In this episode, Rich and Jordan discuss: 

• The characteristic of Jordan's father he wants to emulate in his children
• The importance of getting marriage coaching
• Keeping in touch with people 
• Be a more present parent.
• How to create space to listen and be slow

Key Takeaways: 

• It's not about what you say to your kids, it's about what they see. Maintain your relationship with the Lord by showing them how to be faithful and stay connected - growing together in faith will enable you to grow as a family.
• There is no perfect marriage, so don't hesitate to get marriage coaching. Faith-based marriage coaching will open the dialogue and make you realize that you need to slow down and examine yourself and your partner.
• In order to stay in touch with people, you have to stay out of touch with them. In order to really impact people and be respected by those who know you best, you have to reduce some proximity to some people and go deeper with fewer.
• Your children deserve your presence, and you shouldn't regret the time you spend with them. Life is short, so make the most of your life with the people you love and tell them how much you love them.
• Listening with intent is a byproduct of curiosity and the desire to learn more. Genuine authentic relationships can be built by letting people speak and accepting that you don't know everything. 

"Prehab. We don't have to be sick to get better." —  Jordan Montgomery

About Jordan Montgomery: Jordan is the founder of Montgomery companies. He is a highly regarded performance coach and keynote speaker whose clients include business executives, sales organizations, and entrepreneurs. Jordan travels the country speaking and coaching executives at Fortune 500 companies, pro athletes, and salespeople. He is married to his wife, Ashley, and has four children.

Connect with Jordan Montgomery:

Website: http://www.montgomerycompanies.com/ 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmmontgomeryco

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

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected]  

In this episode, Rich and Michael discuss: 

• Connecting to a deeper part of ourselves
• Mike's journey from stock trader to CEO and leadership coach
• The impact that we have on those around us
• The power of self-acceptance
• Using setbacks as opportunities to grow

Key Takeaways: 

• Sit in silence, breathe, eat well, get little workouts, and have conversations with someone - investing 1% of your day in one of these little things in your life will help you connect to a deeper part of yourself.
• Often, money, power, relationships, security, and degree are extrinsic measures of success. If you are fortunate enough to succeed in any of these things, even if you win, you will still not be satisfied. Genuine happiness comes from living in alignment with your true self and contributing to others in meaningful ways. 
• It only takes a simple act of presence and willingness to do right to have a profound impact on another. We can't maintain those connections with everyone, but at the end of the day, it's about the energy we express with just a simple "I love you" or "I'm here for you."
• It starts with self-acceptance, it starts with fully embracing and loving all parts of ourselves for us to love others most fully.
• Take frustration, fear, or failure as an opportunity to practice showing up as the best version of yourself, accept what is asked, and take action. Your growth happens outside your comfort zone. 

"They say the number one secret to being a great leader is love - to love what you do to love your people. If you want to be a great leader, or you want to be a hero, the way to do so is to live with more love and to be a vehicle for more love in the world." —  Michael Balchan

About Michael Balchan: Michael Balchan is the Head Coach and Chief of Staff of Heroic, Public Benefit Corporation, where he’s working to help create a world in which 51% of the population is flourishing by the year 2051. Michael is a Harvard-trained behavioral economist and psychologist who spent almost a decade in finance before becoming a sought-after performance coach to executives and leadership teams. He is a top 10% Ironman finisher, has traveled to six of the seven continents, and lives in Chicago with his wife and two young daughters.

Connect with Michael Balchan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-balchan-8566079/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbalchan 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbalchan/?hl=en 

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected]  

In this episode, Rich and Ash discuss: 

• Defining healthy screen time for kids
• Getting your kids off screen 
• The power struggle with maintaining boundaries on screen time
• Creating a powerful bond with your kids
• Protecting your kids from dangerous online content

Key Takeaways: 

• Healthy screen time, whether it’s shows, apps, tablets, in the car, or video games, is an amount of timing or content time that benefits everyone in a family, not just the child.
• The first step to getting your kids off screens is to identify the systemic gaps that screens are replacing, which necessitate their dependency on screens in the first place. Sometimes, it's about meeting your child's needs and making them feel more of your presence.
• There would always be a power struggle over maintaining boundaries on screen time, but if parents instead think that they’re allowed to make this boundary around screens, and their child is allowed to dislike it, it becomes much less a source of conflict and more of a part of life.
• Engaging with your kids or strengthening your relationship with them begins with showing interest in their passion, asking questions, and showing them that you care about them and what they’re doing.
• You should generally be able to limit your kids' connections to only friends or to only people who are approved by you in any game they are playing, download the content you are okay with, and make sure that you check the settings menu to prevent dangerous content from reaching your child.

"Video games are going to enhance relationships, it's just up to adults to help decide what relationships they're actually going to enhance." —  Ash Brandin

About Ash Brandin: Ash is a speaker, educator, and social media influencer. Since 2016, Ash has spoken across the country about how classrooms and academic spaces can mimic game structures to make learning compelling, motivating, and engaging. She believes that games specifically entertainment games can help us create better teaching more engaging learning and motivated lifelong learners. Her Instagram page, TheGamerEducator, helps families have a relationship with screen time and video games that benefits everyone in the family, not just the game player. 

Connect with Ash Brandin:

Website: https://thegamereducator.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gamer_Educator 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-brandin025/ 

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected]  

In this episode, Rich and Brad discuss: 

• The key learnings Brad had from his grandfather
• Brad’s view of success and impact
• Brad’s relationship with his parents
• How vulnerability can be a strength and a leadership attribute
• The downside of trying to be everything to everybody

Key Takeaways: 

• Money and wealth don't always equal success. Sometimes it's about fostering relationships, raising a family properly, and ensuring you are available in all aspects to those who need you.
• The definition of impact and success is the extent to which you can impact society and attempt to reach out to as many people as possible deeply and for the right reasons.
• It is true that no parents are perfect, and that time can heal all wounds. Despite not having a great marriage, two people can still be friends and have a great time co-parenting and grandparenting.
• Give yourself permission to be vulnerable and honest. Vulnerability is not a weakness; letting people know that you have failed, that you have been hurt, and that you probably hurt others can be a powerful way to build deep relationships.
• Providing for others or being available for them is okay, but learn to save for yourself and for the people who matter most to you. The person you live with should receive the most of your attention.

"If you work hard and you're kind to people, amazing things will happen." —  Brad Minkow

About Brad Minkow: Brad is a graduate of the Harvard Business School where he was the student body co-president. He's had experience working in strategy roles at PepsiCo and Boston Consulting Group. Brad is currently the Division President at Oak Street Health, where he leads a 1,000-person team serving 50,000 patients in underserved communities across the Midwest. 

Connect with Brad Minkow:

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

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected]  

In this episode, Rich and Ted discuss: 

• Dreaming big and having the discipline and grit
• Why surrounding yourself with motivating people matters
• The true sense of belonging in friendships 
• The importance of letting your kids pursue what they like
• Creative compromise in the relationship

Key Takeaways: 

• Instilling a sense of discipline and grit by combining mentorship with exposure and immersion in leadership can help someone dream big, set goals, and achieve whatever they are passionate about.
• Being around people who inspire you and who can make you a better person is the key to building motivation and discipline in yourself.
• There is no need to change anything about you, nor do you need to conform to a standard of behavior, to feel truly connected, and to develop deep, powerful relationships.
• It's okay to provide your child with opportunities to develop their skills early, but allow them to also explore and learn what they are truly interested in so that they stay active while having fun.
• Keeping a healthy marriage and relationship requires creative compromising, which means balancing what you pursue and what you let go while staying supportive of one another.

"Success is a holistic pursuit of all the different dimensions of your life, family relationships, other forms of legacy, whether like the small acts of kindness that you perform on a daily basis." —  Ted Gonder

About Ted Gonder: Ted Gonder is a graduate of the University of Chicago. He is the Founder of Moneythink, an organization dedicated to building the financial capability of young adults through technology-enhanced peer mentorship. 

In 2015, Ted was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" and Crain's "20 in Their 20s" lists. He currently heads up growth at the New York-based firm Getro, a tech platform accelerating companies and professionals doing work that matters. 

Outside of work, Ted is the grateful father of three boys and a happy husband to his amazing wife Franzi. He enjoys CrossFit, martial arts, and exploring nature.

Connect with Ted Gonder:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tedgonder 

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode, Rich and Jamie discuss: 

• Jamie's path to working with winning companies
• The secret to building relationships
• Spending time with people who are way better than you
• Building great relationships with mentors

Key Takeaways: 

• There's no such thing as a smooth ride behind the scenes when working with winning companies; you have to dedicate yourself to whatever you do and focus on it more than anything.
• Making business connections should be a two-way street, but make sure you choose the right people to add value to and avoid being taken advantage of.
• Keep yourself surrounded by people who are better than you and who can give you advice when you are stuck while holding you accountable at the same time.
• There will always be people who are better at what you do than you, but the key is to be intentional about making connections and to use limited access to opportunities to your advantage.

"Just be yourself. If you're introverted, be introverted. If you're extroverted, be extroverted - don't try to be something you're not. Just being genuine goes so far." —  Jamie Ahern

About Jamie Ahern: Jamie is a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and also got his executive MBA from Northwestern. He spent some time in the hedge fund world working for Citadel before making his way into tech. He's been a part of two successful exits, including one at LearnVest, and one LiveWatch, which is now acquired by Brinks Home Security, and onto potentially his third exit through Kin Insurance, a technology-based insurance company. Jamie is currently the CEO of CarmaCare, a platform that makes car ownership more affordable. 

Connect with Jamie Ahern: 

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

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode, Rich and Jon discuss: 

• Jon’s secret to his success
• Facing the roadblocks along your way to success
• The power of connecting with good people
• What success looks like for Jon
• Being okay with sitting in difficult situations

Key Takeaways: 

• Surround yourself with supportive people. Success lies in the belief that it isn't about you, it's about the people you have surrounded yourself with who have helped you get to where you are. 
• The roadblocks to your success will only be overcome by your hunger for excellence and determination to achieve excellence.
• Connect and build relationships - the simple act of just connecting with good people you would be unlikely to meet is a simple thing that can really impact both your and other people's lives in a very positive way.
• A path to success and career advancement happens when you focus on filling yourself with more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• It's okay to sit in difficult situations or in pain. Sometimes, people just want some space to be heard, not always everything fixed.

"The first way to make an impact is to have proximity to someone who needs it and then having the decision to show up for it." —  Jon Milonas

About Jon Milonas: Jon Milonas is a Senior Vice President in CBRE’s Advisory & Transactions Services group in the Chicago Region. One of the youngest CBRE professionals to hold this title in Chicago, Jon focuses his practice on developing comprehensive and strategic real estate plans, managing the site selection process, and structuring and negotiating office leases for local, national and international organizations.

During his 15-year career, Jon has completed more than 500 lease relocation, renewal, consolidation, sublease, and buyout transactions on behalf of companies such as Morningstar, CIBC, Willis Towers Watson, PwC, Hewlett Packard, Société Générale and McGraw-Hill, with an emphasis on complex headquarters assignments and multi-market portfolio management.

In April 2016, Jon released his first book, “Kicking Off Your Office Lease: 6 Proven Steps to Develop a Thorough Strategy and Avoid Costly Mistakes”, which has quickly become the go-to industry resource for understanding the intricacies of an office leasing project. His thought leadership as a writer and a speaker has added value for thousands of individuals. He is a consistent speaker for organizations such as the Association of Legal Administrators, the International Facility Management Association, and the University of Illinois.

Connect with Jon Milonas:

Website: http://www.jonmilonas.com/ (Personal) 

http://www.cbre.com/jon.milonas (Company)

Email: [email protected] 

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

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Kicking-Off-Your-Office-Lease/dp/1523207086 

Connect with Rich Woo: 

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected] 

Everyone wants to be seen and heard, whether at home, at work, or just going about their daily lives. But, have you ever stopped to consider how willing you are to connect and give authentic connection with more than just others?

It is said that good connections and relationships have led to every major change or opportunity in our lives. By making connections, not only do we have the opportunity to expand our network, but we also avoid making the same mistakes they did. Although we all desire success, shouldn't we also strive to feel fulfilled and joyful along the way? The Power of Connections podcast has everything you need to know about how to connect and live your best life.

Hosted by Rich Woo, a wealth advisor and founder of Catalyst Planning Partners, a company that provides tax-smart investing strategies as well as comprehensive financial planning to help clients achieve financial security. In this podcast, we'll learn from those who've spent a great deal of time dreaming about and living out the life we ultimately want, so we can get more out of life. Each week, Rich will interview top industry performers in business, real estate, technology, media, entertainment, and sports to learn about how their connections with others have been the bedrock of their success and joy.

Sit back, relax and tune in. Taking you through the ups and downs of life, relationships, hardships, and adversity, Rich Woo reveals it all, unplugged and uncensored.

Connect with Rich Woo:

Website: www.catalyst.nm.com 

Book: The Relationship Recession - https://a.co/d/dXlXd71

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richwoo/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_woo/?hl=en