Category: Podcast

From Taglines to Trust with Sasha Strauss

Your brand isn’t what you say it is — it’s what your audience experiences at every single touchpoint. Sasha Strauss understands this deeply. He’s the founder of Innovation Protocol, a brand strategy consultancy trusted by companies like PayPal for over a decade, and a professor at UCLA, USC, and UCI, where executive MBA students challenge him with the same questions Fortune 500 CEOs ask.

This conversation originally aired on Marketing Speak, but the insights go far beyond business — they’re about how we show up authentically in the world. Sasha shares why teaching is one of the most powerful ways to build authority and accelerate personal growth. He explains how heritage and legacy create trust that bleeding-edge innovation alone can’t match. We explore how McDonald’s iconic “I’m lovin’ it” broke every marketing rule — and why it worked.”>Marketing Speak, but the insights go far beyond business — they’re about how we show up authentically in the world. Sasha shares why teaching is one of the most powerful ways to build authority and accelerate personal growth. He explains how heritage and legacy create trust that bleeding-edge innovation alone can’t match. We explore how McDonald’s iconic “I’m lovin’ it” broke every marketing rule — and why it worked.

We dig into why the best brand strategies start with listening, how social listening is replacing expensive competitive analysis, and why meeting audiences where they already are matters more than ever. You’ll learn the key differences between advertising, marketing, and branding — and why educating, not pitching, is what builds lasting loyalty. It’s a great deep dive into authenticity in marketing, so let’s get on with the show!

Miracles, AI, and Revolutionizing Education with Alexander Zheltov

Every moment contains a miracle—if you’re willing to notice it. Alex Zheltov, my guest on today’s show, is the founder of < a href="https://www.flylane.com/">Flylane, a global education platform serving students in 35 countries. His journey from leaving Moscow in his youth to building a multimillion-dollar education company is a masterclass in recognizing divine setup moments and acting on them with trust.

In our conversation, Alex shares his beliefs on why fear is imagination turned upside down and how positive expectancy changes everything. He recalls the story of his father saying yes to boarding school in under a minute—a decision that launched his entire life path. We explore the concept that one conversation leads to another, how miracles string together in ways we only recognize in hindsight, and why creating or leading a movement is built on genuine service rather than self-promotion.

Alex reveals his philosophy on co-creation with the divine and the difference between being a spectator versus a participant in life’s game. We discuss why gratitude for challenges unlocks an entirely new level of living. We examine what it means to prepare students not for jobs that are yet to be invented, but for their life missions in an era of superintelligent AI. It’s fascinating stuff, so without any further ado, on with the show!

The Hidden Order of Things with Dr. John Demartini

The quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask. My returning guest, Dr. John Demartini, is a polymath, human behavior specialist, and educator who has traveled to 161 countries teaching his methodology for transformation. He presents The Breakthrough Experience—a signature program that helps people see the hidden order within apparent chaos—and appears on up to 350 podcasts each year, sharing his insights on consciousness, neuroscience, and authentic living.

In our conversation, we explore why disorder is simply missing information and how the right questions bring the unconscious to light. Dr. Demartini shares powerful stories of reconciliation, including a man who reunited with his estranged father after 42 years—just days before his father passed away. We discuss how the amygdala stores emotional charges, why shifting our perception of the past changes our present, and the neuroscience behind moving from survival mode to what he calls “thrival” mode.

We also examine the brain’s filtering system, the role of synchronicities across decades, and why living authentically means embracing both sides of every experience. This episode will help you release emotional baggage and recognize the magnificence already present in your life. So, without any further ado, on with the show!

From Marketing to Mysticism with Nicholas Kusmich

Some equate life to a movie, a play, a video game, or a holographic simulation like the Star Trek Holodeck or the Matrix. But how about an improv class? The cardinal rule in improv is to not negate the other, but to say “yes, and.” According to Nicholas Kusmich, my guest on today’s show, living life like this opens unexpected doors. Nicholas is a highly-respected digital marketing expert who built a multimillion-dollar agency and now he’s making a radical life pivot. After a transformative experience with therapeutic psychedelics, he’s announced his retirement from the marketing world to pursue consciousness work, facilitate healing experiences, and create a documentary called Unbecoming. He now helps people dissolve what he refers to as “imprints” – unresolved experiences that create mental static and block our natural state of joy and peace.

In our conversation, Nic talks about his journey from pastor to marketing mogul to spiritual guide, exploring his philosophy of “unconditional openness.” He shares insights from living with monks in Nepal, working with indigenous tribes, and his experiences facilitating therapeutic psychedelic sessions. We examine how suffering stems from the illusion of separation and why releasing old patterns creates more freedom than acquiring material possessions.

This episode may just shift your perspective on what true success means while offering concrete tools for dissolving the unconscious blocks that generate stress and anxiety. And now, on with the show!

Using Data for Self-Discovery with Chris Dancy

Most people think self-tracking is about counting steps or calories. They’re missing the bigger picture. My guest today is Chris Dancy, known as “the Most Connected Man on Earth” for using over 700 sensors, apps, and even implants to monitor his life for more than two decades. He’s tracked everything from mood patterns to room temperature, and what he’s discovered goes far beyond fitness metrics.

In our conversation, Chris shows how he maps emotions with technology. He explains why your phone’s remaining battery percentage matters more to your brain than you realize and why he organizes apps by color instead of function. He shares how he spots synchronicities in data, why he gives doctors a visual timeline of his life, and the simple phone hacks that build mindfulness. We also discuss how he unexpectedly became famous by tracking his posture at a conference, and why most people focus on the wrong metrics altogether.

Chris’ decades-long exploration into technology for fostering self-awareness rather than just productivity might just be a blueprint for hacking your own self-awareness. Stay tuned and glean some insights on how you see the data in your life and show you how to track what really moves the needle. And now, on with the show!

Subtle Shifts that Change Everything: A Case Study with Greg Merrilees

Coaching isn’t abstract when it touches every part of your life and business. In this case-study episode, Greg Merillees, founder of Studio1 Design, shares how us working together over a decade reshaped not only his business but also his relationships, mindset, and sense of purpose.

In our conversation, Greg shares how practices like being impeccable with your word, reframing feedback as service, and living with intention create ripple effects far beyond the office. We talk about recognizing those little “winks” of synchronicity as guidance instead of coincidence, and how that shift opened the door to new opportunities. Greg explains how changing the way he spoke about others transformed the culture of his team, and how learning to view setbacks differently gave him the confidence to innovate.

We also connect inner transformation to outer results—AI-powered creative processes, conversion-focused website strategies, and the SCALE Engine model that’s bringing consistent revenue and growth to Greg’s agency.

This isn’t theory; it’s the lived experience of someone who went from struggling under debt to running a thriving, resilient business. If you’ve wondered how spiritual principles can translate into real-world success, this conversation is a front-row seat to what long-term coaching makes possible. So, without any further ado, on with the show!

Against the Odds with Calvin Bagley

What happens when a child is deliberately hidden from education, modern medicine, and the outside world? When learning to read at age seven becomes a radical act of self-liberation? My guest on today’s show, Calvin Bagley, lived this reality and transformed it into something extraordinary.

Calvin was raised in a fundamentalist Mormon household where schools were forbidden, hospitals were avoided, and silence meant survival. By age ten, he had no textbooks. At thirteen, he nearly died from pneumonia because his father preferred injecting horse penicillin over seeking proper medical care. From this foundation of educational neglect and fear, Calvin somehow found the determination to teach himself everything–from basic multiplication tables at age twenty-two to building million-dollar companies.

In this deeply personal conversation, Calvin shares how a simple visualization exercise at a Genius Network meeting revealed the darkness he’d been hiding from himself. We explore his spiritual beliefs about simulation theory and why he believes God and science point toward the same truth.

Whether you’re overcoming your own difficult past, building a business from scratch, or simply seeking to understand how transformation really happens, Calvin’s story offers profound insights into resilience, faith, and the courage to reclaim your life. So without any further ado, on with the show!

Here’s How to Escape the Expected with Derek Sivers

The difference between creating something forgettable and something remarkable isn’t perfection—it’s the vulnerable, quirky humanness no algorithm can replicate.

My guest today, Derek Sivers, knows this better than most. Founder of CD Baby, bestselling author of Hell Yeah or No, and a sought-after speaker, Derek sold his company for millions before moving to New Zealand to focus on what truly matters.

In our conversation, we explore why the “willing suspension of disbelief” can transform how you engage with any belief system, and how Derek’s “useful, not true” philosophy offers a refreshing alternative to endless debates over absolute truth. He shares his unconventional approach to parenting while building an off-grid home in the New Zealand forest with his teenage son, and explains why vulnerability, not polish, is the secret to deeper human connection.

We also unpack his process for turning scattered ideas into impactful books through simple blogging and explore why leaving everything familiar might just be your greatest competitive advantage.

This episode will change how you think about creativity, authenticity, and building a life that’s truly yours, rather than a copy of someone else’s blueprint.

So, without further ado, on with the show!

Restory Your Life with Mary DeMuth

My guest on today’s show, Mary DeMuth, is an international speaker, literary agent, daily podcaster, artist, and the author of more than fifty-two books. She’s turned personal trauma into a lifelong mission of helping others find healing through the power of storytelling. Through her literary agency, which operates more like a close-knit community than a traditional business, she represents forty authors, guiding them to share their own transformative work.

In our conversation, we talk about Mary’s concept of “restorying”—the idea that untold stories never heal—and why processing pain in healthy community can turn wounds into sources of strength. She shares her journey from surviving childhood sexual abuse to becoming a voice for survivors, explaining how truth-telling didn’t ruin her relationships but deepened them. We also explore the idea of “thin places,” where heaven feels close to earth, and how those moments often appear in life’s darkest hours.

Mary reveals her systematic approach to writing books in just two months, why she’s skeptical of AI in creative work, and how her five-minute daily podcast has reached millions. So, without any further ado, on with the show!

Hacking the Human Operating System with Mike Chabot

Confidence isn’t about seeking approval or amassing wealth—it comes from aligning with who you truly are and letting go of the limiting beliefs that hold you back. In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Chabot, a neuroengineer who helps men tap into their highest potential using high-performance systems, neuroscience, and AI-driven identity engineering.

Mike’s story is a powerful one: after chasing millions and reaching the top, he found himself feeling completely empty. Bankruptcy, a spiritual awakening, and a deep dive into the human operating system led him to a life-changing shift.

In our conversation, we explore the dark side of external success and why traditional goal-setting fails most people. Mike shares his groundbreaking work with psychedelics like psilocybin and Ibogaine. He reveals why meditation is a game-changer and how to reprogram your subconscious to break free from sabotaging patterns. We discuss his identity work that’s helped clients double their income in just weeks. We also examine the quantum physics behind manifestation, why most masterminds don’t deliver lasting results, and the key beliefs that keep high achievers stuck in income ruts.

This talk offers a fresh perspective on identity-based transformation, so without any further ado, on with the show!