Slowing Down to Speed Up with Joshua Kitching

Speak In Flow

Joshua Kitching, owner of Bay Area Piping and Equipment, went from leading military squads and construction crews to questioning his own voice as an entrepreneur. In this raw conversation with Melinda Lee, Josh shares how stress and self-doubt nearly derailed his communication, the Zoom call that became a wake-up call, and the mindset shifts that transformed his leadership.

Learn how slowing down can accelerate your business growth.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The Crisis Point

How a disastrous virtual presentation exposed Josh’s self-doubt and became the catalyst for change.

The Power of a Pause

“Take a breath- even if it’s just in the mirror.”

Joshua Kitching’s journey reveals a counterintuitive truth: slowing down often speeds up success. When stress hijacked his ability to communicate, he discovered that a simple pause could reset his mindset.

The “Good Enough” Mindset

“Remind yourself: You are good enough.”

Entrepreneurs often tie their worth to outcomes, leading to paralyzing doubt. Josh opens up about his realization: “Am I really the guy to do this?” a question many leaders whisper but rarely admit.

The Follow-up Shift

“The universe responds to intentionality.”- Melinda Lee

Early on, Josh assumed silence meant rejection. But by reframing follow-ups as opportunities to nurture relationships, regardless of immediate payoff, he unlocked unexpected opportunities.

Connect with Joshua Kitching

Website: www.sfbape.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-kitching-06119999/

About the Guest:

Joshua Kitching is the tradesman-turned-CEO, proving that grit and humility build empires. With nearly two decades in mechanical construction, he tackled San Francisco’s skyline (Salesforce Tower, Chase Center) and the battlefield, transitioning from the U.S. Army Military Police to leading teams of 250+ in the trenches of HVAC and prefab. Now, as CEO of Bay Area Pipe & Equipment, he’s rewriting the playbook on craftsmanship.

Fun-facts:

• 🐄 4H Roots: Spent 9 years in 4H raising animals and honing leadership skills through youth conferences (proof that showmanship translates to boardrooms!).
• 🌎 Global Soldier: Deployed to 7 countries during 8 years of Army service, developing adaptability that serves him daily in construction.

About Melinda:

Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.

She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.

Website: https://speakinflow.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow

Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall

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