Better Together

Jeff Burningham sold his first tech company at 26. Ran for governor. Built and exited multiple businesses. And then hit a wall that no amount of external success could fix.In this episode of Better Together, Jeff gets honest about what happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted - and realize it wasn't the point. He shares his journey through what he calls the dark night of the soul, how he rebuilt from the inside out, and why he believes AI is less a threat to humanity and more a cosmic mirror reflecting exactly who we are.His book - The Last Book Written by a Human - explores what it means to stay human in a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence. And the conversation goes deep on letting go of outcomes, building character through small daily habits, and why true fulfillment has nothing to do with what you accomplish on paper.For entrepreneurs chasing the next exit, leaders navigating uncertainty, or anyone questioning whether the life they're building is actually the one they want - this episode will stop you in your tracks.Watch the full episode and share your biggest takeaway in the comments below.🔗 Connect with Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-burningham-15a01a7b/Better Together is the 2026 Best Podcast in Maryland winner, hosted by Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold, co-owners of GoldBear Media. Each episode is a real, unscripted conversation with a founder or entrepreneur about the business they've built - the wins, the failures, and everything they learned along the way.Better Together is brought to you by GoldBear Media - helping business owners turn scattered marketing into a real, connected strategy. Learn more at goldbear.media.#BetterTogetherPodcast #AI #Entrepreneurship #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #JeffBurningham #HumanPotential #GoldBearMedia #MindsetShift

Most small businesses don't need a full-time COO. They need the right person, at the right time, for exactly as long as it takes to fix what's broken and build what's missing.That's exactly what Fred Garlington does.In this episode of Better Together, Fred - fractional COO and founder of Zero Point Creations - breaks down what fractional leadership actually looks like in practice, how he builds trust quickly inside new organizations, and why the most common blind spot in growing companies isn't strategy or sales.It's confusing revenue for profit.He's helped companies scale from 8M to 25M - and what he's found consistently is that growth without discipline is just expensive chaos. Saying no to the wrong opportunities, refusing to chase bad money with good, and building operational clarity that lets a founder finally step back - that's the real work.Oh - and he also shares how running a band taught him more about operations than he expected. 🔗 Connect with Fred: Fred Garlington | LinkedInBetter Together is the 2026 Best Podcast in Maryland winner, hosted by Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold, co-owners of GoldBear Media. Each episode is a real, unscripted conversation with a founder or entrepreneur about the business they've built - the wins, the failures, and everything they learned along the way.Better Together is brought to you by GoldBear Media - helping business owners turn scattered marketing into a real, connected strategy. Learn more at goldbear.media.#BetterTogetherPodcast #FractionalCOO #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Operations #GoldBearMedia #FredGarlington

Chris Papin is both a CPA and a licensed attorney - and he built that dual expertise specifically to serve small business owners who need someone who can see the full picture, not just one side of it. In this episode, he breaks down what it actually means to behave like a business owner, why resilience is built through hard seasons, not around them, and why everything you need to succeed is already known - if you're willing to be intentional about it. Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispapin/Better Together is the 2026 Best Podcast in Maryland winner, hosted by Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold, co-owners of GoldBear Media. Each episode is a real, unscripted conversation with a founder or entrepreneur about the business they've built - the wins, the failures, and everything they learned along the way.Better Together is brought to you by GoldBear Media - helping business owners turn scattered marketing into a real, connected strategy. Learn more at goldbear.media.#BetterTogetherPodcast #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #CPA #Resilience #BusinessPlanning #GoldBearMedia #ChrisPapen

David McKee got laid off and instead of letting it break him, he let it build him. In this episode he shares the mindset tools, neuroscience-backed routines, and resilience strategies that took him from that moment to building a thriving coaching practice helping entrepreneurs do the same.🔗 Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mckee-a9966514/Better Together is the 2026 Best Podcast in Maryland winner, hosted by Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold, co-owners of GoldBear Media. Each episode is a real, unscripted conversation with a founder or entrepreneur about the business they've built the wins, the failures, and everything they learned along the way.Better Together is brought to you by GoldBear Media, helping business owners turn scattered marketing into a real, connected strategy. Learn more at goldbear.media.#BetterTogetherPodcast #Mindset #Resilience #Entrepreneurship #MentalHealth #ControlTheControllables #GoldBearMedia #DavidMcKee

Most people spend a career building expertise. Very few spend 42 years doing it accumulating over 32,000 hours of client work and coming out the other side with something most consultants never develop.A genuine understanding of why people resist change and what actually moves them.In this episode of Better Together, John Deel shares his journey through IT and organizational change management, the lessons that only come from decades in the field, and why the human side of change is always the hardest part to get right.John breaks down why most change initiatives fail not because of bad strategy or wrong technology, but because the people leading them underestimate how deeply human behavior shapes every outcome. Fear, identity, habit these aren't soft issues. They're the actual work.He also gets into building a personal brand in the digital age, why your LinkedIn profile matters more than most professionals treat it, and how to share your story in a way that builds real credibility and impact.And for anyone navigating the balance between professional ambition and personal life John's perspective on finding that equilibrium after decades of hard work is both honest and grounding.For leaders driving change, professionals building their presence, or anyone who wants to understand why people do what they do inside organizations this episode is worth your time.Watch the full episode and share your biggest takeaway in the comments below.https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndeel/ Want to build a personal brand or business presence that actually reflects your expertise? Connect with GoldBear Media, we help leaders show up with clarity, strategy, and content that converts.📩 DM us or visit our website to start the conversation.