Ever wonder if someone's being charming or manipulating you? Tangled shows us the difference. Mother Gothel kept Rapunzel locked away using fake love and manufactured urgency, while Flynn learned that real influence comes from genuine connection. That's exactly what Josh Emfield discovered as a military interrogator: manipulation breaks trust, but influence builds it.

🎯 3 Actionable Takeaways

1. Slow Down Decisions – When pressured to sign or commit, say "I've made myself a promise not to sign anything right away." Why it works: It removes urgency and puts the power back in your hands.
2. Replace "Yes, But" with "Yes, And" – Stop negating what others say. Why it works: "Yes, but" kills relationships; "yes, and" builds them through validation.
3. Listen to Understand, Not Respond – Let others talk, ask what they're looking for, then confirm you heard them. Why it works: People feel heard, and you learn what they actually need.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Josh Emfield, a military interrogator and real estate broker, joins Ryan to talk about the fine line between manipulation and influence. His journey mirrors the contrast in Tangled: military training → learning interrogation psychology → realizing manipulation in wrong hands is dangerous → using influence ethically in real estate and relationships.

Using Tangled as our lens, we explore how Mother Gothel uses manipulation tactics—manufactured urgency, isolation, gaslighting—while Flynn's transformation shows how genuine influence works. Similarly, Josh's expertise helps us identify red flags and build authentic connections instead.

Key Topics Discussed

• The psychology behind manipulation vs. influence and how to spot the difference
• Body language secrets from a military interrogator (80% of communication is nonverbal)
• Why Mother Gothel and Lady Tremaine are master manipulators
• How to recognize when someone is using urgency to control you

What You'll Learn

• How to identify manipulation tactics before you fall victim to them
• The specific body language cues that reveal someone isn't being truthful
• Why understanding people's motivators is the key to better relationships
• How to slow down high-pressure situations and reclaim your power

About Josh Emfield

Josh Emfield is a military interrogator, cryptolinguist, and real estate broker who specializes in understanding human behavior and communication. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, Josh combines his expertise in psychology, body language, and influence to help people navigate complex relationships and business transactions. He teaches body language courses and applies interrogation techniques ethically to build genuine connections. Josh lives in Utah with his wife and three sons, all of whom are learning Portuguese through an immersion program.

About Yes And Land

Yes And Land explores the leadership lessons, relationship dynamics, and hard choices hidden in the stories we love. Hosted by Ryan Gregerson, a family law attorney at RCG Law Group, Disney enthusiast, and business coach for law firm owners at Altium Advisors, each episode connects familiar narratives to real-world wisdom you can actually use.

New episodes every Thursday.

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• 🎥 Watch on YouTube: Yes And Land with Ryan Gregerson
• 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform
• 💬 Join the conversation: #YesAndLand #DisneyAdults #DisneyPodcast

Mulan didn't quit when the army sent her home. She came back anyway — and saved all of China. What if that kind of grit is less about toughness, and more about knowing why you won't stop?

In this episode, Jacob Davis — tech entrepreneur, startup veteran, and CEO of WellTrio — joins Ryan Gregerson to talk about what success through not quitting actually looks like. His journey mirrors Mulan's: never quite fitting the expected mold, facing real adversity, and discovering that the refusal to quit — aimed in the right direction — is what separates people who find their purpose from those who don't.

🎯 3 ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS

1. Reframe the Obstacle — Ask "how do I get around it?" not "how do I bash through it?" The obstacle usually isn't the real problem.
2. Point Your Compass at Magnetic North — Define what you actually want, then check whether your actions are aligned. Stress is what happens when your values and actions stop aligning.
3. Talk About Your Problem — No one of us is as smart as all of us. In Mulan, the avalanche only happens because Shang listens. Your answer might come from someone you'd never expect.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• When to push through versus when you're just on the wrong bus
• Why being different isn't a limitation — it's a superpower
• How Mulan's story is a blueprint for anyone who has never quite fit the expected mold

ABOUT JACOB DAVIS Jacob is CEO of WellTrio, a healthcare cost solution that has helped businesses cut costs by up to 68%. He was previously part of the team behind ERC Specialists, which scaled from idea to $1.6B in revenue in two years.

Connect with Jacob: 📱 TikTok: 📸 Instagram: 🌐 Website: 💼 LinkedIn:

ABOUT YES AND LAND Yes And Land explores the leadership lessons and hard choices hidden in the stories we love. Hosted by Ryan Gregerson — family law attorney at RCG Law Group, Disney enthusiast, and business coach at Altium Advisors. New episodes every Thursday.

#YesAndLand #DisneyAdults #DisneyPodcast #Mulan #NeverQuit #Grit #Entrepreneurship #PurposeDriven #HealthcareInnovation #WellTrio #Resilience #90sDisney #DisneyAnalysis

👉 Subscribe to Yes And Land with Ryan Gregerson on YouTube 👉 Listen on all podcast platforms 👉 Like, comment, and share with someone who has never quite fit the mold — but kept going anyway

What if the path to harmony requires breaking first? Brave isn't just about a rebellious princess, it's about what happens when perfectionism, expectations, and fractured relationships force you to explore a new path.

3 ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS:

1. The Gratitude List - Write down 20 specific things you're grateful for TODAY. Not general things. Be specific. Why it works: If you weren't grateful for it, would you want God to take it away? That question makes the list get real long, real fast.
2. Lead with Humility - Be open to being wrong. Listen to understand, not to respond.
3. Lead with Curiosity - In your next conversation, ask 3 more questions before sharing your perspective.

Try one this week and comment which you're starting with!

In this episode, Ryan Brown, founder of Ideal Practice and Reprieve Women's Recovery Center, shares his journey from high-functioning alcoholic to creating a sanctuary for women in addiction recovery. Using Brave as our lens, we explore what it means to break free from perfectionism, face your authentic self, and rebuild relationships that seemed too fractured to heal. Ryan's story includes:

    - Breaking his back in 2007 and the Oxycontin prescription that started everything

    - Years of hiding alcohol addiction while running a successful business

    - A heart attack in Central Park at age 38 (leather-bound in an ambulance)

    - The DUI that forced him to confront reality

    - Entering rehab in 2021 after a moment of complete emptiness

    - How God directed him to buy a house in the mountains

    - The miraculous pivot to creating an all-women's recovery center

Whether you're navigating addiction, rebuilding after hitting rock bottom, exploring a major life change, or trying to repair a fractured relationship, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom about humility, harmony, and hope.

ABOUT RYAN BROWN: Ryan Brown is the founder of Ideal Practice, a credentialing and contracting company serving medical providers across all 50 states. In 2023, after his own journey through addiction and recovery, he co-founded Reprieve Women's Recovery Center in Mountain Green, Utah—a residential treatment facility specifically designed for women seeking healing and long-term growth. Over 150 women have graduated from Reprieve's program in its first two years.

Connect with Ryan:

    🔗 LinkedIn: [link]

    🗄Ideal Practice: [link]

    🏡Reprieve Women's Recovery Center: [link]

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    📚 "Rising Strong" by Brené Brown

    🎬 Brave (2012)

💬 Continue the conversation:

• Have you made your gratitude list of 20? Share one thing from it below.
• What's a conversation where you could lead with curiosity this week?
• Have you experienced a "wisp moment" where something bigger guided you?

👉 Subscribe to Yes And Land with Ryan Gregerson on YouTube for thoughtful conversations about growth, resilience, and what comes next.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Yes And Land on all podcast platforms and share it with someone who believes connection still matters.

#Brave #AddictionRecovery #DisneyAnalysis #WomensRecovery #FindingHarmony #Sobriety #MentalHealthRecovery #LeadershipLessons #YesAndLand #DisneyForAdults #RecoveryStory #Gratitude