Sitting In Podcast | Ep. 026 - Luke Detraz | Luke Detraz is a pastor at Oasis Community Church in Arizona, a husband, a father, and an author. His book, The War for Men, details personal stories, practical advice, and encouragement to slow down and resolve the war inside.

In today's episode, you can expect to learn:

- Why the restaurant industry and ministry are more similar than you'd expect

- Luke's take on why young men are struggling so badly today and a few ways to start fixing it

- Why people are like filing cabinets

- What makes "humility" like a dam

and much more!

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00:00 Intro - Luke Detraz

00:20 How Different is the restaurant industry than pastoral ministry?

02:30 Bartending vs Pastoring a Church

04:13 Why are young men struggling so badly today?

07:37 You can't tame a man, only break him

10:23 People are like hard drives (or filing cabinets)

12:26 Why is porn like drinking saltwater?

15:04 The modern world gets the male/female relationship wrong

20:30 Being a Creator, not a Consumer

22:22 Be the light of the world

24:51 Downfall doesn't arrive with a bang

27:56 You have a purpose and a role (and it's specific!)

29:42 Advice to better hear the Holy Spirit in your life

33:44 Obedience is super unpopular... why?

36:44 Humility is like a dam

38:03 The Worst Year of Luke's Life

45:23 Reflecting on The Worst Year of your Life (Weak Foundations)

48:50 No wasted seasons

52:04 Society's version of a 'real man'

53:50 The sneaky way(s) men get tricked into thinking they're a real man

55:43 Isolation vs Solitude

01:01:17 Dedicating Time to 'Not Me'

01:06:29 What would Luke beg a young person to do differently if they were about to live a life very similar to his?

David Nichols is a Christian, a husband, and the owner (with his wife) of CrossFit Flower Mound. He's ran the gym since 2008, and has learned what it takes to grow a business, teach people how to live healthier lives, and manage the difficulties of all types of relationships.

In this episode, you can expect to learn:

- Why David's life is like a roundabout

- Whether patience and passivity are similar

- The importance of the dinner table

and much, much, more!

Check out CrossFit Flower Mound at crossfitflowermound.com and @cfflowermound on Instagram!

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00:00 Opportunities are the backbone of a healthy perspective

02:29 What does opportunity mean?

03:52 Coaching youth baseball as a vehicle to inspire growth

05:28 Foolishness can become a life lesson with the right guidance

17:02 1X10 doesn't equal 10X1... 2+2=4 isn't always the right analogy

19:05 Patience vs Passivity

24:19 Don't chase an impossible goal, provide something life-giving

28:07 Misunderstandings because David owns a CrossFit gym

30:47 Joy and Health are not mutually exclusive

32:52 Why is our society so wrapped up in "speed"

34:06 Family Dinners create stability

37:13 The dinner table can be treated as a safe place for kids

39:32 Realizing your kids are growing up... reframing their age

45:08 Parenting is the most selfless relationship (outside of marriage)

47:57 The importance of self awareness

50:30 Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments (Neil Strauss quote!!)

53:11 Parallel between relationship dynamics and running a gym (serving)

55:17 Service vs Enslavement

57:09 Selfishness makes it hard to share the gospel

59:17 The story behind the moment the weight of ownership hit David and Lindsey

01:06:40 (the exact moment)

01:10:39 Reaping what you sow and creating opportunities to change people's minds about stereotypes

01:13:25 Managing a person who's transitioning interested in joining the gym

01:18:47 Exemplifying the love of Christ through the two examples

01:20:25 Shortest coaching tenure the gym has had (the importance of having a good process, the bus analogy)

01:24:33 Managing the "fallout" of letting someone go

01:25:50 What makes a community real

01:30:42 The depth of common vulnerability through the lens of our differences

01:32:48 What our cultures gets wrong about strength

01:37:27 The Screwdriver Analogy

01:40:08 If a young person was about to live a life similar to David's, what would he beg them to do differently?

Saurabh Aggarwal is the founder of FractalKX and XPLeague, two of his many ventures in the Esports industry. He's revolutionizing this emerging industry by focusing on player development instead of just sponsorships, and integrating AI into those funnels.

In this episode, expect to learn:

- Why the industry of Esports shouldn't be ignored for business lessons

- Just how important the people within a system are (not just the system itself)

- Why AI is like your kitchen pantry

- What makes organic growth so powerful

and much, much more!

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00:00 How Does a CRM Consultant Turn into a Founder?

03:01 Where Did the ESports Interest Come From?

05:45 Where ESports is Missing the Point

08:45 What's the Biggest Frustration, 1 Year In?

10:49 How to Be Both Early and Right

13:57 What is Something That Your Competitors Miss?

17:08 The Importance of the People In Your System

22:01 Why Organic Growth is Key (Steve Jobs is a good example!)

25:18 Who is the "Customer" for ESports?

26:54 Pivoting - Why GGLife has Changed Three Times

30:22 Why AI is Like Your Kitchen Pantry

33:43 3 Steps to Change The Way You Use AI

36:46 A Recurring Problem in FractalKX and XPLeague (Capital Strategy)

38:24 Service vs Product Capital Strategy

41:13 Customer Misunderstandings

44:24 Saurabh Will Still Believe This is 10 Years

46:58 Do This Sooner than Saurabh Did!

Mark Sommer is the founder of Sommer Energy Technologies and co-founder of Allegheny Control Products.

In this episode, expect to learn:

- Why founding two business can sometimes be the right move

- How delivering newspapers is an entrepreneur training ground

- The importance of learning in starting a company on your own

- Why Christ opens doors you'd never expectand much, much more!

Please double check that you're subscribed, have liked this video, and shared it with someone! Also, leave a comment with your thoughts down below. Those are the best ways to help this show grow. Thank you!

00:00 Intro

00:30 Sommer Energy Tech, Allegheny Controls

03:20 Newspaper delivery is an entrepreneur training ground!

08:18 Industrial space vs more typical B2B vs B2C

12:57 How Mark got started running his own company, market development fees, and long sales cycles

15:51 Surprisingly easy, surprisingly challenging

19:54 Cold calls still work!

22:42 What feels the hardest right now?

26:47 What's not growing how Mark hoped it would?

33:23 Time-wasters and pivoting

42:21 Christ-Centered Business

44:39 Mark's spiritual journey

49:21 Loving people through business interactions

51:05 What it feels like for multiple people to tell you your faith walk is not surprising

53:03 Jesus appearing in your dreams

56:46 Believers doing business with other believers

58:29 One thing Mark would advise someone to learn faster than he did

Cindy and Stewart Jones are the owners of DFW-based business Texas Specialties and Installation.

In this episode, expect to learn:

- Why relationships are fundamental to business success

- Stories about the struggles of starting a business

- What to do when growth is bigger than you expected

- Whether or not it was worth it

and much, much more!

Please double check that you're subscribed, have liked this video, and shared it with someone! Also, leave a comment with your thoughts down below. Those are the best ways to help this show grow. Thank you!

00:00 How Running a Business Changes Your Purpose

03:15 Responsibility of Being the Owner vs an Employee

06:52 When The Business Grows Way Faster Than you Planned

07:52 Telling Your Parents You're Starting a Business

08:44 Dealing With Vendors When Growth is Huge

14:02 How Has Your Business Forced Personal Growth?

18:25 Finding the Right Employees Is the Key

28:08 Being a Better Boss

31:07 What's More Difficult Than People Realize, Easier Than People Realize

33:05 Relationship Building

36:30 Has A Customer Ever Been Ready Early?

39:32 Did Texas Specialties Ever Come Close to Failing?

45:08 One of the Few Times They Weren't Frugal

49:06 What Feels the Hardest Right Now (People, part 2)

57:09 What Does it Feel Like to Hear a Huge Goal

01:04:00 Most Surprising Frustrations

01:10:15 What Do Customers Routinely Misunderstand?

01:20:24 Deciding Between Risk vs Losing a Bid

01:25:25 Did You Ever Consider Quitting?

01:32:03 What's a Day You'll Never Forget

01:37:28 What's the Biggest Change in the Past Year

01:41:34 One Thing You Could Have Known or Done Sooner

Doug Ferguson is the owner of Ferguson Electric, a North Texas-based electrical contractor.

In this episode, expect to learn:

- How being in business has changed Doug's perspective on purpose

- Why reframing what you do can change everything

- Terrifying moments in growing a business

- How the "perfect" customer has changed over time

and much more!

If you're in North Texas and need electrical work, check out Ferguson Electric here! :

https://www.fergusonelectrictx.com/

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020 - Reflecting on recent thoughts about how to have a less strict view of "success", what scarcity actually means, and how to change the default direction of my thinking.

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019 - D. Cole Gray

Cole Gray is a resident pastor, a husband, and a writer. Check out his Substack, "Road Work Ahead" here! https://dcolegray.substack.com/

In this episode, you can expect to learn:

- The bigger meaning people are missing behind the Artemis II moon flyby

- What it looks like to search with wisdom and wonder

- Why big families are awesome

- The 4 W's of struggle (and where prayer actually falls into that)

and much, much more!

Please double check that you're subscribed, have liked this video, and shared it with someone! Also, leave a comment with your thoughts down below. Those are the best ways to help this show grow. Thank you!

00:00 What is the Underlying Significance of the Artemis II Flyby People are Missing?

04:32 Why Does the Overview Effect Happen?

05:46 When Does the Desire to Explore Become Narcissistic?

09:39 Where is the Line Between Curiosity and Control? How Much Control are We Supposed to Have?

15:50 What Does it Mean to Search with Wisdom and Wonder?

19:49 Fear vs Awe

23:00 Where Does the Difference Between Fear and Awe Come From?

26:01 How Do you Tell the Difference Between Curiosity and Intellectual Pride?

27:45 Why Truth is Like a Cold Plunge

34:03 What Big Families Teach You About Being the "Main Character"

43:22 The Theory of Aiming for Three Children Being Ideal

46:12 Cole's 4 W's

53:02 A Natural Rhythm of Life - Disagreement and Discussion

01:03:44 Why is It so Hard to Feel Purposeful even When We're Moving in the Right Direction?

01:06:02 Do We Overemphasize How Much Our Lives are Supposed to "Click"?

01:10:21 Why Does the "Right Thing" Feel So Unrewarding Sometimes?

01:21:04 How do You Know When the Thing You're Doing is the Thing that God wants you to be Doing?

01:35:58 What is One Thing Cole Wishes He Had Done or Known Sooner?