... What Really Drives a Founder

Most people celebrate the founder story once it’s polished.

But this episode isn’t about the exit. It’s about everything you had to survive before you even started.

In Conversation No. 024, I sit down with my close friend Ryan Shank—entrepreneur, operator, and builder—to unpack what’s underneath the hustle. We talk about childhood wounds, chasing validation, leadership, therapy, identity, and the personal cost of building something that lasts.

We get into the mental and emotional side of business, what profit sharing really means, how to lead with empathy, and the grit it takes to face your past and still show up as a CEO.

Listen in if you’ve ever questioned whether you’re building from purpose… or pain.

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Learn More About Share Willow

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... And the Fight to Be Whole in a Curated World

Behind the highlight reels and polished branding, there’s a quiet war between who we really are and who we think we need to be.

In this conversation, I sat down with Alex and Jessica Weber to talk about the trap of performing for approval—how it shows up in our careers, relationships, faith, and sense of identity.

Alex is an award-winning keynote speaker, leadership coach, and author who’s taken stages across the world. Jessica is a faith and fitness coach who challenges women to pursue wholeness—in body, spirit, and identity. Together, they’re building a life rooted in purpose and growth—without letting the pressure to perform steal the joy of being real.

We talked about the cost of honesty in a world that rewards the curated, trusting God when the path isn’t clear, and the fight to live with integrity when everything around you says, “just keep up the image.”

This isn’t just a conversation about marriage, careers, or belief—it’s about identity and surrender. It’s about resisting the pressure to perform and choosing instead to live with integrity, purpose, and real vulnerability.

Join us as we unpack the cost of authenticity—and why it’s always worth it.

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Alex Weber - Website

Jessica Weber - Website

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... And the Discipline to Grow Anyway

What are you willing to sacrifice?

In this Memorial Day reflection, I’m going all in on what most people avoid: the hard, painful, often thankless work of cutting back what’s holding you back.

From honoring those who paid the ultimate price to asking ourselves what kind of legacy we’re building, this episode is about facing the brutal truth—growth doesn’t happen without discipline. Or pruning. Or pain.

We talk about the difference between coasting and carrying weight, about the kind of people you surround yourself with, and why your work ethic might be the real reason you're stuck. Because gratitude without action is just sentiment—and purpose without discipline? That’s just a dream you’ll never chase.

If you're feeling the pull to level up but keep resisting the cutbacks, listen in. It’s time to grow like you mean it.

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...But You Have to Face the Pain to Find the Light

This isn’t just a conversation about trauma—it’s a conversation about what comes after.

In this deeply personal and unfiltered episode, I sit down with therapist and trauma survivor Bekah George to talk about the pain most people never say out loud. We unpack the difference between guilt and shame, the weight of childhood trauma, and the slow, deliberate process of choosing healing over hiding.

Bekah shares her journey of grieving, setting boundaries, and ultimately finding purpose in her pain. I share my own story of bullying, body image, spiritual shame, and finally facing a violent moment that changed everything.

You don’t just wake up one day healed.

You fight for it. Bleed for it. Grieve for it.

We talk about the weight of silence, the courage it takes to grieve what could’ve been, and how your story—no matter how broken—can become someone else’s permission to begin again.

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The Compound Effect of Every Choice You Make

The most dangerous part? You won’t even notice it happening.

You wake up. You go through the motions. You tell yourself you’re fine.

But what you’re really doing... is compounding mediocrity.

In this raw, solo milestone episode of The MyCORE Podcast, I’m sharing the truth I’ve lived—not just read about—in The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy and The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson: that every decision you make, no matter how small, is shaping your life. The problem is, most people are sleepwalking through those decisions.

I unpack the real story behind the growth of MyCORE—not the glossy highlight reel, but the unsexy reality of small, deliberate actions repeated long enough to become unstoppable momentum.

You’ll hear:

1. ​How unconscious habits become your life’s architecture
2. ​The myth of the “big break” and why success is never a single moment
3. ​Why daily discipline beats motivation every time
4. ​What it really means to play the long game—and win
5. ​How to interrupt the autopilot loop and rewire your trajectory

This isn’t motivation—it’s mechanics. You’re either compounding toward the future you want or the one you’ll regret.

Buy These Books!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📚 The Compound Effect

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📚 The Slight Edge

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Leadership Lessons You Can’t Script

This week on The MyCORE Podcast, I’m sitting down with Misty Megia for a conversation that proves leadership isn’t just about boardrooms and spreadsheets—it’s about owning the stage, both in business and in life.

Misty, a powerhouse who’s taken her passion for theater and turned it into a thriving career in leadership, shares her journey from shy kid to confident CEO. We dive deep into the transformative power of performance art, how to find your voice, and why being seen and heard is crucial in business.

But it’s not all spotlight and applause. We also talk about the real challenges of navigating business during a pandemic, shifting to virtual events, and the lessons learned from a painful $85,000 loss in her first month.

This episode is packed with raw truths about public speaking, overcoming anxiety, the importance of authenticity in leadership, and the power of surrounding yourself with the right people. If you’re ready to take the stage in your own business journey, this conversation will give you the confidence to step into the spotlight and lead like a pro.

Links to Add:

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... But You Can Choose How You Live After It

Grief doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It hits, and when it does, it shakes you to your core. This week on The MyCORE Podcast, I sit down with Bradley Knefelkamp to talk about his journey through unimaginable loss—his son Logan’s suicide—and how it reshaped his life.

We dive into the depths of grief, the heavy weight of guilt, and how addiction often feeds off pain, wreaking havoc on relationships and self-worth. But what really struck me in this conversation was Brad’s resilience. It wasn’t the grief that defined him—it was his decision to keep moving forward, to rebuild in the aftermath, and to face his demons head-on.

Brad shares some of the toughest lessons he’s learned: how to show up for your family, how to navigate your own brokenness, and how to lean into community when it feels like you’re carrying the weight alone.

He talks about the raw spiritual insights that guided him, the hard conversations with himself, and the unwavering belief that, even in the darkest times, we have the power to choose who we become.

For me, this conversation is a reminder that life will throw punches, but we decide how to stand after each one. Brad’s story is one of strength, transformation, and the unwavering belief that you can live through anything.

If you’re interested in Brad’s book, you can find it here: The Shoppe of Endarkenment

…And The Power In No Longer Needing To.

I spent years trying to become someone that looked successful on paper—chasing validation, clinging to titles, and convincing myself the grind would make it all worth it. In this conversation with Ned Arick, we go way back—into childhood dynamics, broken belief systems, and the silent motivations that shaped our early ambition.

We talk about the cost of climbing when you don’t know why you’re climbing, the way pain can disguise itself as drive, and the turning points that forced us to confront the difference between performing and becoming. This one’s not just about business. It’s about identity, purpose, and the long road from survival to self-awareness.

Oh—and if you’re tired of business podcasts that talk at you instead of with you, Ned and I just launched The Chairmen—the business podcast for people who don’t like business podcasts. Come sit with us.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nathan.bourne

Listen to The Chairmen: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/thechairmen

Connect with Ned on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedarick/

Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanbourne/

www.mycore.ai

Healing isn't clean. It's courageous.

Ryan Escalera and I don’t share the same story—but we speak the same language. The language of recovery, of brotherhood, of looking in the mirror and deciding to rewrite the script we inherited. In this conversation, we talk about addiction, but we also talk about fatherhood, identity, culture, and choosing goodness even when it's hard.

Ryan’s journey through sobriety as a single dad is gut-wrenching and grounding. He opens up about the cultural norms that make alcohol feel inescapable, the triggers he faces, and how community and connection help him stay the course. And for the first time, I go deeper into my own story—what brought me to the edge, what made me stay, and what ultimately pulled me back.

This isn’t a PSA. This is real life. This is two men talking about the hard stuff. The moments that hurt. The days that nearly took us out. And why we keep choosing to stay, to show up, and to be better—not perfect—but better.

Key takeaways:

• Recovery isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily practice.

• Fitness, therapy, and brotherhood aren’t fixes—but they’re lifelines.

• Our relationships with our fathers shape us. And we get to decide what we pass on.

• You are not your addiction. You are not your lowest moment.
• Choosing goodness is hard. But it’s always worth it.

What It Really Takes to Build, Believe, and Become

In this conversation, I sit down with Greg Vetter, who knows what it means to grind, to build, and to face the weight of expectation. We dive into the unfiltered realities of success—the sacrifices, the shame of failure, and the raw effort it takes to make something real. From childhood lessons in Annapolis to the pressures of social capital, from balancing work and family to the journey of unbecoming, we explore what it truly means to believe in yourself, your faith, and your purpose.

This one’s for the builders, the dreamers, and the ones willing to face the cost. Let’s get into it.

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