Addicted to WINNING

EP 134 -  Shelly-Anne McKay, Nearly Working Yourself To Death

We definitely live in a hustle culture. Everyone seems to be talking about how you need to show up and do the work, but less popular is talking about how this concept can be taken to an extreme. An extreme than can be fatal, as it almost was for Shelly-Anne McKay.

Shelly-Anne McKay is a compassionate and intuitive Food Addiction Coach dedicated to guiding successful women towards holistic wellness and sustainable recovery. Shelly-Anne's philosophy extends beyond conventional approaches, actively incorporating joy-centric strategies and fostering meaningful connections to add vibrancy to the recovery process.

Beyond coaching, Shelly-Anne is the Co-Founder of a Boutique Holistic Wellness agency specializing in planning bespoke health and wellness workshops and retreats for organizations and groups. She is inspired to support organizations proactively addressing addiction prevention for leaders and teams through a mental health approach. 

What You Will Learn 

• How Shelly-Anne learned to get up, dust herself off, and try again and not give up

• What Shelly-Anne is learning about life and relationships that is helping her find balance

• The reasons Shelly-Anne makes sure to fill her own cup and not neglect herself

• Why truly stepping into your authentic self can be extremely powerful and freeing

• How Shelly-Anne nearly worked herself to death while working on two files simultaneously

• How going to school to be a coach changed Shelly-Anne in a way she had not anticipated

• The serendipitous way that Shelly-Anne met her mentor while swimming in the ocean

• How talking about Soul Sisters United caused things to align in order to be manifested along with a whole heap of hard work

Favorite Quote: 

"Everyday I just try to do one thing better. One thing different. One thing new."

- Shelly-Anne McCay 

CONNECT WITH SHELLY:

ShellyAnneMcKay.com

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 133 -  Zach Swartzendruber, You Don't Fail Unless You Quit

There are a lot of opinions about what it means to fail. For some of us, failing means quitting, and anything short of that shouldn't be considered failure. If you keep going, you are winning. You only lose when you give up, so don't quit!

Zach Swartzendruber is a founding member of Total Trucking Resource, a benefits and enrollment guru, as well as a marketing and branding geek and dreamer for Benefits For Trucking.

Benefits For Trucking is a 3rd Generation Benefits Services Agency that is hyper-focused on helping the Trucking Industry. Along with Swartzendruber Solutions, they can bring your company a unique and more engaging experience with employee benefits and your enrollment experience.

What You Will Learn 

• How growing up in an entrepreneurial family made Zach want to head that direction himself

• Why you can't quit if you plan to get to win no matter what that means to you

• The reality that industries can fluctuate and how you can weather the storm

• How the rising cost of diesel fuel has affected the trucking industry thus affecting Zach's business of dealing in benefits for truckers

• Why outsourcing some of the more mundane tasks can help you focus and become more profitable using virtual assistants

• Why Zach values his family and having experiences above all else and uses money as leverage to achieve those things

• All of the different things that Zach can do to help those in the trucking industry

Favorite Quote: 

"Winning is not quitting, and you can't win when you quit. That's failure, you fail when you quit. It's that simple."

-Zach Swartzendruber  

CONNECT WITH ZACH:

BenefitsForTrucking.com

Zach@BenefitsForTrucking.com

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 132 - Benny Fisher, From Unemployable to Entrepreneur

Many of us find ourselves facing entrepreneurship because we've tried just about everything and found ourselves pretty much unemployable. At that point, there's not a whole lot of other places to go, so we (hopefully) embrace it and start working towards it.

Benny Fisher is the Founder & Visionary of The Big Fish Contracting Company, and an experienced public speaker, business consultant, and marketer. 

Benny has a knack for networking among business owners, and capturing stories of business, entrepreneurial journeys, and overcoming adversity.

What You Will Learn 

• What the Driven Genes are and how they have affected Benny's life and upbringing

• The effect ADHD has had on Benny's life after being diagnosed at a young age

• Why Benny is grateful for the way he was raised even though it would never fly in today's society

• How Benny learned to upsell as a young child while selling candy bars or his baseball team

• Why did Benny quit going to college to sell cars and end up selling drugs and what he learn from that

• How Benny fought through his self-doubts and the doubts of others to get himself out of the drug world and went legit

• How Benny learned to be addicted to his business in a positive way at first and then later used pharmaceuticals to cope with the stress and later overdosed

Favorite Quote: 

"I was kind of forced into entrepreneurship because I had tried everything else, and I wasn't employable."

-Benny Fisher   

CONNECT WITH BENNY:

Benny Fisher is the embodiment of customer service & building connections. Early on in his career he found that the key to success was through delivering superb customer service no matter the task in front of him. In addition to his philosophical focus on service, Benny also saw the importance for building deep and lasting connections with anyone that crosses his path.

BennyFisher.com

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 131 - Jeff Brekken, Why Are We Not Asking Why?

Why are we not asking why more often? Are we afraid of the answers? Many times understanding our internal motives as well as the motives of others will help us find our way through the struggle we're currently enduring. Oftentimes we know that but are afraid to go there. But what if we weren't?

What You Will Learn 

• How thinking about your motivations can help get down to your purpose and the reason that you and everything else matter

• Why do we tend to ask why a lot less as we get older and more experienced

• How asking yourself why you do things can help you get through sticky situations

• How asking why in your relationships can help you understand your partner's motives and what they are looking for from you

• How studying your own motives can help you be more vulnerable and why that is a good thing

• Asking why helps get you through the hard times and find a way out

• How asking why will help you find what is truly in your heart.

Favorite Quote: 

"You can't achieve absolute 100% of your dreams when you are not vulnerable and when you are not asking yourself why."

-Jeff Brekken  

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 130 - Natalie Heckert, Be Willing to Do It Afraid

We often assume that people who are doing the things we fear are not afraid. Chances are they are just as scared as we are and are just feeling the fear and doing it anyway. If you wait until you are in the absence of fear, you will probably never strike. 

Natalie Heckert has been the  CEO of NATS (Nutrition & Aerobic Training Service) for 18 years, a Mrs. Minnesota finalist, a contestant on the Price is Right, auditioned for Oprah's "Next Big Invention", and worked with Tracey Yukich while she was on NBC's "The Biggest Loser".

Natalie has invented a variety of fitness products and has starred in numerous exercise videos. She designed, helped develop and implement a state-of-the-art wellness center for Tastefully Simple, an Inc. 500 organization. She also originated and helped develop a two-year Health & Fitness Specialist Degree program in partnership with the Alexandria Community & Technical College and adjunct instructor.

What You Will Learn 

• How not wanting to lose drives Natalie to put in the work to do what it takes to win

• What growing up on a farm taught Natalie about life and the effect it had on her work ethic

• Why Natalie was motivated to move from small town in Minnesota to Los Angeles when she was only 18 years old

• What Natalie had to go through to make it on her own in Los Angeles

• How Natallie ended up working at Universal Studios training stars and celebrities

• Why you need to speak to yourself like you love yourself

• How Natalie was inspired to create Club E Fit by her lack of time for the gym when she was working at home while caring for her children

Favorite Quote: 

"How bad do you want it? Are you willing to risk? Are you willing to do it afraid?"

-Natalie Heckert     

CONNECT WITH NATALIE

Club E Fit Crew

Instagram

Facebook

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 129 - Jeff Brekken, You TRULY Need Help In Life

It's absolutely true that no one can do it alone. There is NO WAY that you can be the best person that you can find for every single task in your business. There is more than likely a chance that you also can't afford to hire for every position that needs to be filled, so what options are you left with?

What You Will Learn 

• Why you can't be a loner and you need to surround yourself with good people

• Why you need friends who view your relationship as a two-way street and aren't afraid to give  back when you need them

• Why you should reach out instead of getting frustrated when you encounter the parts of your business that you are less skilled at

• The benefits of outsourcing over hiring to do things internally in your business

• How exercising gets the blood flowing and gets your brain going and the ideas can start coming

• Why you need to build a team of experts around you to help you do the things that don't require your special touch 

Favorite Quote: 

"You truly need help in life. Don't be frustrated in areas you don't know that much about. Get help for that."

-Jeff Brekken     

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 128 - Lisa Marie Platske, Reaching Into Your Devine Operating System

There are many examples of what a leader resembles, and how they conduct themselves. No one realizes that a true leader has characteristics that are not the same as anyone else. A leader is someone who has become clear with themselves and has become focused on the mission.  It requires clarity, focus, determination, and the willingness to go against the grain and trust oneself.

Lisa is an Executive Business Coach, and Founder of Upside Thinking and UpsideSummit.com who offers assistance to Leaders internationally through her program Summit to help them craft themselves into the Leaders they were meant to be. She has been recognized by the International Alliance Of Women, The White House, and The United States Small Business Administration for being one of the top 100 women making a difference in not just their community, but in the world.   

Lisa and Jeff speak about LIsa's program "Upside Summit" and how it has made an impact in the leadership community. Lisa talks about the clarity of reaching into your divine operating system and coming to terms with your darkness. Lisa felt abandoned by God due to constant violence in her household during her upbringing. She discusses the purpose of the 7 pillars in her program and how it may make you rethink why you feel stuck in the same place constantly.   

Favorite Quote: 

"I would rather move three things a mile each than a hundred things an inch."

-Lisa Marie Platske       

How to connect with Lisa: 

Forbes 

Website

LinkedIn

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 127 - DeLaine Blazek, Living Vs. Merely Existing

In today's world, it can be so easy to exist and find yourself going through the motions merely. It takes effort and persistence to truly build a life that means something, though it certainly can pay off in quality of life. Do you want to live, or merely exist?

DeLaine Blazek's educational background is as a clinical counselor but she has spent most of her career in sales. She has been in all roles from entry-level business development to the CEO and doubled her income 5x in her professional career (so far). 

Now, she is focusing on her coaching practice for women to teach them how to do the same thing through Solis Coaching and Consulting. In 2023, Delaine released the book Power Your Pay: The All-In Female Entrepreneur's Guide to Make Millions & Still Be Yourself. It became an overnight international Amazon Best Seller in 10 categories!  

What You'll Learn:

• Where DeLaine's curiosity first started and how she feels it benefits her in her life

• Why DeLaine went from being a psychologist to moving to becoming a business coach

• The actions that DeLaine took to earn the respect of her male colleagues in a male-dominated sales position

• How DeLaine met her business partner by stepping outside of her comfort zone

• Why the most successful people are usually just the ones who were the most persistent, not necessarily the ones who had the best ideas

• Some of the books that have influenced DeLaine the most on her journey

• Why it's so important to choose who you have in your inner circle and allow yourself to be influenced by

Favorite Quote: 

"Do you want to live in this life or do you want to exist in this life?" 

-DeLaine Blazek

Connect With DeLaine:

Solis Coaching and Consulting 

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 126 - Jeff Brekken, Inner Circle Talk

Your inner circle can easily be compared to having your very own personal Board of Directors. Who would you appoint to that board and why? How closely does your inner circle currently resemble that dream Board of Directors, and if doesn't, would you be willing to make changes to get it there?

What You'll Learn:

• What exactly is your inner circle and why it's so important to be choosy about who is in it

• The reasons why Jeff has been slowly paring down his inner circle

• How decreasing the number in your inner circle will help you get your time and your life back

•  Why and how you should rank the 5 people closest to you that you speak with the most

• What to do if you realize you are the most successful person in your inner circle

•  Why you should think about your inner circle like your own personal board of directors

Favorite Quote: 

"You either work for time or you work for money." 

-Jeff Brekken

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping. 

EP 125 - Jeff Brekken, Moving Into a Camper in The Desert With No Amenities

Sometimes with drastic change comes… well, drastic change. Sometimes we need to do something to physically remove ourselves from a situation to allow for the movement of the mind to follow. 

There are various levels to this, one of which is to sell all of your things and move into a camper in the desert with no electricity or running water. Which brings us to today's episode… 

What You'll Learn:

• Why Jeff recommends going back to Episode 124 with Jeremy Schreifels and listening if you have not already.

• Why Jeff is thinking about rebranding the podcast and what he would rebrand it to

• What has caused Jeff to sell his possessions and move to the desert and live in a camper with no water and no electricity

• Why it's not selfish to put yourself first and why that's what you need to do to help others succeed in what they are trying to do 

• Why you just need to get up and do things and why that really is the answer

• How Jeff was able to recently let go off some baggage that had plagued him for 15 years

• Why you shouldn't care what the haters think even if they're in your family

Favorite Quote: 

"When you live your life, you put yourself first, and that's not selfish." 

-Jeff Brekken

How To Get Involved:  

Addicted to Winning connects listeners through stories that prove why mindset matters. Jeff Brekken was working a 60-hour week on his family's farm by the time he was 10. When he wasn't helping with the harvest, he was at the hockey rink. Jeff's early life experiences taught him he needs to be either all-in or all-out.

In 2000 he started a single-family home construction business and by 2008 he was looking for the next big thing. Jeff founded the Blue Sky Benefit Solutions & Rise Above HR/ Recruiting on top of a lifelong passion for helping people. Through this show, Jeff will take that passion one step further.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over and visit us on Apple Podcasts - leave a review and let us know what you thought! Your feedback keeps us going. Thanks for helping.