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I had the honor of hosting a long-time mentor and friend, Robert Larson, CPC. Bob’s journey is one I’ve followed since the start of my first business, and he even inspired my own early yoga practice by bringing his personal interests into the workplace.

The episode is less about business growth and more about personal resilience and the powerful difference between working on your business versus in it; and ultimately, working on yourself.

From Bicycle Messengers to Boutique Practice
Bob's career spans decades, starting when résumés were shuttled by bicycle messengers and a portable fax machine cost $4,500. He built a large, successful staffing firm. However, as the conversation reveals, he deliberately chose to downsize a few years ago.

He found that running a large operation meant working on the business. Downsizing allowed him to return to the craft, the hands-on work of interviewing and placement, and find fulfillment, proving that the work is more fulfilling.

The Catastrophic Gift of Life
Bob's most compelling story is about the massive health crisis he faced over 20 years ago that put him on life support, reshaping his outlook on life, work, and gratitude.

He discusses how his decades-long practices in silent meditation and Bikram (hot) yoga became his lifeline. When he woke up on a respirator, he used the machine's rhythm to perform Ujjayi breathing meditation. As his sister-in-law wisely noted, he "trained his entire life for these illnesses." Now, at 75, he embodies reinvention and acceptance, trading marathons for chair yoga, and viewing every physical challenge as a teaching moment.

The Core Takeaway: Find Your DNA
Life comes with no warranties or guarantees. Bob's advice on career and contentment is simple yet revolutionary: find what is in your DNA and what you love to do, and the money will follow. His perspective on career fulfillment, the necessity of personal practice, and the struggle to stay in the present moment is a powerful reminder that awareness is the practice, and coming back to stillness is the key to clarity.

"If a person does what they love, the money follows because they rise to the top of what they're doing." — Robert Larson, CPC

Listen to the Full Conversation

Don't miss Bob's incredible story of resilience and his profound advice on living an aware and grateful life.

Books, Websites, and Resources Mentioned

We always highlight the resources mentioned by our guests so you can follow their lead.

• Substack: You can follow Bob Larson's active daily blog and get a peek into his daily practice of gratitude and awareness
• A Book for Letting Go: Let Them by Mel Robbins
• The Business Essential: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
• Career Assessments: The Kuder Career Assessment and Campbell Interest and Skill Survey

Until next time, friends,

Chris

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Welcome back Marnie Stockman, Ed.D. and Nick Coniglio, authors of the phenomenal new book, The Business of You.

This episode provides a complete methodology for anyone doing the “right things” (good grades, internships, etc.) but still struggling to stand out or land the job they actually want. It's time to stop letting the world define your value and start defining it yourself.

The traditional career ladder is obsolete. We discuss why you must Run Your Life Like a Business, serving as your own CEO, Head of HR (identifying your core values), and Head of Marketing (crafting your personal brand).

We explore the essential difference between the old Credential Ladder (stacking titles) and the Value Ladder (generating value for others). Learn why you need a Personal Board of Advisors—specifically a Challenger—to push you.

Your competitive advantage is your Story. In a world of AI-scanned resumes, learn how to move from selling your story to genuinely sharing it. Finally, we cover the Power of Adaptability and why you must practice resilience using a pre-mortem to stress-test your plans before they fail.

“If you’re not intentionally taking care of what your persona is in the public, it will be done for you. People will make assumptions.”

Listen to Episode 67 for the full discussion.

Until next time, friends,

Chris

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I’ve wanted Ari Weinzweig on the show for a long time. If you don’t know Ari, he co-founded Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor and helped grow a single deli into a whole community of businesses including a bakehouse, coffee shop, candy store, ZingTrain, and more, without losing soul. That’s rare.

We cover a lot, but here are the big beats, human-sized:

From Dishes to Direction

Ari didn’t plan a career in food. He connected with great people, put in the work, and eventually discovered the power of writing a clear, story-based vision, not just a spreadsheet of goals.

It’s All One Life

Self-awareness isn’t a side project. If you’re pretending to be someone else at work, it shows. The real win is being the same person both on and off the clock.

Systems That Serve People

ZingTrain turned good habits into teachable tools: purposeful meetings, open-book rhythms, and change done with people (Bottom-Line Change).

Business as Art

What if every email, service moment, and decision is a brushstroke? Choose beauty on purpose, especially when it’s easier not to.

Dignity, Daily

Ari shared six practices that make workplace cultures feel different in the best way:

• Honor everyone’s humanity
• Be authentic (without acting out)
• Give people a meaningful say
• Start from positive beliefs
• Help folks reach their version of greatness (within your values)
• Work toward equity: pay, information, access, and support

Why This Matters Right Now

Uncertain times tempt leaders to tighten fists and shrink vision. Ari argues the opposite: tell a vivid story of where you’re going, build simple systems that help people win, and practice dignity, especially when you’re tired. That combination scales culture without hollowing it out.

Links & resources

• Listen to Episode #66 with Ari Weinzweig
• Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (deli, bakehouse, creamery, mail order, coffee, Roadhouse, candy, Cornman Farms, Miss Kim, food tours)
• ZingTrain training: visioning, service, open-book habits, Bottom-Line Change
• Ari’s books & pamphlets: A Lapsed Anarchist’s Guide series; The Art of Business; A Revolution of Dignity; Life Lessons I Learned fro