How do you overcome a truly brutal blow to your heart and life? My guest today is Brad Starnes, who experienced the worst thing that any parent can experience. While he wasn’t able to talk about it for almost ten years, he talks about it in this episode; and share insightful thoughts about pushing through discouragement, overcoming despair, and taking ownership of your actions, even when you feel you are at your worst.

It's a week before Thanksgiving; and while we often think of expressing gratitude to God for things like family, friends, good health, &tc., my buddies (and periodic co-hosts) Derek and Steph join me to discuss "odd things" for which we are thankful. With this as our ultimate purpose, we talk about cars, art supplies, collectibles, church organs, and a couple other things, somehow finding lessons that are relevant to faith, personal development, and entrepreneurship! I had a good time recording this episode, and I think you'll find it fun, helpful, and thought-provoking.

If you know anything about what's happening in our culture, you know that there is a crisis in the trades and other blue collar jobs. Whether you are interested in that or not, it affects you...and the issues going on in the construction industry (and related industries) are extremely relevant, not just to all entrepreneurs and influencers - but to anyone who wants to pursue their God-given potential. In this episode, I am joined by James Devinney of The Dirty and Driven Podcast and Ben Duell of Duell Construction in Manhattan, Kansas. We have a challenging, insightful and, frankly, entertaining conversation about Jesus the carpenter, the importance of hard work, what to do to solve the crisis in the trades, and how to build a culture in your company - whether it's a construction company or a marketing firm - in a way that is good for your people and good for business! Connect with James on Instagram @dirtyandriven or www.dirtyanddriven.com or Ben at www.duellconstruction.com. 

When she was in high school, Becca Strom's parents divorced, her dad suddenly died, her brother got in trouble with the law, and her family drama and dysfunction skyrocketed. While she had come to faith as a teenager, she lost her way and things started getting rough, until God intervened and said, "If this is how it's going to be, things are not going to end well." In this episode of The Vaughn Kohler Podcast, I talk to Becca - who was my outstanding and hilarious administrative assistant when I was a pastor - and, in a dynamic conversation featuring Becca's trademark honesty and authenticity, we unpack her challenging youth, her journey with Jesus, the lessons God and life have taught her, and how she has become, not only a great wife and mother, but a successsful realtor in the greatest college town on the planet. Follow Becca on Instagram @mrsbstrom or, if you live in the Manhattan, Kansas area and are looking to buy or sell a home, visit www.goalliancerealty.com and ask for Becca! 

What is your approach to your life and work? Do you just want to survive? Are you pursuing success? Or are you committed to creating and experiencing a life of real significance? Quinten Lovejoy, my guest on today's episode, is the founder of @the300groupinsurance, one of the OG @aretesyndicate members (if you know, you know), and has contributed to Forbes, Bankrate, and business.com. More importantly, he is a husband, father, man of God, and patriot. In this conversation, we talk about how he broke out of "the small town stereotype" to pursue greater personal and professional success, what led him to make a risky, radical move in his industry, in order to do something innovative and bring more value to his clients, and how he has developed a mindset that integrates faith and mental toughness, driving him to become the best he can possibly be. In addition, we talked a little about becoming a great dad, homeschooling, and faithfully fighting for truth and goodness in a crazy culture. Find Quinten online at www.the300group.net or on Instagram @qlovejoy. 

In the world of personal development and entrepreneurship, people are always looking to learn from experts and gurus. But my guest for today's podcast asks a great question: does your mentor walk on water? For many years, Donna Johnson has been a mover and shaker in her industry and has been wildly successful; but her greatest desire is to encourage men and women to embrace Jesus as THE greatest mentor in their lives. For that reason, she felt led to write a book! Within a couple days of the book hitting the market, it sold hundreds of thousands of copies and rocketed to the top of the charts! The reason is that the book offers great guidance and hope to people across the spectrum - whether they are committed believers or simply people open to truth. I know you are going to benefit - personally and professionally - from my great conversation with Donna.  Find her online at mentordonnajohnson.com and @mentordonnajohnson on Instagram. 

What in the world does art and creativity have to do with pursuing your potential and/or succeeding in business? The surprise answer is: a lot! For this very unique episode of the Vaughn Kohler Podcast, I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona and met with my friends Cyn Silva and Laura Madden. Both had or have "day jobs" and both have been successful in pursuing their passion for creating works of art. In part 1 of a 2-part episode, we talk about their backgrounds, how they came to develop their craft, and how people need to think if they want to do something they love. In part 2, we talk about principles for cultivating creativity, whether it's better to think of your passion as a "hobby" or a "business," and how to deal with other people's reactions (good or bad) when you have the courage to "put your work out there." True confessions: This may not be a conversation for the average personal development / entrepreneurship podcast listener, but if you are open-minded and consider yourself a creative type (the truth is, we're all creative types!) then you'll love it! You can find Cyn at cynsilvaart.com or on Instagram @luxurycynsilva and Laura at iamlauramadden.com or on Instagram @iamlauramadden and @refashionedart.

What in the world does art and creativity have to do with pursuing your potential and/or succeeding in business? The surprise answer is: a lot! For this very unique episode of the Vaughn Kohler Podcast, I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona and met with my friends Cyn Silva and Laura Madden. Both had or have "day jobs" and both have been successful in pursuing their passion for creating works of art. In part 1 of a 2-part episode, we talk about their backgrounds, how they came to develop their craft, and how people need to think if they want to do something they love. In part 2, we talk about principles for cultivating creativity, whether it's better to think of your passion as a "hobby" or a "business," and how to deal with other people's reactions (good or bad) when you have the courage to "put your work out there." True confessions: This may not be a conversation for the average personal development / entrepreneurship podcast listener, but if you are open-minded and consider yourself a creative type (the truth is, we're all creative types!) then you'll love it! You can find Cyn at cynsilvaart.com or on Instagram @luxurycynsilva and Laura at iamlauramadden.com or on Instagram @iamlauramadden and @refashionedart.

When I met Dr. Alex Spinoso five years ago, he was working as a doctor in a penetentiary and living with his wife in an 800 square foot foyer (that's right, foyer) in a home in Las Vegas. Now, he is the CEO of Genesis Lifestyle Medicine, a company with 30+ locations, that he scaled to 8-figures in 16 months. (Oh, he runs a handful of other companies, too!) Alex is a really good man who has an astonishing vision for what is possible and a titanic work ethic to make it happen. The three foundatons of his mindset and approach to success are 1) OWN your life 2) OPERATE at the highest levels and 3) OVERCOME anything. From his story of living in a freezing attic during his college years to the way his beloved grandfather Giovanni motivated him to overcome a devastating injury, you'll love hearing about Alex's life and learning his lessons for success. Connect with Alex on Instagram: @dralexspinoso 

In this engaging episode, I am joined by Persich & Company, a boutique consultancy founded by my clients, Garrett and Mary Persich, that offers "coaching" to help people think more biblically about their money and manage it in a way that is both practically effective and honoring to God! (Legal disclaimer: They are NOT financial advisors or counselors.) We dive into the fascinating world of money management from a biblical standpoint and explore age-old wisdom that helps us become wise stewards of our finances and align our money choices with our faith. This is a wide-ranging discussion that covers everything from Jesus' Parable of the Talents (which has some shocking aspects to it!) to practical tips for budgeting. Give it a listen...I know it will provide value! Find Garrett and Mary at www.persich.co.