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Country Club Conversations

Country Club Conversations

By: Raj Tut
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 🔊 This is Country Club Conversations, where Raj Tut, Founder and CEO of Storyboard Living, brings you into the minds of the top 1% in business, real estate, and entrepreneurship. Join Raj for the exclusive insights and stories that propelled these individuals to success. The show began when Raj realized the incredible ideas and knowledge he began getting access to behind closed doors were not accessible to everyone. This is your VIP pass to the strategies, mindsets, and stories that drive the elite. 🚀 Welcome to the Club. 🌟 Follow Raj Tut on all social media accounts @ItsRajTutRaj Tut Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • From Wire Fraud to 1031s: How Title Companies Secure Your Deals, with John Duckworth, co-founder and Managing Partner of True Title, LLC

    From Wire Fraud to 1031s: How Title Companies Secure Your Deals, with John Duckworth, co-founder and Managing Partner of True Title, LLC
    Aug 19 2025

    John Duckworth, co-founder and Managing Partner of True Title, shares his journey from running a fireworks stand as a teenager to building the largest locally owned title company in St. Louis. With over 20 years of experience, John has grown True Title to 17 branches across Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado while earning recognition for innovation and client-focused service. His entrepreneurial background, combined with hands-on real estate investing, shaped his unique perspective on risk management and customer experience in the title industry.

    In this episode, John discusses the critical role title companies play in real estate transactions, from issuing title insurance to acting as a trusted escrow agent. He highlights the growing threat of wire fraud, the importance of communication in client service, and why profit-sharing and local ownership are key to company culture and growth. John also breaks down construction disbursements, 1031 exchanges, and the impact of technology on scaling operations. Listeners will gain practical tips to protect their investments and insights into what truly differentiates a great title company.


    Connect with Raj Tut


    Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

    Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut

    TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut


    Connect with the Guest

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnduckworth/

    https://truetitle.com


    Timestamps for Key Segments

    00:00 Real estate transactions and wire fraud risks

    02:12 Introduction to John Duckworth and True Title

    03:17 John’s childhood and entrepreneurial family background

    05:24 Running a fireworks stand through college

    06:42 Early real estate investing and buying a trailer park

    09:06 Entering the title industry and early lessons

    11:56 Founding True Title after the Great Recession

    13:50 Growing to 17 branches and scaling operations

    14:08 What title agencies do: insurance and escrow explained

    17:54 Differences in property law between states

    19:09 Escrow as a neutral third party

    20:24 Who engages a title company in transactions

    21:30 Challenging commercial deals and title claims

    23:48 Construction disbursements and protecting contractors

    25:10 1031 exchanges and tax deferral strategies

    28:24 Managing operations and KPIs across 17 offices

    30:50 Building culture, core values, and profit sharing

    34:16 Importance of local ownership vs. national firms

    36:15 How technology enables growth and security

    38:24 Tips to avoid fraud and protect clients

    41:06 What happens when wire fraud occurs

    43:41 Deepfake scams and financial crime risks

    44:23 What to look for in title reports and exceptions

    46:47 Easements, mineral rights, and water rights explained

    49:02 What differentiates a good title company

    51:05 Staffing structure across different offices

    52:53 Future plans for True Title and expansion strategy

    55:11 John’s greatest piece of advice


    This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

    If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

    Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

    LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

    Connect with the Host
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • How to Build Mission-Oriented Teams in a Disruptive World with Robert “Cujo” Teschner, #1 Best Selling Author & Founder/CEO of VMax Group

    How to Build Mission-Oriented Teams in a Disruptive World with Robert “Cujo” Teschner, #1 Best Selling Author & Founder/CEO of VMax Group
    Jul 22 2025
    Robert “Cujo” Teschner is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and weapons school instructor, now founder and CEO of VMax Group, a leadership consultancy based in St. Louis. With an impressive career that includes leading missions over southern Iraq and training at the Air Force’s Top Gun school, Cujo brings decades of high-performance team leadership and strategic clarity into the corporate world. He is also the author of Debrief to Win, a book that translates the military debriefing culture into actionable frameworks for business leaders.In this episode, Cujo dives into the importance of clarity, expectations, and accountability in leadership. He explains how the military debriefing process can revolutionize business operations, emphasizing psychological safety, assumption of positive intent, and decentralized decision-making. From personal development and coaching to tough conversations and high-performing cultures, Cujo shares powerful stories, practical strategies, and mindset shifts to help leaders thrive in disruption and build cohesive, empowered teams.Connect with the HostTwitter: twitter.com/ItsRajTut LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/ Instagram: instagram.com/ItsRajTut TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtutConnect with the GuestWebsite: https://www.vmaxgroupllc.comGet “Debrief to Win” Here:https://www.amazon.com/Debrief-Win-Americas-Accountable-Leadership/dp/1732929815/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1XXNWV6I2RFWX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SFBhFuF_rvxQTWc7qHk-gQ.p8Xjg38V5BZcTEwyivabyWbT7WFxFWUmZnPGJtSgjNY&dib_tag=se&keywords=debrief+cujo&qid=1752965651&s=books&sprefix=debrief+cujo%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C112&sr=1-1Timestamps00:00 Cujo on expectations and failed communication in leadership 01:02 Introduction to Cujo and his military-to-business background 02:43 Cujo shares his family’s immigrant story and its influence 06:26 Why Cujo joined the Air Force and saw it as his family 07:22 Growing up overseas and its leadership impact 10:00 Leadership development in the Air Force 12:23 Military vs. business debriefing—same framework, same benefits 15:11 Why clarity of expectations is essential in debriefs 18:05 Empathy and delivery in setting expectations 20:13 How fighter pilots are trained to stay calm under pressure 22:06 Common leadership mistakes: assumptions and judgment 24:01 Personal development as a never-ending pursuit 26:27 Writing Debrief to Win and what makes it unique 28:27 Debunking myths of rigid military leadership 30:57 Empowerment through decentralized execution 32:37 Handling poor cultural fits through debriefs 34:31 Creating judgment-free debrief environments 35:10 Ritz-Carlton and Chick-fil-A stories of frontline empowerment 39:15 Cujo on storytelling and where he learned it 40:21 Heroic Public Speaking and communication coaching 42:45 Success story from a 6,500-person company 45:21 Cujo’s vision for VMax Group and global expansion 47:03 Top Gun Teamwork program breakdown 49:20 Clarifying what counts as a mission in business 51:28 Cujo’s “hole-in-one” advice: assume positive intent#LeadershipDevelopment#DebriefToWin#MilitaryLeadership#BusinessStrategy#HighPerformanceTeams#VMaxGroup#AccountabilityCulture#PsychologicalSafety#EmpoweredTeams#PersonalDevelopment#ExecutiveCoaching#RajTutPodcast#CujoTeschner#TeamworkMatters#StorytellingForLeadersThis podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.comConnect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/ LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/
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    55 mins
  • Why Most Founders Plateau — and What to Do About It with Zach Schaefer, founder and CEO of Spark The Discussion

    Why Most Founders Plateau — and What to Do About It with Zach Schaefer, founder and CEO of Spark The Discussion
    Jul 8 2025

    Zach “Dr. Z” Schaefer, founder and CEO of Spark The Discussion, is a respected leadership coach, management consultant, certified Predictive Index® partner, and award‑winning speaker. A retired tenured professor, he also owns a stake in a sports bar chain, advising on culture, tech, and strategy. Zach has helped hundreds of companies, authored multiple books, and recently released The Missing Conversations: Navigating Awareness, Avoidance & Adversity at Work, a guide for fostering constructive dialogue to drive organizational impact .

    In this episode, Zach explores why leaders often dodge difficult conversations and how that avoidance hinders growth. They delve into contrasting strategic vs. operational mindsets, the power of trust and role clarity, and the use of behavioral tools like Predictive Index and Line‑of‑Sight to improve hiring and execution. Zach shares frameworks (like FIRM and trust ranking) and real-life insights from academia, restaurants, and executive coaching—all designed to empower founders and execs leaning into scaling through better communication and leadership.

    Connect with the Host

    Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

    Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut

    TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

    Website: https://sparkthediscussion.com

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zschaefer/

    The Missing Conversations OUT NOW!

    https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Conversations-Navigating-Awareness-Avoidance/dp/1637631952


    Timestamps


    00:00 Conversations we’re avoiding at work


    02:18 From professor to entrepreneur

    05:06 Scaling a sports bar through systems

    08:18 Fantasy sports as differentiation

    12:02 The core principles that leaders miss

    16:01 Frameworks for executive leadership

    21:08 Messaging strategy in uncertain times

    23:58 Introducing The Missing Conversations

    27:16 Defining roles and accountabilities

    30:16 When founders step back from CEO

    33:10 Intentional retention through data

    35:35 Using Predictive Index assessments

    37:10 Execution clarity via Line‑of‑Sight

    39:08 Data‑driven hiring

    43:14 Crafting a personal brand (orange theme)

    46:26 Growth through high‑stakes listening

    50:35 Zach’s quick trust‑ranking tool

    #LeadershipCoach

    #StrategicLeadership

    #CommunicationSkills

    #OrganizationalGrowth

    #TheMissingConversations

    #PredictiveIndex

    #LineOfSight

    #BusinessDialogue

    #FounderAdvice

    #ExecutiveCoaching

    #PodcastHighlights


    This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

    If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

    Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

    LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/


    Connect with the Guest
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
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