Idiot to Genius

After a stretch of incredibly inspiring episodes—from learning to chase rejection to powerful stories of resilience like going from homelessness at nine to leading 30+ businesses we’re taking a short break to reset and refocus. In the meantime, Steph has plenty of episodes across her other shows like Notable Peeps and 52 Weeks to keep you inspired, and Todd shares a weekly real estate Q&A on h...

At nine years old, DR Rawson was homeless searching for food behind restaurants and working to support his family. Decades later, he became a lawyer, built more than 30 companies, and now teaches leaders and children alike that character is the foundation of everything. In this episode, DR Rawson shares the moments that shaped his life from survival to success and the principle that changed everyt...

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t strategy, the market, or your circumstances… but your own mindset? In this episode of Idiot to Genius , we dive into the real root of why people stay stuck year after year a\nd it’s not what most people think. It comes down to the subconscious programming we’ve picked up from parents, school, society, and past experiences that quietly shapes how we...

Bailey Brimhall shares how a simple idea turned into a fast-growing company from shipping pre-orders at his kitchen table to achieving consistent 50% growth quarter after quarter. But it wasn’t instant success. From slow first sales and zero traction to finding momentum through in-person events, innovation, and persistence, this episode dives into the real journey behind building a business. Baile...

Have you ever felt like you were meant for more but stayed where you were because it felt safer? Philly Rodriguez built her career in the emergency room, where chaos was familiar and decisions were clear, but stepping into real estate forced her to confront fear, identity, and the discomfort of no guaranteed paycheck. This conversation explores what happens when you stop hiding parts of who you ar...

What’s really being done to make housing more affordable and why does it still feel so out of reach? In this episode of Pods & Properties , we dive into the real conversations happening around affordability, from credit card interest caps and institutional investors to the bigger picture of supply, demand, and inflation. Then, the conversation takes a turn into podcasting, where Steph shares a...

Jonathan Rogers is a Realtor and former Marine Corps reservist bringing military discipline, leadership, and a commitment to service into his real estate career. After serving in the Marine Corps Reserves, Jonathan transitioned into real estate, where he applies the same mindset of accountability and resilience to help clients navigate one of life’s biggest decisions. In this episode, he shares ho...

What if the real risk in business isn’t failure but staying comfortable for too long? In this episode, we sit down with power couple Brandon and Michelle Barber to unpack what happens when certainty disappears, systems collapse, and entrepreneurs are forced to pivot or be left behind. For more than 25 years, they’ve coached over one million people, created 100+ courses, generated $10M+ in revenue,...

What if your rock bottom wasn’t the end of your story, but the beginning of the most productive season of your life? The most surprising part of this transcript is how fast Joe “Chef Giuseppe” Gallagher Jr.’s turnaround happened: jail in January 2024, and his first spaghetti sauce sale June 1 after walking into a Piggly Wiggly with one jar and zero “perfect plan.” What hit even harder was his hone...

Pods & Property is a monthly segment where real estate meets podcasting, hosted by Pod Savvy Guide and Realtor Todd Porter. Each episode breaks down what’s actually happening in the local Utah real estate market using real data, real experience, and zero hype, then closes with an honest take on where podcasting is headed next. From buyer and seller behavior to market conditions, content trends...

At some point, success stops being about effort and starts being about honesty. In this episode, Misty Cabaniss, a Florida-based Realtor with nearly 25 years of experience in real estate and construction and an agent with eXp Realty in Florida. Misty shares how real estate became a mirror for deeper patterns around money, identity, and self-worth, shaped by years of living in survival mode. She op...

What happens when the career you spent decades building disappears and you’re forced to answer the question most of us avoid: who am I without my job title? In this episode, Karen Maria Alston shares how 2025 unraveled the plan she thought she had, and how that disruption pushed her into an unexpected new world: AI. What started as curiosity turned into full immersion, with Karen earning AI certif...

Nancy Benet went from five failed businesses, a divorce, four young kids, and $650,000 in debt to building one of Florida’s most respected accounting firms, Fix It Accounting. In this episode, Nancy shares the moment her business deal collapsed, the recession hit, her unemployment ran out and how declaring “I will make this work” changed everything. She reveals how she built her firm by serving pe...

In this December episode of Pods & Properties , Steph Shoell breaks down what’s happening in podcasting and digital media while Todd Porter , real estate expert, shares what buyers and sellers need to know heading into 2026. They cover the National Association of Realtors’ updated forecast showing a projected increase in home sales, why interest rates around 6 percent could unlock inventory, a...

Before Babar Arshadever launched a company, wrote a check, or mentored a founder, two things guided him: hunger and honesty. In this episode, Babar shares how those values shaped every pivot of his life from selling pharmacy franchises at 21 to stepping into entrepreneurship, making bold decisions that cost him money, and staying anchored to the roots that define him. He talks about the culture of...

What happens when life’s most painful losses turn into your life’s purpose? In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Kay , founder of My Digital Memories , a company dedicated to rescuing photos, films, tapes, and family history before they disappear forever. Jeff shares how losing loved ones at a young age sparked a lifelong mission to preserve memories and protect family legacies. From forgotten V...

From the outside, attorney Mark Astor looked like a textbook success story a decorated prosecutor known as a “trial machine,” a lawyer who fought relentlessly for justice, and later, a high-earning professional with all the material markers of achievement. But behind the scenes, Mark was unraveling. After leaving the prosecutor’s office, he stepped into a career that made him money but left him ut...

In every business owner has been told to “trust your gut”—but few have a blueprint to do it. In this episode, Julie Goetzinger gives one. She recalls the early days of naming numbers in sales appointments, noticing the bird interrupting a shoot, intuitively predicting client decisions and realizing those weren’t coincidences but clues. She shares how she developed her intuitive muscles, built a bu...

What do interest rates, new construction deals, and podcast launch fears all have in common? They’re all shaping how people move… whether that’s into a new house or into the world of content creation. In this November episode of Pods & Properties, Steph and Todd break down how buyers are really feeling after the latest Fed meeting, why so many people are still sitting on the sidelines, and why...

When life threw Anna Peck its hardest curveball, she turned pain into purpose. After losing her husband in 2022, Anna found healing through creativity transforming her grief into a thriving business called Creative Haven. In this heartfelt episode, Anna shares how her home became both her refuge and the inspiration for her brand. From crafting wreaths and floral arrangements to launching her own l...

On this episode of Idiot to Genius: Pods and Property , Steph and Todd kick off October with a double focus big moves in both podcasting and real estate. Steph reflects on her 100-day challenge, wrapping up nearly 100 episodes and sharing how the experience transformed her workflow, speed, and confidence behind the mic. The conversation then dives into the latest updates shaking up the podcast wor...

When banks say no, how do entrepreneurs still grow? Jimmy Rios founder of Rios Business Funding and CEO of Rios Business Advisors breaks down the difference between productive vs. destructive debt, how to use arbitrage (think hard-money vs. high-velocity returns) to your advantage, and why diversification matters when markets swing. We dig into insuring collateral, building real business credit (n...

In this episode, Dr. David Moore shares his journey from being a chiropractor to embracing breathwork as a tool for managing stress and enhancing well-being. He discusses the importance of understanding the autonomic nervous system and how breathwork can help entrepreneurs manage their health and stress levels. The conversation also touches on the challenges of transitioning careers and the power...

In this episode of "Idiot to Genius," Nick Elliott, known as The Wine Guy, shares his transformative journey through the wine industry. With over three decades of experience, Nick discusses how embracing mistakes and the freedom to fail have been pivotal in his growth as a Certified Sommelier and entrepreneur. Join us as Nick reveals how these experiences have shaped his mission to make wine appro...

Welcome to "Idiot to Genius," your go-to guide for navigating the entrepreneurial life cycle. In this month's "Pods and Properties" segment, join Steph and Todd as they unravel the complexities of the real estate market and the podcasting world. From understanding the shift towards a buyer's market to exploring the record-breaking podcast appearances by celebrities like...