Discover the story of Mark McLean’s impressive journey from early influences to leading a multi-billion-dollar company. Learn how culture, relationships, humility, and strategic growth propel organizations through transitions and challenges.

Main topics:

Building a career in insurance and financial services, rooted in mentorship and family lessons

Navigating growth: from founding to billion-dollar company, merger, and acquisitions

The importance of company culture, relationships, and core values in long-term success

Personal resilience through life's challenges including health, family, and entrepreneurial pivots

Timestamps:

00:00 - Defining what takes Mark McLean out in public

00:29 - Interests beyond work: sports, golf, and family

01:54 - The role of sports and family fun in shaping his values

02:40 - Favorite golf locations and social activities

03:10 - Humble introduction and the significance of titles

04:13 - Career overview: from Senior Managing Principal to Senior VP

06:46 - The importance of faith, family, and friendships in reputation

07:49 - The influence of Jeff Warner and mentorship connections

08:42 - Early motivations: lessons from family and mentors

09:30 - Growing up in Florence, South Carolina, and early career influences

11:12 - College journey, changing majors, and love for insurance

12:42 - Industry insights: relationship building, trust, and reputation

15:36 - Industry trends, industry change, and mentorship in risk management

17:45 - Industry challenges, trust, and business growth

20:04 - Licensing, early sales experiences, and building business foundations

22:02 - The role of creativity and relationship management in success

23:11 - Industry evolution and personal insights into trend anticipation

24:46 - Handling life’s challenges, family, and career pivots

25:36 - The importance of good culture and team alignment

27:24 - Transition from employment to entrepreneurship: the leap into owning and growing businesses

32:51 - Building Turnkey Benefits, sale, and subsequent ventures

36:16 - Growth from 25 to 170 employees, industry innovation

40:54 - Navigating partnership changes, relationships, and success

44:11 - Transition into digital organizations, culture, and values

50:46 - Building a unified message, controlling quality and trust

54:45 - Personal experiences: family, loss, and professional resilience

56:55 - Adapting to industry and market changes post-Obamacare

58:26 - Balancing growth, personal life, and company focus

62:22 - About joining One Digital, the corporate culture, and long-term vision

66:00 - The role of private equity, strategic capital, and maintaining independence

70:01 - The secret sauce: company culture as a competitive advantage

73:51 - Leadership values: integrity, humility, and people first

77:08 - The importance of intentional culture, talented leadership, and long-term vision

78:45 - Family, blended families, and parenting insights about nurturing strong values

79:03 - Final thoughts — being discerning, strategic, and building legacy

Resources:

Connect with Mark McLean

OneDigital

In this episode, hosts sit down with Stephen Phelan, Chief Spiritual Integration Officer at Faith-Driven Entrepreneur, to unpack a powerful idea: what if business wasn’t just about profit—but about people?

Stephen shares the story behind Movement Mortgage and how a bold vision during the 2008 financial crisis led to a company built on love, purpose, and impact. From redefining leadership to transforming communities through education and service, this conversation challenges the way we think about success in business.

If you’ve ever wondered how faith, purpose, and entrepreneurship can actually work together—this one hits deep.

• Love can be operationalized in business — it’s not just a feeling, it’s systems and structure
• Great companies meet human needs, not just market needs
• Purpose scales culture faster than profit ever will
• You don’t have to separate faith and business—but you also don’t force it
• Real leadership development happens outside comfort zones
• Generosity + boundaries (financial finish lines) unlock impact

1. Help in crisis – People want support when life hits hard
2. Friends at work – Belonging and relationships matter
3. Purpose – People want their life and work to mean something
4. Faith / deeper meaning – An opportunity to explore something bigger

• “We exist to love and value people.”
• “If your teammates thrive, your business will thrive.”
• “Don’t run from broken systems—redeem them.”
• “Set a financial finish line. Decide what ‘enough’ looks like.”
• “Put people on a plane. That’s the best leadership development.”

• Reflect: What’s your business really built on—profit or people?
• Identify one way you can serve your local community this month
• Share this episode with another entrepreneur or leader
• Leave a rating/review if this conversation impacted you

Brief summary of show:

Jamie Ledford, President of Golf Pride, shares his journey from growing up in

Walla Walla, Washington, to leading a global brand. Through stories of farm life, mentorship,

international experiences, and career pivots, Jamie reflects on leadership, humility, and the importance

of people in shaping both personal and professional success. This episode explores how life’s

unexpected turns often lead to the most meaningful opportunities.

Key topics discussed & time stamps:

• Early life in Walla Walla and farm influences (00:08)

• Lessons from Jamie’s grandfather and work ethic (00:10)

• Leadership mindset and desire to lead (00:22)

• Career pivots and unexpected opportunities (00:25)

• International experience in Italy and global perspective (00:32)

• Consulting, Starbucks, and business growth strategies (00:38)

• Transition into Callaway and Golf Pride (00:45)

List of resources mentioned in episode:

• Golf Pride

• AT Kearney Consulting

• Johns Hopkins SAIS

Calls to action:

• Follow the Anything But Typical Podcast

• Share this episode with a friend or colleague

What can Navy SEAL training teach you about leadership, business, and life?

In this episode of Anything But Typical, Gary and Ben sit down with retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Tim Cruickshank, founder of Bone Frog Coffee Company, to break down the mindset, discipline, and team-first philosophy that shaped his journey.

Tim shares how elite military training—including BUD/S and combat deployments—built the mental toughness and adaptability he now uses as an entrepreneur. More importantly, he reveals how his business was born out of a deeper mission: honoring fallen teammates and supporting Gold Star families.

This episode is a powerful conversation on leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, and what it truly means to put others first—in business, family, and life.

• 00:01:00 – The “heartbeat question” and defining your legacy
• 00:05:00 – Military upbringing and lessons in integrity and trust
• 00:09:00 – How Tim decided to become a Navy SEAL
• 00:18:00 – What BUD/S training is really like (mental + physical)
• 00:29:00 – Building mental toughness: “30 seconds at a time” mindset
• 00:33:00 – Combat lessons: adaptability, leadership, and trust
• 00:38:00 – Transitioning from military to entrepreneurship
• 00:39:00 – The origin story of Bone Frog Coffee Company
• 00:41:00 – Starting a business with no experience + finding mentors
• 00:47:00 – Building during COVID and learning from customers
• 00:49:00 – Leadership lessons from Navy SEAL training applied to business
• 00:54:00 – Scaling impact and giving back to Gold Star families

• Leadership starts with serving others first, not yourself
• Mental toughness is built through small, repeatable wins under pressure
• The best teams are built on trust, accountability, and shared hardship
• Entrepreneurship requires adaptability, humility, and constant learning
• Purpose-driven businesses create deeper loyalty and long-term impact
• Surrounding yourself with mentors accelerates growth significantly

BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training) is one of the most intense military training programs in the world, designed to push candidates mentally and physically. It focuses heavily on teamwork, resilience, and mental endurance, with extremely high attrition rates.

Navy SEALs develop mental toughness by breaking overwhelming challenges into smaller time increments (like 30 seconds at a time), controlling their mindset, and learning to operate under extreme stress and discomfort.

Key leadership lessons include:

• Put your team before yourself
• Adapt quickly under pressure
• Communicate clearly in chaos
• Earn trust through consistency and action

Tim’s approach:

• Surround yourself with experts and mentors
• Start small and iterate quickly
• Listen to customer feedback
• Stay consistent and adaptable

A purpose-driven business builds deeper customer loyalty by aligning its mission with impact. In this case, giving back to Gold Star families and honoring fallen heroes creates emotional connection and long-term brand trust.

Navy SEAL mindset, leadership lessons, mental toughness, entrepreneurship journey, purpose-driven business, startup advice, team culture, business leadership, resilience training, Bone Frog Coffee, veteran-owned business

• Bone Frog Coffee Company – https://www.bonefrogcoffee.com
• GovX (military & first responder discounts)

• Visit: https://www.bonefrogcoffee.com
• Get 10% off your first order
• Military & first responders: 20% off via GovX
• Support a mission that gives back to Gold Star families
• Follow Anything But Typical for more real conversations on leadership & business

Instagram: @trustbgw Facebook: BGW CPA, PLLC TikTok: @bgw.advisors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trustbgw/

Episode live date: March 10

Name of show: Anything But Typical Podcasts

Episode number and title: Episode 164: The Power of Relationships in Business and Life with Ashley Tison

Brief summary of show: What if the most important business question has nothing to do with business? In this episode, Ashley Tison shares the powerful question he returns to over and over again: “If I were given six months to live, what would be my regrets?” Through years of walking alongside entrepreneurs navigating growth, exits, and major life transitions, Ashley has seen how success often gives way to a deeper realization — that time, relationships, and meaning matter more than most people expect. This conversation explores the tension between building something significant and not losing your life in the process.

Bullet points of key topics discussed & time stamps: 0:00 – Opening reflection: the question that changes everything 1:12 – Why entrepreneurs eventually start asking deeper questions 2:48 – The hidden cost of building, growing, and chasing success 4:15 – Why founders often realize too late what mattered most 5:42 – Family, experiences, and meaning in the next chapter 7:03 – How the “six months to live” question reframes priorities 8:21 – Why the next chapter people want is often the one they’ve delayed 9:37 – Closing thought: sometimes business conversations become life conversations

List of resources mentioned in episode (including sponsors): OZ Pros OZPros.com Annie Dillard quote: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

Calls to action: Learn more at OZPros.com Visit trustbgw.com Follow Anything But Typical and BGW on social media: Instagram: @anythingbuttypical LinkedIn: BGW CPA, PLLC

“I’ve been poor before. That doesn’t bother me.” – Cathy Maday Cathy didn’t grow up around startup jargon or leadership books. She grew up on the Bad River Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin. Work wasn’t a phase. It was how you made things possible. You did chores, took odd jobs, & learned early that no one was coming to rescue you. There was freedom in that. By 12, Cathy was holding her first paper paycheck. She hasn’t stopped working since — not always because she had to, but because work meant agency. Motion. A steady sense of “I can handle what’s next.” That assurance followed her from childhood into college, into technology, & into corporate environments where she saw it clearly: systems weren’t failing. The people inside them were carrying too much, alone. Eventually, Cathy did what entrepreneurs do. She chose the harder path & built the solution — Wingspan — from the same instinct that had always guided her: if you want options, you create them. This episode isn’t about hustle or reinvention. It’s about knowing when the instincts that made you strong are asking for something completely new. To learn more, connect with her at WingspanPerformance.com. Entrepreneurship isn’t about escaping where you come from. It’s about carrying what made you — and knowing what to set down. As Wendell Berry wrote, “It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work.”