Have you ever gotten an email that seemed too good to be true — and almost deleted it? That's exactly what happened to me a few years back, and following that hunch instead of hitting delete turned into one of the most unexpected side quests of my career. Welcome back — hope you had a great 4th of July with the family (and kept all your fingers intact). Today I'm telling you the story of the time a random email led to recording an entire audiobook, and I'm breaking down the five filters I use to decide whether an unexpected opportunity is worth chasing or worth letting go.HighlightsThe suspicious email that turned out to be a legitimate audiobook recording opportunity from a major New York publisherHow I verified the opportunity was real using LinkedIn before committing to anythingWhat the actual recording workflow looked like — including a director joining remotely via ZoomThe five filters for evaluating any side quest: legitimacy, honesty, long-term potential, asset leverage, and family marginWhy being upfront about your limited experience actually builds more trust with a clientHow to tell the difference between a side quest worth pursuing and one that's a distractionChapters0:32 — Side Quest Idea1:29 — Suspicious Email2:33 — Verifying It's Real3:18 — Taking The Gig4:42 — Recording Workflow5:31 — Why Say Yes6:17 — Five Filters Intro6:24 — Filter One: Legit Check7:47 — Filter Two: Be Honest10:18 — Filter Three: Long Term11:37 — Filter Four: Asset Leverage14:09 — Filter Five: Family Margin15:36 — Quick Recap16:31 — Share Your Side QuestsBe sure to subscribe and leave us a review!For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dadRemember, build the business, but be the dad!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

What if the goal you set for your business this year is dead on arrival — not because it's a bad goal, but because you have no way to measure whether you're actually moving toward it? Today we're breaking down the difference between a goal and a plan to achieve it, using the same thinking elite soccer players use to track their performance toward a win. I walk through how to build a SMART (or SMARTY) goal, then how to support it with three types of measures — key performance indicators, key activity indicators, and key behavior indicators — so you always know exactly where you stand.HighlightsWhy a goal without a measurement system falls apart, no matter how ambitious it isHow to write a SMART goal — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound — and why adding a "Y" (why it matters) makes it even strongerThe three types of business indicators: KPIs (key performance indicators), KAIs (key activity indicators), and KBIs (key behavior indicators)A real-world breakdown of each indicator type using a plumbing business as the exampleThe recommended structure: three KPIs, three KAIs, and three KBIs per person or departmentWhy goals should be measured on a 13-week (quarterly) cycle instead of waiting a full yearHow often to review your numbers, and why accountability with a direct report mattersA reminder that indicators need to be tracked consistently, not just set and forgottenChapters0:24 — Why measuring activity is the key to hitting your goal1:23 — What makes a goal a SMART (and SMARTY) goal2:32 — Introducing KPIs, KAIs, and KBIs3:38 — Applying the three indicators to a plumbing business example4:51 — How many measures you need and how to narrow them down5:34 — Why goals should be reviewed every 13 weeks, not once a year6:41 — How often to track and review your numbers, and staying accountable8:21 — Closing thoughts and the free Second Act assessmentResources MentionedThe Second Act Business Owner self-assessment (referenced as available to listeners at any time — no specific link was mentioned in the episode)Want to get more help from Lee with your business? Visit her website: https://leegray.actioncoach.com/This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network. For more information, visit ictpod.net.

There was a time when what happened in Kansas was front page news on the east coast. This week, Sydney and Gus sit down with historian Dr. Kristen Epps, professor at Kansas State University and editor of Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains, to dig into Bleeding Kansas, the people slavery's expansion actually affected, and why the messy, complicated version of our state's story matters more than the tidy one. Kristen shares how she stumbled into Kansas history research, what it's really like editing an academic journal, and the wildest things she's found in dusty courthouse archives (John Brown's actual handwriting included). She also gives us a first look at her upcoming narrative history of Kansas, co-written with Jim Leiker, and reflects on resilience, reform movements, and why she finds hope in the next generation as the country marks its 250th anniversary. Plus, Sydney closes it out with an America 250-themed round of obscure Kansas facts covering everything from the Exodusters to ancient camels.HighlightsKristen Epps introduces herself as an "adopted Kansan" and explains her path from the Pacific Northwest and Colorado to becoming a Kansas historian.She edits Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains, a peer-reviewed publication jointly run by the Kansas Historical Society and K-State.Her book, Slavery on the Periphery, centers enslaved people's experiences rather than treating slavery as purely a political debate.A breakdown of what Bleeding Kansas actually was, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, popular sovereignty, and the violence that followed.Confirmation that enslaved people did live in Kansas, including at the Shawnee Methodist Mission, Fort Scott, and Fort Leavenworth.Research stories from the archives, including finding Abraham Lincoln's signature and reading John Brown's surprisingly ordinary letters.A preview of Kristen's upcoming narrative history of Kansas with co-author Jim Leiker, out in early 2027 from the University Press of Kansas.Reflections on resilience through Kansas history, from the Dust Bowl to the decades-long fight for women's suffrage (won in Kansas in 1912).Kristen's thoughts on why history matters heading into America's 250th anniversary, and where she finds hope in today's college students.Sydney's America 250-themed Kansas trivia: the Exoduster migration, prehistoric camel fossils, a Kansas doctor's role in founding modern EMS, and the tiny town of Speed, Kansas hosting a Hot Wheels anniversary event.Chapters0:00 – Garden Bounty1:44 – Podcast Intro and Guest Tease3:05 – Meet Historian Kristen Epps4:09 – Why Kansas History Matters8:40 – Inside the Kansas History Journal10:49 – Becoming a Historian and Editor11:59 – Slavery on the Periphery12:50 – What Was Bleeding Kansas15:11 – Enslaved People in Kansas16:20 – Researching Hidden Histories19:08 – Archives Not Just Google21:29 – Letters from John Brown and Others23:38 – History Hits Home24:39 – Writing Kansas For Everyone26:26 – From Ancient Seas To Today27:35 – Resilience And Many Kansases31:38 – America 250 And Civic Duty33:17 – Why History Matters35:20 – Finding Hope In Community38:25 – Post Interview Reflections40:00 – Exodusters Black Migration41:41 – Camels And Prehistory42:24 – Kansas And Modern EMS45:39 – Speed Kansas Hot Wheels46:48 – Episode Wrap And FarewellResources MentionedSlavery on the Periphery by Kristen EppsKansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains https://www.kansashistory.gov/p/kansas-history/12443Kansas Historical Society: https://www.kansashistory.gov/Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared DiamondLearn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What if the real reset you need this year isn't about a new planner or another five-year plan — but about getting brutally honest with who you are right now? In this solo episode, I'm walking through the psychology-backed "fresh start effect" and sharing the three lessons I'm personally carrying into the second half of 2026: why the real work always starts internally, why it's time to let go of who you used to be (and what used to work for you), and why choosing to believe life is happening for you — not to you — can change everything about how you move through overwhelm.HighlightsThe "fresh start effect" is a real psychological phenomenon — meaningful dates and transitions (New Year's, birthdays, Mondays) boost our motivation to pursue goals by giving us psychological distance and a mental clean slate.Lesson one: no matter the goal, the work always starts internally — chasing external milestones (a new job, a relationship, a certain income) means your sense of purpose stays tied to a constantly moving goalpost.Practices that support "internal work" include therapy, examining thought patterns, meditation, journaling, self-compassion, and visualization.Lesson two: get honest about who you are now, not who you were 6 months or 10 years ago — habits and structures that worked in a past season (like working from home) may no longer serve you.Lesson three: life happens for you, not to you — reframing overwhelm as something you have agency over, rather than a fixed state, helps break negative patterns.A personal story about a birthday slumber party with her team, where a bracelet reading "for you" became a symbol of choosing agency over victimhood.Chapters1:04 — Fresh Start Effect2:33 — Midyear Reset Setup3:19 — Work Starts Within5:28 — Tools For Inner Work8:07 — Be Honest Now9:48 — Life Happens For You11:02 — Breaking Overwhelm12:60 — Three Lessons Recap14:02 — Wrap Up And ShareWant to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Leadership isn't all kumbaya. The truth is, real leadership, the kind that moves the needle on something as daunting as closing the health gap, is risky. It requires disrupting the status quo, disappointing your own people, and absorbing the discomfort that comes with change. But as this episode makes clear, the cost of avoiding that risk is even higher.In this episode, hosts Ed O'Malley and Susan Kang are joined by returning guest Kenny Wilk to unpack why exercising leadership is inherently risky, what it looks like in practice and why the reward on the other side is worth it.HighlightsWhile many individuals placed in leadership roles believe they’re exercising leadership, it’s actually exceedingly rare. Leadership is risky because it’s about disruption, and how it requires disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb. The risk-reward mismatch in health equity: the 30,000 Kansans with the most influence must take risk to benefit the people with the least, such as the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).The remarkable turnaround of the University of Kansas Health System, from one of the worst-rated hospitals in the nation (below the 5th percentile in patient satisfaction) to consistently above the 90th percentile.Kenny's personal framework for staying motivated to lead on issues that don't directly benefit him: gratitude, paying it forward and finding deep satisfaction in others' success.The "Salad Week" story from the 2002 Kansas legislative budget crisis. A vivid example of leaders forcing uncomfortable conversations their own caucus didn't want to have.The Kansas Capitol restoration decision: why Kenny and Senate counterpart Steve Morris refused to defund it even in a financial crisis and why it paid off.Examples of risk in what Kansans experience every day, but could deliver a great payoff. How embracing the opportunity to challenge one another with different ideas can introduce new ways of thinking. Chapters1:19 – Review, Preview and Big Picture 2:57 – Introducing Chapter 10: [Leadership] is Risky5:33 – How Leadership Involves Disruption and Loss7:50 – Leadership Requires Disappointing Your Own People9:33 –  KHF Strategy as an Example12:21 – Risk vs. Reward in Health Equity14:31 – Kenny on the risks and transformation of the Kansas Health System16:14 – From Worst to Best: Culture Shift19:05 – Metrics and Momentum Wins21:07 – The Risky Turnaround Story23:08 – Pay It Forward Mindset26:19 – Hallmark Promotion Risk27:58 – Post-9/11 Budget Crisis30:14 – Salad Week Disruption32:55 – Capitol Restoration Resolve34:50 – Everyday Risk Examples37:10 – Acceptance and Pushback39:01 – Make Leadership Ubiquitous40:10 – Resources and Final Challenge42:45 – Closing and Next ChapterResourcesKansas Leadership Center (KLC) — kansasleadershipcenter.orgProud but Never Satisfied — book about the transformation of the University of Kansas Health System - https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/proud-but-never-satisfied University of Kansas Health System — kansashealthsystem.comLeading Health is an invitation to move the needle on Health in Kansas, and we invite you to join us in leading the way. Don’t have a copy of Leading Health? Claim your copy and learn more about the movement at kansashealth.org/leadinghealthAnd be sure to subscribe, and drop a comment to let us know what you think.