If you’ve ever wondered whether CliftonStrengths is just a feel-good tool that avoids hard conversations, this episode delivers a resounding—and nuanced—response. Coaches Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel are joined by Tara Gronhovd, leadership development expert and founder of the Shift Leadership Event, to explore how strengths-based work can actually deepen conflict resolution, not bypass it. This episode is for anyone who’s been frustrated by surface-level team building, confused about “soft ski...
Aug 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Ever worked somewhere that felt like a leaderboard instead of a team? If you’ve ever felt tension around competitiveness at work—or wondered how some teams manage to make it energizing instead of exhausting—this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Sarah and Bill welcome Jessica Novich, COO of Full Tilt Logistics, a fast-growing family-run company where three of the five leadership team members have high Competition in their CliftonStrengths—and she doesn’t. Jessica brings a refreshing t...
Aug 05, 2025•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 10
In this bold and hilarious episode, Sarah and Bill are joined by guest Rachel Kagay—a coach, speaker, and unapologetic Woo—to ask the question so many have wondered: Can Woo be annoying? Together, they dig into the reputation, realities, and power of the CliftonStrengths theme Woo (Winning Others Over). Rachel brings humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom as she shares what it’s like to lead with Woo in a world that doesn’t always embrace high energy, visibility, or emotional expression. From awkward...
Jul 29, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 9
What does it really take to start something new? In this lively and thoughtful episode, Sarah, Bill, and guest Natalie Becerra explore how different CliftonStrengths can help you move from idea to action—and why there’s no “best” strength, only the best one for you. Natalie opens up about her love of Ideation and Strategic, and how they create both brilliance and tension when starting something new. Whether you launch fast with Activator, build the vision with Strategic, research endlessly with ...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In this honest, energizing, and sometimes hilariously relatable episode, Sarah and Bill ask the question so many CliftonStrengths coaches secretly wonder: Are we overhyping Achiever? They dive into the complexity of this popular strength—why it’s often praised, where it can get toxic, and how to coach it toward something more sustainable. From LinkedIn poll results to personal confessions of burnout and boundary-pushing, this conversation is both a celebration and a cautionary tale. If you’ve ev...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 7
In this heartfelt and humorous episode, Sarah and Bill welcome Dr. Kelly Dries to explore the question: Can your strengths make you a better parent or partner? With two young kids and a coaching career built around helping women lead with confidence, Kelly shares real-life moments of joy, overwhelm, and self-awareness that will resonate with anyone who’s ever tried to keep their cool during a toddler meltdown or found themselves “shoulding” their way through parenting. The conversation dives int...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Is your sense of duty lifting you—or crushing you? If you’ve ever felt the weight of always being the one people count on, this episode is your permission slip to pause. We’re diving into the CliftonStrengths theme of Responsibility, especially when it shows up in overdrive. Sarah and Bill welcome Becky Murway—Director of Operations, former business owner, and all-around executing powerhouse—whose #1 strength is Responsibility. Becky opens up about the pressures of showing up for everyone, the s...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Ever worked with someone so driven to win it feels inspiring… or maybe exhausting? Brandon, whose top 10 strengths include a power-packed stack of influencing themes (including Competition, Command, and Woo), makes a compelling case for why Competition, when coached well, can elevate an entire team’s performance. In this episode of Strengths on Fire, Sarah and Bill dive into a bold, energizing debate with fellow strengths coach Brandon Miller. You’ll hear stories from Brandon’s life as a coach, ...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Ever looked at your CliftonStrengths results and thought, “Ugh, I don’t like these?” You’re not alone. In this honest and energizing episode, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel sit down with special guest Jen Werner to explore what it really takes to embrace your strengths—especially when they don’t show up the way you expected. Jen shares her personal journey from resisting her strengths to recognizing their power, and the trio dives into the messy, beautiful work of self-awareness, coaching, and gr...
Jun 17, 2025•57 min•Season 2Ep. 3
You believe in strengths. You’ve done the workshops. You’re bought in. So… why does your team still hit roadblocks? In this episode, Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel tackle the messy middle of strengths-based development—the part where good intentions meet real-world team dynamics. They dig into bold truths about why teams struggle even when they’ve embraced CliftonStrengths, and what it actually takes to turn awareness into sustained culture change. You’ll hear insights on why one-off workshops do...
Jun 10, 2025•58 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Season 2 is here—and we’re starting with a spark. In this kickoff episode, Strengths on Fire hosts Sarah Collins and Bill Dippel take you behind the scenes of what worked (and what didn’t) in Season 1, and unveil an all-new format packed with bold questions, real talk, and more audience interaction than ever. The big question on the table: Is the strengths movement helping people grow—or giving them a free pass to opt out? You’ll hear honest stories about coaching clients, marriage dynamics, tea...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In the season one finale of Strengths on Fire, Sarah and Bill welcome the remarkable Liz Volker—homeschooling mom, strengths enthusiast, and graduate of Sarah’s “Strong as a Mother” program. Liz shares how discovering and intentionally applying her top 15 strengths has been truly life-changing, not only for her but for her family. From household systems and values walls to bedtime journals and emotional check-ins, Liz’s strengths-led approach to motherhood is a masterclass in intentional living....
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 29
What do you get when you blend strategic brilliance with quiet empathy and a deep love of Dungeons & Dragons? Anne George. In this episode, we sit down with Anne, the powerhouse behind the curtain at Bill Dippel Strengths Coaching, to talk about what it means to build a business and a coaching practice around your strengths—and why leaning into your own talents (and hiring for your gaps) isn’t just good advice, it’s the whole game. We explore how Anne’s uncommon combo of analytical + empathy...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this episode of Strengths on Fire, Sarah and Bill welcome Lizzie Vietz—strengths superfan, marketing strategist, and the official “Mother of the Arsonists.” With warmth, humor, and incredible insight, Lizzie shares how her strengths have evolved through college, career pivots, marriage, and grad school. The trio dives into the power of knowing yourself, setting intentional goals, and embracing who you are—flaws, focus blocks, and all. With a heavy dose of positivity, peach rings, and real-lif...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In this episode of Strengths on Fire, we welcome the radiant and wise Jennifer Doyle Vancil of Communicating Strengths—career coach, facilitator, and soon-to-be author. From navigating job transitions to helping clients make meaning of their strengths, Jennifer shares how she blends positivity, communication, and strategy to help people create fulfilling careers (not just impressive résumés). We get into the push-pull of Woo + Relator, what happens when your strengths don’t align with the job ti...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 26
This episode is a heart-filled, strength-fueled reunion between Sarah, Bill, and one of Sarah’s former career coaching clients turned certified CliftonStrengths coach, Alex Philipps. Alex shares her powerful story of transforming her career by leaning into her strengths—going from feeling unfulfilled to pitching and landing a role that didn’t even exist yet. Today, she’s bringing strengths to life at a company with over 1,500 employees. Whether you’re curious how to use your own strengths more i...
Mar 25, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In this energizing and heartfelt episode, Sarah and Bill sit down with internal Gallup-certified coach Alyssa Thelen, whose strengths-packed combo of Woo, Communication, and Positivity lights up every room—especially this podcast. Alyssa shares her journey from the cornfields of Nebraska to coaching leaders at fast-growing startups, how her talents fuel her both personally and professionally, and how she’s navigated an incredibly tough season with grace, humor, and vulnerability. Whether you’re ...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 24
What do a photographer-turned-entrepreneur, a free CliftonStrengths coaching session, and a boomer with futuristic vision have in common? This episode of Strengths on Fire brings all that and more. You’ll hear how Peter Lars, founder of a wildly creative photography company, uses his top 10 strengths to lead with fun, spark innovation, and build a company culture people want to be part of. Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, or someone trying to figure out your strengths in action, thi...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Have you made the leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship and now you’re realizing there are some serious gaps when it comes to sales and marketing? This episode with strengths coach Lisa Cummings is for you. She joins Sarah and Bill to share her journey, lessons learned, and how she leveraged her strengths to grow a thriving business. From the push-pull of Significance to the magic of Individualization and Woo, you’ll get real talk, helpful tools, and a few laughs along the way. Whether yo...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 22
In this episode of Strengths on Fire, we chat with Karen Senger from the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and she’s a total strengths rockstar. Karen shares how she’s built a successful career in fundraising and leadership without any Influencing strengths in her top 10 (yep, really!). She gets real about how her strengths like Connectedness, Developer, and Input help her lead with heart, mentor her team, and make a real impact. We also laugh about her ‘Karen Land’ moments, messy desks, and what hap...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Never make a decision when you're Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired (HALT). Those amazing words come from our very special guest today Maika Leibbrandt. How did a 6th grade teacher set a long term direction for Maika? How does Maika promote "take stock in where you are and be the best of it"? What does the term "Pandemic Classroom" mean and how did it shape the future of one of the amazing voices of Gallup? All of these questions are answered in this episode and as a bonus, you also find out how in...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Today our guest is Lindsay Bradley of Guided Arrows HR Strategies. She is a veteran of providing HR outsourcing resources and helping startups understand what they need to succeed. It all started with a bad boss, listen to find out how Lindsay realized that people leave bad managers, not jobs. How does a Maximizer thrive in the warehousing industry? Lindsay has some thoughts. She will also touch on how both burnout and responsibility show up in her world, even when she feels guilty about quiet c...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Does taking the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment hinder some people from exploring their Strengths more? Brea Roper, today's guest has some strong thoughts on the matter. Brea is a Strengths Coach that leads with some very strong themes (Connectedness/Woo/Activator) that often will get her to ask people she meets for the first time if she can see their wallet or purse. How does that work and what does your wallet tell Brea about you, check into this episode to find out. Brea will also break do...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Meet our number one listener Mark Ellison, affectionately known and self identifying as a proud arsonist. We are very proud to have Mark Ellison of Keltic Fish electric on our podcast to talk about why he's listened to every single episode (and Sarah would call this discussion very meta) and most of them more than once. More importantly, why is he rolling our coaching through Bill into his business and exactly what does he hope to achieve through this process? Come listen to a special episode wh...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Frank Eastham is a coach, COO, good guy and clearly one of the best dressed guests we have ever had. Listen in as we break down how bringing Strengths based work in schools fueled his passion for what he does and why buying donuts for a crowd after a single request can backfire on high Individualization. We will also learn how Developer themed people can hold others accountable and how his love of building fires fuels his appreciation for the small things in life. Or perhaps you want to know why...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 16
How would strong Influencing themes play out for the CEO of a law firm? Meet Tara Paulson, CEO of the Rembolt Ludtke Law Firm of Nebraska. How would 50% of her top ten themes in the Influencing domain bring her to being a lawyer or become the managing partner? Listen to find that answer, along with why her group chose her to structure a law firm more like a traditional business, hence the CEO title. How does Tara keep her employees engaged and involved in the mission of the firm when promotions ...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 15
He's written a couple of books, successfully coaches groups and individuals, and lives across the pond. He also reads his own top 10 themes like a British "best of" radio show! Between traveling and writing travel related books he uses his Empathy, Woo and Maximizer to create high performing teams. How does that happen? Dive into this episode and find out how those themes got him dancing with a photo subject in a Mallorca nightclub. And how the barriers of writing or coaching in a specific forma...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Are you a leader who suddenly finds everyone comes to you for advice? Join Jeff Jewell as he talks about his career in banking and how his leadership skills found him at a very young age. When he realized he was getting good at it was when he realized his time was being used more and more to help others. Jeff chooses talents over skill sets, and his mature use of the Significance theme explains how some of this happens. And how does a coach that helps other people tackle imposter syndrome use hi...
Dec 31, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Charlotte Blair is a coaches coach. She has helped hundreds of Gallup Strengths Coaches with perfecting their offerings and abilities. In this episode of Strengths On Fire, she also breaks down why she is a serial committee member, why scallops work and walnuts do not, and how setting the costing around coaching services can be so agonizing. If you might be wondering how your favorite dish to eat relates to coaching or what passing a cat around an elevator means, you've come to the right place. ...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Have you ever wondered what a river clam is, or if you should eat one? Or perhaps how Gordon Ramsey might step on (or get won over by) someone with a high Positivity theme? Our guest today Gretchen Kelley Bietz answers these questions, along with how Woo, Communication and Connectedness helped her meet 5 women in parking lots years ago, discuss a community need and form a non-profit helping powerhouse. Although, with all that Woo a receptionist job would also be a blast to have. To contact Gretc...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 11
