The Culture Matters Podcast

"Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of God, every time that wheel turn 'round, bound to cover just a little more ground" - The Grateful DeadWe are beginning a new series on today's episode of The Culture Matters Podcast with our very own Jay Doran sitting down with the show's producer, Kyle DiRaddo, for a look inside at Culture Matters and what makes it tick.  In the first conversation of several to follow, Jay and Kyle are taking the first steps in shedding light on the values and goals of Culture Matters and drilling down on some of the important questions related to the work the company does.  During this discussion, Jay and Kyle are touching upon if a company can function successfully even if the culture in said company is less than ideal, how different companies gauge success from either a monetary or quality of life standpoint, how trust can be created as a third party entering an advisory role in a company, and some things founders or CEOs should look for in an advisor from a compatibility standpoint.  We hope you enjoy this look inside Culture Matters and look forward to bringing our listeners more conversations like this in the future.

"A king isn't born, Alexander, he is made by steel and by suffering. A king must know how to hurt those he loves." - King Philip II of Macedon Our guest today is financial advisor and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director of Client Engagement at Hill, Barth, & King LLC. Joseph Silva Jr. is back to make his third appearance on our show today and we are thrilled to share his expertise with our listeners once again.  During today's conversation, Joe and Jay are digging into  the issues with bigger companies being rolled up into private equity while leaving the smaller businesses to fend for themselves, the ever-present need for people even with the advancements in technology and AI in particular, knowing that a business is only going to reach a certain size unless it is given room to grow, and what it actually means to serve.  We always enjoy having Joe on the program and we hope that you enjoy this conversation on The Culture Matters Podcast.

"If you believe in something, you need to have the courage to fight for those ideas, not run away from them or try to silence them." - Charlie KirkHost of "The Necessary Entrepreneur" podcast and founder of PIVOT Realty Mark Perkins is back on the program today for another go-around on The Culture Matters Podcast and we are leveling up our game for this one.  Mark and Jay are digging into the necessity of focusing on the task at hand instead of worrying about any that might arise in the future, the benefits of the entrepreneurial journey as opposed to climbing the traditional ladder of promotion in other career paths, what it might look like to one day be content with your occupational journey, and why it shouldn't matter where good values come from as long as they are true and right.  It is always a treat to have Mark on the show and today is no exception.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"I've always been a teacher at heart."Co-founder, co-owner, and Chief Scientific Officer of both Ferm Solutions and Wilderness Trail and an adjunct professor at James B. Beam Institute in the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky Dr. Pat Heist is our guest on the show today and we are digging down on distilling, leadership, and a whole lot more.  Dr. Hesit and Jay are discussing the journey that Dr. Heist engaged in that led to his study of plant pathology and a doctorate from the University of Kentucky, teaching medical microbiology, to eventually starting a distillery consultation company and a distillery of his own.  As if that wasn't enough for this episode, these two gentleman are also getting into the importance of being genuine particularly in a sales or entrepreneurial endeavor, being able to recognize opportunity and having the fortitude to seize on it when it is presented, and why it is never a bad idea to stop and think things through before making big decisions.  This is a truly wonderful conversation and Dr. Heist's incredible journey makes for one hell of an interesting story.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"It becomes more doable if you accept the path."Founder of Duffin Media and Duffin Coaching, host of the "Your Message Received" podcast, and one of our favorite frequent guests on the show John Duffin is back for another lively discussion on The Culture Matters Podcast.  Today's conversation is all about collaboration and the different forms and shapes and sizes that it can come in.  John and Jay are drilling down on what it takes to avoid the temptation to just talk to people you already know at collaboration events and actually go and meet new people, the benefits of hyper-authenticity and being the catalyst for those valuable interactions with others, and the checklist you should run down after attending networking events i.e. who you met, what relationships you garnered, and the value you not only received, but also gave to others.  It's always a pleasure to have John on the show and today is no exception on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"The tree that would grow to heaven must first send its roots down to hell." - Friedrich NietzscheExecutive performance coach as well as a fitness and nutrition expert, Fraser Bayley, is making his inaugural appearance on our show and we couldn't be happier to have him here to share his thoughts, experience, and expertise with our listeners.  Fraser and Jay are digging into the influx of men in 2025 who are looking to improve their health and wellness beyond simply getting washboard abs, Fraser's personal journey and the circumstances that made him take risks and make the changes he needed to to become the man he is today, what it takes to go from making day-to-day decisions and simply existing to looking at the big picture, and having the obligation to help those you can with the knowledge and experience you have.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.https://bayleybuilt.mykajabi.com/labs

"The individual has always had to struggle from being overwhelmed by the crowd. If you try it, you will be lonely often and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Friedrich NietzscheManaging partner of Lion Oakes Healthcare Consulting Dr. David Yerkes is back on the show to continue this series of discussions revolving around the life and contributions of Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, after his life was cut short at a speaking engagement in Utah on September 10, 2025.  As we continue to gather more and more unique perspectives and insights on this terrible event, Dr. Yerkes is able to provide some information on the medical side of things that leads to a better understanding of what actually occurred and why the injury was so devastating.  Dr. Yerkes and Jay are also discussing some of the reasons why Charlie Kirk's passing has affected people so deeply, understanding that no one would come out looking flawless if every moment and debate was recorded and chopped up into convenient sound bites, and a call to continue to argue and debate our different points and perspectives with one another, but to stop fighting.  We should listen to one another, we should debate our perspectives with respect for the people we are debating, but we should stop fighting and reverting to our baser instincts.  Dr. Yerkes has a distinctive outlook on what took place and we're grateful he chose to share it on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"One word of truth shall outweigh the whole world. Violence can only be concealed by a lie and a lie can only be maintained by violence. Any man who has once proclaimed violence as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle. At its birth, violence acts openly; even proudly, but no sooner does it become strong firmly established, then it senses the rare faction of the air around it and it cannot continue to rule without descending into a fog of lies, clothing them in sweet words. Violence does not live alone and is not capable of living alone. It is necessarily interwoven with falsehood and the lie can only persist by covering up violence. Any man who has once acclaimed violence as his method must inexorably choose falsehood as his principle. The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie, not to support deceit. Let the lie come in to the world, let it even triumph, but not through me." - Aleksandr SolzhenitsynOn today's episode of The Culture Matters Podcast, we are continuing with our series of guests who are paying their respects to conservative activist and co-founder of Turing Point USA, Charlie Kirk, who lost his life at a speaking engagement in Utah on September 10, 2025.  To continue these discussions on the life an contributions of Charlie Kirk, we have a regular back on the show in the form of Brian Hess, founder of The Pavement Group and Top Contractor School and the host of "The Brian Hess Show".  As we've stated before, the murder of Charlie Kirk was met with a myriad of different emotions and responses and this conversation brings in to focus just how sad an event this was.  Brian and Jay discuss the tragedy of Charlie's kids growing up without him, how not getting the full scope of someone's words is both dangerous and irresponsible, the inspiration Charlie provided for the next generation, and how, eventually, there will be someone who is going to pick up the mantle and continue on.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"When you have something to say, silence is a lie." - Dr. Jordan B. PetersonHost of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief Demetri Stakias has made his way back to The Culture Matters Podcast under unfortunate circumstances for this conversation.  We are continuing our discussions on the life and contributions made by Charlie Kirk, who was shot down at a speaking engagement on a university campus in Utah on September 10, 2025.  As the events of that day still stand fresh in our minds, Demetri and Jay are discussing the impact this event has had and will continue to have in the coming weeks, months, and even years.  Demetri and Jay are touching on Charlie's ability to mobilize like-minded people and encourage them to speak up, the fact that programming people to think a certain way or believe a certain thing has become a part of life, and how grieving explicitly manifests itself in one way while grieving implicitly manifests itself in a completely different form.  These continued conversations are bringing new thoughts and ways of looking at the events of the past weeks in different lights and we are grateful to have Demetri Stakias share his views on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"Economics must not be relegated to classrooms and statistical offices and must not be left to esoteric circles. It is the philosophy of human life and action and concerns everybody and everything. It is the pith of civilization and a man's human existence." - Ludwig von MisesSales expert, speaker, and founder of Sales Connection Kayvon Kay is re-joining the program today as we continue our discussions on the life and contributions of conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk who whose life was taken on September 10, 2025.  Many emotions have been on display since the event took place and have manifested themselves in many ways.  During this conversation, Kayvon gives voice to his frustration and the state of affairs in the world that led to a man's life being taken for exercising his right to free speech.  Kayvon and Jay dig into the senselessness of violence when people disagree with one another's positions on certain topics, whether or not society is too far gone to be able to rectify these violent and unnecessary actions, the hand both sides of the aisle play in disavowing any responsibility for the removal of free speech, and how a lack of respect has helped forge this unfortunate path.  We appreciate this impassioned call for a return to respect and decency from the one and only Kayvon Kay.