If The Public Only Knew- Behind Every Success, a Story Worth Telling

Your nonprofit can raise more money without chasing more donors—simply by changing your story. In this episode, you’ll learn how radically clear messaging, strategic partnerships, and collective impact can transform the way you fund your mission.In this episode, Gary and Aaron Coe discuss:Journey from music business to nonprofit leadershipStorytelling is the core of effective fundraisingCompeting for donor attention and breaking through noiseCollective Impact Alliances and donor-driven collaborationDonor relationships, due diligence, and political/human dimensions of givingKey Takeaways:Most organizations don’t suffer from a pure fundraising problem; they struggle to tell a clear, compelling story that quickly communicates who they help and how.In a marketplace flooded with messages, clarity is a competitive advantage. Vague nuance loses, while “painfully clear” communication wins attention and dollars.Donors increasingly care more about the cause than the institution, which is fueling the rise of collaborative alliances where multiple organizations align around a shared objective.Sustainable fundraising is rooted in genuine relationships, where donors feel like essential partners in solving a problem, not mere transactions, writing checks.Even as government funding shifts, human beings consistently step up in times of real need, creating opportunities for innovation, diversified funding, and new partnerships across sectors."A philanthropic cause wins when they're able to develop a community of people around the cause who are dedicated to helping eradicate whatever problem they're trying to solve."  — Aaron CoeAbout Aaron Coe: Aaron B. Coe, Ph.D., is a visionary leader, strategist, and CEO of Future City Now, a consultancy dedicated to empowering mission-driven organizations with strategies that transform potential into significant impact. Aaron specializes in clarifying vision, crafting compelling campaigns, and cultivating immersive experiences that inspire meaningful action.With a proven track record of guiding nonprofit organizations, faith-based ministries, and educational institutions toward breakthrough results, Aaron’s leadership centers around one core belief: organizations don't face fundraising challenges; they face storytelling challenges. Leveraging his expertise in narrative-driven fundraising, Aaron has helped clients collectively raise millions in revenue, amplify their missions, and achieve sustainable growth.His innovative approach is rooted in decades of experience in leadership roles across nonprofit, educational, and faith sectors. Aaron’s background includes significant involvement with major campaigns and strategic projects, such as the Museum of the Bible’s Generations Membership Campaign, Passion Conferences’ global initiatives, and illumiNations' Twelve Verse Challenge, among others.A sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, Aaron holds a Ph.D. In Applied Theology and regularly lectures on strategic leadership, fundraising, and organizational sustainability. His thoughtful insights and practical methodologies have positioned him as a trusted advisor for CEOs, Chief Development Officers, and Chief Marketing Officers seeking transformative results.Aaron's passion extends beyond professional excellence; he is deeply committed to nurturing next-generation leaders, advocating for thoughtful stewardship of resources, and championing ambitious dreams that shape communities worldwide.Connect with Aaron Coe:  Website: https://www.futurecitynow.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-coe-51b64010b/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if everything you think you know about risk, real estate, and raising capital is backwards? In this episode, a three-time REIT founder who went from $15,000 to $10 billion in assets breaks down business models, AI, private markets, and how to think about risk like a real operator, not a textbook.In this episode, Gary and Chris Volk discuss:Evolution of REITs and “shadow banking” business modelsHow to raise large-scale capital from a standing startAI, tech, and the challenge of monetizing powerful toolsWhat risk really is vs. what business school teachesPublic vs. private markets, leverage, and investor alignmentKey Takeaways:The hardest part of building big companies today isn’t finding money; it’s assembling a strong leadership team, a real problem to solve, and a robust business model that can be optimized.Breakthrough technologies like search or AI only become enduring businesses when someone figures out how to monetize them with a clear, durable model.Many operating companies are better off renting real estate than owning it, using specialized landlords as a form of smarter, more flexible financing.Risk is fundamentally about downside and margin for error, not short‑term price volatility—high leverage isn’t automatically dangerous if it’s structured with a real cushion.Private vehicles and alternatives often hide more leverage, higher fees, and lower disclosure than their public counterparts, which can quietly raise risk even as they appear “less volatile.”"My whole thing in my career has been to convince people that they're better off having a landlord than a banker."  — Chris VolkAbout Chris Volk: Christopher (Chris) Volk is a veteran real estate finance entrepreneur, investor, and three‑time public company CEO who has helped reshape how operating companies use real estate capital. Over several decades in the REIT world, he has taken three companies public, including one he helped grow from just $15,000 of his own money into a platform with more than $10 billion in assets, ultimately attracting Berkshire Hathaway as its largest shareholder. Known as a “business model junkie,” Chris pioneered using net lease REITs as a form of “shadow banking,” financing mission‑critical real estate for operating companies so they can deploy their own capital into higher‑return opportunities.Today, as Chairman of Ten (Tenant) Corporation and a member of multiple boards, he writes and speaks extensively on valuation, capital formation, risk as “margin for error,” and why many businesses are better off with a landlord than a banker.Connect with Chris Volk:  Website: www.christopherhvolk.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisvolk2278 To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A shy, introverted engineer who couldn’t stand public speaking now leads a global “Love, Not Fear” alliance and a portfolio of impact-driven companies. In this episode, you’ll hear how re-framing every decision through love instead of fear transformed his life, leadership, and the way he builds businesses and relationships.In this episode, Gary and David Henzel discuss:Unconventional path from struggling student to serial entrepreneurLife-altering impact of his wife’s breast cancer diagnosisApplying business principles (roles, values, mission) to family life“Love, Not Fear” as a framework for decisions, sales, and cultureBuilding conscious, self-managed, stakeholder-focused companiesKey Takeaways:Major life shocks can become powerful catalysts to reassess your path, redefine success, and shift from chasing money to pursuing meaningful impact.Borrowing tools from business, like roles and responsibilities, vision, mission, and core values, can dramatically reduce friction and increase harmony at home.Reframing decisions from fear (“What will they think of me?”) to love (“How can this help them?”) can completely change your relationship with public speaking, sales, and leadership.Hiring and developing people for culture, values, and mission alignment—not just skills—creates environments where employees think and act like intrapreneurs.Conscious, stakeholder-focused business models and shared ownership structures may be a key part of the future of work, narrowing the wealth gap while increasing performance and engagement."Every decision in life, you either make it from a place of love or a place of fear."  — David HenzelAbout David Henzel: David Henzel is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Love Not Fear, an alliance devoted to helping people and organizations make decisions from a place of love instead of fear. Starting his career as a shy, introverted engineer who bounced through 14 schools and struggled with authority, he stumbled into entrepreneurship and went on to build and exit multiple successful companies in e‑commerce, SaaS, and services.A life‑changing chapter began when his wife was diagnosed—twice—with breast cancer. That wake‑up call pushed him to rethink what success meant, sell his existing business, and focus on work that creates real impact. Along the way, he discovered that applying business tools—clear roles, responsibilities, vision, mission, and core values—to family life dramatically reduced conflict and increased alignment at home.Today, David runs a portfolio of conscious companies, including a BPO firm (LTVplus), a marketing agency (Shortlist), a recruiting company (LNF People), a coaching and cohort platform (UpCoach), and a retreat center in Bodrum, Turkey—where he now lives. Across all of them, his mission is consistent: build self‑managed, values‑driven organizations where people act like intrapreneurs, grow personally and professionally, and where money is the side effect of truly providing value.Connect with David Henzel:  Website: https://lovenotfear.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhenzel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidhenzel/ Register new Love Not Fear account: https://app.lovenotfear.com/register?vi=70435a1d-453a-45cd-b022-4aa800dbc47d To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Most founders think the problem is their team or the market, Kevin Mays says it’s their own thinking. In this episode, he reveals how “founder syndrome,” outdated mental software, and comfort zones quietly cap your business and your life.In this episode, Gary and Kevin Mays discuss:Leaving the traditional engineering/corporate pathMotorcycle journey, breakdown, and transformative “nothing to lose” momentConsciousness, cognition, and leading yourself firstFounder syndrome and the limits of control in leadershipBalancing wealth, vision, and a truly fulfilling lifeKey Takeaways:Life-changing clarity often comes when you realize you have nothing to lose and full responsibility for what happens next.Much of adult behavior is driven by unconscious patterns and “software” installed in childhood, not genuine free will.Successful founders frequently sabotage their own companies by clinging to control instead of empowering the high-caliber leaders they hire.True leadership mastery rests on presence, self-awareness, clear intention, and a compelling vision that guides decisions.Money alone cannot fill inner emptiness; aligning clients, work, and relationships with your values creates far deeper satisfaction.“Most of us think we're operating out of a place of free will, and the reality is, there are deeply ingrained patterns that are driving us more than we know.”  — Kevin MaysAbout Kevin Mays: Dr. Kevin Mays is a leadership coach, speaker, author, and strategist dedicated to helping leaders grow with cohesion, clarity, and purpose. With years of experience guiding executives and teams, Dr. Mays blends research-based insight with practical application to create meaningful, lasting change.Grab a copy of The Vision Mastery Playbook for FREE: https://vision.maysleadership.com/ Pre-Order the book Lead Yourself First: https://leadyourselffirst.maysleadership.com/ Connect with Kevin Mays:  Website: https://maysleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kevin-mays/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Is your leadership built for a sprint or for a rock-tumbler world that never slows down? In this episode, Tony Loyd breaks down how to endure as a leader when your health, marriage, and career all get stress-tested at once.In this episode, Gary and Tony Loyd discuss:Early career in nuclear health physics and radiation protectionPivot from technical expertise to learning, development, and human performanceIntrapreneurship at John Deere and building John Deere UniversityMajor life pivots: retirement, social entrepreneurship, divorce, and lung cancerCreation of the Endurance Leadership framework and legacy-focused IPKey Takeaways:A career path rarely follows a straight line; seemingly unrelated experiences can compound into a unique and powerful leadership perspective.Technical expertise can be a gateway into deeper work on human behavior, systems thinking, and organizational performance.Intrapreneurial initiatives, like building a university inside a 150-year-old company, can turn cost centers into value-generating engines when they’re aligned with sustainable, profitable growth.Life shocks such as divorce and a cancer diagnosis can act as clarifying moments, pushing you to focus urgently on what you’re truly here to do.Enduring as a leader in a “rock tumbler” world of constant churn requires a mindset more like an endurance athlete than a short-distance sprinter, supported by intentional practices, frameworks, and community.“If you take the mindset of an endurance athlete and you put together that with your leadership experience, you end up with endurance leadership.”  — Tony LoydAbout Tony Loyd: Tony Loyd is a former Fortune 500 executive, endurance athlete, and lung cancer survivor who helps executive teams build what he calls Endurance Leadership—resilience that’s backed by science and forged through real-world experience. His unconventional career began in nuclear health physics and evolved into learning and development, human performance improvement, and senior leadership roles at companies like John Deere, Medtronic, and Buffalo Wild Wings. At John Deere, he helped launch John Deere University, an intrapreneurial venture that transformed a traditional cost center into a value-generating learning platform.After taking early retirement, Tony turned his focus to social entrepreneurship, launching the Social Entrepreneur podcast and authoring the Amazon #1 bestselling book Crazy Good Advice: 10 Lessons Learned from 150 Leading Social Entrepreneurs. A divorce and a lung cancer diagnosis—followed by surgery that removed 25% of his lungs—became a defining pivot point. He adopted the personal motto, “Life is short, play big, love hard,” and set out to pour his remaining time and energy into helping leaders endure and thrive in what he describes as a “rock tumbler” world.Today, through Culture Shift Advisors and the emerging Culture Shift Institute, Tony delivers keynotes, workshops, and executive coaching grounded in his Endurance Leadership framework, which integrates neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and habit formation. He’s training leaders to get “100% out of 75%” by staying calm under pressure, clarifying purpose, navigating change, and sustaining performance over the long haul—without relying on hype or quick fixes.Connect with Tony Loyd:  Website: https://tonyloyd.com | https://cultureshift.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyloyd   Facebook: https://facebook.com/tony.loyd    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyloyd  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@anthonyloyd  Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/37585002  YouTube: https://youtube.com/@tonyloyd  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealtonyloyd  To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if your real superpower isn’t your resume, but the way you connect people? Composer‑turned‑super‑connector David Homan reveals how he turned a life in music into a global network that runs on trust, empathy, and radical intentionality.In this episode, Gary and David Homan discuss:Early musical influences and creative processVisualizing music, emotion, and narrative in compositionFrom composer to “connector of connectors”Designing intentional, trust-based networking communitiesTechnology, AI, and the future of relationship-building (SOAR)Key Takeaways:A creative path can evolve from one medium to another; skills developed in music, like sensing emotion and narrative, can later translate into building human networks and communities.The real magic in music and in relationships is intentionality: when every choice is made to create a specific emotional experience, people feel as if they were “meant” to encounter it in that moment.Many so-called networking events fail because they reward surface-level status games; designing spaces around generosity, asking for what you need, and mutual trust creates far more powerful outcomes.Relationship value quietly underpins almost everything important in business—deals, fundraising, political support—yet the people who specialize in making those connections are often undervalued and under-recognized.Technology and AI can’t automate trust, but they can augment thoughtful humans by organizing relationship data, amplifying authentic connectors, and helping purposeful communities scale without losing their core values.“Everyone was in an ecosystem. By dominating it, they were limiting themselves.” — David HomanAbout David Homan: David Homan is the founder and CEO of Orchestrated Connecting, a global community built on the power of authentic relationships. He also leads Orchestrated Opportunities, hosts the Orchestrated podcast, composes classical music, and somehow still finds time to be a dad from middle-class roots to some of the most private circles in the world.Connect with David Homan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrhoman/ Website: https://www.instagram.com/the_connection_orchestrator/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Gary and Doug Brown discuss:Early entrepreneurial lessons and leverage in sellingMilitary discipline, resilience, and leadership applied to businessIdentifying and pursuing the “ideal right-fit buyer.”Fixing broken sales models in financial services and advisory practicesRelationship-based selling, follow-up systems, and mindset “thermostat.”Key Takeaways:Long-term success in sales comes from focusing on the “ideal right-fit buyer,” not trying to sell to everyone who can fog a mirror.Time is as important a currency as money; every client you accept consumes emotional, operational, and relational bandwidth.The depth and quality of a client relationship are often determined by how you run the first real meeting and whether you focus on understanding their “why,” not just selling a product.Systematic follow-up and genuine personal care can turn individual clients into multi-six-figure (or more) relationship assets over time.Income and performance are capped by an internal “thermostat” of identity and beliefs; unless that mind flow is raised, people will unconsciously self-sabotage back to their comfort level.“Our presentation of value has no value to the other person unless they perceive it as value to them.”  — Doug BrownAbout Doug Brown: Doug C. Brown is a revenue growth strategist and founder of CEO Sales Strategies, where he helps companies and entrepreneurs systematically win their ideal right-fit clients. A lifelong entrepreneur, he began selling in his father’s industrial machinery business as a child, learning early the power of leverage and margins.After 12 years in the U.S. Army, Doug built and scaled multiple businesses and has been involved in 37 ventures over his career. His success in sales led him to work with marketing legend Jay Conrad Levinson and business strategist Chet Holmes, eventually becoming President of Sales and Training for the Chet Holmes organization.When Tony Robbins partnered with Chet Holmes, Doug led training and sales for their joint venture, helping thousands of entrepreneurs and significantly boosting company revenues. Today, he focuses on helping CEOs, founders, and advisors grow high-revenue, relationship-driven businesses through better client selection, systems, and mindset.Connect with Doug Brown:  Website: https://ceosalesstrategies.com/ | https://vibitno.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dougcbrown123/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbrown123/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougcbrown_/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Gary and Morag Barrett discuss:Nonlinear career path from banking to executive coachingThe missing “who” in business successBuilding intentional leadership habits that stickFounder-to-CEO transition and letting go of controlThe power of allies and friendships at workKey Takeaways:Technical brilliance and a great business idea are never enough; the real differentiator is who you are as a leader and how you relate to people.Sustainable leadership change comes from small, repeatable habits that can survive chaos, not from one-off “aha” moments in a workshop or keynote.Founders often struggle when they try to carry everything alone; the shift to treating leadership as a team sport is essential for scale and sanity.Many leaders underestimate how their everyday behavior shapes culture, especially under stress, and fail to see the ripple effects they create across their teams.Professional success is tightly linked to the depth and health of your work relationships; without trusted allies at work, leaders become isolated, vulnerable, and less effective.“If you're not willing to do something different yourself, then nothing will change.” — Morag BarrettAbout Morag Barrett: Morag Barrett is the CEO of SkyeTeam, a global leadership development and executive coaching firm dedicated to helping leaders and teams thrive through stronger relationships and meaningful connections. With a career that began in banking and evolved through senior roles in executive development for global telecoms, she brings a rare blend of commercial savvy and human-centered insight to her work.She has coached more than 20,000 leaders worldwide, from high-growth founders to Fortune 500 executives, and specializes in working with highly technical, engineering, and technology leaders who need to elevate their people and leadership skills. Morag is a sought-after keynote speaker on human connection and workplace relationships, known for her practical, no-nonsense approach to “taking the junior high out of the workplace.”Morag is the author of You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work and How to Show Up as One and the newly updated second edition of Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships. Through her books, keynotes, and coaching, she equips leaders to build trust, break down silos, create allyship at work, and navigate change with clarity and confidence—proving that business success is powered by relationships, and success in life is fueled by connection.Connect with Morag Barrett:  Website: https://skyeteam.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/ Blog: https://skyeteam.com/blog/ Listeners are invited to complete their complimentary Ally Mindset Profile: https://www.skyeteam.cloud/youmewe To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Gary and Patrick Thean discuss:Patrick’s career journeyDecision-making and career inflection pointsEntrepreneurship and building software companiesExecution, leadership, and helping CEOs succeedSuccession, roles, and designing a sustainable leadership lifeKey Takeaways:Choose people over positions. Major career decisions were made based on the people involved and the joy of working with them, rather than purely on role, technology, or salary.Execution beats strategy. Companies usually don’t fail because of bad ideas; they fail because they can’t reliably execute. Leading indicators, early warning systems, and clear commitments are essential.The biggest challenges in business are team dynamics, trust, and alignment, not the engineering or technical issues. Healthy teams can turn average ideas into outstanding results.Overthinking blocks progress. Intelligence and experience can create paralysis by analysis. You don’t need to know every step—have a direction, then take the next concrete step (start the company, do the interview, launch the podcast).Sustainable leadership requires succession and focus. Long-term success depends on developing successors, narrowing your role to your highest-value work, and creating space to think instead of constantly operating in crisis mode."Execution is the main reason why most companies fail, not because they don't have strategy, not because they don't know what to do, but they can't deliver on their commitments." — Patrick TheanAbout Patrick Thean: Patrick is an award-winning entrepreneur, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and a leading expert on strategy execution. He is the creator of the Think Plan Do® process and co-founder of Rhythm Systems®, where he coaches CEOs and executive teams on leadership, strategic planning, and accountability. His methods have helped thousands of leaders dramatically improve execution and, in many cases, significantly increase company valuations.Previously, he founded and led Metasys, Inc., which ranked 151st on the Inc. 500 and earned him Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award (North Carolina). His tools and frameworks have been taught in the EO/MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Programme and at Cornell University. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell and has been happily married for over thirty years, actively supporting his wife and two daughters as they pursue their dreams.Connect with Patrick Thean:  Website: https://www.rhythmsystems.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickthean/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Steve Preda: Steve Preda was born and raised in Hungary, where his early curiosity for business and leadership inspired him to build his first company—an investment banking firm that he later grew and successfully sold. Seeking new challenges, he moved with his family to the United States, where he began coaching Vistage CEO peer groups and discovered his passion for guiding entrepreneurs. His journey led him to become an EOS Implementer, a Pinnacle Business Guide, and eventually the creator of Summit OS® and Strategy OS®, two business operating systems that help leaders scale their companies with clarity, discipline, and vision.Beyond his professional achievements, Steve is a devoted husband and father who lives near Richmond, Virginia. He loves playing tennis, listening to jazz, and traveling with his family. His life reflects the same values he teaches—resilience, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous growth—qualities that continue to shape his mission of helping entrepreneurs build not just thriving businesses, but fulfilling lives.In this episode, Gary and Steve Preda discuss:How Steve’s global finance career led to entrepreneurship and coachingLessons from growing and nearly losing an investment bank in Hungary and EuropeWhy most consulting and EOS-style operating systems fall short for long-term growthDesigning Summit OSEradicating “business COVID.”Key Takeaways:Your zigzag career is an advantage. Steve’s path from Big 4 to investment banking to founder to coach shows how each “chapter” becomes a compound experience you can later leverage for a bigger impact.Most companies don’t need a new vision; they need execution – for 99% of businesses, the biggest growth lever is nailing the basics: clear culture, strategic plan, KPIs, and disciplined meetings.Traditional consulting and EOS-style models often fail long-term. “Graduating” clients sounds good, but in reality, it removes accountability and support, and performance usually atrophies.The right clients are curious and willing to change – growth comes from CEOs who are coachable, willing to adjust their team, and care more about building a great business than staying comfortable.“Business COVID” is real but preventable. Most business deaths (cash crunch, disruption, commoditization, talent and succession failures) can be avoided with a long-term, customizable system like Summit OS."I think it's very difficult to do great things if you don't enjoy it. I don't imagine how someone can sustain the intensity of the work without getting an emotional high out of it." — Steve PredaConnect with Steve Preda:  Website: https://summitos.co/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepreda/ LinkedIn Summit OS: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stevepreda-com/ Apple Podcast: https://bit.ly/MBPpodcast  YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/MBPodcastPlaylistYT   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steveipreda/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevepreda/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@summitos_creator Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevePredaCom   Amazon: amazon.com/author/stevepreda To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Jim Bishop: Jim Bishop is the founder of Conjunction Leadership and an executive coach for founders, CEOs, and senior leaders in tech, ag-tech, biotech, and the life sciences. With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in science—his master’s in physiology and behavior—Jim blends a deep understanding of the nervous and endocrine systems with practical leadership development.After starting his career in applied science and technical service, Jim realized the hardest problems weren’t technical; they were human. That insight led him into instructional design, corporate leadership training, talent management, and ultimately executive coaching. Today, he helps high-achieving, analytically minded leaders work at the intersection of biology, behavior, and belief—releasing stored stress and reactive patterns, setting stronger boundaries, and expanding what they believe is possible for their careers and lives.Jim is also the author of The Adventure Within, which chronicles real client journeys to show how meaningful change comes not from controlling the external world, but from transforming the internal one.In this episode, Gary and Jim Bishop discuss:How a “beautiful accident” took Jim from physiology and behavior into executive coachingLeading at the axis of biology, behavior, and beliefWhen unprocessed emotion becomes back pain: the body’s role in big career choicesEscaping hustle culture: boundaries, biology, and belief shifts for sustainable successGuiding scientists and analytic leaders into emotional awareness and creative leadershipKey Takeaways:The science may be straightforward, but people are not. Jim’s shift from applied science to leadership coaching began when he saw that aligning people is far more complex than solving technical problems.Beliefs are biological, not just mental. Our nervous and endocrine systems lock in emotional patterns that quietly drive behavior—until we learn how to work with them.Trauma isn’t always catastrophic. It’s often made of repeated stress and feeling unseen, stored in the body as tension that quietly constrains our future choices.High achievers hit an “upper limit” of belief, not talent. Their internal belief system decides what feels safe or possible. Real growth requires recalibrating both biology and mindset.Leadership transformation means moving from reactive to creative. When leaders stop replaying old survival patterns, they can intentionally design new behaviors aligned with who they want to become.“We might be the greatest inflicter of our own emotional trauma, sometimes, because we isolate ourselves in the middle of those strong feelings, not knowing what they are, and there's nowhere for them to go.”— Jim BishopConnect with Jim Bishop:  Website: www.conjunctionleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdbishop/ To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Derek Fredrickson: With over 16 years of experience as Chief Operating Officer at Boldheart and other six—and seven-figure businesses, Derek witnessed firsthand how transformative a robust operational strategy can be for entrepreneurs who are ready to scale but feel overwhelmed. Running a business often means getting bogged down in the day-to-day tasks, becoming the bottleneck, and losing sight of the vision that sparked the business in the first place. That’s where he comes in.As the founder of The COO Solution, he specializes in helping business owners break free from the operational grind and reclaim their time while confidently scaling their businesses. His approach is built on a foundation of systems, processes, and structures that allow your business to run like a well-oiled machine—without you having to oversee every detail. By stepping in as your trusted second-in-command, Derek ensures that your team is aligned, held accountable, and equipped to execute your vision smoothly so you can focus on what you do best: leading, strategizing, and growing your business.In this episode, Gary and Derek Fredrickson discuss:What a fractional COO/Second-in-Command really doesGetting founders out of the day-to-day to scaleDesigning and launching Rainmaker for financial advisorsStrategic decisions around funding, cap tables, and exit vs. scaleFocusing on one vertical before expanding to othersKey Takeaways:Trust isn’t created through big moments. It’s built quietly, over time, through consistency and follow-through.Not every decision needs to be made immediately. Sometimes the most strategic move is waiting until the picture becomes clearer.Long-term thinking changes how pressure feels. When the goal is durability, short-term noise matters less.Leadership often requires restraint. Knowing when not to act can be just as important as knowing when to move.“You can't scale complexity, but you can scale simplicity.” — Derek FredricksonConnect with Derek Fredrickson:  Website: https://thecoosolution.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekfredrickson/  To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Doug Thorpe: Doug Thorpe is an executive coach, leadership advisor, and founder of a highly regarded leadership and management development firm serving both Fortune 500 companies and growth-focused entrepreneurs. Shaped early by watching his single mother build an interior design business from scratch, Doug learned firsthand the realities of risk, responsibility, and resilience.Over the course of his career, he has combined that entrepreneurial foundation with a deep commitment to servant leadership, mentorship, and faith-driven wisdom. Doug now specializes in helping owner–founders of middle-market companies—typically $5M–$50M in revenue with teams of 10+—move beyond “founder-itis,” build high-functioning leadership teams, and turn their companies into scalable, saleable assets.In this episode, Gary and Doug Thorpe discuss:Growing up around entrepreneurship and how early exposure to risk and responsibility shapes leadersThe role of mentors in developing wisdom—and why experience alone isn’t enoughFear, limiting beliefs, and why change feels harder than it actually is Why many founders struggle to scale—and how “founder-itis” caps growth What it really takes to build a leadership team and a saleable business assetKey Takeaways:Leadership often begins with service, not authority. Early responsibility and a desire to help others can quietly shape how someone leads later in life.Experience only becomes wisdom when paired with honest self-reflection. Without reflection, people repeat the same patterns—mistakes included.Fear is rarely about the change itself. It’s about the story we tell ourselves about what might happen if we fail. Growth stalls when founders believe only they can do things “the right way.” Building systems and trusting others is the difference between a lifestyle business and a saleable one."There is a value in finding out a way to claim those wins and stack them up like blocks in your foundation." — Doug ThorpeConnect with Doug Thorpe:  Website: https://dougthorpe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougthorpe/   Podcasts: https://podcasts.dougthorpe.com  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dougthorpe_com  Facebook: https://facebook.com/headwayexec Instagram: https://instagram.com/dougthorpe_com  YELP: https://www.yelp.com/biz/headwayexec-houston-4   To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Dean Mathews: Dean Mathews is the founder and CEO of OnTheClock, a time‑tracking and payroll platform serving over 18,000 businesses with tools for employee time tracking, scheduling, payroll, and PTO. A self‑taught developer who started by building custom software for local companies, Dean grew OnTheClock from a kitchen‑table side project into a scalable SMB solution known for being easy, reliable, and intuitive to use. Today, he leads a growing team focused on practical product design, strong culture, and helping small businesses run more efficiently while building happier, more productive teams.In this episode, Gary and Dean Mathews discuss:Dean’s entrepreneurial and technical origin storyThe creation and growth of OnTheClockProduct philosophy: usability, reliability, and UXIntuition, pattern recognition, and the emotional side of entrepreneurshipKey Takeaways:Some of the most valuable business lessons don’t come from classrooms or formal training. They come from making decisions without a safety net and owning the outcome.Responsibility and real consequences change how you think—and when the stakes are real, learning accelerates fast.Confidence grows through repetition, not perfection. Getting things wrong is often part of getting better.Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being willing to learn, adapt, and move forward anyway."There's always a fear element…But fear isn't the thing, it's the courage that matters." — Dean MathewsConnect with Dean Mathews:  Website: https://www.ontheclock.com/ LinedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dean-mathews-yes | https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontheclock-com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ontheclocktimeclock YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OnTheClockTimeClock To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Anders Jones: Anders Jones is the co-founder and CEO of Facet Wealth, a financial planning firm built to serve the massively underserved mass affluent market with affordable, subscription-based advice from dedicated CFP professionals. Prior to Facet, Anders was a founding partner of Argyle Ventures. Argyle invests in emerging startup markets, with a focus on advertising, technology, financial technology, and healthcare IT. Prior to Argyle, Anders was on the early team at LiveRamp (acquired by Acxiom for $310 million), and has been involved as an investor or advisor in many other startups in Silicon Valley.In this episode, Gary and Anders Jones discuss:Why the traditional asset-based advisory model excludes millions who still need real guidanceHow the DOL fiduciary rule exposed a massive cost-of-service problem in financial adviceThe shift from B2B to direct-to-consumer—and what finally unlocked growthWhy human advisors, trust, and empathy still matter in an increasingly automated worldKey Takeaways:Entire industries can overlook enormous opportunities simply because serving them doesn’t fit existing business models. That doesn’t mean the need isn’t real—or urgent.Financial advice isn’t just about numbers. Trust, empathy, and consistent human connection are often more valuable than technical optimization.Scaling service doesn’t require sacrificing quality, but it does require rethinking how time, technology, and human expertise are allocated.For many people, the real competition isn’t another firm—it’s doing nothing. Education and clarity are often the first steps to meaningful engagement."We refer to our advisors as therapists with calculators." — Anders JonesConnect with Anders Jones:  Website: https://facet.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anders-jones/ Email: [email protected]  To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Geoff Thatcher: Geoff Thatcher is an experienced designer, author, and founder of Creative Principals, a studio that translates stories into immersive physical experiences for brands, museums, and attractions. Throughout his career—from amusement parks and journalism to leadership development and experience design, he’s consistently chosen opportunity over certainty, learning through experimentation rather than rigid long-term plans. His perspective blends creative pragmatism with a belief that career success should support a meaningful life, not replace it.In this episode, Gary and Geoff Thatcher discuss:Why traditional career paths no longer fit most modern professionalsLearning through experimentation instead of long-term planningBalancing ambition with family, identity, and personal fulfillmentThe role of risk, uncertainty, and self-trust in building a meaningful lifeKey Takeaways:Most people overestimate the level of certainty they need before taking action. Progress often comes from movement first and clarity later.Career decisions don’t have to follow a straight line to be successful. Nonlinear paths can create broader skills, a stronger perspective, and more resilient confidence.Ambition without reflection leads to burnout. Building a life that actually feels good requires regularly questioning why you’re chasing the next milestone in the first place.Long-term fulfillment isn’t found in optimization. It’s built through relationships, self-trust, and the willingness to live without having every step planned."It's not about the technology. It's always about the story and how, what's gonna, what's the best way to communicate that story." — Geoff ThatcherConnect with Geoff Thatcher:  Website: https://www.creativeprincipals.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffthatcher/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geoffthatcher/ X: https://x.com/geoffthatcher To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Jan Rutherford: Jan Rutherford is a former U.S. Army Green Beret, leadership development expert, executive coach, author, and podcast host. His career spans Special Forces service, healthcare and pharmaceutical leadership, entrepreneurship, academia, and executive coaching. Drawing from his experiences as a Green Beret medic, instructor, corporate executive, and CEO, Jan helps senior leaders and executive teams develop discipline, strategic clarity, and authentic leadership. His work focuses on helping leaders better manage time, people, and complexity while building lives rooted in service, balance, and purpose. Jan is also deeply committed to helping veterans successfully transition from military to civilian leadership roles. In this episode, Gary and Jan Rutherford discuss:Jan’s unconventional journey from a 101-pound high school senior to earning a Green Beret at age 19The discipline, sacrifice, and mindset required to endure Special Forces trainingWhy sales experience is foundational for leadership and long-term business successHow leadership development, coaching, and teaching became Jan’s lifelong callingKey Takeaways:Doing hard things early in life builds discipline and confidence that carry forward into every stage of leadership.Leadership is developed through experience, accountability, and service—not titles or credentials alone.Skills gained in sales, communication, and relationship-building are critical to entrepreneurial success.The best leaders simplify complexity and help others grow, rather than seeking control or recognition."Everybody's got great ideas, everybody's got great values, everybody's got great goals, but the difference is the discipline to execute the sacrifices that will be made." — Jan RutherfordConnect with Jan Rutherford:  Website: https://selfreliantleadership.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford/ Book (Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1637745591?tag=randohouseinc7986-20 To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Laurie Battaglia: Laurie Battaglia is the CEO of Aligned at Work and a leadership coach known for helping organizations dismantle unhealthy hierarchies and build cultures where people and performance can thrive. With decades of experience in organizational development, her work centers on trust, accountability, and authentic leadership that drives measurable results. She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Index® Master Practitioner through iPEC. Her approach blends vulnerability, transparency, and direct conversation—turning so-called “soft skills” into real competitive advantages. Through storytelling, truth-telling, and practical assessment tools, she challenges leaders to rethink power, lead themselves first, and create workplaces rooted in self-awareness, respect, and sustained impact.In this episode, Gary and Laurie Battaglia discuss:What it really feels like to leave a long corporate career and start a business later in life Why most leadership training fails without accountability and follow-through How trust, facilitation, and psychological safety unlock better performance in teams The growing leadership gap in industries facing generational turnover—and why apprenticeship models matter Key Takeaways:Starting a business almost always takes longer than expected. Preparation helps, but persistence matters more once the leap is made.Training without accountability doesn’t create change. Measurement, follow-up, and peer visibility are what turn learning into lasting behavior.The most effective leaders don’t dominate the room. They create space where others feel safe enough to think, speak, and contribute honestly. Skills don’t transfer by osmosis. If organizations don’t intentionally teach relationship-building, communication, and leadership judgment, those capabilities quietly disappear over time."It's not what we're doing, it's how we're doing it." — Laurie BattagliaConnect with Laurie Battaglia:  Website: https://alignedatwork.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lauriebattaglia/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alignedatwork1052 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alignedatwork To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About George Pesansky: George Pesansky is a leadership expert, educator, and founder of MyBlendedLearning.com, a training and development firm focused on deliberate improvement, risk management, and building high-performing teams. Drawing from experience across the military, manufacturing, and corporate consulting, his work helps individuals and organizations unlock sustainable performance through systems, empowerment, and practical skill-building.A former Army officer and long-time advisor to global industrial organizations, he has spent decades teaching leaders how to develop people, manage complexity, and create environments where teams can succeed—even in the leader’s absence. His new book, Superperformance, packs eight proven strategies to help you stop chasing peak performance—and start living it every day.In this episode, Gary and George Pesansky discuss:How early leadership instincts and military service shaped a lifelong approach to servant leadership Transitioning from the Army into private industry—and learning to lead without technical expertise Rethinking risk as something to anticipate, manage, and mitigate long before a crisis hits Why true leadership success means systems and teams function effectively—even when you’re not thereKey Takeaways:Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating clarity around purpose, empowering people to take ownership, and trusting the systems you’ve built to carry the mission forward. Risk feels frightening when it’s treated as an emergency. When identified early and broken into manageable pieces, it becomes something that can be planned for rather than feared.Technical expertise matters less than listening and learning. Teams perform best when leaders focus on the “why,” not just the “how,” and give people room to grow into responsibility.Sustainable performance shows up when the leader’s presence is no longer required for success. If everything breaks when you step away, the work isn’t finished yet.“Risk is really a function of time, and the more time you have, the more options you have.” — George PesanskyConnect with George Pesansky:  Website: https://georgepesansky.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deliberateimprovement/   X: https://x.com/SuperPerformnz  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/george.pesansky For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Myles Powell: Myles is a business leader and problem solver with 10+ years of experience scaling companies, managing multimillion-dollar projects, and coaching entrepreneurs. As Founder & CEO of Myles Comfort Foods, he built a national brand distributed in 700+ retail locations and raised over $1M in capital. His background also spans utility project management, financial services as a mortgage loan officer, and fitness coaching.Myles thrives in roles where every day is different—combining his analytical skills with his passion for people, business development, and strategy. Whether building growth playbooks, managing cross-functional teams, or supporting clients with financial and fitness goals, he brings energy, adaptability, and a proven track record of advancing quickly and delivering results.In this episode, Gary and Myles Powell discuss:How Myles walked away from engineering to build Myles Comfort Foods from scratchTurning a homemade barbecue sauce and food blog into a retail-ready CPG brandThe scrappy early days: shared kitchens, farmers markets, and bootstrapping into Whole Foods and TargetWhy relentless learning, risk-taking, and “hunger for more” drive Myles’ vision for clean comfort food everywhereKey Takeaways:You don’t need the perfect plan to start—just keep stepping into the next obvious move and learn the rest on the fly.Side hustling can be the real MBA: from filing trademarks to renting kitchen space and hand-delivering product, the best CPG lessons often come from doing.Listening to the market can change everything—the shift from sauce to frozen comfort foods came directly from real customer behavior at farmers' markets.Being obsessed with progress and lifelong learning turns every job, failure, and pivot into a license to learn, not a finish line."I always had this entrepreneurship spirit, and I wanted to figure out what to do with it, and I knew food had to be involved." — Myles PowellConnect with Myles Powell:  Website: https://www.mylescomfortfoods.com/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About David Carter: David Carter is a serial entrepreneur, longtime CEO mentor, and founder of The Truth Contract, a platform created to challenge mainstream narratives and investigate the systems shaping our health, freedoms, and future. He began his career in high finance in the late ’70s and ’80s, working on leveraged buyouts and private equity across the US, Europe, and the Middle East before a blunt mentor told him he was “on the wrong side of the table,” pushing him into ownership and entrepreneurship. David went on to build and exit several ventures—including UK golf and country club businesses, one of which floated on London’s AIM stock market—and spent about 25 years mentoring CEOs of major companies, focusing on the leadership “performance X-factor.” Today, through The Truth Contract, he channels that experience into deep-dive conversations and research aimed at helping people see through illusion, better evaluate “truth,” and safeguard the next generation.In this episode, Gary and David Carter discuss:Leaving a successful career in finance to step into ownership, risk, and entrepreneurship The idea of a leadership “X-factor” and why intuition often outperforms spreadsheets when evaluating people Why handwritten letters still open doors in a digital-first world—and how intentional effort builds trust The origins of The Truth Contract and the motivation behind questioning mainstream narratives and information systems Key Takeaways:Career breakthroughs often begin with uncomfortable honesty. Being told you’re “on the wrong side of the table” can be the push that turns a high performer into an owner and builder.Intuition isn’t mystical—it’s pattern recognition sharpened over time. Deep exposure to people, cultures, and decisions creates an internal compass that leaders ignore at their own risk. Effort signals intent. A handwritten letter, thoughtful outreach, or deliberate follow-up communicates seriousness in a way frictionless digital communication rarely does.Questioning accepted narratives requires courage and discernment. The challenge isn’t just accessing information; it’s learning how to evaluate truth, bias, and motivation without falling into fear or apathy."I don't want my grandchildren to end up being incapable of having their own children because I didn't do something on my watch." — David CarterConnect with David Carter:  Website: https://www.thetruthcontract.co.uk/https://www.spermegggeddon.com/ X: https://x.com/truth_contract  Reddit- https://thetruthcontract.substack.com/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Lamell McMorris: Dr. Lamell McMorris is a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of business, justice, and social impact, and the best-selling author of The Power to Persist: 8 Simple Habits to Build Lifelong Resilience. His work draws from his South Side Chicago roots to offer a practical, inspiring framework for turning challenges into purpose and momentum.Building on the book’s mission, he hosts The Power to Persist podcast, where he speaks with changemakers and leaders about resilience, justice, and transformational leadership.Dr. McMorris is the founder and CEO of Phase 2 Consulting, advising Fortune 100 executives, nonprofit leaders, and public sector decision-makers on aligning purpose with performance. He also founded Greenlining Realty® USA, a mission-driven development firm revitalizing underserved communities—including his childhood neighborhood of Woodlawn, Chicago.He serves as Senior Vice Chair of the National Urban League Board of Trustees and sits on several nonprofit and academic boards, continuing his lifelong advocacy for civil, economic, and human rights.With degrees from Morehouse College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Northeastern University, Dr. McMorris remains committed to advancing a movement of resilience—one that strengthens communities, empowers leaders, and inspires people to persist with purpose.In this episode, Gary and Lamell McMorris discuss:How being fired at age 27 became the catalyst that redirected his life toward entrepreneurship and advocacy What it really takes to break into lobbying with no connections, no political pedigree, and 40,000 competitors in Washington, D.C. Why childhood exposure to policy, politics, and community leadership shaped his life’s calling The meaning of resilience—on the individual level, within families, and across communities—and why it matters now more than everKey Takeaways:Major career pivots often begin with what feels like failure. Losing a job can become the moment that frees you to pursue the work you were actually meant to do. It’s not enough to have expertise—you need conviction, perspective, and the humility to build relationships that bridge communities, corporations, and public service.Leaders who serve others first create impact that lasts. Advocacy, whether in public policy or business, is ultimately the act of showing up for people who rely on you.Resilience isn’t just a personal trait; it’s a generational investment. The way we show up today shapes what young people learn, inherit, and believe is possible."Resilience cuts across all sectors, not just for individuals, not just the habits that we need to embody as individuals, but frankly, the habits that we need to embody from an industry standpoint as entrepreneurs and for communities." — Lamell McMorrisConnect with Lamell McMorris:  Website: http://www.lamellmcmorris.com/ | http://www.phase2-consulting.com/ | http://www.greenliningrealtyusa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamellmcmorris Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lamellmc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088140180810 For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Rob Cromer: Rob Cromer is the CEO of Aisle3, an Amazon-first agency built for founder-led brands that want real scale without losing their identity. He calls Amazon the Third Aisle of commerce, the place where volume lives, competition is real, and the details decide who grows. His background runs from capital markets to ad tech to performance marketing, which shapes how he thinks, part operator, part strategist, part sales floor analyst. Before Aisle3, he co-founded and scaled Adcade, a venture-backed ad tech company.Today, he leads a fully in-house team across creative, catalog, advertising, fulfillment, and strategy, all built around one idea: brands win on Amazon when the people doing the work sit close to the work. Aisle3 has been recognized by Adweek as one of the fastest-growing agencies and ranked on the Inc. 5000 list. Rob is an active voice in the conversations around marketplaces, brand strategy, and the future of retail. His focus is simple: help brands grow with clear thinking, sharp execution, and zero compromise on who they are.In this episode, Gary and Rob Cromer discuss:How Rob went from a political science major to equities trading to entrepreneurship in New York City The rise and unraveling of his first venture-backed startup—and the painful lessons that followed Why Aisle Three exists, what “the third aisle” really means, and how marketplace strategy shapes modern commerce The emotional side of entrepreneurship: identity, ego, burnout, ayahuasca, and rebuilding trust in yourself after failureKey Takeaways:Venture capital can accelerate growth, but misaligned incentives can just as easily derail a company. The people you partner with matter just as much as the capital itself.Failure doesn’t end when a business closes; it lingers in identity, confidence, and self-worth. Finding your way back may require radical honesty, rest, or even stepping far outside your comfort zone to rediscover purpose.Marketplace growth isn’t automatic or effortless. Success demands a targeted approach: real product-market fit, careful strategy, and making sure your marketplace push supports—not sabotages—your direct sales.Forget the generic hustle advice. Big career moves are deeply personal. The best decision isn’t just about chasing growth, but balancing ambition with your life stage, family, and who you genuinely want to become."I think that the key to life is taking those experiences and pivoting on them, right? If you're the same person at 40 as you were at 20, that's not a good thing, right?" — Rob CromerConnect with Rob Cromer:  Website: https://www.aisle3.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aisle3/ & https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcromer/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Wombi Rose: Wombi Rose is the Co-Founder and CEO of LovePop, the innovative consumer brand creating intricately engineered 3D pop-up greeting cards designed to spark “magical moments” between people. A former naval architect turned entrepreneur, Wombi blends technical precision with emotional storytelling—building a product loved by millions worldwide.Originally trained in ship design at the Webb Institute and later earning his MBA at Harvard Business School, Wombi shifted from designing vessels to designing experiences after encountering slice-form kirigami in Vietnam—a discovery that would inspire LovePop’s signature engineering-meets-art approach. Today, LovePop has delivered more than 65 million magical moments, expanded into plush pops, bouquets, and holiday innovations, and grown into a beloved omnichannel consumer brand.In this episode, Gary and Wombi Rose discuss:The moment in Vietnam that sparked LovePop’s founding idea and shifted Wombi’s career path How engineering principles from naval architecture translate into intricate paper art and manufacturing precision LovePop’s early hustle—craft fairs, Kickstarter, TechStars, and the Shark Tank pitch that changed everything Why LovePop remains laser-focused on “magical moments” and how that mission guides product innovation and long-term strategyKey Takeaways:Founding ideas often emerge from unexpected intersections. For Wombi and his co-founder, the blend of ship-design geometry and Vietnamese kirigami unlocked a completely new consumer category—proof that creativity thrives at the edges of disciplines.Early traction rarely comes from theory; it comes from hustle. Wombi and John spent weekends at craft fairs, selling for 12 hours straight without breaks, gathering real-world feedback that shaped their product and validated demand. Emotional resonance is a serious business advantage. LovePop’s cards stand out because they create visceral reactions—surprise, delight, and connection, which is something the traditional greeting card aisle has struggled to deliver for decades.Focus beats expansion. Instead of chasing adjacent markets, LovePop concentrates on putting “the most magic possible into a card”—a constraint that fuels creativity, keeps the brand disciplined, and strengthens its mission-driven growth.“The world needs more magical moments. People are happier, people are healthier, and they feel less stress when they're spending more time appreciating and recognizing other people.” — Wombi RoseConnect with Wombi Rose:  Website: https://www.lovepop.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wombi For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Jim Martin: As founder and managing partner of ACM and an internationally recognized turnaround expert, James “Jim” Martin has created and restored more than $1 billion in value to private companies. In addition, Martin has raised half a billion dollars in capital and bought and sold companies in excess of $500 million.Mr. Martin specializes in turnaround advisory and has vast experience in the aviation and fast food industries.  Today, Martin serves ACM clients in various capacities, including financial advisory, strategic renewal, mergers and acquisitions, and synergistic opportunities.In addition to his turnaround success, Martin’s track record includes strategic renewal, organizational reform, debt restructuring, and raising capital. Martin is also well-versed in the world of bankruptcy as he has successfully guided companies through Chapter 11 filings. Martin earned an MBA from Emory University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Florida State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant.In this episode, Gary and Jim Martin discuss:Jim’s unconventional path into restructuring—from early banking roles to navigating hyperinflation and the Russian mob in 1990s PolandWhat really happens when companies enter distress, and the early warning signs most leaders ignoreWhy success-based pricing changes the relationship between a company and its turnaround partnerThe human side of restructuring—ego, family dynamics, difficult decisions, and the weight of safeguarding people’s livelihoodsKey Takeaways:Many companies fail long before the numbers show it. Early warning signs often come from tightened credit, slower collections, and lenders suddenly paying closer attention.In a crisis, clarity beats comfort every time. Direct conversations, even when they’re painful, are what give organizations their best chance at survival and eventual recovery.A success-aligned turnaround model forces everyone to row in the same direction. When the advisor has real skin in the game, trust deepens, and decisions become far more grounded.Restructuring is fundamentally about people. Saving a company isn’t just a financial exercise—it’s about protecting jobs, families, and futures, and that responsibility shapes every leadership choice.[On early warning signs & crisis management]“One is when the bank starts to tighten their grip on their credit. So it doesn't necessarily mean you're in default. Doesn't even necessarily mean that you've done anything wrong, per se. But you have more scrutiny. You have workout guys that are all of a sudden hovering about, you know, because they anticipate problems. So that's one that, candidly, people miss.” — Jim MartinConnect with Jim Martin:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-9592737/ Website: https://acmcapitalpartners.com/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Priya Nalkur: Priya Nalkur, Ed.D., a psychologist with a genuine and authentic approach, has earned her educational stripes from Harvard and Yale. She is the heart and soul of the RoundTable Institute, a pioneering force in inclusive leadership and professional coaching. Her recent book, Stumbling Towards Inclusion: Finding Grace in Imperfect Leadership, offers an engaging and human narrative of her journey, beginning with her formative experiences as an outsider in a small Canadian town and evolving into a heartfelt mission to reshape leadership with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.At the RoundTable Institute, a new leadership philosophy is embraced under Dr. Nalkur's authentic and human-centered leadership. It's about being unapologetically yourself, tackling differences head-on, striving for equity, and creating brave spaces that unlock the potential in everyone. Leadership is about being an ally and doing the unimaginable while maintaining a solid bottom line. It's where leadership transcends traditional competencies, embodying bravery, imagination, and the constant evolution toward inclusive workplaces.Dr. Nalkur believes today's leaders must be allies, boldly pushing boundaries and nurturing inclusive environments that bring out the best in people. Living in Austin, Texas, with her two vibrant children, Dr. Nalkur finds her balance and inspiration in nature, family kitchen dance parties, and the joy of exploration.In this episode, Gary and Priya Nalkur discuss:How early coaching shifted Priya’s life trajectory and awakened her purposeThe role of resilience, endurance, and focus in navigating uncertaintyHuman-centered approaches to leadership, conflict, and collective wisdomBuilding The RoundTable Institute and why courageous conversations change organizationsKey Takeaways:Endurance isn’t just physical stamina—it’s the willingness to stay in the work long enough to discover who you really are and what you’re capable of becoming.Real growth comes from focusing on what’s actually within your influence: your attention, your beliefs, and the meaning you assign to challenges—instead of trying to control everything outside yourself.Resistance in a room isn’t a threat—it’s an invitation. When leaders treat differing viewpoints as opportunities for connection, teams unlock deeper wisdom and stronger relationships.Purpose tends to reveal itself over time. You don’t need all the answers at once; you just need a clear direction, the courage to take the next step, and the humility to keep learning along the way.“What you can control is what you focus on, and what you believe and how you approach it. So stop trying to control other people's reactions to you and the weather and the traffic and all these other things. It's a waste of your time and energy." — Priya NalkurConnect with Priya Nalkur:  Website: https://www.priyanalkur.com/ & https://www.theroundtableinstitute.com/  For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Patrick Donohue: Patrick Donohue is the Founder and CEO of Hill Capital Corporation, an investment firm that reimagines the relationship between capital and entrepreneurship. A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with roots in investment banking and private equity, Patrick brings a unique perspective to supporting vision-driven founders.Through Hill Capital, he has developed an innovative investment approach that prioritizes founder flexibility and partnership over traditional transactional investing. His strategy focuses on providing capital that empowers entrepreneurs to scale their businesses while maintaining their strategic independence. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial experience, Patrick understands that successful investments are built on mutual trust, adaptability, and a shared commitment to long-term value creation.In this episode, Gary and Patrick Donohue discuss:How early career lessons in finance shaped Patrick’s entrepreneurial mindsetThe disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street—and what founders can learn from itBuilding fair, flexible investment structures that align investors and foundersThe human element behind deal-making, valuation, and long-term partnershipsKey Takeaways:The foundation of good investing lies in relationships. When investors and founders see each other as partners rather than opponents, capital becomes a tool for mutual growth.Adaptability trumps perfection. Founders who can navigate uncertainty are more valuable than those with rigid business plans.Traditional financial metrics are just the starting point. True value creation comes from understanding a founder's long-term vision and potential for disruption.The best investors meet founders where they are, helping them scale sustainably while preserving the spirit and independence that made their ventures possible in the first place."Valuation at an early stage is extremely subjective, and an investor is right to say that the company is worth very little, and the founder is right to say it's worth a lot." — Patrick DonohueConnect with Patrick Donohue:  Website: https://www.hillcapitalcorp.com/ & https://www.breakoutvaluation.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickedonohue/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Mark Rampolla: Mark Rampolla is a visionary entrepreneur, investor, writer, and coach who inspires mission-driven leaders to build businesses that matter. As Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of GroundForce Capital, he helps bold founders scale companies rooted in purpose and impact.Previously, Mark founded ZICO Coconut Water, pioneering the multibillion-dollar coconut water category and selling the brand to The Coca-Cola Company—before famously buying it back. Over his career, he has invested in more than a hundred companies, served on twenty boards, and helped create billions in enterprise value and thousands of jobs.A former Peace Corps volunteer, corporate executive, and author of High-Hanging Fruit, Mark is passionate about helping entrepreneurs break free from mental, emotional, and societal limits to live and lead with genuine freedom. Since losing his home in the 2025 Pacific Palisades fires, he’s been wandering—but not every wanderer is lost.In this episode, Gary and Mark Rampolla discuss:The transformative path from corporate executive to purpose-driven founder of ZICONavigating the psychological challenges of startup success and post-acquisition lifeThe critical importance of understanding one's "zone of genius" and authentic leadershipRedefining entrepreneurial success beyond financial metricsKey Takeaways:True success isn’t measured solely by profit margins—it’s about creating something that genuinely improves lives and strengthens communities.When founders lead with authenticity, they attract the right people—employees, investors, and customers who believe in the same mission. That alignment fuels long-term growth far better than short-term wins ever could.Scaling a purpose-led company demands both resilience and humility. You’ll make mistakes, but the key is learning fast and staying rooted in your values even when growth tests them.Businesses that blend purpose with performance are no longer the exception—they’re setting the new standard for how the next generation will define leadership and impact."The vast majority of reality is happening within us because we create our own experiences from the way we interact with the outer world." — Mark RampollaConnect with Mark Rampolla:  Website: https://www.markrampolla.co/  & groundforcecapital.com/ourfirm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksrampolla/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Candice Ammori: Climate Vine brings together Founder Candice Ammori’s 10 years of experience and learnings in community strategy building.After reading the 2018 IPCC report, Ammori realized the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in addressing climate change. She made a career transition from ethics of AI to climate, starting On Deck Climate Tech to help diverse experts meet, connect, and build together.She brought together 650+ people across the climate ecosystem in multiple cohorts. Fellows raised over $350 M+ in venture funding, more than two dozen companies emerged, and hundreds of emerging contributors transitioned to the climate innovation space. She maintains deep vertical knowledge as an active investor and advisor to emerging climate tech companies.In this episode, Gary and Candice Ammori discuss:AI ethics intersecting with global sustainabilitySystemic and political forces shaping climate responsibilityPublic perception and misinformation in environmental actionLocalized collaboration as a catalyst for global changeKey Takeaways:Feedback loops in both artificial intelligence and climate systems reveal how unchecked processes—whether digital or environmental—can rapidly amplify harm when human oversight and accountability are absent.Public consensus around the urgency of climate change remains strong, yet outdated systems built on profit-driven incentives and political inertia continue to obstruct collective action and meaningful progress.Corporate power, reinforced through decisions like Citizens United, has reshaped political and economic landscapes in ways that prioritize influence over integrity, leaving environmental policy vulnerable to manipulation.Sustainable transformation depends on localized empowerment, where communities strengthen resilience, prioritize clean energy, and rebuild civic trust from the ground up despite federal or institutional resistance.  "There’s a lot happening in the world that feels big and scary and impossible to do anything about, and that’s true… and when all of us do all of these small local things, those big scary problems actually get solved much better." — Candice AmmoriConnect with Candice Ammori:  Website: www.climatevine.co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiceammori/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Ari Rastegar: Ari is the CEO and Founder of Rastegar Property Company, a real estate investment firm dedicated to helping high-income individuals and institutional investors generate stable income and sustainable wealth. Guided by a clear mission—to make institutional-grade opportunities accessible to everyday investors—Ari leads with both expertise and empathy, believing that financial growth and personal fulfillment should go hand in hand.With investments spanning 38 cities, 13 states, and seven asset classes, Ari and his team have developed over 3.5 million square feet of real estate across the United States. His work and insights have been featured in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and The New York Times.Ari’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: invest wisely and live the life of your dreams. He combines a disciplined investment approach with a passion for empowering clients to take control of their financial future so they can build wealth, preserve their legacy, and live with confidence.In this episode, Gary and Ari Rastegar discuss:Lessons from early struggles and how humble beginnings shaped his entrepreneurial gritHow personal development and self-awareness fuel business successThe mindset required to turn setbacks into opportunities for reinventionDefining fulfillment beyond financial success and learning to lead through introspectionKey Takeaways:True success begins with building yourself first. Once your inner foundation is strong, business growth often follows naturally.Failure isn’t a dead end—it’s the training ground where resilience, clarity, and creativity are born.There’s deep power in self-awareness. When you confront your own flaws and triggers, you gain the freedom to shape a healthier, more meaningful life.Wealth loses its value without fulfillment; the real victory is finding peace, purpose, and growth in every season of life.“Keep going. No matter what it is, keep going. If you make a fortune, keep going. If you lost it all, keep going.” — Ari Rastegar Connect with Ari Rastegar:  Website: www.rastegarcapital.com & https://arirastegar.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arirastegar/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rastegar & https://www.instagram.com/rastegarproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ari_Rastegar X: https://x.com/arirastegar Book: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Failure-Turn-Missteps-Success/dp/1544523211To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Mike Manazir: Mike Manazir has a passion for stories, leadership, big ships, fast jets, thundering Harleys, and one woman: Kelly, his bride of more than forty years. He is a graduate of Top Gun and commanded an F-14 squadron, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, and a Carrier Strike Group. Mike retired as a Two-Star Admiral and is now an executive with a Fortune 100 aerospace and defense company.He mentors a leadership style based on heart and trust that champions inclusion. Mike believes that if you have one or more people looking to you to show the way, you are a leader. He wants to help you be the best leader you can be, so you can Lead to Win.In this episode, Gary and Mike Manazir discuss:Leadership growth through humility, connection, and personal evolutionPersistence in the face of setbacks and redefining success through resilienceEmotional influences that shape ambition, confidence, and identityLifelong learning and reinvention from military command to corporate leadershipKey Takeaways:Embrace personal and professional failures as training grounds by analyzing what went wrong, applying those lessons immediately, and using each setback to sharpen focus and emotional endurance.Lead others effectively by practicing daily gratitude, recognizing individual strengths, and communicating how every person contributes to something larger than themselves.Transform imposter syndrome into a source of motivation by sharing your vulnerabilities openly, mentoring others, and using self-doubt to stay curious and continually improve.Carry the discipline, focus, and precision developed in high-pressure environments into every leadership role by connecting authentically with people and leading through empathy rather than authority. "The secret to leadership is you lead with your heart and not your title." — Mike Manazir Connect with Mike Manazir:  Website: https://mikemanazir.com/Book: Learn How to Lead to Win: https://www.amazon.com/Learn-How-Lead-Win-Leadership/dp/B0BRYWHZPYLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemanazir/Twitter: https://twitter.com/manazirmikeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikemanazir/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemanazir/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Garr Russell: Garr Russell is a lifelong entrepreneur whose journey began in the fifth grade and evolved through grit, reinvention, and faith. After overcoming personal setbacks and rebuilding from bankruptcy, he founded a successful credit counseling company that helped countless families restore their financial health and achieve homeownership. In 2016, a single family camping trip inspired his next chapter—transforming a personal frustration into what would become the nation’s largest RV rental management franchise. Known as the “Chief Fire Starter” of Fireside RV Rental, Garr has grown a multi-state franchise network built on the principle of turning other people’s liabilities into assets. Today, he combines his passion for business, ministry, and mentorship to inspire entrepreneurs to see challenges as divine opportunities for growth and impact.In this episode, Gary and Garr Russell discuss:Early entrepreneurial sparks and how formative experiences shape business instinctsCreative ways to build scalable ventures using shared economy principlesPersonal resilience during financial, emotional, and spiritual trials in businessShifting from self-driven ambition to purpose-led, legacy-minded leadershipKey Takeaways:When a plan fails or life throws a curveball, pause long enough to notice the opportunity hiding inside it—the idea that feels like a loss today might be the seed of your next breakthrough.Instead of chasing ownership, focus on creating systems that manage and multiply what already exists around you; leveraging other people’s assets can unlock scale without the stress of capital.True recovery begins the moment you stop numbing the pressure and start telling the truth—to your spouse, your team, or yourself—and that courage can pull you out of the darkest chapters of entrepreneurship.Building a company that endures means shifting from hustling for personal wins to mentoring the next generation and structuring your work around values that outlive your own career. "Just because you bump into a roadblock doesn’t mean you’re headed in the wrong direction. It means that, hey, here’s a hurdle that I need to figure out." — Garr Russell Connect with Garr Russell:  Website: https://garrrussell.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrrussell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garr.russellFor more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Kasim Aslam: Kasim Aslam is an entrepreneur and business strategist who has built and scaled multiple successful ventures — including six 7- and 8-figure businesses with three exits. He’s the Co-Founder of Driven Mastermind and Pareto Talent and the co-author of HIRE: The Proven System for Finding Top Remote Talent. With a proven record of driving transformation and sustainable success, Kasim combines strategic vision with hands-on execution to help founders and teams reach their next level.In this episode, Gary and Kasim Aslam discuss:How Kasim built and sold the world’s #1-ranked Google Ads agencyWhat he learned from managing $100 million in ad spend and thousands of businessesThe future of work and why AI will reshape the global labor forceKasim’s mission to help others through his FREE FOREVER community and the HIRE bookKey Takeaways:Kasim grew his Google Ads agency to handle $100 million in ad spend before selling it for a low eight-figure sum.Many high-status professions, like dentistry or law, can struggle, while “unsexy” trades such as septic or stone masonry can quietly generate major profits.His mission now centers on teaching entrepreneurship and helping people build sustainable, meaningful work through better talent acquisition.Once you “crack talent,” you’ll never have to master another business skill again."We can help bridge [economic challenges] by teaching people entrepreneurship. And so I buy businesses, I build businesses, and all of those businesses are built around a hopeful end result of providing meaningful work to people, both domestically and internationally." — Kasim Aslam Connect with Kasim Aslam:  Website: https://kasimaslam.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasimaslam/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Andrew Ira Kolikoff: Andrew is the founder of The Secret Sauce Society and a trusted advisor to leaders seeking transformational growth. He specializes in helping leaders create better journeys and greater profitability by elevating their people, teams, culture, and customer experiences with a passion for meaningful connections to sustainable success. Andrew empowers businesses to thrive through purpose-driven leadership.In this episode, Gary and Andrew Ira Kolikoff discuss:Authentic leadership rooted in service and influencePersonal values and upbringing are shaping professional directionBuilding meaningful relationships to create long-term successBalancing personal growth with professional achievementKey Takeaways:Instead of focusing on what you can get out of a meeting or relationship, deliberately shift your mindset to how you can serve and support the other person, which transforms both the quality and longevity of your connections.Build a consistent practice of daily networking by intentionally meeting new people and offering introductions or resources, because proactively helping others creates compounding opportunities that lead to lasting success.Take time to clearly define who you want to be and what values you want to embody, then align your actions and decisions with that vision so your professional path reflects your authentic self.Treat your behavior throughout the process of achieving results as just as important as the results themselves, since people remember how you show up, especially in difficult times, more than the final outcome. "Leadership is not the exercise of authority, it’s the exercise of influence, and what more powerful way is there to influence somebody than through love, listening, understanding, kindness." — Andrew Ira Kolikoff Connect with Andrew Ira Kolikoff:  Website: https://kolikoff.com & https://thesecretsaucesociety.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolikoff/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Kerry Siggins: Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, a fast-growing, employee-owned manufacturing and technology company based in Colorado. In 2023, she was honored as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year as well as Colorado’s CEO of the Year. StoneAge has earned recognition from Outside Magazine and Inc. Magazine as one of the best workplaces in the country. A highly engaging speaker, Kerry presents globally at companies, universities, and industry events. She is also the host of Reflect Forward, a widely followed leadership podcast, and contributes regularly as an author and blogger for outlets such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Authority Magazine, and BIC Magazine. Her personal blog attracts thousands of readers each month, and she recently published her first book, The Ownership Mindset: A Handbook for Transforming Your Life and Leadership.In this episode, Gary and Kerry Siggins discuss:Overcoming personal challenges and setbacks throughout life and careerTransitioning from self-doubt to leadership and growthBuilding company culture and driving innovation in businessThe role of ownership, feedback, and leadership philosophy in successKey Takeaways:Real transformation begins when you stop assigning blame to your past, your environment, or the people who hurt you, and instead make the conscious decision to fully own your choices and take responsibility for the direction of your life.The opportunities that end up defining your career often come when you take a leap into something you feel unqualified for, because it’s your willingness to learn, adapt, and push beyond fear that creates growth and opens doors you didn’t think possible.In moments of crisis or uncertainty, leadership is not about pretending to have the answers but about gathering your team, inviting their expertise, and showing humility so that together you can build credibility, resilience, and solutions that last.Sustainable success comes from aligning bold innovation with a mission that benefits everyone involved, because when you create a vision that empowers others and shares in the rewards, you unlock both personal purpose and long-term collective growth. "You cannot lead others if you don’t lead yourself." — Kerry Siggins Connect with Kerry Siggins:  Website: www.stoneagetools.com & www.kerrysiggins.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins-166b66/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUkUm5NWErHdI2o-v9jqB0A/featured Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerry.siggins/ Book: The Ownership Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/Ownership-Mindset-Handbook-Transforming-Leadership/dp/1637554346For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Nick Jonsson: Nick Jonsson, widely recognized as the World’s #1 Thought Leader on Executive Loneliness, is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, and transformational coach ranked among the Top 3 Coaches Worldwide by SpeakIn in 2025. He is a Certified Master Coach and Professional Certified Coach with multiple accreditations, specializing in Executive, Life, Team, and Sober Coaching. His journey from corporate success through loneliness and burnout to recovery is captured in his bestselling book Executive Loneliness and reflected in his founding of peer and men’s groups. A top 2% Ironman triathlete and honored mental health campaigner, Nick empowers leaders globally to turn isolation into authentic growth.In this episode, Gary and Nick Jonsson discuss:Climbing the corporate ladder and realizing success can feel emptyIsolation, silence, and avoidance during personal and professional crisesRecovery from addiction and rediscovering purpose through support systemsThe power of empathy and connection in transforming lives and leadershipKey Takeaways:Chasing professional success without vulnerability or honest conversations can lead to destructive isolation, so it’s critical to build trusted relationships and openly share struggles before they spiral.Ignoring emotional pain often manifests in physical or behavioral breakdowns, and recognizing those warning signs early is a chance to intervene and seek help instead of letting them escalate.Joining supportive communities and practicing accountability not only accelerates recovery from addiction or burnout but also normalizes the journey and shows that growth is possible for anyone.Turning personal adversity into purpose-driven action, such as advocacy or mentoring, can transform painful experiences into meaningful impact while also sustaining long-term fulfillment. "All I needed was, again, that empathy, feel listened to, feeling understood, and then the problem was solved." — Nick Jonsson Connect with Nick Jonsson:  Website: https://www.nickjonsson.com/Book: Executive Loneliness: https://www.nickjonsson.com/executive-loneliness-bookLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-jonsson/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonsson.nick/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About K'lee Terrazas: K'Lee Terrazas is the founder of Legal Lead Sharks, where she partners with law firms to drive client acquisition and build the systems that support sustainable growth. With 15+ years in sales and marketing, she leads a team that specializes in Google Ads—but focuses just as much on what happens after the lead, helping law firm owners go from click to signed case with precision. She also co-founded Intake EQ, a modern intake solution using AI Voice Agents that sound freakishly human, designed to solve the persistent bottlenecks in lead follow-up and conversion. Alongside her husband Jason, she launched PayLynx Global to support law firms with backend automation like payroll, HR, and compliance.In this episode, Gary and K'lee Terrazas discuss:Evolution of digital marketing across industriesRole of Google Ads and SEO in client acquisitionImportance of conversion tracking and optimizationImpact of AI and automation on business growthKey Takeaways:Many law firms already invest heavily in agencies, yet because conversion tracking is often misconfigured or ignored, both businesses and Google’s AI remain blind to which campaigns actually generate real cases, causing massive waste in advertising spend.Highly competitive legal keywords can cost from $75 to $500 per click, which makes it critical to focus not only on budget but on precise targeting, account activity, click-through quality, and timing strategies to avoid being outspent by larger firms.New startups without large amounts of capital are better served by using social media to validate their product and gain proof of concept first, since attempting Google Ads without an expert-level strategy almost guarantees losing money to competitors.Businesses across all industries risk losing significant revenue because over 60% of first calls are missed, which is why AI-driven intake systems that answer consistently and empathetically can transform expensive leads into profitable long-term clients. "If you're not in the ads and you're not in the map pack, you're not getting the call, just plain and simple." — K'lee Terrazas Connect with K'lee Terrazas:  Website: https://legalleadsharks.com/ & intake-eq.comLegal Lead Sharks Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@LegalLeadSharksPodcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-lee-terrazas-9366b31b4/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Rick West: Rick West is the husband of one, father of three, Grandaddy of two, and a friend to many. He is an experienced CEO and serial co-founder with a focus on technology, innovation, and consumer packaged goods. After nearly two decades leading in the retail industry across the United States, Hong Kong, and Thailand, Rick stepped into entrepreneurship more than sixteen years ago and has since launched and bootstrapped multiple ventures. As the co-founder of Field Agent—later rebranded as Storesight through its expansion into AI-driven data visualization—he pioneered the use of mobile technology to transform in-store research, moving from disposable cameras to millions of crowdsourced photos, shopper insights, and ultimately virtual store walks powered by machine learning. Today, Rick continues to build at the intersection of data, retail, and AI while serving as a speaker and mentor, inspiring others with lessons learned from scaling startups, navigating global markets, and creating businesses that work while you sleep.In this episode, Gary and Rick West discuss:Evolution of mobile apps as tools for gathering shopper and retail insightsShifts in consumer research methods from in-person visits to digital participationApplication of AI and machine learning in analyzing retail environmentsExpansion of scalable data platforms into new industries and marketsKey Takeaways:Engaging everyday shoppers through mobile apps to collect photos and data directly from store shelves enables businesses to replace expensive, outdated research methods with faster, scalable, and more authentic insights, providing real-time visibility into retail conditions.Combining quantitative data (e.g., shelf photos) with qualitative shopper feedback (e.g., pricing perceptions, alternative purchase choices) empowers decision-makers to move beyond compliance checks and develop marketing and distribution strategies based on a deeper understanding of consumer behavior.Transitioning from reports based on months-old data to near real-time intelligence allows companies to react to shelf changes, competitor actions, and pricing shifts within hours or days, offering a significant advantage in making high-stakes retail decisions.Expanding AI-powered analysis from broad shelf-level trends to SKU-level visibility, and applying these insights to industries beyond retail (such as quick-service restaurants and service venues), demonstrates how advancing technology can unlock new growth opportunities and competitive advantages. "You're not talking in months and days, you're talking hours and days, and so you're making more informed, relevant decisions because you have not real-time, but near real-time data." — Rick West Connect with Rick West:  Website: https://storesight.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwest01/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Ryan Hogan: Ryan Hogan is a serial entrepreneur, Naval Officer, and founder of Talent Harbor, a recruiting firm transforming how businesses hire top sales talent through a modern Recruiting as a Service model. Prior to Talent Harbor, he co-founded Hunt A Killer, an immersive murder mystery subscription company that scaled to $55 million in revenue, was ranked #6 on the Inc. 5000, and recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. His entrepreneurial journey began with ventures like WarWear and the nationwide zombie race series Run For Your Lives, experiences that sharpened his ability to spot opportunities, learn from setbacks, and build scalable businesses. A 15-year U.S. Navy veteran, Hogan served as both an enlisted aircrewman and a Surface Warfare Officer, carrying forward the discipline and leadership skills that now anchor his approach to business. Today, he is passionate about helping small and mid-sized companies secure high-impact sales leaders, hosting conversations that amplify entrepreneurial insights, and mentoring others navigating the challenges of growth and team building.In this episode, Gary and Ryan Hogan discuss:Entrepreneurship is shaped by resilience, pivots, and learning from failuresStruggles and breakthroughs in finding the right product–market fitLessons on growth, scaling, and avoiding burnoutBuilding success by focusing on people, recruiting, and relationshipsKey Takeaways:Before you commit serious money, validate demand by running small, low-cost tests, because assuming “if you build it, they will come” can trap you with wasted inventory, financial strain, and a delayed path to true opportunity.Sustainable growth requires resisting the temptation to expand too quickly and instead prioritizing operational discipline, financial oversight, and profitability first, since scaling without these foundations can turn rapid success into crippling bankruptcy.Every failure carries forward into future success if you reflect and adjust, so rather than fearing mistakes, use them as a playbook for smarter decisions the next time, just as early missteps fueled the leap from an event collapse to a $55M subscription business.Industries often cling to outdated models that no longer serve today’s businesses, so by questioning norms like steep recruiter fees or rigid contracts, you can design services that are more accessible, more trusted, and ultimately more competitive for clients. "The people that are most successful in entrepreneurship are able to let go of their idea very quickly and follow the market signals, follow the feedback that they’re getting, and iterate as fast as possible." — Ryan HoganConnect with Ryan Hogan:  Website: https://talentharbor.com/Email: [email protected]: Confessions of an Implementer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/confessions-of-an-implementer/id1740510216LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanehogan/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Elliot Kallen: Elliot Kallen is the Founder and President of Prosperity Financial Group, Inc., a fiduciary wealth management firm based in San Ramon, California. With more than 30 years of experience as a Financial Advisor and 401(k) Fiduciary, he specializes in guiding individuals, families, and business owners through retirement planning, investment management, and wealth preservation. Elliot is also the host of the global top-ranked Meet the Expert with Elliot Kallen® podcast, where he brings advanced financial insights to audiences in an approachable way. Beyond his financial work, he is the Founder and President of A Brighter Day, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting teen mental health, blending his entrepreneurial expertise with a commitment to creating lasting social impact.In this episode, Gary and Elliot Kallen discuss:The struggles of starting and scaling a financial advisory businessSuccession planning and the transfer of client relationshipsThe competitive landscape between independent firms and large institutionsPersonal experiences shaping professional purpose and philanthropyKey Takeaways:New advisors should strongly consider acquiring or partnering with an existing practice instead of starting from scratch, since beginning without clients or revenue is often unsustainable and leads to burnout.Structuring a business to include both growth-focused entities and succession-ready partnerships can provide stability while creating opportunities for advisors at different stages of their careers.A practical succession plan requires more than a financial deal—it involves mentoring the next generation into true business ownership, gradually transitioning client trust, and accepting trade-offs like a smaller payout to protect long-term continuity.Turning personal tragedy into purpose by building philanthropic ventures alongside financial success not only honors legacy but also demonstrates how entrepreneurs can integrate meaning and social impact into their exit strategies. "If you're not careful, the number on the front looks good, but you're selling your soul, and the devil in the details is you lose everything you built." — Elliot Kallen Connect with Elliot Kallen:  Website: https://prosperityfinancialgroup.com/Show: Meet The Expert with Elliot Kallen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-the-expert-with-elliot-kallen/id1534748478LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotkallen/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Mark Ryski: Mark Ryski is the Founder and CEO of HeadCount Corporation, a pioneering firm in store traffic and conversion analytics since 1994. He is a recognized industry authority and the author of three influential books, including Store Traffic Is a Gift and CONVERSION: The Last Great Retail Metric. Mark’s work has shaped how retailers worldwide measure and improve in-store performance, earning him media coverage in outlets like Forbes, Retail Dive, and The Globe & Mail. As a frequent contributor to RetailWire and other forums, he continues to advocate for smarter, data-informed retail strategies.In this episode, Gary and Mark Ryski discuss:How measuring and analyzing store traffic reshapes retail strategyThe often-overlooked link between staffing levels, customer service, and conversion ratesStrategies entrepreneurs use to break through industry resistance and skepticismLeveraging thought leadership to build credibility and open new business opportunitiesKey Takeaways:By systematically counting every person who walks through the door and comparing those counts to completed transactions, retailers gain an exact measure of their conversion rate, enabling them to pinpoint precisely when during the day sales are lost and why.Traffic data broken down by hour reveals the specific times when customers most need attention, allowing managers to schedule the right number of staff at the right moments to maximize both service quality and profitability while minimizing wasted labor costs.Establishing authority through publishing, such as writing a focused and insightful book, can break down barriers in skeptical industries by sparking curiosity, opening doors to high-level conversations, and positioning the author as a trusted expert.In-depth mapping of traffic and conversion patterns across an entire retail chain often uncovers dramatic differences from store to store, proving that customized, location-specific strategies are essential for unlocking each site’s full revenue potential. "Without traffic, without that traffic count data, you have no means of comparing." — Mark Ryski Connect with Mark Ryski:  Website: https://headcount.com/Book: Store Traffic Is a Gift: The Retailer’s Guide to Converting Visits into Sales (releases 30 September): https://www.amazon.com/Store-Traffic-Gift-Retailers-Converting/dp/B0F1XG8QC5 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ryski-8826601/& https://www.linkedin.com/company/headcount-corporation/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Firdaus Kharas: Firdaus Kharas, OC, FRSA, DHum, LLD, recently reached a groundbreaking milestone: the creation or co-creation of 5,000 media productions aimed at driving positive social change. Since founding social enterprise Chocolate Moose Media in Ottawa, Canada, in 1995, Kharas has dedicated his career to tackling some of the world's most pressing issues through innovative media solutions. Kharas is a trailblazer in using animation for social change and has emerged as the world’s leading and most prolific individual producer and director of media dedicated to social good. His 5,000 productions, grouped into 100 distinct series, cover a vast array of topics from Anti-racism to Zika eradication, and exist in hundreds of language/accent versions, enabling over 6.5 billion people to see some of his work in their own language. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, Firdaus Kharas was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received 125 awards and recognitions throughout his career.In this episode, Gary and Firdaus Kharas discuss:The foundational role of creativity in driving personal and societal transformationHow deeply held personal values influence life and financial decisionsThe importance of passion, grit, and supportive environments in realizing creative visionsTechnology and innovation as tools for amplifying human potential and individualityKey Takeaways:Regularly seek out firsthand experiences—such as volunteering in underserved communities or engaging with people facing hardship—to train yourself to move beyond personal comfort zones and develop a mindset where social responsibility is grounded in direct, empathetic action.Critical decision-making, especially in finance and career, is most sustainable and fulfilling when guided by a clear understanding of personal values, even at the cost of turning down profitable but ethically conflicting opportunities.Creativity is not reserved for a select few but is a universal human trait that flourishes when people are given an environment that supports innovation, the freedom to fail, mutual respect, access to tools, and the ability to adopt multiple roles.True change and impact occur at the individual level, not through imposed solutions or broad demographic assumptions, but through acknowledging the unique combination of cultural, emotional, and experiential variables that shape every person's worldview. "I think that nobody can walk in somebody else’s shoes, because we are all individuals." — Firdaus Kharas Connect with Firdaus Kharas:  Website: http://www.chocmoose.com/Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/firdauskharasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/firdaus-kharas-95a28016For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Marc Reifenrath: Marc Reifenrath is the Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Spinutech, a full-service digital agency with over 125 team members across the U.S. He is the former CEO, having led the company for more than two decades, and now focuses on supporting its next phase of growth under new leadership. Marc is known for his deep belief in the power of culture as a driver of business success, having built Spinutech from a college start-up into one of the country’s leading digital marketing agencies. He’s also the co-host of The Growth Fire podcast, where he speaks with business leaders about customer growth, talent retention, and scaling results. A proud advocate for team development and client success, Marc continues to serve as a trusted growth advisor and culture champion. Outside of work, he prioritizes family time, golf, and travel — in that order.In this episode, Gary and Marc Reifenrath discuss:Adapting a business model across decades of technological and market shiftsIntegrating artificial intelligence into digital marketing and operationsChallenges and benefits of transitioning leadership in a growing companyFinding growth opportunities by reinventing client value and internal efficiencyKey Takeaways:Entrepreneurs can gain early traction by building a product that solves a basic but emerging problem—in this case, giving clients self-service control of their websites—while using each success to grow credibility, secure bigger accounts, and gradually expand beyond local markets.Teams that implement AI not just as a tool but as a strategic framework—through synthetic personas, predictive modeling, and campaign pre-testing—can dramatically accelerate client ROI and decision-making confidence.Agencies that replace outdated workflows with AI-powered automations and redeploy staff toward higher-value strategic thinking will retain a competitive edge and attract forward-looking investors and clients.Founder-led businesses should proactively plan for leadership succession to avoid stagnation, especially when facing disruptive industry shifts, ensuring they can focus on innovation instead of day-to-day management constraints. "If you’re not growing, you’re dying." — Marc Reifenrath Connect with Marc Reifenrath:  Website: https://www.spinutech.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcreifenrath/For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Wendy Cocke: Wendy Cocke, a trailblazer in redefining career success, is the author of two bestselling books, "Making Flex Work: Defining Success on Your Own Terms" and "Reimagine Your Work: Managing Your Career Like It's Your Business” in addition to being a contributor to the best selling human resources anthology “When Work Works: Cutting-Edge Solutions for the Contemporary Workplace.” She is the visionary behind Engineering Leadership Solutions LLC, guiding technical professionals and organizations to think about work differently. Her journey from growing up in a family business, to obtaining a chemical engineering degree from Georgia Tech and leading global teams at Fortune 500 companies showcases her belief in hard work and perseverance. Wendy's pivotal moment came when she negotiated a flexible work arrangement after the birth of her first child. Instead of hindering her career progression, she defied the status quo as it launched her from an individual contributor to a director, and eventually to a business owner. She believes that with her experience and her engineering mindset, she can help people find their place at work and thrive once they get there.In this episode, Gary and Wendy Cocke discuss:Hybrid work as the new normal and what it really means todayChallenges of leadership and accountability in remote environmentsContinuous connectivity and its impact on personal boundariesAdapting workplace culture to generational and technological shiftsKey Takeaways:Data from Microsoft shows that work has become so embedded in daily life that a significant portion of professionals check emails before 6 AM and after 10 PM, leading to what is now being called the "infinite workday."Physically putting away work devices at the end of the day—such as placing them in a closet or another room—can help train the brain to disconnect and establish a clearer boundary between work and personal time.Logging work activity in 15–20 minute intervals for a full week can reveal hidden patterns and inefficiencies, serving as a powerful baseline to make small, intentional changes that better align with personal and organizational goals.Leaders who clearly define what work needs to be done, where it’s best accomplished, and when it needs to happen are more successful in managing distributed teams and attracting top talent in a remote-first world."Individuals, especially ones that don't have other outside commitments to take their time, find that they work much longer because there's no reason to stop." — Wendy CockeConnect with Wendy Cocke:  Website: https://www.engineeringleadershipsolutions.com/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-anderson-cocke Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Wendy-A.-Cocke/author/B0B64DXYLFFor more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Shawn Nelson: Shawn D. Nelson is the author of Let Me Save You 25 Years: Mistakes, Miracles, and Lessons from the Lovesac Story. He is the founder and CEO of the Lovesac Company, which designs, manufactures, and sells such furniture as modular couches and bean bag chairs. Nelson holds a BA in Mandarin Chinese from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City, where he later became an instructor. In this episode, Gary and Shawn Nelson discuss:The emotional and strategic rollercoaster of building a business from scratchThe personal toll and power of enduring economic and reputational pressureInnovation and sustainability as foundational, not optionalHow mindset and grit define long-term success more than external validationKey Takeaways:Navigating a company through public bankruptcy taught Shawn that you must keep selling, leading, and believing—even while dismantling what you just built—which is a reminder that survival often means showing up at your lowest with the same intensity as your peak.By choosing to keep all his equity in Lovesac and avoiding financial “safety nets,” Shawn stayed accountable and hungry—a bold approach that challenges you to consider where artificial comfort may be limiting your potential.The StealthTech sound system, which retrofits into even years-old couches, proves that designing for longevity and adaptability not only delights customers—it future-proofs your business, so think about how your own offerings can grow with your audience.With 40% of transactions coming from returning customers adding to or evolving their furniture, Shawn shows that building trust through consistency and modularity turns buyers into believers—so consider how you can earn repeat engagement by keeping your promises over time. "Develop the capacity to stay buoyant—you know, stay upbeat, stay optimistic." — Shawn Nelson Connect with Shawn Nelson:  Website: https://shawndnelson.com/Book: Let Me Save You 25 Years: https://www.amazon.com/Let-Me-Save-You-Years/dp/B0CHNZ6VY5Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnoflovesacFor more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Dan Kurzrock: Dan Kurzrock is the co-founder and CEO of Upcycled Foods, Inc., a pioneer in upcycled food innovation and food system circularity. He holds a BA from UCLA, where underage homebrewing started it all, and a sustainable MBA from Presidio Graduate School.In this episode, Gary and Dan Kurzrock discuss:Food waste and inefficiencies in the global food systemInnovation through sustainable entrepreneurshipBuilding a business from a college hobbyCreative approaches to raising capital and scaling a startupKey Takeaways:Recognizing that one pound of spent grain is created for every six-pack of beer — totaling 20 billion pounds annually in the U.S. — Upcycled Foods developed a proprietary ingredient called SuperGrain+ to reintroduce this overlooked source of protein and fiber into the food supply chain.Entrepreneurs looking to start sustainably can begin by identifying overlooked resources in everyday systems — like brewing byproducts — and experimenting with low-cost, marketable solutions such as baked goods or ingredient blends to test demand.By leveraging equity crowdfunding through platforms like WeFunder, startups can convert their most passionate customers into investors, creating not only financial backing but a broader ownership community aligned with the company’s mission.Aspiring innovators should pursue mission-driven ideas even before perfect data or market validation exists, taking action on gut-level logic and curiosity to begin building momentum and uncover deeper purpose over time. "It’s okay to take two steps forward and one step back — that’s actually really solid work if you’re pursuing something entrepreneurial." — Dan KurzrockConnect with Dan Kurzrock:  Website: https://upcycledfoods.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielkurzrockFor more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Dr. Chris Fuzie: Dr. Chris Fuzie, Ed.D., M.A.OL., is a leadership consultant, trainer, college professor, and author specializing in behavior-based leadership and followership dynamics. He holds a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership, along with a Master’s and Bachelor’s in the same field, blending academic insights with practical applications. With over 29 years in law enforcement, Dr. Fuzie has led various high-stakes teams and continues to apply his expertise to consulting and training organizations. His innovative concepts, including the Liminal Leadership Model, challenge traditional leadership paradigms by emphasizing the simultaneous roles of leader and follower.In this episode, Gary and Dr. Chris Fuzie discuss:Leadership and followership dynamics in professional teamsThe evolving nature of trust and relationships in client-based industriesHow generational shifts are reshaping workplace expectationsOrganizational struggles with continuity and talent developmentKey Takeaways:When senior advisors retire without mentoring their successors or introducing them to clients, firms risk losing trust, continuity, and assets due to a complete collapse in relationship transfer.Compensation strategies that reward junior advisors without measurable contribution or urgency lead to entitlement, underperformance, and diminished long-term motivation across the team.Effective succession planning must go at least three layers deep, identifying who can replace a leader now, in the near future, and who must be developed from scratch, with mentoring built into each stage.Leadership is no longer just about authority or title, but about modeling behaviors that earn referent power, foster followership, and build trust through consistent personal engagement."Leadership is leading into followership… because you can't separate the two." — Dr. Chris Fuzie Connect with Dr. Chris Fuzie:  Website: https://www.cmfleadership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-chris-fuzie-ed-d-m-a-ol-vl2-37587934/X (Twitter): https://x.com/CMFLeadershipFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090255232861For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Tatyana Mamut: Tatyana Mamut is a transformative leader in Silicon Valley who drives innovation by understanding customers deeply and leading through empathy. She is a serial entre/intrapreneur, building successful products at Amazon, Salesforce, Nextdoor and IDEO. She is currently SVP of New Products at Pendo leading the creation of the Adopt family of products. Previously she was CPO at Nextdoor, creating a product-led growth strategy which drove a 60% increase in engagement while driving down abusive and toxic content on the platform. She also led the Local Business revenue line and consolidated the advertising platform.  At Amazon Web Services, Tatyana was General Manager & Director of Product, where she built a revolutionary new software product and scaled the team from 2 to 150 engineers, product managers, and designers. At Salesforce, she was Vice President of Product Experience for the IoT (Internet of Things) Cloud, where she led the vision and development for the democratization of IoT technology.Tatyana was also an executive at IDEO, where she built and led the Organization Design practice globally.She started her career in global advertising, working at Leo Burnett in Chicago, London, and Moscow. She has won several design & advertising awards for her work at IDEO & Leo Burnett, and holds multiple patents for her inventions at Salesforce & Amazon.Tatyana has a PhD in cultural anthropology from UC Berkeley and a BA in economics from Amherst College. She is a refugee from eastern Ukraine and comes from three generations of Soviet professional women. She lives with her spouse and two daughters in San Francisco. In this episode, Gary and Tatyana Mamut discuss:From tools to thinkersThe human advantageEthics as a foundationThe changing shape of workKey Takeaways:The evolution of AI is expanding beyond information retrieval into creation and autonomous decision-making. Large language models and agentic systems mark a shift from narrow tools to generative, action-capable technologies.Human qualities remain essential as AI transforms how we interact with machines. Empathy, trust, and relational intelligence are increasingly valuable in a world where AI can simulate—but not embody—human connection.Ethical use of AI requires boundaries that protect privacy, time, and dignity. Respecting consent and applying the "golden rule" are necessary to maintain trust in AI-integrated environments.Work is being reshaped by AI, demanding both adaptation and deeper human contribution. As AI handles repetitive tasks, people must focus on uniquely human strengths and embrace lifelong learning to remain relevant. "Every leap in our evolutionary timeline has been a leap where we have integrated deeply with a new technology that we have invented." — Tatyana Mamut Connect with Tatyana Mamut:Website: https://www.tmamut.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmamut/ For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if you could train your brain to find hidden opportunities that lead to extraordinary success—without even realizing it?In this episode, Gary Sinderbrand delves into the Reticular Activation System (RAS) and how it profoundly influences professional achievement. Sharing his personal journey from a naive newcomer at Merrill Lynch to one of the firm’s youngest seven-figure producers, Gary reveals how committing to ambitious goals reprograms the RAS to filter in critical opportunities and connections. He explains why unwavering focus and breaking down bold dreams into small, daily steps is essential—and how this consistency rewires your subconscious to recognize patterns and possibilities that others overlook.If you're ready to elevate your career, this is the episode that will change how you think, plan, and succeed.In this episode, Gary discusses:How the brain’s selective filter influences your professional pathThe mental process behind rapid and outsized successWhy most people miss opportunities hiding in plain sightTurning subconscious programming into your biggest asset"Life as a financial advisor is amazing if you do the job the right way and you have a belief that you can really make a difference on behalf of other people." — Gary Sinderbrand For more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Michael DeLon: Michael DeLon is the President of Paperback Expert and a leading authority on credibility marketing. He helps business owners create books without writing a word, positioning them as trusted experts in their field. As a #1 Amazon Best-Selling Author and creator of The Credibility Game Plan, he equips professionals with strategies to attract clients, generate referrals, and grow their business. Since 2013, Michael has worked with entrepreneurs across the U.S. and internationally to strengthen their brand and credibility. He is also a devoted family man, committed Christian, and active member of his church community.In this episode, Gary and Michael DeLon discuss:The importance of credibility in professional-client relationshipsLeveraging personal stories and experiences for marketing impactThe intersection of publishing, trust, and client acquisitionStrategies for professionals to stand out in saturated marketsKey Takeaways:Publishing a book immediately elevated the perceived credibility of professionals like financial advisors by allowing potential clients to spend meaningful, private time with their ideas, which significantly increased trust and dramatically shortened the sales cycle.By using a structured “speak-to-write” method involving recorded interviews and professional ghostwriters, busy service-based professionals can become published authors without writing a single word, making book creation both accessible and authentic.Clients who implement targeted book-based marketing strategies — such as offering free books to curated lists — can see impressive, measurable ROI, like one advisor who secured 10 new clients and $75,000 in revenue from a single email campaign.The full publishing process, from concept discovery to Amazon bestseller promotion, is paired with a credibility-focused marketing coaching program that teaches clients exactly how to use their book to generate leads, build referral networks, and close more business.  "I always tell people: don't write a book, speak to write a book." — Michael DeLon Connect with Michael DeLon:  Website: https://paperbackexpert.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldelon/Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-DeLon/author/B00J2794ZYFor more great content, sign up for Gary’s free Patreon channel- https://www.patreon.com/FA_Masterclass/home Or his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7206743428141895681/To get in touch with Gary:Website: https://betterpathtraining.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gsinderbrand/Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.