Are you a subject matter expert who struggles to manage people?

In this episode, Roger Jorns interviews David W. Carr, founder of Steward Your Business.

David specializes in helping professionals in technical fields—like architecture, engineering, and construction—transition from being "doers" to being effective leaders.

David discusses the danger of becoming the "frog in boiling water" by ignoring the rising pressure of business life. We explore the necessity of holistic health—physical, spiritual, and emotional—and how it directly impacts your bottom line.

David also shares how he balances his intense work with his passion for Star Wars through his side venture, Lightside Collectibles.

If you are looking to understand your leadership voice and build a healthier organization, this episode is for you.

Connect with David:

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

Lightside Collectibles: https://lightsidecollectibles.com/

Steward Your Business: https://stewardyourbusiness.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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup? https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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00:00 The Frog in Boiling Water: An Introduction

00:19 Meet the Hosts: Roger and David

01:27 David's Journey and Passion for Connecting People

02:10 The Birth of Steward Your Business

03:57 Star Wars and Lite Collectibles: A Passion Project

06:31 Balancing Work and Hobbies for a Healthier Life

10:11 Implementing Holistic Leadership in Business

14:02 Proactive Leadership Strategies

14:18 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

14:46 The Importance of Self-Leadership

15:13 Challenges in Engineering and Trust Building

16:40 Developing Competence in Teams

19:57 Recognizing and Valuing Team Diversity

23:01 Steps to Effective Leadership

25:35 Conclusion and Contact Information

If you aren't changing, you aren't growing—but why is leading change so difficult?

In this episode, Roger Jorns interviews Sarena Diamond of Diamond Solutions Group. Sarena is a fractional executive (not a coach) who helps leaders navigate chaos, acquisitions, and reorganizations.

Sarena challenges the traditional consulting model by arguing that leaders shouldn't create dependencies on experts; instead, they should build the capability to handle the next change themselves.

We discuss the "three steps" of successful change: building belief, enabling behaviors, and sustaining culture.

Plus, we talk about why posting your core values on a bathroom wall is a terrible way to build culture.

Connect with Sarena:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarena-diamond/ (The only one spelled S-A-R-E-N-A)
• Website: https://diamondsolutionsgroupllc.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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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Do you think branding is just a logo?

Does your business have a solid foundation or are you just "throwing spaghetti at the wall" with your marketing?

In this episode, Roger Jorns interviews Brand Strategist Emily Rosales about the vital difference between visual branding (logos) and foundational branding (values and story).

Emily opens up about her previous career in the mortgage industry, explaining how a misalignment in culture led her to pivot toward a career focused on impact and legacy. She breaks down her methodology for helping business owners who feel "invisible" gain the clarity needed to connect deeply with their audience.

If you are tired of "word vomiting" when people ask what you do, this episode offers a practical "pen to paper" exercise to help you refine your message today.

Connect with Emily:

• LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyyrosaless/
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/emilyyy2
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/_emily_rosales/
• Website: https://simplyme-coaching.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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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"At best, you have a 45% chance of winning [a dispute]. It's less than a coin flip."

Did you know that Stripe, Square, and PayPal can freeze your funds for up to 6 months with zero warning?

In this episode of Reanimated Stories, Roger sits down with Trey Rush of PayTech Plus to expose the dark side of "faceless" payment processors.

Trey explains why the algorithm is actually underwriting your business after you start processing transactions—like inviting everyone onto a cruise ship and then kicking half the passengers off once you're out to sea.

We dive deep into what actually makes a business "high risk" (it’s not just cannabis and gambling—furniture stores and marketing agencies are on the list too!).

Plus, see why winning a chargeback dispute is statistically less likely than a coin flip!

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Connect with Trey:

Learn your Risk: freemerchantscore.com

Connect with Trey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/treyrush/

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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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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00:00 Intro & The "Coin Flip" Hook

01:17 Payment Processing on "Easy Mode"

02:55 Faceless Processors vs. Agencies: What's the Difference?

04:53 The Problem with Stripe & Square ("PayFacs")

06:40 The "Cruise Ship" Analogy: When Algorithms Kick You Off

07:54 What Happens to Your Money? (The 6-Month Freeze)

09:37 What Actually Counts as a "High Risk" Industry?

11:54 Why Furniture Stores & Marketing Agencies are Now High Risk

14:19 How to Determine Your Risk Profile

16:38 Real Fraud (The Tire Shop Story)

19:33 Why You Need a Solid Refund Policy Strategy

21:18 The Chargeback Conflict of Interest (Why You Lose Disputes)

23:44 The Free Merchant Score Quiz

27:54 The Hidden Cost: How 3% Fees Eat 10% of Your Profit

29:40 The B2B Invoice Crisis: Why Half of Invoices are Past Due

"There is no blueprint to success on social... it truly is sort of a blank canvas place."

In this episode, Roger interviews Michael Beltran, founder of Flash Marketing. Michael opens up about his journey from a 23-year-old with a psychology degree to running a successful marketing agency with a team of five.

They discuss the critical difference between Organic Social (content creation) and Paid Social (lead generation), and why Michael believes you must touch the entire funnel to succeed.

You will also learn his unique philosophy on the "Football Team" approach to holistic marketing and why you should treat social media algorithms like a networking relationship rather than a machine.

If you are a young entrepreneur looking to take the leap, or a business owner trying to understand why your social media isn't converting, this episode is for you.

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Flash Marketing Website: https://flash-mktg.com/

Connect with Michael LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-beltran-b39b3b180/

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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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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Is it possible to be "human-first" when talking about Artificial Intelligence?

In this episode, Roger Jorns is joined by Rachael Garnett, founder of Eaas AI. Rachael shares her incredible personal journey of using AI art generation to recover from neurological memory loss caused by chronic Lyme disease .

We move from the personal to the practical, discussing how businesses are getting AI wrong by trying to do too much, too fast . Rachael breaks down her "Activation, Integration, and Mobilization" framework , explaining why you should ignore the hype telling you you’re "behind" and instead focus on small, specific pilot projects that actually solve problems .

If you are a leader feeling overwhelmed by technology, or someone interested in the intersection of creativity and healing, this story is for you.

In this episode, Roger Jorns interviews Mindy Honcoop, an HR strategist with over 25 years of experience ranging from Microsoft to startups. Mindy shares her unique journey from social work to corporate HR, revealing how the skills she learned working with juvenile offenders translate directly to modern Agile project management.

We discuss the critical difference between "transactional HR" (payroll and benefits) and "strategic HR" that aligns people with business goals.

Mindy also opens up about her personal leap of faith—putting on a "squirrel suit" to jump into the world of fractional advising—and the creation of the "Alt HR Hive," a community where leaders can be vulnerable and grow together.

If you are a business leader wondering why your team feels disconnected from your strategy, this episode offers a human-first roadmap to fix it.

Mindy Business Website: agileinhr.com

Mindy personal website: mindyhoncoop.com

Mindy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mindyhoncoop/

Join AltHR Hive here: bit.ly/joinAltHRHive

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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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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In this episode, Roger Jorns interviews Jaime Barraza, founder of Rogue 41. Jaime is a Fractional CTO who helps businesses that have outgrown their "DIY" phase but aren't ready for a full-time executive.

We discuss the critical difference between having "tech" and having "tech leadership." Jaime breaks down his approach to securing businesses by starting with a simple inventory of "stuff," and explains how to use the "Theory of Constraints" to find the actual bottleneck in your operations before you waste money on automation.

If you are tired of being the "Chief Googler" for your company's IT problems, this episode is for you.

Connect with Jaime: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimebarraza/

Rogue 41 website: https://rogue41.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.com/in/roger-jorns

Want a website checkup?

https://www.reanimationdesign.com/free-website-audit/

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