Episode 20: Why High Achievers Need a Sabbatical

Episode 21: How Faith Changed Sam Trevino’s Life, Marriage, and Leadership

What if your carpet cleaner carried a calling that had nothing to do with carpets? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess sits down with Sam Trevino, a father of six, man of faith, and founder of Made Clean Janitorial Services. Sam leads with purpose, and his company motto comes straight from Hebrews 9:14. It shows in everything he does. But before his business, beautiful marriage, and bold faith, there was a lost young man in a steel town in Indiana, drinking away his pain and searching for the father he never had. Sam shares the moment a TV preacher stopped him cold, the beer went down, and everything changed. He talks about hearing God’s voice at a quinceañera, proposing to a woman he barely knew, and why, 30 years later, that same obedience still guides him, including raising a three-year-old at age 62. This conversation goes deep on what it means to lead as a man, a father, and a servant, and why none of it works without God in the equation. It ends with a prayer you won’t want to skip. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/] 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine] 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]: TheResultsTree.com [http://theresultstree.com/] ⏩ Made Clean Janitorial Services: www.madeclean.solutions [https://www.madeclean.solutions/] ⏩ Made Clean Janitorial Services on Facebook: facebook.com/MadeCleanJanitorialServices [https://facebook.com/MadeCleanJanitorialServices]  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-TUFNxDFFu8im7BswjxmGw]📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders [https://www.instagram.com/navigatingleaders/] 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders [https://www.facebook.com/navigatingleaders/] 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders [https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingleaders] 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatingleaders/] ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

Episode 20: Why High Achievers Need a Sabbatical

When was the last time you truly chose to rest? Not because you were forced to slow down, but because you intentionally made space to renew, reflect, and reset. In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess makes the case for something most high achievers resist: taking a sabbatical. Not just a vacation, but intentional time to unplug, reflect, and refuel. Drawing from the “4 Rs”: renewal, reflection, rhythm, and rest. Gabriel unpacks why rest is not weakness; it’s wisdom. He also gets practical about what a sabbatical can actually look like: putting it on the calendar, choosing the right environment, unplugging completely, and giving your body and mind permission to slow down. If you’ve been running on empty, feeling burned out, or carrying more than you were designed to hold, this episode will challenge you to stop surviving and start investing in the one person everyone around you is counting on: you. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/] 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine] 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]: TheResultsTree.com [http://theresultstree.com/]  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-TUFNxDFFu8im7BswjxmGw]📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders [https://www.instagram.com/navigatingleaders/] 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders [https://www.facebook.com/navigatingleaders/] 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders [https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingleaders] 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatingleaders/] ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

Episode 19: Happy Wife, Happy Life … But Not How You Think

You’ve probably heard the phrase “happy wife, happy life” a thousand times. But what if we’ve been missing the point? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess shares a simple moment with his wife, Kristie, and son, Preston, that completely reframed what it means to truly love, serve, and honor the people closest to us. At a time when the world feels filled with conflict, uncertainty, stress, and even headlines of war, it’s easy to overlook the quiet battles happening inside our homes, relationships, and hearts. In a culture searching for stronger marriages, deeper connection, emotional health, and less overwhelm, we often assume love looks like expensive vacations, jewelry, or grand gestures. While those things can be meaningful, Gabriel shares a different perspective: sometimes love looks much simpler and much more powerful. Through one ordinary Saturday afternoon spent scanning receipts, Gabriel uncovers an unexpected lesson about marriage, service, emotional support, and what people truly need most when life feels heavy. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give someone isn’t more; it’s relief. Whether you’re married, single, dating, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge you to see the people in your life differently and ask: what burden can I help someone lay down today? ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/] 👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine] 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]: TheResultsTree.com [http://theresultstree.com/]  ==================== CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-TUFNxDFFu8im7BswjxmGw]📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders [https://www.instagram.com/navigatingleaders/] 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders [https://www.facebook.com/navigatingleaders/] 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders [https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingleaders] 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatingleaders/] ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

Episode 18: Allison Higgins on Faith, Purpose & the Fight Against Human Trafficking

What happens when a young woman takes her faith from the White House to a war zone and turns it into a lifelong mission to protect the most vulnerable? In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess sits down with Allison Higgins, J.D. - attorney, anti-human trafficking advocate, and co-founder of CoverGov. Allison's story is anything but ordinary. From a church plant in a tent outside Georgetown to praying over a sick woman in Indonesia and not learning the outcome for four years, her life is a masterclass in walking by faith. Gabriel and Allison explore what it looks like to pursue God wholeheartedly while building a meaningful career, how to stay centered when everything feels urgent, and what it truly costs to say yes to the hard assignments. Allison shares her firsthand experience at the Ukraine-Poland border during the 2022 Russian invasion, where she witnessed trafficking in real time and helped launch a rapid response using facial recognition, law enforcement collaboration, and baby supplies as cover. Back in Texas, she unpacks the staggering reality of statewide trafficking - 79,000 youth and minor sex trafficking victims alone and how a DOJ-backed task force model is finally getting it right. This conversation will stretch your faith, challenge your priorities, and remind you that a life of purpose is built one courageous yes at a time. ====================  RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/] 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]: TheResultsTree.com [http://theresultstree.com/] 🛡️ UnboundNow (Anti-Human Trafficking Organization): unboundnow.org [http://unboundnow.org/] 🏛️ CoverGov (Government Intelligence Platform): covergov.com [http://covergov.com/] 📚 Right Away and All at Once by Greg Brenneman: amazon.com/Right-Away-All-At-Once/dp/0795347480 [https://www.amazon.com/Right-Away-All-At-Once/dp/0795347480] CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-TUFNxDFFu8im7BswjxmGw]📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders [https://www.instagram.com/navigatingleaders/] 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders [https://www.facebook.com/navigatingleaders/] 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders [https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingleaders] 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatingleaders/] ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.

Episode 17: The Story Behind The Results Tree

In this behind-the-scenes episode of the Navigating Leaders Podcast, host Gabriel Griess sits down with Marcos Perez, CEO of Harp & Sword Media, to unpack the story behind The Results Tree and tackle a question so many people are asking: Why am I doing everything right and still not getting the results I want? What began as a more than 20-year idea has become a message that is impacting lives today. Gabriel shares how it all came together, why it matters now more than ever, and what it really takes to bring something meaningful to life. This conversation dives into purpose, action, and why so many people feel stuck despite doing “all the right things.” Gabriel unpacks how The Results Tree was designed to cut through the noise, bring clarity, and help you uncover your vision, take aligned action, and use your results as real-time feedback to move forward with confidence. Whether you are building something, feeling stuck, or searching for clarity, this episode will challenge and inspire you. It’s a reminder that your journey matters, your vision is worth pursuing, and it’s never too late to begin again. ==================== RESOURCES 🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com [http://www.navigatingleaders.com/] 📖 The Results Tree—A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]: TheResultsTree.com [http://theresultstree.com/] 📖 [https://www.amazon.com/Results-Tree-Proven-Path-Really/dp/B0FZSXM5MF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11494Y0W5UHVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M90OGwFx3iTdHAqeUWXo5UW8MnN_PBFCeH5wBCznCH_yaOwl7rs-pnRYZO9wj-B_vYvCu0qeB6Nh1RILjw5MH8jGtYB1XbuO9MjoPMSwDoEihuLplPE3WBMmoey0IHCqq8AVf2jsTH9i7xngGc69u98pOh5DTqT6YOImf9TqtqWEA4HrXIDCkn97ElItaTA0vnSWaiVecQtQk6ozmpLannXdjZuqdT7EILiqWPQ4t5c.09uQh1R8aSwwujx1YOB9MOg1mfDJjsOeTqfmqbY1c14&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+results+tree&qid=1775071455&sprefix=the+results+tree%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1]Harp & Sword Media: harpandswordmedia.com [https://harpandswordmedia.com/]  CONNECT WITH GABRIEL 🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-TUFNxDFFu8im7BswjxmGw]📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders [https://www.instagram.com/navigatingleaders/] 👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders [https://www.facebook.com/navigatingleaders/] 🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders [https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingleaders] 🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatingleaders/] ==================== ABOUT GABRIEL Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.