Empower & Elevate Podcast
Welcome to "Empower & Elevate Podcast," your destination for personal and professional growth. Join me, Marc Thomas, for inspiring conversations with business owners and leaders who share their triumphs. Dive into topics like reinvention, evolution, learning, and leadership. This podcast offers practical insights to fuel your journey. Our guests bring invaluable experiences, and I'll share my commitment to continuous improvement through personal monologues. Explore the depths of reinvention and dedication to becoming better. "Empower & Elevate Podcast" is more than a podcast; it's a platform for growth and inspiration. Join our community, where each episode is a step towards evolving, aspiring, and leading. Welcome to a space committed to empowering and elevating lives. #EmpowerElevatePodcast Hi, I’m Marc Thomas, Founder and CEO of Current TEK Solutions and CYBER GUARDIANS. If you or someone you know could benefit from our cutting-edge IT and cybersecurity services, we’d love to help. Reach out to us today to learn how we can secure and elevate your business. https://www.currentTEKsolutions.com
Episodes
What happens when you realize your head is bleeding from banging it against the wall of repeated behaviors? Lou Winter's riveting account of personal transformation begins with this visceral metaphor for the frustration that accompanies stagnation.
"I absolutely believe in holistic wellbeing," Winter explains, outlining his rigorous daily practices: 5:30 AM workouts, weekend beach runs, meditat...
Have you ever wondered what makes truly great teams function so seamlessly? The secret might be simpler than you think: shared values that everyone genuinely believes in.
When Mark set out to establish core values for his company, he initially approached it as a solo exercise. "I have to come up with what I believe my core values are," he explains, reflecting on his early leadership journey. But the...
What happens when the simple act of eating becomes impossible? For eight years, Zach lived on medical formula, rice cakes, and pears due to a severe case of eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE), a chronic illness that drastically restricted his diet and transformed his relationship with food and his own body.
Zach's powerful story begins at age 15, when doctors determined he needed to follow an extremely limit...
What drives someone with a seemingly perfect life to take their own life? This raw, unfiltered conversation explores the devastating impact of unaddressed mental health issues, particularly in high-pressure professional environments.
The episode opens with a deeply personal story about a friend who, despite all outward appearances of success—family, career, stability—died by suicide. This tragedy serves as a ...
A virus named after Mountain Dew became the unlikely catalyst for a cybersecurity career that would eventually spawn a successful managed service provider during one of the worst economic downturns in modern history.
The founder of Triada takes us through their fascinating journey from corporate IT professional to entrepreneur, describing how a 2003 "Code Red" virus attack sparked deep curiosity abo...
One moment you're celebrating Christmas Eve with family, the next you're being told you'll never walk again. In this powerful conversation, we hear a firsthand account of what happens when life changes in an instant.
The story begins on a snowy Christmas Eve in 2007, with an unexplainable urge to go running despite the weather. Hours later, a 90-year-old driver ran a stop sign, causing a collis...
Running a profitable MSP remains an elusive goal for half the industry. Shocking statistics show that 25% of providers are barely breaking even, while another 25% lose money each year. Yet despite these sobering numbers, entrepreneurs continue entering the space, drawn by dreams of independence and growth.
So, what separates successful MSPs from those that struggle?
Too many rely on questionable sour...
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to transform your life?
This raw and powerful conversation explores how profound loss can become the catalyst for extraordinary change.
After losing his mother to cancer when she was just 32, our guest developed a unique perspective on time and opportunity.
"My life was spared," he reflects, contrasting his survival through nights of reckless behavior with...
Digital accountability has revolutionized customer service—and it's the best thing that ever happened.
With everyone carrying a camera and a megaphone in their pocket, businesses can no longer hide behind poor service. Yelp scores, online reviews, and viral moments now reveal the true character of an organization.
This radical transparency brings us to what customer experience expert John DeJulius calls the “...
The power of necessity as a driver of innovation shines in this remarkable conversation with a tech entrepreneur who turned childhood hardship into business success.
Growing up in foster care and group homes without parents, he faced challenges most of us can’t imagine—where government assistance covered only the bare essentials and violence and negativity were daily realities.
School became his sanctuary. While many of...
Ever searched frantically for glasses perched on your head or keys clutched in your hand? These everyday moments reflect a deeper truth about human perception: scotomas—cognitive blind spots that hide crucial realities in plain sight.
In this eye-opening conversation, we explore how these blind spots create resistance and limit our potential. We share a humbling personal story—a moment when, despite being “the boss app...
Kindness might be the most undervalued currency in our fast-paced world. This conversation explores how approaching situations with positivity can transform not just outcomes, but our entire experience.
When travel plans go awry or technology fails, our first instinct might be frustration. Yet, as personal stories reveal, treating the person behind the counter or the technician on the phone with genuine kindness consis...
"Community is not about belonging. It’s about belonging to something that makes belonging matter."
This powerful distinction lies at the heart of our conversation about what genuine community means in today’s business landscape.
When businesses confuse having customers with having community, they miss the transformative power of authentic connection. True community emerges when we help othe...
What happens when you sell the business you've built from the ground up? More importantly, who will take care of the clients who’ve trusted you for years?
These questions lie at the heart of a powerful conversation about the human side of business exits. While most discussions around mergers and acquisitions focus on valuation multiples and deal structures, this one dives into the relationship dynamics t...
What does it take to build a successful career in the technology channel?
The answer might surprise you. It's not technical prowess—or even owning a computer. It's relationships.
The journey from industry outsider to respected insider shows how a few key connections can completely transform your career. Entering the MSP ecosystem without a technical background? Your ability to form genuine, lasting relat...
What happens when someone pushes the boundaries of their potential? Ashley's journey—from working in a hot dog factory to becoming a Vice President of Human Resources—is a testament to the power of self-belief and determination.
Raised in a blue-collar family with no clear path to college, Ashley never envisioned an executive career. At 20, as a single mother, she walked into a staffing agency looking for work—onl...
The difference between business survival and failure often comes down to one thing: the people you hire. In this candid conversation, we dive into why grit beats impressive resumes every time.
Our guest, who built and sold two companies before 40, shares how their hiring philosophy evolved through both wins and hard lessons. "I'd rather hire someone who never says, ‘That’s not my job’ than a billion...
Have you ever noticed how much time you spend lost in your own head, caught in cycles of negative thinking? Almost 55% of our waking hours are spent in rumination, often leading to self-criticism that erodes self-esteem and contributes to depression.
The key to breaking free lies in understanding that we already have the tools to escape this mental prison. Deep within us are universal qualities of awareness, ...
Step into Adobo Boy in Grand Rapids, and you're instantly welcomed with a question that defines Filipino hospitality: "Have you eaten?"
More than just a restaurant, Adobo Boy is a celebration of tradition, family, and bold Filipino flavors. Founders Ray and Jackie started by cooking for friends, then grew through cultural festivals and a pop-up before opening their own space—where home-cooked comfort mee...
Bringing Filipino Culture to Life Through Food | The Story of Adobo Boy
Food is more than just sustenance—it’s a connection to culture, family, and community. In this episode, we sit down with Ace Marasigan, founder of Adobo Boy, to explore how Filipino cuisine is creating meaningful cultural bridges in West Michigan.
From his childhood in Manila to his entrepreneurial journey in the U.S., Ace shares...
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