Advertise on podcast: Conversations That Count

The President and CEO of a 25 year education technology company signs every single email the same way: 'Vinnie.' No title, no last name, no signature block, so people assume he is junior staff until they find out he runs the company. In this Conversations That Count vault episode, David Shaft sits down with Vinnie Forese, President & CEO of Link-Systems International, on what communication and leadership look like from the top: leading by trust instead of micromanaging, working ON the business instead of IN it, why tutoring is empathy and connection that AI cannot replace, and how a growth mindset turns 'I am not good at math' into 'I have not been taught math well yet.' It closes with the story behind the 'Just Vinnie' signature and why staying approachable is a deliberate choice. Chapters0:00 Welcome and meet Vinnie Forese1:27 First generation college students7:06 A conversation that counted12:23 Leading by trust, not micromanaging15:35 The bottleneck boss and the conductor19:25 Leader versus manager21:56 Will AI replace tutors?25:10 Growth mindset and math anxiety28:42 What AI cannot do35:10 Empathy and patience over answers38:22 National and international partnerships44:17 Why he signs his emails 'Just Vinnie' Connect with Vinnie ForeseLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vinnieforeseLink-Systems International: link-systems.com Connect with CTCWebsite: ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: Apple PodcastsSpotify: SpotifyLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-shaft

Rock bottom is not permanent. It has an expiration date, and most people never stop to check when it runs out. In this solo session, David Shaft makes a freeing case: you cannot always choose when you hit rock bottom, but with the right action you get to decide when it ends. Leaning on the old line this too shall pass and the reminder that you carry a 100 percent survival rate for everything you have already survived, he lands it with a ham. Leave it in the freezer and rock bottom keeps forever. Take it out, put it in the sun, and that expiration date moves up fast. Try this: the next time you are at the bottom, say this too shall pass out loud, then take one action today that moves your expiration date up instead of sitting in it. CHAPTERS0:00 Rock bottom has an expiration date0:31 This too shall pass1:12 Your 100 percent survival rate1:31 Drawing the rock2:07 What goes down has to come back up2:54 Nothing stays at the bottom forever3:38 You decide when it expires4:20 The freezer versus the sun4:53 The ham analogy6:39 Try this, move your expiration date up7:09 Close, this too shall pass Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/conversations-that-count-a31f16a6-3131-4c8f-982f-19d52407e8eb/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-shaft ALSO FROM DAVID SHAFT (voice):Gildenmyth: https://gildenmyth.comThe Sleeping Almanac: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSleepingAlmanacKingdoms at Dusk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCouRuuI30LEwUdKIaOE5w Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Rock bottom has an expiration date (00:31) - This too shall pass (01:12) - Your 100 percent survival rate (01:31) - Drawing the rock (02:07) - What goes down has to come back up (02:54) - Nothing stays at the bottom forever (03:38) - You decide when it expires (04:20) - The freezer versus the sun (04:53) - The ham analogy (06:39) - Try this, move your expiration date up (07:09) - Close, this too shall pass

Everything you do has an opportunity cost. Every choice means you are paying something to get something else, and most people never stop to notice what they are giving up. In this solo session, David Shaft shares the question a mentor used to cut through his venting about business: how do you make it to the gym every day? That flipped his whole frame into what would I do with that time anyway, and straight into opportunity cost. Gym or couch. Free time or money. Marriage or a little isolation. He walks through why every choice is a trade, why the cost is often only paid in the moment, and why the real skill is knowing exactly what you are paying and being okay with the price. Try this: the next time you are dreading something, name the alternative out loud. Ask what you would actually do with that time anyway, and decide if you are okay with the trade. CHAPTERS0:00 Everything has an opportunity cost0:09 What would you do anyway?0:53 The gym question that changed it1:48 Every choice is a trade2:16 Gym or couch, pick one3:38 Free time or money4:13 Marriage, and the cost of a choice5:44 The cost is only paid in the moment6:50 Nothing is free, know what you are paying7:41 Close Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/conversations-that-count-a31f16a6-3131-4c8f-982f-19d52407e8eb/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-shaft ALSO FROM DAVID SHAFT (voice):Gildenmyth: https://gildenmyth.comThe Sleeping Almanac: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSleepingAlmanacKingdoms at Dusk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCouRuuI30LEwUdKIaOE5w Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Everything has an opportunity cost (00:09) - What would you do anyway? (00:53) - The gym question that changed it (01:48) - Every choice is a trade (02:16) - Gym or couch, pick one (03:38) - Free time or money (04:13) - Marriage, and the cost of a choice (05:44) - The cost is only paid in the moment (06:50) - Nothing is free, know what you are paying (07:41) - Close

Wisdom is a great gift, but it often comes at a great price. Nothing is really free, and the cost is usually a piece of yourself. In this solo session, David Shaft makes the case that wisdom is earned through trials, not handed over. He walks through two stories: Solomon, who asked God for wisdom and then had to prove it in the judgment of the two mothers, and Odin, the Norse king of gods, who traded an eye at Mimir's Well for one sip of wisdom and hung nine days on the tree of Yggdrasil to earn it. The wisest never complain about the price. They pay it, and they come out stronger. Try this: the next time a hard lesson costs you something, name what it cost, then name what it taught you. Pay the price on purpose instead of resenting it. CHAPTERS0:00 The price of wisdom, nothing is free0:22 Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived1:15 The two mothers and one baby2:42 Wisdom is not the same as intelligence3:05 My other show, The Sleeping Almanac, and Odin4:12 Odin trades an eye at Mimir's Well5:27 To truly see, he gave up his sight6:11 The wise never complain about the price7:49 Nine days on the tree of Yggdrasil9:35 Magic, runes, and the birth of language9:55 Try this, embrace the trial Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/conversations-that-count-a31f16a6-3131-4c8f-982f-19d52407e8eb/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-shaft ALSO FROM DAVID SHAFT (voice):Gildenmyth: https://gildenmyth.comThe Sleeping Almanac: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSleepingAlmanacKingdoms at Dusk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCouRuuI30LEwUdKIaOE5w Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - The price of wisdom, nothing is free (00:22) - Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (01:15) - The two mothers and one baby (02:42) - Wisdom is not the same as intelligence (03:05) - My other show, The Sleeping Almanac, and Odin (04:12) - Odin trades an eye at Mimir's Well (05:27) - To truly see, he gave up his sight (06:11) - The wise never complain about the price (07:49) - Nine days on the tree of Yggdrasil (09:35) - Magic, runes, and the birth of language (09:55) - Try this, embrace the trial

Emotion and money are not opposites. This episode is about the skill almost no one is taught: how to feel your emotions and then direct them. In this solo session, David Shaft makes the case that emotion and money run hand in hand. Drawing on years of closing deals, a hostage negotiator's view of what a great negotiation feels like, and what goes wrong when feelings run loose, David lays out how emotional regulation becomes trust, value, referrals, and money, for the people you serve and for you. Try this: next time a decision has you emotional, name the feeling out loud, then ask one question, where do I want to point this energy? Direct it instead of spilling it. CHAPTERS0:00 Why emotion and money are not opposites2:15 It is never just business3:23 Emotion and money run hand in hand3:54 When I felt the most, I made the most6:06 Direct your emotions, do not spill them8:28 The partners who make you feel something10:47 Control them, then aim them12:09 The close Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/conversations-that-count-a31f16a6-3131-4c8f-982f-19d52407e8eb/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-shaft ALSO FROM DAVID SHAFT (voice):Gildenmyth: https://gildenmyth.comThe Sleeping Almanac: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSleepingAlmanacKingdoms at Dusk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCouRuuI30LEwUdKIaOE5w Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Why emotion and money are not opposites (02:15) - It is never just business (03:23) - Emotion and money run hand in hand (03:54) - When I felt the most, I made the most (06:06) - Direct your emotions, do not spill them (08:28) - The partners who make you feel something (10:47) - Control them, then aim them (12:09) - The close

You spent your whole life proving why me. This episode is the moment you stop proving and start believing why not me, the confidence you already earned. In this short solo session, David Shaft breaks down the tug of war between the part of you that needs to earn its seat and the part that already knows it belongs, and why those two halves were never meant to fight. With a nod to Lil Durk on treating the mic like therapy and Steve Harvey on your 100 percent survival rate, it is an honest reset on self belief, confidence, and mindset. Try this: next time you catch yourself asking why me, name three things you have already survived or accomplished, then let them answer why not me. CHAPTERS0:00 Hook0:10 Treat the mic like therapy1:06 Why me versus why not me2:24 Does it have to be one or the other3:08 Let your wins feed the belief4:59 It was never a versus match6:06 Your 100 percent survival rate6:51 It was always just you Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/conversations-that-count-a31f16a6-3131-4c8f-982f-19d52407e8eb/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/david-shaft ALSO FROM DAVID SHAFT (voice):Gildenmyth: https://gildenmyth.comThe Sleeping Almanac: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSleepingAlmanacKingdoms at Dusk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTCouRuuI30LEwUdKIaOE5w Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Why not me, the confidence you already earned (00:10) - Treat the mic like therapy (01:06) - Why me versus why not me (02:24) - Does it have to be one or the other (03:08) - Let your wins feed the belief (04:59) - It was never a versus match (06:06) - Your 100 percent survival rate (06:51) - It was always just you

Elliot Kallen has started businesses from scratch his entire life, and he is candid about the part nobody romanticizes: the cash crunches, the failures, the bloody nose, and the hardest loss a parent can carry. In this conversation, Elliot makes the case that the path to anything worth building is a crooked line, that vision is what carries you past failure, and that the real goal is to fall in love with the work itself. He shares the three voices that still drive him, the mentor question he asks every day, the spray paint fortune his father walked away from, and the story of A Brighter Day, the teen mental health charity he founded after the loss of his son Jake. Elliot is the author of the number one Amazon bestseller Driven, founder of Prosperity Financial Group, and President of A Brighter Day. What we cover: Why every founder's line is crooked, not straightThe mentor question: are you doing everything you can think of doing all the timeGut versus brain, and how to tell which to followVision as the thing that carries you past failureFalling in love with the game, not the moneyA Brighter Day, turning loss into a mission that reaches thousands of families a monthKeeping a team aligned with a vision that keeps changingA Brighter Day: abrighterday.info Need to talk? Text BRIGHTER to 741741. Connect with Elliot Kallen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotkallen/ Follow Conversations That Count and never miss an episode. Grab the free communication playbook at ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook. Outside the mic: I also built RecoveryMRR, a tool that helps subscription businesses automatically recover failed Stripe payments. If that is your world, check it out at recoverymrr.comChapter markers (locked from the finished 38:16 master) 00:00 Cold open 00:43 Welcome and intro 01:10 Meet Elliot Kallen, author of Driven 02:00 Why every entrepreneur's line is crooked 03:30 A conversation that counted, his parents' voices 08:24 Gut vs brain, the spray paint that got away 10:34 Elliot and the Untouchables 13:04 Vision is what overpowers failure 17:44 Fall in love with the game, not the money 20:25 A Brighter Day, turning loss into legacy 30:16 Keeping your team aligned, the chariot horses 33:30 Recap and close (00:00) - Cold open (00:43) - Welcome and intro (01:10) - Meet Elliot Kallen, author of Driven (02:00) - Why every entrepreneur's line is crooked (03:30) - A conversation that counted, his parents' voices (08:24) - Gut vs brain, the spray paint that got away (10:34) - Elliot and the Untouchables (13:04) - Vision is what overpowers failure (17:44) - Fall in love with the game, not the money (20:25) - A Brighter Day, turning loss into legacy (30:16) - Keeping your team aligned, the chariot horses (33:30) - Recap and close

My disadvantage was actually my advantage. That's the line Ken Daniel used to become the youngest digital marketing manager in Stellantis history. This is the story behind it. I sat down with Ken Daniel, Digital Marketing Manager for the Mid Atlantic region at Stellantis, to talk about mentorship, leadership, and the framework he uses to keep giving back to the community that built him. Ken is a Detroit native, Cass Tech grad, University of Michigan Ross School of Business alum, and currently sits on the board of Transforming Youths into Adults (TYIA) in Baltimore. The conversation centers on the two mentors who told him to follow his passion, the Connecticut dealer test that taught him "I don't know" is a leadership move, and the pull back to push up philosophy that drives everything he does. In this episode you will learn: Why "I don't know" is the most powerful 3 word leadership move you can make in any roomThe pull back to push up mentorship philosophy, why every interaction should be mutually beneficialDon't chase the dollar, chase the passion, the line every young professional needs to hearPlus the two mentor conversation that reframed Ken's entire career trajectory at 23, why the Wagoneer Preakness setup at 2am taught him about going into the weeds with your team, the Transforming Youths into Adults nonprofit model that prepares foster youth to buy their first home by 25, the six jobs in college that built the skillset Ken uses at Stellantis today, and the fail forward calculus story that turned an E grade into a career pivot. Support Transforming Youths into Adults. The Baltimore nonprofit prepares foster youth aging out of the system to become first time homeowners by age 25. Learn more or donate at TYIA.org. Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook Outside the mic: I also built RecoveryMRR, a tool that helps subscription businesses automatically recover failed Stripe payments. If that is your world, check it out at recoverymrr.comCONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-count/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidshaftLinktree: https://linktr.ee/davidshaft FOLLOW KEN DANIEL:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethldanieljr/ Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Hook (00:24) - Welcome and intro (00:45) - Meet Ken Daniel, the youngest digital marketing manager in Stellantis history (02:41) - The two mentors who said follow your passion (04:54) - Disadvantage as advantage, the Connecticut Chrysler story (07:31) - The dealer trust moment, "I don't know" as a leadership move (12:53) - Pull back to push up, the mentorship philosophy (15:41) - Wagoneer at the Preakness, getting in the weeds (19:25) - Transforming Youths into Adults, the foster care nonprofit (22:28) - From Skillman Foundation to Detroit Public Schools, the nonprofit roots (26:44) - How adults make friends without resources (28:46) - Six jobs in college, building the skillset before you need it (30:15) - Don't chase the dollar, chase the passion (33:37) - Fail forward, the calculus story (37:12) - Failure is a pivot, the C grade reframe (44:37) - Where to find Ken and TYIA (45:51) - Close

A 17 year old in Detroit was about to graduate high school. He could not read. One mentor traded boxing lessons for reading lessons. That story is the throughline of this entire episode. I sat down with Brian Vieaux, President of MISMO, the mortgage industry's standards organization, to talk about mentorship, leadership communication, and the moments that shape who we become. Brian's career arc is leadership in motion. Thirty years in mortgage banking, a pivot into fintech as President and COO of FinLocker, and now leading the industry standards organization that makes the entire ecosystem more efficient and trusted. In this episode you will learn: • The Khali Sweeney Downtown Boxing Gym story, the 100 percent graduation rate model that has 1500 Detroit kids on the waiting list• Why personal branding is communicating, the line every leader needs to internalize for sales, hiring, and visibility• How a 30 year career in mortgage banking pivots cleanly into fintech leadership and industry standards Plus the books before boxing reframe and why the hook matters more than the lesson, the financial education gap nobody is solving, why podcasting is a sales weapon for anyone in a relationship driven industry, and the moment David got into mortgage banking by accident and stayed by design. A note on timing: this conversation was recorded earlier this year while Brian was at FinLocker. Brian has since taken over as President of MISMO. Catch his current work at MISMO and listen to his ongoing podcast FinTech Fridays. Support the Downtown Boxing Gym in Detroit at dbgdetroit.org. They serve 160 to 180 kids a year, with 1500 on the waiting list. The conversation that counts the most this week is the one you have with your wallet. Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook Outside the mic: I also built RecoveryMRR, a tool that helps subscription businesses automatically recover failed Stripe payments. If that is your world, check it out at recoverymrr.com CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-count/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidshaftLinktree: https://linktr.ee/davidshaft FOLLOW BRIAN VIEAUX:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvieaux/MISMO: https://www.mismo.orgFinTech Fridays Podcast: search "FinTech Fridays Podcast" on YouTube and LinkedIn Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Hook (00:35) - Welcome and intro (01:35) - The Khali Sweeney story, the boxing gym that teaches kids to read (04:15) - Books behind the neighborhood, the moment everything changed (07:32) - Downtown Boxing Gym, the model that gets 100 percent graduation (09:50) - From mortgage banking to fintech, the pivot (10:43) - FinLocker, building financial literacy into the home buying journey (12:46) - The financial education gap nobody is solving (13:33) - Helping people keep the home, not just buy it (14:31) - FinTech Fridays, the podcast that opens doors (16:19) - Personal branding is part of communicating (17:45) - Brian flips the question, how David got into mortgage banking (19:51) - Toson Knight and the through line to mentorship (20:41) - Where to find Brian and the Downtown Boxing Gym (21:17) - Close

Imperfect action beats inaction every time. If you've been overthinking your next conversation, your next sales call, or your next networking move, this episode is the reframe you needed. I sat down with Jordan Knope, founder of Authentic Charm Academy, to break down the communication playbook he teaches his coaching clients. We talk tonality, internal state, congruence tests, the five step funnel that maps cleanly to sales and leadership conversations, and why the willingness to start the conversation is worth more than any tactic. Jordan's lane is dating, but every framework in this episode applies to the room you walk into Monday morning. In this episode you will learn: • The drop tonality trick that makes you sound like a leader in 5 seconds• Congruence tests, what they really are, and why they're a green light not a red flag in any high stakes conversation• The five step straight line framework, open, premise, qualify, comfort, close, that works in sales, leadership, and any conversation that matters Plus the internal state shift that fixes nervous approach energy in any room, the abundance mindset that removes the desperate energy that costs you the room, and David's Try This Tomorrow takeaway you can run by lunch. Try This Tomorrow: walk up and introduce yourself to five new people. Five. The internal muscle you build is the same one Jordan teaches his coaching clients, and it's the one that earns rooms. Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-count/id1890348796Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidshaftLinktree: https://linktr.ee/davidshaft FOLLOW JORDAN KNOPE:Personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/jordanknopeCoaching Instagram: https://instagram.com/authentic_charm_academyFree dating funnel PDF: DM "funnel" on InstagramFree Instagram review: mention the podcast when you DM him Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Hook (01:24) - Welcome and intro (02:03) - Meet Jordan Knope, the dating coach who built his own thing (02:43) - The pivot, leaving the other coach (06:45) - Where most guys mess up in dating (07:25) - The four channel dating funnel (08:55) - Looks are communication, the style you choose (10:18) - Approach, tonality, and the internal state (14:23) - Congruence tests, what women actually throw at you (19:56) - Female friends, and flirting with the world (26:43) - Do the things that scare you (27:55) - Emotional range and reading the room (29:42) - The straight line framework applied to dating (31:27) - Imperfect action, the 100 women rule (34:10) - Biggest takeaways, abundance, and the close (36:14) - Where to find Jordan (37:06) - Try This Tomorrow, five new conversations

Follows the Apple and Spotify discoverability formula: hook in the first 20 words, guest credentials (in this case, Ace from the source episode), 3 keyword-rich bullets, CTA to the Playbook. ```Promotions are policy. First calls are trust. If your team member proposed tomorrow, would they call you first? This is the solo breakdown of 8 leadership communication frameworks I pulled from my vault interview with Ace Charafeddine, founder of Acez Academy. Ace was my first ever guest on Conversations That Count, and the conversation we had that day shaped how I lead a team of 40 today. In this episode you will learn: • How to audit your flow state and rebuild it through the inputs you actually control• The First Call Test: a single leadership communication question that tells you whether your team actually trusts you• Why the give-it-all-away principle is the fastest path to leadership growth Plus the slot machine framework that makes professional development goals impossible to ignore, the four archetypes for making hard leadership decisions, why be whatever they need beats every fixed leadership style, one personal goal plus one professional goal as the integration that makes production stick, and the holistic operator mindset that ties it all together. This episode is paired with my full vault interview with Ace. Listen to that one first if you want to hear the source material, or stay here for the playbook. Try This Tomorrow: pick the framework that made you nod the hardest. Write it on five surfaces by the end of the day. Tell one person on your team. Run it for seven days. Then come find me and tell me which one you picked. Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-count/id1891772224Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidshaftLinktree: https://linktr.ee/davidshaft FOLLOW ACE:Website: https://acezacademy.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-charafeddine-0787264a/Acez Academy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AcezAcademyAcez Academy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theacezacademy/ Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.``` **Keyword density check:**- "communication" appears 4x- "leadership" appears 8x- "professional" appears 1x- "podcast" appears 1x (lower than the vault but the title hits it 1x)- "Conversations That Count" appears 3x- Hits the Apple Podcasts indexing targets cleanly. (00:00) - Hook (00:27) - The vault episode that gave me 8 frameworks (01:13) - Framework 1: The slot machine (02:50) - Framework 2: The flow state audit (04:30) - Framework 3: The four archetypes (06:02) - Framework 4: The first call test (07:28) - Framework 5: Be whatever they need (09:30) - Framework 6: Give it all away (10:53) - Framework 7: One personal plus one professional (13:17) - Framework 8: Everything connects (14:27) - Try This Tomorrow (14:55) - Close

Most professionals spend 80 percent of their workday communicating, and almost none have a system for getting better at it. This is the leadership communication conversation that started Conversations That Count. Ace Charafeddine is the founder of Acez Academy, owner of his own mortgage brokerage, and author of 10 Keys of Leadership. He has trained communication and sales leadership teams across the country. In this conversation you'll learn: - How to audit your flow state and rebuild it through inputs (sleep, food, conversations, environment)- The communication move that earns trust before you have the right to coach- The First Call Test: a simple leadership communication question that tells you whether your team actually trusts you Plus the slot machine framework for making professional development goals impossible to ignore, the four archetypes for making hard leadership decisions, and the unconditional door policy that makes mentees run through walls for you. This is the first ever episode of Conversations That Count, finally pulled from the vault. At the time of the recording Ace was at Rocket Mortgage. He has since launched Acez Academy and his own brokerage. Try This Tomorrow: Ask yourself which of your team members would call you first if they proposed, got a job offer, or had a baby. If you can name three with confidence, you are leading. If you cannot, the gap is your next month of work. Get the free Communication Playbook: https://ctcpodcast.media/free-playbook CONNECT WITH CTC:Website: https://ctcpodcast.mediaApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-count/id1891772224Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J6lZ10GvK07qCv3aQxnkRLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidshaftLinktree: https://linktr.ee/davidshaft FOLLOW ACE:Website: https://acezacademy.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-charafeddine-0787264a/Acez Academy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AcezAcademyAcez Academy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theacezacademy/ Follow Conversations That Count on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. (00:00) - Hook (00:43) - Welcome to the first ever Conversations That Count (01:41) - Ice cream trucks and how Ace's sales career started (05:00) - The conversation that pulled Ace back into flow (11:23) - The slot machine framework (14:06) - One personal goal, one professional goal (16:03) - The 10 Keys of Leadership playbook (20:19) - The Thanksgiving proposal and the First Call Test (24:27) - The four archetypes: warrior, sovereign, lover, magician (30:25) - Inside Acez Academy (32:41) - The A-Woof close

Eight frameworks for being the person someone else needs you to be. This is the Thursday solo recap of my vault interview with Toson Knight, founder of Caught Up Mentoring in Detroit. THE 8 FRAMEWORKS1. Mentor from your gap2. Care first, then curriculum3. Lead with the question, not the answer4. Boundaries are love5. Show up even when they won't show up for themselves6. Name the choice, keep the door open7. Exposure is the engine8. Be the same person everywhere TRY THIS TOMORROWPick one framework and apply it to one conversation this week. Just one. Notice what happens. Episode 58+ of Conversations That Count. Learn more about Caught Up: https://caughtup.orgConnect with Toson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toson-knight-55b9454aInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caught__up More CTC at https://ctcpodcast.media (00:00) - Cold Open (00:39) - Welcome and The 8 Frameworks (01:31) - Framework 1: Mentor From Your Gap (03:03) - Framework 2: Care First, Then Curriculum (04:13) - Framework 3: Lead With The Question (06:00) - Framework 4: Boundaries Are Love (07:12) - Framework 5: Show Up When They Won't (08:41) - Framework 6: Name The Choice, Keep The Door Open (10:02) - Framework 7: Exposure Is The Engine (12:47) - Framework 8: Be The Same Person Everywhere (14:13) - Recap And Close

He bought one of his mentees a car. He's been a father figure to over 100 Detroit kids a year for nine years. And every time you ask him how he reaches kids that nobody else can reach, he says the same two things: build a relationship, and listen before you teach. This is a vault episode I recorded in 2023 with Toson Knight, founder of the Caught Up Mentoring Program in Detroit. We talk about why kids without fathers gravitate toward men who actually show up, what to do when a mentee chooses the victim mindset, why boundaries matter more than rules, and the conversation that stopped a high schooler from stealing. TRY THIS TOMORROWPick one young person in your circle. Listen to them this week. Not coach, not fix. Just listen long enough to know what they're carrying. That's where mentorship starts. Episode 58+ of Conversations That Count. Learn more about Caught Up: https://caughtup.orgConnect with Toson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toson-knight-55b9454aInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caught__up More CTC at https://ctcpodcast.media

A financial advisor walks into a podcast and says "work is optional." That's the whole show. This is a vault episode I recorded in 2023 with Aaron Noskey, owner of Lakeview Financial in Rochester. Three years later, every line still lands. We cover why his wealthiest clients aren't business owners but teachers and bank managers, the 85 year old client who saved over a million dollars on forty thousand a year, the compounding math that turns a thousand dollars into six hundred eighty seven thousand, and the real reason "options" is the only retirement goal that matters. TRY THIS TOMORROWOpen one new account today. Roth IRA, Vanguard brokerage, or a high yield savings account you cannot touch. Put fifty dollars in. Starting is the win. Episode 58+ of Conversations That Count. More at https://ctcpodcast.media (00:00) - Cold Open (00:26) - Meet Aaron and Lakeview Financial (03:07) - The Retirement Freak Out (04:34) - Your Kids Will Spend It (If You Don't) (08:04) - How To Pick A Real Advisor (09:13) - When Should You Start Saving (15:16) - The Million Dollar Saver Story (17:38) - Work Is Optional (19:20) - The Compound Interest Math (23:39) - Service, Fees, And The Free Trap (28:06) - Treat Every Client Like Family (30:21) - Closing Recap And Options