With Hat and Cattle

We Put Ourselves on the Couch: A Live BoldGPS Session with Darin Newbold (Part 1)

What does a live executive coaching session actually look like? In Part 1 of this two-part episode, host Dani sits down with Enneagram coach Darin K. Newbold and best friend Nicki Ketcham for an unedited walkthrough of the BoldGPS framework: Darin's Bold Guided Purpose System that combines the Enneagram with the Purpose Factor Assessment. Following Darin's first appearance on With Hat and Cattle, Dani and Nicki took both assessments and invited Darin to coach them on the mic. The result is a candid conversation about self-awareness, blind spots, and the patterns that quietly shape our personal and professional relationships. In this episode, you'll hear: * A live Enneagram typing session, with Dani as a Type 4 with a 3 wing, and Nicki as a self-preservation Type 3 with a 4 wing * How the Enneagram's wings, stress paths, and growth paths actually work in real life * Why the heart-center triad (Types 2, 3, and 4) processes grief and shame differently, and what that means for high performers * A real friction point between Dani and Nicki, broken down in real time using the framework * Why no Enneagram number is "better" than another, and how each one contributes something the world needs * Childhood wounds, core fears, and the unconscious messages that shape who we become at work * A preview of the Purpose Factor Assessment (the lighthouse half of BoldGPS) coming in Part 2 Whether you're new to the Enneagram or you've been studying it for years, this episode demonstrates how personal development tools translate into practical decisions about leadership, relationships, and self-trust. Part 2 drops next week with the Purpose Factor reveal for both Dani and Nicki. Connect with Darin Newbold (BoldGPS) (Be sure to tell him you heard about him on With Hat and Cattle to get your community discount!): You Bold Solutions [https://yourboldsolutions.com/] Connect with Nicki Ketcham: Big Future Consulting [https://www.bigfutureconsulting.com/] Color analysis by Bianca: B. Well Styled | DFW Color Analysis [https://www.biancaschiffman.com/] Subscribe to the With Hat and Cattle podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and join the community at the kitchen table for stories from people who walk the walk and leave you better off for listening. Keywords: Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram Type 4, emotional intelligence Want to be notified when Claude responds?Notify Connect with Dani Raschel Chou on Instagram @withhatandcattle or via email at dani@thehouseofchou.com.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations that leave you better off for listening: With Hat and Cattle I Hosted by Dani Raschel Chou - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WithHatandCattle]!  Go to www.withhatandcattle.com [https://www.withhatandcattle.com] to sign up for our mailing list so you don't miss weekly insights. Be sure to check out our affiliate links!

AI Can Write the Message, But It Can't Carry Your Reputation | Amir Khawaja on Leading Human in a Machine Age

AI can write the message, but it can’t carry your reputation. In an era where everyone is starting to sound polished, automated, and put-together, what actually separates the leaders people trust from the ones they don’t? In this episode of With Hat and Cattle, host Dani sits down (again) with Amir Khawaja, engineering executive and co-host of the Black Belts and Boardrooms podcast, for a candid conversation about authenticity, leadership in the age of AI, and how to stay human when the tools around you are getting smarter every day. After his first appearance had listeners texting Dani about how much it hit, Amir is back to go deeper: on trust, credibility, the Dunning-Kruger effect, AI hallucinations, and why “leave people better than you found them” is still the leadership standard that holds up.  Whether you’re a leader trying to use AI without losing your voice, a young professional wondering how to build a career when entry-level tasks are being automated, or a creative worried about what authenticity even means anymore — this conversation gives you something rare: a thoughtful, grounded, real-talk framework for showing up as a human in a machine-driven world. What you’ll learn: •        Why AI can polish your words but can’t protect your reputation •        How to give AI “pre-flight constraints” so it stops flattering you and starts telling you the truth •        The difference between a chatbot and an AI agent explained without the jargon •        Why the Dunning-Kruger effect is about to get magnified by AI — and how to protect your credibility •        What every young professional should be doing right now to build a career that AI can’t replace •        The leadership philosophy that still wins: “leave people better than you found them” •        Why a liberal arts mindset and critical thinking are now competitive advantages •        Slop vs. scratch kitchen: how to feed your mind in a content-saturated world Quotes from the episode: “AI can write the message, but it can’t carry your reputation.” “We all have a PhD in our pockets now.” “If you feed your mind slop every day, what happens to your ability to appreciate the more nuanced things in life?” “Titles are what other people give you. Can somebody honestly say I was useful to them? That would make my day.” About Amir Khawaja: Amir is a seasoned engineering executive with nearly three decades in technology, product, and transformation leadership. He is the co-host of Black Belts and Boardrooms, a podcast at the intersection of leadership, mindset, and real-world performance, and the author of the AI Brain Trust methodology shared on LinkedIn. If this episode hits something for you, send it to one person who’s navigating this AI moment with you, then follow With Hat and Cattle on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube so you don’t miss the next one. We’re sharing stories from people who walk the walk and leave you better off for listening. Connect with Dani Raschel Chou on Instagram @withhatandcattle or via email at dani@thehouseofchou.com.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations that leave you better off for listening: With Hat and Cattle I Hosted by Dani Raschel Chou - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WithHatandCattle]!  Go to www.withhatandcattle.com [https://www.withhatandcattle.com] to sign up for our mailing list so you don't miss weekly insights. Be sure to check out our affiliate links!

From Library Books to Legendary Parks: How One Man's Childhood Obsession Became a Career No One Saw Coming

What happens when you follow a passion so relentlessly that the world eventually has no choice but to make room for you? In this episode of With Hat and Cattle, Dani sits down with Jim Futrell: amusement park historian, 11-time author, and the man the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions trusts to capture the soul of an entire industry. And here's the twist: Jim never had a degree in history. He had something rarer, an unshakeable curiosity and the courage to say yes every single time an opportunity showed up. From checking out the same three library books on repeat as a kid in Chicago, to interviewing industry legends at global conventions, Jim's story is a masterclass in turning a "hobby run amok" into a legacy. He breaks down how his career in market research and his lifelong love of amusement parks weren't competing priorities. Oh, no. They were two lanes running parallel toward the same destination. What you'll walk away with: * Why saying yes first and figuring out the logistics second is often the right move * How showing up at industry events can completely redirect the trajectory of your life * The mindset shift that separates people chasing passion from people living it * Why "balance" is a myth, and what seasons of sacrifice actually look like in practice * A reminder that the greatest careers are sometimes built without a single class on the subject Whether you're an entrepreneur, an executive, a career-changer, or just someone who's ever been told their interest is "too niche," Jim's story will leave you better than it found you. You can find Jim on LinkedIn: Jim Futrell - CERP, ICAE | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-futrell-cerp-icae-13a0695/]. And his new book dropped April 14, 2026, and is now available on Amazon: Knoebels Amusement Resort (Images of America): Futrell, Jim, Knoebel, Dick: 9781467163132: Amazon.com: Books [https://www.amazon.com/Knoebels-Amusement-Resort-Images-America/dp/1467163139/ref=sr_1_1?crid=26F4B31N05EEW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Hk0Ffd1WhKweT4Zw3REg6rj2P5-vnENOtDHbVnf3Hx5TQxBMow7WApuZfCBgm7xXY67_SsNn0Z_FqVVLZHXzI2vFp3xbXRJRk6rnwMBk3GqTY1Gmt7ZiCMcCS-eWoM5XClTcbmCfxpqKdjY_gSNJ-LRLJlYdxpB2mUeCF17nZR08N717BRKpipNVLT3mAIIw.XIx0SciCP9QSeznXlkIV55BWuk--NBfE68rtibsewOM&dib_tag=se&keywords=jim+futrell&qid=1776280161&sprefix=jim+fut%2Caps%2C374&sr=8-1]. New episodes drop biweekly (for now). Subscribe, share, and come join the With Hat and Cattle community. #WithHatAndCattle #FollowYourPassion  #PersonalDevelopment #AmusementParks #HistoryNerd #CareerAdvice #PurposeDrivenWork #GrowthMindset #LifeLessons Connect with Dani Raschel Chou on Instagram @withhatandcattle or via email at dani@thehouseofchou.com.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations that leave you better off for listening: With Hat and Cattle I Hosted by Dani Raschel Chou - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WithHatandCattle]!  Go to www.withhatandcattle.com [https://www.withhatandcattle.com] to sign up for our mailing list so you don't miss weekly insights. Be sure to check out our affiliate links!

AI Isn't the Real Risk...Losing This Is (Panel Discussion)

Most AI conversations live inside a bubble, from LinkedIn feeds flooded with hype, tech conferences full of engineers, and billionaires deciding the future for the rest of us. This episode of With Hat and Cattle breaks that open.  Host Dani Raschel Chou brings together three voices you rarely hear in the same room: a historian, a chaplain, and an AI strategist, and she asked them the question everyone is dancing around: What does artificial intelligence actually mean for us as human beings? In this conversation, Dr. Dallas Cothrum, Chaplain John Betz, and AI leader Tori Begg go deep on job displacement, spiritual identity, environmental ethics, systemic bias, and why the people building AI may not be the right people making its moral decisions. Because from the Luddite riots of 1811 to ChatGPT, history keeps rhyming, but the tempo is accelerating. And this time, the machines aren't just replacing muscle. They're imitating personhood. Key Takeaways from This Episode * The real spiritual risk isn't that machines will think. It's that we'll forget what thinking means.  * AI is eliminating the entry-level rung...and not everyone is ready.  * Five billionaires probably shouldn't be your source of truth.  * The environmental debate around AI is more complicated than the headlines suggest.  * Who's helped? Who's harmed? Whose voice isn't at the table?  Why This Episode Matters The AI conversation is too often siloed. We have tech people talking to tech people, and policy people talking to policy people. What this episode does is rare: It holds the economic, spiritual, historical, and ethical dimensions of AI transformation in the same space, at the same time. Whether you're a parent worried about your kid's future, a professional trying to stay relevant, a person of faith wrestling with what any of this means, or simply someone who wants to understand what is actually happening right now — this conversation's for you. Fair warning: This episode asks more questions than it answers. But that's kind of the point. Stay curious. Stay grounded. And maybe start learning AI before it learns without you. Links and Resources You can find Dr. Dallas Cothrum online via LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallas-cothrum-4195745/], his Dallas Morning News contributing columnist page [https://www.dallasnews.com/author/dallas-cothrum/], or on the podcast Working Title with Zach Sams [https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingTitlewithZachSams]. Chaplain John Betz is on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaplainbetz/], and he's co-host of the podcast the Chaplain's Compass, available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/28HSVdVOS8nLL2RDAwMVxH?si=d80625ee5ade483e]and Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chaplains-compass/id1755585293]. Tori Begg is on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tori-begg-2649a7187/], and, if you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you can increase your AI literacy by attending one of Mind and Machine DFW [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-and-machine-dfw/]'s events. Connect with Dani Raschel Chou on Instagram @withhatandcattle or via email at dani@thehouseofchou.com.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations that leave you better off for listening: With Hat and Cattle I Hosted by Dani Raschel Chou - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WithHatandCattle]!  Go to www.withhatandcattle.com [https://www.withhatandcattle.com] to sign up for our mailing list so you don't miss weekly insights. Be sure to check out our affiliate links!

How a Body Shop Built a Better Leader with Jeremy Lennox (Replay)

What does it take to go from sweeping shop floors to running your own company? In this replay of our very first episode, host Dani sits down with Jeremy Lennox, President of Harvey's Collision Centers, for an honest conversation about building a career the right way: with patience, hard work, and a willingness to listen. Jeremy shares the pivotal moments that shaped him as a leader, including working his way up through his father's collision repair business, relocating to Atlanta to reshape 18 locations, and eventually striking out on his own. He opens up about sobriety, work-life balance, and why listening — truly listening — is the skill he wishes he had developed sooner. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, building your own business, or just trying to lead better at every level, this conversation is for you. In this episode: * Why Jeremy's dad refused to let him skip his education * The Atlanta move that changed everything — professionally and personally * The leadership gap Jeremy sees in executives across every industry * How he manages stress, protects his family time, and stays grounded * What legacy really means when you're building something to last Resources mentioned: * The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley * How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie * Harvey's Collision Centers With Hat and Cattle is a podcast for the people walking the walk and talking the talk — leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives sharing the real stories behind their success. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation. Connect with Dani Raschel Chou on Instagram @withhatandcattle or via email at dani@thehouseofchou.com.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more conversations that leave you better off for listening: With Hat and Cattle I Hosted by Dani Raschel Chou - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@WithHatandCattle]!  Go to www.withhatandcattle.com [https://www.withhatandcattle.com] to sign up for our mailing list so you don't miss weekly insights. Be sure to check out our affiliate links!