Are you working harder than ever and getting less for it? There's a silent force at play in every business — one that quietly turns your best efforts into wasted energy. It's called the law of diminishing returns, and once you can spot it, you gain the power to redirect your time toward what actually moves the needle. The core idea is simple: more is not always better. Better is better. Whether it's sales calls, meetings, hiring, or admin work, every additional hour of effort eventually produces a smaller payoff — and if pushed too far, can even become counterproductive. This episode breaks down how to recognize when you've crossed that line and, more importantly, how to reverse it by making your process sharper instead of just longer. HIGHLIGHTS The law of diminishing returns explained: as you add more time, effort, or money while everything else stays the same, each additional investment eventually produces a smaller benefit A sales call walkthrough showing how returns grow, plateau, and then turn negative as you scale from 20 to 80 calls Common signs of diminishing returns: longer hours with declining productivity, adding staff without improving management, overspending on ads after the audience is reached, and meetings that run past their value Every activity falls into one of three categories: good return, diminishing return, or negative return — there are no exceptions Practical steps to reverse the decline: stop adding more, break down the process, identify where results begin to drop, and improve one or two steps at a time Why doing administrative tasks you're "good at" can quietly steal time from high-value activities like selling and business development A real client case study: how shifting from aimless cold calls to intentional, scripted outreach with a clear purpose improved her success rate to roughly 3 out of 10 people committing to a next step The importance of scheduling your most important work during your peak energy windows and setting hard one-hour stopping points CHAPTERS 0:35 — Welcome and Episode Focus 1:24 — Business Laws Recap 2:08 — Diminishing Returns Explained 3:18 — Sales Calls Example 5:00 — Spotting Diminishing Returns 7:09 — Make Calls Better Not More 8:31 — Avoid Fatigue and Busywork 10:40 — Reverse the Decline 11:38 — Client Telemarketing Case Study 13:57 — Wrap Up and Call to Action 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.

How do you convince authors, budget-strapped nonprofits, and thousands of book lovers to show up in one place on the same Saturday? We sat down with the woman who has to figure that out every single day. This week we're joined by Lara Avery, Executive Director of the Kansas Book Festival and published author of romance novels including The Year of Second Chances and Purple Hearts (adapted into a movie). We get into how she landed the job, why she doesn't send authors too many emails, what a "book parade" actually is, and why she thinks everyone — audiobook listeners included — counts as a reader. We also wander into Dungeons & Dragons character work, Horcruxes as a metaphor for creative legacy, and the ongoing debate about how Orcs reproduce. Highlights A fast food employee who is deaf handled Gus's order entirely through writing — a small moment that stuck with him Lara explains her unconventional path to authorship, writing for a company (Alloy) that also produced Gossip Girl and Vampire Diaries Why she calls herself a "listener" rather than a traditional reader, and her love of audiobooks Details on this year's Kansas Book Festival: 69 authors and moderators, a first-ever romance panel, keynote Ben Lerner, and a brand-new book parade Her philosophy for working with authors: minimal, respectful communication instead of over-formal outreach A moving conversation about what writers "leave behind" in their work, and why she thinks people should treat their attention and time as more valuable A deep dive (sorry, had to sneak it in only once!) into how to write distinct character voices — starting with diction, not psychology The Dartography segment uncovers the story of John Brown's 1859 rescue of 11 enslaved people near Holton, known as "The Battle of the Spurs," plus the history of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation and Minnie Evans's fight to preserve tribal recognition in the 1950s Chapters 0:00 – Fast Food Kindness 2:13 – Meet Lara Avery 3:41 – Author Life and Day Jobs 4:49 – Romance Books and BookTok 9:02 – Kansas Roots and Audiobooks 11:49 – How She Became a Writer 15:17 – What Is Kansas Book Festival 17:40 – Parade, Food and Perks 20:13 – Leading Authors and Logistics 26:50 – Festival Date and Panels 27:51 – Dungeon Master Character Talk 28:59 – Crafting Character Voices 31:00 – Diction First, Psychology Later 32:01 – Orc Lore Detour 32:51 – Creative Horcruxes and Legacy 36:36 – Attention Economy vs. Reading 40:10 – Books as Shared Imaginary Space 41:20 – Raising Readers at Home 45:30 – Kansas Stories and Festival Mission 49:07 – Support the Festival: Donate 50:42 – Dungeon Master Aftershow 52:34 – Dartography: Holton History 59:16 – Prairie Band Potawatomi Story 1:02:55 – Holton Telescope Surprise 1:04:14 – Next Dart and Wrap Up Resources Mentioned Kansas Book Festival — kansasbookfestival.com  Red Fern Booksellers (Salina) Libro.fm The Year of Second Chances by Lara Avery Purple Hearts by Tess Wakefield Harriet the Spy Kansas Authors Club Ready Player One by Ernest Cline  Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman The Tattered Cover bookstore (Denver) Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Have you ever felt that subtle shift — the one where something inside has moved, but you can't quite name it yet? That feeling is exactly what today's guest, Keveney Avila, founder of The Interior, helps people navigate. After a decade practicing law — including pro bono work with unaccompanied immigrant children and human trafficking survivors — Keveney's life pivoted in a way she never could have planned. Her dog's seizures became a wake-up call that her own stress and frustration were literally affecting the energy around her, and that moment set her on a completely new path. We talk about what energy work actually means (in language that's accessible whether you come at it from science, faith, or somewhere in between), the low-grade grief that so many high-achievers carry without naming it, and why the journey has to eventually turn inward. Keveney shares what it means to build an inner container strong enough to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time, why you can never outthink the energy in your gut, and one simple practice you can try today the next time you feel stirred up. If the life you've built no longer fits, or you're standing at a crossroads wondering what comes next, this conversation is for you. HIGHLIGHTS How a lawyer's decade of practice — including work with human trafficking survivors — led her to energy work The story of Keveney's dog having five seizures overnight and how it became the catalyst for leaving corporate Why Keveney made more money her first year as an entrepreneur than she ever did in corporate How energy can be understood through science, faith, prayer, or quantum physics — and why it's accessible no matter your belief system Who Keveney's clients typically are (most are in their 50s to 60s) and why they seek her out The concept of "low-grade grief fever" — grieving an identity you thought you'd have Why we need people who can sit in the darkness with us without flinching The law of sacrifice and why we can't have everything, even in a culture that says we can The "golden thread" — how seemingly unrelated chapters of your life connect Why you can never outthink the energy in your gut, no matter how many affirmations you do Building an inner container to hold both the greatest joy and deepest sorrow simultaneously Discernment: how to tell whether you're intuiting from your ego or your body The simple pause practice — how to check in when you notice your body stirred up Why meditating while stressed can actually amplify that energy, and what to do instead CHAPTERS 1:52 — From Law to Intuition 2:37 — Dog Seizures Wake Up Call 4:32 — Quitting Corporate Leap 5:10 — Animals to Human Healing 7:44 — Energy Made Practical 10:36 — Success That Stops Fitting 12:21 — Naming Hidden Grief 14:48 — Sitting In The Dark 17:04 — Choosing One Life 19:10 — Sacrifice And Flow 23:19 — Gut Energy Over Mindset 25:46 — Building The Inner Container 28:57 — Discernment And Old Stories 31:28 — Simple Pause Practice 36:18 — Rinsing Off Energy 38:17 — Where To Find Keveney 39:46 — Closing Thanks RESOURCES MENTIONED Keveney Avila’s Website - keveneyavila.com Keveney Avila on LinkedIn  Want to learn more? The Thread Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This 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.

What if the "big break" in your business isn't actually one big moment at all — but five, six, seven quiet little ones you almost didn't notice? Today I'm walking you through two real encounters from my own week — a coffee meeting that turned into a client proposal, and a networking introduction that turned into a new lead — to show exactly how the "know, like, and trust" factor actually builds over time. I break down why there's no such thing as a magic one-and-done meeting, what the research really says about how many touchpoints it takes before someone works with you, and a full menu of free, low-cost, and bigger-budget ways you can create more of those touchpoints in your own business. Then I close with the most important question of all: are you even showing up in the right rooms? Highlights Two real stories from this week — a coffee meeting and a networking introduction — that show how "know, like, and trust" actually plays out in real time Why there's no magic single meeting that creates an opportunity — it's a progression of touchpoints The truth behind the "seven touchpoints" rule (and where that number actually comes from) Research on repeated exposure, familiarity, and how long it really takes to build trust with someone Why follow-ups matter more than first contact — including a stat on how many replies come from follow-up emails Different types of touchpoints: in-person, asymmetric, real-time, and passive A full breakdown of free, low-cost, and higher-investment ways to build touchpoints with potential clients Why you need to find your ideal client's "watering holes" instead of assuming social media is the answer Tactical action steps to build a repeatable follow-up system starting this week Chapters 0:00 — Plan Changed Today 1:06 — Networking Wins 3:04 — No Magic Meeting 4:06 — Seven Touchpoints Myth 8:17 — Borrowed Trust Intro 10:12 — Follow Ups Matter 11:12 — Touchpoints Types 13:11 — Free Visibility Plays 17:16 — Low Cost Connections 20:11 — Bigger Budget Options 23:24 — Find Their Watering Holes 26:44 — Systems And Action Steps 29:12 — Wrap Up And Next Series Resources Mentioned 1 Million Cups — free weekly entrepreneur networking event Jeffrey Lant — coined the "Rule of Seven" marketing concept BNI (Business Network International) American Marketers Association Sources for Statistics Hours to make a friend — Jeffrey Hall, University of Kansas (2018): https://news.ku.edu/news/article/2018/03/06/study-reveals-number-hours-it-takes-make-friend Full study, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518761225 The 95:5 Rule — John Dawes, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute: https://johndawes.info/the-955-rule/ Follow-up statistics — Belkins 2026 study (7.5M emails): https://belkins.io/blog/sales-follow-up-statistics Trust in recommendations and podcast ad recall — Nielsen (2021): https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2021/beyond-martech-building-trust-with-consumers-and-engaging-where-sentiment-is-high/ In-car listening — Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2026: https://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2026-Presentation.pdf Online reviews and AI recommendations — BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/ Mere exposure effect — Zajonc (1968), overview: https://sk.sagepub.com/ency/edvol/embed/socialpsychology/chpt/mere-exposure-effect Mere exposure meta-analysis — Montoya et al., Psychological Bulletin (2017): https://researchportal.murdoch.edu.au/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/A-re-examination-of-the-mere-exposure/991005635870307891 Thomas Smith's 1885 "20 exposures" list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_frequency Jeffrey Lant's Rule of Seven: https://travelresearchonline.com/blog/index.php/2021/11/remembering-the-rule-of-7 Origin of the "80% of sales need 5 follow-ups" stat — SMEI: https://smei.org/sales-statistics/ 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 systems we built to move people forward are actually the ones holding communities back?  This episode takes on one of the most important and most avoided conversations in public health: the relationship between race, racism and health outcomes. Joined by conversation catalyst, Kari Bruffett, President and CEO of the Kansas Health Institute, we explore the roots of health disparities and how leadership evolves when you confront the data, history and systems that dictate who thrives. Highlights Misconceptions about what led to the demise of Black Wall Street in Tulsa.  The difference between explicit racism and systemic racism, and why both matter for Health. Why health disparities (the differences in outcomes) are not the same as inequities (the systemic reasons why). The patterns that exist in Kansas’ data that uncover systematic disparities in capital H Health.  How redefining "equity" as equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcomes can open more productive conversations. How policies of the past that are rooted in racism have effects on today’s Health outcomes, and how using tactics like data walks can foster greater systematic thinking.  How the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas project creates community conversations that focus on who benefits and who is harmed by current systems — without assigning individual blame. A call for the 30,000 Kansans in civic authority to lean into this conversation and start creating safe, facilitated spaces for it. Chapters 1:51 — Introducing Mindset #3: Race and racism really do matter 4:30 — The story of Black Wall Street and Interstate 244 5:28 — Explicit racism vs. systemic racism 9:52 — The three books every person should read 11:38 — Welcome back, Kari Bruffett 12:21 — When did race and racism become a Health issue? 14:04 — Kansas data: Infant mortality and maternal mortality disparities 17:11 — Disparities vs. inequities: Understanding the difference 21:38 — How systems thinking helps us understand why 21:46 — The Wichita data walk: Redlining and neighborhood disadvantage 28:27 — Pathways to a Healthy Kansas: How to have the conversation 30:25 — Who benefits? Who is harmed? Reframing the discussion 34:55 — Advice for the 30,000: How to do this discourse better 40:08 — Key Takeaways  Resources Mentioned Race and Racism Books to Read: https://kansashealth.org/race-and-racism-matters/ Pathways to a Healthy Kansas: https://www.bcbsks.com/blue-health-initiatives/pathways/pathways-to-a-healthy-kansas KHI: A Changing Kansas Report: https://www.khi.org/articles/2018-a-changing-kansas/ KHI Health Disparities in Kansas Research: https://www.khi.org/topics/health-disparities-in-kansas/ 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.