Stop Winging It

It's rare to have such a combination.  A servant's heart, a business mind, an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to use it all to improve our communities.  And yet, Spencer Hutchins pulls it off gracefully, with a smile and a great sense of humor.  He's been in love with all things political for decades, earned a law degree, started and still runs a successful real estate business, served on City Council and is now running for a vacant WA State Representative seat.  But, regardless of his background, it's his outlook on life, people, business and his efforts to bring us together to find solutions that really stands out.  Join us for another inspiring conversation on Stop Winging It.

What does a lifetime in journalism produce?  Without a doubt, it's someone whose life experience and opinion are worth listening to and learning from.  John has been many things in his career including a white house correspondent, working at CNN with Wolf Blitzer and is currently 5 books into his own award-winning political series.  He now writes, teaches, edits and provides counsel to many who are looking for their own Wingman to help them improve their craft or break into the industry.  He shares great stories with us and his perspective on what's happened to journalism the past 4 decades alone is worth the time investment.  We cover a lot of ground and I know you'll enjoy his wit and wisdom when it comes to all things political.

What do employees want today?  How much power do they have? What are employers looking for or willing to do to get top talent?  Bert is uniquely positioned to weigh in on all of this as CEO of a global recruiting, staffing and leadership building organization.  He speaks with other CEO's routinely and in this episode shares his journey, the challenges and changes he's seen in the industry and across the workforces he's associated with.  It's a deep dive that will enlighten you and give us all hope and perspective for what's ahead. 

It's nearly impossible to define the role of a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) with so many divergent things happening all at once within a health system and individual hospital.  Dr. Chad Krilich, CMO, M.D., MBA, joins us to explain more about his journey, current role and how leaders are coping with everything from safety to Covid and new technology and therapies that are constantly evolving and shaping medicine as we know it.  It's a fascinating ride and whether you are a leader of people, business owner or participant in some area of our healthcare system, you'll appreciate his comments and perspective. 

Dr. Tim Gardner: Author, Corp. Director of Culture, Adjunct Professor, Business Owner, Speaker, VP of Leadership Development, Father and Husband reminds us why our personal and professional relationships matter.  Hearing from a leader and expert who has been in board and conference rooms around the world and whose career has primarily been focused on getting people to better relate to and communicate with each other makes this podcast very special.  Whether it's the changes in corporate culture we're witnessing, the effects of Covid or the carnage many still leave in their wake, Tim has seen it all and shares his thoughts and stories from the past 30 years.  As always, when I get a chance to talk to Tim, I learn something, and this is no exception.  You'll be glad you tuned in, and you'll come away asking yourself a few more questions I bet--just like I did.

Dr. Chris Stadtherr, former Primary Care Physician, Hospitalist and a metabolic specialist in the areas of Obesity and Diabetes, has a story you need to hear.  He is also a small business owner, recently starting his own clinic, Revitalize Metabolic Health, which is focused on rethinking the model that we've all been brainwashed to believe is right and proper for our well-being.  It's time to pull the cover back a bit on where we are in healthcare and see if there are other avenues or approaches that might lead to a new and better doctor-patient relationship. How much do you spend today with monthly premiums, co-payments, deductibles and HSA contributions before insurance actually kicks in?  And what kind of coverage and care are you actually getting for all those contributions? It's a little scary, but it impacts all of us, and you need to hear it.  Join us to learn more and maybe you too will want to Stop Winging It, when it comes to your healthcare choices.

Chris is the kind of guy that almost makes you feel like you haven't done anything with your life, even if he's too humble to admit it.  He's been a Sales Manager in the TV industry, started and sold companies and still operates two today.  He's leading the way in the Ski Bike industry currently, but it's his compelling background and personal story that grabbed me.  A lifelong learner and doer, he's not a big fan of complacency as you'll hear.  But understanding how he met challenge after challenge while still finding a way to give back and learn from those around him, will be of interest to anyone who runs a business today, enjoys entrepreneurial challenges or is just a sales and marketing guy at heart and relishes the relational side of life.

"I get to talk to people and play with food," probably says it all about Chris Olsen, owner of Fondi restaurant in Gig Harbor, WA.  If you are a small business owner, restauranteur or aficionado of great food, you'll appreciate this story.  The work ethic involved, building a community and family culture and dealing successfully with Covid are all part of a wonderful tale of hard work and commitment.  As Chris says, we have guests, not customers and its attention to detail like that, which continues to make the difference in a very competitive space.  We hope you enjoy this conversation and come away with a few nuggets for your own business. 

Karina Blasco is an entrepreneur and small business owner of a retail shop in Tacoma, called Only Oatmeal.  This is part of her story.  How she fought to keep a dream alive and just how long it took to realize her goals.  It's a wonderful account of persistence and grit in the face of adversity.  It's also a testimony to timing and what you can do if you refuse to let anyone tell you that it can't be done.  Maybe some of Karina's story resonates with you?  And as always, if you find yourself in need of some occasional or consistent strategic business coaching, that's what we do at Wingman Associates.  We meet you where you are and stick with you until the results you want are realized, like a true Wingman.  

It's a new world and small business owners and entrepreneurs come in all forms.  This episode takes us to the world of You Tube, animation and in many ways, building the plane while you're flying it.  Stephen Carver (aka Sabre Spark on You Tube) relates his own history, challenges, failures and ultimate success in building an online You Tube business.  He discusses how important his own mentors/advisors have been and what it ultimately took to take the risk of committing to his passion full time.  There are great lessons for us all in this episode.