FREEDOM UNLOCKED

Employee turnover, chronically open positions, and skills gaps are often treated as separate workplace problems. But what if they are actually connected parts of the same problem?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, Clark A. Ingram shares lessons from more than 30 years as a Chief Human Resources Officer across four companies and industries, and from his transition from finance into human capital management.

As the author of Churn, Clark explains his “three-headed monster” approach to employee turnover, recruitment challenges, and skills gaps — and why some commonly accepted HR practices may fail to address the real causes.

We explore organizational culture, employer identity, compensation, root causes, employee value, and the practical steps leaders can take to build stronger, more stable organizations.

Call to Action

To learn more about Clark’s speaking, workshops, consulting work, and book Churn, visit peopleprofits.com.

Guest Details and Resources

Guest: Clark A. Ingram

Website: peopleprofits.com

Book: Churn

Company: People Profits, LLC

Focus: Human Capital Management, Employee Turnover, Recruitment, Skills Gaps, Organizational Culture, Compensation, Leadership

Current Work: Speaker, Author, and Workshop Facilitator

What started as a simple desire to help one child has grown into a global movement impacting hundreds of thousands of lives. In this inspiring episode, Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, shares how he turned a small act of service into one of the world's fastest-growing nonprofits.

We discuss child bedlessness, purpose-driven leadership, community impact, and the lessons learned from building an organization that has delivered over 350,000 beds to children in need. This conversation is a powerful reminder that meaningful change begins when ordinary people choose to take action and serve others.

What if anxiety, burnout, and chronic stress didn’t have to be managed for life, but could actually be reversed at the nervous system level?

In this conversation, biomedical engineer and neuroscientist Jon Hacker, CEO of NeurGear and co-creator of ZenBud, breaks down how ultrasound vagus nerve stimulation is reshaping the future of mental health care. We explore how the nervous system regulates stress, why so many modern systems keep people stuck in chronic dysregulation, and how emerging neurotechnology is offering new, noninvasive pathways to recovery.

This episode dives into the science behind nervous system balance, the future of mental health innovation, and what it means to take real control of your internal state in a world built for stress.

In this energizing episode, global traveler and play advocate Zander Phelps shares how a decade of world travel revealed a powerful truth: play is a universal language that connects all humans. From juggling on street corners to playing footbag in remote villages, Zander shows how movement, laughter, and creativity can break barriers and transform mental and physical well-being.

We explore how modern life disconnects us from joy, why play is essential for mental health, and how anyone can begin reconnecting with their inner child. This conversation is a reminder that healing, connection, and happiness often start with something simple: play.

What if taking care of ourselves was never meant to be something we do alone?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten, a sociologist, community development practitioner, and upcoming author of Even Monks Meditate Together, explores the connection between individual wellness and community support. She shares practical insights on moving beyond the traditional idea of self-care and building circles of trust, belonging, and collective empowerment.

We discuss how community can strengthen healthy habits, why belonging matters to our wellbeing, and how to create supportive relationships that work within the realities of everyday life.

Call to Action

Learn more about Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten and her upcoming book, Even Monks Meditate Together, and explore her work on community-driven wellness and collective empowerment.

Guest Details and Resources

Guest: Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten

Expertise: Sociology, community development, community-driven wellness, holistic health, collective empowerment

Upcoming Book: Even Monks Meditate Together

What happens when a powerful experience ends and ordinary life begins again?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, Oliver Glozik, founder of Harmonica Retreat in Colombia, shares his personal journey into ayahuasca and his experience working alongside indigenous facilitators from the Kamsá Biyá tradition of the Putumayo region. We explore what transformation can look like beyond the ceremony—from identity shifts and difficult integration to the everyday work of making lasting changes.

Oliver also discusses his work with researchers at Imperial College London, his experiences guiding hundreds of people, and the difference between genuine transformation and the hype surrounding plant medicine.

Call to Action

To learn more about Oliver’s work and Harmonica Retreat, visit:

ayahuasca-retreat.com

Guest Details and Resources

Guest: Oliver Glozik

Role: Founder, Harmonica Retreat

Location: Colombia

Focus: Ayahuasca, plant-medicine ceremonies, breathwork, integration, consciousness, personal transformation

Tradition: Kamsá Biyá indigenous tradition of the Putumayo region

Research: Partnership with researchers at Imperial College London

Website: Harmonica Retreat / Ayahuasca Retreat

What if personal growth isn't about constantly fixing yourself, but learning to trust yourself?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, Dr. Leslie Newman, author of A Daily Dose of Happiness, shares a grounded perspective on happiness, relationships, emotional overwhelm, and the nonlinear nature of personal growth. Drawing from decades of meditation, professional training, and deeply personal experiences, Leslie explores why we often return to the same life themes with new awareness.

We talk about self-trust, emotional triggers, expanded awareness, unexpected endings, and what it really means to come back to yourself when life doesn't go as planned.

Call to Action

To learn more about Dr. Leslie Newman, her book A Daily Dose of Happiness, her upcoming book, speaking and workshops, visit:

Dr. Leslie Newman’s Website

Guest Details and Resources

Guest: Dr. Leslie Newman

Author: A Daily Dose of Happiness

Website: drlesliebnewman.com

Focus: Happiness, self-trust, personal growth, relationships, transitions, consciousness, meditation, emotional awareness

Upcoming Book: A deeper exploration of the nonlinear, spiral nature of personal growth

Why can someone sincerely want to change, pray more, study more, and still find themselves returning to the same struggles?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, author John V. Ruggiero joins us to discuss spiritual transformation and the ideas behind his book, Reforming: Transformation Through Reconstruction.

John explains why he believes many Christians focus too heavily on changing outward behavior instead of addressing what is happening internally. He shares his perspective on Romans 7 and 8, willpower, renewing the mind, recurring sin, spiritual identity, and why he sees transformation as something received through Christ rather than achieved through constant personal effort.

We also explore how destructive patterns form, why spiritual change can seem real for a season and then disappear, the role of hearing and interacting with Christ, and the difference John sees between knowing about Jesus and experiencing an ongoing relationship with Him.

Connect With John V. Ruggiero

Find John’s book:

Reforming: Transformation Through Reconstruction

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/

Search for “Reforming: Transformation Through Reconstruction — John V. Ruggiero.”

The book is also available through Barnes & Noble and other booksellers.

What does faith look like when your prayers seem unanswered and life doesn’t go the way you hoped?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, author, podcaster, and full-time volunteer minister Paul Granger shares what more than two decades in ministry have taught him about faith, purpose, success, and recognizing God’s presence in everyday life.

Paul opens up about walking through miscarriage and choosing to hold onto the belief that God is God and God is good, even when he could not understand what was happening.

We also explore why ministry is ultimately about loving God and loving others, why Christians can easily overlook God in ordinary moments, how biblical success can look very different from worldly success, and why your purpose may be bigger than your job title.

Paul also shares what self-publishing more than two dozen books has taught him about obedience, consistency, and allowing God to work through what we feel incapable of doing.

Connect With Paul Granger

Explore Paul’s podcasts, books, videos, and other resources:

https://wheredidyouseegod.com

Paul created the platform as a space where people can honestly explore questions about God, faith, identity, and what those things mean for everyday life.

What separates a faith that sounds good in comfortable seasons from one that can actually stand when life becomes difficult?

In this episode of Freedom Unlocked, pastor, chaplain and Before the Fall author Timothy Allen explores discipleship, spiritual maturity, pride, Scripture and developing a deeper relationship with God. Timothy explains that spiritual growth begins when biblical knowledge moves beyond the head and becomes genuine conviction that changes how a person lives.

The conversation explores why simply attending church or knowing Scripture does not necessarily equal discipleship. Timothy argues that transformation requires being willing to change, obey what Scripture teaches and remain faithful even when doing so is uncomfortable. He also discusses pride, difficult seasons and why Christians should not assume that following Christ means life will always become easier.
Timothy also offers encouragement for believers struggling with recurring sin or addiction. His message is that personal weakness does not automatically disqualify someone from being used by God, but meaningful change still requires dependence on God, practical boundaries and taking available ways of escape seriously. Persistent addiction can also benefit from appropriate professional, pastoral and community support alongside spiritual practices.

At its heart, this episode is about moving beyond comfortable Christianity into a faith shaped by obedience, perseverance and grace. Timothy reminds listeners that difficult seasons change, failure does not have to become identity, and God’s calling does not depend on someone first becoming flawless.

Connect with Timothy Allen

Learn more about Timothy’s Bible teaching and resources:

https://romans10nine.com/

You can also find the Romans 10 9 Bible Study App on Google and Apple app stores.

Timothy’s book:

Before the Fall

explores pride in the believer’s life and the subtle patterns that can develop before spiritual failure.