Magic in the Room #181: A New Approach to Gifting with guest John Ruhlin

May 28, 2024

Gifts are often used to build relationships in business, whether with clients, customers, or employees. But what if we have been doing gifting all wrong? In today’s episode of Magic in the Room, Chris and guest John Ruhlin discuss a new way to think about gifting. The bottom line is that gifts can be used to build long-lasting relationships, but not if you just put the company logo on a mug and send it to everyone. Instead, you should intentionally make every gift focused on the receiver and create a lasting memory they will associate with you.   

Listen now on your favorite platform!


John is the founder of GIFT·OLOGY and the author of
Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention. 


Find John on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnruhlin/ or at giftologygroup.com

Credits: 

  • This episode of Magic in the Room was recorded onsite in Tulsa, OK
  • Music by Evan Grim. Find his music on Apple Music
By Emma Holland June 9, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Chris Province, Hannah Bratterud, and Luke Freeman reflect on six years of conversations and explore a foundational leadership question: why leadership is ultimately an inside game. Drawing on personal growth, facilitation experiences, and organizational leadership lessons, they argue that effective leadership cannot be reduced to frameworks, checklists, or techniques alone, but instead depends on the ongoing work of self-awareness, discernment, courage, and wisdom. They explore the relationship between courage and conviction, the importance of responding rather than reacting, and the role of personal development in creating positive impact for teams, organizations, and communities. The episode presents leadership as a lifelong practice of leading oneself first, emphasizing that meaningful change begins not with external systems, but with the internal work of becoming more intentional, hopeful, and aligned with one’s values.
By Sarah Whitfield May 5, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke and Hannah explore the concept of polarities. Tensions like purpose and performance, stability and change, or accountability and grace that are often mistaken for problems to solve rather than dynamics to manage. Drawing on insights from Barry Johnson’s work, they explain how these opposing forces are interdependent and must be balanced over time to achieve sustained success. Through practical examples and personal reflections, they show how over-relying on one side of a polarity leads to predictable “shadow sides” such as stagnation, chaos, inefficiency, or burnout, while effective leadership requires recognizing where you are on the cycle and intentionally recalibrating. The episode emphasizes that many recurring organizational frustrations are not failures, but signals of imbalance, and offers a more nuanced approach to leadership. One that replaces rigid either/or thinking with flexible both/and awareness to improve decision-making, team dynamics, and long-term performance.
Show More