I am sure you have the expression: 'He had it all'....

Well, Dan Dowdy did have it all:

A successful family plumbing business, a dream home, and a comfortable life...

Then, he sold it all, moved his wife and four kids into a camper, and launched a coaching business for tradesmen in January 2020....yup, then the world shut down.

In this episode of Reanimated Stories, I chat with Dan to talk about why he built Built for the Trades.

We talk about why the blue-collar world desperately needs leadership coaching that focuses on more than just profit.

As well as discuss the trap of sacrificing your faith, family, and health to scale a business, and how to build a company that can actually run without you.

Dan also shares his personal testimony, explaining how a series of tragic losses led him to a radical faith in God, and how a John Maxwell audiobook on a morning run changed the entire trajectory of his career.

If you are a plumber, roofer, electrician, or any other small business owner who feels like you have hit a wall, this episode will show you how to beat the bottleneck and reclaim your time!

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Connect with Dan

Website: https://builtforthetrades.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuiltForTheTrades/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtforthetrades/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dan-dowdy-989b8111a

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@built4trades

X: https://x.com/Built4theTrades

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign

Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/

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00:00 Intro

00:34 Meet Dan Dowdy

01:17 Built For The Trades Origin

02:58 Launching During Covid

05:15 Why Trades Need Coaching

07:04 Leadership Lessons Learned

10:27 Faith Driven Mission

15:38 Programs And Community

19:53 Systems For Self Operating

23:42 Is Coaching Right Now

26:07 Who Fits The Trades

28:15 Where To Find Dan

29:11 Outro

When people hear "accessibility," they think disability ramps and screen readers.

Rebecca Prejean thinks bigger than that.

Roger and Rebecca sit down to talk about why most corporate training fails.

Rebecca had no lens for accessibility until her son was diagnosed with autism. Now, she runs EB Graphics and Consulting, helping companies fix their broken training, onboarding, and internal communication.

But the goal is always the same: make sure people can get the information, understand it, and act on it.

That's just good business.

Accessibility is not about shaming business owners or jumping into "cancel culture." It is about making sure your customers and employees can actually digest your information.

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Connect with Rebecca

Website: https://www.ebgc.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbprejean

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign

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00:00 Intro

00:40 Meet Rebecca In Austin

01:38 What She Does

02:29 Why Accessibility Matters

03:26 Inside Corporate Fixes

05:24 Beyond Disabilities

06:40 Overlays And Quick Fixes

08:31 Diagnosing The Real Problem

10:06 Building Empathy And Awareness

13:42 Personality Tests Limits

16:36 Humans Have Layers

17:41 Work Personas and Change

18:43 Employer Support and Boundaries

20:05 Accessibility Beyond Websites

21:15 Audit the Journey

23:30 Intentional Processes Not Tribal Knowledge

25:41 Accessibility as Smart Business

29:05 Fear of Getting It Wrong

29:53 How to Connect with Rebecca

31:17 Outro

"What AI has done is brought a salesman into the room."

People aren't Googling things the same way anymore.

They're asking AI. And if you're not showing up there, someone else is — even if they're less qualified than you.

Kevin Vaughan is an AI visibility specialist and the founder of KTV Digital. He helps small and medium-sized businesses get found in AI search and turn those educated, ready-to-buy visitors into actual customers.

In this episode of Reanimated Stories, I sit down with Kevin Vaughan from KTV Digital to break down the differences between SEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

We talk about how if you want your business to show up in those summarized answers, you have to stop writing for keywords and start writing to train the AI.

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Connect with Kevin

Website:

Website:https://ktvdigital.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/texaskevin/

Free SearchScore: https://searchscore.ktvdigital.com/

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign

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00:00 Intro

00:47 Meet The Hosts

00:53 How Roger Met Kevin

02:37 Kevin And KTV Digital

04:20 AEO Vs GEO Explained

06:33 AI Search Shoe Store

08:37 Visibility And Touchpoints

11:49 How AI Visibility Works

17:19 Common Mistakes And FOMO

22:14 Free AI Search Score Tool

23:52 Big Tools Vs Consultants

27:39 Where To Find Kevin

29:36 Outro

Most business owners don't need more tactics. They need someone to help them think.

Mike Nasche spent years jumping out of airplanes with the 82nd Airborne Division before getting his MBA and becoming a business coach.

Now, he helps small business owners make better decisions faster.

We sat down to talk about why so many entrepreneurs are "corporate escapees" and how military tactics (like standard operating procedures and "battle drills") apply directly to running a small business.

Mike explains why he skips the traditional suit-and-tie for a backwards hat and whiskey chats, proving that authenticity attracts the right clients.

And why waiting three years to get help is one of the biggest mistakes he sees business owners make.

If your business feels stuck at a level you cannot beat (Remember those video game boss's you couldn't get past?) Well ,Mike breaks down exactly how to overcome that plateau without signing up for endless coaching retainers.

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Connect with Michael

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelpnasche/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpnasche/

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

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00:00 Intro

00:18 Meet Mike Nash

01:25 Coaching Entrepreneurs With ADHD

03:11 Corporate Escapee Mindset

04:30 Meetings and Military Lessons

06:21 MBA and Coaching Origins

09:18 Coach First Consultant Second

11:37 Blue Collar MBA Vibe

12:49 Whiskey Chats and Networking

15:17 Authenticity and Personal Branding

17:14 Style as Conversation Starter

17:58 Fun Socks Banter

18:23 Decision Clarity Framework

20:01 Values Versus Profit Calls

21:28 Coach As Thinking Partner

24:13 Military Lessons For Business

28:50 When To Hire A Coach

33:36 Ego And Outsourcing

34:51 Where To Find Michael

35:35 Outro

Do your Monday morning meetings end with everyone nodding in agreement, only to go back to their desks and work entirely in silos?

If so...you're not alone.

This week I sat down with Amy, a corporate escapee turned leadership coach, to figure out why a group of superstars rarely acts like a superstar team.

Amy explains how she uses a scientific assessment to find out if your team actually collaborates or just passes the buck.

But here is the cool thing it is not just 'another boring assessment' Amy shares her unique "arts-based learning" method, proving that you do not need to be a painter to think creatively.

We talk about the 1980s Olympic basketball team, why left-brained thinkers need art the most, and why AI will never replace human trust.

If your executive team feels disconnected, this episode will show you how to start passing the ball to the right person.

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Connect with Amy Swotinsky

Website: http://amyswotinsky.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyswotinsky/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyswotinsky/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amy_swotinsky

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

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00:00 Intro

00:23 Meet the Host and Guest

01:35 Why Leaders Dont Team

03:41 Assessment Based Diagnosis

04:58 Corporate Escapee Origin

05:51 Basketball Teamwork Lesson

10:11 Fixing Meetings With Quick Wins

13:03 Arts Based Learning Method

14:43 Science Behind Creativity

19:05 Measuring Progress and Results

20:52 Try the Assessment Offer

22:07 Where to Find Amy

23:24 AI and Future Leadership Skills

24:46 Outro

"I have startup companies that come to me saying, 'I need a website!' I ask them how many times they've sold their product yet... If you don't know your sales conversation, no one else is going to know what you sell."

In this episode of Reanimated Stories, I sit down with Jessica Gruber, founder of the Buzzworks web design agency and COO of Success Champions Networking.

Jessica brings over a decade of experience to the table, sharing why your website should be your best salesperson.

And how to make sure it is actually doing its job.

We dive into the concept of building "Super, Sticky, Sweet" websites.

Jessica explains why you need to attract the right leads, keep them engaged with interactive content, and, most importantly, give them a clear call to action.

We also discuss how networking in the real world directly impacts your digital authority and SEO.

In addition find out how surrounding yourself with ideal clients in real life mirrors the process of building digital authority with backlinks and content.

And find out why Jessica thinks AI isn't replacing web designers anytime soon, but how you can use it to analyze your Google Analytics data.

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Connect with Jessica Gruber

Website: https://buzzwks.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JessGruber

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-gruber/

Success Champions Networking: https://successchampionnetworking.com/

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

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00:00 Intro

00:37 Meet Jessica Gruber

01:10 Buzzworks Origin Story

03:04 Bee Rescue Tangent

06:32 Sales Talk Into Websites

08:21 Discovery Session First

09:47 Ideal Clients and Startups

11:09 Super Sticky Sweet Framework

12:55 Networking Builds Authority

16:37 Lead Magnets That Convert

20:36 Define Your Ideal Client

22:30 Where to Find Jessica

23:47 Favorite Project and AI

26:00 Outro

What if you had permission to NOT go to a meeting...?

Well, if you don't have a plan, you can!

This week I chatted with Alberto to talk about why work feels like a mess of pointless emails and long meetings.

Cool thing is he spent years as an anthropologist looking at how groups talk to each other. He says the problem is that we treat "culture" and "communication" as soft feelings instead of actual systems.

Alberto shares a rule he uses with his clients: if you cannot name the exact thing you need to walk away with, you cannot call a meeting.

Period.

If you get an invite that doesn't list a goal, you can stay at your desk.

We talk about how surgeons and pilots use checklists to stay alive, and how those same lists can save your business day.

We also talk about why most teams have no clue what they are supposed to finish each week and how a virtual assistant can help you focus on the work that actually pays the bills.

If you feel like your day is just busy work, listen to this talk.

00:00 – Intro

01:50 – Alberto’s start as a cultural anthropologist in Mexico City

03:00 – Why "soft skills" is a label that needs to go

04:30 – Lessons from a telecom joint venture in the 90s

12:15 – Why a meeting is just a production line

15:40 – The data on why teams do not know their weekly goals

19:50 – Why leaders resist the rules they make for everyone else

24:10 – The Checklist Manifesto: How lists save lives in surgery

30:15 – Swapping your to-do list for a "to-accomplish" list

32:45 – Working with virtual assistants in your own time zone

35:50 – Outro

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Connect with

Website: https://inzync.com/ https://houstondisrupt.org/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alberto-garcia-jurado-us

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

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If you were ever wondering what the focus of your podcast should be, this episode is for you!

I recently chatted with Greg Wasserman, the man in charge of relationships at RSS.com.

Greg spent years in media sales fighting giants like Google before moving into the audio world.

He believes life boils down to two things: time and people.

If you start a podcast just to watch a download counter, you might (and probably will) quit.

But don't worry Greg breaks down and explains why the long game wins.

His philosophy instead?

Treat your podcast as an engine to build trust.

It turns cold outreach into ninety-minute talks.

This shift changes a transaction into a partnership.

And you get to meet some awesome people!

So if you have been thinking of starting a podcast, remember this:

It's about relationships!

So if you are ready to build a podcast (or business) that lasts, you need to invest in relationships!

Check out today's podcast and connect with Greg!

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Connect with Greg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman/

RSS.com: https://rss.com/?via=9f060f

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About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design.

Connect with Roger:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns

Website: reanimationdesign.com

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00:00 Intro

01:03 Guest Introduction: Meet Greg

01:30 Greg's Journey into Podcasting

02:29 The Power of Relationships in Business

07:07 Using Podcasting as a Relationship Tool

11:41 Consistency and Strategy in Podcasting

17:05 Practical Tips for Podcasting Success

23:29 The Importance of Systems and Processes

30:08 Connect with Greg

32:22 Outro