Becoming Preferred cover art

Becoming Preferred

Becoming Preferred

Written by: Michael Vickers
Listen for free

About this listen

In this informative and practical podcast, Michael and his guests share the latest strategies and tactics to help you become the preferred provider (the emotional favorite) in the markets you serve. The key insights and strategies discussed, come from Michael's experience working with many of the finest brands in business today and his guest interviews will inspire you, educate you, and give you the tools you need to be successful in today's turbulent and competitive marketplace.Copyright 2026 Michael Vickers Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Saahil Mehta - Redefining Success: The Journey Towards a Zero Regret Life
    Feb 16 2026

    SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 14

    Episode Overview:

    Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast where we talk to the leaders who aren’t just playing the game, they are redefining it. We all want to reach the summit of our careers, but how many of us lose ourselves on the climb? Today’s guest has mastered the art of scaling mountains, literally and figuratively, without losing his peace of mind.

    Saahil Mehta is a global citizen, a serial entrepreneur managing businesses across two continents, and a success coach for the world's most ambitious leaders. He is an author, a keynote speaker, and a passionate mountaineer who has taken the lessons learned in the thin air of the Himalayas and applied them to the high-stakes world of multimillion-dollar business.

    Through his 'Break Free' system and his work with Stakeholder Centered Leadership, Saahil helps entrepreneurs unlock their ultimate potential. His mission is simple: to show you how to lead with total clarity, nurture meaningful relationships, and live what he calls a 'Zero Regret' life.

    He’s here to show us how to climb faster while staying healthier. Join me for my conversation with Saahil Mehta.

    Guest Bio:

    Saahil Mehta is a global citizen, serial entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, success coach for ambitious leaders, and a passionate mountaineer. Balancing businesses across two continents, family, and passions has taught him firsthand the challenges ambitious leaders face. He helps leaders unlock their potential and live a zero regret life with ultimate clarity and peace of mind.

    Saahil believes that true success is holistic: climbing your summits faster while staying healthy and nurturing meaningful relationships, a balance that often feels out of reach. His coaching combines his Break Free system with tools from Marshall Goldsmith’s Stakeholder Centered Leadership and conscious communication practices to boost clarity, momentum, and team performance. He also shares leadership lessons from the mountains to inspire others to reach their personal and professional peaks.

    Saahil has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and leaders across 20+ countries, guiding multimillion-dollar businesses through coaching, workshops, keynotes, and retreats. Global brands and leadership networks trust him to deliver insights and tools that inspire lasting transformation.

    Saahil's mission is simple: to help ambitious leaders lead with clarity, redefine success, unlock their potential, and live a zero regret life.

    Resource Links:

    1. Website: https://www.saahilmehta.com/
    2. Product Link: https://www.saahilmehta.com/work-with-me/
    3. Book Link: https://amzn.in/d/gsmcsMK

    Insight Gold Timestamps:

    04:55 You created what you call the Zero Regret Framework

    05:49 Rich has many definitions, but I only focused on the wealth rich

    07:31 I came across this book by Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning

    11:34 How does that decluttering process start?

    13:03 I started replacing 'need' with 'want'

    15:34 There's a lovely exercise I can share

    18:04 What I love about what you're saying is you realize there's also different areas of...

    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Bill Blankschaen - Elevate Your Influence: The Art and Science of Storytelling
    Feb 9 2026

    SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 13

    Episode Overview:

    Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast dedicated to helping you move from being an option to being the preferred choice in your industry.

    If you’re an entrepreneur, a leader, or a professional, you know the market is saturated. The only thing that truly differentiates you isn't your product; it’s your story. How clearly you tell it determines your entire ceiling for growth. That’s why I am thrilled to welcome a man who is the master architect behind some of the world's most influential narratives. Our guest today is Bill Blankschaen, the founder and Chief Story Architect of StoryBuilders.

    Bill is a New York Times Bestselling writer, and his work impacts millions. His client roster reads like a masterclass in influence: we’re talking John C. Maxwell, Kevin Harrington from Shark Tank, Michael Hyatt, Zig Ziglar's family, and countless corporate leaders and successful business coaches. They all go to Bill to refine the single most valuable asset they have: their narrative.

    Bill and his team craft books and learning experiences that turn ideas into greater impact, greater influence, and significantly greater income.

    He’s here today to discuss the roadmap laid out in his new book, Your Story Advantage: A Proven Path to Maximize Your Impact, Influence, & Income. Join me for my conversation with Bill Blankschaen.

    Guest Bio:

    Bill is the founder and Chief Story Architect of StoryBuilders, a creative team of storytellers who share his passion for helping people live a story worth telling and serving them with excellence in genuine, high-trust relationships.

    StoryBuilders tells stories that make the world a better place by creating compelling books and learning experiences that turn ideas into greater impact, influence, and income.

    A New York Times Bestselling writer, Bill and his team work with a variety of influencers like John C. Maxwell and Maxwell Leadership, Kevin Harrington from Shark Tank, Lewis Howes, Michael Hyatt (Full Focus), Rory and AJ Vaden, Zig Ziglar and family, Jeff Allen, Stu McLaren, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, business coaches and consultants, political figures, cultural voices, athletes, comedians, fitness gurus, psychologists, and even faith leaders at some of the largest churches in America.

    The books, resources, and experiences they have created have already impacted millions of people—and they’re just getting started!

    Resource Links:

    1. Website: https://mystorybuilders.com/
    2. Product Link: https://amzn.to/47JMfiy

    Insight Gold Timestamps:

    02:27 I can sit down and blow through a book in a matter of hours

    04:49 Your breakthrough begins when you start with your story

    07:02 That's why I like to lean into what I created called the storytelling structure

    08:45 Your message, whatever it is that you're sharing, is about you, but it is not for you

    10:10 We like to say that we tell stories that make the world a better place

    10:40 As I like to say, if you want to elevate, you have to collaborate

    12:59 I call it the confidence trap

    16:48 Once you get clarity, then develop it out, and then monetize it from there

    18:21 The amount of information in the world is doubling every day now

    20:44 What's a typical, average process?

    22:23 We believe every story matters, and every story is different and unique

    23:41 The very first question I ask any of these people that we work with...

    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Mark Pentecost - Life of Your Dreams: Strategies to Escape Survival Mode
    Feb 2 2026
    SEASON: 6 EPISODE: 12

    Episode Overview:

    Welcome back to Becoming Preferred, the podcast where we talk to the leaders and visionaries who refuse to settle for 'good enough.' Today, we’re tackling a psychological trap that captures thousands of high-performing professionals every single year. It’s called 'The Dependence Dilemma'. That invisible ceiling of financial obligations and the false sense of security that keeps brilliant people stuck in survival mode.

    Our guest today is a man who didn't just break that ceiling; he shattered it. He started in the classroom as a high school math teacher, crunching numbers just to make ends meet. But he decided to stop playing it safe and started playing it big.

    That shift led him to found a direct sales empire that has cleared over a billion dollars in global sales. He is a world-renowned philanthropist, a cancer survivor who turned his battle into a multi-million-dollar research mission, and the author of the transformative new book, Life of Your Dreams.

    He’s here to show us that the gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't a matter of luck—it’s a matter of mindset and seven specific, transformative steps. Join me for my conversation with Mark Pentecost.

    Guest Bio:

    Mark Pentecost went from being a high school teacher to becoming a billionaire, a nationally-recognized philanthropist, and a world-renowned thought leader.

    From founding a direct sales company that has surpassed over a billion dollars in sales globally, to surviving cancer (and donating millions of dollars toward cancer research along the way), Mark knows just how precious life is and has dedicated his own life to helping other people achieve their dreams.

    Resource Links:

    1. Website: https://pentecostgroup.com/our-story/
    2. Product Link: https://pentecostgroup.com/life-of-your-dreams-book/

    Insight Gold Timestamps:

    01:50 In your new book, Life of Your Dreams

    03:04 I was one of those guys always reading a book

    05:29 He said, if you don't do something different, in 20 years, you're going to be doing the same thing with the same issues

    08:19 My daughter had come and said, D ad, we've got to tell your story

    11:18 I didn't know I was an entrepreneur until later in life

    12:55 If you're not happy then nobody around you is happy

    16:41 He (my grandpa) would say, Mark, you can't force a horse to drink, but you can salt the oats

    17:11 I have a whole chapter on Say It and See it

    19:22 Being a CEO was like a head coach

    21:01 I decided to live on the offence, and that changed everything

    23:33 I would start naming our issues

    25:00 I realized sometimes my greatest strength was my greatest weakness

    27:39 Do you have a rudder on your ship or is the wind just blowing you wherever you go?

    29:37 My point today is if you really want something, there's ways to do it

    29:55 in the book, I call it Grit-Q. What is, I don't care about your IQ, what's your Grit-Q?

    30:58 I think dreaming is like a muscle, the more you dream, the bigger it gets

    33:17 Life's full of pivots

    34:50 I always say the dream you're most proud, is the one you're afraid to say out loud

    36:12 You know, the scariest day and the best day of my life was the day I...

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
No reviews yet