Podcasts about to mark

Ikorodu Oga Development Association IKODASS To Organise Free Medical Outreach At Ayangburen Palace On 25th Of May 2021 To Mark 6th Anniversary Of The Ayangburen Of Ikorodu Kingdom --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/IkoroduNewsNetwork/support

A look at where we’ve been and where we’re going and where we are now. Mark recently produced a video entitled “Celebrate the Pandemic.” To Mark, the Pandemic was a glimpse into what retirement could be like. For some, they embraced the virtual world. For many road warriors it was a wake up call. Some people are looking at the event and handing in their retirement papers. Others have simplified their careers and are spending more time with friends and family. It was a great way to gain some perspective on their lives and their direction.    A lot of money left the market after the March 2020 crash and continued to stay on the sidelines. Markets go up and markets go down, sometimes due to internal reasons and other times due to pandemics and other external factors. This illustrates why it’s necessary to have a plan that balances risk and return. Mark’s clients had very little agnst during the March Crash. Proof that planning can save much stress and worry.  Go to Mark’s site www.55Retire.com and figure out how to live out your best retirement scenario. 

A look at where we’ve been and where we’re going and where we are now. Mark recently produced a video entitled “Celebrate the Pandemic.” To Mark, the Pandemic was a glimpse into what retirement could be like. For some, they embraced the virtual world. For many road warriors it was a wake up call. Some people are looking at the event and handing in their retirement papers. Others have simplified their careers and are spending more time with friends and family. It was a great way to gain some perspective on their lives and their direction.    A lot of money left the market after the March 2020 crash and continued to stay on the sidelines. Markets go up and markets go down, sometimes due to internal reasons and other times due to pandemics and other external factors. This illustrates why it’s necessary to have a plan that balances risk and return. Mark’s clients had very little agnst during the March Crash. Proof that planning can save much stress and worry.  Go to Mark’s site www.55Retire.com and figure out how to live out your best retirement scenario. 

After one year of making Money2Byrne we are 31 episodes in. To Mark the occasions we have a retro with all your favourites “what you never knew”, “No More Funny Business” “Well done old chum” “Plan B” and a “Hot Topic”. I give advice on how to launch your own podcast starting with the first steps and how to make sure you get people to actually listen once the hard work has been done. Money2Byrne The podcast that looks at the lighter side of business has been a year going as of the 25th of March so to mark the occasion we have also launched Www.Money2Byrne.com a one stop shop for all things business and all things fun. There will be tips and advice videos, follow ups on the topics covered in episodes as well as some laughs and fun. I will also be running competitions with some terrific prizes so make to subscribe. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/david-w-byrne/message

In this episode Mark talks about one of his favourite films: the 1998 American romantic fantasy "City of Angels", directed Brad Silberling and starring Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan. Set in Los Angeles, California, the film is a loose remake of Wim Wenders' 1987 film "Wings of Desire". As with the original film "City of Angels" tells the story of an angel, Seth (played by Nicholas Cage), who falls in love with a mortal woman, Dr. Maggie Rice (played by Meg Ryan), and wishes to become human in order to be with her. The film has been a favourite of Mark's since he first saw it in 1998, because of the truly heartfelt and emotional story that it tells about what someone might do, and what sacrifices someone might choose to make, to be the one that they love - even an angel, who might have to give up everything that makes them who they are and what they have always known. The soundtrack of the film - which features songs by the Goo Goo Dolls, Sarah Mclachlan, Alanis Morissette, U2, and Peter Gabriel - is also wonderful and emotionally evoking, as well as hauntingly memorable in some cases. To Mark, "City of Angels" has a wonderful message of hope that runs through it - and it always stirs up memories, emotions, and profound spiritual and philosophical questions within him about who we all are, why we are all here, and what awaits us after we die. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/markthepoet/message

Hey everyone! We've got a special and overstuffed episode for you! Our friend James from England joins us, so we decided to see what he's been up to on the other side of the pond. No real news for our new segment...well, James decided to talk about football. English football. We talk about Christopher Nolan's latest movie, Tenet for our Recent Review, and 1997's 12 Monkeys is our Geriatric Cinematic. To Mark's surprise, James was with Kelsey on not having seen Terry Gilliam's classic film, so we get a twofer with first-time opinions. One thing Kelsey and Mark really enjoyed chatting about was Lovecraft Country. James steps out for a break while the dynamic duo discusses and fond over episode seven of the hit HBO show, "I Am".   Next week's show is the start of our month of Halloween theme Geriatric Cinematic. Our Recent Review will be Netflix's Vampires vs. The Bronx which is hitting the streaming service on October 2nd. Kelsey and Mark is taking another dive into Blaxploitation with 1972's Blacula. You can find the classic (?) horror film streaming on Amazon Prime or to rent on Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, and other streaming services.   Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@TheReelAppeal), Facebook, Instagram, and you can contact the show at TheReelAppeal@gmail.com. Find every episode on all podcast catchers and don't forget to rate our show on iTunes! Catching Up With James - 7:25 Tenet - 16:45 Spoilers - 34:54 A Trip Down Lovecraft Lane - 1:07:35 Geriatric Cinematic - 12 Monkeys (1995) 1:43:51

In this episode, Jeremy interviews Mark Kelwaski, one of Jeremy's favorite investors and an incredibly rich source of REI info.  We zoom in on his detailed approach to a smart proforma. Download Marc's Monopoly cards HERE How He Got His Investing Start Mark originally began investing after being inspired by his wife's grandparents, who made a living in the investing market. Mark and his wife bought their initial property, a townhouse, in the Bloomington area where they currently lived. Although they started small, Mark's expertise allowed him and his wife to build up to 130 unit investments over five years. To say that they experienced phenomenal success is an understatement. How Kelwaski Reached 130 Units in Record Time Of course, Mark's success wasn't just the result of luck. Many things influenced how he made property buying decisions and how he ran his businesses. Look for the Value You Can Add to a Property's Existing Value For starters, Mark stresses the importance of always looking for value that you, the investor, can add to the value already existing with a given property. As an example, he tends to look for properties that are not only already generating cash, but also properties where he can improve things to get an even greater return. It's not quite the same thing as flipping, where you buy subpar properties and make them desirable again for a potentially great return. Instead, Mark looks for synergy; he tries to figure out what operating mechanisms he has that can produce more cash for a given property, provided that he applies the right knowledge and resources to the unit in question. He also stresses the importance of doing some fixup work yourself, especially in the beginning. He managed to keep several percentage points of his revenue in his own pocket while making properties more desirable in the long run. Bring on a Property Manager Mark didn't go it alone for long. After purchasing his first multifamily property, he decided it was time to hire a property manager. Even though he gained lots of experience managing his properties himself, he knew that the benefits would outweigh the costs. Specifically, Mark found that he needed more time for other aspects of running his businesses. So a property manager became a necessity instead of a luxury. Property Managers Make Sense When You See Better Returns Of course, many new investors hesitate to bring on property managers because they don't want to lose some of their overall returns. Yet Mark found that property managers made a lot of sense for his businesses as he saw better returns. As he purchased and managed larger units and multifamily units, he eventually freed up enough income to contract for different services. This, in turn, freed up more time and money for him to pick up new properties and add to his overall portfolios. In time, his returns increased exponentially, even when hiring a property manager. In this way, he shows the value of waiting until the right moment to hire a property manager, but not hesitating to pull the trigger when it is the right time. Mentors and Advisors Mark also shares some advice relating to mentors and advisors, which is valuable since many property investors start out on their own. As he learned the ropes, Mark reached out to other property owners and his wife's family in particular, as they had significant experience in the real estate investing market. Mark stresses the importance of having a few advisors and mentors. They can point you in the right direction or prevent you from making simple mistakes. Mark also has a dedicated team that he trusts for day-to-day operations. As his businesses have grown, so too has his investment network. Now he has a collection of people he can call upon for advice whenever he needs. Friendly Competition Interestingly, Mark notes that, because there's always enough investment opportunity to go around, it's easy to ask for advice or mentorship from fellow real estate investors. Trading strategies or success tips with one another can be invaluable and help build a better investing community as a whole. Experience Adds To – and Even Slightly Trumps – Education While mentors and advisors were important, Mark also found that his experience in the pharmaceutical industry played an unexpected role in his real estate investment success. He worked in the industry for 15 years before breaking into real estate investing. Over those years, he negotiated several multimillion-dollar contracts and interacted with customers of all types. These soft social skills ended up being huge benefits when he needed to negotiate with buyers and sellers in the real estate investing sphere. This being said, Mark also notes that education only gets you so far. He says that there's no replacement for actually experiencing your first multiunit purchase. He's learned a lot from every property he's acquired and all the time he spent talking with various sellers. He dove deep into a specific example where he met a seller who was looking to sunset his property. He had to navigate a potentially difficult purchase where the home didn't have flood insurance – and the owner wasn't even aware! Pro Forma – How to Measure a Property's Output Mark detailed his pro forma strategy, or the way in which he was able to consistently and accurately measure the potential output of a property he wanted to buy. For Mark, the best process would have him: ● look at the past history of the property ● determine what he felt the property would look like in the future in terms of income and expenses ● see what other details might factor into the overall cap rate, price, etc. In fact, Mark made heavy use of spreadsheets in order to look at the raw numbers for every potential property he considered. He states that it helped him take the emotion out of various properties, which resulted in better purchasing decisions. To this end, he also built his own pro forma tool instead of using one that he could've found on Google. Building Relationships with Sellers is Key for Accuracy Determining whether the numbers that a seller puts up for a property are accurate is one of the trickiest-to-navigate aspects of any real estate deal. For Mark, the best results came from building relationships with those sellers and asking for actuals. In some cases, full disclosures are present from the get-go. But in many other cases, Mark found that he needed to look for other numbers or actuals from the past. He was able to get those actuals because of his friendly demeanor and the effort he put forward into building an actual relationship with the sellers of his potential properties. This way, he could ensure that both parties got a profitable deal from the exchange. Do Your Due Diligence When Finding Properties to Pursue Mark did and still does use “Monopoly cards” – these are small cards he uses for his pro forma notes. He writes down all the details of a potential property so he can check numbers when he gets back home. It's this due diligence and attention to detail that has resulted in a phenomenal portfolio after just a few short years of investing. He also practices this due diligence when he's asking specific questions to his sellers. For instance, he'll ask for actuals from the past 12 months, or he'll ask for repair histories and more. The point, he says, is to be detailed in your investigation so you're always getting a great deal. You'll often have to dig for the information you need for yourself, although it's not always out of some scheme to cheat you. Sometimes sellers just don't know what you need. Repairs Are Especially Important On Pro Formas Within his pro forma process, Mark has always paid special attention to repairs. He lumps all of his repairs together to bring all potential costs to a single number. In his mind, properties that have lower repairs mean more profits over time since there's less money that has to come out of his pocket. Still, due diligence is important – for instance, he says, what if the lack of repairs is because of deferred maintenance? As an example, Mark detailed a story where one of his properties had a furnace that was barely working. The former owners hadn't fixed the item, so it ended up costing more in the long run. Know What Other Units Are Renting For Another big thing that Mark does to ensure overall profits is always be checking various online resources like Zillow or apartments.com to see what other properties in the area are renting for. This is one of the ways in which he keeps his own rental rates competitive and profitable. Walk the Neighborhood Mark also shares that he will frequently walk around in a neighborhood to do some rental price scouting. He finds that even asking people what they pay for their rent often provides actionable information that he can use as data points for his own purposes. Furthermore, putting his “boots on the ground” allows him to scout out new potential investment opportunities without being limited by a computer screen. Three Steps to Clarity – Mark Kawasaki Each episode of REI Clarity features three steps that the guest might use to better their investment success. Here are Mark's. Solid Deal Analysis – Know What You're Getting Into The first thing Mark recommends for better investment clarity is solid, consistent deal analysis. He stresses the importance of always understanding what kind of deal you're making and what financial agreement you're getting into. Mark is decisive himself, so he's never had an issue pulling the trigger on a deal that he felt good about. But ultimately, he implores the listener to get all their details down so they know if and when to make a buying decision. Defined Operating Mechanisms – Have Good Workflows in Place The next tip relates to how you run your business. Mark stresses the importance of having excellent workflows or “operating mechanisms”, especially as your business and portfolio grows. It's critical that you know how your work orders will be handled, how your rent will be increased annually, who's in charge of handling property taxes, and so on. Even if it's all done by you, you should still be aware of how work gets done and who's in charge of each task. Build a Network – Know the People Lastly, Mark states that building a network is easily just as important as any other part of the investing process. Networks help you find buyers and sellers, particularly the latter. To Mark, it's much more common (and enjoyable) to get a potential lead on a deal just from networking and telling people what he does. Like the old saying advises, network, network, network! Last Thoughts The episode wraps up with a final message from Mark: always feel free to reach out and ask for assistance. The resources you can find for real estate investing are vast and helpful. We're all here to build up passive income and pass on wealth to future generations, and we can do that together by supporting one another. Mentioned In The Episode Shine Insurance If you enjoyed this podcast, there's a couple of things we need you to do right now: ● SUBSCRIBE to Scratch Entrepreneur on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts ● While you're there, please REVIEW the show ● SHARE with friends ● Finally, please JOIN the Scratch Entrepreneur Facebook Group Then, please share the show with whatever you think it will inspire. Until the next time, we truly appreciate you listening!

Gifted with the ability to create authentic connections with his audience, Mark Scharenbroich is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker who began his career in a comedy troupe in the mid-1970s. His career catapulted to the stars when the Jostens award-winning film, “The Greatest Days of your Life…(so far)” featuring Mark was viewed by millions of high school students in the 1980s. Little did he know that the success of the film would lead him on the path to becoming one of the top-rated keynote speakers in America. To Mark, connections are everything and he has built a career speaking about how to create authentic connections in the workplace and between companies and customers. Mark’s signature story, ‘Nice Bike,’ is more than just a bunch of clever words strung together. It’s a metaphor and a memorable principle that, in Mark’s words, ‘helps create raving fans one customer at a time.’ Interestingly, Mike’s entire brand stems from his ‘Nice Bike’ story. He even wrote a book about it called (https://nicebike.com/about-the-book/) . In this episode of Standing Ovation, you’ll hear the Nice Bike story in all its glory. You’ll also discover where this incredible story came from, how it’s evolved and what’s next for this truly brilliant Hall of Fame keynote speaker. Find out about: The remarkable genesis story of Nice Bike Why you shouldn’t be afraid to be spontaneous and try new things  How Mark applies the Nice Bike philosophy to different audiences An insight into Mark’s approach to preparing stories for the stage How specific lines in the Nice Bike story have evolved over time Why speakers need to be more open to coaching Techniques to paint a picture in the mind of your audience Why some speaker’s stories don’t land as powerfully as they hoped Quotes from the episode: “We all have two core needs: Number one, we need to belong. Number two, we all need to hear, ‘nice bike.’” “If you can find a signature story that people remember, that's relevant to them, and has a hook that’s memorable three days, three months or three years later - now you're cooking.” Connect with Mark Scharenbroich    Website (https://nicebike.com/)    Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nicebikemark)    Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nicebikemark/)    LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-scharenbroich-sharon-brock-6b4009a/)    YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/markscharenbroich)    Twitter (https://twitter.com/NiceBIkeMark) 2 Key Questions What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given about the speaking business? “The obvious one that most people hear is to write a book. It helps you frame your writing but more than anything else, its value added. It helps with your negotiation. I’ll throw in 100 books for everybody in the audience and personally sign them. That helps from a negotiation standpoint and it adds value. My second piece of advice is to be open to coaching.” Who is your dream guest for Standing Ovation? “Jeanne Robertson is in a league all by herself: her storytelling, her humor, her heart, and her work ethic. I asked Jenny, “Does it drive you crazy when people steal your material? And she said, ‘Well, you know, number one, they can’t do it as well as I can. And number two, I'm constantly writing - I'm staying ahead of them.” Please Support Our Show Sponsors: The sponsor of this episode is Content 10x (https://www.content10x.com/) , the content repurposing experts who have a unique service just for speakers called Talk 10x, where they transform your presentation into a suite of unique content to help spread your message. For more information head (http://www.jaybaer.com/)

The Mark Arneson Band featuring Mia Dorr holds down the stage at the Minnesota music Cafe, 8-11 PM Wednesday February 6. To Mark, having fun is the name of the game, and you can really hear it in this improvised call and response between Mark the guitarist and Mia the vocalist.

Are you the average of the 5 (or more) of the people you hang around with and are connected to? To MARK & CHRIS

A few years ago, The Artist won Best Picture at the Academy awards. To Mark it was for no good reason. The 2018 Oscars just happened and the show was the lowest rated in history.  Was it too much focus on women? Was it Jimmy Kimmel? Was it the need for the Hollywood elite to hold on to tradition too much?   All of these things are discussed between Jason Kull, Gary Weed and Mark Bland on this episode of the Q. Plus, are we on the edge of another financial crisis....someone whose very rich and well known thinks so. The guys discuss this and a bevy of other topics including Mark's covering of the MVC Tournament (aka Arch Madness) and some things he took away from it. 

I have just had Professor Mark Orams' in the station for a very uplifting exchange on the state of NZ’s inshore waters that connect out and around to embrace our whole planet. His own interests focussed on marine recreation and sport - high performance sport, leadership, coaching and outdoor education. A professional sailor who as a youngster was a keen ‘yachtie’ winning both NZ and World titles as well as a crewman on Sir Peter Blake’s round the world winning team - plus been involved in two America’s Cups as well. He calls for collaborative work and for ordinary people at grassroots level to lead from the front. For having a healthy understanding of the vastness of our ocean systems - and having spent a lot of time racing and visiting other countries, recognises that from a planetary perspective - the global marine systems are in increasing trouble and that these challenges must be urgently addressed. Acknowledging that NZ has still got an opportunity to initiate the much needed corrective measures if we are to arrest the decline of fish stocks, ocean pollution, drifting plastics and runoff from the land - among numerous tipping points. Indigenous Connection Mark says it is our engagement with nature that has to be addressed as we pakeha and white races have put distance between us and the natural world - whereas indigenous peoples are affiliated far more closely as they have lived more embedded in the natural process. Pacific Islander and Maori have a natural affinity to the cycles of nature. Especially harvesting food, and survival  etc  and of their understanding of the seasons and the food planting and gathering. He further reiterates, that for indigenous peoples - that connection goes beyond the basics of knowledge and integrates through into cultural connection as well as spiritual wisdom . Having been around as the human species for about 200,000 years and a great majority of this time - all of us has been deeply connected with nature - we all have been indigenous peoples. That for we in the developed world, especially Australia and NZ it has been a relatively short time - that we have actually lived apart from nature - quite possibly only about 3 or 4 human generations - or from the industrial revolution onwards. What this means is that in our DNA - in our ’substance’ for the greater course of our history we have had that deep connection with nature as part of who we are. Mark then goes on to talk about our immersion into nature and the psychological shift of our perspective as we embed ourselves into the greater awareness of the immensity of its power. Covering also our spiritual well being - and that through recreation, getting away from city and urban life and going bush, to the mountains, on a river or a lake - to sea, that recreation is actually ‘re-creation’ - and the time to restore our energies and well being. Covering working with nature as against it - reading the signs, wind direction, water currents, moon phase and aware of the weather and being able to astutely adapt to harness the natural forces of nature - by bringing about a greater attunement and wellbeing. Where we can not control wind, waves or rain, but we learn how to adapt. Some days - all goes well and the elements are warm and soft whereas some days or nights nature throws the full force of its fury and we have to be very focused and alert - thinking ‘gee - am I going to make it through this?’ He says that the contrasting situations are healthy as they are awe inspiring and re-connecting and they give us a different perspective that we cannot control Mother nature or control everything that happens to us or everything that surrounds us. What this does it forces us to slow down to the pace of nature and he says that this is a very healthy thing. Because most of us today are rushing to everything - to work, home from work, events and other commitments and our days are very, very full - and we control largely what we do - where we go, when we choose to do it - or others control it for us. However, when we are out in the middle of the ocean in a very small boat we cannot determine what happens - and in these situations be it calm or stormy - it can be very primordial - a very basic thing and Mark sees it as a very good thing as it lets us get a true feel of nature - inside. Listen New Zealand Environmental Challenges compared with Overseas. Speaking on the waters surround NZ - they are largely pretty clean especially the further out we go, however closer into the shore we have numerous challenges because 3 or 4 generations ago (40-60 years) the conditions were far better, but NZ’s population has increased with much development around the Auckland coastline. As well as globally the population has now jumped up by an extra 5 billion people/consumers since 1950. This huge spike in population has had a large affect on this country, on the shoreline and coastal waters. However he says we can still engage with the sea today where our health is not put at risk - whereas with so many countries overseas the coastal waters are so polluted that you would never swim - let alone, put your head under the water - worse swallowing a mouthful or having it enter your body by a cut or an abrasion  - especially where there are large populations living on the water’s edge, or that their catchment drains into that coastal ecosystem.  So there are compromised ecosystems as a result of human activity and our disposal of waste products either deliberately or accidentally that he says is very sobering … so much so that it is always a joy for him to come back to NZ waters and a cleaner marine environment, which he says we cannot take for granted and that we need to be very vigilant about it and that we have to work very hard to maintain. Everything is Connected Everything is connected - what ever we do on the land has an affect on the inshore coastal environment - the same pattern has occurred - for example - car tires and the chemicalised particulates wearing off on to the road - off the tires, as well as the dripping of fluid out of car exhaust pipes onto the road - then it rains and runoff and stormwater enters into the coastal waters - curtailing and  degrading the area and forcing away fish and shellfish from rocks and surrounding bays - etc - for example Auckland’s East Coast Bays are virtually devoid of the super abundance of fish life of 80 years ago.  Talk to any person of 60-70 years plus of age and they will say that things are know where as good as they once were. There is a lot of wisdom in the Elders and they  can tell us how it’s used to be like - so that we have this information that is telling us about this long term slow, chronic degradation - and this is very difficult situation to solve!   What We Can Do For answers, there are some worthy innovative NZ’s schemes at present - marine protected areas which are stark contrasts to the degradation that is happening. These  are Goat Island at Leigh http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/auckland/places/cape-rodney-okakari-point-marine-reserve-goat-island/ on the East coast - North of Auckland and Tiri Tiri Matangi Island http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/auckland/places/tiritiri-matangi-scientific-reserve-open-sanctuary/ that have been locked away for a sufficient amount of time and are now thriving - especially as Goat Island was left to its own renewal other than to stop fishing and extractive industries and now it is alive with fish and a huge drawcard for people wanting to see how NZ once was. As for Tiri Tiri Matangi - tree planting has occurred plus the introduction of native bird species and now it is a paradise of greenery and bird song - where once it was barren grassland denuded of trees. So with ‘commitment, will and effort’ - we can bring back nature with some conscious decisions being made to turn things around. NZ has many ‘off shore Arks’ where islands have been set aside to become sanctuaries for endangered native flora and fauna and these are very successful that they are Islands of Hope - John Craig and Neil Mitchell on bringing Tiri Tiri Matangi into being  - that bold decision making is needed - like Prof John Moreton and Bill Ballentine did with Goat Island as advocates getting people to think about protecting the marine environment and bringing people with them. Grassroots Action These examples Marc says are really important - because when we act together many superb results can come about. These are empowering stories and that our future can be far better as a result. He says grassroots are the answer  - he is a massive fan of the people who work in the ‘not for profit sector’ - people whom have made huge sacrifices of time, energy and money and made enormous sacrifices for causes that they believe in. From large  organisations like the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/ to the small ones like the Motutapu Restoration Society http://www.motutapu.org.nz/  or the education group ‘Experiencing Marine Reserves’ http://www.emr.org.nz/ - a small not for profit charitable trust that takes children into marine reserves to show them deeper qualities of nature and what marine protection can do. Volunteers by the Thousands Right across NZ here are hundreds of thousands of NZers who volunteer to make a difference because they believe in it. He says that these dedicated people are just not acknowledged enough which is a great pity - they are the real NZers - the real kiwis doing great things out there - we need to be proud of what they do - they are unsung heroes - never getting national awards or headlines in the media. To Mark they are the real heroes of NZ. He encourages us to take leadership and see what we can do around your particular area and take some people with you and do weeding and clean up beaches, streams etc. Local Communities Working Together Local communities - in nature, with and for nature - establishing win wins - as meeting good people and achieving a satisfactory result,  because he says there is a primeval connection that after a full day or a week of working together - we will go home and have the best nights sleep in a long time because we have met and worked alongside people from vasty different walks of life, all with good intentions and especially being team spirited. Good People Committing To Co-operate Mark states that the portrayal of human behaviour and existence that comes through the MSM media is not an accurate portrayal of the great majority of people - the great majority of the humanity whom live in this world and in NZ are good people - they are well intentioned - they care about their families, they care about their neighbours and they care about nature and they care about their country - These people don’t get the headlines!      Listen ... There are people everywhere who have decent values and morals and will help you out - who will be friendly, who will greet you - who are people you can trust - this is the essence of being a decent person - it’s important to remember this.  Plus, that we hold these values for ourselves as well and take the high road.   Values and Principles. He mentions that some of the above principles may have been more prevalent 30 to 60 years ago - but the principles of honesty and integrity and decency and looking after one another are what he feels are at the heart of what is is to be a human - and certainly what it means to be a New Zealander. We talked about Sir Peter Blake and team spirit and what this means.  Though a cliche, a champion team - will always beat a team of champions - what is needed is a tight synergistic team. He said Peter intuitively understood a number of things.   He could take on a competitive team that could have more resources, perhaps be more talented, be more experienced and beat them because of the power of the team. Where as a member of his team you always felt that you were important - that you mattered - that your opinion could add value. So even if you were sweeping the floors or cleaning the toilet or the person with a brain the size of the planet making computations of fluid dynamics and design of the boat - you were important. That we are all part of a greater whole and that we all depend on this planet that we share. When we pool and pull together collectively - we make a massive difference. Conscious Choices Decision that we take - the products that we buy - the packaging that we use - the cars that we drive - the decisions we make of the companies that we support - or the candidates we vote for. We need to be Aware. In the end Mark says that we have to do the best we can with what God gave us and that this is the mantra that Mark lives by. Listen ... Covering the ‘Overwhelmers’ - Fukushima - radiation in the Pacific ocean - etc - how do we address situations like this? Plus Climate Change. What can I do as one individual to be able to make a difference? Mark says - collectively this is where we make major changes. Saying that we need to take heart with Sweden’s Volvo’s decision to make all electric or hybrid cars in 10 years time. That they don’t make these decisions lightly - that they are ‘reading the tea leaves' - they see that there is a greening of the market place and they are positioning themselves to take advantage as well as lead … Voting Voting with your dollars - not buying from certain corporations who are at variance with your philosophy - thus more people supporting this notion will impel the company to change its outlook - its products range - its way it connects with consumers. But first - before you lead others - lead yourself - walk your talk Mark talked about mental health and that we in NZ have some major challenges around disempowered people - especially male youth in this country of getting to a point of a dark space - that when we do good things for others or nature and give of ourselves - we also reap the rewards of that good act as well - that by giving we have a better sense of our purpose - we have more satisfaction as to who we are as a person that if we like, we really can achieve a greater level of contentment and happiness. He says that ironically that one of the answers to mental health is to dedicate at least some of your time to helping those who are less fortunate and are in such a difficult situation than you are. Being Respectful Without being disrespectful Mark says that a lot of the mental health challenges - are actually quite inward looking and are quite self serving - it’s about me - it’s about awww  - I’m in such a difficult situation and my life is terrible and I can’t find a way out - and he is not disrespecting that - but one of the ways forward is to actually start thinking about how we can help others, because there are always people who are in a more difficult life circumstance than us! If we are able to do something that can help them or if we can find a way to reconnect with nature and that we can plant a tree or a series of trees or do something that can allow us - that at the end of  the day - we realise that our existence has mattered - that it has made a positive difference. That through us being here - the place is better than it was - these things have an enormous personal benefit for us - listen to the interview for more on this serious subject. Separation from nature - from our society and the community - it leads to material things outside of ourselves that can cause many problems … listen  … these are distractions Giving is Important - from Ourselves to the Collective Greater Good. This interview covers communities coming together. Technology as a separator and not necessarily a bringer of people face to face and eyeball to eyeball and closer into hugging distance. Mark talks about Natural Empathy That we have wicked problems - climate change - plastic pollution - declining fisheries - coastal sedimentation  and near shore pollutants All these are our collective fault - we are all part of the problem. How can we come together and to do something different - as opposed to making them worse? That we start this philosophical conversation and have the ability to make compromises “I will give you this - if you will give up that.” Mark asks us to find ways to end polarising viewpoints. That as we all share the same planet - let's come together to resolve these issues for the sake of future generations. Dr Mark Orams - most definitely worth listening and taking in.

Mark Green is a Certified Gazelles Coach and Business Growth Expert. Mark is also the Founder and President of Performance Dynamics Group, where he has helped executives and salespeople dramatically increase their performance and their personal results. How did the journey of authenticity start for Mark? Well, it first began during the very early start of Mark’s childhood (although he didn’t realize it at the time); he was always that kid people could easily talk to. Mark became the go-to person for his peers during middle school and high school because he was a good listener and he was very approachable. Fast forward to 2003, Mark tried to start his own business, what is now the Performance Dynamics Group, but at the time he still didn’t quite understand what he was meant to do in this world. He discovered that he was having personal mental blocks about what success looked like for him, and it was preventing him from being authentic. To Mark, it seemed people around him just ‘understood’ what they were meant to do and were fearless, and authentic, about how to get there. So, Mark embarked on a journey to become more authentic and to discover his life’s purpose, only to find that he had the skills to help others all along — dating back to his early middle school days where he helped his peers through tough problems.   Interview Links: Performance-dynamics.net Humanisteq Website Scaling Up Website Gazelles Website Bill on YouTube  

Getting homeowners insurance can only help you in the long run, but knowing what plan works best for you depends on a few important factors we’ll discuss today.There are many great Charleston area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (843) 972-3833 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.  As we all know, weather isn’t exactly predictable. That’s why, as a homeowner, it’s absolutely necessary that you have an insurance plan in place that will protect you and your property in the long run. Insurance agents provide an invisible safety net that saves you money and time down the line.With that in mind, today we’re joined by Mark Allen from 1st Capital Insurance to explain the basics of what sort of insurance plans you should investigate and the typical costs of obtaining them.According to Mark, the number one thing that Lowcountry residents need to look out for when looking for insurance in a home are the deductibles. What are they covering? There are differences between an ‘all other peril’ (AOP) deductible and a ‘wind and hail’ and/or ‘named storm’ deductible. The named storm or wind and hail deductible is normally a percentage of your dwelling. For example, let’s say you have a $300,000 house and you have a 2% named storm or wind and hail deductible. That means your cost would be $6,000. The all other peril deductible has to do with fire, vandalism, theft, water damage, and other things of that nature.As to how much flood insurance costs, it depends on your house’s location and its elevation. Normally people in Mark’s business get what is called an “elevation certificate,” which tells them how high the house is and how well the house is vented so that they know how much to charge appropriately.To Mark’s estimate, the typical cost of a flood policy for a $300,000 to $500,000 home would be around $500 a year, which covers $250,000 on the building and $100,000 in contest. That’s the maximum that FEMA allows. You can get other policies that cover you over and above that, but that’s the typical FEMA policy.“Lowcountry residents need to be mindful of deductibles. ”For homeowners living around water areas, Mark’s advice is to watch for how much the house would cost to rebuild, because that’s what insurance companies measure to determine their rate. If you make any major changes or renovations to your home, make sure to call your insurance company and update your policy information.Stay tuned for part two of our series with Mark where we’ll cover the business of homeowners insurance in greater depth. In the meantime, if you want to get in touch with him, you can call his office at (843) 216-2772 or visit his company’s website at www.1stcapitalins.com, or email him at Mark@1stcapitalins.com.If you have any other questions, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I look forward to helping you!

As we all know, weather isn’t exactly predictable. That’s why, as a homeowner, it’s absolutely necessary that you have an insurance plan in place that will protect you and your property in the long run. Insurance agents provide an invisible safety net that saves you money and time down the line. With that in mind, today we’re joined by Mark Allen from 1st Capital Insurance to explain the basics of what sort of insurance plans you should investigate and the typical costs of obtaining them. According to Mark, the number one thing that Lowcountry residents need to look out for when looking for insurance in a home are the deductibles. What are they covering? There are differences between an ‘all other peril’ (AOP) deductible and a ‘wind and hail’ and/or ‘named storm’ deductible. The named storm or wind and hail deductible is normally a percentage of your dwelling. For example, let’s say you have a $300,000 house and you have a 2% named storm or wind and hail deductible. That means your cost would be $6,000. The all other peril deductible has to do with fire, vandalism, theft, water damage, and other things of that nature. As to how much flood insurance costs, it depends on your house’s location and its elevation. Normally people in Mark’s business get what is called an “elevation certificate,” which tells them how high the house is and how well the house is vented so that they know how much to charge appropriately. To Mark’s estimate, the typical cost of a flood policy for a $300,000 to $500,000 home would be around $500 a year, which covers $250,000 on the building and $100,000 in contest. That’s the maximum that FEMA allows. You can get other policies that cover you over and above that, but that’s the typical FEMA policy. “Lowcountry residents need to be mindful of deductibles.” For homeowners living around water areas, Mark’s advice is to watch for how much the house would cost to rebuild, because that’s what insurance companies measure to determine their rate. If you make any major changes or renovations to your home, make sure to call your insurance company and update your policy information. Stay tuned for part two of our series with Mark where we’ll cover the business of homeowners insurance in greater depth. In the meantime, if you want to get in touch with him, you can call his office at (843) 216-2772 or visit his company’s website at www.1stcapitalins.com, or email him at Mark@1stcapitalins.com. If you have any other questions, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I look forward to helping you!

To Mark, the term” category creation” is often mislabeled. He would rather refer to it as category discovery, in the same way that archaeologists discover ancient cities and relics, he and his team at Influitive discover categories and trends. Mark first finds a group of people that he thinks will become powerful and numerous because of important trends that are happening in technology and society.