Podcast appearances and mentions of Ashley Stewart

Sabir Semerkant is an eCommerce expert, growth strategist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience driving over $1 billion in revenue. Endorsed by Gary Vee, Neil Patel, and Matt Higgins (SharkTank), Sabir has advised Fortune 500 companies, scaled startups, and helped brands like Coca-Cola, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sour Patch Kids achieve rapid growth.In 2024, Sabir's Rapid 2X program boosted growth for 29 brands across 17 industries, delivering a 108% average increase in just 21 days. Prior programs have scaled over 150 brands, including Ashley Stewart, which grew from $3M to $30M under Sabir's leadership.Connect with Sabir here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabirsemerkant/https://www.facebook.com/growthbysabir/https://www.growthbysabir.comDon't forget to click the link below to download our FREE High-Impact LinkedIn Post Templates: https://www.thetimetogrow.com/ecsposttemplates

Sabir Semerkant is an eCommerce expert, growth strategist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience generating over $1 billion in revenue. Recognized and endorsed by industry leaders such as Gary Vee, Neil Patel, and Matt Higgins of Shark Tank, Sabir has been a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, guided startups to scale, and helped iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sour Patch Kids achieve rapid and sustainable growth. In 2024, Sabir's Rapid 2X Program propelled 29 brands across 17 industries to new heights, delivering an impressive 108% average growth in just 21 days. His track record includes scaling more than 150 brands, with notable success like Ashley Stewart, which grew from $3M to $30M under his leadership. Sabir has developed the 8-D Method, a proven framework designed to unlock 2X-10X growth for any eCommerce business with Product-Market Fit. This method equips businesses to thrive, even in tough economic conditions, enabling them to boost sales and maximize profits in today's competitive landscape.   During the show we discussed: The 8D Method Is A Growth Framework Designed To Help E-Commerce Brands Scale Effectively. It Can Help Businesses Double Their Sales In As Little As 12 Weeks With Strategic Focus. It's Built On Eight Dimensions That Identify And Unlock Hidden Growth Opportunities. The Method Brings Structure And Clarity, Giving Business Owners More Control And Freedom. It Helps Brands Differentiate And Rise Above The Noise In Saturated Markets. It Addresses Conversion Drops And High Cart Abandonment With Proven Tactics. The System Improves Margins Even When Ad Costs Are Rising By Optimizing Operations. It Solves Common Challenges Like Disorganization, Plateaued Growth, And Unclear Direction. The “Organize” Phase Reduces Anxiety By Creating A Clear Operational Foundation. The “Prioritize” Phase Ensures Teams Focus On Actions That Drive The Most Growth. Brands Using The Method Often See Fast Results—Sometimes Within Weeks. Unlike Relying Solely On Ad Platforms, It Builds Long-Term, Channel-Independent Growth. It Helps Brands Avoid Mistakes Like Chasing Trends Or Depending On One Traffic Source. The Rapid 2x System Can Trigger 100%+ Sales Increases In Under 30 Days.   Resources: https://growthbysabir.com/businesscredit   

Episode 136: Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-scriptOne of the difficult lessons entrepreneurs learn when building and scaling their businesses is that the things that got you to 6 figures are not the things that will get you to 7 figures… and the things that got you to 7 figures are not the things that will get you to 8 figures.In this episode Sabir Semerkant tells us the lessons he's learned in starting, building, and scaling several businesses to 8 figures, and the keys to triggering growth whenever your business hits a plateau.About Sabir Semerkant: Sabir is an eCommerce expert, growth strategist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience driving over $1 billion in revenue. Endorsed by Gary Vee, Neil Patel, and Matt Higgins (SharkTank), Sabir has advised Fortune 500 companies, scaled startups, and helped brands like Coca-Cola, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sour Patch Kids achieve rapid growth.In 2024, Sabir's Rapid 2X program boosted growth for 29 brands across 17 industries, delivering a 108% average increase in just 21 days. Prior programs have scaled over 150 brands, including Ashley Stewart, which grew from $3M to $30M under Sabir's leadership.Check Out Sabir's “2x in 21 Days” Training: https://growthbysabir.com/trailblazerConnect with Sabir: https://growthbysabir.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabirsemerkant Twitter: https://twitter.com/sabirsemerkant Instagram: https://instagram.com/sabirsemerkant YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/SabirSemerkantGrab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerTwitter: https://twitter.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

What if the key to transforming businesses and leadership isn't just strategy, but kindness—paired with math? In this powerful conversation, James Rhee—Harvard-trained lawyer, private equity investor, former CEO of Ashley Stewart, Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University, and author of Red Helicopter—shares how he led a remarkable business turnaround by prioritizing relationships, trust, the right measures, and systemic thinking, proving that profitability and humanity are inherently one.James challenges outdated business norms, from traditional accounting to leadership styles that overlook the emotional realities of work. He makes a compelling case that the leaders of the future must be fluent in connectedness, willing to rethink what truly drives success, and committed to fostering agency in their people. If you've ever felt that work should be more meaningful, more human, and more sustainable, this episode will equip you with the inspiration and practical tools you need to reclaim your agency and drive change.Timestamps:[00:02:00] – The Power of Kindness and Math: James Rhee explains why kindness and math are the foundation of effective leadership and how they shaped his turnaround strategy at Ashley Stewart.[00:16:14] – Rethinking Business Metrics: James describes how traditional accounting fails to measure what truly drives sustainable success and challenges leaders to track retention, wellbeing, actuarial data, and other overlooked indicators of performance.[00:24:38] – Kindness as a Teachable Skill: James defines kindness as a combination of agency, free will, and determination, reinforcing that it's not a passive trait but an active leadership skill that can be taught and embedded into business practices.[00:34:17] – Leadership as Systems Thinking: James shares why small, intentional changes—like improving store lighting—can drive cultural and financial transformation, proving that leadership is about connectedness and long-term impact.Access the episode transcript.Join the Conversation: This year we're taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we'll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let's Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to abigail@arosegroup.com.Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work through AROSE Group's website.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Let's Talk, People in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps others...

Rapid Response brings you a special episode from Fixable with Francis Frei and Anne Morriss. In this featured conversation, Francis and Anne sit down with James Rhee—entrepreneur, author, and impact investor—who led the remarkable turnaround of Ashley Stewart, a retail brand serving Black, moderate-income, plus-size women.As a first-time CEO and private equity investor, James took an unconventional approach, proving that deep respect for employees—combined with strategic financial discipline—can drive unprecedented success. Hear how he applied radical kindness and data-driven decision-making to revive a struggling company and uncover valuable insights for any leader navigating crisis or change.About FixableFrances Frei is a Harvard Business professor. Anne Morriss is a CEO and best-selling author. Anne and Frances are two of the top leadership coaches in the world. Oh, did we mention they're also married to each other? Together, Anne and Frances move fast and fix stuff by talking to guest callers about their workplace issues and solving their problems – in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests will receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace – regardless of their position on the company ladder.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Is kindness (and a little math) all it takes to save a company? James Rhee, professor of entrepreneurship, author, and impact investor, believes the answer is yes. This week he joins Anne Morriss and Frances Frei on the Fixable podcast to share lessons from his remarkable turnaround of Ashley Stewart — a retail company primarily serving Black, moderate income, plus size women — as a Korean American private equity investor who had never been a CEO before. Fixable is TED's business advice podcast. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we enter a new year, many of us are thinking about fresh starts, big goals, and how we can make more meaningful contributions—whether in our personal lives or at work. But what if the key to achieving that isn't about working harder or chasing success the traditional way? What if the secret lies in something as simple and powerful as kindness?In today's episode, we dive deep with James Rhee, an educator, impact investor, CEO, and author of Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times. James is best known for his transformative leadership at Ashley Stewart, where he not only revived a struggling retail brand but turned it into a community-driven powerhouse by weaving kindness, empathy, and purpose into every decision. A Harvard Law graduate and former high school teacher, James has a remarkable ability to bridge the worlds of high finance and human-centered leadership.We discuss how a childhood experience with a red helicopter shaped his lifelong philosophy, his journey from teaching to private equity, and the surprising parallels between math and creativity. James also delves into the role of AI in shaping society and why now, more than ever, leaders must embrace humanity and creativity to drive lasting impact.

In this episode, host Asha Mehta, CFA, interviews James Rhee, private equity investor and author of red helicopter―a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math). Rhee reflects on his inspiring journey, shaped by his Korean immigrant upbringing and the caregiving values instilled by his parents. He shares the story of a childhood moment with a red helicopter toy that became a lifelong symbol of his dedication to kindness and investing in people. Highlighting his transformative investment in Ashley Stewart—a brand serving plus-size Black women—Rhee discusses the power of intangible assets like loyalty and resilience. He also champions a leadership approach blending kindness with mathematical precision, encouraging investors to measure value beyond financial metrics.   Show notes James Rhee is a high school teacher and Harvard Law graduate who became a private equity investor and unexpected CEO. He bridges math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose. His transformational leadership has been recognized by the leading business and civic organizations. His national bestselling book, entitled red helicopter―a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math), was published in April 2024 in partnership with Harper One, an imprint of HarperCollins that seeks multi-platform ideas that “transform, inspire, change lives, and influence cultural discussions.” In its debut week, the book was the number one non-fiction book across all channels and media, per USA Today. He is working on related film, music, and television projects. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions.   This proprietary podcast is provided for general informational purposes only and was prepared based on the current information available, including information from public and other sources that have not been independently verified. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is provided in relation to the accuracy, correctness, appropriateness, completeness or reliability of the information, opinions, or conclusions expressed in the podcast and by the presenters. ​ Information in this podcast should not be considered as a recommendation or advice to own any specific asset class.  This podcast does not take into account your needs, personal investment objectives, or financial situation. Prior to acting on any information contained herein, you should consider the appropriateness for you and consult your financial professional.  All securities, financial products, and transactions involve risks, including unanticipated market, financial, currency, or political developments. Past performance should not be seen as a reliable indication of future performance and nothing herein should be construed as a guaranty of results. ​ This podcast is not, and nothing in it should be construed as, an offer, invitation or recommendation of any specific financial services company or professional, or an offer, invitation or recommendation to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in any jurisdiction.   Pull Up a Chair is produced by Association Briefings.

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/   My guest this week, James Rhee, has had an extraordinary path through life. With a Harvard Law degree, he chose to become a middle school teacher. From there, James switched careers to join one of Boston's most prestigious private equity firms.   His leadership star rose through his transformative leadership at Ashley Stewart, a company on the brink of collapse. During a solitary six-month struggle, he fought tirelessly to avoid liquidation, eventually dedicating seven years to revitalizing the business.  Through his work, James champions a vision where kindness and compassion are integral to leadership, advocating for a life where work is just one sustainable aspect of overall joy. We discuss: The moment he learned the meaning of kindness The real meaning of assets and liabilities Small 'p' product vs big 'P' product Kindness, Goodwill, and Math Applying counterpoint in business Links: James' Website red helicopter - The Book

Is kindness (and a little math) all it takes to save a company? James Rhee, professor of entrepreneurship, author, and impact investor, believes the answer is yes. This week he joins Anne and Frances to share lessons from his remarkable turnaround of Ashley Stewart — a retail company primarily serving Black, moderate income, plus size women — as a Korean American private equity investor who had never been a CEO before. Learn how deep respect for your employees can lead you to unprecedented success.What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.

What a combination eh? Well, true. Lindsey Brown is the Senior Social Media Manager for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and she also models from time to time. Lindsey was born in the UK to a German mother and a costa Rican father. When she was born her father was serving in the U.S. military based in the UK. As Lindsey explains she now has both German and U.S. citizenships.   Lindsey will tell us about wanting to undertake a fashion career and so after college where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in business, she began to seek a modeling career. She got her wish, but eventually realized that her life calling would take her in different directions.   Eventually in 2019 she joined NAMI as its senior Social Media manager. However, she did not totally drop modeling. Who knows, you might see her picture somewhere.   We talk a great deal about various aspects of mental health. Lindsey talks freely about her own mental health issues including burnout.   About the Guest:   I embody the essence of a multi-hyphenate, navigating the realms of a "slash culture." Born in the UK to German and Costa Rican parents, I hold citizenship in Germany and the US, setting the stage for my diverse journey. My passions, evolving into career paths, sprouted early. A love for travel, fashion, and mental well-being, my personal "peace," became integral to my identity. At 21, my foray into the fashion world began when I signed with my first modeling agency in New York. From runway to print, e-commerce to fitting, I collaborated with renowned outlets and brands like Essence, Marie Claire, Ashley Stewart, Soapbox, and DevaCurl. Adapting to industry shifts, I transitioned to become a fashion buyer in menswear and footwear, bridging the creative and business facets. To refine my skills, I pursued an MBA while concurrently juggling my roles as a buyer and a model. Today, my titles encompass Model, Senior Social Media Manager for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and Freelance Brand Consultant. A dedicated community builder, my role at NAMI enables me to establish safe and positive online communities for individuals navigating mental health. Additionally, I collaborate with social media platforms to enhance safety and user experience. My journey is a testament to the harmonious blend of diverse passions and impactful work.   Ways to connect with Lindsey:   ·      Social Media Links o   Personal accounts §  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindseygene_/ §  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseygbrown/ o   NAMI §  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/namicommunicate/ §  X - https://twitter.com/NAMICommunicate §  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NAMI §  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/nami §  TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@nami?lang=en §  YouTube - @NAMICommunicate §  Threads - https://www.threads.net/@namicommunicate ·      Website – nami.org     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hi and welcome to another edition of unstoppable mindset. Today we get to talk to Lindsey Brown. Who's Lindsey Brown? Boy? Are you gonna find out by the time this episode is over? It's interesting. Lindsey describes herself as the essence of a multi hyphenate, which I love, and we'll have to really talk about that. And she exists in and embodies a slash culture, another thing that we need to talk about, and so many other things. So I think we're going to have lots of fun and lots of questions. And Lindsey, I know, has a lot to talk with us about. She's going to talk to us also about NAMI, and we'll get to that as well. But for now, let's start with Lindsay. I really want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset, and thank you very much for being here.   Lindsey Brown ** 02:10 Thank you for having me. I'm excited well,   Michael Hingson ** 02:14 and I am as well. It's been fun getting to know you a little bit and reading information about you and so on. So here we are. Well, let's start with the real early Lindsay. Why don't you tell us about Lindsay growing up and some of that stuff.   Lindsey Brown ** 02:28 Oh, that I have some people say little Lindsay, um, I take it. I'll take it back to to the beginning, right? Um, so a long   Michael Hingson ** 02:36 time ago in a galaxy far, far away, alright,   Lindsey Brown ** 02:39 put a little, a little age on me. My mom is from Germany. My dad is from Costa Rica. He became a citizen and came over with his family and lived in New York, joined the Air Force. They got together, and I was born in the UK. But   Michael Hingson ** 02:56 were you on a military base or something because you don't have UK citizenship? You indicate,   Lindsey Brown ** 03:01 no, I have German citizenship, German music, German and   Michael Hingson ** 03:05 American. But you were born in England, but don't have UK citizenship?   Lindsey Brown ** 03:09 No, I, from what I gathered from my parents before it was at one point, everybody was trying to, like, immigrate into the UK. And so therefore it was kind of like, you can't just have a child here and then become a citizen. I do have a right to be a citizen of Germany, so I've always wanted to hold on to that heritage. Well, yeah, we didn't live, actually, on base. That was one of my parents saying they never wanted us to live on base. So I actually, when I was younger, I understood that my dad worked for the Air Force. I had no context that that was part of the US and the US government and the military. I was like, Oh, he does this. He works on planes, and he leaves, he goes away for a bit, and then he comes back.   Michael Hingson ** 03:55 Yeah, go ahead.   Lindsey Brown ** 03:57 So then we came over to the states. We ended up settling in Virginia. I went to school in at Great Bridge. I went all the way into high school, and then I went to college at ODU. I always said I did. I created their online version. Originally, I said, I told my parents, I'm going to be a pharmacist. So I started doing my undergrad, became a pharmacist tech, started working at Rite Aid, and then I realized it just wasn't my passion. And so then I came to them, and I said, You know what? I think I want to work in fashion. That's my calling. And I want to, I want to model. And as any immigrant parents, they looked at me and said, you're going to do what? And my dad was like, Okay, sure. My mom said you will finish school. And I got signed to a local modeling agency in Virginia. And then about a year later, I had this grand idea to get signed. I said, if I'm going to model, I'm going to I'm going to get signed by like, a big agency. So I could really do this. And so I put in a piece of paper, and I wrote down all the modeling agencies that had a plus size board in the US. And I told my mom, if everybody tells me now, I will let it go. So we go to New York. I go to Wilhelmina. That was the first one I went to. They immediately told me, No. I made my mom walk down Seventh Avenue. She'll never let me forget it, because I thought Seventh Avenue was really short. It is not I want to say we probably worked walk for a good 20 minutes, and I went to msa models, and I had met one of the casting agents at an event in Orlando. And I will admit I lied, and I I said, I have an appointment with Anthony. And they said, Oh, okay. And I met with Anthony, and he said, Oh, I remember you and I got signed that day.   Michael Hingson ** 06:05 Well, that didn't totally please your mom, or did it?   Lindsey Brown ** 06:11 My mom has always been supportive, like she's kind of like, if you want to do it, have a plan and I'll support you. So the agreement was, you're going to go to school still. And a lot of my teachers are great. I would explain to them in the beginning of, you know, school or class, I would say, you know, hey, I have a full time job. I work out of New York. I work as a model. And most of them said, Oh, that's really cool. You know, will work with you on your assignments, or sometimes I would have to take a test early, and then I think I only had one professor ever say to me, like, you do what? I don't think he believed me. So I said, you know, I can forward you every email I get from my agent. Because who, who we if I was just going to skip school, I that wouldn't be my lie, like I could make up something a lot easier than I'm going to New York and I'm going to a casting or I'm shooting, and within two weeks, he said, Okay, you were telling the truth on that. Like I I've never heard of that before. Um, and I modeled all the finished school, and I modeled until full time, until, I want to say I was 25 ish, and then wanted to one. It was the industry always changes, right? So you were kind of looked at as a mannequin. Necessarily. You're you don't have kind of autonomy of your career. What if you a size 10 is in, like, kind of in, in, right? Then that's what you're doing. If you're a size 12, you're kind of morphing yourself, trying to be a part of this industry. And I realized at one point it I may not have a full time career of this. Maybe I should do something more of like a nine to five. So I moved back with my mom in Fredericksburg from Brooklyn. That was a little bit of, you know, life awakening, as I call it, but I was able to get a job working at a clothing store, and was a manager there. I always say, you know, you start somewhere, but you know you have transferable skills. So I was around 2526 managing like a team of like 10, and then I knew I wanted more, so I started working at the Marine Corps Community Services as a buyer in menswear. So for people who've never been on a military base, there's something I call like a big mall. So if you put, like a Macy's together, a Home Depot, a Best Buy that's worked on every military base around the world, and I worked for the Marine Corps, so and I bought men's clothing, and then I switched over to shoes. So I bought, I always tell people it's the most fashionable job you can have in the military. I bought Steve Madden, Dolce Vita, like fun, trendy shoes. So I'm telling people like the the new trend this, you know, this year's plaid has nothing to do with military boots or anything.   Michael Hingson ** 09:09 And so go ahead. No, go ahead.   Lindsey Brown ** 09:14 And then, of course, I think that's where I started my as I call it, splash culture, right? Because I was still doing modeling jobs. So some people would know me as the model, some people would know me as a buyer. And I really got interested at the intersection of marketing and social media, and so I started going back to school, getting my MBA in international marketing.   Michael Hingson ** 09:38 What did you actually get your BA in? What did that end up being?   Lindsey Brown ** 09:41 Business Administration, okay, minor in fashion, because my parents weren't into the idea of me doing a whole degree in fashion.   Michael Hingson ** 09:52 Little compromise never hurt, right? It's   Lindsey Brown ** 09:54 a compromise, right? So, like, I was like, you know, what a minor, A minor, we can do that. Um. And and so then I started, I realized that, again, my passion wasn't being a buyer, a buyer in fashion. It sounds like you're going to be at these fashion shows and it's going to be fun, and it's not saying it's not fun, but it's more so you're doing you're in Excel sheets all day long. And I was more interested in the marketing of you know how to get people to buy these products, not just purchasing the product, right? So I went to school, started working and getting my MBA, and then knew that if I want to switch over to marketing, well, who would hire me? Because I don't have a background in marketing at all. So that was when the influencer on Instagram kind of career was kind of taking off. So I said, Well, if I can create my own social media following, then at least maybe I can work with other brands, and I could use that to build a portfolio so I can get, as I call it, quote, unquote, a proper nine to five. So that actually worked. I would never call myself a full time influencer, but I was able to work with different brands and then build out a portfolio. And when I got to graduate from my MBA, it was December of 2019, and I was super excited, because then I got a job for a travel company, and I love to travel, so I just thought to my this is perfect. I have my MBA. At that point, I was living in Woodbridge, Virginia, and I knew that I wanted to live in DC for a while before I found another place to live. And then the pandemic happened, and having a travel job in the pandemic is not great, like wrong move,   Michael Hingson ** 11:53 but you didn't know it at the time. Had no   Lindsey Brown ** 11:56 idea. And so the company, I was there for maybe five months before obviously they had to do layoffs, and I worked freelance for a while of that. And then I always say the universe brings you where you need to be. And that's when I started working at Nami as their social media manager. And Nami is the national line to mental illness, so it is the largest nonprofit that works to a racial stigma surrounding mental illness and mental health and gives people in their communities actually supporting services.   Michael Hingson ** 12:33 Again, not something that you had planned on doing, necessarily at all.   Lindsey Brown ** 12:38 No, but I love the idea of community. And little did I know that, necessarily, in in the world, as during the pandemic, a lot of people were dealing with anxiety and depression, and also we talked, you know, we can talk about it now, burnout, yeah, in the mix, 2019, I was burnt out and didn't know it. I was also experiencing anxiety and didn't have the word for it. So I would just say, like, I'm just overwhelmed. So I always say, I came to Nami and I learned a vocabulary, a vocabulary list, right? And I can say, Oh, this is my anxiety peeking out here, connecting with the community. And I can see the beautiful part about my job is that a lot of times, let's say, when I was a buyer, you're not seeing how somebody purchasing a product changes their day. But on the back end of being working as the head of social media, I see people's comments where they're saying, you know, this post saved my my life, or this really helped, you know, my child learn about the depression they're experiencing. It makes the work worthwhile,   Michael Hingson ** 13:49 right? So, how so Nami and being well, I was going to say Nami is certainly a whole lot different than what you've done, but at the same time being the social media person that's really getting into more of, in a sense, the marketing that that you already had some familiarity with,   Lindsey Brown ** 14:10 right? Exactly? So it's kind of like having a career passion of saying, I I'm good at social media, I'm good at the marketing part, and then finding the intersection of what actually gels with me. And for me, it's really about helping find people, find their community. And what I always used to say is like, I'm trying to just, you know, preserve my peace, which is also kind of like preserving your mental health. So I'm helping people, in my version of it protect their mental health. Learn about mental health. Don't feel scared about actually saying like, Hey, I'm experiencing X, Y and Z. Finding support. The amazing thing about Nami, there's it's federated model, so there's over 600 affiliates nationwide. So if you want to learn about mental health, that you're looking for support. Education family member is there's an affiliate close by, and I'm helping with my passion of marketing, bring people to health and care.   Michael Hingson ** 15:10 And for you personally, with the pandemic hitting and so on, what made you realize that you were experiencing burnout, and kind of, how did it manifest itself?   Lindsey Brown ** 15:26 For me? I was I always felt like I had to be doing something. I realized I couldn't relax unless somebody around, like, you know how people say, like, Oh, I'm going to Netflix. You chill all day long. I can do that if somebody else was in the room, because we're doing it together. But I didn't know how to relax by myself. But I also felt overwhelmed, and I would want to sleep, and then just feeling almost always, I say like the rabbit hole effect, where, if I have five minutes apiece, then my brain is going like, what about this, what about that, what about this, what about that. But the other part of me says, Are we supposed to be relaxing right now? And I couldn't. And so coming into Nami, I can say that the company overall is really supportive of employees talking about their mental health and, you know, resources. So it helped me finding other people who were experiencing the same thing, but also I'm researching these topics to talk about on social media. So it got me to actually do a lot of the work that I probably wouldn't have done alone.   Michael Hingson ** 16:35 So what have you learned from all of that   Lindsey Brown ** 16:38 everybody needs a mental health toolkit, and I say it the version of, you know, it can't for me. I can say it helps with if I'm eating right, am I hydrated? Am I getting enough sleep? Working out? I learned funny enough. I learned that I was doing an IG live, or assisting with an IG live, between our chief medical officer, doctor Ken, and one of our ambassadors. And they were talking, and they said, you know, oh, there's, you know, study, if you do, like, 10 minutes of workout a day, you know, it can help with your anxiety. And I was like, huh, that kind of does make sense, because when I work out or go for a walk, I do feel better. Who would know? Who knew that? But I learned that on that IG life, right? Having a vocabulary word for it actually really helped. Instead of saying, I'm feeling overwhelmed, I feel tired. Those are maybe symptoms, but that's actually not what I'm experiencing. I'm experiencing anxiety. So being able to, you know, talk with, you know, I called my community so my friend, family and friends, if they're like, hey, you've seen a little bit off. My anxiety is kind of a little I can say that my anxiety is kind of off today. And then also, for some people, you know, I have gone to therapy before, I feel like maybe, you know, it's always good to have a consistent therapist. But I tell people, you know, there's no harm in going to see a therapist if you need to be on medication for it, but everybody kind of needs to find what works for them to as I call it, keep to protect your peace.   Michael Hingson ** 18:11 So does that? Are you suggesting that most people should, in one way or another, have a therapist, or at least they need to be thinking about their mental health. That isn't necessarily a therapist, but they need to be understanding it and studying it. I   Lindsey Brown ** 18:27 think everybody should be intrigued and learned about learn about their mental health just like you have your physical health. So you may go to a doctor, or, let's say, if you tripped and you sprained your ankle, right, you would probably go get that checked out, or you would wrap it same thing with your mental health, necessarily. Hey, I feel a little bit off. You know your body intuitively. So if something feels off, and it's not maybe your physical health, or it could be your mental health, maybe you're not getting enough sleep. Maybe it's these different aspects. Maybe you're experiencing trauma for the first time, different things that are happening. It could be your physical or your mental but you need to care about both of them.   Michael Hingson ** 19:08 How do we get people to talk more about the idea of mental health? And you know, there's so many aspects of that. I know that a few years ago, when we were talking about in as a society, the whole concept of of end of life and people passing and making arrangements and so on. And there were, and are a number of people who poopoo that, but it is also part of mental health. But in general, how do we get people to talk about and accept that it's okay to talk about mental health?   Lindsey Brown ** 19:38 The silver lining of the pandemic was that people started talking about it. It was the first time, collectively, we're all in the house experiencing maybe emotions or feelings that we haven't before. And the world learned like, oh, that's anxiety, that's depression, and let's talk about it. The biggest thing is actually, for people. Hope to get comfortable talking about it. Mm, hmm, there was a culture prior that, you know, oh, that's something we talk about in the house. We keep it with our family. We don't discuss it. And that's not how you get people to care. Is to, you know, hide your secrets and keep you sick, right? So talking about it just how me and you were having a conversation today, and somebody could listen to it and say, like, Oh, I feel comfortable. That's what I've been experiencing too. Where can I get help? Maybe I should have a mental health toolkit. I never thought about that before. Maybe I should check out my local Nami. It's taking away those barriers and actually accepting people, and especially when people are talking about it, not to shame them. Yeah, to actually, you know, lead with empathy and learn more about it.   Michael Hingson ** 20:45 And again, talking about it doesn't mean you go up to everybody on the street and you say, I want to talk about mental health, but it is, it is also being a little bit strategic, but still doing it, and having a plan to really address mental health. And it makes perfect sense to do? Mm,   Lindsey Brown ** 21:01 hmm, absolutely. I mean, it's not like if you went to the doctor and you got, I don't know, a bad, you know, physical. You're not going to run up to everybody and say, hey, my physical results were horrible today. Like you're not doing that. But you pick and choose who is your community and who you feel safe to talk to about it.   Michael Hingson ** 21:19 Yeah. Yeah. And it gets back to your community and and you, you need to develop, I think everyone needs to develop a cadre of some sort of of people who they can talk to. And all too often, we don't. We think it's all us. We're, we're totally independent. We don't need to to have or involve anyone else. And I am really a great fan of something that Gandhi once said, which is interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as a self sufficiency. You know, we're not always self sufficient by ourselves right   Lindsey Brown ** 22:00 No, I totally believe that. I used to feel at one point that I could do everything and I and I can learn from people, but I don't like to ask for help, right? And I learned that doesn't work. I said to my friends, I don't want to be the strong friend anymore. I need help. I need I want support, and I don't want to just reach out when everything is in shambles or I feel like I can't manage it anymore. Sometimes it just helps to talk. I mean, sometimes I call my mom or a friend and I say, like, can I vent? Do you have time? Because y'all see you want to check before you just unload on people. But hey, can I? Can I talk to you about this? Because I am having a day,   Michael Hingson ** 22:46 yeah, what if, if there is a specific thing, what really turned your attitude and your idea around to the point where you started to believe in the whole idea of talking and communicating and recognizing that it isn't, you know you you're not. No one does everything, just totally on their own.   Lindsey Brown ** 23:06 I can say part of it happened during the pandemic where I went through being laid off, and that was the first time I can say that I was questioning and my, I guess, to say my sources of income kind of dried up, right? Because we're in the pandemic, and we all didn't think we could go outside. I was worried, but then I also felt shame around it. And I was talking to two of my close friends, and they reminded there's no shame in you losing your job. And one of my friends sent me, and I think it was like an Uber Eats, like gift card. Like, she was like, buy yourself a good meal tonight. I love you. And even though it's not like I had money to pay for my dinner, but it was that small act of Yeah, them, letting me know it's okay and not to feel shame. And then that again, just checking in on each other. And I was like, I feel better. I feel like I can do this. And necessarily, I didn't need someone to help me apply for jobs, but maybe needed that community support of like, you got this,   Michael Hingson ** 24:11 you got this, and we got you, yeah, and, and that's important, and we we shouldn't shun that and we shouldn't try to throw that away. Well, no, I don't need you to have me. I got me and because it's all about again, community, right?   Lindsey Brown ** 24:30 Yeah, for sure. I mean, I always you don't have to do this thing called life alone and where you may feel that something is happening in your life where you can feel shame, or you feel like I am alone, there is probably someone out there who has gone through it or going through it, and they can help you, or they have advice or tips, or, Hey, this worked for me. You should try this. Well, you would never know if you didn't start the conversation right. Or.   Michael Hingson ** 24:59 It might be that you end up helping them because you enter into that same conversation, and it may very well help you, but it also helps them exactly. And there's again, nothing wrong with that well, so you you work at Nami. Is that a nine to five job? Nine to five? Yep, there you go, so what do you do between five and night and nine the next day?   Lindsey Brown ** 25:26 Well, I still model. So if a good I say, job comes by, I will still model. So I mean, there's been times where somebody says, Isn't that you? And I'm like, I that is me. Because you never know where things will get released, the world we posted. I'm like, yep, that is me. I work with local businesses in the DC area to teach them, actually, about social media marketing. It's the one thing that, if I have this knowledge, and a lot of times a small business, or, you know, a solo entrepreneur, they don't always have time to learn the nuances of social media and marketing and how it can better them. So part of it, of I feel like giving back, is, you know, explaining that to them as well. And also I take on different brand trips necessarily. I just went to curl fest, which is a big festival in New York that happens. I think last year's like 30,000 people there. So that's where I say slash culture. So it is. I don't just consider myself the Social Media Manager of Nami. I do other things as well. I don't think you have to be one thing only.   Michael Hingson ** 26:36 So you you have several careers going at the same time. What do you think about that? Because I know there are a lot of people who would say, I can't do more than one at a time, and you clearly love to do several.   Lindsey Brown ** 26:53 Yeah, I do, um, I feel like it kind of changes with life, right? So there are times when I take on more freelance opportunities, and there are times when I, you know, cut back on them. I feel like you have to do a work to work well. For you, I don't tell people, Hey, I'm doing this, and you should do it too, right? If you are working a full time job and you're fulfilled by that in life, do that and be happy about it. There's something about saying working your job and going home and doing whatever makes you feel happy, right? So for me, it could be that, hey, I've, I'm working, you know, for NAMI during the day, and, oh, well, I have a photo shoot that I'm going to, you know, go to that night, necessarily, or I might be taking a phone call and meeting with, you know, a local business to talk to them through their social media plan. It's not like I'm consistently every single day from, you know, five to nine, then working on a freelance opportunity, right?   Michael Hingson ** 27:48 So it works out well with NAMI and we have the, I assume that sometimes you may have a photo shoot or something that comes up during the day.   Lindsey Brown ** 27:56 I think you always have to have your priorities, right? So Nami is my priority. I would never, I mean, it's my full time job, right? So I would never take an opportunity and say, like, well, Nami will be okay, right? That that's not the way you, you know, you run a business, and I look at it that I have to make sure the main position is, you know, fulfilled and done well. And if I can take maybe a sick day or take a personal day and explain, yeah, that was what I was getting at, right? Yeah, there's, there's open communication. You don't just necessarily call in and say, like, Hey guys, I'm out today. I have a photo, right? That's disrespectful, and you're not setting up your team for success. So it's planning it out well and choosing your opportunities that you can lean in on.   Michael Hingson ** 28:36 And I'll bet the other part about that is that the NAMI folks are pretty proud of you for all the things that you're accomplishing.   Lindsey Brown ** 28:44 I would know. I think they are. I mean, everybody's really been always very supportive. I think the beautiful part about, you know, taking on other freelance marketing clients is what you may learn in another industry will actually maybe work and bring it into the NAMI community to say, you know, hey, we haven't thought about this in marketing. Oh, we should try this on social media, right? So it's kind of taking those transferable skills and bringing them into your different opportunities.   Michael Hingson ** 29:09 What would you say to someone else who might want to add another career or explore doing more than one thing in their career path and adding something else to their title.   Lindsey Brown ** 29:24 Do it. There is not. Do not wait. You know, it's why not? Why wait in your life to say, I wish I would have done this. I wish I would have tried that. Try it now. It doesn't mean maybe that will come out to be something you're getting paid for. Could be a hobby, right? And that you may get paid for it every once in a while. But I would say, take the opportunity. If you have a full time job, make sure that you are still fulfilling your full time job needs. Your bills need to be paid, and you should be respectful of the people that are hiring you to do so. But I would say always take the opportunity you don't know. Or they'll, you know, they'll lead you to,   Michael Hingson ** 30:01 yeah, I think you said it best when you said you also do need to recognize and keep your priorities. And if you have a full time job, and you've made that commitment, then, unless there's some reason to change whether that's your full time job or not, then it's a matter of keeping your priorities straight, too exactly,   Lindsey Brown ** 30:20 and then also personally, right? You don't want to experience burnout, so you don't want to take on too many opportunities at one time, and that becomes your norm. And then you experience burnout, because your freelance opportunities should be something that also fulfills you. So if every day you're burning yourself out and you're burning you know the families at two ends, well, your mental health and your physical health are a wreck. Then yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 30:45 and that gets back to burnout and stress and anxiety. Yes,   Lindsey Brown ** 30:49 and that is something I am I try to manage. And there are sometimes when I look at opportunities, no. And no is a great word, and it's fine to have boundaries. Yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 31:04 Tell me a little about Nami, exactly what it does, how it works, and so on.   Lindsey Brown ** 31:09 Yeah, Nami is, like, I said, it's a federated model. So there are over 600 like affiliates around the country, and it's really a place where I say it's all about community. It's people, where people can get, you know, resources, education, support groups and to help people, one to learn about mental health conditions, learn about mental illness, maybe get help. But it's also for people to meet people who are experiencing the same things they are. It's peer led. So instead of, you know, if you go to a doctor and they say, like, well, this is the five things about depression, you should know that's great. But hey, I have depression and I'm a mom, how do I actually deal with, you know, having a full time job and having, you know, kids? How do I deal with that? Well, you would feel much better if you met another mom who's experiencing the same thing, who could give you advice as well? So you're going to support group, necessarily, it's a beautiful thing that there are so many affiliates, because help is close, it's not far away, and it's free.   Michael Hingson ** 32:15 So, so there are support groups, and I assume that happens, there are affiliate meetings,   Lindsey Brown ** 32:24 yes, so everybody would have their own schedule and again. So the lining of the pandemic, a lot of things that were only in person now are so online. So a lot of times, affiliates will have these meetings, and necessarily, the programs and the resources also online for people to, you know, have an easier method of, you know, reaching out and getting the help. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 32:45 How do you respond to the people who say, Well, yeah, the pandemic is is over, and we really need to get back to normal and get back to just being in the office, and this hybrid stuff is ridiculous, and too much zoom, weariness and and all that.   Lindsey Brown ** 33:04 I say as I mean, I'm not a CEO, but I think it opened the conversation, right? Because what it what is normal? Who set that standard, right? So let's have the conversation, is most of the staff happy to be in the office? Then make the opportunity to be in office is hybrid. Give people options remote. That works too. It also opens up your playing field of necessarily bringing in different types of employee, because you may have someone who could be amazing at this one job, but they're not local. Can they do the job remote? I think it's everybody saying the pandemic is over. Well, one, covid is still a thing. It's not going anywhere. I think we just know how to manage it better. But I think it shook up the world to talk about what is quote, unquote normal. Does it need to be the standard anymore?   Michael Hingson ** 33:55 Yeah, well, covid clearly isn't going away, and while we're managing it, at least for the moment, we're not getting any major new version of it or strain that is taking us back to where we were in 2020 and 2021, but it's still here, and it is something that we all should be aware of exactly.   Lindsey Brown ** 34:23 So, I mean, I let's have the conversation for people who say, you know, we no one should work remote anymore. Well, that's great. Well, find a position or company that is fully in the office, because there could be another company that says, hey, we're fully remote, and they'll attract, you know, employees that love being fully remote.   Michael Hingson ** 34:45 Yeah, there's room for all of it. And my perception, personally is that there is a lot of merit for the hybrid concept. But even then, hybrid is. Something that we each ought to have some some control over. But there is value in being in the office for a lot of people, at least part of the time. But I think people are realizing more and more about this whole idea that working remote, or being able to do things at home, and then also being able to address other issues in your life is a very important thing, but it also does get back to what you talked about before, with priorities. I was talking with someone yesterday on another episode, and he was talking to me about someone who he was working with as a coach who worked remote all the time, and this woman who he was talking with said, you know, I don't have time to do the laundry or anything like that. I got to always do my job, and you're working remote. What do you mean? You don't have the time. We've gotta really work a little bit more. All of us do it. Putting things in perspective,   Lindsey Brown ** 36:09 for sure, I there's when the pandemic happened, right? And we were working at home. You do realize, oh, I have necessarily, I can throw this, you know, in the washing machine really quick I can, you know, empty up my dishwasher. The reality of the of the matter is, though, if you're working a nine to five, or even if you're an entrepreneur, I do believe in setting boundaries. So when I'm working my nine to five, I'm working my nine to five, typically I'm not, you know, then also folding my laundry where I'm running a meeting, or, you know, going out to the grocery store in the middle of my workday. Now, if you choose to do it during your lunch, and your team is flexible that way, have at it. For me, I like to I learned that multitasking sometimes leads me to make more mistakes that I'm that I would be like, well, if I was focused on this, I wouldn't have missed that. So I try to, when we're working, we're locked in and we're working, and when you take breaks, or you're on lunch break, then you can do all those extra little things. But it's not a place where, hey, I'm laying in bed and the blankets over my head, and I'm kind of, you know, watching TV and I'm in a meeting at the same time. I can't function that way. Yeah, but I always say for everybody, you have to find what works for you.   Michael Hingson ** 37:28 Well, I think that there is a lot of merit to when you're working, you're working, and I think that's probably really true for most people, but we do need to really plan our day, or plan what we're doing. And again, it gets back to priority. I can be in some meetings where I'm not leading the meeting and maybe mostly just a listener, and I can actually stand up and go out and feed a dog if it's at the right time, because my guide dog, Alamo, is pretty insistent on when he wants to eat. But I can do both because I have a wireless headset and I'm not looking at the screen right. And so I can do that and still participate if there's a need to. But I also recognize sort of like, well, when doing a podcast episode like this, the last thing I can do is get up and go do anything else for a variety of reasons. That doesn't work, but the big reason it doesn't work is because it is my job and it is what I'm supposed to do, to focus on doing this and doing it right, and doing it well.   Lindsey Brown ** 38:33 Exactly. One thing I noticed too, is that before the pandemic, we used to do phone calls. Do you remember that?   Michael Hingson ** 38:41 I've heard of that   Lindsey Brown ** 38:44 the phone and now everything has to be a zoom call, and everybody's on camera. And what I love about Nami is that we are accepting of, hey, we can have a meeting, but you don't have to be on camera. And every day is in a camera day, we can turn our cameras off. I started with my team officer to say, Hey, do you want to just do a phone call? We if you can't get through zoom to work, or if it's, I don't, I don't want to be on camera today. I just want to, you know, do a touch base and hang up the phone. Yeah. I was laughing with my mom before, because she loves face time, and I told her one day, I said, you know, after a day of meetings, you know, on Zoom, I actually don't want to be on camera anymore. Can we do a phone call?   Michael Hingson ** 39:32 Yeah, you know, and I'm a little different, because I don't, I don't mind being in zoom, whether the camera's on or off, but that's because I'm not really looking at it, but I realize that for some other people, it may very well be an important thing. So I like zoom here you go, because the audio is better than on a phone call. But by the same token, I have no problem with doing things on a phone again for. Me, it's the same headset that I use so I can be on a phone call or a zoom call, and either one is fine with me. So I want to do what is more comfortable for other people, but I do find often that when people talk about let's do a zoom thing, it's as much habit as a need, and there isn't necessarily the need, but it's just the habit that now that's what they do.   Lindsey Brown ** 40:25 It's the norm. Yeah, so, I mean, I always have the conversation. I have a conversation with your team, or whomever you know necessarily fits in your personal life. I think it's just talking to people and asking, What do you prefer? Do you have time today? Do you want to do a zoom call date? Do you want to do camera off? Do you want to pick up the phone? There's many ways to, you know, communicate in this world, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 40:47 and it, and it makes perfect sense. We all, we all need to recognize that change is always going to be around us. And the reality is, normal is never going to go back to the way it was after September 11 and and of course, I got out of the towers and so on, and I heard so many people say we got to get back to normal. And it took me a little while to realize what a horrible thing to say, because normal will never be the same again. And as you pointed out, who sets the standard of normal? It's it is going to be a constant change, and that's maybe the only normal there really is.   Lindsey Brown ** 41:25 I think that's the beautiful part about life, that things will necessarily change. Because where there could be a group of people saying, well, this normal works for me and it benefits me, right? But there could be another group of people who said, your standard of normal isn't helpful for for me. So it doesn't mean then we say, well, we've been doing that for 50 years. We're going to continue doing it because I don't want to make a change. No, it's then you can come to the table and work out, necessarily, what is working for people right now, and how do we uplift everyone around us?   Michael Hingson ** 41:56 I think most people who have that mindset will ultimately accept maybe there is merit for change if you can demonstrate the value of it. So we've always had our meetings in person. We do only work in the office, and so we don't ever do anything remote. And I don't want to change that, but when you really start to talk about things like we've been dealing with here today, mental health and anxiety and so on. And a number of people start to talk about how they feel when they're able to spend part of their time working at home, and what that offers. And if you can show things like it actually makes us more productive. Most people, I think, ultimately, can be convinced to try something different.   Lindsey Brown ** 42:50 If you space to be open minded, if you look at it sometimes in, I would say, in the corporate world, right before it was you have to be in the office. And a lot of times you were in the office and you were taking maybe, let's say, five meetings a day. Well, you're not really talking to anybody, communicating only the people you were talking to on the phone. Well, what's the difference if I was in the office with my door closed, or if I was at home on my couch talk, having those same meetings? If, yeah, if you can do the job that you were hired for then everybody should be allowed to have accommodation.   Michael Hingson ** 43:25 Well, the other part about being at home and having your meeting on your couch is, what other opportunities does it open for you and again, how does that make you feel when you don't have to drive that hour to work every day, or whatever. One of the things I've read in I think the New York Times a couple of months ago was about how, in reality, while we're moving things faster than we ever did, the fact is, it takes us longer to get things done, like it takes us longer to get to work because the roads are so crowded, or if I'm going to travel somewhere, it takes longer to get to the airport, and all of the efforts of getting through security and so on, all take so much longer that you really have to be at the airport earlier in order just to get Your flight, because everything takes so much longer, and that introduces anxiety and stress.   Lindsey Brown ** 44:25 Mm, hmm, for sure, I know a ton of people who are so happy they can work from home just for the fact that they don't have to commute. For me, my commute in the morning to the NAMI headquarter office is it probably about 20 minutes, but coming back into DC, it takes me at least an hour, and that which you know that I we have that option to go into office, we can work from home. And I like having that flexibility, because doing that drive every day would feel overwhelming,   Michael Hingson ** 44:57 yeah, if you had to do. That now I remember my father worked at Edwards Air Force Base, which was about 40 miles from where we lived in Palmdale, California, and he drove there every day. But one of the things that he talked about more than once was how he could go out of our driveway, go down to the end of the street, make a left turn and travel 40 miles and never stop once, because it was at the time of the day, there wasn't a lot of traffic, and he would go all the way to the gate at Edwards and never have to stop. And he was comfortable with that. We also both became ham radio operators, and so he had a lot of fun while he was driving, talking to me on the radio and to other people, which is another thing that he enjoyed doing, but he found that it was not overly stressful, or he didn't allow himself to become stressed over it because he could travel and keep moving, and felt good about that.   Lindsey Brown ** 46:05 Mm hmm. Not having the traffic is definitely a game changer. I've tried to when I I know that if I'm, let's say, commuting, or I'm driving a long distance, I usually call, you know, either my mom or my dad. I call it my check in hour, or listening to a good podcast. So you're not focusing on the negative of I'm in the car. It's, you know, it's an hour, it's, there's traffic, there's so much going on. But having something that either brings you joy or listening to and talking to somebody or listening to good music, it puts you in a good headspace,   Michael Hingson ** 46:43 or also, just plain taking your mind off of things and giving you the opportunity to to rest your brain. It is something that I hear so many people say I don't have time to spend every day thinking about what happened today. I'm I've got to go until I go to sleep, and then just go to sleep. And we don't do a lot, or a lot of people don't do a lot to rest their brain or allow their brain to suggest to them how they might be better or do better or accomplish things because they're too busy trying to control their brain, which has a different thought and a different direction it wants to go.   Lindsey Brown ** 47:30 Yeah, I become an advocate of mental health days. You don't need to be sick or too extreme burnout to then take a break. It is fine to schedule a mental health day and not do anything. And like I said before, before, pre pandemic, I didn't believe in that. I had too much going on and I didn't think I could take the time. Now, I can easily say to somebody, you know, oh, I have something going on that day. What are you doing? Nothing. Yeah, and I feel great about doing nothing, nothing.   Michael Hingson ** 48:04 I have generally been keeping busy during the week. My wife passed away in November of 2022, so now it's just me, but I've become more of an advocate of for me, and I realize that it is me not doing anything on the weekends, reading books and other things like that, and I get so charged for the for the week ahead, and I also get many ideas and thoughts that I might never have gotten simply because I give me and My brain the chance to recharge and to rest and to work together, to think about what's going to happen next.   Lindsey Brown ** 48:46 Yeah, there's part of culture. Remember hustle culture, I'm going to work until I die. That is, I thought about it before, and I said that is a horrible way to live your life. That means you have lived in a state of burnout, and you never got to enjoy anything.   Michael Hingson ** 49:04 And you will die,   Lindsey Brown ** 49:06 and then, and then you will, you know, take that other section of, you know, the afterlife, but we don't know what that is. So I mean, you have one life, enjoy it, have make time for, you know, your friends and your family. And that's where you asked me about being a multi hyphenate of well, how do you do that? That saying no, not overwhelming yourself. Every opportunity can be a great opportunity, but it's okay to say no to them.   Michael Hingson ** 49:33 How do you help teach people, or does Nami help teach people to say no and get out of that old mindset. Yes,   Lindsey Brown ** 49:42 the support groups they have are a great place where people who maybe have gone through the same experiences, and that's necessarily, maybe mental health, mental illness, but also, I always say, there's life lessons with with everything. So I mean, I've learned from working at Nami, but then also listening. Your friends and everything. So no, is a full sentence. You don't have to give a person a reason why. You don't have to tell your maybe your employer, hey, I'm taking the day off because I feel overwhelmed and I haven't I'm taking the day. You earn the time off. Take the day, right? Telling your friends and family, no, I can't do that necessarily. Or there are times in you know, I'll have a super long day, and maybe, you know, my dad might call me and I'll text him back to say, Hey, is everything okay? And if he says, Hey, I gotta talk to them, you know, I definitely call him back. But there are times when he says, Hey, I was just checking in, and I can easily say, Hey, I'm just tired from the day. Can I call you tomorrow? Everything's fine on my end, but I'm I'm just mentally done today, and that's okay. We we're all allowed to set boundaries to AKA, protect our peace and our mental health.   Michael Hingson ** 50:57 You know, it's not to well, it is sort of related to mental health and so on, but we seem to, in general, have lost a lot of the art of conversation, and so many people won't talk about one thing or another the way, maybe even we used to. How do we get back to being more willing and open just to talk   Lindsey Brown ** 51:19 time, taking the time, right? It's the and it's funny, because I work in social media, so everything's really quick, but even then, taking the time, making time to have conversations. If you ask somebody how they're doing, actually stop and listen, right? Because a lot of times you Hey, how you doing, and you really didn't want to hear how they were doing. You just said it, because that's a nice thing to do. Take a moment, right? Because you would want someone to take a moment for you.   Michael Hingson ** 51:48 Yeah. Then the fact of the matter is that having lost the art of conversation, and I think there's so many articles and things I've read that say that, I think even more than losing the art of conversation is we've lost the art and the skill of listening. We don't want we don't want to hear. Our boundary is we don't want to hear, well, that's not productive either.   Lindsey Brown ** 52:14 Yes. And there is I joke with my parents now, and I tell them, You know what, you were, right? And they and they'll laugh, but those moments where I didn't want to listen, and I know exactly what I'm talking about, because you're from a different generation, and I know better now, I didn't say all that to them, but I thought it, yeah, and then I turn around, Oh, you were right. Hello. And they're like, Yeah, we, we've lived a little longer than you. You should listen, and it's that place where you learn a lot more if you listen.   Michael Hingson ** 52:51 Yeah, we, we don't do it nearly enough. Um, I know I've learned from working with eight guide dogs. And when you work with a guide dog, the dog's job is to make sure that I walk safely. It's my job to know where to go and how to get there. But it's fascinating working with a dog and developing a true, real teaming relationship, because we each have a job to do in the relationship, and the jobs go better when we respect each other's jobs, and especially from my perspective as the team leader, when I listen to my colleague on the team and dogs do communicate. They may not communicate the same way we do, but my job is to learn how they communicate and learn to understand what they want and what they're saying, and recognize that they've not only got feelings too, but it's amazing the information that they can and do in part. And so for me, having that kind of a relationship has become extremely important, and I wouldn't have it any other way.   Lindsey Brown ** 54:04 You know, it's funny, I have a fiance, and ever since we met, I said, I want to get a dog, and I'm still waiting on that note where you can get a dog.   Michael Hingson ** 54:15 Is your fiance sort of not as prone to want to do that or what   Lindsey Brown ** 54:19 he is team. We can get a dog when we have a child that can walk, the dog's going to be a while.   Michael Hingson ** 54:30 Well, the issue, again, is having a dog is is all about really building a relationship. And again, it's a team relationship. And I don't know that I would suggest waiting until you have a child who can walk the dog, because it isn't going to work as well if you haven't really learned to communicate with the dog first, because you have to learn that whoever you are before you can teach a child how to do it, then that's the point. Is. It's. If you're just talking about walking the dog, if you're going to truly have a relationship with a dog, it's a whole lot different than that, because it is every bit as much a teaming relationship, every bit as much a mutually rewarding relationship, to have a dog if you do it right as it is to have a fiance or a child or both, and most people don't really recognize that, oh, the dog will love the dog, and the dog loves us, and we'll walk the dog. There's a whole lot more to it, if you want to really do it, right?   Lindsey Brown ** 55:36 Yeah, and it's all about relationships, right? So kind of how you were talking about earlier, how do we stop and communicate? How do we stop and listen? It's a place that I've gotten to where maybe it was a light bulb, right, where I was like, Oh, this is all about relationship and how people feel and how they feel when they're actually talking to me and communicating. And that's at, you know, extra work in your home life, necessarily, and to be open to having those conversations and not just trying to have everything go your way. But listen to the why behind, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 56:13 yeah. And the why behind is like with a dog, just as much. Why? What is the dog saying and why? Because they're they're talking all the time, and it doesn't necessarily mean with a bark, right? But, but they're talking, so we need to have a conversation with your fiance. That's all.   Lindsey Brown ** 56:34 We'll set up another meeting. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 56:36 well, we should do that. So do you think that in the world, we're getting better, really, at talking about mental health. Or have we, have we made significant progress, or a little bit of progress? I think we have,   Lindsey Brown ** 56:52 um, even in my friend group, necessarily, or even with my dad, necessarily, he said to me before, and my dad is culturally Costa Ricans, you know, aren't going to talk about their feelings and necessarily, you know what traumas maybe they had. And he said to me for he said, Well, maybe I experienced a little bit of anxiety, and in my mind, I said, Well, you think, but it's that place when you hear somebody else talking about it, it opens you up to think about, huh? Not a me too situation, right? But it's maybe I, maybe I am experiencing that, or because one in five people experiencing mental health condition, right? So if it's not you, it's somebody that you know, and it's not saying, then you have to raise your hand and say, Well, I I experienced depression, or I have anxiety, me too. No, but it's a place that you know how to support that person. You know how to listen to maybe what their plight is, and your friend who may experience depression, and you're like, I don't know how to help them. I just see them in bed being sick, right? But no, actually, hey, well, how can I actually be a support system to you? Obviously, I may not understand, but I can give you empathy. I can be here for you. I think the pandemic definitely changed that conversation, and more people are open to it. And   Michael Hingson ** 58:10 you think that's going to continue? I   Lindsey Brown ** 58:14 do think it's going to continue. It's something that you can't turn off, necessarily. It's the same place where you talk about the intersection of culture and identity in America, necessarily, the conversation is there. It's not going to be turned off. We're going to continue to have the conversation, and we're going to change people's lives that way by having these conversations. Got it.   Michael Hingson ** 58:36 How do you protect or how does one protect their mental health?   Lindsey Brown ** 58:42 I mean, I go back to having your mental health toolkit, your self care toolkit, of what makes you feel good inside, what brings you back to peace, what makes you feel good, and you know in yourself when you're like, uh, if I do my five minute meditation in the morning, or I have my cup of coffee in the morning or at night I do my skincare routine. What brings you back to peace is a big thing. Saying no, no, respectfully, like I wouldn't necessarily send an email to your boss and no, but necessarily having those conversations and maybe explaining your boundaries and maybe, you know, creating a better work life balance is definitely a place where people can start. It is knowing when you are feeling off, being in tune with your body and making the changes that can actually help you overall.   Michael Hingson ** 59:35 Well, here's the question for Miss social media model. How's that for a start, huh? How do you protect your mental health online? That's getting to, of course, to be a really big thing. I mean, I've, I've, we've, we've seen Congressional investigations where they bring this, the big tech people in, or the social media people in, and. And all that. But ultimately, what can we do to protect our own mental health and the mental health of those around us online? Because we're relying so much online nowadays, which I'm not sure is always as wise as it ought to be, but that's okay.   Lindsey Brown ** 1:00:18 Definitely, for me, it was learning that social media is a tool, right? So a lot of times, you feel that you're connected to social media, and it is something that you just have to be a part of. It's a tool. So necessarily following accounts that you like, what makes you feel good? You don't have to follow anyone on social media that you don't want to follow. Taking time away from social media. I know that's, you know, different for someone who's a social media manager, but if I'm spending all day on social media and I I'm overwhelmed, well, the last thing I need to do when I get off work is then to open up social media and, as I call it, Doom, scrolling or inactively participating, right? Because then I'm not even paying attention to maybe the curated post or the things that my friends are sharing. I'm just scrolling because I wanted something to do. Well, how about then putting the phone down, either finding a book, doing something that is off the phone. So when you are on social media, actively engaging, finding things that necessarily, for me, I really like to go experience things in DC, so like, find the things that I want to do in the city that I'm in, to go do things outside of my phone. Yeah, use the phone to find things to do and then go do those things. Look at how long you're online, right? Because that's a tool on most platforms. And you'd be shocked how long you spend time online, like on social media, and you're like, there's been a way I was on here for, you know, five hours. Yeah you were, yeah you were, yeah you were, and you don't realize it, because sometimes I realize with myself, you know, when you're watching, like maybe a show, or you're listening to a podcast or something, and there's that, that ad break, and then you pick for me, I would pick up my phone and I would be scrolling the ad is a minute long. Why can't I just sit there for a minute with my own thoughts? Yeah, why do I have to pick up my phone? And I realized I was doing that. So sometimes I will put my phone out of reach because I don't need my phone right then, I'm not even really looking at anything. I'm just doing it because it's a habit. Or stand up and go get a cookie. Yeah? Like, go, go do something. Like my mommy, she's they're like, Well, you can go do a jumping jack. And I'm like, Mom, I'm not going to get up and do a jumping jack now, but I guess you could, I could, and I got, she's right. I don't need to just be scrolling on my phone. Still right, definitely being noticeable of like our habits, and noticing how you feel when you are on social media. It's totally fine to take a break delete your accounts. It is fine to then unfollow people. And there's also, the cool thing is that on a lot of the platforms, either you can either hide people. So let's say you have a friend, right? And your friend is, I don't know, experiencing something that doesn't make you feel great, even though it's great in their life, you don't really want to unfollow them, because then they're like, no, what are you doing? But you can hide their stuff and they have no idea, but it makes you feel better. And then you can actually talk with them about anything else but that one thing they're going through, right? Yeah. You can actually hide keywords. So if you are triggered by certain things, you can go in your settings and turn that off so you're not seeing those things. T

In this episode of the E-commerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives podcast, Kailin Noivo welcomes Robin Helfer, an accomplished CFO and COO with a diverse background in retail. Robin, who has previously worked with brands such as Ashley Stewart, Casper, and Swell, shares her journey from public accounting to executive roles in consumer products. She discusses the intersection of finance and operations, highlighting how a strong financial foundation can enhance operational effectiveness. Robin also explores the evolving landscape of e-commerce, the growing importance of direct-to-consumer relationships, and the critical role of technology and strategy in optimizing retail performance. Tune in to gain insights into balancing financial prudence with innovative operational strategies in today's competitive market.

James Rhee joins Jaclyn this week for an informative and intriguing discussion about his life, his novel 'red helicopter', and how kindness can shape the professional world.James Rhee is a high school teacher and Harvard Law graduate who became a private equity investor and unexpected CEO. He bridges math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose. His transformational leadership has been recognized by the leading business and civic organizations. His national bestselling book, entitled red helicopter―a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math), was published in April 2024 in partnership with Harper One, an imprint of HarperCollins that seeks multi-platform ideas that “transform, inspire, change lives, and influence cultural discussions.” He is working on related film, music, and television projects. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions.red helicopter, his media-education platform of the same name, is an operating system—a way—, that creates, measures, and amplifies a sustainable balance of life, money, and joy in the life of business and the business of life. Its systematic impact has been informed by, successfully applied to, and further refined by decades of investing, leading, and teaching at the highest levels in a myriad of environments. red helicopter's methodologies are grounded in the realities of history and policy, as well as the truths of finance, behavioral psychology, and cognitive science.This podcast is one of the many ways we live out our organization's mission to educate and inspire people to choose kindness. Visit our site kindness.org and sign up to become a part of our global community which spans more than 100 countries. It's free to join and when you do you'll be the first to get access to our latest research, tools, and even episodes of this podcast. Let's build a kinder world, together. Contact us at podcast@kindness.org or on social at @kindnessorg.Important links from this week's episode:kindness.orgredhelicopter.comFollow JamesIG: @iamjamesrheeX: @iamjamesrheeLinkedin: jamescharlesrheeFollow Red HelicopterIG: @theredhelicopterFB: @theredhelicopterLinkedin: the-red-helicopterTikTok: @theredhelicopterCreditsHost: Jaclyn LindseyGuest: James RheeProducer: Melissa MaloneMusic Composition: Chris ChristianaDesign: Ben Gibson, Christine DoTranscript of this episode can be found here: whykindness.simplecast.com/episodes/james-rhee/transcript

In this episode of My Simplified Life, Michelle Glogovac sits down with James Rhee, an entrepreneur, educator, and author of Red Helicopter. They discuss James' unique journey, his philosophy on kindness and leadership, and the transformative story behind his work at Ashley Stewart. James shares personal anecdotes and insights highlighting the importance of compassion, resilience, and community in personal and professional life.   What we're talking about The power of kindness and generosity The significance of leadership rooted in confidence and calm The impact of creating inclusive and supportive environments The power of kindness and generosity  James shares how simple acts of kindness, like sharing his lunch as a child, can have profound impacts. He emphasizes that kindness, far from being a sign of weakness, stems from a place of confidence and abundance. This perspective challenges the traditional view of leadership and success, promoting a more compassionate and human-centered approach that can inspire and bring hope to all. The significance of leadership rooted in confidence and calm  James elaborates on his belief that true leadership comes from a state of confidence and calmness. He argues that leaders who are secure and not driven by fear create environments where creativity and collaboration can flourish. This approach not only benefits the individuals within the organization but also leads to more sustainable and impactful outcomes, reassuring the audience about the power of confidence and calm in leadership. The impact of creating inclusive and supportive environments  James shares his experiences at Ashley Stewart, a company that serves and employs plus-size Black women. He reflects on how empowering and supporting these women led to the company's success. By fostering an environment of inclusion and respect, James turned around a struggling business and proved that compassionate leadership can drive social and economic gains, empowering and motivating the audience to create their own inclusive and supportive environments.   LINKS MENTIONED Red Helicopter by James Rhee Red Helicopter Website James Rhee's Instagram James Rhee's LinkedIn

Join Commonwealth Club World Affairs and Council for Korean Americans for an inspirational and thought-provoking fireside conversation with James Rhee, the acclaimed CEO, investor and national bestselling author of red helicopter – a parable for our times. Rhee is one of the top thought leaders and innovators in leadership, change, and entrepreneurship—his TED Talk and interview with Brené Brown about his shocking and transformative tenure as the CEO of Ashley Stewart, a business with deep roots in the African American community, have captured the imagination of millions. Rhee is changing hearts and minds about the role of kindness and math in our society, including the workplace. For his efforts, he earned an unprecedented appointment at Howard University, where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship. Rhee also holds appointments at MIT Sloan School of Management and Duke Law School. He was elected to serve in the inaugural class of Ashoka E-to-E Fellows and was recently honored as the recipient of 2023 Council of Korean Americans Trailblazer. He continues to serve on the boards of Xponance and JP Morgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways. In conversation with Yul Kwon, CKA board member and vice president of product management at Google, Rhee will discuss the themes and predictions underlying his book, which made its debut as USA Today's #7 overall book across all formats and channels. He will also discuss red helicopter's rapid global expansion (the Korean translation will be finished later this year) and the adaptation of the operating system into music, curricula, and film. This program is presented in partnership with the Council of Korean Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Udayan Bose is the Founder & CEO of NetElixir, has been driving success for retail businesses online for nearly 20 years. With a focus on the digital retail space, NetElixir uses proprietary technology, strategic growth models, and expert campaign management services to deliver exceptional results for their 600+ retail clients worldwide. Udayan's determination has earned NetElixir partnerships with industry leaders like UPS, Google, and Bing. Udayan is also a regular lecturer at top universities and has been featured in prestigious online journals such as The New York Times, Forbes, AdWeek, and more.In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:44] Intro[02:01] Recounting early success with first innovation[02:33] The power of the internet through experimentation[03:25] Helping retail Ecommerce brands grow predictably[04:58] Making search work with mathematical precision[06:33] Meeting key players in ecommerce success[07:45] Building strong client partnerships[08:23] Recalling Google's milestone with Google Shopping[09:35] Envisioning the future with generative AI[11:24] Strategizing amid changing data landscapes[12:33] Adapting to the new era of restricted data sharing[13:13] Strategizing with limited data access[14:25] Walled gardens for integrated social commerce[15:49] The era of retail media networks[17:14] Exploring AI's role in future data access[18:11] Preparing for diminished data availability[18:57] Mastering rapid adaptive experimentation[20:15] Leveraging AI for predictive customer insights[21:22] Democratizing SEO and SEM with free tools[23:06] Supporting SMBs with innovative solutions[24:50] Discovering who links to your site[25:35] Humbling moments: OpenAI's impact on tech giants[27:03] The impact of disruptive innovation[28:19] ChatGPT's impact on business strategies[29:49] Crafting effective prompts for ChatGPT[30:34] Leveraging AI skills for competitive advantage[31:31] Navigating the age of abundance with AIResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeEcommerce digital marketing agency in Princeton, New Jersey netelixir.com/Follow Udayan Bose linkedin.com/in/netelixirudayanbose/If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

On today's episode of The Executive Appeal Podcast join Alex D. Tremble (CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions & #KeynoteSpeaker) and Join James Rhee (National best-selling author and former Executive Chairman and CEO of Ashley Stewart, Inc.) as they share powerful insights on when and how executive leaders should fight fiercely for their staff. Discover the key strategies to advocate for your team and foster a supportive, resilient workplace culture.Guest BIO:James Rhee is a high school teacher and Harvard Law School graduate turned private equity investor and CEO. James's leadership story first grabbed global attention during his unlikely seven-year tenure as Chairman and first-time CEO of Ashley Stewart. After his radical and yet intuitive approach fueled a transcendent, unprecedented reinvention story for the company, James concretized his leadership philosophy and operating system—kindness plus a little math—in the form of red helicopter, his media-education platform. He bridges math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose, while composing systems that bridge peoples, disciplines, and ideas. His transformational leadership has been recognized by leading civic and business organizations. Rhee teaches at Howard University, where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Duke Law School. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions. He is the author of red helicopter (HarperOne; April 9, 2024). He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts.

About the Guest: James Rhee is the CEO, educator, and acclaimed author of "Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times." He holds the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University and serves as a senior lecturer at both MIT and Duke Law School. Influenced by the caregiver values of his first-generation Korean immigrant parents, James has played a transformative role in business and education, notably reviving Ashley Stewart from the brink of liquidation while advocating for leadership rooted in kindness and numerical acuity. Episode Summary: Greg McKeown speaks with James Rhee about navigating the complexities of modern success, culture, and capitalism. The discussion dives deep into the concepts of Chung, a Korean principle embodying connection, harmony, and communication, and how it ties into broader societal issues and business practices. McKeown and Rhee explore the symbolic importance of The Blue House in Korea and its reflections on cultural sentiment. Rhee shares his personal journey of reconciling financial capital with social capital. He critiques traditional accounting methods, emphasizing the importance of measuring intangible assets and understanding true value beyond just financial metrics. The conversation als Key Takeaways: Cultural Significance of Chung: Understanding Chung's role in fostering communication and harmony in both personal and professional contexts. Rethinking Success: Evaluating modern metrics of success that go beyond financial capital to include social well-being and long-term sustainability. Accounting for Intangibles: The importance of integrating measurements of intangible assets like employee turnover and social capital into traditional accounting practices. Balance of Joy and Money: Leveraging financial capital as a support system for achieving a fulfilling and joyful life. Redefining Freedom: The paradox of freedom, which includes meaningful relationships and not just the absence of obligations. Notable Quotes: Greg McKeown: "The comfortable life is not an attainable place. That doesn't mean you can't find a sweet spot. But that sweet spot's more like adventure than it is comfort and freedom from all obligation." James Rhee: "Your balance sheet will show me exactly how you've actually lived your life." James Rhee: "Having freedom, paradoxically, means you have to have really good relationships to share that freedom with people that time with." Greg McKeown: "Ever-deepening relationships with those few people that matter most is the only thing in life.” Resources: James Rhee's Book: Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times Greg McKeown's Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less TED Talk by James Rhee: "The Value of Kindness at Work" Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About the Guest: James Rhee is the CEO, educator, and acclaimed author of "Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times." He holds the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University and serves as a senior lecturer at both MIT and Duke Law School. Influenced by the caregiver values of his first-generation Korean immigrant parents, James has played a transformative role in business and education, notably reviving Ashley Stewart from the brink of liquidation while advocating for leadership rooted in kindness and numerical acuity. Episode Summary: Greg McKeown hosts James Rhee, an accomplished CEO, educator, and author of the transformative book, "Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times." Throughout the conversation, James Rhee uncovers his journey from a young Korean immigrant sharing his lunch in kindergarten to leading a monumental turnaround at Ashley Stewart. His story is rich with lessons on resilience, transformation, and the undeniable power of kindness in leadership and everyday actions. James and Greg delve into the themes of chaos and intuition, discussing how modern life's overwhelming noise can obscure our innate wisdom and kindness. James eloquently shares how the metaphor of the "red helicopter" symbolizes pure acts of kindness and navigates us towards simplicity amidst chaos. The episode also explores how the pursuit of success can sometimes stifle curiosity and diminish one's true self, with James reflecting on the years he spent following societal norms of success that ultimately left him unfulfilled. He challenges listeners to rediscover joy, connectedness, and meaningful human interactions in a world increasingly driven by digital distractions. Key Takeaways: The Power of Simple Acts: Small, intuitive acts of kindness, like sharing a meal, can have profound impacts and serve as a guiding principle throughout life. Navigating Chaos with Intuition: In a world filled with information overload, trusting one's intuition can help navigate the noise and make meaningful decisions. Distinction Between Intelligence and Wisdom: Being smart and being wise are distinct, with wisdom requiring lived experiences and the ability to ask deeper questions. Rediscovering Curiosity and Joy: Success shouldn't come at the cost of losing one's curiosity and joy in life. James encourages engaging in meaningful hobbies and reading for pleasure to enrich life. Human Connectedness: Emphasizing the Korean concept of Chung, James highlights the importance of genuine human connections that transcend time and space, vital for a fulfilling life. Notable Quotes: "The problem was very simple. There was a boy. I liked him. He made me laugh. He didn't have food. I had some. I solved the problem and I gave it to him." — James Rhee "I felt myself becoming less interesting, you know, like lost hobbies. I have a big passion for music. Stopped playing music, stopped taking lessons." — James Rhee "Most of the books that get written these days, they profit off of you being confused." — James Rhee "Intelligence is about information and skills, but wisdom is about the lived experience and connecting with the deeper aspects of life." — Greg McKeown "Chung is like a connectedness between people. It's a feeling of just... it's a feeling that transcends linearity. It transcends. It bends time." — James Rhee Resources: James Rhee's Book: Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times Greg McKeown's Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less TED Talk by James Rhee: "The Value of Kindness at Work" Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt that the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs mentality celebrated in business today leaves you feeling empty instead of fulfilled? In chasing status and wealth above all else, are we sacrificing our humanity along the way? How can we redefine success to prioritize significance over promotion and real human connection over control?   My guest today, James Rhee, proposes a radically more holistic vision of business and life in his new book Red Helicopter: Lead Change with Kindness. James argues that when leaders stay grounded in kindness and intrinsic motivation, they unlock the potential for companies to become true forces for good.  His story reveals how embracing empathy over ego and leading with compassion enabled him to turn around the fashion retailer Ashley Stewart. Now he's on a mission to inspire more leaders to follow his lead.  Together, James and I explore questions like: What will it take to integrate work and life instead of balancing them? How can we regain a sense of agency and demand accountability from those in power? And what will it take to prepare young people to bring their whole selves as they navigate the future of work? We're in conversation with: SPARKED GUEST: James Rhee | Website | Book James Rhee is a high school teacher turned private equity investor and CEO. James' leadership story first grabbed global attention during his unlikely seven-year tenure as Chairman and first-time CEO at fashion retailer Ashley Stewart. After his radical approach fueled a transcendent comeback story for the company, James concretized his leadership philosophy—kindness plus a little math—in the form of red helicopter, his media-education platform. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he is now a Senior Lecturer at Duke Law School and MIT Sloan School of Management and the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University—the first joint appointment of its kind in history. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions. He is the author of Red Helicopter (HarperOne; April 9, 2024).  YOUR HOST: Jonathan Fields Jonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He's also the creator of an unusual tool that's helped more than 650,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED. How to submit your question for the SPARKED Braintrust: Wisdom-seeker submissions More on Sparketypes at: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The Website Find a Certified Sparketype Advisor: CSA Directory Presented by LinkedIn.

Here is a business story, that is really a humanitarian story, but overall is an incredible story of drive I believe you'll be inspired and equipped by. The story would make a great movie, and since my guest actually roomed with Matt Damon in college, it just might become one. James Rhee's parents migrated to America from Korea. James was driven to excel and please his parents, so he got into Harvard. But he really wanted to teach, so he then taught high school for a couple years. Some of his most rewarding years he says. But then he went back to Harvard and graduated from law school. But he realized he didn't want to be a lawyer so he became an investment banker. He did well, but realized he didn't want to do that either. So he worked in private equity. He did well. Very well. He appreciated helping businesses, but didn't like how disconnected he was from everything. So he quit and didn't know what to do. Then he ends up in an unlikely place - as CEO of Ashley Stewart, a fashion retailer that served plus-size, predominantly middle- and lower-income Black women. And the company was at its end. The death knell had sounded. James came in for what was supposed to be six months because he felt an obligation to help. He ended up there for seven years with a miracle turnaround story that he's now described in a book called Red Helicopter: Lead Change With Kindness. You'll hear a very personal story of James' drive, from healthy to unhealthy. You'll hear about how Ashley Stewart went from death to stardom because it became a place and brand of belonging, not fashion. You'll hear how success came, not from communication, but connection. And most of all you'll hear how goodwill is the bridge to not only wild success, but abiding joy. Today James Rhee teaches at Howard University, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Duke Law School. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have reached millions. It was an honor to spend a couple hours with him and as you'll hear at the end of the show we're planning a t-shirt campaign together to advocate for the “analog life!” Head to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code KEVIN and depending on the model receive UP TO 39% off or UP TO $300 off! Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Use promo code KEVIN today at shipstation.com to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial. Go to Seed.com/DRIVE and use code DRIVE to get 25% off your first month  Available Nationally, look for a bottle of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond at your local store. Find out more at heavenhilldistillery.com/hh-bottled-in-bond.php Go to https://prolonlife.com/kevin and get TEN PERCENT off Prolon Life's 5-day nutrition program For comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit YahooFinance.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, John talks to James Rhee about his journey as a Korean American and experiences in leadership. He shares the story of the red helicopter and how it impacted his perspective on kindness. James explains his philosophy of kindness in math, how he designs systems that reward true agency, the importance of joy and finding contentment in everyday moments, the significance of championing Asian-Americans in media, and the positive changes happening in representation.  James Rhee is a high school teacher turned private equity investor and CEO. James' leadership story first grabbed global attention during his unlikely seven-year tenure as Chairman and first-time CEO at fashion retailer Ashley Stewart. After his radical approach fueled a transcendent comeback story for the company, James concretized his leadership philosophy—kindness plus a little math—in the form of red helicopter, his media-education platform. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he is now a Senior Lecturer at Duke Law School and MIT Sloan School of Management and the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University—the first joint appointment of its kind in history. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions. He is the author of red helicopter (HarperOne; April 9, 2024).

In this episode of Remarkable People, Guy Kawasaki engages in a captivating conversation with James Rhee, a former high school teacher turned private equity investor and author of the book "Red Helicopter." James shares his unique approach to leadership, which involves blending math and management with emotions to navigate change and create a positive impact. Discover how James's concept of "leading with kindness (plus a little math)" has transformed organizations and empowered individuals. Join us as we explore James's remarkable journey, filled with wisdom, resilience, and a commitment to making a difference in the world of business and beyond. ---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable. With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People. Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable. Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopology Listen to Remarkable People here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827 Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Thank you for your support; it helps the show!

 This week, I'm privileged to share an enriching conversation with James Rhee, the transformative leader who authored "Red Helicopter:  Lead Change with Kindness (Plus a Little Math)."  In our latest episode of Better Place Project, we traverse the landscape of societal evolution, dissect the true measure of success, and unveil the human side of business often obscured by balance sheets. James, with his unique blend of empathy and analytical precision, provides us with a roadmap for systemic change, drawing wisdom from lessons learned from his parents, the gift of a red helicopter, and the historic turnaround of Ashley Stewart, a plus-size women's clothing chain.The journey to a meaningful life is often laced with childhood truths and the legacies we inherit. This episode peels back the layers of Rhee's personal anecdotes, from the formidable women who've shaped his path to the discomfort with societal elitism. It's a contemplative voyage through the principles that govern a balanced life, where intuition trumps comparison, and the scalability of teaching business concepts becomes apparent. The narrative extends an invitation to listeners, especially the youth and those at life's crossroads, to find meaning in daily work and to embrace success as a deeply human endeavor.We close with a powerful call to action: to nurture kindness in the face of adversity and to understand the complex dance of societal challenges.  Rhee's father's compassionate legacy as a pediatrician and entrepreneur echoes throughout this episode, guiding our discussion on leadership, feedback, and the quiet wisdom of kind business practices. It's not just about the hard-hitting economics; it's the unquantifiable moments of life that bring us together. So join us on this journey, be moved by the stories, and let's commit to treating each other with kindness, fostering a world that hopefully we will leave someday, better than we found it.To learn more about James, and to order his new book, please visit:RedHelicopter.comTo learn more about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, please visit:https://curealz.org/Follow James at:Instagram: @IamJamesRheeTo stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:Website:https://www.betterplaceproject.org/ Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj To follow Steve on Instagram@SteveNorrisOfficialFacebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcastTwitter: @BetterPlaceProjEmail: BetterPlaceProjectPodcast@gmail.com

red helicopter―a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math) by James Rhee https://amzn.to/3PThkGy Redhelicopter.com Embrace your agency, lead change, and fly free—in the business of life and the life of business—with kindness (plus a little math) In kindergarten, James Rhee received a toy red helicopter in gratitude for a simple act of generosity—sharing his lunch. Decades later, the lesson from that small gift led him to develop a human-centered framework for business and personal achievement that helped him overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles and find unprecedented success. “red helicopter is a transformative experience. James Rhee's story is a must read for anyone, of any age, who wishes to think, act, and lead with balance, agility, and wisdom." —Jay Shetty Rhee was a high school teacher turned private equity investor when he unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, an iconic company predominantly employing and serving Black women. Inspired by the values his dying Korean immigrant parents instilled in him, he knew that a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from certain liquidation to true transcendence. Is it possible to be successful and kind? To lead with precision and compassion? To honor who we are in all areas of our lives? The entire world bet against him and Ashley, but Rhee trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and leverage the intangible goodwill at the company's core, a decision which ultimately multiplied its fortunes several times over. Anyone can combine the clarity and imagination we had as children with fundamental business metrics. Anyone can apply this refreshingly intuitive approach to lead change at work and at home. While eloquently sharing a story of personal and professional success, red helicopter presents a comforting yet bold solution to the dissatisfaction and worry we all feel in a chaotic and sometimes terrifying world. The insights and knowledge that Rhee imparts have been accumulated over decades of investing and leading at the highest levels of business. Drawing on this experience, he encourages us to trust the wisdom deep inside each of us so we can learn how to: Create and measure “goodwill,” the ultimate collective good Discover agency and the truth about kindness it entails Identify the invisible obstacles standing in your way Lead transformational change through small, scalable acts Construct an accurate “balance sheet” of our assets and liabilities Reorient our lives, organizations, and the world to reflect the best in us Are you looking for a sustainable balance between life, money, and joy? For yourself and others? Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, red helicopter—a parable for our times is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives. red helicopter—a parable for our times features approximately 20 original illustrations by Korean artist Heyon Cho.

James Rhee is the former CEO of Ashley Stewart, a professor, entrepreneur, and the author of “red helicopter―a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math).” Mary Long caught up with Rhee for a conversation about: - An unlikely turnaround at a retailer serving plus sized, moderate income black women. - Being kind versus being nice. - When liabilities can become assets and vice versa. - Real world goodwill versus the accounting version.  Companies mentioned: NVDA Host: Mary Long Guest: James Rhee Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet Michael Appel, a seasoned senior executive with over 50 years of experience in the retail industry, including turnaround CEO at Rue21.  As the Managing Director at New York-based Getzler Henrich & Associates, he leads the Retail Practice for the firm, specializing in operational turnarounds for retail businesses.   We talk about the state of retail today, the role of social media and the China Factory Direct model, what has actually changed with the modern consumer and what has stayed the same, what it takes to compete in 2024 and beyond, and what it takes to come back from the brink and creative a positive forward momentum.  Let's listen in now.You can reach Michael at C: 917-789-3615mappel@getzlerhenrich.com Michael Appel is a Managing Director at Getzler Henrich & Associates, based in New York City. Michael leads the Retail Practice for the firm.Michael has expertise in women's apparel, accessories, menswear, childrenswear, and all categories of home furnishings across department stores, specialty stores, luxury, off-price, and direct response channels of distribution. Michael graduated from Brandeis University (Phi Beta Kappa) and has an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School. Over the years, he has served on multiple corporate and non-profit boards, including serving as the Chairman of the Compensation Committee for Charming Shoppes, and as Chairman at Loehmann's.Select experiences include:Served as CEO and Chairman of rue21, the 700-unit omnichannel fast-fashion retailer, where he led the company's successful turnaround from its emergence from Chapter 11 between 2017 and 2020.Served as the Interim CEO for Laura Ashley, Wilkes Bashford, and Baccarat. Additionally, he has provided turnaround services for Kenneth Cole, Avery Boardman, Versa Partners, and DW PartnersServed as Financial Advisor to the Creditor's Committee of Kasper ASL, a leading manufacturer of women's apparel under the Kasper and Anne Klein brands. For his work on Kasper, the Turnaround Management Association awarded Michael its Large Company Turnaround of the Year AwardProvided strategic advisory, due diligence, and expert witness consulting services to retailers, financial institutions, law firms, and consumer product companies.Was retained at HCI Direct as CRO to oversee the company's prepackaged Chapter 11 proceedings and the successful implementation of its restructuring plan. With the departure of HCI Direct's CEO, he was named Interim CEO, successfully managing the business, achieving planned goals, introducing a new product line, and recruiting a new CEO.Currently, Michael serves on the Board of Ashley Stewart, Inc., the Advisory Board of FIT's Global Fashion Management MBA program and is a member of The Fashion Group and the Turnaround Management Association, where he served on their National Board, and was Chairman of the TMA Awards Committee. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery. Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Canada's top retail industry podcast_,_ The Voice of Retail. He produces and co-hosts Remarkable Retail with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America.

Tonight!!!!!! Curator of Curves In The Streets Tamara Tammy Davis Episode:24!! Tamara “Tammy” Davis is the CEO of Diva 4 Life Entertainment LLC. dba Curves In The Streets, a full-service lifestyle and entertainment company. Tammy is a talented entrepreneur born and raised in Gary, IN. She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a B.S. in Business Administration/Management. While attending CAU, she was offered an opportunity to intern with Radio One. Her internship with Radio One led to permanent employment with the company. It was there she gained an extensive knowledge inside the music industry from Marketing & Promotions to Research and assisting with live concerts for Atlanta's #1 Hip Hop station Hot 107.9. She also had the opportunity to meet some of the elitist names in the music industry: 50 Cent, Nelly, Nas, and Ludacris, just to name a few. Tammy has had the opportunity to do a personal interview with Oscar Award winner Mo'nique. After that life changing interview, Tammy has continued to build a career in modeling, singing, songwriting, acting, hosting, event creator and promoter, influencer and Certified Confidence Coach. Her body of work includes background actor alongside Jamie Foxx, in the movie “Horrible Bosses”; featured in Nick Cannon's "Famous" music video, where she also worked with Comedian and Actress Luenell; featured on Kandi Burruss's hit Bravo reality TV show, “The Kandi Factory” as one of the featured principles in season winner Matt Cash “Single” music video; and selected as a “Curvy” model for the Cynthia Bailey Eyewear campaign. Tammy has had cameos on Bravo TV's “Married To Medicine” and VH1's “Black Ink Crew Atlanta”. She has also had the opportunity to meet entrepreneur and investment shark, Mr. Daymond John, and train under the Daymond John Business Academy. Tammy is also the first ever published Curvy Fashion Editor for Kontrol Magazine. Tammy's latest ventures include Building her brand Curves In The Streets that promotes confidence and body positivity through Beauty, Fashion, and Entertainment. Also, the release of her confidence calendar “Happy New Year, New You, & New Confidence ''. Tammy has experience working as a Brand Ambassador for major retailers and brands including Ashley Stewart, Fashion To Figure, Addition Elle, Colour U Cosmetics, Couth Cosmetics, and G'Du Jour Boutique. Tammy continues to be a positive role model, visionary, motivator, encourager, influencer, and an ambassador of confidence worldwide. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/quisha-king/message

In this Round Table discussion, I bring together journalists Ashley Stewart, Michael Menduno, David Strike, and Eric Douglas to have a conversation and hear their thoughts about Scuba Journalism.How are you keeping up-to-date on the latest scuba news? What piques your interest and keeps you engaged to the end? What would you like to see more of? What would you like to see less of? Leave a comment and let me know and most of all, I hope you enjoy this Round Table episode. 

Who doesn't want a sale? As a consumer, its always a yes! But as a business owner, its usually a no. But there will sometimes come a time that you need to get rid of your stock and get that cashflow boost to get new things in. Join me and Ashley as she shares how she got rid of her stock and generated $60,000 in just a few days!

Pre-Loved Podcast is a weekly vintage fashion interview show, with guests you'll want to go thrifting with! For more Pre-Loved Podcast, subscribe to our Patreon! Today's episode is with Maura Hampton, the owner and curator of Ethical Bodies, which specializes in vintage and pre-loved clothing for sizes XL-4XL+.  I met Maura at the May's Night Market in St. Louis, and was so drawn to her booths bold patterns, bright colors, and statement pieces, but she also carries plenty of quality classics, and just pieces that will forever be in style.  On this week's episode, we chat about Maura's love of thrifting and her mission to bring sustainable clothing options to everyone – and make them feel fabulous while she's doing it! All this and more in today's episode,  so let's just dive right in! *This episode is sponsored by Dirty Labs A big thank you to Dirty Labs for supporting Pre-Loved Podcast! You visit dirtylabs.com/preloved and use the promo code SKINSAFE for 20% off your first order. DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [3:54] Maura started thrifting at Avalon Exchange in St. Louis as a high school student. [8:30] Her first steps to begin selling secondhand clothing. [9:26] Filling a void for people who struggle with feeling discouraged going to the thrift store, and finding pieces in their size. [15:34] The best brands for vintage plus-sized clothing are Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart  [17:34] Advice for understanding your measurements and how it can make you a more savvy secondhand shopper. [27:34] How to make sure everyone has a positive shopping experience at your booth. [34:16] The pieces that become vintage in your closet because you've owned them so long. [39:25] The hunt to find the perfect secondhand trench coat, and other favorite finds. EPISODE MENTIONS:  Ethical Bodies @ethicalbodies Goldie's Vintage May's Night Market  @triciaannstoecklin @brklyn_bish Brklyn Bish on Pre-Loved Podcast @shopberriez @shopthova @estellaspluscloset LET'S CONNECT: 

The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show | www.Sharvette.com | Every Tuesday! Meet our guest: Marie Denee is the creator of the digital plus size media platform, The Curvy Fashionista.  With over 11 years of prior retail and management experience and her MBA in Marketing, Marie often is sought after for her industry knowledge, marketing expertise, and the ins and outs of plus size fashion. As an industry veteran, she has received many honors, including The Root 100's List of the Most Influential African Americans, The Network Journal's Top 40 under 40, and BET's #Future40 award.  She has partnered with top retailers and brands such as Nordstrom, Marina Rinaldi, Old Navy, Gwynnie Bee, Eloquii, Ashley Stewart, Chevrolet, and other brands through hosting, consulting, and strategic partnerships. https://thecurvyfashionista.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheCurvyFashionista Instagram: @mariedenee and @thecurvyfashionista Twitter: @mariedenee and @tcfstyle ✔Meet our host: Sharvette Mitchell, of Mitchell Productions Consulting, helps small businesses generate more revenue by focusing on marketing, visibility and branding. She does this with one on one consulting, group coaching programs based on her trademarked framework, THE PLATFORM BUILDER®,  book collaborations and conferences.  She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.   Since 2008, she has hosted a weekly talk radio show  - The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show which airs on six streaming platforms. Sharvette has been seen on CBS 6, The CW Network and featured in publications such as Huffington Post & AARP.  Learn more at www.Mitchell-Productions.com. The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show | www.Sharvette.com

Join Ken as he sits down with two retail extraordinaires, Gary Sheinbaum, CEO of Ashley Stewart, and Nadia Boujarwah, Co-Founder and CEO at Dia&Co. Discover how they're taking the plus-size industry by storm with their dynamic strategies and cutting-edge insights.From fashion to empowerment, learn how these industry leaders are changing the game and making a difference.

Ashley Stewart, Executive Coach and Racial Consciousness Consultant, wanted to be an architect when he was growing up. He saw it as a way to build a community where all the people he loved (and those that loved him) could live together. He didn't officially become that architect but he has found his gift(s) that enable him to build human experiences that enable others to live more full and abundant lives. If his journey so far is indicative of what is to come, I see more building for this "architect". Listen to our full discussion to hear how a conversation with his sponsor led him to step into his natural talents.You will learn:Community is all about how we take care of one another. Finding your flow can unlock your given gifts and honor what is already inside of you.How children can be reflecting pools that help you see yourself in a way you wouldn't have on your own.Connect with Ashley at:LinkedIn

Today on the show Lisa chats with Matt Murphy, Stadia's VP of Mission Support and Ashley Stewart, Stadia's Project and Events Manager, about the ins and outs of the Exponential East Conferencing in Orlando Florida on March 6th-9th. Learn about the events that Stadia is hosting and be reminded of the importance of connecting with missionallly minded disciples of Jesus.  

In this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Dr. Ashley Stewart, MSW Program Director and Professor at Temple University in the School of Social Work. The two discuss how dominant social norms can oppress people's identities in the workplace. They share the consequences that arise when organizations ignore these problems, both for people and business efficiency. The episode concludes with tips on the ongoing journey of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Drew Musa and host Ashley Stewart discuss mental health treatment and supports and why it is important to acknowledge and address racial and other intersectional identities. Visit c4innovates.com, subscribe to receive newsletter and training updates, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more resources to grow your impact. Learn More The Black Peer Perspective podcast OnTrackNY Substance Use and Mental Health Recovery Supports at C4 Innovations Integrating and Supervising Peer Workers at C4 Innovations Access a transcript of Mental Health and Identity (coming soon)

Phil Rutherford and host Ashley Stewart discuss how to apply the tenets of critical race theory when providing recovery support services. Visit c4innovates.com, subscribe to receive newsletter and training updates, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more resources to grow your impact. Learn More Philip Rutherford Ashley Stewart The Four Pivots by Shawn Ginwright Equity and Recovery at C4 Innovations Access a transcript of Applying Critical Race Theory in Recovery Services

How can you find success in non-technical roles, tune in and find out!Tonight's guests are Ali Diamond, Christine Ferrusi, Ashley Stewart, & Susan McReynolds.Become a supporter and let out your inner Cyber Warrior with upcoming engagements and merch! Any support goes directly back into the production of the podcast and to provide our fellow warriors with meaningful connections and discussions.Connect with our guests:Ali Diamond: Twitter: https://twitter.com/endingwithaliChristine Ferrusi:Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ferrusiAshley StewartTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/ajdenverSusan McReynoldshttps://twitter.com/cybersequinshttps://twitter.com/securiteestarBio Links:https://cyberwarriorstudios.bio.linkPodcast Version: Is currently available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Podcast.Podcast RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1315237.rssHow to Support:Buy Me A Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CyberWarriorGoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/cyber-warrior-studiosPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/CyberWarriorStudiosCashApp: $CyberWarriorStudiosWebsite:https://www.cyberwarriorstudios.comHow to connect with Cyber Warrior:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cyberwarriorstudiosTwitch: https://twitch.tv/CyberWarriorStudiosTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/CyberWarriorSt1Discord: https://discord.gg/eCSRzM6mJfBlog: https://blog.cyberwarriorstudios.comReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CyberWarriorStudiosCyber Supply Drop:https://www.cybersupplydrop.org***Security Happy Hour***#cybersecurity#securityhappyhour#cyberwarriorstudios#cyberwarrior#informationsecurity#CyberSupplyDrop#BlueTeam#RedTeam#ContentCreation#Leadership#SecurityMonitoring#SecurityOnion#EnterpriseSecurityMonitoring#Cybersecurity#Infosec#Cyber#hacking#hackers#hacker#security#cyberawareness#securitychampions#Networking#SocialNetworks#CareersSupport the show

DaVonti' Haynes and Daryl McGraw discuss self-care and what it looks and feels like for people of diverse races living in different regions and environments with host Ashley Stewart.   Visit c4innovates.com, subscribe to receive newsletter and training updates, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more resources to grow your impact.   Learn More DaVonti' Haynes Daryl McGraw Ashley Stewart Reclaiming Self-Care: Self-Care as a Social Justice Tool for Black Wellness by Janan Wyatt and Gifty Ampadu Realistic Self-Care (1:25:03 minute recording) Access a transcript of Self-Care, Mental Health and Geography (forthcoming)

Check out this conversation with Ashley Stewart, LCSW. She is the founder of Just Be Rooted, which services Florida and Georgia. We talk about empowering marginalized people of color in the therapeutic space and exploring holistic and eclectic forms of healing. Disclaimer: Video and audio episodes do not take the place of actual therapy. The information provided is to be used for psychoeducational purposes and does not constitute as a counselor-client relationship.

Climate change is a conversation that so often is met with talk about fossil fuels, plastic straws and inevitability. But today environmental engineer, Ashley Stewart, joins us to talk about the human-centric view on how we have an opportunity to shape, reconnect with and repair our Earth. Ashley talks about the importance of understanding the impact of our insufficient environmental systems and structures on real human beings and the disproportionate harm on urban Black communities. She shares her approach to address the need for policy change not just by looking at the things we can start doing now, but understanding the full life cycle of our actions to address once in a lifetime catastrophic weather events that are now happening multiple times a year without systems in place to withstand their impact. She also talks about the importance of building your own relationship with the outdoors, especially the nature around you, in your neighborhood.  Cultivating not only an understanding of the wisdom of the natural elements around you but the importance of being represented as someone who has the right and responsibility to be one with the world around you. By leaning into the wonders of nature around you, you also have a unique opportunity to build community. Ashley shares her experience with the organization Outdoor Afro and offers guidance on ways to get involved in your community as well.

Today we discuss the use of data analytics and understanding the true omnichannel experience for customers with Tracy Benaman, VP of Retail Sales of Deep North, an expert in retail operations and data analytics. She explains how retailers and QSRs are using video analytics to inform real-time decision making that improves employee efficiency and customer service. Join us as we discuss how AI is transforming retail stores and QSRs and their ability to drive sales in real time, return the greatest ROI and achieve their strategic objectives.    IN THIS EPISODE:  [02:15] How have retail stores and QSRs transformed over the years?  [03:50] Have there been any specific changes to consumer behavior that are driving the need for deeper analytics? [05:00] Now that retailers and QSR operators are armed with extensive data, what are the clear use cases? [11:30] What is Deep North's capability in this space related to the use cases and driving ROI? [13:41] What does the analytics space look like five years from now?  [16:11] What is the advice for IT professionals looking to roll out a deeper level of analytics at their company?   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  QSRs use this solution for three main things: speed, productivity, and service timing. Predictive analytics allow managers to make better real-time decisions to improve performance.  Retailers are becoming more informed with data analytics; they now have information about the customers in their physical stores which they didn't have in the past. Retailers can validate their payroll dollars, associates and manage their store operation teams effectively by using video analytics and monitoring the data behind it. Also, groceries and warehouses use this technology to monitor their operations for safety issues. Deep North works with existing cameras and can use a simple VPN connection to upload video to the cloud. The system can be deployed within a few weeks.  Artificial Intelligence and processed data will enable completely smart stores in a matter of a few years.   LINKS MENTIONED: www.deepnorth.com www.telaid.com bbergmann@telaid.com info@telaid.com   BIO: Tracy Benaman Tracy Benaman has led retail operations for 26 years with 5 different apparel brands including Gap Inc., American Eagle, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ashley Stewart and NY & Company. In addition, Tracy spent two years consulting for Claris Solutions heading up the store operational practice working with a variety of retailers to improve sales, productivity and ultimately profit. Most recently, Tracy led the client engagement team at Alliance Data Card Services, working with over 80 clients to improve customer engagement. Tracy is recognized in the industry as a team leader with the ability to identify key behavioral changes that directly impact sales and profit. Tracy's operational business improvement approach works with all levels of the organization resulting in successful tactical and strategic approaches.  

Laurie Johnson-Wade shares about the Ubuntu approach to life as a culture shift for recovery services from separateness and isolation to community and connectivity with host Ashley Stewart. Visit c4innovates.com, subscribe to receive newsletter and training updates, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more resources to grow your impact. Learn More Laurie Johnson-Wade Lost Dreams Awakening (LDA) LDA Ubuntu Recovery Project: A Daily Meditation Guide for Ubuntu Recovery Circles - Call for Submissions National Museum of African American History and Culture: Community Building Ashley Stewart Recovery and Recovery Support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) The Hidden Wound by Wendell Berry Access a transcript of Challenging Silos in Recovery Services

Bozoma Saint John is the Global Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 200 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Over the course of her career, Bozoma has earned a formidable reputation as a trailblazing marketing and advertising executive. She has also held executive positions at Uber, Apple Music and iTunes, Pepsi-Cola North America, Ashley Stewart, Arnold Worldwide and Spike Lee's SpikeDDB.Bozoma has been recognized for her breakthrough work by both the industry and her peers. She has been inducted into Billboard's Women in Music 2018 Hall of Fame and in 2014, she was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement, where she currently sits on their Executive Committee. She was named to The Hollywood Reporter's 2018 Women in Entertainment Power 100 list and 2016's Executive of the Year by Billboard Magazine; she has been featured in Fortune Magazine's Disruptors, Innovators & Stars 40 Under 40 feature, Billboard's Top Executives 40 Under 40 and Power 100 lists, Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People, Ad Age's 50 Most Creative People, Ebony Magazine's 100 Powerful Executives, Black Enterprise's Most Powerful Women in Business, Fortune Magazine's 2018 list of Most Influential CMOs, and made the cover of Adweek as one of the most exciting personalities in Advertising. In 2021, Bozoma was named #1 on Forbes' World's Most Influential CMOs list and the Harvard Business School published a case study about her career and leadership,“Bozoma Saint John: Leading with Authenticity and Urgency”. In spite of all of her professional success, Bozoma considers her greatest accomplishment to be mothering her 12 year old daughter, Lael. After the death of her husband, Peter, to cancer in 2013, Bozoma also took on the efforts of raising funding for cancer research and has been recognized by the TJ Martell Foundation for her devotion to the cause. Bozoma's other philanthropic efforts include representing Pencils of Promise as a Global Ambassador to Ghana and serving on the boards of Girls Who Code and Vital Voices.Bozoma was born in Middletown, CT, but spent her early childhood in Nairobi Kenya, Washington DC, and Accra Ghana, before immigrating to Colorado Springs, CO when she was 12 years old. She received her Bachelor's degree in English and African American Studies from Wesleyan University (at which she currently sits on the President's Advisory Council). After many years in New York, she currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2nd to last episode of the series! Carl Claus and Jacquie Frost go on their 1st date and the BIG NIGHT for Sally begins! EVERYONE starts to arrive! Starring; Dave Moxley, Talichia Noah, Robert Wraith, RIchard Kane, Ashley Stewart, LaRyn Williams, WIlliam Corey, Tami Goveia, Cheryl Scott, Quinn VanAntwerp, Scott Roberts annd Chris Petrillo as KJ Kringle! Special Guest Star Kristina Sulliivan as Mary! (from Mistletoe Road) Produced by James Lott Jr and Jaime Molina. Written and Directed by James Lott Jr and the theme song by James Lott Jr is everywhere!

The final 3 episodes of the series start here with a funny and surprising episode! Sally Claus gets a nice announcement and goes to her son! Josephine Frost is naughty. Carl goes to his dad for advice and Kristopher goes to Uncle Santa to change! Starring Dave Moxley, Tami Goveia, Robert Wraith, Ashley Stewart, Cheryl Scott, Chris Petrillo, Khalia Davis, LaRynWIlliams, RIchard Kane, William Corey, Janai, Scott Roberts and Talichia Noah as Jacquie Frost! Produced by James Lott Jr and Jaime Molina. Written and Directed by James Lott Jr. Theme song byJames Lott Jr and available everywhere!

Josephine Frost asks Santa an important question. Sawyer Claus asks cousin Carl an important question. Talk show host Joseph Noel asks Sally Claus an...a question. What are the answers? Starring Dave Moxley as Santa. Also starring Cheryl Scott, Tami Goveia, Robert Wraith, Jack Farmer, Quinn VanAntwerp, Ashley Stewart and Chris Petrillo as KJ. Produced by James Lott Jr and Jaime Molina. Directed and Written by James Lott Jr!

Santa and Mrs Claus have a heartfelt conversation about their son and Grandson Carl stops by with an announcement!Written and Directed by James Lott Jr Starring David Moxley, Ashley Stewart and Robert Wraith