Building Bigger Lives

Hosted by Michael Regan & Kathryn Pedersen

Business Entrepreneurship Health Fitness

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Episodes

134

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Building Bigger Lives Podcast is co-hosted by Michael Regan & Kathryn Pedersen. Each episode is designed to help housing industry professionals navigate significant changes and find better flow between their personal & professional lives. The podcast features guests and topics rooted in real-world experiences + practical advice. Tune in, follow, and feel free to share!

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60 recent

August 12, 2026Episode 13330 min

Ep 133: Michael's Business Building Foundation

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss the four foundational elements of business building: vision, plan, playbook, and scorecard. They explain why vision comes first as it sets the compass for the future direction and helps attract people to invest time and energy in the business. Michael describes how planning involves SMART goals and the distinction between disciplines (repeated activities) and projects (specific improvements with due dates). They clarified the difference between a playbook, which documents standards and best practices that consistently work over time, and a plan, which is more tactical and subject to change. The discussion includes how scorecards track both financial outcomes and leading indicators to measure consistency and quality of effort. Kathryn adds a fifth element, review, to complete the cycle and ensure continuous improvement. Michael suggests that business leaders review their documented vision to determine if it describes the past, present, or future, and use that assessment to guide updates to their plan, playbook, and scorecard. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

August 5, 2026Episode 13240 min

Ep 132: Kelly Marsh on Clear Communications

In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, hosts Kathryn Pedersen and Michael Regan interview Kelly Marsh, SVP and Regional Manager at Cornerstone, about her career journey, leadership style, and communication habits. Kelly shares her background, including her competitive upbringing and entry into the mortgage industry, and discusses how her focus on emotional intelligence and coaching has shaped her approach to leadership and communication. She highlights key communication habits, such as the importance of clear communication, the dangers of unspoken expectations, and the principle that if you permit something, you promote it. The conversation also covers how to develop self-awareness, adapt communication styles to different personalities, and the impact of effective communication on both professional and personal relationships. Kelly shares insights from her recent keynote presentation and personal stories illustrating the power of these communication principles in building stronger teams and relationships. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

July 29, 2026Episode 13122 min

Ep 131: The Housing Market's Summer Season

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the housing industry and the summer buying season of 2026. They explore why there is strong purchase activity despite no major external factors driving it, with Kathryn explaining that it's likely due to normal life events like families growing, job changes, and buyers becoming accustomed to current mortgage rates around 6%. The conversation covered how real estate agents are adapting to technology changes, with some thriving in the new digital environment while others struggle to keep up. Kathryn advises that lenders and professionals should embrace the pressure of the busy season as an opportunity to test and improve their systems, while maintaining realistic expectations about market conditions. She emphasizes focusing on current business rather than projecting future trends, and encourages professionals to trust the process as real estate historically tends to appreciate over time. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

July 22, 2026Episode 13030 min

Ep 130: Mike Rafii's Life Lessons in Perseverance

This episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast features Mike Rafii sharing his personal journey from a childhood marked by significant adversity to becoming a top producer in the mortgage industry. Born in New York to Iranian parents, Mike experienced displacement multiple times during his early years, including living in Iran during the revolution, Britain, Germany, and eventually settling in San Diego after his mother's tragic suicide when he was in high school. Through these challenging experiences, Mike developed resilience and a strong work ethic, eventually transitioning from computer science to finance and real estate after seeing loan officers driving luxury cars. Mike credits his wife Robin for helping him embrace his Persian heritage and become more authentic after years of trying to assimilate and disown his cultural background. The hosts highlight how Mike's background shaped his leadership style, emphasizing his hunger, humility, and emotional intelligence, while noting his successful partnership with Robin both personally and professionally over their 32-year marriage. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

July 15, 2026Episode 12924 min

Ep 129: The Housing Industry's K Economy

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the "K economy" phenomenon in the housing industry, where business results have split into two categories: those experiencing significant success and those struggling to keep pace. Kathryn explains that the separation began about a year ago when people made different choices about maintaining business disciplines during challenging times, with some maintaining consistent efforts while others became discouraged by lack of output. Michael emphasizes that the key difference between successful and struggling businesses often comes down to mindset, specifically whether individuals adopt a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset that focuses on winning and losing. The discussion includes practical advice for those experiencing the "slide" side of the K economy, including recognizing personal contributions to current challenges, making conscious changes in attitudes and surroundings, refocusing on the original reasons for entering the business, and potentially taking a hard reset by attending different events or surrounding themselves with more positive influences. Michael stresses that the first steps involve acknowledging personal responsibility and deciding to make changes, while successful businesses should stay focused on their proven strategies rather than chasing new distractions. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

July 8, 2026Episode 12828 min

Ep 128: Russ Laing Leads with Authenticity

This episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast features Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen interviewing Russ Laing, a top-producing mortgage professional at Network Funding who has closed over $100 million annually multiple times. Russ shares his authentic business approach that focuses on old-fashioned relationship building, transparency, and doing what's right for clients rather than chasing technology or aggressive marketing tactics. He discusses how identifying his natural dealmaking abilities rather than trying to be someone else transformed his business in 2018-2019, allowing him to produce nearly $100 million in a single year. Both Russ and Kathryn emphasized that authentic human interaction will remain valuable despite technological advances, with Russ noting that even millennials prefer face-to-face meetings over purely digital experiences. The conversation highlights that there are multiple successful paths in the mortgage industry, with Russ's approach of focusing on relationships and genuine client service standing in contrast to more technologically-focused competitors. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

July 1, 2026Episode 12724 min

Ep 127: Halftime - What is your mindset?

In this episode, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss the importance of using halftime as a strategic opportunity for business reflection and course correction heading into the second half of the year. They explore two mindset scenarios for business owners at halftime: winning teams who need to identify what's working and make slight improvements, versus losing teams who may be struggling with execution, confidence, or underlying beliefs that are impacting results. Michael introduces the concept of "inner gear" versus "outer gear" in business performance, explaining that while outer gear focuses on actions, decisions, and results, inner gear addresses beliefs, emotions, confidence, and the psychological factors that drive business success. The discussion emphasizes that often the greatest opportunity for improvement comes from addressing the inner gear first, as underlying beliefs and mindset can significantly impact even the most well-executed tactical strategies. The key is to adopt the mindset of being proactive and focused, similar to an athlete in the locker room, rather than just taking a break during challenging times. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

June 24, 2026Episode 12620 min

Ep 126: Michael's Italy Adventures

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss Michael's recent trip to Italy, focusing on the planning process and experiences during the journey. Michael explains how the trip was planned about a year in advance after friends recommended a Culture Discovery vacation package to the Amalfi Coast, which he and his wife Lori booked along with another couple from Scottsdale and friends from San Diego. He details the extensive logistics involved, including managing client schedules, pet care, and medical arrangements for his wife, emphasizing the importance of planning buffer time around vacations. Michael shares highlights from the trip, particularly praising the natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast and the authentic cultural immersion experience, including learning Italian phrases and staying in a villa with a local Italian family. He emphasizes the importance of understanding travel companions' energy levels and preferences, noting that international travel experiences tend to be among his favorite trips. Michael concludes by sharing his wife's wisdom about not postponing travel experiences, suggesting that with the means available, they should pursue international trips more frequently while they can. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

June 17, 2026Episode 12521 min

Ep 125: Book Club - Unreasonable Hospitality

This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features a book club episode discussing "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara. Kathryn and Michael explore key takeaways from the book, including creating memorable experiences through personalized gestures, the importance of serving both customers and team members with excellence, and the value of asking thoughtful questions to understand client needs. The hosts apply these concepts to the real estate and housing industries, suggesting ways to enhance hospitality in business interactions, though the takeaways and applications of the book are absolutely relevant to any entrepreneur. Michael and Kathryn emphasize the book's focus on leadership and management, particularly the need to invest in team culture to deliver exceptional customer experiences. The discussion highlights how seemingly small, thoughtful actions can significantly impact client perceptions and business relationships. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage

June 10, 2026Episode 12424 min

Ep 124: The Role of the Trainer

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the role of a trainer in leadership, expanding on a previous podcast episode about the four roles of leaders. They explore the mindset, skill set, and tool set needed for effective training, emphasizing the importance of designing systems and frameworks, using visual aids like PowerPoint and Excel, and adapting to online training platforms. Kathryn shared examples from her teaching experience, including the use of interactive activities and chat functions to enhance learning. The conversation highlights the need for trainers to be comfortable learning new teaching methods, using appropriate tools, and seeking feedback to continuously improve their effectiveness. Building Bigger Lives Podcast https://www.instagram.com/buildingbiggerlives Contact Coach Michael Regan- www.facebook.com/CoachMichaelRegan www.instagram.com/coachmichaelregan/ www.linkedin.com/in/mregan/ Contact Kathryn Pedersen- http://www.instagram.com/steamboatmortgage