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What if your greatest leadership move isn’t to push harder — but to connect deeper? 🤝

Retired Army Colonel and executive coach Paul Raggio joins me to unpack the difference between motivation and inspiration, how emotional intelligence fuels trust, and why a leader’s first job is to help others stay self-motivated.

From Desert Storm to the boardroom, Paul shares field-tested lessons on turning blind spots into breakthroughs—including how to use SWOT analysis to plan real continuity, train two levels down, and rehearse leadership handoffs before you need them.

You’ll walk away with practical takeaways:
✅ Build trust before giving advice
✅ Tailor inspiration to each person’s drive
✅ Protect the mission with bench strength
✅ Lead with EQ, reflection, and humility

💡 Whether you’re leading a team or scaling a business, this episode delivers a playbook for resilient, people-first leadership.

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• Become a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/join
• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhd
• Still Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.com
• Email: mario@stillservinginc.com

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🎙️ What if the second half of life isn’t a slow fade—but a bigger canvas?

Meet Barbara and Heather, a mother-daughter coaching duo redefining midlife. 🌱 Barbara returned to school in her 50s, earned two master’s degrees, and rebuilt her coaching practice. 🎓 Heather left the performing arts at 40, discovered leadership coaching, and found her calling to teach adults and teams. 🎭

Together, they reveal how self-awareness, courage, and community can turn uncertainty into growth. 💪 We talk about fear, stalled plans, and how to rebuild belonging through curiosity, mentorship, and connection.

If you’re wondering what’s next, this episode offers tools to blend experience with new direction—and reminds us that aging isn’t a limit, it’s leverage. 🔑

📘 Chapters
00:04:57 – Barbara’s Late-Career Pivot
00:07:55 – Heather’s Journey From Arts To Coaching
00:11:05 – Facing Fear & Finding Support
00:12:22 – Rebuilding Belonging & Community
00:14:41 – Authenticity, Storytelling & Mindful Growth

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• Become a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/join
• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhd
• Still Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.com
• Email: mario@stillservinginc.com

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Ever freeze up when asked about your strengths and weaknesses? 😅 In this episode, I break down why self-awareness isn’t just a personal trait — it’s a professional superpower.

🎯 Learn how understanding who you are, where you shine, and how you’re growing can make you a stronger candidate and a better teammate. Whether you’re transitioning from the military or leveling up your civilian career, this episode will help you turn reflection into results.

🔖 Chapters
00:00 – Have you ever been asked this question? 🤔
01:05 – What the data says about self-aware professionals 📊
02:30 – Three pro tips to strengthen your personal brand 💪
04:10 – How self-awareness builds trust, growth, and opportunity 🌱

💬 Takeaway: Self-awareness builds confidence, credibility, and character — three traits every company wants to hire.

👊 Support the Mission: Subscribe or become a member on YouTube — your support fuels Unarmored Talk and helps fund programs through Still Serving, Inc., our nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through student skill development.

Support the show

• Become a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/join
• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhd
• Still Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.com
• Email: mario@stillservinginc.com

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What if the voices we salute 🇺🇸 fade before we ever truly hear them?

Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Cox shares how one simple idea—record every veteran’s story—grew into The Lost Art Project, now partnered with the Marine Corps History Division.

From a bourbon-fueled first recording 🥃 (and his mom’s honest critique!) to building a disciplined, service-first mission, Andrew opens up about turning raw conversations into living history. We explore why so many veterans stay silent 🏠, how peer-led storytelling creates trust 🤝, and what it really takes to archive these voices for generations.

🎧Listen to The Lost Art Project Podcast or Watch on YouTube.

💬Share this episode with someone who served or whose story deserves to be told. Together, we can make sure no veteran’s voice goes unheard.

⏱️ Chapters:
02:30 — Nonprofit Shift & Marine Corps Archive
04:50 — Why Veteran Stories Are a Lost Art
08:30 — Starting the Podcast & Early Lessons
11:30 — Safe Spaces & Opening Up
14:45 — Doubt, Trolls & Persistence

Support the show

• Become a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/join
• Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhd
• Still Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.com
• Email: mario@stillservinginc.com

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Can your most meaningful work begin after 50? Executive and leadership coach Dr. Sanaz Solomon proves it can.

In this kickoff episode of the BoldTimers {https://www.linkedin.com/company/boldtimers/} collaboration, we unpack:

• Surviving vs. Thriving (02:43): How to move from routine survival to living with energy and purpose.
• Leaving a Stable Career for Meaning (03:28): Why Dr. Solomon walked away from a 20-year career to realign with her values.
• The Sunk Cost Fallacy (04:54): How “settling” can quietly hold you back—and how to release what no longer fits.
• Naming Fear and Moving Through It (10:00): Practical ways to separate self-doubt from fear of judgment and move forward anyway.
• Ageism, Judgment, and Self-Worth (12:40): How to reframe experience as a superpower, not a setback.

If you’re ready to pivot toward work that feels meaningful—whether consulting, coaching, or launching a mission-driven venture—this episode offers a roadmap for reinvention rooted in courage, experience, and self-trust.

Your second act starts with one honest step.

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• Watch: Unarmored Talk Playlist
• Mario's Socials: Parade Deck
• Support My Nonprofit: Still Serving, Inc.
• Email: host@unarmoredtalk.com

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Ever felt the pull to move on but worried it might hurt your reputation? 👔 In this episode, we reframe “quitting” into purposeful resignation — a mindset that protects your personal brand and positions you for what’s next.

You’ll hear a clear, 3-step plan to shift from frustration to focus, from impulse to intention, and from goodbye to a strong future hello. We cover how to reflect before reacting, plan your transition, and exit with integrity and gratitude.

Because people may forget why you left — but they’ll always remember how you left.* 💡

If you’ve wrestled with burnout, misalignment, or the urge to move on, this conversation gives you a calm, actionable playbook to leave well and grow forward.

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• Watch: Unarmored Talk Playlist
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• Support My Nonprofit: Still Serving, Inc.
• Email: host@unarmoredtalk.com

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Snap judgments happen fast—often before a single word leaves your mouth. In this episode, we unpack the 55-38-7 rule—body language, tone, and words—and explore how nonverbal communication shapes trust, credibility, and connection.

You’ll learn how subtle cues like crossed arms, poor posture, or lack of smiling can quietly work against you—and how to rebuild confidence through open posture, steady breathing, and natural eye contact.

I also share a quick self-audit method: record short mock conversations, review your posture and tone, and ask for feedback. The takeaway is simple—people may forget your words, but they’ll remember how your presence made them feel.

🎧 Subscribe, share with a friend preparing for an interview, and leave a review to help others sharpen their presence through Unarmored Talk Pro Tips.

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• Watch: Unarmored Talk Playlist
• Mario's Socials: Parade Deck
• Support My Nonprofit: Still Serving, Inc.
• Email: host@unarmoredtalk.com

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Taylor Vogel thought the Marine Corps would give him structure when life had none. After three deployments and a devastating IED blast, he survived but came home unraveled—TBI, PTSD, a bottle within reach, and a family on the line.

This isn’t a polished comeback—it’s a raw story of drifting without roots, wrestling with faith 🙏, and learning that surrender and daily discipline can rebuild a life.

Taylor shares how surviving a hundred-pound IED led to the question: “Why am I still here?” He reveals three levers that helped him rise again—
💪 Habits that keep the body and mind honest
💭 A mindset that turns “I have to” into “I get to”
🎯 Actions that bring purpose back home

From isolation to service, from numbing to presence, Taylor’s blended family of nine proves that loss can lead to abundance.

If you’ve ever felt “so low a mosquito won’t bite,” this conversation offers a way out—start small, reach out, and let purpose do its work.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review to help others find hope too.

Support the show

• Watch: Unarmored Talk Playlist
• Mario's Socials: Parade Deck
• Support My Nonprofit: Still Serving, Inc.
• Email: host@unarmoredtalk.com