The Story Engine Podcast

What if the reason you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected isn't that you lack the answers, but that you don't yet have the words to understand what you're feeling? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Doug Johnston, author of Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart, to explore the fascinating connection between language, emotions, and our ability to navigate life. After decades as a corporate executive and expert witness, Doug began an unexpected nine-year journey into the emotional experiences of humanity, collecting 8,000 quotes across 25 centuries of history to explore 272 different emotions. What started with a difficult question from his teenage daughter about depression became a profound discovery about how we understand ourselves, connect with others, and move forward when life feels overwhelming. We explore why the words we use to describe our emotions can make the difference between feeling trapped and finding a path forward, how misidentifying what we're feeling can prevent us from addressing the real problem, and why our emotions exist at the intersection of mind and body. Doug also shares a deeply personal realization about how his pursuit of success and his understanding of ego kept him disconnected from his own emotional life—and how his daughter helped him rediscover the importance of leading with the heart as well as the head. This conversation is a powerful reminder that even the most successful people can struggle to understand themselves, and that discovering the right language for our inner experiences can open the door to greater self-awareness, stronger relationships, and more meaningful leadership. Highlights (00:51) – From corporate executive to emotional researcher: Discover what led Doug to spend nine years investigating the emotions that shape our lives. (01:34) – The question from his daughter that changed everything: How a conversation about depression pushed Doug beyond the limits of his professional expertise. (03:34) – The words that made depression easier to understand: Explore two powerful insights from people who had experienced depression firsthand—and why those words brought his daughter to tears. (05:00) – 272 emotions, 8,000 quotes, and 25 centuries of human experience: Learn how Doug created a different way to understand what emotions actually feel like. (06:18) – Why we avoid the emotions we don't understand: Doug reflects on why he initially dodged his daughter's question and what that revealed about his own discomfort. (07:29) – Can you feel an emotion without having a word for it? Discover why expanding your emotional vocabulary may be essential to greater happiness and emotional intelligence. (09:42) – From confusion to clarity: How finding the precise word for an emotion can turn "Why do I feel this way?" into an actionable understanding of yourself. (11:48) – Name it to tame it: Explore the idea that accurately naming what you're experiencing can help you feel calmer, become unstuck, and move forward. (13:03) – When anxiety isn't the real problem: We explore how physical health, hormones, and the body can influence our emotional experiences—and why understanding the source matters. (15:12) – The mind-body connection: Why emotions sit at the intersection of thought and physical experience, and how that affects the way we understand ourselves. (16:18) – What happens when you give the wrong name to what you're feeling? Learn why confusing one emotional experience with another can lead to the wrong solution. (18:01) – You're not the only one struggling: Discover how reading the experiences of great thinkers, artists, and leaders can help you feel less alone in your own challenges. (20:25) – The hidden cost of ego: Doug shares a deeply personal realization about how a belief he inherited in childhood shaped his behavior for decades. (21:36) – The quote that changed how Doug saw himself: Explore Carl Jung's perspective on ego and why understanding it later in life led Doug to reconsider his past. (23:18) – How a simple childhood comment can shape your entire worldview: Kyle shares a personal story about how an innocent interpretation of a song influenced the way he viewed time and success. (24:25) – Why words shape the way we solve problems: Discover how language influences everything from personal growth to the way experts across disciplines approach complex challenges. (25:57) – The moment Doug realized his research had made a difference: Hear the moving story of his daughter's invitation to give the commencement speech at her college. (27:30) – The story behind Choosing Emotions: Kyle reframes Doug's journey, connecting his pursuit of success, his daughter's struggle, and his discovery of a new way to understand emotions. (31:24) – Learning to reconnect with the heart: Doug reflects on how his daughter's emotional awareness helped him recognize what he had been missing in his own life. (33:50) – Thinking with your head and acting with your heart: Why a more fulfilling life requires us to bring reason and emotional understanding together. (34:53) – Finding insight in the experiences of others: Doug explains how Choosing Emotions combines powerful revelations, unexpected perspectives, and even humor to help readers better understand themselves.

What if the legal protection you've always viewed as a necessary expense could actually become one of your business's greatest drivers of profit, freedom, and growth? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Sharon Toerek, founder and CEO of Toerek Law and a leading legal advisor to independent marketing agencies, to explore how intellectual property and strategic legal agreements can do far more than protect your business from risk. Sharon shares why client contracts, pricing, payment terms, and ownership of your original work can make the difference between running a profitable agency and constantly feeling busy while your margins disappear. We also explore what happens when a successful client relationship turns into a financial crisis, leaving an agency struggling to collect payment while its intellectual property is being used without proper authorization. Sharon reveals how these situations develop, why proactive legal strategy matters, and how agencies can transform their proprietary systems, methodologies, and expertise into scalable revenue streams through training, education, licensing, and other IP-driven business models. If you're ready to move beyond selling time for money and start creating more value from your thinking, this conversation will challenge how you view legal protection—and reveal how protecting your brilliance can become a pathway to greater profitability, freedom, and long-term success. Highlights (01:52) – Why Sharon specializes in helping independent marketing agencies—and the overlooked legal needs that inspired her business. (03:50) – How legal affairs can become a profit center by improving client contracts, protecting margins, and creating new revenue opportunities. (04:46) – Why the intellectual property agencies create every day could be worth far more than the fees they charge for their services. (05:50) – How packaging proprietary systems, methodologies, and education can create repeatable revenue streams beyond selling time for money. (06:46) – Why AI makes intellectual property protection more complicated—and why businesses can unknowingly infringe on someone else's work. (08:12) – How proactive legal strategy helps agencies negotiate from a position of strength instead of constantly reacting to stressful client problems. (09:07) – The contract details that can make the difference between a profitable month and one spent fulfilling work that barely pays. (10:05) – Why an agency's greatest negotiating leverage comes at the beginning of a client relationship—and how to use it effectively. (13:43) – Inside a high-pressure client crisis involving withheld payments, disputed intellectual property, and the threat of serious financial consequences. (18:27) – The words that capture the stakes of a business-threatening situation: "This is a make or break moment for us potentially." (19:59) – Why knowing your legal options isn't enough—and how to find a practical business solution when a client relationship goes sideways. (21:14) – How a successful, long-standing client relationship can turn into an IP dispute when money becomes a bigger concern. (22:40) – The agency that used its intellectual property to build an entirely new business around training, education, events, and media. (24:18) – Why the biggest opportunity for professional service firms may be creating value from their thinking rather than their doing. (25:07) – Hear Kyle transform Sharon's client crisis into a powerful origin story about protecting businesses, stopping financial bleeding, and creating freedom through intellectual property. (28:12) – Why bringing humanity and emotion into your story can make your expertise more meaningful and memorable.

What if one of the simplest tools for changing how you feel, focus, lead, and connect was something you could experience simply by breathing? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Jessica Wiehle, founder of AromaWell and a formally trained clinical aromatherapist, to explore the surprising power of scent. We unpack how essential oils interact with the brain, why different aromas can influence mood, motivation, memory, stress, and focus, and how Jessica creates personalized "aromatic signatures" for individuals, businesses, healthcare facilities, and shared spaces. But Jessica's story goes much deeper than aromatherapy. After losing her mother to cancer at just 19, Jessica discovered herbal medicine and eventually experienced the powerful effects of eucalyptus during an incredibly stressful period of her own life. Years of study, experimentation, and entrepreneurship eventually led her to develop customized aromatherapy programs—including work with memory-care patients experiencing severe cognitive decline. We explore the moment her work came full circle, the lesson she learned about solving everything through effort, and why sometimes the next level of growth comes not from trying harder, but from creating more space for pleasure, relaxation, and alignment. Highlights (02:03) – Why Jessica calls herself a "modern medicine woman" and how decades of studying plants shaped her approach to healing (03:36) – How aromatherapy began transforming Jessica's work with memory-care patients and expanded into mental health, hospice, and workplace wellness (06:23) – What actually happens in the brain when you smell an essential oil—and why scent can influence memory, mood, and motivation (07:36) – Why rosemary and peppermint may act like a workout for the brain, particularly for cognitive stimulation (14:23) – The realization that changed Jessica's business: why a purely clinical approach wasn't fully aligned with the way she wanted to help people (16:48) – How Jessica creates a personalized "aromatic signature" based on your personality, story, goals, and the environment you want to create (19:32) – How the same process can be applied to an entire business by aligning scent with brand story, mission, vision, and customer experience (20:45) – Why aromatherapy offers something most personal-development tools don't: an approach that works in the background without requiring more effort (21:47) – The hidden blocks behind motivation and overwhelm—and how Jessica uses scent to address them (23:22) – The connection between breathing, cortisol, stress, and why a smell can become a simple reminder to slow down (25:21) – Why pleasure matters and how scent can engage the subconscious in ways we don't always consciously understand (27:39) – The deeply personal story that led Jessica to aromatherapy after losing her mother to cancer at just 19 (31:55) – The eucalyptus experience that convinced Jessica there was something powerful about aromatherapy (33:04) – Jessica remembers being beside her mother in hospice—and the small moment of connection she has never forgotten (36:05) – How Jessica went from a paralegal career to building a business around plants, research, and aromatherapy (37:27) – What happened when Jessica introduced a customized aromatherapy program into a memory-care facility (38:50) – How nurses tracked the effects of aromatherapy—and the dramatic changes they observed in some residents (39:37) – The World War II survivor who told Jessica, "I don't know what's in this stuff, but it's working" (41:06) – Kyle reflects on Jessica's story and the journey from standing beside her dying mother to helping others through aromatherapy (46:49) – Jessica's reaction to hearing her own story reflected back—and what she learned about authentic storytelling (48:14) – Why telling your story in a way that creates a personal connection can change how people experience—and respond to—it (48:53) – Jessica's closing message about our capacity to evolve through our senses and become more conscious of what surrounds us

What happens when the success you've worked so hard to create slowly pulls you away from the people and the life that matter most? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with David Taylor-Klaus, MCC, to explore the hidden cost of defining ourselves by what we do—and what it takes to reconnect with who we are beyond our accomplishments. David shares the deeply personal story of reaching a breaking point during Hurricane Katrina, when he realized he had become so disconnected from himself that he could no longer keep his struggles silent. That moment ultimately led him into therapy, coaching, and a much deeper process of rebuilding his life around his values, relationships, and purpose. We also dive into David's work around neuroinformed coaching and why understanding how your brain actually works can change the way you approach motivation, leadership, and personal growth. We explore the difference between "work-life balance" and what David calls a life rhythm, how entrepreneurs can become overcalibrated toward accomplishment, and the five things that can motivate an ADHD brain: play, interest, novelty, competition/collaboration, and urgency. Most importantly, David shares a powerful question that can completely change the way you approach your future: "What will this look like when it's easy?" Rather than forcing yourself into someone else's definition of success, the goal is to discover the path that works with who you actually are. Highlights (02:29) – Why successful people can become disconnected from their families by defining themselves through their work and accomplishments (04:01) – The "work-life balance" lie and why building your life first creates a healthier relationship with your work (05:41) – The warning signs David ignored before realizing something was seriously out of alignment in his life (07:13) – The Hurricane Katrina moment that forced David to confront the storm happening inside him (07:58) – Why speaking your struggles out loud can be the beginning of changing your life (09:25) – The stigma around difficult emotions and why learning to experience emotions matters (12:09) – What neuroinformed coaching means—and why most coaching research doesn't account for neurodiversity (16:46) – The PINCH framework: five things that can help motivate an ADHD brain (19:27) – The two turning points that transformed David's recovery from something he was doing for his children into something he was doing for himself (21:00) – How watching his wife go through coach training sparked David's first genuine excitement in years (24:35) – David's story retold: from feeling trapped and disconnected to discovering a future he could actually feel excited about (30:51) – The realization entrepreneurs need: it doesn't have to be this hard (32:10) – The question that can change your path: "What will this look like when it's easy?"

What if the biggest obstacle in your business isn't the problem you're trying to solve—but the question you haven't been willing to ask? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with executive coach and Vistage chair Ken Proctor to explore the power of asking better, tougher questions. Ken shares how his own failures taught him that leaders don't necessarily need more answers—they need someone willing to challenge them, uncover their blind spots, and help them see what's really driving their decisions. We dive into the "ghosts" that can quietly shape the way leaders operate, from fear and insecurity to old stories carried from childhood into business. Ken explains why asking uncomfortable questions can create more respect than simply trying to be liked, while I explore my own experience of discovering how a single comment from my father influenced years of decisions in my career. This conversation is ultimately about using honest questions to break out of familiar patterns, create greater self-awareness, and move toward more alignment and integrity as a leader. Highlights (01:03) – How Ken's failures turned into the foundation for his "Art of the Question" methodology (01:25) – The question that uncovered a CEO's deepest fear—and revealed the connection to his micromanagement (02:29) – Why challenging leaders with questions can create movement when advice and answers fall short (03:29) – The difference between asking questions to be liked and asking questions that earn respect (03:45) – A powerful CEO question: If you fired yourself, what qualities would you want in your replacement that you don't possess? (05:00) – How tough questions can uncover hidden constraints affecting executives, sales teams, and company culture (06:30) – Why the "sting" of an honest question can be the thing that finally wakes someone up (08:10) – The hidden cost of avoiding uncomfortable truths inside a company (09:50) – How an old comment from a parent can become a "ghost" that silently drives years of business decisions (11:00) – Recognizing the moment when a familiar pattern repeats—and realizing the ghost may still be running the show (12:50) – Turning painful business experiences into greater self-awareness, significance, and alignment (13:20) – Why leaders need to be willing to ask themselves the same tough questions they ask everyone else (14:00) – Moving from constantly circling the problem to finally confronting what's driving it

I've built a lot of businesses over the years, but some of my biggest lessons came from the ones that went painfully wrong. In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Tom Matzen, who has built 94 businesses, taken companies public, built franchise models, and experienced both enormous wins and multimillion-dollar losses. We dig into one of the most painful chapters of his career: turning a company valued at $21.4 million into $10 million in debt in just six months after stepping away from the business and trusting the wrong person. Tom shares what that experience taught him about intuition, accountability, checks and balances, and the dangerous difference between delegation and simply abdicating responsibility. But the conversation goes far beyond what went wrong. Tom explains why entrepreneurs can accidentally build businesses that are completely dependent on them—and why becoming "indispensable" can actually become a liability. He introduces his Omega Method, built around organic growth, machine leverage, equity expansion, growth alliances, and asset accumulation, with the goal of creating more profit and more freedom while allowing the founder to spend more time in their zone of genius. We also get into AI and automation, strategic partnerships, acquiring rather than building from scratch, and the powerful story of how losing another business ultimately led Tom to create Icon Maker. This is a conversation about turning painful business failures into frameworks, freedom, and a completely different way of building. Highlights (02:19) – Tom reveals how a company he took public went from $21.4 million in value to $10 million in debt in just six months (04:02) – The warning Tom ignored before hiring a "shark" to run the company—and why he now sees that decision differently (05:39) – The critical distinction between empowering a team and having the checks and balances necessary to protect the business (07:47) – Why entrepreneurs often mistake healthy skepticism and "street smarts" for being a constraint on growth (10:08) – The moment Tom realized he had stopped listening to his own instincts—and how stepping down from the board created an opening for disaster (10:08) – The "worst-case scenario" filter Tom now uses before entering a new business venture (13:17) – Why entrepreneurs should start with the exit in mind—and how failing to do this can shape the entire structure of a business (15:00) – How being indispensable can trap entrepreneurs inside the businesses they worked so hard to build (18:07) – Tom introduces the five principles behind his Omega Method for creating more growth with less work (20:57) – From $1,100 monthly mastermind phone bills to AI agents: how technology has changed the leverage available to entrepreneurs (22:23) – Why Tom believes entrepreneurs should look for ways to acquire or license existing assets instead of constantly starting from scratch (24:11) – The power of strategic alliances—and how the right relationship can create quantum rather than linear growth (29:26) – The shocking moment Tom was locked out of his own company after a massive launch (30:57) – How losing access to his business also meant losing years of personal files, tax records, photos, and other critical information (33:45) – Tom identifies one of his biggest entrepreneurial mistakes: confusing abdication with delegation (35:01) – Why painful experiences can show up physically—and the question Tom believes every entrepreneur needs to ask about intuition: "Do we trust it?" (35:41) – The three-day Icon Maker launch that generated $3.2 million in sales and became a turning point in Tom's entrepreneurial journey (37:33) – Why Tom focuses on serving the people who don't buy—and how that philosophy changes the way he approaches selling (42:00) – I share the story behind my own painful business failure and how it became the catalyst for creating the Omega Method (43:58) – Tom explains how a $100,000 loan and a devastating business failure ultimately led to his partnership with Danella and the creation of Icon Maker (45:00) – Why Tom believes every mistake can become either a lesson or simply another painful experience—and how reflection changes everything (45:00) – The difference between building a business and building a job with economic risk—and why freedom needs to be part of the model

I've spent a lot of time thinking about the patterns that quietly shape how we lead, love, and live—and this conversation with Bryan Post took that exploration somewhere much deeper. Bryan has spent nearly 30 years working with families, adopted and foster children, parents, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and high-performing executives. His central message is powerful: when we experience stress, we don't simply become stressed—we can actually regress emotionally, allowing old fears, traumas, and survival patterns to take control. In this episode, we unpack his "Fear to Love" methodology and explore why the same emotional patterns he sees in children can show up in highly successful adults who have mastered business, achievement, and grit but still struggle with relationships, connection, and a deeper sense of meaning. What really stood out to me was Bryan's emphasis on going beyond simply thinking about our trauma or inner child. Real transformation, he argues, requires us to slow down, enter the emotional experience, breathe through it, and learn to meet our pain without shame or judgment. Bryan shares his own deeply personal story—from being conceived under traumatic circumstances and moving through foster care and adoption, to a pivotal night when he collapsed on the floor after a painful marriage experience, and eventually to a powerful moment in Sacramento where he openly processed his own emotional overwhelm in front of a group. We also talk about why successful people can climb the first mountain of financial and professional achievement only to discover an emotional void when it's time to climb the second mountain of meaning. If you've ever wondered why you can be incredibly capable in one area of your life while feeling completely overwhelmed in another, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what may be happening underneath the surface. Highlights (00:14) – Why Bryan starts with the parents instead of the child: How helping parents develop deeper self-understanding can completely change the way they understand and respond to their children. (02:04) – The "Stress Model" that applies to both children and adults: Why Bryan believes the emotional patterns he sees in children are fundamentally the same patterns playing out inside stressed adults. (03:55) – Why your inner child may be running the show: We explore how childhood experiences continue to influence present-day relationships and reactions, especially during moments of stress. (04:42) – Trauma, energy, and the memories stored beneath the surface: Bryan explains how unresolved experiences can be triggered years later, creating emotional reactions that seem disproportionate to what's actually happening in the moment. (06:00) – The hidden emotional void behind high achievement: Why some successful men can conquer the first mountain of business and financial success but struggle when it comes to relationships, meaning, and emotional connection. (08:29) – What makes Bryan's approach different: Why talking about trauma and the inner child isn't enough—and why real change requires going into the emotional experience itself. (09:30) – The surprising connection between breathing, stress, and emotional regulation: Bryan explains how slowing down and breathing can help interrupt the cycle of cortisol, fear, and emotional reactivity. (10:44) – Why people don't change until they're willing to: Bryan explains the moment when someone finally becomes ready to stop repeating the same patterns and why that willingness can create breakthroughs far faster than years of traditional approaches. (13:23) – Bryan's own story of trauma, adoption, and survival: Bryan opens up about the circumstances surrounding his conception, adoption, family history, and the experiences that ultimately shaped his life's work. (16:37) – The night Bryan collapsed on the floor: He shares an incredibly vulnerable moment from a difficult marriage when he drove home for 90 minutes, walked into an empty house, and finally allowed himself to have a deep, uncontrollable cry. (19:34) – What emotional mastery actually looks like: Bryan explains how developing awareness of your pain can change the way you respond when rage, overwhelm, or old emotional patterns surface. (21:39) – The Sacramento breakthrough: Bryan describes experiencing intense overwhelm and imposter syndrome at one of his own events—and choosing to process his pain openly rather than hide it. (22:50) – Why Bryan lay down in front of his own group: He shares exactly what happened when he told everyone he needed to do his own emotional work first and allowed himself to receive support. (23:28) – Kyle turns Bryan's story into a story of its own: I retell Bryan's journey from the lonely drive home to the Sacramento breakthrough and explore what it means to create a safe space for emotional transformation. (27:44) – The choice we have in every stressful moment: Bryan leaves us with a simple but powerful practice: stop, take three to ten deep breaths, and choose love instead of automatically reacting from old trauma and fear.

What happens when the traits you spent your life fighting become the very things that allow you to serve others? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Hill, a self-described former "asshole" who has transformed decades of misunderstanding, broken relationships, self-hatred, and personal development into what she now calls her superpower: human connection. Jen shares the brutally honest moment when someone finally told her that her behavior was hurting people—and how that confrontation started a decades-long journey of learning to understand herself, embrace her autistic brain, and turn the way she naturally sees and connects people into a gift. Then the story takes an unexpected and heartbreaking turn. Just as Jen and her business partner Julian were preparing to sell their technology company, Julian suddenly passed away, the acquisition fell apart, and Jen found herself on her knees in Lisbon asking God and the universe what she was supposed to do next. Her answer became the Jennifer Hill Tribe—a community designed around belonging, safety, generosity, and meaningful human connection. We talk about how the tribe grew from a simple request for 10 members into a thriving community, why so many successful entrepreneurs still feel like they can't fully be themselves in other rooms, and how Jen uses her unique ability to connect people to create relationships that become friendships, business partnerships, and sometimes even romance. Most importantly, we explore why the story that nearly breaks you may eventually become the exact story that helps someone else survive their hardest day. Highlights (01:29) – The brutally honest feedback that changed Jen's life Jen shares the moment someone looked her directly in the eyes and told her she was powerful—but was also destroying people around her. That confrontation became the catalyst for decades of personal transformation. (02:34) – From self-hatred and existential crisis to a search for meaning Jen opens up about the darkest period of her life, her early search for purpose, and the experiences that eventually led her toward personal development and self-understanding. (06:04) – Why knowing your problem isn't the same as knowing how to change it Jen explains why recognizing that she was hurting people wasn't enough—and how years of reading, meditation, coaching, and eventually understanding her autism helped her begin turning what she once saw as a weakness into a superpower. (07:22) – The business email Jen wishes she could take back Jen tells the story of sending an all-caps email to her team asking if they were "a bunch of fucking morons"—and how a business coach helped her recognize that even her communication style needed to change. (08:20) – Discovering autism as a superpower Jen shares how her friend and business partner Julian helped her see the strengths behind the way her brain works, including pattern recognition and the ability to make connections others might miss. (09:00) – How Jen accidentally became a human-connection machine Jen explains how she naturally channels introductions and connections for people without even keeping track of how many referrals she makes—and how that gift eventually became the foundation of her community. (09:36) – The business idea that was supposed to change humanity Jen reveals how she and Julian began building Optimatch, a technology designed to turn her intuition for matching people into a scalable system. (10:00) – The phone call that shattered everything Just one day after Jen and Julian celebrated receiving the exact acquisition offer they wanted, Jen woke up to the news that Julian had suddenly died. (10:42) – What do you do when the future you planned disappears overnight? With the acquisition gone, clients pushed away, hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and her business partner gone, Jen found herself on her knees asking God and the universe to show her what to do next. (11:06) – The unusual test Jen gave the universe Jen asked for 10 paid members of her community within a month as a sign that the Jennifer Hill Tribe was her next assignment. Instead, 30 people joined—and another 30 joined the following month. (14:45) – The real mission behind the Jennifer Hill Tribe Jen explains her bigger vision: helping every human being develop deep, meaningful relationships with themselves, other people, and their purpose. (15:14) – Who actually belongs in Jen's tribe? We explore the entrepreneurs, doctors, investors, coaches, authors, podcasters, and other successful people who make up the community—and the common values that bring them together. (16:58) – Why successful people can still feel like they don't belong Jen reveals the missing ingredient she sees in many masterminds and communities: the ability to show up completely authentically without feeling like you have to hide part of yourself. (19:06) – How Jen creates a community that feels like a "warm hug" Jen breaks down what happens when someone joins the tribe and how she intentionally creates an environment where people feel secure, cared for, welcomed, and seen. (19:58) – The unusual systems Jen uses to create powerful connections Jen explains how she combines different systems—including numerology, motivational psychology, and Cards of Your Destiny—to understand how people may naturally connect and where friction might exist. (21:49) – Yes, Jen is also a professional matchmaker Things take a hilarious turn when Jen reveals she keeps a "soulmate list" and sometimes introduces people for fun—including putting Kyle on the list in real time. (25:55) – The "fairy godmother of human connection" Jen explains the role she has embraced and why creating meaningful connections between people has become one of the greatest joys of her life. (27:26) – The moment Jen realized the tribe had truly become what she wanted Jen describes the twice-monthly tribe social hours that consistently remind her why she created this community in the first place: love, appreciation, connection, and people feeling genuinely seen. (29:34) – Why the tribe secretly became the "Love Club" Jen shares the deeply personal story behind the community's internal name and how a difficult experience involving her sister ultimately gave the tribe a name that captured its true purpose. (31:52) – I tell Jen's story back to her I take everything we've uncovered and turn it into the story of someone who spent years feeling like she didn't fit in, finally discovered her gifts, built a company, found a powerful business partner, and then had her world shattered by his sudden death. (35:00) – "Let me find my tribe" I share the moment when Jen's loss became the beginning of a new mission: creating a place where people could feel safe, seen, supported, and connected. (36:41) – How one community member became the proof that Jen had created what she needed Jen's vision comes full circle when a member reaches out to her during a personal crisis—and Jen realizes she can be there for someone else in exactly the way she once needed someone to be there for her. (38:54) – The story that could save someone else Jen closes with a powerful reminder: the story that broke you, embarrassed you, or made you feel like you couldn't keep going may eventually become the story that helps someone else survive their hardest day.

In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Torrie Thompson to unpack one of the most frustrating experiences in health: doing everything "right" and still feeling terrible. We talk about the hidden toxins in our homes, products, and environments that can quietly accumulate over time—and why so many symptoms that we've been taught to accept as "normal" may actually be signs that something deeper is going on. From scented trash bags and household chemicals to mold, heavy metals, environmental toxins, and gut issues, Torrie explains why her approach starts with extensive data and testing rather than guessing. She shares how she uses comprehensive labs to identify what is actually happening inside someone's body, then combines that information with personalized, data-backed protocols and a team-based approach to help people clear what's holding them back. But the most powerful part of our conversation is Torrie's own story. She became sick at just 12 years old and spent 15 years going from doctor to doctor while being told that her labs were "perfect," despite debilitating headaches, weakness, insomnia, depression, weight gain, brain fog, and severe bone pain. It wasn't until she began digging through years of old lab work herself that she discovered clues pointing toward Lyme disease, co-infections, mold, and environmental toxins—things that had been missed for years. We also take a deeper look at the transformation that happened when she finally began getting answers: having the energy to work out again, play tennis, get through the day without needing a nap, and ultimately feel like she had her body and her life back. Along the way, I help Torrie tell this story in a way that reveals not only the data behind her work, but the deeply personal reason she became so passionate about helping others find answers. Highlights (00:18) – Torrie explains why she focuses on hidden toxins and helping people identify what in their homes, products, and environments could be affecting their health. (02:21) – Why doing everything "right" can still leave you feeling horrible—and how common health problems can become normalized even when they aren't actually normal. (03:29) – The surprising example of scented trash bags and how seemingly harmless everyday products can contribute to our overall toxic burden. (05:32) – The mindset that keeps people stuck: believing they're simply "broken" or have to live with their symptoms instead of looking for what's actually causing them. (06:07) – Torrie breaks down her data-driven approach, including testing for mold mycotoxins, heavy metals, environmental toxins, parasites, and gut imbalances. (07:32) – Why years of experience and thousands of client cases matter when developing protocols—and how Torrie uses real-world data to determine what works. (08:24) – The power of having a team of practitioners analyze difficult cases together instead of relying on a single perspective. (09:11) – What can happen when the body begins clearing its toxic burden: more energy, less brain fog, improved hormones, reduced inflammation, better mood, and improved lab markers. (10:28) – Torrie takes us back to age 12, when unexplained symptoms began and she started a 15-year journey through doctors and specialists searching for answers. (12:04) – The emotional breaking point that changed everything—and the moment Torrie decided she had to find the answer herself. (13:05) – How an accidentally ordered lab test became the first major clue toward Lyme disease and finally gave Torrie something to investigate. (14:40) – The second major discovery: testing revealed extremely high levels of black mold and environmental toxins that traditional testing had failed to uncover. (16:43) – The moment Torrie realized she was finally getting her life back—when she could work out, lift weights, eat more normally, and recognize the healthy person she saw in the mirror. (17:37) – Why gradual changes can be so difficult to recognize—and how much of our lives we may be missing while we assume feeling bad is simply normal. (19:00) – I help Torrie tell the full version of her story, including the 15-year struggle, the emotional breaking point, the search for answers, and the discoveries that changed her life. (23:52) – We talk about why your personal story can be just as powerful as your expertise—and why Torrie's experience is more than just "I was sick, now I'm better." (25:38) – Torrie reflects on what it feels like to hear her own story told back to her and why the human story can connect with people in ways data alone cannot. (26:59) – Torrie shares where to follow her and learn more about her work.

What happens when the challenges you've spent years trying to overcome become the very experiences that shape who you're capable of becoming? In this episode of The Story Engine Podcast, I sit down with Tom LeNoble, a former executive at companies including MCI, Palm, Walmart.com, and Facebook, who has been given six months to live three separate times and has lived with metastatic cancer for the past fourteen years. Rather than allowing those diagnoses to define his life, Tom has built his philosophy around three powerful principles: risk, resilience, and reinvention. We dig into what it actually looks like to stop living in the past, stop waiting for a "do-over," and start using your past as evidence of what you're capable of. Tom shares how his childhood, health crises, and willingness to take enormous risks—including leaving a dream corporate position to join a then-little-known Facebook—shaped the way he now advises executives and professionals. We also explore the hidden problems beneath the problems people bring to coaching, the six forms of energy that can become imbalanced, why curiosity and psychological safety can accelerate change, and how "acting as if" can help you move toward a life that doesn't yet exist. This is a conversation about resilience, but more importantly, it's about what becomes possible when you decide that your past can inform your future without controlling it. Highlights (01:56) – Risk, resilience, and reinvention: Tom explains how two life-threatening illnesses forced him to rethink conventional approaches and develop the three principles that now guide his work with executives. (02:59) – Stop waiting for the "do-over": We explore why living in the past can consume the time, energy, and consciousness you need to actually create your future. (04:10) – The problem beneath the problem: Tom reveals why clients often arrive with one business question but leave with an entirely different answer—and how going one or two layers deeper can uncover what's really blocking them. (04:58) – Turn your past into evidence, not a ball and chain: Tom explains how previous experiences can either keep you stuck or become proof that you're capable of handling what comes next. (07:17) – The six forms of energy: We break down how time, physical vitality, relationships, money, support, and other forms of energy interact—and how depletion in one area can create problems everywhere else. (08:17) – Are you missing the butterfly?: Tom shares a powerful metaphor for how being mentally stuck in the last email, conversation, or upcoming meeting can cause us to miss the renewal and opportunities happening right in front of us. (08:55) – Stop searching for the story that makes you look good: We talk about how entrepreneurs and leaders can filter their own experiences through the wrong lens—and miss the stories and insights that would actually connect with their audience. (10:23) – Curiosity as a coaching superpower: Tom explains how watching behavior, facial expressions, and vocal inflection helps him identify what's really happening beneath someone's words and create a safe space for honest conversations. (11:57) – The investor call that was costing an executive his relationship: Tom shares a specific example of helping an executive recognize that the sacrifices he thought were necessary for business success were actually creating the same relationship problems he had experienced before. (13:57) – What changes when you're told you have six months to live: Tom describes the perspective shift that comes from facing death repeatedly—and why he became more interested in what he could do while living than in dwelling on the possibility of dying. (14:39) – Resilience is a muscle: Tom explains why resilience gets stronger through use and why looking forward, rather than wallowing in what happened, can fundamentally change how we experience adversity. (16:14) – The lifestyle that forced Tom to wake up: Tom gets specific about the years when he worked 12–14 hour days, partied afterward, neglected his health, and lived almost entirely for future outcomes. (18:34) – Growing up in "the shack": Tom takes us back to his childhood without hot water or a refrigerator and explains how realizing at age five that his life was different became an early catalyst for risk, resilience, and reinvention. (21:01) – The phone call that changed everything: Tom tells the story of being recruited by Facebook when it was still a little-known company, interviewing with a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg, and taking the enormous risk of leaving his dream job at Palm. (23:50) – Building a career while fighting for your health: Tom reveals what it was really like working at Facebook while dealing with a serious diagnosis—including being more concerned about where the bathroom was than whether he was in the right meeting room. (25:01) – My attempt to reflect Tom's story back to him: I take everything Tom has shared and connect the pieces—from his health struggles and relentless work ethic to his decision to fight forward and reinvent his life. (28:55) – Why your story can reveal possibilities you didn't see before: Tom explains why having someone accurately reflect your story back to you can help you see the person you're capable of becoming. (29:29) – The hidden power of writing your own story: Tom shares why writing his memoir was so cathartic and why every part of our past—even the parts we would rather hide—can be essential to understanding who we are today. (31:03) – Where to connect with Tom: Tom shares how you can learn more about his work, his books, and the Opening Pathways Collective.