Manic Energy Podcast

What if the “real work” of a project isn’t the schedule… but the way you help people do their best work together?

On this episode of Manic Energy, Katie Brooks and I sat down with Caitlin Sloan, Project Management Director at Lake Superior Consulting—and someone I’ve known for a long time. I am genuinely excited to introduce her to you because Caitlin’s path to project management is not the typical “I studied PM and climbed the ladder” story.

She started as a science kid in Georgia—fourth grade magnet school, a legendary teacher (shoutout Miss Graham), and yes… a fashion show where she had to dress up as the large intestine. From there it was University of Georgia, labs, the EPA, graduate school at UMD (the Duluth one, not Maryland 😄), and eventually a leap into industry that turned into a career shaping teams, clients, and culture.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Be open early, get clear later. Caitlin didn’t have a rigid plan—she stayed curious and let opportunities teach her what she didn’t know yet.

Project management is support, not spotlight. Her definition of success is making sure the team (and the client) has what they need to execute without unnecessary stress.

Performance isn’t just “on time + on budget.” Real success is value delivered, problems solved, and relationships that grow into the next project.

Leadership is a balancing act. Coaching without micromanaging, letting people learn, and still being present when things get hard.

Relocation is personal + professional—at the same time. If a company asks someone to move, the logistics and emotional load need to be treated like part of the job, not an afterthought.

Our Favorite Quotes

“For me to be successful means that I need to make sure that every team member is the best version of themselves.”

“Just because it was done on time and on budget doesn’t mean you were successful.”

“No one cares about your findings if it’s just stuck in a drawer—you have to communicate it.”

“Left unaddressed issues rarely solve themselves.”

“I want you to be so successful… and I have to check myself and step back.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 — Welcome to the chaos: why Caitlin, why now

01:30 — The teacher who made science stick (and the “large intestine” origin story)

03:20 — Finding a path through curiosity: labs, EPA, graduate school

05:33 — “UMD” confusion + the move to Duluth

08:50 — The jump into consulting: translating science into project coordination

16:05 — Caitlin’s PM philosophy: success = enabling people + reducing stress

27:12 — Relocating for work: the good, the hard, and what companies miss

42:08 — What’s next: building culture, developing leaders, and learning the business side

Your Turn

This week’s check-in: Where in your work (or life) could you shift from “being the one who does it” to “being the one who enables it”—and what support would you need to make that shift without burning out?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

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What if the “shale revolution” wasn’t just a headline, but a handful of people making terrifying, high-conviction bets in real time—with no guarantee it would work?

That’s the story I got to dig into with geologist and executive Dick Stoneburner, and honestly, it left me thinking about risk, scale, and what it really means to help build an energy system the world now takes for granted.

Dick grew up in Houston with a geologist dad who didn’t want him to go into geology—which makes his eventual pivot into the field even better. After starting out in economics and thinking law school was the plan, he looked back at his college classes and realized the one course that lit him up was geology… right as the 1973 Arab oil embargo reshaped the energy landscape. Timing, as they say, is everything.

From there, his career tracks almost perfectly alongside the modern story of North American oil and gas: the brutal bust of the mid-80s, going independent when there were “no jobs,” learning to wear every hat in the business, and eventually helping lead Petrohawk through the heyday of shale—turning relatively modest private equity commitments into multi-billion-dollar exits.

What I loved about this conversation is that it’s not just a highlight reel. Dick is honest about the knife fights over Haynesville acreage, the role of private equity (both as fuel and as a finite resource), and why he thinks “energy transition” is the wrong frame—we’re living through an energy evolution, and hydrocarbons, nuclear, wind, solar, and emerging tech are all part of the same story.

Key Themes & Takeaways

From “crummy industry” to shale revolution

The power of going independent

Turning $5M into hundreds of millions, then billions

Entrepreneurial shale vs. the majors

Consolidation and the shrinking middle

All-of-the-above > “transition”

Methane, CCS, and doing the hard work

Favorite Quotes

“We were running 4,500 rigs and still couldn’t grow production. We just weren’t very good at it yet.”

“Getting laid off and going independent was the hardest period of my career—and the reason I ended up with such a diverse skill set.”

“We turned a $5 million private equity commitment into $350 million in about three years. It wasn’t magic. It was leverage, discipline, and timing.”

“Hydrocarbons, nuclear, wind, solar—they all have a role. Not all of them fit all purposes in all places.”

“Hope is not a strategy. If the economics don’t work, the energy project won’t either, no matter how good it looks on paper.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 – From Econ Major to Geologist

02:55 – The 80s Crash & Going Independent

04:38 – Falling in Love with Shale

10:54 – Private Equity, Leverage & the Petrohawk Story

18:09 – Shale and U.S. Energy Independence

35:39 – Consolidation & the Shrinking Middle Tier

36:01 – Evolution, Not Transition

Your Turn

This week’s reflection:

Where in your work are you being called to think longer-term—beyond headlines and hype—and make the kind of high-conviction bets that could reshape your corner of the energy system?

Grab a notebook, jot down one risk you’ve been circling, and ask: If I really believed in the evolution of this industry, how would I move differently over the next 12 months?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

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It’s a strange feeling—listening to yourself talk and realizing you’re building something bigger than you thought. But there’s a moment early in every journey where you look around and think: Okay… we’re really doing this.

A few days after launching the first episodes of Manic Energy, I sat down in the studio with two people who have been in the trenches with me since day one: Katie Brooks, our force-of-nature marketing mind at Lake Superior Consulting, and Asher James, the founder of Duluth Creative Co. and the guy behind the cameras, cables, and coaching that made this whole thing possible.

This episode wasn’t planned as a celebration or a strategy meeting, but somehow it became both. Because launching this podcast wasn’t just pressing “publish.” It was pushing through nerves, uncertainty, self-critique, and the absolute weirdness of hearing my own voice coming through my truck speakers.

And yet—there’s excitement in the discomfort. A sense that something is shifting. That we’re learning loudly. That maybe this conversation is part of a much bigger one starting to form across our industry.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Discomfort is part of the process. Our first episode wasn’t perfect—and that’s exactly why we kept it. People need to see the learning curve.

Growth shows up quickly when you’re honest. Listening back to episodes taught me more about my own communication habits than any conference ever did.

Good storytelling requires vulnerability. Opening ourselves up means opening ourselves to critique—and that’s where real conversations start.

Podcasting is a long game. You don’t measure success in three episodes. You measure it over years of consistency, curiosity, and community.

Energy work demands balance. Boundaries, sleep, honesty, and intention matter just as much as innovation.

Our Favorite Quotes

“You don’t have to have a good memory if you always tell the truth.”

“Don’t rob yourself of the opportunity to show how you show up in the face of adversity.”

“It’s cringey until you make it. And then it’s just part of the story.” — Asher

“Whatever gives you energy—that’s what you should focus on.”

“Nobody’s thrown anything at me yet. So we’re calling that a win.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 — Launch Week Nerves

03:22 — Why We Kept the Awkward Episode 001

06:47 — Listening Back & Learning

11:11 — Vulnerability and Speaking the Unpopular Questions

20:13 — What We Owe the World: Context, Curiosity, Innovation

24:45 — Behind the Scenes of Launch Week

28:05 — The 'Who Not How' Moment

46:45 — Friends, Family & the First Layer of Growth

50:27 — Asher’s Story & The Heart of Duluth Creative Co.

57:00 — Work, Life, Boundaries & Becoming More Human

01:04:00 — What’s Next for Manic Energy

Your Turn

This week’s reflection: Where are you learning in public—and what discomfort are you willing to embrace if it means growth?

Sometimes the most impactful work isn’t polished. It’s honest. It’s raw. And it’s happening in real time.

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

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People love to glamorize business development. They picture golf outings, steak dinners, and endless wine. But the truth? It’s a grind of long flights, failed meetings, and conversations that may never go anywhere—until one does.

In this episode, I sit down with Luke Wilkens, Business Development Manager for the Engineering Group at Lake Superior Consulting. Luke’s been in the energy industry since 1999—long enough to remember when oil hit $12 a barrel the week he started. From flying ROVs in the Gulf of Mexico to running consulting projects across South America, Luke’s seen the highs, lows, and everything in between.

But what makes Luke stand out isn’t just his experience—it’s his ability to build relationships that actually last. This conversation dives into the real work behind business development, the difference between selling and serving, and why sometimes, all it takes to open a door is a seatmate on a plane.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Business Development vs. Sales: Sales is instant gratification; business development is the long game.

Preparation & Resilience: You’ll fail 80% of the time—and that’s normal. The key is showing up anyway.

Relationships Over Transactions: Deals come and go, but the network you build defines your career.

Courage to Connect: From random plane conversations to fake “layovers” in Kuwait, creativity and boldness go hand-in-hand.

The Human Side of Energy: Behind every pipeline and project are people working hard to keep things running safely—and most of the world has no idea what that takes.

Favorite Quotes

“If you’re worried about failing, business development isn’t the right job for you. You’re going to fail 80% of the time—just shrug it off and move on.”

“Sometimes it’s not what you know—it’s who you know, and who you’re not afraid to call on a Friday night at 8:30.”

“You should never complain about traveling. Complain about the small things, sure—but big picture, you should love what you do.”

“Sales is about now. Business development is about what’s next.”

“The hardest part is just opening your mouth. Start the conversation—you never know where it’ll lead.”

Chapter Markers

00:43 — From oil at $12 a barrel to business development: Luke’s early days in the industry

07:40 — Mythbusting: Is business development really just golf and wine?

09:00 — Sales vs. BD: Why the long game matters

13:01 — Failing 80% of the time—and doing it anyway

15:20 — The art of airplane networking

21:45 — Staying motivated when success is slow

28:25 — Flying to Kuwait for a meeting that didn’t exist (and winning big)

35:20 — The future of the energy industry: infrastructure, renewables, and resilience

Your Turn

Luke said something that stuck with me: “You can prepare all day, and if it doesn’t work out, it just wasn’t meant to be.”

This week, ask yourself: Where are you over-preparing out of fear—and what might happen if you just started the conversation instead?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

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If you’ve ever opened your benefits portal during open enrollment and felt your brain short-circuit—this one’s for you.

Health insurance is one of those topics everyone has to deal with, but few of us really understand. It’s confusing, expensive, and somehow still full of surprises, even for those of us on the inside. That’s why I wanted to talk to someone who actually knows how this all works—and how we can get smarter about it.

In this episode, I sit down with Annie Bushey from Holmes Murphy, the mastermind behind how companies like ours build benefits packages that actually serve people. Annie’s the kind of person who can make something as dense as health benefits feel human. She didn’t dream of working in insurance—she stumbled into it—and that’s probably why she explains it with empathy, humor, and a surprising amount of real-world sense.

We first met years ago during a key moment for Lake Superior Consulting, as we transitioned back into a private organization and started taking control over how we supported our people. That connection—part luck, part bundt cake delivery—turned into a working relationship built on trust and creative problem-solving.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Creativity wins business. Annie literally brought bundt cakes to Duluth offices to open doors—and it worked.

Employee benefits are storytelling. They tell your people who you are, what you value, and how much you’re willing to invest in them.

Communication is everything. The biggest gap isn’t cost—it’s clarity. People just don’t understand their benefits because no one explains them in plain English.

Health care costs aren’t going down. But employers can take back control through smarter plan design, funding strategies, and wellness programs that actually work.

Price transparency and virtual care are reshaping how we access healthcare—and giving employees more control than ever before.

Our Favorite Quotes

“Creativity is important to start that initial relationship—but follow-up is everything.”

“Benefits are your second to fourth largest business expense. If you’re not communicating their value, you’re missing the point.”

“I’m not a fan of adding shiny new benefits just because they sound cool. If there’s no clear ROI, it’s just noise.”

“Employers need to make insurance easier—not just expect employees to figure it out.”

“If I could fix one thing in health care, it’d be the price discrimination between providers.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Why health benefits matter more than you think

02:09 – The story of the bundt cake that landed a client

05:11 – What a benefits broker actually does

10:14 – The biggest gap in benefits: education

20:13 – The hard truth about rising healthcare costs

23:37 – How employees can take back control through transparency and virtual care

25:20 – GLP-1s, trends, and the future of healthcare

31:19 – Communication, culture, and the real ROI of wellness

42:07 – Price transparency and tools changing the game

47:17 – The emotional side of health insurance (and why it frustrates everyone)

Your Turn

This week’s reflection: When was the last time you actually looked at your benefits and thought about how they reflect your values—or your company’s?

Whether you’re an employee trying to make sense of open enrollment or an employer designing the next plan year, take a moment to ask: Does this package tell the story I want to tell about what matters most?

Links & Mentions:

Healthcare Cost Transparency Tool: https://dashboard.sagetransparency.org/

Connect with Annie at Holmes Murphy: https://www.holmesmurphy.com/

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

The energy industry never sits still—and neither do the people who build it. From the rock layers below our feet to the boardrooms where billion-dollar ideas take shape, this world is a constant evolution. But what does it look like to live that evolution? To go from research to risk-taking, from fluid modeling to leading a global consulting business?

In this episode, I sit down with Ivor, a petroleum engineer whose story spans continents and decades of transformation in the energy landscape. He started his journey in Malta, chased knowledge through academia, and built a career that bridged the technical and commercial sides of oil and gas.

We talked about what it takes to scale a company from startup to global operation, how leadership evolves through uncertainty, and what the future of energy might actually look like—from LNG and AI to the next frontier of renewables.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Adaptability fuels longevity. Ivor’s path from researcher to business founder shows how curiosity and courage can redefine a career.

Listening matters—people and markets both. Growth isn’t just about expansion; it’s about knowing when and where to move.

AI and innovation are accelerating change. Exploration, modeling, and data analysis are entering a new era.

The energy transition is complex. Natural gas, nuclear, and renewables all play a role in what’s next—no single source wins alone.

Leadership is human. The best lessons come not from the spreadsheets, but from the people who make the work worthwhile.

Our Favorite Quotes

“You made something safer. You made it more efficient. You improved it in a way nobody else might have. That’s what it’s all for.”

“Listen to the people—and listen to the market.”

“AI is accelerating things even faster. What used to take days now takes minutes.”

“It’s not about one clear winner. It’s all of the above—every source, every innovation, all moving forward together.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 — From Malta to America: A Career in Motion

02:51 — Research, Fluid Modeling, and the Foundations of Safety

09:11 — From Technical to Commercial: The Leap into Business

16:20 — Scaling a Consulting Firm and Lessons in Leadership

22:04 — Expert Witness Work and Industry Advocacy

28:09 — Starting Over: The Courage to Build Again

34:48 — Listening to People and Markets

38:24 — AI, Innovation, and the Speed of Change

41:22 — The Energy Transition: LNG, Renewables, and Reality

47:26 — Power Demand, Data Centers, and the Future of Supply

50:42 — All of the Above: The Future of Global Energy

Your Turn

Energy—like leadership—is about momentum. The world is changing fast, and how we adapt determines the impact we make.

This week’s reflection: “Where in your work—or your life—are you being invited to evolve faster than you planned?”

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

When you hear “HR,” do you think support system or principal’s office? For too many people, it’s the latter—and that’s exactly why this conversation matters.

In this episode of Manic Energy, I sat down with Rob Unzen, someone I’ve had the privilege of working alongside and learning from. Rob has spent most of his career in human resources, recruiting, and now operations leadership. He’s seen HR from every angle—staffing agency hustle, corporate retail grind, consulting at scale, and now as VP of Operations overseeing HR, marketing, IT, and safety.

What struck me most is Rob’s perspective on HR not as a compliance function or disciplinary arm, but as a culture-builder. We dove into everything from hiring trends to mental health at work, and even the future role of AI in recruiting.

Key Themes + Takeaways

HR doesn’t have to be the “scary office”—done right, it’s the heartbeat of culture.

Employees should approach interviews as much about their needs as the company’s—transparency is key.

Benefits are evolving: mental health, wellness incentives, and flexibility matter as much as salary.

The cost of turnover is massive—investing in people almost always pays back.

Pay transparency and AI are reshaping the landscape faster than most employers realize.

Our Favorite Quotes

“I have to remind people—after hours, you can drink with HR.”

“Flexibility isn’t free, but the cost of turnover is always higher.”

“An interview shouldn’t be acting. It should be connection.”

“Culture is king. These are the types of things you never regret investing in.”

“Transparency sets everyone up for success—employers and employees alike.”

Chapter Markers

00:01:03 Rob’s path into HR (and why law school wasn’t the answer)

00:04:41 Breaking the stereotype of HR as “the principal’s office”

00:07:18 Advice for job seekers—why online presence + networking matter

00:12:15 Employees interviewing the company: a new power dynamic

00:19:30 Beyond healthcare—creative benefits that actually matter

00:27:14 Mental health in the workplace: culture shift or legal checkbox?

00:39:02 Rob’s personal story of loss and how his employer showed up

00:42:01 Pay transparency and the future of equity at work

00:48:43 Why culture is the ultimate ROI

Your Turn

This week’s reflection: What does a “healthy workplace” look like to you—and how can you advocate for that, whether you’re the one hiring or the one being hired?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – ⁠https://www.lsconsulting.com/⁠  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

What does it really take for people to show up and care? Not just clock in and out—but actually bring their energy, their ideas, their whole selves to work. That’s the heart of employee engagement, and it’s something I’ve wrestled with my entire career.

I’ve seen it all—tiny shops where everyone reports to the owner, high-growth businesses still figuring it out, and even the big, publicly traded companies. No matter the size, the recipe for engagement feels the same: people want to feel like they matter.

That’s easy to say and really hard to do. I’ve lived through the chaos of walking into a new job where no one even knew I was starting that day. I’ve spilled coffee grounds all over the office while trying to fit in. And I’ve also seen the flip side—the moments where a leader takes time to remember your name, or your coworker notices you care and suddenly the culture shifts.

This episode is me pulling the curtain back on what I’ve learned—where I’ve failed, what I’ve tried, and why this topic isn’t just an HR buzzword but the beating heart of every organization.

Key Themes + Takeaways

• Engagement starts before day one. Recruiting, onboarding, even how someone is greeted on their first day sets the tone.
• Culture is built in the details. Whether the coffee pot gets cleaned, whether someone stops to ask your name—those small things compound.
• Peer accountability is everything. Employees learn more from each other’s behavior than from anything a manager says.
• Leadership is a muscle. Some people have natural tendencies, but everyone gets better with practice, failure, and listening.
• Engagement is mutual. The company sets the environment, but individuals still choose whether to lean in, contribute, and care.

Pull Quotes

“Engagement, again, is somebody who shows up and cares and wants to be there.”

“What mattered most was that I tried—and I think anybody can do that in any role.”

“Culture is everything. What your peers do will always teach you more than what a manager says.”

“Leadership isn’t just raw talent—it’s a muscle. The more you work it, the stronger it gets.”

“You can walk into any business and feel it. Do people want to be here, or don’t they?”

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Why employee engagement matters more than we think

04:23 – My chaotic first day (and a coffee pot disaster)

11:39 – Learning to see people as people, not roles

15:33 – From small business to scaling teams: when leadership shifts

23:11 – Leadership as a muscle, not a gift

29:02 – Peer accountability: how culture really spreads

36:43 – The power of listening and following up

44:58 – What surveys (and honest comments) reveal about culture

49:35 – How to measure engagement in real life

Your Turn (Reflective CTA)

This week, I want you to ask yourself: “What small act could I do today to show someone they matter here?”

It could be learning a new coworker’s name, checking in on how someone’s first week went, or just genuinely listening without distraction. Engagement isn’t built by grand gestures—it’s built in moments.

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – ⁠https://www.lsconsulting.com/⁠  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

I used to think leadership was all about numbers—the financials, the balance sheets, the results on paper. But Cary reminded me that numbers are just the surface. Behind every metric is a person, a choice, a vision. And when you love people as much as you love the process, that’s when leadership actually comes alive.

In this episode, I sat down with Cary Hill, VP of Finance and Accounting at Lake Superior Consulting—and someone I’ve learned a lot from over the years, whether he admits it or not. Cary’s career path is one that zigzagged through small-town roots, big oil, consulting, and organizational excellence at the highest level. He’s been a CFO, a coach, a judge for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and at every step he’s wrestled with the same question: how do you go from crunching numbers to actually leading people?

What I love about Cary is his honesty about stumbling into leadership, learning through trial and error, and discovering that the real work isn’t in the spreadsheets—it’s in the relationships.

Key Themes + Takeaways

• Leadership isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you practice, like medicine.
• The best organizations don’t just measure results, they measure the things that drive results.
• Great leaders share three things in common: they love people, they connect personally, and they cast a vision worth following.
• Frameworks like the Baldrige model are powerful, but they only work if people are engaged in the process.
• Metrics aren’t about volume—they’re about clarity. A few meaningful measures beat a stack of vanity numbers.
• To lead well, you’ve got to develop, lead, and care—every single day.
  

Pull Quotes

“At the end of the day, it’s people who drive the numbers.”

“You’ve got to love people if you want to lead them.”

“The mark of a good leader is having the humility to admit when it didn’t work—and to try again.”

“If your metrics don’t help you get better, they’re just noise.”

“Leadership is something you practice every day. Nobody just has it—you work at it.”

Chapter Markers

01:03 Cary’s small-town beginnings and finance roots

02:47 Jumping into consulting without a plan

04:44 From numbers to leadership: stumbling into people work

07:16 Lessons from family-owned businesses and mentors

09:21 What great leaders all have in common

11:06 Inside the Baldrige Award: frameworks and excellence

18:04 The journey with metrics: fewer, clearer, more human

23:25 How leadership has changed—and where it’s going

30:19 Advice for those early or mid-career (not just CEOs)

34:07 A simple framework: Lead, Develop, Care

38:33 Practicing leadership like a muscle

Your Turn (Reflective CTA)

This week’s reflection: Think about the best and worst leaders you’ve ever had. What did you learn from each—and how can you practice (or avoid) those lessons in your own work today?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – https://www.lsconsulting.com/  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!

What if your business could change the world—not just through the products you make, but through the way you show up in your community?

It sounds big, maybe even impossible, but after this conversation with Kailey Tachick from Dairyland Electrical Industries, I’m convinced it starts smaller than you think.

I’ve known Kailey and her family’s company for years, but sitting down with her in the studio felt different.

We weren’t just talking about corrosion prevention or the technical side of the energy world—we were talking about purpose. About how a company rooted in engineering found a way to make volunteering, global partnerships, and community impact just as much a part of its DNA as the products it sells.

Kailey’s path to the executive team wasn’t linear. She started in psychology and nonprofit work, even preparing to move to Iraq for a fellowship before a political shift shut that door. When her dad (and Dairyland’s president) invited her to take on a new culture and engagement role, she swore she’d never join the family business. Seven and a half years later, she’s still there—and loving it.

Key Themes + Takeaways

• Culture isn’t just what’s on the wall—it’s what you reinforce, reward, and live out.
• Paid volunteer time, global giving, and “vision trips” connect employees to a bigger why.
• Buy-in takes time. Sometimes years. And that’s okay.
• Impact doesn’t always mean writing a big check—small, creative actions matter.
• Partnerships with vendors, competitors, and industry peers can multiply results.
  

Our Favorite Quotes

“If we are not well, whole people, we do not bring much to those around us.”

“Sometimes you try to do a good thing and you just can’t—or there’s a lot of resistance from a policy perspective.”

“Even if you’re only looking at it from an ROI perspective, investing in purpose still often pays off.”

“If it all relies on me, the outcome will be diminished. Culture has to be shared.”

“Maybe this is actually part of our excellence.”

Chapter Markers

00:01:19 – The unlikely start: from nonprofit work to family business00:05:21 – The call to Iraq that never happened

00:08:55 – Saying “yes” after swearing “never”

00:10:29 – Building Live Engaged: the four pillars of purpose

00:13:27 – Paid volunteer hours and global partnerships

00:18:14 – Supporting employees’ big service dreams (and the challenges)

00:24:27 – The building that found a better purpose

00:28:00 – Getting buy-in and connecting the dots for employees

00:39:06 – Turning volunteering into an industry-wide movement

Your Turn (Reflective CTA)

This week’s reflection:

Where in your work could you create space for purpose—not as an extra, but as part of how you define success?

Links & Mentions:

Lake Superior Consulting – ⁠https://www.lsconsulting.com/⁠  

Connect with us / send episode ideas: [email protected]

🔥 If this episode sparked something for you, please follow the show, leave a review, or share it with a friend!