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

In part two of this Time Billionaires conversation, Ryan Yockey dives deep into his tactical approach to time management and intentional parenting in the digital age. He breaks down his daily planning system of identifying five high-impact tasks and using 20-minute Pomodoro-style focus blocks to achieve maximum productivity without overwhelm.

Ryan shares how intentional time batching creates a compounding effect, when you know emails have their designated two-hour block, meetings become more focused because that's all you need to worry about in that moment. This approach not only increases personal productivity but sets the tone for entire teams to be more present and effective.

The conversation shifts to a discussion about parenting in the social media age. As a father with children spanning ages 2 to 21, Ryan offers unique insights on how his approach evolved from his oldest (who learned social media navigation on his own) to his youngest (who are being raised with more intentional boundaries). He explores the challenge of teaching kids to be present online without oversharing, while acknowledging the reality that social media will be part of their social world.

Ryan also introduces the concept of "Web 4.0" and curated online culture, discussing how this might reshape how we and our children engage with digital communities. He emphasizes the importance of intentionality in choosing which online groups and influences to allow into our lives, comparing it to joining subreddits today, but with much higher stakes for personal development.

Timestamps

1. The 5-Item Daily Planning System for Maximum Impact – 00:59
2. 20-Minute Pomodoro Blocks: Why Shorter Focus Wins – 01:46
3. Intentional Time Batching vs. Constant Task Switching – 03:17
4. The Steve Jobs Meeting Test: "Do You Need to Be Here?" – 04:24
5. Setting Tripwires for Recurring Meetings and Accountability – 04:55
6. Parenting Across Ages: Lessons from a 21-5-2 Parent – 06:09
7. Teaching Kids Social Media Boundaries and Digital Presence – 06:57
8. The Intentionality Question: Do Kids Really Need Social Media? – 08:09
9. Curated vs. Creator Culture: The Future of Web 4.0 – 09:33
10. How Online Communities Shape Our Children's Identity – 10:18

Connect with Ryan Yockey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-yockey/

Ryan’s Newsletter: https://growthcodes.substack.com/

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...

• (00:00:00) - Time Billionaires: How to Manage Your Time
• (00:00:49) - How to Plan Your Day (with a To Do List)
• (00:05:38) - How To Teach Your Kids To Use Social Media
• (00:09:25) - Curation in the Web 4.0
• (00:10:44) - Ryan on Rebecca's Face

In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca sits down with Ryan Yockey, founder of Growth Code and repeat VP of Engineering, who helped scale multiple companies past $1 billion. Ryan has over 125,000 LinkedIn followers and a unique approach to building an audience, income, and impact while being a present father to three kids.

Ryan discusses his approach to developing routines and the root cause framework that transformed his career, explaining why most professionals get stuck optimizing the wrong metrics instead of asking deeper questions about what they're really trying to solve. He breaks down his "12 questions that changed my career," including game-changers like "Is this role helping me grow or just keeping me busy?" and "What am I tolerating right now that I shouldn't be?"

The conversation explores how Ryan applies first-principles thinking to business strategy, using examples from The Farmer's Dog, where the real goal isn't customer acquisition, it's making dogs healthier. This shift from vanity metrics to core mission creates both better outcomes and sustainable growth.

Ryan also opens up about his personal framework for being present with his family while maintaining high performance at work. He shares his routine that includes workouts, journaling, and reflection time, explaining how intentional scheduling allows him to be fully present during school drop-offs and family time without work stress looming overhead.

Timestamps

1. Guest Introduction: Ryan Yockey's Background and Growth Code – 00:38
2. Why Careers Break From Wrong Questions, Not Lack of Effort – 01:17
3. The Root Cause Framework and Getting Close to Problems – 01:33
4. The 12 Career-Changing Questions Ryan Uses – 02:57
5. "Is This Role Helping Me Grow or Just Keeping Me Busy?" – 04:19
6. Don't Sit on the Bench: Moving From Busywork to Impact – 05:21
7. Problem Statements vs. Downstream Experiments in Business – 06:05
8. The Real Goal: Making Dogs Healthier vs. Revenue Metrics – 08:02
9. How Ryan Prioritizes Family Time Through Intentional Routine – 10:42

Connect with Ryan Yockey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-yockey/

Ryan’s Newsletter: https://growthcodes.substack.com/

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

For more insights on turning wasted 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

• (00:00:00) - Growth Code
• (00:01:11) - 12 Questions That Changed My Career
• (00:07:37) - Are You Prioritizing the Right Things?
• (00:10:39) - How to Prioritize Your Life

Ever find yourself replaying conversations or spending more time dreading a task than it would take to actually complete it? You're not alone, and the worst part is, while you’re trapped in this unproductive energy drain, your brain thinks it's helping you. But research shows that anxiety and rumination don't just drain your energy from more important tasks; they visibly age your brain faster.

This episode dives into practical, research-backed ways to break free from anxiety loops. Drawing from neuroscience studies, Rebecca explores why our brains get stuck in repetitive negative thinking patterns and how this affects everything from our physical health to our relationships and work performance.

The episode reveals a crucial distinction: anxiety is future-focused fear, while rumination replays past distress, but neither is rooted in the present moment, where we actually have power. Through real examples, including Rebecca's own mountain biking anxiety that made crashes more likely, you'll learn how our attempts to control outcomes often backfire.

Most importantly, this isn't just about understanding the problem, but about practical solutions you can use in micromoments throughout your day to shift from mental spinning to present-moment awareness.

What you'll learn:

• The difference between problems that need solving and discomfort we can simply accept
• How to distinguish between anxiety (future fear) and rumination (past replay)
• Three quick exercises to interrupt worry loops and ground yourself
• Why the person who made that mistake and who you are now aren't the same person

Featured Techniques:

1. The Gratitude Jar: An ongoing practice for capturing meaningful moments
2. Rumination Reframe: Thank your brain, then redirect with self-compassion
3. Regret Reversal: Three questions to transform guilt into growth
4. Healthy Hero Reflection: Finding dormant strengths through the traits of people you admire

This episode offers hope for anyone caught in the exhausting cycle of "what if" thinking, providing a practical roadmap for converting anxious mental energy into power. Because while you can't predict the future, your future is guaranteed to be better when you make the most of the moment you're in.

Follow 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

In part 2 of Rebecca’s conversation with Mary, they talk about implementing the Minimum Viable Person (MVP) concept in daily life. Mary is an award-winning tech marketing leader with over 15 years of experience at companies like Google and Adobe, currently serving as head of product marketing for Adobe Lightroom and a leadership coach for Moms in Tech.

This episode dives deep into the practical accountability systems that make the MVP approach sustainable. Mary shares how the pandemic's shift to remote work created an "incessant hamster wheel" of sedentary pseudo-productivity, and how simple interventions like standing up between meetings became the first step in breaking that cycle. She reveals her accountability tactics, from using an Apple Watch for movement tracking to weekly planners where she checks off daily habit goals.

The conversation explores the importance of focusing on one thing at a time rather than trying to "boil the ocean." Mary reflects on her advice to her younger self about sequential focus, sharing how she became "the Ryan Seacrest of product marketing" by juggling too many projects simultaneously. Rebecca and Mary discuss finding your own definition of success rather than copying someone else's framework, emphasizing that what works for one person may be a distraction for another.

Timestamps

1. Breaking the remote work sedentary cycle with micromovements – 0:00
2. Accountability systems: Simple weekly planning – 3:30
3. Why Simple Tools Are Best – 7:45
4. The power of focusing on one thing at a time – 11:20
5. Finding your own definition of success vs. copying others – 14:40

Connect with Mary Sheehan

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

Mary’s Newsletter: https://substack.com/@propelyourself

Mary’s Website: https://www.productlaunch.pro/

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 "Tim...

In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca speaks with Mary Sheehan. Mary, an award-winning tech marketing leader at Adobe Lightroom and founder of the Propel Yourself program, digs into her transition back to work after maternity leave and the overwhelm of juggling professional ambitions with motherhood. Together, they introduce the “minimum viable person” framework, a twist on the MVP concept borrowed from product launches, and explore how tiny, intentional habits can become your baseline for well-being and productivity.

Rebecca and Mary unpack how decision fatigue especially affects busy moms, who may make upwards of 35,000 choices a day, and how carving out predictable “micro moments” can free up mental energy. Drawing on BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits, Mary shares how she reclaimed moments, like ten minutes of yoga after bedtime or a short walk after the school drop-off, that deliver the same boost she used to get from longer workouts. By defining non-negotiable practices (five minutes of meditation, 20 minutes of movement, time outdoors), you remove the daily “yes or no” battle and create space for clarity and creativity.

To help listeners put this into action, Mary recommends a simple worksheet: list the elements of your most “calm, wonderful day” on the left, then translate each into bite-sized MVP habits on the right. From there, block those slots on your calendar, communicate your needs with family or teammates, and test how small shifts can reshape your mindset.

Timestamps

1. Guest Introduction: Mary Shehan’s Background – 00:45
2. Defining the “Minimum Viable Person” Concept – 01:50
3. Easy Ways to Overcome Decision Fatigue – 03:30
4. Step-By-Step Guide to Doing More of What You Love Each Day – 06:50

Connect with Mary Sheehan

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

Mary’s Newsletter: https://substack.com/@propelyourself

Mary’s Website: https://www.productlaunch.pro/

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 - original...