The Impact Entrepreneur

The end of the year presents us with a great opportunity to reflect and decide what we will take with us into the future.  Dr. Henry Cloud wrote a great book called https://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Endings-Henry-Cloud/dp/0061777129/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=necessary+endings&qid=1576123909&sr=8-1 (Necessary Endings). The book helps readers make decisions on businesses, relationships, habits and ventures that must come to a necessary ending. Like a gardener that must prune the rosebuds that are stealing valuable nutrients and resources from the buds with the potential to blossom into the most beautiful flowers, we must prune things in our own lives.  Although pruning doesn't come easily to me, it's something I'm always thinking about. When I need to change something, I initially get a gut feeling about it. Then I take it to prayer and meditation and seek wise counsel from people like my wife, spiritual director and priest. I ask them to pray for me and offer practical advice and wisdom.   This has not been an easy decision to make, but this will be the final episode of The Impact Entrepreneur.  I started the podcast in December 2015 to facilitate a higher level of personal growth for myself and serve others. I wanted to learn how others are using the lessons from their lives to have a game-changing impact in the lives of others.  Hundreds of listeners have reached out to me over the last three years to share how the show has impacted you. I've had conversations with some of my personal heroes like Lou Holtz. I've been able to honor my wife on the podcast and share our journey with you and I've been deeply inspired by the strength, courage and resilience of each of my guests. I discovered the concepts that would become my first book, https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose). The Impact Entrepreneur will still be my personal brand for my writing, speaking and other media appearances because my mission is still to have a game-changing impact in the lives of others. But in 2020, I am co-creating something that more closely aligns with and encompasses my Catholic faith as well as my role as an entrepreneur. It's called https://catholiceo.com (Catholiceo) and will create spaces where Catholic entrepreneurs, executives and evangelists from around the globe can gather to enrich their faith, thrive at home, win well in business and deepen connection. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped and supported me during this podcast journey, especially you, the listener. I invite you to join me on this next adventure, but thank you for tuning in each week, sharing the message and allowing me to breathe life into your potential. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will certainly be keeping you in my prayers, and I can't wait to see what you create in the years to come.  One thing is for certain - when you become who God created you to be, you and everyone around you better brace for impact! Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Read: https://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Endings-Henry-Cloud/dp/0061777129/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=necessary+endings&qid=1576123909&sr=8-1 (Necessary Endings) https://catholiceo.com (Catholiceo) Email: info@theimpact entrepreneur.net Email: mike@catholiceo.com Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Mike Rucker, Ph.D. is a self-described fun expert who helps people have more fun and be more productive as a result. But he certainly didn't start his career going down that path. Mike's first job, so to speak, was creating a fanzine for skateboarders in the seventh grade. And his willingness to put himself out there, coupled with a bit of ingenuity, got him the opportunity to interview some big musicians.  He went on to study Communications and Filmmaking at college, and his first professional job was at Universal Studios. While he loved the work, watching his colleagues get in at 7 am, not leave till 8 am, and miss out on having significant relationships outside of work didn't appeal to him.  He pivoted into creating advertisements and websites, making a name for himself in the technology sector. Here's where things went too good for Mike, or so he believes. Because Mike thinks entrepreneurs that get too many wins too early can get too cocky for their own good.  So, full of confidence, Mike decided to do something he knew nothing about — open a taco stand at Manhattan Beach near LAX. He spent all of the money that he made from his last tech exit, and then he lost it all.  So he pivoted, again, going back to university to get a Ph.D. in Psychology. His research centered on the importance of fun and play, and that's what Mike continues to focus on today. Mike's top tips for fun and productivity are: Stop using social media to wind down  Create a time log for your week and be honest about the activities that aren't moving you forward Replace unproductive time with opportunities for fun, delight, wonder, and play Use lunch hours and weekends as actual breaks from work Dedicate big chunks of time to particular tasks rather than trying to grab a few minutes here and there Avoid multitasking, especially when you're with your children and other loved ones He says, “If you're multitasking while you're also supposed to be spending time with the ones that you love, they feel that, and there's just no way to skirt around that.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://michaelrucker.com (michaelrucker.com) Twitter: http://twitter.com/performbetter (@performbetter) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewonderoffun/ (@thewonderoffun) Read: https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Some-Instructions-Writing-Life/dp/0385480016 (Bird By Bird) Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

When Tim Croll grew up, he really wanted to be a cowboy. There were a lot of adults in his life who promised a taste of that life, to take him fishing or hunting, but they didn't come through. So Tim wanted to be self-reliant but also dependable. In adulthood, he ended up taking on a lot of responsibility... then found himself trying to beat up a garage door that had fallen down one day. This was a turning point in Tim's life. He felt like an idiot for acting like that in front of his wife and kids. He knew that he had to change things.  A mentor helped Tim realize that he was totally drained. He walked away from his highly successful eCommerce businesses and started journaling and reflecting with the help of books like https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key) and the https://www.befulfilledjournal.com (BeFulfilled Journal).  This led him to discover his true purpose — helping others grow. He now helps business owners get unstuck, whether it's with their strategy or sales and marketing. But what he loves most about coaching is helping entrepreneurs do the important things, like spending more time with their family. A huge part of his journey has involved giving up control and letting God take care of the results of his work. As he says, “It is definitely a test of faith.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://www.timcroll.com/ (timcroll.com) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.croll (@tim.croll) LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/timcroll/ ( Tim Croll Coaching) The https://www.befulfilledjournal.com (BeFulfilled Journal) Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Today I'm re-releasing this amazing episode with musician Rebecca Jackson. Rebecca grew up in a family of self-taught artists, with diverse backgrounds – the intersection of Midwestern fiddle jams and South Korean karaoke.  Music has given Rebecca a lot over the years, and now she is using music as a tool to give back as co-founder of https://www.soundimpact.org/ (Sound Impact), a collective of musicians dedicated to serving communities and igniting positive change in the U.S. and abroad through live performances, educational programs, and creative collaborations. Rebecca is also the Founder and Artistic Director of http://musicinmay.org/ (Music in May), an annual festival serving the Santa Cruz community with chamber music, and a violinist with the http://ensemble-sanfrancisco.squarespace.com/ (Ensemble in San Francisco), a collective of talented Bay Area musicians who make chamber music hip again. Learning to play music taught Rebecca many valuable lessons as a child, all of which helped her get to where she is today: Humility. “You never stop growing. You always have something more to learn.” Teamwork. “You're not the only voice and you have to learn to play together to create a collective, beautiful sound.” Perseverance. “Because some days are tough and you just have to keep on going, and trust the process and your teacher.” Communication. Learning to have a stage presence teaches both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Mentorship. The student-teacher relationship is really important in learning music, and it's a good introduction to the idea that there's always someone to learn from. Sound Impact Rebecca co-founded Sound Impact because she believes music is an incredibly powerful tool for changing, healing, and uniting communities. It's so much more than notes on a page – it's capable of bridging nationalities, religions, and ideologies. Rebecca has used music to honor Holocaust survivors, unite refugees, and empower children. She's very much creating a positive Sound Impact in communities all around the world. Below you can watch a video of Sound Impact playing “Haim” by Polina Nazaykinskaya. Rebecca commissioned this piece to remember the incredible life of David Arden, the sole survivor of his family during the holocaust and one of Rebecca's mentors. -- Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Sound Impact: https://www.soundimpact.org/ (SoundImpact.org) | https://www.facebook.com/soundimpactmusic (Facebook) | https://www.instagram.com/soundimpact/ (Instagram) | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0atzpwD8LTQRpdEYX3PywA (YouTube) http://musicinmay.org/ (MusicInMay.org) http://ensemble-sanfrancisco.squarespace.com/ (Ensemble San Francisco)  -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Evan Herrman recently interviewed me on his show http://www.thewholepersonpodcast.com (The Whole Person Podcast) and we had such a great conversation I wanted to share it here.  Evan and I got to know each other when he reached out to me after hearing me talk on someone else's podcast. He wanted some financial advice, but also just to connect and make friends — and I'm so happy that he did. It's truly amazing how podcasts can help people tap into new relationships and powerful communities. When Evan was seven years old, he wanted to be a pastor. He went to college, graduated with a degree in theology, got married the next week, and was then unemployed for nine months. So he became a real estate agent, and that felt very much like a second choice for him until he realized that fulfillment isn't about your job. It's about the person that you're being.  He started his podcast out of a desire to learn and grow, and he has been thrilled with the guests he's been able to interview so far, including David Allen, author of https://gettingthingsdone.com (Getting Things Done), and leadership mentor Michael Hyatt. Before he started podcasting, one of the stories he was telling himself was that he didn't have anything value-wise to give to people because he was hurt and broken. He had this idea that he needed to come from a place of almost perfection to speak to people and give them advice to grow and develop. Then he thought, what if I don't come at my life from the perspective of having it together, but instead from the perspective of being a broken individual who's in the pursuit of wholeness?  This new story enabled him to get the podcast started, but also to see himself with more love.  In this conversation, we talk about the six bridges that are fundamental to self-worth and fulfillment - faith, family, finances, friendship, fitness, and fun. We also discuss how traditional measures of status and achievement can be taken away in the blink of an eye and how important it is to be vulnerable, humble, and open to the plan that God has for us.  As Evan shares about his experience, “As soon as I abandoned my thoughts of what I was supposed to be, God naturally brought things together into something that I wasn't expecting.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: http://www.thewholepersonpodcast.com (The Whole Person Podcast) Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

We've all heard it a thousand times: “If you want to be happy in life, follow your passion.” But is that true? Let's take a closer look. The word ‘passion' comes from the Latin-rooted word pati, which means to suffer. So when someone tells you to follow your passion, they're actually saying you should do something that you're willing to suffer for. In today's entrepreneurial landscape, the word passion has been hijacked and saddled with a new meaning tied to a financial outcome. But passion has nothing to do with earning a 10x return or building a seven-figure business.  Here's the question to ask yourself to see if you're passionate about what you're doing: “Am I willing to put in the work and never see the fruit?” If the answer is no, I hate to break it to you, but that's not your passion. Another reason people feel excited about following their passion is that their potential is not being realized at work. A Gallup study revealed that 85% of employees are not engaged, and it's costing us $7 trillion annually in lost productivity. And an estimated 37% of Americans have a side hustle, which is a chance for them to make extra money but also pursue something they're more passionate about than their jobs. Adding to that, about half of new businesses fail to make it past the five-year mark. If passion is tied to achieving a certain financial outcome and your business is one of the ones that fail, your self-worth will take a big hit.  So, let me suggest that you find your worth before you find your why. In order to see yourself as worthy, you need to answer the question, who am I? Here are three ways I recommend doing that: Do something that challenges you physically and mentally. For me, that was CrossFit because it required my full focus, attention, and awareness. As a result of successfully completing those challenging workouts, I discovered new neural pathways that fired off all kinds of creativity. Make time for reflection and visualization, preferably shortly after you've completed the physically demanding activity.  Create “I am” statements. The great Lou Holtz once told me that the most important word in the English vocabulary is the word choice. The next two most important words are ‘I' and ‘am.' About a decade ago, I was nearly broke. We had to short-sell our first home and I was diagnosed with postpartum depression after the birth of our fourth child. In every way, I saw myself as a failure. As I worked through this process, I discovered new things about myself. I rebuilt my sense of self-worth. I found a new Why, which turned out to be helping people find the truth that dwells within them. Instead of focusing on outcome, I am focused on using my gifts to help as many people as I can, and I'm willing to suffer for that. Lastly, I'd like to talk about the power of reflection. Go back in time and shine a light on the challenges that you've experienced in your life. Insert hope there and carry that forward into tomorrow. Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Hamilton Chan's parents told him he could be a doctor or a lawyer. His “tiger mom” even had a mini breakdown when he deferred law school for a year to work for JPMorgan Investment Banking. He promised her he'd go back to law school after the year was up, and that's what he did.  Years later, his investment banking friends were making millions of dollars a year while he was slogging away doing due diligence as a corporate transactional attorney... and his mom asked him why he didn't stick with investment banking. But Hamilton tells us you can't blame anyone but yourself for your life decisions. And Hamilton did experience outstanding success as a lawyer — he graduated from Harvard Law School, worked at a prestigious law firm in Los Angeles, represented Kobe Bryant, and worked at MGM Studios. But, ultimately, his legal career hit a dead end. He realized that he had taken what he was good at and polished it to such a point that it became something he no longer enjoyed. At one point, he was skimming hundreds of pages of documentation and writing about 15 pages of memos every day, without any time leftover to even pick up a magazine or read a book on the weekend. Entrepreneurship was calling. Hamilton wanted to be able to pursue creative endeavors, practice strategic thinking, and get out of corporate life. He told his family that he was very unhappy as an attorney, and his sister suggested he be a salesman at the family business, Charlie Chan Printing. After his whole family erupted in laughter, his mom and my dad said they could actually use some help. Although he had no experience in sales, he thought he could figure it out. Plus, he'd get to make business decisions and be involved in an enterprise that carried a lot of meaning and history for him. After working in the family business, Hamilton went on to launch a tech startup. Then Loyola Law School approached him to start an executive education program, now called LLX. Hamilton was responsible for co-creating the vision behind it and coding a brand new interactive platform to host it on. He also teaches a six week class on negotiating, and really considers his role at Loyola Law School to be the culmination of his life experience and a true labor of love. Hamilton's tips from his off-the-beaten-path career are:  Learn to negotiate. You can leave a tremendous amount on the table if you are not skilled at negotiating.  Satisfy your curiosity and try new things. Realize that the business world is at least 90% networking. Hamilton used to see the world as super meritocratic and believed that, if you just produced the best work, everything would work out perfectly. Now he says that might be true for K-12, but not for the rest of your life. Make conscious choices to do the things that we should. The brain does such a phenomenal job of making sense of the world that it constantly discards contradictory information. And that's what helps us stay in a bad relationship, job, or situation. Craft the life that you want. Hamilton loves being able to spend time with his two daughters and his wife plus, have time for recreation, and work on projects that he finds meaningful and interesting.  As for Hamilton's view on the meaning of it all, he says, “The end purpose of life is love. And that that's why I value relationships so much.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://llx.lls.edu (llx.lls.edu) Twitter: https://twitter.com/hamiltonchan (@hamiltonchan) Read: https://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-Purpose/dp/0446576220 (Delivering Happiness) Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print,...

Marie Forleo is a wildly successful coach and multi-passionate entrepreneur. Her new book https://everythingisfigureoutable.com (Everything Is Figureoutable) is out now, and to celebrate, I'm re-releasing this podcast episode with Marie (originally ep. 72). Marie's entrepreneurial journey started in a flurry on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. She'd recently graduated with a degree in finance and picked the mayhem of the Stock Exchange over a job in a cubicle. However she learnt very quickly that she hated the idea of having to go to the same place day in and day out every single day for the majority of the year. Her intuition was screaming at her to get out, so she did, leaving the Stock Exchange for a variety of jobs including bartending.  How Intuition Drives Marie's Business Marie says that intuition is a core part of everything she does in her business, especially important things like marketing, hiring, pricing and product development. Growing up, her mom always taught her that if someone tried to talk to her and she felt uncomfortable, to trust that small little voice inside that says run or don't talk to this person or whatever it is.  Intuition led Marie in many directions, and that's why she became a multi-passionate entrepreneur. When she started her coaching business she also had a passion for dance, fitness and for hip hop. She knew that if she split her focus, everything would grow slower and she wouldn't make as much money, but creatively she'd probably be fulfilled. That turned out to be true. Despite starting a dance career in her 20s (when some dancers are actually winding down their careers), Marie ended up choreographing hip hop for MTV and being one of the world's first Nike Elite Dance Athletes. Another core value that drives Marie is curiosity.  Curiosity is Essential Marie believes that curiosity is integral to succeeding in business and life, especially in today's environment where everything is changing so fast. She says, “If you believe that you already know everything, you're going to fail. Whether you fail right now or you fail in six months, or you fail in three years, you are going to fall on your face.” The Future of Entrepreneurship Marie predicts that soon more and more people will have to behave in an entrepreneurial manner, even if they're not necessarily founding a company. There are more freelancers than there have ever been, more people working with flexible schedules, and intrapreneurs are becoming increasingly valuable within organizations. She also believes that we'll continue to see an emphasis on social entrepreneurship, and that, “Business owners who are wise enough to bake social good into their business model from a very sincere and genuine place are going to thrive in the future.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://everythingisfigureoutable.com (Everything Is Figureoutable) https://www.marieforleo.com/ (marieforleo.com) Get your copy of https://theimpactentrepreneur.net/book (Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose) -- We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit http://www.lawtonmg.com (LawtonMG.com) for more info. -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Dr. Paul White grew up in a family business - his parents and grandfather designed and created point of purchase display stands. Sometimes at dinnertime his dad would lead a discussion and ask questions like, what needs do you see out there? How might those needs be met?  Dr. White started working full-time on the factory floor the summer he was 12. He learnt a lot but declined to work at the company when he grew up, partly because he and his father didn't always agree.  Instead he started counseling people at his church then became a psychologist who worked with kids and families. In the ‘90s he forged a career in the corporate realm. 85% of the companies in the U.S. are family-owned so business consultant friends started asking him to help out because of his background. That led him into business succession planning and employee engagement. One day Dr. White was working with a father and son in their business, and realized they were just not connecting. Just prior to that he and his wife and had read the book, https://www.5lovelanguages.com/book/the-5-love-languages/ (The Five Love Languages) by Dr. Gary Chapman. He thought it might be of value in the workplace so pursued Dr. Chapman for a year and finally got through to his assistant and set up a meeting. Dr. Chapman had already had 20-25 people pitch him with spin-off ideas about his book but was interested in Dr. White's proposal about an online assessment tool for workplaces. Together they developed a set of tools to translate https://www.5lovelanguages.com/book/the-5-love-languages/ (The Five Love Languages) into a workplace context including a book called https://www.appreciationatwork.com/5-languages-appreciation-workplace-improve-employee-engagement/ (The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace). The materials have been translated into 20 languages and the book is selling more than a thousand copies every week. Dr. White is passionate about showing appreciation for employees, not just the high-achievers, partly because research shows that companies that treat their employees well and pay attention to employee engagement function better than those that don't.  He also loves helping organizations find the right way to show appreciation, depending on individual and cultural preferences. For instance, a side hug might be the way to go in the south but in the north-east a nod across the room is more common. But it's not all business. Dr. White is a huge proponent of empathy and treating employees well, not just because it's good for the bottom line but because, “Employees are people. They're not just production units.” Don't be a podcast...

Luke Frazier defines himself as a servant leader who is inspired by the two great men in his life.  Firstly, his grandfather. Luke says he's the type of person who wakes up in the morning and asks, ‘How can I help the world?' The second person was a teacher and pastor from Luke's high school. He went to breakfast with Luke and his friends every Friday for two years and would always tell them to be good, which Luke interpreted as doing good in the world. Luke and one of his friends even got ‘be good' tattooed on themselves about a year after their teacher and mentor passed away. And Luke sure has gone on to do good in the world.  He is co-founder and executive director of depression2extinction (d2e), a nonprofit on a mission to create space for mental health awareness. While Luke doesn't think depression can ever be completely eradicated, d2e aims to end the stigma around depression and teaches people how to prevent going to really deep, dark places where they feel there's no one to talk to. To understand just how important this work is, you have to understand some of the facts around depression: 3.1 million adolescents aged 12-17 had at least one depressive episode last year The total economic burden of depression is estimated to be $210.5 billion per year ⅔ people with depression do not seek or receive proper treatment 80% of those who receive treatment for depression show an improvement within 4-6 weeks To address this problem of people not seeking the treatment that will most likely benefit them, d2e have developed a check-in tool (available on http://depression2extinction.org/ (their website)) so that people can easily communicate their feelings. They offer services for teens and young adults, and their program is currently in about 50 schools across the country. They are also implementing their first workplace health program with an aviation company in Austin. Most importantly, Luke advocates a mindful approach to avoiding conflict and anger. He says that when someone does something like cutting us off in traffic, “we can take some time to consider what they might be going through, ignore the lies that tell us to react with our emotions, and step into the good possibilities of our day.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://www.depression2extinction.org/ (depression2extinction.org) Instagram:

Dee Ann Turner's mother gave up a potential career as a lawyer to make a career out of raising her family, and she did an amazing job. Dee Ann says that her mother made sure she never went hungry, made their home a loving space, and led her to a faith in Christ — and everything that Dee Ann has done in her life has been created on that foundation. Dee Ann had a wildly successful career at Chick-fil-A, starting at the age of 21 and working her way up to vice president. However, landing an initial job at Chick-fil-A didn't come easily. When she first applied for a marketing and advertising position, the company said they didn't have anything for her. But then she experienced a moment of serendipity, or divine intervention: her husband helped a woman change her tire, found out that she was resigning from the advertising department of Chick-fil-A because of a family move, and suggested that Dee Ann approach them again. Dee Ann landed the job, although she actually ended up starting out in human resources, and this ended up being a perfect fit for her because she was responsible for selecting Chick-fil-A franchisees. Her initial question to applicants was always about their first job. She wanted a true entrepreneur; someone who, like Dee Ann, was willing to create a job for themselves. Dee Ann wanted to hear a story that reminded her of her own first job selling candy and drinks to kids on their way to the neighborhood swimming pool. But as much as she loved working at Chick-fil-A, Dee Ann came to realize she was doing the work that God gave her to do instead of the work that God made her to do. Now she is helping organizations build an extraordinary customer culture by selecting and growing extraordinary talent. Her new book https://www.amazon.com/Bet-Talent-Remarkable-Culture-Customers/dp/0801094364 (Bet On Talent) is based on the principle that decisions about people are the most important decisions a leader makes. “We are always enough,” Dee Ann says. “Our Creator created us to be enough.” Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: https://www.deeannturner.com/ (deeannturner.com) Read: https://www.amazon.com/Bet-Talent-Remarkable-Culture-Customers/dp/0801094364/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bet+on+Talent&qid=1552837456&s=gateway&sr=8-1 (Bet On...)

Gustavo Fernández's first career in pharmaceutical sales was inspired by his stepfather, who was the general manager for Johnson & Johnson in the Dominican Republic. Gustavo stayed in the industry for 10 years after graduating college — until his real passion started calling to him.   Photography had been Gustavo's hobby since college. Wherever he went, he always took a camera along with him. Then, when the internet became a massive tool for building communities, he started connecting with other photographers. Serendipitously, one of the top wedding photographers in the world lived just down the street from him. So he went to a workshop she was holding, and that changed the whole trajectory of his life.   Now, Gustavo has a career photographing people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.    The internet and online communities continue to be hugely important to Gustavo's photography and career, too. Because, in this era of social media, the vast majority of new business that comes to him is through word of mouth.   But you can't just be part of a Facebook group and reap the benefits of belonging to a community — you have to create lasting, authentic relationships with people   When Gustavo is building relationships...   He always follows up leads and conversations (he even carries a notebook so he doesn't forget anything!) He always picks up the phone. A couple of years ago the event planner for Forbes called to ask him to photograph an event. And she told him, Thank you for picking up the phone. No-one picks up the phone anymore. He gives unique, thoughtful gifts to clients and contacts. A $10 gift he sent to a contact actually resulted in $10,000 worth of business.    Gustavo says that people sometimes comment about how different his two careers are but, at the end of the day, it's all the same — because “it's all people.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Gustavofernandez.com Instagram: @gustavofernandez Facebook: @gustavofernandezphotographer Twitter: @gustavo Read: Never Eat Alone Read: Into Thin Air Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Colleague, friend and fellow storyteller Taylor Sledge saw the way that his parents wrote the stories of their own lives — and their constant presence, love, and support gave him the foundation he needed to tell his story, too.   Taylor's dad was an attorney. He owned his own business in a risky area of law, so his income was up and down, but Taylor loved that he set his own schedule and never missed family events. His mom was a flight attendant for Delta Airlines. She was never afraid to talk to anyone, regardless of how different they were to her, and this made a huge impact on Taylor.    Taylor founded the Big Small Business Story to tell the stories of entrepreneurs who are driven by purpose, character, and belief. Their trademarked slogan — “It's never just business” — reflects his belief that your career or company is about the lives of other people, not just making money, and an understanding of psychology and the human condition are crucial to creating authentic business relationships.   It seems simple — your career is about the lives of other people — but a lot of businesspeople still don't understand that. And it took Taylor a while to realize it, too.   When Taylor was 27, he had a business deal go upside down. He realized that he was experiencing the same gut feeling that he had when he was 10 bringing home a bad report card. There were areas in his life where he wasn't living as an adult, and this inspired him to work out where he needed to grow.   And it's an ongoing journey. Taylor and his wife have recently experienced fertility challenges, and this forced Taylor to confront things he didn't like about himself, including his self image, and work out what really matters in his life.   Something that really matters to Taylor is legacy. He doesn't think that we spend enough time considering it, but believes that, “We have the responsibility of setting a trajectory for the future with every decision that we make.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more at https://taylorsledge.com/ (taylorsledge.com) YouTube: @TaylorSledge Instagram: @taylorsledge Facebook: @taylorsledge Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Growing up, Heather Adams always had her nose in a book, and her heroes spoke to her from the pages; smart and savvy women like Anne of Green Gables, Jo from Little Women, and Nancy Drew.    Heather compares Nancy Drew's mystery-solving adventures to her own life today — owner of a public relations agency, Choice Media & Communications — because she's always “running toward the flames, constantly taking notes, and bringing order to the chaos.”   But, unlike Nancy Drew, Heather isn't doing this alone, and she is passionate about building a cohesive, invested team. After the partnership with her co-founder dissolved, Heather held a strategic planning retreat for her entire team. They re-evaluated Choice's mission and core values and Heather says this was a game-changer for their work culture — because, now, everyone has skin in the game.    Heather also has an unusual approach to human relations, arguing that you have to throw out all the policies and love your workers as human beings first. When one of her team members is going through a hard season, she puts their responsibilities aside and taps into what they need. This human-first approach carries through to every aspect of Heather's business and life, including her attitude towards her competition.   Before Heather started her own company she worked at Thomas Nelson, which was then the world's largest Christian publishing house, she worked with Michael Hyatt, who eventually became the CEO and chairman. He taught her many important lessons, including to embrace the competition and look at them as someone to learn from and champion instead of someone to take down.    Heather sees that as a crucial transformation in her life. As she says, “I have this mentality that a win for one is a win for all. And that was something I had to learn because I sucked at it.”   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: choicepublicity.com Instagram: @choicepublicity Instagram: @heatherdixonadams Twitter: @ChoicePublicity Facebook: @choicepublicity Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Remi Adeleke's life changed abruptly when his father died—when his family went from being royalty in Nigeria to struggling to feed themselves in the Bronx.   The public education system was so poorly resourced and Remi was exposed to precious few role models in his early life. As a result, he didn't feel that there was an expectation for him to even graduate high school; it seemed the only path available was stealing, selling drugs, and running scams.    But when Remi hit rock bottom at 26 and realized, he needed something bigger than himself. That's when Remi met Tiana Reyes, a military recruiter who helped him find his true path. Tiana was also from the Bronx, so she was passionate about helping to give young people from the neighborhood an opportunity to establish a career and explore the world—because she knew that not many other people would give them the chance.   Tiana attended multiple court hearings to advocate for him and helped him fill out the paperwork to get Remi into the Navy. Once in Navy boot camp, Remi was exposed to all the different programs and set his heart on becoming a Navy SEAL.    But it wasn't a slam dunk. He didn't pass the academic test on his first attempt and, even if he had, he wouldn't have passed the physical test because he didn't know how to swim. But Remi's mother always taught him to persevere, and he drew on that to train and study in the time outside of his role as a medic. The hard work paid off and Remi was accepted into Navy SEAL training.   In addition to fulfilling his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL, Remi is an actor, entrepreneur, writer, husband, and father. He has written a memoir about his life called Transformed and volunteers as a mentor for kids in similar situations that he was in.    He believes that the past does not have to be a template for our future, that there is always hope and that you can help a person so much that you're actually hurting them because you're enabling them to keep doing what they're doing.    As for all the hardships, setbacks and failures in his life, Remi says they made him who he is today because “you can't grow without failure.”   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Instagram: @remiadeleke Twitter: @RemiAdeleke Facebook: @RemiAdeleke LinkedIn: @RemiAdeleke Read: Transformed  Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Vicky Oliver's favorite days begin when somebody writes to her and says they read her book and it helped them get a job. But Vicky didn't start her career writing about job hunting – it took quite a few twists and turns before she stumbled into a mission that she loved.   Vicky got her start in advertising. But, after September 11, 2001, there were articles in the New York Times every single day about people switching their careers. And this wasn't because of a downturn in the economy – it was because they were looking inwards and asking, “Am I doing what I want to be doing should I die tomorrow?” And when people were honest with themselves, they started making gigantic changes.   Vicky enjoyed writing commercials, but there was always the lingering feeling that she was making corporations rich, making millions of dollars for them, without really enriching herself. So she looked at her skill, which was writing, and asked herself: Can I do something else with this skill? Can I help people more?   Throughout her career in advertising, Vicky was constantly looking for the next job opportunity, and she was actually really good at securing the jobs she wanted. She realized that she knew quite a bit about job hunting, and that was how she could help so many others achieve their mission. She started writing some articles, and then eventually a book.   Even though Vicky made more money when she was in advertising, writing books turned out to be the thing that brings her the most satisfaction. As she says, “If you look at what you love to do, you will probably be better at it than if you just do something because you think it's going to make you a lot of money.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Read: Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots: 201 Smart Ways to Handle the Toughest People Issues Live Like a Millionaire (Without Having to Be One) vickyoliver.com Twitter: @vickyoliver Facebook: @vickyoliver Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

The one thing Alexis Meschi remembers dreaming about when she was a kid was to be a mom. But something she had to learn was that most dreams don't come true overnight – and that the dreams we have when we're young aren't necessarily going to be what fulfills us in the long term.   Alexis struggled with a lot of the things we're “supposed” to do early in our lives. She never did well in school, has no idea how she got into college, and was actually asked to leave college at the end of her third year because her GPA wasn't up to scratch. The college said she could come back if she got her GPA up, but at the time, Alexis just didn't think she was good at anything or had any gifts. So she ended up not going back to college, married her husband, and set out to fulfill her dream of being a stay-at-home mom.    But her dreams were always getting bigger. She didn't just want to be a stay-at-home mom; she wanted a career of her own. Alexis started blogging about sewing clothes for her girls, and it slowly grew into a business. She was asked to apply for Project Runway twice, which returned a lot of confidence that she lost in university. And after she taught for just a day as a substitute teacher, Alexis was inspired to get her four-year teaching degree – in just two years!    While teaching, Alexis also picked up photography. So now, in addition to teaching, Alexis photographs women that are in business. She says it can be hard to have your picture taken, especially if you're a woman, because women tell themselves false narratives all the time; there's a lot of vulnerability and sometimes shame that comes with being photographed.   And Alexis continues to work on herself, too, on a constant mission to push herself out of her comfort zone and live her life to the fullest. She says, “I just knew that there was a mission that God had made for me and I was the only person that could fulfill that mission. And being comfortable was not going to achieve it.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Instagram: @alexismeschiphotography Facebook: @alexismeschiphotography alexismeschi.com Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Colin Morgan is a former pro golfer and the founder and host of The Daily Grind Podcast, where he interviews today's most successful people in the hopes of inspiring the next great entrepreneur. But his mission grew from a place of deep pain.   Colin actually had a lot of support when he was growing up; he cites his father and his first golf coach as the people who instilled the belief that he could be successful. It was when he reached college that he discovered that not everyone had his best interests at heart, and this is when he experienced psychological and sexual abuse.   After the abuse, he started to hate golf, but still continued on the path to being a pro player. Then, mid-tournament, he realized that he wasn't happy. He decided to make a dramatic change. He was drinking and partying to mask his feelings, and he says that's where he really learned that how you do one thing is how you do everything. The way that he was partying trickled down into every aspect of his life, including entrepreneurship. He was always looking for a get rich quick scheme, ultimately experiencing a cycle of failure and then getting excited about the next big idea.   To create the change he needed, Colin started to incorporate habits like journaling. He wrote down things that he was grateful for and worked on a goal to move his business forward, for at least 20 minutes each day.   And it paid off. Colin found a purpose in helping to prevent and stop abuse in sports, and he really encourages other survivors to reach out for help. Colin lost a college friend who also suffered abuse to suicide and says, “The work I'm doing goes much beyond abuse. It's about saving lives.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Listen: The Daily Grind Podcast  Instagram: @colinmorgan.dgp LinkedIn: Colin Morgan   Read: Psyched Up   Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Eddie Osterland lives by a piece of advice that was told to him by his father: watch for the gold ring.   Eddie's dad used to ride a merry-go-round in Brooklyn as a child. The best part was getting an outside horse and, every once in a while, there was an arm that would drop down with cartridges of lead rings that you could grab, if you were lucky enough to be on the right horse. And if you got one of these rings, you got a free ride. But, once a week, there was a brass ring, and if you managed to get it, you got free rides for the year.    Eddie's dad called this the gold ring. You never know when it's going to come by. So be vigilant, reach out, grab it, and ride it wherever it takes you. It may not be the end-all, but the next gold ring you see coming along might be seven years from now.    Eddie's gold ring was a plane ticket from New Jersey to Honolulu. He decided to take a vacation after he got a degree in psychology, before jumping into his career. He and a friend went down to a travel agency intending to buy one-way tickets to California. The travel agent told them for another $95 they could buy tickets to Honolulu instead, so that's what they did.    Eddie decided to stay in Hawaii and started studying psychopharmacology at graduate school. He started working as a waiter at night, but one night the sommelier was sick so Eddie ended up filling in, which inspired him to move to France to study professional wine tasting at the University of Bordeaux, making Eddie America's first master sommelier.   Now, Eddie combines his food and wine expertise with sales psychology to create memorable events that help businesses acquire new clients.   His tips for power entertaining include:   Always serve wines in pairs so you have something to compare it to Serve your best food and wine first  If you're entertaining at a restaurant, don't let the restaurant control your experience – make friends with the sommelier and book a quiet, private dining room Never let the check come to the table – give your credit card to the restaurant beforehand and tell them to add a 25% tip   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more: https://eddieosterland.com/ (eddieosterland.com) Facebook: @eddie.osterland Instagram: @eddieoeddieosterlandcom Read: Power Entertaining Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Tommy Baker is an author, podcaster, fitness junkie, and the founder of Resist Average Academy. His mission is to help you live a life you can't wait to wake up for.  Tommy's entrepreneurial career started in gyms, where he started to notice something that would eventually change the course of his life and career: one person can walk into a facility and experience transformational results while another person with a similar background and natural ability might barely scratch the surface.    This realization turned into a fascination, so Tommy started to learn more about neuroscience, human behavior, and positive psychology. In the process, he realized that those were really the things that lit him up.   So, as Tommy combined these new insights with his fitness knowledge, he identified the one thing that we all need to be successful – we need to operate with an incredibly powerful foundation; a strong connection between mind, body, and spirit.    Tommy recommends two techniques for reverse engineering success:   Imagining what your life looks like in a decade. What would it look like if our biggest dreams were realized? Imagining your life five years from now as if nothing has changed. How does that feel?   But, above all, Tommy believes that if we continue to avoid the uncomfortable truth about our lives, then we're going to miss out on what we want. As he says, “Radical honesty is the first step to changing anything.”   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: resistaverageacademy.com Read: The Leap of Your Life Facebook: @resistaverageacademy Twitter: @ResistAverage Instagram: @resistaverageacademy YouTube: Resist Average Academy Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Jennifer Carroll has been a storyteller her whole life, but she believes the story she's telling now is one that deserves to have massive impact. She wants to tell men and women that your health is the most important thing – because you can't make an impact if you're six feet under!   Jennifer grew up with loving parents who gave her the foundation of a strong, value-based upbringing, and she always had coaches and mentors in her life, beginning with her figure skating coach when she was a child.    But it was her late husband, entrepreneur Phil Carroll, who taught her the most – both the good and the bad. She says he had the most positive attitude in the world and chose to live a very forward-moving, impactful life. He also lived as if he was invincible. This was his greatest attribute, but it was also part of his demise. Because Phil didn't believe in going to doctors, he ignored the early symptoms of prostate cancer and, tragically, passed away at a very young age.   With the support of another mentor, speaking coach Joel Weldon, Jennifer is now on a mission to share her story and encourage other people to share theirs because she knows that our stories have an impact on others.    “Phil made his first million in his 20s. And he made his first widow in her 40s,” Jennifer says. “And I feel very driven to share that story to not only bring significance and meaning to Phil's life, as this incredible man and entrepreneur, but also to bring impact to his death.”   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Learn more: http://www.jennifercarroll.com/ (jenniferlcarroll.com) Learn more: illuminateyousummit.com Instagram: @jenniferlcarroll Facebook: @livelargelivelong Twitter: @largelonglegacy Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Ken Coleman is a career expert, the best-selling author of The Proximity Principle, and the host of The Ken Coleman Show. Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities, and career successes, Coleman helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality.   Ken's parents were the first to breathe life into his dreams, but two of his teachers also made a big impact – the elementary school teacher who gave him an extra jolt of self-esteem by always calling him Doc and a drama teacher who poured gasoline on his dreams by telling him he could do great things.   And Ken always had big dreams of becoming a national broadcaster – but, of course, big dreams also come with big obstacles. Ken experienced a lot of rejection when he tried to break into radio, and things just weren't working out the way he had hoped. Then, one day he was sitting on his patio having a one-man pity party when he realized that nobody was sitting around thinking about how they could help Ken Coleman out. Nobody was waking up going, “Hey, this Ken Coleman guy, I think he'd be a really good broadcaster. Why don't we give him a call today and just open every door for him?”    Ken says that realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew he had the talent to be a great broadcaster, but that day, he realized that wasn't enough – if he really wanted to make an impact, he had to actually pave that road, and that process was going to be long and arduous.    Ken's book, The Proximity Principle, is all about helping people pave this road for themselves by showing up and getting to know the right people who are going to help you fulfil your dreams so that the right opportunities find their way to you. Ken says that we humans want progress, and that's a good thing. But, if you obsess about the next step, you miss what you're supposed to be doing and learning in the now. He offers three pieces of advice for people working towards their dream job:   Know your role. You have to have absolute clarity on what is expected and what the win looks like. Accept your role. Be grateful for the job you have now because it's a step on the ladder to your dream job. Maximize your role. Do things outside of your normal duties and demonstrate value.   “If you do those three things, progress will find you, the promotion will find you. You don't have to worry about it.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources:   Learn more: https://www.kencoleman.com/ (kencoleman.com) Read: The Proximity Principle The Ken Coleman Show Instagram: @kencoleman Facebook: The Ken Coleman Show Twitter: @KenColeman Get your copy of Master the Key: A Story to Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life on Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Chris Cooper is a serial entrepreneur who has seen a lot of success, so now he's passing on what he's learned through a mentorship company for entrepreneurs called Two-Brain Business. Chris is focused on nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship, like what are the phases people go through when developing scalable businesses and how do people move between them? To answer these questions, Chris brings together his personal business experience, incredible consistency (he's written a blog post every day for the last 10 years), and a keen understanding of the benefits of entrepreneurship.   One of the macro benefits that Chris sees is that entrepreneurship makes the economy less fragile. A lot of cities and towns rely on major industrial employers – and when they close down or leave, that has a major impact on the economy of the region and almost every family in it. Chris says what these places need to bounce back is an anti-fragile approach, which is not one big industrial employer but 300 small businesses.   Another benefit is that when people don't have to worry about money, they can worry about the important, impactful things – like spending time with their kids and living in alignment with their values.   You may think that being an entrepreneur isn't for everybody, but Chris didn't grow up in an entrepreneurial family or have access to a lot of extra resources. In fact, he attributes his jump into entrepreneurship to two former personal training clients who saw that personal training wasn't paying the bills and pushed him to start his first company.   If it sounds like you're in the same shoes that Chris had on back then, working for someone else but struggling to pay your bills, he has a lot of helpful tips: It's super important to have both wins to motivate you and losses to keep you humble Get into the habit of paying yourself at the start of your business Focus on the information that applies to you and filter out the rest   Through his mentoring practice, Chris also identified four phases of entrepreneurship, which he wrote about them in his book Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief: The Four Phases of the Entrepreneur's Journey.   Want to know what phase of entrepreneurship you're in? Well, you should be interested, because it can help you figure out where to go next – and you can find out at https://twobrain.com/ (twobrain.com).    Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more: https://twobrain.com/ (twobrain.com) Read: Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief: The Four Phases of the Entrepreneur's Journey Read: Help First: Sell Less, Profit More Listen: Two Brain Radio   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

John Foley has some serious flying skills, but for him what's truly important as a team member, leader, and mentor is connecting with people who have a deep connection to who they are and why they're there.    John had an amazing childhood, where he received both wisdom and love from his parents, who created a supportive environment for his dreams. His father was an army instructor at West Point and John wanted to be an army officer just like him - until he saw an air show and decided that he wanted to be a pilot.    Of course, there were also rules in John's family, and the self-discipline he developed as a child served him well when he went to study at the United States Naval Academy. He played college football while he was there and, after graduation, trained as a fighter pilot. Moving up the ranks, he then became an instructor pilot and later joined the Blue Angels, the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron.    John's hairy experiences in the Blue Angels included flying into Russian air space shortly after the end of the Cold War to do a show and seeing Russian fighter jets coming towards his plane. Fortunately, the Russians were also keen to make friends and John ended up waving at one of the Russians from his cockpit.   Flying in a squadron means that you and your teammates literally rely on each other to stay alive, and in this episode John talks about how it's so important to hold up your end of the deal and do your job well. He explains that he sees a huge difference between being scared and being afraid. To him being scared just means, “Hey, I need to do my job. Everybody's counting on me.” Being fearful means that you go into defense mode.   John's new book, Fearless Success, is about the secrets that elite performers know and practice on a daily basis. You can buy it from Amazon and other booksellers, but if you get it from his website, it comes with a free second book, Breaking Beliefs.   Some of John's tips include: Worry about performing well, not on the outcome.  Take negative thoughts and put them in the back of your head so you can focus on what you need to do The key to doing something difficult is visualization and focus   Another one of the secrets to success revealed in the book is that he meditates every morning. He says gratitude is so important because, “Gratefulness changes the way you see the world. And then the way the world sees you changes too.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Johnfoleyinc.com Read: Fearless Success Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnfoleyinc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnFoleyInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfoleyinc/   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Anthony Trucks has accomplished so much in his life – he played in the NFL, built two extremely successful business, wrote a best selling book, and competed as an American Ninja Warrior – but that all pales in comparison to the positive impact he's making on every single person he interacts with. Anthony has experienced extreme ups and downs of his life, and that's what drives him to “help others take ‘shift' seriously in their lives to make great ‘shift' happen.”   Anthony was placed in foster care at the age of three, and he stayed in the system until he was adopted at the age of 14. Anthony loved his adoptive parents and says his mom taught him unconditional love, but he still struggled with being the only black kid in a white family and the abuse and neglect he experienced in earlier homes. He says that he used his turbulent background as an excuse until he heard two girls talking about him at school and realized how stupid that excuse sounded.    He played football in high school, college, and the NFL, and he attributes his capacity to withstand pain to a college coach that really pushed him.   When Anthony left the NFL, he opened his own gym... although he had no idea how to run a gym, or really a business at all. The problems with the gym also disrupted Anthony's family life and his marriage ended in divorce (however, Anthony and his wife are now happily remarried).     Navigating these extreme shifts in his life has been extremely difficult, but through a lot of internal work, Anthony was able to make sense of life's expected and unexpected shifts – How he'd accomplished all the great things, how he'd encountered and endured all the bad things, and how he could've handled them differently. But he sees others struggling through this all the time, and that's why he created Modifidentify, a company focused on helping people take control of their lives by understanding how these shifts impact their identities. As he says, “I just love being a part of the process of other people's joy.”   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more at: anthonytrucks.com Instagram: @anthonytrucks   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

As a child Vincent Pugliese was, in his words, a giant pain in the butt. For example on the 200th year anniversary of the United States of America in 1976 everyone at his school had to wear red, white and blue, but he insisted on wearing a green suit. This rebel streak may not have endeared him to his teachers, but it has worked in his favor in the entrepreneurial world.   Vincent didn't do well at school, dropped out of college five or six times and was arrested when he was 18 years old for stealing. As a 22-year-old he was working at a convenience store and making extra money by overcharging each customer a little. After a customer called him out on it, he woke up one night in a dead sweat and knew he had to change his life. His dad suggested he become a sports photographer and Vincent threw himself into attending games, hustling his way to the front row.   He got a lucky break at one game and his sports photography career took off.   Now he runs a photography business academy and a business mastermind program while enjoying financial freedom, homeschooling his three sons and traveling with his family. His new book, Freelance to Freedom, is available for free as an audio download.     Vincent's tips for listeners are: A lie is believing what happened in your former life. We base so much of our adult life on what that kid in eighth grade said on the basketball court. Think, “How do I afford it?” as opposed to “I can't afford it.” One of the lies we tell ourselves is, I'm not good enough.   Vincent's achievements show how far being curious and generous can take you in life. His goal for his sons is for them “to constantly have a love for learning”.   Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Take action: https://totallifefreedom.com Email: Vincent@freelancetofreedombook.com --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Rich Karlgaard is the publisher of Forbes magazine, but when he was younger it wasn't at all obvious that he was going to be successful. During this episode of the podcast he talks about growing up in North Dakota and developing an interest in running. He got into Stanford on a fluke when his coach misunderstood his race times but, in his words, squandered the opportunity. While his high-powered classmates were finishing law school and so on, he graduated with the minimum number of units and went to work as a dishwasher and a security guard. His story of how he went straight from dead-end jobs to working at Forbes magazine, and ultimately became its publisher, is the impetus behind his new book, Late Bloomers. Late BloomersLate Bloomers laments the culture of obsession with SAT scores and early success and explains that finding one's way later in life can be an advantage to long-term achievement and happiness.   Self doubt and the importance of self-discovery Rich and Mike also discuss how people shouldn't tie their self doubt to their self worth and how embracing self doubt can be a great strategy. They also talk about how early achievers can reinvent themselves in the face of job insecurity as more and more jobs are automated or taken over by artificial intelligence.   How harmful the culture of early success can beRich also tells the story of how shame around being academically average led to a spate of depression and even suicide amongst Palo Alto students in 2014 and 2015. It was discovered that the kids who were most at risk were B-plus students.   Rich's tips The task of a late bloomer is to get off the conventional path and become an explorer. There's no better decade than your 20s to take risks. Self doubt isn't something to run away from, it's something to embrace. Be prepared to find new friends and move to a different place if your current environment isn't serving you.   One of Rich's key teachings is that finding your purpose is everything. As he says, “When people feel pulled, they grow in amazing ways. And they surprise you.”   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Read: Late Bloomers Learn more at http://richkarlgaard.com/ (richkarlgaard.com) Forbes: forbes.com https://www.kleinerperkins.com MindSet by Carol Dweck Churchill Club: churchillclub.org --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Every child deserves the opportunity to feel good and feel safe – it's a fundamental, foundational need for all humans, and when you don't have that as a child, it can create limiting beliefs that obscure your potential.   That's why Laura Mayer co-founded Clothe Our Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to providing at-risk children in Tennessee with much-needed clothing and shoes. Their goal is to help these children feel loved, cared for, and good about themselves – what they call “clothing kids with confidence” – and each bag they deliver is custom packed with quality items and with the individual needs of the child in mind.   Laura grew up in a loving home with support, where she was home schooled by her mother, but when she left home, she found that the rest of the world wasn't always so supportive. She found herself in an abusive relationship, and after she escaped it, she felt lost. As a result, she put everyone else and everything else at a distance because she didn't feel safe.   However, a transformative experience at church taught Laura that she had to let go of the past; she didn't know what that was going to look like, but she was done letting anyone else steal another day of her future. She couldn't go back, she couldn't change what happened to her, but she could choose to move forward with her head held high.   Laura also found inspiration and support in a wonderful book called Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, which she recommends to anyone who resonates with her story.   It'll help remind you, like I hope this podcast does, that everybody is here on this Earth for a purpose. We all have God-given abilities, and we all have the ability to create an impact on the world. But before you can find your Why, you must remember and believe that you are worthy of one to begin with – and giving children the opportunity to remember that is really why Clothe Our Kids is making such a positive impact on these young lives.   And if you want to make a positive impact today, you can support Clothe Our Kids – or even bringing Clothe Our Kids to your community because every city needs this! You can learn more at http://www.clotheourkids.com/take-action.   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Take action: http://www.clotheourkids.com/take-action Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clotheourkids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clotheourkidslc/ Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

Tiffany Bluhm is a beautiful writer and speaker with an incredible story that just breathes life into everyone who encounters it – so I am humbled and excited to be able to share it with all of you today.   Tiffany was born in India, abandoned as a newborn in New Delhi. She was one of more than 25 million Indian children who were orphaned in the ‘80s. And for most of her life, this origin was a thorn in her side; she saw a world where everyone had baby pictures and memories passed down by family, but she had no evidence of her beginning except for a number and a name given to her by an orphanage.   So, at her core, she struggled with her sense of identity. Tiffany was lucky enough, however, to be adopted, and to be given the opportunity to talk about how difficult it was. “So many adoptees go underground with their feelings. It's called invisible trauma, when you can't make sense of the trauma that's happened because you don't have conscious memories of it, but you can feel it and you're still dealing with the effects of it.”   But Tiffany knew that if she was here, there must be a reason – and she had to make the best of it.   Although we don't always come from such humbling pasts, most of us feel like this at some point in our lives: lost, confused, and a little unsure why we're here. And when we feel that way, we often end up letting the things that we do to define who we are.   However, that's now how you live a fulfilling life that lights you up. Who you are should define what you do, how you work, what your goals are, and what your values are. When you can align all of that, you can really achieve the life that you were created for.   “I am not leftovers,” Tiffany says confidently. “This isn't going to be the breaking of me, but could potentially be the making of me.”   You can get more inspiration and wisdom from Tiffany in her upcoming book, She Dreams, or her own incredible podcast, Why Tho?. Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more at http://www.tiffanybluhm.com/ (http://www.tiffanybluhm.com/) Listen to Why Tho?: http://www.tiffanybluhm.com/podcast/ Read: She Dreams Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanybluhm/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyABluhm/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TiffanyBluhm   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

In this episode, I talk to Rebecca Jackson and her father Dr John Jackson, authors of Arben: David Arben's Life of Miracles and Successes. They discuss Warsaw-born Mr. Arben's astonishing story of his survival from concentration camps during the Holocaust, his brushes with death, and subsequent achievements as a classical violinist.   His story is astonishing, from surviving a Nazi massacre to world acclamation for his work. We discuss how music helped Mr. Arben to carry on — and thrive— after surviving a number of close calls with death and coming face-to-face with the horror of a World War II Nazi concentration camp. The story of the Nazi guard and the camp orchestra is not to be missed.   What gave him the strength to survive? Dr. Jackson tells of the advice Mr. Arben received from his parents: 1) You're a virtuoso and 2) don't let anyone disrespect you. He never bowed or was submissive and this incredible courage and resilience was something that came directly from his parents. Others, including Dr. and Rebecca Jackson, were inspired by this strength of character.   Mr. Arben's showed his strong will from an early age. Dr. Jackson tells the delightful and illuminating story of a young Arben dismissing his parents' concerns about him taking up the violin as a career by going on a hunger strike to get music lessons.   After the war, he was classed as a displaced person and it was his determination to get to the U.S and play violin that, again, saved him. Eventually arriving on a converted troopship in Boston harbor in 1949, it was only a matter of weeks before he was able to secure a letter of recommendation from the acclaimed conductor Leonard Bernstein, which helped begin his musical career.   But how has Mr. Arben influenced Rebecca and Dr. Jackson? Rebecca shares a story of when he questioned her passion when she played. She vehemently denied this to Mr. Arben. Was he upset? No, it was this passion that he wanted to see come out of her. As her teacher, he saw her as a “connector of people.”   As we learn, he has strong views about what makes a great artist: “a combination of intellect and heart,” according to Dr. Jackson. A man of honour, Mr. Arben always kept his word and expected others to do the same. A man who lived in the “now,” he believed in using the gifts Nature had bestowed on him.   Resources: Learn more about David Arben: https://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/arts/David-Arben-dies---a-violinist-who-found-poetry-.html Read: Arben: David Arben's Life of Miracles and Successes Read: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Music in May: http://musicinmay.org/

There are a lot of conversations these days around really taking hold of the narrative of your life, and not just passively reacting to life but actively responding to who you are created to be, what you're called to, and what you're capable of becoming – and I am all for it!   So, today, I want to add on to this conversation that society is having through my conversation with Logan Gelbrich, a man who has not just asked himself these questions but embodies his answers to them.   Logan is a former professional baseball player for the San Diego Padres, a “Functional Coach” working with DEUCE Gym, and the author of Going Right: A Logical Justification for Pursuing Your Dreams.   Logan was lucky enough to know that he wanted to be a baseball player from a very young age, and he had the drive to make it happen – but, unfortunately, professional sports careers often don't have a very long lifespan. So, after Logan's professional baseball career was over, he had to ask himself all of those questions again.   Luckily, baseball taught Logan to orient towards that which is in his control. So, instead of wallowing in a decision he couldn't change, he focused on what he could do moving forward.   Finding our next best next step in life requires identifying what's at the intersection of our curiosity and commitment, and in Logan's book, he takes an objective and utilitarian view on this subject. He urges readers to ask themselves, “How are you most useful to yourself and your community?”   What doesn't work, he says, is just picking what you're going to do next arbitrarily. You can't stay committed to an idea you just picked out of a hat, or because it was trending on Google. You probably can, however, stay committed to an idea or organization that has captured your curiosity and lit you up in the past. And through that commitment and curiosity, you can pursue a life where you are always pushing yourself to the edge of what you are capable of and constantly evolving.   But Logan says that a lot of us are intentionally avoiding difficulty, and as a result, we are losing ourselves along the way. The path most travelled is covered in complacency, so I urge you to choose the path less travelled; a path packed with curiosity, challenge, and growth.   --     Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more at http://holdthestandard.com/ (http://holdthestandard.com) Read: Going Right: A Logical Justification for Pursuing Your Dreams Instagram: instagram.com/functionalcoach/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Logan-Gelbrich-1867808216814552/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FunctionalCoach Hold the Standard Summit: https://prep.deucegym.com/courses/category/Seminars   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Brandon T. Adams is a serial entrepreneur who owns a stake in a number of businesses, including the Accelerant Media Group, Live to Grind, Young Entrepreneur Convention, and Arctic Stick. He is also the co-host and executive producer of the reality TV series Ambitious Adventures, and the host of the business podcast Live to Grind. His most recent project is a TV series called Success in Your City.   Brandon is an entrepreneur who lives life on his own terms, and there's a reason for that. In a story that is both fascinating and relatable, he talks about his own journey of working hard, though as he admits, “not smart” – and he paid the consequences. Brandon shares an incident where he had a mental and physical breakdown while driving, a sure sign his body was telling him to work for his own reward, not others. Working in real estate at the time, the moment was crucial for Brandon, for he knew it was the signal that he had to change his ways.   Think and Grow Rich   Brandon knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur at the age of 21, after he read Napoleon Hill's acclaimed 1937 book “Think and Grow Rich.” The lesson he learned was that the famous entrepreneurs of the day — Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Andrew Carnegie — weren't necessarily the brightest in the land. However, they all shared one goal: the “drive to achieve something,” said Brandon.   This drive is shown in the determination to succeed that has characterised Brandon's life, most noticeably in his drive to release his Emmy award TV series “Success in your City.”   Handling pressure   As many entrepreneurs know, life is never easy and Brandon's had his own share of trials and tribulations. He speaks candidly of the adverse reaction to his film proposal and tells me how he dealt with the pressure and incessant trolling on social media. Brandon says no matter how unpleasant the experience, “...you grow, you learn, and you open up doors.”   Brandon's message for budding entrepreneurs is simple: Live life the way you want and always be prepared to grow and learn. Every day is precious to Brandon. As he says, we all have only “one life to give.” Let's make the most of it.   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Learn more at http://brandontadams.com/ (http://brandontadams.com/) Success in Your City: http://successinyourcity.com/ Pick up your copy of Master The Key: A story to free your potential, find meaning and live life on purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

One week ago today, my first book, Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose, debuted on Amazon – and you all showed up in a purposeful way!   Together, we made https://geni.us/masterthekey (Master The Key) a #1 bestseller in spiritual growth on day one, top three in the interpersonal relationships on day two, and #29 in new releases in the personal transformation category on day three. Just being ranked in that category was one of my BHAGs, and just to put that in perspective, Oprah Winfrey was #1 at the time.   So, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all again. I am humbled by the way you all showed up and I have nothing but gratitude for you. But we're still just getting started, and I am so excited to see where this journey takes us.   And today, I want to share two more of the people who endorsed and influenced my book: Dr. Jim Afremow and Caroline Burckle.   Dr. Afremow is one of the world's most sought after mental game coaches and the author of three books about being a champion, The Champion's Mind, The Champion's Comeback, and The Young Champion's Mind. Caroline is an Olympic athlete-turned-entrepreneur who, In 2015, Co-Founded https://rise-athletes.com/ (RISE Athletes) with Rebecca Soni with an ambitious goal: creating a community for cultivating, creating, and discussing things that would uplift them, their peers, and the next generation of athletes.   Don't be a podcast junkie…   Resources: Get your copy: Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose Learn more about Jim: Gold Medal Mind | Twitter | Facebook   The Champion's Mind by Dr. Jim Afremow The Champion's Comeback by Dr. Jim Afremow   The Young Champion's Mind by Dr. Jim Afremow Learn more at https://rise-athletes.com/ (RISE-athletes.com) Connect with Caroline: CarolineBurckle.com | Instagram | Facebook   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is a production of Crate Media

The wait is over – https://geni.us/masterthekey (Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose) is here! I am so excited to finally be able to share this story with all of you. It's honestly difficult to put into words.   So, to celebrate this momentous day, I am going to introduce you to Steve, your companion on the journey to mastering the key, by reading the first chapter of the book.   --     Resources: Get your copy: Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

We are exactly seven days away from April 29th, which means we're only one week away from the launch of my first book, Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose!   We've been celebrating all month by highlighting some of the people who influenced this book, and this week we're continuing that by shining a light on two of the most powerful, incredible leaders that I've had the pleasure of getting to know: AmyK Hutchens and Kara Goldin!   AmyK has become a great friend and a valuable member of my tribe through her two previous times joining the show, and she's the author of her own phenomenal book, The Secrets Leaders Keep, which is a must-read for anyone in any kind of leadership role.   Kara is the founder and CEO at Hint, the creators of Hint Water. She is like a modern-day David, overcoming unlikely odds to not only heal herself but also create an awesome business in the process. She has since grown into an unstoppable force in the entrepreneurial world, also starting the Unstoppable podcast (which I will be appearing on very soon).   If you want to be one of the first people to receive a copy of the book, subscribe to my newsletter at https://theimpactentrepreneur.net or text the word KEY followed by your first time to 831-607-1818.   --     Resources: Learn more at http://www.amyk.com/ (http://www.amyk.com/) Connect with AmyK: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Learn more at https://www.drinkhint.com/ (DrinkHint.com) Connect with Kara: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Listen: Unstoppable The Power of Profitable Conversations course: http://amyk.com/ppc Read: The Secrets Leaders Keep by AmyK Hutchens   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

We're one week closer to April 29th, which means we're one week closer to the release of Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose!   We're celebrating all month by highlighting some of the people who influenced this book, and we have two of the most positive people in the world this week: Greg Amundson and Jon Gordon! Greg is a former DEA special agent, the bestselling author of The Warrior and the Monk, and one of the original crossfitters (he's also my coach here in Santa Cruz). Jon is a prolific author and speaker, the host of Positive University, the author of a number of inspiring books, and I really can't underscore this enough – this man is Mr. Positive!   Jon is also hosting The Power of Positive Summit, a FREE online event, from April 22-28. You can learn more at https://www.powerofpositivesummit.com.   If you want to be one of the first people to receive a copy of the book, subscribe to my newsletter at https://theimpactentrepreneur.net or text the word KEY followed by your first time to 831-607-1818. --     Resources: The Power of Positive Summit, a FREE online event (April 22-28): https://www.powerofpositivesummit.com/ (https://www.powerofpositivesummit.com/) Connect with Greg: Website | Facebook Crossfit Amundson Warrior Yoga God in Me by Greg Amundson Connect with Jon: JonGordon.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram PositiveUniversity.com Watch: “The Secrets That Drive Us To Greater Success | Jon Gordon | TEDxHilliard” Read: “The 4 Stages of Greatness” The Power of Positive Leadership by Jon Gordon The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon   The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All by Jon Gordon     --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

We're still on the road to releasing Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose (which will be available April 29th, 2019), and to celebrate, we're checking back in with some of the people who influenced the book.   Today, we're reflecting back on the wisdom of Mel Robbins, an expert on leadership and the best-selling author of The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage, and Sheryl O'Loughlin, the CEO of REBBL superherb beverages and the author of KILLING IT!: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart.   If you want to be one of the first people to receive a copy of the book, subscribe to my newsletter at https://theimpactentrepreneur.net or text the word KEY followed by your first time to 831-607-1818.   --     Resources: Connect with Mel: MelRobbins.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Read: The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins Watch Mel's TEDxSF talk: “How to stop screwing yourself over” Connect with Sheryl: sheryloloughlin.com | LinkedIn | Facebook Read: KILLING IT!: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart Learn more about REBBL: http://rebbl.co/ (rebbl.co) | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

We are less than 30 days away from the release of my book, Master The Key: A Story To Free Your Potential, Find Meaning and Live Life On Purpose!   So, this month, we're going to share the wisdom of some of the people who have influenced the book and offered endorsements from the book, starting today with Kevin Hall and Lou Holtz. We'll reflect on what these mentors have to teach us, and I'll share what they have to say about the book.   You'll be able to get your copy of Master the Key on April 29th, 2019, and if you want to be one of the first people to receive a copy of the book, subscribe to my newsletter at https://theimpactentrepreneur.net or text the word KEY followed by your first time to 831-607-1818.   --     Resources:   Wins, Losses, and Lessons: An Autobiography by Lou Holtz Winning Every Day: The Game Plan for Success by Lou Holtz The Fighting Spirit: A Championship Season at Notre Dame by Lou Holtz   PowerOfWords.com Connect with Kevin: Facebook | Twitter | kevin@powerofwords.com Watch Kevin discuss Genshai at TEDxBountiful Aspire: Discovering Your Purpose Through the Power of Words by Kevin Hall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimpactmike/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impactentrepreneurshow Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactmike/   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Nathan Mendelsohn is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Cláudio França, who is one of the very first black belts to bring Jiu Jitsu to California, Santa Cruz in particular, and a crucial contributor to the growth of this sport/martial art in North America. Nathan is one of the top American grapplers of his generation, but it's not just his tremendous list of achievements that garnered him notoriety in the martial arts community – it's also his open minded attitude towards training, often breaking strict team taboos to practice with the best in this martial art/sport.   Nathan was inspired by his childhood hero Rickson Gracie, a famed practitioner of Gracie jiu jitsu and the subject of the 1995 documentary, Choke. Nathan describes him as the embodiment of the modern-day samurai, and learning jiu jitsu was Nathan's own way of chasing that childhood dream of being a real-life samurai.   Nathan was ranked as the #8 middleweight blackbelt in the world, positioned to move even higher up the rankings, before he hit a roadblock: a knee injury. Thanks to medical advances over the past 10 or 20 years, this wasn't the career-ending injury it could have been, but it still lead to a number of frustrating moments during recovery and caused him to slide in the rankings.   But he tried not to let negativity own his life, telling us that “it's really important to have a positive storyline happening in your head.” Instead of viewing the injury as an obstacle to his goal, he took it as an opportunity to take six months off, for the first time in his life. It was time he could use to not only let his body recover, but also hone his mindset.   Like a lot of what you learn when training in a martial art, I think this lesson is highly applicable to everyone's life. In our conversation, Nathan shares a number of other lessons he's learned over the years:   When we learn new things, we're always focused on the little details – but it's more just about being there, being present, and letting the situation “churn” you. If you embrace that churn, you'll naturally get better and better. If you focus on the little details, it's extremely easy to get overwhelmed. Not drinking alcohol also had a significant impact on both Nathan's training and mindset. He didn't like who he was when he drank, and it negatively affected every aspect of training. It just wasn't helping to contribute to his goals, so he took it out of his life. This isn't easy to do in a world where drinking is present at many (if not most) social occasions, but he says it's one of the best decisions he's ever made. After becoming a black belt, the pressure ramped up for Nathan. So one of his mentors taught him about affirmations and mantras, which he now uses before he competes. His main mantra is “I always believe in my ability to impose my game on any opponent,” and he also likes “Every fight is my first fight, my last fight, and my only fight,” for long tournaments.   --   Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanmendelsohnbjj Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathan.mendelsohn.10 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSahSf0Zdrv0uvZPapBqd1Q Watch Nathan's highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiYC9uFuGlM Elite Technique (Nathan's rap persona): https://soundcloud.com/elite_technique   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Robert Glazer, founder of http://www.accelerationpartners.com/ (Acceleration Partners) and co-founder of BrandCycle, says that we all come out of the factory without our instruction manual.   Unfortunately, too many of us don't figure out who we are and how we function until we're well into our 30s and 40s – but, as leaders and entrepreneurs, we can change that. We can honor each person in our world; we can highlight and support their unique dreams, hopes, and desires.   And when we don't do this, when we forget that our organizations are made up of individual people who have their own vision for their life and their own goals, the results can be disastrous. All you have to do is look at employee engagement worldwide: 85 percent of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged at work, resulting in approximately $7 trillion in lost productivity, according to Gallup.   That's not because most employees don't want to be engaged, excel, and improve. It's because most employees don't have anyone helping them identify their strengths or use these strengths to move the organization forward. So this isn't on the employees – it's on the leadership that isn't helping their people find their instruction manuals.   In Robert's businesses, this comes down to building capacity in people holistically. He needs his people to grow with the business, and that means they need to do more than just work better – the whole person needs to get better. The business sees a tangible benefit from this personal investment and the employees associate working for the business with being a better person.   I think every company, big and small, needs to focus on creating a culture of personal empowerment and work-life integration like this. It helps businesses succeed, but that's not even the point – everyone deserves the opportunity to hone their strengths and contribute to something greater than themselves, and as leaders, that's how we can truly make an impact on the world.   --     Resources: Learn more at https://www.robertglazer.com/ (https://www.robertglazer.com/) Listen: The Elevate Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AccelerationPartners/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/robert_glazer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glazer/ Read: Performance Partnerships: The Checkered Past, Changing Present and Exciting Future of Affiliate Marketing   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

When you walk through the doors of NCFIT, the first thing you're going to be greeted by is a smiling face, then another and another – and, immediately, even a stranger will feel welcome. That's the power of community.   And cultivating a passionate community is exactly what NCFIT founder Jason Khalipa wanted to do when he started what is now a small CrossFit empire; he wanted to create an environment where employees were paid to chase their passion, do what they love, and create happier, healthier communities along the way. It's a marriage of fitness and hospitality that really makes an impact on the people who come through the doors.   But running NCFIT is just one of Jason's many hats. He is also author of As Many Reps as Possible, the host of two podcasts (AMRAP Mentality and Business of Fitness), and a dedicated philanthropist who gives so much to spread awareness for pediatric cancer and provide support to families fighting that difficult fight.   Jason started his philanthropy work in 2016, after he and his wife were faced with a parent's worst nightmare: their daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four. But the Khalipa family embraced Ava's diagnosis and faced it with unyielding positivity.   Instead of playing it safe, they went all in. Instead of focusing on themselves, they spread support. Instead of worrying, they celebrated. Because those are the memories that Jason wants Ava to remember.   And no matter what is happening or where you are in your life, it's never too late. You can overcome any adversity. You can start that business. You can write the story of your own life.   You are the only person who can free your potential.   --     Resources: Learn more at http://www.jasonkhalipa.com/ (http://www.jasonkhalipa.com/) Read: As Many Reps as Possible Listen to AMRAP Mentality: http://www.jasonkhalipa.com/ampodcast Listen to Business of Fitness: https://www.ncfitpodcast.fit/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonkhalipa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jasonkhalipa   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Phil White is the co-author of Waterman 2.0 (with past guest Dr. Kelly Starrett), The 17 Hour Fast (with Dr. Frank Merritt), Unplugged (with Dr. Andy Galpin and Brian Mackenzie) and Game Changer (with Fergus Connolly). He also writes for many of the leading brands in the human performance space and tells stories for http://www.intrinsicway.com/ (Intrinsic), which helps military veterans, firefighters, police officers, and athletes overcome PTSD, TBIs, and concussions.   But before Phil started telling stories, he wanted to be an athlete. He moved across the pond from the UK, and then a ways further into the Midwest, to join a college soccer team in Kansas City and pursue this childhood dream.   Phil was an English major, though, and the more he wrote, the more his talent started to shine. After graduating, he had his first opportunity to co-write a book. This was a pivotal point in his writing career. He continued to write more and more and more – and before he knew it, he was a writer.   In this process, Phil learned an important lesson, and it's one he shares with all of us in this episode: “Honor your god-given talent, in whatever you got.”   But Phil isn't just a talented wordsmith, he's also a talented collaborator; really, a master communicator by any measure. He's exceptionally good at helping to draw ideas out of others, which he says is driven by an insatiable curiosity, and then translating those ideas into the written word.   Phil turns these ideas into art through his talent, but at the foundation of it all is a willingness to build relationships – which I think is probably the least taught, but most important, skill that anyone and everyone should have.   And here's the thing: you don't even need to rely on your God-given talents to form relationships! You'll be able to create something incredible if you combine the two, but anyone and everyone CAN build healthy and strong relationships, in any area of their life, if they're willing to put in the time and effort.   --     Resources: Learn more at www.philwhitebooks.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philwhitebooks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilWhiteBooks   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Leah Darrow joins the show today to teach us all about the Made for More Mentality.   Leah is a former model and contestant on America's Next Top Model who has a driving passion to inspire women to do something beautiful with their lives. She is an international Catholic speaker, author of The Other Side of Beauty, and host of the Do Something Beautiful podcast.   I ask Leah about her final episode of Top Model and what attracted her to modeling in the first place – with that high-stress situation as an example, in particular, it can be difficult to understand why anyone would want to do that.   However, it all comes down to one of the most basic human desires: you want to be loved and you want to be beautiful.   Unfortunately, we've distorted beauty so it almost exclusively pertains to the physical these days, and at the time, that's what she was pursuing. But she got fed up with it. She didn't want to be known as a pretty picture or a pretty girl, and she certainly didn't want to get used to being used to sell products.   So today, Leah is concerned with the beauty of the soul; the beauty of someone who is compassionate, who is generous, who forgives, who dives deep into friendships. “That is a beauty that remains with you throughout time, and that is why people who engage in that type of a lifestyle have a lot of beauty around them and in them – and we are attracted to them!”   And Leah is on a mission to help other women tap into their God-given potential and let it shine, which is why she created Lux U, a first of its kind online learning program for Catholic women who want to be informed, inspired, and empowered in their faith.   “We need to connect on a more human level because people are not projects, people are not deadlines, people are not profit. Until we engage with the people around us, in our personal life and our business life, we will not make the impact that the world needs.”   --     Resources: Learn more at https://leahdarrow.com/ (https://leahdarrow.com/) Listen: Do Something Beautiful Lux U: http://theluxuniversity.com/ (http://theluxuniversity.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah.darrow/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leah.darrow Twitter: https://twitter.com/leahdarrow Read: The Other Side of Beauty   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

About a year ago, I invited my beautiful wife, Lisa, on the show for episode 100. That was one of our most popular episodes of the year so, today, she is coming back by popular demand! We each pour a glass of bourbon, sit down in front of a mic, and kick things off with our traditional toast: to us and to all of our friends, past, present, and future.   Then we take turns asking each other questions submitted by you, the listeners of the show, and our friends (and I may have added a couple extra questions as well). I hope you are able to take away some tips from our conversation so that you can make a greater impact on the people you love, your community, and the world.   I highlighted a few of my favorite questions and responses below, but there's a lot more in the full episode.   --   Mike: If someone wants things to go differently, wants things to go well, wants to take action, what's the first thing they should do?   Lisa: You have to make forward progress every day. Every little opportunity you have to choose to have a different response and choose to make a different path for yourself or your family – that's why we're here. We've had many opportunities this past year to stop and say, no, we're going to do something different. We're not going to just react. We're going to choose to respond in the way that we want and the way that we feel called to and gifted for.   --   Ross: What did you think would be significantly easier or harder in marriage?   Lisa: From the beginning, I felt like we had all the building blocks for a great marriage and relationship, and that has proven to be true ... But harder, in terms of marriage, is the every single day dying to self. Every single day, I'm going to do something that I know Mike would appreciate. I'm going to say yes to our children in a loving way – the everyday part of it. ... What I mean by that is making a very intentional decision to do something that you don't feel like doing.   Mike: I want to reiterate that we have the building blocks for a good marriage, and I want to share a little bit about how we do it... First of all, we both have good parents to set examples for us... And their marriages weren't perfect, and I think we saw that, and that also helped us understand that perfection is a myth and something that will never be achieved. ... And we're very intentional. We communicate!   --   Mike: Why is having gifts – and using them – important to you?   Lisa: We all have gifts. We all have things inside of us that we were made and born to do, and if you don't use them, that equals the worst kind of suffering.   Mike: We know that people struggle with the belief that they don't have any gifts or that they don't know what their gifts are... So if someone feels like they don't know how to articulate it or they don't know what their gifts are, what would you tell them to do?   Lisa: The first step is that you need to make a lot of room and time for silence. Because in the classroom for silence is where you will discern and know a lot of things. So you need to make room for silence first, and then you need to follow the little whisper inside of you.   --     Resources: Connect with us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

AmyK Hutchens first joined the show back way back in episode 26, which published in September 2016. We talked about her phenomenal book, The Secrets Leaders Keep, which is still a must-read for anyone in any kind of leadership role.   Today AmyK is back and we're talking about her recent work focusing on the power of profitable conversations, especially tough conversations.   AmyK teaches us that life happens one conversation at a time – and the quality of our lives are a direct reflection of the quality of our conversations.   And really, it only takes a few minutes of intentional thought and preparation to assure that almost any conversation will be a high-quality conversation, whether it's a tough conversation to have or not. We just keep lying to ourselves that we don't have enough time when, in reality, we can't afford not to take the time to think about the way we communicate with others.   Whether you're talking to your employees in a Fortune 500 company or your daughter, immediately reacting to a conversation can lead to irresponsible communication that negatively impacts your relationship. However, if you take the time to consider the context around a conversation and how you want to be treated by others, you can approach every conversation with a strategy and tone that leads it in a positive direction.   Amazingly, all it takes is pausing before you respond, as opposed to reacting. It's okay if you feel angry or have an emotional response, but you have to keep in mind that as a parent, as a boss, or as a spouse, the very first words that you say will set the entire tone, tenor, and direction for everything that follows.   AmyK tells us that, when we get in these tough conversations, there's two things you can do to sustain a relationship (or not): go in for connection or go in for power. If this is a conversation with your partner, children, or friends, obviously it makes sense to go for connection. But there are other times when you have to draw a line or a boundary, and that's when you have to go for a power play – and you have to make this choice consciously.   If you want to have more impactful and profitable conversations in your life, I highly recommend checking out AmyK's new course: The Power of Profitable Conversations. After you're done, you'll be confidently and competently leading your toughest conversations without saying something that you regret, giving your power away, or damaging your relationships. --     Resources: Learn more at http://www.amyk.com/ (http://www.amyk.com/) The Power of Profitable Conversations course: http://amyk.com/ppc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyKincFans Twitter: https://twitter.com/amykinc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AmyKInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykhutchens Listen: "Ep. 26 – Learning & Leadership With the Queen Of Questions – AmyK Hutchens" Read: The Secrets Leaders Keep by AmyK Hutchens   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Today's guest served his country with honor and distinction, has been committed to his wife for over 40 years, has six kids who love each other (most of the time), has enough grandchildren to field a football team (and still have a few subs), has cultivated a dedicated and loyal community of friends, and is generous with his time and resources – and I am proud to call this man the most successful man that I know and my father.   All that Mike Flynn Sr. has achieved is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he didn't necessarily grow up in a home that modeled the generosity and love that he offers his children, grandchildren, and community. His childhood home was marked with abuse and self-medication, which ultimately led to him dropping out of high school at 16 years old.   He was looking for an opportunity – and that's when he found the Army. He started as a clerk, quickly moving up to infantry and then long range reconnaissance patrol (which is part of the 75th Ranger lineage). In the jungles of Vietnam, he saw a degree of safety belonging to a smaller patrol, as well as the adventure and excitement he was originally sold by military recruiters.   Mike Flynn Sr. left the military almost as quickly as he joined, young and confused. He had packed away his grief for the young people who fell beside him, but it all came unpacked in college. He sent a letter forgiving and apologizing to his father. He never received a reply, but it opened something in him.   “I let go of anger and hatred. I let go of it, in that act... I found myself back in church and I renewed my relationship with Jesus and the Catholic church, and I came into a relationship with God, and all of that confusion went away. I always said felt like I was a ship that was listing to the side and that ship was righted.” --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

Thane Marcus Ringler recently published his first book, From Here to There: A Quarter-Life Perspective On The Path To Mastery.   Some people might find the idea of even writing the book, or coming on this show to share his perspective, to be audacious for a 25 year old. But I believe that there's something to learn from everybody, whether it's my eight-year-old son, a 74-year-old ex-Army Ranger, or a former PGA tour pro like Thane who was forced to pivot.   So I'm grateful Thane gave me the opportunity to learn from him, and I'm looking forward to sharing his wisdom with all of you today.   The Yips   Thane found himself at the 2015 Australian Open, his first big tour as a professional golfer. He was playing against big names like Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, and Lee Westwood. These were people he looked up to, and seeing them next to him “really solidified in my mind that the game is not the thing that's different. It's the experience, the mindset, the confidence, the belief, the focus. The things that are intangible in the mind.”   But leading up to this tour, Thane had his first experience with The Yips: an involuntary, fear-based movement of the body that gets ingrained into, generally, an athlete's performance. It was just a week before the biggest game of his life, and he just couldn't keep a clubface square during his wedges.   He went out there, every day, in a battle against The Yips, and it was his greatest battle on the golf course and, in many ways, in his own mind.   Thane did get to a place where he was able to compete, although he still faltered in the second round of the Australian Open. “But I was proud of myself for getting to a place where I could compete, and I could stand next to these players and recognize that mys kill and my talent was parallel, in a lot of ways.”   Words are cheap. Actions cost.   Thane teaches us that talking about things is one thing, but actually doing them is something else entirely. This is true when it comes to competition, and this is true in our daily lives.   But the golf can help us illustrate this because, ultimately, it's a game against yourself. It's so mental, individualized, and long-form that, even though there are competitors, it's more a battle against you, your mind, and your own self-limiting beliefs.   “You have to take 100% ownership of what you're doing. There's no referees to blame, there's no teammates – it's all on you.” Although Thane pivoted away from golf, he still applies this mindset to everything he does.   We all have to take full ownership of our actions and our decisions. If we don't, it's going to be limiting our own growth and our own progress, in whatever we're doing.   --     Resources: Learn more at https://www.thanemarcus.com/ (https://www.thanemarcus.com/) Read: From Here to There: A Quarter-Life Perspective On The Path To Mastery Listen: The Up & Comers Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thanemarcus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thane.ringler Twitter: https://twitter.com/thanemarcus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaneringler/   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

I was waiting for coffee here in Santa Cruz when I saw a young woman sitting in the corner reading former guest Patrick Lencioni's book, The Advantage. I had to know more about her – because this isn't something you see that often around here – and she told me that she's on a journey with an organization called LIVE A GREAT STORY.   I share that little story (which ended up being a magical moment of serendipity) with all of you because that's how I ended up meeting today's guest and the organization's founder, Zach Horvath, someone I had been wanting to talk to for quite a while. LIVE A GREAT STORY is a diverse and authentic community focused on inspiring each other to craft their own journey, be true to themselves, and make a unique and meaningful impact.   This powerful community was born out of Zach's desire to connect with people from all around the world. Someone who speaks a different language, comes from a different place, or looks different than you may seem, well, different. However, once you get past the outer layer and start learning about their life story, you start to realize that we are all more similar than we are different.   “At the core, we're all people. No matter the variables that we tend to stack on top of that foundation of being a person – like a worldview, experience, situation, and geography – we're all just people underneath it all.”   Be the Author of Your Own Story   Zach tells us that “the daily decisions that we make are what make up our story.” So when we live each day with intention and don't let life just happen to us, we become the authors of our stories.   I hope this episode and the LIVE community inspire you to take the proverbial pen and live as the author of your story, pushing yourself forward to become a hub of inspiration in your community. Because this is a way we can all make a profound impact on our families, our friends, our communities, and the world – and all it takes to get started is positive intention and a few kind words.   --     Resources: Learn more at https://liveagreatstory.com/ (https://liveagreatstory.com/) Join the FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LIVEAGREATSTORY/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveagreatstory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveagreatstory Twitter: https://twitter.com/liveagr8story LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoomhorvath/ Watch: "Somm: Into the Bottle"   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

When Philip McKernan watched Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time, his perspective was completely and utterly changed. Indiana Jones cared immensely, but didn't care what people thought of him; he lived a wild, amazing, carefree life that was deeply connected to humanity and its history.   Since then, Philip has traveled the world embarking on his own adventures and making an impact in his own unique way. He has caddied in golf for the President of Ireland, been chased and nearly killed by a bull elephant in Nigeria, made wine in Australia, built an orphanage in Peru, written five books despite being dyslexic, and created a documentary film called Give & Grow. This film explores how the gift of giving makes us feel more worthy and alive, as well as the science behind the impact of giving on our emotional well being, our mental health, our physiology, and our businesses.   Through all of this, Philip came to believe that the path to a happy and fulfilling life is found through the meaning we derive in life through the work we do, our relationship to others, and the most important relationship of all – your relationship with yourself.   Uncover Your Gifts   Discovering these truths about himself, discovering his gift for inspiring others, wasn't easy, and it didn't all happen at once.   “My gifts have been dragged out of me,” Philip says. “I've been brought to my gifts kicking and screaming... and, unfortunately, that's what a lot of us need in order to impact the world using our gifts, as opposed to our talents.”   So many of us are lost when we try to make an impact because our God-given gifts get tied up with the inherent need to matter or the need to be seen, and we don't really understand how to separate the two anymore.   But as Philip says, “If you're tying your gift into some kind of recognition or result, you're not really allowing your gift to shine.” So take a moment to consider who you are seeking validation from today – not if you are seeking validation, but who you are seeking it from.   This need for validation may drive you to financial success, but it's never going to drive you to feel fulfilled or satisfied. And you do deserve fulfillment in your life, just as much as you deserve success!   Remember, “There's no amount of external validation on Earth that is ever, ever, ever going to be able to fill the gap if you don't matter, at some level, to yourself – and that is the most important relationship on Earth.”   --     Resources: Learn more at https://philipmckernan.com/ (https://philipmckernan.com/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philip_mckernan/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philip.mckernan Twitter: https://twitter.com/philipmckernan?lang=en Watch: Give & Grow Read: One Last Talk: Why Your Truth Matters and How to Speak It Read: Rich on Paper, Poor on Life: 3 Paths to More Meaning (And Money)   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

The beginning of a new year is just like any other day: an opportunity to refresh and create the life you want to live. It's great that people focus on this every new year, but can you imagine living a life where you wake up and approach every day with this mindset?   Too often, the New Year comes and we make a resolution – we decide to lose weight, drink less, etc. – and then, after a few days or weeks, we start to slide. But today's guest understands that you can't do something halfway. If you want to make a change, you have to make the choice to change. But not only that, you also have to be committed to that choice!   John Brenkus (affectionately referred to as “Johnny One Speed” by his wife) is the 6x Emmy-Award Winning Creator, Host, and Producer of Sport Science, the Best-Selling Author of The Perfection Point, and host of https://linktr.ee/brinkofmidnight (The Brink of Midnight Podcast) – and he is the perfect person to teach us how to tackle each day like an opportunity to do more.   The 7 P's of Life   John's dad had a profound impact on his life, and one of the most important things he taught him were the 7 P's: Prior Proper Planning Prevent Piss-Poor Performance. In other words, you're never going to get where you want to go without direction.   At the same time, John's father taught him to dream big. When you combine these lessons, you have a recipe for a remarkable life. And when you take that with you every day, it's almost impossible not to achieve what you set out to do.   “Whatever it is that I want to do, I'm either doing it or I'm not doing it; I'm either on or I'm off.”   In a world full of get-rich-quick schemes and Facebook ads promising one product to solve all of your weight-loss problems, there are people selling shortcuts to every dream. But shortcuts rarely work the way they're sold, and there's great value in choosing the more difficult path.   This path less traveled will require constant reinvention, and that's definitely not an easy thing to do – but it will be just a little bit easier if you approach each day as an opportunity to refresh.   --     Resources: Learn more at https://www.johnbrenkus.com/ (https://www.johnbrenkus.com/) Connect with John: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Listen: The Brink of Midnight Podcast Watch: Soul & Science Watch: Sport Science Read: The Perfection Point: Sport Science Predicts the Fastest Man, the Highest Jump, and the Limits of Athletic Performance Support the Ray of Hope Foundation: https://www.rayofhopefoundation.org/ (https://www.rayofhopefoundation.org/) Get tickets for the Gold Jacket Party for a Purpose: https://www.rayofhopefoundation.org/tickets   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters

2018 is almost over, and to celebrate, I'm re-releasing my favorite episode of the year – which was also one of the most popular episodes of the year – my conversation with the insightful and lovely Lisa Flynn... who also happens to be my wonderful wife!   I will forever be going back to this conversation to draw inspiration for myself, and I hope Lisa is able to inspire you in the same way.   --     Resources: Connect with us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Read: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp   --   We are brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group, a full-service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. They are your one-stop shop for all your website, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs.   Visit LawtonMG.com for more info.   -- The Impact Entrepreneur Show is produced by Podcast Masters