The Contract I Lost That Changed Everything with Eric Collett

What if the contract you didn't get was actually the answer to your prayer?

In this episode, Eric Collett shares how he helps entrepreneurs and executives optimize their brain health to function at an elite level. His work goes upstream, identifying the trajectory decades before diseases like Alzheimer's show symptoms, because most people don't realize that Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases generally start decades before the first symptoms appear. Eric's team has developed the Enhance Protocol, helping clients improve brain function by 20-30% so they can learn faster, understand new technologies more rapidly, find words faster, have more stable mental health, and prevent cognitive decline to stay in the game longer.

He reveals losing what would've been his biggest contract in Arizona. After two weeks of silence following a handshake agreement, he prayed: "If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen." The CEO called to say they'd met nurse practitioner Randy Vawdrey who could actually reverse cognitive decline. Eric told them "You should work with Randy, that's a huge opportunity." Months later, Randy called to collaborate. They met at 6pm and talked until after midnight going through a Bible-sized stack of research. Within six months, Eric asked Randy to become his business partner, a relationship that put him through an intentional crash course in med school for years.

[00:05:20] Optimal Brain Health is Required

Believes optimal brain health required for optimal results in business and life

Brain is like hardware, everything we're learning and striving to do is like software

Loading new software on crummy old dysfunctional hardware never gets great results

Good brain health needed for better relationships, better business

[00:06:00] Improving Brain Function by 20-30%

Team developed organized system to identify root cause issues affecting brain performance

Make specific recommendations, track objectively

Help people improve brain function by 20-30%

Can learn faster, understand new technologies more rapidly, find words faster, have more stable mental health

[00:07:20] Who They Serve

All ages: younger people with traumatic brain injuries, people in 30s with brain fog

People 50-80 noticing things aren't what they used to be

Especially focus on entrepreneurs and executives who want to function at elite level

Most people miss opportunity to quantify it objectively instead of just guessing

[00:10:00] Gary Plummer: From Doorknob to Stage

Gary Plummer played linebacker for San Francisco 49ers, won Super Bowl ring

Shortly after retiring, couldn't remember how to install doorknob (had done many times)

Could go from zero to fighting mad at drop of hat, had to isolate from people

Wouldn't drive on freeways, wouldn't travel without handler to meet at airport

[00:11:20] The Transformation

Eric's team helped take Gary's cognitive scores from 58th percentile to 86th percentile

Several years later, now above average overall on tests

Got to watch Gary step on stage at Forever Young Foundation event in Arizona

Had quit speaking because he would lose train of thought, now presenting confidently

[00:13:40] Alzheimer's Starts Decades Before Symptoms

Nationally recognized expert, spoken in 39 of 50 states to healthcare professionals

Alzheimer's and diseases like Parkinson's generally start decades before first symptoms

We've grown up in "sick care system" that waits till you have serious problem

40-95% of Alzheimer's cases believed to be preventable

[00:18:00] Think of Your Brain as a Boat

When things are good, riding high in water, moving at top speed

When not good, starting to take on water

Common for people to get forgetful as they get older, but that's not normal, that's evidence of disease

Brain health is never about one thing, it's multifactorial (80-100 things)

[00:19:20] One Client: 68th to 99th Percentile

Client is 42 years old, wrote LinkedIn article about experience

Went from 68th percentile in cognitive functioning to 99th percentile

Getting better results in life and business today

Has lot more assurance he's changed trajectory for tomorrow

[00:20:40] The Contract I Didn't Get

Early 2017, started A Mind For All Seasons as solopreneur

Opportunity to work with Arizona company designing memory care program for entire portfolio

Met with owners, left with handshake agreement, supposed to get contract in couple days

Couple days turned into more than two weeks

[00:22:00] The Prayer

Prayed: "I want this to happen, this would make my year"

"If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen"

"I promise I will be grateful, I may not understand it, but I can be grateful in all things"

Within day or two, CEO called

[00:22:20] Meeting Randy Vawdrey

CEO said they met nurse practitioner with advanced training in neurodegenerative diseases

Randy had done fellowship with Dr. Bredesen at UCLA, Buck Institute for Research on Aging

Dr. Bredesen's 2014 paper "Reversal of Cognitive Decline" showed 9 out of 10 patients with remarkable improvement

Company said "We can't afford both Randy and you, we're going to work with Randy"

[00:23:40] "You Should Work With Randy"

Eric told them "You should, that's a huge opportunity, no one's doing that"

They suggested "You should call Randy, he lives in Idaho like you do"

Eric thought "I'm not gonna call Randy, I don't have time, I just lost biggest contract"

Hustled for couple months

[00:24:20] Randy Called

Randy called out of the blue, said company wanted him to train staff

"I'm a clinician, I don't do that, I want to explore collaborating"

Eric was driving through Randy's part of state next week, said "Why don't we get together?"

Went to Randy's house at 6pm, was there till after midnight

[00:25:00] The Bible-Sized Stack of Research

Randy brought out huge Bible-sized stack of research, slammed it on coffee table

Started going through footnotes of the footnotes, what he'd learned with real patients

Eric left 100% recognizing they could make far bigger difference

Had agreement to split the contract, neither would make much money

[00:25:40] "Will You Be My Business Partner?"

Within six months Eric said "Randy, what are we doing dating? We need to work together"

"Will you be my business partner? Let's go all in on this"

All these years later still working together, still innovating

Randy put Eric through intentional crash course in med school

[00:26:00] The Education

Every Friday and Monday morning at 7am for a few years, met for hour or two

Randy taught Eric how to read labs, physiology and science behind everything

Continued teaching ever since

"Short of my own family, he has done more to affect my life than any human on the planet"

[00:27:40] The Vision: Impact a Million Lives

Current goal: impact another million lives in next two to three years

Eight billion people on planet, everybody has brain, everybody needs optimal brain health

Majority of Americans not metabolically healthy

Alzheimer's nicknamed "diabetes of the brain"

[00:32:40] Social Engagement Reduces Cognitive Decline

From research standpoint, being more socially engaged reduces risk of cognitive decline

Not only better in business and more joy in life, it's better for your brain

Prioritizing relationships and being connected matters deeply for cognitive and mental health

KEY QUOTES

"Diseases like Alzheimer's disease, which I'm a nationally recognized expert in. I've literally talked in 39 of the 50 states to healthcare professionals. Most people don't realize that Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's generally start decades before the first symptoms ever show up." - Eric Collett

"I prayed and I literally said, I want this to happen. This would just make my year. If it's not the right thing, please don't let it happen, and I promise that I will be grateful. I may not understand it, but I can be grateful in all things." - Eric Collett

"Being more socially engaged actually reduces the risk of cognitive decline. So not only are things better in business, and not only do you have more joy in life, it's actually better for your brain." - Eric Collett

CONNECT WITH ERIC COLLETT

🌐 Website: https://www.amindforallseasons.com

🎁 Special Offer: https://www.amindforallseasons.com/join (Use code MDR for 30 days free)

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricDCollett

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdcollett

🧠 Includes: CNS Vital Signs cognitive test ($50), weekly office hours, masterclasses, thousands of hours of searchable content

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Have you ever been introduced to a person that completely changed the course of your business or your life… so much so, that much of what you have today wouldn't be possible, if not for this person?

Each week on The Million Dollar Relationships Podcast, your host Kevin Thompson interviews successful entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs as they share their personal stories and experience around this very question.

Your invitation is to have a seat at the head of the table as they honor and introduce you to the most valuable people in their lives and remind us that relationship capital is the most valuable asset we possess.

Each week you'll be inspired and motivated to intentionally create more meaningful, rewarding and profitable relationships in your life so that together we can make a far bigger impact in this world.

• No. of episodes: 374
• Latest episode: 2026-04-03
• Business Entrepreneurship

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