In this episode, hosts Ed O’Malley and Susan Kang are joined by Kansas Health Foundation’s Associate Vice President, Drew Wilburne to dive into Mindset #6, Policy Over Politics.  Through lived experiences, the team breaks down the difference between policy and politics and what it looks like to bring together advocates, activists and bridgers to work on a health challenge.  In the conversation, Drew discusses his work on Pennsylvania's Council on Reform under Governor Tom Wolf, the Wichita groundwater contamination crisis and how the Medicaid expansion debate in Kansas has become a proxy for political factions rather than a genuine policy conversation. The takeaway is clear: putting policy over politics is harder, not easier, than the alternative, and it's really the only path that lasts. HIGHLIGHTS Understanding the difference between policy advocacy and political advocacy. Why "policy over politics" is harder than the default approach, not easier: it requires leaning into disagreement rather than papering over it. The three roles needed for transformative policy change: advocates (who speak up), activists (who mobilize advocates) and bridgers (who find common ground across factions). How working upstream on health naturally leads to policy work — because individual motivation isn't enough when systemic conditions prevent people from being healthy. Drew’s experience leading Pennsylvania's Council on Reform under Governor Tom Wolf, and how the governor used his authority to design a process that forced collaboration across agencies, parties, and sectors. The Wichita groundwater contamination crisis: a decades-old chemical spill that went undiscovered for nearly 40 years and how a coalition of state senators, county commissioners, city council members, foundations and community organizations came together to secure $2.5 million for resident testing. How the Medicaid expansion debate in Kansas became a proxy political fight rather than a policy conversation, and what a policy-over-politics approach to expanding healthcare access could look like instead. The emerging insight that those in authority can create a policy-over-politics mindset by designing the engagement process, not by dictating solutions. CHAPTERS 2:10 — Why Policy Over Politics 4:34 — Policy vs. Political Advocacy 6:43 — Upstream Health Through Policy 9:29 — Advocates, Activists, Bridgers 12:53 — Welcome Drew Wilburne 15:55 — Drew's Lesson’s Learned  20:14 — Coalition Example: Pennsylvania Reform 25:33 — Systemic Strike Force 26:28 — Designing the Process 28:20 — Inviting Opposing Voices 29:06 — Setting the Stage Long Term 30:12 — Kansas Groundwater Crisis 32:56 — Collaboration Across Sectors 34:27 — Leaders Using Authority Well 37:36 — Kansas Ten Years Out 38:10 — Medicaid Expansion Reframed 40:40 — Bridgers Over Factions 43:33 — Key Takeaways RESOURCES MENTIONED Refer back to the episode on Working Upstream here: https://kansashealth.org/2026/08/11/leading-health-chapter-12/ Review how to Create Collaboration as you work through policy here: https://kansashealth.org/2026/09/22/leading-health-chapter-15/  Learn more about Judy Huemann and see the Crip Camp Documentary here: https://www.netflix.com/title/81001496 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.

How far can curiosity take you, and how does a person find their next hometown?  Meet Laura Crawley, the 16th president of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas — and a reminder that big things happen in small places. Laura's path to the presidency winds through Austin, Atlanta, Athens, and Hickory before landing in the middle of the Kansas prairie. Along the way she trained as a journalist, earned a PhD in women's studies from Emory, discovered that administration — not teaching — was her true calling, and fell in love with a poet named Charles. Together they picked Lindsborg as their next hometown, and when Charles passed away just months after their arrival, Laura chose to stay and lead. We talk about the founding couple of Bethany — Carl and Alma Swenson — and how their immigrant resilience still shapes the college 145 years later. We get into why creativity thrives on limitation, what it means to build an "accelerator institution" instead of an anchor institution, and how a couple of high school percussionists ended up playing in the pep band the same day they showed up for a campus visit. Laura opens up about vocation, about grief, and about why there's nowhere in the world she can go where Charles is waiting — so she's staying right where the work matters. Highlights A children's book about Alzheimer's that completely wrecked our hosts before the interview even started Laura's journey from aspiring journalist to higher ed administrator — and why "removing barriers" is the heart of the job Growing up calling the reference librarian with random questions because there was no internet How a Victorian literature professor at UT Austin named Jane Marcus sent Laura to Emory to study women's studies — a field so new she didn't even know what it was The intertwined story of Lindsborg and Bethany College, founded by Swedish immigrants in 1881 — and why 20% of Lindsborg businesses are still owned by Bethany grads Carl and Alma Swenson: the couple who built a church, a college, a town, and the Messiah Festival — and never waited for conditions to be perfect Why creativity is born from limitation, and how Bethany has always done more with less Laura's collaborative leadership philosophy: "What is OUR leadership style?" The pep band story: two high school visitors recruited into the band at a football game the same day as their campus tour Sydney's husband Milton, who followed a friend to Bethany on a whim and never left — now serving as Lindsborg's director of community development Frederick Buechner's definition of vocation: "where your greatest joy meets the world's highest need" Why a bachelor's degree still pays off — to the tune of $1.27 million more over a 40-year career Bethany students applying AI tools to solve real problems for the city of Lindsborg Laura's love story with Charles: 36 years, a poetry class at UT Austin, and a man who "threw himself into everything" in Lindsborg Why Laura stayed at Bethany after losing Charles: "There's nowhere in the world I can go where he is waiting for me" What does "Rokar Stokar" actually mean? (Spoiler: Laura thinks it doesn't mean anything — but she's open to your best definition) The "borg" vs. "burg" pronunciation debate that has haunted one of our hosts Laura's inauguration on October 24th — also Bethany's homecoming weekend Stories from the Hat: guilty pleasure songs, diner booths, overrated food, and Sydney's luckiest day ever Chapters 0:00 — New Bedtime Story Hits Deep 2:52 — Meet President Laura 4:32 — Laura's Career Journey 6:02 — Growing Up Curious 8:33 — Family Roots in Education 9:51 — From Journalism to Admin 13:49 — Why Women's Studies 19:26 — Discovering Bethany College 22:15 — Carl and Alma Swenson 27:24 — Grit and Creativity Today 29:43 — Leadership and Campus Culture 31:57 — Pep Band Recruitment Moment 33:20 — Mascot Talk 34:12 — Bethany's Wider Reach 34:43 — Milton Finds Bethany 35:36 — From Student to City Leader 36:25 — Falling for Kansas 38:08 — Vocation and Purpose 39:39 — Turbulence in Higher Ed 43:54 — Bethany's Practical Value 45:00 — Laura and Charles 47:37 — Why She Stayed 52:11 — Living Through Change 53:15 — How to Engage Bethany 55:49 — Rokar Stokar 58:25 — Lindsborg vs. Lindsberg 59:09 — Inauguration and Homecoming 1:00:22 — Stories From a Hat 1:04:04 — Episode Wrap and Credits Resources Mentioned Bethany College  The Remember Balloons 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

Ever wonder why some people spend years grinding on side gigs but never seem to get ahead — while others turn the same amount of spare time into a real business that builds wealth? Two dads, same Saturday night, two very different outcomes two years later. One has a lot of miles on his car. The other might have a business that's changing his family's future. The difference isn't effort — it's what you're building. Gig apps and side hustles often get lumped together, but they are fundamentally different paths. Gigs trade your hours for someone else's growth. A side hustle lets you keep the value, the customers, the brand, and eventually, an asset you could sell. I should know — I built my podcast business during a COVID furlough instead of chasing quick dollars, and it's now one of my main income sources. Let's break down why the path you choose matters more than how hard you work. Highlights Whose business are you building? Gig apps own the customer, the brand, the pricing, and the reviews. You bring the labor and the time — that's it. The algorithm sets your ceiling. You can only drive so many hours or complete so many tasks. There's no leverage, no equity, and no asset to show for it. There's always an owner-based alternative. DoorDash errands can become a local delivery service on retainer. Fiverr design work can become your own client roster. Task-app handyman work can become a neighborhood business with repeat customers. Side hustles compound. You own the customer, set the price, collect Google reviews, delegate work, and eventually build something you can sell. My COVID origin story. Instead of picking up gig work during a furlough, I spent that time building a podcast business — pricing, website, logo, outreach. It didn't pay on day one, but it's now a primary income source. The decision framework. If your time horizon is one month, grab the quick dollar. If it's longer, build the side hustle. Gigs can be a transition, not a destination. Weekly challenge. Write down three things people already ask you for help with, circle one, and go talk to a potential customer about it. Chapters 0:00 — Two Dads Two Paths 1:20 — Gig Economy Trap 2:07 — No Control No Leverage 3:50 — Build Your Own Service 5:51 — Side Hustle Compounds 7:22 — Podcast Business Origin 9:10 — Gig vs Hustle Checklist 10:25 — Choose Your Time Horizon 11:53 — Weekly Challenge Action 12:44 — Legacy and Wrap Up Resources The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau 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 single biggest obstacle standing between your business and its next level of growth is your own current mindset? Your business cannot outgrow your own thinking, and staying locked inside the four walls of your daily routine keeps you stuck using the same lens to solve the exact same problems. Stepping away from the office to invest in intentional education isn't an expense—it is one of the highest-return investments you can make for your leadership and future. From the energy of being in a high-caliber room to turning pages of conference notes into actionable 30-day execution steps, it's time to give yourself permission to get out of the office and unlock a brand-new perspective. Highlights The Reality of Growth: Why your business will never outgrow your own personal thinking and mindset. Investment vs. Expense: Reframing educational costs by asking, "What will it cost my business NOT to learn this?" Intentionality Over Habit: Moving past reactionary learning (like scrambling to catch up on AI) and choosing events aligned with specific goals. The Magic of the Room: Why hallway conversations and peer interactions at conferences often deliver as much value as the stage presentations. Testing Systems: How stepping away from daily operations reveals what breaks in your absence so you can build stronger systems. Real-World Application: How one med spa owner turned conference insights into actionable strategies regarding pricing, vendor relationships, and client engagement. The Post-Conference System: A 5-step framework to organize, prioritize, and execute your notes on the flight home so great ideas don't gather dust. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Episode 21: Get Out of the Office 00:46 – Core Message: Your Business Cannot Outgrow Your Thinking 01:21 – Lessons from BizX: Coaching Peers and Client Recognition 03:00 – Mindset Shift: Education as an Investment, Not an Expense 03:42 – Asking the Right Questions: Intentional Learning vs. Reactionary Learning 04:47 – Gaining New Perspectives, BFOs, and Fresh Energy 06:03 – Client Spotlight: Karen Tase's Takeaways in Action 07:22 – How to Choose the Right Event for Your Business Goals 08:35 – Why the Room and Network Matter Just as Much as Content 09:40 – Turning Notebooks into Execution: The A/B/C Action Framework 10:55 – Final Challenge: Plan Your Next 90 Days 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.

Have you ever accomplished something big — or even something small — and immediately moved on to the next thing without stopping to celebrate? That's exactly what happened to a group of leaders at a recent learning event, and it sparked a conversation that changed everything. We were all feeling that mid-afternoon slump when someone said, "I've just been running for months straight, and I really just need a day for me." That moment led to creating what I'm calling a Celebrate Me Day — a dedicated day to pause, reflect on your wins (big and small), and intentionally pour into yourself. We talk about why we skip celebrations, how humility and self-pride can coexist, and how a simple weekly practice of tracking three wins can rewire the way you see your life. I also share exactly what my own Celebrate Me Day looked like and how you can make this a quarterly ritual. Highlights The mid-afternoon slump that sparked the idea of a Celebrate Me Day How we move from one win to the next without stopping to acknowledge the good Why blanket advice about "staying humble" can keep us from celebrating ourselves Each and every one of us has things to celebrate — we just have to pause and look back The weekly practice of pulling out your top three wins from the Full Focus Planner What a Celebrate Me Day actually looks like: slow mornings, yoga, a massage, and Harry Potter Making it a quarterly ritual: pick a day at the start of a month and pour into yourself Share your own Celebrate Day in the comments Chapters 0:00 — Midday Slump Reflection 2:20 — Why We Skip Celebrations 3:14 — Introducing Celebrate Me Day 3:24 — Humility and Self Pride 4:43 — Weekly Wins Practice 6:03 — How I Spent My Day 7:16 — Make It a Quarterly Ritual 7:49 — Share Your Celebrate Day Resources Full Focus Planner — mentioned as the tool used for the weekly three-wins practice