EP 23: Leading with Vulnerability: Max Yoder & Tiffany Sauder on Life’s Toughest Choices

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, Brian sits down with Max Yoder and Tiffany Sauder. 

In segment one, Max Yoder (author, entrepreneur, and CEO) shares his repertoire of experiences, from co-founding Lessonly in 2012, to sharing personal stories from his upbringing, including his parents' divorce and remarriage and his motivations rooted in financial security. Max also dissects the importance of company culture, core values, and vulnerability in leadership.

To explore the medicinal retreat in Vermont that Max referenced, visit their webpage.

Brian switches gears to talk with Tiffany Sauder, CEO of Element Three and host of Scared Confident, along with five other commitments.

Tiffany discusses how she balances several high commitment and high-stress roles, including motherhood, entrepreneurship, leadership, public speaking, and her podcast (which highlights lessons learned through her first 20 years in her career) through effective prioritization and outsourcing.

Scared Confident is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts, as well as on her website https://www.tiffanysauder.com/podcast

Here are some key takeaways from this episode:

• The importance of company culture and values
• Leadership is vulnerability
• Living with compassion, balance, and purpose
• Improving time management
• How strategies in business and life can overlap
• Learn to “make friends with hard”

Be sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Max Yoder:

00:00 Introducing Max Yoder

00:32 Max Yoder's Background and Achievements

03:16 Personal Insights and Early Life

06:28 Entrepreneurial Journey and Lessons Learned

14:23 Core Values and Company Culture

32:33 Post-Lessonly Life and Personal Growth

41:16 Transition to Lightning Round

41:34 The Concept of 'See It, Be It'

41:54 Embodying Virtues and Self-Compassion

43:42 The Complexity of Parking

44:44 Charity and Grace

47:16 Lightning Round Begins

47:59 Facing Fears and Personal Growth

51:03 Selling a $30 Million Software Company

52:44 Helping Others and Family Love

Segment 2 with Tiffany Sauder:

55:50 Introducing Tiffany Sauder

01:00:16 Balancing Family and Career

01:12:37 Funny Laundry Episode

01:13:07 Outsourcing Household Chores

01:15:21 Handyman Hacks

01:17:20 Financial Choices and Support

01:19:28 Journey to Element Three

01:23:50 Leadership Lessons

01:39:44 Transitioning Roles

01:42:56 Making Friends with Hard

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