In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with Max “Ponyboy” Jones to unpack authentic growth in door-to-door sales, identity work, and leading with vision. 

Ponyboy shares the origin of his nickname, his early years navigating tough markets, and the pivotal choice to stay committed when friends quit. He opens up about a “dark night of the soul,” the tools that helped him out of it (including Byron Katie’s “The Work”), and how solidifying identity and daily disciplines transformed his results. They also dive into recruiting with integrity, building culture without toxicity, and designing an adventurous, freedom-driven life—hello, Bali.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

00:00 – Intro: Welcoming Max “Ponyboy” Jones & the nickname origin story

01:12 – Rookie Year Starts: Joining Sunrun/Meraki under Zach Anderson & first impressions

03:05 – Little Rock, AR: Culture shock, Pine Bluff “Crime Bluff,” and selling through chaos

05:02 – Choosing to Stay: Friends leave, but Ponyboy commits—why quitting wasn’t an option

06:30 – First Wins: $26K out of high school and the early mindset around money and vision

08:14 – Year Two Leap: From 42 to 120 accounts—being “two feet in” and better leadership

10:22 – Georgia Year: Negative culture, “protecting bandwidth,” and separating to produce

12:47 – Rituals That Worked: Gym for emotional regulation, journaling, and boundary setting

15:10 – Dark Night of the Soul: Months of anxiety, shadow work, and support from mentors

18:06 – The Work by Byron Katie: Deconstructing “I’m not a top rep” and flipping the story

21:18 – Identity Stack: “I am” statements, spoken affirmations, and energy that closes

24:03 – Freedom & Adventure: Designing life around impact, recruiting authentically, Bali plans

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Jimmy:

• IG: @max.d.jones

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with Jimmy Rex—entrepreneur, real-estate leader, and founder of the men’s community We Are The They. 

They explore the shift from achievement to fulfillment, how to recognize “enough,” building presence in relationships, and practical ways to reduce digital distraction. 

Jimmy shares practices for tuning into intuition (silence, nature, solitude), the power of being with uncomfortable emotions, lessons from David Deida on deep presence, and a blueprint for creating real male friendships through vulnerability and shared high-adventure experiences.

Timestamps of Key Moments

00:00 — Intro: Why skip the backstory and go straight to what matters now

00:38 — “Tired of chasing”: Moving into a dream home and redefining ambition

02:12 — Seasons of hustle: Jung, ego, and learning that “more” is never enough

05:06 — Choosing ‘enough’: Taking the foot off the gas and grounding in gratitude

08:15 — Be here now: Presence vs. fighting reality; happiness without “better”

12:22 — Feeling the hard stuff: Ram Dass, grief, and letting unpleasant emotions in

16:48 — Dating & depth: From performance to presence; lessons from David Deida

21:13 — Connecting to self: Silence, nature, and sitting still to hear intuition

29:07 — Distraction is the enemy: Boundaries for social (One Sec, Brick, muting feeds)

34:31 — Unconditional love: Loving past versions of self; learning from losses

41:02 — Friend breakups & loyalty: Honoring seasons and making space for new bonds

52:14 — How to build brotherhood: Take off the mask, share truth, and stack big experiences

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Jimmy:

• IG: @mrjimmyrex
• Listen to my podcast: The Jimmy Rex Show
• Join his community: @wattmovement

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, Doug welcomes longtime friend and mentor Dan Reed for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. Dan reflects on his beginnings in door-to-door sales, being among the first to pioneer solar sales, and the bold decision to move his young family to Hawai‘i with no backup plan, an experience that shaped his approach to business and life.

He shares the story of co-founding Zeal, a supplement company that scaled to eight-figure revenues before being acquired, and the valuable lessons learned from both successes and failures along the way. Doug and Dan also explore deeper themes of intuition, faith, and surrender, discussing how to distinguish guidance from impulse, when to persist versus when to pivot, and why saying “no” can be as powerful as saying “yes.”

This is a candid and inspiring conversation for anyone navigating growth in business, leadership, and life.

Timestamps of Key Moments

• 00:00 Intro — why Dan’s a “winner” across sales, family, and health
• 03:10 Early D2D solar & moving the family to Oʻahu (22 suitcases, no Plan B)
• 12:45 From blank pitch to 1,200 rooftops in 10 months
• 18:20 Leaving D2D, corporate lessons, and what didn’t fit
• 24:30 Launching Zeal (ACV caps → 7 figures), the eight-figure exit
• 32:05 Two post-exit misses: hubris, when to quit vs. push through
• 38:40 Outsourcing weaknesses; agencies & global talent
• 44:10 Family as KPI: annual/weekly planning, saying “no”
• 50:15 Surrender ≠ giving up—dropping inner resistance and going all-in

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Branden:

• IG: @deerdan

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with Braden Brown, Performance & Mental Health Coach at BYU (and Doug’s former high-school sports rival). 

They revisit chippy hardwood memories, Braden’s position switch at BYU, and the “welcome to college” moment that planted fear and how a single sports-psych session reframed everything. 

They dig into coaching frameworks (“connect before you correct”), bouncing back after mistakes (WIN: What’s Important Now), perfectionism and NIL pressure in today’s college sports, and practical reset tools athletes can use in high-stakes moments. 

Timestamps of Key Moments

00:00 – Intro: Welcoming Braden Brown, BYU Performance & Mental Health Coach

00:34 – Rivalry Rewind: High-school battles, stitches, and an ejection story

02:10 – Position Shift: From tight end to tackle & a “rag-doll” moment vs. Koa Misi

04:20 – Aftermath & Fear: Film-room embarrassment and playing not to get beat

06:05 – Better Feedback: “Connect before you correct” and seeking context first

07:50 – Mindset Flip: One sports-psych session—focus on controllables, not fear

09:22 – Bounce-Back Tools: Recovering fast with WIN—What’s Important Now

10:55 – Common Struggles: Perfectionism, NIL era pressure, and roster anxiety

12:30 – Growth Lens: The power of yet for bench-to-field transitions

14:05 – Career Path: From IUPUI to BYU; shoutout to Kurt and mental performance

15:40 – On-Field Resets: Visualization, a physical “reset button,” and “flush it” cue

17:15 – Play Present: Mindfulness & the Serenity Prayer—be where your feet are

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Branden:

• IG: @dr.b.phd

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with long-time friend Chelsea Baugh to explore curiosity, compassion, and the pivots that shape our lives. 

Chelsea opens up about raising a non-binary child, navigating adoption, pursuing her MBA at 40, and the intentional practices that sustain her marriage. Together, Doug and Chelsea discuss spirituality, respect, parenting, and how to find clarity even in the midst of life’s most difficult challenges.

00:00 – Intro: Welcoming Chelsea Baugh, long-time friend and seeker of wisdom

02:10 – Curiosity as a Strength: How Chelsea’s innate desire to go deep shaped her life and relationships

06:40 – Anatomy of Peace: Lessons on compassion, conflict, and living with a heart at peace

13:15 – Pivot Moments: Raising a non-binary child and choosing love over resistance

20:05 – Marriage Foundations: Communication, intimacy, and values that keep her relationship with Casey strong

27:42 – Navigating Conflict: Why repair and intentionality matter more than perfection

34:58 – The Quarterly Check-In: How she and Casey align on calendars, kids, and their relationship

40:30 – Entering Her 40s: Lessons from her 30s and hopes for the next decade

46:55 – Adoption Journey: From fertility struggles to the clarity that opened the door to adoption

54:18 – Spiritual Nudges: How Chelsea discerns divine guidance from her own thoughts

1:03:05 – MBA Challenges: Stepping into fear, finding her voice, and handling imposter syndrome

1:15:40 – Inner Tools: Doug shares practices for relaxing the body and accessing clarity

1:28:10 – Faith, Direction & Stewardship: Finding alignment through spirituality and intentional living

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Chelsea:

• IG: @chelseaba

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with three-time Golden Door winner and sales mentor Suli Zinck. 

They dive into her 17-year journey in door-to-door sales  from knocking doors in worn-out Vans to building a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio. 

Suli shares how she’s navigated self-limiting beliefs, balanced family and career, built discipline, and invested strategically for long-term freedom. She opens up about the mindset needed to sustain high performance, why fear can be a powerful ally, and how she’s now mentoring others to level up without leaving their companies. 

Packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and raw honesty, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and growth both personal and financial.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

00:00 – Intro: Welcoming Suli Zinck on her 40th birthday

03:14 – Biggest lesson learned at 39: Relationships over everything

06:59 – From missionary work to 12 summers in pest control

12:45 – Balancing motherhood, marriage, and sales success

18:04 – Meeting her husband and building an unorthodox partnership

25:30 – Communication habits that keep her marriage strong

29:18 – Where her discipline and work ethic came from

36:14 – Breaking out of a scarcity mindset and embracing personal growth

44:53 – Overcoming self-limiting beliefs in sales and leadership

54:27 – The power of working with fear instead of avoiding it

59:40 – Being a woman and person of color in door-to-door sales

1:06:55 – Discovering her strengths through human design and therapy

1:13:48 – Why investing in coaching paid off 10x

1:20:19 – How Suli built her real estate and investment portfolio

1:29:47 – Lessons from losing $100K and bouncing back stronger

1:35:55 – Advice for sales reps heading into August grind mode

1:43:20 – Daily habits that separate top reps from the rest

1:50:05 – Why experienced reps also need accountability and mentorship

1:55:42 – How to join Suli’s mentorship blitzes and programs

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Suli:

• IG: @femaleknockersunite

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with venture capitalist, serial entrepreneur, and former Utah gubernatorial candidate Jeff Burningham.

 Together they dive deep into Jeff’s new book, The Last Book Written by a Human, exploring AI as both a transformative tool and an existential mirror for humanity. Jeff shares personal stories on spirituality, vulnerability, psychedelics, and the importance of community in the age of intelligent machines.

 They discuss the need to rehumanize ourselves, embrace imperfection, lean into awe and wonder, and strengthen our capacity to feel discomfort as a pathway to growth. This candid conversation weaves together business insight, mystical experiences, and heartfelt reflections on love, presence, and purpose.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

• 00:00 – Intro: Welcoming Jeff Burningham, author of The Last Book Written by a Human
• 03:42 – The bull case for AI and why Jeff focuses on its spiritual implications
• 07:18 – AI as a “cosmic mirror” reflecting humanity’s data and behavior
•  12:05 – The beauty of imperfection and the irreplaceable messiness of being human
• 16:44 – Why relationships and friction are essential in an AI-driven world
• 22:51 – Doug’s story of leaving his phone to connect with community and nature
•  29:38 – Jeff on embodiment, relationships, and nature as humanity’s greatest teachers
• 34:12 – Finding awe and wonder through presence and seeing with “new eyes”
• 40:16 – Distinguishing between the higher self and the ego’s fearful voice
• 46:02 – Psychedelics, mystical experiences, and rethinking spirituality
• 55:27 – The importance of shedding conditioning to uncover our true nature
• 1:03:14 – Love as the ultimate purpose behind Jeff’s work and life journey

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Jeff:

• IG: @jeffburningham
• Get his book: The Last Book Written by a Human / https://www.jeffburningham.com/book/

In this solo episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright shares the powerful insights behind his second spiritual awakening and introduces a tool he calls Inner Alchemy, a practical three-step process to increase your capacity to handle emotional discomfort.

Doug reflects on the three unavoidable realities of life-pain, uncertainty, and never-ending work and unpacks how our resistance to them often creates more suffering. Drawing on stories from his own spiritual journey, coaching practice, and even an ayahuasca ceremony, Doug teaches us how to lean into discomfort with grace, calm, and self-trust.

This episode is a must-listen if you're ready to move from emotional reactivity to personal mastery.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

0:00 – Intro: Doug sets the stage for this solo episode and shares how discomfort is the key trait of the most successful people he knows.

03:45 – Embracing Emotional Discomfort: Why chasing success to avoid unpleasant emotions is a losing game.

08:00 – The Illusion of Arrival: Doug explains the common trap of thinking external success will eliminate inner turmoil.

13:12 – Three Realities of Life: Pain, uncertainty, and never-ending work—and what happens when we stop resisting them.

19:58 – The Mountain Analogy: Doug recalls a pivotal moment when he realized that life is an ongoing climb, not a destination.

25:10 – Introducing Inner Alchemy: A practical tool to transmute discomfort rather than escape it.

28:30 – Understanding T.A.R.: Tension, Anxiety, and Resistance as signals for when to apply inner alchemy.

32:22 – Step One – Unclench: Releasing physical tension as the first step to navigating inner disturbance.

36:04 – Step Two – Welcome It, Don’t Touch It: Why resisting emotions only makes them grow, and how to sit with discomfort.

41:40 – The Dementor Metaphor: Doug shares an ayahuasca vision that changed how he relates to emotional pain.

46:35 – Step Three – I Can Handle This: The mantra that can shift your nervous system and increase your capacity.

51:05 – Living in Triple C: Calm in the body, confident in the self, and clear in the mind—Doug’s target state for handling life.

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright sits down with Megan Prince, a seasoned entrepreneur and Chief Revenue Officer, to discuss her remarkable journey from door-to-door sales to corporate leadership. 

Megan opens up about her transition from Vivint to the tech world, navigating the corporate ladder, and the lessons she's learned about leadership, accountability, and personal growth. Megan also dives deep into her spirituality, daily practices, and why she believes life is a simulation. From meditation to breathwork and embracing joy, Megan shares the tools that have helped her cultivate success and live a fulfilling life.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

03:40 - Door-to-Door Sales: Megan’s early challenges and success in the field

07:00 - Transition to Corporate: Megan’s shift from door-to-door to a more structured corporate role

10:10 - Leadership Lessons: How door-to-door sales prepared her for corporate success

13:35 - The Power of Accountability: How Megan practices extreme ownership and accountability with her team

17:00 - Tapping into the ‘Why’: The importance of understanding personal and team motivations

21:15 - Personal Growth: Megan’s advice on self-development and navigating challenges in the corporate space

28:00 - The Boomerang Effect: Why what you give comes back multiplied

32:00 - Overcoming Obstacles: How Megan learned to tackle difficulties and continue growing

35:00 - The ‘Above the Line’ Mentality: How taking responsibility transforms leadership

40:20 - The Power of ‘Being Okay’: Why Megan believes true happiness comes from within

45:00 - The Evolution of ‘Why’: Megan’s changing motivations and what drives her today

49:45 - Life’s Big Questions: Megan and Doug discuss the meaning of life and the possibility of reincarnation

53:15 - The Simulation Theory: Megan’s thoughts on living in a simulation and multiple realities

56:30 - Hobbies & Self-Care: How Megan finds joy in life beyond work

59:10 - Closing Thoughts: Megan’s advice for women in leadership and her vision for the future

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Megan: 

• IG: @megggprince

In this episode of The Alchemy Podcast, host Doug Cartwright welcomes Brock Painter, founder of NeuroMastery, for a vulnerable and powerful conversation on emotional resilience, personal transformation, and what it takes to go beyond surface-level self-help. Brock shares how multiple concussions ended his football dreams in high school and led to a long journey of healing, growth, and eventually the creation of his own program, NeuroMastery. Together, Doug and Brock explore the difference between fear and faith, ego and intuition, and how physical challenges like 100-mile ultramarathons can forge the kind of self-worth that no external success can buy.

They discuss the moment Brock burned the boats and entered his first 100-mile race with just $500 in the bank, the standards that define high-performing communities, and how men can begin to transmute their pain into purpose. Whether you're an entrepreneur, father, athlete, or someone quietly feeling stuck in the monotony of life, this episode is a deep, expansive reminder that the greatest transformations happen from the inside out.

Timestamps of Key Moments:

02:58 - Doug reflects on Brock's joyful energy and commitment to growth

06:42 - Brock's early life, football injuries, and the birth of NeuroMastery

12:10 - The defining moment: His wife calls out his misalignment with finance

16:25 - How to distinguish fear from faith and ego from intuition

22:18 - Turning down a sales leadership opportunity to pursue purpose

29:45 - Courage over confidence: Why quitting finance led to inner alignment

35:40 - Building a business with $500 and betting it all on a 100-mile race

41:05 - The terrorist voice: Brock's tools for handling self-doubt

49:17 - Lessons from ultramarathons: Why mile 40 is where most people quit

56:20 - The standards that define poor, good, excellent, and outstanding performance

01:06:02 - Building from the inside out: How NeuroMastery changes lives

Follow Doug:

• IG: @doug_cartwright
• Join the Alchemy Accelerator: HERE https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: HERE

Follow Brock: 

• IG: @brockpainterofficial