Angelica Fuentes on Women’s Economic Empowerment, Resilience, and Building Nowful

In this  ⁨@SilverDisobedience⁩  Perception Dynamics episode, Dian Griesel interviews business leader, investor, philanthropist, and women’s economic empowerment advocate Angelica Fuentes, who shares how she grew up in a traditional Mexican family, began working at age 11, learned to ask for what she deserved, and rose through hands-on roles to become CEO of her family’s energy group at 29.

Ms. Fuentes discusses being the only woman in many leadership rooms, leading major industry and APEC roles, and the importance of cooperating rather than competing, proving capability despite gender obstacles, and using both feminine (creative) and masculine (drive) energy. She emphasizes learning from failure, choosing attitude over victimhood, and empowering women through opportunity and education, including experiences with girls in Guatemala and women in Latin America.

Ms. Fuentes also introduces her wellness company Nowful, featuring an app, affirmation cards, and products designed to support rest, presence, and resilience.

You can learn more at any of these links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelica-fuentes/

https://www.instagram.com/angelicafuentes63/

https://www.instagram.com/nowfuljourney/

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I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠

For nearly 40 years, I’ve helped people understand what they may be missing — in themselves, in others, and in the situations they face — so they can communicate with greater clarity, make wiser decisions, and navigate both business and life more effectively.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth.

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The Gatsby Code: Why The Great Gatsby Still Haunts America with Bob Batchelor, historian and author

In this episode, host Dian Griesel talks with cultural historian and award-winning author Bob Batchelor about his book The Gatsby Code and why F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby still resonates 100 years after publication. Batchelor traces the novel’s post – World War II rise in classrooms, credits its enduring power to Fitzgerald’s beautiful writing and Jay Gatsby’s ambiguity, and argues Gatsby functions as a mirror of America’s constant reinvention and complicated faith in the American dream. The conversation explores Jazz Age excess, prohibition-era rebellion, and the novel’s early depiction of celebrity culture to today’s social media and influencer dynamics, and also includes a discussion about Fitzgerald and Zelda’s own celebrity. Batchelor also previews his upcoming political thriller Are You a Patriot? and mentions a completed biography of Nolan Ryan.

Learn more about Bob Batchelor here: https://www.bobbatchelor.com/

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I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠

For nearly 40 years, I’ve helped people understand what they may be missing — in themselves, in others, and in the situations they face — so they can communicate with greater clarity, make wiser decisions, and navigate both business and life more effectively.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth.

Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

GoTavi Founder Shai Stern on Fixing the “Pipes” of Business: One Platform for Formation, Compliance, Insurance, Payments & More

Dian Griesel interviews serial entrepreneur Shai Stern, founder of Gotavi, about simplifying the inefficient “pipes” of running a business such as formation, compliance, registered agents/DBAs, insurance, payments/treasury, payroll (via an embedded third party), background checks, business licensing, answer engine optimization, and document repository needs, so founders can focus on growth. Stern explains how Gotavi combines built and embedded solutions into one collaborative platform that sequences users through tasks on gotavi.co, offering both AI-driven journeys and human support. He emphasizes efficiency, reducing vendor sprawl, and improving the handoff experience from sales to service, positioning Gotavi as a partner to attorneys, CPAs, and advisors, with options for referrals, embedding, and white-labeling. The discussion also highlights saving entrepreneurs’ energy and leadership bandwidth by making back-office operations run smoothly.

Connect with Shai here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaistern1/

Learn more about Gotavi: https://gotavi.co/

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ For nearly 40 years, I’ve helped people understand what they may be missing -- in themselves, in others, and in the situations they face -- so they can communicate with greater clarity, make wiser decisions, and navigate both business and life more effectively.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

Aldara Ortega: From Model to Underwater Fine Art Photographer | Painting With Light

Host Dian Griesel interviews New York/Miami based model and fine art photographer Aldara Ortega about her path from being scouted at 18 in Madrid to building a distinctive underwater photography practice.

Ortega shares how studying fashion design and darkroom photography, plus years of oil painting, shaped her editing approach -- treating images like a canvas and “painting with light” through color grading and selective enhancement. Inspired by swimming in a skylit New York pool, she began creating underwater images with a point-and-shoot and improvised gear, leading to early series like “Liquid Desert,” later refining her work into ethereal, motion-focused compositions using reflections and refractions.

Now in Miami, she offers commissioned underwater portraits, discusses ocean vs. pool conditions, her Canon and lite setup, free-diving certifications, and how her modeling experience helps guide subjects calmly and confidently.

Learn more and follow Aldara Ortega at any of these links:

Fine Art Underwater Photography: aloarts.com

IG: @alo.arts

Fashion & Portrait Photography: aldaraortega.com

IG:  @aldaraphotostudio

Newsletter: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1891532/170178903607870702/share

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠

But for starters…⁠ For nearly 40 years, I’ve helped people understand what they may be missing -- in themselves, in others, and in the situations they face -- so they can communicate with greater clarity, make wiser decisions, and navigate both business and life more effectively.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

SHOW RUN:

00:00 Meet Aldara Ortega

01:04 How She Started Modeling

02:07 From Fashion to Photography

04:11 Painting Influences Editing

07:08 Discovering Underwater Art

10:15 Early Series and Breakthrough

13:01 Style and Creative Process

16:44 Galleries and Representation

17:34 Commissioned Underwater Portraits

20:01 Gear and Underwater Setup

21:34 Breath Hold and Freediving

23:22 Directing and Empowering Muses

28:48 Next Projects and Travel

30:36 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

1031 Exchanges Explained: Defer Real Estate Taxes, Timelines, Reverse Exchanges & Estate Planning with Ryan Vassar, Esq. Host Dian Griesel interviews 1031 exchange specialist and qualified intermediary Ryan Vassar about how Section 1031 allows owners of investment real estate to sell property and defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting in like-kind replacement property. Mr. Vassar clarify what qualifies as investment property (including partial primary residences with rental/Airbnb use), how the IRS intent test works, and why early planning with a CPA/attorney matters to avoid disqualification. Ryan explains strict deadlines -- like the 45 days to identify and 180 days to close on a new property -- plus strategies like backup options and Delaware statutory trusts. He also discusses reverse exchanges when buying before selling. Together they cover misconceptions about needing to replace full sale value for full deferral; the unregulated nature of qualified intermediaries who hold sale proceeds in escrow; and, how repeated 1031s can support estate planning via stepped-up basis for heirs.You can connect with attorney Ryan Vassar, Esq. below:Website: www.ipx1031.com/vassarLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ryanvassar20Twitter: ryanvassar1031Instagram: ryanvassar1031Please SUBSCRIBE!I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally."Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.Show Run: 00:00 Taxes and 1031 Intro00:51 What Is a 103101:51 Airbnb and Mixed Use02:53 How Tax Deferral Works04:58 Planning and Pitfalls06:36 Defining Investment Intent10:16 When Not to 103111:27 Deadlines and Backup Options14:44 Reverse Exchanges Explained17:54 Deal Size and IRS Red Flags21:54 Qualified Intermediary Role24:53 Vetting QIs and Fund Safety30:06 Common Misconceptions32:01 Estate Planning and Step Up34:10 Wrap Up and Subscribe

Somatic Psychotherapy Explained: Embodiment, Self-Regulation, Co-Regulation & Self-Worth | Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti

Host Dian Griesel interviews Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti about somatic psychotherapy and how “soma” (the body) can be used in a bottom-up approach to build self-awareness through sensing and felt experience, not just cognitive insight. Biasetti explains slowing down sessions to notice repeated words, tears, posture shifts, and tension, and describes how somatic work can lead to embodiment -- a more connected, compassionate relationship with the body. They discuss interoception (including heartbeat awareness), its link to deeper self-understanding and compassion, and how self-regulation is homeostasis marked by change, resilience, and the ability to return to center. The conversation covers flexibility versus rigidity, the full range of emotions, toxic positivity, belonging, and co-regulation via attunement and social engagement, including how early experiences and body differences can shape self-worth and body image.

Learn More here: https://www.anembodiedlife.com/

You can order Ann Saffi Biasetti's new book, Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm here: https://amzn.to/3TAlkkdPlease

SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

Show Run: 00:00 Welcome and Topics

00:34 What Somatic Means

02:32 Words and Body Cues

05:20 Slow Down to Sense

06:15 Ann Journey to Somatics

07:13 Embodiment and Compassion

11:47 Self Regulation Basics

14:31 Flexibility Over Control

17:17 Emotions and Social Scripts

22:07 Toxic Positivity and Belonging

27:35 Co Regulation Explained

32:02 Body Image and Difference

33:49 Parting Advice and Wrap Up

How Joshua Gould and TheBigWord Reduce Risk in Global Communication (Healthcare, Courts, Government & AI)

Host Dian Griesel interviews Joshua Gould, CEO of TheBigWord, about managing multilingual business communication and why miscommunication across cultures can be costly. Gould shares how he entered the field through an early eBay cross-border example and emphasizes that translation is broader than words, including context and nonverbal nuance. He explains TheBigWord’s role as a healthcare and government contractor providing written translation and on-demand human interpretation by phone, video, or in person, supported by 10,000 interpreters across 80+ countries and integrated into systems like Epic.

They discuss when AI or Google Translate is sufficient versus high-stakes situations like medicine and courts, the rising cost of AI “tokens,” and how AI will drive demand, workflow changes, and industry consolidation similar to the dot-com era.

Learn More here:

https://en-us.thebigword.com/

Connect with Joshua Gould here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuadgould/

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally."

Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

SHOW RUN: 00:00 Meet Joshua Gould

01:01 Language Nuance Stories

02:51 Origin of The Big Word

05:23 Translation Fails and AI

07:13 Healthcare Language Stakes

09:43 How The Big Word Works

12:42 When Humans Beat AI

16:29 Integrations and Workflow

17:35 Why AI Costs More

22:10 AI Future and Demand

25:34 Consolidation Ahead

31:23 Wrap Up and Next Time

Shannon Mann aka @OysterToPearls Shares Thoughts on Midlife Influencing, Breast Cancer, and The ProAge Project

Host Dian Griesel interviews midlife fashion influencer Shannon Mann well-known across social media as @OystersToPearls about how her creative roots led from sharing food and recipes to fashion content, and how a 2021 breast cancer diagnosis prompted her to use her platform more purposefully by showing “life during” and after cancer and connecting directly with other women for support.

Shannon discusses continuing to show up publicly through treatment, the importance of mindset, self-care, and exercise, and how meaningful relationships formed through social media matter more than the platform itself.

She also explains her fun outfit-change videos, being her own filming crew with an editor, the evolving realities of brand work (time demands, negotiation, gifting, and contract terms like perpetuity), her daily routine, and why influencing requires intense work.

Finally, she shares how @The ProAge Project began with six midlife women traveling and collaborating with brands.

You can follow Shannon at these links:

https://www.instagram.com/oysterstopearls/

https://www.instagram.com/theproageproject/

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

SHOW RUN:00:00 Meet Shannon Mann

01:22 Fashion Origins

01:53 Oysters to Pearls Begins

03:06 Sharing Breast Cancer

04:16 Showing Up Anyway

07:55 Mindset and Quality

10:09 Community Connection

13:38 Fun Outfit Videos

14:45 Family and Filming

20:46 Brands and Contracts

27:23 Daily Routine and Gratitude

28:58 Influencer Reality Check

33:05 The ProAge Project

35:40 Wrap Up and Links

Gerd Gigerenzer, Ph.D, on Risk Literacy, Heuristics, and Making Decisions Under Uncertainty

⁨@SilverDisobedience⁩  Perception Dynamics podcast host, Dian Griesel interviews psychologist and risk expert Gerd Gigerenzer about decision-making in an uncertain world; distinguishing calculable risks (like roulette) from uncertainty where “37s happen” (war, relationships, crises) and more. Gigerenzer explains that logic and consistency-based rationality don’t capture how people actually understand language and act, and argues that under uncertainty optimization is a fiction, so people rely on heuristics and Herbert Simon’s “satisficing,” which he links to modern option overload (e.g., Tinder) and unhappiness. They discuss learning to live with uncertainty, courage and responsibility in choices, and the benefits of collaborative decision-making (pilots vs. solo).

Gigerenzer warns about groupthink and defensive decisions in business and “defensive medicine” driven by US tort law. He highlights poor risk literacy (CT scan vs. Fukushima radiation), recommends better information and reading, and critiques tech-driven attention and mental health harms.

Bio:

Gerd Gigerenzer is a German psychologist and decision scientist known for his research on bounded rationality, heuristics, and risk literacy. His work explores how people make decisions under uncertainty, emphasizing the effectiveness of simple rules and intuitive reasoning over complex models.

Notable books authored by Gerd Gigerenzer include: Gut Feelings, Risk Savvy, Calculated Risks, Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart

Central to Gigerenzer’s work is the concept of “ecological rationality,” which argues that human decision-making strategies evolve to fit real-world environments rather than conforming to idealized models. He champions the use of “fast and frugal” heuristics—simple cognitive shortcuts that often outperform complex algorithms when time, data, or computational resources are limited. 

Gerd Gigerenzer's Website here has more information: https://www.gerd-gigerenzer.com/

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel, Ph.D. aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠

But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally.

"Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

Show Run:

00:00 Why News Feels Crazy

01:16 Risk vs Uncertainty

01:42 Logic and Intuition

03:06 What Is Rationality

03:45 Heuristics and Satisficing

06:30 Tinder and Commitment

07:48 Gigerenzer Origins

10:14 Learning Uncertainty

12:17 Courage to Decide

13:32 Team Decisions and Checklists

16:20 Groupthink and Defensive Choices

18:44 Defensive Medicine Reality

21:32 Radiation and Risk Literacy

22:38 Better Information Not More

25:34 Thinking in a Smart World

29:06 Closing and Subscribe

Maintain Weight Loss for Life: Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson on Identity Shifts, Food Addiction, and the Ozempic Era

Dian Griesel welcomes Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD, author of Maintain, to discuss why lasting weight loss often requires more than willpower, especially in the “Ozempic revolution.”

Thompson describes GLP-1 medications as a powerful but imperfect tool, noting weight regain, adaptation over time, the ability for sugar and processed foods to “break through,” and many people stopping within two years.

Dr. Thompson also raises concerns about reduced vagal tone and blunted intuition. She outlines three identity shifts for long-term maintenance—becoming devoted (a consistent lifestyle with strong support networks); resourced (new coping skills and deeper inner work instead of eating over stress); and, liberated (moving beyond the food/weight struggle and “finish line anxiety”).

Dr. Thompson explains Bright Line Eating’s clear boundaries, including no sugar or flour, and how structure can create lasting freedom.

Learn more about Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson here:https://www.susanpeircethompson.com/

Get her book Maintain, here:https://amzn.to/4gSQe0T

Please SUBSCRIBE!

I’m Dian Griesel, Ph.D. aka @SilverDisobedience to my hundreds of thousands of monthly blog readers. You can learn more about me here:   ⁠⁠https://diangriesel.com⁠⁠ But for starters…⁠I am a perceptionist and communication counselor.⁠ For 30 years I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally."Raw, truth-driven conversations with fascinating guests — from business & psychology to careers, pop culture & the B.S. in between." Expect bold questions. Unfiltered insights. A few laughs. Real growth. Subscribe & Join the Conversation.

Show Run:00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:53 From Aerobics to Ozempic

01:40 Limits of GLP-1 Meds

04:58 Sugar Breakthrough and Palate Shift

07:41 Vagus Nerve and HRV Effects

09:42 Why Maintenance Is Psychological

13:25 Identity Shift One Devoted

17:31 Identity Shift Two Resourced

19:38 Identity Shift Three Liberated

28:53 Bright Lines and Food Addiction

30:20 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find the Book