By Brad Formsma
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The podcast currently has 284 episodes available.
Jonathan Carr is the President of Vehicle Reman, a premier fleet vehicle remanufacturing company based in Jarrell, Texas. Jonathan has driven the company’s growth by transforming old fleet vehicles into like-new condition, offering a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to buying new. Influenced by the teachings of C.S. Lewis, particularly on prayer, Jonathan integrates his faith into his leadership style, fostering a company culture of integrity and respect.
Mark Carr is the visionary founder of Christian Brothers Automotive (CBA), a company with nearly 300 locations that stands out for its excellent automotive services and strong foundation in Christian faith. This outlook has led CBA to win the JD Power Award for Best Customer Service for the past four years. Since its inception, Mark has been dedicated to creating a business that operates with integrity, honesty, and a commitment to serving others, reflecting his deep faith and values.
Mark Carr and Jonathan Carr are on The Wow Factor this week to share a fascinating look into the origins and growth of Christian Brothers Automotive. Mark shares the inspiring story of how he started the business through a divine calling, overcoming early financial challenges to grow it into a successful franchise model. We spend time discussing the company's charitable initiatives, such as the Hub Garage program that provides free car repairs for single mothers. Jonathan also discusses Vehicle Reman and how it gives new life to fleet vehicles sustainably and cost-effectively.
“Honesty is everything.” - Mark Carr
“Treating customers as I want to be treated is everything.” - Mark Carr
“The reason for our success is 100% the fruits of the Spirit.” - Jonathan Carr
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Mark Carr’s Words of Wisdom:
Be honest with yourself, examine yourself, look at your weaknesses, and surround yourself with people who are good in the areas that you're not.
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Terry Williams is the CEO of City of Faith, a nationally respected, non-profit reentry center for federal offenders. She is dedicated to successfully assisting offenders with transitioning back into their communities by providing housing, preparing them for the workforce, helping them reestablish ties with family, counseling, and much more. A passionate believer in prison reform, locally, Williams was the first to establish a community relations board to increase communication between Residential Reentry and the Little Rock community.
Terry Williams joins me on the show this week to share the inspiring story of how her family's spiritual transformation led to the founding of City of Faith by her sister Kathy in 1983. She discusses City of Faith's innovative use of electronic monitoring technology to help inmates reintegrate into society with more dignity and freedom. Terry also shares her personal leadership philosophy, the importance of servant leadership, continuous learning, and making the most of every opportunity to positively impact the lives of the people you serve.
“I want to be a servant leader.” - Terry Williams
“The most successful people that we have are those who have the strongest family ties.” - Terry Williams
“Live your life wisely and make the most of every opportunity.” - Terry Williams
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Terry Williams’ Words of Wisdom:
Live your life wisely and make the most of every opportunity.
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John Ruhlin is the late founder of The Ruhlin Group, a gift logistics company that helps clients like the Chicago Cubs, Wells Fargo, Caesar’s Entertainment, Miami Dolphins, Morgan Stanley, and The John Maxwell Company execute year-round gifting strategies. John’s unique approach to relationships led him to become the #1 salesman for a $250 Million direct sales company by the time he was 23 (out of 1.5 Million reps). Prior to his passing, he spoke widely about strategic gifting and relationship building and helps CEOs and sales teams drive referrals and open doors to elusive decision-makers.
I’m so honored to share my conversation with the late John Ruhlin with you this week; our discussion is all about the importance of generosity and relationship-building in business. John started by sharing his experiences growing up in a small town, how he came to pursue entrepreneurship, and shares stories of a mentor he had as a young man who taught him the value of building genuine relationships with clients, employees, and their families, and how it led to his business success. He also dives into the importance of giving without expectations and being thoughtful and intentional to foster meaningful connections.
“Show up generously in all areas.” - John Ruhlin
“A physical gift is a representation of the value you place on a relationship.” - John Ruhlin
“It's so unusual for somebody to send something to another person, not because they wanted something needed something did something but just to based upon the relationship.” - John Ruhlin
This Week on The Wow Factor:
John Ruhlin’s Words of Wisdom:
Always give more than is reasonable without the expectation of receiving anything in return.
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Dr. John Stahl-Wert is the Founder of the Center for Serving Leadership. He has pioneered training solutions for thirty years, working with organizations worldwide that want to produce outstanding results by investing in their people. He has written eight books, including the international best-sellers The Serving Leader and Ten Thousand Horses. John has coached executives in hundreds of other businesses in the U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong. John has been married to Milonica, his business partner, for 44 years. They enjoy designing and building things, traveling, going to church, and loving and being with their family, friends, neighbors, and Serving Leader colleagues from around the world.
This week on the show, John and I discuss the concept of servant leadership and how John’s strategic thinking and activator personality still guide his approach to problem-solving and decision-making. He shares the significance of clear values for leaders, why learning from failures is important, and how to practice effective delegation so the next generation can take over. John also discusses the traits of successful leaders and the importance of humility and vulnerability in leadership.
“The serving leader is the only kind of leader.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
“You need to lead by values.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
“Suffering builds perseverance; perseverance builds character. We have to be willing, as leaders, to hurt.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Dr. John Stahl-Wert’s Words of Wisdom:
In servant leadership, we serve our people, standards, and values. If we serve ourselves primarily, we destroy value. Laying yourself down for something more important than yourself is not an easy path, but it’s worth it.
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Scott Walker is an American public servant who served as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019. He now serves as President of Young Americas Foundation. A Republican, he was first elected Governor in 2010, defeating an attempted recall in 2012 and winning election for a second term in 2014. He formerly served as Milwaukee County Executive and in the Wisconsin State Assembly. One of his first reforms, Act 10, helped eliminate the state’s $3.6 billion budget deficit without raising taxes or cutting health care for those in need. It gave schools and local governments the tools to balance budgets without the massive layoffs seen in other states.
I’m excited to have Gov. Scott Walker with me today to discuss the need for a heart of service in public life. He discusses his life in office emphasizing the importance of understanding opposing viewpoints and finding a balance between listening to your opponents and standing up for your beliefs. He discusses the significance of faith and prayer in their leadership experiences and the relevance of Ronald Reagan's conservative values in today's America. Gov. Scott also shares more about how his upbringing shaped his ability to navigate difficult situations and his hopes for the future of Conservative Young Americans.
“Have the heart of a servant.” - Gov. Scott Walker
“Don't hoard your capital, reinvest it, invest it in your employees, invest in your products, invest it in expansions.” - Gov. Scott Walker
“Do the right thing, and you're going to be fine.” - Gov. Scott Walker
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Gov. Scott Walker’s Words of Wisdom:
Listen to people's questions, where their hearts are, and what they are really interested in. God gave us two ears and one mouth, and we should use them in that proportion.
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Kunes Auto Group was founded in 1996 when Gregg Kunes opened his first dealership in Delavan, Wisconsin. Since then, the Kunes family of dealerships has grown to over 40 locations across the Midwest. Kunes Auto Group's slogan of ‘Faith, Family, and Giving Back’ is vitally important to Gregg, and these four words embody what Kunes Auto Group is all about. They strive to build people's lives and live up to that by employing over 2,000 people and donating 10% of their yearly net profits to charities in local communities.
Gregg joins me on the podcast to discuss the significance of family, generosity, and communication in his life and business. He discusses the importance of understanding where people come from and the impact of generosity on future generations. He also digs into his personal learnings on entrepreneurship, particularly the importance of communication, respect, and humility. Gregg also discusses the challenges and opportunities of transitioning out of a family business and why his vision for his new business was grounded in generosity.
“God's promises are forever.” - Gregg Kunes
“We are faith first, then family, and then just giving back.” - Gregg Kunes
“Everybody is important in our company.” - Gregg Kunes
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Gregg Kunes’ Words of Wisdom:
We always lead with encouragement because building those people up is more important than leading vertically. I believe in leading horizontally. I believe in understanding and knowing who people are and then planting, building, and taking them to the next step.
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Martin and his wife, Gay, started Martin Dingman in 1990 to build a company on the foundation of quality, integrity, and the "Refined Country Life." They have created World Class Leathergoods for the stylish man and enjoyed the honor of being recognized by nationally known publications, including the Robb Report as "America's Best Of The Best, and Forbes magazine as one of "America's 50 Best Companies.”
Martin and his son and Sales Manager, Avery Dingman, join us on The Wow Factor podcast to discuss the importance of kindness, quality, and faith in business. We dig into the challenges of running a family business, including blurred boundaries and how the Dingman family is planning for the future of the business. Martin also shares why they never remove the inspirational Scripture tags from their belts before shipment, no matter who asks them.
“We put people before profits.” - Martin Dingman
“If you can help somebody, then it's all worth it.” - Martin Dingman
“Keep growing and learning every single day.” - Avery Dingman
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Martin Dingman’s Words of Wisdom:
I have three mission steps for my business. My first goal is to shine a light on Jesus Christ, who is the reason for everything. My second is to reward our employees as best we can because, in reality, they're the ones who are making it happen. The third is to make a profit so we can care for our people.
Avery Dingman’s Words of Wisdom:
Try to learn and soak up other people's words of wisdom rather than being the guy who acts like he knows everything. Keep learning and growing every single day.
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Bruce Johnston is the founder and executive director of JH Ranch and is responsible for developing the ranch curriculum and stewarding the legacy of over 30 years positively impacting families through their leadership programs. Bruce Johnson’s father, Gene, purchased the 300-acre hunting lodge in Northern California to fulfill a promise he made as a young man to invest the resources God provided in a manner that would have eternal value. JH Ranch opened in 1980 with a leadership program for high schoolers and subsequently opened JH Outback, which focuses on providing a unique opportunity for families to invest in fun, meaningful time together away from everyday distractions.
Bruce joins me again today to discuss how he and his team distilled the JH Ranch programs into the JH Outback experience, why they were so committed to making it happen, then why they decided to take the experience worldwide. He shares what he has learned about leaders over the years, some of the characteristics they have in common in terms of what they struggle with, some of the landmines that can litter their paths, and the things they tend to excel at. Bruce also shares stories of the love and respect that his father Gene inspired in visitors to JH Ranch and how Bruce continues to pay tribute to his father and amplify his legacy.
"We get up every morning, and we eat problems for breakfast than just live on miracles the rest of the day.” - Bruce Johnston
“When people catch the vision, and then we give them a blueprint of how they can replicate it in their city, it becomes their ministry that they own. And the impact is just in a community is really transformational.” - Bruce Johnston
“You will never experience significance in life until what you do contributes to the welfare of another - God made us that way, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.” - Bruce Johnston
This week on The Wow Factor:
The importance of staying true to your God and to your purpose to grow and achieve your goals
How family members can build, strengthen and restore relationships at JH Outback
Why it is critical to be generous in your abundance and why Bruce understands his father’s motivation for investing in the JH Ranch rather than hoarding wealth for his family
Why it sometimes takes adversity to accomplish true success
The importance of taking the initiative in life and acting in the moment to ensure positive relationships with your kids going forwards
How Bruce built a relationship with a neighbor and expanded to Scott River Lodge, where couples can enjoy activities that help enrich their marriages
The six most important words in a marriage and how Bruce discovered the truth of how to resolve issues in a marriage and grow together
Bruce Johnston’s Words of Wisdom:
People spend their entire lives creating their identity, how they want other people to perceive them by trying to impress them, by climbing ladders in pursuit of success. Our lives become motivated by people and pursuits, and possessions so that we feel valued. What we should realize is that our value comes from God. He already loves you, just as you are. There may be plenty of growth opportunities ahead of us, but in the meantime, He still loves you right where you am.
Connect with Bruce Johnston:
JH Ranch Website
JH Ranch on Facebook
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JH Ranch on Twitter
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The WOW Factor Website
Connect with Brad Formsma via email
Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
Brad Formsma on Instagram
Brad Formsma on Facebook
Brad Formsma on Twitter
In 1979, Gene Johnston, father of Bruce Johnson, purchased a 300-acre hunting lodge in Northern California to fulfill a promise he made to the Lord as a young man to invest the resources God provided in a manner that would have eternal value. JH Ranch opened in 1980 with a leadership program for high schoolers named Second Wind, which has subsequently been recognized as one of the most effective youth leadership programs in America. Bruce Johnston is the founder and executive director of JH Ranch and is responsible for developing the JH Ranch curriculum and the stewardship of the legacy of over 30 years positively impacting families.
Bruce joins me today to share the chance event that saw Gene Johnston, Bruce’s father, discover JH ranch and why Bruce accepted his invitation to do something meaningful with the property. He describes how they kept moving forward with their mission to turn the ranch into something that would help young people despite an inauspicious start to its first summer in business. Bruce also gives a little of the backstory on how he came up with the ‘4 Cs’ that inform his approach to creating leadership strategies for young people, why we need to be mindful of our children's personalities when planning how to support and guide them.
"I learned at an early age that money comes from hard work.” - Bruce Johnston
“Within the sacrifice of giving, God is developing us into the people he wants us to become.” - Bruce Johnston
“God tells me that my value comes from him and what he thinks about me and what he tells me is that he already loves me just like I am, not as I should be. “ - Bruce Johnston
This week on The Wow Factor:
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Jim Daly is President of Focus on the Family and hosts its daily radio program, Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, heard by over 6 million weekly listeners on nearly 2,000 radio stations across the U.S. The show has been honored as Program of the Year by the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). In March, Jim celebrated his 35th anniversary with the ministry. Jim’s past awards include: World Children’s Center Humanitarian Award (2008), the Children’s Hunger Fund Children’s Champion Award (2009), and the HomeWord Family Ministry Award (2010). Newsweek named him one of the Top 10 next-generation evangelical leaders of influence.
On today’s show, Jim and Brad discuss their personal experiences with childhood trauma and emotional triggers in marriage, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and addressing these experiences to avoid letting them define one's identity or future. They also discussed strategies for transitioning leadership in various contexts, highlighting the importance of humility, vulnerability, and generosity. Both speakers emphasized the need for emotional vulnerability and healthier ways to handle triggers in marriage, citing statistics on the benefits of a stable home environment.
“God's given us these mechanisms to deal with tough stuff.” - Jim Daly
“You can't just say it once and assume it's understood and done.” - Jim Daly
“Amplify the good things and correct the bad things.” - Jim Daly
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Jim Daly’s Words of Wisdom:
It is critically important in leadership to know who you are, then live that meaning, amplify the good things, and correct the bad things.
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The podcast currently has 284 episodes available.
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