It’s Sunday at 6:00 PM. You just dropped the kids at their mom’s, and the house that was full of noise and chaos an hour ago is dead quiet. Now what? You’ve got two choices. You can sit in that empty space, or you can take that time and use it to grow something for yourself and your family. I’ll be straight with you: when I started my side hustle, my wife was sitting at the table with me. I’ve never had to go this road alone. But there are 2.5 million single-father households in the United States, and a lot of those dads will. So I’m taking everything we teach on The Side-Hustle Dad and running it through the lens of the single father: what’s different, what’s the same, and why this is still something you can pursue. We’ll get into turning a custody calendar into a working rhythm, automating the weeks you’re unavailable, keeping clean books when child support is in the picture, finding the person who can pull the brake for you, and bringing your kids along. And if you’re a widowed dad, I don’t gloss over the fact that your road is harder. HIGHLIGHTS What changes for a single dad: one income, nobody in the house to pull the brake, and a calendar you didn’t fully choose. What doesn’t change: your why, your pricing, your opportunities and your skills. Your off week can be 15 to 20 hours of client work and system building that a full-time dad doesn’t have. Block your kid weeks on your calendar as a recurring thing and build your deadlines around them. Nobody’s answering the phone for you, so automate how leads get a response when you can’t reply. Build a default calendar around your real rhythm: every other week, split days, or weekends only. Side income can count in child support calculations. Rules vary by state, and I’m not a lawyer, so go talk to one. Keep clean books and a separate business checking account so everything is transparent. Pick a brother, a friend or your own dad and give them permission to pull the brake if this starts to hurt your relationship with your kids. Don’t go so gung ho in your off time that you have nothing left when the kids are back. Let your kids see what you’re building. They get creative when they watch you try things. Co-parenting? Tell their mom plainly what you’re building and that it won’t touch your time with the kids. Widowed dads: smaller, slower and more automated. Don’t compare yourself to anybody else. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Quiet House 01:32 Why Single Dads Differ 03:23 Using Custody Time 04:27 Automation and Boundaries 06:21 Money and Legal Basics 07:37 Your Support System 08:35 Balance and Self Care 09:11 Include the Kids 10:30 Co Parenting Communication 11:15 Widowed Dad Reality 12:06 Key Takeaways and Next RESOURCES MENTIONED The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 1 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 7 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 30 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 31 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 32 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, build the business, but be the dad! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.

Why is it so hard to change — even when you know you need to? There's actually a formula for change, and once you understand it, everything shifts. The formula is D × V + F > R. Dissatisfaction times Vision, plus First steps, must be greater than Resistance. Wanting change isn't enough — you need enough dissatisfaction, a clear enough vision, and a simple enough first step to overcome the resistance that's keeping you stuck. I share my own story of freezing mid-presentation in front of executives, how that humiliation fueled a decade-long journey through Toastmasters, and how that same formula applies to business owners who are exhausted, stalled, and ready for something to give. We also walk through the most common resistance excuses — "I'm too busy," "I need more confidence," "I'll wait till things settle down" — and why none of them hold up. Highlights The formula for change explained: D × V + F > R Why wanting change is not enough to actually create it A personal story of freezing on stage mid-presentation — and the dissatisfaction it sparked How Toastmasters transformed a fear of public speaking over 10 years What resistance really looks like for business owners (and why "I'm too busy" is just an excuse) Practical first steps for business owners: documenting processes, delegating, raising prices, having that difficult conversation Why "I'll wait till things settle down" is the most dangerous form of resistance A simple action plan: what to think about, identify, and do this week Chapters 00:47 The Formula for Change 01:28 Breaking Down D, V, F, R 02:30 My Public Speaking Wakeup 04:55 Finding Vision and First Steps 06:02 Toastmasters Changed Everything 06:58 Business Owner Dissatisfaction 08:08 Vision and First Steps in Business 09:53 Calling Out Resistance Excuses 11:18 Your Action Plan This Week 12:14 Closing and Invitation Want to get more help from Lee with your business? Visit her website: https://leegray.actioncoach.com/ Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a second actor with our comprehensive Second Act Assessment. https://secondact.scoreapp.com This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network. For more information, visit ictpod.net.

What happens when the wars end and the welcome home fades? For thousands of veterans across Kansas, coming home is only the beginning of a much longer mission—rebuilding a life, finding community, and navigating a world that often doesn't understand what they've been through. This week, with Veterans Day approaching, we sit down with James Seipel, District 1 Community Service Chairperson for the American Legion Auxiliary Post 421, to talk about the changing face of veteran organizations, the push to reach younger post-9/11 veterans, and the very real costs—visible and invisible—that service members and their families carry long after deployment. From a Hy-Vee parking lot food drive that brought a Vietnam veteran to tears, to the heartbreaking loss of a cousin to veteran suicide, to an American Legion post in Alaska where younger vets gather to play Magic: The Gathering—this conversation is a reminder that supporting those who served isn't just about parades and free meals. It's about showing up, listening, and meeting people where they are. Highlights James explains the difference between the American Legion Auxil, the VFW, and the American Legion Auxiliary—and how recent eligibility changes have opened the auxiliary to sons, grandsons, fathers, and grandfathers of veterans Only 40% of post-9/11 veterans enroll in VA healthcare, meaning 60% are going without earned benefits The Battle Buddy Linkup program, launched October 10, specifically targets post-9/11 veterans who aren't showing up at traditional post meetings James shares the heartbreaking story of his cousin Cameron, a specialist with the 101st Airborne in Afghanistan who died by suicide—and how it fuels his mission today An American Legion post in Alaska draws younger veterans by hosting Magic: The Gathering game nights, proving outreach means meeting veterans where their interests actually are A Vietnam veteran walked up to a food drive at Hy-Vee in Topeka and handed over a $100 bill, explaining how much receiving packages from home meant to him when he was overseas James defines burn pits—the military practice of burning trash at overseas posts—and explains how toxic exposure from burn pits is this generation's Agent Orange Gus shares a story about encountering a B-2 bomber "Spicy Dorito" silently circling above him and his dad near Kanopolis Dartography lands in Rooks County, where three separate tornadoes struck the town of Codell on the same date—May 20—three years in a row (1916, 1917, and 1918) The story of Clarence Gilbert, an airmail pilot born in Plainville, Kansas, who became the first airmail fatality when his parachute failed over Illinois in 1924 Chapters 0:00 — Kansas Aviation Buzz 2:14 — Welcome and Veterans Day Focus 3:42 — Meet James Seipel 4:16 — Legion vs. VFW vs. Auxiliary 5:37 — James' Military Family Roots 6:55 — Why He Joined the Auxiliary 8:05 — District One and Changing Veteran Groups 10:37 — Community Outreach and Unit Programs 11:37 — Battle Buddy Linkup for Post 9/11 Vets 13:19 — Misconceptions and Gender Shifts 14:52 — Suicide Loss and PTSD Awareness 17:05 — Partnerships and Unmet Needs 20:39 — Supporting Veteran Families 22:05 — Food Drive Story That Hit Home 24:22 — Veterans Day in Kansas 25:14 — Burn Pits Explained 26:14 — Reaching Younger Veterans 27:17 — Is America Keeping Its Promise? 29:29 — VA Enrollment Gap 31:03 — How to Volunteer Locally 32:30 — Why Join These Groups 34:32 — Is War Worth It? 39:29 — Hosts Reflect on Veterans Day 41:25 — Dartography: Rooks County 42:03 — Woodston Name Origin 44:38 — Codell Triple Tornado 45:37 — Plainville Airmail Tragedy 47:46 — Next Dart Throw 48:34 — Wrap Up and Credits Resources Mentioned American Legion Auxiliary American Legion  Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Fili Creative  Forge Podcast Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

How do you know when it’s time to stop pushing and shut your side hustle down? Every guru online says keep going, success is right around the corner. But sometimes the right move is to quit, and nobody wants to talk about that. So let’s face it head-on. I’ll walk you through four tests that tell you whether it’s really time to let a side hustle go: you hit your goal, you hit your stop-loss number, you gave it a full 90 days with no traction, or you wouldn’t start it again today. Then we get honest about what keeps us hanging on: sunk costs, our identity, the fear of letting clients down, and worrying about what our kids will think when Dad stops. I’ll also share the story of the funny engineering T-shirt business my wife and I started, and why we shut it down. The business failed. We didn’t. And if you’re there, neither did you. Finally, I’ll lay out how to close a business cleanly, from the client note to the last bank account, and what you get to keep long after the doors are shut. HIGHLIGHTS If your side hustle met the goal you started it for, it’s okay to wind it down and get your balance back. Four tests: success, the stop-loss limit, the 90-day traction test, and “Would I start this business today?” Sunk cost is a gambler’s trap. Don’t keep throwing time and money at something just because you already have. Your business isn’t your identity, and nobody is thinking about you as much as you fear. Stopping isn’t teaching your kids to quit. It takes courage to start, and it takes courage to stop. The business failed. You didn’t. It has no bearing on your worth or your value. Shut it down cleanly: talk to your family, finish commitments, refund deposits, refer clients to someone you trust, and don’t ghost. Close the money: final invoices, pay vendors, cancel subscriptions, set aside the tax bucket, then close the account. Save your data: CRM export, testimonials, photos, and your evidence folder. Pick a last day and don’t keep “just one client” on the side. You keep the skills, the proof people paid you, your network, and a clearer sense of your why. You didn’t lose two years. You got an education in being a business owner. CHAPTERS  00:00 Maybe it’s time to quit  01:13 Test 1: You hit your goal  02:35 Test 2: The stop-loss limit  02:53 Test 3: The 90-day traction test  04:06 Test 4: Would I start it today?  04:43 Why we hang on: sunk cost  05:36 Why we hang on: identity  06:23 Why we hang on: letting people down  07:00 What will my kids see?  07:57 Our funny T-shirt business  10:08 The business failed. You didn’t.  11:06 How to shut it down cleanly  12:33 Closing the money  13:11 Keep your receipts and data  14:05 Mark the last day and let it go  15:13 What you get to keep  17:09 Give yourself space to reflect  18:01 Your call to action RESOURCES MENTIONED The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 2 The Side-Hustle Dad, Episode 6 Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dad Remember, 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 biggest thing standing between Kansas and a top-tier health ranking isn't resources, or funding, or even policy — but a failure of imagination? Ed O'Malley and Susan Kang dig into Chapter 18 of Leading Health, welcoming back Hutton Company CEO Ben Hutton for a wide-ranging conversation on why bold vision creates the kind of healthy pressure that drives real progress, and why "average and proud of it" might be the most dangerous mindset of all. Highlights Kansans told the Kansas Health Foundation, through extensive listening, that a lack of bolder vision was holding back progress on things people say they care about. Examples of bold organizational vision discussed: the Kansas Jayhawks aiming for a national title every season, the Wichita YMCA striving to be the best YMCA network in the world, and the University of Kansas Health System's vision to provide the best patient care in the nation. Ben Hutton shares the origin of Hutton Company's "Make no little plans" mural, quoting 1909 Chicago city planner Daniel Burnham. The conversation distinguishes "casting" a bold vision (the visionary's role) from "embracing" it (everyone else's role) — a key reason the chapter is titled embrace bold vision, not cast bold vision. Ben explains how trust and enablement allow teams to act on a leader's bold ideas, even when the leader can't execute them personally. Ben shares two examples of "healthy pressure" driving better outcomes: expanding Hutton's services beyond construction, and publicly committing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for his brother's 40th birthday. Discussion of the "art and science" of setting a vision that's bold but achievable — including a comparison of state-level America's Health Rankings movement versus the static nature of county-level rankings. Closing takeaways: bold vision must create a demand for forward action, and statewide progress requires growing the percentage of organizations actively embracing capital-H health, not a single dramatic leap. Chapters 0:48 — Setup 2:23 — Why Bold Vision Matters 5:38 — Authority and Big Goals 9:00 — Ben Hutton Joins 9:39 — Make No Little Plans 11:35 — Beyond Best Practices 16:19 — Casting Versus Embracing 22:21 — Healthy Pressure Stories 25:46 — Realistic Bold Visions 31:34 — Scaling Bold Vision Statewide 33:05 — Takeaways and Next Chapter Resources Mentioned With Purpose — Ben Hutton's podcast America's Health Rankings — the national ranking referenced throughout the conversation Leading 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/leadinghealth Continue the discussion with these resources: Book Clubs Speakers and Workshops Share Your Story And be sure to subscribe, and drop a comment to let us know what you think.