20 Minutes with Bronwyn

BIG NEWS, my friends!!   Season 5 of 20 Minutes with Bronwyn is now LIVE and this season I decided to experiment with format.    Instead of recording myself solo speaking into the ether, I have found some truly incredible human beings willing to be coached and RECORDED (albeit anonymously), as they work to become their most powerful selves, speaking from that place of power.   In this week's episode, you will meet “Claire.” 

THIS is the last episode of 20 Minutes with Bronwyn for Season 4, and it is dedicated to recent college grads, wondering what the hell to do next.  This episode is also dedicated to the parents of those grads who may be wringing their hands, also wondering, What the hell is this kid gonna do next?? Today, our guide for this conversation is the amazing, delightful, divine Ms. Andrea Koppel. Andrea is an award winning former CNN journalist, who has dedicated her life to helping college students find careers they love.  And she knows a thing or two about the process of finding the right career fit.  After leaving CNN, Andrea went on her own journey of career discernment and discovery. Andrea became Senior Vice President of Communications at M & R Strategic Services – a cause-oriented Public Affairs firm; she served as Director of International Communications for the American Red Cross, and went on to become Vice President of Global Engagement & Policy for Mercy Corp, a global humanitarian and development organization.   All of these roles prepared Andrea for her dream gig: coaching college students as they discern the right career path. How does she do that?  Through her podcast Time4Coffee (T4C)— a virtual library of carefully curated career conversations with hundreds of professionals – in dozens of different careers. (The interviews are on point … being an award winning journalist sure doesn't hurt!) Through her College to Career Clarity online course which is an asynchronous, digital course that helps confused, anxious and overwhelmed students to identify at least 3 job functions and/or industries they'd be psyched to explore when they graduate.    If you or someone you love is struggling in this time of transition, you are gonna LOVE this conversation with Andrea. She's most active on LinkedIn, and would love to connect.   I am taking the summer off from podcasting, but will still be going strong on YouTube, in speaking engagements, and in my Monday missives. Not yet subscribed? Head over to bronwyncommunications.com/subscribe !

Hello Friend!   It's hard to believe that my podcast is turning 4 this year. To say I'm proud is an understatement. To say I have it all figured out is an overstatement.   Having said that, I've learned a thing or two, and last summer I did a live webinar to offer what knowledge I possess about making (and maintaining!) a podcast. Over 100 people joined, and I loved every minute of it.   I am often asked for advice for those hoping to start a podcast (or those wanting to turbo charge an existing show!), and this episode is my attempt to offer that advice in the most honest, entertaining way possible.   My hope is that it gives you the encouragement you need to get started, or the shot in the arm you need to keep going.   And if you're not a podcaster and never want to be, you still might dig the behind-the-scenes truth of what it really takes to hit “record” and hurl an audio message in a bottle into the vast ocean of ears out there.   Lastly, this will be the penultimate episode in Season Four of Twenty Minutes with Bronwyn. In 2 weeks, I'll be dropping the final episode of the season and you are gonna love it. Especially if you have a recent college graduate who's feeling a bit … lost.   I'll take the summer to recharge and come at you with fresh goodness in the Fall! Shoutouts to Paul and the good people at Peachtree Recordings who make this show possible.   Shine on, and give it a listen here!   B  

My guest this week is someone I have wanted to interview on my podcast since the FIRST SEASON. This someone is not only a groundbreaking researcher and scientist, he is also my dear friend, Dr. Alexander Marson.  Alex is the Director of Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, a senior investigator at Gladstone Institute, and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology at UCSF.  Alex is interested in how DNA controls the behavior of cells in the human immune system. He and his team are using the power of CRISPR technology to genetically engineer cells to fight cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. My intention for recording this particular conversation was to get Alex's take on communicating complex messages in a more accessible way. It's something the scientific community is really wrestling with these days, perhaps now more than ever:  How do you communicate complicated and immense topics in a way that is repeatable and interesting? How do we approach critical information, currently understood by only a few, to make it accessible to the rest of us? This is also a conversation about the alchemy that happens when the right people make contact at the right moment, and something new is born.  Pour that beverage, or lace up your sneakers and leash up that hound. Because you are gonna love this one.

I was NOT planning on dropping this episode until much later in the summer, but within a few days of recording this conversation, a draft opinion on the overturning of Roe vs. Wade was leaked to Politico. My intention from the beginning was to talk with an expert about the language around reproductive freedom. Because here's what I know for sure:  Women cannot compete economically and/or provide for our families if we lose our right to determine when (or whether) to have children. I don't know any other way to say it.  And yet somehow, despite the simple truth of this statement, we're at the precipice of losing that right. It makes me wonder if we've been talking about this all wrong. So … to help take us deeper into the language and messaging of reproductive freedom (and how we might protect it), my guest this week is Dina Montemarano, Research Director at NARAL Pro-Choice America, where she leads messaging, opposition, and disinformation-focused research on abortion access and the anti-choice movement.  Prior to NARAL, Dina worked on Senator Warren's and Vice President Harris' Presidential campaigns, and at Global Health Strategies, where she managed global health communication programs for the Gates Foundation. She has a BA from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Dina is a wonder woman, and was incredibly kind and patient with me while I had a good cry during this conversation. To find out how you can donate to pro-choice candidates in the midterms, here is a list of political candidates working to protect reproductive freedom in the US. One small note … for reasons beyond my ken, you have to have already donated to NARAL to be able to use this system. Just donate as little as $1 to NARAL and then you'll be able to use this link effectively and efficiently to support multiple candidates doing this incredibly important work. As always, the most powerful thing you can do is VOTE. Do NOT sit out midterms. Vote for candidates that prioritize women's health. We are not a special niche interest group. We make up half of the population. Stay strong. Shine on.   https://bit.ly/NARAL_LINK  

WOW, are you in for a treat with this week's podcast guest. You are about to meet the LUMINOUS Elizabeth Jameson. Who is this luminous being, you ask? Well, lemme tell ya … Elizabeth Jameson is an artist and writer who explores what it means to live in an imperfect body as part of the universal human experience.   Before her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, she served as a public interest lawyer representing incarcerated children; she later represented children living with chronic illnesses and disabilities in their attempts to receive medically necessary care. As her disease progressed, she began using her MRI's to create art as a way of reclaiming agency of her own medical data. She transformed the unsettling, clinical images into work that invites people to open up conversations about what it means to have an illness or disability. Her work is part of permanent collections both nationally and internationally, including the National Institutes of Health, major universities, and medical schools. Elizabeth's essays have been published in The New York Times, British Medical Journal, WIRED magazine, and MIT's Leonardo Journal. Her essay, “Losing Touch, Finding Intimacy,” was included in the New York Times book,  About Us, released in September 2019 by Norton Publishing. Her latest project is called “MS Confidential,” a webcast series of candid conversations on navigating the chaos of MS.   Many of her lectures at medical schools and symposiums have been recorded and shared, including her TedXStanford talk, “Learning to Celebrate and Embrace Our Imperfect Bodies.” In fact, Elizabeth and I met during preparation for that TEDxStanford talk, and we have stayed in touch ever since. I love that  YOU now get to meet her, because nothing gives me more joy than introducing luminous humans to you, my friend. So sit back, grab your beverage of choice, or put a leash on that hound of yours, and join me in this conversation with Elizabeth Jamison. For more on Elizabeth, find her online here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejamesonfineart/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_elizabethjameson_/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Jamesonfineart Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesonfineart YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJaKluXC7dBpCsw8VUun2w Website: https://www.jamesonfineart.com/

Have you ever been in a conversation, or in a meeting, and someone says something that feels like a slap? You start asking yourself questions like: “Wait, did she/he just say something mean, or am I imagining this?” I call these moments psychic attacks not because I mean “psychic” in the woo-woo, crystal ball sense, but because these are attacks on our psyches.  Psychologists call them “passive aggressive” or “covert aggressive” comments. But call them what you want … they turn our inner world upside down temporarily. In this week's episode we are shining the light of attention and awareness on psychic attacks. Why? Because they ROB us of our confidence, and my friend, we shall not stand for it.  We are going to illuminate these moments and become more familiar with the terrain, so in the future, you will be able to respond with integrity and a clear mind, instead of allowing the attacker to gaslight you into being silent, or bait you into a counter-productive counter attack. Tune in, and get ready for practical strategies and techniques for showing up strong, even when you're under attack.  

Well, my friends. In this week's podcast episode, I had a rather surreal experience. I got to interview someone very special, and “special” not just because of who she is and how much she has accomplished in her life, but “special” because she and I are both named … BRONWYN. People, I am beside myself with joy to be able to introduce to you the marvelous Bronwyn Morgan. Bronwyn is the founder and CEO of the tech startup Xeo Air, which is an AI based, drones-on-demand platform for mission management, connecting b2b clients in insurance, telecom, and catastrophic response and beyond, with a crew of Part 107 drone pilots. She is also founder of Airversity Drone Academy + Consulting, a training school for both Part 107 prep and drone flight along with private and public safety consulting.  Bronwyn is the Founder of Black Women In STEAM, an organization dedicated to galvanizing the efforts of Black women in STEAM fields. She has over 20 years of senior level management experience in sales, strategic planning, national product and customer marketing, innovation, large team management, emerging tech ventures, corporate innovation, IP commercialization, and business development with global companies with projects in Asia, Europe, and South America. Bronwyn has worked for companies such as P&G and Coca-Cola, with major labels and studios in the entertainment industry, and Silicon Valley based tech companies.  Bronwyn is a force of nature, and I wanted to talk with her about her backstory. I am so glad I did. Never in a million years could I have anticipated where our conversation took us … because as you will see, we end up in a very … spiritual place. Apparently, being into spirituality and meditation is very on brand for us Bronwyns. So, whether you curl up & get comfy, or leash up that dog and hit the trail,  do come listen in on my conversation with Bronwyn Morgan. Find Bronwyn Morgan on … LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwynmorgan/ Instagram: @xeoair Twitter: @airxeo Shine on, my friend. B  

As you may know, Season 4 of this podcast is all about responding to YOUR questions. Your interests. And lately, I have been asked a LOT about my parenting philosophy. Which honestly, I think is RICH because I really don't know what the hell I'm doing.  BUT, I do have 15 years+ of experience of being a parent, and I have worked EXTREMELY hard at being the best version of myself as a mother, without being weird about it.  So this episode is my attempt to offer parents of all stripes (this isn't just a mothering conversation) three things:  The core beliefs that have been essential to me as a parent  The systems and habits that have paid massive dividends to our little fam, and lastly …  The #fails. The What I Wish I'd Knowns. The things I'd love to impart to the young parents coming up—or the ones who still have time to course-correct before their chickens fly the coop. Give it a listen, and below are the books/resources I mention during the show: Blessings of a Skinned Knee: Raising Resilient Children by Wendy Mogel Love & Logic Positive parenting workshops, books, resources Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen As always, I thank you for your ears and hearts. Can't wait to hear what you think about this one. It's a deeply personal episode for me.  

If you've been with me for a while, you will recognize my guest on this week's episode— the amazing Ben Kiker. I talk about Ben a LOT, because he is one of my sanity secrets. He helps keep the overwhelm at bay, and the energy high. I wanted to create an episode that gives you some thought provoking questions … ways to shape your year. There is just so much we can't control in this life, but we can control our intentions, creating practices that set us up for successful and fulfilling 2022.

In the “before times” (AKA pre-Covid), the month of January always brought with it a kind of open-hearted optimism, which acted as fuel propelling us into a new year. But the past two Januaries have been less open-hearted for many of us. Less optimistic.  Maybe like me, you spent the holidays with Omicron.  Or maybe you avoided Covid, but are still carrying the weight of all the uncertainty and burn-out of the past 2 years. Either way, my friend, this episode is calling out to you from a place of possibility. Of hope. This episode is like a phone call straight to your soul.…  So listen in, because you're about to meet the marvelous Scott Shute. Scott is the former Head of Mindfulness and Compassion Programs and VP of Global Customer Operations at Linkedin. Scott has since left that position to focus FULL TIME on his consulting practice, helping companies of all shapes and sizes to become more conscious and compassionate through his speaking engagements, workshops, and executive coaching. Scott helps people build their own self-awareness through meditations and retreats, and his recent book—The Full Body Yes: Change Your Work and the World from the Inside Out. After getting through 2 years of what feels like a constant state of NO, the idea of a full body YES is just delicious to me, and I can't wait for you to meet Scott and hear more about this concept … this practice.  You can find Scott on scottshute.com and linkedin.com/in/scottshute. Can't wait to hear what you think of our conversation! Shine on, B

It's the final countdown … and this week's podcast episode (the last of 2021!) is dedicated to ONE category of listener: Those who struggle with tricky family dynamics during the Holidays. For many people, the holidays conjure feelings of closeness and long standing traditions that bring joy. But for a whole lot of people, the holidays carry the energy signatures of dread. Anxiety. Avoidance.  Not every family can be the Huxtables. (I mean jeeze, not even the Huxtables were the Huxtables as it turns out.) This episodeLINK is 100% focused on strategies for navigating difficult people, conversations, emotions … you name it.  It's like a box of chocolates, but you DO know what you're gonna get: a bevy of tested and true techniques for staying sane, loving, and grounded. Even when old Uncle Whatsisname has too much to drink and says something crazy. Even when someone has the gall to ask you why you haven't had more kids (or why you had so many). Even when politics comes up.  It's all in here, and it's all good. Give it a listen here. Shine on, my friend.  

I think it's safe to say that the politics of the past several years has made us cynical. That's definitely been my experience. But recently, I attended a fundraiser for an organization called the Service First Women's Victory Fund. They are on “campaign to elevate the collective voice of elected women leaders who have dedicated their lives to serving our country and who know what it means to put service and country over partisan politics. Together, we are building a new normal where service leaders and women lead the way in Congress.” ​​https://www.servicefirstwomensvictoryfund.com/ Friends, they renewed my faith. And today, I have two incredible congresswomen who represent the fund to talk to us. You are about to meet Representative Chrissy Houlahan, who serves Pennsylvania's 6th district and Representative Abigail Spanberger, who serves Virginia's 7th district. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, and a VERY renewed sense of urgency to get involved in our very fragile democracy.

One of my FAVORITE songs of the last few years is a little ditty called My Type by a band called Saint Motel. My daughter Stella turned me onto it, and it has been on heavy, heavy rotation in my house (and car) ever since.   So imagine my delight when lead singer A/J Jackson's team reached out to see if I'd be open to having him on my show to talk about his new project.   You will be able to hear my barely concealed fan-girling in this episode, but I did manage to ask him several questions I had to know the answer to.   A/J and his band Saint Motel have performed on some pretty big stages. Think Coachella, Bottle Rocket, Madison Square Garden (opening for Panic! at the Disco), and about a badrillion other venues.    I wanted to ask him what it's like to perform at that level.   As a singer myself (wink wink), I wanted to know about his vocal warm-up routine (it's hilarious) and any weird pre-game rituals (rhythmic slapping anyone?).   And I REALLY wanted to understand the thinking behind his recent move beyond music to create something altogether new … by founding an eye wear company!  AVIEW is A/J's new project,  an eye wear brand that taps into the psychology of color therapy.  I'm fascinated by people who resisted the temptation to just sit around and binge-watch all that streaming had to offer during the pandemic-2020, they actually made something.  The conversation did NOT disappoint, and I can't wait for you to meet A/J. Check it out ... links to resources below! AVIEW: https://www.aview.com/ My Type: https://spoti.fi/3cg80bJ

In Russian, the word for procrastination is: “provolochka“ In Arabic, they say, “taswif an” In Spanish, it's aplazar.  In other words, procrastination transcends culture, race, gender, and even transcends time. Seneca was talking about procrastination during the ROMAN Imperial Period, and famously said:  “The fool, with all his other faults, has this also, he is always getting ready to live.” The tendency to procrastinate seems to be baked into our behavioral DNA as homo sapiens. Which seems like some kind of cosmic joke, given how SHORT our lives truly are.  This episode is dedicated to sharing the ONE technique that has changed the procrastination game for me. I've never shared it publicly before because it is so laughably simple, but what the heck, I might as well come clean!  This episode is packed with practical strategies for getting around your very human case of procrastination, and I mention a few resources, which I've listed here for your viewing/reading/listening pleasure: https://mailchi.mp/bronwyncommunications/procrastination  My Focus + Shine Worksheet Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport “To Stop Procrastinating Start by Understanding the Emotions Involved”, by Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street Journal, 2015 Gwyneth Paltrow x Brené Brown on the Roots of Shame and Vulnerability, Goop Podcast

I have historically had a VERY fraught relationship with eating.    I grew up in Orange County, California, where eating disorders were a rite of passage. And I don't say that flippantly—almost everyone I knew growing up had a disordered relationship to eating, myself included.   I remember pulling into the student parking lot at my high school and seeing some kid's Volkswagen decorated with a bumper sticker that read, “No Fat Chicks, my Bug will Scrape.” I remember feeling a sense of alarm … like, I had just been schooled on one of the fundamental rules of adolescence in my community: DO NOT be fat. Whatever else you may do.   I know this tortured dynamic isn't unique to me. Most women I know have a difficult relationship with food.    It's VERY confusing to have a tortured relationship to something you literally cannot  live without.Food is a fact of our humanity. But for so many of us, it is a fact shrouded in myth and morality and twisted by culture.    It's a mess.   My guest today is someone who I think has the potential to break through the misinformation (and frankly, the misogyny) associated with food. Her name is Vanessa Rissetto, and I fell madly in love with her during this conversation. I know you will too.   Vanessa is a registered dietician who Essence named “one of the top 5 black nutritionists that will make you change the way you think about nutrition”.  

A few weeks ago, I was giving one of my favorite talks to a team of professionals at one of my favorite clients. The talk is all about how to build a powerful morning ritual. Something that sets you up for excellence, all day long. At one point, a woman in the session asked me a question … as a mother, how do you get over the feeling of guilt that comes with taking all that time for yourself? I nearly tore my skin off when she asked this.  Why? For about a million different reasons … Because I too have felt this gut-twisting guilt. Because I know that women feel it far more often and more acutely than men feel it. Because I know that question is tied to a much deeper truth about working mothers that we struggle to articulate. That guilt that we feel anytime we take time for ourselves is tied to something poisonous in our culture. This episode is my attempt to shine a light on my journey as a working mother, and how I've developed a working rapport with that guilt.  This episode is my attempt to reclaim and redefine what it means to be a “good mother”.  But most of all, this episode is my love letter to every single working mother out there. Ravenmothers*: We ride at dawn.  

The past 18 months have brought a LOT of change and adaptation.   Some of the ways we adapted during the pandemic have been incredibly useful. We took a long, hard look at what we say yes to. What we say no to. If we weren't already great at washing our hands, we sure as hell are now.   But there is one adaptation that makes me nervous.    That my friends … is our increased consumption of alcohol.    And when I say “our” I really mean MY relationship to alcohol, and perhaps you can relate. It went from a weekend funtime activity to a daily unwind ritual. That's a major jump in consumption.   Apparently, I'm not alone in this. This specific adaptation—leaning on alcohol to get through the past year and a half—has disproportionately affected women.   According to a RAND Corporation survey on alcohol consumption,  during the Covid-19 pandemic, women have upped their “heavy drinking days” (that's defined by 4 or more glasses a day) by 41% compared to pre-pandemic.    Here's the thing : Not all of us are “alcoholics,” but a LOT of us are drinking alcoholically.    I'm worried about us. And I wanted to talk to someone about their journey dealing with alcohol and addiction, and what a life of sobriety could look like.   And I could think of no better guide, no better teacher than my dear friend Maryann Minck. Maryann Minck is a treasure. She's on Instagram (if you don't already follow her, you really should), and she is a private chef to some VERY fancy people in Laguna Beach california. Think big wigs. Think celebs. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know Maryann because during the pandemic 1.0, she and I did an IG live most Sundays called Cooking with Coco. (She and I have known each other since we were 6 years old, and have called each other Coco for decades, hence the name of the IG lives.)   Here are quick links to the resources she mentioned during the conversation:   The Promises Poem The AA “Big Book” How to find a chapter near you.   So sit back, pour yourself a “decompression Perrier” as Maryann says, and enjoy my dear friend Maryann Minck.   Shine on … we need your light.   B

Welcome to Season 4! To kick things off, I wanted to focus on the toxic communication pattern of martyrdom. Why? Because as communication patterns go, few are as unnerving and damaging to our relationships as martyrdom, AND as communication patterns go, few are as EFFECTIVE in a twisted sense as playing the role of martyr. As they say, we repeat behaviors because on some level, they WORK. Which is why it is so difficult to STOP. So why is martyrdom so powerful? And what can we do about it when it surfaces inside of ourselves, or in others? That's what we're talking about this week. 

As you may already know, authenticity is kind of a big deal to me. It's the cornerstone of my work in the world. As a communication coach, I'm NEVER interested in “polishing” someone as a communicator. I'm interested in revealing someone in their truest most beautiful form. And I've been doing this for a LONG time. The good thing about being devoted to a practice, to a craft, is that you feel quite confident, and quite sure of yourself. The bad thing about being devoted to a craft is that sometimes you think "What could this person possibly teach me? I do this for a living." But that's exactly what my guest today did, she taught me to see a blind spot in my own pursuit of authenticity. My friends, I'd like to you meet Jessica Zweig, most of the SimplyBe podcast, author of Be. - A No Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth By Simply Being Yourself She is an award-winning entrepreneur, personal branding expert, the founder and CEO of SimplyBe. Agency where she works with entrepreneurs, creatives CEOs and the companies they lead to help them grow on and offline by leveraging the most powerful marketing tool on the planet: authenticity.

This episode is dedicated 100% to pulling back the curtain of my journaling practice, not because I think it's unique or special, but because it is probably the single most important ritual I have. My journaling practice is more important to me than therapy. Exercise. Diet. Even church. Truly, if you asked me to sacrifice any of my rituals, you would have to pry journaling from my cold dead hands. Why? Because my journaling practice is the “room of one's own” that Virginia Wolf talked about … a place out beyond the voices of my family of origin, friends, children, husband, clients, partners, neighbors, and anyone else I come into contact with. It is the engine of my productivity, creativity, and frankly spirituality and I'm here to tell you how to get this engine fired up in your own life.

June of 2014, for the first time in its history, a trans woman—the luminous Laverne Cox— was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, with the headline: The Transgender Tipping Point. Just this April, Elliot Page became the first trans man to grace the cover of the magazine. Whether 2014 marked the “tipping point” for popular culture's reckoning with the transgender community is debatable … because here we are 7 years later, still trying to tip. Still trying to understand. In 2014, I would say that the experience of knowing someone trans was still fairly unusual. But in 2021? It seems like all of us are 1 degree separated from someone going through the experience of reconciling identity and gender. My guest today is the incredible Sean Garcia, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, working in private practice in San Jose. Sean is passionate about serving the needs of transgender/gender variant persons and their families as well as the neurodiverse population. He is currently the only transgender-identified licensed therapist in Silicon Valley who facilitates a monthly transgender group for adolescents and teens. Sean's story, insights and wisdom *changed* the way I see the world. My hope is that he will do the same for you.

In a post-vaccinated population, it's open season for socializing and it's ... awkward. Wonderful. Exhausting. And also terribly anxiety producing for some of us. As a communication coach, I'm fascinated by all of it, and have been taking field notes on what is the most challenging, the most excruciating parts of "peopling," and why. In this episode I offer solutions to the three biggest communication problems I've encountered post vaccination, and I offer three solutions to make it all a bit less tortured, and more nourishing.

We talk a lot on this show about the power of story. But what we haven’t yet covered is storytelling in the context of how we talk about our businesses. If you are an entrepreneur running a startup, or trying to raise money in the venture capital community ... If you are a solo-preneur or coach building your business ... If you are someone trying to create momentum and generate more revenue in your business, this is the episode for you. My guest today has some words of wisdom that could just change the trajectory of your business.

Our capacity to handle tough moments at work can mean the difference between upward mobility and infuriating stagnation. But for too many of us, conflict is our kryptonite. In this episode, I will walk you through my favorite exercise for transforming our relationship to conflict.

There are some stories that stop us in our tracks. That make us forget our own dramas and traumas long enough to feel into someone else’s experience. My guest today is Ana Jones, and she has exactly that kind of story. Ana is the founder of Plex65, which is a labor market for caregivers of older adults. It is the first of its kind to use technology as a hiring platform for caregivers using “Rydeshare for Homecare” or the Uber for caregiving concept. But we are here today to talk about Ana NOT as an entrepreneur (though she is). We are here to talk about Ana as an activist. As the mother of two black sons. As someone working to change the way we talk about race, and more specifically, how we teach our children history in school. As a word of caution: Ana is about to share her heartbreak with us. She lost her son, Maasai Jones, to suicide on June 14, 2018 … something that would leave most of us catatonic and incapacitated. But Ana’s story is hardly one of withdrawal. Her story is about transmuting pain into power. About carrying on Maasai’s story, because it has the power to create change. And friends? If there’s anything we learned in 2020 it was this: things need to change. I first met Ana during a virtual Village Well session (google it “Village Well San Jose” … very powerful Saturday morning medicine!), I knew I had to have her on to talk with you. Friends, meet the marvelous Ana Jones.

Fun fact: I would rather give a speech to thousands of people than say "no" to someone. Seriously. But the better I get at saying NO, the better my life gets. With a high quality NO, comes the opportunity to say YES to the invitations and adventures that add up to the life I want vs. the life that just kinda happened to me. And in case you can relate, and in case you’re curious to see how your life might improve with the development and cultivation of your Highest Quality “No,” I want to offer you three strategies to strengthen your No-saying game.

If you were to ask me: What is the single most important skill to have as a communicator? I wouldn’t hesitate to answer. The single most important skill to have as a communicator is storytelling. Here’s the thing: Facts are important. The ability to make a cogent argument is important. But STORY is what changes people. STORY is probably the ONLY thing that can get someone to see the world through a different lens. And this is as true in business as it is in politics, academia, and science. We are hardwired to remember, repeat, and be moved by a story well told. My guest today is a champion storyteller, and his name is Corey Rosen. He has a new book coming out that will be a powerful guide for us as communicators: Your Story Well Told: Creative Strategies to Develop and Perform Stories that Wow an Audience. Join us, and learn how you can become a better storyteller.

I am a BIG believer in personal development. And, many self-help proponents equate personal power with accepting full responsibility for one’s own life. I don’t disagree. But there’s something missing there. Acceptance is not enough. Authentic personal power must include the capacity to articulate what we need and what we want. And yet, too many of us avoid doing the work of owning and articulating what it is we need because we are AFRAID of what we will discover ... About ourselves, about our partners, our families, or our workplaces. But, Amen, I say unto you: If you want to become your most powerful self and SPEAK from your place of power, this is the work. This is a path I have been walking all my life. If it’s a path you’d like to walk, or a journey you’d like to better understand, this week’s episode is for you.

If there’s one thing i’ve learned in this life, it is this: Everyone you meet has a backstory. Everyone has a history full of highs and lows, celebration and tragedy. And it’s so easy to forget this when we’re in our 500th meeting of the day. That each face (or name if cameras are off) has a story. In our minds, we think in terms of title. Or position in the power hierarchy. Well, my friend, you are about to meet someone with a backstory that will take your breath away. You’re about to meet Tina Tran. Upon first meeting Tina, you would immediately know you were in the presence of a badass. Tina is a director of business development, leading mobile platform and OEM partnerships for a small company you may have heard of called Microsoft. Tina serves on the board of directors at Hello Neighbor, an organization that strengthens communities by matching resettled refugee families with dedicated neighbors to help them thrive in their new lives in the U.S. She is also an advisor for Nomi Network, a non-profit that fights modern day slavery and human trafficking through economic empowerment programs. In 2018, Tina graduated from the prestigious Presidential Leadership Scholars Program, a partnership between the George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Lyndon Johnson, and George Bush presidential centers. She is one of 59 national up- and-coming leaders recognized for her commitment to solving some of our nation’s most pressing problems. See what I mean? BADASS. But she’s also just a good human. She’s someone who loves to connect people, support people, and she just exudes energy. But instead of telling you all about Tina, I want you to meet her. So put your feet up, or strap on your walking shoes, and settle in.

I have always been fascinated by the human experience of time.   How to move through it. How to BE in it. How to make the most of it.   We humans seem ill equipped to make time work for us. It’s either going too slow or too fast.   I have found that the only way to make some kind of peace with time is to have a set of sacred daily rituals. And by far, the most important of these rituals is the Morning Ritual.   Think of this episode as a roadmap ... a guide for constructing a morning ritual that feels like Home.

I am beyond excited for you to meet my guest today, the incredible Ed Latimore. Ed's resume seems like he's lived three lifetimes, not just one. He is a former professional heavy weight boxer—His professional record includes 15 fights, 13 of those were wins.   Ed is also the best selling author of two books:"Not Caring What Other People Think Is A Superpower: Insights From A Heavyweight Boxer" and "Sober Letters To My Drunken Self"   Ed is also a veteran of the United States Army National Guard. And at the age of 33, he went back to school and got a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Physics.   Ed is also a VERY active online and over-the-board chess player, was featured in American Chess Magazine. Ed has been featured on Ryan Holiday’s fantastic blog, The Daily Stoic, and is featured in one of my favorite books EVER: Atomic Habits by James Clear.   The man defies categorization. So pour yourself a cup of coffee, and get ready. It is my delight to introduce you to Ed Latimore.

In the last episode, I gave you three questions to close out 2020. And here’s the thing: 2020 served up a million reasons to feel victimized, and the three questions I posed were part ONE of a two part meditation on moving *out of* feeling victimized by circumstance, and *into* feeling the power of our own agency. One of the only true sources of power we possess. 2021 is our opportunity to flip the script ... without burning ourselves out in the process. It's an opportunity to reclaim our imagination, and our will to thrive. Grab a journal and a hot beverage, and let's do this.

You know what is adorable? My New Years resolutions for 2020.And here we are again on the edge of an ending year, peering hopefully around the corner to 2021.   But this time, the phrase “New Year’s Resolution” seems hopelessly naive.   Quaint. A throwback to a simpler time. I get it. We all got our asses handed to us this year. It gave new meaning to the old saying, “Want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.”   But here’s what I know: Resolution and plans and dreams need to be build on the solid ground of introspection. Before we dreamscape 2021, we need to tend to the wounds of 2020. This episode is part one of a two-part series designed to prime us for excellence in the coming year. Grab your journal, and join me!

This episode is for all the solopreneurs and entrepreneurs out there, trying to raise their visibility in this crazy, noisy world. My guest today is someone I’ve been observing from a far for a while now. Keenya Kelly is a branding and business coach who has been blowing up on … wait for it … TikTok. If you’re like me, you probably associate TikTok with your kids, or with impossible choreography. But friends, TikTok actually represents one of the biggest public relations and branding opportunities we’ve had in a good long time. Get your coffee, and get ready to meet the delightful, bright light that is Keenya Kelly.

In 1944, Ingrid Bergman starred in a film called Gaslight, for which she later won an Oscar. In case you've never seen it, Gaslight is a film about psychological abuse in the Edwardian age, but the behavior is so archetypal, so familiar, that the term has endured and is popular even NOW in 2020. Maybe even MORE so in 2020 than ever before. I myself have been the target of gaslighting, but I’ve learned how to spot it, how to stop it, and how to fortify my own mind so that I’m not quite so vulnerable to it. Today’s episode is focused on helping you to become Gaslight resistant … literate … averse.

I recently saw a Netflix documentary that rocked my world, and I'm guessing you've seen it too. It’s called The Social Dilemma. Netflix describes it as a “documentary-drama hybrid” that explores “the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.” What makes this film extraordinary is that it’s forcing us to face what we already know to be true about social media … That our mental health, our democracy, and our humanity are in the balance. My guest today is Dr. Anna Lembke who you will recognize from the film, as she offered her wisdom on the addictive nature of social media. Dr. Lembke is an Associate Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, Stanford’s School of Medicine. She is also Program Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. In 2016, she published a best-selling book on the prescription drug epidemic, Drug Dealer, MD – How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop and is currently at work on a new book, out next year. Without a doubt, my favorite part of this interview is when she discloses her own personal form of addictive behavior. You’re not gonna believe it. And I BLESS her for her vulnerability and openness. Get ready. You’re gonna LOVE this conversation.

I am thrilled for you to meet Keita Williams, professional butt-kicker and founder of Success Bully—an elite accountability practice dedicated to supporting high performing “Type A”s who are looking to take their great to GREATER. I talk to lots of performance coaches, but what interested me about Keita's work is the focus on systems of accountability. Research shows that if we set specific accountability appointments, goal accomplishment goes up to 95%. Success Bully merges this powerful combination of strategic goal setting and accountability for real action, and I am VERY interested in real action.The Success Bully team has facilitated workshops for notable brands like: Amazon, Alley to the Valley, Apptio, DomainTools, Facebook’, Ladies Get Paid, Microsoft, Meredith Corp., PartnerTap, O’Reilly Media, and WeWork Labs.So get ready and gird your loins. Because she’s about to kick butt, in the best possible way.

If you’re like me, and so many people I work with, people are relying on you to bring your A game every single day. To the sales pitch. To the team meeting. To your family. To your community. The problem is that these days—unlike our pre-Covid lives—there are no natural transitions and breaks in the day. We don’t have the car ride to work.The subway ride home. The shutting down of the laptop so we can pack up our bags and head home to sort out dinner. It's the perfect storm for burnout, friends. In this episode, I share one of the most powerful practices for avoiding burnout, and why I think it's time each of us cultivated a proper Transition Ritual.

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” That is a quote from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and it speaks to something that has become quite top-of-mind for us these days: empathy. The concept of empathy is finally enjoying some well-deserved attention in the zeitgeist right now. We are seeing the limits of a black/white, right/wrong view of the world. We crave connection and understanding not through judgement and confrontation, but through the lens of understanding … through the lens of empathy. My guest today is Maria Ross, author of The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of Compassion as an Engine for Success, a Playbook for Brands, Leaders and Teams. In it, Maria shares some fantastic stories from executives, changemakers, and leaders of all stripes proving that empathy is not only good for us at a personal level, but that it is also great for business. The Empathy Edge is full of practical tips, insights, and opportunities to exercise empathy, and I am thrilled to bring you this conversation with Maria Ross.

Have you ever met someone and just known you were going to become friends? That’s exactly what happened to me when I met my guest today, the amazing JD Schramm. JD and I met when I was doing the speaker coaching for the TEDxStanford program, and immediately connected. JD founded the Mastery in Communication Initiative at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, where he’s served as a lecturer in Organizational Behavior for 13 years. JD has given not one but TWO TED Talks, which have nearly 2 million views. And earlier this year, before Covid hit, he launched a new book into the world called Communicate with Mastery: Speak with Conviction and Write for Impact. The book is so helpful, so practical, and so filled with great stories, I wanted to bring him on to talk about it.

A few years ago, I was in a 1:1 coaching session with a very bright young woman who came to our session with a very specific communication problem: She felt she lacked “presence” in the room. Jane and I worked on lots of different ways to show up in the room … ways to signal her power, her strength, her intelligence. Ways of replacing the negative thought patterns she was telling herself about herself and about the people with whom she was meeting. But one of the pieces of advice …

It seems every week, I hear of a new round of layoffs, and more talented people losing their livelihoods. It's tempting to feel helpless, hopeless, and at the mercy of circumstances way beyond our control. But my guest today has the kind of perspective and advice we need now more than ever ... the value of changing the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. Meet Nick Onken, a photographer who has shot celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Gerard Butler, Jessica Alba, and entrepreneurs like Tony Robbins, Jay Shetty, Todd Herman, Latham Thomas, Gabby Bernstein, and Lewis Howes. But he’s also a … wait for it… hat maker AND podcast host. If you need a shot of inspiration, Nick has so much to say about creativity and staying in flow, despite what may or may not be happening all around you.

Usually, when I plan a podcast episode for you, I plan it from the highest possible vibe I can offer. I pray. I meditate. I call forth my highest self. I create a mental state of Xanadu. It’s where I believe all of the juice is. All of the real inspiration. If I’m honest, I think I’m attached to a self-concept that is dependent on being positive all the time. But this is a season of life that is calling us not to be relentlessly positive, but rather, relentlessly open and awake.

At the beginning of this Coronavirus nightmare, as we sat isolated in our houses glued to screens, we craved laughter. We craved moments of humanity, of humor. My guest today gave us just that. You are about to meet Deion Broxton, a reporter with NBC affiliate KMTV, who became an overnight celebrity when a clip of his went viral for an unintentional moment captured on film … the moment when he faced down a herd of bison. The video has been viewed over 11 million times … And it is hilarious. But I wondered what the backstory was. Not just the bison backstory, but Deion’s backstory. But I wondered what the backstory was. Not just the bison backstory, but Deion’s backstory. Tune in, and meet the man behind the moment.

Remember that Bruce Willis film, The Sixth Sense? Spoiler alert: I feel just like his character felt at the film's end, when he realizes he's a ghost. Only in my case, I realize I'm unconsciously living in and benefitting from a racist societal construct. In this episode, I'm sharing the steps I'm taking, and resources I'm utilizing to evolve as a human being, and to become a part of the solution, vs. staying comfortably inside of the problem.

I rarely exclude any audience type from this podcastLINK.But this week, I am making an exception. This episode is for one specific type of person:the working mother (or father) of very young children.School is nearly out, and childcare is still spotty/nonexistent, and the all-important, life-saving Summer Camp is just not happening this year. To be managing children, babies, and even pregnancy whilst also working and providing for a family is to be teetering at the edge of sanity.If that’s you, I want you to know, I SEE YOU.And I want to offer you a gift this week … the gift of Kelsey Murphy, mother of two little ones, business coach and host of the Whiskey & Work podcast. Enjoy.

Friends, this pandemic is offering us the opportunity of a lifetime: To re-examine our relationship with our own thoughts … our own minds.This moment in history is giving us the space and time needed not just to Marie Kondo our physical closets. It is high time we got our MENTAL house de-cluttered and organized.Because here’s what:Before Corona virus, we were too busy to even notice the incessant stream of thinking happening between our ears. We barely had time to pee let alone sit and bear witness to the thoughts that drive our emotional lives and behaviors.And to be clear, that is exactly what thoughts do. I didn’t make this up, this is a central tenant of CBT: Thoughts make us feel emotions, which make us act. And that formula works backwards too.But now? The calendars are a helluva lot clearer. There’s nowhere to go. No one to visit. No plans to make.And here we are. Alone with our thoughts. It’s just Me, Myself and Mind. In this episode, I will teach you a powerful strategy for bringing our minds out of continual loops of worry and anxiety and sadness into a state of power and presence.

During times of crisis, humans tend to turn to religion and spirituality for comfort. We finally come to the end of our tether, of what we’re able to comfort ourselves with, and we reach for something bigger. But the year is 2020, and the role organized religion is playing in our lives is profoundly different. With fewer and fewer of us attending religious services even without a pandemic, and more and more of us identifying as “not affiliated” with a religious group (I didn’t ma…

If we ever needed a session with world class business coach Ben Kiker, it is NOW, my friends. In this episode, Ben and I get very real, very vulnerable, but most importantly, we get very practical about how to survive Covid-19 season. You will learn: Ben's number one tip for building emotional resiliency; his go-to mantra for moments of terror, anxiety and all forms of dis-regulation; and so much more.

Life as we know it has changed in a matter of weeks. And what we need right now is guidance and leadership.My guest today is the amazing Dr. Adam Dorsay. We covered a LOT of ground in this conversation: from how to find purpose when suddenly there is no work to be done and no place to go ... to how to deal with overwhelm and how to support your children through this time of self quarantine, as well as tips for extroverts working in isolation for the first time ever, and also how to keep intimacy alive with a spouse, despite being in the trenches of keeping a household from losing its sh*t.This conversation will lift you up, give you hope, and most of all, give you actions to take in the midst of unprecedented uncertainty.