The Conscious Entrepreneur

EP50: The Courage to Grow

“Leadership isn’t about doing certain things; it’s about being a certain type of person,” says Ryan Gottfredson, a professor and consultant specializing in leadership development. In this episode, Ryan, the author of “Success Mindsets” and “The Elevated Leader,” sits down with Alex Raymond to explore vertical development—a powerful approach to growth that goes beyond just acquiring new skills. 
 
Ryan’s journey into this field started back in high school when a sports psychology class ignited his passion for personal development. That passion eventually led him to pursue a Ph.D. in organizational behavior and human resources, where he noticed a gap in traditional leadership research. Most studies focused on what leaders should do, rather than who they need to become. This insight redirected his work toward helping leaders and entrepreneurs focus on their way of being, not just their actions.
 
The three stages of vertical development are key to understanding this approach: the first stage focuses on safety and comfort, the second on standing out and advancing, and the third on contributing to the greater good. How do we shift from a mindset of self-protection to one of value creation? Ryan explains that while most people operate at the first level, true transformation happens when we move beyond it, advancing to stages where the focus shifts to making a meaningful impact.
 
Courage plays a critical role in this journey. Transitioning from one level to the next means letting go of certain needs and embracing new ones, which requires significant bravery. Ryan shares practical tips for entrepreneurs to start this transformation, like daily affirmations, journaling, and adopting growth-oriented mindsets.
 
This episode offers a deep dive into vertical development, providing actionable insights for entrepreneurs who want to move from survival mode to making meaningful contributions. By focusing on who they are, and not just what they do, listeners will learn strategies to overcome challenges, unlock their potential, and achieve transformative growth in both their personal and professional lives.
 
Quotes
“Leadership isn’t about doing certain things; it’s about being a certain type of person.” (04:19 | Ryan Gottfredson) 
“It’s one that’s very rare for people to take, but as I mentioned, it’s transformational. This path is what we call vertical development. Vertical development isn’t about adding apps to our iPad; it’s about upgrading our internal operating system so that we think and strategize at a higher level than we currently do.” (09:13 | Ryan Gottfredson)
“Our mindsets are the most foundational aspect of everything that we do. How we see our world shapes how we think, how we learn, and how we behave. And we all have mindsets, and they are all driving our unconscious thoughts and processes. Most people think that they have good mindsets, but most people actually don’t even know the quality of their mindsets.” (33:47 | Ryan Gottfredson)
 
Links
Connect with Ryan Gottfredson:
Website: https://ryangottfredson.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP49: Reinventing Organizations

Traditional corporate hierarchies are being replaced by dynamic, self-managing organizations that embrace wholeness and evolutionary purpose, as explained by Frederic Laloux in this week’s episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur. Frederic, the author of Reinventing Organizations, joins Alex Raymond to mark the 10th anniversary of his influential book and discuss its impact on modern organizational management.
 
With an MBA from INSEAD and a successful career at McKinsey, Frederic was well-acquainted with conventional business paradigms. However, personal experiences and a transformative coaching session led him to question traditional corporate structures. Influenced by Ken Wilber’s developmental theories, Frederic introduced a color-coded framework showing the evolution from rigid hierarchies to adaptive, purpose-driven “teal” organizations.
 
Frederic outlines three key principles of teal organizations: self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose. Self-management eliminates traditional hierarchies, replacing them with flexible systems where decision-making is distributed based on competence and interest. Wholeness encourages individuals to bring their full selves to work, fostering creativity and authenticity. Evolutionary purpose shifts focus from profit maximization to a mission that aligns with stakeholders’ values and aspirations.
 
This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs and leaders on the future of work. Frederic’s perspectives provide a compelling vision of how businesses can evolve to meet modern complexities while creating humane and fulfilling work environments, urging entrepreneurs to embrace these innovative paradigms.
 
Quotes
“When we redesign the organization, we create a blueprint. It’s all of that engineering language because fundamentally we view an organization as a machine. This was a very successful model… But now we’re reaching the limits of that model. The world has become so much more complex, but we’re still trying to run it in that way with the good old pyramid structure.” (13:20 | Frederic Laloux) 
“If I was really honest with myself, behind closed doors with leaders, I had these amazing conversations... The structures were so unhealthy that, once I left, the same thing happened during sessions with executive committees. We would finally discuss the taboos, the power relations, the politics, the lack of trust, and everyone would feel relieved that these issues were being addressed. However, once I left the room, the same behaviors would resurface. What I realized was that it wasn’t a lack of capacity on their part. It was the system, the structures, and the pyramid—how we’ve set up things—that naturally pushed people to behave in those ways.” (26:01 | Frederic Laloux) 
“The term self-management is both great and frustrating. As soon as you mention it, people often imagine it means no structure, that everyone can do whatever they want, and that decision-making is done by consensus, requiring everyone’s input on every decision. But it’s actually the opposite of that.” (35:51 | Frederic Laloux)
 
Links
Connect with Frederic Laloux:
Book: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/
Video Series: https://thejourney.reinventingorganizations.com/
The Week: https://www.theweek.ooo/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP48: Dancing with Gorillas: Navigating Corporate-Startup Partnerships with Shameen Prashantham

Can startups truly innovate by partnering with corporate giants, or as Dr. Shameen Prashantham puts it, “dancing with gorillas”? In this episode, Dr. Prashantham, professor of International Business & Strategy at the China Europe International Business School, joins Alex Raymond to share his research on corporate-startup partnerships. They explore how these collaborations have evolved, emphasizing the shift towards equity-based models and the critical role of non-equity partnerships in fostering innovation.
 
Dr. Prashantham stresses the importance of startups balancing optimism and caution when engaging with large companies. He advises focusing on core expertise and being strategic about revealing information to maintain leverage. Success stories like Techstars-backed Sphero’s partnership with Disney to create the BB-8 droid and Microsoft’s rise in the startup ecosystem illustrate the power of these collaborations.
 
The episode also delves into the democratization of partnerships, highlighting sustainability and positive impact initiatives. Dr. Prashantham underscores the necessity of complex arrangements involving city governments, NGOs, and United Nations agencies to tackle societal challenges. He showcases how startups can drive meaningful outcomes through innovative solutions, leveraging their unique strengths to create a global positive impact.
 
Quotes
“Essentially, the insight was that you could bring together managers from big companies and entrepreneurs from startups to achieve something beyond what either could do on their own. Having studied many companies in different parts of the world and different industries, I realized that, knowingly or unknowingly, they were addressing what I call the paradox of asymmetry. On one hand, you have a potential win-win situation between these two different sets of companies, each having something the other lacks. Startups, for example, have agility, while big companies have scale.” (09:51 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham) 
“The big advantage of working with a large company is leveraging economies of scope to build partnerships across different units and regions. By being proactive and seeking introductions, startups can gain champions within the corporation. Many have benefited, but it’s crucial to keep future options open.” (27:54 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham) 
“For me, the idea that very different, asymmetric actors and nontraditional partners can come together is key. In terms of startups, particularly those leveraging digital technology, this is making a huge difference in many areas, helping people who are not privileged enough to have access to real-time information.” (39:26 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham)
 
Links
Connect with Dr. Shameen Prashantham:
Book: https://www.gorillascandance.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP47: The Psychology of Courage

Courage means choosing growth despite uncertainty. How can entrepreneurs adopt this mindset? Joshua Steinfeldt, a renowned coach and host of “The Courageous Life” podcast, joins Alex Raymond to discuss the psychology of courage, fear, and personal growth.
 
Joshua’s coaching journey began during the 2008 economic downturn when he noticed fear as a prevalent challenge. This led him to explore courage deeply, culminating in his master’s thesis on its four key components: choice, fear, risk, and a worthwhile goal. He emphasizes aligning actions with core values and regularly reassessing motivations to stay true to oneself.
 
Joshua’s research highlights that effective coaching requires courage—honest feedback, self-awareness, and empathy are essential. He distinguishes coaching from therapy, noting that coaching focuses on future goals without diagnosing clinical issues. Entrepreneurs must clarify their goals and approach coaching with openness and vulnerability.
 
Community and support are also crucial. Joshua debunks the lone hero myth, stressing the importance of feeling connected and supported. Alex reinforces this, sharing feedback from the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit about the desire for deeper connections.
 
This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs looking to navigate their journeys with courage, authenticity, and community. Joshua Steinfeldt’s insights provide a clear roadmap for overcoming fear, staying aligned with values, and leading with bravery.
 
Quotes
“So often, living well, leading well, or doing what we really want to do in life requires some degree of risk. There might be fear around it, and often there’s a sense of courage, whether small or big. This is the centerpiece of what I tend to focus on.” (07:19 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
“As entrepreneurs, we want to provide value for customers and clients. That’s such a natural thing… And I think, to work through some of that, being able to continually ask for feedback from a client, and to be able to receive it—to be able to hold that, take it in, and learn, ask questions to get better—I think there’s courage in that, as there is in leaders asking their team for honest feedback. And not shaming your team members, but really making it safe, and taking those learnings and putting them into action to get better, to grow.” (25:10 | Joshua Steinfeldt) 
“I think coaching is more about working. It’s a very collaborative process, working more to kind of help the client find their own answers in many ways.” (31:43 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
“To be a leader right now is so hard. You have to be with uncertainty, which is so human, but people like control too. There has to be a part of you that’s willing to let go and be willing to go with it to some degree, like relaxing into uncertainty. I think that is the superpower of our time—being able to deepen and relax into uncertainty, to be with it. That takes courage because the natural response for so many people is to want to control it.” (36:49 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
 
Links
Connect with Joshua Steinfeldt:
https://www.practicingcourage.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
 
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP46: Preparing for M&A

“A bit of a puzzle around finding the right piece to fit and being willing to say no to the pieces that don’t—that was what got me excited about the M&A process,” says Brenda Jacobsen, the managing director of STS Capital Partners. “The last piece is just creating a win for all because there’s nothing worse than making someone who’s given up or agreed to sell you their life’s work and feeling like they were cheated out of what they feel it was worth,” she adds, emphasizing that transparency and realistic valuations are crucial to prevent either party from feeling shortchanged, thus fostering trust and successful outcomes in M&A deals.
 
In this episode, Brenda joins Alex Raymond to explore the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions. Brenda shares her extensive experience in M&A, stressing the importance of transparency, realistic valuations, and building strategic partnerships. She attributes much of her professional success to mindfulness and conscious leadership principles, which she learned from the Conscious Leadership Group. These principles have helped her navigate her career with resilience and responsibility.
 
The episode touches on Brenda’s experiences in the healthcare sector, where she led acquisitions of physician-owned practices, highlighting the importance of trust and transparency in these deals. She advises entrepreneurs to prepare for exits by focusing on profitability, growth, and reducing dependency on the founder. She also shares insights on raising capital and the significance of a supportive community, such as the Young Presidents’ Organization.
 
Join Alex and Brenda for practical advice and insights on navigating the complexities of M&A, grounded in mindful and conscious leadership principles.
 
Quotes
“I have a very high threshold for staying uncomfortable for as long as I need to in order to make decisions. As an entrepreneur and a leader in any company, but especially in earlier stage companies, that is incredibly valuable.” (06:10 | Brenda Jacobsen) 
“One of the things that makes M&A scary, both for companies being acquired and for companies acquiring, is that no matter what you’re buying, you are also buying this talented group of people that make that company work. You may not have plans for all of them to continue on in the new entity, but you need them for a certain amount of time, even if it’s just for the transition. By really thinking people first through that process, it doesn’t have to be hard. It just has to be intentional.” (23:02 | Brenda Jacobsen) 
“I think bringing in outside capital can feel like market validation, but I see it as giving away what you’ve invested blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless nights into, often at a valuation that’s not favorable to you in the future. I try to encourage people to think about using the proceeds from the business to reinvest and grow, even if that means the pace is slower, because then the upside is yours instead of someone else’s.” (42:57 | Brenda Jacobsen)
 
Links
Connect with Brenda Jacobsen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendajacobsen/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
 
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP45: A Guide to CEO Succession

“Should I stay or should I go? Every founder asks themselves this question at one point or another,” says Alex Raymond, as he tackles the often taboo topic of CEO succession and transition with Evgeny Shadchnev, author of “Startup CEO Succession: A Founder’s Guide to Leadership Transition.” Evgeny shares his experience of stepping down as CEO of Makers, a software developing bootcamp he led for seven years, and discusses a nine-step roadmap for succession planning.
 
In this episode, Alex and Evgeny emphasize the importance of early and open conversations about succession, addressing fears, and the need for careful planning. Evgeny highlights the emotional challenges founders face, like burnout and loss of identity, and underscores the necessity of recognizing and managing these issues. He also explores post-transition pathways for founders and stresses the importance of supporting the new CEO without undermining them.
 
Join Alex and Evgeny in this episode to gain valuable insights for strategic and thoughtful planning to support a smooth succession and successful transition.
 
Quotes
“What I find really, really meaningful on a personal level is making a difference in someone’s life on a personal level.” (12:20 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
“One thing I learned since stepping down is that nearly every founder CEO considers it at some point. I was absolutely not an exception. Not everyone chooses to. But everyone asks themselves the question: ‘Am I the right person for the next stage of the journey as the job inevitably changes?’” (21:50 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
“The job of a founder or CEO really changes over time. And the more the founder reflects on what’s going to come next year or in two years’ time, and the more alignment there is with the board, the higher the chances that a win-win, successful, smooth transition is going to be found.” (24:34 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
“No one leaves their startup they’ve been running for 10 years full of energy. Nearly everyone needs time to rest and recover, slow down, and just get in touch with what it is that they need deep inside. It’s also important to reflect because founders often quite literally don’t see opportunities ahead of them… So taking time to slow down and rest and reflect on your career options can be invaluable because this moment is truly precious.” (32:02 | Evgeny Shadchnev) 
“CEO succession takes time. The more time you have, the higher the chances that you will have a good succession.” (37:48 | Evgeny Shadchnev) 
 
Links
Connect with Evgeny Shadchnev:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadchnev/
Website: https://www.evgeny.coach/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP44: The Path to Pivot

“A pivot really is a second chance,” says Jason Shen, author of “Path to Pivot.” In this episode, Alex Raymond talks with Jason about the critical decision-making process of whether to continue, pivot, or close a business. Shen emphasizes leveraging assets and insights to create a market advantage, highlighting the rarity and value of a well-executed pivot.
 
Jason recounts his shift from writing about resilience to focusing on pivots, inspired by his experiences with his Y Combinator-backed companies, Ridejoy and Headlight. While Ridejoy’s pivot failed, Headlight’s pivot led to a successful exit to Facebook, forming the foundation of his book.
 
The episode delves into the mental and emotional facets of pivoting, introducing Jason’s “Align, Explore, Commit” framework for systematic pivoting. Jason and Alex also discuss “shooting the zombie,” the tough call to pivot or close a business that can’t meet venture capital expectations. 
 
Insightful anecdotes and practical advice make this episode a valuable guide for entrepreneurs facing pivotal decisions with resilience and strategic thinking.
Jason is offering listeners of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast a discount code for 50% off any version of The Path to Pivot ebook. Just head over to https://jasonshen.gumroad.com/l/path-to-pivot and use code CONSCIOUS to get 50% off.
 
Quotes
“If you’re at your wit’s end, if you really have no idea where to go, if the walls start to close in, then maybe a dramatic shift may be more important. And that’s where a pivot comes into play. A pivot is to say ‘What if we change the fundamentals of this business?’ Keeping some parts the same, maybe the team is the same, maybe the product is the same, maybe the market is the same, but you make some other dramatic shift. You go from selling it one time to a lower monthly fee. A business model change is still a pretty meaningful change.” (14:43 | Jason Shen) 
“A good pivot is always based on some kind of new insight. It involves learning something from the world that you’ve already been operating in that certainly gives you a leg up, an advantage, and that’s what you have. You’re able to shift your product, but position it for a new problem, position it for a new market, but sort of retain a lot of the experiences that you’d built, which is super important.” (22:12 | Jason Shen) 
“You have to have insights based on what you’ve developed as a business and assets that you’ve developed that can create some kind of advantage for you so that you can actually win in this market and sort of earn the right to keep playing this game. And the reality is, it takes time to build anything. It takes time to even make an attempt at anything. And so, a pivot really is a second chance.” (32:55 | Jason Shen) 
 
Links
Connect with Jason Shen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshen/
Website: https://www.jasonshen.com/
The Path to Pivot: https://jasonshen.gumroad.com/l/path-to-pivot
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP43: Goal-Setting for Entrepreneurial Success

“I like to think of life as a trilogy,” says keynote speaker and entrepreneur Keith Roberts. Along with mentor Ryan Avery, Keith set a Guinness World Record for the longest public speaking marathon by a team of two, promoting their co-authored historical novel, “The Eternal Flame: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s Modern Leader.”
 
Keith joins The Conscious Entrepreneur podcast to share insights from his 30-year practice in Buddhism, founding and selling his company Zenman, and participating in the global nonprofit Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and MIT’s Entrepreneur Masters Program. He discusses the power of gratitude in creating your ideal life, building effective habits, and the importance of writing down your goals to achieve them faster.
 
Keith co-created the OAK journal, a 90-day journaling framework with prompts, visualization techniques, and mantras to help keep you on track. He shares his experience of letting go of his first company and the dangers of linking your identity to your business. Learn about the “sunk equity fallacy” and why practicing gratitude is more than just compiling a checklist.
 
Join Keith and host Alex Raymond as they discuss thought leaders like Joe Dispenza and Ryan Holiday, and explore what’s next in Keith’s journey.
 
Quotes
“I had this epiphany that I was trading my time for money and it was a really bad deal.” (11:55 | Keith Roberts)
“Writing things down, doubles the probability of accomplishing them.” (12:29 | Keith Roberts)
“Aligning the frequency in what you’re putting out in the world—what vibrations, what you’re attracting, what you’re manifesting, that abundance vs scarcity mindset—you’re doing that every single day by your gratitude and then journaling positive thoughts. Like you mentioned, every day has a prompt, and it’s not ‘What’s frustrating you today?’ Every single one of them is intentionally positive to help you have that right mindset and vibrating at the frequency that’s going to attract your best life.” (15:41 | Keith Roberts) 
“If you repeat something you’re grateful for, you’re getting diminishing returns. The more specific you can be with your gratitude, the better the ROI is going to get as far as the neurotransmitters.” (17:39 | Keith Roberts)
“I’d built it to the point where it became my identity, and when I was trying to come up with my personal ‘why?’ I kept framing it through the lens of this agency that had become my identity. And my ‘why’ is not selling more Frontier Airlines tickets or houses for RE/MAX or Bijou—which is this Chinese moonshine, the biggest-selling liquor in the world, we did a site for them so—it didn’t have anything to with what I had built and I had to get over this concept of ‘sunk equity.’”(35:10 | Keith Roberts)
 
Links
Connect with Keith Roberts:
Website: https://keithrobertsiii.com/
OAK Journal: https://oakjournal.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP42: The Power of Parable

“Ultimately, I decided I actually owe it to myself to not be in the kind of leadership situation where I’m unable to follow my intuition,” says Cristina Poindexter about the valuable realizations she gained from co-founding Parable, a CPG start-up dedicated to brain health nutrition. She ultimately stepped away from her role as co-CEO just before the company’s dissolution.
 
At the time of founding, the market was eager for supplements focused on brain health and cognition. Cristina, open about her own mental health journey, was enthusiastic about moving from the tech space to offering more tangible products. However, challenges with fundraising as a female, toxic power dynamics, and her own intuition made her realize it wasn’t the right fit.
 
In today’s episode, Cristina talks to host Alex Raymond about what she would do differently, how the experience has helped her prioritize, and why she continues to support the next person in the brain health space. She shares the physical and psychological toll of fundraising meetings, a common issue she discovered when she shared her experience on LinkedIn that remains relatively unaddressed. Cristina explains why new entrepreneurs should adopt a community-based approach to their businesses, the pressure on females in the startup space to “boss up,” and the importance of following your intuition.
 
Quotes
“The advice I give entrepreneurs now that are entering this space is really start with a community-based approach that decreases your reliance on ads and more the direct response and logical way to go to market. Do illogical things that don’t scale at the beginning.” (15:00 | Cristina Poindexter)
“There are many people out there who will resonate with your mission, brands and colleagues in the business space. That is actually something that is really powerful in the beginning for startups—to talk to the folks that have a similar mission, that aren’t competing with you and work together to help each other get your products out.” (16:31 | Cristina Poindexter) 
“That was this huge learning for me that ultimately, I decided I actually owe it to myself to not be in the kind of leadership situation where I’m unable to follow my intuition that way because I could tell that that’s actually what the company needed from me to actually close the race. It needed me to go off script, it needed me to be intuitive, and go about it in a way that I could sense my way into the field. And no one around me was really telling me that’s OK, that’s right.” (25:46 | Cristina Poindexter) 
“What I couldn’t help but notice was my life felt much more exciting and alive and healthy and exciting for me if I was not in the CEO position. And I will say, as a woman, we are taught, in the startup world, to boss up, don’t bend to the guys, stand our own, defend ourselves, lean in. To actually come to the decision that I actually didn’t want it was so hard because I knew what it would look like from the outside.” (43:00 | Cristina Poindexter)
 
Links
Connect with Cristina Poindexter:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinapoindexter/
Website: https://www.cristina-poindexter.com/
The Power of Parable: https://cristinapoindexter.substack.com/p/the-power-of-parable
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP41: Embracing Vulnerability as a Superpower

“There’s a sense that our value as men is tied to what we produce in the world, and that’s a dangerous mentality,” explains Jordan Holmes, founder of How Men Cry. Through gatherings, retreats, and speaking engagements, Jordan creates spaces for men to open up about their mental health struggles and the pressures of traditional masculinity—pressures that often prevent them from opening up elsewhere. Under the performance name “Dxtr Spits,” he uses music, poetry, spoken word, and storytelling to challenge his own narratives about manhood.
 
Jordan explains that our narratives are shaped by social conditioning and childhood experiences, often becoming so ingrained that we mistake them for our true personalities. By embracing self-curiosity, vulnerability, and neuroplasticity, we can discover who we are beneath our trauma. He shares the three questions that spark the most passionate discussions and how he models the vulnerability he aims to inspire.
 
“How Men Cry” goes beyond just shedding tears. In today’s episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur, Jordan shares the story behind his organization’s name and the subtle yet significant difference between “how” and “why.”
 
Quotes
“There’s a lot of social programming and other things that have been delivered to men where we have—the sense I said before that our value is tied to what we produce within the world. And it’s such a dangerous mentality to be caught up in because then in the moments where you aren’t producing, or something that you produce fails, or the business doesn’t grow as much as you need it to within a certain amount of time, then that becomes something that’s taken on personally.” (5:25 | Jordan Holmes) 
“So many of the traumas and narratives that we deal with in general—how we learn to be in a relationship, how we learn to be in friendship, how we learn to communicate, our self-talk—so many things are rooted in our childhood experiences.” (7:03 | Jordan Holmes)
“I’m not really talking about physical tears, quite often, I’m talking about all the different ways that men—or people, for that matter—can cry out from unprocessed pains and traumas. And from a lot of the material, like my writing and performance material, I was finding through-lines in narratives of my own pain and the ways that I was crying out without necessarily dropping physical tears.”  (14:21 | Jordan Holmes) 
“Individuals don’t really learn their best when you try to force answers on them, anyway. Part of why I think so many of the male narratives in the world are not landing well is because we’re doing a lot of prescription of “This is how someone needs to be” or criticizing this part of somebody or all these other things that don’t really allow for the space for people to learn and grow safely.” (19:21 | Jordan Holmes)
 
Links
Connect with Jordan Holmes:
LinkedIn: https://howmencry.com/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-dxtr-holmes/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm