In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss Michael's recent trip to Italy, focusing on the planning process and experiences during the journey. Michael explains how the trip was planned about a year in advance after friends recommended a Culture Discovery vacation package to the Amalfi Coast, which he and his wife Lori booked along with another couple from Scottsdale and friends from San Diego. He details the extensive logistics involved, including managing client schedules, pet care, and medical arrangements for his wife, emphasizing the importance of planning buffer time around vacations. Michael shares highlights from the trip, particularly praising the natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast and the authentic cultural immersion experience, including learning Italian phrases and staying in a villa with a local Italian family. He emphasizes the importance of understanding travel companions' energy levels and preferences, noting that international travel experiences tend to be among his favorite trips. Michael concludes by sharing his wife's wisdom about not postponing travel experiences, suggesting that with the means available, they should pursue international trips more frequently while they can.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features a book club episode discussing "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara. Kathryn and Michael explore key takeaways from the book, including creating memorable experiences through personalized gestures, the importance of serving both customers and team members with excellence, and the value of asking thoughtful questions to understand client needs. The hosts apply these concepts to the real estate and housing industries, suggesting ways to enhance hospitality in business interactions, though the takeaways and applications of the book are absolutely relevant to any entrepreneur. Michael and Kathryn emphasize the book's focus on leadership and management, particularly the need to invest in team culture to deliver exceptional customer experiences. The discussion highlights how seemingly small, thoughtful actions can significantly impact client perceptions and business relationships.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the role of a trainer in leadership, expanding on a previous podcast episode about the four roles of leaders. They explore the mindset, skill set, and tool set needed for effective training, emphasizing the importance of designing systems and frameworks, using visual aids like PowerPoint and Excel, and adapting to online training platforms. Kathryn shared examples from her teaching experience, including the use of interactive activities and chat functions to enhance learning. The conversation highlights the need for trainers to be comfortable learning new teaching methods, using appropriate tools, and seeking feedback to continuously improve their effectiveness.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

In today's episode, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss the importance of changing one's mind in response to innovation and personal growth. They explore how innovation, whether driven by technology or process improvements, often forces individuals to reassess their approaches in business and personal relationships. The hosts share examples of how they've adapted to changes over the years, including embracing online loan applications, shifting hiring philosophies toward attitude over experience, and adopting more authentic business and personal styles. They also discuss the impact of social media on business relationships and the evolving perspective on health as a lifestyle rather than just a means to an end. The conversation concludes with an example of making small environmental changes to reduce frustration, encouraging listeners to consider what minor adjustments they could make to improve their situations.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features Michael Regan, Kathryn Pedersen, and Greg Harkavy discussing the Building Champions Experience (BCE), an immersive coaching event returning in September 2026 after a seven-year hiatus. Greg, an original coach and co-owner, explained that BCE was created in 2008 as a structured experience focused on three elements: reflect, connect, and plan, designed to help professionals slow down and think deeply about their lives and leadership. Michael and Kathryn share their personal experiences from previous BCE events, describing how the beautiful Sunriver location created the perfect atmosphere for reflection and planning. Greg highlights that the event attracts diverse thought leaders from various industries and offers new frameworks around self-leadership, team effectiveness, and organizational impact, with breakouts allowing participants to choose specific focus areas. The discussion emphasizes how BCE provides an opportunity for participants to recast their visions and plans based on life's changing seasons, offering a strategic break from routine that can help prevent the "drift" in personal and professional development.

For more information or to sign up for the Building Champions Experience:
https://www.buildingchampions.com/bce

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss the distinction between membership and sponsorship in leadership development, based on a HousingWire session Kathryn attended. They define mentorship as providing guidance and advice through a formal or informal relationship, while sponsorship involves actively advocating for someone's advancement or opportunities, particularly in decision-making settings where the sponsor is not present. Kathryn explains that while mentorship is commonly discussed, sponsorship offers a more impactful way for women to support each other in leadership roles. She provides practical examples of sponsorship in the mortgage industry context, including referring clients to specialists and advocating for team members to take on projects. The conversation emphasizes that effective sponsorship requires building trust and being willing to put one's reputation on the line, while also encouraging listeners to proactively create advocates for themselves by understanding their unique value proposition and seeking feedback from respected colleagues.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

In today's episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the newly coined term "otrovert," introduced by psychiatrist Dr. Rami Kaminski, which describes individuals who are independent thinkers and excel at one-on-one connections but feel disconnected from groups and resist groupthink. They explore how otroverts differ from introverts and extroverts, noting that while introverts gain energy from alone time and extroverts from group settings, otroverts are defined by their lack of need to belong to groups rather than by how they're drained or energized by people. The conversation also connects these personality types to the DISC assessment, with otroverts potentially aligning with high S (people-oriented but one-on-one focused) and high C (task-focused and preferring alone time) styles, while ambiverts might correspond to high D (able to toggle between tasks and people). Michael and Kathryn provide practical advice for managing and working with otroverts, emphasizing the importance of recognizing their unique contributions as independent thinkers and allowing them space to avoid group activities while still feeling valued as part of the team.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss their reflections on the HousingWire Gathering in Austin, Texas. They highlight key takeaways from various speakers, including Jason Mitchell from the top independent real estate group, who emphasized the importance of bringing value to agents to retain talent. Kathryn and Michael also discuss insights from Scott Turner, Secretary of HUD, who addressed regulatory costs impacting home purchases, and Ron Leonard, CEO of CCM, who stressed the strategic importance of managing a balance sheet. They note the industry's aging agent demographic, with 71% of agents selling zero homes last year, and discuss how AI and technology are creating efficiencies rather than replacing human roles. The event's focus on networking and relationship-building was praised, with the next gathering scheduled for April in Frisco, Texas.

Building Bigger Lives Podcast

https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives

Contact Coach Michael Regan-

www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan

www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/

www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/

Contact Kathryn Pedersen-

http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage