Take the Elevator

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Strip away the job title, credentials, salary number, and social proof. What’s left, and would you still feel like you matter? Gen and Kory take a hard, honest look at identity beyond titles, and why so many high performers quietly depend on labels to feel stable.

We start with listener feedback that hits a nerve: the moments when we think we’re giving our all, but still leave value on the table. From there, the conversation turns personal and a little uncomfortable as we ask what your “human value” looks like when nobody knows your role. 

We dig into leadership and character, the difference between being and doing, and why the small moments reveal more about your integrity than any title ever could. Finally, we reframe titles as tools for purpose, influence, and service.

Look up, and let's elevate!

If this conversation challenges you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review with the one line that best describes who you want to be.

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Gas jumps to $6.50 a gallon, bills creep up, and somehow there is still too much month left at the end of the money. We feel that pressure too, so we’re bringing a grounded conversation about how to stop leaving money on the table without pretending everyone can become a tech founder, a superstar influencer, or an overnight millionaire. 

We zoom out to income streams that don’t require hype. We also share a crucial nuance: value is bigger than cash, and learning the difference between generosity and undercharging can change how you show up in work and life. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs options, and leave a review. What’s one way you’ve found to bring in extra income without burning out?

Look up, and let's elevate

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Something shifts when you realize you’ve been performing a role that no longer fits, even if you’re “good” at it. How do you know when it’s time to grow, and how do you stop confusing a title with a calling? 

If you’re navigating a midlife career change, feeling stuck in comfort, or hearing that inner voice asking for something new, we give you language and tools to explore it: ask better questions, talk with trusted people, consider a coach, and pay attention to seasons of transformation. We close with one reflective question worth sitting with: “Is what I’m doing me being the real, authentic me?” If this resonated, subscribe to Take the Elevator, share it with a friend who’s in a transition, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation.

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We’re back in the studio, and it feels strangely like walking into your old high school after a long time away: familiar, a little awkward, and full of memories. Gen and Kory talk honestly about why we stepped away after more than 400 episodes, how a simple “summer break” turned into real burnout recovery, and what it took to stop running on fumes. If you’ve been trying to push through work stress, creative pressure, or relationship strain, you’ll hear your own thoughts in this conversation about rest, identity, and rebuilding a steady baseline.

We also don’t shy away from the heavy stuff. We name the climate that’s been weighing on us, from nonstop outrage to the stress of inflation and the cost of living in California. Gas, groceries, layoffs, and shrinking resources aren’t just headlines; they shape how people eat, plan, and survive. 

From there, we ask the question that keeps bothering us: when did we lose the ability to talk things out? We connect war and violence to isolation, virtual life, and reactive culture, then intentionally turn toward hope. We share the “glimmers” that kept us grounded.

If this return resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find us.

Look up and let's elevate! 

Link to Dr. Jessica Miller's new book: https://a.co/d/06IUuotN
Link to Crystal Davis' Grief books: https://a.co/d/091WL0nn and https://a.co/d/0f6YSgTA

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We made it to the 400th floor—and instead of just celebrating, we’re reflecting.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I used to love doing this…”—but now it feels different? Heavy. Forced. Or maybe it’s just gone altogether.

In this episode, Gen and Kory unpack the real reasons joy fades—from pressure and burnout to identity shifts and comparison. More importantly, they explore how to elevate back into alignment… without forcing yourself to go backward.

Because sometimes it’s not about getting the joy back the way it was—
It’s about rediscovering it in a way that fits who you are today.

If something you once loved doesn’t feel the same anymore, this conversation is your invitation to pause, reflect, and rise.

Look up, and let's elevate!

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Somebody always says, “That’s my dog”… right up until the barking starts, the mess happens, or the vet needs a call. We lean into that tension with a playful label, “deadbeat dog dads,” and then we get honest about what responsible pet parenting actually looks like when you share a home, a schedule, and two very real dogs with very different personalities.

We swap stories about our own “co-parenting” dynamic, including the funny power of a calm presence that makes dogs instantly behave, and the not-so-funny moments when you realize you don’t even know the vet’s name. 

Then we talk about the overachievers, the pet parents who go all in with pet cameras, two-way audio, calming playlists, treat machines, routines, pet insurance, and even gourmet homemade dog food meal prep. We also share a terrifying coyote bite story and what recovery looks like when your dog comes home shaken, sore, and needing steady comfort. It’s a reminder that dogs have feelings, habits, and a whole language of cues, and the relationship gets better when we learn to read it.

If you love pets, dogs, animal behavior, dog training, pet anxiety solutions, and real-life pet care stories, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe, share this with a fellow pet parent, and leave a review, then tell us: are you the “alpha,” the caretaker, or the true co-parent in your house?

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A word game that uses puzzle pieces sounds like a gimmick until you watch how fast it turns into strategy. We’re hanging out with Julian and Debbie Montgomery, a powerhouse creative couple who went from Minnesota to Los Angeles and somehow ended up building a real tabletop game you can actually hold in your hands. Julian brings the storyteller brain and the systems brain, composer and software engineer energy, while Debbie brings architectural design instincts that make ideas physical. Together, they built Puzzingo, a word building board game that feels familiar at first glance but plays in a totally different way once you’re placing tiles, locking shapes, and trying to outthink the table.

We get into the origin story: a poetry children’s book, experiments with puzzles, a late-night moment watching a mobile word game, and the question that changed everything: what if word building and puzzle mechanics were the same experience? From there, it’s prototypes, playtests, rule tweaks, bonuses, and the satisfying grind of making something that works, not just something that sounds cool. If you’re into board game design, tabletop gaming culture, 3D printing, laser cutting, or launching an indie product, you’ll hear the real steps it takes to move past “I want to” into “we did it.”

We also talk about what comes next: prepping for a Kickstarter board game launch, getting copies into the hands of reviewers, and the long-term dream of seeing Puzzingo on store shelves. Plus, we love how they blend modern convenience with classic game night by adding optional online tools like phone-based scorekeeping and timers, without losing the face-to-face connection that makes board games special.

Check out Puzzingo.com, share this with your favorite game-night crew, and if you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

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Your team notices more than you think. They catch the tone behind your “no,” the silence after a hard question, and the subtle ways favoritism can creep into decisions. We sit down as Gen and Kory nd get candid about good leadership vs bad leadership, not as a theory, but as something we’ve lived through from two different vantage points: leading in a formal role and working alongside leaders every day. 

 We dig into servant leadership, trust, and psychological safety at work. We talk about leaders who get in the trenches, leaders who take accountability without pride, and why gaslighting and blame-shifting crush morale. We explore practical habits like saying “Let me get back to you tomorrow,” the real cost of overcommitting a team, emotional intelligence under stress, and how clarity and collaboration matter when nobody has all the answers. 

If this conversation helps you rethink how you lead, support, or influence others, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. 

Look up, and let's elevate. 

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Spring cleaning sounds simple until you realize you’re not just sorting closets, you’re sorting your life. GentheBuilder and Kory kick off a spring reset that starts with a real health win, then widens into a bigger question we all need to ask: what feels heavy that used to feel light?

We talk about decluttering as a tool for clarity, not perfection. From there, we challenge the “everything is important” mindset and name the hidden cost of keeping too much, physically, mentally, and emotionally. You’ll hear how we decide what stays, what goes, and why letting go can be an act of maturity, not loss.

Then we open the real junk drawer: mental clutter. Overthinking, analysis paralysis, and “junk mail” information can jam up your mind the same way clutter jams a drawer. We share practical ways to clear it, including brain dumps, separating facts from made-up stories, prayer walks, and boundaries that protect your focus. We also get honest about emotional weight, forgiveness, peace, and why spring invites renewal but not replay.

We wrap with calendar boundaries, energy management, and the idea of ease over force, plus a simple challenge to help you start today. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find Take the Elevator.

Look up, and let's elevate! 

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Something shifted for us in the last few months, and it isn’t a big dramatic breakthrough. It’s smaller than that, and more useful: we started noticing the glimmers. The little sparks that make you smile when the world feels heavy. So we leaned into them and talked through what’s been giving us hope, momentum, and a sense of control when so much feels out of control.

If you’re craving encouragement that feels grounded, not cheesy, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a glimmer, and leave a review so more people can find the ride.

Look up, and let's elevate! 

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