The Bamboo Lab Podcast

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What happens when “unapologetic” meets “kind”? We sit down with CEO and wealth advisor Carolyn Nolan to unpack how bold honesty can coexist with empathy, and why that pairing—candor with care—changes your career, your money, and your relationships. Carolyn shares how she built a self-managing company, stepped back from direct advising to lead a mostly women team, and reframed dreaded financial meetings into energizing conversations about purpose, tradeoffs, and freedom. Along the way, she shows why saying no creates room for the right yes, and how to edit a calendar until it reflects what you actually value.

We explore the difference between being unfiltered and being reckless, and we get tactical. Carolyn’s go-to tools include the “helpful or harmful” filter for quick decisions, a practice of crafting bespoke core values instead of borrowing them, and a simple test for healthy relationships: do we celebrate, support, and challenge one another? She talks about redefining adult friendships by seeking out “my people,” setting fair expectations, and building trust so tough feedback lands with care. The result is a working model for presence over performance.

We also go there on habits. Carolyn explains why she quit alcohol, what she gained in clarity and safety, and how anyone can audit habits that once helped but now hold them back—overwork, endless scrolling, or rules that let you avoid the real choice. If you’ve felt stuck on the hamster wheel, this conversation offers a path out: fewer obligations, more intention, and the courage to articulate what you truly want.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with three friends, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. What’s one habit you’ll retire to make space for what matters next?

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What if one hard thing a day could change your life? Not a grand gesture—just a cold shower, a 45-minute walk in the sleet, or a two-minute meditation before opening your inbox. That simple shift became the turning point for our guest, Anthony Johnson, who opens up about anxiety, loss, and how a season of discipline rebuilt his confidence from the ground up.

We dig into the power of the right people—those who celebrate your wins, support you when it’s heavy, and challenge you when you drift. Anthony shares how he traded energy drainers for a tribe of “illuminators,” the men and women who keep him honest and inspired. You’ll hear the “food vs. poison” framework for relationships, a three-part litmus test for your inner circle, and a reminder that fit matters more than labels. When your environment lifts you, consistency becomes natural.

Identity gets practical here. We walk through daily “I am” statements tied to your key roles and core values, a simple power list to win the day, and breathwork plus meditation to quiet the noise before it gets loud. Stoicism threads through the conversation—Marcus Aurelius, The Obstacle Is The Way, and the timeless nudge to return to the present. We also swap book recommendations that sharpen judgment and courage, from The War of Art to Man’s Search for Meaning.

At the heart of this episode is love: loving your people, loving the work of becoming, and protecting the “golden goose” that lays the eggs you care about most—purpose, respect, freedom, and real connection. If you’re ready to tighten your circle, speak to your future self with conviction, and stack small, hard wins, this is your blueprint. Listen, try one hard thing today, and tell us what you chose. If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with three friends who are ready to level up.

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A life can look like momentum from the outside—30 marathons, corporate wins, a bestselling debut, a full speaking calendar—and still be built on choices that didn’t honor the person inside. That clash is where Beth Fisher found her pivot. We sit down with Beth—business coach, speaker, and author—to trace the arc from checklist living to clear-eyed selection, from noisy achievement to calm, durable contentment.

Beth opens up about the experiences that sharpened her discernment: surviving leukemia, navigating divorce, confronting a covert narcissist, and carrying the quiet weight of parenting guilt and empty nest grief. She doesn’t romanticize the pain or rush past it. Instead, she shows how to sit with it, journal through it, and use your body’s signals—sleepless nights, stress, fatigue—as data you can act on. Her central case is bold and simple: selection is destiny. Who you choose as a partner, the leaders you follow, the friends you keep, and the habits you repeat will script your next decade. Choose with non‑negotiables. Leave early when misaligned. Be more interested than interesting. And trust what your gut knows before your head admits it.

We also get inside her creative process—pantser first, architect later—and the story behind her books: Remorseless and the upcoming Selection Process: How to Avoid a Loser Relationship. From there, we widen the lens: stoicism as a daily practice, the power of solitude, and the “goose vs. golden eggs” mindset that turns outcomes into byproducts of strong inputs. When Beth slowed down—coffee under the stars instead of 4 a.m. grind—her work got better, her joy returned, and contentment replaced pressure. She still plays to win (hello, pickleball singles), but she’s done performing for the wrong audience.

If you’ve felt “something’s off” in your relationships, career, or routines, this conversation gives you language, tools, and permission to act. Subscribe for more candid, practical conversations on growth, share this with a friend who needs the nudge, and leave a review to tell us the one non‑negotiable you’re choosing next.

https://bethfisher.com/about/

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A single signed offer letter sat in the mail—and Art Delorenzo felt a tug that said, “this isn’t it.” That gut check rerouted him from academia to a 50‑year run in financial services and leadership development. We invited Art back to explore how he makes choices, leads teams, and keeps his life centered, all through a lens that blends instinct, deliberate learning, and everyday kindness.

We talk about the real mechanics of decision‑making: how cognition (research and analysis), affect (emotion and memory), and conation (instinct and drive) work together. Art introduces the Kolbe perspective on personal MO—why innovators need to reshape the standard kit and fact finders need more data before they move. We explore gut feelings and precognition as early signals worth respecting, plus a simple way to vet a new role: talk to the people who report to the leader you’d serve. Culture is local, and style matters more than the job description.

From there, we dive into habits that compound. Art swears by short, consistent learning sessions to build cognitive strength, and he doubles retention by teaching what he just learned. We get honest about asking for help, humility as a performance tool, and why treating victory and defeat as impostors steadies a team. You’ll also hear two practical rituals that change daily life fast: a three‑minute transition stop before walking in the door so you’re truly home when you get home, and “joy reps”—eight brief acknowledgments that retrain the brain away from negativity bias. Add in kindness as a sleep aid—recalling a face you helped that day—and you’ve got a human system for better work and a better home life.

If you’ve felt the hamster wheel spinning or you’re weighing a leap, this conversation gives you a grounded way to decide, act, and stay well. Listen, share it with a friend who’s at a crossroads, and if it hits home, subscribe and leave a review—what’s one small practice you’ll start today?

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What truly sets exceptional financial advisors apart? Is it technical knowledge, investment returns, or something deeper? In this deeply personal conversation, John Evangelista shares the journey that transformed him from a young advisor at American Express to the founder of a specialized wealth management firm serving university faculty and staff across the country.

John's story isn't just about building a successful practice—it's about making the courageous decisions that defined his career. After selling the majority of his client book in 2003 and starting over with just 14 families, he discovered that clarity of purpose would become his North Star. Despite being told his idea to specialize in serving university employees was "the dumbest idea ever," John persisted, building a thriving firm now registered in 19 states with clients from Yale to USC.

The most powerful revelation comes when John reflects on what he's learned after three decades in the business: "Great clients can help you create a great revenue stream, but great relationships create a great life." This philosophy has transformed how he mentors the next generation of advisors, teaching them to count relationships rather than just client numbers. The depth of these connections became painfully clear when John flew to Hawaii to say goodbye to a dying client who told him, "All I feel is love."

For those facing their own challenges, John offers two transformative principles that guided his journey: "Surround yourself with the best team possible" and "Don't be a prisoner of your past." These insights helped him overcome early setbacks, including his parents' divorce and other career disappointments, to build both a successful business and a fulfilling life that includes raising bees and producing honey now sold in stores.

Whether you're in financial services or any profession where relationships matter, this conversation will remind you that technical skills alone aren't enough—it's the human connection that truly changes lives. 

"Good financial advisors change their clients' lives, but great financial advisors change the world."

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Aron Ralston's name became synonymous with extraordinary survival when, trapped by a boulder in Utah's Blue John Canyon for six days, he amputated his own arm with a dull multi-tool knife to escape certain death. Yet as he reveals in this profound conversation, the physical act of cutting through his arm represents just a fraction of his story's true significance.

"We don't get to control what happens to us, we get to choose how we respond," Aron reflects, distilling two decades of post-trauma wisdom into a philosophy that transforms boulders into blessings. The gift of his ordeal wasn't merely survival but a complete reorientation toward what truly matters—loving relationships, present-moment awareness, and the spiritual connections that transcend our physical limitations.

The podcast delves into the mystical dimensions of Aron's experience, from recording goodbye messages that filled him with gratitude rather than despair to experiencing a vision of his future son that gave him the determination to free himself. These moments reveal how crisis can strip away superficial concerns and connect us to deeper truths. "You cannot simultaneously hold profound despair and profound gratitude in your heart at the same time," he observes, offering a practical approach to navigating life's inevitable challenges.

Now approaching fifty with two children, Aron describes how his understanding of "victory" has evolved from achievement to connection. The father who once sought to conquer Colorado's highest peaks now finds his greatest wins in moments of connection with his children and in choosing peace over being right. His powerful mantra "I'm still here" serves as both a survival declaration and a mindfulness practice that grounds us in the fundamental gift of existence.

Whether you're facing your own metaphorical boulder or simply seeking to live with greater presence and purpose, Aron's journey offers a roadmap for transforming adversity through acceptance, gratitude, and the recognition that our true legacy lies not in what we accomplish but in how we love. Listen, share, and discover how to use life's challenges as catalysts for profound transformation.

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What does it take to rebuild a life from absolute rock bottom? Ken Miller's journey from Ivy League halls to homeless addiction to entrepreneurial success provides a masterclass in transformation, forgiveness, and finding purpose through pain.

Ken recounts his extraordinary life story with unflinching honesty. Born to a teenage runaway prostitute and a drug-dealing pimp, he spent years in foster care before being adopted at age seven. Despite starting life unable to read or write, his natural intelligence propelled him to Dartmouth College. But graduation led to a 20-year spiral into addiction, homelessness, and multiple prison sentences.

The turning point came in 2007 when Ken was released from prison for the third time with "no marketable skills." What followed defies expectation - within a few years, he had launched successful businesses, established himself as a speaker and author, and dedicated himself to mentoring others facing similar struggles.

At the heart of Ken's transformation is his revolutionary approach to forgiveness. He articulates a powerful framework addressing three dimensions we must heal: forgiving others, forgiving God (or our spiritual beliefs), and forgiving ourselves. "Forgiveness is accepting truth," he explains, detailing how this practice liberated him from decades of resentment and self-hatred.

Ken's perspective on personal development challenges conventional wisdom. Rather than pursuing greatness, he intentionally seeks "goodness," explaining how the final 3-5% of mastery might require 20 years of effort better spent helping others. This philosophy extends to his work style - maintaining a minimalist desk with just one pen and one pad - and his approach to emotional wellbeing, giving himself permission to experience occasional down days without self-judgment.

Perhaps most inspiring is Ken's capacity for gratitude despite his difficult past. "How do you manifest that gratitude?" he asks, suggesting that service to others represents his answer. Through mentorship, speaking, and writing upcoming books on respect, fundraising, and mentorship, Ken demonstrates how transforming personal pain into purpose creates lasting impact on others.

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"You can never be happy and find peace with more. You can also never be happy and find peace with less. You can only be happy and find peace with what you have – and that can only happen right here, right now."

These profound words from Dr. Marshall Goldsmith encapsulate the wisdom shared in this extraordinary conversation. From the son of a gas station owner in rural Kentucky to becoming the world's top executive coach, Marshall's journey exemplifies how an ordinary person can achieve extraordinary things while maintaining humility and purpose.

Marshall takes us through pivotal moments that shaped his philosophy – from overcoming the limiting belief that he had "no mechanical aptitude," to witnessing heartbreaking poverty in Africa during a famine, to learning servant leadership from the remarkable Frances Hesselbein. His stories aren't just entertaining; they're transformative lessons about recognizing our self-imposed limitations and finding meaning in service to others.

What stands out most is how Marshall has distilled decades of coaching the world's top executives into actionable wisdom anyone can apply. His six daily questions practice (starting with "Did I do my best to...") offers a simple but powerful framework for meaningful change. And his admission that even he – the creator of this method – needs someone to hold him accountable speaks volumes about both human nature and the importance of structured support systems.

Throughout our conversation, Marshall exemplifies the rare combination of brilliant insight delivered with genuine warmth. Whether discussing Buddhist philosophy, the psychology of leadership, or the power of authentic gratitude, he communicates complex ideas with remarkable clarity and heart. His mission statement has simplified with age: "I want to help you, a real human being, have a little better life."

Ready to transform your approach to leadership, relationships, and personal fulfillment? Visit marshallgoldsmith.com for free access to his documentary, articles, and coaching resources – and start asking yourself those six daily questions today.

https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/

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What makes someone jump from merely successful to truly impactful? Clint Boxman, Managing Director of Latitude 48 and one of Washington's top-rated financial advisors, reveals the journey that shaped his distinctive approach to business, leadership, and life.

Starting with humble beginnings in a small town, Clint shares how his entrepreneurial spirit emerged at just 13 years old when he began his own landscaping business, eventually accumulating more savings than his parents. This early financial independence funded his education and sparked an investment journey that would become his life's work. With guidance from unlikely mentors including his father's boss (a high school dropout turned self-made millionaire), Clint developed a passion for helping others build financial security and meaningful legacies.

Throughout our conversation, Clint reveals the profound ways client relationships have transformed his perspective. From celebrating milestones to mourning losses, these deep connections have taught him to "live every day to the fullest, like it's your last." This philosophy permeates everything at Latitude 48, where client relationships span decades and often feel more like family than business.

Perhaps most compelling is Clint's unique definition of success. Rather than focusing solely on accolades (though his team has many), he measures achievement through impact – what his children will become, how clients feel served, and the difference made in his community. His experience serving as master of ceremonies at a client's funeral offered powerful perspective on what truly matters at life's end.

For anyone striving to build something meaningful – whether in business, community, or family – Clint's mantra offers a guiding light: "Whatever you think you can do, you can always do more." His story reminds us that our greatest legacy isn't built through grand gestures but through consistent, purposeful choices to serve others well.

Ready to think differently about your financial future and the legacy you're building? Subscribe to the Bamboo Lab Podcast for more conversations that challenge conventional thinking and inspire meaningful change.

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In this landmark 150th episode, the roles reverse as Dave Dick interviews Brian Bosley about the evolution of the Bamboo Lab Podcast and the man behind the microphone. What unfolds is a captivating journey through triumph, struggle, and revelation.

Brian opens up about a surprising challenge that emerged when his podcast reached the top 10% globally—how success triggered impostor syndrome and led him to obsessively track metrics rather than impact. "I felt gross because the intent was to share wisdom around the world, and all of a sudden that took second row to the numbers," Brian confesses. This wake-up call prompted a two-month hiatus to recalibrate his purpose, offering listeners a masterclass in recognizing when achievement becomes a trap rather than a triumph.

The conversation delves into Brian's coaching philosophy, illuminating the crucial distinction between fear of failure and fear of success. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights gleaned from 29 years of coaching, Brian articulates why seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and identifies the three pivotal moments when coaching becomes transformative: when starting something new, when stuck on the hamster wheel, or when successful but sensing untapped potential. His "hat over the wall" metaphor perfectly captures the courage required to commit to growth—creating a situation where you must act because there's no turning back.

Looking forward, Brian unveils exciting plans to bridge the gap between his one-on-one coaching and the podcast audience, including video content, a subscription-based "Mug Club" featuring live expert sessions, and mastermind groups. These innovations spring from Brian's mission to create meaningful connection at every level of personal development.

Ready to jump off the hamster wheel and soar? Email [email protected] to learn more about these upcoming opportunities or to suggest topics for future sessions. After all, as Brian's journey proves, sometimes throwing your hat over the wall is exactly what's needed to discover what awaits on the other side.

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