In this conversation, I sit down with my friend and one of the best advisors I know, Michael Remedios, founder of Wonderland FP, to explore his journey through what he calls the "art of the sabbatical." Michael made the bold decision to leave a successful career as a lead advisor — at the height of his earning potential — to create space for reflection, experimentation, and eventually launching his own firm.

We start with the feeling that pulled Michael toward this decision — not a logical calculation, but an unsettled voice that grew louder over time. He shares how he spent a year quietly preparing for his sabbatical while still employed, traveling solo for the first time, picking up running, and experimenting with who he wanted to be, so that when day one arrived with nothing on his calendar, he wasn't starting from zero. One of the things I love most about this conversation is how Michael reframes the sabbatical through a financial-planning lens.

On a spreadsheet, it looked like a terrible decision — a 100% pay cut during peak earning years, less money invested, a longer path to financial independence. But he was tired of making every decision for a 65-year-old version of himself he doesn't even know yet. We dig into why financial planning needs to make room for this kind of mid-life optionality, and why saving for 40-year-old you might be just as important as saving for retirement. We also explore the deeper personal layers of his journey — hitting every professional benchmark and still feeling lost, the "I'll be happy when" trap, working through it with a therapist, and what it really means to rewrite your definition of success from the inside out. Michael shares how the sabbatical wasn't about running away, but about learning what truly mattered to him, so he wasn't just replicating the same life with his own name on the door. We close with a conversation about rock bottom, catching lessons early, embodying the future version of yourself now, and the belief that alignment in spirit, mind, and body is what allows everything else — including money — to follow. Michael now does this work with clients at Wonderland FP, helping millennials navigate the big life moments — combining finances, starting families, buying homes — with intention and permission to live authentically.

Check him out at wonderlandfp.com and find his Substack at The Art of Wandering.

Read the art of the Sabbatical: https://theartofwandering.substack.com/p/the-art-of-the-sabbatical

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts

03:08 The Art of the Sabbatical

06:00 Listening to Your Heart

09:03 Experimentation and Preparation

11:59 Finding Authenticity and Balance

15:05 Changing the Narrative on Financial Planning

17:58 The Importance of Hope

21:10 Navigating Life's Uncertainties

23:58 Embracing the Unknown

27:00 The Evolution of Goals

30:00 Reflections on Rock Bottom

32:59 Redefining Success

35:50 The Journey of Self-Discovery

39:02 Conclusion and Future Conversations

After 20 years climbing the corporate ladder inside hospitals and health systems — VP roles, COO of a major Metro Detroit hospital, navigating a global pandemic on the front lines — my guest Frank Sawyer walked away from it all to build something he believes can actually fix healthcare.

In this episode, Frank and I talk about what's really broken in the healthcare system (and why it's not a conspiracy), how he founded Health Forward to bridge the gap between healthcare innovation and the institutions that need it most, and the deeply personal journey of leaving a comfortable, lucrative career to bet on himself and his vision.

We go behind the scenes on the fears he had to overcome, the role his wife Katie played in giving him the final push, the "she don't want you anymore" moments that signaled it was time to go, and how he spent years quietly planting seeds so that when the moment came, all he had to do was hit the green button.

If you've ever felt the pull between where you are and where you know you're supposed to be, Frank's story is going to hit home.

Topics we cover:
- What's actually wrong with the healthcare system and why it hasn't changed
- What Health Forward is and how it's helping health tech companies break into hospitals
- Why Frank doesn't believe in the "keep people sick" conspiracy — but acknowledges the financial incentives are real
- The fear of failure, generational responsibility, and learning to have more peace in financial uncertainty than he ever had with a steady paycheck
- Why protecting your network matters more than pimping out your Rolodex
- How to start building toward your next chapter before you're ready to leave your current one

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:45 What's wrong with healthcare after 20 years on the inside
4:30 The conspiracy theory question: is the system designed to keep us sick?
9:00 What is Health Forward, and where did the idea come from
16:00 Why healthcare hasn't changed since 1986
20:30 Katie's role: "If you're waiting for me to say go do it, this is that conversation"
27:00 Facing the fear: worst case scenario and what comes after
34:00 Building the business while still in the corporate world
41:00 The pandemic as the final wake-up call
50:00 How Health Forward actually helps health tech companies
58:00 Why Frank never "pimps out the Rolodex" — and why that matters
1:04:00 What's next for Health Forward
1:09:00 Frank's advice for anyone building toward their next chapter

I first met Daisy through Tom Morgan's Leading Edge community, and when I mentioned I'd done human design and gene keys, she laughed—"You're much further into astrology than you realize."

In this conversation, Daisy walks me through my own gene key profile live, and what unfolds is remarkable. Gene keys and human design are consciousness mapping tools that reveal how we're uniquely designed to operate in the world and what's meant to evolve through us in this lifetime.

Daisy discovered these systems while managing a music label in New York, working with talented artists who were sacrificing their authentic genius for what would go viral or get them paid. That's when she started using gene keys to help people tap into their true expression rather than chasing someone else's formula for success.

As we explore my profile, she identifies patterns I've never consciously noticed—from how I process information as a "sponge" to why I see bald eagles at pivotal moments (the eagle is connected to my vocation gene key about finding truth). We discuss martyrdom, service, leadership through stillness, and bringing your unique gifts into the world without competing in everyone else's game.

Whether you're skeptical or curious, get your free gene key profile and see what resonates. You have nothing to lose from opening your mind.

Gene Keys: https://home.genekeys.com/
Human Design: https://www.myhumandesign.com/
Connect with Daisy for a reading: https://www.libertasyou.com/

Takeaways
- Human Design and Gene Keys provide maps of consciousness.
- Everyone has a unique genius that can be expressed.
- Intuition plays a crucial role in decision-making.
- The shadow is necessary for accessing personal gifts.
- Exploring these systems can lead to greater self-awareness.
- Authenticity is key to living a fulfilling life.
- Skepticism can be a barrier to personal growth.
- Tools like Human Design and Gene Keys are not prescriptive but exploratory.
- Living authentically can contribute to a better world.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
01:12 Exploring Human Design and Gene Keys
04:43 Daisy's Journey into Human Design
07:25 Understanding Authentic Genius
10:48 The Enneagram and Its Role
11:53 Navigating the Enneagram Test
12:41 Daisy's Experience in the Music Industry
13:02 Using Gene Keys to Unlock Potential
15:14 The Importance of Intuition in Readings
18:01 Addressing Skepticism Around Astrology
21:19 Personal Revelations from Gene Keys
24:24 Manifesting Generators and Intuition
27:07 The Balance of Action and Reflection
30:53 Diving into Human Design Reports
31:44 Understanding Human Design and Body Graphs
34:02 Intuition and Authority in Human Design
37:41 The Difference Between Generators and Manifesting Generators
39:20 Finding Your One Thing: The Journey to Authenticity
44:55 Exploring Gene Keys and Their Significance
49:01 The Role of Shadows in Personal Growth
54:07 Activation Sequence: Purpose and Authenticity
58:56 Connecting with Nature and Personal Symbols
01:01:03 The Power of Living Authentically

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