Better Together: Collaboration is the Ultimate Success Multiplier

If you’ve listened to even a single episode of Catching Up with Corey, you know the voice of my producer (and daughter), Nalah. Every time we wrap a conversation, she leaves us with a sentiment that has become the heartbeat of this show: the idea that we don’t reach the finish line alone. We reach it by working together, lifting as we climb, and recognizing that my success is inextricably linked to yours.

Next week, I’m dropping an interview that is the living, breathing embodiment of that sentiment. I’m catching up with a man who is a “local celebrity” here in Wichita, but more importantly, he is a master of the “collaborative win.”

I’m talking about Roy Moye III.

The Aerospace Engineer Who Found His Harmony

Roy’s resume is impressive—nine years in aerospace engineering, a Grammy nomination, and the founder of Stem Music LLC. But what makes Roy special isn’t just his talent; it’s his refusal to keep that talent in a silo.

In our upcoming conversation, Roy talks about his transition from the corporate world to the creative world. Often, when people make a “pivot,” they leave their past behind. Roy did the opposite. He took the “STEM” from his engineering background and fused it with the “Music” from his soul to create a platform that teaches children through song. He didn’t just succeed for himself; he built a bridge for the next generation of scientists and artists to cross together.

Living the “Nalah Sentiment”

When Nalah talks about achieving success together, she’s talking about the very thing Roy is doing right now in Wichita. During our talk, Roy shared something that gave me chills. He is currently working on his debut album, Stem Music Takes Flight, and he isn’t doing it in a vacuum.

Roy is collaborating with local high school students. He’s featuring local drumlines. He’s bringing in the community to be part of his “Grammy-level” vision. He understands a truth that many entrepreneurs miss: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. By involving these students, Roy isn’t just making an album; he’s giving those kids a seat at the professional table. He’s showing them that their “local” talent has “global” potential. That is what it looks like to achieve success together.

The Wichita Connection

The collaboration doesn’t stop with his music. Roy and I discussed during this episode how our paths have been crossing for years—and how we have come full circle to now looking at how Roy can collaborate with Nalah on a future children’s book project.

This is the “Secret Sauce” of success that we often overlook. We spend so much time competing for a piece of the pie that we forget we can just bake a bigger pie together. Roy’s journey proves that when you give “God your yes,” the doors that open aren’t just for you—they are doors that stay open for everyone you bring with you.

Get Ready to Catch Up

This episode is more than just a bio of a successful artist. It’s a masterclass in community. It’s a reminder that your “wilderness” seasons are just training for the moment you finally “bloom” in front of the people you were meant to serve.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to choose between your professional skills and your personal passions, or if you’ve been trying to “make it” on your own, you cannot miss this episode. Roy Moye III is going to show you how to take flight—and how to make sure you have a full plane when you do.

The episode drops this Friday, March 27th. Get ready to catch up. Because, as Nalah says, we’re doing this together.


2026: The Year of Streamlined Growth

As 2026 gets into full swing, I’ve been reflecting on the previous year. While I hit many of the milestones I set for 2025, I realized my attention was often fragmented. I spent a lot of time analyzing different success frameworks, but as I look toward the next 12 months, I’m streamlining my focus.

This year is about one thing: focusing and streamlining my efforts. I am moving beyond old habits to embrace a mindset of intentional growth across every area of my life—physical, emotional, spiritual, professional, and financial. My 2026 objective isn’t just “doing more”; it’s about putting into practice everything I’ve learned and completing all aspects of my goals, including finally finishing a full draft of my work. By narrowing my focus to this singular path, I’m finding the clarity that escaped me in years past.

A major theme for me this year is “Getting Back to Just Having Fun.” After my solo trip to Colorado Springs, I realized that while technology should ultimately free us up for goal-free joy, it should not distract us from achieving our goals.

The 2026 Reading List: Fuel for the Journey

I’ve curated this year’s list to help me navigate the “AI Republic” and the shift in how we operate as humans in a high-tech world. Out of the 75 books on my radar, these are the ten I’m most excited to dive into to elevate my life:

  • Financial: Redefining Wealth for Yourself by Patrice Washington & Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk.
  • Physical: Own the Day, Own Your Life by Aubrey Marcus (focusing on optimized daily practices).
  • Spiritual/Emotional: More Than Two by Franklin Veaux & Who Is This Man? by John Ortberg.
  • Personal Identity: Identity Shift by Anthony Trucks & Will by Will Smith (upgrading how I operate).
  • Professional: Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell & Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras.

I chose these titles because the authors’ messages truly resonated with me during the interviews and podcasts I followed last year. I’m taking time every day to journal my reflections on these, keeping my progress tangible and intentional.

If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Connect with me on Instagram or Facebook and let’s talk about how you’re navigating your own growth this year.

EP07 Catching up with Olivia

In this episode of Catching Up with Corey, I am joined by Olivia Hayse, a marketing professional, author, and board member for the Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA). Based just outside Wichita, KS, Olivia’s journey has taken her from the farm to the campaign trail and onto the stage as a ballet dancer. We explore her unique path of “multi-passionate” success and how she balances political activism with motherhood, faith, and the arts.

Olivia is the author of Crooked Paths Straight, a book detailing her personal journey of trusting God’s design through the unexpected turns of her life. A registered Libertarian since 2016, she ran for the Kansas State Senate in 2024 and now serves on the USA Board for LOLA, where she focuses on empowering women and spreading the message of liberty.

In this episode, we discuss:

Defining Success as Freedom: Why success isn’t just about money, but the autonomy to decide how to spend your time and energy.

The Power of “One Thing”: Olivia’s advice on overcoming overwhelm by picking one small, manageable goal to accomplish at a time.

Crooked Paths Straight: The story behind her book and the lessons learned from relinquishing control and trusting a higher design.

Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA): Her transition from a Senate candidate to a leader in an international organization dedicated to libertarian women.

Blazing the Trail: The importance of being “first” and providing representation for future generations, especially as a second-generation Mexican American.

Adults in the Arts: Her experience returning to classical ballet as an adult with Ballet Wichita and the sacred space of the dance studio.

Purpose Through Multi-Passions: How to find a common theme—like freedom—amongst many different interests to define your purpose.


Listen to Olivia’s Conversation with me on the Mama Marketer Podcast at https://themamamarketer.com/podcast/25-get-physically-amp-financially-fit-with-my-friend-corey?rq=Corey%20Stokes

Connect with Olivia Hayse:

Instagram: @themamamarketer

Book: Crooked Paths Straight: How I Learned To Trust God’s Design For My Life

Organization: Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA)

Want more Corey? Follow his blog! http://www.corey-stokes.com

Want to be a future guest? Fill out the following survey! www.corey-stokes.com/the-catching-up-with-corey-project/

Lastly, DM Corey on Facebook Messenger if you want a financial coach. ~ facebook.com/CoreyLeVelStokes

Intro by AlanaJordan. Find more here! www.pixabay.com/music/motown-old-school-rnb-a-piece-of-the-pie-316619/

Outro By ⁨@TheJaReneHealing⁩ and TraumaCenter

Catching up with Corey is a NalahMonet Production, and you can get in contact with them at www.nalahmonet.com