The Culture Matters Podcast

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.  An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Sir Winston Churchill Connor LaRocque is a marketing expert, author, and the founder and CEO of SocialRise and he is back on the show today for another go around on The Culture Matters Podcast.  Jay and Connor are unpacking the kind of energy it takes to do what Connor does, the balancing act of running a business and being proactive in finding new opportunities, and the benefits of being as genuine as possible in your interactions with other, even if you've only just met.  We're always happy to have our favorite Canadian on the show and we hope you enjoy this conversation with Connor LaRocque.

"Praise is more obtrusive than a reproach." - Friedrich NietzscheLong-time friend and previous guest of the show and New Jersey real estate staple John Swartz makes his triumphant return to the podcast today and we are thrilled to have him back!  It should come as no surprise if you've heard John on the show before, but today we are talking about real estate!  More specifically, we are discussing the future of real estate, what the market is going to look like as we careen head long into the future, and even how John and his business are changing with the times and adapting to the technology.  It's always great to have John back and spreading his copious amounts of knowledge around in the real estate space, so we hope you enjoy this conversation.

"Anyone who keeps learning stays young." - Henry FordOn a very special and personal episode of The Culture Matters Podcast, Jay talks with good friend and frequent guest on the show Andrew Berman.  The discussion centers around how a mutual friend's health challenges inspired Jay to cut his hair in a show of solidarity and transitions into Jay's accident that could have potentially taken away the use of his arm for the rest of his life.  This is a deeply personal and revealing conversation and we hope that if you or someone you know is going through something right now that you can find some hope or inspiration to keep fighting the good fight.

"Think like a man of action.  Act like a man of thought." - Henri BergsonTransformative health and wellness expert and our favorite medical professional Dr. David Yerkes is back on the program today!  Our conversation today centers around what makes people tick.  Dr. David discusses his lifelong curiosity around why people do the things they do helped lead him to starting his own podcast, productive health behaviors, and why sleep is an incredibly important part of life, especially as we get older.  Dr. David is a wealth of knowledge concerning health and we are always happy to have him share what he knows with our audience!

"The higher we soar, the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly." - Friedrich NietzscheFounder of 1 SEO and LB Capital Lance Bachmann is back on the show today and if there is one guy you're going to want to listen to, it's Lance.  He has created and run some very successful businesses and today we're getting into it!  Jay and Lance discuss why leaders are solution finders, Lance putting "fun" things on hold to focus solely on his work and his family, and we even have a surprise guest join the conversation.  Lance is incredibly successful because of his drive and his desire to be the best he can be and we hope that this conversation will put a little of his fire into you.

"Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there.  Eighty are just targets.  Nine are the real fighters and we are lucky to have them for they make the battle.  Ah, but one; one is a warrior and he will bring the others back." - HeraclitusFounder of Pivot Realty Group and host of "The Necessary Entrepreneur" podcast Mark Perkins is joining us the show today and this is definitely a guy you're going to want to pay attention to!  We're kicking things off with a few words on the importance of dedication in all you do; whether you're mowing your lawn or growing your business, dedicating yourself to doing a good job makes all of the difference.  Jay and Mark are going on to discuss the difference between desiring material things and having the ability to get them, the Golden Rule, podcasting, and even retirement.  Mark is a true success story, so make sure you're ready to learn on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast!

"Surround yourself with people who play at the things you have to work at." - Aaron YoungAaron Scott Young is the chairman of Laughlin Associates and the creator of The Unshackled Owner and we're excited to have him back on the show today!  Jay and Aaron unpack Aaron's uncanny ability to treat everyone he comes into contact with with respect and genuine curiosity, Aaron's early forays into entrepreneurship and an unfortunate set of incidents that landed him in some hot water, and how the people in your world, whether in business or personally, are your most important resources.  Aaron has been a lot of things and brings a unique perspective and voice to these discussion, so be sure to listen carefully to this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"Every customer is different and that makes them special.  Serve to their needs and create win-win relationships." - Guardian Roofing & SidingRobert Frehafer is the owner and founder of Guardian Roofing & Siding and a very good friend to Culture Matters and he is back again today to chat about what the "U" in Guardian stands for.  The "U" stands for "Unique" and Jay and Robert break that down and what it means for Guardian in particular.  To be unique means to be one-of-a-kind and Robert explains how that has helped shape his business and how it is something he and his whole team strive to be.  The overall theme today is about adding value to your clients and to your business and how being unique will add that value on a daily basis.  We hope you enjoy this unique conversation with Robert Frehafer.

"The future influences the present just as much as the past." - Friedrich NietzscheAndrew Berman is an advisor, mentor, and the Head of Engagement and Outreach at American Business Media and we are very excited to have him back on the show!  During their conversation, Andrew and Jay discuss what it says about you when you are early as opposed to late (because you can never REALLY be on time), how committing to things, no matter how small, and holding to those commitments serve to make you a better person, and what the mortgage industry has to look forward to in the next couple of years.  We keep bringing Andrew back because he is a wealth of truth and knowledge, so we hope you learn a little something on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast!

"We love life not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving." - Friedrich Nietzsche"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently." - Friedrich NietzschePhilosopher and artisan contractor with Vision Stone and Tile Nathan Merrill is back today and if you've listened to his previous appearances on the show and thought those conversations were deep then prepare to re-evaluate your definition of the word.  Jay and Nathan discuss a little bit of Buddhist philosophy, the value of discussing opposing viewpoints,  existential angst, and even the dichotomy of good and evil.  This truly is a one-of-a-kind discussion, so make sure you're ready to get in there with the one and only Nathan Merrill.