Gratitude Through Hard Times

"Trying to be transformational in all of your relationships instead of transactional is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest, takeaway." — Bill Barrett
In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Schembra sits down with Bill Barrett, CEO of Mandelbaum Barrett, a full-service law firm headquartered in New Jersey with over 150 attorneys practicing in 30 practice areas. Bill hosts the Fingerprints on Success podcast. His new book, Authentic, came out in May. It's a tribute to his father, Dave, built on the business principles Dave taught him: integrity, presence, resilience, and relationships that outlast transactions.
Asked the 7:47 gratitude question, Bill thanks his dad, whose "fingerprints are kinda all over the person that I've become." From there the conversation turns to Bill's core message. Relationships should be transformational, not transactional. And because fewer people work that way today, the ones who do stand out.
Bill shares the stories behind that belief. A fellow managing partner snubbed him at a conference, and the moment showed him the scarcity he never wants to live in. He met a young lawyer for lunch, gave advice freely, and a month later that relationship brought a fabulous engagement, with referrals flowing in both directions ever since. Then there's the single largest piece of business of his career. After settling a contentious non-compete dispute, Bill invited opposing counsel, Seth, to a Friday lunch to celebrate the good work they'd done for their clients. The next Monday, Seth and his managing partner called with a referral that became over a million dollars a year of legal work for seven consecutive years.
Chris connects the stories to Seneca's "bookkeeping of benefits," to Adam Grant's Give and Take, and to a friend who donated to his clients' favorite charities and then shredded the receipts. Bill describes how his friend Mark Murphy leads with people's dangers, opportunities, and strengths. They also talk about why Bill hires "unicorns" with old-school values, the Zig Ziglar tapes his dad played on the commute from New Jersey to New York City, and Chris's first-ever rapid-fire questions from his upcoming book, Earn Connection.
Themes & Highlights
Thanking his father, Dave: the relationship that shaped Bill's life and his book Authentic
Transformational vs. transactional relationships, and why being transformational now makes you stand out
Why "work-life balance" never made sense to Bill: it's all "one big life"
Abundance over scarcity: viewing competitors as colleagues, collaborators, and referral sources
The adversary lunch that led to over a million dollars a year of legal work for seven straight years
Seneca's "bookkeeping of benefits" and giving without keeping score
New ways to give: introductions, a good question, holding space, and the four kinds of personal capital (intellectual, emotional, network, financial)
Dangers, opportunities, strengths: how Mark Murphy helps people before they even know what he does
Zig Ziglar cassette tapes, "hit them where they ain't," and why old-school values are the new white space
Hiring for character: Division I athletes, unicorns, and "I can teach that person anything"
Rapid fire: where to slow down or wake up, where to look around, and what to accept (or not)
Unity after 9/11, the 2004 Red Sox, and what Bill would say to his dad today
Chapters
00:00 Hook: The adversary lunch
00:25 Intro
01:05 Welcome & meet Bill Barrett
04:42 The 7:47 gratitude question
06:12 Gratitude for his father, Dave
08:23 Transformational, not transactional
12:22 What stands in the way: time and "one big life"
14:32 Scarcity vs. abundance: competitors as colleagues
16:38 The snub at the conference
19:53 Lunch with a young lawyer
21:30 The adversary lunch: his largest piece of business
24:04 Seneca, Adam Grant & the bookkeeping of benefits
26:11 Don't keep score
27:38 The personal capital index: new ways to give
29:36 Dangers, opportunities, strengths: Mark Murphy
35:41 Zig Ziglar tapes & old-school wisdom
37:01 Hit them where they ain't
38:16 Unicorns, Division I athletes & hiring for values
41:13 Rapid fire: slow down or wake up?
43:05 Where do you need to look around?
44:45 What must you accept? Finding common ground
48:19 The 2004 Red Sox
49:21 What would you say to your dad?
50:24 Closing thoughts

Rick Sems: Heart at Peace
"The get-rich-quick scheme is actually to do a couple of things really well for a sustained period of time, and you set yourself apart." — Rick Sems
Real leadership isn't about running fast in every direction—it's about building deep human relationships, compounding wisdom over decades, and choosing peace over perpetual conflict.
In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Rick Sems, CEO of Equity Bank. Rick reflects on his family's immigrant roots, leading a multi-billion-dollar regional bank, applying the Influence Pyramid from The Anatomy of Peace, and why mastering three core focus areas beats chasing endless shiny initiatives.
The 5 Levels of the Influence Pyramid (From The Anatomy of Peace)
Shift Posture: Heart at Peace (Base): See people as human beings rather than objects or obstacles.
Build Relationships: Invest in deep personal trust with those you wish to influence.
Listen & Learn: Create space to authentically understand what others are experiencing.
Teach & Communicate: Share your vision, values, and expectations with clarity.
Correct / Fix (Top): Address behaviors—which becomes much easier once levels 1–4 are firmly established.
10 Memorable Quotes:
"The get-rich-quick scheme is actually to do a couple of things really well for a sustained period of time, and you set yourself apart." — Rick Sems
"People don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care." — Rick Sems
"Vulnerability actually makes you stronger." — Rick Sems
"Every time you say yes to something, you're saying no to something else." — Rick Sems
"When you shift from seeing people as objects to seeing people as people, you shift from a heart at war to a heart at peace." — Chris Schembra
"Compounding happens in everything we do—it happens in your decision-making." — Rick Sems
"Change is loss, loss is grief, and grief creates anxiety. As leaders, we have to sit with people in their grief and anxiety." — Rick Sems
"Fear and gratitude cannot coexist." — Chris Schembra
"Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra
"If you can put two things together that are diametrically opposed, you create a differentiation that is hard to beat." — Rick Sems
10 Key Takeaways:
Heart at Peace: Stop seeing colleagues and clients as obstacles; view them as human beings.
The Influence Pyramid: Solve issues by building trust and listening before trying to correct behavior.
Help Things Go Right: Shift focus away from crisis firefighting toward building foundational trust.
Rule of Three: Focus on 3 core strategic goals rather than executing dozens of superficial tasks.
Confidence & Humility: Balance strong executive drive with genuine personal humility.
Empathy in M&A: Recognize that corporate acquisitions create loss and anxiety for acquired teams.
Compounding Wisdom: Real expertise is built over sustained time through repeated, hands-on reps.
Proactive Mentorship: Encourage rising leaders to raise their hands and ask for guidance.
Genius of the "And": Combine organic growth with profitability to build sustainable advantages.
Physical Co-Creation: Recharge resilience through manual labor and shared offline activities.
About Our Guest:
Rick Sems is the Chief Executive Officer of Equity Bank, leading day-to-day operations and growth across its regional footprint. He previously served as Chief Banking Officer at First Bank in St. Louis and President/CEO of Reliance Bank. Rick holds a B.A. from Grove City College and an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

"The more that you learn about what is, the more it frees you up to think about what could be." — Kimberli Carroll
In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.
In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Kimberli Carroll, President and CEO of Ruiz Food Products. Kimberli reflects on her leadership journey—from working in California's Central Valley packing houses to stewarding over 3,800 team members at the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer in the United States. She breaks down why human intelligence and emotional safety matter more than ever alongside rapid AI adoption, how leaders can cultivate psychological safety before crises hit, and why bringing diverse people together to solve hard problems creates lasting joy and organizational resilience.
10 Memorable Quotes:
"The more that you learn about what is, the more it frees you up to think about what could be." — Kimberli Carroll
"When you're pushing up against something hard and making a real effort, accomplishing things that are hard is joyful." — Kimberli Carroll
"My obligation to myself is to figure out how I put myself in situations where I can help people come together to solve problems." — Kimberli Carroll
"Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
"AI doesn't replace us; all it does is create a better opportunity for us to get better faster." — Kimberli Carroll
"We don't want technology to replace human relationships—we want it to augment and enhance them." — Kimberli Carroll
"At the end of the day, when a life is well lived and it's over, people won't mention your business metrics—it's more about the interaction they had with you." — Kimberli Carroll
"A leader's responsibility is to figure out how to create that level of engagement to get the best out of folks." — Kimberli Carroll
"Fear and gratitude cannot coexist." — Chris Schembra
"Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra
10 Key Takeaways:
Human Intelligence Alongside AI: Using artificial intelligence to rapidly synthesize existing knowledge ("what is") so human minds are freed up to imagine novel solutions ("what could be").
Building Psychological Safety in Advance: Cultivating deep, in-person trust and emotional safety across teams long before relying on it during times of organizational pressure.
The Leader as a "Brave Gatherer": Leveraging the superpower of convening people with diverse backgrounds, cultural norms, and perspectives to solve complex enterprise challenges.
Joy in Overcoming Hard Obstacles: Reframing workplace friction and difficult goals not as drudgery, but as the essential source of genuine professional growth and shared victory.
Believing in Others' Unrealized Potential: Instilling confidence in team members by painting a picture of who they can become, transforming doubt into self-efficacy and bold execution.
Navigating Misaligned Performance with Grace: Accepting when individuals are not in the right season or fit for a role, handling transitions with generosity while holding a consistently high performance bar.
Mitigating "Jevons Paradox" and Cognitive Decay: Consciously resisting digital isolation, remote fatigue, and screen dependency by intentionally designing face-to-face gatherings.
Cascading Human-Centered Leadership: Structuring leadership development so direct reports experience personalized stewardship and, in turn, extend that care down to front-line workers.
Community Stewardship & Philanthropy: Connecting corporate mission with local community support through active engagement with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club.
Honoring a Legacy of Service: Carrying forward foundational life lessons learned from family—such as showing up for others without expectation of reward—to ground executive decision-making.
About our Guest:
Kimberli Carroll is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ruiz Food Products, Inc., the nation’s largest manufacturer of frozen Mexican foods, including flagship brands El Monterey and Taquis / Tornados. Raised in California’s Central Valley, Kimberli began her career working in agricultural packing houses before joining Ruiz Foods, where she has served for more than 25 years in various executive roles spanning sales, marketing, supply chain, and general management.
Under her leadership, Ruiz Foods operates manufacturing and distribution facilities across the United States, employing over 3,800 team members. Kimberli holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. Beyond her corporate steward duties for the third-generation, family-owned business, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County in Texas. She resides in Frisco, Texas, with her family.

"If you stop learning, you stop growing." — Philip Schembra
In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.
In this landmark 300th episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra welcomes his father, Philip Anthony Schembra, owner and Broker-in-Charge of Schembra Real Estate Group. Philip reflects on his roots in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, his record-breaking 50-year career in Hilton Head Island real estate, and his lifelong commitment to sales as an act of service, connection, and mentorship. He breaks down the importance of specialization, reading social styles with empathy, and balancing high ambition with family, lifestyle, and philanthropy.
10 Memorable Quotes:
"If you stop learning, you stop growing." — Philip Schembra
"I don't think work is defined by the way people think. If you let work be fun, enjoyable, and rewarding, it's not work. I stopped working forever ago." — Philip Schembra
"When you're in need, ask for help. From an efficiency standpoint, it gets you to where you want to go a heck of a lot faster." — Philip Schembra
"Be a specialist, and then be the best that you possibly could be at whatever product you have." — Philip Schembra
"Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
"You don't want to be the richest guy in the cemetery." — Philip Schembra
"In anything you do in life, if you don't believe in it, don't do it." — Philip Schembra
"If you get out of your world and get into your client's world, everything opens up." — Philip Schembra
"When you give, you get." — Philip Schembra
"Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra
10 Key Takeaways:
Embracing Specialization Over Generalization: How narrowing focus exclusively to Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, and Leamington built a record-breaking, resilient real estate practice.
Reading Social Styles with Empathy: Applying Wilson Learning's social styles model (Amiable, Expressive, Analytical, Driver) to step into the client's world through active listening.
Asking for Help as Trust Building: Overcoming ego to proactively seek guidance from mentors, colleagues, and experts to strengthen teams and accelerate growth.
Translating Athletics to Enterprise: Carrying the mindset of preparation, positive mental attitude, and team culture learned under legendary Glen Ridge High School coaches into business success.
Selling Experiences Over Mere Investment: Positioning real estate around family memories, lifestyle, and community enjoyment rather than transactional numbers.
The Power of Mentorship: Drawing lifelong strategic wisdom from senior executives, including former RCA Victor President Norman Racusin.
Balancing Work, Lifestyle, and Philanthropy: Creating a "diversified happiness income" by intertwining business achievements with community service, sports foundations, and charitable causes.
Pivoting Priorities for Family: Cold-turkeying extensive national speaking circuits to prioritize being present for family milestones and raising a child.
Human Connection as Tomorrow's Edge: Reclaiming interpersonal relationships, active listening, and face-to-face communication as digital technology and AI expand.
Grit as Passion and Perseverance: Maintaining a 50-year commitment to a single community to achieve over $1.25 billion in individual sales through market cycles.
About our Guest:
Philip Anthony Schembra is the Owner and Broker-in-Charge of Schembra Real Estate Group, specializing in luxury oceanfront and resort properties in Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, and Leamington on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Since 1976, Phil has achieved over $1.25 billion in individual sales across 2,000 transactions, making him the #1 all-time listing and selling agent in Hilton Head Island history for a single community.
A Glen Ridge, New Jersey native and LIU Post graduate, Phil was inducted into the Glen Ridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame for football and track. Beyond real estate, he co-created sales training programs such as THE TOTAL SALESPERSON® and co-founded major national philanthropic initiatives, including the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner and the Golf World | Palmetto Dunes Intercollegiate Golf Tournament. Phil resides on the ocean in Palmetto Dunes with his wife and business partner, Carol.

"Living a life of gratitude eliminates entitlement and eliminates so many obstacles to success." — Kevin Jones
In a world obsessed with digital efficiency and quick fixes, the real currency of a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort.
In this special 299th episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, host Chris Schembra sits down with Kevin Jones, founder and CEO of Celero Commerce. Kevin reflects on building Celero into a top-10 non-bank payments processor, steering through black swan market events, and combining high-tech platform innovation with high-touch human connection. He breaks down why respect and humility are essential cornerstones of leadership, how genuine followership makes better leaders, and why holding low ego allows teams to achieve extraordinary scale together.
10 Memorable Quotes:
"Living a life of gratitude eliminates entitlement and eliminates so many obstacles to success." — Kevin Jones
"You cannot be a good leader if you're not a good follower. Followership is something everybody should spend a little time on." — Kevin Jones
"Respect and humility are cornerstones... if you remain respectful and humble, you can solve incredibly difficult problems with people who have different backgrounds and beliefs." — Kevin Jones
"Your job as a leader is really to facilitate outcomes, not dictate them." — Kevin Jones
"For every five years, expect at least one black swan. As part of being a good leader, you need to hone your skills at managing through it." — Kevin Jones
"Real currency in a meaningful life remains independent thought, presence, and intentional effort." — Chris Schembra
"When you take on a challenge, you burn your ships and go chase that challenge. You don't have one foot in and one foot out." — Kevin Jones
"It's okay for leaders to allow themselves to be vulnerable and have some fun with their teams." — Kevin Jones
"Fear and gratitude cannot coexist." — Chris Schembra
"Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances; it changes your capacity to carry them." — Chris Schembra

10 Key Takeaways:
High-Tech Meets High-Touch: Balancing cutting-edge fintech payment integrations with deep, relationship-driven partner care to build sustainable competitive advantage.
The Power of Respect & Humility: Eradicating entitlement in business culture by focusing on merit, continuous learning, and mutual respect across diverse perspectives.
Practicing Genuine "Followership": Understanding that effective executives must first know how to align with, support, and execute under other strong leaders.
Navigating "Black Swan" Market Events: Developing leadership muscle to maintain composure, protect employee families, and protect investor trust through unexpected macroeconomic downturns.
Leading with Love over Machiavellian Fear: Shifting away from rigid top-down authority to collaborative environments built on trust, psychological safety, and productive dissent.
Granting Permission to Pause: Recognizing that while M&A transitions and high-growth phases demand intense sprinting, leaders must proactively grant teams permission to rest and recharge.
Managing the "Silence Tax": Encouraging open dissent and diverse voices within leadership teams to avoid costly, unexamined strategic missteps.
Surrounding Yourself with Superior Talent: Maintaining low ego by hiring specialists who are smarter in their respective operational domains than the CEO.
Carrying the Invisible Weight of Responsibility: Acknowledging the heavy, unsaid burden leaders carry to safeguard the livelihoods of employees, families, and pension investors.
Anchoring Strength in Personal Relationships: Recognizing how unshakeable support from family and partners builds the confidence required to take bold entrepreneurial risks.

About our Guest:
Kevin G. Jones is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Celero Commerce, a top-10 non-bank payment processor and one of the fastest-growing financial services companies headquartered in Tennessee. Founded in late 2018, Celero combines business management software, data analytics, and modern payment solutions to serve over 50,000 small-to-midsized American businesses through financial institution partnerships, software integrations, and direct merchant strategies. Under Kevin’s leadership, Celero executed 12 strategic acquisitions alongside organic growth, culminating in its acquisition by Deluxe Corporation.
Leveraging over two decades of fintech experience, Kevin began his career at Chase Paymentech building strategic partner solutions before driving growth at First American Payment Systems. In 2013, he founded Anovia Payments, delivering an 8.5x investment return and driving organic growth to over 10,000 customers.
Kevin previously served as President of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), advocating for government relations and member initiatives on Capitol Hill. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Carol, and their three children.