Are you stuck? Whether it’s in a relationship or not knowing where to go professionally, have you ever felt you didn’t know what the next step is? In this episode Greg Stephens and Emily Gregory of Crucial Learning dive into what it means to have courage, confidence, and how to step forward through life.

Emily shares her stories when she didn’t know what to do after graduating from medical school, how she discovered her passion, and how she found resolution for her divorce. Listen in to Greg and Emily talk about the power of honesty–both with yourself and others–and how it is essential to move ahead.

When the word “hospitality” comes up, you might think of restaurant or hotel staff providing service to their patrons. But for Enidio Magel, it has a much deeper meaning: to show kindness to strangers.

Enidio joins Greg Stephens on this episode to discuss the value he has found as a diversity, equity, and inclusion coach, how he discovers inspiration in his life, and the importance of being hospitable and loving others.

This episode is part one of a two-part series. Stay tuned to hear the rest of Enidio’s story in part two.

About Enidio 

Enidio Magel is founder and managing director of Multi-Cultural Institute, with extensive focus and experience on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for corporate, non for profit, law enforcement, health care and sports and entertainment. He is an executive and personal coach utilizing the principles of spiritual psychology and cross-cultural psychology in his practice. He holds an advanced degree in psychology.

The Missy Project

Enidio Magel returns in this episode to complete his story and share the insight he’s learned. One of the most pivotal moments of his life came when his 12-year-old daughter passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm. Confronted with the harsh realization of mortality, Enidio and his wife discover new meaning together.

As an international diversity, equity, and inclusion coach, Enidio shares why those aren’t just buzzwords, and that feeling accepted and welcomed in our communities is core to who we are as humans. Embracing our uniqueness as individuals and connecting with others through that uniqueness is at the heart of diversity.

Consider your own uniqueness and living life fully as you listen to this second part of Greg and Enidio’s conversation.

If you are interested in learning more about brain aneurysms, or to donate to their cause, see the organization that Enidio and his wife started, available here.

With 30+ years of experience in bridge building for the Texas Department of Transportation, Dean Van Landuyt (van-LAND-it) joins his long-time friend Greg Stephens on this episode to talk about bridges. They discuss the engineering and construction that goes into building, the challenges that often go unseen, and Dean’s experience constructing his own home over 25 years. 

About Dean 

VITA

Dean William Van Landuyt, P.E.

(van-LAND-it)

Associate Principal at Architectural Engineers Collaborative

•  BSCE:  1982 and MSE: 1991–University of Texas-Austin

•  32-year design career at TxDOT

•  Won national bridge design awards for bridges in Beaumont, Waco, and Matagorda

•  Member of Academy of Distinguished Alumni in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at University of Texas

We are often afraid of having difficult conversations. We don’t like conflict. But it’s during those times when we venture outside our comfort zones that we grow. How do we know if and when those conversations need to happen? And how do we get to a place where we can say what we need to say without shrinking from the challenge?

In this episode, Chris Douglas and Greg Stephens explore how you can develop a relationship with yourself that will drastically change everything else in your life. Start making decisions that honor who you are, not out of selfishness or arrogance, but out of respect for yourself. This will lead to an increase of respect for others and an understanding of our worth as individuals.

Without that understanding and mutual esteem, I can’t handle the hard truths you have to share with me, and you can’t handle what I need to say to you. Follow along with their conversation on accountability, respect, and finding peace with everyone around you, including yourself.

About Christian

Christian Douglas is a Consultant, Coach and Speaker. His work focuses on “people skills” such as Influential Leadership, Leadership on the High Road, The Art of Productive Conflict, Improving Performance Under Stress, The Power of Effective Communication and Building Effective Teams. Christian has served a variety of organizations including IBM, Chevron, Boeing and the U.S. Federal Government.  – Website

From a young age, Phillip Viccinelli knew he wanted to control his own destiny. He didn’t want to work for others. So he trusted his instincts and ventured on his own, again and again. A longtime personal friend of Greg Stephens, Phillip joins this episode to share his story of always taking that leap of faith into new opportunities.

Starting out doing landscape and selling products to the clients he found himself, he shifted into real estate and later owned laundromats. Finding success in selling his businesses to former employees, he wanted to pay that opportunity forward to the people he hired and trusted.

Through lots of trial and error, Phillip learned how to hire teams he could trust and how to grow businesses. And despite the failures along the way, the journey is always worth it.

Are you a salesperson? An executive leader? Maybe a coach or a trainer? Do you want to connect with others more effectively? Author and trainer Mark Carpenter joins Greg Stephens on this episode to explore why storytelling can transform how you relate to others and build connections you didn’t know were possible.

We’re often distracted by the barriers to telling great stories, whether it’s rambling too much and losing our audience, not having interesting experiences to share, or focusing too much on data that we forget to tell a story at all. Don’t become discouraged, but follow specific guidelines that Mark and Greg lay out for becoming a master storyteller.

About Mark Carpenter:

Mark Carpenter is a certified master trainer at Mindset Strategic Leadership and Crucial Learning, and author of the book Master Storytelling. He is a coach and consultant with decades of experience, helping individuals and teams achieve their full potential. His background also includes adjunct professor at Brigham Young University and public relations/marketing. – Website

It all started with Dan Morman and Greg Stephens’ golfing adventures. People would frequently tell them, “you guys need to record this stuff or write it down or something.” That’s when they decided that they needed to get these inspirational conversations and stories out to you.

This is Dan’s first appearance on the show and he will hopefully be joining us more often as a host to interview some of the people he knows and their amazing stories. This episode is intended as an introduction to Dan. He comes from a large Catholic family and this has fueled his life of bringing pertinent, wholesome principles into others’ lives and businesses through coaching, training, and education.

Do not miss Dan’s story! It’s full of laughs and great relationships. There may even be an incident with learning the wrong way to burn an old Christmas tree. – Website

Personal friend and life-long musician, Darden Smith, joins Greg Stephens on this episode of A Shot Of Inspiration. Their relationship began through many unplanned airport run-ins turned conversational. Which has flown into a friendship of mutual respect and admiration. Darden and Greg both have an uncanny, natural ability to connect with others quickly. Learn how they do it through asking simple questions and being genuinely curious about those they interact with.

50 years of being a musician has led Darden to leave his legacy by helping others write their stories through song. He lives his life in a manner that he can have high-impact moments with strangers every single day. Making it a habit to do things for other people knowing that you will never know the impact it will have on them, but doing it anyways.

Darden shares a story of his 90-year-old father that STILL works at a deli in Houston, who had an impact on 2 people just by living his life in a way that he could have those high-impact moments.

Much of his adult life has been spent directing and guiding others to create those high-impact moments. With a big smile on his face, he skillfully does so through the long-lasting impact of song.  – Swansongs