"There are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the subject's sake and those who write for writing's sake. The truth is, that when an author begins to write for the sake of covering paper, he is cheating the reader because he writes under the pretext that he has something to say." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Today, on The Culture Matters Podcast, we are back with Thirty Days of Thought featuring our very own Jay Doran as he discusses excerpts from his book, Thirty Days of Thought.  However, for today's episode, Jay did not come alone.  A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at the chapter from the book entitled "Writer's Block" with our dead friend, Mr. Paul Lucido.  We enjoyed that conversation so much that we decided to take another swing at "Writer's Block"; this time with another dear friend who is the host of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief, Demetri Stakias.  If you listened to the episode with Paul, then you are in for a completely different take on the subject with Demetri.  These two culture colossuses are getting into getting back on track if you were to lose sense of your mission, why people (and Philadelphians) love the flawed hero, and why it is almost an obligation for people who create content to share their journey.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"It's hard, it's hard to be consistent in anything and that's why so few people can do it successfully. But when you do, when you are consistent in whatever goal you're trying to get to, typically you get the results you want."

Scotsman Guide Top 500 in the Country Loan Officer, Mortgage Executive Magazine Top One Percent Mortgage Originator, Philadelphia Magazine Five Star Mortgage Professional Award recipient, and Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate Rob Wishnick has finally made his way back to the show and we are not wasting a minute.  Rob and Jay are jumping right in with the importance of consistency and how it can lead to both professional and personal improvement, how something as simple as showing up and doing the basics the right way everyday can lead to better and more consistent habits, what the mortgage business looks like today and why a broker can be one of your best friends during the home buying process, and what the three columns are that will help you maximize your efficiency.  This was a wonderful and informative discussion and we hope you enjoy this conversation with Mr. Rob Wishnick.

Episode 21 marks Part 1 of a reflection on the impact of the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza series.

In this episode, Jay begins revisiting select words of the year shared by guests throughout the Lollapalooza, unpacking what those words represent and why they mattered — not only to the individuals who shared them, but to the broader Culture Matters community.

Rather than recapping conversations, this episode focuses on patterns: the themes that kept surfacing, the shared language across very different leaders, and what those signals say about where people are headed next.

This is the first in a multi-part breakdown, with more reflections, insights, and connections to come as the series continues.

"When you are finished changing, you are finished." - Benjamin Franklin

Everybody's favorite mortgage expert, leader of the Bill Mervin Mortgage Team, and frequent guest here on The Culture Matters Podcast Bill Mervin is back on the program again and we're looking forward to another fantastic round of conversation with the man himself.  On today's episode, Bill and Jay are diving deep on a myriad of subjects, as they always do, and we aren't wasting any time getting into it.  During this discussion, Bill and Jay are getting into the current trend of substantial mergers between lending servicing platforms and real estate, Bill's opinions on some of the best practices that business owners and leaders could be employing to succeed in tumultuous times, the different levels and plains of existence that "home" exists on, and even some thoughts on the current state of the United States and how it is affecting the housing market.  This is truly a heady conversation and there are few people around we'd rather have such a talk with than Bill Mervin.

2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 20: The Impact This Series Has Made

Episode 20 serves as the reflection point of the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza, a moment to pause, look back, and name the impact this series has already had.

In this episode, Jay Doran discusses why the Lollapalooza exists in the first place, how it has evolved year over year, and what happens when long-form, values-driven conversations are given space to breathe. Rather than recapping individual episodes, Jay focuses on the resonance; the emails, messages, and conversations sparked by the series.

A significant part of that reflection includes the influence and example set by Patrick Bet-David, whose approach to dialogue, conviction, and unapologetic truth-telling is referenced throughout the episode. Jay shares how that standard saying the thing that needs to be said, even when it’s uncomfortable has shaped the tone, courage, and clarity of the Lollapalooza conversations.

This episode explores:

• Why people are craving depth over soundbites
• How honest conversation creates ripple effects beyond downloads
• The responsibility that comes with having a platform
• And why impact is measured not in virality, but in alignment, action, and change

Episode 20 isn’t a victory lap it’s a reckoning. A reminder that when conversations are rooted in purpose, faith, discipline, and truth, they don’t just fill time they move people.

This episode closes the loop on the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza and sets the standard for what comes next.

If this series challenged you, encouraged you, or helped you think differently — this episode explains why.

Share it with someone who values substance over noise, and leave a review to help keep these conversations alive.

Jay Doran’s Word for 2026: LOVE

In Episode 19, Jay Doran closes the NYE Lollapalooza series by sharing his personal word for 2026: LOVE — and redefining it far beyond how the word is commonly used.

This episode is not about romance alone, and it’s not about sentiment. It’s about love as a discipline, a standard, and a responsibility.

Jay breaks down what love actually looks like when it’s lived out:

• In partnership 
• In leadership and work
• In friendship, boundaries, and commitment
• In the way we choose to show up for people — even when it’s uncomfortable

He challenges the idea that love is passive or conditional, and instead frames it as something that requires intention, courage, presence, and consistency. Love, as Jay describes it, is not weakness — it is alignment. It is choosing truth over ego, service over control, and depth over convenience.

This episode serves as a personal declaration and a compass for the year ahead — not just for Jay, but for anyone listening who wants to live with greater clarity, integrity, and connection in 2026.

If you’ve ever felt that the word love has been diluted or misunderstood, this conversation restores its weight — and its meaning.

This is the final chapter of the NYE Lollapalooza.
And it’s an invitation to live the year ahead differently.

Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead — and love — at a higher standard.

In Episode 18, Jay Doran and Jenna Silverman step back and reflect on the full scope of the NYE Lollapalooza — a day-long series of conversations designed to help people close one year with intention and step into the next with clarity.

Jenna, who joined as co-host for the final stretch of the day, brings a fresh lens to the recap as they unpack the patterns, themes, and through-lines that emerged across the episodes. Together, they discuss the recurring words, shared struggles, and common realizations voiced by leaders from different industries — and what those overlaps say about where people actually are heading into 2026.

This episode isn’t about revisiting every conversation — it’s about zooming out. Jay and Jenna talk about:

• The dominant ideas that kept resurfacing across guests
• Why certain words and themes appeared again and again
• What surprised them most after hearing so many perspectives back-to-back
• And how the collective tone of the day reflects a deeper shift in leadership, faith, identity, and responsibility

Episode 18 serves as the bookend to the Lollapalooza — a grounded, thoughtful recap meant to help listeners make sense of what they heard and decide what they want to carry forward into the new year.

If you listened to even one episode from the day, this conversation helps connect the dots. And if you listened to many, it brings the meaning into focus.

As always, share this episode with someone who needs perspective heading into the year ahead — and leave a review to help us continue building conversations that matter.

Episode 17 closes out the NYE Lollapalooza with a conversation that feels like a final reset before the calendar turns — not just on goals, but on identity, leadership, and what actually drives people to change.

Jay Doran is joined by Jenna Silverman, Bill Reiman, Glenn Llopis, and Mark Perkins for a New Year’s Eve roundtable on the words that shaped 2025 and the words they’re carrying into 2026.

Jay shares his evolution from last year’s theme — “life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards”— into a deeper truth: life isn’t a problem to solve, it’s a reality to experience. His word shifts from intensity to love, setting the tone for a conversation that’s both grounded and honest.

From there, the room opens up:

• Jenna reflects on her shift from faith into surrender — and why surrender isn’t weakness, it’s alignment.
• Bill shares that his word for 2026 is faith, and talks through what it looks like to shut out noise, stop letting fear lead, and build life and business from a deeper foundation.
• Glenn brings the edge with a powerful framework: reinvention (2025) → conviction (2026). He challenges the idea that success is the same as health, and unpacks why so many leaders are exhausted — not from hard work, but from performing instead of truly executing as themselves.
• Mark anchors the conversation with a simple but relentless word: go — the compounding power of doing business the right way for years, staying decisive without perfect certainty, and continuing to move even when plans break.

The group digs into the tension leaders feel every day: how to see potential clearly, how to lead people without carrying them, and how to commit to growth without sacrificing the things that actually matter.

This one is a strong finish to the Lollapalooza: deep, real, and full of practical truth you can carry into 2026.

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who needs it — and leave a review so we can keep reinvesting back into you.

Episode 16 of the NYE Lollapalooza is one of the most grounded, emotional, and necessary conversations of the entire day.

Jay Doran is joined by Jenna Silverman, Bill Reiman, Jonathon Haddad, and Joe Silva for a raw discussion on the words that shaped 2025—and the ones guiding 2026.

What begins as a simple reflection on annual themes quickly evolves into something deeper: fatherhood, responsibility, faith, emotional regulation, and perspective. The group wrestles with what it truly means to lead—not just businesses, but families, communities, and themselves.

You’ll hear:

• Why consistency without faith lacks purpose
• How strength becomes a blessing when responsibility is embraced
• Why balance is not 50/50—but situational awareness
• How perspective is forged through sacrifice, time, and choice
• What it means to raise children in a world that often avoids discipline, honor, and accountability

The conversation moves through personal stories of parenting, marriage, mental health, addiction, recovery, leadership pressure, and cultural erosion—without posturing or performance. It’s honest. It’s emotional. And at times, it’s heavy in the best way.

A standout moment includes a reading of Rudyard Kipling’s If, used as a lens to discuss masculinity, discipline, and the responsibility to protect—not dominate—the village.

This episode isn’t about resolutions.
It’s about choices.
It’s about keeping the main thing the main thing.
And it’s about understanding that life doesn’t give perspective gently—it teaches it through experience.

If you’re stepping into 2026 as a leader, a parent, or someone trying to become steadier in a chaotic world—this conversation will stay with you.

🎧 Listen closely. Share what resonates. And if it moved you, leave a review—because that’s how this work continues.

Episode 15 is a different kind of New Year’s Eve conversation—less “resolution energy,” more real life, real leadership, real presence.

Jay Doran and Jenna Silverman sit down with Michael Allosso and Joseph Iredell during the 2025 Lollapalooza to unpack the theme:
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”

From the jump, it’s personal—Mike Calhoun has officially tapped out after an all-day hosting marathon, and Jenna steps in to co-lead the room. What follows is a layered discussion about the words that shaped 2025 and the words driving 2026:

• Michael Allosso (2025): Seen & Heard — the ache of invisibility, and the power of making people feel visible.
  Michael (2026): Intensity — no more passive interactions; every moment becomes an event, with real stakes.
• Joseph Iredell: moves from Understanding into Dominance for 2026—less introspection, more execution, and refusing to “play defense” after momentum is built.
• Jenna: reflects on Faith in 2025 and anchors 2026 in Surrender—letting go of forced outcomes while staying disciplined about clarity, communication, and aligned action.

The episode also hits a few Culture Matters gold veins: casting vs. hiring, why leaders misplace people into roles that drain them, and why “stakes” change everything—your tone, your preparation, your presence, and the way people remember you.

They close by wrestling with a big question: How do you teach values in a way that’s engaging—lived, not lectured?The answer keeps circling back to the same truth: values become real when they show up inside conversations, decisions, and the way we treat people when no one’s watching.

If you’re heading into 2026 craving more presence, more purpose, and fewer forced outcomes—this one will land.