off the phone with our 401(k) provider. We are one of the very few companies they know of where, when they ran the data, we give a 5% match to every employee, whether they’re part-time or full-time. We don’t call them interns in our company because everybody has value. Part-time and full-time employees get the 401(k) match from day one. For us, that’s investing in our people because we know we’re the prize. We know our people are going to be doing really good, impactful work, and we need to treat them very well. So that’s just one example. People like to be paid well.  They do. So, Mailani, please explain to me exactly what it means. Why are you the prize? Is this something because your mission is more attractive, or what does it mean?  This goes back to some mentoring that I had from Oren Klaff. Oren Klaff has a whole system on teaching companies and people how to pitch and raise money. Although we’ve never raised money, our cap table is completely clean. But the reason why this is important is it goes back to who you are and what your identity is. So that’s the very first thing that I do whenever I start a company or start an organization.  We have a lot of thoughtful discussion about who we are. When you know who you are, and you know why you're unique, and you know why you can do something better than almost anybody else, that makes you the prize for the right people, for the right organization, and for the right circumstance.Share on X We’re the right company right now because we invested early on, saying, “Hey, people making decisions with this overload of data.” Our core product is called Kana Wave.  So instead of getting crushed by the wave, we help them ride it. It’s a little surfing analogy. But we were ahead of our time with that, and we knew that in the future this was going to be more and more important. Obviously, when GenAI jumped on the scene, it became vastly apparent. So knowing we’re the prize in this area is very important because then you’re able to attract the right people, you attract the right opportunities, and really not pay attention to those that don’t fit.  One of the best things that we do is we get to no fast. That is something we chase. Getting to a no is a gift. It’s a gift because then that opens you up to the right yes. I see this too often. People want to hold on. It’s the wrong thing. It’s a little bit of yes, but it’s not enough. So get to no.  Yeah, I love it. This is very smart. It’s very wise. Okay, so knowing who you are and why you’re unique, why you’re the prize, I love it. I love the sentiment behind this, the pride behind it. It’s fantastic. So what is number two? Aim for the bullseye. What does that mean? What do you mean by that?  I love that question. There’s a very famous “sell me a pen” in The Wolf of Wall Street, and when I do this, I do it differently. So I ask people to sell me a pen. If they try and just tell you about the features of a pen, “Here’s my pen. You should buy this pen because of this,” or, “Do you need something to write with?” there’s so many assumptions in your background that go into those things. The easy button that most people don’t do is they just ask.  You can do all the research. I researched you, Steve. I listened to a whole bunch of the podcasts when you guys reached out wanting to have me on this podcast. But at the end of the day, all I have to do is ask, “What’s most important to you, Steve, for having me as a guest on your podcast?”  I’d like to learn your framework. Okay.  And I’d like to learn about you and see why you’re the prize.  “See why we’re the prize.” So that very thing right there is the bullseye. A lot of times people miss the bullseye, and it doesn’t do anybody any good. That’s the “get to no fast” as well. So if I’m trying to tell you about the Kana Wave platform and you’re doing something completely different, we’re just wasting each other’s time, right? I don’t want to do that. There is a lot more than I can cover in this podcast, but that’s what we do when we train our people.  A lot of it starts with empathy, and it starts with that aloha spirit.Share on X So when you go into something not trying to push or sell or win something, but you’re genuinely curious, and when people ask me, “What’s the one quality that everybody in my company, everybody that we contract with, and our major vendors and partners all have?” We all are curious. A lot of that curiosity is in the form of intelligence, but it’s that curiosity first.  When you’re curious, you ask the right questions. So I have two magic questions for your audience. One, “What are you looking for?” Two, “What’s important to you?” Sounds so simple. I see it happen so rarely in business, and I see it happen so rarely in relationships. People would just get along a lot better if we could just have upfront, honest, transparent conversations around those two things. Right off the bat, what they’re telling you is a guide as far as, “Do you want to continue this conversation? Is there a way that we can help?”  If their bullseye matches up with your value, or the value of your company, your product, or your service, then you’re off to the races to have a conversation. But you can’t do that without that foundation. It really flips it on its head from when I was trained in corporate sales at the beginning of my career. I like this a lot better because then we really genuinely get to know what somebody else wants. At the end of the day, businesses, organizations, and the military are a bunch of people. So treat people like people. That's the Hawaiian part. That's where the aloha spirit really comes in.Share on X  So when you’re explaining this, I’m thinking that “know who you are” and “why you’re the prize” is basically the way to build trust. Then “Aim for the Bullseye.” Then you’ve already built the trust. Maybe I’m getting this wrong, but then you can ask those questions that require some level of vulnerability from the other person to actually tell you what they’re really looking for.  They’re not going to tell it to a stranger they don’t trust because they might feel sensitive about it or they might not want you to know. So is there something to do with trust and trust allowing you to aim for the bullseye?  One hundred percent. That is one of the two things that we deliver. We deliver not just speed, but we deliver trust. For us, trust is solving one problem, and it expands, and it becomes the next and the next. That’s what I’ve seen in my corporate career, my other companies that I started, and especially in this company. Trust begets trust. Again, it’s like, “Well, how do you build trust?” You start with your mindset. “I want to help you flourish, Steve.” “I want to help my customers flourish.” “I want to help our bank flourish.” We’re paying our bank, but I want to help them flourish too.  If you have that mindset first, those are the reps I’m talking about that build your reputation, that build your trust, and then people start referring you. It’s such a beautiful flywheel when it’s done well. The other famous Warren Buffett quote is, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” So just doing good over and over again. For me, trust starts with the mindset first.  Yeah. I always believe that you can only create trust by trusting first because people cannot trust someone who doesn’t trust them. I think it’s a very dangerous place to trust someone who doesn’t trust you, right?  Yeah.  Because they won’t have your best interest at heart. So I love it. Go first. The aloha spirit. Look for ways to help the other person, then be curious and learn what the bullseye is so that you can aim at it. Then what do you mean by Co-Build with Speed?  Thank you for asking. That’s the final step. In the three steps that we do, that’s the final one. What we deliver is a solution that makes people’s lives better. One of the key psychology pieces is that most people want to feel important in whatever job they’re doing, in whatever aspect of life they are. So let’s empower people to feel important and to be heroes at work, regardless of what the job is.  With that mentality, we came in and said, “Okay, we’re really, really, really good and experts at developing advanced technology solutions.” But here’s what we’re not really good at. We’re not really good at everything outside of that. That’s where we have to have a partner. So we do not sell commercial off-the-shelf software. We do not sell custom software. We're in this really awesome, scalable center where we have Kana Wave, which is a very powerful data and intelligence platform that can be used like Lego.Share on X  What we don’t have is the front-end piece that matches everybody’s workflow. But this is where the speed comes in. We can quickly build that, and the way we do that is we partner with our customers. They know their domain. They know their workflow. They know the problems and challenges. So we do a little bit of tweaking on that, and that’s how we’re able to generate products so quickly that really are unique and maximize the value to the customer in the work they’re getting done.  As an example, our very first project was the “Can I Fight Tonight?” Dashboard. Our country has nuclear weapons. Underpinning those nuclear weapons is the technology to make sure everything is running. The philosophy behind nuclear weapons is strategic deterrence. But in order to deter, you have to have the credibility that everything works. So every two weeks, five people in an underground location were pulling together all of this information manually, putting it into spreadsheets upon spreadsheets, massive horse blankets of spreadsheets, PowerPoints, and manually handling all of this data.  It was taking five people two weeks. We came in, we worked with them, we built the solution. We worked with them to co-build what they actually needed, and we brought that down to where one person could do it in 30 minutes. We’ve done that over and over and over again. We’re working with another government customer right now where it’s taking them 150 hours to get a project done, and we can do it in one hour.  So when I’m talking about co-building with speed, we’re building the last little bit that they actually need on top of this really powerful engine. That has proven to be such a successful model because they’re the ones who care about getting the problem solved, and we’re turning them into the heroes at their own job. It’s so gratifying. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my career because we see the impact every single day of what we’re doing.  That’s fascinating. So the Kana Wave platform—you said it’s like Lego. It’s a data engineering platform, and then you take the workflow of that customer and adapt it to this, or somehow interface it with this platform, or use the knowledge of that workflow to essentially streamline the process and go from 150 hours to one hour? Love it. That’s very interesting. So what’s one thing that you’re trying to figure out in Kana Systems right now?  The thing that keeps me awake is not optimizing the opportunities we have. So we’re trying to figure out who the right partners are. We’re a small business, and we know we’re a small business. That’s our superpower, but it also holds us back in some regards. So the thing we’re trying to figure out right now is which companies to partner with. Like I told you, we’ve partnered with Microsoft and Amazon.  They’ve been phenomenal partners in the technology-enabling area. There are other partners out there that we’re considering right now. Again, the only metric I care about—I run the company off one metric. For me, it’s about aloha spirit. How much aloha do we deliver? The way that we look at this is how many people find what we’re helping them with to be useful. Everything else derives from that, right? The growth. The revenue. We make millions, but that’s not the metric I’m chasing.  So what I’m looking for with these new partners is who can help us improve that one metric so we can deliver more aloha. Naturally, we’re looking at larger companies. There are a few small companies that we’re looking at that have interesting edge AI use cases where we can help out. Those are the things that are really challenging me right now as CEO and founder.  So is it about how you measure the deliverable aloha quotient of those target partners that’s the challenge, or is it reaching the target partners to have the opportunity to provide the aloha for them, or is it about something else?  I think it’s a matter of choosing the right partners in a fast, trusted way. It’s a process. With us working so quickly, being able to choose the right partners, but we also don’t choose the wrong partners. So it’s less about the aloha metric. If we’ve qualified them enough that we’re interested in partnering with them, we can figure that part out pretty quickly. But it’s getting over those last few. Do you have any answers?  Yeah. I wonder if it’s something to do with the judgment, whether the judgment to choose those partners is scalable in the company or not. And to what degree your growth is constrained by your ability to transfer the ability to judge the partners to the rest of the organization. So it’s no longer a constraint at your level. What would it look like for the growth of Kana Systems if you didn’t have to be part of the partner selection process anymore because the judgment would be equivalently good at lower levels in the organization?  Well, in that case, then I would think it would be faster.  Okay.  We’re in incredible times right now. As an example, our platform can ingest all kinds of data, tag it, chunk it, organize it. There are entire companies worth billions of dollars just doing one segment of that. The fact that we can do all of that at a fraction of the time and a fraction of the cost—that’s why we’re situated very well right now for growth, and that’s why we’re having so much fun right now. It’s a really fun time in our company.  We have a lot of people who are interested in not just partnering with us and investing in us and acquiring us. We’re getting inundated with a lot of requests for that. Trying to stay focused on who are the right people and companies to be speaking with right now, in addition to our customers, of course. So I think that’s a challenge that companies dealing with factors of scale have to deal with.  Okay. So what makes a potential partner, listening to this podcast, know that they’re the one, that they should give you a call because they would be a big recipient of aloha?  Yeah. Actually, that’s a great question. The things that we look for, number one, they don’t have to call it aloha spirit. It goes by different names. But at its heart, they are people or organizations that are here to do good. What we’re doing right now in the world of defense are things that absolutely can carry over into any line of commercial work. The fact that we can work with sensitive data in some of the most trusted environments in the world means that we can do that in other areas.  We’ve talked to people in finance, capital structures, and energy. There’s a lot of interest in those kinds of other areas to carry over some of our best practices and learnings. We absolutely want someone who is helping us be the best version of ourselves. There is an opportunity for us to sell all or part of the company in the next few years to a strategic partner. That’s something that we would entertain as well.  But really it’s that idea that, hey, together we can build something that’s more impactful than what we currently have. So we can sniff out pretty quickly if people are aligned with the same kind of reasons that we are.  But what I understand is that your two ideal companies, the clients you mentioned, were AWS and Microsoft. These are both huge companies, which means there are huge opportunities to create value, Aloha, perhaps. And you mentioned energy. You mentioned defense. So are these big infrastructure-type platforms where aloha can best be manifested or delivered? What are the commonalities?  Because we don’t know on the face of it whether those companies have the kind of people that you’re looking for. Sometimes you can know that a company has a lot of good people, but for larger companies, it’s harder to know. So what are the commonalities?  At its stake, of course, these are large companies. We’ve been really fortunate that we work with small groups within these very large companies. Those small groups, we can tell right away whether or not they’re a fit. Both of those companies have been very good. We’ve partnered with other much, much smaller companies than that. Well, let me tell you one of my personal ways that I determine ethics.  It’s the Four-Way Test from Rotary. Of the things we think, say, or do: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? I run through that all the time, and I hold my team and myself to that very standard. We’re always looking to do things that are beneficial to all concerned. They don’t have to be equally beneficial, but they cannot benefit only one party. So as we’re looking at partners, those are some of the things that we’re considering too.  The other piece… We’re in a capitalistic society. We totally embrace that. But you can do good and still be a capitalist. That’s what we’re proving over and over again. I lost my train of thought with what the last part of your question was, Steve.  No, I think you answered it. Basically, it’s not a size issue.  No.  It’s an attitude issue. You’re looking for win-win partnerships. If you find the right kind of people, then the chance of successful collaboration is going to be great. Obviously, as you grow the company, you want to leverage yourself more with your people, which means that you’ll tend to do business with larger companies as well, I believe.  Yeah. You know what’s been so fun about this? I’m one of the 3% of women who own a defense technology company, according to the Small Business Administration. There aren’t very many women in this space. It’s been really interesting because I lead with the soft skills first. A lot of people ask me if I have a background in computer science or artificial intelligence. I have a background. My number one Gallup strength is Strategic. But what I really care about is helping people flourish, optimizing people, and bringing people together for a common mission—not only to accomplish it, but to have fun doing it.  I think that’s something that gets lost. I’m a Gen Xer, and I was taught that you’ve got to put in your chops, you’ve got to sacrifice, and it’s got to be hard. I don’t believe in that. I like to have fun. I like things that are easy. Everybody likes easy things. If I’m good at something, it’s really easy. So trying to give people the opportunity to do those things. This is where it’s been so much fun. Business can be super fun, and I think that’s something we lose out on. In Hawaii, there’s an ancient way of fishing called the Hukilau.  It’s one of our product names. In the Hukilau, instead of fishing by yourself, there’s a hula with this. Instead of fishing by yourself, where you only catch fish for yourself, as a community you come together and fish. You throw out a big net, then you pull the net in together. Here’s the really cool part. Everybody can be different. A little kid next to a big person next to an older person.  But together you’re bringing it all in. Then the part that’s really great—and Hawaiians are known for this—we have the luaus. We party. We eat. We drink. We have music. We dance. We enjoy it. That makes you want to do it again. So why can’t we do that in business too? Why can’t we do this in a super-serious, top-secret environment? Most of our team have Top Secret clearances. We have our facility clearance. It’s pretty unheard of, as small of a business as we are, to have all of these things. But we still have fun.  We still have fun doing all of this. I think that’s something with the Aloha Way that I didn’t call out. How do we actually get to that? If you have the mentality, then people want to show up and continue doing good work. Even our customers will say, “Oh, this is my one fun meeting of the day with Kana Systems.” We just had a meeting with one of our partners, and they said, “This is the one meeting that we look forward to all week because we have a good time.” So I think that needs to be highlighted as well.  No, I agree. People can learn, absorb, and buy in when they have fun much more than if they’re forced to do something. That’s obvious, and I totally relate to it. All right. So if someone is listening to this and they say, “I might be a company that could create these impacts with Kana Systems,” then how do I find out? How do I get in touch? How do I learn more? How do I connect with you guys?  They can email us at aloha@kana.systems. K-A-N-A dot systems. That’s one way. They can reach out to us on LinkedIn. I can be found pretty easily. There’s nobody else with my name on there. They can go to one of the events. We’re going to be speaking at the Amazon DC Summit at the end of the month. We’ll be in San Diego next month for the War Hackers Hackathon. We’re out and about at quite a few defense- and technology-related events. Yeah, that’s about it. Don’t send smoke signals. We can’t see those.  Fantastic. So if you’re looking for a partner who brings a technology platform that could leverage you, and you want lots of good vibes, good results, and a fun work environment, then check out Mailani Veney, who’s the CEO of Kana Systems. She’s on LinkedIn. She’s easy to find. The website has an interesting domain, kana.systems. Check her out speaking around the country. Mailani, thank you for coming and sharing your wisdom and your frameworks. Super fun. If you’re listening and enjoyed this, then make sure you tune in because twice a week we come out and share with you an exciting story from a unique entrepreneur. So thanks for coming, Mailani, and thanks for listening.  Aloha, everybody.  Aloha indeed.  Important Links: Mailani's LinkedIn Mailani's  website Mailani’s Email: aloha@kana.systems

Send us Fan MailWe travel to the United Arab Emirates to learn what Rotary looks like on the ground when your clubs are truly multicultural and your youth programs are built as a pipeline. We challenge common misconceptions about the UAE, then dig into how Interact and Rotaract in Dubai grow from reactivation to real demand and measurable service.• how Rotary operates in the UAE through the Association of Rotary Clubs and District 2452 across nine countries • what “emirates” means and why the UAE structure feels familiar to Americans • misconceptions about women's roles and what leadership actually looks like in Dubai and beyond • why Rotary being non-religious and non-political builds trust and makes service easier to scale • the practical system behind UAE youth growth from Interact to Rotaract to Rotary • real projects that drive momentum including blood donation drives, RYLA, professional development sessions, and the Rotary Youth Decoded podcast • youth-led environmental action through an Interact Eco Summit, mangrove planting, and Rotary Eco Dubai If you like the show, please tell a friend. We're also on YouTube and we blog. We hit the road quite often, so if you'd like the podcast to come your direction, RotarianPod at gmail.com, shoot me an email.Support the showJoin me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE

Jon Looney, Kevin Lucas, and Steve Franklin joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about "Stuff the Bus" on Friday, Rotary Free Swim, First Christian Church Food Pantry, and the joint Rotary and First Christian Church clothing and backpack giveaway. Kewanee Rotary, the Salvation Army, and First Christian Church are teaming up for another Community Day at the Pool on Saturday, July 25th. Backpack and school supply distribution begins at 11 AM, with the pool opening at noon. Organizers say last year's event handed out 429 backpacks, and they hope to reach 500 this year. Free children's clothing will also be available, along with information about food blessing boxes at First Christian Church. Donations are still welcome. Salvation Army's “Stuff the Bus” event is set for Friday, July 10th, from noon to 4 PM at Walmart.

Brent Nystrom from Northfield Rotary and Brian Whitt from the Northfield Municipal Liquor Store discuss tomorrow's Rotary Taste of Summer Fest at Red Barn Farm.

We begin this first hour with a discussion on why Minnesota leaders are pardoning a convicted sex offender - 21 years after the fact and we chat with Ken Schaefer of the Saint Paul Rotary Club about the returning fireworks show and then finally, we pay tribute to the final send off for our news leader Steve Simpson!

We are ramping up to the Fourth of July and we begin and start with a bang! Beginning with why Minnesota is protecting a convicted predator through a pardon, Ken Schaefer joins as Saint Paul is bringing the fireworks back, Christine Noonan with the Minnesota State Fair on 50 Years of the Blue Ribbon Recipes, some of your 4th of July recommendations. Then final hour - we weigh in on whether fireworks should become legal and Sean McPherson on the Top Hot Dogs and more in the Twin Cities!

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with David Muhindo, founder of Be Well Child Care Initiative in Uganda, to talk about protecting vulnerable children and using soccer as a doorway into healing, mentorship, and life skills. We also trace David's path from making bricks to pay school fees to leading a growing effort to build safety, dignity, and opportunity for kids who have nowhere else to go. • David's origin story and why his work is personal • Paying school fees by making and selling bricks • The dream to study peace and justice and why it matters • Uganda's refugee reality and a culture of welcome • Holistic child wellbeing through education, health, mentorship • Menstrual hygiene support to keep girls in school • Rotary's role in leadership, partnerships, and local impact • Securing land and the urgent need for a children's home • Harmony Through Soccer as a low-cost gateway to trust • Teaching teamwork, conflict resolution, and drug prevention through sport • Monthly counseling and community mentor sessions • What resilience looks like when resources are scarce But if you'd like to help with this labor of love, it is made possible by um financial gifts from uh listeners like you. So get in touch with me either on the website or on Funsprout or of course at Rotarianpod@gmail.com if you wish to help keep the show going. And if you'd like to have the show hit the road and come to your neck of the woods, please feel free to use that same address to get in touch with me about that, RotarianPod@gmail.com. Support the showJoin me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE

What does it take to see a problem so clearly you simply cannot walk away from it? For Sherri Combs, it happened in a swimming pool — and in one moment, she saw the entire vision for Silver Streak Senior Services: the logo, the framework, the platform. All of it, fully formed.Sherri is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author, and senior advocate who spent a decade as a private banker watching seniors and their families navigate a fragmented, fraud-riddled landscape with no trusted guide. Scams were everywhere. Referral lists went stale. Lead-selling platforms turned vulnerable people into targets. Families in crisis were Googling their way through one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives — and finding confusion instead of help.So, she built something different. A nationwide vetted platform connecting seniors, caregivers, and the businesses that serve them with honesty, integrity, and heart. Every business on Silver Streak has passed criminal background checks, licensing and insurance verification, and reputation reviews. No shortcuts. No lead selling. No compromising the people she built this for.Three developers told her it couldn't be done. She sat down, learned to code, and proved them wrong.And she didn't stop there. Sherri also founded the Silver Streak Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to fraud awareness and prevention education for senior communities nationwide. She delivers training through senior centers, Rotary clubs, and community organizations, teaching seniors and caregivers how to recognize and stop scams before they cause harm.In this episode we cover:The swimming pool moment when the entire vision arrived at once — logo, framework, and allWhy the current way we search for senior services is fragmented, broken, and dangerousHow Silver Streak vets every business on the platform: background checks, licensing, insurance, and reputation reviewsThree web developers, one determined founder, and what she did when they said it couldn't be builtHer four-step Silver Streak It framework for scam protection: Pause, Verify, Reach Out, DeleteThe Just In Case Plan: why aging planning matters as much as estate planning — and the conversation every family needs to have before the crisis hitsHow Silver Streak is funded: membership fees as low as $1 for seniors, free for veterans and first responders, with proceeds donated to the nonprofitThe seven-phase vision for where Silver Streak is going — and why she's not waiting to get started3 Things You'll Take AwayYour vision is your protection. Three developers told Sherri it couldn't be done. Her clarity about what she was building — and her refusal to settle for anything less — is what kept her moving. When you know what you're building and why, obstacles become detours, not dead ends.Integrity is a business model. Silver Streak isn't free to list on because free platforms can't be trusted. The vetting process is the product. When safety and trust are your differentiators, you build differently — and that's exactly the point.Plan for the aging, not just the dying. Most families have a funeral plan. Very few have an aging plan. The Just In Case Plan fills that gap — and the conversation Sherri teaches us to have is one every family needs.Connect with Sherri: silverstreakseniorservices.com | Facebook: Don't Fall for It! Silver Streak It | Don't Fall For It! SILVER STREAK IT! Scam Awareness Group |Book: https://silverstreakseniorservices.com/book info@silverstreakseniorservices.com | 888-478-2885Resources from Donna: Field Guide: compassroseconsulting.com/field-guideYOUR WAY Training: compassroseconsulting.com/yourway Business Growth Hub: compassroseconsulting.com/hub Clarity Call: compassroseconsulting.com/clarity-call

What if the purpose of your business wasn't just to make money?In this conversation with Mitchell Hancock, owner of Kilgore Lawn & Landscape, we explore leadership, mentorship, scouting, stewardship, and why timeless values still matter.Mitchell shares lessons from Rotary, the Boy Scouts, and over a decade of business ownership. We discuss how young men develop into leaders, why mentorship matters, and how every vocation can be viewed as an opportunity to create order and serve others.One of the most powerful ideas from this conversation is that great businesses don't just grow revenue—they grow people.Topics include:✔ Values✔ The EDGE teaching framework✔ Eagle Scouts and leadership development✔ Mentoring young men through work✔ Growing a local business through relationships✔ Stewardship and serving your community✔ Creating order from chaosIf you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe and share it with someone who believes leadership starts locally!You can also watch this conversation on YouTube, and listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.poweracronym.com

Send us Fan MailWe test a big idea for Rotary district conferences by bringing together four district governors who combine four districts into one event to grow fellowship, strengthen networks, and raise the bar on programming. We share what worked, what cost more than expected, and why collaboration may be the future for district-level gatherings. • why four districts decide to merge one conference instead of running four separate weekends • how collaboration expands Rotary relationships for grants, projects, and local support • the budgeting approach: splitting expenses evenly across districts and what that changes • choosing a destination hotel in San Diego and how venue price affects attendance • attracting stronger speakers and the advantages of a larger combined audience • blending district traditions and managing committees without ego battles • building in hands-on service projects so the weekend is about action, not just meetings • what we would adjust next time and why some regions are scaling to even more districts So please feel free to tell a friend about the show or like the show on YouTube. It is away that that generosity keeps flowing. And please feel free to uh check out our uh Facebook page. There's a QR code there if you actually wish to sponsor the show altogether. And if you'd like to have the show come to your neck of the woods, perhaps your multiple district district conference, email me at RotarianPod at gmail.com. Support the showJoin me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE

Dr. Beckett welcomes guests Jeremy Lee (Sport Cards Live) and his father, Harvey. They reflect on sharing the hobby at events like the Toronto Sports Expo, emphasizing community, diplomacy, and how Jeremy's approach mirrors Harvey's service mindset. Harvey describes supporting Jeremy's shift from accountancy into the hobby despite initial trepidation, while Jeremy explains his growth from content creator to publisher and collaborator came from impulsive ideas rather than a master plan. They compare being Canadian versus American in medicine and the hobby, highlighting technology's global reach and currency impacts. The conversation closes with insights on market hype vs. long-term value, pricing signals, and common buyer mistakes driven by emotion, bias, and risk tolerance.   01:16 Hobby Time with Dad 02:17 Rotary and Community Lessons 04:52 Apple and the Tree 05:43 Pops and Comps 08:58 Building Without a Plan 12:38 Canada and a Global Hobby 16:05 Value vs Hype 16:44 Pricing and Market Signals 17:59 Buyer Mistakes and Bias      

Is rotary really better than reciprocating? Can you safely skip the glide path with modern reciprocating systems? What is the best file system for a GDP who wants predictable endodontic results? And perhaps the biggest question of all: does the file system matter as much as we think it does? In Part 2 of the Endo Showdown, Dr Samuel Johnson returns to tackle some of the most common questions dentists have about file systems, glide path preparation, retreatment, and endodontic workflow. From practical negotiation tips to choosing a system that works in your hands, this episode focuses on the decisions that can make endodontics simpler, safer, and more predictable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZMR-872HQ Watch PDP271 on YouTube Protrusive Dental Pearl Cut your gutta-percha at the level of the canal orifice and thoroughly clean the pulp chamber before placing the coronal restoration. ⚠️ Leaving gutta-percha and sealer coronally can compromise the coronal seal and promote leakage. ✅ Use isopropyl alcohol to clean resin-based sealer residue before bonding. Water is effective for cleaning bioceramic sealers. Key Takeaways Establish a glide path before shaping whenever possible. D-Finders can negotiate difficult canals more predictably than traditional K-files. Intermediate files such as size 12 or 12.5 can help bridge the jump from size 10 to size 15. Straight-line access reduces file binding and improves shaping efficiency. Avoid forcing glide path files to working length. Gates Glidden drills may be unnecessarily aggressive for routine coronal flaring. Consistency with one file system is often more important than chasing the latest product. WaveOne Gold remains a simple and user-friendly option for many GDPs. Rotary and reciprocating systems can both achieve successful outcomes when used appropriately. A good glide path is often more important than the type of motion being used. Hand files and Hedström files remain valuable during retreatment. Mechanical GP removal near the apex increases the risk of extrusion. Solvents are best reserved for residual gutta-percha rather than used at the start of retreatment. Understanding motor settings, torque, and RPM improves file safety and efficiency. Knowing when to refer is a sign of clinical maturity, not weakness. Clear consent and expectation management reduce stress for both clinician and patient. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 Teaser 01:09 Introduction 02:15 Protrusive Dental Pearl: Coronal GP Removal & Pulp Chamber Clean-Up 03:59 Glide Path File Protocol & Canal Negotiation 06:24 Access Cavity Design & Coronal Flaring in RCT 08:38 File Taper & Canal Preparation Philosophy 09:54 Managing Difficult Canals in Endodontic Treatment 11:48 When to Introduce the Glide Path File 13:24 Using Intermediate File Sizes 15:39 Useful Negotiation & Shaping Tips 17:19 Choosing a File System 20:19 Rotary vs Reciprocating in Clinical Practice 21:29 Motor Settings & File Control 21:40 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 22:05 Endo Motor Ads 24:44 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 25:16 Retreatment Files & GP Removal 26:08 Preferred Gutta-Percha Removal 31:21 Recommended System for Simplicity 32: 44 Building Skills Faster in Endodontics 36:13 Consent & Managing Expectations 41:51 Reciproc vs WaveOne Gold 42:22 Preferred Retreatment Protocol 43:33 Using Rotary Files in Reciprocation 45:12 Curved Canals & Shaping Efficiency 46:32 Can Reciproc Blue Bypass the Glide Path? 49:29 Outro Want more? Check out the previous episode with Dr. Samuel Johnson: Working Lengths and Troubleshooting Apex Locators – PDP216

Is rotary really better than reciprocating? Can you safely skip the glide path with modern reciprocating systems? What is the best file system for a GDP who wants predictable endodontic results? And perhaps the biggest question of all: does the file system matter as much as we think it does? In Part 2 of the Endo Showdown, Dr Samuel Johnson returns to tackle some of the most common questions dentists have about file systems, glide path preparation, retreatment, and endodontic workflow. From practical negotiation tips to choosing a system that works in your hands, this episode focuses on the decisions that can make endodontics simpler, safer, and more predictable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZMR-872HQ Watch PDP271 on YouTube Protrusive Dental Pearl Cut your gutta-percha at the level of the canal orifice and thoroughly clean the pulp chamber before placing the coronal restoration. ⚠️ Leaving gutta-percha and sealer coronally can compromise the coronal seal and promote leakage. ✅ Use isopropyl alcohol to clean resin-based sealer residue before bonding. Water is effective for cleaning bioceramic sealers. Key Takeaways Establish a glide path before shaping whenever possible. D-Finders can negotiate difficult canals more predictably than traditional K-files. Intermediate files such as size 12 or 12.5 can help bridge the jump from size 10 to size 15. Straight-line access reduces file binding and improves shaping efficiency. Avoid forcing glide path files to working length. Gates Glidden drills may be unnecessarily aggressive for routine coronal flaring. Consistency with one file system is often more important than chasing the latest product. WaveOne Gold remains a simple and user-friendly option for many GDPs. Rotary and reciprocating systems can both achieve successful outcomes when used appropriately. A good glide path is often more important than the type of motion being used. Hand files and Hedström files remain valuable during retreatment. Mechanical GP removal near the apex increases the risk of extrusion. Solvents are best reserved for residual gutta-percha rather than used at the start of retreatment. Understanding motor settings, torque, and RPM improves file safety and efficiency. Knowing when to refer is a sign of clinical maturity, not weakness. Clear consent and expectation management reduce stress for both clinician and patient. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 Teaser 01:09 Introduction 02:15 Protrusive Dental Pearl: Coronal GP Removal & Pulp Chamber Clean-Up 03:59 Glide Path File Protocol & Canal Negotiation 06:24 Access Cavity Design & Coronal Flaring in RCT 08:38 File Taper & Canal Preparation Philosophy 09:54 Managing Difficult Canals in Endodontic Treatment 11:48 When to Introduce the Glide Path File 13:24 Using Intermediate File Sizes 15:39 Useful Negotiation & Shaping Tips 17:19 Choosing a File System 20:19 Rotary vs Reciprocating in Clinical Practice 21:29 Motor Settings & File Control 21:40 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 22:05 Endo Motor Ads 24:44 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 25:16 Retreatment Files & GP Removal 26:08 Preferred Gutta-Percha Removal 31:21 Recommended System for Simplicity 32: 44 Building Skills Faster in Endodontics 36:13 Consent & Managing Expectations 41:51 Reciproc vs WaveOne Gold 42:22 Preferred Retreatment Protocol 43:33 Using Rotary Files in Reciprocation 45:12 Curved Canals & Shaping Efficiency 46:32 Can Reciproc Blue Bypass the Glide Path? 49:29 Outro Want more? Check out the previous episode with Dr. Samuel Johnson: Working Lengths and Troubleshooting Apex Locators – PDP216