Podcast appearances and mentions of ernst young entrepreneur

Mark X. Cronin is the Co-founder of John's Crazy Socks, a social enterprise he launched in 2016 with his son, John, who has Down syndrome, to spread happiness and champion inclusive employment. With a background in public service and healthcare innovation, Mark previously served as Director of Medicaid Health Services in New York City and held executive roles in healthcare management firms. He advocates for people with differing abilities, frequently speaking at organizations like the United Nations and the US Congress. Under Mark and John's leadership, John's Crazy Socks has fulfilled over two million orders, employs a diverse workforce, and has donated over $800,000 to charities supporting disability inclusion. John Cronin is the Co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer of John's Crazy Socks, a social enterprise that spreads joy through colorful socks. Born in 1996 and diagnosed with Down syndrome, John has become a prominent advocate for people with differing abilities, delivering TEDx talks and speaking at the United Nations and US Congress. He made history in 2019 as the first person with Down syndrome to win the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In this episode… Many ecommerce brands struggle to differentiate themselves in a crowded market where products alone rarely inspire customer loyalty. While some attempt to use charitable initiatives or mission statements, these often come off as superficial or gimmicky. How can a brand authentically integrate purpose into its business model in a way that drives growth and builds genuine connections? Social entrepreneur Mark X. Cronin and his co-founder son, John Cronin, share how building a mission-driven company rooted in inclusion and authenticity can create deep customer loyalty and sustainable impact. Mark, an advocate for people with differing abilities, and John, a passionate co-founder with Down syndrome, explain how their values inform every aspect of the business — from customer service to charitable giving. They advise business owners to start by uncovering their “why,” embed values into daily operations, and involve their team and customers in the mission. Mark also emphasizes the importance of making personal touches and staying true to your identity, even when facing criticism. In this episode of Minds of Ecommerce, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Mark X. Cronin and John Cronin, Co-founders of John's Crazy Socks, about building a purpose-first ecommerce brand. Mark and John delve into how personal touches drive customer loyalty, how purpose attracts like-minded employees, and why consistency is key to authentic branding. They also provide insights into social enterprise structures, inclusive hiring, and evolving company values.

Have you ever realized mid-fall... that there's no ground below—and that's the freedom? Ashli Blumenfeld—co-leader of the 90-year-old Standard Meat Company—takes us behind the curtain of a business renaissance grounded in emotional intelligence, bold risk-taking, and the messy middle of personal transformation. From navigating imposter syndrome to building a company culture that breathes creativity and connection, Ashli shares what it's really like to let go of old identities and trust the fall. You'll hear how a “mad scientist chef,” a surprise ice business, and wisdom from powerful coaches helped her rewrite her own story—and how her leadership is helping others do the same.   Meet Ashli Blumenfeld: President of Standard Meat Co. and 4th generation industry disruptor The journey from NYC fashion to Texas beef—and why coming full circle changed everything What it's like winning Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and still doubting yourself Rewriting identity in your 40s: reflections on parenthood, perfectionism, and permission The “Dragon's Gap” and why Ashli believes in falling with no parachute Building an ice business in 45 minutes (literally) The ugly duckling metaphor that changed everything How Standard Meat is integrating personal growth into a 1,100-person operation The acorn theory: planting legacy for the next 90 years Why the biggest competitive advantage in business is still the human mind   ****   Release details for the NEW BOOK. Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life   Connect with Marc >>>  Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show! Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet! * A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️ * Special props

How can unique language and consistent messaging help brands stand out in a competitive market? Barry LaBov, founder of Labov Marketing Communications and Training, is a visionary leader in the realm of business differentiation. His accolades, including being a two-time Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and an Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inductee, reflect his mastery in crafting distinctive strategies that help businesses stand out in competitive markets. LaBov's perspective on differentiation is rooted in the belief that a unique value proposition, aligned with market and brand, is crucial for resonating with clients and achieving success. Through his comprehensive five-step process, as detailed in his book "The Power of Differentiation," he guides companies in discovering and celebrating their unique traits, emphasizing the importance of strategic storytelling and maintaining quality to avoid commoditization and secure long-term profitability. Key Takeaways: Creating a unique value proposition is crucial for business differentiation. Employees believing in their work can enhance performance and customer satisfaction. Using unique language and consistent messaging helps brands stand out in a competitive market. Brand experience should align with the brand's image and values to maintain loyalty. Strategic differentiation is essential for success in competitive markets. Focusing on sustainability can drive profitability and distinguish a brand. Training employees to convey a distinct brand message can prevent commoditization and preserve brand integrity. More from Barry LaBov Barry LaBov is the founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing Communications and Training, a renowned agency dedicated to brand differentiation and transformation. A two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year recipient and inductee into the Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame, Barry has also been honored with the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics. Under his leadership, LABOV has earned numerous accolades, including six Indiana Growth 100 Awards, Small Business of the Year, and recognition as one of Indiana's Best Places to Work. The agency's client work has garnered nearly 100 national and regional awards, reflecting Barry's commitment to excellence and innovation. Beyond LABOV, Barry has diversified his entrepreneurial ventures with L2 Global Investments, co-managed with his daughter Laura Leamon, and Plow Digital, a full-service digital development and gaming firm. An accomplished author, Barry has written or co-authored over a dozen business books, including his forthcoming The Power of Differentiation, published by Indigo River and distributed through Simon & Schuster. In it, Barry offers actionable strategies to help leaders unlock their brands' unique potential and overcome the pitfalls of a commodity mindset. Drawing from decades of experience, Barry's expertise spans brand re-engineering, customer loyalty, employee engagement, and dealer/distributor network performance, with his insights featured on CNBC, Fox Business, and various podcasts. Outside the business world, Barry is a former musician whose Billboard-charting song was featured on American Bandstand. Today, he channels the lessons from his musical past—like collaboration and improvisation—into LABOV's core values. Alongside his wife Carol, Barry also leads a charitable foundation that supports causes like Make-A-Wish, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Habitat for Humanity, embodying a legacy of innovation, creativity, and philanthropy. Every day at LABOV is an opportunity for us to do the best work of our lives. Surrounded by inspiring clients and creative, fun-loving co-workers, the greatest reward is working together to help our clients, and our employees succeed.   Website: https://www.labov.com/our-team/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-labov-6965241/ Amazon: https://a.co/d/fNXO2n7   If you are an experienced CEO looking to grow your company, visit https://www.TheCEOProject.com   You can also reach Jim by email: Jim@TheCEOProject.com   LinkedIn: @theceoproject Instagram: @the_ceoproject Twitter/X: @the_CEO_Project Facebook:  @IncCEOproject

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. The Meet Group3. Noom4. New book Designing Success and female entrepreneurship5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re health, wellness and techGeoff is the CEO of Noom. He is also a serial entrepreneur and long-time public company CEO.He co-founded The Meet Group, a NASDAQ-listed social dating and live-streaming company connecting millions of active users globally. Geoff served as The Meet Group's CEO from 2013 to 2023, leading it through its sale for $500 million in 2020.Geoff grew a live-streaming video & creator economy revenue stream from $0 to in excess of $200 million annualized. Post-acquisition, Geoff also served as co-CEO of the parent company ParshipMeet Group, which includes a portfolio of dating apps including eharmony, MeetMe, Tagged, Lovoo, Skout, Growlr, among others.Under Geoff's leadership, The Meet Group was early to social networking, mobile apps, live-streaming video, and creator economy. A driving force of industry consolidation, Geoff acquired 4 companies and was acquired twice.With smart viral marketing, Geoff grew MeetMe from nothing to millions of active users. With product and strategic vision, he acquired and turned Tagged into a live-streaming video leader. With Livebox, he created a successful enterprise Creator Economy service powering some of the top-grossing social apps in the US.Leveraging product and technology to transform the user experience, Geoff successfully transitioned The Meet Group from an advertising model to a fast-growing live-streaming video & creator-economy solution, ultimately attracting tens of thousands of Creators and powering some of the largest social apps in the world.Under Geoff's leadership, the video Platform-as-a-Service enterprise product that he conceived of — Livebox — launched and grew to power 6 of the top 50 social apps in the US by revenue.Geoff is an expert in building culture across disparate teams. As CEO of The Meet Group, he acquired and integrated 4 companies: Tagged, LOVOO, Skout, and Growlr, into one cohesive culture.While building culture, Geoff also drove efficiency, realizing major cost synergies while growing top-line revenue at every acquisition target, through a combination of off-shoring and building a single shared services platform to power multiple apps.Geoff is the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner for the Philadelphia Region.Geoff graduated from Harvard University in 2000 with a BA in Economics.------Catherine Connelly is an entrepreneur, engaging speaker, and author of Designing Success: Lessons from 20 Years as a Female Tech Entrepreneur. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM9C9CC4Catherine co-founded The Meet Group, a NASDAQ-listed social dating and livestreaming company connecting millions of active users globally. The Meet Group was acquired in a $500 million sale in 2020.Catherine's nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding myYearbook at fifteen, creating what would eventually become The Meet Group, and leading brand strategy and marketing for The Meet Group through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and rebrands.Catherine graduated from Georgetown University and holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner for the Philadelphia Region in 2011.  Catherine has been featured on CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, MTV, ABC News, Fox News, CosmoGIRL, BusinessWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, and CBS. Catherine writes the newsletter Growing Up Startup, sharing lessons inspired by her entrepreneurial journey.  Subscribe and learn more about Catherine's free office hours at: cconnelly.me.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

What does it take to succeed as a leader in today's fast-paced world of high growth? Kevin welcomes back Patrick Thean to discuss the practices leaders need to succeed in high-growth environments. Patrick emphasizes the importance of self-improvement, with practices like staying curious and continuously leveling up to avoid becoming a bottleneck for your team or organization. He explains how leaders can identify potential risks by developing leading indicators and using peripheral vision to anticipate challenges before they become problems. Patrick also shares the importance of people ecosystems, not just culture, to create a successful network. Listen For 00:00 Intro and Guest Introduction 01:05 About The Book "Flexible Leadership" 02:18 Meet Patrick Thean – Background and Achievements 04:39 The CEO's Journey and Leadership Challenges 05:46 The Importance of Curiosity in Leadership 07:46 Leveling Up Continuously as a Leader 10:09 The Role of Experience and Wisdom 14:31 Early Warning Systems for Leaders 19:26 How to Build a Strong Company Culture 24:20 The Difference Between Culture and People Ecosystems 27:26 Understanding the Core Customer 30:29 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways 31:41 Where to Find Patrick Thean and His Book Patrick's Story: Patrick Thean is the bestselling author of Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth, and his latest book, The Journey to CEO Success: 7 Practices for High Growth Leadership with Michael Praeger. He is an international speaker, CEO coach, and serial entrepreneur whose mission is to help leaders build great companies and achieve their dreams. Patrick's journey began when he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in North Carolina, after growing his first company to #151 on the Inc. 500. Since then, he's been on a mission to share his wisdom with CEOs worldwide, guiding them through the complexities of leadership and high-growth success. This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations The Journey to CEO Success: 7 Practices for High Growth Leadership by Patrick Thean and Michael Praeger The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer Like this? The CEO Next Door with Elena Botelho The Frontline CEO with Eric Strafel How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth with Patrick Thean Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Jesse has founded, operated and sold multiple online ventures. Jesse started SportsMemorabilia.com, growing it from a raw domain into the world's biggest autograph store and a Top 500 Internet Retailer. The company was sold to Fanatics, the global leader in sports merchandise. Before that, Jesse started and ran a direct-to-consumer online skincare brand that generated $48M in revenue in the first two years. Jesse sold the company to a direct-marketing conglomerate. Jesse is also Founder & CEO of DietSpotlight.com, a nutrition website with more than 130 million visitors and an Inc 5000 fastest-growing company in 2018. Jesse also purchased, developed and sold category-defining domain names, including Hobbies.com, Boating.com, Yachting.com and Biking.com. Before that, Jesse was Co-Founder and CEO of Soho Digital, a $32M digital agency with 200+ clients. He sold Soho Digital to a portfolio company of Insight Venture Partners. Before his endeavors in the Internet, Jesse worked and lived in Tokyo for six years. Jesse is a member of Young President's Organization (YPO), where he was Chapter Chairman and served on the regional board. He was also also a finalist in Retail and Consumer Products for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Jesse is an angel investor in Integral Ad Science, TMRW, Dstillery, Data.world, SKTCHY, Blanket and WhereBy.Us. Jesse holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania's Lauder Institute and a BA, with Honors, in Sociology and Asian Studies from UC Santa Barbara and Sophia University in Tokyo. [PARTNER WITH US] Get instant 1-on-1 access to over 26 of the top agents in the country to help scale your business.

Jesse has founded, operated and sold multiple online ventures. Jesse started SportsMemorabilia.com, growing it from a raw domain into the world's biggest autograph store and a Top 500 Internet Retailer. The company was sold to Fanatics, the global leader in sports merchandise. Before that, Jesse started and ran a direct-to-consumer online skincare brand that generated $48M in revenue in the first two years. Jesse sold the company to a direct-marketing conglomerate. Jesse is also Founder & CEO of DietSpotlight.com, a nutrition website with more than 130 million visitors and an Inc 5000 fastest-growing company in 2018. Jesse also purchased, developed and sold category-defining domain names, including Hobbies.com, Boating.com, Yachting.com and Biking.com. Before that, Jesse was Co-Founder and CEO of Soho Digital, a $32M digital agency with 200+ clients. He sold Soho Digital to a portfolio company of Insight Venture Partners. Before his endeavors in the Internet, Jesse worked and lived in Tokyo for six years. Jesse is a member of Young President's Organization (YPO), where he was Chapter Chairman and served on the regional board. He was also also a finalist in Retail and Consumer Products for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Jesse is an angel investor in Integral Ad Science, TMRW, Dstillery, Data.world, SKTCHY, Blanket and WhereBy.Us. Jesse holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania's Lauder Institute and a BA, with Honors, in Sociology and Asian Studies from UC Santa Barbara and Sophia University in Tokyo. [PARTNER WITH US] Get instant 1-on-1 access to over 26 of the top agents in the country to help scale your business.

Jesse has founded, operated and sold multiple online ventures. Jesse started SportsMemorabilia.com, growing it from a raw domain into the world's biggest autograph store and a Top 500 Internet Retailer. The company was sold to Fanatics, the global leader in sports merchandise. Before that, Jesse started and ran a direct-to-consumer online skincare brand that generated $48M in revenue in the first two years. Jesse sold the company to a direct-marketing conglomerate. Jesse is also Founder & CEO of DietSpotlight.com, a nutrition website with more than 130 million visitors and an Inc 5000 fastest-growing company in 2018. Jesse also purchased, developed and sold category-defining domain names, including Hobbies.com, Boating.com, Yachting.com and Biking.com. Before that, Jesse was Co-Founder and CEO of Soho Digital, a $32M digital agency with 200+ clients. He sold Soho Digital to a portfolio company of Insight Venture Partners. Before his endeavors in the Internet, Jesse worked and lived in Tokyo for six years. Jesse is a member of Young President's Organization (YPO), where he was Chapter Chairman and served on the regional board. He was also also a finalist in Retail and Consumer Products for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Jesse is an angel investor in Integral Ad Science, TMRW, Dstillery, Data.world, SKTCHY, Blanket and WhereBy.Us. Jesse holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania's Lauder Institute and a BA, with Honors, in Sociology and Asian Studies from UC Santa Barbara and Sophia University in Tokyo. [PARTNER WITH US] Get instant 1-on-1 access to over 26 of the top agents in the country to help scale your business.

Clayton Christopher is the Founder of Astō Consumer Partners, a CPG-focused investment firm. He is also the former CEO and Founder of Sweet Leaf Tea, an organic bottled tea company he started with only $10,000 before selling it to Nestlé. Clayton co-founded and was the Chairman for Deep Eddy Vodka, which became one of the fastest-growing spirits brands under his leadership. As a serial entrepreneur in the CPG space, he co-founded Waterloo Sparkling Water and Rhythm Super Foods, among other brands. Clayton is also a board member and investor in various CPG brands and was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Central Texas.  In this episode…  As a digitally native brand, getting your products into consumers' hands before launching them isn't always feasible. Expanding into retail channels allows you to reach a wider audience and promote your products. What should you know before transitioning into retail, and how can you optimize your presence in the market? Digitally native brands that transition to retail often lose some DTC customers to competitors. Multipreneur Clayton Christopher suggests building a core customer base by offering samples at music festivals or creating memorable in-store experiences to showcase product quality and drive loyalty. He also recommends refining packaging to communicate key product attributes effectively and ensuring organizational focus on strategic priorities to support retail success. These approaches strengthen retail performance, enhance brand visibility, and create lasting consumer relationships. In this week's episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, Clayton Christopher, the Founder of Astō Consumer Partners, joins William Harris to talk about launching CPG brands into retail channels. Clayton explains the importance of launching in a niche market first, his leadership framework for brand growth, and how he built, scaled, and sold his brands.

Why you've got to check out today's episode:Learn valuable insights into the lessons learned of building a $12 million business, losing it all, and bouncing back.Discover the key to true freedom -- the often-overlooked third element of freedom which is crucial for sustainable business success.Find actionable steps and strategies to identify self-sabotaging traits and develop a mindset plan that helps entrepreneurs and business owners reduce stress, avoid burnout, and create a more fulfilling life.Resources/Links: Checkout and download this book, 'Win the War Within' for FREE at www.ideasintobusiness.com/win.Summary:Are you an entrepreneur or business owner struggling to find the right balance in your life? Many believe that achieving financial success and time freedom is the key to happiness, but often overlook the importance of mental peace. The constant pursuit of money can lead to burnout, stress, and a never-ending cycle of anxiety.At 23, Luke Fatooros started his first business in his father's shed with $800. It grew to $12 million, but he lost it all. He is an Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year awardee and an Amazon 2-time Best Seller.In this episode, Luke, who has lived through these challenges, shares with us how to win the war within and find true freedom by embracing a balanced mindset.Check out these episode highlights:02:01 - Luke's ideal client: Business owners and entrepreneurs struggling to find balance.02:17 - The problem he helps solve: Worry and stress each day and anxiety inside.03:34 - Symptoms of the problem: Burnout, mental breakdowns, health issues, relationship breakups, guilt, and later on in life, regret. 04:30 - Common mistakes his clients make before seeing him: Believing money is the goal.06:22 - Luke's Valuable Free Action [VFA]:  Identify your self-sabotage.08:38 - His Valuable Free Resource [VFR]: Checkout and download this book, 'Win the War Within' for FREE at www.ideasintobusiness.com/win.09:25 - Q: Why did it take me 50 years to discover my biggest self-sabotaging trait - the fear of running out of money? A: That was my goal. And, no matter how much money I kept, I kept chasing money because the beast within, my deepest fears was controlling me. I had to confront it and overcome it.Tweetable Takeaways from this Episode:“Money isn't the goal. Freedom is the goal.” - Luke Fatooros

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Barry LaBov, a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, celebrated author, and brand strategist, as we dive into his new book, The Power of Differentiation: Win Hearts, Minds, and Market Share. With over forty years of experience helping hundreds of companies across diverse industries discover their magic and genius, Barry brings exceptional insights on what it takes to stand out in today's competitive land-scape. Beyond branding, we will explore Barry's wisdom on business and life, drawn from his remarkable career journey that began in the world of 80's rock music and evolved into a successful entrepreneurial path as the Founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing, Communications, and Training. Through real-world case studies and actionable steps, we'll uncover valuable lessons on differentiation, business, and personal growth that any listener can apply. Whether you're an established brand, entrepreneur or simply looking to be inspired, this episode will be a valuable listen.

Barry LaBov is a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, a nationally recognized author, brand strategist, and honored guest here on the YES, BRAND podcast. He is the Founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing, Communications, and Training—a full-service agency that specializes in helping clients discover and celebrate their brand differentiation. LABOV's clients include national and international brands in automotive, recreational products, premium spirits, motorcycles, PE firms, and more. Barry's upcoming book is entitled, “The Power of Differentiation, Win Hearts, Minds and Market Share.”

Send us a text“Don't be so hard on yourself and allow yourself to be who you are.” - Barry LaBovIn this multifaceted episode of the Deep Wealth Podcast, host Jeffrey engages with Barry Lebov, renowned brand strategist, entrepreneur, and author. The episode traces Barry's journey from a young musician to the CEO of Lebov Marketing, highlighting how he transformed challenges into success stories, including winning the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.04:34 Barry Lebov's Journey09:53 The Power of Differentiation18:23 The Importance of Storytelling24:18 Uncovering Your Unique Value27:37 Creating a Unique and Priceless Plan32:05 Learning from Century-Old Companies40:00 Avoiding the Perfect Trap42:25 The Future of Differentiation in the Age of AIClick here to subscribe to The Deep Wealth Podcast to save time and effort.SELECTED LINKS FOR THIS EPISODEDifference Talks Podcast SeriesLABOVlabovandbeyond | X@labovmktg • Instagram LaBov and Beyond | FacebookLABOV - YouTubeBarry LaBov  | LinkedInBarry LaBov Writes@labovmktg | TikTokBook: The Power of Differentiation eBook : LaBov, Barry: Kindle StoreResources To Have You Thrive And ProsperLooking to unlock your path to wealth and success? The Deep Wealth Podcast is your go-to source to extract your deepest wealth in business and life. Picture yourself mastering the foundational strategies that led our founders to a 9-figure exit. Ready to grow your profits, boost the value of your business, and optimize your life post-exit? Shoot us a quick email at insights[at]deepwealth.com with "Deep Wealth" in the subject line for more info. Click the links below to explore the resources, gear, and books that have paved the way for our guests and the high-achieving Deep Wealth team to reach remarkable success. Here's to helping you unlock the riches and success you deserve! https://www.deepwealth.com/thriveContact Deep Wealth: Client testimonials The Deep Wealth Strategy Map LinkedIn Instagram Subscribe to The Deep Wealth Podcast Help us pay it forward by leaving a review.May you continue to thrive and prosper while remaining healthy and safe!

Chantelle Little is the Founder and CEO of Tiller Digital, a design and development agency helping B2B SaaS founders and marketers scale with conversion-focused web, brand, and product design. Under her leadership, Tiller has grown into a multi-million-dollar agency focusing on B2B software brands across Canada and the US. Chantelle's dedication to her vision and her team has made her recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. At Tiller, she emphasizes a no-ego culture and the power of intergenerational cooperation, fostering innovation and mentorship among her diverse team.  In this episode… Starting a business can be a treacherous path filled with financial constraints, relentless competition, and the daunting task of building a reliable team. Can a young entrepreneur navigate these waters and emerge victorious in the high-stakes world of B2B software agencies? Thriving entrepreneur Chantelle Little delves into the intricacies of sparking agency growth, the benefits of focusing on a niche market, and the significance of intergenerational collaboration within her team. She shares how she transformed her passion for storytelling and web design into a thriving agency that serves B2B SaaS brands. She recalls early challenges, including financial struggles and the constraints of her limiting beliefs, and discusses the revolutionary mindset shift that resulted in dreaming bigger and achieving more. Chantelle also offers insights into strategic hires and the importance of a growth mindset in the hiring process. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Chantelle Little, Founder and CEO of Tiller Digital, about building and growing a B2B SaaS-focused digital agency. Chantelle discusses how Tiller Digital started and evolved into a B2B SaaS-focused agency, the transformational impact of finding the right niche for your business, how dreaming bigger and recognizing limiting beliefs can propel personal and business growth, and tips for building a leadership team and culture.

Jared Kugel is the CEO and Founder of Tire Agent, an innovative e-commerce platform revolutionizing how consumers purchase and install tires across the US. Tire Agent has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies, ranking #936 on the Inc. 5000 list, with Jared himself being a 2024 finalist in the New York area's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. An expert in automotive, e-commerce, and fintech, Jared is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and fostering strong partnerships within the tire and automotive industry. In this episode… The automotive industry is known for its tight-knit community and loyal professionals who often spend their entire careers in the field. How did one entrepreneur leverage this industry culture to build a successful e-commerce tire business from scratch? According to Jared Kugel, Tire Agent started with a simple LinkedIn message and evolved through multiple iterations before finding its footing as an online tire retailer. Jared faced numerous challenges, including financial hardships and countless rejections from investors, but persevered through sheer determination and the support of industry connections. His journey highlights the importance of adaptability, resilience, and building solid relationships within the automotive sector. On this episode of Gain Traction, Mike Edge welcomes Jared to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in the tire industry. They discuss Jared's background, the inception of Tire Agent, early challenges in fundraising and business development, and the company's growth into a successful e-commerce platform. Jared also shares personal anecdotes that illustrate the dedication required to launch a startup in the competitive automotive market. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [01:54] Jared Kugel's first job and early challenges [02:56] Managing 15 kids versus managing 100 adults: Jared's perspective [03:35] The journey from family tire business to founding Tire Agent [07:39] Jared's LinkedIn message that led to a $750,000 investment [11:17] How Tire Agent pivoted multiple times before finding success [17:32] Crazy customer service stories [21:25] The comprehensive structure of Tire Agent's customer service [23:24] How Tire Agent partners with dealers for mutual growth Resources mentioned in this episode:  Jared Kugel on LinkedIn  Tire Agent  Eric Gill on LinkedIn Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service  Mike Edge on LinkedIn Tread Partners Quotable Moments: "I was answering the calls on holidays, weekends, and the middle of the night. I did not celebrate a holiday or birthday; I was all in." "If it no longer is fun or you don't enjoy it anymore, you shouldn't be doing it — because this is something you'll do half your day." "You can never be happy if you never experience sadness — you appreciate the highs that much more." "We want to create a foundation of friendship and family when you're building a business because that's what helps grow." "Without customers, there is no business; if you take care of your customers, they will take care of you." Action Steps: Personalize customer interactions: This builds a deeper connection with customers and ensures they feel valued. Invest in comprehensive staff training. This will ensure that staff is knowledgeable and prepared to offer the best customer service, reduce errors, and enhance customer satisfaction. Implement a dedicated post-sale support team: Creating specialized teams for post-sale support, such as warranty handling and package tracking, ensures that customers have a seamless experience even after the purchase.  Leverage multi-channel customer acquisition: By partnering with platforms like Tire Agent, dealers can gain additional customers without extra marketing expenditure, thus diversifying their customer acquisition channels. Regularly review and update customer service protocols:  Adapting to changing market conditions ensures the business stays responsive to customer needs. Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by Tread Partners.  At Tread Partners, we provide digital marketing for multi-location tire dealers and auto repair shops.  By using our strategy, branding, and marketing services, we help shops sell more tires and put more cars in bays. We've helped companies like Action Gator Tire, Colony Tire and Service, and Ulmer's Auto Care Center bring extreme growth in paid leads, ROI, and searches.  So, what are you waiting for? Visit www.treadpartners.com or email info@treadpartners.com to learn more.

Barry LaBov is a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, a nationally recognized, respected author, podcast guest, and brand strategist. What inspired you to focus on brand differentiation? your upcoming book, "The Power of Differentiation"? Give us an example of the benefits of brand differentiation and how it transformed a client's business. What are the most common challenges companies face when trying to identify their unique competitive advantages? How can they overcome them? Why is it crucial for companies to move away from a commodity mindset, and how does this shift affect their overall performance and employee morale? How do you approach the process of brand re-engineering, and what key elements do you focus on to ensure a brand stands out in a competitive market? Barry LaBov Barry LaBov is a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, a nationally recognized, respected author, podcast guest, and brand strategist. He is the Founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing, Communications, and Training—a full-service agency specializing in helping clients discover and celebrate their brand differentiation. LABOV's clients include national and international brands in automotive, recreational products, premium spirits, motorcycles, PE firms, and more. He has an upcoming book entitled, The Power of Differentiation, Win Hearts, Minds and Market Share that will be distributed by Simon and Schuster globally. Barry's goal is to inspire over one million people with its message. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching a company specialized in leadership development.

Options vs Stocks & Trading vs Investing w Tom Sosnoff of tastytrade Revisited  AZ TRT S05 EP26 (242) 7-7-2024   Things We Learned This Week ·      Implied Volatility & Time Decay – options begins with volatility, on a clock so Mechanics (forget mind set) on how to setup a trade is key   ·      tastytrade is a media network based on Math (Probability & Statistics - Look at the Math), trading & focus on markets   ·      Limited Profitability & Unlimited Risk when you Sell Puts w/ 80% chance of success - Be a Seller of Options – let Market beat you, slight edge ·      Trade Small, Trade Often - Law of Large Numbers w/ 45 DTE Strike Price of 1 SD – Exit or Roll at 21 DTE ·      Options Trading Teaches Life Lessons – Important to: take risks, learn to take risks, make quick decisions, be decisive about those decisions.     Guests: Tom Sosnoff of tastytrade https://www.tastytrade.com/ https://twitter.com/tastytrade Tom Sosnoff, founder and co-CEO of tastytrade   Tom Sosnoff is an online brokerage innovator and financial educator. Tom is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded thinkorswim in 1999, tastytrade in 2011, tastyworks in 2017, helped to launch the award- winning Luckbox Magazine in 2019, and in 2020 he created the first new futures exchange in 20 years, The Small Exchange. Leveraging over 20 years of experience as a CBOE market maker, Tom is driven by the passion to educate self-directed investors. A true visionary, after his years on the floor he saw the need to build and design superior software platforms and brokerage firms that specialized in complex financial strategies. His efforts ultimately changed the way options and futures are traded and how digital financial media is produced and consumed. Currently, Tom hosts tastytrade LIVE and continues to drive innovation and know-how for the do-it-yourself investor.       Tom has been named to Techweek's Tech 100 list, Crain's Chicago's Tech 50, and has spoken at over 500 events across the globe. Tom received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and was been featured by prominent publications such as WSJ, IBD, Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago, Traders Magazine, and Barron's.   --- About tastytrade, Inc.   tastytrade is one of the most-watched online financial networks, engaging investors and traders across 165 countries with daily, live, cost-free and commercial-free programming with over 100 million hours viewed. tastytrade offers over 50 original segments for all levels of traders. tastytrade's data-driven research-based content teaches a logical, mechanical approach to investing and identifying opportunities based on probability and volatility. Investors are continually challenged with financial math, humor, and new market perspectives. tastytrade and its companies focus on empowering the individual investor through content, technology, and know-how. tastytrade is the parent company to several innovative financial companies. tastyworks, a brokerage firm creating and leading a financial revolution for the do-it-yourself investor     Notes: Bio – options trading in 1980s, CBOE market maker, then built 2 co's tastytrade & tastyworks (broker platform), history c 2011 – media platform sold 2021, $1 billion bought by IG Group 2021, Tom stayed on, runs tastytrade. TD Ameritrade, and 2012 purchase of Think or Swim (was IPO, public) Partners – Tony Battista, Kristi Ross, Scott Sheridan Think or Swim – started in 2001 w/ 7 people and 5 still with Tom. 10 years, went public, purchased by TD in 2009, $1 billion stayed 2 years, then started tastytrade with TD CEO as investor. Think or Swim – learned as they went, education, content. Finance is missing good content, does not understand financial media and technical analysis.   Efficient Market Theorist & efficient market pricing Media Network all math – quantitative and statistical logic. tastytrade 10 hours a day – live content. Focus on markets, math related and trading. Morning radio show about people working to make money, having fun,  talks trading and Financial Mechanics Tony Battista, Tom Preston, are some of the 30 personalities total on-air. Talking math a lot, but Tom just ok at math. Jacob Perlman – math genius, Phd. tastytrade research team Audience is smart, challenge them don't dumb it down. Capital Efficiency - Derivative (Options) Markets very efficient. Buffet Options Strategy – selling Puts, profit of $ billions, rarely discussed   Markets are 50/50, generally. S/T markets are emotional, can be over bought or oversold, but Tom trusts prices over L/T. No one knows direction of market and where price is going on stocks and market direction , 50/50 is a guess. Market is random with side of emotion, not a perfect distribution curve. Positive drift in market, market goes up over Long Term L/T More deviations vs. a model. Does not believe in traditional investor education Empower power with lots of info, not teaching people Content marketing in house, media to masses Stocks can go down, have to experience it Fear size (of a trade) - one thing Tom fears is size, bet big and wrong, large failure When Genius Failed (a book) - trades too big (leverage), collapsed the company   Law of large numbers – do something enough times, end up with expectation. Trade a lot with 70 - 80% probability outcome. Learn options by doing options Casino games have negative edge – can't win, can never get ahead. Just for fun. Options trading teaches life lessons – Important to: take risks, learn to take risks, make quick decisions, be decisive about those decisions. Take risks to do something special Brain processing, faster than competition Working hard not enough Make a lot of decisions, learn to take risk and increase brain processing speed. Manage risk in life, finance and work probabilities, hard to predict things   Day 1 in Options – Mechanics most important thing to understand Mindset is BS, no emotional side to trading, no mindset to math. Mindset just a sales tool, that Financial world sells. Mechanics has strategy within it. Cannot manage positions or risk post trade. Need mechanics to set up trade right. Traders could be nice or mean, but all good ones make fast decisions before you even heard question. Trade plan – if goes this way, I will do this. Options – learn by doing; learn mechanics by doing a little at a time. Volatility – majority starts and ends with volatility with few exceptions. Implied volatility & Time Decay – always on a clock, option will expire Stock Trader - out wait your enemy, patience. Trader plays short volatility game. Enter trade – implied volatility rank is high Trade favorable, expected volatility move is high. Rank relative to itself, it's inflated and has potential to contract. Volatility is a math equation and will mean revert. Price is not a math equation, does not need to revert to some number or average.   Tom would rather be a seller of options vs a seller, small advantage, likelihood of contraction after expansion. Fear has expanded, better chance to contract vs expand more. Analogy: own stock, own the asset. Sell options, collecting income (rent) on the assets. Sell covered calls, or out of the money put. Put – limited upside, unlimited downside, but 70% chance of profit. Put up $200 for $100 profit with 70% chance Put up $1000 for unlimited profit with 50/50 chance Have a choice – think through probabilities and bank roll. No math equation can tell you the right answers for sure. Tom back tests – selling out of money puts of S&P index out performs buying index with dividends, Use less capital, lower volatility in your P&L, make more money. More conservative strategy   Trade more, and small with higher percentage of success. 45 day position – DTE Days to Expiration. 21 day DTE is exit day per Tom, exit early after 24 days. Adjust, roll or close position. Increase probability to be profitable. Reduce outlier risk almost to 0. tastytrade spent millions on research Manage trades and exit early is mechanics, can always exit at 21 DTE 45 day position, 24 days in (21 DTE), make a decision – adjust, roll, close, extend contract (add duration) –roll Start new position 45DTE, buy more time at 21 DTE, move it no matter what work to be close to 50% at 21 DTE Casino Analogy – bet $100, won $50, take money and end bet. tastytrade content goal is: create methodology and strategies to have positive environment for self directed investor, requires time and resources. Learning curve faster now, can learn in a few months or a few years. 6-10 strategies Tom likes, short strangle – simultaneous sale of a call and a put. No tech analysis or charts, just watch screen.   Price Action  / Liquidity – trading hundreds of millions per day. Very liquid assets, very liquid underlyings (ir – Apple, Tesla, Indexes) does not trade non-liquid (microcap) Tom could do 60 trades a day (had 14K trades in 2021) On day of interview, did 110 trades. Self described “Trading Junkie” Account size in tastytrade - $25K average . Reserves – 50%, $12.5K in reserve. 1-3% of account size on a particular trade ($250 per trade), 5% on high and 1/5 size of a stock. Tom does not believe in option levels of industry. No noise, no CNBC or Bloomberg news. No (zero) belief in newsletters or trading bots, trading education is over rated. All tastytrade content is free, videos, newsletter, etc. Trade fees are low, $1 per, Tom does factor fees or taxes. Most options income is ordinary income - 1256 B tax – max of 25%. L/T 40%, S/T 60% Stocks are usually capital gains (20%) in taxes   Trades – 80% of business in under-lyings (standard big stocks / indexes) 1 STD – 16% of getting to that level, 2 STD -  5%, 3 STD – 1% 1 STD is Delta, Tom likes 16 – 22% Greeks – know Delta & Theta (can also learn Gamma, Vega) Directional Risk – rate of decline or time decay – Theta Change in price of option vs. stock – Delta, premium making or losing daily. Per Tom – need to trade more. Trade small, trade often. Counter thinking to stock trading of buy & hold. Per Tom, stock trader can evolve to an options trader with 1 downturn in market.   Buy & Hold stock investor (passive) is a ‘knuckle dragger', does not have the  appreciation for capital efficiency - Stock investor ‘just hasn't evolved yet' – gotten to next level. Casino Games analogy – enter a casino, we have all these games, but you can just play the slots (buy stocks) Grow and realize capital efficiency of options indifferent to products and strategy. Tom owns stocks but trades options, crypto, stocks Facilitate opportunity. No limits, no fences. House Analogy - big meter in front of house, with home price & appreciation shown daily on the side of the house, no one would own a home. We don't teach our kids to be passive, follow crowd and not think – don't be passive with your money. Financial service firms and media convinced masses ‘buy & hold' and we'll handle the rest - Don't be ‘only passive' Future of investing is more than check a few boxes. Differences in asset classes   Final takeaway – life is short and goes by fast. Get comfortable taking risks and experiencing risks. Good Luck to Tom with his 500 trades this week.           Clips from:   Options vs Stocks & Trading vs Investing w Tom Sosnoff of tastytrade - BRT S03 EP14 (113) 4-3-2022     Full Show: HERE             Tech Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Tech-Startup-VC-Cybersecurity-Energy-Science   Best of Tech: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=best+of+tech     Investing Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Investing-Stocks-Bonds-Retirement     ‘Best Of' Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Best+of+BRT     Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast.     AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business.  AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving.  Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more…    AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: http://aztrtshow.com/ ‘Best Of' AZ TRT Podcast: Click Here Podcast on Google: Click Here Podcast on Spotify: Click Here                    More Info: https://www.economicknight.com/azpodcast/ KFNX Info: https://1100kfnx.com/weekend-featured-shows/   Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc.

Ireland is a tech hub because it is an English-speaking beacon in the EU. But others are not so fortunate: only one billionth of the content created worldwide gets translated leaving millions of people out in the linguistic cold. With 87% of site visitors preferring their own language when surfing the web, companies should prioritise localised content? or face disastrous consequences?. One person who knows this all too well is Bryan Murphy, the CEO of Smartling, a cloud-based translation technology and language services company headquartered in New York. Ronan recently caught up with Bryan Murphy. Bryan talks about his background, what Smartling does, Gen AI, translation localisation, existing and new tech stacks, quantum computing and more. More about Bryan Murphy: As the CEO of Smartling, Bryan leads a team of passionate and innovative professionals who are transforming the way content is created, managed, and delivered across the world. With over 20 years of experience in e-commerce and SaaS, he has a proven track record of building and scaling successful businesses that leverage cutting-edge technology and customer-centric solutions. Prior to joining Smartling, Bryan held various leadership roles at eBay, where he was responsible for driving growth and profitability for key verticals in North America. He also co-founded and led WHI Solutions, the largest automotive e-commerce platform in North America, which was acquired by eBay in 2012. Bryan has received several awards and recognitions, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Technology Fast 500 Award, and the a16z Marketplace 100. His mission is to empower businesses to reach new markets and audiences with Smartling's LanguageAI Platform, the #1 rated translation management system by users on G2.

Today's guest is Brian Lee, a rock-star serial entrepreneur. Brian has cofounded several companies worth over a billion dollars each, such as Legalzoom with Robert Shapiro, The Honest Company with Jessica Alba, ShoeDazzle with Kim Kardashian and Arena Club with baseball legend Derek Jeter. Brian is also the cofounder and managing partner of BAM Ventures, an early-stage VC firm. Brian wrote the first investment check into Honey, which went on to sell to PayPal for $4B. Brian was formerly an attorney with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP.  Brian graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Economics and Business from UCLA. He received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law. He was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. In this episode, we dive into: The incredible stories of how LegalZoom, ShoeDazzle, The Honest Company and Arena Club came to fruition. The secret sauce behind celebrity partnerships How Brian made his transition into VC venture capital The types of founders that VCs want to invest in

Unexpected twist: Imagine finding out that the secret to Joe's incredible success in entrepreneurship and resilience isn't just about his business acumen, but actually lies in his unconventional support system and a surprising source of inspiration. Dive in to uncover the extraordinary role of family and faith in Joe's journey, and how it's shaping the future of entrepreneurship. You won't want to miss this eye-opening revelation. Stay tuned to discover the surprising key to Joe's achievements! In this episode, you will be able to: Gain insights on the importance of family support in entrepreneurship. Discover the benefits of surrounding yourself with motivated individuals. Learn how to empower employees for organizational growth. Uncover strategies for innovation and differentiation in competitive markets. Develop resilience and determination in entrepreneurship. Joseph Zeppilli, the co-founder of Bad Monkey Popcorn, is an accomplished entrepreneur recognized for his resilience and success in the business world. As a finalist for Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year and a recipient of sustainability awards, Joe's expertise in entrepreneurship is underscored by his practical experience and achievements. His journey highlights the pivotal role of family support in fostering resilience and determination, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of the business landscape. With a focus on the importance of familial encouragement and mentorship, Joe's perspective brings a wealth of knowledge to the table, making him an invaluable guest for shedding light on the significance of family support in entrepreneurship. The key moments in this episode are: 00:01:17 - The Influence of Mentors 00:07:21 - Fostering Entrepreneurship through Community 00:13:07 - Importance of Emotional Connection in Entrepreneurship 00:16:49 - Finding Strength in Faith and Family 00:22:08 - Staying True to Values in Business  Family Support in Entrepreneurship Coming from a supportive family environment, Joe Zeppilli underscores the crucial role that familial backing plays in entrepreneurial success. He emphasizes that having a strong, resilient family that encourages and believes in one's potential can be a catalyst for achieving professional goals. This strong foundation can mold an entrepreneurial mindset, nurturing resilience and determination to succeed despite adversities. Want to connect with or work with Joe Zeppilli to learn more? Find out more here! Joe's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-zeppilli-06252485/  Two energetic entrepreneurs host a leadership podcast for those looking to connect more authentically with others and grow to their potential through mentoring. The AugMentors podcast is now Part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Learn more about how Hubspot can help your business grow better at http://hubspot.sjv.io/Xxb224 If you would like to be a guest on AugMentors, email us at hi@augmentors.us. We'd love to hear your story! Let's connect! Follow us on-- Our Website: https://www.augmentors.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/augmentors-us Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/youtube.com/@augmentorspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/augmentorshq/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/augmentorshq

Struggling to Scale Your Startup? Discover Billion-Dollar Secrets from John Hewitt Entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts often struggle with the challenge of scaling their startups. In this episode of Fordify LIVE! The Business Growth Show, host Ford Saeks sits down with the legendary John Hewitt to uncover the strategies that turned his visions into the powerhouse brands Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax. On this episode they discuss, Foundational Strategies: Insights from John's journey of founding and scaling major tax preparation franchises. Cultivating a Winning Culture: Essential elements for building a productive and loyal team. Business Innovative: John's perspective on embracing change and driving business growth. Real-time Engagement: Live interaction with John, providing answers to your burning questions. This episode stands out as a crucial resource for entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses. It's filled with practical advice and inspiring success stories, offering a comprehensive look into John Hewitt's journey and strategies. The insights provided are particularly valuable for those aiming to scale their ventures and achieve significant milestones in their business endeavors. Watch the full interview on YouTube here. Join us every Wednesday at 11AM Central on your favorite social platforms for Fordify LIVE! and catch The Business Growth Show Podcast every Thursday. Get first-hand insights from industry leaders and business experts to fuel your business journey. About John Hewitt: John Hewitt is a distinguished American entrepreneur, acclaimed for founding Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax, two of the top retail chains in North America. Born in Detroit and raised in Hamburg, New York, Hewitt's entrepreneurial journey began at H&R Block, leading to the creation of his innovative tax preparation companies. His ventures, characterized by groundbreaking software and customer-focused services, have earned him numerous accolades, including Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and International Franchise Association's Entrepreneur of the Year. Hewitt's commitment extends beyond business; he's actively involved in philanthropy, notably in the fight against world hunger. His book, "ICompete," and his place in several Business Halls of Fame, highlight his significant contributions to entrepreneurship and the tax industry. Find out more about him here: Loyalty Brands   About Ford Saeks: Ford Saeks, a dynamic Business Growth Innovator with over two decades of experience, stands at the forefront of corporate growth and innovation. He is the charismatic host of FORDIFY LIVE and THE Business Growth Podcast, where his extensive business acumen is showcased. Ford's approach to driving sales and customer engagement blends practical insights with the latest trends, including the impactful use of AI in business. His shows offer a platform for insightful discussions with industry leaders, sharing valuable knowledge and strategies for business success. Discover more at ProfitRichResults.com and Fordify.tv.

In this episode Richard has a great conversation with Steve Swinney. Steve is the CEO & Co-Founder of Kodiak Building Partners, Inc., a $3 billion revenue-diversified building products distributor based in Denver, Colorado. Since its creation in July 2011, Kodiak has grown through a series of 40 acquisitions and three business launches along with extensive organic growth of its operating companies. With a decentralized and entrepreneurial culture, Kodiak was honored with a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for the past five years along with being recognized as the largest Colorado-based company to earn that distinction. In 2022, Steve was selected as a winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact on the region's business landscape. In 2023, Steve was recognized as a ColoradoBiz Magazine CEO of the Year finalist and Denver Business Journal Most Admired CEO. In his free time, Steve enjoys spending time with family, skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking in the Colorado mountains. DONATE: If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support what we do, click here. RESOURCES: Find out more and register for ‘The Ways of God' Conference with Richard at The Cove May 15-17, 2024 here. CONNECT: Follow Richard on Twitter. Follow Richard on Facebook. Read Richard's latest blog here. Connect with Steve here.

After a distinguished career at Food Materials Corporation, Joe Slawek saw an opportunity to develop a new kind of flavor company. He founded FONA International in 1987 on this desire to be both high-tech and high-touch. In 1999, Joe was inducted into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in recognition of his established unique corporate culture and the dramatic year-over-year growth it was driving −five times the industry standard. In 2011, Joe was honored with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year® award for Manufacturing in the Midwest. Joe is now the former CEO and Chairman of FONA's Board of Directors and now leads focused efforts for the Slawek Family Business Office.  Joe is also a published author of “Success: 10 Best Practices for Business and Life” and “Life's 4th Quarter”. We're delighted to have Joe on the podcast this week to discuss his career trajectory and where he got his entrepreneurial drive. He shares how FONA differentiated themselves from the bigger companies in their industry by providing great customer service and quick turnaround times. We also dig into the principles of culture and faithfulness in leadership and why he felt called to share his wisdom in his most recent book “Life's 4th Quarter”. “There's something pure about giving to somebody that you're never going to meet.” - Joe Slawek “Being generative means seeding for that next generation.” - Joe Slawek “I think I properly invested God's money in the way that He would want me to.” -  Joe Slawek This Week on The Wow Factor: Joe discusses his work ethic and how it was instilled in him from a young age, starting with part-time jobs and continuing through college When Joe figured out the purpose of work and why he loved that feeling of autonomy and independence so much The trajectory-changing, turning point in Joe's life when his mother passed away suddenly in her early forties Why Joe was attracted to sales as a career and how he managed to get his foot in the door before he even left college How to handle the situation gracefully when you're dealing with professional envy Why Joe decided to leave his job and take an 80% pay cut to start his own company  Some of the inspirational mentors Joe has had along his journey The importance of taking real steps to make a business idea happen rather than just talking about it Why they rebranded as FONA, and the company's core values Joe shares more about the church service that led him to a deeper interest in the Bible and his faith How Joe came up with the idea of doubling the company's growth every four years or the two-by-four principle Joe Slawek's Words of Wisdom: Whoever sows generously will reap generously. Each of you should give what you've decided to give and in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, and God can bless you abundantly so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  Connect with Joe Slawek:  Joseph James Slawek on LinkedIn  Connect with The WOW Factor: The WOW Factor Website Connect with Brad Formsma via email Brad Formsma on LinkedIn Brad Formsma on Instagram Brad Formsma on Facebook Brad Formsma on Twitter

The Energizer (ft. Rachel Sheerin)On powering your life and the lives of othersOPENING QUOTE:“A lot of those titans, in 2020 and 2021, they weren't ready to say the B word yet. It wasn't viral on TikTok yet.”-Rachel SheerinGUEST BIO:Rachel Sheerin doesn't just motivate, she illuminates. She doesn't just speak, she electrifies any room. Her keynote message of finding both passion and success in life and work is amazing, but what's really made her special and such an in-demand speaker and MC is her 1,000-watt onstage performance. Her tales of resilience, hilarious misadventures and powerful insights into burnout and recovery inspire and entertain audiences all over the world. Whether she's diving deep in the topics of personal growth, lighting the path toward professional success or sharing that infectious laugh, Rachel Sheerin is not just a speaker and an MC — she's an experience.Links:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramXFacebookCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:28] - Famous Words, New MeaningWhat does it really mean to love life?Just a few years ago, Rachel Sheerin was miserable, burntout, and ready to set fire to her career. Then, she did. What came next changed everything. She began looking for joy, rather than just the next project. She began looking for ways to “move the needle,” finding ways that her life was pulling her away from happiness rather than pushing her toward it. Loving our life means changing our mindset and our circumstances, learning to embrace what we can't change and push past what's standing in our way.[7:52] - Burnout as OvercaringBurnout comes There's a saying that parenting is only hard for good parents, and the same is true of career burnout. A career is only a challenge if you care about doing it well. Rachel found that her burnout came from trying to be all things, for all people, at all times.Soon, she began learning to prioritize what mattered most in a given moment. Sometimes, that was herself. Other times, it was her community. And sometimes, it was the entire world. Avoiding burnout is about managing our caring muscles.[16:24] - The Difference Between an MC and a Keynote SpeakerSimilar backgrounds, different rolesHaving seen both sides, Rachel Sheerin understands the distinction between an MC and a keynote speaker. An MC is someone there for engagement and enjoyment and event management. It's the three Es that are at the core role of an MC. A keynote speaker can definitely do those things, but it's really about their thought leadership, motivation, and whether they're an expert in their subject. To put it more succinctly: MCs excel at delivering an organization's message. Keynote speakers excel at delivering their own message to organizations.[33:41] - The People Who Don't Look Like YouBenefitting from diverse perspectivesWant to expand your knowledge, empathy, and capability? Start by expanding your openness to diverse voices. As Rachel says, it's not about hitting a benchmark or making a token effort on an individual or organizational level. It's about opening yourself up to exposure from people who look differently, think differently, and do differently than you. It's the moment when you star tasking: “Gosh, what else is out there?”RESOURCES:[2:48] Rachel's BlogFollow Rachel Sheerin:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramXFacebookFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Go Beyond (ft. Colin O'Brady)From never-walk-again to never-stop-climbingOPENING QUOTE:“Man, I'd do anything for an ejector seat button to get me the heck out of here, as fast as possible, that's for sure.”-Colin O'BradyGUEST BIO:Colin O'Brady is a 10 time world record holding explorer, New York Times bestselling author, professional athlete, multi-time entrepreneur, and collegiate athlete. Back in the early 2000s, Colin experienced a tragic setback that meant he was unlikely to ever be able to walk normally again. Not only did he walk again, but 18 months later he placed first in the overall legendary Chicago triathlon. From that day forward, Colin was a professional triathlete, racing in 25 countries across six continents. He then went on to break not one, but two mountaineering world records, where he competed in a series of challenges known as the Explorer's Grand Slam in just 139 days, reaching the top of the tallest peaks on all seven continents along the way.Today, Colin's impact goes beyond breaking records. He's the founder of a nonprofit, and has spoken to the likes of NBCUniversal, P&G, and the Aspen Institute, helping millions of people around the world transcend previous limits and go beyond.Links:WebsiteInstagramFacebookXLinkedInYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[8:19] - The Voices in the TentOvercoming self-doubt in the blizzardMany people think that mega-achievers like Colin don't experience doubt, and that's what makes them strong. But in fact, it's their ability to overcome their own self-doubt that makes high achievers who they are.Colin recalls moments during his trek across Antarctica, when he was alone in his tent, when various different “voices” in his head were telling him to quit, give up, or move on. What allowed him to persevere wasn't a lack of doubt — it was the ability and tenacity to move past it.[13:23] - The Triathlon & the ChairOvercoming adversity one three-hour step at a timeWhen Colin experienced the accident that left him wheelchair-bound, he set an audacious goal — completing a triathlon. But the goal felt so far off and insurmountable, it was easy to get discouraged.Then his mother placed a chair down in front of him in the kitchen, and told him to focus on the small goals. She wanted him to cross the one-step distance to the chair from his wheelchair. It took three hours, and he did it.Later, Colin submitted Everest — and took a tiny pebble as a souvenir. From the kitchen to the top of Everest, Colin has learned to value the way that small things add up to mountain-sized achievements.[16:47] - The Peaks Beyond the PeakMoving goalposts in a life of achievementWe all have our mountain peaks — the goals we think will mark our ultimate level of achievement and joy. But then we get there, and what happens? We feel letdown, and realize there's a whole other peak even higher up.For Colin, he likens it to “post-Olympic depression” — the letdown felt by elite athletes after the end of the event they've worked their entire lives toward. His advice? Move beyond the finish line by acknowledging there is no finish line. The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. You have to be invested in the process of growth, because growth is the peak that's always there.[26:16] - When the Consequences Are RealOn risk and danger in live and businessColin's often seen as someone who takes lots of risks. In fact, he constantly assesses the risk associated with any undertaking and only takes them on if he feels the risks are manageable. But that doesn't mean he's always comfortable. On the edge of comfort and risk is the sweet spot: discomfort that leads to growth.Where in your career are you calling it “risk” when it's really “discomfort”? What uncomfortable things can you do while still managing risk?That's where growth is likely to come fastest and hardest.RESOURCES:[4:44] The 12 Hour Walk, by Colin O'Brady[4:44] The Impossible First, by Colin O'BradyFollow Colin O'Brady:WebsiteInstagramFacebookXLinkedInYouTubeFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

This episode explores tried-and-true lessons leading a CRE investment firm across cyclical shifts with Alex Zikakis, President & Founder of Capstone Advisors.The Crexi Podcast explores various aspects of the commercial real estate industry in conversation with some of the top CRE professionals in the space. In each episode, we feature different guests to tap into their wealth of CRE expertise and explore the latest trends and updates from the world of commercial real estate. In this episode, Crexi's Yannis Papadakis sits down with Alex to discuss the current and past phases of the commercial real estate market, lessons that apply regardless of market cycle, navigating seller expectations, and much more. Their wide-ranging conversation includes:Introductions and pivotal early entrepreneurial learnings.Favorite mistakes and early lessons learned in risk management, setting expectations, and preparing for every eventuality.The importance of understanding human behavior in commercial real estateThe origins of Capstone Advisors and why it prioritizes value-add investing.Current markets of operation and why they've shrunk the assets in portfolio over time while still scaling revenue.The importance of the right team to stay nimble while navigating market challenges, Explaining the strategy of pulling back investment activity in “ideal” market conditions.Current challenges of being a CRE investor in today's market and how Capstone is adjusting.Outlook for 2024 and things to keep in mind moving forward.Rapid-fire questions and sign-offs.And much more!If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our newsletter to receive the very next one delivered straight to your inbox. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi Insights.Ready to find your next CRE property? Visit Crexi and immediately browse hundreds of thousands of available commercial properties.Follow Crexi:https://www.crexi.com/​ https://www.crexi.com/instagram​ https://www.crexi.com/facebook​ https://www.crexi.com/twitter​ https://www.crexi.com/linkedin​ https://www.youtube.com/crexiAbout Alex Zikakis:Alex Zikakis oversees Capstone Advisors' full range of real estate services including commercial property acquisitions, value-add repositioning, property development, residential land development, and asset management services.  In addition he oversees investments in alternative asset classes including real estate secured loans and private equity transactions.Under his direction, Capstone Advisors has been an equity investor in over $2 billion of residential development ventures, purchased five million square feet of commercial properties, overseen third party asset management services for millions of square feet of retail and office properties, and has developed a variety of commercial properties.Mr. Zikakis holds a Masters in Business Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He is a member of the Building Industry Association, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and the Urban Land Institute. He has served on advisory board positions at Cornell University and the University of Colorado, and is currently on the advisory board of the University of San Diego. Mr. Zikakis was awarded the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for real estate and financial services.

We're so excited for this next topic. It's a topic that's never been addressed on this podcast series and a topic that is rarely explored in the  field of play therapy. So settle in, grab something to take notes because Lisa is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine to talk about using interpreters in play therapy.  Mila is the CEO and President of MasterWord Services, Inc. As a professional interpreter, Mila is familiar with the toll interpreting for survivors may have on the interpreters themselves. For the past 15 years, she has applied her training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy and Trauma Informed Care, as well as skills as a Master Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and a Certified Demartini Method Facilitator to tirelessly help promote health and wellness for language professionals and raise awareness about the experiences of human trafficking survivors and their language access needs. See below to know a bit more about Mila and her organization MasterWord Services. We know that interpreters are sometimes used in play therapy, but there's not a lot of training for play therapists to understand what the interpreter experience is or how to attune and work collaboratively with the interpreter in the shared goal of helping the child heal.  This is a brilliant and powerful conversation! And has so much helpful information for us as therapists. In this episode you'll learn about …. The role of the interpreter and how to become aware of the language that is most comfortable for our clients; How to recognize the different cues in our play therapy sessions for our clients when we are speaking to the person in their primary language or in the language in which their trauma occurred; How the play therapist can be both the external regulator for both the child and the interpreter who is also becoming activated as they are channeling the trauma information through them (...as Mila shares, sometimes the interpreter becomes even more deeply affected than the therapist in the room);  How to set boundaries in a session that support interpreters who are asked to come into the session and relieve a trauma in a way to help us understand what the child is going through (...that's a huge ask! Let's appreciate this and make sure we are supporting interpreters in being in their window of tolerance.); The need for awareness and attuned collaboration between a play therapist and interpreter when facilitating healing for a client;  Why we do not want to use family members as interpreters;  The challenge interpreters have in the interpretation process itself (e.g., cultural cues, body language and non-verbal cues being different, etc.); The possible ruptures and challenges that can occur within the client-interpreter-therapist relationship with differences in culture and language and how to support interpreters in more mindfully aware ways; The attribution bias and how this can show up in the therapy session in the relationship between client and therapist; and The important takeaways and calls to action that Mila has for all of us as therapists when working with children and their families when there are language/cultural differences. Plus, check out the amazing trauma-informed resources that Mila has on her website MasterWord.com for interpreters that you can share with the interpreters you work with.  *Ludmila is also an advocate for social justice and is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker. Her work has been recognized by numerous awards, including California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) Trainer of the Year Award, Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award; Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Gulf Coast Area regional winner, and Congressional Recognition G7 “Excellence in International Service” award. She's a rockstar!!!! Thank you Mila for your vision and your heart

Letting Go to Move Ahead (ft. Jamie Hess & Matthew Vincent)This business demands boldness, so we talked to two of the boldestOPENING QUOTE:“Do you want to be doing a hoe down for children's vitamins and a skit about band-aids on Instagram for the rest of your life?”-Jamie HessGUEST BIO:Jamie HessJamie Hess overcame a slew of self-destructive behaviors and turned her so-called liabilities into her greatest assets. She became a top executive, ambassador for hundreds of brands, contributor to Today, Good Morning America, and The View and the face of zuda activewear on QVC. She speaks on stages across the country, teaching her prosperity system called Gratitudeology, a method that reframes the way people take on challenges, helping them hack their hustle and lean into their fear. Jamie spent two decades as a PR expert and high level brand strategist for companies like LinkedIn, McDonald's, and W Hotels. She's also the co-host of the Off the Ground Podcast, named one of the top 40 best podcasts by Good Housekeeping, and has her newest project, the Gratitudeology Podcast, launching February 5th, 2024. Links:WebsiteInstagramXLinkedInYouTubeMatt VincentIf you've never heard of the Highland Games, there are two things you need to know about them. Number one, it's a Scottish cultural event dating back 900 years that attracts some of the strongest people in the world. And number two, Matt Vincent is the two-time world champion. Yes, he could lift any one of us above his head easily. But these days he's more interested in lifting people's spirits through his brand, Not Dead Yet, launched in 2017. In addition to creating apparel and lifestyle products, Not Dead Yet has a podcast with over 450 episodes that brought Matt into the world of public speaking.Links:InstagramYouTubeXCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[9:52] - Why Be a Speaker?On motivations and inspirations For Jamie, the calling to become a speaker came from a desire to make an impact beyond social media influence. She wanted to not just serve brands but serve people, helping them unlock their greatest potential.For Matt, it's about what he calls the “forge.” By refining his message, his delivery, and his ethos as a speaker, he's refining himself and his community. As he says, “even if this doesn't turn into me getting speaker jobs, the side effect of me learning how to do it better will benefit people in my community.”[19:20] - The Power of GratitudeologyJamie explains her growing movementJamie explains the power of gratitude with a running analogy. When you head out on a run, your instinct is to look down at your feet. When you do that, you fixate on each individual step, and time passes slowly. You feel miserable. You want to quit. But when you raise your view to what's around you, taking in all the beauty of the world you're running through, the miles seem to fly by, and you discover you actually enjoy it. That's the power of gratitude, and the foundation of Gratitudeology.[24:56] - Motivating Through Dark MomentsMatt explores the light in the darknessWhat keeps us going when the work we're doing seems fruitless, or there's no immediate payback? Matt says it's all about focus. As evidenced by his earlier “forge” comment, he's discovered a passion for the process, not just the destination. He's fallen in love with the growth he experiences by pursuing his passions — so any results that come are just a bonus.Meanwhile, he reminds us to sharpen the ax to slay the bigger dragon. That looks different for everyone, but it really amounts to taking care of yourself and staying fired up. [29:46] - Choosing Your IdentityChoose who you are, then make it soMatt is someone who's already comfortable with leaving behind past versions of himself. He's let go of the athlete side of himself, which was once his defining characteristic and he now calls “the least important and least interesting things about me.” That willingness to let go is what gives us the opportunity to embrace new futures and identities for ourselves. It gives us the chance to “suck at something new.”As for Jamie, the burden of the past comes from associations. With a famous mother, she's had to move out from beyond her shadow to carve out her own niche for herself. That meant no longer hiding and instead embracing many of the same career directions her mother took — not in tribute or deference to her mother, but because that was the path that called to Jamie, as well. RESOURCES:[1:58] About Gratitudeology(™) [2:19] Off the Gram Podcast[2:52] About Highland Games[3:07] About Not Dead YetFollow Jamie Hess:WebsiteInstagramXLinkedInYouTubeFollow Matt Vincent:InstagramYouTubeXFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

From Comedy to Keppler (ft. Warren Jones)An unexpected path brings surprising insightsOPENING QUOTE:“Thunder applause, everybody on their feet. So happy, just ecstatic. And he said, "Here's the thought I had. I've got to write a new speech.”-Warren JonesGUEST BIO:From a hugely successful career in entertainment, working as a manager at ABC and then at Professional Representatives Organization International, Warren Jones entered the world of marketing to eventually land the CEO gig at EnterWorks. He also launched a successful comedy agency. Later, a casual breakfast meetup with a friend led to an offer to become the CEO of the prestigious Keppler Speakers Bureau. Warren couldn't turn down the challenge, and the rest is history.Links:LinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[15:31] - “I've Got to Write a New Speech”Improving from the topWarren brings up an inspiring story of a speaker who told him about an experience they had after a speech. They had just delivered their message to a packed room, who erupted in thunderous applause, and this speaker was feeling at the absolute top of their game. In that moment, they thought: “I've got to write a new speech.”This speaker was so focused on ensuring that the response they received — and the quality of their message— never diminished, that even at the absolute pinnacle they could only think about their new leap. That's the mark of a true pro.[18:10] - What Speakers Can Learn from ComediansEfficiency and ConnectionIn Warren's experience, comedians often say that writing the first five minutes of a set is the hardest. So many of them work backward — they start with their key beats or punchlines, then build from their destination backward. If something doesn't help get them there, they cut it. Meanwhile, comedians intuitively understand that comedy is about connection as much as its about humor. When an audience is tuned into the wavelength of the performer, that's when real magic happens.Speakers can learn from both of these lessons: design keynotes around your key points, being ruthlessly efficient in the process, and never forget about the power of connection.[23:46] - What Do the Greats Do?Asking Warren what gives speakers staying powerWarren helpfully outlines his example of the perfect pro speaker. She does the event calls and pre-event calls, sometimes more than one. She offers a follow-up conversation. When she walks onstage, she knows the audience — what the hot buttons are, what they may have talked about that morning in another session or the day before. She doesn't play down to the audience or underestimate them. She interacts early and often with the event planner. She even serves as an ambassador for other speakers. She's deeply service oriented.Consider this a checklist for anyone wanting not only a successful speaking career, but a long one.[36:22] - Substance Over FlashThe past, present, and future of the industryThere was a time in speaking when star power was king. Event planners wanted to draw a crowd, and a marquee speaker was the way to do it. But now events draw their crowds from the quality and relevance of the event itself. That means speakers aren't the star — their message is. The future of keynote speaking is all about transformative messages that lead to real impact, not recognizable names that ultimately lead nowhere. Content is what it's all about.RESOURCES:[1:35] About Keppler[40:15] Big Little Breakthroughs, by Josh LinknerFollow Warren Jones:LinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

The Virtuoso (ft. Felipe Gomez)Singing, laughing, and connecting your way to the big stageOPENING QUOTE:“I really thought about it, but when I was there on the stage, I said, what the hell? I'm going to sing. I'm going to make them sing.”-Felipe GomezGUEST BIO:Felipe Gomez is a multi multi hyphenate who has given over a thousand performances across 65 cities, 25 countries and 15 impactful years. He's an artist, humanitarian thought leader and keynote speaker. Felipe combines his unapologetically bold approach to leadership with an unforgettable keynote format, one that features a grand piano at center stage.Links:WebsiteLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[5:16] - Music as an Impact MultiplierFrom straightforward keynotes to musical extravaganzasWhen Felipe first began delivering keynotes, they were much more traditional — standing up in front of the crowd and speaking. But he began thinking about his personal passion for music, and how it might be able to help augment his keynote message. It was then that he realized that while his message could speak to people's minds, his music could speak to their heart. The result was greater impact — more memorable keynotes, more connection between ideas and emotions —  and he never looked back.[7:44] - The Making of a VirtuosoMethod, Attitude, & PassionWhat makes a virtuoso?Felipe identifies a virtuoso as having three key traits — method, attitude, and passion.Most individuals and organizations focus on method. They want to reach new levels of operational excellence, perfect processes, and cutting-edge technology.But they also need attitude, their “onstage” persona. The attitudes we assume in our day-to-day jobs define whether we connect or disconnect with clients, customers, peers, and coworkers.Finally, you need passion. It means putting your heart and soul into what you're doing so that the ordinary ceases to happen and the extraordinary can take its place.This is how a virtuoso is made, in life, in music, or in business.[32:25] - Connecting to the OneA backstage ritual we can all learn fromBefore each keynote, just before stepping on stage, Felipe takes a moment to consider his audience. Whether he's about to speak to a hundred people, a thousand people, or 10 people, he reminds himself that if just one person in the room can watch his keynote and change a behavior, think differently, or break out of damaging habits, his work will have been worthwhile. When Felipe does this, it helps keep him focused on the individuals in the audience, not the overall size of the crowd. He forgets the numbers and just remembers the one.RESOURCES:[1:25] Learn More About Felipe[12:16] Attitude-E, by Felipe GomezFollow Felipe Gomez:WebsiteLinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Insights from the World's Largest Bureau (ft. Ryan Heil)What we can learn from an industry powerhouse with a startup attitude run by a philosopherOPENING QUOTE:“So, I think that's our job, is to help speakers identify those nuggets, and the speaker's job's to take the complex and make it super applicable.”-Ryan HeilGUEST BIO:Ryan Heil is the president of Washington Speakers Bureau, the largest and quite possibly the single most respected bureau on the planet. But if you dive into his resume, you'll find a whole bunch of unexpected treasures. A former player for the New York Mets and a D1 college baseball coach, Ryan also holds a doctor of philosophy. He co-authored a book entitled Choose Love Not Fear, and has served in numerous leadership positions at Clemson University.Links:BioLinkedInXCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[7:44] - Finding the Fun in FuturismWhy Ryan Heil doesn't fear what's nextNot only is Ryan not concerned about the future of speaking in a rapidly changing marketplace — he's excited by it. He's brought a startup attitude to WSB, ensuring that nothing is sacred and no business strategy goes forward simply because “that's the way it's always been done.” His mantra, “Is there a better way to do this?” has helped WSB look toward the future, when many other long-established bureaus might be tempted to look only to their past. While Ryan acknowledges the company's history has many lessons to teach, he believes those lessons revolve around how to evolve — and what happens when you don't.[13:41] - Helping Speakers Reinvent ThemselvesHow WSB helps guide speakers into new frontiersWhen helping coach speakers to make themselves more marketable — and when selecting new speakers to go exclusive at WSB — Ryan focuses on a set of core questions.Who is going to pay to hear these people speak and their message? What question is the speaker answering that the customer knows they need to answer? How do we help connect that dot? What is your simple message that you repeat over and over again? Do you have platform skills, and how good are those platform skills?Emerging speakers should write these questions down somewhere, then set about answering each of them as they develop their brand.[22:40] - When Not to Go ExclusiveExclusive feels special, but it isn't always rightWhen it comes to going exclusive, Ryan advises putting it off early on. When you're figuring out who you are, making a name for yourself, carving out a space in the market — that's the time to work with as many different groups of people as possible. Keep developing your content, building your product, and finding customer bases. When it comes to the point where you need to either hire a back office or get with a bureau, then you know it's time to start thinking seriously about going exclusive.[28:39] - Ryan's Realistic OptimismThe speaking industry will change. But it will also endure.Ryan doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to potential upheaval in the speaking industry. “What budgets start to look like, what honorariums shift to, how contracts are done, I think all that's going to change. The inclusion of technology and AI into a lot of things, it's all going to change.”And yet, Ryan says, “I do believe that the core of this is going to be around the relationships. Regardless of where people work, who they work with, the structure they work in, people are going to hold meetings. They've been holding meetings and having speakers since the beginning of time, and I think that's going to continue.”RESOURCES:[1:29] About Washington Speakers Bureau[1:50] Choose Love Not Fear, by Ryan HeilFollow Ryan Heil:LinkedInXFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Behind the Curtain: An Open Convo with a Buyer and a Bureau (ft. Tim Mathy & Lynne McNees)How do you find out what buyers and bureaus want in a speaker? You ask them.OPENING QUOTE:“That standing ovation, it's not about the speaker, it's not even about the audience to me. It's about the people planning the event. That's who that standing ovation is for.”-Tim MathyGUEST BIO:Lynne McNees is president of the International Spa Association, or ISPA — the worldwide professional organization for the entire spa industry active in over 70 countries.When magazines like the New York Times, USA Today, Travel and Leisure, or the Associated Press need a spa expert, Lynne is the only name they trust. Before joining ISPA, Lynne was a Washington DC power player with high-profile roles in multiple presidential administrations. It's no wonder she jumped into the industry designed to help people relax.Links:BioLinkedInTim Mathy is the current president of the International Association of Speaker Bureaus. He has been in the bureau space since he joined SpeakInc over 20 years ago, and since then he's been active with industry leaders like PCMA, MPI, IMX, and the list of acronyms goes on and on. If you want to know how bureaus work from the inside out, Tim is your guy.Links:BioCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[8:49] - From Bureau to BuyerHow speakers go from Tim's list to Lynne's eventAfter working together for over 20 years, Tim and Lynne have a well-established bureau-buyer relationship. Tim says it all starts with knowing the buyer's community. He's not just picking the best speakers to present to Lynne, he's presenting the best speakers for her needs. For speakers, that means you don't have to generalize your message in order to meet every possible organization or subject. You can feel empowered to specialize, knowing that if your message is strong, you'll be able to find an audience that's right for it.[19:32] - What Gets You on the List?An inside look at what bureaus and buyers are looking forWhen it comes to what attracts Lynne or Tim to a speaker, they offer a clear list. First off, they're looking for the basics — customization and preparation, plus an easy-to-work-with attitude. They're also looking for a balance of inspiration and nuts-and-bolts takeaways, a business focus while also offering a humanitarian perspective. Consider these elements when preparing to pitch yourself to bureaus or buyers. Do you know how to strike that balance of uplifting and down-to-earth, business-centered and human? If you can find that sweet spot while remaining true to your character and message, you'll find opportunity.[20:28] - Changing Priorities in a Changing IndustryWhat's new when it comes to booking speakersLynne and Tim both explore the way that a speaker's primary purpose at a conference or event has evolved. It used to be that big-name speakers were a primary draw for industry conferences — you would go to the conference because so-and-so was going to be there. But today, these conferences have grown to attract attendees on their own. Now the speaker is less about a name and more about delivering actual value. Can you knock your keynote out of the park and leave the audience with relevant, actionable takeaways? If you can do that, it doesn't necessarily matter if you've got a megawatt name or massively impressive credentials.[27:08] - The Long GameAdvice from Tim and Lynne on looking forwardFor two people who have been working together in the speaking for decades, it's no surprise that Tim and Lynne advise playing the long game. Don't get bogged down in temporary setbacks or issues. Instead, focus on long-term strategy. What are the efforts that will be worthwhile no matter how the world changes? Focus on themAnd finally, all along the way there's one simple way to supercharge your career — be kind and trustworthy. “Once you have that trust,” Tim says, “you can't beat that.”RESOURCES:[1:54] About ISPA[2:46] About IASBFollow Lynne McNees:BioLinkedInFollow Tim Mathy:BioFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Exactly What to Say (ft. Phil Jones)How to be a perfectionist and an improviser all at onceOPENING QUOTE:“... woke up seven days later, 120,000 free downloads. I'm like, okay, I might have something.”-Phil JonesGUEST BIO:Phil Jones has founded not one but five multimillion dollar companies, became the youngest ever winner of the British Excellence of Sales and Marketing Award, and produced the most listened to nonfiction audiobook of all time, Exactly What to Say? Phil entered the business world at age 14 and went from a bucket and sponge to a fleet of car washing employees that led him to earning more at age 15 than his high school teachers.When it comes to speaking industry experience, Phil has given over 2,500 presentations across 57 countries and 5 continents. Beyond his business success, he's the proud dad of twins and is passionate about making a positive impact by elevating everyone around him.Links:WebsiteFacebookXLinkedInYouTubeInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:04] - The Power of “How”When someone's better than you, get curiousEver since his days working for his dad's self-employed building business, Phil has been intensely curious and active about finding out how people find success. As he says, “Success leaves clues, and if you're brave enough to follow the clues, then chances are it might work out well for you.”So when you come across someone who does what you do better than you do, don't get mad — get curious. Ask them how.[21:50] - Big Idea vs. Proven MethodWhat kind of book is in you?If you have a big idea, you can certainly go after a book deal and try to make a name for yourself through that big idea. But many speakers, Phil argues, would be better served by a “proven method” book. Something that's going to live with you, that will serve as your IP. Something that is your signature calling card. As Phil says: “John Bonjovi can write as much new music as he likes, but people are going to remember him for Living on a Prayer.[23:45] - Don't Rest on Your LaurelsMake something great? Time to remake it.Phil shares one quick but powerful insight that's important not to miss — once “Exactly What to Say” became a massive success, he didn't simply leave it alone. He began creating new editions for every print run. New call-to-actions, new lead magnets, new thank-you pages. All of these changes happen again and again, ensuring that his ideas remain as fresh and relevant as they were in the first edition.This concept can be applied to books, keynote speeches, career strategies — anything that you've found that works doesn't need to become stagnant.[32:37] - What Matters Most Happens OffstageService, relationships, and humanityPhil says that the biggest aspect of winning and sustaining a career as a speaker comes down to the more “intangible” things: health, relationships, boundaries. These things are all more important than fees and tactical business decisions. Meanwhile, keeping a service mindset is essential — no matter how many millions of audiobooks you sell.RESOURCES:[1:55] Exactly What to Say, by Phil Jones[32:28] NSA: National Speakers AssociationFollow Phil Jones:WebsiteFacebookXLinkedInYouTubeInstagramFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramXYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

The Soulful Giant (ft. Justin Wren)Fighter-turned-lover Justin Wren on what it means to fight for a greater purposeOPENING QUOTE:“And so now, whenever I've gotten into a fight and the cage door locks, I'm looking this guy in the eyes and I know that I know, but I also believe that I know he knows, that I have stronger reasons than he does, so I can take him to deeper waters.”-Justin WrenGUEST BIO:Justin Wren knows what it's like to feel like the world is against you. Fueled by anger resulting from persistent bullying, Justin pursued wrestling in high school, where he became a 10x state champion, 5x all-American, and 2x national champion. This propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality, becoming a champion and an elite athlete. But the pain from his childhood didn't dissipate, and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction that led him on a path toward destruction. In trying to escape this spiral, Justin visited the rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he came across the Mbuti Pygmies, a group of people persecuted by neighboring tribes and forced into slavery.On one of his trips, he stayed for a year, living among them and sharing the culture of what he calls "the most bullied people on earth." His encounter with the pygmies left him wondering who was there to help them. And in that moment, Justin stepped out of the cage and founded the nonprofit organization Fight for the Forgotten. He's become a celebrated keynote speaker, ascending this new mountain with the same discipline and passion that got him to the top of professional sports. Links:WebsiteInstagramTwitterCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[4:36] - Discover Others to Discover YourselfSelflessness heals our own woundsAfter a long period of depression and hopelessness, how did Justin pull himself out of it? Not by working on himself — but by discovering the service of others. It was when he lost himself in the trials of the Mbuti people that he discovered his own purpose, passion, and personal joy. The lesson for us: if you feel lost, sometimes you're better off looking for the needs of others than looking for yourself.[12:58] - The Winner is the One with the Most Reasons to FightWhat Justin's mindset in the ring teaches us about living outside the ringMany people think that the stronger, better trained fighter is the one who wins. What Justin knows from being in the ring himself is that this isn't always the case. The person who wins is often the one who is less willing to lose. Or, to put it another way, it's the person with the deepest reason to win.When you discover a reason to fight that's deeper than the opponent — and in life, often the opponent isn't a someone but a something — then you'll discover a depth of fortitude you didn't know you had, and a will to win that will help you conquer anything.[16:03] - Change the Fight but Keep FightingWhat we can learn from the world's most loving fighterJustin describes how he went from fighting against people to fighting for people when he discovered his passion for serving the people of the Mbuti culture. But what's worth noting is that Justin didn't change his fighter's spirit. He didn't suddenly become a kumbaya, zen-loving individual who let the world wash over him in peace. Hell no. He kept his fighter's spirit, remained who he was, but applied everything that made him a great fighter to this new fight — the fight for humanity. We can all change our own personal fights without changing what makes us great fighters.[30:46] - Justin's Parting AdviceFor the new, nervous, and unsureJustin acknowledges that taking on big challenges often feels like trying to drain the ocean with an eyedropper. Does it even matter? Will anyon even notice? But Justin reminds us that every drop represents a human heart, a human life, some level of impact that may be small in the grand scale but enormous on the personal scale. Every single positive impact we make, whether it's on a massive keynote stage or in a room of ten people, can transform lives.RESOURCES:[2:10] About the Mbuti People[2:49] Fight for the ForgottenFollow Justin Wren:WebsiteInstagramTwitterFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

An Insider's Look (ft. Ivy Gustafson & Jenny DeRosse)Insights from two amazing experts right here at Impact ElevenOPENING QUOTE:“If you really open yourself up and show who you are and you're not afraid to show your weaknesses and your flaws, the audience really relates to you because we're all human.”-Jenny DeRosseGUEST BIO:Ivy Gustafson spent over 20 years in the bureau world, first as an agent for the Washington Speakers Bureau, and then as an agent for Gotham Artists. When she realized she wanted to dive headfirst into coaching speakers, she joined the Impact Eleven team as director of client development and coaching. Today, she coaches some of the world's most prolific keynote speakers.Links:LinkedInJenny DeRosse first entered the speaking industry as an agent for Toronto-based Speakers Spotlight. After moving to the States, she joined BigSpeak managing exclusive speakers and co-brokering. After a decade on the bureau side, she joined the Impact Eleven team, where she now manages the team of founding partners, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Ryan Estis, and little old me, booking approximately $8 million of keynotes per year for the four of us. She also heads up our bureau relations, which gives her a unique perspective into the industry.Links:LinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[13:54] - It's Not About Content or QualitySuccessful speakers are simply great peopleFrom highlighting what makes them fall in love with speakers to sharing their “speaker pet peeves,” the picture painted by Ivy and Jenny is that the speakers they love aren't the most successful, or the most popular, or the ones that can captivate a crowd. They're the ones who are kind, who answer emails on time, who show up to meetings with the bureau. They're the speakers who understand that this is a human business, and treat everyone as human beings.So if you want to impress a bureau — or anyone in this industry — it's even more important to be a good person than a good speaker.[39:25] - The Bureau is On Your SideBelieve it or not, bureaus want you to succeedThroughout the conversation, Ivy and Jenny make it apparent that bureau professionals want one thing more than anything else — to help speakers succeed. New and emerging speakers often become frustrated with bureaus, either because they can't get their attention or because they can't keep it. “Why don't they care about me?” they think. But the truth is that bureaus care deeply about their speakers — it's why they do what they do. Sometimes they simply have to balance all the competing demands on their time to the best of their ability.[36:35] - Advice for the Next GenerationWhat would our guests say to rising speakers?Both Ivy and Jenny joined Impact Eleven because they believed in the power of learning from people who have been there before. Their advice to young speakers is to seek out opportunities to learn from other speakers, other bureau experts, and established voices within the industry. Whether this comes through Impact Eleven or elsewhere, the power of learning from mistakes, missteps, and masteries of other speakers is absolutely essential.[34:49] - A Category of OneHow to hone your message and speaker brandIvy shares one of Impact Eleven's go-to mantras: what is your “category of one?” It applies to the idea that every speaker should try to pinpoint what they can talk about that no one else can with the same level of authority. It's about taking a broad category and turning it into something where you're the only authoritative voice.What's your category of one? The time to start looking is right now.RESOURCES:[2:10] About Gotham Artists[2:33] About BigSpeakFollow Ivy Gustafson:LinkedInFollow Jenny DeRosse:LinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

The Biggest Stage in the World (ft. Emily Ford, Jordan Tarver, & Giselle Ugarte)Three experts help make the monster of social media a lot less scaryOPENING QUOTE:“We are in the business of impact. And the way I've changed my approach with social media is that social media is another stage, but it's a stage that has the reach of millions of people.”-Jordan TarverGUEST BIO:Emily Ford has built businesses and organizations with hundreds of thousands of active customers, launched sales teams across multiple countries and generated nine figures of revenue in her own company. She's also a masterful force in the social media world with tens of thousands of followers across multiple platforms.Links:WebsiteFacebookYouTubeLinkedInJordan Tarver is an author and keynote speaker whose book You Deserve This Sh*t is a bestselling self-help success story with over 10 million social media views.Links:WebsiteInstagramTikTokFacebookGiselle Ugarte has been producing online video content for longer than most people have even known what Instagram was, generating tens of millions of views and creating a career out of helping other people do the same.Links:WebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[12:21] - A Message for the HatersDon't like social media? This is for you.Whether you're a speaker who doesn't care about social media or simply isn't very good at it, it's time to change your mindset. Social media isn't some “other” thing that's separate from your speaking. It's just another room, another stage — one that has the potential to reach millions of people. When you're on social media, you should be every bit as “you” as you are when you're onstage. It's an extension of your brand, your message, and your purpose.[13:08] - Finding Your Voice & Your PlaceMaster social media by mastering yourselfFinding your footing on social media is about being honest with yourself, rather than trying to fit yourself to whatever is the “it” platform at the moment. Where are you most comfortable? Where is your audience likely to be? Which platforms do you enjoy the most? Start there, and then hone in on what your unique voice really is. Trying to chase content trends is often a losing game, because by the time you've imitated them, a new trend has taken their place.But authenticity will always be in style.[14:17] - Stocking the RefrigeratorWe get out of social media what we put inMany people avoid social media because they consider it toxic. They don't want to be fed a stream of content that will make them feel insecure, unhappy, and as if the rest of the world is doing better than they are. But social media gives us what we put in — like stocking a refrigerator. If we seek out content that's relatable, inspiring, and positive, then the algorithm will give us more of it. If we put fruit in the fridge, then guess what we'll find when we open it up?[20:59] - Embrace Our Algorithm OverlordsYou can't control what takes off. Focus on what you can control.It can often be frustrating when you see a post or piece of content by someone else get picked up by “the algorithm” and make a massive impact, while your high-quality content is getting ignored. Our experts' advice? Let go of that frustration. Control what you can control: your output. If you continue to put out quality content that connects with people, eventually you'll have something hit. You just have to be patient.RESOURCES:[2:18] You Deserve This Sh*t, by Jordan Tarver[5:33] About Montessori SchoolsFollow Emily Ford:WebsiteFacebookYouTubeLinkedInFollow Jordan Tarver:WebsiteInstagramTikTokFacebookFollow Giselle Ugarte:WebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

The Best Story Wins (ft. John Livesay and David Burkus)John Livesay and David Burkus on telling stories and picking fightsOPENING QUOTE:”Whoever tells the best story is the one that's going to win that pitch, not who has the best price or who has more bells and features.” -John LivesayGUEST BIO:John Livesay, also known as The Pitch Whisperer, is the speaking industry's sage of storytelling and the go-to expert for helping brands tell compelling stories to their own audiences. He's done exactly that for the likes of Coca-Cola, Olympus, Berkshire Hathaway, and many more big name clients, offering a roadmap for turning great products into narratives that customers just can't ignore.Links:WebsiteFacebookTwitterLinkedInYouTubeDavid Burkus is one of the leading minds in the business world, and one of its most provocative. He literally wrote the book on managing remote teams before COVID hit. Since then, he's been instrumental in helping organizations everywhere adapt to the seismic shifts brought on by remote work, especially when it comes to how leaders interact with their team members and their customers. Links:WebsiteTwitterFacebookLinkedInInstagramYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:40] - Why a Bad Time is the Best TimeTurning opposition into opportunityDavid shares how he entered the professional speaking game at the height of the pandemic — probably the only speaker to make that somewhat insane choice. But David doesn't see it that way. He turned a powerful new need, managing remote workers and teams in the COVID era, into an opportunity to provide unique value. He's never looked back, and there's something to be learned from his accomplishment. Sometimes the worst time is the best time.[5:40] - The Universal LanguageThe brain thinks in stories, which is why storytellers excelFrom Olympus to Coca-Cola, John Livesay delivers the same undeniable message: the best story wins. Audiences think in terms of narrative — it's how the brain is wired. That's why the best speakers, leaders, marketers, whatever you like; they're the ones who know how to tell a story. What story are you telling?[9:07] - You Are Your Own Chief Culture OfficerManaging people is everything, even if you're only managing yourselfEvery leader at every level of an organization is the chief culture officer of their own team, whether it's a team of two or 200. Even a sole proprietor has a company culture — it's what they will do, won't do, and the things they insist on in their work and general approach.  It's how they function, how much they're willing to work, all the little details that make up their “organization” of one. Teaching every leader at every level how to take responsibility for the people in their team is the key to unlocking real impact that lasts.[11:25] - Want to Inspire Action? Pick a FightStop talking metrics and put on the boxing gloves“People don't want to join a company anymore, they want to join a crusade.” With that, David Burkus introduces one of the most striking ideas from our episode — that if you want to lead people, you need to pick a fight and do so wisely. Position yourself as your customers' ally in a fight against the status quo, and you'll inspire many more people to join you on that mission than if you just talk metrics and KPIs.RESOURCES:[2:04] Leading from Anywhere, by David Burkus[4:34] Books by John Livesay[11:25] Pick a Fight, by David BurkusFollow John Livesay:FacebookTwitterLinkedInYouTubeFollow David Burkus:WebsiteTwitterFacebookLinkedInInstagramYouTubeFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

The Brooklyn Badass (ft. Alec Melman)OPENING QUOTE:“Being adaptable and being patient, that'll answer for those feelings of frustration. If you can hold on long enough, good things happen.”-Alec MelmanGUEST BIO:Alec Melman is co-founder and CEO of Gotham Artists, one of the most successful and respected talent agencies in the country. Founded in 2009, Gotham is known for its innovative approach and unique roster of talent that stretches from keynote speakers to musicians, stand up comics and more. For 14 years, Alec has helped guide and grow Gotham every step of the way through intense and dramatic changes in the industry.Links:BioLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[5:33] - The Extra InchLittle things that add up to big impactTo Alec, explaining Gotham's success as a bureau is simple: customer service. Gotham is simply “a little faster, a little nicer, and a little sharper.” Things like getting back to people quickly makes them stand out relative to the inefficiencies of some other bureaus, and that's led Gotham to grow at the astonishing rate it has.[10:36] - The Agency-Speaker ConnectionWhen to go exclusive and how to know it's time for a changeAlec discusses how most of Gotham's exclusive partnerships with speakers grow out of existing relationships. He expresses how bureaus want to go exclusive with speakers they've worked with before, having booked 7-10 dates before even broaching the exclusive conversation. How does this apply to speakers? Be patient. Building those bureau relationships in your non-exclusive days will pay dividends down the road.[28:39] - Ongoing Connection in the Digital EraWhy Alec is a believer in virtual keynotesAlec believes that people who don't believe in virtual keynotes and other disruptive technologies fail to understand them. They're not the “redheaded stepchild” of in-person — they're a unique opportunity in their own right. He uses the example of a $100,000 speaking budget. An in-person event would spend that budget on one or two massive names, one big splash. That has value, of course. But so does spreading that budget out over 12 monthly installments, bringing in smaller names who can cover a range of topics. Virtual isn't better or worse than in-person, it's simply a separate opportunity.[30:33] - The Bureau of LessHow doing less for speakers helps Gotham serve them betterAlec approaches every decision for his clients using the “triangle of decision-making.” Is it profitable? Is it fun? Does it match our long-term vision? If the answer to all of those questions isn't an enthusiastic “yes,” then it's not right. “I don't want to take our eyes off the prize and start focusing on ancillary activities,” he says. “If the opportunity knocks, we'll be ready for it, but I'm not going out of my way and trying to make that materialize.In this way, Gotham serves its clients by doing a few things very, very well, rather than trying to do 100 things somewhat competently. Gotham's focus, not their breadth, has allowed them to grow and excel.RESOURCES:[1:46] About Gotham ArtistsFollow Alec Melman:LinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Grounded in a Higher Calling (ft. Jessica Encell Coleman, Jesse Israel, and Light Watkins)Three purpose-based speakers share their perspectivesOPENING QUOTE:“We often think that time is our most valuable asset, but if you're not present during the time that you have, then you're essentially squandering that time.”-Light WatkinsGUEST BIO:Jesse Israel is the founder of The Big Quiet, which turns meditation into the social practice of connection, and has led to the New York Times calling him "the meditation expert". He's on a mission to connect leaders to their joy and power so they can make a fulfilling contribution to the world. He shared his message to thousands on tour with Oprah, so he knows how to deliver both internal and external impact.Links:WebsiteInstagramTwitterLight Watkins is an expert meditation teacher and thought leader who has written three bestsellers on inner peace and consulted with some of the biggest organizations in the world on the topics of wellness, purpose, and enlightened leadership. He's been the meditation coach to some of the most influential celebrities in the world.Links:WebsiteTwitterInstagramJessica Encell Coleman is a love activist, empowerment educator, and creator of The Magic of Human Connection. Her amazing workshops have paved the way for thousands of people to feel more love for themselves, each other, and the planet.Links:WebsiteInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:39] - Letting Your Mind WinMeditation is about surrender, not victoryMany of us in the speaking industry are intensely competitive — even if it's competition with ourselves. We want to master ourselves and help others master themselves through our work. The result is that we often look at meditation as a battle with your mind. But your mind will always win that battle. In reality, meditation is about working in connection with your thinking mind, which ultimately leads to profoundly settled mental states and the ability to tap into a deeper understanding of yourself and the world.[12:53] - When Pride is a Good ThingWhen you're proud of what you do, you do it betterWe tend to equate our self-worth with how we feel we're performing in our various “roles,” in life and in our careers. Are we succeeding in business? Are we excelling as speakers? But when we can let go of this aspirational focus and simply be proud of ourselves for doing work we feel has value, we can let go of these insecurities that often put up barriers between us and our audience. When we do that, we let go of a highly emotional state of decision-making and become a more powerful operator of the facets of our lives.[14:38] - The Subject They Don't Teach You in SchoolWhy connection is as essential as math or physicsJessica highlights the way that caring for ourselves, caring for others, and caring for the planet make up the ingredients of a fulfilled life — and yet we don't teach any of these things in any level of formal education. That's why so many people misunderstand what it means to be connected to the people and world around us, and to ourselves. As speakers, the ability to connect with people in a genuine way is absolutely essential. Formal training on human connection can benefit us all immensely.[19:29] - There's (Literally) No Time Like the PresentWhy focusing on the present moment is a good long-term moveBeing “grounded” or “present” doesn't just sound nice. It's a very real way to refocus yourself when you become obsessively focused on what comes next. Light recommends making a quick mental list of ten things you're grateful for. Gratitude is a cheat code for presence, he says, that instantly grounds us in the things around us for which we're grateful. Because gratitude is so present-focused — “I'm grateful for X, Y and Z that I have right now.” — it breaks us out of the rhythm of constantly thinking about the future.RESOURCES:[1:51] The Big QuietFollow Jesse Israel:WebsiteInstagramTwitterFollow Light Watkins:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFollow Jessica Encell Coleman:WebsiteInstagramFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Striking a Chord (ft. Chris Barton)Listen-in with the founder of the world's most innovative listening appOPENING QUOTE:“There's so many unique ways of doing things, and the key thing is to question the assumptions. Don't assume that what holds true for one other speaker, holds true for you.”-Chris BartonGUEST BIO:If you've ever heard music playing and wondered, “Hey, what song is this?” You have Chris Barton to thank for the answer. Chris is the founder and former CEO of Shazam, the music identification app that went from “impossible” according to MIT professors, to “ahead of its time,” in a world with no apps or app stores, to becoming the 6th largest acquisition by Apple in the history of the company in 2018.Chris is also a founding member of Google's Android Partnerships team, holds 12 patents, and founded Guard, a system that uses AI to prevent drowning in swimming pools. Of course, Chris is also an incredible (and incredibly successful) keynote speaker on how to rethink obstacles and take inspired action.Links:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[5:50] - Being Ahead of Your Time Means Lots of WaitingHow innovation can feel frustratingYou probably first heard of the song-identifying app Shazam some time in the last several years. It seems like sometime around the mid-2010s, Shazam was everywhere, leading up to its being acquired by Apple in one of the company's biggest acquisitions of all time.But Shazam was actually launched in 2002, spent six years barely escaping bankruptcy, and only survived thanks to Apple's App Store finally launching in 2008. Shazam was ahead of its time. And while that concept conjures images of billionaire innovators beating the market and blowing minds, the truth is that it often means a lot of waiting for the world to catch up. If you're ahead of the curve in your arena, it may feel a lot like you've missed the train. In reality, the train just has to catch up to you.[20:35] - Start with First PrinciplesMake a habit of ignoring what's expectedChris often turns to the scientific and philosophical concept of first principles: beginning any train of thought with no assumptions. It's a matter of breaking down everything into the most basic truths, which then leads you to question the things that are assumed to be truths but may not be.For example, there was an assumption that you have to recognize what's playing on the radio in order to tell people what song they're hearing. That was an assumption which Shazam turned on its head.Where can you challenge assumptions in your own life and career? What do people currently “know” that just ain't so?[22:17] - Innovate EverythingFrom your story to your conversationsChris shares a compelling story about how he landed a great apartment in an “impossible” market. By determining that landlords were always the first people to know when an apartment was becoming available, he bypassed the gatekeepers and found out about new opportunities first. Chris advocates for applying this principle across your life and career. He builds on his “first principles” idea to show that every aspect of what you do is an opportunity to innovate. Every process, every convention, was at one point a crazy new idea. How might a crazy new idea change your life?[27:55] - You're a Product, and That's OkayBeing objective can transform your career for the betterAs keynote speakers, we tend not to like thinking of ourselves as products. It feels like an oversimplification, a cold and calculated idea. But Chris argues that when you think of yourself and your message as your product, you free yourself from the self-consciousness that comes with self-assessment. You can take on feedback, criticism, and opportunities for improvement without personal feelings getting in the way. You can make your product — your keynote and the way you deliver it — the best possible product it can be.RESOURCES:[1:52] The Story of Shazam[10:17] About BigSpeak[30:04] About Alison LevineFollow Chris Barton:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Insights from a Booming Bureau (ft. Angela & Richard Schelp)Wit and wisdom from the dynamic husband-and-wife leaders of Executive Speakers BureauOPENING QUOTE:“People will always claim that we're a mid-range size bureau when we're not anymore. Now we're a large bureau, we just don't have George W. Bush as an exclusive, but we generate the kind of volumes and numbers that those people with the exclusives generate. So I think that's an area where I believe a lot of people underestimate us.” -Richard SchelpGUEST BIO:Angela and Richard Schelp are the dynamo husband and wife team that runs Executive Speakers Bureau. Their Memphis-based bureau is on a growth tear, nearly tripling their size over the last seven years. With humble roots dating back to 1993, Executive is now one of the largest and most respected speaker bureaus on the planet. Angela and Richard have enjoyed massive success while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, care for others, and deep commitment to professionalism. They serve clients, speakers, and team members with huge hearts — and a little dose of southern hospitality.Links:Executive Speakers BureauBureau HistoryCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[10:26] - Playing the Long GameHow speakers can burn bright without fizzling outWhy do some speakers endure the test of time while others fade quickly?Angela and Richard have seen the full range of careers for speakers — from the great to the not-so-great. They've found that the difference is strategic, long-term thinking. The speakers who play the long game, sacrifice their fee in strategic settings, work on projects with long-term potential even if they don't come with big short-term gains, are all vital.The other difference? Innovation. A willingness to reinvigorate and innovate on their speaking business day-in and day-out is what makes a speaking career that lasts.[14:59] - The Dos and Don'ts of Contacting BureausHow to make a powerful connectionWith a bureau as successful — and busy! — as Executive, the sad truth is that cold emails and calls often have to be disregarded. That highlights the importance of the “connection before the connection,” the contact that can give you a warm introduction to someone at a bureau you're pursuing.Further, bureau leaders want to see speakers who have invested in their careers. They want to see diligence, progress, and tenacity in continuously building their brand, message, and client list.[23:35] - From Early Traction to Massive AccelerationHow to move from growing to flowingWhat things have Richard and Angela seen that turn early, promising speakers into rocketships to massive success?Often, according to Richard, it comes down to that extra commitment to marketing. They may have a dedicated marketing team to develop a campaign, improve their assets, or reach new audiences. SEO can also be important to help with discovery, as can honing in on specific niches. The basics like testimonials also provide a strong foundation for future momentum.[26:04] - Exclusive or Not?When to go exclusive in your bureau relationshipRichard and Angela outline some of the key considerations when determining the right time to go exclusive with a bureau. If you have momentum, you're struggling to manage your career on your own, and you're commanding fees in the $15K-$20K range but want to bump up to $25K and beyond, then an exclusive partnership can help take you to that next level.That said, you must find a bureau that “gets” you, that has a vision for what you do, and which genuinely cares about your message and approach.RESOURCES:[1:49] The Executive StoryFollow Executive Speakers Bureau:FacebookTwitterLinkedInYouTubeFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Making It Personal (ft. Bridget Hilton, Chad Foster, and Nikolas Badminton)Three top speakers on embracing change in life and onstageOPENING QUOTE:“I trained to be a Samurai in Japan. I worked on a lobster boat in Massachusetts. I went to farm school. I was a model for a whiskey company, which was really fun. I once did a speech where I was in between Ben Affleck and Aerosmith, so there was a lot of imposter syndrome on that one. And I've learned all these weird skills. Learned how to trapeze or how to make my own coffee beans or fly a plane or go dog sledding.”-Bridget HiltonGUEST BIOS:Chad Foster is an award-winning business leader, international keynote speaker and author of Blind Ambition. Connecting inspiration to implementation, Chad shares the insights gained from going blind at 21 and bouncing back to build a massive enterprise value, creating a more resilient leadership culture, and inviting diversity to drive business innovation.Links:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTokBridget Hilton, my next guest, is a leading expert in the art science and path to becoming rich in life experiences. Inspired by a viral video of a deaf woman hearing for the first time, she then founded the first social good electronics company called Listen, sold millions of products, partnered with the likes of Google and Delta Airlines and Amazon, and has given over 50,000 people the gift of hearing.Links:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInNikolas Badminton is a world renowned futurist speaker, and he mentors leaders to create more connected, curious and creative teams that embrace futures designed to drive more profit and explosive growth.Nik has spent 30 plus years working with leadership at over 300 leading organizations at the frontline of Foresight, strategy and disruption. He's the chief futurist at futurist.com and the author of Facing Our Futures: How Foresight Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth.Links:WebsiteTwitterLinkedInYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[11:06] - Turning Stories About You into Stories About Your AudienceBeing personal without stealing the spotlightMany speakers struggle with finding the balance of sharing personal stories to engage with their audience without making it “all about them.” After all, a great keynote is about the audience — not the speaker.That's a balance all of this week's guests have achieved in their own unique ways. For some, like Bridget, it's about breaking up her incredible adventures with funny, self-deprecating stories of bad experiences and vulnerability.For Chad, it's all about disarming tension between speaker and audience. As someone who went blind at the age of 21, he understands the power of humor in breaking down barriers with people who may not know how to be “natural” around someone whose experienced something he has. [15:14] - Teaching TransformationHow to encourage an audience to embrace changeAll three of our featured speakers have undergone transformations throughout their lifetimes. From changes in physical capabilities to changes in mindsets, how do they bring their personal stories into a powerful conversation about embracing change?It's all about getting the audience to ask: “How can I make this work for me rather than against me? What can I control?” If you can tap into that, you'll have your audience captivated — and lead them to change.[22:05] - What if the Audience Disagrees?Connecting with your audience even when they're disconnectedOur guests this week have all experienced audiences who aren't fully receptive to their message. Their advice? Lean into it. If we really believe that keynote speaking is about initiating change, then a hostile audience is the perfect audience. They're the ones who have the power to be transformed. So be jarring, be bold, and don't adjust your message just to be as agreeable or “warm and fuzzy” as possible.[27:27] - Speakers Think (Blank), but the Truth is (Blank)Myths and truths in the speaking businessWhat do speakers believe that simply isn't true? The greatest myth, on which all our guests agree, is that perfect delivery is the pinnacle of the craft. Many speakers believe that what an audience wants is the perfect flow, that you have your content down to a T, that you're polished from the moment you step onstage to the moment you leave.But really it's about connection and even vulnerability. Your audience wants you to be human, to share your humanity with them. When you can do that, you can bring them into their world and help them see the transformational power within themselves. That's what speaking is about, not standing up in an impeccable suit and “nailing it.”RESOURCES:[2:11] Blind Ambition[2:43] LSTN Sound Co.[3:54] Futurist.com[3:56] Facing Our Futures: How Foresight Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and GrowthFollow Chad:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTokFollow Bridget:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInFollow Nikolas:WebsiteTwitterLinkedInYouTubeFollow Josh:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Today, I am blessed to have here with me Alan Cash. He serves as founder and chief science officer at Terra Biological.  Join my upcoming FREE keto LIVE training here: http://www.ketosismasterclass.com  Researching into the molecular and genomic mechanisms of aging and the effects of calorie restriction on aging, Mr. Cash developed unique molecular methods and compounds to mimic calorie restriction and extend lifespan in laboratory animals.  Mr. Cash has an MS in physics from the University of Oklahoma.  As an entrepreneur, Mr. Cash has gained recognition and awards from the White House, INC 500 business,  Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Deloitte and Touche Technology Fast 50, and Top 100 Hotfirm.   In this episode, Alan talks about his passion for researching the mechanisms behind aging. During a study, Alan found that oxaloacetate extends the lifespan of worms. He speaks about the other clinical research Alan has done around oxaloacetate and what are the most surprising benefits of this compound. Alan dives into reversing some of the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and chronic fatigue syndrome. Tune in as we chat about how Alan is researching the effects of oxaloacetate on women with breast cancer. 

The Right Kind of Difficult (ft. Jon Acuff)On learning, growing, adapting, creating, and sharingOPENING QUOTE:“Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version. So what happens is speakers read a book about public speaking and they go, "I got to tell a joke." And they tell a joke that isn't their joke. And it just feels like you're wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance. It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want.” -Jon AcuffGUEST BIO:Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books and one of the most successful thought leaders on the circuit, which is why Ink Magazine named him one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world. He's also a gifted comedian, recently fulfilling a dream by opening up for Dolly Parton at Ryman Auditorium. For over 20 years, he's helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including the Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader's Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine.Links:WebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[4:22] - The Right Kind of DifficultFinding your zone is about finding the right challengeHow do you know you've found your calling? When it's the “right kind of difficult,” the kind of challenge that has you excited to confront it, to take it on, to master it. Jon calls walking off stage the hardest part of his job, because he could stay there for hours — not because it's easy, but because it's hard in a way that thrills him.[6:17] - Content that Soars (and Sticks the Landing)Perfectly packaging ideas for your audienceJon is the first to acknowledge that almost no speaker or thought leader is delivering truly brand-new, never-heard-before ideas. But what separates bad from good and good from great is the way those ideas are interpreted, packaged, and presented in an unforgettable way.One example of this is Jon's concept of “soundtracks,” or the messages that live inside our heads on a daily basis. By taking the idea of internal monologue and presenting it in an instantly memorable way, Jon has created a keynote message (and book) that resonates with audiences everywhere.[15:41] - Be Funny by Being YouIll-fitting humor is like an ill-fitting suitJon emphasizes the importance of humor, while also emphasizing the risks of using humor that doesn't match your personal style. He likens it to “wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance.” He goes on: “It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want. If you're slapstick at a dinner party, be slapstick on stage. If you're dry at a dinner party, be dry on stage. Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version of funny, because it won't work. You won't enjoy it."[26:30] - Rewriting Your SoundtrackHow changing what you tell yourself can change your lifeUse Jon's three-part question to see whether you have a broken soundtrack or repetitive thought. First: Is it true? Second: is it helpful? Third: Is it kind?If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” you're suffering from a broken soundtrack that's going to keep you from achieving both happiness and greatness.As a speaker, the first person you have to inspire is yourself.[34:39] - To Monetization and BeyondTurning ideas and expertise into content and incomeIf 2020 taught the speaking industry anything, it was that even if your business model starts on the stage, it can't end there. Jon has found myriad ways to expand his message and monetization — from treating writing books as a craft to trying out new media like podcasts, YouTube, and online challenges. He's still a speaker at heart, but he's also much more — and that means diverse audiences and income.RESOURCES:[1:20] Jon's BooksFollow Jon Acuff:WebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeLinkedInFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

Raised in a trailer park with no clear path to success, kicked out of high school and faced with becoming a father in his teens, Jayson Waller is the definition of a “True Underdog.” The True Underdog podcast is inspired by Jayson's journey as listeners hear high-profile guests share motivational tips, inspiring stories and business-building lessons to help other potential underdogs pave the way. Jayson went from driving a limousine on weekends to support his young family and his young business to eventually becoming a partner in a second home security business, Power Home Technologies. He helped grow the company to $28 million in annual revenue. After seeing another home security entrepreneur, Vivint's Todd Pedersen, successfully transition into the solar industry, Jayson felt that it made sense for him to make the same move. In 2014, Power Home Technologies rebranded as POWERHOME SOLAR.  POWERHOME SOLAR has grown to over 1,600 employees and nearly $200 million in annual revenue. In 2020, the company was ranked the seventh residential solar installer in the U.S. by Solar Power World and 255th on Inc. 5000's list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. In 2019, Jayson was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Emerging Services category, proving that hard work can get you anywhere. In this episode, Brad and Jayson discuss the highs and lows of creating a business. Bombs: - “I have so much knowledge, and I want to make a difference.”   Learn more about Jayson here: https://www.jaysonwaller.com Watch the full video episode on Brad's Rumble here: https://rumble.com/c/c-2544182  Watch the full video episode on Brad's Youtube Here: https://bradlea.tv 

Gary Keller is the founder and chairman of the board for Keller Williams Realty, the largest real estate franchise in North America. Gary took his company and his philosophy of “people helping people” nationally, then internationally. He is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. A recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and finalist for Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year, Keller is widely recognized as a top business leader. On this episode, we explore the leadership frameworks that Gary has developed over the years to help you cut through the clutter, be more productive, and master what matters most to you.     

Today's Flashback Friday is from episode 397, published last August 8, 2014. Rich Karlgaard is Publisher of Forbes magazine and columnist for Forbes' "Innovation Rules." He's the author of, "The Soft Edge: Where Great Companies Find Lasting Success." Karlgaard has been publisher at Forbes since 1998. He discusses how the business model of Forbes Magazine has evolved since the disruption of the Internet and digital media. Karlgaard explains what Forbes is doing to compete with the online players in business information, such as Agora Publishing and the Motley Fool.  Karlgaard then talks about the pluses and minuses of hiring passionate people and how hiring managers can identify passion. He describes how destructive cynicism can be to a corporate culture and how companies can better incorporate trust.  Rich Karlgaard, angel investor, board director and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, is the longtime publisher of Forbes magazine.   He also writes the Forbes column, “Innovation Rules,” which is known for its witty assessment of business and technology. Karlgaard has been a regular panelist on television's Forbes on FOX show since its inception in 2001.   Karlgaard is also a serial entrepreneur. He has launched two magazines (Upside and Forbes ASAP), the venture capital firm Garage Technology Ventures and Silicon Valley's premier business and technology forum, 7500-member Churchill Club. He is a past winner of the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award.   Karlgaard was raised in Bismarck, North Dakota, and graduated from Stanford University. He lives with his family in Silicon Valley.  Key Takeaways: 2:36 Analysis of the Impact of Deflationary Monetary Policy on Savers and Borrowers   04:39 Exploring the Benefits of Deflationary Investing Strategies   08:56 Impact of Inflation on 1984 Cost of Living   10:45 Analysis of Real-World Inflation: 1984 vs. Present Day   13:09 Interview with Rich Karlgaard: Exploring the Benefits of Investing for Inflation and Deflation   15:40 Investigating the Soft Edge   17:21 The Triangle of Company Health: Exploring Strategy, Execution, and Cultural Values with FedEx Chairman Fred Smith   20:13 Exploring the Impact of Cultural Values on Business Success: A Case Study of Northwestern Mutual   25:18 How Empathy and Treating Employees Well Can Lead to Success   28:22 "Exploring the Soft Edge: Career Strategies for Success"   30:13 Conversation on the Power of Storytelling in Business   31:22 Conversation on the Hero's Journey Narrative and Authenticity in Storytelling   33:07 Conversation with Pilot and Author, John U. Bacon, on Cirrus Aircraft and Flight Metaphors   35:47 Exploring Life 2.0: Flying Around the Country to Find Promising Entrepreneurs   37:40 "The Benefits of Geo-Arbitrage: How Greg G. and 40 Found Success in Bozeman, Montana"   38:58 The Benefits of Starting a Software Company Outside of Silicon Valley   44:00 The Impact of Real Estate Prices on Quality of Life and the Transformation of Silicon Valley   46:18 Conversation on the Evolution of Silicon Valley and Forbes Magazine   48:34 Leveraging the Forbes Brand for Global Expansion   51:41 The Dangers of a Real Estate Bubble in San Francisco   53:34 Cash Flow Investing and Creating Wealth Visit Forbes at www.forbes.com.  Find out more about Rich Karlgaard at www.richkarlgaard.com.   Follow Jason on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM & LINKEDIN Twitter.com/JasonHartmanROI Instagram.com/jasonhartman1/ Linkedin.com/in/jasonhartmaninvestor/ Call our Investment Counselors at: 1-800-HARTMAN (US) or visit: https://www.jasonhartman.com/ Free Class:  Easily get up to $250,000 in funding for real estate, business or anything else: http://JasonHartman.com/Fund CYA Protect Your Assets, Save Taxes & Estate Planning: http://JasonHartman.com/Protect Get wholesale real estate deals for investment or build a great business – Free Course: https://www.jasonhartman.com/deals Special Offer from Ron LeGrand: https://JasonHartman.com/Ron Free Mini-Book on Pandemic Investing: https://www.PandemicInvesting.com

Entrepreneurial Mentorship #MakingBank #S7E28 Welcome back to Making Bank. On today's episode, we have Ryan Blair, the former co-founder and chief executive officer of Vice, a multi-level marketing company.   In 2011, he wrote a book titled Nothing to Lose Everything to Gain How I Went from gang member to multimillionaire entrepreneur, which reached the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover business books, as well as another book in 2016.   Rock Bottom to Rockstar Lessons from the Business School of Hard Knocks. He was the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012. And now he teaches entrepreneurs the principles he has used to build multiple companies without sacrificing his purpose. Build your business without sacrificing your purpose or spirituality through Altercalls.   So check out today's episode with Ryan Blair on Making Bank. (2:22) Background Ryan started his entrepreneurial life very early. He was always trying to make money even as a young boy. When he grew up he got into bad company, he joined a gang due to unfortunate events in his life and this kickstarted his entrepreneurial life more. He later got out and vowed to stay legal and live a better life that has legal entrepreneurship.   (8:35) Key Takeaways Ryan mentions how he is good at reading people and this helps him to know which people are good for him and which aren't. He has the ability to steer clear away from bad people. His mindset is one built on strength as opposed to one built on weakness.   (12:32) Mentorship Ryan had a very rich successful mentor who thinks differently in everything. In money, in dreams and this completely changed the perspective of how Ryan thinks as well. This was when his life as an entrepreneur really started.    (16:31) Principles Principle that Ryan lives by is “I learn what I want to teach and then I teach what I want to learn.” He talks about how when he wakes up he's asking himself, what book does he want to dive into? What does he want to teach?   (21:09) Making Connections Ryan talks about how he always felt that he is worthy of a connection with people. He strongly believes everyone is equal and we can learn from them. He  makes connections with people who are willing to allow him and he lets go of people who aren't. He just keeps learning from those who allow him without ever thinking they are so far of his reach.    (27:05) Spiritual Focus When you're spiritually inclined, a lot of people believe that money is mutually exclusive, but being spiritually focused, you can actually generate far more wealth because the money that you generate has a deeper meaning. You will call it in with more reverence.   (29:47) Altercall Alter call is three years old and where entrepreneurs are helped in building and executing with purpose and are then helped to exit. The number of entrepreneurs went from a small million dollar a year operation to tens of millions of dollars a year. They are great contributors to their team, to the marketplace, to their communities.   Links: @realryanblair @altercallmovement www.altercall.com hoo.be/ryanblair/

Entrepreneurial Mentorship #MakingBank #S7E28 Welcome back to Making Bank. On today's episode, we have Ryan Blair, the former co-founder and chief executive officer of Vice, a multi-level marketing company.   In 2011, he wrote a book titled Nothing to Lose Everything to Gain How I Went from gang member to multimillionaire entrepreneur, which reached the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover business books, as well as another book in 2016.   Rock Bottom to Rockstar Lessons from the Business School of Hard Knocks. He was the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012. And now he teaches entrepreneurs the principles he has used to build multiple companies without sacrificing his purpose. Build your business without sacrificing your purpose or spirituality through Altercalls.   So check out today's episode with Ryan Blair on Making Bank. (5:14) Background Ryan started his entrepreneurial life very early. He was always trying to make money even as a young boy. When he grew up he got into bad company, he joined a gang due to unfortunate events in his life and this kickstarted his entrepreneurial life more. He later got out and vowed to stay legal and live a better life that has legal entrepreneurship.   (11:27) Key Takeaways Ryan mentions how he is good at reading people and this helps him to know which people are good for him and which aren't. He has the ability to steer clear away from bad people. His mindset is one built on strength as opposed to one built on weakness.   (15:25) Mentorship Ryan had a very rich successful mentor who thinks differently in everything. In money, in dreams and this completely changed the perspective of how Ryan thinks as well. This was when his life as an entrepreneur really started.    (19:25) Principles Principle that Ryan lives by is “I learn what I want to teach and then I teach what I want to learn.” He talks about how when he wakes up he's asking himself, what book does he want to dive into? What does he want to teach?   (24:02) Making Connections Ryan talks about how he always felt that he is worthy of a connection with people. He strongly believes everyone is equal and we can learn from them. He  makes connections with people who are willing to allow him and he lets go of people who aren't. He just keeps learning from those who allow him without ever thinking they are so far of his reach.    (29:57) Spiritual Focus When you're spiritually inclined, a lot of people believe that money is mutually exclusive, but being spiritually focused, you can actually generate far more wealth because the money that you generate has a deeper meaning. You will call it in with more reverence.   (32:29) Altercall Alter call is three years old and where entrepreneurs are helped in building and executing with purpose and are then helped to exit. The number of entrepreneurs went from a small million dollar a year operation to tens of millions of dollars a year. They are great contributors to their team, to the marketplace, to their communities.   Links: @realryanblair @altercallmovement www.altercall.com hoo.be/ryanblair/