Rise Above Chaos Erick Rheam

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/048
In this episode, Erick Rheam interviews philanthropist Tony Anderson about the power of giving to support others.
Tony is the founder of Cooperative Family Fund, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to supporting the children of fallen rural electric cooperative employees.  Tony describes how he connected with rural communities over four decades that spanned his career serving five separate electric cooperatives.
Tony shares how he started the charitable organization and how it’s helped over 50 children monetarily and emotionally and his plans for the future of this organization.
Tony Anderson Tony Anderson took over as General Manager of Cherryland Electric Cooperative in March of 2003 and retired on June 15, 2023. Anderson has been in the electric cooperative business for 40 years and previously managed cooperatives in Wisconsin and Wyoming. 
Tony has been married to his last prom date, Mary, for nearly 40 years. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren


Anderson is President of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Community activities include recipient of the 2018 Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award, 2012 Governor’s Service Awards Michigan Volunteer of the Year, founder of Marathon4Kids, a charitable fundraiser for BBBS and President of the board of the Cooperative Family Fund.  
Hobbies include Green Bay Packers football, writing and running. Tony has completed 51 marathons in 50 states plus D.C., while raising over $900,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of NW Michigan.
Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Cooperative Family Fund Tony’s email: support@cooperativefamilyfund.com Action Step Donate to the Cooperative Family Fun

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/047
In this episode, Erick Rheam interviews successful entrepreneur Brett Snodgrass.
Brett is the founder of Iron Deep, a men’s community with a foundation rooted in Christ for successful business leaders.  He discusses why he created the group a year ago and how it solved a problem for him and how he helps other men pause and reflect so that they can learn to be more present in their lives.
We discuss Brett’s desire to enjoy the process more, remove things from his life that are no longer necessary and how helps other men do the same.  Brett is open and honest about his own struggles, what keeps him up at night and how he's still a work in progress.
Brett Snodgrass Brett founded Iron Deep in 2021.  Iron Deep is a unique men’s community of risk-taking, mission-minded male business leaders who vow to go beyond success to fulfill their significant purpose in Christ. 
It’s a band of business brothers who strive to root their identity in the “Father Business” and have everything else flow through that filter. 
The Iron Deep community is made up of imperfect, broken, messy, and raw men, channeling a strong desire to come together, encourage one another, and stand in each other’s corner.  They prioritize significance over success - even though they love success.


Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Brett’s LinkedIn Irond Deep website Brett’s book The Secret War Within Brett’s book recommendation The True Measure of a Man Action Step Look for ways to be more present in areas of your life

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/046
In this episode, Erick Rheam interviews foreign policy expert, Dr. Liam Collins.
Liam describes his journey from the team captain of the cross-country/track team at Army West Point to team leader of a special forces group dropping into Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 terrorist attack, to a significant influencer to US foreign policy.
Liam shares why he chose to go special forces and his journey through the selection process that led to multiple tours in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Finally, Liam describes in detail a high altitude combat jump at 16,000 feet behind enemy lines with a 13 manned special forces group to disrupt terrorist operations.  He discusses what it’s like to lead a mission like that and how to lead others in chaos.
Dr. Liam Collins Dr. Liam Collins is the executive director of the Viola Foundation, the executive director of the Madison Policy Forum, a senior fellow with New America, and a permanent member with the Council on Foreign Relations.
He is co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of U.S. Counterterrorism and Irregular Warfare Operations and co-author of Understanding Urban Warfare.
Liam served in the U.S. Army for 27 years. As a career Special Forces officer, he conducted multiple operational and combat deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, South America, and the Horn of Africa.


Liam retired from the military in 2019 as the founding director of the Modern War Institute and as the director of the Department of Military Instruction at the United States Military Academy at West Point. 
From 2016-2018, Liam served as the executive officer to U.S. Senior Defense Advisor to Ukraine. In that position he met with hundreds of Ukrainian officials to include their president, minister of defense, and chief of defense to help them reform their defense establishment. Within the United States he met with numerous officials including the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense, senior Department of State Officials, and the House Armed Services Committee to help shape U.S. policy.
Liam also served as the director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and is the author of dozens of articles and reports related to terrorism and conflict. Liam’s work has been cited by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security & Counterterrorism, the White House Press Secretary, The New York Times, Associated Press, CNN, ABC News, Fox News, NPR, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
An expert on the military, defense, and security, Liam routinely provides expert commentary for BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, NPR, Deutsche Welle News TV, India Today, RFE/RL, among others. 
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace) from the United States Military Academy, and a Master’s in Public Affairs and a PhD from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. 
An accomplished athlete and coach, he has competed as an athlete and coached teams in different sports at multiple world championships. He won the Army’s Best Ranger Competition in 2007 and was selected as the Army’s Coach of the Year in 2011. He also has two multi-million dollar winning thoroughbred racehorses named after him.
His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, three Bronze Star Medals with “V” devices for valor, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, and Military Free Fall Badge with Bronze Star (for combat jump).
Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Liam on LinkedIn Action Step Don't take no for an answer, but instead find your yes

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/045
In this episode, Erick Rheam interviews business coach, Deb Feder.
Deb shares her mission to help busy professionals have big careers and big lives and feel they can work togethers.  She discusses the four things to stop and rethink how professionals manage their days by being responsive and responsible.  
Deb shares thoughts on her new book, Tell Me More, where she discusses how to leverage everyday conversations and turn them into opportunities.
Deb Feder Deb Feder is a business development coach, strategist, and CEO of Feder Development LLC, a consulting firm focused on helping lawyers and professionals bring in consistent clients through curious, confident conversations and changing the way we view productivity for professionals.
For the last decade, she has committed herself to changing the way we think about work-life balance and how we tackle high-stakes work, allowing for big careers while enjoying our free time.


Prior to founding Feder Development, Deb practiced corporate law for 15 years; she holds a history degree from the University of Michigan and her JD/MBA from the University of Iowa.
Deb’s latest book, After Hello: How to Build a Book of Business, One Conversation at a Time is a guide to building a thriving law practice based on a blend of mindset, strategy, and straightforward solutions.
Deb is a frequent speaker at conferences, podcasts, and firm retreats on business development, productivity, networking, authenticity, and communication.
Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Deb Feder Deb on LinkedIn Action Step Be curious of others and look for opportunities to serve

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/044
 In this episode, Erick Rheam interviews certified leadership coach, Jim Bishop.
Jim shares his story and how coaching helped him find balance in his life and why he feels it’s important for busy, professional leaders to be intentional about their work and lives in a way that allows them to have long and fruitful careers.
Jim discusses why reframing choices and looking at our obstacles with a different paradigm can free us up to make better life and business decisions.  He introduces the concept of making a “not” to do list that frees leaders up to focus on the main things.
Jim Bishop With over two decades of immersive experience in executive development, corporate leadership and human performance, Jim Bishop stands as a beacon of transformative leadership through his business, Conjunction Leadership. 
Jim's journey has taken him across the globe, coaching executives, diverse teams and orchestrating the modernization of leadership systems for transforming business units.


 Having collaborated with industry giants like Eli Lilly, Roche, and Elanco, Jim recognized the pivotal role of a visionary leader willing to first work on themselves while revitalizing their culture. This catalyzed the birth of Conjunction Leadership in 2020, where Jim provides executive coaching and team development solutions. 
As a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation and a Certified Leadership Facilitator with Blanchard, Jim's methods are a blend of science and art. He empowers executives through executive coaching, corporate culture consulting, and team effectiveness programs, focusing on holistic development within volatile contexts.
At Conjunction Leadership, transformation starts within. The exclusive DISRUPT, BRIDGE, and GROW process guides leaders on a journey of self-discovery, mindset shifts, and measurable growth.
Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Conjunction Leadership Jim on LinkedIn Action Step Create a "not" to do list

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/043
In this episode, Erick Rheam describes the impact of two annual retreats he just finished in the last month.
Erick describes what he experienced during his retreats and why those experiences are so important to how he approaches the year.  He outlines four reasons why you should embrace the idea of a retreat and challenges you to schedule a retreat as well.
Resources Mentioned Subscribe to the podcast Rise Above Chaos book Work with Erick Episode 15 on The Importance of Annual Retreat Full Focus Planner System Action Step Schedule a retreat this year