Reanimated Stories

por Roger Jorns - Reanimation Design

She Accidentally Started a Second Company Unlocking LinkedIn: Starting Introly AI w/ Leslie Lulham

Leslie Lulham didn't set out to start a second company. She was building Sun Up Operations, her HR and biz ops consulting firm, when her husband's employer suddenly announced they were shutting down. That night, he spent six hours going through his LinkedIn connections by hand, trying to figure out which of his first-degree contacts worked at companies hiring the roles he wanted. Leslie heard "six hours." Her ops brain kicked in. She fired up her tools. Ran his network through them. Found 500 warm opportunities in his own connections. And in that moment, Introly AI was born. Leslie shares her journey of accidentally launching a second company after discovering that most job seekers and business owners are sitting on a goldmine of untapped first-degree LinkedIn connections. She breaks down why cold outreach fails, how to send authentic messages that actually get responses, and how Introly AI helps people find warm opportunities hiding right in plain sight. Leslie also opens up about an unexpected, devastating loss: the sudden passing of her technical co-founder. She opens up and offers a vulnerable, honest look at how entrepreneurs navigate grief, protect system access, and find the strength to rebuild even stronger in honor of those they’ve lost. --------------- Connect with Leslie Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslielulham/ LinkedIn: https://app.introly.ai/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:42 Meet the Host and Guest 01:23 Leslie’s Work and Background 02:20 Drummer Life and Air Bands 03:24 Stage Manager Prank Story 05:08 Rock Band and Drum Setup 07:48 Two Bands Two Styles 09:07 How Introly Began 13:33 LinkedIn Connections as Gold 15:00 Fixing LinkedIn Job Search 16:33 Warm Leads and Outreach Fear 19:22 Just Send the Message 20:24 Message That Changed Everything 22:03 Authentic LinkedIn Outreach 25:44 Virtual Coffee Not Pitching 29:19 Losing A Key Builder 31:59 Grief And Community Support 35:45 Founder Lessons After Loss 40:50 Where To Find Leslie 41:48 Outro

E37

29 jul 2026

42:49

How to Disney-fy Any Business (Even a Carpet Cleaning One): Creating "Raving Fans" in Mundane Businesses w/Vance Morris

How do you take a completely boring, commodity business...like carpet cleaning or dentistry...and turn it into a brand that customers can't stop talking about? You "Disney-fy" it. Vance Morris spent over a decade at Walt Disney World. Opening resorts. Designing character dining experiences. Running food and beverage at the Contemporary Resort. Then he left the mouse and did the last thing anyone expected. He bought a carpet cleaning company. And a mold remediation business. And an Oriental rug washing facility. Boring, right? Not the way Vance runs them. Vance reveals his "entrance theater" strategy that increased his mid-tier carpet cleaning package sales by 26%, why relying on $5 Starbucks coupons for referrals is actually just bribery, and why 10% of the population will gladly pay 30% more for the exact same service if the experience is better. We also get into why it costs him $136 to get a new customer but only $23 to keep one, and what that math should tell every business owner about where to spend their time. If you're a small business owner, a home service pro, a dentist, or anyone selling a "commodity" service, this one is packed with practical stuff you can steal on Monday. --------------- Connect with Vance Website: https://vancemorris.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 01:10 Meet The Host And Guest 02:45 Vance Disney To Home Services 04:22 Retention Beats Acquisition 06:16 Experience Stories And Examples 11:52 Map The Customer Journey 12:54 Entrance Theater And Gifts 16:03 Referrals And Staying Top Mind 19:13 Disney Pricing And Premium Access 28:34 Personal Touch And Newsletters 32:32 Outro

E36

22 jul 2026

34:38

The "Triple PhD" Nobody Wants to Earn in Losing Everything and Coming Back w/Joe Dauskurdas

Joe Dauskurdas has lived more business lives than most people can count. helped grow Dell from $275 million to over $35 billion in revenue. He also lost everything in 2008. Today he runs Pro Growth Advisors and pours his hard-earned wisdom into founders trying to grow with intention. Joe shares his 30-year journey from growing up on the South Side of Chicago to navigating the corporate ranks at GE Capital, and eventually cold-calling Michael Dell to build a massive partnership. But Joe’s most powerful lessons didn't come from his successes; they came from losing everything. Joe brings an incredible amount of wisdom (and humility) to the table. We talk about who the most important person in the room is, as well as how he cold-called Michael Dell at 28! This one is honest, faith-aware, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from being knocked down and getting back up. If you are a founder trying to do it all yourself, or if you've recently hit a massive roadblock in life or business, you need to hear Joe’s perspective on finding peace, purpose, and learning to fail differently. --------------- Connect with Joe Dauskurdas Website: https://progrowthadvisors.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedauskurdas/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:39 Meet Joe In Austin 02:22 Origins And Superpowers 05:30 GE Training To Dell Call 09:28 Client First Growth Focus 15:53 Who Not How Teams 20:04 Founder Vision Pivots 23:20 Dell Lessons Listening 27:32 2008 Crash Triple PhD 36:46 Fail Differently AI Future 39:35 Outro

E35

2 jul 2026

40:38

Building a Purpose-Driven Business and Networking Without Borders w/Mark Donahue

Mark Donahue isn't easy to put in a box. And honestly, that's kind of the point. He's the founder of Yo Beebo!, a Fractional/part-time business development partner for small businesses, startups, and nonprofits who can't afford a full team but still need to grow. He's also helping build Affero, a fintech and civic tech startup fixing the way aid money gets moved, tracked, and proven. And he is building this out of Latin America to serve the globe! In this conversation, we dive into what it really means to build a purpose-driven business. Mark completely reframes the idea of "purpose", explaining that you do not necessarily have to solve world hunger to have a meaningful mission. Sometimes, your purpose is simply empowering your employees, securing a family legacy, or helping other founders execute their dreams. Oh, and he's a collegiate lacrosse referee. And he lives in Mexico. And he plays bass in a hardcore band with a bunch of local guys. Like I said...not easy to put in a box. If you've ever felt like you don't have a network, or know where to start with getting a network, or even that yours isn't strong enough, this conversation is going to hit. So come join us today as we talk about purpose, nonprofits, fractional work and marketing in all areas of your life! --------------- Connect with Mark Donahue Yo Beebo!: yobeebo.com Affero: affero.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-donahue-producer/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:42 Podcast Welcome Intro 01:39 Networking Makes World Smaller 03:46 Life in Mexico And Yo Beebo! 06:59 Ohio Travel And Lacrosse 10:46 Staying Connected With Network 12:10 Purposeful Client Fit 15:47 Legacy Businesses And Referrals 19:24 Introducing Affero Mission 25:29 Lessons Build Trust Network 31:58 Building Community In Mexico 35:21 Where To Find Mark 36:46 Band Music And Niches 40:55 Outro

E34

17 jun 2026

41:31

100,000 Lives Saved: How Love Justice International is Fighting Global Trafficking w/ Doug Dworak

⚠️ Heads up: This episode covers human trafficking, including sex and labor trafficking. The conversation is honest, faith-based, and handled with care, but it is heavier than my usual episodes. Please listen with that in mind. What started as an effort to build a single children's home in Nepal shifted dramatically when Doug and his team learned a devastating statistic: over 10,000 girls were being trafficked annually from Nepal into India. Instead of turning away, they asked, "Now that we know, what are we going to do?" Doug Dworak is the Global Ambassador for Love Justice International, a faith-based organization working to prevent human trafficking before the damage is done. Today, they operate in 16+ countries with a strategy called transit monitoring — placing trained staff at train stations, bus stations, border crossings, and high-traffic roads to identify and intercept potential trafficking situations before victims are ever sold. In this episode, Doug breaks down Love Justice International’s unique, preventative approach to human trafficking called "transit monitoring." We talk about the differences between prevention and rescue, the incredible milestone of saving over 100,000 lives, and why sharing the Gospel is at the very core of their mission. The people on the ground doing this work are absolute heroes, and I am so excited to share their mission with you. --------------- Connect with Doug Dworak: Doug's phone: 402 440-4275 Website: https://www.lovejustice.ngo/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-dworak-52a6aa32/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 02:20 Meeting Doug 03:38 Doug's Background and Role 05:24 Love Justice International Origins 08:42 Discovering Human Trafficking 12:19 Transit Monitoring Strategy 16:31 Supporting Victims and Aftercare 18:06 Gospel Driven Mission 20:35 Heroes on the Ground 21:37 Prevention vs Rescue 26:23 Why International Focus 29:16 Get Involved 31:32 Outro

E33

10 jun 2026

31:55

The Invisible Employee: The Hidden Cost of Being a Caregiver and a Professional w/Zack Dempoulos

Did you know that 1 in 5 employees in your workforce is quietly working a second, unpaid job? There are 63 million caregivers in America. That's a 45% jump from ten years ago. And most of them? They're working full-time jobs too. They are Professionals...who are also Caregivers. Zack Demopoulos has been a caregiver since 2011, first for his father, now for his mother. He spent years in HR. He ran a home care business for 13 years. And now he's a caregiver advocate working with large employers to build workplaces where people don't have to choose between their job and caring for someone they love. Zack explains why this is no longer an issue businesses can ignore. We dive into the physical, mental, and financial toll caregiving takes on high-performing professionals and how it directly impacts a company's bottom line through absenteeism, presenteeism, and rising healthcare costs. This is not an episode you want to miss. Especially if you are a caregiver who also is a professional. Check out this episode and please reach out to Zack! --------------- Connect with Zack Website: https://www.invisibleemployeesbook.com/ Newsletter: https://zacks-newsletter-4a359b.beehiiv.com/subscribe Podcast: https://www.invisibleemployeesbook.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackdemopoulos/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 01:08 Meet The Hosts 02:39 Zack Caregiver Advocate 04:31 Who Counts As Caregiver 06:42 Roger Family Story 09:31 How Zack Supports Caregivers 16:06 Workplace Caregiving Costs 21:26 Building Culture Of Care 24:14 Family vs Work Choice 25:19 Flexibility Keeps Talent 26:28 Why Caregivers Stay Quiet 28:22 Empathy Tools for Managers 29:53 Better Check In Questions 32:50 Leaders Sharing Stories 35:13 Caregiver Resources and ERGs 40:03 Outro

E32

27 may 2026

41:58

Cold calling isn't dead (You're just doing it wrong): How to Build Relationships Before You Pitch w/Ashley Beck Cuellar

Cold calling does not look anything like it did 20 years ago...honestly, even 5 years ago. If you are relying on high-velocity, unpersonalized AI spam to hit your sales numbers, you are going to get ignored. Meet Ashley Beck Cuellar (Kway-ar), she spent 17 years in automotive marketing.... Then she walked away. No plan. Just knew it was time. What happened next? She ended up running the entire go-to-market motion for a commercial roofing company. Without ever planning to be in roofing. Ashley explains exactly how she researches her Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), why she uses Google Earth before she ever picks up the phone, and why telling a prospect they can hang up on her actually builds immediate trust. Ashley breaks down how she built a $50 million book of business in her last career, through (wait for it)...cold calls and relationships, and o she never sits across the table from her clients. We also talk some LinkedIn strategy and why video DMs are so powerful. If you do any kind of cold outreach....or, like me you've been avoiding it because it feels icky...well, this episode will change how you think about it! --------------- Connect with Ashley Website: https://www.seamlessroofingllc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-beck-cuellar/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:27 Meet Ashley Beck Cuellar 00:41 Name Pronunciation Banter 03:31 Ashley’s Career Pivot 05:28 Joining Commercial Roofing 06:51 CRM Chaos in Construction 08:49 Direct Mail Lessons Learned 10:01 Building Relationships Remotely 11:27 First Cold Call Win 14:05 Follow Up Strategy Breakdown 15:03 Finding Your ICP and Lists 17:31 Research Workflow and Video DMs 19:12 Google Maps Sizing and Targeting 21:23 Sports Research Hook 22:52 Warm Intros Via Network 24:12 Value First Follow Ups 24:52 Cold Call Trust Tactic 26:51 Human In An AI World 30:32 SEO And AI Discovery 33:54 Always Be Learning 35:14 Personality Assessments 37:43 Outro

E31

22 may 2026

39:16

She Lost Her Job, Lost Her Identity, and Found Both Again on LinkedIn w/Melissa Beth Cohen

"I had never realized how much of my own self-identity and self-worth was tied up in what my title was and who I worked for." Melissa Cohen spent 30 years in fashion where she was a VP at Ralph Lauren. She thought that's where she'd retire. Then 2020 hit. The whole industry shut down and Melissa lost her job. What she didn't expect? Losing her sense of self right along with it. Suddenly, the title that defined her was gone. Facing ageism in the corporate job market and getting ghosted after final-round executive interviews, Melissa decided to stop fighting a broken system. So...She turned to LinkedIn. In this episode, Melissa shares how she went from a corporate fashion exec who never used LinkedIn to becoming a personal branding strategist helping executives, founders, and business owners stand out. She talks about the first post she ever wrote (and almost deleted..honestly I felt this one to my soul), the hard truth about ageism in hiring, and why your LinkedIn profile is doing more for...or against...you than you might think. She also opens up about her new collaborative book, Letters to Lily, an anthology of letters that people from all over the world wrote to their younger selves and where she wrote a deeply personal letter to her younger self about the heavy guilt of traveling for corporate work while raising a family....It's powerful. And it's worth your time. --------------- Connect with Melissa Beth Cohen Website: melissabethcohen.com Letters to Lily: https://a.co/d/02ajely9 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-beth-cohen/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 01:07 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:36 How They Met at SCN 02:44 Melissa’s LinkedIn Mission 03:20 Letters to Lily Book 05:49 Feeling Alone in Leadership 06:39 From Fashion to LinkedIn 09:47 Personal Branding Explained 12:24 Turning LinkedIn Into Business 16:59 Who She Helps Most 18:43 Stand Out With Insights 20:18 Letters To Lily Origins 22:19 Connection In A Digital Age 23:28 Letter One It Works Out 24:35 Letter Two Working Mom Guilt 27:41 Personal Branding Not Influencing 28:54 Avoid AI Sea Of Sameness 30:56 People Hire People 33:03 LinkedIn Nuggets And Community 34:10 Where To Find Melissa 35:31 Outro

E30

13 may 2026

35:57

Google Ad Management for Dad-Owned Businesses. Why Being Present Online Means Being Present at Home w/Anneliese

"We had this crazy thought that if they could have advertising taken off their plate... they could go spend some time with their children and be present, guilt-free." Anneliese is a fourth-generation entrepreneur who never planned on running her own business. After 14 years in the corporate advertising world, the pandemic hit. When she was wrongfully terminated for refusing to make 50 cold calls a week while raising an infant, she took her settlement money and launched an ad agency with her husband. Her mission and driving force? What if being present online was the whole reason you could be present at home? That's not just a tagline for Anneliese. It's her whole mission. In this episode of Reanimated Stories, I chat with Anneliese as she shares why she niched down to dads, what it really means to be a marketing vendor broker, and how she helped one client catch bots eating 40% of his ad budget...before it put his family's livelihood out of business! She explains her transition from Never Miss a Moment Consulting to Be Present Advertising, highlighting her mission to take the burden of Google Ads off the shoulders of family-oriented business owners. We also discuss why you should never run Google Ads if you do not know where your clients are actually hanging out, why bots are eating your advertising budget, and what it means to be a "Marketing Vendor Broker." --------------- Connect with Anneliese Website: www.bepresentads.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliesemvance/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:42 Show Intro and Networking 01:11 Anneliese Background and Niche 02:23 Family Entrepreneur Roots 03:46 Parents Pivot to Business 06:21 Childhood Lessons on Presence 08:12 Corporate Sales and COVID Clash 10:19 Wrongful Termination to Startup 11:44 Homeschooling and New Roles 12:32 Rebrand to Be Present 16:05 Why Niche Down to Families 16:58 Client Story Moving Company 18:57 Generational Growth Mindset 19:15 Helping Clients Grow 20:18 No Contracts Results First 22:17 Marketing Vendor Broker 26:10 Data Driven Ad Strategy 30:45 Lead Quality Call Tracking 33:12 Outro

E29

6 may 2026

35:52

Emotional Intelligence is Not About Being Nice, It’s About Data. Why Emotional Intelligence Is the Missing Piece in Modern Leadership w/Dana Echert

"It is a whole different skillset to be a leader than it is just to be good at your job. Technical skills are about looking at the work of one... leadership skills are about amplifying the work of many." Dana Echert is the founder of Inspire, where she helps grow leaders with high emotional intelligence. Her background is in HR and learning and development. After years of watching companies build trainings to fix "accountability issues" and "conflict issues," she figured out what was actually broken..... It wasn't the people. It was the system. In this episode of Reanimated Stories, I talk with Dana as she breaks down why the traditional model of promoting top performers into management roles is broken, and why Technical Intelligence (TQ) does not automatically translate to Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Dana explains how the pandemic and the rise of remote work completely shifted the weight of organizational policy onto the shoulders of mid-level managers. If you want to stop treating emotional intelligence as a "nice to have" and start using it as a data-driven tool for business growth, listen to Dana's insights. --------------- Connect with Dana Website: www.INSPIREskillstraining.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-echert/ --------------- About Reanimated Stories: Hosted by Roger Jorns, I talk with awesome business leaders about their story and we explore how to reimagine work, life, and design. Connect with Roger: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/roger-jorns Website: reanimationdesign.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reanimationdesign Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/reanimated-stories/ --------------- 00:00 Intro 00:25 Meet The Host And Guest 01:09 Dana And Inspire Mission 02:19 Leadership Shift Since 2020 06:54 EQ Versus Technical Skills 09:39 Trust And Retention Costs 13:48 Assessments And EQ Lab 17:11 Lead Yourself First 18:50 Leadership Pipeline And Burnout 24:27 Unlimited PTO Example 26:13 Getting Started And Snapshot Tool 30:07 Connect And Spotlight Series 31:35 Outro

E28

29 abr 2026

31:54

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