The Prestigious Initiative

The Prestigious Initiative

Join us weekly for deep, unfiltered conversations about personal development, leadership, productivity, and excellence. Each episode is crafted to help you take initiative and unlock your full potential — both personally and professionally

Shows

163: Joe Elphick | TRUE Fulfillment: Formula for Lasting Happiness

163: Joe Elphick | TRUE Fulfillment: Formula for Lasting Happiness

Joe Elphick spent four decades building and selling a manufacturing company before writing the book TRUE Fulfillment, which offers a practical formula for lasting happiness in a culture obsessed with quick fixes. His approach blends science, timeless wisdom, and actionable tools, centering on his TRUE method: Test, Reframe, Understand, Embrace. In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, Chris and Joe explore how radical honesty built trust and saved a multi-million-dollar deal, why positive living is a choice, and how 10 simple commitments can transform the way we pursue success and happiness. Joe’s story shows that fulfillment isn’t found in shortcuts—it’s built through courage, clarity, and commitment.

162: The Habit Lie - Why You Need Practices, Not Autopilot

162: The Habit Lie - Why You Need Practices, Not Autopilot

Ever walked halfway to work and realized you forgot deodorant? How does a habit you’ve done thousands of times just… disappear? In this solo episode of The Prestige Initiative, host Chris Beane challenges the entire self-improvement industry’s obsession with “habits.” He argues that the common advice to “automate your behaviors” is setting us up for failure, fragility, and guilt. Instead, Chris introduces a powerful mindset shift: from building habits to elevating practices. Drawing from martial arts, medicine, and music, he reveals why practices—rooted in intention, presence, and continuous refinement—create lasting change. You’ll get a practical 4‑step framework to transform any habit into a resilient practice, including how to find your deep “why,” use the 5‑second intention rule, prioritize quality over blind consistency, and build a feedback loop for mastery. If you’re tired of breaking streaks and ready to build a life of meaningful engagement, this episode is your roadmap.

161: Your Life Isn’t Overcrowded — Your Standards Are Underdeveloped

161: Your Life Isn’t Overcrowded — Your Standards Are Underdeveloped

Most people think they’re overwhelmed because they have too much to do. In this episode, Chris breaks down the uncomfortable truth: overwhelm isn’t a schedule problem — it’s a standards problem. When your standards are low, everything gets in. Low-quality habits, low-quality commitments, and low-quality boundaries start running your life, and you end up exhausted without understanding why. Through stories from the dojo, leadership lessons, and the realities of parenting, Chris reveals how raising your standards simplifies your life instantly. You’ll learn the four standards that shape your time, energy, environment, and identity — and why improving just one of them will create immediate clarity and momentum. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, unfocused, or constantly behind, this episode will give you the truth you’ve been avoiding and the framework you actually need. Your life isn’t overcrowded. Your standards are underdeveloped. And changing that starts today.

160: The Mindset Mistake Every High Performer Makes After a Win

160: The Mindset Mistake Every High Performer Makes After a Win

Most people think the moment after a win is the time to relax. In reality, it’s the moment you’re most vulnerable. In this solo episode, Chris breaks down the hidden mistake high performers make after success — the quiet shift where discipline slips, ego creeps in, and momentum dies. Drawing from years in the dojo, coaching, entrepreneurship, and fatherhood, Chris reveals why “victory hangover” is real, how the brain mistakes achievement for identity, and why so many people lose their edge right after they peak. He also lays out a simple, powerful framework — Reset, Recenter, Re-engage — to help you stay focused, dangerous, and intentional after a win. If you’ve ever hit a goal and found yourself drifting afterward, this episode will snap you back into clarity. Success isn’t about the win — it’s about what you do next.

159: Caleb Benoit | Brewing Connection: Coffee, Business & Family

159: Caleb Benoit | Brewing Connection: Coffee, Business & Family

Caleb Benoit is the founder of Connect Coffee, a roaster and café built around one idea: coffee should connect people, not just caffeinate them. As a small business owner raising two young kids, Caleb knows firsthand the discipline it takes to balance entrepreneurship with family life. In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, Chris and Caleb sit down for a candid conversation about building a purpose-driven brand, cultivating resilience as an entrepreneur, and keeping relationships at the center while navigating the demands of growth. From sourcing and roasting to community-building and parenting, Caleb’s story is equal parts practical wisdom and heart. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, coffee lover, or someone striving to balance ambition with family, this episode will give you both fuel and perspective.

158: Ralph Velasco: Bucket Lists for Travel

158: Ralph Velasco: Bucket Lists for Travel

Ralph Velasco returns to The Prestigious Initiative to share stories and lessons from his new book, Bucket Lists for Travel: Places to Go Before Your Knees Give Out! — a celebration of adventure, aging well, and embracing life while you can. As a travel photographer, entrepreneur, and storyteller, Ralph has spent decades exploring the world and helping others do the same. In this conversation, Chris and Ralph dive into what “mindful travel” really means, why curiosity is the ultimate business skill, and how entrepreneurs can stay passionate while building careers that allow freedom and purpose. With humor, heart, and practical insight, Ralph proves that adventure doesn’t end when your knees start to ache — it evolves. This episode is for anyone ready to explore more — in the world, in their work, and within themselves.

157: Randall Ian Thames | Rise to the Role: Ignite Your Super-Purpose

157: Randall Ian Thames | Rise to the Role: Ignite Your Super-Purpose

Randall Ian Thames spent 35 years navigating corporate boardrooms—from C-suite to senior roles at the world’s top consulting firms. Now, through his Inspirit Institute and the “Discover–Develop–Display™” framework, Randall helps leaders find their hidden “superpower,” ignite inner purpose, and produce inevitable outcomes in their careers and lives. In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, Chris and Randall dig into how to build leadership from the inside out, why purpose fuels sustainable progress, and how every leader can rise—not just to the role, but beyond. Expect practical tools, philosophical depth, and stories that will make you rewrite what you thought success looked like.

154: Sid Mohasseb | Entrepreneur Philosopher

154: Sid Mohasseb | Entrepreneur Philosopher

How do trust, authenticity, and agility shape the future of leadership and business? Join us for an insightful conversation with Sid Mohasseb, a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and professor who’s been called the Entrepreneur Philosopher. Sid shares lessons from his incredible journey—starting his first business at 21, becoming the youngest partner at a consulting firm by 27, and mentoring countless entrepreneurs. Discover the five pillars of an evolving business model, how leaders can harmonize satisfaction, and why failure is the bridge to becoming your next best self. To join Sid Mohasseb in this mission and become part of a community dedicated to this kind of transformative growth, visit AnabasisAcademy.org.

153: Steven Werley | From Army Ranger to AI Strategist

153: Steven Werley | From Army Ranger to AI Strategist

Steven Werley has lived two lives: first as an Army Ranger, where discipline and clarity under pressure meant survival, and now as a marketing strategist, where those same principles drive revenue growth. Having helped more than 6,500 business owners rethink their sales systems, Steven knows most businesses don’t have a lead problem—they have a conversion problem. In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, Chris and Steven unpack how AI agents are reshaping sales teams, why overlooked leads often hold the biggest wins, and how to scale revenue without losing the human touch. If you’ve ever felt like you’re leaving money on the table, or you’re burning out chasing leads that don’t close, this conversation will show you how to reclaim your time, sharpen your systems, and grow smarter—not harder.

152: Susanne Biro | Breaking the Outer Life Trap

152: Susanne Biro | Breaking the Outer Life Trap

Susanne Biro helps C-Suite and executive leaders escape what she calls the “Outer Life Trap”—the pattern of chasing external achievements to solve inner emptiness. With two decades coaching senior leaders globally, she believes sustainable success comes from integrating your inner world—your thoughts, feelings, and presence—into how you lead, decide, and show up. In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, Chris and Susanne dive into the tension between outer life metrics and inner life reality: how many leaders feel “successful” but burned out, stressed, or disconnected. We explore tools for awareness, reducing stress without reducing impact, and leadership that grows from the inside out. For anyone who feels the results aren’t matching the effort, this conversation will illuminate a new path forward. www.susannebiro.com Get her book here: www.susannebiro.com/book