ChoinqueCast

In this episode of ChoinqueCast Podcast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Ryan Englin, Founder and CEO of Core Matters, author of Hire Better People Faster, to explore why most hiring problems are not really about a lack of candidates. Ryan explains how poor systems, weak communication, limited trust, and unclear expectations can make it difficult for small businesses to attract and retain the right people.Ryan shares how growing up in a blue-collar family shaped his view of entrepreneurship and why watching his father become tied to the business made him determined to help owners create more freedom. He explains how Core Matters evolved from a marketing company into a business focused on hiring, leadership, and employee systems after he realized many business owners did not need more customers. They needed better people, stronger teams, and more effective ways to lead them.The conversation explores why companies should treat recruiting like marketing, how to distinguish between “rock stars” and “superstars,” why behavioral interviews reveal more than scripted questions, and how personal circumstances can dramatically affect employee performance. Ryan also discusses mentorship, employee engagement, performance reviews, and why he believes the so-called labor shortage is often an engagement and retention problem rather than a true lack of available workers.Expect to Learn:Why small-business hiring problems are often caused by weak systems, leadership, and retention rather than a lack of available candidates.How treating recruitment like marketing can help companies attract people who fit their culture and values.Why hiring an A-player does not matter if the company cannot support, engage, and retain that person.How understanding what employees are dealing with personally can help leaders solve performance issues before replacing good people.The difference between “rock stars” who want stability and mastery and “superstars” who are driven by rapid growth and advancement.Why interviews should focus more on observing behaviour than asking polished, predictable questions.How practical hiring tests can reveal punctuality, initiative, communication skills, and willingness to ask for help.Why mentorship can improve belonging, trust, engagement, and career development for new employees.How Core Matters helps owners build systems and teams that allow the business to operate without depending entirely on them.Why Ryan believes many companies are facing an engagement and retention crisis rather than simply a labour shortage.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction to Ryan Englin00:26 – Growing Up in a Blue-Collar Family and Seeing Entrepreneurship Firsthand04:46 – How Core Matters Evolved From Marketing to Hiring and Team Development06:38 – Why Hiring Good People Is Only the Beginning12:03 – Treating Recruiting Like Marketing18:59 – Rock Stars vs. Superstars: Hiring the Right Type of Employee25:33 – Why Behaviour-Based Interviews Work Better Than Scripted Questions32:00 – Writing Hire Better People Faster33:35 – How Core Matters Builds Hiring and Leadership Systems37:50 – Mentorship, Engagement, and Solving the Labour Crisis43:42 – How to Connect With Ryan Englin & Closing RemarksDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.🔗 Connect with the Guest, Ryan Englin:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanenglin/👉 Personal Website: https://ryanenglin.com/👉 Core Matters Website: https://corematters.com/👉 Core Matters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corematters/👉 Hire Better People Faster: https://hirebetterpeoplefaster.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses:👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Susie Tomenchok, negotiation and leadership expert, author, and executive coach at Inturri Consulting, to explore why negotiation is not about manipulation or winning at someone else’s expense. Susie explains how adopting a negotiator’s mindset can help leaders communicate more clearly, understand other people’s interests, build influence, and navigate high-stakes conversations with greater confidence.Susie shares how her career began in telecommunications, where she was thrown into multimillion-dollar negotiations involving executives, attorneys, and major companies such as Discovery, Viacom, and Boeing. Those experiences taught her to recognize the role of timing, leverage, relationships, emotions, and preparation in negotiation. She also explains how the same skills apply to everyday leadership, from framing an ask and practicing silence to understanding power dynamics and moving from a scarcity mindset toward greater collaboration.Drawing from her book, The Art of Everyday Negotiation Without Manipulation, Susie introduces her PACE and CLAW frameworks and explains why preparation, awareness, listening, leverage, and reflection matter well beyond formal dealmaking. She and Jim also discuss feedback, career self-advocacy, AI’s impact on leadership, and why strong people skills, judgment, curiosity, and influence are becoming even more important as technology changes the workplace.Expect to Learn:Why negotiation and leadership rely on many of the same skills, including listening, framing, understanding interests, managing leverage, and communicating clearly.How preparation can help leaders move from a scarcity mindset toward seeing more options and opportunities in difficult conversations.Why understanding the interests, relationships, emotions, and power dynamics of other people can lead to better outcomes without manipulation.How Susie’s PACE and CLAW frameworks make negotiation strategies practical enough to use in everyday workplace conversations.Why feedback can reveal blind spots that are impossible to see from your own perspective and why evaluation and coaching should be treated differently.How everyday situations, from career conversations to family decisions, contain opportunities to negotiate and advocate for yourself.Why leaders need strong people skills, judgment, influence, and curiosity as AI increasingly takes over tasks based primarily on technical knowledge.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:00:00 – Trailer and Episode Preview01:20 – Welcome & Introduction to Susie Tomenchok06:36 – Lessons From Real-World Negotiations and Manipulation Tactics10:44 – Why Negotiation Skills Are Leadership Skills14:44 – The PACE and CLAW Negotiation Frameworks16:55 – Feedback, Blind Spots, and Becoming a Better Leader20:10 – Writing The Art of Everyday Negotiation Without Manipulation31:07 – Closing Remarks & ThanksDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Susie Tomenchok:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susietomenchok/👉 Website: https://www.susietomenchok.com/👉 Negotiation Love: https://www.negotiationlove.com/👉 Podcast – How to Get What You Want: https://getwhatyouwant.buzzsprout.com/👉 Apple Podcasts – How to Get What You Want: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-what-you-want/id1650026356 🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/ 🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses:👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Hugh Tafel, business coach at StreetSmart MBA, to explore how unconventional career paths, entrepreneurial thinking, and business coaching can create greater professional autonomy. Hugh shares his journey from accounting and banking to ski instruction, tourism management, reforestation, and business coaching. They discuss why traditional qualifications do not automatically translate into leadership success, how professionals can turn decades of experience into independent consulting businesses, and why business owners often need better systems and profitability rather than simply more customers.Hugh Tafel explains how his early experiences managing ski schools, tour operations, and tree-planting crews helped him develop the business skills that eventually led him into coaching in 2008. He shares practical examples of improving profitability through pricing and cost management, including helping a struggling restaurant move from losing $12,000 per month to earning $12,000 per month. Hugh also discusses the difference between coaching and consulting, the importance of asking effective questions, and how experienced corporate leaders and business owners can build successful coaching practices without starting entirely from scratch.Expect to Learn:Why unconventional career paths can lead to unexpected opportunities and why professionals do not need to have their entire careers planned in advance.How leadership, delegation, communication, and sales skills can be more valuable for business growth than technical expertise alone.Why business owners should examine pricing, operating costs, and existing customers before investing in additional lead generation.How business coaching differs from traditional consulting by helping owners develop solutions, take responsibility, and implement meaningful changes.How experienced professionals can turn their industry knowledge into profitable coaching and consulting practices while helping businesses improve their systems, profitability, and long-term value.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:00:00 – Trailer: Hugh Tafel on turning business experience into coaching01:24 – Introducing Hugh Tafel of StreetSmart MBA15:01 – Leaving corporate life to pursue entrepreneurship34:36 – Why technical expertise does not guarantee business success41:47 – Hugh's transition into business coaching in 200845:35 – Coaching vs. consulting: Helping business owners find solutions48:30 – Why more customers are not always the answer to business growth54:05 – Turning professional experience into a profitable coaching business01:00:00 – StreetSmart MBA and how to connect with Hugh TafelDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 👉 Coaching Opportunity for Potential Coaches: https://streetsmartsmba.pro/leverage🔗 Connect with the Guest, Hugh Tafel:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughtafel/👉 Company’s Website: https://streetsmartsmba.pro/👉 Coaching Opportunity: https://streetsmartsmba.pro/leverage🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Bryan Currier, CEO of Advantage Technologies, about building a resilient business through values-driven leadership. They examine the hidden costs of an unethical high-performing salesperson, transparency during financial pressure, and the decision to protect employees during COVID-19 shutdowns. Listeners will learn how to evaluate performance beyond revenue, strengthen cooperation across departments, and use cash reserves to preserve choices during a crisis.Currier started the company while working his way through college, initially using the business to fund flight training. When the aviation industry collapsed in 2001, he continued in IT and grew the company to serve healthcare and professional services clients across eight states. His experience navigating the loss of a major referral source, an IRS audit, and the Great Recession shaped his commitment to financial preparedness and keeping promises to his team.Expect to Learn:How to evaluate a salesperson’s performance beyond revenue by examining client outcomes, ethical conduct, and downstream operational costs.Why leaders need to distinguish character problems from personality quirks rather than assume training will resolve both.How shared values and cross-department perspective help sales and operations make promises they can deliver together.How transparent communication about financial challenges and a concrete recovery plan can help a team rally around the business.Why cash reserves give leaders the option to protect employees and maintain client support during unexpected shutdowns.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:00:00 – Introducing Bryan Currier of Advantage Technologies05:20 – Letting go of a top salesperson over ethical violations11:49 – Core values: simplicity, doing the right thing, and defending teammates15:43 – The loss of a major referral source, an IRS audit, and the Great Recession29:26 – Using cash reserves to keep employees working during COVID-1933:36 – The four S’s: simple, secure, stable, and supported technologyDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.🔗 Connect with the Guest, Bryan Currier:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcurrier01/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/advantage-technologies/👉 Company’s Website: https://www.adv-tech.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with John Nieuwenburg, Founder and Business Coach at W5 Coaching, about moving from a hands-on operator to a leader-owner. They explore structural trust, repeatable systems, delegation, and the personal cost of constant firefighting. Listeners will learn how to give employees decision-making authority, reduce dependence on the owner, and make room for higher-value work and life outside the business.John became a business coach in 2004 after practicing a coaching style of leadership rooted in Socratic training since the early 1980s. His work with professionals, tradespeople, and a factory owner highlights the gap between technical expertise and business leadership. He brings practical client examples and personal experience with depression to his emphasis on communication, self-awareness, and asking for help.Expect to Learn:How repeatable processes and clear responsibilities create structural trust when a growing team can no longer rely on personal relationships alone.How delegating authority within agreed limits and reviewing decisions regularly can replace repeated requests for the owner's approval.The distinction between checklists that prompt trained people through critical actions and SOPs that specify step-by-step procedures.Why reducing dependence on the owner creates time for strategic work and can make a business more sellable.Why recognizing the emotional cost of overwork and speaking openly about personal struggles matter to leadership and owner well-being.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:14] – Welcome & Introduction to the ChoinqueCast with John Nieuwenburg[05:08] – Working with Small Business Owners: Great at Their Trade, Not at Running a Business[10:09] – The Three-Legged Stool: Systems, People, Leadership, and Building Structural Trust[14:47] – From Operator-Owner to Leader-Owner: Naming Someone Else as Responsible[20:09] – Profit vs. Business Value: Working on Asset Value and Avoiding Earnouts[27:49] – Checklists and SOPs: Would You Fly with a Pilot Who Skipped the Pre-Flight Checklist?[33:45] – How the Personal Story Informs Coaching: All Business Coaching Is Personal Coaching[37:26] – The Purpose of a Small Business: To Give the Owner the Life They Want[38:43] – Closing Remarks and ThanksDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.🔗 Connect with the Guest, John Nieuwenburg:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/business-coach-canada/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/w5-coaching/👉 Company’s Website: https://w5coaching.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Joe Davis, Author of The Generous Leader and Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), about leading through direct feedback, inclusion, vulnerability, and collaboration. Joe explains how leaders can help people grow by addressing issues in the moment, inviting more voices into decisions, and focusing teams on execution.Drawing on six years in sales at Procter & Gamble and 37 years at BCG, including leadership roles across multiple offices and North America, Joe shares the experiences that shaped his approach. His stories connect candid communication and small acts of care with the trust teams need to contribute, solve problems, and deliver results.Expect to Learn: How timely, direct feedback helps people improve without the surprise of an annual review.Why leaders need to understand what people hear, not only what they intend to communicate.How one-on-one support can build confidence for capable team members who are afraid to speak up.The value of inviting the most junior person into a meeting early to change the room’s dynamic.Why vulnerability, including saying “I don’t know,” can release a team from fear and inaction.How small acts of recognition and personal attention can strengthen commitment and trust.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:13] – Welcome & Introduction to the ChoinqueCast with Joe Davis[08:31] – Feedback in the Moment: Why Annual Reviews Get a Bad Name[14:12] – Imposter Syndrome and the Advantage of Being Older[21:37] – The Three Stages of a BCG Career: Up or Out, Partner, and Leadership[26:57] – The Simple Inclusion Technique: Ask the Most Junior Person First[32:25] – What the CEO Saw: Inclusion, Results, and the West Coast Joe[37:39] – Surrounding Yourself with the Smartest People: Confidence and Filling Gaps[44:00] – What's Next for Joe: Speaking, Grandkids and Maybe Another Book[45:44] – Closing Remarks and ThanksDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Joe Davis:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedavis1313/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-group/home/👉 Company’s Website: https://www.bcg.com/ 🔗 A Leadership Book by Joe Davis:👉 Link to the Book: https://www.joedavis.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Nima Rahmany, Founder of Becoming Trigger Proof and Former Chiropractor who teaches entrepreneurs about self-mastery, nervous system regulation, and attachment work. They examine why professional drive can coexist with reactive relationship patterns, how triggers shape leadership and intimacy, and how rupture and repair can support healthier responses.Nima describes moving from chiropractic practice into teaching after recognizing the role of unresolved wounding in stress-related conditions and in his own relationships. Drawing on his experience developing the Trigger-Proof Methodology, he explains how body awareness, examination of personal narratives, and practice of repair can help people respond from their adult selves rather than react from old wounds.Expect to Learn:How unresolved feelings of unworthiness can fuel professional ambition while creating challenges in intimate relationships.Why a secure relationship can feel unfamiliar or unstimulating to a nervous system conditioned for intensity.How recognizing push, collapse, withdrawal, and bracing can help identify a reactive nervous system posture.The value of using triggers as opportunities to examine the interpretations and unmet needs beneath a reaction.How repair after conflict can build resilience and reduce the time spent in avoidance, defensiveness, or escalation.The difference between protective and containment boundaries and how both support integrity in relationships and leadership.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:22] – Welcome & Introduction to the ChoinqueCast with Nima[06:00] – Becoming Trigger-Proof: Polyvagal Theory, Somatics, and Shadow Work[12:54] – The Mask Comes Off: Wounded Child Reactions[18:46] – Using Every Trigger as a Path Back Home to Safety[25:29] – Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn: Rewiring Reactive Responses[30:14] – Elegant Boundaries: Protective vs. Containment Boundaries[36:44] – Repairing Boundary Violations: The Key to Secure Relationships[40:04] – Willingness to Be Triggered: Integrating and Communicating[42:05] – Closing Remarks and ThanksDisclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Nima Rahmany:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimarahmany/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becoming-trigger-proof/👉 Company’s Website: https://becometriggerproof.com/🔗 Trigger-Proof Leader Quiz:👉 Link to the Quiz: https://becometriggerproof.com/attachment-style-assessment/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Scott Peper, Founder & CEO of Mobilization Funding, about helping commercial construction subcontractors manage the working-capital gap between starting work and getting paid. They cover project cash-flow modeling, the limits of bank credit, the role of mobilization funding, and ways education can build trust across construction projects. Listeners learn how payment cycles affect growth and how to map project costs before cash flow turns positive.Peper draws on a background that includes growing up in upstate New York, hospitality and marketing studies, sales roles, medical device work, and exposure to construction through his father's company. Since helping launch Mobilization Funding after the recession, he has developed a perspective centered on understanding contractors' operational pressures, providing project-specific capital, and building an internal culture that delivers on customer promises.Expect to Learn:How to map weekly project costs and expected payments to identify a subcontractor's working-capital gap.Why commercial subcontractors may need to cover 60 to 75 days of costs before receiving payment.The role of mobilization funding in bridging the period between starting a project and reaching positive cash flow.Why bank credit may not support a contractor's growth when lending is based on prior performance.How providing educational tools before a customer needs financing can build trust in a low-trust industry.The importance of aligning internal culture and core values with the customer experience a company promises.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:23] – Welcome & Introduction to the ChoinqueCast with Scott Peper[06:19] – The Idea That Started Mobilization Funding: Lending to Contractors[12:19] – Cash Flow Cycles Vary: Every Project Is Different[19:19] – Beyond Financing: Education, Tools, and Trust Building[28:19] – Internal Culture: Treating Employees Like Customers[32:19] – Who Thrives at Mobilization Funding: Problem Solvers, Creatives, Accountable People[33:49] – Lifelong Learning: Books, Cross-Training, and Personal Finance[35:44] – Closing Remarks and How to Connect Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Scott Peper:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-peper-9387288/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mobilization-funding/👉 Company’s Website: https://mobilizationfunding.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Ed Hinman, Senior Vice President, Associate Services at Gavin de Becker & Associates and Author of The Barbarian in You, which is about living with vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Ed explains how effort, self-awareness, intuition, and intentional habits can help people counter isolation and the routines of modern life.Ed traces his path from the Naval Academy Prep School and eight years in the Marine Corps to graduate study in history and a career in private security. His experiences with academic setbacks, career decisions, historical study, and creative writing shape the perspective behind his framework for pursuing a more human, engaged life.Expect to Learn:How focused effort and seeking help can turn a difficult standard into a source of personal agency.Why recognizing your strengths and pursuing work that draws your sustained effort can help you flourish.How intuition and feeling can serve as a compass for important decisions when paired with effort.How interests outside your primary work can build skills and create a distinct contribution.Why vigor, wonder, and fellowship are practical categories for creating more positive daily experiences.How small, intentional practices such as walking at sunrise or calling a friend can support a more human life.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:02] – Welcome & Introduction to the ChoinqueCast with Ed Hinman[06:32] – Leading Recruitment and Training at Gavin de Becker & Associates[09:45] – David Lee Roth: Agency, Tenacity, and the Power of Will[12:02] – The Barbarian Redefined: Living with Vigour, Wonder, and Fellowship[14:17] – Emerson and "Trust Thyself": Following Intuition[18:32] – Why Investing in Yourself Spills Over into Everything[22:18] – The Book: "The Barbarian in You" – Themes and How to Buy It[27:32] – Practical Advice: Small Steps to Vigour, Wonder, and Fellowship[31:39] – Closing Remarks and How to Connect Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Ed Hinman:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edhinman/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gdbaprotects/👉 Company’s Website: https://www.gdba.com/🔗 Link to the book, The Barbarian in You:👉 Link to his book: https://www.barbarianinyou.com/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ

In this episode of ChoinqueCast, host Jim Emerick sits down with Estrella Parker, an Advisor, Investor, and Board Director Candidate at Independent Advisory, and a former two-time CHRO. Listeners learn how to reframe imposter syndrome, build stronger team relationships, and lead through change without relying solely on individual achievement.Estrella Parker grew up in the Philippines, studied computer science, came to the United States for an MBA, and worked in management consulting before moving into leadership roles. Her experience leading organizational effectiveness and strategy consultants, serving as CHRO, and learning to balance ambition with health informs her perspective on developing leaders and supporting women in the workplace.Expect to Learn:How to treat imposter syndrome as part of adjusting to a new role rather than evidence that you do not belong.Why emotional intelligence and mindfulness become essential as leadership depends more on relationships and shared results.The difference between managing tasks and leading people to grow, stretch, and meet high standards.How brief, playful activities can change a group’s energy and create more openness for problem-solving.Why the process of becoming matters alongside professional achievement, especially for women pursuing ambitious goals.How to set goals across different dimensions of your life to maintain balance over time.Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:[00:00] – Teaser[01:30] – Jim welcomes Estrella Parker and introduces the discussion of imposter syndrome.[08:20] – Parker explains why emotional intelligence and mindfulness sustain leadership momentum.[11:03] – A first management role and new motherhood reveal the difference between managing and leading.[17:45] – Parker describes how playfulness creates openness and supports innovation.[21:26] – Her guidance for women includes claiming the right to pursue their own aspirations.[30:34] – Parker outlines a whole-person framework for balance, growth, and learning from others.[32:06] – Parker identifies LinkedIn as the best way to connect with her.Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with the Guest, Estrella Parker:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estrella-parker/👉 Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-advisory/🔗 Connect with the Host, Jim Emerick:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimemerick/🔗 More from Choinque:👉 Website: https://www.choinque.com/blog👉 Facebook: https://facebook.com/918903204639744👉 Instagram: https://instagram.com/choinquecast👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@choinque👉 X: https://x.com/choinque👉 Email: [email protected]🔗 More about Leadership Courses: 👉 Schedule: https://www.academyleadership.com/Emerick/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choinquecast/id1290927745👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56oY3glVaoTXmmcWWGQGry?si=69f1cd525a5d4be5👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAA4czS4aI7V5g3i2Sd4bUQ