PJ Milani built a 450,000-follower audience by drawing ideas most people scroll past. In this episode of Teach Coach Mentor, the 23-year film and animation teacher behind Milani Creative breaks down how a single boat-and-lighthouse visual on management versus leadership kicked off a movement, and how he still builds an "aha" into every metaphor he makes.

Key takeaways:

📌 Why "efficiency doesn't equal efficacy," and what a 20-slide Japanese presentation style taught PJ about earning attention

📌 The Zeigarnik effect and Feynman's 12 favorite problems, and how PJ primes his brain on his commute to solve creative problems on autopilot

📌 The "curiosity gap": why PJ never fully closes the circle on an idea, and lets the audience take the last step themselves

📌 Why PJ refuses to call his visual work a "side hustle," and what that reframe means for anyone building something outside their day job

📌 The difference between a metaphor and an analogy, and why AI can hand you the drawing but never the thinking

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and PJ's 23 years teaching film and animation

02:17 The pandemic identity crisis that pushed PJ online

08:31 The boat and lighthouse visual that started it all

10:27 The day Adam Grant reposted PJ's work

20:47 The "aha-ness factor" and selective attention bias

36:46 Feynman's 12 favorite problems and PJ's creative process

PJ Milani is a career educator and the creator of Milani Creative, teaching the cohort-based course "Thinking in Visual Metaphors" to help others communicate ideas visually.

Subscribe for more conversations on teaching, coaching, and mentoring, and check out PJ's course if you want to start thinking (and communicating) in visual metaphors.

More PJ:

LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/pejmanmilani/

Website: 🌐 https://www.milanicreative.com

More Mike:

LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/

Podcast Site: 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/

Company Website: 🏫 https://vellelogos.com

Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

Kendall Morris turned down Shark Tank, built a marketing company that landed Verizon as a client, then walked away from it all to teach kids the durable skills schools skip. On this episode of Teach Coach Mentor, Mike Wish sits down with the founder and CEO of Founders Mark to unpack how youth entrepreneurship builds leadership, grit, and problem-solving in ways a classroom never can.

Key Takeaways:

• Why 76% of job postings list durable skills as a top requirement, according to AmericaSucceeds.org data
• How to let kids fail at the right scale, building real grit without risking their confidence or the family savings
• The parenting habit that quietly kills initiative in kids (hint: over-scheduling)
• Why a "crowded" market rarely stops young entrepreneurs from succeeding
• How Mike's own framework, stay aggressively curious, experiment joyfully, get a little obsessed, mirrors what Kendall sees in every successful kid and adult she coaches

Timestamps:

00:00 Kendall's path from classroom teacher to founder

04:00 Turning down Shark Tank and why it paid off

07:00 Scaling a marketing company and spotting the skills gap

12:00 Launching Founders Mark with her own three kids

15:00 The six durable skills backed by hard data

19:00 Building grit in kids without letting them fail too big

Kendall Morris is the founder and CEO of Founders Mark, a youth entrepreneurship organization partnering with schools, YMCAs, and Boys & Girls Clubs to teach durable skills through real business building.

Enjoyed this one? Subscribe to Teach Coach Mentor, leave a review, and share it with a parent or educator who needs to hear it.

More Kendall:

LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendalllmorris/

Website: 🚀 https://founders-mark.com

More Mike:

LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/

Podcast Site: 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/

Company Website: 🏫 https://vellelogos.com

Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

Dr. Arielle Jordan brings a rare combination of credentials to this conversation: Army veteran, licensed trauma therapist, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur. She breaks down why telling veterans to seek help has not been enough, and what actually has to change for mental health support to land.

Key takeaways:

• The PTSD Coach app (developed by the VA) works for anyone dealing with anxiety, anger, or sleeplessness, not just combat veterans, and it is free.
• Destigmatization campaigns fail when the system does not back them up. If getting help costs you your career, you will not get help.
• Community erosion is a real mental health driver, both inside and outside the service. Intentional calendaring is one practical fix.
• The three chairs framework: your past self (survivor), your present self (wisdom), and your future self (visionary) all have to be in the room.
• 988, then press 1, connects you to crisis support trained in military culture. It is not just for emergencies.

00:03 AI and the PTSD Coach app

05:30 Veteran mental health trends and systemic gaps

11:00 Community, loneliness, and intentional connection

17:00 Patriot Boot Camp and veteran entrepreneurship

19:30 The three chairs mindset framework

Dr. Arielle Jordan is a licensed trauma therapist, Army veteran, and founder of Mindset Quality, LLC, working with veterans, first responders, and high-achieving professionals navigating stress and resilience.

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this one with a vet who needs to hear it.

Find Arielle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariellejordanlcpc/

More Mike:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/

Podcast Site: https://teachcoachmentor.org/

Company Website: https://vellelogos.com

Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

What if doodling isn't distraction, it's the missing layer in modern learning? Devika Toprani, creator of the Somagraphic Learning Method, joins Teach Coach Mentor to make the case that drawing shapes before instruction begins is one of the most powerful tools educators and corporate trainers have for building real understanding in an AI-saturated world.

Key Takeaways:

• Somagraphic Learning is a visual scaffold inserted before instruction to lower the entry barrier and create genuine engagement regardless of learners' academic backgrounds
• Desirable difficulty is non-negotiable for actual learning, and the reflex to use AI immediately is quietly erasing it
• The Attempt-Map-Refine cycle applies in higher ed, K-12, and cross-functional corporate teams
• Embodied learning, using the hand to make thinking visible, produces stronger conceptual clarity than passive content consumption
• AI belongs in the refine phase, not the attempt phase

Timestamps:

• 00:44 Devika's origin story across Oman, Dubai, India, and the US
• 09:16 What is the Somagraphic Learning Method?
• 10:05 Desirable difficulty and why AI is short-circuiting it
• 15:25 Applying Attempt-Map-Refine in corporate training
• 21:01 Shape, Emotion, Grammar as educator scaffolding tools
• 25:18 What's next: pilots, EdTech partnerships, and the app

Devika Toprani is a global educator and researcher whose Somagraphic Learning framework bridges early childhood education, higher ed, HR, and accreditation experience across three countries.

Subscribe, share, and visit teachcoachmentor.org for show notes, transcripts, and more.

Keywords: Somagraphic learning method, embodied learning, desirable difficulty in education, AI in the classroom, visual learning scaffold, doodling for learning, attempt map refine framework, shape emotion grammar, cognitive offloading AI, lifelong learning strategies, EdTech innovation, active learning techniques, teaching methods, K-12 education, corporate training

Find Devika:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devika-toprani/

Research Paper: https://osf.io/preprints/edarxiv/fnk7z_v1

Substack: https://doodlesbydevika.substack.com

More Mike:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/

Podcast Site: https://teachcoachmentor.org/

Company Website: https://vellelogos.com Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

Surviving domestic abuse led Lindsay to therapy... and therapy led her straight to a calling. Lindsay, founder of the Balanced Bureau, breaks down why coaching and therapy aren't interchangeable, why "work-life balance" is the wrong goal entirely, and what it actually means to hear yourself clearly.

• Coaching vs. therapy isn't just semantics — knowing which one you need first can be the difference between breakthroughs and spinning your wheels
• Imposter syndrome is a syndrome, not an identity — the shift from "who am I?" to "I am me, and that is enough" changes everything
• EFT tapping resets the nervous system before the mind can catch up — it's not journaling, it's the thing that makes journaling work
• Men's mental health starts with one permission: it's safe to get quiet and listen to yourself
• Internal balance, not work-life balance, is what most people are actually searching for

00:54 Lindsay's origin story — from domestic abuse survivor to coach

04:17 Reframing imposter syndrome as something you can actually get over

09:58 The Balanced Bureau rebrand and what "balance" really means

11:53 EFT tapping explained — nervous system reset for emotional regulation

14:06 How to know whether you need coaching or therapy

19:32 Men's mental health and the art of introspection

Lindsay is a life coach, aspiring licensed therapist, speaker, and founder of the Balanced Bureau, with a mission to build transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Follow Lindsay: 📸 Instagram: @the_balanced_bureau | 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/balancedbureau/ | 📺 https://www.youtube.com/@Balanced_Bureau

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear themselves differently.

More Mike: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/ 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/ 🏫 https://vellelogos.com 🌐 https://michaelwish.com

Summary

In this conversation, Michael Wish interviews Frank Narducci, an award-winning physicist and professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, discussing his approach to teaching advanced physics to military officers. They explore the value of repetition and review in learning, the difference between memorization and true understanding, and why Frank reframes exams as a "Celebration of Knowledge." Frank also shares how his father and legendary quantum optics researcher Leonard Mandel shaped his career, what the PhD mentor-student relationship really demands, and the one piece of advice every teacher needs to hear.

Takeaways

• Frank Narducci is a recipient of the Richard Hamming Teaching Award at the Naval Postgraduate School.
• Starting each class with a review of prior material is a deliberate and effective teaching strategy.
• Covering less material thoroughly outperforms covering more material quickly.
• Conversational teaching is more effective than traditional lecturing.
• Exams should function as learning experiences, not just measuring sticks.
• Understanding underlying principles matters far more than memorizing formulas.
• Choosing a PhD program is 5% about the school and 95% about the advisor.
• Great mentors ask whether the work is fundamental enough to be worth doing.
• Flexible teaching — pivoting when the moment calls for it — produces deeper learning.
• The best teachers design lessons from the student's perspective, not their own.

Titles Celebration of Knowledge: Frank Narducci on Award-Winning Teaching Don't Memorize the Formula: Frank Narducci on Teaching Physics and Mentorship

Chapters

• 00:01 Introduction and the Richard Hamming Teaching Award
• 01:15 The Review-Before-Teaching Method
• 05:53 Conversational Teaching vs. the Lecture Model
• 09:48 Celebration of Knowledge: Rethinking Exams
• 11:00 Memorization vs. Understanding
• 16:49 Teaching, Coaching, and Mentorship in Academia
• 17:29 How to Choose a PhD Advisor
• 20:08 Leonard Mandel and a Father Who Sparked a Career
• 24:36 Research Philosophy: Is It Fundamental Enough?
• 26:49 Advice for Teachers and Mentors
• 31:06 The LIGO Nobel Prize Pivot: Connecting Physics to the Fleet

Keywords quantum physics, physics education, Naval Postgraduate School, NPS, award-winning teaching, teaching strategies, spaced repetition, active learning, exam anxiety, knowledge retention, mentorship in academia, PhD advisor, Leonard Mandel, quantum optics, laser physics, military education, lifelong learning,

In this conversation, Michael Wish interviews John Bergmann, a pioneer of the flipped classroom model, discussing his extensive experience in education, the importance of social learning, and the challenges and benefits of modern teaching methods. They explore the role of AI in education, the significance of reading and writing, and the impact of engaging projects on student learning. John shares valuable insights and advice for educators, emphasizing the need to inspire students and the importance of making intentional choices in teaching and learning.

John Bergmann has 40 years of experience in education.

The flipped classroom model was developed to help students who miss classes.

Teaching is a deeply social experience that enhances learning.

The primary role of a teacher is to inspire students to learn.

Accountability is crucial in a flipped classroom setting.

Lectures can still play a role in modern education.

AI can be beneficial but also poses risks to student learning.

Reading and writing are essential skills that need to be emphasized.

Engaging projects can help students connect different concepts in physics.

Choosing the right challenges in life can lead to better outcomes.

Revolutionizing Education: The Flipped Classroom

The Journey of a Physics Educator

00:00 Introduction to John Bergmann and His Journey

06:04 The Importance of Social Learning

11:56 Challenges and Accountability in Flipped Classrooms

17:49 AI in Education: Opportunities and Risks

23:49 Engaging Students Through Projects

education, flipped classroom, teaching methods, AI in education, student engagement, social learning, John Bergmann, physics education, teaching strategies, accountability in learning

Why Dads Are Burning Out — And What to Do About It | Jon Cooke, Honest Man Project

Jon Cooke built the Honest Man Project because 11 years ago he had nowhere to turn. Now he runs a free community helping professional dads navigate burnout, emotional isolation, and the pressure to perform at work and at home — without losing themselves in the process. Michael Wish and Jon go deep on why men don't talk, why that's killing them, and what actually works.

Key Takeaways:

1. Men don't need therapy-speak — they need a space to vent, a community that shows up, and the occasional honest compliment
2. The "bumbling dad" trope in pop culture masks a real crisis: male loneliness is at an all-time high and men account for over 70% of suicides
3. Young men are absorbing pressure before they even become fathers — figures like Andrew Tate fill the void when no healthy masculine example exists
4. The fix isn't complicated: start your day with gratitude before touching your phone, end it by writing down what went well, and take 10 minutes mid-day to just stop

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:00 The "useless dad" trope and its real impact

05:30 Andrew Tate, masculinity hijacked, and young men at risk

10:00 Why men solve instead of share — and why that backfires

15:30 The Honest Man Project: origin and mission

22:00 The power of a single compliment for men

25:00 Letting men vent before coaching them

28:30 Legacy question: what you don't want to regret

Guest: Jon Cooke is a men's coach and founder of the Honest Man Project, a free Skool community for professional dads working to balance career ambition with present fatherhood.

🔗 Find Jon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-cooke-230a662b/

Honest Man Project on Skool: https://www.skool.com/the-honest-man-project-4222/about

Subscribe, share this with a dad who needs to hear it, and join the conversation at teachcoachmentor.org.

More Mike:

LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/

Podcast Site: 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/

Company Website: 🏫 https://vellelogos.com

Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com