In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca speaks with Jo Amato, a tech executive with 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles at Microsoft, Teradata, and Ernst & Young. Jo balances a demanding career with being present for her family and raising three teenagers. Jo shares how she's discovered practical ways to stay grounded and create time in a busy schedule through two key strategies: a daily ritual and smart AI use.

The conversation dives deep into Jo's innovative approach to using AI as a "reflection mirror" - moving beyond basic meeting summaries to having AI organize her scattered thoughts and hold up an objective mirror. This practice helps her identify which thoughts serve her goals and which don't, eliminating the internal debate that typically consumes mental energy. Jo explains how this creates a compounding effect similar to investing money: by investing a few minutes with AI upfront, she manufactures 10-15 minutes of time that she can redirect toward reflection or solving problems she previously didn't have time to address.

Timestamps

1. The balancing act: Managing career and family in the tech world – 0:32
2. Daily grounding practice: How 3 sun salutations changed everything – 1:56
3. Step-by-step guide to a simple morning ritual for beginners – 3:01
4. Using AI to create more free time – 4:17
5. Moving from internal debate to external clarity – 6:40
6. The time investment strategy: How AI creates compounding returns – 8:25
7. Manufacturing time through intentional systems – 9:11

Connect with Jo Amato:

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

Subscribe to Time Billionaires wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

For more insights on turning hidden minutes into your greatest asset, connect with Rebecca and follow the podcast on LinkedIn!

Rebecca's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccashaddix/

Podcast Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-billionaires-pod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and share it, because every time billionaire deserves to know their true wealth. Thanks for joining us to make the most of your micromoments. Your next billion seconds start now.

Shout-out to Graham Duncan from East Rock Capital for coining the term "Time Billionaires" which inspired our show name - originally shared on The Tim Ferriss Show.

• (00:00:00) - How to Get Smart About AI
• (00:00:36) - Meet Joe: A Mom Living in the Tech World
• (00:01:24) - How to Stay Grounded in the World
• (00:04:06) - How AI Is Affecting Your Time Management
• (00:06:09) - Letting Go of Things That Don't Serve You
• (00:07:34) - A Week in the Life With AI

In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca speaks with Kevin Monroe, a gratitude consultant and recognized expert on cultivating hope and gratitude to transform workplace culture. Kevin shares a surprising discovery from his gratitude challenge launched six years ago: when people share gratitude in community rather than individually, the results are exponential, not linear. He explains how his gratitude encounters bring strangers together for just 8-9 minutes, with participants consistently reporting they "arrived as strangers, left as friends" - revealing how quickly people connect when they lower their guard and speak freely about gratitude.

The conversation explores the concept that "gratitude delayed is gratitude denied" - the tendency to save gratitude for major life events while missing thousands of everyday opportunities. Kevin challenges listeners to practice "micro-gratitude" for the smallest things, from salt's impact on flavor and health to the thousands of hands that touched items in your grocery store before you bought them. The episode concludes with Kevin's practical "Cheerleader Challenge" - a simple under-five-minute exercise where you text someone who cheers you on to express specific gratitude for their impact, creating a contagious ripple effect of appreciation.

Timestamps

1. The exponential power of sharing gratitude in community – 0:00
2. Why gratitude delayed is gratitude denied – 3:45
3. The micro-gratitude practice: Being grateful for salt – 6:20
4. Gratitude for everyday abundance in grocery stores – 8:15
5. How 8 minutes of shared gratitude creates lifetime connections – 11:30
6. The Cheerleader Challenge: A 5-minute gratitude exercise – 15:40

Connect with Kevin Monroe:

Website: https://www.kevindmonroe.com/

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

Twitter: https://x.com/kevin_monroe

Gratitude Encounters: https://www.kevindmonroe.com/live-gratitude-experiences/p/customized/encounter

Subscribe to Time Billionaires wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

For more insights on turning hidden minutes into your greatest asset, connect with Rebecca and follow the podcast on LinkedIn!

Rebecca's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccashaddix/

Podcast Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-billionaires-pod

If you enjoyed this podcast, p...

• (00:00:00) - Why You're Already a Time Billionaire
• (00:01:09) - Kevin Monroe
• (00:01:54) - The Joy of Sharing Gratitude
• (00:06:52) - Thanksgiving: A Day of Personal Responsibility
• (00:08:39) - The Joy of Sharing Gratitude
• (00:11:05) - The 'Cheerleader Challenge'

Ever wished it were simpler to make real friends, or found yourself frustrated by coworkers who just rub you the wrong way?

The United States Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health epidemic, which is as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We live in a world that’s more connected than ever, yet so many of us still feel unseen, unheard, or misunderstood.

The good news is that building meaningful connection with other people can be much easier—and faster—than people think. A lot of people assume that meaningful connection takes long conversations, shared experiences, or deep vulnerability. But what if it could actually start in less than a minute?

In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca Shaddix shares how to create real connection even when you’re short on time. You’ll learn small mindset shifts that dissolve the invisible barriers keeping us apart, and how small moments of genuine presence can rewire your brain for belonging.

Changing the way you connect doesn’t require more time, just more intention.

• How to break mental traps that lead to judging others, whether you're placing yourself above or below others.
• Why the words you use matters: The transformative difference between thinking of reaching out to others as being "vulnerable" vs. being "bold".
• The hidden pattern behind most interpersonal frustration and how to rewire your brain to find shared understanding.
• How to turn any stranger into a potential meaningful conversation with easy conversation-starting questions.
• How to use curiosity as a key to a more interesting life.

The Join, Jump, or Jealous: Learn why someone's behavior bothers you by identifying whether you recognize something in them you don't like in yourself (join), you're making assumptions about their intentions (jump), or they have something you wish you had (jealous)

The Boldness Reframe: Transform your energy by replacing "I need to be vulnerable" with "I'm going to be bold", same action, completely different focus

The Party Thought Experiment: Flip your perspective on starting conversations by remembering how relieved you feel when someone approaches you first

The Follow-Up Question Rule: Build momentum in conversations by asking one or two questions about what someone just shared, rather than jumping to unrelated topics

Conversation Starters That Work Everywhere: From "What's your dog's name?" to "What's exciting you lately?" to "How long have you been in [city]?", simple openers that invite real connection.

• Think of someone who annoys you and challenge yourself to come up with three alternate explanations for thei...

• (00:00:00) - How to Build Better Connections With Time
• (00:00:45) - How to Build Better Connections in a Minute
• (00:01:50) - What Really Upsets You About Someone's Behavior
• (00:05:12) - What is Judgement?
• (00:06:09) - Vulnerable vs Bold: The Evolving Conversation
• (00:11:27) - How to Connect in the Micro-moment