It doesn’t take a genius.
Employee engagement, customer experience and more from two business coaches. Mike and Mark turn business trends, research and theory into practical actions you can apply at work.
Employee engagement, customer experience and more from two business coaches. Mike and Mark turn business trends, research and theory into practical actions you can apply at work.
Episodes
Jan 27, 2026
Attention to detail is how your love shows up!
Jan 27, 2026
Jan 27, 2026
10 min
What do Walt Disney's cashmere sweater and a bottle of pesto on a Patagonian mountain have to do with each other? The answer is the same thing that helps build trust and loyalty with the people around you.
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Jan 27, 2026
10 min
Jan 20, 2026
Jan 20, 2026
9 min
You don’t get what you want in life. You get what you ask for. Most people walk around hoping. Hoping they get noticed. Hoping the boss sees their effort. Hoping the customer understands their value. Hoping the universe connects the dots.
Hope is not a strategy.
Asking is.
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Jan 20, 2026
9 min
Jan 13, 2026
Your stories are sticky--so use 'em!
Jan 13, 2026
Jan 13, 2026
13 min
Another tool in your work to engage others: your stories. About 2,500 years ago, Plato said this would work. It's still used today. Here's why--and how to get started.
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Jan 13, 2026
13 min
Jan 6, 2026
Mercenary, Patriot ... or Citizen?
Jan 6, 2026
Jan 6, 2026
19 min
A follow-up to our episode, "Your coworker, the flat-earther" moves on from your engagement to your employees' engagement. Are they Patriots?
Can you be OK with them just being Citizens? (AI is probably going to make this problem even harder!)
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Jan 6, 2026
19 min
Jan 1, 2026
Your coworker, the flat-earther
Jan 1, 2026
Jan 1, 2026
12 min
Do your coworkers wear you out?
One hilarious novel from 1910 has the answer--and it happens to agree with Gallup's Q12 Employee Engagement Survey. Have you made friends with your weirdo coworkers?
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Jan 1, 2026
12 min
Dec 23, 2025
Yes, you still need memory
Dec 23, 2025
Dec 23, 2025
24 min
Guitar gods Steve Vai and Joe Satriani agree with Mark's Pap-paw! Memorization (yes, even in the workplace) is really important--and you CAN do it.
Links:
Rick Beato's fascinating interview with Vai and Satriani
Red Harrison mini-documentary
Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Dec 23, 2025
24 min
Dec 16, 2025
Lessons from two successful Chick-fil-A's
Dec 16, 2025
Dec 16, 2025
26 min
Mike and Mark had a chance to interview the owner-operator of two incredibly successful Chick-fil-A locations. Her insights on customer experience--and employee engagement--inspired us to record this overview. Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Dec 16, 2025
26 min
Dec 9, 2025
The Gift-Giving Hack
Dec 9, 2025
Dec 9, 2025
21 min
Thanks to research, Mike has cracked the code on how to give a memorable present. Tune in to hear how diamond charms for your friend's Crocs may actually be a good idea. Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Dec 9, 2025
21 min
Dec 2, 2025
Keep asking questions
Dec 2, 2025
Dec 2, 2025
8 min
Have you fallen into the trap of problem-solving instead of asking? It may be counter-intuitive, but if you're the manager ... it's how you grow your team. (AI says: The discussion focuses on the importance of questioning and understanding decision-making processes, emphasizing that managers need to develop skills in asking thoughtful questions rather than providing immediate solutions. The episode concludes with insights on organizational growth challenges and the need to foster independent problem-solving through active listening and reflective thinking.)Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Dec 2, 2025
8 min
Nov 25, 2025
The water main leak in us all
Nov 25, 2025
Nov 25, 2025
9 min
Do what now? Well, the disaster in Mark's front yard (yeah, it's a water main) illustrates a workplace truth echoed in the book of Jeremiah. When all you see are actions, how can you judge intent? Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.
Nov 25, 2025
9 min



