The Culture Matters Podcast

"The fact that 3/5 of an octopus' neurons are not in their brain, but in their arms, suggests that each arm has a mind of its own." - Sy MontgomeryCOO of the Hubert Vester Auto Group, creator of the "Faith. Family. Fulfillment." podcast, and the author of the book Answers From the Stairs Chris Vester has made his way back to The Culture Matters Podcast and we've got a great discussion on tap for our listeners today.  The focus of today's discussion is on a program that Chris has developed and strengthened over the years that he calls "The Nine".  Based in faith and an understanding that certain factors of your life need to align in order reach your maximum potential, The Nine is a journey into self-awareness and operating with integrity.  Starting with body, soul, mind, and spirit, Chris and Jay are walking our audience through the notion that once all of these things are in line and a person is willing to do the work to get there, aspects of their personal and professional life will begin to blossom in ways that they simply hadn't before.  We're taking a deep dive into self-improvement and firing on all cylinders with our good friend, the and only Chris Vester.

"While I was unaware that, at the time, my real compensation for that job wasn't monetary. It was learning about, and getting comfortable with, rejection and, as I would later realize, indifference to rejection is a fundamental part of being an entrepreneur." - Sam ZellAuthor of The Blueprint, founder of Holmes Drafting Services and the Holmes Family Foundation, and the founder of ApeShot Media Nick Holmes is joining the program today and we have a lot to cover, so we're jumping right in.  During today's discussion, Nick and Jay are digging into why contractors get a bad wrap even though an overwhelming majority of them are providing high-quality work, why people in the industry run into issues because of only dealing with one product or service, and how shifting your focus in hiring for the long-term instead of simply because someone checks off a few boxes is going to benefit your company for years to come.  Having Nick on the show was a real pleasure and we're looking forward to hosting him again on The Culture Matters Podcast.

"In this world, nothing can be certain except death and taxes." - Benjamin FranklinAccounting and tax expert and partner with Citrin Cooperman Advisors Kevin Ryan is our guest on the show today and we hope you're ready for a deep dive into the world of accounting and taxes because that's exactly what we are delivering today.  Kevin and Jay are discussing Kevin's early lessons in the importance of relationships and networking when getting into business, how the world before computers forced you to learn and understand taxes and tax returns because there was no technology to do it for you, how the world of accounting has changed and ensured that there is a little more diversity in day-to-day responsibilities, and how the importance of service to the client has been pushed to the forefront of the industry with the amount of options there are for different firms.  Kevin has been servicing clients for the better part of four decades and after this conversation it shouldn't be hard to see why he remains in such high demand.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"My ego is not going to take me through life. My vanity is not going to take me through life. Me serving others is going to take me through life."Inventor, author of the book Keep Going, fractional CMO, and founder of Forty Three Inc. Regan Weiss is here with us again and we have got a whole lot to unpack in this discussion, so we are going to get right into it.  Regan and Jay are digging into Regan's laugh of thehubnetwork.com which allows people all across Florida to hire the right businesses for their needs, how grassroots marketing and community involvement remain a top priority for Regan and how they should remain a top priority for everyone as they allow people to be more engaged with potential clients, and how something as small as a phone call can create a ripple that affects so many people in a very positive way.  We love having Regan on the show for his upbeat attitude and positive message and we're hoping to have him back again soon on The Culture Matters Podcast.

"Happiness is three things: something to do, someone to love, something to look forward to." - Dermot Desmond Entrepreneur, investor, activist, and the chairman of Invest Africa Rob Hersov has made his triumphant return to the show and if you listened to Rob's first appearance on The Culture Matters Podcast way back in episode 801, then you know that we are about to deep-dive business with a guy who knows his stuff.  During this discussion, Rob and Jay are digging into the inspiration provided by and amazing accomplishments of Rob's wife, Dr. Katie Hersov, and her work as the CEO and co-founder of Medikidz, the value in treating everyone from the richest billionaires to the people who put gas in your car the same with respect and dignity, and why creating networks of like-minded and driven people will help you reach your full potential.  Just as with the last conversation, this one has proven to be a trust master class and we hope you get all the value you can out of it with the one and only Rob Hersov.

"There was once a wise, spiritual master who was the ruler of a small but prosperous domain and who was known for his selfless devotion to his people. As his people flourished and grew in number, the bounds of this small domain spread and with it the need to trust implicitly the emissaries he sent to ensure the safety of its ever more distant parts. It was not just that it was impossible for him personally to order all that needed to be dealt with: as he wisely saw, he needed to keep his distance from, and remain ignorant of, such concerns. And so he nurtured and trained carefully his emissaries, in order that they could be trusted.Eventually, however, his cleverest and most ambitious vizier, the one he trusted most to do his work, began to see himself as the master, and used his position to advance his own wealth and influence. He saw his master's temperance and forbearance as weakness, not influence, and on his missions on his master's behalf, adopted his mantle as his own - the emissary became contemptuous of his master. And so it came about that the master was usurped, the people were duped, the domain became a tyranny; and eventually it collapsed in ruins." - Friedrich NietzscheThe founder and owner of Guardian Roofing and Siding and one of our favorite returning guests, Robert Frehafer, is back on the show after far too lengthy of an absence.  Robert is a vociferous man of Christian faith and that is what is being used as the cornerstone of today's discussion.  Robert and Jay are looking into what the "Holy Spirit" means to Robert and how it has affected his life inside and outside of business, how Robert's tumultuous early life and the subsequent decisions and actions of those around him didn't deter him from living his life according to his Christian beliefs, and what it means to him to see the successes of his children as they continue to make their own way in the world.  It's always a pleasure to have Robert on the show and we hope you enjoy this discussion on today's episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"I'm no prophet. My job is making windows where there were once walls." - Michel FoucaultFounder of Duffin Media and Duffin Coaching, host of the "Your Message Received" podcast, and a frequent and favorite returning guest of the show John Duffin and we've got the man with the golden pipes back to get into leadership, culture, and everything in between.  John and Jay are digging into the work that is going into John's upcoming book, The Hyper-Authenticity Business Blueprint, and why he felt called to write it, why it is important to drop your armor in order to receive or distribute information properly when you're in a business setting, and the work that it requires to not feel "less-than" around others.  John's easy-going style and copious amounts of knowledge and insight always make these conversations some of our favorites and its no different on today's episode of The Culture Matters Podcast. 

"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced." - Søren KierkegaardIf you've been listening to this show for any length of time, then you must be familiar with today's guest.  Chief Victory Officer at the Center for Victory and Executive Coach and the Director of Learning and Development of Top Contractor School Eric Guy has returned for another go around with The Culture Man and, as always, we think you're in for a treat!  Eric and Jay are digging into some of the lessons and observations Eric has made over the last year or so through mentoring and encouraging small business owners, the importance of buying into your employees so that they can buy into the vision of the company, and why you can't lead (or parent) well from a place of fear.  Eric brings a lot of good insight and information every time he is on the show and today is no different on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

Steve Sims was a mentor, strategist, advisor, loving father, and author of the books Go For Stupid: The Art of Achieving Ridiculously High Goals and Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen and, unfortunately, he passed away recently after a hard-fought battle with cancer.  To honor his life, we are taking this opportunity to re-release the last time that Steve was on the show and to put his words and thoughts back into the world.  During this discussion, Steve and Jay dig into using your past experiences to help others achieve their goals, why even what appears to be the smallest of gestures can lead to big things, and why showing up is so important in all aspects of your life.  Steve was a good friend and someone who was admired by everyone at Culture Matters.  His loss will be felt by all he knew and all he influenced without ever having met them personally.  Please join us in celebrating the life of this extraordinary man and enjoy this conversation with the one and only Steve Sims.

Steve Sims was a mentor, strategist, advisor, loving father, and author of the books Go For Stupid: The Art of Achieving Ridiculously High Goals and Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen and, unfortunately, he passed away recently after a hard-fought battle with cancer.  In his honor, we are taking this opportunity to put his own words back into the world.  In the very first season of The Culture Matters Podcast back in 2019, long before we knew exactly what this show would become, Steve was gracious enough to share his time with us and lend his voice to this passion project turned exploration in all things culture.  In this first interview, Steve shares some of his experiences in early life that allowed him to become the man he would ultimately become, what perseverance and belief in yourself can lead you to, and why service to others should always be at the forefront of your endeavors.  Steve was a good friend and someone who was admired by everyone at Culture Matters.  His loss will be felt by all he knew and all he influenced without ever having met them personally.  Please join us in celebrating the life of this extraordinary man and enjoy this conversation with the one and only Steve Sims.