Podcast
The Culture Matters Podcast
Hosted by Jay Doran · EN
The Culture Matters Podcast with host, Jay Doran, is a platform to talk with business owners, executives, and cultural alike to get inside each individual's eco-system in which they practice culture in the workplace. We speak to some of the most interesting people about why culture is important.
51episodes
Episodes
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Season 90, Episode 1072: Guest: Jay Stoll: From Service to Significance
Mar 1001:04:50Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Culture Matters Podcast, Jay Doran sits down with Jay Stoll, founder of All Things Retirement Group, for a powerful conversation about reinvention, discipline, service, and purpose.All Things Retirement Group operates within the ecosystem of All Things Insurance Group, founded by longtime friend of the Culture Matters Podcast and frequent guest, Pete Fournier.Jay Stoll shares his incredible journey from serving in law enforcement to working in physical therapy and eventually building a thriving business in the insurance and retirement planning space. Along the way, he opens up about the defining moments that shaped him, including the emotional decision to leave law enforcement after missing one of the most important moments in his son’s life.This conversation goes far beyond insurance. It is about what it means to lead with humility, check your ego, stay coachable, and build a life centered around faith, family, and long-term impact. Jay also breaks down the deeper purpose behind retirement planning, mortgage protection, long-term care, and helping families prepare for the moments they hope never come.If you have ever wrestled with changing careers, chasing purpose, providing for your family, or building something meaningful from the ground up, this episode will speak to you.00:00 Intro and Jay Stoll’s story of reinvention03:10 From law enforcement to life-changing perspective07:15 Missing his son’s first steps and making the pivot11:20 Entering the insurance world and finding purpose16:05 What retirement planning really means21:10 Mortgage protection and planning for the unexpected27:00 Long-term care, family burden, and hard conversations34:25 Education over confusion in financial planning39:10 Mentorship, humility, and learning from proven people45:20 Building All Things Retirement Group50:15 Persistence, faith, and what it takes to keep going55:00 Final thoughts on legacy, leadership, and serving familiesThis episode covers:Reinventing your life when your priorities changeHow law enforcement shaped Jay’s discipline and decision-makingThe moment he knew he had to choose family firstWhy mentorship and humility matter in businessHow to think about retirement, protection, and legacyThe power of persistence when building something new
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Season 90, Episode 1071: Guest: Demetri Stakias: Tales of Giving Part 2
Mar 900:50:49Tap to summarize"Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy." - Dan BrownHost of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief Demetri Stakias is joining us once again for a second round of "Tales of Giving". The conversation got started before anyone hit record, but as all of our loyal listeners know, we're always interested in the space between the notes. After hitting record, Demetri and Jay are getting into the ever-so-light-hearted topic of the redemption of demon influenced individuals and how no one is ever beyond redemption, the challenges being faced in uncertain times, how loss is a source of pain but can also be a source of opportunity, and the desire to improve engagement and taking things to the next level. This conversation doesn't end where it begins, so we hope you're ready to take the journey with us on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.
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Season 90, Episode 1070: Thirty Days of Thought with Demetri Stakias: "Writer's Block"
Mar 400:29:01Tap to summarize"There are, first of all, two kinds of authors: those who write for the subject's sake and those who write for writing's sake. The truth is, that when an author begins to write for the sake of covering paper, he is cheating the reader because he writes under the pretext that he has something to say." - Arthur SchopenhauerToday, on The Culture Matters Podcast, we are back with Thirty Days of Thought featuring our very own Jay Doran as he discusses excerpts from his book, Thirty Days of Thought. However, for today's episode, Jay did not come alone. A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at the chapter from the book entitled "Writer's Block" with our dead friend, Mr. Paul Lucido. We enjoyed that conversation so much that we decided to take another swing at "Writer's Block"; this time with another dear friend who is the host of "The Relief Podcast", author of How to Get Your Life Back, and founder of Real Estate Relief, Demetri Stakias. If you listened to the episode with Paul, then you are in for a completely different take on the subject with Demetri. These two culture colossuses are getting into getting back on track if you were to lose sense of your mission, why people (and Philadelphians) love the flawed hero, and why it is almost an obligation for people who create content to share their journey. We hope you enjoy this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.
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Season 90, Episode 1069: Guest: Rob Wishnick: Consistency is King
Mar 200:29:43Tap to summarize"It's hard, it's hard to be consistent in anything and that's why so few people can do it successfully. But when you do, when you are consistent in whatever goal you're trying to get to, typically you get the results you want."Scotsman Guide Top 500 in the Country Loan Officer, Mortgage Executive Magazine Top One Percent Mortgage Originator, Philadelphia Magazine Five Star Mortgage Professional Award recipient, and Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate Rob Wishnick has finally made his way back to the show and we are not wasting a minute. Rob and Jay are jumping right in with the importance of consistency and how it can lead to both professional and personal improvement, how something as simple as showing up and doing the basics the right way everyday can lead to better and more consistent habits, what the mortgage business looks like today and why a broker can be one of your best friends during the home buying process, and what the three columns are that will help you maximize your efficiency. This was a wonderful and informative discussion and we hope you enjoy this conversation with Mr. Rob Wishnick.
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Season 89, Episode 1068: NYE 2025 Lollapalooza Episode 21: Words of the Year Part 1
Feb 300:14:56Tap to summarizeEpisode 21 marks Part 1 of a reflection on the impact of the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza series.In this episode, Jay begins revisiting select words of the year shared by guests throughout the Lollapalooza, unpacking what those words represent and why they mattered — not only to the individuals who shared them, but to the broader Culture Matters community.Rather than recapping conversations, this episode focuses on patterns: the themes that kept surfacing, the shared language across very different leaders, and what those signals say about where people are headed next.This is the first in a multi-part breakdown, with more reflections, insights, and connections to come as the series continues.
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Season 89, Episode 1067: 2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 20: The Impact This Series Has Made
Jan 2600:18:39Tap to summarize2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 20: The Impact This Series Has MadeEpisode 20 serves as the reflection point of the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza, a moment to pause, look back, and name the impact this series has already had.In this episode, Jay Doran discusses why the Lollapalooza exists in the first place, how it has evolved year over year, and what happens when long-form, values-driven conversations are given space to breathe. Rather than recapping individual episodes, Jay focuses on the resonance; the emails, messages, and conversations sparked by the series.A significant part of that reflection includes the influence and example set by Patrick Bet-David, whose approach to dialogue, conviction, and unapologetic truth-telling is referenced throughout the episode. Jay shares how that standard saying the thing that needs to be said, even when it’s uncomfortable has shaped the tone, courage, and clarity of the Lollapalooza conversations.This episode explores:Why people are craving depth over soundbitesHow honest conversation creates ripple effects beyond downloadsThe responsibility that comes with having a platformAnd why impact is measured not in virality, but in alignment, action, and changeEpisode 20 isn’t a victory lap it’s a reckoning. A reminder that when conversations are rooted in purpose, faith, discipline, and truth, they don’t just fill time they move people.This episode closes the loop on the 2025 NYE Lollapalooza and sets the standard for what comes next.If this series challenged you, encouraged you, or helped you think differently — this episode explains why.Share it with someone who values substance over noise, and leave a review to help keep these conversations alive.
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Season 89, Episode 1066: 2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 19: My Word is Love
Jan 2200:39:06Tap to summarizeJay Doran’s Word for 2026: LOVEIn Episode 19, Jay Doran closes the NYE Lollapalooza series by sharing his personal word for 2026: LOVE — and redefining it far beyond how the word is commonly used.This episode is not about romance alone, and it’s not about sentiment. It’s about love as a discipline, a standard, and a responsibility.Jay breaks down what love actually looks like when it’s lived out:In partnership In leadership and workIn friendship, boundaries, and commitmentIn the way we choose to show up for people — even when it’s uncomfortableHe challenges the idea that love is passive or conditional, and instead frames it as something that requires intention, courage, presence, and consistency. Love, as Jay describes it, is not weakness — it is alignment. It is choosing truth over ego, service over control, and depth over convenience.This episode serves as a personal declaration and a compass for the year ahead — not just for Jay, but for anyone listening who wants to live with greater clarity, integrity, and connection in 2026.If you’ve ever felt that the word love has been diluted or misunderstood, this conversation restores its weight — and its meaning.This is the final chapter of the NYE Lollapalooza.And it’s an invitation to live the year ahead differently.Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead — and love — at a higher standard.
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Season 62, Episode 741: Guest: Marvin Joles: Getting Back to Normal
Dec 13, 2024Tap to summarize"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." - Henry David ThoreauMarvin Joles is the owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance and the creator of the "Blacktop Banter" podcast and we've got him back on the program today to get into all kinds of leadership and culture topics. Marvin and Jay are digging into the transformation Marvin underwent in 2024 and the circumstances that led to those changes, some of the health challenges Marvin faced over the last year, and even a little Good Will Hunting near the end. We're very happy to have Marvin back on the show and we think you will be too after this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.
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Season 39, Episode 459: Guest: Marvin Joles: Walden
Jul 19, 2024Tap to summarize"Rather than love, than money, than fame; give me truth." - Henry David ThoreauMarvin Joles is the owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance and the creator of the "Blacktop Banter" podcast and is back with us today to begin a conversation about a book. That book is entitled Walden written by Henry David Thoreau and today's conversation is a deep dive into these pages. Marvin and Jay break down quotes, analyze the meaning behind some of the more intellectually challenging sections, and why you should never want to be the coffee can. If you're looking for some high-minded conversation then you have come to the right place and we hope you enjoy this discussion with Marvin Joles.
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Season 33, Episode 389: Guest: Marvin Joles: Getting to the Finish Line
Jun 17, 2024Tap to summarize"If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don't even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives, and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is a gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you're going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is." - Charles BukowskiMarvin Joles is owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance and the creator of the "Blacktop Banter" podcast is back with us on the show and today we are going to be unpacking that very lengthy quote. This quote is very personal to Marvin and he breaks down in very real detail how it applies to his life and his personal journey to his finish line. Marvin and Jay unpack the lengths that people must go to achieve their goals and ambitions and the sacrifices and dedication it takes to get there. We're going extra deep on this one and we hope you'll come with us on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.
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