Million Dollar Flip Flops

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with personal security expert, former Marine officer, author, and Live Ready founder Sam Rosenberg for a fascinating conversation about personal safety, situational awareness, confidence, and what it really means to be prepared.

After leaving the Marines, Sam entered the world of close protection, working with high-profile individuals and operating in environments where recognizing danger before it escalated mattered enormously. Eventually, his philosophy shifted: having a lifeguard is useful, but everyone should still know how to swim.

That realization led Sam to dedicate his career to teaching people and organizations the same principles used to protect high-risk individuals.

Sam challenges two of the biggest misconceptions around personal security—the myth of randomness and the myth of helplessness. He explains why violence often follows recognizable patterns, why awareness and decision-making matter more than physical strength alone, and how learning to manage yourself under pressure can create confidence far beyond personal security.

The conversation also explores firearms training, corporate security, leadership during crises, physical challenges, resilience, and why intentionally doing hard things can make us better prepared for everything life throws at us.

• Why Sam believes personal security is an individual responsibility
• Why violence isn't necessarily as random as people assume
• What Sam calls the “myth of helplessness”
• How predators identify potentially vulnerable targets
• Why situational awareness matters more than simply looking tough
• The difference between soft security skills and physical self-defense
• Why owning a firearm without sufficient training can create false confidence
• How personal-security training translates into business leadership
• Why the ability to think under pressure is a critical leadership skill
• How physical challenges build resilience and mental fortitude
• Why preparation can create more freedom rather than more fear

[00:00] Personal security is your responsibility

Sam opens with his belief that individuals need to take an active role in their own security rather than relying entirely on others.

[00:52] Meet Sam Rosenberg

Sam shares his journey from Marine officer to close-protection professional and eventually to teaching people and organizations how to protect themselves.

[02:02] The myth of random violence

Sam challenges the language of “random violence” and explains why understanding violence as a process changes how we prepare for it.

[03:30] The myth of helplessness

Using the analogy of a circus elephant conditioned to believe it cannot escape, Sam explains how people can develop learned helplessness around personal safety.

[05:29] Travel, fear, and confidence

Rodric shares his experiences traveling to more than 60 countries, and the conversation turns to how confidence can open up more of the world.

[06:19] You can't fake confidence

Sam explains why predators can often recognize vulnerability and why simply pretending to look confident isn't enough.

[07:30] What it means to “Live Ready”

Being prepared isn't about hiding from risk. It's about developing enough confidence and capability to engage more fully with life.

[09:12] Soft skills before physical skills

Sam explains why understanding people, situations, target selection, and confrontation can be more important than fighting techniques.

[10:30] Book, online training, and hands-on instruction

Sam breaks down the progression from learning concepts through his book to online education and eventually physical training.

[12:28] Buying a gun isn't enough

The conversation explores why basic firearms ownership or a single beginner class doesn't automatically make someone prepared.

[14:30] Skills are perishable

Sam emphasizes that defensive skills require continued practice, particularly if they're expected to work under stress.

[15:00] Why a firearm isn't a complete security plan

Sam explains why personal security should include awareness, confrontation management, non-deadly options, and other skills rather than relying on one tool.

[16:14] Free Live Ready resources

Sam shares a special resource for listeners, including a digital copy of his book and access to his Radar situational-awareness course.

[18:14] Personal security inside organizations

Sam explains how his work with companies includes workplace violence prevention, threat assessment, active-shooter preparedness, executive security, and travel safety.

[20:00] Why successful executives still seek security training

Even people who have achieved extraordinary financial and professional success can feel something is missing if they don't believe they can protect themselves or their families.

[22:26] Crisis management is leadership

Sam connects personal security to business leadership and explains why leaders distinguish themselves when everyone else is panicking.

[24:13] Military experience, sports, and business

Rodric and Sam discuss why military service and competitive sports can develop teamwork, composure, accountability, and the ability to perform under pressure.

[24:41] The Comfort Crisis

Sam discusses the idea that modern comfort can weaken our capacity to deal with genuine difficulty.

[26:00] The power of a misogi

Sam introduces the concept of intentionally undertaking difficult challenges that test your limits and build resilience.

[28:36] What wrestling taught Sam

Sam reflects on wrestling at Pitt and why individual competition taught him radical accountability.

[29:52] The experience that changed everything

Sam begins sharing the story of working as a college bouncer and suddenly finding himself staring down the barrel of a gun.

“Personal security is an individual responsibility that we must own.” – Sam Rosenberg

“We are never helpless as long as we can control one factor. If that factor is our mind—our ability to think and make decisions—we are never helpless.” – Sam Rosenberg

“You can't fake it. You have to actually be it.” – Sam Rosenberg

“Life itself is dangerous. There is risk in everything we do.” – Sam Rosenberg

“Soft skills are far more important than the hard skills of physical self-defense.” – Sam Rosenberg

“All skills are perishable.” – Sam Rosenberg

“If you're going to have a life-saving tool like a firearm, you must invest in the skill sets and the time necessary to understand how to utilize that tool.”

“Leadership, in its most primal sense, is the ability to manage crisis.” – Sam Rosenberg

🛡️ Live Ready

Sam's work focuses on personal security, situational awareness, threat recognition, crisis preparedness, and helping individuals and organizations develop the skills to protect themselves.

📘 Book

Live Ready

🎁 Special Resource for Million Dollar Flip Flops Listeners

flip.liveready.co

Listeners can access:

• A free digital copy of Live Ready
• Free access to Sam's Radar situational-awareness course

The Radar training focuses on recognizing danger, identifying whether you're being targeted, and taking action before a situation escalates.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/LiveReadyCo/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/livereadyco

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveReadyCo

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@LiveReadyCo

Website: http://www.liveready.co/

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad (SASLA)

If this episode made you rethink what it means to be prepared, share it with someone who travels, leads a team, protects a family, or simply wants to move through life with more confidence.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

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Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with six-time entrepreneur, journalist, storyteller, and founder of YBYS Dan Grech for a powerful conversation about why your personal story may be one of the most valuable assets in your business.

Dan shares a journey that started with selling Blow Pops at 14 and eventually led to six entrepreneurial ventures, two exits, spectacular failures, and a 15-year journalism career that included work with NPR, PBS, The Miami Herald, and The Washington Post. Today, he combines those worlds through YBYS—Your Business Is Your Story—and his upcoming book of the same name.

Dan explains why the experiences that shaped you long before you became an entrepreneur continue to influence how you lead, sell, hire, and build. Instead of hiding those experiences behind polished corporate language, he argues that entrepreneurs can turn authentic stories into magnets for the right customers, employees, and opportunities.

The conversation dives into authenticity, values, childhood imprints, shadow work, purpose, ethical leadership, and why being polarizing can actually strengthen a brand. Rodric and Dan also explore why business is deeply personal—and why companies that understand and communicate their true story can build greater trust in an increasingly AI-driven world.

• Why your personal story can become a serious business asset
• How childhood experiences influence the entrepreneur you become
• Why young founders shouldn't hide behind corporate language
• How authenticity attracts the right customers and repels the wrong ones
• Why values matter more than demographics when defining your ideal client
• How your “shadow” can influence the business you build
• The difference between dark energy and light energy in entrepreneurship
• How storytelling can improve hiring, sales, marketing, and company culture
• Why ethical business decisions are always personal
• How to uncover the story already driving your business
• Why authenticity becomes even more valuable in the age of AI

[00:00] Childhood imprints become business magnets

Dan opens with the idea that early experiences continue playing out in adulthood—and once understood and articulated, they can become powerful magnets for the right people.

[01:00] Meet Dan Gretch

Dan introduces YBYS—Your Business Is Your Story—and shares his background as a six-time entrepreneur, journalist, and storyteller.

[02:00] The Blow Pop entrepreneur

Dan shares how selling Blow Pops at 14 made him the “richest poor kid” at his high school and planted an early entrepreneurial seed.

[03:00] Connecting the dots backward

Dan explains how childhood experiences often reveal why we build the businesses we build today.

[04:00] Entrepreneurship and an abundance mindset

Rodric and Dan reflect on growing up without much money while learning early that they could create income themselves.

[05:00] When money becomes a game instead of survival

Rodric explains why he continues building businesses even though money itself is no longer the primary motivation.

[07:00] Why entrepreneurs hide their personalities

Dan explains why founders often use corporate language to mask insecurity or inexperience—and why that usually backfires.

[08:00] Your story is proof

For an early-stage company without much history, Dan argues that the founder's personal story can show customers and investors why they won't quit.

[09:00] Being polarizing is good business

Rodric and Dan discuss why strong brands should attract some people and repel others.

[10:00] Values over demographics

Dan explains why an ideal customer profile should go deeper than age, income, and location to include shared values.

[11:00] Business is personal

Dan pushes back against the idea that “it's just business,” arguing that business decisions reveal character.

[13:00] Would your future self respect your decisions?

The conversation turns to money, ethics, and whether financial success is worth decisions you'll eventually regret.

[14:00] You can't separate yourself from your business

Rodric shares the story of a coaching client who wanted business results without confronting the personal patterns influencing his company.

[15:00] Storytelling isn't therapy—it's strategy

Dan explains that uncovering your story can have therapeutic value, but its business purpose is growth, alignment, and attracting the right people.

[16:00] Your shadow is already running part of the business

Dan discusses how unconscious fears and narratives can shape the companies entrepreneurs build.

[17:00] Light energy vs. dark energy

Dan explains how fear, wounds, and proving people wrong can create short bursts of entrepreneurial energy, while mission, family, and legacy provide sustainable fuel.

[18:00] Signs your business is missing its story

Bad-fit employees, price-shopping customers, inconsistent sales messaging, and resentment toward your clients may signal that your purpose and values aren't being communicated.

[19:00] How to uncover your business story

Dan recommends starting with one deceptively simple question: Why do I do this work, and why does it matter so much to me?

[21:00] Authentic story vs. marketing gimmicks

Dan explains why authentic storytelling is different from branding tactics that can easily be copied.

[22:00] Why Rodric chose coaching

The conversation turns toward Rodric's own story and his desire to help good business owners grow and win.

[24:00] Generations of coaching

Dan and Rodric connect their present work to influential parents, grandparents, and sports coaches from earlier in their lives.

[25:00] Authenticity in the age of AI

Dan explains why authentic human stories become more valuable as AI-generated content and curated social media make communication feel increasingly artificial.

[26:00] The trust-gap economy

Rodric explains why real faces, real voices, and authentic video can be particularly powerful in industries like construction.

[27:00] An ethical responsibility to grow

Dan argues that great businesses have a responsibility to scale because every customer they don't serve may end up with a bad actor instead.

[28:00] The story behind the company

Dan shares an example of a construction company whose founders had a powerful personal story that wasn't initially visible anywhere in their marketing.

[29:00] The Story Diamond

Dan explains that authenticity doesn't mean dumping every detail of your life online. Great stories are polished by choosing the right details for the right audience and purpose.

“Your personal story is a business asset.” – Dan Grech

“Those imprints from your early childhood end up playing out in ways that aren't always visible.” – Dan Gretch

“If you're authentic and they don't like it, good. They're not your people.” – Dan Grech

“Magnets attract and repel.” – Dan Gretch

“Business is so personal.” – Dan Grech

“Story is the vehicle for purpose and values.” – Dan Grech

“Why do I do this work, and why does it matter so damn much to me?” – Dan Grech

“A lot of us build businesses that are manifestations of our shadow, and we don't know it.” – Dan Grech

“Your story as a strategy, as an asset, is one more way to grow.” – Dan Grech

“Authenticity is at such a premium because of AI and dehumanization.” – Dan Grech

🌐 YBYS – Your Business Is Your Story

ybys.com

🌐 Website

yourbusinessyourstory.com

📘 Upcoming Book

Your Business Is Your Story

Coming in 2027 — pre-order information available through YBYS.

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dangrech
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dangrechybys
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangrech/

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad (SASLA)

If this episode made you think differently about your own story, share it with an entrepreneur who needs the reminder that who they are isn't separate from their business—it may be their greatest competitive advantage.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Jungian-trained coach Chuck Gafvert for a deep conversation about money, self-worth, emotional intelligence, and the unconscious patterns that shape how we build businesses and live our lives.

Chuck explains why money problems often aren't really about money. Instead, money can expose deeper beliefs and emotional patterns formed through childhood, family dynamics, relationships, and our need for security, approval, and significance.

The conversation explores why making more money doesn't automatically make those issues disappear—and can actually amplify them. Chuck shares his own experience of becoming more arrogant after making his first million, how wealth affected his relationships, and why he eventually had to look inward.

From childhood money stories and self-sabotage to anger, grief, shadow work, and the intelligence of the head, heart, and gut, this episode goes far beyond financial strategy.

It's a conversation about understanding yourself well enough to build wealth without letting wealth define who you are.

• Why money problems often reveal deeper emotional issues
• How childhood experiences shape your relationship with money
• Why more money can amplify insecurity instead of eliminating it
• How self-worth affects pricing, earning, and business growth
• Why entrepreneurs sometimes sabotage themselves when success becomes easier
• How suppressed emotions can influence business, relationships, and health
• Why money itself is neutral—and the meaning we attach to it matters
• How shadow work can uncover unconscious patterns
• Why your head, heart, and gut can all provide different forms of intelligence
• How to build a healthier relationship with wealth and success

[00:00] Money amplifies what’s already there

Chuck opens with the idea that money may solve financial problems, but it can amplify unresolved issues within your personality.

[01:00] Meet Chuck Gafvert

Chuck introduces his work as a Jungian-trained coach who uses money as an entry point into deeper personal transformation.

[02:00] Your money problems may not be about money

Chuck explains how financial insecurity often connects to family experiences and unconscious beliefs absorbed during childhood.

[03:00] What happened after Chuck made his first million

Chuck shares how financial success amplified his arrogance and negatively affected his relationships.

[04:00] Why rich people can still feel financially insecure

Rodric and Chuck discuss how comparison keeps people dissatisfied regardless of how much money they accumulate.

[05:00] Self-worth, pricing, and self-sabotage

Rodric shares how self-worth issues show up in entrepreneurs through pricing, giving away time, and sabotaging businesses once success becomes easier.

[06:00] When the body sends the bill

The conversation explores how living out of alignment can eventually manifest through stress, health problems, and other consequences.

[07:00] The money stories we inherit from our parents

Rodric shares memories of hearing his parents argue about money, while Chuck explains how childhood associations with money can follow us into adulthood.

[08:00] Grinding for approval

Chuck discusses how some men unconsciously associate hard work and financial achievement with earning a father's approval or love.

[09:00] Money is neutral

Chuck explains why money itself isn't good or bad—it's a tool onto which society projects enormous emotional meaning.

[10:00] Why we resent extreme success

Rodric and Chuck explore why society often roots for the underdog until that person becomes “too successful.”

[11:00] When old coping mechanisms stop serving you

Chuck explains that many unhealthy patterns originally served a useful purpose but eventually become sources of stress.

[12:00] There are no bad emotions

Chuck challenges the idea that anger, grief, and sadness need to be suppressed.

[13:00] What’s underneath the anger?

The conversation explores how fully acknowledging anger can reveal deeper grief, sadness, and unresolved pain.

[15:00] Head, heart, and gut intelligence

Chuck explains why logical intelligence is only one piece of the puzzle and why people should learn to listen to emotional and intuitive signals too.

[17:00] “I don’t need therapy. I need results.”

Rodric shares the story of a former coaching client who wanted business results without addressing the emotional patterns influencing the business.

[18:00] What if this all feels too “woo-woo”?

Chuck offers advice for people who are uncomfortable exploring emotions and inner work.

[20:00] Everything is connected

Chuck explains why patterns appearing in relationships often appear in business and money as well.

[21:00] Who are you without your identity?

The conversation goes deeper into ego, identity, and separating who you really are from your job, thoughts, emotions, and social conditioning.

[23:00] Releasing control

Chuck discusses having goals while accepting that life won't always unfold exactly according to plan.

[24:00] Life as a mirror

Rodric and Chuck explore how the behaviors that trigger us in other people may reflect rejected parts of ourselves.

[27:00] The $100 money exercise

Rodric shares a powerful mastermind exercise designed to uncover emotional reactions to money, competition, and comparison.

[29:00] The stories we project onto wealthy people

The conversation explores assumptions about millionaires, billionaires, greed, and the morality people attach to wealth.

[31:00] Where to find Chuck

Chuck shares how listeners can connect with him and experience an emotional audit around their relationship with money.

[32:00] If money were a person...

Chuck leaves the next guest with a powerful question: If money were a person, what would your relationship with it be?

[33:00] Chuck’s definition of success

Chuck shares how his definition of success has evolved and why the respect of his children matters more to him now than financial achievement.

“Money will solve our money problems, but money is an amplifier for other things in our personalities that we haven't really taken the time to resolve.” – Chuck Gafvert

“If our self-worth is based on where we are in that strata, we are never gonna feel satisfied.” – Chuck Gafvert

“Money is neutral.” – Chuck Gafvert

“There’s no such thing as a bad emotion.” – Chuck Gafvert

“If you're suppressing other emotions, joy will not enter your house.” – Chuck Gafvert

“You can't separate one category from another.” – Chuck Gafvert

“The suffering in life comes from the fact that we think our perspective is the only one.” – Chuck Gafvert

“If money were a person, what would your relationship be with it?” – Chuck Gafvert

🌐 Website: https://chuckgafvert.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chuck-gafvert-b0810

𝕏 X / Twitter: https://x.com/ChuckGafvert

💰 Money Coaching

Connect with Chuck for an emotional audit exploring your relationship with money and the patterns that may be influencing your financial life.

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad (SASLA)

If this episode made you think differently about money, share it with someone who might benefit from looking beyond the numbers and exploring what's really driving their financial decisions.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with artist, author, and business coach Miriam Schulman for a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, mindset, and building a business around the work you truly love.

Miriam shares her journey from Wall Street to becoming a professional artist and eventually creating a thriving coaching business that helps artists earn sustainable incomes from their creative work. Along the way, she discovered that success isn't about staying on one path forever—it's about adapting, evolving, and having the courage to pivot.

The conversation explores scarcity mindset, possibility thinking, masterminds, AI, transferable skills, and why the people you surround yourself with can determine how far you're willing to grow.

This is a refreshing conversation about embracing change, trusting your creativity, and building a business that aligns with who you are.

• Why adaptability is one of the greatest business skills
• How Miriam transitioned from Wall Street to professional artist
• Why scarcity mindset keeps entrepreneurs stuck
• The difference between preservation and possibility
• Why masterminds and peer groups accelerate growth
• How AI can become a trap for creativity
• Why delegation creates freedom and scale
• How to stop blaming circumstances and keep moving forward

[00:00] Adaptability is survival

Miriam opens with Darwin's insight that survival belongs to those most able to adapt.

[01:00] Meet Miriam Schulman

Miriam shares her journey from Wall Street to becoming a professional artist and coach for artists.

[02:00] Why coaching artists?

She explains how her podcast unexpectedly led to building the Artist Incubator coaching business.

[03:00] Pivoting is part of life

Rodric and Miriam discuss why changing direction is often a sign of growth rather than failure.

[04:00] Preservation vs. possibility

Miriam introduces one of her core ideas: many people focus more on preserving what they have than exploring what is possible.

[05:00] Why community matters

The conversation explores why surrounding yourself with people who are growing makes it easier to take risks yourself.

[06:00] Finding your tribe

Rodric and Miriam discuss masterminds, dinner groups, and intentionally building communities of growth-minded people.

[07:00] Creating what doesn't exist

They talk about building your own community when the one you need doesn't already exist.

[08:00] AI, creativity, and authenticity

Miriam shares her thoughts on AI-generated content and why authenticity still matters.

[09:00] Lifestyle prototyping

The discussion turns toward experimenting with new ideas instead of making giant leaps all at once.

[10:00] Transferable skills

Miriam explains why no one is ever really starting over because every experience builds valuable skills.

[11:00] Portfolio careers

She shares why she enjoys combining coaching, creativity, speaking, and content rather than fitting into one box.

[12:00] The Inspiration Place

Miriam shares where listeners can connect with her through her podcast and YouTube channel.

[13:00] One thing you changed your mind about

Miriam asks the next guest a thoughtful question about changing beliefs.

[14:00] Purpose to execution

She shares how delegation and building the right team help turn vision into reality.

[16:00] Gold-plated procrastination

Miriam explains how people often disguise procrastination by making unnecessary work feel productive.

[17:00] Don't blame the boots

Miriam closes with a reminder to stop blaming circumstances and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

“Survival belongs to the species most able to adapt.” – Miriam Schulman

“People focus more on preservation than possibility.” – Miriam Schulman

“You have to find your people.” – Miriam Schulman

“You're never really starting from zero.” – Miriam Schulman

“Keep putting one foot in front of the other and don't blame the boots.” – Miriam Schulman

“It's never the circumstances.” – Miriam Schulman

🌐 Website

miriamschulman.com

🎙 Podcast

The Inspiration Place

📺 YouTube

The Inspiration Place with Miriam Schulman

📘 Book

Artpreneur

• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schulmanart/
• 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schulmanart
• 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamschulman/

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad (SASLA)

If this episode inspired you, share it with someone who's ready to stop playing small and start creating from possibility instead of fear.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Meggi Rombach for a powerful conversation about midlife pivots, self-reflection, courage, and what it means to stop following the old success script.

Meggi shares how her own burnout, health challenge, and career transition led her to help people in midlife redefine their next chapter in a way that feels more aligned with who they really are. Rather than seeing past choices as “wrong,” Meggi offers a more compassionate perspective: maybe that mountain was right for one season, but now it is time to choose a new direction.

The conversation explores mindful rebellion, intrapreneurship, speaking up at work, breaking old patterns, and learning how to prototype a new life before making a major leap.

• Why the “old success script” stops working for many people in midlife
• How to know when it is time for a new chapter
• Why self-reflection is the first step toward change
• How to identify the patterns you keep bringing into new situations
• Why speaking up benefits both employees and leaders
• What “mindful rebellion” really means
• How lifestyle prototyping can help you test your next move
• Why negotiating your way toward your ikigai can open new doors

[00:00] Why speaking up matters

Meggi explains how people speaking up creates more innovation, engagement, and retention.

[01:00] Meet Meggi Rombach

Meggi shares how she helps people in midlife break away from the old success script and define a more aligned next chapter.

[02:00] Right mountain, new season

Rodric and Meggi discuss whether people climb the wrong mountain—or whether the mountain was simply right for a previous phase of life.

[03:00] Start with honest self-reflection

Meggi explains why change begins with looking honestly at where you are and whether you still enjoy the path you are on.

[04:00] Patterns follow you

Meggi shares why people must examine how they show up, or they will carry the same patterns into the next job, relationship, or chapter.

[05:00] Fear of speaking up

The conversation turns to why people stay quiet at work and how to share opinions without entitlement.

[06:00] Burnout and the turning point

Meggi shares how a major health challenge and burnout forced her to stop, heal, and rethink what came next.

[07:00] Mindfulness at work

She explains why mindfulness is not just fluffy meditation—it can improve stress, focus, and efficiency.

[08:00] Rebel talent

Meggi discusses the research behind rebel talent and why organizations benefit when people challenge the status quo.

[09:00] Intrapreneurship and challenging old systems

Rodric and Meggi talk about entrepreneurial thinking inside organizations and why many people are afraid to risk their seat.

[11:00] Lifestyle prototyping

Meggi explains how to test a new direction through side projects, volunteer work, or small experiments before making a major leap.

[12:00] Transferable skills

She shares why people are never truly starting from zero and how existing skills can carry into a new career or business.

[13:00] Coaching and portfolio careers

Meggi shares her vision for combining coaching with fractional corporate work to create systemic impact.

[14:00] Where to find Meggi

Meggi shares her podcast, LinkedIn presence, and reflection assessment tool.

[15:00] Teleportation and the next guest question

Meggi leaves the next guest a fun question: if teleportation were possible, where would they go and why?

[15:30] The lesson of 2025

Meggi answers Cindy Baker’s question and shares her biggest lesson: negotiate your way into your ikigai.

[16:00] Embrace mindful rebellion

Meggi closes by encouraging listeners to challenge the status quo, ask uncomfortable questions, and do it with intention.

“If people dare to speak up, to show up, to speak their mind, actually everybody wins.” – Meggi Rombach

“I want my people to speak up. I want them to rebel a bit against me because that’s when the real good stuff happens.” – Meggi Rombach

“It starts with self-reflection.” – Meggi Rombach

“Trust your North Star.” – Meggi Rombach

“You can say anything as long as you say it politely and without a sense of entitlement.” – Meggi Rombach

“Negotiate your way into your ikigai.” – Meggi Rombach

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrombach/

🌐 Website: https://mindset-mastery.ch/

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who is ready to rethink success, speak up, and build a more aligned next chapter.

Resources:

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Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Jon Ostenson, franchise consultant, author, and expert in non-food franchising, for a practical conversation about business ownership, cashflow, and the surprising opportunities most people never realize exist.

Jon shares how he went from the corporate world into franchising, eventually becoming president of a franchise system and later helping hundreds of people step into business ownership. He explains why franchising is much broader than fast food, why “non-sexy” businesses often create great cashflow, and how people can explore franchise ownership without wasting time or money.

The conversation also covers common franchise misconceptions, how much money it really takes to get started, why service-based businesses can be powerful, and why sometimes the best opportunity is in an industry you never expected.

• Why franchising is not just fast food
• What non-food franchising actually includes
• Why “boring” businesses can be great cashflow machines
• The biggest misconceptions about franchise ownership
• How franchise consultants help people find the right fit
• Why most clients buy in industries they never expected
• What it really costs to get started in a franchise
• Why contrarian thinking can be a business advantage

[00:00] Hidden opportunities in franchising

Jon explains why most franchise buyers end up in industries that were never on their radar.

[01:00] Meet Jon Ostenson

Jon shares his background in corporate, franchising, and helping people step into business ownership.

[02:00] Why non-food franchising?

Jon explains why he focuses on non-food franchises and why there may be easier ways to make money than food.

[03:00] Misconceptions about franchises

The conversation explores the myth that franchises run themselves and why every business still requires effort.

[04:00] Finding the right opportunity

Jon shares how his consulting process helps people navigate hundreds of franchise options.

[05:00] Non-sexy is the new sexy

Rodric and Jon discuss why simple, unglamorous businesses often generate strong cashflow.

[06:00] Examples of franchise opportunities

Jon shares examples including dumpsters, floor resurfacing, pool cleaning, teen driving schools, senior care, pet businesses, and more.

[07:00] How Jon helps for free

Jon explains how his consulting model works and why clients do not pay extra to work with him.

[09:00] Question for the next guest

Jon asks: What are you doing that is contrarian?

[10:00] Outlook on the economy

Jon answers Eugene Gershman’s question and shares why he is bullish on the economy and small business growth.

[12:00] What it really costs to buy a franchise

Jon explains that many service-based franchises fall in the $150,000 to $300,000 all-in investment range, with financing options available.

[14:00] Final thoughts

Jon invites listeners to reach out and explore whether franchise ownership could be a fit.

“Probably 90% of our clients end up purchasing something in an industry that was never on their radar.” – Jon Ostenson

“Whenever I would hear the F word—franchise—I’d think fast food.” – Jon Ostenson

“My humble belief is there are easier ways to make money.” – Jon Ostenson

“Non-sexy is the new sexy when it comes to business ownership.” – Jon Ostenson

“There’s a lot of noise out there, and that’s where we come in.” – Jon Ostenson

“I think oftentimes peohttps://franbridgeconsulting.com/ple fear the idea of being contrarian.” – Jon Ostenson

• 🌐 Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com/
• 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson/
• 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonOstenson1
• ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JonOstensonFBC
• 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/Jon_Ostenson

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who wants to own a business but does not know where to start.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Jaden Sterling, founder and CEO of Sterling Stock Picker, for a conversation about investing, wealth-building, risk, and why everyday investors do not have to settle for average.

Jaden shares how his experience inside major financial firms like Merrill Lynch and Citigroup opened his eyes to the difference between products being sold to clients and true wealth being built by clients. After watching investors create wealth through individual stocks, Jaden built Sterling Stock Picker to help novice investors understand the market, choose quality companies, and invest with more confidence.

The conversation dives into individual stocks, risk, stock ratings, portfolio building, financial advisors, coaching, and what it really takes to get started.

• Why individual stocks can be powerful for long-term wealth building
• How Sterling Stock Picker helps novice investors make more confident decisions
• Why values-based investing matters
• The difference between owning stocks and buying financial products
• How to avoid riding a stock all the way up and all the way back down
• Why reallocation and price targets matter
• What to ask before trusting a financial advisor
• Why embracing risk is part of building wealth

[00:00] Coaching, results, and lived experience

Jaden opens with a powerful point: the best coach is someone who has accomplished what you want to accomplish.

[01:00] Meet Jaden Sterling

Jaden introduces Sterling Stock Picker and explains how it helps novice investors invest more like experts.

[02:00] Building portfolios with individual stocks

Jaden explains why the platform focuses on six to eight great companies matched with risk level and personal values.

[03:00] Extra eyes on your investment decisions

He shares how the platform gives investors confidence through its star-ranking system.

[04:00] Why Jaden left the traditional financial model

Jaden explains what he saw inside major financial firms and why he believes individual stocks can be better for wealth-building than packaged products.

[05:00] Individual stocks vs. managed portfolios

The conversation explores why owning too many companies can dilute the impact of major winners.

[06:00] Avoiding the ride up and down

Rodric brings up examples of stocks that rose and crashed, and Jaden explains why discipline and rating changes matter.

[07:00] Why average is not the goal

Jaden pushes back on the idea of settling for average returns and compares it to teaching kids to settle for average in life.

[08:00] Training your brain to invest

He explains why belief, mindset, and attention matter when learning how to pick stocks.

[09:00] Reallocation and taking profits

Jaden explains how investors can use targets and ratings to decide when to sell or reallocate.

[10:00] Who Sterling Stock Picker is for

Jaden clarifies that the platform is for people who are genuinely interested in learning to build wealth.

[11:00] Alerts, ratings, and staying informed

He explains how members can receive updates when stock ratings or targets change.

[12:00] Platform access and ownership

Jaden explains that users own their own stocks and that the platform is designed to support better decisions.

[13:00] Cost of the platform

Rodric reacts to the affordability of Sterling Stock Picker and Jaden explains why they wanted to make it accessible.

[14:00] Starting with $1,000 or $100,000

Jaden explains that the strategy is similar regardless of account size—the difference is simply the number of shares.

[16:00] Questions to ask financial advisors

Rodric shares two questions he asks advisors about beating the market and long-term management fees.

[17:00] Why the right expert is worth it

Jaden shares a real estate example where paying an expert $10,000 for one hour helped him make an extra million dollars.

[19:00] Coaching and lived experience

Rodric and Jaden discuss why coaches should have actually accomplished what they help others do.

[21:00] Where to find Jaden

Jaden shares where listeners can find Sterling Stock Picker and connect with the platform.

[22:00] Question for the next guest

Jaden asks: What is it going to take for you to get started?

[23:00] Teleporting, dimensions, and being where you are

Jaden answers the previous guest’s question and reflects on being exactly where he wants to be.

[24:00] Overcoming fear of investing

Jaden shares why embracing risk is essential for growth, investing, and life.

“A coach is going to take you from where you are to where you’re going because they’ve been there.” – Jaden Sterling

“To get results with a coach, it has to be someone who has accomplished what you want to accomplish.” – Jaden Sterling

“If you’re investing in a company aligned with your values, you can get behind it energetically and financially.” – Jaden Sterling

“Individual stocks are the way to really build wealth.” – Jaden Sterling

“The trend is your friend.” – Jaden Sterling

“We need to reframe our belief system around risk and embrace it.” – Jaden Sterling

🌐 Website

https://sterlingstockpicker.com/

📈 Platform

https://jadensterling.com/

💼 LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadensterling/

📸 Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/jadensterling/

📸 Company Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sterlingstockpicker/

📘 Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SterlingStockPicker/

▶️ YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@SterlingStockPicker

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad

If this episode helped you, share it with someone who wants to understand investing, build wealth, and stop settling for average.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

In this episode of Million Dollar Flip Flops, Rodric sits down with Merry Korn, speaker, workshop facilitator, author, and founder of a social impact company she grew to 1,300 employees before a successful exit.

Merry shares the powerful story behind her upcoming book, Fired to Inspired, and how being fired at 46—single, with two kids heading to college—became the darkest and most transformational moment of her life.

From that moment of uncertainty, Merry built a for-profit social impact company that gave hiring priority to people with the greatest barriers to employment, including disabled veterans, people with disabilities, and people living in deeply impoverished communities.

This is a moving conversation about clarity, courage, purpose, and what it really takes to turn pain into meaningful work.

• How Merry turned being fired into the beginning of her life’s work
• Why clarity is essential before taking action
• How informational interviews can open unexpected doors
• Why purpose and profit can work together
• How Merry built a company that employed people with major barriers to work
• Why you do not need to know everything before you start
• How courage and vision help you move through uncertainty
• Why thinking bigger allows you to serve more people

[00:00] Clarity before action

Merry explains why clarity matters and compares life without clarity to getting on an elevator without knowing your floor.

[01:00] Meet Merry Korn

Merry introduces herself as a speaker, facilitator, author, and founder who grew and sold a 1,300-employee company.

[02:00] Fired to Inspired

Merry shares the story behind her upcoming book and the terrifying moment of being fired at 46.

[03:00] Finding purpose through crisis

Rodric and Merry discuss how people often spend more time planning purchases than designing their lives.

[04:00] Should hobbies become businesses?

Merry and Rodric explore whether passion and profit should always mix.

[06:00] The dark night of the soul

Merry shares how losing her job led her to prayer, surrender, and a surprising intuitive message.

[08:00] Informational interviews

She explains how reaching out to medical association CEOs opened the door to her next chapter.

[09:00] Hiring people with disabilities

Merry shares the story of hiring a quadriplegic woman who sold $140,000 in sponsorships within six weeks.

[10:00] From projects to government contracts

Merry explains how she shifted from short-term project work to long-term government contracts.

[11:00] Growing to 1,300 employees

She shares how one strategic hire helped her grow from 20 employees to 340, and eventually to 1,300.

[12:00] The challenges of growth

Merry talks about betrayal, uncertainty, heartbreak, and why entrepreneurs must keep going anyway.

[13:00] Nobody really knows what they are doing

Rodric and Merry discuss why so many people stop because they assume others have it all figured out.

[14:00] Think really big

Merry shares advice from Jack Kemp: the bigger you think, the more people you can touch.

[15:00] Fired to Inspired resources

Merry shares the three free workbooks connected to her book: Embracing Courage, Finding Your Life Purpose, and The Holy Grail of Informational Interviews.

[18:00] From purpose to execution

Merry leaves the next guest a powerful question about moving from knowing your purpose to actually executing.

[19:00] What it takes to get started

Merry answers that getting started takes clarity, vision, and courage.

[20:00] Weaving a meaningful life

Merry closes by reflecting on Rodric’s own path and the importance of building a life filled with what you love.

“You have to have clarity on what you really want to do.” – Merry Korn

“Without clarity, it’s like getting on an elevator and not knowing what floor to get off.” – Merry Korn

“Don’t wait until you know what you’re doing. Just do it.” – Merry Korn

“Think really, really big, because the bigger you think, the more people you will touch.” – Merry Korn

“You have to know where you’re going and what your ultimate dream is.” – Merry Korn

“Find the clarity and have the courage to move forward.” – Merry Korn

🌐 Website

https://firedtoinspired.com/

📘 Upcoming Book

Fired to Inspired

📚 Free Workbooks

• Embracing Courage: Transform Your Fear Into Fuel

• Finding Your Life Purpose

• Informational Interviews – The Holy Grail of Moving Forward

💼 LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrykorn/

📘 Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/merry.korn.883330/

📸 Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/fired_to_inspired/

🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast

📖 Million Dollar Flip Flops

🌍 Send a Student Leader Abroad

If this episode inspired you, share it with someone who is ready to turn uncertainty into purpose.

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!

Resources:

Million Dollar Flip Flops

Follow Us on Insta

Ready to transform your business and your life while making a difference? Grab your copy of *Million Dollar Flip Flops*—the ultimate guide to creating a life and business that feels just as good as it looks. And here’s the best part: 100% of the proceeds go directly to our foundation, Send a Student Leader Abroad, with a goal of sending 1,000,000 deserving kids on life-changing trips around the world.

As a thank you for your support, we’re offering exclusive bonuses available only for our podcast listeners. These bonuses are packed with extra tools and resources to help you implement the principles from the book faster and more effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, impact a young leader’s life, and be a part of something bigger.

Click the link, order your copy, and claim your listener-only bonuses today!

Together, let’s change lives—one trip at a time.

www.MillionDollarFlipFlops.com/book

**P.S.** Every book you buy gets us one step closer to sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing adventures. Let’s make it happen!