The Mike Method

At some point in life, many of us have a moment of uncomfortable clarity. The realization that the way we are showing up is hurting others and ourselves. This conversation begins right there.

Jennifer K. Hill opens up about the origin story behind her book The Recovering Asshole and the pivotal moment at 23 when someone finally reflected her behavior back to her in a way she could not ignore. That moment became the start of a 21 year journey of transformation.

An entrepreneur, evolutionary leader, author, and speaker, Jennifer built and sold her first company by 38 and later went on to host Regarding Consciousness, where she has interviewed voices like Deepak Chopra and Bruce Lipton. Today, she is the co-founder of Opt2Match and OM.app, helping leaders build high trust relationships while coaching CEOs on alignment, retention, and productivity.

This episode is not about success in the traditional sense. It is about what happens when the inner critic runs the show, how self betrayal often hides behind the need to belong, and why being harsh with others usually begins with being harsh toward ourselves.

Mike and Jennifer explore honest feedback, daily practices for real change, inner child work, spiritual discipline, and Jennifer’s Anti Asshole Prayer. At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful truth. The people you keep close shape your life and leadership more than you may realize.

Key Takeaways

• Change often begins with honest self awareness
• Vulnerability is essential for lasting transformation
• Inner child work can support healing and joy
• Daily reflection strengthens clarity and alignment
• Healthy relationships shape how we lead and live

Episode Resources:

Jennifer K. Hill: Website / LinkedIn / Books

"Anti-Asshole Prayer"

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What if the reset you need is not more effort, but a slower rhythm you can access in just a few minutes a day?

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Lee Holden, Qigong master, Tai Chi teacher, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, with a BA in Psychology and longtime guide in the practice of mindful movement. Lee first discovered the healing power of Qigong and Tai Chi after experiencing injuries that nearly sidelined his varsity soccer career in college. Together, they explore why slowing down may be one of the most effective ways to restore energy, regulate stress, and support long term performance.

Lee shares his personal path from collegiate soccer at UC Berkeley to the world of Chinese medicine, Qigong, and Tai Chi. After a serious injury left conventional approaches falling short, Lee experienced firsthand how practices rooted in movement, breath, and attention could support healing and recovery. That experience sparked a lifelong mission to make Qigong accessible and practical for modern life.

Throughout the conversation, Mike and Lee unpack what Qi Gong actually is, why it is often called the mother of Tai Chi, and how moving meditation can be easier and more effective for many people than sitting still and trying to quiet the mind. They talk about hustle culture, chronic stress, and why so many high performers feel wired and tired, even when they are doing all the right things.

This episode offers a different model of performance, one that prioritizes nervous system regulation, daily recovery, and what Lee calls the art of effortless power. If you have ever felt like you are sprinting a marathon, this conversation invites a new pace. Ready, set, slow.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What Qigong is and how it has been practiced for over 4,000 years
• Why Tai Chi emerged from Qigong and how the two practices differ
• How Qigong supports health, healing, and prevention through mindful movement
• The connection between movement, stress, and the nervous system
• Why managing stress is essential for longevity and sustainable performance
• How Qigong can complement other forms of exercise and training
• The role of relaxation and awareness in restoring energy
• Why consistent movement supports joint health and mobility over time
• How Qigong helps shift the body out of chronic fight or flight
• What it means to cultivate effortless power in daily life

If you are looking for a practice that helps you downshift, recover from stress, and build long term vitality without adding more grind, this episode is for you

Episode Resources:

Lee Holden: LinkedIn / Youtube

Holden QiGong

Holden QuiGong Courses and Workshops

Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships Through the Power of Slow

by Lee Holden

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What would have to be true if you were legally bound to hire and keep your executive assistant for three years?

That single question changed everything for Tim Francis.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Tim Francis, founder of Great Assistant, to unpack why delegation so often fails for founders and how to rebuild it the right way. After five failed assistant hires in a row and a growing sense of exhaustion, Tim realized the problem was not a lack of talent. It was the system, the sequence, and the mindset behind delegation itself.

Tim shares how rethinking hiring, onboarding, and expectations helped him move from constant pressure to calm focus and real leverage. This conversation breaks down delegation as a progression rather than a handoff, where clarity improves over time and trust is built intentionally. Together, Mike and Tim explore how the right executive assistant can transform not only productivity, but how a leader shows up across work and life.

This episode is for founders, CEOs, and executives who feel stretched thin, unsure what to delegate, or hesitant to hire because past attempts did not work.

• Why the opportunity cost of not hiring an assistant is often overlooked
• How spiritual resilience supports sustainable leadership
• Reframing delegation as a skill that can be learned and refined
• The importance of effective onboarding for long term success
• The Seven Yes Test for deciding what to delegate first
• How clear task design improves outcomes and trust
• What a strong hiring process actually looks like
• Why alignment and time zone matter more than cheap labor
• How delegation creates a positive profit loop
• The unexpected benefit of delegation including mental clarity and peace of mind

If you are ready to stop carrying everything yourself and start leading with intention, this conversation offers a grounded and practical roadmap.

Episode Resources:

Tim Francis: LinkedIn

Great Assistant

7-Yes Test Task Finder by GreatAssistant.com

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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As 2025 comes to a close, we wanted to pause and look back on some of the moments from The Mike Method that stayed with us.

Over the past year, we’ve had thoughtful conversations with leaders, founders, educators, parents, and creatives across a wide range of industries. While the topics varied, a few themes kept showing up again and again: leading with more awareness, staying grounded under pressure, strengthening relationships, and building meaningful work without losing yourself in the process.

In this special year end episode, we revisit standout moments from conversations with Mo Jessa, Anna Brooks, Milam Miller, Lillie Desjardins, Jen Murtagh, Jayson Gaddis, Lisa Dion, Greg Smith, Zach Berman, Catherine D’Orazio, and Simon Bowen.

If you’re reflecting on the year behind you or thinking about what you want to carry forward into what’s next, we hope this episode gives you a few ideas worth sitting with.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Resources:

• EP64 Lessons in Presence, Gratitude, and Mindful Leadership with Mo Jessa
• EP73 Nervous System Regulation and Staying Grounded with Anna Brooks
• EP50 The Power of Charisma with Milam Miller
• EP65 Father-Daughter Insights on Leadership, Resilience, and Connection with Lillie Desjardins 
• EP32 Breaking the Motherhood Penalty with Jen Murtagh 
• EP30 Navigating Conflict and Building Stronger Relationships with Jayson Gaddis
• EP46 Regulation, Leadership, and High Performance with Lisa Dion
• EP44 The Future of Learning with The CEO of Thinkific Greg Smith
• EP71 Entrepreneurship, Resilience, and Reinvention with Zach Berman
• EP52 The Pink Tsunami: Women, Wealth, and the Future of Capital with Catherine D’Orazio
• EP69 The Secret to Scaling Your Business Without Losing Its Genius with Simon Bowen

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What if the most important measure of success is not what you achieve, but who you become along the way?

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Dr. David B. Wolf for a thoughtful and wide ranging conversation on self realization, leadership, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. David is a counselor, coach, and seminar leader who has been working in human transformation since the early 1980s. He is the founder of the Sat Phatov Institute, the creator of the Vedic Personality Inventory, a leader in mantra meditation research, and the author of Relationships at Work and The Power of Conscious Living.

Together, Mike and David explore what it means to encounter ourselves honestly and remember who we are as timeless spiritual beings living a very human life. They unpack why so many high achievers find themselves chasing goals, approval, and validation only to feel empty once they arrive. The conversation challenges the familiar pattern of have, do, be and invites a shift toward be, do, have, where goals become an expression of joy and purpose rather than a way to prove worth.

This episode dives into why comparison pulls us away from ourselves, how integrity and example form the foundation of real leadership, and why the journey itself holds more meaning than any finish line. David shares practical starting points for discovering purpose, including powerful questions to reflect on and questions to ask the people closest to you.

If you have ever reached a big milestone and felt unsettled afterward, or if you want to stay ambitious without losing yourself in the process, this conversation offers a grounded and refreshing perspective on success, leadership, and trust in the unfolding journey.

Episode Resources:

Books by David B. Wolf

Relationships that Work

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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What happens when a child’s inner voice turns harsh before they even understand what it means to feel overwhelmed or afraid? And what can we do as parents, educators, and leaders to help rewrite that voice into something supportive and grounded?

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Monique Marcotte, founder of TRY, The Real You, a social emotional learning company that helps young people understand themselves from the inside out. With nineteen years in the classroom and powerful experience facilitating empathy based programs with Challenge Day, Monique has dedicated her work to helping kids build emotional awareness, resilience, and a healthier relationship with themselves.

Together, they explore how emotions move through the body, why the vagus nerve matters more than most of us realize, and how simple frameworks like the balloon theory can give kids practical ways to calm their bodies and name what they feel. Monique also shares how effective apologies build trust, why early beliefs can shape self perception for years, and how adults can use the same tools to lead with more compassion at home, at school, and at work.

This conversation is as relevant for leaders as it is for parents. It reminds us that emotional literacy is a learned skill, and that helping kids understand their inner world also teaches us how to navigate our own.

And just a heads up — the first half of this episode has a few small audio glitches. Stick with it, though, because the conversation that follows is really worth it. Thanks for tuning in!

Episode Resources:

Monique Marcotte: Website

Try - The Real You Workshops

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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You can be the smartest person in the boardroom and still have zero impact. That idea sits at the heart of this conversation.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Liz Watson, one of Canada’s most respected voices in governance. With more than three decades as a lawyer, over twenty years advising boards and CEOs, and board experience that spans Peterson, Shad, and the Institute of Corporate Directors, Liz brings a clear and generous perspective on what truly defines an effective director.

Together, they explore why personal competencies matter more than credentials, and how qualities like presence, curiosity, courage, and emotional intelligence can shift the entire tone of a boardroom. Liz explains how impactful directors help others get unstuck, create meaningful moments of insight, and guide conversations toward clarity and action.

They discuss the difference between healthy ideological debate and interpersonal tension that derails progress, along with how the chair and CEO can build a relationship rooted in trust and shared purpose. The conversation also looks at why “nice” culture can quietly limit board effectiveness and how directors can contribute more fully to strategy in a world shaped by disruption, uncertainty, and emerging technologies like AI.

If you are a CEO, an aspiring director, or already serving on a board, this episode offers a grounded look at what great governance requires today and the personal attributes that set standout directors apart.

Episode Resources:

Elizabeth Watson: Website / LinkedIn

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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This episode of The Mike Method dives into the emotional side of selling a business and what really happens after an entrepreneur exits. Mike Desjardins sits down with Chad Nikkel, founder and CEO of Bold Instinct and creator of the Business Builder Group, who has started, scaled, and sold 11 companies. Chad shares how one clause in a contract cost him $6.5 million and why that lesson changed his entire approach to business ownership.

Together they explore what Chad calls the “return on life” philosophy, a way of building companies that serve the founder instead of consuming them.

The conversation looks at how burnout quietly shapes most business exits, why a sale that looks like a win can feel like a loss, and how attachment to a business can influence life long after the deal closes.

Chad breaks down the emotional roller coaster many founders are not prepared for and explains how to create a business that grows without depending on you. He also offers practical insight into the transition period after a sale, how to protect your future well-being, and the clause every entrepreneur should understand before signing a deal.

If you have ever thought about selling your company, are building toward an exit, or simply want to fall back in love with your business, this episode will shift how you think about ownership, freedom, and legacy.

Episode Resources:

Chad Nikkel: LinkedIn

Bold Instinct Coaching

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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This episode of The Mike Method explores how early conditioning shapes identity and why the mind and nervous system often keep people stuck in old patterns, even when life is going well. Mike sits down with Lynn Sumida, a master level social worker, trauma specialist, international facilitator, and founder of Expanding You.

Lynn has spent decades helping people reset their nervous systems so they can move from surviving to thriving. Lynn shares a core idea: people are already whole, complete, and worthy. Many learn early in life that love and value must be earned. Those early messages form what she calls a constructed identity, a box built from family systems, formative moments, and “be good” expectations. Achieving, striving, and comparing inside that box often feels empty because the identity underneath is tied to performance.

They dive into topics like..

• Why comparison is a thief of joy and how “me versus me” can still reinforce the same limits when worth is based on achievement.
• How the mind can present old information as truth because it is focused on protection.
• Why the nervous system often overrides rational thinking and continues to react to past experiences even when current circumstances are positive. Mike shares a personal example of this pattern during a period of business success.
• How early experiences can create long-lasting beliefs, such as associating self-expression with rejection, and how those beliefs influence adult choices.
• Lynn’s recent experience in a car accident and how she remained calm and grounded, illustrating what can shift when the system is reset.
• How presence becomes more accessible when old protective patterns lose their influence.

This episode offers language, frameworks, and practical insight for anyone who has ever wondered why they repeat patterns they understand but have not yet changed! We know you will love it.

Episode Resources:

Lynn Sumida: LinkedIn

Expanding You

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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Most founders want two things: to raise their next round and to exit. Few will say it out loud, but Brian Wong will.

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins sits down with Brian Wong, a prodigy who graduated from UBC’s Sauder School of Business at 18, raised more than $40 million in venture capital, and builtKkiip, one of the world’s largest mobile advertising platforms, before selling it in 2019. Now based in New York City, Brian leads Ascii Ventures, a next generation fund redefining what it means to be truly founder friendly.

Together, they explore what makes great founders fundable, how humility and curiosity strengthen leadership, and why the future of venture capital is being shaped by people who have lived the startup experience themselves.

Brian also shares how Ascii's founder focused model aligns incentives, creates a flywheel for liquidity, and helps early stage companies build culture, confidence, and sustainable growth. The conversation touches on the evolving landscape of crypto and stablecoins, how mainstream adoption is already underway, and why this shift matters for leaders and investors alike.

If you have ever wondered how top founders think or how investors identify the qualities that predict success, this episode offers both insight and inspiration.

Episode Resources:

Brian Wong: LinkedIn

ViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedIn

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