

The Action Catalyst
Southwestern Family of Podcasts
The Action Catalyst interviews top leaders and achievers, sharing hard-earned tips and advice to help you uncover your inspiration and gain valuable insights to overcome setbacks, defeat mediocrity, and reach your goals in life, business, and beyond.
Southwestern/Great American, Inc., dba Southwestern Family of Companies, for itself and its related entities and their assigns, reserves and retains all rights to their copyrighted materials and trademarks contained in this podcast.
Southwestern/Great American, Inc., dba Southwestern Family of Companies, for itself and its related entities and their assigns, reserves and retains all rights to their copyrighted materials and trademarks contained in this podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 9, 2025 • 4min
CLIP: What Has Being Realistic Cost You?
CEO and Founder of Dream University, Marcia Wieder, explains the value of realism, self-confidence, and risk taking in dreaming, how to break down big dreams into small projects, and why you should want to be PIE (but not the baked good).Hear Marcia's full interview in Episode 134 of The Action Catalyst.

Oct 7, 2025 • 28min
GOAT Wisdom, with Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell (Entrepreneurship, Business, Community, Skincare)
Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, a.k.a. the “Fabulous Beekman Boys”, co-founders of Beekman 1802 skincare, recount settling in with Farmer John and his goats and packing 52,000 bars of soap, and chat about making neighbors, not customers, making hay while the sun shines, NOT Shark Tank-ing every business, making kindness part of the business model, working with your partner, reframing work-life balance, and finding contentment without sacrificing ambition.

Oct 2, 2025 • 5min
CLIP: Creating "Creating Humanity At It's Best"
Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard, the tech entrepreneur known as the “father of the cable modem", explains what things like broadband and cable modems REALLY are, and how their invention quickly impacted producers, consumers, and the broader economy.Hear Rouzbeh's full interview in his special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.

Sep 30, 2025 • 20min
REMASTERED: Dreams, Purpose, and Vision, with Marcia Wieder (Goals, Success, Personal Development, Self Improvement)
CEO and Founder of Dream University, Marcia Wieder, explains the difference between dreams, fantasies, and goals, the value of realism in dreaming, how intention and integrity work together, breaking down big dreams into small projects, separating dreams from doubts, the 3 little words that breed self-sabotage, and why you should want to be PIE (passionate, interested, excited, not the baked good).

Sep 25, 2025 • 6min
CLIP: Why South Africa?
Explore the shifting landscape of offshoring as experts discuss the contemporary advantages of hiring talent from South Africa. Discover how cultural and language alignment fosters seamless collaboration with US firms. Learn about the unique time-zone benefits that enhance communication and operational efficiency. Hear about innovative models that turn Cape Town into an extension of US businesses and the importance of nurturing long-term career paths for South African employees. Real success stories showcase the enduring relationships and agility of these teams.

Sep 23, 2025 • 26min
The Accidental Network, with Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard (Technology, Entrepreneurship, Internet, Author)
Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard, the tech entrepreneur known as the “father of the cable modem", explains the two experiences he brought together to create the revolutionary device, what things like broadband and cable modems REALLY are, why he gave it all away free of royalties, and the role of homemade Persian food in making it all possible.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard and his legacy from "The Accidental Network", a business history book recounting the invention of the cable modem and the global broadband evolution it inspired.Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard / The Accidental NetworkLearn more about Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard and his legacy from "The Accidental Network", a business history book recounting the invention of the cable modem and the global broadband evolution it inspired.Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard / The Accidental Network

Sep 18, 2025 • 2min
CLIP: Texas Roadhouse and "The Noble Cause"
Author, executive coach, and culture consultant Chester Elton breaks down the idea of "the noble cause" in business, and how Texas Roadhouse restaurants are a shining and enduring example of the idea in action.Hear Chester's full interview in Episode 35 of The Action Catalyst.

Sep 17, 2025 • 3min
Overtime with Outland: Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Episode 493
Overtime with Outland is Action Catalyst host Adam Outland's reflections and commentary on discussions with each of his esteemed and accomplished guests. In this segment, Adam dissects Episode 493, with Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Senior Partners at Southwestern Talent.

Sep 16, 2025 • 34min
Workforce Innovation, with Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard (Staffing, South Africa, Talent, Hiring)
Hattingh Basson and Werner Barnard, Senior Partners at Southwestern Talent, explain the unique career history that spawned the business, the professional services gap that they are filling and why it exists, why offshoring isn't really offshoring anymore, how the South African people create a world-class talent pool, overcoming start-up pain points, and why sometimes the low-tech solution is the winning one.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more at SouthwesternTalent.comSouthwestern TalentLearn more at SouthwesternConsulting.com/Coaching/StudentsSouthwestern Student Coaching

Sep 11, 2025 • 3min
CLIP: The Greatest Thing Mike Johnson Ever Did
Mike Johnson, the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, as well as an alum of The Action Catalyst's parent company, Southwestern, explains why his participation in the Southwestern Advantage program was "the best thing he ever did".Hear Speaker Johnson's full interview in his special bonus episode of The Action Catalyst.