Full Transcript for The Human Side of Tech Leadership w/ Bryan Muehlberger

Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:02:50.495 --> 00:02:50.735 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:02:50.735 --> 00:02:53.490 Lisa Nichols: So but, you know, let's talk about... 00:02:53.490 --> 00:02:55.170 Bryan Muehlberger: The good ones stay in touch for sure. 00:02:55.170 --> 00:02:55.890 Lisa Nichols: I know. 00:02:55.890 --> 00:02:57.330 Lisa Nichols: I'm so grateful for that. 00:02:57.330 --> 00:02:57.970 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:02:57.970 --> 00:03:01.970 Lisa Nichols: Relationships are there have been so many blessings from 00:03:02.050 --> 00:03:06.025 Lisa Nichols: being at Technology Partners and doing what we've been doing for so many years, 00:03:06.025 --> 00:03:08.505 Lisa Nichols: but the great one of the greatest lessons is the people. 00:03:08.505 --> 00:03:08.905 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:03:08.905 --> 00:03:11.785 Lisa Nichols: The people that we've met along the way and the relationships we've made. 00:03:11.785 --> 00:03:15.785 Lisa Nichols: So, I just wanted to to say I'm grateful that 00:03:15.785 --> 00:03:16.905 Lisa Nichols: you're in my orbit. 00:03:16.905 --> 00:03:18.360 Lisa Nichols: I appreciate that. 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:19.560 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:22.120 Lisa Nichols: So like I said, you I mean, you started in technology. 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:26.120 Lisa Nichols: You started, like, building servers and working help desk, I think, Bryan. 00:03:26.440 --> 00:03:26.680 Bryan Muehlberger: God. 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:27.720 Bryan Muehlberger: That's a long time ago. 00:03:27.720 --> 00:03:28.680 Bryan Muehlberger: But yeah. 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:28.920 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:03:28.920 --> 00:03:30.120 Bryan Muehlberger: Back in the hardware days. 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:30.600 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:03:30.600 --> 00:03:31.960 Lisa Nichols: Back in the hardware days. 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:35.960 Lisa Nichols: So what did those early years teach you 00:03:35.985 --> 00:03:37.745 Lisa Nichols: that still influence you today? 00:03:37.745 --> 00:03:38.065 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:03:38.065 --> 00:03:39.505 Lisa Nichols: I mean, like star, by the way. 00:03:39.505 --> 00:03:41.185 Bryan Muehlberger: It's it's crazy to even think back that far. 00:03:41.185 --> 00:03:45.185 Bryan Muehlberger: But, because, I mean, like, I started my career in 00:03:45.265 --> 00:03:46.900 Bryan Muehlberger: ninety three. 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:47.220 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:03:47.220 --> 00:03:50.660 Bryan Muehlberger: So I always say it's like before the Internet's the Internet. 00:03:50.660 --> 00:03:52.260 Bryan Muehlberger: We know of it as of today. 00:03:52.260 --> 00:03:53.140 Bryan Muehlberger: And so Yes. 00:03:53.140 --> 00:03:54.980 Bryan Muehlberger: I've seen it all change and so forth. 00:03:54.980 --> 00:03:58.260 Bryan Muehlberger: It's been been pretty crazy. 00:03:58.260 --> 00:04:01.140 Bryan Muehlberger: I would say the biggest thing I would say I take away from those 00:04:01.140 --> 00:04:04.975 Bryan Muehlberger: early days is, you know, I was always, like, very curious how things work. 00:04:04.975 --> 00:04:05.375 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:04:05.375 --> 00:04:07.615 Bryan Muehlberger: And so I think that always served me well. 00:04:07.615 --> 00:04:09.855 Bryan Muehlberger: Just digging in, trying to figure it out. 00:04:09.855 --> 00:04:12.815 Bryan Muehlberger: Back then, it was picking up a book, you know, then eventually, it was 00:04:12.815 --> 00:04:15.375 Bryan Muehlberger: finding it online, and and now we have AI to help us. 00:04:15.375 --> 00:04:19.375 Bryan Muehlberger: But I've always been one that likes to figure out how things work and 00:04:19.430 --> 00:04:22.230 Bryan Muehlberger: and and learn how to solve it myself. 00:04:22.230 --> 00:04:22.870 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:04:22.870 --> 00:04:24.710 Lisa Nichols: Curiosity is really important. 00:04:24.710 --> 00:04:25.030 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:04:25.030 --> 00:04:26.470 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:04:26.470 --> 00:04:30.470 Lisa Nichols: Hopefully, because I'm curious too and, you know, always want to learn. 00:04:30.635 --> 00:04:32.795 Lisa Nichols: Hope I never get tired of that. 00:04:32.795 --> 00:04:33.355 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:04:33.355 --> 00:04:35.755 Lisa Nichols: Hope I never yeah. 00:04:35.755 --> 00:04:38.075 Lisa Nichols: But you've been at some really iconic brands. 00:04:38.075 --> 00:04:42.075 Lisa Nichols: You've been a multi time CIO, CTO, and I didn't even realize this to 00:04:42.315 --> 00:04:45.470 Lisa Nichols: but today, we we were just talking, and you just took on a CTO 00:04:45.470 --> 00:04:47.230 Lisa Nichols: role for a new company. 00:04:47.230 --> 00:04:47.470 Bryan Muehlberger: I did. 00:04:47.470 --> 00:04:48.270 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:04:48.270 --> 00:04:50.110 Lisa Nichols: In Franklin, Tennessee. The Health Institute. 00:04:50.110 --> 00:04:50.510 Bryan Muehlberger: The Health Institute. 00:04:50.510 --> 00:04:51.630 Bryan Muehlberger: That's right. 00:04:51.630 --> 00:04:52.350 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:04:52.350 --> 00:04:56.350 Lisa Nichols: But you've been at companies such as Red Bull, Beachbody. 00:04:57.255 --> 00:05:01.175 Lisa Nichols: Before that, Pfizer and Express Scripts, that's when you and I first Yeah. 00:05:01.175 --> 00:05:01.495 Lisa Nichols: Met. 00:05:01.495 --> 00:05:05.495 Lisa Nichols: But you've seen a lot of great technology leaders 00:05:05.495 --> 00:05:07.175 Lisa Nichols: over the years, Bryan. 00:05:07.175 --> 00:05:07.415 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:05:07.415 --> 00:05:11.415 Lisa Nichols: You know, what separates the really great ones from the average ones 00:05:11.540 --> 00:05:12.660 Lisa Nichols: in your mind? 00:05:12.660 --> 00:05:13.300 Bryan Muehlberger: Oh, wow. 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:17.060 Bryan Muehlberger: So I would say, you know, they're they lead with their heart. 00:05:17.060 --> 00:05:17.380 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:05:17.380 --> 00:05:18.740 Bryan Muehlberger: They

care about their people. 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:20.420 Bryan Muehlberger: I think that's probably number one. 00:05:20.420 --> 00:05:24.420 Bryan Muehlberger: Number two is they're willing to push people out of their comfort zones 00:05:25.005 --> 00:05:29.005 Bryan Muehlberger: and and get them to to to realize where their potential really lies. 00:05:29.885 --> 00:05:32.285 Bryan Muehlberger: And I you know, I've got I had so many great leaders in my 00:05:32.285 --> 00:05:34.685 Bryan Muehlberger: past that that shaped me in many ways. 00:05:34.685 --> 00:05:38.045 Bryan Muehlberger: I think back to my Express Scripts days, and I remember Jim Lammers. 00:05:38.045 --> 00:05:38.605 Bryan Muehlberger: You know Jim. 00:05:38.605 --> 00:05:39.070 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:05:39.070 --> 00:05:39.950 Lisa Nichols: I sure do. 00:05:39.950 --> 00:05:40.430 Lisa Nichols: Jim as well. 00:05:40.430 --> 00:05:41.070 Lisa Nichols: Love Jim. 00:05:41.070 --> 00:05:41.390 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:05:41.390 --> 00:05:43.390 Bryan Muehlberger: So I worked for Jim for a number of years. 00:05:43.390 --> 00:05:46.030 Bryan Muehlberger: And I remember one time him saying to me, Bryan, you don't need to 00:05:46.030 --> 00:05:48.030 Bryan Muehlberger: be the smartest person in the room. 00:05:48.030 --> 00:05:48.510 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:05:48.510 --> 00:05:49.790 Bryan Muehlberger: And and it was like, wow. 00:05:49.790 --> 00:05:51.790 Bryan Muehlberger: A little bit of a gut check there. 00:05:51.790 --> 00:05:55.125 Bryan Muehlberger: But it made me realize, like, you don't have to win every argument. 00:05:55.125 --> 00:05:57.445 Bryan Muehlberger: You don't have to be the smartest person in the room. 00:05:57.445 --> 00:06:00.485 Bryan Muehlberger: What you have to do is learn how to lead and through people. 00:06:00.485 --> 00:06:01.285 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:06:01.285 --> 00:06:01.525 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:06:01.525 --> 00:06:02.245 Bryan Muehlberger: Partner with people. 00:06:02.245 --> 00:06:04.885 Bryan Muehlberger: And it it really just shaped me as a leader from that point forward. 00:06:04.885 --> 00:06:06.245 Bryan Muehlberger: It really helped me grow quite a bit. 00:06:06.245 --> 00:06:08.640 Bryan Muehlberger: And so I think it was someone someone who's willing to give you those 00:06:08.640 --> 00:06:11.360 Bryan Muehlberger: heart to heart talks and tell you tell you the real truth or, like, 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:14.560 Bryan Muehlberger: you know, and give you those maybe maybe those uncomfortable moments, but at the 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.640 Bryan Muehlberger: same time, you know, they they lead with purpose. 00:06:16.640 --> 00:06:19.200 Bryan Muehlberger: They lead with that that that heart as well. 00:06:19.200 --> 00:06:20.000 Lisa Nichols: That's so good. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:20.640 Lisa Nichols: That's so good. 00:06:20.640 --> 00:06:24.640 Lisa Nichols: I was just talking to another friend right before you, Bryan. 00:06:24.775 --> 00:06:27.495 Lisa Nichols: Same thing about, 00:06:27.495 --> 00:06:29.175 Lisa Nichols: talking about those people. 00:06:29.175 --> 00:06:33.175 Lisa Nichols: You need those people in your life that I I call them 00:06:33.255 --> 00:06:34.810 Lisa Nichols: I don't want bobbleheads. 00:06:34.810 --> 00:06:35.690 Bryan Muehlberger: You're right. 00:06:35.690 --> 00:06:37.930 Bryan Muehlberger: You don't want just everyone doing everything. 00:06:37.930 --> 00:06:38.650 Lisa Nichols: Oh, yeah. 00:06:38.650 --> 00:06:40.250 Lisa Nichols: You're you're doing a great job. 00:06:40.250 --> 00:06:42.810 Lisa Nichols: You know, you want those people that are gonna to give you the hard 00:06:42.810 --> 00:06:43.050 Lisa Nichols: truth. 00:06:43.050 --> 00:06:46.570 Lisa Nichols: In fact, my friend goes, I need people to point out my blind spots. 00:06:46.570 --> 00:06:49.505 Lisa Nichols: They're called blind spots for a reason because I don't recognize them. 00:06:49.505 --> 00:06:49.825 Bryan Muehlberger: Right. 00:06:49.825 --> 00:06:50.945 Lisa Nichols: I lean to them. 00:06:50.945 --> 00:06:51.745 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:06:51.745 --> 00:06:52.945 Lisa Nichols: Totally. 00:06:52.945 --> 00:06:53.505 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:06:53.505 --> 00:06:54.305 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:06:54.305 --> 00:06:58.225 Lisa Nichols: I'm glad that, that Jim was that for you. 00:06:58.225 --> 00:06:58.545 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:06:58.545 --> 00:06:59.905 Lisa Nichols: I'm really grateful that I 00:06:59.905 --> 00:07:03.105 Bryan Muehlberger: have great leaders throughout my career, and, you know, every every once taught me 00:07:03.105 --> 00:07:06.510 Bryan Muehlberger: something about myself and how to lead and how to be a better person 00:07:06.510 --> 00:07:07.230 Lisa Nichols: for sure. 00:07:07.230 --> 00:07:07.710 Lisa Nichols: Yep. 00:07:07.710 --> 00:07:09.470 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:07:09.470 --> 00:07:12.590 Lisa Nichols: Well, let me ask you this because you'd, like, started with this where you 00:07:12.590 --> 00:07:14.430 Lisa Nichols: said you're just always curious. 00:07:14.430 --> 00:07:14.750 Lisa Nichols: You know? 00:07:14.750 --> 00:07:16.270 Lisa Nichols: You're a curious person. 00:07:16.270 --> 00:07:18.575 Lisa Nichols: How have you 00:07:18.575 --> 00:07:22.575 Lisa Nichols: curated and cultivated that curiosity in yourself? 00:07:22.735 --> 00:07:26.735 Lisa Nichols: But then more importantly, how have you done that for the teams that you 00:07:26.815 --> 00:07:27.375 Lisa Nichols: lead? 00:07:27.375 --> 00:07:27.695 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:07:27.695 --> 00:07:29.615 Lisa Nichols: How do you get them to be curious? 00:07:29.615 --> 00:07:29.855 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:07:29.855 --> 00:07:33.150 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, it's it's, it's asking lots of questions. 00:07:33.150 --> 00:07:35.710 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, I remember reading a book called The More Beautiful Question at one 00:07:35.710

--> 00:07:36.830 Bryan Muehlberger: point, and sometimes I 00:07:36.830 --> 00:07:37.710 Lisa Nichols: read that book. 00:07:37.710 --> 00:07:38.670 Lisa Nichols: I love that book. 00:07:38.670 --> 00:07:39.070 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:07:39.070 --> 00:07:39.710 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:07:39.710 --> 00:07:40.190 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:07:40.190 --> 00:07:43.965 Bryan Muehlberger: And, his last name was 00:07:43.965 --> 00:07:44.445 Bryan Muehlberger: Burger. 00:07:44.445 --> 00:07:46.765 Bryan Muehlberger: Warren Burger, I think is what's his name. 00:07:46.765 --> 00:07:47.485 Bryan Muehlberger: Great great book. 00:07:47.485 --> 00:07:50.285 Bryan Muehlberger: It just really made you think about, like, you know, you can ask one 00:07:50.285 --> 00:07:53.005 Bryan Muehlberger: question, but that's not really the question you're trying to ask. 00:07:53.005 --> 00:07:57.005 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, if you keep on asking more questions and getting the right question, 00:07:57.880 --> 00:07:59.000 Bryan Muehlberger: then you can solve the problem. 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:02.040 Bryan Muehlberger: So I always get people to to think differently. 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:04.440 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, look at it from a different lens and a different point of view. 00:08:04.440 --> 00:08:07.720 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, we as technicians are always looking at how do we solve it 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:10.525 Bryan Muehlberger: the most effect effective efficient way with tech. 00:08:10.525 --> 00:08:11.005 Bryan Muehlberger: Yes. 00:08:11.005 --> 00:08:13.725 Bryan Muehlberger: Sometimes the most effective way is not even putting tech in the in the 00:08:13.725 --> 00:08:14.285 Bryan Muehlberger: middle. 00:08:14.285 --> 00:08:14.525 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:08:14.525 --> 00:08:16.445 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, maybe there's a broken process somewhere. 00:08:16.445 --> 00:08:19.405 Bryan Muehlberger: Maybe there's a another business opportunity down the road that you need to just 00:08:19.405 --> 00:08:20.845 Bryan Muehlberger: revise at the business side. 00:08:20.845 --> 00:08:23.790 Bryan Muehlberger: So it's it's looking at it differently and Yes. 00:08:23.790 --> 00:08:26.990 Bryan Muehlberger: Being them to kinda think differently that way and ask questions. 00:08:26.990 --> 00:08:29.230 Bryan Muehlberger: I think that's probably the the biggest one. 00:08:29.230 --> 00:08:29.470 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:08:29.470 --> 00:08:30.990 Lisa Nichols: And have you seen that? 00:08:30.990 --> 00:08:34.990 Lisa Nichols: I mean, have you seen people transform, you know, into being more 00:08:35.150 --> 00:08:35.630 Lisa Nichols: that. 00:08:35.630 --> 00:08:36.110 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:08:36.110 --> 00:08:36.310 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:08:36.270 --> 00:08:37.390 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, you know Yeah. 00:08:37.390 --> 00:08:40.935 Bryan Muehlberger: And I think, you know, we're such type a analytical people. 00:08:40.935 --> 00:08:43.655 Bryan Muehlberger: We're not the typically the creative folks. 00:08:43.655 --> 00:08:44.135 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:08:44.135 --> 00:08:47.975 Bryan Muehlberger: And so you've gotta tap that right side, you know, more often and work 00:08:47.975 --> 00:08:48.775 Bryan Muehlberger: on that. 00:08:48.775 --> 00:08:52.775 Bryan Muehlberger: And when you see people balance both very, very well, that creates 00:08:52.855 --> 00:08:54.260 Bryan Muehlberger: a very dynamic leader. 00:08:54.260 --> 00:08:54.660 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:08:54.660 --> 00:08:56.180 Lisa Nichols: Oh, for sure. 00:08:56.180 --> 00:08:58.020 Lisa Nichols: For sure. 00:08:58.020 --> 00:09:02.020 Lisa Nichols: Well, I know that you've led through incredible, periods of disruption. 00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:02.900 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:09:02.900 --> 00:09:05.700 Lisa Nichols: Bryan, I think back to Express Scripts days. 00:09:05.700 --> 00:09:06.340 Lisa Nichols: Wow. 00:09:06.340 --> 00:09:09.620 Lisa Nichols: I mean, when we started Technology Partners, would you believe it? 00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:13.620 Lisa Nichols: We were there when Barretone was getting loans and stuff. 00:09:13.915 --> 00:09:14.475 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:09:14.475 --> 00:09:14.795 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:09:14.795 --> 00:09:18.795 Lisa Nichols: And then they just went through all kinds of, you know, mergers and 00:09:19.035 --> 00:09:20.715 Lisa Nichols: acquisitions and things like that. 00:09:20.715 --> 00:09:20.955 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:09:20.955 --> 00:09:24.910 Lisa Nichols: But what and so and and even now, there's a lot of disruption, right, 00:09:24.910 --> 00:09:28.910 Lisa Nichols: with AI and quantum computing and all the things that are coming out. 00:09:29.230 --> 00:09:33.230 Lisa Nichols: What is one leadership lesson that has helped 00:09:33.870 --> 00:09:35.870 Lisa Nichols: you navigate 00:09:35.870 --> 00:09:38.270 Lisa Nichols: uncertainty and change like that? 00:09:38.270 --> 00:09:41.485 Lisa Nichols: And then how have you helped your team do that? 00:09:41.485 --> 00:09:43.485 Bryan Muehlberger: So, I mean, you're right. 00:09:43.485 --> 00:09:46.045 Bryan Muehlberger: We we deal with, 00:09:46.045 --> 00:09:49.805 Bryan Muehlberger: a plethora of disruption and change constantly in our business. 00:09:49.805 --> 00:09:50.365 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:09:50.365 --> 00:09:53.110 Bryan Muehlberger: And everything 00:09:53.110 --> 00:09:54.630 Bryan Muehlberger: revolves around technology now. 00:09:54.630 --> 00:09:54.950 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:09:54.950 --> 00:09:58.950 Bryan Muehlberger: So we're we're we're touching every aspect of the business. 00:09:59.190 --> 00:10:03.190 Bryan Muehlberger: And and to be able to to balance that and not lose your mind 00:10:03.350 --> 00:10:05.030 Bryan Muehlberger: is is is a big deal. 00:10:05.030 --> 00:10:05.430 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:10:05.430 --> 00:10:06.485 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:10:06.485 --> 00:10:09.285 Bryan

Muehlberger: You know, it's like, you know, you've got security issues going on. 00:10:09.285 --> 00:10:10.565 Bryan Muehlberger: You've got AI disruption. 00:10:10.565 --> 00:10:12.005 Bryan Muehlberger: You've got quantum. 00:10:12.005 --> 00:10:16.005 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, you've just seen so much change, and it's evolved how businesses 00:10:16.085 --> 00:10:17.045 Bryan Muehlberger: operate. 00:10:17.045 --> 00:10:19.925 Bryan Muehlberger: And I would say it's, you know, it's it's really kind of taking that 00:10:19.925 --> 00:10:23.630 Bryan Muehlberger: step back, taking a deep breath, and and really just going, like, where's the 00:10:23.630 --> 00:10:25.950 Bryan Muehlberger: real problem we need to focus on? 00:10:25.950 --> 00:10:27.470 Bryan Muehlberger: We're all limited on resources. 00:10:27.470 --> 00:10:30.510 Bryan Muehlberger: We can never have enough of them, and there's never enough dollars to go 00:10:30.510 --> 00:10:32.190 Bryan Muehlberger: around to to solve every problem. 00:10:32.190 --> 00:10:35.485 Bryan Muehlberger: So it's it's really taking that that deep breath, stepping back and going, you 00:10:35.485 --> 00:10:38.125 Bryan Muehlberger: know, what's the real challenge I wanna go after? 00:10:38.125 --> 00:10:38.445 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:10:38.445 --> 00:10:40.845 Bryan Muehlberger: How do I wanna solve that? 00:10:40.845 --> 00:10:43.965 Bryan Muehlberger: And how do I partner with other folks to get that done? 00:10:43.965 --> 00:10:44.285 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:10:44.285 --> 00:10:45.805 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, we can't do it alone. 00:10:45.805 --> 00:10:48.180 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, there's, again, going back to being the smartest person 00:10:48.180 --> 00:10:48.980 Lisa Nichols: Amen to that. 00:10:48.980 --> 00:10:49.780 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:10:49.780 --> 00:10:53.620 Bryan Muehlberger: There's a lot more power in the group than there is in the individual. 00:10:53.620 --> 00:10:54.020 Lisa Nichols: Oh. 00:10:54.020 --> 00:10:54.420 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:10:54.420 --> 00:10:54.820 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:10:54.820 --> 00:10:56.020 Lisa Nichols: That's that's good. 00:10:56.020 --> 00:11:00.020 Lisa Nichols: That's a great word of wisdom there, Bryan. 00:11:00.345 --> 00:11:03.785 Lisa Nichols: Well, if you were mentoring a brand new CIO and like I said, you 00:11:03.785 --> 00:11:07.785 Lisa Nichols: have been multi time now CIO, CTO, 00:11:08.025 --> 00:11:10.745 Lisa Nichols: for many different iconic brands. 00:11:10.745 --> 00:11:14.745 Lisa Nichols: If you were mentoring a brand new CIO today, what advice would you 00:11:14.905 --> 00:11:16.820 Lisa Nichols: give them, 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:18.980 Lisa Nichols: that most leadership books never mention? 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:21.380 Lisa Nichols: And then I wanna ask you about books because I know that you're a 00:11:21.380 --> 00:11:22.900 Lisa Nichols: voracious reader Yeah. 00:11:22.900 --> 00:11:24.340 Lisa Nichols: And I wanna ask you about that. 00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:26.660 Lisa Nichols: But what advice would you give them? 00:11:26.660 --> 00:11:27.860 Lisa Nichols: Brand new CIO. 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:31.860 Bryan Muehlberger: Brand new CIO. 00:11:32.315 --> 00:11:36.315 Bryan Muehlberger: I would say, like, you've really just gotta step into that. 00:11:36.315 --> 00:11:39.675 Bryan Muehlberger: It's a completely different role than being an individual contributor for sure. 00:11:39.675 --> 00:11:40.715 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:11:40.715 --> 00:11:44.715 Bryan Muehlberger: It's completely different than being, the owner of a specific vertical 00:11:44.955 --> 00:11:46.320 Bryan Muehlberger: within technology. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.600 Bryan Muehlberger: You out now own it all. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.280 Bryan Muehlberger: So you've kinda gotta be a master of all, you know, so to say, 00:11:51.280 --> 00:11:52.880 Bryan Muehlberger: you know, but you can't be. 00:11:52.880 --> 00:11:56.880 Bryan Muehlberger: And so you've got to really learn how to lead through others and and 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:58.480 Bryan Muehlberger: let go of the reins. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:02.480 Bryan Muehlberger: And what I mean by that is you might have an idea of how 00:12:02.545 --> 00:12:04.465 Bryan Muehlberger: something should get solved. 00:12:04.465 --> 00:12:07.665 Bryan Muehlberger: And what the real problem is, but don't give the answer. 00:12:07.665 --> 00:12:09.425 Bryan Muehlberger: Let them figure the answer out. 00:12:09.425 --> 00:12:13.425 Bryan Muehlberger: And they might find it differently than you might have, but that's their creative 00:12:13.425 --> 00:12:15.825 Bryan Muehlberger: path on how they're gonna learn how to lead. 00:12:15.825 --> 00:12:19.080 Bryan Muehlberger: And so push them in those directions. 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:23.080 Bryan Muehlberger: And I would say, if I was the new CIO, try different things. 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:26.360 Bryan Muehlberger: Be willing to take that risk that maybe feels a little bit outside of 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:29.240 Bryan Muehlberger: your comfort zone when you're trying something different. 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:30.635 Bryan Muehlberger: Because it is a different role. 00:12:30.635 --> 00:12:30.875 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:12:30.875 --> 00:12:33.035 Bryan Muehlberger: It's it's a it's a different beast in in itself. 00:12:33.035 --> 00:12:35.755 Bryan Muehlberger: And so, you know, be willing to step out of the out of the 00:12:35.755 --> 00:12:38.315 Bryan Muehlberger: norm, you know, wear that new hat differently. 00:12:38.315 --> 00:12:41.755 Bryan Muehlberger: And remember, you now have a seat at the table that you need to 00:12:41.755 --> 00:12:42.235 Bryan Muehlberger: honor. 00:12:42.235 --> 00:12:45.730 Bryan Muehlberger: And that means carrying your baton as well, but also partner with the other 00:12:45.730 --> 00:12:48.930 Bryan Muehlberger: business leaders, and how do

you make them successful as well. 00:12:48.930 --> 00:12:52.370 Bryan Muehlberger: It's not just about tech being successful for tech's sake. 00:12:52.370 --> 00:12:55.330 Bryan Muehlberger: It's how do we drive success for the organization as a whole. 00:12:55.330 --> 00:12:58.625 Bryan Muehlberger: So thinking more like a business leader throughout that entire process. 00:12:58.625 --> 00:12:59.585 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:12:59.585 --> 00:13:00.145 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:13:00.145 --> 00:13:04.145 Lisa Nichols: And I love that you mentioned working with the other business leaders 00:13:04.305 --> 00:13:08.305 Lisa Nichols: because you cannot in fact, you know, I've talked to so many 00:13:09.505 --> 00:13:13.105 Lisa Nichols: tech leaders, and it's like when you do work with Mhmm. 00:13:13.105 --> 00:13:17.105 Lisa Nichols: The CHRO or the CFO and you build relationships 00:13:17.640 --> 00:13:21.640 Lisa Nichols: with them, Bryan, when it's time for change or when it's time 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:23.800 Lisa Nichols: for something, you can go so much faster. 00:13:23.800 --> 00:13:24.520 Bryan Muehlberger: Oh, totally. 00:13:24.520 --> 00:13:25.320 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:27.905 Lisa Nichols: If you have those relationships, you have relational capital. 00:13:27.905 --> 00:13:31.585 Bryan Muehlberger: If you've discredited y ourself and burnt those bridges along the way, it's gonna be a lot 00:13:31.585 --> 00:13:33.185 Bryan Muehlberger: harder to get things done. 00:13:33.185 --> 00:13:33.665 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:13:33.665 --> 00:13:34.865 Bryan Muehlberger: So you're hundred percent right. 00:13:34.865 --> 00:13:36.865 Bryan Muehlberger: Build those relationships early and often. 00:13:36.865 --> 00:13:37.345 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:13:37.345 --> 00:13:37.825 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:13:37.825 --> 00:13:39.265 Lisa Nichols: That's so good. 00:13:39.265 --> 00:13:42.890 Lisa Nichols: Well, I was gonna say, I know you read a lot, and you already 00:13:42.890 --> 00:13:44.330 Lisa Nichols: mentioned a beautiful question. 00:13:44.330 --> 00:13:44.570 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:13:44.570 --> 00:13:48.010 Lisa Nichols: I highly recommend our listeners getting that book. 00:13:48.010 --> 00:13:52.010 Lisa Nichols: But is there one or two other books or publications that really change how 00:13:52.250 --> 00:13:56.250 Lisa Nichols: you have led or how you think about leadership that you would 00:13:56.330 --> 00:13:59.025 Lisa Nichols: recommend to our listeners? 00:13:59.025 --> 00:14:02.305 Bryan Muehlberger: I would say the number one is and I and I go back to 00:14:02.305 --> 00:14:04.385 Bryan Muehlberger: it a lot because it's it's all on stoicism. 00:14:04.385 --> 00:14:06.785 Bryan Muehlberger: It's ego is the enemy. 00:14:06.785 --> 00:14:07.505 Lisa Nichols: Ooooo. 00:14:07.505 --> 00:14:08.545 Bryan Muehlberger: Have you read that one? 00:14:08.545 --> 00:14:12.010 Lisa Nichols: I have not, but that

sounds like one I wanna read. 00:14:12.010 --> 00:14:15.130 Bryan Muehlberger: He's written a number of books on stoicism, but ego is the enemy is 00:14:15.130 --> 00:14:18.170 Bryan Muehlberger: one that sticks out front and center. 00:14:18.170 --> 00:14:20.810 Bryan Muehlberger: And then I would say the subtle art of not giving an f. 00:14:20.810 --> 00:14:21.370 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:14:21.370 --> 00:14:24.530 Bryan Muehlberger: That book, if you've not read that one, that's another one. 00:14:24.530 --> 00:14:27.625 Bryan Muehlberger: I would just say one is, you know, how do you get yourself out 00:14:27.625 --> 00:14:28.985 Bryan Muehlberger: of the way of the problem? 00:14:28.985 --> 00:14:29.305 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:14:29.305 --> 00:14:32.025 Bryan Muehlberger: And the other one is, like, to also take things lightly and and, like, 00:14:32.025 --> 00:14:33.145 Bryan Muehlberger: enjoy life. 00:14:33.145 --> 00:14:34.105 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:14:34.105 --> 00:14:34.505 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:14:34.505 --> 00:14:34.905 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:14:34.905 --> 00:14:35.705 Lisa Nichols: That's good. 00:14:35.705 --> 00:14:36.345 Lisa Nichols: That's good. 00:14:36.345 --> 00:14:39.625 Lisa Nichols: Well, we could probably camp out there for a little bit. 00:14:39.625 --> 00:14:41.470 Lisa Nichols: I got so many questions for you. 00:14:41.470 --> 00:14:41.710 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:14:41.710 --> 00:14:44.110 Lisa Nichols: So, I mean, here's here's the cool thing. 00:14:44.110 --> 00:14:48.110 Lisa Nichols: When you went to Red Bull, I mean, you've built innovation organizations 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:49.950 Lisa Nichols: within companies. 00:14:49.950 --> 00:14:53.710 Lisa Nichols: And at Red Bull, you built the Red Bull Labs. 00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:54.670 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:14:54.670 --> 00:14:56.590 Lisa Nichols: Which I, yeah, which I just love. 00:14:56.590 --> 00:15:00.590 Lisa Nichols: I mean, how do you create a culture where innovation really becomes everyone's 00:15:00.805 --> 00:15:02.085 Lisa Nichols: responsibility, Bryan? 00:15:02.085 --> 00:15:02.885 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:15:02.885 --> 00:15:03.125 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:15:03.125 --> 00:15:07.045 Bryan Muehlberger: That was, you know, at the time, there were a lot of companies creating, 00:15:07.045 --> 00:15:08.805 Bryan Muehlberger: like, innovation teams. 00:15:08.805 --> 00:15:09.205 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:15:09.205 --> 00:15:12.310 Bryan Muehlberger: It was like, how do you create this incubator with inside your company so 00:15:12.310 --> 00:15:15.590 Bryan Muehlberger: you can be more entrepreneurial and solve, you know, these problems in unique ways 00:15:15.590 --> 00:15:18.790 Bryan Muehlberger: and looking at startups and how they do it and things like that? 00:15:18.790 --> 00:15:22.310 Bryan Muehlberger: What we said was we don't want one team to own innovation. 00:15:22.310 --> 00:15:24.470 Bryan Muehlberger: It's everyone's job to own innovation. 00:15:24.470 --> 00:15:28.470 Bryan Muehlberger: So sitting down with my boss, the CFO, and the CEO at the time, 00:15:28.505 --> 00:15:32.505 Bryan Muehlberger: we said, how do we embed this as a cultural aspect within the company? 00:15:32.585 --> 00:15:36.585 Bryan Muehlberger: So we created this entire training curriculum, and we 00:15:36.585 --> 00:15:40.440 Bryan Muehlberger: identified people within the business, within tech, and paired them up. 00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:44.120 Bryan Muehlberger: So you'd work a marketing person might work with somebody over in sales. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.520 Bryan Muehlberger: A finance person with somebody over in tech. 00:15:46.520 --> 00:15:50.040 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, people that usually maybe don't work together as close as Right. 00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:50.920 Bryan Muehlberger: Paired them up. 00:15:50.920 --> 00:15:52.280 Bryan Muehlberger: They went through the training program. 00:15:52.280 --> 00:15:56.280 Bryan Muehlberger: So we taught them all of these different techniques for innovation, 00:15:56.735 --> 00:15:58.335 Bryan Muehlberger: lean principles, for example. 00:15:58.335 --> 00:15:59.215 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:15:59.215 --> 00:16:03.215 Bryan Muehlberger: And and then we had them identify a problem within the 00:16:03.215 --> 00:16:06.735 Bryan Muehlberger: organization that they felt passionate about solving in a different way. 00:16:06.735 --> 00:16:09.940 Bryan Muehlberger: And it could be as simple as a small little broken process somewhere, or 00:16:09.940 --> 00:16:12.420 Bryan Muehlberger: it could be a whole new product for the business. 00:16:12.420 --> 00:16:16.420 Bryan Muehlberger: And and then we have them go through, like, a shark tank, like, initiative. 00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:20.340 Bryan Muehlberger: And so we sat down on a panel just like the sharks do at 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:22.660 Bryan Muehlberger: shark on Shark Tank, and they came and presented. 00:16:22.660 --> 00:16:25.300 Bryan Muehlberger: They had a certain amount of time to present their idea and why we 00:16:25.300 --> 00:16:28.335 Bryan Muehlberger: should invest in them, and we either gave them money or told them to 00:16:28.335 --> 00:16:29.535 Bryan Muehlberger: get off the stage. 00:16:29.535 --> 00:16:29.775 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:16:29.775 --> 00:16:31.855 Bryan Muehlberger: And so then we would fund their idea, and then they could go and 00:16:31.855 --> 00:16:33.455 Bryan Muehlberger: take it to the next level. 00:16:33.455 --> 00:16:35.855 Bryan Muehlberger: And so it just created a lot of momentum in the organization. 00:16:35.855 --> 00:16:39.855 Bryan Muehlberger: We did, like, three cohorts of that, and and they created videos and publicized 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.960 Bryan Muehlberger: it throughout the company, and it just really created a really fun culture at 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:43.280 Bryan Muehlberger: the time. 00:16:43.280

--> 00:16:45.360 Bryan Muehlberger: I don't know if they're still doing it anymore. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.480 Lisa Nichols: Hopefully, they are. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:48.160 Bryan Muehlberger: It was so fun. 00:16:48.160 --> 00:16:51.120 Bryan Muehlberger: It really allowed, you know, all of us to tap our right side of 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.125 Bryan Muehlberger: our brains that we don't get to use a lot. 00:16:53.125 --> 00:16:53.605 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:16:53.605 --> 00:16:56.485 Bryan Muehlberger: And, and and then partner with folks and build new relationships. 00:16:56.485 --> 00:16:58.645 Bryan Muehlberger: It just had so many arms to it. 00:16:58.645 --> 00:17:00.005 Bryan Muehlberger: It was it was amazing. 00:17:00.005 --> 00:17:01.045 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:17:01.045 --> 00:17:02.965 Lisa Nichols: That is that's really cool. 00:17:02.965 --> 00:17:03.765 Lisa Nichols: And I love it. 00:17:03.765 --> 00:17:07.765 Lisa Nichols: And I mean, is there, like, one product or one service 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:10.520 Lisa Nichols: idea that came out that really stuck out to you? 00:17:10.520 --> 00:17:13.240 Lisa Nichols: Can you remember one of those? 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:14.200 Bryan Muehlberger: Not off the top of my head. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.960 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, there was a lot of just, like, operational inefficiencies that people were 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:20.775 Bryan Muehlberger: trying to find a a new solution for. 00:17:20.775 --> 00:17:22.935 Bryan Muehlberger: So it was a lot of, you know, just we were getting people down 00:17:22.935 --> 00:17:23.575 Bryan Muehlberger: in the trenches. 00:17:23.575 --> 00:17:25.735 Bryan Muehlberger: We they had to be director level or below. 00:17:25.735 --> 00:17:27.815 Bryan Muehlberger: We didn't want VPs in there. 00:17:27.815 --> 00:17:29.415 Bryan Muehlberger: So these are people that are hands on. 00:17:29.415 --> 00:17:31.095 Bryan Muehlberger: They're within their area of the business. 00:17:31.095 --> 00:17:32.455 Bryan Muehlberger: They know where the challenges are. 00:17:32.455 --> 00:17:34.750 Bryan Muehlberger: They know the things they hate doing every day. 00:17:34.750 --> 00:17:36.350 Bryan Muehlberger: And this was their opportunity to say, hey. 00:17:36.350 --> 00:17:38.190 Bryan Muehlberger: I can scratch the sitch finally. 00:17:38.190 --> 00:17:39.150 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:17:39.150 --> 00:17:39.870 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:17:39.870 --> 00:17:42.190 Lisa Nichols: You're a stronger organization because of it. 00:17:42.190 --> 00:17:43.230 Bryan Muehlberger: Oh, hundred percent. 00:17:43.230 --> 00:17:47.230 Lisa Nichols: So and then people when they have a voice and they have, 00:17:47.695 --> 00:17:49.055 Lisa Nichols: you know, their voices 00:17:49.055 --> 00:17:50.335 Bryan Muehlberger: platform we created for them. 00:17:50.335 --> 00:17:51.055 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:17:51.055 --> 00:17:51.775 Lisa Nichols: It's amazing. 00:17:51.775 --> 00:17:52.015 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:17:52.015 --> 00:17:52.575 Lisa Nichols: It's amazing. 00:17:52.575 --> 00:17:52.895 Lisa Nichols: Even if 00:17:52.895 --> 00:17:56.415 Bryan Muehlberger: they didn't get funded, the process taught them so much, and it was so 00:17:56.415 --> 00:17:57.455 Lisa Nichols: Absolutely. 00:17:57.455 --> 00:18:01.455 Lisa Nichols: And the and the relationship's forming between the different function areas 00:18:01.850 --> 00:18:02.250 Lisa Nichols: as well. 00:18:02.250 --> 00:18:02.730 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:18:02.730 --> 00:18:05.850 Lisa Nichols: So oh, I just I love that idea. 00:18:05.850 --> 00:18:09.850 Lisa Nichols: So, you know, right now, Bryan, every 00:18:09.850 --> 00:18:13.850 Lisa Nichols: CIO, every business I talk to, AI is, 00:18:13.965 --> 00:18:15.565 Lisa Nichols: you know, transforming things. 00:18:15.565 --> 00:18:18.525 Lisa Nichols: What excites you most about that? 00:18:18.525 --> 00:18:22.365 Lisa Nichols: And I guess the converse of that is what concerns you most. 00:18:22.365 --> 00:18:22.845 Bryan Muehlberger: Oh, wow. 00:18:22.845 --> 00:18:23.325 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:18:23.325 --> 00:18:26.205 Bryan Muehlberger: So, I mean, one, it's moving so fast. 00:18:26.205 --> 00:18:28.670 Bryan Muehlberger: It's every day is something new. 00:18:28.670 --> 00:18:32.670 Bryan Muehlberger: What excites me most is the the the things we can do as individuals 00:18:32.990 --> 00:18:35.870 Bryan Muehlberger: by ourselves now so much better and faster. 00:18:35.870 --> 00:18:39.070 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, if I have a strategic proposal I wanna create, I have all 00:18:39.070 --> 00:18:41.870 Bryan Muehlberger: these ideas in my head, I need to get them on paper, I can 00:18:41.870 --> 00:18:45.285 Bryan Muehlberger: just riff with AI for a little while, and and it'll it'll help me 00:18:45.285 --> 00:18:49.285 Bryan Muehlberger: clarify clarify my thoughts, help me draft my presentation, whatever I need to do. 00:18:49.365 --> 00:18:53.365 Bryan Muehlberger: So I'm not spending time on the the paper that I'm creating. 00:18:53.525 --> 00:18:55.765 Bryan Muehlberger: I'm creating the it's the content. 00:18:55.765 --> 00:18:57.125 Bryan Muehlberger: It's the it's the context. 00:18:57.125 --> 00:18:59.765 Bryan Muehlberger: It's all of that stuff that's coming out of me. 00:18:59.765 --> 00:19:02.270 Bryan Muehlberger: So I can focus on that and not the Yes. 00:19:02.270 --> 00:19:02.830 Bryan Muehlberger: Of it. 00:19:02.830 --> 00:19:03.390 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:19:03.390 --> 00:19:04.350 Bryan Muehlberger: Right. 00:19:04.350 --> 00:19:06.190 Bryan Muehlberger: Creativity we're seeing within organizations. 00:19:06.190 --> 00:19:10.190 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, we have everyone from our CEO down at our company right now 00:19:10.190 --> 00:19:13.310 Bryan Muehlberger: is using AI, and they're coming up with other types of ideas that they 00:19:13.310 -->

00:19:13.665 Bryan Muehlberger: have. 00:19:13.665 --> 00:19:13.905 Bryan Muehlberger: Hey. 00:19:13.905 --> 00:19:15.505 Bryan Muehlberger: I wanna see a mobile app that looks like this. 00:19:15.505 --> 00:19:17.265 Bryan Muehlberger: I wanna revise our website to look like this. 00:19:17.265 --> 00:19:19.505 Bryan Muehlberger: Let's create a customer portal that looks like this. 00:19:19.505 --> 00:19:22.225 Bryan Muehlberger: And they can just go to town and riff with it, and now you 00:19:22.225 --> 00:19:25.025 Bryan Muehlberger: got something to react to and talk about versus, like, hey. 00:19:25.025 --> 00:19:25.665 Bryan Muehlberger: I have an idea. 00:19:25.665 --> 00:19:28.180 Bryan Muehlberger: I'm trying to explain it to you and you don't quite understand it. 00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:32.180 Bryan Muehlberger: I think there's just so much power in the creativity aspect of it. 00:19:32.180 --> 00:19:36.180 Bryan Muehlberger: I would say the challenges on the other side of that is it's 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:40.340 Bryan Muehlberger: doing so much work for us that if we're not careful, we're gonna rely 00:19:40.340 --> 00:19:41.835 Bryan Muehlberger: on it too much. 00:19:41.835 --> 00:19:45.035 Bryan Muehlberger: And there's this worry I have is that you're gonna dumb us down to 00:19:45.035 --> 00:19:46.555 Bryan Muehlberger: where it's like, okay. 00:19:46.555 --> 00:19:49.755 Bryan Muehlberger: That's another AI creative presentation by Bob. 00:19:49.755 --> 00:19:50.155 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:19:50.155 --> 00:19:51.195 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, or whatever. 00:19:51.195 --> 00:19:52.075 Bryan Muehlberger: And Yeah. 00:19:52.075 --> 00:19:55.330 Bryan Muehlberger: Is it really his thoughts and content or is it AI's? 00:19:55.330 --> 00:19:55.570 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:19:55.570 --> 00:19:59.570 Bryan Muehlberger: Even if he helped or she helped or whatever create that content, 00:19:59.650 --> 00:20:03.170 Bryan Muehlberger: you're gonna start having this merging of the two in some Yeah. 00:20:03.170 --> 00:20:04.210 Bryan Muehlberger: Shape or form. 00:20:04.210 --> 00:20:06.370 Bryan Muehlberger: I think that's that's the caveat to it. 00:20:06.370 --> 00:20:06.610 Lisa Nichols: You know? 00:20:06.610 --> 00:20:07.090 Lisa Nichols: I agree. 00:20:07.090 --> 00:20:09.925 Bryan Muehlberger: And I think, you know, you're seeing a lot of this in in the 00:20:09.925 --> 00:20:11.765 Bryan Muehlberger: editorial world right now. 00:20:11.765 --> 00:20:15.765 Bryan Muehlberger: They're putting a lot of these stop checks on on editorial to see how 00:20:15.765 --> 00:20:18.325 Bryan Muehlberger: much is AI generated on Substack, for example. 00:20:18.325 --> 00:20:18.725 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:20:18.725 --> 00:20:19.925 Bryan Muehlberger: And flagging it as such. 00:20:19.925 --> 00:20:22.965 Bryan Muehlberger: And these tools that can hopefully and their AI tools detecting whether or not 00:20:22.965 --> 00:20:25.830 Bryan Muehlberger: AI is used, which is kind of a funny oxymoron there in itself. 00:20:25.830 --> 00:20:28.790 Bryan Muehlberger: But, you know, that's starting to become a thing. 00:20:28.790 --> 00:20:30.550 Bryan Muehlberger: But is it negative or positive? 00:20:30.550 --> 00:20:32.070 Bryan Muehlberger: I don't know if it's one or the the other. 00:20:32.070 --> 00:20:33.750 Bryan Muehlberger: I think it's great for the transparency. 00:20:33.750 --> 00:20:37.190 Bryan Muehlberger: I wanna know if I'm being fed something that hasn't been informed at all 00:20:37.190 --> 00:20:38.070 Bryan Muehlberger: by Sure. 00:20:38.070 --> 00:20:39.845 Bryan Muehlberger: But I think it's it's an enable. 00:20:39.845 --> 00:20:41.445 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, I think, like, the bionic man. 00:20:41.445 --> 00:20:42.645 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:20:42.645 --> 00:20:43.205 Bryan Muehlberger: You're my age. 00:20:43.205 --> 00:20:44.485 Bryan Muehlberger: You remember the six million dollar man. 00:20:44.485 --> 00:20:44.725 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:20:44.725 --> 00:20:44.925 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:20:44.885 --> 00:20:45.365 Lisa Nichols: I do. 00:20:45.365 --> 00:20:48.485 Bryan Muehlberger: Six million dollars is nothing nowadays for a bionic man. 00:20:48.485 --> 00:20:52.485 Bryan Muehlberger: But, you know, it made him better, but it it was an augmentation 00:20:52.485 --> 00:20:53.310 Bryan Muehlberger: of him. 00:20:53.310 --> 00:20:54.030 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:20:54.030 --> 00:20:54.430 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:20:54.430 --> 00:20:54.670 Lisa Nichols: That's 00:20:54.670 --> 00:20:55.630 Bryan Muehlberger: what AI should be 00:20:55.630 --> 00:20:57.310 Lisa Nichols: It's an augmentation tool. 00:20:57.310 --> 00:21:00.990 Bryan Muehlberger: It's something that hopefully make us better if we use it right. 00:21:00.990 --> 00:21:01.230 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:01.470 Lisa Nichols: So I 00:21:01.470 --> 00:21:02.990 Bryan Muehlberger: think there's a lot of hope for it. 00:21:02.990 --> 00:21:05.950 Bryan Muehlberger: I think there is there is a there is some concerns about what it 00:21:05.950 --> 00:21:08.125 Bryan Muehlberger: can do from a security aspect. 00:21:08.125 --> 00:21:08.325 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:21:08.285 --> 00:21:08.605 Lisa Nichols: You know, with 00:21:08.605 --> 00:21:12.125 Bryan Muehlberger: the power of it, you already heard about, you know, anthropics, one going rogue 00:21:12.125 --> 00:21:15.005 Bryan Muehlberger: and hacking into companies and doing some some crazy stuff. 00:21:15.005 --> 00:21:17.965 Bryan Muehlberger: And that's probably just the the part that they share with us of what 00:21:17.965 --> 00:21:18.845 Bryan Muehlberger: it can do. 00:21:18.845 --> 00:21:20.045 Lisa Nichols: That's right. 00:21:20.045 --> 00:21:20.365 Bryan Muehlberger: That's the 00:21:20.365 --> 00:21:21.165 Lisa Nichols: part we hear. 00:21:21.165 --> 00:21:23.460 Bryan Muehlberger: There's powerful models out

there that can do a lot more than that. 00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.420 Lisa Nichols: I think there's 00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:28.340 Bryan Muehlberger: I I think it comes with that that responsibility that we as humans need 00:21:28.340 --> 00:21:30.180 Bryan Muehlberger: to be conscious of as part of 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:30.900 Lisa Nichols: this nature. 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:31.220 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:33.700 Lisa Nichols: That's why human beings still need to be part of the equation. 00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:34.385 Bryan Muehlberger: That's right. 00:21:34.385 --> 00:21:35.025 Bryan Muehlberger: A hundred percent. 00:21:35.025 --> 00:21:35.345 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:21:35.345 --> 00:21:35.585 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:21:35.585 --> 00:21:35.985 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:21:35.985 --> 00:21:36.305 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:21:36.305 --> 00:21:38.705 Lisa Nichols: Well, Bryan, I've got a lot more to talk to you about, but we 00:21:38.705 --> 00:21:41.265 Lisa Nichols: do need to take a quick break, and we'll be right back with Bryan 00:21:41.265 --> 00:21:44.225 Lisa Nichols: Muehlberger on the Something Extra podcast. 00:21:44.225 --> 00:21:44.705 AD: Hey there. 00:21:44.705 --> 00:21:48.705 AD: In a challenging business climate like this, savvy leaders look to technology to 00:21:48.705 --> 00:21:49.620 AD: find an edge. 00:21:49.620 --> 00:21:53.140 AD: This can mean the difference between staying ahead of the curve or playing catch 00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:53.620 AD: up. 00:21:53.620 --> 00:21:57.540 AD: It's time to collaborate with the highly skilled experts at Technology Partners. 00:21:57.540 --> 00:22:01.540 AD: Our team of technologists draws upon decades of experience for your project, with 00:22:01.540 --> 00:22:05.540 AD: each bringing a passion for solving problems and a track record of success, how 00:22:05.555 --> 00:22:08.755 AD: can we help you overcome your biggest technology challenges? 00:22:08.755 --> 00:22:12.595 AD: Visit technology partners dot net to book a free consultation with one of our 00:22:12.595 --> 00:22:13.795 AD: leaders. 00:22:13.795 --> 00:22:17.795 Lisa Nichols: Welcome back, everyone, to the Something Extra podcast with my friend, Bryan. 00:22:18.810 --> 00:22:21.610 Lisa Nichols: Bryan, in twenty nineteen, 00:22:21.610 --> 00:22:22.890 Lisa Nichols: you and I have talked about this. 00:22:22.890 --> 00:22:26.890 Lisa Nichols: Your family's life was changed forever with the loss of your 00:22:26.890 --> 00:22:30.785 Lisa Nichols: precious, precious daughter, Gracie Anne. 00:22:30.785 --> 00:22:33.905 Lisa Nichols: And I asked you beforehand, is this okay to talk about? 00:22:33.905 --> 00:22:36.945 Lisa Nichols: And you said it absolutely is because it's part of who you are. 00:22:36.945 --> 00:22:37.585 Lisa Nichols: That's right. 00:22:37.585 --> 00:22:39.025 Lisa Nichols: It shaped how you do things. 00:22:39.025 --> 00:22:39.985 Lisa Nichols: You know? 00:22:39.985 --> 00:22:42.785 Lisa Nichols: Can you tell me a little bit about how that shaped you? 00:22:42.785 --> 00:22:45.825 Lisa Nichols: I don't know if you want to tell any part of her story. 00:22:45.825 --> 00:22:49.080 Lisa Nichols: I'll let you I'll let you decide what you wanna share. 00:22:49.080 --> 00:22:49.320 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:22:49.320 --> 00:22:50.640 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, I could talk for hours about it. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:50.920 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:52.760 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, Gracie was our only daughter. 00:22:52.760 --> 00:22:53.720 Bryan Muehlberger: She was our youngest child. 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:56.600 Bryan Muehlberger: We had two boys, Riley and Brady, and we had Gracie, and they're all 00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:59.075 Bryan Muehlberger: two years apart or so. 00:22:59.075 --> 00:23:03.075 Bryan Muehlberger: But she was, unfortunately, killed in a school shooting, mass shooting at 00:23:03.075 --> 00:23:07.075 Bryan Muehlberger: her school in Santa Clarita, California on November fourteenth two thousand nineteen. 00:23:07.235 --> 00:23:11.235 Bryan Muehlberger: And it it's it's a day that forever changes your life. 00:23:11.635 --> 00:23:15.450 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, my wife was in an ACL surgery at the time, when I 00:23:15.450 --> 00:23:19.130 Bryan Muehlberger: get the text from my son, Brady, who's a junior at the high school 00:23:19.130 --> 00:23:22.810 Bryan Muehlberger: stating that the school is under lockdown and one thing led to the next. 00:23:22.810 --> 00:23:26.010 Bryan Muehlberger: Before she even got out of surgery, I was already at the hospital, you 00:23:26.010 --> 00:23:29.290 Bryan Muehlberger: know, dealing with dealing with the outcomes. 00:23:29.290 --> 00:23:33.290 Bryan Muehlberger: And, you know, the the sense of loss and grief 00:23:33.515 --> 00:23:35.995 Bryan Muehlberger: is is so intense and so deep. 00:23:35.995 --> 00:23:37.595 Bryan Muehlberger: The words don't even do it justice. 00:23:37.595 --> 00:23:41.595 Bryan Muehlberger: I you know, I've been writing a memoir, narrative memoir on this whole topic, 00:23:41.675 --> 00:23:45.675 Bryan Muehlberger: and and you just can't find the words to describe the depth of 00:23:45.810 --> 00:23:46.610 Bryan Muehlberger: that grief. 00:23:46.610 --> 00:23:47.890 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:23:47.890 --> 00:23:51.890 Bryan Muehlberger: And it's and it's something that you get better at living with, 00:23:52.290 --> 00:23:53.570 Bryan Muehlberger: but it's always there. 00:23:53.570 --> 00:23:54.210 Bryan Muehlberger: And 00:23:54.210 --> 00:23:55.010 Lisa Nichols: so always there. 00:23:55.010 --> 00:23:58.945 Bryan Muehlberger: And so I remember seeing a photo that was taken. 00:23:58.945 --> 00:24:02.305 Bryan Muehlberger: We didn't see Gracie for four days, 00:24:02.305 --> 00:24:03.505 Bryan Muehlberger: not even the day of. 00:24:03.505 --> 00:24:05.665 Bryan Muehlberger: So they wouldn't let us see her.

00:24:05.665 --> 00:24:07.025 Bryan Muehlberger: They said she was evidence. 00:24:07.025 --> 00:24:09.985 Bryan Muehlberger: That's a whole another story for another day. 00:24:09.985 --> 00:24:12.785 Bryan Muehlberger: We got to see her fry finally on fry on Monday evening. 00:24:12.785 --> 00:24:15.320 Bryan Muehlberger: So it happened on a Thursday, not till Monday evening. 00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:17.960 Bryan Muehlberger: And we went out to a to a Mexican restaurant that evening with some 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:21.400 Bryan Muehlberger: family and some friends, and there's a picture of us. 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:22.680 Bryan Muehlberger: And we're all sitting at this table. 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:25.720 Bryan Muehlberger: We got margaritas in front of us, and we have smiles on our face. 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.760 Bryan Muehlberger: We look like we've been laughing. 00:24:26.760 --> 00:24:28.635 Bryan Muehlberger: Probably maybe one too many margaritas. 00:24:28.635 --> 00:24:30.475 Bryan Muehlberger: I'm not quite sure. 00:24:30.475 --> 00:24:34.395 Bryan Muehlberger: And you look at it going, how can you be smiling four days after 00:24:34.395 --> 00:24:36.155 Bryan Muehlberger: a tragedy like that? 00:24:36.155 --> 00:24:39.915 Bryan Muehlberger: And it was actually a a moment of a sense of relief at that 00:24:39.915 --> 00:24:43.160 Bryan Muehlberger: moment in time because we finally just we finally got to see her. 00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:43.480 Bryan Muehlberger: Yes. 00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:47.480 Bryan Muehlberger: And, we got some closure on some things with that that moment. 00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:50.600 Bryan Muehlberger: And 00:24:50.600 --> 00:24:51.480 Bryan Muehlberger: but it was still there. 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:55.480 Bryan Muehlberger: So if you saw the photo, you wouldn't see that depth of that grief 00:24:55.800 --> 00:24:59.800 Bryan Muehlberger: that's that's really right below the surface at that moment in life. 00:25:00.095 --> 00:25:01.695 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:25:01.695 --> 00:25:05.695 Bryan Muehlberger: But as time goes on, you know, that I always use this this analogy. 00:25:06.655 --> 00:25:08.895 Bryan Muehlberger: Grief is like a black ball. 00:25:08.895 --> 00:25:09.295 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:25:09.295 --> 00:25:13.070 Bryan Muehlberger: And when when that moment occurs in your life, and everyone will experience some 00:25:13.070 --> 00:25:16.110 Bryan Muehlberger: sort of of horrible loss in their life, unfortunately, we all will. 00:25:16.110 --> 00:25:16.670 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:25:16.670 --> 00:25:17.550 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:25:17.550 --> 00:25:18.590 Bryan Muehlberger: It's all consuming. 00:25:18.590 --> 00:25:21.790 Bryan Muehlberger: That black ball is is your entire world. 00:25:21.790 --> 00:25:25.470 Bryan Muehlberger: And maybe for that one second, that smile on our faces that day was 00:25:25.470 --> 00:25:28.215 Bryan Muehlberger: just that surface level of that black ball. 00:25:28.215 --> 00:25:30.615 Bryan Muehlberger: Over time, that black ball never shrinks. 00:25:30.615 --> 00:25:31.575 Bryan Muehlberger: It stays the same size. 00:25:31.575 --> 00:25:33.015 Bryan Muehlberger: It doesn't get any bigger. 00:25:33.015 --> 00:25:36.535 Bryan Muehlberger: It's just because it's as big as it can get, at that moment. 00:25:36.535 --> 00:25:40.535 Bryan Muehlberger: But you you learn to add new experiences and new life around 00:25:40.535 --> 00:25:41.760 Bryan Muehlberger: it. 00:25:41.760 --> 00:25:45.760 Bryan Muehlberger: And so as that builds around it, you almost get, like, this protective barrier 00:25:45.760 --> 00:25:47.200 Bryan Muehlberger: to that grief. 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.200 Bryan Muehlberger: And and that allows you to live outward in in a positive way, 00:25:52.080 --> 00:25:54.640 Bryan Muehlberger: though that grief is still there at all times. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.040 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:25:55.040 --> 00:25:57.205 Bryan Muehlberger: Never goes away. 00:25:57.205 --> 00:26:01.205 Bryan Muehlberger: So with that said, I would say, you know, we leaned into people. 00:26:02.405 --> 00:26:06.405 Bryan Muehlberger: We I mean, I can't even describe the amount 00:26:06.805 --> 00:26:10.805 Bryan Muehlberger: of outpouring of love and compassion that we received. 00:26:11.830 --> 00:26:13.590 Bryan Muehlberger: The tragedy was very public. 00:26:13.590 --> 00:26:13.990 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:26:13.990 --> 00:26:17.590 Bryan Muehlberger: It was national news, global news in many aspects. 00:26:17.590 --> 00:26:20.550 Bryan Muehlberger: We had, you know, a lot of opportunities to get in front of the 00:26:20.550 --> 00:26:24.550 Bryan Muehlberger: camera at that time, which was very uncomfortable when you're grieving. 00:26:24.685 --> 00:26:25.005 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:26:25.005 --> 00:26:25.205 Lisa Nichols: But 00:26:25.165 --> 00:26:28.845 Bryan Muehlberger: we also knew we had to put our our daughter's face and and personality 00:26:28.845 --> 00:26:29.085 Bryan Muehlberger: out there. 00:26:29.085 --> 00:26:31.165 Bryan Muehlberger: We wanted people to know who she was. 00:26:31.165 --> 00:26:35.165 Bryan Muehlberger: And and through all of that, like, just the outpouring in our community was 00:26:35.165 --> 00:26:36.940 Bryan Muehlberger: just mind blowing. 00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:37.180 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:40.060 Bryan Muehlberger: We had this we had a vigil, 00:26:40.060 --> 00:26:44.060 Bryan Muehlberger: three days later on that Sunday evening at our local park, Central 00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:48.220 Bryan Muehlberger: Park, in Santa Clarita, and over twenty thousand people showed up. 00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:48.715 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:26:48.715 --> 00:26:50.155 Bryan Muehlberger: They've never had that many people in the park. 00:26:50.155 --> 00:26:52.955 Bryan Muehlberger: They do concerts in this park all the time and things like that.

00:26:52.955 --> 00:26:55.115 Bryan Muehlberger: And it was, like, you know, street parking only. 00:26:55.115 --> 00:26:57.595 Bryan Muehlberger: People were the overflows were going to the local churches. 00:26:57.595 --> 00:26:59.995 Bryan Muehlberger: They were streaming online. 00:26:59.995 --> 00:27:03.995 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, everyone there holding white and blue, white six, and so forth 00:27:04.270 --> 00:27:06.590 Bryan Muehlberger: for us. 00:27:06.590 --> 00:27:10.190 Bryan Muehlberger: And and and it just kinda continued, in that. 00:27:10.190 --> 00:27:12.590 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, we have you know, I could just go on and on about 00:27:12.590 --> 00:27:14.830 Bryan Muehlberger: all the things that somebody did for us in some way. 00:27:14.830 --> 00:27:17.005 Bryan Muehlberger: We got these beautiful obelisks made. 00:27:17.005 --> 00:27:19.965 Bryan Muehlberger: We funded the actual construction of them, but we got the city to allow 00:27:19.965 --> 00:27:22.525 Bryan Muehlberger: them us to put them in that central park because that was the meeting 00:27:22.525 --> 00:27:25.725 Bryan Muehlberger: place where all the kids reunited with their families. 00:27:25.725 --> 00:27:27.840 Bryan Muehlberger: Unfortunately, we never got to reunite with our kids. 00:27:27.840 --> 00:27:28.480 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:28.800 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:27:28.800 --> 00:27:31.600 Bryan Muehlberger: And I say our kids because there was another little boy who also lost 00:27:31.600 --> 00:27:33.760 Bryan Muehlberger: his life, Dominic Blackwell. 00:27:33.760 --> 00:27:35.520 Bryan Muehlberger: And so they put up these beautiful obelisks. 00:27:35.520 --> 00:27:36.400 Bryan Muehlberger: They have this whole section. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.360 Bryan Muehlberger: They're lit up at night. 00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:40.720 Bryan Muehlberger: These and they they're all a mosaic tile that we had this mosaic artist 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:44.135 Bryan Muehlberger: create with all their personality all over these these obelisks. 00:27:44.135 --> 00:27:47.415 Bryan Muehlberger: So all four sides of them have, you know, like on Gracie's, it's a 00:27:47.415 --> 00:27:48.935 Bryan Muehlberger: picture of the Saint Louis Cardinals. 00:27:48.935 --> 00:27:50.615 Bryan Muehlberger: It's a picture of her dog. 00:27:50.615 --> 00:27:52.535 Bryan Muehlberger: It's a Starbucks caramel frappuccino. 00:27:52.535 --> 00:27:54.615 Bryan Muehlberger: It's it's music notes because she loved music. 00:27:54.615 --> 00:27:56.900 Bryan Muehlberger: It's a microphone because she loved to sing. 00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:57.700 Lisa Nichols: To sing. 00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:58.100 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:58.500 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:27:58.500 --> 00:28:00.100 Bryan Muehlberger: And so it's all that on Dominic's. 00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:04.100 Bryan Muehlberger: It's like his football stuff and his ROTC stuff and just everything about 00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:05.220 Bryan Muehlberger: his life. 00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:07.460 Bryan Muehlberger: But to that was kind of an act of God in many ways. 00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:09.585 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, we had to fight with city hall. 00:28:09.585 --> 00:28:12.785 Bryan Muehlberger: We had to fight with the water water company there because they own the 00:28:12.785 --> 00:28:15.265 Bryan Muehlberger: land and rent it back to the city for the park. 00:28:15.265 --> 00:28:15.585 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:28:15.585 --> 00:28:16.865 Bryan Muehlberger: There was all these complex things. 00:28:16.865 --> 00:28:20.865 Bryan Muehlberger: I'd never dealt with city politics, but they all worked 00:28:20.865 --> 00:28:21.265 Bryan Muehlberger: with us. 00:28:21.265 --> 00:28:24.780 Bryan Muehlberger: The mayor at the time was very, very fortunate to have him at the 00:28:24.780 --> 00:28:27.660 Bryan Muehlberger: time work with us to work through this problem and got it got it 00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:28.700 Bryan Muehlberger: across the finish line. 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:32.700 Bryan Muehlberger: And then, you know, we we've, recently, we we 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:35.660 Bryan Muehlberger: participated in a in a documentary film. 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:36.060 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:28:36.060 --> 00:28:37.820 Lisa Nichols: Tell our listeners about this film. 00:28:37.820 --> 00:28:38.020 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:39.125 Lisa Nichols: It's All the empty words. 00:28:39.125 --> 00:28:43.125 Bryan Muehlberger: Started off as a as a reach out by by CBS correspondent Steve Hartman. 00:28:43.365 --> 00:28:44.405 Bryan Muehlberger: So Steve Hartman Yes. 00:28:44.405 --> 00:28:46.405 Bryan Muehlberger: The feel good guy at the end of the week. 00:28:46.405 --> 00:28:50.245 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, usually usually Sundays, you know, it's it's Steve Hartman talking about the 00:28:50.245 --> 00:28:54.240 Bryan Muehlberger: good story and the tragedies or bad things that have occurred that week, and 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.680 Bryan Muehlberger: it makes you feel good. 00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:59.360 Bryan Muehlberger: Well, he had been covering school shootings for a while, always trying to find 00:28:59.360 --> 00:29:02.160 Bryan Muehlberger: the hero in the story, the good, you know, and things like that. 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:04.240 Bryan Muehlberger: And he's just like, I I just can't keep doing this anymore. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:05.920 Bryan Muehlberger: I gotta do something different. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:09.920 Bryan Muehlberger: So he had this idea of how can I bring people, all 00:29:10.025 --> 00:29:13.945 Bryan Muehlberger: of America, into the rooms of these kids that have been lost in these 00:29:13.945 --> 00:29:14.825 Bryan Muehlberger: school shootings? 00:29:14.825 --> 00:29:17.785 Bryan Muehlberger: And he's like, if we could just do that, we could be a different 00:29:17.785 --> 00:29:18.025

Bryan Muehlberger: America. 00:29:18.025 --> 00:29:19.785 Bryan Muehlberger: So 00:29:19.785 --> 00:29:20.505 Bryan Muehlberger: he reached out. 00:29:20.505 --> 00:29:24.140 Bryan Muehlberger: We got this FedEx envelope with a letter in it, from Steve Hartman saying, 00:29:24.140 --> 00:29:24.340 Bryan Muehlberger: hey. 00:29:24.300 --> 00:29:25.900 Bryan Muehlberger: I like I got this idea. 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:27.980 Bryan Muehlberger: We'd like to film your child's room. 00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:28.380 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:29:28.380 --> 00:29:30.300 Bryan Muehlberger: And me and Cindy were like, I don't know. 00:29:30.300 --> 00:29:31.820 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, we've done enough of this stuff. 00:29:31.820 --> 00:29:33.260 Bryan Muehlberger: We're sick of being in front of the camera. 00:29:33.260 --> 00:29:35.740 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, can we just not do anything anymore? 00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:39.455 Bryan Muehlberger: And, and we just kinda prayed on it, and we felt you know, after 00:29:39.455 --> 00:29:40.815 Bryan Muehlberger: speaking to Steve, we're like, okay. 00:29:40.815 --> 00:29:41.935 Bryan Muehlberger: This he's a good guy. 00:29:41.935 --> 00:29:43.615 Bryan Muehlberger: Let's, like, move forward with this. 00:29:43.615 --> 00:29:44.735 Bryan Muehlberger: Let's see how it goes. 00:29:44.735 --> 00:29:47.375 Bryan Muehlberger: So we kinda started going down the path, and we introduced him to the 00:29:47.375 --> 00:29:48.335 Bryan Muehlberger: Blackwells. 00:29:48.335 --> 00:29:52.240 Bryan Muehlberger: Dominic's room was actually in intact as well. 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:54.800 Bryan Muehlberger: And, he's a big SpongeBob kid, you know, and so forth. 00:29:54.800 --> 00:29:56.720 Bryan Muehlberger: And so that kinda sticks out in the film. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.760 Bryan Muehlberger: But he came out. 00:29:57.760 --> 00:30:01.760 Bryan Muehlberger: They filmed our filmed the room in excruciating detail, videos and pictures. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:06.035 Bryan Muehlberger: And Lou Bope, who is the photographer and videographer for all of this, just 00:30:06.035 --> 00:30:10.035 Bryan Muehlberger: created this this collage of the personality of these kids. 00:30:10.915 --> 00:30:14.515 Bryan Muehlberger: And at the time, we had been ever since the tragedy, I would say, 00:30:14.515 --> 00:30:17.050 Bryan Muehlberger: we've been wanting to get out of California at that time. 00:30:17.050 --> 00:30:17.290 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:30:17.290 --> 00:30:19.930 Bryan Muehlberger: And but we didn't know what to do with Gracie's room. 00:30:19.930 --> 00:30:22.410 Bryan Muehlberger: And so this whole time, we're just going, what do we do? 00:30:22.410 --> 00:30:22.650 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:30:22.650 --> 00:30:24.170 Bryan Muehlberger: And it's like Cindy's like, I'm not ready. 00:30:24.170 --> 00:30:24.570 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:30:24.570 --> 00:30:25.930 Bryan Muehlberger: She would open the door

every morning. 00:30:25.930 --> 00:30:26.810 Bryan Muehlberger: Good morning, baby girl. 00:30:26.810 --> 00:30:28.490 Bryan Muehlberger: That night, good night, baby girl. 00:30:28.490 --> 00:30:28.730 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:30:28.730 --> 00:30:31.050 Bryan Muehlberger: And you just got this empty room that used to be so full of 00:30:31.050 --> 00:30:32.165 Bryan Muehlberger: life. 00:30:32.165 --> 00:30:35.365 Bryan Muehlberger: And, and after doing this film, we kinda felt this sense of peace. 00:30:35.365 --> 00:30:37.605 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, you know, we've documented this. 00:30:37.605 --> 00:30:40.245 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, we got a great record that she was here. 00:30:40.245 --> 00:30:40.645 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:30:40.645 --> 00:30:44.645 Bryan Muehlberger: And, so we went through that process, and then, know, they started getting calls 00:30:44.820 --> 00:30:45.700 Bryan Muehlberger: for the film festival. 00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:48.420 Bryan Muehlberger: They started sending it out to folks for the film festivals and so forth. 00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:51.300 Bryan Muehlberger: So, like, Tribeca called them back and said, we wanna have you guys at 00:30:51.300 --> 00:30:52.020 Bryan Muehlberger: the film festival. 00:30:52.020 --> 00:30:56.020 Bryan Muehlberger: And, you know, all these film festivals started really giving it great accolades. 00:30:56.065 --> 00:31:00.065 Bryan Muehlberger: And then they started getting reached out by the different streaming companies, and eventually 00:31:00.145 --> 00:31:02.225 Bryan Muehlberger: Netflix purchased the film. 00:31:02.225 --> 00:31:03.265 Bryan Muehlberger: So they purchased the film. 00:31:03.265 --> 00:31:06.945 Bryan Muehlberger: It started airing on Netflix on December first of last year. 00:31:06.945 --> 00:31:09.960 Bryan Muehlberger: Then it got shortlisted for 00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:13.960 Bryan Muehlberger: the, Academy Awards for the Oscars, and so it was one of, like, seventeen 00:31:14.360 --> 00:31:18.360 Bryan Muehlberger: films in this quote, unquote shortlist out of a thousand, something like that. 00:31:19.480 --> 00:31:20.840 Bryan Muehlberger: And then also we're like, oh my gosh. 00:31:20.840 --> 00:31:23.000 Bryan Muehlberger: This is, like, really going way farther than we ever thought. 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:27.000 Bryan Muehlberger: And then, in January, we're watching the livestream of the Oscar 00:31:27.225 --> 00:31:30.425 Bryan Muehlberger: nominees, and it's the next one that they announced. 00:31:30.425 --> 00:31:33.625 Bryan Muehlberger: So we get we're now now in the top five of nominees for an 00:31:33.625 --> 00:31:33.945 Bryan Muehlberger: Oscar. 00:31:33.945 --> 00:31:37.225 Bryan Muehlberger: So just being an Oscar nominated film is always a is a is a 00:31:37.225 --> 00:31:38.105 Bryan Muehlberger: is a accolades. 00:31:38.105 --> 00:31:38.650 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:31:38.650 --> 00:31:39.210 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:31:39.210 -->

00:31:40.650 Bryan Muehlberger: So we're like, we won already. 00:31:40.650 --> 00:31:42.810 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:31:42.810 --> 00:31:46.650 Bryan Muehlberger: But we just felt like like, we're going all the way. 00:31:46.650 --> 00:31:47.770 Bryan Muehlberger: So and we did. 00:31:47.770 --> 00:31:51.770 Bryan Muehlberger: And so in March, we go out to the Oscars to to watch 00:31:51.850 --> 00:31:55.850 Bryan Muehlberger: it live, And, we're sitting up in our seats and waiting for the 00:31:56.075 --> 00:32:00.075 Bryan Muehlberger: announcement, and then, Jimmy Kimmel comes out and, you know, gives the announcements. 00:32:00.155 --> 00:32:03.115 Bryan Muehlberger: And right when he says, and the Oscar goes to, and he has all 00:32:03.115 --> 00:32:05.080 Bryan Muehlberger: I had to say was all the, and then we 00:32:05.080 --> 00:32:06.440 Lisa Nichols: lost it. 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.560 Lisa Nichols: All the empty rooms. 00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:07.880 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:08.680 Lisa Nichols: Wow. 00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:09.240 Bryan Muehlberger: So yeah. 00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:11.240 Bryan Muehlberger: So, 00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:13.480 Bryan Muehlberger: she's got a she's got an IMDB profile. 00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:15.000 Bryan Muehlberger: She's in an Oscar winning film. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:16.200 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, I I don't know. 00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:16.840 Bryan Muehlberger: Gotcha. 00:32:16.840 --> 00:32:17.080 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:32:17.080 --> 00:32:17.480 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:32:17.480 --> 00:32:18.920 Lisa Nichols: And she was a performer. 00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.320 Bryan Muehlberger: I know. 00:32:19.320 --> 00:32:19.960 Lisa Nichols: You know? 00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:23.215 Lisa Nichols: I mean, Bryan, I mean, I think she want you know? 00:32:23.215 --> 00:32:25.295 Bryan Muehlberger: I always say be careful what you ask God for. 00:32:25.295 --> 00:32:27.215 Bryan Muehlberger: You never know how he's gonna deliver it to you. 00:32:27.215 --> 00:32:30.735 Bryan Muehlberger: I think she always wanted to be famous and and on film. 00:32:30.735 --> 00:32:31.055 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:32:31.055 --> 00:32:31.255 Lisa Nichols: I 00:32:31.135 --> 00:32:34.930 Bryan Muehlberger: don't think she ever envisioned this, but I think because of this, she's touched 00:32:34.930 --> 00:32:37.170 Bryan Muehlberger: more lives than she could have otherwise. 00:32:37.170 --> 00:32:38.610 Lisa Nichols: Absolutely. 00:32:38.610 --> 00:32:39.330 Lisa Nichols: So Yeah. 00:32:39.330 --> 00:32:39.570 Lisa Nichols: We 00:32:39.570 --> 00:32:42.450 Bryan Muehlberger: just love that she's out there, and people get to see Yeah. 00:32:42.450 --> 00:32:43.730 Bryan Muehlberger: Personality and who she is. 00:32:43.730 --> 00:32:44.210 Bryan Muehlberger: And 00:32:44.210 --> 00:32:44.530 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:32:44.530 --> 00:32:46.290 Lisa Nichols: Because she had a big personality. 00:32:46.290 --> 00:32:47.365 Bryan Muehlberger: Oh, huge. 00:32:47.365 --> 00:32:47.845 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:32:47.845 --> 00:32:48.245 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:32:48.245 --> 00:32:48.565 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:32:48.565 --> 00:32:48.765 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:32:48.725 --> 00:32:50.405 Bryan Muehlberger: I miss it quite a bit. 00:32:50.405 --> 00:32:54.405 Lisa Nichols: Well, you know, so how has 00:32:54.805 --> 00:32:58.805 Lisa Nichols: going through what you've gone through and that grief, what has it taught you 00:32:58.805 --> 00:32:59.730 Lisa Nichols: about leadership? 00:32:59.730 --> 00:33:02.050 Lisa Nichols: I'm sure it's taught you a lot about leadership. 00:33:02.050 --> 00:33:05.490 Lisa Nichols: I'm sure it's taught you a lot about relationships, Bryan. 00:33:05.490 --> 00:33:08.930 Bryan Muehlberger: I will say, like, you know, when this all occurred, you know, I was 00:33:08.930 --> 00:33:11.170 Bryan Muehlberger: the CIO for the Beachbody company at the time. 00:33:11.170 --> 00:33:12.345 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:33:12.345 --> 00:33:13.225 Bryan Muehlberger: Busy role. 00:33:13.225 --> 00:33:17.225 Bryan Muehlberger: We were growing like crazy at the time, and my life was on 00:33:17.225 --> 00:33:18.425 Bryan Muehlberger: fire every day. 00:33:18.425 --> 00:33:20.905 Bryan Muehlberger: And and this occurs and life just stops. 00:33:20.905 --> 00:33:24.905 Bryan Muehlberger: And the company, that's when you realize, like, the true 00:33:24.985 --> 00:33:27.990 Bryan Muehlberger: nature of a company is in a moment like this. 00:33:27.990 --> 00:33:30.230 Bryan Muehlberger: They could have easily said, hey. 00:33:30.230 --> 00:33:31.990 Bryan Muehlberger: You're going on short term disability. 00:33:31.990 --> 00:33:32.790 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:33:32.790 --> 00:33:34.470 Bryan Muehlberger: We're gonna pay you a portion of your paycheck. 00:33:34.470 --> 00:33:36.950 Bryan Muehlberger: They never stopped my paychecks for three and a half months. 00:33:36.950 --> 00:33:40.550 Bryan Muehlberger: Paycheck came every two weeks, hundred percent. 00:33:40.550 --> 00:33:41.910 Bryan Muehlberger: They catered Thanksgiving. 00:33:41.910 --> 00:33:43.605 Bryan Muehlberger: They catered Christmas to our house. 00:33:43.605 --> 00:33:46.325 Bryan Muehlberger: They, never pressured me to come back. 00:33:46.325 --> 00:33:47.845 Bryan Muehlberger: In fact, I was the one pressuring myself. 00:33:47.845 --> 00:33:48.885 Bryan Muehlberger: I'm like, I gotta get back. 00:33:48.885 --> 00:33:49.365 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:33:49.365 --> 00:33:51.765 Bryan Muehlberger: And they were always just so supportive. 00:33:51.765 --> 00:33:52.885 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, the head of HR 00:33:52.885 --> 00:33:53.085 Lisa Nichols: at the 00:33:53.045 --> 00:33:55.765 Bryan Muehlberger: time just, you know, poured her heart into it. 00:33:55.765 --> 00:33:59.130 Bryan Muehlberger: Our head of legal helped me navigate some of the stuff

related to PR 00:33:59.130 --> 00:34:01.370 Bryan Muehlberger: and things like that, you know, having to be in front of a camera, 00:34:01.370 --> 00:34:05.370 Bryan Muehlberger: which I hadn't expected before experienced before, and just everything 00:34:05.690 --> 00:34:05.890 Bryan Muehlberger: there. 00:34:05.850 --> 00:34:09.850 Bryan Muehlberger: So I would say what I learned through that is, you know, there are 00:34:10.330 --> 00:34:13.305 Bryan Muehlberger: people on your teams every single day dealing with something. 00:34:13.305 --> 00:34:13.505 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:34:13.465 --> 00:34:13.785 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:34:13.785 --> 00:34:15.785 Bryan Muehlberger: Maybe not as public. 00:34:15.785 --> 00:34:15.985 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:34:15.945 --> 00:34:19.705 Bryan Muehlberger: But if you notice that something's different, maybe start there. 00:34:19.705 --> 00:34:21.945 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, maybe there's something going on that you're not aware of. 00:34:21.945 --> 00:34:24.505 Bryan Muehlberger: Maybe it's not just their so they they hate your company and they're being, 00:34:24.505 --> 00:34:25.385 Bryan Muehlberger: you know, low performers. 00:34:25.385 --> 00:34:28.025 Bryan Muehlberger: It could be, like, they maybe have some big stuff going on. 00:34:28.025 --> 00:34:28.265 Bryan Muehlberger: Sure. 00:34:28.265 --> 00:34:31.170 Bryan Muehlberger: And when you really get to know people and ask questions on on a 00:34:31.170 --> 00:34:35.170 Bryan Muehlberger: human level, you find out some amazing stuff, about what they're dealing 00:34:35.250 --> 00:34:35.490 Bryan Muehlberger: with. 00:34:35.490 --> 00:34:35.890 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:34:35.890 --> 00:34:36.130 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:34:36.130 --> 00:34:40.130 Bryan Muehlberger: I I I do these dinners, CXO rise dinners, and I bring these executives 00:34:40.450 --> 00:34:44.095 Bryan Muehlberger: together and, you know, everyone's I'm the CIO and CTO of x y z 00:34:44.095 --> 00:34:44.735 Bryan Muehlberger: company. 00:34:44.735 --> 00:34:47.375 Bryan Muehlberger: But at the end of the day, they're all humans, and they're all dealing 00:34:47.375 --> 00:34:48.015 Bryan Muehlberger: with something. 00:34:48.015 --> 00:34:52.015 Bryan Muehlberger: And and as I've got to know these big powerful leaders, 00:34:52.095 --> 00:34:54.895 Bryan Muehlberger: you know, they're they're they're dealing with child children issues. 00:34:54.895 --> 00:34:55.215 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:34:55.215 --> 00:34:57.570 Bryan Muehlberger: Their child's, you know, hurting themselves. 00:34:57.570 --> 00:35:00.850 Bryan Muehlberger: They're they've got, you know, a no relationship with their wife because they're busy 00:35:00.850 --> 00:35:01.810 Bryan Muehlberger: with work all the time. 00:35:01.810 --> 00:35:05.650 Bryan Muehlberger: And they're dealing with all of these things, yet they're performing still. 00:35:05.650 --> 00:35:09.650 Bryan Muehlberger:

And so, I always just say, like, there's more more complex people. 00:35:09.655 --> 00:35:12.935 Bryan Muehlberger: There's more behind the scenes, and and remember that as a as a leader 00:35:12.935 --> 00:35:13.335 Bryan Muehlberger: for sure. 00:35:13.335 --> 00:35:14.215 Lisa Nichols: As a leader. 00:35:14.215 --> 00:35:14.695 Lisa Nichols: No. 00:35:14.695 --> 00:35:18.055 Lisa Nichols: That's really good. 00:35:18.055 --> 00:35:22.055 Lisa Nichols: What you know, I this I know that there are people 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:26.110 Lisa Nichols: that are gonna be listening to this, Bryan, and they're carrying really heavy loads. 00:35:26.110 --> 00:35:26.510 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:35:26.510 --> 00:35:29.870 Lisa Nichols: They're carrying really heavy stuff just like what you said, and we don't we 00:35:29.870 --> 00:35:31.230 Lisa Nichols: don't see that always. 00:35:31.230 --> 00:35:31.870 Lisa Nichols: Right? 00:35:31.870 --> 00:35:33.630 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:35:33.630 --> 00:35:37.630 Lisa Nichols: But if somebody is feeling like they are just, like, 00:35:37.995 --> 00:35:41.995 Lisa Nichols: drowning there, I mean, what can you give them 00:35:42.075 --> 00:35:46.075 Lisa Nichols: one piece of advice, one piece of hope to help them 00:35:46.235 --> 00:35:49.035 Lisa Nichols: feel like they can take that next step forward? 00:35:49.035 --> 00:35:51.090 Bryan Muehlberger: I would you're not alone. 00:35:51.090 --> 00:35:54.770 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean, I think that's the the thing you feel the most. 00:35:54.770 --> 00:35:56.610 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, we still say, like, why us? 00:35:56.610 --> 00:35:58.290 Bryan Muehlberger: Why did this occur to us? 00:35:58.290 --> 00:35:58.690 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:35:58.690 --> 00:36:00.370 Bryan Muehlberger: What did we deserve to get this? 00:36:00.370 --> 00:36:01.810 Bryan Muehlberger: And you feel very alone. 00:36:01.810 --> 00:36:05.810 Bryan Muehlberger: And and especially during the initial moments of any sort of tragic 00:36:05.945 --> 00:36:09.945 Bryan Muehlberger: situation and traumatic situation in your life, you feel very alone. 00:36:10.025 --> 00:36:13.545 Bryan Muehlberger: But you're not the first person to go through this, whatever that is. 00:36:13.545 --> 00:36:16.980 Bryan Muehlberger: And to know you're not alone, I think, is a good good starting point. 00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:20.020 Bryan Muehlberger: And then and the second part is because you're not alone, reach out to 00:36:20.020 --> 00:36:20.980 Bryan Muehlberger: somebody. 00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:22.580 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:36:22.580 --> 00:36:23.860 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, your friends always say, hey. 00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:25.460 Bryan Muehlberger: If you ever need something, just give me a call. 00:36:25.460 --> 00:36:26.180 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:36:26.180 --> 00:36:26.660 Lisa Nichols: Yes. 00:36:26.660 --> 00:36:28.995 Bryan Muehlberger: And I think they they all mean it. 00:36:28.995 --> 00:36:30.355 Bryan Muehlberger: You gotta take them up on it. 00:36:30.355 --> 00:36:30.835 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:36:30.835 --> 00:36:31.075 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:36:31.075 --> 00:36:31.315 Lisa Nichols: Right. 00:36:31.315 --> 00:36:34.595 Bryan Muehlberger: Be bold enough to say, you know, I'm gonna call my friend who said 00:36:34.595 --> 00:36:35.155 Bryan Muehlberger: I can call my friend. 00:36:35.155 --> 00:36:35.875 Lisa Nichols: I need help. 00:36:35.875 --> 00:36:36.115 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:36:36.115 --> 00:36:36.835 Bryan Muehlberger: Yes. 00:36:36.835 --> 00:36:37.075 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:36:37.075 --> 00:36:37.795 Bryan Muehlberger: Hundred percent. 00:36:37.795 --> 00:36:39.315 Bryan Muehlberger: And, and take advantage of that. 00:36:39.315 --> 00:36:40.915 Bryan Muehlberger: People want to help others. 00:36:40.915 --> 00:36:44.280 Bryan Muehlberger: We're naturally wired to to rise up and help others. 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:47.000 Bryan Muehlberger: And and if you give people the chance, they're going to. 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:47.320 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:47.560 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:36:47.560 --> 00:36:48.280 Lisa Nichols: I agree. 00:36:48.280 --> 00:36:48.520 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:36:48.520 --> 00:36:49.560 Bryan Muehlberger: I would say that. 00:36:49.560 --> 00:36:50.360 Lisa Nichols: That's good. 00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:53.320 Lisa Nichols: Well, I know that you and Cindy founded Gracie Strong. 00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:54.600 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:36:54.600 --> 00:36:57.000 Lisa Nichols: Tell us a little bit about Gracie Strong. 00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:01.000 Lisa Nichols: I mean, you guys have created something really beautiful, like I said, out of 00:37:01.135 --> 00:37:03.375 Lisa Nichols: this unimaginable pain. 00:37:03.375 --> 00:37:05.935 Lisa Nichols: But, tell us about Gracie Strong. 00:37:05.935 --> 00:37:06.175 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:37:06.175 --> 00:37:10.175 Bryan Muehlberger: So we started Gracie Strong, initially as 00:37:10.495 --> 00:37:13.970 Bryan Muehlberger: an organization to just honor our daughter. 00:37:13.970 --> 00:37:17.410 Bryan Muehlberger: And, you know, it seems like the thing to do you know, I'm being 00:37:17.410 --> 00:37:18.050 Bryan Muehlberger: just transparent. 00:37:18.050 --> 00:37:20.770 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, the thing to do when you someone dies in your family, you you 00:37:20.770 --> 00:37:23.330 Bryan Muehlberger: create a foundation. 00:37:23.330 --> 00:37:25.250 Bryan Muehlberger: That was kinda maybe the initial thought of it. 00:37:25.250 --> 00:37:27.215 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, how do we put something about her out there? 00:37:27.215 --> 00:37:30.735 Bryan Muehlberger: And then as we evolved and really said, well, how do we make this, 00:37:30.735 --> 00:37:32.335 Bryan Muehlberger: like, more about her? 00:37:32.335 --> 00:37:36.335 Bryan Muehlberger: We just realized, like, as we

reflected on who she is as 00:37:36.415 --> 00:37:39.775 Bryan Muehlberger: a girl, she was never afraid to, like, speak up. 00:37:39.775 --> 00:37:43.775 Bryan Muehlberger: She was never afraid to to share her thoughts to us, to others, or 00:37:43.830 --> 00:37:45.110 Bryan Muehlberger: stand up for others. 00:37:45.110 --> 00:37:49.110 Bryan Muehlberger: And so we kinda leaned into this whole, you know, having a strong voice. 00:37:50.310 --> 00:37:53.750 Bryan Muehlberger: We we create a little campaign at one point where we had these bracelets 00:37:53.750 --> 00:37:57.750 Bryan Muehlberger: made called speak TF up, which meant speak the f up. 00:37:58.305 --> 00:38:01.025 Bryan Muehlberger: And and it really came down to we're like, you know, why didn't anyone 00:38:01.025 --> 00:38:04.785 Bryan Muehlberger: speak the f up about this other child who was hurting that end up 00:38:04.785 --> 00:38:07.425 Bryan Muehlberger: causing this tragedy and ruining so many lives? 00:38:07.425 --> 00:38:10.465 Bryan Muehlberger: And and when you look back behind the scenes, you can see all of 00:38:10.465 --> 00:38:13.630 Bryan Muehlberger: the pain this child was experiencing and nobody was helping him. 00:38:13.630 --> 00:38:14.270 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:38:14.270 --> 00:38:15.230 Lisa Nichols: Nobody noticed. 00:38:15.230 --> 00:38:15.870 Bryan Muehlberger: Nobody noticed. 00:38:15.870 --> 00:38:18.430 Bryan Muehlberger: And if they noticed, they ignored, which is even worse. 00:38:18.430 --> 00:38:18.630 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:38:18.590 --> 00:38:21.230 Bryan Muehlberger: They noticed it, but they just said, not my problem. 00:38:21.230 --> 00:38:22.270 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:38:22.270 --> 00:38:24.750 Bryan Muehlberger: And so we were kinda like, you know, like, how can we do more 00:38:24.750 --> 00:38:25.155 Bryan Muehlberger: of that? 00:38:25.155 --> 00:38:27.555 Bryan Muehlberger: How can we make people more aware of that? 00:38:27.555 --> 00:38:29.635 Bryan Muehlberger: And and since then, we've evolved a little bit more. 00:38:29.635 --> 00:38:33.475 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, we we felt like Gracie got so much out of going to 00:38:33.475 --> 00:38:35.155 Bryan Muehlberger: her church youth camp. 00:38:35.155 --> 00:38:38.435 Bryan Muehlberger: They went to Lake Hume, which was sponsored by our church. 00:38:38.435 --> 00:38:42.435 Bryan Muehlberger: And and we've got some some journals she wrote during those times when she 00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:45.500 Bryan Muehlberger: was off the beaten path and no phone in her hand and had a 00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:46.460 Bryan Muehlberger: pen and paper in her hand. 00:38:46.460 --> 00:38:47.180 Bryan Muehlberger: That's all she had. 00:38:47.180 --> 00:38:48.940 Bryan Muehlberger: And what she wrote was powerful. 00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:52.460 Bryan Muehlberger: And we just thought, like, you know, she she was definitely talking to God. 00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:56.460 Bryan Muehlberger: She

felt God in her life, and she knew where she was going. 00:38:56.865 --> 00:38:57.065 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:38:57.025 --> 00:38:58.145 Bryan Muehlberger: And we just were like, gosh. 00:38:58.145 --> 00:38:58.465 Bryan Muehlberger: You know? 00:38:58.465 --> 00:39:01.585 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, if we could get more kids go to youth camps, right, church youth 00:39:01.585 --> 00:39:02.305 Bryan Muehlberger: camps Yes. 00:39:02.305 --> 00:39:03.585 Bryan Muehlberger: Like, how much would that help? 00:39:03.585 --> 00:39:04.465 Bryan Muehlberger: I mean Yes. 00:39:04.465 --> 00:39:07.825 Bryan Muehlberger: We ended up fostering a daughter, for about a year and a half before 00:39:07.825 --> 00:39:09.600 Bryan Muehlberger: we left California. 00:39:09.600 --> 00:39:13.600 Bryan Muehlberger: And through that process, she started going to some some youth groups 00:39:13.680 --> 00:39:14.320 Bryan Muehlberger: and so forth. 00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:18.320 Bryan Muehlberger: And just the amount of camaraderie and support kids receive 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:22.400 Bryan Muehlberger: from like minded folks who also had this deep Christian faith behind them, 00:39:23.200 --> 00:39:24.215 Bryan Muehlberger: is just so powerful. 00:39:24.215 --> 00:39:25.335 Bryan Muehlberger: And it's transformed her life. 00:39:25.335 --> 00:39:27.255 Bryan Muehlberger: It transformed our daughter's life. 00:39:27.255 --> 00:39:31.015 Bryan Muehlberger: So right now, whenever we, you know, wanna fund something, we tend to try 00:39:31.015 --> 00:39:34.295 Bryan Muehlberger: to fund our local church and help kids go to youth camp that maybe 00:39:34.295 --> 00:39:35.575 Bryan Muehlberger: can't afford it themselves. 00:39:35.575 --> 00:39:36.535 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:39:36.535 --> 00:39:37.095 Lisa Nichols: Mhmm. 00:39:37.095 --> 00:39:38.280 Lisa Nichols: I love that. 00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:40.280 Lisa Nichols: Well, yeah, she did journal a lot. 00:39:40.280 --> 00:39:40.600 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:39:40.600 --> 00:39:44.600 Lisa Nichols: And I know one of the things that she had journaled, you actually 00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:47.000 Lisa Nichols: have something permanent, I think, on your arm. 00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:47.400 Bryan Muehlberger: I do. 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:47.880 Bryan Muehlberger: Yeah. 00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:48.760 Lisa Nichols: You tattooed it. 00:39:48.760 --> 00:39:50.385 Lisa Nichols: What what was that? 00:39:50.385 --> 00:39:54.385 Bryan Muehlberger: She she wrote in her journal, well, she wrote a journal entry, 00:39:54.785 --> 00:39:56.705 Bryan Muehlberger: and I've actually got it right over here. 00:39:56.705 --> 00:39:58.385 Bryan Muehlberger: And she had these four little notes. 00:39:58.385 --> 00:40:02.385 Bryan Muehlberger: So inside this little trinket box right here is is four little 00:40:02.465 --> 00:40:02.945 Bryan Muehlberger: notes. 00:40:02.945 --> 00:40:04.945 Bryan Muehlberger: And you've probably seen this if you watched the

film. 00:40:04.945 --> 00:40:08.490 Bryan Muehlberger: This is in the film, first day of high school right there. 00:40:08.490 --> 00:40:12.010 Bryan Muehlberger: So these she had a journal that she was writing in at the same 00:40:12.010 --> 00:40:14.090 Bryan Muehlberger: time she wrote these notes to herself. 00:40:14.090 --> 00:40:17.370 Bryan Muehlberger: So she thought it'd be really cool if I wrote four notes to my 00:40:17.370 --> 00:40:18.305 Bryan Muehlberger: future self. 00:40:18.305 --> 00:40:21.745 Bryan Muehlberger: And she wrote one about graduating eighth grade, one about starting high school, one 00:40:21.745 --> 00:40:24.945 Bryan Muehlberger: about driving a car, and one about going to college. 00:40:24.945 --> 00:40:28.145 Bryan Muehlberger: She got to complete two of those, but she didn't get to complete the 00:40:28.145 --> 00:40:28.465 Bryan Muehlberger: other two. 00:40:28.465 --> 00:40:32.465 Bryan Muehlberger: But in that journal post that she wrote, she she wrote, you only have 00:40:32.500 --> 00:40:35.300 Bryan Muehlberger: one life to live, so why not live a great, real, and fill it 00:40:35.300 --> 00:40:36.980 Bryan Muehlberger: with memories and experiences? 00:40:36.980 --> 00:40:40.260 Bryan Muehlberger: And I was like, if that isn't a message, I don't know what is. 00:40:40.260 --> 00:40:40.980 Bryan Muehlberger: Right? 00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:41.380 Bryan Muehlberger: True. 00:40:41.380 --> 00:40:43.620 Bryan Muehlberger: So I said, I'm I'm putting that on my arm. 00:40:43.620 --> 00:40:46.505 Bryan Muehlberger: So that became the starting point of a I have a whole arm sleeve 00:40:46.505 --> 00:40:49.785 Bryan Muehlberger: tattoo now with lots of my life in it, and that's that's an anchor 00:40:49.785 --> 00:40:50.665 Bryan Muehlberger: piece to it. 00:40:50.665 --> 00:40:51.385 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:40:51.385 --> 00:40:51.705 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:40:51.705 --> 00:40:53.065 Bryan Muehlberger: Her mantra for our life. 00:40:53.065 --> 00:40:53.385 Bryan Muehlberger: And 00:40:53.385 --> 00:40:54.425 Lisa Nichols: so Love it. 00:40:54.425 --> 00:40:56.265 Lisa Nichols: As we The great mantra. 00:40:56.265 --> 00:40:56.665 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:40:56.665 --> 00:40:57.225 Bryan Muehlberger: Yep. 00:40:57.225 --> 00:40:58.825 Lisa Nichols: The great mantra. 00:40:58.825 --> 00:40:59.705 Lisa Nichols: Oh my goodness. 00:40:59.705 --> 00:41:03.705 Lisa Nichols: Well, I, just appreciate so much you being vulnerable 00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:05.440 Lisa Nichols: and sharing your story. 00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:09.360 Lisa Nichols: Bryan, and I know it's gonna help somebody because, like you said, every person's 00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:10.560 Lisa Nichols: walking through something. 00:41:10.560 --> 00:41:11.840 Lisa Nichols: We don't always see it. 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:15.840 Lisa Nichols: But, just seeing how you and Cindy have taken this 00:41:17.165 --> 00:41:21.165 Lisa Nichols: unimaginable tragedy and, really honored 00:41:21.485 --> 00:41:23.965 Lisa Nichols: Gracie Anne's life with the things that you've done. 00:41:23.965 --> 00:41:26.845 Lisa Nichols: I think I I just know it's inspired me. 00:41:26.845 --> 00:41:27.325 Lisa Nichols: So 00:41:27.325 --> 00:41:28.525 Bryan Muehlberger: Thank you. 00:41:28.525 --> 00:41:32.525 Lisa Nichols: Everyone that is on the podcast, I asked them this question. 00:41:33.180 --> 00:41:34.140 Lisa Nichols: What do you believe? 00:41:34.140 --> 00:41:38.140 Lisa Nichols: Is this something extra that every leader needs? 00:41:38.220 --> 00:41:42.060 Lisa Nichols: So I would love for you to answer that question, Bryan. 00:41:42.060 --> 00:41:44.795 Bryan Muehlberger: Faith. 00:41:44.795 --> 00:41:45.355 Lisa Nichols: Amen. 00:41:45.355 --> 00:41:46.555 Bryan Muehlberger: I just honestly believe that. 00:41:46.555 --> 00:41:50.555 Bryan Muehlberger: You know, I've I've I had a really strong faith when I was younger 00:41:50.715 --> 00:41:54.075 Bryan Muehlberger: and into my young adulthood and even into the time we were raising our 00:41:54.075 --> 00:41:57.115 Bryan Muehlberger: children, and then and then this tragedy occurred in my life. 00:41:57.115 --> 00:41:59.080 Bryan Muehlberger: And I lost my way for a while. 00:41:59.080 --> 00:41:59.400 Bryan Muehlberger: Mhmm. 00:41:59.400 --> 00:41:59.600 Lisa Nichols: I 00:41:59.560 --> 00:42:03.000 Bryan Muehlberger: was angry at God, but I would say he also continued to guide me 00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:04.360 Bryan Muehlberger: through that entire process. 00:42:04.360 --> 00:42:08.280 Bryan Muehlberger: And as I look back, I kinda realize all the blessings I was receiving 00:42:08.280 --> 00:42:11.560 Bryan Muehlberger: during all of that and and that in some way, shape, or form that 00:42:11.560 --> 00:42:15.560 Bryan Muehlberger: I don't quite understand yet, there is there is good in in all 00:42:15.645 --> 00:42:15.925 Bryan Muehlberger: of this. 00:42:15.925 --> 00:42:18.565 Bryan Muehlberger: And I would say, you know, you gotta have that faith. 00:42:18.565 --> 00:42:19.045 Lisa Nichols: Yeah. 00:42:19.045 --> 00:42:20.325 Lisa Nichols: That is so good. 00:42:20.325 --> 00:42:21.525 Lisa Nichols: Well, thank you so much. 00:42:21.525 --> 00:42:25.445 Lisa Nichols: I know how busy you are, especially taking on this brand new role. 00:42:25.445 --> 00:42:28.650 Lisa Nichols: I'm hoping that on one of my trips to Nashville, it will work out 00:42:28.650 --> 00:42:31.410 Lisa Nichols: where you're there, and we can see each other in person. 00:42:31.410 --> 00:42:32.650 Lisa Nichols: And yeah. 00:42:32.650 --> 00:42:34.730 Lisa Nichols: But thanks so much for being on the show. 00:42:34.730 --> 00:42:37.370 Lisa Nichols: I really do appreciate appreciate your time. 00:42:37.370 --> 00:42:38.090 Bryan Muehlberger: You too, Lisa. 00:42:38.090 --> 00:42:38.810 Bryan Muehlberger: Good seeing you. 00:42:38.810 --> 00:42:39.770 Lisa Nichols: Take care, my friend. 00:42:39.770 --> 00:42:40.090 Bryan Muehlberger: Alright. 00:42:40.090 --> 00:42:40.865 Bryan Muehlberger: Bye bye. 00:42:40.865 --> 00:42:41.985 Lisa Nichols: Bye bye. 00:42:41.985 --> 00:42:45.905 Announcer: Something extra with Lisa Nichols is a Technology Partners production. 00:42:45.905 --> 00:42:49.025 Announcer: Copyright Technology Partners Inc twenty nineteen. 00:42:49.025 --> 00:42:53.025 Announcer: To learn more about this week's guest, check out the show notes at tpi 00:42:53.025 --> 00:42:55.345 Announcer: dot co slash podcast. 00:42:55.345 --> 00:42:58.545 Announcer: If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving us a review. 00:42:58.545 --> 00:43:00.545 Announcer: Thank you for listening to Something Extra.