On this episode, we build with Mary Laurence McMillan Crook. Lovingly known as ML, she is the Executive Director of Camp Seafarer, where she leads more than 1,000 campers, counselors and volunteers each summer.ML has been in my life since childhood. We went to the same schools, church and played copious amounts of flag football together. I'm thrilled to get her on the mic!It was no surprise that we spanned lots of topics during this conversation. ML highlighted what life at camp is like and how they offer a unique setting for anyone on site. We talked about our shared experience of losing a parent and how that's affected each of us. ML shared how important rhythms and routines can be at home and at camp. We talked about the power of community and how we as humans need community to thrive. Along with so much more!ML has long been one of my favorite people in my life and I'm so honored and glad she accepted my invitation to join the pod for this episode.I hope you'll enjoy this wide ranging conversation!Books Referenced:Love Does by Bob GoffHabits of the Household by Justin Whitmel EarleyHunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen DoucleffFind more about Camp Seafarer and Camp Seagull here: https://www.seagull-seafarer.org/

On this episode, we Build with Zack Stone. Zack is a second-time guest as he joined us on episode 38 with his business partner, Joel Fleming, to discuss all things real estate and life. In this episode we discuss kidnapping, water-skiing, Stoicism, decision making, juicing an onion, how we are finite, weight loss, diet, optionality and so much more. As you can see, we touched a lot of topics. Zack has one of the most unique perspectives of anyone in my life and it was a pleasure to have him on!Zack graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in Business and Enterprise Management. Over the years that followed, Zack started and successfully closed a private debt fund, assisted several small businesses as a consultant, started a private equity search fund and now runs Devereaux alongside Joel.Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Zack Stone!Books Referenced:Eat to LiveThe Stoic ChallengeHow Not to DieDiscourses of Epictetus

This is a special "Podcast Takeover"!Our friend, Joel Fleming, takes the mic as host of this special episode of The Build with Clay Podcast. Joel knows what the people want - and it's an interview with Clay and his brother, Jamie Davis. In this episode, Joel spends the first 25 minutes asking Clay and Jamie to answer get-to-know-you questions, weaving between serious and not-so-serious. Joel then has the brothers dive into their lives and how they were impacted by fatherhood and losing their father to ALS. Discussion leads into how their perspective on work has evolved and how the word "love" is now used in the Davis household. Enjoy!Book Referenced: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

In this episode we Build with David Foley. I wanted Foley (known by his last name in our friend circle) to come on the pod for many reasons - one of which is he recently retired at the age of 37. We chat about what went into that decision, what variables he considered and what advice he has for others contemplating early retirement. We also discuss how to optimally design your life, travel tips, what it’s like to be a lawyer, the power of reading and much more. Foley graduated with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina and then received his law degree from Duke University. Foley spent the first chapter of his career practicing law at Kirkland & Ellis, one of the country’s most elite law firms. He then become a Director of Legal at multiple start up technology firms, concluding his career with CrowdStrike. I hope you enjoy this fun and wide ranging conversation with a dear friend!References:Rich, Broke or Dead?ERN Safe Withdrawal Rate SeriesBook RecommendationsThe MartianProject Hail MaryThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & ClayTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

On this episode, we Build with Joel Fleming and Zack Stone. This pair founded Devereux - a boutique real estate investment firm located in Raleigh, NC, specializing in the acquisition and management of multifamily and commercial properties. We chat about how they founded the company, the development of a growth strategy, how no one knows what’s going on, how to artfully ask others for money and so much more. We had a lot of fun in this episode which is jam packed with actionable tips, interesting stories and plenty of laughs. Please enjoy this fun and wide ranging conversation with Joel and Zack!Zack graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in Business and Enterprise Management. Over the years that followed, Zack started and successfully closed a private debt fund, assisted several small businesses with their recapitalization efforts as a consultant, and most recently established a private equity search fund that would start a commercial security integration company and later acquire a large audio/visual integration company.Joel graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Sport Management. Throughout his career, Joel has followed his entrepreneurial spirit by working as a commercial real estate broker, operating and successfully exiting a multi-unit franchise business, and actively sourcing investment opportunities in real estate and private equity.Devereux is a boutique real estate investment firm located in Raleigh, NC, specializing in the acquisition and management of multifamily and commercial properties. Our team combines a background of real estate, business management and private equity to provide sound, technical evaluations of investments. To learn more, visit their website.Recommendations:The Waking Up AppThe Master and Margarita

On this episode, we Build with Ricky Shore. Ricky graduated from North Carolina State University and started his first career with Wachovia Bank. 25 years later he left the Bank as a senior executive and purchased Aladdin Travel and Meeting Planners. 14 years later, he sold Aladdin and is now happily retired from not just 1, but 2 careers.In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss life with 3 kids, his journey from being with the bank for 25 years to pivoting to owning his own travel company. We get into what "Rickyism's" are and how they help build a strong culture that's built to last. Ricky also shares how to incentivize people the right way and how to pick the right clients.Ricky is married to Sally (41 years) and they have three children and seven grandchildren. They have lived in Hickory, NC, Atlanta, Georgia and now their hometown of Winston-Salem, NC.During his working career and in retirement Ricky has been a committed volunteer and helped numerous organizations with fundraising. He is active at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and has helped with 3 capital campaigns, served on the Vestry both Senior and Junior Warden. Today, Ricky is enjoying traveling, his children and grandchildren, golf, tennis, pickle ball, biking and not working.Enjoy!

On this episode we build with Skip Lineberg! Skip learned business, management and marketing at General Electric, during the Jack Welch heydays. He parlayed that experience into the founding of marketing communications firm, Maple Creative, where he led the firm as CEO and Chief Creative Officer from 2001 to 2010. He later served as Chief Innovation Officer at the law firm Spilman Thomas & Battle. Skip also worked at Frontier Communications, serving as solution developer and scrum master. He presently works for CAMC as its digital strategy manager. Skip is an Honors Program graduate of West Virginia University (B.S. Industrial Engineering) where he studied with Dr. Jack Byrd (from episode 11), who remains his mentor to this day. Skip is co-author of the book, “Effective Immediately – How to Fit In, Stand Out and Move Up at Your First Real Job.” Published by Random House in 2010, the book is in its third printing. He’s also the founder and host of the popular show “The Main Thing Podcast.” While podcasting is his passion, Skip’s purpose is teaching. He views every role and opportunity from the perspective of a coach. He resides in Charleston, West Virginia with wife Lisa and two children. The Main Thing Podcast - Hosted by Skip LinebergSubscribe to Skip's email newsletterPurchase Skip's book, "Effective Immediately"Book Recommendations:The Checklist Manifesto by Atul GawandeTribes by Seth Godin

On this episode, we Build with Mary-Kathryn Connor!Mary-Kathryn Connor is the Director of Hayes Barton United Methodist Preschool. She is a native of Goldsboro, NC and holds a Bachelor's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Meredith College and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Intervention and Family Support from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has her B-K, K-6, and 7-12 teaching licenses. She has a vast resume of experiences having been a teacher, department chair, and adjunct instructor at Moore Square Magnet Middle School, Needham B. Broughton High School and Meredith College. Through her skillful leadership, Mary-Kathryn brought about instrumental change and success not only in programming but also in student achievement and staff support. The Wake County Public School System recognized her work by naming her Wake County’s Diane Kent Parker First Year Teacher of the Year, Broughton High School Teacher of the Year, Wake County Teacher of the Year Finalist, WRAL Teacher of the Week, WCPSS Employee Excellence Award recipient, and the Richard M. Jewell Teaching Excellence Award. This was such a fun conversation. We discuss so much in this episode, beginning with her journey through early childhood education (and some fun stories!). We discuss how she has surrounded herself with amazing talent and what advice she has for young families and those about to enter the real world. As Director of the Preschool, Mary-Kathryn has been surrounded by 150+ children for the last 5 years and I've seen firsthand how she has transformed an environment that has positively impacted the lives of so many, including my children. I want others to know her journey, what she's learned and be inspired to grow!Enjoy! Books Recommended:The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark ComerThe Lives We Actually Have by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

In this episode we Build with Theresa Caragol.Theresa Caragol is the founder and CEO, AchieveUnite Inc., a strategic consulting and education firm that provides channel, partnering, and business acceleration services to leaders and global enterprises. With Theresa’s leadership, AchieveUnite offers partner and channel development, go-to-market strategy, & channel integration, and executive education forums. Theresa is a sought-after influencer with more than 20 years of experience across over 50 countries, building and managing multi-million-dollar indirect channel teams and strategic alliance programs from inception to sales success. She has developed numerous Executive Advisory Boards and Think Tanks, and co-founded the Baptie Women’s Leadership Council. Theresa has received numerous IT industry channel accolades and is a member of the CompTIA Channel Faculty - curriculum development, Baptie Channel Chiefs, Industry Think Tank and Council – Facilitator, as well as Non-Profit Boards: National Choral Society. Theresa Caragol is also a sought-after speaker, trainer, and facilitator, and was recently featured in the books, How To Be A Woman In Technology (While Focusing On What Matters Most) and How to be an Emotionally Intelligent Leader.  Prior to founding AchieveUnite Inc., Theresa held senior executive roles at Extreme Networks, Ciena and Nortel. She holds a Bachelors from Virginia Tech, an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, and an Executive Masters in Leadership from Georgetown University Business School. Theresa regularly speaks, writes, and blogs on a variety of topics in notable publications such as Forbes.com, and for some of today’s most recognized technology companies.Website: AchieveUnite | Channel Partner Success and InnovationSubscribe to AU's Newsletter: AchieveUnite Partnering Insights Newsletter - AchieveUniteEbook-Thought Leadership: Thought Leadership - AchieveUniteJoin our upcoming PQi workshop:

In this episode, we chat with AP Capaldo de Aoun. AP serves as Assistant General Counsel at TD SYNNEX, one of the world’s largest distributors of technology products, services, and solutions. Previously, AP served as Director of Ethics & Compliance for Tech Data, and Associate General Counsel of Global Ethics & Compliance at Laureate Education, a leading higher education provider with more than 70 universities in 25 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.AP is responsible for legal support of the Americas region, including corporate transactional matters, litigation, and operations. Additionally, AP focuses her work on counseling the business on a variety of topics related to labor, employment, internal investigations, and regulatory matters. Previously she was lead counsel for the company’s Latin America region and the export division and the company’s global IP portfolio.AP received her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School and completed her undergraduate studies in English Literature at Florida International University. AP is a Supreme Court of Indiana CLEO Fellow, and served as Secretary of the Hispanic Law Students Association and Academic Chair of the Black Law Students Association at Notre Dame. She was a visiting scholar at the University of Bocconi School Of Law in Milan, Italy and worked at the St. Joseph County’s Public Defender’s Office in South Bend, Indiana. In the community, she has served as Legal Guardian at Miami Cerebral Palsy and volunteered with His House Children’s Home. AP calls Parkland, FL home with her husband and two young children.Enjoy!Article on APFind her on LinkedInBook Recommendation: Cribsheet by Emily Oster

In this episode, we build with Jeff Buehner. Twenty-eight years ago, Jeff came across the writings of the richest man to ever walk the earth, Sultan Musa of Mali. No one’s ever come close to this guy, not Jeff Bezos and not Elon Musk. The Sultan could not talk openly about how he learned these secrets, so he embedded the principles of his success in a fairytale so compelling that centuries later nearly everyone in the world is familiar with it. At the age of 12, Musa had a near death experience in which he met a man made of light who taught him how the world works, how creation works. Contained in his writings is something called the Language of the Gods. When you speak this language the world obeys your commands! As Jeff just dabbled in speaking this language, some very strange coincidences occurred. So, he got serious about speaking it... and his whole world changed! He went from a $60,000 a year concrete guy to making hundreds of thousands a month in a new business that just dropped into his lap. Over the past 28 years, Jeff has successfully mentored and coached countless others to speak this all-important language that changes everything. When you learn to speak the Language of the Gods, you can drastically improve your sales, success, fitness, relationships and anything else you desire. It’s all contained within Jeff's book, The Sultan’s Seven Secrets.Check out Jeff’s BookJeff’s WebsiteInstagram

On this episode, we build with Kathy Fehling. Kathy began her career in sales and worked up through management, often becoming the first woman to hold leadership positions in the company’s she work for. Then, in the middle of the night, Kathy decided it was time to start her own company. Over the next 20+ years she became an extremely successful executive recruiter – helping multi-billion dollar companies find their next CEO. In this episode, we explore her journey on what it was like to be a woman in a man’s world, starting her own company and the trials and tribulations along the way. Towards the end of the episode, we unearth what led her to retirement and what everyone should know about entering that phase of their life.Enjoy!Show NotesBook Rec: Retirement Roots - Robert LauraBook Rec: Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark ComerCompassion InternationalGuardium ad Litem

On this episode, we build with Kailey Lefko. Kailey the co-founder of the evidence-based social-emotional learning and mindfulness program for schools, Educalme. Educalme was developed in response to the rise in anxiety, stress and burnout in the classroom for both students and teachers. Kailey teaches educators worldwide how to integrate mindfulness into their lives and classrooms through professional development workshops and The Balanced Educator Podcast. Kailey holds bachelor’s degrees in science and education and is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga instructor trained in vinyasa and yin yoga. She is a leader in teacher and student wellness and we get into a fun conversation on this episode on all things mindfulness, education and why we can't learn when we are mad. Enjoy!References:Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor FranklAtomic Habits - James ClearCalm App - Meditation App RecommendationYou can find out more about Kailey's work at Educalme by visiting a special page for Build with Clay listeners: educalme.com/welcome Listen to The Balanced Educators PodcastClay's Favorite Episode

On this episode, we build with Marvin Guelce. Marv is a community leader through and through. Literally - that's his title at lululemon. Marv loves Atlanta. Marv loves flag football. Marv loves to bring people together. Our conversation begins by exploring his incredible journey from a tough up-bringing to now living without fear. He defines what it is to be a real man and how we shouldn't play the comparative games. We weave through other topics, all of which have played a role in who Marv is as a person - an incredible one at that. Enjoy getting to know Marv and plan to be inspired!References:For the Love of Men - Liz PlankMan Enough - Justin BaldoniGirls and Sex - Peggy OrensteinArticle about Marvin

On today’s episode, we Build with Matt Brooks. I have known Matt for the last 8 years, as we both worked at IBM in similar capacities. I have always found Matt to be extremely calm, kind and genuine. In this episode, I aim to unearth what makes him this way and how others can improve themselves in these areas. We end up discussing Matt’s extremely unique family situation, how that impacted him as a child, how important it is to normalize our differences and how we can better interact with the homeless. He also shares why he was kicked out of the FBI recruitment process - leading him to a successful career in technology, where he currently works at Google as a Data & Analytics Leader.Enjoy!References:7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyBack on My Feet (Non-profit supporting the homeless)

Welcome to the Dad Pod! In this episode, we welcome 2 guests, Ryan Denney (from episode 2!) and Loren Morse, to chat about being a dad. Each of us are in a different phase of fatherhood. Loren has 3 kids in their 30s (including my wife), I have 3 kids under 7 and Ryan has a 2 month old. We chat about how our lives changed, what surprised us and how we support our partner, ourselves and the child along the way. And of course, there’s a few incredibly hilarious dad jokes, too. Enjoy!

In this episode, we Build with Elizabeth Trinkaus. Elizabeth is the President of Pinnacle View, a life-enrichment company and the author of Enough Already! Yes, You Are. For over 25 years, she has helped thousands of clients around the world take steps to live their best life.She is a certified workshop leader of the Louise Hay Heal Your Life principles, a certified success coach and trainer of the Canfield Success Principles, a certified Pre-Cognitive Re-Educator, and holds a BS in counseling. She is the co-author of Conversations On Success with Deepak Chopra and Success Simplified with Stephen Covey and others.Elizabeth has been bringing her expertise to corporations, schools, retreats, and individuals. She has the education, experience, and tools that will provide the opportunity for you to accept that you are already enough, followed by the inspiration to manifest those precious dreams. She provides the avenue for you to experience the ultimate human freedom—the freedom that comes from knowing you can design your own life and live into your powerful new story. Enjoy!Elizabeth's WebsiteListen to Elizabeth's PodcastCheck out her bookBook Recommendations:The Four Agreements by Don Miguel RuizThe Gifts of Imperfection by Brenè Brown

At the urging of some listeners, it was requested that we have an episode where I'm the one on the hot seat. So on this episode, we Build with Clay.Jonathan Stokke from the Baseline Intelligence Podcast (and the first guest on this podcast) leads a conversation with me on all things time, attention and being in a hurry.Enjoy!Show NotesBaseline Intelligence Podcast7 Levels Deep (find your why)Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark Comer

In this episode, we Build with Doug Stevenson. Doug is the founder and president of Story Theater International, a speaking, training and consulting company, now based in Tucson, Arizona. His company trains thousands of professionals and executives each year, for clients that include Microsoft, Amgen, Bayer, Caterpillar, Oracle, Volkswagen, Hewlett Packard, Maytag, Super 8 Motels and others. His association clients include The National Education Association, The American Medical Association, The National Association of Realtors, The Wisconsin Municipal League, The Cattleman’s Beef Association and others.Since 1994, he has delivered keynotes and taught storytelling for business success in the US, Canada, Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, England, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Panama, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland and The Netherlands.Doug used to believe he was destined to be the next Bob Hope. That was back in the 1960’s when he was a child making up his mind about who he wanted to be. He dedicated 20 years of his life to becoming a successful actor, only to realize that his destiny was much greater and far more meaningful than being a movie star.Now, having spoken to audiences all over the world, and having coached and trained countless individuals on how to become amazing speakers, trainers and leaders – he’s discovered that he isn’t supposed to act like Bob Hope. His gift is the ability to give people hope.Doug is the creator of The Story Theater Method for strategic storytelling in business and author of the book by the same name. He is also the creator of The How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech System, and the Next Level Storytelling Video eLearning Series. He not only presents transformational speeches, he follows them by analyzing what he has just done. Not only does he make you laugh and cry, he teaches you how he does it. It’s as if he’s a magician who does a wonderful magic trick, and then takes you behind the curtain and shows you all of his secrets.Check out Doug's Podcast hereCheck out Clay's favorite episode hereCheck out Doug's Website hereEnjoy!

Ali is a graduate of Clemson University with a degree in Marketing. Ali then went on to hold 8 jobs across 8 different industries - all before the age of 30. Ali has now found her calling as the Director of Service Programming at The Church of Eleven22 (Jacksonville, FL) and is one of the hosts of the Podcast, “Deepen with Pastor Joby Martin”. On this episode, Ali walks through her journey sharing her learnings about herself and life itself. She enforces the need to give yourself grace, the realities of loneliness, how important the first hour of the day is and what life is like without a microwave.Enjoy!