ISI Brotherhood Podcast

4 seasoned entrepreneurs advise a struggling business owner with no cash flow and no plan. No matter that his company is profitable, there’s something much deeper going on behind the scenes. This is the first ever episode of THE FORGE, where four business guys help a struggling entrepreneur with the issues he's facing in his business and personal life right now. He desires to spend more time with his wife and kids, but he's confused on exactly how to get there. Join us as we hit topics like shame masking itself as pride, having boundaries in your business, and what it looks like to be stuck in a job you hate. Key Takeaways:What this mystery business man should do with no cash flow and no planLabeling problems for what they truly are and why it mattersWhen thoughts like “maybe I don’t have what it takes” creep up on us What to do when you not only hate your job, but you're not good at it, eitherWhat do you think is Chip's REAL problem? Did these guys get to the heart of the matter about what Chip should do next, or is there something they were missing? Answer this question by posting your own response at https://viewfromthetop.com/group.Want to connect with the guys on today's episode? Connect with Anthony Witt: witthouse.com or anthonywitt.comAnthony Witt is a professional licensed counselor and a business owner with a deep understanding of how entrepreneurship impacts personal health and those around them. Having bought, sold, and started multiple businesses, he has gained valuableexperience at the intersection of personal health and business. His belief that "a healthy business owner creates a healthy business" underscores his approach to helping entrepreneurs thrive.Connect with Bret Barnhart:Barnhartexcavating.comBret’s Calendar LinkBret’s LinkedinBret Barnhart, Jr. is the fourth generation in his family to start his own excavation company. He began Bret Barnhart Excavating (BBE) in 2002 with $1,500, a single backhoe and truck, and a trailer. Since then, BBE has grown to an entire fleet of heavy machinery and trucks, averages just under 20 employees, and grosses $4mil annually. Bret started out with the family business knowledge and expanded it. In the beginning, his work mainly consisted of general earthwork, utility installation, and excavating pools and storm shelters. As his company grew, Bret saw the need for being more specialized and began pursuing certifications for government contracts and local municipal work. Being specialized, along with having a personal mentor and joining a mastermind, has helped shape not only Bret's company but also himself as well. Bret and his wife Crystal have been married for 16 years and have two children, Cole and Adelyn.If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter:

"Everything was fine, everything was going the right direction, and then it wasn’t… This phone gives [your kids] access to people that want to hurt [them]. And you’ve got to protect them.”  Brian Montgomery, an ordinary dad, unveils the terror his family faced when their son Walker was targeted by an online predator and committed suicide that very night. He shares how this tragedy brought to light the grim reality of the digital world's hidden dangers and the alarming surge in teen suicide rates.  The digital age has opened the door to unthinkable threats, particularly for our children. We chat with Brian about the insidious role of technology, pornography, and online extortion in the mental health of our kids. Key Takeaways:Viable steps dads can make today to protect their kids online Warnings about the media that you probably don't knowHow a normal child in a safe home can become a victim of sextortionWe also touch on the proposed Kids Online Safety Act and how you can lend your support to it. Brian offers his insights on the significance of active listening and creating a safe space for children to express their emotions. Together, let's foster a safer digital environment for our kids because this isn't just about us. It's for every parent, guardian, and child who might be listening.The Kids Online Safety ActIf you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

"You don’t need to 10X to be happy, but it creates more opportunities for freedom and wealth." Freedom equals wealth, but it's more than just financial wealth we're talking about on today's episode. Are you looking to revolutionize your personal and business life by 10Xing your life? By adopting a 10X mindset, you can do just that. Curt and Wally deep-dive into the compelling book, "10X is Easier than 2X," sharing insights on how to apply the 10X mindset in every area of life. The journey towards a self-managed business is not without its challenges, but with the right strategy, building a company with a 'who' not 'how' approach can drastically change the outcome of your freedom. Key Takeaways:The #1 way to keep a proper perspective of your successesHow control can ruin your chances of 10Xing your businessWhat is your 10X vision? If you don't have one, why not? What is your unique ability? Join our View From The Top Facebook Group to answer these questions and gain more insight: http://viewfromthetop.com/groupConnect with Curt Stowers:Curt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtstowers/Curt Stowers and his wife Sonya reside in Naperville, IL.  They are the proud parents of three (Amanda, Alexander, Casey).From 1993 to 2012 Curt was employed with Caterpillar. During that time he worked in inventory management, project management, commercial management, operations management, purchasing and business development. Curt and Sonya have had the chance to live in Peoria, Chicago, Denver and twice overseas, first in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and more recently in Brussels, Belgium.Curt has always been fascinated with finances and around 2010 began exploring the possibility of offering a financial planning services company that would help families achieve their goals. In mid-2011, he took steps to turn the dream into reality.  In 2013 Curt transitioned to working as a financial planner full time.  He is the founder and owner of F5 Financial Planning, a fee-only RIA firm that provides comprehensive financial planning to over 100 families and provides investment management for over $100M in assets.If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

“If your spouse perceives the dollars that you spend on personal and professional development as an expense rather than an investment, how do you help them understand the difference and the value of investing in personal and professional development?" Steve Kinsley, Chief of Staff for Navitas Wealth Advisors, posed this question to us. It's all about perception. How does your wife perceive the budget for your business and the budget for the household? We discuss why it's important to distinguish between the two, and because it's all coming from the business, and we disagree on whether or not it should be seen as the same "lump sum." Key Takeaways:Does it matter that we distinguish between our business budget vs. household budget when all the money comes from the same place? What's the difference between an investment in ourselves vs. "just an expense"?How can you change your mindset from "spending time" instead of investing time?Lastly, we tackle the profound significance of investing in ourselves.  We’ll also discuss how cultivating relationships and developing self-awareness can be the key to leading an extraordinary life. Do you want to answer these questions for yourself and be a part of the conversation with other business owners? Join our Facebook Group: http://viewfromthetop.com/group.Connect With Steve Kinsley:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kinsley/Website: https://navitaswa.com/If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

"There’s going to be withdrawals. But if we’re putting that relationship equity in the bank account, the withdrawals don’t matter that much, you just keep going.” "What do women want?" Rocky Lalvani, podcast host of Profit First Answer Man, asked this question out of his desire to comprehend women's needs. Big A and Wally attempt to answer this question by asking their wives and daughters the same question–what do women want?We challenge common misconceptions about what women truly desire, arguing that macho behavior, diamonds, and playing hard to get don't necessarily resonate... Big A tells a story of his high school years and how he treated Robin, his wife, in their dating years and how playing games doesn't always work out the way you think it will. Key Takeaways:Tackling the ever-evolving desires of womenAre loving your wife and cherishing her the same thing? Can you change your wife? Should you? What is a servant leader supposed to look like in marriage? As we approach the end of our discussion, we reflect on the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23, highlighting its roles in understanding our spouses better and meeting their expectations. Join our Facebook Group and be part of the conversation about this question: https://www.viewfromthetop.com/groupConnect With Rocky Lalvani:Profit First Answer Man PodcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocky-lalvani/If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

The podcast explores the significance of sex in a marriage, addressing the question of what a sexless marriage looks like and why sex is critical for both partners. It emphasizes the importance of open communication and offers strategies for fostering intimacy. The hosts also discuss topics such as recognizing and valuing underappreciated individuals, addressing sexual trauma and unhealthy choices in marriage, and fulfilling each other's marital duties. They touch on the role of faith, accountability, and meeting each other's needs in a marriage.

"Enormous growth doesn't require more effort, but better effort." Curt Stowers, a math and science wiz turned financial planner, joins Wally today to talk about how and why you should 10x your business instead of striving to 2x it. Ever wondered why setting big, audacious goals often seem a herculean task? We unpack the challenges linked to our mindset and explore the power of thinking beyond boundaries to achieve extraordinary results, a lesson we learned from "10X is Easier Than 2X" by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. We dig into the art of focusing on needle-moving tasks instead of wading through the weeds, and Curt emphasizes the role of an abundance mindset in scaling the success ladder. Key Takeaways:What it takes to have the 10X mindset 3 problems that often stop us from going 10XQualitative thinking vs. quantitative thinking in your businessIdentifying what you really wantWe round off our engaging conversation with a discussion on shunning scarcity, welcoming abundance, and propelling goals 10X, drawing from the lessons in the book, "10X is Easier than 2X".Connect with Curt Stowers:Curt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtstowers/Curt Stowers and his wife Sonya reside in Naperville, IL.  They are the proud parents of three (Amanda, Alexander, Casey).From 1993 to 2012 Curt was employed with Caterpillar. During that time he worked in inventory management, project management, commercial management, operations management, purchasing and business development. Curt and Sonya have had the chance to live in Peoria, Chicago, Denver and twice overseas, first in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and more recently in Brussels, Belgium.Curt has always been fascinated with finances and around 2010 began exploring the possibility of offering a financial planning services company that would help families achieve their goals. In mid-2011, he took steps to turn the dream into reality.  In 2013 Curt transitioned to working as a financial planner full time.  He is the founder and owner of F5 Financial Planning, a fee-only RIA firm that provides comprehensive financial planning to over 100 families and provides investment management for over $100M in assets.If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

How can small business owners distinguish between providing for their families versus amassing wealth for their own insecurities and ego? Quentin Hafner, therapist and coach who's in the business of changing lives, asks this question for today's episode. What draws the line, and where does love end and pride begin? Big A and Wally attempt to define what wealth means and what kind of wealth men of character should strive for in their businesses. When does enough become enough? They discuss whether or not amassing wealth is wrong and the key to knowing whether what we're doing is right or not. Behind all of the excuses for building wealth, we must take a hard look at ourselves. Why do we do what we do? Key Takeaways:Is amassing wealth wrong? Defining the difference between need and wantGuardrails we should put in place to protect our motivations How do we identify our motivations for working? Connect with Quentin Hafner:Website: quentinhafner.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-hafner-93b07034/If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

"As foolish as I was, I did have a measure of success, but I wonder how much differently it could have been with the proper guidance." If you've felt alone in your business, ever wondered why you can't open up to anybody about your personal life, or if you've had marital issues that just won't go away, this episode is for you. Big A tells his journey from mediocre success to living a life of true significance in today's podcast. He opens up about his own faults and how amazed he was to find guys who do life together–they don't just sit around talking about last week's game. We deep dive into the true depth of having a community of guys who KNOW who you are and can tell you straight up when you're making a mistake, and we discuss the value of encompassing the whole man in a mastermind group, not just how to scale your business. The accident with a pedestrian that changed Big A's life foreverWhat the power of vulnerability can accomplish for you and your familyOur unique goal-setting strategy "Come As You Will Be" and why it worksHow community can make you a better man, husband, and fatherIf you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/

"Let’s get everybody in their car, let’s give them something to drive that they can be excellent at–way better than we ever could.” Aren't we all concerned sometimes that if we delegate work to others, it won't get done like we would do it and it'll suffer because of it? Today Big A and Wally discuss what happens when a guy tries to grow a business without setting up systems, without desiring to delegate, and without hiring the right people when necessary. We dive into the dangers of trying to do it all yourself, and how it often screws you over in the long wrong because business owners are usually heavily involved in the sales side, but they’re doing a lot of the operations when it's not their gifting. Chaos ensues... unless they were to hire another person to do the work he isn't that good at.Key Takeaways:Where "trying to do it all yourself" will lead you in your businessWhat it looks like to let your team members be awesome at what they doHow to hire the right person for the jobHow do you know when the time is right to hire someone new?If you want to hear more speakers like this every month and be with the guys on the call, join the Iron Sharpens Iron Community today: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/isi-communityConnect with Big A:View From The Top Website: https://isibrotherhood.comThe ISI Newsletter: https://www.isibrotherhood.com/newsletterBig A’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop/