A podcast where one brown kid's curiosity leads him to converse with individuals from all walks of life to better understand their journey and his own humanity. Come along for the ride if you feel so inclined.
Today we have a conversation with SQ's VP of Sales, Scott McCowan, to hear how he is preparing for his first AEP and what his expectations are as we dive head first into our busiest season. Scott has a diverse leadership background, beginning in small town New England & Oregon with his father, a lead-from-the-front businessman and Veteran of Korea. He continued his leadership journey by enlisting in the Air Force right out of high school, where he learned to be resilient and how to effectively work within a dynamic team through cultivating an environment of high trust and compassion. Post military service, he entered the corporate world where he effectively used his skills in leadership roles as a Director, VP and COO in the banking and insurance industries. Scott joined SelectQuote in June of this year and has worked diligently to prepare our teams for this year's AEP. His leadership has already made a huge impact in our organization as has his infectious positivity. Great interview with Scott! This episode we talk Top Gun Maverick, New England Life, Farm Work, Trial By Firehose, Leading with Empathy & Compassion and AEP Prep.
Culture has been one of SelectQuote's defining features over the years, and in 2022, a new and brighter focus has been placed on restoring and amplifying that culture. Leadership and culture are intricately linked, and when aligned properly, they can strengthen and enhance an organization far beyond a great bottom line. For today's show we welcome SQ's resident expert on all things culture, David Mergen. David has been an important fixture at this company for over ten years. He is a self described servant leader and possesses a deep passion for connecting and investing in people's lives. In this episode we talk Master of Merriment, Culture Defined, Same Message/Different Platform, Giving Others a Voice, Navigating a Mental Black Hole, Serving the Community, Riding the Paddy Wagon and Tattoos. Thanks for listening and enjoy!
As we usher in the new High School and say goodbye to the old, we wanted to celebrate both future and past with one of Ames High's more well known alums, Fred Hoiberg. Fred was a multi-sport athlete as a Little Cyclone and is of course most well known for leading the school to it's sixth high school state basketball championship in 1991. He went on to star at Iowa State and then the NBA for 10 years where he became one of the league's most prolific shooters. Fred has since returned to his birthplace of Lincoln Nebraska where he is serving his fourth season as head coach for the University of Nebraska Men's Basketball team. In this episode Fred and I talk about the privilege of growing up in Ames, the advantages of playing multiple sports, academic expectations, Mistletoe Dance, recruitment dilemma, Johnny Orr, Forced Retirement, and Nebraska Legacy. Enjoy!
Join Spenser and I as we reflect on our 30 years post high school and explore what that means, how it feels and how we embrace it. This is just a simple convo between he and I with no music or big intro or fancy production. Enjoy Lil' Cyclones!
SelectQuote has experienced tremendous change over the last several months, and navigating that change successfully requires strong and competent leadership. We have two such leaders on today's show in Emily Thomas and Jason Westover. Emily and Jason talk us through what it takes to maneuver an organization such as ours through the complexities and nuances of change, and the decision making and leadership processes that go into making sure those changes effectively communicated and implemented. In this episode we talk Trustpilot Reviews, KU vs. K-State, Humility, Leading Remotely, Culture, Lessons Learned, Making Lists and Prioritizing. Thank you for listening and enjoy!
On this episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the one of our top leaders, Tiffany Sterling. Tiffany came to SelectQuote just over a year ago from Sprint, where she started as a temp worker in a store in San Diego, and diligently worked her way up to to a director position at the corporate level. She is now the Vice President of Operations for the Senior division here at SQ and just completed her first AEP. On today's show we talk small town living, life lessons from sports, the value of education, California dreaming, climbing the corporate ladder, becoming an impact player, and surviving AEP. Thank you for listening and enjoy!
The enrollment department has a diverse range of ages in leadership, and today we focus on two of our youngest leaders, Audrey Phillips and Sam Salts. On this episode we discuss living abroad, commanding the room, the social media effect, entitlement, implementing empathy, and keys to being a successful young leader . Thanks for listening and enjoy!
We kick off our new podcast with a series on leadership and two of our department's very important leaders, Jette Higgins and Devin Regan. On this episode we discuss being a bossy pants, problem solving, growth spurts, meshing leadership styles and keys to being a successful enoller. Thanks for listening and enjoy!
We are starting a new podcast series focused on different aspects of leadership and leadership development. Our first episode centers on Servant & Empathic Leadership, a leadership style I really resonate with and have found to be quite effective. My guest today is Spenser Villwock, an old high school mate of mine and CEO of IEC National, a trade association leading 2500 electrical and systems contractors. Spenser is one of the most thoughtful and engaging people I've ever known and has dedicated himself to leading through humility, empathy and vulnerability. He and I explore what it means to be a servant leader, the importance of empathy in leadership, creating space for diverse voices and how to build and sustain a culture that supports every one of those pieces. Click the link below to listen or subscribe on iTunes. Resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.drucker.institute/ https://brenebrown.com/ https://simonsinek.com/
There is a particular group of people, often left out of race and equality conversations, whose history of racial injustice, mistreatment and exploitation dates further back than any other set of individuals in this country's existence: Indigenous people. My guest on this episode is Rhonda LeValdo, an educator of her culture and faculty member at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence KS, where she teaches Media Communications. She is also an outspoken advocate against the use of Native American stereotypes and the misappropriations of Native American culture. In speaking with Rhonda, I hoped to really understand the indigenous mind set in this particular time and what I and others need to know about being an ally to the native community.
As I continue my journey to better understand the world we live in, particularly after George Floyd, I wanted to focus on a specific group of people: the white protester. White Americans have shown up to protest racial injustice in ways and numbers not seen in years past. Why now? What has changed? After all, racial injustice has been a part of the American fabric for hundreds of years, and videos of black men and women being killed at the hands of police have been around for decades. Today we speak with a man whose life has been completely transformed in the wake of the latest killings, and who has now dedicated his life to the fight for racial injustice and supporting his fellow brothers and sisters of color. He is white. He is also German-American, which carries its own set of complexities. We explore his life growing up in the San Francisco bay area, his understanding of white privilege, the effect of Breonna Taylor's murder on him and what impact he hopes to have moving forward.
My first podcast for the AHS Alumni podcast was Spenser. When planning this project five years ago, he immediately came to mind as the first person I wanted to interview, simply because of how he has lived his life. Spenser's love of adventure and people led him to run his own curbside recycling company at the age of 23, embark on a solo cross country bicycle trip from Iowa to Oregon and led him to Japan to work and experience the culture. I have a tremendous amount of respect and love for him and we have bonded over this project since its inception. We share a philosophy and passion for community, loving people and serving the world. An excellent conversation with my friend and brother.
Honored to have my high school principal and long time Ames Community School educator, Bill Ripp. I have a great amount of respect for Mr. Ripp and admire him for his love of teaching and his respect and treatment of students. He impacted many students and their families far beyond the walls of Ames High School. Thanks you to Mr. Ripp for joining be today.
Jason Crawford is a white parent raising two black children. He knows his son and daughter will experience prejudice and racism due to the color of their skin. He struggles, because as a white man, he feels he cannot rightly teach them how to deal with being marginalized, and at times treated as something less than human. His heart aches for the world his children will face as they grow into adulthood. Jason is also a veteran, having served our country in the United States Marine Corps, where he was twice deployed to Iraq. He knows all to well the effects of violence, prejudice and fear, and has written about his experiences as both a witness and perpetrator of those actions and emotions. Join Jason and I for an excellent conversation as we explore the challenges he faces parenting a racially diverse family, understanding white privilege and what to do with it, the slippery slope of power and moving forward from the aftermath of George Floyd. Thank you to Jason for sharing his story with us.
Like many, I am frustrated and angry. As I contemplate my rage and anger, I seek some sort of guidance to try and make sense of all this. I need to understand, to educate myself, to have a conversation with someone who will shed light on what to do with these extraordinary feelings. That is why I asked my brother Adisa Banjoko to be a guest on this episode. Adisa is an activist, educator, writer, speaker, podcaster and entrepreneur. He has spent much of his life studying black culture and educating others on racial injustice and the complexities of navigating this world as an African-American. He dropped a ton of knowledge and truth on this episode including: Differences in how police are viewed between black and white communities Systematic Racism in law enforcement Modern definition of White Supremacy How to use White Privilege to upset the system mindfully and effectively Breaking the cycle of ignorance Lessons parents must teach their black children This is a must listen episode for anyone seeking to understand our African-American brothers and sisters experience living in our country. Listen here or download off iTunes. Thank you to Adisa for taking the time to share his truth with us. You can find his podcast the Bishop Chronicles by clicking here.
Jolyn Brakke was a year ahead of me in high school. In my view she was very popular, athletic and attractive. My perception did not match her reality however, and it turns out, her time at Ames High was challenging. In this episode Jolyn and I talk growing up a twin, Central Junior High, Skittle woes, battling eating disorders, the pressure of varsity, finding your groove and competing in a fitness pageant at 40. Thank you to Jolyn for sharing her life with us.
One of the most raw and open podcasts I have ever done. Jessica's redemption story is fascinating, heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Her journey from a physical, emotional and sexually abusive childhood to marriage to motherhood to biker gang to full-blown drug addict to becoming clean and reconciling her faith in God and her relationship with her family is nothing short of a miracle. Jessica's mission is to serve others through her story. It is a story of struggle, addiction, and heartache, but more importantly, a story of hope and healing. It is a beautiful story, and I am grateful to Jessica for sharing it with us.
Bryce joins the podcast today to talk bullying, contact lenses, team sports, discipline, living abroad, divorce, friendship and renewal.
Holly and a special guest join me today to talk favorite movies, family challenges, trombone woes, teaching in the trenches and mothering an awesome kid.
Tabitha joins me today to talk about hair, high school, living in fear, overcoming those fears, mothering, self-care and mindfulness.
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