Not every leader was “forged in fire.” Some of us were built in silence — through hard work, consistency, and showing up every damn day.

In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, Ron Miller unpacks the dangerous myth that your story only has value if it comes with a redemption arc, a comeback tale, or a polished LinkedIn headshot with piano music behind it.

From a Ted Lasso dartboard lesson to a Captain Marvel mic drop, this episode challenges the performative culture of “origin stories” and calls for a return to what really builds trust: quiet wins, consistency, and authenticity.

Because you don’t owe anyone a trauma reel. Your story doesn’t have to be a comeback. It just has to be real.

Tune in and let’s normalize the steady builder.

If applying for a job today or your hiring process feels like running the American Ninja Warrior course—with fewer wins and more bruises—you’re not imagining it.

In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, I break down the absurdity of the modern candidate journey, obstacle by obstacle: From job postings that bait and switch, to tech stacks that spin you off like a rolling log, to interview gauntlets that would make Navy SEALs tap out.

And then… I introduce you to Alvin. A real candidate. A real story. And a masterclass in how broken hiring still is, even when someone does everything right.

If your hiring process looks like a challenge course, don’t be surprised when the best talent doesn’t show up.

Let’s talk about how to fix it—because Elevate Talent Solutions was built for exactly this.

You can’t market what you don’t understand—and no, marketing isn’t just logos, taglines, and another sad LinkedIn post with stock photos of diverse hands high-fiving.

In this episode of Beyond the Bottom Line, I’m joined by my not-so-secret weapon, marketing strategist and truth-teller Adrianne Ruthhart of ACR Ventures. Together, we unpack why most companies are dead wrong about what marketing really is.

Spoiler: It starts internally. If your own team can’t articulate your values, culture, or mission—why should anyone else believe it?

We talk:

• Internal branding and why your employees are your loudest (and most honest) megaphone
• How poor internal messaging crushes recruiting efforts
• Why rejection emails are marketing (yes, those)
• And why having a marketing contractor on retainer might be the smartest leadership move no one’s talking about

If your recruiting and marketing teams sound like they're speaking the same language but can't understand each other—this one's for you.

Visit:
🎯 Elevate Talent Solutions
🎯 ACR Ventures

And remember: your brand is what you say it is... and what your people feel it is.