Podcasts about what mark

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews author, professor and Christ Church of the Valley Teaching Pastor Mark Moore about the makings of a great talk. Mark explains his process, why he believes he needs to practice preaching a message six times before ever speaking it to an audience and how he has framed talks for students, college classroom, and adult congregation. What Mark shares about the importance of character at the end is worth the whole episode. Who is Mark Moore? Mark joined the staff at Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona in July 2012 as a teaching pastor. CCV currently has eight locations and 28,000 in weekly attendance. Prior to joining the CCV team, Mark was a Professor at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, (1990-2012). Currently, he is an online professor for Ozark, an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University in Fullerton, California and Haus Edelweiss, Vienna, Austria. Mark is also the author and co-author of many books mostly on the Life of Christ, book of Acts, and Revelation.  His 2019 ECPA bestseller book Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year, helps readers master the 52 of the most important passages in the Bible.  

Can RPA ‘take the robot out of the human'? Are FinTech companies and startups a competition or rather an opportunity? In this #LeadershipDeepDive episode, Mark Foulsham, COO of Kensington Mortgages, talks with Hendrik Deckers about his journey from CIO to COO and how the boundaries between functions are becoming blurry. Reflecting on the changing role of a leader, Mark believes that digital leaders need to think outwards not inwards and follow a human centered approach. Mark has a very clear view on workflow Automation: ✅ RPA is a vital part of Kensington Mortgage's toolbox ✅ Minimize staffing in the back office through automation and outsourcing, leaving people to focus on customers ✅ Understanding the business model is critical for the RPA to be effective ✅ Working in a highly regulated environment requires constant feedback from customers and risk assessment “I'm a big believer in having no regrets”, Mark says and adds “breaking down those hierarchal structures, working in a way that is more interconnected within the different layers of a firm I think is really key”. Table of contents 01:20 | Introduction and Mark Foulsham's background 03:25 | About Kensington Mortgages 04:24 | Drivers for change 06:21 | Reinventing the business: workplace 11:04 | Workforce 13:58 | Changing leadership 15:55 | Journey towards Agile way of work 17:25 | Workflow. Mark's view on automation 25:22 | Start-ups and FinTech companies as generators of Innovation 27:55 | Kensington Mortgages' operating model 33:06 | Internal and external data 36:09 | Mark's secret for success 41:30 | Mark's management & leadership style 50:03 | MBTI: the Commander 55:06 | Mark's most brilliant failure & lessons learnt 57:41 | Mark's core values 01:00:42 | Best & worst thing that has ever happened to Mark 01:03:37 | Ways to relax 01:05:45 | Mark's mentors 01:08:22 | Personal mantra 01:09:58 | What Mark loves & fears most 01:13:29 | Advice for people starting out

What Mark are you making in the world? What Mark are you making in your family? We all have the privilege, opportunity, and even responsibility to make a mark in the world and in the lives of others. Interestingly, we are always making a mark. We can't not.And so we must be responsible for the mark we are making. Some of you are making a significant mark, while others are leaving an insignificant scratch that will quickly wear way. What Mark are you making? What Mark do you need and want to make? How can you actually do it? Listen to this episode today to find out

In this episode, you will learn: • Mark’s brief bio • How Mike started investing in real estate • What makes up Mark’s team • Mark’s horizontal income • Real estate net worth vs. non-real estate net worth • What Mark’s diet and exercise routine look like • All about authentic relationships • Mark’s life happiness index score • What Mark does to give back • About Mark’s GoPod • Some of the most poignant moments in Marks life • Mark’s future greatest hits • What motivates Mark towards success more than anything else • Where to find Mark • Plus, so much more! Real Estate is in Mark’s blood. His great grandfather started a Real Estate company in 1941, and it's been in the family ever since. Whether over family dinners, while on Christmas morning, or away on vacation, real estate was always the focal point of conversation. Mark tried to resist joining the family business and experiment with other fields of work, but he quickly realized that real estate was his true passion. Mark is now the 4th generation of realtors in his family. Before becoming a real estate agent, Mark spent 6 years in property management, maintaining the interior and exterior of 130 rental units, conducting full remodels, and flipping bank owned (REO) properties and short sales. As a buyer or a seller, you need an agent who understands the evolving landscape of today's real estate market and who understands how to navigate the unforeseen hurdles that exist in the sale of real property. Let Mark show you how he's setting the new standard for modern day real estate.

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Mark Scharenbroich is an Emmy award winner, best-selling author, and hall of fame keynote speaker. He is known for his authentic delivery, his talent for delivering unique stories, and his comedic timing. He's the author of Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on The Road of Life. Notes: Nice Bike. It’s not a technique, it’s a genuine interest in others and the willingness to acknowledge the talents and accomplishments of everyone. The three parts to story-telling: Stories need to be unpredictable, they need to have a hook, and they have to have a cast of characters. While in college at St Cloud State, Mark toured high schools and colleges with a comedy troupe called Mom’s Apple Pie which helped him develop his comedic timing and ability to improv. While on a trip to Washington DC with his dad, Mark witnessed his dad walking up to a couple of Vietnam veterans and saying, "Thank ya fellas. Welcome home." The moment was unforgettable to Mark as he witnessed what it meant to be grateful for others and to connect with them. The "dark chocolate" that Mark's daughter gave to a struggling stranger at the airport. "We don't have to fix all the problems, but acknowledge others, see them, and try to connect with them." The CEO of Cargill said it's not a secret what leaders need to do: State where we're going State how we're going to get there Show that you have your team's back Show that you care about your team as people Leaders must always be in the trenches and learning... And work to create memorable experiences for the people they are leading How to give a great toast at a wedding or eulogy at a funeral? Remember it's not about you, it's about the bride and groom Be story-driven The power of three - "She's about faith, family, and friends" and then tell a short story about each of the three What Mark learned from a "meat raffle" You have to buy a ticket for a shot to win You must be present to win The same is true for leadership. You have to be engaged and take the chance to do it. You must be present with your team. Be a "day-maker." Instead of just being a barber or a stylist, work to make your client's day by giving them an amazing haircut. BWCA - Leave the area better than you found it... A great rule for life. Core values - "When your core values are clear, decisions are easier." Comparison - Compare yourself to your previous self. Be grateful for what you have. Someone else will always have more crayons. Focus on your crayons. Advice to those who think they aren't creative. You are... You have to find the stories. Focus on four columns People you've had experiences with Experiences you've had Lessons learned Application to the lives of others Roberta Jordan: "It's more important to be interested than interesting." Life advice -- "Leave a tip for the staff who cleans your hotel room."  

Mark Smith is the President of Kitewheel. With over 20 years of global experience in Marketing Applications and Analytical CRM, Mark is a leader in building, growing and managing successful companies. Currently in “innovation mode” as the President of Kitewheel, Mark is focused on helping marketing agencies deliver better customer engagement through solutions that unify the “logic” layer of today’s customer-facing technology for their large brand clients.   Mark’s journey into customer behaviour and experience started early in his career. Shortly after achieving his Ph.D. in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Edinburgh, Mark founded Quadstone – the first data mining company to focus explicitly on the analytics of customer behaviour. In the years that followed, Mark moved to Boston to build the US business and oversaw revolutionary analytic progress at clients including T-Mobile, Dell, Merrill Lynch and Fidelity. His leadership role expanded to global sale, marketing and product teams that led to a series of 3 successful M&A transactions over the last 10 years.    Questions   Mark can you share a little bit about your journey? How you got to where you are today, what is Kitewheel and what do they do? What are some key performance indicators that you would need to watch in the business as it relates to the data analytics in order to ensure that you can predict behaviour or at least nudge them as you had suggested on what they would need to do next or what they would need to be reminded of. We hear a lot also about an Omni-channel experience. An Omni-channel means that everything is connected, as you were suggesting just now. Could you give us an example of a company that you know, whether maybe you've worked with as a service provider, or a company that you are a customer of theirs? And maybe they haven't mastered it, they've come very close to mastering an Omni-channel experience? Who should own customer experience in a company? Could you share with us if you have a website, app, tool, anything that you absolutely can't live without in your business? What's the one thing that you use in your business that you can't live without? It could be a tool, it could be a website, it could be an app. Could you share with us maybe one or two books that have had biggest impact on you? It could be a book that you read a very long time ago, or maybe even one you read recently, but it still has had a great impact on you. Could you share with us maybe one thing that you're working on in your life right now, something that you're really excited about? It could be something you're working on to develop yourself or your people. Where can listeners find you online if they wanted to connect with you even more? Do you have a quote or a saying that during times of adversity or challenge you'll tend to revert to this quote or saying, it kind of helps to refocus you or just get you back on that path to whatever goal you are working on originally.   Highlights   Mark’s Journey   Mark shared that he’s the President of Kitewheel, they are a company that helps deliver great experiences to the customers of typically large organizations, by helping them manage the journeys that their customers are on. He has been doing this for a long time now, over 20 years he has been helping organizations understand the behaviour of customers from a kind of an analytic perspective. And at Kitewheel, they've kind of tuned that and moved more into the orchestration area, as they call it, which is helping businesses actually make a difference to the customer by changing the process, and helping the customer along their journey, so that they have the best possible experience.   Me: So customer journey mapping and customer orchestration. Those are kind of big terminologies in the customer experience space, for those members of our audience that may not necessarily know what that entails, could you break down for us what that is in the simplest possible terms, maybe give us an example of what it means to a business to understand that process?   Mark shared that journey mapping is certainly something that's been around for quite some time in the customer experience area, that the whole process of designing out the steps that a customer goes through on their journey, journey has become very popular, particularly the last few years, because organizations see it as a way managing that journey, is a way of kind of being somewhat in control of the experience and try and allows the business to do the best possible job of delivering a great experience. And so organizations are trying to understand so what is the journey?   And what ways do customers interact with my business? Which channels do they use? What things do they look for on different channels? And when do they use them? And what order did they do things?   Too many businesses are very kind of focused on things from their perspective. And they would like customers to do things in a certain order, but it's all really about the customer, and they do things their way. And different customers do things in different ways and so they're often on different journeys, and organizations trying to map those out.   What Kitewheel is focused on is actually using the data inside organizations to do what they call journey analytics. So not just theoretically, what do we think the customer journey is, but actually using the data from all these digital tools that we now have, and all these channels systems that record everything that happens, let's take those and start to analyze what's the real journey that the customers are on and let's visualize that so that the business can really understand not just what they think the customers doing or not just what the customers say they're doing through feedback surveys. But actually, what are they doing in terms of real behaviour.   Let's look at that. And that's journey analytics. And that journey analytics then gives you a frame, once you can see what the customers are really doing and you understand what makes them happy and or unhappy, then you can start to orchestrate, which is the process of actually changing things for the customer, helping them along their journey, nudging them this way, nudging them that way, reminding them of something they need to do. And that all helps them get to their end goal of getting a question answered, getting a customer service issue dealt with, buying a product, whatever it may be. If we can help get them there more smoothly, quickly, easily, the customer is going to regard that as a great experience and be very happy.   Key Performance Indicators in the Business to Predict Behaviour on What to Do Next   Me: What are some key performance indicators that you would need to watch the business as it relates to the data analytics in order to ensure that you can predict behaviour or at least nudge them as you had suggested on what they would need to do next or what they would need to be reminded of.   Mark shared that that's a great point. And what the organizations often have to do here is develop a small number of new performance indicators that are connected to journeys.   Lots of businesses today, they track things by channel or by product or by business unit and they know how many people visit the website, they know how many people open emails, they know how many people call the call centre, they know how many people say they're a net promoter and how many people complain. But few organizations have tied all of that together to understand it as a connected experience and understand it as a journey.   And the key new metrics that need to be developed are how many customers are going down different journeys and what is the overall satisfaction of customers who go down these different experiences.   And the data is all there, it's just a matter of connecting it together so you could see it as a connected journey. And then say, customers would go down this journey, they're much happier than customers who go down this different journey, let's align the right customers with the right journey.   Today, most companies can only control those things, channel by channel, or activity by activity, interaction by interaction. And the best results come from moving on to a connected experience of lots of interactions or across lots of channels.   Mastering the Omni-Channel Experience   Me: We hear a lot also about an Omni-Channel experience. An Omni-Channel means that everything is connected, as you were suggesting just now. Could you give us an example of a company that you know, whether maybe you've worked with as a service provider, or a company that you are a customer of theirs? And maybe they haven't mastered it, they've come very close to mastering an Omni-Channel experience?   Mark shared that the Omni-Channel concept, it's supposed to mean, all channels, all possible channels. The idea being that we as customers can make any choice we want, we as customers can one day go online to get a product, another day walk into a store, another day phone up, shouldn't really matter, we should get the same level of experience, have access to the same products regardless of where we choose, or how we choose to do business.   And the great companies are able to connect those channels together so that it's seamless. And no matter what the customer chooses, as they move from potentially one channel to another, it's a seamless experience for them, that's what we all would regard as a great experience that if he’s on the website looking at something, can't find an answer to his question, so he calls for help, it's always great when your call goes through the customer service person talking to you knows why you're there. And you can say, you’re calling because of a problem with your bill, because those channels have been connected and they know that he was just on the website with a billing problem, and therefore can help him instantly with that problem.   And so, that ability to connect those channels is where the kind of leading organizations are going, he had a great expert, you asked me for a specific example.   And he had a great experience just recently, he and his wife bought some new furniture from a company called Floyd who are an American manufacturer based in Detroit. And like everybody these days, like most people these days, they bought their furniture online, sitting at home, because they can't go anywhere. And they've done a fantastic job of making that a super kind of connected, highly branded experience. So, they half did the order on a mobile phone and then moved to a laptop.   But that went through, they instantly got confirmation and they got handed to a shipping company and actually there was something that had to be made and then handed to a shipping company. But that was completely seamless, they had communications coming from both the shippers as well as the manufacturer. But they were totally connected, each one knew what the other one was doing. And they gave them advance notice of when the delivery was going to be arrived exactly on time. They then phoned to check it was all correct, send them a survey following it. Just everything works so smoothly, despite the fact that they were two different companies involved and like four different channels. And when those things work well like that, what happens? You tell everybody about it, and that's what we're all looking for. We all want businesses promoted by advocates who think we do a great job. And here he is, doing exactly that because it was a great experience.    Who Should Own Customer Experience in a Company   Me: So we are in that era now, as you said, people are way more aware of customer experience, there's clearly a lot more attention given to it. A lot of organizations maybe 10, 15 years ago that never used to allocate a budget towards customer experience definitely by force, the customer has forced them to realize the direct correlation between having customers and their bottom line, they certainly realize that they need to give some emphasis to customer experience. But who should own customer experience in a company?   Mark stated that this is a great question. And it really has changed dramatically, just in the last one or two years. Because he thinks it's raised up significantly who owns customer experience, certainly, in the forward thinking businesses, the ones that are approaching customer experience the right way, they have realized that it's suddenly become this huge differentiator for the business from the competition.   In the old days, customer experience was seen as more a lower level thing in the business, it was a problem solving issue resolution thing, it was like the customer complaints department.   And now, the real forward thinking organization see it, “No, customer experience is actually about the whole business, in a way, it's what our brand is, this is the core message we give out to the market is the kind of experience we deliver.” And it's the number one thing people look for to differentiate one company from another. So it has to span the whole business.   And so, we see a lot of big CX initiatives now lead from the board level, real C level executives, and more and more companies are hiring Chief Experience Officers or Chief Customer Officers, who are going to take this customer centric view and drive experience as a connected thing across the typical three big divisions of sales, marketing, and service.   And oftentimes, customer experience was just in the service department but he thinks the real thinkers are bringing it up to be across all of them because every one of those communications, whether it comes from marketing, or customer service, or loyalty, or wherever, they're all part of the experience that the business delivers. So connecting them requires a top level very senior person to really lead this new generation of CX initiative.   Me: Amazing, thank you so much for sharing Mark. I did a training session earlier today with a financial organization. I'm here in Jamaica, actually. Are you in the States or in the UK?   Mark shared that he is in the States. He lives just outside Boston but his accent does come from the UK originally.   Me: Yes, it's still very strong. So one of the things that came up in the training session earlier today, and it's actually a great pet peeve of mine is sales and customer service, I strongly believe work hand in hand. And I find that a lot of companies that have sales representatives, they're extremely eager and enthusiastic and just on it to get the business, that first sale, but then to get me to buy again, or to follow up to ensure that I'm okay with the product or the service, whatever it may be, whether it's tangible or intangible, that's where they fail. Is it something that needs to be psychological from a sales perspective for it to be merged with customer experience that they don't just look on it as a one-time sale. I get it, you have a target, you need to earn X amount of dollars per month. But those customers that you signed on in November 2020, have you even reached out to them since the year started? Where do we close that gap? Or how do we close that gap?   Mark stated that that's a great example of that sort of systematic systemic problems that organizations have to do this kind of customer experience delivery right and that's the sort of silos, the organizational silos that exist in so many businesses, driven by management structures, team structures, and sadly, often incentive structures that really govern what people do, what your teams do, the lifeblood of the company, the people, what they actually do, if those are not connected and everybody from the top down is focused on the experience goal, then you'll get this kind of situation. And that's why you need a top level leader around these initiatives to make sure that the organization lines up. It's funny he often thinks that the real challenge these days of getting these stuff right is not technology anymore, it's not data, it's the organization actually doing the right things and behaving the right way. And so, if your sales team is totally incented, and motivated around just getting the deal in and then they hand it on to somebody else to look after that customer, then they're only going to care about it up to that point. And if their incentives and their commission is purely based on that, then that's where it stops, and they move on to the next thing.   Now, that can work if you've got a good customer success group who picks up the customer and their job is making sure that customer’s happy and they pick up. That's what actually what they do at Kitewheel is a nice handoff between the sales team who bring the customer up to the point of becoming one of their customers and then their customer success group picks them up and they're responsible for every week, every month, making sure that customer’s happy and successful. And ultimately, in two years-time, three years-time would renew and stay with them. And as long as there's a connection and the handoff happens, and you've got people caring about both sides, that can work. The problem is when there isn't anybody to hand it to, they’re just sales are being done and immature businesses can often be like this, they've just bring sales in, but no one picks them up. And it seems like no one cares about you. We've all experienced that, you buy a product and then it feels like no one's interested in you anymore, they've got your money, and you're on your own kind of thing.   App, Website or Tool that Mark Absolutely Can’t Live Without in His Business    When asked about an online resource that he can’t live without, Marks shared that for his business today, it would almost certainly be Zoom. They have suddenly moved a year ago now almost, to be in a virtual business, no one goes in the office anymore, everybody works from home, he used to travel almost every week to visit customers. And now he has been sitting in the same room for the last 12 months doing everything virtual. So if they didn't have these tools, it's not always Zoom, many customers use Microsoft Teams or WebEx. But those online collaboration environments is undoubtedly the most important tool in his life right now to keep the contact going. Keep connected with the customer, make sure they're happy.   Books That Have Had the Greatest Impact on Mark    When asked about books that have had the biggest impact, Mark shared that an interesting question. The best recent book he read actually just literally a few weeks ago, he read Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers, which is a great business book. It's like he's gone through all the things that he (Mark) has gone through running a company over the last 20 years. And just full of great kind of down to earth advice on how to handle difficult situations and lots of stories about how this sort of thing happens all the time, it's always difficult, there's always completely unknown things that come around the corner that you need to be able to adapt and handle. So, he really enjoyed that read a few weeks ago.  And then the other classic business book that he read a long time ago was Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm, which is all about how you go from early kind of inventive ideas to more mainstream business. And he feels like that's where the customer experience world is at the moment, it's gone from early stage stuff to suddenly, it’s like every company out there is suddenly interested in customer experience. And we're definitely going through that kind of transition right now.   Me: I think COVID has actually brought it to the forefront even more, that has been my experience here in Jamaica for sure. They're more sensitive, and they pay more attention to the quality of the experience that they've gotten and I don't know if it's because safety has been like the new buzzword, how safe do you make me feel if I have to come into your environment and that a lot of times falls on how to services delivered. Something as simple, which has nothing to do with the product or service that you deliver but something as simple as when you actually arrive at a client's location and they are taking your temperature and spraying you, sometimes they're spraying it with things that you're not aware of. And nobody is actually saying to you, may I please sanitize your hands, and the liquid that we're using for the sanitation is alcohol mixed with lemongrass oil, or whatever concoction they've put in a bottle, but I think it is courteous, you should exercise courtesy and tell the customer what you are sanitizing their hand with.   Mark agreed and shared that Yanique made a really interesting point. And one of the things that worries him about the whole pandemic is we're being moved all this digital sort of human less contact mechanisms and people are going to forget about how to actually interact with each other, those kind of situations where people don't talk to you anymore, maybe because they're a bit scared because this situation is scary. But he knows exactly what you mean about that kind of personal interaction thing. But he also thinks this COVID, it has totally changed the business world as well and it is driving this interesting customer experience, because for so many businesses, their customers have totally changed how they experienced that business. All of a sudden all of our customers are also at home, like we are, and also having to do things on new channels, on more digital channels and that's a whole different experience for a lot of people. And so, the smart companies are suddenly focusing on, “We better investigate this area and do the best we can to make this experience for the customers a good experience.”    What Mark is Really Excited About Now!    Mark shared that Kitewheel has been around about 8 years and their business has been very focused on very large organizations who have been the sort of real leaders in this customer experience space and the first ones to move into, try and manage journeys better, and connect their channels and use all their data and so on. And the thing they’re working on and kind of launching in just a few weeks time, is how they bring those same things, the things that the big guys have been pioneering? How do they bring that to everyone?   How can they package that up, and make this sort of a journey approach, accessible to a lot more companies, a lot more businesses by essentially simplifying it and packaging it up so that everyone can kind of benefit from those, the early work of the kind of pioneers.   And that's very exciting. And it's a sort of reaction to get so many people asking them for that. They don't necessarily have a big army of internal developers to do things themselves but they'd still like to start taking this more customer experience centric approach to things. So, that's their big initiative that they're working on this year, and in fact, launching in a couple of weeks.   Where Can We Find Mark Online   Website – www.kitewheel.com Email – msmith@kitewheel.com LinkedIn – Mark Smith   Quote or Saying that During Times of Adversity Mark Uses   When asked about a quote or saying that he tends to revert to, Mark shared that he has a lots of those, he’s well known for having lots of quotes for different things. One of the mottos of the business, actually, they have a motto which is, “Work hard and be nice to people.” They have a poster that hangs in the office. No one sees it anymore but it does hang in the office. But he grew up in Scotland and there's a great there's matching quote from Scotland which is that, “Hard work never killed anybody.” And that would be his quote for when times are tough, you should remember that hard work never killed anybody, which is an old Scottish expression.   Please connect with us on Twitter @navigatingcx and also join our Private Facebook Community – Navigating the Customer Experience and listen to our FB Lives weekly with a new guest   Grab the Freebie on Our Website – TOP 10 Online Business Resources for Small Business Owners   Links The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz   The ABC’s of a Fantastic Customer Experience   Do you want to pivot your online customer experience and build loyalty - get a copy of “The ABC’s of a Fantastic Customer Experience.”   The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience provides 26 easy to follow steps and techniques that helps your business to achieve success and build brand loyalty. This Guide to Limitless, Happy and Loyal Customers will help you to strengthen your service delivery, enhance your knowledge and appreciation of the customer experience and provide tips and practical strategies that you can start implementing immediately! This book will develop your customer service skills and sharpen your attention to detail when serving others. Master your customer experience and develop those knock your socks off techniques that will lead to lifetime customers. Your customers will only want to work with your business and it will be your brand differentiator. It will lead to recruiters to seek you out by providing practical examples on how to deliver a winning customer service experience!

In this episode, you will learn: • About Mark • Mark’s horizontal income • What Mark’s diet and workout routine look like • Mark’s life happiness index ratio • Why having a good morning routine is beneficial • What Mark does to give back to the community • Mark’s biggest personal and business goals in the next twelve months • What Mark learned from his greatest failure • Some of the most poignant moments in Mark’s life • Plus, so much more! Mark Jeffries grew up in the Denver area. After college, he got into the commercial real estate business and worked with his father for a while. Mark currently works for a national commercial debt and equity company called NorthMarq, which provides debt, equity, and loan servicing to commercial real estate owners and investors through their offices across the U.S.

Episode Description In episode 76 we talk about a new $1000 offer from Brex, a trip report from Mark on his weekend getaway to Florida and what we hate in this hobby.  We also talk about a Kauai quarantine loophole, Hyatt offering free covid testing & a nice Founderscard extension. Episode Notes 6:06 - BREX 14:56 - Sarasota trip report 19:01 - What it's like to visit Florida right now 22:58 - What Mark hates in this hobby 30:39 - Kauai quarantine exemption 31:50 - Hyatt offering free covid testing in Latin America 32:31 - Founders Card extension   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Sticher, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

A Sermon for the Second Sunday after Epiphany Romans 12:6-16 & St. Mark 1:1-11 by William Klock The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.   That’s how Mark’s launches into the story of Jesus.  He uses that word “gospel” that we use so often that we sometimes forget what it really means.  “Gospel” means “good news”.  In the Jewish mind it was the word that described the news that the runners brought back from the battlefield when the king’s army had defeated the enemy: “Good News!  We’ve been victorious!”  In the Roman mind it described the “good news” that was sent out across the empire by official heralds that a new Caesar, a new emperor, had ascended to the throne, also usually having vanquished his foes. And Mark says that this good news is about Jesus, the Son of God.  Again, sometimes we miss the intended significance of this.  When we hear “Son of God” we tend to think of the virgin birth and Jesus as the incarnate Word of God, born of Mary in human flesh.  And we’re not wrong in that, but long before Jesus was ever born Jewish people were talking about the “Son of God” and when they did they were talking about the Messiah—the one whom God would send to set everything to rights. And so here at the beginning of the story, Mark sets out that what he’s going to tell us in this book he’s written is the good news that in Jesus the long-promised and long-awaited Messiah of Israel has come, that he has won a great victory over his enemies, and that he has inaugurated a new kingdom—and that Jesus is Lord.  What Mark’s going to tell us about Jesus and what we’ll hear Jesus telling us himself isn’t just good advice—as if we might want to try on Jesus for size and see if he fits or that he’s introduced a new way of doing things and we might give it a try and see if we like it or if it works for us.  No.  This is a proclamation that Jesus is King.  It’s not good advice; it’s good news—and that means we have no choice but to do something about it. Mark then launches into the story by telling us about Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist.  Isaiah had prophesied as we read in verses 2 and 3 that the Lord would send a messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah—to prepare Israel to receive him.  He described his work in terms of paving a highway in the wilderness, which brings up images of the Exodus and God leading his people to the promised land.  And then Mark tells us about John calling the people out into the wilderness and baptizing them with a baptism of repentance. In Luke’s Gospel we’re told that John’s message was “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand”.  In the Messiah the Lord was coming to visit and to rescue his people, but if the Lord was coming—the Holy one of Israel—that meant that people needed to prepare themselves.  Think of all the ways the Law—the torah—had taught the people to keep themselves ritually pure and how to purify themselves should they become unclean, all so that they could live as part of the community of God’s people.  They were to be a holy people.  And now the Lord himself was coming in the Messiah—they really needed to prepare themselves; they really needed to purify themselves.  And this is what John invited them to do in his baptism.  He called them to turn aside, not just from sin in a general sense, although that was certainly part of it, but also to call them to set aside every form of hypocrisy and corruption, to get back to the business of holiness and of righteousness and of justice in every area of life. And when John did this, when he called people out into the wilderness to baptise them in the Jordan River, what they understood him to be saying was that another Exodus was going to take place.  Just as the Lord had rescued Israel from Egypt, he was going to rescue her again.  But John makes it clear that this time is going to be different.  In the old Exodus, God had certainly heard and visited his people.  He came and lived in their midst in a pillar of cloud in the tabernacle.  But John says that his baptism isn’t all there is.  Israel had gone through water before and, while it saved her from Egypt, it didn’t save her from sin and death.  No, John says that he’s only preparing the way for another—for the one Mark calls the Son of God—who will baptise them with the Holy Spirit. I like the way Bp. Wright paraphrases verse 8 in his New Testament for Everyone: “I’ve plunged you in the water,” John says, “he’s going to plunge you in the Holy Spirit.”  That, Brothers and Sisters, changes everything.  Instead of God living in our midst, but living over there in the tabernacle—and, more particularly, in the holy of holies where none of us can actually go because, no matter how many sacrifices we make and how often we purify ourselves, we’re still unholy sinners—instead of that, God is now coming to live not just in our midst, but inside us.  As we read on The Epiphany, he’s building a new temple for himself and we ourselves are the blocks of stone he’s carefully cut and carefully fitted together.  In the first Exodus, the Lord took his people through the water, he gave them a law written on stone tablets, and he gave them priests to tell them to do it.  And most of the time they weren’t particularly good at living out that law.  But in this new exodus, Jesus leads us not only through the water, but in doing so he plunges us into his own Holy Spirit.  Instead of giving us the law on tablets of stone the Spirit writes Jesus’ law on our hearts so that it’s not only internal, but that we’ll actually be in love with it and motivated by it and seek to do it—that’s the significance of it being written on our hearts.  And so we don’t anymore need priests urging us to do it, because we’ll have the Lord’s Spirit himself in us, making his desires our desires as we feed ourselves on his Word. Mark then goes on to tell us about Jesus’ baptism by John.  In verse 9 Jesus steps into the story.  Mark doesn’t tell us about his birth; he starts with his baptism.  As much as Jesus was the one for whom the people were being prepared by John, he doesn’t hesitate to identify himself with them in baptism.  But Jesus’ experience is unique—of course, because he is the Messiah.  As he comes out of the river, Mark says in verse 10-11: Immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”   For Jesus this was divine confirmation of his identity.  He grew up being told about the amazing circumstances of his birth, the things the angels had said to Zechariah and to Mary and to Joseph, about the way he was greeted as a baby by Simeon and Anna.  His family had those precious and kingly gifts from the wise men.  Last week’s Gospel told of that time he’d stayed behind in the temple when he was twelve, because he knew that he had to be about his Father’s—his real Father’s—business.  And yet we’re still given a pretty clear sense that Jesus had to sort out his calling and his ministry himself as he studied the Scriptures and saw himself in them.  His baptism by John, and specifically the Spirit appearing and the Father speaking, were confirmation that he’d got it right.  He really was the Messiah. Mark says that the heavens were torn open.  Jesus had a glimpse into heaven.  And that doesn’t mean that he was looking up and seeing angels on clouds playing harps.  The sense is that he was given a glimpse into the realm of God much as St. John was in Revelation.  He was given a glimpse of the kingdom that is to come—the kingdom he was sent to inaugurate.  It was either confirmation of what he’d already come to understand of God’s kingdom and its ways or it gave him, in that glimpse, an understanding of what he was to proclaim.  Jesus grew up surrounded by the darkness of the world, but as the heavens were opened for that short time, he had a glimpse into the new reality that God has been preparing—like a child getting a glimpse of all the presents being hidden away in the closet in anticipation of Christmas. This ties in with our Epistle from Romans in the sense that each of us, in our baptism, have been given a similar glimpse of the kingdom.  We’ve trusted in Jesus because someone else at some point, whether our parents or a friend or our minister—someone has given a glimpse into the kingdom that Jesus has inaugurated, has given us a glimpse of a life of forgiveness and grace, and a glimpse of resurrection and recreation and we’ve taken hold of it in faith.  And now we—you and I—are called to continue giving the world glimpses of the kingdom.  We’re called to proclaim the good news.  And, along with that proclamation, we’re also called to live by the ways and values of the kingdom, so that the world can see Jesus and can see what the future has in store as it looks at us, as it looks at the Church.  Our calling is to show the world what it looks like to have been plunged into the Holy Spirit. In last Sunday’s Epistle, St. Paul exhorted us to present our bodies as living sacrifices.  To do this is the only reasonable response to Jesus having sacrificed himself for us.  It’s the only response that makes sense when we think on the Incarnation, on the cross, and on the empty tomb.  Jesus gave everything for us; in gratitude we should give our everything back to him.  And Paul contrasts this mindset with the mindset that’s all around us in the world.  He warns in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this present age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”  Yes, the world, the flesh, and the devil tempt us.  It’s hard to follow Jesus and sometimes we fail, but Paul reminds us that in our baptism we’ve been transformed.  John plunged people into the water.  Jesus does more.  He plunges us into the water and as he does so he plunges us into the Holy Spirit.  In doing that he’s transformed our hearts and he’s renewed our minds.  Because of the Holy Spirit the desires of our hearts are different now.  Because of the Holy Spirit the fog that once clouded our thinking has been lifted.  What used to seem foolish when we heard about Jesus and about sacrifice and about dying in order to live now makes perfect sense.  The Spirit has taken the things and the thinking and the values and the priorities of the age to come and brought them into our hearts and minds.  The world—this present evil age—competes for our loyalty, so we must never forget what the Spirit has done in us. Paul stresses that we need to live this life of sacrifice by showing humility to each other.  This in itself runs contrary to the grain of the world’s thinking of every man for himself.  In last week’s lesson, in Romans 12:4-5, Paul gives us the image of a body. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.   And with this he switches gears a bit.  In last week’s Epistle Paul was focused on the idea of sacrifice and of humility.  In this week’s Epistle, which begins at the next verse, Romans 12:6, Paul shows us how this works out in practise.  Keep Paul’s image of a body in mind—a body made up of all sorts of different organs and limbs—as we go on: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8) The Holy Spirit doesn’t just change our hearts and minds, he also equips us to serve the kingdom.  In some cases he gives us gifts that we don’t have by nature, some more mundane and some spectacular.  In some cases the Spirit simply transforms the personality traits and the natural gifts we already have so that we can use them for the kingdom.  The New Testament is full of lists of gifts and each list is a little different, which ought to tell us that there’s no exhaustive list.  People sometimes get hung up thinking that they have to have one of the gifts specifically mentioned in these lists and when they can’t find it they become discouraged.  Brothers and Sisters, the Spirit works with and gifts each person differently and according to the place in the body he has for us.  Think again of Paul’s analogy of the temple being built by Jesus, each of us is a stone carefully and specifically cut to fit a certain place.  Don’t ever think that the Spirit hasn’t equipped you in some way just because nothing in these lists seems to fit.  Jesus has work for all and he’s plunged us all into his transforming Spirit.  What Paul does here is give some examples so that we can see how we’re called to work together and to serve the kingdom so that the world will see Jesus in his Church. He begins with prophecy.  Prophecy is the gift whereby the Spirit equips us to apply the Word of God to life and to specific situations.  Pauls says that if that’s how you’ve graciously been equipped, then get on with prophesying.  If you’ve been equipped especially to serve, then get on with serving.  If you’ve been equipped to teach, get on with teaching.  And so it goes for those equipped to exhort and to give and to lead and to show acts of mercy.  If you’ve been gifted in these ways, get on with using those gifts.  Don’t short-change the Church by squandering them.  And Paul starts out, in mentioning prophecy, saying that, as the ESV puts it, we do this “in proportion to our faith”. What does that mean?  Well, it helps to go back to verse 3, where Paul warns us to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith God has assigned.  He is not saying that we are given different measures of faith.  That would mean, in verse 3, that some would think less soberly than others and that some are called to be more humble than others.  No, what Paul is saying is that we do all these things in accordance with the faith, referring to the content of what we believe: that Jesus is Lord, that he has died, and that he has risen from the dead.  We treat each other humbly because that is what we see in Jesus, who humbly gave his life for us.  So with our gifts: we use them not for ourselves and we use them not willy-nilly for whatever reason might seem good at the time.  No, we use them in accordance with the faith, with the Good News we’ve been given. The one who prophesies has not been equipped so that he can spout off anything that pops into his head.  No, he must speak in accordance with the faith we have been given—what he says must be in harmony with the message of the cross and the empty tomb, it must be in harmony with the rest of Scripture, and it must work to build up the body, not the speaker.  And this principle applies across the board with all the gifts and all the ways we serve.  Does the one who teaches teach in accordance with the faith and with the Scriptures?  Does he teach to build up the body, or is he tearing it apart or building up himself?  Does the one who exhorts or the one who shows mercy do so in a way that reinforces the Good News, or is there no thought for that? Some time ago I was reading an article was written by a woman who gave up Christianity for paganism and considers herself a witch.  She and some of her fellow witches visited a healing ministry run by Bethel, a wildly popular church that currently has a massive influence on large swathes of Charismatic Christianity.  One of the things she wrote about were the prophecies and exhortations spoken over them while they were there.  Everything that was said affirmed them in their pursuit of paganism and told them that God was pleased with them and that they were on the right spiritual path.  They were given words of peace, despite being on a path away from and at odds with the Prince of Peace.  The people working in that church were obviously well-meaning and I’m skeptical about the legitimacy of the gifts they claim to have, but the reason I bring them up is that they’re misusing the gifts of prophecy and exhortation and mercy.  They’re proclaiming “Peace!  Peace!” where there is no peace.  God’s gifts must be used in accordance with the faith he has given us.  They’ve been given to us to give the world a glimpse of the kingdom and to declare, “Repent, for the kingdom God has come!”  If, instead, we’re using our gifts to affirm people in their unrepentance and in their rejection of the kingdom, then we’re abusing those gifts.  We need to use the Spirit’s gifts with discernment and with discipline.   I think it’s also worth noting that Paul stresses at the end that the one who “does acts of mercy” do so with cheerfulness.  As the discernment and discipline he connects with prophecy apply all the way down the list, this cheerfulness applies all the way back up.  We may not always feel like doing these things, but we need to remember that in God’s economy, in biblical thinking, love is not so much about feeling as it is about doing.  The world tells us that you should do what feels right, but God tells us to do what we know is right and that right feelings will follow.  Again, we too often allow ourselves to be conformed to the present age rather than surrendering to the transforming work of the Spirit in us. After giving these specifics in terms of gifts, Paul then goes on to write in more general terms about the gospel principles at work here.  Look at verses 9-16.  There’s a long list here.  I noticed that my Bible happens to give this section the heading, “Marks of the True Christian”.  Think about that and notice that it starts with love at the top. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.   We don’t have time to cover each of these in detail, but think of them in terms of giving the world a glimpse of Jesus and the kingdom.  We’ve seen real love in Jesus.  In him we’ve seen what it looks like to abhor evil and hold fast to good.  In him we get a sense of what it looks like to show honour to others rather than grabbing it all for ourselves.  We see in him what humility and lowliness toward others looks like.  We—especially Gentile believers—have seen what Jesus’ hospitality looks like as he welcomes us in to Abraham’s family.  In Jesus we’ve seen the greatest example ever of what it looks like to bless those who persecute us.  And Paul ends this list in verse 21, writing, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Brothers and Sisters, this is what it looks like to be faithful stewards of the grace of God.  This is what it looks like to live the life Jesus has given us.  This is what it looks like to be people who have been plunged into the Holy Spirit.  This is what it looks like to be the new Israel, rescued from our bondage to sin and death and given hope for a new life.  We love each other as Jesus has loved us and as he specially equipped us to love, and as we do so we show our love for him, because in loving each other we are loving the people whom Jesus loves.  But it’s not just the Church we love.  Jesus was sent to redeem because “God so loved the world”.  We witness what love looks like as we love each other, but we also witness the love of God as we give ourselves for the sake of the world, as we give ourselves to be light in the darkness—even when the darkness is hostile and seeks to snuff us out.  In Jesus, God overcame evil with good and we are called to be his witnesses by doing the same.  And so let us proclaim the message of John and Jesus: Repent, for the kingdom of God has come.  But let us also live in such a way that in our lives and the life of the Church, the heavens are opened to give all those around us a glimpse of the life and the kingdom that await all those who will trust in Jesus. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, in the baptism of Jesus you revealed him to be your Son and you anointed him with the Holy Spirit.  May we who are born again of that same water and Spirit, we ask, be faithful to our calling as your children by grace, living and manifesting in our lives the love and mercy you have shown to us as we proclaim your kingdom.  We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

How are you finding self-compassion + inner courage through these challenging times? I am truly blessed to have today's guest, Mark Nepo, back on the show for the fourth time! Mark has a beautiful and knowledgeable soul, and he is by far one of my most significant teachers- as I know he is to millions across the globe.  With over a million copies sold, Mark Nepo has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening.  Beloved as a poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time," "a consummate storyteller," and "an eloquent spiritual teacher." His work is widely accessible and used by many and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.  A bestselling author, he has published twenty-two books and recorded fifteen audio projects.  In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation.  In 2016, he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, and was also chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity.  Mark and I dive into how he's navigating through these uncertain times; and how we are all being asked to become more intimate with the unknown. We talk about how self-compassion will be essential on any journey, especially our journey through the pandemic. Mark shares in-depth and explains how stillness can drastically give us perspective and what it truly means to know stories by heart, and he reveals how to have the generosity of spirit with others, the ways we can support ourselves through art, and what he truly wishes for in 2021. In this Episode You'll Learn:  How Mark is navigating through these uncertain times [ 4:00 ] The importance of self-compassion on our journey [ 18:10 ] The ways that stillness can change our perspective [ 24:55 ] What it truly means to know something by heart [ 34:00 ] How we can have the generosity of spirit with someone that we disagree with [ 41:40 ] The ways we can support ourselves through art [ 51:55 ] Why Mark writes about what he needs to know [ 60:45 ] How Mark restores himself after writing [ 68:20 ] What makes us a lightning rod for the unconscious [ 76:30 ] What Mark wishes for in 2021 [ 79:55 ]   Soul Shifting Quotes:  “How do we get up one more time than we fall down?” “How do we listen one more time than we speak?” “We are more together than alone.” “The unknown brings love and wonder.” “No one view is enough.” “Everyone has to survive and thrive.” “When we can be thoroughly ourselves, that's when we start to receive the truth and experience of others.”   Links Mentioned:  Learn my 7 Secrets to Uplevel Your Brand & Land Your Dream Clients  Grab your FREE training, How to Call in Your Tribe + Create Content that Converts  Text me at 603-931-4386 Learn more about Mark by following him on Instagram: @mark_nepo Buy The Book of Soul: 52 Paths to Living What Matters, today! Learn more about Mark's 3-session online webinar, Finding Inner Courage Listen to Mark Nepo on Becoming Intimate with the Unknown and Awakening to a New World Tag me in your big shifts + takeaways: @amberlilyestrom  Did you hear something you loved here today?! Leave a Review + Subscribe via iTunes  Listen on Spotify 

Is your content strategy worth half a million dollars?  Mark Stallings is the CEO of Casely, an ecommerce tech-accessories retailer that’s gone from zero to eight figures in just four years. After dropping out of college, Mark convinced his sister Emily to cofound the company with him. They’ve been bootstrapping their way through everything from website coding to paid advertising ever since. I’ve gotten to know Mark over the last few years after he became a founding member of The Coalition in 2018. He joins us to share what he and his sister learned over the years, including how they profitably spend half a million dollars on paid advertising every month. We also touch on how they leverage their content strategy for growth, their approach to hiring, and how they maintain a lean team. Enjoy! Episode Highlights 6:45 How Casely leverages the subscription model  10:33 Why Mark dropped out of college after one year 12:14 Diving into an Instagram rabbit hole to understand your audience 16:08 What the first six months of paid advertising looked like for Casely 18:31 The content strategy that’s taking the business to the next level 22:29 Building and scaling the Casely team 27:22 The two biggest obstacles when using FB ads 29:37 How Mark spends time in the business 31:12 Common misconceptions people have about spending a lot on Facebook 31:45 The top metrics Mark closely monitors  35:01 Mark’s biggest learning experience over 2020 38:51 The hardest part about building Casely 40:05 The secret sauce for hiring and company culture 43:26 What Mark is most curious about today 45:00 Two things every ecommerce company should focus on 47:15 Mark’s resources and strategies for growing your business Links and Resources: Casely The Exit Strategy by Moiz Ali  David Hermann on Twitter Foxwell Digital mark@getcasely.com  The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter @brandgrowthx on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes

In Episode 11, Mark Pease, Pastor of Hope Church in Bradford, England, and lifelong supporter of Leeds United, talks with Phil about the leadership lessons that we can all learn from Marco Bielsa, Leeds United’s Manager, as he leads a team, shapes the culture of a club, and impacts an entire city. Specifically, Mark discusses: His story and how football, Leeds United, and leadership have always been a big part of his life (2:20) The history of Leeds United, and the contrast of Leeds United over the past few decades and the club under the leadership of Marco Bielsa (6:28) The importance of humility in leadership and how Bielsa models it (11:55) How Bielsa has shown at Leeds that a leader can completely transform an organization (16:11) How Bielsa has shaped the culture and identity of Leeds United (and has created a freedom within structure) during his short tenure (20:37) How Mark has incorporated what he is learning from Bielsa into his own leadership of various organizations (25:55) How to get your team and supporters to buy into your culture, mission, and vision, and how Bielsa has done this at Leeds (32:13) The importance of hiring the right people to surround you on your leadership team, and what that looks like at Leeds (39:19) Why it is critical for leaders to build trust, how leaders can build the trust of their team members, and the amazing things that happen when that trust is built (43:01) How Bielsa inspires his team and club, and what we can learn from his style (46:10) The importance of a leader preparing the organization for his or her departure (54:16) How great leaders can incorporate the good from their predecessor leader and still make the organization their own (1:01:20) How Mark incorporates what he has learned from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:03:50) What Mark has been reading and watching to help his leadership (1:09:03) Resources and Links from this Episode Video of the Episode --https://youtu.be/Ydo8Az2xF_w Hope Church website -- https://myhopechurch.online Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime) The Damned United (film about Brian Clough)

Jeremy has a conversation with Dr. Mark McLaughlin about his new book, Cognitive Dominance - A Brain Surgeon's Quest To Out-Think Fear, in which he explores what happens to our brains when an unexpected event causes fear to overtakes our executive function.He shares the experience from early in his career when something expected happened post-surgery with a teenager he was treating that affected him profoundly and caused him to leave pediatric neurosurgery for many years until, through writing the book, he developed a new model for sorting these kinds challenges as they arise to be able to make solid quick decisions without fear dominating. https://www.markmclaughlinmd.comThe Book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/193689162XShow notes:8:25Why write Mark wrote the book9:10 Learning to deal with fear11:15 Holding ourselves to an impossible standard12:45 What do you do with unexpected events13:50 Facing our problems, system for processing16:10 The dream18:45 Breaking down the dream, metaphor for the brain’s process of fear21:05 Mapping out fear, understanding the sum of its parts26:40 Recognizing where you’re in the fear matrix28:40 We all have to travel though a full range of positive and negative experience31:15 Risk and Reward34:50 Adaptability32:30 Levels of Anxiety 33:20 Silencing you inner underminer34:25 Concilience - Edward O. Wilson - common thread between humanities and science35:57 What Mark gained through writing the bookSupport the show (http://patreon.com/highwaytohealth)

Welcome to Boostly Podcast Season 9 Episode 4. This is a recap of my interview with Mark Hodgkiss and we talked about how he increased his direct bookings. 04:00 Mark's problems 05:40 What Mark did 06:30 What Mark learned from Boostly Academy • https://Boostly.co.uk • https://Boostly.co.uk/5steps • https://instagram.com/boostlyuk • https://Boostly.co.uk/guidebook • https://Boostly.co.uk/website • https://BookdirectMap.com • https://Boostly.co.uk/podcast

Mark Baldino is a design industry expert with over 20 years in UX and Human-Centered Design. He's a co-founder of Fuzzy Math, an award-winning UX design and innovation consultancy located in Chicago with clients worldwide. Along with building and sustaining a 20-person design studio, he's helped build and train UX teams for some of the largest companies in the world. Fuzzy Math’s call to action “Do good work. Be good people” is embedded in all of Mark's work as he advocates for “goodness” in design: producing work we are proud of as designers and that positively impacts the lives of those who use digital products and services every day. Mark has led projects across complex and regulated industries including Allstate, Hyatt Hotels, Microsoft and GE Healthcare.   Questions   Your bio said that you're a UX and Human-Centered Design Organization, Fuzzy Math. But maybe give us some background behind why you decided to name the company that and just how you got into what you're doing today. Customer experience, user experience, user design, those words sometimes are used interchangeably in navigating different experiences for customers across different industries. Could you share with us what is so different about what you guys do that really helps to enhance the customer's experience? Let's say, for example, you're looking at your strategy for 2021 coming out of this year that we've all had, that has been extremely different from any other year we've all experienced. How would you demonstrate or justify the return on investment of focusing on UX? Why is it important? How is it really going to transform your business? Why should you give attention to it as you would give attention to any other budgeted item for your business plan? Could you share with us one or two things that a company should take into consideration in managing their digital spend in the age of COVID? Could you share with us how do you stay motivated every day? Can you share with our listeners what's the one online resource, tool, website or app that you absolutely can't live without in your business? Could you share with us maybe one or two books that have had the biggest impact on you, maybe a book that you've read recently or a book you read a very long time ago, but it definitely had a great impact on you. Can you share with us what's the one thing that's going on in your life right now that you're really excited about? It could be something that you're working on to develop yourself or something you're working on to develop your people. Where can listeners find you online? Do you have a quote or saying that during times of adversity or challenge, you’ll tend to revert to this quote, kind of helps to get you back on track or just keep you focused. Do you have one of those?   Highlights   Mark’s Journey   Mark stated that Fuzzy Math is a unique name, it served them well for the past 11 and a half years. The term Fuzzy Math, it does mean something in the real world, for them it speaks about the duality of the work that they do in the user experience and human centered design processes.   So kind of the fuzzy part is they're working with humans and they're trying to understand them and they are complicated and complex and sometimes they say one thing and do another. So it can be hard to design products and services to meet their needs. And the way they do that is kind of the math side, which is a little bit more of the robust process they follow sort of a thorough user center design process they lead their clients through.   It kind of makes sense of what humans are saying and doing and allows them to build products that better meet their needs. So it's kind of the analytics and process side, which is the math solving for the human psychology and fuzzy side, which is the humans.   What Fuzzy Math Does to Enhance the Customer’s Experience   Mark shared that their process is about putting customers or users at the center of everything they do. So, one of the reasons they use the term “User” is because it really focuses in on their use of a specific, in their case, they're designing a lot of web based applications or mobile applications.   Customer can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and so you thinking about customers from the brand perspective, from a marketing perspective, business perspective, and they try to get a little bit more narrow and think about who is this human sitting in front of a computer and what are they doing every day? And how do we make their experience more efficient and effective and satisfying for them?   And that doesn't always take into account the brand, for example, which again, brand and customer get aligned a lot. They try to break that out, they don't think in terms of brands, if they're working for a company that is a brand, they're really thinking about, what is this person's experience with your product and with your service and how can they architect it to better meet their needs?   And so, it's really about putting a user at the center of everything that they do and advocating for them and their needs. And that sometimes pushes against what might make the most sense from like a sales or a marketing perspective.   And that's okay, there can be a natural tension between those. But for their purposes, it's let's give users a voice at the table here and advocate for their needs, which might push against some other considerations of a business.   So it's a slightly narrow lens to focus it on and really say who is this human being that, again, is sitting in front of a computer, has to use this digital product and service and how can they make them happier people, while they're using these products.   The Importance of Using UX to Transform Your Business   Mark shared that he would think that the year that everyone's just had really, really gives them a sense of why they should be investing in digital. So you can take healthcare, for example. But you could say the same for some retail, that’s brick and mortar, maybe a higher education.   So healthcare and higher education, they have two things in common, which is they have these large, vast physical spaces that they've invested billions of dollars in. A hospital in 2020 looks nothing like a hospital did in 1980. They are gorgeous structures; they look more like hotels.   And so, the idea is when you step in, that experience that you get when you enter the atrium of a modern hospital is supposed to give you a sense of what's going to happen behind the scenes, behind the doors, is this amazing high tech, high touch. Again, it almost feels like you're stepping into a luxury hotel and that's how you want to be treated. Well, guess how many people were using those front doors during COVID? No one.   Hospitals were busy, but they were not coming through the front doors and stepping in and getting a sense of this is where I want to spend money, it was much more from an emergency perspective.   But instead, the digital front door of hospitals became the center point, and hospitals that had invested in 2019 and previously in their digital front door were much better positioned to handle kind of customer service, user experience, patient services, provide those in a much more effective and meaningful manner. And so, if you invested in 2019 or before, let's say that that dollar you spend in 2019 was worth ten times as much in 2020 and nothing to say it's not going to be just as valuable moving forward.   So the idea is that people are experiencing brands and products or services overall, they're experiencing digital first or have experienced digital first and a lot of people are digital, they live digitally, they think that that's a normal thing. But you have to think of these industries where there was a physical component to it and they had invested in that physical component.   And now, you're not taking a college tour and deciding on a college based on how fancy the building is, you're probably making that based on what the digital experience you're going to get and whether you can tell that they've actually invested in that in that digital experience.   So, even though he thinks we saw a lot of budgets get tightened in 2020, given uncertainty, what we've seen in this quarter and what we're expecting to continue to see in Q1 is that those budgets are getting reoriented towards kind of the digital experience. And so, he actually thinks it's kind of an easy sell, it's not one that he has to make. But he thinks for people internally is to say….. “If we haven't invested in our digital infrastructure, now is the time if we want this business to be sustainable, we can also have to shift maybe the organization overall towards spending more on these digital first experiences and not maybe spend as much in something like physical infrastructure.” Me: Agreed. Great. So that definitely will allow people to have greater justification for why they need to make this type of investment and, of course, how it will impact their business in the long term.   Managing Your Digital Spend in the Age of COVID    Me: Now, let's say, for example, we have a business and they're looking to go into this. What are maybe one or two ways that you think you could probably suggest to them that they could be able to better manage their digital spend in the age of COVID. Because a lot of people feel like they're in contracting mode. I've listened to many podcast interviews and I know a lot of organizations that would have done a year in planning in terms of what they're going to invest into, they're now doing short term plans like three months, six months, because they just don't know what to expect.   So, with that in mind, maybe could you share with us one or two things that a company should take into consideration in managing their digital spend in the age of COVID?   When asked to share what a company should take into consideration in managing their digital spend in the age of COVID, Mark shared that he thinks they need to think short and long term, if you're too narrow in your focus of this few months, he has heard that as well, “Hey, we have two months to make impact.”   You can only do so much in in two months. And so, they're helping a lot of their clients with is put roadmaps in place which allow for a strategic view, which is three years out, even if there's a large amount of uncertainty in said industry. But that has a really tactical, they're doing two to three month chunks of work. So what can they accomplish in a short term that's going to move the needles and some KPIs. But what is their vision for the longer term. And inside of that, something that they don't do a lot of crisis management for their clients, but all of their clients and frankly, all human beings went through a crisis this past year.   And he doesn't mean to say that we're going to experience another one, but there's nothing to say that this couldn't happen again in two years down the road. So, while you're thinking strategically long term, while you're solving stuff in the short term, you need to invest in an infrastructure that's going to allow you to pivot quickly during a point of crisis.   Again, he hates to go back to the healthcare example, but it's an easy one these days. A lot of websites and customer service teams were very unprepared for the deluge of visitors.   In some cases, he heard 3000% increase in web traffic. So that's the technical architecture going to support that but can we respond to that many requests? And so, this shouldn't be a poll that is a blip on the radar for 2020, people need to invest in crisis management and how they can respond and how their digital products and services respond during a crisis like this.   So, again, they're trying to map out what the long term improvements to customer experiences are over a 3-year period, they're trying to help their clients adjust and make some changes incrementally along the way that are going to move the needle in a two or three month time frame and start to think about what it looks like when a crisis hits again and how teams responds and how technology responds and how we can utilize technology to respond during those points of crisis.    How Mark Stays Motivated   Mark shared that fear is a big motivator, just to be quite honest, he thinks in 2020. It is this sense of fight or flight; you need to keep the business going. It's not a great long term motivator because it just wears you down a little bit. So, he tries to spend time away from his computer and that keeps him motivated to get back to the computer. He works a lot with his hands, crafts, furniture building, light construction, it's a lot less cerebral and it's a lot more physical.   And he finds it when he’s able to step away from the computer and start to work on physical products or physical projects, he yearns to be back in front of the computer because there's something about the amount of change you can influence or impact through the work that they do as designers. And that's really, really powerful. And it's not just about him and a closet he’s building or a piece of furniture, that's personally rewarding for him. And he enjoys that.   But a lot of the products they work on are with bigger businesses and thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of people are using these tools every day. And there's a lot of power in being able to make those tools more satisfactory and joyful for humans. And so, this kind of this exponential push that they can make in people's lives through the tools that they redesign but sometimes when you're so focused on what's the next sale they're going to make? He does primarily sales at Fuzzy Math these days, he doesn't do a lot of design himself. You sort of miss that larger picture. So, to stay motivated, he gets away from the computer, he works in the in the physical world, and then that really pulls him back to the computer because he can get just a different perspective on what it is they do it Fuzzy Math and how they're helping people.   App, Website or Tool that Mark Absolutely Can’t Live Without in His Business   When asked about an online resource that he can’t live without in his business, Mark shared that it's going to sound standard, but email. He'd love to say Slack, but his team loves Slack as a digital tool, he thinks it's enabled the business to function better specifically remotely. But as many times as people try to remake email and make that experience better, there's a reason we all use it, it's very easy, it's quick to communicate with people. And so, it's a boring answer but it's where he’s at almost every minute of every day is in his inbox and he uses it as a way to manage tasks and to do’s, kind of a zero inbox person. He has a number of ways and filters to clean his inbox and make it an efficient mechanism for me.   But he has been using it since AOL, so early 90s. He has been using email for a while. He is very comfortable with it and he can be a creature of habit sometimes and it takes a while for him to shift into something else. As boring as it sounds, he feels like email is consistent and for him it's something he can always rely on as a tool to know what's coming into his business, what's going on in his business and what does he need to do every day. So, maybe not the most inspiring answer, but it's an honest one. If you ask him what he can't live without at this point, it’s email.   Me: Definitely, don't feel bad about sharing email because it's important. And it's an excellent communication tool and it does definitely allow for some level of accountability, paper trail you can go back in. I've pulled up emails that I've sent to people from three, four or five years ago just to make reference to maybe a conversation that was had that maybe you just need to bring back to the forefront based on what you're moving on with currently. So it really, really is an excellent resource. So I'm not going to negate your application.   Books That Have Had the Greatest Impact on Mark   Mark shared that there are two books that have probably had the biggest impact on him. The first is Managing Professional Service Firm by David Maister. It's an old book, the 90’s. It has been updated a number of times. It basically gave him all of the tools to build a professional services firm and how to think about his team and himself and leadership structure and consulting in general. A lot of consultants started as practitioners, he did. And they built consultancies because there's work out there. But running a business is very different from doing design work and so, Managing Professional Services Firm, he calls it his Bible in terms of if he has a question, he goes there first.   He spent a few months in Argentina last year during the winter to escape awful Chicago winters and he read Let My People Go Surfing, which is by the founder of Patagonia. And that's just a fantastic book, it's part bio, which is just great to understand how and why Patagonia was founded. But also there's a business component to it and how you can run kind of an ethical business and what you can look out for and how you can guide your company and he’s a firm believer in the ethos and values that Patagonia sort of imbues in its products and services.   But there's a real honesty to the book in terms of, in a perfect world, no one needed more clothes and Patagonia would go out of business and they don't hide from that fact, they sort of explain it.   And so, he just found it a really refreshing read and he thinks people that like that book, he thinks are people that he would kind of enjoy in the real world to talk to.   So it's been kind of a book that he keeps an eye or an ear out for if people have read it, because he thinks that if they read it and enjoyed it and found value in it, they probably have a similar set of values to him and those can be some of the best of friends, first of all, but kind of professional relationships when there's a bit of a value overlap.    What Mark is Really Excited About Now!   Mark shared that internally and it's about developing their people. They've started a (DEI) Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity initiative at Fuzzy Math, it's about 18 months old and that's by far been the most rewarding part of 2020, because they made a lot of progress there. The initiative was not started because they had a crisis of diversity, equity and inclusivity on the team, it was because people thought that there was room that they could grow as a firm, even as a team of 20.   And so, two employees came to them and said, “Hey, we think we should invest time and energy into this, that there's some room for growth here.” And Ben, is his business partner and him, “Okay, what's kind of what's the plan? Help us along here.” They eventually brought in a third party consultant who's been a tremendous resource for them.   And it's really reoriented how he thinks about growth at the company and proper growth and their role potentially in equity and inequality in the design industry, how they hire people and retain them, how they can maybe train people who don't have a formal background in what they do, how they can create apprentice and mentorship internship programs.   And they've been doing all of this, but they haven't done it with the lens of DEI and obviously this past year there's been worldwide attention specifically through Black Lives Matter and they started the process ahead of that but it really it dovetailed well as it there was a specific focus on it globally and certainly in the United States. And for them to have a forum for their team to communicate about their concerns and then be able to plan for what the future looks like.   So, they have a two-year roadmap for how they're going to improve DEI at Fuzzy Math and it's not just a one stop shop, they didn't just write a DEI statement and put it on their website. In fact, it's not on the website yet because they are taking a very thorough, kind of methodical approach to this.   And it's a long term change of the composition of the people at Fuzzy Math and their backgrounds. How you can have a voice at Fuzzy Math, what hiring, retention, growth and career paths. A lot of things he didn't put in the DEI bucket; his team did because they felt that they were important in terms of communication from the founders down to the team.   So it's been a tremendous learning experience for him, it's been great to see because it's been team led, his team has driven this and that's super rewarding as a business owner to see people care so much about but the company and more specifically about each other, to want to invest time and energy into DEI.   Me: Sounds good. Okay, so we will definitely be following that journey eventually when it becomes public. And you may serve as a benchmark for other organizations that may want to take on that same kind of initiative.   Where Can We Find Mark Online   Website – www.fuzzymath.com   Mark shared that if you go to the resources section on their website, there's a newsletter, encourage people to sign up for the newsletter. They don't spam you. They send out one new sort of newsletter every month, which includes a topic of their interest. Sometimes it's is very specific to design and designers.   Recently it's been about kind of the business value of design and the ROI of design. And then they include some links and articles that they have read in the past month that they enjoy. They have the benefit of living and breathing UX every single day, and not everyone has that, so they try to pull some resources together for people.   If people want to reach out to him, his email is mark@fuzzymath.com, he’s happy to answer emails, chat, schedule, some time to connect, whether it's about starting a career in design or whether you have a potential project.   Quote or Saying that During Times of Adversity Mark Uses   Mark shared that he doesn't really have a quote, there's just sort of saying, he doesn't know where it's attributed to, it's around, do you have a strategic plan? Yes, it's called doing things. He thinks people sometimes worry too much about strategy and less about execution and has tried to make his career about kind of execution and doing and he considers himself a bit of a doer.   So, it helps him when he’s thinking about where Fuzzy Math’s going to be in 5 years or 10 years, people sometimes ask that question and he doesn't always have a clear picture, he just has to remind himself that they just have to continue doing what they've been doing for 11 ½ years, it's made them successful, bunch of happy clients and happy users along the way.   So, if you're ever concerned about what to do next, just do. Start creating, start building, don't spend too much time thinking or planning because execution is all that matters at the end of the day.   Please connect with us on Twitter @navigatingcx and also join our Private Facebook Community – Navigating the Customer Experience and listen to our FB Lives weekly with a new guest   Grab the Freebie on Our Website – TOP 10 Online Business Resources for Small Business Owners   Links   Managing The Professional Service Firm by David H. Maister Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard    The ABC’s of a Fantastic Customer Experience   Do you want to pivot your online customer experience and build loyalty - get a copy of “The ABC’s of a Fantastic Customer Experience.”   The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience provides 26 easy to follow steps and techniques that helps your business to achieve success and build brand loyalty. This Guide to Limitless, Happy and Loyal Customers will help you to strengthen your service delivery, enhance your knowledge and appreciation of the customer experience and provide tips and practical strategies that you can start implementing immediately! This book will develop your customer service skills and sharpen your attention to detail when serving others. Master your customer experience and develop those knock your socks off techniques that will lead to lifetime customers. Your customers will only want to work with your business and it will be your brand differentiator. It will lead to recruiters to seek you out by providing practical examples on how to deliver a winning customer service experience!

Our guest today is Dr. Mark Wetzel, chiropractor and neurology expert based out of Nashville, Tennessee.  Mark has been a guest on the show several times before, speaking about the physiological and neurological elements of the training method of “extreme isometrics” as well as the fantastic results that he achieved from using the method with a high school baseball team. Isometric holds of all sorts have become very popular in training in recent years, and for good reason.  Where typical “up and down” lifting is a bit of a shotgun approach to performance, isometrics can isolate very specific elements of our physiology, and allow us to devote the body’s resources to these specific elements, rather than a wider array of general elements that we find in more traditional strength methods. One of the things you may remember Mark talking about on previous shows is the idea of “cycling through the energy systems” while performing a long isometric hold, and if one can make it through all of these energy systems, then a large benefit can be derived by the athlete.  In recent conversations with Mark, he has been taking this further by teaching me how training maximally in one “energy system bracket” can optimize your performance in another “energy system bracket”. For example, most people in track and field are familiar with the idea of feeling more “warmed up” to do an explosive jump after running a 100 or 200-meter dash maximally.  In the team sport world, playing a pick-up game of basketball is often a better warm-up for explosive jumping than doing basically any sort of “traditional” warmup that you might find.  On the podcast today, Mark and I dig into these concepts, as well as reinforcing many important elements of the isometric hold itself, such as breathing, intention, posture and much more. Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more. View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Timestamps and Main Points 5:05 Why do an “extreme isometric” for 5 minutes, instead of just 2-3 minutes in length 17:40 What Mark sees in the midst of fatigue in an extreme isometric hold and how this resonates with what happens in sport and life itself in uncomfortable circumstances 26:00 The role and sequence of breathing in isometrics and exercise in general and how it contributes to one’s results and recovery from other bouts of training 33:00 Staying in a parasympathetic state, and letting the body choose when it wants to go sympathetic 35:00 The role of intention and focus in isometric lunges and beyond 43:50 Thoughts on the idea of using one energy system to recover another, and how a longer duration burst can improve a lower duration burst and vice versa “The last 2 minutes (of a 5 minute extreme isometric) is when you can really tap into that Cori cycle” “When we lose focus during (those last minutes of an extreme isometric lunge), we have to restart the (energetic) process” “It’s not so much like, I need to grunt it out and hold that 5 minutes because it’s going to make me better at what I’m doing.  It’s more about how much can I stay focused and how much can I hold the intention of what I’m doing in that 3-5’ window is going exponentially make you more successful at whatever you are trying to accomplish outside the isometric” “When you talk to yourself (positively) you release dopamine; and dopamine is going to help you hold on (to the isometric) slightly longer.  Changing how you view yourself is going to help you hold on to that isometric” “When visual people start to suffer (in an isometric) their eyes start wandering… if you are an auditory person, you are going to yell a lot, and if you are kinesthetic, those are the figety ones” “Isometrics will teach you to keep calm through real life situations”

It is such a pleasure to welcome to the Sense-Making in a Changing World show, Mark Lakeman from Portland Oregon - city repairer, urban permaculture designer place-maker community design facilitator, urban designer and thought leader. Mark is the co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation, the City Repair Project (Urban Permaculture education) and is the Principal and founder of Communitecture - a cutting edge design firm that works with sustainable building projects at all scales. As well as being a permaculture designer, Mark is an architect, a landscape architect and a regenerative designer. He works on ecovillages projects, cohousing projects and social housing through a permaculture lens, and through his organisation he has been responsible for over 1200 placemaking projects throughout the city of Portland and beyond.I had heard of Mark’s work for a long time and was so curious to find out more. This conversation is the first time we had met. What Mark does is deeply inspirational, truly radical and ultimately transformative and healing.I really hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.Find out more about permacultureCheck out Mark's links above, and head on over to my 4 part permaculture series . You can also explore the many free permaculture resources in my Youtube and blog.We definitely need more permaculture leaders in cities and towns everywhere to activate communities and facilitate regenerative practices. I invite you to join the Permaculture Educators Program with others from 6 continents - a comprehensive online course that includes the Permaculture Design Certificate and the only online Permaculture Teacher Certificate anywhere.For an introduction to permaculture course, check out my online permaculture gardening course, The Incredible Edible Garden.To support free permaculture education for young people in refugee camps - the Permayouth groups in Uganda and Kenya - please donate to Ethos Foundation - the registered charity associated with the Permaculture Education Institute. We pass on 100% of your donation.We also invite young people everywhere to join the Global Permayouth Festivals each month and weekly meet-ups.Morag GambleI acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live, play and work - the Gubbi Gubbi people - and pay my respects to their elders past present and emerging.Thank you to Rhiannon for sound editing and Kim for the music.

In this episode Mark catches up with Mark Dawson to see how his publishing collaboration with Welbeck has been going as well as to find out about some new writing and publishing projects. This episode is sponsored by: You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   Prior to the interview Mark shares the following: Comments from recent episodes A welcome to new patrons A personal update that includes: Short story writing deadlines (2 target hits with 1 to go) Recent media appearances related to a new book (and the fact that it's Halloween) The song Mark commissioned from Meaghan Smith for his fiance Liz's 50th birthday to go with the artwork commissioned from Josh Vogt.  (Both called "Wonder Woman") A recent music parody Mark created inspired by "The Monster Mash"   In their conversation Mark and Mark discuss: How the role of "writer" is Mark's prime passion The way Mark protects his writing time despite wearing many hats in the industry Recently hiring a PA (Personal Assistant) The importance of having a team that he can trust Mark's daily ritual to ensure he gets writing done every day The office Mark has rented that allows him to get writing and podcast work done How a change of scenery can be helpful to writing How John Milton often leaves a place in worse shape when he leaves it The multiple influences that went into the creation of the John Milton character The way that place, news items, and other factors combine for Mark to create a scenario to drop Milton into to watch how he interacts and reacts in that situation How Mark avoids the "Murder She Wrote Conceit" How traveling to a conference often negatively affects his writing productivity The release of The Cleaner in hardcover from Welbeck Publishing and the impact of the pandemic on that. The planned release of the mass market version of the books and the next book in the series The "After School Detectives Club" books that Mark is collaborating on and how it was inspired by his daughter How Mark shares what works and what doesn't work with various publishing projects and experiments he tries out What Mark is looking forward to for the last two months of 2020 Some of the forthcoming courses Mark's company will be releasing And more... After the interview Mark reflects on the larger perspective of the industry and how an author like Mark Dawson, who has already sold over 4 million copies of his eBooks still has such a gigantic untapped market of readers to reach who have never heard of him. Links of Interest: Mark Dawson Self Publishing Formula Episode 100 - Another Publishing Industry First with Mark Dawson Episode 159 - Many Roads of Creativity with Sarah Beth Goer Episode 105 - Location Based Storytelling with VoiceMap Episode 146 - Finding Yourself in Our Song with Meaghan Smith Kobo Writing Life NaNoWriMo Promo (use coupon code NANO2020) Meaghan Smith CTV News Sudbury (Mark's interview on Oct 26) Sudbury Star Article Sudbury Dot Com Article Hamilton CHML Article About Virtual Ghost Walk Virtual Ghost Walk Downtown Hamilton (VoiceMap) Mark's Hamilton Public Library Reading - Browsers Mark's Canadian Werewolf Series This Time Around (Book 0) A Canadian Werewolf in New York (Book 1) Stowe Away (Book 1.5) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles (Book 2) Findaway Voices Books2Read Draft2Digital Wide for the Win Submission Form Patreon for Stark Reflections   Mark Dawson has worked as a lawyer and in the London film industry. His first books, The Art of Falling Apart and Subpoena Colada, have been published in multiple languages. He is currently writing three series. The John Milton series features a disgruntled assassin who aims to help people make amends for the things that he has done. The Beatrix Rose series features the headlong fight for justice of a wronged mother--who happens to be an assassin--against the six names on her Kill List. Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. The first book in the series, The Black Mile, deals with the (real-life but little-known) serial killer who operated in the area during the Blitz. The Imposter traces the journey of a criminal family through the period; it has been compared to The Sopranos in austerity London. Mark lives in Wiltshire with his family.   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

#136 My amazing guest this week is Mark Gober with a conversation around consciousness and spiritually that will make you question the world we live in. Mark is an award-winning author as well as a podcast host and international speaker. Mark’s background is in business as a Partner at Sherpa Technology Group in Silicon Valley and previously as an investment banking analyst in New York. But despite being a left-brainer, the universe had different plans for him and guided him towards questioning and researching consciousness and how we understand it. Does our brain create consciousness or is it the other way around? What have near-death experiences taught us? How much do our intentions for our lives actually affects them? Have your ever wondered if there is a purpose to our lives? Does anything we do matter? These are only some of the mind-blowing and deep questions that we answer on this episode, with the help of Mark. This episode really made me think, and I hope it will spark something for you guys as well. About Mark: Mark Gober is the author of the award-winning book An End to Upside Down Thinking (2018) and the sequel An End to Upside Down Living (2020). He is also the host of Where Is My Mind? podcast (2019), featuring his interviews with world-leading consciousness researchers Eben Alexander, Dean Radin, Rupert Sheldrake, Russell Targ, Raymond Moody, Jim Tucker, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Brian Josephson, and many others. Mark serves on the Board of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and the School of Wholeness and Enlightenment (SoWE), and he is an international speaker. Mark’s background is in business as a Partner at Sherpa Technology Group in Silicon Valley and previously as an investment banking analyst in New York. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where he wrote his award-winning thesis on Daniel Kahneman’s Nobel Prize-winning “Prospect Theory” and was elected a captain of Princeton’s Division I Tennis Team. www.markgober.com www.markgober.com/podcast Key points with time stamp: Mark’s work in his own words (3:28) How did Mark go from Investment banking to researching consciousness? (3:53) Mark’s journey to writing his book (13:14) Why An End to Upside Down Thinking? Case (15:26) The effects of consciousness research on Mark’s life (17:55) To the sceptical: (20:56) How accessible and available is the abilities of the consciousness (24:12) What surprised Mark about the abilities of our consciousness (26:20) Tangible changes in Mark’s life since he began his journey (27:04) How powerful are our intentions? (30:31) Mark’s hope for his book (37:06) Mark’s daily practices (38:25) How can we be more comfortable about talking about our spiritual experiences? (41:27) The low point in Mark’s life which turned into a blessing (43:37) Mark’s morning routine (44:39) Mark’s choice of a dinner guest, dead or alive (45:45) What Mark leaves us with (46:45) Mentioned in this episode: An End to Upside Down Thinking (2018), Mark Gober’s book Laura Powers Bernardo Castro Professor Donald Hoffman The Case Against Reality (2019), Donald Hoffman’s book Erwin Schrödinger American Psychologist Journal Etzel Cardena Jessica Utts American Statistical Association Jimmy Carter Where is My Mind? Mark’s podcast Russel Targ Michael Jordan Lebron James An End to Upside Down Living (2020) Mark’s second book Hans-Peter Durr Roger Nelson 9/11 Princess Diana Heartmath Institute Thomas Campbell NASA Germ Theory Copernican Revolution Galileo David Hawkins Bruce Grayson Dannion Brinkley Chaos Theory Butterfly Effect Peter Panagore About me: My Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence/?hl=en My website: www.guylawrence.com.au www.liveinflow.co

Let’s talk about how language shapes our realities with my friend Mark England. This is the first in the series of Shadow Work Symposiums where my guest and I enjoy a few drinks and talk about the elements of shadow work they're most passionate about. Mark teaches a very unique and ultra-simple method of shadow work called story work - I'm a HUGE FAN of this method and imagine you will be too by the end of this show. Mark is a language coach on a mission to dramatically reduce the amount of unnecessary stress and drama in the world and to create more powerful, happy people as a result. He’s the co-founder of Procabulary and Enlifted which offers courses, coaching, and live events worldwide. On this symposium, we discuss: - Conflict language vs Architect language - The new “soft talk” drinking game - How breath and story work can change your reality - What Mark thinks the world will look like if victim mentality goes unchecked - Mark’s call to action to change and stabilize that change - How leveled up friends are a game-changer - What story work is and how it works - How strong emotions, like chili peppers, burn twice - How the victim mentality is on its way to becoming very uncool - The best definition of victim mentality I’ve ever heard - How people become addicted to their identities - How a robot voice can heal your soul - Why you should be more like a pirate - A bit about Kambo - a healing substance taken from the Amazonian Giant Tree Frog - Why political correctness is sterilizing our culture and why you should be offended for your personal growth - How hate speech is nothing compared to self-hate speech - Why you should wear a tracksuit with confidence Find Mark on Instagram to learn more about his language courses @markengland2020 Enjoy the show! Jessica PS The Trials course is finally open. Until Sept 11, you can join our course for mind and body mastery and self-exploration. Realign your life and redesign your way forward. Hope to see you there! www.wayoftrials.com

Mark Lettieri is a renowned guitarist and member of Grammy Award-winning band Snarky Puppy. Greg and Mark cover a lot of ground in this episode, covering everything from Mark's early days to the role of musicians in our new, virtual world. For more information, visit marklettieri.com.1:46 - What Mark has been up to recently - writing music, recording, session work, etc4:33 - Mark’s initial foray into the Tech Industry, why he decided to transition into music, and how his PR/Tech background came in handy10:38 - How Mark got linked in with Snarky Puppy in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex, and how the group writes, arranges, and works together in the studio16:11 - Mark’s early influences in 90’s grunge and alternative rock, and branching out into Blues, Jazz, Soul, etc21:48 - Gear! From Grosh Guitars to ash-body Stratocasters, Les Pauls to Ibanez guitars, no stone is left unturned (with a few Vintage pieces scattered throughout)32:01 - Non-traditional ways of making a living as a musician, and the era of the Internet35:18 - Tour life - local, domestic, international, and everywhere in between40:07 - The Instagram algorithm, social media, and how to play them to work in your favor48:30 - Mark’s thoughts on the future of live music and the industry as a whole52:38 - The Fearless FlyersTotal Length: 65:04Fishman Dedicated to helping musicians achieve the truest sound possible whenever they plug-in. Wildwood Guitars One of the world’s premier retailers of exceptional electric and acoustic guitars.

Podcast hosting companies are multiplying more than rabbits these days. Each one believes that THEY have what podcasters really need — and have no problem telling you so. I have no beef with that. If you believe in your service or product, you SHOULD be telling everyone it can help, that it can help them. But most of them don’t impress me very much. One of the newcomers in the last few years that I AM impressed by is Captivate (affiliate link). I started one of my 5 podcasts on the Captivate service just to try it out and I have enjoyed the way they handle things so much, I plan on moving some of my other shows over to them.  Listen to his conversation with Captivate co-Founder Mark Asquith to hear about all the bells, whistles, and cool stuff the Captivate team has baked into their podcast hosting platform. [2:40] How Mark Asquith’s blonde highlights led him into the entrepreneurial life [6:36] The “figure it out” mindset Mark has adopted, and he didn’t even know it [10:52] Why Mark came to believe that communication is a sellable skill [19:30] Mark’s first venture into podcasting in 2013 - about DC Comics [25:30] The many podcast related services Mark’s company provides [29:15] What Mark and his team saw missing in the podcast hosting world [34:01] Features found in the Captivate platform - in detail and with specific questions  

This is episode 104 of the Pam Sowder Podcast, with your host, Pam Sowder! Pam has over 2 decades of field and corporate experience and was voted one of the most influential women in direct selling. She helps match the daily needs of distributors to everyday life challenges. In this week’s episode, Pam is virtually sitting down with two very special guests; Mark and Crystal Hansen! You probably already know Mark Victor Hansen because he is best known for his work as the co-author of the series, Chicken Soup for the Soul. They have set world records in book sales with over 500 million books sold! He’s an incredible writer with 307 books to his name and has also spoken to over 7,000 audiences in 78 countries! His beautiful wife, Crystal Dwyer Hansen is a business strategist and successful entrepreneur, speaker, and author. She is also known as a celebrity coach and is a certified life and wellness nutrition expert whose personal coaching, speaking, CD and video programs, books, and articles have helped people all over the world. Mark and Crystal’s latest endeavor is a book they co-authored together called Ask!: The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny! We all have beautiful dreams inside and through this book, Mark and Crystal share how you can turn your dreams into reality through the secret art of asking! As network marketers, asking is the key component to propelling your business forward — because, as Pam says, “If we’re not asking, we’re not receiving.” Tune into this episode to learn about what separates those with potential from fulfilling their destiny, the roadblocks to asking, and ultimately: how you can become a master asker! Sit back, take notes, and enjoy!   Key Takeaways [:07] About today’s episode with special guests, Mark and Crystal Hansen! [1:52] Pam welcomes Mark and Crystal to the podcast. [2:19] Mark and Crystal tell the story of how they met and what it is like sharing their career journey together. [6:10] How Mark and Crystal came up with the title for their book, Ask!: The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny, and what it is about. [7:43] The seven roadblocks to asking and how we can begin to recognize them. [10:05] Mark shares a fantastic story that illustrates the power of asking, visualizing, and being enthusiastic! [12:30] Beyond asking: understanding how you can leverage influence and energy to get better results and the important three channels through which you need to ask. [14:20] How to prepare to be a good asker! [16:05] How to take action on what you visualize — especially if you are fearful of asking. [19:52] The potential with network marketing. [20:39] What Mark and Crystal have learned over the years about overcoming the feeling of being ‘stuck.’ [22:37] Crystal shares an inspiring story from their book, Ask!, that truly illustrates the power of simply asking. [25:09] How we can approach asking ourselves for more and effectively visualize what we want. [28:48] Why ask our subconscious? [32:32] Mark and Crystal further elaborate on how we can ask God. [37:08] How we can bless so many lives if we keep God at the forefront. [40:11] Crystal and Mark share some important parting words.   Mentioned in this Episode It Works Chicken Soup for the Soul Mark Victor Hansen’s Website Mark’s Facebook @MarkVictorHansenFanPage Mark’s Twitter @MarkVHansen Crystal Dwyer Hansen’s Website Crystal’s Facebook @CrystalDwyerHansen Crystal’s Twitter @CrystalVision Ask!: The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny, by Mark Victor Hansen and Crystal Dwyer Hansen The Ultimate Gift, by Jim Stovall The Ultimate Gift (Film, 2006)   Continue on your Adventure Find more episodes on PamSowder.com/Listen Reach out to her at PamSowder.com/Connect   Reach out on Social Media! Follow Pam @ItWorksPam on Twitter — Tweet her and use #askpam #pamsowder!  

Resources & Links:  ⭐️Download Your Episode Companion

Have you heard about "Ken and Karen?" They're the couple with an AR15 who faced down a mob... ...And they're lucky to be alive! Their real names are Mark and Patricia McCloskey. After confronting the mob, they've been targeted for harassment... ...and they might still face legal charges. That's because, while it's great that they defend their home... ...They made some significant tactical and legal mistakes. In this week's podcast episode, Modern Combat & Survival's Buck Greene sits in for Jeff Anderson to discuss how the McCloskeys should have done things differently... and what this means for you if YOU have to face down a mob. Here's What You'll Discover In This Week's Episode: Why relaxing in your home could put you at a disadvantage in a mob attack... and what you can do about it! The reason you should avoid pointing a gun at an angry mob until the "last minute." What Mark and Patricia could have done differently to avoid being harassed by their local prosecutor. The reason that confronting a mob could have led to Mark and Patricia being rushed and trampled... and how you can avoid the same danger! The political and social implications of this famous viral incident. We applaud Mark and Patricia for standing up and defending themselves. We just want you to avoid the mistakes they made so you don't put yourself and your family in legal danger.

Mark Cuban (@mcuban) is a Shark Tank investor in over 200 companies, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and author of How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It. What We Discuss with Mark Cuban: The advice Mark is giving his CEOs and founders during these angry, uncertain, and unprecedented times. What Mark sees as the future of the knowledge and technology economies here in the United States. What jobs will exist in the not-so-distant future? How America can beat China, and the areas we need to invest in to do so. How Mark stays on top of trends and separates fact from fiction when it comes to his investments -- and how to reach Mark and get his attention for your own business idea. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: https://jordanharbinger.com/362 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Mark Metry, TEDx Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author of Screw Being Shy, and host of the Humans 2.0 Podcast, joins our show in this special episode of the Elite Man Podcast! In today’s episode Mark talks about his book Screw Being Shy: Learn How to Manage Social Anxiety and Be Yourself in Front of Anyone, and he discusses his personal struggles and ultimately triumph over social anxiety. He talks about the reasons why people have social anxiety, what it really looks like, and how to get past it. Mark also covers his struggles with general anxiety, depression, obesity, and social isolation and the process he used to get over these major issues. If you’re wondering how to stop being shy and gain true confidence in yourself, check this episode out now!     *Download this episode now and subscribe to our channel to get more of these amazing interviews! In our episode we go over: Mark’s new book and why he wrote it Why he decided to become a podcaster and how he grew his following so quickly Mark’s very early start into the entrepreneurial and online marketing world His struggles with socializing and being shy and anxious around others Having obesity, anxiety, and even suicidal depression issues The reason Mark put his foot down and decided to fix his problems Realizing he had incredibly bad social anxiety Binge eating and the weight issues and dietary problems Mark had that exacerbated his mental health issues Building little habits to slowly pull himself out of his rut How long it took Mark to get over his social anxiety issues The role of nutrition in Mark’s life Improving his sleep and exercise routine and how this propelled his success Building himself up to the point where he could use exposure therapy to slowly get over his social fears The moment Mark realized he was beating his social anxiety problems The difference between being shy and being an introvert The feelings, thoughts, and emotions that Mark and others who have social anxiety get when they experience their anxiety The reasons why some people get social anxiety and others do not The tribal concept deeply ingrained in all of us Surrounding yourself with good, supportive people who understand your issues The importance of meditation in Mark’s life and how this helped re-wire his brain Creating a biochemical foundation of good neurotransmitters and hormones in the body and brain Getting past your individual triggers for social anxiety What Mark’s life is like now that he’s been able to control his anxiety Check out Mark on: Website: markmetry.com Book: Screw Being Shy Sponsors: * Follow Justin on Instagram now for daily content not found anywhere else! *Check out Justin’s new book ELITE MIND at EliteMindBook.com. *Join our email list at EliteManMagazine.com/newsletter now!

Do you have any porn regrets? In this episode, Mark Normand reveals which porn tape he regrets watching the most. Plus, Mark explains why men can’t get hard, and we talk about diversity in comedy. Mark was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, surprisingly to two normal parents. As a kid, he spent most of his time shooting short films and wetting the bed. He started doing comedy right after college and quickly moved to New York. Mark now does comedy clubs and colleges across the country and has been involved in many festivals, including Portland, Seattle, DC, Boston, Vancouver, Melbourne, and in 2013, was featured as a New Face at the Montreal Comedy Festival. In this episode, Mark explains why his manager quit show biz. It’s not too big of a deal during the pandemic, Mark is saving money now. Mark weighs in on the question, are there homophobic pedophiles? Society needs to figure out a way to get in the heads of these pedophiles. Then, Mark describes his first experience with pornography. His friend showed him porn at the age of twelve, and it completely blew Mark’s mind. He jerked off to it for five years after. We talk about regrettable porn viewings, including a toothless woman, a woman with three clits, and eating jizz. Mark speaks about getting crazy sick and breaking up with his long-term girlfriend of twelve years. He always thought about breaking up with her; however, he never wanted to pull the trigger. The breakup was ugly. So, Mark went on a bender every single night. He even did all the butt stuff with women on dating apps. People are more open to butt stuff then they are willing to say. Everyone likes some tongue action down there. When Mark finishes too fast, he always makes up for it! Plus, after twenty minutes, he is ready to get back in there. Mark reveals the details behind his worst auditions and pitches ever. On a pitch with Netflix, Mark kept making jokes that turned bad. Plus, we talk about diversity in comedy, why white guys are viewed as evil, and we talk about working with Louis C.K. (before he was canceled). Stay tuned as we talk about lying in relationships, Mark’s first date, and we play Cash Money trivia. In this Episode: [ 1:40 ] Why Mark’s manager quit show biz [ 5:15 ] Are there homophobic pedophiles? [ 7:30 ] About Mark’s first porn experience [ 12:10 ] Mark’s parents are hippies [ 19:00 ] The porn that Mark regrets watching [ 22:15 ] When Mark got crazy sick and broke up with his long-term girlfriend [ 25:50 ] Why most people like butt stuff [ 27:15 ] What Mark does when he finishes too fast [ 36:00 ] About Mark’s worst auditions and pitches [ 49:20 ] Comedy in Portland – why Portland is pushing back [ 51:30 ] When Mark opened for Louis C.K. [ 56:45 ] Why Mark lies in relationships [ 60:00 ] About Mark’s first date [ 65:30 ] Cash Money trivia Quotes: “I’m not a porn nut.” “When you can’t get it up, that’s when women flip.” “I hid my Viagra like a drug addict.” “I don’t know if eating ass is kosher.” “We are all going to die one day.” Links Mentioned: Mark’s Website: http://marknormandcomedy.com Mark’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mark-Normand-21895626989 Mark’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marknormand/ Email me: emmasbunker@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emmawillmannshow/support

This week on the Remote. No Pressure. fly fishing podcast, Jeff talks with Author Mark Kurlansky about his new book "Salmon." 00:00 Jeff and Bill talk about their YouTube Channel 01:45 Jeff and Bill talk bullying 03:10 Is RNP not serious enough? 04:55 In Other News 08:00 Interview begins with Mark Kurlansky 09:20 Fishery management and over fishing are not the main issue for salmon 11:00 Killing off the predators of salmon 12:10 Pebble Mine 14:35 The CEO of Tiffany & Co. 15:35 Knowing the source 16:45 Irresponsible reporting on global warming 17:50 The scariest thing Mark learned while writing this book 20:50 The story of the salmon in greek mythology 23:25 Bears in the Great Lakes compared to Grizzlies in the NW 24:05 Bears in Kamchatka 25:10 Jeff’s favorite character in Mark’s book 27:50 Mark’s look at the young guys on the fishing boat 30:05 What did Mark get out of writing this book? 34:01 Responsible economic development 34:50 Niagara falls and the environment 36:01 Mark’s recipes and appreciation for 38:01 Mark’s book on Hank Greenberg and baseball 42:20 What Mark think’s about fly fishing 44:40 Where you can find Mark’s book and information 44:40 Outro Episode Links: Mark’s Website Remote. No Pressure. Jeff’s Music Website In Other News Shark Story

Vigor Life Podcast · EP105: How to Learn for Success, the Unicorn Approach and Overcoming Challenges w/ Mark Fisher Mark Fisher is one of my favorite humans, a close friend, and the co-owner and Ninja Master of Mark Fisher Fitness; is one of the most successful gyms in the history of the fitness industry. Within its first five years, MFF grew from a single personal trainer to a staff of over 35, more than 800 members, and its own studio in midtown Manhattan. Earning it a spot in on the prestigious Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies in America in 2015. With a reputation as the fitness home of choice for the Broadway community, MFF has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, New York Post, The Wall St. Journal, NY1, and more. Living by their mantra, “ridiculous humans, serious fitness,” MFF provides progressive training and nutrition protocols in a delivery system of subversive humor, fantastical imagery, and outrageous antics. Mark and I tend to have these conversations frequently, so it was great to record a podcast with him. In this episode we discuss the challenging times, the science behind overcoming adversity, how to lead people and teams through this and stand the test of time. We also dive deep into how to learn for success. This is a must listen to matter what industry you work in. Let's go. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN What's valuable right now during this emotional time - the two things that are key and the fine line between them.Why we don’t want to be emotionless, because emotions help us make decisions, but also have to understand that emotions are flawed. We discuss how to navigate them.Practical coaching examples for how to help a person who is stuck in ruminating, verses someone not processing and burying their emotions.How to bring healing to yourself by being a light to others; action, service, and giving creates a positive feedback loop.Why there is no successful repression, it’s going to show up somewhere, which is why we must deal with it. Working it out is not enough!Why asking the hard questions is the only way to start working on dealing with adversity and what you should be asking yourself.What we’re learning, changing our minds on and where we’re finding meaning during these times.What Mark thinks about visioning, goal setting, and writing out what you’re going to achieve.Productivity, developing skill-sets for the future and wrestling with what matters most when it comes to work.Why THIS is the time you must be brutally honest about what you want in every area of your life (and what you have to keep, add, and let go).An unusual tip and exercise that may seem counterintuitive but will create breakthroughs for you.What “Tomorrowland” is and how it can help you envision the life and business you want to create then reverse engineer it by looking backwards.Our thoughts about the law of attraction and is it really B.S?How Mark and I brainwashed ourselves from books, courses, mentors, and collected role models in the areas of our life we wanted to grow.Can a book really mentor you? Our thoughts around getting the most out of reading and learning how to learn. And so much more. LINKS AND RESOURCES Mark Fisher Fitness: www.MarkFisherFitness.comMark Fisher Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markfisherhumanbeing/Business For Unicorns: www.BusinessForUnicorns.comVigor Life Podcast (iTunes): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vigor-life-podcast/id1180256583?mt=2Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriberLuka Hocevar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukahocevar Thanks so much for joining me this week. Have some feedback that you’d like to share? Leave me a review on iTunes.

Who can you turn to when you need assistance in the business side of farming?  Our guest today, Mark Cannella, of Vermont, is here to share exactly how he fills that role and helps farmers through precarious financial times and situations. Mark has been working in the field of agriculture for over ten years. He has managed farm operations in vegetable production, maple sugaring, and agricultural education. His current focus is the management and delivery of farm business planning programs, business management training, and farm economic research. Listening to what Mark has to say has never been more important than it is in these economically turbulent times, so keep a sharp ear on this one!   You’ll hear: What Mark is working on these days 1:49 Some basic steps farms can take to stay stable during unstable times 3:04 What the CARES act does to boost farms and other businesses 9:08 How farm credit can mesh with PPP loans 13:40 What can realistically be claimed under CARES 18:07 What other details should people be aware of? 21:34  Where you can get the latest information in these rapidly changing economic times 25:02  What you need to know about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan 26:34   About the Guest: Mark Cannella is an Associate Professor and Farm Business Management Specialist with the University of Vermont Extension.  He currently directs UVM Extension Agricultural Business programs with a focus on the management and delivery of farm and forest business planning programs, financial analysis and applied business research to a broad audience. Mark works directly on maple economics projects throughout the Northeastern United States. Resources:Website: http://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/ CARES Act info: http://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/?p=1805 Fact Sheet: https://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/files/2020/04/PPP-Fact-Sheet.pdf Details on Sole Proprietor Owner Benefits: https://blogs.claconnect.com/agribusiness/20-83333/

What You Will Learn In This Episode What it’s like to work with someone for 10+ Years How a Joint Business Venture Works What Mark and Gael really think of each other Salt and Pepper, Cats and Dogs, Mark and Gael. You can’t have one without the other. But a long-lasting partnership like this didn’t … #195 – What Mark and Gael Really Think Of Each Other After 10 Years As Business Partners Read More »

Mark Manson is a NYT bestselling author who has written books about hope, living a good life and now an audible original about love and relationships. Listen to today's show to hear Mark's perspective on relationships through his own personal experiences and through putting together an audiobook about them. In this episode, we discuss relationship advice topics that include: The importance of recognizing the false 'Disney narrative' about love and relationships Learning to be skeptical of yourself as a tool for living a good life How to decide who you should date Why Mark believes love is not scarce What Mark has learned from his own relationships and from putting together this audiobook And much more! Mark Manson is an OG super blogger turned best-selling author. His international smash hit, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, has sold millions of copies, inspiring a generation of no fucks given. Full show notes and episode links at: https://idopodcast.com/244 Sign up for our 14 Day Happy Couples Challenge here: 14 Day Happy Couples Challenge Join our 5 Day Couples Appreciation Challenge here: idopodcast.com/appreciation Do you want to hear more on this topic? Continue the conversation on our Facebook Group here: Love Tribe Sponsors BetterHelp:Get help on your own time and at your own pace. Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/IDO. Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Chase & Sarah

Now, it’s obvious that you believe you have a purpose. You have a mission to change the world and create success in your own. In the Purpose & Movement Mastermind we do things differently. What Mark and I did was take all the things we liked about the masterminds we were a part of and got rid of all the things we didn’t….we then proceeded to flip the script on how Masterminds are done. Most Masterminds are founded and operating from a mindset of scarcity. Each member’s ego is fighting for praise, striving to look better than other members, and gain recognition from the Mastermind facilitators. The Purpose & Movement Mastermind is designed for individuals that want to lead from their hearts and reap the rewards of giving. We seek to nurture an environment in which everyone supports, encourages, and challenges each other to grow and excel at and/or find their calling. We are excited to #give, not scared to #ask, or #celebrate our community #wins. When one member #wins we all WIN. When we pull each other up we all reach the sky. So, if you’re truly ready to turn your purpose into a movement. If you’re ready to build your business, scale your already successful business, and doing that all while impacting the world. All you have to do is sign up, we’ve decided to COVER THE COST of your first month. Click the link in the comments, fill out the short survey so we can get to know you better and jump in. We can’t wait to see you inside! We launch March 24th! Get in while we are still offering the first month free! www.purposeandmovement.com 

Do you love rentals but need guidance on how to manage your properties like a true professional?   Today’s guests are rental property systems experts and partners on a successful and growing rental property business.   Ben Walhood is the owner of Apex Landlord Services, LLC. He is also the president of Apex Renovations, Inc.   Ben’s business partner is Mark Wilton, is the relationship and operations manager of Apex Landlord Services, LLC. He is also the owner and CEO of Kiwiana Homes, LLC.   In today’s episode, Ben and Mark share how they make their business partnership work, how they find and fund their deals, and what their business goals are for 2020.   They also share valuable advice on how to avoid tenant issues before they arise!   Key Takeaways Why they decided to partner up and what the initial concept behind their partnership was How their business setup has evolved over the years Benefits and drawbacks of having a business partner How they make their partnership work What their current business setup is and what each of their roles are Biggest shifts that have occurred since they first started until now How they are finding and funding their deals How Ben felt about leaving his full-time job What Mark noticed has evolved the most in terms of real estate investing Advise to those who would like to buy rentals and manage them themselves How to set up tenant relationships for success upfront and how to manage it moving forward How they balance the maintenance side without overspending Software/apps they are using to manage their properties Their goal for 2020 and what they plan to accomplish by the end of the year   Links   CHECKLIST: Tenant Expectations, Tips, and Tricks to avoid the most common landlord problems: https://www.livingoffrentals.com/opt-in-2e84b309-10a3-409c-867f-7967eecfdb79   Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki - https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Teach-Their-About-Money-dp-0446568813/dp/0446568813/ref=mt_hardcover? _encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=   Podium - https://www.podium.com   Google Drive - https://www.google.com/drive/ Google G Suite - https://gsuite.google.com/ Google Docs - https://gsuite.google.com/intl/en_ph/products/docs/   No-doc Loan - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/low_no_doc_loans.asp

Thomas recently had the privilege of playing piano on the latest album by Catholic composer Mark Christopher Brandt. The Butterfly consists of a suite for string quartet and piano, plus two solo piano pieces. The suite, which uses the butterfly's transformation as an allegory of conversion, was described by the Catholic poet Dana Gioia as “fresh, inventive and alive”. In this episode you will hear the beautiful Butterfly suite in full, followed by a no less beautiful conversation in which Thomas shares what he learned from Mark during this project, and Mark (as always) shares much wisdom about music and the Christian life, peppered with examples from his journey in both. Central to the conversation about music is the continuum of artists throughout history, and the deeper continuum for Christian artists: that our work transcends history because our first audience is the heavenly court, regardless of what welcome our art finds in this world. Contents [2:51] Accompanying text to The Butterfly [4:38] The Butterfly suite [21:09] Why Mark wanted another pianist (Thomas) to play on this project [23:22] Granting the string players more room for individual creativity than is usual in the classical world [28:06] What Mark taught Thomas in the studio: making a mistake is not a sin [36:54] Benefits of documenting the results of one's practice in order to move forward [41:59] The timeline of the album, spanning decades of Mark's journey as a composer [47:09] The historical ‘continuum' of music and being a part of its progress [52:38] Mark's counsel for those beginning to study composition [1:02:41] Contemporary pop has lost its connection to what came before it [1:07:17] Christians who are joyful are misunderstood as being naive [1:12:52] When Mark first became aware of how following Jesus was transforming him Links Purchase The Butterfly: Physical copies https://markchristopherbrandt.com/the-butterfly---store.html iTunes https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-butterfly/1488059624 Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Mark-Christopher-Brandt/dp/B081K8Y1C7 Purchase the score and/or parts https://markchristopherbrandt.com/the-butterfly-scores-and-parts.html   Previous interviews with Mark: Episode 33: Structure and Freedom in Music and in Christ https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-33-structure-and-freedom-in-music-and-in-christ-mark-christopher-brandt/ The Nightingale https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-0-nightingale-mark-christopher-brandt/  Other Resources Mark's website https://www.markchristopherbrandt.com/ Manassas String Quartet https://www.manassasquartet.com/   This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Production team:Host : Maria XenidouProducer: Julie-Roxane KrikorianIntroduction Voice: David Bourne  Contact us:impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com  Music credits:Like Lee performed by The Mini VandalsTransition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks Where to find Mark Otter and Participate:ParticipateParticipate on LinkedInTwitter @participateMark on LinkedIn Twitter @markjotter Mentioned in this episode:Participate Learning (formerly VIF International Education)InSide Out InitiativeMoodle - Open-source learning platformBit SpaceTransitioning Between the Inner and Outer Loop by Simon TerryEmpatico - Connect your Classroom to the World  Listen to this episode and explore: Childhood: Watching his parents study alongside their children to advance their education (2:57)Studying evolutionary biology in college and becoming a teacher (5:29)Mark's international teaching career (7:30)Being a teacher in different countries: Canada, USA, UK (8:29)Leaving teaching to become a researcher for VIF International Education (11:34) Climbing the ladder at VIF from researcher to Chief Operating Officer (12:39)Participate is born: how VIF became Participate Learning (14:22)Participate: what it’s for and who it’s for (18:36)What are the communities of practice (21:12)Participate’s role in building and growing communities (26:06)How Participate helps engaging members: Community personas and proven tactics (28:00)The leaders of communities of practice (31:15)The benefits of communities of practice vs other communities (33:01)The benefits of time-bound learning experiences (35:47)The people that Participate serves (40:01)How the community helps the learners: being clear on the WHY behind the community (41:55)Customized learning tools on the Participate platform (44:29)The potential use of the Participate model for learning and development for corporations (47:14)The importance of building communities with people, not for people (49:57)The difference between cooperative learning and collaborative learning (52:27)The biggest challenge: finding the right people who want to join these communities of practice (55:18)What Mark sees as the future of learning and work (56:31)What Mark wants to leave his Mark on during his lifetime (58:09)Where to find Mark and Participate (1:00:59) Maria's takeaways related to communities of practice (1:02:05)

Mark Wahlberg is an actor, producer, businessman, model, rapper, singer, songwriter, Academy Award nominee, and a philanthropist who is impacting millions of lives. Listen to this episode and learn: · How Mark made the transition from musician to actor and why he feels he found his calling. · What Mark does to give back to the kids treated at Beaumont Children’s Hospital and how they inspire him. · How Mark stays disciplined during his movie shoots. · What Mark’s life motto is and what he is most proud of in his life. · What the biggest miracle is in Mark’s life.

Mark DeJohn is a licensed massage therapist who specialized in Active Release Technique (ART). I began seeing Mark after suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for six years. Mark was able to fix me using ART. We talked about the root cause and how overly tight muscles can become an injury, how Mark thinks about overuse injuries and his tips to avoid them, and two stretches every climber should do.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mark-dejohn  Nuggets:  2:03 – What is Active Release Technique (ART)?  3:48 – My (Steven’s) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and how and overly tight muscle can become an injury  10:19 – Homework vs. compliance  12:18 – ART as a standalone treatment, and ART paired with Chiropractic treatment  14:59 – The body as a system, and working up and down the chain  17:19 – Other climbing related injuries Mark has treated  18:47 – How climbers should be stretching, and two stretches every climber should do  20:37 – Timing, when to stretch, Mark’s thoughts on isometric vs. dynamic stretches, and how tight muscles can lead to tendonitis  24:13 – Scar tissue and Mark’s “gum in the carpet” theory  25:20 – Mark’s thoughts on tightness vs. strength, and whether “too flexible” is a concern  28:21 – How Mark got started with ART and becoming an ART instructor  32:14 – How Mark got involved with triathlons, being on support teams, and his trip to China  36:50 – Mark’s size (6’3”, 240lbs) and the difficulty of working on NFL players  38:10 – What Mark does for his own treatment, and Mark’s experience trying climbing  39:45 – Mark’s thoughts on going to muscular failure in the forearms every session vs. varied training  43:51 – A case for variability in your workouts and the root cause that lead to me developing CTS  45:49 – The recipe for overuse injuries: Doing too much of the same stuff too often  46:20 – How (bad) posture can lead to injuries and what Mark is working on for himself  48:17 – Working with people from all walks of life and the 90-year-old Canasta player  48:51 – Why Mark loves working with athletes and helping people get back in the game  50:45 – How to find a good ART practitioner  51:54 – Advice I needed to hear, stress vs. eustress, and Mark’s advice to keep getting outside if you’re injured  53:49– My recommended tools for self-care (Armaid, Theracane, Wave Tool) and Mark’s usage tips  56:15 – The Deep Muscle Stimulator and why Mark thinks it would be a good addition to a climbers kit  58:39 – How Mark got into bikes, racing, and why he prefers to get out and enjoy open spaces  1:04:07 – Mark’s plan to grow his business into something he can sell, and the benefits of K laser treatment  1:09:39 – One thing Mark would have done differently if he could go back in time  1:10:18 – Mark’s construction business, how he transitioned to ART, and Mark’s uncle Spencer   1:13:36 – Why Mark has changed his mind about the psychological component of treatment  1:17:05 – The links between brain, gut, body, pain, and everything else   1:17:50 – Diet and genes as potential factors   1:23:38 – Some of the best decisions Mark has ever made, learning new things, and keeping an open mind  1:26:47 – Something Mark is grateful for  1:28:04 – Something Mark is excited about right now  1:30:14 – Mark’s final advice for climbers: be proactive, cross-train (do other stuff), and hydrate like crazy  1:31:43 – Electrolytes  1:33:41 – How Mark’s other athletes use cross-training and options for climbers  1:34:48 – What’s next for Mark  1:36:30 – How to connect with Mark  1:36:53 – The review I left for Mark back in June 2019

Chris Wright is a professional mountain guide who splits his time between guiding, skiing, and climbing some of the most remote peaks in the world. We talked about his recent team FA of Link Sar in Pakistan, lessons from mentors, favorite post-expedition foods, and how to build an anchor in f***ed up snow.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-wright  Nuggets:  1:51 – How the Link Sar trip came to be and Chris’s first climbing trip with Steve Swenson  9:33 – The history and geopolitics of northeast Pakistan and the Siachen Conflict  13:59 – Chris and Graham’s FA on Celino Peak and plans for Link Sar  17:59 – Why it took 8+ months to prepare for Link Sar and why the permitting process can be a gamble  23:51 – Training for Link Sar and working with Scott Johnston and Uphill Athlete  29:10 – The Link Sar team, different roles, and the best types of partners for an expedition  34:32 – What Chris learned from climbing with Mark and Steve  37:15 – Chris’s philosophy around failure, and his ‘failed’ attempt on Link Sar in 2017  40:45 – Graham’s 100-ft fall, terrible snow conditions, and rope systems  53:15 – The final pitch, Mark’s moment of glory, and reaching the summit  59:36 – Three days of rappelling and building anchors in f***ed up snow  1:03:27 – Why Chris is excited to go sport climbing this winter  1:07:28 – Thai fried chicken and favorite post-expedition foods  1:10:21 – Chris’s free-solo ascent of the Matterhorn north face  1:15:19 – Shooting video, a Link Sar movie project, and cooking as a creative outlet  1:18:36 – Advice for someone interested in expedition climbing  1:23:37 – Getting out there and finding adventure  1:25:40 – What Mark and Steve learned from Chris  1:27:54 – Why Chris is really excited to be “off-leash” for a while  1:29:55 – Ideas for the next expedition  1:31:06 – What Chris feels most grateful for lately  1:32:12 – Where you can find (and climb with) Chris  

Middle School Principal, Mark Heller, chats with us about changing the attitude in your school, building strong relationships, and the power of just being yourself. More at www.teachbetter.com/podcast/markheller Episode Highlights 2:17 - Talking about Rae's new "Retakes" course over at www.teachbetteracademy.com. 5:27 - Previewing the episode with Mark Heller. 8:31 - Mark introduces himself. 10:12 - Mark's failure: Sitting in an expulsion hearing with kids on the last day of school last year. 12:27 - Mark's success: Changing the attitude at his school. 15:11 - What's keeping Mark excited about education right now: The value and importance of building strong relationships. 16:50 - Mark's advice for teachers: Every day is not going to be perfect. Every class isn't going to be perfect. 18:50 - Mark tells us about all the roles he's had in his building. 20:15 - What Mark wants teachers to know about administrators: We all care about everyone. We're all in this together. 26:00 - Rae can't handle the idea of drinking so much water. 22:52 - 6 questions answered in 15 seconds or less. 31:27 - How to connect with Mark. Mark's Recommendations EdTech Tool: Google Calendar. The Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt. Book: "Hacking Assessment" by Starr Sackstein and "Alone On The Wall" by Alex Honnold. Who to Follow on Instagram: IG: @monicagentaed, IG: @teachcreatemotivate, Twitter: @TeacherFit19 YouTube/Podcast/Website/Blog: www.CommonSenseMedia.org Daily/Weekly/Monthly Routine: Daily: Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. Weekly: Reflect and plan. Take care of yourself. Best piece of advice you've ever received: "Don't have any expectations of others, that you have not communicated to them." Links to Connect With Mark Website: www.aimsnetwork.org Twitter: @mheller2115 @AIMSnetwork --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/teach-better-talk/message

Do you work because you want to or have to? Have you ever considered investing in land to generate enough passive income that exceeds your fixed expenses? Today, I am talking to Mark Podolsky of Frontier Equity Properties. Mark’s passion is investing in land, creating wealth efficiently, and helping others develop their inner geeky entrepreneurial spirit. He’s known as, “The Land Geek,” for buying and selling thousands of raw and undeveloped land deals. Also, he’s the author of Dirt Rich, a guide to building a passive income model in land investing. You’ll Learn... [02:40] Beat Friday Blues: How and why Mark became a land investor.  [05:40] Breaking Down Passive Income Model: No emotional attachment to land and distressed financially.  [07:26] Property Checklist: Due diligence to confirm ownership, back taxes, no title breaks, and no liens.  [08:25] Buy the property free and clear, and sell it in 30 days or less.  [08:40] Neighbors: Built-in best buyers to protect privacy, views, and expand holdings. [09:09] Other Options: Sites with specialized buyers and sellers of raw and undeveloped land (i.e., Craigslist, Facebook, Land Flip, Land Moto).  [10:00] No renters, rehabs, renovations, and rodents; exempt from erroneous real estate legislation.  [10:48] Price Point of Fixed Expenses: Typically, $10,000 a month in passive income.  [12:05] Operating Entity: Spend a few hours a day on land investing business, and automated software/virtual assistants do the rest.  [14:35] How to get started? Everything is hard in the beginning. Embrace the suck. [16:00] What Mark loves about land investing? No physical inventory, no competition, inefficient market, one-time sale, and passive income.  Tweetables Core Business Philosophy: Happy customers guaranteed. Raw land is the best passive income. There’s nothing not to love about land investing for passive income.  True Wealth: Work where you want, when you want, and with whom you want. Resources The Land Geek Dirt Rich by Mark Podolsky Frontier Equity Properties The Land Geek Podcast Warren Buffett’s Margin of Safety Land Moto Land Flip Dodd-Frank Financial Regulatory Reform Bill Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) S.A.F.E. Act FortuneBuilders Robert Kiyosaki Zig Ziglar GeekPay DoorGrowClub Facebook Group DoorGrowLive DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrow Website Score Quiz Transcript Jason: Welcome, DoorGrow Hackers, to the DoorGrow Show. If you are a property management entrepreneur that wants to add doors, make a difference, increase revenue, help others, impact lives, and you are interested in growing your business, and life, and you’re open to doing things a bit differently, then you are a DoorGrow Hacker. DoorGrow hackers love the opportunities, daily variety, unique challenges, and freedom that property management brings. Many in real estate think you’re crazy for doing it, you think they’re crazy for not, because you realize that property management is the ultimate, high-trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships, and residual income. At DoorGrow, we are on a mission to transform property management businesses and their owners. We want to transform the industry, eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. I’m your host, property management growth expert, Jason Hull, the founder and CEO of DoorGrow. Now, let’s get into the show. Today, I am hanging out with Mark Podolsky. Mark, welcome to the show. I’m going to read your bio here because we want to qualify you and then we’ll let you brag a little bit because you got to do a little bit of starting out here. Today’s topic (for those who are just tuning in) is land investing for passive income. We’re going to learn how to use land investing to create a passive income stream. Mark J. Podolsky (AKA The Land Geek), is widely considered the country’s most trusted and foremost authority on buying and selling raw, undeveloped land within the United States for almost two decades. Mark has been actively investing in real estate and raw land and has completed over 5000 unique transactions. Mark’s company, Frontier Equity Properties, LLC, is an A+ rated Better Business Bureau real estate company. Mark has achieved this level of success largely due to his core business philosophy, happy customers guaranteed. Mark is the host of one of the top-rated podcasts in the Investing Category on iTunes, aptly titled The Best Passive Income Model and The Art of Passive Income. He is also the host of The Land Geek podcast: Work Smart. Earn More. Learn How. Mark, there you go. Give us a little bit of background on you and how you got into this land investing. Mark: Let’s rewind to 2000 and imagine me fighting traffic, 45 minutes in the car there and back, micromanaged, stressed out at an investment banking job, working with private equity groups specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Jason, it got so bad for me that I wouldn’t get the Sunday blues anticipating Monday coming around. I’d get the Friday blues anticipating the weekend going by really fast and heading back to work on Monday. My firm hired this guy and he’s telling me that as a side hustle, he’s going to tax deed auctions, he’s buying up raw land pennies on the dollar, he’s flipping them online, and he’s making a 300% return on his investment. Jason, I’m looking at companies all day long and a great company has 15% EBITDA margins or free cash flow. Great company. Average company is 10%. I’m looking at companies all day long, less than 10%. Of course, I’ll believe him. We go to New Mexico. I do exactly what he tells me to do. I’ve got $3000 saved up for car repairs so I can only buy $3000 worth of land. I buy 10 half-acre parcels, an average price of $300 each. I put them up all online and they all sell 30 days later from an average price of $1200 each. It worked. 300%. I took all that money, I went to another auction in Arizona (which is where I live) and again, it’s 2000. There’s no one in the room, there’s no competition, I’m buying up lots, I’m buying up acres for nothing. Over the next six months, I sold all that property and I made over $90,000 cash. I go to my wife, and she’s pregnant. I said, “Honey, I’m going to quit my job. I’m going to become a full-time land investor.” She says, “Absolutely not.” So I worked land investing part-time and it took 18 months for the land investing income to exceed the investment banking income and then, I quit. I’ve been doing it full-time ever since. Jason: It’s so easy, anybody can do it? Mark: Yeah, I wish. I wish it was so easy. It’s a simple model but anything worth doing in life is not easy. What I could do is I could walk you through the model and then, odds are you’ll just stop the podcast and quit doing what you’re doing and start land investing with me, but that’s okay. That happens a lot. You want me to walk you through it? Jason: Yeah. Mark: Jason, where do you live? Jason: I’m in Santa Clarita, California. Mark: Okay. Let’s imagine that you own 10 acres of land in Texas. I go to the county treasurer and I get a list of people that owe back taxes. Sure enough, there’s Jason Hull in Santa Clarita, California, $200 in back taxes on this 10-acre parcel. Jason, you’re advertising two things to me. Number one, you have no emotional attachment to that raw land. You’re in California. The property is located in Texas. Number two, you’re distressed financially in some way. Because when we don’t pay for things, we don’t value them in the same way. And you haven’t paid your property taxes. As a result, the county treasure keeps sending you notices saying that, “Jason, if you don’t pay your taxes, you’re eventually going to lose your 10 acres to a tax deed or tax lien investor. What I will do is I would look at the comparable sales on that 10-acre parcel. I’m going to take the lowest CUP and I’m going to divide by four. That’s going to get me what Warren Buffett calls a 300% margin of safety. I’m going to actually send you an offer of $2500 on that 10-acre parcel assuming that the lowest CUP is $10,000. I send you an offer for $2500. Now, you accept it because for you, $2500 is better than nothing and you haven’t gone out to look at the property. You just don’t care about it anymore. In reality, 3%-5% of people accept my “top dollar offer.” Now that you’ve accepted the offer, I’ve got to go through due diligence or in-depth research. Number one, I got to confirm you still own the property. Number two, I have to confirm the back taxes are only $200. Number three, I have to make sure there have been no breaks in the chain of title. Number four, I have to make sure there are no liens or encumbrances. I have this whole property checklist and it goes on and on and on. If it’s a property deal that’s worth less than $5000, I’ll actually close it directly with my team in the Philippines. We’re hooked up to an American title company. I pay $11 for due diligence. They’ll give me a whole property report. I’ll get the GIS maps, the plat maps, aerial maps. If it’s an area I don’t know, I’ll have somebody go out there, stamp on the property for me, take a video and shoot photos throughout the property checklist. What are the neighbors doing out there, what’s the road like, all these things. Everything checks out and now, I buy the property from you for $2500. You get $2300 of it, $200 goes to the treasurer, and now I have that property free and clear. I’m going to sell this property 30 days or less. The reason I’m going to do this is I have a built-in best buyer. Do you know who it is? Jason: No. Mark: The neighbors. I’m going to sell that to the neighbour saying, “Hey, here’s your opportunity. Protect your privacy, protect your views, expand your holdings, know your neighbour.” Oftentimes, the neighbors will buy it. If they pass, I’ll go to my buyers list. If my buyers list passes, I’ll go to a little website you might not have heard of called Craigslist (10th most traffic website in the United States). I’ll go to an even smaller one. It’s called Facebook buy-and-sell group and marketplace. And then, I’ll go to these platforms that specialize in buying and selling raw land, landmodo.com, landandfarm.com, landsofamerica.com, landflip.com. It goes on and on. Now, the way I’m going to sell it is I’m going to make it irresistible. I’m going to ask for a $2500 down payment. I get my money out on the down, within (let’s say) six months of that. I’m going to get a car payment, let’s say $449 a month, 9% interest over the next 84 months. Essentially, I’ve got a one-time sale, I have passive income of $449 a month, 9% interest over the next 84 months, no renters, no rehabs, no renovations, no rodents. And because I’m not dealing with a tenant, I’m exempt from Dodd-Frank, RESPA, and the SAFE act (this onerous real estate legislation). The game that we play is can we create enough of this land notes where our passive income exceeds our fixed expenses and then we’re working because we want to, not because we have to. The beautiful part about all of this is 90% of it is automated with software virtual assistants. It’s great. Jason: What is the price point of fixed expenses typically? Mark: For most people, after you earn about $10,000 a month in passive income (that’s $120,000 a year), you’re in pretty good shape. Now, we have some clients who are doctors and lawyers. I have a client. He’s been working with us for 10 months. He’s at $15,000 a month passive and he just went from 5 days a week at his law firm to 2 days a week and he’s spending the rest of his time with his dad who needs help working with him and the other two days doing what he wants to do. We have so many clients that once they hit that point, they retire their spouse. They quit their job. They do what they really want to do in life because the whole idea of this is that we can always make more money but we can’t get more time. For me, true wealth means you wake up and you don’t have to be anywhere. You work where you want, when you want, and with whom you want. That’s really the goal of doing all this. Jason: Love that. What else do people typically ask you about this? When you say it, it sounds really easy. It sounds like something that maybe anybody can do, but it’s like starting a part-time job if you start getting into this. Mark: It is. It is an operating entity. We ask our clients to spend about an hour or two a day doing this. That will move the needle because with our virtual assistants and our software, it’s pretty automated. We actually have automation software for marketing. We can automate our craigslist and our Facebook postings with a posting automator. The only two things that (as CEO of your land investing business) you, Jason, actually have to do, is county research because if you get that screwed up, that whole thing falls off the rails, so you have to pick a good county. From there, you’re going to make sure that you get your pricing right, so you might want to work with a VA, train them, and show them, “Hey, look. Here’s our lowest comps dividing by four. We need a response rate of 3%-5%. If it’s under 3%, our offer is too low. If it’s over 5%, let’s get nervous. Why are they selling us their property? We might have to renegotiate.” We have our metrics in there.  As far as the rest of the process, you can get virtual assistants to do our due diligence. You can get an intake manager that can actually talk to your sellers (because that’s a big time-suck as well). From there, you can close. We like to use Simplifile accountings, so that we can record our deeds online, so I don’t have to go and do a lot of whole paperwork that way. Once we own it, again, we have an inexpensive virtual assistant getting us through GIS, all the neighbors information, uploading that to our software, sending out our neighbor letters. There’s an API with lob.com, which does our mailings. On the backend of it, we use a software called GeekPay.io that is a set-it-and-forget-it system on collecting our money. We get our down payment via credit card and then we get our monthly payments via ACH. It does all the amortization. It does all the calculations. It charges fees but it does it through notifications. If that ACH bounces, it will charge the credit card on file. We went from an 8% default rate to a 4% default rate. I personally worked two hours a week in Frontier Properties, doing the kind of volume that we do. Jason: Sounds great. That’s pretty incredible. How hard is it for somebody to get started with this that’s new? Mark: It’s like anything in life. Everything is hard in the beginning. You know what’s really hard, Jason? Learning to read. We don’t remember it. We forgot how hard that was in the very beginning but you had a good teacher, they broke it down for you step-by-step, and you are with other people. It was just a thing, like everyone can do this and you’re just expected to do it. It’s the same kind of thing. What happens is we’re so ingrained after all these years of schooling that you have to achieve what you achieve, to go back and embrace beginner’s mind and embrace the suck. It’s hard. If you can do that, if you can be comfortable being uncomfortable and you have some grit, you can be successful in anything in life, whether it’s my land investing niche or growing your doors. It doesn’t matter. Nothing worth doing is easy. Jason: It sure is nothing worth doing is easy. The challenge is if somebody is going to choose into doing this, choose into doing property management, or choose into doing any business, they have to fall in love with this. They have to get excited about this. Help the listeners understand what do you love about doing this? Your clients that get involved in this, what do they love about it that’s different from other entrepreneurial ventures that they get into? Mark: The main reason that people like this model is number one, there’s no physical inventory. Number two, there’s little to no competition. If you go on HGTV or the DIY Network, you’re not going to ever see me on Flip This Land. The before pictures is raw land, the after pictures is raw land. It’s not going to be much fun to watch me in front of a computer. If you go to [...] meeting and there are 100 people in that room, 99 of them are house flippers, landlords, or wholesalers. You and I are the only land guys. Number three, you have an inefficient market. I’ve got a hedge fund manager that loves this business because he’s like, “Mark, there are very few inefficient markets left out there. Nobody knows the value of raw land.” Now, that can be very frustrating in the beginning, but it’s also very exciting once you get your arms around it.  No physical inventory, no competition, inefficient, and then you have the fact that it’s a one-time sale and then the passive income versus let’s say I flip a house. I make $20,000 on a flip. I have a new problem. What do I do with my $20,000? I can’t put it in the bank. It’s not going to earn anything. I have to keep redeploying that capital. Once we get to let’s say $10,000 a month of passive income, what our net worth? How long would it take you to have an investment of $120,000 a year at say 2% interest in the bank? That’s over $3 million you and I would have to save. How long, Jason, would it take for you to save $3 million? How long would it take anybody to save $3 million? Jason: I probably would never do it. Mark: Yeah. 12-36 months, you can have that kind of cash flow and then your bankers are really happy with you because your net worth is over $3 million. The fact that—I’m not proud of it—I can’t even screw in a light bulb. I tried to flip a house once. I am not interested in physical things so the subs come out there. I meet the subs. They don’t show up. Just the capital outlay, I started with $3000. My buddy, [...], started at $800. You’re not going to ever get knocked out of the game in this niche. The dollars are just too small. If you go into multifamily housing, you do one bad deal and you’re done for 10 years. You’re BK or you’re just a pariah in the investment community because you lost all your investors money. This is not like that at all. You have an easy entry point, you have no physical inventory, you have no competition. You have a one-time sale on passive income. You have an inefficient market. There’s nothing not to like about it. I think what’s interesting is if you go to a party and you tell people you’re a land investor, they’ll yawn. It’s not sexy. Definitely not sexy. Maybe you lie and say you’re in multifamily housing. Jason: I don’t know if that’s super sexy sometimes either, but yeah. Mark: I mean it depends who you’re talking to. Jason: How do people get started in this? It sounds interesting. My interest is piqued. I’m sure some people listening are interested. How do they get started with this because I’m sure there’s a fairly steep learning curve? There’s got to be a reason why everybody isn’t doing it. How saturated is this? Mark: It’s not saturated at all because again, it’s just not sexy. It’s not conventional. The marketing budgets of the people that are in the house flipping world like Robert Kiyosaki or FortuneBuilders, that’s really where people thought to. Land investing, you have a mental hurdle for people where they think, “Well, I’ve never bought land.” We all know everyone needs a place to live. Nobody needs raw land. You don’t wake up today and say, “Boy, I really got to own 10 acres today.” Jason: That land that nobody is using and nobody seems to want. That land. Mark: Right. It’s a marketing business. You have to interrupt somebody’s day, pique their interest, and make it irresistible. I’ll tell you, after over 5200 deals, I’ve never been stuck with a piece of land. You buy any asset, 25–30 cents on the dollar, there’s someone else on the other end of that deal. Whether it be a piece of land, a car, a trinket, it doesn’t matter. The market is the market. So to get started, I would say you’ve got to learn from somebody who’s done in. For example, let’s say you and I are going to go to Mount Everest together. We’re going to climb this big mountain. Jason: We’re not just going to wing it. Mark: Yeah. You’re going to someone who’s done it a million times and they can tell you the best routes quickly, efficiently, and safely to do it. That’s what you want to do. You can start with that. In fact, for the listeners, I would say that I have a $97 course that I’d love to offer them for free. If they just go to thelandgeek.com/launchkit, they can go ahead and get that course for free. Start there and then see if they like it or not. Jason: Their time investment is 1-2 hours a day? Mark: If that, yeah. It depends if they’re using tools or not. It also depends if they have a scarcity mentality or abundance mentality. A lot of people, when they start doing this, they think they can penny-pinch their way to wealth. They don’t want to use the tools that are out there.  Jason: “No, I’ll do it myself. I’ll watch 120 Youtube videos and figure out how to do it myself.” Mark: Yeah, and you can do that. But again, my whole philosophy is that I can always make more money. I can’t get more time. So, anything that’ll save you time, I’ll invest in. Jason: I say something very similar to my clients. That makes sense. Anything else anybody should know before we wrap this up and how can they get in touch with you? Mark: If you have that mindset that Zig Ziglar says, “If you'll do for the next 3–5 years what other people won't do, you’ll be able to do for the rest of your life what other people can’t do.” You’ve got to get your reps in and you have to embrace the suck. Again, nothing worth doing in life is easy. It might be a simple model, but it’s not easy. You have to take action at some point  Again, the best way to get a hold of me is thelandgeek.com. I’ve got an audio book. I’ve got a book on Amazon called Dirt Rich if you want to just read about it and hear my story as well. It got really good reviews. People seem to like it. It’s not because I’m such a good writer. It’s just that they like it. Jason: Nice. Perfect. Look for the book, Dirt Rich, or check out thelandgeek.com. Mark, this is interesting. I think it’s a new idea that people certainly haven’t heard of this before on the DoorGrow Show. I appreciate you coming on and hanging out here with me. Mark: Jason, thank you so much. Again, I apologize if you’re just going to quit your business and go [...] with me. Jason: I love what I do so. Mark: See? There you go. You can do both. Jason: Both. All right. Maybe I’ll get a few people from this show that are wanting to do both. There you go. Mark, thanks again for coming on the show. We’ll let you go. Mark: Thanks, Jason. I appreciate it. Jason: If you are a property management entrepreneur and you enjoy the show, be sure to like and subscribe. If you’re watching this on Youtube or on Facebook, be sure to share it if you would. We would appreciate that. If you’re in some property management groups, we’d love to see your comments. And if you’re on iTunes, give us a review. We would really love to get that feedback. We’re putting out this content for free. We would love a little reciprocity, people. That would be really sweet of you. I would appreciate it greatly. It helps us get the word out and make a difference in this industry.  If you are a property management entrepreneur that wants to grow your business, add doors, you’re struggling, you’re feeling that there’s a scarcity in the industry, there’s no scarcity in property management right now. 70% are self-managing. There’s plenty of opportunity. Reach out, talk to us, and let us help you see how you can align your business towards more warm leads and stop spending so much time trying to go with cold leads, time keepers, and time wasters. The people that are at the very end of the sales cycle are the coldest, crappiest, most price-sensitive. Those are the people searching online. They’re the leftovers that fall off the word-of-mouth table. Come sit at the table with us. We’re DoorGrow. We’ll talk to you soon. Check us out at doorgrow.com. Bye everyone. Until next time, to our mutual growth.

This week, I welcome a dad who is producing content on social media at an eye-popping rate. Mark Savant runs the website Actidad, which focuses on encouraging dads to play an active role in parenting.   What Mark originally started as a fitness-inspired side project has mushroomed into a social media blitz aimed at meeting dads with all kinds of content in many different formats to spread his message of dads being active with their children. And it's not limited to just fitness.   In this episode, Mark and I talk about how he balances it all, and why he's so motivated to produce so much content geared towards fathers.   Find Mark and his work with Actidad: Website - https://www.actidad.com/ Podcast - https://www.actidad.com/pages/podcast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2UCrykWglYi2KSgyKf4Yw Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/actidad/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/actidad/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/Actidad   If you like this episode, please share it on social media and tag me. Let me know what you thought of the message and the idea. And don't forget to leave those ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts!   Check out barbellapparel.com/fitdadfitness and use the code MASH15 at checkout for 15% off your order.   Join the Fit Dad Forum on Facebook, a private group for dads to discuss all things fitness and fatherhood at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitdadforum.   Be sure to check out The Daily Fit Dad, my membership site where you can get access to all of my own personal daily workouts for just $5 a month. Go to https://www.fitdadfitness.com/dailyfitdad to learn more and sign up!

A lot of us white-collar workers are poor when it comes to managing our health. Due to the nature of our job, which is sitting 9 to 5 staring at a computer screen, it’s no wonder a lot of us gain pounds and increase the digits on our waistlines.  And so not only are you stressed due to work, but you’re also overwhelmed by the fact that you’re gaining weight and becoming more unhealthy. How do we prioritize our mental and physical health so that we can grow and thrive more in our chosen career? In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, we are joined by Mark Mohammadpour, an accredited Senior Communications Executive, Certified health coach, and personal trainer and the owner of Chasing the Sun.  He will talk about how he transformed his life from being a busy, stressed PR person into someone who’s coaching and helping people incorporate fitness, health, and wellness into their lives so they can reduce their stress and thrive. Get inspired and start taking action on how to be more fit, healthy, and mentally well as mark shares how he lost and kept off 100+ pounds over the ten years. He brings up how his perspective on his PR job changed when he started his fitness and health journey. We also talk about how you can own your calendar, develop healthy habits, and what role an employer plays in all of this.   In this episode, you will learn about: How Mark started his transformation to drop his weight and become healthy Why PR is viewed as an extremely stressful profession Mark’s approach to health and wellness Controlling our eating to develop healthy habits How the decision we make impacts us in the long run Checking your ego and seeing who you inspire What Mark did to make his health transformation a success Empowerment of people The role of the employer concerning the workplace’s mental and physical health, and work-life balance Owning your calendar and set up your boundaries What did you think of this episode? Give us a 5-star rating and write a review on Apple Podcasts, or take our survey. Contact Brandon: Email Brandon.Laws@xeniumhr.com or connect on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram Learn more about Xenium HR at xeniumhr.com Follow Xenium on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Connect with Mark LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Chasing the Sun - Health Coaching for Communicators, Marketers and    Resources mentioned in this episode: You can read Mark’s full transformation story here!

*Listen & Subscribe on iTunes *Listen on SoundCloud *Subscribe to the People Being Real YouTube Channel     "What do you do when you realize that the person you have been is no longer serving you?"   In Episode 241, Mark decided to share some thoughts on this very question. This summer has offered Mark a ton of opportunities to self-reflect and get real with himself about who he's been and what it's going to take to get to where he wants to go.   Some of the this week's highlights include some thoughts regarding how triggering (and insightful) being around family can be, what kind of thought habits, patterns, and actions from his childhood continue to influence him today (for better or for worse), and what we can all do to get clear on why we are the way we are and use that information to guide us into the future we want.   If you're ready to take a trip down memory lane and get real with yourself, check out this micro-episode on People Being Real!   This has been a reality for Mark in 2019. He’s been nursing some lofty goals for quite some time, and in order to become the next best version of himself, he realized that the only place he can look to is him. Enjoy!!     Connect with Mark: Email / Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Twitter   Show Notes: •02:30 - Why 2019 has been a challenging year. •04:41 - How ‘fear of rejection’ has gotten in Mark’s way. •06:30 - How being around family recently triggered Mark and led to thinking about his childhood. •08:30 - What Mark has realized about his relationship to authenticity and oversharing. •10:18 - Why Mark has realized that no one is ‘coming to the rescue’ and what he plans to do about it. •13:05 - What Mark recommends we do if we need greater clarity about who we are.   Things to check out:•Episode 195 Lauren Zander - Living A No-BS Life •"Maybe It's You" by Lauren Zander •Episode 221 Mark Shapiro - Getting Out Of My (Your) Comfort Zone

*Listen & Subscribe on iTunes *Subscribe to the People Being Real YouTube Channel   "Stop holding your truth; speak your truth. Be yourself. It's the healthiest way to be." -Tiffany Hadish   We all want to be heard, acknowledged, and loved for who we are and for the truths we hold dear. And while our truths may not necessarily sit well or even be acknowledged by others, We all have something that someone else needs to hear and experience to know they are not alone. And that's precisely what Franny Nicole wants to share on her podcast, one inspiring guest at a time.   In today's episode, we're visiting a condensed version of an appearance that Mark had on Franny Nicole's "Claiming Your Truth" Podcast. Mark and Franny talk about a whole slew of topics including the effects of being lonely, life after divorce, podcasting advice, how landing a TEDx talk is easier than you'd think, and advice he would give his younger self.   If you'd like to hear Mark and Franny's conversation and get a better idea of how Mark operates, check out Episode 240 of People Being Real!   Enjoy!!     Connect with Mark: Email / Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Twitter Connect with Franny: Instagram   Show Notes: -Mark's background. (03:50) -On 'being alone.' (07:08) -What Mark's journey has looked like post-divorce. (09:59) -Strategies to influence change in others. (12:30) -What it's like for Franny to be a single mother and putting herself out into the dating pool. (19:41) -How the PBR Podcast came to be and some advice for podcasting hopefuls. (22:13) -What inspired Mark's TEDx talk and how landing a talk is easier than most people think. (26:20) -What Mark says to himself when he's at his lowest moments. (32:22) -Advice Mark would give his childhood self. (36:11)   Things to check out:•Original Episode: Claiming Your Truth Podcast - Connecting In A Digital World w/ Mark Shapiro •ClaimingYourTruth.com •Mastery In Transformational Training (MITT)

My last conversation with today's guest has turned out to be one of the most listened to and loved podcasts I've EVER recorded.  My beloved spiritual teacher and most favorite author, Mark Nepo, is back on the podcast today sharing in all of his infinite wisdom about what it means to be human, how to find the courage to remove our veils, what it means to be original and how we all can choose to drink from the river of light.  Mark Nepo moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. Beloved as a poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time,” “a consummate storyteller,” and “an eloquent spiritual teacher.” His work is widely accessible and used by many and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages. A bestselling author, he has published twenty books and recorded fourteen audio projects. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation. And in 2016, he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, and was also chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity. In 2017 Mark became a regular columnist for Spirituality & Health Magazine. Mark is the author of twenty books, his most recent is More Together Than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World, published by Atria Books in July 2018. His newest book, Drinking From the River of Light dropped on September 3rd- so be sure to check the links down below and claim your own copy. This is one of his most powerful reads to date.  In This Episode You'll Learn:  Today's guest, Mark Nepo [ :45 ]   The importance of deep listening [ 10:13 ] What inspired Mark's new (21st!) book, Drinking From the River of Light [ 11:16 ] Making art a livelihood [ 17:54 ] Where the title of Mark's new book came from [ 26:56 ] Finding the courage to remove our veils [ 30:28 ] Why it's important to be ourselves, even on social media [ 34:03 ] What it means to be original [ 44:33 ] How to navigate the depth of life after near-death [ 54:54 ] The difference between getting attention and giving attention [ 1:01:23 ] What Mark would say to the person who is getting caught up in trying to create and getting stuck [ 1:07:13 ] How Mark's way of being has made him feel closer to and further away from others [ 1:09:56 ] Mark's upcoming live + in-person courses [ 1:16:08 ] Soul Shifting Quotes:  “Stories often carry more meaning than we can digest in one telling.”  “Surviving is what we do in the surface world of circumstance. But if all we ever do is survive without thriving, what's the point?”  “Our soul's awakening is our career. Where that happens, is our occupation.”  “We do have to make a living. But it only matters if we live a making.”  “Anything that you put your whole heart into can become an art.”  “If we don't meet existence with an inner life, existence will crush us.” “Indecision, like fear, is something to move through- not to obey.”  “Everything reveals itself in the moment.”  “If we stop giving attention, then getting attention will define our identity.”  “Any detail is a doorway to the infinite.”  “We discover, we don't invent. We relate more than we author.”  Links Mentioned:  Purchase Mark's new book, Drinking from the River of Light today! Learn all about Mark's upcoming workshops and live events here Listen to my last conversation with Mark Check out Mark's yearlong courses here  Learn my 7 Secrets to Uplevel Your Brand & Land Your Dream Clients  Grab your FREE training, How to Call in Your Tribe + Create Content that Converts Save your seat at Accelerate LIVE!  Learn more about Mark at his website: www.marknepo.com Tag me in your big shifts + takeaways: @amberlilyestrom  Did you hear something you loved today?! Leave a Review + Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Spotify 

*Listen & Subscribe on iTunes *Listen on SoundCloud *Subscribe to the People Being Real YouTube Channel   “Love is like nothing else on this earth, but only when it is shared with someone wonderful like you.”-Mandy Moore   Mark Shapiro and Jen Stone have been together for eight months and it has been a loving and passionate learning experience. They’ve lived through the high of coming together, the low of breaking up, the high of getting back together, and have been mirrors for each other in ways they never expected.   If you’ve been wanting to know more about Jen since her first appearance on 222, the lessons they've learned being together, and what makes their relationship tick, check out Episode 238!   Enjoy!!     Connect with Mark: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Connect with Jen: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn   Show Notes: -The backstory of their relationship for the last 8 months. (3:26) -Their different personality styles. (8:15) -How they’re the same. (10:20) -A good indicator of a strong relationship. (11:29) -What Mark and Jen have learned from each other. (12:40) -How Mark and Jen handle situations differently. (15:35) -Breaking up and getting back together. (18:00) -How they each feel in being vulnerable on air. (24:17)   Things to check out:•Jen-Stone.com •BurningMan.org •Episode 222: Attracting Authentic Love

Mark Geragos (@markgeragos) is a criminal defense lawyer who has represented high-profile clients like Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, Susan McDougal, Chris Brown, and Scott Peterson. He is the co-author of Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't. "You never know what's going to happen -- especially when you're kind of the emergency room doctor of the law." -Mark Geragos What We Discuss with Mark Geragos: How (and why) does a criminal defense lawyer stand up for the rights of someone who seems clearly guilty? How nonverbal communication and body language are used effectively in the courtroom. The court of public opinion and why it matters today more than ever. The skills Mark uses to control his emotions during life and death trials. What Mark witnessed in his youth that ensured his choice to defend people from criminal charges rather than prosecute them. And much more... Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Full show notes and resources can be found here.

*Listen & Subscribe on iTunes *Subscribe to the People Being Real YouTube Channel *Take THE REALITY CHECK assessment & Sign up for "SUNDAY SAUCE" NEWSLETTER!   The joys that come from knowing how to work a room and use technology to enhance relationships is available for anyone, as long as you're willing to try and put in a few minutes a day.   And on today's episode (#236 of People Being Real), we're featuring a condensed version of an interview Mark recorded with Amy Baglan for the Wellness 3.0 podcast. It's a great short episode that highlights some of Mark's insights on what you should and shouldn't do when engaging in social situations and why using tech (such as sending audio and videos messages (like in his Birthday Experiment) is one of the best ways you can create meaningful connections with others.   If you liked what you heard and want to experience the full interview (an addition 20+ minutes of details), check out the original interview (see the bottom of the show notes).   Enjoy!!     Connect with Mark: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter     Show Notes: -How Mark engages and entertains others and his theory for what determines the vibe of a social gathering. (2:44) -What Mark does when he finds himself in situations where he’s struggling to connect. (5:09) -Why setting goals in social situations is helpful. (7:06) -Why you shouldn’t hang out in the doorway or the fringes at a gathering. (8:12) -How Mark feels about getting out of his comfort zone in relationships. (9:33) -How can we help others “be real.” (11:17) -The Why, What, Who, and How of Mark’s Birthday Experiment. (13:30) -Some of the most memorable responses he’s received from his videos. (19:03) -How Mark is building off of The Birthday Experience to nurture other creative and professional relationships. (24:11) -What is Mark’s definition of  ‘social wellness.’ (27:37) -A challenge for every listener of this episode. (29:22)   Things to check out:•ORIGINAL PODCAST: Wellness 3.0 - Episode #15: Mark Shapiro •Mark's TEDx Talk: "Want More Love? The Art of Authentic Connection In A Digital World"