Going Long Podcast with Billy Keels

Epizode

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  How Executives Navigate New Life Seasons and Build Optionality 15.09.2026 8min

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or senior corporate leader experiencing a shift in your personal or professional life, feeling the persistent itch to build an asset you completely own?   In this reflective solo episode, host Billy Keels shares a powerful story from a family celebration along the Hudson Bay looking over the New York City skyline—a true "balcony moment" that crystallized why career designs must continuously adapt to life's changing seasons. Whether you're navigating new promotions, international moves, college-bound children, aging parents, or shifting compensation plans, your priorities naturally evolve. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of Heraclitus—the only constant in life is change—Billy breaks down why you do not need 100% of the answers or complete readiness to start building a side venture. Discover how to turn passive contemplation into intentional action, leverage your executive experience, and create a lifestyle where you show up to your career entirely by choice.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What is an executive "balcony moment" and how does it help you audit your current career season? How do shifting family milestones—from newborns to college-bound kids—redefine professional goals? Why is waiting to feel 100% ready the number one trap holding leaders back from starting an independent business? How does the principle "the only constant in life is change" apply to modern enterprise sales and strategy? What does it take to move from theoretical side-business ideas into concrete execution?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Reflection on a Family Milestone: A Summer on the Hudson Bay 01:10 - The Evolving Phases of Life: Kids, College, Aging Parents, and Promotions 02:05 - The Balcony Moment: Looking Over NYC and Auditing the New Chapter 02:45 - Heraclitus and Constant Change: Aligning Your Career with Life Shifts 03:30 - Why You Don't Need to Be 100% Ready to Start Building Independent Assets 04:15 - Leaning In with Intention: Taking Action in Your Current Season 05:00 - Moving From Theory to Practice: Taking the Next Move Today   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Shifting from Hours to Outcomes: How Tech Dads Trade Overwhelm for Presence - Derek Schutz 09.09.2026 43min

  Are you a senior corporate leader, director, or enterprise tech VP who has climbed to a high-paying salary, yet you find yourself completely exhausted from putting 60 to 70 hours a week into the machine?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Derek Schutz—a senior director leading a massive services team and a multimillion-dollar account portfolio at a market-leading enterprise software brand. Derek pulls back the curtain on his own profound personal wake-up call, sharing how the compounding physical and psychological stress of corporate "busyness" led him to completely audit his calendar capital. Discover how to utilize corporate execution principles—like tracking lead measures instead of lag measures—to compress your working schedule down to a high-impact 40 hours. Learn how to have direct, proactive conversations with your management team to establish unbreakable professional boundaries, and see how to parlay your enterprise leadership capital into an independent, highly rewarding side project completely by choice, not obligation.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can a senior tech director utilize corporate execution strategies to compress an exhausting 70-hour work week down to 40 hours? What are the most effective ways to manage up and set strict availability boundaries with your corporate management? How do you shift your day-to-day focus from historical "lag measures" to predictive "lead measures" to guarantee professional and personal success? Why is an environmental and digital reset critical for corporate leaders looking to eliminate unproductive distraction and screen time? How does a high-performing professional overcome the internal friction and fear of publishing content publicly on LinkedIn?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Corporate Execution: Maximizing Multimillion-Dollar Portfolios While Building Options 02:21 - The Big Tech Tipping Point: Navigating Constant Layoffs and Artificial Intelligence 03:51 - The Legacy Routine Trap: Shifting From Safe Corporate Paths into Family Legacies 04:30 - Salesforce Advantages: Appreciating Enterprise Perks While Spotting Quota Limits 05:58 - The Steel Reserve Wake-Up Call: Battling the Accumulated Dad-Bod Effect 08:23 - Quality vs. Quantity: Making a Powerful Visual and Behavioral Shift for Your Kids 08:45 - Shaving It Down: Reclaiming the 5-to-8 PM Window for Radical Family Presence 09:58 - Managing Up: Having the Platinum Dialogue with Your Boss About Priorities 11:25 - The 20-Goal Fallacy: Stripping Your Corporate Calendar Down to What Management Truly Cares About 12:20 - 4DX Frameworks: Tracking Predictive Lead Measures Instead of Reactionary Lag Measures 13:50 - Friction Reduction: Designing Environment Resets for Your Gym Wardrobe and Kitchen Pantry 14:51 - Digital Cleaning: Auditing Who You Follow to Eliminate Mindless Screen Scrolling 16:32 - Hitting Fears Head-On: Overcoming the Discomfort of Your First LinkedIn Post 18:00 - Output Over Hours: Why Enterprise Software Cares About Results, Not Grinding 18:50 - The Trough Mantra: "This Will Be the Story You Will One Day Tell" 21:45 - Reclaiming Your Freedom and Connecting with Derek Schutz   Connect with Derek Schutz: Website: https://levelupfordads.com/    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Move 37: How to Shatter Corporate Limiting Beliefs with a Beginner's Mind 08.09.2026 11min

  Are you an overachieving sales leader, director, or enterprise tech executive feeling trapped by the assumption that your only choices are grinding up the rigid corporate ladder or risking everything by walking away?   In this thought-provoking solo episode, host Billy Keels explores the profound lessons hidden inside Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act: A Way of Being, drawing a direct parallel between modern career design and the legendary board game Go, a game played for over 3,000 years. Billy breaks down the famous "Move 37" executed by DeepMind's AlphaGo artificial intelligence, a move so unprecedented that it shocked the world's greatest master because it completely ignored 30 centuries of human limiting beliefs. Discover how adopting a true beginner's mind (innocent ignorance) allows you to strip away standard corporate conditioning, break free from conventional linear promotion steps, and execute your own "Move C," allowing you to continuously overperform in your corporate role while simultaneously building a high-impact, independent side venture that puts you in complete control of your time and income.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What is the story of "Move 37" in the game of Go, and why does it matter to corporate leaders? How do subtle, unexamined limiting beliefs quietly cap an executive's professional potential? What does it mean to adopt a "beginner's mind" to solve complex corporate and business challenges? Why is assuming you must choose between corporate performance or business ownership a false binary? How can you combine past enterprise experience with current curiosity to engineer your own "Move C"?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Human Beings vs. Human Doings: Insights from Rick Rubin's The Creative Act 00:45 - The 3,000-Year-Old Game: Introduction to Go and AlphaGo 01:30 - The Inner Game: Why the Real Battle Is Always You vs. You 02:10 - The Legend of Move 37: How AI Broke 30 Centuries of Human Logic 03:20 - The Dejected Master: Why Unprecedented Moves Cause Disruption 04:10 - The Beginner's Mind: Removing Knowledge Blockers and Conditioning 05:05 - The Corporate Ladder Trap: SDR to AE to Director vs. Your Own Path 05:50 - Overcoming the Binary Myth: Overperforming in Corporate AND Building Assets 06:40 - Executing Your Move C: Combining Past Experience with Modern Curiosity 07:25 - Taking Action: Moving from Theory to Practice Today   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Leveraging Corporate Communication Habits to Build Global Career Options - Derek Smith 02.09.2026 37min

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or enterprise leader who wants to take the high-level communication habits you mastered in the corporate world and turn them into a sovereign, global career?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Derek Smith—a public speaking coach and veteran MC of over 5,000 events who used his corporate foundation to engineer an international lifestyle spanning 54 houses across three continents. Derek reveals how winning Samsung's content creator competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics served as a turning point, why over 70% of communication is non-verbal when navigating global boundaries, and how asking one life-changing question shifted his entire trajectory. Discover how to leverage corporate team dynamics, overcome the fear of starting late, focus on "Who, Not How," and build a business in your personal zone of genius entirely on your own terms.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How do you transition from an enterprise corporate foundation to a sovereign, global MC career? Why is non-verbal communication critical when expanding your footprint across international markets? How do you handle holding a room's energy as a professional Master of Ceremonies (MC)? What single, life-changing question shifts your career trajectory and overcomes the fear of starting late? How do you apply the "Who, Not How" framework to stop doing everything alone and scale your impact?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Derek Smith and the Transition from Corporate to Global MC 03:53 - The 2010 Winter Olympics Turning Point: Samsung Content Creator Competition 05:39 - The Critical Corporate Lesson: Leveraging Team Dynamics in Business 09:35 - Embracing the Nomadic Lifestyle: 54 Houses and Three Continents 16:05 - Unlocking Global Opportunities Through Non-Verbal Communication 22:41 - What It Actually Means to Be an MC and Hold a Room's Energy 28:39 - The Life-Changing Question That Shifted Derek's Career Overnight 33:27 - Overcoming the Fear of Starting Late & Finding Your Zone of Genius 37:22 - Schedule Sovereignty: Applying "Who Not How" to Own Your Time   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Finding the Right Side Business Model for Your Corporate Skill Set 01.09.2026 13min

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or senior AE burning the candle at both ends because you're forcing a cookie-cutter side business that doesn't fit your background?   In this highly strategic solo episode, host Billy Keels breaks down why choosing the wrong side venture model leads to intense overwhelm, wasted energy, and a loss of your most critical asset—your time. Drawing from his 26-year corporate career managing $100M EMEA operations for a legacy German enterprise software titan, Billy shares how he built a side asset engine generating $212,000+ per year in additional revenue. Discover how to analyze your current resources using the high-level "invest or build" framework, calculate your exact optionality number down to the decimal place, and trade the limiting fear of failure for a powerful mindset shift: What if it actually works?   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can a senior corporate leader find the fastest side business model to generate quick wins? What is the hidden relationship between your available capital, required control, and the business path you choose? Why is knowing your career optionality number down to the exact decimal point critical to stopping the endless work loop? How does answering the question "What if it does work?" shift an executive's transition confidence? What does it feel like to spend the last 4 years of a corporate career completely independent of a company paycheck?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Creating Professional Optionality Aligned with Your Values 01:10 - Reclaiming the Global Strategy: An Overview of 26 Years in Corporate 02:30 - The Illusion of the President's Club and the Reality of Paycheck Dependency 03:40 - Burning the Candle at Both Ends: Reaching a Year-and-a-Half Breakthrough 04:55 - 5 Years Outside the Enterprise: Why the Corporate Game Stays the Same 05:40 - The Strategic Fork in the Road: Evaluating the Invest vs. Build Model 06:35 - Tracking Your Escape Route: Why You Need an Exact Decimal Number 07:50 - Navigating Unfamiliar Spaces and Embracing the Discomfort of the Unknown 08:35 - Shifting the Focus: Olivier Jadoul and asking "What If It Does Work?" 09:50 - The 41 Streams of Income Engine: Managing 400+ LP Units 11:00 - Walking into Boardrooms by Choice: Shifting From Theory to Skill Mastery   Featured/Mentioned Previous Epsiodes:   Episode 623:  https://www.billykeels.com/podcasts/turning-ambitions-into-real-world-actions---olivier-jadoul  Episode 615:  https://www.billykeels.com/podcasts/the-truth-about-when-to-build-or-invest  Episode 457: www.billykeels.com/podcasts/how-to-easily-identify-the-number-to-make-your-job-optional    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  From Cartier to Spain: How This Luxury Executive Redesigned Her Life for Impact - Katrina Logie 27.08.2026 31min

  Are you a high-performing senior director, marketer, or brand strategist operating at the pinnacle of international luxury or management consulting, yet feeling an unshakeable urge to redirect your elite corporate execution into your own independent assets?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Katrina Logie, an international community strategist, startup mentor, and the visionary founder of Be Athletes. Katrina breaks down her professional trajectory, navigating high-stakes marketing, retail, and operational divisions across legendary brands like Christie's Fine Art, Cartier, and Bain & Company. Discover how an international stint working the Olympic Games shattered her conditioning regarding "institutional security" and traditional career timelines. Learn how to navigate family skepticism when stepping off the standard corporate path, leverage your enterprise strategy reps to serve startup networks, and implement a calculated "athlete's mindset" to construct powerful professional choices entirely on your own terms.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can an executive identify the precise season when institutional security starts to limit personal growth? What does it look like to transfer top-tier consulting frameworks from firms like Bain & Company into independent ventures? How do you handle internal and family-driven anxieties when stepping away from highly prestigious global brands? Why is an iterative, testing-based approach superior to standard perfectionism when building an independent community? How does integrating the habits, visualization models, and physical disciplines of an elite athlete prevent founder burnout?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Recording Track Intro: Redesigning a Luxury Corporate Path for Deep Personal Impact 01:10 - The Generation Trajectory: Unpacking Traditional Career Expectations vs. Creative Curiosity 01:54 - Christie's Fine Art & Cartier: Gaining Elite Institutional Experience in London 02:30 - The Olympic Catalyst: How Living in Sydney and London Disrupted Corporate Conditioning 03:00 - Bain & Company: Shifting from the Outside In to Master Organizational Strategy 03:45 - The Startup Jump: Moving Beyond Multi-Layered Corporate Hierarchies 05:00 - The Sovereignty Shift: Moving to Spain and Launching as an Independent Consultant 05:40 - Overcoming the Safety Narrative: Navigating Parental Concerns Regarding Career Risk 06:35 - The Who Factor: Why Your Core Professional Network Dictates Your Long-Term Value 07:50 - Defeating Academic Perfectionism: Embracing an Iterative Solution-Finding Process 08:35 - The Genesis of Be Athletes: Injecting Rigor and Good Habits into Founder Networks 10:15 - Breaking Stagnation: Using Movement and Sport to Shift Mindsets and Get Out of Your Head 11:00 - 6-to-12 Week Sprints: Launching High-Impact Programs for Teams and Leaders 12:15 - Reclaiming Your Freedom and Connecting with Katrina Logie   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Shifting from Career Success to Personal Legacy: A Lesson for High Achievers 25.08.2026 10min

  Are you a senior director, VP, or elite account executive completely nose-down in your career, chasing corporate accolades, status, and wealth while your family's attention slips away?   In this highly reflective solo episode, host Billy Keels breaks his own rules to make a mandatory recommendation: anyone managing a demanding multinational career needs to watch George Clooney's movie J. Kelly. Following the story of a massively successful, wealthy superstar actor at the tail end of his career, Billy highlights the painful, subtle realities of a high performer who achieved the absolute pinnacle of external validation, only to realize his deepest true desire was simply to capture the attention of his daughters—before realizing he had spent decades being "on" for the wrong people. Learn how to find true harmony over balance, escape the corporate machine's lease option on your life, and intentionally protect the relationships that actually belong to you before time runs out.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: Why should George Clooney's movie J. Kelly be considered required viewing for senior corporate leaders? What is the hidden relationship cost when a high-performing executive focuses entirely on personal status and accolades? What is the difference between chasing an impossible "work-life balance" versus creating true professional harmony? How does the corporate machine trick high earners into trading away irreplaceable time with their children? Why do physical corporate assets go back to the machine while personal relationships remain your only true asset? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Breaking the Rules: A Mandatory Movie Recommendation for Senior Leaders 01:10 - Sunday Reflection: Unwinding on the Couch to Analyze J. Kelly 02:15 - The Superstar Trap: Accolades, Wealth, and High-Performance DNA 03:30 - The Tail End of a Career: What Matters Most to a 60-Year-Old Achiever 04:30 - The Subtle Truth: Realizing You Are Constantly Alone Inside the Machine 05:15 - The European Travel Trap: When Your Family Rejects Your Time 06:05 - Who is Standing Beside You in the End? Agents vs. Family 07:00 - The Lease Option: Why Corporate Fame and Luxury Cars All Go Back 08:15 - Reclaiming Harmony: Intentionally Investing in Those Looking for Your Attention 09:30 - Reclaiming Your 168: Moving from Success Theory to Personal Practice 📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets.   With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day.   This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  The Subway Wake-Up Call: Engineering Your Career's Next Chapter - Rupinder Mangat 20.08.2026 39min

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or enterprise tech leader who has spent decades climbing the corporate ladder, yet feels an unshakeable urge to stop postponing the personal legacy projects that matter most?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Rupinder Mangat—a veteran technology executive with over 30 years leading enterprise sales, business strategy, and global initiatives at industry titans like Gartner, IBM, and Microsoft. Rupinder shares her remarkable trajectory as a British expat transitioning into corporate America, revealing the exact moment a near-miss subway injury forced her to stop doubting her value, sign her voluntary retirement agreement, and embrace true schedule sovereignty. Discover how to transfer top-tier corporate assets like "influencing without authority" into independent assets, overcome the emotional friction of surrendering your company badge, and build a vibrant second-act venture that serves underserved professional communities entirely on your own terms.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How does a 30-year tech executive handle the emotional transition of stepping away from Microsoft? What are the subtle, critical cultural differences between executing corporate strategy in the UK versus corporate America?   How do you successfully transfer enterprise skills like "influencing without authority" into independent entrepreneurship? Why is separating your individual identity from your corporate company badge essential for long-term career optionality? How can women executives over 50 overcome self-doubt to launch high-impact independent assets? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Broadcast Recording Setup: Thursday, July 23, 2026, with Rupinder Mangat 03:40 - Life Is Too Short: A Subway Wake-Up Call in New York City 05:11 - The Door Ajar: Deciding to Accept a Voluntary Retirement Offer 08:35 - The Subway Injury Realization: Shifting Out of Self-Doubt and Fear   11:40 - Crossing the Atlantic: Transitioning from UK Tech Sales to US Corporate Strategy   14:36 - The Cultural Map: Navigating American Corporate Norms vs. British Workplace Traditions 17:49 - Enterprise Asset Transfer: Mastering "Influencing Without Authority" and Active Listening 21:37 - Surrendering the Badge: Overcoming the Identity Trap of High-Paying Tech Salaries 24:22 - Building Personal Credibility: Walking Into Boardrooms Without corporate backing 27:12 - Launching "Her Next Chapter": Serving Underserved Professional Women Over 50 31:30 - The Freedom Shock: Setting Up an Independent Company in 30 Minutes 36:24 - Perspective in the Trough: Remembering You've Handled Adversity Before   39:20 - Social Club Focus: Connecting with Rupinder Mangat and Her Next Chapter   How to connect with Rupinder: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupinder-mangat-a679111a/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/hernextchapterhq/  Event and Tickets:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/her-next-chapter-launch-event-tickets-1992294378116    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Shifting Your Priorities: Why Your Title Can't Buy True Family Time 18.08.2026 11min

  Are you a senior executive or elite tech leader spending all your working hours riding a corporate treadmill, sacrificing deep presence with aging parents or growing children just to secure the next title?   In this transparent and deeply reflective solo episode, host Billy Keels breaks down a powerful life lesson on how life experiences fundamentally reshape a high performer's priorities. Billy recounts his recent 3,925-mile transatlantic investment—flying from Barcelona to the United States for a brief five-day trip purely to celebrate his mother's birthday and watch basketball on the couch with his father. Drawing contrast against his 26-year corporate history managing $100M EMEA operations for a blue-logo German enterprise software giant, Billy breaks down what it truly feels like to exit corporate dependency. Learn how to achieve a lifestyle where you no longer need to beg a boss for personal time off (PTO), how to transition your relationship with your 168 weekly hours, and how to build a predictable pathway to optionality that lets you be fully present for the moments that matter most.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How do an executive's personal priorities radically shift as their parents and children grow older? What does true time control feel like compared to chasing corporate titles and enterprise perks? How can a high achiever build a sustainable professional model without needing to request PTO? What is the reality of battling severe jet lag as a mature professional compared to traveling early in your career? How do you realign your weekly 168 hours to focus on personal impact and deep presence with loved ones? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Tipping Point: How Life Experiences Rewire Your True Priorities 01:10 - Investing 3,925 Miles Across the Atlantic for a Birthday Celebration 02:15 - Reflecting on 26 Years of Corporate Enterprise Software Accolades 03:30 - The Reality Shift: Aging Parents, Growing Kids, and Long-Distance Realities 04:30 - Reclaiming Time Autonomy After Shifting Through Personal Change 05:40 - The Power of Independence: Traveling Stateside Without Asking a Boss 06:35 - Couch Time with Dad and Car Time with Mom: Reclaiming Precious Moments 08:15 - Mother Time Catches Up: Navigating Jet Lag in an Over-40 Transition 09:30 - Escaping the Corporate Treadmill of Constant Growth and Always-On Stress 11:00 - Moving From Time Management Theory to Radical Personal Practice   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  The Resilient Executive: Turning Life's Toughest Reset Points into Career Options - Diwas Timsina 13.08.2026 46min

  Are you a senior tech leader, architect, or enterprise sales executive sitting on high-value technical acumen, wondering how to channel your skills into an independent venture without sacrificing your corporate career?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Diwas Timsina, a Customer Success Architect at a market leading enterprise software and services company, founder and CTO of Sarva, and former TEDx speaker. Born in a refugee camp in eastern Nepal, Diwas details his journey of arriving in the U.S. at age 14, changing high schools three times, and ultimately earning his MBA while navigating corporate consulting and enterprise software. Discover how Diwas uses the methodology of "building quietly" to prove concepts to himself before sharing them publicly, how he translates C-suite enterprise client conversations into grassroots multilingual AI tools for small vendors, and how to maintain total perspective during career challenges by remembering your ultimate starting point.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm 📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can an enterprise tech professional quietly build a side business without disrupting their main career track? What does it look like to transition from a refugee camp background into C-suite enterprise consulting? How do you leverage high-level corporate architecture reps to solve real-world problems for small businesses?   Why is "building quietly and proving it to yourself first" the ultimate strategy for high performers?   How do you maintain mental resilience and perspective when facing high-stress corporate or business obstacles? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Broadcast Recording Setup: Thursday, July 23, 2026, with Diwas Timsina 03:07 - Dual-Track Success: Refugee Camp Origins to IBM Customer Success Architect 04:47 - The Golden Rule: Build Quietly, Prove It to Yourself, and Share What Works   07:22 - The 14-Year Refugee Journey: Resettling in the U.S. and Overcoming Multiple Resets 10:36 - Relocating to the Bay Area: Pursuing an MBA to Expand the Professional Network 14:30 - The CEO Meeting: How a Junior Achievement Opportunity with AT&T Shifted His Mindset 18:00 - Parental Sacrifices: Turning Generational Hustle into Enterprise Opportunity 22:30 - The Genesis of Sarva: Building Multilingual AI Tools for Underserved Small Businesses 28:48 - Enterprise Transferable Assets: Connecting Technical Dots with C-Suite Empathy 33:12 - Refusing the Trade-Off: Embracing Your Own Unique Journey Over Comparison Traps 37:08 - Grounding in the Trough: Using Past Real-Life Perspective to Overcome Roadblocks   42:00 - Connecting with Diwas Timsina and Exploring Sarva Contact Diwas: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/diwas-timsina/    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets.   With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  The Corporate Line Item Trap: Why Executives Are Afraid to Invest in Themselves 11.08.2026 14min

  Are you a senior corporate leader or high-performing director relying on your company's learning and development budget to dictate your personal growth and future security?   In this empowering solo episode, host Billy Keels reacts to a powerful life lesson from fellow podcaster Chris Williamson: no one is coming to save you. Billy pulls back the curtain on why market-leading multinationals constantly put their money where their mouth is—investing massive financial resources into technical skills, soft skills, and elite methodologies like MEDDIC or Challenger Sales to fuel their corporate organism. Discover why you must break the habit of putting yourself last, treat your personal transition as your own business line item, and aggressively invest your own time, effort, and capital into guided frameworks that unlock a predictable pathway to optionality while you continue to excel at your 9-to-5.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm 📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What does Chris Williamson's phrase "no one is coming to save you" mean for corporate leaders?   Why do large multinational corporations invest so heavily in training their frontline executives?   How do you shift your mindset from a corporate line item to creating your own personal L&D budget?   What is the true opportunity cost of trying to launch a side business completely alone?   How can making a significant personal financial investment dramatically accelerate your business decisions?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Solo Strategy: Moving Beyond General Corporate Concepts   01:10 - Reacting to Chris Williamson: Life Lessons in 60 Seconds 02:00 - The Loud Inner Voice: Shifting from Promotable to Optional   02:45 - The High Cost of Going It Alone on Your Side Business   03:40 - Why Market Leaders Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is   04:55 - MEDDIC, Spin, and Challenger: Analyzing Corporate L&D Investments   06:15 - Becoming the Market Leader of Your Own Personal Optionality   07:10 - Breaking the Habit of Putting Your Own Growth Last   08:35 - Billy's First Six-Figure Investment in a Personal Coach   09:50 - Maximizing the 168: Using Guided Action to Hit Your North Star   11:00 - Reclaiming Your Worth: Shifting From Theory into Practice   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  What Does Optionality Mean If You Don't Want to Quit Your Corporate Job? - Chad Greenlee 06.08.2026 41min

  Are you a senior executive or elite corporate leader who thinks achieving true career optionality means you are forced to quit the corporate game you actually enjoy?   In this highly unique guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Chad Greenlee, a partner at Creative Planning and one of the very first members to go through what is known today as the Executive Edge Advisory Program. Chad pulls back the curtain on why typical "popular opinions" regarding financial independence are flawed, sharing how a midnight flight unlock forced him to ditch cookie-cutter definitions of work-life balance and build a customized "ideal day" model. Discover how Chad utilized ghostwriting, marketing, and copywriting skills honed in his side venture to build a multi-million dollar intern pipeline for his employer, land a massive promotion to Vice President of Sales after seven previous rejections, and confidently master his career on his own timeline.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What does career optionality actually look like for a senior leader who chooses not to quit their corporate job? How can an executive handle the emotional transition of scaling back a side business to go "all in" on a major corporate acquisition? Why is the foundational equation "Am I valuable and am I available?" the ultimate key to permanent employability[cite: 3, 5]? How can a senior professional bounce back after being turned down seven times for leadership positions to secure a VP of Sales role[cite: 3, 5]? What are the benefits of having an outside mentor regurgitate your words back to you to identify what tasks to stop doing?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Following Your Curiosity: A Track Record of Corporate Excellence 01:14 - Redefining Freedom: Why Optionality Doesn't Mean Quitting Your Job 02:28 - Sabbatical Realities: The Delayed Midnight Notes App Breakthrough 03:40 - Transitioning from Burnout to Becoming an Executive Champion 04:55 - The FIRE Movement Trap: Why the Leisure Path Lacks Purpose 05:40 - The Miyagi Moment: Using One-on-One Accountability to See the Big Picture 06:35 - Platinum Advice: Why It is More Important to Choose What You Stop Doing 07:50 - Building a Personal L&D Budget: Leveraging Smart Phones to Close Deals 08:35 - Replacing a Corporate Salary in 90 Days Through Copywriting and Ghostwriting[cite: 3, 5] 09:50 - Overcoming 7 Corporate Rejections to Secure a VP of Sales Job[cite: 3, 5] 11:00 - The 360-Appointment Engine: Leading a High-Impact Intern Team[cite: 3, 5] 12:15 - Building a Board of Advisors: Controlling the Simplest First Steps[cite: 3, 5] 13:30 - How to Execute a Personalized Invitation to Connect with Chad Greenlee   Contact Chad Greenlee: Website:  https://creativeplanning.com/team/chad-greenlee/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadgreenlee/    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  Every Corporate Relationship Ends: Lessons from Pep Guardiola 04.08.2026 14min

  Even the greatest leaders in the world eventually hit the end of the road. Pep Guardiola, for the decade that he was at Manchester City, won 20 titles. But when it was time for him to walk away, it was the inner voice inside of him that told him it was that his time was up. This episode reveals exactly why every corporate relationship ends and what you can do to make sure that you don't have complacency destroy your edge.    Going Long Podcast Episode 652: Every Corporate Relationship Ends: Lessons from Pep Guardiola    ( To see the Video Version of today's conversation just CLICK HERE. )   In today's episode of The Going Long Podcast, you'll learn the following:   [00:24 - 00:53] Billy welcomes us to and introduces today's show. [00:53 - 09:31] Billy discusses the inevitability of corporate relationships ending, using Pep Guardiola's career as an example. emphasizing the importance of recognizing when it's time to move on and preparing for transitions.  [13:10 - 14:11] Billy wraps up the show.   If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, then grab your FREE ebook with Billy's proven 3 step process at:  www.makeitoptional.com What you can expect to get out of this ebook: Learn how to achieve corporate optionality Gain true control over your career Turn corporate skills into personal assets With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, achieved optionality through multiple income streams, Billy has helped dozens of executives build their paths to take control of their time. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and start living your IDEAL day - today! Go to: www.makeitoptional.com Click the above link or just copy and paste the following directly into your browser to sign up and get your free ebook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm  To see the Video Version of today's conversation just CLICK HERE.   How to leave a review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI     Be sure to connect with Billy!  He's made it easy for you to do…Just go to any of these sites:   Website: www.billykeels.com Youtube: billykeels Facebook: Billy Keels Fan Page Instagram: @billykeels Twitter: @billykeels LinkedIn: Billy Keels  
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  Shifting the Equation: How a Near-Death Awakening Redefines Executive Freedom - Roger Simó Garcia 30.07.2026 46min

  Are you an overachieving general manager or country director running massive turnaround strategies, yet realizing your body is sending signals that your schedule is completely out of alignment?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Roger Simo, a veteran corporate executive with over two decades of experience leading world-class brands across Europe and West Africa, including Molson Coors, SAB Miller, Asahi, and Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Roger shares the profound psychological impact of surviving a sudden, life-threatening appendicitis infection and medical evacuation while serving on the front lines of global enterprise expansion. Discover how to establish your own core value frameworks, transition away from the limiting belief that you are trapped by a single executive title, and leverage your high-stakes team alignment skills to handle major transition crossroads entirely by choice, not obligation.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can a near-death health crisis fundamentally accelerate an executive's timeline to optionality? What does it look like to wear multiple functional hats inside smaller, high-growth multi-national business units? How can an enterprise sales leader use the discipline of elite competitive sports to build world-class corporate cultures? Why is defining your core personal values essential before making your next major corporate or independent move? What is the exact mathematical relationship between time control, cash flow, and true professional sovereignty?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Elite Enterprise DNA: Running Multi-National Consumer Goods Operations 01:50 - The Transatlantic Evacuation: Surviving a Sudden Health Crisis in Cabo Verde 04:20 - Volatile and Fragile: Developing Grounded Gratitude One Year Later 06:51 - The Outsider Mindset: Driving Resourceful Market Turnarounds Under Pressure 09:00 - Wearing Multiple Hats: The Learning Speed of Smaller Business Units 10:55 - The Genetic Itch: Balancing Enterprise Excellence with Side Asset Curiosity 13:20 - The Cost of Overwhelm: Missing the Small Print on Side Real Estate Contracts 15:37 - Defining the Ultimate Metric: The Uncompromising Pursuit of Freedom 17:00 - The Strategic Core Four: Unpacking Kindness, Respect, Freedom, and Friendship 19:27 - Carving Out Introspection: Utilizing External Executive Coaches Amidst Chaos 21:40 - Defeating Limiting Beliefs: Choosing Team Synergy Over Individual All-Star Status 25:53 - The Last Dance Effect: Building Corporate Environments on Athletic Principles 29:55 - Friday at 7 PM: The Brutal Energy Realities of High-Performing Leaders 33:45 - Listening to the Machine: When the Body Forces You to Listen to Alignment 36:06 - At the Crossroads: Managing the Psychological Friction of Having Too Many Options 38:58 - The Trough Shield: Remembering That Everything Passes and Trusting Your Guts 44:02 - Expanding Your Circle: How to Leave a Personalized Invitation for Roger Simo   Find and Contact Roger Simó Garcia: LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/rogersimo/es    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  You Are Just a Number in Corporate: How to Use It to Your Advantage 28.07.2026 16min

  Are you a senior corporate executive, VP, or elite account executive struggling with the cold reality that no matter how many deals you close, you are ultimately just a number to the machine?   In this powerful solo episode, host Billy Keels shares an essential mindset shift from his 26-year corporate career—recalling his own login ID, I037, which he typed up to a hundred times a day in a company of 150,000 employees. Billy drops a truth bomb for high achievers: being a corporate number isn't a bad thing if you stop resenting it and start using the exchange to your advantage. Learn how to emotionally detach your personal identity from your corporate title, deliver elite outcomes in fewer hours, and leverage your 9-to-5 corporate skills to safely construct 41 streams of income on the side so you can confidently walk into boardrooms strictly by choice, not necessity.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What does it mean to accept that you are a number in a large multinational corporation? How can emotionally detaching from your corporate title increase your confidence at work? How can a senior director utilize corporate sales skills to build a team in their 5-to-9 side venture? What are the benefits of transitioning from working more hours to producing highly optimized outcomes? How can an executive replace their corporate paycheck with $212,000+ in annual side revenue?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - The Reality of a 26-Year Multinational Corporate Career 01:15 - Managing a $100 Million EMEA Business Across Three Organizational Layers 02:00 - Employee ID I037: The Subconscious Reminder of the Corporate Machine 03:30 - The Jocko Mindset Shift: Embracing the Reality of Being a Number 04:30 - Why You Should Stop Chasing Promotions That Disrupt Your Lifestyle Design 05:40 - Building Generational Wealth Beyond the Corporate Login Field 06:35 - Turning Your 9-to-5 Multinational DNA into 5-to-9 Real Estate Cash Flow 07:50 - Navigating the Messy Middle: Working Smarter and Reaching for Help 09:10 - Managing 41 Streams of Income While Attending President's Club in Hawaii 10:15 - Reclaiming Total Control Over Your 168 Hours and Personal Identity 11:00 - Moving From Corporate Theory into Practice Outside the Enterprise walls   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels  
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  The Dual-Track Blueprint: Leveraging Corporate Acumen to Scale Side Assets - Will Holdren 23.07.2026 37min

  Are you a senior corporate executive or high-performing leader sitting on immense professional capital, yet wondering how to safely translate your day-to-day corporate discipline into personal cash-flowing assets?   In this dynamic guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Will Holdren—the founder of Aureate Properties LLC, host of the Will Power Podcast, and an elite professional operating within a high-net-worth family office. Will pulls back the curtain on his rapid career trajectory, sharing how he launched a podcast as a junior in high school to interview over 250 successful individuals, ultimately bypassing standard resume templates to secure a highly sophisticated corporate role. Discover how Will structures his 168 hours to cleanly isolate his 9-to-5 client execution from his 5-to-9 real estate projects, how he navigates multi-entity liability structures to decrease tax exposure, and why practicing the power of saying "no" to superficial distractions is the ultimate baseline for long-term career optionality.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: How can a young professional utilize a podcasting engine to build an elite network and completely bypass standard job applications? What does it look like to leverage high-level corporate training in a family office to master complex business structures? How can an executive utilize a holding company model to legally offset subsidiary gains with short-term real estate depreciation losses? Why is absolute compartmentalization critical when balancing top-tier enterprise execution with an independent alternative venture? What are the 2 primary mindset struggles high performers face when scaling a side enterprise with no immediate guarantee of success?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Dual-Track Mastery: Maximizing Client Success While Building Independent Options 03:53 - The Power of the Medium: Turning High School Curiosity Into a 250-Guest Network 05:39 - Dirt Roads and Amish Neighbors: Shifting Out of Comfort Zones into Metro Atlanta 09:35 - Finding the Pattern: Managing Structural Risks by Interviewing World-Class Operators 11:31 - Overcoming the Whiteboard Traps: Navigating the Setbacks of Your First Real Estate Acquisition 13:27 - The Family Office Vault: Gaining Elite Technical Acumen on a Holistic Basis 16:05 - Entity Structuring 101: Utilizing Subsidiaries for Clean Liability Shelters and Tax Reductions 17:49 - The Corporate Advantage: Why Launching with Corporate Footing Beats Immediate Entrepreneurship 19:58 - Go Time Execution: Protecting the Boundaries of Your 9-to-5 and Your 5-to-9 22:41 - The Half-Step Edge: Designing a Rigid Morning Routine to Handle QuickBooks and Accounts 24:54 - Platinum Advice: Learning to Say No and Putting Your Personal Timeline First 28:39 - The Passive Vehicle: Choosing Real Estate for Tax Efficiency and Asset Appreciation 30:59 - Lifelong Mediums: Landing Nine-Figure Network Partners via Cold Social Media DMs 33:27 - Staying Unstuck in the Trough: Winning the Day by Returning to the Fundamentals 37:22 - Open Lines: How to Connect with Will Holdren directly via Aria Properties   Connect with Will Holdren: Website:  https://aureateproperties.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/will_holdren/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-holdren  Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/willpower-podcast/id1466222099    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  The 3-Step Foundation to Make Your Corporate Role Optional 20.07.2026 16min

  Are you an overachieving corporate director, VP, or senior AE who is completely exhausted from burning the candle at both ends trying to launch a side business?   In this empowering solo episode, host Billy Keels speaks directly to high-performing multinational professionals who feel stuck and overwhelmed by the sheer friction of balancing key performance indicators (KPIs) with their entrepreneurial dreams. Billy unpacks the common trap of building a side venture on a shaky, "sandy foundation" and introduces the exact three-step optionality equation required to transition from corporate dependence to true path control. Learn how to gain quantifiable clarity over your goals, integrate your career to deliver high-quality outcomes in fewer hours, and safely scale independent, predictable streams of income so you can walk into the office entirely by choice, not out of necessity.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: Why do high performers get completely stuck and overwhelmed when launching a side business? What does it mean to build a side business on a "sandy foundation"? How can a senior corporate leader optimize their corporate outcomes while reducing their working hours? What are the 3 foundational steps to calculating your unique path to optionality? How can an executive build 41 streams of income over an 8-year period while working a demanding day job?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Overcoming Overthink and Burnout as a High Performer 01:15 - Redefining Financial Freedom: Time Control vs. Keeping Money 02:30 - The Toll of Burning the Candle at Both Ends 03:40 - Understanding the Real Mindset of a Corporate Independent 04:30 - The Sandy Foundation: Why Your Side Venture is Causing Overwhelm 05:15 - Step 1: Getting Crystal Clear and Quantifiably Focused on Your Why 06:05 - Step 2: Optimizing Career Outcomes to Create Free Time 07:00 - Step 3: Reclaiming Control Over Your Time and Income Generation 08:15 - Navigating the Discomfort of Shifting Your Corporate Identity 09:10 - The 8-Year Blueprint: Building 41 Streams of Income on the Side 10:15 - The Power of Guided Action: Moving From Theory to Practice   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  From Academic VP to Global Venture Founder with Chris Gray 16.07.2026 45min

  Are you a senior executive or high-performing corporate director who cracks your quarterly metrics, but wants to create more personal autonomy over your schedule?   In this transparent guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Chris Gray—a former campus academic vice president who successfully translated his corporate leadership capital into multiple thriving independent ventures, including Red Palm Solutions, Bald Buck, and the Earn Core community of over 4,000 global business owners. Chris pulls back the curtain on his professional evolution, sharing how an honest look out his office window on a random Tuesday afternoon catalyzed his journey toward true lifestyle sovereignty. Discover how to lean into challenging personal seasons, stop letting distractions delay your execution, and use external advisors to unlock the radical self-awareness required to run your career completely by choice, not obligation.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm 📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: What does it look like to maintain executive excellence while actively developing independent professional options? How can a senior leader audit their weekly 168 hours to prioritize high-impact execution over standard entertainment? Why is aligning with a mentor who is further along the path essential for an enterprise professional? How do you successfully transition corporate team-building and accountability reps into your own ventures? Why is letting go of the illusion of absolute personal control the ultimate key to expanding your financial choices? ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Maximizing Executive Performance: Moving From VP to Serial Venture Owner 01:37 - Shifting the Focus: Understanding Career Alignment in Higher Education Leadership 03:40 - The Tuesday Window: Analyzing Strategic Timelines and Lifestyle Design 05:20 - Reclaiming Your 168: Making Deliberate Short-Term Sacrifices for Long-Term Autonomy 06:32 - Navigating Tough Personal Seasons: Finding Grit in Jiu-Jitsu and Fatherhood   10:26 - Shifting Mindsets: Moving Past External Validation Toward Self-Approval 14:58 - Upgrading Your Network: Partnering with Advisors Who Are Steps Ahead 20:32 - Defeating Imposter Syndrome: Building a High Tolerance for Higher-Level Rooms   23:15 - Transferable Assets: Shifting Corporate Accountability Reps Outside the Walls 26:42 - Platinum Advice: Why You Cannot React Poorly If You Want the True Data 28:14 - Red Palm Solutions: Maximizing Local Business Models Using Smart AI   31:52 - Earn Core Community: Creating the Private No-Hide Mastermind Engine   36:22 - Letting Go of the Illusion of Absolute Personal Control to Accelerate Growth 40:19 - Reclaiming Your Freedom and Connecting with Chris Gray How best to find and connect with Chris: Website: https://www.yochrisgray.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yochrisgray  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yochrisgray/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YoChrisGray/    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets.   With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day.   This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today!   Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  The Corporate Organism: Why Multi-Million Dollar Top Producers Are Still at Risk 14.07.2026 13min

  Are you a senior executive or elite enterprise tech leader counting on corporate salary and fluctuating stock options for your ultimate long-term security?   In this highly authentic and controversial solo episode, host Billy Keels drops an unpopular opinion about the realities of massive corporate workforce reductions at giants like Meta and Oracle. Drawing from 26 years of personal experience in enterprise hardware and software sales leadership, Billy unpacks why every multinational corporation is simply an organism wired to do whatever it takes to preserve its own life—including shedding thousands of jobs when it carries too much weight. Discover the exact 3-step pathway to optionality that allows you to continue excelling as a top performer while systematically building transferable skills, taking control of your time, and engineering predictable income streams that ensure you are completely prepared when your corporate relationship inevitably ends.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: Why are large tech companies like Meta and Oracle continuously reducing their workforces? What does it mean to treat a multinational corporate employer as a living organism? How can a high-performing director excel at their day job while simultaneously building an independent dream? What are the 3 core steps required to transition a single corporate paycheck into true career optionality? How do you successfully decouple your personal financial security from unpredictable company stock performance?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - The Triggering Reality of Today's Corporate Environment 01:10 - Deconstructing the Meta and Oracle Layoffs in Enterprise Software 02:15 - Rethinking Career Security After 26 Years in Enterprise Tech 03:30 - The Identity Trap: Is Your Life Entirely Wrapped Up in Your Role 04:25 - The Unpopular Truth: Every Corporate Relationship Ends 05:15 - Understanding the Corporate Organism and Its Survival Instincts 06:30 - What Side of the Equation Are You On? 07:25 - The 3 Steps to Optionality: Clarity, Integration, and Total Control 08:45 - Reclaiming Overachieving Metrics Without Sacrificing Your Time 09:50 - Building Highly Transferable Skill Sets Outside the Corporate Walls 11:00 - Moving From Corporate Survival Theory to Guided Practice   📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets. With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels  
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  From Chief of Staff to Professional Sports Investing with Fred Sharp 10.07.2026 46min

  Are you an overachieving director, VP, or high-performing corporate leader crushing your quarterly targets, yet secretly looking for a predictable pathway to expand your professional options outside the enterprise?   In this dynamic guest conversation, host Billy Keels sits down with Fred Sharp, the managing partner of Clubhouse Ventures and former NCAA Division One walk-on athlete. Fred pulls back the curtain on his rapid corporate rise, detailing what it was like to be hand-selected at age 30 to serve as the Chief of Staff for the Chief Revenue Officer of a $4 Billion global tech line of business. Discover how Fred intentionally structured his 168 hours to quietly build a premium sports tech venture fund while managing massive global corporate operations, and learn why understanding the unvarnished reality that corporations move forward with or without you is the ultimate mental key to unlocking professional freedom.   🚀 Want to make your corporate role optional? Grab your FREE copy of Billy's 3-Step Process eBook here: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm   📌 Questions Answered in This Episode: Why is shifting your paradigm from "who you know" to "who knows you" critical for high-end alternative investing? What does it look like to step into a global Chief of Staff role for a $4B business unit at just 30 years old? How can a top-performing software executive transition enterprise operational skills into sports tech venture capital? Why is it essential for corporate professionals to diversify their investments outside of traditional equity and RSU portfolios? How do you navigate the corporate visibility stigma while building your own venture quietly on the side?   ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Cracking the Code: Moving From Who You Know to Who Knows You 03:36 - The Walk-On Mindset: Rigor, Athletics, and Structure in Metro Detroit 05:00 - Wet Behind the Ears: Running Global Operations for a $4 Billion Tech Business 07:04 - Trick Yourself Until You're Ready: Stepping Between the Executive Lines 09:54 - Intentional Career Design vs. The Myth of Flying by Night 12:01 - Beyond RSUs: Diversifying Assets Into Sports Tech and Women's Pro Volleyball 14:44 - Leaving on Good Terms: Why Your Corporate Relationship Needs a Clean Ending 19:11 - Cutting Through Red Tape: Managing Egos and Outcomes in the C-Suite 22:34 - Building Career Capital: Shifting Preparation and Respect Outside Corporate Walls 25:57 - The Non-Negotiable Rule: Executing Side Passions Without Sacrificing 9-to-5 Performance 35:45 - The Harsh Truth: Why Large Corporations Will Always Move Forward Without You 37:27 - Legacy Engineering: Surviving the Valley by Remembering Your First 12 Months 40:48 - Expanding Your Circle: How to Connect with Fred Sharp on LinkedIn   Connect With Fred Sharp: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-sharp  Email: [email protected]    📘 About Billy Keels & Corporate Optionality If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, learn how to achieve true control over your career and turn your corporate skills into personal assets.   With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, Billy Keels achieved true optionality through multiple income streams. Today, he has helped dozens of executives build a predictable path to take control of their time and start living their ideal day.   This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and starting to live your IDEAL day - today! Get the Free eBook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm How to Leave a Review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI   Be sure to connect with Billy: Website: https://www.billykeels.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@billykeels LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billykeels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billykeels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyKeelsFanPage Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/billykeels