In this bite-sized episode, Paul sits down with transformation coach and Inner Matrix founder Joey Klein for a deep exploration of emotions, conditioning, and what real personal change actually requires. Joey challenges the idea that emotions like anger, anxiety, grief, or sadness are problems to be fixed. Instead, he explains that emotions are natural and necessary—but our reactions to them are learned, conditioned, and trainable. The conversation unpacks how our nervous system defaults to familiar emotional patterns, even when they’re painful, simply because they’re known.

Together, Paul and Joey explore why genuine change feels uncomfortable, why insight alone doesn’t lead to transformation, and why emotional mastery is closer to training a martial art than having a breakthrough moment. Through analogies ranging from skiing to sport to meditation practice, they highlight a core truth: transformation can happen quickly, but mastery takes time, repetition, and discipline. The episode also touches on relationships, fulfilment, and why inner training is the foundation for success in business, leadership, and life—without it, even the best tools and tactics fall flat.

Link to full episode:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ctU80Jis7Jyh2s6PdHXIW?si=aF5Z0O9mRGGgaVWutSO6w

About the Guest — Joey Klein Joey Klein is the founder of Inner Matrix Systems and a leading teacher in emotional mastery, nervous system regulation, and inner training. With over two decades of experience working with entrepreneurs, elite performers, and couples, Joey has helped tens of thousands of people recondition emotional patterns that limit fulfilment, performance, and connection. He is the author of Inner Matrix and Relationship Alchemy, where he distils the core habits that destroy—and strengthen—human relationships.

Find Joey: innermatrixsystems.com

About the Host — Paul Ryan Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8-figure business owner, mentor, podcaster, and creator of the 1-Hour CEO and Life Code programs. As host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, Paul explores the inner game of success—helping founders and leaders build meaningful, aligned lives without sacrificing health, relationships, or self.

Work With Paul If you’re ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The 1-Hour CEO — mentoring, frameworks, and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs seeking peace, purpose, and freedom alongside success.

Book a Discovery Call with Paul: https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan

Connect with the host: Pauljryan.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

In this episode, Paul sits down with former Navy pilot and entrepreneur Mike Brown to redefine what “wealth” actually means—beyond money, status, and the endless chase for more. Mike shares how a wildly successful business exit didn’t deliver the happiness he expected, and how an “all-in” investment mistake later (losing $100k per month) forced him into a deep personal debrief: how did I get here, and what does a rich life really look like?

Together, they explore the entrepreneur’s “never enough” story, the fear of losing your edge through inner healing, and why true wealth is ultimately about freedom—health, relationships, time, mind, and soul. The conversation also touches privilege with real honesty, including the stark contrast between visiting a prison and then stepping into a life of extraordinary abundance—and what that reveals about freedom, choices, and the starting hands we’re dealt.

Key discussion points:

• Why a big exit can trigger an existential crisis instead of relief • “Never enough” as the hidden operating system behind high achievement • The difference between pain vs. suffering—and why it matters • Achievement = love: how early conditioning can fuel success (and later suffering) • The fear of “losing your edge” if you heal—dirty fuel vs. clean fuel • Why entrepreneurs pursue money but are really pursuing freedom • Mike’s 5 pillars of freedom: health, relationships, time, mind, and soul • Why time is the only non-renewable resource—and how money is meant to serve it • The trap of being “wealthy on paper” while having no liquidity or peace • “If I can’t access it, it’s not real money”: liquidity as optionality • Defining your “enough number”: escape loss, stability, and escape velocity • The ideal day/week exercise—and why most people are closer than they think • Privilege, perspective, and what prison reveals about freedom and circumstance • Why the richest lives are often built through simplicity, connection, and service • Why “retirement” is the wrong word—and what work-optional really means

About the Guest — Mike Brown

Mike Brown is a former Navy pilot and entrepreneur who now helps founders and high achievers build what he calls “unbreakable wealth”—a richer definition of success rooted in freedom, alignment, and inner wellbeing. After selling his company in 2019, Mike’s own post-exit challenges led him into deep study, coaching, and inner work—shaping his framework around values, presence, service, and financial clarity. He writes a long-form weekly newsletter on what makes a rich life and hosts the Money Stories podcast, where he explores money, meaning, and fulfilment with successful founders.

Find Mike: unbreakablewealth.com Twitter/X & Instagram: @mbrownco

About the host:

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8-figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO and Life Code programs. As a CEO, Paul brings deep real-world experience of what it takes to succeed in business without losing yourself in the process.

Work With Paul

If you’re ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The 1-Hour CEO — mentoring, frameworks, and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs who want peace, purpose, and freedom alongside success.

📞 Book a Discovery Call with Paul: https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan

Connect with the host: Pauljryan.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

This bite-size conversation challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in modern life: that we work hard now so we can finally start living later. Derek Coburn argues that the traditional idea of retirement—grinding for decades and then stopping abruptly at a fixed age—is not only outdated, but often damaging. Many people sacrifice time with family, health, and meaning in pursuit of a future that may never deliver the fulfillment they expect.

Instead, Derek re-frames the conversation around designing a life you wouldn’t want to retire from. By extending how long we stay engaged in meaningful work—often in lighter, more flexible ways—we reduce financial pressure, reclaim time in the present, and preserve the sense of purpose and connection that so many people lose after stepping away from work entirely. The deeper message is clear: happiness isn’t something you chase directly. It’s a by-product of contribution, meaning, and staying engaged with life—on your own terms.

About the Guest

Derek Coburn is a financial advisor, speaker, and the author of Retire Retirement. With more than 25 years of experience advising clients, Derek challenges conventional thinking around money, work, and retirement. His work focuses on helping people design lives centered on meaning, contribution, and flexibility—rather than deferring fulfillment to some distant future. Derek is also known for his work on happiness versus meaning, and the psychological impact of purpose on long-term well-being.

About the Host

Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and podcaster. As host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, he explores the inner game of entrepreneurship—purpose, identity, emotional intelligence, well-being, and conscious success. Through conversations with founders, thinkers, coaches, and spiritual teachers, Paul creates space for deeper reflection on what it really means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Work With Paul

If you're ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The One-Hour CEO — coaching and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs. https://calendly.com/inner-entrepreneur-podcast/discovery-call-with-paul-ryan

Connect with the host: www.pauljryan.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

In this episode, Alan Gregerman challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in business and leadership: that more knowledge always leads to better outcomes. Drawing on decades of experience working with organisations around the world, Alan explains why expertise can sometimes trap leaders inside old assumptions—and why real breakthroughs often come from not knowing. Rather than glorifying failure, he reframes innovation as a process of learning: testing ideas early, listening to customers, refining quickly, and staying humble enough to adapt as the world changes.

The discussion explores why most innovation isn’t about originality, but about paying attention—connecting existing ideas in new ways and adding something authentically human. From Uber and Apple to boutique hotels and small local businesses, the message is consistent: being different only matters when it’s different in a way customers truly value. For entrepreneurs and CEOs, this episode offers a practical and refreshing lens on innovation—one rooted in curiosity, learning, and the courage to question what we think we already know.

About the Guest

Alan Gregerman is an innovation expert, speaker, consultant, and author of The Wisdom of Ignorance. He works with leaders and organisations worldwide, helping them stay relevant in fast-changing markets by rethinking how they learn, innovate, and create value.

About the Host

Paul Ryan is a CEO, 8-figure business owner, mentor, and podcaster. As host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, he explores the inner game of entrepreneurship—purpose, identity, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and conscious success. Through conversations with founders, thinkers, coaches, and spiritual teachers, Paul creates space for deeper reflection on what it really means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Work With Paul

If you're ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The One-Hour CEO — coaching and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs.

Connect with the host: www.pauljryan.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

In this conversation, Seamus Fox reframes the idea of values in a deeply practical way. Rather than treating values as something to be intellectually defined or chosen from a list, he explains that your values are already visible — they’re revealed by what your life consistently demonstrates. Where you spend your time, energy, and focus shows what truly matters to you, regardless of what you believe should matter. Many people feel unfulfilled because they judge their lives against societal expectations instead of honestly observing their own habits, behaviours, and energy patterns.

Seamus explores how motivation, burnout, and fulfilment are directly linked to value alignment. When we spend extended periods doing low-priority, low-value work, energy drains and burnout follows. When we operate in line with what’s highest in our values, energy rises and motivation becomes effortless. A key insight is learning to link lower-priority actions (such as health, admin, or certain work tasks) to higher values like family, freedom, or contribution — so change is driven by meaning rather than pressure. Drawing on principles commonly taught by John Demartini, this episode highlights how clarity, gratitude, and self-awareness allow us to stop living by external “shoulds” and start designing a life that genuinely fits who we are.

Links to full episode:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oEf2MwIokR3MsPkUmhcO6?si=WakL8IblT0CiIV_sadnxsw

https://youtu.be/kycQR0eWojc?si=e9oD_QHSCusvQi1a

About the Guest

Seamus Fox is a high-performance coach who works with CEOs, entrepreneurs, and high achievers to help them gain clarity, align their lives with their values, and operate with greater energy, purpose, and authenticity. His work integrates mindset, values-based living, and physical wellbeing to support sustainable success.

About the Host

Paul Ryan is the host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, where he explores the inner game of entrepreneurship—purpose, identity, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and conscious success. Through conversations with founders, thinkers, coaches, and spiritual teachers, Paul creates space for deeper reflection on what it truly means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Work With Paul:

If you're ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The One-Hour CEO — coaching and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs.

Connect with the host:

www.pauljryan.net

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

In this deeply reflective conversation, Paul sits down with inner wellness mentor Gosia Wojciulewicz to explore what real inner wellness looks like beneath the surface. Gosia shares her powerful personal journey—from leaving Poland at 21 with no money, no English, and deep childhood trauma, to building a life and business rooted in holistic wellbeing. Together, they unpack how environment shapes identity, why so many people stay stuck in denial until pain forces change, and how awareness is the true starting point for transformation. The discussion moves through Gosia’s simple but profound four phases of change—denial, resistance, exploration, and acceptance—highlighting how even small daily steps can compound into radical life shifts.

A central theme of the episode is emotional intelligence. Gosia explains how emotions are not obstacles but guidance systems, showing us our boundaries, values, and unmet needs. Paul and Gosia explore the link between thoughts, emotions, decisions, and results, and why learning to pause—rather than react—can fundamentally rewire how we show up in life and business. From the STOP technique for emotional regulation, to the importance of mentors, environment, and integration over “information hoarding,” this episode is a grounded, practical exploration of how inner work creates outer change. It’s a conversation for anyone who senses there is “more,” feels called to live differently, and is ready to lead their life from awareness rather than autopilot.

About the Guest

Gosia is an inner wellness mentor, facilitator, and founder of Inner Wellness Now. Her work integrates physical, mental, emotional, and energetic wellbeing, combining tools from mindfulness, emotional regulation, nervous system work, meditation, movement, and holistic coaching. Gosia works with individuals and groups through 1:1 mentorship, workshops, retreats, and training programmes, helping people reconnect with their inner guidance, process emotions, and create sustainable change from the inside out.

Learn more at www.innerwellnessnow.com

About the Host

Paul Ryan is the host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, where he explores the inner game of entrepreneurship—purpose, identity, emotional intelligence, wellbeing, and conscious success. Through conversations with founders, thinkers, coaches, and spiritual teachers, Paul creates space for deeper reflection on what it truly means to live and lead well, beyond metrics and money.

Work With Paul: Helping the wildly successful achieve True Wealth

If you're ready to build a business and life that’s aligned, intentional, and deeply fulfilling, explore The Life Code and The One-Hour CEO — coaching and tools for high-performing entrepreneurs.

Connect with the host:

www.pauljryan.net

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/

Bite-Size Episode Show Notes

In this bite-size episode of The Inner Entrepreneur, Paul sits down with wealth strategist and author Garrett Gunderson to explore the idea of “sacred cows” in money — the widely accepted financial beliefs that rarely get questioned, yet quietly shape how people save, invest, and think about wealth. Garrett shares the unlikely origin of his work: a grassroots study group built on one simple principle — question everything, and don’t try to be right, just try to find out what’s right. That mindset led him to challenge conventional retirement planning, hidden fees, and the myths embedded in systems like pensions and 401(k)s.

The conversation moves beyond financial products into mindset, identity, and value creation. Garrett explains why the wealthy don’t see money as a zero-sum game, why playing not to lose keeps people stuck, and why investing in skills, relationships, and financial intelligence compounds far more powerfully than chasing returns alone. He also reflects on personal loss, burnout, and how stepping back to realign with family and purpose ultimately gave rise to his bestselling book and long-term.

About the Guest

Garrett Gunderson is a wealth strategist, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author. He is best known for challenging conventional financial advice and helping entrepreneurs and high-income professionals build wealth through value creation, financial intelligence, and personal alignment. Garrett is the author of Killing Sacred Cows, What Would the Rockefellers Do?, and The Algebra of Wealth, and has advised thousands of business owners on building wealth that supports a meaningful life.

About the Host

Paul Ryan is the host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, where he explores the inner world behind entrepreneurial success — purpose, mindset, wellbeing, and the deeper questions that surface as businesses and careers evolve.

Work With Paul

To learn more about Paul’s mentoring, programs, and frameworks — including The Life Code and The One-Hour CEO — visit:pauljryan.net

Why Success Breaks Entrepreneurs and What to Do About It – Sherry Walling #151

Episode Summary

In this episode, Paul sits down with clinical psychologist and entrepreneur Dr. Sherry Walling to explore what really happens after the big business exit. They discuss why a financial windfall often triggers an identity crisis, how over-identifying with your company fuels loneliness and burnout, and why presence—not provision—is what our families truly want from us. Sherry also shares simple practices for emotional steadiness, including journaling, free-writing, and gratitude, along with her personal journey through grief, MDMA-assisted therapy, and ayahuasca. From stress habituation to heart-centred leadership and plant medicine, this conversation digs into what it means to stay human while building big things.

Key discussion points:

• Why exits often trigger depression, disillusionment, and relationship strain
• How fusing identity with your business sets you up for an existential crash
• The loneliness that comes with extreme success or high achievement
• Why many entrepreneurs unconsciously delegate the family to their partner
• Burnout as a repetitive-strain injury of the mind
• Habituation: how chronic stress becomes invisible
• Journaling, Morning Pages, and seeing yourself on paper
• The neuroscience behind gratitude and why it matters
• Building a company without martyrdom or 70-hour weeks
• The role of humility in leadership and delegation
• Sherry’s clinical work with trauma and the promise of MDMA-assisted therapy
• Her personal story of grief and how plant medicine supported her healing
• What ayahuasca actually is—and why it feels like medicine, not recreation

About the Guest — Dr. Sherry Walling

Dr. Sherry Walling is a clinical psychologist, author, and founder of ZenFounder, where she supports entrepreneurs through burnout, emotional resilience, trauma, and life transitions. She is also the author of The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Sht Together*, Exit Strategy (co-authored with her husband Rob Walling), and Touching Two Worlds, and integrates creative movement and aerial arts into her work. Learn more at zenfounder.com and touchingtwoworlds.com.

About the host:

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, 8 figure business owner, mentor, podcaster and creator of the 1-Hour CEO and Life Code Program. As a CEO, Paul has a depth of 'real life' experience of what it takes to be successful in business and life.

Connect with the host:

Pauljryan.net

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ryan-9a98774/