Celebrating 100 Episodes of Don’t Waste the Chaos: What You’ve Loved Most
Reaching 100 episodes of Don’t Waste the Chaos (my podcast) still feels a little surreal. When we launched the show in January of 2024, I made one quiet promise to myself: Show up every Tuesday—no matter what. And we did. Week after week, we unpacked the messy, honest intersections of leadership, HR, business ownership, marriage, parenting, faith, and the chaos that shapes us.
A milestone like this is worth celebrating—but more importantly, it’s worth reflecting on what you have shown me matters most.
Today, we’re looking back at the episodes that resonated at the highest level across YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts—and what they tell us about the conversations leaders and families are craving right now.
1. The Most-Watched Episode on YouTube: The Top HR Trends You Cannot Ignore
This episode took off immediately, and that tells me something important: leaders are hungry for clarity.
Heading into 2026, HR is no longer a back-office function. It is strategy. It is risk mitigation. It is culture. And every business—especially small and mid-sized ones—needs to understand the shifts coming fast. In the episode, I break down ten critical trends, including:
The rise of legally enforceable AI-in-HR guardrails
Changes in worker classification and pay transparency
Mental health protections becoming mandatory, not optional
The shift from “roles” to “capabilities” in talent planning
Most importantly, we talk about the practical steps leaders can take now so they’re not scrambling later.
2. Your Go-To Year-End Lifesaver: The No-Nonsense Year-End Payroll Checklist
I always know an episode has struck a nerve when business owners binge it in December.
This one became a favorite because it eliminates the guesswork that often leads to payroll mistakes, compliance issues, or ugly surprises at tax time. Inside the episode, we walk through exactly what needs to be cleaned up, confirmed, filed, or corrected before December 31—without overwhelming you.
It’s simple, it’s clear, and it’s the resource many of you return to every single year.
3. The Episode That Shocked People: Walking Away From “The Dream Life”
This is the most personal episode Terry and I have ever recorded—and you made it one of the most-watched.
We opened the curtain on a season of our marriage and life that looked shiny on the outside but was silently collapsing on the inside. Sharing the story of walking away from financial comfort, professional status, and others’ expectations wasn’t easy. But it was real. And it was worth it.
Your responses confirmed something I already believed deeply:
Leadership and faith aren’t built in the highlight reel—they’re forged in the reconstruction.
Spotify’s #1 Episode: Build the Business, Don’t Break the People (with Emily Holdman)
This conversation with Emily Holdman rose to the top for a reason: leaders are exhausted by extremes.
Emily brings a refreshing, practical take on what healthy leadership looks like behind the scenes—not the Instagram version. We talk about:
Leading with clarity instead of charisma
Protecting your people without coddling them
Making long-term decisions in a short-term world
Why emotional resilience is a leadership skill (not a personality trait)
Her honesty, strategy, and depth made this episode one that many leaders told me they listened to more than once.
Apple’s #1 Episode: Youthful Wisdom from Gen Alpha (Featuring My Son)
This episode holds a special place in my heart—and apparently in yours.
Hearing a Gen Alpha perspective on work, technology, friendships, and family life was eye-opening for thousands of listeners. But the moment that grabbed the most attention was our conversation about the legal steps to hire your child in your business—a surprisingly powerful strategy to:
Build generational wealth early
Teach responsibility and work ethic
Reduce your overall tax burden (ethically and legally)
It was a rare blend of parenting, faith, and financial strategy. And it resonated across multiple generations.
A Simple Request as We Celebrate 100 Episodes
If this show has encouraged you, helped you grow as a leader, strengthened your marriage or your business, or simply made you feel less alone in the chaos—there is one meaningful way to celebrate with me:
Help the show grow.
Your support directly impacts our ability to reach more leaders, parents, and business owners who need these conversations.
Here’s how you can help in less than two minutes:
Leave a review on Spotify or Apple (this matters more than you think!)
Share your favorite episode with a friend
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all 100, you’ve helped shape this community.
Here’s to the next 100.
