Most people don’t realize it…

They’re living out patterns they didn’t choose.

In this episode, Nathan sits down with Bernii Godwin to explore how trauma, neuroscience, and environment shape the way we think, act, and lead.

This conversation dives deep into:

• Why you repeat the same behaviors
• How your brain tricks you into staying stuck
• The role of safety in personal growth
• What real leadership actually looks like

If you’re ready to break old patterns and step into who you were created to be—this episode is for you.

🔥 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How trauma influences decision-making
• Why familiarity feels safe (even when it’s harmful)
• How to create environments where growth is possible
• The truth about failure and transformation

🔗 CONNECT WITH BERNII

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

⭐ CALL TO ACTION

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Follow the podcast
• Leave a review
• Share it with a friend

Let’s grow together—more than before.

Success isn’t always what it seems.

In this episode of More Than Before, Rebecca Faust shares her journey from high-achieving perfectionist to living a life of alignment, courage, and purpose.

After experiencing burnout, anxiety, and the loss of her mother at a young age, Rebecca began to question everything she thought success was supposed to be.

This conversation dives into:

• Why high achievers often feel unfulfilled
• The difference between confidence and courage
• How burnout can actually lead to clarity
• Letting go of perfection and embracing authenticity
• Finding purpose beyond performance

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected—this episode is for you.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Courage vs Confidence
00:13 When Success Feels Empty
05:04 The Drive Behind Overachievement
12:01 Transitioning Into Career Success
17:13 Burnout & Wake-Up Calls
19:07 Loss, Perspective & Purpose
25:00 Authenticity in Relationships
30:15 Anxiety & “Not Enough”
35:08 Expanding Beyond Self-Help
40:15 Breaking Isolation & Taboo Topics
44:06 Speaking Truth & Gaining Clarity
49:03 Identifying Fear Patterns
50:28 Why High Achievers Don’t Stop
52:03 Learning to Step Back
55:56 Creative Growth & Identity
58:28 Living with Presence
1:00:33 Becoming More Than Before

💡 Key Takeaways

• Courage—not confidence—is what creates change
• Burnout is often a signal of misalignment
• You are not your achievements
• Growth requires honesty, vulnerability, and action
• The life you want is often on the other side of fear

🔗 Connect with Rebecca Faust

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-faust/

If this episode impacted you, take the next step:

👉 Share this episode with someone who needs it
👉 Follow the show for more conversations like this
👉 Leave a review—it helps more people find this message

And ask yourself:

Where in your life do you need more courage… right now?

🔥 Episode Summary

Shane Hanno’s story is one of transformation—from addiction and anger to purpose and peace.

After years of alcohol abuse, broken relationships, and identity struggles, Shane reached a breaking point that forced him to confront everything.

What followed wasn’t self-help… it was a complete shift in identity, faith, and direction.

This episode dives into:

• Addiction and identity
• Breaking destructive cycles
• Forgiveness and healing
• Faith and transformation
• Living with purpose

If you’ve ever felt stuck or lost—this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

⏱️ Key Moments

• Growing up without direction
• When addiction took over
• The breaking point that changed everything
• The role of faith in transformation
• Why forgiveness is essential
• How to build a new identity

💡 Takeaways

• You are not defined by your past
• Change is possible—but it requires surrender
• Your identity determines your direction
• Community is critical for growth
• True peace comes from alignment, not achievement

📢 CALL TO ACTION

If this episode resonated with you:

⭐ Follow the podcast
⭐ Leave a review
⭐ Share with someone who needs encouragement🔥 Episode Summary

Shane Hanno’s story is one of transformation—from addiction and anger to purpose and peace.

After years of alcohol abuse, broken relationships, and identity struggles, Shane reached a breaking point that forced him to confront everything.

What followed wasn’t self-help… it was a complete shift in identity, faith, and direction.

This episode dives into:

• Addiction and identity
• Breaking destructive cycles
• Forgiveness and healing
• Faith and transformation
• Living with purpose

If you’ve ever felt stuck or lost—this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

⏱️ Key Moments

• Growing up without direction
• When addiction took over
• The breaking point that changed everything
• The role of faith in transformation
• Why forgiveness is essential
• How to build a new identity

💡 Takeaways

• You are not defined by your past
• Change is possible—but it requires surrender
• Your identity determines your direction
• Community is critical for growth
• True peace comes from alignment, not achievement

📢 CALL TO ACTION

If this episode resonated with you:

⭐ Follow the podcast
⭐ Leave a review
⭐ Share with someone who needs encouragement

What happens when a woman stops hustling to prove herself and starts living from the truth that she is already worthy?

In this episode of More Than Before, Nathan sits down with Tina Townsend — Vice President of the Martin County Chamber of Commerce, Head of Sales and Client Relations for Alpha Omega Leadership, event emcee, wife, mom, and a woman deeply committed to serving others with faith, grit, and authenticity.

Raised in the Permian Basin of West Texas, Tina shares how ranch life, strong family values, marriage, motherhood, faith, and leadership shaped her into the woman she is today. From growing up on horseback and packing wool on the ranch, to doing hair, leading in business, emceeing large events, homeschooling her daughters, and helping women rediscover their worth, Tina’s story is full of strength, humility, and purpose.

This conversation dives into:

• confidence and identity for women
• raising strong daughters
• faith and obedience
• marriage and communication
• community and encouragement
• serving others without losing yourself
• why women need spaces that remind them who they already are

If you’ve ever struggled with insecurity, comparison, or feeling unseen in the middle of a busy life, this episode is for you.

In This Episode

• Tina’s West Texas upbringing and ranch life
• how she unexpectedly became Vice President of the Martin County Chamber of Commerce
• why she loves serving people
• her fear of public speaking and how she became an emcee
• raising confident girls through homeschooling and intentional parenting
• why women need encouragement, community, and reminders of their worth
• how faith became central in her marriage and motherhood
• the heart behind Alpha Omega Leadership’s Masterpiece Women event

Chapters

00:00 Tina’s message to women about confidence and worth
00:28 Introduction to Tina Townsend
01:04 How Tina went from secretary to VP of the Chamber
04:02 Why serving others has always been part of her life
04:57 Growing up on a ranch in West Texas
06:47 Tina and her sister’s adventurous childhood
10:04 Raising strong, imaginative daughters
15:39 Why kids should learn to solve problems
16:08 What Tina wanted to be growing up
19:07 Fear of speaking and the first time she announced publicly
23:56 From hiding under a table to emceeing live events
26:10 Tina’s path from teaching to cosmetology to leadership
30:04 Why so many women struggle to see their worth
32:35 Obedience, saying yes, and serving others
36:05 Why women need community
38:40 Tina’s real story about insecurity and comparison
42:35 Faith, motherhood, and raising daughters with intention
46:44 Marriage, communication, and what she learned from her parents
51:20 The Masterpiece Women event
53:34 What women will experience at the event
54:41 What “More Than Before” means to Tina

Links & Resources Mentioned

Masterpiece Women Event Tickets:
https://offer.aoleadership.com/masterpiece-offer

Alpha Omega Leadership:
https://aoleadership.com

About Tina Townsend

Tina Townsend is the Head of Sales and Client Relations for Alpha Omega Leadership, the Vice President of the Martin County Chamber of Commerce, and an emcee for Alpha Omega Leadership events. She is passionate about encouraging women, serving others, building community, and helping people step into greater confidence and purpose.

Connect with More Than Before

Instagram: @morethanbeforepodcast

What if rebuilding community starts with something as simple as saying hello?

Nathan Cook sits down with leadership mentor and nonprofit founder Chip Webster to talk about microvalidations—small actions that affirm someone’s humanity and reconnect us in a divided culture.

After decades developing CEOs and leading executive groups, Chip’s mission has shifted toward something bigger: helping people rediscover responsible citizenship through service, listening, and human connection.

This conversation explores leadership, entrepreneurship, democracy, faith, and the loneliness epidemic—and why volunteering and community involvement may be the most powerful solutions we have.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can make a real difference right now, this episode will give you a starting point.

Guest Resources

Unity in Service
https://unityinservice.org

Book: Unity in Service – A Pathway to Responsible Citizenship

Tampa Bay Watch
https://tampabaywatch.org

Topics Discussed

• Leadership lessons from Sears
• Entrepreneurship and risk
• Listening as a leadership skill
• Democracy and pluralism
• The loneliness epidemic
• Volunteering and civic responsibility
• Microvalidations and human dignity

Episode Chapters

00:42 — Chip’s leadership journey
03:56 — Traveling America and noticing human connection
06:12 — Early work ethic lessons
15:00 — Leadership lessons from Sears
19:54 — Fear of failure and sales
21:20 — Risk and entrepreneurship
29:12 — Why democracy requires pluralism
30:31 — Fatherhood and unlimited love
34:01 — Listening without arguing
43:25 — The Microvalidations poem
47:10 — Citizen responsibility
49:44 — Serve something bigger than yourself
50:59 — Becoming more than before

Reflection Question

What is your responsibility in your community today?

What does it look like to live “svelte”—not just in business, but in life?

CPA, author, and entrepreneur Duane Deason joins Nathan Cook on More Than Before to share how global childhood experiences shaped his identity, how operational discipline can protect families (not just profits), and why becoming “more than before” starts with redefining success.

Duane grew up across South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden, later biked across America with a Christian group, started a business at 27, and faced a fatherhood moment that changed everything. This episode is part leadership, part life audit—and a powerful reminder that how we operate reflects who we are.

Key Takeaways:

• Why many companies manage costs poorly—and why layoffs aren’t the first answer

• The difference between being “lean” and being svelte (lean + attractive + healthy)

• How global perspective builds resilience, empathy, and adaptability

• The fatherhood “crucible” that reshaped Duane’s priorities

• Applying operational wisdom to life: cut noise, protect what matters

• Beekeeping lessons that surprisingly translate to relationships and conflict

• Faith as a journey: conviction, presence, and seasons of growth

Timeline / Chapters:

00:00 – Redefining success + what “More Than Before” really means
00:33 – Intro: perspective, integrity, and stewardship
01:11 – Why Duane launched a podcast (teach people to fish)
02:28 – Growing up overseas: the lens it gave him
05:12 – Sweden vs. Saudi Arabia: two different worlds
06:44 – Culture shock coming back to the U.S.
08:18 – Parents, truth, honor, and work ethic
12:29 – Boarding school + broken leg turning point
15:22 – Choosing accounting (a fork-in-the-road moment)
17:22 – Biking across America + learning from small towns
22:55 – Starting a business at 27
25:07 – Fatherhood changes the definition of success
30:07 – Marriage, work priorities, and honesty
32:45 – Small business passion + big business waste
36:12 – Defining “Svelte” (lean + attractive)
38:16 – Cut costs to fuel growth, not just profit
40:07 – “Svelte for Life”: simplifying what steals time
44:56 – Beekeeping, nature, and living grounded
47:13 – The bee lesson on relationships
48:29 – Faith in phases
50:52 – Duane’s definition of “More Than Before”
52:32 – Outro + share this with someone who needs it

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.
And DM Nathan on Instagram with your biggest takeaway: What do you need to “trim” to live more svelte?

What happens when your doctor says,
“We’ve been fighting to save your eye… now it’s time to fight for your life”?

In this powerful episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook sits down with Diana Fritz—executive leader, mom, woman of faith, and author of Uniquely Imperfect, Uniquely Qualified.

Diana shares her journey through a rare cancer near her left eye, multiple surgeries, and ultimately losing her eye—while choosing to live as a victor, not a victim. This conversation explores faith, resilience, leadership, humor in adversity, and why imperfection can actually qualify you to help others.

If you’re walking through a hard season, this episode will re-center your perspective and remind you that your scars don’t disqualify you—they can shine.

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 — “It came back and started to spread again…”
00:18 — Introduction: why Diana’s story re-centers you
01:11 — Growing up in Pennsylvania + family legacy
02:44 — Sunday dinners, faith, and childhood memories
06:10 — Lessons from her grandparents: work ethic & grace
09:06 — Who Diana was as a kid: athlete, peacemaker, DISC “S”
11:38 — Childhood dreams and early ambition
12:20 — Torn ACL, loss of identity, and first major pivot
14:33 — Man’s Search for Meaning and choosing your response
18:01 — Faithfulness, leadership, and unexpected open doors
20:05 — First cancer diagnosis near her left eye
24:53 — “Stop fighting to save your eye. Fight for your life.”
25:11 — 10–12 hour surgery and losing her eye
26:18 — Humor in suffering: “God didn’t make me a pirate.”
26:40 — How her journey shaped her sons
30:03 — Turning discomfort and curiosity into connection
31:55 — Losing her sense of smell + burning homework story
34:18 — Gratitude, adaptation, and a new normal
36:26 — What still drives her today: adding value to people
38:59 — Why imperfection can actually qualify you
42:07 — Living visibly and embracing accountability
43:01 — Nutrition, sugar, and health awareness after cancer
44:15 — Faith becoming personal through adversity
48:52 — Community, boundaries, and going to God first
51:44 — Kintsugi: brokenness made beautiful
55:52 — What “More Than Before” means now
57:28 — Final encouragement + call to action

Connect with Diana on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-fritz-b032064/

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode encouraged you.
Be more. See more. Experience more… than before.

Most leaders don’t burn out because they’re weak. They burn out because they’re trying to survive a wilderness season with the wrong tools—and with no margin left.

In this episode of the More Than Before Podcast, Nathan Cook sits down with pastor and leadership coach Robb Gossen (aka “Shifting the Wilderness”) to reframe burnout, pressure, and hard seasons through a lens of surrender, identity, and transformation. Robb shares his own story of burnout, what he learned coming out of it, and how leaders can stop trying to muscle their way through and start building a healthier, more sustainable way to live, lead, and love.

If you’re leading at work, leading at home, and feeling stretched thin—this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• The wilderness isn’t a season to dread—it can become a season of growth if you learn how to see it differently.
• You don’t always go from wilderness → promised land; often it’s wilderness → wilderness, and each season requires a new “toolbox.”
• Surrender is the turning point: you can’t shift your perspective until you stop denying where you are and release control of the outcome.
• Margin is the first thing to disappear on the road to burnout—when margin is gone, people become more reactive than responsive.
• Identity isn’t “one-size-fits-all.” Your strength, purpose, and calling must be anchored in being loved, valued, and created with purpose—not tied to performance or role.
• Marriage and leadership aren’t 50/50—they’re 100/100, with seasons where one person carries more when the other can’t.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 — The wilderness isn’t something to dread
00:28 — Robb’s focus: helping leaders/pastors facing burnout
02:06 — Robb’s burnout story and the “Shifting the Wilderness” framework
05:10 — You don’t go from wilderness to promised land—often it’s wilderness to wilderness
07:53 — “Different wilderness = different toolbox” (stop using old tools)
09:13 — There’s still life in the wilderness (perspective shift)
10:09 — Why camping in the wilderness reveals what’s buried in you
12:04 — Nathan’s “desert comes alive at night” perspective point
12:53 — Robb’s childhood: farm life in Southeast Kansas → ministry journey
17:35 — Farm lessons: hard work, improvisation, handling the unexpected
20:08 — Marriage wisdom from generations: love, joy, faithfulness over time
24:53 — Crucible moments in marriage: grief, loss, and suffering together
31:01 — How surrender changes the wilderness (and your leadership)
35:04 — “Marriage isn’t 50/50—it’s 100/100”
36:13 — Corrie ten Boom + the “fleas” perspective story
36:26 — Do we stay in the wilderness because we won’t learn the lesson?
42:47 — Burnout warning signs: control, overwork, and disappearing margin
44:16 — The “book margin” metaphor: why margin is essential to health
50:20 — Identity, purpose, and the danger of forcing a single model of “manhood”
56:57 — 1 Corinthians 12–13: gifts don’t matter without love
01:02:32 — How to connect with Robb + why this matters
01:03:52 — “More Than Before” for Robb: living with more grace, joy, peace

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Connect with Robb: Instagram — @shiftingthewilderness
  https://www.instagram.com/shiftingthewilderness/
• Corrie ten Boom (referenced story about perspective): The Hiding Place
  https://www.corrietenboom.com/the-hiding-place/
• Bible passages referenced:
• 1 Corinthians 12–13 (community, gifts, and love)
• Galatians 5:22–23 (fruit of the Spirit)
• The wilderness narrative in Exodus / Israel’s journey

Call to Action

If you’re in a wilderness season—or you know a leader who’s quietly burning out—share this episode with them. Then take 30 seconds to follow/subscribe and leave a rating and review on Spotify. It helps more people find these conversations and start living with greater purpose, margin, and grace.

Remember: be more, see more, and experience more… More Than Before.

In this episode of More Than Before, Nathan sits down with Joe Buys, performance coach and founder of Buys Family Fitness, to talk about identity, faith, fatherhood, marriage, mentorship, and what it really means to win in life.

Joe shares his journey from growing up in small-town Michigan, chasing music dreams in Los Angeles, and grinding through hardship—only to discover that true strength isn’t built through performance alone, but through surrender, discipline, and service.

This conversation is for anyone who wants to:

• Build strength without losing their soul
• Lead their family with humility and conviction
• Redefine success beyond money, titles, or trophies
• Train their body while protecting their heart

🔗 CONNECT WITH JOE BUYS & BUYS FAMILY FITNESS

🌐 Buys Family Fitness Website
https://buysfamilyfitness.com

📅 Train with Joe / Book a Session
https://buysfamilyfitness.com/our-services

📸 Instagram – @buysfamilyfitness
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568531346503

🎥 YouTube – Buys Family Fitness
https://www.youtube.com/@JoeBuys

💼 Joe Buys on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-buys-cscs-12b43734b/

📘 Buys Family Fitness on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/buysfamilyfitness

⛪ MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Athey Creek Church
https://atheycreek.com/

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

⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

00:06 — Joe’s origin story: small-town Michigan to LA grind
02:48 — Mentors, coaches, and a life-changing pivot
06:09 — Why your circle shapes your future
10:05 — Sports, music, and misplaced identity
11:51 — Faith awakening and hunger for Scripture
19:21 — “Dream the impossible” vs God’s calling
23:15 — Forgiveness, father wounds, and refinement
32:15 — Habits, goals, and input vs output
37:24 — Marriage crisis & birth of Buys Family Fitness
43:21 — Family-first training philosophy
49:58 — Redefining winning & legacy
1:02:05 — Marriage, partnership, and Proverbs 31 strength
1:27:24 — Family devotionals & spiritual formation
1:33:02 — What “More Than Before” really means
1:40:12 — Final encouragement

📖 SCRIPTURE REFERENCED

Colossians 3:23

Philippians 4:7

Matthew 6:25–34

Ephesians 6:10–18

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ezekiel 36:26

Proverbs 31

Ephesians 5:25

📚 BOOKS & IDEAS MENTIONED

Atomic Habits – James Clear

Make Your Bed – Admiral William H. McRaven

Jackie Robinson: A Biography – Arnold Rampersad

💡 BIG TAKEAWAYS

• Mentors matter more than motivation
  
• Identity built on performance will always fail
  
• Preparation beats hype every time
  
• Winning means helping others win
  
• Family is the first ministry
  
• “More Than Before” is transformation, not self-improvement

🔑 SPOTIFY SEARCH KEYWORDS

faith and fitness, christian fitness, family fitness, christian leadership, fatherhood, mentorship, strength training, identity in Christ, Buys Family Fitness, Joe Buys, More Than Before Podcast

What happens when life forces you to slow down, let go of control, and face your own mortality?

In this powerful episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook sits down with Deb Krier—PR expert, master communicator, and three-time cancer thriver—to talk about what it truly means to live fully when tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

Deb shares her journey through stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, surviving a rare chemo complication that led to septic shock, and how humor, curiosity, faith, and the right people helped her move from simply surviving to living with purpose.

This conversation covers:
• Why curiosity is the key to becoming more than you were yesterday
• How humor heals and creates connection in hard seasons
• What people actually need when facing cancer or crisis
• Why choosing the right tribe matters more than proximity
• How to advocate for yourself when life feels out of control
• What it means to live a life that is truly More Than Before

This episode is honest, hopeful, and filled with laughter—especially for anyone navigating illness, caregiving, leadership pressure, or a season of uncertainty.

👉 If this conversation encouraged you, share it with someone who needs hope today.

⏱ Episode Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Don’t wait. Be curious.
00:23 – Meet Deb Krier: cancer thriver, communicator, podcaster
01:38 – Growing up in Walden, Colorado
03:18 – Parents, independence, and early life lessons
05:21 – Outdoor childhood and learning freedom
07:24 – Broadway dreams and law ambitions
11:35 – Early jobs and learning self-advocacy

14:11 – Learning communication at the American Cancer Society
15:12 – Comedy, coping, and emotional resilience
17:40 – The mammogram call that changed everything
21:17 – Chemo complications and septic shock survival
26:51 – Regaining control inside the hospital
31:07 – Listening deeply and human connection
33:41 – Building Wise Women Communications
35:29 – Launching Trying Not To Die
38:47 – How to support someone with cancer
42:05 – Why Deb calls cancer a blessing
45:13 – Marriage, caregiving, and tribe
49:47 – Track the beagle and finding levity
53:34 – Why humor breaks down walls
55:17 – What it means to live More Than Before
56:21 – Final encouragement

Key Takeaways

• Don’t wait to live. Tomorrow is never promised.
• Curiosity fuels growth. Asking better questions leads to becoming more.
• Your tribe matters. Choose people who support, not just surround.
• Be specific when helping others. Concrete support matters more than vague offers.
• Humor heals. Laughter lowers stress and builds connection.
• You get a vote. Advocate for yourself—in health, leadership, and life.

🔗 Guest & Resource Links

Deb Krier• Trying Not To Die: https://tryingnottodie.live

• Wise Women Communications
• Podcast: Business Power Hour (1,100+ episodes)

More Than Before
• Follow on Instagram: @morethanbeforepodcast
• Subscribe for weekly conversations on faith, leadership, resilience, and growth