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Smart people do not usually fall apart all at once. They drift, and most of the time they do not see it happening. In this episode, Josh sits down with Todd Henry, keynote speaker, author, advisor, and founder of Accidental Creative, for a conversation about creativity, discipline, leadership, and what really causes people to lose their edge. Todd breaks down why creativity is not reserved for artists, why talent without practice fades fast, how leaders lose the through line in their work, and what boredom is actually trying to tell you. This is a conversation about staying sharp, staying grounded, and staying connected to the deeper reason behind what you build. __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains  https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook    

Why do some businesses keep growing while others stay busy but stuck? Brian Gottlieb breaks down the culture, leadership, and standards that actually move a company forward.   In this episode, Josh Zolin sits down with Brian Gottlieb for a deep conversation on leadership, culture, accountability, and what really keeps businesses from scaling. Brian shares lessons from building a business from a folding table and $3,000 into an industry-leading company with lifetime revenue nearing $1B. Together, Josh and Brian unpack why businesses stall, how founders become bottlenecks, why culture is shaped by what you tolerate, and how to create teams that can win without constant supervision. This episode covers: why the lead is sacred business disciplines vs SOPs leadership at 5, 50, and 500 employees empowerment vs micromanagement building KPIs people can actually control why culture is built, not bought how to create standards your team can actually live by __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin    

What happens when the same toughness that helps you survive also starts costing you your marriage, your health, and your identity? In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh Zolin sits down with Tony Rodarte, a retired Maricopa County Sheriff with 20 years of service, including 11 years in the homicide unit. But this conversation goes far beyond law enforcement. Tony opens up about the hidden cost of pressure, the toll that unresolved trauma takes on marriage and family, why "10 feet tall and bulletproof" is not a sustainable way to lead, and how vulnerability became one of the greatest strengths he discovered after service. They also unpack leadership, burnout, hiring, identity, emotional health, and Tony's work today as the founder of Compassion Alliance, a nonprofit helping first responders, spouses, and retirees get access to trauma therapy and support. In this episode: what 20 years in law enforcement cost him why toughness can become a liability the difference between being broken and not well how trauma shows up in leadership and marriage what "moral injury" actually means the pickup truck vs trailer hiring analogy why asking better questions changes teams and relationships how Compassion Alliance is helping first responders heal This is the kind of conversation that reminds me why this show exists. For truth. For the things people don't tell you about pressure, leadership, identity, and what it takes to stay whole while carrying a heavy life.   🚨 This episode is a special one. 🚨 Tony now leads Compassion Alliance, a nonprofit helping first responders, spouses, and retirees get access to trauma therapy and support. The work they're doing is not just important. It is saving lives and saving marriages. WCE has been a proud supporter of Compassion Alliance for some time now, which made this conversation especially meaningful for me. 👉 Check out Compassion Alliance here: https://compassion-alliance.org/ This episode is also part of Podcasthon, a global movement uniting podcasters around causes that matter. We chose to spotlight Compassion Alliance because their mission is real, urgent, and deeply needed. If this conversation moved you, check out the links below to learn more and support the cause. __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin       #everythintheydonttellyou #podcast #leadership #firstresponders #mentalhealth #healing #podcasthon

If your business needs you for everything, it is not scaling. It is suffocating. In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, Josh sits down with Jacob Tilzer. Jacob is the Founder and Managing Partner of Accrual Equity Partners; An expert in the world of mergers and acquisitions who's lived the full arc: adversity early, discipline learned the hard way, and the operator-to-builder shift that separates a real company from a founder-dependent machine. If you're buying a business, selling a business, or scaling through acquisition, this conversation breaks down the mistake that wrecks most first-time buyers: obsessing over the deal and ignoring operations, systems, and integration. This conversation gets into the roots of building systems, empowering leaders, and installing guardrails so the business can grow with you holding the keys. What you'll learn: Why the deal is the easy part and integration is the real war The difference between a $1M company and a $10M company (and why your old playbook breaks) Why you cannot scale without empowering people and trusting the process What happens when your systems can't support growth How to think about integration before you ever sign __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains  https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook    

In this episode of Everything They Don't Tell You, I sit down with Amy Morin, licensed psychotherapist and author of the "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" series. We talk about the difference between mental strength and acting tough, why so many high performers avoid being alone with their thoughts, how to set boundaries without damaging relationships, and how to reframe failure so it stops owning your identity. If you're building a business, leading a team, or carrying more than you admit, this is an episode you can't miss. What you'll hear: Why "acting tough" is usually avoidance The list Amy wrote to survive grief Boundaries that protect you and respect others Why quiet time feels unbearable for so many people How to interpret failure without turning it into a verdict Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be. __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains  https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook    

David Meltzer is one of the most respected voices in personal growth, leadership, and business. He's a globally recognized speaker, author, entrepreneur, coach, and Chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute. In this short episode, we go deep on the invisible stuff that holds high performers back: the meaning you assign to your past, the difference between surrender and quitting, and the daily non-negotiables that create real results. Key ideas we cover: Why the "meaning of the past" can cap your self-image The "Stop, Drop, Roll" framework for getting back into alignment Non-negotiable behaviors, and why consistency beats intensity The trap of "I'll be happy when" and what to replace it with Why asking for help is the ultimate form of humility   Connect with David - https://dmeltzer.com/   __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin   __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains  https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook    

BMI is one number, not the full story. Dr. Melody Rodarte breaks down what doctors miss and what actually matters.   In this episode, Josh sits down with Dr. Melody Rodarte, board-certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine, to unpack why BMI can be misleading, why "eat less, exercise more" is incomplete, and why calories are not metabolically equal. They cover GLP-1 medications and the right way to think about them, fasting vs timed restricted eating, autophagy, and why perimenopause can start earlier and last longer than most people realize. General discussion only, not medical advice.   __ Thank you to OneAccord for partnering with us on this episode. OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin __ ► Download Your 90 Day ROI Playbook — A value packed free guide created by Josh Zolin that teaches you how to Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains  https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook      

If you are building a company and feel like growth is getting harder, this episode is a reset. Adam Coffey is a veteran, former GE leader, and CEO who has built multiple companies for private equity, generating billions in exits. In this conversation, Adam breaks down the real CEO playbook: managing process not minutia, building leaders, setting a higher bar for growth, and how private equity actually works when it is done right. We cover: The shift from operator to conductor Why great leaders schedule real thinking time When to replace an underperformer The rule of 72 and why 10% growth is not enough How private equity creates the market founders sell into Why your first exit is not the finish line The "death of the click" and how AI is reshaping lead generation Connect with Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/ Books: The Private Equity Playbook, Empire Builder, and more __ This episode is sponsored by OneAccord OneAccord's OASYS Strategic Planning & Execution system helps business owners increase company value, reduce owner dependency, and get truly ready for a successful transition or exit. Josh Zolin listeners receive a complimentary Value Readiness Snapshot using the link below.   Start here:  https://oneaccord.co/oasys/joshzolin      

The Truth About Business, Leadership, and Becoming Who You're Meant to Be   Welcome to Everything They Don't Tell You - the podcast for people building more than just a business. Hosted by Josh Zolin, this show dives into the stuff most people skip: the mental, emotional, and internal challenges that come with leadership. We talk strategy, yes—but also identity, mindset, freedom, and fulfillment. You'll hear from high-level entrepreneurs, experts, and operators on the truth behind the journey. No fluff. No guru speak. Just real stories and actionable lessons. Join us as we unpack the T.R.U.T.H.: Time. Responsibility. Understanding. Tenacity. Humility. Because scaling a business is hard. Staying connected to your higher self while you do it? That's even harder. This is Everything They Don't Tell You. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook    

Most founders are building a business their body can't carry. Certified Health Nut Troy Casey joins me to talk about becoming hard to kill so your life and work don't collapse on you.   In this episode, I sit down with Troy Casey, the Certified Health Nut, to talk about health in a way most founders and executives never hear it. We get into his "nine pillars" of health, why your body and your word are the only two things you really own, and how to build a life that's hard to kill so your business and your family aren't gambling on a burnt-out version of you. Troy shares: How he went from Versace model to medicine hunter in the Amazon and the birth of Certified Health Nut The gym routine he uses for mental health and longevity instead of ego lifting Why he focuses on sleep, sunlight, movement and real food before gadgets and gimmicks What "health and your word" actually mean for integrity, posture and parenting How meditation, nature and community changed the way he leads and raises his kids Disclaimer: Troy shares his personal experiences and opinions about health, training, and different practices. Nothing in this episode is medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a qualified professional before making big changes to your health routine. __ Guest: Troy Casey Certified Health Nut on all platforms Book: Ripped At 50: A Journey To Self Love __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook     Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #health #longevity #leadership

Most founders treat buying a business like a shortcut. In reality, your first acquisition is old-school marriage. It cannot end in divorce. Seth Deutsch joins me to unpack how to know if you should acquire at all, how to avoid blowing your first deal, and how to build an anti-fragile business that investors actually want.   Most founders think they have a growth problem. In reality, a lot of them have an acquisition problem waiting to happen. In this episode I sit down with Seth Deutsch, deal architect, investor, and operator who has led or advised on more than 70 acquisitions, helped build nine private-equity-backed platforms, and worked on over 2 billion dollars of enterprise growth. We talk about buy vs build, why acquisitions are like merging families, and the mindset you need before you go anywhere near your first deal. Seth breaks down culture, vision, peer-group cashless mergers, and what it means to make a business anti-fragile from an investor's point of view. We get real about customer concentration, deal structure, earnouts, and why buying a company to save a struggling one is like adding fuel to a house that is already on fire. He also opens up about complex PTSD and severe childhood abuse, how he hid it for years while building a high-performance career, and why he now speaks openly so other founders know it was not their fault and it does not have to define them. If you are thinking about buying a business, selling your own, or just want to understand how investors really see your company, this conversation will give you a real-world lens most people never share. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook   __ Guest: Seth Deutsch Topic(s): Mergers and Acquisitions, private equity, owner operator, small business, investors, leadership, enterprise growth, cashless merger https://www.samsonpartnersgroup.com/   Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #cashlessmerger #business #privateequity  

Most owners in the trades do not have a revenue problem. They have a profit problem. Ben Hansen, the Profit Doctor, joins me to break down why you are working harder than ever with nothing to show for it and how to fix it.   In this episode, I sit down with Ben Hansen, the Profit Doctor, to dig into why so many blue collar entrepreneurs are incredible operators and terrible CFOs for their own company. We talk about the gap between turning wrenches and understanding your numbers, why most bookkeepers and CPAs are not setting you up to win, and what to do if your revenue is climbing but your profit is stuck.   Ben walks through his 4-part profit prescription, the difference between profit, revenue, and cash, how to think about pricing in the trades, and why you should stop doing the jobs that always lose you money. We also get into profititis, the 50–20 rule, and how cutting the worst 20 percent of your customers and work can be the fastest way to double what you keep. __ ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook   __ Guest: Ben Hansen, Profit Doctor Topic(s): Scale lean, boost margins, and build a business that actually gives you freedom, not just bigger numbers. https://profitdoctor.com/   Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #profit #profitability #smallbusiness

A candid business podcast for growth-minded leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Josh Zolin. The truth about leadership, business, and becoming who you're meant to be.   Olympic gold medalist Joe Jacobi breaks down performance without the hustle theater: rehearse the day, put presence before future-self, and master wave selection (the art of letting most waves pass so the right ones carry you farther with less effort). We get tactical on routines, gratitude at the start line, 15-second resets, and why the small waves you surf will compound into big results.   ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook __ Guest: Joe Jacobi, Performance Coaching Topic(s): Rethinking and redefining what High Performance is and means today https://joejacobi.com/     Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904 #leadership #performance

Leaders don't get buy‑in by talking louder. Dave Garrison (CEO, advisor, author of The Buy‑In Advantage) breaks down how to make people care: confirm what they heard, define great, switch from human doings to human beings, and replace answers with questions so teams own the work. Plus: the 30% raise rule, warning signs you're losing buy‑in, and the one meeting question that changes everything.   ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook - Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook   Music Licensing by Audiio License #: 0981896904  

Leadership that lasts looks more like a hive than a pyramid. Philip Atkinson (consultant and beekeeper) explains how: the queen serves the hive, communication is clear and consistent, leaders "sense the system," and careers evolve through many roles. Plus: three coaching skills to practice this week (listen, ask better questions, stay curious).   ► Free resource: 90 Day ROI Playbook — Multiply Your Profits with the Skills No One Trains https://bitnw.academy/roiplaybook   Check out Philip's book Be Wise and Bees for Development (proceeds to charity). 🐝 Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive https://a.co/d/5nPnC9h https://beewisebook.com/