What if we’re not under-informed… just over-stimulated?

In Episode #29, Frank Zaccari sits down with Kira Shishkin, founder of informed.now, to discuss how modern media shifted from informing to capturing attention.

With trust in mass media at historic lows, headlines are increasingly shaped by algorithms, engagement metrics, and advertiser pressure. Identical facts can be framed to trigger emotion, fear, outrage, urgency, subtly influencing how we think.

Kira’s response? A radical simplification.

informed.now delivers one brief daily SMS highlighting only the most consequential global developments, no clickbait, no commentary, no emotional manipulation. Just essential context so readers can make up their own minds.

As Kira says:

“We give you the power to make up your own mind.”

Having grown up in Ukraine, lived in Israel, and now residing in the U.S., Kira has witnessed firsthand how information shapes public understanding—and sometimes distorts it.

His mission is simple but bold:
Restore clarity. Restore independence. Restore trust.

In this episode, we explore:

• How algorithms shape perception
• Why trust in news is declining
• The impact of sensational framing
• How to reclaim clarity and independent thinking

This isn’t political. It’s about agency.

🔗 Connect with Kira Shishkin
Website: https://informed.now
Email: team@informed.now
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirashishkin

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:
Are you informed… or influenced?

#BounceBackPodcast #MediaLiteracy #CriticalThinking #Leadership #DecisionMaking #DigitalTransformation

What if you’ve built a life that looks successful… but feels empty on the inside?

In this episode, Frank Zaccari sits down with transformational mentor Cindy Van Eeckhout, founder of Alegria Coaching and creator of the Joy of Life Method, to unpack a question that can change everything:

Do you know your Zone of Genius, and are you living in it?

Cindy shares her journey from the corporate world in Belgium to building multiple businesses in the south of France, then facing the reinvention curveballs of COVID, burnout, and misaligned success. Together, Frank and Cindy explore how high achievers can look “fine” outwardly while feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and disconnected inwardly, and what to do about it.

You’ll learn:

• Why “slow down before you fall down” is more than a quote, it’s a strategy
• The 4 “Joy Blockers” that quietly drain high performers (mental overload, emotional suppression, physical depletion, and spiritual misalignment)
• The difference between happiness (external) and joy (internal and lasting)
• A simple exercise to identify your Zone of Genius (and what to delegate, automate, or dump)
• Cindy’s 5 pillars to turn success into true wealth: clarity, self-care/boundaries, prioritization, mindset, and purpose/impact

If you’re tired of hustle culture, done with “busy,” and ready for a life that feels as good as it looks, this one’s for you.

Connect with Cindy Van Eeckhout

• Website: alegria coaching .eu (Alegria Coaching “in one word” + .eu)
• LinkedIn: Cindy Van Eeckhout
• Also on: Instagram + Facebook (search her name)

#BounceBackPodcast #ZoneOfGenius #JoyOfLife #HighAchievers #Leadership #BurnoutRecovery #Mindset #SelfCare #Boundaries #PersonalGrowth #EntrepreneurLife #ExecutiveCoaching #WorkLifeAlignment #Clarity #PurposeDriven #EmotionalWellbeing #Resilience #Transformation #Coaching #FrankZaccari

What happens when you grow up in a small town, and one day you realize, “If I stay here… is this all there is?”

In Episode 27, Frank Zaccari sits down with Trisha Stetzel, Navy veteran, entrepreneur, coach, bestselling author, and powerhouse community leader, to answer the question so many people silently wrestle with: Can you actually build a bigger life from humble beginnings?

Trisha shares her “coconut shell” journey, from a tiny Texas town (no red light, a graduating class of 167) to becoming a Cryptologic Technician Maintenance (CTM) in the Navy, transitioning into corporate America (including IBM), and eventually making the leap into entrepreneurship, buying her first business in 2007 and building what would become a life of impact, leadership, and service.

Along the way, you’ll hear:

• Why the move from military structure to civilian life can feel disorienting (yes… even “what do I wear?” becomes a challenge)
• The aha moment that pushed her out of corporate and into ownership and freedom
• Why “I can do it myself” is a dangerous five-word trap, especially for veterans and high performers
• How coaching differs from consulting, and why the best breakthroughs happen “in the gap”
• The real power of listening (and what people often say without saying)
• Why visibility is not vanity, and how owning your story becomes a form of leadership
• How she’s helping change the narrative as Chairman of the Houston Regional Veterans Chamber of Commerce, lifting up successful veteran leaders and connecting them to corporate and government opportunities

You’ll also learn how Trisha became the host of the Houston Business Radio Show (including an incredible run of 96 shows in one year) and why her mission centers on creating ripple effects by “serving those who serve others.”

This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, service, and the truth that no matter where you start, you can get there from here.

Guest: Trisha Stetzel
Connect with Trisha:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trisha-stetzel/
• Email: Trisha@teamrxc.com

None of us are in this alone, and the secret to walking on water is knowing where the rocks are.

What do you do when you see someone hurting?

In this powerful episode, Frank Zaccari sits down with filmmaker and serial pro-social entrepreneur Peter Samuelson, a man who doesn’t just feel empathy… he builds solutions.

Peter shares how one act of kindness for a seriously ill child sparked the creation of Starlight Children’s Foundation, now supporting children and families across hundreds of hospitals. From there, his mission expanded to foster youth through First Star, helping students move from overwhelming odds to college-bound futures through housing, mentorship, life skills, and belonging.

This conversation goes beyond inspiration. It’s a call to action: stop walking past the need and start doing something, small, practical, repeatable, and human.

You’ll also hear why Peter believes storytelling moves hearts, why lasting happiness is rooted in service and contribution, and how he’s exploring a safety-first AI companion concept called Village Owl designed to support teens, especially those who are underserved.

Bottom line: kindness isn’t a personality trait. It’s a decision.

Connect with Peter Samuelson

• Website: samuelson.la
• Email: info@samuelson.la

Guest: Peter Samuelson (CEO, Filmco Media LLC • Producer/Executive Producer • Founder of multiple nonprofits)

#BounceBackInBusinessAndLife #FrankZaccari #PeterSamuelson #Leadership #Kindness #ServiceLeadership #PayItForward #RandomActsOfKindness #PurposeDriven #SocialImpact #NonprofitLeadership #Philanthropy #Community #Humanity #Storytelling #Mentorship #FosterYouth #ChildWelfare #GiveBack #MakeADifference #PositiveRelationships #Resilience #Podcast

Bounce Back in Business & Life — Episode 25

Why do so many of us stay stuck in toxic relationships, workplaces, and patterns—long after we know they’re costing us our peace and our health?

In Episode 25, Frank Zaccari sits down with Paul Newell, men’s wellness mentor, facilitator, and author of Heal Thy Man—a practical guide for men ready to move from survival mode into self-awareness, emotional regulation, and embodied leadership.

You’ll hear a real conversation about:

• The conditioning many men grow up with (“provider/protector… stay silent… keep the peace”)
• Why anger is often a cover for deeper emotions
• How burnout is “years of internal residue we were never taught to process”
• Practical tools to identify triggers, rewrite your story, and choose contentment over chasing “happiness”

Connect with Paul Newell:

• Website: healthymanMethod.com
• Instagram: @heal.thy.man method
• Facebook: Paul Randolph Newell
• Men’s circle (bi-weekly): The Arena — a hybrid connection circle + mastermind

#BounceBackInBusinessAndLife #Podcast #ToxicRelationships #ToxicWorkplace #MensMentalHealth #EmotionalRegulation #BurnoutRecovery #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #MindsetShift #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #Confidence #RelationshipsMatter #MensWork #MentalHealthMatters #FrankZaccari #PaulNewell #HealThyMan #TrustTheProcess

Are you not where you want to be? What’s holding you back, and are you a doer or just a talker?

In this episode, Frank Zaccari sits down with author and podcast host Candice Snyder (Passion, Purpose & Possibilities) for a real conversation about why actions prove who we are, and how to keep moving forward when life gets uncomfortable.

Candice shares her powerful journey from choosing a “safe” career path to being forced into reinvention after a devastating injury led to chronic pain and multiple surgeries. You’ll hear how she rebuilt her identity, found purpose through personal growth, and created a life rooted in passion, purpose, and possibility, even when the path wasn’t clear.

This episode also touches on the importance of mental health, suicide prevention, and the power of asking better questions, like, “How are you doing… really?”

If you’re navigating a career pivot, feeling stuck, battling self-doubt, or searching for a reason to get up and keep going, this conversation will meet you right where you are, and challenge you to take the next step.

Connect with Candice Snyder:

• Instagram: @PassionPurposePossibilities
• Also on LinkedIn and Facebook (search: Candice Snyder)

#BounceBack #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #MentalHealthMatters #SuicidePrevention #Resilience #PurposeDriven #TakeAction #ChronicPain #Confidence #ImposterSyndrome #GrowthMindset #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Podcast #WomenInBusiness

The world feels unstable, wars expand, economies tighten, division grows, and headlines are engineered to trigger fear faster than facts. But as Frank Zaccari reminds us in this episode: chaos doesn’t destroy real leaders… it reveals them.

In Episode 23, Frank sits down with retired Major General Robert Mixon, a lifelong leader who has had a front-row seat to national and global turbulence since 1973. Together, they unpack what leadership must look like now—when uncertainty is constant and the pressure is real.

General Mixon shares practical, battle-tested frameworks from both military and corporate leadership, including how to become the calm in the chaos through what he calls Adaptive Leadership, anchored in clarity, discipline, character, and relationships.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Why clarity beats speed when stakes are high (and how to communicate what you know vs. don’t know)
• How to avoid “paralysis by analysis” and find the decision point with incomplete information
• The leadership power of setting your azimuth (true north): mission, intent, values, and behaviors
• How to build a culture of commitment vs. compliance, and why celebrating small wins matters
• Why leaders must kill rumors fast, establish boundaries, and protect credibility
• The simple leadership command General Mixon would give every leader today: “Listen before you act.”

About the guest

Major General Robert Mixon (Ret.) is the author of The Power of Being All In: Why Today’s Transformative Times Demand Transformative Leaders and works with leaders through coaching and team development to create high-performance cultures grounded in trust, empowerment, and accountability.

Contact General Robert Mixon

• Email: robert@level5associates.com (spell out “five”)
• Website: level5associates.com (spell out “five”)
• Download Chapter 1 of The Power of Being All In for free
• Substack: robertmixon.substack (listed as “robertmixon”)

If you’re leading a team, a business, a family, or just trying to stay grounded in a noisy world, this episode will give you language, structure, and tools to lead with calm, clarity, and conviction.

Share it with a friend and subscribe so we can keep finding the “rocks” together, and bounce back better than ever.

#BounceBackPodcast #Leadership #AdaptiveLeadership #LeadingThroughChange #CrisisLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #HighPerformanceTeams #CultureOfCommitment #DecisionMaking #CommunicationSkills #ExecutiveLeadership #VeteranLeadership #OrganizationalCulture #Resilience #TrustTheProcess

This week on Bounce Back in Business & Life, I sit down with a man who didn’t just change careers, he changed battlefields.

From dual deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq…

To 23+ years in federal service…

To walking away from “safe” and stepping fully into entrepreneurship, media, and empire-building…

Dwight “Turbo” Dillard shares what it really takes to pivot from security to significance.

We talk about:

🔥 Leaving a stable government career to build legacy

🔥 The Six Pillars of Success: Motivation, Sacrifice, Consistency, Perseverance, Persistence & Resilience

🔥 Building The Final Boss Podcast to 350,000+ followers

🔥 Why “safe” can be the most dangerous place to live

🔥 His powerful new book: GOTIME: All Aboard the FIRED-UP TRAIN

Turbo’s story isn’t about hype.

It’s about systems. Discipline. Identity. Execution.

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

➡️ “Is this all there is?”

➡️ “What am I building?”

➡️ “Is it time to pivot?”

This episode is for you.

🎧 Listen.

#BounceBackPodcast #CareerPivot #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #VeteransInBusiness #MilitaryToEntrepreneur #Resilience #LegacyBuilding #PersonalGrowth #GOTIME #FinalBoss #PurposeDriven #ExecutiveLeadership #MindsetMatters