Elevate Podcast: Powered by Braden

In this episode, Braden Business Systems has the honor of having Indiana Governor Mike Braun as a guest on our Elevate Podcast. Host Jason Ulm explores how technology, innovation, and strong communities are driving business success across the state, while discussing the challenges and opportunities facing today's leaders. Governor Braun reflects on his journey from building a successful business to serving as Indiana's Governor. Along the way, he shares lessons on leadership, economic development, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, workforce growth, and the opportunities shaping Indiana's future.Whether you're a business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or someone passionate about Indiana's future, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on leadership and the evolving business landscape.In this episode, you'll learn about:- Governor Mike Braun's entrepreneurial journey and leadership philosophy- The future of business and economic development in Indiana- How artificial intelligence is transforming industries- The role of technology in driving innovation and growth- Building stronger communities through leadership and collaboration- Opportunities and challenges facing Indiana businessesAbout The Elevate Podcast: The Elevate Podcast brings together business leaders and innovators to share ideas that inspire growth, leadership, and innovation. Powered by Braden Business Systems, each episode explores the trends, technologies, and strategies helping organizations thrive in an ever-changing world.Connect with Braden Business Systems🌐 https://www.bradenonline.comFollow The Elevate Podcast for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of business, technology, and Indiana.#MikeBraun #IndianaGovernor #IndianaBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #Innovation #EconomicDevelopment #BusinessPodcast #ElevatePodcast #BradenBusinessSystems

Can leadership, faith, and education transform lives? Dee McDonald believes they can.In this episode of the Elevate Podcast Jason Ulm sits down with Dr. Dee McDonald, President of Bethel University in Mishawaka, Indiana, to discuss leadership, higher education, servant leadership, career growth, and building communities that make a lasting impact.Dee shares his journey from growing up in La Porte, Indiana, playing baseball, and beginning his career in admissions before serving in executive leadership roles across the country. He explains why becoming President of Bethel University was his dream job and how the university is preparing students to lead with excellence, integrity, and purpose.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro00:44 Meet Dee McDonald, President of Bethel University01:35 Growing Up in La Porte & The "Slicers" Story03:22 Baseball Dreams & Playing in College07:15 Becoming a Teacher & Coach11:03 From Coaching to Higher Education13:46 Career Growth & New Opportunities21:33 Returning to the Midwest24:26 Becoming President of Bethel University32:13 The Story, History & Mission of Bethel40:07 AI, Technology & Ethical Leadership in Education44:02 Community, Service & Leadership51:10 Life Outside of Bethel University57:09 Closing ThoughtsWant to learn more about Bethel University? Check out their website: https://betheluniversity.eduWhether you're a student, educator, entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, or business executive, this conversation is full of practical leadership insights you can apply in your own career.🎙️ Elevate: Powered by Braden features conversations with business, nonprofit, education, and community leaders who are making a difference throughout Indiana and beyond.👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more leadership conversations every week.

How do you preserve a family culture while growing a global company?In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Jason Ulm sits down with Patrick Gallagher, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Gallagher to discuss leadership, entrepreneurship, company culture, innovation, and the future of business.Patrick shares his journey from growing up in the Gallagher family business to starting in the company mailroom, leading operations in London, and helping scale the company into one of the world's leading insurance brokerage and risk management firms.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro00:57 Welcome to Chicago Week | Meet Patrick Gallagher01:17 Growing Up, Sports & Family Legacy02:54 Why He Chose the Family Business04:59 Starting in the Mailroom & Early Career06:10 Building a Career in London10:56 Returning to Lead Gallagher's Growth11:15 How Gallagher Became a Global Insurance Leader16:10 The Gallagher Way: Culture & Community22:36 Technology, AI & the Future of Insurance29:23 Leadership, Family & Life Outside Work30:39 Closing ThoughtsWhether you're a business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or aspiring leader, this episode is filled with practical insights on leadership, growth, innovation, and building organizations that last.🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are shaping their communities.#leadership #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship #ArthurJGallagher #Insurance #CompanyCulture #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #ElevatePodcast

Welcome to the first episode of our special Chicago Week series! One week of every month the Elevate Podcast will feature guests from the Chicago, IL area, and how they lead both with intention and success in the fast-paced community. In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Jason Ohm travels to Palos Heights, Illinois, to sit down with Jide Lawal, President & CEO of Applied Home Health Network.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro00:44 Welcome to Chicago Week | Meet Jide Lawal01:27 Jide's Vision for Home Health Care02:10 Growing Up in Chicago & Nigerian Roots03:10 From Pre-Med to Healthcare Leadership04:57 First Job & Discovering a Gap in Senior Care07:16 Technology Experience in Healthcare10:08 Why COVID Inspired Him to Start Applied Home Health12:58 Building a Business Around Care15:28 Supporting Families Through Medicaid Caregiving18:40 Technology & the Future of Home Healthcare21:22 What Community Really Means23:06 Advice for Future Entrepreneurs27:05 Leadership Lessons & Company Growth28:18 Life Outside of Work30:39 Closing ThoughtsJide shares his inspiring journey from growing up in the Chicago area after immigrating from Nigeria to building one of Illinois' fastest-growing home healthcare organizations. After years working in healthcare administration, hospital technology, and pharmaceutical operations, Jide recognized a critical gap in senior care—and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched Applied Home Health Network to help seniors receive compassionate care where they belong: at home.Whether you're a healthcare professional, entrepreneur, business leader, or someone passionate about making a difference, this episode is filled with practical insights and inspiring leadership lessons.🎙️ Chicago Week is a special series from Elevate: Powered by Braden, featuring conversations with outstanding business and community leaders from across the Chicagoland area.👍 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more leadership conversations every week.Check out Applied Home Health Network: https://www.appliedhhn.com/Keywords: Jide Lawal | Applied Home Health Network | Home Healthcare | Home Health Care | Senior Care | Caregiver | Home Care | Healthcare Leadership | Healthcare Innovation | Healthcare Technology | Healthcare Administration | Healthcare Business | Entrepreneurship | Entrepreneur Podcast | Leadership Podcast | Business Leadership | CEO Interview | Servant Leadership | AI in Healthcare | Technology in Healthcare | Medicaid | Family Caregivers | Healthcare Careers | Senior Living | Aging in Place | Healthcare Management | Chicago Business | Chicago Entrepreneur | Illinois Business | Palos Heights | Business Growth | Community Leadership | Elevate Podcast | Braden Business Systems | Chicago Week#Healthcare #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #ChicagoWeek #ElevatePodcast

In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Jason Ulm sits down with Derrick Christy, CEO of Approved Mortgage, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey. From starting a cleaning business in high school to building one of Indiana's leading mortgage companies over the past 33 years.Derrick shares lessons on leadership, company culture, mentorship, continuous learning, technology, AI, real estate investing, and why serving your community is just as important as growing your business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, leader, or someone looking for career inspiration, this conversation is packed with practical advice and real-world experience.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro00:44 Meet Derrick Christy, CEO of Approved Mortgage01:20 Growing Up, High School & First Business04:09 Why He Started a Mortgage Company05:40 Mentors, & Entrepreneurial Lessons07:28 Building Approved Mortgage Over 33 Years09:34 Company Culture & Core Values11:32 Advice for New Entrepreneurs13:15 What He Would Do Differently14:17 Family, Fatherhood & Leadership Motivation16:16 Approved Mortgage Today17:54 Real Estate Investing & Horizon Property Group19:34 Technology, AI & The Future of Business22:10 Community Leadership & Giving Back24:28 What's Next for Derrick & His Businesses25:56 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs28:12 Life Outside of Work30:04 Final Leadership TakeawaysCheck out Derrick's businesses: approvedmortgage.combenfranklinii.comgatewayeducation.comhorizonpropertygroup.com🎙️ Elevate: Powered by Braden features conversations with Indiana's top business and community leaders, sharing leadership insights, business strategies, and inspiring stories you can apply in your own career.👍 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more leadership conversations every week.Keywords: Derrick Christy, Approved Mortgage, CEO, Entrepreneur, real estate, real estate business, business owner, Entrepreneurship, CEO Interview, leadership, leadership advice, business owner advice, business growth, business podcast, leadership podcast

Tammy Williams has built an incredible career by embracing every opportunity with one simple mindset: "This is going to be great." From growing up in a small town in Missouri to playing Division I softball at Northwestern, competing for Team USA, playing professionally in Japan, and now serving as President of Cook Financial Group, Tammy shares the lessons that shaped her journey.In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Tammy discusses:- Her journey from elite athlete to business leader- Playing professional softball and representing Team USA- Leadership, resilience, and overcoming setbacks- Wealth management and serving high-net-worth families- How AI is transforming the financial services industry- Building strong company culture and meaningful relationships- Why optimism and continuous growth are keys to long-term successWhether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, financial professional, athlete, or someone looking for inspiration, Tammy's story offers practical leadership lessons and a refreshing perspective on personal and professional growth.🎙️ Subscribe to Elevate: Powered by Braden for more conversations with Indiana's top business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.#Leadership #WealthManagement #FinancialPlanning #BusinessLeadership #ProfessionalSoftball #TeamUSA #WomenInLeadership #Entrepreneurship #ArtificialIntelligence #PersonalDevelopment #Indianapolis #CookFinancialGroup #ElevatePodcast #BusinessPodcast #SuccessStories

What does it take to transform a small Indiana community into one of the state's fastest-growing cities?In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Jason sits down with Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton to discuss his remarkable journey from firefighter and paramedic to four-term mayor. Todd shares how strong leadership, innovative thinking, and a commitment to community have helped attract over $1 billion in economic development, create more than 1,000 new jobs, and position Crawfordsville as a model for cities across the country.You'll also hear Todd's insights on:- Leadership lessons from emergency services- Economic development and business growth- Building stronger communities- Government innovation and public service- AI and technology in local government- Communication, transparency, and public trust- Why Crawfordsville continues to thriveCheck out the Crawfordsville Connection Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11TcKKnz59mSaaD9c0QRLK?si=fe7fc23b099e4c09Learn more about the city of Crawfordsville: https://www.crawfordsville.in.gov/Whether you're a business leader, entrepreneur, public official, or someone passionate about leadership and community development, this conversation is packed with practical insights and inspiring stories.👍 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future conversations with Indiana's top business and community leaders.#Leadership #EconomicDevelopment #CommunityLeadership #Crawfordsville #Indiana #BusinessLeadership #PublicService #Innovation #ArtificialIntelligence #LocalGovernment #Entrepreneurship #ElevatePodcast #BradenBusinessSystems

What does it take to lead a thriving Indiana community?In this episode of Elevate: Powered by Braden, Jason sits down with Wabash Mayor Scott Long to discuss his remarkable journey from serving in the U.S. Army and law enforcement to leading the City of Wabash. Scott shares how strong leadership, community collaboration, economic development, technology, and long-term planning are shaping the future of Wabash.Learn about downtown revitalization, infrastructure improvements, attracting business investment, local government leadership, and why building strong communities starts with servant leadership.Whether you're interested in leadership, economic development, Indiana communities, public service, or local government, this episode is full of valuable insights.Topics include:- Scott Long's journey from the Army to Mayor- Leadership lessons from law enforcement- Revitalizing downtown Wabash- Economic development and business growth-Technology and cybersecurity in local government- Community collaboration across Indiana- Why quality of life matters for growing a citySubscribe for more conversations with Indiana's top business and community leaders.#Leadership #Wabash #Indiana #EconomicDevelopment #LocalGovernment #CommunityLeadership #PublicService #BusinessLeadership #ElevatePodcast #BradenBusinessSystems

In this episode of the Elevate Powered by Braden Podcast, Jason sits down with BJ Lippert, Managing Partner of Donovan CPAs, to explore an inspiring leadership journey built on relationships, community, and a people-first approach to business.BJ shares how a college pivot from engineering to accounting ultimately led him to public accounting, where mentorship, networking, and saying "yes" to opportunities shaped his career. From his early days at Crowe to helping transform Donovan CPAs into one of Central Indiana's fastest-growing accounting firms, BJ reveals the leadership principles that have guided his success.The conversation also dives into the future of the accounting profession, including how artificial intelligence is changing the role of CPAs—not by replacing people, but by empowering them to focus on strategic thinking, client relationships, and higher-value work. BJ offers practical insights on leading through technological change while maintaining a culture centered on people.Listeners will also hear why authentic networking, servant leadership, and investing in community create opportunities that often come full circle years later. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, CPA, nonprofit executive, or someone looking to grow professionally, this episode delivers actionable lessons on leadership, career development, and building meaningful connections.In this episode, you'll learn:How mentorship and networking can transform your careerWhy people-first leadership creates lasting business successThe future of AI in accounting and professional servicesHow Donovan CPAs has grown through culture and strategic leadershipWhy giving without expecting anything in return creates long-term opportunitiesThe importance of community involvement for personal and professional growthIf you're interested in leadership, entrepreneurship, accounting, business growth, AI in the workplace, or professional development, this conversation with BJ Lippert is packed with practical wisdom and inspiring stories.Keywords: BJ Lippert, Donovan CPAs, accounting leadership, CPA podcast, AI in accounting, business leadership, Indianapolis business, servant leadership, professional development, networking, community leadership, entrepreneurship, public accounting, leadership podcast, Elevate Powered by Braden.