Explore every episode of the podcast Everything They Don't Tell You

Most people think they know who they are until adversity strips everything away. Marcus Aurelius Anderson was 39 years old, preparing to deploy with the U.S. Army Light Infantry, when a spinal injury left him paralyzed from the neck down. He flatlined twice in surgery. Doctors told him he would never walk again, never use his hands again, never do anything beyond what he was doing in that hospital bed. That was supposed to be the rest of his life. But Marcus did not just recover. He walked into the studio today. He became a bestselling author. He built a podcast called Acta Non Verba. And he learned something most people spend their entire lives avoiding: adversity is not the enemy. It is the teacher. In this conversation, Marcus walks through what it actually felt like to wake up paralyzed, why gratitude was the only thing that brought movement back to his body, and how surrendering completely was the beginning of his recovery. He explains why adversity does not care about your feelings, why most people confuse looking healthy with being healthy, and what happens when you stop waiting for permission to face the thing you have been avoiding. He also gets honest about identity, victimhood, the adversity scale, and why the hardest thing you will ever do is take yourself out of the equation. This is not a conversation about resilience as a buzzword. This is about what it actually takes to face the thing that scares you most and come out the other side stronger. In this episode: Why Marcus enlisted in the Army at 38 years old How a spinal injury left him paralyzed from the neck down What it felt like to wake up unable to move anything below his neck Why he flatlined twice in surgery and what the doctor told him when he woke up How denial, anger, and bargaining kept him stuck for months The moment he realized gratitude was the only way forward Why taking himself out of the equation changed everything How movement returned to his hands two weeks after radical gratitude What the adversity scale is and why perception is the real problem Why people who have been victimized never call themselves victims How to know when adversity is compounding instead of resolving Why everything happens for a reason is the worst thing you can say to someone in crisis What it means to seek adversity instead of avoiding it How to attack the top thing on your list in the next 24 hours Why proof was his fuel until it ran out What Acta Non Verba means and why actions matter more than words How Marcus finally stepped into the identity of his name after 40 years Marcus Aurelius Anderson is a speaker, author of The Gift of Adversity, and host of the podcast Acta Non Verba. He helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and warriors turn adversity into the catalyst for becoming who they were always meant to be. AUDIENCE GIVEAWAY FROM MARCUS'S TEAM The Acta Non Verba Inner Circle Join Marcus's Inner Circle for practical exercises, challenges, tactical insights, and prompts to help you turn ideas into action. https://www.marcusaureliusanderson.com/the-inner-circle Connect with Marcus: Website: https://www.marcusaureliusanderson.com/ Acta Non Verba Inner Circle: https://www.marcusaureliusanderson.com/the-inner-circle Book discussed: The Gift of Adversity Podcast: Acta Non Verba Adversity does not care about your feelings, your opinions, or your plans. It just shows up. And you do not know who you are until it is there. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Adversity Doesn't Care About Your Feelings 00:01:23 The Old Guy Who Enlisted at 38 00:03:25 The Morning Everything Changed: Paralyzed in Bed 00:18:35 Flatlined Twice: The Doctor's Grim Prognosis 00:21:18 The Five Stages of Grief: From Denial to Anger 00:40:09 The Gift Nobody Wants: Finding Gratitude in Paralysis 01:01:26 Everything Happens for a Reason: The Phrase That Makes Him Spit 01:11:54 Adversity Avoided Is Adversity Compounded 01:20:39 Seeking Adversity: The 24-Hour Challenge 01:26:40 The 60-20-20 Rule: Why Most Days Are Just Okay 01:29:05 Octa Non Verba: Actions Over Words 01:35:10 The Message from the Hospital Bed: Surrender and Gratitude #adversity #resilience #gratitude #leadership #recovery

Most executives are carrying something they have never told a soul. Not their spouse. Not their business partner. Not their best friend. Nick Jonsson started as a construction painter in Sweden and climbed all the way to running companies across Asia. From the outside, he had won. Inside, he was terrified and completely isolated, drinking every day and running from things he could not even see. Then he lost a friend to suicide. Another successful executive who never asked for help. Today, Nick is sober. He is an Ironman. And he has spent years exposing one of the most dangerous lies in leadership: that the strongest person in the room should not need any help. In this conversation, Nick walks through what it costs to prove you are worthy when you do not feel worthy at all, how isolation becomes the default when you refuse to be vulnerable, and why the fuel that drives you to the top can be the same thing that destroys you when you get there. He explains why one in three executives suffer from executive loneliness, what happens when you finally say the thing you have been hiding, and how to build a life strong enough to carry the weight of your success. In this episode: Why Nick spent his life trying to prove he was worthy of attention How a motorcycle accident at 22 shattered his identity and forced him to rebuild What it felt like to move to Australia alone and fail his way through university How the anxious overachiever was born when he earned a scholarship he could not afford to lose Why he climbed the corporate ladder by himself and pushed everyone away What executive loneliness actually feels like from the inside How alcohol worked until it did not work anymore The moment he told his future wife he thought he was dying Why he could not stop drinking even when he promised he would How a detox and a recovery community saved his life What it means to practice your vulnerability muscle Why his friend died of suicide and how it changed everything How he went from hiding his story to speaking about it on live TV in 24 hours What Steve Jobs did with his coach when he had one year to live Why the strongest thing you can ever do is say the sentence you never thought you would say How to stop carrying secrets that are slowly destroying you Nick Jonsson is a speaker, author, therapist, and founder of a men's community dedicated to ending executive loneliness. He helps leaders stop suffering in silence and start building the support systems they need before it is too late. Learn more about Nick: https://nickjonsson.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjonsson/ Executive Loneliness book: https://www.nickjonsson.com/executive-loneliness-book If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7. A problem shared is a problem halved. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Silence Most Executives Are Carrying 00:01:57 The Three-Year-Old Who Lost Attention: Where It All Began 00:07:40 From Naughty Boy to Bike Gang: Screaming for Belongingness 00:10:54 The Accident That Changed Everything: When Your Identity Shatters 00:16:46 The Anxious Overachiever Is Born: Scholarships and Survival 00:19:54 Climbing the Corporate Ladder: My Way or the Highway Leadership 00:22:11 The Excel Formula That Nearly Broke Me: When Small Secrets Become Crushing Weight 00:29:34 The Delusion of Escape: Resigning into Startups and Divorce 00:33:32 The Conversation That Saved My Life: If We're Getting Married, I Need to Talk 00:37:32 May 1st: The Day I Tried to Stop and Failed 00:39:11 The Recovery Room: Finding Hope in Other Executives' Stories 00:45:18 The Friend Who Never Asked for Help: When Success Hides Desperation 00:47:27 The Video That Went Viral: Racing to End Executive Loneliness 00:50:17 One in Three: The Silent Epidemic No One Talks About 00:58:33 The Childhood Album: Discovering Who You Were Before Society Told You Who to Be 00:59:37 What If You Had Nothing Left to Prove? The Question That Changes Everything 01:04:21 The Teenager on a Road Trip: What Nick Wants Now 01:07:47 The Five-Step Formula: From Rock Bottom to Purpose 01:10:20 The Managing Director Who Rehearsed Her Suicide Twice 01:14:23 The Daily Amends: Cleaning Your Side of the Street Before Bed #executiveloneliness #mentalhealth #leadership #vulnerability #recovery

Most people wait until they feel qualified to start. Dylan Capshaw started before the world had any reason to think he was qualified at all. At 11 years old, he launched his first venture, a wildlife rescue that taught him the fundamentals of running a business. By 16, he opened Stemistry, a brick and mortar flower bar and coffee shop, becoming one of the youngest retail owners in the country. Today, at 20 years old, he has built or acquired seven ventures across retail, hospitality, nonprofits, and software, and was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. But what makes Dylan's story remarkable is not just how young he started. It's that he did it without waiting for permission. While most of us spend years convincing ourselves the timing is not right, Dylan was already building. While others wait for approval, Dylan was learning through failure. While the rest of us overthink the first step, Dylan was already ten steps ahead. In this conversation, Dylan walks through what it actually takes to start before you are ready, how he leads people twice his age, why he hires people smarter than him, and what happens when your back is against the wall and you have no choice but to figure it out. He also gets honest about the cost of building multiple businesses at once, the voices that still try to sabotage him, why discipline matters more than motivation, and what he learned from losing control of one of his own stores. This is not a conversation about hustle culture or grinding yourself into the ground. This is about clarity, persistence, and the willingness to take the first step even when no one is watching. In this episode: How Dylan started his first business at 11 years old Why his parents let him raise exotic animals in their backyard What a wildlife rescue taught him about running a real business How he launched a flower business with zero dollars and zero experience Why he started hiring employees at 15 years old What it feels like to interview people twice your age How he lost control of one of his own stores and what he did to fix it Why delegation was his biggest blind spot The difference between faking it till you make it and actually learning What happens when your staff turns against you How he handles imposter syndrome as a 20 year old CEO Why he only hires people smarter than him What fortune favors action really means How to know when to pivot versus when to stay persistent Why discipline will always matter more than motivation What the graveyard is the best place for ideas actually means How to balance college, social life, and running multiple businesses Why he does not chase money or status What one life means to him and why it drives everything he does Dylan Capshaw is a 20 year old entrepreneur, Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, and founder of Stemistry, a flower bar and coffee shop with locations in Old Town Scottsdale and Downtown Phoenix. He also runs the Wild West Party Bus and continues to build businesses across multiple industries. Learn more about Dylan: https://dylancapshaw.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan.capshaw Nobody needs to give you permission to start. Timing is never right. You just have to take the first step and go for it. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: One Life, Running Towards Goals Like We're On Fire 00:01:13 The Journey Begins: From Wildlife Rescue to Business at 11 Years Old 00:06:44 COVID Pivot: Building a Flower Empire from the Backyard 00:10:58 Why Wait? Nobody Needs to Give You Permission to Start 00:15:41 The College Decision: When Your Parents Finally Cave 00:20:12 Fortune Favors Action: Effort vs Results 00:33:39 Hiring People Twice Your Age: The Challenge of Young Leadership 00:46:02 The Rogue Store: When You Lose Control of Your Own Business 01:06:45 The Voices That Try to Sabotage You 01:21:18 One Life: Why We Should Run Towards Our Goals Like We're On Fire 01:26:38 When to Quit: Persistence vs Knowing When to Pivot #entrepreneurship #youngentrepreneur #business #leadership #forbes30under30

Most people think they understand each other. They don't. Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism and Effortless, has spent years teaching millions of people to do less but better. But lately, he's been wrestling with something even more fundamental than prioritization. He calls it confident misunderstanding. And once you see it, you start seeing it everywhere. In leadership, at home, in negotiation, in conflict. The gap between what we think we understand and what we actually understand is not 2x. It's 20x. In this conversation, Greg breaks down the research that proves we are catastrophically bad at understanding each other, why this is the priority bottleneck holding back your business and relationships, and how one CEO turned a $350 billion company into a $3.5 trillion company by mastering a single skill: becoming a signalist. Greg explains why the signal is being drowned out by noise, why most people confuse active listening with actually understanding, and how to create the space between agreement and disagreement where transformation happens. This is not about communication tactics. This is about the pivot upon which everything turns. In this episode: Why confident misunderstanding is the dysfunction of our times The tapping experiment that reveals how wrong we are about being understood How Microsoft went from flat to $3.5 trillion under Satya Nadella Why the signal is being drowned out in every conversation you have The one rule that cuts through polarization in under two hours How to establish the space where understanding becomes possible Why active listening is overrated and what to do instead The signalist loop: listen, reflect, speak, confirm How one interrogator found Saddam Hussein in five months using a new communication game Why listening is not about being understanding but about understanding The seven words that will stop any argument: let me see if I understand you How to pinpoint the red button issue that's keeping someone stuck Why your teenager doesn't actually want to quit high school How a professor stayed frozen for three years because of a corrupted meaning frame Why courage is required to hold space for what you don't want to hear How to metabolize your life instead of letting experiences metastasize What Greg learned from 40 years of conversation with his best friend Why the space between right and wrong is where everything transforms Greg McKeown is the author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. He recently completed a doctorate at the University of Cambridge studying the priority bottleneck that keeps people from living essentialist lives. Learn more about Greg: https://gregmckeown.com/ Really understanding each other is the pivot upon which everything turns. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, everything is. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Pivot Upon Which Everything Turns 00:01:25 The Paradox of Success: When More Becomes the Enemy 00:07:33 The Tapper and Listener Experiment: A 20x Gap in Understanding 00:09:28 Confident Misunderstanding: The Priority Bottleneck Holding Everything Back 00:13:00 The Microsoft Story: How One CEO Created $3 Trillion in Value 00:23:35 Carl Rogers and the Lost Technology of Understanding 00:34:48 The Age of Disorientation: Why Social Media Has Weaponized Misunderstanding 00:44:05 The Courage to Create Space Between Right and Wrong 00:56:33 The Signalist Loop: Listen, Reflect, Speak, Confirm 01:00:33 The Three-Year Freeze: Unlocking a Professor's Red Button Issue 01:08:55 Eric Maddox and Finding Saddam Hussein: From 4% to 65% Success 01:16:51 Let Me See If I Understand You: Seven Words That Change Everything 01:19:12 Journaling as Signal Discovery: What, So What, Now What 01:24:30 The Field Beyond Right-Doing and Wrong-Doing: A 40-Year Conversation 01:29:00 Without It Nothing Is Possible, With It Everything Is #leadership #communication #essentialism #understanding #relationships

Most people who lose everything as a teenager spend the rest of their lives terrified it will happen again. Denise Donoghue turned that terror into fuel. At 17, she came home from school to find everything she owned sitting on the front lawn. Her mattress. Her clothes. Her stuffed animal. All of it thrown across the grass for the entire neighborhood to see. The bank had foreclosed on the house her dad owned for 26 years. She had no idea that was even possible. That moment changed everything. But the foreclosure was not the first time Denise learned that security could disappear. Her mom left when she was eight years old after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Her dad got custody, inherited half a million dollars, and spent it all in four years. Then when Denise was 20, he left too. Wrote a letter, moved to the Philippines, and never came back. She was raised by abandonment, humiliation, and a father who taught her resilience through verbal and physical abuse. So she did what high achievers do when love feels unreliable: she went all in on what she could control. Business could not hurt her. Money could not leave her. So she built both. Today, Denise is a top 1% mortgage producer in the United States and the founder of Mortgage Nerd Academy, where she teaches loan officers how to educate families on financial strategy so they never lose their homes the way she did. But success built on survival comes with a cost. In this conversation, Denise walks through the moment she realized her obsession with control was keeping her from the life she actually wanted, why resilience can become self-destructive, and how she learned to trust people again after spending most of her life proving she did not need anyone. In this episode: The day Denise came home to find all her belongings on the front lawn Why her mom lost custody when Denise was eight years old How her dad spent half a million dollars in four years What it felt like to be abandoned by both parents Why she stopped trusting men and relationships entirely How business became the one thing she could control The moment she got shingles at 29 and her doctor told her stress was destroying her body Why she told her husband no the first time he proposed How three years of infertility forced her to face what she was actually chasing What her husband said that finally broke through her walls Why she built Mortgage Nerd Academy to stop loan officers from getting ripped off by outdated coaches How productivity can become a drug that keeps you from the life you want Why candor is kindness and conflict builds trust What would change if you had nothing to prove How to know when delegation is the right move Why your mess is just as messy as everyone else's Denise Donoghue is a top 1% mortgage producer, founder of Mortgage Nerd Academy, and a relentless advocate for financial education. She teaches loan officers and families how to make smarter financial decisions so they never lose their homes the way she did. Learn more about Denise: https://mortgagenerdacademy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/themortgagenerd/ If you are alive today, you are undefeated. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: If You're Alive Today, You're Undefeated 00:01:46 The Day Everything Changed: Foreclosure at 17 00:02:12 Abandoned Twice: When Both Parents Left 00:16:26 Learning to Love Yourself When No One Else Does 00:20:23 The $3,000 That Ended a Relationship 00:32:40 Building the Airplane in the Air: Embracing Fear 00:40:19 Control: When Your Superpower Becomes Your Prison 00:42:35 From Loan Officer to Teacher: The Mortgage Nerd Academy 00:50:39 The Wake-Up Call: Shingles at 29 00:56:34 The Partner Who Wouldn't Let Her Bullshit Herself 01:01:20 Candor Is Kindness: Building a Culture of Truth 01:06:02 Time Flies, Who's the Captain? Taking Responsibility 01:07:06 What Would Your Life Look Like With Nothing to Prove? 01:09:02 The First Thing Every Business Owner Should Delegate 01:15:07 You Can Be Both: Mom and Badass Business Owner #resilience #entrepreneurship #mortgages #financialeducation #leadership

Most people who struggle with addiction never get help. Not because they don't want it. Because the only help they're offered requires them to quit immediately, admit they're powerless, and commit to never drinking or using again for the rest of their lives. And if they're not ready for that, the system says: come back when you hit rock bottom. Hamilton Baden built a career leading sales for one of the largest specialty pharmacies in the country. He was successful, respected, winning by every external measure. And the entire time, he was quietly losing his battle with alcohol. He knew he had a problem for 22 years before he finally raised his hand and asked for help. The day he walked into treatment was both the best and the worst day of his life. Today, Hamilton runs Youturn Health, a company built around one uncomfortable truth: 95% of people who struggle with addiction or mental health issues will never enter traditional clinical treatment. His model doesn't wait for people to be ready. It meets them where they are, removes the fear, and refuses to let them fail. In this conversation, Hamilton walks through the neurobiology of addiction, why traditional treatment only works for a small percentage of people, and what actually changes when you stop waiting for someone to have a moment of clarity and start showing up for them before they're ready. In this episode: Why Hamilton drank every night for years and still showed up to work like a normal person How his dopamine levels spiked to 24 when a normal person's goes to 11 The moment in treatment when he finally admitted he was an alcoholic Why his wife wanted him to quit drinking but didn't understand he was incapable of drinking like her The three gaps in traditional addiction treatment that leave 95% of people behind Why telling someone to hit rock bottom before getting help is dangerous and outdated How fentanyl changed everything about the way we have to approach addiction The rat study that proves the opposite of addiction is community, not willpower Why peer support works when clinical treatment doesn't How Youturn Health flips the responsibility from the person struggling to the coach supporting them The 18 year old girl who wasn't ready to quit fentanyl but stayed alive because someone refused to give up on her Why some treatment centers fired Youturn Health after their relapse rates dropped What leaders and managers should do when someone on their team is struggling How to intervene when someone mentions suicide and why you don't need to be trained to help Why Hamilton wouldn't change a single thing about his story, even the hardest parts Hamilton Baden is the co-founder of Youturn Health, a peer support platform that closes the gaps in traditional addiction and mental health treatment by meeting people where they are and refusing to let them fail. Learn more about Hamilton and YouTurn Health: https://youturnhealth.com/ If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7. This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes and does not replace individualized medical or mental health advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing medications, supplements, or treatment protocols. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Best and Worst Day of His Life 00:07:05 The Neurobiology of Addiction: Why He Couldn't Drink Like a Normal Person 00:14:50 When Your Life Revolves Around Alcohol 00:16:36 The Most Dangerous Place for an Addict: Success 00:20:20 The Moment of Clarity That Changed Everything 00:30:05 The Three Gaps Traditional Treatment Fails to Address 00:44:24 Meeting People Where They Are: The U-Turn Health Model 00:57:50 The Story That Proves Everything: Saving an 18-Year-Old on the Streets 01:15:12 Suicide Prevention: Your Duty to Intervene 01:21:42 What Leaders Should Do When Someone on Their Team Is Struggling 01:29:33 The Separation That Almost Ended His Marriage 01:32:38 The Biggest Misperception and Where to Find Help #addiction #mentalhealth #recovery #leadership #etdty

Everybody has an opinion about AI right now. Most of them are guessing. Kevin Surace is not guessing. He holds 95 patents and was building AI virtual assistants 30 years ago, long before Siri, years before ChatGPT and Claude, back when the entire idea sounded like science fiction. So when he tells you what is coming, he is not reacting to the headlines. He has already spent decades watching the future arrive. And he is not scared. He is encouraged. But here is the part that surprised me: the man who spent 30 years building the machines is now writing a book about joy. Not productivity. Not efficiency. Joy. In this conversation, Kevin explains why AI is not coming for your job unless you refuse to use it, why the people who embrace AI become more valuable rather than less, and why the real threat is not automation but complacency. He also shares what he has learned about success, failure, humility, and why joy must come before success if you want to build anything that lasts. In this episode: Why Kevin built AI virtual assistants in 1998 and what the world was not ready for How 3.5 million people used voice assistants before the iPhone existed Why the patents Kevin filed decades ago became the foundation for Siri and Alexa What happens when you invent something the world is not psychologically or financially ready to adopt Why autonomous vehicles are 97% safer than human drivers but we still fear them How critical thinking reveals what fear and headlines obscure Why AI takes away joyless work, not jobs The macro workforce problem nobody is talking about How coders who use AI go 10 to 100 times faster and why that does not mean layoffs Who gets fired and who becomes indispensable in the age of AI Why taste, judgment, and experience are the skills that matter most now What Kevin told his HR director when she said using AI could get her fired How humanoid robots will learn by reinforcement and why that changes everything Why complaining 100 times a day keeps you stuck at zero The one complaint a day rule and how it rewires your brain Why joy leads to success, not the other way around How to find joy in firing someone, sweeping the floor, or failing Why some people need to be blessed out of your life What humility taught Kevin that ambition could not How to become the robot overlord instead of being replaced by one Kevin Surace is an inventor, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of The Joyous Success Cycle, with a foreword by Goldie Hawn. His work spans AI, robotics, sustainability, and biometric authentication. Learn more about Kevin: https://kevinsurace.com https://joysuccesscycle.com If you want to keep your job, the best thing you can do is be the robot overlord. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Robot Overlord 00:01:05 The Man Behind 95 Patents 00:04:15 Building AI Virtual Assistants in 1998 00:08:20 Why the World Wasn't Ready 00:14:20 The Future Is Already Here 00:21:13 AI Is Not Coming for Your Job 00:24:56 Be the Robot Overlord or Be Replaced 00:26:23 What Actually Worries Kevin About AI 00:36:46 The Skills That Become More Valuable 00:42:24 The Joy Success Cycle 00:50:31 Finding Joy in Every Moment 00:57:36 Bless the Joy Killers Out of Your Life 01:00:09 AI Won't Kill Your Critical Thinking 01:04:19 Be Humble and Stay Curious 01:08:42 Who You Can Become When You Use AI #AI #automation #innovation #joy #leadership

The man who spent his career keeping elite athletes healthy nearly lost his own life because he missed what was happening inside his own body. Justin Roethlingshoefer has worked with Stanley Cup champions, Olympians, and some of the best athletes in the world. His job was to keep them at their peak. Then his doctors told him he wouldn't live to see 35. Four precancerous polyps. A bleeding precancerous ulcer. And a body that looked healthy on the outside but was quietly breaking down from the inside. In this conversation, Justin walks through the moment he realized that the same system he built for elite performers could save his own life. He explains why most people confuse looking healthy with being healthy, why your habits are simply your identity made visible, and how healing the cell allows the body to heal itself. This is not a conversation about biohacks or quick fixes. It is about understanding the body you live in so you can actually steward it. In this episode: Why high performers think they are Iron Man until they are not How an eight year old boy shaped a 30 year identity of needing to be impressive The five imprisoned hearts that limit men: performer, perfecter, pessimist, pleaser, protector Why disconnection creates an imprisoned heart, which poisons the mind and diseases the body What manufactured confidence looks like and why it leaves you feeling empty How to define joy as acceptance of the present moment Why your habits, behaviors, and life rhythms are simply your identity made visible The difference between routine and intentional rhythms What the cell needs: oxygen, detoxification, and nutrients Why heart rate variability is the most holistic measure of health How VO2 max reveals whether your body is struggling even when you do not feel stressed Why sleep quality determines whether your body can detoxify The difference between blood serum testing and cellular nutrient testing Why vitamin deficiencies cause hormone imbalances, not the other way around How to move from "I will try" to "I will do whatever it takes" Why you cannot put new habits on an old identity and expect transformation What it means to heal the cell so the body heals itself Justin Roethlingshoefer is a health expert, author of Holy Health, and founder of Own It Coaching, where he helps high capacity leaders take ownership of their health so they can live in alignment with how they were designed. Learn more about Justin: https://ownitcoaching.com https://holyhealthbook.com This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing medications, supplements, or health protocols. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Health Expert Who Was Told He Wouldn't Live Past 35 00:05:07 The Eight-Year-Old Boy: Where Performance Identity Began 00:10:03 Forgiving the Younger Versions of Yourself 00:12:37 The Five Hearts That Imprison Men 00:16:24 The Order of Breakdown: Spirit, Heart, Mind, Body 00:20:37 Manufactured Confidence vs. True Confidence 00:24:02 Defining Joy: Peace and Freedom in Any Moment 00:25:21 When Habits Become Idols: The Rigidity Trap 00:27:51 Your Habits Are Your Identity Made Visible 00:34:12 Consistency Will Get You Paid: The Thirteen-Year-Old's Lesson 00:36:27 The Difference Between Routine and Intentional Rhythms 00:43:57 Cellular Health: The Foundation Everything Else Is Built On 00:46:07 The Three Things Every Cell Needs to Thrive 00:48:02 Heart Rate Variability: The Language of Your Body 00:54:48 The 84% Solution: Why HRV Above the 50th Percentile Matters 00:55:58 VO2 Max: Why 45 or Greater Is Non-Negotiable for Men 00:58:35 Sleep Quality: The Glymphatic System and Detoxification 01:04:21 Zone Two and Zone Five: The Training Protocol That Works 01:06:40 Cellular Deficiencies: What Blood Work Doesn't Tell You 01:07:45 Methylation: Why Most Supplements Don't Work 01:09:18 Testosterone Deficiency Is Actually a Vitamin Deficiency 01:14:18 Success Takes Sacrifice vs. Success and Health Go Hand in Hand 01:14:48 Leading from Overflow, Not Exhaustion 01:15:55 Dustin's Story: From 85 Pounds Overweight to CrossFit Games 01:20:22 Heal the Cell, The Body Heals Itself 01:20:59 Track, Design, Refine: The System That Works 01:25:49 The Commitment Bridge: From False to True Identity 01:27:46 I'll Do It When: The Moving Goalpost That Never Comes 01:29:06 Whatever It Takes: Covenant Level Commitment 01:30:32 Be Nothing: The Secret to Serving at the Highest Level #health #leadership #identity #wellness

Exhaustion is not proof that you are working harder. It may be the reason your best work is getting worse. In this episode, Josh sits down with Dr. Michael Breus, widely known as The Sleep Doctor, to unpack what high performers consistently misunderstand about sleep. Dr. Breus explains why entrepreneurs often sleep differently, how your chronotype affects the best time to focus, create, exercise, and recover, and why the time you wake up may matter more than the time you go to bed. They also explore caffeine, alcohol, sleep apnea, waking up in the middle of the night, melatonin, sleep tracking, and the danger of turning better sleep into another impossible standard. In this conversation: • Why sleep deprivation changes your judgment and emotional regulation • The three-part sleep strategy Dr. Breus gives entrepreneurs • Why your wake time anchors your entire sleep schedule • How chronotypes affect productivity, relationships, and leadership • What caffeine and alcohol may be doing to your sleep • Why people wake up between 1 and 3 a.m. • Practical ways to quiet your mind and return to sleep • What people misunderstand about melatonin and supplements • Why better sleep does not require perfect sleep Take the free Chronoquiz created for ETDTY listeners: https://sleepdoctor.com/etdty Michael J. Breus, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, sleep medicine specialist, author of five books, and one of only 168 people to pass the sleep medicine specialty board without attending medical school. Learn more about Dr. Breus: https://sleepdoctor.com This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing medications or supplements.

Why does getting older make us more afraid that we will never reach our potential? In his first ETDTY solo episode, Josh Zolin examines four forces behind that pressure: legacy, proof, joy, and impact. He explores why some forms of ambition are rooted in fear, why others come from love, and how constantly moving the goalpost can make even meaningful success feel empty. This is a personal examination of achievement, self-worth, alignment, and the difference between being remembered and making an impact.

Why do people say yes when they don't want to? And what separates influence from manipulation? Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Pre-suasion, joins the show to break down the seven universal principles that shape human decision making. This conversation isn't about tricks or tactics. It's about trust. It's about how people really make decisions, how leaders move people without manipulating them, and what happens when technology starts pulling us farther apart instead of bringing us closer together. Dr. Cialdini explains why reciprocity works when you go first, why authority validates better in multiples, how scarcity drives urgency more than discounts, and why showing people you are one of them is more powerful than simply being like them. He also gets into the ethics of influence, the long term cost of deception, and why organizations that tolerate dishonesty attract the wrong people and lose the best ones. And he shares what Warren Buffett does in his shareholder letters that makes people trust him more, not less. SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ETDTY LISTENERS Get free access to the Cialdini Influence Assessment for 30 days: https://assessment.cialdini.com/ Use code Zolin2026 at checkout. Save 20% on the Cialdini Certified Practitioner Course: https://cialdini.com/certified-practitioner Use code ZolinCCP at checkout. Get the newest expanded edition of Influence: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062937650 In this episode: Why people say yes even when they don't want to The seven universal principles of persuasion How reciprocity unlocks influence when you give first Why liking works better when paired with warmth and approval The difference between similarity and unity How authority validates more effectively in groups Why scarcity of items works better than scarcity of time How loss language outperforms gain language What makes commitment and consistency so powerful The ethics of influence and the long term cost of deception Why dishonest cultures attract cheaters and lose top performers How to humanize your communication in the digital age What Warren Buffett does to establish credibility in his messaging Why influence is a responsibility, not just a tactic Because at the end of the day, influence isn't just about getting someone to say yes. It's about who we become while trying. Learn more about Dr. Robert Cialdini: https://www.cialdini.com/ Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Psychology of Yes 00:02:25 The Seven Principles of Persuasion 00:05:23 Reciprocation: The Most Primitive Principle 00:09:29 Liking: Show Them You Like Them First 00:15:26 Authority and Social Proof: Consensus Wins 00:18:27 The Power of Social Proof and Popularity 00:22:40 Commitment and Consistency 00:24:31 Scarcity: Loss is the Ultimate Motivator 00:31:22 Unity: You Are One of Them 00:36:05 The Ethics of Influence 00:39:17 The Cost of Dishonesty in Organizations 00:43:24 Influence in the Digital Age 00:47:20 Humanize Your Digital Presence 00:54:06 Being an Authority vs. Being in Authority 00:55:38 Warren Buffett and the Power of Honesty #influence #persuasion #leadership #businessethics #etdty

What if the way you speak is not fixed? Speech and communication coach Myles Usher Doyle has worked with some of the most recognizable voices in podcasting, health, and digital media, including Chris Williamson of Modern Wisdom, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and Heidi Somers. In this episode, Myles joins the show for a conversation about voice, presence, fear, and the hidden reason so many capable people struggle to be heard. Myles explains why improving your voice does not mean becoming fake, why nervous people often talk too much, and how learning to pause can completely change the way an audience experiences you. He also shares the childhood moments that shaped his work, including being so quiet that a teacher admitted they sometimes forgot he was in the room. This conversation explores filler words, public-speaking anxiety, storytelling, listening, persuasion, confidence, and what it really takes to command a room. Because finding your voice is not about becoming someone else. It is about finally allowing people to experience who you already are. Learn more about Myles at https://www.speak-well.co.uk/ __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

When the thing you built becomes your identity, losing it can feel like losing yourself. Anthony Trucks spent 13 years turning himself into an NFL player. Then football disappeared, and the identity underneath it nearly collapsed too. His business struggled. His marriage fell apart. He lost his health, his status, and nearly himself. In this conversation, Anthony and I unpack the invisible machinery of identity: why we confuse ourselves with our titles, why responsibility restores agency, and why information alone does not create change. Anthony explains dark work, the unseen and often uncelebrated work that rewires who you are when nobody is watching. We also explore: The identity gap that appears when a career or chapter ends Why you were never the fruit, you were always the tree How helplessness can become the darkest lie you believe Why acting out of character can create a new identity The connection between self-respect and self-love Why action creates clarity and motion changes emotion How to stop identifying with outcomes The difference between shadow work and dark work How to intentionally build the person you need to become This is not a clean reinvention story. It is the truth about what can happen when the identity that built you starts breaking you. Learn more about Anthony: darkwork.com anthonytrucks.com Content warning: This episode includes a candid discussion of suicidal ideation and suicide. Some listeners may find this material distressing. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the United States, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Outside the United States, contact your local emergency services or crisis support line. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

Most founders start a business to create freedom. Then they build one that cannot function without them. I started this conversation with a question I have had to ask myself: Why do so many founders say they want to scale, then build a company that cannot function without them? Cameron Herold knows the cost of that contradiction. At 34, his health, marriage, family life, and business were all under extraordinary pressure. He thought he was handling it. Then a stress assessment came back at 435. Cameron says a score of 250 represented a 90% chance of a heart attack. His entire identity had become the business. In this conversation, we explore what Cameron changed after that moment and how founders can build companies that support their lives instead of consuming them. We discuss delegation, executive assistants, second-in-command leadership, personal Vivid Visions, unique ability, coaching, failure, gratitude, and why Cameron's own team told him they liked it when he went away. Cameron Herold is an entrepreneur, author, former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and founder of the COO Alliance. Learn more: www.cooalliance.com __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Most people aren't stuck because they don't know what to do. They're stuck because doing it requires them to confront the truth. Nick Anderson knows what it means to move through the thing you never thought you could survive. At 10 years old, Nick lost his father to suicide. Years later, his wife was struck by a car while they were taking a walk and did not survive. Nick was left to raise two young boys while battling grief, depression, and a body that had reached 305 pounds. He eventually looked in the mirror and made a decision: "I can't live this life." "I've got to stay alive for my kids." That decision began a transformation that changed his health, identity, relationships, leadership, and career. Today, Nick is the CEO and co-owner of OneAccord, where he helps companies develop stronger leaders, build executable strategies, navigate difficult personnel decisions, and create businesses that can thrive without being completely dependent on their owners. In this conversation, we get into: The stories we tell ourselves about other people and our own lives Why the only way out is through What actually makes someone a leader The difference between strategy and a collection of tactics Why your strategy must evolve as your company evolves Outgrowing people who helped build the business How to approach conversations most leaders avoid The biggest threat to the value of an owner-led company Building something meaningful for the people you love You probably already know the conversation, decision, or change you've been avoiding. The question is how much longer you're willing to let it keep you stuck. Connect with Nick Anderson and OneAccord: https://oneaccord.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdanderson/

The fears you recognize may not be the ones controlling you. Executive leadership coach and author Hortense le Gentil joins Josh Zolin to uncover the hidden beliefs, inherited expectations, and "mind traps" quietly shaping how we lead and live. Hortense explains why perfectionism can become a trap, how fear of failure disguises itself as ambition, and why having more success, money, or power rarely silences the internal battle. She also shares the process leaders can use to trace these beliefs back to their source, challenge the voices behind them, and begin writing their own story. In this episode: Why great leaders make space for others The hidden anxiety that comes with leadership How perfectionism becomes a mind trap Why success can disconnect leaders from themselves How to identify fears you did not know you had The difference between introspection and self-awareness Why honest feedback is essential for growth How to face fear without allowing it to take control What it means to move from a "hero leader" to a human leader Hortense le Gentil is an executive leadership coach, speaker, and author of The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Own Voice, Lead with Empathy, and Shine Your Light in the World. Learn more about Hortense: https://www.hortenselegentil.com/ __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

At 42, Brad Leavitt had a stroke that changed the way he thinks about time, pressure, family, and leadership. In this episode, he and Josh talk about the wake-up call that forced him to rebuild his life with more intention. Brad Leavitt is the founder of AFT Construction and host of The Brad Leavitt Podcast. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Brad joins Josh Zolin for a raw conversation about leadership, pressure, health, family, burnout, and what it really means to rebuild your life after a wake-up call. At 42, Brad had a severe stroke. He recovered, but the experience changed how he thinks about time, presence, health, and the way he shows up as a father, husband, business owner, and leader. Brad and Josh also talk about the realities of leading in a high-pressure business, why communication matters so much, how leaders can protect their teams from burnout, what happens when you keep the wrong people too long, and why building a business should not cost you the life you were building it for. This conversation is for founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders who are carrying more than people see. __ Guest Brad Leavitt https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleavitt/ www.aftconstruction.com __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Rachel Medina built a seven-figure business after 40, after divorce, and after unimaginable loss. This conversation is about grief, faith, hustle, stewardship, and what success can never replace. Rachel Medina is an entrepreneur, podcast host, TEDx speaker, and mentor to women everywhere. In this episode, Rachel joins Josh Zolin for a raw conversation about rebuilding life and business after loss. She shares how she built a seven-figure business from less than $500, why sales mattered more than perfection, how hustle became both a tool and a trap, and how losing her son reshaped her definition of success. They also talk about faith, grief, men's mental health, stewardship, women in business, and the hard truth that the business you build has to support the life you actually want. __ Guest: Rachel Medina Rachel Unpacked Podcast rachelmedina.com __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Dr. Eben Alexander was a neurosurgeon who believed the brain created consciousness. Then a seven-day coma changed everything he thought he knew about death, identity, and why we are here. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Dr. Eben Alexander, neurosurgeon and author of Proof of Heaven, to explore one of the most profound questions we can ask: what happens when this life ends? Dr. Alexander shares the story of the sudden bacterial illness that put him into a seven-day coma, the medical uncertainty surrounding his survival, and the near-death experience that challenged his understanding of the brain, consciousness, memory, and spirituality. Josh also brings the conversation back to leadership, ambition, ego, and control. For high performers and business leaders, this episode asks a deeper question: what are you really building, and what are you allowing fear to drive? __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Blake Erickson made serious money young. He experienced retirement at 26. Then he realized something most entrepreneurs never want to admit: Success can feel empty when you're playing the wrong game. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Blake Erickson, New York Times bestselling author and founder of scaling.com, for a raw conversation about focus, ego, purpose, leadership, and what it actually takes to scale a business without losing yourself in the process. Blake breaks down the core ideas behind The Science of Scaling, including frame, floor, and focus, why impossible goals force better thinking, why most founders become the bottleneck, and why scaling is often more about subtraction than addition. This episode gets into the tactics of building a better business, but it also goes deeper into the identity work behind leadership. Because growth is not just about revenue. It's about becoming the person capable of carrying what you say you want. In this episode: Why Blake sold everything and went all in on one mission How diluted focus creates diluted results Why ego is often the real founder bottleneck The difference between tactics and principles Why impossible goals can create better strategy How your floor becomes your culture Why success without purpose can feel like failure How to attract better people, even in a labor shortage Why scaling requires subtraction, not more complexity Guest: Blake Erickson Connect: blakeerickson.com __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

What if the biggest thing holding your business back is you? In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Charles Gaudet to talk about the founder trap, predictable growth, leverage, systems, and what it really takes to build a business that can run without you. Charles breaks down why hard work alone is not enough, why word of mouth and referrals eventually hit a ceiling, and how founders can start moving from chaos to consistency. They also get into recurring revenue, team ownership, leadership identity, and the uncomfortable truth that many founders are not always the best long-term CEO for the company they created. This is a conversation for business owners who want growth, but do not want to lose themselves in the process. Guest: Charles Gaudet Connect with Charles: https://charlesgaudet.com/ __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Morgan Haynes is the CEO of Tribal Health, a national healthcare organization focused on bringing advanced care models to underserved rural and Indigenous communities. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Morgan joins Josh Zolin for a raw conversation about leadership, identity, alignment, and what feminine leadership really means. This is not a conversation about gender. It is about the traits leaders are often taught to suppress: empathy, intuition, vulnerability, softness, and emotional honesty. Morgan breaks down why those traits can become powerful tools when paired with candor, accountability, and mission-driven execution. Josh and Morgan also talk about the exhaustion of misalignment, why burnout is not always about hours worked, how leaders hide behind kindness, and why the most compassionate thing you can do is often the most direct. If you are a founder, CEO, manager, or leader trying to scale without losing yourself, this is for you. In this episode: What feminine leadership really means Why softness is not weakness The balance between empathy and candor Why misalignment creates exhaustion How intuition shows up in business decisions Why mission-driven companies must protect their people The difference between kindness and politeness What Morgan refuses to give up as Tribal Health grows Guest: Morgan Haynes Company: Tribal Health (https://tribalhealth.com/) Subscribe for more episodes!

Most business owners think they have a money problem. Claudio Gambin says the real problem is usually structure, strategy, and the owner becoming the bottleneck. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Claudio Gambin of GFG Solutions to talk about the truth behind money, taxes, growth, risk, and legacy for business owners. Claudio breaks down why so much financial advice misses the mark for entrepreneurs, how business owners can think differently about reinvesting in themselves, and why tax strategy should be tied directly to growth and freedom. They also get into the six-month vacation test, building a business to sell even if you never plan to sell it, the difference between being rich and being wealthy, and why everything compounds: money, time, relationships, decisions, and mistakes. This episode is for entrepreneurs, founders, operators, and blue-collar business owners who want more than revenue. They want time, clarity, freedom, and a business that can survive without them being the center of everything. Disclaimer: This conversation is for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Talk with your own CPA, attorney, or financial professional before making decisions. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Most owners are not broke because they refuse to work hard. They are broke because they refuse to face the numbers. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Ellen Rohr for a raw, practical conversation about the money side of business and the personal responsibility that comes with owning the numbers. Ellen breaks down why business is simpler than most owners make it, why sales, profit, and cash are the three numbers every owner needs to understand, and why "charge more than it costs" might be the uncomfortable truth that saves a business. Josh and Ellen also talk about self-esteem in the trades, pricing, leadership, cash flow, asking better questions, AI, and the identity shift required to stop operating from confusion and start leading from clarity. This episode is for the owner who is working hard, doing everything they were told to do, and still wondering why the money is not adding up. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Entrepreneurs chase freedom, but most of them build themselves a harder job. John Lee Dumas breaks down what freedom really takes: discipline, systems, boundaries, and the courage to say no. John Lee Dumas, founder of Entrepreneurs On Fire and author of The Common Path to Uncommon Success, joins Josh Zolin for an incredible conversation about freedom, discipline, and what most entrepreneurs misunderstand when they start building a business. JLD explains why entrepreneurship does not automatically create freedom. In fact, it often means trading one boss for hundreds or thousands: customers, clients, listeners, employees, and everyone else depending on the business. The real freedom comes later. After the team is built. After the systems are in place. After the processes are clear. After the entrepreneur stops being the bottleneck. Josh and JLD also talk about defining your perfect day, the role discipline plays in creating freedom, why early-stage entrepreneurs need to say yes, and why later-stage entrepreneurs need to get better at saying no. The most practical question from the episode: "Do I need to be doing this?" Underline the word "I." Because building a business is hard. Building a life that business actually supports is the real work. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Most leaders are trained to have answers. Warren Berger believes the better leadership skill is learning how to ask the right questions. In Episode 21 of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Warren Berger, author of The Book of Beautiful Questions and A More Beautiful Question, to talk about the underestimated power of questioning in leadership, business, creativity, and life. Warren explains why questions are not just conversation tools. They are leadership tools. The right question can open someone up, reveal bottlenecks, challenge assumptions, and bring people into the mission. The wrong question can shut people down, create defensiveness, and turn a conversation into an interrogation. This episode covers curiosity, humility, listening, follow-up questions, mission questions, the "question sandwich," and why leaders need to stop treating answers as the only currency that matters. If you lead a team, run a business, manage people, or want to communicate with more clarity and depth, this episode will challenge the way you think about leadership. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Most people think being a "nice guy" means being kind, generous, and easy to get along with. Dr. Robert Glover sees it differently. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh sits down with Dr. Robert Glover, author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, to unpack the hidden patterns behind approval-seeking, people-pleasing, covert contracts, shame, anxiety, resentment, and dishonesty. This conversation goes way beyond relationships. Dr. Glover explains how "nice guy" patterns show up in business, leadership, marriage, sex, decision-making, conflict, and personal ambition. For founders, leaders, and high-performers, the real danger is not that being nice makes you weak. It's that being nice can become a mask for fear, avoidance, manipulation, and unspoken expectations. Josh and Dr. Glover get into why relationships are not supposed to be easy, why honesty solves more than hiding ever will, why "good at being good" is not the same as being great, and how men can stop living from covert contracts and start living with truth, confidence, and responsibility. In This Episode Why "nice" is not the same as good, kind, or honest The difference between healthy guilt and neurotic guilt How shame and anxiety drive approval-seeking Why relationships become powerful personal growth machines The three covert contracts nice guys live by How nice guy patterns show up in leadership and work Why honesty makes life easier Why men avoid tension, conflict, and directness How to stop hiding what you want What it actually means to become integrated Guest Dr. Robert Glover is the author of No More Mr. Nice Guy and a longtime teacher, coach, and thought leader in men's emotional health, relationships, dating, sex, and personal development. His work helps men break free from approval-seeking and become more honest, integrated, and powerful in every area of life. Find Dr. Glover at DrGlover.com and Integration Nation. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Smart people do not usually fall apart all at once. They drift, and most of the time they do not see it happening. In this episode, Josh sits down with Todd Henry, keynote speaker, author, advisor, and founder of Accidental Creative, for a conversation about creativity, discipline, leadership, and what really causes people to lose their edge. Todd breaks down why creativity is not reserved for artists, why talent without practice fades fast, how leaders lose the through line in their work, and what boredom is actually trying to tell you. This is a conversation about staying sharp, staying grounded, and staying connected to the deeper reason behind what you build. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Why do some businesses keep growing while others stay busy but stuck? Brian Gottlieb breaks down the culture, leadership, and standards that actually move a company forward. In this episode, Josh Zolin sits down with Brian Gottlieb for a deep conversation on leadership, culture, accountability, and what really keeps businesses from scaling. Brian shares lessons from building a business from a folding table and $3,000 into an industry-leading company with lifetime revenue nearing $1B. Together, Josh and Brian unpack why businesses stall, how founders become bottlenecks, why culture is shaped by what you tolerate, and how to create teams that can win without constant supervision. This episode covers: why the lead is sacred business disciplines vs SOPs leadership at 5, 50, and 500 employees empowerment vs micromanagement building KPIs people can actually control why culture is built, not bought how to create standards your team can actually live by __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin

What happens when the same toughness that helps you survive also starts costing you your marriage, your health, and your identity? In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Tony Rodarte, a retired Maricopa County Sheriff with 20 years of service, including 11 years in the homicide unit. But this conversation goes far beyond law enforcement. Tony opens up about the hidden cost of pressure, the toll that unresolved trauma takes on marriage and family, why "10 feet tall and bulletproof" is not a sustainable way to lead, and how vulnerability became one of the greatest strengths he discovered after service. They also unpack leadership, burnout, hiring, identity, emotional health, and Tony's work today as the founder of Compassion Alliance, a nonprofit helping first responders, spouses, and retirees get access to trauma therapy and support. In this episode: what 20 years in law enforcement cost him why toughness can become a liability the difference between being broken and not well how trauma shows up in leadership and marriage what "moral injury" actually means the pickup truck vs trailer hiring analogy why asking better questions changes teams and relationships how Compassion Alliance is helping first responders heal This is the kind of conversation that reminds me why this show exists. For truth. For the things people don't tell you about pressure, leadership, identity, and what it takes to stay whole while carrying a heavy life. 🚨 This episode is a special one. 🚨 Tony now leads Compassion Alliance, a nonprofit helping first responders, spouses, and retirees get access to trauma therapy and support. The work they're doing is not just important. It is saving lives and saving marriages. WCE has been a proud supporter of Compassion Alliance for some time now, which made this conversation especially meaningful for me. 👉 Check out Compassion Alliance here: https://compassion-alliance.org/ This episode is also part of Podcasthon, a global movement uniting podcasters around causes that matter. We chose to spotlight Compassion Alliance because their mission is real, urgent, and deeply needed. If this conversation moved you, check out the links below to learn more and support the cause. __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin #everythintheydonttellyou #podcast #leadership #firstresponders #mentalhealth #healing #podcasthon

If your business needs you for everything, it is not scaling. It is suffocating. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh sits down with Jacob Tilzer. Jacob is the Founder and Managing Partner of Accrual Equity Partners; An expert in the world of mergers and acquisitions who's lived the full arc: adversity early, discipline learned the hard way, and the operator-to-builder shift that separates a real company from a founder-dependent machine. If you're buying a business, selling a business, or scaling through acquisition, this conversation breaks down the mistake that wrecks most first-time buyers: obsessing over the deal and ignoring operations, systems, and integration. This conversation gets into the roots of building systems, empowering leaders, and installing guardrails so the business can grow with you holding the keys. What you'll learn: Why the deal is the easy part and integration is the real war The difference between a $1M company and a $10M company (and why your old playbook breaks) Why you cannot scale without empowering people and trusting the process What happens when your systems can't support growth How to think about integration before you ever sign __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, I sit down with Amy Morin, licensed psychotherapist and author of the "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" series. We talk about the difference between mental strength and acting tough, why so many high performers avoid being alone with their thoughts, how to set boundaries without damaging relationships, and how to reframe failure so it stops owning your identity. If you're building a business, leading a team, or carrying more than you admit, this is an episode you can't miss. What you'll hear: Why "acting tough" is usually avoidance The list Amy wrote to survive grief Boundaries that protect you and respect others Why quiet time feels unbearable for so many people How to interpret failure without turning it into a verdict Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

David Meltzer is one of the most respected voices in personal growth, leadership, and business. He's a globally recognized speaker, author, entrepreneur, coach, and Chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute. In this short episode, we go deep on the invisible stuff that holds high performers back: the meaning you assign to your past, the difference between surrender and quitting, and the daily non-negotiables that create real results. Key ideas we cover: Why the "meaning of the past" can cap your self-image The "Stop, Drop, Roll" framework for getting back into alignment Non-negotiable behaviors, and why consistency beats intensity The trap of "I'll be happy when" and what to replace it with Why asking for help is the ultimate form of humility Connect with David - https://dmeltzer.com/ __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

BMI is one number, not the full story. Dr. Melody Rodarte breaks down what doctors miss and what actually matters. In this episode, Josh sits down with Dr. Melody Rodarte, board-certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine, to unpack why BMI can be misleading, why "eat less, exercise more" is incomplete, and why calories are not metabolically equal. They cover GLP-1 medications and the right way to think about them, fasting vs timed restricted eating, autophagy, and why perimenopause can start earlier and last longer than most people realize. General discussion only, not medical advice. __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

If you are building a company and feel like growth is getting harder, this episode is a reset. Adam Coffey is a veteran, former GE leader, and CEO who has built multiple companies for private equity, generating billions in exits. In this conversation, Adam breaks down the real CEO playbook: managing process not minutia, building leaders, setting a higher bar for growth, and how private equity actually works when it is done right. We cover: The shift from operator to conductor Why great leaders schedule real thinking time When to replace an underperformer The rule of 72 and why 10% growth is not enough How private equity creates the market founders sell into Why your first exit is not the finish line The "death of the click" and how AI is reshaping lead generation Connect with Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/ Books: The Private Equity Playbook, Empire Builder, and more __ This episode is sponsored by OneAccord OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below. Start here: https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin

The Truth About Business, Leadership, and Becoming Who You're Meant to Be Welcome to Everything They Don't Tell You - the podcast for people building more than just a business. Hosted by Josh Zolin, this show dives into the stuff most people skip: the mental, emotional, and internal challenges that come with leadership. We talk strategy, yes—but also identity, mindset, freedom, and fulfillment. You'll hear from high-level entrepreneurs, experts, and operators on the truth behind the journey. No fluff. No guru speak. Just real stories and actionable lessons. Join us as we unpack the T.R.U.T.H.: Time. Responsibility. Understanding. Tenacity. Humility. Because scaling a business is hard. Staying connected to your higher self while you do it? That's even harder. This is Everything They Don't Tell You. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

Most founders are building a business their body can't carry. Certified Health Nut Troy Casey joins me to talk about becoming hard to kill so your life and work don't collapse on you. In this episode, I sit down with Troy Casey, the Certified Health Nut, to talk about health in a way most founders and executives never hear it. We get into his "nine pillars" of health, why your body and your word are the only two things you really own, and how to build a life that's hard to kill so your business and your family aren't gambling on a burnt-out version of you. Troy shares: How he went from Versace model to medicine hunter in the Amazon and the birth of Certified Health Nut The gym routine he uses for mental health and longevity instead of ego lifting Why he focuses on sleep, sunlight, movement and real food before gadgets and gimmicks What "health and your word" actually mean for integrity, posture and parenting How meditation, nature and community changed the way he leads and raises his kids Disclaimer: Troy shares his personal experiences and opinions about health, training, and different practices. Nothing in this episode is medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a qualified professional before making big changes to your health routine. __ Guest: Troy Casey Certified Health Nut on all platforms Book: Ripped At 50: A Journey To Self Love __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #health #longevity #leadership

Most founders treat buying a business like a shortcut. In reality, your first acquisition is old-school marriage. It cannot end in divorce. Seth Deutsch joins me to unpack how to know if you should acquire at all, how to avoid blowing your first deal, and how to build an anti-fragile business that investors actually want. Most founders think they have a growth problem. In reality, a lot of them have an acquisition problem waiting to happen. In this episode I sit down with Seth Deutsch, deal architect, investor, and operator who has led or advised on more than 70 acquisitions, helped build nine private-equity-backed platforms, and worked on over 2 billion dollars of enterprise growth. We talk about buy vs build, why acquisitions are like merging families, and the mindset you need before you go anywhere near your first deal. Seth breaks down culture, vision, peer-group cashless mergers, and what it means to make a business anti-fragile from an investor's point of view. We get real about customer concentration, deal structure, earnouts, and why buying a company to save a struggling one is like adding fuel to a house that is already on fire. He also opens up about complex PTSD and severe childhood abuse, how he hid it for years while building a high-performance career, and why he now speaks openly so other founders know it was not their fault and it does not have to define them. If you are thinking about buying a business, selling your own, or just want to understand how investors really see your company, this conversation will give you a real-world lens most people never share. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook __ Guest: Seth Deutsch Topic(s): Mergers and Acquisitions, private equity, owner operator, small business, investors, leadership, enterprise growth, cashless merger https://www.samsonpartnersgroup.com/ Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #cashlessmerger #business #privateequity

Most owners in the trades do not have a revenue problem. They have a profit problem. Ben Hansen, the Profit Doctor, joins me to break down why you are working harder than ever with nothing to show for it and how to fix it. In this episode, I sit down with Ben Hansen, the Profit Doctor, to dig into why so many blue collar entrepreneurs are incredible operators and terrible CFOs for their own company. We talk about the gap between turning wrenches and understanding your numbers, why most bookkeepers and CPAs are not setting you up to win, and what to do if your revenue is climbing but your profit is stuck. Ben walks through his 4-part profit prescription, the difference between profit, revenue, and cash, how to think about pricing in the trades, and why you should stop doing the jobs that always lose you money. We also get into profititis, the 50–20 rule, and how cutting the worst 20 percent of your customers and work can be the fastest way to double what you keep. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook __ Guest: Ben Hansen, Profit Doctor Topic(s): Scale lean, boost margins, and build a business that actually gives you freedom, not just bigger numbers. https://profitdoctor.com/ Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #profit #profitability #smallbusiness

A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. Olympic gold medalist Joe Jacobi breaks down performance without the hustle theater: rehearse the day, put presence before future-self, and master wave selection (the art of letting most waves pass so the right ones carry you farther with less effort). We get tactical on routines, gratitude at the start line, 15-second resets, and why the small waves you surf will compound into big results. ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook __ Guest: Joe Jacobi, Performance Coaching Topic(s): Rethinking and redefining what High Performance is and means today https://joejacobi.com/ Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #leadership #performance

Leaders don't get buy‑in by talking louder. Dave Garrison (CEO, advisor, author of The Buy‑In Advantage) breaks down how to make people care: confirm what they heard, define great, switch from human doings to human beings, and replace answers with questions so teams own the work. Plus: the 30% raise rule, warning signs you're losing buy‑in, and the one meeting question that changes everything. ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook - Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904

Leadership that lasts looks more like a hive than a pyramid. Philip Atkinson (consultant and beekeeper) explains how: the queen serves the hive, communication is clear and consistent, leaders "sense the system," and careers evolve through many roles. Plus: three coaching skills to practice this week (listen, ask better questions, stay curious). ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook Check out Philip's book Be Wise and Bees for Development (proceeds to charity). 🐝 Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive https://a.co/d/5nPnC9h https://beewisebook.com/

Stop waiting for perfect. Start today. Al Levi breaks down why momentum beats perfection, how to "box" your business so it can scale, and the seven powers he uses to build teams and companies that last. Al Levi shares the mindset and mechanics to grow: start now, ship at 80 percent, and build on documented systems, not slogans. We get into his "seven powers" framework (planning, operations, staffing, sales, sales coaching, marketing, finance), why people need the why, and how to turn ideas into a focused "top five" plan you'll actually finish. We also hit training that sticks, marketing that maps to sales, and the long game of leadership. Episode Guest: Al Levi - 7powercontractor.com/systems -- A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. 🎯 Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. What happens when a CEO stops optimizing for the quarter and starts optimizing for people? Henny Penny's Rob Connelly walks us through why they converted to an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan), how it changed behavior on the floor, and the leadership credo that guided the journey: "Savor the day while always learning for a better tomorrow." We talk long-view decision making, radical accountability, and why "start with people and the numbers will follow" isn't just a slogan — it's the operating system. — Guest: Rob Connelly, Executive Chairman, Henny Penny Topics: ESOP mechanics, culture shifts, long-term vs short-term, optimism with realism, profit sharing, supplier health, zero-layoff philosophy. 🎯 Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. Episode 3 with Dr. Gay Hendricks (The Big Leap): We unpack the Upper Limit Problem and how to spot it in real time, then move into practical tools for living in your Zone of Genius. We cover the fears that trigger self-sabotage, the two questions that reveal your genius, excellence vs genius, how to handle worry thoughts, and why wonder is a leadership superpower. What you'll learn • Upper Limit Problem, in plain English • Four common fears underneath self-sabotage • Two questions to find your Zone of Genius • Zone of Excellence vs Zone of Genius • How to work with worry thoughts and control • Simple ways to befriend fear Guest: Dr. Gay Hendricks - author of 40+ books including The Big Leap; co-founder, The Hendricks Institute Listen on your favorite app Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podcast page: https://www.blueisthenewwhite.com/podcast 🎯 Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook

A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. 🎯 Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook How high-performing dads win at home like they do in business. We talk presence vs. hurry, immature vs. mature masculinity, self-leadership, "be where your feet are," the Preparation Pause, and why coachability beats clout. Practical, human, and immediately usable. Topics we cover • Presence over hurry • Coachability vs. clout • "Be the thermostat, not the thermometer" • The Iron Five (find your men) • Self-leadership before team leadership • Legacy in the ordinary moments Guest: Mitchell Osmond — Founder, The Dad Nation Podcast / content / coaching focused on helping 6–7 figure men show up at home and at work. The Connection Code

Everything They Don't Tell You with Josh Zolin and guest Christian Ray Flores. Leaders don't freeze because they'll fail. They freeze because they'll be rejected by the tribe. Christian Ray Flores breaks that loop and gets practical: build an offer (Persona, Problem, Promise, Process) and use the Seven Fs to scale without losing yourself. 🎯 Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains Highlights: • Fear of failure vs fear of rejection and tribal wiring • "Fit in by standing out" — in service to your tribe • Offers > services: the 4 Ps framework • The Seven Fs radar: Faith, Family, Friendships, Finances, Fitness, Fun

Today marks the end of an era. After 200 episodes, countless conversations, and more "aha" moments than I can count, it's time to say goodbye to the Blue is the New White Podcast. When I started this podcast, I had one goal: to shine a light on the incredible power of the blue-collar world and to help business owners and tradespeople realize their full potential.... What I didn't expect was how much this show would give back to me. I'm beyond grateful for the friendships built, the partners gained, the incredible guests who've shared their stories, and the loyal listeners who turned every episode into a stepping stone for something bigger. You've given me more than you know... knowledge, perspective, connections, and above all, a deep sense of purpose. Together, we've changed the way the world sees blue-collar work. Now it's time for the next chapter. Introducing: EVERYTHING THEY DON'T TELL YOU - The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. This isn't just a rebrand. It's a new mission. It's about digging deeper into the truths of building a business, becoming the leader you need to be, and growing into the person capable of supporting it all. Expect long-form conversations, high-profile guests, and practical insights that cut through the noise. To everyone who's been part of this journey... my team, my friends, vendors, partners, clients, and especially you, the listeners—thank you from the bottom of my heart. But we're not done. We're going to keep building something real, together. Tune into the first episode dropping August 19th! Let's go to work .

Rich Malachy doesn't just run a family business — he's redefining what that business means. From navigating generational change to scaling a bold online presence in a traditional industry, Rich gets real about ownership, visibility, and leading from the front. This episode is all about mindset: adapting, building brand equity, and never waiting for permission.

Leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about being generous enough to grow. This week, we sit down with Joe Davis, author of The Generous Leader, to explore what it really means to lead. Not through control, but through service, humility, and transformation. Joe shares stories from his personal journey, how his perspective on leadership has changed, and how generosity became the foundation for his growth as a person and a professional. 🔵 In this episode: – Why generous leadership isn't weakness, it's strength – The difference between confidence and arrogance – How real transformation starts with self-awareness – Why legacy has more to do with how you lead today than how you'll be remembered tomorrow 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and learn more at https://blueisthenewwhite.com