Purpose Maker

Dr. MJ Wegmann

Conversations with thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and authors on wisdom, leadership, faith and living on purpose. Through L.I.F.E. Golden Ticket — and the TIP Methodology (Transitions, Identity, and Purpose) — each episode unpacks how remarkable people navigate change, lead with integrity, and create meaning by serving others. Honest dialogue for anyone building a business, a team, or a life that matters. Welcome to the Purpose Maker conversation.

  1. Aug 21

    AI, Identity, and the Search for What's True - Abdu Murray | Purpose Maker Podcast #29

    What Happens When AI Starts Answering "Who Am I?" — with Abdu Murray In a culture where technology and ideology are both racing to redefine what it means to be human, how do we hold onto a stable sense of identity and a purpose that actually means something? In this episode of Purpose Maker Podcast, I sit down with Abdu Murray; attorney, speaker, and President of Embrace the Truth; to talk about his new book, Fake ID, and what he's learned from decades of helping people wrestle honestly with questions of truth and identity. We dig into the TIP Method: Transitions, Identity, and Purpose and how Abdu's own story (a nine-year investigation that took him from a devout Muslim upbringing to the Christian faith) shaped his understanding of how identity gets built, tested, and rebuilt. We talk about what AI is doing to our collective sense of self, why so many people feel unmoored right now, and how real purpose is found not in self-definition but in service to something — and someone — bigger than ourselves. If you've ever felt like the ground under your identity is shifting, this conversation is for you. Show links here: Website: https://embracethetruth.org/ Book: https://a.co/d/03Ay1qRe SUBSCRIBE on Youtube: @purposemaker Join the FREE newsletter: www.purposemaker.com/newsletter Check out our Lifestyle and Wellness store here: https://www.purposemaker.store/ Join an online Mid-Life Wisdom class: https://www.purposemaker.com/wisdomhub Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F0XqPt... Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.wegmann Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/purposemaker  #PurposeMaker #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #LifePurpose #MidLifeWisdom #FaithAndBusiness #LegacyBuilding #LeadershipCoaching #IntentionalLiving #BusinessConsulting #SpiritualGrowth #MindsetMatters #HighPerformance #ProfessionalDevelopment #ImpactDriven #WisdomShared #ServantLeadership #TransformationalCoaching #GoalSetting #SuccessMindset

    AI, Identity, and the Search for What's True - Abdu Murray | Purpose Maker Podcast #29

  2. Aug 9

    John Burke: The Truth of Eternal Identity | Purpose Maker Podcast #28

    What happens to our identity when this life ends — and how should that truth shape the way we live right now? In this episode, I sit down with John Burke, founder of Gateway Church in Austin and New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven, for a conversation that goes straight to the heart of the T.I.P. Method — Transitions, Identity, and Purpose. John has spent decades researching near-death experiences and studying what Scripture reveals about who we really are, and where our sense of self ultimately comes from. We talk about what it means to build an identity that can withstand any transition life throws at it — job loss, grief, aging, reinvention — because it's rooted in something eternal rather than something temporary. John shares stories from his research and his own faith journey, and we explore how understanding our eternal identity changes the way we engage with purpose here and now. This isn't a conversation about escaping this life — it's about living this one with clearer eyes, deeper meaning, and a purpose that serves something bigger than ourselves. Find John's book here: https://a.co/d/0icVugp5  Connect with him here: https://www.facebook.com/johnburkeofficial/  🎧 Subscribe to the Purpose Maker Podcast for more incredible conversations. 🌐 Join the conversation at www.purposemaker.com

    John Burke: The Truth of Eternal Identity | Purpose Maker Podcast #28

  3. Jul 31

    Jake Manthei: Concrete Ways | Purpose Maker Podcast #27

    Concrete Ways is a conversation about building things that matter — businesses, families, and lives with purpose at the foundation. Host Dr. Wegmann sits down with entrepreneurs, leaders, and builders who've learned that real growth isn't about maximizing the bottom line, it's about creating something that serves others. In this episode, Jacob Manthei — a third-generation leader, and one of five presidents in his family's business group is president of Aster Brands — shares how he's helped grow a company built on the idea that profit is oxygen, not the point. Concrete lessons, honest stories, and practical wisdom for anyone trying to build a life and business worth having.

    Jake Manthei: Concrete Ways | Purpose Maker Podcast #27

  4. Jul 9

    Eeva Redmond: Elder Piper [USA Today #3 Best New Brewery] Purpose Maker Podcast #26

    What happens when all the ingredients are right? What happens when wisdom, knowledge, and a love story come together? You get Elder Piper Brewery, ranked the #3 Best New Brewery by USA Today. Elder Piper has captured massive critical attention. [They are celebrating their 2 year anniversary this June!] Trace and Eeva Redmond didn't stumble into brewing. They earned it. Over a decade working for some of the biggest names in craft beer — Founders Brewing, Sierra Nevada, Highland Brewing — they were quietly learning, refining, and dreaming. Trace developed over 400 recipes. Eeva became a Certified Cicerone (equivalent to a Sommelier with wine), an international beer judge, and the creative mind behind one of the best new breweries.  Come here their amazing story. https://elderpiperbeer.com/

    Eeva Redmond: Elder Piper [USA Today #3 Best New Brewery] Purpose Maker Podcast #26

  5. Jun 12

    Faith and Evidence #25

    What happens when an investigative journalist sets out to disprove Christianity — and the evidence won't let him? In this episode of the Purpose Maker Wisdom & Leadership Podcast, Dr. Wegmann sits down with two of the most respected and influential voices in Christian apologetics: Lee Strobel, the former atheist and journalist behind The Case for Christ, and Mark Mittelberg, evangelist, author, and Lee's longtime collaborator.   Together we go past the talking points. We explore where evidence ends and faith begins, the hardest objections they still wrestle with, and how defending the faith has changed in a culture that's grown skeptical of truth itself. Lee and Mark also open up about what they've learned from each other across decades of friendship and ministry — the kind of deep reverence for each other you don’t hear on every podcast.   Whether you're a skeptic, a seeker, or a seasoned believer, this conversation will challenge the way you think about faith, evidence, and the kind of leader you're becoming. Because at Purpose Maker, we believe identity always precedes impact — and nothing shapes identity more profoundly than what you believe to be true about God, the world, and yourself. This isn't just an apologetics episode. It's a masterclass in intellectual courage, deep friendship, and the lifelong pursuit of wisdom that leads not just to better answers, but to a better you.  Listen, share and step into a faith with deeper roots. Show links: Apologetics Inc. www.apologetics.org Lee’s latest book: https://a.co/d/04l68y1F Mark’s latest book: https://a.co/d/05DSALU1 SUBSCRIBE to Purpose Maker on Youtube: @purposemaker  Join the FREE newsletter: www.purposemaker.com/newsletter  Join an online wisdom class: https://www.purposemaker.com/wisdomhub Listen on Apple:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F0XqPt... Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.wegmann Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/purposemaker #purposemaker #drwegmann #faith #christianity #thecaseforchrist #leestrobel #markmittelberg #apologetics

    Faith and Evidence #25

  6. Apr 30

    #24 Against The Grain

    Today's guest didn't set out to build a business. He set out to build a paddle board for his daughter — a little girl who wanted to feel the water beneath her feet, and wanted it to be real. Made from the earth. Made with intention. What happened next is a masterclass in what we talk about in this show — how Transitions, Identity, and Purpose converge at exactly the right moment to create something extraordinary. Jason Thelen is a master carpenter, an artist, and the founder of Little Bay Boards — a one-of-a-kind handcrafted paddle board company rooted right here in Petoskey, Michigan, on the shores of Little Traverse Bay. He builds hollow wooden paddle boards from sustainably forested lumber, and every single one is a work of art. But more than that — every board carries a story. Jason's story is one of the L.I.F.E. Flywheel in motion. A man who found his purpose not by searching for it, but by showing up fully for the people he loves — and letting that meaning pour into everything he creates. You're going to hear about craft, calling, and what it means to build something that matters. You can find Jason here: https://littlebayboards.com/ SUBSCRIBE on Youtube: @purposemaker Join the FREE newsletter: www.purposemaker.com/newsletter Check out our Lifestyle and Wellness store here: https://www.purposemaker.store/ Join an online Wisdom class: https://www.purposemaker.com/wisdomhub Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F0XqPt... Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.wegmann Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/purposemaker #PurposeMaker #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #LifePurpose #MidLifeWisdom #FaithAndBusiness #LegacyBuilding #LeadershipCoaching #IntentionalLiving #BusinessConsulting #SpiritualGrowth #MindsetMatters #HighPerformance #ProfessionalDevelopment #ImpactDriven #WisdomShared #ServantLeadership #TransformationalCoaching #GoalSetting #SuccessMindset

    #24 Against The Grain

  7. Mar 19

    #23 Building A Nest

    Mary Grace McCaskill, Executive Director of Ann's Nest, joins the Purpose Maker podcast to share how true leadership is built on influence, adding value to others, and developing people to reach their full potential. With more than 20 years leading nonprofit teams and raising millions to support children's hospitals, healthcare, and community initiatives, Mary Grace embodies the principle that leadership isn't about position—it's about positively influencing those around you to create lasting impact. At Ann's Nest, she is guiding the realization of a powerful vision: building dignified, inclusive housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Northern Michigan's Emmet and Charlevoix counties. This episode explores how intentional leadership—rooted in serving others, building trust, and empowering teams—addresses a deep family concern: ensuring loved ones with IDD have supportive, person-centered futures long after parents are gone. Hear insights on growing influence through daily growth, prioritizing people over programs, and leading communities toward greater purpose and inclusion. A must-listen for leaders, advocates, and anyone committed to making a difference by lifting others higher. Find Mary Grace https://www.annsnest.org/ www.thinkanddogood.co SUBSCRIBE on Youtube: @purposemaker Join the FREE newsletter: www.purposemaker.com/newsletter Check out our Lifestyle and Wellness store here: https://www.purposemaker.store/ Join an online Mid-Life Wisdom class: https://www.purposemaker.com/wisdomhub Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F0XqPt... Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.wegmann Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/purposemaker  #PurposeMaker #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #LifePurpose #MidLifeWisdom #FaithAndBusiness #LegacyBuilding #LeadershipCoaching #IntentionalLiving #BusinessConsulting #SpiritualGrowth #MindsetMatters #HighPerformance #ProfessionalDevelopment #ImpactDriven #WisdomShared #ServantLeadership #TransformationalCoaching #GoalSetting #SuccessMindset

    #23 Building A Nest

  8. Feb 6

    #22 Redemption's Purpose

    In this captivating episode of the Purpose Maker Podcast, host Dr. Wegmann sits down with award-winning author and fellow northern Michigan resident Chad V. Broughman. Chad's debut novel The Fall of Bellwether; won Historical Fiction Book of the Year! We explore the power of storytelling in uncovering life's deeper meanings, drawing from Chad's experiences as an educator, writer, and family man. Chad shares insights into his creative process, the themes of compassion and unity in his work, and how his background in teaching English and Creative Writing influences his narratives. We dive into his debut novel, The Fall of Bellwether, a historical epic that spans time, race, and religion, hailed as a "powerful depiction of humanity’s compassion and pursuit of unity." Whether you're a lifelong learner, book enthusiast, or someone seeking inspiration for your own purpose, this conversation is packed with wisdom for the head, heart, and soul. Connect with Chad: Website: https://chadvbroughman.com Buy The Fall of Bellwether: https://a.co/d/08VBmjff

    #22 Redemption's Purpose
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Conversations with thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and authors on wisdom, leadership, faith and living on purpose. Through L.I.F.E. Golden Ticket — and the TIP Methodology (Transitions, Identity, and Purpose) — each episode unpacks how remarkable people navigate change, lead with integrity, and create meaning by serving others. Honest dialogue for anyone building a business, a team, or a life that matters. Welcome to the Purpose Maker conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. MJ Wegmann
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 PML
  • Show Website
    Purpose Maker

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