I Have Some Questions...

What if workplace training wasn't passive, boring, or easily ignored—but instead felt like an unforgettable lived experience? In this conversation, Erik sits down with Cortney Harding, a pioneer at the intersection of VR, AR, and AI in corporate training, to explore how immersive technologies are redefining how humans learn, lead, and empathize at work.

From empathy-driven virtual experiences to AI-powered avatars that practice with you 24/7, Cortney shares why most corporate training is broken—and how the future is already here (if we’re brave enough to use it).

👤 About the Guest

Cortney Harding is the founder of a consultancy at the cutting edge of immersive technology. She builds AI- and VR-powered training programs designed to teach the human skills that matter most—like empathy, communication, and inclusion—at scale. With experience across industries from child welfare to Fortune 100 corporations, she’s helping leaders fail safely, learn deeply, and lead better.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• The massive delta between traditional training (click-through videos) and immersive learning (VR/AI avatars)
• What it feels like to be excluded in a workplace—via headset
• Why “failing safely” in VR might be the most overlooked growth lever in corporate America
• What’s holding back mass adoption of VR/AI in learning (it’s not what you think)
• How frontline employees can (and should) start creating their own VR training content
• The emotional resistance to new technology—and how to lead people through it
• When AI meets empathy, what’s possible?

💡 Key Takeaways

• Immersive tech delivers exponential gains, not marginal ones—think 1/3 drop in turnover, 75% drop in training costs
• The future of learning is experiential, contextual, and emotional
• VR + AI allows people to practice at scale—without social risk or reputational cost
• Emotional resistance, not tech limitations, is the biggest blocker to innovation
• The competitive advantage of the future? Empathy at scale

❓ Questions That Mattered

• What are we actually trying to train for—and why have traditional methods failed?
• How does technology change when you start with the story, not the specs?
• What keeps companies from adopting innovations with wildly better outcomes?
• Why are “off-the-shelf” trainings insufficient for transformational growth?
• Who should be building the next generation of learning tools?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“Failing safely is one huge benefit. But what’s really powerful is that you’re locked in—there are no distractions. You feel it.” – Cortney

“Most corporate training is designed for teaching, not training. Knowledge doesn't create capability.” – Erik

“Turnover dropped by a third. With no changes to pay or policy. Just VR.” – Cortney Harding

“VR allows people to fail without consequence. And in that failure, they learn faster, deeper, and more honestly.” – Erik

“We don’t need more content. We need more authentic content created by the people who actually do the work.” – Cortney

🔗 Links & Resources

• Cortney Harding’s Website: https://cortney-harding.com/
• Cortney's Book 'The Spatial Race'. Pre-Order it on Amazon now!, Out October 7th.
• Follow Cortney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortneyharding/

In this solo reflection, Erik unpacks a persistent and nuanced leadership challenge: why so many people struggle with deep, direct, one-on-one conversations. Drawing from personal experience, client work, and even his marriage, Erik explores processing styles, conversational pressure, and how leaders can adapt to create more inclusive, thoughtful dialogue—especially in high-stakes, fast-paced environments.

❓ The Big Question

Why do so many people struggle to go deep in one-on-one conversations—and what can we do about it?

💡 Key Takeaways

• The pressure to “respond well” often overrides true listening and participation.
• Fast processing isn’t better—it’s just one style. Leaders must make space for diverse processing speeds.
• Asynchronous communication (like Loom or voice memos) can unlock deeper, more thoughtful responses.
• Creating psychological safety includes honoring people’s preferred modes of reflection and response.
• Curiosity + adaptability = a powerful combo in meaningful conversation.

🧠 Concepts, Curves, and Frameworks

• Processing Style Awareness: Some people thrive on-the-fly; others need time to reflect. Know the difference.
• Asynchronous Dialogue Design: Tools like Loom and voice notes support thoughtful exchange without time pressure.
• The “Need to Respond” Trap: When people focus on what to say next instead of listening, conversations stall.
• Rules of Engagement Questions: Asking how someone prefers to communicate or process can be a game-changer.
• Spoken vs. Written Fluency: Most people communicate better verbally—but tone and facial expression matter.

🔁 Real-Life Reflections

• Erik’s marriage taught him how different processing styles can create or dissolve conversational friction.
• He’s learning to notice when someone disengages—not as resistance, but as a signal they need more space.
• Leaders often assume people should “just speak up”—but many need the right conditions to fully show up.

🧰 Put This Into Practice

• Ask team members: “How do you best process things—on the fly or with reflection time?”
• Test using Loom or voice messages for complex or sensitive topics.
• Give others the option: “Would you rather hash this out live or exchange thoughts asynchronously first?”
• Audit your 1:1s—are you giving space, or dominating the pace?
• Consider how your own processing style shapes your expectations of others.

🗣️ Favorite Quotes

“There’s a large portion of the population that wants to marinate before they give you their truth.”

“Just because someone can’t react quickly doesn’t mean their input isn’t valuable—it just comes differently.”

“Maybe the friction in your 1:1s isn’t resistance. It’s the pressure to participate before they’re ready.”

“Creating space is leadership.”

“We’re better speakers than writers—but we rarely design for that truth.”

🧠 Erik’s Take

After sitting with Andrew Anderson’s powerful story and coaching wisdom, Erik reflects on the themes that stood out most: authentic communication, radical clarity, and the role of faith as a foundation. This episode distills the 90-minute conversation into three sharp insights that leaders, parents, and humans alike can apply right away.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

• Authenticity builds trust — Vulnerability often precedes trust, not the other way around.
• Clarity is the real boundary setter — Saying no starts with knowing exactly what you’re saying yes to.
• Faith is a foundation, not a prescription — Andrew’s beliefs ground him while giving others the freedom to build their own.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik reflects on how Andrew’s “I’m happy today” answer challenged his assumptions about small talk, how the one-page goal sheet could transform his own busyness, and why faith as a foundation resonated even outside of a religious framework.

🧰 From Insight to Action

• Try answering authentically — even to throwaway questions.
• Write your own “one goal, three priorities, five strategies” sheet.
• Identify the foundation you stand on — and make it solid enough to support others.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “We think we’ll be vulnerable once we trust. But often, trust begins with vulnerability.”
• “Boundaries are easier to set when you’re crystal clear on what you’re saying yes to.”
• “Faith provides a foundation — not one for others to copy, but one strong enough to stand on.”

Erik sits down with Andrew L. Anderson, coach, author, and master communicator, to unpack what it means to live with conviction, interrupt the scripts we’re stuck in, and lead with both vulnerability and strength. From red shoes to real suffering, Andrew shares how pattern disruption, faith, and belief shape his work and life — and why being your brother’s keeper is very different from trying to be your brother’s savior.

👤 About the Guest

Andrew L. Anderson is a coach, author, and speaker with over a decade of experience helping people break through limiting patterns. A former teacher and now a master practitioner of NLP, Andrew brings his faith, life lessons, and hard-won resilience into coaching leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday people to reclaim agency in their lives. He’s also the author of Strength of the Oak, Strength of the Willow.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• Why Andrew answers “I’m happy today” when asked how he’s doing — and how it started in the darkest season of his life.
• The power of pattern interruption — from Dale Carnegie to Tony Robbins’ “red shoes” moment.
• Vulnerability as the fastest path to trust — and why failure stories impact us more than success stories.
• The “keeper vs. savior” distinction — what it means to care for others without trying to rescue them.
• StrengthsFinder, conviction, and the exhausting but powerful gift of belief.
• Guardrails, faith, and learning when to step back and let people sit in discomfort.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Pattern disruption opens space for change and influence.
• Vulnerability builds more trust than polished perfection.
• Worst-case scenario thinking can actually free you from worry.
• Belief is a strength — but without boundaries, it can burn you out.
• Being your brother’s keeper means showing up; being his savior is not your job.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• How do you train yourself to answer more authentically — even to small-talk questions?
• What does it take to lead with vulnerability without slipping into false optimism?
• How do you distinguish when to pull someone out of pain versus holding space for it?
• What role does faith play in navigating conviction, exhaustion, and responsibility?
• How can “novelty + disruption” make us more influential leaders?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “People aren’t impressed by our successes; they’re impacted by our failures.”
• “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”
• “You are your brother’s keeper — but you’re not your brother’s savior.”
• “In that pause, between stimulus and response, lies our freedom.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Andrew’s book: Strength of the Oak, Strength of the Willow. Get it on Amazon
• Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence People & How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Get it on Amazon
• Victor Frankl: Man’s Search for Meaning. 

In this solo episode, Erik goes deep on one of the most deceptively difficult questions in leadership and life: What should you be saying no to? Drawing from his own calendar, coaching practice, and real-time decision-making, he lays out four clear steps—and several powerful tools—for reclaiming your time, energy, and focus. This is a masterclass in discerning the good from the right.

❓ The Big Question

How do you decide what to say no to when everything feels important—or good?

💡 Key Takeaways

• Clarity on what you’re saying yes to is the foundation for learning what to say no to.
• Saying “no” often means turning down good things that just aren’t the right fit for this season.
• Your calendar is the execution layer—where values and priorities become real (or don’t).
• Communication is a critical part of saying no with integrity, especially in relationships.
• There’s a distinct difference between time management and priority management—focus on the latter.

🧠 Concepts, Curves, and Frameworks

• The One-Page Clarity Tool: From Andrew Anderson—1 goal → 3 priorities → 5 strategies per priority (x2: personal + business).
• Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritizing by urgency and impact (do, schedule, delegate, delete).
• 168-Hour Exercise: Map your actual weekly hours by category to reveal capacity vs. overwhelm.
• Skills, Experiences, Responsibilities: Define what to grow, what to feel, and what to own in this season.

🔁 Real-Life Reflections

• Erik recognizes he needs to cut back on random networking meetings and social trips, even though they’re “good.”
• He’s calendaring time next Wednesday to intentionally clean up and refocus.
• He challenges listeners to walk through this process in real time, not just conceptually.

🧰 Put This Into Practice

1. Name your YESes: What are the goals, priorities, and strategies that define your focus?
2. Use the Eisenhower Matrix: Plot your current tasks for clarity on where your energy should go.
3. Audit your week: Use the 168-hour exercise to see where your time actually goes.
4. List the Good Nos: Write out good things you’re choosing not to do—for now.
5. Make it real: Block time on your calendar and communicate your new boundaries.

🗣️ Favorite Quotes

“The best way to figure out what you should say no to is to get clear on what you’re saying yes to.”

“Good things are the hardest to say no to. That’s why most people don’t.”

“You don’t manage time—you manage priorities.”

“Saying no isn’t just a decision. It’s a practice. And it happens in your calendar.”

“Clarity is the compass. Your calendar is the map.”

Fresh off his conversation with Rose Archer, Erik is lit up—not just by what Rose is building, but by how she’s building it. In this reflection, Erik dives into the raw threads of authenticity, opportunity, and human connection that run through Rose’s story. It’s more than admiration—it’s a call to pay attention to how the universe shows up for us when we’re willing to show up as ourselves.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

• Authenticity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a system of living. Rose embodies her values so completely that every project she touches feels aligned and magnetic.
• The universe rewards stewardship. Rose doesn’t just receive opportunities—she builds on them with purpose and discipline.
• Connection is the real product. The Luscious Supper Club isn’t just a dining experience—it’s an intentional container for deep human interaction.
• Success still needs soul. Even high-net-worth individuals are hungry for belonging, and Rose knows how to create it.
• Being seen is powerful—but owning your role in that visibility is leadership.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik opens up about his own relationship with the word “authentic”—how often he’s used it, how sincerely he tries to live it, and how Rose's embodiment of it challenged and inspired him. He admits to a tinge of jealousy, but also a deep reverence for someone who’s doing exactly what they’re meant to be doing—and doing it fully. It’s a beautiful mirror moment, showing how witnessing someone else’s alignment can help us calibrate our own.

🧰 From Insight to Action

Here’s what Erik is taking with him—and what you can too:

• 🔍 Audit your alignment. Where are you saying “yes” out of fear instead of authenticity?
• ✋ Stop dismissing the opportunities knocking at your door. What are you not stewarding well?
• 🤝 Create more containers for connection. You don’t need to build a supper club—but where could you host deeper conversations?
• 📖 Revisit your origin story. Rose’s path is a reminder that roots matter—what’s in your soil?
• 🧭 Lead with presence. The how you show up matters as much as the what.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“She didn’t earn it. She became the kind of person it would make sense to offer it to.”
 — Erik, on Rose’s resonance and magnetism

“I try to be authentic. But this was next level.”
 — Erik, reckoning with a deeper definition of integrity

“It’s not just a restaurant. It’s a freaking portal to connection.”
 — On what Rose is really building

“Being courageous instead of afraid—that’s what authenticity actually looks like.”
 — Erik’s mic-drop summary

Erik sits down with Rose Archer, founder of the Luscious Supper Club—a sold-out monthly dining experience that’s as much about human connection as it is about exquisite food. What started as a side hustle from her Northeast Bend home has become a sought-after ritual for those craving beauty, belonging, and a return to the sacredness of breaking bread. Rose shares the deeply personal roots of this venture, the philosophy behind the mystery, and how staying fiercely authentic has become her greatest asset.

👤 About the Guest

Rose Archer is the founder and head chef of Luscious Supper Club. A former chef in the elite food world (having worked under Wolfgang Puck and Nancy Silverton), Rose stepped away from kitchens for years—only to return with a vision rooted in connection, intimacy, and transformation. She's also a master gardener, single mom, and storyteller whose ethos blends elegance with earthy, lived wisdom.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• The origin story of Luscious Supper Club—and why it wasn’t supposed to be a business
• What it’s like to transform your home into a restaurant once a month
• The design choices that elevate a dinner into an emotional experience
• Why mystery is core to the brand—and the power of not knowing the menu, the guests, or even the location
• Rose’s refusal to make Luscious more “bougie” or scale at the cost of authenticity
• Her journey from food insecurity as a child to creating abundance through food as an adult
• How she uses food and flowers as tools for emotional memory and magic

💡 Key Takeaways

• Constraint creates magic. Limiting the experience to her home—and never repeating a menu—fuels creativity and deepens emotional impact.
• Authenticity scales when it’s felt. Guests aren’t just buying a dinner—they’re buying into a story, a philosophy, and a feeling.
• Dinner can be activism. Hosting strangers in your home, without agenda, becomes a quiet rebellion against division and isolation.
• Beauty matters. From edible flowers to ironed cotton napkins, everything at Luscious is designed to be felt, not just seen.
• You don’t need a fancy backdrop to build something extraordinary. The most meaningful things often start where you are, with what you have.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• “How do you create mystery in a world obsessed with certainty?”
• “Why is the middle-class home the perfect place for luxury dining?”
• “What are people really hungry for?”
• “How do you know when it’s time to close… or scale?”

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“We just create the container… and wait for humanness to show up.”

“If you’re losing money, it’s not a side hustle—it’s a hobby.”

“I never repeat a menu. That dinner is never happening again.”

“This is not about pretension. This is not about show. This is about creating a sacred space for people to be seen.”

“Even when I had nothing, my mom planted gardens. Beauty and sustenance have always been linked for me.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• 🌐 Luscious Supper Club Website: https://www.eatluscious.com/rose-archer
• 📸 Rose’s Instagram: @luscioussupperclub
• 🌱 OSU Master Gardener Program https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg

You’ve heard a thousand excuses—but what if there were really only four? In this sharp, tactical solo episode, Erik unpacks the universal patterns behind excuses and gives leaders a practical four-step play to move from frustration to clarity. With real-life examples and sharp reframes, this is your go-to guide for handling the conversations you’ve been avoiding. Get ready to ditch the dread, drop the debate, and redirect like a pro.

❓ The Big Question

What if the excuses you dread the most could be dismantled with one simple play?

💡 Key Takeaways

• There are only four types of excuses—once you see them, you can stop chasing your tail.
• Excuses are just pressure release attempts—bait designed to hijack the conversation.
• You can handle any excuse using a repeatable four-step play:
  1. Identify the excuse
  2. Avoid the bait
  3. Address the excuse
  4. Redirect with an open-ended question
• Avoiding the bait is critical—most excuses contain just enough truth to pull you off course.
• The real power move? Condition your team to realize excuses won’t get traction with you.

🧠 Concepts, Curves, and Frameworks

• The 4 Excuses:
  1. It’s not my fault
  2. I didn’t know
  3. I’m on it now
  4. That’s not normal
• The 4-Step Play:
  1. Identify which excuse is in play
  2. Avoid the bait (don’t get hooked!)
  3. Address the excuse with truth
  4. Redirect with an open-ended question
• Redirection Language: Use open-ended questions starting with who, what, when, where, how to shift the conversation productively.

🔁 Real-Life Reflections

• Erik shares how he accidentally discovered the four excuses after hearing the same patterns across industries—from engineers to healthcare workers.
• He reflects on being steamrolled as a young sales leader by “verbal ninjas” and how that pain became the pattern.
• Talks directly to leaders who’ve avoided conversations out of fear of hearing the same excuse for the hundredth time.
• He reminds us: once you stop being afraid of the excuse, your whole posture changes.
• Offers a practical challenge: think of that one person on your team who always makes excuses. Which one of the four do they use? Now get ready.

🧰 Put This Into Practice

• Write down the name of the person who makes the most excuses in your world.
• Identify their go-to excuse using the four types.
• Script out your redirect in advance using an open-ended question.
• Practice your tone: firm but empathetic, curious but grounded.
• Review this before your next tough convo—and watch how fast things shift.

🗣️ Favorite Quotes

“Excuses are bait. If they can hook you, they hijack the conversation.”

“It might not be your fault—but it is your responsibility.”

“You’ll never win a debate trying to prove what’s in someone’s brain. Don’t take the bait.”

“When you stop being afraid of excuses, they lose their power.”

“You’re not just managing performance—you’re conditioning culture.”

🧠 Erik’s Take

After sitting down with Logyn Coats, Erik reflects on what it really means to understand—and lead—across generations. At just 16, Logyn offered perspective far beyond her years, surfacing insights that resonate with the challenges leaders face today: motivating, teaching, and connecting with Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

This review digs into the three big takeaways Erik carried forward: alignment, parental influence, and AI literacy. Together, they form a map for how leaders can adapt in real time to the changing mindset of the next generation.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

• Alignment is non-negotiable — Gen Z wants to know why things matter and how they learn best. Leaders who skip this step will lose them.
• Parents and influencers matter more than résumés — the heuristics Logyn lives by (“slow is smooth, smooth is fast,” “next ball mentality”) weren’t taught in a classroom but modeled at home and on the court.
• AI is rewiring problem-solving now — Gen Z isn’t waiting for AI adoption. They’re already integrating it into daily life, shaping how they approach information and decisions.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik admits his curiosity wasn’t casual—he went into the interview with an agenda: to understand what drives younger generations who frustrate so many leaders. What he found was not a “lazy” or “entitled” mindset but a set of powerful motivators rooted in alignment, observation, and digital fluency. The conversation reinforced that leading Gen Z isn’t about lowering the bar, but about meeting them differently.

🧰 From Insight to Action

• Ask how someone learns best—not just what they’ve done.
• Get curious about who shaped them—parents, coaches, or peers.
• Don’t dismiss AI fluency—ask how your people already use it and what that reveals about their problem-solving.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “Wouldn’t it be great to know before you hire someone whether you can actually teach them?”
• “Gen Z is more like their parents than maybe any other generation.”
• “AI isn’t coming—it’s here, and it’s already rewiring how they think.”

What happens when you stop waiting for life to happen and start building it with intentionality? In this episode, Erik sits down with Logyn Coats, a driven student-athlete with an unconventional story of accelerated learning, discipline, and vision. From navigating dyslexia to graduating high school in two years, from shaping her worldview through volleyball to imagining careers as bold as space architecture, Logyn challenges assumptions about what Gen Z really wants and how they think.

This isn’t just a story about one ambitious young leader — it’s a lesson in what’s possible when structure, support, and self-motivation collide.

👤 About the Guest

Logyn Coats is a student and athlete whose early choices to prioritize structure, discipline, and curiosity have opened doors far beyond the typical path. With interests ranging from space architecture to forensic science, she embodies the drive and creativity of Gen Z. Her experiences with dyslexia, accelerated education, and competitive volleyball have shaped her into a thoughtful, resilient voice for what’s possible when you align effort with vision.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• Why she chose to graduate high school in two years and jumpstart her college career.
• How dyslexia shaped her relationship with learning and her determination to overcome it.
• The “next ball mentality” from volleyball — and how it applies to life and leadership.
• Lessons from parents as entrepreneurs and role models.
• Big-picture visions: space architecture, forensic science, and why keeping options open matters.
• What leaders get wrong about Gen Z — and how curiosity beats assumptions.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Discipline creates freedom — structure and time-blocking allow bigger dreams.
• Sports can teach leadership — “next ball mentality” reframes failure as opportunity.
• Parents leave deep imprints — the way they live shapes Gen Z’s frameworks.
• Gen Z wants meaning, not just tasks — alignment matters more than authority.
• Ambition looks different today — it’s not about speed for its own sake, but intentional acceleration.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• What drives someone to take on more instead of settling for the norm?
• How do sports translate into leadership lessons off the court?
• What does it take to thrive academically while facing dyslexia?
• Why should leaders pay more attention to what Gen Z has observed in their parents?
• What motivates younger generations to think differently about work and the future?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “Next ball mentality means there’s always another opportunity—you don’t stay stuck in the last mistake.”
• “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast—that’s how I approach both school and life.”
• “I’ve never wanted to just be baseline. I wanted to keep learning, keep improving.”
• “A lot of who we are is a reflection of what we’ve seen in our parents.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Get in touch with Logyn at [email protected]