Brilliant Podcast

Why Your "Big Commission" Check Is Currently a Lie | Guest Steph Wagner

If you think your high commission checks equal wealth, you’re adorable, and probably wrong. Most real estate agents are masters at making money and absolute disasters at keeping it. In this episode of the Brilliant Podcast, Tristan Ahumada sits down with Steph Wagner, author of Fly, to explain why your "leaning out" strategy is a financial train wreck waiting to happen.
We are moving past the "pink tax" and the cringey budget spreadsheets that never work anyway. Steph shares her brutal "rock bottom" moment and explains why financial independence isn't a dollar amount, but a refusal to be a victim of your own bank account. We dive into the 45/20/35 model, the dangers of phantom money, and why your emergency fund is more important than your next car lease. Stop treating your income like a refillable cup and start building a net worth that actually lets you sleep at night.
Stop being forgettable and broke. Hit subscribe and tell us your "aha" moment in the comments.
 
 
ABOUT STEPH WAGNER
 
Steph Wagner is a nationally recognized thought leader in women’s wealth and financial empowerment whose work blends personal experience with professional expertise. After a successful career in private equity, she faced financial hardship as a single mother, a journey that inspired her mission to help women take control of their financial futures.
Today, Steph serves as National Director of Women & Wealth at Northern Trust, where she leads the firm’s advisory practice for women and oversees the Elevating Women platform, a nationwide program dedicated to building financial confidence and community.
She is the author of Fly! A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love, a book that combines memoir and practical financial guidance to empower women at every stage of life.
Steph’s insights on money, resilience, and wealth have been featured in major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, and more. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her family and continues to champion financial literacy and independence.
 
Website: https://stephlwagner.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steph_l_wagner/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephlwagner/
 
Grab her book: Author of Fly! A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom and Building the Life You Want
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Womans-Financial-Freedom-Building/dp/1637747659
#realestate #wealth #financialfreedom #realtorlife #investing #brilliantpodcast #moneygoals #financialliteracy #stephwagner #fly

Gaming Is Marketing Now (Catch Up) with Bastian Bergmann

Welcome back to the Brilliant Podcast, where we don’t just talk about the future—we accidentally bump into it while gaming.
In this episode, Tristan Ahumada sits down with Bastian Bergman, Co-Founder & COO of Solsten and author of Press Play, to explain why gaming is no longer “interesting” or “experimental”, it’s unavoidable. If that makes you uncomfortable, good. Growth usually does.
We talk about gaming marketing strategy, brand engagement through gaming, and why participation, not passive scrolling, is the real competitive advantage. Fortnite, Roblox, Duolingo, Peloton, Adidas, and the New York Times, this conversation explains how play, psychology, and game mechanics are quietly changing how brands earn attention, loyalty, and trust.
 
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Bastian Bergmann is the Co-Founder and COO of Solsten, a company that uses AI and psychology to help businesses truly understand what makes their customers tick. Instead of just looking at basic numbers, Bastian’s work helps brands figure out the "why" behind human behavior. He is also the author of the book Press Play, where he shares how to build better companies by focusing on the human side of technology. With a background in starting and growing new ventures, Bastian has become a go-to expert for leaders who want to build products that people actually care about. He focuses on making the business world feel more human, even as it becomes more automated.
 
Grab his book: https://www.amazon.com/Press-Play-Com...
Instagram:   / technicallyentertaining  
LinkedIn:   / bastian-bergmann-93a9a325a
 
#GamingMarketing #BrandStrategy #Gamification #FutureOfMarketing #CommunityBuilding

The Introvert Olympics: Goldie Chan Outs L.A.’s “Fake Extroverts”

So I sat down with Goldie Chan, yes, the green-haired legend of LinkedIn, to talk about introverts, fake extroverts, and why L.A. somehow demands you be “on” all the time, even when you’re just trying to buy a latte. If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone in L.A. who sounds like they’re auditioning… this episode is for you.
Goldie showed up with her brand-new book, Personal Branding for Introverts, and within five minutes I learned three things:
Goldie is painfully honest in the best way.
She will quietly judge your journaling habits.
She once lectured an A-list actor about car maintenance without knowing he was famous. Beautiful.
We talk about what drains us, what fills us, and why introverts pretend to be “fine” in social settings while mentally locating the nearest exit. We cover cities, too, L.A.’s sparkle, New York’s chaos, Texas’ friendliness, Japan’s calm etiquette, basically a travel guide for people who love people but also love hiding.
You’ll hear us get into journaling, notebooks we absolutely didn’t need to buy, how to present yourself online without feeling like a circus act, and Goldie’s three-keyword method that makes personal branding way less painful.
If you’ve ever thought, “Why am I tired after talking to three people?” or “Why did that party have eight ring lights?” …you’re not alone. Same.
This episode is basically a support group with microphones.
Hit play. Introverts, unite (quietly, in your own corners).
 
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Goldie Chan is a world-renowned personal branding expert and the founder of Warm Robots, a social media strategy agency that bridges the gap between digital humans and technology. Dubbed the "Oprah of LinkedIn" by HuffPost, she is a top-tier influencer and the longest-running video creator on the platform, where her "daily video" series garnered millions of views and established her as a global authority on brand storytelling. A regular contributor to Forbes and a member of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business instructor pool, Goldie has worked with iconic brands like Adobe, Pearson, and LinkedIn itself to define the future of digital community. She is also the author of the upcoming book Personal Branding for Business (2025), focusing on her "Green Channel" strategy for building authentic, long-term influence in a crowded digital marketplace.
 
Grab her book: https://amzn.to/4hj8GxI
Facebook:  / goldiecylon  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldiecylon/
LinkedIn:   / goldie  
 
#tristanahumada #goldiechan #brilliantpodcast #personalbranding #introverts

The “Be Followable” Formula with Russ Laggan

I sat down with Russ Laggan, yes, rhymes with Dragon, to talk about what it actually means to be followable in business and life. He’s not just the Chief Growth Officer at eXp Realty, he’s also a guy who forges metal, builds guitars, and has a refreshingly honest take on leadership and mindset.
We get into why being followable starts with how you show up, how to stop overcomplicating connection, and why adding value first changes everything. Oh, and we also talk about why sometimes you just need to stop rolling in the mess and move on.
If you’re tired of fake leadership talk and want something real, this one’s for you.
 
 
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Russ Laggan is a high-impact leadership coach, growth strategist, and the Regional Vice President at eXp Realty, where he oversees the development of thousands of agents and brokers across the United States. Known as a "leader’s leader," Russ is the creator of the Followable Leader framework, a philosophy that prioritizes authenticity, mindset, and human connection over corporate jargon and polished facades. Beyond the boardroom, Russ is a modern-day Renaissance man with a passion for lutherie (building custom bass guitars) and blacksmithing. He frequently draws parallels between the heat of the forge and the pressures of leadership, teaching that true influence is forged through intentionality and the willingness to lead oneself first. Whether he is stage-keynoting or mentoring in the trenches, Russ focuses on helping entrepreneurs simplify their business models and build personal brands that naturally attract their "tribe."
 
Grab his book: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Followable-Russ-Laggan/dp/B0F716F6W9
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rlaggan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russ_laggan/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rlaggan/
 
#leadership #mindset #realestate #growth #selfdevelopment

How Great Leaders Grow Themselves First: Margaret Andrews on the Art (and Pain) of Self-Understanding

What really makes someone a great leader? Spoiler: it’s not a fancy title or your ability to quote Simon Sinek.
In this episode, I sit down with Margaret Andrews, Harvard educator and author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others, to talk about why leadership starts with, you guessed it, you. We get real about emotional awareness, personal stories, and how your inner world quietly dictates your outer leadership.
 
Margaret shares a wild story about a student who realized he was the problem, the “Best Boss” exercise that might haunt you in the best way, and why 85% of great leadership comes down to how you treat people, not how many strategy decks you can make.
 
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m great with systems but people are complicated,” this episode’s for you.
 
Hit play. Prepare to laugh, squirm a little, and maybe rethink what leadership actually means.
 
 
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Margaret Andrews is a renowned speaker, author, and educator dedicated to transforming the art of leadership through self-mastery. A veteran instructor at Harvard University, Margaret designed and launched the business course Managing Yourself and Leading Others, which remains one of the university’s most popular professional development programs with a perpetual waitlist. She is the author of the 2026 book Manage Yourself to Lead Others, where she shares her high-impact framework for helping executives and decision-makers unlock their next level of success by grounded self-understanding. With a client list that includes Amazon, Meta, Rolex, and the United Nations, Margaret is a global authority on how the inner wisdom of a leader directly shapes organizational culture and long-term performance.
 
Grab her book: https://www.amazon.com/Manage-Yourself-Lead-Others-Self-Understanding/dp/1541705688Website: https://www.margaretandrews.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themargaretandrews/
 
#leadership #selfgrowth #mindset #management #harvard

Hyperbole, Habits & the Inner Voice with Jay Heinrichs

This week, I'm discussing self-persuasion with Jay Heinrichs. We bridge Aristotle's teachings with contemporary challenges such as imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and small actions that really do sum to something big. You'll learn how hyperbole can be harnessed as motivation, how mood → mind → action → habit plays out in real life, and why what you say to yourself matters more than you realize.
 
It's a combination of tales and techniques aimed at assisting you not only to persuade others, but begin persuading yourself.
 
 
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Jay Heinrichs is a bestselling author and a global authority on the art of persuasion and rhetoric. He is best known for his classic book, Thank You for Arguing, which has been published in 14 languages and is used as a standard text in thousands of classrooms and law schools worldwide. A veteran journalist and former editor for Outside and Southwest Airlines Spirit, Jay now spends his time teaching 3,000-year-old persuasive tools to modern audiences, ranging from Ivy League students to Fortune 500 executives. His newest work, Aristotle’s Guide to Self-Persuasion (2025), focuses on using rhetoric to master self-leadership and personal growth, proving that the ancient art of "the agreeable argument" is more relevant today than ever.
 
Grab his book:https://www.amazon.com/Thank-Arguing-Fourth-Revised-Updated-ebook/dp/B084V8N7Q4?ref_=ast_author_mpbhttps://www.jayheinrichs.com/books
Website: https://www.jayheinrichs.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jay.heinrichs1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayheinrich...
 
#SelfPersuasion #AristotleWisdom #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #HabitsThatStick #Rhetoric #JayHeinrichs

Blindspotting with Martin Dubin: Leading Through Self-Awareness

In this episode of BRILLIANT, I sit down with Martin Dubin, author of Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader. Martin shares how our deepest blindspots, emotional, personal, and generational, often become the very things that shape our leadership if we’re brave enough to face them.
We unpack how storytelling, reflection, and honest conversations can help us lead with purpose and heal what’s unspoken. If you’re building something meaningful, this is one you’ll want to absorb fully.
 
 
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Martin Dubin is a clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, and executive coach who specializes in helping C-suite leaders and Silicon Valley founders overcome the hidden patterns that sabotage their success. He has built and led multimillion-dollar companies as a CEO and served as a trusted advisor to top executives at Fortune 500 brands like Levi Strauss & Co., Okta, and PagerDuty. As the author of the Harvard Business Review Press book Blindspotting™: Seeing—and Overcoming—What’s Holding You Back, Marty bridges the gap between clinical psychology and high-stakes business leadership to help high achievers identify their growth edges. His work is recognized by industry leaders as a masterclass in organizational psychology, providing a practical field guide for anyone looking to unlock their full potential and lead with greater clarity.Grab his book, Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader: https://amzn.to/40rO92PConnect with Martin DubinWebsite: https://www.martindubin.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-dubin/
 
 
#BlindspottingBook #LeadershipBlindspots #TristanAhumada #BRILLIANTPodcast #MartinDubin #EmotionalLeadership #PurposeDrivenLeaders #SeeYourBlindspots #LeadershipGrowth #HealingAndLeadership

How Storytelling Can Transform Your Business and Connections with Matthew Dicks

On this episode of BRILLIANT Podcast, I’m joined by Matthew Dicks, the author of Stories Sell, as we talk about how the power of storytelling can reshape how we connect with others—whether in business, relationships, or daily life. Matthew shares his techniques for transforming data into engaging stories, why vulnerability is crucial in connecting with audiences, and how to create emotional resonance through storytelling.
From his "homework for life" method to lessons on turning moments into impactful narratives, Matthew explains how to take everyday life experiences and use them as a tool for better communication and stronger relationships.
This episode is packed with insights that can help you stand out, build trust, and truly connect with your audience. Whether you're a business owner or someone looking to improve your personal communication, this episode is a must-listen.--------------------------------------------------------------------------Matthew Dicks is a record-setting professional storyteller and internationally bestselling author, currently holding the all-time record for victories at The Moth with 62 StorySLAM wins and 9 GrandSLAM championships. A veteran educator of 26 years and a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year, Dicks has translated his classroom expertise into a global consulting career, advising C-suite executives and specialized teams at organizations like Amazon, Google, Salesforce, and the FBI. He is the author of several novels translated into over 25 languages, including the acclaimed Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, and definitive nonfiction guides like Storyworthy and Stories Sell. Through his "Homework for Life" methodology, he has trained a diverse clientele ranging from Olympic gold medalists and Yale University students to Native American tribes, proving that the mechanics of high-impact narrative are a universal, teachable skill.
Grab Matthew's book Stories Sell here: https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Sell-Storyworthy-Strategies-Business/dp/1608689042
 
Connect with Matthew:https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dicks-84a95711/https://matthewdicks.com/https://www.facebook.com/matthewdicks/https://www.instagram.com/matthewdicks/?hl=en
#Storytelling #BusinessCommunication #MatthewDicks #StoriesSell #EmotionalConnection #AuthenticLeadership #VulnerableLeadership #BuildingTrust #SalesTips #HomeWorkForLife
 

Behind the Scenes with Kass and Michael Lazerow on the Grit of Entrepreneurship

In this episode of BRILLIANT Podcast, I talk with Kass and Michael Lazerow, co-authors of Shoveling $h!t: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success. We dive into the reality of entrepreneurship—how it feels, why it’s worth it, and how to stay sane in the process. From giving Gary Vee his first office space to selling Buddy Media to Salesforce for $754M, they’ve lived it all.
 
We cover how to decide when to pivot, how to lead with radical transparency, how to build cult-like culture, and why great entrepreneurs embrace the mess. If you’re a founder, real estate agent, or anyone fighting to create something meaningful, this conversation will speak to your soul.
 
This is one of the most raw and actionable interviews I’ve done, don’t miss it.
 
Grab their Book! https://amzn.to/4kzkSvj
 
Follow them on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kassandmike/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kasslazerow/ and https://www.instagram.com/lazerow/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kassandmike
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KassandMike
 
Get in touch with them at https://kassandmike.com/

Anne Curzan on Funner, Kinder, and Reclaiming Language with Empathy

In this episode of the BRILLIANT podcast, I sit down with linguist and award-winning author Anne Curzan to explore how language is changing in real time and what that means for how we communicate, connect, and lead.
 
Anne and I dig into everything from grammar correction on social media to the word “funner,” why kids are the real influencers of language, and how we can become more empathetic communicators. We also talk about how AI is reshaping written communication and what it means to talk like a human in a world of text and tech.
 
If you have ever felt nervous hitting send on a message, questioned your grammar, or just want to understand how language shapes our relationships, you will want to listen to this episode.