Brian Bogert joined me for one of the most honest, layered conversations I have had on this podcast. Brian is Certified Professional Expert number 40, and he earned that number by doing the work, not just talking about it. He has invested over $800,000 in coaches, mentors, and programs over 13 years. That is not a flex. That is a philosophy. And it shows in every word he speaks.

At age seven, Brian was run over by a runaway truck in a parking lot. His left arm was severed. Twenty-four surgeries followed. What stayed with me was not the physical ordeal but what happened after. People refused to believe his story. They wrote it for him instead. That experience planted a seed of performance-driven identity that took Brian decades to recognize and gently uproot. He did not become bitter. He became a student of his own life.

Brian draws a clear line between pain and suffering. We can choose the pain of a hard conversation to avoid the suffering of a broken relationship. We can choose the pain of honest self-examination to avoid the suffering of a life that never quite fits. That reframe is simple, practical, and quietly profound. It is the kind of truth that sounds obvious until you realize you have been avoiding it for years.

We talked about the moment Brian's wife told him she wanted all of him, not just the performing version. We explored his protector-connector framework, the idea that every defense we build disconnects us from the very things we want most. We also discussed how awareness and intentionality, what Brian calls the real AI, shape everything from business decisions to the deepest relationships we carry.

Visit brianbogert.com/connect for his full resource library, podcast, and Time Compression AI work. That is Bogert, like yogurt with an E.

In the spirit of growth.

About the Host: Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE is one of the top 5 most award-winning speakers in the world. His Top 1% TEDx video has over 2.8 million views, his 27 books are translated into multiple languages, including 3 International bestsellers. He is a Certified Virtual Presenter and past National President of the National Speakers Association. Jim’s PBS television programs, podcast appearances and radio shows have reached millions of Success Seekers and he is often retained to advise achievers and their companies.

Even his colleagues, some of the top speakers in the world, have hired Jim to speak at their own events. Jim is an Executive MBA Professor at California Lutheran University School of Management and serves as their first Entrepreneur in Residence. He has been inducted into the Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame in London for his pioneering work with his concept of “Relationship Selling.” He is also in the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame and has received The Cavett Award and The Golden Gavel Award.

Jim has written 27 books, hundreds of articles and he is always writing at least one new book. His most recent book is HI-REV for Small Business, The Faster Way to Profits. Audiences buy his books by the hundreds and he happily adds autograph sessions to his speeches.

https://cathcart.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathcartinstitute/

https://www.facebook.com/jim.cathcart

https://www.youtube.com/user/jimcathcart

Tedx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ki9-oaPwHs

What if the key to innovation and stronger teams isn’t more structure—but more creativity? In this episode, Jeff Rogers shares how his background in improv comedy and work with Second City shaped his approach to leadership, storytelling, and corporate transformation.

From building trust within teams to shifting mindsets from risk-avoidance to exploration, Jeff breaks down how organizations can unlock creativity and take meaningful action. You’ll also hear powerful insights on why people fear judgment—not public speaking, how small perspective shifts can change outcomes, and why embracing an “explorer’s mindset” is essential in today’s fast-changing world.

About the Guest:

Jeff Rogers is an award-winning keynote speaker, professional emcee, and creativity expert with over 25 years of experience engaging corporate audiences. Known for his high-energy, interactive style, he blends improvisation, storytelling, and innovation to help organizations think differently, collaborate effectively, and take meaningful action.

Jeff began his career as an award-winning stand-up comedian before being discovered by Amy Sedaris and encouraged to train at Second City. He went on to perform alongside renowned comedians such as Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler, honing the improvisational techniques that now define his work with business leaders.

Today, Jeff is a nationally recognized speaker and storytelling champion, delivering keynotes, workshops, and hosted events that drive innovation, strengthen culture, and inspire teams to move from uncertainty to unstoppable momentum. He is also an international best-selling author and creator of the PLAYMaker Mindset, a framework that combines creativity, collaboration, and the science of play to unlock breakthrough thinking and performance.

Beyond the stage, Jeff has worked as a TV host, screenwriter, and creative director—including leading the inaugural Chicago Ideas Week—and has appeared in commercials and television shows for major brands. His work focuses on helping organizations align purpose, ignite creativity, and build cultures that thrive in times of change.

Website: https://www.jeffrogersunlimited.com/

About the Host:

Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE is one of the top 5 most award-winning speakers in the world. His Top 1% TEDx video has over 2.8 million views, his 27 books are translated into multiple languages, including 3 International bestsellers. He is a Certified Virtual Presenter and past National President of the National Speakers Association. Jim’s PBS television programs, podcast appearances and radio shows have reached millions of Success Seekers and he is often retained to advise achievers and their companies.

Even his colleagues, some of the top speakers in the world, have hired Jim to speak at their own events. Jim is an Executive MBA Professor at California Lutheran University School of Management and serves as their first Entrepreneur in Residence. He has been inducted into the Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame in London for his pioneering work with his concept of “Relationship Selling.” He is also in the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame and has received The Cavett Award and The Golden Gavel Award.

Jim has written 27 books, hundreds of articles and he is always writing at least one new book. His most recent book is HI-REV for Small Business, The Faster Way to Profits . Audiences buy his books by the hundreds and he happily adds autograph sessions to his speeches.

https://cathcart.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathcartinstitute/

https://www.facebook.com/jim.cathcart

https://www.youtube.com/user/jimcathcart

Tedx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ki9-oaPwHs

Most people are being guided by beliefs they didn’t consciously choose. In this thought-provoking conversation, Ali Sweeney shares how unconscious beliefs act like an invisible operating system that shapes our decisions, behaviors, and leadership without us even realizing it. Through her work as an intuitive guide, she helps high performers uncover hidden patterns formed earlier in life and interrupt the cycles that keep them stuck.

This episode explores the powerful intersection of intuition, leadership, and self-awareness—revealing how leaders can move beyond fear, reprogram limiting beliefs, and align their actions with who they truly are.

About the Guest:

Ali Sweeney is the founder of A Light Insight, where she works as an intuitive guide, energy healer, and meditation teacher helping individuals uncover limiting beliefs and reconnect with their inner wisdom. Her path has evolved over three decades—from environmental engineer to nonprofit leader, and eventually to spiritual teacher and psychic practitioner.

Through her work, Ali supports people in recognizing hidden patterns, releasing emotional blocks, and aligning with a more authentic and purposeful life. She offers clairvoyant readings, meditation classes, and group experiences designed to help clients gain clarity, confidence, and a deeper connection to themselves.

Ali holds a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University and a master’s degree in leadership from the University of Denver, blending analytical thinking with intuitive insight in her work.

Website: https://www.alightinsight.com/

About the Host:

Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE is one of the top 5 most award-winning speakers in the world. His Top 1% TEDx video has over 2.8 million views, his 27 books are translated into multiple languages, including 3 International bestsellers. He is a Certified Virtual Presenter and past National President of the National Speakers Association. Jim’s PBS television programs, podcast appearances and radio shows have reached millions of Success Seekers and he is often retained to advise achievers and their companies.

Even his colleagues, some of the top speakers in the world, have hired Jim to speak at their own events. Jim is an Executive MBA Professor at California Lutheran University School of Management and serves as their first Entrepreneur in Residence. He has been inducted into the Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame in London for his pioneering work with his concept of “Relationship Selling.” He is also in the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame and has received The Cavett Award and The Golden Gavel Award.

Jim has written 27 books, hundreds of articles and he is always writing at least one new book. His most recent book is HI-REV for Small Business, The Faster Way to Profits . Audiences buy his books by the hundreds and he happily adds autograph sessions to his speeches.

https://cathcart.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathcartinstitute/

https://www.facebook.com/jim.cathcart

https://www.youtube.com/user/jimcathcart

Tedx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ki9-oaPwHs