In this episode of Strategy & Action, host Jason Croft sits down with Lynette Xanders, founder of Wild Alchemy and former strategist at Stan Richards' legendary agency.

Lynette reveals how she evolved from account planner to culture transformation specialist, working with brands like Nike and Adidas, and agencies like Wieden+Kennedy.

Jason guides the conversation through Lynette's unique approach to solving the training gap that plagues most companies: what happens after the workshop ends?

Learn how creative briefs become activation tools, not just documents.

Discover why fragmentation is the #1 killer of brand consistency and team performance.

Understand how to diagnose whether you have a brand problem, culture problem, or something else entirely.

Lynette shares her "golden time" framework for building high-performing creative teams, the exact questions that reveal whether someone can think strategically, and why efficiency fuels creativity instead of killing it.

Plus, get the truth about why most corporate training fails and what to do instead.

If your team is disengaged, missing deadlines, or bleeding talent, this episode shows you the real problem and how to fix it.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/110

Sign up for your free account on ReferU2 here: https://www.referu2.com/s/user_36JW3cUF1fjhEKvfMTF8SK4DTev

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If you're tired of grinding through networking events like some LinkedIn zombie…

Hoping you'll magically bump into your next client…

This episode is gonna be a wake-up call.

Jason sits down with Derek Morgan...

The dude who literally REVERSE ENGINEERED his own referral success…

Just so he could teach others how to do it.

Derek breaks down the difference between random networking…

And actual REFERRAL MARKETING.

Which is a system. A process. Something predictable.

Not just "I hope someone remembers me at the next Zoom happy hour."

Here's what you're gonna learn:

- How to identify your TOP 3-5 referral partner profiles (the people who already have relationships with YOUR ideal clients)

- The exact conversation framework to use with existing clients that gets THEM asking who you need introductions to (without you begging like a desperate salesperson)

- Why leading with VALUE to referral partners changes everything (and what that value actually looks like)

- The 5-phase referral marketing framework Derek uses to make partnerships predictable and scalable

- How Derek built a platform called ReferU2 that actually manages these relationships WITHOUT creating another CRM nightmare

Plus… Jason and Derek get into the MINDSET shift that separates people who get occasional referrals…

From the ones who build referral MACHINES.

If you're a coach, consultant, or service provider…

And you're sick of cold outreach and expensive ads…

This episode will show you a better way.

One that doesn't require you to be everywhere all the time.

Just strategic. Intentional. And actually kinda fun.

Tune in and stop networking like it's 2015.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/109

How to build a career that actually LASTS in an industry where most people flame out...

This is the FIRST episode in a new series Jason's calling Power Traits.

Where he brings on people he's known for YEARS...

And identifies the ONE core trait that's made them successful.

Not the stuff they put on their LinkedIn.

The REAL thing that separates them from everyone else grinding in their field.

Today's guest is filmmaker Will Canon.

And his power trait? RIGOR.

The disciplined, relentless process of going back to the drawing board...

Again and again and again.

Will breaks down how he took The Confession from a road trip conversation in 2018 to a January 2026 streaming release...

You'll learn:

- How to dual-track creative projects and fundraising without losing your mind

- The feedback collection system that actually WORKS (not the "what do you think?" basic nonsense)

- Why going back to the drawing board 15-20 times makes you BETTER, not slower

- The discipline Will developed as a high school athlete that still drives his process today

- How to navigate indie film distribution when there are fewer buyers than ever

Jason and Will also get into the messy reality of independent filmmaking in 2025...

This isn't your typical "follow your dreams" filmmaker interview.

It's a masterclass in RIGOR.

The kind of disciplined, relentless iteration that separates people who SAY they're serious...

From people who actually finish things.

Plus some inside baseball on why streaming platforms are both easier AND harder than the old DVD days.

Watch the whole thing if you want to understand what it REALLY takes to build something that matters.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/108

Grab Steve Miller's 25 Uncopyable Action Steps FREE here: https://www.beuncopyable.com/jason-croft

In this episode of Strategy & Action, Jason Croft sits down with Steve Miller—author of 11 books including Uncopyable—to break down why being "better" than your competition is a trap... and what to do instead.

Steve reveals the concept of extrinsic benchmarking (stealing genius from completely unrelated industries), why most businesses are stuck playing copycat in their own box, and how he built an eight-figure business by focusing on just 200 companies.

Jason digs into the challenge coaches and consultants face today: how do you stand out when everyone sounds the same? Together, they explore the difference between visibility and memorability, why competing on price is a losing game, and what it really means to create value so clear that the decision becomes easy.

You'll hear wild stories from Steve's time as a Hollywood stuntman, his work with Apple and Caterpillar, and the field trip that changed how a construction equipment giant thought about customer experience.

If you're tired of blending in and want to become the inevitable choice in your market, this episode gives you the playbook.

Find all the show notes and links here:  https://www.strategyactionshow.com/107

Meet Paul Hoyt - a 60-year business veteran who traded spreadsheets for soul work...

After 30 years crunching numbers in IT and 25 years as a business coach, Paul's embarking on his most ambitious project yet: helping good people become powerful enough to change the world.

In this raw conversation, host Jason Croft digs deep into Paul's evolution... drawing out insights about the intersection of business strategy and personal transformation that most people never connect.

You'll discover:

• Why Paul believes good people need to get STRONGER (not just nicer)

• The "I ROCK" framework that's helping people level up daily

• How he's building a community where business and personal growth collide

• The three modes of empowerment most programs completely ignore

• Jason's perspective on why we need to embrace that personal development is never "done"

• Why most people operate on default instead of realizing they can change who they are

• Paul's vision for everyone to become "better than he is" (and how that mindset creates unstoppable movements)

This isn't your typical feel-good personal development chat...

Jason and Paul explore how left-brain business strategy combines with right-brain transformation to create something the world desperately needs right now.

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to align profit with purpose... or someone ready to step into your own "good power"... this conversation will shift how you think about making an impact.

Ready to rock with integrity?

Hit play and discover how one man's quest to "get his shit together" became a mission to empower an entire movement of world-changers.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/106

Most people think leadership is something reserved for executives in boardrooms. Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio are here to flip that script completely.

In this episode, Jason sits down with the duo behind "Lead It Like Lasso" to explore why leadership isn't just about managing teams—it's about managing yourself first. They dig into the messy, beautiful truth that whether you're running a company, teaching a classroom, or navigating your family relationships, you're already leading in some way. The question is: are you doing it well?

Marnie and Nick share how they went from working at the largest EdTech company in the world to starting, scaling, and selling their own business in three years. Their secret? A framework built on core values, self-awareness, and the kind of relatable leadership that doesn't require you to be Richard Branson.

Jason pushes into the practical side of things—how do you actually discover your core values without staring at a blank page? How do you lead yourself when you feel stuck? And why does thinking about your legacy matter when you're just trying to get through the day?

The conversation also touches on their latest book "The Business of You," which challenges listeners to run their lives with the same intention they'd bring to running a successful company. Because at the end of the day, the most important project you'll ever work on is you.

If you've ever felt like leadership books are written for someone else, this episode is for you.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/105

Kasim Aslam has built and sold multiple 7 and 8-figure businesses.

His secret?

He's never actually DONE the work that made him millions.

In this episode, Kasim breaks down why talent acquisition is the only entrepreneurial skill that matters... and why most business owners are doing it completely backwards.

You'll discover:

• Why trying to be the "hero" of your own business is keeping you broke

• The "Black Box of Delegation" method that turns mediocre hires into miracle workers

• How to find people who can build entire businesses FOR you (even if you've never hired anyone before)

• Why the labor collapse is coming... and how to position yourself on the winning side

• The simple framework Kasim uses to identify A-players in 14 days or less

Plus, Kasim reveals his contrarian take on AI in business...

While everyone's worried about AI replacing workers, he's using it to make his BEST people even better.

(And why that approach is about to create the biggest wealth gap in human history.)

If you're tired of being the bottleneck in your own business...

This episode will change how you think about building a team forever.

Get Kasim's complete hiring framework (plus templates and worksheets) free at TheHireBook.com

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/104

Mo Salami had it all... on paper.

Six-figure salary, nice house, nice car. But 16-hour workdays and zero fulfillment had him living what he calls "apparent success" - when someone else decides what success means for you.

Then he saw a sign in a London bookstore that changed everything.

In this raw conversation, Mo reveals:

• The exact moment he "burned the boats" and left his healthcare career

• How he went from burnout to generating $1M in sales in 90 days working with Tony Robbins

• The difference between "apparent success" vs "actual success" (this will hit you hard)

• His proven framework for designing your ideal lifestyle using online business + personal development

• Why 96% of people never achieve the lifestyle they want by age 65 (and how to be in the 4%)

Mo doesn't sugarcoat it. Building the life you want requires stepping out of your comfort zone. But as he proves, you CAN curate the lifestyle you wish to create.

Whether you're stuck in the grind or ready to design something different, this episode will give you permission to write your own story.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/103

Your marketing agency is bleeding you dry... and you know it.

While you're paying thousands for campaigns you can't understand, former executives turned coaches like you are getting left behind by marketers with half your expertise.

Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, reveals why the traditional agency model is broken... and what smart business owners are doing instead.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The "Anti-Agency Model" that puts YOU back in control of your marketing

• Why AI changes everything about building your marketing team (it's not what you think)

• The 3-phase strategy framework that stops the guessing game with your marketing budget

• How fractional CMOs are giving small businesses access to C-level marketing strategy at a fraction of the cost

• The exact questions to ask any marketing partner to avoid getting burned again

This isn't about doing more marketing – it's about doing marketing strategically so it actually works.

Sara shares real transformation stories from executives who went from "marketing doesn't work" to scaling beyond 1:1 work with confidence.

Ready to take back control? This episode shows you how.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/102

For those of you who want more from life but can't seem to get out of your own way...

Markus Kaulius returns to the show with nuclear energy and one simple message: you CAN change your life. Today. Right now.

In this no-nonsense conversation, Jason and Markus dive into what it takes to actually make that first crucial step toward transformation. They break down:

• The critical mindset shift that MUST happen before ANY personal development book or program can work for you

• Why most people stay stuck in the "lukewarm pool" of mediocrity (and how to pull yourself out)

• A 30-second exercise that instantly raises your confidence levels (try it - it actually works)

• How Markus went from selling his 19-year business to writing a top-10 bestselling book and investing in companies aligned with his values

If you've ever looked at someone with seemingly boundless energy and confidence and thought "I could never be like that" - this episode will shatter that limiting belief.

What makes this conversation unique is Markus' radical authenticity. He's not just another "crush it" bro spouting motivational quotes. He's been at rock bottom with zero confidence and transformed himself completely.

Whether you're feeling stuck, considering a major life change, or just need a kick in the pants to stop focusing on all the negative crap in your life - this conversation delivers.

By the end, you'll be ready to play a much bigger game.

Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.strategyactionshow.com/101