Sixcess Stories

SIX° Connections

Our journey started with a crazy idea as a newly married couple: Let's sell everything we own that doesn't fit into our two cars, move across the country during the middle of a global pandemic to a city where we don't know anyone and use our life savings to purchase a business where the business is knowing people... If being in the community building business has taught us anything, it's that the relationships and connections we make along the way aren't just a byproduct of success, they are the success. Sixcess Stories, hosted by Kristina Gent and Eric Ozarowski, is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. At SIX° Connections, we believe that conscious, caring leaders are a catalyst for connecting humanity. If success is traditionally defined as the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status, then "sixcess" is something entirely different — it's measured by the depth and quality of relationships in our lives that make everything else possible. Wherever you are on your own journey with success, we hope these conversations challenge how you think about the importance of developing meaningful relationships and inspire you to connect more intentionally. Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away. Sixcess Stories is produced by SIX° Connections, a purpose and values-driven business community dedicated to fostering deep, meaningful relationships among passionate professionals.

  1. 2h ago

    The Power of "I Am" with Jose Arenas | EP 72

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Jose Arenas to talk about growing up as a Jehovah's Witness in the Bronx, how NLP training changed the way he shows up, and stepping into discomfort to find your authentic self. Jose Arenas is a CFO Advisor and co-owner of 4 All Intents & Purposes, where he helps business owners understand the story behind their numbers. His specialties include cash flow, margins, forecasting, pricing, and planning for growth. He believes a healthy business should create opportunity for the people who own it, work in it, and are served by it. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] The Plane Ride That Led to Six Degrees [00:07:00] Be, Do, Have vs. Have, Do, Be [00:09:00] Getting Called Out at NLP Training [00:13:00] God's Name Means "I Am" [00:21:00] Leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses at 16 [00:29:00] Letting People Live Their Own Lessons [00:37:00] From the Bronx to San Diego [00:39:00] Seven Cats and Obsidian's Gift [00:45:00] Knowledge vs. Experience [00:51:00] Goals, Not Plans [00:54:00] Desire vs. Want [01:03:00] Follow Your Highest Excitement [01:13:00] From People-Pleasing to Authenticity [01:18:00] What Are You Afraid Of? - - - - - - [01:31:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  2. Sep 29

    Becoming the Advocate You Needed with Julia Maltbie | EP 71

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Julia Maltbie to talk about her journey into insurance, why you should always question your medical bills, and the common misconceptions about life with a service dog. Julia Maltbie is an Employee Benefits Broker at CMR Risk & Insurance Services in San Diego, where she helps growing employers design and manage benefits that support their people and their long-term goals. Julia is known for being hands-on and detail-oriented, and she's driven by making sure no employee has to face the healthcare system on their own. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] A Man Named Eagle [00:16:00] Growing up in Ohio [00:19:00] Skipping College for an Insurance License [00:22:00] Small-Town Agency Life [00:27:00] Salesforce, Rebellion & Moving Back [00:29:00] From Rival to Husband [00:33:00] A Pandemic Engagement & Wedding [00:38:00] How COVID Reshaped Insurance Rates [00:40:00] Why the Insurance Commissioner Matters [00:46:00] Becoming Your Own Health Advocate [00:57:00] HR, HIPAA & the Broker's Role [01:01:00] Affordable Care Across the Border [01:06:00] Service Dog Misconceptions [01:15:00] The Amazing Duck Duck Goose - - - - - - [01:19:00] Deep Dive: Six Degrees, Experiences & What’s Next Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  3. Sep 22

    The Business of Taking Risks with Desireé Clark Miller | EP 70

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Desireé Clark Miller to talk about the power of taking creative risks, finding your voice when the industry tries to box you in, and the productivity system that keeps her sane. Desireé Clark Miller is the Executive Artistic Director of Moxie Theater in San Diego, and the first non-founder to lead the organization. With 15+ years across acting, management, sales, and administration, she blends creative instinct with business acumen to run an award-winning nonprofit theater. She's driven by the belief that great work happens when people trust each other enough to take a creative leap together. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:05:00] Landing at Moxie Theater [00:09:00] Saying Yes to Everything [00:16:00] COVID's Impact on Ticket Sales [00:18:00] Becoming Moxie's First Non-Founder Leader [00:23:00] Nonprofit Fundraising [00:30:00] The Details Behind a Seamless Event [00:40:00] The Road to Professional Actor [00:46:00] Typecasting, Shakespeare, and Finding Her Lane [00:52:00] Representation Shifts Since Hamilton and 2020 [01:08:00] Bullet Journaling - - - - - - [01:18:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  4. Sep 15

    Making Yourself Known with Brandon Hawkins | EP 69

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Brandon Hawkins to talk about empathy as a sales strategy, using AI to free up more time, and why it's not who you know but who knows you. Brandon Hawkins is the Chief Revenue Officer of Escalon Services, bringing more than 30 years of B2B sales leadership experience to the outsourced accounting and CFO services industry. He previously helped scale a financial services startup to more than $12 million in revenue, and now leads sales and marketing strategy across Escalon. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] We're All Just People [00:06:00] Growing Up Mixed-Race in Rhode Island [00:10:00] Landing and Scaling at CFO Hub [00:19:00] Letting Go of Ego [00:27:00] Family, Grandkids, and Chasing Two Packers Games [00:31:00] Approaching Divorce with Kindness [00:38:00] San Diego's Small-Town Honesty in Business [00:41:00] Referrals, Karma, and Joining Six Degrees [00:51:00] Diverse Perspectives Over an Echo Chamber [01:01:00] "The Empathetic Shark" [01:10:00] Turning Your CRM Into a Cash Register [01:15:00] It's Not Who You Know, It's Who Knows You [01:23:00] The Art of Becoming - - - - - - [01:32:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  5. Sep 8

    The Gift and Curse of Awareness with Heather Siems | EP 68

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Heather Siems to talk about prioritizing family experiences, catching judgment before it takes over, and dissecting the psychology behind needs-based selling. Heather Siems is an Employee Benefits Specialist at Morrison Insurance Services, where she helps business owners design benefit programs that align with company goals and culture. With over 13 years of experience, Heather specializes in creating tailored solutions that support employee well-being and retention. She brings both professional expertise and a values-driven approach to her work and relationships. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] A Year of Gratitude and Family Travel [00:16:00] The Timeshare Pitch [00:25:00] "Flexibility Is Power" [00:27:00] Judging Good vs. Bad [00:31:00] Calming the Nervous System [00:36:00] The Badge of Honor of Doing It All [00:39:00] The Gift and Curse of Awareness [00:49:00] Choosing Curiosity Over Judgment [00:52:00] The Timeshare Sales Tactics [00:58:00] A Two-Person Sales Play [01:07:00] Selling the Destination, Not the Plane Ride [01:18:00] The Real Needs Analysis Behind the Pitch [01:21:00] Where Persuasion Turns Into Manipulation [01:28:00] Talk Less, Ask More - - - - - - [01:32:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  6. Sep 1

    Saying Goodbye to a Best Friend | EP 67

    In this week’s episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric took some time to reflect and process the loss of their sweet pup, Sofie. They talk about lessons she taught them, fond memories of her and the importance of presence with our loved ones. Please note that this could be a challenging listen as it was certainly a challenging conversation to have. Sofie was a lab/shepherd/husky mix born in Manhattan, KS. She got to experience being a city dog in Chicago and lived the country life in southern Oregon before settling down for retirement in San Diego. She loved the water, all things food related (especially cucumbers) and chin scratches when she was in the mood for them. She gave us 14 incredible years of pure love and joy. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:08:00] Losing a Pet [00:11:00] Eric's Walk & Watching Her Decline [00:14:00] The Skunk & Capone's Memory List [00:15:00] Puppy Sofie & Growing Into Her Ears [00:18:00] Lap of Love & Dr. Brian [00:20:00] Sofie Hated the Vet, Loved Home Care [00:23:30] Business Life During Loss [00:26:00] Time Is Short [00:29:00] Attention Economy & Quality Time [00:33:00] Enriching Lives Like Sofie Did [00:36:00] Five Hard, Worth-It Years in Business [00:43:00] How Sofie Chose Kristina [00:51:00] Gratitude, Memories & Dogs Go to Heaven Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  7. Aug 25

    The Business of Loving Football with Brian McFadden | EP 66

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with Brian McFadden to talk about a cross-country journey that ended in San Diego, the difference between loving to win and hating to lose, and the vision behind Legit Football. Brian McFadden is the COO at Alta Tera and co-founder of Legit Football, a daily NFL newsletter that's grown into a digital sports media company. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in sales and customer service to his work/ Culture and integrity are paramount to him, and whether he's coaching agents at Alta Tera or building out Legit Football, he's driven by a passion for helping the people around him. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] Life Before Legit [00:07:00] What Makes SIX Dinners Different [00:15:00] The Power of a Curated Guest List [00:19:00] From Shy Kid to Social Rebrand [00:21:00] 13 Years in New York City [00:26:00] Finding San Diego [00:35:00] Raising an Engineer-Brained Son [00:42:00] Nature vs. Nurture [00:50:00] Love Winning or Hate Losing? [00:58:00] Choosing Florida State Over Clemson [01:03:00] How a Newsletter Became an Obsession [01:09:00] Building Legit Football [01:17:00] Inside the Growth Plan for Legit [01:25:00] Why the Newsletter Design Took a Year - - - - - - [01:31:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

  8. Aug 18

    Treating Your Team Like Clients with John Griswold | EP 65

    In this week's episode of Sixcess Stories, Kristina and Eric sit down with John Griswold to talk about repositioning his business for long-term stability, the weekly check-in system that's helped him avoid losing a single employee, and raising financially independent kids. John Griswold is the Managing Partner of the Griswold Group, a family-owned real estate business powered by Compass in San Diego. With over a decade of experience spanning hotel brokerage and residential real estate, John now focuses on building sustainable growth and client relationships alongside his sister. Sixcess Stories is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. Timestamps: [00:02:00] Accountability Systems & Consistency [00:04:00] Why Coaching Is Worth It [00:06:00] One Year Later: What's Shifted [00:11:00] Team as Clients: The Southwest Model [00:15:00] Weekly Check-Ins: Streamlining Support [00:19:00] Kind vs. Nice [00:25:00] "Is Now a Bad Time?" Reframe [00:36:00] What Is Your Relationship to Money? [00:41:00] Raising Financially Grounded Kids [00:50:00] Door-to-Door Sales [01:00:00] Healthcare, Big Pharma & Self-Healing [01:13:00] Everyone's Version of Hard [01:19:00] Navigating Sensitive Questions [01:35:00] Reflection: Turning 40 and Growth - - - - - - [01:37:00] Deep Dive Connect with the SIX° Community: Website LinkedIn Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away.

About

Our journey started with a crazy idea as a newly married couple: Let's sell everything we own that doesn't fit into our two cars, move across the country during the middle of a global pandemic to a city where we don't know anyone and use our life savings to purchase a business where the business is knowing people... If being in the community building business has taught us anything, it's that the relationships and connections we make along the way aren't just a byproduct of success, they are the success. Sixcess Stories, hosted by Kristina Gent and Eric Ozarowski, is a collection of real, honest conversations with the incredible members of the SIX° Community about leadership, intentionality and the positive impact of developing deep, meaningful relationships in business and in life. At SIX° Connections, we believe that conscious, caring leaders are a catalyst for connecting humanity. If success is traditionally defined as the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status, then "sixcess" is something entirely different — it's measured by the depth and quality of relationships in our lives that make everything else possible. Wherever you are on your own journey with success, we hope these conversations challenge how you think about the importance of developing meaningful relationships and inspire you to connect more intentionally. Lead on Purpose. Connect with Intention. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays. Your next breakthrough is just one connection away. Sixcess Stories is produced by SIX° Connections, a purpose and values-driven business community dedicated to fostering deep, meaningful relationships among passionate professionals.