Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode SummaryMarc and Emily take on their favorite recurring theme: goal setting. But this time, they dive deeper into their wildly different upbringings, internal narratives, and current practices around goals—from poker chips and chore lists to Scrum boards and morning routines.

They explore why goals can feel like punishment for some and purpose for others, and how they've each shifted their relationship to goals in ways that feel more personal, flexible, and free. This episode offers an honest, layered conversation that blends coaching insight with lived experience—and a few laughs about spilled coffee and Sam Adams.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Not everyone relates to goals the same way—and that's okay.
• The language around goals (e.g. pressure vs. permission) deeply shapes how we engage with them.
• Habit tracking, data reflection, and redefining "done" can shift goals from punishment to process.
• Personal history plays a huge role in how we perceive achievement, success, and failure.
• Coaching is often about reframing—what looks like failure may actually be success in disguise.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"I am a recovering goal skeptic." – Emily "Goal setting is the air I breathe." – Marc "All I could see was that a goal was going to tell me when I wasn't doing it." – Emily "So often, they actually did the thing… they just didn't see it." – Marc "Now I hate goals… with curiosity." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Centering Prayer by M. Basil Pennington
• Can I Walk With You? podcast
• Franklin Planner and Covey Weekly Planner
• Scrum language: "What does done look like?"
• Magnetize 2026 (Marc's goal-setting workbook)
• Data tools: Apple Watch, habit trackers, food logs
• Chore rewards, sticker charts, and Thomas the Tank Engine sets
• Diane Leonard – Scrum Master training
• The Concord Leadership Group's mission: helping leaders know they're not alone and be equipped

👥 Who Should Listen

• Leaders wrestling with "shoulds" around goals
• Coaches exploring how to help clients reframe success
• Anyone triggered by the word "goal" but still seeking growth
• Parents trying to teach motivation without shame
• People who love systems—and people who resist them

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode SummaryAndrea Ferry Daniels joins Emily and Marc for a candid conversation about sales, coaching, and showing up with purpose. As CEO of Rookie to Rainmaker, Andrea shares how she built a six-figure business from a South Jersey apartment, turned her gift for connection into a scalable model, and now helps others build confidence and close deals—with authenticity and heart.

They talk about what it means to speak with impact, the power of letting go of familiar goals, and how to keep showing up even while you're still figuring it out.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Sales doesn't have to feel pushy—it can feel like friendship, curiosity, and support.
• Confidence grows with structure, practice, and letting go of "advice monster" tendencies.
• Big goals require new decisions—and often a shorter timeline.
• Authenticity isn't about being blunt; it's about being real, relational, and ready to serve.
• Coaching and speaking both create space for others to see what's possible in themselves.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"I help people make lead generation and sales feel authentic." – Andrea "Your playing small does not serve the world." – Emily (quoting Marianne Williamson) "It's not a script. It's real people, real words." – Andrea "When I think of tenacity that inspires—not intimidates—I think of you." – Emily "The big goal is held hostage by familiar paths to smaller goals." – Marc

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Exactly What to Say by Phil M. Jones
• Rookie to Rainmaker (https://rookietorainmaker.com)
• Myron Golden (YouTube speaker and business coach)
• A Gathering of Voices – anthology
• The Busy Body Book Club by Freya Sampson
• Marianne Williamson quote: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate..."

👥 Who Should Listen

• Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs struggling with sales
• Coaches transitioning from doing to leading
• Anyone unsure how to "sell" without losing themselves
• Speakers wondering if they have something worth sharing
• Listeners chasing big goals—and feeling stuck in small ones

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary In this vulnerable and insightful episode, Marc and Emily open up about the evolution of their working relationship—and how their personal growth has shaped their professional path. They reflect on what it's meant to co-create a life and a business, especially as Emily stepped more visibly into roles of leadership, coaching, and authorship.

From sacred cows and shared systems to spontaneous pivots and solo retreats, this episode explores what it really takes to work together as equals—when the brand once felt like an extension of just one person, and when your growth challenges each other's assumptions in all the best ways.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Shared vision doesn't mean shared roles—clarity around voice, value, and contribution is essential.
• Conflict can be fruitful when grounded in mutual respect and a shared mission.
• Building something together often brings invisible roles and sacred assumptions to the surface.
• There's power in owning your growth, even (especially) when it disrupts the status quo.
• Play, solitude, and reflection all fuel the partnership—together and apart.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"I've heard him say for 30 years that I'm brilliant—but I'm just now catching up." – Emily "Sacred cows? We had a whole herd." – Marc "There's a difference between making space and sharing space." – Emily "I want to know I'm getting taller on the inside." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• 10x is Easier than 2x by Benjamin Hardy & Dan Sullivan
• Traction by Gino Wickman (EOS)
• Kobo e‑readers + Broward County Library digital access
• The Botanist's Guide to Poisons and Death (cozy mystery reference)
• Exactly What to Say Coaching via Sidecar Advisors
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Direct sales and fundraising career references
• Jeffrey Shaw (podcast interview reference)

👥 Who Should Listen

• Couples considering or navigating working together
• Business owners learning how to share leadership
• Coaches shifting into greater visibility and authority
• Listeners wrestling with personal reinvention
• Anyone doing inner work while also building something public Did you Hear Emily? www.concordleadershipgroup.com/Magnetize2026

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily get candid about what it's been like to build a life, family, and work in close proximity for more than 30 years. This episode dives into what it means to "work together now," unpacking the realities of sharing space, parenting, making intentional choices—and growing up alongside each other. From early dreams of connection and community to unromantic but essential rituals (like coffee at 6 a.m. and cereal in low cupboards), they reflect on what's helped them stick together through different seasons, even when things got messy. Not as advice—just as their story.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Living and working together isn't about doing it "right"—it's about creating something that works for you.
• A shared vision of connection and community was the throughline that held Marc and Emily through the hard parts.
• Rituals (like morning coffee) can be anchors—even if you're mad with each other.
• Growth often looks like letting go of what you were taught and figuring out what works in real life.
• This is a story, not a prescription: fulfillment looks different for everyone.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"We're not holding this up as the way to do life. This is just the lab we built—and we're psyched it's working." – Emily "There were points where we could have become two separate individuals who shared a house." – Marc "Connection and community were so compelling at the beginning that I couldn't give up on them." – Emily "I don't think my 25-year-old self would recognize who I am now—and that's a good thing." – Marc "There's a lot of garbage advice out there. We had to figure out what worked for us." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Tony Martignetti's Campfire Summit
• Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook (Paladin: M'arkhem Stonevaeil!)
• Stephen Covey's 7 Habits and Family Mission Statement (with critiques)
• The "7 on the clock" parenting rule
• Homemade bagels & muffin phases as connection rituals
• The phrase: "Liked Best / Next Time" (referenced in prior episodes)

👥 Who Should Listen

• Couples who live and/or work closely together
• Listeners questioning cultural "norms" of marriage and family
• Leaders trying to balance vision with day-to-day reality
• Anyone navigating long-term partnership and still figuring it out
• People curious how ritual, humor, and hard conversations shape connection

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary In this episode, Marc and Emily share the behind-the-scenes journey of creating EWTS Coaching—how a yearlong project to help coaches find clients took an unexpected turn, thanks to a conversation with Phil M. Jones. They open up about the founding of Sidecar Advisors, the birth of EWTS Coaching, and the values that guide both ventures. From honoring coaching ethics to building tech infrastructure to supporting 12 phenomenal founding coaches, this episode is a candid look at how big ideas evolve, one bend in the road at a time.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Coaching isn't just a service—it's a relationship rooted in drawing out the best in others.
• Sidecar Advisors was created to steward EWTS Coaching, honoring both the Exactly What to Say brand and ICF standards.
• The journey wasn't linear: Marc and Emily thought they were building one thing, but it became something much bigger.
• Their founding cohort of coaches blends deep ICF training with real-world business savvy.
• Naming is hard, but integrity, impact, and alignment matter more than short URLs.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"You learn leadership by acting, by connecting, by tripping, by standing up." – Marc "The bend in the road was a whole new company—and a beautiful surprise." – Emily "Once you start growing in one area of your life, it spills into others." – Marc "We created Sidecar Advisors so we could come alongside other brands with integrity." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Exactly What to Say by Phil M. Jones
• EWTS Coaching on LinkedIn
• Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach Certification (Q3LC)
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• Sidecar Advisors (business structure behind EWTS Coaching)

👥 Who Should Listen

• Coaches looking to build community and deepen their practice
• Fans of Exactly What to Say curious about its coaching arm
• Entrepreneurs navigating brand expansion or new ventures
• Leadership professionals curious about coaching ethics and systems
• Anyone wondering what it looks like to launch something new while still figuring it out

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily kick off Season 3 of Still Figuring It Out with a playful, book‑loving, tech‑nerdy conversation about what's ahead. They share what they're reading (Joseph Campbell and Jean Shinoda Bolen), why this year is their "Year of Play," and how the podcast feels like opening a box of favorite sweaters at the start of a new season. The two reflect on lessons from the past year—including the passing of Marc's father—and look forward to creating a season that emphasizes conversation and discovery rather than perfection.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Life and leadership rarely have a final destination; the path unfolds as you take the next step.

• Giving yourself permission matters, but so does offering belief and support to others.

• Technology can be part of playful learning—Marc and Emily share their Kobo e‑reader adventures.

• Staying curious about each other (and about life) keeps a 31‑year marriage dynamic.

• Season 3 will focus on conversations and themes more than "getting it right."

🗣 Quote Highlights

"I hope to continue pressing into the mess with playfulness and joy." – Emily "Confidence isn't at the starting line—courage is." – Sabine (via Emily) "Sometimes the picture you had at 25 would be so limiting." – Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Goddesses in Older Women by Jean Shinoda Bolen

• The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

• Sabine's LinkedIn post on courage vs. confidence

• Exactly Where to Start by Phil M. Jones

• Kobo Libra Colour e‑reader & Calibre library management

• StoryGraph book‑tracking app

👥 Who Should Listen

• Longtime listeners curious about what's ahead in Season 3

• People navigating life transitions who want a hopeful, honest take

• Book lovers and tech tinkerers looking for new tools

• Coaches and leaders who need a reminder to play and keep learning

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary In this season finale, Marc and Emily wrap up Season 2 by doing what they do best: reflecting, learning, and laughing together. The episode centers on a deceptively simple feedback framework they love—LBs and NTs (Liked Bests and Next Times). From the unexpected power of pausing to celebrate progress to the ways this tool has helped them recover from disappointments and find traction when stuck, they explore how intentional reflection can be both practical and healing.

They also share favorite gadgets, small joys, and their own LB/NT reflections on the podcast itself. The vibe is cozy, candid, and deeply human—perfect for closing one chapter and looking ahead to the next.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• "Liked Best / Next Time" is a powerful framework for closing loops, gaining momentum, and making feedback actionable.
• Ending with "next time" isn't about focusing on failure—it's about directing hope.
• Tools like this work in leadership teams and family dinners.
• Small joys (like gadgets or Windex!) can be surprising sources of traction and clarity.
• Feedback culture starts with asking better questions and giving ourselves room to process.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"This doesn't have to live on an open loop. We get to close the tab." – Marc "Sometimes I need to put teeth into my day to get traction. Even if that's washing a window." – Emily "It's not about being stuck—it's about what helps us get back in gear." – Emily "Next times aren't negative. They're empowering course corrections." – Emily "We bring out good things in each other. That's one of my LBs for sure." – Marc

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• LBs & NTs (Liked Bests / Next Times – no definitive origin, but used widely in coaching, education, and training)
• Phil M. Jones' Exactly What to Say framework
• "Pluses and Deltas" model for feedback
• The "WTF" sheet: Where's The Focus?
• Untappd beer app
• MagSafe phone tripod
• European plug adapters
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding (Windex!)

👥 Who Should Listen

• Coaches and facilitators wanting a better way to debrief
• Leaders building cultures of thoughtful reflection
• Listeners who enjoy practical wisdom with a side of silliness
• Families and teams looking for rituals to anchor learning
• Anyone who's ever loved a gadget—or gotten stuck and needed a creative nudge

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

📋 Episode Summary In this thoughtful and energizing conversation, Marc and Emily welcome Dr. Jessica Sharp—organizational psychologist, educator, and champion of belonging. From her travels across the country to her work in Houston and beyond, Jessica is known for making complex topics like unconscious bias, self-leadership, and brain science accessible and engaging. Together, the trio explores the cultural baggage we carry around struggle and ease, what it means to be a grownup (with or without kids), and how boundaries are more than just saying "no." This is a conversation about leading with love, letting go of outdated patterns, and the everyday power of the pause.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Belonging and self-love are foundational to leadership.
• "Ease" isn't laziness—it's a necessary counterbalance to inevitable life struggles.
• Leaders often teach what they themselves are still figuring out.
• Setting boundaries includes pausing to check in with yourself before committing.
• Silence in conversations can be a powerful tool for reflection and connection.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"We're often teaching the thing we need." – Dr. Jessica Sharp "Boundaries aren't just about saying 'no'—they're about asking, 'What do I need right now?'" – Dr. Jessica Sharp "If you're going to tell other people to prioritize themselves, you have to model it too." – Dr. Jessica Sharp "It's not the audience's job to speak my language. It's my job to make myself understood." – Dr. Jessica Sharp

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• The Surprising Gift of Doubt by Marc A. Pitman
• Brené Brown on facilitator responsibility
• Junior League & Urban League volunteer leadership
• Quadrant 3 Leadership
• "The pause between stimulus and response" from Q3LC
• Moment detectives & coaching silence

👥 Who Should Listen

• Coaches and facilitators craving more ease and impact in their work
• Leaders trying to unlearn productivity guilt
• Nonprofit professionals looking for meaningful, inclusive engagement
• Anyone still figuring out how to show up for themselves as much as they do for others

🎺 That Music! Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet Zoe Czarnecki: bass

Episode Summary (Long)

In this episode, Marc and Emily talk with their longtime friend and Q3LC alum, Amy Lazoff, Vice President of Mission at the Fort Wayne Zoo. Amy shares how her role has evolved after ten years at the organization, what she's still learning in a brand-new leadership chapter, and how her work has shifted toward deeper internal focus and team engagement.

They talk about what it means to lead with adaptability and curiosity, why homeostasis is tempting but probably an illusion, and how seemingly small decisions—like where you plant a tree—can shape ecosystems and outcomes for years. The conversation also dives into Amy's work around accessibility, reintroducing native species (like the hellbender salamander), mentoring young fundraisers, and the joy of discovering poppies in the backyard that weren't planted on purpose.

Whether it's in the zoo, in coaching, or in parenting teenagers, Amy brings a steady, honest, and growth-minded approach to life and leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Being 10 years into an organization doesn't mean the learning stops—especially when stepping into a new role.
• "Homeostasis" sounds appealing, but the most meaningful work happens in change and transition.
• Designing for accessibility from the start often makes spaces more inclusive for everyone.
• Letting nature surprise you (even in your backyard) can be a good metaphor for leadership.
• What you plant—physically or organizationally—matters. So does what you reintroduce.

Quote Highlights

"Who am I? A work in progress." – Amy "I think children's books are just great books with better illustrations." – Emily "Some of our best universal design decisions were made because we were thinking of our youngest guests." – Amy "Even after all this time, I love seeing people experience joy here." – Amy "My dream is to see something cool at the zoo… and just buy a ticket to surprise Amy." – Marc

Resources & Mentions

• Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (now Fort Wayne Zoo)
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Native plants and accessibility design
• The Hellbender salamander (native to the Midwest U.S.)
• USA Today's Best Zoo Exhibits (Red Panda Bridge)

📋 Episode Summary

In this episode, Marc and Emily explore the concept of hardwiring—those patterns, instincts, and tendencies that shape how we show up in life, work, and relationships. From Enneagram types to Gallup Strengths to late-in-life ADHD diagnoses, they reflect on how assessments can help us understand ourselves more clearly—and when labels might actually get in the way.

With humor, vulnerability, and a lot of real-life examples, they explore:

• The usefulness and limitations of personality profiles
• How deeper self-awareness can reframe past stories
• What it means to take responsibility without shame
• How to describe yourself without falling into shorthand labels
• Why saying "you're just a..." might be the most damaging thing of all

Plus, an unexpected movie reference that brings the point home.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Hardwiring refers to our natural patterns—our instinctive responses and behavior tendencies.
• Personality assessments like Enneagram, StrengthsFinder, or DISC can offer language for reflection, but shouldn't become excuses or cages.
• Knowing your patterns gives you space to pause, choose your response, and lead with intention.
• Labels like "just a 9" or "typical 7" can be harmful when used to dismiss or stereotype.
• Self-awareness is not self-absorption—it's leadership.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"When we understand ourselves, we can see our stories in the light of truth instead of shame." – Emily "Sometimes peace is great. But it's not always the goal." – Emily "Hardwiring is how you show up when you're not trying." – Marc "Saying 'you're just a…' turns a helpful tool into a weapon." – Marc "My curiosity wants me to learn. It's one of my Gallup strengths—another assessment!" – Marc

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• Enneagram
• CliftonStrengths (Gallup)
• DISC Personality Profile
• Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (Film reference – Jason Bateman as "the mutant")
• Co-Active Leadership by Karen and Henry Kimsey-House
• Concord Leadership Group

🎺 That Music!

Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music. Lexi Moreno: composing, mixing, mastering, guitar; Caleb Pitman: composing, mixing, trumpet; Zoe Czarnecki: bass.