The Insight Interviews - Powered by Rewire

Are you ready to unlock your potential and bridge the gap between ambition and accomplishment? Dive into the transformative power of coaching, exploring how intentional growth, self-awareness, and a “toward” mindset can combat life’s natural chaos and drive meaningful progress. Discover how asking the right questions fosters self-discovery, why metacognition is a game-changer for leadership, and how external perspectives can inspire new solutions. Uncover the keys to unlocking creativity, resilience, and success in both business and life!

In this episode Jason and Steve discuss:

• Importance of coaching in bridging ambition and accomplishment
• Role of entropy and coaching in combating personal and professional disorder
• Asking insightful questions to promote self-discovery and leadership growth
• Power of metacognition in overcoming self-limiting patterns
• Adopting a "toward" mindset to enhance creativity and problem-solving skills

Key Takeaways: 

• Entropy, the natural tendency toward disorder, highlights the need for intentional coaching to promote growth, structure, and continuous improvement.
• Coaching emerges as a powerful tool to bridge ambition and accomplishment by fostering self-awareness, encouraging intentional growth, and equipping individuals with strategies to combat life's inherent disorder.
• By asking thought-provoking questions, coaches empower clients to uncover their own insights, a method proven to promote deeper self-discovery and sustained action compared to prescriptive advice.
• Leaders unlock transformative growth through metacognition and emotional awareness, recognizing that thoughts are neutral and that reactions can be consciously separated for enhanced well-being.
• A "toward" mindset—focused on growth and solutions rather than problems—unleashes creativity and problem-solving potential, paving the way for personal and professional success.

“Coaching is about drawing out the insights of others. To us, this is distinctly different from simply pouring our advice into them.”

 - Steve Scanlon

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Marc Reifenrath is CEO and co-founder of Spinutech, LLC, a full-service digital agency with more than 165 team members across the U.S. He and the Spinutech team specialize in developing lead generation strategies and accelerating online sales for top brands. Having seen Spinutech grow from a college start-up to one of the premier full-service digital marketing agencies in the country, Marc understands better than most how critical a company’s culture is to achieving and maintaining success, and he would be the first to tell you that Spinutech would not be what it is today without a team of people who are as invested in each other’s growth and success as they are in delivering the best for their clients.

When he has time away from growing the Spinutech team and building relationships with clients, Marc enjoys family time, golfing, and traveling — in that order.

In this episode Jason and Marc discuss:

• Leverage core values to shape organizational culture and authentic leadership
• Overcome humble beginnings through strategic positioning and work ethic
• Practice patient leadership that fosters team input and holistic coaching
• Address challenges with core values while maintaining authority
• Celebrate employee departures and align roles with individual strengths

Key Takeaways: 

• Gratitude emerges as a foundational pillar of success, highlighting how a supportive network bolsters resilience and fosters progress during an entrepreneurial journey.
• A narrative of humble beginnings showcases the power of bootstrapping, networking, and securing key opportunities to transform vision into credibility and growth.
• Leadership excellence is demonstrated through patient, thoughtful approaches that prioritize team input, redirect challenges with grace and uphold organizational identity without compromising standards.
• The importance of core values shines through as a compass for addressing challenges, fostering cultural realignment, and ensuring actions reflect integrity over personal grievances.
• Growth is celebrated not just through achievements but also by embracing employee transitions, promoting strengths over hierarchies, and committing to leadership marked by authenticity and continuous learning.

“As a leader, I think we just have to learn how to truly connect to that person, to truly understand how they're wired so that we can lead them appropriately. Because if I try to take the same approach for everybody, I’m going to fail miserably.”

 - Marc Reifenrath

Connect with Marc Reifenrath:

Website: https://www.spinutech.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcreifenrath/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Are you ready to achieve meaningful, transformative change in your personal and professional life? Let’s explore the importance of genuine self-reflection and understanding the mindsets behind your actions. Learn how addressing both the technical aspects of goal-setting and the adaptive elements like thoughts, emotions, and past experiences can drive deeper transformation. Discover why balancing doing and being is crucial and how the right tools and coaching support can unlock lasting growth. Tap into these insights and chart a path toward your desired future with clarity and purpose!

In this episode Steve and Jason discuss:

• Importance of genuine self-reflection in change planning
• Considering visible behaviors and unseen mindsets
• Technical and adaptive elements of goal-setting
• Understanding deeper foundations for meaningful transformation
• Connectivity framework based on the iceberg model of behavior

Key Takeaways: 

• Annual reflection and intentional planning are pivotal for fostering both personal and professional growth, encouraging deeper insights rather than surface-level resolutions.
• Leading by example amplifies the effectiveness of coaching and facilitation, emphasizing the importance of practicing what you preach.
• Genuine self-awareness fuels the success of planning tools and resolutions, ensuring that efforts toward change are meaningful and sustainable.
• Examining underlying thoughts, emotions, and past experiences is essential to uncovering the drivers of behavior and enabling more purposeful and transformative outcomes.
• True transformation requires balancing technical actions with adaptive changes, often necessitating external support to navigate mindsets and environmental factors.

“When those bottoms change, dude, we can move the top. If you're listening to this, I beg you, get a coach, get someone around you. And when you do, make sure the focus is both — not just one. We don’t downplay technical. Yes, we have to go do things. But when we only try to do things and miss the being piece, we miss the real transformation. And if you let it, you will see this tool as a combination of both — something truly transformational.”

 - Steve Scanlon

Download The Reflection & Planning Guide here.

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Rick West is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Field Agent, a global provider of products that help brands win at retail. Prior to starting as a Field Agent, Rick worked 16 years with Procter & Gamble in various assignments in the United States, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, Thailand. Since leaving P&G, he has been a start-up Entrepreneur for over 20 years. Rick has co-founded multiple start-ups, including the Northstar Partnering Group, CORE4 Research, JOYN and most recently Field Agent. He is also a member of the global Endeavor Entrepreneur network.

In this episode, Jason and Rick discuss:

• Genuine relationships for personal and professional growth
• Trust and partnerships as the basis for entrepreneurial success
• Branding, decisiveness, and creativity within constraints
• Validating business ideas through real-world customer willingness to pay
• Kindness and reciprocal value creation

Key Takeaways: 

• The importance of decisiveness is emphasized, encouraging a clear "yes" or "no" approach over dwelling in uncertainty, which hinders progress.
• Long-term success stems from cultivating genuine relationships that prioritize trust and mutual value over transactional expectations.
• Ethical business practices, rooted in fostering connections and providing value, create both personal growth and professional benefits.
• Trust in partnerships, rather than reliance on contracts, serves as a foundational principle for entrepreneurial ventures.
• True creativity flourishes within constraints, where strategic focus and autonomy can coexist to spark innovative solutions.

“Don't live in the world of maybe, but let your yes be yes and your no be no.”

 - Rick West

Connect with Rick West:

Website: https://www.fieldagent.net/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwest01/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Richard Safeer, MD, is the Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Well-being at Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he leads the acclaimed Healthy at Hopkins strategy. He is the author of A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Workforce. Safeer's work has been featured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Fortune Magazine. With a BS in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University, mentored by T. Colin Campbell (author of The China Study), and an MD from SUNY Buffalo, his career spans family medicine, academia, and wellness leadership. At CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, he led groundbreaking initiatives, earning NCQA wellness accreditation. 

In this episode Jason and Richard discuss:

• Importance of leaders prioritizing employee well-being for organizational success
• Benefits of mindful gratitude practices and self-care on performance
• Impact of childhood experiences on interest in workplace safety and well-being
• Measured outcomes of workplace wellness programs, including reduced absenteeism and turnover
• Leadership strategies for promoting employee health through low-cost, preventive methods

Key Takeaways: 

• Leaders’ well-being is essential for optimal performance, emphasizing the importance of self-care in physical, mental, and emotional aspects to foster resilience and productivity.
• Engaging employees in wellness programs, from creative contests to accessible tools like the CDC worksite health scorecard, ensures continuous improvement and a focus on workplace safety and health.
• The impact of leadership on employee well-being is undeniable, with clear priorities and preventive measures enhancing engagement, productivity, and retention across organizations.
• Lifestyle medicine, encompassing factors like nutrition, exercise, stress management, and social connectedness, emerges as a critical approach for preventing and reversing chronic diseases in the workplace.
• Actionable resources like A Cure for the Common Company offer leaders practical blueprints to prioritize employee well-being, driving healthier, more productive organizational cultures.

“Any leader who's listening to this podcast episode today should come to appreciate that you have more impact on the health and well-being of the people you lead than most physicians do because of the sheer amount of time that you spend with your team.”

 - Richard Safeer

A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier and More Resilient Workforce: https://amzn.to/3bG1q1D  

Online training program to learn how to create a well-being culture on your team and in your workplace: https://www.creatingawellbeingculture.com/ 

10 Minute Well-being Tips for Managers- Safeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_v8Jd-x-c4 

Connect with Richard Safeer:

Website: https://richardsafeer.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsafeer/ 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Stacey Brown Randall is on a mission to help business owners avoid failure by teaching them how to generate referrals naturally—without manipulation, incentives, or even asking. Through her programs and VIP experiences, Stacey empowers business owners to attract clients authentically and sustainably.

She is a national speaker, host of the popular Roadmap to Referrals podcast, and has been featured in prominent publications such as Entrepreneur, Investor’s Business Daily, and Forbes. Stacey is also a multiple award-winning author of Generating Business Referrals Without Asking and is set to release her forthcoming book, which focuses on creating a referable client experience.

In this episode, Jason and Stacey discuss:

• Importance of building strong relationships with referral sources
• Strategies for creating surprise, delight, and top-of-mind awareness
• Process of nurturing ideal client relationships for unsolicited referrals
• Long-term benefits of consistent referral strategies for growth
• Focus on process over outcomes by prioritizing others' needs

Key Takeaways: 

• The key to sustainable referrals lies in prioritizing authentic relationships over directly asking or self-promotion, fostering trust and goodwill.
• A commitment to helping others naturally encourages referrals, as offering genuine solutions builds trust and inspires others to share your value.
• Maintaining 5-7 personalized touch points annually creates opportunities to nurture relationships while surprising and delighting connections with thoughtful gestures.
• Success in referrals depends on focusing on the process of building relationships, letting outcomes naturally unfold rather than tightly controlling results.
• Identifying existing referral sources as low-hanging fruit, combined with consistent and patient application of strategies, paves the way for exponential growth over time.

“The number one thing you need to understand about referrals is that referrals aren't about you. You don't control the opportunity of when referrals will show up. What you control is the desire for that person to refer to you when they come across an opportunity.”

 - Stacey Brown Randall

Connect with Stacey Brown Randall:

Website: https://www.staceybrownrandall.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceybrandall/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceybrownrandall/ 

Stacey’s BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Generating-Business-Referrals-Without-Asking-ebook/dp/B07D99KJ6H/ 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Are you ready to overcome plateaus and reignite growth in your organization? We uncover key strategies to propel your success, even in the face of roadblocks. Learning how to reflect on past wins and ask powerful questions can reignite momentum during challenges. Discover why seeking support is crucial to overcoming isolation and adversity, and how investing in technology, training, and systems can maximize your growth potential. Finally, explore how adopting an abundant mindset and sacrificing complacency can help you transition from good to great.

In this episode Steve and Jason discuss:

• Address organizational plateaus and strategies for renewed growth
• Explore growth cycles: ups, downs, stagnation, and recovery
• Ask reflective questions to learn from past successes and challenges
• Invest in technology, training, and systems to propel growth
• Adopt an abundance mindset to enhance creativity and progress

Key Takeaways: 

• Growth is a journey with inevitable ups, downs, and plateaus, offering opportunities to embrace challenges as natural occurrences and catalysts for progress.
• Reflecting on past achievements through thoughtful questions uncovers valuable lessons and reignites momentum during difficult times.
• Building a strong support network becomes vital in overcoming isolation and adversity, emphasizing the importance of collective strength during challenges.
• Strategic investments in technology, training, and systems during growth phases act as accelerators, unlocking higher levels of success and innovation.
• Shifting from complacency to an abundant mindset fosters creativity, enabling organizations to transition from stability to greatness by embracing risks and possibilities.

“An abundance mindset unlocks a sense of creativity that might not be there otherwise. When you're in growth mode, leaning forward instead of pulling back can open up fun and innovative ways to look at things.”

 - Jason Abell

Plan vs. Reality Graphic: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uSinY8we_ZEYArVyKMILHr9Odjxz4HnAfTTjpdIYQlk/edit?usp=sharing 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Welcome to another heartfelt Thanksgiving episode of The Insight Interviews! As we gather to celebrate the season of gratitude, we’re reminded of the power of connection and appreciation, transcending borders and uniting us all. In this special episode, we explore Thanksgiving traditions worldwide, dive into the science behind gratitude, and share personal stories of thankfulness. From self-care and family to mentors and life values, we reflect on the many facets of gratitude that enrich our lives. Join us as we embrace this journey of reflection, connection, and appreciation together.

In this episode Jason, Steve & the Guests discuss:

• Exploring Thanksgiving traditions globally as celebrations of harvest and gratitude
• Neuroscience behind gratitude and its impact on positivity and well-being
• Benefits of practicing gratitude for mental health and self-care
• Appreciating family, ancestry, and values through personal stories
• Importance of introspection, mentors, and supportive relationships

Key Takeaways: 

• Gratitude, supported by technology, can bridge geographical distances, fostering a sense of connection regardless of physical separation.
• Thanksgiving traditions worldwide celebrate gratitude for bountiful harvests, uniting diverse cultures in a shared moment of appreciation.
• Personal reflections on gratitude interweave with the neuroscience of positivity, illustrating how thankfulness can reshape our outlook and enhance well-being.
• Practicing gratitude enriches self-care routines and amplifies our appreciation for family, ancestry, health, and freedom, deepening our connection to life’s essential elements.
• Alignment with personal values and the role of mentors, supportive parents, business partners, and introspection as foundational pillars for growth and fulfillment.

“As you, Jason, and I do our work here at Rewire, most everything we try to do links to some sort of neuroscientific fact. Gratitude, while certainly emotional, has fascinating neurobiology—what happens in our brains and minds when we’re grateful. For goodness’ sake, the entire field of positive psychology revolves around activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Living a life of gratitude, as we’ve heard, is a life worth living. Every year, we gather remarkable gratitude like a collection, sharing it in the hope it resonates with you, the listener, and helps you find your own gratitude.“

- Steve Scanlon

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Anthony Taylor is the CEO and senior strategic planning facilitator at SME Strategy. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a specialization in marketing and a Certified Associate in Project Management designation. Anthony combines academic expertise with over a decade of hands-on entrepreneurial experience across various industries. As the author of “I Wish I Knew”, he shares key insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

In 2016, he was named a Global Entrepreneurship Week Ambassador for Canada, and SME Strategy earned the Palme Blue for "Microenterprise of the Year" from the French Chamber of Commerce. Anthony also hosts the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, engaging with thought leaders on strategic insights. He is fluent in French and has a personal goal to visit every MLB stadium.

In this episode Jason and Anthony discuss:

• Anthony’s journey in strategic planning and passion for baseball
• Overcoming an embezzlement incident to pursue purpose-driven consulting
• Core elements of strategic planning: defining goals, prioritizing actions, and addressing obstacles
• Importance of team alignment, challenge identification, and roadmap development
• Adapting strategic plans to changing environments with a focus on goal achievement over rigid paths

Key Takeaways: 

• Strategic planning underscores the importance of a unified vision, which leaders must cultivate to guide teams toward shared goals and success.
• Conversations that allow participants to shape their own strategies foster accountability and personal growth, making team alignment more effective.
• Flexibility through iterative strategic planning is essential for adapting to a changing global landscape and taking advantage of emerging opportunities.
• The ultimate focus lies in helping individuals reach their goals, rather than rigidly adhering to initial plans, encouraging responsiveness to real-time needs.
• Integrating behavioral science into strategic planning can enhance outcomes, as aligning perspectives and communication supports team cohesion and shared success.

“People don’t care about your strategy, your strategic plan, or your priorities—they only want to know what it means to them and how they can succeed. If you’re leading an organization, ask your people: What does winning look like to you? Because when you help others get what they want, that’s when you truly win as a leader.”- Anthony Taylor

Connect with Anthony Taylor:

Website: https://www.smestrategy.net/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604/ 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Phillip Swan is the Managing Partner at Pi Partners, CRO at LingoAid, and Chief Product Officer of The AI Solution Group, where he specializes in crafting customer-centric go-to-market strategies. With a focus on aligning marketing, sales, product, and operations, Phillip helps create seamless customer experiences throughout the entire journey. At Pi Partners, a GTM Advisory firm known for its innovative solutions, he leads the charge in driving customer engagement and business growth. Passionate about sharing insights, Phillip uses various platforms to inspire and empower businesses to innovate and grow.

In this episode, Jason and Phillip discuss:

• Importance of responsible AI development and minimizing hallucinations
• Leveraging AI tools as productivity aids with a focus on critical thinking
• A comprehensive approach to responsible AI adoption and customer alignment
• AI's role in enhancing cybersecurity and protecting against bad actors
• Customer-centric approach in AI through interviews and testing to address pain points

Key Takeaways: 

• Responsible AI development is rooted in a deep understanding of customer needs, achieved through dedicated interviews and testing, ensuring solutions align with actual pain points.
• AI can be a powerful productivity tool, yet it demands critical thinking; outputs should be evaluated rather than accepted at face value, with original content never misrepresented as one's own.
• The convergence of AI and cybersecurity highlights AI's role in fortifying data protection, offering robust defenses against malicious actors in an evolving threat landscape.
• Embracing a holistic AI adoption strategy, including readiness assessments and collaborative workshops, supports seamless integration and alignment with organizational goals.
• A commitment to responsible AI entails a focus on regulatory compliance, environmental impact, and minimizing hallucinations, reinforcing AI's positive influence on society and the planet.

“To truly serve your customer, you’ve got to 'grok' them—immerse yourself in a 360-degree view of their world. It’s about understanding every pain point, every motivation, and it only comes from constant interviewing and testing. This goes beyond surface-level insights; it’s about making your customer the heartbeat of every department, every decision. Only then will they feel heard, and only then will you earn their loyalty.”

 - Phillip Swan

Connect with Phillip Swan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-swan/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.