Lets Have This Conversation

By Kevin McShanNews Daily News

Lets Have This Conversation episodes

July 17 Decisive Leadership, Championship Culture & Building Teams That Thrive with: Phillip Kroft
What separates good coaches from great leaders?
Is it strategy? Talent? Experience? Or is it the
courage to make difficult decisions while creating an environment where people
can perform at their best?
This week on Let's Have This Conversation,
I sit down with Phillip Kroft, Head Men's Soccer Coach at
the University of Chicago, to explore what it truly takes to build and
sustain a championship-caliber culture.
A National Championship-winning coach, Phillip believes that
lasting success isn't built on motivation alone—it's built on decisive
leadership, psychological safety, accountability, and a shared commitment to
something greater than individual achievement.
Our conversation explores how leaders can balance confidence
with humility, make informed decisions under pressure, and cultivate
environments where people from diverse backgrounds unite around a common
purpose.
We also discuss:
What decisive
leadership looks like when every decision shapes the future of a program
Building
psychologically positive relationships with student-athletes that foster trust,
resilience, and long-term growth
Creating a
sustainable culture that outlasts individual seasons and personnel changes
The psychology of
motivation and helping individuals maximize their potential while contributing
to the team
Lessons from
coaching at multiple collegiate levels, including leading one of the nation's
premier Division III programs
The evolving
landscape of collegiate athletics and the opportunities and challenges facing
today's student-athletes
Why sports remain one
of society's most powerful forces for connection, belonging, and bringing
people together
Whether you're a coach, educator, executive, business
leader, or someone passionate about leadership and human performance, this
episode offers practical insights into building cultures where people don't
just succeed—they thrive.
Because championship organizations, like championship teams,
are built one decision, one relationship, and one shared purpose at a time.

For more information: https://athletics.uchicago.edu/sports/mens-soccer
Connect: [email protected]

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58 min
July 17Is AI Actually Helping Small Businesses? Or Just Disrupting Them with: Bryan Weisberg
Is Amazon really the biggest threat to independent
retailers—or have we been looking at the problem all wrong?
In this thought-provoking episode of Let's Have This
Conversation, host Kevin McShan sits down with Bryan
Weisberg, Founder & CEO of Merchwise AI, retail technology
entrepreneur, and author of The Future of Main Street, to explore
how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of commerce.
With more than 30 years of experience building
ecommerce platforms, software companies, manufacturing businesses, and
omnichannel retail operations, Bryan offers a unique perspective on where
retail has been—and where it's headed next. As a repeat entrepreneur who has
consistently identified emerging technologies before they became mainstream, he
explains why independent retailers still have enormous opportunities to compete
in today's marketplace.
One statistic challenges everything many people believe
about retail today:
84% of all U.S. retail sales still happen inside physical
stores.
So why are so many local businesses struggling?
Bryan argues that the problem isn't Amazon.
It's the outdated business strategies many retailers
continue to rely on.
Throughout the conversation, Bryan shares how Merchwise
AI is giving independent retailers access to enterprise-level
artificial intelligence tools that automate merchandising, optimize product
data, improve SEO, enhance product content, and simplify selling across
multiple channels. Rather than replacing people, AI can empower small
businesses to become more productive, more profitable, and more competitive.
The discussion also explores Bryan's entrepreneurial
journey—from building one of the earliest multi-merchant ecommerce platforms in
the 1990s to launching an independent gift store in just 60 days with no
previous retail experience, and growing Thousand Oaks Barrel Company into
one of North America's leading manufacturers of personalized gifts and whiskey
accessories.
If you're a retailer, entrepreneur, ecommerce professional,
business leader, or simply curious about how artificial intelligence is
transforming commerce, this episode delivers practical insights into
innovation, leadership, and the future of Main Street.
In this episode, you'll discover:
This conversation challenges conventional thinking about
retail and demonstrates that the future belongs not to the biggest companies,
but to the businesses willing to embrace innovation, adapt with purpose, and
leverage technology to create more meaningful customer experiences.

For more information: https://merchwiseai.com/
LinkedIn: @BryanWeisberg

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54 min
July 17Organizational Culture Isn't a Soft Skill It's Your Competitive Advantage with: Devin C. Hughes
Organizational Culture Isn't a Soft Skill. It's Your
Competitive Advantage.
59% of CEOs say creating a positive
organizational culture is crucial to executing their corporate strategy.
At the same time, research from SHRM and Gallup reveals
that 84% to 92% of North American executives believe improving
organizational culture would increase both enterprise value and overall
business performance.
The evidence is clear.
Culture is no longer an HR initiative. It is a business
strategy.
Yet many organizations continue searching for better
strategies when the real challenge isn't strategy at all.
Work isn't broken because of strategy. It's broken
because of behavior.
Across industries, teams are burned out, disconnected, and
navigating cultures where employees often know how to say the "right"
things but don't feel psychologically safe enough to say what actually needs to
be said. The result is a workplace that appears healthy on the surface while
quietly losing trust, innovation, and momentum underneath.
The cost is substantial:
This is where Devin C. Hughes creates
lasting impact.
As a keynote speaker and organizational culture expert,
Devin partners with Fortune 100 companies, startups, government agencies, and
school systems to help leaders build high-trust, high-performing cultures
grounded in authentic connection, accountability, and the everyday behaviors
that drive exceptional results.
His work blends positive psychology, neuroscience,
appreciative inquiry, positive organizational scholarship, mindset development,
and mindfulness into practical leadership strategies that leaders can implement
immediately.
More importantly, he helps organizations move beyond
inspiration toward measurable transformation.
When people feel genuinely seen, heard, and valued,
organizations don't simply become better places to work—they become better
businesses.
Trust grows.
Communication improves.
Conflict becomes constructive.
Innovation accelerates.
Performance follows.
Culture evolves from a corporate slogan into a measurable
competitive advantage.
The highest-performing organizations understand one
fundamental truth:
Strategy determines where an organization wants to go.
Culture determines whether it ever gets there.
That's why culture isn't separate from strategy.
Culture is the engine that brings strategy to life.
If your organization is ready to replace performative
culture with authentic leadership, stronger relationships, and measurable
business results, now is the time to start the conversation.
Connect with Devin C. Hughes to discover how intentional
culture-building can transform leadership, strengthen teams, and unlock your
organization's greatest competitive advantage—its people.

For more information: https://devinchughes.com/
LinkedIn: @Devin C.Hughes

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45 min
July 16 Building Wealth Through Disciplined Real Estate Investing with: Jason Roberts
For investors actively flipping houses, today's market has
become significantly more challenging. According to ATTOM Data, house-flipping
returns have tightened considerably, with return on investment (ROI) averaging
just under 25% and gross profits hovering around $65,000 per deal.
Rising borrowing costs, elevated home prices, and escalating material expenses
have combined to create some of the slimmest profit margins investors have
faced in years.
Navigating this environment successfully requires more than
simply finding undervalued properties—it demands disciplined systems, market
expertise, and a well-defined investment strategy.
Jason Roberts understands what it takes to succeed in
today's real estate market. As the founder of Better Blueprint Realty, a
vertically integrated real estate investment platform, he helps everyday
investors access the same value-add opportunities that have traditionally been
reserved for institutional capital.
Over the course of his career, Jason has helped execute more
than $250 million in real estate transactions spanning
fix-and-flips, short-term rentals, multifamily properties, and luxury
developments. During his first two years as an investor alone, he acquired more
than 200 properties, developing repeatable systems for
acquisitions, renovations, and profitable exits.
Real estate has been part of Jason's life from the
beginning. Raised as the son of a builder and real estate agent, he combined
that foundation with entrepreneurial drive, transforming a personal investment
of just $5,000 into more than $400,000 in
cash and equity within only 18 months.
What truly distinguishes Jason is his ability to combine
data-driven investment analysis with creative thinking, compelling
storytelling, and brand-building expertise. Through his brokerage, wholesaling
operation, and mentorship platform, he teaches investors how to build
sustainable wealth without relying on hype, manage risk in changing market
conditions, and approach real estate investing with the discipline and
professionalism of seasoned operators rather than hobbyists.

For more information: https://betterblueprintinvestments.com/
Discover More: https://betterblueprintacademy.com/

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1 hr 3 min
July 06 The Family Screen Divide: Why This Isn’t Just a Kids’ Problem with Nathan Graham
Recent data from the Government of Saskatchewan reveals a
striking disconnect in modern family life: 55% of Canadian parents
believe screens interfere with quality family time, while 51% of Canadian
teenagers say their parents are often distracted by their own phones during
conversations. These findings point to an uncomfortable but important
truth—this is not simply a youth screen-time issue. It’s a family
system and values issue.
In this episode, we unpack what these numbers really reveal
about the way families are relating to one another in an always-connected
world. When both parents and teens feel the other is “too online,” the deeper
challenge isn’t just technology—it’s attention, presence, and emotional
availability.
We’re joined by Nathan Graham, author of Why
Won’t He Just Log Off?, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and father. Nathan
works with families, parents, and communities to better understand the rising
challenges of video game addiction, excessive screen time, and digital
dependency in children and teens.
Rather than focusing only on restricting technology, Nathan
takes a deeper approach—exploring the emotional, social, and psychological
needs that often sit underneath excessive gaming and screen use. His work helps
parents move beyond conflict cycles, rebuild trust, and strengthen
communication at home.
In this conversation, Nathan breaks down what it really
means for parents to “model the behavior they want to see,” and how small
shifts in daily habits—like presence, listening, and intentional phone use—can
begin to restore authentic connection.
This episode offers practical, real-world strategies for
families who want to reduce digital tension and rebuild stronger
relationships—not by removing technology, but by changing how they show up with
each other.

For more information: https://syntheticecho.ca/
Instagram: @synthetic.echo.hub
Get the Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5J5KZCM

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1 hr 10 min
July 02 Driving Safer: How Modern Driver Education Can Save Lives with Brad Coleman
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), formal driver education can reduce an individual's
likelihood of being involved in a crash by as much as 40%. However, research
also suggests that when formal driver education allows teens to obtain their
licenses earlier through Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) "time
discounts," the overall number of crashes may not decline because more
young drivers begin driving sooner. These findings underscore the importance of
ensuring that driver education focuses not only on licensing but on developing
lifelong safe driving habits.
On this episode of Let's Have This Conversation,
I sit down with Brad Coleman, CEO and Owner of SafeWay Driving, one of Texas'
largest and most respected driver education companies. Before leading SafeWay
Driving, Brad spent years competing as a professional race car driver, where he
learned that while driving skill is essential, safety is what truly saves
lives. Today, that lesson guides his mission: preventing the phone call that no
family ever wants to receive.
Brad shares how SafeWay Driving has spent more than 40 years
helping over 200,000 teens, adults, seniors, and corporate drivers become safer
behind the wheel through its proprietary SafeWay Driving System. We also
explore how the company is transforming an industry traditionally dominated by
small, independent driving schools by embracing technology, modern customer
experiences, and a scalable franchise model that empowers entrepreneurs to make
a meaningful impact in their communities.
Throughout our conversation, we discuss why quality driver
education matters, how innovation is reshaping the industry, the
responsibilities that come with earning a driver's license, and what families
can do to help create a new generation of confident, responsible drivers.
Whether you're a parent preparing your teen to drive, an
educator, a road safety advocate, or an entrepreneur interested in a
purpose-driven business, this episode offers valuable insights into how
education, technology, and leadership can work together to make our roads safer
for everyone.

For more information: https://www.safewaydriving.com/
LinkedIn: @BradColeman

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48 min
July 02 No Veteran Left Behind: Cory Gold's Mission to Bridge the Gap in Veteran Benefits
According to the Pew Research Center,
approximately 30% of U.S. veterans believe the government provides them
with too little help, while only 46% say the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is doing an excellent or good job of meeting veterans' needs.
Those numbers highlight a troubling reality: too many veterans are struggling
to access the benefits and support they have earned through their service.
Every veteran has earned the right to the care and benefits
they deserve—but far too many never receive them because they simply don't know
where to begin.
This week on Let's Have This Conversation,
I sit down with Army veteran Cory Gold, whose life
changed forever after a parachute failure left him with a broken back and a
traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite qualifying for VA disability benefits,
Cory spent four years unaware those benefits even existed. Rather than allowing
that experience to define him, he turned it into a mission by founding Worth
Their Weight, a nonprofit dedicated to finding the veterans the system has
overlooked and connecting them with the benefits they've earned—completely free
of charge.
During our conversation, Cory explains why VA disability
benefits are not charity but compensation earned through service and sacrifice.
We discuss the barriers that prevent so many veterans from accessing those
benefits, the frustrations of navigating the VA claims process, and why no
veteran should have to face that journey alone.
Cory also shares how Worth Their Weight is creating
meaningful change through its Search & Rescue program,
where Field Scouts build trust within local communities, identify veterans who
have fallen through the cracks, address immediate needs such as transportation,
shelter, or communication, and connect them with VA-accredited Veteran Service
Organization (VSO) partners who guide them through the claims process. We also
explore the organization's upcoming Vet Connect initiative,
which aims to bridge the digital divide by providing veterans with tablets and
hands-on training so they can access the benefits, services, and resources
available to them.
This is more than a conversation about veteran benefits.
It's a discussion about leadership, resilience, advocacy, and restoring dignity
to the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to our country.
Whether you're a veteran, have a loved one who served, or
simply want to better understand the challenges facing those who wore the
uniform, this episode offers valuable insight and hope.
Tune in
to hear how one veteran transformed his own struggle into a nationwide mission
to ensure no veteran is left behind.

Call (833) WTWVets
For more information: https://worththeirweight.org/
Follow: @WorthTheirWeight

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1 hr 4 min
July 01 Building Wealth While Solving America's Affordable Housing Crisis with Leo Young
Manufactured housing is one of the most overlooked sectors
in American real estate, yet it plays a critical role in addressing the
nation's affordable housing shortage. According to the American Housing
Survey (AHS), there are approximately 7.2 million occupied
manufactured homes in the United States, accounting for 5.4% of all
occupied housing. These communities provide an affordable housing solution
for millions of Americans, particularly those living in rural areas and
lower-income households.
In this episode, Kevin McShan sits down with Leo
Young, Founder of Cornell Communities, a real estate investment
firm dedicated to acquiring and operating manufactured housing communities that
generate both financial returns and meaningful social impact.
Leo's journey is anything but conventional. Before founding
Cornell Communities, he generated more than $50 million in real estate
sales, worked on the acquisitions team of a $4.5 billion private
equity real estate fund, and became the top regional salesperson at Tesla.
Today, he combines institutional investment expertise, entrepreneurial
leadership, and operational experience to help investors build long-term wealth
while expanding access to quality affordable housing.
Driven by his mission to positively impact one million lives
through real estate, Leo has also built an engaged community of more than 30,000
aspiring and active investors through his Investor Club and podcast.
His practical approach demonstrates how busy professionals can move beyond
relying solely on earned income by creating passive cash flow through
thoughtfully selected real estate investments.
Throughout this conversation, Leo shares why manufactured
housing communities continue to attract sophisticated investors, how to
evaluate risk in commercial real estate, the lessons he's learned from building
a business across multiple states, and why financial independence is about
creating freedom—not simply accumulating wealth. He also discusses burnout,
entrepreneurship, leadership, and how investing with purpose can strengthen
both communities and investment portfolios.
Whether you're an experienced investor, an entrepreneur, or
someone searching for new ways to build long-term financial security outside of
traditional Wall Street investments, this episode offers valuable insights into
one of today's most resilient and impactful real estate sectors

For more information: https://cornellcommunities.com/
LinkedIn: @LeoY.
Instagram: @leoyoungrealestate

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1 hr 1 min
June 27 Increasing Workforce and Societal Participation for Autistic Adults with: April Ratchford
According to the World Economic Forum, the employment
landscape for autistic adults in the United States remains a significant
challenge. Research suggests that only 22% to 32% of autistic adults are
engaged in paid employment, while up to 85% experience unemployment or complete
non-participation in the workforce. Even among those who are employed, many
remain underutilized, with nearly half working in positions below their
qualifications and capabilities.
In this important episode of Let's Have This Conversation, I
sit down with April Ratchford—autistic occupational therapist, global
podcaster, advocate, and host of the award-winning Adulting with Autism
podcast, which has amassed more than 2.7 million lifetime downloads worldwide.
Drawing from both her lived experience as an autistic adult
and her professional expertise as an occupational therapist, April provides
valuable insight into the realities autistic individuals face when navigating
employment, independence, mental health, identity, and social inclusion. What
began as advocacy for her son has evolved into a global mission to empower
autistic adults and challenge the systems that often create barriers to
success.
Together, we explore:
• Why employment rates remain disproportionately low for
autistic adults
• The impact of workplace underemployment and overlooked talent
• How organizations can build truly inclusive hiring and retention practices
• The role of self-advocacy, identity, and belonging in professional success
• Practical strategies for increasing workforce and community participation
• What society can do to move beyond awareness toward meaningful inclusion
This conversation offers an honest, trauma-informed, and
solutions-focused look at how employers, communities, and policymakers can
unlock the immense potential of autistic individuals while creating
environments where they can thrive.
Join us for a powerful discussion about inclusion,
opportunity, and building a future where autistic adults are recognized for
their strengths, contributions, and value.

For more information: https://adultingwithautism.com/

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47 min
June 26 Finding Love in the Digital Age: Feminine Energy, Self-Worth, and Modern Dating
Only about one-in-three young adults possess much faith in
their dating skills, with women's confidence often centered on declining
mismatched advances rather than initiating meaningful connections. At the same
time, many women are becoming increasingly selective in their expectations
while feeling emotionally disengaged from the dating process, according to the
Institute of Family Studies.
In a culture where dating apps, social media, and endless
choices can make finding genuine connection feel more complicated than ever,
many women are asking themselves: Is there a better way to approach love and
relationships?
Joining us today is Lauren Salaun, a dating expert, somatic
life and success coach, transformational facilitator, speaker, and host of the
AMPLIFY podcast. Lauren is dedicated to helping women embody their feminine
energy, heal their nervous systems, and reprogram subconscious beliefs that may
be preventing them from attracting the healthy, fulfilling relationships they
desire.
Together, we explore what it means to become the woman who
feels secure in her worth, grounded in her values, and confident in her ability
to receive love rather than chase it. Lauren shares insights on breaking free
from hustle culture, establishing healthy boundaries, elevating relationship
standards, and cultivating the inner transformation that allows authentic
connections to flourish.
We also discuss the realities of modern online dating, the
challenges many women face when navigating today's relationship landscape, and
how personal growth, self-awareness, and emotional healing can create a
stronger foundation for lasting love.
Whether you're actively dating, recovering from heartbreak,
or simply seeking a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationships,
this conversation offers valuable insights on attracting healthy love and
building meaningful connections in the digital age.

For more information: https://www.laurensalaun.com/
Instagram: @laurensalaun
Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amplify-with-lauren-salaun/id1560229047

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1 hr 1 min

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Multimedia Journalist and Motivational Speaker Kevin McShan brings you a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional YouTube Podcast called: “Let’s Have This Conversation. The intention is to provide a large…

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