If your content is starting to sound like everyone else’s, this episode will change the way you use AI. We sat down with AI strategist and systems thinker Craig Van Korlaar to ask him burning questions about how to leverage AI without losing your voice, flattening your message, or eroding the brand you’ve worked so hard to build. You’ll learn why generic prompts lead to “slow motion brand erosion,” how to use empathy-driven design thinking to brief AI, and a practical human-in-the-loop workflow that keeps your story, nuance, and authority intact while making your content more searchable and scalable in the new age of AI-driven search.

Highlights

00:00 The AI conversation that matters for legacy builders.

03:30 How Craig’s story shaped his empathy-driven leadership.

11:00 Why generic AI is slowly killing your brand.

15:30 How to treat AI like a collaborator to get the best results.

23:30 The formula to create endless content ideas that resonate with your ideal client.  

27:00 Why you MUST be writing blogs and long-form content that AI search engines trust.

31:15 How to build an AI brand guide so your content sounds like you, not a bot.

36:00 Where to let AI do the heavy lifting and where to focus your attention.

40:00 Why now is the most level playing field for creators who are willing to do the work.

Resources

Learn more at https://craftingcopy.ai/

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Craig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/craftingcopy-ai 

The coaching industry has never been louder or more confusing. Everyone is suddenly a “mentor,” raising their prices, and selling frameworks they’ve never used to build a business. In this episode, we talk about the difference between a transactional coach and a transformational mentor, why so many founders feel misled, and how to protect yourself from bad advice that can stall your business growth. We break down the four red flags of fake mentors, why most coaches lack real receipts, and how to choose guidance that aligns with your values, your goals, and your next level. Tune in to learn how to choose the right support, accelerate your growth, and build a business with integrity, wisdom, and strategy, not just hype.

Highlights

00:00 Why everyone is suddenly calling themselves a “mentor.”

04:00 The danger of cookie-cutter frameworks and empty promises.

08:00 Why inexperienced coaches struggle to get clients.

09:45 Madeline’s four red flags for spotting fake mentors.

14:45 The lessons we learned from hiring the wrong marketers.

19:00 Why your mentor doesn’t need to be in the room with you.

21:00 The four-part Alignment Test Madeline uses to choose mentors.

23:45 How to know whether you need a coach, consultant, strategist, or mentor.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

David IG: @davidjriccitx

David on LinkedIn

Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

What do you do when success starts costing your life? Alan Underwood built a $16M car dealership, then stared down a 9 mm handgun in an Arizona park, valuing his life at 27¢. In this episode, we talk about the warning signs high-performing leaders often miss and what it actually takes to pull yourself out of burnout, grief, or pressure that’s gotten too heavy to hold. He shares how to evaluate the cost of success, the mindset shifts required to rebuild from rock bottom, and the questions every leader should ask before choosing a business partner or investor. Tune in to learn how to protect your life, steward your leadership well, and scale your business with intention instead of burnout.

00:00 The moment Alan realized his life felt worth less than his business.

07:45 What was your life like before your breaking point?

15:00 Did the darkness you went through create the version of you today?

17:45 How to know who is and who isn’t a good partner.

25:45 How to evaluate other people’s deals when you are the investor.

29:00 What do you look for in the culture of your company?

36:00 The four pillars to evaluate when you're building your future.

40:00 The aviation nonprofit saving lives one flight at a time.

48:30 How to get Involved with Angel Flight West.

Resources

Learn more about Alan Underwood HERE

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Alan on LinkedIn

In a world obsessed with followers and filters, real connection has become a lost art. In this episode, we talk about how to build authentic relationships, own any room you walk into, and overcome imposter syndrome before it holds your business back. We break down the mindset, preparation, and presence that help you build trust fast, both in person and online. We share tips on how to enter a room with authority, ask better questions, dress with intention, and more. Get ready to drop the social façade and master the skills that make people remember your name long after you leave the room.

Highlights

00:00 How to evaluate if a room or event is worth your time.

05:45 What do you do when imposter syndrome hits?

08:30 The #1 networking mistake that kills trust instantly.

11:30 One goal that changes how you network forever.

15:00 How to craft a one-line elevator pitch that opens doors.

17:30 The credibility cue people notice before you speak.

22:00 How visual presence builds instant credibility in any space.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

Watch on YouTube HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

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David on LinkedIn

Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

If you think “good ideas” are rare, this episode proves they’re everywhere. We break down our method to spot everyday problems, validate demand fast, and turn the best ones into side hustles to seven-figure businesses. You’ll learn what to watch for time wasters, daily annoyances, overpriced necessities, and the quickest ways to test solutions using real examples from mortgage closings and a women-only boutique boxing studio. Walk away with a 7-day challenge and a checklist to choose ideas worth building.

Highlights

00:00 The method to spot ideas worth building.

04:15 How to spot problems in your organization.

06:20 The power of thinking like a customer, not a boss.

07:00 How to eliminate time wasters, daily annoyances, and overpriced items.

08:00 Do this to recognize patterns of problems in your business. 

11:30 How do I know if I should franchise or build a new business?

13:30 Turning a side hustle into running your business full-time.

15:10 The quick test to see if you have a viable idea.

17:45 Your 7-day challenge.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

Watch on YouTube HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

David IG: @davidjriccitx

David on LinkedIn

Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

If you don’t set clear standards for yourself, how can your business meet the standards your clients expect? In this quick episode, we walk through a simple framework to define your limitations, capture client expectations with a solid intake form, and align values before you start. You'll learn what you need to lock into your agreement, PLUS how to communicate like a pro when plans change. Tune in for a simple, repeatable framework to deliver flawlessly, and earn five-star reviews again and again.

Highlights

00:00 The real cost of fuzzy expectations and “serve everyone” thinking.

02:30 How knowing your limitations protects profit and client trust.

04:15 Exact info to collect to surface goals, scope, and non-negotiables.

08:00 Built-in check-ins you need so clients never have to chase you.

13:00 When clients owe YOU something: Due dates, formats, and reminders that keep timelines intact.

15:30 Scope creep SOS: When to add pricing, training, or hires if requests repeat.

17:00 Tips for the best way to communicate bad news.

18:15 How integrity, process, and referrals compound your reputation.

19:00 5 moves to implement on your next client for smoother delivery.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

Watch on YouTube HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

David IG: @davidjriccitx

David on LinkedIn

Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

What does REAL alignment do for your business? Not the buzzword kind, but the kind that drives clear decisions, builds trust, and makes your next move your smartest yet.

In this episode, you’ll discover how to identify what truly drives you, make faster and cleaner business decisions, and attract clients, partners, and opportunities that actually fit. We break down the mindset assessment to uncover what’s really behind your stress, burnout, and uncertainty and how to replace it with clarity, confidence, and conviction. By the end of this episode you’ll know how to make decisions faster with absolute clarity and peace of mind, stop overthinking and start trusting your instincts, and build dream partnerships and teams that reflect your highest standards.

Highlights

00:00 Alignment with Purpose vs. Woo Alignment.

03:45 Are your actions in alignment with what you say you want & stand for?

07:15 How to align your values in every area of your life from friendships to business and money.

12:00 How to have clarity and ease around business decisions.

17:15 What is secretly influencing your values?

20:00 How to audit your value system and 

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

Watch on YouTube HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

David IG: @davidjriccitx

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Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

Your next level of business requires you to evolve from “hammer-and-nail” management to an EQ-driven leadership style that still hits the numbers. You’ll learn how to set clear expectations without being harsh, rephrase conflict to lower defenses, and hold people accountable with timelines they help create. We show you exactly how to ask coaching questions that reveal someone’s thinking, protect your time through proactive communication, and lead by embodiment, because teams do what you do, not what you say. Walk away with a practical toolkit to earn trust faster, get better work, and build up a team that performs. 

Highlights

00:00 - What makes a great leader?

00:45 - Madeline Ricci was featured in Mogules of Business Magazine!

04:30 - What is Madeline’s leadership style?

07:53 - What caused Madeline to evolve her leadership style?

11:00 - How to ask your team better questions to help them solve problems.

13:20 - Can you transition from a tough leader to a human-first leader?

14:41 - Biggest communications lessons from building a tech platform.

16:15 - What does it mean to hold someone accountable to their word?

22:30 - What people get wrong about leadership.

Resources

Read + share Madeline’s article in Moguls Of Business Here: Madeline Ricci Built BNN Services The Hard Way: Now An Eight-Figure Success

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Madeline on LinkedIn

Are you in a build season? If so, we have to be honest about something not everyone will tell you…work-life balance is a myth. When you’re building early on, you’ll hustle, sometimes across time zones, on holidays, and yes, with a laptop by the pool. We’re not here to glamorize grind, we’re here to show you how to do it on purpose so it pays off. In this episode, we teach you how to set non-negotiables that protect your head and health, communicate client coverage clearly, keep a high service bar, and build systems and teams that eventually buy back your time. Plus, we share some of our personal lessons learned along our business journey. If you’re in a heavy season, take heart—do the right things consistently and your effort compounds into options, margin, and a business that supports the life you actually want.

Highlights

00:00 The myth of work-life balance.

04:45 Sacrifices we made early on in building our business.

10:00 What we can learn from how Elon Musk builds businesses.

13:00 How we’ve been able to build and earn more flexibility in our lives.

17:30 Ways to design the life and business that works best for you.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

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Trustedpreneurs IG: @trustedpreneurs_llc

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Madeline IG: @themadelinericci

Madeline on LinkedIn

Are you trying to make your business more efficient with AI? There's one area of your business that you CANNOT outsource if you want to be in business 10 years from now!

We’re tackling one of the biggest challenges every business owner is facing right now: how to embrace technology without losing the human touch that keeps clients loyal for life. We share a story about our first business banker, Bill, and how his simple personal connection created trust and loyalty that no machine could replace. We also discuss the risk of over-automating your business, why a quick personal video or phone call can separate you from the noise, and how companies like Apple and Chick-fil-A weave intentional human moments into tech-driven systems. Whether you run a brick-and-mortar or an online business, you’ll walk away with powerful reminders of how to build loyalty, keep clients for years, and stand out in a world that’s moving faster than ever.

00:00 What AI CAN’T do for your business.

04:15 How to set yourself apart in 2025 and beyond.

07:30 What companies like Apple have done to create successful personalized experiences.

10:45 Ways to maintain personal connections as an online business.

13:15 How can we balance optimizing technology and keeping a personal touch?

17:30 The role critical thinking plays in having a thriving and adaptive business.

19:00 How to have a competitive advantage in today’s world of AI.

Resources

Stop guessing if you’re ready to scale - take the assessment!

Schedule Your Free Strategy Call with Trustedpreneurs HERE

Get 5 Key Strategies to Balance High Impact Leadership & Personal Fulfillment HERE

Watch on YouTube HERE

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Madeline on LinkedIn