In this episode of the Max Life Podcast, Ben Laws interviews Joe Schafbuch—entrepreneur, father of seven, and leader of one of the most successful Century 21 franchises in the U.S. Joe unpacks how early adversity became his ultimate leadership advantage—and why the best business builders invest in people, not just strategy.

You’ll learn:

• Why hardship produces better leaders than success ever could.
• How to turn mentorship into your highest-return investment.
• A mindset shift for building with your people—not on them.

For entrepreneurs and high performers, this is a crash course in turning challenge into fuel—and building teams that scale because they believe.

Guest Bio

Joe Schafbuch is Broker/Owner of CENTURY 21 Signature Real Estate in Ames, Iowa, and a partner in property‑management and closing‑services ventures including RPM Iowa and Real Clear Settlement & Exchange.LinkedIn

At 45—and with seven children at home—Joe bought a 16‑agent brokerage with no real‑estate license and grew it into a top‑10 CENTURY 21 franchise nationwide. The firm has since been named a Top Workplace in Iowa four consecutive years and ranked #2 medium‑sized workplace in the U.S. in 2024.

Joe’s entrepreneurial streak began early (re‑selling golf balls and locker‑room candy), followed by stints in automotive sales and restaurant management before finding his true calling in real estate. Today he champions a “build with people, not on people” culture, invests asymmetrically in talent, and mentors founders on vision‑led growth and unique‑ability teamwork.

Away from business, Joe relishes adventure, lifelong learning, and time with his expanding family—13 grandchildren and counting.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-schafbuch-59812311/

Key Topics

•  Why college wasn’t the right fit—and what he learned hitchhiking instead

• Building businesses without industry experience—and succeeding

• The philosophy behind “build with, not on” in leadership

• How Strategic Coach and books like The E-Myth changed his mindset

• The power of humility and the dangers of internal self-limiting narratives

• What it means to fall in love with your past and reframe regret

• Why success can be a terrible teacher

• The transition to mentorship and coaching in the next stage of life

Resources & Mentions

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Maker.ai

Julia Waller 

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It

Strategic Coach

Dan Sullivan

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t

Monk Manual

In this deeply rich conversation, entrepreneur and technologist Lior Weinstein breaks down how to build at scale—without burning out or going numb.

From surviving war as a child in Israel to launching ventures across the globe, Lior shares how he’s learned to lead with clarity, process emotion in real time, and design a life that prioritizes joy without sacrificing drive.

He and Ben Laws explore the quiet power of emotional triggers, why regret—when reflected on without shame—can guide us, and how ambition feels different when it's rooted in love, not fear.

If you're building fast and thinking deeper, this episode will meet you where you are—and take you further.

Guest Bio

Lior Weinstein is a serial entrepreneur specializing in digital transformation across mobile, web, and desktop platforms. He founded his first company at just 14 years old and went on to build and exit multiple technology companies before the end of his 20s. Over the years, Lior has worked on a wide range of projects—from quirky campaigns promoting DIY chicken coops to large-scale marketing automation systems.

His true gift lies in simplifying complex ideas and turning them into actionable, high-impact solutions. Lior has contributed to the development of over 30 mobile apps used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, along with hundreds of B2C and B2B websites. His work has been recognized by Microsoft for outstanding UI design and featured on the Apple US App Store.

Today, Lior focuses his energy on building new technology-driven joint ventures, and serving as a fractional CTO and CRO for founder-led companies generating $20M–$100M in annual revenue. He also lends his expertise to nonprofit organizations, helping them scale with the same care and innovation he brings to for-profit ventures.

Key Topics

• How growing up in a militarized, high-stress environment shaped Lior’s perspective on risk and resilience

• His family's history of surviving the Holocaust—and the emotional wisdom passed down by osmosis 

• The difference between anticipation and anxiety, and why framing matters 

• How Lior balances his role as a technologist with deep emotional and relational work 

• The power of travel, intentional living, and minimizing to maximize joy 

• Triggers and the practice of observing before reacting 

Resources & Mentions

Soft White Underbelly

Getting the Love Your Want: A Guide for Couples

Inside Out 2 

Interstellar

The Wealth of Nations

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals

Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

How to Live

What if your brand story could no longer compete with machines?

In this high-impact episode of The Max Life Podcast, Ben Laws sits down with Tim Dyer—co-founder of Manifesto and the creative mind behind purpose-driven campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Together, they unpack the evolving power of storytelling in an AI-driven world—and why today’s entrepreneurs must lead with a deeper, more human message.

You’ll uncover the hidden “B-plot” behind founder identity, the threats facing authentic narrative, and how to craft a brand story that resonates beyond algorithms. If your work depends on connection, clarity, or culture—this is essential listening.

Guest Bio

In 2011, Tim co-founded Manifesto with his twin brother—with a focus on rallying humans around the heart and soul of the world's most ambitious brands. Over his career, Tim has worked across dozens of Fortune 500 companies, helping them pioneer new programs to leverage sponsorships, create culturally disruptive concepts and launch new brand initiatives. His brand experience ranges from HBO to Old Spice, Arby's, Intel, Nike, GE Healthcare, Mars, Bacardi, Starbucks, Amazon, Caterpillar and beyond. Co-leading the agency, Manifesto became the 7th fastest growing agency in the US in 2016, charting #124 on the Inc. 500. In 2019 Tim wrote an industry-respected white paper called Rally Cry—5 Reasons You Need A Manifesto—which has been leveraged by numerous Fortune 100 brands as a brand launch playbook. Tim frequently guest speaks on the topics of brand storytelling and branding from the inside out, with a special focus on engaging employees in the branding process.

www.manifestoagency.com

@_timdyer on Instagram

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdyer/

Key Topics

• The universal role of story and archetypes across time and culture

• How external influences like social media and AI create confusion about personal identity

• The importance of the "B-plot"—the deeper, often hidden emotional journey underneath life’s visible achievements

• Nostalgia, regret, and how lived experience shapes meaning and connection

• Why imperfection, struggle, and suffering are essential parts of authentic human stories

• Concerns about AI’s ability to replicate—but not experience—human emotion and memory

• The sacred, ineffable aspects of humanity—soul, connection, gratitude—that machines cannot replace

• How gratitude for the present moment anchors real transformation 

  
  

Resources & Mentions

Save the Cat

Hero on a Mission: A Path to a Meaningful Life 

Natural Born Heroes: Mastering the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance

Lucy

Manifesto Agency

Simon Sinek 

www.60dayrunway.com

Rally Cry

In this timely episode, Luke Gromen—known for forecasting global macro shifts—pulls back the curtain to explore how entrepreneurs can navigate truth in a world shaped by AI, liquidity, and narrative-driven markets.

Host Ben Laws and Luke trace massive inflection points—9/11, 2008, and today’s tech revolution—and uncover the deeper emotional patterns behind courage, intuition, and self-trust.

More than finance, this is about clarity in complexity. How do we make sense of the noise? And how do we bet on ourselves when the rules keep changing?

For high performers, these insights go far beyond the market.

Guest Bio

Luke Gromen has become one of the most respected names in the global research sector. Having been in the industry for 20+ years and earning a reputation as a client-focused analyst with an unparalleled ability to make broad connections between increasingly siloed industry news and drawing conclusions that help investors understand the bigger picture. Luke offers unique and insightful research derived from a wide variety of sources that provide a clearer picture of global macroeconomic, thematic, and sector trends.

Luke founded FFTT, LLC in early 2014 to address and leverage the opportunity he saw created by applying what clients and former colleagues consistently described as a “unique ability to connect the dots” during a time when he saw an increasing “silo-ing” of perspectives occurring on Wall Street and in corporate America. FFTT caters to institutions and sophisticated individuals by aggregating a wide variety of macroeconomic, thematic and sector trends in an unconventional manner to identify investable developing economic bottlenecks for his clients.

Prior to founding FFTT, Luke was a founding partner of Cleveland Research Company, where he worked from 2006-14. At CRC, Luke worked in sales and edited CRC’s flagship weekly thematic research summary piece (“Straight from the Source”) for the firm’s clients. Prior to that, Luke was a partner at Midwest Research, where he worked in equity research and sales from 1996-2006. While in sales, Luke was a founding editor of Midwest’s widely-read weekly thematic summary (“Heard in the Midwest”) for the firm’s clients, in which he aggregated and combined proprietary research from Midwest with inputs from other sources.

Luke Gromen holds a BBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He earned the CFA designation in 2003.

Instagram: @lukegromen

X: @lukegromen 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-gromen-1a454a2/

Key Topics

• Luke’s journey from investment analyst to launching his own macro research firm, FFTT

• How human emotion—fear and greed—drives both markets and history

• The death of traditional capitalism and rise of liquidity-obsessed markets

• 2008 as a paradigm shift that changed everything Luke believed about investing

• The evolving role of AI and social media in shaping narratives and distorting truth

• The challenge of telling the truth in a world of tribes, stories, and algorithms

• Luke’s reflections on betting on yourself—and the uncomfortable clarity that comes with it

Resources & Mentions

The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

Forest for the Trees, LLC

What The Bleep Do We Know?

Dan Sullivan

Mr. X Interviews, Volume 1 : World Views from a Fictional US Sovereign Creditor

Mr. X Interviews, Volume 2: World Views from a Fictional US Sovereign Creditor

In this revealing conversation, attorney and entrepreneur Alex Gertsburg shares how deep insecurity—and one pivotal therapy session—shaped his path to success.

Host Ben Laws uncovers the emotional habits of high achievers: how fear fuels ambition, how presence builds power, and how telling yourself the truth is the real breakthrough.

If you've ever wondered why success doesn't quiet the inner critic, this episode offers rare validation—and a new blueprint for aligning ambition with inner peace.

Guest Bio

Alex Gertsburg is an accomplished attorney, entrepreneur, and community leader with a passion for innovation in the legal and business sectors. As the Managing Partner of Gertsburg Licata, he leads a full service business law firm that offers proactive legal solutions, helping entrepreneurs and executives navigate risk and growth with confidence. His brainchild, CoverMySix, is a pioneering legal service designed to identify and mitigate legal vulnerabilities before they become costly disputes.

Before founding his firm, Alex served as General Counsel for Broadvox, a national telecom company, where he managed legal affairs in a fast-paced, high-stakes industry. Earlier in his career, he practiced complex commercial litigation at leading law firms, developing a deep expertise in business law. 

Beyond his professional achievements, Alex is deeply engaged in his community, serving on various boards and supporting initiatives that foster business development and leadership. He is a military veteran, having served in the Iraq with the Army Transportation Corp, an experience that shaped his disciplined and strategic approach to problem-solving.

On a personal level, Alex is a devoted father, partner, and adventurer who thrives on collecting “billions of tiny moments” of joy, gratitude, and discovery. Whether through his work, mentorship, or personal connections, he brings energy, wisdom, and an innovative mindset to everything he does.

Gertsburg Licata Co., LPA: https://www.gertsburglicata.com/

CoverMySix: https://covermysix.com/

Blog: https://substack.com/@alexgertsburg

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

Key Topics

• Alex’s immigration story and early experiences of fear, insecurity, and not belonging

• How childhood wounds can become the hidden fuel for success—and the cost of not addressing them

• The transformational impact of therapy and inner child work

• Alex’s four core values: walk in love, be here now, be you, and the way knows the way

• How journaling, reflection, and authenticity became tools for healing and leadership

• Emotional intelligence as a life unlock—and why it’s often learned too late

• The gap between aspiration and integrity, and how to close it with intention

• Self-love, shame, and the quiet voices that shape our decisions and direction

Resources & Mentions

Shine: How Looking Inward Is the Key to Unlocking True Entrepreneurial Freedom 

Dan Sullivan

Cover My Six

Gertsburg Licata Law Firm

Dispatch From the Bright Side

A Checklist for Every Day Magic

Atomic Habits

The Lawsuit-Free Company

In this vibrant and thought-provoking episode of the Max Life Podcast, Ben Laws sits down with team strategist, author, and Strategic Coach® veteran Shannon Waller to explore the deep connection between leadership, curiosity, and what it truly means to work in relationship. With humor and insight, Shannon shares how her passion for teamwork started early in life and has evolved into a lifelong quest to help entrepreneurial teams flourish.

From personal stories of her hippie upbringing and early career moves to sharp wisdom on 21st-century leadership, Shannon dives into the difference between transactional management and transformative relationship-building. She unpacks why curiosity, trust, and love are the unexpected “umami” of extraordinary team cultures, and how recognizing who you are makes you better at appreciating others.

The episode also highlights her upcoming projects, including a mindset scorecard on entrepreneurial leadership, and practical tips for building connected, high-trust teams that can grow and thrive together.

Guest Bio

Shannon Waller, a seasoned expert on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial teams, has been with Strategic Coach® since 1991. She is renowned for creating The Entrepreneurial Team® Program, designed to cultivate a winning Entrepreneurial Attitude among team members. As a key executive, speaker, and author, Shannon's work emphasizes conative excellence and provides actionable strategies for team success, as evidenced in her books The Team Success Handbook and Multiplication By Subtraction. She is also co-author of Superpowered and the bestselling book Unique Ability® 2.0: Discovery.

Key Topics

• How Shannon’s early exposure to personal growth shaped her passion for people and teamwork

• The difference between management and coaching—and why leadership today is about relationship

• Why entrepreneurial companies are the fastest track for both personal and professional growth

• The power of curiosity in culture—and what causes people to lose it

• Non-obvious ingredients of great teamwork: love and trust

• What it means to build “unique ability” teams where people know they’re truly seen, valued, and supported 

Resources & Mentions

Strategic Coach

Dan Sullivan

Babs Smith

Multiplication by Subtraction  

Abundance 360

The Speed of Trust   

Kathy Kolbe

Kolbe.com

Clifton Strengths Assessment

The Working Genius Assessment

PRINT Assessment

The Gap & The Gain by Dan Sullivan

yourteamsuccess.com

The Team Success Handbook 

Delivering Happiness 

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team 

Tribal Leadership

No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results

Shannon Waller’s Team Success Podcast

Inside Strategic Coach with Dan Sullivan 

Superpowered

Kary Oberbrunner & Igniting Souls

In this raw and revealing episode of the Max Life Podcast, Ben Laws sits down with speaker, author, and leadership coach Dennis McIntee for a deeply human conversation about grief, growth, and emotional self-awareness. Dennis opens up about a recent personal realization—how unprocessed grief was quietly influencing his risk tolerance, inner dialogue, and overall presence as a leader, husband, and father.

Through storytelling and vulnerability, Dennis shares how leaders can embrace emotional honesty, make peace with imperfection, and create safe spaces for others and themselves. He discusses his personal journey toward healing childhood wounds, quieting the inner critic, and shifting from performance-driven ambition to joy-driven purpose.

This is a must-listen for anyone seeking deeper self-awareness and more meaningful leadership.

Guest Bio

Dennis McIntee, a business consultant, gifted keynote speaker, executive coach and author, travels across the world speaking at leadership summits, management training events and healthcare conferences, to name a few. His three-decade career included stints in Africa, Poland, Germany, and throughout greater Europe where he coached and consulted with growing leaders. Through his experience, Dennis developed a systematic approach to helping his clients reach their goals through coaching, speaking, courses, and teaching techniques that enact transformational change. Ultimately, Dennis is passionate about helping leaders create high-trust, high-performance cultures while becoming the best version of themselves they can be.

Dennis is also the author of The 8 Qualities of Drama Free Teams, The Power of Pursuit, and Drama Free Teams in Healthcare. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for over 30 years and together they have four children. Dennis is an avid runner and enjoys training for races.

Instagram: @leadershipdevgroup https://www.instagram.com/leadershipdevgroup/

https://www.facebook.com/LeadershipDevGrp

Key Topics

• Dennis’s recent journey of emotional honesty and learning to process unspoken grief

• The connection between unprocessed emotions, risk aversion, and internal dialogue

• Learning to “name it to tame it” and how language shapes emotional experience

• How grief and loss from childhood impacted Dennis’s drive and identity as a leader

• The creation of the Disappointment Navigator as a tool for personal growth

• How vulnerability, safe spaces, and internal kindness transform leadership and relationships

Resources & Mentions

Strategic Coach

Tony & Lisa DiLorenzo

The Feelings Wheel

Julia Waller - Unique Ability Specialist & Coach

Leadershipdevgroup.com

Drama Free Teams in Healthcare

The 8 Qualities of Drama Free Teams

https://learning.leadershipdevgroup.com/disappointment-navigator

In this deeply moving and inspiring episode of the Max Life Podcast, host Ben Laws sits down with serial entrepreneur and purpose-driven leader Steven Neuner. Known for building and scaling multi-million-dollar companies without sacrificing his family or faith, Steven shares the raw, honest story behind his lifelong quest for meaning, clarity, and connection.

From childhood trauma and tragic loss to a transformative moment involving a mysterious Bible and a carjacking, Steven recounts how his life shifted from performance-driven success to a purpose-fueled adventure. He introduces his upcoming book, which helps others avoid common mindset traps like the “Eeyore Complex,” the “Onion Mindset,” and the “Burning Bush Delusion.” Steven’s story weaves together entrepreneurship, faith, relationships, and radical obedience to create a daily rhythm of intention and impact.

If you’ve ever asked, What am I here for?, this episode will meet you in that question and offer practical, powerful ways to start living your own quest.

Guest Bio

A lifetime entrepreneur and learner, Steven Neuner has built, scaled, and exited multi-million-dollar companies without sacrificing his life priorities by building championship teams. As a coach and mentor to successful entrepreneurs, Steven’s passion is helping them reach new levels of freedom and growth. On Free Days, you might find Steven on a date with his best friend, wife, and business partner, Corey, at BarnHill Vineyards, their boutique vineyard and live music venue. They also enjoy embarking on family adventures with their three children, huge extended family, and closest friends.

stevenjneuner.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-neuner/

https://www.facebook.com/steven.neuner.3/

Key Topics 

•  Steven’s childhood marked by loss, loneliness, and the early question: Why am I here?

• A radical turning point in his 20s, sparked by trauma and a mysterious Bible in an empty house

• Moving from success without meaning to a life of purpose, discernment, and daily intention

• The mindset traps that hold people back from purpose—including perfectionism, performance, and waiting for a “burning bush” moment

• The development of his daily tool to cultivate purpose in everyday interactions

• How he and his wife followed a “gut check of obedience” to purchase a vineyard and music venue that now serves as a space for community and transformation

Resources & Mentions

bmxlocal.org

Dan Sullivan - Strategic Coach

Kary Oberbrunner - Igniting Souls

Todd Pinkston - WayForward Adventures

WayForward Adventures

Barn Hill Vineyards

Superpowers - Executive Assistants

Superpowered: The Secret That Helps Every Entrepreneur Eliminate the Suck, 10X Their Impact, and Have More Fun in Work and LifeThe Secret That 

Dogs on Heaven Street By Steven Neuner

Are You A Tree? By Steven Neuner

stevenjneuner.com

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of the Max Life Podcast, Ben Laws sits down with Kelly Knight, President & Integrator of EOS Worldwide, to explore the power of personal stories, resilience, and the pursuit of purpose. Kelly shares her journey from growing up as the daughter of a visionary entrepreneur to becoming a transformational leader herself. She opens up about the life-shaping lessons she learned from her parents, the struggles she faced—including a childhood diagnosis that challenged her physically and emotionally—and how those experiences shaped her leadership philosophy.

In a deeply moving segment, Ben reflects on the profound impact of losing his son Benny, and how that experience forever changed the lens through which he views life, purpose, and love. The conversation becomes a touching exchange on grief, legacy, transformation, and choosing to live fully rather than simply exist.

Together, Kelly and Ben offer a raw and powerful conversation about trust, confidence, ndness, and the unexpected beauty found in life’s hardest moments.

Guest Bio

Kelly Knight is best known as the President and Integrator of EOS Worldwide, an organization that provides entrepreneurs with simple, practical tools and process to achieve their goals and get everything they want from their business. Since joining EOS Worldwide in 2016, she has been instrumental in driving accountability and harmoniously uniting the major functions of the business. Her leadership focuses on organizational clarity and fostering a culture of growth and Transformation.

Prior to EOS, Kelly spent two decades as an entrepreneur in the financial services industry, honing her skills as an expert team-builder and leader. Her passion lies in uniting teams to achieve extraordinary outcomes and helping leaders realize their full potential.

Kelly is also a co-author of the book “People: Dare to Build an Intentional Culture,” which shares insights and tools to create a thriving workplace culture with heart-centered leadership and intentionality at the core.

www.eosworldwide.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellypknight/

https://x.com/kellyknighteos

Key Topics

• How Kelly’s upbringing shaped her leadership style—blending visionary thinking and heart-centered empathy

• The role of trust, confidence, and optimism in entrepreneurship and human connection

• Kelly’s early health challenges and how they sparked resilience, grit, and defiance of limiting beliefs

• The importance of living the EOS Life and the barriers that keep entrepreneurs from fulfillment

• Ben’s story of losing his son Benny and how grief transformed his perspective on life, love, and legacy

• Why embracing struggle and holding space for others leads to deeper impact and personal transformation

Resources & Mentions

• Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes and Maybe YOU

• Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance

• Strategic Coach

• The EOS Life: How to Live Your Ideal Entrepreneurial Life

• Know Honesty

• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

• Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want From Your Business

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

• The Power of Positive Thinking 

• EOSworldwide.com 

• People: Dare to Build An Intentional Culture
  

In this episode of MaxLife, Tom Wheelwright, renowned tax strategist and CPA, shares his expertise on how entrepreneurs can legally minimize taxes, build wealth, and optimize their financial future. He discusses his journey from starting his own firm to working with Robert Kiyosaki, highlighting how strategic tax planning can be a game-changer for business owners. Tom emphasizes the power of asking the right questions, the importance of working for assets instead of money, and why understanding the "why" behind financial strategies is key to success. He also breaks down the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when it comes to taxes and financial growth—and how to avoid them.

Guest Bio

Tom Wheelwright®, CPA, is a tax and wealth expert and a serial entrepreneur dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves to be financially independent of employers, Wall Street and the government. His businesses — WealthAbility®, TFW Advisors®, PLA Software and Wheelwright Manahan Family Office — provide the education, tax preparation, tools and teams that enable people to experience that freedom. Wheelwright is a Rich Dad Advisor, the CPA for Robert Kiyosaki, an international speaker, and the author of the bestselling books The Win-Win Wealth Strategy and Tax-Free Wealth. He has spoken on stage on six continents to over 100,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, and investors. He also hosts the popular podcast The WealthAbility® Show with Tom Wheelwright® CPA.

https://wealthability.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Tom.Wheelwright.CPA 

https://www.facebook.com/4wealthability/ 

Key Topics 

• Taxes are a tool for wealth building.

• Ask the right questions about tax strategy.

• Work for assets, not money.

• Entrepreneurs often overpay in taxes.

• Surround yourself with the right experts.

Resources & Mentions

The WealthAbility Show

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Tax Free Wealth

Why The Rich Are Getting Richer

The WealthAbility Show

www.tfwadvisors.us

www.wealthability.com