What does it look like to live “svelte”—not just in business, but in life?

CPA, author, and entrepreneur Duane Deason joins Nathan Cook on More Than Before to share how global childhood experiences shaped his identity, how operational discipline can protect families (not just profits), and why becoming “more than before” starts with redefining success.

Duane grew up across South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden, later biked across America with a Christian group, started a business at 27, and faced a fatherhood moment that changed everything. This episode is part leadership, part life audit—and a powerful reminder that how we operate reflects who we are.

Key Takeaways:

• Why many companies manage costs poorly—and why layoffs aren’t the first answer

• The difference between being “lean” and being svelte (lean + attractive + healthy)

• How global perspective builds resilience, empathy, and adaptability

• The fatherhood “crucible” that reshaped Duane’s priorities

• Applying operational wisdom to life: cut noise, protect what matters

• Beekeeping lessons that surprisingly translate to relationships and conflict

• Faith as a journey: conviction, presence, and seasons of growth

Timeline / Chapters:

00:00 – Redefining success + what “More Than Before” really means
00:33 – Intro: perspective, integrity, and stewardship
01:11 – Why Duane launched a podcast (teach people to fish)
02:28 – Growing up overseas: the lens it gave him
05:12 – Sweden vs. Saudi Arabia: two different worlds
06:44 – Culture shock coming back to the U.S.
08:18 – Parents, truth, honor, and work ethic
12:29 – Boarding school + broken leg turning point
15:22 – Choosing accounting (a fork-in-the-road moment)
17:22 – Biking across America + learning from small towns
22:55 – Starting a business at 27
25:07 – Fatherhood changes the definition of success
30:07 – Marriage, work priorities, and honesty
32:45 – Small business passion + big business waste
36:12 – Defining “Svelte” (lean + attractive)
38:16 – Cut costs to fuel growth, not just profit
40:07 – “Svelte for Life”: simplifying what steals time
44:56 – Beekeeping, nature, and living grounded
47:13 – The bee lesson on relationships
48:29 – Faith in phases
50:52 – Duane’s definition of “More Than Before”
52:32 – Outro + share this with someone who needs it

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and leave a review—it helps more people find the show.
And DM Nathan on Instagram with your biggest takeaway: What do you need to “trim” to live more svelte?

What happens when your doctor says,
“We’ve been fighting to save your eye… now it’s time to fight for your life”?

In this powerful episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook sits down with Diana Fritz—executive leader, mom, woman of faith, and author of Uniquely Imperfect, Uniquely Qualified.

Diana shares her journey through a rare cancer near her left eye, multiple surgeries, and ultimately losing her eye—while choosing to live as a victor, not a victim. This conversation explores faith, resilience, leadership, humor in adversity, and why imperfection can actually qualify you to help others.

If you’re walking through a hard season, this episode will re-center your perspective and remind you that your scars don’t disqualify you—they can shine.

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 — “It came back and started to spread again…”
00:18 — Introduction: why Diana’s story re-centers you
01:11 — Growing up in Pennsylvania + family legacy
02:44 — Sunday dinners, faith, and childhood memories
06:10 — Lessons from her grandparents: work ethic & grace
09:06 — Who Diana was as a kid: athlete, peacemaker, DISC “S”
11:38 — Childhood dreams and early ambition
12:20 — Torn ACL, loss of identity, and first major pivot
14:33 — Man’s Search for Meaning and choosing your response
18:01 — Faithfulness, leadership, and unexpected open doors
20:05 — First cancer diagnosis near her left eye
24:53 — “Stop fighting to save your eye. Fight for your life.”
25:11 — 10–12 hour surgery and losing her eye
26:18 — Humor in suffering: “God didn’t make me a pirate.”
26:40 — How her journey shaped her sons
30:03 — Turning discomfort and curiosity into connection
31:55 — Losing her sense of smell + burning homework story
34:18 — Gratitude, adaptation, and a new normal
36:26 — What still drives her today: adding value to people
38:59 — Why imperfection can actually qualify you
42:07 — Living visibly and embracing accountability
43:01 — Nutrition, sugar, and health awareness after cancer
44:15 — Faith becoming personal through adversity
48:52 — Community, boundaries, and going to God first
51:44 — Kintsugi: brokenness made beautiful
55:52 — What “More Than Before” means now
57:28 — Final encouragement + call to action

Connect with Diana on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-fritz-b032064/

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode encouraged you.
Be more. See more. Experience more… than before.

In this episode of More Than Before, Nathan sits down with Joe Buys, performance coach and founder of Buys Family Fitness, to talk about identity, faith, fatherhood, marriage, mentorship, and what it really means to win in life.

Joe shares his journey from growing up in small-town Michigan, chasing music dreams in Los Angeles, and grinding through hardship—only to discover that true strength isn’t built through performance alone, but through surrender, discipline, and service.

This conversation is for anyone who wants to:

• Build strength without losing their soul
• Lead their family with humility and conviction
• Redefine success beyond money, titles, or trophies
• Train their body while protecting their heart

🔗 CONNECT WITH JOE BUYS & BUYS FAMILY FITNESS

🌐 Buys Family Fitness Website
https://buysfamilyfitness.com

📅 Train with Joe / Book a Session
https://buysfamilyfitness.com/our-services

📸 Instagram – @buysfamilyfitness
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568531346503

🎥 YouTube – Buys Family Fitness
https://www.youtube.com/@JoeBuys

💼 Joe Buys on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-buys-cscs-12b43734b/

📘 Buys Family Fitness on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/buysfamilyfitness

⛪ MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Athey Creek Church
https://atheycreek.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@AtheyCreek

⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

00:06 — Joe’s origin story: small-town Michigan to LA grind
02:48 — Mentors, coaches, and a life-changing pivot
06:09 — Why your circle shapes your future
10:05 — Sports, music, and misplaced identity
11:51 — Faith awakening and hunger for Scripture
19:21 — “Dream the impossible” vs God’s calling
23:15 — Forgiveness, father wounds, and refinement
32:15 — Habits, goals, and input vs output
37:24 — Marriage crisis & birth of Buys Family Fitness
43:21 — Family-first training philosophy
49:58 — Redefining winning & legacy
1:02:05 — Marriage, partnership, and Proverbs 31 strength
1:27:24 — Family devotionals & spiritual formation
1:33:02 — What “More Than Before” really means
1:40:12 — Final encouragement

📖 SCRIPTURE REFERENCED

Colossians 3:23

Philippians 4:7

Matthew 6:25–34

Ephesians 6:10–18

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ezekiel 36:26

Proverbs 31

Ephesians 5:25

📚 BOOKS & IDEAS MENTIONED

Atomic Habits – James Clear

Make Your Bed – Admiral William H. McRaven

Jackie Robinson: A Biography – Arnold Rampersad

💡 BIG TAKEAWAYS

• Mentors matter more than motivation
  
• Identity built on performance will always fail
  
• Preparation beats hype every time
  
• Winning means helping others win
  
• Family is the first ministry
  
• “More Than Before” is transformation, not self-improvement

🔑 SPOTIFY SEARCH KEYWORDS

faith and fitness, christian fitness, family fitness, christian leadership, fatherhood, mentorship, strength training, identity in Christ, Buys Family Fitness, Joe Buys, More Than Before Podcast

What happens when life forces you to slow down, let go of control, and face your own mortality?

In this powerful episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook sits down with Deb Krier—PR expert, master communicator, and three-time cancer thriver—to talk about what it truly means to live fully when tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

Deb shares her journey through stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, surviving a rare chemo complication that led to septic shock, and how humor, curiosity, faith, and the right people helped her move from simply surviving to living with purpose.

This conversation covers:
• Why curiosity is the key to becoming more than you were yesterday
• How humor heals and creates connection in hard seasons
• What people actually need when facing cancer or crisis
• Why choosing the right tribe matters more than proximity
• How to advocate for yourself when life feels out of control
• What it means to live a life that is truly More Than Before

This episode is honest, hopeful, and filled with laughter—especially for anyone navigating illness, caregiving, leadership pressure, or a season of uncertainty.

👉 If this conversation encouraged you, share it with someone who needs hope today.

⏱ Episode Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Don’t wait. Be curious.
00:23 – Meet Deb Krier: cancer thriver, communicator, podcaster
01:38 – Growing up in Walden, Colorado
03:18 – Parents, independence, and early life lessons
05:21 – Outdoor childhood and learning freedom
07:24 – Broadway dreams and law ambitions
11:35 – Early jobs and learning self-advocacy

14:11 – Learning communication at the American Cancer Society
15:12 – Comedy, coping, and emotional resilience
17:40 – The mammogram call that changed everything
21:17 – Chemo complications and septic shock survival
26:51 – Regaining control inside the hospital
31:07 – Listening deeply and human connection
33:41 – Building Wise Women Communications
35:29 – Launching Trying Not To Die
38:47 – How to support someone with cancer
42:05 – Why Deb calls cancer a blessing
45:13 – Marriage, caregiving, and tribe
49:47 – Track the beagle and finding levity
53:34 – Why humor breaks down walls
55:17 – What it means to live More Than Before
56:21 – Final encouragement

Key Takeaways

• Don’t wait to live. Tomorrow is never promised.
• Curiosity fuels growth. Asking better questions leads to becoming more.
• Your tribe matters. Choose people who support, not just surround.
• Be specific when helping others. Concrete support matters more than vague offers.
• Humor heals. Laughter lowers stress and builds connection.
• You get a vote. Advocate for yourself—in health, leadership, and life.

🔗 Guest & Resource Links

Deb Krier• Trying Not To Die: https://tryingnottodie.live

• Wise Women Communications
• Podcast: Business Power Hour (1,100+ episodes)

More Than Before
• Follow on Instagram: @morethanbeforepodcast
• Subscribe for weekly conversations on faith, leadership, resilience, and growth

In this episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook talks with Noemi Beres—co-founder of Podcast Connections, linguist, artist, and creator of the Silent Thinking Session. Noemi opens up about losing her father and grandmother, losing her business during COVID, and how that season birthed a daily practice of gratitude, silence, and consistent habits that helped her heal and rebuild.

You’ll hear how community can shift your mindset from scarcity to abundance, why silence is a leadership skill, and what it really means to become more than before—with presence, purpose, and compassion.

Chapters

00:00 Grief, loss, and gratitude
00:20 From small-town Hungary to global podcasting
02:28 Feeling like an outsider—books, art, and identity
03:40 Denmark exchange year and the desire to “see the world”
05:11 Travel memories, getting lost, and family influence
07:47 Self-esteem, hard work, and staying consistent
09:47 Frida Kahlo and creating beauty through pain
12:47 Ireland with two suitcases + 1,000 euros
17:40 Cyprus, lifestyle rhythms, and choosing calm
20:10 COVID season: losing loved ones + losing the business
21:00 Healing through art + daily gratitude
22:09 Building Podcast Connections (accidentally)
25:58 Silent Thinking Sessions: what they are and why they work
28:01 What silence teaches: presence and listening
32:43 Motherhood: patience, presence, and trust
36:06 Scarcity vs abundance mindset
39:25 Community: the fastest way to change your energy
41:05 Consistency and rebuilding strength (one step at a time)
44:04 Noemi’s top 3 life foundations
45:20 Faith journey and ongoing growth
48:21 “More Than Before”: purpose, presence, and making people feel seen
49:16 Final encouragement + share with a friend

Links:

• Noemi’s website / waitlist: noemiberes.com

• Follow Noemi on LinkedIn

• Noemi’s YouTube (ASMR reading podcast)

🌲 What do childhood explorations in the woods have to do with becoming a Chief Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force—and later getting fired twice by the same boss?

In this episode of More Than Before, Nathan Cook talks with leadership coach and Air Force Chief (ret.) **Randy Wilson** about the explorer’s mindset, childhood lessons, and crucible moments that shaped his life, leadership, and faith. ✨

Randy shares:

• 🌲 Growing up roaming miles of forest in upstate New York

• 🔧 A father who lived by “Make it happen, son”

• 🇺🇸 Rising to the top 1% of enlisted ranks

• 💼 Getting fired *twice* by the same CEO—and choosing integrity

• ❤️ A powerful moment of real forgiveness

• 🎥 How trail cams, nature, yoga, Reiki, and faith all intersect

• 🔥 What it means to trust intuition and hold life lightly

This episode is for you if you want to grow, lead with integrity, or learn how to let go of the weight you’ve been carrying.

––––––––––––––––––––

⏱ **CHAPTERS**

––––––––––––––––––––

00:00 Fired Twice & the Lesson: Don’t Lose Yourself

00:22 The Explorer’s Mindset – Intro to Randy

00:55 Randy’s Humor & Warm Start

01:05 Growing Up in the Woods of Upstate NY 🌲

01:20 Learning Independence & Curiosity

02:48 Dad Working in the 130° Pot Room 🔥

03:29 Encyclopedias, Snow, and Digging Carrots ❄🥕

05:03 Winter Adventures & Early Resilience

05:32 Lessons from His Parents

05:42 A Dad Who Could Fix *Anything*

07:41 Spinning a Truck Tire to Start the Engine 🤯

08:14 Western Novels & Early Dreams

08:30 Choosing the Air Force 🇺🇸

09:42 Outranking His Sister & Life in Korea

10:35 Azores: First Duty Station

10:49 Told He’d Be a Chief One Day

11:54 Accidentally Deleting ALL the Files 💻😂

13:29 Airman of the Quarter at 18

13:57 Why Randy Excelled

15:33 Mentorship that Shaped His Path

17:36 Information vs. Action

18:52 Fired by the Same Boss… Twice 😳

19:13 Turning a $120M Contract Around

23:15 Seeing the Writing on the Wall

25:07 Packing the Office & Staying Calm

25:40 Choosing Integrity Over Bitterness

26:22 Launching His Own Company 🚀

27:31 Crucible Moments: Forgiveness ❤️‍🩹

30:51 What Forgiveness *Feels* Like

33:11 From Military to Entrepreneur

35:36 A Grandmother’s WWII Perspective

36:40 Maxwell, Yoga, Reiki & Leadership

36:47 Trail Cams, Wildlife & Curiosity 🐻

39:14 Sharing Nature with Others

41:29 Biggest Influences

42:46 600 Dairy Queen Blizzards 🍦

44:28 A Gettysburg Battlefield Retirement

45:20 The Power of Human Connection

46:26 Integrity as a Leadership Identity

48:25 Trusting Intuition: God’s Feather vs. the 2x4

51:50 How His Wife Transformed His Faith 💛

56:01 What It Means to Be “More Than Before”

56:42 Closing Thoughts

––––––––––––––––––––

💡 **WHAT YOU’LL LEARN**

––––––––––––––––––––

• How an explorer’s mindset creates resilient leaders

• Why attitude and effort can outpace talent

• The difference between saying you forgive and *feeling* forgiveness

• Why forgiving yourself unlocks freedom

• How intuition, faith, and intention shape decisions

• Why growth matters “until the last minute”

––––––––––––––––––––

🧰 **CONNECT WITH RANDY WILSON**

––––––––––––––––––––

🌐 Website (REEL PD): https://reelpd.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyjwilson

––––––––––––––––––––

🎙 **CONNECT WITH MORE THAN BEFORE**

––––––––––––––––––––

🌐 Website: https://www.morethanbefore.org

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morethanbeforepodcast

▶️ Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoreThanBeforePodcast

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If this episode encouraged you, tap **Follow**, leave a 5-star review, and share it with someone who needs these insights.

**Be more. See more. Experience more… than before.**

American Idol runner-up Clark Beckham sits down with Nathan Cook for one of the most authentic, vulnerable, and wisdom-filled conversations you’ll hear this year.

Clark opens up about:

• The pressure after American Idol
• Growing up in a musical family
• Getting dropped by Quincy Jones Productions
• Rebuilding confidence after rejection
• Why curiosity beats talent
• How sports built the discipline he still relies on
• Marriage, identity, and what God is teaching him
• Becoming who God says you are — not what success demands

If you’ve ever felt behind in life, unsure of your calling, or tangled in comparison, this episode speaks directly to your soul.

🎵 Clark Beckham’s New Worship EP — Mystery
https://lnk.to/ncs-Mystery?mcp_token=eyJwaWQiOjE0ODE3NTEsInNpZCI6OTQwNzg5OTMxLCJheCI6IjdjZDk4MzhjODAyZjI3N2U3Yzk2YjRiOTQ4ZjVlNzBiIiwidHMiOjE3NjM1NTI0OTgsImV4cCI6MTc2NTk3MTY5OH0.yngBxkckrb3AePqdnCjPdec8df3XSJkY-SGjUj_T2Fo

📸 Follow Clark:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkbeckham
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ClarkBeckhamMusic

🎙️ Listen to More Than Before Podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jS375yTkztq8Pr2FxiWwh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-before/id1714530728

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Striving for acceptance through talent
00:30 – The pressure after American Idol
01:13 – Introducing Clark Beckham
02:19 – Lessons from Quincy Jones Productions
05:02 – The rise of soulful worship
06:11 – “With or without you” confidence shift
07:39 – Serving labels vs. seeking their approval
09:25 – The psychology of finally signing a deal
12:25 – No more excuses: facing the blank check
13:26 – Childhood: growing up musical in Tennessee
15:29 – Loving harmony, hating sheet music
17:53 – How YouTube taught him guitar & piano
19:38 – The identity trap every performer faces
20:47 – Fame magnifying conditional acceptance
22:53 – Separating gifting from calling
24:44 – Cowboy the street mentor
25:32 – Why curiosity & humility beat talent
28:55 – Learning from anyone — the key to growth
30:30 – Sports: discovering your real limits
36:01 – From slowest kid to fastest on the field
38:34 – Clark’s dream VIP tour vision
39:52 – The internal switch that flips
41:12 – Handling rejection while trusting God
43:35 – Belief vs. doubt: what motivates him
44:48 – The ultra marathon breakthrough moment
47:18 – Getting dropped by Quincy Jones Productions
51:11 – Writing “it’s just me who believes in me”
52:33 – Touring, $7 gigs & the fire to keep going
54:21 – The new manager & door God opened
56:51 – Nashville connections
58:53 – What marriage taught Clark about himself
1:03:13 – Marriage gets better every year
1:06:26 – New music & upcoming projects
1:06:43 – How to find your identity when you feel lost
1:11:25 – Final encouragement & closing

🔥 QUOTES

• “Rejection doesn’t decide your destiny — it reveals who’s not part of it.”
• “Curiosity and humility are the superpowers behind greatness.”
• “Do they love me for me… or what I can do?”
• “Marriage is the touchdown no one talks about.”
• “You can’t be anything you want to be — but you can be everything God wants you to be.”

HASHTAGS

#ClarkBeckham #AmericanIdol #MoreThanBefore #NathanCook #ChristianPodcast #WorshipMusic #IdentityInChrist #FaithJourney #PurposeOverPerformance #ChristianContent