Million Dollar Relationships

What if the question nobody in the room could answer became the business you spent a decade building?

In this episode, Tyler Ryan, founder of LTV Numbers and former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer, shares how a physics degree, a baseball bleacher conversation, and a single moment at a business event in 2018 led him to build a software company that helps online entrepreneurs finally see what has been invisible in their own data for years.

Tyler didn't set out to build an analytics company. He set out to start something, anything, that would let him use his engineering brain in a business context. What he found was that the people around him needed him more than they knew. And one relationship in particular taught him the single most important lesson he has ever learned about business partnerships.

[00:03:30] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Founder of LTV Numbers, a software platform for online course creators, coaches, and digital businesses

• Helps businesses understand customer lifetime value at day 0, 30, 60, 90, and beyond

• Serves e-commerce, info product, and online businesses that sell to customers more than once

[00:07:00] How He Got Here

• Dad was a career musician; that entrepreneurial mindset shaped Tyler from an early age

• Majored in physics at UCLA; got his master's in mechanical engineering

• Landed an internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory through a bleacher conversation at a high school baseball game

• Fell in love with coding through that internship and knew he would use it to build something

[00:09:00] The Startup Apartment and the Fork in the Road

• Left NASA with a college friend to build a company in a Burbank apartment

• Spent two years going all in with zero revenue; nearly exhausted all savings

• His co-founder went back to Google; Tyler refused to quit

• Emptied retirement and investment accounts to join masterminds and get into the right rooms

[00:12:00] The Moment That Built a Business

• Was the only tech person in a room full of fitness coaches and online business owners

• Started helping people with websites and automations for free without thinking anything of it

• With less than 30 days of money left, announced he was offering tech consulting to the group

• Made $3,000 in seven days; that was the proof of concept that changed everything

[00:14:30] The Event That Crystallized Everything: Joel Marion

• Attended Craig Valentine's Perfect Life Retreat in 2018 and watched a talk by Joel Marion of BioTrust

• Marion asked 400 entrepreneurs how many knew their LTV at day 0, 30, 60, 90, and 180 by product, funnel, and traffic source

• Four hands went up; their businesses were doing $15M, $25M, $35M, and $50M

• Marion said: the reason we scaled BioTrust from zero to nine figures in 18 months was because we knew that answer better than anyone

[00:17:30] What Inspires Him: Lifting the Fog

• Was an engineer who knew nothing about business; that insecurity held him back for years

• Sees brilliant business people constrained not by their ability but by their visibility

• Loves the moment a business owner finally sees what has been invisible for years

• Mission: make data-driven decision-making the default for every online business

[00:20:00] Client Impact: Joe DiGalbo and Live Anabolic

• Joe was one of his earliest LTV Numbers clients; they met in the original mastermind

• Joe's fitness business had been stuck at $5 million a year for three years

• After deep work on LTV visibility and scaling decisions, the company hit $13 million last year

• Has been on a weekly call with Joe for years; Joe is one of his favorite people in the world

[00:23:30] The First Relationship That Changed Everything: Steven Cornford

• Steven was the father of a high school baseball teammate; Tyler ran into him in the bleachers a year after graduation

• One conversation about physics led to an internship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that summer

• That internship introduced him to programming and set the entire trajectory of his career

• The lesson: say yes early to opportunities you can't fully see; the path reveals itself later

[00:25:00] The Relationship That Healed Everything: Joe DiGalbo

• Got into several business partnerships from a place of desperation and insecurity

• Partners looked great on paper but produced negative results; the company went backwards

• Joe was different; not because of his skill set but because of who he is as a person

• That relationship taught him to over-index on character and values, not skills

[00:28:00] The Compound Effect of One Great Relationship

• Joe introduced him to Robbie, a mentor and advisor who became a close friend

• Has been on a weekly three-way call with Joe and Robbie for years

• Robbie's company is finishing an acquisition; a new chapter together may be forming

• One great person leads to more great people; pour into the relationship without needing to see where it goes

[00:37:30] Final Word: Seven Minutes of Terror and Knowing Your Numbers

• Was in the JPL auditorium when the Curiosity Mars rover landed in the early 2010s

• Due to signal delay, the auditorium was only finding out what had already happened as they listened

• When mission control said "touchdown confirmed" the entire auditorium burst into tears

• The rover landed within a mile of its target after flying through space entirely on its own; that is what knowing your numbers makes possible

KEY QUOTES

"Your skill set determines your potential. But if your visibility is terrible, you are going to operate well below that potential." - Tyler Ryan

"I could partner up with a person I loved with very little marketing skills, who would run through a wall for me, and they probably would have produced a better outcome." - Tyler Ryan

"Once you find that one person where you're like, I don't know how, but I would want to work with this person on anything, just keep pouring into it. It might be three years later, but it changes your life." - Tyler Ryan

CONNECT WITH TYLER RYAN

Website: https://www.ltvnumbers.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerjryan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetylerjryan

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What if the wrong turn that changed your life wasn't even yours to take?

In this episode, Justin Gray, serial entrepreneur and Managing Partner at In Revenue Capital, shares how five exits worth more than $500 million in enterprise value all trace back to one unexpected introduction at a Phoenix bar. His girlfriend at the time ran into a founder, turned down a job offer, and said: talk to my boyfriend instead.

That detour led Justin to employee number six at a fintech startup, his first liquidity event, and everything that followed. Today he invests in early stage B2B vertical SaaS companies, not just with capital but with his team's hands deep in the work alongside founders every single day.

[00:03:30] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Serial entrepreneur with five successful exits worth over $500 million in enterprise value

• Managing partner at In Revenue Capital, an early stage B2B vertical SaaS venture fund

• Invests at seed and Series A with a hands-on operator-immersive model

• Two portfolio companies have already exited since the firm launched in 2023

[00:05:00] How He Got Here

• Wanted to be a writer in college; pivoted to business and marketing when the money wasn't there

• Left school four credits shy of a degree; graduated into the post-September 11th job market

• Took a string of marketing jobs he hated; became a self-taught Swiss Army knife of go-to-market

• Frustrated by the siloed, arts-and-crafts lane that marketing was stuck in

[00:08:00] The Startup That Changed Everything

• Joined a five-person payments startup in 2006 as employee number six

• Took three to four months to evaluate the decision; it turned out to be the best of his life

• Grew the company from roughly $1 million to $294 million in annual revenue

• Cashed out his equity and went on to found four more bootstrapped companies

[00:13:30] What Inspires Him: Upleveling People

• Running a services firm taught him that people are the most important asset in any business

• Created a phantom equity program at LeadMD; half the enterprise value went to employees at exit

• Over a third of those employees have since gone on to start their own companies

• The freedom to build something is what most people need; liquidity is the key that unlocks it

[00:17:30] How In Revenue Capital Actually Works

• Does not maintain a traditional venture fund; operates under a fundless sponsor SPV model

• Flies into new portfolio companies for a day and a half workshop after closing

• Builds a three-pillar assessment framework using market data, portfolio benchmarks, and AI

• One firm partner is currently serving as CRO for a portfolio company full time

[00:23:30] What the Engagement Looks Like Day to Day

• Founders have the team on Slack, email, and phone; communication is always on

• Helps with hiring, messaging, pricing, customer success, CRM rollouts, and deal cycles

• If there is one thing that creates outsized value, it is helping founders hire the right people

• Knowing what great looks like at each stage is context most first-time founders don't have

[00:28:30] The Relationship That Changed Everything: The Founder at the Bar

• His girlfriend ran into a founder at the Coach House bar in Phoenix; a disagreement led to an apology

• The founder offered her a job; she declined and said: my boyfriend hates his job, talk to him

• That introduction led to the payments startup, the first liquidity event, and everything after

• Without that random bar encounter, Justin says he would still be sitting in a cubicle

[00:33:30] The Painful Lesson That Came With It

• The same founder later invested in two of Justin's subsequent companies out of shared camaraderie

• Their definitions of success were completely different; misalignment became costly and painful

• Justin had to buy the founder's half back at multiple seven figures he didn't have earmarked for that

• The lesson: alignment on goals, exit paths, and vision must come before any partnership

[00:38:30] Final Word: Unscalable Things Drive Success

• Hosts the Cheat Code and Friends podcast with relationships-driven conversations

• Published The GTM Cheat Code in February 2025; a national bestseller about doing unscalable things

• All of In Revenue Capital's deal flow comes through venture partners who trust the team

• The model: provide value to partners first and the doors open on their own

KEY QUOTES

"The sixth ingredient that builds a great tech ecosystem, more important than all the others, is context. You have to know what great looks like." - Justin Gray

"Everyone thinks they need to only do things that scale. But if you create a culture of hyper value, reward first and revenue second, the relationships open every door." - Justin Gray

CONNECT WITH JUSTIN GRAY

Website: https://www.inrevenue.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inrevenue

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What if the most powerful leadership skill in the world could be taught in a maximum security prison?

In this episode, Doug Noll, lawyer turned peacemaker, mediator, and author of the upcoming Empathy Leadership, shares how walking away from a $10 million law career led him to one of the most profound discoveries in human communication. For 10 years he trained over 3,000 incarcerated men and women in maximum security prisons to prevent gang riots using a skill that can be learned in minutes and practiced in seconds.

That skill is two words: You feel.

The story that changed everything wasn't in a boardroom. It was a woman on a hospital bed in the world's largest women's prison, writing letters to a son who hadn't spoken to her in 18 years. What happened next is something Doug will never forget.

[00:05:00] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Lawyer turned peacemaker with a master's degree in conflict studies

• Left the practice of law in 2000 after 22 years as a trial lawyer

• Teaches nervous system leadership to executives, founders, and C-level leaders

[00:06:00] The Three Questions Every Brain Asks

• Every brain in every meeting asks three questions every microsecond

• Am I safe? Can I trust you? Do I matter to you?

• If leaders don't get solid yeses, they've already lost the room

• A leader's first job is to regulate their own nervous system

[00:07:30] How a Lawyer Became a Peacemaker

• Took up martial arts in his mid-30s and earned a second-degree black belt

• His teacher sent him to learn Tai Chi; it taught him soft is strong and vulnerable is powerful

• In a courtroom in the late 90s the thought hit him: what am I doing in here?

[00:09:00] The River Trip That Changed Everything

• Spent 10 days alone on a raft on the Salmon River in Idaho thinking

• Could only count five people in 22 years of law who came out better than they went in

• Heard a radio announcement for a peacemaking master's degree and enrolled at 48

• Gave one week's notice, left $10 million on the table, and walked away

[00:11:00] What Inspires Him

• Wants to teach as many people as possible to stop fights before they spiral

• The skill: say "you feel" and name what the other person is experiencing

• When you name someone's emotions, their amygdala calms and they can think again

[00:13:30] Client Impact

• Trained senior analysts at the Congressional Budget Office to de-escalate members of Congress

• Mediated a three-day dispute at a billion-dollar company where stakeholders could barely be in the same room

• Hardened business people regularly break into tears from the release of tension they've been carrying

[00:15:00] The Relationship That Changed Everything: Laurel Klaffer and Sarah

• In 2009 a woman serving life without parole wrote letters from a hospital bed

• One letter landed with Doug's colleague Laurel Klaffer; she called Doug and read it to him

• Eight months later they were standing in front of 15 women in California's largest women's prison

[00:16:30] Sarah's Letter: The Moment That Defined the Mission

• Sarah had been in prison 18 years for a fatal DUI that killed a family of four

• She gave up her three-year-old son when she entered prison; he never visited or wrote back

• Using what she learned, she wrote naming how he must feel

• For the first time in 18 years he wrote back: Mom, I love you; I'm bringing my girlfriend to visit

[00:18:00] Prison of Peace: A Program That Went Global

• Sarah's story confirmed the work was about restoring humanity, not just peacemaking

• The program expanded to Corcoran State Prison, one of California's two supermaxes

• Prison of Peace is now operating in prisons across the world

[00:22:00] Mike's Story: A Father Reconnected from Behind Bars

• Mike, a gang member at Corcoran, had a daughter who ran from him during visits

• He started naming her emotions on their weekly calls; within weeks she was a changed girl

• She began requesting her own weekly call just to be listened to

• On the next visit she ran and jumped into his arms; the guards looked the other way

[00:27:30] Final Word: Two Words That Change Everything

• Conflict is inevitable; the painful emotions around it are not

• Every fight is a cry: please listen to me

• Say "you feel" and the argument dissolves; the problem can finally be solved

KEY QUOTES

"Every fight, every argument is nothing more than a cry: please listen to me." - Doug Noll

"When you name what someone feels, you choose humanity over ideology. You choose connection over being right." - Doug Noll

"If the most violent men I've ever worked with could learn how to listen people into existence, imagine what it could do for everybody listening to this show." - Doug Noll

CONNECT WITH DOUG NOLL

Website: https://www.dougnoll.com

Substack: https://www.dougnoll.substack.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougnoll

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What if the most important business introduction of your life happened in a middle seat at 30,000 feet?

In this episode, Carrie Waible, founder of CW and Co., shares a career that reads like a map of New York City's most iconic moments. Star-studded galas, Nobu's 20th anniversary, Donna Summer and John Legend at the Beacon Theater, Robert De Niro's charity events, and a 20-year client relationship that started with a phone call she almost said no to.

None of it would have happened without a stranger on a plane named Stan Heath, a first boss named Tony who saw something in her before she did, and a client named Thomas who told a 26-year-old she should start her own company. She did. Twenty years later she is still at it and still evolving.

[00:04:00] What She Does and Who She Serves

• Runs CW and Co., a full service marketing and production company

• Started in 2004 producing nonprofit galas and celebrity events in New York

• Has worked with some clients for 10 to 20 years

[00:05:00] From Events to Full Service Marketing

• Was churning out 12 major events a year with a team burning out

• A dear team member said she didn't want this to be her life

• Started shifting toward full service marketing and content production

[00:07:30] The Client Who Gave Her the Best Advice

• An old client named Charlie took her to lunch when she first started out

• He told her: keep putting yourself in front of people and do a good job

• He also said at 26: lean into your PR talents; that's what will carry you

• She didn't fully hear it until years later when the pivot became necessary

[00:10:30] What Inspires Her: People

• Gets her energy entirely from people; not one cup of coffee a day

• Feels most present when directing videos, producing events, or in the field

• If she is connecting with people and doing meaningful work, she feels amazing

[00:11:30] Client Impact: Nobu and a Charter School Network

• Helped Nobu transition from a 190-seat Tribeca restaurant to a global brand without losing its heart

• Helped nonprofits raise what adds up to billions of dollars over the years

• Spoke at a charter school career day; a student asked what inspires her; she said: you do

[00:19:00] The Relationship That Started Everything: Stan Heath

• Was flying to New York to visit friends after graduating college

• Got into conversation with a stranger named Stan Heath in the middle seat

• He said PR was her fit; his ex-business partner Tony was hiring

• Stan faxed her resume; she had a meeting that same weekend

[00:21:30] Tony: The First Boss Who Changed Her Life

• Tony offered her the job after watching her work a fashion industry event

• He needed to see how she moved before making the offer

• New York clicked immediately; she has never left

• That first job eventually led her back to PR and to starting her own company

[00:23:00] Thomas: The Client Who Told Her to Start Her Own Business

• A former client told her: anywhere you go, people will just ask for Carrie Waible anyway

• Within weeks he offered her a live event six weeks from his nonprofit's biggest fundraiser

• She started the company at 26 to take on that first event

• That night on the event floor confirmed she had found where she belonged

[00:25:30] Cathy: The Referral That Led to Robert De Niro

• A past client named Cathy called to pass on a piece of business she couldn't take

• She was stern: my reputation is on the line too; I need to know you're ready

• The event was a star-studded benefit at the Beacon Theater with Donna Summer and John Legend

• The after party was at Nobu; that relationship kept growing for five to six years

[00:28:30] Raven: The 20-Year Client Relationship

• Her first VP at her first New York job called when Carrie started her agency

• Asked her to do PR for the New York Boat Show; Carrie almost said no

• That one job opened the door to recreational boating, now one of her biggest business streams

• The National Marine Manufacturers Association has been a client for 20 years

[00:31:30] Venice 2021: The Trip That Cracked Everything Open

• Was invited to manage VIPs and heads of state at a humanitarian event in Venice

• Went alone with only a local assistant; no team, no safety net

• Realized she didn't need a multimillion-dollar agency; she needed to love the work every day

• From that moment she began more fully embodying her gifts and what she really wanted

[00:34:30] Final Word: Just Connect

• People find relationship building daunting; just extend a smile, a word, a handshake

• Trust your gut about who feels right; the spidey sense gets sharper over time

• Those small connections build into things you could never have imagined

KEY QUOTES

"Keep putting yourself in front of people and do a good job, because no one ever wants to change who they're working with if they don't have to." - Charlie, as shared by Carrie Waible

"I get my energy from people. Not one cup of coffee." - Carrie Waible

"You have nothing to lose. Those things build and build into something that you just could never imagine." - Carrie Waible

CONNECT WITH CARRIE WAIBLE

Website: https://www.cwandco.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-waible-658b972

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What if you never made a cold call, never sent a cold email, and still built a global agency with 140 clients across four continents?

In this episode, Joel Strauss, founder of Strauss Communications, shares how being fired at the start of Covid with zero clients led to building a boutique PR agency that has now worked with over 140 companies across four continents. Almost every single one came through a relationship.

Joel's story has three chapters: starting the business, scaling it, and saving it. Each one hinged on a personal relationship at exactly the right moment. Including the meeting in Madrid that pulled his agency back from the brink after October 7th changed everything overnight.

[00:03:30] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Runs Strauss Communications, a boutique PR agency for tech startups

• Services cover organic media coverage, content, and social media

• 95% of clients are tech companies; most are referred through relationships

[00:04:30] How He Got Into PR

• Idealized politics; left after nearly two years deeply unhappy

• Quit, traveled South America, then went on a boys' trip to Montreal

• Met his brother's former roommate who connected him to a PR firm in Tel Aviv

• He packed up everything in New York and moved within two weeks

[00:06:00] The Introduction That Started Everything

• His brother's former roommate saw a fit between his background and the agency

• The firm had political and tech clients; Joel had just enough experience to be relevant

• That one connection opened the door to a new industry and a new country

• Every step of his career since traces back to that trip to Montreal

[00:07:00] What Inspires Him

• Gets a bird's eye view of tech across fintechs, AI, semiconductors, and more

• Works directly with founders, CMOs, and CEOs of innovative companies

• Has helped companies go from unknown to dominant positions in their markets

[00:08:30] Client Impact

• A niche plywood replacement client started getting people knocking on their door from PR alone

• Several clients successfully raised investment rounds after investors cited media coverage

• All contracts are month to month; some clients have stayed for over three years

• Retaining clients through results rather than contracts is the proof of delivery

[00:11:30] Starting the Business: The Boss Who Fired Him

• Was called into a hearing to be fired at the start of Covid

• Kept his cool and told his boss he understood and didn't take it personally

• That same boss became a mentor and referred several of his first clients

• Joel's wife co-founded the business with him; their relationship has been foundational

[00:13:00] Scaling the Business: A Former Colleague

• A former colleague he stayed close with over the years eventually joined his team

• That person brought in key client relationships that led to major results

• The companies he helped raise in the US all came through this one relationship

• Maintaining cordial connections over time is what made it possible

[00:13:30] Saving the Business: The Madrid Meeting

• After October 7th, Israeli tech clients sent staff into reserve duty overnight

• Lost half the client base almost overnight

• A founder from South America emailed out of nowhere; they met in Madrid by chance

• That relationship became a client and turned the company around

[00:17:00] Vision Going Forward

• Wants to scale without sacrificing service quality

• Growing through relationships rather than cold outreach remains the core model

• Using AI to handle busy work so the team has more time with clients

• Boutique, high-quality, and relationship-driven is the identity they will not trade away

[00:19:30] What Makes Them Different

• Most agencies charge $15,000 to $25,000 a month and put junior staff on accounts

• At Strauss Communications, senior people handle everything

• Contracts are month to month; they have to earn it every single time

• That pressure is what keeps the work sharp and the results consistent

[00:20:00] Why He Started His Own Agency

• Was hired in-house at a tech company and told to bring in expensive PR firms

• It was him landing TechCrunch and Reuters; the firms were getting paid for his work

• Saw the gap and built an agency that actually delivered at the senior level

[00:23:30] Thinking Broader Than Coverage

• Most agencies just pitch placements; Strauss Communications thinks strategically

• Also offers white papers and content with both PR and marketing value

• Measurable deliverables make it easier for marketing teams to justify the spend

• A webinar built from one piece of content recently generated 150 sign-ups

[00:25:00] Final Word: Relationships Are a Cultural Advantage

• Noticed that relationship building is more open in Israel and Spain than in the US

• In the US, getting to the CEO requires going through several gatekeepers first

• Being of service and being known for it builds a reputation that compounds over time

KEY QUOTES

"Every step of my story is intimately intertwined with personal relationships." - Joel Strauss

"A lot of good and innovation can happen when people are more open to giving of themselves and giving their time." - Joel Strauss

CONNECT WITH JOEL STRAUSS

Website: https://www.strausscomms.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelstrauss1

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What if the most valuable business lessons you ever learned came not from a classroom, but from a farm?

In this episode, Robbie Shoults, third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse, shares the story of an 83-year family legacy built on smoked meats, hard work, and two simple rules passed down from his grandfather and father: show people how to do it, don't just tell them, and it doesn't cost any more to make it taste good.

What started in 1943 with 600 day-old turkey poults and a little smokehouse in East Texas is now a nationally recognized brand sold at Walmart, Publix, and Kroger, with over 50 premium products shipping across the country. And the fourth generation is already on the floor.

[00:04:00] How It All Started

• Grew up on the farm; farming and ranching have been in the family for generations

• His great-grandfather told his grandfather: I'll give you that land if you'll go work it

• His grandfather rode a horse 15 miles every day to work the land

[00:05:30] The Family History

• His grandfather cleared timber with crosscut saws and mules

• Started planting cotton and corn, raised hogs and cattle, and sold vegetables to grocery stores

• Coming out of the Depression and World War II, things were hard; feeding the family was a daily struggle

[00:07:00] The Turkey Decision That Changed Everything

• A great uncle told his grandfather: you can put more pounds of gain on a turkey per pound of feed

• In 1943 they brought in 600 day-old turkey poults with no prior experience

• Ladies from town would come out with roasting pans and pick the bird that would fit

[00:09:00] From Turkeys to a National Brand

• Worked with Texas A&M to develop curing and smoking recipes; the business took off

• Expanded from turkeys into hogs, sausage, bacon, and a full product line

• Now supplies salt pork to over 2,000 Walmarts and Publix stores on the East Coast

[00:10:00] The Bear Creek General Store

• Built a 17,000 square foot general store in 2018; calls it the finest tourist trap in Texas

• Offers hand-dipped ice cream, homemade fudge, a pit room, and Texas Longhorns out front

• Visitors come from across the globe to experience a true slice of East Texas life

[00:13:00] What Inspires Him: Keeping the Legacy Alive

• His job is to keep building on what granddad and dad started

• His son Hunter is the fourth generation running daily operations at the plant

• His role is telling the story; Hunter's role is running production

[00:16:00] The Relationships That Changed Everything: Dad and Granddad

• Neither had a college education; what they taught on the farm can't be taught in a classroom

• Passion, endurance, and perseverance are what make a business thrive year after year

• He would not be where he is without the foundation they laid

[00:18:00] What His Grandfather Taught Him About Leadership

• His grandfather worked alongside his team in the field every single day

• He was never a supervisor; he was a leader who showed people how to do it

• Robbie has done every single job on the property; that shapes how he leads today

[00:19:30] What His Father Taught Him About Quality

• His dad said: it doesn't cost any more to make it taste good

• His dad said: everything you produce comes down to one single bite

• Those two rules apply to product quality, customer service, and how you treat people

[00:21:00] Final Word: Treat People Right

• Treat people the way you want to be treated; that principle runs through everything

• Products are available online at bearcreeksmokehouse.com and ship directly to your door

• The Bear Creek Bottom Bliss cookbook includes five generations of family recipes, Bible verses, and Texas tall tales

KEY QUOTES

"It doesn't cost more to make it taste good." - Robbie Shoults, quoting his father

"Everything that you produce out of this processing plant is gonna be reduced down to one single bite." - Robbie Shoults, quoting his father

"The things that they taught us out here on the farm can't be taught in a university, in a classroom." - Robbie Shoults

CONNECT WITH ROBBIE SHOULTS

Website: https://www.bearcreeksmokehouse.com

Facebook: @BearCreekSmokehouse

Instagram: @bearcreeksmokehouse

YouTube: @BearCreekSmokehouse

TikTok: @bearcreeksmokehouse

Thanks for tuning in!

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What if the person who saw your gift before you did was the same one who dared you to use it?

In this episode, Jamie Dykstra, nonfiction book ghostwriter and former corporate finance professional, shares how a career 180 brought her from spreadsheets to storytelling. She didn't plan to become a ghostwriter. She planned to take a few months off after leaving corporate and go back. She never went back.

What changed everything was a mentor who saw a writer in a finance executive, refused to accept her excuses, and told her to just start a blog. That blog became a copywriting business, and that copywriting business became the ghostwriting practice she runs today, helping purpose-driven leaders scale their impact through books.

[00:04:20] What She Does and Who She Serves

• Nonfiction book ghostwriter focused on business and leadership

• Serves executives, entrepreneurs, and purpose-driven leaders

• Helps clients tell their story in their voice without writing a word themselves

[00:05:20] How Ghostwriting Actually Works

• Process starts with outlining, goal setting, and deep-dive interviews

• Interviews become the raw material for the manuscript

• Client reviews, gives feedback, and ends up with a publishable book

[00:07:00] Why Leaders Need a Ghostwriter

• A book is not a small thing; most leaders don't have the time or bandwidth

• Leaders often share their message informally but never capture it in a lasting format

• Many resist writing a book because they don't want it to feel like an ego move

• A book isn't about building you up; it's a channel to serve a mission bigger than yourself

[00:08:20] What Inspires Her

• Loves the scalability of books; one reader can change another person's life

• Doesn't need recognition; she knows what she signed up for

• If one person's life changes because of a book she worked on, that is enough

[00:11:00] Client Impact: Bob Whalen and Employee Ownership

• Ghostwrote Beyond Your Ownership for Bob Whalen, an advocate for employee ownership

• The book became a tool people use to introduce the concept to clients and teams

• Books create awareness for things people don't know exist that create good in the world

[00:15:00] The Relationship That Changed Everything

• Degrees in accounting and finance; started as a model developer in corporate finance

• A senior VP noticed she was in the wrong role and offered her a new one

• That leader became a mentor who helped her stand confidently in her own abilities

• When Jamie left corporate and felt lost, the same person told her she was really good at writing

[00:17:20] From Blog to Business

• The mentor refused her excuses and listed every reason she was good enough

• Told her to just start a blog and see what happens

• That blog became a copywriting business, which became her ghostwriting practice

• She could have gone back to corporate; she chose to build something of her own

[00:19:40] Your God-Given Ability Is Not Difficult for You

• Most people dismiss their natural gifts because they feel too easy

• The thing that jazzes you most is usually the thing you are best at

• Others can see our gifts before we can; a trusted voice can unlock everything

• Don't assume something isn't worthwhile just because it comes naturally to you

[00:21:20] Paying It Forward Through Leadership

• While still in corporate, managed a team using everything her mentor had taught her

• Most proud of the impact she had on people through leadership during that season

• Because of what she received, she was able to give it forward to others on their journeys

[00:23:20] Final Word: Don't Put Yourself in a Box

• Went from accounting and finance to ghostwriting; most people take their gifts for granted

• It is never too late to follow your God-given talents

• Her whole business started with one small blog; it always starts with one step

KEY QUOTES

"A book is a way that purpose-driven leaders are able to scale their impact. That's what fires me up. The ripple effects." - Jamie Dykstra

"Don't put yourself in a box. Don't ever assume it's too late to follow your God-given talents and make the impact you want to make." - Jamie Dykstra

CONNECT WITH JAMIE DYKSTRA

🌐 Website: https://www.jamiedykstra.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-dykstra

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What if one celebrity client could permanently change the trajectory of your entire career?

In this episode, Dr. Catrise Austin, celebrity dentist turned brand authority strategist, shares how a bold move at a New York restaurant in the 1990s launched a career that would land her in hip hop history. She introduced herself to Isaac Hayes over dinner, became his dentist, went to the Oscars and Grammys, got a publicist through a barter deal, and eventually transformed Cardi B's smile on national television. The Cardi B episode aired as a season premiere on Love and Hip Hop, the song Bodak Yellow went number one, and TMZ ran the story. Her business tripled overnight.

What she built over 30 years wasn't just a celebrity dental practice. It was a masterclass in how relationships compound when you protect them the way most people protect money.

[00:04:20] What She Does and Who She Serves

• Brand authority strategist helping entrepreneurs become the go-to in their industries

• Uses the FAME Formula to help clients climb the authority ladder

• Works across dental, medical, corporate, and entrepreneurial spaces

[00:05:20] How She Got Here

• Two years after dental school, moved to New York and started networking

• Hit comedy clubs in the 90s and befriended a young Kevin Hart and Tracy Morgan

• Comedians opened for music acts; she started meeting people in the music industry

• Realized she could be the dentist to the stars and started passing out flyers at celebrity hotspots

[00:07:40] The Night That Started Everything: Isaac Hayes

• Walked up to Isaac Hayes at P. Diddy's restaurant and gave him her elevator pitch

• He had never seen a dentist like her; he invited her to sit down for dinner

• She left with his phone number and his promise to become her first celebrity client

• That one bold move launched her career as a celebrity dentist

[00:11:00] What Isaac Did Next

• Sent his assistant to vet her office before committing

• Once convinced, put her in his entourage and took her to the Oscars and Grammys

• Introduced her to Denzel Washington's wife, who gave her a home phone number she was too scared to call

• Encouraged her to get a publicist; her mom had a card for Eddie Murphy's publicist Terri Williams

[00:13:00] The Publicist Who Changed the Game: Renee Foster

• Terri Williams loved the story but charged $50,000 a month; she referred her to Renee Foster

• Renee didn't have a dentist; they bartered services

• In exchange for cleanings, Renee got her on the Today Show and Good Morning America

• That third-party visibility put her on the map in a way self-promotion never could

[00:15:40] What Inspires Her: The Power of a Smile

• Had terrible teeth growing up; her mom sacrificed as a single parent to get her braces

• Wearing braces for a year changed her confidence completely and made her want to become a dentist

• Seeing a smile transformation and knowing firsthand how it feels is the greatest feeling in dentistry

• The smile is your business card, your mood ring, and the first thing people notice about you

[00:19:20] The Relationship That Etched Her in History: Mona Scott-Young

• Music executive Mona Scott-Young managed P. Diddy, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, and 50 Cent

• They bonded after receiving an award together; Mona sent her the biggest music acts of the era

• Each high-profile referral added credibility and trust with the general public

• Fast forward to 2016: Mona was producing Love and Hip Hop on VH1

[00:21:40] Cardi B and the Billboard Number One

• Cardi B joined Love and Hip Hop with a big personality but teeth she was constantly mocked for

• Because of her relationship with Mona, Dr. Austin got the call to do the smile makeover

• The transformation aired as the season premiere and Cardi later referenced it in Bodak Yellow

• The song hit number one on Billboard; TMZ ran the story and her business tripled overnight

[00:25:40] How She Protects Relationship Capital

• People constantly ask her to introduce them to Cardi B; she never asks Cardi for anything

• Her rule: only make introductions that further the relationship with both parties

• She lost friends over refusing to make introductions; she has no regrets

• Treat clients like family; that is the foundation of everything she has built

[00:31:20] Client Impact: Omarosa's Mother

• Omarosa insisted her New York dentist fly to California to do her mother's smile makeover for a Discovery Channel show

• Her mother's teeth needed significant work; Dr. Austin coordinated four additional dentists

• Any Beverly Hills dentist could have done it; Omarosa's loyalty to their relationship made it happen

• Giving someone's mother a confident smile was one of the greatest honors of her career

[00:35:00] Final Word: Bring Back the Personal Touch

• Learned from Terri Williams's book The Personal Touch to go beyond digital communication

• Pick up the phone, write a personal note, send a postcard when traveling

• The small things nobody else is doing anymore are what make you stand out

• Honor your clients; treat them like family and they will never leave

KEY QUOTES

"You don't have to be the best at what you do to get the opportunities. Sometimes it's the best known that gets all the opportunities." - Dr. Catrise Austin

"I am so protective of the relationship I don't ask for anything. If I asked her for something, she would know this is a big deal, because I don't ask." - Dr. Catrise Austin

CONNECT WITH DR. CATRISE AUSTIN

Website: https://www.celebritybrandingusa.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-catrise-austin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebritybrandingusa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCatriseAustin

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What if one person noticing something in you changed the entire trajectory of your life?

In this episode, Samyr Laine, Haitian-American Olympian, attorney, and managing partner of Freedom Trail Capital, shares how a high school track coach who noticed a kid with leaping ability in gym class set off a chain of events that led to the Olympic Games, a call from the president of Haiti, boardrooms with Jay-Z and the NFL, and a venture fund investing at the intersection of culture, lifestyle, and influence.

Samyr was user number 14 on Facebook, roommates with Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard, and has built one of the most unusual and compelling careers in venture capital. But none of it traces back to a famous name or a prestigious institution. It traces back to Coach Burks, who saw something and said something.

[00:06:00] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Managing partner of Freedom Trail Capital, a consumer-focused venture fund

• Invests at the intersection of culture, lifestyle, and influence

• Raising a $50 million first fund with investments across baby care, hair care, pet care, and beverages

[00:07:40] What Inspires Him

• Driven by the pursuit of excellence in whatever role he is in

• Meets with founders even when he can't invest; every conversation teaches him something

• Reads nonfiction constantly to learn how others persevere

• Measures progress in bite-sized steps just like he did as an Olympic athlete

[00:13:00] How He Got Here

• After Harvard, got a master's at UT Austin then attended Georgetown Law

• Competed professionally in track and field for 10 years including the 2012 London Olympics

• Represented Haiti at seven world championships and three Pan American Games

• Started his real career as legal counsel in DC before moving into sports business

[00:14:00] From Sports Law to Roc Nation

• Started his real career as legal counsel for the Washington Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics

• Was happy in sports law when a recruiter called with an offer he couldn't refuse

• Jay-Z was looking for someone to handle operations at Roc Nation

• Left the sports world for a completely new chapter as an operator

[00:15:40] From Roc Nation to Westbrook

• Left Roc Nation after a couple of years and joined Westbrook Inc as SVP of Operations

• Helped oversee Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's entire media and production enterprise

• Moved to lead their consumer product division covering brands, licensing, and IP monetization

• Worked with talent ranging from Pelé and Patrick Mahomes to DJ Jazzy Jeff

[00:19:40] The Vision for Freedom Trail Capital

• Goal is to move from fund one to fund two to fund three

• Wants to be the tip of the spear for culturally relevant consumer brands

• Mission is to prove talent-backed businesses work when paired with discipline and rigor

• Model: find scalable, defensible businesses then add the right person of influence

[00:23:40] The First Relationship That Changed Everything: Coach Burks

• Got cut from his track team in eighth grade; came back junior year to find a new coach

• Coach Burks noticed his leaping ability in gym class and introduced him to the triple jump

• Had no idea what the triple jump was; just wanted to be a sprinter

• That one introduction led him to the 2012 London Olympics and seven world championships

[00:25:40] The Second Relationship: Desiree Perez of Roc Nation

• Working under Desiree shaped the pace, discipline, and operating style he carries today

• She put him in boardrooms with Facundo Bacardi and Roger Goodell of the NFL

• Was in the early rooms when Roc Nation partnered with the NFL on Super Bowl halftime entertainment

• The people he met in her orbit opened doors he could never have reached on his own

[00:27:40] What Coach Burks's Introduction Made Possible

• Chose to represent Haiti at the Olympics; the Haitian team had six athletes, the US had nearly 600

• After qualifying for the finals, received a personal call from the president of Haiti

• Town squares across Haiti filled with thousands watching the Olympic triple jump final

• He now sits on the board of a school and orphanage in Haiti; it all started with one introduction

[00:33:00] The Value of One Right Relationship

• One right relationship can pay dividends for decades in ways you never expected

• His introduction to the triple jump led to the Olympics, which still opens doors today

• Every stop was about gaining skills and being more useful at the next one

• One introduction can be worth as much as a check

KEY QUOTES

"Your network and your relationships, man, it cannot be overstated how valuable it is." - Samyr Laine

"The value of one right relationship. Sometimes it's gotta be at the right time. But the value of one right relationship is tremendous." - Samyr Laine

CONNECT WITH SAMYR LAINE

Website: https://www.freedomtrail.capital

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samyrlaine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samyrlaine

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What if the most important shift you could make as a leader isn't learning more, but learning to hear what's already being said?

In this episode, Guy Legare, clinical psychologist, executive leadership coach at Inperium, and lifelong student of listening, shares one of the most quietly powerful stories you will ever hear on this podcast. It begins in 1990 in New Brunswick, Canada, with a man named James who had been admitted to a psychiatric facility 43 times in 25 years, and ends with a breakfast conversation about Kentucky Fried Chicken that changed the entire direction of Guy's career.

Guy has spent 45 years obsessed with one question: how do I recognize the impact I am having on people so I can change it as quickly as possible? From a chance encounter with psychologist Herb Lovett, to a four-day conversation with a woman named Beth who became his soul sister, to 22 years of partnership with Ryan Dewey Smith at Inperium, every pivotal moment in Guy's life has come through a relationship he couldn't have planned.

[00:04:00] What He Does and Who He Serves

• Executive Director of Person Driven Clinical Solutions, retiring at the end of June 2026

• Executive Leadership Coach at Inperium for 22 years

• Dedicated 45 years to helping organizations build cultures of feedback and listening

[00:06:00] How He Got Here

• Dreamed of becoming a chemist; dropped out when it turned out to be boring

• Found a job supporting people with physical disabilities in Quebec City

• Watched a psychologist reframe situations in a way that stopped everyone cold

• Went back to school, became a psychologist, and never looked back

[00:10:40] James and the 3AM Epiphany

• In 1990 was working with James, a man with 43 psychiatric admissions in 25 years

• After six months, James was getting more frustrated; the team assumed he was getting sick again

• Woke up at 3AM and realized the team might be the problem, not James

• Showed up unannounced at 8AM and asked James if their efforts had been frustrating him

[00:15:40] "That Took You Long Enough to Figure It Out"

• James leaned back, smiled, and said exactly that after six months of 70 to 90 hour weeks

• His requests were simple, human, and completely outside the clinical framework

• The frustration disappeared the moment they followed what James was actually asking for

[00:16:00] What Six Months of 90-Hour Weeks Actually Taught Him

• Was working 70 to 90 hours a week; none of it was landing the way he thought

• His belief that he was helping made it impossible to see that he wasn't

• The same pattern repeated with 10 or 11 other people; the lesson became undeniable

[00:20:20] James's Two Requests

• He didn't want the crisis line; calling it meant police, the ER, and months in a facility

• He wanted Bob, a familiar face who could remind him they had been through it before

• The psychiatric facility was closing; Bob could move into the community and keep doing the work he loved

[00:25:00] What Changed When They Finally Listened

• The minute the team followed what James was asking for, the frustration stopped

• He was still struggling with voices; what disappeared was his frustration with the helpers

• Admissions got shorter and further apart; he stopped losing his apartment every time

[00:27:00] The Lesson That Never Left

• No matter how certain you feel, check with the person you are trying to help

• Helpers must systematically verify their impact; it is now an evidence-based practice

• If someone tells you that you missed something, that feedback is a gift

[00:28:00] The Relationship That Changed Everything: Herb Lovett

• Met Herb at a two-day training in New Brunswick in the early 1990s

• Herb said: "The day I realized I was my client's biggest problem, they all started to do better"

• That sentence has guided Guy's work for 45 years

• Herb introduced him to Dr. Beth Bero in Pennsylvania, which changed everything again

[00:29:00] The Soul Sister: Dr. Beth Bero

• Met Beth through Herb; described it as meeting a long-lost soul sister

• They talked nonstop for four days about the work they were both passionate about

• Everything Guy knows about conflict, group work, and team dynamics came from her

• A one-year contract became two, then three; he met his wife and never left Pennsylvania

[00:33:20] The Thunderbird Framework at Inperium

• Uses a leadership framework inspired by the USAF Thunderbirds

• The Thunderbirds fly within one inch of each other and debrief after every show without rank

• Applying the same principle at Inperium: honest, rank-free debriefing to identify and correct drift

• The goal is not blame; it is to keep inching closer to where the team needs to be

[00:35:40] Inperium's Vision and Guy's Role Going Forward

• Inperium has grown from 8 organizations in one state to nearly 30 across 21 states

• Guy articulates and practices the leadership framework across the full network

• Runs the Inperium Leadership Series to build trust and alignment across affiliates

• Everything the executive team learns is designed to be adapted by affiliate CEOs too

KEY QUOTES

"The day I realized as a psychologist I was my client's biggest problem, they all started to do a whole lot better." - Herb Lovett, as shared by Guy Legare

"If someone tells you that you missed something, the feedback they're giving me is a gift." - Guy Legare

CONNECT WITH GUY LEGARE

Website: https://www.inperium.org

Leadership Profile: https://www.inperium.org/leadership/guy-legare

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-legare-3aa1b437

Thanks for tuning in!

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