We're Better Together: Recent Episodes
Ian Stevenson
The We’re Better Together Podcast is about Inspiring unity wherever you are. Each week - we’ll share some actionable tips and strategies that you can implement in your daily life to help you function better together in your marriage, family, team, workplace, church or community and each month you’ll have the opportunity to glean from the life experience and wisdom of people from various domains who have been working hard to create collaboration and unity in their context.
Sam Ashurst shares a profound story of her experience with homelessness. Sam is now an expert city leader, working from a place of passion and first-hand experience. She actively rallies the community around the housing insecure and has learned the value of togetherness through her incredible story. She teaches others around her how to effectively partner alongside unhoused individuals, instead of just providing relief or doing a simple good deed. #homeless #authentic #honest #selfhelp #addiction #relationships #community #unity #christian #jesus #leadership #non-profit
John and Chris are loads of fun!! Chris has been in movies like Forrest Gump, danced with the Laker Girl’s, co-raised a family and helped plant a few churches. John has played for the Buffalo Sabres, been successful in the business world, has pastored a few churches and co-raised a family along Chris, his wife! But they also bring profound wisdom on fighting for unity in marriage, family, church, sports and more. After their pro athlete careers, they experienced years of deep suffering and uphill battles, and they’ve both come out the other side closer to each other and to God. They share the principles of unity that they learned along the way! #unity #marriage #sports #hockey #buffalosabres #forrestgump #lakers #lakersgirl #family #parenting #suffering #selfhelp #christian #pastor #church
Falon and Justin Unger from Likewise Worship, a Non-Profit dedicated to preventative and restorative care for worship leaders, share their passion for united and healthy worship leaders. They give us insight into their marriage and family and share some powerful principles for health in these areas! #worship #christian #marriage #family #likewiseworship #music #unity #better together #love
Unity is modeled in nature! Authors Lucas Ramirez and Mike Devito offer powerful language and clear steps to achieve this natural phenomenon called unity in their book, Designed for More. Two unlikely friends partnered together to author a literary anthem for unity. We discover the fascinating analogy of murmuration and dissect critical pieces of this amazing book. #unity #nature #community #selfhelp #christian
You won’t get unity without mental and relational health. Marriage and family therapist, Mark Howerton, gives us practical steps toward health and deeper unity with those around us. This vibrant dialogue will help anyone in any situation, grow in their health! #mentalhealth #selfhelp #christian #podcast #unity #relationships #therapy
Glenn Pastor, Author of The Resilient Pastor and esteemed leader, shares the importance of resilient commitment to relationships and community, as the only way towards real unity. Along with some key principles on working better together, Glenn shares his experiences with a city wide movement of unity in Colorado Springs (COS I Love You) and what unity looks like as he leads in a new context! Listen in on this incredible conversation! #unity #church #marriage #commitment #leadership #growth #self-help #christian #pastor #theresilientpastor #glennpackiam #community
We are so excited to share this podcast with you! Eric Geiger is a well-known, credible leader and Pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA, with remarkable wisdom and fresh perspective. Eric shares some transferable principles on his experience leading through COVID 19, re-establishing identity in his church community, and learning to lead and remind others of unity, rather than feeling the responsibility to create it.
Emily Brimlow is a well known, California based multi-genre musician with fresh music and deep insight on what it means to fight for unity and build bridges. Listen in on this light hearted but profound conversation, as we explore Emily's story, her journey with music and how she's learned to catalyze unity along the way. We talk through family life, marriage, living in community, song writing, producing an album with Zach Winters, speaking into culture as an artist, and more. We highlight the value of humility, selflessness, and partnership. Find Emily Brimlow on Spotify, iTunes etc.
unity #music #marraige #emilybrimlow #zachwinters #trellis #wearebettertogether #bettertogether #producing #songwriting #healing #harmony #humility #selflessness #community #podcast #selfhelp #Christian #emilybrimlow
We decided to invite ourselves as this months podcast guests! Ian shares the story of Trellis, the nonprofit he leads that catalyzes unity. He also shares some values and principles about unity in every context (marriage, community, the city, etc.) Kayton also shares on the beauty and value of relationship with diverse people, and how unity is expressed tangibly.
unity #marriage #work #leadership #prayer #diversity #christian #self-help #discipline
Listen in on an insightful and honest conversation with Costa Mesa's Mayor, law firm founder, and husband. Co-host Ian Stevenson and Kayton Garcia glean from John Stephen's well earned wisdom on how to successfully reach goals through respect, collaboration and celebrating differences. John shares key principles for success in the areas of leadership, while bringing us into his world as the Mayor.
In this episode, Char Broderson, co-pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, shares the value of intentional relationships, and deep listening in a highly divided world. Our co-hosts, Ian and Kayton, and Char dig into traversing generational differences, and the need for long-term commitment toward unity.
If you're hungry for more visit our website at www.wearetrellis.com/podcast
unity #vulnerability #jesusrevolution #calvarychapelcostamesa #trellis #werebettertogether #bettertogether #selfhelp
Transitions: We thank and celebrate Daniel Orduna for all of his work and input, and welcome Katon Garcia to the 2023 Team.
Dave DesRochers – hear from a retired NFL offensive lineman who currently represents the NFL Player Association in Orange County, the lessons he learned in the trenches of football and life what it takes to create more unity and be better together.
Evaluating the arena's in which you are fighting for Unity, and considering next steps for the 2023.
A leader in the community; a wife, mom and pastor, Christine Nolf has incredible insights on creating unity and collaboration. Christine led a successful community development corporation for 10 years before she became a mom, and she is now pastoring. On this road she has learned some incredible insights on being better together.
How can we leverage gratitude to increase collaboration? Find out in this Tune-Up preparing our hearts for Thanksgiving.
Major Brian J. Harding, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and was commissioned in the Marines in 2011. Brian headed up Combat Logistics, and he supported humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts for and disaster relief efforts for Operation DAMAYAN in the Philippines. He brings his valuable military experience to us to talk about how we can work better together. In May 2021, he promoted to Major and arrived at the Naval Postgraduate School as a student to study in the Material Logistics Support Management program. Major Harding’s personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He has been Commander over 250 marines and multiple platoons and missions, so he gets how work better together. Major Harding is married to McKenzie Harding, and they have four children.
Focus and facilitate the optimal style for leading something better together. There are lots of ways to lead people to work together, so tune in and move toward the most effective one.
Being Better together is not all about structure and consistency at times we all need to lean into spontaneity. Take a few minute to consider how you leverage spontaneity in your context.
In which areas do we need some consistency in order to make sure we keep getting better together?
Learn from an exceptional leader who led a growing church for 30 years and is now helping others do the same. To connect with Tim, reach him at
tim.celek@stadiachurchplanting.org
Consider how the way that you Rest and Play personally has a dramatic effect on the Unity and Collaboration you are striving for.
Get some perspective on how to integrate play into the environments that you are working for unity in.
Hear from NFL Linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers, Drue Tranquill, about what he has observed and what it takes from his perspective to be a Teammate that helps create a more united and stronger Team. You might be surprised, but if you apply what Drue shares there's no doubt that it will help.
In this tune up we broach the topic of communication when it comes to being better together and give you a couple key points to consider.
Conflict can be one of the best tools for helping us get better There are two camps... Which one do you work out of?
Get the lowdown on building something better together from a guy who has run a successful business (CALBath Renovations) for 30 years. Scott has been successful in his marriage and family for 20 years and has learned from the challenges of both. There are great gems in this interview that you don’t want to miss.
How do you manage the tension of control and letting go so others can be more involved? Does this affect your ability to create a better together environment?
Helping people be better together is a process. It’s time to evaluate where the people you're working with are at within that process. Get some insights on how to think about that.
Sisa Grey Uiagalelei is the daughter of a famous Polynesian musician known around the world. She is working to unite and connect the Polynesian community so they can support one another. The lessons learned through this conversation are relevant to us all, songs, prayers, sacrifice, a higher vision or focus-- and the difference they make.
The process of getting people to work better together involves giving opportunities for others to participate then engage and ultimately own the vision, here are a few insights, input and examples about that process.
When we think about what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes, we show empathy in our circles of influence by facilitating collaboration. We can only show empathy when we effectively listen to someone’s story and get a glimpse into their perspective, to develop deeper relationships and truly work better together.
Harris III is more than a magician and illusionist, he is master storyteller and a man who has discovered the power of wonder and how even though people have hurt us we really are better together. Learn how to push back against the tendency to isolate and not be open to others making you better.
Sometimes, endings are necessary. We work better together in the long run when we know which things to say “yes” to and which to say “no” to. Let’s dive into how to make those decisions, and how to say “no” when it feels difficult to do so!
We encourage each other and our listeners to be intentional about working better together with young people, building legacies through kids, and the building up the strengths of the next generation.
We are especially inspired by young people who lead others in working better together. 16-year-old Rebekah has lived in another country and now attends Costa Mesa High School, where she runs letsbekind.org. You can also find the organization on Instagram: @letsbekindday . She has already learned how to work better together and wants to share her experiences and insights with you.
There will usually be someone on your team who is capable of driving you nuts... It might even be you! Here are some quick, practical principles for working better together and loving your teammates when they start to drive you nuts.
We explore the importance of recognizing our part and celebrating other peoples’ efforts, so we can cast out any attitudes of being the most important player in our team, and realize the importance of everyone’s position. When we can understand our gifts and weaknesses with humility, we can appreciate our team’s strengths and be humble enough to help others’ strengths shine through.
By putting people on our team in a pre-defined box, we lose sight of the benefits of acknowledging and celebrating our differences and hidden strengths. Celebrating differences in our work teams, rather than coming against them, can increase productivity, intentionality, and positivity to work better together.
We explore Love Our Cities, an organization helping to stimulate more than 70 cities to work together and execute city wide days of service with Executive Director, Jeff Pishney. Jeff’s energy and enthusiasm fuels some great insights on what it takes to work better together.
Celebrating both the little and big things is equally important in your relationships. In your relationships and your project teams, recognizing the positives creates inertia to carry the team through. Let’s practice listening well and then celebrating getting through the struggles together!
How do you work better with the optimists & pessimists in your concentric circles of relationships with coworkers, family, and community? When you are uncomfortable with a person do you immediately start your exit strategy? We talk through these things and provide encouragement to hang in there in the times when we question if we truly are better together.
Do you have the vision for what you’re trying to do, or are you just working at it? We discuss parts of Will Mancini’s book, "Vision Frame," to dive into the importance of maintaining a clear vision, mission, strategy and measurement for your success to work better together.
What Legacy is your family working together on leaving? Listen to this great interview with the Glassmans who are helping families define and pursue their legacy to work better together.
Everyone needs a place where they feel safe and can be intimate, whether it is in volunteer groups, small groups, friend groups, work teams, or families in order to feel unity. We learn how to practically apply working together through understanding our Concentric Circle.
With all that is going on in our world today, a good principle to remember this by is to, “Seek first to understand, then be understood,”. In real-life relationships, on social media, or in our spiritual relationships, we can apply humility through first listening well to work better together!
We discover how our practical focus brings us together in unity, how our relationships can grow more when we adjust and find common ground, and how nurturing the spirit of the group makes a difference in how we work together.
We hear from Executive Director of Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, Shannon Santos, to learn more about her mission and role, and how she encourages her community to work better together.
We discuss the difference between short-term and long-term endeavors and discover useful insight and tools to better approach our commitments, so that we work better together.
We can all struggle with asking for forgiveness or forgiving others, and sometimes don't even realize our habits or faults that could offend others. Understanding and practicing forgiveness through grace is a two-way street that helps us maintain healthy relationships to work better together.
Our first 10 Minute Tune Up encourages listeners in how to be better together by implementing the qualities of “focus” (vision/direction), “adjust” (relationally), and “persevere” (practically). We are reminded to focus on our vision in the midst of frustrations, communicate with others to know how to adjust and compromise, and keep moving towards our goals to work better together.
Welcome! In this episode we begin the conversation of unity in our daily lives to help each other work better together. Discover more about us, Ian Stevenson and Daniel Orduña, as we share our vision for this podcast. Each week we’ll give some actionable tips and strategies to function better together in your marriage, family, team, workplace, church or community and each month you’ll have the opportunity to glean from the life experience and wisdom of people from various domains who have been working hard to create collaboration and unity in their context.
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