Interesting ideas with Stan Hustad cover art

Interesting ideas with Stan Hustad

Interesting ideas with Stan Hustad

Written by: Stan Hustad
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Do You want to be great? Do you want to master the arts, strategies, skills ,and ways of thinking and performing to be a true world-class Creator Enterpriser? Are you ready to seek the true Spirit Force vital to being a successful life and business innovator, enterprise builder, and entrepreneur? Here is how to be one, here is how to sell like the master creator, how to build a world-class company, and how to be strong, even in your broken places and spaces. And one of the better ways to do that is to continually seek out expose yourself to and create powerful interesting ideas. And that's what this program is all about. Because great ideas lead to greater influence, impact, and true income and in addition they help you become more interested and interesting. Stan Hustad, teacher, storyteller, broadcaster, and business performance coach is your host, guide, and sometimes healer on our road to being fully alive and building a life and business that matters and makes a difference. Your contribution and participation is welcome.TCEntrepreneur Christianity Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • The Birds and Snakes Society What Jesus Taught Every Entrepreneur About Wisdom, Courage, and Character

    The Birds and Snakes Society What Jesus Taught Every Entrepreneur About Wisdom, Courage, and Character
    Jul 1 2026

    What if one of Jesus' most practical business lessons had nothing to do with profits, marketing, or management—but everything to do with birds and snakes?

    That unusual question launches one of the newest episodes of the Jesus Entrepreneur Collective, where broadcaster and entrepreneur Stan Hustad returns from a brief broadcasting sabbatical with a fresh challenge for anyone seeking to build a meaningful life and business in today's rapidly changing world.

    At first glance, "The Birds and Snakes Society" sounds mysterious—even a little unsettling. That is exactly the point.

    Drawing from one of Jesus' most memorable sayings, Stan explores the surprising command to be "wise as serpents and gentle as doves." Rather than treating those words as simply a religious phrase, he invites listeners to wrestle with what they might mean for entrepreneurs, leaders, creators, business owners, and anyone trying to navigate an increasingly complex world.

    Along the way, listeners travel with Stan from the deserts of Arizona to the walking trails of North Carolina, where encounters with birds and the ever-present warnings about rattlesnakes and copperheads become vivid illustrations of the tension every entrepreneur must learn to manage.

    Gentleness without wisdom can become naïve. Wisdom without gentleness can become manipulative. Jesus calls His followers to something far more difficult—and infinitely more powerful.

    Throughout the conversation, Stan reminds listeners that the Jesus Entrepreneur Collective is not simply another organization asking for support. Instead, it is an invitation to build businesses that create genuine value, solve real problems, provide for families, and become living demonstrations of faith expressed through excellence in the marketplace.

    The program also places this challenge within today's extraordinary historical moment. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary while artificial intelligence, technological innovation, and global economic transformation reshape nearly every profession, Stan argues that entrepreneurs need more than better business techniques. They need transformed character.

    The discussion also highlights the remarkable example of Lydia—the prosperous merchant described in the New Testament as the first European Christian. Her story

    reminds listeners that entrepreneurship, leadership, and faithful discipleship have always belonged together, and that women as well as men have shaped the history of Christian enterprise from the very beginning.

    Perhaps the most memorable image in the program is Stan's invitation to imagine Jesus Himself as an entrepreneur in today's marketplace—not changing His character, but expressing it through wisdom, excellence, integrity, creativity, confidence, and servant leadership.

    It is a refreshing reminder that following Jesus was never intended to separate faith from work. Instead, faith should transform the way we work.

    The Birds and Snakes Society may sound like an unusual title. But behind it lies a timeless challenge: Can we become people who are both compassionate and courageous...both peaceful and perceptive...both kind and remarkably wise?

    In a world that often rewards extremes, Jesus offers something better. He calls us to live in the creative tension between grace and wisdom.

    Things to Remember:
    • Combine gentleness with wisdom.
    • Character matters as much as competence.
    • Spiritual discernment belongs in the marketplace.
    • Lydia reminds us entrepreneurship has always had a place in God's story. • Trust is a lasting competitive advantage.

    Things to Share:
    • Discuss what Jesus meant by being wise as serpents and gentle as doves. • Share the idea that faith and business strengthen one another.
    • Encourage entrepreneurs to see their work as a calling.
    • Help others grow both character and competence.

    Things to Think About and Act Upon:
    • Which side comes more naturally—grace or wisdom?
    • What practical step can you take this week?
    • Read The Jesus Entrepreneur and apply its principles.
    • Consider becoming a Founding Friend of the Jesus Entrepreneur Collective.

    A Final Word:
    The future belongs to those who can reflect God's heart while navigating today's marketplace with wisdom. The world needs more Jesus entrepreneurs—wise as serpents, gentle as doves, and determined to make a lasting difference wherever God has placed them.

    If you would like to see the entire program on video you can try this link

    https://youtu.be/dJwb_aJcNt4
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    18 mins
  • It's going to be a bad weekend for our doggies so Freedom from Fear: Why Everybody Needs a Thunder Jacket

    It's going to be a bad weekend for our doggies so Freedom from Fear: Why Everybody Needs a Thunder Jacket
    Jul 3 2026
    As millions of Americans celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, family gatherings, and patriotic festivities, broadcaster and transformation coach Stan Hustad invites listeners to see the holiday through an entirely different lens. In this warm and engaging episode of The Transformation Zone, a simple story about a frightened rescue dog becomes an unforgettable metaphor for the emotional and spiritual storms that every person eventually faces. The result is an episode that begins with laughter, moves toward reflection, and concludes with genuine hope. A Story Every Pet Owner Understands Stan begins with an observation familiar to almost every dog owner. While people eagerly anticipate fireworks, many dogs experience them as terrifying explosions. His own beloved rescue dog, Jackson, dreaded every Fourth of July until the family discovered a simple solution—a ThunderShirt (or 'thunder jacket'), a comforting wrap that gently calms anxious animals during storms and fireworks. The image is both humorous and touching. Listeners can almost picture Jackson waiting by the hallway where his thunder jacket hung, knowing comfort was only moments away. It is an entertaining story, but it is also preparing listeners for something much more significant. The Thunder Jacket We All Need The conversation then turns inward. Stan asks a wonderfully simple question: What is your thunder jacket? When life becomes frightening... When relationships become uncertain... When careers are shaken... When health changes unexpectedly... Where do you go for comfort? Who wraps around your life with reassurance? What beliefs, relationships, habits, or faith keep you steady when everything around you feels like fireworks? Rather than offering easy answers, Stan encourages listeners to identify those sources of genuine security before life's storms arrive. A Different Kind of Freedom Because the program airs during Independence Day weekend, the discussion naturally expands beyond fireworks. Freedom, Stan suggests, is much more than political liberty. Real freedom includes freedom from fear. Freedom to love. Freedom to serve. Freedom to live fully alive rather than constantly reacting to anxiety and uncertainty. It is a refreshing reminder that external celebrations are at their best when they awaken something deeper inside us. Lighting Up Our Senses One of the program's most memorable moments comes when Stan recalls a lyric from John Denver: "You light up my senses like a storm in the desert." Instead of simply admiring the lyric, he transforms it into a personal prayer. As we grow older, we often lose some of our physical senses. Perhaps, however, we can gain something even greater. Greater sensitivity. Greater awareness. Greater compassion. Greater attentiveness to people rather than projects. Greater appreciation for relationships instead of simply pursuing performance. It becomes a beautiful prayer that God would 'light up our senses' so we notice the people around us more deeply than ever before. Transformation Begins with Awareness Like many episodes of The Transformation Zone, this one reminds us that transformation rarely begins with dramatic events. It begins by noticing. Noticing our fears. Noticing our need for comfort. Noticing the people who may be quietly struggling beside us. Noticing opportunities to become someone else's 'thunder jacket.' That may be the greatest transformation of all. Things to Remember • Every person eventually experiences emotional and spiritual storms. • Comfort is not weakness—it is one of life's deepest necessities. • Freedom includes freedom from fear as well as freedom to serve. • Sensitivity is a strength that often grows with wisdom and experience. • Sometimes the smallest stories carry the biggest lessons. Things to Share • Share this episode with every pet owner preparing for fireworks weekend. • Talk with family members about what has become their own 'thunder jacket' during difficult seasons. • Encourage someone who may be quietly carrying anxiety or uncertainty. • Remember that simple illustrations often open the door to profound conversations. Things to Take Action On • Identify the people, practices, and beliefs that steady your life when storms come. • Become a source of calm for someone facing uncertainty this week. • Spend a few quiet moments asking God to 'light up your senses' so you become more aware of the needs around you. • As you celebrate freedom, consider how you can help someone else experience greater peace. A Closing Thought Fireworks are designed to light up the sky. This episode reminds us that perhaps our greatest calling is to light up someone's life. Whether through encouragement, compassion, wisdom, or simply being present, we all have the opportunity to become a kind of thunder jacket for another person—a reassuring presence in the middle of life's unexpected storms. As Stan Hustad often reminds us, ...
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    18 mins
  • High, Hard, and Inside
Sometimes the Pitch That Shakes You Up Is the One That Changes Your Life

    High, Hard, and Inside
Sometimes the Pitch That Shakes You Up Is the One That Changes Your Life
    Jul 7 2026
    There are certain phrases from sports that stay with us long after the game is over. One of those phrases is "high, hard, and inside." Baseball fans know exactly what it means. It is the pitch that comes fast. It comes close. It gets your attention. It makes you step back. And sometimes it changes everything. In this episode of The Transformation Zone, I share a baseball story that begins with a treasured baseball, moves through memories of growing up as a Chicago Cubs fan, includes an unexpected connection to Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal, and eventually arrives at a powerful lesson about life itself. Because sometimes the things that transform us most are not the things we planned. Sometimes transformation arrives disguised as difficulty. Sometimes it arrives disguised as disappointment. Sometimes it arrives as a pitch that comes high, hard, and inside. A Baseball Story That Became a Life Lesson The program begins with family stories and baseball memories. There is the family legend that I attended my first Chicago Cubs game when I was only two months old. There are memories of growing up as a loyal Cubs fan through years when winning seemed almost impossible. There is also a remarkable connection to baseball great Juan Marichal, whom I once saw pitch as a teenager in the minor leagues before he became one of the game's legendary stars. What begins as a nostalgic baseball story gradually becomes something much more important. It becomes a story about life. Because baseball has often been described as a game that resembles life itself. It requires patience. It requires resilience. It requires strategy. And perhaps most importantly, it requires learning how to respond when unexpected pitches come your way. The Pitch Nobody Wants In baseball, a high, hard, inside pitch was often used to back a batter away from the plate. The purpose was not necessarily to hit the batter. The purpose was to shake them up. To make them uncomfortable. To remind them that they were not entirely in control. Life has a way of doing the same thing. Unexpected setbacks. Disappointments. Failures. Criticism. Health problems. Financial challenges. Broken relationships. Suddenly we find ourselves ducking for cover as something comes high, hard, and inside. None of us volunteers for those moments. Yet many of us discover that they become the very experiences that shape us. When Transformation Comes Through Difficulty One of the most thoughtful observations in this episode is the suggestion that transformation and traumatization are sometimes connected. Not because pain is good. Not because hardship should be celebrated. But because some of life's most important lessons emerge from experiences we never would have chosen. Many people can point to a difficult season and say: "I didn't want that experience." "I would never have chosen it." "But it changed me." Sometimes the setback becomes the setup. Sometimes the wound becomes the wisdom. Sometimes the pitch that nearly knocked us down becomes the moment that ultimately made us stronger. That is one of the central ideas explored in this conversation. Transformation is not always comfortable. In fact, it often begins with disruption. Humility, Growth, and a Better Perspective The program also explores another reality. Occasionally people need a wake-up call. Not a cruel one. Not a destructive one. But a reminder that there is still more to learn. A reminder that talent alone is not enough. A reminder that humility remains one of the most valuable qualities anyone can possess. Many successful people can look back and identify a moment when life gave them a gentle—or not-so-gentle—course correction. A high, hard, inside pitch. Something that caused them to step back, rethink their assumptions, and grow. The result was not defeat. The result was maturity. A Brief Look Into the Transformation Zone The episode concludes with a short introduction to a new podcast initiative connected to the ideas explored in Joe Pine's work on the Transformation Economy. The upcoming series, You Are the Transformation, is built around a simple but powerful concept: If we are living in a world of constant change, perhaps the most important transformation is the one that happens within us. The focus is not merely on changing circumstances. It is about becoming the kind of person who can thrive amid change and help others do the same. That larger theme serves as a fitting backdrop to the baseball lesson at the center of this program. Because transformation is not something that happens only to organizations, economies, or industries. It happens to people. It happens to us. Things to Remember • Life occasionally throws pitches that are high, hard, and inside. • Unexpected challenges often become catalysts for growth. • Transformation frequently emerges from experiences we would not have chosen. • Humility is often ...
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    16 mins
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