Tia Newcomer | CEO of CaringBridge | Leading with Heart in the For-Impact World
Release Date: 10/29/2025
Leading With Grace Through Prison Fellowship | Heather Rice-Minus on Justice, Purpose, and Restoring Hope
The Wow Factor
is the President and CEO of , the nation’s largest ministry serving those impacted by incarceration. With a background in law, public policy, and justice reform, Heather has dedicated her career to helping people encounter hope, dignity, and restoration through faith and community. Through her leadership, Prison Fellowship continues to expand its mission of supporting incarcerated individuals, their families, and the churches and volunteers who walk alongside them. In this episode, Brad and Heather Rice-Minus explore the mission and impact of Prison Fellowship, the organization founded by ...
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Building Wealth Beyond Retirement | Derek Coburn on Purpose, Planning, and Redefining the Future
The Wow Factor
is a financial advisor, entrepreneur, and author of Let’s Retire Retirement, a book that challenges the traditional idea of retirement and encourages people to think more intentionally about wealth, work, purpose, and the future. Through his work, Derek helps leaders and families rethink what it means to plan well, live generously, and build a meaningful life beyond financial success. In this episode, Brad and Derek Coburn explore why the old model of retirement may no longer serve people well and how a more purposeful approach can lead to greater fulfillment. Derek shares his perspective...
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From Dairy Farm Roots to Purpose-Driven Business | Jennie Groff on Entrepreneurship, Community, and Impact
The Wow Factor
Jennie Groff is a co-founder and leader behind , a purpose-driven business rooted in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that creates handcrafted stroopwafels while providing meaningful employment opportunities for resettled refugee women. Raised on a dairy farm, Jennie’s journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t traditional, but through faith, persistence, and a deep commitment to community, she and her husband transformed a simple idea into a growing business that blends quality products with real human impact. In this episode, Brad and Jennie Groff explore the story behind Stroopies beginnings,...
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From Rock Bottom to Rewriting Health | Steve Hochman on Purpose, Discipline, and Reversing Diabetes
The Wow Factor
Steve Hochman is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and international bestselling author of , known for helping thousands achieve lasting fat loss and improved health without restrictive dieting. As the founder of OC Fit Body, a multi-location fitness and coaching business, Steve has spent over two decades helping clients transform their bodies and reverse chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes through simple, science-backed methods. In this episode, Brad and Steve Hochman unpack a powerful journey of adversity, breakthrough, and purpose-driven work. Steve shares his early struggles with...
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Mark Batterson | Pastor of National Community Church and Bestselling Author | The Power of “Gradually, Then Suddenly” in Faith, Leadership, and Life
The Wow Factor
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of in Washington, D.C., and a prolific bestselling author known for his ability to blend faith, leadership, and personal growth into practical, lived-out wisdom. With more than two decades of writing and nearly 30 years of pastoral leadership, Mark has built a legacy centered on long obedience, bold vision, and unwavering trust in God’s timing. In this episode, he joins Brad to unpack the core idea behind his latest message: “gradually, then suddenly.” Brad and Mark explore the tension between patience and ambition, and why most meaningful growth...
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Josh Block | CEO of Block Imaging and Author of People Matter at Work | Building Cultures Where Team Members Thrive and Everyone Wins
The Wow Factor
Josh Block is the longtime leader of , a global healthcare equipment company known for its distinctive people-first culture and multigenerational family leadership. After unexpectedly stepping into the president’s role at just 29 years old, Josh spent the next decade and a half guiding the organization’s growth from a $30 million business into a thriving enterprise of over 425 team members. In this episode, he joins Brad to share insights from his new book, , a practical framework for helping leaders create cultures where team members feel safe, seen, and successful, and where the...
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Dr. Emerson Eggerichs | Author & Speaker | Light Bulb Moments in Marriage and the Path Back to Love and Respect
The Wow Factor
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs is a longtime marriage teacher, speaker, and author, that has helped couples for decades. A former senior pastor at Trinity Church in East Lansing, Michigan, Emerson’s work blends pastoral experience, biblical study, and real-world marriage dynamics into practical tools couples can use immediately. In this episode, he joins Brad for his third visit to this time to talk about his newest book, , a collection of insights and stories designed to bring clarity when couples feel stuck, distant, or worn down by years of misunderstanding. Brad and Emerson dig into why...
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David McDonald | Owner of Escalante Golf | Entrepreneurship, Stewardship, and Building a Golf Culture Rooted in Service
The Wow Factor
David McDonald is the owner of and a third-generation car dealer originally from Roswell, New Mexico, raised in the Denver area. A former college tennis player at the University of Oklahoma, David carries deep work ethic values shaped by family, faith, and decades of business leadership. Today, he leads Escalante Golf with a long-term stewardship mindset, building private clubs and experiences that prioritize customer service, culture, and community. Brad sits down with David to explore how Escalante Golf was born out of a simple observation: golfers, especially young golfers, weren’t...
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Dick Stricklen: Owner of Motor City Auto | Focusing on Company Culture Rather Than Profits
The Wow Factor
Dick Stricklen is the owner of Motor City Auto Center in Bakersfield, CA, a sprawling campus which includes a Buick/GMC dealership, a Lexus dealership, and a large used car & truck operation. Dick’s team devote themselves to helping and serving their customers and providing staff with the opportunity to develop their skills and interests. Dick took over the GMC dealership at the age of 19 after his father’s death and since then has followed his passion for building authentic relationships with team members and clients alike. Dick joins me on the show today to share how he started in...
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Gracie Formsma | Co-Founder of Love Gives & Storyteller for Generous Family | Calling, Vulnerability, and a Lifestyle Brand Rooted in John 3:16
The Wow Factor
Gracie Formsma is a college student at Samford University, co-founder of , a hat brand in the ecosystem. She’s also the daughter of The Wow Factor host, Brad Formsma. Originally from Michigan, Gracie moved with her family to California about a decade ago, growing up in a home shaped by faith, generosity, and the gritty reality of launching the nonprofit I Like Giving and its Generous Family initiative. Today, she brings her marketing eye, creative direction, and heart for discipleship to Love Gives, a lifestyle brand built around the simple but profound truth of John 3:16. Brad sits...
info_outlineTia Newcomer is the CEO of CaringBridge, a nonprofit providing a vital digital platform where families can communicate, receive support, and rally their communities during health journeys. With a career that spans Revlon, PepsiCo., Hewlett-Packard, and multiple health tech ventures, Tia brings a rich background from the for-profit world into the heart of the nonprofit sector, or as she prefers to call it, the for-impact space.
In this episode of The Wow Factor, Brad sits down with Tia to unpack her career journey across four pivotal pillars, from consumer goods to tech, healthcare, and now mission-driven leadership. She shares how personal experiences, including her husband’s fight with cancer and her own sense of purpose, led her to take a surprising leap into nonprofit leadership. Tia discusses the real-world impact of CaringBridge on hundreds of thousands of families every day, the technology powering it, and how “ministry pace” just won’t cut it when the stakes are this high. She also dives deep into why entrepreneurial thinking, business rigor, and cross-sector collaboration are essential in the nonprofit space.
“The difference between nonprofit and for-profit is a tax status. The skillset? It’s the same.” – Tia Newcomer
“In moments of crisis, people don’t need ‘let me know how I can help.’ They need tangible action.” – Tia Newcomer
“If I’m spending the majority of my time working, it better be fulfilling. That’s the leap I made.” – Tia Newcomer
This Week on The Wow Factor:
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Tia’s four career pillars: Consumer Goods, Technology, Women’s Health, and Nonprofit
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Why leaving HP was her wake-up call to find purpose in her work
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Her perspective on for-impact vs. nonprofit leadership
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How CaringBridge grew to 300,000 daily users with only 40 employees
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The real story behind the CaringBridge platform and its founder
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Why technology for good is more essential than ever
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The burden of “just let me know how I can help” and what to say instead
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The power of one person raising their hand to share updates and mobilize care
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Partnering with GoFundMe to raise over $10M directly for patients and families
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The role of generosity, from emotional support to meals, transportation, and funds
Tia Newcomer’s Word of Wisdom:
Leadership is about building something that matters and having the courage to follow the nudge, even when it’s outside your comfort zone.
Connect With CaringBridge: