Podcasts about jc penney

00:05 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Hey guys, Anne Ganguzza here. Imagine a voiceover journey where every step is filled with discovery and growth. That's the path I want to work on with you, through nurturing coaching and creative demo production. Let's unveil the true potential of your voice together. It's not just about the destination, it's about the gorgeous journey getting there. Are you ready to take the first step? Connect with me at Anne Ganguzza.  00:37 - Intro (Announcement) It's time to take your business to the next level, the boss level. These are the premier business owner strategies and successes being utilized by the industry's top talent today. Rock your business like a boss a VO boss. Now let's welcome your host, Anne Ganguzza.  00:56 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Hey everyone, welcome to the VO Boss Podcast and the Boss Superpower Series. I'm here with my lovely, lovely co-host, Lau Lapides. Hi, Lau Lapides, how are you? I'm great, how are you? I am wonderful, wonderful. So, Lau, this week it's funny how many times I usually ask my students for their headshots so that I can help promote their demos that we've just finished and I produced and I like to put them in my YouTube channel, and I like to put a headshot with demo and testimonial. And it amazes me how many voice actors don't really have a good headshot or don't have one. They're like, well, I'm waiting to get my headshots or I haven't thought about getting headshots yet. Or can I just give you this picture, and it's funny because I think headshots are so important for our careers, and so maybe we should talk about why do we need headshots and what goes into a good headshot.  01:51 - Lau Lapides (Host) I love that, annie. It's such a long time coming too, because I hear so many clients and some of my talent actually most of my talent now are really on the headshot wagon for their websites, for their whatever they're doing.  02:03 A lot of them are actors on IMDb, on Actors Access, on Casting Networks, you name it. They're kind of all over the moon, and so one of the things we talk about all the time is you have to have great headshots, not only for your marketing, your PR, for your business, but also it's important if you're ever going to do on-camera work, and some of them do really want to do on-camera work authentically. They're excited about doing industrials or training videos or whatever, and so we have to have industry standard, professional demos. I think one of the biggest problems we see, annie, is people going to their mother's brother's first cousin to shoot their headshots, and it's always bad when they do that, because you're doing that to save money and we have to be careful of that.  02:50 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, yeah, I agree. I think that there's a lot to be said for a really good shot on your iPhone, because you know the cameras are getting better and better. However, there's a lot to be said for going to get a professional headshot, and I am a big believer in that, and anybody who just goes to my website or has ever gone to my website knows how much I utilize my headshots in my website for like every other page and it really helps in my marketing, in my branding, I mean.  03:19 - Lau Lapides (Host) And we get so tired. Annie, god bless you. I know you and I, who use our shots all the time. I get so tired of the same shots. Yeah, me too. I myself did three headshot shoots last year alone. I did three and I'm like, oh my gosh, it's like I'm an A-lister. No, I'm just a business owner. I'm a business owner that wants to have different feels, looks, appeals for different kinds of things, yeah, that work for different instances, and I'll tell you what.  03:50 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) So my last headshot right, when we talk about what goes, it may be prepping for your headshot, but what goes into it, because I've been doing this for so long and I have the same headshot photographer that I've had for probably 10 years and she knows me very well and I know her very well. And this last time, when I went, I literally brought at least 10 different changes of clothes and that is kind of excessive. But I knew what I wanted, right, I knew the different types of shots that I wanted and it took me weeks to curate my outfits, but it really worked for me, right, it really worked for me.  04:18 And I got a variety of different shots and literally we shot probably the entire day, which you know it was not necessarily a cheap thing, but I have gotten so much use and so much footage out of these headshots that it's been really incredible, I mean honestly. And she even did video, and the video helped too, because I've got video that's on my website as well. And me in action me behind the mic, me doing different things. So let's talk about first of all. Tell me why you think it's necessary these days to have a good headshot.  04:50 - Lau Lapides (Host) Oh, 100% airtight, you need a headshot. I would even say that if you're not a performer, I would say that if you are working in banking, if you're a real estate person, if you're an attorney, you need excellent even for your LinkedIn Like that's become a big thing shots for your LinkedIn, but still the shots are not great that you're seeing in corporate America. They just really are not great. So I would suggest that you look up you Google or you go to your coaching team and say I need excellent photographers in my area within this radius that are actor headshot photographers, not business photographers, not wedding photographers, not child photographers, but they understand the sensibility of a professional headshot and I need to have that because I'm going to be putting out my photo everywhere, whether I'm doing it in my own advertising, whether I'm working a project and they want me to send them shots for that project.  05:47 I mean, there's so many Social media. Put your great shots on social media. There's so many reasons why you have to have it now right. That's one of the biggest mistakes I see happen. Just to save a few bucks is to go to someone who's inexpensive or go to a family member or try to do it yourself. I think it's very difficult because there's a certain sense that a headshot photographer has about lighting you, about your makeup, about knowing what translates on camera.  06:16 Yeah, I mean it's really everything, and it's the sensibility of making you look like you, not a glamorized version of you, but you on an awesome day.  06:27 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Well, back in the day, like the Sears or JCPenney.  06:30 - Lau Lapides (Host) Yeah, glamour shots. No that you would just go and they all had the same background.  06:33 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, I love those, but they were all very much like a similar style, right, and so I think what we need to do as creatives and entrepreneurs is, no matter who you are actually, I think the more you can showcase your personality through your headshots, the better and more effective they will be, and so, for me, when I was picking out my outfits, I was trying to figure out okay, who am I, what aspects of my personality do I want to showcase, and where am I going to use these headshots? And so I knew that I would use a lot of them for my website.  07:04 I knew that I was going to use a lot of them for social media advertisements about what I do, so of course, I needed props. Right, and props were. I brought every single pair of glasses, by the way, and on my Ann Genguza coaching page you'll see a video shot of me with about 12 different pairs of glasses, because that's just part of my personality, right I?  07:22 love it. And also I'm hoping that some eyewear company will say oh Ann, please be a brand ambassador for us because I love glasses. But I did. I brought like 10 different pairs of glasses.  07:32 It was something I literally had to plan when I was going for my shot and I had to make sure that she knew that I had at least eight different looks that I wanted to shoot and that usually they charge based upon how many looks and then they charge on how many digital.  07:47 Because she gave me all digital shots and because I've known her forever, I'm like just give me all the shots, right, and then I'll pay you to edit the ones that I think I'll use ultimately. And that is a time consuming process, but it was definitely well worth my time and I paid for makeup and hair on the day and I wanted to make sure I had three different hairstyles as well. So that is like okay, when am I going to take the straight hair shot? And then we have to have time to curl my hair and when am I going to take the curled hair headshot? And then what am I going to do? Am I going to keep it all in front of me? Am I going to maybe put half of it back. So there's all sorts of different looks that I was curating for those headshots.  08:25 - Lau Lapides (Host) Absolutely. I think those are all important points, and you're a pro and you've been doing this for years and years and years, and so you're at a point where you're doing really a pro shot. You're doing a pro shoot. That's really also full body shots, and that's something— I did full body shots as well. I think there's a couple steps that I think the early entry person needs to follow so they don't get overwhelmed, and the first one is finding a photographer and finding someone within a geographical distance that you're willing to travel, and finding someone within your budget. So you have to understand what your budget is and what the market rate will bear and put those people by your coaches so that they can okay it for you, so that you're not going to a charlatan or someone who really doesn't have a gallery of actual headshots, but really more of a wedding photographer. You have to be careful of that right. So it's really selecting the right photographer for you and also knowing am I doing headshots only or am I doing full body shots?  09:21 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) as well.  09:22 - Lau Lapides (Host) And that's another decision to make, which will cost you a lot more money to do that.  09:25 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) It's more of an investment to do that and, for the most part, most professional photographers have a website where you can look at their portfolio and see the type of shots that they've taken before and get a cost estimate. And I will say that this is something that you have to prepare for. You have to actually say I am going to make an investment in my headshots because they are important for my business.  09:47 - Lau Lapides (Host) Right, they are important and don't avoid it, don't treat it like the plague, don't say oh.  09:51 I hate it, I don't want to do it. That's not a good start. You want to really discipline your mind to say I need this because I'm reaching out to my audience, I'm reaching out to potential clients and they need to see me, they need to see who I am. So once you select that photographer and you figure out what your budget is and decide am I doing headshot, which is typical, like a bust-up shot, or am I doing a full-body shot? Right, and you can discuss that with your coaching team easily. Now you have to kind of figure out what am I going to bring and I would say for a headshot.  10:23 What you said was not excessive. I say you bring the 5 to 10 tops.  10:28 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) It took me three trips from my car to the studio with all of my stuff oh, it takes a lot of trips and shoes, because I knew I was doing full body shots. I had to do shoes. I had boots and then I had jewelry. I brought my entire jewelry like case. I had packed that because I wanted to switch out jewelry as well. Yes, exactly, and ultimately it was a long day. I was exhausted. However, it was amazing. And then I did another photo shoot with the same photographer. That was a different style. It wasn't four headshots for my website or my business. It was Jerry and I, and it was Jerry and I at the beach. I always wanted to do a shot at the pier with Jerry and so I said well, let's make it a full day. And again, I curated outfits and I actually took photos of myself in the outfits and then got people's opinions or looked at myself, because sometimes what you think looks great and when you take a photograph of it, sometimes it doesn't look the same way.  11:21 And so I highly recommend that, if you can, you can get like a really inexpensive like stand, a really inexpensive set of lights, which I do for a lot of my marketing for brands that I work with for clothing, and your iPhone right, I mean, that's how I do all of my shots for that and a really good editing software that you can have on your phone, which I have all of these things, by the way, linked on anganguzacom in my shop section, because I love them and I feel like for any voice actor it's good. Like the lighting that I have in the studio is important. Lighting is, oh my gosh, almost everything, and you also have to be considerate of where's the studio. Are you going to do it inside or outside? And inside do they do it with natural?  12:06 I think natural light is the very best lighting, and so if they have a studio that has a lot of windows, that you can be facing the windows, because that's your best light on your face, and so you can practice on yourself and take lots of different pictures and figure out what sort of positions, do I have a good side, do I have a bad side, do I have preferences that you can then communicate to your photographer and also, like I said, curate some outfits and take some pictures of yourself in those outfits to see how they look in a photo, and then maybe you can even send, like, here's a look that I was thinking of.  12:40 You can even send those to your photographer ahead of time to see what they think. That's just because I have a really good relationship with mine, but it does help a lot to get their professional opinion and she knows where to go with that camera to get the best picture of me, because she probably took, I think, on that day, maybe a thousand shots and I think I ended up with 500 of them, but I'm using maybe 50. So, but still, that's a lot of shots.  13:06 - Lau Lapides (Host) That's huge. That's a lot of shots, I would say, for folks listening in who are going for their first time, or maybe their second time, but their first time in. It's scary it is. It's a scary. You've got to get comfortable in front of the camera. It can be upsetting, psychologically demanding, to look at yourself and you want that photographer to work with you and show you what they are shooting, as they're shooting it.  13:33 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Oh, absolutely, and ask to see those photos as they're shooting them, deal with what you see, and that's something that you've got to do.  13:42 - Lau Lapides (Host) Whatever you need to do, meditate, drink water, see a therapist, whatever you need to do, do not unload on the photographer. They're just there to shoot you and make you look great. But the psychological hurdles that you're going to need to overcome with dealing with your age, your weight, your style I'm going to be honest. I'm going to be transparent. Mom is going to tell you the truth. It's going to be hard, it's not going to be easy.  14:08 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) It's like looking in a mirror and it's hard. And if you hate yourself in the mirror?  14:13 - Lau Lapides (Host) Most people do not like it. They do not like the experience, they do not like looking at themselves. So it's just like listening to yourself, right, annie? You have to do it a lot and get used to it and know that that's kind of a necessary part of our industry. I would say start out simple, like, just start out with doing a headshot, having some great tops, layer it, bring in some jackets, some sweaters, right? Nothing busy. Don't make sure you don't have words, sequins, shiny things on your clothes. See what I'm wearing today. It's awesome, but not great for a headshot, because it's too busy looking, unless it's what we call a personality shot. Yes, so a personality shot is not a standard headshot. It is different.  14:54 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) That's what I'm going to talk about. I think the personality shot almost always sometimes looks better.  14:59 - Intro (Announcement) I mean there's a place for each right.  15:01 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, the personality shot is like what is it that makes you you? What is it that makes you laugh? What is it that you're passionate about? Like, do you have a hobby that you're passionate about? I mean outside of voiceover. Right, for me it was, you know. I'm just trying to think what I did. I mean because I loved. Well, I did the whole family shot by the ocean, because we love the ocean. I loved horses.  15:20 So you know what I mean. I have different aspects. I have my cowboy boots. I always do a business shot.  15:26 - Lau Lapides (Host) I always do a corporate shot right. There's a mom shot. There's different roles you're thinking about, of what you give off, what you play, whether you're an actor or you're not an actor, like what's your perception of what you give off to the world, and you want to match that for sure. So, starting with the headshot, I think is great, annie, to just start sort of simply like that and thinking about how do I wear my, how do I want to wear my hair? Do I like it down? Do I?  15:49 - Intro (Announcement) like it up.  15:50 - Lau Lapides (Host) How do I like my makeup? You know, having that makeup artist in hair is so important, because you translate so differently on camera than you do in real life.  15:59 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Now, even for, let's say, guys who are not necessarily wearing makeup, or is that something that they should consider when taking headshots?  16:07 - Lau Lapides (Host) No, honestly, I don't recommend men to have makeup. I just say listen, have a good powder on hand, have some great chapstick.  16:14 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, because you don't want the shine.  16:15 - Lau Lapides (Host) Yeah, they can do it in.  16:16 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Photoshop. I will say something about glasses, because you have to be careful about the angle. So, like right now, you can see as I look up towards the light. You can see the reflection in my glasses. Right, right. So the photographer needs to know the angle right of the lighting that they have in there and that it's not reflecting off the glasses. There are a lot of times you can get frames without any lenses and sometimes this is the best solution Actually the photographer Fig.  16:42 - Lau Lapides (Host) Good, See, this is the difference, you guys Listen up, Between a wedding photographer, a child photographer and an actor photographer. One of my photographers was so pro, he gave me his own glasses, his props, and he popped out the lenses and he said here you go. And I said, really, you don't want the light. He's like no, no, I don't want any reflection, I just need the rims, Because they have to try to get rid of it in the end.  17:05 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And for me, I need my glasses. I cannot literally read or see without them, and so they are prescription and, the funny thing is, Lau. If you look really closely, you're going to see one of my eyes is bigger than the other, and that's because one of my eyes is much worse than the other and my lens is thicker, so it's magnifying my eye. Now for me.  17:24 - Lau Lapides (Host) I thought you were going to say you have a fake glass eye and you're going to plop it out For me. I was like, oh my God, I didn't know that.  17:30 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) For me, I call my other eye the droopy eye because it looks like it's drooping, like this one looks like it's drooping and now that I've just pointed it out for everybody. But when I do my Teachable Moments videos, I will have days when I'm tired right and my one eye really droops more, and also the angle of the camera has a lot to do with it. So if I'm looking like this, you're not going to notice that this eye is bigger, but if I look this way, you're going to notice this eye is much bigger than this eye. That's fun.  17:53 So it is a thing, and it's only because the lens is thicker, the magnification is thicker, and you know your angles too.  17:59 That's how much I've been on camera and you know you are very aware and that's something you can communicate to your photographer. But even If they're good, they're going to make you look good. They know the angle, they know where to come, they know where to place you within the light. They're going to make you feel good about yourself. So, if you can find Now, I have been all different weights, I've felt all different ways about myself and I've needed headshots, and so she has gone through my lifetime with me. I feel the last 10 years she's been with me through heavier times, thinner times, and always that affects how I feel about myself and how I feel about myself in front of the camera, and she has always. I've trusted her with my life because she's always been able to make me look good or feel good about myself. That, to me, is priceless right, that she is worth every penny because she knows me and she knows how to take a good picture of me.  18:50 - Lau Lapides (Host) So you know, Annie, what you're saying, I think, is so treasurable, because and you may only meet this person once and not see them again or not see them for a long time but how that photography team makes you feel about yourself is so important. You don't want them to be overly critical, you don't want them to be rushing, rushing, rushing, rushing. You don't want that factory approach, you want a personalized approach. So I would say listen, talk to them first. Get a quick Zoom meet, get a quick in-person meet, if you can.  19:20 - Intro (Announcement) Sure, absolutely To get engaged.  19:22 - Lau Lapides (Host) Do they want to spend a little time with you? Are they going to rush you in and out of the door and not care which? A lot of photographers like that too. Right, Annie, you've met them here's the thing right.  19:31 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I think there's a special skill in smiling right, in smiling for a camera, right, my husband for the life of him. Like every time I tell him to smile, he's like and it's like, really fake. Yeah, it's really fake. Like so many people don't understand how to smile for the camera. Now, it is not a natural thing. I think most people just feel like they have to put on this particular look.  19:51 Now a good photographer and or their assistants are going to be able to make you smile, a natural smile, Because sometimes they'll just say, okay, smile, and you'll be like you know, and that you're not going to like any of your photos because it's not real, so maybe they can tell you a joke and then take multiple pictures while you're laughing Right, and that's usually the good, almost candid shots that I think are always like the award-winning headshots, when you're just like you're like right in the middle of a natural emotion.  20:19 - Lau Lapides (Host) Great minds think alike. That conversation, you know this is so funny. There's so much bridge into what we do as voiceover talent. It's like are you authentically real, Are? You talking to the photographer as a person. Are you having conversations, are you?  20:34 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) talking about life. Can I just say this? This is absolutely parallel to when we tell people to smile when they're reading copy. Right, there's a difference between smiling like hi, I'm Ann and I'm going to read this copy with this fake smile Notice how I have a fake smile and it's a fake smile and it doesn't sound good because my mouth is like in a position that is not making me sound.  20:53 - Lau Lapides (Host) I can see it in your eyes too, your eyes.  20:55 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Exactly For me. I'm happy and bubbly anyway, so I can just think a smile. I don't always have to form my mouth in a smile, but if I tell some people to smile, it'll make them sound a little less serious. So notice how, if I'm just like oh my God, like Lau, you just made me laugh, right, that's such a better smile. So what we try to tell you in voiceover when we're saying I want you to smile, I want to hear that smile in the copy. I don't want to hear a fake smile, just as in photography. We don't want to see a fake smile. We want to see a real smile. We want to see real emotion. We want your personality, your heart to be shown and your happiness and your joy.  21:29 - Lau Lapides (Host) And I would use hacks like bring in a prop or have like I have my coffee in my hand right now, because my coffee is kind of like connected to me by the hip you know, I always have a water or a coffee in my hand.  21:40 It just makes me feel like a person. It makes me feel like I'm living life. It's just me, right? But what makes you feel that way? Maybe you'll have a little teddy bear in your hand, or you have a little stress squeezer. We're not going to see it on camera, yeah, just like we don't see it in your voiceover, but maybe I need that so that I can make myself laugh or talk to the photographer about you know, I'm kind of nervous, I'm kind of stressed.  22:03 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) A lot of people are, and a good photographer will be able to like either make you laugh or get you to be more natural or more relaxed and comfortable. I can't how many times did we go for those school photos?  22:16 - Lau Lapides (Host) Oh God, I was thinking about school photos. I can't believe you said that, annie. Do you remember the days where we had the little clip-on animals for our collars.  22:24 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) They were a thing.  22:25 - Lau Lapides (Host) So, like my fourth grade shot, I have a clip-on raccoon. It was like yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, we're still kind of doing that when we get in front of a camera. We're still kind of like deer in the headlights. You have to be careful about that.  22:40 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I would say even warm up, like my husband, who has the best smile ever when he gets in front of the camera. And, by the way, I will tell you my husband, I got him. He's now hired to work alongside me with one of my brands as an influencer. He's hysterical, he's really great on camera. But whenever I say when he wants to pose to do photos, right, I mean they're like okay, now smile and he'll go and it'll be like the most stiff. I'm like no.  23:02 - Intro (Announcement) Jerry, just like say something.  23:04 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Let me just tell you a joke, Jerry oh my God. Remember the other day when we did this, and then I'll get him in the middle of a smile and it completely changes the photo. Yeah, so it's something that how many times can we do a selfie? Right, we can take selfies, we can practice. You can see what you look like when you fake smile. So really, just practice as well, and it's not a bad idea to get yourself a tripod and a remote control little.  23:30 Blippi, that works via Bluetooth with your iPhone or Android so that you can click a picture when you're standing there right and do a pose and then just do multiple pictures and figure out. Oh okay, I like myself when I'm angled like this or when I smile, I can't lift my head up too high, or if I put my chin down just a little bit, right, you can really learn what works for you and I think there's some valuable information in spending 20 bucks and getting that tripod and getting that little clicker, which I think costs $20, if not less, and connecting up via Bluetooth with your phone and, boom, taking the picture, taking multiple pictures and getting lighting, by the way, which won't cost you more than I'm going to say. The lighting that I have won't cost you more than a hundred bucks.  24:12 - Lau Lapides (Host) Put those on tripods, you could even get just a ring light.  24:15 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Just get a ring light right, I don't love ring lights because I have glasses and I think the ring lights show like they're very obvious. So I have lighting, like I have in my studio, which are like kind of the soft pillowy LED lights that have the big what do they call those? The big puffy like white coverings over them.  24:33 - Lau Lapides (Host) Yeah, they're like a soft box kind of lighting. Yeah, that's it.  24:37 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I have a soft box, I have two soft box and I make sure that I'm standing in front of a window, because then you have the three areas of light which and I make sure that I'm standing in front of a window because then you have the three areas of light, which is critical for good lighting.  24:46 - Lau Lapides (Host) Now I get your secret, Annie. Now I know why you look like you're 18. That's your secret. It's good lighting. Why does she look like she's 18?  24:52 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) What is going on with her lighting? Yeah, Awesome. By the way, links. I'll link that in the show notes.  24:57 - Lau Lapides (Host) Love it Eyelines. That's something that know about on-camera actors. Vo talent don't know about that. It's important for you for when you do your photo shoot and that means where my eyes are focused. So in a headshot shoot, they are focused directly at the camera. But the caveat is especially for VO talent, who you're showcasing your business as well. I would suggest you bring to the studio your microphone, your headphones, because they're easy to throw in a bag, you don't have to worry about it and take some of those shots.  25:30 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Take a cable too. Don't forget the cable, because if you take a photo without the microphone, with a cable, it's very obvious to all of us.  25:37 - Lau Lapides (Host) Unless you're a podcaster and you're sitting down, so that's up to you. But yes, take a cable and be in action, and you may not be looking at the camera. You may be looking at your script, you may be in an action shot, which is really great, but your eyeline is going to give away. Are you directly involved in what you're doing or are you not involved with what you're doing? A headshot for an actor should be direct address to the camera, but for a voiceover talent, you'll have that, but then you'll have. You know, maybe I'm talking, maybe I'm doing this, maybe I'm doing that, and that's kind of cool for people to see you in action you know, Good photographer will be able to tell you where to look.  26:13 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And what's interesting is, remember we talked about my droopy eye. Okay, so because of my droopy eye, which became so much more noticeable as I needed a thicker lens, my photographer, she's like okay, normally you are looking right in the camera, but I think I need you to look above the camera slightly because you've got that eye and I'm like yeah, so you'll notice. Right now I'm looking at the camera, laura, right?  26:35 - Lau Lapides (Host) I never knew this. This is news to me.  26:36 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Watch me, now I'm looking at the camera Now I'm going to look slightly above the camera, and it makes a difference, right? Oh my God, that's crazy. Right, it makes a big difference See.  26:45 - Lau Lapides (Host) I have known you for how long? A couple years.  26:47 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And I never knew that. See, now everybody's going to be looking at my eye. They're going to say, oh, droopy eye, no no, it's because it's a choice.  27:04 - Lau Lapides (Host) It's all your choice. Oh, I love it. Talk about strategy.  27:08 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And guys, I mean here's the deal. Like I so much put myself in front of the camera every day when I was young and I had a very severe case of lazy eye where I was almost blind, so my eye was in the corner, this bad eye, the one eye that looks bigger, it was very much in the corner, and when I get tired, right still, my good eye does all the work, even with glasses. Oh, how interesting, because it's been trained since the year three yeah, the year three of my life, since I've worn glasses since I was three and so even with glasses, my good eye does all the work.  27:36 So when I get tired this eye, it will tend to kind of go a little bit in the corner, and I notice it all the time. A little bit in the corner and I notice it all the time. I mean, I used to get made fun of it and so you may think I'm completely confident in front of the camera. But I know, like I know okay, my eye will tend to drift if I'm tired or I might have to like really like pay attention to look a little brighter. That's right, but it's good to know yourself.  27:57 It's good to photograph yourself sake of vanity, but for the sake of knowing you and feeling good about yourself in front of the camera. That, I think, has done wonders for me over the years, because before I did a bunch of on camera teachable moments and those sorts of things, stuff that I put out in social media I wasn't on camera a lot and it was something that I had to practice, that to get much better at. And talking to the camera is something that is important for your headshots. Addressing the camera and it's kind of like really thinking about hi guys, you know I'm looking at the camera and like you're really speaking to somebody, just like we do behind the mic. Right, we think about speaking to someone as we're behind the mic. So think about speaking to someone behind the camera and that will engage your face, it will engage your personality, it will engage your heart and it will help you take a better photo. I am convinced of that.  28:48 - Lau Lapides (Host) God, what a great convo this is. I wish I had this convo for myself 30 years ago. One more thing I want to make mention. This is great how you figured out how to like cheat all the insecurities and all that stuff.  29:02 But I do want to say, I do want to say to all the folks that are like, yeah, I don't know how to do that, or I don't know if I'd get over it, or I have this or I have that, we love imperfection. Yeah, we love it. In fact, we look for it, we hire it and we work it. So if you have anything that you consider to be outside of a norm or outside of a convention, whether whatever it's a lazy eye or whether it's this or that, don't feel the need to hide it, don't feel the need to put it aside, shout it from the rooftops.  29:32 Now we're actually looking for people I have droopy eye who have all these so-called imperfections right which are real person stuff.  29:40 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Yeah, that can be a really great thing it is and hopefully that's relatable to some. I mean, maybe not everybody has droopy eye, but there's so many people are like you're always so together.  29:52 - Lau Lapides (Host) I'm like, really I got a droopy eye.  29:53 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) You know I try to be but I got a droopy eye, but that's okay. Yeah, but they don't care, they don't care, they're attached to it. Here's my imperfections, guys. I mean I don't want to. I don't want to be a picture of something that I can't ever achieve. That kind of thing you don't want. A goal that you can't ever achieve.  30:09 That's a good way of putting it Like let that photograph, let that headshot bring out the best in you, showcase the best in you, because every one of us has a beautiful, beautiful quality, every one of us is beautiful. And have that confidence, like remember you were talking about that?  30:23 Hollywood had a term for it Ugly beautiful people, the beautiful ugly and I don't even think I think everybody's beautiful, I don't even like the word ugly. I think everybody's beautiful. They all have a beautiful quality, everybody has a gorgeous voice. They have a unique quality that connects us together as human beings and connects our hearts together. And so, guys, you are beautiful and you are absolutely a face for photography and a face for a headshot and a face for VO, absolutely.  30:49 - Lau Lapides (Host) And there's many companies out there that really exploit that. They really celebrate that. I can think of an amazing agency in New York Funny Face Talent, real person talent. There's probably a bunch of them out there that they want you to think, oh, I have a weird face or I'm not beautiful looking. Oh well, we're going to get you a lot of work because a lot of people relate to you. Right, there was an actor, annie, who was this actor. He was very big In the early 2000s, he was a heavyset guy and he had this eye condition where his eyes fluttered up and down.  31:25 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Oh, I'm not sure.  31:26 - Intro (Announcement) And you saw him in a lot.  31:27 - Lau Lapides (Host) He was a regular on X-Files, huh, and he was a fantastic actor and his eyes fluttered up and down. It was amazing to watch him work in different roles and how he utilized that condition to go right into his roles and to sort of infuse the energy in his role. Some of his roles were scary. Some of his roles were demonous. Some of his roles were good. Some of his roles were like fatherly, but he always used it in his favor. He never tried to hide it.  31:57 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) And I thought that was it. I mean, that was cool. Be out there and be confident, guys.  32:02 - Lau Lapides (Host) Just technically. One more thing I want to throw in, and that is when someone shoots you, a professional headshot photographer should be giving you everything they shoot. They'll go ahead and get rid of all the shots that are like the in-between shots, the blurry shots, the shots that really like you're not in position but they really like Annie was saying she's kept 500 shots, maybe they did 1,000 shots.  32:23 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) I keep them.  32:30 - Lau Lapides (Host) I can do a little cropping myself. Yeah, one of the mistakes, annie, I see people make is they'll show me what their shoot looks like and I'll see watermark on everything. And I say be careful of that, because when they shoot you now it's changed they used to own those, they no longer own those. So when they shoot you and you get 200, 300 of your best shots, those are yours, those should be yours. Now, if they're going to edit you and you're going to pay to have them edit which a lot of people do then they're going to charge money for that, as they should at their time. But otherwise, those are your shots and you should be able to keep those shots Absolutely.  33:00 - Anne Ganguzza (Host) Your property and they should be up in color. You don't do black and white anymore. Guys. Make sure you get all the shots if you want them, and they are yours. All right, excellent conversation, La. I loved it. Guys, I'm going to give a great big shout out to IPDTL. You too, can connect and share like bosses, and find out more at IPDTLcom. Have an amazing week, bosses, and go get your headshots, and we'll see you next week. Bye.  33:28 - Intro (Announcement) Join us next week for another edition of VO Boss with your host, Anne Ganguzza, and take your business to the next level. Sign up for our mailing list at vobosscom and receive exclusive content, industry revolutionizing tips and strategies and new ways to rock your business like a boss. Redistribution with permission. Coast to coast connectivity via IPDTL.   

When there's no more room in Hell…THE DEAD WILL PODCAST!This week on *The Rotten Horror Picture Show*, Clay and Amanda are taking a trip to the Monroeville Mall to talk about George A. Romero's 1978 horror classic *Dawn of the Dead*, a movie that changed Clay himself, and zombie cinema, forever. It's got biting social satire, gruesome practical effects, and an absolutely relentless sense of dread. And, of course, it takes place in a shopping mall—one that might as well be *Hell on Earth* as far as I'm concerned. You think I'm walking into a mall after watching zombies shuffle through JC Penney? Not a chance. I don't even do curbside pickup.I know people love *Dawn of the Dead*. I know it's a classic. I know it's one of the most important horror films ever made. But let me tell you something—I saw this movie when I was way too young, and I have *never* set foot in a shopping mall since. Not once. Not a single store. No supermarkets, no corner shops, nothing. You think I'm being dramatic? Try watching hordes of gray-skinned, dead-eyed freaks stumbling through a shopping center at the age of eight and tell me it doesn't rewire your brain forever. Oh, and it's not just malls. You think I'm walking into a grocery store? Have you *seen* what happens when the looting starts in this movie? Absolute chaos. Nope. I grow my own vegetables. I raise my own chickens. I trade with my neighbor for whatever else I need. You can keep your fluorescent-lit zombie death traps. Anyway, Clay and Amanda are braver than me, so they're diving deep into this horror masterpiece. If you've got the guts to listen, tune in. Just don't invite me shopping afterward. I'll be staying *far* away.And be sure to hit up patreon.com/thepenskyfile to hear their companion coverage of the Zack Snyder remake!

Dan Jablons heads up Retail Smart Guys, a premier consulting company for independent retail. Dan studied at the Ohio State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Production. Throughout his career, he's worked with big-name retailers like Walmart, Target, JC Penney, American Apparel, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Jimmy Choo, and many others.Dan also worked for a clothing manufacturer where he piloted vendor-managed inventory programs, a leading point-of-sale provider (where he installed systems and provided merchandising help to retailers large and small) and internet marketing (where he helped retailers establish a presence on the web.)In addition to his vast retail background, Dan also has a background in improvisational theater. He recently appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm (he played Larry David's lawyer) and is often seen in national commercials. Dan combines his extensive knowledge of retail with his comedy skills to become one of the industry's most popular speakers. He has spoken at Magic, Surf Expo, at local municipal and trade show events, and many other venues.In this conversation, Dan provides insights into the concept of open to buy (OTB) and how his company helps stores become more profitable. He shares the strategies he uses to get inventory moving and how to tell a story with your merchandise. Dan also shares his two cents on what's going on with tariffs, why email marketing is so important, and what it's like to work with the Retail Smart Guys.MC Design Academy is designed to be a space where I get to share my expertise with you, where you'll get to learn all about visual merchandising, design, display, retail, and everything in between. Come along as I practice my craft and be sure to like, subscribe, and follow our socials to keep updated. See you in the merchandising land of MC Design Academy!What's Inside: How Retail Smart Guys helps stores become more profitableDan's thoughts on how tariffs will impact retailersWhy you need an email marketing strategy Mentioned In This Episode:Retail Smart Guys on InstagramRetail Smart Guys on FacebookDan Jablons on LinkedIn

Freelancing is full of growing pains: juggling client work, raising your rates, and trying to scale without burning out. One minute, you're on top of the world, booking dream clients and feeling like a total boss. The next? You're questioning everything, wondering if you should just go work at JCPenney (not that there's anything wrong with that, but you know what I mean). This past year has been full of lessons—some hard, some exciting, all worth sharing. In this solo episode, I'm getting a little more personal & real about what I've learned, what's shifting in our industry, and what I'm doing differently in my business moving forward.Listen in as I cover:Why clients are more hesitant to hire and how showing up as a reliable expert in this “trust recession” can set you apartWhy raising your rates isn't just about confidence but about proving your value and becoming indispensable How saying no more often has helped me protect my energy and focus on the right opportunitiesWhat services are actually in demand right now after reviewing 3,000 job leads, How AI is changing the way we work—and how you can use it to your advantage instead of fearing itI'm not just a marketing assistant coach sitting on the sidelines. I'm in the trenches with you, testing strategies, juggling clients, and running my own programs. Whether you're scaling, pivoting, or just trying to keep up, tune in for my biggest takeaways on navigating freelancing's ups and downs.Sponsored by The Digital Marketer's WorkgroupAre you already doing marketing work but need more clients and a stronger referral network? Join a tight-knit community of freelancers and get access to behind-the-scenes conversations, support, and troubleshooting that every solo marketer needs. Plus, you'll benefit from advanced trainings, networking opportunities, and exclusive job leads. Apply here!Links Mentioned in the Show:2025 State of the Union for Service Providers with Natalie GingrichI'm shaking things up with UDMA School! If you've been thinking about joining, need a reboot, or the timing just wasn't right before, get on my list & be the first to get updates on our new offers here.Connect with Emily:Facebook Community: Emily's Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant LabInstagram: @emilyreaganpr Facebook: @emilyreaganpr3 ways we can work together: Get on the waitlist for the Live Unicorn Digital Marketing...

Gar and Kelli talk about the history of the Miller Hill Mall...one of the first in the nation!The cover photo of this episode is the interior of JCPenney when the mall opened. Want to learn more about mall history? Head on down to the Duluth Public Library to the second floor local history section. You won't be sorry!

Give us about fifteen minutes daily, and we will give you all the local news, sports, weather, and events you can handle.   SPONSORS: Many thanks to our sponsors... Annapolis Subaru, the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, the Bay Bridge Boat Show, the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, and  Hospice of the Chesapeake.  Today...  Maryland's economy faces potential turmoil due to federal spending cuts, while JCPenney announced the closing date for the Annapolis store. Southwest Airlines is ending its beloved free baggage policy, sparking backlash from loyal customers. Meanwhile, a must-see local documentary is set to screen at the Annapolis Film Festival, and several high-profile Annapolis events are selling out fast. Stay tuned for the details! Link to daily news recap newsletter: https://forms.aweber.com/form/87/493412887.htm Back with her weekly Annapolis After Dark is BeeprBuzz. She'll keep you up to speed on all of the fantastic live music we have in the area! DAILY NEWSLETTER LINK: https://forms.aweber.com/form/87/493412887.htm The Eye On Annapolis Daily News Brief is produced every Monday through Friday at 6:00 am and available wherever you get your podcasts and also on our social media platforms--All Annapolis and Eye On Annapolis (FB) and @eyeonannapolis (TW) NOTE: For hearing-impaired subscribers, a full transcript is available on Eye On Annapolis.

A weak hero image can ruin your conversion rates, increase ad costs, and make you invisible in search results. In this episode of Lunch with Norm, Norm Farrar chats with John Aspinall, Amazon creative expert and brand evangelist for PickFu, to break down how to optimize product images for maximum clicks and conversions.    Key topics include: - Why your hero image is the most important factor in click-through rates. - How to test and optimize images using PickFu & real customer feedback. - The biggest mistakes sellers make with product photography. - 3D renders vs. traditional photography—which one works best? - Insider hacks for budget-friendly product photoshoots (including the secret JCPenney trick). If you're an Amazon seller, eCommerce brand, or marketer struggling to stand out in search results, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you win the click and increase sales.

Allie Thomas & Kara Hiller join me as a couple, very loyal to JCPenney, have an armoir delivered.Check out my other artistic ventures at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠aaron-zvi-felder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#improv #comedy #improvcomedy #improvpodcast #comedypodcast #longformimprov #nashvillecomedy #humor

Some people happy with life in pieces Tessie Monck designed her Cold Spring kitchen with jigsaw puzzles in mind. "This counter had to be one slab with no seams where I could do my puzzle," says Monck, a retiree who typically starts a 1,000-piece puzzle every Friday. "It's like my Friday night date. Opening a puzzle is like Christmas morning. I'm full of joy." Along with being fun, jigsaws provide "meditation and peace for my brain," says Monck, who started puzzling about 20 years ago, around the time her husband died and she was dealing with her own health issues. A recent jigsaw boom began during the pandemic, when some manufacturers saw their orders quadruple. "Jigsaw puzzles saved my business," says Fran Farnorotto, who owns The Gift Hut on Main Street in Cold Spring. "I didn't sell anything else, but I sold puzzles." During the shutdown, Farnorotto accepted orders online, then "drove around Philipstown and dropped them off on people's porches." She opened her shop 14 years ago with her late husband, Jim, after working in retail merchandising for JCPenney. Farnorotto stocks about 100 jigsaws, many featuring covers from The New Yorker. As a lifelong puzzler, she understands the joy. "There's something satisfying about that moment when you put the piece in place and you know it's the right piece," she says. In Beacon, about 40 people participated in the Howland Public Library's inaugural puzzle swap in January, says Michelle Rivas, the adult services and community engagement librarian. Rivas expects to have another later this year. The Desmond-Fish library in Garrison and the Butterfield library in Cold Spring also have held swaps. At the Howland event, Maria Hernandez grabbed a puzzle made by Bgraamiens (the name scrambles the letters from brain and games), a brand that specializes in puzzles with complex designs. This one had a kaleidoscope of colorful, swirling squares. The brand's puzzles are so difficult that the backs of the pieces are numbered, as a cheat code. Hernandez doesn't cheat. She has her own system for tough puzzles. "I have little bowls and put the same shapes together," she says. The Beacon resident fell in love with jigsaws growing up in Puerto Rico. She returned to them in recent years in part to deal with chronic depression. "It distracts me - I don't have to think," she says. As Hernandez has learned, there is evidence that puzzles provide mental health benefits such as improving mood, cognitive function, problem-solving, patience and relieving loneliness. At the Friendship Center for seniors in Beacon there is always a jigsaw in progress. Felicita Pinto, 76, is usually there, poring over the pieces with her one good eye. "It helps keep her mind clear," says her daughter and translator, Jenny Ayala. Her mom also does puzzles at home. "That way she's not just watching TV," she says. Pinto always tackles a puzzle on the annual trip to Puerto Rico at Christmas to visit family. Last year it was a picture of Snoopy. "Everybody in the family has to contribute," says Ayala. "You have to put in at least one piece. That's the rule." Fran Pergamo says her first jigsaw was a map of the U.S. that she put together repeatedly. That was 60 years ago, before she could read. As it happened, she had the map upside down; she still tends to imagine the U.S. with Florida in the northwest corner. At her Cold Spring home, she is working on a puzzle obtained from a "friend of a friend" she met at a dinner party. When they discovered a mutual love for jigsaws, they arranged a swap. "She opened her trunk, and I picked out a couple of ones I wanted." Pergamo prefers new jigsaws because secondhand puzzles sometimes have missing pieces. She always has a puzzle going and has 80 stacked on basement shelves. When she finishes a puzzle, she doesn't linger. "I smooth it out and look at it," she says. "Then I drag it apart so I can move on to the next one."

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed April Showers. The trailblazing entrepreneur behind Afro Unicorn is the first Black woman to own a licensed character brand sold in major retailers like Walmart, JC Penney, Amazon, and CVS. Her brand has achieved over $20 million in sales across 25 product categories, including books, bedding, hair care products, and party supplies. In this Money Making Conversations Masterclass episode, April joins Rushion McDonald to discuss the key elements of building a successful business, from licensing and trademarking to accounting and business modeling. Through her journey, she inspires individuals to embrace their uniqueness and tap into their full potential. This one-of-a-kind conversation offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders alike. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed April Showers. The trailblazing entrepreneur behind Afro Unicorn is the first Black woman to own a licensed character brand sold in major retailers like Walmart, JC Penney, Amazon, and CVS. Her brand has achieved over $20 million in sales across 25 product categories, including books, bedding, hair care products, and party supplies. In this Money Making Conversations Masterclass episode, April joins Rushion McDonald to discuss the key elements of building a successful business, from licensing and trademarking to accounting and business modeling. Through her journey, she inspires individuals to embrace their uniqueness and tap into their full potential. This one-of-a-kind conversation offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders alike. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed April Showers. The trailblazing entrepreneur behind Afro Unicorn is the first Black woman to own a licensed character brand sold in major retailers like Walmart, JC Penney, Amazon, and CVS. Her brand has achieved over $20 million in sales across 25 product categories, including books, bedding, hair care products, and party supplies. In this Money Making Conversations Masterclass episode, April joins Rushion McDonald to discuss the key elements of building a successful business, from licensing and trademarking to accounting and business modeling. Through her journey, she inspires individuals to embrace their uniqueness and tap into their full potential. This one-of-a-kind conversation offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders alike. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can a company use today's digital world to their advantage? Luckily for Jeff and Kelly, they have just the expert to ask: Abbey Karel from Bounteous! In their chat with Abbey, they talk digital strategies, automation, AI and more. Plus, just how long until the tucked in sweater goes out of fashion? Listen to find out!  About Abbey: As VP of Growth at Bounteous, Abbey Karel helps Consumer Brands drive digital transformation and create meaningful customer experiences that maximize growth and ROI. By aligning business goals with digital innovation, she enables brands to unlock new opportunities through strategic partnerships and co-innovation while optimizing spend.  With a background in global client leadership, digital strategy, and in-store innovation, Abbey has worked with some of the world's most recognized brands to elevate customer engagement and drive measurable business impact. Prior to Bounteous, she led high-impact client relationships at Ogilvy, earning recognition as a Top-25 Global Client Leader, and played a key role in pioneering native apps and in-store digital experiences for Kohl's and JCPenney.    Abbey is also a frequent speaker and thought leader, sharing insights on digital transformation, customer experience, and data-driven growth at industry events.

Imagine this: You're researching financial strategies, and you keep running into this concept called Infinite Banking. But then, you see a claim—Infinite Banking is only for the wealthy. Maybe you start to wonder: Is Infinite Banking only for the wealthy? Is this really something I can use? Or is it just a strategy for high-net-worth individuals to stash their cash and avoid taxes? https://www.youtube.com/live/WwKYCAX_22E If you've ever questioned whether Infinite Banking is only for the wealthy, you're not alone. There's a lot of misinformation out there. In this article, we're going to debunk the myth, show you how Infinite Banking actually works, and explain why it's not just for the ultra-rich. In fact, it could be the most powerful financial tool available to anyone who understands and applies it correctly. Let's dive in. Why Do People Think Infinite Banking is Only for the Wealthy?What Is Infinite Banking Really About?Why Infinite Banking Is Not Only for the Wealthy1. It's Based on Cash Flow, Not Net Worth2. Banks and Businesses Already Use This Strategy3. You Can Start at Any Level4. It Protects You From Market Risk5. It Provides Lifetime BenefitsWhat About High-Net-Worth Individuals? Why Do They Use Infinite Banking?How to Get Started with Infinite Banking (Even If You're Not “Wealthy” Yet)Final Thoughts: Is Infinite Banking Only for the Wealthy?Book A Strategy Call Why Do People Think Infinite Banking is Only for the Wealthy? The misconception that Infinite Banking is only for the wealthy comes from two main places: The stories of wealthy families using it. You hear about how the Rockefellers, Walt Disney, JCPenney, and other major figures used whole life insurance to build their empires. It's easy to assume that if they used it, it must be a strategy for the rich. People misunderstand how it works. When people hear “whole life insurance,” they assume it's just an expensive insurance product. They don't realize it's actually a tool for cash flow management, financing, and growing wealth that anyone can use—regardless of net worth. But here's the truth: Infinite Banking is not about how much money you have. It's about how you manage the money you do have. What Is Infinite Banking Really About? Infinite Banking is not a secret strategy reserved for the wealthy. It's a method of using a specially designed dividend-paying whole life insurance policy as a personal banking system. Here's how it works: You put money into a whole life insurance policy instead of a traditional bank savings account. Your cash value grows tax-deferred, and you can access it anytime through policy loans. When you borrow against your policy, your money continues to grow uninterrupted—even while you use it. Instead of paying interest to a bank, you pay the life insurance company of which you are a part owner, and you maintain control of your capital. The key advantage? You control the banking function in your life rather than relying on traditional banks and lenders. And this applies whether you have $50,000 in savings or $5 million. Why Infinite Banking Is Not Only for the Wealthy Let's bust this myth once and for all. Infinite Banking is not just for the ultra-rich—and here's why: 1. It's Based on Cash Flow, Not Net Worth Many people assume you need millions of dollars to start Infinite Banking. But that's simply not true. What you need is consistent cash flow. Infinite Banking isn't about how much money you already have—it's about how you manage and use your money. Even if you're just starting out, you can begin with small policies and scale up over time. 2. Banks and Businesses Already Use This Strategy If you've ever heard of Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) or Corporate-Owned Life Insurance (COLI), you know that banks and large corporations store billions of dollars in whole life insurance policies. Why? Because it's a safe, liquid,

We're joined by fellow Retail Voices by NRF honoree Kevin Ervin Kelley to unpack some of the key lessons from his remarkable book Irreplaceable: Creating Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together and his recent NRF "Big Show" talk.We discuss how physical retail must dramatically evolve in an ever more digital world, the "Bonfire Effect," his key principles for connecting more powerfully with customers though design, and much, much more. You won't see your stores the same way after this powerful interview.But before our interview, we unpack the week in retail news starting with fears that we haven't quite licked inflation and that job losses might accelerate. Then it's on to try to explain January's unusually strong US retail sales numbers, the tale of two cities that characterizes luxury retail of late, and JC Penney's attempt to off-load a bunch of store leases. We conclude wondering just what the heck Amazon is doing opening a pharmacy in Milan. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

We needed new promo pics, Laura found a Groupon, and BOOM we found ourselves at the photo studio at JC Penney posing up a storm. These pictures are so crazy cringe, you're gonna laugh. We have to figure out which one to use. They are all so special in their own uncomfortable way. haha. In the comments, let us know which one you like best! Then we launch into Japanese words that are used to help you stop overthinking. Laura found this and thought it would be a positive, nice segment. Of course, it went sideways and crazy, but hysterical. Erik almost wet his pants. Happy Valentine's Day. Love your podcast!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/laura-cain-after-dark--4162487/support.

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and special guest host Tom Nowak, CMO of the Midwest-based fashion retailer Evereve, break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. Tom and Danny discuss the murky gray area marketers are finding themselves in thanks to the TikTok ban, the sudden rise to popularity of Chinese sneaker brand Anta, and the recent layoffs at mass retailers including Kohl's, JCPenney and Macy's.

For the full show notes and access to resources mentioned in this episode visit https://www.easyscaling.com/blog/episode101Hey everyone! I'm thrilled to introduce today's guest, Chelsya Ashley, owner of Cheya Media and an absolute powerhouse when it comes to marketing strategy.Chelsya brings over 8 years of experience working with major brands like JCPenney, AARP, and Stanley Tools. Now, she's channeling that expertise into helping health, wellness, and lifestyle brands grow with ease through relationship-based marketing and data-driven strategies. Cheya Media has worked with over 400 companies, and Chelsya is here to share her insights on how to create sustainable growth while staying grounded in what matters most. She's also one of our expert professors inside Scaling School. In this episode, we're diving into:The behind-the-scenes realities of growing and scaling a business.Why emotional regulation is a superpower in entrepreneurship.How Chelsya navigated a quiet summer season—and what the data revealed.Strategies for using data to stay grounded and make smart business decisions.A tactical approach to tracking the customer journey and boosting conversion rates.The power of email marketing and why it's a must-have in 2025.Chelsya's unique market research strategy involving Instagram DMs and gift cards.How to know when it's the right time to outsource your marketing—and what to look for in an agency.Why Scaling School is the ultimate resource for business owners looking to level up.Connect with Chelsya:Visit Cheya Media for blogs and expert insights.Follow on Instagram: @cheyamedia.Learn more about Easy Scaling's updated offers:Scaling SchoolCOO + Team

Jennifer Chavez, a remarkable figure in medical sales, joins us to share her inspiring journey from a former vascular peripheral sales representative to the founder of her own medtech consulting agency. We explore her unique role at Medtronic, where she managed key accounts remotely, strategically engaging with isolated and high-priority clients. Jennifer offers a firsthand look at the shifting landscape of medical sales, underscoring the significance of remote interactions and the increasing reliance on data engagement and virtual product launches. Trace Jennifer's career path from selling suits at JCPenney to becoming a key account manager in the medical sales industry. Her story highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and cultivating strong relationships, skills that formed the foundation of her success. We discuss the transformative impact of an MBA and analytical skills on crafting compelling value propositions and how COVID-19 has accelerated the shift from face-to-face to virtual sales models. Jennifer's move into consulting showcases the potential for career reinvention, fueled by a passion for impacting lives with innovative medical technologies. Jennifer also opens up about her journey as a single mother balancing a demanding career with family life. Her transition into entrepreneurship demonstrates the rewards of dedication and emphasizes her commitment to fostering diverse leadership within the MedTech industry. As we wrap up, Jennifer shares her insights on personal growth, motivational tips, and the importance of family bonds, leaving us with a vision for the future of medical sales centered on value-based healthcare and health equity. Tune in to be inspired by Jennifer's remarkable journey and her vision for a more equitable and innovative future in medical sales. Meet the guest: Jennifer Chavez is a Medical Technology Expert and founder of TransformEdge Consulting Group. With a decade of top global medical device industry commercialization experience, she is passionate about improving the lives of many through creating access to impactful medical technologies. Jennifer holds a Strategic Management MBA and a Medical Industry Leadership Institute Certification from Carlson School of Management.  Connect with her:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennygchavez/ https://www.transformedgecg.com/ Books by Dr. Joe Dispenza   https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IGX24Q   Medical Sales Winter Bash!! Saturday, January 25, 2025 6:00 PM PT Herb & Wood 2210 Kettner Blvd San Diego, CA 92101 Register now: https://evite.me/EYS_IgniteNexus_WinterBash   This Podcast offers a pathway to continuing education via this CMEfy link: https://earnc.me/h25vby

Sam Walton left JC Penny and realized that people in rural America had to travel to shop in department stores. He changed all that. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I'm Stephen's sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today's episode, a word from our sponsor, which is... Well, it's us, but we're highlighting ads we've written and produced for our clients. So here's one of those. AirVantage Heating & Cooling Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast, Dave Young here alongside Stephen Semple. And Stephen just told me the topic for today's podcast, and it's Walmart. Stephen Semple: That's it. You're so excited. Dave Young: Oh my gosh. We're finally going to talk about Walmart. Stephen Semple: Walmart's just one of those companies that they've been unbelievably successful, and I'm going to defend Walmart here, but they're hard to love. Dave Young: They're hard to love, but man, if you live in a small town, they're hard to avoid too. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: And you got to hand it to Sam Walton. Stephen Semple: Yep. Dave Young: I've read his book. It is actually the one that was ghostwritten while he was dying in the hospital. And it's a really good read and it's got some great lessons, so I'm anxious to hear what you found out. Stephen Semple: It's a great read. It has some fantastic lessons in it. I think there are a few things that Walmart as a corporation has started to deviate from those ideas that if they had kept closer to them, Walmart is a company that would be deeply loved. There's a few things I think they've moved away from, but here's one of the things that I'm going to say I admire about Walmart is that if we did not have a Walmart in the marketplace, I think it would be far easier for prices to increase for consumers on certain products, groceries, and things along that lines, Walmart being in there, to a degree, has managed to keep prices for certain commodities at a certain level because Walmart is dedicated to that, keeping prices down. And I think having somebody in that space is good. And this was stats from a couple of years ago was over 10,500 stores in 24 countries, that number surprised me. I didn't realize it was 24 countries, and it was started in 1945 by a former JCPenney employee. I didn't realize that Sam Walton had worked for JCPenney, and the first thing he did when he left JCPenney is he bought a branch of Ben Franklin stores from the Butler brothers. So he started with those stores, and what Sam saw was retailers were putting a few large stores in big cities, but those big stores in big cities was inconvenient for rural shoppers. And what he decided to do was open a large department store in Rogers, Arkansas. Now, here's the crazy thing is, this was a place with a population of 6,000 people. So one would go, "This is nuts. Why would you open a store in a town of that size?" So it's 1962, and he opens basically the first Walmart. And his primary focus was to sell products at low prices, higher volume sales, lower profit margin, and really do this crusading for the consumer. And the funny part is the name Walmart was derived from Fed Mart, which was, if we remember when we did the episode on Costco, was the first version of Costco that was done by Saul Price, was Fed Mart. And Walton has also stated he liked the idea of calling the chain Walmart because he really liked Saul's name, Fed Mart. He even talks about how a lot of his really good ideas came from studying Saul. So it's really, really interesting. But within its first five years, the company expanded to 18 stores in Arkansas and was 9 million in sales. So it really did this... Really, really, really,

A Dozen Provocative Predictions for Retail's Future, Plus 5 "Wild Card" Prognostications! In the first of two episodes, Steve lays out his first six predictions for retail in 2025.But first, we start with a look at the latest retail news from the past couple of weeks, including an early result on Holiday consumer spending, the formation of Catalyst Brands consisting of SPARC's Lucky Brand, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer and Brooks Brothers brands, as well as JCPenney.   We look back briefly on the career of Dave Kimbell as he steps down at Ulta and, Kecia Steelman gets elevated to the President & CEO role, and Costco shows courage on DEI.Our Interview with Dave Kimbell About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: There are big, expensive lessons for Texas coming out of the Los Angeles urban wildfires. So far, Texas legislators, while aware of the problem for years, have not had the fortitude to fix it. We have similar problems with TWIA as California has with FAIR and it is because of politicians.DeVore: Government mismanagement, not climate change, is to blame for California's destructive wildfires. Chuck references a book all should read, especially young adults, so that they can see what wimps we have become compared to our American ancestors: Two Years Before the Mast by Dana.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.The Texas GOP battle over whether or not the Texas House Republican Caucus should select the Speaker of the House is nasty, bitter, and now beyond the absurd. Burrowcrat Coalition backer Rep. Cody Harris “seeks felony charges against Texas GOP chairman”for standing up for the party's platform and Burrowcrat “scorched earth” backer Rep. Carl Tepper says George Soros is running the Republican Party of Texas! Both of these things are beneath the bottom rung.The Texan: Five Questions to Consider About the Texas House Speaker Race.The race is not about Burrows and his Burrowcrat Coalition or David Cook and his backers, it about putting an end to the “most pervasive, long-lasting, and heavily funded divide in the Texas Republican Party.”JCPenney merges with big brand group to create new company.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

Key Topics Discussed:Supply Chain Relief: Port Strike AvertedDockworkers and port operators reach an agreement, avoiding a strike that threatened imports and exports.Impact: Eases supply chain challenges for manufacturers and retailers dependent on timely shipments.Tempur-Sealy vs. FTC: Acquisition DisputeTempur-Sealy's proposed acquisition of Mattress Firm faces FTC scrutiny over competition concerns.Tempur-Sealy's rebuttal highlights potential consumer benefits, keeping this high-stakes drama unfolding.EPA and Formaldehyde RisksThe EPA's new stance on formaldehyde as an “unreasonable health risk” could tighten regulations on pressed wood products.Manufacturers may need to explore alternative materials and prioritize sustainability in production.Retail Sector Updates:Big Lots Acquisition by Gordon Brothers:Signals potential shifts in Big Lots' furniture strategy—retailers should monitor for changes.Arhaus' Growth Momentum:Q4 and full-year guidance up, driven by sales and inventory management—a model for retailers to emulate.JCPenney's Merger:New retail brand emerges, offering hope for revitalizing the struggling chain.IKEA's Sleep Research InitiativeAiming to innovate products by studying American sleep habits, IKEA addresses health-conscious consumer needs.Macy's Store ClosuresPlans to close 66 locations, pivoting to digital growth and high-performing stores.Key takeaway: Balancing physical and online presence is crucial for staying competitive in today's market.Notable Quote:“From supply chain updates to retail shakeups, today's episode highlights the adaptability and innovation needed to thrive in the furniture industry.”Final Thoughts:This episode underscores the importance of staying informed and proactive in a dynamic industry. From environmental compliance to consumer-focused innovation, there's a lot to learn from this week's updates.Subscribe to stay ahead with weekly insights tailored to furniture professionals!

We discuss a major retail merger, slender man stabbing, Scooby-Doo, Macys and more!

In this episode of Do This, Not That, host Jay Schwedelson dives into the latest marketing trends, industry insights, and pop culture updates for the week. From TikTok's quirky JCPenney trend to updates from CES and upcoming TV shows, Jay shares his thoughts and actionable takeaways.=================================================================Best Moments:(00:56) The holidays are over, and people are back at work(01:14) TikTok trend of awkward photo sessions at JCPenney(02:23) Criticism of misleading marketing statistics(04:37) Updates from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES)(06:23) The rise of AI-integrated TVs and connected TV marketing(07:43) Review of the Extreme Makeover Home Edition reboot(08:26) Anticipation for Kitchen Nightmares season 2(08:54) Commentary on award shows and acceptance speeches(09:54) Announcement of Eventastic, a free virtual event about events=================================================================MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don't take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!Check out this free content from marigold that Jay has loved digesting, 5 Steps For Selecting The Right Email Marketing Platform.

In this episode of Purpose & Profit Podcast, we're excited to welcome back Sheeba Philip! Sheeba is a visionary leader with 25 years of experience at the intersection of business and purpose. During her career, she has transformed iconic brands like Oreo, JCPenney, and Jell-O, while also leading impactful nonprofit initiatives to combat human trafficking and create jobs for women in East Africa. Sheeba currently leads a global advisory practice, equipping CEOs of purpose-driven funds, brands, and organizations to achieve transformational growth.  Sheeba begins her conversation with Dave and Carly talking about what it means to adopt an entrepreneurial approach in your organization. Sharing real world experience from both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, Sheeba shares some practical tips on how entrepreneurism can be molded into a regularly practiced habit. Later, Sheeba explains how discipline is the backbone of any successful venture, offering advice on how to maintain focus on the most important tasks when there are so many distractions and potential opportunities at hand.  Also along the way, Sheeba talks about:  How vision without a clear strategy can be detrimental to an organization's plans for growth What it means to have a passion for a problem  How to gather and analyze data to ensure you're moving in the right direction How to embrace agility and adapt to change Season Five of the Purpose & Profit Podcast is brought to you by: VIRTUOUS Virtuous is a software company committed to helping nonprofits grow generosity. Virtuous believes that generosity has the power to create profound change in the world and in the heart of the giver. With that in mind, it's their mission to move the needle on global generosity by helping nonprofits better connect with and inspire their givers. Learn more about Virtuous at ⁠virtuous.org⁠ and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at ⁠virtuous.org/checklist⁠.  FAITHSEARCH PARTNERS FaithSearch Partners is an executive search firm for faith-based organizations, dedicated to providing lasting solutions and championing faith-driven leaders. Their mission is to serve their clients and empower them with the right people at the right time to help drive their unique mission of ministry forward. Learn more about FaithSearch Partners at ⁠faithsearchpartners.com/⁠. IMAGO CONSULTING Imago Consulting is an advisory firm that helps nonprofits and businesses grow through innovation. Innovation is the lifeblood of any growing organization. Imago publishes a weekly trends report called The Wave Report – learn more at ⁠.imago.consulting⁠ and subscribe at ⁠imago.consulting/wavereport⁠. Special thanks to editor and sound engineer Barry R. Hill and producer Abigail Morse.

Nothing says Christmas like Road House! I'm your host, Dave, and joining me as we gather around the bandstand and throw beer bottles at the chicken wire are fellow cinephiles and Double Deuce regulars Mike, Ryan, and special guest: Cody. Topics of discussion in this episode include how Road House is basically John Wick for bouncers; we lament the transformation of the Double Deuce from a divey road house to a glorified TGI Friday's; and finally, we touch on the Jake Gyllenhaal remake and how it lost the spiritual and philosophical center that made the 1989 film such a classic (also, how it cast Connor McGregor in a lead role…BIG mistake). Be sure to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also Follow Us on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, or shoot us an email at apocalypsevideopod@gmail.com That'll do it for this action packed interruption to our regular Christmas programming. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And don't forget the one who made all of this holiday cheer possible…Brad Wesley. After all, there wouldn't be a JCPenney in the greater Jasper area without him!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Microsoft, Ownit AI and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute:A Senate investigation reveals concerning workplace safety practices at Amazon, finding injury rates significantly higher than industry averages and questioning the company's reporting methods.JCPenney faces continued challenges in its turnaround efforts, reporting an 8% decline in Q3 sales despite some positive developments in customer acquisition.McDonald's pushes forward with innovation, testing a new drive-thru and digital-focused restaurant format in Los Angeles, emphasizing the growing importance of digital sales in quick-service restaurants.Stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights. Be careful out there!

This week we're recapping our weekends apart, Luke is sharing all of his thoughts on Wicked, and we discuss our recent awkward couple holiday photoshoot at JC Penney! Tune in to Ketchup With The Freys!Listen To Jingle Bells: laf.hearnow.com/jingle-bells

Are you working a retail job right now? David worked at MY STORE FOR LEVIS and Kendra worked at JCPENNEY.... and if you know, you know.

932: Customer loyalty is a key metric for success in retail, prompting companies to leverage AI to optimize customer engagement. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Sharmeelee Bala, Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney, to explore how she is enhancing customer engagement and the transformative role AI plays in this process.

Mark A. Mears is a #1 Best Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building shareholder value. What are the 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder? You've created a model called "LOVE". What is the process of this model? How do you help change leaders with a command and control approach? What was one of the biggest lessons you learned working in the C-Suite? What do you feel most corporate development programs get wrong and why?
 Mark Mears Mark A. Mears is a #1 Best Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building shareholder value. He has driven innovation and profitable growth among world-class, high-profile brands such as PepsiCo/Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, NBCUniversal, and The Cheesecake Factory.
Today, Mark serves as Chief Growth Officer for LEAF Growth Ventures, LLC—a consulting firm helping individuals, teams, and organizations find purpose in fulfilling their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference in the world. Mark has just released a new book titled, The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder. 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.

We welcome noted retail journalists Chantal Fernandez and Lauren Sherman to the podcast to discuss their fabulous new book Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon. And we had so much to talk about we are releasing our interview in two parts. In the first part of our conversation we explore Victoria's Secret's origin and growth in the broader context of retail's evolution and from the perspective of Lex Wexner's creation of L2 Brands. We delve into how the brand became a cultural phenomenon with stores in just about every major mall and what set the stage for the emergence of the Angels, their iconic fashion shows, and the troubles that would soon befall the company.We'll be back with Part 2 on Friday, digging into the rise and the fall of the brand and leadership lessons from Les Wexner's reign. We also get Chantal and Lauren's take on whether the company has a chance to mount a turnaround.But we kick things off by digging into a very busy week of retail news, all brought to you by Scayle. Up first, we try to make sense of the Trump's planned tariffs and just what the heck is going on at Macy's. We also explore earnings new from Kohl's (terrible) and Abercrombie & Fitch (remarkable),  and wonder what this all portends for JC Penney and Target. We close with Amazon's doubling down on investment in Anthropic and an interesting announcement from Perplexity.  About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

**Unveiling the Secrets of Innovation and Stakeholder Value Creation** This captivating podcast delves into the groundbreaking insights of Mark A. Mears, renowned author of "The Purposeful Growth. Join us as Mark unravels the intricate interplay between innovation, stakeholder value, and the transformative power of purpose-driven leadership. **Unlocking Innovation: The Catalyst for Growth and Success** Mark will guide us through his innovative framework for unlocking innovation potential. From fostering a culture of creativity to embracing technological advancements, he'll reveal the strategies that empower organizations to stay ahead of the curve. Learn to identify and nurture game-changing ideas, driving sustained growth and competitive advantage. **The Imperative of Stakeholder Value: Aligning Interests for Success** Mark emphasizes the critical importance of stakeholder value in today's business landscape. He'll delve into the art of balancing the needs of customers, employees, shareholders, and the community. Discover how aligning stakeholder interests creates a virtuous cycle, enhancing reputation, increased loyalty, and greater profitability. **Purpose-Driven Leadership: The Foundation for Sustainable Growth** At the heart of Mark's philosophy lies the concept of purpose-driven leadership. He'll explain how purpose goes beyond profit, serving as a compass that inspires innovation, engages stakeholders, and drives positive societal impact. Learn the secrets of purpose-driven organizations, discovering how they create a thriving and sustainable future. **Case Studies and Real-World Examples** Mark brings his ideas to life throughout the podcast through compelling case studies and real-world examples. He'll showcase organizations that successfully implement his principles, from technology giants to social enterprises, achieving remarkable innovation and stakeholder value. **Insights for Leaders, Innovators, and Change Agents** This podcast is an essential resource for leaders, innovators, and change agents who seek to unlock innovation, create stakeholder value, and drive purposeful growth. Mark's wisdom and practical guidance will empower you to: * Foster a culture of innovation and creativity * Balance stakeholder interests effectively * Embrace purpose as a driver of success * Lead your organization toward a sustainable and prosperous future Don't miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights from the leading minds in innovation and stakeholder value creation. Join us for "Unlocking Innovation and Stakeholder Value with Mark A. Mears" and embark on a transformative journey of growth and success.   Mark A. Mears is a #1 Best-Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building stakeholder value and driving innovation and profitable growth among world-class, high-profile brands such as PepsiCo/Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, NBCUniversal, and The Cheesecake Factory. Today, Mark serves as Founder and Chief Growth Officer for LEAF Growth Ventures, LLC. This consulting firm inspires individuals, teams, and organizations to find purpose in fulfilling their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference. Mark has just released his new book, The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder. Mark is also a member of the Senior Leader Network within Conscious Capitalism, Inc., a global organization whose mission he shares: Elevating Humanity Through Business. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markamears/ Website: https://www.MarkAMears.com Leadership and Positive Work Environment Michael and Mark discussed their shared passion for leadership and the importance of creating a positive work environment. Mark shared his experiences in the restaurant, retail, hospitality, and entertainment industries and his mission to lead the "Purposeful Growth Revolution" to help managers become leaders who can grow into living legacy builders. They also discussed the impact of leaders on their teams and the need for leaders to understand themselves before they can effectively lead others. Mark emphasized the importance of words and how they can shape perceptions, suggesting that using terms like "works with" instead of "works for" can foster a sense of teamwork. The conversation ended with an agreement to continue the discussion in a future meeting. Involving Everyone in the Planning Process Mark and Michael discussed the importance of involving everyone in the planning process, using the example of a successful marketing and menu plan for a restaurant chain. They highlighted the need for collaboration and breaking down silos to achieve success. Mark shared a specific instance where a chef's idea led to a successful marketing campaign around the theme of "the year of originality" brought to you by Solidworks. They also discussed the importance of decreasing costs and extending menu options without adding extra items. Michael emphasized the need for time in planning and the importance of breaking down silos to work together effectively. Leaf Model for Growth and Collaboration Mark shared his experience of being let go from a restaurant concept and how it led him to write his book, "Leaf: A Model for Growth and Rebirth." He explained how the leaf symbol represents growth, rebirth, and a model for success. He also discussed the importance of breaking down silos and collaborating with team members. Michael then asked Mark about his book, and Mark elaborated on the four circles of the leaf model: leadership, engagement, accountability, and fulfillment. He also introduced a new model, "Love Leadership," which extends the leaf model. Empathy, Communication, and Employee Growth Mark discussed the importance of empathy and human connection in the workplace, using the acronym LOVE to represent the key elements of effective communication and leadership. He emphasized the need to listen deeply, observe and coach, value and invest in employees, and empower them to grow and contribute to the team. Mark also highlighted the importance of providing opportunities for learning and growth and encouraged employees to share their knowledge and ideas to improve the workplace. He used the example of investing in an employee's interest in AI to illustrate how this approach can lead to better results and a more fulfilling work environment. Empowering Employees for Growth and Belonging Mark shares a personal story about learning to ride a bike without training wheels, highlighting the sense of freedom, accomplishment, and growth he experienced. He parallels that experience and empowers employees to feel valued, coached, and invested in their work. Michael affirms the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment where employees feel a sense of belonging, are nurtured, and are given opportunities. He shares an example of reducing turnover by implementing such practices in an organization he led. Sentimental Value of Childhood Bikes Michael shared a personal story about his childhood bikes, highlighting the sentimental value of a green bike given to him by his great-grandfather. He also recounted how his father, instead of retrieving the motorcycle after a neighbor's child took it, chose to let the child keep it, demonstrating grace and love. Michael expressed his gratitude for his father's decision, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding in difficult situations. Fostering a Positive Work Environment and Belonging Michael and Mark discussed the importance of creating a positive work environment that fosters a sense of community and belonging. They emphasized the need for organizations to prioritize the well-being of their employees, as this leads to increased productivity and loyalty. Michael highlighted the importance of leading by example and caring for people, while Mark stressed the significance of feeling included and valued in the workplace. They also touched on total diversity, encompassing outer and inner diversity, and the need for psychological safety to encourage vulnerability and creativity. The conversation concluded with Mark's emphasis on the importance of positively impacting others' lives and creating a virtuous cycle of reciprocity. Creating a Positive Work Environment Michael and Mark discussed the importance of creating a positive work environment and its impact on employees. Mark shared his book, "Purposeful Growth Revolution," and offered a free self-assessment on his website. Michael encouraged everyone to take the assessment and subscribe to Mark's newsletter. They both expressed their desire to continue the conversation and support each other in their respective roles

Danny Trejo (Machete, Desperado) joins us this week to share his story of breaking cycles of incarceration to make it in Hollywood and ultimately transform his life to lead with gratitude. Danny opens up about his misguided childhood and the lessons learned growing up behind bars. We also talk about the heart and horror in his new film Seven Cemeteries, tension working with method actors, and longevity at 80 years old. Thank you to our sponsors: ❤️ Betterhelp: https://betterhelp.com/inside

Happy Halloween Week! Enjoy some spooky quizzes all week long.  Fact of the Day: Jamie Lee Curtis was given $200 to create Laurie Strode's wardrobe for Halloween (1978). She got her entire outfit from JCPenney.  Triple Connections: Onions, Notebook, Dust THE FIRST TRIVIA QUESTION STARTS AT 01:26 SUPPORT THE SHOW MONTHLY, LISTEN AD-FREE FOR JUST $1 A MONTH: www.Patreon.com/TriviaWithBudds INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL TRIVIA GAMES ON ETSY, GRAB ONE NOW!  GET A CUSTOM EPISODE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES:  Email ryanbudds@gmail.com Theme song by www.soundcloud.com/Frawsty Bed Music:  "Your Call" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://TriviaWithBudds.comhttp://Facebook.com/TriviaWithBudds http://Instagram.com/ryanbudds Book a party, corporate event, or fundraiser anytime by emailing ryanbudds@gmail.com or use the contact form here: https://www.triviawithbudds.com/contact SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING PATREON SUBSCRIBERS INCLUDING:   Linda Elswick Ansley Bennett Mom & Mac Lillian Campbell Lynnette KeelJerry Loven Jamie Greig Rondell Merritt Sue First Nick Vogelpohl Adam Jacoby Adam Suzan Jeremy Yoder Chelsea Walker Carter A. Fourqurean Tiffany Poplin Bill Bavar Courtney Cassal Daniel Hoisington-McArthur Paula Wetterhahn Justin Cone Steven LongSue FirstKC Khoury Keith MartinTonya CharlesBen Katelyn Turner Ryan Ballantine Justly Maya Brandon Lavin Kathy McHale Selectronica Chuck Nealen Courtney French Nikki Long Jenny Santomauro Jon Handel Mark Zarate Keiva BranniganLaura PalmerLauren Glassman John Taylor Dean Bratton Mona B Pate Hogan Kristy Donald Fuller Erin Burgess Chris Arneson Trenton Sullivan Josh Gregovich Jen and NicJessica Allen Michele Lindemann Ben Stitzel Michael Redman Timothy HeavnerHarlie WestJeff Foust Sarah Snow-BrineRichard Lefdal Rebecca Meredith Leslie Gerhardt Myles Bagby Jenna Leatherman Vernon Heagy Albert Thomas Kimberly Brown Tracy Oldaker Sara Zimmerman Madeleine Garvey Jenni Yetter Alexandra Pepin Brendan JohnB Patrick Leahy Dillon Enderby John Mihaljevic James Brown Christy Shipley Pamela Yoshimura Cody Roslund Clayton Polizzi Alexander Calder Mark Haas Ricky Carney Paul McLaughlin Manny Cortez Casey OConnor Willy Powell Robert Casey Rich Hyjack Matthew Frost Joe Jermolowicz Brian Salyer Greg Bristow Megan Donnelly Jim Fields Mo Martinez Luke Mckay Simon Time Feana Nevel Brian WilliamsJordania of ZeilingriskS

Mmmmm...catalogs. Is there anything better to arrive in the mail? Sears. JC Penney. Spiegel. Consumer Distributors. J Peterman. Even The ToysRUs Look Book. Missy takes us down mail-order memory lane as a sweet antidote to the daring political discussion of early voting in our two battleground states. Then, it's Tom Hardy's dog's voice. Subtitles. And a fullsome dissection of the Netflix hit Nobody Wants This. Super bouncy this week, Dear Listener. Give us a play. You won't regret it!

Cassandra Peterson (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark) joins us this week to grace us with stories she couldn't share before her book release… warnings from Elvis, retiring her Elvira get-up, coming out and more! We talk about what could have been with Paul McCartney and other iconic stories during her tenure as Mistress of the Dark. Cassandra shares the impact of helping people embrace being different, what made her accept the path to Elvira, and the heartbreak of losing Paul Rubin (Pee-wee Herman). Thank you to our sponsors:

Jenn Harper is a beacon of innovation in beauty and philanthropy. She's not just a name in the beauty industry; she's a revolution. An award-winning social entrepreneur and international speaker, Jenn is the trailblazing founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics—a brand that has gracefully painted the ideals of sustainability and inclusion onto a global canvas. From its inception in 2015, Jenn has nurtured Cheekbone Beauty into a B. Corp Certified force, now gracing the shelves of Sephora Canada and 550 JCPenney locations across the USA. Jenn's journey with Cheekbone began as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand that took pride in its commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting Indigenous communities. Her formidable leadership made sure Cheekbone stood out not only for its stunning products but also for its ethical backbone—it became a symphony of transparency, philanthropy, and support for women and youth. To date, over $250,000 have been donated to philanthropic causes, testament to Cheekbone's core values. Cheekbone's prestige has been hard-earned. In 2019, Jenn Harper made a confident appearance on Canada's Dragon's Den, the nation's equivalency of Shark Tank. While she turned down offers, her unwavering resolution steered Cheekbone towards exponential growth. Regularly sought after for her insights, Jenn weaves her narrative as both a woman and a representative of North America's Indigenous peoples, substantiating the importance of these values in today's business ecosystem. In 2022, she was listed among the 100 Women of Influence by Entrepreneur Magazine—a list graced by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. And importantly, in 2023, Jenn was conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. This honorary degree recognized her unwavering dedication to community betterment and adamant endeavors in championing sustainability.In This Conversation We Discuss:[00:40] Intro[01:26] Shaping a business inspired by social impact[02:51] Navigating ecommerce highs of 2015 and 2016[03:55] Imperfect launches of chasing perfection[05:04] Balancing ideals with realistic beginnings[06:40] Validating ideas before building products[07:19] Growing customer loyalty with transparency[09:15] Shifting focus from story to product performance[10:08] Building customer trust through action[11:11] Connecting with communities for brand growth[13:07] Understanding customers for tailored messaging [15:35] Episode Sponsors: StoreTester and Intelligems[18:47] Using media opportunities to boost Ecommerce[20:45] Focusing on local markets before expanding[21:56] Inspiration from great company success stories[22:47] Rewarding customers during the holiday season[24:04] Preparing for successful product launches ahead[25:10] Crafting authentic and digestible brand narratives[26:04] Creating exclusive bundles from customer insights[27:40] Connecting customers to ethical beauty choicesResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeIndigenous owned cosmetics brand cheekbonebeauty.com/Follow Jennifer Harper linkedin.com/in/jenn-harper-0b200a23/Book a demo today at intelligems.io/Done-for-you conversion rate optimization service storetester.com/If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Eric Roberts (Dark Knight, The Pope of Greenwich Village) joins us this week on the heels of the release of his new memoir ‘Runaway Train: or, The Story of My Life So Far' to share lessons learned through his decades experience with this industry… from the misconceptions that come early in an actor's career, to realizing fear is behind ego, to a life changing break by adopting honesty. Eric opens up about his mental health journey and how he's been able to clear clouds of depression while realizing commonality through therapy. We also talk about his bond with Mickey Rourke, the serendipity of meeting his wife, and being humbled on Dancing with the Stars. Thank you to our sponsors: ❤️ Betterhelp: https://betterhelp.com/inside

Organized retail crime is an issue that plagues retailers — and offenders are only getting more sophisticated. Representative Glenn Ivey, D-Md., and Angela Hofmann, head of government relations for JCPenney, explain what organized retail crime really means and how it's evolved over the years. Plus, we discuss the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and how it's counteracting this insidious trend. (00:00:00) Introductions(00:01:25) What Is Organized Retail Crime? (00:06:02) The Evolution Of Organized Retail Crime (00:09:30) Introducing The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (00:12:46) Social Media Awareness Of ORC The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• ivey.house.gov• jcpenney.com• Get ready for Retail's Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world's largest retail trade association• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• Join the movement to combat retail crime • Thank You, Retail Crime Fighters

Organized retail crime is an issue that plagues retailers — and offenders are only getting more sophisticated. Representative Glenn Ivey, D-Md., and Angela Hofmann, head of government relations for JCPenney, explain what organized retail crime really means and how it's evolved over the years. Plus, we discuss the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and how it's counteracting this insidious trend.  (00:00:00) Introductions (00:01:25) What Is Organized Retail Crime?  (00:06:02) The Evolution Of Organized Retail Crime  (00:09:30) Introducing The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act  (00:12:46) Social Media Awareness Of ORC  The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • ivey.house.gov • jcpenney.com • Get ready for Retail's Big Show in NYC • Become an NRF member and join the world's largest retail trade association • Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy • Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.com Related: • Join the movement to combat retail crime  • Thank You, Retail Crime Fighters

JCPenney CEO Marc Rosen discusses his outlook for retail and the US consumer. He speaks with Bloomberg's Katie Greifeld, Sonali Basak and Matt Miller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, The Gunslingers) joins us this week to share the addictive side to Hollywood and the pride she has in being able to be her own boss and create on her terms… like with the new film she has written, directed, and starred in: Chosen Family. Heather shares her experience in Boogie Nights, how she threw caution to the wind to capture lightning in a bottle and the fallout that came afterwards. We also talk about bringing women into Westerns, seeing something through that you believe in, and the Catch-22 of smarts and attraction. Thank you to our sponsors: ❤️ Betterhelp: https://betterhelp.com/inside

Joining us for the first of our interviews recorded in the Scratch Event DJs remote podcast studio at the Revtech Rev Summit in Dallas is Greg Merrill, most recently global head of digital transformation at Nike. Greg draws on his extensive start-up experience, board advisory roles, and his just completed tenure at global powerhouse Nike, to help us understand how to accelerate the pace of innovation, ensure better cultural buy-in, and a whole lot more. it's a master class from the front lines of driving change that executives at any company will benefit from.As usual we open by unpacking the most important retail news of the week, starting with the good news that the potential port strike in the US has been averted--at least for now. Then it's on to the stalled turnarounds at two iconic retail brands: JC Penney--whose situation seems increasingly dire--and Levi's, which is caught up in a challenging shift from wholesale to DTC. We wrap up with a bit of optimism, highlighting the continued success of JD Sports' global expansion.You can check out our interview with Arianne Parisi, JD's EVP & Global Chief Digital Officer here. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Firebrand speaker and author of “Killing Sacred Cows”, Garrett Gunderson, joins us to discuss wealth mindset and value creation. Also, Keith touches on the impact of falling interest rates on various loans and the economy noting that lower rates can benefit savers and investors. Historical data shows that home prices have only fallen 6 times in the last 83 years, signaling the rarity of significant price declines.  Learn about the Rockefeller method, which involves using trusts and whole life insurance to preserve and grow wealth. Garrett advocates for investing in real estate, businesses, and intellectual property rather than mutual funds or ETFs. DM Garrett on Instagram to receive a free copy of his book on the Rockefeller method. Resources: GarrettGunderson.com or  Alon Instagram @garrettbgunderson Join our upcoming GRE live event right here! - ‘New Turnkey Properties with ZERO Money Down' on Thursday 10/24. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/522 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREmarketplace.com/Coach Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai     Keith Weinhold  00:01 Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, talking about what falling interest rates really mean to you. 10 years of the GRE podcast, politics are overrated. How often do home prices fall? The latest in AI generated podcasting and then wealth mindset and wealth preservation all today on get rich education.   00:27 Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests and key top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com   Corey Coates  01:12 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  01:28 Welcome to GRE from Evansville, Indiana to Victorville, California and across 488 nations worldwide for an entire decade of your life now, this is Get Rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, what does it mean that we're in an era of falling interest rates from the recent peaks, rates of all types have fallen. Mortgage rates have fallen. The Fed funds rate has fallen, and that prime rate has fallen too. I mean the prime rate that you pay, that's basically the Fed funds rate plus 3% and why the prime rate matters to you is that can affect credit cards, home equity loans, automobile loans and small business loans, every one of them down, down, down. So to any savvy investor that knows what's going on in the 21st century? This can mean celebration for your wallet, for your finances. And look in old days, lower rates, that would be bad news, not good news. And why is this? Well, in olden days, and some people still have an outdated mindset, lower rates are bad because savings accounts used to make sense back in the day, and lower interest rates means lower rates for savers on their bank, savings accounts. Yeah, those 5% online only savings accounts are going to four and a half with the Fed's half point rate cut last month. Well, 100 years ago, you could be a saver. That made some sense, because their interest rates could reliably beat inflation over time, but not today. Today, since inflation transfers wealth from lenders to borrowers and inflation redistributes wealth from savers to debtors. For those like us that understand this and act accordingly, we are indeed the beneficiaries of lower interest rates. Now, there are other effects out there in the economy. Cheaper loans could lead to more m&a activity, more mergers and acquisitions that can benefit investment banks like your Goldman Sachs that facilitates those transactions. Well, what happens to real estate prices amidst lower interest rates? What happens is that they tend to rise now here on the show, you remember that since 2022 I have discussed what has surprised a lot of people. Amidst rising interest rates, the environment that we used to have, home prices tend to rise. And it has happened again. When mortgage rates tripled, prices kept right on rising. So you might wonder, well, wait a second, which is it or I'm confused, amidst rising interest rates, home prices rise and amidst falling interest rates, home prices rise too. And the answer is yes, look at history over hunches. To our newsletter readers, I recently sent you that great chart, a table, I guess it showed the national home price, rate of appreciation or depreciation for every single year, going back to World War Two and from 1942 until today, those 83 years, how many times do you think that home prices fell over the last 83 years? There were exactly six, six of the last 83 years, only six where home prices fell. Paradoxically, interest rates don't have much to do with home prices, and this is all per Case Shiller statistics. Over the last 83 years, there were only six down years. 72 were up. Five were even. And of those six down years in the last 83 five of the six down years were tied up in a once. I mean, it took a once in several generations confluence, a cataclysm of events to occur during the global financial crisis, 2007 to 2011 all at once. Back then, it was a housing supply, surplus, disgustingly lawless mortgage market, cheap credit and a preponderance of debt in the banking system since World War 2, 83 years ago, there was only one other year when home prices fell, that was 1990 when they fell by 1%. If you're waiting for Home prices to fall substantially, it is super unlikely that that is going to happen. Just look at history, and today's market has more than the housing shortage in loads of protective homeowner equity, which means low delinquency rates, and we have permanently inflated higher prices baked into replacement costs of all kinds, land, architecture, engineering, permitting, regulation, labor, building, equipment, construction materials all over the place, but us, you know, as real estate investors, we might be more interested in rent appreciation than prices just four years ago, you know, just then to pay $2,000 to rent a single family home. I mean, that was quite a nice place in the Midwest and South. And today I have modest single family rentals built 50 years ago that are about 1200 square feet, and now they rent for $2,000 $2,000 a month's rent that is common today, and we are rooting for rents to appreciate faster than home prices. And if you want to get our newsletter, you're probably on that list by now, and reading it, I just send some of the best charts in real estate maps to you. You can sign up free right now. Just do it while it's on your mind. Text GRE to 66866, that's text GRE to 66866, for our Don't quit your Daydream Letter. Political season is heating up. We are at a time where we are one month from a general election, and that means we're electing a new president, vice president, 1/3 of the Senate, the entire house of representatives and various state and local officials. Yes, politics matter. Politics affect real estate. So why don't I discuss this more here on the show. Well, I explained that to you a while ago. It gets divisive, and it rarely affects people as much as they think. And as you know, I avoid even using words like Democrat, Republican, left, right, conservative and liberal. And why do I do that? Because they are divisive terms. The problem isn't so much politics. It's when people get infected with the partisan mind virus. Yes, they put party over country. For example, a partisan political instigator will swear to god that the economy is great now, but as soon as, say, a different party wins an election, even if the economy is the same, although now say that that same economy is awful. In fact, a couple years ago, I quit my job as a writer for a publication that you've heard of before. I no longer contribute to them. They put party before country, in my opinion, I wrote an article for them about two years ago, and my article made it sound like an eminent recession was a question, not a foregone conclusion. Well, the editor let me know that their consensus of writers feels like a recession is eminent and that I need to change my article to reflect that that's because they don't like the administration that's in power, so I quit rather than edit my article. I mean, if you just ask an American the question, this question, do you wish that America were less divided? Well. Any sane person would answer that question, yes. Well, then why would you go attach divisive labels to the other side and attack them? It makes no sense. That's where the division comes from. So really, it ought to be about solutions and ideologies and not political parties. So this is another reason why, during political season, I don't play those games, and we stick to investing the economy and wealth mindset. I mean, virtually no other country in the world drags out their presidential election cycle this long. I mean, it's like a year and a half. Remember all those debates last year and names like Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy that were in the news all the time. I mean, other countries get this entire process over with in six weeks. Let's take a page from them, and that way we can have more constructive things in our news cycle.  Well, I am coming to you from the makeshift mobile GRE studio today, like I do some weeks, because this morning, I woke up in reading Pennsylvania. Reading is, in fact, my birthplace, and besides being the pretzel capital of the United States, one way that you know about reading is from the Reading Railroad property in the board game Monopoly. Yeah, it's one of the properties that you can buy and, I guess, collect rent on. And, you know, here we are a real estate show. So maybe it's appropriate that the namesake of my birthplace is immortalized as a property on America's best known real estate game. And it also might be appropriate that I'm back here because the 10th anniversary of the launch of this show is nigh this coming Thursday, on October 10, 1010, it will be 10 years since episode one of this show. And yes, the math, I suppose, checks out, because there are about 52 weeks in a year, and you are listening to episode 522, right now. Well, listen to this. This could blow your mind. Have you heard an AI generated podcast? And I don't just mean sort of where a robot reads a blog in monotone and then you listen to that audio file that's embedded in the article. No, that's not what I'm talking about. Here's what I mean. A few weeks ago, I learned that macroeconomist Richard Duncan, who was the first ever guest on this show back in 2014 Gosh, all these tie ins to GRE 's origins today? Well, Richard published some PDF charts, and he uploaded them to notebooklm.google.com, that's how you find this. And he clicked generate audio overview, and within three minutes, it had created a podcast with two virtual people having this pretty intelligent, engaging and even humorous conversation about his presentation on interest rates. I mean, wow, just listen to the first minute or minute and a half of this AI generated podcast here. And again, this is from about a month ago. So they're talking about the upcoming Fed rate cut that did indeed happen.   13:23 All right, ready to dive in. Today, we're tackling the big question everyone wants to know, will the Fed actually cut rates on September 18? It's the question on everyone's mind, for sure, and more importantly, for our listeners, what's it going to mean for them to help us unpack this whole thing. We're looking at this report. It's by economist Richard Duncan, called why the Fed will cut September 12, 2024. Duncan always brings unique perspective. He cuts right to the chase, which I appreciate. right! So let's jump right in. Duncan starts by talking about inflation, which, let's face it, we've all been feeling the heat from this past year. Yeah, it's been a wild ride. Inflation hit a pretty brutal 9% last year. I think my grocery bills are still recovering. Oh yeah, tell me about it. But the latest number shows down to 2.5% that's both by the CPI and importantly, the PCE Price Index, right? And that PCE is the one the Fed really keeps their eye on, exactly, which is why I wanted to ask you about that. Why is the PCE like the golden child for the Fed, why not just stick with the CPI? Everyone knows that one. well, It's all about getting the most accurate picture of inflation. Think of it like this. The CPI is like taking a quick glance at prices. You know, just a snapshot in time. Okay with you, but the PCE, that's more like a movie. It captures how our spending habits change as prices change, and that gives the fed a better look at those underlying trends driving inflation. So it's like the CPI with a little bit of a crystal ball. It's trying to anticipate what's going to happen. It's got it okay? So inflation seems to be cooling down, which is good news, right?   Keith Weinhold  14:56 Gosh, that's just really good, a totally realistic sounding AI generated podcast just from some PDF files. The macro economist Richard Duncan uploaded remarkable and you know that the quality of that is only going to get better. That's probably about as bad as it's ever going to be right there. And in fact, in another 10 years, listeners could find it rather cute or quaint that we find this remarkable today. A big thanks to Richard Duncan for allowing us to play that and also expect Richard to be back here with us on the show again before the year ends, and here on the 10th anniversary week of the GRE podcast, you know, it makes me wonder how expendable my job as podcast host is going to be. I hope that I'm here with you in another 10 years, and I completely plan to be.  Well  episode number one of the get rich education podcast back from 2014 is called your abundance mindset. So it's apropos to visit a mindset topic today I'm going to do that with firebrand Speaker This week's guest, Garrett Gunderson. Here shortly, do you want to live a life that is small and safe and sheltered? I doubt that you really do, but you know, safe decision after safe decision, that's what most people end up doing. Do you want your kids to live a small, safe, sheltered life? I mean, most parents want safety for their children, but they're going to have an outsized impact on others when they study and then take the right risks. We're discussing those types of wealth creation mindsets with Garrett. He's a really talented guy. He was last with us six years ago. He's done some stand up comedy. Many have remarked that Garrett looks like Jesus Christ. He's the author of some popular books, including killing sacred cows. Let's talk to Garrett. This week's guest is a pretty well known author and speaker. He helps you make, keep and grow your money to help you live your best life. He's an especially dynamic speaker, public speaker, and I'm confident that you'll be able to hear that on the show today, because he has a great knowledge base, and he speaks with this conviction on topics that make him so compelling. Hey, it's been a few years. Welcome back to GRE Garrett Gunderson.   Garrett Gunderson  17:38 good to be back. I thought that was a very honest, like, pretty well known, like, I'm not really well known pretty well. That's just enough to annoy my wife. Like, I'll be going through an airport and someone come over and talk to me, and she's like, ah, but I love it, dude. I love conversations with people that I don't know, and I just get to meet because if they engage in my work, it gives us a chance to connect. And sometimes it makes me look cool to my kids, which is always a good thing. You know what I'm saying, like my son will be with me and someone say, hey, love killing sacred cows, or, Hey, are you that guy on YouTube? I'm like, it could be me, or you might be thinking, I'm Jesus. You know what I'm saying. I look familiar, though.   Keith Weinhold  18:14 Yeah. Now you can tell your kids that I said you are pretty well known. And you know, Garrett, you're also a really keen and perceptive person. You can tell if somebody's poor within 60 seconds of what they say. Tell us about that.   Garrett Gunderson  18:31 Oh, man, that video has so much hate. Man. I put that out like it was my son's filming, and I'm just sitting in our kitchen, and I was just thinking about a conversation I had earlier that day, and in the conversation, it was like, more about complaining about the world, saying that they couldn't afford things, saying they didn't have the time, blaming everyone for their situation. And I was like, man, it's pretty easy to tell. And 60 seconds, I mean, I guess maybe is a rash statement, because maybe it takes three minutes or 300 seconds, like five minutes, and get deep enough, but you just find that there's a certain language to poverty, and whether that's just poor in spirit, whether it's poor in mind, or whether it's poor in the bank account, typically it's devoid of personal responsibility. It's leading the levels of inspiration. And this isn't to say that if you're wealthy, that you only speak inspiring conversations. I mean, I complain sometimes that happens. I get frustrated. I get disappointed in myself for not being nicer to a customer service person and like, have to really manage that sometimes. But ultimately, it's this language that is almost like a Marxist type of language, you know, that comes from a place of like, I want this. I'm owed that we deserve this. And I'm like, wait, wait, wait, like, who's going to produce that? And so it's something that's a fairly easy thing to detect with just a few questions. Like, if I'm given one question, I can tell in 60 seconds for sure.   Keith Weinhold  19:57 Yeah. I think a lot of times people start complaining. About something. People find money a scarce resource when they start, you know, complaining about gas prices or something like that, I think that's just really a classic one. It tells me where they're coming from. I mean, it tells me what their mind is occupying.   Garrett Gunderson  20:12 Right.  And if we're not excited about our future, if we're not developing our skill sets, if we're not really engaged in the world of value creation, it's easy to get frustrated about tax it's easier to get frustrated about inflation. It's easier to get complaining about interest rates or loan rates and all those kind of things. But what I find is the best way to outpace inflation is through skill set, and if we truly invest in ourselves and invest in other people so that we increase our quality of life and our enjoyment of it along the way, we increase all the skill sets that matter. You've mentioned that I'm a decent public speaker and that I'm articulate. That comes from going through writing courses and hiring speaking coaches and just getting the reps and doing comedy and the things that will help me to become a more effective communicator. And then it's really about becoming a better cash flow investor. I know that you teach people a lot around, you know, real estate and investing, and that's one of the big three assets in my mind, that helps people generate and create cash flow. But most people are trapped in this indoctrination where they set money aside and forget it. They wait for 30 years and hope for the best. They're very one dimensional of just paying off a loan and then hoping the retirement plan is going to get them there. And that's why they end up in this mindset where they're like, oh, I don't feel in control, because the outcome of my income is something that's dictated by the economy and not my own willpower, not my own skill set, not my own value creation. And I think that's why retirement is such a bad and faulty notion. My main statement in life is create the life you don't want to retire from. Now, I get it. In the industrial age, people need to retire because they were being worked to death and they weren't living for very long. It was an immensely valuable concept back then, a blue to collar world back then? Yeah, right. But in today's world, what if people just invested more time in selecting your career that mattered or had enough faith and took a leap on themselves to start becoming a better investor or start a business or be an entrepreneur where they get upside potential, instead of just begging for safety and security, instead of just wanting the entitlement of benefits, instead of just trading time for money, like that's an industrial age concept that we watched, whether it's our parents or grandparents, go through trading time for money, but we're in a world where that's not required any longer, because we do have technology, we do have artificial intelligence, we do have these things that are starting to displace The jobs that no one really wants to do because it beats down the body, and there's a lot of opportunity for those that are willing to grasp it and go for it, but it comes down to one key thing, value creation. And if we're going to be devoid of value creation, it's easy to tell in 60 seconds whether someone's poor because value creation was not part of their concept or their purview.   Keith Weinhold  22:40 And value creation is about expanding that upside. And a lot of poverty mindsets just complain about the downside their expenses. And you can't really do that much about your expenses. You can only lower them so much. Anytime you do, you're probably diminishing your quality of life anyway. And really, I think a lot of this mindset of lack Garrett comes back to the fact that, simply, most believe that money itself is a scarce resource. I probably believe that at one time, when I was younger, maybe you did too. And as I like to say, although I wasn't the first person that said it, the only place that you get money is from other people. So most people, which tend to be employees, think their way to increase their income is only if their employer gives them a raise, or maybe if they find a new employer that pays them maybe 10% more, or something like that. So they're limiting their upside over there because they think money's a scarce resource, because it's got to come from an employer. Somehow they're not thinking about, why don't you really expand your upside and start an Amazon business, or rent cars through Turo or Airbnb rentals, or what we do here at get risk education, help people with long term housing rentals. So it just kind of comes back to the fact that, you know, people's mind is closed off, and they just simply want to believe that money is a scarce resource.   Garrett Gunderson  23:57 They're adding to computer screens as we talk about this, you know, I mean, there's never been more money in the world than there is today. It's the most money there's ever been. We keep adding it. There's, you know, so much of it out there. But even if they stopped printing it, or they stopped adding it to balance sheets, there's an infinite number of times they can exchange hands. So if we use it to buy computers and clothes or food and shelter or entertainment like comedy and concerts, the more times money exchanges hands, the more values created. It's exchange that facilitates and creates wealth in the way that we create exchanges, serving others, solving problems and adding value. And here's the deal, we can have two parties do exchange with one another and both end up wealthier. It doesn't need to be a win, lose transaction. As a matter of fact, when people transact, they agree that what they bought was worth more than their money, or if they sold it, they agree that the money was more than what they sold. Otherwise they would have kept it. We don't do equal exchange. I wouldn't give you $1 for $1 right? There's no reason to exchange. It's unequal, which means, if you can provide something more efficiently than. I can for myself. I can pay you, which frees up my time to do what I most efficiently and effectively can do. I did triathlons because I was an idiot back in the day. Sorry for those triathletes, which is like a lot of work, man. And I don't love swimming, but I remember going to buy a triathlon bike. I just bought, like, a road bike. It was a big upgrade from having a huffy from Walmart, you know, like, oh, this $4,700 this is a while back, but it was carbon fiber. It was, like, amazing. And I thought, you know, I could never build this. So this $4,700 is actually really cheap, because I'm giving him $4,700 to build something that I can then go build something like write a book or do some consulting or do a speech that can inspire someone. And so that exchange was valuable. It's like if you bought killing cigarette cows. For me, you're saying that it was worth more than $20 I'm saying it was worth less because I already have the knowledge in my head, and so we both can end up wealthier. Unequal exchange is what facilitates wealth. What it lets us do is tap into our best abilities and tap into other people's best abilities. And that exchange ends up growing over time, and the more times money circulates because of Good Services and experiences, the more output there is. So look at today. Hundreds of years ago, if you wanted to listen to music, you had to hire a quartet. Now it's free for almost anyone, if you have any device of any sort, if you're willing to listen to a commercial here or there, you can listen to anything that you want. For the most part, you don't even have to pay for it. So think about that advancement. If you want to be anywhere in the world, you could be there in almost 24 hours or less, back in the day, that would have taken, you know, years for that matter. I mean, we have so much more wealth because we keep building upon previous wealth, previous ideas, and those blueprints we continue to grow from with new innovation and ingenuity. Therefore, the quality of life for someone that's middle class today is infinitely more than the middle class of hundreds of years ago, the amount of people that are hungry today versus years ago, even though we have more than 8 billion people on the planet, has gone down as a percentage, not up as a percentage. That's because of velocity and exchange. It's because of this notion that money's not scarce and resources have the way to be replenished, as long as we're stewards. Now, if the bison, if we kill too many of them, then they can't replenish, right? But if we manage that properly, you could actually eat the bison, use the skins, do all that kind of stuff, and still have that exist in the future. These people that don't believe in that believe that there's like a finite pie, that if one thing's gone, it's gone forever, not understanding value exchange, reproduction, apparently, and basic science either. And again, we can overdo those things and damage an ecosystem. So there is a balance.   Keith Weinhold  27:36 Yeah, that's right, when you talk about value creation, then you're really not talking about a person going out and trying to get their piece of the pie. Really more accurately what you're talking about. Here are ideas for expanding the entire pie.   Garrett Gunderson  27:51 Spam the pie. Expand your means you can budget and reduce. You said it eloquently. You said, Hey, there's only so much you can do in reduction of expenses before it just starts infringing and taking away from things that you value in life. There's a finite game there, but the expansion gain through co creation, through collaboration, instead of through competition, is absolutely an infinite pie that continues to grow as we add more value, as we serve more people, as we solve bigger problems, as we more deeply impact the people that we impact as we reach more people, these are things that can lead to more dollars. So I have this thing called the value equation. It's our mental capital, ideas, knowledge, wisdom, insights, strategies and tools multiplied by our relationship capital, people, networks, organizations, communities, friends, family, mentors, equals our financial capital. So financial capital is a byproduct of our stewardship of our mental and relationship capital. And the bridge between mental relationship capital is what we call business, or we call investing. So ultimately, Money Follows value. How do we add more value? Have a better idea. Impact more people. More more deeply. Impact the people you currently serve. Collaborate and offer more like it's an infinite pie and an infinite game. If we play it that way.  We're talking with speaker and author Garrett Gunderson, about the mindset of wealth creation. More. We come back with Garrett. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold.   Keith Weinhold  29:01 hey, you can get your mortgage loans at the same place where I get mine at Ridge lending group NMLS, 42056, they've provided our listeners with more loans than any provider in the entire nation because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. You can start your pre qualification and chat with President Caeli Ridge personally. Start Now while it's on your mind at ridgelendinggroup.com That's ridgelendinggroup.com. Your bank is getting rich off of you. The national average bank account pays less than 1% on your savings if your money isn't making 4% Percent, you're losing your hard earned cash to inflation. Let the liquidity fund help you put your money to work. With minimum risk, your cash generates up to an 8% return with compound interest, year in and year out. Instead of earning less than 1% sitting in your bank account, the minimum investment is just 25k you keep getting paid until you decide you want your money back. Their decade plus track record proves they've always paid their investors 100% in full and on time. And I would know, because I'm an investor too. Earn 8% hundreds of others are text family 266, 866, learn more about freedom. Family investments, liquidity fund, on your journey to financial freedom through passive income. Text, family 266, 866,   Hal Elrod  30:54 this is Hal Elrod author of The Miracle Morning and listen to get it rich. Education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.     Keith Weinhold  31:10 welcome back to get rich education. We're talking with firebrand speaker and author Garrett Gunderson. You can learn more about him at Garrettgunderson.com. Garrett before the break, we were talking about the mindset in opening up one in order to create more wealth over time. Here, a lot of times, one way we talk about that is, don't just get your money to work for you. Get other people's money to work for you. You could actually use other people's money ethically three ways at the same time, in real estate, using the tenant's money for the income stream the government's money for generous tax incentives, and then the bank's money for the leverage, which is actually a greater wealth building force than compound interest. That's one example of how we do that here. But when one has become successful, oftentimes they want to make sure that that's lasting. They want to build a legacy, something that they can carry on. And I know you articulate that through the Rockefeller method. So do you want to tell us more about that?   Garrett Gunderson  32:05 I wrote this book. What would the Rockefellers do back in 2016 this study between really wealthy families versus their wealth lasted, versus wealthy families that decimated it, and the best study was really the Vanderbilt because they had more money than the US Treasury. One the railroad family, yeah, transportation. And you know what? They destroyed that Cornelius died, and then his eldest son doubled the estate nine years and then he died, and that was the last time their estate grew. It started to decrease after that. And 54 years later, the first Vanderbilt died broke, and so the last Vanderbilt family union didn't have any millionaires at it. I know everybody knows about like Vanderbilt University. They donated like, a million dollars to get that started. But, you know, that was pretty inconsequential compared to their overall net worth. But they didn't have a formula or format to create sustainable wealth. They own 10 mansions in in Manhattan. They don't own those anymore. They own the breakers in Rhode Island. The state of Rhode Island owns that now. So they lost this massive amount of wealth where the Rockefellers are just entering their seventh generation of passing on, well, seven generations, wow. And people that worked for the rock bellers, like the executives, they're still passing on, well, for this generation after generation. And most people don't make it past the third generation. And we could look at, you know, people like Walt Disney. We could look at people like JCPenney. We could look at people, you know, like the the Kennedy family and so many others that have used these two things to really create sustainable wealth. Number one is they use trust. The Rockefellers coined the term own nothing and control everything, whether that's a revocable living trust for people who are just starting out and don't have a substantial amount of wealth, or a domestic asset protection trust for those that have a decent amount of wealth, those are the two main popular ones. There are some offshore trusts. It gets onerous and complicated once you go offshore, but it does protect your assets. The second piece is using whole life insurance, so they have this death benefit that's on the insured, and they put that on their heirs, so that every time an heir dies, it replenishes the trust, and potentially even grows it, because there's these threats to the family wealth, there's taxes, there's inflation, there's interest rate fluctuations or market, you know, economic turmoil. So what they're doing is they're creating that level of stability, and they give them preferred interest rates to borrow from the trust versus a bank. So now your family can actually earn interest instead of paying interest. And yes, if your family is paying interest, they're paying it back to their future generation at Preferred rates. And so you could be one generation away from never needing a bank again and actually being able to capitalize on deals a whole lot faster. Specifically, we use whole life, because it transfers the risk to the insurance company. There's six or seven companies that are participating, mutual companies that have been around for over 150 years, always paid dividends. It protects your cash value from taxes. It protects it from liability and bankruptcy in over 40 states, fully and partially in every state. So what happens is, for an asset allocation decision. You can start moving some of your fixed income portfolio to this and have a better, more robust benefits type of situation, and then actually start to implement this Rockefeller method so that you can create generational wealth.   Keith Weinhold  35:12 All right, so the Rockefeller method using trusts and whole life insurance to preserve and grow your wealth, so as one's building their portfolio, amassing wealth, increasing income streams as they go along in their investor journey. Is there anything that they should keep in mind as they try to integrate some of these things from the Rockefellers?   Garrett Gunderson  35:12 Yeah, a lot of other insurance people try to sell these index universal life policies, but those won't work because they have too many levers of risk, and especially when you're building cash value, you might use that cash value to buy real estate. Then you might use the rental income to put the money back into the policy so you can buy more real estate in the future. So it becomes like a medium storage shed or unit for your cash that's protected, but now it comes with the death benefit, which, here's one example, for a real estate investor, instead of just, you know, rolling it over to the next property and rolling it over to the next property when you eventually sell, you can use a charitable trust. And a charitable trust, you can donate that highly appreciated piece of real estate, get a partial tax deduction, sell it and fund the trust and pay zero tax on your gains. No matter what your basis is, there's no tax on the gains. You're the first beneficiary of the trust, meaning you can take an income between 5% and 50% from the trust while you're alive, depending on the underlying assets, and then when you die, the charity keeps whatever's left over. But if you have a life insurance policy that will replenish what that donation was, therefore giving you 20 30% or more increased cash flow with an asset by making a synergistic allocation. Now, that's a lot of information in a short period of time, but it's more about planting seeds. And don't worry, I'll give everybody a copy of the book at no charge, so they can kind of read it at their own pace, or you can listen to it at their own pace, versus me condensing it into just a couple minutes.   Keith Weinhold  36:56 Oh, thanks. All right, well, we'll learn more about that resource at the end that sounds like that can be really helpful to a lot of people. And I guess Garrett, even though you're not as real estate ish as me, as we wind down here, you know, I think the place that you and I find the most common ground is we often say and help people with the things that sort of fly in the face of conventional guidance. I mean, you really just don't have to think about it that much more than if you just do normal stuff, average, mediocre stuff, you're only going to have a normal, average, mediocre outcome. So can you tell us about any last things that can help get people thinking differently and debunk some of this conventional guidance that really will never help get you much above lower middle class?   Garrett Gunderson  37:40 Yeah, if you're putting your money in mutual funds and ETFs, you're making a bunch of other people money. I mean, the big three is you want to focus on generating cash flow so you can create financial independence. Because if you have enough cash flow from assets to cover your expenses, every active dollar can build more assets. That's an exponential benefit to you. So now that you don't have to be forced to work, you've got a lot more freedom. And the big three for me are real estate businesses or intellectual property, which is kind of, you know, something that is part of business to a degree, but I consider a different asset class. Those are the big three. I have no money in the stock market. I have money in my businesses. I invest in myself. I invest in my vision. I invest in a team, instead of investing in things that I have no control over and I don't get cash flow from and that the economy can change, or that Wall Street's making money on whether I make money or not. So that's just one notion that I think we could probably, you know, agree, flies in the face of what everybody's teaching. That's the masses. But when you look at the wealthiest people, it's how they're implementing and what they're doing.   Keith Weinhold  38:39 And I think another place that conventional guidance really tells people to prioritize is paying down debt or paying off debt. I mean, making your debt free scream at age 34 you know, maybe that's not so bad, but maybe not. I mean, did paying down low to moderate interest rate debt and making that priority sacrifice your lifestyle and your family's lifestyle the entire time while you were doing it, and did it have a steeper opportunity cost, because you were not investing those dollars in things that can earn a greater return than their interest rates were they're using some of the vehicles that you talked about. So, you know, I guess what I'm getting at Garrett philosophically, one way I said it, is that the risk of delayed gratification is denied gratification?   Garrett Gunderson  39:23 Yeah, I mean, if we become sacrifice, how do we ever overcome that habit? I'm I'm scrimping, I'm sacrificing, yeah, I'm deferring. And then one day, what you're supposed to flip the switch be like, Okay, now I'm abundant. I'm gonna enjoy this money that doesn't happen. So that habitual notion of reduce, cut, eliminate, no one shrinks their way to wealth. It's a game of expansion and production. Yes, be efficient, be intelligent, be a steward, but don't become a miser, because misers, no matter how much money they have, never get to feel what it's like to live their richest life. It's always about elimination. Instead of enjoyment and utilization.   Keith Weinhold  40:02 Oh, that is just beautifully stated. I really can't say it any better than that, and that really brings it back full circle as to the best personal finance is probably growing your means rather than practicing living below your means for decades, and then you'll never get that time back. Well, Garrett, you've generated so many good educational resources. Why you've been the successful author and speaker. Tell us more about that.   Garrett Gunderson  40:26 Garrettgunderson.com is where a lot of those resources are. I write a blog like it's 2006 because I love to write and just get information out there. I've created a money persona quiz. So if you go forward slash tools on Garrettgunderson.com you can figure out what's the success or sabotage that happens subconsciously with how you deal with money. It's very informative and useful. I've written 10 books. I offered that if people DM me on Instagram, Garrett B, Gunderson, two R's, two T's, middle initial B and just say, Keith, get rich. Keith get rich. So I know it was on this program, I'll hook you up with the audio and a PDF of the book on me, so that you can hopefully just understand this Rockefeller method and improve your life and start building a legacy right now. Because if you're already doing real estate, that's great, let's make sure to preserve, protect and even perpetuate that wealth with some of the structures that could be integrated.   Keith Weinhold  41:17 Well Garrett, yeah, you have a lot of great resources and just a really wide spectrum of understanding of concepts all across a personal finance field. Is there any last thing you'd like to let our audience know about?   Garrett Gunderson  41:28 Just create the life you don't want to retire from. Design a life that you love. Create enough cash flow from assets to have that economic independence so you have choice and freedom daily of what you do and swing for the fences in that purpose, you know, that's probably the best advice that I could give.   Keith Weinhold  41:43 Why would you want to live your life any other way? Garrett Gunderson, it's been valuable as expected. Thanks so much for coming on to the show.   Garrett Gunderson  41:51 Thanks for having me.   Keith Weinhold  41:58 Yeah, a lot on both mindset and long term wealth preservation with Garrett Gunderson today, now, 15 weeks ago, on episode 507 you'll remember that episode called compound interest is weak, where I made a takedown about how compound Interest actually is not serving people. Leverage does serve people. Garrett also makes a takedown and critiques this myth about how people think compound interest builds wealth. A little review. There some comprehension from 15 weeks ago, compound interest has most people counting on the average annual return when they should be focused on the compound annual growth rate. A little review. Remember the average annual return means if you're up 10% one year and then down 10% next year that you broke even. That's the arithmetic thing. But that is a lie. The reality is in this CAGR, the compound annual growth rate, it reflects, if you're up 10% one year and then down 10% the next year, you're at minus 1% the geometric thing. And that's the reality, and that makes a retirement lifestyles worth of difference, and a retirement ages worth of difference like I thoroughly broke down for you in episode 507 coming up on the show here in future weeks, a familiar name like Tom wheelwright returns, and then new guests, like a former NFL player here on the show, if you want to reach out to Garrett Gunderson on Instagram for his best free resources, even the audio and pdf of his Rockefeller method of generational wealth preservation, again on Instagram, you can DM him at Garrett B Gunderson, he let me know later, all you have to do is send him my first name, Keith, and he will hook you up there. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, and I am supremely grateful and even in awe of your devoted listenership for an entire decade of your life and mine, here's to another 10 years. Don't quit your Daydream.   44:21 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively,   Keith Weinhold  44:49 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth. Building, get rich, education.com, you.

The Case Of The Corey Feldman Funko Pop: A listener, Erik, attempted to purchase a Funko Pop from Corey Feldman to have it signed by Jim and Them. You would think that would be a simple sequence of events but that is the tip of the iceberg. Halloween Horror Nights: We review footage and recall tales of both Halloween Horror Nights Japan as well as Hollywood. How do they compare? LET'S JUST TALK!, DON CHEADLE!, BOOGIE NIGHTS!, THIS IS A COREY FELDMAN SHOW!, PULLS ME BACK IN!, NEW BACKGROUND!, JC PENNEY!, REAL ONES!, ERIK!, FUNKO POP!, SIGNED!, PURCHASE!, HATERS!, SIGNED!, HEATHER DAWN MAY!, FOLLOW UP!, COREY'S TEAM!, ORDER NOT WELCOME!, BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU!, HERTZ!, RENTAL CAR!, COMPLAINTS!, FREE NIGHT!, NO COMPANY!, NO CUSTOMER SERVICE!, INCORRECT PAYMENT!, EVIL!, HALF AND HALF!, WEBSITE!, WEBMASTER!, PAYPAL!, INCOMPETENCE!, HATERS!, GOFUNDME!, ULTIMATE TROLL!, DOWN TO EARTH BUSINESS MANAGEMENT!, POLICE!, FRAUD!, GANGSTALKING!, HARASSMENT!, ATTORNEY GENERAL!, SECRET IDENTITY!, CEASE AND DESIST!, DO NOT CONTACT!, WEB DEVELOPER!, HIRED GOON!, PITBULL!, OLD LADY!, BULLY!, EVERYONE IS JIM AND THEM!, I AM SPARTACUS!, WOLF PACK!, SCAMMER!, RIP OFF!, CANCER!, WELL!, HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS!, JAPAN!, HOLLYWOOD!, HAUNTED HOUSES!, SCARE ZONES!, ZOMBIE DANCE!, HAMIKUMA!, BOO-PILLED!, JUMPY!, SCARED!, INSIDIOUS!, TIPTOE THROUGH THE TULIPS!, RELENTLESS!, ANNOYED GUY!, BLUMHOUSE!, TERROR TRAM!, MEGAN!, THE BLACK PHONE!, THE PURGE!, NOPE!, JUPITER'S CLAIM!, UNIVERSAL MONSTERS!, TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE!, LEATHERFACE!, CHOP TOP!, GRANDPA!, THE WEEKND!  You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Justin Grooms, the visionary behind Bolt, a company that has redefined ecommerce since its inception in a Stanford dorm room. Bolt's composable commerce solution is transforming how retailers interact with customers by integrating AI-driven conversational experiences into shopping platforms. Justin shares the company's journey and how they are using generative AI voice assistants and messaging platforms to create more seamless, human-like shopping experiences across platforms like Instagram. We dive into the challenges retailers face when scaling these conversational journeys and how Bolt is addressing them by streamlining interactions and removing friction. Justin also explains why non-vertically integrated merchants, such as JCPenney and Nordstrom, might see their ecommerce sales decline if they don't evolve, underscoring the importance of providing a differentiated shopper experience. Another key discussion revolves around Bolt's innovative approach to the checkout process, transforming it into a personalized "check-in" experience that adapts to each shopper's unique preferences. With over 80 million global shoppers in Bolt's universal account network, the company is helping retailers personalize everything from product recommendations to the entire checkout process. Justin also offers a glimpse into Bolt's future as it continues to scale its technology and make a broader impact on the e-commerce landscape. Tune in to learn more about the shifts happening in conversational commerce and how Bolt is positioning itself at the forefront of these changes.

Jess & Jenn from Fat Mascara are here for the beauty podcasting collab of the century! We talk about the evolution of beauty related media, how they've seen the industry change, and all the major tips & tricks they've picked up from all the founders and icons they've interviewed throughout the years. Plus, Y2K nostalgia, chunky highlights, and the beauty counters of their childhoods. Hosts (and friends) Jessica Matlin and Jennifer Sullivan are the hosts of the incredible beauty podcast, Fat Mascara. Fat Mascara leads the global beauty conversation with candor, humor, and unparalleled access to the celebrities, experts, and industry insiders who make the beauty world turn. They're giving you sharp analysis of the news and trends, advice, and product recommendations on Wednesdays. And on Fridays, they interview people involved in the big business of beauty like Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and Jessica Alba, as well as makeup artists, hair stylists, and other industry experts. Listen to Fat Mascara wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Fat Mascara on Instagram @fatmascara. Jess is on Instagram @jessicamatlin and Jenn is on Instagram @jenn_edit. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices