Author: michaelfritzius

Posted on

The Networking Epiphany

Frank Agin:

The Networking Epiphany

Frank Agin’s journey started with top-tier credentials but little real-world traction. Through a surprising twist, he discovered that business isn’t just about what you know—it’s about who you help.

Bio

Frank Agin works to empower small businesses to achieve more by helping them create dynamic professional relationships. He does this by operating a membership-based referral program (AmSpirit Business Connection) and shares insightful content via his podcasts, articles and book. Learn all about Frank at http://frankagin.com.

Topics

  • The power of networking beyond the cliché
  • Why traditional education doesn’t teach relationship-building
  • The difference between networking and transactional connections
  • How generosity fuels business success
  • The mental shift from expertise to engagement
  • Building trust in professional relationships
  • How to spot and seize networking opportunities
  • Why successful people focus on lifting others up
  • The psychology behind making connections that last
  • Avoiding common networking mistakes

Guiding Questions

  • What was your mindset about success before you discovered networking?
  • Can you describe the moment you realized networking was the missing piece?
  • What were some early struggles you faced when building connections?
  • How do you define networking differently than most people?
  • What’s the biggest misconception professionals have about building relationships?
  • Can you share an example of how a single connection changed your trajectory?
  • How do you help people shift from a transactional mindset to a networking mindset?
  • What’s a small, daily habit that improves networking skills?
  • How do you know if a networking opportunity is truly valuable?
  • What advice would you give to someone starting from scratch with no network?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

When Integrity Saves Lives

James Zeigler:

When Integrity Saves Lives

As a child, James Zeigler learned the power—and the price—of telling the truth. That lesson carried him through a military career, leadership roles, and a near-death experience that forced him to reassess everything.

Bio

James is a husband, father, grandfather, keynote speaker, author, and a friend to many.

He is a seasoned leader with over 35 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in

helping individuals achieve a harmonious blend of leadership and life through self-

awareness and the reduction of both internal and external bullying. His work focuses on

empowering people to build stronger, more effective relationships, both personally and

professionally, by enhancing their communication and listening skills.

Throughout his career, James has held significant leadership roles, including

owner/operator of a private speech-language pathology practice, assistant professor,

Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. He has managed organizations

with operating budgets of up to $800 million and led teams of over 4,000 Full-Time

Equivalent Employees (FTEE). A proud U.S. Air Force Veteran, James also served as a

Senior Executive Service Member in the Veterans Health Administration, where he

contributed to shaping policy and leadership within the federal government. He holds a

life appointment by the President of the United States of America.

As a keynote and inspirational speaker, James is passionate about guiding others to

discover their full potential. His mission is simple: to equip people with the confidence to “one another”, fostering kindness, collaboration, and respect. His vision is to reduce

bullying by coming alongside the accusatory voice within each of us and partnering,

paving the way for a safer, more compassionate world. James is also a certified

Professional Christian Leadership Coach trained by the Professional Christian Coaching

Institute and Coach Training Institute. Hot off the press in November 2024, James

released his book: Chemical Courage: Reframing the bully within for a healthier world.

In this book he carefully protects the identity of over 70 anonymous contributors who

shared stories of being bullied and gives a compelling message from a near death

experience of his own.

James is also an ordained minister, a budding author, and a lover of music. He enjoys

playing guitar and writing worship music, finding inspiration in the beauty of life, faith,

and service. He and his wife, Brenda have two grown children. They live in rural

Wisconsin, where they cherish time with their granddaughters and bird and squirrel

watching.

At his core, James believes that people are beautiful and have much to beheld—both

within themselves and in the relationships they cultivate. Through coaching, he helps

others discover this truth, enabling them to flourish with and for one another.

Topics

  • The hidden impact of childhood trauma on leadership and success
  • How chronic stress and cortisol nearly ended my life
  • The lifelong power—and burden—of being a truth-teller
  • Military discipline vs. corporate leadership: What I learned
  • The intersection of faith, intuition, and medical science
  • How workplace toxicity physically affects our health
  • The difference between acute stress and chronic stress
  • Overcoming internal and external bullies in leadership
  • Balancing career ambition with faith and family values
  • How near-death experiences shift our perspective on life

Guiding Questions

  • You’ve talked about the importance of truth-telling—how did that lesson first shape your life?
  • Looking back, do you think your childhood experiences set the stage for how you approached leadership?
  • What was your first warning sign that stress was taking a toll on your health?
  • Can you walk us through the night of your near-death experience?
  • You mentioned the role of an angel in your survival—how do you interpret that event today?
  • What did your military career teach you about resilience and discipline?
  • How does workplace culture contribute to chronic stress, and what can leaders do about it?
  • Many high achievers struggle with work-life balance. How did you navigate that challenge, and what would you do differently?
  • What advice would you give to leaders who feel like they’re “grinding” themselves into the ground?
  • If someone is experiencing extreme stress but doesn’t recognize the warning signs, what should they look for?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

Burn Bright, Not Out

Carol Williams:

Burn Bright, Not Out

Inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s keynote at a life-changing conference, Carol reflects on the importance of reconnecting with your passions and eliminating obstacles. Her story invites others to discover what fuels their own purpose.

Bio

Hard work has driven my success, from excelling in school to running half marathons, fighting wildfires, and building a business during a recession. Recently, I’ve combined intuition with productivity, reflected in my Productivity Cake—a framework for balance and success. Listening to the Voice Within—God—is life’s greatest secret.

My purpose is helping others uncover their talents and live their purpose. As “Courageous Carol,” I empower clients to achieve the impossible, creating ripple effects of success. I believe life, like a cake recipe, evolves with added and subtracted ingredients, but core values remain, making success a continuous, transformative process.

Topics

  • The symbolic power of fire in personal transformation
  • Overcoming the fear of stepping into your greatness
  • Recognizing when your goals no longer align with your purpose
  • Moving beyond SMART goals to create a visionary roadmap
  • The importance of pausing to reassess your current path

Guiding Questions

  • What inspired you to use fire as a metaphor for transformation?
  • How do you disrupt negative thinking patterns in your own life?
  • What does “stepping into your greatness” mean to you?
  • Why do you believe SMART goals are only part of the picture?
  • What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about letting go of what no longer serves you?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

Rethinking Strength

Carol Williams:

Rethinking Strength

A candid look at how persistence can be a double-edged sword and the mindset shifts that lead to authentic success.

Bio

Hard work has driven my success, from excelling in school to running half marathons, fighting wildfires, and building a business during a recession. Recently, I’ve combined intuition with productivity, reflected in my Productivity Cake—a framework for balance and success. Listening to the Voice Within—God—is life’s greatest secret.

My purpose is helping others uncover their talents and live their purpose. As “Courageous Carol,” I empower clients to achieve the impossible, creating ripple effects of success. I believe life, like a cake recipe, evolves with added and subtracted ingredients, but core values remain, making success a continuous, transformative process.

Topics

  • Redefining success after years of struggle.
  • The role of hard questions in personal growth.
  • Overcoming guilt as a working single parent.
  • Managing business finances with clarity and courage.
  • Why resilience needs to be paired with reflection.

Guiding Questions

  • What made you realize resilience was keeping you stuck?
  • Can you talk about the mindset shifts that helped you align with your values?
  • What role did guilt play in your parenting journey, and how did you overcome it?
  • What financial habits helped you gain clarity in your business?
  • What strategies do you use to avoid falling into old patterns?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

From Sleaze to Service

Heather Wylde:

From Sleaze to Service

A life coach disheartened by industry norms, Heather Wylde nearly gave up multiple times. Her breakthrough came when she refused to compromise her ethics for the sake of sales, instead pioneering a new method that focuses on authentic connections, rather than manipulation, to attract clients.

Bio

Heather Wylde is a lead gen + sales trainer with an emphasis on zero-pressure sales techniques that work 3x better than traditional, pushy sales.

She works mainly with online coaches, healers, and service providers. She provides teaching, coaching, consulting, and also rolls up her sleeves to co-create their custom lead generation + sales sequence so that they can get consistent high-quality leads without spending hours each day on marketing and engagement.

Her most advanced clients have 3x their sales in less than 4 months, raised their rates, and learned how to close more clients with fewer leads. She’s all about helping people work smarter, not harder.

In addition to running her soul-led, purpose-driven business, Heather is also a singer/guitarist, standup comic, and avid reader of paranormal smut.

Topics

  • The dark side of marketing in the coaching industry.
  • The ethical dilemma of sales in transformational coaching.
  • The importance of self-trust in business decisions.
  • How to overcome sales burnout and frustration.
  • Redefining success in the coaching business.
  • The psychological impact of unethical sales tactics.
  • Using vulnerability as a strength in business.
  • Developing a coaching business without compromising your morals.
  • The role of mentorship in business development.
  • Building a coaching business with authentic sales practices.

Guiding Questions

  • What was the moment you realized you couldn’t continue using the sales tactics you were taught?
  • Can you walk us through the ethical struggles you faced in your coaching journey?
  • How did your experience with NLP in sales shift your perspective on marketing?
  • How did you overcome the fear of failure when you were ready to quit coaching?
  • What was the turning point that led you to create an ethical sales method?
  • Can you share the mindset shift that helped you embrace ethical selling?
  • How do you define “authentic sales” in the context of coaching?
  • What do you think is the biggest misconception about sales in the coaching industry?
  • What was the impact of meeting Jesse Itzler, and how did it inspire your business approach?
  • How do you approach coaching people who are resistant to ethical selling methods?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

The Roadside Revelation

Kyle Stevens:

The Roadside Revelation

After years of misplaced priorities and frustration, a profound encounter with faith helped a man realign his life, family, and business.

Bio

Faith and family are the cornerstone of my life and work. Over the past 30 years, I’ve built a career dedicated to creating outdoor spaces that inspire connection, joy, and lasting memories. Transforming backyards into extraordinary sanctuaries isn’t just my business—it’s my calling. I believe that the best designs are born from intention, rooted in purpose, and created to bring families closer together. 

Beyond my work, I’m passionate about mentoring fellow entrepreneurs, helping them lead with vision and build businesses that truly matter. When I’m not working, I’m golfing with my wife or exploring the breathtaking Finger Lakes wine region we’re blessed to call home. Let’s talk about how faith, family, and a passion for design can create something truly extraordinary.

Topics

  • Transforming a business by prioritizing faith and family.
  • Balancing personal and professional life through spiritual guidance.
  • Recognizing and overcoming burnout as a business owner.
  • The role of faith in healing personal and professional relationships.
  • Lessons learned from rebranding a business with spiritual principles.
  • The importance of being equally yoked in personal relationships.
  • Aligning values to create a thriving workplace culture.
  • Shifting from a success-driven mindset to a purpose-driven life.
  • Navigating personal growth through loss and change.
  • Building resilience and finding joy after hitting rock bottom.

Guiding Questions

  • What led to your breaking point that day on the road?
  • How did your upbringing influence your faith journey as an adult?
  • Can you describe the changes you made in your business after your revelation?
  • What challenges did you face while reprioritizing your life and business?
  • How did your decision to put faith and family first impact your employees?
  • What lessons did you learn from your first marriage that influence your relationships today?
  • How did rebranding your business to “Stonewood and Waters” reflect your transformation?
  • What advice would you give to someone feeling stuck in their personal or professional life?
  • How did your clients respond to the changes you implemented?
  • What’s the biggest takeaway from your journey that you wish more people understood?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

Silence, Sweatpants, and Ed

Kevin Freidberg:

Silence, Sweatpants, and Ed

On his way to a silent meditation retreat, Kevin found himself 47 miles off course—both literally and figuratively. Over the next three days, amidst silent bows, strict rules, and an enigmatic roommate named Ed, Kevin discovered a deeper layer of self-awareness he didn’t expect.

Bio

Kevin Freidberg helps overworked technology consultants work with fewer clients without losing income. 

Now that we’ve got the SEO version out of the way, here’s Kevin in his own words:

I was a creative director and independent consultant for 15 years,

working for some of the most prestigious ad agencies and clients in the

world including: HBO, Disney, 3M, Target, The Dallas Cowboys, The New

York Times, BBDO, McCann World Group, Zeus Jones and over 500 small

businesses and solo shops. 

But early into my career, I realized one thing:

Great clients are born from great service providers.

Nightmare clients → nightmare providers

You can create your own worst enemies – without even knowing it – by not giving them what they need to help us do what we do best.

Which all comes down to creating enough value so that your clients are inspired to:

*show up to meetings

*answer questions

*give you access to their clients

And set them up to be the experts – not you

Why?

Because you will never know your clients’ businesses as well as they do.

Once you shift the burden of expertise from your plate to your clients – from the beginning of the engagement → straight through to the end → suddenly, all of your clients turn into G.O.A.T.s.

– without marketing b.s., being the cheapest or overworking.

Today, it’s my mission in life to help technology folks like you have the business and the life you deserve. 

Care to join me?

I’m here,

Kevin

Topics

  • Navigating unexpected social dynamics in silent environments.
  • Humor and humility in spiritual practices.
  • What meditation retreats teach about non-verbal communication.
  • The role of discomfort in personal growth.
  • How mindfulness practices challenge societal norms.
  • The awkward yet meaningful moments of silence.
  • What it means to truly “sit with yourself.”
  • Breaking the rules: when peace meets curiosity.
  • The psychological impact of retreating from daily life.
  • Finding connection in a world of disconnection.

Guiding Questions

  • What inspired you to attend a silent meditation retreat in the first place?
  • Can you describe the initial challenge of adjusting to complete silence?
  • What was the most surprising aspect of the retreat experience?
  • How did your interactions—or lack thereof—with Ed influence your weekend?
  • What role did humor play in processing the retreat’s structure and rules?
  • What did the “Grasshopper Bow” symbolize for you during the retreat?
  • How has the experience changed your approach to mindfulness or meditation?
  • What lessons from the retreat have stayed with you the longest?
  • Did the retreat help you confront any personal challenges or fears?
  • Would you attend another retreat, and if so, what would you do differently?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

Despair to Discipline

Dr. Obom Bowen:

Despair to Discipline

A life-altering transition from military to civilian life left Dr. Obom Bowen paralyzed, divorced, homeless, and at his lowest. Faced with overwhelming despair, he discovered the power of mindset, discipline, and personal development to rebuild his life. His story reveals how transformation begins with a single decision.

Bio

Dr. Obom Bowen (born 12 December 1976) is an American award-winning High Performance and Mindset Transformation Thought Provoker. He is a well-known Master Career Strategist and a seasoned entrepreneur who has a consummate understanding of human behavior, personal growth, psychology, and philosophy.

Bowen currently serves as the CEO of a world renowned training company and is well recognized for devising methods for assisting people in overcoming psychological barriers. He uses his “Today Is The Day” Methodology to assist entrepreneurs in bringing their best work to the world.

Bowen throughout his career of over 15 years has helped numerous individuals achieve business and life success. He is also a Network Marketing expert and has collaborated with global Fortune 500 companies, including Chevron, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Intel, and many others in development to their success.

Bowen has appeared on Fox News, KUSN, and SIGN-ON San Diego, as well as Top Coastal News and the Union-Tribune, and has spoken and taught as a Facilitator for NVTSI, Reboot, and a number of colleges and universities, including UCLA, UCSD, and Central Texas College.

Topics

  • The challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life.
  • Overcoming rock bottom: lessons learned from despair.
  • The role of mindset in personal transformation.
  • How personal development can redefine your life.
  • Turning adversity into opportunity.
  • Discipline as the foundation for success.
  • Finding purpose in the darkest moments.
  • Shifting limiting beliefs around money and success.
  • The power of consistent action in achieving long-term goals.
  • Leveraging personal growth to rebuild relationships and career.

Guiding Questions

  • Can you take us back to your lowest point and what led you there?
  • What role did personal development play in turning your life around?
  • How did your military training influence your recovery and success?
  • What was the first step you took toward rebuilding your life?
  • How did your relationship with money and success evolve through your journey?
  • Can you share the importance of discipline in achieving transformation?
  • What lessons did you learn about resilience during those challenging times?
  • How did your daughters inspire you to keep going when you felt hopeless?
  • What are the key habits you developed that helped you create lasting change?
  • What advice would you give to someone facing their own “rock bottom”?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST

Posted on

Saved at the Edge

Andre P. Grant:

Saved at the Edge

Andre Grant’s life took a dramatic turn from rock bottom when he was faced with a life-changing decision in the Navy. Battling years of abuse, addiction, and spiritual darkness, he chose a path that led to sobriety, faith, and a profound transformation. His story is one of resilience and the miraculous power of faith.

Bio

I came from a very abusive family. I experienced, physical, mental, emotional, sexual and spiritual abuse. This took me down a very dark path. It started when I was 5 years and the turning point started, right before turning 21.

My turning point was when I got in trouble because of my drinking, while in the Navy.

A year after starting down this new life, Jesus caught up with me.

In Matthew 18 and Luke 15, Jesus says He as the Shepherd will leave the 99 and go find the lost sheep. When we find ourselves lost, all we need to do is cry out to God, and He will find us.

The second major turning point is when I trusted two men in the church I was attending before I gave my life to Jesus:

1. The pastor who took me through the initial deliverance process and

2. The homeless minister who recommended I work through my hurts and pains so I could help others do the same.

That’s where things started for me 33 years ago. I’ve seen and experienced many miracles from God since then.

Topics

  • The long-term impact of childhood trauma and finding healing.
  • Overcoming addiction and navigating the recovery process.
  • The role of faith in personal transformation and growth.
  • Spiritual warfare and breaking free from dark influences.
  • How pivotal moments can shape a person’s life trajectory.
  • Stories of miracles and their impact on faith and purpose.
  • Turning personal struggles into a mission to help others.
  • The importance of a strong support system in recovery.
  • Transitioning from despair to hope through resilience.
  • The power of surrendering to faith and trusting God’s plan.

Guiding Questions

  • Can you describe the moment when you realized you had hit rock bottom?
  • What role did your Navy experience play in your decision to seek help?
  • How did your childhood experiences shape the person you became before your transformation?
  • What was the turning point that led you to explore faith and spirituality?
  • Can you share the experience of your first encounter with God’s miracles?
  • How do you approach helping others who are struggling with addiction or trauma?
  • What advice would you give to someone who feels like they’re at the end of their rope?
  • How has your faith continued to evolve since your transformation?
  • What lessons have you learned about resilience and perseverance?
  • How do you balance your faith with your practical day-to-day life?

Interested in this guest’s story?

REQUEST THIS GUEST