THINK BIG with Michael Zellner

Thanks for joining me today for Episode 178 of my podcast 'Think Big With Michael Zellner' sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. My guest today is writer and director, Jonathan Bowen.   Jonathan is the President and Owner of JLB Media Productions in Burbank, California. He is a member of Hollywood's Directors Guild of America, which is the only union representing directors in the country. He has received numerous awards at film festivals all over the United States that includes playing at over 40 film festivals, which has received him 25 nominations for his work. He also has 8 wins at those festivals, which anyone in the movie and filmmaking industry knows is an incredible thing to have done. He is here with us today to talk about the industry and to talk about That's Hollywood Indie drama, “The Comic Shop,” which stars SAG Award winner Jesse Metcalfe (On a Wing and a Prayer), Tristin Mays, Eric Roberts and Micah Giovanni.   I appreciate you coming on the show today, Jonathan.

Thanks for joining us today for my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner, sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 177 for Part 2 of my interview with Richie McGinniss.   In case you missed or haven't watched or listened to our first episode yet, Richie's journey into the national and international spotlight began on August 25, 2020, when as a Chief Video Director for The Daily Caller, a conservative website that was founded by Tucker Carlson, he found himself in the middle of craziness and chaos that night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Just minutes before the shooting began that night, he was interviewing Kyle Rittenhouse in front of a gas station. A little while after that, Richie's life changed forever and he is here today to tell us about his experience that night and also his involvement in the riots after the death of George Floyd, with the Proud Boys in Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a face-off between the umbrella gang and the NYPD in New York City's protest in front of City Hall, and also in Portland when there was a clash between demonstrators and federal officers. A lot of what he will be talking to our audience today is also talked about in his new book coming out this month called, 'RIOT DIET: One Man's Radical Ride Through America in Chaos.'

Thaao Penghlis is not only a very famous television and soap opera actor, but he is also a writer, an author, and a podcast host, too. Thaao has been on several tv shows throughout his career with his big break coming in 1981 playing Victor Cassadine on General Hospital. He was also on the network television show, Mission: Impossible. Of course, he is best known for playing the dual character roles of twin cousins, Tony and Andre DiMera on Days of Our Lives. Thaao has appeared on the show on and off now for 5 decades and has won several awards in his career, including twice for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.   Leann is also a very famous and television soap opera actress that started in 1977 with an appearance on the tv show, Hawaii Five-O, and throughout her career she has appeared on many network television shows, including one I just saw again the other with a special guest role on an episode of Matlock in 1990 called, “The Talk Show.” Like Thaao, she is probably best known for her character on Days of Our Lives, Anna DiMera, which she has played starting in 1982. Just 4 years into her career on the show, Leann won an Emmy Award at the 13th Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also starred in the hit tv series ‘Dynasty' for three seasons, one of my favorite shows as a teenager, as part of the infamous Carrington family. She also had major roles on the shows ‘Dawson's Creek' and ‘Gilmore Girls' too

Richie's journey into the national and international spotlight began on August 25, 2020, when as a Chief Video Director for The Daily Caller, a conservative website that was founded by Tucker Carlson, he found himself in the middle of craziness and chaos that night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Just minutes before the shooting began that night, he was interviewing Kyle Rittenhouse in front of a gas station. A little while after that, Richie's life changed forever and he is here today to tell us about his experience that night and also his involvement in the riots after the death of George Floyd, with the Proud Boys in Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a face-off between the umbrella gang and the NYPD in New York City's protest in front of City Hall, and also in Portland when there was a clash between demonstrators and federal officers. A lot of what he will be talking to our audience today is also talked about in his new book coming out this month called RIOT DIET: One Man's Radical Ride Through America in Chaos.   Great to have you on today, Richie.   Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry

Thanks for joining me today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. My guest today joining me for Episode 174 for part 3 of my interview with her for the 2 nd week in a row is Dr. Sheila Nazarian. Dr. Nazarian is here again today to talk once again about Israel and about the urgency and importance of our Presidential election next Tuesday, November 5 th , and depending on what outcome we get will shape the future of our country now more than ever before in our lifetime, and how so much of this ties together.

Dr. Nazarian is a Jewish Iranian-American plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA with over 850,000 followers on Instagram.   She is a very vocal advocate for the state of Israel and the importance of electing Donald Trump on November 5th.    As a little child, along with some of her family, she escaped out of Iran in the back of a pick up truck. She has an amazing story    Dr. Nazarian is a frequent guest on Newsmax, Fox News, and News Nation.    She is very well known as the host of the Netflix television series Skin Decision and also guest starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.    In 2016, she was named Iranian Jewish Women's Organization Woman of the Year.   (Disclaimer: This is a very political podcast and expresses the views of Dr. Nazarian and myself.)

Listen to Episode 172 of my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner with Marissa Lima and Michael Scruggs.   My guests today joining me from the American Cancer Society is Marissa Lima, and from Agape Child & Family Services is Michael Scruggs.   Marissa Dail Lima's background started in Alumni Relations at Virginia Tech. She did her graduate work at Wake Forest. She worked as Director of Development for the University of Memphis and started at the American Cancer Society in early 2023 as Senior Development Manager. She has a big responsibility there as she manages the breast cancer campaigns in the Mid-South. Marissa and her husband own a home inspection business called Integrity Home Solutions, USA.   Michael Scruggs' background is in many areas, including working with Charter Schools USA for over 4 years. He actually made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for “Successfully instructing general education students and individual with learning challenges within a mainstreamed, inclusive classrooms.” He graduated from The University of Memphis with his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Government and got his Master's in Education at Union University   Thank you both for joining me today! There are obviously many types of cancer, unfortunately way too many. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.   Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry

Episode 171 with Ephraim Urevbu Welcome to THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. My guest today for Episode 171 is Ephraim Urevbu (E from Uu rev bu). Ephraim is originally from Nigeria and has lived in Memphis now from about 35 years. He's a founding member of the “South Main arts district.” He is the C.O.O. of (Uu rev bu) Foundation, the owner of E.U. Enterprises, and for almost 33 years, an artist with (Uu rev bu) Contemporary at 410 S. Main Street in downtown Memphis. Thanks for joining me today, Ephraim (E from).

Thank you for joining us today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. My guest today joining me on the show for the 3 rd time is the wonderful Thaao Penghlis, who is here today to talk about his book, 'Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time.' Thaao is not only a very famous soap opera and television actor, but he is also an author, and a writer. He has been on several tv shows throughout his career. His big break when he first appeared in the very popular Soap Opera world came in 1981 on General Hospital playing Victor Cassadine during the “Luke and Laura” era. He also starred on Santa Barbara and the network television show, Mission: Impossible. Thaao is best known for playing the dual character roles of twin brothers Tony and Andre DiMera. In 2023, Thaao released his 4 part podcast series called ‘The Lost Treasures', which was wonderful to listen to and learn a lot about things I would have never known in my life. For a little history for some that may not know, the show Days of Our Lives exists in the fictional world of Salem. Thaao premiered on the show on November 6, 1981, and was on and off the show for 5 decades through June 2023. That is beyond amazing to be a character on a television show for that long of a period of time. He won several awards in his career, including twice for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with his last one coming in 2020. I'm really excited to have him back on today to talk about this very entertaining memoir-cookbook, Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time. Thaao, I really appreciate you coming back on the show today to share this with my audience.

Welcome to my Podcast: THINK BIG with Michael Zellner sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 169 is Hollywood stuntman, Ian Eyre.   Ian is a screenwriter, director, producer, 2nd Unit Director, and a stunt performer/coordinator. He also owns Eyre Films, LLC a production company based here in Memphis. His career spans about 25 years since his college days at Georgia Tech. He has over 120 stunt credits and has been part of many TV and movie productions, including AMC's The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay!

Welcome to the THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 168 is Joel Banes.   Joel is the President & CEO of Memphis Capital Group headquartered here in Memphis, Tennessee. He started the company in 2006 under the names Banes Capital Management and Banes Capital Group and in January 2023, the companies rebranded under Memphis Capital and the High Income Fund has grown to over $250 million in investments. Wow! Thanks for joining me today, Joel.

Thanks for joining me today for my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner sponsored by Buckley's Grill and Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry.   My guest today joining me for Episode 167 is Dr. Sheila Nazarian. Dr. Nazarian is a Jewish Iranian-American plastic surgeon and a very vocal advocate for the state of Israel. She is a frequent guest on Newsmax, Fox News, and NewsNation. She is very well known as the host of the Netflix television series Skin Decision and also guest starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She was named Iranian Jewish Women's Organization Woman of the Year in 2016. Welcome to the show Dr. Nazarian.

David is an award-winning author who written some incredible political and psychological nail-bitters. His new book, Mapping the Night, is coming out in June. He is originally from Palo Alto, California and is the son of Paul D. Bethel, who was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. David graduated from Miami Edison High School in Miami, Florida and went to Tulane University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He was a speechwriter at the Department of Commerce to Cabinet Secretaries in both President George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush's administrations. Thanks for joining me today, David.

I'm honored to have joining me award-winning filmmaker, founder and Executive Director of the End Jew Hatred movement, The Lawfare Project. She's an author, and a New York City-based human rights attorney, and a frequent Fox News and Newsmax guest. Her name is Brooke Goldstein. Thanks for joining me today, Brooke.

Michelle is not only one of the top acting coaches in the world, but she is also an actor, a film and stage director and an author. She has worked with many A-List Actors privately and on set including James Franco, Penelope Cruz, Donald Sutherland, Chris Rock, Luke Wilson, Salma Hayak, Christian Slater, Gerard Butler and many, many more A list actors. She currently serves as Artistic Director and teaches ongoing classes at the Michelle Danner Acting Studio; however, she also teaches in New York, Europe and several other places all over the world.

Join us for an insightful and engaging conversation with Auburn Head Basketball Coach, Bruce Pearl. Dive into the world of basketball strategy, leadership, and personal insights as Coach Pearl shares his journey and experiences. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a fan of Auburn basketball, or simply curious about the keys to coaching success, this podcast offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the game's most respected figures.

In this episode, Traynor shares the story of how he positively promotes his wife's innovative real estate business, the challenges he has faced throughout his life, and the unique approach that sets his marketing and branding apart.

Don't miss this engaging conversation where David discusses:   His career path and the lessons learned along the way:  -- The significance of leadership in both personal and professional spheres -- His dedication to public education and how it shapes future generations -- Practical tips for wealth management and financial planning  -- His philanthropic efforts and the impact of giving back to the community

My guests today on THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast are former Memphis Grizzlies Coach and 2 time NBA Champion, Lionel Hollins, former University of Tennessee basketball player and former Dallas Mavericks and professional player, Coach Kevin Whitted, and Heal The Hood Foundation CEO and Founder, LaDell Beamon.

I sat down with the extraordinary Elizabeth Pipko, an American-Israeli Jewish activist and prominent media personality. With frequent appearances on Fox News, I've had the privilege of discussing the critical issue of fighting antisemitism and Jew hatred with Pipko, who at just 28 years old, has authored three books and speaks six languages fluently. In this episode, we delve into the urgent topic of rising antisemitism on college campuses and its potential spread across the United States this summer. Don't miss our engaging conversation on combating bigotry and driving positive change. Tune in!

Explore the world of construction with Greg Green, the General Superintendent at RKA Construction.   Based in Memphis, Tennessee, RKA has been making waves in both residential and commercial projects since its inception in 2011.   In this episode, Greg shares insights into RKA's journey, their commitment to quality, and the unique challenges and successes they've experienced serving the Mid-South region.

In this episode, Master Chef Kelly English shares his remarkable journey from early culinary adventures to becoming a celebrated figure in the food industry. Discover the passion, dedication, and creativity that drive Chef Kelly English as he discusses his experiences, challenges, and the inspirations behind his unique approach to Southern cuisine. We discuss his culinary philosophy, the challenges and triumphs he's faced, and his innovative appoach to creating unforgettable dining experiences. #thinkbigwithmichaelzellner

Abigail Hawk, the talented actress behind the character 1st Grade Detective Abigail Baker on the hit television series Blue Bloods.  Abigail shares insights into her character's development, memorable moments on set, and the impact of Blue Bloods on both her career and personal life. As we anticipate the airing of the final episode for the first half of Blue Bloods' last season, Abigail offers a glimpse behind the scenes, revealing anecdotes and reflections on her remarkable journey throughout the series. Don't miss this engaging conversation with Abigail Hawk, only on ThinkbigwihMichaelZellner.

Lizzy Savetsky, a very outspoken American Israel activist, a spokesperson on Instagram with almost 400,000 followers, and frequent FOX News Guest, joins THINK BIG with Michael Zellner today.   Lizzy and her family were in Israel on that horrific day last October 7th and were lucky to get back to America a few days later.   In this podcast, she shares what she is doing to get the truth out about what happened that day and now what is happening with all the antisemitism, hate for Israel, and hate for America all over the country on college campuses and the world.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shelley Herman, an EMMY-nominated writer, as she shares insights into her remarkable career journey and discusses her captivating book. Shelley shared her experiences in the television industry, from scripting compelling narratives to her Emmy recognition. Discover the creative process behind her book, exploring its themes and characters. Don't miss this engaging discussion with a talented storyteller!

Explore expert financial advice from analyst Craig Weiner on effective money management techniques.   Learn his secret method for maximizing financial success!    Let us know what's your fav line out of this podcast?

Business, Branding, and Marketing Guru, Michael Attias, on Episode 152 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner   Michael is the Founder & CEO of CaterZen, a web-based software company.   He is a former franchise co-owner of 2 Corky's BBQ restaurants.   Michael is originally from Memphis and now resides in a suburb of Nashville.   He is also an author and a former speaker and consultant for businesses across the United States.   Michael and I grew up on the same street together and he has always had a tremendous influence on and in my life and I'm very thankful and blessed for so many things he has done to help me.

Hitting $100,000,000 in sales in Cutco Cutlery...Don Freda, former Vector Marketing President & CEO joins me for Part 3 of his podcast interview Episode 151 Part 3 with Don Freda Don is an author, trainer, coach, developer of people, mentor, and currently the President & CEO of STRIVE Corporation. He was in the Cutco business from 1971 through 1996 and in his final year as President & CEO of Vector Marketing Corporation, the company hit $100,000,000 in sales that year, his long time goal. Don has been one of my longtime mentors and idols and his belief in me at a young age and his integrity have always had a huge effect on my life and I love the man. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsors for the podcast Buckley's Grill, co-owned by Jeff Fioranelli and Ken Dick, and Roof & Nail, co-owned by Kelly Potter. #buisnessadvice #buisness #fyp #CEO #marketing

How did the Twin Towers and Building 7 really collapse? Episode 150 Part 3 with Richard Gage, AIA, an architect for over 30 years. Richard is the founder and former CEO of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth and if you take the time to watch his presentation, you can judge for yourself what happened because the narrative we were given isn't the whole story. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and he and his wife Gail continue to lead the charge toward a real investigation of what truly happened on September 11, 2001. The organization he founded, AE911Truth, now has more than 3,500 architects and engineers who are demanding a new investigation into the destruction of all 3 World Trade Center high-rise buildings that day.

Blue Bloods Star and Tony Award Winning Actor Gregory Jbara Part 2 on Episode 149 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner Gregory Jbara got his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the prestigious Juilliard School's drama division after attending the University of Michigan. He has been in numerous tv shows throughout his long acting career, including Friends, The West Wing, Frazier, Law and Order and many more. Gregory won a Tony Award in 2009 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical on Broadway in the production of Billy Elliot the Musical. He recently appeared in the multi-Golden Globe Winning movie, Oppenheimer. Gregory has starred for the last 13 years on the CBS hit drama, Blue Bloods, which starts its 14th and final season tonight. He is a super nice man and it was a pleasure to spend 3-4 hours over Parts 1 and 2 talking to him about his life, family and career.  

Award-winning Director Richard Bakewell, on Episode 148 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner Richard is the founder of Lightforce Pictures back in the early 2000s. He has worked with major companies, including Netflix, Yahoo, Target, Doritos and many more. Richard has also worked with and interviewed big celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Gordon Ramsey, and Dolly Parton. His new feature film, Roswell Delirium, has won 35 awards and has some of the biggest stars of the 80's and several newcomers too that will be stars within the next several years. We had such a great conversation, and I see big things for Richard and his company in the coming years. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsors for the podcast Buckley's Grill, co-owned by Jeff Fioranelli and Ken Dick, and Roof & Nail, co-owned by Kelly Potter.  

Co-CEO of Worldwide Production Agency in West Hollywood, California, Frank Balkin, on Episode 147 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner Frank has been in the television/movie industry for 28 years in Hollywood. He worked in story development, production, post-production, and foreign sales at several entertainment industry companies before becoming an agent. Frank has represented directors, producers, costume designers, editors, cinematographers and production designers for over 28 years. He is a former Memphian, a super nice person, and a lifelong friend of mine. We like to thank our sponsors Roof & Nail and Buckley's Grill. For access to all other social media platforms and podcast click here: linktr.ee/thinkbigwithmichaelzellner  #podcast #hollywood #filmindustry #tv #film #agents

Episode 146 Part 2 with Thaao Penghlis Thaao has appeared for 5 decades on Days of Our Lives as Tony/Andre DiMera. He also appeared on General Hospital, Santa Barbara. He has won 2 Soap Opera Digest Awards and 3 Daytime Emmy Awards, including 2 for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. He first appeared on television having guest appearances on popular shows such and also starred in network television show Mission; Impossible. He is an actor, author, writer and now hosts his own podcast called 'The Lost Treasures', which we talk about the four episodes in our conversation.   We like to thank our sponsors Roof and Nail and Buckley's Grill. For access to all other social media platforms and podcast click here: linktr.ee/thinkbigwithmichaelzellner

Episode 145 with Mary Braddock Mary is the Director of Communications at Porter-Leith in Memphis, TN. Porter-Leith is a nonprofit organization whose main focus is supporting local children and families through a range of programs and services. They were just recognized as one of just 13of the 1,600 Head Start grantees nationally as a Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.

Episode 143 Part 2 with Alan Blomquist Alan was in the movie and entertainment industry in Hollywood for over 30 years. He produced a lot of huge movies with A-List actors including "The Cider House Rules," "A Little Princess," "Of Mice and Men," "Chocolat," and more that we talked about in Part 1. In Part 2, we discuss the great things he did in the 2000's including the Johnny Cash huge hit, "Walk The Line," "Book Club," "A Dog's Purpose," and how he was one of the main people who got "The Blue Collar Comedy Tour" off the ground, what he had to go through to get there, and the success it had for many years.

Episode 142 Part 1 with Thaao Penghlis Thaao has appeared for 4 decades on Days of Our Lives as one of the top Soap Opera Villains, Tony DiMera and his twin brother, Andre. He also appeared on General Hospital and Santa Barbara. He has won 2 Soap Opera Digest Awards and 3 Daytime Emmy Awards, including 2 for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. He first appeared on television having guest appearances on popular shows such as Magnum, P.I., Who's the Boss, and several others. Thaao was also in the 1980's series, Mission: Impossible and he did the miniseries, Memories of Midnight. He is an actor, author, writer and now hosts his own podcast called 'The Lost Treasures'.

Alex is the owner of Elfo Grisanti's Northern Italian Cuisine in Southaven, MS. He and his wife Kim also are the owners of Grisanti 9 DOUGH 1 Food Truck. The Grisanti family has been in the restaurant business in the Memphis area for an amazing 116 years and Alex has been a big part of their tradition and success. In Episode 1, he talks about the history of the Grisanti family and restaurants, falling down and having major obstacles and picking himself back up again and having tremendous success. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.

Episode 140 Part 2 with Bill Courtney CEO of Classic American Hardwoods-now over 45 million in sales worldwide yearly. Author of the book 'Against The Grain' with the forward written by 11 time NBA Coaching Champion, Phil Jackson. Host of "An Army Of Normal Folks Podcast," which has hit Apple's Top Ten podcasts worldwide. Recently featured as a guest on the podcast, "The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe." In Part 2 of our THINK BIG podcast interview, Bill shares so many amazing stories about life, success, facing obstacles and overcoming them and shares with the audience about his amazing podcast that he just started this past summer and why it's kicking butt!

Co-Creator of the House of Blues, Michael Grozier, on Episode 139 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner He is the Founder & CEO of Trueline Brands. Michael was the Executive Vice-President of Clubs and Theaters division for Live Nation and in charge of over 80 locations throughout the United States and doubled their same store sales from $14 million to $28 million in just 3 short years. In this episode, we talk about his exciting past running and starting up Hard Rock Cafes, House of Blues, and Trueline Brands, his exciting new venture in Greenville, SC.

Episode 138 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast with former Memphis Police Association President and former mayoral candidate himself, Michael Williams. Mike and I will be talking about the mayoral and city council election this Thursday and we will mainly talk about the #1 issues on most Memphians right now in our city, crime and violent crime and how he believes and actually knows how and why we have gotten to the point where we are,which is beyond scary for most people that live here. Thank you!

Joe Theismann is a former NFL Quarterback for the Washington Redskins. He is now a professional and corporate speaker all over the United States, a sports commentator, an author and owner of Theismann's Restaurant and Bar in Alexandria, VA. He played football for the legendary Ara Parseghian at Notre Dame, where he set 23 school records in just 3 seasons. Joe is a two-time Pro Bowler and led Washington to 2 straight Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins in 1982.

Memphis Mayoral Candidate Paul Young and I talk CRIME in Memphis and what he would do about it.  Paul is the President/CEO of Downtown Memphis Commission. He is the former Director of City of Memphis Housing & Development. Paul is endorsed by 3 very known Memphians, which include former Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, former head of The Orpheum Theater, Pat Halloran and Entrepreneur and the man mainly responsible for revitalizing Beale Street, John Elkington.

Memphis Mayoral Candidate Floyd Bonner, Jr. and I talk CRIME in Memphis and what he would do about it. He has been Sheriff of Shelby County since 2018. Floyd has been with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department since 1980. He was named "Sheriff of the Year" in 2023 by the Tennessee Sheriff's Association. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.

Episode 134 with Craig Wiener Part 2 of 3 Craig is a financial analyst in Memphis, TN. He has over 100 clients throughout the country and handles millions and millions of dollars and has been very successful for over 30 years. Craig graduated from Ridgeway High School in 1979 and was invited to some of the top basketball camps in the country. He had the opportunity to play against some of the future best in the NBA including Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy, and more. In Part 2 of 3 of our podcast series, Craig shares with us some amazing moments from those times.

Bill is the owner and CEO of Classic American Hardwoods, a company with offices in Memphis, China and Vietnam, with annual sales over $45 million a year. He is a motivational speaker and was featured in the 2011 Academy Award-Winning documentary, Undefeated, in 2011. Bill is the author of the book, "Against The Grain," published in 2014 with the forward written by 11 time NBA Championship coach, Phil Jackson. One of the most exciting things he has going right now is a Top Ten Apple Podcast Worldwide called "An Army Of Normal Folks Podcast."

Loren King, known as Loren the Activist, joins me for Episode 132 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner in Part 1 of 3 in a series. She is also an international speaker, a registered dental hygienist, a mentor and a coach. Loren talks in detail about something many people either don't want to think about or are not even aware of, the $150 Global Child and Human Trafficking industry. This is a subject everyone should be aware of because it's happening all around us on a daily basis.

Richard and his wife Molly are the owners of Amplified Meal Prep, Memphis Kitchen Co-op and Marketplace and Mimi's Meals. Their first business, Amplified Meal Prep, opened in 2017 and since that time they have continued to grow and now have a huge location in Cordova at 7940 and 7946 Fischer Steel Road. They have over 50 vendors that sell their food products out of the marketplace and are doing something very special, which is making it possible for many people who can't afford to own a retail location get their products out to the public.

Dedicated to first-class customer service with REMAX Expert, Matt Wallace Episode 129 with Matt Wallace Matt and his wife Samantha are Affiliate Brokers for REMAX Experts-The Heart to Home Group. They also are co-owner's of Sam's Construction, a residential construction company in Memphis and the Mid-South. Matt is a former high school and college football player. He and his wife Samantha and their two boys, Ollie and Andy are living a wonderful life in Memphis.  

Episode 128 with Chris Thomas Chris is a lifelong and very well known Memphian having served his city well for many years.  He was Probate Court Clerk from 1994-2010 and then was elected to the Shelby County Commission from 2010-2014. Chris is currently the Director of Family Services at Brent Taylor-Paul B. McCarver Funeral Directors in Memphis. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.

Episode 127 with Gregory Jbara  In Part 1 of my podcast interview with Greg, we talk a little bit about him growing up right outside of Detroit and how he started early on in plays and musicals. We also discuss him going to the University of Michigan and then getting accepted and transferring to the prestigious Julliard School's drama division.  Greg and I discuss his first "official" theatre role in New York City in 1986-1987. All his hard work in the late 80's and early 90's eventually led him to Broadway with many roles including Damn Yankees, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and then eventually what would be one of his big break out roles taking over the role of BILLY FLYNN in Chicago in 1997.  We obviously have lots to talk about in Part 2, including his Tony Award and role in Blue Bloods too. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor for the podcast, Platinum Jewelers, located at 9387 Poplar Ave. in Germantown, TN.

E126 with Eric Hasseltine Eric is the radio voice/play-by-play announcer of the Memphis Grizzlies.  He just completed his 19th season in that role with the team. Eric hosted a highly successful sports talk show on 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis from 2011-2019.  In this episode, Eric and I talk about the Grizzlies success over the last two seasons despite the fact of Ja Morant missing 28% of their games, the amazing and quick success of Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson, Jr.'s NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and much more. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers, located at 9387 Poplar Ave. in Germantown, TN.