Epic Spotlight Podcast

Is your LinkedIn profile opening doors or quietly closing them? Get practical advice on personal branding, career reinvention, and using AI without losing your human voice.

In this episode, Dante and Lynne discuss:

• LinkedIn as a digital reputation and personal-branding tool
• Virtual and in-person networking strategies
• LinkedIn engagement, profile optimization, and analytics
• Tailored resumes, metrics, and cover letters
• Career reinvention and transferable skills

Key Takeaways:

• Networking matters because people hire people. Combine online outreach with in-person connections and make networking a habit.
• Thoughtful, value-adding comments can build visibility and credibility on LinkedIn, not just posts.
• Tailor each resume to the role, use relevant keywords, and include specific metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work.
• AI can help with career materials, but your own perspective, experience, and voice should shape the final result.
• Career changes require continuous learning, strategic positioning, and highlighting transferable skills. Volunteering or taking a practical bridge job can also help during a transition.

“Keep learning and keep networking. You got to make networking a habit, and you need to be a lifelong learner because things are changing.” - Lynne Williams

About Lynne Williams: Lynne Williams is a nationally recognized career strategist, resume writer, LinkedIn branding expert, author, and speaker with over 30 years of experience helping professionals advance their careers. As founder of Career News Today LLC and Executive Director of Great Careers Network, she specializes in resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, personal branding, and effective job search strategies. In this episode, Lynne shares her expertise on navigating today’s competitive job market, building a strong professional brand, and positioning yourself for long-term career success.

Connect with Lynne Williams:

Website: https://greatcareers.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewilliams/

Substack: https://greatcareersphl.substack.com/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A great product isn’t enough if customers don’t pay and nobody knows how to sell it. Allen Kopelman shares why cash flow, sales planning, and operational know-how matter at every stage of business.

In this episode, Dante and Allen discuss:

• Adapting to AI, automation, and changing technology
• Identity theft, fraud prevention, and document security
• Managing business overhead, leases, and payment collection
• Sales strategy, marketing, and visibility in AI-powered search
• Cross-training, work ethic, career development, and the value of practical skills

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace new technology, but understand its capabilities, limitations, and costs before building your business around it.
• Monitor your credit and protect your personal and business information against identity theft.
• Develop a clear sales strategy and payment collection process before launching a product or service.
• Cross-train employees so teams can adapt, work more efficiently, and keep operations running smoothly.
• Build valuable skills, develop expertise, set realistic expectations, and aim to overdeliver.

“I always say, overdeliver and underpromise.” - Allen Kopelman

About Allen Kopelman: Allen Kopelman is a fintech entrepreneur, payments industry expert, and Founder & CEO of Nationwide Payment Systems, with over 20 years of experience in payment processing and financial technology. He helps businesses across various industries reduce transaction costs, streamline operations, and implement scalable payment solutions. Through innovative pricing strategies, advanced technology, and personalized service, Allen promotes transparency and efficiency in payment processing. He also hosts B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast, where he explores business growth, fintech innovation, and the future of commerce.

Connect with Allen Kopelman:

Website: https://allenkopelman.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenkopelman/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Small, unspoken concerns can grow into major conflicts. Learn how pausing, listening, and asking about another person’s perspective can help turn difficult conversations into a path forward.

In this episode, Dante and Dr. Debra discuss:

• Small concerns and escalating conflict
• Emotional drivers and the brain’s threat response
• Active listening and leadership communication
• Emotional intelligence, hiring, and workplace culture
• Preparing for difficult conversations

Key Takeaways:

• Unaddressed concerns can grow into larger conflicts; raising them early creates a chance to understand what’s really at stake.
• When tension rises, a pause and a few deep breaths can help restore space for clearer thinking.
• Listening to understand, not simply preparing a response, helps people feel heard and reveals perspectives you might otherwise miss.
• Effective hiring looks beyond technical ability to consider emotional intelligence, mindset, values, and organizational culture.
• Before a difficult conversation, clarify what you fear, what matters to you, and what outcome you hope to reach.

“We don't listen to understand; we listen to respond.” - Dr. Debra Dupree

About Dr. Debra Dupree: Dr. Debra Dupree, The MINDSET Doc®, is a workplace conflict and leadership expert with more than 30 years of experience in dispute resolution, leadership coaching, and workplace interventions. Using a neuroscience-based approach, she helps organizations address harassment, discrimination, workplace conflict, and mental health challenges while fostering psychological safety, respect, and inclusion. She served for 20 years as a Senior Mentor Mediator with the Department of the Navy and has developed leadership programs including Manager-as-Mediator® and Self-as-Mediator®. A TEDx speaker, international trainer, author, and thought leader, Dr. Dupree also hosts the podcasts Decoding the Conflict Mindset and Hot Topics in the Workplace: When Medical Conditions Flare Up, sharing practical strategies for healthier and more compassionate workplaces.

Connect with Dr. Debra Dupree:

Website: https://relationships-at-work.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debradupree/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

We see thousands of headlines, posts, and AI-made clips every day, so how do we know what to trust? Dr. Eliene Augenbraun explains why facts alone rarely change minds, and how context, familiarity, trusted relationships, and interpretation shape what people believe.

In this episode, Dante and Eliene discuss:

• Competing narratives and how they shape belief
• The personal influence model and social media algorithms
• Science as interpretation and Kuhn's scientific revolutions
• How media technology changed, from signal fires to online video
• AI's risks and uses in science and medicine

Key Takeaways:

• The information environment shapes what people believe and what feels true to them. Messages that cross both sides of a divide and make sense within both narratives can help build peace.
• We trust what's familiar, and what's familiar spreads through the people we already trust. Modern algorithms are built on this.
• Science doesn't hand us final answers. It gives the best current explanation, and that explanation can be overturned when the exceptions pile up.
• AI can produce useful insights, but it can also carry biases from the data it's trained on and make mistakes that are difficult to catch because the output sounds so convincing.
• Read one in-depth article a day, and vary your sources.

“Everybody could understand it. You just have to find decent sources and read it and ask questions, and, you know, everybody's smart enough. There's nothing. Scientists are no smarter than anybody else. They're just more patient.” - Eliene Augenbraun

About Eliene Augenbraun: Eliene Augenbraun, D.O., Ph.D., is an award-winning journalist, educator, multimedia producer, and science communicator with more than three decades of experience at the intersection of science, medicine, education, and media. A physician and Ph.D. biologist, she has led multimedia initiatives and produced science and health content for organizations including Scientific American, Nature, MIT, Forbes, and leading academic institutions. She co-founded ScienCentral, a pioneering science news organization, and has helped make complex scientific topics more accessible through storytelling, video, podcasts, and digital media. She also teaches medical communications at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and mentors medical and nursing students. Her work has received numerous national and international awards for excellence in science journalism and communication.

Connect with Eliene Augenbraun:

Profile: https://www.forbes.com/health/author/eliene-augenbraun/

Portfolio: https://www.sciencentral.net/video

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if you make it financially but lose something emotionally? Dante Royster looks back on three powerful conversations and runs an honest self-audit on what success is really costing us.

In this episode, Dante discusses:

• Financial success vs. real fulfillment
• Your calendar as a reflection of your values
• Emotional masks and hidden struggles
• Listening vs. just hearing
• Redefining the scoreboard and building a legacy

Key Takeaways:

• Money is a tool, not a destination. Reaching your number doesn't guarantee peace, fulfillment, or a close family.
• Want to know what you really value? Look at your calendar, not at what you say.
• Winning the game is not the same as realizing you've been playing the wrong one. Keep auditing which game you're in.
• "I'm good" is rarely the whole truth. Real connection needs safe spaces, and sometimes it means asking "How are you?" a second time.
• Hearing is just noise. Listening builds the relationships that shape our happiness, our health, and the legacy we leave.

“Maybe legacy isn't people remembering what you've accomplished. Maybe it's people remembering how they felt when they were around you.” - Dante Royster

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

We've never had more ways to communicate and never felt further apart. This conversation unpacks why and what it actually takes to connect again.

In this episode, Dante and Julienne discuss:

• Communication vs. genuine connection
• Hearing versus listening
• Vulnerability as a leadership trait
• Communicating under stress and crisis
• Storytelling, authenticity, and the 68-draft book

Key Takeaways:

• More communication channels haven't produced more connection; they've produced more places to lose each other.
• Hearing is reacting to noise while writing your own script; listening is being present without projecting yourself onto the other person.
• Two prompts do most of the work in any conversation: "Tell me more" and "Give me some context."
• The strongest leaders admit what they don't know, ask for help, and show up without making false promises. Vulnerability and honesty can build stronger connections than trying to appear like you have all the answers.
• Waste time to save time. Rushing conversations and jumping to conclusions creates the nightmare you were trying to avoid.
• Listening costs nothing, and its ripple effects are usually invisible; the person you heard out may not snap at someone else two minutes later.

“I think listening is about waiting and not filling it with your own voice.” - Julienne Ryan

About Julienne Ryan: Julienne B. Ryan began her professional career at age five through TV commercials, where she learned early lessons like “the teamsters always eat first,” her Social Security number, and how to endorse checks for bank deposit. She later studied psychology to better understand people, conducting her “fieldwork” across various professional roles and navigating countless mergers, reorganizations, and downsizing initiatives. After earning a graduate degree from an Ivy League school, Ryan transitioned into Talent Management, where she used creativity, storytelling, humor, and even snacks to motivate teams despite limited resources. Over time, she discovered that her greatest strength was not applying fancy theories or traditional HR practices, but connecting with people through stories and humor. Encouraged by those she worked with, Ryan shifted her focus toward storytelling and continues to help people find their “true selves in the world of work.” She is also a guest contributor to The Procurement Foundry, LifeBlood, Women in Media, Blended Pledge, and the global storytelling community.

Connect with Julienne Ryan:

Website: https://jryanpartners.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julienneryan/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

From 9/11 firefighters to everyday heartbreak, Dr. Suzanne Lachmann shares raw, practical insights on managing trauma in a world that’s more connected and more emotionally isolated than ever.

In this episode, Dante and Dr. Suzanne discuss:

• Talking through trauma vs. numbing, distraction, and avoidance
• 9/11 firefighters, group processing, and cohesive trauma narratives
• Stoicism, “I’m fine” culture, and societal expectations of strength
• Breakups, heartbreak, and grief as serious forms of trauma
• Limits of AI in therapy and the irreplaceable role of human connection

Key Takeaways:

• Talking about painful experiences repeatedly, until they lose some of their emotional charge, is one of the most effective ways to reduce trauma’s power.
• Trauma is highly individual, shaped by personality, upbringing, biology, identity, and life history, so there is no universal timeline or formula for healing.
• Breakups and heartbreak can be as devastating as other major losses and should be treated as real trauma, not minimized or rushed through.
• In a distracted, time-starved, screen-driven culture, one of the greatest gifts you can offer someone in pain is focused, uninterrupted time and genuine presence.
• AI may offer useful general guidance, but it cannot replicate the depth of individualized understanding that comes from knowing a person's unique history, experiences, and emotional world.

“But the most important thing that you can do in trauma is to continue to talk about it, to talk about it to the point at which it starts to dilute its power.” - Dr. Suzanne Lachmann

About Dr. Suzanne Lachmann: Dr. Suzanne Lachmann is a licensed clinical psychologist, trauma expert, author, and nationally recognized mental health thought leader. Based in New York, she specializes in trauma, grief, relationships, resilience, and personal growth. Since the aftermath of 9/11, she has served as a consulting psychologist for the FDNY, supporting firefighters and first responders through trauma, loss, and recovery. Her expertise has been featured in TIME, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, and Cosmopolitan. Through her clinical practice, writing, and speaking, Dr. Lachmann advocates for authentic human connection and helps individuals and leaders build resilience and emotional well-being in an increasingly complex world.

Connect with Dr. Suzanne Lachmann:

Website: https://www.drsuzannel.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannelachmannpsychologist/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

He built a multibillion-dollar real estate fund, lived a life of extraordinary wealth, then redirected his skills and resources toward undercover child rescue operations. In this episode, Paul Hutchinson reveals how his definition of “wealth” and purpose radically changed.

In this episode, Dante and Paul discuss:

• Building and selling an anxiety/trauma recovery business
• Co-founding Bridge Investment Group and the power of vision and teams
• Undercover child rescue operations and the moment that changed everything
• Intuition, integrity, and choosing the right partners
• Healing trauma, plant medicine, and redefining true wealth and purpose

Key Takeaways:

• Vision and team-building can outweigh technical expertise when creating large-scale business success.
• True impact often comes when wealth is treated as a tool for service rather than a finish line.
• Intuition, “listening with the heart”, can be a powerful strategic advantage in both business and life.
• Paul explores how unresolved trauma and subconscious patterns can influence behavior, and why meaningful change requires addressing deeper roots.
• Dissolving the illusion of separation from others leads to greater compassion, a redefined sense of wealth, and a more purpose-driven legacy.

“We're never going to fix it pulling children out of hell. We've got to pull the hell out of humanity.” - Paul Hutchinson

About Paul Hutchinson: Paul Hutchinson is a successful entrepreneur, investor, humanitarian, and international speaker whose work has impacted millions worldwide. He is the founder of the Child Liberation Foundation, leading efforts to protect thousands of children from trafficking and personally conducting over 70 rescue missions across 15 countries. He served as the primary investor and Executive Producer of Sound of Freedom, helping raise global awareness about child trafficking. Beyond humanitarian work, Paul built and sold a mental health company for $20 million and co-founded Bridge Investment Group, which grew to over $20 billion in assets under management. Today, he inspires global leaders through transformational retreats, keynote speeches, and his work on conscious leadership, entrepreneurship, and creating positive impact.

Connect with Paul Hutchinson:

Website: https://liberating-humanity.com/, https://childliberation.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulhutch/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if you’ve been building wealth backwards? In this episode, Dante Royster explores why building yourself comes before building your portfolio, and how redefining wealth around fulfillment, relationships, freedom, and purpose can change the way you approach success.

In this episode, Dante discusses:

• Personal development as the foundation of wealth
• Learning, curiosity, and “failure as tuition”
• Comfort vs. discomfort and embracing the grind
• Redefining wealth: fulfillment, relationships, and time
• Generational wealth, wisdom, and legacy

Key Takeaways:

• Lasting wealth is built on personal growth, discipline, resilience, and curiosity, rather than on income, assets, or net worth alone.
• Discomfort is often a signal of growth; staying too comfortable can quietly limit your potential and your options.
• Mistakes and losses are not just setbacks; they are “tuition” that teaches you what not to repeat and where to refine your strategy.
• Wealth without meaningful relationships, purpose, and internal fulfillment is incomplete, no matter how large the portfolio becomes.
• True financial freedom includes emotional freedom: not tying your worth to money, other people’s opinions, or the next big achievement.

“The goal isn't simply to become wealthy. The goal is to become someone capable of creating wealth without losing your health, your happiness, your relationships, and your family, and your integrity.” - Dante Royster

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A high-achieving entrepreneur and elite cyclist nearly lost her life—only to discover she’d been climbing the wrong mountain. In this episode, Debra Sunderland shares how a devastating accident transformed her definition of success and leadership.

In this episode, Dante and Debra discuss:

• Achievement-driven identity and constant winning
• The cycling accident and second-chance awakening
• Unconscious beliefs, ego, and the amygdala
• Trust, ownership, and building high-performing cultures
• Inner work, emotional intelligence, and redefining success

Key Takeaways:

• Building a life around constant achievement and winning can create deep anxiety, conditional identity, and transactional relationships, even when everything looks “successful” on the outside.
• A crisis or life-altering event can become a powerful wake-up call, forcing a shift from survival and performance to purpose, presence, and genuine fulfillment.
• Unconscious beliefs such as “I’m not enough” and “I don’t have enough” can quietly drive control, micromanagement, defensiveness, and cultural dysfunction.
• Truly thriving organizations are built when leaders invest in people, create clear agreements, foster ownership instead of mere accountability, and choose trust over control.
• Joy and peace are inner states that cannot be supplied by titles, money, or wins; they flow from doing the inner work, feeling emotions fully, and consciously choosing who you want to become.

“My life was spared to wake you up to yours.” - Debra Sunderland

About Debra Sunderland: Debra Sunderland is a nationally recognized business leader, entrepreneur, and conscious leadership coach with experience across wealth management, technology, architecture, engineering, construction, banking, marketing, music, and healthcare. Through Sunderland Coaching, she has worked with organizations including Curi Capital, UBS, PNC Bank, SESAC, and Mars, helping leaders and teams achieve meaningful transformation. Her work has been featured by Crain’s Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune, Fox News, ABC, NBC, and CBS.

After surviving a life-altering cycling accident in 2013, Debra’s perspective on success, purpose, and fulfillment was forever changed. Today, as a certified Conscious Leadership Coach, emotional intelligence expert, and Enneagram practitioner, she helps CEOs, founders, and teams develop greater self-awareness, accountability, collaboration, and joy while building healthier organizations.

Connect with Debra Sunderland:

Website: https://www.sunderlandcoaching.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrasunderland/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What if building wealth has less to do with how much you earn and more with how you think about money? In this episode, Chris Kidd shares the mindset shifts, investing principles, and daily habits that helped him become a millionaire by age 24, and explains why learning to make money work for you is more important than simply earning more.

In this episode, Dante and Chris discuss:

• Broken traditional path of job, pension, and retirement
• Deprogramming from consumer mindset to investor mindset
• Cash flow, inflation, and why "storing" money beats simply saving it
• Managing investment risk through structured options strategies
• Habits, routines, risk-taking, and lifelong learning for wealth

Key Takeaways:

• The traditional “go to school, get a job, save, retire” path is increasingly broken as inflation, medical costs, and longer lifespans outpace fixed retirement savings.
• Financial progress depends less on income and more on strategy, specifically learning to make money work for you instead of only trading hours for dollars.
• Shifting from a consumer mindset (“What can I buy?”) to an investor mindset (“How can I grow this?”) radically changes long-term outcomes.
• Risk is unavoidable if you want to grow, but it doesn’t have to be reckless; education, structure, and a strong team can dramatically reduce downside.
• Consistency in habits, routines, and ongoing education, especially through books and mentors, is a common denominator among high achievers in any field.

“Go for it. Don't play life scared… everything involves risk, and to grow big, you have to take risks. But a risk does not have to be risky; there is a difference.” - Chris Kidd

About Chris Kidd: Chris Kidd is a financial coach, investor, entrepreneur, and business growth strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping individuals and business owners build wealth, grow successful businesses, and achieve financial freedom. He became a millionaire at 24 and has since built expertise in business growth, commercial real estate, options trading, and financial coaching.

A former co-host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business radio show, Chris is known for turning complex financial concepts into practical strategies. His coaching focuses on the mindset, discipline, and systems needed to build lasting wealth, create generational assets, and achieve greater financial freedom.

Connect with Chris Kidd:

Website: https://chriskidd.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskiddfinancialcoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriskiddenterprises

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financialcoachkidd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@financialcoachkid

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

From hoarder houses to entire downtown blocks, this episode walks through how one investor turned distressed properties into generational wealth by putting people before profit.

In this episode, Dante and Dwan discuss:

• Misconceptions about “get rich quick” real estate investing
• First hoarder-house rehab and learning construction from scratch
• How technology changed finding deals and building trust
• “People before profit” and ethics in working with distressed sellers
• Creative/owner financing and revitalizing a small Iowa downtown

Key Takeaways:

• Sustainable real estate success requires far more work, patience, and realism than “fix and flip for quick cash” narratives suggest.
• You don’t need to know everything on day one; you can skill up deal by deal using classes, tools, and hands-on experimentation.
• Prioritizing the homeowner’s outcome, especially in distress or foreclosure, builds a reputation that ultimately leads to more and better opportunities.
• Creative financing, particularly owner financing with multiple-offer structures, can unlock properties and portfolios that traditional bank loans never could.
• Generational wealth is intentional: someone in the family must be the first to build, systematize, and protect assets so they last beyond a single lifetime.

“You need to put the people over the profit. Because when you start doing that, you're going to find out you're going to lose all your deals because you're going to get a bunch of bad juju on you, and nobody's going to want to work with you.” - Dwan Bent-Twyford

About Dwan Bent-Twyford: Dwan Bent-Twyford is a 30-year veteran real estate investor who has flipped over 2,000 properties and is recognized as one of America’s most sought-after real estate experts. She specializes in passive income, rentals, fix-and-flips, creative financing, commercial properties, and more, while teaching the A-to-Z of real estate investing through her podcast. As the creator and trademark holder of the term “Short Sales” in real estate investing, Dwan brings decades of experience, incredible industry connections, and unique insights from top experts. Beyond money, she focuses on personal growth and well-being, guided by her motto: “People Before Profits.” She is also a three-time bestselling author and a trusted guest across podcasts, media, radio, and television.

Connect with Dwan Bent-Twyford:

Website: https://dwanderful.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwanbenttwyford/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dwanderful

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwanderful/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Most people try to fix their circumstances, but what if the real work is changing how you see? In this episode, Dante connects three powerful conversations into a blueprint for better leadership, relationships, and life.

In this episode, Dante discusses:

• Self-awareness as the foundation for change and leadership
• Conflict as feedback and opportunity, not failure
• Solving root causes versus treating symptoms
• Growth, discomfort, and the “seasons” of business and life
• Using questions, AI, and self-audits to uncover blind spots

Key Takeaways:

• Real change starts with awareness; you can’t improve what you don’t understand about yourself or your situation.
• Conflict is not the enemy; it’s feedback that, when addressed honestly, can deepen understanding and prevent bigger blow-ups later.
• Many people waste energy solving surface-level symptoms instead of taking the time to identify and address the true root problem.
• Growth is inherently uncomfortable, much like growing pains, and learning the “seasons” of your life or business helps you navigate that discomfort more wisely.
• Asking better questions of yourself, others, and even AI reveals blind spots, clarifies priorities, and leads to more intentional leadership and living.

“We spend most of our lives trying to change our circumstances when the real work is changing how we see.” - Dante Royster

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Most people blame themselves for “bad decisions,” but this episode reveals how broken systems and bad design are often really to blame. Dr. Don Norman explains how everyday design failures, from confusing doors and stove controls to nuclear power plants, quietly shape our choices and our lives.

In this episode, Dante and Dr. Don discuss:

• System design vs. personal failure in financial decisions
• Everyday bad design (“Norman doors,” stoves, light switches)
• Human error types: slips, capture errors, description errors
• AI as a collaborative assistant for better decision-making and design
• Emotional design, creativity, and redesigning economic incentives

Key Takeaways:

• Many “bad decisions,” especially in complex areas like finance or home buying, stem less from individual failure and more from systems that are confusing, opaque, and poorly designed.
• People naturally blame themselves when they can’t operate everyday objects, but in reality, much of the frustration comes from flawed design that ignores how humans actually think and behave.
• Human errors are often predictable rather than random. Capture errors, description errors, and slips become more likely when routines, time pressure, or confusing interfaces work against us.
• Generative AI represents a step-change in technology: used as a collaborator rather than a replacement, it can augment human judgment, surface hidden issues, and make complex decisions more informed.
• Truly impactful design and even economic systems should optimize for long-term quality of life and community well-being, not short-term profits or sales metrics, and often require “mavericks” who challenge the way things have always been done.

“One of the reasons that it's hard to detect dementia and Alzheimer's is because a lot of the errors that are caused by the disease are also the kind of errors we do every day.” - Dr. Don Norman

About Dr. Don Norman: Don Norman is Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Founder of the Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego. He previously served as Vice President of Advanced Technology at Apple and an executive at HP, and is the co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he has received numerous honors, including lifetime achievement awards from ACM and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, as well as the 2022 Frontier Design Prize. He currently advises Tongji University in Shanghai and the School of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Don has authored 21 books translated into more than 20 languages, including The Design of Everyday Things and Emotional Design. His latest book is Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, Humanity-Centered.

Connect with Dr. Don Norman:

Website: https://jnd.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnorman/

Book - The Design of Everyday Things: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

What really causes athletes to crumble when everything is on the line? In this episode, we dive into the fear of failure, the fight-or-flight response, and how mental skills can change a career.

In this episode, Dante and Dr. Richard discuss:

• Fear of failure vs. practice performance
• Fight-or-flight, the brain, and performance under pressure
• Why coaches and sports psychologists must work together to unlock peak performance
• Age-specific fears: kids, teens, college, and pros
• How coaches, teammates, and mental skills influence performance

Key Takeaways:

• The single biggest difference between practice and competition is the presence of consequences, which introduces fear of failure and disrupts performance.
• When the brain perceives danger, whether real or imagined, it triggers a fight, flight, or freeze response that tightens the body and narrows focus, making smooth athletic performance nearly impossible.
• Personality traits, such as being highly self-critical or living “in your own head,” can make athletes more vulnerable to pressure, even if their physical skills are elite.
• The primary fear shifts with age: young kids fear letting parents down, teens fear judgment and exposure as a “fraud,” college athletes fear losing scholarships, and pros fear losing their entire career.
• One of the most powerful mental tools is learning to talk to yourself like a supportive teammate, replacing harsh self-criticism with kind, constructive self-talk to protect confidence and self-esteem.

“For good or bad, fear drives motivation, and so then, therefore, if you do not know how to deal with it psychologically, you're more than likely you're going to negatively, you will experience negative results from not knowing how to deal with.” - Dr. Richard Trammel

About Dr. Richard Trammel: Dr. Richard Trammel is one of the most credentialed sport psychology coaches in the United States, combining elite athletic experience, business leadership, and advanced academic training. With more than 30 years of competing and teaching golf, he played professionally from 1989 to 1996 and later coached amateur and professional golfers across the United States and Europe. He also founded ShotSavers Golf, Inc., where he invented and manufactured golf training products, built a global affiliate network, earned a U.S. patent, and published work in golf instruction. Driven by a passion for the mental side of performance, Dr. Trammel earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama (summa cum laude), a Master’s degree from Springfield College, and a Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Psychology from the University of Western States (with distinction), along with MBA studies at Auburn University. As a P.G.A. professional, he combines real-world athletic experience with psychological expertise to help athletes develop the mindset, discipline, and mental strategies needed to perform at their best.

Connect with Dr. Richard Trammel:

Website: https://level3sports.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrichardtrammel/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/level3sportspsychology

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/level.3.sports.psychology/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or afraid to take the next big step? This conversation breaks down the science of habits, identity, and accountability so you can finally move forward.

In this episode, Dante and Ronnie discuss:

• Habits versus motivation and why momentum wins
• Clarifying your “why” and true goals beneath surface desires
• Career transitions, personal training, and the path to life coaching
• The science and structure of habit formation and behavior change
• Identity, accountability, and breaking “bad” habits

Key Takeaways:

• Sustainable change comes less from bursts of motivation and more from consistent, repeatable habits that run on autopilot.
• Getting crystal clear on your true “why” beneath any goal can reduce overwhelm and guide the right actions.
• Systems, preparation, and structure make risk-taking less terrifying and more strategic.
• Habit formation depends on the right triggers, realistic abilities, and built-in rewards that give your brain the dopamine it craves.
• Breaking unhelpful habits starts with understanding the real reward they provide and reshaping your identity around who you want to be.

“Your habits are your identity. What you do every day on a consistent basis, and how you habitually think. Your default thinking is you; it's your identity.” - Ronnie Lo

About Ronnie Lo: Ronnie Loaiza is a Certified Habit Coach, Master Certified Professional Life Coach, and Certified Personal Trainer dedicated to helping people reach their small to big goals by building habits that are natural, sustainable, and aligned with their values and wants. Unlike quick fixes and temporary hacks that often lead to burnout, Ronnie focuses on a science-backed habit-building process through simple actions that develop into lasting habits without relying on rigid discipline, waiting for motivation, or willpower. With years of coaching experience and a deep understanding of behavioral science, Ronnie translates cutting-edge research into practical steps, guiding people in creating small yet effective habits. Her approach helps reprogram the Habitual Way of Thinking, allowing positive habits to become a natural part of daily routines while staying aligned with one’s identity. Ronnie’s coaching focuses on support, accountability, and celebrating progress through pragmatic and science-based methods that create sustainable and meaningful change. Outside of coaching, Ronnie enjoys dancing, watching movies, strength training, traveling, and spending time with her husband and cats.

Connect with Ronnie Lo:

Website: https://ronnielolifecoach.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnielolifecoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonnieCLoaiza

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronnielolifecoach/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

If you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation and paid for it later, this episode will change how you see conflict forever. Discover a smarter way to manage tension at home, at work, and in leadership.

In this episode, Dante and Yvette discuss:

• Conflict intelligence vs. emotional intelligence
• Meta skills and communication in high-tension moments
• Internal conflict, early conditioning, and toxic relationship patterns
• Costs and boundaries of being the “peacemaker”
• Conflict, HR culture, and organizational transformation

Key Takeaways:

• Avoiding conflict doesn’t create peace; it simply delays an eventual explosion that often costs far more emotionally, relationally, and financially.
• Emotional intelligence is powerful but incomplete without the additional skills, awareness, and mindset needed to navigate real conflict situations.
• Conflict management relies heavily on meta skills, like reading body language, managing tone, and staying flexible in your thinking, rather than just what you say.
• Being the constant peacemaker without boundaries can lead to emotional exhaustion, heaviness, and burnout if you don’t have tools to protect and regulate yourself.
• When organizations rely solely on punitive HR systems instead of human-centered conflict practices, they miss the chance to build healthier cultures and avoid costly turnover and legal issues.

“In that, conflict is not necessarily bad. It is the way that people approach conflict that you were saying that makes it a very bad thing.” - Yvette Durazo

About Yvette Durazo: Yvette Durazo, MA, PCC, is a recognized expert in conflict intelligence, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. She is the author of Conflict Intelligence (Conflict-IQ™): The Missing Piece to Turbocharge Leaders’ and Organizations’ Emotional Intelligence and serves as Principal Consultant of Unitive Consulting, where she helps organizations strengthen workplace culture, communication, and performance through strategic conflict management and ombudsperson services.

With a focus on trust, inclusion, and human-centered leadership, Yvette equips professionals and teams with practical tools to engage in constructive dialogue, resolve challenges, and foster respectful, collaborative environments. Her approach positions conflict not as a disruption, but as a powerful opportunity to enhance engagement and organizational resilience.

Yvette also serves as a professor and advisor across multiple universities, teaching courses in human resources, mediation, and conflict resolution. She holds a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution, Negotiation, and Peacebuilding, is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coach Federation, and is certified in mediation, restorative justice facilitation, and nonviolent communication. Her diverse background includes leadership roles in the legal and ADR fields, further strengthening her ability to guide organizations through complex interpersonal dynamics with clarity and care.

Connect with Yvette Durazo:

Website: https://unitiveconsulting.com/en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvette-durazo/

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this solo reflection, Dante distills three meaningful interviews into one core truth: your future isn’t found; it’s constructed. He reflects on how story, freedom, systems, assets, and legacy shape the life you are building every day.

In this episode, Dante discusses:

• Owning your story versus living by others’ expectations
• Success, freedom, and the operator vs. owner mindset
• Calendar control, priorities, and intentional objectives
• Income vs. assets, enterprise value, and good vs. bad debt
• Building legacy, meaning, and a life that outlasts your individual efforts

Key Takeaways:

• Your life is shaped every day by the habits, systems, and stories you choose to believe about yourself, whether you realize it or not.
• If your path is mostly a reaction to expectations, family, culture, or career pressures, you may be living someone else’s story instead of intentionally authoring your own.
• Real success includes freedom; without systems that allow your business or work to function without you, you may have only created another job for yourself.
• Focusing only on income keeps you vulnerable to changing seasons, while steadily building assets creates leverage, stability, and long-term net worth.
• The most meaningful businesses and lives are those that become memorable, outlive individual effort, and leave the world better than they found it.

“We spend so much of our lives reacting to circumstances when the real work is intentionally designing who we're becoming.” - Dante Royster

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed in are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

This episode breaks down why “making money” isn’t the same as building a valuable business and what to look at in your numbers if you want to scale or sell.

In this episode, Dante and Jaysum discuss:

• Defining and understanding enterprise value
• Leadership, vision, and getting “unstuck” in business
• Key numbers and red flags in underperforming companies
• Growth through acquisition vs. one-store-at-a-time expansion
• Impact, community, and building businesses that outlast the founder

Key Takeaways:

• Focusing only on revenue can hide serious vulnerabilities; understanding enterprise value means looking at the whole business, brand, systems, talent, and exit potential.
• Leadership sets the tone for whether a company stays stuck or becomes scalable, especially in how it confronts sales, culture, and system problems.
• When 90% of revenue comes from a single product, place, or person, the business is exposed to outsized risk that many investors will quickly walk away from.
• Rapid, meaningful growth often comes not from adding one store or one client at a time, but from acquisitions that upgrade systems, talent, and infrastructure.
• Businesses that prioritize impact on employees, neighborhoods, and communities tend to create more opportunity, attract better talent, and build lasting value.

“To me, it's still all about leadership, you know. It's everything starts at the top.” - Jaysum Hunter

About Jaysum Hunter: Jaysum Hunter is the Managing Partner of 575 Asset Management & Advisory, a Chicago-based firm focused on helping founders, investors, and operators increase enterprise value through financial clarity, operational discipline, and strategic growth execution. With over 20 years of experience across finance, advisory, and M&A, he has helped investors and operators improve cash flow, build lender-ready financials, and transform underperforming businesses into scalable, income-producing assets.

Today, Jaysum advises companies generating $30M to $100M in revenue and is actively acquiring businesses in the $3M to $30M range, with a long-term vision of building a $200M acquisition platform. His work centers on turning under-optimized businesses into lender-ready, investor-grade assets.

Known for his disciplined mindset, Jaysum once completed a 1,000-mile bike ride from Chicago to Mobile—reflecting his belief that execution builds confidence.

Connect with Jaysum Hunter:

Website: https://575asm.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysum-hunter-63612324/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/575asm/

Phone: 312-639-4050

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website: https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website: Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook: EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKTRWLRP

LinkedIn: Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube: Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production byhttps://www.turnkeypodcast.com/Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Discover how daily practices, deep reading, and the courage to be vulnerable can transform pain into purpose. This episode offers a framework for reclaiming your story and building a life that actually feels like yours.

In this episode, Dante and Antonio Michael discuss:

• Defining home, belonging, and identity beyond geography
• Daily rituals as the foundation of self and emotional regulation
• Storytelling, language, and how narratives shape our lives
• Purpose, discipline, and the feeling of being lost as a catalyst for reinvention
• Vulnerability, memoir vs. novel, and the power of books and reading

Key Takeaways:

• Identity and home can’t be safely built on external circumstances; they’re grounded in inner rituals, character, and the story you choose to live in.
• Consistent practices like meditation, journaling, movement, reading, and music can act as both therapy and architecture for a stable inner world.
• The story you tell yourself about who you are, where you’ve been, and what you’re here to do is one of the most powerful tools you have to change your life.
• Purpose makes discipline almost irrelevant, because when you are aligned with what you’re meant to do, showing up becomes the natural default.
• Writing about your life requires distance and emotional processing; vulnerability becomes meaningful and useful to others only after you’ve done the inner work.

“I control the narrative, I control the story that I'm in, and if I can do that, then I can change anything about the outcome that I'm headed to.” - Antonio Michael Downing

About Antonio Michael Downing: Antonio Michael Downing is an acclaimed author, broadcaster, and musician whose work is deeply rooted in his personal history. Shaped by a multicultural upbringing across Trinidad, Liberia, and rural Canada, his writing explores themes of displacement, identity, and belonging. His celebrated memoir, Saga Boy, which traces this diasporic journey, was hailed as "singularly dazzling" by Kiese Laymon. His novel Black Cherokee has been called "a triumph" by Ian Williams, and his broader literary work has garnered award nominations. He channels this multifaceted heritage into all his roles: as the host of CBC Radio's The Next Chapter, as the performing musician John Orpheus, and as a compelling speaker on creativity and culture.

Connect with Antonio Michael Downing:

Website: https://www.antoniomichaeldowning.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-michael-downing/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.orpheus.3/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antoniomichaeldowning

Connect with Dante Royster:

Website:https://www.danteroyster.com/https://www.danteroyster.com/

Epic Mortgage Website:https://bison-primrose-e28y.squarespace.com/Epic Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 1885086

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpicMortgage1885086EpicMortgage1885086

Epic Mortgage Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/https://www.instagram.com/epicmortgage/

“The Ultimate Mortgage Guide” book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Mortgage-Guide-Secure-Best/dp/1956220631

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-royster-36b80b5/Dante Royster | LinkedIn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanteRoysterhttps://twitter.com/DanteRoyster

YouTube:Epic Spotlight

Email: dante@epic.mortgage

The 9 states that Epic Mortgage is licensed are: Illinois/Indiana/Michigan/Colorado/Maryland/Virginia/Florida/Georgia/Texas

Show notes by Podcastologist: Francine Poblete

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions.You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.