Junk Refund Show, February 12, 2026

Junk Refund Show with Alan J. Cook The Junk Refund Show: Leadership, AI Innovation, and the Art of Decluttering The Junk Refund Show | Feb 12, 2026 Hosted by Alan J. Cook: Transforming junk removal into a value-return ecosystem. #Entrepreneurship The Presidential Manifesto In honor of Abe Lincoln's 217th birthday, Alan's 5-point leadership plan: Civility: Publicly apologize for political rudeness (e.g., to Portland). Professionalism: Encourage mayors to avoid profanity in pressers. Spirituality: Prioritize time for God and individual blessings. Forgiveness: Move past grudges to unlock "The Healing Power." Service: Focus on random acts of kindness to find personal joy. "It’s not a question of if the item is good, it’s a question of what is it good for?" — The Golden Rule of Decluttering #AI_Innovation #LeisureWorld #Decluttering #Leadership The "Junk Refund" Proof $3,200Returned From a $375 removal job. 🤖AI Revolution Donny Osmond: Using AI to perform with his 15-year-old self in Vegas. BBS Radio: Automated show summaries & images generated in 30 mins. Leisure World Case 6 years of vacancy, 84 steps to elevator. Innovation: Using a reclining hospital chair as a high-capacity dolly for boxes. ✈️ New Milestone: Junking a 32ft Beechcraft Queen Air airplane. 1-800-JUNK REFUND | Rockville, MD ⏱️ 60 Min Broadcast | Thursdays 3PM ET In this episode of the Junk Refund Show, host Alan J. Cook reflects on leadership lessons from Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence on the media industry, and practical psychological strategies for effective decluttering based on his extensive experience in the junk removal business. Detailed Insights A Vision for Leadership: The "Five-Point" Presidential Agenda Coinciding with Abraham Lincoln’s 217th birthday and President’s Day weekend, Alan J. Cook outlines five core actions he would take if he were President of the United States to improve national discourse and individual well-being. These include offering a public apology to the City of Portland for past disparagement, encouraging professional decorum among public officials, and advocating for citizens to prioritize spiritual strength and the "healing power of forgiveness." He emphasizes that true leadership involves lifting others up rather than finding fault, illustrated by his personal experience helping an elderly woman cross an icy street in Alexandria. The Leadership Manifesto Civility: Apologize for political rudeness and bashings. Professionalism: Encourage decorum in public office. Spirituality: Make time for personal religious strength. Forgiveness: Replace fault-finding with the power to heal. Service: Perform intentional acts of kindness for others. The AI Revolution in Media and Business The program highlights the rapid integration of AI in both entertainment and broadcasting. Alan discusses how entertainer Donny Osmond uses AI to interact with a 15-year-old version of himself on stage, effectively changing the entertainment landscape. Furthermore, he praises the BBS Radio Network for utilizing AI to automate show summaries, transcriptions, and marketing materials within 30 minutes of recording—a process that previously took days. This shift serves as a call to action for all business owners to examine how AI can streamline their operations and prevent them from being "left behind". Professional Junk Removal: Case Studies and Innovation Alan shares details from a complex, multi-month cleanout of a vacant condo in Leisure World, Silver Spring. The project required innovative problem-solving, such as repurposing a heavy-duty reclining hospital chair as a "dolly" to transport boxes down long hallways and elevators. This job also revealed common hoarding patterns, including the discovery of dozens of boxes of loose paper towels and unused laundry detergent, likely stockpiled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The "Might" Trap vs. Reality "It’s not a question of if the item is good, it’s a question of what is it good for?" The "Might" Mindset Holding onto items because they "might" be useful later leads to clutter and mental weight. The Action Mindset If there is no immediate use or specific future occasion, the item is likely just "junk." The Psychology of Decluttering A central theme of the episode is the "mental game" of holding onto items. Alan argues that the word "might"—as in "we might use this later"—is often a precursor to "probably not." He encourages listeners to move past the sentiment that an item is "good" and instead ask what specific purpose it serves. By breaking the cycle of stockpiling (such as keeping every plastic restaurant container), individuals can prevent their homes from becoming cluttered and avoid the eventual cost of professional removal. Key Data Refund Success Story: One client spent 375∗∗onremovalandreceived∗∗$375 on removal and received $3,200 back after the company sold her items. Logistical Effort: The ...