Make Your Day Richer

I'm playing with Noah May, a full-time podcaster and Auburn journalism graduate from Alabama. Together, we dive into "The Lethal Truth," and explore the realities of modern media, the challenges of managing multiple creative projects, and the evolution of digital storytelling. Noah shares insights from his journey hosting three different podcasts, including his main show, the Lethal Venom podcast, where he focuses on delivering "the honest truth" on a variety of topics.

I'm playing with Darren Ault, a seasoned basketball coach with 33 years of experience and the author of the provocative new book, Out of Bounds.

Darren shares the deeply personal and harrowing story of how a decorated career in youth coaching was derailed by a single, false allegation driven by parental interference. Through a gamified deep-dive called "The Parent Trap," Darren and I navigate common (and controversial) scenarios in youth sports—from private hitting coaches for eight-year-olds to school board members leveraging their power over playing time.

I'm playing with Tony Garshnick (better known as Tony G), a veteran mortgage planner from Waxhaw, North Carolina. With 22 years of experience, Tony G isn't just a loan officer; he's a "loan therapist" dedicated to helping families build long-term wealth through homeownership.

We jump into several rounds of "Deal or Deal Breaker," where Tony G navigates the complexities of the modern real estate and mortgage world. From haunted craftsman homes to buying property with Bitcoin, Tony explains what it takes to turn a unique scenario into a successful closing.

• The Mortgage Planner Difference: Tony explains why focusing on monthly payments and net worth is more vital than simply chasing the largest loan possible.

  
  

• Wild Credit Tales: Hear the shocking story of a "debt-free" couple and the secret $90,000 credit card discovery.

  
  

• Overcoming Market Fear: Tony shares his strategy for navigating scary headlines and rising interest rates by focusing on education and long-term legacy.

  
  

• The "Recovering Foodie": Discover Tony’s personal deal breakers in the kitchen and the restaurant experience he’d be willing to sacrifice to be the world's top mortgage planner.

  
  

• Market Insights: A look at supply and demand in North Carolina and why your first home doesn't have to be your "forever" home to be a winning investment.

Whether you are a first-time buyer stressed about interest rates or looking to build a legacy for your family, this episode offers a blend of humor, heart, and hard-earned financial wisdom.

I'm playing with Gabby Starr, a recruiter and managing representative from the Transamerica Agency Network. Gabby shares her inspiring journey of "stumbling" into a finance career six years ago after previously working in both the baking and counseling worlds.

Throughout the episode, Gabby participates in a fast-paced game called "The Current Leap," where she must name three items in various categories under a five-second time limit. Between rounds, she opens up about the "30 seconds of courage" rule that guided her career change, the realities of being a single parent to two teenagers, and how her counseling background now helps her lead with patience and active listening.

In this episode of Make Your Day Richer, host Richard Wilmore plays with Becky Drozdz, owner of Guerrilla HR, for a fast-paced game of "Market Move or HR Myth". Becky brings her extensive background in human resources and compensation consulting to the table to debunk common workplace misconceptions and share insights on the evolving landscape of employment.

Throughout three rounds of gameplay, Becky tackles tough questions on: The Compensation Jungle: Why salary history is a "total myth" for predicting performance and the legality of discussing pay with coworkers. Compliance and Culture: The impact of posting salary ranges on job descriptions and the hidden costs (and benefits) of unlimited PTO. Equity and Efficiency: The critical difference between cost of living and cost of labor, and why transparency is the ultimate "guerrilla tactic" for retaining top talent. Becky also shares the inspiration behind the name Guerrilla HR, modeled after guerrilla warfare where small, irregular groups can make a massive difference in broken traditional models. Whether you're a small business owner, a non-profit leader, or a "savvy worker" looking to negotiate your next raise, this episode provides a wealth of practical advice on building sustainable, successful organizations.

We're playing with the multi-talented Bruce Wayne Brackett—author, life coach, motivational speaker, and artist—for a high-stakes (and high-fun) round of The Spotlight Test.

Bruce shares his incredible journey from Montana to New York City and finally to the Poconos, where he now operates an old-time portrait parlor. Throughout the game, Bruce opens up about the "beautiful chaos" of his life, discussing his path to sobriety, the power of a support system, and how he overcame the belief that he wasn't "smart enough" to become a published author.

What would you do if a manuscript you started at 19 sat in a filing cabinet for 37 years? In this episode of Make Your Day Richer, we're playing THE FIVE SECOND FRACTURE with Pittsburgh native Rodney Phillips. Rodney shares the incredible journey of his debut novel—a crime thriller born from teenage boredom in a furniture store that finally saw the light of day after he became an empty nester.

Between rounds of the high-stakes game, Rodney discusses how his decades of experience in pharmaceutical sales and coaching sports helped him breathe new life into his characters and why he believes you should never give up on a dream, no matter how much time has passed.

In this episode of Make Your Day Richer THE GAME SHOW, host Richard Wilmore welcomes "mompreneur" and author Rebecca Linney for a lively round of the Big Kid Challenge. Rebecca shares the heartfelt and practical story behind her children's book, The Growing Bed, which was inspired by her own struggle to get her son to sleep through the night.

The conversation dives into the "empathy approach" to parenting, the challenges of balancing a design agency with motherhood, and why teaching children that their actions affect others is a lifelong lesson. Whether you're a sleep-deprived parent or a "big kid" yourself, this episode offers a refreshing look at communication, patience, and the magic of a good night's sleep.

In this episode, Richard is joined by Deanna Scaldaferi, a Charlotte-based healer originally from New York. Deanna shares her journey from massage therapy to mastering Reiki and how she now helps others navigate chronic pain, emotional trauma, and narcissistic abuse recovery. Together they play "The Intuitive Connection," a game that explores the physical symptoms of emotional stress and the power of listening to what your body is trying to tell you.

• The Language of Pain: Deanna explains how physical symptoms—from tight shoulders to chronic pain—are often the body's way of communicating deeper emotional or spiritual misalignments.

  
  

• The Power of Reiki: A deep dive into how Deanna discovered Reiki and why it has become one of her most powerful tools for life-changing personal and professional healing.

  
  

• Healing the Nervous System: Deanna shares a vulnerable look at her own journey through divorce and how she used somatic work to regulate a deregulated nervous system.

  
  

• Narcissistic Abuse Recovery: An introduction to Deanna's virtual support group, providing education and a sacred space for both men and women healing from various forms of narcissistic abuse.

  
  

• Vulnerability as Strength: Why building a practice based on trust and allowing oneself to be vulnerable gives others permission to do the same.

Top Takeaways for a Balanced Life

1. Listen to Your Body: Pain is a symptom, not just a nuisance. Ask yourself what deeper story your body might be trying to tell you.

   
   

2. Everything is Connected: Much like a thread in a sweater, a pain in your shoulder may actually be rooted in your neck or a different part of your fascia.

   
   

3. Regulate Your System: Humans are not meant to live in a chronic state of "fight or flight." Intentional work is required to bring the nervous system back to safety.

   
   

4. Watch Your Language: Talk to your body with the same kindness and patience you would use with a child.

Richard Wilmore welcomes Bob Wheeler to the hot seat for a high-stakes (and high-humor) game of "The Five Second Audit". Bob, who balances the books for the legendary Comedy Store while also climbing literal mountains, dives into the emotional side of finance. From the "COVID gap" in our wallets to the reasons we hide receipts from our accountants, this episode explores what it truly means to be "rich" and why the second-best time to start your financial journey is right now.

• The CPA with a Sense of Humor: Bob discusses his unique dual role as a CPA and the CFO of the "World Famous Comedy Store," noting that headlining comics are much harder to keep on a budget than therapists.

  
  

• Rewriting the Money Story: A look at Bob's mission to help people overcome the fear and shame associated with their finances.

  
  

• Adventures in intentionality: Bob shares how pivotal experiences—like running a marathon in Greece and hiking to Everest Base Camp—shifted his perspective on travel and luxury.

  
  

• Financial Literacy for the Next Generation: An introduction to Bob’s "Financially Fit Kids" series, aimed at teaching children about money and emotions early on.

  
  

• The Definition of "Rich": Moving beyond the bank balance to find fulfillment and peace of mind when starting each day.