101 Lessons Podcast

Ann Crandall is a leading marketer in sports and fitness. Most recently, she served as the first ever CMO of the Big East Conference. Previously, Ann held senior marketing roles with the National Basketball Association, New York Road Runners and Pac 12 Networks to name just a few. Ann discusses brand marketing past, present and future.

Frank Kovacs has been a leading technology business executive for more than 30 years. He discusses creating The Breakfast Club NJ (TBCNJ) after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in an effort to help those who were out of work. More than 18 years later, TBCNJ is stronger than ever and Frank celebrated by co-authoring Career In Transition: 101 Lessons To Achieve Job Search Success

Cory Bildstein is the Director of Marketing for Whistle, formerly Whistle Sports.a leading content publisher and over-the-top streaming network with a focus on sports and entertainment. A former D-1 soccer player at UCONN, Cory discusses the future of video content and Whistle's focus on engaging Gen Z.

Matt MIller is the CEO of Embroker. He shares his experiences working for some of the world's largest consultancies and how Embroker has revolutionized the insurance category for small and mid-size companies.

Jimmy Craft is the Executive Director of TopSpin Charity and Senior Director, Business Development and Strategy for Foxrock Partners. Jimmy shares how TopSpin has transformed over the past decade bringing together more than 15,000 people, including many celebrities, and raising more than $4 million for more than 25 nonprofit charity partners.

Anne Candido is the Founder of Go for 2, a Brand "Love" Building consultancy, and a 20+ year veteran of Procter & Gamble. Anne authored a must-read book for everyone from start-ups to Fortune 500 brand marketers, The Super Highway of Relevancy: Getting More People To Choose Your Brand, More Often, Indefinitely. Anne shares her integrated marketing campaign experiences at P&G and why it is critical for customers to fall in love with your brand.

Torrel Harris is an NBA agent who has represented some of the greatest names in basketball. He is also the dad of a basketball playing family which features among others, Tobias Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers. Torrel discusses his role not just as a dad, but as the agent for his children.

Meg Sharp Walton is the Executive Director of the Monmouth County Historical Association. During our interview, she discusses why we should all take time to appreciate history including her association's latest exhibit, Springsteen: His Hometown, a celebration of how Monmouth County is woven into Bruce Springsteen's music.

Tom Bernard is the Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classic and the Co-Chair of the Asbury Park Music and Film Festival. Tom shares compelling stories of growing up at the Jersey Shore, his career in film and the evolution of the very popular Asbury Park Music and Film Festival.

Steve Shimchick is a piano player and one third of the rising musical force, Cold Weather Company. Steve discusses how he and his bandmates, Brian and Jeff, met at Rutgers University and transformed their passion for music into a professional career. He also discusses the important role marketing plays today in helping a band get noticed by fans and brands.

Chris Mirabelli is a Team USA 2020 Summer Olympic Games hopeful in the javelin. A four-time All-American and three-time Big Ten Champion from Rutgers University, Chris shares his incredible comeback story from a serious heart condition as well as his life as a professional track & field athlete and his journey to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

John Buscek and Bellaria Jimenez are the co-authors of The Team Game: How Your Business Can Dominate Year After Year. Both have long careers in financial planning and they share how they collaborated on a book which focuses on how companies, big and small, need to focus on the concept of "teaming" to be successful.

Doctor Bill Levine is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of CannRx, a subsidiary of Izun Pharmaceuticals. Bill earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Columbia University. He shares his career experience from being a periodontist to launching companies with a focus on plant-based healthcare products.

Andrew Berman is a former clerk for two federal judges who is now the CEO of a publicly traded cannabis company, Harborside. Andrew shares lesson learned from his diverse career path and offers a glimpse into the future of the legal cannabis industry in the United States.

Casey Hanisko is the President of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. For nearly two decades, Casey has made adventure travel her life and her career. She shares her experiences from around the world traveling and experiencing locations that most of us only dream about.

Alex Andrawes is the CEO and Founder of Ionization Labs and the Chairman and Founder of Personal Wine. Alex shares the story of starting his first company while a student at the University of Texas and, "his dedication to make new, cool things with an emphasis on supply and demand."

Lex Chalat is the Managing Director of Beyond Sport, a global organization with a mission of driving sustainable social change through sport. Lex and Beyond Sport collaborate with major corporations including SAP and pro sports leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and NASCAR to bring real changes to communities worldwide via sport.

Ryan Boyle is a two-time world champion in paralympic cycling who also won the silver medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. Hit by a truck at the age of nine, Ryan overcame all odds to survive and thrive. An inspiration to all he meets, Ryan authored, When The Lights Go Out: A Boy Given A Second Chance.

Bob Babbitt is an endurance athlete, author, magazine publisher, marketer, promoter and the host of Babbittville Radio. Bob has been inducted into the Ironman Triathlon Hall of Fame and the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame. Bob co-found the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) which helps people worldwide with physical challenges compete in sports and he shares his experiences with his friend and legendary comedian and actor, Robin Williams, who was an avid CAF supporter.

Mike Emanuel is the Chief Congressional and Senior Political Correspondent for FOX Newschannel. A proud Rutgers University alum, Mike discusses his undergraduate days at Rutgers where he started his broadcast career at WRSU-FM. He shares experiences from his television career which began in Midland-Odessa, Texas and ultimately led him to Washington DC where he has covered three presidents.

Scott Van Rixel is the CEO of Bhang Corporation, one of the leaders in the emerging cannabis industry. A former chef and master chocolatier, he shares his unique career path and his role in establishing and evolving what is considered one of the largest house of brands in cannabis.

Aaron Reilly is a lawyer turned pro sports agent who transformed his lifelong passion for basketball into becoming one of the leading agents of pro basketball players who compete internationally. He shares the 24/7 hustle of being a sports agent and his globetrotting travels to some of the most remote corners of the world to negotiate on behalf of clients.

Jeremy Neuer is the Executive Vice President of CBRE, one of the nation's leading commercial real estate companies. He discusses the transformation of the workplace, lessons learned from Bruce Springsteen and his passion for blogging with a purpose. For every high school and college student, this episode is filled with more than a dozen powerful lessons.

CB and Dan Hoffmann are a mother and son book publishing team. They discuss the science of authoring and publishing books as well as their own career transitions that led them to pursuing their passion in the self-publishing industry. This is a must-listen for anyone who has ever dreamed of writing and publishing a book.

Katie Trauth Taylor is the CEO of Untold Content which is a writing consultancy dedicated to helping leaders of industry write and deliver thought leadership content. She shares her philosophy on why "we impact the world through words" and why we can all be public intellectuals.

Lewis Goldberg is a managing partner with KCSA where he leads strategic communications in the growing cannabis market. A former political consultant, he shares stories of being on the campaign trail, what he would do if he was the GM of the New York Jets or Mets and insights into the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry.

Joseph Gorordo is the Vice President of Business Development for Recovery Unplugged where he uses his past experiences as a drug addict to help others recover. He shares compelling stories of recovery and the unique role that music plays in the process.

Stan Phelps is an IBM Futurist, TEDx speaker, veteran marketer and author of the Goldfish series of books. He shares his research and insights into how the best companies deliver incremental value to their customers and their employees.

Joe Stetson is the Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. A 20-year sports business veteran, Joe shares his experiences and lessons from his work across sports teams, venues, media and sponsors.

Major Robert Paley recently authored his first book, The Last Salute, which tells his real-life story of fulfilling his dying father's dream of attending and graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point. His book, which was 20 years in the making, is a tribute to all military veterans and a reminder to everyone to never give up on pursuing your dreams.

Jon Krashna has been at the center of the entertainment world for years. He has served as a music manager for top-selling artists, writers and producers and has also has been involved in producing documentary films and comedy specials. Jon’s primary focus now is in supporting combat veterans in their transition to civilian life as a co-founder of The Sabot Foundation. His stories of collaborating with combat veterans via camaraderie-building activities such as off-road racing is inspiring.

Michael Melcher is an executive coach, writer and partner in the leadership training firm, Next Step Partners. A graduate of Harvard University as well as Stanford University where he earned his MBA and JD, Michael worked in the U.S. State Department before conducting leadership training around the globe in such places as Tanzania, Thailand and Haiti. Michael is also the author of The Creative Lawyer.

Ron Carucci is a veteran leadership consultant, best-selling author, two-time TEDx presenter who regularly contributes to Harvard Business Review and Forbes. He is retained by Fortune 100 companies to consult on such topics as organizational change, organizational design and enterprise governance, executive leadership development, strategy formulation and talent strategy. His 10-year longitudinal study led to the discovery of four recurring patterns that distinguish the best executive leaders.

Jeff Tippett is known to many as Mr. Persuasion. In 2019, he will author and publish his second book titled, Unleashing Your Superpower: Why Persuasive Communication Is The Only Force You Will Ever Need. The founder of Targeted Persuasion, a Raleigh, NC-based public affairs and communications agency, Jeff travels the country sharing is stories of persuasion including a life-saving experience in Haiti where he adopted his youngest daughter.

Amanda Salzhauer is co-author of the recently published book, The Kindness Advantage. A longtime social worker in clinics and private practice, Amanda explores with her co-author, Dale Atkins, how practicing compassionate habits for people of all ages can enrich their lives and the lives of those around them. Now, more than ever, kindness is paramount, and each act of kindness can make a difference.

Frank Vuono is a sport marketing and business veteran who is a co-founder and partner of 16W Marketing, a New Jersey-based sports marketing agency. The former vice president of retail licensing for NFL Properties, Frank discusses sports sponsorship, licensing, naming rights and talent representation.

Roger Nierenberg is a longtime conductor of symphony orchestras around the world. A conductor of opera, he conducted at the Mostly Mozart Festival and was the director for many years of the Stamford Symphony and the Jacksonville Symphony. A TEDx speaker, Roger founded The Music Paradigm and teaches leadership training to Fortune 500 companies via an interactive orchestra experience.

Julia Marino is the first athlete to represent Paraguay in the Winter Olympics. Born in a small village in Paraguay, Julia was adopted at a young age and grew up in New England. A skier as well as soccer and lacrosse player in high school, she attended college at the University of Colorado and on November 6, 2013 learned that she would become Paraguay’s first Winter Olympian. In Sochi in 2014, she entered the Opening Ceremonies as her nation’s flag bearer.

Geoff Brown is a senior director with the National Basketball Association with a focus on the G League. A longtime executive in minor league baseball, Geoff is well known for being the general manager of the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Philadelphia Phillies single A affiliate, for 13 years. The former head of marketing for Rutgers University athletics, Geoff shares stories about fan engagement in today’s competitive sports business landscape.

Taylor Jones is the founder and CEO of Jonesbar, an organic and all-natural food company headquartered at the Jersey Shore. The former vice president of real estate for Jersey Mike’s, Taylor started making his first energy bars in his family’s kitchen and now has distribution in Whole Foods locations as well as other retailers with a focus on the east coast. This outdoor adventurer turned entrepreneur share stories about starting a company in a competitive category that everyone can learn from.

Steven Zuller, CEO of Franklin Group, a promotional and print marketing company headquartered in Brooklyn, discusses his company’s work across many industries with a focus on sports and entertainment where they are the exclusive printing partner of professional sports teams and stadiums across the NBA, NHL and college athletics. Steven delves into the importance of fan engagement and the role his company is playing with some of the most successful professional sports organizations.

Tom Waldron, a former New Jersey State Police officer, discusses his second career as a master trainer, motivating and training athletes of all levels and abilities and the increasing requests by corporate America for fitness training programs for their employees. Tom also discussion his passion for the charitable organization, Troopers Assisting Troops

Keith Green, a veteran marketer who is Vice President of B2B Communications & Partnerships for Guinness World Records, discusses his past career experiences with the Philadelphia 76ers and motorsports and his role in partnering the Guinness World Records with leading corporations, brands and organizations. Keith also shares an inspiring story about the foundation he started, Autism MVP.

Dr. Joshua Dines is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and shoulder surgery and is part of the Sports Medicine Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery and discusses his role as the assistant team physician for the New York Mets and New York Rangers as well as his treatment of professional athletes and weekend warriors.

Greg “Grog” Mesanko is a surfing legend who is the subject of the film, “A Life Outside,” and an inductee in the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Surfing Hall of Fame. Greg shares his lessons of being an entrepreneur and surf shop owner and previews the impact that having surfing in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2020 will have on the sport and lifestyle.

Joe Ricciutti, the President and General Manager of the Lakewood BlueClaws, the single A minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies located at the Jersey Shore, discusses his past career with Staten Island Yankees and Columbia University, his leadership style and why minor league baseball is still a unique slice of Americana for families and people of all ages.

David Hernandez, a TEDx Speaker, co-founder of lotus823, an integrated marketing communications agency headquartered at the Jersey Shore, a veteran marketer and a professional musician and composer who has toured internationally shares his journey from music to marketing and the story of his family fleeing Cuba for the United States and his bicultural passion for America.

Tom Cosentino is the executive director of the Garden State Wine Growers Association. A 30-year marketer who started his career with the New York Yankees, Tom’s focus is promoting New Jersey’s 50 wineries. He shares his encounters with stars from sports and entertainment and lessons on continuously transforming throughout your career.

Bob Hutt has leveraged a successful career in financial consulting into a role as the owner and president of Uptown Charly Brown Stud, one of the leading thoroughbred horse racing partnerships in the nation. Bob discusses how business gets done at the race track and how he would transform the sport if elected the commissioner of horse racing.

Jon Landman is the co-founder and co-owner of The Syndicate, a leading music, comedy and pop culture marketing agency. Jon talks about being at the epicenter of entertainment and content. He shares stories of the work his agency has executed with some of the biggest names in music and comedy and the lessons they learned along the way.

Tim McLoone is the CEO of McLoone Restaurants, the leader of two popular bands and a Harvard University All-American. This modern day renaissance man, who is also the voice of Seton Hall basketball, takes listeners on a tour of his diverse career and life including giving back to communities nationwide via Holiday Express which annually plays more than 100 concerts during the holiday season.