Stacking Habits David Chung, Matthew Osborn, and Caleb Roth

This week's guest Bonnie Watson shares how prioritizing self-care habits formed the foundation for her success as an entrepreneur, business leader, wife and mother. She discusses developing a "pyramid model" where strong personal routines like therapy, sleep and time management are at the base to support everything above.
Bonnie also struggled with balancing technology use and being fully present with her family. She and Matthew Osborn discuss implementing boundaries like limiting phone time to focus on engaging conversations during meals and quality time together.
As a CEO, Bonnie emphasizes the importance of mental health, resilience and compassion. She promotes diverse perspectives and empathy in her organization through the traction model of accountability and regular check-ins.
Takeaways:
The base of the pyramid of n to self-care habits like sufficient sleep, therapy, and time management is crucial for success in business and personal life. Setting boundaries around technology and phone use can help increase quality time and engagement with family.Implementing accountability systems like the traction model can foster communication, diverse perspectives, and a cohesive organizational culture.Having empathy for others and listening without judgment can strengthen relationships both at work and home.Separating work and personal domains through clear boundaries is important for maintaining balance and a healthy partnership, especially when working with a spouse. Approaching lending with a focus on an entrepreneur's character over traditional credit signals can open doors for underserved small business communities.Resources:
Energize Colorado - Nonprofit that provides lending for small businesses in Colorado‍Connect with Bonnie:
LinkedInLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.

How will AI transform customer support over the next few years? Tygh Walters from SellerSmile joins us this week to explore this topic. His company provides outsourced eCommerce customer support for clients across a wide range of industries. We dig into the "touchiest" aspects of customer support: money, time, and respect. Lastly, we discuss what it means to bring human elements into the realm of serving customers. Enjoy this futuristic discussion that is grounded in qualities that humans will ALWAYS desire.

Takeaways:
Customizing customer service approaches like tone and language for different client demographics and businesses is important.AI may eventually be able to handle transactional customer interactions, but human empathy and relationships will always be valuable and necessary.While focusing on customer service, don't forget to care for your own team by hiring enough people to spread the workload and prevent burnout.When creating SOPs for your team, make them detailed enough that a company in another state could read your documentation and get up to speed quickly and accurately.In light of AI and new technologies, continue to invest in your human relationships.
Resources:
The Lean Startup, by Eric RiesThe E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber‍
Connect with Tygh Walters:
LinkedInTwitter (X)sellersmile.comLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.

This interview features Wes Piatt and Chris "Switch" Roness discussing their work helping veterans and men through difficult times using community and shared experiences. Wes shares his personal struggles with mental health during the pandemic and how connecting with others through social media led to the creation of WeBus. Chris talks about developing the You M.A.T.R. system drawing from his military background to help veterans reconnect and prepare for crises. Both emphasize the importance of vulnerability, shared stories, and connecting trusted friends through platforms like Marco Polo. They discuss the value of mentorship and how their programs aim to support men for generations.

Takeaways:
Developing a group of 5 trusted "lifeguard" friends is important for emotional support, with at least one of them local to you.Tracking habits and goals, even with simple paper tools, helps with consistency and identifying areas for improvement.Serving others and focusing outward even during personal struggles can lead to purpose and an abundant life.Social platforms like Marco Polo can effectively connect geographically distant friends for mutual support.Practical tips like introducing friends based on a shared relationship can help connect diverse groups.
‍Connect with the guests:
Wes PiattInstagram: @wespiatt2013Email: webusign@gmail.comChris RonessWebsite: chrisroness.comEmail: chris@chrisroness.comLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.

Coach Aaron Steinberg shares habits and tools for more open, empathetic communication in relationships. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each person's core "themes" or needs, which often stem from childhood experiences. Rather than making assumptions, Steinberg recommends practicing mindfulness, curiosity and the "FAQ Method" of sharing experiences without over-synthesizing. Steinberg also discusses the transformative impact of parenthood on relationships and identities. He suggests habits like self-reflection, emotional regulation and willingness to grow to help couples reharmonize themes and deepen understanding through life's challenges. 

Takeaways:
Each person has 2-3 core "themes" or needs that drive their behavior in relationships, often stemming from childhood experiences.Relationships involve navigating where one person's themes feel opposed to their partner's themes. This creates natural feedback loops.Mindfulness, curiosity and the "FAQ Method" can help partners move past assumptions to truly understand each other's perspectives.Sweeping issues under the rug is a relationship killer. Address misunderstandings sincerely as soon as possible for long-term satisfaction.Understanding relationship themes and communication habits can help couples weather challenges with deeper connection rather than dissolution.
Resources:
Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment - the school Aaron Steinberg attended that taught Transcendental MeditationGreetings from Utopia Park by Claire HoffmanGottman Institute - Research organization led by John Gottman studying relationships
‍Connect with Aaron Steinberg:
www.thegrowtogetherco.comEmail: aaron@thegrowtogetherco.comInstagram: @thegrowtogethercoLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.

In this episode, David and Caleb discuss intentional relationship habits with Megan Allers of Marco Polo. Megan shares how the video messaging app differs from others in fostering more personal connections through video-first messaging. She details her personal use of setting daily "cadences" like responding to Polos on walks to stay close with distant friends.

Megan explains how users form these communication rhythms to maintain relationships despite busy lives. She also started a "dinner club" to facilitate deeper connections when moving cities. The discussion covers identifying "couch friends" and "weak ties" that challenge growth.

Megan shares best practices like vulnerability and questions that spark meaningful conversations. The value of cultivating supportive friend "buckets" is examined. Remote relationship building using Marco Polo mastermind groups is explored, with the ability to turn strangers into close connections.


Takeaways:
Setting daily communication "cadences" through tools like Marco Polo can help sustain relationships when schedules are busy.Activities like responding to video messages during routine tasks builds rhythms of regular connection.Intentionally facilitating in-person gatherings like a "dinner club" supports deeper bonding.Incorporating vulnerability and thoughtful questions sparks meaningful conversations.Cultivating a circle of friends who "fill your bucket" provides valuable support.
Resources:
The Defining Decade, by Meg Jay - book referenced about weak tiesDownload the app or learn more at MarcoPolo.me‍
Connect with Meagan:
LinkedInLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.

Steve Cockram joins the pod this week to share his vision to help others create "Transformation that Lasts." As the co-founder of GiANT Worldwide, Steve and his business partner Jeremie Kubicek have created a series of powerful frameworks that can be applied at work, at home, and with friends to cultivate more meaningful relationships. We discuss their concept of 5 Voices, which simplifies the MBTI personality test. When applied properly, the 5 Voices can impact lasting change in yourself first of all, and then in the lives of those you lead. Listen in as we learn about the Sherpa's Mindset, Cockram's Principle, and nerd out over business models as GiANT Worldwide is reinventing themselves as a software company to make their frameworks accessible to as many people as possible.
Takeaways:
Intentional change starts from within - transforming yourself first before trying to impact others.Frameworks like the 5 Voices model can help with this self-awareness by providing lenses to see yourself and relate to others.The Sherpa's Mindset, or redefining success as helping OTHERS reach their goals, rather than just one's own achievements, is an important perspective for leaders.Creating an environment where all personality types feel valued unleashes the full potential of teams.Resources:
5 Voices, by Steve Cockram and Jeremie KubicekGiANT Worldwide - leadership development companyHarewood Downs Golf Club - Steve Cockram's "spiritual home" in West London‍Connect with Steve Cockram:
LinkedInLearn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.