"Balanced Success: Business Dads and the Six Pillars"

Unraveled, committed to Leadership

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 21:27:52 GMT

Mark Jordan and his Unraveled movement...

The Balance Business Dad Podcast recently had the pleasure of hosting Mark Jordan, a dedicated mentor who has taken on the ambitious goal of guiding men towards a path of success. Through his organization, Unraveled Groups Inc., Mark aims to empower men not only in their businesses but in all aspects of life, from faith to finances.

Mark Jordan is a seasoned mentor whose journey has been nothing short of transformative. After getting his start in investment banking, Mark had a spiritual awakening which led him to start a church in Atlanta. Along his journey, he has been mentored by spiritual leaders, shaping his approach to mentorship and growth.

Unraveled has a unique approach to personal and professional development. It is centered around the philosophy of 'disintegration', which Mark believes is a necessary step towards growth. This involves breaking down old habits and mindsets to pave the way for new ones. It's about focusing on progress rather than perfection, a philosophy that encourages continual growth and development.

In his organization, Mark emphasizes the importance of meaningful relationships with other men for sustained growth. This aligns with the pillars of the Balance Business Dad Podcast - faith, health, marriage, fatherhood, brotherhood, and business. These are not just aspects of life but areas that require continual growth and development.

One of the unique aspects of Unraveled is its goal to reach one million men in ten years. This ambitious target speaks volumes about the impact that Mark's organization aims to have on men's lives. By focusing on men's real needs, as well as their felt needs, Unraveled strives to strike a balance between helping men grow and ensuring they want that growth more than the mentors providing it.

Another key aspect of Unraveled is its various programs designed to empower men. These programs challenge men to become better communicators, understand their vision, and do more than they thought possible. From learning to resolve conflicts better to crafting a personal mission statement, these programs provide men with the tools they need to succeed.

In sharing his personal journey, Mark Jordan provides a testament to the transformative power of mentorship. His experiences in investment banking, starting a church, and being mentored by spiritual leaders have all shaped him into the mentor he is today. His story serves as an inspiration for men to overcome their challenges and accelerate towards their goals.

In conclusion, the episode with Mark Jordan on the Balance Business Dad Podcast offers a wealth of insights into the power of mentorship. It challenges men to rethink their approach towards progress and perfection and provides them with the tools to empower their personal and professional journey. Above all, it showcases the transformative impact that mentorship can have on a person's life.

DAD UP Retreat

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:10:26 GMT

Be a Dad...Not a Dick!

Another DAD UP Retreat has come and gone. The Balanced Business Dad holds these retreats every spring and fall at a campground in south central Missouri. And what a great secluded location it is for this gathering of men, dads, husbands and entrepreneurs for a weekend of brotherhood. Are you seeking a transformative experience that fosters personal growth and camaraderie? If yes, then you need to look for the next DAD UP Retreat in May of 2024. It offers an exclusive sanctuary for 15 men, allowing them to escape from the distractions of the world and focus on self-improvement and brotherhood.

The retreat’s unique environment, characterized by limited cell service, creates an atmosphere that promotes open conversation and sharing. Participants find themselves comfortable sharing their struggles and challenges, thus initiating the journey of profound change. This atmosphere also encourages bonding, forming a strong brotherhood that carries over even after the retreat.

So what were the big takeaways from the retreat? Well, I would summarize that by two words that came up numerous times throughout the weekend. “Present” and “Accountability”. This was not pre-planned or brought up by Coach Dustin or I. These two words just became the common theme for this group of men.

One powerful mantra that emerged from the retreat is “Be a Dad, not a dick”. This phrase serves as a stark reminder to confront and address our internal struggles. It is not about being perfect, but about acknowledging our weaknesses and working on them.

An intriguing topic discussed during the retreat was the concept of a 'passionate marriage'. Interestingly, everyone had a different definition for it, ranging from shared experiences and vacations to intimacy. This highlights the importance of understanding and defining what a passionate marriage means to you personally and to your spouse.

Accountability also played a significant role during the retreat. Accountability goes hand in hand with the idea of progress and achieving our goals. Without accounting, there can be no accountability. Keeping track of your actions, whether it is related to your diet or your time management, is essential for growth and improvement.

The retreat concluded with an invitation to join the Balanced Business Dad Facebook group, a platform that fosters support and connection among its members. Here, participants continue to share their journey post-retreat, thereby maintaining the bond of brotherhood and accountability formed during the retreat.

The DAD UP Retreat is not just about spending a weekend away from the world. It is about initiating a transformative journey towards growth, balance, and a fulfilling life. The lessons learned during the retreat extend beyond the duration of the retreat, creating a ripple effect that impacts every aspect of the participants' lives.

If you're ready to embark on this transformative journey, go to www.dadupgroup.com to join the Balanced Business Dad Facebook group. Together, let's create a supportive and nurturing community that encourages growth, accountability, and balance.

View Goals as Your Boss

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 18:00:03 GMT

Entrepreneurs need a boss too!

Spending 35+ years working a “real job” in corporate America, I had so many opportunities to write yearly goals that I lost count. How I would dread the annual conversation when your boss would tell you that it was time to write your goals for the next year. These were the goals to drive your success, maybe lead to qualifying for a bonus or a promotion. Oh, how I hated that time each year. And almost all of my cohorts felt the same way. Writing goals, what a waste of time. Do you get the feeling that I was just not a goal guy? Looking back I wonder if this was part of my generation? Or had I never been taught the value of goals? Or was I just lazy? Depending on who you ask you will probably get an affirmative to each of those questions.

Flash forward to the present. I have been out of the corporate world for a couple of years. The decision for that change will have to be another story all together. So, back to the present. I am now firmly entrenched as an “entrepreneur” although I am not sure about that title. How about, I am a business owner? That seems a better description to me. And I actually own multiple businesses. Some on my own, some with a business partner and one with my wife. Yes, it has been a crazy couple of years. But I digress, back to goals being your boss.

The one thing you hear so often when people talk about wanting to own their own business is that they are tired of having a boss. Heck yes, I agree with that fully. I hear and say that at every seminar, mastermind or workshop that I attend. But it is a big mind shift and it hit me hard just this week. I have spent more than 35 years with somebody telling me what I need to get done. No matter what level you are within a company, how high you climb on the corporate ladder, somebody still tells you what you need to get done. One way or another, at some level our job involves tasks. And those tasks are passed down from someone else.

I was in one of my businesses this week, going through my “to do” list for the day and getting stuff done. But, I was also spinning in circles about some bigger picture items for which I just had no idea on what I needed to do. My business partner was in the office at the time. We actually share an office like old time business partners. The only thing missing is an actual partner’s desk. Anyway, he sees my frustration and listens to my whining for a bit until the coach in him comes out. He simply asks, what are your goals for what needs to be done? I look at him and give him my usual answer to that question. “You know I am not a goal guy”. But this time he follows up with the nugget of this story. He says that now that I don’t have a boss telling me what to do, my goals are my boss. Dang, that one was good.

I had been laughing off goals for all of my years working in other people’s businesses. Goals were just something that we were told that we needed to create. But I had never thought about or really been taught the actual value of goals.

Goals are your boss! Think about that for a bit. What do you really want to get done in your business in the next 90 days or the next 12 months or the next 5 years? Now the goal is personal, it is real and it is tangible. It is yours because it is your business. Total epiphany. I had never looked at or felt this way about setting some goals. Now it became obvious that the goal was needed to define my destination. After that, it was up to me to come up with the pathway to that destination…the plan. It is like looking at a paper map. The map does not really mean anything until you mark where you are and where you want to go. With that destination or goal set you can determine the path to take.

Now I look back on 35 years of wasting opportunities to develop truly meaningful goals or destinations each year. In business. Oh well, we live and learn. Some of us just learn later. But wait, there’s more. Now I am thinking about and developing goals for each of the pillars for the Balanced Business Dad. What are my goals for a thriving business that doesn’t control me? For a passionate marriage? To have kids who adore me? To be healthier both physically and mentally? To have deeper relationships with my friends? To be stronger in my faith? An entire new world has opened up from the simple nugget that is “your goals are your boss”.

For more conversations you can join our public Facebook group for The Balanced Business Dad by going to www.dadupgroup.com.