Welcome! To some degree, we may have lost a balance between validating our emotions with accepting reality. We place a greater importance on how we feel about something, especially the initial feeling before the full scope is known, than when we fully understand the why, how, and what. And the problem with that is rewriting the mental narrative to defend the initial reaction.  Personally, I always want to see the full picture before shaping an opinion and then challenge that initial opinion with critical thinking and questioning gaps. I do not want to let emotions block what lessons that could be realized from  situations.  In the topics for this week's podcast episode, I focused on the lessons and impactful takeaways more than feeling or emotional reaction.  CRC SOCIAL:   There are some things that you are not able to appreciate what it could be ahead of time. Until it happens and then you realize the event exceeded your every expectation. That is what s...

  Welcome! There are many good examples of the type of people that we should grow up to be. People in our lives that show us or exemplify how one can succeed and be a great human being at the same time. We should appreciate these individuals and cherish the lessons that are made available to us. It is possible to enjoy career success and have good values at the same time.  A major problem with our society today is that people lack real role models that they can trust. People that inspire them to be better than their situation. Rather people all too often try to offer comfort in complacency and alternative narratives for shortcomings. Those who push us to be better tomorrow than we are today are the ones that we need to listen to. Even if it is difficult.  CRC SOCIAL:   Things can be going good for the gander, but not so well for the individual geese. Therefore, there will be departures from the flock. People leave companies all the time when their individual careers ...

  Welcome! There is nothing like road trips throughout the United States.  No matter where you go in the United States, there always seems to characteristics that make us the same. Minor regional difference, but major similarities that connect us. But those regional differences can make those communities unique and those experiences in them special.  For those who regard some regions of our great nation as flyover states, I hope they expand their minds and experience the interesting communities that exist. And meet some of their residents. There are good and bad in any area. But, when you experience America you will see there is so much in common to our core.  Sometimes, we believe that methods are the best simply because of the revenue generated, but some things done in high cost areas may have a big price tag with low quality. Learning how other areas do things can give insight and ideas that drive innovation and improve quality.  And so many good eats that ar...

Welcome! Today we remember all those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom, our homeland, and our way of life. We mourn their loss while cherishing their memory. The paid a price that America can never repay. But we can make sure that their sacrifice was not made in vein by embracing our American values, being compassionate to one another, and set aside divisiveness over politics.  I believe that people need to venture out around our great nation and that will help alleviate some of the tensions that exists. If you do, the first thing you realize is that we are all not that different. At our core, we all just want opportunity, kindness, and basic respect. Not a big or unreasonable ask by any means.  The great thing is learning from the differences in lifestyles and community structures. It is common to elevate what we are used to as the ultimate standard of normalcy. When you truly experience other cultures and ways of life, there is underly...

  Welcome! I speak a great deal about our perspectives and challenging our views because I believe it is important to understand our reality. It is human nature to see things in a manner that is favorable to our positions, interests, and needs. And ignore the inconvenient truths that exists. We need to be able to have a different reflections on challenging moments, events and situations to ensure that we are better in the future. To many times, we take comfort in finding a way to deflect responsibility. And then the patterns continue.  If we truly want to maximize our opportunities, outcomes, and realize our potential, then we need to be able to see the truth, accept the truth, and change if needed.  CRC SOCIAL:   Two events can be equal in outcome, but not received the same perception. When looking at the context in which those events happened and the situational factors that created the outcomes, there could be a completely different opinion on both, despite each e...

   Welcome! There is a need to set aside political rigidity for economic reality. The need for the right policy for the best outcomes for society is what is usually needed. Rather than one's ability to appear obedient in their ideological flock.  The federal government should not have bailed Spirit Airlines out, but they probably should have allowed them to proceed with the proposed merger with JetBlue.  Those people championing the blockage are failing to see that they actually caused the worst case scenario. The market concentration, loss of an affordable provider, and even greater employment loss than if the combination was permitted.  Now, hindsight is 20/20, but it was a bit predictable that of the two, Spirit Airlines would be the entity that would not survive. JetBlue has experienced its financial issues, but has solid services and could have expanded its offerings with the growth afforded with the acquisition of Spirit. A lost opportunity to allow a low ...

Welcome! There is nothing like starting off your day with that cup of coffee to power you through your morning. Sometimes, the energy you believe a cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop has is enough to motivate you to push past the obstacles and challenges you know await you. And the value it provides is much greater than just the price you paid for it.  I agree with the notion that things are much healthier and better for you if made from home. But, the reality is that many times, people simply just need to grab something on the way to work, to the gym, to their family events, or on the road. That cup could be that treat that reaffirms your hard work and achievement. While there are number of great home choices for coffee, the ability to grab it and go without the cleanup and remembering to set it up the night before can be helpful.  Everyone has their preferred coffee chain. And they lean into the marketing of those brands. Starbucks appeals to their quality and conn...

Welcome! Rules are essential for maintaining order within an organization, society, or community. However, excessive rules can be troublesome, especially if they are contradictory, unfairly applied, overly subjective, or poorly understood by those expected to follow them. In the grand scheme of things, rules are generally reactive; an undesirable behavior occurs, and a rule is created to prevent it from happening again. To deter reoccurrences, rules must prescribe some form of punishment. If a violation occurs, the offender pays a penalty. Ideally, this penalty compels the offender to rethink their choices while serving as a deterrent for others. Effectively, a rule should address the process or behavior leading to an outcome, rather than the outcome itself. For example, if you want to eradicate cheating, punishing students simply for having identical test answers may penalize non-cheating behavior. If students study together, they are naturally more likely to share the same patterns o...

  Welcome! All business operate to grow, seek profitability, and expand market share. Whether it is a brand name producer of market leading products. Or an alternative offering consumers, who are more cost conscious, a more budget friendly option. Either way, they still need to operate an efficient and effective operation.   Naturally, I am a cost conscious person as I look to maximize my perceived value attained. Sometimes, the savings achieved are not worth the gap in realized quality of the transactions or the inconsistency with the service provider. Generally, you do get what you pay for. But sometimes you can save some money. Other times the savings are offset by the unexpected. In the following, we discuss value brands and whether they truly provide consumers benefits. Or if consumers should stick with the brand names.  FEATURED PODCAST:

  Welcome! Fast food may not be considered good for your health, but some times it is good for filling a need. Especially for people while traveling, either for work, pleasure, or just adventuring where you do not have the ability to meal prep or in need of a quick snack. In those moments, the sight of those golden arches can be very impactful.  There are few brands where people connect with and are willing to continue the generational memories to a certain extent. No other fast food chain has that market awareness like McDonalds. There is a reason why most people are always drawn back to the brand. Even the most health conscious person will want to have a cheat meal every now and then.  For a corporation that is really into real estate and supply chain, the brand awareness and marketing helps make it a dominant market leader that other brands ride the coattails of. In this brand discussion, we discuss why everyone loves the McDonalds brand.  FEATURED PODCAST:

  Welcome! In my experience, the best way to handle any sort of adversity is to deal with the situation with maximum understanding. I believe the more you know about something, the less anxiety you have over the unexpected. Especially if you are able to experience reasonable information, which can be difficult with competing agendas of those supporting and benefiting from the change or those opposing and benefitting from being able to limit or stop the change.  There is a gluttony of information about artificial intelligence telling us that we all will be unemployed and replaced by robots. Or other sources making us feel like we are behind those who may have a more in-depth knowledge of artificial intelligence than we currently may have. There is a natural risk if you are not aware of technological changes that could impact your livelihood. But, if you are still employed, there is obviously still some time for you to mitigate any future risk.  Certain fields may be optima...

  Welcome! The sports media shows why people do not really trust what is supposed to be mainstream media. The recent article by ESPN that has once again created buzz and interest around my Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts encapsulates some of the rumblings that existed and known. Of course with the controversial anonymous sources, which is needed in political and economic news, but maybe not so much in sports. In what is usually a slightly slow news period between the NFL owners meeting and the draft, this piece really just seems to be a narrative driver that provides fodder, but does not add anything meaningful or unknown.  As a passionate fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, I fully appreciate and celebrate the greatness and achievements that our starting quarterback Jalen Hurts has led our team during his tenure. Since he became the starter, he has led us to two Super Bowls, won the last one, but played more than well enough for us to have won both. He consis...

  Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. There is a time when those on the right side of history and preserving the good in the world must act to stop threats, immediate or in the near term, before they become events.  The balance between leveraging power and showing restraint is a difficult and necessary one. There are evil actors in this world that understand their limitations, but will try to use what they deem minor aggression that add up over time.  We made the mistake in the past in thinking compensating evil people would be an effective approach of dealing with threats. That only helped fund their plans. We thought isolation would thwart them. They found a way around that. We do not want prolonged engagements without definable ends. But we also cannot have the world completely turned upside down because the good were too hesitant to act when it was clear what the danger was and how close it was.  FEATURED PODCAST:

  Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. Walmart recently lost the crown as the largest company by means of revenue, which it held for the past 21 out of 25 years. Now, Amazon with its mix of different businesses serving individuals, small businesses, and corporations is now the world's largest company.  The two biggest retailers have great reach and serve customers of all kinds. Amazon has the advantage of having a plethora of stuff to purchase online and hope to receive it within the 2-3 days for delivery. Walmart has improved its e-commerce business.  Personally, I use both at times and was actually at a Walmart early this morning to get some grocery items. If I do not want to wait for certain items, I will bear with the hoards of people and make the purchase. Otherwise, I will make the purchase online and hope it actually arrives within the 2 days. Normally, it does, but there is always that delay for an item I need on time.  My wish for some Walmart locati...

Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. Happy President's Day America! We celebrated the most important and impactful office in all of the world. The ability to bring hope and drive change through championing effective policies, negotiating desired results, and standing up for our interests.  In reality, the Office of the President of the United States is not the end all be all. The President is charged with executing the laws of the United States of America, but is largely incapable of enacting the legislation if not already passed by both houses in Congress.  Executive orders only guide policy during the presidency that the orders were enacted. Despite the fabrications from the left, America never had a king, emperor, or monarch. Even if they had the power of the pen. Some tried to push the level of power and others just enjoyed  the notoriety and avoided consequential decisions.  But the president can impact how laws are enforced and what the central focus of...

  Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. There is always someone on social media that will amplify messages even if those messages are not truly accurate. But people connect with things and are not always concerned with what they are promoting. Sometimes it is simply to be perceived as nice or they know the poster.  But should the person be more focused on being right or being happy? Personally, I could not be happy if I pushed information that was not try simply to go along to get along. And I could not be happy if people are not going to be honest with me.  We are not perfect. People make mistakes. But we should have the right intentions to always do what is right not what is the easy way out. And this is the message in the following podcast episode.  FEATURED PODCAST:

Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. The NFL crowned a new champion in the Seattle Seahawks. A dominant performance in this game against the New England Patriots, who just were not able to get anything going consistently.  I am not sure how well this game stacks up in the minds of the fans compared to previous games. Competitive battles are generally more entertaining. But this was a bit non-competitive overall.  The dueling halftime shows were the talk of some people following the game, but I think it is a perfect way to keep people engaged in the product. I think some are not seeing the side of those disenfranchised or missing the real because of the narrative.  The Seattle Seahawks will now go up for sale. Klint Kubiak will now go coach the Las Vegas Raiders. And the NFL switches to off-season mode, which is still more must see than other sports. Please experience our commentary on the game.  FEATURED PODCAST:

  Welcome to The  CRC  Team Channel. The 2025 NFL season comes to an end this Sunday as the New England Patriots battle the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. Another great season of football, where it felt teams were closer to each other than any time in recent memory. Made for great memories. Well, not the best season since my Philadelphia Eagles are not in the big game. But it definitely is good for fans in the New England area or the Seattle metropolitan region. For the rest, it is the last chance to watch a meaningful football game for seven months.  Just because the action on the field is over, the NFL season just will shift into the NFL offseason, which is still more exciting than any other league for the most part. I love baseball and my Phillies. And the playoffs in basketball and hockey, but it is not the same as football.  We have seven months to see who stays or leaves for each team. For Eagles fans, we will try to glean any information about what ou...