The Culture Matters Podcast

"When Zarathustra was 30 years old, he left his home and lake of his home, and went into the mountains. Here, he had the enjoyment of his spirit and his solitude and he did not weary of it for 10 years. But at least, his heart turned and one morning he rose with the dawn, stepped before the sun, and spoke to it thus: Great star! What would your happiness be if you had not those for whom you shine? You have come up here to my cave for 10 years. You would have grown weary of your light and of this journey without me, my eagle, and my serpent. But we waited for you every morning, took from you your super fluidity and blessed you for it. Behold! I am weary of my wisdom like a bee that has gathered too much honey. I need hands outstretched to take it. I should like to give it away and distribute it until the wise among men have again become happy in their folly and the poor happy in their wealth."On today's episode of The Culture Matters Podcast, we are joined by our co-host of the Tales of Giving series who is also the host of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief, Demetri Stakias.  If you have been keeping up with this series, then you know that these episodes can serve a host of different purposes and cover a host of different subjects and today's journey is no different.  During today's discussion, Demetri and Jay are discussing the difficulty of standing out in a world full of unique people, knowing that it is OK to look inward at some of the scariest parts of yourself and uncovering them and dealing with them, and the trickiness of letting people go from your life even if they are loved ones or family.  Conversations with Demetri are always guaranteed to get deep and today's is no different on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

What if everything you’ve been told about AI is wrong?In this thought-provoking episode, Jay sits down with Scott Schang to explore a perspective far deeper than tools, automation, or productivity. This is a conversation about a paradigm shift—a true renaissance.Drawing inspiration from Nikola Tesla’s vision of a connected world, Scott reframes AI not as a replacement for human intelligence, but as a mirror for it. A collaborator. A challenger. A force that rewards self-awareness over surface-level thinking.Together, they unpack:Why the internet created a “modern dark age” of noise and external validationHow AI shifts power back to the individual thinkerThe danger of asking the wrong questions—and how to fix itWhy most businesses are solving symptoms instead of root problemsHow leaders can use AI to amplify humanity, not replace itThe future of community, connection, and decision-making in an AI-driven worldThis episode isn’t about learning how to use AI.It’s about learning how to think again.If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or builder navigating what’s next—this conversation will challenge your assumptions and expand your lens.Share this with someone who’s skeptical… and someone who’s ready.

What if everything in your business comes down to one thing: incentives?In this episode of the Culture Matters Podcast, Jay Doran sits down with Nick Brignola, Chief Financial Officer of Informative, for a powerful conversation on leadership, culture, compliance, and the hidden forces that drive behavior inside organizations.Starting with a quote from Charlie Munger—“Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome”—Nick breaks down how incentives shape decision-making at every level of business. From sales teams to executive leadership, what you reward ultimately defines what you get.Nick shares insights from a decades-long career across logistics, finance, healthcare, and financial technology, including lessons learned inside large pharmaceutical organizations, private equity-backed companies, and high-growth environments. He dives into real-world examples of how culture can either accelerate success or lead to costly breakdowns.This episode also explores the evolving automotive and fintech landscape, data security, compliance risk, and why leadership must balance structure with entrepreneurial thinking to build sustainable organizations.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why incentives determine outcomes in business and leadershipThe difference between entrepreneurial and structured culturesLessons from pharmaceutical compliance failures and leadership shiftsHow to balance speed, growth, and guardrails in an organizationWhy private equity thinking differs from public company pressureThe real risks around data, compliance, and customer informationWhat great culture actually looks like inside high-performing teamsWhy the best organizations align behavior, values, and executionMinute Markers:00:00 Intro and Charlie Munger quote02:15 Why incentives drive behavior and results07:10 Early career and discovering business logistics13:40 From logistics to finance and internal audit20:10 What audit really means and why it matters27:30 Learning culture inside pharmaceutical organizations35:40 When culture breaks: compliance failures and consequences44:20 Entrepreneurial vs. structured corporate cultures52:10 Private equity vs. public company mindset1:00:15 Automotive industry insights and compliance risks1:08:40 Data security, fraud, and customer trust1:16:20 Core values vs. “words on a wall”1:24:00 Final thoughts on leadership, culture, and incentivesIf this episode made you think differently about leadership, share it with someone building a business or leading a team.Subscribe for more conversations on culture, leadership, business, and life.

What does it actually take to build something meaningful—and is it worth it?In this episode of the Culture Matters Podcast, Jay Doran sits down with returning guest Mark Perkins, founder of Pivot Realty and creator of the Are You Worth It? Conference, for a powerful and honest conversation on entrepreneurship, execution, and what separates those who grow from those who stay stuck.Mark shares lessons from nearly two decades of building, scaling, and navigating the realities of business—what he got wrong, what he’s learned, and why success is far more difficult than most people are willing to admit. From surrounding yourself with the right people to getting in the right rooms, this episode is a deep dive into what it really means to go all in.This conversation also explores the future of business through the lens of artificial intelligence, the growing gap between elite performers and the rest of the workforce, and why access to the right people and environments can completely change your trajectory.At the center of it all is one question:Are you worth it?In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why entrepreneurship is harder than you think—and why that mattersThe power of proximity and getting in the right roomsHow Mark built Pivot Realty from the ground upThe vision behind the Are You Worth It? ConferenceWhat separates top performers from the middle 60%Why most people never reach their full potentialHow AI will reshape business, talent, and opportunityWhat it really means to “go” all in on your life and businessMinute Markers:00:00 Intro and Jim Rohn quote on proximity02:10 Mark Perkins returns to the podcast05:30 Starting Pivot Realty and early lessons10:45 Why entrepreneurship is harder than expected18:20 Getting in rooms with high-level operators25:10 The vision behind “Are You Worth It?”34:00 How to show up and win in the right rooms42:15 Learning from people who have actually done it50:30 Building relationships that create opportunity58:40 The future of AI and the workforce1:08:20 Top performers vs. the middle 60%1:18:00 What “go” means for 20261:25:00 Final thoughts: Is it worth it?If this episode challenged you, share it with someone you want in the room with you.Subscribe for more conversations on culture, leadership, business, and life.

In this episode of the Culture Matters Podcast, Jay Doran sits down with Doug Bertram, founder and CEO of Structural Elements, for a deeply thoughtful conversation on the body, stress, healing, performance, and what it really means to create health before crisis ever arrives.Doug shares his unique journey from psychology and manual therapy into traditional Chinese medicine, systems thinking, and the creation of Structural Elements — a methodology and growing company built around helping people increase their capacity to handle the demands of life. Rather than simply treating pain or symptoms, Doug explains how the body functions as an integrated system, how communication breakdowns happen physically and neurologically, and why true healing involves far more than addressing one isolated issue.This episode explores the connection between the body, mind, trauma, stress response, posture, belief systems, and performance. Doug breaks down complex ideas in a way that is both practical and powerful, helping listeners understand how overload accumulates, how dysregulation shows up in daily life, and how awareness and self-regulation can transform the way we move, heal, and live.This conversation is not just about pain relief. It is about human performance refined.00:00 Intro and quote: treating disease before it arises02:15 Meeting Doug Bertram and the heart behind Structural Elements05:00 From psychology and bodywork to traditional Chinese medicine09:10 Systems thinking vs. treating the body in separate parts14:20 Communication in the body: rethinking chi and energy flow20:05 Stress, safety, and the autonomic nervous system26:40 How trauma, belief systems, and the body stay connected33:10 Posture, injury, and what the body is really communicating39:20 Avoidance vs. resilience and increasing capacity to handle load46:00 Doug’s personal shift: rewriting the story of stress53:30 Signs your system is overloaded and how to self-regulate59:40 The Structural Elements methodology and franchise model1:07:10 Helping providers escape burnout and deliver better care1:13:20 The future of orthopedic wellness and preventive care1:19:00 Final takeaway: integration, regulation, and living with greater capacityThis episode covers:Why the body should be understood as an integrated systemThe difference between symptom treatment and root-cause careHow stress, trauma, and belief systems shape the bodyWhy posture tells a story about strategy and survivalHow to recognize when your system is overloadedThe connection between regulation, resilience, and performanceDoug’s vision for the future of orthopedic wellness and provider careIf you are interested in health, performance, healing, resilience, mindset, or the deeper relationship between body and mind, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

In this episode of the Culture Matters Podcast, Jay Doran sits down with Jay Stoll, founder of All Things Retirement Group, for a powerful conversation about reinvention, discipline, service, and purpose.All Things Retirement Group operates within the ecosystem of All Things Insurance Group, founded by longtime friend of the Culture Matters Podcast and frequent guest, Pete Fournier.Jay Stoll shares his incredible journey from serving in law enforcement to working in physical therapy and eventually building a thriving business in the insurance and retirement planning space. Along the way, he opens up about the defining moments that shaped him, including the emotional decision to leave law enforcement after missing one of the most important moments in his son’s life.This conversation goes far beyond insurance. It is about what it means to lead with humility, check your ego, stay coachable, and build a life centered around faith, family, and long-term impact. Jay also breaks down the deeper purpose behind retirement planning, mortgage protection, long-term care, and helping families prepare for the moments they hope never come.If you have ever wrestled with changing careers, chasing purpose, providing for your family, or building something meaningful from the ground up, this episode will speak to you.00:00 Intro and Jay Stoll’s story of reinvention03:10 From law enforcement to life-changing perspective07:15 Missing his son’s first steps and making the pivot11:20 Entering the insurance world and finding purpose16:05 What retirement planning really means21:10 Mortgage protection and planning for the unexpected27:00 Long-term care, family burden, and hard conversations34:25 Education over confusion in financial planning39:10 Mentorship, humility, and learning from proven people45:20 Building All Things Retirement Group50:15 Persistence, faith, and what it takes to keep going55:00 Final thoughts on legacy, leadership, and serving familiesThis episode covers:Reinventing your life when your priorities changeHow law enforcement shaped Jay’s discipline and decision-makingThe moment he knew he had to choose family firstWhy mentorship and humility matter in businessHow to think about retirement, protection, and legacyThe power of persistence when building something new

"Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy." - Dan BrownHost of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief Demetri Stakias is joining us once again for a second round of "Tales of Giving".  The conversation got started before anyone hit record, but as all of our loyal listeners know, we're always interested in the space between the notes.  After hitting record, Demetri and Jay are getting into the ever-so-light-hearted topic of the redemption of demon influenced individuals and how no one is ever beyond redemption, the challenges being faced in uncertain times, how loss is a source of pain but can also be a source of opportunity, and the desire to improve engagement and taking things to the next level.  This conversation doesn't end where it begins, so we hope you're ready to take the journey with us on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"There are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the subject's sake and those who write for writing's sake. The truth is, that when an author begins to write for the sake of covering paper, he is cheating the reader because he writes under the pretext that he has something to say." - Arthur SchopenhauerToday, on The Culture Matters Podcast, we are back with Thirty Days of Thought featuring our very own Jay Doran as he discusses excerpts from his book, Thirty Days of Thought.  However, for today's episode, Jay did not come alone.  A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at the chapter from the book entitled "Writer's Block" with our dead friend, Mr. Paul Lucido.  We enjoyed that conversation so much that we decided to take another swing at "Writer's Block"; this time with another dear friend who is the host of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief, Demetri Stakias.  If you listened to the episode with Paul, then you are in for a completely different take on the subject with Demetri.  These two culture colossuses are getting into getting back on track if you were to lose sense of your mission, why people (and Philadelphians) love the flawed hero, and why it is almost an obligation for people who create content to share their journey.  We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

"It's hard, it's hard to be consistent in anything and that's why so few people can do it successfully. But when you do, when you are consistent in whatever goal you're trying to get to, typically you get the results you want."Scotsman Guide Top 500 in the Country Loan Officer, Mortgage Executive Magazine Top One Percent Mortgage Originator, Philadelphia Magazine Five Star Mortgage Professional Award recipient, and Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate Rob Wishnick has finally made his way back to the show and we are not wasting a minute.  Rob and Jay are jumping right in with the importance of consistency and how it can lead to both professional and personal improvement, how something as simple as showing up and doing the basics the right way everyday can lead to better and more consistent habits, what the mortgage business looks like today and why a broker can be one of your best friends during the home buying process, and what the three columns are that will help you maximize your efficiency.  This was a wonderful and informative discussion and we hope you enjoy this conversation with Mr. Rob Wishnick.

Episode 21 marks Part 1 of a reflection on the impact of the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza series.In this episode, Jay begins revisiting select words of the year shared by guests throughout the Lollapalooza, unpacking what those words represent and why they mattered — not only to the individuals who shared them, but to the broader Culture Matters community.Rather than recapping conversations, this episode focuses on patterns: the themes that kept surfacing, the shared language across very different leaders, and what those signals say about where people are headed next.This is the first in a multi-part breakdown, with more reflections, insights, and connections to come as the series continues.