Best Corey Baum Podcasts (2025)

1
Unmasking The Pressure To Be Perfect with Mordy Gottlieb 1:08:01

Play Pause

8h ago1:08:01

1:08:01

What if the “strong” version of you is actually the one that speaks honestly, asks for help, and stops trying to be perfect? That question sits at the center of our conversation with licensed clinical social worker and men’s coach Mordy Gottlieb, whose journey from pastry chef to 13 months in treatment to leading men’s groups reframes what real str…

1
Luke 1:5-25 | "Wonder and Worship"

3d ago

—

Main Idea: God does wonderful things for our good so that we would worship him.By Stephen Baum

1
Stop Fumbling Your Health At The Goal Line with Brian Parana 59:26

2d ago59:26

59:26

What if the fastest way to lead better at work and love harder at home is to treat your health as the ultimate leverage point? We sit down with veteran coach Brian Perana to unpack why energy, not willpower, drives your ability to influence, connect, and show up with presence—and how small, consistent choices create the kind of self-trust that chan…

1
From Roller Blades to Township Clerk in Clinton Township (with Kim Meltzer) | Ep. 24 19:49

6d ago19:49

19:49

It is never too late to start working in local government. Huge Plappert talks with Kim Meltzer from Clinton Township, Michigan, about raising kids, finishing college, and starting a career in politics and public service. Kim shares how Girls State in high school opened a window into creating community, how the Gulf War and concern for her children…

1
Rebranding, Civic Pride, and Trust in Government in East Hartford (with Marissa Baum) | Ep. 23 24:15

7d ago24:15

24:15

Details are important, especially when communicating in a local community where things can be taken the wrong way. Hugh Clapper talks with Marissa Baum, head of communications for the town of East Hartford, about being a communication leader for residents and businesses. Marissa shares how a career in marketing, communications, fundraising, and dev…

1
Marketing and Communications in City Government (with Tai Lieu) | Ep. 22 20:11

8d ago20:11

20:11

Government careers in marketing and communications bring a different angle than the large corporate world with unlimited ad spends and research tools. Host Hugh Plappert talks with Tai Lieu, a Marketing and Communications Specialist in city government, about moving from psychology, sales, and television advertising into digital marketing and eventu…

1
How to Navigate Conflict Without Losing Respect 33:09

9d ago33:09

33:09

Conflict doesn’t cost you respect; reacting from pride does. Corey breaks down a practical path to stay steady when emotions spike, turning heated moments into growth with simple, repeatable tools you can use right away. We start by reframing conflict as feedback, not failure, so tension becomes information that reveals unmet needs and mismatched e…

1
Genesis 27:1-46 | "Sneaky Sinners, Sovereign God"

10d ago

—

Main Idea: Though sinners plot to get their way, God's perfect will is never thwarted.By Stephen Baum

1
How Sobriety, Discipline, And Community Rebuilt A Father’s Life with Andy Lajeunesse 38:54

13d ago38:54

38:54

The night gets loud when the house goes quiet. Andy remembers pacing his apartment after a year that shattered his marriage, injured his body, and knocked him down at work. A beer took the edge off—until it started stealing presence, purpose, and the man he wanted his kids to see. What followed wasn’t a highlight reel. It was a string of small, stu…

1
Balancing Goals, Authority and Community Expectations (with Corey Woods) | Ep. 21 27:43

13d ago27:43

27:43

A delicate balance between accomplishing goals and bringing everybody along runs through this conversation with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. Host Hugh Plappert opens with Corey’s path from dinner table conversations about foreign and domestic issues to a city council seat at 29 and then the mayor’s chair. Corey explains the council manager form of gove…

1
How Finance Powers Every City Department (with Matthew Lue) | Ep. 20 17:52

14d ago17:52

17:52

Finance is the engine that keeps every city department running. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert talks with Matthew Lue, Director of Finance for the City of Columbia, Missouri, about how municipal finance works behind the scenes. ㅤ From funding challenges to managing public expectations, Matthew shares lessons from his path that began in nonprof…

1
Lessons from a 30-Year Career in City Government (with Corrine Lindo) | Ep. 19 21:45

15d ago21:45

21:45

Opportunities in local government can take you across cities, careers, and decades of service. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert speaks with Corrine Lindo, who shares her story of transition from New York City to Atlanta and the lessons learned along the way. ㅤ Her career began in Greenwich Village on the community planning board before joining t…

1
Why Men Lose Power When They Perform (And How to Reclaim It) 13:32

16d ago13:32

13:32

Ever notice how “having it together” can feel like acting in your own life? We dig into the subtle ways men get trapped in performance—always adding value, sounding composed, keeping it polished—and the invisible cost that shows up as disconnection, low-grade anxiety, and lost intimacy. Instead of chasing approval, we make the case for a different …

1
Building Your Inner Compass: Values, Awareness, and Community with Andrew Carruthers 57:31

20d ago57:31

57:31

If you’ve ever felt a tug in your gut that didn’t match the story in your head, this conversation will feel like a map and a mirror. We sit down with Andrew Carruthers to unpack what an “inner compass” really is, how to hear it beneath fear and habit, and why your body often tells the truth before your mind catches up. From early sparks in faith an…

1
Don’t Make Them Ask You Three Times” (with Guest Donna Reed) | Ep. 18 19:27

20d ago19:27

19:27

Local government is often described as part-time work with full-time responsibility. In this conversation, host Hugh Plappert sits down with Donna Reed to explore how a call to community service—literally three calls—turned into a seat on the city council. From a Facebook group supporting parents during COVID to a platform for youth engagement, Don…

1
A Century of Service in Jackson County (with Chris Walker) | Ep. 17 26:59

21d ago26:59

26:59

History becomes personal when it shapes your own career. Host Hugh Plappert welcomes Chris Walker, whose deep family roots in Jackson County date back more than a century. Her great-grandfather, August Singler, served as sheriff in 1913, giving his life in the line of duty. Her father and uncle carried that civic legacy forward as mayor and county …

1
Building Thriving Communities Through Technology (with Bob Leek) | Ep. 16 25:47

22d ago25:47

25:47

Technology in local government is more than servers and software—it’s about people and outcomes. In this conversation, Hugh Plappert talks with Bob Leek, CIO of Clark County, Nevada, about how leadership, community impact, and innovation intersect in the public sector. ㅤ Bob Leek shares stories from a career that’s moved from private industry to pu…

1
Why Adult Friendships Are Hard for Men (And How to Build Them Anyway) 25:21

23d ago25:21

25:21

One honest question on a dusty tailgate revealed a truth many men live with but rarely name: we can share trails, tables, and years without ever being truly known. From there, the story turns—through divorce, fear, and the ache of not knowing who to call—into a hard-earned map for building real brotherhood. I walk through the shift from doing to be…

1
Genesis 26:1-11 | "The Life of Isaac"

24d ago

—

Main Idea: God's promises are his to keep and protect by his providence.By Stephen Baum

1
Breaking the Walls of Male Isolation with Stefanos Koutsoumpis 42:27

27d ago42:27

42:27

What happens when men start tapping into their emotional intelligence? How might our lives transform if we stopped trying to "cover all streets with leather" and instead crafted shoes to protect our own feet? In this powerful conversation with men's coach Stefanos Koutsoupis, we explore the profound disconnect many successful men experience—achievi…

1
Turning Challenges into Change in Local Government (with Dayna Williams-Hunter) | Ep. 15 23:01

27d ago23:01

23:01

City clerks are often seen as formal and distant, yet behind those desks are leaders transforming their communities. Hugh Plappert sits down with Dayna Williams-Hunter to explore her unexpected path from entrepreneurship and drone photography to public service. ㅤ Dayna shares how one conversation led her to run for city clerk and discover her calli…

1
From Police Chief to City Manager (with Dr. Jonathan Flores) | Ep. 14 23:42

28d ago23:42

23:42

A law enforcement career can teach powerful lessons about leadership, accountability, and service. For Hugh Plappert’s guest, Dr. Jonathan Flores, those lessons shaped a 22-year journey from police communications to major crimes investigator and ultimately city manager. ㅤ In this conversation, Dr. Flores shares how his early experience at the McAll…

1
Lessons from a Vendor Who Never Sleeps (with Dana Healy) | Ep. 13 17:03

29d ago17:03

17:03

Being involved in local city government can take many paths. Hugh Plappert talks with Dana Healy of Tightrope Media Systems about her journey from video production to serving the government as a vendor. Dana shares how a high school class accident sparked her passion for video and how that path led to managing television stations, working with nine…

1
The Lies Men Live By—and How to Rewrite Your Story 26:17

1M ago26:17

26:17

The most dangerous stories are the quiet ones we tell ourselves: I’m fine, I don’t need anyone, it’s too late to change. They sound reasonable, even wise, yet they slowly script our choices, our relationships, and the limits of our identity. We open up about how those subtle lies form, why smart men believe them, and what it takes to trade false sa…

1
Genesis 25:19-34 | "The Life of Isaac"

1M ago

—

Main Idiea: God's covenant promises are not threatened by nature or by sin, but endure by his faithfulness.By Stephen Baum

1
“This is a marathon and not a sprint” (with William Whitson) | Ep. 12 20:43

1M ago20:43

20:43

Life can throw some wrenches into a career. Hugh Plappert sits down with William Whitson to unfold an interesting career path from Washington DC and the U S E P A to city manager and long-term recovery. The conversation moves through hurricanes back to back, an intergovernmental response to Katrina, Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, COVID, and f…

1
Serving to Connect People and Governance (with Mayra Rios) | Ep. 11 19:12

1M ago19:12

19:12

Host Hugh Plappert welcomes Mayra Rios from Brownsville, Texas, a community thriving with growth, culture, and collaboration across borders. As the City Secretary, Mayra shares how Brownsville connects tourism, business, and innovation—from its relationship with Mexico to its partnership with SpaceX’s new city, Starbase. ㅤ She reflects on her path …

1
Stress Is Killing Your Edge—Here’s How to Rebuild It 35:40

1M ago35:40

35:40

If stress has become your default setting, this conversation offers a new map. We unpack why “just push through” turns into an identity that drains energy, strains relationships, and numbs purpose—and how to build a grounded rhythm that protects your peace without dulling your edge. We start by redefining stress as a signal, not a verdict. You’ll l…

1
Acts 3:17-20a | Corey Jones

1M ago

—

Main Idea: Repentance is a distinctive characteristic of a Christian. It is part of conversion, and the continual work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification.By Corey Jones

1
Elections take over everything (with Aileen Dickson) | Ep. 10 30:10

1M ago30:10

30:10

“Don’t assume that just because it’s government, it’s boring.” With Hugh Plappert and Aileen Dickson, the path runs from television marketing to a city clerk’s office where elections, records, and public access shape every decision. Aileen traces a move from one computer per department and photocopied council packets to digital operations, Open Tro…

1
The Youngest Citywide Official in Des Plaines History (with Dominik Bronakowski) | Ep. 9 21:56

1M ago21:56

21:56

Young, elected, and showing up. Host Hugh Plappert sits down with Dominik Bronakowski, the elected City Clerk of Des Plaines, sworn in at 24 and proud to be the youngest elected citywide official in Des Plaines history. Dominik shares how wearing many hats opened doors, from working full-time in the Illinois State legislature on constituent service…

1
Stop Hiding: How to Lead with the Gifts You’ve Buried 19:01

1M ago19:01

19:01

Ever notice how a compliment can make you want to disappear? We’ve been there. Today we unpack the quiet habit of playing small—why we downshift our wins, call it humility, and end up living like shadows in our own lives. The story starts with a raw moment on stage: hundreds of men, hard truths shared, an outpouring of gratitude, and the sudden urg…

1
Ephesians 6:18b-24 | "United in Prayer, Partnership, Peace and Grace"

2M ago

—

Main Idea: Union with Christ unites believers to each other in the ordinary life of the church.By Stephen Baum

1
Leading with Listening and Service (with Vanessa Joseph) | Ep. 8 25:13

2M ago25:13

25:13

How do you turn unexpected opportunities into a lasting career of service? On this episode of Ground Floor Government, host Hugh Plappert speaks with Vanessa Joseph, elected City Clerk for the City of North Miami and practicing immigration attorney. ㅤ Vanessa shares her journey as the daughter of Haitian immigrants, her initial plan to return to Ha…

1
Adapting to Change in Local Government (with Shirley Foxx-Knowles) | Ep. 7 25:50

2M ago25:50

25:50

Changes are challenging. They can make you or break you. They can throw you into an emotional turmoil, and they are important to understand as you develop your career in local government. In this conversation, Hugh Clapper sits down with Shirley Foxx-Knowles, City Clerk of Tampa, to talk about navigating political, system, and career changes. ㅤ Shi…

1
Gratitude Without the Fluff: A Masculine Take on Presence 35:44

2M ago35:44

35:44

Gratitude gets eye-rolls when it’s reduced to a checklist, but the kind we explore here is gritty, practical, and game-changing. We go straight at the myth that gratitude means denial, and show how it becomes an anchor you can stand on when the storm hits—at work, at home, and inside your own head. From rewiring your brain to scan for options inste…