Human Kaizen: Recent Episodes
Joe Templin
The show of shows for those who want to go from being just a good entrepreneur to being one of the BEST entrepreneurs out there. All while becoming the best type of human in the process. To be the best entrepreneur you must be the best type of human.
In this episode, I am joined by Ed Sturm, the founder of Commit Club and creator of viral videos that have reached hundreds of millions of viewers. He is an SEO expert and self-development addict based in Bucharest, Romania.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Staking Money on Your Ability to Follow Through With a Daily Challenge: Learn about Commit Club, a project designed to help individuals follow through with positive habits.
- Daily challenges to break bad habits, form good habits, and boost willpower.
- Doing Good for Others: Discover the power of doing one random act of kindness every day with the "Become a Saint" challenge.
"If you can dream it, you can do it - but let's make doing acts of kindness every day normal, as opposed to people looking at you weird." - Ed Sturm
Episode Timestamps:
[00:56] Introduction to Ed Sturm
[04:14] Commit Club
[06:54] 30-day challenges
[09:02] It's a great incentive to give up smoking
[10:25] Breaking the desire
[12:43] The old days of Cup Scouts and Boy Scouts
[14:12] The Random Acts of Kindness challenge
[15:06] What are you doing to help other people?
[16:42] The reason why animals eat their young
[17:04] Cornerstone habit
[18:22] Ed’s stories when he was living in Ukraine
[20:07] Habit stack your morning
[22:46] Bullying stories
[27:33] Ed was obsessed with pushing his comfort zone
[28:45] Follow-up to the fake celebrity video
[30:54] Staying pretty positive
[33:45] We’re all interconnected
[36:33] Happiness is relative to growing
[37:29] There's never really a plateau – Wim HOF Breathing
[41:51]Close on off call to action
In this episode, I am joined by Gina Buonaguro, a writer and teacher originally from New Jersey who now lives in Toronto. She is the co-author of six historical novels and the solo author of The Virgins of Venice.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- What was it like for women in Venice during the 1500s?
- How does one go about writing historical fiction?
- What is the process of co-authoring a book?
"If you write about now, there's no effort for that, but you have to think about all the things what they're wearing, what they're eating, where they're walking around, what buildings were there at that time versus a contemporary map." - Gina Buonaguro
Episode Timestamps:
[01:25] All about writing
[02:32] Gina wrote 6 co-authored 6 books
[03:51] About her book The Virgins of Venice
[05:47] Writing with Marin Sanudo
[07:30] Where her love for Italy came from
[10:27] Co-authoring is interesting
[13:33] The controversial adaptation of Persuasion by Jane Austen
[15:40] Where her ideas come from
[17:14] Some writers will plot every point before they'll write in a very extensive outline
[18:13] To start a new novel and it feels overwhelming
[19:32] How characters change depending on the genre of the book you’re writing
[22:12] Confusion and sense of loss after writing
[24:33] About Chris Hadfield
[26:53] Writing in her motherhood era
[29:15] Stoicism, sometimes you just have to endure things
[35:34] Hardships in control
[43:11] Without challenge, you don't improve physically
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. John Stolk, a retired Marine Corps Major, and business consultant. He is the author of "So You Want to Make MDRT or Not? And Choices, Creating a Financial Services Career." He shared his thoughts on thinking outside the box, expanding your horizons, and the importance of being honest with yourself.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Why thinking outside the box is actually counterproductive, and how to reframe your thinking to be more productive.
- The importance of being honest with yourself, and why self-awareness is key to success.
- How social media is impacting our brains and our ability to form healthy relationships.
"You learn the most from something that's the furthest away from you." - Dr. John Stolk
Episode Timestamps:
[02:44] Thinking outside the box, stop it
[03:33] John’s flying career
[04:30] John’s career after flying career
[09:38] How did this happen? Where do you wanna go from here?
[13:09] Stop lying to yourself
[15:30] John’s model of comparison of false self vs. true self
[17:57] Reward system
[22:33] Biohacks
[28:56] Self-directed Neuroplasticity
[31:38] PTSD
[36:29] Long-term effects of mental conditions such as ADHD
[40:47] Blast-induced Neurotrauma
[43:07] Change the anchors around you
In this episode, I am joined by Christian Wiggins, the Chief Executive Officer of Farmhouse International Fraternity. He is a consultant and speaks on nonprofit governance. He’s been working in the fraternity leadership space for over 20 years now, helping men develop lifelong connections and friendships.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- The benefits of fraternity and sorority life
- The importance of measuring and improving customer satisfaction
- The value of turnover at the executive level in a small nonprofit
"So often in life, I think people see the network as who's directly in front of them and they forget that if someone else genuinely enjoys the connection with you, that they're going to be willing to be an advocate for you to people you don't know." - Christian Wiggins
Episode Timestamps:
[01:25] How do you make better decisions in life? How do you take those incremental steps to do more?
[01:48] What does some of the research show in terms of the value of being Greek?
[03:57] Fraternity alumni feel deeper connections to their alma maters than their non-Greek peers
[06:04] Fraternity and Association Management
[07:31] Christian’s work background
[08:53] The winning strategy
[11:47] Casino business on the hotel side
[12:49] Content communication, access to network and peers, access to a job board, or access to resources to help them get their career ahead
[14:27] Business Realignment
[17:03] Why would I take this without transitioning jobs?
[19:15] Long-lasting industries
[20:40] Having a work-life balance
[21:57] Grind, grind, grind
[24:50] ASAE American Society of association of Executives
[26:48] People see through folks who want to use a network
[33:52] Starting early in life
[34:46] Parents have a role in our early growth too
[38:20] Christian attended a conference in Nashville
[43:09] Don't discount kind of the personal wellness part of your life and how that impacts your ability to make good decisions, have good relationships, be more productive
In this episode, I am joined by Steven English, an ICF Professional Certified Coach, TEDx speaker, trained Facilitator and Founder of multiple Toastmasters public speaking clubs.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Steve’s career journey
- The importance of self talk and its impact on behavior
- The five behaviors of a cohesive team
“The funny thing is, you're just as much at risk with your job, right? In other words, there will always be the risk of a layoff, and why not have another stream of income? Why not have another set of skills? Why not have something that you can... And I don't even like the idea of falling back on. I'm saying falling forward on.” - Steve English
Resources mentioned:
Website: Steven English Coaching
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveenglish2/
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:00] - Episode Intro
[00:00:52] - Introducing today’s guest, Steve English
[00:03:23] - What is Steve learning about right now?
[00:09:28] - Workshops for cohesive teams
[00:11:20] - Steve’s journey
[00:21:46] - Investing in yourself
[00:26:33] - How Steve coaches someone
[00:33:59] - Steve’s speech for Toyota production systems highlighting ‘Nemawashi’
[00:39:51] - How to contact Steve
[00:42:57] - A final piece of wisdom from Steve
In this episode, I am joined by Will Rivas, CEO of Common Unity LLC and Executive Director of C.O.C.O.A. House Inc. He is a game changer and a passionate leader who sparked change in the poverty and violence-ridden neighborhood he grew up in by helping others in his community who had similar experiences as he did.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- How an environment can influences a person’s choices and upbringing
- The power of finding support in a community
- Leading with love and listening to our youth
“I had put out the worst version of myself and people accepted me. And I think, in that moment, I realized that most people genuinely want to see you do well.” - Will Rivas
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:00] - Episode Intro
[00:00:43] - Introducing today’s guest, Will Rivas
[00:01:40] - What is Will learning about right now?
[00:02:33] - Will’s childhood and environment growing up
[00:14:43] - Hitting rock bottom and climbing out of it
[00:24:16] - What got Will to volunteering?
[00:32:19] - About C.O.C.O.A. House
[00:43:27] - About Common Unity
[00:47:12] - The youth as our purest form of change
[01:04:30] - More about the C.O.C.O.A. House
In this episode, I am joined by Leonard Lyon, a retired United States Navy Captain who now works as a consultant and CEO of LLS, a consulting firm that works with small businesses. Our guest wears many hats as he is also on the board of Break the Triangle, a not-for-profit that is focused on material and nonmaterial solutions to prevent mass shootings, and on the Youth Volunteer Corp. of Hampton Road. Do you want to learn how to delegate to prevent burnout, ask questions, and get the help you need? Leonard Lyon is sharing the solution so that you can achieve all three.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- The importance of delegating tasks to avoid burnout
- Being open to knowledge and sharing it with your team
- Importance of taking care of yourself and establishing good habits.
"Everybody has that pearl. Everybody has something that they can contribute and so I started to value that and look for it." - Leonard Lyon
“Commander’s intent, writing down exactly what success looks like. And if you do that, almost every one of your people will succeed.” - Leonard Lyon
In this episode, I am joined by Audley Stephenson, the host of The Audacious Life Podcast and the Commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada. He started his career as a basketball fan and worked his way up to being involved with the game in many different capacities. He is currently working on rebuilding the league after it took a severe hit due to the pandemic.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- How audaciousness can lead to success
- The importance of being around what you love
- The opportunity to build something new
"The goal should be to find a way to get back to the top of the hill as quickly as you can." - Audley Stephenson
Episode Timestamps:
[00:01:43] Introduction of Audley Stephenson and The Audacious Podcast
[00:03:59] Podcasting for NBA Fanatics
[00:10:31] Audley as an appointed Deputy Commissioner of the NBA
[00:13:22] National Basketball League
[00:19:19] Life is a series of hills and valleys
[00:24:04] Joe’s life as a sports guy and a family man
[00:30:31] Audacious - taking the first step
[00:31:34] BOLD - learning, developing, and growing
In this episode, I am joined by Tom Hegna is a successful author, speaker, and business owner. He has had many struggles throughout his life, but has always been resilient and kept moving forward. In 2020, when COVID-19 hit, he was prepared because he had already shifted his business to the cloud. He was able to take advantage of the situation and had his best year ever. In this episode, you will learn the following:
- How to be resilient in the face of change
- How to take action in the face of adversity
- How to overcome struggles and achieve success
"The first time it happens, you kind of get your heart broken and then the second time it happens, it kind of scars you a little bit. And by the third and the fourth time that things happen, you're kind of used to it. And it's like that old Japanese proverb, 'Getting knocked down seven times, stand up eight.' And that's the whole deal. You gotta stand up." - Tom Hegna
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:52] - Introducing today’s guest, Tom Hegna
[00:03:54] - Tom’s start, struggle, current point and where he is headed
[00:05:56] - Tom’s books, Paychecks and Playchecks, Retiring Income Masters, Don’t Worry Retire Happy
[00:07:56] - Tom’s struggles in his life - his experience in the military, 15 years in the insurance industry
[00:12:26] - People who take action and move forward get rewarded
[00:13:39] - Tom advises people to be more resilient in the face of constant change
[00:15:39] - Consistency and persistency are the biggest things that determine the trajectory of your life
[00:19:20] - Tom advises his listeners to get out of their comfort zone and stretch themselves
In this episode, I am joined by Marques, a former NFL offensive tackle and center, and the host of the Get Authentic podcast. He lost everything after becoming addicted to alcohol and gambling. He hit rock bottom when he was fired from two jobs in one week and was working as a custodian. This was his wake-up call to get his life back on track. He started speaking and coaching and was eventually hired by the Buffalo Bills. He now has a successful podcast called Get Authentic where he interviews people with inspiring stories. In this episode, you will learn the following:
- The importance of taking risks and getting out of your comfort zone in order to achieve greatness
- The power of stories and how they can help people through difficult times
- The importance of culture in businesses and how it impacts profitability
"If you want to be great, you have to get out of that comfort zone. You have to step into your greatness. And when you do that there's absolutely no limits that you can't achieve." - Marques
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:44] - The podcast's sponsor is Gateway Financial Advisors.
[00:01:28] - Introducing today’s guest, Marques.
[00:03:45] - Who is Marques Ogden?
[00:12:09] - Marques’ goals
[00:13:09] - Marques was a guest on Joe's podcast, Get Authentic. The show is about authentic people sharing authentic stories.
[00:18:09] - Learning from others
[00:21:24] - The comfort zone is where dreams go to die.
In this episode, I am joined by Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, an executive vice president at Gateway Financial Advisors and a trustee at NAIFA. She is a diversity champion and part of the 2020 Women to Watch. She had a tough start in life. She was in an abusive relationship and ended up homeless, but she persevered. She finished college and started a successful career in financial services. Now, she mentors other young women who are in difficult situations. She helps them to see that they can overcome their circumstances and be successful in their careers. In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Aprilyn’s journey
- The importance of mentors, overcoming insecurities, and achieving success
- Empowering the people around us
"I felt that it was very important for me to take what I had learned and really pass it along because my success is dependent on the success of those around me." - Aprilyn Geissler
Episode Timestamps:
[00:01:02] - Introducing today’s guest, Aprilyn CHavez Geissler
[00:02:04] - What is Aprilyn reading right now?
[00:03:00] - Who is Aprilyn and how did she get to where she is today
[00:08:14] - The importance of mentorship and how Aprilyn pays it forward
[00:14:56] - Some success stories of the people Aprilyn has helped
[00:22:10] - Continuous little expenditure through accountability
[00:25:30] - Aprilyn’s work life balance
[00:32:14] - Aprilyn’s definition of success
In this episode, I am joined by Matt Sapaula is a Marine veteran, insurance executive, radio host, YouTube personality, and bestselling author. He is the host of the YouTube Seven Figure Squad and the author of Faith-Made Millionaire. After getting out of the Marines, he started working in the financial services industry. Sapaula was successful in the industry, but he realized that he didn't want to do it for the rest of his life. In 2015, he joined PHP Agency, which is a financial services company that is much more efficient than the traditional insurance company.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Having humility over hubris
- The importance of insurance
- The four levels of entrepreneurship
- Following your faith and not your fears
"Being broke is temporary but being poor is a condition of the spirit. Being poor is a condition of the heart, it’s an attitude." - Matt Sapaula
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:36] - Episode intro
[00:01:17] - Introducing today’s guest, Matt Sapaula
[00:02:17] - What is Matt reading or learning right now?
[00:04:38] - Matt’s journey and the lessons he has learned
[00:08:32] - Matt’s experiences in the Marine Corps for 8 years, and the lessons he learned about leadership
[00:11:04] - Matt’s career in the financial services industry and how he found success there
[00:17:07] - After Matt talks about his experience with power tripping, Joe tells his
[00:20:14] - Matt’s Four Levels of Entrepreneurship
[00:25:44] - The importance of insurance
[00:27:01] - Why is now the best time to invest in yourself?
[00:31:08] - Matt’s book, Faith-Made Millionaire
[00:35:30] - The entrepreneur-athlete mindset, as mentioned in the book
[00:39:49] - Selfish goals, emotional goals, and stability goals
[00:45:34] - Generational wealth
[00:46:19] - Matt encourages people to vote and promotes his social media accounts
In this episode, I am joined by Dave Whitley, a world-renowned strongman motivator and author of Superhuman You and president of Dennis Rogers Old Time Strongman University. We talk about how to break the cycle of generational trauma through questions like, “What if everything you thought about yourself was wrong?”, and more. In this episode, you will learn the following:
- How our self-image and self-concept dictate our behavior
- How aligning our thoughts with our goals can help us achieve success
- How to break and replace negative cycles in your life
"You must remove all doubt, all fear and all limitation from your mind because your mind controls your body." - Dave Whitley
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:10] Introduction of Dave Whitley
[00:01:42] Dave’s project to help entrepreneurial fathers break generational cycles of negative thinking, negative behaviors, and unhealthy habits.
[00:11:03] Dave’s Background Story
[00:21:03] Dave’s fear of performing the feat
[00:29:00] How to change their self-image and focus on the things that serve them and not their self
[00:33:03] Changing a habit and removing it out of your system
[00:40:42] Dave introduces his coach, Marty Gallagher
[00:46:48] Superhumanyou, a book by Dave Whitley