REMASTERED:  Giftology and Strategic Generosity, with John Ruhlin | (Strategy, Gratitude, Relationship Development, Sales)

REMASTERED: Giftology and Strategic Generosity, with John Ruhlin | (Strategy, Gratitude, Relationship Development, Sales)

Author: Southwestern Family of Podcasts - Southwestern Family of Companies May 12, 2026 Duration: 20:30
John Ruhlin is the founder and CEO of the Ruhlin Group, a North Canton, Ohio-based firm that specializes in high-level gifting plans to build relationships and acquire new clients. John is a sought-after speaker on the topics of C-level selling, relationship development and strategic gifting. He is also the co-author of the book Cutting Edge Sales. Show Highlights: If you take care of the inner circle, everything else takes care of itself. @ruhlinWhen it comes to gratitude, there is an incongruence between what we say and do. @ruhlin If relationships are your most important asset, how you show them that you care really matters. @ruhlinWhen you show gratitude well, you stand head and shoulders of everyone you’re competing against. @ruhlinWe teach people to give gifts ‘just because.’ @ruhlinA gift, by its very nature, should be about the recipient not about you. @ruhlinInstead of sending two hundred of something, send twenty to your top clients and personalize it. @ruhlinAn unexpected gift at an unexpected time. @ruhlinA lot of times you can spend less money but just doing something differently. @ruhlinIf you’re not giving gifts strategically but only as warm fuzzy feelings, you’re wasting money. @ruhlinMost people walk around with a deficit when it comes to gratitude and appreciation. @ruhlinGift giving with strings attached causes problems. @ruhlin You can find more about John Ruhlin at Ruhlingroup.com or grab your copy of Giftology at Giftologybook.com. The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!

What does it take to move from thinking to doing, from planning to achieving? The Action Catalyst is a podcast built on the premise that real progress requires more than just motivation-it demands actionable insight. Each conversation features a different top leader or accomplished achiever, but the focus remains consistently practical: extracting the hard-earned lessons they learned on their way up. You’ll hear stories not just of success, but of the setbacks and plateaus that preceded it, with guests offering concrete strategies for navigating those inevitable challenges. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s a resource for anyone feeling stuck in mediocrity or unsure of their next step in business, personal development, or their professional journey. The discussions are designed to help you uncover a more personal source of inspiration and then translate that into a clearer path forward. Tune in for a regular dose of candid advice and proven methods to help dismantle obstacles and reach your specific goals. The Action Catalyst is produced by the Southwestern Family of Podcasts, part of the Southwestern Family of Companies, and delivers these conversations with the understanding that sustained action is the most powerful catalyst for change. You’ll find each episode centers on a transferable idea or a shift in perspective that you can apply immediately, making the podcast a tool for ongoing education and self-improvement.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Action Catalyst
Podcast Episodes
CLIP:  Innovation Hesitation and the Aerodynamics of Creativity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:13
Richard Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw, innovation educators from Stanford, explain how “innovation hesitation” holds people back, and explain how the tools of creativity are a lot like the ones you use to pilot an airplan…
CLIP:  Your Difference Is Your Destiny [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:28
DeVon Franklin—Hollywood producer, New York Times bestselling author, and leadership expert— explains how the things that make you UNcommon, are the very keys to your success....but getting comfortable with them is the c…
CLIP:  Don't Negotiate Like Elon Musk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:40
Pay negotiation expert John Gates, explains why Elon Musk can afford to employ a very specific negotiation tactic which the average job seeker should very much NOT utilize...Hear John's full interview in his very special…
CLIP:  Conditioned Tendencies and Diminishers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:49
Preston Smiles, personal development leader, author, and speaker, breaks down the concepts of conditioned tendencies and diminishers, and how each one can lead to an incomplete understanding of our own control, and an in…
Act Your Wage, with John Gates | (Salary, Pay, Hiring, Negotiation) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:41
Pay negotiation expert John Gates, author of "Act Your Wage", shares proven salary negotiation strategies to help professionals increase compensation by 10–20% without risk or confrontation. Drawing on decades of experie…
CLIP:  Antipatterns and Artificial Ownership [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:51
Phil Le-Brun, former McDonald’s VP and International CIO and current AWS leader, shares how companies can avoid common “anti-patterns” like excessive bureaucracy and rigid structures, and defines what "artificial ownersh…