This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features a conversation between Michael, Kathryn, and guest Darren McGraw about leadership, followership, and professional growth. Darren shares his career journey, starting with a formative 10-year experience at Safeco Insurance where he credited a strong culture of professional development for his success. He discusses his 25 years as an entrepreneur and business owner, and the recent transition of selling his company, which shifted his role from a decision-maker to a follower of someone else's strategy. Darren distinguishes between being "compliant" and being an "active follower," describing the latter as a conscious decision to align with and contribute to a larger goal. He emphasizes that the skills developed as a follower serve as a prerequisite for effective leadership. The group also discusses the importance of a growth mindset, the value of self-reflection, and the role of life planning in balancing professional and personal purpose.

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This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast focuses on the functional process of a life plan and how its "accounts" work. Michael and Kathryn describe accounts as important areas of life, such as spouse, children, health, finances, and friends, using a banking metaphor where one makes deposits and withdrawals of value. They walk through the components of each account: purpose (the "why"), envisioned future (short-term and long-term), an inspiring quote, current reality (the starting balance), and specific commitments. Michael emphasizes that current reality should be an honest assessment, while commitments bridge the gap between current reality and the envisioned future. They discuss the importance of frequent review, especially for early life planners, and the practice of putting commitments on a calendar to ensure follow-through. Kathryn shares examples of health and relationship commitments, and Michael highlights the value of "scorecarding" results over time. The conversation concludes with encouragement to revisit old life plans to recognize growth and to think bigger when drafting new ones.

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This episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast features Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen welcoming executive coach Steph Saffer as their guest. Steph shares her unique background transitioning from being a licensed acupuncturist for 16 years to becoming an executive coach, drawing from her experience treating 40,000 patients who were high-performing leaders dealing with burnout and workplace challenges. She discusses key leadership lessons learned from her clinical practice, particularly how people's perspectives significantly impact their outcomes and the importance of taking responsibility for the energy they bring into situations. The conversation explores how Steph helps high-performing leaders close the gap between their external facade and internal authentic self, emphasizing that people rise to their highest beliefs about themselves and the value of getting feedback from trusted others to identify blind spots. Steph shares personal examples including her own journey of coming out as gay at age 30 and how coaching helped her understand the power of radical ownership in taking responsibility for all aspects of life.

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Michael and Kathryn discuss the current real estate market, emphasizing that despite negative headlines, it is actually a buyer's market with opportunities for savvy buyers. They highlight data showing an increase in price cuts, with 20.8% of listings having reduced prices in September, indicating a shift in seller psychology. Kathryn explains that sellers are more open to negotiations due to market fears and seasonal slowdowns, creating leverage for buyers. They advise buyers to consider strategies like lower offers, seller concessions, and inspection negotiations rather than fixating solely on interest rates. The conversation stresses the importance of agents and lenders working together to educate clients with clear, data-backed examples to counter fear-driven narratives. They warn against the cost of waiting, noting that market conditions can change quickly, and encourage buyers to be prepared to act on opportunities. The overall message is to seize the current market window, as it presents a rare chance for buyers to secure better deals.

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In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen interview Marcie Hines, a mortgage professional and founder of the nonprofit Caleb's Cause. Marcie shares her journey in the mortgage industry, starting in 2001 and evolving from working IN the business to working ON the business with the help of coaching and new networks. She discusses her passion for helping others, which was partly innate and partly inspired by her own experiences and the pain of missed opportunities. Marcie details the origins and evolution of Caleb's Cause, which began as a way to help children and pivoted to addressing the critical need for diapers, eventually shifting to a grant model to empower local organizations. She also speaks about her current focus on coaching and supporting other business owners and nonprofits, aiming to help them access resources and improve their infrastructure. The conversation concludes with Marcie envisioning the future growth and impact of Caleb's Cause over the next decade.

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Michael and Kathryn conduct a podcast recording from the Building Champions Experience in Sun River, Oregon, after an almost decade-long break. They provide a recap of the week's events and key takeaways. Michael explains how the retreat serves as a "Ctrl-Alt-Delete" hard reset for high-performance professionals, offering a peaceful environment disconnected from urban distractions that allows participants to reflect and plan differently. Kathryn shares her experience revisiting her life plan, discovering she had missing social accounts and realizing she needed to focus more on growth rather than just maintenance in relationships. Michael discusses the powerful tape exercise where participants project their remaining life span, emphasizing the importance of creating urgency around their life planning without being negative, but rather to inspire action on their deepest priorities. Both participants reflect on how the diverse mix of industries and leadership levels at the event provides unique perspectives and learning opportunities, particularly highlighting how their mortgage industry's focus on business planning is unique compared to other sectors. The podcast concludes with both expressing excitement about applying their insights, with Kathryn planning to integrate life plan elements into her business planning and Michael looking forward to supporting clients through similar transformative processes.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

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Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss the experience of sending Kathryn's youngest daughter Abby off to college, exploring the emotional and practical aspects of this transition. Kathryn shares how they prepared for the move, including dividing responsibilities with her husband Todd and ensuring Abby was comfortable with using Marco Polo for staying connected. They discuss how this experience differs from previous generations, with Kathryn noting that while it can feel overwhelming, it's not as lonely as anticipated. Kathryn outlines plans to build new habits to stay busy during this adjustment period, including adding small daily habits that take less than two minutes each. The conversation includes advice for other parents going through similar transitions, emphasizing the importance of planning activities and maintaining connections as they discover new interests and experiences with their spouse.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

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Contact Coach Michael Regan-

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In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen welcome guest Jacob Washburn to discuss his experiences in the mortgage industry, leadership, and personal growth. Jacob shares his journey into mortgage lending, his long tenure at Cornerstone, and the importance of focusing on process over outcome to avoid burnout. He explains how his faith and personal values help him maintain perspective and resilience, especially during challenging times. Jacob also recounts his family's five-month trip around the world, highlighting the lessons learned, the impact on his family and team, and the value of pursuing beauty in both personal and professional life. The conversation touches on recognizing burnout in others, the importance of open communication, and how Jacob's leadership style has evolved through these experiences. The episode concludes with reflections on the beauty of life experiences and the potential for future discussions with Jacob's wife, Jules.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

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Contact Coach Michael Regan-

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Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

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