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SFIO 207-Story, Identity, and 30 Years Together

Still Figuring It Out

Release Date: 06/10/2025

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Still Figuring It Out

info_outline SFIO 307 - Align and Accelerate: Fundraising with Heart with Chris Baiocchi show art SFIO 307 - Align and Accelerate: Fundraising with Heart with Chris Baiocchi

Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary In this episode, Emily and Marc sit down with fundraising consultant and bow tie enthusiast Chris Baiocchi to explore how a career rooted in journalism led to a calling in philanthropy. Chris shares candidly about the leap from nonprofit staff to self-employed consultant, and what it’s taken to redefine success, stability, and service in his work. They unpack the nuances of donor relationships, alignment, and the importance of momentum—and toss in a few great sci-fi references for good measure.   🔑 Key Takeaways Fundraising is about alignment—doing the right...

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Still Figuring It Out

  📋 Episode SummaryMarc and Emily take on their favorite recurring theme: goal setting. But this time, they dive deeper into their wildly different upbringings, internal narratives, and current practices around goals—from poker chips and chore lists to Scrum boards and morning routines. They explore why goals can feel like punishment for some and purpose for others, and how they’ve each shifted their relationship to goals in ways that feel more personal, flexible, and free. This episode offers an honest, layered conversation that blends coaching insight with lived...

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📋 Episode SummaryAndrea Ferry Daniels joins Emily and Marc for a candid conversation about sales, coaching, and showing up with purpose. As CEO of Rookie to Rainmaker, Andrea shares how she built a six-figure business from a South Jersey apartment, turned her gift for connection into a scalable model, and now helps others build confidence and close deals—with authenticity and heart. They talk about what it means to speak with impact, the power of letting go of familiar goals, and how to keep showing up even while you're still figuring it out.   🔑 Key Takeaways Sales doesn’t...

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Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary In this vulnerable and insightful episode, Marc and Emily open up about the evolution of their working relationship—and how their personal growth has shaped their professional path. They reflect on what it’s meant to co-create a life and a business, especially as Emily stepped more visibly into roles of leadership, coaching, and authorship. From sacred cows and shared systems to spontaneous pivots and solo retreats, this episode explores what it really takes to work together as equals—when the brand once felt like an extension of just one person, and when your growth...

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Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily get candid about what it’s been like to build a life, family, and work in close proximity for more than 30 years. This episode dives into what it means to “work together now,” unpacking the realities of sharing space, parenting, making intentional choices—and growing up alongside each other. From early dreams of connection and community to unromantic but essential rituals (like coffee at 6 a.m. and cereal in low cupboards), they reflect on what’s helped them stick together through different seasons, even when things got messy. Not as advice—just...

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Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary In this episode, Marc and Emily share the behind-the-scenes journey of creating EWTS Coaching—how a yearlong project to help coaches find clients took an unexpected turn, thanks to a conversation with Phil M. Jones. They open up about the founding of Sidecar Advisors, the birth of EWTS Coaching, and the values that guide both ventures. From honoring coaching ethics to building tech infrastructure to supporting 12 phenomenal founding coaches, this episode is a candid look at how big ideas evolve, one bend in the road at a time.   🔑 Key Takeaways Coaching isn't...

info_outline SFIO 301 - Reading, Play, and the Next Bend in the Road show art SFIO 301 - Reading, Play, and the Next Bend in the Road

Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily kick off Season 3 of Still Figuring It Out with a playful, book‑loving, tech‑nerdy conversation about what’s ahead. They share what they’re reading (Joseph Campbell and Jean Shinoda Bolen), why this year is their “Year of Play,” and how the podcast feels like opening a box of favorite sweaters at the start of a new season. The two reflect on lessons from the past year—including the passing of Marc’s father—and look forward to creating a season that emphasizes conversation and discovery rather than perfection. 🔑 Key Takeaways Life and...

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Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary In this season finale, Marc and Emily wrap up Season 2 by doing what they do best: reflecting, learning, and laughing together. The episode centers on a deceptively simple feedback framework they love—LBs and NTs (Liked Bests and Next Times). From the unexpected power of pausing to celebrate progress to the ways this tool has helped them recover from disappointments and find traction when stuck, they explore how intentional reflection can be both practical and healing. They also share favorite gadgets, small joys, and their own LB/NT reflections on the podcast itself....

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Still Figuring It Out

📋 Episode Summary In this thoughtful and energizing conversation, Marc and Emily welcome Dr. Jessica Sharp—organizational psychologist, educator, and champion of belonging. From her travels across the country to her work in Houston and beyond, Jessica is known for making complex topics like unconscious bias, self-leadership, and brain science accessible and engaging. Together, the trio explores the cultural baggage we carry around struggle and ease, what it means to be a grownup (with or without kids), and how boundaries are more than just saying “no.” This is a conversation about...

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📋 Episode Summary (Long)

In this episode, recorded on their anniversary, Marc and Emily reflect on 30 years of marriage—and use it as a lens to explore the role of story and identity in leadership, coaching, and everyday life.

They revisit their shared love of children’s books, read-alouds during 2 a.m. nursing sessions, and the way stories have always been a thread in their family, work, and lives. From The Giving Tree to Anne of Green Gables, storytelling was how they passed on values, built imagination, and created connection.

The conversation moves into coaching and leadership development, exploring why so many people—especially leaders—discredit or downplay their own stories. They share practical insights about helping clients recognize the narratives they repeat (both helpful and limiting), and how stories become mirrors for values and identity.

This episode also includes a reflection on where they’ve been and where they’re going next. From international travel that didn’t happen to the possibility of RV adventures ahead, Marc and Emily keep it honest, reflective, and lighthearted. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary of your own or simply thinking about how your story shapes your path, this one is full of warm wisdom.

 

🔑 Key Takeaways

  • Stories shape identity—and that’s true for individuals, families, and organizations.
  • We often undervalue our own stories because we’re too close to them.
  • Leadership coaching can help surface patterns and narratives clients may not even realize they’re repeating.
  • There’s power in asking, “Is this story still serving me—or my team?”
  • Permission to share your story is sometimes the most transformational part of coaching.

 

🗣 Quote Highlights

“It’s just my life. It’s not my identity.” – Emily
“Story is how we wire the brain—and how we invite others to understand us.” – Marc
“One of the most important things we do in coaching is help people recognize the stories they’re living in.” – Emily
“We’ve said yes to almost every adventure.” – Emily
“I’d rather say I’m sorry than spend a lifetime asking ‘what if?’” – Marc

 

🔗 Resources & Mentions

  • The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
  • The Surprising Gift of Doubt by Marc A. Pitman
  • United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) leadership session
  • Books mentioned: The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time, Anne of Green Gables
  • Coaching references: Co-Active Coaching, story-based tools from Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach Certification