The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas With Bela and Mike

In this episode, Bela Musits sits down with RT Custer, the founder of Vortic Watch Company, to explore his journey of bringing American watchmaking back to life. Vortic has carved out a unique niche by creating custom, hand-crafted watches that incorporate vintage American pocket watch movements. From humble beginnings to revolutionizing the watch industry, RT shares the challenges, triumphs, and the passion behind crafting high-quality timepieces that celebrate American heritage. In This Episode, You'll Learn: The Origins of Vortic Watch Company:RT explains how Vortic was born from his desire to combine American history with precision craftsmanship. He shares how he and his team revive antique pocket watches to create modern, custom wristwatches. The Intersection of Art and Engineering:The process of turning vintage pocket watch movements into functional wristwatches requires a deep understanding of both mechanics and artistry. RT talks about how Vortic has created a unique manufacturing process to preserve the integrity of these historical movements while making them wearable. Challenges of American Manufacturing:RT opens up about the difficulties of bringing manufacturing back to the United States, including sourcing materials, creating partnerships with skilled artisans, and maintaining high-quality production standards. The Importance of Craftsmanship and Legacy:Discover the philosophy behind Vortic's commitment to craftsmanship and the importance of preserving American-made watchmaking. RT discusses how Vortic's watches serve as a tribute to American industrial heritage while providing a modern twist on a timeless tradition. The Vortic Customization Experience:Vortic offers customers the opportunity to customize their watches, selecting from a variety of vintage movements and designs. RT describes how the company works with customers to make each watch a truly one-of-a-kind piece. Building a Brand and Overcoming Obstacles:Learn about RT's journey as an entrepreneur, the hurdles he faced in growing Vortic, and the importance of staying true to a mission of quality and innovation. Vortic Watch Company Website: vorticwatches.com Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode. We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience. We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike

In today's episode of the podcast, we have the pleasure of welcoming Laurier Mandin, a distinguished figure in the realm of product innovation. Laurier wears two hats: he is the founder of Graphos, a company that specializes in assisting businesses with product development and launch, and he is the author of the insightful book "I Need That." Laurier's expertise lies in shepherding new products from the conceptual stage to successful integration into the marketplace. Throughout the episode, he generously shares his wealth of knowledge and experience, providing listeners with actionable insights on how to navigate the complexities of innovation. One of Laurier's key points that is sure to resonate with aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business leaders alike is his assertion that new products need to be significantly superior to existing solutions in order to achieve market success. He believes that a new product should aim to be at least 10 times better than its competitors to truly capture consumer attention and drive adoption. This bold statement underscores the importance of not just incremental improvements, but of groundbreaking innovation that fundamentally transforms the user experience. You can find out more about Graphos here: https://graphosproduct.com/ Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode. We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience. We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits delves into the world of modern marketing with Jeff Greenfield, a seasoned entrepreneur whose current venture, Provalytics, is dedicated to helping businesses navigate the complexities of marketing spend optimization. The discussion underscores the stark contrast between the traditional marketing landscape and the multifaceted digital environment that businesses operate in today. Gone are the days when a simple ad in the Yellow Pages, newspaper, or radio could suffice. The sheer number of available channels to reach potential customers has exploded, creating a complex challenge for businesses to discern which strategies are truly effective and which are simply draining resources. Provalytics steps in to address this challenge, offering tools and expertise to empower companies to make data-driven decisions about their marketing investments. By providing insights into the performance of different marketing channels and campaigns, Provalytics helps businesses allocate their budgets strategically, ensuring maximum return on investment. The conversation likely explores the various challenges businesses face in the modern marketing landscape, the evolving role of data and analytics in marketing decision-making, and the innovative solutions Provalytics offers to help businesses achieve marketing success. It may also touch on the broader trends shaping the future of marketing and the importance of adaptability and agility in a rapidly changing environment. You can find out more about Provalytics here: https://provalytics.com/ Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode. We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience. We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners. Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to bring you inspiring stories and thought-provoking conversations on The Unconventional Path. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with your friends and family. Together, we can explore the endless possibilities that lie beyond the conventional. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits has a conversation with Kathryn Cook, the co-founder of NuCicer, a company that's revolutionizing the way we perceive and consume chickpeas. The discussion delves deep into the multifaceted world of chickpeas, highlighting their incredible potential and the myriad benefits they offer. Kathryn sheds light on the challenges associated with introducing a new and improved version of a product, especially in a market that's resistant to change. She emphasizes the importance of creating a product that's significantly superior to existing alternatives in order to entice customers to switch. NuCicer's journey is a testament to the complexities involved in bringing a new food product to market. The process begins with developing superior chickpea seeds, then convincing farmers to plant them. The harvested chickpeas are subsequently transformed into flour, which then needs to be integrated into a range of consumer products. This intricate process involves a multi-faceted sales approach that targets various stakeholders within the food industry. The conversation underscores the immense potential of chickpeas as a sustainable and nutritious food source. It's a call to action for consumers and food producers alike to embrace this versatile legume and explore its myriad possibilities. Through NuCicer's innovative approach, chickpeas are poised to take center stage in the culinary world, offering a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional ingredients. You can find out more about NiCicer here: https://www.nucicer.com/ Our podcast is now available on a variety of platforms to suit your listening preferences. You can find us on YouTube, where you can watch the recordings of our episodes, as well as on your favorite podcasting app. Simply search for "The Unconventional Path" to subscribe and never miss an episode. We're always on the lookout for interesting guests to feature on our show. If you know someone who has an inspiring story, unique perspective, or valuable expertise to share, please let us know. We're eager to connect with potential guests who can bring fresh insights and engaging conversations to our audience. We also love hearing from our listeners! Your questions, comments, and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us. Send us an email at bela.and.mike@gmail.com with your thoughts, and we'll do our best to address them in a future episode. Whether you have a question about a specific topic, feedback on a recent episode, or ideas for future content, we want to hear from you. Your engagement helps us shape the show and deliver content that resonates with our listeners. Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to bring you inspiring stories and thought-provoking conversations on The Unconventional Path. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with your friends and family. Together, we can explore the endless possibilities that lie beyond the conventional. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits delves into the inspiring journey of Luka Yancopoulos, the visionary founder of Grapevine. Luka's story begins in the midst of the global COVID-19 lockdown, where he recognized a pressing need in the healthcare industry. Driven by his passion for innovation and a desire to make a positive impact, Luka embarked on an entrepreneurial endeavor from the confines of his dorm room. With unwavering dedication, Luka channeled his energy into Grapevine, a groundbreaking company aimed at revolutionizing supply chain management for doctors' offices. Recognizing the administrative burden and inefficiencies that plagued these practices, Luka envisioned a solution that would alleviate the workload and minimize the stress associated with procurement. Grapevine's mission is to empower doctors' offices with a streamlined and cost-effective supply chain management system. Through its innovative platform, Grapevine takes the guesswork out of inventory tracking, order placement, and vendor negotiations. By leveraging advanced technology and strategic partnerships, the company provides doctors' offices with access to a vast network of suppliers, ensuring they receive the medical supplies they need, when they need them, and at competitive prices. Luka's commitment to customer satisfaction and his unwavering belief in Grapevine's potential have propelled the company to remarkable success. Since its inception, Grapevine has experienced rapid growth, partnering with numerous doctors' offices across the country. The company's dedication to exceptional service and its ability to deliver tangible cost savings have earned it a reputation for excellence within the healthcare industry. As Grapevine continues to expand its reach, Luka remains steadfast in his vision of transforming supply chain management for doctors' offices. Through ongoing innovation and a relentless pursuit of operational efficiency, Grapevine is poised to revolutionize the way healthcare providers manage their supply chains, enabling them to focus on what matters most—delivering exceptional patient care. You can find out more about Grapevine here: https://www.go-grapevine.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews David Steele.  He is the CEO & founder of One Wealth Advisors, an independent RIA firm handling over $1B in assets, who also is a prolific restaurateur, having opened 6 restaurants in 6 years in the competitive Bay Area. And that's just the start - he's also a philanthropist, artist, yoga studio owner, and more.  David's management style is focused on a disciplined approach: working collaboratively with partners and team members, setting clearly defined goals, developing and executing a strategic plan to achieve those goals, and constantly monitoring the results to assure the plan is successful. You can find more info about about David and his various endeavors here: https://davidsteele.xyz/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews Eran Mizrahi.  He is the co-founder of Ingredient Brothers.  Eran is a specialist in global raw, natural & specialty ingredient sourcing (former COO of nuts.com.   We had a great conversation about supply chain challenges in today's world and the many lessons he has learned about running and managing a 100% remote organization. The episode is a great example of entrepreneurship and can be inspiring to many. Be sure to give it a listen to learn more about Eran's journey. You can find more info about about Ingredient Brothers here: https://ingredientbrothers.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this podcast episode, Bela Musits interviews Joe Connelly, a former New York City paramedic who wrote the book "Bringing Out the Dead." The book was later adapted into a movie starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Martin Scorsese. Joe has since moved to a small town in upstate New York and became president of the local rescue squad. The conversation focuses on Joe's experience transforming a 100% volunteer Not For Profit (NFP) organization into one with full-time paid paramedics, serving two communities. We discuss the challenges of organizational transformation and working in a volunteer NFP where everyone in the community knows each other. The episode is a great example of entrepreneurship and can be inspiring to many. Be sure to give it a listen to learn more about Joe's journey and the transformation of the rescue squad. You can find more info about about Joe's book here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bringing_Out_the_Dead Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Steve Ovitt.  Steve founded Wilderness Property Management after a 30  year career as a New York State Forest Ranger.  His company works with municipalities and private organizations to provide recreational access to public and private lands properties preserving the wilderness character of the land.  This is a great example of a 2nd career that brings together Steve's expertise and passion. I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Wilderness Property Management here: https://www.wildernesspropertymanagement.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Robert Khoury.  Robert has held leadership positions in the financial industry as an equity derivatives trader, portfolio manager, corporate strategist, chief operating officer, and private equity investor.  He is co-founder and CEO of Agile Rainmakers, a high-impact business development consulting and advisory firm based in Chicago.  He also recently wrote a book titled, How to Intern Successfully.  In my interview with him, we focused on internships and how to make them successful for both the intern and the company. I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Robert's book here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Intern-Successfully-Insights-Experience-ebook/dp/B09F743KSG Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

Welcome to The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas. Today we are doing something a bit different.  As our long time listeners know, Mike and I like to change things up once in a while. Today, Mike and I interview Chris Kubisiak.  Chris is an organizational psychologist and avid sailor. We interviewed him for the sailing podcast Mike and I do.  We discussed how psychology and human behavior plays a large role in sailing.  Many aspects of our conversation also apply to business and leadership.  So, we decided to broadcast the episode on the Unconventional Path podcast. You can reach Chris at CKYachting@gmail.com We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. So please give the episode a listen! Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

Before Mike I record the intros to the podcast, we usually start chatting about something we are both interested in. On this occasion, I decided to hit the record button during our conversation.  As usual, we had a great conversation and we decided to turn it into an episode.  Here is a summary of what we discussed: What's going on with Bela and Mike. Mike comes back to Michigan for a visit.  Some culture shock. Bela's summer job working for a small commuter airline. The challenges of air travel Mike's teaching at University of Muenster College education in Germany and the USA A little political comment. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. If you liked this episode, let us know and we will hit the record button again. Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews David Kruczlincki, the retired CEO of a large community hospital.  Bela and David discuss decision-making with limited information, culture, and the complexities of leading an organization in a highly regulated environment. This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believe they deserve to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow. Hope you enjoy our conversation We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking. We also appreciate if you would subscribe or follow the show.   Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Hugh Johnson.  Hugh is a world-class financial advisor and economist.   He has appeared on many News and Finance TV shows.  This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago, when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believed they deserved to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow. Hope you enjoy our conversation We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking. We also appreciate if you would subscribe or follow the show.   Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Mary Cregut - VP of Human Resources.  This is one of our short video series podcasts where I converse with C-level business leaders about building great organizations. These interviews were originally taped several years ago, when I was Dean of the Business School at Union Graduate College. I believed they deserved to be re-edited and presented to a broader audience. So, here is one of them. More to follow. Today's guest is Mary Cregut, VP of Human Resources.  Hope you enjoy our conversation We hope you found this episode interesting and thought provoking. We also appreciate it if you would subscribe or follow the show.   Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Michael Segal.  Michael is the founder and CEO of Skylight.  Skylight is a leading digital photo frame and digital calendar brand that helps families stay connected. Michael founded Skylight in 2014 while he was a student at Harvard Business School living hundreds of miles away from family, and was eager to invent a device that made it easy to share photos with far-away loved ones in a unique way. After raising $55K on Kickstarter, he created one of the first Wi-Fi connected digital photo frames which started shipping a few months later. Since launching, Skylight has grown to over 5 million users, and has become the #1 best-selling brand of digital photo frames on Amazon. Despite coming from a VC background, Michael has managed to grow the company profitably for nearly a decade entirely through bootstrapping. I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Skylight  here: https://www.skylightframe.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Erica Cole.  Erica is the founder of No Limbits.  This is a super interesting company with a mission. No Limbits was created with the goal of providing easy and accessible solutions to everyday problems.  After losing her leg in a car accident in 2018, Erica Cole found that her new prosthetic leg wasn't compatible with her existing wardrobe. So she went on to Shark Tank, received funding, and started a clothing company to solve the problem.  I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about No Limbits and Erica here: https://no-limbits.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Stephen Barden.  Stephen is a specialist in organizational leadership and strategy. He has worked with board-level leaders to help them and their successors develop and implement strategies that benefit and sustain the entire organization. Stephen has clients in Europe, the USA, the UK, and Africa. He is also the author of the book "How Successful Leaders Do Business with Their World." We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode! You can find more about Stephen here: https://www.stephenbarden.org/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Derek Slayton and Sean Magee, the founders and owners of Trampoline Design. They help companies develop branding and advertising campaigns to raise customer awareness and recognition. They have built their business slowly and steadily in this highly competitive field. We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode! You can find more info about Trampoline Design here: https://www.trampolinedesign.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jenny Tse.  She is the founder of Sipping Streams Tea Company. Jenny was born in Hong Kong but raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. She spent her summers selling her mother's vegetables at the local farmer's market and was very active in the local community. Her vision for Sipping Streams began in the summer of 2004 when she began to notice how tea brought different people together. Traveling to different tea farms in China encouraged her to teach about tea in her local community. Tse is a certified tea specialist. Her custom hand blends and specialty teas have won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the North American Tea Championships, 2nd place at the Global Tea Championships, and 1st place for the Top Tea Infusionist Competition at the World Tea Expo 2011. We had a great conversation so please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Sipping Streams Tea Company and Jenny here: https://sippingstreams.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Paul Baron, he is the founder and chief executive officer of The Wall Printer USA. Paul is responsible for all executive functions, assuring the growth of the corporation and of the businesses that purchase a Wall Printer. His decades of business experience span B2B, B2C, retail, manufacturing, distribution, international business, and franchising. Paul has personally developed and launched business concepts and supported successful revenue growth, which lead to exits for several start-ups and established businesses.   We had a great conversation so please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about The Wall Printer and Paul here: https://thewallprinter.com/en/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by repeat guest Devon Watson. Devon was previously featured on episodes 24 and 142. We engage in a three-way conversation with Devon, Mike, and Bela on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Devon has written several posts about AI and is quite knowledgeable on the subject. We discuss the potential impact of AI and some of the positive aspects it can contribute to society. We also conducted a small experiment using AI, and the response we received was 90% incorrect. You can find more info about Devon Watson here: www.Twitter.com/watsondevon https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/great-divide-how-ai-automation-creating-bifurcated-labor-devon-watson  Please give the episode a listen! Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Rick Elmore.  He is an entrepreneur, sales, and marketing expert, and former college and professional football athlete. As the Founder and CEO of Simply Noted, Rick developed a proprietary technology that puts real pen and ink to paper to scale handwritten communication, helping businesses of all industries scale this unique marketing platform to stand out from their competition and build meaningful relationships with clients, customers, and employees. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Rick and Simply Noted here: https://simplynoted.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app.  Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest.  We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

Today's guest on the podcast is David Dussault, the founder of P1 Industries in Schenectady, NY. This is part 2 of my conversation with David. David started P1 after leaving GE and has built a solid business in machining and fabricating precision metal components for the energy and defense industry. Listen to how David has grown this company by keeping a keen eye on building a customer service-focused culture. P1 is a great example of applying entrepreneurship to traditional manufacturing businesses. This was a long conversation, so I broke it into 2 parts. This a part 2. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about David and P1 here: http://www.p1ind.com Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

Today's guest on the podcast is David Dussault, the founder of P1 Industries in Schenectady, NY. He was a guest on the podcast black in EP-2. David started P1 after leaving GE and has built a solid business in machining and fabricating precision metal components for the energy and defense industry. Listen to how David has grown this company by keeping a keen eye on building a customer service-focused culture. P1 is a great example of applying entrepreneurship to traditional manufacturing businesses. This was a long conversation, so I broke it into 2 parts. This a part one. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about David and P1 here: http://www.p1ind.com Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Anish Majumdar. He is a career coach and an expert in the hidden job market. We have a wonderful conversation about the most effective way to make new opportunities for yourself. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Anish here: https://www.helloanish.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/anishmajumdar/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jeremy Ryan Slate. He is an entrepreneur, media expert, author and CEO and founder of Command Your Brand. He studied literature at Oxford University and is a former champion powerlifter that helps visionary founders to impact the world and better mankind through podcasting and new media to create trust and opinion leader status. Podcast Magazine just included Jeremy on their 2022 40 under 40 in Podcasting list. He is also the author of “Unremarkable to Extraordinary” Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Jeremy here: https://commandyourbrand.com/ You can find his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Unremarkable-Extraordinary-Passion-Passive-Observer/dp/1953153682 Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jonathan Jay. Over the past 30 years, Jonathan has built and exited businesses in publishing, digital marketing, adult education, and preschool education. This experience has given him special insights into what mistakes business owners and investors should avoid in order to succeed. His new book, “Business Buying Strategies” is a must read for anyone looking to grow their existing business or acquire a business. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Jonathan Jay here: https://dealmakers.co.uk/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Steven Blue. He is the CEO of Miller Ingenuity, a Keynote Speaker, and a Best-Selling Author. We had a great conversation about leadership, building organizations, and focusing on your customer. If you are watching the video version of this podcast, Steven's video was not working, so the video is just me. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Steven Blue here: https://www.stevenlblue.com/ Our podcast is now available on YouTube and your favorite podcasting app. For YouTube, just search for The Unconventional Path or use this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcihgLJ_eTFCgFXADE7_reg If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Robin Singhvi. He is a first-time entrepreneur. He is the founder of SmartCue, a software as a service company (SAS) focused on helping customers sell software products and services in the B2B sector. We had a great conversation about the challenges of starting a software company, selling software, and all of the other things founders need to do. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Robin and SmartCue here: https://www.getsmartcue.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Reiner Lomb. He is the author of “ASPIRE: Seven Essential Emotions for Leading Positive Change, No Matter Where You Are”. Reiner has been an executive at several major international corporations and turned his experience and philosophies into active coaching and leadership facilitation business. Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Reiner here: https://reinerlomb.com/ Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Brant Cooper. He is a New York Times bestselling author of “The Lean Entrepreneur and CEO” and founder of Moves the Needle. Brant works as a trusted adviser to startups and large enterprises around the world. With more than 25 years of expertise in changing industrial age mindset into digital age opportunities, Please give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Brant here: Brantcooper.com Our podcast is now also available on YouTube as well as your favorite podcasting app. Just search for The Unconventional Path. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Gary Frey. Gary has served as president of four successful companies, including Bizjournals.com, a business news portal that he helped transform from a three-person organization to a $100 million company. He has done two turnarounds and held executive positions in two Fortune 100 companies. Gary leads business growth coaching and business development efforts for a regional CPA firm that serves privately held businesses and their owners. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Gary Frey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garydfrey/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by retired Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. has achieved over three decades of extraordinary leadership success in diverse organizations, including the United States Army where he commanded the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado prior to his retirement in 2007. Subsequently, he served in executive leadership positions in for-profit and not-for-profit companies before starting his own leadership company, Level Five Associates, in 2014. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Robert Mixon here: https://www.levelfiveassociates.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Ben Knegendorf. He founded Paramount Pet Health. An e-comm store for cats and dogs. He started a business with $500 and after 2 years has achieved $11M in revenue. It is quite a contrast to the VC-backed businesses that raise $20-$30M and still do not make it to $11M in revenue after 2 years. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Ben Knegendorf here: https://www.benknegendorf.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Steven Adjei. He is a fascinating, multi-faced individual who is an author, poet, healthcare consultant, and entrepreneur. He is the founding partner of BlueCloud Health (www.bluecloudhealth.com), a UK-based, African-focused healthcare firm that exists to provide solutions to health businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Steven Adjei here: https://www.stevenadjei.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, Mike and I chat about what is going on in our lives and some current events. This is another one of those pre-podcast recordings that we decided to upload for those of you who are interested. We talk about sailing, family, life in general, the economy, politics, the Jan 6th hearings, and energy prices in both the USA and Germany. If you like this episode, let us know, as it is a bit different. If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Michelle Seiler Tucker. She is a 20-year veteran of the mergers and acquisitions industry where she is a leading authority on buying, selling, financing, and growing businesses. We had a fascinating conversation about how founders and company leaders often do not think about positioning the company for a successful acquisition. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Michelle Seiler Tucker here: https://seilertucker.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Devon Watson, Devon is the Executive Vice President of Global Banking & Chief Marketing Officer at Diebold-Nixdorf. Within his organization, he is also responsible for business development and acquisitions. The most common exit for entrepreneurs is being acquired or merged with another company. In my conversation with Devon, we discussed, what qualities Diebold-Nixdorf looks for in a potential acquisition, how Diebold-Nixdorf evaluates acquisitions, and why a good strategic fit is critical. You can find more info about Diebold-Nixdorf here: https://www.dieboldnixdorf.com/en-us/about-us/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Brad Svrluga. Brad is co-founder of primary Ventures based in New York City. Primary is one of the premier early-stage VC firms in the United States. He has over 20 years of experience in early-stage investing and Primary is the second VC firm Brad has co-founded. We discuss how differentiating Primary from the crowded VC space has played a critical role in the firm's success. Brad also shares his investing hot buttons and how elusive success can be in the entrepreneurial community. You can find more info about Primary Ventures here: https://www.primary.vc/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jim Senall. Jim runs the Rochester Angel Network, (RAN) in Rochester NY. We discussed how angel investing plays a critical role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Jim also described how RAN has evolved during the last 20 years, both in terms of its structure and the characteristics of the investments it makes. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about RAN here: http://www.rochesterangels.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Mark Drager. He is a branding expert and helps entrepreneurs and companies refine their brand strategy and ensure their brand is consistent across everything they do. Your brand is how the world views you. We had a great conversation about how to make sure your brand is not an afterthought. It is exceptionally important and once established, not easy to change. Mark emphasized how important it is to give branding some critical thought on day one of starting your business. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Mark Sheperd here: https://www.phanta.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Billie Shepard. She founded Billie Shepard Associates, where she leverages her acting experience and training methods in the business sector. Her one-on-one coaching and group workshops help transform corporate speakers into influential leaders. We had a fascinating conversation on how many leadership speaking skills can be learned. Unless you are a communications major, it is something most of us have no training in. She has also written a wonderful book, “The Billie Shepard Presentation Method”. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Billie Shepard here: http://www.billieshepard.com/intro/ Check out Billie's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Billie-Shepard-Presentation-Method-Relationships-ebook/dp/B084WZZMNM/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

Hello and welcome to The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas podcast. Today we have a very different podcast topic for you. If you have been listening to this podcast you know that Mike and I like to try new things, well this one is way out there. It is about how the experience of losing my 95-year-old mother completely changed my view of death and dying. I went from fearing it and trying to ignore it to embracing the journey and experience. This is an episode where I talk about things I have never talked about before. I debated with myself for many hours regarding if I should express my thoughts in public. With Mike's encouragement, we hit the record button and had a wonderful conversation. I hope it will help you think through and process these types of events. And for me, the most important thing was not running away from it, but accepting it and embracing the experience. One of the key things that helped in the process was over the previous 5 years, my mom made it very clear what she wanted when the end was near. This removed that facet of “what should we do” as the events unfolded. I encourage you to have those conversations. Thanks for listening, I would love to hear your thoughts about this episode. Drop us a line at bela.and.mike@gmail.com. Our next episode will be back on topic. Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Andy Binns. Andy is a corporate innovation guru, co-founder of Change Logic, and the co-author of “Corporate Explorer: How Corporations Beat Startup at the Innovation Game”. We had a fascinating conversation about innovation and entrepreneurship, both in large corporations and start-ups. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Change Logic here: https://changelogic.com/team/andy-binns/ Check out Andy's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Explorer-Corporations-Entrepreneurs-Innovation/dp/1119838320 If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

This is another pre-podcast discussion episode. As mentioned before, these episodes were inspired by a listener. When Mike and I get together, to record a podcast, before we hit the RECORD button, we typically have a conversation about what's going on in our lives and the world. It's basically, two good friends catching up. Back in EP 128, Mike and I did an experiment and we hit the record button as soon as our conversation started and we included this part of the conversation in the regular podcast. After receiving some positive comments from listeners, we decided to make separate episodes out of our pre-podcast conversations. That way, those listeners who are only interested in Sailing and Cruising can easily skip over them. Not sure what we are going to label these episodes, but for now, we will call them, “Pre-podcast discussion”. In this episode, Mike and I talk about his trip back to the USA during the Christmas holiday in the midst of a large COVID - Omicron surge in the US. We also talk about COVID regulations and political donations and how Germany and the US each deal with these issues very differently. Hope you enjoy the episode! If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

This is our second, pre podcast discussion episode. As mentioned before, these episodes were inspired by a listener. When Mike and I get together, to record a podcast, before we hit the RECORD button, we typically have a conversation about what's going on in our lives and the world. It's basically, two good friends catching up. Back in EP 128, Mike and I did an experiment and we hit the record button as soon as our conversation started. We included this part of the conversation in the regular podcast. After receiving some positive comments from listeners, we decided to make separate episodes out of our pre-podcast conversations. That way, those listeners who are only interested in Sailing and Cruising can easily skip over them. Not sure what we are going to label these episodes, but for now, we will call them, “Pre-podcast discussion” Also, we are not sure how often we will release these episodes, as sometimes our conversations are not podcast-worthy. Hope you enjoy the episode! If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Matt Kopko, the VP of Public Policy at Daily Pay. We have a great conversation about on-demand pay and how it can positively impact the ability of employees to receive their pay daily and not have to wait 2 or 3 weeks for a paycheck. It's an industry I did not know existed. Also, for the first time ever, you can hear Mike rant a bit about how the less fortunate often get the short end of the stick in life. And it is something that can easily be remedied if we have the will. So give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Dail Pay here: https://www.dailypay.com/ If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, let us know and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

Today's episode was inspired by a listener. When Mike and I get together, to record a podcast, before we hit the RECORD button, we typically have a conversation about what's going on in our lives and the world. It's basically, two good friends catching up. Back in EP 128, Mike and I did an experiment and we hit the record button as soon as our conversation started. We included this part of the conversation in the regular podcast. We received some nice comments from listeners who said they enjoyed the episode. In addition, John sent us a very nice email, he suggested we make our pre-podcast conversation part of the podcast. Thank you John for the thoughtful email and suggestion. Mike and I discussed John's suggestion and we decided we will make separate episodes out of our pre-podcast conversations. That way, those listeners who are only interested in Sailing and Cruising can easily skip over them. Not sure what we are going to label these episodes, but for now, we will call them, “Pre-podcast discussion” Also, we are not sure how often we will release these episodes, as sometimes our conversations are not podcast-worthy. Hope you enjoy the episode! If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined excited to be joined by James Quinn. He is a managing director at JLL, a Fortune 500 company that assists organizations in developing and implementing their real estate strategies in the ever-changing world. He also recently wrote a book titled “Tech Trends 24/7”. We have a great conversation about technology and how COVID has impacted the pace of technology development and implementation. Give the episode a listen! You can find more info about James here: https://www.us.jll.com/en/people/james-quinn You can find his book, Tech Trends 24/7 here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9781736648100&i=stripbooks&linkCode=qs If you know of someone who would be a good guest for the show, and we will try to get them as a guest. We also love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined excited to be joined by Misha Rubin. He is a mix of a psychologist, career coach, and job coach. It's one of those topics I never thought much about during my career. Maybe I should have. He started his career working at one of the major accounting firms for 20 years and one day came to the realization he was not happy and decided to blaze out on his own. He gives some excellent tips on finding your path to job satisfaction and happiness. Give the episode a listen! You can find more info about Misha here: https://misharubin.com/ We love to hear from our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at bela.and.mike@gmail.com - we will answer your questions in a future episode. Thanks for listening, Bela and Mike --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bela-musits/support