"Business challenges don’t always come in the form of major crises. Sometimes they show up as the small, everyday obstacles that feel overwhelming."

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession reflects on the power of prayer in navigating the day-to-day challenges of running a business. She shares a personal story of overcoming financial and technological struggles that seemed impossible to resolve on her own. Rather than relying solely on her own strength, Rebecca reveals how she learned to lean into faith, asking for divine guidance in even the smallest decisions, from accounting software to client meetings.

Through her experiences, Rebecca discusses the concept of spiritual opposition and how it can feel like a sign that you're on the right path. She also highlights the importance of patience, trusting that God's timing and intervention will guide you to the right solutions. This episode offers practical advice for entrepreneurs who want to integrate faith into their work, reminding them that God is present in both the triumphs and the challenges. It's a beautiful call to surrender the stress of business ownership and trust that help is always there, whether in the form of people, clarity, or divine direction.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to navigate the small, everyday obstacles in business that feel overwhelming 
• Why leaning into prayer and trusting God's guidance can bring clarity
• Simple ways to release stress and allowing faith to lead you through challenging situations in your business

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction to the concept of meaningful work and profitable success

(00:43) Reflecting on the new year and setting intentions

(00:53) Experiencing unexpected divine support

(01:10) The power of prayer in everyday business decisions

(02:07) Overcoming spiritual opposition and challenges in business

(04:17) A series of unexpected setbacks and frustrations
(05:38) Finding the right support and guidance during tough times

(06:54) Embracing faith and patience over a stressful weekend

(08:18) Experiencing divine intervention in a pivotal moment

(11:24) How answered prayers and affirmation transforms rough situations

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“The spaces we work in shape our nervous systems, our relationships, and our ability to do meaningful work.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession sits down with Kennedy Gallagher, Community and Marketing Manager at Carmel Gateway, to explore how physical space, nature, and intentional design can radically improve the human experience at work.

Kennedy shares how Carmel Gateway is reimagining the traditional office park into a true campus. One built around green space, nervous system regulation, community, and connection. From converting parking lots into lawns and amphitheaters to hosting coffee chats, speaker series, and unexpected moments of human connection, this conversation shows what becomes possible when we stop designing work around efficiency alone and start designing it around people.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why green space and nature are essential for nervous system regulation
• How intentional environments reduce stress, decision fatigue, and burnout
• Why community programming at work creates belonging, not distraction

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:25) Why environment belongs in the conversation about work

(03:45) From office park to campus and what community changes

(06:30) Amenities that reduce stress and decision fatigue

(10:20) How nature supports regulation and presence

(15:40) Green space over parking lots and environmental impact

(20:10) Designing outdoor spaces that invite rest and connection

(25:30) Building community through shared experiences at work

(28:50) Helping young professionals find belonging

(32:20) What human centered workplaces make possible next

Connect with Kennedy:

Website: https://www.carmelgateway.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennedy-gallagher/ 

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“What if your younger self is the reminder you need today?”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession invites listeners into a heartfelt practice of visiting earlier versions of themselves with compassion, gratitude, and curiosity. Sparked by meaningful moments during a reunion with former Franklin Covey colleagues and a powerful conversation with her son, Rebecca explores how our past selves hold wisdom we often overlook.

Through neuroscience, storytelling, and faith, she explains how reflecting with gratitude calms the nervous system, rewrites emotional memories, and opens us to what God is doing right now. Rebecca offers a simple guided practice and thoughtful reflection questions that fit easily into the holiday season or the start of a new year. This is a natural time when many of us feel more tender, reflective, and ready for renewal.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How revisiting earlier versions of yourself can calm your nervous system and shift your emotional state
• Why gratitude helps update old memories and creates space for confidence and clarity
• Why your past resilience holds clues about what you are capable of today

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:45) Holiday reflections and memories

(02:28) Gratitude and personal growth

(03:45) Reflecting on past experiences

(07:32) The science and scripture of gratitude

(15:14) Guided reflection practice

(17:38) Reflection questions for the new year

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

"Overwhelm often leads to inaction, as we freeze in the face of too many tasks and not enough time."

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession explores the pressure that many feel as the end of the year approaches. With deadlines looming and responsibilities piling up, it’s easy to spiral into a state of stress and uncertainty. Instead of powering through, Rebecca reveals how our nervous systems react to overwhelm and why taking a step back is crucial for both our productivity and well-being.

Through a blend of neuroscience, practical tips, and a compassionate approach to leadership, Rebecca shows how we can transform our approach to the end-of-year chaos. She dives into the power of intentional scheduling, explains how naming our stress can help us regain control, and emphasizes the importance of creating peace in our calendars. This episode is a call to reset, to find clarity in the clutter, and to lead with calm instead of chaos during the holiday season.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How overwhelm triggers our nervous system and what it’s really trying to tell us
• The power of intentional scheduling to calm your mind and regain control
• Practical steps to create peace in your calendar and lead with clarity during stressful times

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:01) Understanding the nervous system

(02:49) The power of time blocking

(05:55) Writing it down: he first step

(07:41) Allocating time realistically

(09:14) Creating a productive environment

(12:23) Honoring your time blocks

(12:49) Spiritual aspect of order

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“If you lose sight of the humans you’re serving, you’ll build something nobody wants.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession sits down with entrepreneur Bryan Clayton, whose journey from mowing lawns to building a national tech marketplace reveals what happens when you stay close to the humans you serve. Bryan grew a small lawn care operation into a 10-million sale, then built GreenPal, a platform now used by hundreds of thousands of homeowners and service providers.

Through stories of early mistakes, customer complaints that saved the business, and the surprising complexity of modern home services, Bryan shows why great companies are never built in the abstract. They are built by listening, responding, experimenting, and staying grounded in real human needs. Whether he’s answering the 800 number himself or rewriting product copy at midnight, Bryan embodies a philosophy that sits at the heart of this show. Business works when it works for people.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why staying close to your customer is the most underrated leadership practice
• How negative feedback becomes free research when your nervous system isn’t in self-protection
• What it means to build a business that genuinely helps people raise their quality of life

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:43) Why real leaders stay close to customer service

(06:10) The surprising realities of shifting into tech entrepreneurship

(08:41) What it takes to change long held habits in traditional industries

(09:58) How staying near the customer keeps your business relevant

(16:16) Seeing feedback as the doorway to growth instead of threat

(20:48) When investor pressure competes with your own instincts

(23:08) Using customer insights to build AI that actually helps people

(28:49) Supporting small business owners on their path to possibility

(32:18) Designing products that start with real human needs

(33:58) Why marketplaces work only when both sides feel served

(35:58) Early lessons that reveal what your customers truly want

Connect with Bryan:

Website: https://www.yourgreenpal.com/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-clayton-a96b33214/ 

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“Relief seeking often turns into relief dumping, where we offload our stress onto someone else without even realizing it.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession calls out a year-end pattern that drains our nervous systems and strains our relationships at work. As the holidays approach and the pressure to “get everything wrapped up” intensifies, many leaders unintentionally pass their stress onto someone else. Rebecca breaks down why this happens, how our bodies interpret the season as a threat, and what it looks like to lead with humanity instead of urgency.

Through storytelling, science, and a grounded understanding of human behavior, she offers a compassionate yet firm reminder that most tasks can wait, our nervous systems need space, and our people deserve grace. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and choose rhythms that honor real human capacity during the busiest time of the year.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why year-end urgency pushes teams into activation and overwhelm
• How relief-seeking turns into stress-dumping and what to do instead
• Practical steps to lead with clarity, softness, and shared humanity

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:43) The year-end hot potato problem

(01:59) The overstimulated brain

(05:01) Understanding displaced activation

(06:53) Grace and humanity during the holidays

(10:26) Practical tips for year-end planning

(15:40) Reflection questions for leaders

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“Pretty much every single day between now and January 2nd has an elevated emotion attached to it.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession digs into why the holidays can feel like so much more than twinkle lights and to-do lists. Through her snow globe metaphor and stories from her own life, she explains how our nervous systems get shaken up by memories, money stress, schedules, and family dynamics, and why that makes connection harder just when we need it most.

Rebecca blends neuroscience, scripture, and a very real family reunion story to show how temporal integration, sensory cues, and emotional memory shape our experience long before we walk into the room. Then she offers a different way in: daily stillness, breath, gratitude, and a conscious choice to bring love instead of fear into gatherings, so you become a calming, contagious presence rather than another spark in the chaos.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How your nervous system “predicts” holiday gatherings and why you feel activated before you even arrive
• Simple stillness and pre-game practices that keep you regulated, present, and connected during the season
• How choosing love over fear can shift the emotional atmosphere of your family or team, without changing anyone else

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:43) Holiday season emotions and mixed expectations

(02:10) Understanding how your body responds emotionally

(03:41) Daily stillness routines to stay grounded

(05:28) How your brain predicts and scans for safety

(06:24) The power of sensory memories during holidays

(08:59) Choosing love over fear in family gatherings

(13:13) Personal family reunion story and mindset shift

(20:45) Practical tips for navigating family gatherings

(27:14) Reflections, questions, and next steps

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“Reflection is not optional. We’re designed for it, and it’s how our brains and souls find meaning.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession invites listeners into what she calls “reflection season.” It’s the natural rhythm each winter when our nervous systems slow down and we shift from doing to meaning-making. Drawing from neuroscience, leadership coaching, and spiritual wisdom, Rebecca explains why this stillness isn’t just rest. It’s a design for renewal, clarity, and change.

She guides leaders and business owners to prepare intentionally, offering practical ways to connect with teams before year’s end, nurture safety, and spark loyalty through meaningful conversations. Through storytelling and grounded reflection, Rebecca reminds us that great leadership is stewardship, and that reflection precedes revelation, both personally and professionally.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to support your team through reflection season with empathy and connection
• Why genuine appreciation and alignment matter more than metrics or performance alone
• How your own reflection as a leader sets the tone for everyone you influence

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:27) Reflection season and its importance

(02:18) Preparing for reflection as a leader

(02:42) The neuroscience of reflection

(03:17) Monthly and weekly reflection practices

(04:50) Employee reflection and business impact

(09:32) Genuine appreciation and connection

(13:43) Leadership and personal reflection

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“Stories build trust faster than any strategy deck ever could.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession shares how she designed her signature event “Stand Tall in Your Story” to foster genuine human connection through neuroscience-backed storytelling. 

She explores why traditional business gatherings often miss the mark and how emotional, story-centered experiences can transform relationships between colleagues, clients, and communities. Rebecca offers practical takeaways for leaders looking to make meetings, events, and company retreats more meaningful by trading PowerPoints for purpose and conversation for connection.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How storytelling triggers trust-building chemicals like oxytocin and strengthens relationships faster than facts or data alone
• Why emotional shared experiences create psychological safety and lasting engagement within teams and client groups
• Practical ways to reimagine your next meeting or event, from TED-style storytelling formats to intentional conversation design

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(02:41) The importance of celebration and connection

(04:48) Emotional and social bonding at events

(06:39) The power of storytelling

(08:40) Creating meaningful conversations

(15:27) Practical tips for hosting effective events

(26:49) Virtual event strategies

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/

“Presence is the new economy. It’s the differentiator for leadership, parenting, and everything that truly matters.”

In this episode of Business is Human, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession sits down with speaker and author Tommy Short about the power of presence in leadership, family, and faith.

After a year without a phone, Tommy learned how silence, stillness, and meaningful connection can transform how we live and lead. He challenges the myth of productivity, discusses the toll of constant distraction, and uncover how true success starts with defining what truly matters.

Tommy shares the lessons behind his upcoming book The Call I Almost Missed, revealing how one radical act of disconnection became a spiritual and emotional awakening. From navigating parenting without screens to finding God in the quiet, this conversation invites listeners to pause, reflect, and reclaim their attention in a world that never stops buzzing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How stillness helps you reconnect with your purpose, relationships, and creativity
• How vulnerability, not hustle, leads to sustainable success
• Why “things that don’t matter, don’t matter” and how to discern what truly does

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Intro

(01:55) The impact of phone usage

(08:22) A year without a phone

(14:54) The revelation and spiritual journey

(24:05) Reflecting on presence and small habits

(25:29) The journey of writing a book

(27:36) Defining success and taking action

(30:52) The power of presence and depth

(39:03) Anticipation and emotions of the book launch

Connect with Tommy:

Website: https://tommyshort.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommyshort86/ 

Connect with Rebecca:

https://www.rebeccafleetwoodhession.com/