Make It Count ™ with Tanya Waymire

Peace has a backbone.In this episode of Make It Count, Tanya Waymire sits down with Kit Cummings, award-winning author, international speaker, and founder of the Power of Peace Project.Kit has taken his work into maximum-security prisons, gang conflict, death row, corporate leadership teams, schools, churches, and communities across the world. His message is sharp because his wisdom was earned in places where human behavior is raw, trust is fragile, and peace has to be stronger than chaos.This conversation goes far beyond prison reform or conflict resolution. Kit opens up about burnout, public failure, shame, faith, purpose, and the calling that sent him toward the people and places most others avoid. He shares what gang leaders taught him about respect, what dangerous environments revealed about leadership, and why real transformation starts when people remember they still have light in them.If you care about leadership, human behavior, emotional resilience, purpose, faith, culture, or building something that outlives you, this episode will stay with you.Follow Make It Count for conversations with people who have earned their wisdom and are using it to build lives, businesses, and legacies that matter.

How much of your life are you actually using?Raymund C. King, MD, JD has lived a path most people wouldn’t attempt—magician, surgeon, attorney, actor, producer, philanthropist—and somehow stayed grounded in all of it.In this conversation, we go into what doesn’t show up on a résumé. The moments that shape direction. The decisions that require movement when everything already “works.” And what it looks like to recognize the gifts you’ve been given—and actually use them.Raymund shares how he’s navigated multiple careers without losing himself, what’s guided his pivots, and why he still sees his life as something that’s unfolding—not something he’s completed.If you’ve ever felt the pull to do more, become more, or step into something you haven’t yet—this conversation will stay with you.Listen all the way through.

Most people don’t fail because they can’t build.They fail because they don’t know how to keep building.Kevin Dutton does.He founded Future Com in 1991, built it over decades, exited in 2022… and never stepped out of the arena. Along the way, he’s set records in open-wheel racing and continues to move into environments where performance isn’t optional.This conversation isn’t about accomplishments.It’s about how someone thinks, decides, and operates when the stakes are real—and why he keeps choosing it.If you’ve ever wondered what separates people who build once from the ones who keep going… this is it.Subscribe to Make It Count™ and stay close to conversations with people who don’t just talk about it—they’ve lived it.Press play.

You don’t feel it…until you can’t ignore it.In this episode, I sit down with Judy Gaman—CEO of Executive Medicine of Texas and a leader working on the front side of health, longevity, and performance.If you’re building, leading, and carrying a lot—you’ve probably pushed your health to the background.That works…until it doesn’t.We get into:why “feeling fine” isn’t the same as being wellwhat high performers miss until it costs themproactive health vs reactive medicinehow to stay sharp, present, and in control longerThis is for people who want to keep what they’re building—and be around to enjoy it.If this hit, follow the show.

Most people chase growth. Few understand what actually creates it.In this conversation, Brad Cummings doesn’t talk about business the way most people do—he talks about what shapes the person building it.From growing up watching his dad work two jobs to create opportunity… to leading in the military where no one is coming to save you… to spending over two decades inside middle-market businesses… Brad has lived in the environments that form discipline, decision-making, and perspective.Now, as Co-Founder of Garza Cummings Blocher and operating within a family office, he’s not advising growth—he’s inside of it. Building it. Protecting it. Thinking long-term when most people are still reacting short-term.We get into:what actually shapes how someone leadshow proximity to the right people changes everythingwhy middle-market businesses are where real impact happensthe difference between building for now and building to lastand the moments that quietly redefine how you operateThis isn’t something you listen to once and move on from.It’s the kind of conversation that shifts how you see what you’re building—and how you show up while you build it.

You’re not struggling with your health—you’ve been taught wrong.Most people think they’re doing what it takes.They’re putting in effort.They’re trying to be consistent.They’re doing what they’ve been told should work.And it’s not translating.In this conversation with Clint Fuqua, we get into why.Clint has spent decades inside the health space—coaching, building, and seeing firsthand what actually creates change and what keeps people stuck repeating the same patterns.This isn’t about workouts or routines.It’s about how people think.How they make decisions.And how they slowly give away control of their health without realizing it.We talk about:Why effort alone isn’t producing resultsThe patterns that keep showing up across people—no matter who they areWhat “independent health” actually looks like when someone lives it outWhere people are disciplined… but still not moving forwardIf you’ve been doing the work and not seeing it show up the way it should—this will land.🎙️ Listen in, and then decide what changes.Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

You can be the smartest person in the room… and still be the one no one listens to.That’s the conversation.15 years ago, Allen Weiner changed how I show up in every room I walk into. Not by giving me scripts. Not by teaching me what to say. He showed me the gap between what I intended… and how I was actually being experienced.And once you see that—you can’t unsee it.In this episode, we go straight into the patterns that quietly cost high performers credibility, influence, and opportunity. The things no one tells you… but everyone feels.We talk about:Why intelligence can actually work against you in communicationThe subtle ways people lose trust without realizing itWhat separates those who are heard from those who are overlookedHow to shift how you’re perceived without becoming someone you’re notWhat it really takes to be seen, trusted, and followed at a higher levelThis isn’t theory. This is decades of working with leaders, scientists, attorneys, and high-level professionals who thought they were communicating clearly—until they realized they weren’t landing the way they thought.If you’ve ever felt like:You’re saying the right things… but it’s not landingYou’re doing the work… but not getting the recognitionYou’re capable of more… but not fully seenYou’ll hear yourself in this conversation.And you’ll walk away different.🎧 Listen now—and if this shifts how you see yourself (and how you’re seen), subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

Most people think they know what success looks like… until the thing that defined them is gone.This conversation with John Patterson goes way beyond baseball.Yes—he was a 5th overall draft pick.Yes—he pitched in the Major Leagues.But that’s not the story.This is about what happens when identity collapses… when the plan changes… when the version of you that the world recognized no longer fits.John walks through what it actually looked like behind the scenes—injury, loss of direction, rebuilding, and the work it takes to come back grounded in who you are, not just what you did.And if you’ve ever:Hit a wall you didn’t see comingQuestioned who you are outside of what you doOr found yourself rebuilding in a season you didn’t chooseYou’ll feel this one.🎧 Press play—and stay with us on this one.👉 Follow/Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations that make you think, shift perspective, and stay with you long after they end.

Leadership gets complicated when the weight of your words actually changes outcomes.In Part 2 of my conversation with Tammy Kling, we continue exploring influence, blind spots, and the responsibility that comes with having a voice people listen to. This conversation moves into the places leaders rarely talk about openly—how words shape culture, how honest conversations expose blind spots success hides, and why legacy is built long before anyone calls it that.If you care about the impact your words have on people, decisions, and the environments you lead, this episode will challenge the way you think about leadership and communication.This episode will resonate with listeners interested in leadership development, personal growth, entrepreneurship, executive leadership, and building a meaningful legacy.If you’re drawn to conversations about influence, communication, and the power of words in leadership, you’re in the right place.Subscribe to Make It Count™ so you don’t miss upcoming conversations with leaders who are shaping how people think, lead, and build what lasts.

Behind every statistic on homelessness is a human story — and leaders like Stephanie Melchert working every day to rebuild lives.How close is most of America to losing their home?In this episode of Make It Count, Tanya Waymire sits down with Stephanie Melchert, CEO of a multimillion-dollar Dallas organization serving individuals experiencing homelessness.Stephanie shares what leadership really looks like in one of the most complex and emotionally demanding spaces — where compassion, accountability, and operational discipline all have to coexist.You’ll hear about the realities of homelessness most people never see, the mindset that keeps teams moving forward, and why Stephanie lives by PMA — Positive Mental Attitude — because attitude is everything.This is a conversation about leadership, resilience, and building real pathways to hope.

What if the secret to building a company that scales… is love?In this episode of Make It Count™, I sit down with Ivo Nelson — entrepreneur, CEO, investor, board member, and one of the most respected leaders in healthcare technology.Ivo built Healthlink into the world’s largest privately held, provider-focused healthcare technology consulting firm before its acquisition by IBM. He has since advised and led multiple companies, served on more than 20 boards, and been recognized as one of the top 50 contributors to healthcare IT over the last 50 years.That’s the résumé.This conversation is about the responsibility behind it.We talk about what it feels like to carry a company when people’s livelihoods depend on you. The difference between scaling revenue and scaling standards. What founders misunderstand about culture. What changes in you when success stops being theoretical. Why love — real love — belongs in serious business rooms.If you’re building something and you care about how you build it, this episode will stay with you.Subscribe to Make It Count™ and stay close to conversations with builders who have actually done the work.

Mundo Sanchez sees what others miss.Twice named CFO of the Year, he brings precision to the numbers and vision to the strategy behind them. He improves the bottom line without shrinking the mission. Margin matters to him because stewardship matters.In this conversation, we talk about how he approaches complexity inside growing organizations. Where waste hides. How cash flow tells the truth. Why financial leadership is not about restriction but clarity. Mundo operates like a problem solver with range—able to move from high-level strategy into granular execution without losing speed.We also get into identity. The internal standard that holds when revenue rises and pressure increases. Titles follow competence. Competence follows discipline.If you run a company, manage capital, or want to understand what financial leadership actually looks like when it is done well, this episode delivers.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with leaders who know vision and numbers belong in the same room.

Tammy Kling built Words Are Currency on a premise most people overlook: language shapes outcomes.In Part 1 of this conversation, we step into the weight of words. In business. In leadership. In relationships. In the stories we repeat about ourselves. Tammy is clear that communication is not decoration. It is infrastructure. The words you choose determine what you build and what you break.We talk about power, identity, and responsibility. About how executives in high-rises and individuals sleeping on the street often carry versions of the same wound. Different environments. Similar fractures. Titles and income do not eliminate internal narratives. They often amplify them.Tammy shares where her conviction was formed and how Words Are Currency became more than a phrase. It became a framework. One that demands precision and ownership.This is not a surface-level discussion about mindset. It is about the measurable consequences of language in rooms where decisions are made and in private moments where belief is formed.Part 2 continues the conversation.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations that operate at the level where words, decisions, and outcomes intersect.

Christopher Teehee is an owner and operator.He’s built and scaled an electrical business with real crews, real timelines, real accountability. He also runs a real estate venture that’s built on execution, not theory. He understands margin because he’s had to earn it job by job, project by project.In this conversation, we talk about how he approaches growth. Hiring. Training. Quality control. Cash flow. The moments where scale exposes every weak system you tolerated when you were smaller.We also talk about something most people skip: business starts with friendship. Trust first. Relationship first. The deals come after. Christopher is deliberate about who he builds with and why.This episode is practical. How to scale without losing your name. How to expand without turning into a mess behind the curtain.If you’re building a services business, building a portfolio, or building both at once, you’ll recognize this conversation.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with builders who know results follow standards.

Michelle Bryan helps people invest in real estate who never thought it was available to them.In this conversation, we talk about access. First properties. Limited capital. Uncertainty around risk. Michelle works with individuals and families who assume real estate investing is reserved for someone else. She walks them through what it actually takes to get in the game.We get into education, underwriting basics, financing realities, and the conversations that happen before someone wires money into a deal. She understands the hesitation. She also understands the math.Michelle speaks to the responsibility of guiding first-time investors. Clear numbers. Clear expectations. No inflated projections. She stays grounded in what the asset can support and what the investor can sustain.If you’ve considered investing in real estate but assumed you were too late, undercapitalized, or underqualified, this episode is practical.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who expand access and raise the standard at the same time.

Glenis Romero Hargreaves stands with homeowners when loss hits.In this conversation, we talk about what happens after the storm. Fire. Water. Structural damage. The moment when families are trying to stabilize life while navigating a claims process they’ve never had to understand before.Glenis operates as an advocate for the insured. She represents homeowners in the appraisal and claims process, bringing technical knowledge, documentation discipline, and negotiation experience into rooms where carriers are equipped and resourced. Most policyholders are not.We get into how claims are evaluated. Where gaps show up. What homeowners assume versus what policy language actually says. The responsibility she carries when someone’s largest asset is on the line.There’s nothing dramatic here. Just the reality that representation matters when complexity increases and emotions are high.If you own property, manage assets, or advise clients who do, this conversation is worth your time.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who step in when the stakes are real.

Kevin and Marcie Thompson build together.In this conversation, we step into what partnership looks like when it carries weight. Business. Marriage. Capital decisions. Long-term vision. Alignment isn’t assumed. It’s constructed.We talk about roles, trust, and the discipline required when two strong operators share a table. How they navigate growth without splintering focus. How they protect the foundation while expanding the footprint.There’s maturity in the way they make decisions. Clear lanes. Clear standards. Clear ownership. No noise around it.If you’re building with a spouse, a partner, or a co-founder, this conversation sits in a real place. Shared responsibility changes the game. So does shared vision.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who understand that scale is stronger when it’s aligned.

Sheila Fejeran understands how rooms move.In this conversation, we talk about presence. The kind that isn’t announced. The kind that is recognized. Sheila shares the path that shaped her leadership, the standards she carries into every environment, and the responsibility that comes with influence.We get into decision-making under pressure. Navigating complexity without losing clarity. Holding authority without theatrics. There’s experience behind the way she speaks and precision behind the way she operates.This isn’t about titles. It’s about command. About knowing when to advance, when to hold, and when to reset the board entirely.If you lead teams, manage capital, or operate in rooms where the margin for error is thin, this conversation will feel familiar.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who have earned the right to lead.

Birdie Nicksic operates at a level where taste is earned.In this conversation, we talk about how her eye was formed. The discipline behind restraint. The decisions that shape spaces long before a client ever walks through the door. There is a difference between decorating and directing. She understands it.We get into creative authority. Client expectations. Protecting margin without diluting the work. The responsibility that comes with putting your name on something that will outlive the moment it was created.There’s no performance in this conversation. Just a clear look at what it takes to hold a standard when compromise is always available.If you build brands, portfolios, companies, or environments that carry your name, this one will resonate.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who understand that legacy is designed on purpose.

Some people talk about growth. Dustin builds it.In this conversation, Dustin Geroski walks through the evolution from operator to owner, from opportunity to infrastructure. The early bets. The missteps that sharpened judgment. The discipline required when scale stops being exciting and starts being expensive.We get into what it actually means to build something that lasts. Capital decisions. Talent decisions. Where most founders lose margin without realizing it. The tension between speed and stewardship. The responsibility that shows up once other people’s livelihoods depend on your calls.There’s no performance here. No highlight reel.Just a grounded look at what it takes to expand without drifting from the standard that built it in the first place.If you’re building—real estate, business, portfolio, team—this is a conversation worth sitting with.Subscribe to Make It Count™ for conversations with people who have done the work and are still doing it.