Connecting The Dots - When Something's Gotta Change Maybe It's You

Sean Tucker is one of my favorite photographer and YouTuber. I first stumbled across his channel while looking for photography/videography. Sean takes some amazing photos and some of his tutorial videos are amazing. What kept me coming back however was less Sean's talents as a photographer and more his talents as a philosopher/presenter of ideas. If you are looking for technical tips on photography this is not the interview you are looking for. I am more interested in Sean's world view and some of the history of how he has become the man that he is. We talk about: His experience in the Church Vulnerability in Leadership  Stoic Philosophy Sean's growth on YouTube and his philosophy You can see Sean's work on his website: http://www.seantucker.photography Sean's YouTube channel is here https://www.youtube.com/user/seantuckermerge

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of six books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits. Raphael’s own heart was opened by an experience of profound grief. Cushnir’s first book, Unconditional Bliss: Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship(Quest), was nominated for the year 2000 Books for a Better Life Award. It introduced a simple yet profound process called Living the Questions. Learn more about the book and the process here. Cushnir’s second book, Setting Your Heart on Fire: Seven Invitations to Liberate Your Life(Broadway Books/Random House), was published in 2003 and is currently used as a major teaching text at spiritual centers around the U.S. The book’s Seven Invitations comprise an invigorating, step-by-step process for reopening and reawakening even the most wounded of hearts. Learn more about the book and the invitations here. In 2005, Chronicle Books released How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment. This gift book, with 20 full-color photographs and a highly accessible version of his core principles, quickly became Cushnir’s bestseller. A companion card deck soon followed. How Now was chosen as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2005 by Spirituality and Health Magazine. Learn more about the book and deck here.

Chris Norton is a former American football defensive back who played Division III football for the Luther College Norse. His football career ended in 2010 when he became paralyzed while making a tackle during a kick off in a game against Central College. He was given a 3% chance of ever regaining movement below the neck but has continued to recover some sensation and mobility throughout his body—including his hands, legs, feet and torso.[1] Today he lives in Florida with his wife where he manages his non-profit foundation and works full-time as a motivational speaker. Chris managed to work hard to defy all the odds and got to a point where he walked across the stage for his graduation. Inspired by the help and dedication of his fiance Chris made his next mission to walk down the aisle to marry the love of his life. Chris has an incredibly inspiring story. In this episode, we talk about the importance of accepting that sometimes life has better plans for you than you had for yourself.   Chris shares how he was able to take his mess and turn it into a message. We discuss the importance of taking responsibility for your life no matter what the circumstances. He talks about how he made that choice and refused to accept the status quo but also accepting where he was at. Your future will take care of itself if you take care of today. We talk about celebrating the little wins in order to keep you motivated and moving forward. There is a balance of grieving the past and simultaneously move forward. Allowing ourselves to feel all the negative feelings rather than suppressing them. Chris has recently published his new book The Seven Longest Yards. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Longest-Yards-Pushing-Leaning/dp/031035692X

Levi Allen is an adventure filmmaker and a gem of a human being. He is best known for his work on the Slack life series and his feature-length film Untethered. I had a chance to sit with Levi face to face and discuss filmmaking, relationships and some of the productivity strategies he employs in his life. Levi hosted a 6 day, 5 night storytelling workshop on a sailboat along the Sunshine Coast in BC.  Levi explains where his tag line "Life's better when you make stuff" originated with a level of detail and personal intimacy he has not yet captured on video. I think you will enjoy this one.

John Price is a photographer and climber. He has spent the last six years traveling all over the world, while basing himself out of Canada. Over the last three years John has been actively climbing and photographing rock, ice and alpine ascents throughout North America, including the deserts of Nevada, the Ruth Gorge in Alaska, the remote corners of the Himalaya, rural Japan and extensively throughout the Canadian Rockies. Currently based in Canmore, Alberta. Working as a freelance adventure, lifestyle and landscape photographer, John teaches private workshops, creates editorial pieces and shoots for commercial projects for a range of clients. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to accelerate your learning and shorten the time frame for mastery in whatever field you are in. John shares how he leverages his mentors to learn more and learn faster. We get real and talk a little bit about John's struggles with anxiety and depression and how he handles that. We talk about how as a species we tend to suffer in silence. We talk about vulnerability and connection.

This episode is a special one. It was a bit of an experiment in the fact that I strapped on a couple of wireless Lav mics and ran with Dave to conduct this interview. I also believe this is the beginning of a long term friendship with Dave. Dave lives in Okotoks, Alberta ,Canada, a small city just south of Calgary. Married since 2004 to the love of his life Sharon. They have three gloriously buzzing kids Julia (11), Sam (8), and Adele (6). Dave has a busy massage therapy practice specializing in deep tissue therapy, working out from two clinics: LIV ACTIV Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation in Calgary and Diamond Valley Chiropractic & Health Centre in Black Diamond. When he's not chasing his three monkeys and treating patients, he like to run obscene distances. He is the world record holder for the furthest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours (260.4kms), the Canadian record holder for 24hours (257.093kms), and hold numerous Canadian course records for ultramarathons. His passion for running started in his teenage years running track and cross country in school. It went further in high school when he joined a Calgary track club (Caltaf Athletic Assn.) and started competing in Decathlon. In 2006 he ran his first ultramarathon in Lethbridge and hasn't turned back since. In June of 2018 Dave will set out to break another record. He will be running across Canada in 66 days. He will average a total of 108KM per day for the entire 66 days. His "Why" is his son Sam who struggles daily with a rare disease called RECA, which makes simple movements difficult. Simply put, if he could run like his father he would never stop. Dave's goal is to raise over a million dollars for the Rare Disease Foundation. In this episode, we talk a lot about self-limiting beliefs and how to push past them. We dive into ultramarathon running strategies including body management, mind management as well as nutrition and sleep strategies. Dave talks about training both on and off the road. "Some of the best runners I know are some of the best people I know. I don't believe that is by accident." We talk about how rare disease affects 1 in 12 Canadians and the lack of strategy that exists in our current health care system. Dave shares his 6 year journey finding a diagnosis for his son and the challenges this places on families. There are so many incredible stories and nuggets of wisdom in this episode it is impossible for me to summarize them all here. Some of the things we discuss include: Nutrition Pain Management Self Limiting Beliefs Mindfulness Kindness The Power of Smiling The Rare Disease Foundation What it takes to run across Canada logistically World records Peak Performance So much more... You can find out more about Dave's journey here at Out Run Rare. His personal site at runproctor.com

Jane Atkinson is a speakers coach with over 3 decades of expertise in her craft. She has worked with some of the best in the business to ignite their career. She is the author of a 3 books The Wealthy Speaker, The Wealthy Speaker 2.0  and The Epic Keynote. In this episode we discuss the systems and processes that Jane has put in place so that she can get off the hamster wheel of trading time for money. Jane shares some of the strategies she has employed to help her clients reach 7 figure revenues in their business. While we talk about these strategies in depth we also talk about the need to consistently do good work. Not only do we need consistency we also need Clarity as well. There are no overnight successes are the result of long-term hard work. Jane outlines her formula of Ready, Aim, Fire to get any business setup for success. All of the strategies that we discuss are applicable to any business not just the speaking business. One of the keys to successful marketing is to make sure you "make it about them". We talk some direct strategies to make sure we speak to our customers in a meaningful way. Resources discussed in the podcast Dan Sullivan, Strategic Coach Kindra Hall, Podcast Interview Ryan Estis, Speaker  Jane's Website Jane's Books

Dr John Izzo is the bestselling author of seven books including the international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, The Five Thieves of Happiness and Stepping Up. John's passion in helping organizations activate purpose with employees and customers has inspired him to write his 8th book, The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Create Engagement and Competitive Advantage in an Age of Social Good, to be released March 13, 2018. Over the last twenty years, he has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, advised over 500 organizations and is frequently featured in the media by the likes of Fast Company, PBS, CBC, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and INC Magazine. He has advised some of the best companies in the world on activating purpose including DuPont, TELUS, Manulife, McDonald’s, SAPA, RBC, Lockheed Martin, Qantas Airlines, Humana, Microsoft, and the Mayo Clinic. John was a pioneer in the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability movements and is an Adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia where he is a co-founder of The Men’s Initiative which is dedicated to creating a more “equitable, compassionate and sustainable world through enhancing the wellbeing and integrity of men.” John also serves on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Brands. There are a number of reasons why today's leader needs to care about purpose within their organization: Talent is the number one reason why purpose should matter to today's business leaders. - 60% of millennials would take a pay cut to work for a company that gave them a sense of purpose - 37% of the global workforce are purpose-focused Because consumers care and will start to demand it. Customer acquisition and retention are solid reasons. Because we all need to care about what we put out in the world. Risk: Investors and shareholders are demanding purpose focused, socially responsible companies. Dr. Izzo shares strategies for organizations to become more purpose-focused. We talk about the Purpose Gap and how you can communicate to your consumers and staff what your purpose is. "We have to start talking about job purpose, not job function." There are a lot of actionable gems in this interview. You can find a copy of the book here (You can also download a free chapter)  The Purpose Revolution Dr. Izzo is also a co-founder of something called The Men's Initiative.  The Mission Of The Men’s Initiative Is “to Enhance The Integrity And Well-being Of Men For The Benefit Of Families, Communities And The World.” The Vision Of The Men’s Initiative Is “men Strive Together For An Equitable, Compassionate And Sustainable World.”  Some Links: Dr. John Izzo The way we think of charities is dead wrong  

Janice Porter is a LinkedIn expert and Relationship Marketing expert who believes that LinkedIn will change everything!  She prides herself in being a consummate networker and successfully connecting people for mutual benefit. She has been involved with various organizations and has built up a vast network that enables her to connect like-minded people. She has met many wonderful people through her various volunteer positions and she loves to be a "connector" for others. She often undertakes leadership positions in organizations to practice what she preaches and is proactive when it comes to building and cultivating relationships.  As a seasoned training specialist, her training focuses on how to authentically build relationships, communicate effectively and networking skills. Her passion for the subject matter, informal personal style, and ability to create an inclusive teaching environment enhances learning and creates stimulating conversations. She enjoys working with groups of all sizes and individuals in person and online. We talk about how to use LinkedIn to source and cultivate solid business relationships. Janice shares strategies for creating automated follow-up systems through Send Out Cards. You can create a mail sequence as well as send gifts directly from your phone. If you visit Janice's website you can get a FREE list of 18 things you can do to optimize your LinkedIn profile. Download it here!

Selina Gray (CPA, CA, B.Comm) is a money relationship expert with over 14 years of experience reinventing finance for individuals, small business & corporations. Selina has successfully managed and integrated various corporate acquisitions and served as controller for two internationally publicly traded companies. She has led an international team of over 30 finance ninjas and has helped thousands of people change their relationship with money by finding harmony between their inner & outer richness.  In this podcast we discuss what wealth really means. Selina shares her journey of discovery in her pursuit of wealth. It took a near death experience to accentuate the point that wealth is far more than the acquisition of money. She shares the lessons she learned through her adversity and what she would have shared with her younger self. Selina discusses the concepts of what it means to explore your emotional relationship with money. I have always talked about how your beliefs define your behaviors which ultimately generate your results. Selina talks about how you need to start by exploring your beliefs about money and where those beliefs come from. She shares with you some practical strategies for managing your money and the relationship you have with it.

Yahya is a speaker and confidence coach. His mission is to remind people of their value. We talk about entrepreneurship and about creating a lifestyle that works for you. Yahya shares how he discovered how he found his path to utilize his unique value to build the life that he wanted. How do you know who you are? Self discovery is a life long journey and we talk about finding out exactly who you are. Yahya talks about The wisdom of the enneagram and how this framework changed the way he looked at his strengths. We talk about Wealth Dynamics as a system for entrepreneurs. We talk about dropping the ego and self awareness. Or rather we about harnessing and understanding the ego as a protector. As a confidence coach we talk about not playing small and having the confidence to live your value. Yahya's energy is palpable and contagious. I think you will enjoy this one.

Diane Ross is an expert in difficult conversations and shares her strategies with us. As a 'recovering lawyer' she moved into the realm of communications and having the difficult conversations. She realized that what worked in the courtroom was not working in her personal relationships. We talk about why people avoid having difficult conversations and the trouble that can produce. Diane shares personal stories to illustrate her points. In this episode you will learn to: Talk so that you are heard Overcome the "difficult conversation jitters" Disarm hostile coworkers - and even your boss Boost communication within your team Get what you want at work If any of these have applied to you then you will likely enjoy this podcast and Diane's book: Anxiety asking for a raise or vacation time Stress over having to fire someone or discuss employee performance An overbearing boss A coworker not pulling his or her weight A smelly, dirty, crude, rude (or otherwise icky) team-member Passive-aggressive, antagonistic, or just plain difficult coworkers or employees We discuss Diane's framework for having difficult conversations as follows: Step 1: Prepare to Talk Step 2: Design and Deliver Your ABC (accurate, brief and clear) message Step 3: Stop Talking and Start Listening Step 4: Respond Powerfully The importance of 'I' statements in having these conversations. If you have ever had to have a difficult conversation or think you might in the future you need to listen to this episode.  

Bob is the only individual who has both a CFL Grey Cup ring and an Olympic medal. This is a man that is no stranger to hard work. Bob has found a way to harness his stellar successes, Eastern philosophies and life experiences into programs that inspire everyone to enjoy his level of exceptional triumph. Bob has done the hard yards and achieved real and outstanding runs on the board, as a player and coach in sport, business and life, to gain rare credibility and know-how to guide everyone to success. ‘Success Breeds Success’ After finishing high school as a star multi-sport athlete in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Bob headed west to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. ‘Big Bob’ (6’4″ & 275 lbs.) quickly became a standout in both the Wrestling and Football teams and won the Simon Fraser Scholar-Athlete Award. There were setbacks. Bob ruptured a disc in his back and had surgery just 21 days before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Testing concluded it was impossible for Bob to regain his form in time to compete. Unfazed and committed to competing and achieving his goal, Bob pressed on.  At just 21 years old, he found an inner resolve and wrestled his way against the odds to a Silver Medal. In this episode we talk a lot of philosophy, we talk about mentorship and what it takes to be successful. Bob is all about "Getting comfortable being uncomfortable". He has studied at Harvard, Queens and pushed himself to compete in Ironman competitions in an effort to get uncomfortable. Bob is determined to be worn out not rusted out. Bob is the self professed biggest cheat in the world. He talks about emulating success by copying the techniques and tactics of others that have done what he wanted to do. He calls it R & D. No not research and development, rather rob and duplicate. In our conversation we explore the different styles of learning and the importance of understanding your style of learning. We discuss goal setting from an Eastern philosophy perspective and the importance of relationships. Bob shares how he cultivates and fosters 30+ year relationships. I think you will really enjoy Bob. Let me know what you think!   

Tania Spilchen is a computer scientist turned philanthropist. She is the founder of One International. One! International Poverty Relief (One! International) is a registered Canadian charity; a non-government, non-profit, non-sectarian organization working in India. One International strives to assist children, youth and families to achieve their potential and become responsible members of society. Basic education for children is a must. However, in order to accomplish this, education must also be extended to the older population by conveying educations’ necessity, and also to try and break the parent’s dependence on their children for the food and money they can earn by begging or working under-aged. Tania shares how, what started as a computer science trip to India, turned into a love for a country, culture and a drive to make a difference. We talk about gratitude and how one can come to recognize that in their lives. We discuss the importance of the emotional support of family in childhood to allow you to feel gratitude. Tania recognized where she could make a small impact and took action to make it happen. We have rules to guide us but heaven forbid that we conform to normal. "We sometimes hide who we truly are just to be normal when people are not getting to know the real you." One of the things I found very interesting was her philosophy on giving people a hand up vs. a hand out. She talks about the problem that occurs when some of the wannabe philanthropists do a drive by drop of supplies. "We get lost in the macro instead of realizing that the micro can go step by step forward into something bigger." Tania is an incredibly inspiring young woman I think you will enjoy.    

JOHN DAVID MANN is an award-winning author whose titles include the New York Times bestseller The Red Circle and the international bestseller The Go-Giver. “I have a passion for great writing. The exquisite beauty of a powerful idea expressed in words, whether through a single sentence or a seven-hundred-page novel, is something that has stirred my soul since as long as I can remember. And it changes people’s lives. That’s why I do what I do.” His book. The Go-Giver which sold over 500,000 copies was also rejected by 21 different publishers. We discuss the beginnings of the book and his relationship with co-author Bob Berg. You can listen to my interview with Bob here. John talks about the journey from writing to published. We discuss the term ‘Best Seller’ and what it takes to make ‘THE’ lists. He talks about how some of the lists and system can be gamed. We talk about the components of a good story. We discuss the challenges of creating characters who are people that you care about. We explore The fifth law of stratospheric success, ‘receptivity’. This is one that is difficult for most of us. The thing all writers want their readers to say “and then what happens”. The magic is in the rewriting “It’s critical that at some point in the story things look hopeless.” John talks about how he started his own school at the age of 17. When you are feeling lost surround yourself with those that are not. We talk about how we met when John wrote about Colleen’s tragic death. You can read his article here. http://johndavidmann.com/2015/10/27/this-moment-forever/ We talk about tragedy and how we tend to deal with it in a stoic manner. We talk about ‘crying like a man’ in the context of the life of a Navy Seal. John talks about the importance for a writer to fall in love with his story each and every time they write.  

Brandon Tyler Webb (born June 12,1974) is a former United States Navy SEAL and SEAL Sniper Head Instructor, with one combat deployment to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. He served as the Navy SEAL Sniper Course Manager, where he developed new curricula and trained snipers, including Chris Kyle. He is the editor in chief of SOFREP[1], Founder and CEO of Crate Club, and a media commentator on snipers and related Special Operations Forces military issues.[2] Webb is the co-author of The 21st Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide. He is the author of The Red Circle, his memoir, and The Making of a Navy Seal. In this interview we talk about the mindset it takes to survive SEAL training. We discuss Brandon's books as well as his charity foundation. I have written twice about my take on the term 'Embrace the Suck' both before and after Colleen was killed. Brandon talks about it from a SEAL perspective.  Brandon shares the training techniques he used to train elite snipers and how they took pass rates from lows to almost 100% pass rates by altering methodology. You can find Brandon's books here on Amazon. To find more about the Red Circle here.

This dude is one of my favorite human beings on the planet. You will be inspired by his passion, energy and creativity. Steven is an artistic genius, fitness freak, cancer survivor and philanthropist. A self professed "Strange beast" and "the worlds poorest philanthropist". I am thrilled to call Steven a friend and love to run with him every Sunday morning so that we can eat guilt-free croissants when we are done! Steven has painted some of the best of the best in the NHL including Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier to name a few. His artistic success was cut short when he was hit with the dreaded C word. Cancer. In this interview we discuss his creative process, how he chose to give back to the community, his cancer and what has been dubbed pre-habilitative medicine. Steven talks about what he calls Fragile Resilience. The balance between tough and tender. It's a subject that has been near and dear to my heart for those of you that have followed my story. His first professional break as an artist came after he painted a portrait of Wayne after a loss at the Canada Cup.  It portrayed the sadness of the event and showed a more human side of Wayne. This was the painting that Peter Pocklington took into the dressing room and showed Wayne. Steve's success early was a perfect example of connecting the dots and leveraging relationships. From his Uncle who cleaned Peters pool to the dressing room, it is amazing to hear the story of how it unfolded. Shortly after I met Steven I went to one of his art shows and purchased a few of his pieces, including one titled 'Fragile Resilience'. You will hear Steven describe and explain the painting in this interview. 20:40 Definition of Creativity: "The role of the artist is to preserve culture through self expression always relying on the truth of experience" We talk about how to cultivate creativity and many of the things that Steven uses to build and expand his creativity. "A true artist is always pushing the boundaries" We talk about how to exercise that creativity muscle whether you are creative or not. Over the years Steven has been very involved in the community and in particular the organization iHuman. So many incredible quotes and tidbits in this one. Here is a the "Make Good Art" video by Neil Gaiman that we discuss in the interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI

Co-Owner, Tool Shed Brewing Company Graham Sherman is a self-professed “high level geek” who has used his love of technology to help him master the craft of brewing artisan beer. Together with his partner, Graham launched the Tool Shed Brewery four years ago, and has never looked back.  Prior to starting Tool Shed, Graham and his Tool Shed partner worked on contracts for the Canadian and US governments and military forces, installing encrypted, tactical communication networks. By day, they rolled around Afghanistan in armoured vehicles, “geeking out” in the world of satellite communications. By night, they aimed their obsessive, high-level thinking at mastering everyday tasks such as coffee, learning to control their homes in Canada remotely with their iPhones….and finally, perfecting batches of beer. Now sold in over 1000 locations in Western Canada, Tool Shed has its 15,000 square foot headquarters in Calgary, and the team behind the brand has also been nominated as Canadian Entrepreneur of the year, the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs, with programs in 145 cities in 60 countries. They were also named as two co-winners of the “40 Under 40” recognition from Avenue magazine. In this episode we talk about the importance of a strong "why" behind your "what". We brew some beer while recording and generally have some good fun. Graham talks about how he has leveraged social media to grow his business while having a good time along the way. We talk about innovation and using creative solutions to complex problems.  Graham is a natural born story teller and you will love the conversation and insights in this interview. Whether you love business, beer or like me, both there is something for you in this episode. Here is a link to a video of us brewing beer at Tool Shed Brewery https://www.facebook.com/michael.cameron.315/videos/10153807694836571/

Here is your chance to get to know the President and CEO of Mortgage Professionals Canada. From insurance to mortgages we explore Paul's journey to leading the largest professional mortgage association in Canada.  Paul went on to take an executive MBA program and talks about what he felt he needed to succeed.  Paul is a great example of doing what it takes to get to where you want to be. We talk about the importance of improvisation when it comes to a sales role. "Relationships close deals" Paul talks about authenticity when it comes to building relationships.  We talk about the importance of honesty with yourself and with your customer.  Telling them when you can't actually help them and utilizing that to build trust.  It almost always pays off. "Deliver bad news early" nothing kills trust faster than delaying the inevitable.  This holds especially true when it comes to the mortgage sales process.  We tend to hide the bad news in the hope that we can solve the problem.  While this sometimes works out, more often than not this will blow up and destroy trust. Paul talks about how he utilizes creativity, specifically music, as a metaphor for his business endeavors. We dive into leadership and discuss a number of different leadership philosophies.  Paul talks about music and math and producing replicable leadership results.  He walks us through a step by step process for decision making. Fully understand the question that needs an answer Make sure you understand everything about the question before you  Understand what you know Understand what you don't know Figure out what you wish to know fill the gaps with information from the people you lead Remove the emotion as best you can Don't get caught up by someone else's sense of urgency If you need to wait a day to remove the emotion then do so Change your environment.  Go for a walk.  Change your physical space to change your head space We talk about some of the important character traits of successful leaders. "Courtesy costs nothing". Paul talks about the importance of respect and courtesy. We talk about Mortgage Professionals Canada and where Paul sees the future of the organization. This is a great discussion with some good stories that relate to both self improvement and leadership.  I hope you enjoy the conversation with Paul as much as I did.

Joe Calloway helps business leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs make great companies even better. His interactive keynote presentations and workshops enable organizations to focus on what is truly important, inspire new thinking about challenges and opportunities, and motivate people to immediate action. Joe is a business author, consultant and speaker and his client list reads like an international Who’s Who in business, ranging from companies like Proctor & Gamble and Coca Cola to Cadillac and American Express. Joe also works extensively with small to mid-sized business groups including franchisees, medical practices, law firms, and a range of professional services groups. About Joe… Executive In Residence at Belmont University’s Center For Entrepreneurship, which has been named as a national Top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program by the Princeton Review (for five consecutive years).  The program was featured by Fortune magazine as one of five schools to consider when studying entrepreneurship. Author of six books on business performance, including Becoming A Category of One, Be The Best At What Matters Most, and his most recent book, Magnetic: The Art Of Attracting Business. Director of Business Development for Gilson Boards, a design and manufacturing company that produces artisan snowboards. Joe has presented at business conferences and events in countries around the world including Italy, Sweden, South Africa, England, Swaziland, Canada, Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. Although Joe has been inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, he doesn’t do traditional “speeches.” Instead, Joe actively engages people in highly interactive keynotes and workshops that challenge assumptions and create new ways of thinking. In this Interview: We talk about creativity and what it takes to feed your creative self. How do you use creativity to create value for your consumer.  Being in business by it's very nature is a creative endeavor. Diversity of information is critical.  It is often the intersection of disparate subjects that create great new ideas. Techniques to overcome procrastination or what Stephen Pressfield called "Resistance" We discuss the importance of creating corporate culture The importance of simplification.  How to get your message down to a simple, easy to follow statement. How to make emotional connections with your prospects and customers   External Resources Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business AC/DC Beegees Mashup       

Can a subtle shift in focus really make that big of a difference in your business and in your income? Our guest says, “Absolutely, yes!” Bob Burg is a sought-after speaker at company leadership and sales conferences. He regularly addresses audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000. He has shared the platform with notables including today’s top thought leaders, broadcast personalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United States President. He is coauthor of the international bestseller, The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More and author ofEndless Referrals and numerous other books (more than a million copies sold in total). The Go-Giver has been translated into 21 languages. Bob is an advocate, supporter and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. He is also an unapologetic animal fanatic, and serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors of Furry Friends Adoption & Clinic in his town of Jupiter, Florida. In this episode we talk about Bob's origin story.  We talk about how he got his start as a professional speaker and what lead him to write the book The Go-Giver.  Bob talks about the importance of systems to produce predictable results.   THE FIVE LAWS OF STRATOSPHERIC SUCCESS The Law of ValueYour true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. The Law of CompensationYour income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. The Law of InfluenceYour influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first. The Law of AuthenticityThe most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. The Law of ReceptivityThe key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.   Book References Bob Burg: The Go-Giver Tom Hopkins:  How to Master the Art of Selling Michael Gerber: - The E-Myth    

Meet Martin Perelmuter.  Martin is an unapologetic idealist. He’s passionate about people and ideas, and after 20 years in the speaking industry believes more than ever that a great speech can provide the impetus for action and be a catalyst for change. Prior to co-founding Speakers’ Spotlight, Martin was a corporate lawyer at a prestigious international law firm. While he realized early on in his career that he needed to do something more entrepreneurial, he learned some incredibly valuable best practices that have shaped his approach to client service and business management. Martin’s views on the speaking industry have been reported in various television and print media, and have been published in over 60 countries. He’s been a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities, and was a keynote speaker at the Public Words Speaker Forum at The Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School in Cambridge. Martin is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Western Ontario, and the Faculty of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He lives in Toronto with his wife and business partner Farah, and their children Jade and Cole. He is an avid reader and music lover. In this episode we talk about the entrepreneurial drive and what made Martin step out on his own.  Martin outlines what it took to get things moving in his own business.  The bottom line is it takes a LOT of hard work.  What attracted hi to the industry was his passion for people and ideas.  It was the opportunity to pursue his passion that led him to leave the security of a law career.   Cold calls!  Yes! We talk about cold calls.  I found it refreshing to hear this from a fellow entrepreneur.  I think that there is a lot of misconception about what it takes to build relationships.  There is a real opportunity for those that are willing to pick up the phone and talk to people.  In this digital world we are receiving a lot less calls then we ever have.  Human to human calls are becoming a rarity and therefore gives those that are willing to do it a real advantage. Organic growth has taken their organization to 29 full time staff.  It is important to note that organic growth doesn't just happen without a lot of hard work.  Building relationships is the key and putting yourself out there. Exceeding expectations has been the key to their growth.  Not necessarily under promise and over deliver, because let's face it, to get the gig you have to promise fairly high.  The key is to over promise AND over deliver.  It is about planting the seed for longer term opportunities even if you have to forego immediate gratification. Martin cites Simon Sinek's Start With Why as a driving force for their success.  They have spent a lot of time determining their why as an organization and took the time to learn how to articulate that.  It took them fourteen years before they crystalized exactly what that looks like. Sharing that vision with the organization is a key to building a cohesive organization.  We explore some strategies that Martin has used to ensure his team is on board and shares that vision.  While growing as an organization it is imperative that the leadership makes sure that that "why" never goes fuzzy. Book Recomendations Good To Great - Jim Collins Skinny Legs and All - Tom Robbins  Start With Why - Simon Sinek

Richard Robbins is Co-founder and CEO of Richard Robbins International, a global sales and business coaching organization that amassed over $50 million dollars in revenue worldwide in its first ten years alone. The organization’s explosive 3000% growth is attributed largely to the transformational impact Richard Robbins’ unique methodologies have had, and continue to have, on the businesses and lives of thousands of sales professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders at all levels worldwide. “LEAD HIS SUCCESSFUL BROKERAGE OF ONLY 20 AGENTS TO ACHIEVE THE “HIGHEST PRODUCTION PER AGENT” OF ANY BROKERAGE WITHIN ITS TRADING AREA.” After a successful start as an agent Richard decided to open up his own real estate brokerage and soon found it to be a little more challenging than he thought.  On the recomendation of others and despite an affordabiliity issue Richard took a trip to a self help seminar hosted with legendary entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn, That trip changed his outlook on the concept of value dramatically.  It was after this paradigm shift that he started focusing on how to provide more value as opposed to focusing on how to make more money.  This translated into a change in philosophy around the brokerage and they moved to a heavy focus on training their sales agents.  This compounded and as his agents became more successful he attracted the type of agents that he wanted.  This culminated in the eventual sale of the brokerage and Rich's move to his coaching and speaking business.  Richard is the author of "Deliver the Unexpected: and 6 other new truths for business".  In this conversation we talk about  an umber of concepts:  If you want to be successful in any business you better love it.  "When it's no longer fun, you better run" Anyone can be taught to succeed but you need to learn to succeed in your own way.  It starts with awareness and understanding who you are If you spent as much of your day thinking about how to provide more value as you do thinking about how to make more money you'd be rich beyond measure We have to allow ourselves to become more of who we are Find what energizes you - do more of that Giving starts the receiving process How to bridge the gap between your thoughts and your actions How to stay motivated on a consistent basis.  Even when the seminars are done ;0) Richard explores his Be. Do. Have model of living and talks about the importance of the order of how we process this.  He uses some great concrete examples of how to reverse engineer your goals into who you need to BE in order to HAVE all the things you strive for. Richard shares his morning ritual that he has done consistently to control his thoughts and stay motivated, focused and make sure he is living on purpose.  We talk about training your thoughts which will ultimately affect your feelings and your feelings control your actions.  The process Richard follows takes him about an hour a day and looks something like this: JournalWhat happened yesterday?What went right?3 to 5 things you are grateful for Review living legacyAll the thoughts he wants to retain, might be quotes or thoughtsLook at goals - review them and ensure you are on track Review behaviors - Focus on behaviors not results because you can Reading - feed your mind with positive Exercise - Get your head right first then your  body right second The 7 myths and corresponding truths from Rchard's book, Deliver the Unexpected 1. Future mythMyth: goals bring success by telling us where to arrive tomorrowTruth: goals create success by telling us what to do today. Knowledge mythMyth: success comes from knowing what to do.Truth: success comes from doing what you know. Failure mythMyth: failure is the opposite of success.Truth: failure is a means of progress. The path to achieve success. Abundance mythMyth: abundance is the way to success. 'We should get to get'Truth: abundance is the result of success. Give instead. Reframe your interactions as opportunities to create abundance for others. Value mythMyth: there are two forms of value Price Added BenefitTruth: actually three forms of value the secret to increasing value is in adding unexpected value. Attraction mythMyth: we attract into our lives what we focus on.Truth: we attract what we are The happiness mythMyth: you HAVE happinessTruth: you have to BE happy ...Happiness is the state in which we are our true selves. RESOURCES Day One journalling app Evernote Jim Rohn  

Peri Shawn is an award winning author who specializes in working with leaders who want to get better results.  She works on helping people think better so that they can do better.  She is known as a profitable conversation expert and I think you will find this conversation will be extremely profitable.  Sales is both a science and an art and we explore the art and support it with the science that backs it up.  As sales people we know that we have interactions that are better than others both as sales people and as consumers so why not have the positive interactions by design. Peri tells the story of what triggered her passion for learning and teaching and that it was in fact the learning dichotomy between her two brothers that lead her down the path that she took.  As a high school teacher she became fascinated and discontented with the fact that her students were learning at a consistent level and decided to look into how she could help them better.  She started exploring the neuroscience behind the learning and started to see immediate results in the classroom.  At one of the teaching conferences she spoke at someone from the corporate world approached her and talked about the value of what she was teaching and ultimately convinced her to take her work and passion into the corporate world.  She became an action researcher and spent time looking at what actions were actually having the biggest impact. The short answer was that questions that were the best way to get optimal results.  There is ample neuroscience that supports this. Jeffrey Schwartz  studied the impact of questions on the brain.  Questions actually build new neurological connections in the brain.  You can find information about his work and studies on his website at http://www.jeffreymschwartz.com/. Challenge your thoughts and find those universal truths.  Experiment with the truisms and axioms that we hear.  We are all moving forward and we all have the resources to 'get there' we need to find what works the best for us as individuals.  It all starts with our core values.  Our values shape the lens in which we see the world and we can improve our selves while we are helping others. By changing our thinking we can change ours, and our teams behaviors, the alternative is that we try and coach or teach behavior and we simply become behavior cops.  We change our thinking by analyzing our past results and reflecting on the thinking behind the behaviors recognizing that if we don't like the results we need to change the behavior and in order to do that in a sustainable manner we need to change the thinking. Peri's definition of Selling is "Helping people with their buying decision".  The sales business is substantially different today then it was even five years ago. As sales people we need to understand where our customers are in the buying process. Listening is critical to the sales process Sales decisions are made on emotion justified by logic Can we design the emotional experience of the buying process We need to get our customer emotionally engaged Stories are a key factor to emotionally connect with your client Create stories that relate to your sales process Create an experience that your clients will tell as a story to others and they become your best sales people We discuss the neuroscience behind this We talk about addressing client concerns or objections The 10 common sales mistakes sales people make Not being clear on who is buying Forgetting why people buy Being self focused Telling mistruths Being ill prepared Taking too much of clients time Sharing what is not relevant Missing buying cues Acting like a traditional sales person Treating clients as enemies RESOURCES Connect with Peri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perishawnVisit Peri's professional web site: http://coachingandsalesinstitute.com/Buy Peri's book: http://www.amazon.com/Sell-More-With-Sales-Coaching/dp/1118785932Dr. John Demartini  Neuroscience Research Uri Hasson publicationsJeffrey Schwartz

How many 20 year olds do you know that you can find on Wikipedia? Here is Shane's bio from Wikipedia: "Shane Feldman is a motivational speaker and critically acclaimed producer.[1] He is one of Canada's Top 20 Under 20.[2] Feldman is the founder and CEO of Count Me In,[3][4][5] the largest youth-led organization in North America. As CEO (Chief Executive Optimist) at Count Me In, Feldman is the creative strategist behind the organization's core programming,[6] which help young people find their passion through volunteerism. The unique initiative connects youth with community opportunities and causes matching their interests, inspiring local involvement, leadership, and social innovation.[7][8]"   Plugging into his community in Grade 9 literally changed his life.  “Getting involved was the key to all things awesome.”  What started in 2011 as what was supposed to be a 50 student assembly in his high school, turned into 400 students from 7 schools. The momentum quickly grew and in 2012 the gathering included 1000 students from over 30 schools. Today Count Me In has produced 7 major events, 2 global broadcasts, impacted 10 million in about 104 countries around the world.   “Your age does not define your potential.“ Shane is living proof of this statement.   Shane learned early on how to turn your pain into purpose.  He made the choice to look for the good in anything.  The starting point is being authentic, being your true self, and looking for the good that is in you that you can share.  You have it in you to do something positive for someone else and in doing so you cannot help but feel good yourself.  Smile at someone, hold the door for someone, strike up a conversation with a stranger on the bus.  It is as simple as brightening someone's day to brighten your own.   To make someone happy just think about what would make you happy. Do that.   We talk about the potential loss of connection that social media could create.  Shane talks about the upside of the uber connected world.  Count Me In has leveraged the internet to provide a global broadcast that has inspired millions.  Shane believes we will get back to increasing that connection with the prevalence of video.  "You can’t rely on technology to create deep meaningful relationships."     If you are growing up feeling connected to your community then you are not going to make those bad choices.  You are going to strive to do your part in making a positive difference. Shane believes that a legacy isn’t something you leave, it is something you live.     When surrounded with all these choices of what to do with your time you are tempted to ‘waste time’ chasing fun but when you realize that these are not isolated blocks of time but a limited resource connected to your entire life and the total block you have, you become more mindful of how you spend it.  If you think of time like your financial resources and budget you tend to spend it more wisely.  That’s not to say that down time is wasted.  His definition of wasted time is doing any sort of activity that removes you from your life.  That takes you away from your authentic self.  Shane shares a time where he struggled with being a workaholic at a young age, going to bed with his lap top.  We talk about the risks, downsides and the toll that this can take on your life.   On Personal development. Personal reflection - some might call it meditation but Shane trys to start and end his day reflecting on how he spent his day.  Being mindful you can make the choices that are congruent with who you want to become.   Physical Activity - walking meetings, jogging. Movement, whole body involvement is important for idea generation.  Shane learned this by studying Shakespeare.  His drama teacher told him that shakespeare isn’t something you learn but something that you feel. When you want to be super productive you are able to visualize more when you are moving, your brain is just “glowing”.     Shane’s definition of success: personal satisfaction and happiness.  Being able to wake up every morning and smile at yourself for yourself simply for being who you are.     How does Shane keep his ego in check given the massive success at a young age?   Self reflection is the key.  The bigger the movement became the more he realized he could easily lose sight of what was real and what was marketing.  He saw it happen in other areas where individuals led with their egos and not their hearts.  This realization had Shane become very mindful of why and how he made decisions.  Success and fame is not really about ego.  It is about finding a message or story that resonates with the masses.  While Shane is following his purpose he has ‘surrendered’ to the world and follows his gut.     I asked Shane about the potential of making the very youth he intends to inspire feel unworthy by being such a large example of making an impact. If he fears that he will set the bar too high. I had recently listened to Brene Brown talk about this. The concern is that the message that we have to do these huge, extraordinary things can set us up for feelings of unworthiness.  Set us up to feel like we are never enough.     The message of Count Me In is more about what you CAN do not what you MUST do. The message is to make a change locally.  You don’t need to get on a plane to make a difference.  You don’t need a ton of cash. Start small, start local.   On Parenting Teens A lot of parents look at teenagers as this weird, eery brand new animal they have never seen before.  Shane talks about the similarities between teens and toddlers (trust me, I have a teen who sometimes acts like a toddler).  They both have that youthful, innocent enthusiasm.  They both have a certain curiosity and a need to explore.  As parents the best thing we can do is to give them guidance and that safety net to call home while they explore their individuality.  Demonstrate that they have the freedom to explore but still allowing that safety net.  The more they feel valued the more they’re going to a grow into a physically and mentally stable adult.   We discuss the Count Me In 4 day Leadership summit and the transformative impact that it had on Shane.  He talks about how it was the most meaningful and fulfilling event he has ever produced.   We wrap up with Shane sharing his story of some friends who started an initiative called #founda50.   I was so impressed with Shane's passion for what he does that I decided to sponsor a youth to attend Count Me In's Leadership Summit.   Resources: Count Me In Movement CMI Leadership Summit Shane's personal website Shane's Wikipedia page The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer Brene Brown   Topics We Explore:   Shane tells the story of how he created the largest youth run conference on the planet. Guarding against Ego Surrendering to what is Parenting Peer pressure The fact that possibilities are endless regardless of your age We talk about the power of perspective. We talk about a Pay it Forward movement called Found a fifty

Dan O'Neill is my triathlon coach.  Dan is an extremely inspirational man who has completed 3 Ironman races, written a book and been a part of raising several hundred thousand dollars for Kids with Cancer. In this interview we talk about the motivation behind competing in such an extreme endurance event.  We talk about the fact that these events are being completed by a larger variety of demographics and that age and body type is becoming much less of a barrier. We talk about work/life balance and how perhaps work/life integration is a better approach.  Dan tells us how he used his journey to Ironman as a healing process.  Dan went from childhood abuse to completing three Ironman.  He talks about how he had to make the concious decision to not be a victim.   Dan shares his story of writing and ultimately publishing his book and the mental discipline it took to actually do that. 

Christopher Novais is a Toronto native who embodies the term entrepreneur.  Christopher graduated from York University with a degree in marketing and wasted no time putting it to use.  Christoper is the co-founder of The Art Of Productions Inc. which quickly became Canada's largest personal development seminar series.  The Art Of has grown from a single conference to a variety of different conferences spanning the Country. Christopher has worked with the likes of Martha Stewart, Chris Hadfield, Brene Brown and Rudy Giuliani to name a few.  In this episode we discuss his journey as an entrepreneur.  In 2008 Chris found a niche in the personal development conference space and moved to fill it. We talk about Christophers strategic planning process and the steps he takes to ensure that his team executes on those plans.  Christopher recomends keeping your plan to three major objectives.  Any more can become overwhelming and/or distracting amking it difficult to focus.  The three categories they use to set priorities are: Financial Process Oriented Customer Experience Christophers definition of success has evolved over time but currently he lists things in this order. Doing his family and friends proud Financial Freedom More recently looking at what he is contributing to the world.  Interestingly he says that when he added that third component, actually connecting value to other peoples success, is when the business really started to flourish. Some of the key messages and take-aways that we discuss are: Begin with the end in mind.Have a clear vision of where you are going and be able to articulate that to your team. Hard work never stopsWhile the journey may get easier, Christopher believes that is likely a result of us getting smarter not having to work less. When you do what you love you will do it well. Teamwork counts Delegate, Delegate, Delegate"My job is to keep my nose in everything but to keep my hands out" Planning and execution are both critical factors to success as an entrepreneur There are always different ways of doing things.  Open your mind to possibilities You will get more than one shot so play around, experiment. You can find Christopher on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophernovais or at The Art of Productions.  

Nicole Almond is the President of Enactus Canada. Nicole talks to us not only about her role as President and what Enactus does but shares some of her experience as a student in the Enactus program while she was in university.  Enactus is truly a unique organization finding unique ways of inspiring the next generation to make a difference in our world.  Enactus Canada is shaping generations of entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. They rally the energy, ideas and passion of Canada’s best and brightest students who see business as a way to address social issues. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, the student leaders of Enactus Canada create and implement community empowerment projects and business ventures in communities coast to coast. This experiential learning platform helps students unleash their entrepreneurial spirit and develop the talent and perspective essential to leadership in our ever changing world. Each year, we are reminded it is the people involved with Enactus Canada – students, academic professionals and industry leaders alike – who continue to make us so successful. Together, this year alone, they were able to: Engage 2,347 students and 118 faculty advisors on 59 campuses Implement 259 community development projects Employ 1,600 people through skill development and business creation Impact 643,026 people As a global network of 36 countries, their community of student, academic and business leaders is enabling progress through entrepreneurial action. I think you will enjioy this one!

Carmen Alpaerts has been active in the community for a very long time.  She is a firm believer in giving back to your community.  Her 'get it done' attitude that has proven successful in business has been applied to her philanthropic endeavors as well.   We talk about the use of creativity and marketing strategies to get the results she was looking for. Carmen is committed to raising the bar when it comes to helping out the homeless.  In this interview we talk about the importance of a team.  You can make a difference by cultivating the relationships in your network.  Carmen's 'team' includes her 84 year old mom who is a large part of why Carmen does what she does.  Mom is still actively involved and out there soliciting participation from the local business. Carmen gives some advice on how we, as parents, can ensure that we pass these values down to our children. Angels in the Night London Chapter: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angels-in-the-Night-London-Chapter/605275746175516 My takeaways from this interview: Get creative and look for ways to encourage others to get involved Make it fun Instill philanthropic values in the next generation Make it easy

This is our first in our "Making a Difference" series.  The intent is to bring awareness to those individuals that are doing extraordinary things in our communities.  My hope is that we can inspire others and feed off of each others contributions to do more to help change our world for the better. Todays guest is a young man by the name of MacKenzie Lucas who is going to be cycling across Canada to raise money for Lung Cancer.  MacKenzie is no stranger to fund raising and has done fund raisers in the past, including shaving his head for Cancer.  His goal is to cycle from St. Johns, New Foundland all the way to Vancouver, British Columbia.  He is leaving July 16, 2015 and plans to finish on September 6, 2015 which just happens to be his 21st birthday.  His hope is to raise at least a dollar per kilometer, which would put him at about $7800.00. I love to see young people getting active and making a difference.  His campaign is called Pedal Towards the Cure.  You can find him on Facebook here at: https://www.facebook.com/pedaltowardsthecure?fref=ts. If you would like to donate directly you can find his donation page here at:https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/pedal-towards-the-cure/ MacKenzie will be documenting his progress with a GoPro and a daily blog.  My hope is that we can do a few brief interviews with him along his journey and track his progress together.

Erik Giasson has from a very young age a hyper-forming role, a role or success through the eyes of others, role, or to exist and be happy, you have to have a social status and to be nothing less than the best. At just 26, he became senior trader for a major Canadian bank. Then at age 28, he landed a Vice Presidency position with one of the largest brokerage firms in the world.  At 36, he is Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President of a major investment firm. At 43, he achieved his ultimate dream, which is to work for the biggest Macro Hedge fund in the world. He lived in abundance and wealth, when in 2008, after the financial crisis has he lost his job and his role, everything collapses. The trials of life accumulate one after the other, which led him to follow a voice he could never have imagined. Through his suffering, he will undertake a life transition, he will discover yoga, which surely saves him from suicide. Yoga not only allowed him to survive, but to live with who he really is, free from a role. Erik Giasson remains today a businessman. He is a yoga teacher and co-owner of a renowned studio in Montreal and affiliated with Wanderlust, one of the biggest names in the world of yoga. Erik Giasson guides us through his career and this life transition. He presents the tools he gave himself to reconnect with his essence, integrates a balanced life between the head and the heart and become wealthy otherwise.

In this episode I talk to Fred Sarkari who is a licensed Psycotherapist.  We talk a lot about human behaviour and how to shape the behaviours that we want.  Fred takes a scientific approach to behaviour patterns and looks at how we can understand why we do what we do. Whether we are talking about personal or corporate behaviours, we explore character traits of some of the most succesful leaders in the world.  Self awareness gives you control of your environment and allows you to avoid being reactive to circumstances. Fred is the author of three books, two of which are best sellers: “How the Top 5% Think! – Principles of Great Leaders” “Courage To Be Naked – Guide to Communicating and Presenting Your Message.” “101 Exercises To Change Your Life / Business”  

For 25 years the largest companies in Canada have been referring Canada's Sales Coach to each other.Air Canada, IBM, KPMG, Royal Bank, Direct Energy, RBC Insurance, TEC, MCAP, Canadian Tire Financial Services, Rogers, GE, have all hired and then referred Tom to his next client. Tom specializes in coaching professionals in acquiring and retaining more clients. How? He has them become better prepared by helping them learn much more quickly from their experience. His approach has led to one client claiming a $20 million increase in sales as a result of using his coaching and sales philosophy (Public Disclosure: most of his clients hire him for 10 days or more). So what. Tom specializes in coaching professionals in acquiring and retaining more clients, and in coaching sales managers to exceed their goals. He help sales managers show their sales teams how to both sell more effectively and learn more quickly from their sales experience.After years of working with major corporations to improve their sales and coaching results, He now help entrepreneurs build their businesses and increase their referrals rates with integrity based selling.As an avid researcher, on average he has read more than one sales or coaching book a week for more than three years.In this interview we talk about the importance of coaching.  We talk specific skills relating to coaching a team.  We talk about a number of sales insights and dive deep into some specific sales strategies.

Mitra Castano is an inspiring example of a resilient woman.  After fleeing from Iran as a child she went on to create the "Perfect" life in Canada only to have the rug yanked out from under her in 2009.  Mitra is the Owner/Operator of Triunity Martial Arts studio and teaches you8ng women to find their inner warrior and deal with lifes challenges. Mitra teaches women through martial arts and speaking events.  Her message is that we all have the choice to either become victom of our circumstances or to find our inner warrior and grow from our experiences.  We talk alot about finding your true self and being true to who that is. I hope you enjoy Mitra as much as I did. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Gloria and her husband Ricardo at the Starting Point Entrepreneurship Conference at Saint Mary's University in Halifax this February.  Gloria is a remarkable young woman who has done all of the things that you are "supposed to" do to notch success in this life.  Then finding that unfulfilling struck out to spread her message and carve her own path. Gloria earned her B.A. at McGill University and an M.A. in International Affairs from The University of Toronto. She speaks four languages fluently, is a regular Huffington Post columnist and a HuffPost LIVE commentator. You’ll see her in the media too, from Rogers TV to Chatelaine Magazine, Glow Magazine and CTV. Her first book BYOB: The Unapologetic Guide to Being Your Own Boss became an Amazon.ca best seller in entrepreneurship and self-esteem in October 2013, less than one month after publication. In this episode we talk about playing with the possibilities.  We talk about desire mapping vs. goal setting and growth through experimentation.  Gloria shares some of her habits for success.  We also discuss how to overcome that negative noise in your head when you set out on a new adventure.  We talked a lot about philosophy and left enough room to have Gloria back on a future episode to talk more tactical strategies.  I really enjoyed this one and I hope you do too.

One catastrophic moment redefined Warren’s life in April 1997 with a freak rock fall on a remote Australian island that left him pinned under a one-ton boulder. For two days he lay trapped and alone, surviving the ordeal only to lose both legs at mid thigh. Doctors told him he’d never walk again. Warren’s response: “I don’t recall them saying anything about cycling, kayaking, or climbing mountains…” Just ten months later he scaled Cradle Mountain, and in February 2003 Warren became the first double above-knee amputee to reach the summit of Africa’s tallest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro. Born in Melbourne, Australia; Warren lives in Canmore, Alberta (an hour from Calgary, 20 minutes from Banff National Park) in the Canadian Rockies with his partner Margo.  Warren's message of resilience and changing your perception are truly inspiring.  Warren is a keynote speaker and coach.  In this interview we talk about resilience, shifting the way you see the world in order to change the world as well as getting by with what you've got. You can find more on Warren on his website here at: http://www.warren-macdonald.com/

Jason Smith is a highly regarded technology entrepreneur with more than 20 years' experience building and leading companies in North America. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of Real Matters. Jason was a founder, director and executive of Basis100, which he built from a handful of employees into one of the largest publicly traded technology providers within the mortgage banking industry worldwide. Basis100 was sold in 2004. A leader in his community, Jason is a director of several corporations and is the Chairman of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.

This episode is a little bit different than the usual business interviews I do.  This week I have the privilege of interviewing an inspiring young woman who I recently met through my triathlon club.  Heather Cole is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 19 she certainly hasn't let this disease slow her down.  The athletic feats that she accomplishes would be considered a challenge by most let alone the added complication of having to constantly manage this disease while competing.  The amount of effort required to manage this disease is astounding.  Heather talks about what the diagnoses meant to her and how she keeps her motivation and her positive attitude. Heather writes much better than I do so I would encourage you to check out her blog here:  Heathers Blog. If you have the means and the motivation consider donating to her cause by clicking on the donation link on her blog.    

As we head into the new year and start thinking about the things that we want to accomplish in 2015, I thought I'd share an experience that presented it self to me all wrapped up with a pretty bow on it -yes, just like a Christmas present!  You'll have to stay tuned to my upcoming Connecting the Dots episode with Warren MacDonald for the entire discussion about how "When you change the way you see the world, you change the world".  In brief, the concept was at the forefront of my mind when I had a paradigm shift when it comes to 'Cold Calling'!  Here's my story. Cold calling is something I talk about often.  It is one of the most dreaded tasks of all sales people.  It was also something that I used to dread as well but over the years I have actually come to love it.  I know, I know, you're calling bullshit right now but it is true.  You see I have long believed that in sales if you want to sell more of your product, service or whatever it is you sell, then you need to talk to more people.  It is as simple as that.  If you want to sell more, then you need to talk to more people about what it is you sell.  It is this belief that has led me to embrace the cold call as part of my business.  Don't get me wrong, I hated it at first.  The first cold calls I ever made were as a telemarketer in my late teens soliciting donations for the hearing impaired.  I HATED it.  I think I lasted two weeks.  The straw that broke the camels back there was when one of the people I called told me that they themselves were deaf and appreciated the call.  Well, being young and naive I thought they were just mocking me so I got all sarcastic and likely fairly rude only to have them  continue to explain that they had some type of TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf).  I was so embarrassed at my ignorance that I quit that afternoon.  Flash forward to my introduction to the mortgage business and I was put in a call room making phone calls out of a Target Marketing directory calling senior level executives soliciting funds for investment into mortgages.  Again, I hated the idea but my ambition was greater than my fear so I made the calls.  Gradually as I started to have some success (and much more failure), my confidence grew and the prospect of picking up the phone dwindled.  Fast forward to the holiday season of 2014 and my story. You see, even up until this day, while I enjoy the outcome of cold calling, I still looked at it largely as a one way proposition.  I made the call and tried to convince the person on the other end that my offering was worth exploring further.  Part of my role today is to find mortgage brokers that can benefit from the services that we offer as a brokerage network.  If you know me you also know that I am far from a "hard sell" kind of guy and that my approach is much more about getting to know my "prospects" needs and seeing if I have a solution that might fit the bill.  Some of my most valued relationships today have come as a result of a direct cold call so the value, not only to my business but to my life, has been immense.  That said a conversation that I had at our company Christmas party this year really put things in perspective for me.  You see Dave is an individual that has recently joined our organization.  My first introduction to Dave was by way of a phone call.  I picked up the phone and called him to introduce myself and over the course of the conversation identified that he may have some gaps in what he needs and what he was currently getting from his brokerage.  After a series of further discussions with me and the rest of our team Dave made the decision to come on board.  The first time Dave and I ever met face to face was at our Christmas party in Calgary.  It was obviously a festive atmosphere and we had a glass of wine together and some great conversation.  The thing that really struck me during that conversation was when he said to me "That phone call changed my life".  Now I know we're not talking about world peace here but the impact that that cold call had on both us as an organization and him as an individual really spoke to me. Here is an activity that many of us consider intrusive and undesirable that had the net result of making a significant positive impact on an individuals business life.  With every connection we make we not only create opportunity for ourselves but we also create opportunity for those that we touch.  Changing your mindset about how we view an activity like cold calling can help make the difference between taking action and not.  You never know the impact that you might be able to make on someone else's life by simply reaching out. As you sit down to plan out your 2015 goals try to find a way to shift the way you look at things.  You will be amazed at the possibilities that open up with you simply take another perspective.

This week I have the pleasure of having a conversation with Mark Kerzner, the President and COO of TMG The Mortgage Group.  This was a really great interview for me as I have just recently gotten to know Mark a lot better working side by side on the CAAMP board of directors.  My respect for Mark started a number of years ago when, dissatisfied with the status quo in our industry, I started what I dubbed The Mortgage Revolution.  Mark took the time to contact me and made a point of catching up for a coffee when he was out in Edmonton.  To me it highlighted Steven Covey's habit 5 of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.  The other really neat thing about this conversation is the fact that Mark and I, theoretically are competitors.  So for us to share information together really speaks to the level of passion for our industry and the fact that we both are prepared to put aside our own agendas to try and move the needle within the environment that we both share. Mark has his MBA from the Rotman School of Business and has held senior leadership roles throughout the broker channel.  He has seen both the lending side of the equation as well as the broker side.  In this conversation we try to get beyond some of the cliches and dig deep into what actually makes a successful leader.  Love to hear your feedback on this one.   As always these conversations are a practice and I need your feedback to keep improving them.  I hope you enjoy this one!

Brendan Calder is a man who many cite as a mentor.  He has probably helped produce more leaders in the mortgage industry then anyone.  It is my pleasure to spend an hour talking leadership and management with Brendan.  I certainly took some things away from this one that change the way I look at how I do things. About Brendan: Brendan Calder is the Entrepreneur in Residence and Adjunct Professor and Chair of Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking at Rotman where he conducts the award-winning course, GettingItDone®. He was the founding Chair of the Rotman International Centre for Pension Management. He also serves as the Director of EllisDon Construction, Equity Financial Trust Co. and FirstService Corp. Brendan served as the Chair, President and CEO of CIBC Mortgages from 1995 to 2000. He also served as Chair of TIFF and of the Peter F. Drucker Canadian Foundation. Academic Positions 2001-present   Adjunct Professor; Rotman School of Management 2002-present   Faculty: GettingItDone 2nd yr MBA course 2001   Executive Director, MBA Programs 2006-2008   Faculty:Bridge to Business 2008   Faculty:Omnium MBA 2001-present   Entrepreneur in Residence; Rotman School of Management 2004- 2008   Founding Chair; Int'l Centre for Pension Management 2003-present   Chair; Marcel Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking 2010-2013   Founding Board Member; FinSerAdvBd 2002-present   Director; Impact Consulting Group 2003-present   Senior Fellow, Massey College 2010-present   Faculty: Social CRM program 2010-present   Faculty: The Next 36 program 2013-present   Board Member; CreativeDestructionLab 2013-present   Board Member; Clarkson Ctre 2012-present   Faculty, Creative Destruction Lab 2001-present   Champion of All Things Rotman Non-Academic Positions 1996-2000   Chair, President and CEO; CIBC Mortgages 1988-1996   President/Co-founder & Significant Shareholder; FirstLine Trust Company 1983-1988   President, Director & Significant Shareholder; Counsel Corporation/Counsel Trust; Counsel Life, DirecTrust 1980-1983   President, CEO & Director; Fidelity Trust 1978-1980   Executive VP; Canadian Realty Investors 1969-1978   General Manager, Director & Significant Shareholder; Canavest House (TSX member firm) Honors and Awards 2006   ICD.D; Institute of Corporate Directors 2004   Initial Inductee; Mortgage Hall of Fame 2006-2013   Excellence in Teaching; Rotman School of Mngt 2003   Presidents' Circle; U of Toronto 2003   Arbor Award; U of Toronto 2013   Fellow; The Royal Canadian Geographical Society 2012   Faculty of Mathematics Alumni Achievement Award; University of Waterloo 1983   Fellow; Canadian Trusts Institute 2013   Inaugural Claudia 'helluvaguy' Award 1979   Fellow; Canadian Securities Institute Professional Affiliations/Memberships Director, EllisDon Corporation Director, FirstService Corporation Director, Equity Finacial Trust Co Director, Canada's Top 40 under 40 Judge, Donner Awards Past Director, CIBC Insurance Inc. Past Chair, CIBC Mortgages Inc. Past Director, WSIB Past Chair, TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival Group Past Director, Colliers International Mortgage Corporation Past Director, Canadiana Financial Past Chair, Coventree Capital Past Director, The Franchise Company Past Director, First International Asset Management Past Director, FiLogix Inc. Past Director, ClearPoint Business Resources Past Chair, Custom Direct Income Fund Past Director, iOwn Inc. Past Director, Hammond Manufacturing Past Chair, Peter F. Drucker Canadian Foundation Past Director, Shred-it Inc Past Chair, WirelessMoney Inc. Member & Past RVP Canada, World Presidents Organization Advisor for the Office of the Auditor General, Canada Founding Chair, McLuhan Festival of the Future Member & Past Chapter Chair, Young Presidents Organization Member & Past Director, The National Club Founding Member, National Angel Organization Past Director, CNIB Ontario Big Brother - 1975-82

Andy is the President and CEO of Canada Guaranty Mortgage Insurance.  He has a vast array of experience in the mortgage business.  He helped introduce the concept of variable compensation mortgage origination to the big bank. We talk about the lessons he has learned over the years in a variety of executive roles with major financial instutions.  We talk about the need to surround yourself with talented people.  We talk about how Andy has done that over the years. Andy tells us some of his personal leadership insights and talks implementation. "If you wait for a perfect plan you've waited too long."  He says "A good plan effectively executed today is better than a perfect plan reasonably well executed six months from now." It's all about execution. "Every one in the organization has a sales or customer responsibility."  It is all about the customer whether you face them directly or support those that do.   Scorecards are key to implementing the shared vision.  Individual scorecards need to be linked in to incentives.  Well defined management process linking back to the objectives of the organization. Relationship building is a key skill to build on.  Finding and solving problems for your customer allows you to do that. 

Yousry is currently the President and CEO of Kanetix, the leading provider of online insurance marketplace.  He has served on numerous boards and been Chairman of several.  After holding senior executive roles with two of Canada's Yousry decided to step up his game becoming President and CEO of Filogix, a technology provider to the Canadian Mortgage broker industry.  Select Accomplishments at Filogix: - Grew revenue from $3 m to $60 m- Turned bottom line losses into $21 m EBITDA- Acquired and successfully integrated ten companies- Sold two divisions with a good return to shareholders- Changed shareholders three times while meeting or exceeding ROE hurdles for each- Invested in and successfully deployed significant system infrastructure for new software and database for financial institutions across Canada- Increased market share from 7% to over 50% of all Canadian mortgage originations  Yousry shares many leadership insights as he walks us through many of his career experiences.

Conventional marketing wisdom would suggest that you want to meet or exceed customer expectations.  The problem that we sometimes run into is that many times our customers expectations are grossly misaligned with reality.  Imagine you have a client that has seen you present at a First Time Buyer workshop.  They are extremely excited about the prospect of buying their first home.  You have given them hope, courage, wisdom and inspiration from your words at the presentation.  They follow up with you after the presentation to discuss the options for that $400,000 mortgage they are going to need to buy their dream home.  Sounds fantastic.  There is only one small problem.  They only qualify for a $250,000 mortgage.  You can see the look in their faces.  The dejection, the disappointment.  You know that they will likely walk out of your office and never return. So how do we deal with unrealistic customer expectations?  Well, we really have three options at this point.  We can do one of three things: We can meet the customer expectations We can abandon the customer completely We can change or shape the customer expectations Often times option 1 is simply not feasible.  In the example above, if the client doesn't qualify they don't qualify.  The sooner we can recognize what the customer expectations are and assess whether or not we can realistically meet those expectations the better off we will be.,  Too often I have watched good mortgage brokers spend a great amount of time, energy and money trying to meet unrealistic customer expectations.  While there may be times when you can succeed at this the vast majority of the time you will not be able to pull off that miracle and meet those expectations.  Time is valuable so don't waste yours or your customers.  Recognize if it is not possible or likely to meet your customer expectations early in the game. So if we decide that option 1 is not an option at all then we are faced with option 2 or 3.  Obviously option 2 is the least desirable option as it means that we do not earn our customers business and likely have them walk away unsatisfied.  That said, you should ensure that you at least consider option 2 before moving on.  We've discussed this before and there are certainly some customers that you really should just walk away from. So ideally we want to shape or frame our customer expectations.  Let's talk about two scenarios that I see regularly in our business.  The first is setting customer expectations with respect to documentation requirements.  As brokers we know that documentation requirements seem to be increasing not decreasing.  We discussed this at length at our last team meeting and one of our agents shared a strategy that had worked well for her.  She started the client conversation talking about the fact that the lending landscape has changed, over the last few years, and continues to change.  This is not news to your customer.  The media has made sure they all know about the rule changes that have gone on so this is an easy place to start.  She would then go on talking about the fact that she would be their advocate to the lender and as such they needed to understand that if she came back requesting documentation the customer should know that she had already had the conversation with the lender, had already fought the battle on the requirement and lost.  That if she was asking for it then they could rest assured it was a document that was required. This does a couple of things.  First, it puts you on their team and second it helps diffuse and potential future conflict in the event that you do need to come back and ask for more documentation.  That said you are always better off to ask for more up front than you will likely need.  This is a lesson it took me the first four years of my career to learn.  I would be timid to ask for everything up front and as a result would have to make multiple requests back to the customer causing even more frustration than if I had simply asked for more than I needed up front. The other area around setting customer expectations is the scenario I opened with and was brought up again this week by one of our agents.  I help run an affordable housing program geared at low to moderate income households.  As a result some of the clients that we get are tight on the income side of the equation.  Sometimes they are new to Canada or simply just starting out.  The problem the agent was running into was the fact that once she took an application (online or by phone) and crafted a nice email talking about documentation requirements and pre-approval amounts the client would often simply disappear. This was usually because they had hopes, dreams and expectations of buying their $400,000 dream home and she had to tell them that they only qualified for $250,000.  We talked about framing the initial conversation in such a way that she could first get a sense of what their expectations were.  If they were out of line with what she expected they might qualify for then she would shift into talking about the fact that the $250,000 home they would likely qualify for would make a great stepping stone into that $400,000 dream home.  She could talk about the potential of principal reduction and equity increase while their income increased and really allow them to see the possibility.  This would help them get excited instead of deflated. There are a number of other areas where setting our clients expectations can really help to make a more smooth transaction.  What are some of the methods that you employ to set your customer expectations?

Boris Bozic is a 25 year veteran of the mortgage business and has seen what it is like to be a feet on the street broker as well as holding senior positions at one of Canada's largest financial institutions.  Boris went on to found Merix Financial and bring a very unique value proposition to the Canadian Mortgage Broker market. As founding President and CEO of Merix financial Boris shares some of his insights and experiences that has helped him shape an extremely successful organization.  We talk about the difference between leadership and effective leadership.  Boris shares some of the lessons learned at their corporate retreat at Disney.

Dan Putnam is a true industry leader that has seen a variety of the different sides of the mortgage business.  Dan has advanced through a number of different leadership roles and has experience ranging from brokering, to running a small independent brokerage, to heading up one of the largest national broker franchises, to senior executive positions on the lender side of the equation. Dan shares insights on sales and leadership lessons learned from his experiences.  Let me know what you find for take-aways.

Very pleased to bring you this interview with Kathy.  She does a wonderful job of sharing her passions, practices and philosophies.  You will find links to some of the things we discuss under her bio below.  Please let me know if you find this valuable.   Kathy Gregory has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the lending industry. She is the founding President and CEO of Paradigm Quest Inc. Paradigm was incorporated in 2004 and launched to market in 2005. It was the first mortgage BPO in Canada and the first to provide end to end Private Label mortgage products in Canada.   Kathy was ranked #1 in Profit Magazine’s “Ones to Watch” in the 2009 publication of Profit’s Top 100 Women in Canada. She has led Paradigm to final nominations in two categories of the industry’s most prestigious awards ceremonies in 2009 - Best Industry Service Provider and Best Employer.   In 2010, WXM ranked her as one of the "Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada." Kathy is the past President-Elect of the Canadian Institute of Mortgage Brokers and Lenders (CIMBL) and has served three years on the Board of the Executive Committee of the Young President Organization (YPO) in the Upper Canada Chapter. She is the Founding Chair of the Mortgage Industry Ontario Ladies Charity Golf Tournament, & BC Ladies Charity Mortgage Industry Event, 2007 – 2011. She was awarded the Best Community Service Effort Award of Year at the 2011 Canadian Mortgage Industry Awards.   In 2012, under Kathy's leadership Paradigm was ranked in PROFIT 200 as one of Canada’s fastest growing companies by PROFIT Magazine. In the same year, at the Canadian Mortgage Industry Awards, Paradigm Quest was Awarded "Employer of Choice."   In 2013 Paradigm was ranked in PROFIT 500 as one of Canada's fastest growing companies by PROFIT Magazine. In the same year,Kathy was honoured with her induction into the Canadian Mortgage Hall of Fame.

“The difference between a good race and a bad race is how you manage the (inevitable) pain” Chris “Macca” McCormack on triathlon. In 2013 I completed my first Iron Distance triathlon.  In the lead up, and training to complete that race I started paying a lot of attention to those that had been there before me.  My coach, other triathletes that I knew and I especially started paying attention to the pro field of triathletes that graced the covers of the triathlon magazines I had started reading.  Chris “Macca” McCormack soon became one of my favourites.  In early 2013 “Macca” published an article entitled “Embrace the Suck”.  The quote above his opening line.   I think that statement holds equally true for life.

Hali Strandlund is the Senior Vice President Residential Mortgages and Broker Relations at Fisgard Capital Corporation.  Hali says she was born into the business and she is not kidding.  Hali is a leader at Fisgard, she has been the president of the Mortgage Brokers Association of BC (Twice), she is a past chair of the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals and has recently helped found WIMI (Women in the Mortgage Industry).   Hali shares her leadership philosophies and lessons that she has learned over the years.  A life of consistent action has made her who she is.

Drew Dudley creates cultures of leadership by helping organizations and their people plan to matter.  I had the good fortune to meet Drew when we hired him to speak at the Axiom Leadership Summit in New Orleans in 2013.  Drew has a fairly simple yet powerful message about what it means to be a leader.  He shares strategies to maximize your leadership potential. On this Thanksgiving weekend I feel very thankful to have met Drew.  He makes a regular impact in my life and our organization.  I hope you like this one as much as I did creating it.