Michael Diamond sits down with Tom Sheltad, founder of Inner Guide Expeditions and 30-year veteran of youth development work, to explore the profound challenges facing today's generation. Tom shares insights from 15 years of leading transformational wilderness expeditions, revealing how disconnection from self and community has become the core struggle for modern youth. They dive deep into the magic of the 72-hour digital detox, the PLUMBER framework for connecting with teens, and why lighthouse parenting beats helicopter parenting every time. Tom explains how wilderness accountability creates unshakeable confidence, why parents who save their kids from struggle actually harm them, and how intentional rites of passage can change the trajectory of a young person's life. This episode is essential listening for any parent, mentor, or adult who cares about raising empowered, connected, and purposeful young men and women. From practical parenting tools to the neuroscience of vulnerability, this conversation offers a roadmap for bridging the gap between generations and helping youth discover who they truly are.

Chapters:

1. (00:00:00) - Opening: The Power of Wilderness and Accountability
2. (00:01:00) - Community Support Through Challenges
3. (00:02:00) - Working with Youth: 30 Years of Experience and Rites of Passage
4. (00:03:00) - The Core Question: "Am I Okay?" and the Struggle with Enoughness
5. (00:06:00) - The 72-Hour Digital Detox: Why It's Magic
6. (00:10:00) - Disconnection After COVID: How Youth Lost Connection Skills
7. (00:12:00) - Creating Safety: The Four Guidelines of Circle
8. (00:16:00) - Mirror Neurons and the Power of Witnessed Vulnerability
9. (00:19:00) - Why Wilderness? Accountability, Wonder, and Building Confidence
10. (00:23:00) - Overcoming Mental Resistance: The Ice Bath Principle
11. (00:25:00) - The PLUMBER Framework: Connecting with Teens (Part 1)
12. (00:30:00) - PLUMBER Framework Continued: Listen, Meet, and Bring Inquiry
13. (00:36:00) - Empower: Don't Save Kids from Learning Experiences
14. (00:42:00) - Lighthouse Parenting vs Helicopter Parenting
15. (00:45:00) - Integration: Supporting Youth After Expeditions
16. (00:49:00) - Summer Adventures and Custom Family Expeditions
17. (00:54:00) - Closing: Intentional Parenting and Future Collaborations

Links And Resources:

1. Website
2. Tom Shelstad on

Alex shares his journey from achievement-driven tech sales leader to founder of Alluviance, a movement bridging high performance with deep personal work. After helping grow a company from $25M to $250M in revenue while leading top-performing teams, Alex discovered that external success wasn't filling the void inside. He opens up about his struggles with anxiety, depression, and the achievement paradox—where hitting every goal left him asking "what's next?" within minutes. Alex reveals how he transformed his sales teams by introducing breath work, meditation, and mental health practices alongside traditional sales training, creating a culture where people didn't want to leave. He breaks down the "inner game" of sales, explaining why 93% of influence comes from tonality and energy rather than words, and shares practical strategies for connecting with yourself before connecting with prospects. From naming his insecure parts to embracing vulnerability as strength, Alex demonstrates how doing the deep inner work doesn't just make you a better person—it makes you exponentially more effective in business and life.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Welcome and introduction to Alex Kremer
• (00:01:33) - Alex's journey from tech sales to founding Alluivance
• (00:03:42) - The achievement paradox and filling the void
• (00:06:48) - Combining conventional success with conscious leadership
• (00:09:00) - Introducing breathwork and mental health to sales teams
• (00:12:43) - The importance of self-connection in sales
• (00:15:00) - The 7-38-55 rule: How you really influence people
• (00:19:00) - Finding your North Star and vision
• (00:22:00) - Building capacity through discomfort
• (00:25:13) - The shift from corporate identity to essence-led living
• (00:28:00) - Commission breath and genuine connection
• (00:33:42) - Meeting your shadow parts: Herbert and emotional wholeness
• (00:37:00) - Vulnerability as strength in leadership
• (00:42:00) - The sacred formula: Community, craft, and self
• (00:46:00) - Real results and transformations from Alluviance

Links And Resources:

• Website
• Alex Kremer on LinkedIn
• IgKnight the King
• Book a Call with Dr. Michael Diamond
• IgKnight the King on Facebook
• Dr. Michael Diamond on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to IgKnight the King? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this powerful episode, Michael sits down with Francis Piché, founder of The Knight Club men's group, for a deep dive into authentic men's work and personal transformation. Francis shares his raw journey from a corporate photocopier salesman to a men's work facilitator, including the pivotal moment when he nearly ended his life and how his brother's intervention changed everything. They explore the psychology of fear versus excitement, the courage required to step into the unknown, and why most men wait for a "truck" to hit them before making necessary changes. Francis introduces The Heroic Code - a framework built on humility, excellence, respect, optimism, integrity, and courage - and explains why being the "lighthouse" in turbulent times is essential masculine energy. The conversation covers decision-making, the power of "I am" statements, the illusion of the pro/con list, and why 95% of our behavior is controlled by subconscious programming. They discuss the critical difference between goals that drain you versus goals that excite you, the importance of constant spaced repetition in rewiring the brain, and why your focus determines your reality. Francis shares the staggering statistic that your chance of being alive is one in 400 trillion - making life itself more miraculous than winning the lottery 300,000 times - and challenges men to use their unique gifts fully. This episode is a call to action for any man feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or ready to step into his highest potential.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - The Raw Truth About Men's Work: Why Most Men Stay Stuck (And How to Break Free)
• (00:02:15) - Fear vs Excitement: The Same Physiology
• (00:05:42) - Francis's Origin Story: From Montreal to Vancouver
• (00:12:28) - Choosing Money Over Heart: The Four-Year Mistake
• (00:18:35) - Walking on Fire with Tony Robbins
• (00:21:10) - The Heroic Code: Six Values That Build Unstoppable Men
• (00:29:47) - I Am the Lighthouse: Standing Solid in the Storm
• (00:35:20) - Decision Before Clarity: Making the Leap Into the Unknown
• (00:42:18) - Your One in 400 Trillion Chance to Be Alive
• (00:46:52) - The Knight Club: Building Brotherhood and Legacy

Links And Resources:

• Connect with Francis Piche and The Knight Club: https://www.francispiche.com/
• Francis Piché on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francispiche/?originalSubdomain=ca
• IgKnight the King: https://igknighttheking.com/
• Book a Call with Dr. Michael Diamond: https://calendly.com/drmichaeldiamond/30min
• IgKnight the King on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/igknighttheking/
• Dr. Michael Diamond on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiamond42

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to IgKnight the King? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!