Your Iconic Image: Recent Episodes
Marlana Semenza
Are you ready to take control of your image and be a power player in your space? Then this is the show for you! Here we will arm you with tools and information to grow your personal brand on purpose.
“We teach people how to think of us.”
Are you ready to steer your reputation? Are you ready to up-level your brand? Are you ready to connect with your audience and show them who you really are? Are you ready to create visual assets that frame the way you are seen and understood? And, most importantly….are you ready to show up on purpose?
My name is Marlana and I am an international photographer and visual strategist. My client base has included athletes, celebrities, WWE Superstars and public figures including Miss North Carolina.
My experience includes storytelling, advertising, location scouting and set styling and design. My work has been featured on magazine covers and in NY Times ads.
I have been hosting Your Iconic Image for 100 episodes now and for episode 100, my first guest, John Dalrymple is going to turn things around and interview me.
www.marlanasemenza.com
IG: marlana.semenza.photo
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Well, welcome to the 100th episode of Your Iconic Image. And today, you are actually going to get a little insight on me, and what we're going to do is, we're going to bring this whole thing full circle. My very first guest is going to do the interview. If you missed his episode, please go back and watch it. It is called What Makes An Icon? John, the show’s yours.
John
Well, hello, Marlana. How are you?
Marlana
I'm well.
John
Well, it's an honor to talk with you today. You know, you are a genuine and authentic person, incredibly talented. And I would even say gifted in your ability to bring out the best in people. You've reached this milestone 100 podcast. And today, we get the chance to get to know you. Even though you've done 100 podcasts, many people really don't know what you do. So, first question, tell us about what you do.
Marlana
I am a photographer and visual strategist. So, what that means is, I take all the things that make you unique, and I bridge the gap between that and what your audience or clients need to know. I do that in images, and that's in a nutshell, that is that.
John
Okay, you're in a crowded field, as we all are. Tell us what makes you different than other photographers.
Marlana
I think part of it is my background. But also, at its core, I'm really not in the photography business. Photography is the vessel that I used, and the means of communication that I use. But really, I'm in the reputation business. And so, I think that's the biggest difference.
John
Wow, I love that. I absolutely love that. So, tell us a little bit about your creative process. Walk us kind of through that. How do you get to know someone?
Marlana
It's a busy world in my brain, John. When somebody comes to me, and they want to collaborate, because I don't look at it, as you know, I'm doing this for you, I do look at us as a collaboration because I very much go off of their input also, and you know, their suggestions, all that kind of thing. So, it's not just me, it's us. That said, there is a questionnaire that I have people initially fill out and I have worked with somebody who is in the psychology realm to help me word the questions in a way that will make you dig a little deeper. And when I get that back, then what happens from there is we go over it. Often I have found that the answers that people write down really aren't the answer. It's about three answers deeper than that. So usually, that comes from the conversations and evoking those.
John
Nice replies. Yeah, that's absolutely awesome. Now, you know, personal branding is become such a huge, dynamic, fluid issue and an important one. So walk us through how can someone be best prepared to work with you and make the most out of a session with you? Are there some tips and things that you would share with people about how they can work with you or make the most out of their time with you?
Marlana
I will say this, all photographers aren't a one size fits all. So I may or may not be the right fit for you. And that's okay because when we first connect, we're kind of interviewing each other. And I want to make sure that you get the best person, the best photographer, the best storyteller for you, which, like I said, may or may not be me. And if it's not me, I have people that I can refer you to. And it's not that there's anything, you know, quote unquote, wrong with either one of us, it's just that we just may not be a fit. And you want somebody that can fall in love with who you are, what you stand for, and all those kinds of things.
I know for me, that's essential, because if I can't fall in love with you, then I can get other people to fall in love with you. So, I think that's what you have to look for when you research somebody's website. First of all, if you're looking for a brand photographer, it's got to be more than headshots, you need to see storytelling. And aside from that, I want you to also look at their style of photography, because what you see is what you're gonna get. If you like it, then pursue contacting them and having these conversations. By the time I actually get somebody in front of my camera, we've had three or four conversations and we know each other pretty well at that point. Then we can also develop our game plan. We know what's going to happen, we know What needs to, who needs to bring what. All those kinds of things.
John
Oh, that's awesome. Hey, people out there, did you hear that it's more than headshots? Your personal brand is more than headshots and storytelling and people getting to know you is really important to creating that connection, that rapport and really being able to build a relationship that you can work well together. So, let's talk a little bit, you know, you have so many come in, what are some of your goals when you begin that creative process with someone? Can you describe those a little bit?
Marlana
I want to bring out the unique things about you, but also the best things about you, I think everybody deserves to be seen in a unique way for the best of who they are. So, you know, we're building a relationship, this is a partnership. And so I need to get to know you. People have said to me, Well, how much do I really need to share, I don't really want to be the face of my brand, you know, all those kinds of things. And as far as what to share, all's I can say is, especially when it comes to social media, you don't have to tell everybody all your business, I want you to look at it like a rental house, or a rental property where you want people to come in, you want them to be comfortable, you want them to, to, you know, sleep in the comfortable bed and swim in the pool. But there's always an owner's closet, there's always something that's locked in there that they can't have access to. I want you to treat your branding, and your message and all the pieces view the same way. Now the size of that owner's closet and what goes in it is entirely up to you. But always make sure that you have one.
John
All right. sage advice. absolutely outstanding, there seems to be a trend to overshare. And in a lot of cases, less is more. So keep those things in that owners closet people. That's wonderful. Let's talk about you know, some of the things that you've done, maybe describe for us, one of your most memorable shoots, memorable people that you've worked with? And what made that person or that experience memorable, just kind of walk us through some of that,
Marlana
you know, all of them are to me.
John
That's great! And I believe that.
Marlana
I would say, you know, obviously, one of my most memorable things was how I got into photography in the first place. I was a photography major. But my first job was with WWE, well, actually WWF at the time, and I never watched wrestling, I went down to apply for a job in photo editing and I wound up on a tour bus. And the first day, I was told, okay, we'll meet the bus, and it was nighttime and so I get on the bus and the dark. Me and I think six guys I've never met and told you know, here's your bunk, and I got to the arena the next day, I walked backstage and I looked around I'm like, What have I done? But I worked there for three years. It was an amazing experience and a lot of good memories.
John
Wow, that is so cool. And I have to ask a follow up your favorite wrestler did
Marlana
You know, it's really hard I would say from a lot of standpoints. I love Taker, he is sweet baby Taker. You know, he looks like this big imposing thing. That's not the side of him that I remember. He's just a class act and also to my dear friend Joe Laurinaitis, who passed away about a year ago. loved him. Absolutely loved him!
John
That's outstanding! Just great! Wonderful! Let's talk a little bit more if we can, you've recently had an amazing experience with women in rock and roll. Can you talk to us a little bit about that and some of your takeaways from that experience?
Marlana
Yeah. When I was in college, I wanted to work two places. I wanted to work for Rolling Stone and I wanted to work for Vanity Fair.
John
Nice.
Marlana
Yeah. Well, the so when I had the opportunity to go out and photograph these women out in LA, it was a rock and roll fantasy camp. And it was the first ever women's only. Gentleman by the name of David Fishoff runs these camps. And Britt lightning who is the music director is just fabulous. She's been on the show as well. But yes, it was wonderful and amazing to meet and photograph, Melissa Etheridge, Nancy Wilson and Kathy Valentine. However, to me the standouts at that camp were the women that participated, and the camp counselors, oh my goodness! The Janet Robins and the Tasha Jones and the Samantha Maloney's of the world. But these are just Outstanding women, Nikki Stevens. I mean, the list goes on and on.
I'm just so thankful for meeting all of them, because here's the thing, I do not play music, I can't sing, I can't play a note, but I was so inspired by all of these women. Even the women that were campers, Payton Velligan, and Sierra Levesque, Dawn Crans, and on and on and on, they were so inspired by their passion, and their creativity, and you walk away transformed. I think that's the thing when we work in a certain industry, like I work in photography, we often look to other people in our industry for inspiration, things like that. Look outside your industry, because other people are doing such amazing things, and when they have that kind of passion, it rubs off.
John
Fantastic. Were there any particular key learnings or things that you took away from that not only from the inspiration, but just in being there and being a part of it?
Marlana
Seeing these women all come together from all over the country, and even out of the country, and the way they supported one another and cheered for one another and encourage one another, that honestly doesn't always happen. So, to watch it happen, and when it does happen, there is such strength in that.
John
Oh, absolutely. supporting each other and seeing that, that's wonderful. Absolutely love it. Now, let's start, you reached 100 podcasts. Walk us through, as a photographer, why did you start a podcast?
Marlana
I started it honestly, for two reasons. I wanted to give people value aside from, you know, because I stay in my lane when it comes to branding. I'm I do the visuals, I tell the story and images, but I stay in my lane. But there are so many other aspects to it, that I wanted people to have information, inspiration, tips, tools, tricks and all those kinds of things from experts in their fields. So, that was one of the main reasons.
John
I was gonna say it, though, love that.
Marlana
And then the other reason, honestly, was to be able to have conversations with amazing people.
John
Oh, that's so cool. You know, I congratulate you celebrate.
Marlana
Yeah, that is just one of the coolest things that I can think of.
John
That's just awesome. So, let's talk about you a little bit.
Marlana
Okay.
John
So, you know, you live your life in a way that live leaves people better than when you found them. How did that kindness develop within you? How did that come forward? And you know, you use that in your photography, but you inspire people. How did that develop?
Marlana
Well, first of all, that's very kind. But I think for one thing, there are enough things that beat us up in the world. I don't want to be one of them. And, you know, my husband laughs at me, we walk into rooms differently. He said, When you walk into a room, you just walk in, you see the best in everybody, and I said, Well, that's by design. That's my job. And I said, besides, I never have to worry about...
Model Makers Group
Model Makers Group is not a mother agency or management company, but rather trusted, industry modeling industry consultants. Over the past 13 years they have successfully placed models and actors with top agencies around the country. Together, co-owners Cristina Buehrer and Tara Rasheta have over 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry. They use that knowledge and insight to empower their clients with the practical knowledge and personalized guidance needed to get started in the business.
https://www.modelmakersgroup.com/
https://www.instagram.com/modelmakersgroup/
https://www.facebook.com/modelmakersgroup
our sister non-profit: https://www.amodelpatient.org/
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana:
Model Maker's Group places models and actors with top agencies around the country. Owners, Christina and Tara have over 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry. They use that knowledge and insight to empower their clients with practical knowledge and personalized guidance needed to get started in the business. Welcome Tara.
Tara:
Hi. Thank you so much for having me.
Marlana:
So, first go into a little bit of detail. What exactly does Model Maker's Group do?
Tara:
Sure. So, our specialty is agency placement. We consult with models and if they're under 18, we're also often working with their parents and we're helping them navigate the industry. Right. We are primarily working with models, hence the name model makers, but we also have clients who are our in entertainment, maybe as a TV host or an actor. So, we also work with other specialties under that entertainment umbrella. But our specialty is helping those clients sign to reputable agencies around the country. And though I am now based in Dallas and my partner Christina is on the East coast, we work with clients every day all across the country. We accomplish a lot of that through Zoom sessions. And of course, we love to work with our clients in person. So, I have a great office here in Dallas where I meet with clients. We also anytime we're traveling, we make an announcement to our clients so that we can hopefully connect face-to-face. Cuz as you know, nothing beats face-to-face, but our success rate is really the same whether we're meeting with our clients in person or online.
Marlana:
So, what is the benefit of having an agency like yours versus trying to go direct to various agencies, modeling agencies?
Tara:
Sure. That's a question that we get a lot. And you know, agencies are flooded with new model, new talent submissions every day and it is the snap of a finger for them to say no. In fact, most of their submissions will instantly go into the no pile. And so, what we found is that, you know, you don't know what you don't know until you figure out you don't know it. And so that's where our models and clients are. They don't know what they don't know, but what we offer is practical guidance to get them where they need to go. So, it often starts with like reviewing imagery and as you know, as a photographer, imagery is so impactful, but a lot of times these models are applying to agencies on their own not knowing what the agents want. So, they're sending in the wrong types of pictures.
Maybe they have incomplete applications. They don't know what a talent resume should look like. They don't know what a slate video should comprise of, they don't have their measurements correct. I mean something so simple as taking your body measurements. I measure models all the time and I usually want to test them like, Hey, take these at home and when we meet in person, if we have the opportunity to, I'm gonna test your measuring skills. And a lot of times those are off and you know, this is an image-based business so a few inches off can make a big difference on an application. And so, we're looking at all those elements start to finish to prepare before we recommend that a client submit to agencies. And we have two different consulting packages. We have one where we are doing all that legwork ahead of time and then we sent a customized list of agencies that we have that we know to be reputable, ethical, and professional in the industry.
And then they are handling the submissions on their own. But we're there every step of the way to answer questions. You know, to review emails that they receive, we're there supporting them through that process, but they're handling the submissions on their own. And then we have like what we call our ultimate consulting package where we personally submit the clients to agencies which is much more full service. It's a very tedious process to submit to agencies but you know, we've done it for so many years, it's really easy for us and it takes that off the plate of the model or the parent. So, really, that's it. It is just, you know, the success rate of getting signed if you've worked with a professional is going to be higher than if you just wing it.
Marlana:
And both you and Christina also come from a place of having been there, done that kind of a thing, which I think is so much better when you have somebody who knows what it's like to be on the other side. I know for me; I know what women like to wanna look like in front of the camera cuz I've been on the other side of the camera, and I just think that little element helps so much. So, talk to us a little bit about what some of the things you and Christina have accomplished.
Tara:
Yeah, so, I mean, when we started our business it was 2009. She and I were both working as professional full-time models in Los Angeles. We met at a casting and instantly had a friendship. We both had the experience of competing at Miss u s a state title holder. So, I was Miss Alabama USA, she was Miss Massachusetts USA. So, when we put that together, we had this instant connection. And as we started talking about our experience in the industry at that point, we'd already been working for many years. We also realized that we were getting fielding a lot of questions maybe from, you know, friends of friends or like my mom's hairdressers daughter, you know, it was all these like degrees of separation. But people would be contacting us either emailing us or calling us independently and saying, Hey, I want to help my daughter get into the business.
Or Hey my friend, I'm with this agency but this something doesn't sound right. Can you help? And so, we realized there was a real need for practical advice and consulting and mentorship. And for us it was just so simple because we were already working in the industry. We'd already reviewed our own agency contracts. We know what needed to be in place. We know what red flags to look for, how to stay safe. We both were very lucky to have positive and safe experiences in the industry, but we also know what to look and listen for. And so, we thought, you know, we've got so much knowledge that we can share. And that's how we started our business. Christina and I both had wonderful careers that allowed us to travel the world. We also did a lot of TV hosting, red carpet hosting, things like that.
So, you know, we've also had not only worked as models but had our hand in broadcasting and a little bit of acting. And so, it really does that knowledge base is so great for our clients and we continue to help facilitate castings and we still continue to work with some of the fashion brands that we modeled for many years ago and help them place models for their campaigns as well. So, we're still involved very much involved in the modeling industry and that definitely translates to helping our clients navigate it. And at the end of the day, just as we had a positive and safe experience, that is the ultimate goal. I mean, we want these girls to have fun and make money and all the other things too, but safety has always been top priority and will always continue to be.
And really signing with a reputable agency adds so many layers of protection to that model and to a parent supporting her child because the agency vets their clients they get to be the bad guys and chased on the money if the invoices are late, they negotiate the contract on behalf of the model and they should always be looking out for the model's best interest. So that's why we've chosen to really focus on agency placement because certainly it, it makes for a, a more healthy place for a new model to start at somewhere nurturing environment to be under the protection of that agency. But also, we know that the best bookings are always going to come through reputable agencies. And in fact, just yesterday I had a client who I'm working with on agency placement, she received an email maybe it was like a cold call through Instagram.
I don't know how this email came to her, but it was a scam email basically claiming you've got a booking in LA, we need you here next week. It's a $4,000 gig. And I just had to tell her there's no way that that company, and I'm not gonna name who they were saying it was, would hire you directly without going through an agency because also agencies have insurance coverage and things like that and in individual models just don't have, you know, there's a lot of legality to that too. But that's why I was like, just politely decline to respond to that email and let's continue working on getting you signed. Cuz that's really where the agent helps lead models to meaningful casting and booking opportunities and we really wanna get them there so they can do more of what they love,
Marlana:
You know, and it's really kind of sad because a lot of new models especially want it so badly. So, you just hit on one. What are some red flags that they can watch out for that, you know, no, this is not something that you wanna respond to or pursue.
Tara:
Sure. I mean I think, you know casting is so important especially for big projects. So, if a model receives a DM on Instagram or an email and it's about a booking and they're direct booked without having to do anything, then you need to have your ears and eyes open because that something doesn't sound or look right to me in that situation. So, you know, there always should be some sort of casting. Now a lot of, a lot of models are able to self-tape, and I think this has really been great for our models that live in more rural markets because I think post covid we found that, you know, the zoom casting process was just easier for casting directors and for fashion professionals. So, a lot of times you'll start with that. You may end up having an in-person like callback but so many things can be booked from afar, but there needs to be some sort of interview slash casting.
So, if you haven't been asked to do that, then chances are that's a scam. Also, you know, the lists of agencies that we're providing to our clients we keep on spreadsheets of all the regions where we have our clients and that's the whole country. And we're very familiar with almost all of the agency contracts on the list that we're providing to our clients. And so, we know that you know, agents do not ask for money for you to be represented. And that's definitely one of the scams. So, we actually wrote a book called Top 10 Modeling Scams and it's on Amazon. And it's just a little guide really, but it's like easy things that you can do, whether you're working with us and you're getting signed to an agency or if you're trying it on your own, just some really practical things that you can do to stay safe and to have a good experience in the industry. But those are two things, just like there should always be a casting and then you do not pay an agency to be represented by them. There are some fees and that's, there are some caveats of course. And we discuss that with our clientele and review that in contract review. But by and large that's the rule.
Marlana:
So, who is a good client for you or what makes a good client for you?
Tara:
You know, a great client for me is someone who's willing to do the work.
So, I love when a client is really on top of it and motivated. And that's one thing that we cannot teach
Marlana:
You know, it's funny that you touch on that too because people say, oh, I wanna get into the modeling business and they focus on the modeling and not on the business.
Tara:
Marlana:
And there's a reason why it's called the modeling business.
Tara:
Sure. That's right.
Marlana:
So, when somebody comes to you ideally, what would you like to see them come at you with?
Tara:
They just need to be open-minded and willing to work hard. Sometimes a model comes to me, and you know, in the first session it's like, let me get to know your goals. Let me because every client is different. They all have different strengths; they all live in different regions geographically. They all have different goals. So, I need to learn what that is so that we can really personalize the guidance and mentorship we're gonna offer them. And I think that, you know, if a model comes to us and they just have this like super defined, like, I only want to be a runway model or I only want to be an actor, then they could be limiting themselves. Because until you get into the industry, you may not know what's going to be a good fit for you.
So, I really love when the models are open to the different ideas we have. I mean, we can definitely look at a model and get to know her or him. We have male models too. And say, you know what, based on their strengths, this is the path that we think that they need to go within the industry, or this is the path or maybe both. And so, the more open-minded they are to that, the better. Also, you know, process of elimination is powerful, right? It sometimes leads us to where we need to be. And so, I think that if we encourage a model maybe to also look at acting because maybe she lives in a market where there are a lot of acting opportunities, we don't want her to miss out on that. That may not be her first passion, but she could also determine pretty quickly through the casting process after she gets signed, like if that's gonna be a good fit for her or not. But I think just being open to that is really important.
Marlana:
And I would think that being open and flexible makes one model more placeable than another.
Tara:
Sure. And you know, a lot of these agencies that our models are applying to are what we call full service, meaning they have like a fashion division, a commercial division, a theatrical division, and maybe even a voiceover division. And so, if a model can be viewed as marketable between divisions, that could make her more signable. So, allowing her to explore those things and encouraging her to be open-minded to that I think is makes her more desirable from the agent's perspective. And I keep saying her because predominantly our clients are female. If you go to our Instagram...
Zika Metaxa
writer
Zika Metaxa grew up in an internationally known family spirits business, founded by her ancestors in 1888. As a marketer, she traveled the world promoting the family spirit, as a member of the family business and then, for the multinational company that acquired the Metaxa brand.
After becoming a mom Zika left a career in marketing, advertising, and retail and turned her attention to more intimate, creative pursuits. She first penned a children’s book in her native Greek language. Her new book, an English language memoir, “Metaxa Stars: The Evolution of a Greek Spirit Within Generations,” shares stories and lessons growing up Metaxa. She is currently developing her third book.
Metaxastars.com
https://www.amazon.com/Metaxa-Stars-Evolution-Spirit-Generations-ebook/dp/B0BJCDHCSX
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Metaxa, the name is iconic. Founded in 1888, the spirits brand spanned generations as to the stories and lessons shared. Today, we had the honor of speaking with Zika, daughter, marketer and author, as she says a bit of what it was like growing up as part of the family behind the brand. Welcome, Zika.
Zika
Hello, very nice to see you. Hardly, I'm very happy to be here with you.
Marlana
So, you know, as I read your memoir, I thought there are a lot of different ways we could take this conversation. But what I'd like to do is I'd like to actually start with the women because I feel that in society, and also in certain cultures, that it's very difficult for women to find their way, you know, find their voice, all of these things, but you come from a long line of very strong women. And sometimes that strength was a good thing, and sometimes not such a good thing. But tell us a little bit about your mother and your grandmother, who you are named after.
Zika
Yes, thank you very much indeed. Basically, it all started of the woman of the family, my great grandmother, she was really, really a very dynamic personality. Now we are talking in the 88 is of course, that was a thinkable of woman to have to speak their mind at the time, especially in Greece, which I'll come to that later on. So, she was very dynamic she was working in. It was not a factory yet in the business, whatever business it was, at the time, it was at the very beginning. She raised her children, she had nine children single handedly with her husband, but she was in care of everything. And she even had a say in politics, and was able to issue a law. She was also a great philanthropist. She lived in a house, in the suburbs in Paris, airport, very well-known port in Greece. And every day she would have, she would give up free food in big plates for the people who did not have money to buy food for the poor. And there were queues and queues of people waiting for the food. Despina, that was her name, was giving out. So that was my great grandmother.
Then my grandmother Zika, whom I am named after, because this is the family tradition. We are named after the father's usually parents. She was also extremely dynamic. She had a very, very strong personality. People in at the time we had the factory so she was coming to the factory every day, people the factory, the employees were always almost scared of her because she was always walking around looking around poking her nose, everywhere, literally. And she has a big nose. And obviously she was not working with finances or the marketing's but she was taking care of the other house. Can I say this The other aspect of the business she was going around making sure the gardens work, yay. We had chicken at the time in that factory that Hans had laid the chickens. She was always around, she knew who was working were in one place. She was walking up and down all day. Like a surgeon that would say, so she was very, very dynamic.
Now my mother, Karina, she was less dynamic in the business area. Because she left my father to do that, as it was his parental business. She stepped aside. But she was very dynamic and that she grew up also single handedly without help three children, me and my two brothers. And she had her presence was let's say, low key. But she was dynamic in an invisible way. Always making sure her way, eventually, you know past
Marlana
and sometimes, you know, the quiet strength is usually under rated, and it's seeming like your mother had a lot of quiet strength.
Zika
That's true. I think it's very intelligent to have a quiet strength. I have tried a lot of times to imitate her but I have never succeeded because I'm very spontaneous. And I always speak out the my mind sometimes even faster than I should.
Marlana
But your grandmother and your mother didn't have a great relationship in the beginning.
Zika
Not at all. My grandmother was very, very difficult in her relationships. And the weird thing is that's why the book is about you know, patterns going on again and again through generations. She didn't have a good relationship or either with her in laws, and her husband's siblings. She never approved of my father's marriage, and never, because she wanted my father to marry someone from a wealthy family, which my mother was not. And she never, never accept the fact that he went on and did what his heart told him to do, without taking into consideration her words. So that was very unforgettable in her mind, she felt her son had betrayed her.
And now remember, bear in mind, that was in the 1960s. Still, in those days, and especially in Greece, it was a very big thing, who marries whom the parents had a tremendous say in it. And it was really answered, I'm not comfortable that my father went ahead and did what married the girl he loved, although his parents did not approve. So in that way, they had, they really did not have a very good relationship, not at all. But after the year, many, many years past, we were quite old, all of that. Towards the end, I would say over the life of my grandmother's life, the relationship did finally take a good turn. And at least towards the last, the last years of her life were peaceful in that manner.
Marlana
What was different about what you saw? Growing Up Female versus male in your family?
Zika
Oh, my God, different, like black and white. But not only my family, in Greece, in all families, and can I tell you, even nowadays, it still is the case. Not so prominent as it was those days. But still. So the thing is that in Greece, it's whenever the as soon as the wife becomes pregnant, everybody in the family except herself a praying for a boy, in order to take their families name, and a surname and the last name and to continue the business that was always in the mind all these years in the 1960s, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s onwards, to the point that in the villages in the provinces, this still applies today. Let's say for example, someone has four kids, and he has two boys, two girls, they asked him, someone will ask him how many children who you have, he will say, Oh, I have two children. And two daughters. Like the daughters are not even considered children. And even today, it's, they say, for example, oh, she did very well, for a girl she became a lawyer, or a doctor still may think it's something very major that a girl accomplished, to finish his studies, and to become a doctor or a lawyer or politician.
So, that was very, very much the case in my family. And since I was the first grandchild born into the family, from I mean, the first grandchild to my grandfather and my grandmother, the fact that it was a doctor was very disappointing to them, they will expect to the first grandchild to be a boy. So, it was a quiet event when I was born. When my brother, my first brother, and dress was born four years later, now was a huge event. I mean, they didn't have the time. I think there's fireworks if they would have a little mouth. Yes. And excuse my English again. But it's not my native language. That's why I have to think sometime.
Marlana
Now, you're doing fantastic. And it's actually very engaging to listen to what you know; your book talks a lot about family patterns and things like that. What patterns do you hope to continue, and which ones do you hope to break?
Zika
Now this is very difficult, this is really challenging for me, because the patterns I'm trying to break, I'm being completely honest here. I have to fight to break because subconsciously, I repeat them every day with my exam. And I have to make a very strong fault and like restart and say, now you're being your mother, you're being your grandmother, you're being your father, you're saying exactly the same things. Sometimes I even catch myself doing the same. You know, not remarks, figures and how do you say expressions on my face like my mind, I roll their eyes I got all these things. I hated; I do the more.
When, for example, my son tells me oh my god, you sound like grandma. Yes, I do. And then I try to do restart and talking with friends, I have realized that all of us more or less do the same thing. And this is the balance and the difficulty to try and break this circle because I feel I feel this intuitively and in my heart that if we can break the circle, it will not be repeated also after us.
Marlana
Right? Which patterns do you hope to continue? Because there has to be some wonderful things that you remember as well.
Zika
Yes, I hope to continue being generous in the heart, and kind, and above all, human and decent person with a low profile, not arrogant, or snobbish, or all the opposite.
Marlana
So, what's your favorite family story?
Zika
My favorite family story, let me see, because there was so many, definitely it was from during the World War Two, when the Germans were here, and they were raised in Greece, my grandmother Zika, trying so hard to obtain food for her children, everything about this. And it was so difficult to find a piece of bread. If they found an egg, it was a luxury, they had to exchange things in order to get food. And she was telling me how she was running from one corner to the other, trying to find a piece of bread or some not even vegetables, just like maybe one green leaf or something, while the Germans were raiding the city with bullets, basically, she was running out amongst the bullets, while the food hidden in her coat or in her dress, to go and feed her sons, this will may have stayed, it has stayed with me, whenever I go grocery shopping, or whatever, and I buy something for the house, I always think of this.
I'm always grateful of what we have now, of all the years that we've been through the generations before me for generations to come, take for granted, things like not so I get all the groceries, or having a good life. That's one of those things I really remember. And
Marlana
and, you know, what's so interesting too, is as your grandmother is trying to navigate the streets and go past bullets and things like that, the men in your family, we're actually still making this liquor.
Zika
they were trying to make it not to present it. The liquor it was to, let's say, downsize the whole story, because the Germans at the time knew that this lecture was happening faster, and definitely wanted to obtain the rest of the team. So, my grandfather, at the time, tried very, very hard and he managed not to give the exact recipe because they really pushed him to the rest of the team. They wanted to go and do the identical thing in Germany or whatever. But they manage the men in the family managed to keep it as a secret. One way of cheating the Germans and till the end of their career. This recipe was a secret recipe. Only thing you know, and it went from mouth to mouth from man to man. My grandmother didn't know the secret person, but she was a woman.
Marlana
Yeah. Did you ever kNwo,
Zika
No.
Marlana
That's funny. And I remember reading in the book too. It was actually pretty brilliant, what they did with the brass spec.
Zika
Yes, because at the time they had it was in barrels, it was still in barrels that they didn't have time.
Marlana
Do you have to bottle a lot of bottles?
Zika
Just a few bottles. And mostly it was from barrels and they would open them a little tap, let's say there was a tap around staff and people would either go with empty bottles of their own if for example, water bottles or something else fill it in, because this was the war. All they would the ones who had some money to buy a bottle would buy a bottle. So when the Germans but they knew my ancestors knew that this brown stack was not very good for the product because it sort of ruins the taste and the quality. But at the time, they didn't have either the means or the you know that the people and the time to concentrate and make it as they should, which they did after the war. So when the Germans came demand I'm going to obtain the recipe of the product. Listen, of course, come in, we'll welcome you, we'll give you a drink, try this product before we give you the recipe. And they made sure they gave them the product from the tap the bronze tap, which was not good also in taste.
So, the German method was a color now somebody would start drinking, you spit it out. This is all stuff. Why are people talking about this stuff? This is disgusting. So, he thought that people were just drinking it or buying it, obtaining it because they were desperate. It was the wall. And they thought, you know, it's better than nothing, we can have some alcohol. So, he totally took it out of his mind. And he said to everybody, all his other followers and German friends or whatever soldiers, that this is just a rumor. It's not at all a good product, this product is awful. We don't need to spend another moment on this project. And then as they say, in the book, little did they know that many years later, it was exporting this product from Greece to Germany. And actually Germany was one of the first countries in exports in Metaxa that they drank lots of it, they loved it, they still do.
Marlana
So funny. You talk about that. You know, this was a very male dominated business, this family business. So did you have difficulty carving out a path for yourself within the business?
Zika
Yes, I had a lot of difficult days. And I think it has still stayed with me all these years, I have been always trying to prove that I am good enough, business wise that I can do it like a man. And I think we have this has stayed with me and it's not a good, not something I'm proud of, I'm trying to fix it to make it better. But after all these years struggling to prove that you know, as a girl, as a woman, I can also do it. I can handle the liquor, I can sell the liquor, I can market the liquor. It was quiet, they never took me seriously, especially in the beginning.
Marlana
You know, which is funny to me, because when the business was eventually sold, you are part of the sale. And that was you had to have some work?
Zika
Yes, that was something I chose to be, but they thought, you know, the people who bought the company at the time, okay, they didn't think I would last, let's say, okay, she will stay for a month or two. And they were extra suspicious. They thought I was maybe staying there in order to I don't know, find out their secrets or something which was not at all the case, of course, I decided to stay on because I thought and it was eventually an immense lesson for me to work for a multinational company. It was totally a different approach, an extremely professional approach. Plus, the company had a big brand of products except the brand day they had bought because they had whiskies they had liquors, which was very challenging. They everything all the marketing was restricted from the beginning. So, there were a lot of briefing and advertising agencies, I loved all that. I learned so much in marketing, which was like having a master's degree in marketing. So much. They worked very hard on all hours, not like obviously we were working on so many hours as a family and on a different level. But I think after the first, let's say six, seven months near a year that they realized that I'm okay. Okay, I'm not the enemy.
Marlana
Did you find it difficult when the company was purchased, to kind of climb out from the family name? Because I mean, you still were a Metaxa?
Zika
Yes. Yes, I found it difficult. I think it was more. I understood that completely the reasons the company was sold at the time, the timing, everything. And I think it was more disappointing for my brothers and dress manglers as they were much younger than me they didn't have the opportunity to start working in the company or not, but they were I mean, they were teenagers at the time, almost finishing school, my brother and dress and they always thought, of course, being brought up in this male orientated company that they were the successors that would be one day the continuous I mean, since the day they were born. This was what they were. Everybody was telling them in the family. So, I think for the boys, it was more disappointing. For me as I was a bit l was l Jerell older, I realized the way my ankle my father explained it to me the business aspect of the timing, I realized it's a good time. And of course, it hurts also emotionally.
I thought it was an opportunity for me, again, to prove myself and to work hard. And which you did, it did actually work out like that it didn't turn out like that. In the end, after the years I spent them. It was appreciated. And by that time, and because the people who work for my work were I think only one was great, all the other will burn foreigners. They didn't have...
Michael (Mike) Hingson. I am president of The Michael Hingson Group, Inc. and the chief vision officer for accessiBe
Blind since birth, Michael Hingson was born to sighted parents who raised him with a can-do attitude. Always a high achiever, Michael learned how to ride a bike, and was able to do advanced math in his head! He received a Master’s Degree in Physics, and a Secondary Teaching Credential.
Michael worked for high-tech companies in management until September 11, 2001 when he and his guide dog Roselle escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One in the WTC. Thrust into the international limelight, Michael began to share lessons of trust, courage, and teamwork based on this experience.
Mike is the author of the #1 NY Times Bestseller “Thunder dog,” selling over 2.5 million copies, and his 2nd book “Running with Roselle, A story for Our Youth.”
An international public speaker, Mike delivers inspiring and thought-provoking messages to the world’s elite, including President George W. Bush, and has appeared on hundreds of TV and Radio programs, including Larry King. Hired by major organizations, Michael speaks on perseverance, the importance of trust and teamwork, and moving from diversity to inclusion.
www.michaelhingson.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana:
Blind since birth, Michael Hingson is a high achiever whose parents raised him with a can-do attitude. He worked for high-tech companies and management until September 11th, 2001, when he and his guide dog Roselle escaped from the 78th floor of Tower one of the World Trade Center thrust into the international limelight, Michael began to share lessons of trust, courage, and teamwork based on his experience. Welcome Michael.
Michael:
Thank you. Good to be here.
Marlana:
So, I know that the events of 9/11 were a little bit ago. However, I know that any one of us that is old enough to remember them, they will be forever etched in our memory. So, walk us through a little bit of what it was like from your perspective.
Michael:
It's really interesting the way you phrased that because one of the things that we have experienced for me is that, as you say, we all remember it. And over the past 10 years especially, I've realized that we now have a whole generation of children now going into young adults who have no personal knowledge of September 11th at all. So, I think that it is absolutely important that we remember it. We still remember Pearl Harbor and rightly so. Some of us remember when JFK was shot, and all the things around that. I think it's important that we remember September 11th because there were a lot of lessons to be taken from that. Again, actually since September 11th, people have asked me if I will come and talk about September 11th, my experience and the lessons that we should learn.
I hope that continues cuz I'm glad to travel and speak and be keynote speakers and all that stuff. So anyway, for me, it was a day of validation because as a person who happens to be blind, the typical response for me and for other blind people who try to get a job is, well, you're blind. How could you do this job? Or you're blind, how could you get to work? I could go to a job interview and clearly get there on my own. And somebody says, well how you gonna get to work? Well, I got here, didn't I? Right. And you said you were interested in my resume. My resume demonstrates that I constantly overachieved goals and so on. What's the issue? The problem is we haven't taught people that blindness isn't the problem. It's our attitudes about blindness.
And the reason I say that is because in reality I was very fortunate in one way because what I was fortunate to be able to do is to get a job out of college and went from one job to another. At one point when I couldn't get a job, when a company was acquired by Xerox and phased all of us out, I had to start my own company just to get a job. Well, I did that and did that for four years and then went back into the workforce and I was able to get a job. And that's a story I'm gonna save for a little bit later. But the, the bottom line is I got a job and eventually that led me to being relocated to New Jersey and working in New York. And eventually that led to opening the office in the World Trade Center.
One of the things that I have always felt in my life is it's all about teamwork. People don't necessarily do things alone. Part of my team always is a guide dog. I've been using a guide dog since 1964. I'm currently on my eighth guide dog (Alamo.) And what I learned, and it took a while, even after September 11th to put it into real words, is it's a team. I am the team leader. It's up to me to give the dog commands. Well, how do you know when to turn? Why is that relevant? How do you know when to turn? You can see, but how do you know you read signs and other things? I have techniques and ways to do the same things that you do as a cited person. And a lot of those techniques are getting better because we now have G P s systems that talk or even using Google Maps, it talks and other kinds of things that give me the information that you get.
It's all about information. But in any case, I can move about from place to place. And working in the World Trade Center, one of the first things that I did was to decide as the team leader, the person who opened an office for a company, I needed to be able to do what anyone else would do to open that office. So I needed to know how to get around the World Trade Center. I didn't get the luxury of looking at signs and so on. So I did what I think everyone should do and most people don't. I learned the center, I learned the emergency evacuation procedures. I learned where the emergency exits were. I learned where a lot of offices were in the World Trade Center. Places that we might go visit, uh, that I might go to with one of my sales employees to sell products.
I learned how to do whatever a leader of an office had to do in order to function appropriately cuz how would it look if we had customers up visiting us and we decided we'd go to lunch, and then I said, well, I don't know how to get anywhere? Someone's gonna have to lead me around two hours later. We're back negotiating contracts. How is it gonna be for me? I'm behind the eight ball. It would be better if I could say, oh, you want to go to lunch? What kind of food do you want? Do you wanna say how much? Great, let's go to Finance Shapiro. It's a deli down in the lobby of the World Trade Center, I'll take you there. I needed to be able to do that stuff as well as anyone else. As I said, that also meant learning emergency evacuation procedures and so on.
And what I realized long after September 11th was by learning all of that, I developed a mindset that said, you know what to do. If there's ever a problem, it'll kick in. And every day I went to the World Trade Center, even before September 11th, I thought regularly about anything else I need to learn today. I met with fire prevention or fire authorities and police and so on so that I knew everything there was to know and so that they knew me. And the mindset kicked in on September 11th, we got to the office about seven 40. We were gonna be doing some sales meetings. When I got there, there was a guy outside with a food cart because we had ordered breakfast for the early arrivals best ham and cheese croissants in New York City. I will point out from the Port Authority cafeteria
And we took him in and told him where to set things up. And then I went and got a laptop projector that we were gonna use cuz I was gonna do a PowerPoint show. Yes. Blind people can do PowerPoint presentations. You don't have to see to do that stuff. You use slightly different techniques, but you could still do it. And the bottom line is we were all set up. Some people arrived about eight o'clock, including David Frank, who was a colleague from my corporate office. He was there to represent the marketing and sales department that was responsible for pricing for distributors or well, and for resellers. And we were going to be training resellers that day how to sell our products. So, David was there to talk about the pricing. I was going to be their technical and their onsite liaison that is the liaison between the resellers and Quantum, a TL that I worked for.
So, David and some other people arrived and while most of them were having breakfast, David and I completed a final list of all the people who were coming to the seminars that day. Because the only ways to get into the World Trade Center was either you were authorized in advance on a list that was faxed to the Port Authority security desk downstairs, or they would call up every time someone came and said, so-and-so says they're here to come to your seminar. Do we let them up? So, it was important for me to not have to take lots of phone calls. So we created the list and literally at 8 45 in the morning, I was reaching for stationary when suddenly the building lurched. And we heard a kind of a muffled thud and that's all we heard. And then the building started to tip as I'm now tipping my hand toward the camera.
And the reason the building tip was the airplane hit the building. Tall buildings like that are springs. That 110-story building was a big spring. It was made to be able to be buffeted in the breeze or literally hit by an airplane. It was not made however, to be hit by an airplane intentionally. One that had 26,000 pounds of jet fuel on board that exploded on impact. And that's what really took the building down. But nevertheless, the building tipped. I went over and stood in the doorway. I grew up in Southern California and at that time we were living on the San Andreas fault in Southern California. And I learned early on building shakes and moves, ghost stand in doorway. It's a little different now for earthquake stuff. But anyway, I, went and stood in the doorway a lot of good that does your 78 floors up if the building collapses.
But hey, still what you learn, what you know is what you do David. And how would you have known at that point what really happened? Well, it wouldn't have mattered. The building was moving anyway. And there was nothing you could do other than go for me, stand in the doorway. David was holding onto my desk and my guide dog Roselle was asleep under the desk. And the building tip so far that David and I literally said goodbye to each other because we thought we were about to take a 78 floor plunge to the street. Then the building slowed down, it stopped and it started coming back the other way. And it finally became vertical again. As soon as it did, I went into the office, I met Roselle coming out from under the desk. I told Roselle to heal, which meant to come around on my left side and sit.
I mentioned that working with a guy dog is a team. Each of us has a job on the team. And the total job combination of the two of us is to make sure that we walk safely. It is not never should be and never will be the job of the dog to know where I want to go. That's my job. And I give the dog directions as to where I want to go. When we get to a turn, I have to know which way to go. Again, I learned that like you do using different techniques, but I learned to know the buildings. Everyone who was cited looks for signs that works until you're in a smoke fill building, by the way. Now, we didn't have a smoke fill building at the time that we were going down and so on. But, nevertheless, the point still is anyone who really wants to make sure they're gonna stay safe needs to really know in advance what to do. Because that helps develop a mindset that says, I know what to do and it kicks in. And that's what kicked in for me.
So, I told Roselle to sit about the time she sat, the building dropped straight down about six feet. That's because the spring, if you will, went back to its normal configuration. And as soon as it stopped, David looked out the window and started shouting. Oh my God, Mike, there's fire and smoke above us. There are millions of pieces of burning paper falling outside the window. We gotta get outta here right now. And I said, slow down David. No, no, no. We gotta get outta here right now. And I heard noise outside the window. And when he said, there are millions of pieces of burning paper falling outside the window that told me what it was, our guests began to scream.
They started moving toward our exits. And I kept saying, slow down. So, they stopped. They were waiting to see what David and I were gonna do. And then finally David used, as I describe it, the big line, you don't understand, you can't see it. Oh, the problem wasn't what I couldn't see, the problem was what David wasn't seeing, Namely a dog sitting next to me wagging her tail, yawning going, who the heck woke me up and what's going on? I knew what Roselle was like when she was afraid and she wasn't indicating any fear. And her senses are much sharper than mine. And what she told me by her reactions was, okay, right now we can try to evacuate in an orderly way. So, I got David to focus. I said, get our guests to the stairs. You're seeing fire. Don't let them take the elevators because if fire gets into the elevator shafts, which it did, anyone in the cars could be burned and killed.
So, David got our guest to the stairs. I called my wife and told her that something had happened, an explosion or something we didn't know and we're gonna be evacuating. And this was before the news even got the story. So when we hung up and I hung up with her, David returned, we checked the office and then went to the stairs and started down. We smelled an odor. It took me about four floors to realize I was smelling burning jet fuel like you smell whenever you go to an airport. So I observed it to other people around us and they said, yeah, we were trying to figure out what that is. And I didn't figure it out right away cuz who would've thought we would've smelled burning jet fuel in the World Trade Center. But the bottom line is that's what I smelled.
I observed that to others and we all agreed an airplane must have hit the building. But we didn't know. And we didn't know what happened until we were all the way down and out. But we went down the stairs and there were times that people started to panic on the stairs. And several of us worked to keep people calm. We got to the bottom. It was now about 9 35. We went through the complex and finally got outside at 9 45 an hour after the plane hit Tower one. When we got outside, David saw that Tower two was on fire again, we didn't know, we didn't feel anything from Tower two being hit because we were in our own little cave or cocoon, if you will. That is the stairs going down. So, we were told to leave the complex. We went over to Broadway and walked north on Broadway and finally got to Vessy Street.
And David said, I see the fire really clearly up in Tower two. I wanna take some pictures. And you know, for our, for us we thought maybe Well's Tower one, when it was tipping tip toward Tower two, maybe it caught the building on fire. Who knew? So, we stopped. David took pictures. I tried to call my wife. The circuits were busy because as we learned later, people were saying goodbye to loved ones. I had just put my phone away and David was putting his camera away when a police officer yelled, get out of here, it's coming down right now. And suddenly we heard this rumble that became this deafening roar that I describe as kind of a combination of a freight train in a waterfall. You could hear glass breaking and metal clattering and so on. And the bottom line is, what was happening is the tower two was collapsing.
We were like a hundred yards away from it. Everyone turned and ran. David ran, he was gone. I turned Roselle around 180 degrees and we started running back the way we came. Then we got to the next street going now south on Broadway, Fulton Street. I turned right on Fulton, caught up to David. As it turns out he had gone the same way. And it stopped cuz he realized he had just run off and left me. And he was gonna come back and try to find me. And I said, look, when he saw me and all that, I'm sorry. He said, I'm sorry. I said, David, don't worry about it. Let's keep going. It's coming down. Right. So, we kept running. We got in the dust cloud that was so thick that David said he couldn't see his hand six inches in front of his nose.
It was so thick that with every breath I took, I could feel dirt and dust going down my throat into my lungs. We knew we had to get out of that, that wretched cloud. And I kept telling Roselle, go. Right, right, right. I don't know whether she could hear me or see my hand signals since I was just doing hand signals. But obviously she did because suddenly I heard an opening on the right and she obviously saw it cuz she turned right. Took one step and stopped and wouldn't move. Come on Roselle, keep going. She wouldn't move. And I realized, hey, maybe she's doing what she's supposed to do. Why is she stopped? So I stuck a hand out along the wall, felt a stair rail and I stuck a foot out, found the top of a flight of stairs. She did exactly what she was supposed to do.
She stopped at the stairs, and she was waiting for the command. So when I said, good girl, Roselle actually stooped down and gave her a hug and then said forward. And we went down the stairs into the subway system and a person came up the stairs and we were in a little arcade and found David and me and several other people. He introduced himself as Lou, an employee of the subway system. And then he took us down to an employee locker room where we stayed until a police officer came and said, the airs clearer up above, you gotta get outta here now. And we went upstairs and we started walking away from the complex more. And David said, oh my god, Mike, there's no tower too anymore. And I said, what are you seeing? And he said, oh, I see your pillars of smoke, hundreds of feet tall. Who would've thought? Yeah. So we kept walking away, we were going west on Fulton and we walked for a number of minutes, 10, 15 minutes. And then we heard that freight train, waterfall sound again. That's the best way I describe it. Cuz as I said, you hear the glass clattering and metal clashing and crashing. And then this, this white noise sound of the building collapsing. And we figured it was our tower coming down.
And so we, David just looked back and said, it's coming down and there's a dust cloud coming our way. We were able to get behind a, a low wall and hunkered down and waited until everything passed. And it got silent again and then stood up and David said, oh my God, there's no world trade center anymore. And I said, what do you see? And he said, all I see are fingers of fire in flame, hundreds of feet, tall pillars of smoke, hundreds of feet tall. It's gone. And it was only after that that I called my wife again and this time got through, it was now about 10 30, 10 31 in the morning. David and I were just standing there and I got through to her and she's the one who told us that terrorist attacked tower one and then tower two. And then it was those towers that collapsed because of hijacked aircraft.
Marlana:
Did that seem incredible to you?
Michael:
Absolutely,...
Danny Rosin
Brand Fuel for profit
Band Together nonprofit
Danny Rosin, is co-owner of Brand Fuel, a brand merchandising agency, that is a B Corp. He is also the co-founder of the nonprofits PromoKitchen, PromoCares, Reciprocity Road and Operation Smile’s International Student Groups. He serves on the board of A Place at The Table, Raleigh’s mighty “pay what you can” café.
Rosin is the active co-founder of Band Together, a nonprofit that has donated over $12 million to 31 nonprofits in the Triangle through live concert experiences.
Danny is a tireless community builder who likes starting organizations doing things that matter. He is happiest when there is a mix of philanthropy, music, marketing and “familying.”
He is married to Niccole, and they have two teenage daughters. He has come to grips with the idea that well-behaved women rarely make history.
https://www.brandfuel.com/big-change-were-proud-to-be-a-b-corporation/
www.brandfuel.com
www.bandtogethernc.org
https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/
www.linkedin.com/in/dannyrosin
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana:
Danny Rosin is a timeless community builder who likes doing things that matter. He's co-founder of the company, brand Fuel, but also has a hand in promo, kitchen promo cares, reciprocity, road operations, smile, A Place At The Table and Band Together. He's happiest when there is a mix of philanthropy, music, marketing, and family. Inc. As a married father of two teenage daughters, he has come to grips with the idea that will behave, women rarely make history, but they learned that from him, along with how to lead a life of purpose. Welcome, Danny.
Danny:
Oh, thanks for having me. I'm, that's, it's nice to hear that the word, family yang is not a real word, but I want it to be. I want it to be a verb
Marlana:
I think you have made it one. I really do. And knowing the things that you have done and put together,
Danny:
That's nice, that's the one thing that I hope. You know, you think about legacy, I think Ban Together, the work that I've been involved in with that organization is definitely the stuff of legacy. But the family, I just hope our kids look back one day and all the trials and tribulations of parenting and being invested in that, shines a light on these girls and they say their dad and mom did a good job. That's all I'm looking for.
Marlana:
Well, it's actually kind of funny to watch you on this journey with them, because I feel like sometimes it's kind of like you've been on a wild bucking horse and you're just trying to hold on and keep the reins in your hand.
Danny:
Yeah, so true. I've got a wild bucking horse as an older daughter and a little bit more calm daughter as a younger daughter. They're 15 and 18, so they're complete opposites. I am more like my oldest daughter, the wild bucking horse. So, I think we relate to each other a lot more, which allows my relationship with my wife to either flourish because I can step in and say, I know what Brooke is going through, or there's just a lot more tension there because, we don't see eye to eye and my wife doesn't understand, because that's not who she ever was. she's got a little wild side, but not like Brooke or me.
Marlana:
And, you know, it's interesting to me because you have taken that wild side and anybody that reads any of your history or even some of the things that you have real and posts that you do, you've taken it and put the reins on it to a large degree and directed it in ways that matter. So how is that a struggle for you to do, or do you
Danny:
And I got a lump in my throat thinking about it because, you know, these are the special moments in life. Like, it was kind of a dad moment. So, I grabbed my camera, I videotaped it, and I thought it was just so great. I put it out on Instagram, you can still find it on my page. I didn't lose the battle when they're like, you've got to take that down of Brooke really rocking out. I get pushback for, I think from time to time exposing the truth, you know, and being vulnerable and honest about maybe, you know, the Crazy Daughter or, you know, this recent one that I think you may be, you know, talking about is the, getting arrested story. So, just a quick note about that story.
I was recognized by the Triangle Business Journal as this corporate philanthropist, which is a great honor to be recognized in that way. And Hannah from the Ban Together had submitted my name. Just knowing the work that we do together and the work that she does on the front lines every day just gives me a tremendous amount of pride. And a lot of people are reaching out and saying, congratulations. My head is getting bigger, and my wife is rolling her eyes all the while she knows how hard I work. very soon thereafter, I decided to post the story about getting arrested in 1988. I guess the moral of the story in context to what you said is that, you know, idiots, troublemakers, pranksters, people who maybe have a dark pass can shine, can work really hard at trying to recreate their story.
you know, what's important to them, they can find that, and I've been really fortunate to be able to do that. So, this whole story about me getting arrested and apologizing to NC State for painting their bell tower when I was 20 years old, it's kind of my way of saying like, Hey, everybody, I'm not all that it looks like in the newspaper and all these accolades that you read in the beginning. I do all that, but I still make lots of mistakes, still a troublemaker. I feel like I'm a 15 year old kid in a 55 year old body, and finding that balance is really important, but also because I have some reach and I've done a lot of things. I feel like it’s a kind of a moral imperative and a responsibility maybe to, you know, share the ugly stuff and be honest. And I think social media is very best. It's like the stories you tell of people. I mean, it's the very best when it's real and it's honest, and people can relate to that, and it gives permission for others to do the same, I hope.
Marlana:
Yeah. And you know, you talked about striking a balance, and what is interesting to me is, you're a business owner, you understand that you have to make money with your business and provide for your family and all these kinds of things, but you have such a beautiful balance between that and making a difference. You have shown by example that these things do not need to be mutually exclusive. So how do you go about doing that?
Danny:
I always say to anybody that looks at my story and says, gosh, how are you managing the, the balance between purpose and profit? I always say I'm a capitalist and a tweed jacket because I like making money. I like giving it away too. but, I say that, you know, your dreams and your day job can coexist, and they should. and that means finding a job that is something that you really enjoy. If you're not able to do that, then, you know, go outside of your job and get involved in a non-profit or an activity that you really enjoy and find joy in that. Or, you know, if you look at your company that you work for, where it's thank you for working number 4,221 and just a number, maybe you can create something within the company, a wellness committee or something that drives what you're interested in.
And I think companies are looking at initiatives around wellness and employee engagement, and they're looking for people to lead. So, I think that's important. you know, recently my company Brand Fuel just earned its B Corp certification. And so I think anyone who is working in the world of pop profit driven, but they're looking for a way or a path to get to a place of more purpose, meaning and value and being able to stand for things and DEI initiatives, I could go on and on, employee engagement, attracting more customers, attracting better employees and talent. you know, the B Corp world is fascinating to me. Basically, is a people planet profit kind of initiative. When I look at it, it's like fair trade is to coffee, B Corp is to business.
So, if you look at the guiding principles of what a certification looks like, it's about taking care of employees and doing the right thing. It's about thinking about the environment and, you know, your impact to the environment. and then it's also about your supply chain. so thinking about, you know, the things that you bring into the marketplace to make sure that they're safe and that they are produced in safe factories and people are paid a fair wage, and these are important things, like really important things. I don't wanna sell something where there's slave labor behind it. I just don't, I don't think anybody wants to. I also think it's about aligning with nonprofits that maybe are mission driven, and connected to what your corporate or human values are. so if you're a tech company, maybe you want to help, you know, girls in STEM and find a nonprofit and align with them and, you know, turn an internship program into your business to invest in those organizations that are aligned with what you do in business.
So, I'm a libra, that means I've got the balance, the scales, and so maybe there's some of that. But I've worked really hard at trying to find things that, you know, allow me to sleep well at night and to bring good people into my business and to sell to companies that are generous and care. And so, finding like-minded companies. And so we're, you know, some of that's marketing fluff. but marketing is not just about fluff and promotion, it's about participation. It's about doing the work. And so we've done the work and we're continuing to do the work. It's a very hard, I think, but important journey that will allow this company, but also myself and Robert Fash, my business partner, and everybody who works here, you know, to be a part of something that I hope is the stuff of legacy.
Marlana:
Let me ask you this, and it might be a chicken or an egg kind of question. Do you leave that, if you do what you love, the money will come? Or do you believe that once you make your money, that's when you can turn around and go back and do something that matters?
Danny:
Yeah, I mean, that's a good question. I don't have an answer to be honest. I mean, I can riff on it a little bit. I think we realize when we get older is that, you know, money is important, but it can be the root of evil and driver of things that are not important in this life. So, I mean, if I had to pick one, I think you do the thing you love and the money comes, but maybe the money doesn't come, but you do the thing that you love.
Marlana:
Did you seek out a B Corp status, or was that just something that you realized existed and then you worked toward it? How did that come about for you?
Danny:
Yeah, I think the B corporation movement there a little bit over 5,000 companies globally, 2000 companies in the US and Canada that have earned this certification. Companies like Ben and Jerry's and All birds, new Belgium Brewing, there's some really interesting, B2C brands, B2B brands, especially companies like mine that could potentially sell plastic crap from China, you know, with logos on it, which is not what we do, but, you know, our industry has been known for that, that was actually one reason why we did it, was to try and kind of carve out a unique path of differentiation that was important to us. But the movement's been around for probably 15, 16 years, 12 years ago, we heard about it from some people in our area, you know, and, and knew that we were invested in giving back and there was some social entrepreneurialism in what we were doing.
So, we looked into it, and we decided to apply. This was about 12 years ago, and we failed miserably. There's kind of a couple points here if you are interested at all, even though it's a very heavy lift to go through the process, it's free. You go to B Labs, there's a third party organization that helps guide you around these principles of using your business as a force for good. you'll learn a lot about your business and where you have weak points. for us, our weakest point was in sourcing. So, getting products from China, they were cheap plastic crap. We didn't know where they were being made, if they were safe, we had no idea. And years ago, we just didn't have access to that information. So over the past 12 years, we have invested in, one responsible sourcing and two, investing in, you know, being advocates in our industry for transparency.
PAI is a sort of an umbrella nonprofit in our industry that has really worked hard to do that. So I joined the board, I fought the good fight there and now, you have access into, you know, where our products has been made, who's made it, is it safe of the right materials, there's product testing before it makes its way to decorators in the US and ultimately to end users. So, we sought that out. and over the past 10 years before we reapplied, we worked extremely hard at the principles that B corporation and B Labs, feature to really find out what we are made of. And there's certain areas we have got a lot of work to do, and there's certain areas we do great with. but it's a business education that you don't normally get. it's worth kind of trying to go through the motions, in the application process, like I mentioned before, if for no other reason, even if you don't earn the designation of a B certified corporation, even if you don't get it, you will learn things about how you run your business and where the opportunities are to run a stronger, healthier business that will drive not only purpose, but ultimately I think profit.
Marlana:
You grew out in there kind of glazed over it, that you were on the board and it seems like you're on the board or have your hand in so many things. So, what determines for you, project that you are going to get involved in versus not?
Danny:
yeah. I do say no to a lot of things, and I think trying to understand what my strengths are and I've done the strengths finders and I've done all kinds of personality tests, and I know that my strengths are in, philanthropy and marketing and I have a good idea around music and putting on events and things like that, and certainly family. So, I think that those things that are mission driven, they need to align. I need to feel something. even if, you know, the people in the boardroom, I've had some opportunities to be in some really nice high-powered boardrooms with people that I would love to get to know and hang out with, but I didn't feel comfortable. And some of that's, you know, the, the complex that we all get, imposter syndrome, I'm sure I could do fine, but, I'm trying to really stay focused and, you know, I think you and I have talked before, you've asked me to be involved in a lot of things.
I'm always trying to tap the breaks and say no, as much as I can to be really focused. there's so many things in this world that I'm interested in
And if you bring three of the three of those things, then you're a rockstar. But more importantly, if you get busy and you're going through something hard in life, healthcare or, you know, divorce or whatever is hard in your life or work is sucking the life out of you, you can't commit to that nonprofit or be involved in that activity, raise your hand and tap out. That is how you honor the organization, not by sitting and taking a board seat and wasting that seat so that it's not productive. people will respect you more and you'll not feel that consummate guilt that I think so many feel when they're not active, in those situations.
Marlana:
Yeah. And let's talk for a brief moment about two of my favorite projects in which you are involved. We'll take them one by one. talk to us about Ban Together, what that is and how that came about.
Danny:
Yeah. this is a 9/11 story. I was with some friends watching reruns on TV of the Twin Towers going down and people jumping to their deaths. It's funny, I could get choked up like talking about it right now, cuz there's something in this. That moment that, you know, the what's mine to do in that moment, is really important to realize. Like, I think we all have a story. Most of us have a story about where we were when Kennedy was shot, or you know, the Twin Towers came down, whatever it may be. I think we all have to ask ourselves what's ours to do in that moment? And we did not, we did not become what I call slacktivist, you know, which would be someone who just checks a like box on Facebook.
We became activists at that moment, and we decided to do something for these families who had, you know, firefighters had gone in and risked their lives to save these people. people we didn't know, but, you know, just can imagine. And these families now are living in a really tough place with their loved one. And, you know, pensions and things like that aside, we thought we should do something. And so we rallied and grabbed a larger group of business leaders in the triangle area to raise money for those families. And...
Joe ‘Road Warrior Animal’ Laurinaitis was half of arguably the greatest tag team in wrestling history. Together with Mike ‘Hawk’ Hegstrand, they were the perfect mix of intimidation, artistry and skill. They continue to be legendary and you can search the internet and find countless hours of matches and interviews. But, today we are going to learn about Joe, the man behind the face paint and what life with this icon was like.
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www.prowrestlingtees.com
www.powerbombpizza.com
Wrestlemerch.com
www.theasylum.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana:
Joe Road Warrior Animal Laurinaitis was half of arguably the greatest tag team in wrestling history together with Mike Hawk Hegstrand. They were the perfect mix of intimidation, artistry, and skill. They continued to be legendary and you can search the internet and find countless hours of matches and interviews. But today we're gonna learn about Joe, the man behind the face paint, and what life with this icon was like. Please help me welcome Joe's Other Half the love of his life and my dear friend Kim Laurinaitis.
Kim:
Aw! Thank you. That was so sweet.
Marlana:
Kim:
No, not at all.
And so that's what I was accustomed to, I guess. And then some of the other guys, you got Owen Hart who was the ultimate prankster, you know, and who never had an enemy at all and who was always happy. And you had other people too that were kind of like that. And so, coming across Joe and you know, his exterior, his face, everything kind of come off as very hard when you're like, oh my God, oh, sorry, I walked past you, you know, some days. And one day he asked me, I was outside walking Davies's dog, I think we were in Pensacola or something,
He wasn't mean, he just asked me a question, but I took it as being mean. And he has never forgot that. Like he was like, I just thought what mom would let their daughter come and be doing shows and vignettes and stuff like that here by themselves and you're not even 18 and having to get your contract signed, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, oh my God! So that's why you were rude to me,
Marlana:
So, when did that change? How did he become a fan?
Kim:
When we reconnected, I actually convinced Mike McGuirk, our mutual friend to, she had recently lost her husband a few months prior to us going to WrestleMania or Wrestle Con that event in 2012. And so, I commenced her to go, she needed to get outta the house. We went, and when we went, we went to Miami, Florida that year. Joe was there doing an appearance and I actually ran into him unexpectedly. I knowingly, and like Mike was the one going, oh my God, Kim, look who it is. And I was like, oh, great
I had terminal breast cancer. I had stage four breast cancer. And so, I had already gone through 10 years of being by myself with my daughter. That was my life. I wasn't looking for anybody. I didn't want anybody. I was kinda like that getting back. And I was just there to visit friends, reconnect with people, and then help her through this. And then when we saw him, I mean some of the other ladies we were with, they were like, oh, he's looking good and all this. And I'm like, oh, here's a drink. Are you thirsty
And Mike was even like, he looks really good. He's doing really well. After he did his appearance and stuff where Mike was, we ended up being at the same spot. He ran into us afterwards and he was like, Hey, y'all wanna come over here and let's catch up. Okay, well we went to go
I used to live in Houston, going to Sam Houston Coliseum like every Friday night with my mom. And so that was from the time I was like 10 years old and growing up. So, none of these guys like it bothered me at all. And so I'm thinking, okay, yeah, we'll go over here for a little bit. But I'm telling her, let's go out, walk to the beach, let's go get you like out. I'm trying to think of her and then what we are gonna do, like afterwards, our dinner plan is kind of arranging that because I know when she and I get together, our plan schedule kind of goes off track. So, we have to keep on track
She hadn't seen him in many years. And so, they were all excited about seeing her and we went over there. We had our other friend Donna with us. And so she's kind of like our ringleader that keeps everyone in line.
But he's really nice. So, I'm thinking God don't be a
And so, I'm like, I’m sorry. Do you need me to buy you a new pair of shoes,
He organized it. He took control of everything. I was like, okay, so we all go down here to this restaurant as we're sitting around this huge table. I mean there's probably at least, I don't know, 10, 12 of us around this table. Now granted, McGurk has been drinking wine
So I'm looking around kind of looking, I'm looking at my phone, I have this message on my phone and I have no idea who this number is. It says, “I love you.” And I'm going, McGuirk
So, I'm helping her up. We go back and we go back like to the beach front by the Duval Hotel. We were supposed to be going to an event
We got her up and I mean it was just the first time I had seen her happy in the least, you know, being herself. And we were just talking about the old days, like how things were when you were there, when Mike was there, everything. And it was just like a happy feeling, being able to reconnect. And he came in and he sat down and he started sharing some stuff that he had been through, what he was going through. And then when he found out that I had been sick, he was like, wait, what? You? And I was like, yeah, just don't even, I had been through a terrible divorce, you know, like eight years prior to, and he was like, I had no idea. I said, it's okay. I don't want sympathy. And he goes, oh, what are you turning into me now?
Like this instant, it was like the roles head reverse. And so we started talking, well Mike falls asleep out here. Like, she's like taking us
But it was like, he gave us the option, you know, like if you don't wanna go back over there, you don't have to. But I was like, no, we need to. And so, he sent us back. He had us, a driver and everything. He called to make sure we got back there. Okay. Ever since that night he called me every single day for the rest of his life. There was not one day that he did not call. And then he asked me, I think it was like two or three days later, he goes, I don't know what you did to me, but this is not me. I don't normally do this. I don't act like this.
Do you put something in my drink? I was like, no. I was the one that was more standoffish cuz I was like, I don't really want somebody like calling me every day. This is like too much for me. I was very guarded because of my past. And I told him that and I said, you, I know how wrestlers are anyways. I don't want, you know, me, I didn't want to be with a wrestler. I didn't wanna marry a wrestler. That was my whole thing. And he even brought that up, he said, yeah, he used to always say, I'll never marry a wrestler, blah. I said, I won't. And we laughed about it and then later on he was like, I don't know what has happened, but I enjoyed talking to you. I just wanna keep talking to you. Is that okay?
He was very respectful and ever since then, like I said, he continued to call every day. We talked every day for hours. And then he was like, he had another business in Africa, so he was getting ready to go to Africa. And then he said, before I go to Africa, can I fly you to St to St. Louis just to see me before I go, I'd just like to take you out to dinner or whatever. Or I'll fly to Texas, whichever one. And he flew me to St. Louis. And then that's when I met his daughter, my daughter and his grandson. And I was just like, I instantly connected with the baby, like Jacob is my life there too. So, it was so easy. It was just like one of those things that I had never had before, ever. there was no pressure, there was no like, oh, I'm going on a date or anything like that. It was just relaxed.
Marlana:
Well, I know as somebody who knew you both before you were together and then also watching you together, what I used to love is I could watch him go from this big bur tough guy to where he would look at you and melt
Kim:
Yes. There were so many people that used to say that, can you go look at him? And I'd be like, what are you talking about? But we had a look that would go and he used to tell me all the time, he said, because we shared a lot of stuff over the period of years, which I do all of his past and everything, everybody has a past. But I learned so much about him and his upbringing and I fell in love with his dad. Oh my gosh, I love his dad. I was like, if I was younger, I'm sorry I would trade you in for your dad because your dad is just m my heart. Like I loved him so much. But you see, you learn a lot of people just see what's on the face value, like what they do. Once you get to know the person, Joe lived a lot like his character in some ways that was very hard.
That was very tough. And you hear some of the stories and things that they did and you're going, oh my god, I don't know, like that's not me that I'm a little country girl.
He would say those layers are just like peeling off, but I don't wanna be, I'm not soft. I said, no one ever said you're soft. And he said, but you're the same way. But I never realized that I had built up such these guarded walls. And he said, I don't feel like I can ever get to you because you've got this hard exterior that I can't ever get to that heart that like I knew you used to have because you're like so guarded. You're like one of the guys
Marlana:
Well, I have to say this, both of you were like Tootsie pops, you had this hard exterior shell, but this little soft middle, and it's just a matter of getting to it.
Kim:
Exactly!
Marlana:
So, what do you think was the biggest misconception about Joe?
Kim:
That he was just this hu like this burly mean guy. Like he was the most softhearted, selfless, caring person I have ever known in my life. Ever. I can like I don't think I've ever seen a man so caring and so giving as anybody as Joe, like ever. Some people would never believe that he cried. I have seen that man cry more times than anybody in my family, that showed me that he had heart. That doesn't mean that he is soft. That doesn't mean that he doesn't care. he had never missed an appearance at all until I got sick and was in the hospital and I was hospitalized for 70 days and he left that appearance and he came right back and I was like, oh my God, he didn't have to leave. You know, cuz I know how important that is to them. No, he always put family first, whether it's his kids, his grandkids, anybody like that. That always came first, and he lived by what he believed. He's not one of those that always just said certain things and just said it like for face value. No, he did exactly what he said.
Marlana:
What's your favorite memory of Joe?
Kim:
Oh gosh!
Marlana:
And I know there's...
Molly Harper
Heaton Real Estate/Sales Professional
I have been in sales for over 30 years, working in a variety of industries-Advertising, Pharmaceutical, Technology and Real Estate. I love working with people to find solutions to their problems. I am passionate about family - married with 5 children and two dogs. I am an avid lover of sports-playing and watching and enjoy being outside as often as I can.
Molly is also the wife of Naked & Afraid All-Star, Wes Harper
heatonrealestate.com
wesharper.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Molly Harper is a real estate professional who is passionate about her family and enjoys being outside as often as she can, something she shares with her husband, (Naked and Afraid all Star Wes Harper.) We've all seen him on the show, but today we will learn what goes into these experiences that we don't see and what is happening before and after the cameras roll. Welcome, Molly.
Molly
Thank you, happy to be here.
Marlana
So, it's my understanding that Wes's whole start of this experience was you're doing.
Molly
Unfortunately, that is true.
Marlana
So, tell everybody what happened.
Molly
Yeah, so be careful what you sign people up for. Wes and I were avid watchers of the show, we loved it and every week it got more intense with him adding invite and saying gosh, I can't look how dumb they are. They don't know how to start a fire, and there was just one evening, it just got to me and I said you know what you think you could do better. Let's get the laptop and so literally within 15-20 minutes we went through this fun little exercise of signing him. And hit submit and literally the next day middle of the afternoon he calls me and says you're never gonna believe this, but a casting company called me about the show, and I was like, Oh my gosh that's so great and everything was very exciting, and you know it took a little while for him to actually get on the first episode. It was about a year long. Commitment of a lot of different interviews and it was a lot harder than people think to get on that first time. But right then and there I knew that this was going to be pretty consuming in our life and that we were about to really jump into something we really didn't understand until this moment. So, it isn't my fault.
Marlana
The first time this process occurred, what surprised you about it?
Molly
I think what I was surprised about was how much he had to do in order to even get considered. They would send him things like you need 13 short videos. You need it first. There's the application you know. Then there were all these short videos that you'd have to do with regard to being out in the wilderness, and you know Wes is very creative, so he loved that he jumped in that he submits that and then next they would come back and say, OK, we have a 2 hour Zoom call that you have to have like production quality. And that's the next series. So, it literally took about 5 months for him to go through this process and then they fly him out to California for this psychological evaluation. He had never been to California. He was so excited. He never got to leave the room he was in. Sequestered in there. They ran him through a lot of you know, again, you have to go to your doctor. You get healthy all this, so it took about I don't know four or five months for him to even be considered as a participant on the show. I was very surprised. I just figured you signed up. I mean, how many people could be out there that want to do something crazy like this? Is my thought, you know? Just throw them out there and you go with it. But that first one was a very time-consuming experience, and it took quite a while.
Marlana
So, when it got down to it and you knew he was going, he had talked about walking around barefoot and all this kind of thing, what kind of preparation went in on your end?
Molly
I was just trying to maintain a kind of normalcy, you know, I think what a lot of people don't realize, and I would say every person at the level that Wes is at really spends a lot of time preparing for the show. So yes, he walks around barefoot. Of course, all the neighbors are like, why is your husband walking around barefoot. You know, he started to build fires in the back and so for me it was really just trying to keep things normal. We had quite a few kids at home. Still, you know with soccer, and we had homework and not that he was not helpful, he was. But everybody could slowly start to see that he was diving into this full-fledged, and so I felt like I just had to be the constant because none of us really knew what to expect. And you know he was changing a little bit because personally he's trying to get into this game mode and experience mode. I really wasn't sure what to expect. So, I just kept trying to be normal.
Marlana
Yeah, and if I remember correctly the first challenge was three weeks...
Molly
Yeah, to Brazil.
Marlana
So, well, he's gone. What happens on your end?
Molly
It's really hard. You know, it's not like your spouse is going on a business trip, you know? You're gone.
Marlana
Yeah, because you can't be in touch with him or anything.
Molly
No, not at all. So, you know the day before he gives the last phone call, and you know wish him luck and then it's like a game on. And you know, there's not a day that doesn't go by where I'm like, gosh, I wonder what he's doing right now, or I wonder what he's facing, and you know, you really don't know where they're going until like a week before, especially in the early challenges. So again, it was really more just staying with my normal mode of operation going to work every day. At that time, I was not in real estate, I was in IT and then just trying to handle, you know, all of the life things cause life doesn't stop, you know? He's over there and dealing with survival, which don't get me wrong is intense, but you know, your kids still have their little issues and their moments. They challenge you. I felt like they kind of challenged me to see if they could get away with things, and I'm definitely the easier parent. But it was really just staying focused and trying to get through and hoping I didn't get a phone call because I knew if I saw his phone number come through that something was wrong because there was just no way he would tap out. Because he couldn't do it.
Marlana
Now the challenge is over, and he comes home. What happens when he comes home?
Molly
Brazil was a very tough welcome home for him. He had done very well. He really struggled to get back into reality and what I say by that is one he'd lost an immense amount of weight. So, losing all that weight, with so much to your brain functions, so simple conversation. Simple decision making was very challenging, and it didn't take me long and I got kind of upset. Not with him, but that the process was so regimented to get him out there, the psychological evaluation. But as soon as they're done, they feed him a meal, put him on a plane and send them back home. And because this was his first time, it took a lot longer for him to reengage. I can remember him bashing like cell phone use that everybody has to use cell phones. All the time and what a simple life he had in Brazil. And there wasn't this interruption and you're always at somebody else's beckon call and I kind of found that interesting. There were nights that when we were in bed, he didn't know who I was, he thought he was still out there in the jungle, and he admitted that to me later. I mean he didn't do anything, but he was just like he would wake up, and go where am I? He slept in the bathtub, one night he literally slept out on the front lawn. All my neighbors saw him one night, just that disoriented, and you know again, after looking into it a little bit, I really think it's more like a lack of protein and so the brain gets impacted and just his like his desire. He loves his company. He loves our children and our family and there just wasn't that enthusiasm about it. It was very hard, it took a couple months for him to slowly get back into it, into where he was back to what I would say, before he went on the trip. And we talked about it a lot because it was so alarm to me, but you know, it was our first experience, and we didn't know any better. And so that's the stuff they don't really show you. And I have to say, I doubt it's just me that experiences that spouse comes back, just what they put their bodies through all the bites and the possible infections that they have. And it's really daunting when you first see them come back.
Marlana
Yeah, you know, it's funny that you mentioned all that too because I remember in a conversation that I had with him along the way, he said that the first time he came back, sleeping outside felt normal,
Molly
Yeah, just nothing felt normal about our normal life. You know even his look was a very glazed overlook and we went and had lunch with friends like right after he got home, and they were all kind of shocked because he was very distant. He couldn't talk about the show. It was a lot of sleeping, you know, just trying to try to get back into things and I can remember the kid saying to me what's wrong with him, is he OK? Is he gonna get better? And you know, I was like of course, he's just adjusting to life again. We have had a hectic life before. And going there for three weeks and focusing on nothing but survival, you know it's kind of hard to come back and really care about soccer practice and volleyball practice. And who's gonna get who were and put the perspective for him on what was really important.
Marlana
Right? All this happens and you experience all this, and then he wants to do it again. What was that like?
Molly
There were some tough days and months for us as every show that came back, and he wanted to go. Our life was getting less complicated. The kids were going to college, if that makes it less complicated. But I was very much against it. You know, I just was not the loving, supportive wife for many weeks prior to him going. You know, I was angry that this was such an interest to him and that he could go away from our family so easily. You know, that's how I perceived it and go do this. But then as it got closer, we had several conversations. I really realized you know the tough part about is, when you have a spouse that is so passionate something that you're not involved with to that to the degree they are, you can do two things. You can either support it as much as you can, or you can fight it and it can be really brutal because at the end of the day they're going to do that, and so I finally tried to turn the other cheek and be supportive, which was great. It did help out a lot. The problem is when you show that support. It also makes the other person feel like you're really interested, so constant conversations about all the time, all the time, about going. And you know, we really had to find the middle of the road. We had to figure out how he could, you know, be thrilled with what we're doing on a normal day, and then I can show support because the last thing I didn't want him to go on any of these challenges and mentally feel like he was letting me down or the family down. So that was my number one. I just thought there's such a mental part to this. Same as I, I never want him to feel like I don't want him to do this to the point that if he came home, I wasn't gonna be there and that was never ever going to be the case. So, it was a lot of give and take, I think on both sides and every challenge got a little easier. You know, I think we started to set a lot more parameters around things, but it was definitely not. I don't think it was my shining moment on, you know the white supportive of the year, but it was real and that was the hard part.
Marlana
You know, there's your side of it too, where here's this person that you love, comes home and is almost unrecognizable. And all of the things that you see, that have changed physically or mentally, and you don't want to experience that again.
Molly
Absolutely! Now, I think this is a part that I had to really hold myself accountable for. I mean, again, your husband is experiencing something. This group of people that nobody else is going to be able to understand and they formed this really tight knit group. And he always invited me to be part of the show whether it was getting on podcasts and getting on his, you know, Facebook lives and I always refused. Because that wasn't my life. That was his life and so selfishly I was jealous of the fact that he had all these great moments with people who I really didn't know. But it had nothing to do with me, and that's a hard thing. It's a humble thing to face. It just was one of those, again, not necessarily the shining moment for me to understand that. It's OK that they have a separate part of life, you know and that's things you have to work on because marriage is hard and it's you know you gotta work at it every day. Whether you have something like this involved or not, but yeah, I was always worried for him too. I mean because he was so mentally tough. I knew he would not just come out if he wanted to. You know, he would stay till they made him come home, and that was always scary too.
Marlana
Yeah, and you know, it’s things that you just said my brain goes in two different directions. The first one is because I have seen and have friends that their spouses are in the spotlight and in the limelight, and things like that. There's also that part as a spouse that people overstep boundaries. So, have you experienced any of that along the way?
Molly
Yeah, and us live in such a social media time, you know, and that's the other challenge. So, you know it's a fine line. I mean, I've talked to people that I've known forever who said I would never have let my husband or wife go on the show. They're naked with somebody they don't even know. So, you know I got over that part a long time ago because to me it's the show, is about the ultimate vulnerability, right? And that's what they're doing. But once you're on the Facebook stuff, I would say social media was a very hard thing for me to deal with. Obviously had lots of followers, lots of people. Coming in then they wanna invite me to their friends and I don't want to, I don't wanna get in the way of his getting more and more people, but I wasn't really wanting to be a part of what I was reading, what I was seeing. Never when we've been out. Has anybody really overstepped bounds? Please, but social media is a very tough thing when you're married.
Marlana
Well, it's easy to do when it's anonymous, you know?
Molly
Absolutely so then, no, you get a decision. Again, do you not participate? Do you just decline everybody? Who invites you to be friends? Do you not look at the post he's putting? But even that changes you. Know what's before the show? Never went on Facebook. Never really cared about social media after it became part of his life. And you know, it was like every other day doing posts and every morning, waking up and seeing how many people he had. So, it was really the social media aspect that again, I was not prepared for, and I really had to kind of figure out how to move on with what I'm reading with what I'm seeing, you know people would send them packages and you know all that goes back to communicating and you have to be talking to each other all the time, right? Never not a trust factor, but still people out there are. You know they will say what they say and social media gives them that platform.
Marlana
Right! Exactly! And you know the other thing that your last comment made me think of is, so when he comes home and he has burns and he has, you know, frostbite and all these kinds of things, how does that affect you?
Molly
It's heartbreaking. I mean, it's really, you know when he came home from Africa and that was such a tough one because he was in the hospital and I didn't know anything about it until he was back in the hotel and, you know, took him a while to get his system right and again, you're just watching and he has permanent scars. I mean, do you know the burns on his side from the capillaries being burned from laying too close to a fire? I mean, you're just in such shock that this is happening to somebody that you love so much and yet they want to keep doing it over and over again. I mean, these are elements that they can't control once they're out there, so it's very hurtful because there's nothing you can do. There's nothing at all you can do. Is just support and maybe recommend a doctor, once in a while, but he definitely has permanent scars on things that he's endured, especially burns. You know, the burns are those don't go away.
Marlana
Is it hard for you to watch the show?
Molly
It used to be hard for me to watch the show. It's not so hard now. I just think it's been I mean. It's been five years in our life. I mean, it's interesting to watch. He watched the show because he doesn't get to preview it. You all see it. We all see it together and. He does too, and he's super intense and he's all into the TV and you know, he's just like his focus is like crazy on it. But I don't think it's hard for me to watch it anymore. Of course we talk about things, and you know there are things I don't know what they put on there and he doesn't either. But you know, if I know he's made it then of course I know when there's something that says, oh, he may not make it. I'm like, I think. He yeah, I know. He does so he. Might have it, he might have this one in the bag. So, and now I've gotten to know some of the other people, I have gone to a couple of events and they are really great people. There's a personal connection when I watch it now, it does make me really appreciate what they all have the capability of...
Michelle Kuei
Elevate LifeCoaching
Michelle Kuei is an international speaker, certified visibility coach, content marketing strategist, and author. As the Founder of Elevate LifeCoaching, Michelle mentors women to use the power of storytelling as their secret sauce in attracting clients and turning their passion for coaching into a profitable business.
Clients who work closely with her start their coaching business confidently and courageously through Attract Clients Through Storytelling online course. They get clarity to the message and implement marketing strategies that are profitable and authentic.
In her book, Perfectly Normal: An Immigrant’s Story of Making It In America, Michelle shared her stories of Love, Courage, and Connection to empower her audience to let go of the imposter so they can make a more significant impact.
Michelle was born in Taiwan, Grew up in New York. And today, she lives in Los Angeles, California, with her short-hair orange tabby cat named ‘Toby.’
Website http://elevatelifecoaching.org
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/elevatelifecoach
Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/michellekuei
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/lifecoachingbyelevate
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/michellekueispeak
Book Website: http://elevatelifecoaching.org/orderbook
a story archetype quiz to find out what story you are telling in your business
http://quiz.attractclientsthroughstorytelling.com
Kevin Cassidy- business is Ninja Nation Charlotte. Book is Falling Down to Find Myself
Bullied kid to Hollywood stuntman to business owner, author and family man
www.kevincass.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Ruby Durham, Miss North Carolina for America 2022
House of Red
Suited X Red
I have a passion for creating aesthetic spaces and dressing women. I started building the foundations for both businesses in 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic. I just recently resigned from my on-air tv news job as a journalist to go full time as an entrepreneur.
https://www.houseofred.co/
https://www.houseofred.co/the-collection
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Emily Zimmermann and my business is called Grace Communications
The founder and CEO of Grace Communications, Emily Zimmermann, has over 15 years of experience leading marketing, public relations, event planning, and business development efforts for companies all over the United States. She has a demonstrated history of success with helping develop new companies and departments as well as extensive event planning and social media experience. She also has been responsible for public relations efforts in top markets all over the country such as Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Charlotte. Her passion for marketing and helping businesses grow is what led her to form Grace Communications
Emily also has a passion for speaking and educating others in fun, unique ways. Her It's A Match Workshops use the same fundamentals that are successful in dating, to help in the business realm. She has a variety of experience with public speaking including hosting fashion shows, events, live television segments, grand openings, conferences, and virtual training sessions.
www.gracecommunicationsagency.com
www.marlanasemenza.com
Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Now founder and CEO of Grace Communications, Emily Zimmerman has over 15 years of experience leading marketing public relations and business development efforts for companies all over the United States. Her It's A Match workshops is the same fundamentals that are successful in dating to help businesses grow. Welcome, Emily.
Emily
I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for having me on.
Marlana
So, I'm really intrigued by this handling business like dating. So first, tell us what you see some of the similarities as being?
Emily
I think there are unlimited similarities, honestly, this all came about because it was a way that I would kind of cope with the hardships of being an entrepreneur, it was how I would laugh about things. And I would find myself thinking like, this is like, when I used to be dating like this, or implying to me of how I felt before I got married, like, you know, and there were a lot of ups and downs, a lot of awkward situations. A lot of just, you know, are you a good fit? Are you not a good fit? Are you a match? Are you not a match. So, it was kind of one of those things where it was like a coping mechanism for me to change my mindset and look at it almost like a game or like something fun, when things would happen that were uncomfortable as a business owner. But some of the similarities, I think, right off the bat that most people are going to be like, Yeah, I can relate to that.
Our rejection is a big one. So, as you know, a female entrepreneur or even just entrepreneur, in general, you don't have to even put gender in there. Rejection is just a constant, you know, you just have to be prepared for that. And I always feel like that if you can change your mind set on how you handle rejection, you can do almost anything, because there's that fear of being rejected that so many people have, it's the same in the dating realm. You feel like, one of the things that holds people back, I think, from putting themselves out there, and finding the one or whatever is, is rejection. And it's so easy to take it personally and to feel like, I'm just never going to find that right match, I'm never going to have never been a boyfriend, I'm never going to get married, or I'm never going to find that client, the clients that
My name is Haydee Irizarry, lead vocalist of Carnivora, solo artist at Zahra Lux, and designer at Haus of Zahra Lux (custom leather and paintings).
Haydee Irizarry studied jazz, classical and contemporary music at Berklee College of Music where she also became lead singer of the metal band Carnivora. Irizarry composes under the name Zahra Lux, offering the listener a glimpse into her soul/R&B side.
www.haydeeirizarry.com
https://carnivora.bandcamp.com/
https://zahralux.bandcamp.com/ (https://zahralux.bandcamp.com/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Randi Karpinia - Sagacity Legal PLLC
Randi Karpinia, CEO of Sagacity Legal, transforms entrepreneur’s ideas and inventions into intellectual property assets that can lead to huge profits. With over twenty years of legal experience, Ms. Karpinia is a recognized expert in all aspects of business legal management with a focus on intellectual property rights and management. At Sagacity Legal, she guides her clients through the legal risks they’ll face now and in the future, so they can focus their time and efforts on the value, expertise, and experience they bring to their business.
https://sagacitylegal.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/randikarpinia
https://www.youtube.com/c/AttorneyRandiKarpinia
https://www.facebook.com/sagacitylegal (https://www.facebook.com/sagacitylegal)
Whether just starting out or an established business, I can help turn your ideas and inventions into profits. I offer a free IP consultation which can be scheduled directly at https://bit.ly/MeetWithRandi (https://bit.ly/MeetWithRandi)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Rich Chambers - Songwriter/Producer/Musician/Singer Does anyone still use the term "rock n' roll" anymore? Rich Chambers certainly does. In fact, he specializes in it, bringing us all the fun, excitement, and energy from the early days of rock n' roll in a uniquely fresh way built specifically for the 2020s.
Starting with the 2019 release of his Christmas album, “Santa’s Rockin’ Band,” Rich has been on a roll. His Christmas album produced one single, “the Snow Miser vs. Heat Miser,” which has been streamed more than one million times on Spotify to date. Following this has been six single releases beginning in January 2021, including his film festival award-winning video for his rock original, "I'm So Tired,” which has received accolades in over 50 film festivals across the globe for its hard-hitting social commentary. His most recent release is his guitar-driven version of the Beatles, “I Saw Her Standing There,” which debuted in March 2022 to high critical acclaim.
Rich’s music videos have received a combined total of well over 500,000 views, and his Spotify streaming is clocking in at approximately 25,000 listeners a month and growing. With more single and album releases planned for 2022, Chambers is making his mark as a rock n’ roll artist to watch for. As one music journalist recently said in the FLEX music blog about Chambers, who hails from Langley, British Columbia: "One of Canada's best-kept secrets, Rich Chambers could easily become a household name in a matter of months!"
With bombastic guitars and a vocal style that oozes rock n’ roll. Rich Chambers is giving us something that rock n’ roll has not seen in quite some time—energy and fun. It’s Rock n’ Roll Reimagined.
https://richchambers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/richchambersrocknroll
https://www.instagram.com/richchambersrocknroll/
https://www.youtube.com/c/RichChambers (https://www.youtube.com/c/RichChambers)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Does anyone still use the term rock and roll anymore, or chamber certainly does. In fact, he specializes in it bringing us all the fun excitement and energy from the early days of rock and roll in a uniquely fresh way built specifically for today, which is a songwriter, producer, musician and singer, whose music videos have received well over half a million views and his Spotify at approximately 25,000 listeners a month and growing with more single and album releases planned for 2022 chambers is making his mark as a rock and roll artist to watch for. Welcome Rich!
Rich
Hey! Thanks for that. That's a cool introduction. I like that. Thank you.
Marlana
What makes your story a bit unique is that you're actually circling back around to a passion that you couldn't let go of. So, talk to us a little bit about that.
Rich
Correct. I mean, I'm a middle-aged rocker. And it's like most musicians, I've been doing this since I was a little kid, I picked up the guitar at 10 and started writing songs of fourteen. And that's where I got absolutely hooked, songwriting was what did it for me. If it weren’t for songwriting, I would just be a hobbyist guitar player and singer, but you put songwriting in the mix, and I went nuts with it. And that's been one of my huge passions is but like many, you know, life journeys, things happen. And when I got out of high school, I was going to be the next rock star. A few cheesy days later, and about a year into that I realize, oh, this is going nowhere. I didn't want the smartest things I could have ever done when I went back to school. And then I pursued went further on as a kid very barely passed high school, I finished a bachelor's degree, a master's degree in it for a while was actually toying with PhD work. And it's pretty good considering I barely...
David Baer, The Prepared Group
David is a veteran direct response marketer who started his career selling classical music subscriptions online at the dawn of email marketing. Since then, his copy and strategic guidance have earned his employers and clients millions in sales.
Through his consulting work, David has served clients in industries ranging from Theater & Opera to Wine to Health & Wellness to Professional Services.
David hosts the podcast, More Perfect Marketing, where he discusses the importance of creating marketing systems to achieve consistent and predictable business growth.
David, along with his partner Ken Cook, runs the marketing strategy firm, The Prepared Group, which licenses a marketing strategy consulting process to marketing agencies and service providers.
Together they co-authored the book “Systematic Advisor Marketing: How Financial Advisors Can Strategically Attract, Convert, & Retain More Clients." In addition, David has authored two books on small business email marketing.
moreprefectmarketing.com
http://thepreparedgroup.com (thepreparedgroup.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
L. Frederick Dudek Prosperous Ventures, LLC
When Frederick Dudek is not turning ideas into millions of dollars in global sales, the award-winning author, speaker, and top sales executive spends his time inspiring others to achieve their highest business goals. Now you can receive the benefit of Frederick’s mentorship and experience through his book, Business $uperfans.
Born in rural France, Frederick spent summers on his grandfather’s vineyard in France, where he developed a love for French wine. As a youth, he showed a strong aptitude for engineering and competed in drafting and design competitions. After winning numerous engineering awards, he became a draftsman working on numerous automotive projects. He was selected to design the spot weld guns for the 1982 Ford Escort car. That led to Frederick joining the emerging computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) industry, in which he quickly climbed the ranks.
While working for a CAD/CAM company as an application engineer, an opportunity presented itself that enabled Frederick to transition into sales. It was the right decision, and he never looked back. In the thirty-plus years Frederick has been selling, he has earned a reputation as the go-to guy for small companies that want to expand their business domestically or internationally. This role has allowed him to travel to over thirty countries and counting. When abroad, Frederick’s favorite pastime is to go exploring for hours, not to mention enjoying some of the local cuisine and fine wines.
Frederick is a former runner and athlete. Today, you can find him hiking various trails with his significant other, Kiley Kaplan. When not writing, selling, speaking, or exploring, he is cooking or building things. The next thing on Frederick’s bucket list is learning to sail and to continue the exploration of countries and their unique cultures.
https://FrederickDudek.com
https://BusinessSuperfans.com (https://BusinessSuperfans.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word Marlana
Frederick Dudek is not turning ideas into millions of dollars in global sales. The award-winning author, speaker and top sales executive spends his time inspiring others to achieve their highest business goals. Now you can receive the benefit of Frederick's mentorship and experience through his book Business Superfans. Welcome, Frederick.
Frederick
Good morning!
Marlana
So first, explain to us what exactly is a superfan? How would you define that?
Frederick
Let's think of a sports team. So, the best way I can explain that is, we've all watched football or European soccer or baseball and stuff, and we'll see the fan that's in there. And it's got their faces painted. They got the jerseys on they got the hats; they got the banners; they got the bumper stickers on their cars. That's a superfan. And, you know, they're enthralled and just energized, and their energy's contagious, and they're promoting their team? And if you think about it, is the sports team paying them for that? No. So are they making money off for their merchandise? Of course.
So, they're getting free publicity. They're getting somewhere that it's talking about the team and all that PR, they're getting other people sucked into the team to watch the team and everything else. So, the idea came about through my sales experience for many, many years was Why can't a business apply the same methodology to create their own superfans for their business to become promoting them? So, you know, there's people talk about brand advocates? Well, you know, I look at it as Okay, brand advocates cool. But a super fan is super cool. Because it's in my mind is supersedes the advocate, because they're in a sense fanatic of the business, and...
Lori Peters Ocean Studios Emerald Escape (music)
Previously a member of Multi-Platinum & Gold selling, two-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, Skillet. Performed on several #1 hit singles. Over 30 years of drumming experience including studio recording, live performance, worldwide touring, & drum instruction. My husband, Chris, and I own and operate Ocean Studios. It's here where we have the capability to professionally record & edit my live drum sessions. We use Pro Tools Studio and have mixing capabilities using analog hardware and plugins. We also write, produce, and record our own music available on Spotify under the name Emerald Escape. I also enjoy volunteering for the non-profit organization called Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Foundation. I'm a 4 year breast cancer survivor, drummer, and rocker!
https://soundbetter.com/profiles/69296-lori-peters
https://soundbetter.com/profiles/138884-ocean-studios
https://open.spotify.com/artist/700jGfxWCVeMtJ0yYXX9R8?si=qBOMgt0MTYasQz-seeNqrg
https://www.breastcancercanstickit.org/
https://tiltify.com/@lori-peters/loripeters4yearsurvivor (https://tiltify.com/@lori-peters/loripeters4yearsurvivor)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word
Marlana
Lori Peters is a four-year breast cancer survivor drummer and rocker. previously a member of the multi-platinum and gold selling two-time Grammy Award nominated artists skillet. She has over 30 years of drumming experience, including studio recording live performance, worldwide touring and drum instruction. Now with her husband, Chris, she owns and operates ocean studios, while also volunteering for the nonprofit organization called breast cancer can stick it Foundation. Welcome, Laurie.
Lori
Hi, how are you?
Marlana
I'm doing well. So, tell us how did you get into music in the first place?
Lori
Oh gosh, well, I was my first drum kit was probably age four or five. So, I feel like right out of the gate. I was already into music. And then I really didn't get into like school band and stuff probably until junior high. And so, I begged my parents you know, can I they tried me on you know, piano guitar, everything else. I just really wanted to play drums. So, I just had to beg them for a drum set and finally got into school band probably like ninth grade, which is a little bit later. Just bought my own drum set from a neighbor. You know, I saved up my money. And I think that kind of showed my parents that I was really serious and watch MTV nonstop. But I think that's that was my biggest teacher was just watching videos like seriously. headbangers ball, all that stuff.
Marlana
So, what was it about the drums though?
Lori
I don't know. I think I just have this internal clock. Internal just beat always going at I don't know, I even before MTV was a thing. I'm know I'm kind of dating myself, but I just was interested in so wherever I would see drums no matter what kind of if it was rock music, anything. I was just always glued to it. So that's kind of how I ever since I can remember really. So how were you able to
Marlana
make the leap into doing it as a career? Oh, man. Well,
Lori
it took a lot of work. But I think my story might be a little bit different than maybe the typical stories that you hear. So, I played a lot. In church, I played a lot with a friend of mine, like we'd had local bands probably had two or three local bands and a lot of worship team, you know, playing on Sunday mornings. And then a friend of mine that I grew up with Cory, she started to date this guy. And he was from Memphis. And fast forward. You know, he, he was in a band called skillet, and they got signed really young. And I got to be in their wedding, which is kind of...
Julia Lage
Meet Julia Lage - bassist of Vixen and Smith/Kotzen
Julia is a Brazilian bass player, singer songwriter.
Inspired by bands like, Rush, Aerosmith and Guns N Roses, she began learning the Bass Guitar at the age of thirteen.
At the age of seventeen Julia had become a full time member of the critically acclaimed Latin Grammy nominated Brazilian band Barra Da Saia.
After her thirteen year tenure with the band which included major network television appearances, International festivals and domestic arena tours plus 3 full albums and 1 live DVD, Julia left the band and relocated to Los Angels California.
With a BA in music and arts as well as extensive studio and touring experience, Julia has found herself performing and recording with a vast array of A list artists and musicians such as Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (The Cars), Richie Kotzen, as well as performing along side Pop Star Janelle Monáe and rapper Jidenna at the American Idol Finals.
Julia also worked with Grammy winner iconic Latin artist Alejandra Gusmán, recording a live cd/dvd called 'Live at The Roxy'.
Most recently Julia toured with Smith/Kotzen, a rock blues band formed by Adrian Smith ( Iron Maiden ) and Richie Kotzen ( The Winery Dogs ).
At the same time she was invited to join the all female platinum selling rock band Vixen.
Julia also has her own projects which include her solo music and her band The Sister Knot.
Julia’s prolific nature as a writer has found her compositions and performances featured in various American films and television shows.
She is currently working on finishing her first solo album as well as a Sister Knot album and continues to tour with Vixen as they work on their new music.
My website: https://www.julialage.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_lage/
facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaLageMusic (https://www.facebook.com/JuliaLageMusic)
Here is my latest video for Wake Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsJu0LJ0hzU&list=PLUNkX209tKPGdGCzhSUBJBhvnlIm8lxrZ&index=7 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsJu0LJ0hzU&list=PLUNkX209tKPGdGCzhSUBJBhvnlIm8lxrZ&index=7)
wwww.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
My name is Payton Rose Velligan, but I go by Payton Rose on stage and on social media/website (From my website) Payton Rose Velligan is a 21-year-old multi-instrumentalist and performer born and raised just outside of Charlotte, NC. Specializing in vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, and occasionally a bit of tambourine, she is versatile and happy to fill any position on stage. Recognized at the national level as a high schooler by associations such as the GRAMMY foundation and Honors Performance Series, Payton has had many opportunities to perform on stages across the country, from small town bars to Carnegie Hall.
A public performer since the age of five, Payton took her first professional steps at the age of fifteen as a founding member of the band Irrashional, an original group out of Charlotte which sought to revive the sonic glory of 70s rock-n-roll. The band released two original EPs, Closer Than You Think (2018) and Beyond (2019), which feature Payton on vocals and bass guitar. In 2019, during her first month of college, Payton joined forces with Tommy DeCarlo, the singer of the legendary rock band Boston (since 2007). She has been thrilled to be the keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist of DECARLO for three years.
Payton is currently on tour with Tommy DeCarlo, performing the Music of Boston, and with Rudy Cardenas of American Idol, performing the Music of Journey. She is excited to be sharing some of her favorite music with audiences all over the globe!
Payton is currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, majoring in Music (surprise!) and minoring in Arts Administration. She is expanding her study of piano in college and spends her weekends traveling and playing shows.
When not practicing or performing, Payton enjoys spending her time reading anything - from classical literature to sci-fi novels to biographies to Shakespeare’s dramas. She also loves spending time with her family, her dog Cookie, and all the wonderful people she has befriended through music.
paytonrosemusic.com
@paytonrosemusic on Instagram and Facebook
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Tosha Jones, Musician From playing small, smokey bars in southern Indiana, to touring world wide with national music acts, Los Angeles based heavy hitting drummer, Tosha Jones, quickly made a name for herself throughout the world’s music scene. At just the ripe age of three, Tosha began expressing herself through music, song, and dance. In 1991 as a true drummer at heart, Tosha joined her jr. high school band and eventually begged her parents for a real drum kit instead of playing on various pots and pans and her mother’s Tupperware.
Stemming from numerous garage bands and many Battle of the Band competitions throughout the Midwest, Jones finally jumped ship from working multiple factory jobs in Indiana and saved up enough money to move to Los Angeles, California as she immediately landed the Vans Warped Tour in 2008 with then, all-female punk rockers, The Randies.
Respectfully, after years of rejected auditions and trudging the streets of the Sunset Strip along Hollywood, Jones found herself in various bands on the road opening for national rock acts such as Stone Sour, Halestorm, Seether, & Skid Row, while eventually landing a long tour stint playing drums for Grammy nominated rock band, Saliva in March of 2018. As one of her personal career favorites, Tosha was contacted by American Idol (2015) to play in an all-female drum line for contestant Tyanna Jones, performing the song “Run The World” by Beyoncé.
Fast forward to Covid-19’s protocols and cancellations in 2019/2020, and unfortunately like many other musicians finding themselves away from touring, Jones was part of numerous collaboration videos online which includes Sheltering Sky’s Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot) in their 2021 Björk’s cover “Army of Me”, and most recently “Throwin’ Stones”, which hit on the recent attack of Ukraine. Jones was also featured in artist/singer, Chloe Trujillo’s videos, “Mana” and “The Heaviest Sound is Silence”. You can also find Tosha playing drums online in the star-studded cast for the David Z Foundation covering “Zombie”, by Bad Wolves.
In December 2021, Jones was asked to play drums on a few tour dates for alt rockers Carolina Liar, best known for their hit songs “Show Me What I’m Looking For” and “I’m Not Over”.
In January of 2022, Jones received a last-minute call to bash the skins for the fresh hard rockers, Black Satellite, as they were direct support for Nita Strauss’s (Alice Cooper, The Iron Maidens) 2022 Winter Wonderland Tour.
In Spring of ‘22, Jones was invited to be a camp counselor for the famous Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp where iconic musicians such as Melissa Etheridge, Nancy Wilson (Heart), and Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go’s were the special guests.
Tosha is currently preparing for a summer long tour in the making playing drums for original singers of Josey Scott (Saliva) and Brett Scallions (Fuel) doubling down on the kit for both powerhouses on the Original Madness Tour!
•https://youtu.be/3-G9zkcBQTE
• https://youtu.be/1ZQy3lQF7Mc
https://youtu.be/6UmqG43rSV8 (https://youtu.be/6UmqG43rSV8)
www. marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Janet Robin- musician Janet Robin Bio: "Top 20 Acoustic Rock Guitar Players"-Guitar Player Magazine, 2017
"Top 10 Female Guitarists"-Guitar World Magazine, 2012
Music audiences around the world have seen Janet Robin's incredible guitar work as a former touring member of the Lindsey Buckingham Band (from Fleetwood Mac), Meredith Brooks, Air Supply, and many other international touring artists.
In 2018, Guitar Player Magazine named her as of one of the "Top 20 Rock/Songwriter Acoustic Guitar Players” and Guitar World Magazine listed her as one of the
“Top 10 Female Guitarists.”
Janet has been a guitarist since age 6 and is a veteran musician of the LA music scene. She got her start taking lessons from the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. In high school, she joined the all-female band Precious Metal in the 80’s and went on to be signed by Polygram Records and Capitol Records. As a solo artist, she has released her over 6 cd’s as a singer/songwriter and guitarist. Her latest cd, "Take me as I am" was produced by John Carter Cash (Johnny & June's son) and Chuck Turner, and was recorded at Cash Cabin Studios in Nashville.
She is also a dedicated and well respected guitar coach and has given several master guitar classes on the road and online. In 2015, she was asked to teach actress Jennifer Jason Leigh guitar for a scene in Quentin Tarantino's "Hateful Eight" movie. The actress was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award for that role. She tours worldwide as a solo artist and is also a member of the instrumental all guitar band, The String Revolution. TSR currently has over 4 million Spotify plays and in 2019, was invited to perform at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, CA. They recently released a unique instrumental version of "Crazy Train" that features Billy Idol's long time guitarist, Steve Stevens on the solo. TSR's song was added to full rotation on SiriusXM Instrumental Channel in March 2022. They have since signed a management deal with Miles Copeland International and look forward to touring in 2023.
www.janetrobin.com
http://www.thestringrevolution.com (www.thestringrevolution.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
My name is Sierra Levesque and my business is under my name (Sierra Levesque Music).
Sierra Levesque is a 17-year-old Rock artist from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada and her goal is to help lead the NEW GENERATION of Rock 'N Roll. Sierra is a singer/songwriter, and she also plays guitar, piano, bass, and drums. Sierra has been described as a combination of Ann and Nancy Wilson, with the powerful voice of Ann and the skilled, catchy guitar playing of Nancy.
Sierra has already gained notoriety from large media outlets, as well as from some powerful figures in the Rock music industry including Nancy Wilson (Heart), Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal (Sons Of Apollo, Asia, ex Guns 'N Roses), DJ Ashba (SIXX A.M, ex Guns 'N Roses), Desmond Child (Songwriter for Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, KISS), and Mark Slaughter (Slaughter) to name a few.
She hopes to use her original music to provide a voice for those who feel like outsiders, and to re-light the flame of Rock 'N Roll in society today.
Social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/sierralevesquemusic
Website:
http://www.sierralevesquemusic.com (www.sierralevesquemusic.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Being an entrepreneur is a tough business and not for the weak at heart, even when it gets the attention of the FBI.
Jeremy Delk is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for disrupting industries. Since 2001, his businesses have earned hundreds of millions in revenue, created 100’s of high paying American jobs, as well as other notable distinctions:
● Inc 500 - 21st Fastest Growing Company
● Inc 500 - 4th Fastest Growing Company in Health
He jumped into entrepreneurial ventures with the naivety of a child and the tenacity of a tycoon. He started day trading at the age of sixteen, learning and failing with each trade. It is this process of adapting through failures that is paramount to his success in business.
His knowledge and skill as a day trader helped him land a job as one of the youngest brokers at Fidelity trading institutional equities in Boston, and later in New York. It didn’t fulfill the entrepreneurial spark within him, so he decided to go out on his own creating Delk Enterprises. More than 20 years later, Delk Enterprises has holdings in biotech & healthcare, consumer brands, technology, building materials, and real estate development.
Jeremy now focuses on investing in and advising entrepreneurs through speaking. His upcoming book shares his reality of the Good, Bad, and UGLY of entrepreneurship. It serves as a not-so-subtle reminder of fundamental principles he’s learned through his journey: while great times don’t last forever, neither do the truly bad ones.
https://jeremydelk.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jeremysdelk/?hl=en (https://www.instagram.com/jeremysdelk/?hl=en)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Todd Cherches, CEO & Cofounder of BigBlueGumball
Todd Cherches is the CEO and cofounder of BigBlueGumball, a NYC-based management consulting firm specializing in leadership development and executive coaching. He is a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s “MG 100 Coaches,” a three-time award-winning adjunct professor of leadership at NYU, a lecturer on leadership at Columbia University, a TEDx speaker, and the author of the groundbreaking book, "VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life" (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster, 2020). Todd was nominated as a finalist for the 2021 Thinkers50 "Distinguished Achievement Award" in Leadership, and was ranked #35 on the 2021 Thinkers360 list of the “Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers in the field of Management.”
www.toddcherches.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcherches/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcherches/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Jeff Lovell | Jeff Lovell Coaching | Founder of The Great Life Project
Jeff Lovell is an expert guide and coach for authentic living. He created The Great Life Project to help successful creative founders and executives who are great at work be great at life. Together they create new ways to stop playing it safe and wondering what if, and instead start living a life you love, with people you love, while accomplishing your most important work.
https://jefflovell.coach
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lovell-coach/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lovell-coach/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
My name is Anshar Seraphim and I teach High-Stakes Negotiation, Persuasive Psychology, Neuromarketing, Interpersonal Dynamics, and Communication. My past clients include celebrities from the entertainment industry in Nevada and abroad, C-Suites, corporations, and individuals who are looking to hone their negotiation skills and learn how the power of psychology, neuroscience, and interpersonal dynamics can help change the face of the way they do business.
Anshar Seraphim can teach you not only how to close the sale, but to build trust, rapport, and make one-time customers into lifetime clients. He has trained sales associates and managers in bridal and engagement ring sales for Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria of Jewelry and has two decades of experience in sales and communication.
After helping to break records for fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for Signet, the company that owns Kay Jewelers, he was invited by his district manager to do sales and negotiation training for all the stores in his immediate region, resulting in the training of hundreds of jewelry store associates and managers in the Pacific Northwest.
Interestingly, he has also worked in the legal brothel industry, training sex workers on how to apply psychological principles to their negotiations for full-service sex work. His negotiation and communication training was responsible for increasing the gross sales of the top booking legal sex workers in the United States by over 300%, a success so significant he was invited to organize and implement training for multiple brothel properties in Nevada.
Anshar didn't get his start in sales like most people do. When joining the US Navy, enlisting for their Cryptography program, he found out that he had undiagnosed autism that should have disqualified him for service after already becoming a sailor. With a heavy heart, he left his military career to learn more about his Autism diagnosis and how to overcome and cope with the challenges presented by it.
He went into information technology and worked at his local college, developing his communication skills and working one on one with college students and faculty in their disability services program. He tutored every subject, from calculus to electrical engineering to astronomy to organic chemistry, and used his systems knowledge to not only help those in academia but also work on his own personal development in his weakest area, dealing with people.
Anshar now does customized negotiation training as a consultant, speaks on emotional dynamics, and advocates for the benefits that neurodiverse hiring can bring to the world of business.
https://www.facebook.com/anshar.seraphim
anshar.seraphim@gmail.com
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana
Anshar Seraphim teaches high stakes negotiation, persuasive psychology, neuro marketing, interpersonal dynamics, and communication. He can teach you not only how to close a sale, but to build trust rapport and make one-time customers into lifetime clients. So, if you're looking to hone your negotiation skills and learn how the power of psychology, neuroscience and interpersonal dynamics can help change the pace of the way you do business, this is the man you need. Welcome Anshar.
Anshar
Hi, how are you?
Marlana
I'm doing well. So, tell me, why is it so helpful to know our personality type?
Anshar
Well, you have a timeline. Basically, it's kind of like a spectrum. Some people argue that sexuality is on a spectrum, or the introversion and extraversion are on a spectrum, there are actually a few different elements of personality spectrum. And these are identified by Carl a long time ago. And it's not just introversion and extraversion. But it's...
Jones Loflin HOPE Inc Business Tagline: Helping others make the best choices with their time so they can thrive!
Jones Loflin has made it his life’s work to deliver powerful ideas and practical solutions to help people make the best choices with their time.
Jones’ innovative solutions have attracted the attention of organizations around the world. His client list includes Federal Express, Wal-Mart, and Choice Hotels as well as the United States military and a number of international companies.
Jones is an accomplished author and coach. His books include Always Growing, Juggling Elephants, Getting The Blue Ribbon, and Getting to It.
www.jonesloflin.com
https://jonesloflin.com/juggling-elephants (https://jonesloflin.com/juggling-elephants)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana
Jones Loflin has made it his life's work to deliver powerful ideas and practical solutions to as his tagline reads help others make the best choices with their time so they can thrive, which has attracted clients such as FedEx, Walmart, and the US military. Welcome Jones.
Jones
Oh, pleasure to be here with you, Marlana. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about a subject near and dear to my heart, which is making the best choices with your time.
Marlana
And honestly, sometimes a subject that I can be a hot mess with. So why do you think we struggle with time management?
Jones
Well, first of all, let me say this, I don't have it all figured out. If I tell a lot of people that when I do have it all figured out, I'll be dead, and it won't matter. You know because it is such a difficult topic. I think one of the things that happens for many people is it's just this whole term time management. You know, we really don't manage time, as Charlie Gilkey says, you know, we manage schedules, we manage energy, we manage choices, time can only be accounted for. It's only in the rearview mirror can we look back and go, Oh, yeah, that was not a good choice, which led to taking too much time with this and those kinds of things? And answer to your question, the reason I think we struggle is because we have so many competing demands on our time and competing expectations, you know, what we expect of ourselves, what our boss expects of us, what our family expects of us. And so sometimes it's hard to cut through the clutter, and figure out what is the best choice for me to make in this moment, and then you add in, you know, poor energy levels, so we don't have the mental energy to make the best decisions or to hold on to those healthy boundaries, that I think it's just a cadre of reasons that bring us to the point of we as not making the best choices with your time.
Marlana
You know, it's interesting because I believe that people don't seem to understand that everything comes at a cost. The cost does not necessarily have to be monetary, but if we say yes to something, then we're saying no to something else, because we only have a limited amount of time. So even if we say yes to something that we want to do or saying no to maybe another choice that we could have made or relaxing or anything, there's always a give and take here. That being the case, how do we make better choices?
Jones
I think it starts with stopping. And I know that sounds strange, but I make the comment sometimes that I think we're so busy checking boxes, we haven't stopped to ask ourselves, are these the right boxes to check? And so, I think it starts with stopping and giving yourself some space to say, what is important to me and to even step back? What are my values? What do I value? What's my purpose? I mean, I think it really starts with getting to that deeper level, and saying, what is it I want from my life, from my work, from the choices that I'm...
"RaRa" Kathryn "RaRa" Asaro Mayers
THE BRIDGE
THE BRIDGE is A Unique Educational Platform That Demonstrates Change & Positive Action
We Are Advocates Of Activating Creativity, Cultivating Determination & Igniting Manifestation!
Kathryn “RaRa” Asaro Mayers is a Native New Yorker, born in Brooklyn, who loves everything about the Big City. She is an audacious storyteller and an advocate of the virtual economy.
For over 3 decades RaRa has been living in Canada raising her family, then devoting her time to building her networks & strategic alliances in Canada and worldwide.
Kathryn went on to develop her market in Real Estate while living in New York until the mid-’80s. Then Psychology, Fitness, Nutrition, Lifestyle & Business Strategizing while living in Montreal and New Business Development with her companies as an integral part of her 10-year plan.
Speaking, Presenting, Coaching, Team Building, Business Etiquette & Relationship Marketing are some of the skills RaRa is passionate about.
Key Businesses that have Kathryn’s personal participation and partnership from inception are Brooklyn Heights, THE BRIDGE, Gratitude Girls, BU Network and her Send Out Cards-Team Gratitude.
Rotarian at heart since August of 2014 RaRa currently serves her community in Niagara as a member with her heart in “Service Above Self”.
Appointed as one of a few selected, Director at Rotary Club of St. Catharines and Co-Chair of Membership Committee, RaRa is communicating with businesses and the members of the community on strategic membership growth and long term engagement.
Serving proudly at Art’s Etobicoke as an Executive Director and Co-Chair for the Nominations Committee, RaRa is extremely devoted to the wellbeing of the community.
Kathryn is a former member of Toastmasters International and BNI: Business Network International and is currently an Ambassador Recruiter to assist in launching specific new chapters in GTA.
At THE BRIDGE, Our main focus is on Action-oriented behaviour and businesses that aim to monetize a new concept or reframe a current program to generate greater profitability.
Empowerment is a state of mind with THE BRIDGE and our Ambassador Clients. Bridging Phases are designed and created for companies and individuals who are aligned with having a competitive edge and strategizing more momentum.
RaRa is elated to be a VERITY member and commutes from Niagara on the Lake as an active and engaged member since August of 2021.
https://bio.link/rara
https://www.thebridgeempowers.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.asaro.77/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-rara-asaro-mayers/
https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.asaro.77/
https://twitter.com/Kat_Tea (https://twitter.com/Kat_Tea)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Jason Azevedo MRCA
Jason created his first manufacturing company with just $600 when he was only 15 years old. At this young age he was able to establish business with some of the greatest companies in the world such as Starbucks, Nike, Disney, Marvel, Volkswagen, Audi, Lucas films, dodgers, NBA teams. By the time he was 20 he was already making millions in revenue.
Jason is one of the most dynamic people you will meet. He owns and operates the last standing MADE IN AMERICA factories (IN CALIFORNIA NO LESS!) and has hatched a plan to give back the factories and some of his wealth to the American workers.
In 2009, Jason co-founded Mosaic, taking on the role of CEO — his talents are far beyond running the company, with duties touching conceptual development, engineering, and deployment. Since 2009, Jason’s been at the helm of growing the company year-over-year, acquiring several entities, and creating several others to round out manufacturing efforts. His emphasis on Made In America is a driving force for how the various companies he’s co-founded operate. He also assists with business development and client strategy and is an integral part of how we operate.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GOMRCA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/202657382027478
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturingrevitalizationcorporationofamerica/?viewAsMember=true
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gomrca/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/JAzevedoMRCA
Facebook: facebook.com/jasonazevedoMRCA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-azevedo/
Instagram: @jasonazevedomrca
https://mrca.net/
https://advoque.com/
https://mosaic-sf.com/ (https://mosaic-sf.com/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana
Jason Azevedo created his first manufacturing company with just $600 when he was only 15 years old. At this young age, he was able to establish business with some of the greatest companies in the world like Nike, Disney, Marvel, Volkswagen and Lucasfilm. By the time he was twenty, he was already making millions in revenue. Among other things, he has gone on to Co found mosaic growing with company year over year. Welcome Jason.
Jason
Awesome, thanks for having me. I'm excited to talk to them.
Marlana
So, I'm intrigued by this because at 15 years old, what at that point did you know about business?
Jason
That it was a thing that people do. It was wonderful moment in time because you don't know what you don't know, so you go try it and we had this harebrained idea to go print T shirts and that grew and grew and grew and it let's see where we're at today. We started in February of 2000. Here comes the late 2007, early 2008 crash. We lost everything before we had anything. It was so you learn business in a way that no one else did and it wasn't reading a ton of books. You were living one of the hardest markets in history, and it taught you just how to kind of deal with the emotional side of stuff, the business side of it, the finance and we just kind of learn and put our heads down and kept on working.
Marlana
You know, it's interesting that you bring that up because I thought people with the pandemic that we're starting businesses in the early pandemic. That in some ways they had a little bit of an advantage because you were already seeing where the holes were, so you know what? To plug up so. It seems the same kind of. Thing for you is that.
Jason
Yeah, it was actually really interesting because what ended up happening was, we were able to buy equipment cheaper than any other company could because there's fire sales going on left and right. All of the big competitors they were. It wasn't a huge margin business, so if they lost one or two major clients, it really hurt them. So, we...
Theresa Depasquale Capture Social Group
CEO and founder of Capture Social Group, Theresa Depasquale helps busy entrepreneurs grow their brands on social media.
With over 10 years of experience, she’s mastered the art of online branding and social media strategy and has become the go-to for many high-level clients and companies providing one-on-one consulting and management programs to help them successfully grow their reach, credibility and sales on social media.
http://capturesocialgroup.com/ (http://capturesocialgroup.com/) Instagram Strategy Course -- https://socialbutterflycourse.com/course47729334 (https://socialbutterflycourse.com/course47729334)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana CEO and founder of Capture Social Group, Theresa Depasquale has mastered the art of online branding and social media strategy and has become the go to for many high-level clients to help them successfully grow their reach credibility and sales on social media. Welcome, Theresa. Theresa Thanks. Thanks for having me. Marlana So first, tell everybody a little bit about your background and how you got to this point. Theresa Yeah, that's a great question. So, I started my entrepreneurial journey, owning gyms, I had a couple of health clubs here in the Tampa Bay area. And at that time, I was also a very new mom with two little nuggets and kind of a new wife and a lot going on. And I just decided that that whole brick and mortar membership-based business is not my favorite thing, and not gonna work for me. I ended up getting really sick just from stress. Because as you know, when you're a new mom, you don't sleep a lot. I have a lot on my plate, I ended up closing one gym and selling another recipe for nothing, we ended up actually bankrupting. And in that time, I kind of took off when I was not feeling well. And I was like, You know what, I'm just gonna take a year off and kind of forget what I want to do. And Instagram had just come out. And I was like, just kind of fiddling around on there. And like, I remember not even knowing how to put a post-up, I was kind of like, how do you even use this app? It's so weird. I have no idea what I'm doing. But long story short, at that time, I had owned the gyms, but I had never done anything with like competitive fitness. And I had this year that I was like, not really working. So, I was kind of like, you know what, I'm gonna do a fitness show because it scares the *** out of me. And if I'm scared of something that means I have to do it. So, it was like, You know what, let me just lean in, I'm gonna commit to one. And so, at that time, I started using Instagram and I was like posting my journey of doing this kind of fitness show. And I was just started growing followers and back then it was like, so easy to grow so different than it is now you know? And so, I was kind of like when the OG fitness people on Instagram. It was like me and Natalie. Becca surname, Natalie Skye. And or no knowledge will fit and Emily sky. There was a couple of us that really started back then. And so, I kind of just started really kind of like, oh, well, maybe there's something here with this whole Instagram thing. And I wrote an e book. It was called The Kinney Mom’s Secrets. And I remember I sold $5,000 In one day to my Instagram audience. And I was like, Whoa, I was like, Okay, there's a business here, like this is something is happening. I got very serious about it actually started building other marketing pages on Instagram. I like what 100% And I was doing, like, I had these huge brand pages that I would sell ads on or leverage them to build my page. I did all this stuff on Instagram. And so, I did that for a while until I actually started a whole online fitness business...
Britt Lightning Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp Vixen
Britt Lightning is the Musical Director for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, as well as the lead guitarist for the legendary all-female Platinum selling 80's rock band Vixen.
Britt has played guitar for top 40 artists like Rachel Platten and Jason Derulo, performing live at festivals and on national TV shows such as Good Morning America, the Today Show, Live with Kelly and Michael, VH1, the Teen Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, and performed on the 2016 finale of America's Got Talent, which took place at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. Britt performed for 22-time Grammy Award winning artist Alejandro Sanz in his stadium-level world tour. Britt is featured in Sanz’s "La Musica No Se Toca – En Vivo" CD/DVD. Britt joined Sanz at the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas performing the single “No Me Compares”, and performed with the band at prestigious festivals, venues and international TV specials.
During COVID Britt hosted and helped produced over 150 online masterclasses for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp with top rockstars like Roger Daltrey (The Who), Alice Cooper, Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Robby Krieger (The Doors) and more. Now that live events are back, she is helping to plan the camps as well as working as a counselor and the musical director. This May Britt will be running the first ever Women's Only Rock Camp featuring Melissa Etheridge, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's), Orianthi and more.
Britt has a vast knowledge of the music industry; on the creative side being a professional musician and songwriter, and on the business side, having earned a degree in Music Business from Northeastern University graduating Summa Cum Laude, and continuing her education at Berklee School of Music. In addition to Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, Britt has worked in the music industry at Live Nation and Universal Music Group. Labeled the “Closer” by Lady Gaga, Britt has followed her dreams by striving to grow and evolve as a musician and person.
brittlightning.com
rockcamp.com
http://vixenofficial.com (vixenofficial.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana Britt Lightning is a musical director for rock and roll fantasy camp as well as the lead guitarist for the legendary all female rock band vixen. To say her accomplishments are outstanding would be an understatement. And the list of musicians She's performed with beyond impressive. In addition to playing stadium tours, festivals, and international TV specials, she has also hosted and helped produce over 150 online master classes for rock and roll fantasy camp, as well as planning live camps and working as a counselor and the musical director. Labeled to closer by Lady Gaga, Brett has followed her dreams by striving to grow and evolve as a musician and person. Welcome, Brett. I'm really excited to have you here. Britt Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. Marlana first of all, I have to ask how why the closer. Britt Basically, when I did the audition for Lady Gaga, we got the callback, we auditioned in front of other people, then finally, we auditioned in front of her on this soundstage for a few days, and she didn't really want us to play any of her songs initially, she just said, do something to impress me. So, I just kind of got up there. I shredded and I played behind my head, and I was on the floor, and just, trying to be flashy and doing what I thought at the time might be impressive. And she loved it. And she just said, you're like the the closer when the baseball team needs to close the game, they throw in that one guy and then he'll just close the game up, he'll hit the homerun at the end and just sweep it.
Success Development Solutions Amber Fuhriman is an attorney, speaker, success architect, and podcaster. She is the Owner and Attorney at Fuhriman Law, a Law Firm she operates in Las Vegas, Nevada. Amber practices Criminal Defense and Immigration Law. She graduated from Law School in Michigan and immediately moved to Vegas to being her career.
Throughout her educational and professional career, Amber always thought there would be a moment where everything would fall into place, as she calls it, her “I’ll be happy when moment.” When that moment never came, Amber started to realize her entire identity had been tied up in being an attorney and chasing accomplishments to fill a void that accomplishments could never fill. Amber’s road to becoming a success architect began in 2016 when she dug into personal development. Since 2016, Amber has pushed the boundaries of her self-imposed physical and mental limitations, living outside her comfort zone as much as possible and learning about how the mind works and how our limiting beliefs affect our success.
In 2020, Amber became a Certified Trainer in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and a Certified Master Practitioner in Integrated Timeline Techniques. Now, in addition to practicing law, Amber is a Success Architect and NLP Trainer. She works with “serial accomplishers” like her former self to help them gain clarity what they actually want, define what their best life looks like and helps them get out of their comfort zone to achieve their dreams.
Amber believes that pushing yourself out of your comfort zone physically helps challenge your mental limitations of what you can accomplish professionally. She uses her experiences with loss, grief, academic and professional success, and physical challenges including a 24 hour endurance obstacle course race to help her clients get out of their own way and achieve their highest level of success.
www.successdevelopmentsolutions.com
www.linkedin.com/in/amberraefuhriman
https://www.facebook.com/groups/morethancorporate (https://www.facebook.com/groups/morethancorporate)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Amber I'm So glad to be here. Thank you So much for having me. You know, I feel we're just talking about this. And I'm super excited, because I get to travel a lot. And So, I feel like this is one of the benefits of what we get to do is like, we can do this from anywhere. And it really creates like a really cool freedom. So, thanks for work on your schedule around me. Marlana Oh, absolutely. So, you know, when I was mentally preparing for all this, a thought came to mind that I had read it, in effect it was if you live by persons compliments, you will die by their criticism. And I thought that that was just such an appropriate thing for this conversation. Because how does that affect our success and our self-worth and our all those things going forward conversation and community? Amber A lot of times we look for that validation from the people around us. And that will that's what causes So many of the crashes that people have later on in their careers in their life is that they have chased that Person who thought this would be a good idea. So, let me do that. So, they'll like me, when really what we need is that internal validation and that internal compliment, which is the most uncomfortable to give. And So, I really think I love that quote. And I think it could be expanded on by saying that the moment that you start chasing internal compliments, is that moment that things kind of fall into place for you. Marlana And those seem to be the most elusive. So, how do we actually catch those fleeing critters. Amber So, I think that every...
Carli Batson - Miss North Carolina 2021 / Miss North Carolina Scholarship Organization Originally from Wilmington, North Carolina & a current senior at Appalachian State University, Carli studies communication; Public Relations and minors in Theatre Arts. Her passion lies within the arts & she has dedicated her reign as Miss North Carolina 2021 to serving communities across North Carolina, specifically local art communities. Carli has raised over $35,000 for rural theatre communities with her social impact initiative, Carolina Cares. She is proud to be a first generation college graduate this May and a debt free one, thanks to the Miss North Carolina and Miss America Organizations.
Instagram - @missamericanc
Website - http://missnc.org (missnc.org)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana Carli Batson has experienced the past year as Miss North Carolina 2021, originally from Wilmington and a current senior at Appalachian State University, clearly appropriately studies communication, public relations and minors in theater arts since that's where her passion lies. She is proud to be a first generation college graduate in May 2022. And a debt free one thanks to the Miss North Carolina and Miss America organizations. Welcome Carli. Carli Hi, thank you so much for having me today. Well, I'm so so excited to do this. Marlana So here's the thing. June of 2021, they announced your name, you win a title and you get thrown into the public eye. What has been the best part of that? Oh, Carli my goodness, that's such a hard question to start off with. But I get this question quite often. And what I always say and what will probably always be my answer is the amount of people that I've been able to meet, but the amount of different types of people I've been able to meet, in one weekend, I could be at the poetry Jubilee, and then at a senior citizen center, and then reading to students. And you know, you never get to really understand how broad our state is, as a community and how, how different we are and how special and unique that is, until you're kind of in a position like this. So I've been super, super grateful for that. And being able to make so many connections this year, and hopefully, some professional connections going forward. And it's just the journey of being myself. I think, in this conversation, we'll get into it more. But that's what a lot of people forget. When the crown gets put on your head, or you get an amazing opportunity, they forget that you're an actual human being with actual real human being problems, too. So it's been difficult to balance everything, especially still being a full time student. I'm graduating in a couple of days from Appalachian State. So being able to balance everything has been kind of chaotic, but I couldn't have done it without the amazing support system I have, and how welcoming our state has been of myself, even with all the challenges that I brought to my, to the table on my own. Marlana So what do you think, has been the most difficult part of the job or the part that you wish that you had been either better prepared for or better warned about? Carli Right. So I think in today's society as a whole, the role of a title holder, especially in the Miss America organization, has turned from, she's still a social advocate in her community, but even more, so she has to be able to display that on social media, and almost become more of an influencer on social media. So that was something I was completely uncomfortable with. Moving into this role, I didn't have that pretty much of a social media presence to begin with. I wasn't super comfortable talking and being candid and transparent on social media. So at the...
Marklyn T. Johnson Author/Comic/Host/Motivational Public Speaker
Marklyn T. Johnson Born and raised in central New Jersey, he lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 2005-2014 before returning to New Jersey. A graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, Marklyn has worked in the production industry for over twenty years.
Growing up, Marklyn idolized many different men. His first idol was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that’s usually the first big name outside of Jesus that many learn in their home. As he got older, Marklyn idolized Michael Jackson, Eddie Murphy, Michael Jordan and Tupac Shakur.
Marklyn’s greatest idol was his father, Willie. When he looks back on his life, Marklyn regrets ignoring the life lessons his father taught him. However, when he thinks about the man he’s become today, the way he tells it like it is, the way he tries to lift others up, and his willingness to help others, he is reminded that these are all his father’s teachings. Often times as kids, we take our fathers for granted and don’t take the time to really understand those lessons.
https://marklynspeaks.com/ (https://marklynspeaks.com/)
Amazon: Lessons From a S*** Talker
https://www.amazon.com/LESSONS-SH-TALKER-Marklyn-Johnson/dp/B08MSQ41VL/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3F0JUC04FKJTV&keywords=marklyn+t+johnson&qid=1648751415&sprefix=Marklyn%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-2 (https://www.amazon.com/LESSONS-SH-TALKER-Marklyn-Johnson/dp/B08MSQ41VL/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3F0JUC04FKJTV&keywords=marklyn+t+johnson&qid=1648751415&sprefix=Marklyn%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-2)
Facebook Conversations The good, The funny, The ugly
https://www.amazon.com/FaceBook-Conversations-Good-Funny-Ugly/dp/B09V573R48/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3F0JUC04FKJTV&keywords=marklyn+t+johnson&qid=1648751415&sprefix=Marklyn%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-3 (https://www.amazon.com/FaceBook-Conversations-Good-Funny-Ugly/dp/B09V573R48/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3F0JUC04FKJTV&keywords=marklyn+t+johnson&qid=1648751415&sprefix=Marklyn%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-3)
IG: MisterDirect / MisterDirectComedy
FB: marklynscotchplains
Podcast: Mister Direct’s Sunday Coffee
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Ruth Yunker Author and Humorist
Ruth Yunker is an author, humorist and memoirist. She's been writing for thirty five years, and has published three books. Two about Paris, and surviving this beautiful but touchy city, traveling solo, staying in apartments, without a hotel at her back. "Me, Myself and Paris" and "Paris, I've Grown Accustomed to Your Ways". Her third book "Baby, I'm the Boss of Me, My Journey to Ageless" takes on aging with vibrant curiosity, personal power and a well-defined sense of humor, to ensure smooth sailing along this most daunting time in our lives. Ruth lives in Los Angeles, has two grown children whom she adores, is in between pets, does the New York Times crossword puzzle with an erasable pen, and has an unfortunate addiction to barbecue potato chips.
https://www.ruthyunker.com
https://www.amazon.com/ruthyunker/babyimthebossofme
https://www.youtube.com/c/ruthyunker
https://www.instagram.com/ruth.yunker/
https://facebook.com/ruth.yunker (https://facebook.com/ruth.yunker)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana Ruth Younker is an author, humorous and memoirist. She lives in Los Angeles has two grown children is in between pets, does the New York Times crossword puzzle with an erasable pen and has an unfortunate addiction to barbecue potato chips. She has been writing for 35 years and has published three books including Baby on the boss of me my journey to Atlas. Welcome, Ruth. Ruth Hi, thank you for having me on. Marlana So, I really am looking forward to having this conversation with you because I think aging is a touchy topic when it comes to women because most of us, as we age almost feel like we have to shrink and become a little more invisible. We aren't in the bloom of youth anymore, opportunities seem to be less, all those kinds of things. And even the beauty industry has such an emphasis on being young, staying young, all these kinds of things. So, I know that you use the term agent by viciously so how do we embrace that as opposed to, you know, wallowing in the corner? Ruth Yeah, first of all, get out of the corner, and stop wallowing and you're not invisible you're making you're doing it to yourself. Now I know people say I feel less visible now, well darken your eyebrows, for one thing, that's a practical thing women give up on their eyebrows as they get older. And I'm serious about this. I taught this is my book, Baby I'm the boss of me. And one of my chapters in it is about when I discovered the day that my eyebrows had turned white on me, you know. And anyway, that's the as you can see. But it's I don't we are from the very beginning. Beginning given a bad rap. Now I was a teenager in the 60s. So, I hit the baby boomers burn your bra, you're over by the time you're 30 types of attitudes. But it was a crazy time, and it wasn't the first time that women rose up and, you know, did their speech. I mean, it's been going on for a long time. But I think it gets back to the whole don't buy into that, that you're less beautiful as you get older, actually in the modeling industry now there is a huge it's called the classic. And using older models, just as diversities come into that world and but it's up to you, you know, you can't this is not a time when somebody else is going to give you a hand when as one gets older. It's their path. It's my path. You know, it's like you're all alone when you're born and you're all alone when you die, no matter how many people around the bed. It's you taking that next step and the sooner and I think I don't think we're born vulnerable feeling I think it really does have to do about have to do with our looks and that aging part but that affects men as well. I have men friends and pen their pay slips you know, the bottom half never really taught. And I can keep the craggy brow, but you know it's and that starts you're preserving your look...
Kon Apostolopoulos Fresh Biz Solutions
Kon Apostolopoulos is the Founder & CEO of Fresh Biz Solutions, a Human Capital Management consulting group that provides performance improvement and training solutions to help organizations develop a pipeline of leadership talent ready to implement their strategy. He is an award-wining coach, a master facilitator, and the coauthor of the timely book, “7 Keys to Navigating a Crisis: A Practical Guide for Emotionally Dealing with Pandemics & Other Disasters.” As a Thinkers 360 Global Top-10 Thought Leader, he is a regular contributor to popular industry and cultural publications, such as Management-Issues, Achievers Engagement Blog, and Thrive Global.
When not working with business leaders, “Coach Kon” gives back to his community by developing young soccer players in local, state, and Olympic Development Programs. After all, sports is a great way to teach important life skills!
https://www.freshbizsolutions.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachkon/
https://twitter.com/Kon_Ap (https://twitter.com/Kon_Ap)
https://www.amazon.com/Keys-Navigating-Crisis-Practical-Emotionally/dp/1734943815 (https://www.amazon.com/Keys-Navigating-Crisis-Practical-Emotionally/dp/1734943815)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Marlana Kon Apostolpoulos is the founder and CEO of Fresh Biz Solutions, and award-winning coach, Master facilitator and the co-author of the timely book Seven Keys to Navigating a Crisis: A Practical Guide for Emotionally Dealing with Pandemics and Other Disasters. But when not working with business leaders, Coach Kon gives back to his community by developing young soccer players in the local state and Olympic development programs. Thank you so much for being here. Kon Pleasure to be here with you Marlana. Marlana So, that's where I really want to start, and use it as a jumping off point; your work with athletes, because competition is a very interesting topic to me. And I really think that women and girls are conditioned and trained differently than boys to deal with it. And I was just curious, what has been your experience in how men and women differ when it comes to competitions? Kon That's a very interesting question. The simplest way that I answer that question, when I get asked is that boys need to play well or play good to feel good. Girls need to feel good to play well. The origin of their validation for themselves, typically, and without trying to be stereotypical. But in general, there is an element of thoughtfulness to a girl's play, to a woman's play, she needs to understand why they're not opposed to getting dirty and getting out there and working hard and doing all those things. But they have to understand why boys don't give it a second thought. They'll jump in there. And they have to get out there and get dirty and wrestle with things in order to feel good, because it's that activity itself, that brings joy to them and satisfaction, whereas with the girls, they need to understand why we're asking them to do that, in order for them to commit to go down that path. And much of the origin of that has its roots in how we raise boys and girls. Talk to me about that. Kon Well, there's an interesting thing to think about it this way, we spend a lot of time for anybody that has children of both genders. Typically, with the boys, we have no problem, sending them out to go get dirty to wrestle in the mud, to go play, to be physical to do all of those things. Anything that they do, and they beat up on each other, we see as healthy competition between males. We don't do the same with girls. We typically emphasize prettiness, we emphasize good behavior, we emphasize speech, we emphasize other elements of who they are, as opposed to the physical attributes, which are associated with athleticism. Marlana So, let's go back to good behavior. Because it seems to me when we look at instances,...
Fred Joyal The Fred Joyal Company
Fred Joyal is an entrepreneur, speaker, business advisor, and #1 Amazon Bestselling author. He co-founded the most successful dentist referral service in the country, 1-800-DENTIST, which, in his 30 years as CEO, generated over $1 billion in revenue. Along with this achievement, he has also been awarded the Conrad Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneur Award by Loyola Marymount University. He has written two bestselling books for his industry, and also written and appeared in over 200 television and radio commercials.
Fred Joyal is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and business advisor. He co-founded the most successful dentist referral service in the country, 1-800-DENTIST. He has previously written two books on marketing, has dabbled in standup and improv comedy, acted in bad movies and excellent TV commercials. His latest book, Superbold: from Under-confident to Charismatic in 90 days, is an Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller. He once beat Sir Richard Branson in chess and was also a question on Jeopardy. He is an avid cyclist, a below-average tennis player and an even worse golfer. He lives in Los Angeles.
https://fredjoyal.com/ (https://fredjoyal.com/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Shavannah Speaks Moore Shavannah Speaks Moore is a portrait of resilience and grace. The entrepreneur, speaker, life coach and corporate master trainer’s goal is to empower women & Leaders to become ALL that they desire. As a woman who has experienced many hardships in life including but not limited to poverty, molestation & depression, Shavannah has not allowed these obstacles to hold her back. Instead, she has used them as catalysts to push herself forward.
She has broken boundaries & challenged the status quo of what society deemed possible. This stellar media mogul will soon be gracing our television screens with her new show, Limitless Living with Shavannah Speaks Moore on CBS, which teaches viewers how to overcome obstacles and live their dreams by letting their voice be heard!
https://linktr.ee/Shavannahspeaks (https://linktr.ee/Shavannahspeaks)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana
Shavannah Speaks Moore is a portrait of resilience and grace. As an entrepreneur, speaker, life coach and corporate master trainer. Her goal is to empower women and leaders to become all that they desire. She is broken boundaries, challenge the status quo and will soon be gracing our television screens with her new show Limitless Living with Shannah-speaks-moore on CBS welcome Shavannah.
Shavannah
Hello, thank you so much for having me.
Marlana
So, I know people look at you and where you are at this stage in the game. And think it must have been easy. You know, there have been no obstacles that you've overcome. But I know that you certainly have. talk to us a little bit about what it took to get to where you are.
Shavannah
Oh, boy, where do I even start with that? So, you're right. a lot of the times, you know, on this journey that we travel, a lot of people see your success, and they have no idea what the story is behind that success. So, for me, I guess without going too much into my backstory, I grew up in a little small country town out here in North Carolina, I grew up with my grandmother, I stayed there until I was about 13 years old. And then I came where I am today in North Carolina to live with my mother. So, throughout my childhood, there was a lot of things that I encountered DOM that children should not have encountered. Absolutely no faults, my grandmother, of course, but just things that we encountered growing up as children, you know, such as molestation and living in poverty and things that I really had no idea that was happening at this time, because we made the best of what we had, right? Because I didn't know any better at the time. So, I transitioned, I came here to live with my mother. And it was almost like, that was a turning point for me, because I feel like that's kind of where my life took a turn for the worse, for better lack of words, where I kind of started getting access to the street life, and you know, alcohol and sex, and just all the things that I feel that as teenagers a lot of us experience, but I experienced a lot younger. So, I feel like I grew up quick if that makes sense. So basically, you know, I traveled that journey, my life took a turn for the worst. And at that point, it was like I was either going to end up somewhere good or locked up, or, you know, it would have been a bad journey. For me, I'll say that. So ended up getting into corporate, I got a background in mortgages. So, I started traveling down the corporate journey and things started to really unfold for me.Then I started to see things from a different light, I started to see possibility, I started to really see another side of life that I had never had access to before. So, once I started doing my corporate journey I got into mortgages, I would like to raise the ladder really quick in the mortgage industry. And then back in 2013 is where my...
Claire Harvey Claire Harvey Photography / You, Your Brand
Claire Harvey is a mother of three, lover of nature, adventure and food.
For over 20 years Claire has been involved in both the photography and financial worlds.
Claire's initial thrilling photographic endeavor was as an intern at the Christian Science Monitor, photographing President Clinton and other White House events. She had her work published in the international publication.
Over the past 15 years, Claire has worked for two prominate public financial companies, advising executives on how to communicate with investors. For 5 years she worked for CapitalSource, during both flourishing years and the downturn of 2008. She later moved on to oversee the IPO of Walker & Dunlop and stayed on board playing an instrumental role in the stock's 5-year movement from IPO price of $10 to over $50.
Claire brings together her fascination with entrepreneurial endeavors and her love of, passion for, and talent in photography to create meaningful work for her entrepreneurial clients. This unique blend of business knowledge and artistry makes Claire stand out, not just as a photographer, but as a business and brand resource.
www.claireharvey.com
https://www.instagram.com/claireharveyphoto/ (https://www.instagram.com/claireharveyphoto/)
www.marlanasemenza.com
Brian Galke Subtle Skills
Tagline: Subtle Skills for an Enhanced Life
As an Introverted/Extrovert, Brian purposely chose professions where people came to him for help (Retail, Hospitality, & Help Desk) to help ease his social anxiety.
Over the course of his career he would pick up a book, or take a class, to learn a new tip/trick to better interact with people. With every new social skill, another promotion soon followed.
The #1 skill that changed his Personal & Professional life was learning Facial Feature Analysis. That skill alone lead to moving from being an Installer to Regional Vice President of Sales, not too bad for someone who still considers himself to be a bit of an Introvert.
Brian is one of less than 100 people in the world who is certified in Facial Analysis and is one of the few who actually teaches it.
Brian Speaks, Trains, and Coaches people on how to successfully enhance their Personal & Professional interactions with others
Subtleskills.com
https://taplink.cc/subtleskills
https://lookingforloveinallthewrongfaces.com/ (https://lookingforloveinallthewrongfaces.com/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Merrick Rosenberg, CEO, Take Flight Learning
Merrick Rosenberg co-founded Team Builders Plus, one of the first team building companies in the United States, back in 1991. In 2012, he reinvented how people learn about themselves through the personality styles and started his second company, Take Flight Learning. He is the author of four books about tapping into the power of your personality, including The Chameleon and Personality Wins. Merrick has worked with more than half of the Fortune 100 companies in the U.S. and around the world. Under Merrick’s leadership as CEO of Take Flight Learning, his company has been selected as the New Jersey Business of the Year by NJ Biz Magazine and has repeatedly been named as one of the Fastest Growing Companies and Best Places to Work in the Philadelphia area by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Websites: MerrickRosenberg.com, TakeFlightLearning.com
Twitter: @MerrickR
Instagram: Merrick_Rosenberg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PersonalityWins
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrickrosenberg/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrickrosenberg/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions
Marlana: In 2012, Merrick Rosenberg reinvented how people learn about themselves through personality styles and started his second company Take Flight Learning. He's the author of four books about tapping into the power of your personality, including The Chameleon and Personality Wins. Welcome, Merrick.
Merrick: Thanks for having me.
Marlana: So first of all, tell us what these personality types are.
Merrick: Well, there's four core styles, and historically; they've been this alphabet soup of letters. And I wanted to make it easier and simple for people to remember. So I linked the four styles to four birds makes it pretty easy and also very obvious too. If you think about an eagle. Eagles are confident, they're assertive, they're take charge, very direct, they like to be in charge. You've got parrots, parrots are fun. They're social, talkative, outgoing, they bring lots of energy and excitement, doves caring, compassionate, or soft spoken. This is that person in your family. They want everyone to get along. They are harmonious and all like conflict. They're the peacemaker. And then you have the owl who's logical and analytical and detail oriented, if they're going to do something, they have a plan. And they do it right. The first time. They're accurate and very systematic, and they ask lots of questions. So we've got four styles. We're not just one, we're a combination of all four, but they play out in everything we do, from our personal relationships to work wherever we go,
Marlana: can we be one, but strive to be another? Or it's pretty much inherent in us, whatever the one is?
Merrick: There's often one or two styles that are very strong for us. And, you know, they drive our success, they allow us to be who we are, if you work out of your style, and you want it to be something else, it would be exhausting. If you take something like public speaking, well, parrots tend to like to be in front of a group, they love the energy, they like the fanfare. If you took that parrot and put them out on stage, they're loving it, it feeds their soul. But if you put them in a cubicle eight hours a day, and they have crank data in spreadsheets, and have zero human interaction, they would go home exhausted every day. So if you had a parrot who was trying to be more like an owl, they're just not wired for it, it would drain them, and why not do what feeds you instead of what drains you? So be yourself, trying to be somebody else is just going to exhaust you anyway.
Marlana: Which that makes perfect sense. So, tell us, what are the strengths of each one? Like how do we lean into that?
Merrick: If you look at the strength of the eagle style,...
Andrew Ryder is a writer and entrepreneur who is reimagining content creation for online educators so they can highlight their uniqueness and build relationships with their audiences. Andrew's work has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for demonstrating leadership in business. https://www.andrewbryder.com (https://www.andrewbryder.com) www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Marlana: Andrew Ryder is a writer and entrepreneur who is reimagining content creation for online educators so that they can highlight their uniqueness and build relationships with their audiences. Welcome, Andrew.
Andrew: Hey, Marlana, thanks so much for having me.
Marlana: So that's really the key, isn't it about building relationships with our audience, because I know if we are entrepreneurs, and we are creating content, it's really marketing at its core. And so in the mix there, we have to come up with ideas and create content that people actually want to consume, and still promote ourselves because we are a business well, in a way without feeling icky. So the question is, I'm going to hit you with it all at once. How do we do it? Is it different things or is it all kind of woven into the same thing?
Andrew: For me, it's all woven into the same thing. And perhaps the place to start is in defining what content is, a lot of people think that it's, the first thing that comes to mind would be your social media, or your blog, or maybe even your email list. I also include any paid content, you create courses, coaching, it's really any way that you're communicating with your customer, or your audience or with people who you want to be in your audience, it's going to be the stories that you tell, it's going to be the analogies that you use at any scale, right? If you're doing a social media post, you want to use some kind of analogy or story to teach a lesson, right? But you can still use those same analogies and stories to make a breakthrough in a one on one call with a private client. So everything that you do even down to the color schemes and the graphics and the way that you present your website is content that your audience or your prospective audience is consuming, right? They're going to your website, they're looking at the services, you provide the things that you do, the language that you use, and comparing that to a competitor or to a software solution that claims to solve their problems, right. And so we touched on the idea of creating content that builds relationships. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to is your prospects, your customers looking at all of these different potential solutions. And they're gonna go with whatever the person who they trust, the most says to do. So if they just came across you, they don't really know anything about you. They've probably been burned in the past, they've made mistakes, they've bought things that aren't what they seem to be, they've gotten ripped off, you know, everybody's gotten ripped off by sleazy online marketer. That's just the reality of the market that we're in today. So what if you build trust with them through your content, and you say, hey, you know, I know you've gone through all these problems, you've had all these issues. Here's what worked for me. I, you know, overcame this, personally, I had all these issues, I figured out how to solve it, and I want to share that with you. If they trust you, they're going to go with your recommendation, even if it's more expensive, even if it's harder, they're gonna go with what you recommend to them, rather than going with something that they don't trust or they don't fully understand. there's really a big there's an immense value in creating trust in your marketing. And I think it's becoming a necessity in the climate that we're in. But I think where people get caught up is content creation is such an interesting aspect of what we do in business. Because if you're...
Jude Charles JudeCharles & Company Jude Charles is a story-driven filmmaker, brand strategist & speaker. For over 15 years, he has been producing documentaries for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. He lives and breathes YOUR brand. He digs deep to find the compelling stories that no one else knows & then leverages those stories to scale your business.
http://JudeCharles.co/list (JudeCharles.co/list)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Marlana: Jude Charles is a story driven filmmaker, brand strategist and speaker for over 15 years. He has been producing documentaries for purpose driven entrepreneurs. He lives and breathes your brand. He digs deep to find the compelling stories that no one else knows and then leverages those stories to scale your business. Welcome Jude.
Jude: Marlana! Thank you for having me. It is a pleasure to be on the podcast with you today.
Marlana: Well, thanks. So I know that I have a specific way that I go about telling stories for still images. But I know that you've got your own specific way of doing things. So talk to us a little bit about that.
Jude: Sure. So my specific way that I've developed over the last 15 years, I call it dramatic demonstration of proof. And what that means is instead of you just telling me your story, or you telling me how awesome and amazing you are, what I look for is the truth, I look for a dramatic demonstration. So growing up, I used to watch crime drama tv shows. So if you think of like NYPD Blue or law and order, I used to watch that with my bed. And one thing I loved about watching those kinds of TV shows is that the detectives are always searching for the truth. And very much in the same way I am searching for the truth. I don't just allow the client to tell me, this is their story. This is who they are like I'm pulling on the thread to make sure that what they're saying is the truth. But also when I go to film them when I go to film their stories. Is this truly the way you're telling this story? Is it truly how it's happening. I remember a client that I have in San Diego, his name is Stephan Georgia. And he tells me in our roadmapping session, I do a roadmapping session with a client before and he tells me that, you know, he loves to empower people like he's driven to empower others. But yet, I wanted to see that for myself. And it's funny if you if you ever watched that story with Stephen George I in the first 30 seconds of the video, he's playing a guitar. And then his daughter comes in. And she's screaming, crying at him playing the guitar. But what he does next to me, actually illustrates that he really is a person that loves to empower others that he's not just doing it in his business. But he's also doing it with his daughter, I won't give away exactly how he handles the situation. I encourage listeners to go and watch it. But that, to me is what that's how I tell stories, because the story is about a very, very specific moment in time. And what I'm doing is to bring that story to life through a dramatic demonstration of proof so that others will believe in your story as well.
Marlana: Do you ever have somebody come at you and tell you this is what my story is? And then through speaking with them, you realize that no, that's really not it?
Jude: Yeah, oftentimes, what happens is that people will discount their story. So there's parts of the story, they won't tell, because they think it's not important. And again, that's why I like to dig for the truth. Because once I start digging, and I ask deeper questions, that's when we really get the real story, right? I oftentimes, like a client will tell me something about themselves. And I'll be like, is that really true, though? Is that really who you are like, that doesn't make sense. It doesn't seem like that's what you're motivated by. And when I ask them to go deeper,...
Ben Baker Your Brand Marketing Over the last 25 years I have helped my clients tell their stories. Enabling them to communicate not only what they do, but why the do it, for whom and enabling those who listen to understand the value to them. Currently, we work with large to enterprise-level companies to help them tell their story effectively inside their organization. To stem the tide of the great resignation, dismantle silos and create better and more aligned teams who believe in the mission, vision and value of the company.
www.yourbrandmarketing.com www.communicateyourwhy.com www.podcasthostforhire.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourbrandmarketing/ http://www.youtube.com/gettingyounoticed (www.youtube.com/gettingyounoticed)
www.podcasthostforhire.com www.yourbrandmarketing.com/ebooks
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word Marlana: Over the past 25 years, Ben Baker has helped his clients tell their stories, enabling them to communicate not only what they do, why they do it, for whom, and enabling those who listened to understand the value to them. Welcome, Ben!
Ben: Hey! Marlana. Thank you for having me on the show. It is a pleasure talking to you again.
Marlana: Well, so let's talk about telling an effective story. Because we all know that we need to tell our story. But how do we make it effective? Where do we even start?
Ben: Well, the one thing we need to first understand is, our story's not about us. It's about the people that we affect. And it's about getting people to listen to us to understand the value to them and compelling them to engage or to act or whatever we want them to do. And it's about bringing them into the story, getting them to see it from their first point of view, getting them to understand how that story relates to them. And they can stick a Oh, okay, I haven't done this. But yeah, I've done something similar. And I can see how that relates to this. And all of a sudden, they internalize it, and when they internalize it, they can recall it. And they can retell it in their own words. And that's when the story becomes powerful. But when all we do is make it, I did this, and I did that, and I did the everything. Nobody cares. It's like, Yoh! I woke up, I made a million dollars, and I retired. Who cares? Tell me the story that went along with it. And tell me the lessons you learned and make it relevant to me. And I'm going to care about it.
Marlana: So then, what are some good starting points for us?
Ben: I think the first thing you do is understand who your audience is, because your story is your story. I mean, let's look at a corporate story. You know, your brand marketing started 15 years ago, we started for specific reason, you know, we had specific challenges, we had an idea, we had customers, it evolved, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And here we are today. And you know, we can get into that story. But that's what's relevant. I'm going to tell the story differently to you, as I'm going to tell it differently to a CEO, as I'm going to tell it to an operations manager, a technology officer, whoever, because they care about different things. And we need to make it relevant to the person and sit there say, okay, what are the analogies that I'm going to use that are relevant to this audience that that's in front of me, you know, how am I going to make this to a point where they're sitting up and go, Oh, I get that. And telling that story differently to different people, is what makes it relevant. The theme is the same, the lessons are the same. But you know, sometimes you can make it shorter, sometimes you can make it longer. Sometimes you can have more detail, sometimes less. Sometimes you're going to use, you know, this analogy instead of that. But you know, the goal is to sit there and say, Okay, who is this person? What do they care about?...
Dr. Hoby Wedler Hoby’s Essentials Biography Dr. Hoby Wedler is an insightful, disarming, and passionate thinker who loves to bring people together to help them see new possibilities. With the heart of a teacher, Hoby helps turn your dreams into realities. Hoby has been completely blind since birth. He is a scientist, an entrepreneur, a sensory expert, and is driven by his passion for innovative, creative, and insightful thinking. Hoby is remarkably tuned into his surroundings and has frequently chosen to walk the unbeaten paths in life over known territories. In 2016, Hoby earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from UC Davis. His fearlessness is infectious, and he has actively paved the way for others to join him in his quest to follow passions regardless of the challenges that lie ahead. In 2011, Hoby founded a non-profit organization to lead annual chemistry camps for blind and visually impaired students throughout North America. In the same year, he began opening doors to the world of wine aromas by developing Tasting in the Dark, a truly blindfolded wine experience, in collaboration with the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. He has since expanded the program to a global market in a variety of industries and special projects. Over the years, Hoby has become a motivational speaker, a mentor, and an educator. He is also committed to making the world an inclusive, equitable, and accessible place for everyone.
In his work, you will find a unique trilogy between sensory awareness, scientific knowledge, and a love for sharing his insights.
Numerous people and organizations have recognized Hoby’s work over the years. To name a few, President Barack Obama recognized Hoby by naming him a Champion of Change for enhancing employment and education opportunities for people with disabilities. Also, Forbes Media named Hoby as a leader in food and drink in their 30 under 30 annual publication. Hoby’s dedicated to impacting everyone he works with by unlocking doors, overcoming challenges, increasing awareness, and expanding their horizons.
http://www.hoby.com (www.hoby.com) Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/officialhobywedler (www.facebook.com/officialhobywedler) Linkedin.com/hobywedler Instagram.com/hobywedler Tiktok.com/@hobywedler
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word Marlana: Today's guest is truly incredible. Dr. Hoby Wedler loves to bring people together to help them see new possibilities. With the heart of a teacher, he helps turn your dreams into realities, completely blind since birth. He is a scientist and entrepreneur and a sensory expert. He's dedicated to impacting everyone who works with unlocking doors, overcoming challenges, increasing awareness, and expanding their horizons. Welcome Hoby!
Hoby: Marlana, thank you so much for this honor, I really appreciate it. It's an exciting opportunity to chat with you. You know, we talked a few weeks ago, I think we have so much in common, and we're both artists at heart, and there's just so much to talk about.
Marlana: Well, you know, I have to tell everybody listening that I have made my life as a photographer, so, I've made it through what I see, and you have taught me how to see differently. Because I think so many of us rely on simply what we see. And we judge by what we see, we assess by what we see. And we forget that we have other senses. And when I watch the way you create experiences, whether it be for yourself or for others, you make them so full and rounded. So how do you go about that?
Hoby: Yeah, you know, I think that for someone who's actually lacked one sense, which is the sense of eyesight, for my whole life, you know, I really do have a different approach to how I take life and how I live life, you know, it's about embracing the non-visual senses that we have, but creating opportunities out of those senses that create that
Monique Russell, Clear Communication Solutions, LLC and Monique Russell Monique Russell is the global communications expert you want on your team. She teaches women leaders and teams how to have positive and productive relationships at home and work using effective communications tools and strategies. Passionate about serving Black and Women Employee Resource Groups, organizations like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, the Centers for Disease Control, Verizon, Intel, Equifax, and the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International, trust Monique to guide them in implementing communication strategies that foster connection, community, creativity, and courage. You can too. Monique has 20 years of experience in the science of Communications and leads Clear Communication Solutions – an international training, coaching, and consulting firm that focuses on confidently communicating from the inside out. She is the author of the Ultimate Speaker's Guide and the book Intentional Motherhood: Who Said it Would Be Easy, and host of the Bridge to U podcast. Connect with her on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/clearcommunicationcoach Subscribe to the podcast: Bridge to U Visit her website: http://www.clearcommunicationsolutions.com (www.clearcommunicationsolutions.com) The Ultimate Speaker's Guide: https://payhip.com/b/PETv Likes to Loves Assessment: https://payhip.com/b/fER4 Intentional Motherhood: Who Said It Would Be Easy: https://payhip.com/b/4hMI Bridge to U Podcast: https://bridgetou.buzzsprout.com/ http://www.MoniqueRussell.com (www.MoniqueRussell.com) www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript :Vision In Word Marlana: Monique Russell is a global communications expert. She teaches women leaders and teams how to have positive and productive relationships, using effective communication tools and strategies that foster connection, community creativity and courage or confidently communicating from the inside out. Welcome, Monique.
Monique: Thank you for having me, Marlana. I'm excited to be on the show.
Marlana: here's the thing, we can have the best message, we can believe in what we're doing. But if we cannot communicate that clearly, we're in trouble. So, talk to us about how do we do that?
Monique: Well, I think the first thing we have to think about is considering all aspects of ourselves. I think the time where people where we get frustrated, or we feel limited or boxton is when we think that we have to narrow everything down into one nice squishy little message. And then we feel like relieving so much out of who we are so much out of our brand. And then that triggers the feeling of inauthenticity, like that's not just really who I am, I'm so much more. And so, the first thing is to think about or take the mindset and the framing that you are multi passionate, you are multi skilled. But when we think about communicating our message, we want to step into the mind of the audience that we're trying to reach. And we don't want to confuse them, we want to give them something that is almost like a window. You know, think about it, when people would go door to door with their sales messages and strategies you give them just enough KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK for them to say okay, come on in. And then let's have a conversation. And then you get to see more about what the services what they offer, you may learn something that you wouldn't have known if they were just at the front door saying Well, I do this, this, this, this and so many things and you confuse them and you lose them. So, first thing is to kind of think about that mindset of a not boiling everything down because it's not who I am, I'm trying to be very clear, I'm trying to be very specific, and connect with my audience in the fastest way possible. Then once you embrace that mindset, it really opens. You have to think about if I only had two minutes, what would be the one thing they absolutely...
Rob Napoli Rise Up Coaching Rob is the Host of The Bear Necessities of Entrepreneurship Podcast and is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author of ‘The Social Soul’. His journey has taken him from the Midwest to New York City by way of Milan, Italy where he got a Masters's, scaled a global startup, and coached professional American Football. He is currently the Founder of Rise Up Coaching, and Co-Founder and Board Member of Hapday Group. Rob is a continuous learner who creates engaging keynotes, programs, workshops, and curriculum and is on a mission to find the best whiskey bar in Manhattan. beacons.page/robnapoli www.linkedin.com/in/robnap www.riseupcoaching.co IG: @rise_up.robnap www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word Marlana: Rob Napoli of Rise Up coaching is a continuous learner who is on a mission to find the best Whiskey Bar in Manhattan. He is the host of the bare necessities of entrepreneurship podcast, and as an entrepreneur, speaker, and the author of the social soul. Welcome, Rob.
Rob: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here.
Marlana: So, we're gonna talk today about mastering our personal brand. So, I'm just gonna let you have the floor and dive into it. How do we do it?
Rob: That is a great question. There's a quite a few different ways to do it. Right. And I think it really depends on let's first define what like your personal professional brand is right? And that is that many of us live with kind of two sides of our brand, meaning we have the personal touches, a lot of times like Facebook, Instagram, Tick Tok, Snapchat, whatever, then we have a professional, which is usually just like LinkedIn, right. And we try to keep these things separated for a long time, that was a big goal. But now in a hyper connected digital age, it's no longer about one or the other, and some people can, and some people do. But for most without they're really become a blended thing. And it's because we want to be treated like humans, both personally and professionally. Right, especially in sales and marketing, things like that. And so how do we do that? And it's kind of, you know, it's why I call it the social saw in the book is thinking about, how do we be authentically us online. And so that's where the idea of a personal professional kind of tied together and starting Yeah, you know, you may throw pictures of your kids on Facebook showing off, you know, kids, but that's not how you wanna throw on LinkedIn, maybe you could, if you want to, it's nothing wrong instead. But you might have LinkedIn, it's like more about your professional journey and failures in wins and losses in the workplace versus Facebook at home, you can have that kind of delineation. But understand that those lessons can carry over, it's some of the stuff that you learn at home, you can share here, it doesn't necessarily be oh, this is one thing. And this is the other and a completely separate, I can't crossover content.
Marlana: So that's the thing, too. Let me just ask you this, don't you think to that, because the world is so social, and we do have all these different platforms that it's important to show up consistently on each platform? So, people aren't getting Okay, on LinkedIn, she appears this way. And on Facebook, she appears completely different. there's got to be some kind of a…
Rob: Yeah, I mean, that comes to the fact that like, if you go into a car meeting, and you're not moving the person you're talking with and meeting with, like, who are you? And what are you doing? Right, so first? Yeah, I mean, there's got to be some consistency. You know, consistency is relative, not everyone needs to post daily, not everyone is supposed to weekly and monthly, but you can't just have a profile, and never posts and back. Why bother LinkedIn, you know, there's got to be something there. And it's the whole idea of sales nowadays to be
Jay Jay Ace Of Spades Agency Jay Jay is an international speaker and has been exciting people with his message for the last 15 years in over 30 countries.
In 2009, he leveraged the social media platform YouTube to grow his brand to 57,000,000M views online in the entertainment industry.
Leaving his tricks behind he leveraged his mastery in PR and Personal Branding to start an advertising agency called
Ace Of Spades which helps people grow their personal brand so they can become #1 in their space.
@JayJayLive
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana: Jay Jay is an international speaker and has been exciting people with his message for the last 15 years in over 30 countries. He's leveraged his mastery in PR and personal branding to start an agency called ace of spades, which helps people grow their personal brand so they can become number one in their space. Welcome, Jay.
Jay: Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. I'm excited Monday morning here in Miami. What a great way to stop the day, you know, some people, some energy, enthusiasm, some excitement, and some moves today, you know,
Marlana: love it. Well, you know, as a personal brand photographer, this topic is near and dear to my heart because I have my own ideas about why we have to create a personal brand. But tell me, why do you say that we need a personal brand?
Jay: Listen, people are buying your product, they're buying you. Period. Look at who you work with. Look, you know, I used to be a magician, right? That was my backstory for 15 years, I was a magician. And I worked with many photographers at weddings. I used to do magic shows at weddings. And for some relatability to like, I always would ask the photographer like why did they choose you? Right? There's a lot of photographers, how many photographers, you know, from the 18-year-old to the whole team, the big production team that comes in with the bells and whistles. And most of the time, it wasn't the best photo. It was they really connected with me. They liked me. They listened to me, and they trusted me. And isn't that crazy? You know, you don't need to be the best. You don't need to have the best landing page or the best website. But if people can know you, and then they can like you and trust you then like that they will choose you period.
Marlana: And you know, I always tell people, if you are online in any way, shape, or form, you have a personal brand, either by design or by default. So, in my opinion, it should be by design. And what are your thoughts on that?
Jay: Yeah, you know, but I think the issue with that is a lot of people feel like that they don't have a message. And they don't have a story. Right? Well, I'm not like her, and I'm not like Jay. That's Jay, that's his personality, I don't want to be that person. And in in the space that I play running this agency specializing in personal branding, we find that so many people have this black and white evening Yang, like hot and cold way to look at a personal brand, right? Gone are the days where it was only for people like who were on television or gone are the days actors and celebrities or that one guy that's like selling rugs, rugs a million guys buy these rugs come on down, there's always that one guy in the city, it's like, oh, that's just as Jim, let Jim be Jim. Now, with the internet, now with how everyone is connected through this machine in front of me, this $1,500 iPhone. And now with what's going on in the world, people want to connect, people want to know, they have more options, and they want to get to know more people. So, it's like, this is the time where you can literally step into your superpower and go you know what, I have something to tell the world. You know what, and I deserve to have a part of it. And the money, the movement, and the people as well.
Marlana: So, what are some of the mistakes or...
Fredrick Douglas Bussey, IconStatus Fredrick Douglas Bussey is an investor, author, speaker, coach & serial entrepreneur. His new book Breaking Orbit: Rip Out of the Regular By Unearthing the Power Within, explores how to discover, own and master the unique superpower with which we were all created. He coaches millionaires, entrepreneurs & leaders, showing them how to realize their untapped potential to create the life they deserve. As a husband and father though, he claims his family as his greatest legacy.
Facebook group - 7-Figure Circle Million-Dollar Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/7FigureCircle
Breaking Orbit - Buy The Book: https://amzn 33MmytB.to/
Website: http://www.fredrickbussey.com (www.fredrickbussey.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana: Frederick Douglass Bussey is the owner of icon status, His new book Breaking Orbit, Rip Out of the Regular by Unearthing the Power Within explores how to discover, own, and master the unique superpower with which we were all created. Welcome Frederic.
Frederic: How are you, Marlana? Good to see you.
Marlana: You too. So first of all, explain that phrase to us breaking orbit, what does that mean?
Frederic: Well, when I came up with the idea for the book, I started thinking about how we have this idea of success, almost a visual in our heads that the higher you go, the more successful you are. But then there is. So, if you think about it a plane, then we think about in terms of you take off, and now you're flying high, right? But often what happens is that we didn't get stuck in this orbit, right? Because that's really what flying is it's orbiting the Earth at a certain altitude. But when we realize that we are really built created for so much more than just going around in circles, even at a high level, we kind of misunderstand what it is that we're created to do. There's a phrase in the book that I coined, it says that rockets belong among stars, which means that rockets are meant to go up and out and to explore the deepest reaches of the galaxy, not to orbit around the planet. Even though you're a PI, a lot of people can look at you and say, Oh, they're really doing really well. But if you notice that a lot of people, especially when you're dealing with celebrities, or people that are really well known maybe for wealthy, there's this belief, there's this sense that you get that once you have reached this peak, that's all there is. And there's a kind of emptiness and loneliness that comes with that. But when you realize that you're actually capable of so much more. And that trajectory is not meant to be up and around, but up and out. Always exploring, always creating more, always seeking what is deeper. Because that's what we are created to do, then it helps us understand that what we're really meant to do, what I want to help people do with this book is to break that orbit, right? So not just go up and around, but up and out.
Marlana: So how do we determine if we are basically on autopilot and just orbiting or if we are going in the trajectory that we should?
Frederick: Well, there's a sense that a lot of us are having. We're always chasing meaning, versus creating it. And, you know, you're in a creative space as well. But even the midst, even the idea of a creative space is a misnomer that some people are creatives, and some are not. If you are not in a place where you are always creating that fulfilment, creating that meaning through new things to new endeavors through to the everyday inner interactions and the impact you're designed to create. And that's the impact, is the ultimate way that we measure how we are moving throughout the world. I think you know, it's a word that gets thrown around a lot. And I think what people really mean is that things don't feel meaningful or significant to them. They don't...
Larry Jorgensen “The Coca-Cola Trail” People and Places in the History of Coca-Cola Author background: Journalist with extensive experience in print (weekly, daily and magazines), radio and television news (both writing and on-air) wire service, assignment and freelance. Publisher/editor monthly publication. Currently research and writing history related articles and books. Also providing media services for clients. Works from office at his home along a bayou in Louisiana. https://www.thecocacolatrail.com
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription: Vision In Word
Marlana: Larry Jorgensen is a journalist and author of the Coca Cola trail. He opened places in the history of Coca Cola. Welcome Larry.
Larry: thank you, It's a pleasure to be here and to participate in your programme.
Marlana: Well, thank you, you know, brands don't get much more iconic than Coca Cola.
Larry: Yeah, that's true.
Marlana: So, what was the motivation for you behind doing all this research and becoming an expert in this?
Larry: Well, actually, it started out not to be a book. I freelance writing. And one of the areas I like to write about his travel. I learned that there was a Coca Cola museum of sorts in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where Coca Cola was first bottle by the way. And I thought, well, that's interesting. And then I also learned that there was one not too far away in Monroe, Louisiana, which they kind of related. So, I thought, that's a great travel feature. I'll do a feature on two Coca Cola museums. Well, by the time I got to the second one, I had met people who were relatives, you know, heirs of the original bottlers who got talking and found out that this story is all over the country. It wasn't just in Vicksburg, or in Monroe. And I was encouraged to look further. And in fact, no one has really done a book about this specific area of Coca Cola, (the little bottlers, the people who got involved, you know, made it happen). earlier books are all about corporate Coca Cola, Atlanta, Georgia, tried a lot of support the bottlers and the people that found out I was doing a book, we're just very gracious to help and provide photos from their files and exclusive interviews. It was truly a great experience to do the book.
Marlana: And you know, I think that's one thing that we tend to forget sometimes, that behind any brand, there's just people and the stories of people.
Larry: that’s very true and coke has got such a unique story of people because, you know, you see why you go buy a bottle, or a can, or whatever, Coca Cola, but you know, Coca Cola didn't think bottling their drink was a good idea. And when Joe Beaton art in Vicksburg, first bottled it in 1896, he was selling the syrup, he had a solar phone, and he was using the syrup which would come in gallons, you don't make the drink at his phone. And he was also selling the syrup to other, he was a distributor to other solar phones. And he thought, you know, this is 1896 at Vicksburg, if I could get this to the people in the country, so they don't have to come to town, we can sell some more Coca Cola, so he decided to bottle, and he sent his first two cases to Asia Candler, who at that time owned Coca Cola and was making the syrup and Asia responded with it's okay but you know, I’m more interested in selling the syrup. And Joe got a little upset because he never sent the bottles back. But anyhow. So, it goes on for five years like this Joby Nardus bottling Coca Cola. As it turns out, there are two enterprising, here's our new entrepreneurs in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who thought, you know, Coca Cola is really a good drink, we get it at the local phones, maybe we can bottle it. So they go to Atlanta, and they talk to Mr. Candler. And they say we would like to get the exclusive rights to bottle Coca Cola. He told them that's ridiculous. He said, I'm worried the flavor will...
Traci Fenton is the founder and CEO of WorldBlu, a global leadership education company teaching top CEO, leaders, and their organizations how to lead with the proven Freedom at Work™ leadership model. Traci is also a globally-recognized keynote speaker, author, and coach to CEOs and top leaders worldwide. Traci is a “Thinkers50 Radar” award winner, received the Game Changer award for “Outstanding Results in Shaping the World,” was named a “World-Changing Woman in Conscious Business,” has been recognized in Inc. magazine as a “Top 50 Leadership Thinker,” and as a Marshall Goldsmith “Top 100 Coach” in the world.
Traci founded WorldBlu in 1997 and has helped spark and lead the global conversation around leading and reinventing workplaces using freedom and organizational democracy rather than fear and control. Traci and her team have helped hundreds of top companies and leaders at world-class organizations such as The WD-40 Company, DaVita, HCL Technologies, Mindvalley, Pandora, Podio, RevAsia, GE Aviation, Zappos, and more in over 100 countries worldwide.
Traci developed the groundbreaking Freedom at Work™ leadership model based in part on the WorldBlu 10 Principles of Organizational Democracy as well as numerous mindset, leadership, and organizational design courses, all of which are delivered on BluSpark™, the cutting-edge gamification learning technology she developed.
Traci frequently speaks to top leaders, and has spoken at numerous organizations such as Harvard, Yale, Yahoo! and the US Naval Academy, and at worldwide events such as South by Southwest and TEDx.
Her work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Times, Inc., BusinessWeek, NPR, the BBC, and dozens of other media outlets around the world as well as in over three dozen books. She is the author of the book Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World.
Learn more at: worldblu.com http://worldblu.com/freedomatworkbook (worldblu.com/freedomatworkbook)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word Marlana: Tracy Fenton is the founder and CEO of World Blu, a globally recognized keynote speaker, author and coach to CEOs and top leaders Worldwide. Welcome, Tracy.
Traci: Great to be with you. Thanks for having me.
Marlana: So today we're going to talk about a fearless mindset. And first let me ask you what you really mean by fearless? Is it just fearing less? Is it absence of fear? Is it talk to us a little bit about that? So, we have a basis?
Traci: That's a great question. There's a lot of ways to look at what fear is. A lot of people when they think of fear, they think of the acronym False Evidence Appearing Real which I love. It’s a way of describing fear. I like to think of fear as a limited point of view of what we're capable of and what we're not capable of doing. Why I say this is because the brain research tells us that the average person thinks 60,000 thoughts a day, and 80% of those thoughts are the exact same thoughts we had the day before and have those exact same thoughts. 95% of those thoughts are negative and fear based.
Marlana: Oh! Wow!
Traci: And so, most of the time, we're thinking fear based thoughts. And we might not even realize it, you know, we tend to use words like, I feel stressed, or I feel rushed, or I feel anxious, or I'm limiting myself, or I want to up level and I can't get there or excuses or lack of personal accountability, all of that when you dial it down, it comes back to fear, it’s at the root of it. And another thing that's very interesting about fear is that when we're in a state of fear, the peripheries of our brain shut down, and we become myopic. So, we literally have a limited point of view. And so that's why I like to think of fear as a limited point of
Michael Fabber is the Founder and CEO of UnleashU Now! He created a 6+ figure business in 4 months with no ad spending, no email lists, and all organic lead generation. Michael and his fearless team host conferences internationally in addition to courses, programs, groups, retreats, and the UnleashU Now mastermind group. In addition to UnleashU Now, Michael is also the Executive Director of a nonprofit that focuses on suicide prevention and owns several other businesses. He is known in the entrepreneurial space for the impactful movement he has created while focusing on business and personal growth! Promote: https://www.unleashunowretreat.com/ (https://www.unleashunowretreat.com/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana: Founder and CEO of unleash you now an executive director of a nonprofit and owner of several other businesses, Michael Fabber, is known in the entrepreneurial space for the impactful movement he has created while focusing on business and personal growth. Welcome, Michael.
Michael: Hi, how are you?
Marlana: Good! You know, if anybody doesn't know who you are, and they were to look you up, there are a ton of things, it is obvious that we could glean from you from a business perspective. But instead of that, today, we're going to talk about something bigger, and creating a legacy. So first of all, tell me what does that mean to you, legacy?
Michael: To me, your legacy is a story you wrote by your actions and being here. And that's everything.
Marlana: You know, it was interesting, because this morning, it just so happened that something came across my Instagram feed, and it said, legacy is a story you leave behind for others to tell the impression you make on the next generation. And I thought, yeah, that's a pretty big thing. And it's also a pretty weighty responsibility. So, when did you decide that it needed to be bigger than business for you?
Michael: By 2011, was really when the realization that how I was living and what I was doing was pointless, was meaningless. And that if I continued that way, the only thing at the end would be a number in a bank account. And anybody ever lost somebody you never were like, hold on, What number is that not backing out again. Alright, that's never happened for all the people I've lost. So, at that point, I realized I lived life in a way that I never want to live again.
Marlana: So, what did you start to change?
Michael: Everything started with me; my mindset, I believe, my focus, and then started working outwards. I believe everything comes in out. So, if it's real, true, and sustainable to be here first, and then it's going to work this way. But I changed everything about what I believed when I looked for who I wanted to be, what I was about. So, it was a lot of interiors to start, and then start working on the process of how does this come out? Like, how do I show it's always this funny story the first time. So, I told my buddy, we were going to change the world, right in 2011. And his response was, Are you high? And I was like, no! All right! But that also tells me where we've been right? So, I'm like, No! But seriously, like, we're gonna change the world. He said, That's impossible. And like, nobody changed his world. I was like, how does the world change? Right? Like, people change world. And he goes, Well, how are you gonna do it? I said one person at a time. And I'm very like, I'm, I look ragged, and I played sports a lot. But I'm really a nerd. I love to learn. So, I love to go to places and learn different things. So, when like, coaching space, a lot of people were like, *** me! I didn't eat the brownie this morning, my health coach. Like, I did not want that to be my life. Right? So, I was like, I'm gonna learn everything about this coaching space. And I came from human behavior, neuroscience,...
Michael Stein Abadak Inc. Stein Media
Michael Stein was diagnosed with a “learning disability” when he was a child. He is now the founder & CEO of Abadak Inc. Michael started the company while he was a broke filmmaker and nearly homeless. Since then the company has made over 100 million dollars.
He has been a writer, director, producer, actor, comedian, worked with academy award winners and some of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry.
He continues to build his company Abadak which is the leading tarps supplier in the USA and has donated over a one hundred thousand tarps to the homeless. Michael is the host of the podcast Long Shot Leaders. The podcast features the stories of high achievers that have overcome high odds and reached success.
https://longshotleaders.com (https://longshotleaders.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana: Michael Stein is a long shot, who went on to work with some of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry and built his company Abadak to over $100 million. He is also the host of the podcast Long Shot Leaders. Welcome, Michael.
Michael: Glad to be here. Thank you so much.
Marlana: So first of all, tell us why would you consider yourself a long shot?
Michael: I come from a long line of long shots. My grandmother escaped the Russian concentration camps on the way to America. My dad was in New York homeless street kid, became a multimillionaire, only to become homeless again. And he never finished eighth grade and I was born premature, all kinds of health issues. I had ADHD; they didn't know what it was back then. I was sent to the hospital a couple of times; I couldn't figure out what's wrong with me. I was put in a school … for special needs kids. I just really had a lot of issues, and you grow up with that, my mom who has an interesting sense of humor who was struggling with a crazy marriage with my dad always, I was the youngest in the family. She joke around say, "my son, he's the youngest. He’s, my dessert. I drank, I ran up and down the stairs, I smoked, I..., but he survived." So, Mom, you don't have to tell everybody, just tell me…ranch or blue cheese with the meal, but that's what I grew up with. Hearing like you're lucky to be alive. I had to sleep in the same room with my grandmother until I was nine years old because my dad made all that money and lost it, but we grew up in Encino. It was a big house, but I was the youngest. So…I’d hear that story about her being a Holocaust survivor, and waking up in the morning, that's what I used to hear as my bedtime story and waking up alarm clock. So, you grew up with this appreciation of like you're lucky to be alive. This is what how it is for other people, and I really didn't find any success until I got two people laughing at me as a kid, I'd laugh, I'd make fun of things, and I was a hyper kid. So other than that, I was just a basket case. I never felt like there was anything like I was when I wasn't winning. So then one day, I see the movie Rocky, like most American kids, and I was 11 years old. I said, "here's a guy like me, he doesn't succeed a lot. He keeps on trying, he's not smart, or people think he's not smart." But the one difference between Rocky and myself is that he was physically fit, and I was not. So, I said, "I'm gonna make fitness my thing" And five years later, I just went hyper focused on that, like the person does. I became a physical fitness trainer when I was 16, and I said, "this *** can work. if I really do something, I see the ebb and flow of failure and success at an early age." Then I became president in a school leadership program and I said, "I'm going to be an entrepreneur like my dad was, I'm going to graduate high school, and I'm going to become successful." So, I said, I'm gonna be an entrepreneur, actor, and comedian. And my High
Matthew Hunt - Automation Wolf Matthew Hunt is a Serial Entrepreneur, B2B sales and marketing expert, and coach to company CEOs, marketing directors, and entrepreneurs. His extensive experience of over a decade of helping B2B companies succeed in sales and marketing has driven him to create several 7-figure businesses and he’s just getting started!
His company, Automation Wolf, is known for helping clients generate a full month of LinkedIn content in just one hour per week.
http://automationwolf.com (automationwolf.com)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision In Word
Marlana: Matthew Hunt is a serial entrepreneur, business to business sales and marketing expert coach. As the creator of several seven figure businesses, he's just getting started. His company Automation Wolf is known for helping clients generate a full month of LinkedIn content in just one hour per week. Welcome, Matthew.
Matthew: Hey! Thanks for having me.
Marlana: So, you know that I create images for clients to use in their branding. But you're gonna talk to us a little bit today about what to do with them.
Matthew: Great!
Marlana: So first of all, let me ask you this, because I know LinkedIn is your thing. Why do you think LinkedIn is so overlooked?
Matthew: I don't wanna say that this is probably a terrible essay, but I guess at a social media, it's probably the ugly, redheaded stepchild that nobody wants to pay attention to. However, if you're in b2b, it's really the greatest opportunity. In fact, anything that you care about, if you care about your career in any way, I think LinkedIn is a great opportunity. And it's even a greater opportunity due to timing. So, a lot of times when you're in social media network solver catching the wave at the right time. For example, my first agency, I caught the wave around search engine optimization and search advertising in general. So, I started way back, I started learning how to do in 2007, and started the agency in 2010, and I got to ride that wave for a good four or five years before it got a little more sophisticated. Then in 2014, I caught the Facebook one, so, there's organic, free traffic, and then there's the paid advertising, it was early, and people are still figuring out the ads, and cheaper, got the ride that wave. Then in 2017 I discovered the LinkedIn one and we're still going with the LinkedIn one. So, what's so great about LinkedIn is that it is a social media network, just like any other social network, so it has a focus of being for professionals. But what's so magical about it right now is that they have 700, 800 engaged users logging in, but only 1% of people post. So, what that means organically is there's a huge amount of eyeballs there, but not enough content inventory, and so if you just post on LinkedIn, you get a lot of reach, the challenge is with all the other social networks are so noisy. Now, it's very hard to get recognized organically, unless you already are a celebrity or a micro celebrity, or an influencer in some way already, have a following for people to pay attention to without having to pay to play. And so, in the sense of free earned organic attention and eyeballs on what you do, LinkedIn is a great place to be right now.
Marlana: And you know, one of the things that I've learned about LinkedIn is that a lot of people may see your content, but not many people necessarily. You may not know that they've seen it. And I only say that because I have had people come to me, weeks, months, whatever, after the fact and say, yes, I've been following you and love what you're posting in this net, I would have never known because they don't like it. They don't comment on it. They don't do any of these things. But they're seeing it.
Matthew: Yeah, they're secretly creeping it, and you got to remember that the algorithms
Whether he’s producing a tour, assembling an All-Starr band with Ringo Starr, or writing a best-selling book, there’s one thing David Fishof is always doing: dreaming. Hailed as one of the most creative and innovative entertainment producers in the world, David has been responsible for some of the most original, successful, and exciting live shows ever brought to the stage. But of all the shows he’s put on over his 40-plus year career, there’s one production that stands out from all the rest: Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. A!er years of good fortune working with veteran rockers like Roger Daltrey, Ringo Starr, The Monkees, Levon Helm, Joe Walsh, Jack Bruce and Peter Frampton, David decided it was time to share his experiences with rock fans around the world. And so, in 1997, he debuted the rock camp—a place where people from all walks of life can reconnect with their passion for music alongside the most famous names in the business. Click Here to View the Rock Camp: The Movie Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5TO_UJoq8w&ab_channel=RockCampTheMovie) Click Here to Check Out My Top Selling Book - "Rock Your Business: What You and Your Company Can Learn from the Business of Rock and Roll" (https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Your-Business-Company-Learn/dp/1936661454) http://rockcampmasterclasses.com (http://rockcampmasterclasses.com)
Website http://rockcamp.com (http://rockcamp.com) Website #2 http://rockcampthemovie.com (http://rockcampthemovie.com) Website #3 http://rockcampmasterclasses.com (http://rockcampmasterclasses.com)
LinkedIn URL https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfishof (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfishof)
Facebook URL https://www.facebook.com/RockFantasyCamp (https://www.facebook.com/RockFantasyCamp)
Twitter URL https://twitter.com/dfishof?lang=en (https://twitter.com/dfishof?lang=en)
YouTube URL https://www.youtube.com/c/rockfantasycamp/videos (https://www.youtube.com/c/rockfantasycamp/videos)
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rockfantasycamp (https://www.instagram.com/rockfantasycamp)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision In Word
Marlana: Whether he's producing a tour, assembling an all-star band with Ringo Starr, or writing a bestselling book, there's one thing David Fishof is always doing dreaming. Hailed as one of the most creative and innovative entertainment producers in the world, David has been responsible for some of the most original successful and exciting live shows ever brought to the stage. But of all the shows he's produced over his 40 years plus career, there's one production that stands out from all the rest, Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Welcome, David!
David: Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. You know, I think we were talking in the beginning about bucket list. That’s all I do all day is I get people their bucket lists. Go to Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. It's the ultimate bucket list. You can jam with, Slash, Roger Daltrey, you name it…so I'm giving everyone their bucket list. And I'm trying to think in the last two seconds, what would be my bucket list? The irony is that people think they know what's on my bucket list. So, guy invited me to, he was so thankful to go to Rock Roll fantasy camp. He's been a friend for many years, I want to take you to Michael Jordan fantasy camp. Wouldn't that be cool David and give me your fantasy? They know I love basketball. And I said, I'm not going on Michael Jordan fantasy basketball camp, and they said why? I'm not going to look like an idiot. Try to beat him one on one or with these two other guys. And I realized that as much as people have their bucket list, people are scared for the bucket list. Because yeah, I have that a rock and roll events, again, people, initially, the wife buys it for the husband. And then the...
Christine Johnson has worked as an Associate Professor with a specialty in TV Production for The State University of New York for fourteen years and at Western Kentucky University for two years. Before her academic work, Christine was a Producer/Director in the TV industry for over fifteen years, producing live sports entertainment programming worldwide, first for WWE and then for AOL/Time Warner. In addition, Christine had several other opportunities, producing packages for: The Jay Leno Show, Extra, and the feature film “Ready to Rumble: starring David Arquette and Oliver Platt. During her tenure at The State University of New York, she produced two video projects in conjunction with the Geology Department that was recognized and distributed to conservatories nationwide. In addition, she ran the University Television Station for 12 years. In the summer of 2015, she had the privilege of working as a Field Producer with the Les Paul Foundation for their red carpet event, “The Les Paul 100th Anniversary Celebration," at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square. The project and Christine were awarded a Bronze Telly. (https://vimeo.com/133774005) She has served as an advisor to the National Broadcasting Society Chapter for nine years, and during that period, her students won over 80 Regional and National Awards. In addition, Christine served as Marketing Director for the National Office of NBS and, in 2014 and 2018, was awarded "Professional of the Year."
Christine has established and continues a trusted relationship with various recruiters/department heads of different national television companies throughout the years. As a result, many of her students have benefited and secured positions with these production companies as full-time employees or interns.
Education MFAReinhardt UniversityIn progress (Creative Writing)
MATexas Christian University2003 (Media Arts)
BSTexas Christian University1988 (Radio/TV/Film)
Teaching and Research Area
Basic and Advanced TV ProductionField Production Television Station ManagementTelevision Station Operations ProducingDirecting
@thechristinejohnson
@ihaveathingforshoes
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transcription: Vision In Word
Marlana: Christine Johnson has an impressive resume and TV production, producing live sporting events, packages for the Jay Leno Show extra and a feature film. She was also a field producer for the Les Paul 100th anniversary celebration, serves on the National Broadcasting society chapter board, among other things, and has helped many students go on to have careers in the industry. Welcome, Christine!
Christine: Thank you, Marlana.
Marlana: So, here's the thing, a lot of people think TV production, movies, all that kind of stuff, it's got to be a glamorous world, is it? Are you going to burst our bubble?
Christine: I'm going to burst your bubble, it's glamorous that you get to travel. But unfortunately, my travel kind of was hotel, arena, airport. There were occasionally, we got to go in early, I would go into like San Francisco early so I can visit my friend Allison, and my brother lives there at the time. So, there were like some perks to it, but two productions very hard, very long hours. We're talking 12 to 15 hour days, and you know, you're crawling around on the floor. Well, in my case, if you're at an arena, like you're crawling around trying to find places to shoot. So, it's definitely not glamorous, I can kind of sum it up the way my mom used to say to me, why don't you ever buy nice clothes? Because I crawl around on the floor and get dirty while I'm not. So, I'm not getting nice clothes.
Marlana: When you first started out, what about the industry surprised you? And were there stuff that you weren't really prepared for?
Christine: I would say the majority of it, I...
Recently featured in the fun Auto Insurance Commercial for Geico the 90s classic Reel School HIP HOP due TAG TEAM is back on TOP. Bursting onto the scene with their TOP OF THE POPS hit and automatically became one of those songs that stick in your head. “Whoomp! (There It Is).” The track quickly climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B charts in just 14 days. The song continues to appeal to admirers who were raised in the ‘90s and appeals to new enthusiasts of every era as it is recognised as a true symbol of the time. “Whoomp! (There It Is)” has been showcased in world-class nationwide ad campaigns as well as in Hollywood hit motion pictures and television series
Other top songs from their hit album Whoomp! (There It Is) includes "Freestyle" and “U Go Girl”. Spanning the spectrum from TV and Radio Adverts, programmes, films and sporting events TAG TEAM’s music has risen to be the defining 90’s Hip Hop Melodic Voice. The big hit “Whoomp!” remains highly relevant and those ranging in age from 8 to 108 continue to groove and boogie down to the exceptional tune.
Listen to their top hit and more
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3NfJ6VPVz0lf3jWy5F1N7g?si=YBrfk_WfSuiDLAOX6aSxzg (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3NfJ6VPVz0lf3jWy5F1N7g?si=YBrfk_WfSuiDLAOX6aSxzg)
With ‘90s hip-hop more recognisable than ever, venues all over the world are energized to watch Tag Team live and in action. Social media has also supplied a new avenue for converting music enthusiasts into “Whoomp!” fans. DC Glenn and Steve thrive on hooking up with brand new fans who have discovered them via viral Facebook posts and appreciate seeing their blissful faces when they listen to the song performed live.
Tag Team pioneers DC The Brain Supreme and Steve Rolln stay dedicated to entertaining fans and delivering an old-school hip-hop blowout to hotspots around the world. Audiences for Tag Team events vary in age from the very young to the ‘old fools from the old school’ and “Whoomp!” delivers the ‘90s experience like no other. DC Glenn and Steve love the powerful experience of looking over a jam-packed arena and comprehending how much their simple song has inspired the lives of countless millions throughout the world. The legendary tune and dynamic high school friends captivate those of every generation as their style speaks to folks who remember when hip-hop was truly hip-hop. The degree of anticipation at a Tag Team concert is almost palpable as fans wait in delight for the high-energy party that’s to come.
In addition to their consistent old school performing schedule, both DC Glenn and Steve Rolln are also sought-after international speakers. A professional voice artist and actor, DC Glenn is represented by the People Store Agency in Atlanta and frequently talks on the challenges of the music industry. Steve Rolln, a talented music producer who regularly looks for fresh talent, addresses sophisticated ways of getting into the industry. Both DC Glenn and Steve are sought-after presenters at music training seminars, law colleges and universities, and entertainment industry events.
Follow them on social media for updates and exclusive behind the scenes looks
https://www.tagteambackagain.com/ (https://www.tagteambackagain.com/)
INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/dcglennatl ( https://www.instagram.com/dcglennatl)
FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/dcglennatl ( https://www.facebook.com/dcglennatl)
TWITTER:https://twitter.com/dcglennatl ( https://twitter.com/dcglennatl)
PINTEREST:https://www.pinterest.com/dcgottaeat/ ( https://www.pinterest.com/dcgottaeat/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions
Sprinkles!
It is all relevant and it is all relative. Everything goes with everything else and that is where I think my mastery lies.
Wes Harper LightWire, Inc.
Wes Harper is the owner and President of LightWire, Inc. LightWire is an IT services company commonly referred to as a MSP (managed Service Provider). They provide IT support to small and medium size businesses across the Triangle and throughout the US. Wes started the company in 1996 and has grown it to employ 14 engineers and a small admin/sales staff.
Wes is married and has 5 grown children. He has a passion for all things outdoors and is also a recurring cast member on The Discovery Channel’s show, Naked and Afraid.
https://lightwireinc.com/
FB @LightwireRaleigh
FB @wesnakedandafraid
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision in Word
Marlana: Wes Harper is the owner and president of the IT services company (Lightwire, Inc,) but you may know him from his other gig as recurring cast member on the Discovery Channel show Naked and Afraid. Welcome, Wes! So, on the show, you have earned the nickname The Assassin. What I want to do is ask you, how do you make that mind shift? You're a recurring cast member, how do you make the mental shift from mild mannered Wes Harper, which indeed you are to the Assassin? Also, how do you make the shift back after the show's over?
Wes: It's tough. It takes a couple of days to kind of weed the professionalism out of your system. When you go on a challenge, it takes a couple days before you get that wild streak back in you. And then all sudden, you just kind of get in with the environment and you're feeling it. Then the whole different persona takes place. But I mean, it's a transition and then coming back, it's not two days, it's two weeks, maybe a month before you really get back into a corporate, you know, business owner working in a professional setting. It's a tough return.
Marlana: Why do you think it's tougher on the way back?
Wes: Because things seem so trivial. When you're out there trying to survive, you can concentrate on food every day, and you're starving every day, and just staying warm and staying dry. I mean, those are just core things that you need, and so when you get back and you have to check email, you just really don't care, that just doesn't mean the same thing. And even worse, when your kids want to tell you about their day, you have to really take them and listen to them. And you know, at first, it's kind of boring, for everything that you went through, you know, just three days before and listen to somebody talk about their homework. It's hard.
Marlana: Was it more difficult on the longer challenge? Because I know you did an Excel, was it more difficult then? Or it doesn't really matter whether it's 21 days or 40 days?
Wes: the longer you're there, the harder it is. I mean, you just keep getting Wilder, the longer you're there. I mean, you're really like the wild animals, and you just keep morphing every day, for better or worse into the environment. So, the longer you're there, the longer the recovery processes.
Marlana: And with that, what about the dynamic between you and your partner or in the group, perhaps that you're in? Does that dynamic seem to change and become wilder and more primal, the longer you're there as well?
Wes: That part becomes a little bit more of a close knit family. Actually, a mess! That's probably the part that's actually keeping you a little grounded as opposed to everything else you're going through. You still tell stories about when you're not in a survival mode, you share things about your family, and so it's a nice diversion from just trying to find something to eat.
Marlana: Each time does it get a little easier or no?
Wes: You know what to expect, that you're going to be pretty miserable. And so that parts easier. It's not such a surprise that you're starving to death, but no, it's very difficult. It's tough, and that part really doesn't get any...
My name is Karsta. My business is Karsta Marie Karsta spent years creating a life that was “fine”- and it cost her EVERY ounce of energy. After a divorce, fifteen years as a single mom, a second failed relationship, some serious introspection, healing and bravery she’s using the lessons she’s learned to help others start living the extraordinary life they deserve. website: https://karstamarie.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karsta_marie/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karstamarie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karihurd/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karihurd/)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription: Vision In Word
Marlana: My next guest spent years creating life that was fine. And it cost her every ounce of energy after a divorce 15 years as a single mom, a second failed relationship, some serious introspection healing and bravery. She's using the lessons she learned to help others live the extraordinary life they deserve. Welcome, Karsta.
Karsta: Thank you so much for having me!
Marlana: So, let's talk about fine. What does fine get us?
Karsta: Fine gets us frustrated. Fine leaves us feeling stuck. I've recently come to…discover that fine really left me… it was the biggest puzzle piece in my lack of confidence.
Marlana: Which is when? When you say sorry? W
Karsta: Well, just recently on a different podcast, actually, we were talking about confidence. And I realized that once I started stepping away from fine, once I got a little bit brave and took that first step, I realized that we end up in fine, because we're subscribing to so many other stories of what is supposed to bring us happiness. And that part I knew, but what I realized is the; more I started trusting my own intuition, listening to what really was lighting me up inside, that fire in my belly and following that my confidence started to skyrocket because I started trusting myself more. It was like I had started to build and nurture that relationship with myself just like you would with somebody else.
Marlana: But the longer you're in a relationship with somebody, the more you trust them, the more confidence you have in that relationship. And it's the same thing with yourself?
Karsta: That's been just a really fun new piece that I've been, journaling on and exploring, and it's just kind of opened things up for me even more.
Marlana: So, at what point did you realize that you were living a life that was fine, and not extraordinary?
Karsta: I think we all sort of know it always. It's that nagging feeling of something, or everything sucks all the time. Just kind of that you're worn down, you're tired, but really, it happened in retrospect, when I looked back, and I just got to my breaking point, quite honestly, I had been in, like you said, in the intro, so I was married for 10 years, when we were together, at first, he was like my best friend, and it was wonderful. But there was just always this knowing that I had that for as wonderful as a human as he was and as much fun as we had together, I just wasn't supposed to be married to him. I think it's bad, right? That constant sort of nagging of like, I'll do this, but just something inside me, I know, it's just not right. But we ignore it because, for me, building sort of what I call that picket fence life. That's what I saw everybody around me doing, Nd that's what made sense. The things that were burning in my belly that excited me didn't really make sense with what I saw happening. So, it was a matter of stuffing those down and subscribing to what made sense around me and adapting to all of that. I think looking back, like I said, there was always this knowing. It's those intuitive hits that you get. For me, on my day after my wedding, we were driving to our tiny little apartment, and we happen to be in separate cars, and I was like bawling. Part...
My name is Kacia Fitzgerald, and I am the host of EmpowerHER Podcast & Founder and CEO of SheGoes Co. Kacia is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, speaker and podcaster who's on a mission to help women unapologetically share their voice & message with the world. She is the host of the top rated podcast EmpowerHER with over 3 million downloads the first 2 years! She's also the Founder & CEO of She Goes company, which is focused on cultivating a global community of personal growth obsessed women, and helping women who want to launch or grow their podcasts! She's found that what's often holding women back is the thoughts that they think about who they are & what they are capable of so she takes her knowledge from working with hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years, paired with her high energy bubbly personality and a "Come with me, let's figure this out together" approach to light a fire under their booty to get out of their own way and go.
Depending on what would be the best fit, some ways people can connect with me are through:
My IG Handles: @kacia.fitzgerald & @shegoes.company
My Website: https://www.kaciafitzgerald.com/
My Podcast: www.empowerherpodcast.com
My Free Pump Up Text List: Text ICONIC to 5125482728
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcription : Vision in Word Marlana: Kacia Fitzgerald is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, speaker, and podcaster, who's on a mission to help women unapologetically share their voice and message with the world. Welcome Kecia!
Kacia: I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for having me.
Marlana: So, today we're gonna talk about playing too small. And which really serves no one.
Kacia: Yeah.
Marlana: Why do you think we do it?
Kacia: I think we're socialized, especially as women to take up less space and to have these people pleasing tendencies because we're told we're good if we fit into certain standards of other people's expectations of us. And then I think we're constantly bombarded with a lot of stimulus that saying, you should be this, at this age, at this stage of life, you should be going down this career path, you should want this, you should wanna look like this, you should act like this. And that constant stimulus has us looking for external validation, rather than going internal and asking ourselves, like, what's true to me? And what do I actually want and what feels aligned, and what's gonna make me feel fulfilled, and what's gonna make me get to the end of my TBD amount of days here, and be like, Yeah, I showed up, and I did it my way. And it's scary. It's a slippery slope when we play too small, because I truly do believe that every single one of us as individuals, is gifted a vision for our life, that's not going to look like anybody else's. And that's like, our gift back to the world is to give our gifts to the world. I think it's really important that when we catch ourselves playing small, wanting to just even water ourselves down, I got a really big personality. So, I've had to work on that, like, I'm not gonna water myself down, in order to fit somebody else's expectations of what I should be like, or what a woman should be like. And so, it's really important that we catch ourselves on that. I love just going straight to the juice because that's good.
Marlana: Yeah. And I tell clients that all the time too because if you don't share what, who you are and what you do, first of all, somebody needs to hear it the way you're going to say it.
Kacia: Yep!
Marlana: And needs it the way you're going to do it. And if you don't do that, that's actually selfish, because you're not them with the gift you have.
Kacia: Yeah! Yep! Well, and it's like, your life to your point, you know, is a testimony of what's possible for other people. So, it's the person who's like, but I struggle with anxiety, or I'm an...
Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco. Co-Founder of blooprinted (new tech product), CEO of People Building Inc. Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco is the Co-Founder of Blooprinted, best-selling Author of ROCKET FUEL Convert Setbacks. Become Unstoppable and the powerhouse behind the "What Are You Made Of?" podcast. He has been featured by Yahoo! Finance as one of the Top Business Leaders to Follow in 2020 and is on a mission to build people. He is driven to inspire others and he measures his success on how he is able to help others achieve greatness. C-Roc had a fire lit in him at an early age. That fire has ignited him with a fierce desire to compel people to see the greatness inside themselves using past life events to fuel their fire. www.mikecroc.com www.blooprinted.com/vip https://www.facebook.com/mikeciorrocco https://www.instagram.com/mikeycroc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ciorrocco/ https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeCRocCiorrocco (https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeCRocCiorrocco)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision in Word
Marlana: Mike’s C-Roc Scirocco is the co-founder of Blooprinted, bestselling author of Rocket Fuel and the powerhouse behind the What Are You Made Of podcast. C-Roc has a fierce desire to compel people to see the greatness inside themselves using past life events to fuel their fire. Welcome C-Roc!
C-Roc: Hey! Marlana. Thanks for having me. I always start every interview with gratitude. Because it means the world to me, first of all, that people want to have me on the show and also to your audience. Thank you for showing up and listening or watching.
Marlana: Well! I think what you're going to share is going to be very valuable. So, in the way I look at it is I think there's two parts to this because I think part of it is bouncing back from setbacks and disappointments, and the other part of it is using it as fuel. So, talk to us first a little bit about the first half of it. How do we bounce back?
C-Roc: Well, first of all, I don't like bouncing back - I like bouncing through. So, I don't want to go through something negative, setbacks, discouragement, my own screw ups unless I'm going to be better off than where I was when I started. And so, like the word resilience, is not even powerful enough for me because I don't want to go back. The definition of resilience is to come back, I don't want to come back, I want to go through further. So, everything pretty much that I do Marlana is thinking about going beyond what most people would talk about, because most people talk about what makes them comfortable. And they don't want to get out of this zone where they feel safe. I want to be dangerous. And with the things that I'm trying to do not run out in front of a bus dangerous, but you know, thinking big to get out of the comfort zone type thing. So that's, you know, as far as doing that, I think it's a proactive approach, understanding that when you know, something like you're going for something or even just living your life, that you're going to run into things that aren't going to go the way you expect them to. And let's face it, that's really what a setback is, it's not really a bad thing. It's just something that happens that you're not expecting to happen. So, if you start to expect those things, and realize those things are to kind of guide you, maybe make you switch course, slow down, speed up. Then once you realize that proactively when they come, it's not that feeling in your chest, like, oh, I can't believe this happen. You're expecting these things that happen at some point and understanding that they are for you, not against you.
Marlana: When you go after things, when you make goals, do you look at the goal and then think okay, how can I push this farther?
C-Roc: Yeah, I mean, one of the things that I do is I do set a goal. And I think Is it big enough, because you know what people don't realize in life...
Deana Jean, Intentional Excellence Consulting LLC Deana Jean is a Success Coach, Business Consultant & the Founder of Intentional Excellence Consulting LLC. She is also proud Breast Cancer Survivor & Brooklyn native. Through her work with IE, Deana empowers women executive leaders and women entrepreneurs to get out of their heads and into action so that they can reap the abundance and success that they are destined for! https://www.instagram.com/intentionalsuccesstribe/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/637217950162409 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/637217950162409)
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transcript : Vision in Word Marlana: As founder of Intentional Excellence Consulting, Deanna Jean empowers Women, executive leaders, and entrepreneurs to get out of their heads and into action so that they can reap the abundance and success they're destined for. Welcome Deanna.
Deanna: Hello! How are you?
Marlana: I'm well, you know! Fear is an interesting topic to me. Because I feel that every time we go into unchartered territory for us or level up, or anything like that, fear kind of packs its own bag and wants to tag along for the trip. So, are there fears that you see that reoccur with people?
Deanna: I do. So, the interesting part for me is that I really work specifically with kind of one group, and I work really, really closely with women who are very high achieving, right? So, these are the women who are always raising their hand for the extracurriculars, always the class mom, always the one volunteering for the extra thing. Always the one that everyone else goes to for help, for support, for encouragement, for advice. But when it comes to their own thing, my experience has been that these type of women kind of freeze and they get into this analysis paralysis. What I work with a lot of my clients on is, getting under kind of what creates that analysis, what's under that layer of, “I can't do this until it's completely perfect”, and what I found most often is that fear is the most consistent thing, is different types of fear. But it's always some type of fear. So, a lot of times what I'll see is that the fear comes from always feeling like everything has to be perfect and feeling like in many instances, there's imposter syndrome, and there are limiting beliefs, and the feeling that they may be found out that all of these ideas that all these people have on them, the way that they may be on a pedestal, that one day somebody is going to realize that they are not as great as they think that they are. So that's a big part of what I see with a lot of the clients that I work with.
Marlana: Interesting! And it seems that these types of fears occur in women, but not so much in men.
Deanna: Hm! Very, very true. I've done a lot of research on this and kind of investigation and a lot of market research on this. What I found is that as a society, in the society that we live in, right? I'll use our Western culture. Men are conditioned to do it right, it's like their birth right to ask more questions, to assume that the only reason that they don't have it, is because they haven't taken it, not even asked for it, but taking it right, and that everything is always up for negotiation. As women, we are not, even in your strongest household, right? There can be a lot of excitement around women's empowerment, still, there are cues that we get that tell us that we should ask instead of taking, that we have to make room, that we have to be considering when we're thinking, “how is this going to make someone else feel? If we have more, does that mean someone else has less, and is that okay?” It becomes a selfish thing. So oftentimes, it's almost like a reprogramming, and I speak to these experiences. So candidly, and in such a transparent way, just because these have been my experiences as well, I found that as women, there's so many...
Natasha Bowles Professional Services Natasha Bowles is a naturally insightful powerhouse of a woman with perception and vision that looks to make the impossible, possible. As an entrepreneur, writer, mother, speaker, executive assistant, consultant, and digital nomad, she has provided freedom and exceptional support to her clients since 2016. Often referred to as “Wonder Woman” by her peers, tempt her with your hopes and dreams, and you’ll often be met with a smile and the words “That’s crazy! Let’s do it!” This attitude led to the creation of Natasha Bowles Professional Services, a remote staffing agency that supports the growth of your business and dream. Natasha’s staff supports everyone from C-Level executives to creative types such as podcasters, authors, and coaches. http://linkedin.com/in/natashabeingww (http://linkedin.com/in/natashabeingww)
On this episode of Your Iconic Image, Natasha talks to us about what we need to have in place for our brand to be a business.
www.marlanasemenza.com Audio : Ariza Music Productions
Marlana: Natasha Bowles is a woman that makes the impossible, possible. She’s an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, executive assistant consultant, and the powerhouse behind Natasha Bowles Professional Services. No wonder she’s referred to as wonder woman! Welcome, Natasha.
Natasha: Thank you!
Marlana: So, you are deep in all things business, and you make the lives of some very busy and very successful entrepreneurs seen.
Natasha: I do.
Marlana: Recently you and I had a conversation and you had mentioned in there that just because you have a brand doesn’t mean you have a business. So, first tell us what you mean by that.
Natasha: I love what you do and people that create brands. So many people have an idea, then they spend all this money getting their brand created, they get an email, they get logo, they do all of the stuff and you’re like now what? Just because you have a brand doesn’t mean you have a business, because having a business is actually more than just having a name, connections, where people can reach you. You have to figure out how this people gonna reach you. What am I gonna do once they reach me? Who’s gonna help them out? Those standard operating procedures are so important and it’s a step that so many people skip. What is in my mind is how many people skip this step, and also the step of getting additional help. Most companies that fell in the first three years, fell because they don’t have standard operating procedures, they don’t have back-office help, and they don’t know what to do.
Marlana: So, at the very list, what should we have in place?
Natasha: At the very list you need to have your plan of action (your business plan). That needs to go, actually that needs to happen before your brand even happens, you need to have a business plan. So I suggest, there are tuns of resources online to get a business plan together if you don’t know how, or you can hire a business attorney – they can help you get a business plan, and there are also business coaches. That’s actually something my team and I pitch to people. We’ve come to situations like; “okay guys, what are you doing here?” and we’ve actually helped them do step by step business plan and we charged them a fee. It’s a one-time fee, so definitely put that in your budget if you don’t know how to set up a business plan.
Marlana: Okay then, Let’s say we have a basic business plan, how many things can we tackle on our own and how many things should we be handing off?
Natasha: So, I always recommend, and I actually give credit to Michael Hyer because it was his idea. I think the best way to do this personally, is just like, take a week of being you and have a book with you everywhere you go. Everything you do, everything you do, even the tiniest small stuff, jot it down, and you can go make a little diagram where you put the stuff that you do, that you love – the stuff that you...
Lisa Kipps-Brown - Glerin Business Resources, Inc. Author of the books Disrupt Your Now and Boomer Cashout, Lisa is a refreshing change in a world full of self-proclaimed experts who throw jargon around like candy. She helps entrepreneurs solve big picture problems with disruptive strategic thinking and no gobbledygook. A pioneer in business use of the web, she started her web & marketing strategy company in 1996. When few people knew what Amazon was and two years before Google existed, she was already reimagining businesses and even sold an online business right before the dot-com bubble burst. Other achievements include saving companies from bankruptcy and tripling CARES Act funds for rural communities via innovative campaigns. Lisa's straight talk combined with a natural talent for transforming basic ideas into disruptive strategy & valuable collaborations has people like Forbes 30 Under 30-listed blind PhD chemist Dr. Hoby Wedler calling her a “cognitive powerhouse.” Steve Sims, author of Bluefishing, says she's a unicorn who bridges the gap between digital natives and digital immigrants. https://lisakippsbrown.com/
https://disruptyournow.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakippsbrown/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakippsbrown/)
My latest book, Disrupt Your Now: The Successful Entrepreneur’s Guide to Reimagining Your Business & Life
http://www.marlanasemenza.com (www.marlanasemenza.com) Audio: Ariza Music Productions Transription : Vision In Word
On this episode, we discuss how to get out of your own way!
Marlana: Lisa Kipps Brown helps entrepreneurs solve big picture problems with disruptive strategic thinking and no gobbledygook. She's also the author of the book https://lisakippsbrown.com/disrupt-your-now-book/ (Disrupt Your Now). Welcome Lisa!
Lisa: Hello, Marlana! It's so good to see you. Thanks for having me.
Marlana: So today we're going to talk about getting out of your own way. Because I think that's a problem that most of us have at some point or another, sometimes multiple times. Why do you think we do that to ourselves?
Lisa: I think a big part of it is that we just overthink everything. And not just entrepreneurs, but everybody. You know, if you think about it, you can usually give other people better advice than they can give themselves. And then at the same time, you're screwing up your own life, or you're making poor decisions. I just think that we're so close to our own problems, that we can't see the forest for the trees.
Marlana: Do you think that it's even possible for us to recognize that we're putting these roadblocks up for ourselves or not?
Lisa: I’m sure that some people do. And I know that I do. But even when I know I'm doing it, a lot of times, I still am totally lost in what I should be doing. Because once again, it's just like, we're just so close to it. You know how like a painting, if you stand really close, and you only see a small part, you're not seeing the whole thing, and then
you back up and you see the entire vision. And you're like, “oh!” I really think that's what it is. Last weekend at Brandon Straza, (his three C coaching event), we talked about this topic a lot. And every single person there has the problem. I mean, I've been an entrepreneur for 31 years, and I've owned my current business for 26.
And there are other people there had been in business for decades. We're all the same. So, if anybody out there is feeling like a weirdo or loser, don't, you're just normal.
Marlana: Is it better for us to have somebody kind of, give us that bird's eye view, so to speak?
Lisa: Yeah, I think one of the biggest mistakes that I made in my own entrepreneurial career is not having a coach earlier. I kind of always looked at a coach as rah rah, you know, you can do this. And I'm like, I understand business. And I don't need any...
Ani Agrawal, NK Patent Law Ani is an intellectual property attorney with a diverse background in patent prosecution, patent litigation, and related IP advising. His current practice focuses on patent and trademark prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in foreign countries. Before obtaining his law degree, Mr. Agrawal worked in cryogenics research and taught organic chemistry for over 6 years at the University of Illinois Chemistry Department. Previously, Mr. Agrawal spent 6 years involved in intellectual property litigation work for numerous corporations and universities across a wide spectrum of technologies, managing several attorneys in IP litigation matters. He regularly volunteers time with local entrepreneurial groups in both the Triangle and Charlotte. https://nkpatentlaw.com/professionals/ani-agrawal/ https://nkpatentlaw.com/ (https://nkpatentlaw.com/) NK Patent Law, for all your intellectual property needs. This should not be misconstrued as legal advice, for that, please speak directly to an attorney.
www.marlanasemenza.com
On this episode, we talk about your photos and the law. What can you do with them? Who owns them? And more!
Ani-Agrawal
Marlana: Ani Agrawal is an intellectual property attorney with a background in patent prosecution, patent litigation, and related IP advising. His current practice focuses on patent and trademark prosecution before United States patent trademark office and in foreign countries. Welcome, Ani!
Ani: Hi, Marlana!
Marlana: I am really excited to have this conversation with you because nobody talks about the legal aspect of using images and the ramifications of over stepping and crossing over the line. While this conversation is going to be based on the law and what things are from the legal standpoint, we do have to let people know that they should not be construed as legal advice, for that they will need to speak to a legal attorney.
Ani: Yeah! That’s right.
Marlana: So, let’s start with the very basics. I see an image online, whether be on Facebook or wherever and I decide “you know what! I really like this image and I want to use it.” So, I take a screenshot and I use it. Legal or illegal?
Ani: You should always presume that that is illegal. Copyright is really established as soon as an image or a song, anything is created. There is a copyright associated with that image and that is true whether they federally registered them or they’ve simply published it on their website. The creator has copyrights in that media they have created and that extends to them whether they have federally registered them or not. So, anytime you see an image you should always operate under the assumption that there is copyright associated with it.
Marlana: So, even if it’s something that’s non descriptive like flowers or a sunset, I should make that assumption?
Ani: Absolutely! So, the subject matter is not important in this case. It can be a person, it can be a sunset, an animal, an ornament. It makes no difference. The photographer or the creator of the image has rights in that and that’s true regardless of the subject.
Marlana: What about photos of me? If a photographer sends me proofs or I see my images being used on the photographer’s website or in a social media, can I take a screenshot and use them myself?
Ani: Actually you cannot! That is a common point of confusion. People think; “well! The photo is of me, obviously I will have full rights. It is the same image I see on the mirror every morning, so there should be no restrictions, it’s my face, it’s my property.” That is not the case. What happens is, when a photographer takes a photo of you, they own a copyright in that photo. So, absent some sort of work for hire agreement where ownership is transferred to the subject of the photo, absent any agreement like that, the copyright is presumed to be held by the photographer. You have...
Raquel Borras True To You Branding Raq The Boat
RAQVISION
Founder of True To You Branding
Founder of Raq The Boat YouTube channel where I have candid conversations with our youth.
Founder of RAQVISION. A youth social network for kids ages 17 and under.
www.raqvision.tv
https://www.youtube.com/c/RaqTheBoat (https://www.youtube.com/c/RaqTheBoat)
I wouldn’t be where I am right now…if it wasn’t for the fact that I was so vulnerable.
I shared my story of having struggled with depression when I was in college. I attempted suicide while I was at UCLA…
There was a point that I told people I didn’t graduate for medical reasons and that was that.
I knew I had to expose myself…and that was probably the best thing I could have done.
It was really spontaneous….we had just been at a conference where we were discussing our mental health…and we were talking about how it’s important to share those stories…then it was mental health awareness month…
As leaders we need to do what we can to change the narrative.
I just grabbed my phone, hit record and just shared my story.
I went ahead and posted it and I almost had a mini panic attack in that moment…
It was amazing…how many people were calling me, texting me, messaging me saying Thank You…
There was no going back in that moment, that’s for sure, because of the feedback I got.
(The scariest part was) The judgement….I was actually…pleasantly surprised how supportive everybody was.
I’m not that person anymore.
I share my story…in a way that’s not heavy…it’s just a story. An experience that I had that’s helped me and gotten me where I am today.
I feel that there needs to be more of us suicide attempt survivors that are in a really good place so that we can share the skills and the tools and…how we were able to get over that hump…
Too many kids think it’s the end of the world if something happens…you can overcomes it. And once you’re on the other side, beautiful things can happen.
Your struggle can turn into your superpower.
You have to respect where you’re at and if you’re not ready, you’re not ready.
You might be missing out on your purpose by not sharing.
If your share, people out there are going to respond in a way that you just don’t know where it will take you.
I have a 20 year old and 17 year old and they will share with me, but its’ because I’ve been so open and share with them. I feel that as adults, if we share more then maybe our kids will know that it’s okay to be open and share more.
There is a fine line of sharing too much in the moment. I feel that there’s a respect level as well.
The only reason I was able to share…was because I had build a community that I really trusted and there was respect there….I felt I had a community that was going to embrace me.
You will have people that don’t support you and that’s ok.
A lot of them are the parents. I started RaqtheBoat…and it started out with the parents that I knew…and it steamrolled.
Because I’m on Instagram and I’ll repurpose a little bit…I have 16/17 year olds reaching out to me on their own to be on the show.
RaqTheBoat is…I thought, no one is having conversations with our kids…with adults, there’s more of a structure and I didn’t want structure. I will…hit the..record button and just start asking questions and have the conversation go where it may.
RaqVision came about because my friend had a…community…and we need to do the same for our youth…17 and under. We facilitate rooms…Justin Guarini from American Idol, Rob House…Michael Ray…and they facilitate these room with these kids…
I want any kid who comes onto this platform to walk away a better human.
We need to get away from the vanity metrics and a lot of these kids are basing their worth
Stephen Scoggins The Journey Principles Institute (7 Companies in all) Stephen Scoggins is an award-winning, successful, multi-million-dollar serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and creator of Transform U, a proprietary Life Mastery System dedicated to guiding others toward lasting breakthroughs in any area of life. Stephen has helped Fortune 500 leaders, professional athletes, entertainers, hardworking individuals, and everyone in between to exceed their wildest expectations in their life, business, and career. https://transformuevent.com/
https://stephenscoggins.com/ (https://stephenscoggins.com/)
Part of my story is…being homeless and overcoming a lot of childhood adversity….and I had an interesting mentor that poured into me at about the age of 13/14.
He said ‘What’s the difference between a rich man and a poor man?’ And I was like (at 16) ‘Money, of course.’ He said ‘Absolutely not. It’s the way they think.’ He followed up with ‘Do you want to learn to think like me? Or do you want to continue thinking like your father?’
My father was a hard working individual..he was not good with money..he wasn’t necessarily good with relationships. Steve was incredibly wealthy..he employed a few hundred team members across states…and one of the things he helped me become aware of was the way in which I was thinking about myself…opportunities…my future…
As you go through life…you begin having experiences…that get you starting to believe you are ‘less than’ because someone in front of you is ‘more than.’
The number one thing that holds most people back…is the way they think. If you take that a level deeper, what I’m really saying is their ultimate level of self awareness. How aware are you of your strengths, your struggles and your blind spots?
In almost every case they all but ignore their blind spots.
If the secret is in how I think, how do I better understand how I can think and then how can I reprogram myself?
What has to change in me? That’s the simple question most people forget to ask themselves.
We have a tool that we use to identify things that are kind of hidden under the surface….there’s a number of tools you can use to at least take the first step in better understanding yourself. the tricky part is, when you’re reading through the results…it’s maybe better to walk over to your spouse or your friend and say ‘what do you think about this sentence?’
There’s trust in wise council with people that you admire and trust.
I would not go out and try and get a third party opinion from someone who’s consistently trying to take life from you.
In my journey, the person that I thought I was, was the person I was allowing myself to be.
If I believe that I’ll always be a construction guy and that I’ll never be an author and I’ll never be a speaker, and as a result I should never try, then nothing’s gonna change.
If someone who believed in me…said I see you and you’re dynamic…passionate, bold…you might have a skill set at speaking. Now I’ve got a decision in that moment…to say ‘what if?’
I believe that it’s 80% change and 20% foundation.
I’m a high DI…in that high drive, that immaturity side…I was pretty aggressive…had I left that unchecked…that limitation determines the level of motivation and also the level of maturation that you actually have.
The awareness starts ‘this is the limitation’, ‘this is what has to change’, this is what I’ve identified’ and then it comes down to putting in the work.
I believe you can change about 80% of your DNA. If nothing else, taking it from immaturity to maturity. The other 20% is…the way God made you.
You have to go on a self awareness journey…without condemning yourself
When I first dropped out of high school, no one asked me why I was dropping out….they proceeded to condemn me…they...
Amanda Hall - I am the co-founder of Girls With Goals Who Give and I also have my own confidence mentoring business under my umbrella company The Hall Group. Amanda Hall is a business mentor, speaker, and entrepreneur who helps women grow their network and industry influence. Her 3 B’s framework on Belief, Boundaries, and Balance, empowers those facing self-doubt to step into their uniqueness with confidence. Amanda is in the top 1% of a direct-to-consumer business as an entrepreneur and business leader. She has coached hundreds of women on her team to grow their business and increase their revenue. Her coaching and training results have led her team to be one of the top 10% teams in the company.
Amanda is also the co-founder of Girls with Goals Who Give. This community organization teaches ambitious female entrepreneurs how to build deep and authentic relationships to attract more opportunities to their lives and businesses effortlessly. In partnership with VaynerMedia, Amanda and the Girls With Goals Who Give team facilitated a networking experience for a select group of employees to provide an opportunity for collaboration, connection, and inspiration.
Amanda speaks to women on discovering their core values and building confidence around what matters most to them. She educates her audience about standing firm in their beliefs and creating boundaries to live a more balanced and fulfilling life.
https://girlswithgoalswhogive.com
http://bit.ly/byamandahall3bs (bit.ly/byamandahall3bs)
There are things that you can do initially, because it is a big, overwhelming feat…and so many people feel overwhelmed when they get started…but you’ve gotta start somewhere.
It starts with really figuring out what your personal brand is.
You’re not your business. You’re not your children. You’re not your husband. You’re not your family. You are you. And what most people overlook is that we all have unique gifts that we can tap into….and people are attracted to those unique gifts.
It’s figuring out ‘what makes me unique? What are my stances, my opinions? What makes me really passionate? What makes me really angry? What makes me feel alive? Energetic?…’
Figuring out what you want your brand to represent…and getting started there.
I call myself the extroverted introvert…we didn’t really share a lot. It took a lot for me to get over the hump…
What I realized is…it’s not really about being an introvert, it’s more about saying to yourself, ‘why am I even doing this in the first place?’…there must be a reason. Is it because you’re trying to be the go-to in your market?…
Then saying to yourself, if it’s this important to me, then I’m going to step out of my comfort zone little by little and share some pieces of me that I know are going to help that person.
My brand is all about…shedding the armor, shedding the self doubt and just being you.
Say what you want to say…while adding value to the world.
…I can’t say those things and not put myself out there. So, little by little I started to share stories.
It’s more about letting go of the ego and knowing that you’re just there to serve.
I hate to break it to you, but not everyone is going to like you and you have to be ok with it.
A lot of people are people-pleasers, they want everyone to like them…and that’s no way to live. It’s an exhausting way to live.
Finding your people…your personal brand…allows you to discover who you want to spend your time with. Who you want to spend your time on. What you want to say ‘yes’ to. What you want to say ‘no’ to. It makes your life a lot less complicated.
In order for you to be of value and service to others, you need to take care of yourself first.
For the purpose of serving your audience…it’s important to think about what that end goal is. ...
Elyse Archer, She Sells Elyse Archer is the founder of She Sells, a coaching program for women in sales who are revolutionizing the way sales are done. A thought leader whose insights have been featured in major media including Forbes and Inc, Elyse is passionate about empowering women to sell in a way that leverages their natural gifts and helps them build wealth along the way. She is an international keynote speaker and host of She Sells Radio, where she shares best practices from female entrepreneurs and sales professionals who have accomplished extraordinary goals. Prior to founding She Sells, Elyse served as a Partner in an 8-figure international sales coaching organization, where she helped sales professionals achieve their goals.
Outside of She Sells, Elyse is also a founding team member of Brand Builders Group, a personal branding strategy firm. Her client list includes New York Times bestselling authors, top 100 podcast hosts, and 8-figure entrepreneurs as well as leaders who are earlier in their journey and committed to scaling their influence, impact and income.
Learn more about Elyse at
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It’s the biggest challenge most people bump up against…you’re always selling yourself.
One of the biggest challenges…is a lack of confidence in yourself.
Other people’s view of you will just be a mirror of your view of yourself.
For so many years, I would look for validation from the outside….my sale’s manager…men…you name it.
I looked to clients to validate what I had was good.
I woke up one day and realized that no one’s going to validate me until I validate myself….What am I waiting for? I’m giving my power away to other people….That was a big mindset shift for me.
Things that may seem small and unrelated, like complimenting yourself.
How often do we look in the mirror and focus on the one thing we don’t like?
I would get off a call…and if they didn’t buy, I would beat myself up over it. And I didn’t realize how much I was degrading my confidence and my self worth.
Complimenting yourself. Speaking to yourself as someone who has the sales that you desire, who has the type of clients you desire, who brings in the amount of money you desire…because what you describe you prescribe.
When you say anything that follows the words ‘I am…’ it is a direct command to your subconscious mind to make that more of your reality.
So, whatever you want to be a reality about yourself, then say it. Say it out loud and say it to yourself.
She Sells has kind of taken on a life of its own and now I get to teach things I never thought I would teach.
What I found was, so much of what’s taught is ‘use this script’, ‘use this process’, ‘say these words’, ‘do this thing’ and you must get this result. When I tried that…I would get incremental gains…but I still felt stuck.
So many make it look like they have it all together on the outside, but on the inside, they are struggling…
I didn’t realize how important the inner game was to the sales game until I started doing a lot of my own inner work.
I have a client in financial services….you would look at this woman and think she is the most confident person in the world…she’s also a spin instructor…in her class, there is a leader board in the front of the room…if she notices that she is rising to the top and she finds herself in that #2 spot, her automatic reflex is to slow down. Because what would it mean if she was #1? ….this stuff goes deep….she realized that same phenomenon that’s happening in
Deborah Driggs From her start as a Playboy Centerfold and Covergirl to her life as a Screen Actors’ Guild member and later, achieving the Top 5% in her industry as a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, Deborah Driggs has had to clear many hurdles in life. While it may seem like Deborah’s success came easy to her, nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, she has had to overcome a number of challenges in life to get to where she is today. What is true - and a part of her character - is her willingness to take risks, maintain a positive attitude, and never take ‘No’ for an answer.
http://www.deborahdriggs.com (www.deborahdriggs.com)
I started out as a performer at a very young age.
I learned discipline and coaching really early on.
My goal was to go to the Olympics as a figure skater…I got most of my life lessons early on from the coaches in my life.
I had sport figures as my mentors and who I looked up to…I was obsessed with the athletic mind.
If they can do it, I can do it! That was the mentality.
Those lessons and that discipline…kind of carried me out throughout my life.
The way I got into the entertainment industry was no accident because my first addiction as a kid was attention….I was seeking that so desperately.
When skating went away, the next step was dance then cheerleading…so I landed a spot on a professional cheerleading squad which propelled me into morning shows, radio shows, talk shows, interviews, promotions…
There was a lot of pushback….I got all the reasons why I shouldn’t pursue that.
One in a million people are successful…well that will be me. And that was how my mind worked.
Because of my age, I had no fear…The older I got the more fear I got.
The minute somebody would tell me ‘no’ or ‘that’s impossible’ I’d go ‘Well, there’s gotta be a way.’ I just never took ‘no as the final answer.
I had three agents…all of them wanted to sign me…I went on an audition for a commercial and I booked it…and I thought ‘there is no stopping me now’ I thought I could do anything.
I’d beg…see if I can get my S.A.G. card. Just give me one line. I was relentless…that’s the kind of mentality I had.
I went on an audition for a show…called Charles In Charge…to play his girlfriend…okay are you ready to read?…I start to read for the part and he just stopped me in my tracks….and he’s like ‘You know, when you walked in this office, I would have hired you on the spot..but you don’t know how to act.’ And I took that very seriously and said ‘What do you suggest I do?’…
I enrolled myself immediately into a two year Meisner technique…
While I was doing that, I get a call form my agent that I should go and audition for this new book that Playboy was coming out with…they gave me a robe and told me to take everything off…I said ‘I’m not here for that.’…
Back then, they were looking for scars, tattoos, birth marks, piercings…back then it was a big deal…
I’m gonna leave my undergarments on…it doesn’t go well at all…that afternoon I got a call that they were interested in shooting me for a centerfold and I thought ‘I think they are confusing me with another girl…’
We all decided it was a good thing for me to do because at that time, Playboy was the number one magazine in the world and everybody wanted to be in the magazine.
They got over a thousand submissions a day.
It changed everything….everybody wanted to meet with me.
I got on the Oprah Winfrey show, the Bob Hope special…while I’m doing this, I’m in this two year Meisner acting program…
So I’m trying to be taken seriously as an actress and all this Playboy stuff is starting to happen…
The thing that was cool about it was, I booked my first film and it was all cause I was studying and trying to be better as an actress…and here was another opportunity for me to have a coach in my life.
I would just keep...
Radon Stancil - Peace Of Mind Wealth Management Radon Stancil, CFP, is a best-selling author and The Founder of Peace of Mind Wealth Management, a firm committed to helping individuals retire with excellence. As the Co-host of the ‘Secure Your Retirement’ show his insights have been featured in Forbes, Newsweek, Fox, ABC, NBC, and the Wall St Journal. With over 25 years of experience, Radon is an award-winning advisor who is highly sought after to work with executives, business owners, engineers, pharmaceutical professionals and more.
http://www.pomwealth.net/podcast (www.pomwealth.net/podcast)
First of all…we get so focused on saying ‘I’m just going to reinvest in the company…’…in addition to that, you’ve gotta make sure you’re setting aside something for yourself.
Down the road…all you have is a big company…and unless you can sell it and get something back out of it, it’s really not gonna help you for retirement.
You need to have a cash reserve…6 months at the bare minimum…than…Roth IRA…
With a Roth, I can pull the money back out. I just can’t touch the growth…
You can also build your own…401K
In my head I thought, I’m a small business. I might need capital. If I put money into my 401K and I need that capital, I’m gonna pay a penalty to get that back out. So I did my order the way I just described to you.
From a finance standpoint, there’s no advantage (LLC, DBA). There is one on that S Corp because you can pay yourself an income…and not pay some of that tax.
I never wanted to have to put money back into the company….I don’t think you should take distributions…leave enough of operating capital in your corporation…so that you don’t have to pull from savings.
I always make sure I’ve got at least 3 months of operating capital in my corporate account…
I have 3 months of operating capital to run the company. Now, part of that might be paying me. But then I’ve got my personal…there I need 6 months.
…If push comes to shove, typically a small business owner will pay everybody but themselves…so what if you had to go two months…and I can’t pay myself. But I’ve got my personal savings that say’s I can survive…
That’s the juggling act…but you’ve got the big picture in your head…
I think everybody needs an advisor. What I mean by that is, I’m a financial advisor, but I still need advisors. I have business coaches. Every single year I make it a rule that I have to have somebody in my life that’s telling me what I need to do to do better…mastemind groups, coaching programs. Every year I have to be in two or three…
A financial advisor can help you work along with your CPA to set things up…you then need to have the money managed. And if that’s not what you do then I don’t think you need to be doing it.
I think you have an advisor so you can concentrate on what you know how to do best.
If you’re starting to hit your goals…how do I structure that…I’d say sooner than later (hire an advisor)….As soon as you can do it. Do it.
Small business owners…don’t have as much of a retirement goal. They’ve got more of a time goal…I want to get to a point where I don’t have to come into the office everyday. I want to get down to a two day work week…whatever that is….and I want to hit that much earlier than 65…and it’s the easiest part of my business career because I have all the things that I’ve built…So unless I sell…I don’t really have a retirement goal.
Whatever your goal is, think that way….because it may be different.
Just think about time and compound effect. If a person is starts at 20 and they go to 65, they can save $1M with just some growth and a very small amount of money. I’m talking $100 or so dollars a month….The longer we wait…we have to save a much larger amount of money in order to catch up.
The earlier you can save, the...
Steve Sims http://SteveDSims.com (SteveDSims.com) Do you know anyone that’s worked with Sir Elton John or Elon Musk, sent people down to see the wreck of the Titanic on the sea bed or closed museums in Florence for a private dinner party and then had Andrea Bocelli serenade them while they eat their pasta – you do now
Quoted as “The Real Life Wizard of Oz" by Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazine, Steve Sims is a best selling Author with "BLUEFISHING - the art of making things happen”, sought-after coach and a speaker at a variety of networks, groups and associations as well as the Pentagon and Harvard – twice!
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I started off trying to find how rich people interacted…in the end I wound up being the doorman of a nightclub…it gave me a great viewpoint of people..and the psychology of a human being.
What it did teach me is that if I was slightly dubious about someone and I let them in the club, it was only a matter of time before I was kicking them out. So I learned at a very, very early age to protect the front door. If you guard that with your life, you removed 99.9% of the problems.
Now, if I’ve got clients coming to me…if they’re not the right fit, that’s your front door. It ain’t gonna get any better just cause they paid you.
It’s my gut. I believe we become dumber by what we see. It’s very easy for me to look professional…something like that would impress you…but I decided your gut is far more intelligent. How many times have we had a conversation with someone…they’ve got an expensive watch, the story sounds good, but something’s just not right. And then we go back to our eyesight and go ‘oh, but he’s got a nice watch…’
Stop believing what I see and trust my gut.
We were incredibly smart when we were 3 years old….most of us became dumber because of peer pressure, schools, parents…you drop your kids off at school and you see someone sitting in the corner…of that’s Tommy…why don’t you go play with Tommy? Tommy smells….Tommy pokes people. I don’t like Tommy…we go ‘Don’t be like that. You go play with Tommy.’ And we force them into a relationship they didn’t want to have. It’s rude, it’s harsh, but the bottom like of it is, imagine if everyone was honest tomorrow….and went ‘Hey, this relationship with me and you, it ain’t working. All the best. Bye!’ …We would lose a lot of relationships but what would happen to the relationships we retain?
I remember years ago, and it was a big turning point for me, there was a guy that I really looked up to…we were in this networking event…and this guy was trying to get Tony’s attention…Tony took him over one side and said ‘Look, it doesn’t matter how long we take, me and you are never gonna get on. It’s not good or bad, it’s just a fact. You’re wasting all your time trying to generate a relationship with me and I’m letting you know now, it’s not gonna work…Out of respect for our time, I wish you al the best.’…The guy went off and the people were very receptive to him. He walked into the bouquet that worked for him. He actually came over to Tony and said ‘Thank you so much for saving me the time.’…There was no hostility, no anger, but it was very clear it wasn’t gonna work.
We itemize through our eyeballs and we approve through our eyeballs where we should be focusing on what we learned as a kid. Our gut. If it smells off, move away from it.
Anyone that’s been appointed as as gatekeeper has to be 100% synchronized with...
Tracy Cherpeski - Tracy Cherpeski International Tracy L. Cherpeski - MBA, MA, CPSC, is a leading executive coach and leadership development expert with over 15 years experience. Her expertise, professional experience and "coach tool kit" guide her clients to success in many areas of business and life. Her coaching and training programs offer integrated leadership, executive development, operations consulting and mindset mastery. Tracy has shared her coaching and workshops with corporations, government and non-profit organizations, small businesses and medical practices.
Tracy is also host of the Entrepreneur Mindset-Reset podcast where she interviews guests around the world from various industries and walks of life. Together, she and her guests explore success mindset, lessons learned, and wisdom gained through their entrepreneurial journey.
Tracy's biggest “WHY” is her two beautiful teenaged children, who inspire her to reach higher and further every day. She lives in Chapel Hill, NC, with her husband, children and a menagerie of adopted furry family members, and serves clients from all over the U.S., to Norway, the UK, Brazil, China, Spain and Australia.
Tracy’s professional and personal philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
Website: https://www.tracycherpeski.com
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Everybody has one. Probably more than one.
What am I great at? What do I love doing?
When I’m at my best, what am I doing?…let that marinate….hear it out loud…
When I am at my best and when I’m doing that, I’m doing precisely what?
Some clients say ‘I’m at my best when I’m solving problems’..a riddle, a puzzle…we just kept picking it apart and kept asking the questions and one lady said ‘I do it everywhere in my life’ and I was like ‘Great! How can you capitalize on that? How can you turn that into something that really helps you shine?’…how does that support you? How does that support the people in your life?…How can you turn that into a marketable skill…
We still need to get curious and keep asking ourselves questions…
…What I’m great at is asking people what they really want, where they thrive. What is it they love about what they do? What motivates them? Motivation is not an innate thing. We have to manufacture it a lot of times….motivation often doesn’t even kick in until we’re about 5 minutes into something.
What is the thing that we could do with our eyes closed that lights us up? And how do we apply that?
Focus in on what we would do if money were no object.
If we have a challenge…if I’m great at solving that, maybe I’m also great at solving that for other people. So, how can I turn that into something?
I’m a huge fan of figuring out what drains your energy and outsourcing or bartering…
I think there’s a way to be more effective…by taking our strengths and applying them when it’s time to hustle. And maybe during glide times…I despise admin. It drains my energy. But, if those things don’t get done, I don’t get paid. So I block them as ‘I get to do this today so that…’ I block it during a time when I don’t have umpteen things going.
For me if it’s off the plate, it’s off my head.
Say you’re new…sometimes it’s important to really be in it. There’s a taping point…when you’re waking up…at 3 o’clock in the morning and that’s on your mind…I think it’s amazing what a leap of faith can do.
I...
Carrie Veatch - Set Yourself Free Carrie Veatch is a coach who helps ambitious female entrepreneurs bust through self-doubt and false narratives to create 6 figure and multiple 6 figure online businesses. Carrie combines neuroscience, teaching clients to rewire their brains through mindset work, and a safe container for clients to create the lives that truly want. She is a nomad living and traveling abroad (currently in Vietnam), morning routine enthusiast, CrossFitter, community minded, gluten free foodie that is obsessed with helping others create lives of freedom. https://setyourselffreellc.com/
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Have a free journal that has tons of juicy prompts I used to book over 40 calls and do over $14k in sales in less than a month - you can grab it for free on my website! And my group program will be kicking off soon so that you can hit those $10k months online with ease!
It’s the conditioning that we’ve been fed…the harder you work, the more money you make..and yet we all know examples of people where that is not true.
I’m such a believer in un-learning and re-learning so we can easily get what we want.
It’s the narratives, it’s the thoughts that say ‘You can’t have what you want’, ‘You have to work hard to get what you want’, and pretty much anything that reminds you or tells you you’re not good enough..not deserving…
We’re born worthy.
Men just don’t take things as personally. They have a clear way of separating out ‘Well, it’s just business’…
We as women often takes things on. We take things personally….we’re big feeling people..so often times we are conditioned to think that men are the ones that make the money…
Our narratives, whatever they may be, are the biggest driver of whether or not we go after the things we want. This is why I work with so many women on beliefs first…
It’s so essential that we change the dialog between our ears.
The Roger Bannister example. No one ran a four minute mile until he did and everyone else believed it was possible. Up until that point, we had no basis for believing…
This is where we have those limitation in our mind. Sometimes it’s…based on past experience or things we’ve tried that haven’t worked out…so then we start to create these stories and have these beliefs that say ‘I’m not worthy of that’, ‘I can’t do that’, ‘I’m afraid of that’, ‘It’s possible for her, not me’…
Fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin…When we can flip that and we understand that our body has the same response to them, it’s just how we’re choosing to view it. That’s how we can flip the experience…
First up…getting really clear on what you want.
Most people actually do know what they want, they just think they can’t have it.
The process is quite simple, but the work around it can be really challenging.
Deciding what we want…our work is to clean up our thoughts..behind everything that says you can’t have it.
It’s proving to yourself those thoughts are wrong.
Record all of the thoughts that are coming up…and look at them. Sometimes we’re afraid to really look at them because we think ‘if I name them, then they must be true.’
You can’t shift and change anything if you’re not acknowledging it.
The work is to disprove it..so you have the new thoughts and narratives…then detach from every single detail of ‘how.’
Get into that place of trust and faith..having that belief that it’s already done.
You have to act out of that higher version of yourself.
Tap into your imagination. What do you imagine that would feel like…tap into that place and make decisions and actions out of there.
We never have an exact blueprint….we all bring our unique experience
I believe in the power of our minds and our imagination. Kids
Martin Brossman, business - Martin Brossman & Associates LLC Martin Brossman is a leading authority on Linkedin, Reputation Management, and building a positive digital presence. He has collectively over 10,000 followers. Just Google his name! Brossman is a Success Coach, consultant, and dynamic trainer known for his insight and humor. A member of the National Speakers Association, Martin is a popular speaker on effective and safe online reputation enhancement and professional development topics. He regularly teaches statewide for towns, communities, and schools in North Carolina. He also provides customized coaching and training for individuals and groups, integrating digital media, professional networking, and reputation management. Integrating success on the ground and on the web.
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Everything had to be perfect…and in having your own business that became a problem because you have to know the difference between making it very accurate and good enough to get out the door.
If you were a graphic designer, you probably should spend quite a bit of time on your first impression of images for graphic design…then learning to let some of the other things go is critical.
Our time really is money.
It’s the aim, aim, aim, aim, aim consider firing someday approach.
It can also be used as a tool not to face failure. One of the most important muscles to develop is…the ability to fail and recover quickly.
Fail fast. Fail often.
Take small calculated risks where you can afford the consequences.
It doesn’t mean in those experiences of failure you don’t have a moment of ‘oh no’…it just means moving through them quicker.
Perfectionism is often a tool for hiding out.
Don’t deny yourself the fact that it might not feel good. It’s ok….that you’re getting some data in…the you got knocked off the horse.
Biologically we can only perceive so much data. We’re gonna leave stuff out and we’re affected by it.
Start identifying with something greater and a commitment instead of perfection.
What does real win-win look like?
I think the challenge of who we identify as ourselves is one of the biggest problems….most of us built our identity to the most part, under 10 years old.
Be anything but yourself, you’ll be an upgrade.
This thing that we think is our identity is build before we are mature enough to know what it is and it’s running us like a program.
What am I identifying with?
What is sustainable over time is what we are going to be committed to identifying with.
I was blessed with the challenge in life that in 4th grade, there was something wrong…at the time, the only tutor that the school had was the one working with the special needs kids…I was moved out of my class to work with that woman and I made a very big decision there was something critically wrong with me…that was a pivotal decision in how I identified with myself…I believed I was intrinsically broken and there was no way out.
I finally had to identify with something other than the concept in my head of ‘I’m too stupid to be alive.’
Unless I build something else to identify out of, there was no way out.
‘Who are you going to identify as you?’ Moving forward can give you a level of consistency over time. And that’s how you can get some room from that conversation in your head.
Denying our children wounds, denies the potential of their growth.
Some of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life, when you learn about their childhood, you want to just...
Nicky Billou -- eCircle Academy Nicky Billou aka the Millionaire Maker, has a proven method that has helped dozens of people add 6 -to- 8 figures a year to their annual income. He is the #1 International Best Selling Author of the book: Finish Line ThinkingTM: How to Think and Win Like a Champion, and The Thought Leader’s Journey: A Fable of Life. He is an in-demand and highly inspirational speaker to corporate audiences such as RBC, Lululemon, Royal LePage, and TorStar Media. He is an advisor and confidante to some of the most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs in Canada. He is the founder of eCircle Academy (www.eCircleAcademy.com) where he runs a yearlong Mastermind & Educational program working with Coaches, Consultants, Corporate Trainers, Clinic Owners, Realtors, Mortgage Brokers and other service-based Entrepreneurs, positioning them as authorities in their niche, and helping them add $250,000 -- $2.5 million to their annual income. He is the creator of the Thought Leader/Heart LeaderTM Designation. As the host of the #1 podcast in the world on Thought Leadership, The Thought Leader Revolution (www.TheThoughtLeaderRevolution.com) Nicky has interviewed over 270 of the world’s top Thought Leaders, such as:
• Astronaut Chris Hadfield • George Ross of the Hit TV Series The Apprentice • Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank • Supermodel & Business Mogul Kathy Ireland • Ivan Misner — Founder Of BNI • Graham Weihmiller — CEO of BNI • John Maxwell — World’s #1 Leadership Author • NYT #1 Bestselling Author Seth Godin • Marie Forleo — Oprah’s Coach • Jack Canfield: Author Of Chicken Soup For The Soul • Scott Adams: Creator of Dilbert
Free Visioning Session: www.eCircleAcademy.com/appointment Free Kindle Copy of my latest book: www.eCircleAcademy.com/TLJBook Finish Line Thinking Scorecard: https://form.jotform.com/90206417017145 (https://form.jotform.com/90206417017145)
The link between our income and being sought after is very real and immediate….It allows you to take your income from a level that you barely scrape by to a level that you have more money than you know what to do with.
Step 1 is you’ve got to commit.
Amateur vs. Pro. Most people play at business…you have a friend…an amateur…who does it in his spare time, has a regular job and if the regular job interferes, he’s not going to show up..if he gets sick, he’s not going to show up…you can’t count on him. The pro…he’s studied…he has built thousands…he shows up no matter what…this is a fellow who always completes the job. If you had a choice on which one to hire…would you choose the amateur or would you choose the pro?
If you want to be in business, if you want to be a tough leader, if you want to be sought after? You’ve got to make the decision to go pro.
You’re in it to win it. You’re here to learn the craft, how to deliver a result repeatably, count-on-ably, for everybody that can use the type of help that you are all about delivering.
People will see that you have a reputation for being that gal…who every time. Every time! Delivers the result no matter what.
You’ve gotta be the one holding yourself to that standard.
Amateurs don’t hold themselves to any kind of standard. Professionals hold themselves to the highest…standards.
You know when someone is the kind of person who always keeps their word….You’re going to be drawn to them.
75 Hard….if you mess up even once, you go back to day one. The level of mental toughness that gets developed by sticking to this is what turns you into a bit of a pro when it comes to keeping your word.
The next step is you have to get clear on what it is you’re going pro for. What is your expertise? A lot of people think ‘my expertise is what I’ve been doing’ but, it really isn’t….there’s a process we take people through…if you start to understand what you’re expertise is truly...
Meredith Liepelt Rising Star Publicity Since 2007, Meredith Liepelt, CEO of Rising Star Publicity, has guided experts to become recognized authorities in the media, online, and in person. When clients master the strategies she teaches, they make a name for themselves in their industries by securing media spots, speaking engagements, and through other opportunities to showcase their expertise in front of potential clients and influencers, so they can make more money. http://www.RisingStarPublicity.com Free gift: https://www.risingstarpublicity.com/mediakitchecklist Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevisibilitycollaborative (https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevisibilitycollaborative)
Courage plays a really big part. When we as personal brands are putting ourselves out there, it is very vulnerable. There’s risk to that. We’re showing up…who likes me?..And somebody will.
You have to be yourself as you go out there because when you try to be somebody else, that just doesn’t work. Being secure in who you are and knowing who you are so that you can put yourself out there in a real genuine way, that’s how you will resonate with your people.
Become clear on ‘what are your intentions?’ Everything with marketing starts with Who do you want to help? What are their issues? What are they struggling with? And then you criss-cross that with Who are you? How can you help them? What’s my message?…Then How do I want to show up?
All these things tell a story about who you are and being courageous in staking your claim and saying ‘This is who I am. This is what I believe…This is my message and This is who I can help. Are you ready?’
Show up the same on every platform. Show up the same in person as you do online.
Make sure that you’re being real in everything…Don’t ever strive to be perfect….And help people in the way that you are uniquely positioned to help.
The truth is, you have to look at your own innate strengths. What do you naturally gravitate toward?…Maybe that’s something that you need to pursue.
Writing can take all kinds of forms…How do you want to show up in writing? What’s natural to you?
If you’re a talker? How can that show up?…And how are you going to do it in your way?
I’m being courageous….trying something new…and working on it.
You can stay in your comfort zone. And there are times to stay in our comfort zone and there are times to go out into our courage zone. When we are on a growth path and we know it’s time to up-level…growth is not comfortable…you stretch…and you operate in your courage zone. And you learn..along the way.
We don’t try for perfection. We just try for better than yesterday.
Some people really want to go on television because that is a fast way to become known as an expert.
Being quoted in articles in your industry…
Certainly media helps with that third party credibility….It’s there for you forever.
TV…is available from the get-go….if you are truly an expert and you have some value to bring to the audience…they do want to see on camera…do a video of you talking…they want see your energy…then…how can you bring value….what can you demonstrate…what kind of actionable tips can you bring…
Start local!….Ellen or Steve Harvey are not your first steps…
Your path to going on national television, is to go on local television….because media begets media….here’s my sizzle reel….
A media kit…you can just have this on your website…it’s important to be ready for media…your http://url.com (url.com)/media...bio, headshot, lifestyle photos, sample interview questions, video..when they see you’re ready, they are going to remember you. Most people are not ready.
The headshot has to look like you. And lifestyle photos? Make sure that they reflect who you are currently. Same with videos....
Lauren V. Davis Lauren Davis Creative Lauren Davis will help you create memorable personal branding messages that convert to engagement and life-long clients. Originally (and still) a record store owner since 2006, Lauren learned early on how to transform one-hit tactics into a personalized brand that drives legendary visibility. The leadership and drive Lauren found building an iconic staple in her community and nationwide inspired the creation of Lauren Davis Creative in 2010, a marketing and branding consultancy that works closely with entrepreneurs on aligning, developing, and encouraging the Real Personal Brand inside them, making them highly visible, to become the authority in their industry.
Lauren has received senate recognition for her support of small-businesses through her non-for-profit that helps educate Local Businesses and is a featured marketing expert in Reader’s Digest, HuffPost, and on global top-rated podcasts. Finally, Lauren host’s her own show, The Real Personal Branding Podcast, where she uncovers the secrets of personal brand building online from some of the top thought-leaders, speakers, authors, and coaches in the world.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ldaviscreative/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/understandsocialmedia Lead Magnet: https://lauren-davis-creative.ck.page/aca6b3a010 Podcast: https://laurendaviscreative.com/show/ (https://laurendaviscreative.com/show/)
I work with people building a personal brand…as well as small brick and mortar businesses…
What I always truly believe is that businesses should try and take as much control over their online brand as possible….in the most minuscule way, building your social media platforms on the ones where you’re serving your customer…
If you have the ability to take ownership over your name..on a certain platform, you should probably do it. That doesn’t mean you should let accounts sit there and die and not have any movement…there are simple ways to keep them active…
I would recommend…Googling yourself…ask yourself, ‘How am I showing up to other people online?’…I put all the different ways my name could be spelled or listed..and I also set up Goggle alerts. That way when my name gets mentioned…Google is going to send me an email.
We have a lot of control honestly.
You can take advantage of all of the free social media platforms, you can build your website and it takes a little bit of effort to really dive in to what will bring people to your website first.
You can control the narrative of how your presence shows up online and you might as well do it because it’s going to help your particular unique audience find you better.
The one thing you always have control over, the one thing you can constantly do is create more content. So continue to create good content.
If you find something you don’t necessarily like, maybe do some deep digging into what you don’t like about that article and see how you can truly correct it from the inside out.
..Show up as the real person that you are. As the genuine person that you are…there’s gonna be no ability to be fake or be disingenuous anymore. No hacks, no bought growth. That kind of stuff is out and conversations and real genuine relationships with your audience are in in a big, big way. If you’re not taking advantage of that, if you’re not holding that dear to your heart, then my recommendation would be to start getting serious about that.
It boils down to knowing who your audience is….and let me tell you how I would recommend getting to know your audience. If you think of a networking event…you show up…maybe a person comes up to you and shoves their business card in your face and they do their elevator pitch at you and your eyes kind of glaze over…we’ve all been there where this person is just pitching you right off the bat…who is...
Brandon Straza, The Success Finder ABOUT BRANDON: My sales career started at a young age, hocking sugar mixed with Kool aid packets to my neighborhood friends & classmates… I spent my high school years cleaning golf clubs, listening to business owners talk about their work. Deep down, I always knew that school wasn’t built for me but, my mom pushed me to have a piece of paper to fall back on. So – just in case – I worked three jobs, pushed through college, and graduated with a BS in Finance. I continued learning sales directly through Norwest Financial. There, I learned two major lessons: 1.) Accountability and direct sales was something that came naturally. 2.) problem solving was better than offering a customer what I thought they needed. We built our first company in 2011, partnered with a mortgage bank where I was one of 12 owners. I leveraged my previous relationships to not only grow the insurance company but be apart of the C suite team and Board of Directors. I eventually sold my ownership where the bank was doing over 2 billion a year in lending. In order to create additional value, I created a platform called The Naked Agent. It allowed me to interview and highlight our referral sources to put them in front of a wider audience. Through this, I learned about the world of podcasting and masterminds. The power of an evergreen platform would allow me to learn more about self education and increase my appreciation of learning other people’s experiences. The Mastermind Effect is a gateway into what the future can hold for anybody willing to experience and lead with the give mentality. Earlier this year, my team and I have also launched The Success Finder app. The Success Finder is the #1 platform aiming to help knowledge seekers discover the right Coaches, Masterminds, and events that match their desires and level-up their lives. Best part? It's FREE and anyone who's interested can download it from Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store today.
The Success Finder app download link: https://linktr.ee/thesuccessfinder
Brandon's Websites: The Success Finder - https://thesuccessfinder.com The Mastermind Effect podcast - https://podcast.thesuccessfinder.com
Connect with Brandon on Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bstraza LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonstraza/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonstraza/)
Download The Success Finder app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store. It's FREE and you can download the app today. Link here: https://linktr.ee/thesuccessfinder (https://linktr.ee/thesuccessfinder)
Coaching a lot of the time…is one on one. Amazing. A Mastermind…equally amazing if it’s the right mastermind…is a group of people and they can be from all different industries and, in fact, I prefer it to be from all different industries…coming together, sharing what’s working for them and using the collective brain power to help move the needle forward.
I prefer a little more of an intimate type of a mastermind….10, 20 people….whoever’s hosting the mastermind has curated the right group, the right mentality of the people there.
You can have two day masterminds which you can say ‘this is an event’ ‘this is a mastermind’
Cole Hatter holds one that’s called Thrive. I would consider it an event because we’ve got over 1000 people, 15-20 speakers, items going on during the day, in the evening…to me an event is whatever happens there, happens there. There’s no continuation of it.
But you can have a 2 day mastermind. I think there are some brilliant ones. Steve Sims holds the Speakeasies and to me, that is mastermindish.
I think it really depends on the person that is curating it and the material that you’re leaning.
There are events..masterminds…that you can go to and they get you all jazzed up, they get you all energized, they motivate you. The problem is they don’t
Chukky Okobi Basic Instructions Mind Mastery An 8 year veteran of the National Football League and a Super Bowl winner with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, today he’s an emotional intelligence and integrative psychology professional, using his psychology expertise not only as a Keynote & Motivational speaker, but mainly as a mental performance coach for startup founders and entrepreneurs. Through his own professional journey through business, college and professional sports, Chukky Okobi has the personal experience to guide other ambitious corporate leaders to recognize that Success is Simple...if you know the Basic Instructions of Mind Mastery BasicInstructions.com http://linkedin.com/in/chukky-okobi-a4596417 (http://linkedin.com/in/chukky-okobi-a4596417)
What would that feel like for me to win the Super Bowl?…it’s a feeling you’re already intimately familiar with. Think back on those memories that gave you those butterflies, that feeling of excitement in your stomach and they made your pulse race…the things that felt so right, it almost feels wrong. And if you can just envision that feeling right there. That’s what it feels like to win the Super Bowl.
If you can see that in your mind, then you can be it.
Imagine feeling that type of satisfaction…in your marriage…in your business or your career…in your relationships…that’s what we’re talking about.
We’re talking about Super Bowl level success.
Everyone’s got their own version of success….for me, mine just happened to be the Super Bowl…if you’re a physicist, then winning a Nobel Prize might be your Super Bowl victory. For each and every person it’s about determining…what is the best possible experience I can imagine for myself? That’s your Super Bowl.
When I talk about Basic Instructions, it’s more than just a title or an LLC…that’s actually Basic Instruction #2…and that is decide on your specific desired outcome.
One of the big things I run into is…I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this verbatim…”I know exactly what I don’t want. But, I have no clue what I do want.”
It tells me there are some things going on at a deeper level that are leading them to stay focused on what they don’t want. To the point where they haven’t even considered what they want. They are just focused on avoiding that pain.
Zig Ziglar..said..’If you don’t know where you’re going. You’ll probably end up somewhere else.’ So, yeah, it’s that important to know exactly what you want.
So what exactly do you want? Some people might say “I just want to make more money.” Basic Instruction #2 : decide on your SPECIFIC desire outcome. So, if you want more money, alright, I’ve got a quarter right here….you said you wanted more money, I got you a quarter. Is that not more money?
My first specific desired outcome was to play for the Pirates. But, that’s something I didn’t quite make and I had this football thing to fall back on, so I was ok.
I found sports and I found my male role models in my coaches…the men who told me what it was like to be a successful human being.
For me, it was more of an emotional and spiritual journey…playing sports…that was the place that I felt the most self-worth.
I had this vision in my mind and the value I was going to being to the world as an athlete.
So because I stayed focused on that desired outcome of becoming a professional athlete and going home to Pittsburg from age 7 all the way to age 22 when I was drafted, I got the specific desired outcome I wanted.
There’s 4 Basic Instructions…you have to do them in order….and you can’t leave any of them out in order for this to work the way it did for me.
Basic Instruction #1 : Let go of the past…without a shadow of a doubt, leaving that behind.
It’s all about the way out human minds work. We have two types of thinking as human...
ED Dudley We Are Connect-ED ED is a collaborative connector, servant leader, community builder, social entrepreneur and public speaker. With over 20 years in financial services arena in various positions such a Senior Vice President, he left the corporate world and founded We Are Connect-ED, a business consulting and professional networking firm with a mission to be a bridge to form strategic alliances, partnerships and collaboration for all humanity. ED is very active in the community and serves on several nonprofit boards such as Board Vice President of SwingPals, Intermin Board Chair for United Against Slavery, Co-Founder/Steering Committee member of 100 Men Who Give A Damn, Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Financial Planners Association of the Triangle and Co-founder of Shining Light In Darkness www.weareconnect-ed.com https://www.facebook.com/weareconnected1 https://www.instagram.com/weareconnect_ed/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareconnect-ed (https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareconnect-ed)
I spent so many years in financial services and I loved it…had a good career….but I was so busy chasing the dollar and chasing the title….but when I formed Connect-ED, I found my passion.
I live my life by a very simple phrase…Give and it shall be given unto you. So my part of giving is ‘let me know how I can serve you or your network.’
It’s all about uplifting people.
It’s not about the money for me. Money will eventually come. Money comes and money goes. But…getting a message that says ‘Ed, that was an amazing connection.’
I’m all about connecting people to other people, opportunities or resources. Or what I call PROs. And…if I can do that, I feel great.
I was part of a networking group…Nate Brown, Networking with Nate…I want to go somewhere and make it a little more diverse….I completely shifted from the way I was going to do it to the way you see it now.
My spark…was…David Baum….a light went off in me…I’ve been doing this all my life but I haven’t been intentional with it. Now I’m intentional when I connect someone together.
It’s always the fear of the unknown. We don’t know what’s around the corner.
That’s the problem. I got real comfortable.
We are all about helping people build strategic alliances. And I don’t care if that’s in your professional life or you personal life.
It started off as connecting business leaders and entrepreneurs together in a safe space. It was about bringing the quality people together…but slowly…there was a shift in my mindset…what I noticed was…people need to be connected to each other. So we opened it up…
We do it across several cities in several states….and I’m hoping we will be on another continent by the end of the year.
I was having one of those rough days…this entrepreneur called me…I just gotta thank you because you introduced me to this resource that I never knew about and this is going to change the way I do business…what I thought was something small, was huge to her. And that just gave me so much joy.
I get pure joy being able to serve someone else.
I believe the universe will give you what you need when you need it.
I know some people that are very strategic and everything has to be A,B,C & D. Me? I just jumped in and figured it out. And I’m still figuring it out.
If you have an idea or something that you want to do? Just jump in it.
There’s so many free resources for anything you want to do….you can go to YouTube, you can Google it, and you can create a business, a side hustle, a hobby, whatever you want to do it’s at your fingertips.
Don’t worry about trying to plan so much that you miss the boat. I know people that have been planning for years and never done anything.
FEAR: false evidence appearing real.
We’ve had some of the best meetings
Beth Strange Beth Strange Strategy As an Elite Performance Strategist, Certified High Performance Coach, speaker, and writer, I help extraordinary top performers and entrepreneurs to BE, DO, and HAVE what they want and need in their professional and personal lives. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate with distinction from Penn State University with a degree in Linguistics, and Harvard Neuroscience Certification, I spent my early career as an educator, administrator, and business owner in the branding and reputation management industry. My guiding principle is to always do the right thing, a principle I believe is a professional's most valuable asset. My bottom line is measured by the satisfaction and success of my clients.
Prior to my full-time strategist role, I spent 25 years assisting high-profile and emerging corporations, academic institutions, groups, and individuals in defining and refining their presence and becoming influential by applying proven principles in reputation, brand, public relations, and image management. I’ve obtained certification as an internationally Certified Image Professional and Brand Analyst with extensive certifications, education, and experience in Presence Management industries.
Native Pennsylvanians, my husband, Michael, and I and our seven children have also lived in Hawaii, Georgia, and Maryland. Now that I’ve been a North Carolina resident for the past nine years, I never want to leave. I enjoy playing as a concert flautist, cherishing my children and grandchildren, serving in my church, training at the gym, appreciating performance cars, renovating our yacht, and regaining my perspective by the ocean.
https://BethStrange.com https://www.facebook.com/beth.y.strange/ https://www.instagram.com/beth.strange/ (https://www.instagram.com/beth.strange/)
It’s numerable small, almost imperceptible elements that weave into a tapestry.
They’ve arrived by strategy and by default….Some built their brand brick by brick…others just kind of fell into it.
I don’t think Kim Kardashian has a brick by brick strategy….Warren Buffett…a lot more strategic.
There is kind of a magic potion and mix…Coco Chanel, professional athletes…
The Branding Pyramid….the bottom is Purpose. What is the brand’s purpose? That spills into what are the values, what’s the mission?…Your purpose will be wide spread.
What is the Personality of your brand? What are the characteristics? What is the visual identity of your brand?
What’s the Promise of the brand? What problem do you solve? What are you giving with your brand?
A lot of brands aren’t really providing much value and they are usually a flash and burn.
At the very top…this is where we really need to strategize and constantly be evaluating and controlling the Point of difference. …What makes you one-of-a-kind?
Unique is not the best word…what is the distinction?
You cannot build and iconic brand without any of these steps in the pyramid. It will fall over.
I will submit that we can and must control all of it.
We talk about image, brand, reputation, PR, presence…they all dovetail. Not one of them is an island.
This will be the pre-K version of the distinction between those: every individual has an image, but not every individual has a brand….a person’s image is essentially how they seem….generally this is the physical manifestation of a human being. Brand is an individual’s representation in the marketplace. As soon as a person appears in a market, they now have a brand….how do they appear…behave…communicate. Reputation are the long standing beliefs of others about your image and your brand.
Image and brand are self focused, self defined..reputation is other defined.
What is the definition of an iconic brand? …a very broad definition is…a person or product that inspires unbreakable loyalty in...
Manuel Astruc is an experienced psychiatrist. His own struggles with burnout, addiction and depression inspired him to start Your Next Act, his coaching program for high performing entrepreneurs. Manuel takes what he’s learned working in the field, his work as an entrepreneur and his own life experiences and brings it to entrepreneurs to help them with “the other side of success.” The outside world sees one side of a successful entrepreneur, but there is another side to success. From stressed out to burnt out to numbed out, high-achievers pay a price for their success that they keep to themselves.
Dr. Astruc helps others recognize how focusing on their mental fitness translates into greater success, both in life and in business.
https://manuelastruc.com/free/ (https://manuelastruc.com/free/)
There are 3 components to burnout. One is the sense of emotional exhaustion. Second is the cynicism that starts to seep into your life…and third is a feeling like you’re no longer effective at what you do.
The factors that contribute are…not feeling like you have much autonomy of efficacy, demands that exceed your abilities to produce, and life becomes a bit of a treadmill. One day looks just like the next….
The mental exhaustion is certainly is a fatigue component.
Burnout is not…a medical condition that needs to be treated with medication, but left unchecked, you can certainly move into depression.
Whenever we studied the disease, we all had the disease because everything is a continuum. With burnout, the leading edge indicators are smaller components…no longer feeling satisfied with work, starting to get tired and no longer looking forward to going into work…
Not doing work where we have a sense of purpose (is a big component of it) or that are aligned with our interests.
One of the things I talk about in Your Next Act is life by design. Most of us follow life by default.
We get on this treadmill of expectation that when we get to wherever we are supposed to get, now we are there and there’s something good that’s supposed to happen.
….on the weekends that same person is the captain of the company’s baseball team and that person really loves baseball. That little bit of satisfaction that really is purposeful for them and meaningful to them can mitigate the 4 hours a week that are a bit of a grind.
By intentionally being able to look for and add parts of our life that we find rewarding…and it can be just 10% of your day…you can do a lot to move the needle with burnout.
I was burnt out for a long time…It was right after my twin sister passed away from a brain tumor… I said something’s gotta change. I immediately started to make change with things I could control. I focused on one meal a day that I could eat better…I exercised 5 minutes a day…I turned off the news…I put on podcasts…I involved myself in thinking about a bigger future for myself.
The idea of how to be happy…is not something that we’re taught. I’ve come up with a way…and teach folks how to do that.
The first part of happiness is starting to ramp up your energy. Move more. Eat better. Focus on your sleep. Gratitude practice.
4 Pillars: We are never finished products. Learning and growing is part of what keeps us alive and engaged. Connect. Our human relationships, our community, our tribe is so important. Blazing your own trail. …we want to make sure we are intentionally…following our curiosity, figuring out what we’re good at, our purpose. It can be daunting but it can also be really simple….give yourself the grace of time to figure it out. The commitment to enjoying the ride no matter what. …from Victor Frankel Man’s Search for Meaning, we always have the ability to choose our attitude no matter what the circumstances. ...
Travis Chappell is the founder and CEO of Guestio, a new software that connects high level guests with high level content creators, and he is the host of the top rated show, Build Your Network. In addition to being featured in Entrepreneur, NASDAQ, Yahoo Finance, and ReadWrite, Travis has also been featured in Forbes as a top ten podcast that will change your life alongside Joe Rogan, Gary Vaynerchuck, Tim Ferriss, and others. Most people never took the time out to realize how important it is. So, they don’t have any systems…it’s very much on accident…they leave it up to chance. For me, it’s everything. For everything that I’ve been able to do, it’s all reliant on my network. I can now shave or months or potentially years off a learning curve or save myself a lot of money. Like when we were building this new software company called Guestio. I had no idea how to run a software company. I still don’t….but because I had people in my network…that advice is always better than a quick Google search.
You are the people that you hang out with the most. So, choose them wisely.
Start a podcast and interview those people. It’s the best way to get your foot in the door. It’s the best way to have a conversation with somebody that normally doesn’t have time.
I’d love to connect with everyone that reaches out to me…but if there’s no reason for the call, it’s hard for me to find time in my schedule to make that happen. But, if it’s a podcast interview then it’s easier for me to find time to make that happen.
I would ask myself, what would be a content channel I could start that would allow me to connect with these people? Whether it’s a podcast, a Meet Up group, a live event, a virtual event, a YouTube channel, IGTV show, whatever it is you want to do. Build some sort of content platform that allows you to be able to connect with those people a little bit easier.
At first I was open to anybody…which I think there’s merit to that when you’re first getting started. Be willing and open to having a conversation with everybody.
I think people when they start something don’t know what to do so they choose to do nothing instead of choosing to do something and I was always in the boat of ‘better do something’ ‘fill up my schedule with something…I don’t know what it is, but I’ll fill up my schedule..’
Then I started getting to where my schedule was full all the time..and now I just have to be a little bit more picky…because I literally don’t have the time.
You have to become a more valuable person. Your network will increase in direct proportion to the amount of value you can add to other people.
With me it’s a little more exaggerated because the asset I’ve been able to build is a public facing asset….that’s not always the case…
If you are that low key person…it may take longer, but it will happen…to me it’s thinking about it in simple supply and demand economics. If you want your time to be worth more then you have to make it more in demand.
Why would somebody else want my time? That’s really the question you need to answer. Because I have some sort of knowledge to offer? Because I have some sort of content to offer? Do I have some sort of connection to offer? Do I have finances or money I can offer?
Your time is the only thing that’s completely scarce…It’s the only real asset that we have in life. Money can be replenished. Time can never be replenished. So it’s by definition in low supply. So if you make it in high demand…it’s worth more.
If you’re talking about adding value to a specific person, then you can’t just do a blanket statement of what could bring value….people with a lot of money? They really don’t care that you’re going to pay them $100 to jump on a phone call, they’re still going to say ‘no.’…but I guarantee you that something is valuable to...
Jane Tabachnick is a content and PR strategist who works with mission-driven authors, coaches and consultants who are frustrated they’re not better known. She helps them become highly visible and seen as the authority in their industry so they attract more pre-sold clients and can grow their business more and easily. Founder of Simply Good Press, a book publishing and PR company, Jane has helped over 200 authors achieve bestseller status.
Named one of the top 100 people online by Fast Company, Jane is often quoted in the media.
PR in the textbook definition is communicating with your stakeholders…but the way most of us use it is public relations or the result of it which is publicity.
In a model called PESO (paid, earned, shared owned) it’s the highest form of content.
Owned content would be your website, social media profiles…you control the content.
With earned media, you earn the right to be featured….when they invite you to be in front of their audience, they’re saying you’ve reached this level and they’ve basically vetted you. And it gives the impression…of being an endorsement from the media.
No one cares what you say about you. What matters is what other people say about you.
Start right away. Every day you can do something simple.
Follow or like and share the content of certain writers and editors so you get on their radar.
It feels good to help support someone in this way.
Show that you are listening, reading, watching.
Their content being seen is important on a lot of levels to them….it can help them get their work seen so that they get more work.
Understand your audience…and know where they spend time. Know what media outlets they’re interested in.
You want to be strategic about it….build relationships on platforms where your audience already spends time…and try and understand what kind of content they like.
There are really 3 ways you can get publicity. 1.Doing it yourself. There are a lot of great free tools. 2. You can hire a firm, which can be expensive or 3. The hybrid method. You can do your own PR and then outsource pieces of it.
You can’t hope. If you want something to happen, you need to proactive about it.
It’s when preparation meets opportunity….you have to create those opportunities.
Find out who the right people are….staffers will often have in their bio exactly what topics they cover.
Don’t pitch them off-topic.
Create your pitch in a way that you let the media know that you have something that their audience will value….because of ‘this’.
Sometimes you have to connect the dots.
Don’t be afraid to spell it out…but focus on the value of what’s in it for the audience…what’s in it for them.
When you pitch a traditional media outlet, they would be writing about you.
There is a form of content marketing….where you could pitch..on contributing an article.
Writing the articles, even if you don’t consider yourself to be a writer, can be valuable.
You have to check out the outlet and see what their requirements are.
Again. you’re getting that perceived endorsement…and it’s third party credibility…and it can show up in the search engines.
You can use social media to build those relationships…I call it hugging an influencer.
Just by doing this and building this relationship, she got invited onto one of the top podcasts that there is.
Share the press that you get. I call it re-promoting.
We want to make sure everybody sees and knows that we’ve got that press.
Mostly all press is good press.
Their job is to write things as they see them.
Create some really good press…to push that down. You can’t hide it…but you can create a lot of good things that will show up so that’s less visible.
It hits hard when we get negative press.
- Set up a media room on your website….and link...
Michelle Griffin is a certified personal brand strategist, StoryBrand Certified Guide and marketing/PR mentor for experts and entrepreneurs who want to become the face of their business with authentic, memorable and in-demand personal brands. She is the Founder BRANDThority, a personal branding consultancy that helps entrepreneurs present their best selves online. Michelle is also the host of the upcoming Personal Brand Matters podcast and a frequent podcast guest, LinkedIn content creator and weekly Clubhouse moderator. When she's not helping people stand out online, you can find Michelle enjoying the outdoors of sunny Florida, discovering the latest gluten/dairy-free offerings or planning her next home renovation project. Learn more about Michelle at MichelleBGriffin.com and follow her on LinkedIn for daily personal brand building tips or with her drop by her weekly Personal Brand Building Room on Clubhouse. Michelle@MichelleBGriffin.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/ Clubhouse: @MichelleGrififn
http://MichelleGriffinMedia.com (MichelleGriffinMedia.com)
It starts with us on the inside….define their values, mission, purpose…all of that…we have to know who we are on the inside before we go to the external, which is all about your customer.
That’s one of the biggest misconceptions.
I have something called Own Your Message, which is a 7-8 step process that I take people through all the way from their power to their purpose.
Everyone has something unique…we either have a story that you went through, a perspective, a belief..and so when you marry your uniqueness, your beliefs, your perspective, the people you’re serving, the industry…it is unique.
It’s just because we haven’t dug deep to realize what it is yet.
First we have to know who we are, but in context it’s going to be about (who we are talking to)
Show up as yourself to help some One. No everyone. Someone.
It’s psychographics. You have to know who they are, their pain point…it should be about a problem, not so much a niche…their challenges, needs, interests, desires..and start speaking to them in their language, that’s exactly how you’re going to break through and be un-copyable and have a competitive advantage.
…and then we bring it into your messaging. So it’s branding, messaging, then the marketing because you have to get out there and build awareness and then, my last stage is visibility.
That’s a constant thing. We can’t just show up once. We have to show up consistently.
The visibility is also about listening to your customers and keep serving them with amazing content, whatever you are comfortable with.
The story is always going to be about them. But as as personal brand, you’re showing up as your story so there’s a connection. You’re going to be the guide. We’re talking about their problem and…most often, we’ve experienced this problem…your story is how you’ve had this same problem that they are trying to overcome…
Lead with the story in their heads. Show up as that person that understand them….80% of the time, you are talking about them….you can show that personal side, which then makes it like a friend to friend situation.
To a certain degree that you’ve overcome something that they are trying to solve…you’re a helpful guide who’s been there, done that…you show your humanness and your realness, which is relatable. No one wants perfect.
There’s a fine line. If you show up as ‘I get you’, ‘I’ve had first-hand experience’,…’I’ve overcome this’, ‘I have a way. Let me how you how’..then that’s the way to do it. You balance the realness with the reality.
As a personal brand, first you need to identify…why am I showing up? I need to know your why, what you’re all about, you mission…there’s usually some backstory.
Jerome Myers is the preeminent authority of dream realization. A believer that dreams can, and should be real, Jerome left corporate America when he realized that his role offered financial gain, but little significance. He is the founder and head coach of Myers Methods and has been featured in Black Enterprise, Business Insider and numerous podcasts. After building a highly profitable division of a fortune 550 company, Jerome decided to leave the rat race to get away from what seemed to be the endless slew of layoffs. He has developed a system for exiting corporate America and creating a life of impact. Today, he and his company help other apex performers find their calling and live every day on purpose by harnessing the power of his model for a Centered Life, what he calls “the Red Pill”. Jerome and his firms can guide any individual from a monotonous uninspiring existence to a life of fulfillment and impact. jerome myers Myers Methods https://d3v3loping.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e5f59b030db3aa736f90f7641&id=b156bfdd2d&e=cdd575d3ed (https://www.jeromemyers.co)
coaching
They’re taught to be practical. Typically the people around them want to protect them from having disappointment…so they keep them from stretching and growing and potentially ‘failing’. The mindset we adopt usually comes from what’s given to us.
Until we make a deliberate decision to set our reality, our reality is programmed for us.
Unless they’ve had a tough moment in their life where they started to question everything…they haven’t done the reflection to know what they really feel and believe and hold to be true.
We break that by starting to ask some really tough questions.
I think that what happens very often is we just adopt the things that were done around us. And we never question them.
What happens when somebody sneezes? Most people say ‘Bless You.’ Well, why..? I personally don’t bless people when they sneeze because….
When you get ready to make the transformation, the first piece is awareness. Being aware that there is something different.
Is this it? Is this really what I’m supposed to be doing? Do I really believe that? And there is a disconnect…and we traditionally ignore that.
If you go down the rabbit hole…and start pulling on the wires and see what’s really hard wired and what’s loosely connected, you’ll find a lot of the things that appear to be locked in and hardwired are really loose.
People wrap a chain around a gate, but won’t put a lock on the end. People will assume it’s locked…But there are people who will go up and see that we can just unravel the chain and go in. And that right there is the secret to those who achieve crazy success and those who wind up living a pretty mediocre life. They just assume something is locked and don’t even try to figure out if they can get in.
We don’t ever really understand our power until we choose to explore it.
The elephant…has already made up its mind that it won’t be successful at that, so it doesn’t even try.
Self worth is level one of The Red Pill….it really just goes back to your ability to keep promises to yourself….it’s like a deposit in the bank….there’s nothing left to pull from. So when they’re counting on themselves to do something and there’s nothing left to pull from, they decide that they can’t or won’t do it. Keep stacking that up? And it will make you feel like you’re worthless.
You wind up building this prison for yourself that you can’t get out of without a little bit of help.
Set up your day where you can have a win as soon as possible. You build momentum and that momentum keeps going.
When you’re accountable to yourself, your ability to hold other people accountable is really easy.
Other people will be more accountable to you when they know that you’re an accountable person because they don’t...
Noa Ronen is your out of the box coach. She is also an author, vlogger, disruptor, and coffee lover. She brings more than 20 years of experience in Change Management, Human Resources, Project Management, and coaching. She encourages progressive and social business leaders and their teams to challenge the norms so they can create the change they desire. Noa’s personal relocation experience resulted in a refreshing view of the world that invites you rather than looking for others' differences to open your mind and heart to see people and situations differently. This is what Noa calls BEyond Leadership where your new way of being inspires and influences others. If you would like to go to BEyond: Leadership check her book: BEyond: Leadership from AwareLess to AwareNess. I moved to the US from Israel…and before the move, I worked in human resources, change management consulting and was in executive roles…I knew it would take some time but I thought things would be easy and I would find a job and everything will be fine. A big chunk of it was that speaking was my forte. I knew at a very early age that when I open my mouth and I speak, I can influence people. And suddenly when I open my mouth, people see that I’m not from here. And they can see the gap in language skills and most important, in my head, I felt like my English was not good enough. And that voice in my head….telling me I’m not good enough and I’ll never be able to close the gap? That was not helpful. Most of us walk with that voice that we’re not good enough….or why bother? And when we are…aware less…we keep self sabotaging ourselves without even knowing.
The saboteur voice, the inner critic. The role of that voice is to tell you stay where you are…here you will not fail.
“Yet”…..
I went for a lot of little failures.
I failed trying to replicate the life I had in the US.
I was too much in my ‘doing’.
I started blogging. Blogging then was like podcasting today. It was for me playing and having fun.
I am going through grief. I had to let go of the Noa I had in Israel and find myself.
How come that woman that was always able to bring results cannot bring results?
That was the part that brought me to coaching. From reading my blog.
I still had that inner voice.
I went to Toastmasters
I started speaking and then people said ‘Where is the book?’ That was the first time I was able to conquer that voice and say I’m done with you. I wrote the book in English…so we are done!
Because of the way you speak…when we need to listen to you…we need to listen to you differently. And that’s what makes it so special about you.
I represent different. I speak different. I always had a different voice. I was raised to have a different voice.
I believe the pivot started was I was able to deal and people were able to connect with me. Sharing my experience and perspective brought connection.
The connection reminds us that we are resourceful and that’s when things start to happen.
When we look at grief, we always look at it from the perspective of someone who passed away, but if we look at the emotional process…the main experience we are having is who am I going to be without that person? How am I going to redefine myself without that person?
If you look at any transition in your life…in all those situations, the questions are the same. How do I redefine myself in this new situation?
It’s that ability to trust.
We have two energies. The doing energy and the being energy. The doing is the focus on action. The being is the thoughts, emotions, fears and hopes..
When we focus on the action….we make the process longer. We stay longer in that tunnel…
When you learn to process, there is not a lot of action but you are doing that work…
Rafat Fields is an international executive leader brand strategist and values-based sales performance coach for Fortune 100 companies. Leveraging her branding expertise, and almost two decades of experience generating 7-figure sales revenue, Rafat connects C-Suite executives to their consumers to generate long-term loyalty. Founder of Powered to Rise Consulting, Rafat helps management align company, customer, and employee core values to grow sustainable results. A National Academy of Sports Medicine CPT and USA Olympic Weightlifter, she applies her athletic discipline to coaching emerging leaders. Through personalized coaching, workshops, and immersive strategy sessions, Rafat empowers corporate professionals to convert their relationships to revenue. Your personal brand is who you are. It is a physical representation of the values and the things you believe in. The day to day of your life represented outwardly to the world. A corporate brand is far more about the company or the product. Just like every company has a mission statement, a vision statement, a set of core values…so should every human being. You really want to have clear definition between the two and where they overlap.
When we are in alignment with our values, we do our best work.
When you are out of alignment…you are going to have to work much harder at having…productive relationships.
At the core root of it all, I think it’s about living a shared story.
The best thing to do is to figure out what is the separation of each person’s unique mission and how can you blend it together to tell a cohesive story.
I think that every person should be building their own brand and here’s why…influence is really the new currency…to the degree that you have your own platform is the degree that you will be able to generate and create your own influence.
Influence is a two way currency. It helps advance your initiatives and purposes but it’s also a valuable asset to the company you work for when you find a way to share a story together.
In the case of a solopreneur, it’s so much simpler. You are the brand. Live your brand.
So many people think personal brand strategy is about creating something that doesn’t exist when really its about getting to the root of what makes you, you, what makes you go and bringing that to the surface for the world to see.
Until you break through that wall and become known, you should be the face of the brand. People connect best with people. Not products. Not things.
If you lead with…the person you serve and start with the why, that’s going to be the simplest entry point.
99% of the time, it’s a human connection point that really advances the relationship.
I would not be looking to flip and switch and make the cut in 60 days. A year…two…might be best case when look at leadership transition models.
The question is….how much preparation does your audience need?
Champion the customer. Get deep into the details of what does it take to affect change and transformation in your customer’s life?
The thing that you do or the product that you sell is a small component of the process.
When it comes to points of vulnerability it’s how closely connected do you want your customer to be with you?
You can build customer relationships without vulnerability, but…you are not doing your customer the best service because you’re limiting the depth of your relationship.
We can leverage it by….what are the unique challenges in your business that you are well positioned to serve?
A hip pocket skill.
It starts with deeply understanding what that problem is going to be and then it’s about cultivating the relationships and building that wealth of knowledge and getting it out into the industry in your own voice so that that build a sphere of influence around you.
When...
Justin Breen is CEO of the PR firm BrEpic Communications and author of the No. 1 International Best-Selling Book, Epic Business. Justin is hard-wired to seek out and create viral, thought-provoking stories that the media craves. And he finds the best stories when he networks with visionary entrepreneurs and executives who understand the value of investing in themselves and their businesses. Justin believes strongly in the power of introductions and creates important relationships through those introductions. He is an extremely active member of Entrepreneurs' Organization, Strategic Coach and Abundance 360, and he has an incredible global network of visionaries and exceptional businesses. Bill Gross at the end of his presentation, one of the most successful entrepreneurs on the planet, said “You know, just on a side note, I just really want to add that entrepreneurs really need to do a better job of telling their own story.”…so here is one of the most successful people on the planet saying how important storytelling is because it attracts investors, it gets you in front of the right people, it enhances your brand, it helps your core messaging when you’re talking to people. There are two things that never change, ever, since humans have existed. 1. is the power of storytelling 2. is the power of relationships. So we’ve been storytellers since we’ve been doing paintings on cave walls…we’re just a world of storytelling…all this other stuff is just landing the plane.
Things that a trained monkey can do…I’m useless at those…but in terms of connecting people on a global level and getting people news at a highest level and immediately knowing what someone’s story is? There are very few people in the world that are better at it than I am. So that’s a gift that you’re born with. So most people don’t think that they have a story because most people don’t think like that.
I hear blah, blah, blah, blah, blah and can immediately turn that into a 300 word story that media really wants to do and the general public cares about. And everyone has that story. Everyone. Everyone.
I don’t get excited about anything unless there is something to get excited about….if something is interesting…ding, ding, ding, ding and I just put all those dings together.
So media needs two things. One is a good story…and then two is a news peg. A news peg is why is it a story now?…The people with the right mindset will hire the right person to do that because why would you try to do something yourself that you’re not good at or you don’t like to do? That makes no sense to me.
I was a journalist for 20 years, created my entire business model based on how PR firms annoyed me for 20 years. So I just saw a problem, created a solution…my company’s entire process is literally on the website. No hidden tricks.
4 step process. We come up with the story ideas, my firm writes the story, it becomes a link on the client’s website…take that link, pitch it to media all over the world. Media’s interested? Put them in touch with the client.
All my company does is solve the problem.
Nobody cares about what you do. They care about who you are. But if they do care about who you are they will care about what you do.
What I hear over and over…is it’s a very simple formula to creating a very successful global company. Here’s the formula…you see a problem. You create solution to problem. Problem solved. Successful global company.
My entire purpose in life is to be a connecting superhero for every visionary, abundance investment mindset entrepreneur and share their stories with the world. So I am so clear on who my audience is. All that does is attract my audience.
A lot of …entrepreneurs try to be everything for everyone, my company and me and everything I stand for it’s the exact opposite.
When
Andy Greider ; McOmber Insurance Partners Born in Palmyra, PA and full circled back to Central PA at 51, with one long stay in Atlanta and many other locations in shorter spurts, with fave area of the country being Central California. Love to hike with and hang out with my lovely wife, Linda, am a big fan of craft beer, live music and helping others in whatever ways possible. Professionally, been marketing or selling since I was 14, started with vcr's for people who didn't know what they were - or why they would want one! So learned educational/consultative sales early on. These last 20 years, have become a serial entrepreneur, through business consulting for companies from Fortune 50 to Mom and Pop America, and growing a few companies of my own. Been lucky to have great mentors and partners and love to give back knowledge and kindness I was gifted. I’ve made networking and giving to others a focus for me - and it is a large part of what I do - I love putting people together with other people, tools or resources that can help them. That’s my story – and I’m sticking to it. I used to be tremendously about being altruistic and giving without any expectation of what would come back. And I still think that has to be at the core…I do think you need to lead with a lot of intent though. If you want to make connections that actually have an impact, it’s letting people understand in that introduction why you’re putting them together. Adding the personality in is really key these days.
Explain what you see.
Connecting is a part of networking, but networking doesn’t always include connecting.
Get to know the people you’re talking to. Get to know them on a personal level.
When we see all the different people in the workplace now…authenticity matters are than ever.
They expect authenticity, they expect transparency, they expect reality of who you are.
There are a lot of people out there that would say don’t put yourself out there that far. Don’t take that chance. And I would say ‘hogwash.’
You don’t have to connect with more than 3-5% of the people you meet.
Let your brain go into popcorn mode…learn what they do and then start looking for similarities..
It’s always surprising to me when you go at it from that angle and you go at it from that mindset…a lot of times what winds up happening is that person you did not start out..being able to help…sooner or later on down the line, they become that person.
While there is altruism, I do think there is enlightened self interest in what you do in the fact that you wind up connecting good people and eventually good things wind up coming back to you.
I think a lot of people look at it as needing to be a financial return…and I’m never against that happening. That’s a good thing…but when that’s the intent, that’s the only reason you’re doing it? You kind of wind up being a business pimp and that’s no good. It’s a fine line. But, it’s a line.
If you send simple introductions….the chances are really good that you’re not going to engender what you were expecting.
If you are going to take the time to make the introduction, make it a good one.
Mention that you’d like to know how the meeting goes.
I also offer ‘if there’s anything else I can do..’ And if I don’t hear back from them, I will often follow up myself. Because the fortune is in the follow up in everything you do.
Unrealized potential is the worst potential.
Before you make an introduction, make sure you are listening to the other people and asking a lot of questions to understand their pain.
When you start becoming a good connector, you will see people start respecting that about you and when they get an introduction from you, they take it seriously.
I also try to connect by personality.
There’s the no jerk rule.
You’ve gotta respect your network.
It’s
Henry Sims is a digital marketing nerd. Having started his career path in Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology, he got frustrated with the boundaries of the traditional system. He left wanting more and not knowing what to do, which landed him in the world of entrepreneurship. He dove into the family businesses, where he found a deep interest in digital marketing. His passion and implementation of digital systems and strategies lead to further success of the family businesses. Since, he has worked with high level business coaches and consultants, politicians, local businesses, and more under his growing digital marketing agency, Zesty Owl. Use it because there are so many eyeballs there…and it’s free Content changes a lot, but currently we see that a lot of educational content is very good as well as user content. We know subconsciously what an ad looks like….we skip by them. People want to know what’s in it for them. If you can find the right content and the right…there often isn’t a limit to how much you can post. But sometimes it can overwhelm people. They don’t want to see the same kind of content over and over again.
It’s a balancing act and it depends on the platform
Twitter…you need to put out a lot of content. YouTube you could be ok with putting out one video a week
A lot of…businesses put out too many asks. one of the general basic rules is the 3:1 ratio…put out 2-3 pieces of content and then an ask.
You don’t want to keep asking all the time because there’s no value in that
When people don’t really want to define their message and they’d rather just try and reach a lot of people, then you’re diluting your message which means for those people that do matter to your business, you’re giving them diluted content.
So instead of trying to reach the masses…it’s better to really define your message and create that content that is geared towards those people that are right for your business because they will see that and it will impact them far more than your diluted content meant for everyone.
Likes is that little button we push…the engagement can be anything…see more, sharing it, commenting on it, it could be clicking the user name to see your profile. Those are all engagements.
Don’t care too much if they like it….if they are engaging with it, that’s a good sign that it’s grabbing someone’s attention.
It’s more of a back end advertising metric that we can see
Not everyone likes posts. The percentage of people that actually do like posts is low….knowing that people are clicking around on it on the back end is really valuable to know. And you can see that with your ads.
If you’re playing a strictly organic game, then you definitely want to drive up the comments and the shares…those are strong. A like is a very easy thing to do, putting a comment takes more time….the platforms want to make sure that gets seen by more people.
Find what kind of content your audience resonates with and that’s just a constant testing process.
Buzzsumo
Social media is a long term game.
They build this trust over time and that gets them to reach out and get involved more.
You want to be able to show who you are as well as what you do and that gives the viewers this kind of connection, some way that they can relate and connect with you and build trust with you.
I like posts with photos. Photos are engaging and they help tell more than just text and they help portray an emotion differently than text does. It also, from just a pure advertising standpoint, it takes up more space i the feed so as you’re scrolling through you have more chance of grabbing someone’s attention by having a photo there instead of just text.
I like to see new content (images) frequently but it depends on budgets and audience sizes. If your audience is very small…its going to be a lot easier and quicker to...
Alice Fuller, Sheer Social. TV Producer turned social media marketer and consultant The advantage of video is some semblance of transparency. If you are trying to do video for business, you have to have an end goal in mind. What does your audience want to hear from you? Do not get into that mindset of creating content that you want see. Do a little research hand find out that pain points. There’s different types of videos to fit different goals. First you have to figure out ‘what is your brand?’ It’s the experience that people have with you. Along the journey you will do different types of videos.
First be realistic with yourself…you have to figure out what you can do in your own schedule.
If you’re doing it for business, you want to put some thought into it.
Consistency is important.
We used to say….keep it short…if you’re doing 5 minutes, it’s too long. And then Netflix came along and proved that we will binge watch something as long as it’s something we find interesting.
What would make somebody watch your video? Because keep in mind, your video is in competition with everything else that’s going on in the world. So, as a producer, what can you create that would inspire that kind of give and take of attention?
The platforms now like you to create engaging content.
Right now in social media, we are getting away from telling you it has to be short, short, short.
If you can put enough of those short pieces together that pull people through…almost like a filmmaker…no scene is there just to be there unless it’s providing something crucial to the story.
We watch it because we like that person and we want some insight into their lives, their behind the scenes.
Where you put it depends on the audience you’re desiring to reach.
The challenge with pre-recorded videos is it’s passive engagement…You have no way of knowing if the goal of your video was even met.
Test. And keep testing…The types of video that get the engagement you want that’s the type of video you want to continue doing. But it’s still good to mix up the content so people don’t create an appetite for one type because after a while they’ll get full and then it just becomes wallpaper.
You still have to be the producer and promoter.
TubeBuddy
Craft your video around what people are searching for, not vice versa.
Tell people in emails, use other social media platforms, call people, text messaging
Facebook and YouTube do not like each other. They are not playing in the same sandbox.
Collaborate with somebody. Get out of your own backyard and start networking with other content creators.
Every platform is different in what kind of engagement they give priority to.
‘Subscribe now’, ‘click this’…on FB? No. YouTube? Fine. No problem. On Instagram? No problem.
Each platform wants the viewer to stay on that platform as long as possible.
YouTube: SEO….Google owns YouTube. Google is the #1 search engine in the world. YouTube is #2.
You have to get out of your comfort zone and promote it.
Too many of us look at YouTube as a place where I just put my videos…but YouTube is a stand alone social media platform.
It wants to become the CBS…the ABCs. Now they want you to develop audiences.
Study the platform first. Not only that…study your competition. Figure out who your target audience is going to be. What’s your messaging going to be? What type of video are you going to create? Test.
If you are doing personal types of services, I want to hear your story. How can you help me?
Don’t get into this headspace of I have to tell my story in two minutes or less. It’s not a job interview.
I’m scared of what people are going to say. We have to be realistic about the social part of...
Dr. Yishai is a Psychologist, Business Consultant, and Executive Coach who helps leaders of multi-million dollar companies handle the human side of business to react powerfully, increase performance, and create win-win solutions. The first time imposter syndrome was described, it was actually called imposter phenomena which I like better…because rather than it being a ‘disease’ you have that’s now stuck to you, it’s something that we experience as a phenomena. They found that especially among really high achievers…certain people would really struggle to internalize and really accept their own success and view themselves as being able to be successful. They’d be looking at themselves kind of backwards through a telescope…and you know if you’ve ever done that, whatever you look at looks really small…and that’s kind of how people can view themselves. Whether its we’re starting something new or in something, what we keep looking at is something that is 2 or 3 dreams or goals or levels higher than where we’re currently at, then it’s easy to kind of turn that telescope and view myself as who am I? There are a lot of emotions that come with that and I think we tend to make meaning of a lot of those emotions. I’m not able to do the thing I dream or want or desire….I’m not already there. Fake it til you make it…that thought really drives the narrative or the story that I’m an imposter. Mindset by Carol Dweck Fixed vs growth mindset A fixed mindset views people as having a capability or they don’t have it…there isn’t really space to grow. The concept of fake it til you make it puts you in that view of either you’ve got it or you don’t and you just keep faking it and faking it and one day you’ll magically have it. That doesn’t compute for me….because if I don’t believe people can change over time, what would I be doing all day? If we couldn’t change over time, we would all either be born walking and talking or we’d never be able to walk and talk. The growth mindset is the view that we are all constantly in growth. Which means if today I’m not able to do something, does that mean I will never be able to do it? No. I can grow my way into things. It takes the view that effort and time and energy are more important and that will help you get there. Imposter syndrome is a lot more common among the students than among the professionals. For professionals it will show up in moments, not neccesarily all the time. If it’s showing up all the time, that’s something that’s worth paying closer attention to. Slow down and take a reality check….are you there yet? Maybe not. Do you have to be? Maybe not. Learn your way into it. Imagine those thoughts or feelings are trying to help you…what do they want for you? What is the end result they would hope for you? ….perhaps they want you to get better. Okay brain….if you really want me to be competent…help me get there. Once or twice a day…Ask yourself what you’ve accomplished. There is a use case for comparison. There is a difference between upward and downward comparison. It’s like watching the Olympics and comparing yourself to the gold medal winner in in every different sport and then looking at yourself. How are we going to look at ourselves? If any one of those gold medal winners did the same thing, they’d feel terrible. They’d say…look at what all of these other people are capable of and all I did was this one thing. The comparison wants me to reach for something higher….look at that person and see what they did and take something away…that if I learn from these people…then I can choose to do those things. We don’t do these things automatically. Triple A Treatment: Awareness Analysis Action
When you’re feeling stuck in the imposter syndrome, at least that’s a place to start and it’s also perhaps helpful to direct you to move forward. Sometimes imposter syndrome can show up with depression or
Megan MacNeill is a Scottish lass, living the dream in Western Australia, teaching people across the world how to position themselves and get noticed. Usually found on LinkedIn but I am partial to a good old scroll on Instagram too. She's also the host of Personal Branding Exposed podcast where she gets awesome people from around the world to tell us how their particular skill or niche feeds into personal branding. She also likes debunking myths - like Personal branding is all about ego (wrong - you'll need to listen to find out why)! Megan started Relevant in 2019 because she wanted to use all the skills she had learned over the years working for not-for-profits and show people that not only not-for-profits do great things, companies and individuals do too. Everyone has a story worth sharing! If you’re attracting high level execs, then LinkedIn is where you want to be, but always choose your platform for your audience. It’s got this amazing organic reach. A week later I can still be getting engagement on my post. Stop thinking of your profile as your resume. It’s a really amazing high end converting landing page if you use it properly. Make sure it’s filled out properly. Don’t make it about you. Nobody cares about you, only about what you can do for them, so base it on that. If you’ve got a name that someone is googling then your LinkedIn is far more likely to pop up at the top than any other website. When you’re on the platform, engage. Even if you don’t make a single piece of content, engage.
Survival of the friendliest.
If someone puts out content that resonates with you, engage with it. If other people in the comments start engaging heavily on it, start engaging not just on the original content but in the comments as well. It’s like if you’re at a networking event, you’re just attending someone else’s event whereas when you’re ready to start creating content, that’s when people start coming to your events.
Every platform prefers video at the moment.
We’re really visual, we’re really lazy and we’re really time poor. So the easier you can make it for someone, the longer they may actually stay on your post because our attention span is really ridiculous. I think we’re down to the same as a fish? 6 or 7 seconds? So you’ve got to really grab them.
LinkedIn doesn’t give priority to articles any more. It won’t get much reach but it will have an amazing shelf life, especially if it has great key words in it.
If you’ve written a blog for your website, repurpose it. Put it on there. You’ve written it already anyway.
You need to have a business page because it finishes your profile and link it up to your personal page.
Your website is still key. I love LinkedIn, but it's still rented space.
When you’re putting out content, your biz page will never get the traction your personal page will.
My personal page will stay with me forever, no matter what biz I have or what biz I work for.
Comment or like, shares have no value whatsoever. You want engagement.
Don’t worry about likes and comments to start out with, people on LinkedIn are very passive. If you’re putting out quality content, you will get the cut through.
Do I want to see what you had for breakfast? No. Do I want to see your Ferrari? No. There’s an unfollow button for a reason. Don’t connect with the wrong people. You are what you consume. I love going on LinkedIn, I always learn something.
Just because you connect with people, doesn’t mean you have to keep them there or if they slip straight into the DMs going 'Hey! I’ve got This. Wanna buy? Wanna Buy? Wanna buy?' You wouldn’t do that in real life, so don’t do that online.
Never be afraid to give away everything because someone just wants to know that you can do it and they want to understand that you can do it.
Dr. Michael Barbera, chief behavioral officer at Clicksuasion Labs, is an award-winning consumer psychologist and business strategist. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, and have appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing, and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. Michael’s business psychology practice includes consumer behavior, emotions, and experiences, as well as social psychology, decision-making, behavioral economics, and behavioral finance. He shares his evidence-based insights on the Clicksuasion podcast and as a dynamic TEDx presenter. Michael is a celebrated keynote speaker, and has addressed more than 200,000 people on four continents, earning more than 350,000 views online. Trust is complicated. There is real trust and perceived trust. There are 7 variables that we like to look at in building trust being remarkable experiential transparency reciprocity utility social status timeliness
We always want to be the person who is known, liked and trusted. Of the 7, the one that we as humans usually go for first is social status. If we asked people if things should be inclusive or exclusive, most would say things should be inclusive. But if we were to measure that same metric anonymously, we can find that people prefer to be in exclusive clubs and groups….so if we can put a bit of exclusivity to those who we work with and network with, it gives social status or perceived social status to the other person.
It’s hard to niche down, but I like to look at this in an academic model….you get an undergrad degree...you’re a subject matter expert in a large broad field. You get a masters degree, it’s a little more niche. And then as you earn that PhD, you know that you’re specialized in that little corner of that field. As you get more niche, you may exclude a larger audience, but you can command a higher fee and a higher brand equity from those who are willing to work with you.
At the bottom of the funnel is trust.
You’ve narrowed it down to two applicants. Person A knows everything about the position, the organization, absolute rock star, they can start tomorrow with no training needed. But person A is a jerk. Then person B knows a little bit about the organization, a little bit about the job, needs some training, needs some hand holding, probably going make a few mistakes along the way. But person B is a really nice person. 1. Which person would you prefer to sit next to on a flight for 5 hours? 2. Which person would you prefer to hire? There is no right or wrong answer but most people would choose person B because we want to work with those that we know, like and trust.
Be relateable, be authentic, be transparent, show that you’re not perfect.
Show us behind the scenes
Reach into that ‘normal’ thing, the 5 things that you do every day that your clients or customers may not be aware of and share that. Show your B roll. It improves your brand equity.
One of the most persuasive things is to show other people are doing it too
Be remarkable : a pink painted or tie dye painted van pulls into your neighbors driveway. 5 people jump out dressed in pink or tie dye overalls….
The average person in North America sees about 30,000 brand impressions every day. As consumers, we don’t have the financial resources to give every one of these brands a dollar, so what makes you stand out? What makes you memorable above the noise?
Find little ways that make yourself memorable. The outfit you wear, the way you communicate, the story you tell, the way you engage with other people. One way I do it is by video communication.
Mistakes are actively going for the sale. As soon as the conversation goes to a sale or a perceived sale or a place where I believe you are looking for nothing other than a sale, at that point the relationship goes to a place of...
Since 2001, Bye-Bye Boring Bio 2020 Workbook Author and Get Known Get Paid Mentor Nancy Juetten has applied her publicity and speaking skills to guide speakers, experts, and authors who once struggled to broadcast their brilliance on paper or online to show up like experts at "hello." With her workbook, Broadcast Your Brilliance Boot Camp and Get Known Get Paid Mentoring Programs, she created a multiple six figure business that serves clients around the world, while earning loyal fans and followers who value her “all of the help and none of the hype” advice. When you have something timely, newsworthy, trendworthy, provocative or compelling to share that an audience bigger than you wants to know about, you can issue a press release so that you can share that point of view. And when you use keywords properly, when people around the world are searching for someone with your expertise, those press releases live indefinitely online and they speak for you before you ever get on the phone or a call with a client. In terms of branding….if someone does a google search for you and finds you on page one, that is a huge win for you. Usually there is a call to action in the boiler plate of a press release that says ‘to learn more go here’, so now you have pre-qualified leads that are excited about what you do and primed to have a conversation. People are going from screen to screen to screen to help them make…decisions. Reporters are looking for experts…and if you happen to be that person, your phone just might ring…and as you share your perspective…you become an icon of influence as you do it.
Elements of a good press release: who, what, where, when, why, how are the key elements, leading with the most important piece first.
I recommend between 500-700 words in AP style (Associated Press style).
Avoid ‘you’ references.
Written in the 3rd person in plain spoken language. More like writing a paper for school ‘this is the news as it happened’.
Always proofread your press release!
What good is it if people try to contact you and come up with an error message?
Repurpose your good news. You usually get a report that shows all of the media outlets that ran your news and those logos are very visually compelling. Repurpose those to show your credibility on your website.
Begin with the end in mind.
The momentum that builds is palpable.
http://prunderground.com (prunderground.com)
- Enter your headline
- Write your lead
- Write the body of the news release
- Hit enter
- Review what you’ve prepared checking for typos, misspellings, punctuation, all the phone numbers and contact information is accurate
- Upload an image - when the news crosses the wire, not only are there the words, there are images that reinforce your iconic brand and that just looks cool and serves you well
- Submit for editorial review
- 24 hrs later you google the headline and you’ll find that your news shows up very quickly
Just like anything in marketing, you have to have repetition in your effort and make a commitment to building your brand and reputation.
There angles and hooks you can attach your own expertise to to be timely, relevant and worth talking about and talking to.
You’ll never regret being easily found.
Sometimes people get into trouble with bad news and reviews and one of the things you can do is issue press releases regularly that shift the perspective so that when the google search is done, that bad news is not as easily found.
If I want to get known, I better get out there in the media so people can see, hear and know what I have to say and know that I’ve got the goods.
You get to choose the geography, the category, the business niche…there is a dashboard that allows you to choose the appropriate distribution.
Do research to find keywords that people use to find somebody like you and embed them logically into your press release, not...
Jamey Rootes has been an impact player in the sports industry for over two decades. He has led the start-up of not one, but two professional sports teams that are both still thriving enterprises today….the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer franchise and, currently, the Houston Texans NFL franchise. Rootes serves as the President of the Texans and under his leadership, the Texans have consistently been recognized as one of the most valuable professional sports franchises both in the NFL and globally. Also, the Texans extended their sellout game streak to 185 consecutive home games – a Houston NFL record. Rootes maintains an active role in the community by serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Partnership and the United Way of Greater Houston, both of which he previously served as Chairman of the Board. Jamey is pleased to announce that he recently became an #1 International Best Selling Author! The Winning Game Plan: A Proven Leadership Playbook for Continuous Business Success, released on November 10, has become an International Bestseller on Amazon, the WSJ and USA Today. The first thing is to understand what a brand really is. When you have outstanding packaging but a bad product, nothing kills it quicker. The same thing with advertising. Nothing kills a bad product faster than great advertising. The brand is a promise of delivery of performance at a good value for a consumer Howard Schultz “Brands are built from the inside out.” Think about the word customer. It’s about a customized experience. This is for ME. So to the extent that you understand what your consumer is looking for and you provide it better than anybody else in the world, your brand will be great. Apple has great products, but their packaging is spectacular. When you put those two things together…it’s that little something extra that really makes you feel special. First thing is understand what your consumer is looking for…what are the things that they seek from you. In terms of brand strength you want two things differentiation and relevance. Be different in a way that matters to people…if you can be different and relevant, you own a unique place in the consumers mind.
John Paul DiGioria “I never want to be in the sales business. I want to be in the reorder business.” You want your product to be pulled toward your consumer because you’ve done it in a way that matters, you’re different than the other things that are out there..you own that unique position that is so incredibly valuable.
It’s all about creating the basis of competition.
The Houston Texans…are we in the football business? Maybe in some ways we are…but we’re really in the connection business.
Tailgating was never allowed here in Houston…We have to build the greatest tailgating culture on the planet…from day 1 this 30,000 best in-person festival atmosphere was created.
This is my Sunday vacation and that’s the way it’s turned out for the last 20 years. We’ve sold out every game we’ve ever played. We have a wait list of 30,000 and Houston was never like that before.
You’re built for the fans. You’re built for your customers. So to the extent you can own the voice of the customer and understand and track over time what they’re looking for whether that’s making improvements to what you’re providing to them or the real magic is when you’re providing something in addition…they trust you for this so they try you for something else.
The 3 R’s. Retention. Referrals. Related sales.
My wife’s name’s Melissa. We’ve been married for 21 years and so if my goal was to satisfy her, then she would stay with me as long as there’s not a better option. That’s what satisfaction gets you. Loyalty, people fight to stay with you.
It’s about Raving Fans…the fans that will go out and tell other people about how exceptional the...
James Rosebush has a passion for growing companies and growing people. His company and wealth management advisory practice is focused on crafting the architecture of growth and deploying these strategies to drive growth in earnings, revenue. sales, equity value, and goodwill. He has been engaged as he outsourced Chief Strategy officer by over 400 companies worldwide. He is also an executive and public speaking coach to any seeking to master opportunities to excel at leadership and public speaking. He is the author of three bestselling books and a frequent public speaker and media commentator. His years in the Reagan White House also equipped him with political management skills and relationships around the world. You have to build a bridge to your audience with storytelling. Break down the fourth wall. That bridge needs to be a two way street. Love people and they will love you back. Bill Clinton was giving the state of the union address and the teleprompter misfired…. Be personally engaged in your subject. Great speakers are not necessarily born. The ability to speak and to communicate is directly linked to other aspects of personal security. getting past fear and insecurity Margaret Thatcher: I talk to myself and she pivots from thinking about myself to thinking about her content.
Soak in your message.
You can’t be immersed in your message and thinking about yourself.
You have multi tracks going on in your head, recognize it and the fear of its intrusion will go away.
Martin Luther King got rid of fear through faith.
There are a lot of different tactics that we can use to get rid of fear.
Look under the bed.
A lot of fear and uncertainty comes from things that we have not addressed.
The biggest mistake I see people make is not setting that relationship with their audience.
If you reach one person in your audience you can feel that you’ve succeeded.
speaking to one vs. speaking to the many
Imagine yourself speaking to one person but be mindful that your eyes and gestures don’t leave anyone out.
Do not just assume all details are worked out.
I believe too much movement around a stage detracts from the power of your message.
If your thought is focused on your message, your body should be focused on your message.
Let your message be the power and not your body be the carrier of it.
You don’t become a leader by focusing on yourself. Having a message outside of yourself is the way to win your audience in the end.
Don’t ever do a job that someone else can do.
Don’t ever start a battle you don’t know you’ve already won.
https://www.impactspeakercoach.com https://www.growthstrategy.us https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrosebush/ https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Your-Audience-Motivate-Reagan/dp/1546085963
www.marlanasemenza.com
John merged his leadership and marketing company with the Geary Company in 2009. He continues to work with a broad spectrum of clients and provides leadership and marketing strategies that create compelling and memorable brands. Prior to starting his consulting firm, John served as Vice-President and General Manager of Cox Media Las Vegas. During his time at Cox, he was responsible for doubling the company's cash flow in less than five years and leading his team to the number one position in market share. He has trained and coached CEOs, General Managers, Sales Managers, Sales team members and a host of young baseball and softball players. John holds an MBA from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University. He and his wife Cathy are the parents of four children. They also have five grandchildren and two intriguing schnauzers--named Maximus and Minimus. When it comes to people we’ve worked with we have a long list of iconic names…Elvis, Hyatt, Gladys Knight, Rich Little, Smokey Robinson, Ford, Porsche, Lexus. There are icons in local, regional, national and world wide markets…in sports, music, business, brands. When we talk about what makes something or someone iconic…finding that unique quality, that distinct nature…then that relevancy /uniqueness needs to be able to last over time. Consistency builds trust. Consistency leads to that relevancy over time. We remember bad experiences forever.
Whatever you build, you have to be able to live by it. You have to be able to deliver on that promise.
The difference between celebrity and icon relates to substance…a real iconic status has depth and texture to it. You have to have some degree of core values you live by or you consistently deliver.
You will see people rise to high degrees of celebrity then be gone because it was superficial.
You become iconic when that uniqueness becomes memorable and it resonates with you and with those in your sphere of influence and you continue to be that brand or that person.
You can become iconic in your sphere of influence or the area you compete in. You don’t have to have worldwide reputation. You don’t have to have a national reputation.
Become iconic in the sphere in which you compete.
I think that when you reach icon status you have a degree of responsibility.
Russell Wilson and his wife are doing so many great things for the community.
Sometimes that responsibility, unless you’re build on that framework of ‘real’ can be crushing because you can’t maintain that. That’s where image has superseded the quality, depth and texture of what it took to get there and I think that’s where you see on that very thin layer of ‘celebrity’ that it pushes people. When you are built on that basis of being genuine…you’re able to accept that responsibility and deal with it in a way that continues to uplift and strengthen people and deliver that experience that you’re looking to deliver.
The Nike swoosh has lived on forever...Nike always puts out a compelling image with a subtlety of the swoosh but its always there.
Imagery plays a key role in developing that icon status.
Imagery can connect emotion to the brand or person and emotion makes it memorable.
When we think about branding, we also look for imagery that we can marry with the messaging to create a compelling and memorable and emotional connection. Imagery is critical and you always want that imagery to reflect what that icon stands for.
Sometimes we will spend 8, 12, 16 hrs looking for the right music to lay in with the message. That can solidify…what this really stands for.
Midnight Train to Georgia. There is a depth and texture of emotion in that song that is not only moving but its powerful and connects us to the message.
Do you start with who they are or how they want to be seen?
Where are you today and where do you...
Welcome to Your Iconic Image! If you want to take control of your image and be a power-player in your space, then this is the show for you. Here, we will arm you with tools and information to grow your brand on purpose. I'm your host, Marlana Semenza, photographer and visual strategist. Now let's dive into today's episode....