The Mentee Podcast

Every parent wants to build a loving family, but as with all human relationships, there are many challenges along the way. Sibling rivalry, difficulty finding the right discipline method, ineffective communication — these are but a few things that can hinder a strong family relationship.

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Lindsay Cambre, a licensed professional counselor, shares her tips on building a strong, healthy family unit. She discusses teaching children proper communication, empathy, and conflict resolution to ultimately develop solid relationship foundations between every member of the family.

Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:

• Teach children how to communicate their feelings.
• Invite children to participate in creating a vision for the family.
• Set a good example.
• Always be present and empathetic.
• Encourage open communication between family members.

[10:01] Fostering Social and Emotional Skills

Discipline methods are different for each person, but parents should always come from a place of empathy. Let your children communicate their feelings and help them process them in a healthy way.

Your children might not always know what words to use to describe how they feel, but with consistency and determination, you can teach them these kinds of social and emotional skills.

[14:47] Create a Clear Vision

When creating a vision of the future that you want for your family, you need to let your family participate. Doing this will clarify the part each member of the family plays in achieving it.

[24:10] Set an Example

Whether from their parents or on social media, everything children see can influence their worldview. Instead of giving quick responses to your children’s questions, try asking them back. This will give you insight into a child’s perspective, which you can use to shape your response.

[25:49] Rituals for Healthy Relationships

Being present for your children is crucial, but setting boundaries is equally important. This will allow you to give them your appropriately undivided attention by separating work and family time.

When your children face situations that are outside their empathy zones, try passive storytelling. Address the issue indirectly — this will make them feel safer and more receptive to your conversation.

[32:07] Discuss Pits and Peaks

Read up on books about building a culture of empathy and kindness within your home. Set aside time for everyone to share their low and high points every day. Encourage your children to put themselves in the sharer’s shoes by asking them what they might’ve felt in that situation.

Resources Mentioned:

Cambre Counseling and Wellness

Tired of your children bickering all the time? 

It’s frustrating when your children fight. Whether they’re having screaming matches or downright ignoring each other, it can be difficult to figure out how to help them reconcile. Such situations can make parents feel helpless, and temporary solutions aren’t the answer; what your children need is a family culture that empowers them to be intentional, open, and responsible.

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Vicki Ellis, founder of Heritage Ranch, draws from her experience to share tips on resolving sibling rivalries. She discusses how to create a healthy family culture and strong relationships — between parents and children and between siblings.

Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:

• Learn each other’s love languages.
• Give everyone the space to express their needs.
• Create opportunities for your children to work together.
• Discuss victories and struggles with the family.
• Be intentional about spending family time.

[07:23] Know What Fills Your Children’s Love Tanks

Create an environment where your family can learn what works for each other. Learning everyone’s love languages is a great way to start. It teaches your kids to understand how their siblings feel served, as well as what will hurt them.

[13:18] Creating an Empowering Family Culture

Create a culture where family members are empowered to share what their needs are. Having family meetings can help with this.

You should also create opportunities for your children to work together. This allows them to work out their dynamics with each other and gives them experience collaborating with others.

[24:43] Be Open with Struggles

Open communication between family members creates a connection within the family. Sibling rivalries emerge when you can’t celebrate each child’s victories, and when there is shame created around struggle. Strengthening relationships gives your children an emotional support system, removing competition and promoting healthy discussion about struggles.

[29:33] Practicing Intentionality

Reconciliation, communication, and conflict resolution require intentionality. What’s important is to check in and connect every day.

Using the professional development strategies that you would use in a business with your family draws on all their skills and strengthens their bonds. Practice the same level of intentionality with your family.

[40:43] Heritage Ranch

Heritage Ranch is a Christian children’s home that serves boys between the ages of 10 and 18 that are in crisis. They’re all about promoting healthy family culture. Listen to the full episode to find out about their current and upcoming programs!

Resources Mentioned:

Heritage Ranch

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

What does a good life look like for you?

Sometimes, we get trapped in the life we're expected to live. Think about the life you truly want. That life is the good life you deserve — and it's valid whether other people expect it of you or not.

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Wyatt shares the things he learned throughout the years of hosting the podcast. He discusses how to gain clarity on your goals, act with intent towards them, and achieve extraordinary success.

Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:

• Knowing what you want leads you to success
• The good life is about being clear on who and what you want to become
• Work on bridging the gap, but remember to celebrate your gains
• Join conversations that will bring you closer to your goals
• With intentional and consistent behavior, you’ll find motivation

[00:46] The Hack For Extraordinary Success

The good life is whatever you want your life to be. Define your purpose: your big "why." Once you find clarity around your future self, you can make intentional decisions and steps towards your desired good life.

Through Jim Rohn's quote, Jeff Woods discovered a hack, “You become like the five people you spend the most time with.” When you get clear on who and what you want to become, you should find other people living that life and build a relationship with them. That’s the path towards success.

[08:31] The Good Life

The good life is a life that you choose, free from regrets. It differs for each person, but you need a clear vision of your goal.

Bronnie Ware asked people on their deathbed about their regrets and that many people wished they dared to live the life they wanted instead of what other people expected of them.

[13:48] The Gap and the Gain

When you get clear on where you want to go, you create a baseline of where you are now and your desired future. The space between the baseline and goal is "the gap."

A life of intentionality makes it easier to focus on your goal. While moving towards that goal, you make gains in many areas. Your baseline will continue to rise as you progress. Don’t focus too much on the gap; celebrate the gains — all your achievements and blessings — by practicing gratitude.

[17:53] The Power of Conversations

You grow into the conversations around you. Get clear about where you want to be and find conversations around that goal.

Treat your goals as if you have a relationship with them. Spend time with them and surround yourself with conversations about them. Once you do that, you’ll be able to grow into those conversations and achieve your goals. It’s a long game; life might beat you up, but don’t stay down. Act with intention.

[22:53] How to Find Motivation

Behavior comes before motivation. Sometimes, you might lack motivation, but creating the right environment through scheduling, conversations, accountability groups, etc., can help keep you going.

Resources Mentioned:

Extend Your Life: A Physical Fitness Journey with Howard Aaron

Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware

Are you wondering how you can live a longer, more fulfilling life?

Many of us resort to external means, like testosterone replacement therapy, in hopes of achieving this. What we fail to realize is that with a little discipline, we work to can extend our lives ourselves.

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Howard Aaron shares his tips, tricks, and knowledge on how to extend your life by simply maintaining an active lifestyle. You’d never be able to tell he’s turning 70 — what’s stopping you from being the same?

Howard also talks about blocking out the “noise between your ears” and how, by doing this, you can achieve so much more.

Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:

• Exercise is important, but rest and recovery are just as crucial to increasing testosterone levels
• By blocking out the “noise between your ears”, you can allow yourself to reach higher heights
• There are many natural alternatives to testosterone replacement therapy available
• Consistency trumps infrequent activities that only bring mental satisfaction

[4:47] Howard’s Stance in the Testosterone Replacement Therapy Debate

Howard was invited to take part in a debate about the benefits of testosterone replacement therapy. He shared that he doesn’t use it and argued that we don’t need it as there are many natural alternatives to testosterone replacement therapy available. 

Howard went on to form a group and start a program to encourage men to look into increasing testosterone levels through exercise.

[17:03] Blocking Out the Noise Between Your Ears

Our id, ego, and superego all play separate roles and tell us different things, many times talking us out of opportunities even before they arise. By learning about and understanding them, we can work against them.

[33:50] The Top Three Natural Ways to Boost Your Testosterone Levels 

Howard shares his top three ways to naturally boost your testosterone levels:

1. Proper resistance training
2. Eating clean
3. Getting good sleep

Listen to the full episode to hear Wyatt and Howard’s deep dive into this topic!

[47:56] Keeping a Consistent, Active Lifestyle

New trends are always popping up, but there will never be a perfect, singular way to live out your active lifestyle. Rather than chasing after mental satisfaction, stay consistent — your whole body will feel much better for it.

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.howardaaron.com/

Howard’s book, Strength Training For Life: Your Journey to Live Longer and Stronger

Call Howard at 484-919-2700

Email Howard at [email protected]

Are you torn between your passion and your profession?

Many people dream of earning passive income and achieving financial independence without being tied to jobs they dislike. It can seem like these are two mutually exclusive concepts, but fortunately, there are ways to make it work.

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Justin Donald shares his experiences in the real estate ventures sector and offers advice on becoming a lifestyle investor. He also talks about buying back your time and how your passion and profession can both lie on a single plane.

Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:

• Continuous cash flow is key to financing the lifestyle you want
• Choose who you involve in your business ventures wisely to get the best offers
• Quality trumps quantity when managing your team 
• Buy back your time and earn back your life

[9:15] Justin’s Journey of Becoming a Lifestyle Investor

Justin’s humble beginnings in entrepreneurial investing date back to his college days, when he first had to fend for himself and keep his expenses in check. He started his own company, which was under the umbrella of another company, and he quickly realized he was good at working with people and inspiring them.

Justin learned that organizations that provide room to scale higher are harder to leave. The desire to maximize determines the kind of life you will build, and it really worked for him.

[12:35] Lifestyle Investing Tips

The more money you have to spend, the more you can increase your lifestyle investments. You can start with a simple income-generating opportunity and grow it to meet immediate cash flow. With a continuous cash flow, you’ll be able to finance the lifestyle you want.

[18:09] Justin’s First Trailer Park Business Venture 

The first trailer park Justin bought only had one park-owned home in it. He proceeded to buy some more from someone who had owned several homes and wanted to quit the business. Justin later realized he made a great mistake because mobile home park investing requires you to break even on home rent. 

[22:07] Running a Maintenance Company

Justin is the co-founder of a single-family home rental maintenance company called IFM Restoration. They started as a service-based company with few employees but gradually grew as demand for their services did.

With the addition of their own proprietary software, IFM Restoration transitioned into a tech company. Having raised funds from various S3 ventures, they grew to be one of the largest vendors and service companies on the market. 

[27:27] Venture Capital Investing

Today, Justin stands among the top owners of mobile home parks in the US and is actively buying more. For those looking to join the business, he advises that you buy from baby boomers and retirees directly without getting a broker involved for better offers.

[35:48] Managing Your Team

It's not about having a bigger team; it's all about having businesses that can operate themselves. Justin’s company has managers for certain regions, operation managers,  CFO’s, and executive assistants.

You don't have to manage all the teams. Instead, delegate work to other people, companies, and groups.

[47:07] The Importance of Buying Back Your Time

You can do whatever you want when you buy back your time. You don't have to overwork yourself at a job you don't even like. Running your own business gives you the freedom to do what you want. The passion for doing it will then come automatically.

Resources Mentioned:

Are you looking for ways to live the life you’ve always wanted?

Every living soul in this world has a purpose. We were all born to live the lives we desire and make a positive impact. But sometimes, people, experiences, and many other things keep us from living our God-given purpose and reaching our potential. 

In this episode of The Mentee Podcast, Craig Hill shares powerful lessons you can apply to help you enrich your life and tap into your potential. He also talks about preventing generational curses and the significance of blessings in life.

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Living by the ancient paths can improve your life
• Listening to God’s voice will help you understand your purpose
• You can change what's in your heart
• Through God, you can overcome your shame and self-loathing
• Bless your children instead of hurting them
• Guilt and shame are not the same

Episode Highlights:

[09:16] Living by the Ancient Paths

There are ancient paths that control all elements of life, including wealth, marriage, physical and mental health, and child development. Following the ancient paths teaches us life lessons and allows us to live in God’s way.

In Craig’s book “The Power of a Parent’s Blessing,” he explains how parents can empower their children by blessing them at critical moments in their lives. These blessings enable them to achieve their goals and flourish in life.

[11:42] Knowing Your Purpose in Life

Your ability to know who you are and your purpose in this world depends on the beliefs in your heart. The devil will try to diminish your purpose by using people to feed you negative thoughts about who you are and what you’re capable of. On the other hand, listening to God’s voice will help you understand yourself, your importance, and His intentions for you.

[19:07] Changing What’s in Your Heart

Through the Ancient Path online seminars, Craig Hill leads people through a ministry process designed to help them identify the lies in the depths of their hearts.

[27:04] Overcoming Your Shame and Self-Loathing

The hurtful words you hear as a child can remain with you for years. They bring you pain long after the other person will have forgotten they even uttered them. It’s important that you take a step back and realize they’re not the truth — they are not God’s words. By speaking with God, you can replace the lies with love.

[41:29] How to Be Better Parents 

Parents need to learn how to bless their children and not curse them. Never impart negative thoughts onto your children’s hearts because it will devastate them. They can carry that hurt in their hearts forever.

Instead, bless your children so that they can grow to live their God-given purpose.

[1:01:21] Distinguishing Guilt from Shame

It’s perfectly fine to feel guilty because guilt is something God has placed in our life. When you deviate, it makes you realize your wrongdoings and repent. Parents should stop making their children feel bad about themselves for making mistakes.

Likewise, parents must learn the difference between identity and behavior to discipline their children properly. Rather than making them feel shame, talk to your children about how to change their behaviors, even if it requires disciplining them. It is for their own benefit.

Resources Mentioned: 

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Parents-Blessing-Children-Destinies/dp/1621362221

Are you building your wealth towards a financially secure future? 

Everybody wants financial stability, but certain factors and even personal decisions can lead you to make choices you’ll regret. The “YOLO” life can be tempting. You might want to invest your money wisely but just don’t know how — don’t let these things stop you from becoming the millionaire you can be.

Here at The Mentee Podcast, we know that handling your finances wisely is easier said than done. So we’re relaunching an episode with David Pere, founder of the Military Millionaire Community, where he talks about his journey in building wealth and success — and how you can too.

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Spend your money wisely 
• Put a percentage of your paycheck into a bond account
• Be consistent with your content and brand
• Learn to leverage VA loans
• Start contributing to your 401(k)
• Fix your credit and purchase a property using a VA loan

Episode Highlights:

[05:05] Spend Wisely

The first secret to getting wealthy in the military is to stop doing whatever the military does. The military offers many benefits that can make it easy to build wealth, but they must be used wisely. It’s up to you to decide if you want to make money and commit to it.

[09:05] Set Money Aside

Always try to set aside around 10 to 20% of your paycheck. Add another 1 or 2% to your deposits every time you get a raise and put it in a bond account. You can then become financially secure and afford to take bigger risks because your retirement will already be taken care of.

[12:03] How David Got Started in Real Estate Investing

A few months before starting real estate investing in 2015, David joined Amway and did multilevel marketing. One thing he got out of that was an audiobook of Rich Dad Poor Dad.

At that time, the lease on David’s apartment was almost up at that time, so he started looking for duplexes and purchased one. It took two years to buy his next real investment: a 10-unit that was 85% bank-financed and 10% seller-financed. He only paid 5% out of pocket.

[17:55] Scaling and Syndication

Upon leaving active duty in October 2021, David had just under 100 doors in his portfolio. He now has a 4-unit hotel that he’s a third owner on, two apartments, and a bunch of one to four-unit singles, duplexes, and fourplexes. His goal is to hold around 10 more houses this year.

David also helped raise two syndications that he’s a general partner on. He was a huge fan of them.

[25:54] Navigating VA Loans and Entitlement

Most people do not realize the benefits of VA loans. You can build a house or do a renovation loan with one. The guidelines are extremely loose. There’s also no debt-to-income ratio requirement.

David’s favorite strategy is house hacking, which is possible with conventional loans. You could also house hack with VA loans, but it gets nuanced when it comes to entitlement. Depending on the purchase price and other factors, you could end up with zero entitlements. Zipcodes set the entitlement amount. The limits on your first purchase still apply but only after your first use.

[30:39] Starting Your Journey to Wealth

Make sure you’re putting out a bare minimum of 5% if you’re on the new retirement system. It’s also important to fix your credit. You can then aim at purchasing a duplex, triplex, or fourplex with a VA loan.

How much time do you devote to your work and family? 

We all want our businesses to succeed, but at what cost? If your life revolves around your work alone, it may be time to reassess how you view your relationships with your work and family. 

Here at The Mentee Podcast, we know how difficult it is to be both a good parent and entrepreneur, but we want to remind you that at the end of the day, your family is as important as your business. In this episode, Craig Kessler, author of The Dad Advice Project, talks all about his journey of writing his book and becoming a better dad. 

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Being open about your struggles can help you find support 
• Parenting is both a responsibility and a privilege  
• Children need both good parents and good mentors  
• Exposing your children to your work or business gives them a head start 
• Don’t feel guilty about spending time with your family 

Episode Highlights:

[04:44] Craig’s Journey

Craig Kessler was the Chief Operating Officer of Topgolf before becoming the Chief Executive Officer at Buff City Soap. Buff City Soap started as gifts given to its founder’s family and friends. An influx of positive reviews then transformed what started in a garage in Memphis, Tennessee into a franchise with 190 stores. 

[06:30] The Dad Advice Project

Craig’s book, The Dad Advice Project, is a compilation of letters from people he knows about being a dad. He never had the closest relationship with his father, so since he couldn’t ask his father when he had questions, Craig turned to his friends who could relate to him.

Craig shares that the book isn’t about giving advice; instead, it focuses on the mistakes and hardships of being a father. Men tend to be private about their struggles with relationships, and Craig saw how the book helped them open up.  

[13:01] Advice for Dads 

The book touches on many major themes including: 

• Encouraging your kids and helping them feel safe
• Spending time with your kids; quality over quantity isn’t true
• Loving your spouse and making sure your kids know it

Craig also shares tactical advice. These are several activities you can try in your home. For example, Craig’s family has a tradition of gratitude every month. Each family member will introduce themselves and share what they’re grateful for. This practice helps the kids build confidence, storytelling skills, and gratitude. Learn more by listening to the full episode! 

It’s not enough to be a good parent; children also need to be surrounded by mentors they can look up to. Craig surrounds himself with a variety of people and makes sure his kids feel comfortable asking him for advice. 

[19:04] Balancing Life and Work 

Before working with Topgolf, Craig worked at a private equity firm. As Topgolf’s COO, Craig helped the company grow from 15 to 70 venues and from 5000 to 25,000 associates.

Despite how busy he is with work, Craig makes the effort to balance his work and life. On the weekends he has work, he brings his kids along. They even know the staff and management teams! In a way, Topgolf became family for them too. Craig also makes it a point to be home for dinner and present with his family. 

Your work and business growth will always be waiting for you to return. Don’t feel guilty about spending time with your family. 

[23:32] Helping Craig

Craig wants to help people become better dads to give kids better lives. Check out his book, The Dad Advice Project, to learn more about good...

Are you a hunter or a fisherman?

Hunting prey makes it run away, but fish come to the fisherman. But, wait—what does this have to do with networking and entrepreneurship? The answer lies in how you act around your potential clients — do you serve others, or yourself?

Here in The Mentee Podcast, we are launching an episode all about living your good life, networking, and creating the wow factor in your life — and those of your clients. Joe Sweeney, a passionate entrepreneur and networking expert, will explain his strategies on how to network and serve others. The secret to good networking isn't what most people think it is!

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Life can bring you to many places and heights
• Networking is a place to give and not to get
• Be a fisherman, not a hunter
• The best networkers are good listeners, not talkers
• Serve others to wow them
• Be a calculated risk-taker

Episode Highlights:

[03:41] Joe’s Journey

After finishing his MBA, Joe Sweeney bought four manufacturing companies. He later sold them as he felt reassured knowing he had the money for his children's education. After, he oversaw the Wisconsin Sports Authority for four years.

He returned to buying and selling companies after his time at the sports commission. Joe landed 23 clients, including his biggest client Brett Favre. Joe had a very long journey in his career, but he emphasizes the importance of networking and connecting with other big or small entrepreneurs.

[09:08] Reframing Networking: Serve Others

Networking is a place to give and not to get. Joe doesn't like what networking represents because most networkers act like hunters, running clients down at gatherings. It's better to be a fisherman: a hunter makes clients run while chasing them, but a fisherman brings in clients and waits for them. The secret of networking is learning that its purpose is to serve others.

[11:20] Asking the Right Questions

Joe shares that the great networkers are good talkers, but the best networkers are listeners. They ask great questions, sit back, and listen to their prospects. Networking is about giving people what they want; you won’t learn about your clients if you’re talking all the time.

He shares that a good place to start is to talk about the prospects' personal life and their children. It's critical to choose the questions you ask with care. What you talk about with your client will create an "anchor" in their head. It's better to form positive anchors, so talk about what makes your clients excited!

[16:47] Creating Wow Factors in People’s Lives

Joe takes a mental inventory of the people he meets and sets aside money every month to buy things for people. The key to wowing someone is to give them something personal and do something memorable. Serve others and let them feel you care.

When you show up to a prospect, they ask three questions: Do they really care for me? Can they help me? Can I trust them? You have to show up and prepare for these questions with your words and actions. Small acts of kindness and service can go a long way!

[28:36] Helping Joe and Taking Risks

Joe says that what he needs help with right now is spreading the word. His number one passion is helping people do what they never thought they would have done. 

Joe shares how people will not regret what they did on the death bed, but they will regret the things they did not do. The best thing to do is to get comfortable with risk. It’s difficult, but ask yourself: “What’s the worst that could possibly happen?”

Resources Mentioned:

Who are the people surrounding you?

You need the right people around you to grow. Your dreams are your future, and letting the wrong people in is the easiest way to sabotage your life. These wrong people are the ones who don't support you, leading you away from success. They might even think they're helping you, but the truth is, they're pulling you down. How do you deal with that, cultivate an abundance mindset, and move towards your dream life?

This is an episode with a message that will never get outdated. Geoff talks about the one mistake killing your dream and what you can do to stop it from sabotaging your life. As a special gift, Dominic D’Amico joins him to share how taking action is easier than you think. Be brave, eyes up! Maintain an abundance mindset, and you can do anything.

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Identify the toxic people in your life
• Coach or cut off toxic people
• Get ready to have difficult conversations
• Don’t expect people to change overnight
• Go out and take action
• Cultivate an abundance mindset and know your worth

Episode Highlights:

[2:47] What’s Killing Your Dreams

What is your dream life? Define it. What makes it perfect?

Imagine that you're already living your dream life. You have everything you could want. Everything is in your hands, then suddenly: it slips away because toxic people in your life.

These people can be anyone. It might be easy to blame them. However, you have to be accountable for your life. You let these people into your life, and then you stayed with them.

As early as now, be aware of the things in your life that don't make you feel good. Cut them off; that toxicity is killing your dreams.

[8:38] Identify Toxic Elements

When you interact with the people in your life, ask yourself how they make you feel. Once you figure out the relationships that hurt you, you can either coach them up or cut them out. If you decide to give them a second chance, talk to them from a place of vulnerability, honesty, and love.

[11:39] Keep An Abundance Mindset, But Don't Expect Miracles

Remember — these toxic people are sabotaging your dreams. An abundance mindset requires that you understand that you deserve happiness, and you’re worth the effort. All the more reason to have these difficult conversations!

However, we're all human; these people won’t be able to change immediately. Don't get frustrated or impatient if they're not the person you need them to be the next day. Continue to build and coach them up.

But if they won’t make changes, cut them off. Love yourself enough to do what’s best for you. Don’t let anyone contaminate your success. You can’t have an abundance mindset if you’re surrounded by negativity.

If the toxic people in your life are family, you can’t always cut them off. Instead, limit exposure to them.

[16:00] Shoot Your Shot

Dominic D'Amico is a junior transfer at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. When he found the podcast, he understood that Geoff was genuine and added value to people's lives.

As a young entrepreneur, he didn't know his