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Michael Smith—Managing Partner and Founder, Emerald Advisors Michael Smith shares how a client-first philosophy, niche specialization, and independence helped Emerald Advisors grow from $385mm to more than $1B in assets. In Summary What happens when an advisor builds a business around client service rather than operational efficiency? Jason Diamond speaks with Michael Smith, Founder and Managing Partner of Emerald Advisors, about the path from a successful Merrill practice to an independent RIA that has grown from approximately $385mm to more than $1B in assets. Along the way, Michael shares the story of being told he was “overservicing” clients, why that moment became a catalyst for independence, and how a highly specialized service model fueled the firm's growth. Drawing on lessons from a 24-year Navy career, Michael offers a perspective on leadership, specialization, client care, and what it takes to build a durable business in today's wealth management landscape. The Storyline Growth is often viewed as the result of marketing, referrals, acquisitions, or scale. Michael Smith sees it differently. After building a successful practice at Merrill, Michael found himself at odds with the constraints of the traditional wirehouse model. What ultimately stood out wasn't compensation, technology, or platform capabilities. It was a philosophical difference around client service. When he was told he was spending too much time helping clients navigate tax planning, equity compensation, and other financial decisions outside the traditional scope of investment management, he began to question whether the model aligned with the way he wanted to serve families. That realization eventually led him to launch Emerald Advisors in late 2019. The firm started with roughly 85 clients and approximately $385mm in assets. Today, Emerald serves more than 225 families and oversees more than $1B in assets. Throughout the conversation, Michael reflects on the lessons learned from building an independent firm, developing a niche around concentrated stock positions and executive compensation, navigating custodial and technology decisions, and creating a culture rooted in accountability and service. Underlying it all is a simple belief: when firms become highly intentional about who they serve and how they serve them, growth often becomes the outcome rather than the objective. Topics Covered Merrill breakaways and independence Client service as a growth driver Building an RIA RIA growth and scalability Organic growth strategies Concentrated stock positions and equity compensation planning Ideal client personas and niche specialization Schwab and Fidelity custody relationships Advisor succession and enterprise value Navy leadership principles in wealth management The rise of mega RIAs Advisor technology and infrastructure > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why did being accused of “overservicing” clients become a turning point? (08:15)Michael explains how a conversation with management revealed a deeper misalignment between his client-service philosophy and the wirehouse model. What does client service look like beyond portfolio management? (11:30)The discussion explores how tax planning, equity compensation guidance, and proactive coordination can deepen client relationships. Why can specialization accelerate growth? (15:45)Michael shares why serving a defined niche often creates stronger referrals, greater expertise, and clearer positioning. How has the RIA landscape evolved since 2019? (20:30)Michael reflects on the rise of mega RIAs, changing technology capabilities, and why he believes independent firms still have significant advantages. What role do custodians really play in an independent business? (23:15)Michael discusses his experience working with Schwab and Fidelity and why he views custodians as strategic partners rather than competitors. Is the wirehouse model still the right fit for some advisors? (26:45)The conversation challenges the assumption that independence is the best path for everyone and explores the realities of running a business. Does reaching $1 billion in assets actually change anything? (32:45)Michael offers a practical perspective on growth, success, and why asset milestones can be misleading. What can advisors learn from the “steamboat” philosophy? (37:15)Drawing on his Navy experience, Michael shares a leadership framework that continues to shape how he approaches business building and decision-making. Key Takeaways Exceptional client service can become a meaningful competitive advantage when it extends beyond investment management. Independence gave Michael the flexibility to build a service model that aligned with his philosophy rather than adapting his philosophy to fit the platform. Developing a niche around executive compensation and concentrated stock positions helped accelerate Emerald's growth. The ability to make technology, custodial, and operational decisions quickly remains a significant advantage for independent firms. Not every advisor should be independent. Running a business requires a different set of skills and responsibilities than serving clients alone. Growth milestones are useful, but they do not define success. Michael believes success existed long before Emerald reached $1 billion in assets. High-performing teams with a clear client focus often find that growth becomes a natural byproduct of execution. https://youtu.be/RjzsMcC2DnY Quotable Moments “I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing.” “Servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today.” “If you serve a niche and you're very good at that niche, that word gets around.” “Growth becomes the outcome.” FAQs Can an advisor really “over-service” clients? The discussion explores the tension between efficiency and depth of service. While some business models prioritize scale and consistency, others are built around solving a broader range of client problems. The right answer often depends on the advisor's philosophy and business model. Does specialization still matter in a relationship business? Michael argues that developing expertise in a specific area can accelerate growth by making referrals easier and helping advisors become known for solving a particular set of problems. What actually changes when an advisor becomes independent? Beyond economics, independence often creates more flexibility around client service, technology, processes, and business decisions. At the same time, advisors assume responsibility for running the business itself. Is full independence the right path for every advisor? No. Michael acknowledges that many advisors benefit from the structure, support, and resources available within traditional firms. Independence offers flexibility, but it also introduces complexity and responsibility. How should advisors think about the $1 billion milestone? Michael views asset milestones as useful benchmarks but not measures of success. In his view, business quality, client outcomes, and sustainability matter more than any specific asset number. What role does an ideal client persona play in growth? Rather than trying to serve everyone, Emerald built its business around a clearly defined client profile. Michael believes that focus improves service, creates operational consistency, and supports organic growth. How can advisors balance growth with client service? One of the central themes of the episode is that growth and service are not necessarily competing objectives. In some cases, a differentiated service model becomes the reason a business grows. The discussion explores the tension between efficiency and depth of service. While some business models prioritize scale and consistency, others are built around solving a broader range of client problems. The right answer often depends on the advisor's philosophy and business model. Michael argues that developing expertise in a specific area can accelerate growth by making referrals easier and helping advisors become known for solving a particular set of problems. Beyond economics, independence often creates more flexibility around client service, technology, processes, and business decisions. At the same time, advisors assume responsibility for running the business itself. No. Michael acknowledges that many advisors benefit from the structure, support, and resources available within traditional firms. Independence offers flexibility, but it also introduces complexity and responsibility. Michael views asset milestones as useful benchmarks but not measures of success. In his view, business quality, client outcomes, and sustainability matter more than any specific asset number. Rather than trying to serve everyone, Emerald built its business around a clearly defined client profile. Michael believes that focus improves service, creates operational consistency, and supports organic growth. One of the central themes of the episode is that growth and service are not necessarily competing objectives. In some cases, a differentiated service model becomes the reason a business grows. Related Resources The Transitioning Advisor's Lament: Things I Wish I Knew Before Freedom vs. Familiarity: Is it Worth Disrupting Comfort for Something That Might Be Better? IBD vs. RIA Revisited: Two Independent Pathways for Advisors to Consider Advisor Transition Report 2026 Guest Bio Michael Smith, CPWA® is the Founder and Managing Partner of Emerald Advisors, an independent wealth management firm overseeing more than $1 billion in assets for affluent families, executives, and business owners with complex planning needs. Mike entered the wealth management industry in 2005 after a distinguished 24-year career in the United States Navy, where he served both as an enlisted sailor in the Submarine Force and later as a Limited Duty Officer aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and on major staffs around the world. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and an MBA with dual emphases in Finance & Accounting and International Business. Throughout his career, Mike has been known for his commitment to comprehensive planning, helping clients navigate complex issues involving concentrated stock positions, executive compensation, tax strategy, estate planning, philanthropy, and multi-generational wealth transfer. His client-first approach and passion for education have helped Emerald Advisors grow from a startup firm in 2019 to a nationally recognized RIA serving more than 225 families. Outside of the office, Mike is an avid ultrarunner, golfer, lifelong learner, and dedicated advocate for children’s health initiatives. He is a current member of the Legacy Council at Seattle Children’s Hospital and has served in leadership and board roles supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, the ALS Association, and the Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center. He is also the proud father of Kat Smith. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story A conversation with Jason Diamond and Michael Smith, Managing Partner and Founder of Emerald Advisors.      Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story. It’s a conversation with Michael Smith, managing partner and founder of Emerald Advisors. I’m Jason Diamond and this is the Diamond Podcast for financial advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned and, each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education driven and based on building relationships starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at (908) 879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual advisor transition report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Jason Diamond: Growth is often viewed as the result of better marketing, stronger referrals, a larger team and even acquisition and that’s all true yet growth can be the byproduct of something else entirely. For example, Michael Smith built a successful practice at Merrill then, one day, he was told he was spending too much time with his clients, or his management put it over-servicing clients. For Michael, that wasn’t a warning sign about his approach, it was a signal that he might have outgrown the firm and the model. Today, Michael is the founder and managing partner of Emerald Advisors, the independent RIA he launched in late 2019 with roughly 385 million in assets and 85 client relationships. Less than seven years later, the firm has grown to more than a billion in assets while remaining deeply focused on a highly-specialized client base and an unusually hands-on service model. What makes this story particularly interesting isn’t just the growth, it’s the thinking behind it. Michael’s perspective was shaped long before he entered wealth management. After serving more than two decades in the Navy, he brought a leadership philosophy centered on accountability, discipline and what he calls steamboat people, those who keep moving forward regardless of conditions, that mindset continues to influence how he builds his team, serves clients and evaluates opportunities. In this episode, we discuss the decision to leave Merrill, the realities of launching a fully independent RIA, why specialization can accelerate growth, the evolving role of custodians and technology and why he believes exceptional client service remains one of the industry’s most durable competitive advantages. Because Michael’s experience suggests that growth isn’t always the result of finding more opportunities, sometimes it’s the result of creating the freedom to execute the vision you already had so let’s jump in. Michael, thank you so much for joining us today. For starters, can you walk us through your background and what brought you to the world of wealth management? Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much for the opportunity to be here today, I do listen to the podcast a lot especially before I left Mother Merrill. But my background and how I got into financial services is really distinct because I was on the board of JDRF back in the day and the national sponsor for JDRF was UBS PaineWebber and they’re like, “Mike, why don’t you be a financial advisor?” And my master’s degree was actually a finance and accounting in portfolio management because I’ve managed my own portfolio for years and years and so, when I couldn’t get a job, I just fell into it because I couldn’t get a job and I needed a job. That was 21 years ago, Memorial Day so that’s how I got into this industry. Jason Diamond: It’s a unique background, it’s super interesting and I want to talk more about it. You mentioned Mother Merrill, we’ll certainly get there. Before we do, give us a little bit of context on the current business you operate, Emerald Advisors, any context you can share on size, number of staff, types of clients you serve would be great. Michael Smith: Sure. So, we launched Emerald in 2019, November 2019 with about 85 clients and you always talk about this on the podcast how scared it is to launch and go independent. And I would say we took over about 95% of our clients that we wanted to bring over and today we’re at about 230 clients, I think we have some onboarding right now, we have just over a billion of assets. So, we launched with the 85 clients and around 350, 385 million, now we’re over a billion. Jason Diamond: Good for you. Michael Smith: Thank you. And I launched with four employees and we’re now at 11. And I would give a shout-out to one of my key employees because, when I launched, I actually hired somebody that had no experience with us and that was really a good thing because that allowed that person to really focus on operations and back office stuff while my business partner Emily and I were able to focus on bringing on the clients and alleviating any issues that they may have or thought. Jason Diamond: So, meaning you hired somebody basically immediately upon launch to help you with the transition and with this next chapter? Michael Smith: Correct. I hired them before but they started the day we launched. Jason Diamond: Brilliant, I love it. Oh, let’s definitely talk more about that because I think that’s a great strategy for … You’re right, you said it in a joking manner now because you’re seven years past but it’s a very real fear that advisors have and I think it’s worth talking more about. I want to mention too you have, obviously, built this business and grown this business dramatically. I don’t want to make this episode about the pandemic but you moved the business at a, certainly, a unique time. Did it impact your growth at all? Did you feel like you hit a brick wall? Just curious about your thoughts. Michael Smith: No, Jason, that’s a great observation. I would venture to say that the pandemic was actually a good thing for us. Jason Diamond: Interesting. Michael Smith: And I say that because, all of a sudden, you could hit pause because everyone was relearning how to do business, how do we do client reviews, how do we communicate with clients in a environment. So, I think the pandemic allowed us to just really reset our expectations visiting with clients because I used to fly a lot because I have clients in 38 different states so this has actually been, not just good for me, but good for the industry because I think it’s reset our expectations that we don’t have to be every day with a client facing. Jason Diamond: I agree with that largely and it’s true of our business too, by the way, it’s certainly reshaped the way people expect to be communicated with. I think Zoom has become much more mainstream, phone calls and we’ve heard from many other advisors who say something similar. I was just curious because you moved so close to or if there was an impact but I get, honestly, I think you’re right, it allowed you to have this nice natural inflection point and almost like flipping a switch of a clean slate. Michael Smith: It allowed us to learn the processes too. So, we launched in November 1st, by March we were in lockdown and so it gave us the opportunity to take several months of just learning the processes of how to be an RIA, it was pretty good. Jason Diamond: Absolutely. So, one of the things you mentioned in that was the way in which you serve clients and I’d read something funny and I think it was around the time of your move. You were talking about that, Merrill, you had a manager who spoke about that you would overserve your clients, you serve clients too much, tell me about that. Michael Smith: That was such an interesting topic because I got called down to the ops officer’s office and they’re like, “Ugh, Mike.” And it brought my admin down with me and they’re like, “Mike, these reports that you’re taking care of your clients too much,” and I’m like, “What do you mean?” “Well, you’re overservicing them.” Jason, I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing because I was like, “How do you overservice the client? I’m not making their bed.” It was just so funny to me that I got counsel for overservicing clients when we’re in a client-facing job and I think that was part of the catalyst. Jason Diamond: Tell me more about what they meant, you think. Michael Smith: Hindsight, I think they … I like to take care of people which means I’m very intuitive towards taxes, I understand how the tax code works, I understand how everything impacts their bottom line. So, when we’re doing deferred comp enrollments or 401(k) enrollments or I’m a big believer in Roth 401(k)s and backdoor Roths and I’ve been doing them for years, I think what Mother Merrill wanted at that time was us not to do that. And, again, nothing against Merrill, I get it but this is how they wanted us to act and I wasn’t in that mold, I was taking care of clients to a much deeper depth is how I would say it. Jason Diamond: And I think that speaks to you outgrew the model not necessarily the firm. I think Merrill does a lot of things really well, you would agree with that, I think given that you built 85 clients and 350 million in assets is nothing to sneeze at. But the model that it seems like you value client service and an integrated client service experience of that and the wirehouse model oftentimes doesn’t put a premium on that. Tell me about your ethos or your thoughts around client service today and what being independent enables you to do. Michael Smith: So, that’s an interesting observation because one of my clients actually just mentioned to me that the reason we’re growing so much is because of our service model and the fact that we deliver a tremendous amount of value over just portfolio management. I said my managers is in portfolio management, I don’t do that any longer, I have a staff that handles that for me but it’s really the servicing of the clients because they don’t know what we know and I think servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today. Jason Diamond: Give me some examples of what you mean by servicing the client in a more holistic way. I agree with you, by the way, portfolio management, table stakes, financial planning, table stakes, tell me more about what you mean. Michael Smith: By that I mean we do a quarterly review on tax. So, a lot of people don’t understand how taxes work and how estimated taxes work. So, estimated taxes are January 1st to March 31st, January 1st to May 31st, January 1st to August 31st, that’s how you do your estimated tax payments, you figure out what that is. And for compensated employees where they have RSUs that come in at different times of the year or different grants or exercise their options at a different time, that can affect their estimated tax liability and I’m not big on giving Uncle Sam any more money than they have to have until they need it. And then everyone doesn’t understand how the penalties and interest works on the IRS. And I’m big on the tax payments because that’s where we can add a lot of value for not a lot of time and we integrate it with our portfolio so we know what we’re doing with our gains. And I happen to reside in Washington State which has a long-term capital gains tax rate once you surpass about 270,000 of long-term capital gains. So, it’s super important for us to be aware of this and that’s how we service them. We also help them with their rebalancing of their 401(k)s, things that wirehouses cannot supposed to do, we are not supposed to be helping them with some of their aspects of life. Jason Diamond: Yup. That’s what I was alluding to earlier, it’s limitations on the model, not because they’re bad models, it’s just a different way, a different ethos around client service. You mentioned RSUs and corporate employees, I know that’s a niche you have is around concentrated stock positions and equity comp plans. I guess let me ask you two different questions around this. First of all, why that niche? Interested. And then, second of all, do you think a team needs to have a specialization to be competitive these days or do you think it’s okay just to be like, “My job is to be the best advisor and I want to service assets wherever those assets may come from?” Michael Smith: Another great observation. I’m going to address the niche first and foremost. I think, and I talked to R.J. Shook’s staff just recently, and having a niche gives you a specialization and it also accelerates your growth factor. If you serve a niche and you’re very good at that niche, then that word gets around. If you’re a jack of all trades, you can do lots of things but I don’t think you’re focused and you’re not hitting the right numbers that I like to see. And I think that would be my theme is the niche allows you to focus on a very specific type of ideal client, that’s a Schwab thing where you have an ideal client persona and our firm has an ideal client persona. As far as having the equity comp, I absolutely was one of the teams at Merrill Lynch that was equity compensation designated, I managed a couple of plans. My exposure to that, Jason, I haven’t thought about this in a very long time, came from UBS where I had team members that were colleagues that were associated with the Nextel Sprint plan. And I always thought that you’re taking care of the top executives but, really, my background being in the military was how do we take care of the troops, the troops, I call them sailors, and how do we educate those sailors. And one of the things I’ve always said in my entire career in the military and I still say to this day is 50% of every bonus or a promotion or something like that should go to long-term savings. So, I use that same mentality with RSUs, with stock options, with bonuses. Set that aside, let that grow because you’re not used to spending it and you will learn to spend what you make. Jason Diamond: I think that’s a great reason, it’s super smart and I love your explanation, it was a very simplistic way. Honestly, even I hadn’t thought about that around your niche, I think, becomes almost like a force multiplier for your own growth because it’s much easier to become the guy in X, Y, Z vertical than to be the guy in every financial advisor of America, across America. Let me ask you a follow-up question, you mentioned the ideal client persona. I spend a lot of time at our firm thinking about this as well, what does your ideal client persona look like. How do you think about an opportunity though that differs from that persona? So, it’s great. Obviously, everybody, it’s easy, you get somebody who’s your perfect prospect, they walk in the front door, sign me up. But when you get something that’s not down the fairway for you, is it just I evaluate it on a one-off basis or are you super disciplined to that approach because it’s who your firm is? Michael Smith: I truly haven’t given that a whole lot of thought but I will tell you how I would handle that because I am handling it with some one-offs. I like the opportunity because you’re stretching your brain in that you’re thinking about how somebody else is reacting so you’d never know. So, I like it from a learning perspective but I also know it comes with a lot of other baggage, I’ll call it baggage, because, all of a sudden, they want to short the market, they want to go long-short strategies. So, all of a sudden, they’re not in our niche and, all of a sudden, they’re taking a lot of time, they’re draining our time so I think you got to be very careful about what you wish for. And there’s a lot of great advisors out there that will walk circles around these topics that I’m like, “Okay, I would rather refer somebody so they get the right experience than give them the wrong experience.” Jason Diamond: I absolutely love that answer. The bow you just put on it, I think, is the appropriate way in my mind to put a bow. At the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather service somebody more optimally even if you don’t believe it’s yourself, I agree with that. I want to ask you one more point on the client service piece. I was playing around on your website and, on your service model, you have health as a component of the client experience of your diagram. Why do you think health matters in a financial context? Michael Smith: I always believed in a healthy mind and a healthy body will bring so much joy to you and I think health is just part of your persona. If you don’t take care of yourself and your body and your mind, then it doesn’t matter what I do, I think you got to start with health. So, I’m very big on the executive physicals, I routinely require all of our staff to have an annual physical. And, again, they’re young people but you got to have these annual … I live and breathe going to see a doctor every year to do my annual physical, not because I think I’m pretty good health, I still run, I do a lot of things but I think your life starts with being healthy. Jason Diamond: Yeah, it’s refreshing to hear that, no doubt. It’s funny to think about but 2019 is a long time ago now and, in RIA world, I almost think of it like dog years. You’ve been around the block now for a little while so I’m curious how have you seen this space change since you launched in 2019? Michael Smith: In 2019, I didn’t know what I was doing, I could barely get out a wet paper bag but I do think it’s changed dramatically. I would say the biggest thing I’ve seen in just the six and a half, almost seven years is the rise of the mega RIAs and how they’re going to shape the industry. Everyone talked about fee compression at Merrill Lynch. When I was at Merrill, we talked about fee compression, then they talked about robo-advisors and now they’re talking about artificial intelligence replacing advisors, I don’t believe that and I don’t think that’s going to happen in the RIA space. What I see the RIA space maturing is into these very big mega firms as well as these independent RIAs like myself that serve a very niche market where we can walk in our lane. The ability to transact today is so much easier as an RIA than it was at a wirehouse as well because we have instant access to technology. My military background, my Navy background says make a decision right, wrong or different, if you don’t like it afterwards or you get new data, course change. So, in our industry, we can change on a notice. I hired a tech firm last year, I didn’t like the experience nine months into it, guess what, they’re not coming back. So, I can do that but you can’t do that at the bigger firms and even the bigger mega firms would have a hard time navigating a change just like that on a dime. Jason Diamond: You bring up an interesting point. To the extent you face competition, do you find yourself competing more against traditional wirehouse type firms or RIAs like yourself, mega caps RIAs? Are your clients attuned to any of this? Michael Smith: That’s an observation I haven’t thought of either there, Jason. I would say I don’t feel that I have a … I know there’s competition out there but we have a growth issue more than we have anything else so I don’t … I can’t take on the clients that want to become my clients so I’m not competing with people too much. Jason Diamond: A capacity issue, you mean? Michael Smith: Yeah, I have a capacity issue. Jason Diamond: I think you’re not alone in that. How can I even think about competition and the like when … A lot of advisors would probably say that. I want to talk more about the capacity situation but, before I do, let’s talk a little more about the RIA setup. Who do you custody with, remind us, and why or how did you arrive at that decision? Michael Smith: Yeah. So, when I launched, I went with Schwab, Schwab is a phenomenal partner, they helped me get a lot of stuff done, I couldn’t have done it without Schwab. During the pandemic, I realized that I should probably … So, remember, during the pandemic, we had a lot of issues with the banking industry, it was almost like a financial crisis but in a very compressed time. So, during the COVID, I decided to add Fidelity as another custodian so now I have two custodians and I opened accounts on both sides of the house but I like the custodians that are there to help you, they’re very good at what they do. I don’t even consider them a competitor and they aren’t competitors, they have their own branch so I don’t consider them competitors, I think they’re my partners and both Charles Schwab and Fidelity are good partners. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I think that’s the healthy way to look at the custody relationship. That’s a very common approach, I think, is launching with one custodian and then adding a secondary custodian or a tertiary custodian down the line for one reason or another so I appreciate you sharing that because we get those types of nuts and bolts questions a lot so I figured I’d ask you. One last question on the setup and then we’ll shift gears. Has anything been a negative? So, you talked about leaving Mother Merrill behind and, Mother Merrill, we use it facetiously but obviously it implies a degree of comfort and the homeland so I’m curious if you miss anything. Michael Smith: I miss the camaraderie of being with a bunch of other folks. I mentioned this when I first launched, I mentioned it year over year with my team, the one thing that we miss as an RIA and, again, Dynasty has their benefits as well and the mega RIAs have their benefits but, if you’re a true independent like myself, we get to go to conferences that we want to and that’s a timing issue, really, a time constraint. But one thing Merrill and Morgan, JPMorgan, and the other big wirehouses have as well as the megas, they have the ability to put conferences together for their advisors or their administrators and have this education. That’s the one thing that, I think, would evolve in the RIA industry in the future as well. They’re not my competitors, they’re my business colleagues. And if we think of them as competitors, and a lot of people do because I don’t want to share my client information or what I do with my competitor because they may steal them, if you’re that insecure, then you’re probably not the right advisor in the first place. Jason Diamond: I don’t disagree with that. It’s interesting too, I hear two common answers to that question, not about Merrill but just about somebody who’s broken away, what do you miss about the captive firm world. Either on this podcast or just in conversations with advisors, brand comes up a lot and then the point you just raised. I’ll even hear like, “Hey, forget the conferences and the trainings, just being able to have an office where I’ve got eight other advisors on a row for me, it’s a little bit of a different setup than in the independent space,” and I think that’s just a reality of you take the good with the bad. And for other advisors, by the way, one of the things I want to ask you about to this point is do you believe that there are advisors that are just better served in the W2 traditional firm world or do you think that every advisor should be looking at the RIA space? Michael Smith: I think that wirehouse serves a great purpose and- Jason Diamond: Okay, me too. Michael Smith: … there’s a lot of great people that are great advisors in that wirehouse, they need the structure. What I hadn’t alluded to is, and I mentioned this to a former manager from Merrill Lynch of mine just recently, actually, I was like, “I don’t think advisors realize what it takes to run a business.” I’m not trying to sugarcoat it, running an RIA is hard work, it takes a lot of your time day in and day out to run a business as well as taking care of and servicing your clients so I do think the wirehouse venue is the right way to go. And, Jason, I want to go back to one other thing about your identity. I launched as the Smith Group because that’s what I was known at Merrill Lynch. Within three or four months, I changed that name to a firm because I did not want to be associated with it. So, when you’re at one of the wirehouses, you’re known as your team name or something of that sort, I didn’t want to be known as that, I wanted to be known as Emerald Advisors not the Smith Group because, all of a sudden, you have a single point of failure. So, brand identity, it’s not so unique inside the wirehouse because it’s a team name versus Merrill or Morgan Stanley or something like that. Jason Diamond: It’s a good segue because I’ll tell you where my mind goes when you bring that up. My mind goes is you’re smart in a way that you might not even realize or maybe you do realize which is that, if and when it ever comes time to sell this business, it is probably more valuable without your name attached to it or maybe not. But in some way, shape or form, as an RIA, you have an obligation to be thinking about that or it’s probably on your radar, maybe not an obligation. Have you given an ounce of thought to M&A either acquiring businesses, growing in that way or, ultimately, when you succeed out of this business and what the RIA space enables you to do? Michael Smith: To answer that question, yes. Everyone’s thinking about merger and acquisition, I think about succession planning from day one. I actually thought about I’m a big team person, I come from the submarine force where everyone is a key player on a submarine, every single person has a job and responsibility on a nuclear submarine. So, inside the financial services industry, I know Merrill Lynch was very big on teaming, I understand Morgan Stanley is as well because teaming gives them a breadth of responsibility where the responsibilities are shared. So, mergers and acquisitions or selling my business, I think, if you’re not thinking about that … And I’m not thinking about selling my business because that’s a distraction to me. If I needed the money, then I would’ve went to a wirehouse and that’s okay, you monetize your life’s work. Today, I’m all about what’s right for the client, what’s right for my team and what’s right for where I want to be in the next 10 to 20 years. So, I am growing, I do want to grow, I’m looking at opening offices in probably three locations in the next 24 months or so. Jason Diamond: Well, that’s what I was going to say, plenty of advisors I think would say the same, I have a lot of runway. But what about the other side of this equation which is you’ve had tremendous organic growth, you’ve tripled your client base, you’ve more than tripled the asset base, have you thought about acquisition as a mean to jet fuel the inorganic growth side of things? Michael Smith: I have but not in the typical sense that you’re looking at as buying a book of business. I want to partner with like-minded advisors that share that common thread of taking care of clients where you can serve as their trusted counsel and sit in the meetings with their attorneys and sit in the meetings with the accountants and give them sage counsel that you can only do because you’ve been with the family for 20 years. You know this family and that, not always, but I think that’s missed a lot in other firms. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I think that’s fair. I just thought of something else that you brought up. You brought Dynasty so I’m going to ask … I’m going to pull on this thread. That implies to me that you’re at least loosely aware of the supportive independence models that are out there yet you chose a very independent, autonomous path, why? Michael Smith: Because I didn’t know what I was doing. Jason Diamond: Fair. Michael Smith: Let’s be honest, I like Dynasty, I talked with Dynasty when I left. I talked to them all, I talked to Rockefeller, I talked to Morgan, I talked to Dynasty and then, when push came to shove, I wanted to be Mike Smith and launch my own firm and learn. And I will tell you, you learn drinking through a fire hose and we did that, we learned, I know the mistakes. What I didn’t want to do is just go to someplace where this is the stuff you’re going to have to use. So, I think Dynasty is a great launching platform, I think there’s other ones out there that are similar to Dynasty or the Rockefellers or the Morgans, it’s truly what you’re trying to achieve in life. What do you want for you and your clients and I always put my clients before me because I’ve always had this lifelong thing of, you do the right thing, you’re going to get taken care of. Jason Diamond: Yeah. And that’s a very common analysis, by the way, and it’s very common too for big advisors like yourself to say I did my homework across all of those different categories. I looked at the traditional wirehouses and regional firms and boutique firms, I looked at the independent broker dealers, I looked at the support platforms and the aggregators and the roll-ups and here’s ultimately what I landed on and why. Did you always know that though or was that something that it took you a diligence process to figure out? There was plenty of advisors, by the way, who come to us and they’re like, “I knew for the last five years that I was sitting there I was launching an RIA someday.” Michael Smith: Yeah. I did not know that and, to be honest with you, hindsight, I think one of those partners probably could have made me a little bit better at first because then I could have focused on clients versus focusing on, hey, how to open a business, who’s your technology … We talked about custodians and some other things but we didn’t talk about technology, how do you go find that technology. Where’s your email address come from? Who’s your chief compliance officer? When it resides on you, you got to look in the mirror. So, I think those parties out there that provide that for brand-new advisors launching could be very beneficial. I had in my mind what I needed to do and I knew I’m very frugal so mine boiled down to how much money I wanted to spend, to be honest with you. Jason Diamond: I think it is a cost benefit analysis, it is. It’s absolutely … Because if you list the functions of a support platform on paper and you showed it to somebody who didn’t know the industry, they would say, “Why on earth wouldn’t you do this? They’re taking off your plate compliance and tech and custody and the like,” and the answer is because there’s a cost associated with it and plenty of advisors decide what you decide, I wanted … Or I just wanted a greater degree of autonomy and freedom, to your point, the name on the door piece, I wanted this to be mine. Michael Smith: And, Jason, I think it also goes to the uncertainty. I had never done anything since Navy, financial advising and then launching. So, for me, I was launching with four employees I had to take care of and here I was going to hire a third party that I was going to have to spend X amount on and I didn’t even know what my income was going to be. That’s different if you’re a multi-billion dollar FA coming out of a wirehouse, the monetary dynamics are different. Jason Diamond: Agreed. Okay, here’s a good one for you. We get this concept from advisors, from firms, from private equity that a billion dollars in assets is like this magic number in our industry. Do you feel like anything’s changed now that you’re at a billion and what’s the next chapter for Emerald Advisors? Is it just continuing on this steady trajectory and serving clients and trust that everything else comes with that? Michael Smith: I go back and forth on a billion, everyone thinks that’s the right number, the biggest number that you need but I think it’s just an arbitrary numbers because it didn’t define who I was. And a lot of people define success at a billion, they define success that you’re a successful firm at a billion. I think I was a successful firm at 300 million, I was a successful financial advisor with 20 clients in 2005. I would say a billion is a multiplier, what I would tell new advisors out there today is gather assets. The more assets you have, the more revenue you generate. The more revenue you generate, the more money you can put in your pocket which means the longer you can stay in the industry. The problem with the industry is an attrition problem, not anything else. So, assets just give us the ability to have revenue which gives us the ability to grow. Jason Diamond: And is that the plan? Keep adding assets, keep growing one client at a time with the focus though, obviously, on what makes you which is a very client-centric service model. Michael Smith: Correct. There’s a lot of things I want to do in the next couple of years and expanding our footprint is our biggest one with the right partners and then just keep adding. I have a business development officer that I’m probably offer a job to here pretty soon and things are going well. Jason Diamond: Yeah, that’s great. You mentioned the tech stack and the other components of the business and I hear you on the frugal cost-benefit analysis. But who did you turn to for some of those early decisions, was it Schwab primarily who helped hold your hand through that? Michael Smith: Schwab was very good at helping me identify the tech stack at first and the tech stack is actually the one consistent, there’s a lot of things I’ve been consistent on but tech is one that I’ve stayed with them. I launched with RightSize, now they’re Advisory, they’re very good, they do the right job for us and I’m big on cybersecurity. So, tech was helpful from Schwab, Schwab helped us with that. Jason Diamond: So, we spoke a little bit about your naval experience but, I’m curious, can you tell us how has your naval experience shaped your perception or your experience in wealth management? Michael Smith: My Navy path was a lot different than many officers. I served 12 years as an enlisted person before I got my direct commission as a Mustang officer, typically called limited duty officers or loud, dumb and obnoxious as I like to say. But that experience gave me a unique perspective because I was able to be the enlisted side and officer which are the workers and then the management side so I had both experiences which was unique. When I was commissioned, Admiral Jerry Ellis, a submarine admiral that commissioned me, heard this lesson to the podium, he was just talking about me in this point but he said, “There are three kinds of people in every organization. You have rowboat people who need to be pushed, you have sailboat people who move whenever the conditions are favorable and then there’s steamboat people, they move continuously through calm or storm.” And he said, “This is Ensign Michael Smith,” he said, “Make your course.” And that’s always stood with me because you do have those three types of people in life. You got people that are just … They’re robo people, they go until they get tired. You got sailboat people that go wherever the wind blows them and then you got steamboat people that chart their own course. I would say for advisors out there make your course or just be happy with what you’re doing. But for some of us hard chargers, I think that analogy has stayed with me my entire career. Jason Diamond: It’s fantastic. I love the analogy, great naval tie in also. Thanks for sharing that. We got time for one more question. You have a fascinating background, a fascinating path to the industry, obviously, an incredibly disciplined approach around client service, any parting thoughts, words of wisdom especially as it relates to growth? That’s what strikes me most about your story is the growth that your move unlocked and that’s what every advisor who listens to our show is looking for. Michael Smith: I’m going to give another plug to Schwab on this. We actually were fortunate and I got their consulting group to come in right afterwards and I’m a big believer in having offsite. So, I’ve had an offsite, two offsites a year for my team and it’s the entire team unlike the wirehouses where you don’t take your admins and stuff like that. I take my entire team to an offsite and we group up on what we’re trying to achieve and have goals and objectives for the year. Schwab allowed us to use their consultants and we came up with our ideal client persona. Teams or firms that have this model become high performing. When you become high performing, growth becomes the outcome. I couldn’t do anything but grow. Jason, I couldn’t not grow because I had this ideal client persona, I knew how I was going to do it, it was measurable. So, growth becomes the outcome and, if you hold people responsible, then we’re all going to grow together and it’s a fun outcome. Jason Diamond: Fantastic, it’s a great place to end. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us, I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for Emerald, this has been a lot of fun. Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much. I appreciate everything you do for the industry as well. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibility seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firms or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? Is a book written with you in mind? It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook. From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story A conversation with Jason Diamond and Michael Smith, Managing Partner and Founder of Emerald Advisors.      Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story. It’s a conversation with Michael Smith, managing partner and founder of Emerald Advisors. I’m Jason Diamond and this is the Diamond Podcast for financial advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned and, each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education driven and based on building relationships starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at (908) 879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual advisor transition report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Jason Diamond: Growth is often viewed as the result of better marketing, stronger referrals, a larger team and even acquisition and that’s all true yet growth can be the byproduct of something else entirely. For example, Michael Smith built a successful practice at Merrill then, one day, he was told he was spending too much time with his clients, or his management put it over-servicing clients. For Michael, that wasn’t a warning sign about his approach, it was a signal that he might have outgrown the firm and the model. Today, Michael is the founder and managing partner of Emerald Advisors, the independent RIA he launched in late 2019 with roughly 385 million in assets and 85 client relationships. Less than seven years later, the firm has grown to more than a billion in assets while remaining deeply focused on a highly-specialized client base and an unusually hands-on service model. What makes this story particularly interesting isn’t just the growth, it’s the thinking behind it. Michael’s perspective was shaped long before he entered wealth management. After serving more than two decades in the Navy, he brought a leadership philosophy centered on accountability, discipline and what he calls steamboat people, those who keep moving forward regardless of conditions, that mindset continues to influence how he builds his team, serves clients and evaluates opportunities. In this episode, we discuss the decision to leave Merrill, the realities of launching a fully independent RIA, why specialization can accelerate growth, the evolving role of custodians and technology and why he believes exceptional client service remains one of the industry’s most durable competitive advantages. Because Michael’s experience suggests that growth isn’t always the result of finding more opportunities, sometimes it’s the result of creating the freedom to execute the vision you already had so let’s jump in. Michael, thank you so much for joining us today. For starters, can you walk us through your background and what brought you to the world of wealth management? Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much for the opportunity to be here today, I do listen to the podcast a lot especially before I left Mother Merrill. But my background and how I got into financial services is really distinct because I was on the board of JDRF back in the day and the national sponsor for JDRF was UBS PaineWebber and they’re like, “Mike, why don’t you be a financial advisor?” And my master’s degree was actually a finance and accounting in portfolio management because I’ve managed my own portfolio for years and years and so, when I couldn’t get a job, I just fell into it because I couldn’t get a job and I needed a job. That was 21 years ago, Memorial Day so that’s how I got into this industry. Jason Diamond: It’s a unique background, it’s super interesting and I want to talk more about it. You mentioned Mother Merrill, we’ll certainly get there. Before we do, give us a little bit of context on the current business you operate, Emerald Advisors, any context you can share on size, number of staff, types of clients you serve would be great. Michael Smith: Sure. So, we launched Emerald in 2019, November 2019 with about 85 clients and you always talk about this on the podcast how scared it is to launch and go independent. And I would say we took over about 95% of our clients that we wanted to bring over and today we’re at about 230 clients, I think we have some onboarding right now, we have just over a billion of assets. So, we launched with the 85 clients and around 350, 385 million, now we’re over a billion. Jason Diamond: Good for you. Michael Smith: Thank you. And I launched with four employees and we’re now at 11. And I would give a shout-out to one of my key employees because, when I launched, I actually hired somebody that had no experience with us and that was really a good thing because that allowed that person to really focus on operations and back office stuff while my business partner Emily and I were able to focus on bringing on the clients and alleviating any issues that they may have or thought. Jason Diamond: So, meaning you hired somebody basically immediately upon launch to help you with the transition and with this next chapter? Michael Smith: Correct. I hired them before but they started the day we launched. Jason Diamond: Brilliant, I love it. Oh, let’s definitely talk more about that because I think that’s a great strategy for … You’re right, you said it in a joking manner now because you’re seven years past but it’s a very real fear that advisors have and I think it’s worth talking more about. I want to mention too you have, obviously, built this business and grown this business dramatically. I don’t want to make this episode about the pandemic but you moved the business at a, certainly, a unique time. Did it impact your growth at all? Did you feel like you hit a brick wall? Just curious about your thoughts. Michael Smith: No, Jason, that’s a great observation. I would venture to say that the pandemic was actually a good thing for us. Jason Diamond: Interesting. Michael Smith: And I say that because, all of a sudden, you could hit pause because everyone was relearning how to do business, how do we do client reviews, how do we communicate with clients in a environment. So, I think the pandemic allowed us to just really reset our expectations visiting with clients because I used to fly a lot because I have clients in 38 different states so this has actually been, not just good for me, but good for the industry because I think it’s reset our expectations that we don’t have to be every day with a client facing. Jason Diamond: I agree with that largely and it’s true of our business too, by the way, it’s certainly reshaped the way people expect to be communicated with. I think Zoom has become much more mainstream, phone calls and we’ve heard from many other advisors who say something similar. I was just curious because you moved so close to or if there was an impact but I get, honestly, I think you’re right, it allowed you to have this nice natural inflection point and almost like flipping a switch of a clean slate. Michael Smith: It allowed us to learn the processes too. So, we launched in November 1st, by March we were in lockdown and so it gave us the opportunity to take several months of just learning the processes of how to be an RIA, it was pretty good. Jason Diamond: Absolutely. So, one of the things you mentioned in that was the way in which you serve clients and I’d read something funny and I think it was around the time of your move. You were talking about that, Merrill, you had a manager who spoke about that you would overserve your clients, you serve clients too much, tell me about that. Michael Smith: That was such an interesting topic because I got called down to the ops officer’s office and they’re like, “Ugh, Mike.” And it brought my admin down with me and they’re like, “Mike, these reports that you’re taking care of your clients too much,” and I’m like, “What do you mean?” “Well, you’re overservicing them.” Jason, I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing because I was like, “How do you overservice the client? I’m not making their bed.” It was just so funny to me that I got counsel for overservicing clients when we’re in a client-facing job and I think that was part of the catalyst. Jason Diamond: Tell me more about what they meant, you think. Michael Smith: Hindsight, I think they … I like to take care of people which means I’m very intuitive towards taxes, I understand how the tax code works, I understand how everything impacts their bottom line. So, when we’re doing deferred comp enrollments or 401(k) enrollments or I’m a big believer in Roth 401(k)s and backdoor Roths and I’ve been doing them for years, I think what Mother Merrill wanted at that time was us not to do that. And, again, nothing against Merrill, I get it but this is how they wanted us to act and I wasn’t in that mold, I was taking care of clients to a much deeper depth is how I would say it. Jason Diamond: And I think that speaks to you outgrew the model not necessarily the firm. I think Merrill does a lot of things really well, you would agree with that, I think given that you built 85 clients and 350 million in assets is nothing to sneeze at. But the model that it seems like you value client service and an integrated client service experience of that and the wirehouse model oftentimes doesn’t put a premium on that. Tell me about your ethos or your thoughts around client service today and what being independent enables you to do. Michael Smith: So, that’s an interesting observation because one of my clients actually just mentioned to me that the reason we’re growing so much is because of our service model and the fact that we deliver a tremendous amount of value over just portfolio management. I said my managers is in portfolio management, I don’t do that any longer, I have a staff that handles that for me but it’s really the servicing of the clients because they don’t know what we know and I think servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today. Jason Diamond: Give me some examples of what you mean by servicing the client in a more holistic way. I agree with you, by the way, portfolio management, table stakes, financial planning, table stakes, tell me more about what you mean. Michael Smith: By that I mean we do a quarterly review on tax. So, a lot of people don’t understand how taxes work and how estimated taxes work. So, estimated taxes are January 1st to March 31st, January 1st to May 31st, January 1st to August 31st, that’s how you do your estimated tax payments, you figure out what that is. And for compensated employees where they have RSUs that come in at different times of the year or different grants or exercise their options at a different time, that can affect their estimated tax liability and I’m not big on giving Uncle Sam any more money than they have to have until they need it. And then everyone doesn’t understand how the penalties and interest works on the IRS. And I’m big on the tax payments because that’s where we can add a lot of value for not a lot of time and we integrate it with our portfolio so we know what we’re doing with our gains. And I happen to reside in Washington State which has a long-term capital gains tax rate once you surpass about 270,000 of long-term capital gains. So, it’s super important for us to be aware of this and that’s how we service them. We also help them with their rebalancing of their 401(k)s, things that wirehouses cannot supposed to do, we are not supposed to be helping them with some of their aspects of life. Jason Diamond: Yup. That’s what I was alluding to earlier, it’s limitations on the model, not because they’re bad models, it’s just a different way, a different ethos around client service. You mentioned RSUs and corporate employees, I know that’s a niche you have is around concentrated stock positions and equity comp plans. I guess let me ask you two different questions around this. First of all, why that niche? Interested. And then, second of all, do you think

Rabbi Eric Carlson is founder and shepherd of Congregation Zion's Sake, a Messianic Congregation, located in Newport News, Virginia. Eric is a native of Fairview, Pennsylvania and holds a bachelor of Theology degree. He attained the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy, retiring in August 2003 after 22 years of decorated service in the Submarine Force. Responding to God's call, he founded Congregation Zion's Sake in May 2000 and entered full time ministry upon retiring from Naval Service. Eric is married to the former Barbara Patterson of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Barb teaches Israeli and Messianic Worship Dance and leads the Congregation Zion's Sake Dance Team.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week… Today we focus on the Silent Service – the US submarine force. Former Chief of Naval Operations retired Admiral Jonathan Greenert, a career submariner, joins us for a deep dive into some of the service's key issues. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

Tina is passionate about being a Ghost Helper: teaching the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower us all to help all ghosts: this is the compassion we will want for ourselves, by using The Crossing OverPrayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©.” When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the criticalassistance they desperately need. Tina has studied metaphysics all her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. The authorof nine books on metaphysics, her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reactioncombined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledgeseekers. Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actionswere further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level.  Link to episodecan be found here: #drdanamzallag, #drdanpodcast, #Happinessjourneywithdrdan,#ddanmotivation, #inspiringinterviews, #drdancbt, #drdantherapy,#drdancoaching, #drdanhappiness,  

In this crazy episode of Submarine Sea Stories, Chris Waits shares his fascinating journey, from growing up in a Navy family, attending MIT, and finding his passion in nuclear engineering, to serving in the Navy aboard a nuclear-powered submarine. Chris recounts a harrowing incident where his submarine, the USS Hartford, collided with the USS New Orleans, describing the immediate impact, frantic aftermath, and the life-altering lessons he learned. Despite the challenging experience, Chris transformed it into a powerful teaching moment for future sailors and now applies his lessons in his civilian role at a nuclear power plant. This episode is an eye-opening look into the intricacies and dangers of submarine navigation and the importance of vigilance and learning from past experiences.   00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:11 Growing Up in a Navy Family 00:48 Father's Submarine Career 01:58 Choosing the Navy and MIT 03:44 First Experiences with Nuclear Power 05:30 Transition to Civilian Nuclear Power 07:36 Joining the Submarine Force 09:04 First Deployment and Responsibilities 12:40 Life Aboard the Submarine 16:26 Collision Incident and Aftermath 21:01 Collision with the USS New Orleans 22:43 Immediate Aftermath and Damage Assessment 24:39 Struggles to Surface and Communication Challenges 25:56 Guided to Safety by the USS New Orleans 27:07 Reflections on the Incident and Leadership 29:18 Lessons Learned and Teaching at Submarine School 35:04 Applying Lessons in Civilian Life 40:22 Current Role and Final Thoughts

Tina Erwin is a Ghost HelperTina is passionate about being a "Ghost Helper." Her mission is to teach the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower everyone to help any ghost they may find. Tina says that this is the compassion we will all want for ourselves. She urges everyone to use The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©”Tina has studied metaphysics all of her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. She is the author of eight books on metaphysics. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers.Ghosts just seem to find Tina. It's as if she's a "ghost magnet." In every single case, Tina says that these ghosts are looking for help and they tell her why they didn't cross over; they tell her their stories. She assists these souls by crossing them into the Heaven World. When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the critical assistance they desperately need.Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Commander Erwin found the Navy to be a tremendous schoolhouse in which to study all the facets of behavior and karma, from the worst to the finest levels of humanity. She has a master's degree in Business and Management.You can find all of her books on AMAZON.COMYou can learn more about Tina at TinaErwin.com and Ghosthelpers.com

This week Seth and Bill take a look at an oft-forgotten, but strategically important, episode of the Pacific War. In July 1945, Admiral William F. Halsey took his mighty 3rd Fleet to the very shores of Japan. Sending his carriers into the harbors and towns to wreak havoc, Halsey then detached his surface forces, specifically his battleships, to shell steel mills and infrastructure facilities along the eastern coast of Honshu. Over the final weeks of the war, battleships like USS South Dakota, USS Massachusetts, USS Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and others, pounded Japanese infrastructure with impunity. The shellings at Kamaishi, Muroran, Hitachi, and other locales devastated Japanese economy and inflicted abject terror into the civilian populace. Tune in to see what the guys have to say about this little known parade of destruction laid on the Japanese towards the end of the war. #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #essex #halsey #taskforce38 #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #mastersoftheair #8thairforce #mightyeighth #100thbombgroup #bloodyhundredth #b17 #boeing #airforce wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #oldbreed #1stMarineDivision #thepacific #Peleliu #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii #leytegulf #battleofleytegulf #rodserling #twilightzone #liberation #blacksheep #power #prisoner #prisonerofwar #typhoon #hurricane #weather #iwojima#bullhalsey #ace #p47 #p38 #fighter #fighterpilot #b29 #strategicstudying #tokyo #boeing #incendiary #usa #franklin #okinawa #yamato #kamikaze #Q&A #questions #questionsandanswers

The Common Folk sit down with our most high profile guest yet, Douglas McAneny. McAneny spent a large part of his younger years growing up in Nebraska and went on to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. His storied U.S. Navy career fills our conversation, although we can't talk about all he has experienced. He is one of those regular Nebraska boys who went on to do world changing things and is still at it today.

The future of clean energy is a captivating journey into innovative technologies and sustainable practices that promise to revolutionise the global energy landscape. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and strives to reduce its carbon footprint, the quest for cleaner and more efficient energy sources has gained unprecedented momentum.  Join us as we explore the frontiers of clean energy and the transformative impact it holds for the planet and future generations. [00:15] - About Rear Admiral (retd) Oded Gour-Lavie Oded Gour-Lavie is the CEO and Co-Founder of NT Tao Ltd.  He was the Head of the Legal & Strategic Policy Team as part of the IDF Planning Directorate.  His prior military experience includes serving as Head of the Sea Division in charge of Naval Operations, Training and Doctrine for the Israeli Navy and Commander of the Submarine Force. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tbcy/support

Empowerment And Comfort For The Living And The Dead #submarine #paranormal #ghost #ghosthelper #author Tina Erwin is a Ghost Helper Tina is passionate about being a "Ghost Helper." Her mission is to teach the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower everyone to help any ghost they may find. Tina says that this is the compassion we will all want for ourselves. She urges everyone to use The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©”Tina has studied metaphysics all of her life, gaining insight into yhe mystical world of magic and spirituality. She is the author of eight books on metaphysics. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers.Ghosts just seem to find Tina. It's as if she's a "ghost magnet." In every single case, Tina says that these ghosts are looking for help and they tell her why they didn't cross over; they tell her their stories. She assists these souls by crossing them into the Heaven World. When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the critical assistance they desperately need.Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Commander Erwin found the Navy to be a tremendous schoolhouse in which to study all the facets of behavior and karma, from the worst to the finest levels of humanity. She has a Master's Degree in Business and Management. You can find all of her books on AMAZON.COMYou can learn more about Tina at https://TinaErwin.com and https://ghosthelpers.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-erwin-0a5b8919/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPQRa61kvpfSERaOjVPoEQwhttps://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Over-Prayer-book-Extraordinary/dp/B0875ZKWLY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+Crossing+over+prayer+book&qid=1642445406&sr=8-1Thanks for tuning in, please be sure to click that subscribe button and give this a thumbs up!!Email: thevibesbroadcast@gmail.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/listen_to_the_vibes_/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevibesbroadcastnetworkLinktree: https://linktr.ee/the_vibes_broadcastTikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeuTVRv2/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheVibesBrdcstTruth: https://truthsocial.com/@KoyoteFor all our social media and other links, go to: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_vibes_broadcastPlease subscribe, like, and share!

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Psychic Protection Part 2: We examine your home as the auric extension of your physical body and what you can do to ensure your home vibrates at a higher frequency and how to protect your home from psychic attack and unwanted visitors from the lower astral realms.Tina Erwin Tina is passionate about being a Ghost Helper: teaching the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower us all to help all ghosts: this is the compassion we will want for ourselves, by using The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©.” When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the critical assistance they desperately need. Tina has studied metaphysics all her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. The author of eight books on metaphysics, her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers. Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Tina's Website Tina on YouTube About the podcastWelcome to The Infinite Life, a transformative podcast that dives deep into the mysteries of the soul, past lives, and the infinite nature of existence. As a Spiritual Regression Therapist, Medium, Author, and Spirit Releasement Therapist, I've helped countless individuals unlock the secrets of their past lives and embrace their true spiritual potential.In each episode, we explore the fascinating topic of reincarnation, giving you insights into your past, present, and future lives. But that's not all - you'll hear from podcast listeners who share their incredible past life stories and realizations, and we also interview spiritual guests who share their unique perspectives on the soul and the universe.But what truly sets The Infinite Life apart is our behind-the-scenes look at real spiritual regression and spirit releasement sessions. With my clients' approval, we share these sessions, giving you a firsthand glimpse into the incredible transformations that can happen when you tap into the infinite power of the soul.If you're seeking answers about the mysteries of the soul and the eternal nature of existence, this podcast is for you. Through The Infinite Life, you'll gain a deeper understanding of your spiritual journey, and you'll be empowered to embrace your true self and reach your full potential.So come join me on this incredible journey. Head over to katische.com to learn more and sign up for my "Incarnation Insights" newsletter, and get ready to unlock the mysteries of the soul with The Infinite Life with Katische Haberfield.Connect with Katische:Website Facebook Professional Profile Facebook Page YouTube Linked In InstagramRead Katische's chapter in the book Entangled No More Women Who Broke Free From Toxic Relationships Building Their Own...

Psychic Protection: Interview with Former Anti-Terrorism Commander Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet: Tina ErwinWe welcome Tina back to the podcast to help clients understand the answer- why am I being attacked by Demons? Why I am a magnet for Ghosts? What can I do to protect myself from a psychic attack? This is part 1 of a 2-part bonus interview with Tina Erwin."Release the past, free the present, and awaken to the possibilities of the future with spirit regression and releasement therapy. Let go of what no longer serves you and embrace the light within." Tina Erwin Tina's Website Tina on YouTube Tina is passionate about being a Ghost Helper: teaching the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower us all to help all ghosts: this is the compassion we will want for ourselves, by using The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©.” When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the critical assistance they desperately need. Tina has studied metaphysics all her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. The author of eight books on metaphysics, her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers. Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Connect with Katische:Website Facebook Professional Profile Facebook Page YouTube Linked In InstagramRead Katische's chapter in the book Entangled No More Women Who Broke Free From Toxic Relationships Building Their Own Empires: https://amzn.to/3YP2uTc About the podcastWelcome to The Infinite Life, a transformative podcast that dives deep into the mysteries of the soul, past lives, and the infinite nature of existence. As a Spiritual Regression Therapist, Medium, Author, and Spirit Releasement Therapist, I've helped countless individuals unlock the secrets of their past lives and embrace their true spiritual potential.In each episode, we explore the fascinating topic of reincarnation, giving you insights into your past, present, and future lives. But that's not all - you'll hear from podcast listeners who share their incredible past life stories and realizations, and we also interview spiritual guests who share their unique perspectives on the soul and the universe.But what truly sets The Infinite Life apart is our behind-the-scenes look at real spiritual regression and spirit releasement sessions. With my clients' approval, we share these sessions, giving you a firsthand glimpse into the incredible transformations that can happen when you tap into the infinite power of the soul.If you're seeking answers about the mysteries of the soul and the eternal nature of existence, this...

Guest: Dan Cooper Host: Don Helin Admiral Dan Cooper opened the Podcast by summarizing his navy career, rising to the position of commander, Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet. After almost ten years of retirement, Dan was nominated and selected as the Under Secretary for Benefits for the Veterans Administration and discussed his role in improving the disability rating systems. Dan confirmed the submarine force cooperated with the movie industry in the filming of Hunt For Red October (a first for the nuclear submarines) and provided some interesting background.

Tina Erwin has studied metaphysics all her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. After a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force and retiring at the Commander level, she began to use her enhanced psychic abilities to further explore metaphysics, and she is now the author of eight books. She has an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers. Want more? visit: ghosthelpers.comPlease rate us on Apple and Spotify and subscribe for free at mikeyopp.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikeyopp.substack.com/subscribe

Armon Owens, a previous guest on the show has returned to sit down and talk to us about his new book on leadership development, The Fight To Lead. For those of you who aren't familiar with Armon, he is a Master Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy's Submarine Force. He was my former Chief of The Boat on the USS Helena (SSN-725) and has had continued success in his career and personal life. Drawing from personal accounts, historical events, and the wisdom and failure of those who lead him, Armon has authored a great book that teaches us about the inward battles we must fight daily to lead at the highest levels. You can find The Fight To Lead by Armon Owens on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle Edition, with the audiobook coming soon. https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Lead-Overcome-Battle-Highest/dp/B0BYR88V6L Armon is also the host of The Unsung Leader podcast which can be found on most platforms you listen to podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unsung-leader/id1516642556 Find him on YouTube with Anthony Amato @ Anthony Amato & Armon Owens https://www.youtube.com/@Leadership_State_of_Mind

Our guest this evening has been on Inner Journey before Tina Erwin is a retired US Navy Commander; she has had a twenty year career in the Navy; working for the Submarine Force, and she retired at the level of Commander, I say all of that to let you know she ain't no way out there weirdo, but what she is, is a psychic that helps us to understand how and why souls may become ghosts, what that ‘ghostly' state looks and feels like to them and how you can help them cross over into the Heaven World. She is also an author that has written: The Lightworker's Guide to Healing The Lightworker's Guide to Everyday Karma The series, Ghost Stories from the Ghosts' Point of View,The Crossing over prayer book And her latest offering is a re-release of “Soul Evolution, Past Live and Karmic Ties”

Episode 63: Terry v. OhioGuest: Christopher Hern In this episode, Dewhitt interviews one of his brightest HCC students ever, a super star, Christopher Hern. Chris is a Washington High School graduate, spent six (6) years in the United States Navy, was a member of the Submarine Force, has a 4.0 GPA, and this is his last class prior to earning his Associate of Arts Degree. Dewhitt and Chris discuss the following:  His career goalMajor or anticipated majorWhy he enrolled in the classTerry v. OhioStop and FriskDavid Floyd v. the City of New YorkCompared Mapp v. Ohio, Weeks v. U.S., and the David Floyd Case4th AmendmentHow to better race relationsRalph B. TynesReasonable SuspicionBlack Lives MatterWhite SupremacyLegalization of marijuanaFree community collegeIf our vote can impact the criminal justice systemWhat he'd like to see the Biden administration accomplishYou can listen to the JFA Podcast Show wherever you get your podcast or by clicking on one of the links below.https://dlbspodcast.buzzsprout.com  https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/   https://peculiarbooks.org  Also if you are interested in exercise and being healthy check out the Top 20 Triathlon Podcasts.https://blog.feedspot.com/triathlon_podcasts/

In this episode: Have you ever wondered what happens when you die? Can angels help your loved one to transition into the Heaven? What do you do if your house is haunted? How about if you have a Psychic Child? Learn what happens at death and realize that you can also ask for angels to help your loved one to transition into the Heaven by using The Crossing Over Prayer© Have a Haunted House, want to explore your Spiritual Path? Do you have a Psychic Child? Are you Grieving a loss or a massive change in your life? Let me assist you with all of these often-challenging spiritual situations/opportunities.My guest in this episode is Tina Erwin also known as the Ghost Helper. Her mission is to teach the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower everyone to help any ghost they may find. Tina has studied metaphysics all of her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. She is the author of eight books on metaphysics. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers. Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Tina is a psychic and an author written 8 books on spirituality, a grief book, 3 books on ghost stories, several books on karma and her most recent book “The Crossing Over Prayer Book.” Her mission is to Teach the Living to Help the Dead® welcome to the show. Find out more at https://beforeyougopodcat.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacyPodcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Did you know that most hauntings are ghosts needing assistance crossing over to the other side? Did you know that organ donors are connected to their recipients through energetic cords and often need assistance crossing over too? In this episode I dialogue with Tina Erwin, metaphysical author and retired Navy Commander, about what ghosts are, how the living often anchors them here, how to assist them with crossing over, energetic cords attached to organ donors and their recipients and more! **********Tina Erwin has a master's degree in Business Management and has studied metaphysics all her life gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. Her understanding of the unseen world further enhanced by experiences in her 20-year career in the Navy working for the U.S. Submarine Force and retiring as a Commander. Her entire life Tina noticed that spirits just seemed to find her as if she was a ‘ghost magnet' and she now considers herself a “Ghost Helper”. Tina says that spirits are looking for help and they tell her their stories and why they haven't crossed over. Her mission is to teach the living how to help the deceased by empowering people to assist spirits through the “The Crossing Over Prayer”. To learn more about Tina visit https://tinaerwin.com/**********I am an intuitive empath specialized in Quantum Healing Hypnosis, EFT Tapping and the Emotion Code. To learn more about my healing journey or to schedule a session visit my website at https://thesoulcafe.org/index.html.The Existential Empath: https://linktr.ee/the_existential_empath

My beautiful guest for today's show is the magical Tina Erwin. Tina Erwin CDR USN (Ret) has studied metaphysics for many years, gaining insight into the interpersonal relationships at the heart of everyday living. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers. Her first book, The Lightworker's Guide to Healing Grief  is a treatise on how to help yourself or someone else to heal grief. Her second book, The Lightworker's Guide to Everyday Karma is a lighthearted look at applying the principles of karmic law to everyday life. Her next books: Ghost Stories from the Ghost's Point of View Trilogy Volumes 1, 2 and 3 introduced to people what it is like to be dead, what it is like to discover that the life you thought you were going to have, is now, never going to happen. Literally you see the ghosts' point of view. Her 6th book, Karma and Frequency and her 7th book, Soul Evolution further help to explain how karma works. Finally, by popular request, she created the Crossing Over Prayer Book, 88 Extraordinary prayers to help the living and the dead. Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Commander Erwin found the Navy to be a tremendous schoolhouse in which to study all the facets of behavior, from the worst to the finest levels of humanity. See the show notes below for some of the main points (in order) we covered and dived deep into together: Tina and her history and PAIN teacher A ghost, being, and soul that Tina first experienced The senses that we activated by this appearance What is a GHOST HELPER Energy Defined The SILVER CORD and 4th dimension What do we do when we die? The compassion that arises when we help a ghost The unhealthy relationship we have with DEATH How Ghosts impact the living How do we help as Ghost Helpers The power of LOVE on grief Connecting to our SOUL FAMILY What does it look like to CROSS SOMEONE OVER Asking for angelic support My own angel experience Being WORTHY to ask for entity support Working with challenging and murderous souls Using the scale of consciousness to help other souls Using prayers and loving acts for lost souls What KNOWING for us does in our life Ancestral Healing within ghosts How does Ghost Helping shift our COLLECTIVE VIEW ON DEATH? Tina and her definition of LOVE Please connect with Tina here: Website: www.TinaErwin.com If you enjoyed this episode make sure you check out the following previous GHOST and ENTITY EPISODES: EP 76 - Isabeau Maxwell: Whispering with Ghosts, Spirits & Mediumship EP 75 - Heal with Entities: Angels, Masters & More! EP 69 - LOVING DEBATE: Plant Medicine, Demonic Entities & God EP 64 - Nicole Antionette: The Loving world of ANGELS EP 04 - Sheryne Wilson: Spiritual Gifts, Entities & Pain Vs. Suffering  Looking for more FREE SELF-LOVE TOOLS? Join my newsletter and download some meditations, affirmations and visualisations on me: www.harrisonmeagher.com/learn-more  Don't forget to LEAVE A REVIEW (down to below) if you loved the show to go into a draw for our WEEKLY prizes!  Need more COMMUNITY and TRIBE? Join the Cosmic Love Antenna FB GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cosmicloveantenna Wanting to connect deeper either for coaching, feedback, or becoming a guest? See the following options: Social (FB, Insta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Clubhouse): @harrisonmeagher  Website: www.harrisonmeagher.com  Email: harrisonmeagher.business@outlook.com  LOVE you xxx Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/cosmic-love-antenna/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 10 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy's Submarine Force, Shane Burgman shifted gears and quickly became a top 0.1% Florida Realtor. On this episode of the Over Ask Podcast, Shane joins The Broke Agent and Matt Lionetti to discuss how he built an email list with over 40% open rate, his Instagram audit with Jason Pantana, and how he plans his content. 55,000+ agents choose BoomTown over any other competitor to make success easy. The best CRM in the game. Learn more about BoomTown and get equipped with all the tools you need. Try BoomTown now: https://bit.ly/BoomTownROI Matt Lionetti: https://www.instagram.com/matt.lionetti/ The Broke Agent: https://www.instagram.com/thebrokeagent/ Shane Burgman: https://www.instagram.com/shaneburgman/ Listen and Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/over-ask/id1547905792 Timestamps: 00:00-1:02 Intro 03:50 From the Navy to real estate 09:26 Scoring his first sale from an open house 12:22 Shane's first year: training, door knocking, and open houses 16:30 Building an email list with a 40-50% open rate 18:30 Why Shane shares personal milestones in newsletters 24:25 You have to be clickbaity 26:03 #1 lead gen source 34:20 On joining Carpenter Castle 41:55 Looking the part in luxury real estate 49:31 Coaching sessions with Jason Pantana 51:13 Quick tours vs. listing videos 57:15 Monday Plan of Action and filming blocks #realestatenewsletters #militaryrealtor #realestatepodcast

Tina is passionate about being a "Ghost Helper." Her mission is to teach the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower everyone to help any ghost they may find. Tina says that this is the compassion we will all want for ourselves. She urges everyone to use The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©”After studying metaphysics all of her life, and gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality, Tina authored eight books on the subject matter. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers.Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Commander Erwin found the Navy to be a tremendous schoolhouse in which to study all the facets of behavior and karma, from the worst to the finest levels of humanity.  Website:  https://ghosthelpers.com/

Our guest this evening has been on Inner Journey before Tina Erwin is a retired US Navy Commander; she has had a twenty year career in the Navy; working for the Submarine Force, and she retired at the level of Commander, I say all of that to let you know she ain't no way out there weirdo, but what she is, is a psychic that helps us to understand how and why souls may become ghosts, what that ‘ghostly' state looks and feels like to them and how you can help them cross over into the Heaven World.She is also an author that has written:The Lightworker's Guide to Healing The Lightworker's Guide to Everyday KarmaGhost Stories from the Ghosts' Point of View, Book OneAnd most recently The Crossing over prayer book

Ghosts. What are they and why do we feel them? Tina Erwin explains it all to Susan Jane 1.87 Ghosts. What are they and why do we feel them? Tina Erwin explains it all to Susan Jane. Ghosts. So you think you've heard it all before or do you prefer to shut down when this topic is discussed? Tina Erwin has seen a lot in her 20-year career in the U.S. Submarine Force, from the worst to the very finest levels of humanity. Retiring as a Commander, Tina quickly followed her metaphysical passion to encourage people to understand ghosts and how we can help them.   Tina's Website: https://ghosthelpers.com/   The Art of Intuition The Website http://www.intuitivenature.com.au/ Facebook – The Art of Intuition https://www.facebook.com/YourIntuitiveNature Instagram – Intuitive Nature by Susan Jane https://www.instagram.com/intuitivenaturebysusanjane/ Pinterest – The Art of Intuition Susan Jane https://www.pinterest.com.au/TheIntuitist/ Twitter – The Art of Intuition with Susan Jane https://twitter.com/IntuitiveNature  

Sean Green attributes his experience gained as a 23-year veteran of the US Navy's elite Submarine Force as Navigator and Master Training Specialist, as perfect preparation for his many successful roles along with a progressively oriented Dealer Principle. He is currently in the position of Chief Training and Education Officer for the Haselwood Auto Group and during his 21 years of Automotive Experience, he has successfully worked in every sales position ranging from Sales & Leasing to dealership General Manager. His forte is bringing out the best in others and he believes leadership modeling the core values is the best influencer.

Join us in The BreakLine Arena as we share tech industry insights and celebrate the stories of our amazing alumni community. In this episode, we have the opportunity to hear from BreakLine alum, Ariana Pybus.When it came to life paths, Ariana knew from a young age her's would be one of service.Growing up a military brat, she developed a special kind resilience, seamlessly navigating the challenges of adjusting to new schools and communities throughout her academic years.During the summers, Ariana's family returned to her mother's homeland of Bolivia where she was not only immersed in a rich culture, but also reminded of the value of hard work.All of her hard work and resilience paid off.After graduating from the United States Naval Academy, Ariana commissioned as a fourth generation Naval Officer and became one of the first women to serve in the Submarine Force. In this capacity, she was solely responsible the testing and certification of all critical systems onboard a $2B nuclear submarine.Ariana recently shared, “I came across BreakLine Education at a crucial point in my preparation to transition out of the Navy after seven years of service. I loved the Navy and wanted to find a job that would give me the same sense of meaning and fulfillment the Navy did.”Ariana connected with Anduril Industries during her program and spoke to a fellow BreakLine alum Scott Sanders about his experiences with the company. She was instantly compelled by their work and ultimately landed a role as a Deployment & Strategy Lead.If you like what you've heard, please subscribe, follow, and rate our show! To learn more about BreakLine Education, check us out at breakline.org.

The Rabbi & The Good Friar take a look at the most common side effect of the COVID-19 Vaccine, which Rod has gotten, but Dave has not. The shot, not the side effect. Meanwhile, in an attempt to offend pretty much everybody, the guys talk about a woman in Colorado, who happens to be an affirmed and ordained minister (just like the guys!) who has a... well... a different approach to getting peoples attention that is outside the norm generally accepted for preachers. Is she wrong? Of course not! That's what "affirming" means! It's the 123rd Birthday of the US Navy's Submarine Force. So Dave is happy... ish...

The Rabbi & The Good Friar take a look at the most common side effect of the COVID-19 Vaccine, which Rod has gotten, but Dave has not. The shot, not the side effect. Meanwhile, in an attempt to offend pretty much everybody, the guys talk about a woman in Colorado, who happens to be an affirmed and ordained minister (just like the guys!) who has a... well... a different approach to getting peoples attention that is outside the norm generally accepted for preachers. Is she wrong? Of course not! That's what "affirming" means! It's the 121st-ish Birthday of the US Navy's Submarine Force. So Dave is happy... ish...

In this episode I outline the career of United States Navy Captain Martin Muckian, a decorated submarine nuclear officer and current Chief of Staff of Submarine Force Pacific. Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/milleadersoftodaypodcast Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/milleadersoftodaypodcast/ Email us! militaryleadersoftodaypodcast@gmail.com *Music was obtained via YouTube's Creative Commons Library and is NOT my own* DISCLAIMER: All views expressed in this podcast and comments made verbally or written do not reflect the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense and are that of my own. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/militaryleadersoftoday/message

It's difficult while you're on active duty and you're busy with family. It's tremendously hard to take a step back and think about what your next five years are going to be like. Especially if you're coming up on that transition point, pulling your head out of the fog of work and being able to make a plan is more difficult. Today’s guest of the Expert(ish) Podcast, Doug Nordman, will share his expertise in achieving financial independence. He will also talk about the evolution of authoring financial books for the military, his motivations in writing, and a whole lot more great advice in transition and investing. Doug Nordman is a Retired U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force. He’s an enthusiastic surfer, a blogger, and a veteran of many chaotic home-improvement projects. Most of all, he is the author of the book The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement and co-authored Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence. Enjoy! Favorite Quote “The whole purpose of financial independence is not to live a life of deprivation for 20 years to have another lifetime of financial luxury. The whole purpose is to have a good quality of life. YOU HAVE CHOICES.”                                                                                                     - Doug Nordman In This Episode 1:27 - How Doug started his writing career   6:44 - What motivates him to write   13:51 - His insight about investing mistakes   20:00 - Doug's advice to the people in the military who are using the TSP and also want to invest in real estate   25:37 - Exit strategies most landlords consider   33:46 - His thought process on the diversification of asset allocation   35:12 - What's next for Doug Nordman beyond sharing his expertise and writing books   38:52 - His golden nuggets to anyone in the military who's coming up in the transition point     Engage with Doug Nordman Facebook Twitter Website: The Military Guide Website: childFIRE- Raising Kids to be Financially Independent/Retire Early (FIRE) Book: The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement Book: Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence   Connect with Expert(ish) Podcast Host JAY JOHNSON   Call (858) 925- 4536   Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram  

Despite no-one traveling as hard as the People's Warrant, we were able to get CWO Brian Browne to talk with us while out on his military travels. Through an hour so of trouble shooting technology, we were able to ghetto-rig a long distance podcast recording set up. Though it created some complications on playback you might notice, the conversation was great and we all had a great time remembering times in the Submarine Force. We were psyched to get the chance to have Brian on our show and hopefully in the future, he will continue to return to the Only On The Midwatch Podcast.

We’re joined by Nathan Walker, Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the United States Navy, and his wonderful wife Kerrie for this whale of an episode. Nathan has served in the “Silent Service” aboard submarines for more than 15 years; he patiently answers all of our questions about life underwater while giving us a detailed history of the U.S. Submarine Force. Later, enjoy a quiz called “The Submariner’s Pastime!” . . . [Music: 1) Al Stewart, “Life in Dark Water,” 1978; 2) Frau Holle, “Ascending Souls,” 2017. Courtesy of Frau Holle, CC BY-NC 3.0 license.]

Lieutenant Commander Bradley Boyd steps into character to tell us the Story of the USS Nautilus, the very first ever Nuclear Powered, well... anything. This was a stretch but the idea to hear the story of a vessel was something i could not just pass up, Commander Boyd did an excellent job and you can hear in his voice the pride he takes in both his service and history of service of the Nautilus and her crews.  Below Information from the Submarine Force Museum Web Site RE: USS Nautilus & LTC Boyd: On January 21, 1954, Nautilus was christened and launched into the Thames River. On January 17, 1955, the message “Underway On Nuclear Power” was sent and changed the Navy forever. The world’s first nuclear powered submarine, Nautilus will forever stand as a testament to innovation and the incredible advancements in technology made after WWII. It is well known that besides being the first nuclear powered submarine, Nautilus was also the first vessel to pass under the North Pole, making history with the message “Nautilus 90 North” Her achievements have forever been immortalized at the Submarine Force Museum. The museum preserve submarine heritage. It is the only place in the world where someone can gain a first-hand look at this historic landmark. Nautilus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior on May 20, 1982.  On April 11 1986, eighty-six years to the day after the birth of the Submarine Force, Historic Ship Nautilus was opened to the public.  LCDR Reginald Preston came to the Nautilus in April 2016, following in the footsteps of the directors before him who took on the task of maintaining the legacy of one of the most important submarines in the US Navy. Originally, from Lyman, Nebraska, LCDR Preston received his commission through the Naval reserve Officer Training Corps in 2003. Following the completion of nuclear power training, he reported to USS Helena in San Diego, California. Qualifying in Submarines on Helena, he served as the Chemical and Radiological Controls Assistant, Assistant Operation Officer, and interim Engineer Officer. In 2010, he reported to the USS Chicago where served as Engineer Officer.  While on the Chicago, he would help transform her back into a warship ‘certified for tasking’ in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility after a homeport shift to Guam. He would go on to serve as both the Operations Officer at Submarine Group Two and the Chief of Staff for the enlisted Women in Submarines task Force. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and navy Achievement medal. During his time at Historic Ship Nautilus, LCDR Preston has only maintained the excellent recorded of OIC’s at the museum. His work at the museum only furthered the museums mission to be a highly regarded museum and a must stop for those traveling in the area. LCDR Preston also “led a team of experts in rewriting the technical requirements for nautilus which previously necessitated the ship to be maintained at a level nearly commensurate with operational submarines. Preston’s revised requirements not only allowed for cost-wise upkeep and maintenance at a level that preserves Nautilus for futures generations, but did so with the expectation the ship would continue to host more than 150,000 visitors annually.” He was also “instrumental in laying the groundwork to establish a future water taxi dock at the museum. As one of almost 20 Historic and cultural sites on the banks of the Thames River, the Submarine Force Museum is one of four anchor sites in the Thames River Heritage Park.”[1] His next tour will be as the Director of Submarine On-Board Training at naval Submarine Base New London. While the crew and staff will miss him, they wish him well in his next placement and look to the future with LCDR Bradley Boyd.  

Our guest this evening has been on Inner Journey before Tina Erwin is a retired US Navy Commander; has had a twenty year career in the Navy; working for the Submarine Force, and she retired at the level of Commander,I say all of that to let you know she ain’t no way out there weirdo, but what she is, is a psychic that helps us to understand how and why souls may become ghosts, what that ‘ghostly’ state looks and feels like to them and how you can help them cross over into the Heaven World.Laura Van Tyne started out as a ‘normal’ person. She was an educator, with a Master’s Degree in Education, working as a schoolteacher in the San Diego School system. She was also married with three active daughters. She volunteered within her community. Her husband was a businessman who would coach soccer on the weekends for their daughters’ teams. Pretty normal stuff: until one day everything changed.

Tina Erwin is a retired US Navy commander, who worked 20 years for the Submarine Force, serving in a variety of leadership positions, including first female instructor in the history of the US submarine school, one of the fist female exec officers for a submarine training facility and she served as assistant Chief of Staff for Force Physical Security, anti-terrororism and law enforcement for Commander Submarine Force US Atlantic fleet, responsible for the safety of over 100 billion dollars in submarine assets. More at https://TheKarmicPath.com Interview Transcript Hugh Ballou: Greetings, welcome to Orchestrating Success: Converting Your Passion to Profit. I have a special guest today. She is one of the team of leaders in an organization called The Karmic Path. Tina, tell us who you are and a little bit about you, and then a little bit about The Karmic Path. Tina Erwin: Thank you, Hugh. Thank you for having me on your show. I am absolutely delighted to be here. I spent 20 years in the military. I am a retired naval officer. I retired at the Commander level, and I worked for the submarine force for 20 years. When you discuss conducting, I play seven different instruments, none of them particularly brilliantly, but I really love music and I wanted to see what I can learn. I was in a band, so I understand conducting. If you don’t have a strong leadership, then everybody stays out of tune or out of sorts. The metaphor of conducting is really quite brilliant. I did work for the submarine force. I retired in 1992, and I started on a very different path. That is where The Karmic Path comes from. I learned that I have certain, for lack of a better word, psychic abilities. I had to learn how to use them for the greatest good, how to help other people, and what was the karma attached to that. I took what I learned in the military and translated it into metaphysics. Now what we’re doing with The Karmic Path is teaching the physics of metaphysics. That is a nutshell. Hugh: That is brilliant. I have experienced- Dogs are a lot more psychic than we give them credit for. And children. We knock it out of children as they grow up. The smart ones like you stay attuned. We are born with a lot more sense in this area than we realize. As we get older, as we learn to trust that, that we can be more in tune. It’s more of a spiritual realm than a physical realm. Tina Erwin, I didn’t say it before. Spell “karmic.” Tina: K-a-r-m-i-c. Karmic. Hugh: Tell us what karmic means. Tina: If you drop a pebble in a pool, the action of dropping the pebble is an action, and the ripples that come out of that pool are the reaction. Karma is the law of action and reaction. It doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t have a bad day. It always is. If you drop a rock in a pool, depending on the size of the rock, it will immediately and forever determine the exact size of what the ripples would be in perfect balance. If you take an action, whether you are an employee or you are the CEO, you are going to create a reaction in proportion to the action you took. If you summarily fire someone, there will be a reaction. As a leader, you have to determine what kind of reaction you want. You are creating karma with everything you do. Was firing that person a good thing or a bad thing? It’s what you did. You have to look at what is now going to be the karmic repercussions, the reaction for your action. It’s not good or bad or right or wrong; it’s simply the reality you’re facing. But a really fine leader anticipates that if X happens, this is what is going to happen in the future. It doesn’t mean you’re some psychic and now you’re having premonitions and are seeing the future. It doesn’t take a psychic to see that if you do this action, you can anticipate certain level of results, not 100%. We can’t possibly see 100%. But you should be able to anticipate a large percentage of what will happen. Hugh: That is so key. We as leaders don’t always think of the consequences of our actions. We think this has to be done without thinking about the consequences. Once you’ve squeezed that toothpaste out of the tube, you’re not putting it back in. It’s out. It’s out. That’s one of the biggest things that I deal with, is leaders that slash and burn and then get mad at other people for their reaction when in fact we are the ones that set up the problem. It’s not bad or good, but we set it up and call it a problem because we are getting unintended results because we didn’t think it through. This is a big-deal topic. It’s something that is invisible for a lot of leaders. Do you find that to be true? Tina: I do find that to be true. I have dozens of military stories. It doesn’t matter whether you are military or civilian. It’s irrelevant. We have the case of the commanding officer who expected you to do what he said no matter what. And you have individuals who can see that he is thinking clearly. I can share a very interesting example if that would be all right. Hugh: All right, go for it. Tina: I was attached to a commander of a submarine force in an Atlantic fleet in Norfolk. I had an amazing job, but that is a different element. While I was attached there, we had several squadrons that left out of Norfolk. Every so often, they had what’s called an ORSE team, which is the Operational Reactal Safeguard Evaluation team. They always made sure that the nuclear reactor on a submarine is safe. The ship handling is safe. Everything is working correctly. It’s not just an engineering test; it’s a whole ship-wide test. An ORSE team on board is a big deal. The ship gets under way out of Norfolk. They are in the Thames River. It is a river full of other craft. The captain says to the navigator, “All ahead flank,” which means as fast as you can go. The navigator says, “But, Captain, we have all this traffic. I would recommend respectfully, sir, all ahead slow until we get into open water and we hit the hundred fathom curve.” We are a submarine. A submarine is low profile. When you look at the tankers- I knew what this guy was thinking. Oh my God, the tankers that are all around us. But the captain says, “By God, I am the captain. All ahead flank.” The navigator says, “Captain, I say again, this is ill-advised.” The ORSE team is just standing there watching this. The captain says, “I am giving you a direct order. All ahead flank.” The navigator says, “Sir, I hereby refuse this direct order,” and he tells the watch to load it in the log and refusing the direct order because it is an illegal, wrong order. I stand relieved. The captain says, “All ahead flank.” When the sail planes of the submarine opened up the tanker like a frickin’ can opener to open ocean, the navigator was the only one who was not court marshalled. Because he could see- He knew that since they were oh by the way also operating in fog, who in their right mind takes any ship to sea in fog? The navigator karmically did the right thing. And he pushed the CO so that the ORSE team could see what frankly a jackass he was. And he was relieved on the spot by the ORSE team and the XO and the chief of the boat. They had to immediately turn around, and there was a massive investigation. They had to push for the tanker that was damaged. Of course, the submarine didn’t even show a mark because it is so exceptionally well-built, usually by the Electric Boat Division. Here is an example of a CO who is abusing his power. His ego has gone to his head. Common sense has fled. It wouldn’t take a nuclear engineer to see that he is going to hit something. When it does, it’s going to be bad. He’s just lucky that it happened that soon before he was able to do more damage. This is an example of you can see what’s coming. It’s not rocket science. But the CO got his ego in the way. When that happens, whether it’s a corporation or a submarine, it’s going to be bad. Get yourself out of the way if you can. Hugh: As you and I discussed briefly before we started this interview, I champion transformational leadership, which is a style of leadership about a high-performing culture. A very qualified leader, and the culture is a reflection of the leader. The leader elevates leaders on teams. You just described a high-functioning team, and the leader was not listening to the input. We have in any field- Corporations lose a lot of money because leaders do that kind of thing. Conductors have bad concerts because they don’t listen to what’s coming to them from the players. We do barge into areas where we think we have the divine right, but we have not really looked at the data and received the data. The best leaders don’t have all the right answers. The best leaders take in the data from the highly skilled people we have trained around us. That is a good example where you have a very skilled reader who had a very clear opinion, and the top leader didn’t listen to that person with expertise. Therefore, he created disastrous results, which could have been far worse, couldn’t they? Tina: It could’ve been. I do have an example of a leader who took a different track and actually changed a lot of things. Hugh: Let me set the context. We have a lot of different kinds of leaders listening to this podcast. There are leaders in social benefit work that are in small companies. We also have leaders in mid-cap companies. As somebody starting out, we even have people who are solopreneurs who are working by themselves looking to build out a big team. These are fundamental principles you can change if you already have a large team. As you are building your organization, you want to keep these in mind and keep yourself in tune as a leader. As you build a culture, you are able to lead that culture of fine performing individuals that you bring in. Go ahead. Let’s have that other example. This is fascinating. Tina: I love the submarine force. I married a submariner 44 years ago. These are some of the smartest men I’ve ever met. Brilliant, brilliant men. They are 99% men. For some reason, I was honored to get to work with them. When I was sent to command a submarine force at the U.S. Atlantic fleet, I was given a job that I had no idea how to do. I was the assistant chief of staff for forced physical security, anti-terrorism, and law enforcement. My territory was the entire Atlantic fleet, the Caribbean, and all of Europe to protect 86 submarines, nine submarine tenders, and three submarine bases, and the senior Jewish admiral in the Navy. I had two mentally retired people to help me. I was told that’s your job and don’t screw up. I went home and cried for three days. I am not going to lie. I would love to tell you that I rose to this great occasion, but I felt like I’d been set up to fail. Then I had a transformation myself, which was I had no place to go but up. Since they have nothing, and everybody was worried about massive terrorist attacks in the ‘80s as they are blowing up airplanes and cars and hijackings and assassination attempts, anything I do could potentially be helpful. I decided that I needed real help because I didn’t know what I was doing. I contacted Seal Team 6. If there are people who know about terrorism, it’s Seal Team 6. I developed through finding some of the finest people I could find and sitting down and saying, “Please teach me. I don’t know anything about how to do this. Will you help me?” And then working with the security officers at the bases, I was able to gather what do we really need, hunt it down, and develop a program. On the way, because it’s military, the boss changed. My three-star admiral changed. I ended up with Admiral Cooper who I did not know. When I spoke to him, I had to brief him, and we were given 30 seconds. How can I brief a three-star admiral on the security of this massive fleet in 30 seconds flat? They said, “You only have 30 seconds. The admiral is in front of you. Don’t screw up. Tell him what you need to tell him.” I said, “Admiral, there is no way I could give you a valid demonstration of the security of your fleet in 30 seconds. I am requesting a private meeting with you.” No one else did that. They crammed crap into 30 seconds. He looked at me like this one’s ballsy and turned to his chief of staff, “Set it up and give her a half hour.” I could do a lot in a half hour, but 30 seconds was ridiculous. I sat down and said, “This is what’s going on. This is how I’m supposed to take care of you and protect you from being murdered.” He said, “I don’t want to do what you’re telling me to do.” I said, “I don’t really give a damn, Admiral, because you are going to die if you don’t do what I tell you.” He said, “Okay.” I said, “Your aid can’t call you Admiral. You can’t wear your great scrambled egg hat. Wear jeans and a T-shirt when you fly. Sanitize your wallet. This is what we’re doing for the fleet.” And I gave him this list, project by project by project. He was so impressed when I said, “I need money. I need to be able to do these things,” which the process is classified still to this day because it had never been done before. This man listened. He listened. He gave me the time because my husband was out there, my brother-in-law is out there, my friends’ husbands are out there. It’s personal. It was personal to him. He listened, appropriated the money, and made sure that he not only listened and gave me the money to put it fleet-wide, but he also invited in the type commanders for the surface fleet, the air fleet, and other areas and shared it so that the entire fleet—surface, air, submarine—could all be working together. This man is one of my heroes. To this day, I think the world of him. I was given a lot more authority and a lot more money. Those things are still in the fleet to this day. Here is a person who took an unknown and listened and then went forward with it. The man was absolutely adored throughout the fleet because he listens. Hugh: Those are all exceptional leadership qualities that 3% of the leaders possess. A rare number are leaders anyway, but you get 3% that possess those qualities. That is even rarer. I’m sure you found that to be true. You were 20 years in the military, were you? Tina: 20, yes. Hugh: Yeah. You keep using the word “man.” Let’s jump into this gender thing. I would guess that you were playing in a man’s world there. Tina: I was. I had to learn how to speak their language. I didn’t expect them to learn to speak mine. Hugh: I want to throw a bomb into your midst. I have a write-up on the myth of equality. Women say, “I want equality.” When you influenced this person, and we have this old white male paradigm that we have set up, why should women who have a fresh perspective, a whole lot better quality, a whole lot more creative, a whole lot more as you used the word ballsy, why should you dumb down the quality? You want equity. You want your own space. That is what I perceive that you just did. I am betting that because you weren’t aggressive but assertive. I am hearing that as assertive. You said, “I don’t care what you say.” If you were aggressive, you would have sat him down and tied him up. Assertive was you said, “This is what you need to do for me to do my job.” I think that was a brilliant response. Speak to the fact of the gender there. You are a woman in a man’s world that may in that situation work in your benefit because you stepped up to your excellence as a woman leader. Tell me more about what that paradigm was. Tina: My hero is Captain Kirk from Star Trek because I didn’t see any leaders who grew up. But he solved problems. He employed the best of the people around him. He was my role model of what a commander should be doing with and for his people and how hard the decisions are to be made. When I went to work for the submarine force and they didn’t know what to do with women, I was one of the first three ever to work for them—I had to explain to them in their vernacular. They didn’t know what to do with us, so I needed to tell them in a way that would be beneficial to them. Demanding and doing things that were out of their range of understanding wouldn’t win me anything. When I was a lieutenant junior grade assigned to submarine school and they stuck me in a job and the executive officer said, “What would you like to do at sub school?” I said, “I’d like to teach class, sir.” He said, “Well, women don’t teach class.” I said, “Sir, how hard can it possibly be? Men do it.” I really did think he would laugh. He didn’t even crack a smile. I said, “Sir, I really want to teach class.” He said, “What could you possibly teach anyone here?” I said, “I am an expert at the classified material system because I receipted for all the cryptogear for all new construction submarines at Electric Boat Division, which was my last duty station.” He said, “Women will never teach class here.” I thought, Oh my gosh, you laid down the gauntlet here. Let me try. Thy gave me a job of opening mail for a lieutenant commander. It was mind-numbingly boring. I said, “Oh please, you can just get me out of your hair if you just let me go to instructor school.” They said, “Fine, anything to shut you up.” I graduated just fine from instructor school. I said, “Now I’d like to teach class. Oh please. I can teach CMS, and I can teach admin. These are all the things I can teach.” They said, “If the CO of the school says so, maybe we’ll consider it.” I said, “Let’s set up an appointment.” I said to Captain Balson who- This is a big man. I am 5’1”, and I weighed 105 pounds. I looked like this little tiny thing. I said, “Captain Balson, you are a man of vision and wisdom. Can you imagine how it’s going to look in all hands when your name is mentioned as being the most progressive man in the submarine force by opening a door for men and women to work together by allowing me to teach this particular class?” He said, “Really?” I said, “Yes, sir, I can teach this. I’ll do all the CMS inspections on the river. I’ll do them on the waterfront.” I know we know people at all hands, so he said, “Okay.” I became the first female instructor in the history of submarine school. All hands, I still have the article that Captain Balson is mentioned in, and they give him high praise. I was incidental. I didn’t care. I could teach class. It worked out beautifully. I opened up five other jobs for women. We developed a lot of friends. I built friendships with all of the men who took my classes. I was locked in a vault with 25 of the coolest guys you’ve ever seen all day long teaching all those classified materials. I made amazing friends. I grew to have a deep and abiding respect for these men. Over time, they would take me aside and say, “Look, kid, listen. If you want your career to progress, do this, this, this, and this.” I listened to them. They became my mentors. Your reputation in the submarine force is always going to precede you because it is a small community. I made sure that I worked really, really hard, that I was extremely respectful, and that I learned the language that men understood and expected to hear, not what I was used to other women saying. I had a blast. Doesn’t mean I didn’t have some bad days, but I have to tell you I had a great career. Hugh: There is some very significant leadership nuggets in what you just shared. You want to position your message so that the other person can hear it. There is a certain dynamic there, a woman in a man’s world, but there are other dynamics: analytics, talking to creatives. I am an extrovert. Duh. Talking to an introvert. For us to be able to think about the receiving. I’ve seen a sign that says, “What you thought you heard was not what I thought I said.” Part of the leadership dysfunction is we cause with our karma negative results, and we are not aware of it. Part of it is how we approach the situation. What you did there is what a lot of leaders don’t understand. They want to tell, and- We are selling a product or service. We are trying to connect in a big deal or collaboration or convince somebody of something. We talk about the what, and we never talk about the why. The brilliance of how you positioned with him, “This is going to make you stand out as a leader. This is what’s going to happen.” It stroked his ego. Male ego is a thing you have to understand, and you do. But you also talked about the benefits of this. The demonstrated value. Here is why it’s good for you. Here are the results you’re going to have. The way you approached that, you could have talked about it in a lot of ways. You could have whined and said you had to give women a chance. You could have done lots of whiny things. But you approached it from a very analytical, logical, fact-based position. I am really seeing a whole lot of good that you brought in to the non-military world from the military and back to transformational leadership. There are lots of similarities. I have modified it a little bit as you know from the conductor standpoint. There are lots of similarities. You have a leader that directs a very highly skilled, highly trained, fine-tuned culture. You’re in concert. You can’t micro-manage. You’re in combat, and you can’t micro-manage. The team has to be high-performing, and they have to have rehearsed and the synergy. That is why I call my company SynerVision. It’s the synergy of the common vision. This is really good stuff, Tina. You and I met on LinkedIn. Took note to me. You said, “Let’s share a podcast.” I’ll be on your show some time later. You don’t know it, but you’re tracking my philosophy of leadership that I’ve created and developed and gleaned out of my 71 years of living and my multiple years studying transformational leadership. This is really awesome stuff. On our podcast, we have a lot of high-functioning female leaders in charities, small business, mid-cap companies that are doing really good work. Any advice for those women who want to step up to their highest level? I don’t use this go to the next level thing; let’s just go to the top sequentially. For ladies, for women out there who are really on it, what’s your best advice to them to step to the top of their game? Tina: I have several pieces because I spoke to many female midshipmen classes. First of all, I want to address the male ego. If you are on a submarine and you have a billion-dollar asset and the lives of between 125-150 men depending on whether it’s a fess attack or a ballistic missile submarine, by God, the captain better have a decent ego. He better have enough confidence in himself to deliberately submerge that ship and bring it back, to be in trail of a Russian submarine for months. I have a deep and abiding respect for an ego for those men. Deep and abiding. I wanted my own submarine. I really did. But Congress hadn’t changed the law. I do respect the ego of men because if you have that level of responsibility or if it’s an aircraft carrier, you have to have enough ego and believe in yourself enough to make it happen. You have to have an inner strength. Those were the lessons that these men taught me, and I value that every day. For women, I have two children and we actually adopted a third. I have grandchildren. When I was in the navy, my children were little. I had a lot of women say, “Oh my gosh, I feel so guilty I am not spending time with my kids.” I said, “I’m going to give that first class ticket on the guilt train back to you. I’m not guilty.” I’m a significantly better mother wearing oak leaves than I would be standing as a soccer mom. I think soccer moms are awesome. That’s not my personality. That works for you. I’m happy for you. I’m not here to judge. But I am an aggressive personality on certain levels. I wanted to make commander. I wanted to be able to pave the way and open doors for other women, including my own daughter. When I was with my kids, by God, I was with my kids. We are extremely close to this day. I didn’t have to be with them 24/7. I had dinner with my engineer because I was executive officer for a submarine training facility in Point Loma in San Diego for a while. Somebody said, “Commander, you are going to retire soon. How is it going to be to be a full-time mom?” The engineer stepped away and said, “Man, it’s going to be messy.” I said, “Are you a part-time dad?” He said, “Well of course not.” He said, “I’m a full-time mom whether I’m here or I’m in front of my kids.” My kids are independent. They are individual thinkers. I am growing to the next crop of naval officers whether they are in business or they are in the military. I don’t care where they are. If you are organized, if you are focused, you can arise to the height of your game. You can still be a mom, and you can still be a good wife. You have to set your priorities. You can’t let anybody tell you that you can’t. Don’t let somebody else make you feel guilty for what you can’t do. It isn’t about having it all. It’s about understanding what your mission is. I have a mission as a mother. That’s not going to stop. I have a mission as a wife. I’m a pretty good wife. I had a mission as a naval officer, and now I have a mission with the Karmic Path. We have five websites that we are working with now. It’s a mission of enormous service to other people. Those missions don’t change. My family respects those missions, and they help where they can. If you don’t respect what you’re here to do, what your mission is long-term, then don’t do it. Don’t think that you’re sacrificing your children or their childhood just because you can’t make every soccer game or band concert. You’re going to miss some of them. It’s not the end of the world. Be there for the important things. When you’re present with them, be emotionally present. Get off your cell phone. Get off your computer. Leave your work at work. Those would be the things that I would say. Be clear in who you are and what you want. If you’re not, nobody else is going to know it either. Hugh: Absolutely. Those are very profound words. If a leader has a very clear pathway- I approach strategy like it’s military objectives and tactics. You have a real clear objective, and here are your tactics. We do it sometimes for our business, which is really important, but we rarely do it for ourselves. There is a parallel path. We have to manage self to be a good mother or father, to be a good work person in the workforce. Part of one of the leadership methodologies that I teach came from a psychiatrist, Murray Bowen. He talks about us learning about ourselves by studying our family of origin. I learn a whole lot of stuff that way about self. The only person we can mange is ourselves. We can bark at other people, but we can’t make them do anything, like that first story you told about the submarine officer who his navigator would not do something unsafe or illegal. He just said no, I’m not going to do that. There is a piece in all of this leadership methodology. It’s a very common piece that I see where leaders cause themselves problems. It’s called overfunctioning. I want to bounce a little bit off you and let you come back from that paradigm of balancing work and home life. You have personal and work. Sometimes people overfunction so much in work that they give up unnecessarily too much of personal life. Or the other way around. It’s about setting some good principles. This is what I’m going to do. Then not overfunctioning. Usually, in the military, in a corporate setting, in nonprofits, in a church or synagogue, there are other people who want to do things. As we overfunction for them, we actually irritate them, and they underfunction. We end up burned out. Part of the paradigm that you didn’t talk about that I heard in your narrative was that you were able to balance your life by saying, “Here is the essential things on both sides. I am going to balance those and be there.” Speak to this dynamic. You have probably seen people who overfunction in this world and cause themselves some heartburn, and are completely unaware of it. Speak to that dynamic about managing self if you will. Tina: That is a really critical point. My belief and what I do is delegate. I cannot possibly do it all. Why would I want to do it all? If someone else does it, it’s a learning opportunity for them. Why would I deprive them of a learning opportunity? I didn’t have to make the lunches for my kids. Here is how you make lunch. I’m teaching you. Now you are responsible for making your lunch. I’m not going to do it. If you want to do this, this is what it’s going to take. I’m not going to do that for you. This was true with my crew. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I was emotionally available to discuss a specific problem. But then I would give the problem back to the individual. You can problem-solve to a point because part of leadership is teaching. If you leave out the teaching portion of it, you’re not the best leader you could be. If your ego is such that no one else can do it as well as you can, then how will anyone ever replace you? One of the classic examples over time back through the history is I have studied the life of Queen Elizabeth I. The amount of change she brought to England and how she took it from a bankrupt country to the most powerful country in the world. She controlled it all. She was brilliant. But she had no successor. England took a dramatic leap backwards because she didn’t plan ahead. Her glory may have been great, but her legacy was flawed because she didn’t set herself up. She didn’t- When I was the XO out here, I had a stable of officers. Whenever I took leave, I would rotate the acting XO position among each of them so that when they got to be an XO, they would be able to face all of the problems. I am not the only person who can be an XO. Lots of people can be an executive officer. It doesn’t have to be just me. If we had problems, we’d go around the room and look at who had the best problem and create a solution everyone could buy into. If you buy into it, you have an emotional commitment that means that you will see it all the way through. If I direct dictate an order, you are just following orders. You are not thinking through it. When somebody’s life depends on your decisions, you ned that buy-in more than anything else. I looked at the leaders who gave me an opportunity to grow and to learn and to make mistakes. We don’t come into mortal life to lead a perfect life. We come into mortal life for the experience. If you are a leader not anticipating your people will make mistakes and you are not taking those mistakes and transforming them into powerful learning opportunities, you’re missing one of your greatest opportunities as a leader: to teach and to grow and to train your replacements. It keeps your ego in check. Hugh: Wow. That is an often overlooked area, especially in the nonprofit world. We tend to create all these great things, and then it goes south after we go on, retire, or die. Tina, this has been really good stuff today. I have a whole series of interviews with leaders that have great wisdom to share. You are right there at the top of that list, of both men and women. I have a good mix of different kinds of individuals from different walks of life. Never had somebody with this extensive leadership background from the military. I find this to be very helpful. I’d like you to tell people about where they can find Karmic Path and then for you to have a parting shot. What would you like people to remember most, and what do they find when they get to The Karmic Path? Tina, tell people where they can find The Karmic Path. Tina: You can find The Karmic Path on iTunes, iHeartRadio. You can go to the App Store and download The Karmic Path. We put out a podcast every single week. Once a month, we have a one-hour podcast. Each podcast is anywhere from 10-20 minutes. We discuss all kinds of different topics, from parenting to business to leadership to spiritual elements, things that can offer you a different point of view on how action and reactions are reflected throughout your life. We are all walking a karmic path. The more each of us can be aware of it, the more thoughtfully and the more creatively we can make those decisions that affect not just our lives, but the lives of others. So that is what The Karmic Path is. It’s a podcast, and I think that it could be of great help. We actually have teachers in classrooms listening to some of our episodes. Hugh: Really? K-a-r-m-i-c. Tina: K-a-r-m-i-c, from Karma. Karma is a Sanskrit word that means “action and reaction.” That’s really all karma is. It’s no mystery. We want to take the mystery out of it. We want it to be ordinary, common, which causes you to pause if ever so briefly to think about your action and the potential reactions that will occur. Hugh: Well, as we wind up this really inspirational and wisdom-packed podcast, what final thought would you like to leave with people? Tina: The final thought that I would like to leave with your listeners is that leadership starts from parenting. Your very first leadership example are your parents. If your parents weren’t the leaders you wanted, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be the leader that you would like to be. If you don’t have children, look back at the leaders that you thought were terrible, and look at the lessons you learned. Look at the leaders you thought were brilliant, and look at the lessons they offered. Everything is a lesson. Ignore the lessons at your peril, but when you embrace them, you take a giant leap forward on your karmic path. Thank you so much for having me. Hugh: Tina Erwin, The Karmic Path, thank you for sharing with our audience today.

David Marquet graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in '81 and led a distinguished career in the United States' Submarine Force, culminating in command of the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe. In command of Santa Fe, Captain Marquet completely turned around the submarine, which went from being "worst to first."  Noted author Dr. Stephen Covey rode USS Santa Fe and discusses one of Captain Marquet's leadership practices in his book, The 8th Habit.  David currently runs the leadership program he founded, "Turn the Ship Around!" In this episode, you'll learn: Unconventional practices that will help you write a book faster How to build a team to support you through the writing process How to leverage a book to grow a speaking and consulting business How to find clients you love to serve Enjoy!  -Scott Mackes, USNA '01