Addicted to WINNING

EP 134 -  Shelly-Anne McKay, Nearly Working Yourself To Death We definitely live in a hustle culture. Everyone seems to be talking about how you need to show up and do the work, but less popular is talking about how this concept can be taken to an extreme. An extreme than can be fatal, as it almost was for Shelly-Anne McKay. Shelly-Anne McKay is a compassionate and intuitive Food Addiction Coach dedicated to guiding successful women towards holistic wellness and sustainable recovery. Shelly-Anne’s philosophy extends beyond conventional approaches, actively incorporating joy-centric strategies and fostering meaningful connections to add vibrancy to the recovery process. Beyond coaching, Shelly-Anne is the Co-Founder of a Boutique Holistic Wellness agency specializing in planning bespoke health and wellness workshops and retreats for organizations and groups. She is inspired to support organizations proactively addressing addiction prevention for leaders and teams through a mental health approach.    What You Will Learn  How Shelly-Anne learned to get up, dust herself off, and try again and not give up What Shelly-Anne is learning about life and relationships that is helping her find balance The reasons Shelly-Anne makes sure to fill her own cup and not neglect herself Why truly stepping into your authentic self can be extremely powerful and freeing How Shelly-Anne nearly worked herself to death while working on two files simultaneously How going to school to be a coach changed Shelly-Anne in a way she had not anticipated The serendipitous way that Shelly-Anne met her mentor while swimming in the ocean How talking about Soul Sisters United caused things to align in order to be manifested along with a whole heap of hard work   Favorite Quote:  “Everyday I just try to do one thing better. One thing different. One thing new.” - Shelly-Anne McCay  CONNECT WITH SHELLY: ShellyAnneMcKay.com   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.     

EP 133 -  Zach Swartzendruber, You Don’t Fail Unless You Quit There are a lot of opinions about what it means to fail. For some of us, failing means quitting, and anything short of that shouldn't be considered failure. If you keep going, you are winning. You only lose when you give up, so don’t quit! Zach Swartzendruber is a founding member of Total Trucking Resource, a benefits and enrollment guru, as well as a marketing and branding geek and dreamer for Benefits For Trucking. Benefits For Trucking is a 3rd Generation Benefits Services Agency that is hyper-focused on helping the Trucking Industry. Along with Swartzendruber Solutions, they can bring your company a unique and more engaging experience with employee benefits and your enrollment experience.   What You Will Learn  How growing up in an entrepreneurial family made Zach want to head that direction himself Why you can’t quit if you plan to get to win no matter what that means to you The reality that industries can fluctuate and how you can weather the storm How the rising cost of diesel fuel has affected the trucking industry thus affecting Zach’s business of dealing in benefits for truckers Why outsourcing some of the more mundane tasks can help you focus and become more profitable using virtual assistants Why Zach values his family and having experiences above all else and uses money as leverage to achieve those things All of the different things that Zach can do to help those in the trucking industry   Favorite Quote:  “Winning is not quitting, and you can’t win when you quit. That’s failure, you fail when you quit. It’s that simple.” -Zach Swartzendruber   CONNECT WITH ZACH: BenefitsForTrucking.com Zach@BenefitsForTrucking.com   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.     

EP 132 - Benny Fisher, From Unemployable to Entrepreneur Many of us find ourselves facing entrepreneurship because we’ve tried just about everything and found ourselves pretty much unemployable. At that point, there’s not a whole lot of other places to go, so we (hopefully) embrace it and start working towards it. Benny Fisher is the Founder & Visionary of The Big Fish Contracting Company, and an experienced public speaker, business consultant, and marketer.  Benny has a knack for networking among business owners, and capturing stories of business, entrepreneurial journeys, and overcoming adversity.   What You Will Learn  What the Driven Genes are and how they have affected Benny’s life and upbringing The effect ADHD has had on Benny’s life after being diagnosed at a young age Why Benny is grateful for the way he was raised even though it would never fly in today’s society How Benny learned to upsell as a young child while selling candy bars or his baseball team Why did Benny quit going to college to sell cars and end up selling drugs and what he learn from that How Benny fought through his self-doubts and the doubts of others to get himself out of the drug world and went legit How Benny learned to be addicted to his business in a positive way at first and then later used pharmaceuticals to cope with the stress and later overdosed   Favorite Quote:  “I was kind of forced into entrepreneurship because I had tried everything else, and I wasn’t employable.” -Benny Fisher    CONNECT WITH BENNY: Benny Fisher is the embodiment of customer service & building connections. Early on in his career he found that the key to success was through delivering superb customer service no matter the task in front of him. In addition to his philosophical focus on service, Benny also saw the importance for building deep and lasting connections with anyone that crosses his path. BennyFisher.com How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 131 - Jeff Brekken, Why Are We Not Asking Why? Why are we not asking why more often? Are we afraid of the answers? Many times understanding our internal motives as well as the motives of others will help us find our way through the struggle we’re currently enduring. Oftentimes we know that but are afraid to go there. But what if we weren’t?   What You Will Learn  How thinking about your motivations can help get down to your purpose and the reason that you and everything else matter Why do we tend to ask why a lot less as we get older and more experienced How asking yourself why you do things can help you get through sticky situations How asking why in your relationships can help you understand your partner’s motives and what they are looking for from you How studying your own motives can help you be more vulnerable and why that is a good thing Asking why helps get you through the hard times and find a way out How asking why will help you find what is truly in your heart.   Favorite Quote:  “You can’t achieve absolute 100% of your dreams when you are not vulnerable and when you are not asking yourself why.” -Jeff Brekken     How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 130 - Natalie Heckert, Be Willing to Do It Afraid We often assume that people who are doing the things we fear are not afraid. Chances are they are just as scared as we are and are just feeling the fear and doing it anyway. If you wait until you are in the absence of fear, you will probably never strike.  Natalie Heckert has been the  CEO of NATS (Nutrition & Aerobic Training Service) for 18 years, a Mrs. Minnesota finalist, a contestant on the Price is Right, auditioned for Oprah’s “Next Big Invention”, and worked with Tracey Yukich while she was on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser”. Natalie has invented a variety of fitness products and has starred in numerous exercise videos. She designed, helped develop and implement a state-of-the-art wellness center for Tastefully Simple, an Inc. 500 organization. She also originated and helped develop a two-year Health & Fitness Specialist Degree program in partnership with the Alexandria Community & Technical College and adjunct instructor.   What You Will Learn  How not wanting to lose drives Natalie to put in the work to do what it takes to win What growing up on a farm taught Natalie about life and the effect it had on her work ethic Why Natalie was motivated to move from small town in Minnesota to Los Angeles when she was only 18 years old What Natalie had to go through to make it on her own in Los Angeles How Natallie ended up working at Universal Studios training stars and celebrities Why you need to speak to yourself like you love yourself How Natalie was inspired to create Club E Fit by her lack of time for the gym when she was working at home while caring for her children   Favorite Quote:  “How bad do you want it? Are you willing to risk? Are you willing to do it afraid?” -Natalie Heckert        CONNECT WITH NATALIE Club E Fit Crew Instagram Facebook   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 129 - Jeff Brekken, You TRULY Need Help In Life It’s absolutely true that no one can do it alone. There is NO WAY that you can be the best person that you can find for every single task in your business. There is more than likely a chance that you also can’t afford to hire for every position that needs to be filled, so what options are you left with?   What You Will Learn  Why you can’t be a loner and you need to surround yourself with good people Why you need friends who view your relationship as a two-way street and aren’t afraid to give  back when you need them Why you should reach out instead of getting frustrated when you encounter the parts of your business that you are less skilled at The benefits of outsourcing over hiring to do things internally in your business How exercising gets the blood flowing and gets your brain going and the ideas can start coming Why you need to build a team of experts around you to help you do the things that don’t require your special touch    Favorite Quote:  “You truly need help in life. Don’t be frustrated in areas you don’t know that much about. Get help for that.” -Jeff Brekken        How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 128 - Lisa Marie Platske, Reaching Into Your Devine Operating System There are many examples of what a leader resembles, and how they conduct themselves. No one realizes that a true leader has characteristics that are not the same as anyone else. A leader is someone who has become clear with themselves and has become focused on the mission.  It requires clarity, focus, determination, and the willingness to go against the grain and trust oneself. Lisa is an Executive Business Coach, and Founder of Upside Thinking and UpsideSummit.com who offers assistance to Leaders internationally through her program Summit to help them craft themselves into the Leaders they were meant to be. She has been recognized by the International Alliance Of Women, The White House, and The United States Small Business Administration for being one of the top 100 women making a difference in not just their community, but in the world.    Lisa and Jeff speak about LIsa’s program “Upside Summit” and how it has made an impact in the leadership community. Lisa talks about the clarity of reaching into your divine operating system and coming to terms with your darkness. Lisa felt abandoned by God due to constant violence in her household during her upbringing. She discusses the purpose of the 7 pillars in her program and how it may make you rethink why you feel stuck in the same place constantly.      Favorite Quote:  “I would rather move three things a mile each than a hundred things an inch.” -Lisa Marie Platske          How to connect with Lisa:  Forbes  Website LinkedIn   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 127 - DeLaine Blazek, Living Vs. Merely Existing In today’s world, it can be so easy to exist and find yourself going through the motions merely. It takes effort and persistence to truly build a life that means something, though it certainly can pay off in quality of life. Do you want to live, or merely exist? DeLaine Blazek’s educational background is as a clinical counselor but she has spent most of her career in sales. She has been in all roles from entry-level business development to the CEO and doubled her income 5x in her professional career (so far).  Now, she is focusing on her coaching practice for women to teach them how to do the same thing through Solis Coaching and Consulting. In 2023, Delaine released the book Power Your Pay: The All-In Female Entrepreneur's Guide to Make Millions & Still Be Yourself. It became an overnight international Amazon Best Seller in 10 categories!     What You’ll Learn: Where DeLaine’s curiosity first started and how she feels it benefits her in her life Why DeLaine went from being a psychologist to moving to becoming a business coach The actions that DeLaine took to earn the respect of her male colleagues in a male-dominated sales position How DeLaine met her business partner by stepping outside of her comfort zone Why the most successful people are usually just the ones who were the most persistent, not necessarily the ones who had the best ideas Some of the books that have influenced DeLaine the most on her journey Why it’s so important to choose who you have in your inner circle and allow yourself to be influenced by   Favorite Quote:  “Do you want to live in this life or do you want to exist in this life?”  -DeLaine Blazek     Connect With DeLaine: Solis Coaching and Consulting    How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 126 - Jeff Brekken, Inner Circle Talk Your inner circle can easily be compared to having your very own personal Board of Directors. Who would you appoint to that board and why? How closely does your inner circle currently resemble that dream Board of Directors, and if doesn’t, would you be willing to make changes to get it there?   What You’ll Learn: What exactly is your inner circle and why it’s so important to be choosy about who is in it The reasons why Jeff has been slowly paring down his inner circle How decreasing the number in your inner circle will help you get your time and your life back  Why and how you should rank the 5 people closest to you that you speak with the most What to do if you realize you are the most successful person in your inner circle  Why you should think about your inner circle like your own personal board of directors   Favorite Quote:  “You either work for time or you work for money.”  -Jeff Brekken     How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 125 - Jeff Brekken, Moving Into a Camper in The Desert With No Amenities Sometimes with drastic change comes… well, drastic change. Sometimes we need to do something to physically remove ourselves from a situation to allow for the movement of the mind to follow.  There are various levels to this, one of which is to sell all of your things and move into a camper in the desert with no electricity or running water. Which brings us to today’s episode…    What You’ll Learn: Why Jeff recommends going back to Episode 124 with Jeremy Schreifels and listening if you have not already. Why Jeff is thinking about rebranding the podcast and what he would rebrand it to What has caused Jeff to sell his possessions and move to the desert and live in a camper with no water and no electricity Why it’s not selfish to put yourself first and why that’s what you need to do to help others succeed in what they are trying to do  Why you just need to get up and do things and why that really is the answer How Jeff was able to recently let go off some baggage that had plagued him for 15 years Why you shouldn’t care what the haters think even if they’re in your family   Favorite Quote:  “When you live your life, you put yourself first, and that’s not selfish.”  -Jeff Brekken     How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 124 - Jeremy Schreifels, Growing In Alignment With God Many times we feel alone on the journey of life. But as we continue on we realize that we are not alone, in fact, there is a copilot beside us. Often as we go along, we realize in fact that we are the ones who are the copilot and that we must align ourselves in a way that creates a symbiotic relationship between pilot and co-pilot. In every endeavor, Jeremy Schreifels’ story reverberates with the resonance of triumph over adversity, creativity harnessed to drive entrepreneurial success, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.  As an interdisciplinary producer, songwriter, drummer, percussionist, speaker, and educator, Jeremy Schreifels has been bringing music to broad audiences for more than two decades. His focus across all of these art forms is emotional connection, bridging lyric, rhythm, and melody to best serve the vision of both his creations and those of the artists he works with.    What You’ll Learn: How to integrate your spiritual life into your business life and why they don’t necessarily need to be two separate things How cutting out a lot of the noise allows you to listen and to focus in a way you couldn’t previously How powerful is your perspective on your experience in the journey of life Why flashing a stranger a smile in the grocery store or somewhere can move mountains for that person Why you don’t have to have things figured out to make goals and start planning How the path the answer will reveal itself once you start to put in the effort to make things happen    Favorite Quote:  “Why does there have to be a separation, or a boundary, or a compartment that you leave your spiritual life in because now you are in business?”  -Jeremy Schreifels   Connect With Jeremy: JeremySchreifels.com  www.Roadto99.com   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 123 -  Zack Babcock, From Prisoner to Podcaster A process can be started by anyone, we often think to ourselves that we won’t be that one percent and amount to anything. The reality is that we can overcome anything and apply pressure onto others for their sake to achieve the task at hand. Zachary Babcock is going to share his story in disparity and give you a reason to move forward.  Zachary Babcock is the Founder and CEO of Alpha Dog and he also carries multiple titles including devoted Father and Husband,  and the Chief Visionary of the podcast PowerTrain. Jeff bring’s on Zachary who carries a social following of an outrageous amount of views on his social media platforms, but that’s not all. Zach shares his oppression of going through prison and having to carve his path to success. Zachary discusses the topic of podcasting and what it takes to reach the next level. Diving into the process and the heart it takes to complete the process- Zach talks about how his clientele has inspired him to keep driving forward.     What You’ll Learn: The number of people Zach has helped since launching his podcast Figuring out Zach’s way, especially in the marketplace going back to 2018  The shift Zach made after leaving prison  The process of Zach leveraging his podcast right away  The motivation that drives Zach to help others and hear their stories  What made Zach decide to monetize his podcast The trauma Zach confronted in 2021 to level up his mindset Why Zach is motivated to help others   Favorite Quote:  “I knew that I was going to get to this point someday, it was going to happen because I wasn’t. I was going to die in the process someday it was either I was going to do it or I was going to die trying- that was now it was going to go. I was going to go all in. I just didn’t think it would be through podcasts.”  -Zachary Babcock    Connect With Zachary: Underdog Website  Instagram LinkedIn    How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 122 -  Steph Livers, The Evolution of Your True Passion Some people find what they want to do when they are very young and do that thing for the rest of their life. For most of us, life will follow a different trajectory that will see our passion evolve as we encounter and discover the many things that life has to offer. Stephanie Livers embodies the idea of having many irons in the fire. She is a single mother and is homeschooling 4 boys ages 10-11, 3 of whom are triplets. In addition to family life, Stephanie is also the  Founder of Executive by Stephanie, a clothing line for professional women whose mission is to empower women in the workforce one outfit at a time. Stephanie has changed paths multiple times in her life, starting with a degree in Chemistry, spending some time as a math and science teacher for elementary students, and now as CEO of Executive by Stephanie. She proves that your true passion will evolve over time, and certainly not look the same throughout your life.     What You'll Learn: What being Addicted to Winning means to Steph in her life Why Steph feels that drive comes from within a person and that they must follow through and do the work just like anyone no matter how they are set up How the way Steph’s parents’ own drive influenced her desire to accomplish things The effect that playing on an otherwise all boy hockey team growing up has had on her drive still to this day Why Steph put college on hold to go pursue a job opportunity that changed her life  What came next that then caused Steph to put her career on hold for 5 years and then switch career trajectories to something totally different but related The events that led to Steph designing a clothing line for professional women How Steph’s passion has evolved and changed along the way     FAVORITE QUOTE: “My current passion is finding something that I can share with my kids, but that’s also going to leave a legacy for them.” Steph Livers   Connect with Steph: Instagram Executive By Stephanie    How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 121 -  Eddie Blanco, Rethinking Real Estate Teams Often Real Estate agents find themselves as independent contractors just winging it, doing every job themselves, even if they’re not the best at it. But why? Eddie Blanco and his team are rethinking real estate teams in a way that allows them to be more specialized in their roles, and the results are definitely speaking for themselves.   Eddie was born and raised in Miami and is a first-generation Cuban immigrant. He’s stayed in the area because he loves the weather, diversity, and excellent fishing opportunities – but also because he’s committed to serving as a reliable and accountable resource for his clients and friends.   He is the broker and owner of Stratwell, a real estate brokerage with offices in Miami and Naples, Florida. Eddie and his team have closed more than 3,000 real estate transactions since 2008. Eddie is the Founding President of The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. He is the 2022 incoming president of the Miami Association of Realtors and the Elite Real Estate Network president.   What You'll Learn: What drives Eddie to get back up when finds himself down How the Rocky movies have helped shape Eddie’s mentality towards persevering Why understanding who you are is such an important goal to work towards The story of Eddie being humbled by the real estate crash of 2008 Some of the lessons that Eddie learned having to rebuild things from the ground up  Why Eddie believes it is that he is here on the planet Earth The reasons Eddie will readily share his knowledge of how to be successful in the real estate business How Eddie’s real estate company differ from your average real estate broker Why having the right butts in the right seats is so important to your ability to succeed Where Eddie thinks the Real Estate market is headed in the next few years   FAVORITE QUOTE: “My business is simple, it’s people and properties. It’s all about relationships. There will always be people transacting in real estate.” Eddie Blanco    Connect with Eddie: Instagram Stratwell's Website    How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 120 -  Justin McClintock, Tapping Into the Spiritual Realm There are certainly times along the journey when we could use just a little bit of extra help along the way. People find this help in many ways, often in the spiritual realm. This was the story for Justin who developed his sense of spirituality as he was developing himself into the man he is trying to be.   Justin McClintock is a Sales Representative with eXp Realty who has lived and worked in Dufferin & Simcoe County his whole life. With a background in construction and licensed in Real Estate from the young age of 20, he's passionate about Real Estate Investing, human behavior, and working towards his full potential in everything from personal & business to spiritual development.   Justin is an intuitive Top Producing agent serving families, first time buyers, investors & new home developers with a focus on a high-level client experience & referral-based business, striving to not only meet but exceed the sophisticated needs of today's consumers by meeting them where they are.    What You'll Learn:  How curiosity caused Justin to question things and wonder if there were different ways of going about everyday things How Justin’s sister also influenced his ability to question things The role hockey played in allowing Justin to be more disciplined at an early age  How a movie lead Justin to the idea that he should become a real estate agent  How reading Rich Dad Poor Dad changed the trajectory that Justin was on The process Justin had to go through to become a real estate agent How turning the focus on helping others can cause your career to blossom Why doing the right thing never gets old and never stops working How a factory job led to Justin’s journey into personal self development How Justin was introduced to the spiritual world   FAVORITE QUOTE: “You’ve got to go out there and do it, even when you don’t feel like it. And it’s usually always worth it in the end.” Justin McClintock    Connect with Justin: JustinMcClintock.ca    How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 119 -  Jeff Giagnocavo, Leveraging Acceptance and Perspective Oftentimes all we really need is to learn to accept what is, and to adjust our perspective to reflect acceptance. This can help get through conflict, which is almost always present when trailblazing leaders are breaking new ground.   Jeff  Giagnocavo is a business owner and Visionary Leader focused on healing and impact for others. He is the Founder and Leader of The Big Ticket Life and is 100% focused on doing life and business on his terms and helping others do the same.    Jeff’s mission is to cement his family's legacy through the impactful work he does for others. To always be additive and seek greatness for his family and those he serves and to improve their lives and their businesses.     What You'll Learn: The factors that contributed to Jeff getting 5 number ones on his latest book on Amazon How acceptance has helped Jeff get to where he is in his career and personal life How adjusting your perspective can help you deal with conflict as a leader Jeff’s opinion on how much sleep a person really needs each night  How not eating 3 hours before you go to bed can help you get more restful sleep and allow your body to focus energy on healing Why people can’t flip their mattresses and double the life like they used to How sharing about his childhood traumas has helped him grow and feel more free   FAVORITE QUOTE: “If everybody could just speak on anything and everything, I think it would just add more volume and not more impact.” Jeff Giagnocavo    Connect with Jeff: TheJeffG.com   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 118 - Susan Rucker, Excellence is NEVER Made To Be Easy Whatever you do, you should try to make an impact. We have many more opportunities to do so than we even realize. Making an impact can be as easy as flashing a smile at someone. This may be the only smile they get all day. Making an impact can be easy, but excellence is much harder. Susan Rucker is a #1 Best-Selling Author, Impactful Strategist and Speaker, Coach & Executive Partner to Develop People and Businesses to Make the IMPACT They Want and Get Meaningful and Sustainable Results. She is recognized as “The People Whisperer” for her ability to connect with and transform people and organizations to achieve breakthrough results.  Alongside developing strategy, Susan has successfully coached and trained thousands of leaders on how authenticity, integrity, and resilience make or break personal and professional relationships. Her Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) work builds high-performing collaborative teams by cultivating workplace cultures that celebrate differences, ensure equity, & make everyone feel supported.   What You'll Learn: Where Susan’s drive originates from How Susan ended up in the United States after being born in Korean Why you must figure out who you are to truly live an authentic life What are some of the main reasons Susan thinks people are unhappy Why Susan feels everyone is capable of excellence at different levels How persistence is the answer to get you where you want to go How everything we do or don’t do makes an impact around us The story of how Susan was able to reconnect with her Korean family members   FAVORITE QUOTE: “No matter where you are, what stature, where you live, anything; when you live authentically, you can live happy ” Susan Rucker    Connect with Susan: Impactful Strategies   How To Get Involved:   Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

EP 117 - Brittany McKnight, What a CPA Should REALLY Be Doing For Your Business From financial planning & reporting, to overseeing and implementing new point-of-sale and software conversions, Brittany McKight has had both a bird’s eye view and been in the trenches of the back office. Through her experience, She’s found that her passion is serving those in service-based industries with a desire to grow their business and make an impact. As a coach, she helps entrepreneurs maximize and monetize their full potential so that they can have life and freedom on their own terms. As a CPA, she provides monthly accounting and CFO-level services using an effective framework for scaling a business from any level. Brittany is passionate about helping people use money for the tool that it is, to become leaders in their company, and to have a positive impact on the world.    What You'll Learn: What keeps Britany going when she starts to feel overwhelmed? How did Brittany’s upbringing play a role in what she does now?  How to understand what the data is telling you even if you’re not a “numbers person.” How learning to simplify your accounting using systems can help you understand it What makes Brittany different from your average CPA? How a CPA can do more than just help with compliance Why saving money from hiring a good CPA is the same thing as gaining more income Why it’s all about making an impact in no matter what you do   FAVORITE QUOTE: “You understand numbers, but you don’t understand what they’re telling you. That’s what the problem is.” Brittany McKnight    Connect with Brittany: Facebook Instagram Progress Coaching and Consulting   How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you think! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.   

So many people in business are only concerned about 2 things:  Scaling and growing.  Here's the challenge.......... At the core of every single business exists people.   People are so essential to the construct of every single element of a business.  In many cases, those who are employees or contractors are the face of your business.  I have a client at Iconic HR that I've been working with and for the past 6 years, they've done very well operating the business without HR.  They did so well, they ran it up to the tune of $100M in sales.  Here's the challenge....... If they're to continue to grow, they won't be able to grow to the next level without the assistance of Human Resources.  Why?  Because people are at the core of their business.  First, let me say this..... It's a miracle and an anomaly for most businesses to rise to such great heights without HR.  They're a unicorn in business, but nonetheless, their systems and processes have allowed them to create such a unique position for them.  In this episode, I'm breaking down the importance of how to assess the growth of your company.  I'm really focusing on business owners in this episode.   It requires you to take a unique approach to where you started.  The mistakes you've made.  Lessons you've learned.  I know most business owners do not want to look inward and admit defeat, but most people don't take the time to reflect.  If it's your intention to grow and scale your company, you've got to look at where you've been, where you are now, and where you want to go.  There are many different things to think about such as:  Your Onboarding processes Welcome letter  Policies and Procedures  And that's just the shortlist. This doesn't include training.   You want new employees to come in with a full understanding of how the company operates, their specific roles, and responsibilities, and why it's important to really nail this part of the process.  Many businesses are missing this at the very beginning of their hiring process.  FACT: Most businesses do not like recruiting....... FACT: This is also a good reason to hire an HR company, like Iconic HR.  If you're looking for a roadmap to why it's important to leverage HR to help your company grow and scale without complications, pull up a chair, bring your notepad, and get ready for a crash course that will end up saving you wasted time, countless headaches, and the crippling effects of poor execution.  The success of a company is all based on a few key elements.........you'll learn the most important ones to focus on starting TODAY!    How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 115 - Chris Gardner, Mindshift Financial, How the Private Family Banking System Makes You Wealthy Have you ever wondered where your desire for “more” comes from when you have what society considers “enough?”  Is it genetic?  Is it a motivation fueled by socioeconomic situations? Or is it simply learning how to pair hard work, diligence, and discipline into creating something bigger than yourself that will serve your family long after you’re gone?  We’re not talking about life insurance today.  We’re talking about pissing excellence and the power of creating a big secret most banks don’t want you to know…………The Private Family Financial System.  Chris Gardner is the Founder and CEO of Mindshift Financial helping educate families on understanding how to create generational wealth by leveraging their current income and creating a system where reliance on traditional banks becomes a thing of the past.  In today’s episode, Jeff and Chris discuss where the “wanting of more” originated citing the possibilities of genetics, hard work, and mindsets and habits learned in childhood. Chris shares how he played sports in school motivated by the desire to simply win.  Jeff and Chris highlight why financial literacy is not being taught in schools and what we can do to help educate our families moving forward. Chris shares how Mindshift Financial is helping business owners and entrepreneurs who feel they’re paying too much in taxes, as well as why it’s important to set up a Private Family Banking System.     What You'll Learn: The lessons Chris learned from losing while playing baseball, football, and basketball in school Theories as to where the drive for wanting more in life comes from citing possibilities being linked to DNA, work ethic taught and learned in childhood and mindset A simple overview of the Private Family Banking System and how it’s beneficial for you and your family starting today Why entrepreneurs and business owners are flocking to work with Mindshift Financial Chris’ biggest motivator today and where he invests his time when he’s not behind the desk  Failures of the education system and how Chris is turning that around for adults and children alike starting with financial literacy  Compound effects of never having to pay bank fees again Why being plugged into powerful networks of smarter, more intelligent, and dynamic people will show you what’s possible in terms of living a high-quality of life  How you don’t have to have thousands of dollars to start your own Private Family Banking System How to get out of debt in a 3rd of the time Chris’ big hairy audacious goal involving motors And much more!    FAVORITE QUOTE: “If you look at the Rockefellers, they still have a ton of money and they have 100+ millionaires in the family and so what they do is they continue on the legacy and that’s what we teach our clients how to do and it’s not as difficult as you think. It’s actually pretty simple. You just have to change your mindset and the process by which you do it.” Chris Gardner    Connect with Chris: Facebook Instagram Mindshift Financial    How To Get Involved: Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family’s farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn’t helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff’s early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out. In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further. If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.