Stop Digging!

In this episode, Susan and Nancy from A-Squared discuss their organization's bi-annual international learning trips, focusing on the recent journey to Japan and Alaska. They welcome first-time traveler Nick Ciocco, who shares his transformative experiences and newfound appreciation for different cultures. The conversation delves into the planning and execution of these educational trips, the unique experiences of team members, and the value of cultural immersion. With engaging personal anecdotes and insights, the episode highlights the importance of travel in broadening one's perspective and building meaningful connections.

Join the Stop Digging podcast for this interview with Chasity Malatesta, an educator and equity advocate in Bainbridge Island, Wa. You will learn about the benefits of diversity and the best ways of achieving them. 

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.   

In this episode of Stop Digging!, Nancy and co-host Susan delve into art and culture's impact on society through an engaging conversation with renowned sculptor Gerard Basil Stripling. The dialogue explores the importance of art in reflecting society's beliefs, rituals, and social interactions. Gerard shares his journey from dabbling in fashion design to becoming a celebrated sculptor, finding his artistic calling in the supportive community of Laguna Beach. The episode highlights Gerard's passion for creating art that stimulates thought about freedom and innocence. 

In this episode of the Stop Digging podcast, hosts Nancy and Susan kick off a new series on cultural diversity, featuring serial entrepreneur Aida Camelich Lowe. Aida shares her journey from a corporate design job to starting her own food business, Aida Food Company, outside Eugene, Oregon. She discusses the importance of food in expressing culture and how she experiments with various recipes, focusing on authentic and fusion Mexican cuisines. Aida also talks about the challenges she faced in starting her business, including getting into farmer's markets, pivoting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her passion for connecting with her roots through food. Additionally, Aida discovers her passion for entrepreneurship through various endeavors, including a unique venture with Llama Brew, a natural plant food created from llama droppings. This episode underscores the role of creativity, courage, and persistence in entrepreneurial success, along with the power of food in bridging cultural gaps.

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.   

It's 2024 and that means it's time to reflect on the year that is now behind us and to celebrate the wins!

In this episode, hosts Nancy Trader and Susan Zytnik-Künzler discuss the things that made 2023 special: professional successes with A-Squared Lamp Groups, personal resolutions and the amazing guests featured on the Stop Digging! podcast.

This is a debrief you won't want to miss!

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.  

  This month's guest is entrepreneur Lukas Thern Lovén who joins Nancy and Susan to discuss a hot topic: Artificial Intelligence!

They discuss this technology's implications for various industries, such as supply chain and content creation, and its potential to replace human tasks in the near future. For a deep dive on the rise of AI, its various types, and its impact on the global workforce, look no further than this episode of Stop Digging!

• (00:29) - Understanding Artificial Intelligence: Fears and Misconceptions

The holidays are upon us: a time to reflect on the year that is almost over and look forward with optimism to the new one to come. For entrepreneurs, this is especially important!

Join Nancy and Susan for a cozy, empowering discussion about small business in America in beyond: trends, principles, ideas and experiences.  Drawing from academic studies and a recent A-Squared Lamp Groups survey, our hosts touch on themes including: establishing solid business foundations, adapting to market needs and avoiding common pitfalls by forming a support network. Despite some rockiness in the economy, there are exciting things happening in American entrepreneurship and this is as good a time as ever to get your business idea off the ground. Listen to learn more.

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.    

What does it mean to be a leader? To be resilient? When faced with a life-threatening situation, is it possible to not only survive, but thrive?

These questions and more are explored on this month's episode of Stop Digging, presented by A-Squared Lamp Groups. The guest is Mark Rodriguez, a stonemason, double lung transplant survivor, motivational speaker and man of faith. Mark's incredible story of dogged perseverance and resilience in the face of (almost) certain death will inspire anyone facing difficulties. Learn how Mark embraced his "warrior spirit" to push through his fight with lung disease, how he discovered the "Why?" that motivated him to never give up and how you too can cultivate the resilience and leadership skills to help you "stop digging" yourself into whatever hole you're in and start building the life you want.

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.   

 Relationships: we all want 'em but sometimes we can't handle 'em!

But relationships are not always romantic, family or work-based. Sometimes they're something else, a kind of blend of all the above. One such example is the relationship between members of a band.

In this month's episode of Stop Digging, hosts Nancy Treder and Susan Zytnik-Künzler talk to Paul Mata and Jay Abuan, two musicians with years of experience playing in bands. They discuss how to maintain and strengthen relationships with people that are both your friends and business partners, pitfalls to avoid and mindsets to adopt. Even if you're in a band, there's a lot to be learned!

More on the artists

Listen to Paul Mata's band Midlife Crisis: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100040186130102

Listen to Jay Abuan's band Fix the Blame: https://www.youtube.com/@fixtheblame

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.  

Are you tired of the political rancor that seems to engulf every conversation these days?

So is this month's guest, Elizabeth Doll. That's not because she doesn't have political opinions of her own. Doll is a conservative living in a very blue area of Washington state, a political minority in her community. She's also the director of Braver Politics within Braver Angels, an organization working to bridge the political divide in the United States by helping people re-learn how to love and respect one another despite partisan disagreements by having difficult conversations.

It's not easy work, but many have done it and are doing it and so can you. This interview with Elizabeth Doll will inspire you to join those who are working to build a future where political differences divide us at the ball0t box, not everywhere else.

Get your Stop Digging free development worksheet & join the free online podcast group to interact directly with host, co-host, & guests at asquaredlamps.org/podcast.