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In this episode of The Russell Brunson Show, I sat down with Kaylee Chu, and we talked about one of the most powerful personal transformation stories I've heard in a long time. Kaylee started out extremely introverted, struggling with confidence after immigrating from Hong Kong to Australia. For years she stayed in a small bubble, avoiding conversations and feeling like she didn't belong - until one moment of embarrassment in a meeting pushed her to do something radical: schedule 100 lunches with 100 strangers. What started as a simple New Year's resolution turned into a life-changing experiment. Those lunches didn't just help her learn how to talk to people - they opened doors to mentors, business partners, and opportunities she never imagined. One connection led to writing a book, which led to her first speaking opportunity, which quickly turned into a full-time career traveling and inspiring audiences around the world. It's a powerful reminder that sometimes the fastest way to change your life is to step outside your comfort zone and start connecting with people. Key Highlights: ◼️The “100 Lunches with Strangers” experiment that helped Kaylee overcome extreme introversion and build life-changing relationships ◼️How one unexpected connection encouraged her to write a book - which eventually led to her first speaking opportunities ◼️The behind-the-scenes story of how she transitioned from a shy financial planner to a full-time keynote speaker ◼️The difference between keynote presentations, webinars, and TEDx talks - and why a TEDx talk focuses on a single “idea worth spreading” ◼️How Kaylee and her team created the Next Top Speaker competition to give everyday people a platform to craft and share their stories We also talk about why speaking is one of the most valuable skills any entrepreneur can develop, how telling your story can unlock opportunities you never expected, and why the people who succeed are the ones who simply make commitments - and keep them. If you've ever wanted to share your message, step onto a stage, or just become more confident connecting with people, this episode will inspire you to start. ◼️If you've got a product, offer, service… or idea… I'll show you how to sell it (the RIGHT way) Register for my next event → https://sellingonline.com/podcast ◼️Still don't have a funnel? ClickFunnels gives you the exact tools (and templates) to launch TODAY → https://clickfunnels.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have a product challenge around retention? Quick intro chat → professorgame.com/chat Leif Sorensen reveals why most corporate learning games fail. We discuss the "magic powder" fallacy, where companies try to cram too many behavioral frameworks into a single experience. Leif breaks down his process for building AI-generated learning games at Actee and explains why focusing on the transfer of learning is the real secret to changing behavior. The episode also explores the post-COVID failure of traditional LMS platforms and how facilitators can run better sessions by focusing on player engagement instead of memorizing game content. Leif Sørensen is the founder and owner of Actee, a global platform using games to develop soft skills and support learning and change in organizations. He works closely with companies, consultants, and learning professionals to design engaging, research-based learning game experiences. Leif is a frequent speaker and podcast host, focusing on gamification, leadership, and how games can make complex topics easier to understand and act on. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Guest Links and Info Website: Actee.com LinkedIn: Leif Sorensen Instagram: @acteeglobal Spotify: The Learning Edge - Gamification and L&D Links to episode mentions: Proposed guest: Sune Gudiksen Recommended book: Transfer of Learning by Robert E. Haskell Favorite game: Derby Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project Start Your Community on Skool for Free YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question
Liz Hansen is the owner and photographer at Chicago Boudoir Photography, a studio that empowers women to feel confident in their bodies, relationships and lives. Liz opened her commercial studio in 2018 and has since photographed more than 2,000 women. She has been featured on the TEDx stage, on National Public Radio and with the Association of International Boudoir Photographers. Liz holds a BA in Art and an MA in Education. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and two teenage daughters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today I'm joined by returning guest Tiffany Hawk - author, book coach, and longtime collaborator - to talk about why sharing your story matters, especially when you don't feel ready.We explore how many accomplished professionals get stuck in what I call the “expert trap”, relying on expertise and credentials while holding back the personal stories that actually create connection.Tiffany shares insights from her work helping women write meaningful books, along with her own journey of returning to writing after years of self-doubt.We also talk about the messy reality of creativity, why the first draft is rarely pretty, and how community and accountability can make all the difference when you're working on a book, talk, or other thought leadership project.This conversation is especially meaningful during Women's History Month, as we reflect on the power of women using their voices to tell the stories that shape culture and create change. Tiffany and I talk about:Why expertise alone doesn't create connectionThe role of vulnerability in thought leadershipWhy you shouldn't wait until your ideas feel perfectHow storytelling helps audiences see themselves in your messageThe creative process behind writing a bookWe also share details about our Story to Spotlight writing and speaking retreat in Spain this Fall 2026, where we'll help women develop their ideas, stories, and thought leadership in a supportive environment. Learn more and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/spain/ Links:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/464/ Get the details and apply for our Story to Spotlight Writing & Speaking Retreat in Spain this Fall 2026: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/spain/ Tiffany's website: https://www.tiffanyhawk.com/intensive/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxTiffany Hawk (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyhawk/ Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 407: Building Your Speaking Platform as an Author (Even If You're an Introvert!) with Tiffany HawkEpisode 257: Writing a Book Gives Your Ideas Depth and Longevity with Tiffany HawkEpisode 461: Storytelling as Resistance: Finding and Using Your Voice with Janice Gassam AsareEpisode 378: The Power of Women's Voices and Stories to Change the World with Carol Cox
Kendall Berg was the most productive person on every team she joined. She was so technically good at her job that she thought she didn't have to be nice. Then a VP she respected -- someone outside her chain of command -- pulled her aside and delivered six words that changed her career: "Nobody likes working with you." Episode page with links, video, and more That blunt feedback could have been a setback. Instead, it became the catalyst for a complete transformation. Kendall spent a year building structured templates for the soft skills nobody had ever taught her -- how to make small talk, how to disagree without being dismissive, how to advocate for her own work -- and went from stuck at the manager level to earning five promotions in six years. In this episode, Kendall shares her favorite mistake and what she learned about the real reasons people get promoted (and don't). We talk about why "playing politics" deserves a reframe, why nobody actually wants to work in a true meritocracy, and the "acknowledge and respond" technique that changes how people receive your ideas. She also shares how she turned a team of 17 underperformers into high performers by giving them something most managers never provide: structure for soft skills. Kendall Berg is an internationally published author, TEDx speaker, and career coach. Her book is Secrets of the Career Game: 36 Strategies to Get Ahead In Your Career. Her TEDx talk is The Clash of the Generations. Find her at ThatCareerCoach.net.
In this episode, Stephanie Cartin, co-founder of Entreprenista, shares the story behind building a thriving media company and membership community designed to support women founders and leaders. After successfully building and selling their social media agency, Socialfly, Stephanie and her co-founder created Entreprenista to help women access the tools, mentorship, and relationships needed to grow and scale their businesses. What started as a podcast to share entrepreneurial stories quickly evolved into the Entreprenista League, a dynamic membership community where women can connect, collaborate, and learn from each other. Stephanie also opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, from navigating new business models to investing in coaches and experts to fill knowledge gaps. She shares personal insights about building a company while raising a young daughter and managing a challenging pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of support systems and work-life integration. From launching a community during the pandemic to hosting large-scale gatherings like Entreprenista Founders Weekend, Stephanie highlights how connection, collaboration, and empowering women entrepreneurs remain at the core of the Entreprenista mission. Connect with Stephanie:Website: www.entreprenista.com LinkedIn: Stephanie (Abrams) Cartin Instagram: @entreprenistas | @stephjillcartin Let's keep the conversation going!Website: www.martaspirk.com Instagram: @martaspirk Facebook: Marta Spirk Want to be my next guest on The Empowered Woman Podcast?Apply here: www.martaspirk.com/podcastguest Watch my TEDx talk: www.martaspirk.com/Speaking If you're a cultural catalyst, what got you here won't get you there. Cultural change happens through peers at your level — not through previous cycles of friends, mentees, or employees. Join our free masterclass: The Science-Backed Secrets to Activate Your Legacy as a Cultural Catalyst Without Burnout Register at activateherlegacy.com.
What helps people achieve big goals — even after hearing multiple "no's"? In this short 2 Minutes of Motivation episode, Kristel Bauer shares two powerful traits that can help you move forward when things don't go as planned: persistence and creativity. Kristel reflects on her own journey pursuing a TEDx talk, where she faced multiple rejections before ultimately receiving a "yes." The experience reinforced an important lesson: achieving meaningful goals often requires the ability to stay persistent while also finding creative ways to keep moving forward. If you're working toward a goal in your career, leadership journey, or personal life, this quick episode will leave you with a simple mindset shift that can help you keep going. In this episode you'll learn: Why persistence alone isn't always enough to reach big goals How creativity can help you find new paths forward A simple perspective shift that can help you navigate setbacks If you enjoy this episode, be sure to follow the Live Greatly podcast for more short mindset boosts and conversations with world-class leaders, authors, and experts focused on leadership, resilience, well-being, and sustainable high performance. Hosted by Kristel Bauer, keynote speaker, author, and performance expert. Note: This episode originally aired earlier on the Live Greatly podcast. Book Kristel for Your Event or Team Bring these strategies to your organization:
Episode Summary: Emad Rahim — born in a concentration camp during the Khmer Rouge Genocide in Cambodia, raised as a stateless refugee in Brooklyn, and now a three-time doctorate holder, Fulbright Scholar, TEDx speaker, and award-winning educator — sits down for a fireside chat with N2N's Storyteller in Residence, Dr. Rod Berger, about the intersection of technology, education, and the power of human storytelling. Key Topics Covered: Emad's journey from a dyslexic, first-generation college student to an acclaimed educator and author The role mentors played in redirecting his life at critical moments How AI and competency-based learning can level the playing field in education COVID's impact on young people's social skills and mental health — and how AI can help The power of vulnerability and storytelling as tools for human connection Using AI to enhance (not replace) the storytelling experience The "Choose Your Own Adventure" metaphor for navigating an AI-driven future Accessibility of technology and its potential to celebrate culture and community Notable Quotes: "It took a vice principal at a high school to see something in me and refuse to give up on me." "I would say I'm a storyteller… I know my story more than anybody else." "When you allow people to be vulnerable, they take advantage of it right away." "I think with the resources available, they can choose their own adventure." "There's a sense of fear that exists, and it's natural… but there also needs to be a sense of opportunity." Guest Bio: Emad Rahim was born in a Cambodian concentration camp during the Khmer Rouge Genocide and arrived in Brooklyn as a stateless refugee in the 1980s. Once a dyslexic student who barely graduated high school, he went on to earn three doctorates, become a Fulbright Scholar, TEDx speaker, and college dean. He is an award-winning educator, acclaimed author, and globally recognized motivational speaker, profiled in Forbes, HuffPost, StoryCorps, and PBS.
Rajae El Mouhandiz is een interdisciplinair kunstenaar, curator en beleidsadviseur die zich bezighoudt met het creëren, produceren en cureren van kunst en cultuur. Na haar opleiding aan het conservatorium richtte ze haar eigen muzieklabel op en bracht ze meerdere albums uit. Op Internationale Vrouwendag 2012 ging haar korte documentaire HOPE! in première, gevolgd door de voorstellingen Hijabi Monologen en Thuis, Ontheemd #1 en #2. Ze werkte mee aan de internationale tentoonstelling MUSLIMA, gaf een TEDx-talk over de kracht van identiteit en muziek en ontwikkelde tentoonstellingen zoals Modest Fashion: een internationaal fenomeen in kunst & mode en recent Amazigh Hair Couture. Tussen 2009 en 2025 stond zij onafgebroken vermeld in de jaarlijkse lijst van de 500 meest invloedrijke moslims ter wereld. In 2019 lanceerde zij Ellae Foundation. Momenteel is in het Wereldmuseum de tentoonstelling Art She Crafted: The Power of Women in Arts & Culture te zien, gecureerd door El Mouhandiz, waarin meer dan vijftig kunstenaars de rol en invloed van vrouwen in kunst en cultuur door de geschiedenis heen tonen. Femke van der Laan gaat met Rajae El Mouhandiz in gesprek.
Join Dr. Jay and Brad as they interview this week's guest, Dr. Amy Baxter.Dr. Baxter directs innovation, invention, operations and strategy for Pain Care Labs. After graduating from Yale University and Emory Medical School, as a double boarded pediatric emergency physician Dr. Baxter founded PEMA Emergency Research while also founding Pain Care Labs (initially called MMJ Labs).Her accomplishments include multiple textbook chapters, first author papers, and national and international invited lectures; innovation impact comes from multiple NIH SBIR Fast-Tracks, patents, and successfully pursuing 510(k) FDA clearances.Her academic service includes numerous NIH Scientific Review Groups for multiple institutes, and the COVID-19 ACEP Field Guide Task Force.Her recognition includes Forbes Ten Healthcare Disruptors, Inc. Top Women in Tech to Watch, Top 10 Innovative and Disruptive Women in Healthcare, a Wall Street Journal “Idea Person,” and the Most Innovative CEO from Georgia Bio.Her national and international speaking highlights include HHS testimony, Exponential Medicine “Future of Pain Management”, TEDx, State Department VentureWell keynote, and TEDMED.Dr. Amy Baxter is also known as Robert A. Heinlein's adopted granddaughter and for turning down Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank.To connect with Dr. Amy Baxter, email her at info@paincarelabs.com or visit her LinkedIn page. More information on Dr. Baxter's products below:Buzzy and VibraCool company: paincarelabs.comDuoTherm company: harmonicscientific.com/Free download from Pain Care Labs - workbook on comprehensive pain management including OTC, supplements, physical interventions, brain-body activities: https://paincarelabs.com/hubfs/What%20Works%20for%20Pain%20Booklet%2002.pdf?hsLang=en
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What if burnout isn't just about working too hard—but about thinking the wrong way? That's the argument Dr. André Walton makes through two decades of research and work with organizations like NASA, Virgin Group, and The Smithsonian. A social psychologist and creator of the Banish Burnout™ framework, Dr. André reveals that the modern world trains us to think deductively and analytically, starving the creative neural pathways that fuel emotional intelligence and resilience. In this conversation, he explains the early signs that creative thinking is being compromised, what divergent and convergent thinking actually mean, and how restoring balance can rewire stress into sustainable flow. Join host Khudania Ajay (KAJ) to discover why creativity isn't a luxury—it's a core human drive essential to your well-being. Explore banish burnout at https://kajmasterclass.com.=========================================*KAJ Masterclass*A video-first, live-first global conversation platform — editorially independent and depth-driven. In-depth, unscripted conversations with thinkers, leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and experts — exploring ideas, lived experience, and real-world wisdom. Hosted by Khudania Ajay (KAJ), independent journalist.
Do you catch yourself making excuses by saying "Yeah, but..."? It's time to ditch the victim mentality and take radical ownership. About This EpisodeJoin Simon Severino as he interviews Kerry Siggins, CEO of the 100% employee-owned global powerhouse, StoneAge. Carrie shares the core philosophy behind her book, The Ownership Mindset, explaining how true leaders accept that things happen *because* of them, not to them. She also previews her upcoming book, Talk with Trust, revealing why trying to "be polite" and soften the truth is actually a toxic habit of managing other people's emotions. Learn how to deliver kind, direct feedback, and discover how to achieve ultimate life and business "coherence" by defining exactly what you are *not* available for.
The Abundance Journey: Accelerating Revenue With An Abundance Mindset
What if vulnerability isn't what makes you unsafe…What if vulnerability is what makes you powerful?In this deeply moving and joy-filled conversation, Elaine Starling welcomes Thymai Dong-Sheehan, educator, author, and founder of Innervate2Educate Consulting, to explore identity, belonging, spirituality, and the courageous journey of learning to love yourself exactly as you are.As a Vietnamese refugee who grew up navigating discrimination, cultural tension, and the pressure to “prove” her worth, Thymai shares how embracing vulnerability became her path to freedom. Through her book The Beauties of My So-Called Asian Life: Vulnerability, Equity, Spirituality, she reframes identity as sacred, difference as powerful, and self-love as a spiritual act.This episode will help you release either/or thinking, embrace your “hyphen,” and fall in love with the beautifully imperfect human you already are.Topics Covered0:00 – Is Vulnerability Weakness or Leadership?Why hiding diminishes power — and shining creates connection3:30 – Breath, Intention & Creating Safe SpaceThe I AM / CONSCIOUSNESS practice and courageous alignment9:30 – Refugee Roots & Shared HumanityThymai's father's legacy and the power of remembering “We're all human.”14:40 – The Three G's of AbundanceGrowth, Goodness of others, and God's Glory18:30 – Turning to Each Other Instead of On Each OtherConnection across lines of difference23:30 – Love as a Non-Zero-Sum GameWhy giving light doesn't diminish yours27:50 – Embracing the HyphenLiving fully as Asian-American instead of choosing one identity32:40 – Falling in Love with YourselfAccepting flaws, complexity, and evolving identity35:00 – Living the Vertical LifeLooking inward first before pointing outwardKey Takeaways
210. The Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership (with Todd Cherches) Todd Cherches is the CEO and cofounder of BigBlueGumball, a NYC-based management consulting firm specializing in leadership development and executive coaching. He is a member of Marshall Goldsmith's “MG 100 Coaches”; a three-time award-winning Adjunct Professor of leadership at NYU; a Lecturer on leadership at Columbia University; a TEDx speaker; and the author of the groundbreaking book, VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life." In this episode: Todd's Career Journey and Early Influences The China Project: A Life-Changing Experience Overcoming Introversion: The Path to Teaching Building Confidence Through Support and Preparation The Importance of Visibility and Communication Developing Leadership Content and Insights The Concept Behind 'Visual Leadership' Empowering Conversations Through Metaphors Understanding Different Types of Power Resilience and Bouncing Back from Setbacks Navigating Leadership and Management The Importance of Visibility in Leadership Servant Leadership and Making Others Shine The Power of a Learning Mindset The Book that Todd recommends The Power Learning by Lillian Ajayi-Ore Website: www.toddcherches.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcherches/ Order Todd's VisuaLeadership Book: https://www.amazon.com/VisuaLeadership-Leveraging-Visual-Thinking-Leadership/dp/1642933376/ Link to Order Your Journey to Visibility Workbook Thank you for listening to The Visibility Factor Podcast! Check out my website to order my book and view the videos/resources for The Visibility Factor book and Your Journey to Visibility Workbook. As always, I encourage you to reach out! You can email me at hello@susanmbarber.com. You can also find me on social media everywhere –Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course on The Visibility Factor Podcast! I look forward to connecting with you! If you liked The Visibility Factor Podcast, I would be so grateful if you could subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts! It helps the podcast get in front of more people who can learn how to be visible too!
Feel like you've been spending months trying to figure out your next career move, but haven't actually made any progress?Are you frustrated by the gap between knowing you want a change and actually taking the steps to make it happen?Do you worry that you're "too old," "not experienced enough," or that a move might sacrifice your financial security?In this episode, I'm sharing why strategy might not be your problem and why your default thinking is the issue. Many professionals stay stuck on the "career couch" because of unconscious "background code" that limits what they believe is possible and therefore holds them back from career opportunities. Using my own journey to the TEDx stage as a roadmap, I'm digging into the cognitive psychology model that you can use to increase your career opportunities and thrive. You'll learn: How to identify the thoughts that are holding you back How to rewrite your mental scriptsHow to ditch procrastination and start redesigning your career. Invest in Yourself and Your Career:Book a Career Clarity CallThe Career Navigator Coaching Programme: My high-touch, 1-to-1 experience to help you build a career aligned with your life. Book a Career Clarity Call to discussRelated Episode: Episode 304: 'Why All-Or-Nothing Thinking Is Keeping You Stuck'Send a textConnect with me! Website: careerchangemakers.comEmail: podcast@careerchangemakers.com LinkedIn: Janine Esbrand Instagram: @careerchangemakerspodcast Career Change Makers on Apple Podcasts
IN THIS EPISODEWhat's the #1 way to you stay consistent with personal branding on LinkedIn? While most would say a brand guide, content galore or an AI tool, these are not even close.In this episode, we share and even normalize this reality that can bring incredible opportunities if followed diligently no matter what.CONTACT US:Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognized LinkedIn™️ for business growth speaker, author and consultant. Her services – audit & strategy, LinkedIn training and LinkedIn profile rewrites.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond/Website: https://b2bgrowthco.com/Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx + keynote speaker, author and educator on personal branding and professional visibility. As the founder of Brand Leaders and creator of the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap + She's Visible™ movement, Michelle equips professionals to position their personal brands for recognition, media opportunities and industry impact.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/ Websites: https://michellebgriffin.com and OwnYourLane.ioBuy your copy on AmazonThe LinkedIn Branding Book, The Power of Two: Build Your Personal and Business Brand on LinkedIn for Exponential Growth - https://mybook.to/The_LinkedIn_Branding_Book https://MichelleSquared.comOUR BOOKSThe LinkedIn Branding Book + WorkbookPosition Yourself Personal Branding PlannerBusiness Gold: LinkedIn Company PagesSUBMIT YOUR QUESTION:Simply DM both Michelles on LinkedIn to submit your question for a future episode.STAY AHEAD OF WHAT'S WORKING ON LINKEDINIf LinkedIn feels important to your business but messy in practice, Michelle J Raymond's newsletter delivers clear, no-hacks insights to help B2B teams make better LinkedIn decisions each week. Subscribe here - https://b2bgrowthco.com/newsletter/POSITION YOURSELF POWER HOURGet Unstuck in One Focused HourIf you're overthinking your message,positioning, or next move, Michelle's Position Yourself Power Hour gives youclear direction and practical next steps so you can move forward with confidence.Book your session here – [Insert Link]https://michellebgriffin.com/powerhour/
You would think speaking about grief and trauma would be difficult, but not when you speak with Meghan Riordan Jarvis. A trauma-trained psychotherapist, grief and loss specialist, TEDx speaker, host of Grief Is My Side Hustle, and author and creator of the Grief Mentor Method, Meghan brings both expertise and refreshing honesty to every conversation. If you struggled after your care partner died with what you witnessed, felt traumatized, or are unsure of who you are or how to move forward, this episode is for you. We explore why end-of-life caregiving can be genuinely traumatic, how our bodies hold grief, the stories we get trapped inside, and how to know when what you're carrying is more than ordinary loss. Her tell-it-like-it-is style will help you better understand your grief, and yourself. Meghan Riordan Jarvis Daughterhood TRANSCRIPT
Curiosity isn't a "soft skill"-it's a strategic superpower for growth. In this episode, Donald Thompson sits down with leadership strategist and researcher Dr. Debra Clary to discuss her upcoming book, The Curiosity Curve. Drawing from four decades of experience at iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, and Jack Daniels, Debra explains why the most successful leaders ask the best questions, why curiosity is the key to thriving in an AI-driven world, and how we can unlearn the "incuriosity" taught to us since childhood.Episode Long DescriptionSuccess is often born in the most unlikely of classrooms. For Dr. Debra Clary, that classroom was a Frito-Lay route truck. In this episode of High Octane Leadership, Donald and Debra deconstruct the journey from driving a delivery route to performing a one-woman show off-Broadway and leading billion-dollar brands.They dive deep into the "curiosity gap" currently facing organizations and why psychological safety is inextricably linked to a leader's ability to say, "I don't know." Whether you're navigating the complexities of AI or trying to lead a team through burnout, this conversation provides a blueprint for using wonder as a tool for high performance.Key Talking Points:The Route Truck Masterclass: Why starting at the bottom provided a competitive advantage that no MBA could match.Curiosity vs. Incuriosity: How societal "warnings" like Pandora's Box have conditioned leaders to stop asking questions.The AI Connection: Why prompt engineering is actually just structured curiosity.The Bold Question: The specific 5-word question that can unlock any stuck organization.Borrowing Courage: How Debra's peers pushed her onto an off-Broadway stage and the lesson it holds for every leader.About the GuestDr. Debra Clary is a leadership strategist, researcher, and viral TEDx speaker with over 40 years of experience at Fortune 40 companies, including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. She holds a doctorate in leadership and organizational development and is the author of the book, The Curiosity Curve. Beyond the boardroom, Debra is a storyteller and performer who successfully launched a one-woman show after being "booked" by her own mastermind group, -a true testament to the power of borrowing courage from those who believe in you.ResourcesDr. Debra ClaryWebsite: debraclary.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdebraclary/Stay connected with Donald: Get Donald's newsletter that is packed with actionable insights, and the kind of straight-talk leadership intelligence that helps build authority, drive performance, and stay ahead of what is coming next: donaldthompson.comConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldthompsonjrSubscribe on SubStack: https://substack.com/@donaldthompsonjr High Octane Leadership is hosted by The Diversity Movement CEO and executive coach Donald Thompson and is a production of Earfluence.Order UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO'S UNLIKELY PATH TO SUCCESS, by Donald Thompson.
Welcome to season four of Restorative Works! Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Johari "J.P." Mitchell for a discussion around positive self-talk, children's literature, and how the power of storytelling helps shape how we relate to ourselves and one another. J.P. explores how children's literature, especially picture books, can serve as a restorative practices tool across all ages. She emphasizes the concept of restorative practices-rooted self-talk: the internal narratives we use to make sense of shame, grief, identity, and belonging. J.P. illustrates how stories offer young people and adults pro-social alternatives to dealing with shame. She explains how picture books act as mirrors and windows, reflecting our inner lives while inviting us to step into experiences we may not yet have lived. Through age-appropriate storytelling, children gain language for complex emotions like loss, difference, and empathy long before crisis arrives. This proactive exposure builds emotional literacy, resilience, and relational capacity. The episode also challenges the assumption that children's books are only for children. J.P. and Claire reflect on how picture books speak powerfully to adults, educators, parents, and leaders by reconnecting us to the "child within" and creating space for intergenerational dialogue. From navigating grief to understanding identity and difference, children's literature becomes a shared entry point for meaningful, restorative conversations. Johari "J.P." Mitchell is an educator, writer and speaker whose passion is helping leaders link vision to opportunity through the power of words. J.P. is a restorative practices trainer with Columbus City Schools, as well as a 2-time TEDx speaker, author, and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family. Tune in to learn how to become a friend of children's literature, not just a consumer, and use stories as a bridge to stronger relationships and healthier communities.
Why does friendship feel like an intuitive gift for some, but a complex, manual process for others? This week, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with social-emotional learning expert Caroline Maguire, author of the award-winning Why Will No One Play With Me? and the upcoming Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults. The conversation dismantles the harmful narrative that connection should happen organically, reframing social struggles not as character flaws, but as understandable skill gaps influenced by executive dysfunction and past trauma. They talk about the concept of "Middle School Caroline," the inner child who reacts to perceived slights with high-alert protection, and suggest advice on unmasking, managing rejection sensitivity, and finding "your people" who value compassion over perfect social performance. TAKEAWAYS The "friendship should be easy" narrative fuels unnecessary shame. Connection is a complex skill set, not an innate character trait. Executive dysfunction directly impacts the logistical and emotional labor of maintaining adult relationships. Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) often functions as a protective mechanism whose past social trauma colors present-day perceptions. Unmasking in friendships is a gradual spectrum that requires identifying safe people rather than an all-or-nothing disclosure. Neurodivergent social strengths like info-dumping and deep empathy are valid forms of connection that deserve recognition and framing, rather than suppression. Neurodivergent adults often base social perceptions on the most recent interaction, making objectivity and evidence-based thinking vital for relationship stability. Mental health professionals, join us for our upcoming training, Interpreting Autism Assessment Data in High-Masking and Under-Identified Presentations. Dr. Taylor Day is the presenter, and it will be held Friday, April 3 at 2:00 PM Eastern. If you can't make it live, the recorded self-study version will be available shortly after the live event. It's approved for both APA and NBCC continuing ed hours. You can register here. Caroline Maguire, M.Ed., PCC is an internationally recognized expert in social-emotional learning, ADHD coaching, and relationship development. She is the author of the award-winning book Why Will No One Play with Me? and the upcoming Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults (Balance Books, April 2026). As the host of The ADHD Social Playbook podcast, Caroline helps neurodivergent individuals build the confidence and connection skills needed to thrive in relationships. A coach, educator, and sought-after speaker, Caroline developed a comprehensive SEL training methodology used by parents, clinicians, and educators to foster self-awareness, emotional regulation, and meaningful social interactions. She is the founder of the family-focused coach training program at the ADD Coach Academy, and brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work as a neurodivergent person with ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities. Her work has been featured by TEDx, ADDitude, WebMD, MindBodyGreen, and more. BACKGROUND READING Facebook, Instagram, "Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults" book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, Hachette, Audible The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com. If you'd like members of your organization, school district, or company to know more about the subjects discussed on our podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris provides keynote addresses, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, in-person or virtually. You can choose from a list of established presentations, or work with Emily to develop a custom talk to fit your unique situation. To learn more, visit our website.
Psychologists Off The Clock: A Psychology Podcast About The Science And Practice Of Living Well
Weight feels like one of those topics everyone has an opinion on, yet it's deeply personal for each of us. So, for this episode, Emily and Jill take the opportunity to dig into what it's like to navigate body changes in a world full of strong opinions, from the rise of GLP-1 medications to the stigma that can come with medical or surgical interventions.Jill opens up about her own journey with weight, body image, and ultimately deciding to have gastric bypass surgery, including what's shifted for her since, physically, emotionally, and socially. They also talk about the judgment people can face, how conversations about health often get reduced to discipline or willpower, and also zoom out to explore the bigger cultural messages about bodies and how therapists can support clients in talking about weight in ways that move beyond shame or “fixing.” Listen and Learn: Why shame, Yo-yo dieting, and a surprising therapy session insight led Jill to discover a life-changing path that transformed her health, mindset, and relationship with exerciseWhy the idea that weight loss tools are “cheating” reveals deeper cultural biases about bodies, health, and who gets judged for the choices they makeHow constant pressure on women's bodies may actually distract from power, health, and autonomy in ways most people never questionFocusing on values instead of weight loss goals to help you stop postponing the life you want to liveHow changing your relationship with cravings and “food noise” through psychological flexibility can make long-term weight loss maintenance more possibleResources: Jill's Website: https://jillstoddard.comConnect with Jill on Social Media https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNDJ6pR5PVGZSSzRFc556QAhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jillstoddardphd/ About Jill Stoddard Jill Stoddard is passionate about sharing science-backed ideas from psychology to help people thrive. She is a psychologist, writer, TEDx speaker, award-winning teacher, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, bariatric coach, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. Dr. Stoddard is the founder and director of The Center for Stress and Anxiety Management, an outpatient practice specializing in evidence-based therapies for anxiety and related issues. She is the author of three books: The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner's Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance; and Imposter No More: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Her writing has also appeared in The Washington Post, Psychology Today, Scary Mommy, Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, and Mindful Return. She regularly appears on podcasts and as an expert source for various media outlets. She lives in Newburyport, MA with her husband, two kids, and disobedient French Bulldog. Related Episodes:348. Sustainable Exercise with Michelle Segar326. Weight Stigma and Body Image with Sarah Pegrum264. Raising Intuitive Eaters with Sumner Brooks and Amee Severson231. Eating Skills and Emotional Eating with Josh Hillis151. Intuitive Eating with Evelyn Tribole93. Effective Weight Loss with Evan Forman77. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Jill Stoddard36. Weight Loss Strategies From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Jason LillisSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Aaron Golub is a professional speaker, entrepreneur, and leadership consultant who made history as the first legally blind Division I athlete to play in a college football game while competing at Tulane University, where he was later named team captain and went on to become an NFL free agent. Born legally blind, Aaron learned early that success requires a different relationship with adversity. Instead of focusing on what he couldn't control, he built his mindset around maximizing what he could. His journey reflects a powerful truth: when you commit to doing what others won't, you give yourself the opportunity to achieve what others can't. Rather than viewing his blindness as a limitation, Aaron now sees it as one of his greatest advantages. His story challenges how we think about setbacks and reminds us that life doesn't just happen to us — often, it happens for us. Today, Aaron works with organizations, teams, and leaders to build resilient cultures and leadership strategies that thrive in adversity. His work has been featured on major platforms including Good Morning America, CBS, NBC, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, NPR, and Entrepreneur. As the title of his TEDx talk suggests, Aaron Golub is truly a Diamond in his Disadvantage. In this conversation, we explore how perspective, discipline, and ownership of the controllables can transform adversity into opportunity. @aaronjgolub
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Dr. Cam Caswell is an adolescent psychologist, parenting coach, TEDx speaker, and host of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast. For over 20 years, she has worked with teens and families navigating shutdowns, anxiety, defiance, and disconnection. Dr. Cam's website: https://www.askdrcam.com/ Follow Dr. Cam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcamcaswell
Paul Pape is a creative problem navigator, TEDx speaker, and author known as “Santa for Nerds.” Over the past 20 years, he has built a reputation as the specialty artist companies like Disney, Universal, and Nickelodeon call when they need something that doesn't exist or their internal teams can't build. Working from his Nebraska studio, Paul creates custom collectibles, props, and prototypes with tight deadlines and exacting standards. Paul is the creator of Gamify Business and author of The Creative Player's Handbook to Business, which translates intimidating business concepts into gaming language that creative minds actually understand. Through his books, workshops, and coaching, he helps entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses without sacrificing their creative souls, proving that the “starving artist” stereotype is outdated and unnecessary. Paul first appeared on Follow Your Curiosity in September 2024, and I invited him to come back to tell us about his new Gamify Business program. Paul talks with me about how he recognized the need for a more creative metaphor for entrepreneurship; the danger of losing touch with your passion as your creative business grows; how the focus on what's NOT possible, plus the constant need to ask permission—even as a adults—can get in our way, and a whole lot more. If you've ever been intimidated by the idea of starting a business, especially as a creative, this episode is for you. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Introduction. 04:10 Using Dungeons and Dragons to explain creative business roles. 08:18 Leveling up business skills with gaming metaphors. 12:00 Business isn't selling out; creatives deserve a livable wage. 16:05 Building the book through stories and personal experience. 20:13 Learning entrepreneurship by adapting methods to suit yourself. 24:10 Gatekeeping of business concepts and simplifying with new language. 28:47 Kids embrace entrepreneurship because they haven't been told no. 32:27 Making a fool of yourself helps growth and confidence. 37:08 Confidence from passion attracts opportunities and like-minded people. 41:57 The tipping point: when passion becomes a draining job. 46:53 Failing is natural; our schooling overemphasizes perfection. 51:25 Coaching, permission, and feeling proud support creative entrepreneurship. 56:29 Rediscovering fun and permission helps creativity thrive. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in entrepreneurship. Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!) at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle. Please leave a review for this episode—it's really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks! If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you'll share it with a friend.
Durante muchos años yo admiraba profundamente a las personas que podían subir a un escenario y hablar con seguridad. Me preguntaba cómo lo hacían, cómo lograban transmitir un mensaje con tanta claridad, emoción y presencia. Con el tiempo, después de muchas conferencias, errores, nervios y aprendizaje, fui descubriendo algo importante: hablar en público no es un talento reservado para unos cuantos, es una habilidad que se puede desarrollar. En este episodio quiero compartirte los tres pilares que más me han ayudado a comunicarme con seguridad frente a una audiencia: el propósito, la preparación y la presencia. Hablamos de cómo conectar con el mensaje que quieres transmitir, cómo prepararte realmente para sentir confianza cuando llegue el momento y cómo usar tu presencia, tu energía y tu lenguaje corporal para que tu mensaje tenga impacto. Espero te sirva Darling!
Rebellious Success: Failure, Bigger Games, and Playing Full OutGuest: Toni Will | Host: Julie Riga | Stay On Course PodcastWhat if failure was your greatest leadership asset? In this bold and energizing episode, Julie Riga sits down with Toni Will, a two-time Guinness World Record holder, General Manager of the Kalamazoo Wings, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and author of the upcoming book Rebellious Success. Toni brings contagious energy and hard-won wisdom to a conversation about competence, confidence, and what it truly means to step into your bigger game. She shares her framework for building self-trust through failure, explains why playing small keeps everyone around you stuck, and challenges listeners to declare a bigger game before they feel ready to do it.Rebellious Success: Failure, Bigger Games, and Playing Full OutAbout This EpisodeToni Will is a powerhouse leader who blends elite performance with hard-earned connection, proving that competence and community can coexist. As General Manager of a men's professional hockey team, a professional development coach, and a soon-to-be published author, Toni lives at the intersection of leadership, resilience, and authentic growth. In this episode, she and Julie dig into three transformative ingredients for success that challenge everything you thought you knew about failure, purpose, and personal evolution.Fun Fact: Toni's favorite food is sushi, anything from the grocery store all the way up to fresh-caught in Hawaii.Three Ingredients for SuccessInvite Failure to the Table: Failure is not the opposite of success. Quitting is. The failure resume asks you to write down everything you have walked through and survived. What emerges is not a record of loss but a portrait of resilience, self-trust, and wisdom. When you stop fearing failure and start inviting it, it becomes one of your greatest tools for growth, confidence, and transformation.Stop Playing Small: Because Someone Else Is Playing small to make others comfortable keeps everyone stuck, including you. Authentic leadership means showing up fully, reading the room with emotional intelligence, and never beginning from a diminished version of yourself. Rising tides lift all ships. Collaboration grounded in core values is always stronger than competition driven by fear.Declare a Bigger Game: Growth does not always mean moving up. Sometimes it means growing out. Every micro-decision you make each day either aligns with your next level or holds you back from it. Act from the next level now. Ask not only what something costs you to pursue, but what it costs you to stay exactly where you are.Memorable Quotes"The only time you are failing is when you quit trying." "Stop playing small because someone else is." "The story we tell ourselves about ourselves gets in the room before we do." "What is the cost if I do not do it? Because there is always a cost."Key TakeawaysBuild a failure resume and transform it into your record of courage and growthStop playing small. Full authentic presence is a leadership skillDeclare your bigger game before you feel ready and lead from that placeAlign your actions with core values to unlock clarity, confidence, and self-trustInvest in yourself. The ROI of personal growth compounds over timeAbout Toni's Book: Rebellious Success One part memoir, one part self-help, one part business leadership. A complete roadmap for defining success on your own terms and building it without apology. Pre-order opens March 13th. Book launches August 11th.Connect with Toni WillConference: empowHer Book: Rebellious SuccessConnect with Julie RigaStay On Course PodcastLeadership Coachingjulieriga.com/lead#StayOnCourse #RebelliousSuccess #LeadershipMindset #PurposeDriven #WomenInLeadershipSubscribe to Stay On Course Podcast wherever you listen. Share this episode with the leaders and game-changers in your life who are ready to play bigger.
In this episode of Data in Biotech, host Ross Katz sits down with Ben Locwin, Vice President at Reliant Life Sciences, to explore the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in biotechnology. Join us as we discuss why nearly every biotech claims to use AI but few actually do, examine successful applications like AlphaFold, and explore the challenges of implementing AI across drug development, manufacturing, and regulatory processes. Ben shares insights on maintaining healthy skepticism, understanding data provenance, and looking ahead to what this year may bring for AI in life sciences. What you'll learn in this episode: >> The AI hype problem in biotech and why most companies claim to use AI but few actually do. >> AlphaFold as the gold standard and how DeepMind's protein structure prediction model represents the most successful application of AI in biotech >> Data quality over algorithmic sophistication and the critical importance of data provenance, examining primary sources, and understanding that data quality matters more than the complexity of the AI model >> The balance between optimism and evidence-based decision-making, distinguishing between sophisticated AI and advanced statistical modeling Meet our guest: Ben Locwin is a healthcare and life sciences executive and medical scientist known for helping bring pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and medical devices to market faster and with higher quality. A TEDx speaker and seasoned leader, he's worked across major biotech hubs and has deep expertise in global regulatory pathways, having collaborated with the FDA, EMA, MHRA, PMDA, and more. Connect with Ben Locwin on LinkedIn About the host: Ross Katz is Principal and Data Science Lead at CorrDyn. Ross specializes in building intelligent data systems that empower biotech and healthcare organizations to extract insights and drive innovation. Connect with Ross Katz on LinkedIn Connect with us: Follow the podcast for more insightful discussions on the latest in biotech and data science.Subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! Sponsored by… This episode is brought to you by CorrDyn, the leader in data-driven solutions for biotech and healthcare. Discover how CorrDyn is helping organizations turn data into breakthroughs at CorrDyn.
In this deeply personal and insightful episode, host Doug sits down with Dr. Jeremy Goldberg a PhD scientist turned life coach, TEDx speaker, and author. Dr. Goldberg shares the powerful "origin story" of his kindness movement, starting with a simple, brave act for a stranger in an airport that transformed his life and career. The conversation dives into the internal negotiation between "Heart Whispers" (our quiet intuitive nudges) and "Fear Shouts" (the loud, anxious voices that stop us from acting with integrity). Whether you are a man navigating the "before times" and "after times" of fatherhood, or someone looking to reconnect with your authentic self beneath years of social constructs, this episode offers a roadmap for leading a more compassionate, courageous life. Key Topics Covered: · The Power of Small Acts: How a handwritten card in an airport sparked a global mission to make kindness cool. · Intuition vs. Anxiety: Understanding the "Fear Shouts and Heart Whispers" mantra to navigate life's uncertainty. · The Human Psyche and Snap Judgments: Why our brains use evolutionary shortcuts to judge strangers in traffic and public spaces. · Authenticity and Childhood Constructs: Challenging the "survivor" personalities we built as children to find who we truly are. · The Hidden Grief of Parenthood: A raw discussion on the loss of identity and time that comes with becoming a new father. · Invisible Benevolent Forces: Exploring the synchronicities and nudges that lead us toward growth and connection. About Dr. Jeremy Goldberg Dr. Jeremy Goldberg is a PhD-trained scientist turned life coach, author, and speaker whose mission is to make kindness and compassion a global standard. Known as a "dream doula," he leverages a decade of international research into human behavior to help individuals reclaim their agency and rewrite the personal stories that hold them back. His diverse background—spanning from ordained ministry and SCUBA diving to hosting a top-ranked global podcast and leading 200 km pilgrimages in Spain—informs his unique approach to "conviction excavation" and personal growth. Through his brand, Long Distance Love Bombs, Jeremy uses creative writing and spoken word poetry as mediums for healing and clarity. He focuses on the idea that beliefs are choices and identities are malleable, providing his clients with the faith and tools needed to stimulate profound life epiphanies. With a book titled It'll Be Okay, And You Will Be Too and a TEDx talk questioning "What if kindness was cool?", he continues to bridge the gap between rigorous scientific understanding and heartfelt, creative expression to make the world better than he found it. Social links of Dr. Jeremy Goldberg Website – https://www.longdistancelovebombs.com Substack - https://longdistancelovebombs.substack.com/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/DrJeremyGoldberg Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LongDistanceLoveBombs Book – https://shopcatalog.com/product/itll-be-okay-and-you-will-be-too/ Newsletter – https://longdistancelovebombs.mykajabi.com/email Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/longdistancelovebombs TEDx talk – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mklMPHGLjo Podcast - https://anchor.fm/longdistancelovebombs Social links of Doug Beitz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dougbeitz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougbeitz/ Website: https://buymeacoffee.com/dougbeitz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mQ258nugC3lyw3SpvYuoK?si=7cec409527d34438 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/intuitive-conversations-with-doug/id1593172364 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-beitz-472a4b338/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dougbeitz178
Re-Release: How do you define success? In this episode of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer sits down with Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and member of the legendary "Magnificent Seven," the first U.S. women's gymnastics team to win Olympic gold at the 1996 Olympic Games. Dominique shares powerful insights from her journey as an elite athlete, including the challenges she faced behind the scenes, how her definition of success has evolved over the years, and what helped her build resilience through difficult experiences. Kristel and Dominique also discuss how parents can better support children in sports, how to navigate high-pressure environments, and why redefining success is essential for long-term happiness and well-being. Today, Dominique continues to inspire the next generation through the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, where she is helping create a healthier culture in youth athletics. If you are interested in high performance, resilience, leadership, and redefining success, you won't want to miss this conversation. Listen now! Key Takeaways from This Episode • How Dominique Dawes' definition of success has evolved throughout her life • Behind-the-scenes insights from Dominique's Olympic journey • Why defining success the wrong way can lead to unhappiness and burnout • What parents should and should not do when supporting children in athletics • The importance of staying present and enjoying the moment • How elite athletes manage high-pressure situations • What helped Dominique heal from trauma and build resilience • Why parents should research youth sports environments carefully • Strategies Dominique uses to manage stress and build mental strength • A look inside the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies ABOUT Dominique Dawes: Owner of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, Dominique opened the gyms to continue her commitment to developing a healthy and compassionate culture in the sport of gymnastics. Her first academy opened in the midst of a global pandemic, July 2020 and her second location opened April 2023. Dawes also holds minority ownership of the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League, and served as the co-chair of the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition under the Obama administration alongside Drew Brees. Alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter, she recently served as Executive Producer of the Peacock docu-series "Golden", the journey of USA's elite gymnasts on the road to the Tokyo Olympics, which was nominated for a Sports Emmy. Dawes holds her degree from the University of Maryland and was inducted into UMD's prestigious Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2023, her hometown of Montgomery County, Maryland will honor her career and legacy with a life size statue to continue inspiring the next generation to follow in her footsteps. As a wife, mother of four, Olympian and business owner, Dominique Dawes has transcended the world of sports, politics, entertainment and culture. Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies Learn more: Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies https://www.dominiquedawesgymnasticsacademy.com/ Instagram: @dawesgymnasticsacademy @daweser Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawesgymnasticsacademy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-dawes/ About the Host: Kristel Bauer Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and host of the Live Greatly podcast, where she shares insights to help individuals and organizations achieve greater success, well-being, and sustainable high performance. With a background in Integrative Medicine, business, and media, Kristel provides practical strategies to help leaders and teams strengthen resilience, improve mental well-being, and perform at their best. Her work focuses on high-performance habits, leadership development, resilience, mental well-being, and modern work-life balance. Kristel has been featured on ABC News Live, NBC News Daily, Fox Weather, ABC 7 Chicago, and WGN, and is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur. She has also been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer by Forbes in the business and wellness space. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow and Physician Assistant, Kristel brings a unique perspective to helping organizations create healthier, more successful workplaces. To book Kristel Bauer as a keynote speaker: https://www.livegreatly.co/contact Website: www.livegreatly.co Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions. Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations. They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content. Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.
If you have a spicy kid — the one who knows every button, tests every boundary, and can reduce you to screaming about shoes at 7am — this episode is for you.And if you've ever tried to stay calm, validate feelings, offer choices, read the books, do the things — and still felt like nothing was working?In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Paul Sunseri — child and family psychologist, TEDx speaker, published researcher, and developer of Intensive Family-Focused Treatment (IFFT) — to talk about what actually works with strong-willed, oppositional, and defiant kids. We dig into why gentle parenting gets misunderstood, why some kids just come into the world harder to parent (and what to do about it), how to get kids to actually listen without badgering or yelling, why you never have to argue with your child again, and what to do when you know what you should say but you're too triggered to say it.What You'll LearnWhy some kids come into the world harder to parent, and why that is not a reflection of your parentingThe bank account metaphor: why harder kids need more deposits, and what happens when the account runs dryHow to set up a morning routine that runs on incentives and independence instead of chaos and naggingHow to handle disrespect at any age — including the specific language that works with teenagersWhy you never have to argue with your child again — and exactly how to exit any argument in progressGentle Parenting Reimagined Book Dr. Sunseri's website
This was such a fun one that I know you'll love…we talk all about natural mystical experiences and her father's mysterious 'missing' that will take your breath away. In this week's episode of the You-est You® Podcast, I sat down with Suzanne Ross to explore spiritual awakening, interdimensional encounters, and the deeper remembering that so many of us are experiencing right now. A powerful note to remember…Awakening isn't something happening to a few people. It's unfolding across humanity. And that, my sweet friend, is very good news. Many more of us are beginning to feel an inner nudge that life is more interconnected, more mystical, and more guided than we once believed. If you've ever felt that quiet inner knowing, this conversation may feel like a remembrance. Suzanne hosts powerful transformational gatherings through Sedona Ascension Retreats. You can receive 10% off using code: ✨ YouestYou10 Learn more here. Takeaways Every human has access to intuition and guidance. Spiritual experiences can shape our understanding of reality. Community and connection are vital for spiritual growth. The dark night of the soul can lead to profound transformation. Experiences in nature can enhance our spiritual awareness. The past, present, and future are interconnected. We can remember our future through spiritual experiences. Event production can create spaces for healing and connection. Channeling and writing can be pathways to spiritual expression. Awakening is a collective journey for humanity. About Suzanne Ross Suzanne Ross is a spiritual teacher, author, and transformational event producer known for creating powerful gatherings that support spiritual awakening and higher consciousness. She is the founder of Sedona Ascension Retreats and has spent years helping people explore mystical experiences, expand awareness, and step more fully into their soul's path. About Your Host, Julie Reisler Julie Reisler is a heart-led intuitive guide, TEDx speaker, author, and host of The You-est You® Podcast. For over 15 years, she has helped high-achieving souls reconnect to their intuition, trust their inner guidance, and build lives rooted in inner peace and purpose. A faculty member at Georgetown University and founder of the Intuitive Life Designer® Coach Academy, Julie blends spirituality, science, positive psychology, and lived experience to help you remember and embody your You-est You. Be sure to subscribe to Julie's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/juliereisler and ring the notification bell so that you never miss a powerful episode! Here's to your truest, You-est You! Love, Julie You-est You® Resources for YOU! See below for free tools, resources, programs, and goodies to help you become your YOU-EST YOU! FREE Manifest Your Goals & Dreams 7-Day Toolset This stunning free toolset is a 7-day workbook (25 pages full) of powerful mindset practices, grounding meditations (and audio), a new beautiful time management system and template to set your personalized schedule for your best productivity, a personalized energy assessment, and so much more. It was designed to specifically help you uplevel your routine and self-care habits for success so you can radiate and become your 'You-est You'. These tools are some of Julie's best practices used with hundreds of her clients to help you feel more confident, clear, and connected to your best self so that you feel inspired to take on the world. Get it at: juliereisler.com/toolset FREE Intuition Test Unlock your unique intuitive super-powers and discover your dominant Intuition Language™. Take the free test now at https://juliereisler.com/intuitiontest-podcast Intuition Activation Mini-Course - 90% OFF! For a limited time only, get access to Julie's powerful transformative Intuition Activation mini-course for 90% off! You'll have lifetime access to this course that is full of video modules, worksheets, meditations, tools and practices to unlock your intuition and activate your inner guidance! Sign up now at https://juliereisler.com/activation Craving deeper connection beyond words? Explore my Meditation Portal — a sacred space for weekly guided meditations, energy healing, and intuitive alignment. These channeled journeys are activations designed to help you reconnect with your soul, expand your inner awareness, and live from a place of calm, clarity, and higher love.
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About Keren Eldad: A thought leader in the coaching world, Keren Eldad (“Coach Keren”) specializes in taking high achievers out of the futility of constant pursuit and into greater success and fulfillment. Her clients include Olympic athletes, politicians, Hollywood stars, Special Forces operatives, serial entrepreneurs, and global organizations such as Estée Lauder, J.P. Morgan, and Nike. She is the founder of THE CLUB, a community of leaders, entrepreneurs, and coaches who support each other to reach their fullest potential and make their greatest contribution. Recognized as a Top Ten Executive Coach by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Real Leaders Magazine, and Goop, Keren holds gold-standard coaching credentials and advanced degrees from The London School of Economics and the University of Jerusalem. A former C-suite executive who has lived and worked in 17 countries, she now coaches leaders globally in four languages. With half a million views on her TEDx talks and speaking worldwide, her message transcends borders. In this episode, Dean Newlund and Keren Eldad discuss: Healthy drive versus overachievement Recognizing early warning signs before burnout Rewiring reactive conflict patterns Climbing down the wrong ladder Choosing coaching before trauma Key Takeaways: Use the Pause Principle by asking whether your reaction is the bigger problem, what else might be going on, and what the opportunity is. Apply the Work of Byron Katie by using the four questions in moments of conflict to inject mindfulness. Take 17 seconds in conflict to broaden your perspective before responding. Address behavioral change by intentionally changing elements of your environment, including the people you spend time with. "There's no behavioral change without addressing the environment.” — Keren Eldad Connect with Keren Eldad: Website: https://kereneldad.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgGViwGVn_yrHkq3PQ9R_-Q LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keren-eldad/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveWithEnthusiasm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkeren Book: GILDED: https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Breaking-Ambition-Perfectionism-Relentless/dp/1684817579 See Dean's TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I Connect with Dean:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkwWebsite: https://www.mfileadership.com/The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlundFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.comPhone: 1-800-926-7370 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
Guest Tom Reed studied photography at Rutgers while studying Geography. Ansel Adams, Edgar Payne, and the Hudson River School are major influencers. Zen sensibilities profoundly influence his compositions and writings, as he is a student of Japanese martial arts and aesthetics (chado). His photographs and writing center on the experience of awe at the sight of a landscape. He hopes this leads to considering nature itself divine and sacred, and that stewardship, rather than the dominant utilitarian view, is the only sane attitude. Summary In this episode, Jeff speaks with photographer, writer, adventurer, and wellness coach Tom Reed about a life shaped not by financial ambition, but by a deep desire for experience, nature, and meaning. Reed traces this orientation back to formative childhood moments that helped him value independence and authenticity over conventional success. His path led him through geography studies, wilderness work in Alaska, whitewater guiding, sailing, martial arts, and ultimately photography. Reed's artistic philosophy blends influences from Ansel Adams with Japanese aesthetic traditions. His black-and-white landscape photography—especially from Patagonia—aims not to comfort but to evoke awe: the kind of beauty that shocks us into awareness of something greater than ourselves. The conversation explores how skill and serendipity intersect in creative work, the role of mindfulness in perceiving opportunities, and the thread of vitality that connects Reed's diverse pursuits. The discussion also turns to climate change and environmental degradation, with Reed emphasizing acceptance without apathy—a stance rooted in spiritual maturity and non-judgment. Ultimately, Reed's work invites us to reconsider why certain landscapes move us so profoundly—and what that says about our relationship to the natural world. A key reflection Awe is a powerful emotional and spiritual experience that can dissolve ego and reconnect us to something greater. References / Links Photo website: www.tomreed.com Books: https://tomreedbooks.com/ TEDx: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB8L5a-P6NM blog: http://tomreedphotography.wordpress.com/ MBAM audiobook: https://mrtomreed.gumroad.com/l/moved-by-a-mountain-audiobook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtomreed/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomReedsPhotos
421 The Lives We Live In today's episode Sarah Elkins and Kuti Mack discuss their unique experiences in being selected for a TED talk, the process in getting to their own important story they needed to tell, as well as the people who supported them along the way. Highlights The benevolence of somebody else and admitting when you need help going hand in hand with not assuming people are capable when in reality they need help. Knowing we are all human and we all need somebody to lean on and to let ourselves lean on others as well. You need to try things out of your comfort zone in order to grow. Even if you're nervous, even if you're scared, do it anyway. Quotes "There is still a self belief that you have to have to believe that you can do these things." "Having them understand that you don't have to be a great speaker, as a matter of fact when you are a little tense or nervous, just that that little bit of vulnerability is probably going to fly so well for your talk." Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What is one thing you've been wanting to do that you've been hesitant to do? What is one thing that when you think about if you have the right people in your circle that could support you in your goal, in your idea in sharing something important to you. What is that? And I really encourage you to think about what your idea would be if you were to share something on a stage, like a TEDx stage. What do you bring that's unique? What are your talents? What matters deeply to you, deeply enough to put yourself in this extremely uncomfortable position? Stretch out of that comfort zone, reach out to either Kuti or me and we will gladly share our experiences directly and offer whatever we can to help you try to do that next big thing because the people that you surround yourself with are either your greatest assets or your biggest liability. And, as always, thank you for listening. About Kuti From selling millions of records to pushing kale juice, KUTImack. is a master of reinvention and the living proof of his Be Your Best Daily[image] philosophy. A former top music executive turned sought-after personal trainer, nutrition expert, and TEDx speaker, he turns complex science into simple, actionable strategies that transform wellness and productivity peaks. Creator of the 6-Week SuperYou[image] and BYBD™. Bedtime Blueprint, he's earned the nicknames "Fitness Philosopher" and "Rockstar Professor" for his unique ability to fuse entertainment-world experience with science-backed inspiration that connects with every audience member. Be sure to check out his Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! Also be sure to watch Kuti's TEDx Talk, 6 Week Super You, and his Speaker Site KUTImack! About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
Trust feels more fragile than ever right now, and I believe leaders are being asked to navigate change, uncertainty, and higher expectations in ways we have not seen before. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller, EQ expert, TEDx speaker, and author of The Empathic Leader, to talk about empathy as a practical leadership skill that builds trust, improves culture, and drives results.Melissa helped me broaden how I think about empathy. It is not only about “feeling what someone feels.” She explains emotional empathy, cognitive empathy, and self-empathy, and why leaders can take another person's perspective even if they do not experience the same emotions. We also talk about the difference between real empathy and performative empathy, and why curiosity is one of the clearest signals that empathy is genuine.One of my favorite moments was hearing her simple leadership reminder: trust is often built through visibility and small actions, one person at a time. If you lead a team, manage from the middle, or you are stepping into leadership for the first time, this conversation will give you both insight and real-world tools you can use immediately.Key takeawaysEmpathy is both a gift and a skill. You can learn it, practice it, and get better at it over time.Cognitive empathy matters. You can understand someone's perspective without taking on all the feelings, which helps prevent burnout.Trust is built through visibility and consistency. Culture forms in the everyday moments when people are watching what leaders do.Performative empathy is self-focused. Genuine empathy is other-focused and includes curiosity.Empathy and judgment cannot exist in the same space. The more we compare through our own lens, the harder it is to truly empathize.You can find Melissa at:https://eqviaempathy.com/melissa.a.robinson@gmail.comIn appreciation for being here, I have some gifts for you:A LinkedIn Checklist for setting up your fully optimized Profile:An opportunity to test drive the Follow Up system I recommend by checking this presentation page - you won't regret it.AND … Don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and be eligible for my complimentary LinkedIn profile audit – I do one each month for a lucky listener!Connect with me:http://JanicePorter.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/janiceporter/https://www.facebook.com/janiceporter1https://www.instagram.com/socjanice/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode andthink that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the socialmedia buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note inthe comment section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you cansubscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcast reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us andgreatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple, whichexposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute,please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
What if the way we handle disagreement is one of the most important lessons we will ever absorb?In episode 150, George Couros returns for a fun, honest, and deeply practical conversation about what it really takes to move forward together in contentious times. George shares the story behind his new book, Forward, Together, and why the work of building community starts with what we model, not what we say.You will hear about:How to disagree without damaging trustA simple shift that helps people feel seen, valued, and willing to stay in the workWhy progress is not about avoiding conflict, but learning how to navigate it wellIf you are craving a better way to lead, teach, parent, or collaborate, this one will give you both hope and next steps.About Our Guest:George Couros is a worldwide leader in the area of innovative teaching, learning, and leading, and has a focus on innovation as a human endeavor. Most importantly, he is a proud father and husband.His belief that meaningful change happens when you first connect to people's hearts, is modeled in his writing and speaking. In his 20-plus years in the field of education, he has worked at all levels of school, from K-12 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and school and district administrator, and is currently an Adjunct Instructor with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.George is also the author of the books, The Innovator's Mindset, Innovate Inside the Box, Because of a Teacher, Because of a Teacher 2, and his latest release, What Makes a Great Principal.Connect with and learn from George Couros:Website: georgecouros.ca X/Twitter: @gcouros Instagram: @gcourosAbout Lainie:Lainie Rowell is a bestselling author, award-winning educator, and TEDx speaker. She is dedicated to human flourishing, focusing on community building, emotional intelligence, and honoring what makes each of us unique and dynamic through learner-driven design. She earned her degree in psychology and went on to earn both a post-graduate credential and a master's degree in education. An international keynote speaker, Lainie has presented in 41 states as well as in dozens of countries across 4 continents. As a consultant, Lainie's client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. Learn more at linktr.ee/lainierowell.Website - LainieRowell.comInstagram - @LainieRowellLinkedIn - @LainieRowellX/Twitter - @LainieRowell Evolving with Gratitude, the book is available here! And now, Bold Gratitude: The Journal Designed for You and by You is available too!Both Evolving with Gratitude & Bold Gratitude have generous bulk pricing for purchasing 10+ copies delivered to the same location.
What happens when success, hustle, and constant work stop bringing fulfillment? In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset, I talk with marketing strategist and entrepreneur Carlos Hidalgo about business growth, faith, burnout, and the hidden cost of hustle culture. Carlos shares his journey from corporate marketing leader to founder of Digital Exhaust, along with lessons from his book The UnAmerican Dream about work addiction, burnout, and redefining success. Their conversation explores why growth does not need to be complicated, why storytelling builds trust in business, and why boundaries matter more than work life balance. Carlos also opens up about faith, failure, relationships, and the power of honest conversations. You will hear practical insights on leadership, personal growth, community, and building a life that is both successful and meaningful. Highlights: · 06:04 – Carlos explains how his faith became a personal relationship. · 17:32 – Why he left corporate work to start his own business. · 25:40 – His approach to making business growth simple. · 30:17 – How hustle culture often leads to burnout. · 42:29 – Why boundaries matter more than work life balance. · 54:33 – Why real community helps solve loneliness. Top of Form Bottom of Form About the Guest: Carlos Hidalgo is the co-founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust, a growth partner that helps clients make growth simple. Carlos serves his clients as an advisor, consultant, and teacher to ensure they have meaningful engagement with their customers at every stage of the journey and are able to mature and create sustainable growth. Carlos has 30 years of experience working with organizations of all sizes as an advisor, consultant, innovator, and growth expert. He is widely recognized for his expertise in demand generation, marketing, sales, and customer experience and for coaching executives in the areas of leadership and managing change. In addition to his work with his clients, Carlos has won numerous marketing awards and been named to several prestigious industry lists as a marketing leader. Carlos is also the author of Driving Demand, which is ranked as a top 5 marketing book of all time by Book Authority, and The UnAmerican Dream, which was released in 2019. In addition to books, Carlos is a well-known international keynote and TEDx speaker. You can follow Carlos on LinkedIn or on Twitter @cahidalgo Ways to connect with Scott**:** LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CHidalgoJr Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cahidalgo_ Twitter/X: https://x.com/cahidalgo About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well, hi and welcome once again to an episode of unstoppable mindset. Today, our guest is Carlos Hidalgo. Carlos has many facets about him. He's a speaker. He deals with growth and growth management and with his company. He tries to make growth simple for the people who are his clients. I'm interested in learning about that, but he does other things as well. He is also involved with his wife and marriage counseling, which is a little bit different than the one I think I find a lot of people to do. So I think we got lots to talk about. So, Carlos, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Carlos Hidalgo 01:59 Thank you for having me. Michael, it's an absolute pleasure. Well, let's Michael Hingson 02:03 start with the early Carlos, why don't you tell us about you growing up and all that sort of thing, and where you came from, where you're headed, or whatever. Carlos Hidalgo 02:14 Sure, I was born one of six children. I was the youngest for about four years, and then my my parents had two more. So I am smack dab in the middle of middle six siblings. Was born in New Jersey, but call where I'm at now home, which is a little town in the Adirondack Mountains. And the reason I call it home, I started coming to camp here when I was five years old. Fell in love with the area, and then my father, in 1983 moved us up here when I was 12, and fell more in love with it. And that lasted for four years. And then my junior of high school, or right after my sophomore year, was told, Hey, we're we're moving I was 16, I was pretty pissed off at the prospect of leaving a place I loved, so I had engineered a plan to stay through my junior and senior high school, which in my mind, made perfect sense in my parents' mind, and for reasons now I understand, because I'm a parent, did not make so much sense, but I came back as often as I could, and then my wife and I moved here back full time in 2021 we also lived here in the 90s for two years, had our first son here so but grew up really charmed childhood was my dad was in advertising, so we got tickets to Great sporting events. We had horses that I took care of, along with some of my siblings, developed a love of the outdoors, which I still hold, which is one of the many benefits of living up here again. And so, yeah, pretty, pretty much, early childhood was, you know, be outside as much as I can run around school work wasn't my strong suit, but I muddled through and I Michael Hingson 04:04 made it. Where in New Jersey were you born? Carlos Hidalgo 04:07 Was born in a little town called Randolph in northern jersey. Spent most of our time in a place called blairis town. Their claim to fame as a prep school called Blair Academy, which I believe is still there. And then, I believe it was the original Friday the 13th was filmed. Part of it was filmed in Blairstown. Yeah, yeah. So I'm dating myself just a little bit. Michael Hingson 04:32 Well, we lived in Westfield for six years, so kind of know, New Jersey, but yeah, while we were back there, my wife always wanted to move back to California. She's a native. I was born in Chicago. She wouldn't let me call myself a native, even though we moved to California when I was five. But yeah, it's okay. Carlos Hidalgo 04:50 Sure, yeah, people get a little touchy about the term native or local and how it's defined, right? Michael Hingson 04:55 Oh, yeah, it varies all around the country, but there's. Nothing. You can't say anything bad about Chicago. They have Garrett Popcorn there. If you've never had it, next time we go through O'Hare Airport, you should get some Garrett Popcorn. Carlos Hidalgo 05:09 Okay, I will do that absolutely. Michael Hingson 05:12 Take a memo. Get Garrett Popcorn. It's it's really good stuff. Well, so what did you do for college? Or did you? Carlos Hidalgo 05:21 Yeah, I went to my first year, I went to a school called Word of Life Bible Institute. So it's a one year intensive program, study of the Bible actually here, not far from, literally eight miles down the road here, from where I live now. And at that point, it was really just an excuse to get back to the Adirondacks for a year, but I learned a whole lot. Met some incredible people, some of who I'm still very, very close with today. And then from there, I transferred to Cedarville University in Ohio. At the time I went there, we were about 2500 students. I think today they're closer to 7500 but I met my wife there, which was that, in and of itself, the three years of tuition that I paid as I transferred in, but study Business Communication, again, I wasn't a great student. What I realized is, if it was the things that I really loved to participate in, it was awesome. I had a really great time studying communication and language and how we speak. I was two years on the debate team, which was such a great education in and of itself. But everything else I didn't really love. I just the general ed stuff. I kind of thought, well, if I can skate by and, you know, get that, get the passing the credits. So that's really how I want about it. And the reality is, the way things are taught today, I'm a very visual and hands on learner, and so to sit in a classroom and try to take notes and go through theory and things like that just makes my brain hurt a little bit. So I but I but I finished. I got the degree and made some great friendships in the process. Michael Hingson 07:04 Well and clearly, based on what you did for your first year, you have a Christian orientation, or definitely a god orientation as well. Carlos Hidalgo 07:15 Yeah, that's that's really my operating system. Michael, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. I base my life on it. I spend time in it each and every day. And so what's interesting in that regard is, yes, I went to the Bible Institute. So while I had a lot of head knowledge about the Bible and God and Jesus and all these things, it's really been in the last 10 years that I would say I had a deep, meaningful relationship with them, and that came as from a lot of experience in my life, a lot of dark, dark moments in my life that were self induced, unfortunately. But really, what it's done for me is it's just radicalized who I am, changed my heart. And so it's gone from a having a head knowledge of it to a real experience and an engagement with Christ through His Word and through prayer. Michael Hingson 08:11 Yeah, head knowledge is is a fine thing as far as it goes, but there's nothing like personally experience coming closer to whatever it is, including dealing with believing in God and really recognizing what what God brings. And my last book that I wrote that was published last year, called Live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith very much deals with with a lot of that, the whole concept of the value and the power of personal knowledge, as opposed to just head knowledge. I talk about the World Trade Center a lot in that book, specifically in terms of what I learned and how I developed a mindset to be able to control fear, rather than letting it be the thing that overwhelmed me or overwhelms anyone and and I've had a couple people on this podcast who talk about it, and they say the same sort of thing that you did. It's not about knowledge that you sort of intellectually know. It's what you really know. So people, for example, in evacuating the World Trade Center, would look at signs, and they would follow those and a lot of people were able to do that, but that's still not knowing that is really relying on something else that you may or may not really have access to. So True Knowledge is the only way to go Carlos Hidalgo 09:38 100% and I find that I gather that through experience, yeah. And so the example I use is, if you ask me about my wife, you know, do you know Suzanne? I would say, Oh, yeah. You know, blonde hair, blue eyes, about five, five. Funny, smart. I could tell you all the different facts, but there's a big difference when you sit and you get to experience being with her, seeing. Her, how she interacts with people, how she treats others, all of those things. Take that knowledge and actually make an experience an experience, yeah. And so that's been the difference for me, as it regard, in my relationship with Jesus Christ, yeah, well, Michael Hingson 10:14 and Suzanne, so that's good. Carlos Hidalgo 10:17 Well, so absolutely, 31 years and we're still going. There you go. Michael Hingson 10:21 Well, keep going. That's that's cool. That's great to have that kind of a relationship. It's all too often we don't see a lot of that in marriage, and just people get married without knowing and that leads to all sorts of potential challenges. So it's good to really get to know someone Carlos Hidalgo 10:41 absolutely, yeah, I'm still, still learning, still studying her and learning all I can, after 31 Michael Hingson 10:46 years, and she is too Yes, she is. Carlos Hidalgo 10:49 She does a phenomenal job. Michael Hingson 10:52 So what did you do after college? Carlos Hidalgo 10:56 After college, I actually moved back up here, where I'm at now. Worked for two years for Word of Life, the same group that ran the Bible Institute. So then, actually, unbeknownst to me, i My heart was really at that point, I wanted to go into law enforcement. My father in law was an FBI agent for 30 years. I'd always been intrigued by law enforcement, so I thought going into and getting a job for a few years, cutting my teeth while I filled out a resume. So started working in the office of donor development or advancement, and that was the first time I really started to get any exposure to anything formal, marketing wise. In the meantime, applied to the FBI, never went anywhere. Ended up applying again, never went anywhere at that point. Then we moved to we left here after two years of marriage and having one child. We moved to Michigan for a brief time, and then we went back to down to from Michigan. We went to Dallas, where we lived for 13 years, and I worked while I was still trying to get into law enforcement. I kept getting marketing jobs and companies. So eventually I gave up the dream of law enforcement and just followed what's unfolding and had a pretty good career in two software companies as a director of marketing to cut my teeth and learn what global business was all about do a lot of travel, which helped me career wise wasn't so great home wise or parent wise when you're away from your kids, but it's been my career for 30 plus years. I've had a heck of a career doing it and very grateful for it, but I still still get intrigued at the whole concept of law enforcement, but I'm afraid I'm a little too old at this point to start down that path. Michael Hingson 12:47 How come you kept not getting anywhere with it? Carlos Hidalgo 12:51 Well, I did get to a point where the FBI I took a test when we lived in Dallas, and just they called after said I had scored well, which made me chuckle, thinking back to my college days of test taking, but and then they said, Hey, do you speak Spanish, which I do not, despite my name, which is very Spanish, Carlo. And they said, Okay, well, we'll keep your we'll keep your application on file. Let you know if anything changes. And that was the last I heard. So at that point, I just thought, okay, I can keep pushing this and trying. But again, as things started to unfold in the software world, the jobs that I had took care of my family. They provided well for us. They gave me opportunities to learn new things, try new things, opportunity to, like I said, international business, which I never done before. So at that point, I just thought, you know, I'm kind of seven, eight years into this thing. What does this look like going forward? And then are we going to have to just hit reset in all facets of our lives, financially, where our kids are settled, for me to go into law enforcement. So I abandoned it, and I'm okay with that. I think it would have been a phenomenal career. I would have loved it, like I said. I'm still intrigued by it, I still have great respect for it, but it just wasn't in the cards for me, and I'm okay with that. I think sometimes the way we grow is through the death of a dream. Michael Hingson 14:21 Yeah, I know I've always been intrigued by law and law enforcement, and I know that they're never going to hire me, and now they won't, right, but, but they wouldn't hire me, but I took, actually, some courses in college dealing with police and other things like that, because I was, and still am fascinated by it, and I have a great respect for the law. And I I admire good lawyers who are knowledgeable, who really are in it to deal with the law. And you can tell those from the typical ambulance type chaser who manipulates, but, but. I really appreciate the law. I in my life have had the opportunity to be involved with some efforts of the National Federation of the Blind, where we've gone several times to Washington to meet with congressional types. And so I've met some interesting people, met Ted Kennedy, met Tip O'Neill when he was still speaker, Senator Saugus from Massachusetts and others, and found and through them, got to meet some people who were truly committed to what they were doing. They weren't in it for the power. They were in it to try to really help the country and help their individual constituencies in their states and so on. It's a lot of fun. Carlos Hidalgo 15:47 Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure it was, I that's quite a roster of people you've been able to engage with, and I'm sure, no doubt, influence well. Michael Hingson 15:57 And we were there to talk about legislation that we needed. But I'll never forget first time we went in and we met Paul Tsongas. We talked about what we wanted to talk about, and he said, Well, it's the end of the day. What are you guys doing now? And we said, well, we're just going to go back to the hotel. And he said, You got a few minutes talk to you about Massachusetts. Well, we ended up staying for two hours. It was a lot of fun. Carlos Hidalgo 16:19 Wow, yeah, that is a lot of fun. I had an opportunity a number of years ago to do a tour of the West Wing, which was just phenomenal. So when you get, when you get those opportunities, I don't care what side of the aisle you may sit on or are partial to, the answer is yes, take it, because you learn a whole lot, and it's it gives you a whole new appreciation for our country. Michael Hingson 16:40 Well, 20 years ago, I was invited to come back and meet George W Bush because a congressman I had met was fascinated by my story and the story of my guide dog, Roselle, and he arranged for us to meet George W and we went back. It was supposed to be a brief, like two minute just photo op. This ended up being like a 15 minute conversation, and then it was a lot of fun. And I hope that we inspired him some, and we made a difference. And, you know, that's always a good thing. Carlos Hidalgo 17:13 Yeah, at the end of the day, right there people just like us. They are, I think the and I've heard that a lot about George W is his investment in people where he knew his you know, everybody in the staff that he knew their names, he knew about their families. So it doesn't surprise me that a two minute Meet and Greet was extended a little bit. Michael Hingson 17:34 We kept the Italian Prime Minister waiting while we finished our conversation, as it turns out, that's fine, Carlos Hidalgo 17:42 but it was good. There you go. There's your there, there's your the two truth and the lie icebreaker that they have. You do sometimes. There's, you can work that in, Michael Hingson 17:49 I could work that in, yeah, that would be, yeah, I should do that. Well, it was, but it was, it was, it was very enjoyable to be able to do that. Well. So now, so when did you start your own company? That's been a little while, at least. Carlos Hidalgo 18:04 Yeah, I started my first company that I started, I co founded with my brother. In 2005 I was working at the software company, and I just, I started to just have an edge of, you know, I should start something. I don't know what that looks like. And I remember one time just talking to my wife, and I said, I don't want to be 7580 years old. And think, what if, yeah, and my wife is very practical. And she said, Okay, so go for it, and if it doesn't work, just go get another job. And when she broke it down like that, I just thought, wow. Okay, she, I think she believes in me more than I do. So in 2005 I left the software company and we started a agency. And really, at that point for me, the Yes, I wanted to start my own company and see if I could do it. But the the big driving factor was my at that point, I we had four children, so we have four, and they were all pretty small, and I was traveling all over the country, and I didn't want to miss their childhood. And I remember coming home from trips and hearing conversations or seeing things that that I wasn't a part of, and I thought this, this isn't right. I need to be here. I need to be home. So I went to the software company, asked them what they thought they became my first client, and I did that for from 2005 to just early 2017 when I resigned my position as CEO there just to get my life back and kind of hit the reset button again, but this time, I meant it, so I left, and they're still going. But that was my first foray into entrepreneurship, and I just kept doing it since I started another consultancy, and now this is my third one, and also been part of about two to three other companies that. We launched, but never made it. So I enjoy the whole process. I love it, but, yeah, it's, I don't know. I mean, I will never say never, but the idea of not working for myself seems rather foreign to me. Michael Hingson 20:16 So the first company you had for 12 years, what did that do? Carlos Hidalgo 20:21 We were a mark. Marketing Yeah, we were a marketing services company. So we worked with business to business companies to help them in their demand generation, acquiring new customers and also customer growth. So that's really where a lot of my career has been sent, centered right, helping companies design them strategies, everything from content to technology to developing personas and putting together strategies on how to reach them when they're looking for something to buy that that client offers. Michael Hingson 20:52 Okay, well, that makes sense and certainly a worthy thing to do. So, when did you form your current company, digital exhaust, which is a very clever name, you'll have to tell me about that. Carlos Hidalgo 21:04 Oh yeah, there's a little bit of a story behind that. So I was working in 2022 early 2022 I had an offer to go be the Chief Revenue Officer of another agency, which I my wife and I talked about it, we prayed about it, and I had a really, really close friend of mine who was their chief strategy officer at the time, so the ability to work with him, stay in the industry and work with some really good clients, I jumped at, so I took that role over that role lasted eight months. I won't get into all those details of why? Never, never, really did get a clear answer. The answer I was given, not exactly. The numbers didn't the number. I'll just say the numbers proved otherwise. All that said that came to an end in 2023 I believe. Yeah, yeah, 2023 and so February, 23 so at that point, I was like, Okay, well, what do I do? I can try to go get a job, which I did. Nobody was really interested in, you know, early 50s, guy coming in. So, you know, did the interview thing. And then I just thought, Well, why don't, why don't I just bet on myself again and go for it. So at that point, the my friend who was the chief strategy officer, he had also left, so he and I started talking and thought, why don't we just do this together? You know, services he loves to implement, I love to sell. Let's just see if we can make a run at this. So here we are now. It'll be four years in or three years, I guess, in February or April of 26 and we're still alive to talk about it. And so that's how it came to be. It was really just, I've done this before. There's no security, no more security. I believe in working for somebody else than working for yourself. So bet on yourself and put out your shingle and see what you can make happen. Michael Hingson 23:06 Where did the name digital exhaust come from? That's a clever name. Carlos Hidalgo 23:10 Oh, thank you. We were, we were batting around so many different names, and we just had a thing, I think we had a running Google Sheet, like, let's just throw names up there. And then I was listening to a recording of a vendor that we had done work with in our early days, and he was talking about how you can track the digital movements of someone. And he said, You know, so basically, you know, they're leaving behind their digital exhaust. And he used the term twice. So I called my then partner, Tracy, and I said, Hey, what do you think about the name digital exhaust as a company? And he was like, Oh, I love it. So I said, Well, before we that, we have to call Dan and see if he would be okay. So I did some looking, you know, the whole trademark search, and when I told our partner about it. He said, Oh my word, I love it. He said, Never, never even thought that that could be a name, but if you guys want it, go for it. So we took it and it is, it's, it's, we think it's pretty unique, and it also describes a lot of what we do with customer data to get an understanding of how do you engage with them, where are they, and how are they going to interact with you and your brand? How so well. Again, he was right. I can look at your digital footprint or your digital behavior. I can see what sites you've visited, what web pages you visited, how much time you spend on a product piece, how much content you engage so I can look at all of that behind the scenes. Start to score that if you're an account that I want to go after, or if I'm a lead based sale, that gives me a lot of intelligence on what you're interested in. And then there's ways to kind of, from a insight perspective, determine where you are in that journey, whether it's your four. First time as a purchase, you're a current customer and you're interested in purchasing something else. So it gives us a lot of insight into that, so that I can message you or I also know when should sales place a phone call to you and start that conversation. So that's why we use the term digital exhaust, because, again, it's a lot of what we do and how we use our customer data. Michael Hingson 25:20 Several years ago, I watched a 60 Minutes program, gosh, I don't know it's actually a number of years ago. And one of the segments there was a guy who was on he was a private detective, and what he said was, I can tell more about you than most anyone else can simply by looking at your trash. And in fact, I can't remember if it was Mike Wallace or not. Who was the interviewer, but they went on investigated some trash cans and and this guy could just tell you so much about your entire life just by looking at what was in the trash can. It was really pretty amazing and and I don't mean that in any way as a negative thing, but it's very clever that people have that insight. So I appreciate what you're saying about digital exhaust. It makes perfect sense. Carlos Hidalgo 26:17 Well, good. I'm glad it does. It means we've hit the mark. I'm not I will say this. I'm not going to go through my customers trash, but I am not surprised that if you did how much you could learn about somebody, 100% but Michael Hingson 26:30 you do look at their their digital footprint and so again, and it makes perfect sense that you can learn so much that can help you, help them grow. Yes, absolutely gives incredible insight. You talk about making growth simple, tell me more about what that means. Carlos Hidalgo 26:51 Yeah, you know, I've been in the space a long time, and that really came a couple years ago. We started seeing different models that would come up different frameworks that would come out from different vendors. Started talking, you know, I talked to a lot of chief marketing officers in my role, and over and over, what we saw was just complexity of taking terms that everybody would know and applying a new term or creating a new term to replace the old term, because you wanted to stay edgy. And I finally had a CMO who said to me, this is all so complex. Is there any any organization out there, or any way to just make this simple? And I thought, Gee, I kind of been thinking the same thing, because I see all these talking heads out there on LinkedIn and at these conferences showing these overly complex, overly engineered models, and I'm like, You got to be a PhD to implement that thing. And again, I'm also a pretty simple guy. I don't think growth needs to be all that hard if you know your customer, what they need, when they need it, and why it's important to them. I'm going to be able to sell you quite a bit. I'm also going to be able to be a better marketing, better partner to you, because I'll be the first one to be able to tell you you don't need that, or you need that, but you shouldn't get it from us, and here's why. And so we just started saying, You know what? Let's create with our models. And we have models and we have frameworks, but we want them to be kind of what Apple is, right, really innovative, where you can use it. You don't necessarily have to have someone to guide you through it. And so let's just make it as simple as possible for our clients to grow their companies without these over engineered models, which mostly a lot of them are created to sell stuff. And while we want to sell stuff more, so we want to help customers be better at what they do. And so that's why we say is we want to help you make growth simple, cut through the clutter, get to what matters and move forward. Michael Hingson 28:58 Yeah, which makes a lot of sense. By by any standard, how do you find storytelling comes into what you do and how you interact with customers? Carlos Hidalgo 29:11 Yeah, it's really important in the beginning, right in the beginning stages. Anytime I'm engaging with you, if I'm a consumer and you're a brand, I want to your brand should tell a story about who you are, the value that the customer gets when they're going to interact with you, they're going to use your product, what you stand for. Can they trust you? Trust is huge. Right now. We live in a trust economy. I want to know that if you say something, I can you're going to stand behind it. So all of those things are come through in terms of story. Now, what I've always said is I think that story is important. But when it comes to now, especially in the world I live in business to business, once I get into maybe I want to purchase something for you or purchase your product. Now I. Moves from a story to a dialog because I started, I start need, needing to know, what are you interested in? What are your challenges? What are your needs, what are your pain points? And as you're telling me that I can respond more in a conversation, I can still use parts of the story, but now it's a two way dialog, even in a digital world. So if I can create that, that's fantastic, then you become my customer. And now I still want to keep telling you stories. I want to tell you a story about why you can trust us. I tell you a story about how I interact with you. I tell you a story about how I deliver service and how I help you onboard. So all that bleeds into what we call, you know, what I call the big customer experience, from brand engagement to what I'm buying to now that I become a customer, all of those are experiential factors that we have to consider. Michael Hingson 30:49 Well, yeah, and I think that storytelling is a very significant part of selling and sales, because it's part of what really helps create the trust, because people can see through it, if you're just blowing smoke or playing games. Carlos Hidalgo 31:05 Yes, they can absolutely. And you only get one shot if that's what you're gonna do only, yeah, once I realized that forget it, I'm not coming back, that brand loyalty is away real quick. Michael Hingson 31:16 Yeah. So do you encounter in the interactions that you have with people with a lot of burnout or who are going that way. Carlos Hidalgo 31:25 Oh yeah. It's, it's something that I went through in 2016 it's, it's a, I mean, the World Health Organization, whatever you think about them, they definitely have listed it as a illness or as a condition. So it's something that I've seen. It's something that I've written against quite a bit. I don't think we need to get there, but I also think it is part of the consequence, or the outcome of when we make work center of our universe, and we make work our God, when that's going to happen then, yeah, you're going to experience burnout. And I think burnout comes in different flavors, but I see a lot of people who are going through it, trying to work through it, trudge through it. I heard the term the other day, manage burnout. I don't know why you would want to manage burnout. I think you need to take steps to avoid burnout, to avoid it. Michael Hingson 32:17 Yeah, why is it so many people face it, and are experiencing burnout is because they just deal with work, they don't relax, or what. Carlos Hidalgo 32:27 Well, I think there's a lot, lot in that. I've done a lot of study, and that was the topic of some of the topic of my book that I released in 2019 the UN American dream is, I think we, especially in our Western culture, we have adopted this idea that the busier I am, the more important, the more valuable I am, and so and the reality is, none of us are well wired to go, go, go, go, go. Rest is actually a gift from the Lord. And you know, I think very few of us. But you know, think about the last time you talked to anybody. How are you? Oh, I'm so busy. We love to be busy. We love to have jam packed calendars, because it makes us feel good. The other part of it is when you think about workaholism, you know, that is an addiction. And the only time in my experience, we engage with or become addicted to something, it's when we're trying to avoid something else. And so think our workaholism, which leads to burnout, is right up there with our rising rates of anxiety, of depression, of loneliness, because we have bought a false narrative that if we go, go go, we jam pack our calendars, we work like and work like crazy until we hit some imaginary number or we can call it quits. That's what life is all about. And I just sit there and you know, my number one question to people who are running that race is, how's it working for you? You don't seem really happy right now, you don't seem fulfilled, and you're living on the promise of some day and some days, not a day in the week, right? Michael Hingson 34:03 I People ask me, How are you all the time? And my response is something actually that I borrowed from somebody else. I just say, I'm lovely. Yeah, I get lots of reactions from that. It's kind of cute, but it's great. You know, I I agree with you, there is a there's a need and a time, and it's appropriate to not work all the time. Yes, we we don't ever take time even just to sit and think about what we did today. We don't take time at the end of the day to go in our own brains. How did this work out? How did that work out? Why didn't this work? Why did this work? What could I do to make it better and then listen for answers? It's like praying. So many people, when they pray to God, they pray to Jesus and so on. They spend all their time praying and saying what they want, never realizing God all. And he knows that, yeah, when are you going to start listening for answers and really listening? And that's, that's the challenge that I see so often people don't listen, and the answers are always there. They're in their inner the the inner voice that they can hear if they but practice well. Carlos Hidalgo 35:17 And I think to part of that is you need to be still, right? And we see that in scripture where we're told be still and know that I am God, if I mean there, there. We have so much noise and so much input with our phones and constant, you know, interaction and constant noise. We don't give ourselves the ability to sit and think and process, to just to be still. And that is something that I would say, really, for me, over the last decade, has come into focus of I enjoy my downtime. I enjoy the silence that I it's one of the reasons when I run, I don't run with headphones. In my own little world, in my head, praying, thinking about things. There are times I'll drive in the car without the radio on, just in silence, and I tell people, then they look at me like, I have three heads. Yeah, I'm like, oh, it's I am so much better for it, because I'm no longer living life reactively. I'm able to live life in a way that brings me a lot of peace, a lot of joy, a lot of happiness. And when I work, I work really, really hard, but it's definitely not the center of my universe. Michael Hingson 36:27 I know people think I'm crazy, but I can go days without looking well, not days. I'll go a day. I do it volitionally, but I can go quite a while without looking at text messages, and when I do, their message is there sometimes, but I know that I could actually go for a considerable length of time without needing to carry my phone around. Now, the only reason I do carry it around, I mean, clearly some phone calls can come in and so on, but I use other tools on it that you have access to in other ways. So I use it for those things. But the bottom line is, is that I don't need to have this phone with me to stay in touch with people all the time. So if I carry my phone more often than not, I will be in a hotel room listening to something on the phone and, sure, relaxing, rather than all the other things that one could do with it well. Carlos Hidalgo 37:25 And the number of people that I talked to and research shows this that, you know, the last I saw was over 60% it's the first thing people do when they wake up is they reach over and look at their phone and I say, sit there and say, What is so important that you can't even wait 15 minutes from the time your eyes open. But we've become addicted. We've come addicted to the noise, to the constant, go, go, go. And then, you know, we have a friend of ours last year was just, I'm so busy. I'm so busy. Told my wife, over the next three months, I only have this one day I can do lunch. And then you start realizing, like, Well, really, that's, that's how you want to live your life over the next 90 days, you only have one day. Now, I didn't believe it when I heard that. I don't think they were trying to make excuse, and I don't think lying. I think in their heads, they really had this belief of, oh, I can. I've only got one day out of the next 90, but we've weed ourselves into believing that this is how we should be living life. Yeah, and it's not how I want to live life. I'll work hard, I'll put everything I've got into my clients and my business and things like that, but I don't want to be that strapped. I was that strapped one time, time wise and work wise, and it made me absolutely miserable. Mm, hmm. Michael Hingson 38:45 I know when I wake up in the morning I do reach for my phone right at the beginning. One of the very first things that I do is reach for it to see what the temperature is outside, to see what the temperature is your house, to see whether I want to turn the heater on, you know, but I don't look at messages. I don't need to do that. I'll do it eventually, but, you know, I So, as I say, I use it for other tools, but I use the phone, because that's the tool that's available to me that gives me that information, and it'll help me decide, do I want to turn the heater on, or do I want to turn the air conditioner off? And that's what I do. And then I put the phone down, and I start visiting with the dog and the cat, and we have conversations which is, which is kind of fun, Carlos Hidalgo 39:29 but yeah, you get to enjoy life. Michael Hingson 39:32 I remember, remember the old technology town? Now it's old Blackberry. Oh yeah, the black and Research In Motion. There was one night when Research In Motion lost communications with all of the blackberries, and every BlackBerry went dead, I think, for about 12 hours. But I heard that even during the time when that occurred, people committed suicide because they had no way to look at their blackberries. And. Get information. And I always thought you're that dependent, that you can't cope for a while, especially at night without that information. Carlos Hidalgo 40:09 Come on. Yeah, it's staggering. The number of, again, over 50% of people said that they would be panicked if they want an app without their phones and so and again, I used to, I used to live that way. So I understand it to a degree, but, well, I understand it. Yeah, I also tell people you don't have to live that way, because people i The people I know who live that way, don't seem very content or fulfilled, right, right? Which is really the issue, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely, because we only go, we only get one shot at this life, and I want to make the most of it. Michael Hingson 40:43 Make growth simple. Carlos Hidalgo 40:46 That's right, personal, personal and business wise, right? Michael Hingson 40:49 Personal and business wise. So what is hustle culture? Carlos Hidalgo 40:54 Well, hustle culture has been promoted by a lot of folks, a whole lot more well known that I am, you know, where Kevin O'Leary for Shark Tank, Shark Tank talks about, you got to be willing to work eight days a week, you know, and give everything you've got, you know. Gary Vaynerchuk talks about, you know, go, go, go, go. And, you know, we just see it out there of this, you've got to be willing to go above and beyond. If you want to have success, if you want to make this money, you've got to just make sure you're willing to hustle at all costs, which to me, there's a place for that. As I said, when I'm working I hustle. I work hard. I get in a zone. I kind of block everything out and and there are some weeks where we require over and above it. You know, 16 or a week is is not something that has never been done. But the difference is, there's a couple of differences. Is I'm going to work hard because that's what I'm told to do. In Scripture, it says that with everything you do, do it with all your might and do it to the glory of glory of the Lord. So I'm going to do that. Plus work was one of the first things that God ever created. He told Adam in the garden, I want you to work now, what we also see is that it was cursed when man sinned, and it was part of the curse in the garden. But I do believe work is noble. I believe it's valuable, I believe it has so many things that can teach us. So I'm working. I'm hustling hard when I'm working, but this idea that I need to give everything I have to my business so that I'm successful. Well, what about our relationships? What about our own our last word, too, right? Our own physical health? What about my marriage? All of these things that require work yet, you know, you got a guy like Grant Cardone talking about 95 hour work weeks. That's insanity. Yeah, at what point, you know, so to me, I really believe, and I've had some people who've argued with me over this. If you want to know what the object of your affection is, show me where you're spending the most time and attention. And it's not time or attention, time and attention, right? I cannot. I cannot be, quote, unquote, working, but I can be with my wife, but my brain is working. My brain is thinking about my work, thinking about my business, thinking about my career. So what good is it to her if I'm there or not? Yeah, I'm not investing in that relationship, and that is just as much work as anything else. And I would I would say the rewards are better and the gratification that much deeper. So can work life balance actually be attained? I don't believe in work life balance. I believe in boundaries, and maybe I'm splitting hairs, but when I see that, over 70% of people say that work life balance is unachievable. It tells me it doesn't exist. It's also the only place in our lives where we talk we try to separate work from life. Nobody talks about finance life, business, kids life, business, marriage life, business. But we talk about work life balance. Now I understand we spend a lot of time at work in our modern day culture, but if I can decide that I'm going to put boundaries around the things that matter most to me, so like work, like my relationships, like my physical, mental and emotional health, my spiritual health, and that's how I've started to live life. Is instead of trying to balance everything, I'm going to set boundaries. So what does that look like? Well, the first thing I do in the morning is not check the phone. I get up, I pray. I have coffee with my wife. Sometimes we have really deep conversations. Sometimes we look just let the caffeine kick in and let it wake up, and then we set time in prayer. So every day, pretty much between 815 and 830 I'm at my desk ready to work, but I've put a boundary around that morning time, which allows me to start the time with with my Bible and with my wife from 830 To about 1230 I'm locked in. I am working. There's a boundary around there's a boundary. And then about 1230 to one, about two o'clock, that's my workout. Either go to the gym or I go for a run, come home, make my protein stuff, and then I'm back working again. And so and then when I'm done work, between 530 and six, I shut it down. Work is over, and now it's my personal life again, and whatever that looks like, and some of that is seasonal, because of where I live, in the summer, it'll get stay light till 930 and the winter, it gets dark by 430 there's quite a disparity. But because I have those boundaries, I know that I'm able to bring the best of myself to each of those areas of my life, and that is far easier than balance. And when one of those boundaries needs to move, I get to have a conversation. Hey, I've got a call tonight overseas. Or do we have anything? Are we good if I take this call at 730 at night? So I take the call at 730 at night, but I have that discussion, and it's it takes more effort to move a boundary, takes very little effort to get knocked off balance. Michael Hingson 46:05 Yeah, and I think that makes perfect sense. I know for me, when Karen was here, we we enjoyed breakfast and we enjoyed dinner, and I think there's a lot of value in that. Now, I was always the earlier riser, but partly because I worked for companies that kind of required that. That is to say I worked, for example, when I lived in the east for California companies. So I ended up being there later. But when I worked in the West, calling the east, I had to be in work by six, because that's what I needed to do. But we agreed on that, and I hear exactly what you're saying. The fact of the matter is that you've got to really make some decisions, but if you're in a relationship, then you both have to agree and make the decisions together, which is what really should happen 100% Carlos Hidalgo 46:58 and those boundaries will change. I mean my boundaries now that I'm an empty nester, you know, had I lived this way 15 years ago, would have looked far different because I still had children at home. And so the boundaries can shift and change. But to your point, you have to talk about that. And what I have come to believe is that if I'm making those decisions in regards to my business, my job, my career, and I'm not having the conversation with my significant other, then I'm not I'm not sacrificing anything. I'm just selfish. And yet, what we see is, Oh, you got to sacrifice for your business. I've said to couples before, if you and your wife believe and want to say, hey, we want to go build this thing and we want to go sell it so we know the next five years we're hardly going to see each other, and we're both on board with that, and this is what we want. Go in peace. I think you're nuts, but Go in peace, but still, you made the decision together. That's right, and that's the difference. And I find that a lot of people do not do that, and I also think it adds to the stress and the loneliness and the anxiety and the depression is because we're chasing something that is so fleeting, and no matter what Empire we may build professionally, we can't take it with us, right? Michael Hingson 48:13 And that's something that I wish more people would truly realize. It would make for a much happier world. Carlos Hidalgo 48:21 It would. But the unfortunate part is, until the pain and consequence of how you're living outweighs the fear of change, most likely you're never going to do anything different, right? 48:31 So tell me, Carlos Hidalgo 48:32 oh, go ahead. No. Oh, okay, tell me about the Michael Hingson 48:36 title of the book, the UN American Dream. Where did that come from? And why did you name the book that, why was that the title? And so on, Carlos Hidalgo 48:42 yeah, and so in 2016 is when I informed the company that I had started with my brother 11 years earlier that I was stepping down. Didn't really know what that looked like. I literally just one day, through the help of a friend and God's good grace, decided that it was time for me to go. And so the way they wanted to handle it in end of the year, and I think this was like end of October ish, when I made that decision, they said, You know what, let's not announce anything. We don't want our clients to get spooked in q4 so let's wait until the turn of the the new year. So that was into 2017 so I made a post, and I published it in February, 2017 about why I was leaving the company, some of the things that I was learning along the way. And what surprised me was the phone calls and emails I got from colleagues who said, Hey, I just read your post. Can we talk? I'm kind of thinking about the same thing. I'm miserable. And it was one email in particular that still stands out, where he said, I'm miserable. I started to think like, wow, okay, this, this is not just me. My circumstances were different. But this seems to be a problem, so I started to just do some research on our obsession with work, the number of hours we work, this idea of balance and hustle culture. Really immersed myself in it, and I thought this isn't what Truslow Adams meant when he coined the term the American dream. We're killing ourselves for what like, for What's the objective here to just add another zero to my bank account. So as I started to do that research, I saw myself and a lot of that same story, and the mistakes I made and how I was, you know, I had put my business first all the things that we've talked about. And I thought, Man, this is really quite un American, really, because we say we're the land of the free and the home of the brave, but we're not free if we're slaves to our company or our jobs or our careers. So I thought, You know what? I think what we're doing to ourselves is un American, and we're chasing the UN American dream, and that's how I came up with the title, Michael Hingson 51:05 who have been some of your greatest influencers? Carlos Hidalgo 51:09 Wow, I have had a lot. Obviously, my parents have been huge influences in my life. My mom is a fierce prayer warrior, and so I fervently believe I would not be where I'm at today if it wasn't for her and her faithfulness and that and my dad is it has been in marketing and sales and advertising. So learned a lot from him, just in life, and then also in business. There's a gentleman who lives up the street who is kind of like a second dad to me, it's an interesting relationship, because his son is also my best friend, but gentleman by the name of Keith Vander wheel who is salt of the earth, wise, just a wise, wise man has loved me, has when needed, given me a swift kick in the rear end, and just really helped keep keep me focused, and been one of these guys that I can go to, and it's a little about almost 20 years older than I am, so he's one that has seen more and done more. So I'm thankful for that. And then I am very fortunate to have about three or four very, very dear, dear friends, close friends, I mentioned one, Keith's son, who spur me on to greater things, encourage me when necessary, rebuke me and help me. And then I would say, more than anything, my wife, I learned stuff from her each and every day, her steadfastness, Her Grace, her strength of character, she is absolutely the strongest person I know, and has been the biggest influence in my life. Michael Hingson 52:45 I when I was in college, did radio, and I've always liked comedy. I've always liked trying to be a little bit flip and so on, yep. But I will tell you that my wife constantly amazed me. She was pretty much a lot more straight faced and straight laced than i But when she came out with a zinger, it came out of left field, and you never saw coming. She was amazing. Clearly, she observed me a whole lot more than I thought she did, right? Carlos Hidalgo 53:18 And what a gift that is to have. My wife and I were just, we went out for brunch today, with it being the holiday, and I just, I told her, I said, I just love how much we laugh. Yeah, what a gift that is to have in your marriage. We're just laughing together and laughing at each other in a way that's not demeaning, but appreciates our differences. And you know, we can tease each other and enjoy it and know it comes from a place of love, yeah. Michael Hingson 53:42 How do we deal with the epidemic of loneliness in our lives and in our world? Carlos Hidalgo 53:48 Wow, that's a great question. It's first of all, I think it's heartbreaking. I see this especially with men. And statistics would show that that men especially struggle with loneliness. I think number one is we have to come to the realization we were not meant to live in isolation. We are communal beings. God created us to live in community, and we need to step into that. And part of that is letting your guard down and being vulnerable and letting people know where you struggle. Now I'm not talking about wearing your heart on your sleeve and walking right every stranger and spilling, but those closest of relationships, and I can say, you know, for me, when I isolated, that's when I became the worst form of myself and went to places I never thought I would go. And so I think loneliness, first of all, get off social media and your phone, because that's not a connection. No, your friends, all of your 1000s of friends on Facebook, are not true friends. They're people, you know, but they're not people that are going to walk with you through some of the hardest times of your lives, and so find those. Group, find that community, whether it's your church, whether it's a small group that you take part in, whether it's people at your work, but really start to invest in those relationships and bring as much to it as you're expecting them to. And for me, it became just with those closest relationships. I'm an open book. I'm not going to BS. I'm going to talk about what's on my heart, what I'm struggling with, what my victories are, what my low points are. And for me, that starts with my spouse. As I mentioned, I've got three other men in my life that are around my age that I can confide in, be open with, and it's the most freeing, wonderful thing, and it's their relationships that I cherish, and I think that's how we end this cycle of loneliness. But I think a lot of people have been duped. Well, I'm on I've got a bunch of friends online, yeah, you know, put the phone down, get off your social media platform and go be human and interact with other people. Michael Hingson 56:01 It gets back to the same thing we talked about earlier. There's a whole big difference between head knowledge and really knowing. And the friends who are truly your friends are people who you know and who know you and that you can truly be honest with and who will be honest with you. And that is not something that you get from all those Facebook friends. Otherwise, you're being awfully silly, right? Carlos Hidalgo 56:23 And I also think we have to get out of this idea in our culture that if I don't affirm you, I somehow don't like you anymore, this idea that tolerance and love are the same thing. Some of my closest friends have been some of the ones that have come to me and said, Hey, here's what we've observed, and we're sure you don't like that about you, and you know this needs to change. And I love that. I love that I friends who will call my stuff and a wife who will say to me, this isn't the best you like what's going on here? I need that in my life, because if all I want to do is have people pat me on the back and affirm me. I'm going to get entitled pretty quick. Yeah, and that doesn't help at all. Right? How do we bring civil discourse to our society? We're in an environment and in a world where we just don't appreciate or have conversations anymore. How do we deal with that? Well, I think a couple of things. First of all, I think we have to get back to an appreciation for and a respect for human life and humanity in general. Michael, I'm sure if you and I spent a few hours together, we would eventually land on a topic that we don't just that we don't agree on. I can be okay with that, and because if I'm open to say, Hey, Michael is a human being. He's smart. He's overcome incredible odds in his life, and maybe if I listen, I can learn something. Doesn't mean I'm going to come to your side of the the position, but I can at least learn something. But I think systematically, over decades, we've been denigrating the the value of human life. I mean, how many millions of babies have we aborted in this country? You know, your your own story, your parents were told, hey, just put him in a home. He's not going to amount to anything because of his blindness. That's insanity, you know. So today, instead of civil discourse, if I don't like you, I berate you online, I make something up about you, or I kill you. And right so and to tell you how far we've gone, not only does that happen, but then we're gonna have people who celebrate in the murder of whether it's an insurance CEO or a Charlie Kirk, or anybody, and I just sit there and say, Okay, we've we've gotten so far right civil discourse. And so I think number one is just a respect and a value for human life, which we have a lot of work to do there. And then number two, again, back to what I said, this idea that if I disagree with you, I somehow don't love you anymore. And the example I use is this idea of, well, you need we need more tolerance and affirmation. There was a time Michael where my behavior within our marriage just was unacceptable. I mean, I was cheating on my wife, and once she found out she still loved me, but she couldn't tolerate the behavior for reasons that I think I need to explain. So at that point, you say, All right, well, how do those two things work together? If I had kept doing what I was doing, I know for 100% she would have loved me till the day she died, but she died, but she wouldn't have been able to stay with me, because you can't tolerate that behavior. She's supposed to affirm that. And so this idea that because I quote, unquote, love you, I affirm you, I actually make the case that if I love you, I'm going to help you be the best form of yourself, which sometimes means disagreeing with you and pointing things out in your life. That are unhealthy, that's fair. So I think we have to get back to that place of we can have disagreement, still have respect for each other. We can disagree vehemently and still do it respectfully, right? And then at the end of the day, I can respect your position because of who you are as a person, and that you know, giving you the benefit of the doubt. This is a well thought out position. And so, okay, great. We agree to disagree. We can still be friends, yeah? Michael Hingson 1:00:27 And we might learn something, or at least be put on a path where we think about it, and we may discover that, oh, that person's right, correct, yeah, which is Carlos Hidalgo 1:00:36 cool, yeah, and it's not that hard. And again, no, do your do your homework. Know what the real issues are, and stop reading headlines on social media. Michael Hingson 1:00:46 Yeah, really, get away from that. What else should we know about you? Carlos Hidalgo 1:00:50 Well, I'm the father of four amazing kids spread all over the country, ages 30 to 20. He'll be 24 in 10 days, and then an amazing daughter in law, soon to be daughter in law, my second son is engaged, gets married next year. I love the outdoors, anything outside. And I would say, if I want your audience to remember anything, it's that what Jesus Christ has done in my life has been nothing short of amazing. And like I said at the beginning, this is my operating system, and it's who I am and my reason for being in each and every day. And I sit here and I just am in awe of the life I get to live. So I'm very, very thankful and very, very humbled by it all. Michael Hingson 1:01:36 If people want to reach out to you and maybe explore working with your company, using your company to help them. How do they do that? Carlos Hidalgo 1:01:43 Yeah, you can email me at Carlos at Digital exhaust.co it's not.com so make sure it.co's or I won't get it. So you can shoot me an email visit our website, which is digital exhaust.co or looked me up on LinkedIn, just Carlos adalgo, H, I, D, A, L, G, O, right. That is correct. Yeah. I appreciate you getting the name right on the introduction. So thank you for that. I worked at it well. Michael Hingson 1:02:12 I want to thank you for being here. This has been wonderful. And as I tell people all the time, if I'm not learning at least as much as anybody else on this podcast, and I'm not doing my job well, which means I do need to listen and think about it. And I appreciate all the insights that you gave us today, and I appreciate all of you being here and being with Carlos and me. Love to get your thoughts. Please reach out to Carlos. Please email me at Michael H i, at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, but most of all, wherever you're listening or watching the pod podcast, please give us a five star review and a rating. We love that. We love your your input, please. Of course, I want it always to be positive, but I'll take whatever you send because we we value that. And for all of you and Carlos, you as well, if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on the podcast. We'd love it if you'd let us know we're always looking to meet more people to help show that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are. And with that, I want to thank you again, Carlos, for being here. This has been absolutely fun. Carlos Hidalgo 1:03:13 Michael, thank you so much. I've really enjoyed it. Michael Hingson 1:03:20 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m
Episode overview In this candid, tender conversation, Jen Oliver and Jen Aks discuss what it means to tell the truth and end a relationship—especially when it was seemingly “really good.” There was no villain and no tidy explanation that satisfies logic. Jen Aks shares the pivotal choice to leave her 20-year marriage, the internal cost of trusting her body when her mind demanded proof, and how truth-telling reshaped her relationships, parenting, identity, and purpose. The conversation moves from truth as concept to truth as embodied practice: the difference between heart and gut, why the body “knows” first, and is a practical pathway to clarity, calm, and confident action. What you'll hear in this episode The moment Jen Aks realized her body was whispering… then screaming (03:17–08:01) Why it's hard to leave when nothing is “wrong” and everything looks “perfect” from the outside (03:47–05:50) The cost count: kids, guilt, family, finances, and society's scripts (15:28–21:04) A powerful reframe: not just what you're “taking,” but what you're giving through truth (21:10–22:26) A relief valve for guilt: “This is their story now” + “hold people able” (23:38–26:58) The difference between heart vs gut, and why words aren't always required for truth (13:39–14:59; 10:04–11:41) A practical tool: using hands/gesture to invite discomfort in, release it, and return to clarity (30:09–35:39) “Yes, and…”—how doubt can coexist with knowing (43:14–43:42) After the truth: shedding, spiritual awakening, and a deeper sense of mission (37:45–40:31; 49:54–50:43) Key takeaways Truth isn't always logical. Sometimes there's no checklist explanation—only a bodily knowing. Your body may speak before your mind can translate. Physical signals (nausea, headaches, agitation, craving solitude) can be information. Not having the words doesn't invalidate the truth. “The feeling is enough.” Truth has costs—and also gifts. Especially with kids: the reframe is “What am I modeling for them?” You don't need to villainize someone to leave. A relationship can be loving and still complete. Staying can be true, too. No shame—if you stay, the work is reclaiming yourself inside the choice. Embodied practices create clarity. Calm isn't the goal; calm is the path to clarity and confidence. It's never too late to tell the truth about how you handled the past. Repair and honesty can happen years later. Memorable concepts & frameworks mentioned Heart vs. gut: heart can be emotionally compelling; gut is a deeper “knowing” (13:39–14:59) Power of gesture: hands + nervous system + emotion processing (27:41–35:39) “Hold people able” from Susan Scott / Fierce Conversations (26:09–26:58) (also references Fierce Leadership) Relationship truth + dignity, referencing relationship mediator Staci Bartley (09:02–10:04) Jen Aks' book and her TEDxFolsom talk (11:41–12:09) About Jen Aks: Jen Aks is a TEDx speaker, author, and leadership coach who helps people reconnect with their body's wisdom to unlock powerful, authentic leadership. On August 16, 2025, she delivered her TEDx talk Your Body's Hidden Intelligence: From Mindset to Bodyset, introducing a revolutionary concept that challenges decades of mindset-focused approaches. Her debut book Your Body is Speaking launched on September 30, 2025, and became a #1 bestseller in the self-help category. Jen guides leaders—from CEOs and executives to parents and educators—to lead with clarity and confidence by trusting their body's intelligence. Her areas of expertise include embodied leadership, somatic intelligence, helping people find their authentic voice and communicate it with authority. Website: https://jenaks.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen_aks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennferaks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jen_aks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenaks/ TicTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jen_aks About Jen Oliver:Jen Oliver is a speaker, podcaster, and communications coach - equipping people to speak with greater impact and presence. Whether you are speaking on stage, promoting your brand, or voicing your needs in a relationship - communicating with your truest voice and cultivating human connection with your audience is the key to influence. Jen coaches individuals privately and within her Signature group programs - in addition to delivering workshops as a guest expert in a variety of settings. Jen serves as a 4-season Executive Producer, Director of Curation, and Speaker Coach for TEDxFolsom. She is a committed force behind WomanSpeak™ - an internationally recognized body of work teaching the art and soul of public speaking. Jen is on a mission to support 1 million women as they speak with uncommon levels of freedom and confidence. Tap into more at REALjenoliver.comemail: jen@REALjenoliver.compodcast website: ListenForREAL.com90-day TEDx Talk ACCELERATORWomanSpeak™website: REALJenOliver.comLinkedIn:@thejenoliverInstagram: @realjenoliverFacebook: @jen.oliver.806001If you believe conversations like these belong in the world, please subscribe, rate & review this podcast - and even better, share it with someone else as a REAL conversation starter. Subscribe to all things Jen at REALJenOliver.
What if the career you worked so hard to build, the identity you constructed piece by piece, was never really yours to begin with? What if the version of you that shows up every day, doing the job, earning the title, ticking the boxes, is simply the most convincing role you have ever played? For most of us, the idea of walking away from success feels reckless. We are taught to chase it, protect it, and measure our worth by it. But what happens when success starts to feel like a costume? And what happens when something deeper, quieter, and far more real begins to call you away from it all? That is exactly the question at the heart of this conversation with Frank Elaridi: four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, former producer at Good Morning America, energy healer, and one of the most quietly radical thinkers you will encounter in this space. The Moment the Career Ended Frank spent 12 years covering the biggest stories in the world. Hurricanes. Mass shootings. The Oscars. Interviews with popes, presidents, kings, and queens. By any measure, it was the career most people spend a lifetime chasing. Then one afternoon in Austin, Texas, he was pulled off a romantic holiday to produce a last-minute interview. Standing in the middle of a frantic, frustrating production, a single thought arrived with complete clarity: This is not my life. It was the last thing he ever did for ABC. What followed was not a crisis. It was, in Frank’s words, simply the next unfolding. His Vedic astrology chart had predicted the transition. Multiple healers across different countries had been telling him for years that he was a healer. A Curandera in Mexico had pointed to his heart and laughed when he insisted he was a journalist. None of it had landed until it was meant to. You Are Not the Body. You Are Not the Mind. Frank’s work as a claircognizant energy healer is built on a single, radical idea that sits beneath everything he teaches. You are not the body. You are not the mind. And the moment you truly understand that, not as a concept but as a lived experience, everything changes. This is not a philosophy to admire from a distance. It is a daily practice of turning attention back to the one who is watching, asking the question that collapses all others: Who is it that is seeking? Frank describes three distinct paths people take toward liberation. The left-hand path moves through darkness and shadow. The right-hand path is the way of love, sainthood, and service. And then there is the direct path: self-inquiry. Not processing trauma layer by layer. Not accumulating spiritual practices. Simply finding out who you are from the source of where all of this arose. Three Practices to Carry With You Today Frank closes the conversation with three grounded, accessible practices drawn directly from his teaching: 1. The A Course in Miracles Affirmation. Anytime you feel wronged, dismissed, or hurt today, try this: It is not this I would look upon. I trust my brothers who are one with me. This is forgiveness at its deepest level. Not grace. Not tolerance. Complete detachment from the idea that anything real was ever done to you. 2. The Self-Love Body Practice. Place your left hand palm-up in your lap. Move your right hand to your heart and say: My heart, I love you. Then your eyes. Then your head. Repeat the cycle. Frank shares that people in his community regularly begin to cry during this practice. Consciousness, he says, is self-love. This is how you worship that. 3. The Pre-Sleep Self-Inquiry. Before you fall asleep tonight, ask yourself: Who was I before birth? Who will I be a hundred years from now? Meditate on death as though sleep itself were dying. Little by little, the grip of fear and false identity begins to loosen. Frank Elaridi is the co-author of the Modern Nirvana Oracle Deck, published by Chronicle Books, a TEDx speaker, and the founder of Awaken The Healer Within, his online course and community helping holistic practitioners build thriving healing businesses. You can watch the video of the full conversation on YouTube Find Out More About Frank Elaridi Work with Frank one-on-one: frankelaridi.com/energy-healing Join Awaken The Healer Within on Skool: skool.com/awakenedhealers YouTube: youtube.com/frankelaridi Instagram: @felaridi
If you're implementing AI and want to realize that promised ROI, let's see if Octalysis fits → professorgame.com/chat Breaking down why most AI projects fail despite being technically flawless. The problem isn't the code; it's the lack of behavioral design. By applying the Octalysis Framework, we see how to move away from "Black Hat" implementations that trigger resistance and identity threats. Instead, we shares how to design AI as an individual contributor's superpower. It is a deep dive into balancing short-term Black Hat-driven data bumps with long-term White Hat engagement to ensure your team feels like masters of their craft rather than data entry clerks for an algorithm. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Links to episode mentions: Let's implement AI successfully leveraging Octalysis Behavioral Design professorgame.com/chat How gamifying AI shapes customer motivation, engagement, and purchase behavior Harmonizing human-AI synergy: behavioral science in AI-integrated design Digital tracking, gamification, social media, and AI: How technology influences motivation AI-Driven Gamification Approaches: Enhancing Engagement Through Intelligent Systems Some of The Octalysis Group's resources: Why Your Sales Leaderboard is Killing Performance (And What AI-Driven Motivation Actually Looks Like) How AI Loyalty Programs are Rewriting Loyalty Why Corporate Learning Platforms Fail (AI Corporate Learning) AI-Powered Behavioral Design for Customer Loyalty The Fintech Engagement Crisis: Why AI Without Behavioral Design Creates Apps Nobody Uses AI Powered FMCG Loyalty: Escaping the Points Trap with Behavioral Design Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Start Your Community on Skool for Free Ask a question
Many accomplished women already have the expertise, experience, and authority their audiences need. The missing piece is rarely more knowledge — it's connection.Story is what bridges the space between expert and audience. It humanizes ideas, creates emotional resonance, and allows insight to truly land. When expertise is combined with purposeful storytelling, a talk doesn't just inform — it connects, influences, and stays with people long after it ends.This episode is the audio from our Back Stage with Speaking Your Brand live show, where three recent grads of our Thought Leader Academy each delivered a 10-minute version of the signature talk they developed with us, designed to transform expertise into meaningful connection through purposeful storytelling.As you listen, you'll learn how powerful talks are built, including:How to turn expertise into a compelling narrativeHow to embed your unique perspective and lived experience into your messageHow story creates trust, meaning, and emotional connectionHow to structure ideas so they are clear, memorable, and actionableWhat they learned from the Thought Leader Academy and what's next for themLinks:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/463/ Watch the video at https://youtube.com/live/4s1LX8sGk7sDiscover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediazAllison Greco = https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisongreco/ Brittany Sadlouskos = https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanysadlouskos/ Cam Dunson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/camdunson/ Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You
Time is supposed to heal everything. But for the millions of people navigating divorce after betrayal, that promise falls flat. They're functioning, managing the kids, showing up to work, doing all the things, and still carrying the weight of something that happened years, sometimes decades, ago. Fine, it turns out, is not the same as healed. In this powerful episode, Susan Guthrie welcomes back Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute and author of the new book Unstuck:The Practitioner's Guide to Moving Betrayal Clients from Survival to Transformation. Together, they unpack why so many people who have experienced betrayal, whether infidelity, financial deception, or the shattering of expectations that comes with divorce itself, get trapped in a cycle that looks like survival but feels like anything but living. Dr. Debi's research, drawn from over 100,000 people tested, reveals that healing from betrayal is not just possible. It is predictable. This conversation is for anyone who has ever asked, "Why am I still not over this?" Whether you are in the middle of a divorce, just discovering a betrayal, or years out and still feeling its grip, the lessons in this episode apply. It is also essential listening for the legal professionals, coaches, therapists, and mediators who want to understand what is truly going on beneath the surface. What You'll Learn Betrayal in divorce is not just about infidelity. It is a collapse of trust on every level How Post Betrayal Syndrome keeps people physically, mentally, and emotionally stuck long after the relationship has ended The five proven, predictable stages of betrayal recovery and why most people unknowingly park in Stage Three Why self-trust is the real wound of betrayal and how rebuilding it through boundaries, intuition, and small kept promises is where healing actually begins How the Window of Willingness reveals whether the person who betrayed you is genuinely doing the work, and what that means for your path forward Why transformation does not begin until Stage Four and how Dr. Debi's new book Unstuck gives practitioners a roadmap for guiding betrayal clients all the way through, not just to fine About the Guest Dr. Debi Silber, Founder and CEO of The PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute and National Forgiveness Day, is an award-winning speaker and 2-time #1 International bestselling author. Her podcast, From Betrayal to Breakthrough, ranks in the top 1.5% globally. Her groundbreaking PhD study revealed 3 discoveries that completely revolutionized our understanding of betrayal-and how to achieve full healing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Creator of the world's #1 betrayal recovery certification for life, business, health, and leadership coaches, Dr. Debi equips practitioners globally with her evidence-based framework so they can deliver exponentially better results with their existing clients. Featured on FOX, CBS, The Dr. Oz Show, and TEDx (twice), she equips practitioners with the missing framework-helping them move from uncertainty to confidence, from using general tools that keep clients stuck to specialized approaches that create genuine transformation. Connect with Dr. Debi Silber Website: http://thepbtinstitute.com Book: Unstuck: The Practitioner's Guide to Moving Betrayal Clients from Survival to Transformation Special Episode Resource: Rebuilding Self-Trust After Betrayal, A Guided Workbook If this episode resonated and you are ready to start moving from stuck to unstuck, download Susan's free guided workbook, Rebuilding Self-Trust After Betrayal. It walks you step by step through where self-trust was shaken, how to reset your boundaries, and how to begin the deliberate work of healing. Download the guide here: https://6091f38a-6f36-42ef-8f98-d1cf174bdc28.lovableproject.com/episode/b2a06e0a-b3e1-42f6-b9b8-2f1889c9577c#resource Make the Most of Your Listening Experience: If this episode resonates with you, be sure to: Subscribe to Divorce & Beyond so you never miss an episode. Share this episode with friends or loved ones who need hope and healing. Leave a 5-star review to help us reach even more listeners. Follow Us Online: Divorce & Beyond: https://divorceandbeyondpod.com, IG: @divorceandbeyondpod Meet Our Host Susan E. Guthrie®, Esq. is one of the nation's leading family law and mediation experts, with more than 35 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate divorce and conflict with clarity and compassion. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, a best-selling author, and a sought-after speaker, trainer, and practice-building consultant. Susan recently appeared as the featured expert on The Oprah Podcast, where she shared her insights on gray divorce and the changing landscape of relationships. Her expertise has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Washington Post, NewsNation, and NBC's Chicago Today, among many others. As the creator and host of the award-winning Divorce & Beyond® Podcast, ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide with more than 3.4 million downloads, Susan brings together top experts and powerful personal stories to help listeners move through divorce and beyond with confidence, insight, and hope. Learn more about Susan and her work at susaneguthrie.com. Divorce & Beyond is a Top 1% Overall and Top 100 Self-Help podcast designed to help you with all you need to know to navigate your divorce journey and most importantly, to thrive in your beautiful beyond! ***************************************************************************** A Smarter, Simpler Way to Navigate Your Divorce Looking for a clearer and more affordable way to move through your divorce? Check out Hello Divorce. Their guided online platform combines easy-to-follow tools with real legal and coaching support to help you complete your divorce with less stress, less confusion, and far lower costs than a traditional courtroom battle. They have created a special page just for Divorce & Beyond listeners. Explore your options at hellodivorce.com/susan. ***************************************************************************** Special Offer from Blue Mercury Treat yourself to luxury skincare, makeup, and fragrance favorites from Blue Mercury, your destination for beauty and self-care. Divorce & Beyond listeners receive 15% off their first order when they use the special link in the show notes. Because you deserve to look and feel your best, inside and out. You must use this link to receive the 15% off on your first Blue Mercury order: https://divorcebeyond.com/Blue-Mercury ***************************************************************************** Opportunities for Expert Guests and Fellow Podcasters Partner with Divorce & Beyond Whether you're a podcaster looking to expand your reach or an expert ready to share your insights, Divorce & Beyond offers the perfect platform to amplify your voice. Find out more here: https://divorceandbeyondpod.com/guest-opportunities ***************************************************************************** DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE WITH RESPECT TO ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE OR PROBLEM
Send a textIt often begins quietly, the tired heart, the heavy body, the loneliness that no one sees. The pressure, the unspoken trauma, the responsibility that never seems to end. And for so many women, the nightly glass of wine becomes the fastest way to silence what hurts… not because they want to escape life, but because they've been surviving it alone.In this episode of The Dimple Bindra Show, we explore a truth many women are living in silence: Drinking to Numb Your Pain Here's the Self-Love Talk No One Gave You.Today's conversation is raw, spiritual, and deeply honest.My guest, Gina Kunadian, is a wife, mother, massage therapist, TEDx speaker, host of the Shine Within Podcast, and a woman who has been sober for over seven years. But her story began in the darkest corners of trauma, addiction, relapse, and a hospital visit that became her divine turning point.Together, we talk about:Why women drink to numb emotional painHow childhood trauma, especially sexual trauma, wires the brain toward coping through substancesThe moment alcohol transforms from “casual” to “dependency”Relapse cycles, functional alcoholism, and why willpower alone doesn't workThe truth about “entities,” blackout behavior, and spiritual vulnerability during addictionWhat surrender actually looks like — emotionally, physically, and spirituallyHow Gina rebuilt her life, her identity, her femininity, and her faith after hitting rock bottomThe steps women can take if they suspect alcohol is becoming their coping strategyThis episode is not just about addiction.It's about self-abandonment, self-soothing, spiritual awakening, and the moment a woman finally decides: I'm done breaking myself to survive my life.Follow Gina Kunadian Here!✨ Not sure why you keep choosing pain over peace? Take the free WHY YOU GOT BETRAYED QUIZ and uncover the pattern you didn't even know was holding you back.If you can't eat, can't sleep, and keep replaying the betrayal in your head, this book was written for this exact moment. Pre-order Betrayal ER™ on Amazon.
Dive into an inspiring discussion with Colin Corby, CEO and Founder of Technology Wellbeing Ltd, and the innovative mind behind 'The Digital Detox Coach.' As a technologist, TEDx speaker, digital wellbeing coach, and accomplished endurance athlete, Colin shares his transformative journey from battling stress in the 1990s through high-stakes tech projects to rediscovering resilience via swimming, triathlons, and completing four Ironman races. Discover how his fascination with the mind-body connection evolved into a passion for exploring the intersection of technology, psychology, and neuroscience—especially in our AI-driven world. In this interview, Colin offers practical insights on building a healthier, more sustainable relationship with technology, reclaiming time and energy for productivity, and cultivating the endurance athlete's mindset to thrive amid digital overload. Whether you're overwhelmed by screens or seeking strategies for balance, Colin's story and expertise will empower you to reset your tech habits and unlock greater wellbeing.https://thedigitaldetoxcoach.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.Subscribe now at YouTube.com/@RefocusedNetworkThank you for your time.
In this episode, I sat down with Tina Brigley to talk about why entrepreneurs need to build a personal brand, not just a company brand. We broke down how storytelling, authenticity, and vulnerability are what really create trust, and why the messy parts of your journey are often the most powerful parts of your message. Tina shared her incredible story of losing the business she helped build, rebuilding from the ground up, and discovering that people were buying into her, not just the company. We also talked about my own shift toward more transparent content and why people connect more when you stop performing and start telling the truth. About Tina Brigley Tina Brigley is a TEDx speaker, storytelling brand strategist, and personal development coach who helps entrepreneurs turn their life experiences into powerful personal brands. She teaches business owners how to connect with their audience through authentic storytelling that builds trust, loyalty, and messaging that converts. After starting her career in education, Tina transitioned into coaching and personal development where she discovered that the stories people tell themselves often hold them back from showing up fully in business and life. Today, she helps entrepreneurs transform their lived experiences into magnetic messaging that attracts the right audience. Tina has coached thousands of entrepreneurs and coaches around the world and has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, Thrive Global, and Global Woman for her work in leadership, branding, and storytelling. Connect with Tina Brigley Website: https://tinabrigley.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinabrigleyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tina.brigley About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur with over and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What if belonging shows up only after you tell the truth about who you really are?That question drives Stephen Seidel's journey, from a childhood shaped by divorce and people-pleasing to a life built on intentional connection, creative risk, and helping men find spaces where they can be fully seen.We explore how being the “glue” between his parents built empathy but weakened his confidence, and how college became a turning point: leading groups, seeking diverse friendships, and replacing judgment with curiosity. Stephen shares his pivot from industrial engineering to acting and improv, the trap of waiting for permission, and the breakthrough moment when he created and sold his own YouTube series of social experiments, discovering how honest questions build bridges where opinions often divide.Stephen is a TEDx keynote speaker, media expert, and brand strategist who helps entrepreneurs, startups, and HR leaders drive cultural alignment and authentic leadership. A best-selling author, podcast creator, and co-founder of the men's collective Gents Journey, Stephen blends humour, heart, and actionable tools to inspire resilient teams and lasting change. In 2020, while caring for his mother during the pandemic and raising two young daughters, Steve lost clients and felt deeply isolated. So he built what he needed: Gent's Journey, a men's community centred on real conversation and accountability. Guided by pillars like faith, family, friendships, finances, fitness, focus, and freedom, the group uses tools like the Journey Deck's 52 prompts to spark powerful reflection. We also dive into storytelling for leaders and founders. Stephen's mission-message-media-movement framework helps people root their work in authentic stories. At the same time, his G.R.E.A.T. test: Gratitude, Reflection, Empathy, Accountability, Transformational, offers a simple check-in for personal growth.If you've ever wondered whether your story matters and if it resonates, share it with someone who might need it, subscribe to future episodes, and leave a review.To connect with Stephen: Agency: TheSeidelAgency.comCoaching: StephenSeidel.com/MediaMen's Group: GentsJourney.co/joinTEDx Talk: https://rebrand.ly/seidelspeaking@StephenSeidel @TheSeidelAgency @GentsJourneyco Send BEHAS a text.Support the showTo Share - Connect & Relate: Share Your Thoughts and Shape the Show! Tell me what you love about the podcast and what you want to hear more about. Please email me at behas.podcast@gmail.com and be part of the conversation! To be on the show Podmatch Profile Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories. Thank you for listening - Hasta Pronto!
Stop triggering basic AI workflows and start deploying autonomous sales agents that generate real revenue 24/7. AI Operator founder Tim Cakir reveals how to build a fully automated AI sales team—including an SDR, Account Executive, and CRO—using Claude Code and Notion. Learn how to manage your AI workforce directly in Slack and let AI handle the tedious admin work, freeing you up to focus on high-level strategy and human connection. TIMESTAMP00:00 Introduction: AI Agents vs. Workflows01:00 Getting Started with AI Sales Systems02:00 Using Claude Code in the Terminal04:00 Why Prompt Engineering is Dead05:30 Using AI Plan Mode for Better Results07:00 Building an AI CRM in Notion09:00 Creating Autonomous AI Sales Teams11:00 Managing Your AI Workforce in Slack13:00 Organizing AI Projects Using Folders15:00 Managing AI Productivity and Avoiding Burnout17:00 Syncing AI Projects with GitHub19:00 Creating SOPs and Customizing AI Context21:00 The Future of Work: Voice Interfaces and AR Glasses23:00 AI Project Management in Notion25:00 Will AI Make Us More Human?27:00 How to Keep Up With AI Trends