The What's Your Excuse? Show: Recent Episodes
The Blind Blogger Maxwell Ivey
Interview show where my guests and I will challenge those excuses that are holding you back from accomplishing your big goals and dreams.
m sure you know someone else who needs to hear it too. And the best way I know to say thank you to my guests is to help drive traffic to their websites, books, social media accounts, etc. If you also feel grateful for the work I put into bringing you this podcast, then you can also leave a rating or review on the podcast player of your choice. Thanks again for joining me. Take care out there, Maxwell
s a hopeful article that is more about people finding their own solutions than it is about me giving them all the answers. Thanks for your continued support. Take care out there, Max
Hello again, I hope you have had a good weekend. Today, I'm sharing the first new episode of The What's Your Excuse? Showin over a year. This time I had the pleasure of speaking with Teri M. Brown a long-time award-winning author of fiction, nonfiction, and even a Children's picture book. At first we talked about her writing and how being a novelist was a life long ambition that she finally got to do a few years ago. That lead to talking about her children's picture book because Little Lola and Her Big Dream is all about going after a big goal even when you face opposition. I do have to apologize for butchering the title of her book. We spoke a lot about her book 10 Little Rules Of A Double-Butted Adventure sharing the lessons learned when she and her late husband Bruce peddled cross-country on a tandem bike. One of her most important rules is never quit on a bad day. She clarified that she isn't telling people not to quit. She is just saying don't quit on a bad day. She shared how this applied to finally leaving a bad marriage facing the possible stigma of being twice divorced. Then she described how this rule helped her through an especially bad day on the trail. And I shared how hearing this lesson from her prior to my Chicago trip helped me through an especially bad day. Later on we talked about another of her rules. Which is do something hard every day. Many of these hard things focus around recovering from recently losing her husband to cancer. She has a great take on bucket lists and why they don't work. But you will have to listen all the way through to find that out. I feel Teri sincerely wants you to overcome all the things that are holding you back so you can begin your own big adventure. Some Notes1: I recorded this episode live over StreamYard. There are a few spaces where the audio quality is less than ideal, but these things happen with a live recording. For those who have followed me for a long time, you know I just don't edit. I'm not good at it, and trying to edit would turn into an excuse for not releasing my content. 2: Yes, I do sing on the intro. I like starting with the chorus to my song What's Your Excuse. People enjoy the song, and I have come to understand that I have a really good voice. On With The ShowI want to thank Teri personally for being part of my current big adventure. That being progressing towards hosting a daily live podcast. Most of the new episodes will be on my new podcast The Accessibility Advantage.As my future is offering accessibility advice through writing, speaking, consulting, and podcasting. I really enjoy having conversations like this one with awesome people like Teri, and I know y'all really benefit from sharing actionable advice like hers. So, I'll keep them coming as long as I have compelling guests and a loyal audience wanting to listen. About TeriBorn in Athens, Greece as an Air Force brat, Teri M. Brown now calls the North Carolina coast home. In 2020, she and her late husband, Bruce, rode a tandem bicycle across the United States from Astoria, Oregon to Washington DC, successfully raising money for Toys for Tots. Teri’s debut novel, Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, is a historical fiction set in Ukraine, her second, An Enemy Like Me, is set in WWII, and her third, Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, is a generational story about Appalachian healers. Her short story, The Youngest Lighthouse Keeper, came out in the anthology Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women. 10 Little Rules for a Double-Butted Adventure (Feb 2025), is an inspirational look at the life lessons she learned riding across the United States on a tandem bicycle. Her latest book, Little Lola and Her Big Dream, is a children’s picture book helping children realize that it is okay to have big dreams even in the face of opposition. Connect With TeriWebsite: www.terimbrown.
Hello again friends. I'm sorry to have been scarce over the last little while. So far this year I lost a laptop and had to have a Go Fund Me campaign to replace it. Then we had the Deraycho wind storms followed by hurricane Beryl. But during all that time I continued to sing and play around with writing songs. And I think I have come up with a really powerful song this time. In my first book I wrote about not waiting until tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or that mythical time known as someday. So, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a song about not waiting on someday came into my mind and heart. It started with just the chorus which came to me one night when I was having trouble sleeping. I had to play around with it a little bit, but it just seemed to leap into my brain. It goes like this: Cause you'll never have enough courage, you'll never have enough time. Cause you'll never have enough money, you'll never have enough spine. Just do it as good as you can, and do it better the next time. Cause if you're waiting on that someday, you'll be waiting the rest of your life. I shared this with several friends including my amazing editor and long-time friend Lorraine Reguly.I recorded the chorus and sent her the audio. It turned out she was having trouble sleeping. So, she wrote back right away. This is what she had to say. I hope she doesn't get upset with me sharing this. Holy s--t, Max, I f---ing love it! Excuse the cussing! It just means I'm excited! I'd love to hear the rest of the song! Definitely put energy into this one. It's bloody brilliant! I feel her response is important to the story behind the song and will become more important by the end of this post. You see, she wasn't the only one who told me how special this song could be. And that is why it has taken me over a year to get to this point. First, the verses didn't come as easily as the chorus did. Mainly because the words in the chorus pretty much forced me into phrases that end with a strong a sound. And once I wrote the first verse, I found that that too put me in a writing corner. Thankfully, I have a great friend who is a writer and a poet. Lorraine had some great ideas. I was able to give her two full verses and half of the third verse about taking small steps each day. She finished the third verse for me, and made a great suggestion about the last line of the second verse. She advised me that "when we are in the wrong place" was much more positive than the original "when trying to save face".But her most important contribution came to how I was singing the song. I was singing it in a higher pitch with my voice going up at the end of each line. She pointed out that my voice is more suited for singing songs in a lower pitch. Something I knew, but that doesn't maen I don't aspire to sing up higher. She was on facebook messenger with me and sang it over and over showing me how it would sound its best. It took me a long time to re-learn the song from the way I heard it in my mind to the way she encouraged me to sing this song. Even with her help, I was still having trouble finishing the song and sending it out into the world. I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to do the song justice. I hated the idea of not living up to the potential of the song. I recorded and re-recorded. I tried verses and the chorus different ways. I did multiple test recordings to check my equipment. I just kept putting it off. So, I thought why not use those feelings. I mean it is important for you to know that I too sometimes struggle with putting things off until someday. So, I wrote a fourth verse. I wrote about how I thought this song could be special and let it put more pressure on me. And how I finally took great advice and sang it anyway. I remembered those times when I stood in front of audiences and told the...
Hello again, I hope you and your family are all doing well. Personally, I have been struggling with some chronic pain in my right knee. Things are improving thanks to some physical therapy, but I'm still a work in progress. Today, I'm bringing you another great interview on What's Your Excuse.This time a return visit with my friends Anthony Saldana and Jason Figueira. And they will be talking more about Jason's experience with obsessive compulsive disorder and their work to raise money for a film about the disease as seen through Jason's eyes and the eyes of his friends. You will see a great trailer that they created for the film and for their Indie Logo campaign. You Can find out more about them by visiting their Facebook Page.Sadly, I let them down in their efforts to raise funds for their next film through crowd funding. However, you can still help them make this socially important movie by mental illness by contributing funds, donating equipment, or offering your services. Just Send Anthony an email.Notes About The ShowFirst, I don't edit my podcast. I prefer to share a real unscripted unedited conversation. Just think of the recorded live television of the 50s and 60s. Two, I sing on the intro to my podcast. I did it in the beginning because I didn't have a way to create an intro. People liked it, so I continue to sing.I will complete the post about this episode shortly, but I wanted to get it out there where y'all could hear it and be inspired by my friends Anthony and Jason. Thanks for listening. If you received value from our conversation, then please share this with your friends, family, and social media communities. Thanks and take care out there, Max
Hello again, I hope you and your family enjoyed the weekend together.
And I hope that my latest What’s Your Excuse? with my new friend Donna Jodhan will educate, entertain, and motivate you to overcome your own excuses.
Donna is an award-winning vision loss coach, crime fiction author, disability advocate, and host of two podcasts.
In Ask Donna she uses her lived experience to answer people’s questions about life in general and about living with vision loss in particular.
You can even send her your questions for future episodes.
She also hosts dining With Donna a cooking show. She started cooking during the pandemic with virtual help from her mother, and loved it so much that she just had to share what she has learned with the world.
Be sure to listen all the way to the end of her podcasts for the mental stretch during Ask Donna or the cooking problem solving hacks at on Dining with Donna.
She is the only person I have ever talked with who has experienced living as a blind person, then living with sight, only to return back to life without sight.
I am also fascinated by anyone who writes fiction, and I am especially amazed by those who can create whole worlds full of brand new people without the aid of vision.
I love the part about how she can do things like write fiction because she focuses on the joy rather than on any potential financial success.
Finally, a couple of subjects that came up often are learning to accept things as they are, stretching all five senses, and finding work arounds to deal with the world.
I just know you are going to find something to love in our conversation.
Disclaimers
There are a couple things you need to know about the show.
One, I don’t edit the recording unless a technical issue results in dead air.
I think of my show as recorded live in the same style used by television in the early days.
Two, I sing on the intro. I started doing it out of necessity many years ago, and people loved it. So, I keep doing it.
The music I’m singing is my own original song titled what else What’s Your Excuse?
Now On To The Show
Support Our Sponsors
Blubrry has been providing both financial and technical support for my show, for Shredding For Gold, and for the WYE Podcast Network.
I couldn’t keep doing what I’m doing without them. And it would be impossible to help other disable people with their podcast without their support.
Show Notes
A few friends have told me that it might be helpful to you to share a run down of the topics covered and their approximate time on the recording.
This is the first time I have ever done this, and I could really appreciate your feedback.
She explained about having seen vision loss from both sides having lived with no vision, then having her sight restored, and finally losing her vision again. 04:40
She talks about the emotional readjustment to losing that regained sight as an adult 08:13
She shares about how her family reacted to her changing vision. Including their patience when she wanted to see everyone and everything. 09:49
We discuss whether or not Canadian parents of visually impaired or of disabled children are more accepting and trusting than those from other countries. 11:41
I asked her about her about the various states of her vision effected her education. 13:18
She talked about pursuing her degree in Law and how the lack of accessibility in online learning was a problem that continues to persist. 14:20
We discussed how the features in overly robust software applications get in the way of people using screen readers ability to use the critical part of software. 16:35
We explained some of the challenges that screen reader users face such as needing keyboard command options because we don’t have access to the mouse. We also talked about how often software & website updates break accessibility. And we talked about how much we love Zoom 17:53
Hello again, I hope you and your family enjoyed the weekend together.
And I hope that my latest What’s Your Excuse? with my new friend Donna Jodhan will educate, entertain, and motivate you to overcome your own excuses.
Donna is an award-winning vision loss coach, crime fiction author, disability advocate, and host of two podcasts.
In Ask Donna she uses her lived experience to answer people’s questions about life in general and about living with vision loss in particular.
You can even send her your questions for future episodes.
She also hosts dining With Donna a cooking show. She started cooking during the pandemic with virtual help from her mother, and loved it so much that she just had to share what she has learned with the world.
Be sure to listen all the way to the end of her podcasts for the mental stretch during Ask Donna or the cooking problem solving hacks at on Dining with Donna.
She is the only person I have ever talked with who has experienced living as a blind person, then living with sight, only to return back to life without sight.
I am also fascinated by anyone who writes fiction, and I am especially amazed by those who can create whole worlds full of brand new people without the aid of vision.
I love the part about how she can do things like write fiction because she focuses on the joy rather than on any potential financial success.
Finally, a couple of subjects that came up often are learning to accept things as they are, stretching all five senses, and finding work arounds to deal with the world.
I just know you are going to find something to love in our conversation.
Disclaimers
There are a couple things you need to know about the show.
One, I don’t edit the recording unless a technical issue results in dead air.
I think of my show as recorded live in the same style used by television in the early days.
Two, I sing on the intro. I started doing it out of necessity many years ago, and people loved it. So, I keep doing it.
The music I’m singing is my own original song titled what else What’s Your Excuse?
Now On To The Show
Support Our Sponsors
Blubrry has been providing both financial and technical support for my show, for Shredding For Gold, and for the WYE Podcast Network.
I couldn’t keep doing what I’m doing without them. And it would be impossible to help other disable people with their podcast without their support.
Show Notes
A few friends have told me that it might be helpful to you to share a run down of the topics covered and their approximate time on the recording.
This is the first time I have ever done this, and I could really appreciate your feedback.
She explained about having seen vision loss from both sides having lived with no vision, then having her sight restored, and finally losing her vision again. 04:40
She talks about the emotional readjustment to losing that regained sight as an adult 08:13
She shares about how her family reacted to her changing vision. Including their patience when she wanted to see everyone and everything. 09:49
We discuss whether or not Canadian parents of visually impaired or of disabled children are more accepting and trusting than those from other countries. 11:41
I asked her about her about the various states of her vision effected her education. 13:18
She talked about pursuing her degree in Law and how the lack of accessibility in online learning was a problem that continues to persist. 14:20
We discussed how the features in overly robust software applications get in the way of people using screen readers ability to use the critical part of software. 16:35
We explained some of the challenges that screen reader users face such as needing keyboard command options because we don’t have access to the mouse. We also talked about how often software & website updates break accessibility. And we talked about how much we love Zoom 17:53
Hello again, I hope you and your family are doing as well as possible given all the challenges in the world these days.
In this latest episode of What's Your Excuse?
I sat down with Tyler Watson Vice President of Sales for Dan-O's Seasonings.
I met Tyler as part of being an affiliate and advocate for Dan-O's. Mainly because their seasonings are no-salt, low sodium, and packed with flavor.
Discovering their products allowed me to give my younger brother Patrick, an arrhythmia surviver, the gift of good tasting food.
We became friends after he wrote an amazingly honest post about the struggles he has gone through in his life before getting to where he is now in both is professional career and personal life.
You know I love story tellers and great stories, and Tyler provided both.
Plus he is one of those rare people in business who doesn't believe he has to hide who he really is or where he came from in order to be successful.
As you know this is something I believe in completely. Telling my story authentically is how I built my brands. And I tell others constantly that sharing your real self is great for business.
So, we bonded over authentic personal story telling, and I just had to have him on my podcast.
Well, I don't want to give it all away.
Disclaimers
First, I do not edit my podcast. This is partly because I am horrible at it, but mostly because I love the feel of sharing a recorded live interview.
Second, I sing on the intro of my podcast. It started out of necessity, but people like it and miss it when I don't sing.
So, you will be treated to me singing part of What's Your Excuse on the intro.
On With The Show
Support My Sponsors
blubrry.com provides both financial and technical support to my show, to Shredding For Gold, and for the wyexcuse Podcast Network. I couldn't do it without them.
I also want to thank Chip and Pam Edwards at Create My Voice for keeping my show on Alexa, Google, and Seri so you can listen by simply saying play What's Your Excuse. Reach out for help with your audio branding strategy.
And to the folks at Crystal Creek Organics for keeping me supplied with CBD oil while I have been struggling with knee pain. Some days have still been too difficult, but thanks to them there were more good hours or days than bad ones.
Key Points
He shared about being a young person with a baby and no real job. We spoke about his being a dish washer, failing at sandwich making, and going into selling shoes on the advice of his wife.
We talked about how understanding the needs of the customers who came into the store lead to him being a rockstar salesman that lead to his becoming the manager for stores in three states.
We followed his path to Dan'O's both earlier in his career and since he returned to the company to be part of their continued growth.
We talked about his battles to gain custody of his young child and how that lead him to take jobs in different parts of the country just to be close to his child while working his way through the courts.
I shared with him my equally nervous state concerning how until my nephew was of age we constantly worried that some day there would be knock at the door and we would lose him.
You can hear the joy in his voice concerning his family now including repaying his wife for supporting him and being able to spend more time with their latest child.
We talked about clothing. Him accepting that he could be successful without hiding tattoos or putting on a suit. Me talking about how wearing a suit has become part of me thanks to help from friends.
Throughout the conversation we kept coming back to the idea that being honest about who we are doesn't hurt your business or your career it only strengthens it.
I can't tell you how many potential podcast interview booking clients have told me Max I can't be as honest as you or people won't want to hire me.
Hello again, I hope you and your family are doing as well as you possibly can.
And I hope this post and the accompanying video will encourage you.
I have written a second song called What's Your Excuse?
I share some of my life's accomplishments in a way that I hope will challenge people to overcome the excuses that are holding them back.
When you listen, please remember that I am not a professional singer, song writer, arranger, editor, or performer.
I'm a guy who does the best he can at the moment given the circumstances at that time.
This song has scared me more than most things I have done.
Read below if you want to learn more about the process and how I finally overcame my fear to share this with the world.
It started in February of 2021. I fell in love with Better Together by Luke Combes. But I wasn't crazy about some of the lyrics in his chorus. So I re-wrote them and recorded it.
After hearing that, a friend from church challenged me to write a song of my own.
That lead to my writing and recording If You Don't Ask a song about asking for help based on an expression my dad used to use all the time.
That one came out in March of last year. At the time there were a few friends who encouraged me to write more music. And maybe record an album. lol
Then I got busy with the Holman Prize and the beginning of the WYE, What's Your Excuse, podcast network.
I helped my friend Emily Trepanier launch her show Shredding For Gold.
Finally, my good friend Lorraine Reguly reminded me about my song writing during one of our fairly frequent calls.
She even got me started by suggesting that I do something around the What's Your Excuse? line.
So many people have said if Max can do it, then what's my excuse.
So, I took up the challenge and started the writing process.
The chorus was the easy part. The words and rhythm just came to me right away.
But that made coming up with the verses so much harder. Because in my mind that meant that the lines of words couldn't have more than about nine syllables in them.
I finally came up with a couple of verses. I recorded myself singing them and then shared them to social media.
Addressing Criticism
There was a lot more critical feedback this time than there was with my first song. It was positive, but it still put me back on my heals a bit.
I did my best to incorporate as much of it as possible.
I re-examined all the lyrics to find words that could be eliminated or replaced with ones that better fit the melody.
I practiced singing the song while tapping my fingers or slapping my pants leg.
I tried to learn a bit about editing my audios using audacity, but I'm afraid I didn't make such a great student. It might be easier for me to learn that software in person.
I listened to suggestions for more powerful lyrics. However, I chose to stick mostly with what I had as I had already started memorizing the original lines.
And I thought about ways to change up the tune so it isn't so repetitive. But I just couldn't figure that out.
Trust me, I know this song could be so much better in a technical or professional sense. And I'm open to working with someone to do just that. If and when I meet that person.
But I doubt it could be much better as an example of facing our fears, overcoming our excuses, and bravely putting ourselves and our work out there.
I finally had to remind myself what I have told aspiring podcasters in the past. That by putting our work out there we give our audience the opportunity to find something to love.
Why So Nervous?
In all honesty this song still makes me nervous.
Even more than releasing that first song.
And I think I have finally figured out why.
You see since I went online for the first time in 2007 and started selling amusement equipment on the Midway marketplace I have always done it first and asked for opinions later.
Hello again, I hope you are doing well.
I have to once again apologize for falling short on my podcast release schedule.
In this case this episode of What’s Your Excuse?
Was delayed by my trip to Washington DC to attend the national conference and Blind Leader Development Training Program of the American Foundation of the Blind.
Not having been anywhere in person since the beginning of Covid, it took me much longer to get prepared to leave.
Then the day before I ws scheduled to leave I fell in my yard and twisted my left knee.
And if that wasn’t enough I pulled a muscle in my back on the plane.
So, after five days in a hotel and day-long sessions, I got home really tired.
It took me so much longer to recover from this trip.
I think during covid I got old or soft or both. Haha
I know that y’all will understand. Including my guest this time Heather Hutchison
But I feel bad about disappointing you.
This is especially because my delay meant that this episode did not come out to coincide with the release of Heather’s latest Album If I could.
Which you can find at www.heatherhutchison.bandcamp.com
What We Talked About
This was an amazing conversation.
I do wish that I had the skills to edit it though.
This is because we spent the first half talking about writing, recording, and performing music both before and during Covid.
This was great stuff. I found out about how she deals with stage fright, and how she was discovered as an artist.
We talked about how music has always been there for her in good times and especially bad.
But we didn’t get to her struggles with depression and mental illness until the second half of the show.
If you go to the 29 minute mark, you can hear her sing If I could from her new album.
And our conversation about her emotionally struggles starts from there.
We talked about how before school she lived life in a bubble. And how attending school caused her to feel like she didn’t fit in because of her blindness.
She shared about how Covid brought on a major breakdown because she lost both the physical contact with her doctors and the tangible events to look forward to.
She shares about how being hospitalized was good for her in spite of some of the horror stories people have heard.
For her final thought she urged people to think of one small moment of joy in their lives. And then to think about what it would be like to have missed that because you are no longer here.
It was a difficult interview for me. Probably why I started with and spent so much time on her music.
And we both want you to think about asking for help if you are struggling with your mental health.
Two things You Should Know
One, I sing on the intro to my podcast. In this case I am singing the final verse of I song I wrote myself called If You Don’t Ask.
Two, I do not edit the recordings. The show is recorded live just like classic television or your local morning shows.
Now On To The Show
Support Our Sponsors
Thankful to Blubrry.com
For providing the podcast hosting for my show as well as The WYE Podcast Network.
We couldn’t do this without their continued financial and technical support. Reach out to them if you are wanting to start a new podcast.
I also appreciate Chip Edwards the owner of createmyvoice.com
He created the Alexa & google invocations for the podcast. And he makes sure people can find my show just by saying “Play What’s Your Excuse.”
About Heather
Could sharing our own darkness be the light that guides someone else through theirs?
This is the question that award-winning, Vancouver Island-based singer/songwriter Heather Hutchison seeks to answer on her latest release, If I Could, (January 28, 2022).
Hutchison’s songs have always been rooted in the universal feelings of the human experience, but If I Could is undoubtedly her most personal work yet.
Hello again, I hope you have had a good week so far. And I hope you are looking forward to a fun, relaxing, and maybe even fruitful weekend.
This time on What’s Your Excuse? I’m lucky to be sharing an inspiring conversation I had with my wonderful friend and fellow author Amy Bovaird.
We originally met through our volunteer work for the Vision Aware Peers Group.
She is a very strong woman who has had to overcome so many setbacks in her life.
We talked about her education as a teacher specializing in foreign languages.
We discussed her vision loss and how it effected her to go through that while living in working as a single woman in the Middle East.
We talked a lot about how her faith, positive attitude, and sense of humor have allowed her to overcome all her traumatic experiences.
We talked about the process of writing, publishing, and promoting her work.
You are going to love her solution for funding the completion of her first book.
And while the loss of her father, her marriage, and her unborn twin daughters are there; they are more than balanced by a woman who is happy in her own skin.
I just know y’all are going to love Amy and her story.
Things To Know
First, I don’t edit this podcast.
It is recorded live just like 50s TV shows.
Second, I sing on the intro.
I stopped for a while because some were confused by it.
But I went back to it when regular listeners and past guests lamented the loss of my singing.
On To The Show
About Amy
Amy grew up in northwest Pennsylvania.
In 1982, she received her bachelor’s degree with a double major in English Literature and Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) from Oklahoma Christian University.
In 1995, Amy earned her master’s degree in Bicultural Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas in San Antonio.
In 2004, she earned an additional certificate in Language Teaching with honors from Cambridge University in England.
Amy has worked at many unusual jobs over the course of her life, from selling hats at Cedar Point, an amusement park, to bagging glass bottles for the medical industry.
She has taught English to children and adults in seven countries around the globe and has visited thirty-three countries.
She taught English to all ranks of international military personnel, ranging from privates to generals. Her field was Specialized English, with such topics as the Abrams Tank, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Map Reading, Naval Operations. and Leadership at Lackland Air Force Base.
At age 28, she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and declared legally blind. RP is a hereditary, degenerative eye disease that results in blindness. There is no cure to date.
Today Amy has no peripheral vision. She jokes that she is at the end of the “tunnel” vision in her eyesight. She suffers from a dual disability: progressive vision and hearing loss. She is currently undergoing genetic testing to discover the cause of her hearing loss.
Amy’s memoirs include: Mobility Matters: Stepping Out in Faith, Cane Confessions: The Lighter Side to Mobility and a memoir / devotional, Seeking Solace: Finding Joy After Loss.
In 2015, Amy joined a group of blind professionals who volunteer their time to help others cope with blindness at VisionAware.org, an outreach website now under the auspices of the American Printing House.
In 2016, Ohio Valley University, Amy’s undergraduate institution, awarded her the Distinguished Medal of Literature for Mobility Matters.
Amy is an active member of several community groups, which include Penn Writers, West PA Authors, Toastmasters, the West County Lions Club, and the National Federation of the Blind.
Though Amy no longer teaches in the classroom, she still educates by speaking to groups about the challenges of sight loss with anecdotes of faith and humor. She blogs about her experiences in hopes of bridging gaps between the sighted and t...
Hello again, I hope you have all had a good weekend. I'm here to get your week off to a great start with the latest episode of What's Your Excuse?
This time my guest is the awesome Jeff Smith.
He is known as the KPI Guy, and I must confess that when we first met I wasn't sure he was a great fit for the show.
Wow, am I glad that I exchanged emails with him and got to know him before deciding.
He is one of those millions of kids who struggled in school because it wasn't his focus in life.
He played, practiced, and performed music. Which lead to a long-time successful career as a musician.
When he tired of that world, he went into sales. Working his way up from sales person to owner of ten dealerships.
While trying to solve the problem of how to find effective managers for the various locations, he discovered that all successful people implement eleven different techniques.
He combined these into a formula that has worked for him.
This guy who failed at math not only wrote the number one best selling book on KPI, key performance indicators, he has written seven of them.
We had a lively wide-ranging conversation, and I can honestly admit that at least once I lost complete control of the interview.
But I loved it. Our exchanges are some of the best I have ever had on either side of the mic.
As I often do I used my interview as an opportunity to pick Jeff's brain about things I could do to make myself more successful.
This lead to a great conversation about goals setting. And why my later books haven't been as successful as my first one was.
We then talked about podcasting in general and my show specifically.
This was all part of his way of explaining the three most important elements when deciding on a career or any other investment in time.
I'm not going to spoil it for you, but let's say that my work helping people be great podcast guests and booking them on podcasts is something I do that fits his criteria.
If you want to talk with me about helping you get more exposure for your passion, then please schedule a time.
I should mention that he kept saying I was right. Apparently, I unwittingly apply KPI in my life and have been doing so for years.
Things You Need to Know
One, this podcast is not edited.
I use what I call the recorded live approach similar to what they did in the early days of Television.
Two, I always sing on the podcast.
People have told me they love it. So, I keep doing it.
Now ON To The Show
About Jeff
Jeff is affectionately known as “The KPI Guy” because he’s written 7 international #1 best-selling books on KPI and Business Management and is on record as the most successful author in history on the subject .
Throughout his career, he’s worked with, and is trusted by Royal families, Governments of different countries and Senior Executives in the largest companies in the world.
Jeff is particularly admired in the international business arena because he has the amazing ability to explain complex business strategies into jargon-busting plain English that everyone understands; even where English is not the first language.
His plain speaking, no nonsense approach allows him to excel with groups of people with mixed abilities and varying levels of experience.
He engages the audience extremely quickly because there’s no blue-sky thinking in any of his presentations, he get’s straight to the point with high-value, totally relevant and outstanding practical solutions that work in the real world.
He loves getting people to think differently, he introduces new paradigms to simulate questions and challenges the rules of conventional wisdom.
He’s often voted as “best speaker” because he’s the master of audience engagement and his speaking style is always “Fun with a Serious Intent”.
Jeff’s world-wide reputation is such that delegates will often attend training courses and conferences jus...
Hello again,
I hope you are having a good week so far. On this week's episode of What's Your Excuse? I'm happy to be speaking with Gary Foster.
He is the outreach advocate for Esight.
It feels like Gary's life is like a song in three movements.
He grew up an active outdoorsman who loved being in nature. He was totally healthy, and was active in his community.
Then, he experienced vision loss. And for a while he was a bit lost.
He talks about not feeling like himself.
And then he discovered the Esight device and regained a lot of his functional vision.
This allowed him to be more involved in home and enjoy his kids and grandkids so much more.
It allowed him to get back to his previous vigorous outdoor lifestyle. Including returning to wood working.
He can use all his power tools including his chain saws again. But he said Esight only allows him to do this because he did it before.
I'm impressed with how he has handled all the changes in his life.
And his wife is an amazing woman who forced him to actually purchase a unit. so he could enjoy the improved vision.
I think I should mention here that everyone is different.
Some people, who become disabled, find a way to live a fulfilling life in spite of their disability.
Others, because of their previous lifestyles, have a hard time adjusting to a disability.
And others spend all their time seeking out that next medical treatment or piece of technology.
We all have to run our own race.
I think we can learn a lot from Gary because even with the device he still had to have the courage to try.
There are some great stories in this episode. And I know you will be entertained.
Two Things To Know.
One, I do not edit this podcast.
The style is called recorded live.
Two, I sing on the intro.
Most enjoy my singing, and it gets me in the right mindset to record.
Now On To The Show
Please Visit My Sponsor
Blubrry.com
is the podcast hosting sponsor for this show, Shredding For Gold, and for The WYE Podcast Network.
We couldn't continue doing this without their generous financial and technical support.
If you are thinking of starting a podcast, or if you are thinking of switching your hosting company; then you can't do any better than Blubrry.
About Gary
This is where I would usually include Gary's bio.
And I still hope to add his formal bio.
But he so strongly believes in the Esight device and the company that makes it that he asked me to include their website and social media links.
Website: www.esighteyewear.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/eSighteyewear/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/esighteyewear
Instagram: www.instagram.com/esight_eyewear/
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/esighteyewear/
Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC1uC33dCbnolhUWVRieYipQ
A Product You May Enjoy
These extra soft headphones were designed to help people sleep, but they are awesome for anyone who spends long periods of time listening to their devices.
I've been using mine for over two years now. So, they will definitely stand up to rough use.
Sharing Is Caring
I really appreciate Gary sharing his story with us.
He invested his time, and he opened himself up to us.
So, please help me thank him by sharing the post and encouraging your friends to visit their website.
It sounds like the Esight device can help a lot of people.
And I can tell Gary is dedicated to sharing it's life changing effects with as many people as possible.
Please know just how precious you are to me. You keep me going especially on those days when ice gets hard.
Take care out there, Max
Hello again, I hope your week is going well so far.
This time on What's Your Excuse? I'm honored to be speaking with The host of The Lowe Down Kevin Lowe.
This interview happened as a result of my reaching out to be a guest on his podcast.
I will share that wonderful interview with you in the very near future.
If you want to know how I get on so many podcasts, or if you want to hire me to get you booked; then please schedule a call via my scheduling link.
Kevin lost his vision suddenly after having surgery to remove a brain tumor.
He talks about how he was able to recover from this over time and even thrive through the help of his family and his faith.
He shares about how mistakes, disasters, and failures are all part of our becoming the person we were meant to become.
And he firmly believes that we are all stronger and more capable than we believe we are.
We had a great conversation about the misconceptions about the visually impaired common among sighted people.
I know you are going to enjoy hearing from Kevin and learn a lot because I was reinvigorated myself listening to our conversation in preparation for writing this post.
Things You Should Know
One, this podcast is unedited. I refer to it as recorded live.
Two, I sing on the intro. It helps me get started, and my regular followers love it.
Now On To The Show
Please Visit My Sponsor
I couldn't continue to operate the podcast, the WYE Network, or the shows on it without the continued financial and technical support from the fine people at blubrry.com
If you are thinking of starting a new podcast, or if you are unhappy with your current hosting provide; you can do no better than Blubrry.
And while they are not a sponsor I have personally benefitted from the CBD products sold by crystalcreekorganics.com
If you use these products, or if you would just like more information; I hope you will use my affiliate link.
About Kevin
He believes everything in this life happens for a reason, and a good reason at that. And this is true, even after losing his ability to see.
Fueled by a strong desire to ignite a sense of hope and optimism into the world, Kevin sets out to inspire others to not give up on life, even when it seems like life has given up on them.
Ever since waking to find a world gone dark, Kevin has been inspiring and encouraging people of all walks of life by sharing his own story of rediscovering light, even in the midst of the dark.
At just 17 years old Kevin was left completely blind. Today, Kevin continues to spread this same sense of inspiration and encouragement as both a Life Coach and host of his own podcast, The Lowe Down with Kevin Lowe.
Kevin has come to realize that if he can help even just one person by sharing his own life's experience with, then perhaps all that he has been through will have been worth it.
Connect With Kevin
Website: www.TheLoweDownWithKevinLowe.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/thelowedownwithkevinlowe
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lowedownmedia
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe
Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVLrzBFWyl5ZsPaLEyzqkQ
This is one of my more favorite conversations.
Me and Kevin laughed a lot, and he retaught me some important lessons.
I know you will learn a lot about how we both manage to live successful fulfilled lives in different ways.
And hopefully together we have helped you start to find your own unique way.
Please do share this post or the links with your friends, family, and coworkers.
It's the best way I know to thank Kevin and all my guests for giving of their time and energies.
And a 5 star rating or review on my podcast wouldn't hurt either.
I look forward to hearing your comments on this truly great conversation.
Until next time take care out there, Max
Hello again; I hope you are in good spirits today.
On this episode of ">What's Your Excuse I'm lucky to be speaking with Angus Baskerville
Angus had no trouble reaching out to me via linked in about coming on my show.
With me being the if you don't ask guy, I had to respect him for that.
But if you want some help putting yourself out there, I hope you will consider hiring me to be your online media publicist.
Schedule an exploratory call at https://calendly.com/justask
Topics We Covered
We talked about how his life was in South Africa before moving back to the UK and being correctly diagnosed.
He spoke about problems with loud noises, tactile defensiveness, and isolationism.
He shared about how in those days it was his love of and access to horses that kept him going.
He talked about how things improved after moving back to the UK and being properly diagnosed.
He told me about his introduction to magic and how learning to perfect tricks and spending time performing have helped him so much.
He talked about how he can focus more easily, he has much more self-confidence, and he handles interacting with people so much better.
He performs many familiar tricks with ropes, coins, cards, and Rubik's cubes.
He also does some things that would be considered mentalism. Which concerned me a little until he explained that it was done by a combination of hypnotism and his heightened intuitive nature.
I asked him about the process of booking venues and promoting events. Figuring that this would be hard for someone with autism.
I was surprised to find that he didn't depend on an agent or publicist for this work.
In fact he does what I have told y'all to do very often.
He builds relationships with venue owners or managers and then leverages those relationships when he feels it is time to make the ask.
I think you are going to learn a lot from my talk with Angus.
Before You Listen
A friend suggested I mention that this podcast is recorded live.
I do not edit it unless there is a major technical malfunction.
I was also told to let y'all know that I sing on the intro.
Now On To The Show
Support My Sponsor
I couldn't continue to deliver you these conversations without the technical and financial help I receive from my sponsor at blubrry.com
If you are thinking of starting a podcast, or if you are unhappy with your current hosting provider; then please check them out.
About Angus
I am a professional magician and motivational speaker where I combine magic with my journey overcoming Aspergers and ADHD.
I am passionate about sharing my story, from the heart, to help make the world a better place for those who are differently abled, so that they can access the right support in school and in the work place, to reach their potential (which is everyone’s birth right, wherever they may fall on the spectrum - because we are ALL on it somewhere.
This spectrum is not linear, but a richly layered tapestry of different gifts, abilities and strengths, peppered with challenges that we all have in different areas, to varying degrees.
However, some of us are more able to hide our weaknesses or navigate around them more easily.
I advocate at various autism parent training workshops and am involved with “Act for Autism” (a social enterprise running Connections workshops for parents and professionals and drama groups for young people on the autistic spectrum).
Connect With Angus
Website: www.angusbaskerville.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngustBaskervilleMagic
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/angus-baskerville-64b603161
Twitter: www.twitter.com/angusbaskervil1
I want to thank Angus and all the other amazing people who have sat down with me over the years.
And I want to apologize to many of them who I have so far failed to release their conversations out into the world yet.
Hello again; I hope you have had a good week so far.
This week on What's Your Excuse? I'm blessed to be able to speak with Charlene Norman.
She shared about how she recovered from streptococcal meningitis that caused two seizures, two strokes, and left her in a coma for a week.
Prior to this event in 2015 she was a very successful international business woman at the highest levels of the corporate world.
She shared about how being thankful for being better off than many of the others in the same hospital allowed her to keep a positive attitude.
She talked about how deciding to make those other people feel better gave her a sense of purpose and made her feel better about herself.
She talked about how technology has changed but people haven't. And I was happy to hear that she agrees with me that for the most part people are generally good at heart.
My favorite was when she talked about exchanging services so that you can do more of what you love and less of what you don't enjoy.
And she followed that up by talking about how we can compete more effectively when we combine services.
I found her very open, honest, and authentic. And she has been very generous with suggestions for my business since recording this conversation.
I just know you are going to learn a lot from her.
Now On To The Show
Please Visit My Sponsors
I'm so thankful to blubrry.com for their support of my podcast, and the What's Your Excuse? Network.
I couldn't do this without their financial and technical support. So, if you are thinking of starting a podcast, I hope you will check them out.
While they aren't an official sponsor, I have benefitted personally from the CBD sold by crystalcreekorganics.com
About Charlene
Charlene is the Chief Empathy Officer and Truth Teller with a dexterity of the ultimate trifecta: change, business success and personal transformation.
She uses her 360-degree view of business, adds in decades of leading companies through ever-changing dynamics, and harnesses her ability to make people and processes more effective.
Then, by wrapping those power skills with a deep understanding of engaging the power of the human brain, she is steadfast in guiding business owners committed to their hopes and dreams of growing BIG and leaving a lasting legacy.
Charlene has always believed in breaking the past barriers and is part of the new frontier pushing the boundaries for the future.
She knows 3 THINGS:
(1) Business is not nearly as complicated as it seems.
(2) Making money and making an impact on the world is one and the same.
And (3) all business starts and ends with people.
Connect With Charlene
Website: www.bulletproofyourbusinessnow.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/charlene.norman.351
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/canorman
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharleneNorman
I do hope you learned a lot from our conversation.
Please help me thank Charlene by visiting her website and by connecting with her on social media.
If you were entertained or inspired by my podcast, please leave a rating and review wherever you listen.
I appreciate your continued support of me and my show. I couldn't do it without you.
Stay safe out there, Max
Hello again;
I hope you have had a good weekend.
And for those caught up in the conflict in Ukraine, my prayers are with you.
Like I said at the beginning of this week of interviews, it's time like this when I feel the need to do even more to entertain, inspire, and uplift others.
My last conversation as part of the 2022 Mobility Matters Conference was with it's organizer Amy Parker.
We talked about the beginnings of Portland State's programs to train orientation & mobility teachers and their program to prepare teachers for the visually impaired.
We talked about the origins of the Mobility Matters conference and their experience converting it from in person to virtual.
We obviously talked about the conference, the speakers, the responses from attendees, and her future plans for the event.
We also talked about how approaching future construction from the point of inclusion and universal design makes things better for everyone.
I found out that me and Amy have something kind of in common. Except we experienced the relationship from opposite sides.
Her older sister has multiple disabilities including vision loss. And my younger brother Michael had to grow up with me.
It might be fun to hear some conversations between those who were the Youngers brothers or sisters of people with disabilities.
She explained about the extreme need for orientation and mobility instructors and about the wealth of funding that is available for people to attend their program.
And she touched on how they have modified the education schedule to work with people where they are. Which lead to their offering most of the classes online and in the evenings.
Including our friend Samantha Stephen who has been able to do her practical coursework at her home in San Diego due to the ever-widening partnerships built by their staff.
Finally, you should know that Amy turned the tables on me.
I've had people perform on the show before, but I had always asked them in advance or given them permission in advance.
When I gave Amy the chance to leave y'all with some parting thoughts, she told me how much she loved my singing and that music had always been part of her family.
And she broke into Bring it back home to me by Sam Cook.
She is really good, so please stay around until the end.
Now On To The Show
About Amy
Amy Parker is an associate professor at Portland State University and the coordinator of its department of special education.
She grew up with a father who was a minister and a mother who was sign language interpreter and teacher of the death.
As mentioned above her older sister has multiple disabilities that include vision loss and the need to use a wheelchair.
She graduated from Texas Tech University and found her way to Oregon as part of a national Taskforce on more effective means for teaching the ideaf blind.
While there, PSU invited her to become part of this new program to teach orientation and mobility instructors.
I want to thank everyone at PSU, Portland State University for the effort they put out to create this amazing event.
And for reaching out and inviting me to play my small part in this year's event.
I got to have some great conversations with people I see as friends.
I learned a lot about disability and inclusion and was forced to give some serious thought to many of the things I have thought or said about myself.
I hope these conversations have gotten you to thinking too.
If you have benefitted from them, then please share them with your friends or family.
Please leave a comment on this post or on the podcast platform where you listen to shows.
I also want to thank all of you for continuing to support me by listening.
I know you have a lot going on in your lives, and you have so many demands on your time.
And that just makes me appreciate you more for spending some of your time with me.
Hello again; I hope you have been enjoying these conversations. And while the event will be over by the time you hear this, maybe these conversations will encourage you to reach out to or start following these fine folks at PSU.
This time I am speaking with Samantha Stephan a current student in the COMMS program at Portland State University.
She is half-way through her masters certification in orientation and mobility instruction.
I loved the obvious passion and energy that Samantha has for her field of study and for the people she looks forward to helping in her career.
I appreciated how she decided to go into this field with the help of a great friend. Because I wouldn't have done a lot of the awesome things I have done in my life without encouragement from my friends.
I also love how she decided that Covid was an opportunity not a disaster. By applying for and beginning the hybrid training option offered by Portland State.
We talked about the importance of learning how to navigate the world around us safely. And she addressed the value of orientation and mobility, o & m, training to improving people's self esteem.
I shared with her about how I was encouraged to use my white cane in public because my younger brother was concerned about how he would look going sighted guide if I didn't have that cane.
We talked about the new trend of colored and striped canes. And we talked a bit about guide dogs.
I think you will really enjoy hearing my talk with Samantha.
Bonus for those who love my singing, I tried out the chorus to a song I'm working on on the intro of this conversation.
Now On To The Show
I will post Samantha's bio soon.
I'm going to share the event page with you again.
Hopefully, there will be a replay option or the possibility to purchase a download of the event.
https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022
You can also connect with them on social media there and subscribe to their email list.
Tomorrow, I sit down with the director of the event Amy Parker.
Really enjoyed these conversations and am glad I said yes to them when they reached out to me.
I hope this will encourage you to say yes more in your own life.
Thanks for your continued support
Take care out there, Max
Hello again; I hope you are taking steps to care for yourself and your family while moving forward to your goals.
I trust you were impressed by the progress that Mike May, his team, and others are doing to improve accessibility.
You can Check out Mike's interview here.
Just in case you haven't heard it yet.
Please visit https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022
for more information about the event or to register to attend.
Today, I'm speaking with Walt Marchbanks. He is the director of accessibility at Portland International Airport
But his position is so more than that. Or at least it extends far beyond what this blind man would usually think of as disability.
During my conversation with Walt I came to the understanding that at Portland International, PDX, they are on a continuing journey to make the travel experience inclusive and as painless as possible for as many people as possible.
This required them to take an exhaustive look at all the physical properties of the airport as well as the processes used by them and the airlines operating out of PDX.
And it lead them to some unusual applications.
Including ideas like a volunteer music program, an animal therapy program, and adoption of the sunflower program to make employees aware of hidden or invisible disabilities.
It lead them to include a quiet room for people with autism or anyone just needing a break from the pressures of air travel.
Finally, he gave examples of where they are having to anticipate the future needs across age, gender, race, and yes disability.
And he and his team are proving that designing and planning for inclusion makes everyone's experience more pleasurable.
Walt is a very engaging guy, and I know you are going to enjoy our conversation.
Now on to the show.
About Walt
Walt has been with the Port of Portland for over ten years and has served in multiple roles.
Most recently serving as the Port of Portland’s Passenger Programs and Services Manager since July of 2016.
In this role he is primarily responsible for the PDX Canine Therapy Program, Airport-Wide Customer Service Program (PDX People) and the PDX Volunteer Music Program.
Throughout his career, Walt has fostered incredible partnerships with tourism agencies (Travel Oregon/Travel Portland), diplomatic agencies, special needs agencies (Guide Dogs for the Blind, PSU Institute on Aging, etc.), and all 75+ tenants that operate out of PDX.
Walt currently chairs our PDX Accessibility Committee which serves to ensure that considerations and accommodations are made for all airport users, regardless of age or ability, and are factored into planned new construction and refurbishment projects and designs.
C.M. Passenger Programs and Services Manager Portland International Airport
Connect With PDX
Website: www.flypdx.com/accessibility
Facebook: www.facebook.com/flypdx
Twitter: www.twitter.com/flypdx
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pdxairport
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/port-of-portland
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/portofportland
I feel like I learned a lot. I came away understanding that when you have there right goals you can create an experience that makes everyone's lives better.
For example by creating quiet space for people with autism, they also created spaces for people who are just overwhelmed with the speed and noise of traveling by air.
I hope these conversations are causing you to have ideas about how you can personally help make the lives of people with disabilities better.
And of course I want you thinking about signing up for and attending the conference.
Again the link is:
https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022
Personally, I would appreciate it if you would share these conversations with your friends and family.
Because as I always say we can't change lives if they never hear this content.
Also,
Hello again; I hope my conversation with Áine got your week off to a great start.
For day two of my five posts in five days to honor Mobility Matters 2022
Today you will hear my conversation with Mike May.
Mike is Chief Evangelist for Good Maps, Inc., a pedestrian navigation company with an emphasis on accessible navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired including indoor navigation.
We talked about the progress that has been made in technology that allows people with disabilities, especially the visually impaired, to navigate the world around us.
He shared how technology are allowing the blind to not only know what bus they are getting on or how to get to a given store in a mall; but are now able to hear about all the other information that a sighted person receives along their rout.
I didn't think of it at the time, but I wish I had asked him if not knowing all that other info is necessarily a bad thing. :)
He explained the challenges of mapping internal locations like airports, train stations, office buildings, and those ever-growing box stores.
Since you can't piggy back off of GPS in an indoor space, they have had to come up with a variety of solutions.
They now have some great low-cost options for mapping locations. So, it's really a matter of persuading businesses, nonprofits, colleges & universities, and government offices to adopt the technology and invest in having the mapping done.
So, we talked about how the blind, visually impaired, and even sighted people can advocate for the implementation of this technology.
He has a way of making the subject come alive. Mostly by speaking more of the potential for inclusion nd interaction with others.
Just imagine being able to navigate your local baseball, football, or soccer stadium. Or how about having a few extra minutes in the airport because you can direct yourself straight to where you need to be.
And we talked about how like GPS this mapping could make the lives of sighted people so much more enjoyable s well.
Finally in honor of my friend Emily Trepanier a future Paralympic gold medalist in blind downhill snowboard racing, I had to ask him about his experiences as a blind downhill skier. Notably, how do you set a world speed record in the sport.
Full disclosure, I didn't know Mike was famous before I sat down to talk with him. Thankfully, I have ways of dealing with those feelings now.
And he finished by talking about teamwork, inclusion, and the dignity that sports can bring to people with disabilities.
You are going to love Mike and learn a lot about the lives of people with disabilities and how you can help make them better.
Now On To The Show
About Mike
Mike May is Chief Evangelist for Good Maps, Inc., a pedestrian navigation company with an emphasis on accessible navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired including indoor navigation. He was previously Executive Director of the Workforce Innovation Center at Envision in Wichita Kansas, CEO of the Lighthouse for the Blind in Seattle and CEO/Founder of Sendero Group, makers of accessible navigation products.
He has been a pioneer in new product and business development since 1980. He worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as a Political Risk Analyst, for the Bank of California in automating wire transfers and cash machines and for TRW starting a new business area. Mike’s start-up ventures have included developing the world’s first and only Laser Turntable, inventing a portable heating cushion for sports and medical applications and starting 2 companies in adaptive technology.
He has a Masters’ degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Coker College, SC.
He has met five Presidents including President Obama and several of his cabinet members to discuss national initiatives on adaptive technology.
Hello again; I hope your week gets off to or has already gotten off to a great start.
As promised here is my first interview with one of the primary presenters from Mobility Matters 2022
In fact this first conversation is with The keynote speaker Áine Kelly-Costello
Áine is a former Paralympian, a journalist, an activist, and podcaster who happens to be blind.
She is currently living with the long-term effects of Covid. Which include relocating to be with her family so she could get help with daily living tasks.
We spoke very little about her vision loss or how she dealt with losing her vision. We focused more on living with vision loss and long-haul Covid.
We talked about the whole concept of vision loss or disability as inspiration.
She is a very good advocate because she had me questioning whether or not I should continue to call myself The Blind Blogger or if I should keep using the What's Your Excuse brand.
We talked about blind people and others with disabilities advocating for themselves. We also talked about one of my favorite subjects asking for help.
She shared when she first started feeling the need to campaign for addressing the effects of climate change. And surprisingly she made me understand how an inclusive universal approach to designing our public spaces can help people with disabilities and help protect the environment at the same time.
I was really impressed with how open she is about the strain of living with long-haul covid. Including having to limit interviews, public speaking events, and other opportunities due to becoming easily fatigued.
And we both agreed that Covid is removing some of the stigma of asking for help.
We did talk about how even now most people with disabilities do still have to expend effort to be heard. And she finds this especially true when dealing with the medical profession.
She finishes by giving you a look at what she plans to present at the conference on March 3rd.
I think you will learn a lot from our conversation.
Now On To The Show
About Áine
I am a blind and chronically ill campaigner, writer/podcaster, musician, a Paralympian and a lover of languages. I'm passionate about furthering climate justice and creating an accessible, inclusive world, especially by harnessing the perspectives of disabled people.
In Aotearoa/New Zealand, I've primarily worked as a community organizer for thee Access Matters campaign for accessibility law, and also as a Digital Producer intern for media provider Newshub.
In 2021, I completed a Masters in Investigative Journalism from Gothenburg University, and am currently based near Bodø, in northern Norway. Based on interviews with journalists working in Aotearoa NZ, my Masters thesis is a qualitative analysis on the practice of climate change journalism.
Currently, I host and produce a podcast and blog called Disability Crosses Borders, featuring stories where disability, migration and culture meet.
I advocate for more inclusion of disability-related perspectives and considerations within political processes and policy in New Zealand, especially within climate action and immigration.
I also volunteer with the European Network on Independent Living where I coordinate the redevelopment of ENIL's website.
Website: www.aframeonlife.com
Podcast: www.disabilitycrossesborders.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aine.kellycostello
Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/áine-kelly-costello-4029a8122
Twitter:: https://www.twitter.com/ainekc95?lang=en">www.twitter.com/ainekc95?lang=en We had a great conversation. It went a little longer than my usual episodes, but it is well worth the time.
But I can't believe I spent all this time with her and never talked about being a musician. She's a really great woman, so I'm going to assume she liked my singing on the intro.
I do hope you will listen to our conversation, check out her life & work,
Hello again; I hope you are having a good week so far.
This time on What's Your Excuse? I'm happy to bring you a very inspiring woman named Linda Bjork.
I was impressed with ow she handled not only one life-crushing event but a string of experiences that should have finished her.
She first shared with me about the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi.
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique and instead of repairing an item like new, the 400-year-old technique actually highlights the "scars" as a part of the design.
She uses this as a metaphor for healing ourselves teaches us an important lesson: Sometimes in the process of repairing things that have broken, we actually create something more unique, beautiful and resilient.
She explained about the two different kinds of broken. Which I thought was very similar to how athletes describe the difference between hurt and injured.
She talked about feeling like she was at the bottom of a dark cave or basement with no way to get out.
She talks about how her sister extended her a ladder, but she still had to find the strength and courage to do the climbing.
Most importantly she talked about how even now she has to make self-care as part of her daily routine.
And if you stay around to the end you will learn a really cool exercise called MMWW.
Now On To The Show
Please Visit My Sponsors
This podcast is supported financially by the great folks at blubrry.com
They provide both financial and technical support to my show, Shredding For Gold, and The What's Your Excuse? Network.
And while they aren't a sponsor, I have personally benefitted from CBD sold by Crystal Creek Organics.
About Linda
Linda Bjork is a best selling author, speaker, host of "Linda's Corner" podcast, and the founder and executive director of Hope for Healing.
Which is a non-profit charity that has helped thousands of people increase happiness, manage stress, build confidence and self esteem, strengthen relationships, and overcome depression and anxiety.
Connect With Linda
Website: www.hopeforhealingfoundation.org
Podcast: www.lindascornerpodcast.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindascornerpodcast
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/linda-bjork-48002684
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/lindascornerpodcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindascornerpodcast
Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCs0BwSTA7mh5A1OJVqNkKig
I really enjoyed speaking with Linda, and I am sure you too will get a lot out of hearing her story.
She is a gifted story teller who shares her experiences with honesty, warmth, and humility.
I hope that you will help me thank Linda by sharing her interview with your friends, family, and coworker.
As I have often said it doesn't matter how powerful the story is, people's lives can't be uplifted, improved, or even changed if they never hear it.
I would love it if you would leave a rating and review on my Apple Podcast page.
I realize that you have lots of options for how you spend you time, and I appreciate that you continue to decide to spend some of that valuable time with me.
Thanks so much for your support. I couldn't keep doing this without you.
Take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I hope you are staying safe.
Today, I'm bringing you a bonus episode of the podcast.
I say that because I recently decided to move the release date of my show to Wednesdays to make it easier on me to help my friend Emily Trepanier with her podcast Shredding For Gold.
I interviewed Emily back in September to coincide with the launch of her podcast on the What's Your Excuse? Network.
Sadly, I ran into some computer troubles and allowed them to keep me from sharing this amazing conversation with you until now.
Emily is a totally fearless blind snowboarder, adventurer, and podcaster.
We talked about so many topics.
She shared how her family encouraged her to set goals and go after them. And how that carried over into her adult life.
We talked about her learning to ski and then to snowboard. And how her love for the sport lead her to set a goal of competing in the Paralympics and winning gold in downhill snowboard racing.
We talked about her love for challenging sometimes risky sports and how she handles the fear.
We talked about what lead her to get a guide dog. And then talked about her current sidekick Darling as well as her first dog Olivia.
And of course we talked about her new podcast. Including the origin of the Team Starfish name and the new podcast name of Shredding For Gold.
It was an amazing conversation. I so enjoyed my time with Emily.
And I almost forgot. In honor of Emily I changed up some of the lyrics to my song titled If You Don't Ask on the intro.
Now On To The Show
Support Our Sponsor
The great folks at Blubrry make this podcast possible by providing our hosting.
They also support Emily's podcast and the What's Your Excuse? Network.
We couldn't do this without their generous financial and technical support.
So, if you are thinking of starting a podcast; I hope you will do yourself a favor and build your show with Blubrry.com
About Emily
Emily is a blind downhill snowboard racer who hopes to someday compete in the international Paralympics and win a gold medal in her sport.
She is also a special education teaching assistant who loves her students and helping in the classroom.
She participates in many other sports for fun and to keep herself in shape for snowboarding.
She enjoys spending time with her loving and supportive family.
And she is accompanied on her journey by her intrepid guide dog Darling.
Connect with Emily
Website: www.shreddingforgold.com
Team Starfish: www.teamstarfish.com
Face Book: www.facebook.com/blindboarder2007
Twitter: www.twitter.com/starfishrd2018
Instagram: www.instagram.com/starfishrd2paralympics
Email: trepanieremily@yahoo.ca
I hope you will take the opportunity to get to know Emily and to support her on her journey.
She loves hearing from her listeners, so please do let her know how she is doing.
We would both appreciate your sharing this conversation with your friends, family, coworkers, and social media followings.
I believe this is a truly inspiring conversation, but people can't be effected by her story unless they know about it.
Hope you will leave us a comment, rating, or review.
Thanks for your continued support.
Take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I hope that you are doing well in spite of all the world's challenges.
One of the reasons that I bring you these interviews is to help keep you from being overwhelmed by all the bad news out there.
And today I have a wonderful person to share with you.
Jenna Ashlyn, is a real story of overcoming so much of the worst that one person can be subjected to by another.
She endured physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from her husband.
She went away to a city far from her home to support her family financially, and experienced more abuse on the job.
She lived through the indifference of her local police.
She finally did escape her terrible environment and caught help.
Now she helps others through Southern Ohio Survivor Advocacy Outreach at www.saopseoh.org/
We talked about how she managed to keep going and make it through. And about how she was able to allow a new man into her life after all of her experiences.
We also talked a lot about her writing. And what it took to write not one but two deeply personal books.
Her books are categorized as creative nonfiction for legal reasons. She had to change many of the names and locations to get her books published.
Best thing about her story, which we didn't talk about quite enough; is that Jenna is planning her wedding.
How exciting and encouraging.
Trust me if she can do it then what's your excuse?
Now on to the show
About Jenna
photo of Jenna Ashlyn
She currently resides in southern Ohio with her three children, fiancé, and an assortment of pets including two cocker spaniels and a guinea pig.
she is a volunteer for Southern Ohio’s Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program, providing support and services to victims of abuse.
She studied creative writing at both the University of Rio Grande and Marshall University, where she worked for the campus literary magazine Et Cetera.
Jenna’s writing has appeared in numerous literary magazines, including Night Roses, The Atwood Review, and Poet’s Choice.
In 2015, she won the overall writing award in the StarJewel Nationals and Talent Showcase arts contest.
And in 2019, she was nominated for a Maier Award, which celebrates the best writing by Marshall University students.
In 2020, Jenna released her debut novel, Within the Gray.
Her second novel, Sheila's Men was just released. Connect with Jenna
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Jenna-Ashlyn
Face Book: www.facebook.com/authorjennaashlyn
Twitter: www.twitter.com/JennaAshlyn1
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennaashl
I just know you are going to come away from Jenna's story with a new appreciation for what we are capable of.
I hope you enjoy it enough to share with your friends, family, and coworkers.
I would appreciate new subscriptions to my YouTube channel, or my podcast.
This show is now the flagship program of the WYExcuse Podcast Network.
A home for podcasts hosted by people with disabilities and or the people who want to support us.
If you are considering starting a podcast, please consider hosting your show with our sponsors at www.blubrry.com
I want to close by reminding you just how important you are to the success of my podcast.
Knowing you are watching or listening and following along sometimes is the only thing keeping me going. Would love to hear from you in the comments. Thanks so much.
Take care out there, Max
Hello again; After a long absence, I’m back with a wonderful new episode of What’s Your Excuse? Show.
I am blessed to have gotten to sit down with author Ken Brandt.
Some of you have heard me say that one of the reasons I have accomplished so much is because I’m not smart enough to be scared.
I was thinking about that s I was speaking to Ken about how his poor eyesight is partly responsible for his life-long success in both business and life.
I like how he sees that he has enjoyed life so much because of his poor vision instead of in spite of it.
Because Ken Asked
For those of you who are used to hearing me sing on the intro of my show, this week we have a special treat.
Ken is an amateur jazz musician. He asked if he could play on the opening of the show.
As the if you don’t ask guy. I respected his having the courage to ask. SO, of course, I said yes.
Next time, we are going to have to find a song we both know. And find time to practice a little.
I think this is a great lesson for y’all.
Asking is how I have been interviewed on so many podcasts and radio shows. It’s also how I won that trip to New York City back in 2016.
You can learn more about that big adventure and buy a copy of it Here.
Our Conversation
We talked about his vision loss and how it has effected him over the years.
We talked about his experiences sky diving.
We discussed how having less sight made his life different both physically and emotionally.
We talked about his love of music specifically jazz.
I think you will really get a lot out of my talk with Ken.
On With The Show
About Ken
Ken Brandt is the author of the adventure and humor filled memoir “Positive Vision: Enjoying the Adventures and Advantages of Poor Eyesight”. \
He has led a fun and adventurous life and had a successful business career despite (or perhaps in part because of!) his bad eyes.
Poor eyesight never impacted Ken’s vision of what life could be.
Whether galloping across the Montana range, exploring claustrophobic (and fiery!) caverns, chasing a thief through the streets of 1980s New York, or taking a plunge from a plane, his adventures are sure to entertain.
Complementing the adventures are his amusing and relatable anecdotes demonstrating the advantages of poor eyesight.
Ken has always had poor vision and slightly crossed eyes. He has undergone six eye operations (including a detached retina and cataract operation in each eye), and spent parts of his life legally blind.
Ken donates 10 percent of his author royalties to eye research and ending avoidable blindness.
Prior to retiring, Ken held senior management and management consulting positions in information technology and cyber security with firms and clients of all sizes in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Ken is an entertaining speaker and an amateur New Orleans style jazz trumpeter.
He and his wife Judy Roberts Brandt have been married for over twenty years, lived most of their lives in New York City, and now live in Melbourne, Australia.
Buy His Book:
Hello again; I'm excited to bring you a wonderful new episode of The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time I will be speaking with international award-winning documentary film makers Anthony Saldana and Jason Figueira.
They are the visionaries behind the film Straight Off The Canvas.
This amazing film shows us how the visually impaired can create, teach, and appreciate art.
It features working artists and art teachers from the New York City area.
It also includes footage from the First annual art show at Lavelle School For The Blind.
This is a longer than usual episode because we had so much to talk about.
First, Anthony and Jason have a great back story.
So, we talked about how they met and got to be such great friends.
We discussed what it's like for two friends to work together.
And then about how they came to decide to make films about groups like the visually impaired.
Then we had to talk about their own personal adversities and how their experiences play into their lives.
Anthony severely injured his back in an elevator accident.
And Jason was diagnosed with OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder.
Even one of their subjects suffered a classroom injury that later forced her out of teaching.
They haven't let their disabilities or Covid keep them from continuing to chase their dreams of being successful film makers.
In fact their next film is going to be about Jason and how his life was effected by his OCD.
It will feature footage that was taken at the time chronicling the effects on him, his family, his coworkers, and his friend Anthony.
It will also include interviews from experts on the subject.
Their continuing work is a testimony to what can happen when you decide to find solutions instead of making excuses.
Their lives aren't always easy, but they love the work they are doing. And they can see the impact their films can have on the world.
Please do listen all the way to the end. This episode is just loaded with inspiration from my new heroes Anthony and Jason.
I hope you enjoyed my interview with Anthony and Jason, and I look forward to your thoughts.
Be sure and visit our sponsors.
Blubbery for our podcast hosting.
www.blubrry.com
And Chip Edwards for voice branding on Alexa and Google.
www.createmyvoice.com
I was working on this post while listening to a rebroadcast of a town hall featuring our President.
He was talking about how so many people have been hit with so much bad news that they have given up.
It got me to thinking that the best thing I can do to help others is get back to posting regular content to my blog and podcast.
I hope that hearing from Anthony and Jason will encourage you to find solutions to the problems and challenges in your own lives.
I would love to hear about your new solutions if you feel comfortable sharing with my readers.
If not, then please reach out via the contact form.
I couldn't do this without the support and encouragement of you guys and gals.
Hearing how you have followed in the footsteps of Anthony and Jason would be really encouraging to all of us.
Until next time take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I'm writing this while many of my fellow Texans are having it much worse than I am.
While we are still drinking bottled water, we do have electricity, plenty of food, and a plumber working to repair our plumbing.
We are on a well, so we will have running water again as soon as the pipes in our shower have been repaired.
But I do feel a little guilty to actually be working on my website, blog, or podcast at a time like this.
I hope my friends and followers realize that I'm sharing this as a way of encouraging and inspiring others even while things are difficult here in Houston.
Today, I'm writing about my first Industry talk on Nepris Learning Platform.
Here is a bit about Nepris.
Nepris connects educators and learners with a network of industry professionals, virtually, bringing real-world relevance and career exposure to all students.
Nepris also provides a skills-based volunteering platform for organizations to extend education outreach, and build their brand among the future workforce.
I first learned about them about two years ago. And I gave my first talk on the platform in September of 2019.
You can read more about that experience and watch a video of my presentation by going to the post titled: The Blind Blogger Sharing with Special Needs School Kids.
I booked the time for this talk before finding out for sure that I would be able to attend the Independent Podcasters Conference in Atlantic City hosted by my good friend Super Joe Pardo.
So, I ended up giving my Nepris talk in the morning, and speaking to the attendees at IndiePodCon that afternoon.
I remember being more nervous about talking to the school kids than I was about my upcoming talk to a much larger crowd at the conference.
And no offense to Joe or those gathered there, I felt more satisfied from speaking with those school kids.
Recently, I began a much closer relationship with the people at Nepris. Becoming a Partner, giving a talk to the Texas School for the Blind over their platform, and helping to spread the word about Nepris especially among institutions serving the blind or others with disabilities.
As part of that they encouraged me to offer an industry talk.
That is where you announce that you will be giving a talk on a given subject and classrooms all over the country can sign up to watch live.
I took part in a brain storming session, and it was determined that I should give a talk on what else but interdependence?
We scheduled the talk and agreed I would speak on the power of building a community and how asking for help and accepting help when offered can help you achieve your goals more quickly and with more joy.
The day finally arrived, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I was nervous.
While I generally prefer not to know the size of my audience, I was informed that fifteen classrooms had signed up in advance.
And when you watch the video or listen to the audio; you will hear me sing before my talk starts in earnest.
I mentioned to the lady helping me with the technical aspects of the talk that I usually relax by singing while I wait to go live.
I said I probably couldn't do that. She said why not, so I got to share the second verse of the River by Garth Brooks.
I hope you enjoy my talk.
I think I did a great job.
The kids had some great questions.
I got the opportunity to mention my books, their titles, descriptions, and where people could buy them.
And it felt good sharing my important message about interdependence with these young people.
I have met so many adults whose lives have been frustrated by the myth that we can and should go it alone.
I'm hopeful that my talk will help these young people avoid making this mistake in their lives.
And maybe you will learn how to ask for help so that you can make more progress in your life as well.
I would love to hear any of your experiences where a...
Hello again;
I’m trying to write a post that will share my own accomplishments in a way that will help you achieve those goals that have alluded you.
This isn’t easy because for so many years I have been one of those people who believes that waiting for a specific day is not the answer.
I’ve talked with podcast hosts about how I’d rather work throughout the year to have something to celebrate than to wait until the ball drops to start that new journey.
I’ve written often about taking action today instead of waiting until tomorrow, next week, next month, or that mythical day of someday that never comes.
And I firmly believe that the only perfect time is the time we feel in our hearts and minds.
So, writing this time of year my goal is to try to share something that will help you keep going when you hit that wall that most people run into about the third week of January.
Maybe sharing my journey concerning how I feel about my voice and my singing ability might be the best way to share my thoughts.
In 2015 I wrote a post called Why I Sing, and How I Can Help You Free the Song in Your Own Heart.
I chronicled how I overcame the fear of singing in public out of the necessity to have an intro for videos I was recording for my amusement equipment brokering site www.midwaymarketplace.com
I talked about how people had made fun of me as my voice was changing in junior high school.. And that those feelings were aggravated by the loss of confidence from also losing a big chunk of my vision at about the same time.
And how the more I sang the more people that were impressed by my singing and the more who asked me to sing even more.
That lead to recording myself singing full-length songs and posting them to youtube.
Then in April of 2017 I was invited to take part in a family night at my church. The rehearsals didn’t go well, and I thought about saying no.
But we finally found three others for me to sing with, and we did a credible job of I wonder Why.
You can read more about that experience and watch the video by reading What I Learned From a Successful Church Talent Show Appearance.
In spite of a problem with some microphones that disappeared and then reappeared half-way through our song it was a great night. And it probably gave me the confidence to want to sing more.
Later that spring I traveled to Philadelphia to give my first public talk at an event called Dreamcon.
After the event was over I was emboldened to ask if I could sing in front of the event banner. The other speakers were taking selfies and group photos and I thought what the heck.
I was overcome with emotion while doing that. And one of the other speakers, Azuka Zuke,
was so impressed that he challenged me to make singing part of all my future public speaking events.
If you want to hear more about that experience or watch the video, then you can read The Blind Blogger Is Profoundly Effected By Singing the River at End of Dreamcon.
Later on during that first speaking adventure I would also sing at Niagara Falls and record some sample versions of a future talk titled Music and Motivation.
Music and Motivation is one of those crazy ideas that became a reality in 2020.
The idea is that I would sing some songs, tell some stories, and teach some life lessons.
You can watch the full presentation here.
Or listen to it on one of the podcast players listed below.
The first virtual presentation went well, but we did learn some valuable lessons.
We heard from the audience that online talks should be shorter. So, when I do the second one of these in 2020, I’m going to keep the messages much shorter. Striving for keeping them under ten minutes each. I’m also going to try only singing one verse of each song instead of singing whole songs.
I should mention that this wouldn’t have happened without my friend and producer Trent Bray host of the Hustle The Day Podcast.
Hello again;
I'm back with another great interview from The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time I'm speaking with Kalari Girtley a wife, mother, writer, author, beep baseball champ, and much more who happens to be blind.
And if that isn't enough for you, then you should know that her husband is also blind. Yes two visually impaired parents raising three sighted active kids in South Chicago, Illinois.
We talked about all aspects of life. How she lost her vision, how she met her husband, how they manage kids, how they manage household chores, and yes how are they dealing with corona.
I loved her sense of humor and zest for life. And I was impressed with the big lesson her dad taught her once the family knew she was losing her vision.
She and her family are the true embodiment of the What's Your Excuse approach to life. And I hope you will take the time to watch or listen. Because even I felt inspired after this talk.
Please Visit My Sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
Chip is "The Expert" on voice branding to grow and protect your brand on Alexa, Google, and their related apps.
He is the reason You can find my blog and podcast on those platforms. I trust him, and can highly recommend him.
Most importantly if you aren't on these platforms, then literally millions of people don't know you exist.
Not having a place on Alexa and Google is no longer an option. And Chip will help you reach these growing new audiences.
I hope you will also consider purchasing one of my inspirational motivational books. You can check them out, read a little bit of one, and then buy it from My Amazon Author's Page.
About Kalari
She is a Chicago-based, 36-year-old mother of three, whose husband is also blind.
She is also an ESPY-winning Beep Baseball champion (baseball for people who are visually impaired)
She works at The Chicago Lighthouse, a service organization that supports those who are blind or visually impaired, as well as veterans.
Contacting Kalari
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirtleyKalari
Website: www.chicagolighthouse.org
I was truly blessed to get to spend this time with Kalari. We laughed, and she showed me and anyone who watches or listens that there is a way if you choose to find it.
Kalari's passion about her family, beep baseball, writing, having meaningful work, and so much more are great reminders. And when I say that I include myself.
Sharing Is Caring
I have often told you that the best way to say thank you is to put feet on the ground, butts in the seats, or faces behind the screens.
Please help me say thank you by sharing this post or the direct link to the video or audio with your friends, family members, coworkers, and social media networks.
People need to hear messages of hope like this especially now. So, please help me.
I also want to thank you in advance for continuing to support me by watching or listening to my work.
I was recently asked what my top motivation is for continuing to show up and do the work.
My answer was and still is that I feel a sense of obligation to you.
Since finding out the power I have to inspire others I felt a responsibility to continue working hard because I just don't want to let you down.
I look forward to your comments or to your emails if you prefer privacy.
Until next time take care out there, Max
Hello Again;
I am honored to be able to share a truly inspirational story with you on this episode of The What’s Your Excuse? Show.
I am blessed to be joined by Aimee Eddy Gross.
She has overcome so much in her lifetime. And she has come through her trials without losing her joy.
Yes, like most of us, she still has a long way to go. That’s why I decided to sing Buckaroo in the beginning of the show instead of the River like I usually do.
She will still have bad days and dark times, but she doesn’t let that keep her from enjoying the moment and seeing an even better future for herself and people suffering through similar trials.
I must admit that by the end of this show I was both inspired and worn out.
Hearing Aimee tell her story made me feel like I have had it pretty easy in my life.
So, I hope you listen to it all the way through.
We talked about her being bullied in elementary school, high school, and even into college.
We talked about how she survived by escaping to the family garage.
She shared about her struggles with mental illness and finding a great doctor who helped her balance her prescriptions and manage her mental illness.
And she shared about having contracted breast cancer and how she delt with that.
At a time in her life when she thought she had things under control here comes cancer.
I know I ask y’all to share every one of my interviews. And while I don’t like to play favorites, this one is important.
If you have never shared an interview before or even listened all the way to the end; then please listen and share Aimee’s conversation with me.
Please visit my sponsor
Chip Edwards at Create My Voice.
He is "The Expert" on voice branding by leveraging the growing audiences on Alexa, Google, etc.
Because of him I now understand the importance of claiming my invocation name. That's the name or string of words people will use to ask for your content.
Chip will help you create a total voice branding strategy that will help you to grow and protect your brand.
He's the reason people can find my podcast by asking Google or Alexa for What's Your Excuse.
I hope you will visit his site and use the contact form to schedule a call to learn more.
About Aimee
She is an insightful overcomer who advocates for other strugglers.
After conquering mental illness, bullying, cancer, and more, she has the life experience to encourage others.
She serves as assistant to the director for the National Youth Internet Safety and Cyberbullying Task Force.
Aimee loves to woodburn, write, and spend time with her family.
Message From Aimee I’d like to take you out of darkness and point you towards the light: the light of change, the light of recovery and the light of rising above. There is no room for defeat or giving up on this journey. Only fighters can move forward. Are you a fighter? Will you fight to rise above bullying, reach recovery from mental illness and face life’s challenges head on? Bullying happens every day in our schools and online. It is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Many children fall into depression and other mental illnesses. Some go as far as committing suicide. The effect of bullying reaches into adulthood leaving them with wounds that take years to heal. Those who are bullied also struggle with self-esteem and other psychological issues. It takes years of therapy and hard work to heal those wounds. Are you willing to fight past the pain to find the light? Are you one of those who are struggling to face another day of school? Are you an adult wrestling with the after effects of bullying? Do you face each day forcing yourself to get out of bed? Do you wonder if your life will always be in darkness? Do you think your life is trapped in mental illness? If so, I’ll let you in on a secret, recovery is possible! Come with me on a journey into bullying, mental illness and breast cancer. Follow me into the battle to rise above bullying,
Hello again;
This week we are going to start off your Monday with an amazingly inspirational interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
Craig Lewis was rescued from his mental illness. In fact, thanks to his parents, he was forced to take psychotropic drugs for years. And he had to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional effects of being misdiagnosed.
Eventually, two brave young doctors would recognize his situation and would fight for his freedom from the drugs and from being controlled by others.
Since then, he has truly lived the What's Your Excuse lifestyle.
He has written two books about his experiences and the lessons people can learn from them.
Better Days being his first.
You can buy it at the link above.
He has created a life-changing workshop, which he has delivered all over the world. In fact, he has traveled to over forty countries so far.
I'm not going to spoil it, but let's just say that he is now my travel hero, living the "why wait for things to be perfect" approach to life and travel.
Just one other thing about Craig before we get to the show. When we met and discussed having him on the show, he didn't have a website. He still didn't by the time we recorded. He has one now. But for all those people waiting for their website to be perfect, they should take yet another lesson from Craig.
Now, on to the show!
book cover for my fourth book titled THE BLIND BLOGGER'S FIRST SPEAKING AND SIGNING ADVENTURES
My fourth self-help book and the second in my fearless travel series is now available on Amazon.
You can buy your copy here.
And I hope you will visit my sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
While they don't figure in this book, their support has allowed me to continue to travel to events. They have even helped me book my travel plans.
You will get to know them a lot better in my next book.
For now, just know that Chip is "The Expert" on voice branding through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
He can make the case that being on these platforms is no longer desired but is now an absolute necessity.
This is because the search engines are pushing people to find and consume their content through these wireless voice speakers and their related smart-Phone apps.
And your invocation name is critical to your future success. You have to claim it, protect it, and use it to grow your brand.
With millions of people getting their content by saying, "Alexa, play Create My Voice" or Google Talk to Create My Voice, can you really afford not to be on these platforms? About Craig Well, I told you Craig started sharing his story before he had a site.I'm still working on an actual bio for him. But in the meantime, you can learn all you need to know about him and reach out to him by going to www.punksinrecovery.com.
I do hope you have enjoyed this interview. I feel that Craig taught me so much. I also know that he reaffirmed some of the things I have believed about myself and used on my own journey.
He did invite me to visit him in Mexico, once Corona is behind us. I'm looking forward to that.
And if you learned something today, then please say thanks by sharing the link to this post or the link directly to our conversation.
Perhaps Craig is the perfect person to coach you or put on a workshop for your group.
Perhaps you know people struggling with mental illness or fighting against the medical profession that he could help.
Lets spread the word about Craig, his story, and his message.
Until next time thanks and take care out there, Max
Hello; I'm posting this latest interview while doing interviews myself today.
I will provide more information about Win, the interview, her links, and my sponsor as the day goes along.
For now I wanted you to have the opportunity to listen to this inspiring interview as soon as possible.
I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks, Max
Hello again;
I know it's been a while, and I know you have heard me say that before. :)
This time my disappearance was caused by my needing to focus on completing my next book.
It's about my first book signing and public speaking trip that took place in 2017.
Today, I am back with another excuse busting interview with my amazing friend Staci Greenberg.
I met her at Joe Pardo's podcasting conference about a year and a half ago.
She helped me navigate the venue, she sat with me during some of the talks, and she was part of the effort that lead to my getting my suitcase back from Amtrak.
Yes, she was one of the ones behind the Free Max's Bag campaign on twitter that eventually resulted in their not only returning my suitcase but delivering it to the hotel in opposition to Amtrak's stated policy.
She has had so many obstacles thrown in her path, and she has had to overcome many setbacks. Yet, she continues to move forward with a toughness and brutal honesty. I find her attitude personally inspiring.
She has succeeded as an interior designer focusing on the hospitality industry. She has over thirty years dedicated to her field.
She has raised two special needs kids to healthy accomplished adults as a single mother.
And when economic circumstances required her to, she embraced the tiny houses approach and has even found a way to use her personal experiences to improve upon her work as a designer. Please Support My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards from www.createmyvoice.com are responsible for making my blog and podcast discoverable on Alexa and Google.
Chip has taught me the importance of claiming your invocation name or phrase on these wireless voice platforms.
Your invocation is like a website URL. It is unique, and there are a limited amount of them.
If someone claims yours first, then you will have to choose something else.
It may not be as easy to say, as easy for people to remember, or the ideal representation of your brand.
Worse yet someone else will control what content people receive when they ask Alexa or Google for your business.
Even if you don't what your future will look like you should go ahead and protect your brand name.
And Chip is the perfect one to do that for you.
You can check out his content by saying:
Alexa open Create My Voice.
Or okay Google ask for Create My Voice.
And if you are ready to learn more, you should visit his website and click on the contact link to schedule a time to talk with him.
Our Conversation
We talked about so many things. When I went back and listened to this recording, I was amazed just how much we covered.
We talked about our friendship and how it allowed her to have the confidence to tell me my podcast video needed to be improved.
We talked about being a designer, and how she got into the field of recreating hotels, motels, spas, etc And what unusual challenges she has faced.
She shared with me about how even before Corona she was doing a lot of her work virtually. And how interior designers quite often work this way.
We talked about how Corona was effecting her business and her family. Thankfully she and her kids are both doing well.
It has put a dent in her work, but she is using the time to network virtually and speak at conferences that she wouldn't have normally due to their distance from her home and expense of traveling.
We talked about her being a single mom. And she gave me some great stories about being a parent and having to advocate for her kids as well as having to advocate to them.
We had a great time. We laughed a lot, and I'm sure our chemistry will come through.
I'm lucky to know Staci and to call her friend. And even luckier that she has always had the nerve to say Max you are my friend so I'll tell you when I think you could be doing better.
Not everyone will do that for you. Especially when you are blind or have some other disability.
Hello Again;
I'm always excited to share my latest interview with the amazing people who come on my show What's Your Excuse.
It's extra special when my guest is someone like Sandy Rodgers.
She has had me on her show twice.
And we had long, in-depth, personal conversations.
Like this one in May of 2016.
The one thing that I love the most about Sandy, and the one thing that comes out powerfully throughout our entire conversation; is her wholehearted belief in being our most authentic selves in all things.
She comes back to it time and time again, and not in that forced way that you sometimes get from people who are used to doing lots of interviews.
She talks about it when discussing her childhood. How she played sports, dug in the dirt, and took a woodworking class instead of typing or home economics.
She talks about it in her employment at a chipping company. How she had to get to know each of her coworkers, so she could deal with them authentically. Making allowances for their personal problems or for working together to solve problems with delivery.
Taking control of her health and her body. Knowing what she takes into her system. And that includes foods as well as prescription medicines or herbal supplements.
She talked about how the coronavirus is giving people opportunities to reconnect in ways we haven't experienced before. Especially for families who now see each other more often and get to spend more time together.
She also mentioned people doing things like yoga where they come together either in person or online. Of course, keeping social distancing when meeting with neighbors.
And I loved how she said that COVID is an opportunity to really focus on the foods we are putting into our bodies.
She made this point by saying that in the stores she has visited the shelves aren't all empty. She pointed out that it's the processed foods that are being snapped up. She made the point that there is still plenty of fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables for those who can get past their stress and see them.
Well, I don't want to give it all away.
After listening to our conversation, I'm sure you will agree. If Sandy can do it, then what's my excuse.
Please Visit My Sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
They will create a voice branding strategy for you that takes advantage of the voice platforms like Alexa and Google.
Starting with helping you decide on and claim your invocation name. That's the name people use to ask for your content on these speakers and their related apps.
Such as "Alexa open create My Voice."
Or "Okay Google, ask for Create My Voice."
These names or phrases are unique. There can be only one, and whoever claims it first gets to keep it.
If someone else takes the name you use for your blog or podcast, then they control what content people will hear when they look for you.
This could result in a loss of traffic, fewer potential customers, and damage to your brand's reputation.
At the very least letting someone else grab your invocation name would mean having to choose another that is harder for people to say or that you just don't care for.
So, please reach out to them right away. Use the contact form on their site to schedule an appointment to discuss this with them. And do it right away.
Now On To The Show
About Sandy
Sandy Rodgers a Reverend, Author, Radio Personality, Film Producer, Life Coach, Reiki Master Teacher Practitioner, Master Gardener, Energy Practitioner and Certified Raw/ Plant Based Food Educator is forever growing and expanding. She invite others to join her in living their Authentic Self, whatever that is for that person. Be True to Self is her motto. Born and raised in Watts California, she is fully invested in community life, Wellness as a social and human right and individual empowerment, actively working within marginalized populations.
Hello again;
This time I'm honored to be speaking with my good friend Chip Edwards on What's Your Excuse.
Chip,
is not only the expert on voice branding through wireless speakers.
He's not only a talented public speaker teaching bloggers and podcasters across the country how to grow their brands on Alexa and Google.
He's not only a wonderfully supportive friend, but he and his wife Pam are also sponsors of the show.
Without their decision to invest in themselves and in me I wouldn't have had the funds to attend several national conferences over the last year.
Without their financial support I would have missed those opportunities to share my story and inspire so many to take action in their lives.
And I would have missed the opportunity to learn so much and to attract new clients.
I've had the pleasure of learning about who he is, what he does, and why we all need to have a branding strategy.
And you can find him by saying Alexa open Create My Voice.
Or okay Google ask for Create My Voice.
Or by visiting him at www.createmyvoice.com
Click on his contact link and schedule a time to speak with him about leveraging Alexa and Google.
We talked about his transition from being part of the creative projects team at a corporate work place to reluctant entrepreneur.
How he always admired creative people but never had the courage before now to be that person who turns their ideas into a business.
How he had trouble with public speaking until he decided to approach it as teaching instead of speaking.
He's always loved teaching people things, so this made it much easier for him.
We talked about deciding what is working and isn't working when it comes to growing a business or promoting a product or service.
But mainly we talked about how much the future of our online lives will depend on receiving information by asking for it with our voice.
And how if you aren't protecting your brand on these devices it will cost you dearly in the future.
Because if you don't own your invocation, then someone else can and will control the content people receive when they ask for you on Alexa, Google, etc.
An invocation is the voice equivalent of your url. They are unique, and once one is gone you have lost it forever.
This is why with Chip's help I have claimed the invocations for The Blind Blogger and What's Your Excuse.
I'm sharing all of this information from Chip because I don't want those aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience to be harmed by not knowing.
And I'm sharing Chip's journey as a way of showing that it comes down to taking opportunities when they are in front of you.
I hope that you will soon be saying if Chip can do it then what's my excuse.
Now On To The Show
About Chip
Technologist and teacher,
Chip helps influencers and business owners optimize their brand on Smart Speakers (like Amazon Alexa and Google Home).
Similar to domain names on the Internet, voice devices need an Invocation Name to respond with your content. Does your brand have an Invocation Name yet?
Chip is a partner at the firm Create My Voice and he can make Your Brand respond with Your Content.
Connect With Chip
Website: www.CreateMyVoice.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cmv.chip.edwards
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/cedwards
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ChipEdwards4
Usually, this is the part where I ask you to visit Chip's site to thank him for coming on the show.
But, this time I'm going to encourage you to visit the site because it's in your own best interest.
If you have a blog or a podcast, then you need to be discoverable on these speaker devices.
And it's not just living rooms. It's kitchens, law tractors, cars, semi trucks, etc.
In the best case people aren't finding your content.
In the worst case they are asking for you and your awesome work,
Hello again;
This time on The What's Your Excuse? Show,
I'm happy to introduce you to my new friend Regina Ozeryansky.
I met her while attending Pod Fest Expo in Orlando.
We got to know each other, and I knew I just had to have her on my show.
Then I found out she is a friend of Orly Shamir.
A blind chef I met at a conference in New Jersey last January.
Orly is one of those people that comes into your life very rarely. And who attracts other great people to her.
The old expression is true to me any friend of Orly's is a friend of mine.
So, I was really looking forward to getting to spend more time with Regena and learn from her.
She is a successful real estate broker and life coach trained in multiple disciplines.
We talked about so many things.
Including how she and her businesses are coping with the corona virus. And ho you can better handle the stress of being isolated while fearing the future.
She explained that she calls her business Internal Peace Now because we have to feel a sense of urgency about finding our version of happiness.
She was passionate about how we can't wait for even a few minutes. We have to take action now, the rest of today, tomorrow, and every day after that.
She talked about how her life has been a long a winding road to get her to this point.
And she agrees with me that we not only never get to an end point we aren't meant to.
I loved some of the examples she used. :)
And she shared her three step method for changing your life.
Of course, this method has to be learned and then practiced one moment or experience at a time.
She said what you do is:
First, decide if you want to choose peace and joy or fear, anger, or hatred.
Second let go of the past hurts.
And third, is to take inspired action.
This is a very simplified description of her approach, but I hope it's enough to make you want to know more about her and her methods.
Including wanting to visit her website and listen to the whole interview.
Please Visit My Sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards from www.createmyvoice.com
provide the voice branding solution for The Blind Blogger and What's Your Excuse.
On Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant your brand name is what they call an invocation name.
And just like website addresses there are a limited number of available names. And whoever claims an invocation name first gets to keep it.
This could result in people being directed to someone else's content when trying to connect with you.
It could also mean your having to pick a name that you don't like or that is difficult for people to remember.
The bottom line is you need to own and protect your brand on these wireless speaker platforms.
If you haven't done it already, then please reach out to Chip and start the process of protecting your hard earned brand name.
You can find him by saying.
Alexa play Create My Voice.
Google talk to Create My Voice.
If you've been thinking about investing in your brand by advertising on a podcast, then I hope you will reach out to me.
Besides being mentioned on the show, your company will also be mentioned in these blog posts, social media shares, and email newsletters.
Now On To The Show
About Regena
As an international speaker, published author and recovering perfectionist, Regena specializes in teaching skills of World Peace.
She works with conscious men & women to create inner peace, in turn changing the world and how the world experiences peace.
She knows that teaching people the tools of Inner Peace creates world impact and believes that each person is responsible for their own happiness in the world.
By creating more Inner Peace, there is more abundance in the world, more wealth available, and an opportunity to create greater health & deeper connection to each individual's life mission and purpose creating more sustainable inner pea...
Hello again;
This week I’m honored to bring you an interview with Coach Nick Davies
on The What’s Your Excuse? Show.
Before I introduce Nick and the podcast interview, I want to mention that I met him through my friend Alex Sanfilippo and is wonderful online networking community www.creatingabrand.com
He also has a wonderful podcast of the same name that you can find there as well.
And you can check out the awesome interview he did on my show by going here.
Nick is a Tony Robbins trained life coach and a certified health coach.
We talked about becoming that next best self and why some people overcome adversity and why others get stuck in the victim mentality.
He shared his belief that continued effort plus having passion for your subject is what leads to life-long over all success.
I love how he talked about our professions or passions be a series of tables. And we must constantly be striving for that new bigger table.
But my favorite part was about how we have the power to choose what is important to us and what isn’t.
And beyond that we can always choose to follow a different path at any time.
And changing our minds or changing our paths doesn’t diminish the value of the experiences we had along the way.
For example he doesn’t value travel as much now as he did when he was younger. But he understands the value of that travel to making him who he is now.
I don’t want to give it all away, just know that Nick is going to make you think about things in ways you probably haven’t before.
I do want to apologize for a mix-up with the name of his website.
The one I mentioned throughout the show does belong to him, but it’s a platform where many coaches have an account or profile.
His personal website is www.onemansbalance.com
To show how much he wants to help you, he is offering a Free MindScan Profile.
an instrument more powerful and unlike any other process on the market because it measures the elements so critical to success in today's environment.
It does not place you into labeled groups rather it treats you individually.
The first step is to understand how you think; the second step is to be able to utilize the power of the information.
Applied correctly, this should have a major impact on you personally and your career.
Please Visit My Sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
They will help you create a voice branding strategy that takes advantage of Amazon Alexa and Google Home to get your blog, podcast, or both in front of millions of more potential fans, followers, and customers by leveraging these voice platforms.
But the key take away from my working with him is that if you don’t claim your brand on these devices, and someone else does; then you lose control of your content.
Worst case people who like and trust you could be given content having nothing to do with your brand.
Slightly less worse case you will have to pick a different invocation name that is harder to share and less likely to be used by your audience.
Besides visiting his website you can also check out his content by saying.
Alexa play Create My Voice.
Or Google talk to Create My Voice.
And if you would like to see your company mentioned on my podcast and in these related articles; please reach out via the contact link.
Now On To The Show
About Nick
Nick Davies is a business and career coach, with 20 years of background in financial services.
Originally from London England, Nick has also lived and worked in the Philippines, Florida, NY and now calls Charlotte, NC home.
Over the last 4 years, Nick has shifted his focus on creating his purpose and now helps people and businesses through coaching.
He is trained through Tony Robbins coaching and is also a certified health coach.
Connect With Nick
Website: www.onemansbalance.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onemansbalance
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/coachnicholasdavies
Twitter: www.twitter.
Hello again;
This time I'm pleased to have Dave Blum Founder of Dr. Clue Treasure Hunts,
on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
I was introduced to Jonathan of The Funky Thinkers Podcast.
Because of one thing or another I didn't get around to finally booking Dave on the show until just a couple weeks ago.
And it turned out to be great timing because Dave was able to speak to how he has been adjusting his business to deal with the hardships caused by the Corona Virus.
He operates a business where he puts on treasure hunts as a team building exercise.
Naturally, these events are usually conducted in person in the city where a given business is located.
In fact he has been something of a world traveler putting on these events around the world.
We talked about how he got into this business and how he made such a success of it.
When he realized Corona was coming and how he decided to pivot to virtual team building exercises.
He had some great stories including scouting sites after 911. Almost getting arrested for his trouble. And tracking down his hunt documents that he left in a taxi in Dubai.
He shared about how his first few treasure hunts were offered for free to groups where he had some affiliation with them. And the first time he had to pitch a new client including asking for his fee.
He talked abut the value of controlling what information you take into your mind. And he talked about good health.
The most important thing he shared for future entrepreneurs was to start with something you love, have an interest in, or a passion for.
Then try to find ways that you can generate income from the things it is that you are passionate about,
Kind of like how new writers are always told to first write what they love.
I'm sure that by the time you finish listening to Dave, you will ask yourself if he can do it then what's my excuse.
Don't Forget To Visit My Sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards create voice branding strategies for you using Amazon Alexa Google Home, etc.
The key is to claim your brand name or your invocation name.
Whoever grabs them first gets to keep them and control how you communicate content to your audience.
You can find Chip by:
Saying Alexa play Create My Voice.
Or Google talk to Create My Voice.
Or the old fashioned way www.createmyvoice.com
Now On To The Show
If you've thought that you would like to start using podcast interviews to share your story, reach new audiences, and grow your brand; then I can help you with that.
Take advantage of my over seven years of experience booking myself, friends, and clients on podcasts and radio shows.
I just started offering a new service for people who want to do podcast interviews but have never been interviewed on one.
I call it eight weeks to a podcast guest rockstar.
It's a combination of story clarity, practice interview sessions, podcast bookings, and mentorship along the way.
I'll also co-promote your interviews on social media and to my email list.
You can find out more about my new program by going to www.theblindblogger.net/8weeks
About Dave
Founder and President of Dr. Clue Treasure Hunts, the world's largest team-building treasure hunt company,
Dave Blum earned a B.A. in English from Pomona College in Claremont, California,
a professional coaching certification from IPEC,
and is immediate past president of Santa Rosa, CA Toastmasters
After a three-year stint teaching English in Japan, Dave worked in tourism and the non-profit sector before discovering his destiny as a treasure hunt master, team-building trainer, writer, and speaker.
Over the past 25 years, Dave and Dr. Clue have created over 150 team building treasure hunts worldwide, on three continents, for more than 800 clients including Oracle, Cisco, T-Mobile, Bank of America, Apple, Autodesk, and many others.
Just a few of Dr.
Hello again;
This week on The What's Your Excuse? Show I'm honored to bring you a conversation with one of the Rockstrs of the podcasting world Mr. John Lee Dumas.
Now, if you are at all involved in the world of podcasting, you are going to know who John Lee, or JLD, is.
And before I share our interview I'm going to tell you how this came about.
Because I believe the story behind the interview has as much value if not more so than the interview itself.
And John Lee and I actually talk about this during the interview.
And for those of you who know me and have been following me for a while this won't be much of a surprise.
John Lee made an appearance on my friend Alex Sanfilippo's podcast Creating A Brand.
He would mention this during the interview he did on my podcast The What's Your Excuse? Show.
In fact he explained how the interview with John Lee came about and that he had just recorded it prior to sitting down with me to be interviewed for my podcast.
He went on to say that he was more excited by being on my show and had looked forward to our talk more than his interview of John Lee.
Well, I'll admit to a little bit of pride, so I shared this on twitter and tagged JLD on the tweet.
JLD was a good sport and liked my post.
When Alex's interview of John Lee went live I shared that post on twitter tagging JLD on it.
I wanted to help my friend Alex, and yes sharing content for someone is a great way to come to their attention.
And who couldn't use another friend online especially one with such a high name recognition.
John Lee replied to my share with thanks.
Eventually, I wrote the tweet that resulted in this interview.
I said something to the effect that I would invite him on my show except I didn't think he had ever suffered any adversity.
Since my show is about how we become who we are today, I told him I didn't think he would be a good fit.
Now, think about this for a minute.
I know you all love me, but basically I'm a relatively unknown podcaster telling the great John Lee Dumas he wasn't a good fit for my show.
I'm not saying that's how he saw this. I don't want to stick my foot in my mouth again with John Lee. I'm only saying he could have seen it that way.
He replied back asking if any of my guests ever had to go to war and lose four of their best friends in combat.
To which I replied no and probably very few of my audience members have either.
I apologized for making assumtions about him and his story.
I concluded by saying that I was sorry but that he does come off as someone who has never struggled or suffered.
And that I would be happy to have him on my podcast.
He replied back with a link to his scheduling page.
And believe it or not friends I almost decided not to interview him for my show.
I clicked on the link to find that I was given a fifteen minute time slot. And this wasn't for a pre-interview but for a full podcast interview of him.
My interviews generally run forty five minutes to an hour, and I am open about my struggles with anything brief or in a short form.
Thankfully, I followed some advice my dad used to give me when we were booking events. He would often advise to stall in hopes of a better event coming along.
I left the link in my twitter direct messages folder and went off to speak at PodFest Multimedia Expo in Orlando.
While there I spent some time with my friend Alex Sanfilippo. I even got to meet his awesome wife Alecia and have dinner with them.
I told him about what had happened online and about the offer of a fifteen minute interview with John Lee Dumas.
I told him I was probably going to say thanks but no thanks.
He let me know that John Lee doesn't say yes to a lot of interview requests. He reminded me that he only got JLD on his show because they shared a table at PodFest the year before.
He also let me know that John Lee doesn't give a...
Hello again;
This time I'm bringing you an awesome conversation with Mira Jeffreys on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
Mira grew up in the south one of three daughters of a single mother.
She talked about growing up poor and dealing with the teasing that came from having a speech impediment.
She explained that in the south, and in a large extended family; that your family made fun of things like that.
We talked about her releasing her first book titled Archer that features a mostly female family coming together to respond to a health emergency experienced by the grandma of their family.
She touched on going from being a stay at home mom to being a single mom herself and having to find a way to support herself and her kids.
She talked about being a free lance author and the challenges that came from having to pitch your work and grow a business.
She let us see and hear the joy that came from sharing her first book with her parents and holding her books in her hands.
We talked about how someone who still suffers with a speech problem can be in a profession where she has to give talks to large groups of people.
And I loved how she spoke about her kids and grandkids especially her youngest who is her biggest fan.
I hope that by now you have realized that Mira is a true example of finding solutions and she will have you asking yourself what's my excuse.
Now on with the show.
I will finish this post later today. Now, I have to go prepare for another interview.
I will be adding her bio, book blurb, book link, and and social media links.
Just stay tuned. Thanks, Max
Hello again;
I'm back with another awesome episode of the The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This week my guest is my friend Alex Sanfilippo.
I met Alex at Pod Fest last year. We both spoke at the Pecha Kucha session. A series of short, five-minute talks on a verity of subjects.
I spoke on the subject of asking for help and accepting help when offered.
If you want to watch my talk, you can check it out here.
Alex was taken by me and impressed with my talk; so he came up to me after all the talks were over.
After we got home, we stayed in touch. And Alex asked me to be a guest on his new podcast called Creating A Brand.
We talked much more about the importance of interdependence as he calls it to our business success. We agree that you can move forward faster if you don't try to do it all on your own.
You can listen to that interview below.
I'm so excited that our schedules finally aligned so Alex could come share more of his wisdom on my show.
The number one message that Alex shared is the importance of adding value in everything you do.
Whether it's writing a guest post, being interviewed on a podcast, speaking before a group or at a conference; your number one goal is to add as much value as possible.
And it will come through loud and clear that Alex not only believes this and teaches this but he lives this approach in all areas of his business.
If you doubt that, then tell me how many other site owners would post free courses to help people solve problems and grow their businesses faster. Yes, it's Alex, and he doesn't even ask for your email address.
He had some great stories including how he got the famous podcaster John Lee Dumas to come on his podcast.
And he gave me a couple great ideas when pitching people especially people or groups that I want to book me as a speaker.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time talking with Alex. And I have no doubt that you are going to come to say if Alex can do it then what's my excuse?.
Now On To The Show
Please Support My Sponsors
Did you know that people are over eighty percent more likely to listen to a commercial on smart speakers?
That's the kind of information I get because I work with Chip and Pam Edwards of www.createmyvoice.com
Because of them you can have my blog posts read to you by saying:
Alexa, play The Blind Blogger.
Or Google talk to The Blind Blogger.
It also allows people to listen to my podcast by saying Alexa, play the What's Your Excuse? Show on Tune IN.
You can do the same to find out more about Chip and his offerings.
Alexa, play Create My Voice.
Or Google, Talk to Create My Voice.
If you aren't available on these platforms, you are missing out on a huge potential audience that is continuing to grow.
IN fact Google and Alexa are taking steps to push people towards getting all their content via voice.
And thanks to Alex at www.neatoshop.com
They have a simple submission process, print on quality shirts, and offer great prices both retail and wholesale.
Without them, I wouldn't have had shirts to sell at past events.
About Alex
Alex Sanfilippo and Alecia Sanfilippo are two individuals passionate about entrepreneurship, getting the most out of life and community. Alex Sanfilippo started his first business at the age of twelve; selling used golf balls. From there, he went on to real estate investing and a technology start up which he sold years later. For the past decade, Alex has been an executive in the aerospace industry. During his time in corporate America, he stayed active with his side hustles; which mainly consisted of conference speaking and business coaching. Alecia Sanfilippo has been an entrepreneur since her mid-twenties. Her largest venture was owning an eCommerce and brick and mortar woman's clothing boutique. Alecia sold the boutique in 2019 and is now the manager here at Creating a Brand.
Hello again;
I'm blessed to bring you an amazing interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time my guest is my friend and fellow blind entrepreneur Steph McCoy.
I met Steph when we traveled together to help my friend and stylist Chelsea Nguyen, to teach style and grooming techniques to young blind and visually impaired people at the Level Up Conference in Wichita, Kansas.
Amazingly enough I was given the opportunity to see Steph continue her transformation right in front of me as she faced her fears and traveled cross country solo for the first time.
And even though the Dallas, Fort Worth airport intimidated her, she persevered.
I'm looking forward to having Steph back on my show in a year or so just so I can see how much further she has come by then.
Me and Steph discuss her vision loss which occurred later in life while working in the corporate world.
We talked about the fear surrounding that and the fact that her employers were some of the good ones when it came to seeking adaptations to keep her at work.
She touched on the struggles growing up poor something she is still coming to terms with speaking about both publicly and in interviews.
She talked about the birth of Bold Blind Beauty and her avatar Abbigail who is probably more Steph then she will ever admit.
Being someone who had to be convinced of the power of my story, I got a real thrill out of hearing Steph talk about how even now she sometimes isn't sure if she is the strong powerful woman she aspires to be and is most all of the time.
I hope you have someone in your life who will hold up that mirror and show you your greatness.
I don't want to spoil the interview or keep you waiting.
Now On To The Show
Please Support My Sponsors
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
who are responsible for making my blog and podcast available on Alexa and Google.
You can visit their website, or you can just say Alexa play Create My Voice.
Or you can say Google talk to Create My Voice.
Just like you can say Alexa play The Blind Blogger or Alexa play The What's Your Excuse? Show on Tune In.
Chip will help you develop an over all voice branding strategy.
He will also help you claim the invocation or words you want people to use to find you on these audio platforms.
If you aren't taking advantage of these growing platforms, then you are missing out on millions of potential fans, followers, clients, or customers.
If you want to see your company logo or personally designed art work on shirts, then you should reach out to Alex at www.neatoshop.com
They produce quality shirts at a reasonable price with a healthy royalty for you.
Their submission process is simple, and they have even uploaded my art work for me.
And you can't discount the option of a free demo t-shirt to make sure your art is going to look right before you start ordering or offering them for sale.
About Steph
Stephanae McCoy, the visionary of boldblindbeauty.com, is a businesswoman, style-setter, blogger and abilities crusader. As a woman who loves style and happens to be blind, Ms. McCoy created Bold Blind Beauty to encourage empowerment, connect sighted/non-sighted people, and eradicate misconceptions about blindness and people living with sight loss.
Meet Her Alter Ego Abigale
Visitors are guided by stylish fashion icon Abby, a fashionista who radiates an attitude of hip, laid-back sophistication. Forever on the move, Abby is in the know about the latest styles and fashions. She walks in confidence with her white cane in hand, providing tips, answering questions, and moderating discussions.
Connect With Steph
Website: www.boldblindbeauty.com
I truly enjoyed this conversation with my friend Steph. I'm happy to have the opportunity to share her and her inspiring message with the world.
She is an amazing lady still coming to terms with just how brave she can be.
Hello again;
This week I'm honored to have Alison and Lulu the hosts of www.10kdollarday.com
on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
I met these two amazing ladies while attending the Independent Podcasters Conference, IndiePodCon in Atlantic City last year.
We sat at a table together exchanging comments during the other speaker's talks.
We also competed in the create a podcast contest. Something I thought we should have won. :)
Lulu even prompted me to mention my books while I was speaking something no author should ever have to be reminded of.
Besides all of that I really loved their story.
Which we got to talk about if a bit late in the show. Listen to hear how they progressed from a struggling travel podcast that was funny to a successful comedy podcast featuring travel.
I just know that after listening to Alison and Lulu you are going to believe if they can do it then what's my excuse.
Please do visit my sponsors:
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
You can also find them by saying:
Alexa play Create My Voice.
Or Google talk to Create My Voice.
Just like you can say:
Alexa play the What's Your Excuse? Show.
Or Google talk to the What's Your Excuse? Show.
Chip tells me the most important thing to know right now is that invocations are like domain names.
The words and phrases that people can use to ask for your website, blog, or podcast are limited.
So, if you don't claim yours now, you could end up struggling to find a catchy word or phrase that fits your brand.
Chip will help you create a whole voice strategy for your company.
Now On To The Show
And if you need a shirt supplier please check out Alex and his team at www.neatoshop.com
They have made it easy for me to submit my art work, order shirts, and promote my brand through these wonderfully attractive shirts.
Without Alex I wouldn't have had the shirts to sell at my recent in person events.
In fact you can buy my shirts by going to www.neatoshop.com/artist/The-Blind-Blogger
Hello again;
This week on The What's Your Excuse? Show
I'm happy to bring you an interview with Ben Baker from Your Brand Marketing.
We had a great conversation. Mainly because we are both such big proponents of the value and power of story telling.
In his case he is teaching business owners and managers how to recruit, attract, train, retain, and promote a talented effective staff by making everyone understand what the company's story is all about.
I asked him if this was like when successful sports teams talk about how the players have bought into the philosophy of their coaches.
And he said that was a good place to start from.
Another reason why I loved this talk is because we met through my good friend The Happiness Ambassador https://www.neatoshop.com">The Neato Shop.
They offer quality shirts at a good price. Both to your customers and at wholesale to you for events.
The submission process is very simple, and they offer free sample prints to make sure your art work shows up just like you thought it would.
And without his support of the podcast I wouldn't have had shirts to sell at my last two live events.
Now on to the show
About Ben
Storytelling has always been a way of life for Ben. From a young age, he realized that through telling stories, people listened to him, understood him and engaged. Professionally, this is what he has been doing now for over two decades. He helps brands tell engaging stories that compel their customers to take action.
His mission is to have brands “STOP being a commodity. . . instead, be a brand worth loving!”
Connect With Ben
Website: https://www.yourbrandmarketing.com
Speaker’s Website: https://www.BenBakerSpeaks.com
Podcast: https://www.YourLIVINGBrand.live
Book: https://www.powerfulpersonalbrands.com
Online course (code: FriendsofBen50 gets you $50 off registration)
https://courses.yourbrandmarketing.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourbrandmarketing
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/yourbrandmrktng
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourbrandmarketing
I really appreciate having the chance to sit down and talk story telling and branding with Ben.
I hope you will all find something you can take away from it.
Often the trick is to take what we are watching or hearing and convert it into terms from our own life experiences to make sense of what we are learning and applying it in our lives.
For me I've always done this. I usually find equivalents from my carnival life or from things my dad taught me growing up.
Before I go I want to thank you for your continued support and encouragement.
I appreciate your sharing my posts, visiting the sites of my guests and sponsor, and posting to social media.
So until next time thanks and take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I'm happy to be bringing you yet another uplifting interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time is my friend Steven Green from makingthegrade.net
He has spent his whole life in education teaching in all aspects of our education system from junior high school to universities.
He also spent time on the administration side of the system before realizing that it wasn't what he really wanted.
This man who grew up in a house with two educators wanted to teach and to help students truly learn how to be successful.
With that goal he ended up first tutoring on a local level and now over the net to students all over the world.
We talked about his teaching method which includes focusing on three main things.
These are managing data, managing time, and creating a daily action plan to balance both.
And while his background is in educating young people I know you are going to realize like I did that his principles can easily be applied to anything you want or need to learn in life.
After listening to our talk I'm hopeful that his advice is going to help you write your own what's your excuse? story.
Now on to the show.
Hello again;
First, I want to thank you for your patience with me.
In the past couple of weeks I have posted two previously recorded interviews along with a webinar I recorded on the subject of using podcasts and radio shows to gain exposure for your work.
But today, I'm excited to bring you a brand new interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
My guest is Melanie Warner.
She is an incredibly strong woman who has overcome so much.
She lost a child tragically. Which lead to divorce and the collapse of her business as a magazine publisher.
She had recovered enough to write a book about her experiences in hopes of helping others suffering with a similar loss.
The book sold hundreds of thousands of copies, but she never received any of that money.
She would eventually fight to reclaim the rights to her story. She then used her experience from the publishing world to turn it into a best seller on Amazon.
She has lived on unemployment and food stamps. She knows what it is to struggle.
And most importantly she understands what it is to do everything right and then still have your world torn apart by life's circumstances.
By the end of our conversation you will be asking yourself if Melanie can do it then what's my excuse.
Please remember to support our sponsors.
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
Or you can say:
Alexa play Create My Voice.
Or okay google talk to Create My Voice.
The same works for my podcast interviews.
Just say Alexa play The What's Your Excuse? Show.
Or Okay Google listen to The What's Your Excuse? Show.
And Chip does more than just get your blog or podcast where it can be found and enjoyed on Alexa and Google.
He will work you on a total audio or wireless voice branding strategy.
Also, please visit Alex at www.neatoshop.com
His company is the supplier of my What's Your Excuse? shirts.
He offers high quality merchandise at reasonable prices with an excellent order process.
Whether it is your customers ordering a single shirt, or you are ordering dozens for a future event; Alex and his team make the process painless.
Without their help I wouldn't have had the shirts to sell when I traveled to Erie Pennsylvania back in October to speak at The Disability Insights Conference.
I truly appreciate and respect the people behind both of these companies.
Now, just one last comment prior to your checking out my interview with Melanie.
She is a very open person. Even during an interview that hopefully thousands of people will hear.
She tried out a analogy that may offend some people.
I wasn't bothered by it, but then I have had time to get to know her. And I believe her intent was to make an important point in a way people would easily understand.
She was saying how Jesus was able to share his message worldwide by starting with a group of only twelve very motivated decibels.
She then talked about how as authors we need the dedicated small group of followers. But we don't need the viral moment that his crucifixion would have been today.
She had the big moment. She sold her book to a major publisher, but only made money when she sold it herself leaning on her own community to help promote her My Defining Moment Book.
And now she helps others do the same.
To prove that she is offering a FREE GIFT.
A MasterClass called “How to Write your Bestselling Book in 8 Weeks Or Less & Make a Profit - Even if No One Has Ever Heard of You”.
Here is a link to get the training for free.
Now on with the show.
About Melanie
Melanie Warner is an author, speaker, writer and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the new Defining Moments book series that offer positive stories of hope and healing from people who have overcome extreme challenges in life.
Warner was a successful magazine publisher for over 20 years and then tragedy hit her family when her son ...
Hello again;
This week I’m bringing you another previously recorded episode of The What’s Your Excuse? Show.
I’m sharing this interview with https://www.kimoneillcoaching.com”>Kim O’Neill
to celebrate our reconnecting on Face Book this week.
She was commenting on the news that I had been selected to give the closing talk for the podcasting school at next year’s PodFest Multimedia Expo.
She reminded me of an interview I did on her show many years ago.
Back then her show was called Perk Up with Kim, and I was blessed to appear on her show.
She is a woman who helps other women find the power within them so they can progress in their lives, businesses, or careers.
She does this by teaching them the power of the law of attraction and manifesting the things they want and need in their lives.
She also works with people on their interview skills to prepare them to put their best selves forward whether it is an interview for employment or being interviewed on podcasts and radio shows.
I love how much fun we had during this interview. We laughed quite a bit, and I hope this encourages other podcasters to have more fun while doing their shows.
If you’ve been saying to yourself that I can’t overcome my experiences, background, or personal excuses; then Kim is going to help you to act on your new belief.
Now on to the show
About Kim
Ever since I was a kid, I have felt purpose-driven and career-oriented. I wanted to be an actress, a singer, a private investigator, make handmade books, and even be a dental receptionist (yes, for real). In my teen years, I made a long list of 20+ professions I'd love to have, and eventually realized I'd really love to help people with their problems in some way. Today, I'm a former Crime Analyst turned Transformational and Interview Confidence Coach, as well as Host of the Every Day is a New Day Show. I coach big-hearted women in accessing their inner “Wonder Woman” so they can confidently be who they are and move forward in their life and career. I help you heal and release the past so you can manifest a more desired present. Making these shifts will support you in being able to feel strong, powerful and ultimately love yourself and your life more. I help you see your strengths more clearly, and teach you how to understand the informational value of your emotions and intuition. I support you in shifting perspective and taking brave, bold steps forward. I'm certified in the following: ICF Associate Certified Coach; Certified Law of Attraction Coach; Reiki Master Practitioner; Infinite Possibilities Trainer; and Spontaneous Transformation Practitioner. Personally, I have always known I am a passionate, purpose-driven soul who wanted to both help people, as well as have an outlet for creative expression. For many years, however, I allowed my head (and "society") dictate how I went about achieving that (without realizing it). Along the way, however, I learned it's been my emotions that were running the show all along - and not fully understanding their informational value is what "slowed" me down. The good thing ... is what we resist persists. And what exists, can be processed and transmuted ... Or ... eventually erupts, becomes a massive puddle of once-stuffed-down emotions, and won't go away until we FINALLY take time to process them. Whew! For me, taking time to shift negative self-talk and release old hurt, expectations of others and fears of abandonment and more were all part of the process for me to be able to see myself and my life more clearly, so that I could move forward. Professionally, as a former Crime Analyst, I learned what it means to take a leap of faith and say a bigger yes to my professional dreams of coaching, energy healing and show hosting. I also learned how to embrace my spiritual self and work with my energy, despite being surrounded by an abundance of Type-A personalities and emphasis on “practicality.
Hello Again;
Thought I'd share this webinar that me and my good friend Michael Babcock recorded on one of my favorite subjects using podcast interviews to build your business and grow your brand.
In fact it was Michael who encouraged me to start offering a service where I would get people booked on podcasts so they could gain more exposure for the work they are doing.
He was also the one who encouraged me to create an online course, offering my experience, advice, knowledge, and best practices to those who may not be ready or able to hire me directly.
That course is called On The Air, How to Use Podcasts and Radio Shows to Reach New People, Share Your Story, and Grow Your Brand.
You can download that course for free here.
Topics Covered
Why do podcasts
Media kit page
Previous interviews page
Base pitch email
Required audio-video technology
Show interview promotion
Handling setbacks
During the hour I also share a couple of my favorite stories.
And me and Michael share some of our opinions on what makes a great podcast interview.
My hope is that by watching or listening to this you will realize the importance of using podcast interviews to promote your work.
From there I would love it if you reached out to hire me or to at least have a conversation about hiring me.
But, if you aren't ready for that yet; then the next best thing is to take advantage of the free online course.
You can always reach out to me with questions or concerns.
Also, if you sign up for the course, I'd be willing to have a short talk with you about your story and how best to present it to podcast hosts.
The one thing should learn from me is that hosts don't book you, your products, or your services.
They Book Your Story.
Lots of you have great stories that need to be shared. The kind of empowering stories that will make the world better by their being told.
But you aren't putting yourself out there. You think maybe other people have better more powerful stories than yours.
You wonder if you are ready. You think about your website, blog, or work so far not being good enough.
Please don't wait until you think your story is good enough to start sharing it with the world.
It took the work of many great friends to convince me. I wasted a lot of time by needing to be convinced. I want to try to save you that time.
That's why I offered to listen to your story and give you feedback on it.
I'm sure there are many of you who have even better stories of overcoming adversity than mine.
I bet you would be a great guest on my show if you were willing to send me that email and say pick me
Thanks for taking the time to check out the webinar.
And thanks for continuing to support me and my show.
Until next time, take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I hope you are all doing well. I had some scheduling difficulties with a guest, so I'm sharing a previously recorded interview that you probably haven't heard unless you are subscribed to my youtube channel. :)
This time my guest is the incomparable inspirational motivational author and speaker Azuka Zuke.
I met Azuka at Dreamcon. He spoke right after I finished my talk. I remember thinking that if I had had to follow this freak of nature that I would have turned right around and went back to my seat.
Okay, we both know I wouldn’t have done it, but trust me when I say that thought was running through my mind as I sat there listening to this man totally dominate the microphone and the room.
I was shocked to hear this man mention me personally from the stage. He said I was the real inspiration. To me he seemed larger than life and here he was saying I inspired him.
I get this often. However, there is something about having someone say it in person. There is also power when it comes from someone who you have decided is better at doing the thing it is you know you were called to do yourself.
During the question and answer period I was moved to ask him to be my speaking mentor. If you know anything about me, you know that I act on these thoughts. I was grateful to have him say yes. And we’ve been friends since.
A couple of his suggestions are that I sing the song I sang after Dreamcon was over as part of my talks. He said you can sing it in the beginning or end or both but you have to do that.
He said you can make it one of the unique parts about your presentations. I told him that I often had the feeling people liked to hear me sing more than they liked to hear me talk.
He also said that when I talk or sing I need to breath deeply and bring my words and music from my belly.
He also agreed with me that I have a great story and should never cut it short unless asked to by my host.
So, I was honored to get Azuka on my show. I knew he would be amazing, and he did not disappoint. He brought that energy from the stage right into my bedroom. And he’s going to bring it right into your home, car, office, or wherever you listen to this.
You may even want to download this one and save it somewhere you can watch or listen to it over and over again.
Please support my sponsor
Chip and Pam Edwards of Create My Voice.
are responsible for making my blog and podcast available on Alexa and Google.
You can say Alexa play The Blind Blogger or Alexa play the What's Your Excuse? Show.
You can also say Alexa play Create my voice.
And in google you can say okay Google talk to The Blind Blogger
And you can also say Google okay talk to Create My Voice.
Chip is also an expert on using these wireless speakers and smart phone apps to create an audio presence for your brand.
I hope you will Reach out to him.
Topics Covered
Coming to America
making connections
having faith in God
being a unique speaker
asking for what you need
dealing with fear
his first book
the future for Azuka
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this interview.
On With The Show
Please support my sponsor
Alex at The Neato Shop
is the merchandise provider for my What's Your Excuse? merchandise.
His shirts are well-made, reasonably-priced, and will make you look great when worn by your customers, fans, and followers.
The submission process is simple, and the ordering process is well run.
Delivery times and the completeness of my orders has been great.
And as a blind business owner he makes it easy on me to offer merchandise while using a screen reader.
If you would like to add your art work to Neato Shop and have it available for sale worldwide, I'd be happy to make an introduction.
About Azuka
I grew up in Nigeria, West Africa. Having found himself under the guidance of parents who were tough,
Hello again;
Happy to be sharing another wonderful interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time my guest is Bob Thibodeau.
Host of The Kingdom Crossroads Podcast.
Rob was forced out of his dream job as a military drill instructor due to downsizing.
Then he suffered an injury that would force him out of the police force.
He found a faith in God and relied on that to transform himself.
Now days he is a Motivational speaker, a top podcast host, a podcaster trainer, and owner of a fifth based radio network.
This one did run a little one, but I assure you it's worth it.
You will come away inspired and determined to find something to believe in whether that is God, a higher power, the universe, etc.
If Rob can do it then what's your excuse?
Please support my sponsors.
Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com
They are responsible for making my blog and podcast available on Alexa and Google.
Because of them you can now say: Alexa Play the blind blogger. Or Google talk to the blind blogger. Or better yet Alexa play the What's Your Excuse? Show on tune in.
The same applies to Chip's site: Alexa start Create My Voice. Or Google talk to Create My Voice.
If you aren't on these wireless speaker platforms then you are missing out on a huge potential audience who could be finding your content, listening to your words, and deciding to buy your products or hire your services.
Visit Chip's site, and schedule a call to have him explain more. Thanks,
Now, on to the show.
Have you checked out the What's Your Excuse? shirts?
These shirts wouldn't have bee possible without my designer
Hello again:
I’m back from my trip to Erie Pennsylvania with a new episode of The What’s Your Excuse? Show.
I was in Erie to speak at an event called Disability Insights put on my my good friend www.amybovaird.com
While there I did two other speaking events and three book signings.
I sold four of my new What's Your Excuse? Shirts.
I was able to do this thanks to help from Alex owner of www.neatoshop.com
His website is easy to use, his shirts are well made, sizes are true, and the prices are reasonable.
And for a blind computer user I really appreciate his willingness to make things easier on me.
He will upload new art work to the site for me. He has offered to send demo shirts to my designer because he knows I can't really evaluate how the printed shirts look. And he has even processed the bulk order for the event for me saving me a lot of time in the selection and ordering process.
If you need a printer for shirts, bags, and other merchandise; I hope you will visit his site.
My Guest Kat McLead
This time my guest is Kat McLead. And I thought about saying no. I wasn't sure if having a former Dominatrix on my show was a good fit. :)
But her initial email captured my attention.
Here is what she wrote.
You want honesty, connection, overcoming adversity, unusual businesses with tons of actionable advice and tools—This sounds like me!
Would your audience be interested in hearing from a former dominatrix turned millionaire Stay at Home Mom who has run her own multiple 6 figure businesses out of her living room?
So, I exchanged a few emails with her and got to know her a little.
I finally decided that with her story I would be doing a disservice to my audience to not have her on the show.
She suffered abuse as a young woman. To overcome that she started her own business in the mens fetish arena and grew into a six figure operation.
She tired of that, got a degree in psychology and started helping sex workers to get out of the life by showing them how to create healthier high income businesses in small amounts of time.
After marriage and a child, she decided to help other stay at home moms by teaching them these same methods.
I know many people say that they can't start a business or go back to school because they just don't have the time.
I'm hoping that after hearing from Kat that you will think if she can do it, and if the moms she works with can do it; then what's my excuse?
On To The Show
If you didn't already know, you can find The Blind Blogger on Alexa and Google wireless speakers.
Just say:
Alexa Start The Blind Blogger.
Or say google Talk to The Blind Blogger.
You can do this because my friend Chip Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com set it all up for me.
But he is more than that. He is an expert on using these wireless speakers as part of an over all voice strategy to brand yourself, your company, and your products and services.
He speaks on these topics often at national conferences, and is the go to person for all things voice.
If you aren't already available on Alexa and Google, then you are missing out on a huge audience.
We have to be where people are. And today they are more and more on their audio devices.
People can access your blog or podcast while driving, cooking, gardening, cleaning, mowing the lawn; but only if your content has been made available on these growing new platforms.
I hope you will reach out to Chip and have him help you grow your passion through Alexa and Google.
About Kat
Kat McLead is the creator of the Stay at Home Mom Entrepreneur: the proven framework for creating a highly profitable business that you love while working 2 hours a day.
She started her first multiple 6 figure business 20 years ago, and hasn’t slowed down since — not even after having my son. A fun fact: That business’s profits meant that she had way more money than her husband when they first got married, and was able to pay the entire $450,
Hello again;
This week on The What's Your Excuse? Show I'm blessed to have Jennifer Whitacre. as my guest.
I've known Jennifer for over a year after meeting her on linked in.
And we had a great conversation for an interview on her podcast Yes and.
We talked about her growing up in a family with lots of trauma and how that effected her as an adult.
We talked about the various aspects of the human mind and how to help ourselves manage all these different aspects of perspection to become a healthier, happier person.
One important take away is that we are never finished working ourselves. She probably didn't use those words, but it's in there.
Jennifer Whitacre is an Empowerment Strategist and trauma specialist who helps her clients move beyond the self-sabotaging habits and knee-jerk reactions that keep them stuck and feeling lost.
Because Jennifer understands the power of inspiration, she hosts the Yes, And… Podcast where her listeners hear weekly conversations with guests who have surmounted overwhelm and navigated obstacles to live fulfilling lives they love living.
She is also an emerging writer whose articles are starting to get published, and she has a book coming-out next year!
Jennifer has the education and, more importantly, the life experience to help you move through your stuck places and your fears to achieve success and fulfillment in your life.
Website: https://www.jenniferwhitacre.com
Podcast: https://www.jenniferwhitacre.com/podcast
Face Book:
Hello again;
Today, I’m bringing you another previously recorded interview. This time the guest is Maura Sweeney
This one was recorded back when I was still working with Frederic Bye. The interview was recorded for his Creative Magic Network, and you will hear our intro and outro from that time.
The reason for that is I am just not good at editing. I don’t enjoy it, it takes me forever, and leaving in those few minutes of audio don’t hurt the show at all.
In fact I wish I could deliver my show intro with the volume and sas that Fred used to do it with. :)
Maura is known around the world as the happiness ambassador, and I'll admit to having her on for purely selfish reasons.
I met Maura while appearing on the Creative Mastery World Summit hosted by another good friend Alex Okoroji.
That day I had some terrible technical difficulties. I was dealing with an echo that meant I had to listen really hard and then trust my answers were being received even though I couldn't hear them in my head phones.
On top of that I was very nervous about doing live video and audio. Also, the format was unfamiliar to me. So, while I rarely get really nervous, I did have a lot running through my mind that day.
Luckily for me Maura was scheduled to be on during the same time I was. I took an immediate liking to her. I found her to be funny, laid back, and a kindred spirit in that she too has been through many incarnations of herself.
I love that she started her current business late in her life, and her story about quitting law school to follow her passion is worth the price of admission alone. Or it would be if we were charging you anything to listen. :)
I'm not going to give it all away. Like a good barker I just want to tell you enough to make you buy a ticket. So hurry hurry hurry step right up step right in. :D
About Maura
Maura Sweeney is an author, podcaster, international speaker, and Huffington Post blogger.
Also known as "The Ambassador of Happiness," Maura guides people on the path of “Living Happy – Inside Out.”
This former corporate manager, business owner and home schooling mom stepped out of her comfort zone at midlife and invites others to join her along the way. Maura’s story of learning to dance at age 50 launched her Art of Happiness series on Amazon and the beginning of fun, ironic and sometimes profound inspiration.
She has been featured in outlets like Match.com, Midlife Boulevard, and Britain’s BBC.
Maura can be seen around the block or around the globe searching for great people, great stories and good news to share.
When not chatting about comfort zones and leadership on radio shows and podcasts, she is probably looking for another reason to laugh.
Connect With Maura
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/maura4u
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/maura4u
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maura4u
Hello Again;
This week I’m posting another previously recorded interview.
As my friend Lorraine Reguly reminded me last night I have to accept that it may take me longer to recover from my travels than it used to. :)
It’s a good thing that I do have so many amazing interviews that most of you have never heard before.
That way I don’t have to disappoint anyone when I’m dragging a little and don’t quite make it to recording a new episode.
And having Patty Fletcher to share with all my new listeners on The What’s Your Excuse? Show this week is a real life saver.
I met Patty while preparing to have Peter Altschul on the show.
Patty helps Peter and others with the publicity of their books. And you can expect to hear several more of her clients on the show in the near future.
In fact the recent interview with best selling blind author Phyllis Staton Campbell happened because of Patty.
Before I introduce you to Patty properly I want you to know that she is a real trooper and a no excuses person herself. Her laptop was damaged a few days before our interview. Instead of backing out she decided to call in on a phone line instead.
So, even before we got started I was impressed by her openness towards trying something new and just doing our best. It's every bit as motivational as what she had to say.
She is a twice published author who also happens to be blind. She shares her life with her guide dog King Campbell who figures heavily in her personal life story. She actually credits him with helping her to retrieve her life.
We talked about the experience that lead her to decide to replace her white cane with a guide dog. She shared how she was feeling at that time and the decision making process she went through. And then she talked about just how physically demanding the training turned out to be.
She openly shared about her struggles with mental illness. She went through some of her coping mechanisms that she uses now. She even talks about some of her lowest moments. And through it all King Campbell AKA Bubba is there with her and for her.
We talked about the whole process of writing and publishing her books. She shared about how many people in her life are asking about and pressuring her to release her next book. And how she is pushing back telling them to let her enjoy the latest one first.
And she did a great job talking about her writing. She transitioned from her first book Campbell's Rambles, How a Guide Dog Retrieved My Life.
Which trust me is a powerfully inspirational read.
She also talked about her latest book Bubba Tales, From the Puppy Nursery at the Seeing Eye.
Giving a great teaser to get readers to want to buy it.
And then she laid out her current and future plans and invited my audience to come over to her website and participate in the writing of her first ever book of what she is calling inclusive fiction.
I don’t want to spoil the interview for you. I will only say that some of the most important things she had to share don’t come until the bottom half of the hour.
I decided to go long so we could talk honestly about her struggles with mental illness. What she shared then was positive and powerful because of how she dealt with the experiences during an especially bad Christmas holiday season.
From beginning to end Patty will have you saying if she can do it then what’s my excuse?
Now On To The Show
The show continues to be sponsored by Chip and Pam Edwards of www.createmyvoice.com
They will get you set up so people can find your blog or podcast on those wireless speakers that are popping up everywhere.
Now, people could even be listening to your content while doing things like washing dishes, cooking dinner, getting a midnight snack from the refrigerator, or even while mowing their lawns.
Just imagine all the potential fans, followers, and customers or clients you could be missing?
You can trust them to do just as good a job for you as they have done ...
Hello again;
This week I'm honored to Welcome Ryan Narus owner of The Archimedes Group
To The What's Your Excuse? Show.
Ryan really is a man after my own heart.
He graduated from college with a batchelers in Psychology, a master's in business, and a mountain of student debt.
He has gone from living in a mobile home, sleeping on an air mattress, and working all hours to purchase his first property to a man who just completed the purchase of his tenth facility.
But even ow he believes in the value of living in his communities and interacting with his residents.
I think you will learn quite a bit from Ryan.
And I'm sure that by the end of our talk you will be saying if Ryan can do it then what's my excuse?
Again the show is sponsored by www.createmyvoice.com
They will help you set up your blog or podcast so they can be found on alexa and google.
Just imagine being able to say Alexa play the blind blogger?
Or Google talk to the blind blogger?
If you aren't already set up for these wireless speaker platforms, then you are missing out on a huge potential audience for your content.
Now on to the show
Hello again;
This week I'm honored to be speaking with Phyllis Staton Campbell on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
Phyllis is a successful author who happens to be blind.
She has written fiction and nonfiction.
Besides memoirs she also written true crime and mystery.
I will confess that I spent a lot of our time talking about writing specifically character creation.
I wanted to know, as I imagine many of you want to know; how does a woman blind from birth create those detailed descriptions so important to character development.
SI will confess to having done this because people have challenged me to write fiction. I have often thought how would I describe my characters in the kind of detail that would make my readers want to fall in love with these imaginary people.
It's a great reminder that there really are no excuses.
Just like me and Phyllis didn't let the fact that her computer doesn't have a camera keep us from recording this interview.
While you will only see me on the video, I still posted it for those who are used to getting my podcast via youtube.
I'm sure that by the end of this talk you are going to be saying if Phyllis can do it then what's my excuse?
About Phyllis
She was born blind, writes about the world she knows best. She calls on her experience as teacher of the blind, peer counselor and youth transition coordinator. She says that she lives the lives of her characters: lives of sorrow and joy; triumph and failure; hope and despair. That she and her characters sometimes see the world in a different way, adds depth to the story. She sees color in the warmth of the sun on her face, the smell of rain, the call of a cardinal, and God, in a rainbow of love and grace.
Although she was born in Amherst County, Virginia, she has lived most of her life in Staunton, Virginia, where she serves as organist at historic Faith Lutheran church, not far from the home she shared with her husband, Chuck, who waits beyond that door called death.
In addition to her books she writes three columns, two for National Braille Press, and one for The Blind Post. Her work has also appeared in Dialogue, as well as numerous mainstream markets.
Connect With Phyllis
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/Phyllis-Staton-Campbell-361675114286715
Hello again;
This week, I'm blessed to welcome James Roberts
to the The What's Your Excuse Show.
James is a former world champion paralympic athlete, online training and nutrition coach, and owner of James Roberts Fitness.
He also hosts The Mind Set Game Podcast.
We talked about how he managed to overcome physical challenges to become a paralympian.
He explains how it always came down to being willing to try something new.
I was impressed with how openly he shared about having to deal with a recent health setback that caused problems with anxiety.
And I'm jealous of Brittain's health care system that provided him a wholistic team approach to treating his whole body.
He shared about how sports teaches you to solve problems by breaking them up into smaller manageable segments.
I had never understood that before.
Well, I don't want to ruin it by telling you too much.
I'm sure that after you listen to our conversation you are going to be saying if James can do it then what's my excuse.
The podcast is sponsored again by Chip and Pam at www.createmyvoice.com
They will optimize your website, blog, and or podcast so it can be picked up by Alexa and Google home speakers.
You then have the opportunity to reach hundreds of thousands if not millions of potential new readers or listeners.
People will be able to listen to you in their cars, on their phones, while doing chores, etc.
Try it with my site.
Say Alexa open The Blind Blogger.
Or say okay Google talk to The Blind Blogger.
If you aren't already on these smart speaker platforms, you are really missing out.
Now, on to the show.
About James
I was born with a congenital disability called femoral dysplasia and a floating hip of the left leg as well as scoliosis of the spine.
I grew up on a NATO base in theS.H.A.P.E (Casteau), Belgium but now reside back in Prestatyn, North Wales.
I'm an online training and nutrition coach by trade, but I was an elite Paralympic athlete for just over a decade.
I've been lucky enough over those years to have represented Great Britain at countless World Championships and 2 Paralympics Games (Beijing 2008 and London 2012) to just name a few.
I started out my sporting career in swimming and was part of British Swimming's Potential Squad from 2003-05. During that time, I held the SB8 200m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke national records.
After being dropped from the GB swimming programme, I moved on to rowing in 2006. The transition happened fairly quickly as I made my first senior international competition that summer at the 2006 World Championships in Dorney Lake, Great Britain and made the final finishing 6th. 2007 World Championships Semi-Finalist, 2008 Paralympic Finalist (5th) and 2009 World Championships Finalist (5th).
I made another transition of sport, this time to sitting volleyball. From 2010 until 2012, I amassed 56 caps for Great Britain. My first international was a surprise selection to compete at the 2010 World Championships in Edmund, Oklahoma, USA. I was lucky enough that my time with the squad, to have competed for Great Britain at my only European Championships in my repertoire as well as a Continental and Intercontinental Cup. My career calumniated at the London 2012 Paralympics where the GB sitting volleyball squad lost in the quarter-final to eventual silver medallist Iran.
Website: here: fitamputee.co.uk
Subscribe to my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdcgbvE5f3W07br0EEQ9bg
Follow me on Instagram: https;//www.instagram.com/fitamputee
Like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jamesrobertsfitness
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesoroberts11
Check out my podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/mind-set-game-podcast/id1227806049
there is also a page dedicated to the show: https://www.facebook.com/mindsetgamepodcast/ or Stitcher http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=136909&refid=stpr
Hello again;
I'm pleased to bring you another great interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show.
This time my guest is my friend and graphic artist Sandra Henry.
How We Met
I was introduced to Sandra by my friend Joe Pardo after she appeared on the pilot episode of his new show The Top.
I reached out to her wanting to hear more about her story and hoping to do my part to help her grow her business by having her on my podcast.
Somehow, during our talk, we transitioned into talking about my problem creating a new logo for TheBlindBlogger and What's Your Excuse?
Caption: Brittany Culp a blind bikini model, body builder, and fitness coach is wearing my new logo on a sport's t-shirt. The image is a silo whet of me in a cape in front of an image of the earth. The words "The Blind Blogger" appear in large block letters. And below them in smaller letters is my catch phrase "What's Your Excuse?"
Sandra wrote me only a few minutes after that talk with the beginning of an idea that would turn into my amazing new logo.
Which made me all the more impressed with her and wanting to get her on my show.
What We Covered
She is a single mom raising two young boys who are both active in sports, so we talked about time management. I wanted to know how she found the time.
We talked about how both of us had to be prodded and pushed by close friends before believing in ourselves and starting to do the work.
She talked about overcoming fears of putting herself out there where people can see her and learn more about her incredible creations.
Believe it or not Joe's TV show was her first video appearance.
And I believe this is her first podcast interview.
She encourages everyone to just take that first step and go after whatever their dreams are.
Please Support My Sponsor
Happy news, for the first time The show has a sponsor.
Chip and Pam Edwards who I met at MAPCON last year are the owners of Create My voice.
They do the work of preparing blogs and podcasts so they can be accessed via Alexa or Google on those interactive speakers that are turning up everywhere.
If you have a blog or a podcast, and you aren't on these new platforms; you are missing the opportunity to reach millions of potential new fans, followers, and customers.
You can find out more by visiting their website at www.createmyvoice.com
And if you want to sponsor the blog, the podcast, or me and my travels, please just reach out to me through the contact form.
Enjoy The Show
Now, on to another inspiring interview with me and Sandra. By the end of the show I know you are going to be saying if Sandra can do it, then What's My Excuse?
Connect with Sandra
Website: www.heartfeltkeepsakes4u.com
Face Book: www.facebook.com/heartfeltkeepsakes4u
Instagram: www.instagram.com/heartfeltkeepsakes4u
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/heartfeltkeepsakes4u
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/HeartfeltKeepsakes4U
Hello again;
I had some scheduling problems this wee, so you are getting another previously recorded interview.
This interview is the first one I ever did for the What's Your Excuse? Show.
I recorded this with my friend and now former co-host Frederic Bye.
As you can tell it was originally recorded as part of his Creative magic Brand.
And I decided to leave the intro and outro audio in tact.
Partly because as you know I am horrible at editing.
But mainly because I don't know if there would be a show without Fred.
He not only got me started, but he also pushed me to do the show by myself when he determined that I was ready.
Add to that an amazing guest IN Michael Schwartz.
Michael is an award-winning photo journalist who is losing his sight but not his story teller's vision.
He is on a mission to travel the world putting a spotlight on the accomplishments of the blind and visually impaired and how these people effect the communities around them.
We talked about his recent travels and some of his plans for the future.
I asked him for one tips on how a blind person takes photos or videos.
At the time of this recording he was planning a trip to Israel and I was about to head off to New York City as one of the Amtrak Writers In Residence.
I must have learned something because I came home with over sixty great photos from my trip which you can see in my book The Blind Blogger's New York City Adventures.
You can find it and my other books at www.theblindblogger.net/store
I'm sure you will be inspired by this episode. Not only by Michael's story but my ability to record it by asking for help and finding it in Frederic.
By the time you have finished listening to our conversation you will be asking yourself if Michael can do it then What is My Excuse?
Michael is an award winning reporter with more than twenty years experience in television news and production.
He’s the founder of Trailhead Preductions,
a video production house that focuses on serving nonprofits, NGO’s and specialists in health and wellness.
What many people do not know is that Michael is also visually impaired.
The gradual and continuing loss of his eyesight did not stop him from pursuing his career as a visual storyteller.
And his latest documentary film, called The Palette Project,
is about Michael’s travels around the world as a visually impaired filmmaker.
He is highlighting the accomplishments an achievements of visually impaired men, women and children around the world – people who are changing perceptions, raising expectations and making a difference.
I look forward to your comments.
I'd love to hear at least one thing that you have been encouraged to do as a result of listening to me, Michael, and my other guests.
Is there something you want to do, that you could use some direct encouragement for?
Send me an email. We can talk about that goal or dream and some of the steps you could take today that would move you closer to where you want to be.
And for all my regular listeners don't forget that by following me and sometimes encouraging me you are a part of my success.
Never doubt that I need you on this journey with me. I really couldn't do this without you cheering me on.
Until next time thanks and take care out there, Max
Hello again;
I'm excited to be able to bring you this special interview this week.
It's special because I have appeared on Scott's show twice, and have been looking forward to having him on my show for a long time.
But it's really special because of what Scott has to teach us all about how to be fueled up in all aspects of your health, business, and lifestyle.
Scott is one of those people who seem to have done it all. He almost feels like a larger than life character.
But he is very real, and you will get to meet him and learn from him over the next hour.
About him being real, Scott is going to drop a lot of knowledge and energy on you. He is also going to use a bit of colorful language.
On my show authenticity is one of the most important things I look for in a guest.
So, as long as someone's word choices are natural I'm not going to try to sensor the guest or edit their words out.
Just wanted to get that out there.
Now, get ready to be inspired to take action Because the one thing me and Scott most definitely agree on is that it all starts with doing something today no matter how small.
About Scott
He has a higher purpose to inspire you to LIVETHEFUEL! His Podcast Show serves to help "FUEL Your Health, Business, Lifestyle!"
He's acquired 20+ years of Fired Up Success in Sales, Coaching, and Marketing, along with Epic Failures along the way.
He’s even a former USFS Hotshot Wildland Firefighter.
Scott‘s 20+ professional years includes conquering roles in sales, marketing, coaching, training, and leadership development.
He has balanced his professional business career growth while flexing 15+ years across the fitness industry too.
He is a "Scott of All Trade's" with an adrenaline junkie passion for self-development and lifestyle transformation.
Scott has a limitless mindset for growth. Current focuses are on growing in the public speaking, social media branding, and online marketing sectors.
His conquered roles included successes with major companies including ADP Corporation, T-Mobile USA, and KGB formerly InfoNXX.
Scott embodies the limitless energy necessary for personal and professional success.
This is thanks to his years in the health and fitness coaching space.
His Lifestyle Freedoms include balancing CrossFit, Skiing, Cycling, Skydiving, and Travel.
Scott balances professional pursuits with philanthropic activities, having served as a board member(s) and investing countless volunteerism hours with multiple 501(c)(3) organizations.
Scott's most extreme background experience stems from serving in public service as a Hotshot Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service as well.
He competes in all types of action and endurance sports.
Accolades include completing the Marine Corp People's Marathon, Ragnar Del Sol Race, multiple OCR Races i.e. Tough Mudder, Spartan Races as well as GORUCK. He is an avid mountain biker competing endurance races plus multiple 100+ mile road cycling events benefiting National MS Society, American Diabetes Association and other non-profits.
Connect With Scott
Website: www.livethefuel.com
Hello again;
As you know I have made a commitment to release a new or at least unheard episode of my podcast The What's Your Excuse? Show every Monday Morning.
This week some problems with an online scheduling form kept me from recording the episode that I had planned.
So, I'm sharing the interview I recorded with my friend and online media client Adriana Gavazzoni about three years ago.
She has been much more than a client. Often she has encouraged me when I was feeling down, disappointed, or defeated.
And she was the first one to appreciate what I could do to the point of investing with her hard earned money.
This is what a real friend is like. And to think I met her online from thousands of miles away.
We have both made a promise that when we are standing on those Red Carpets that the other will be our plus one.
After you listen, I hope you will click the links below and purchase one of her books.
So, sit back and prepare to be inspired, encouraged, and entertained.
Adriana has a bubbly personality, a delightful accent, and some of the best takes on how to live our lives that I've ever run across.
About Adriana
She speaks four languages: English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, she also studies Chinese and hopes someday she will master it Her favorite countries, no surprise, are Italy, France, and the USA.
When not practicing law
She loves to dance (Tango) and workout. She loves to travel, loves good wine, and has been studying astrology for fifteen years. She paints and loves to cook.
She has two poodles -Gaia and Juno -and loves all animals. She is an aunt of four nieces who enjoy to paint and cook alongside their aunt. She lives in Brazil and is in the process of writing her next novel.
Her Books
Behind The Door
Simone Bennet is on a long vacation, trying to heal from the trauma she suffered at the hands of a serial-killer kidnapper. After looking death in the face, she tries to develop a new outlook on life—live in the moment!
Lara's Journal
Carl, the charming lawyer, is back, asking once more for Simone’s help, this time in analyzing Lara’s journals, which were discovered by her siblings after her death. In her own words, Lara divulges all her secrets, and reveals a dramatic world of betrayal, passion, and the most unusual sexual behaviors, exposing the beautiful architect’s troubled life.
The Brilliant Game Psychiatrist Simone Bennet feels like a pawn on a chessboard—as if some invisible, master chess player is toying with her life and the lives of the people she loves and cares for. A series of horrific events—several murders and Simone being tortured at the hands of a serial killer—culminate in the kidnapping of her daughter and have turned Simone’s life upside down. Struggling to stay afloat in the middle of a sea of chaos, Simone continues to receive her psychiatric patients and do more work for the New York attorney, Carl, while local police, the FBI, and Edward—Simone’s boyfriend, best friend, and business partner—are working hard to locate her child. Simone is analyzing another set of Lara’s journals, and she becomes dragged into a vortex of sex addiction, suffering, and Lara’s struggle for some kind of balance in her life, while Simone battles an inner fight against her mixed feelings for the enigmatic lawyer. Filled with twists and turns, this final book in the Hidden Motives trilogy reveals a deranged, steamy, and disturbingly brilliant game of sex, murder, and mystery and chronicles a woman’s conflict between love and reason.
Fasten your seat belts before you embark on this roller coaster, and prepare for the most unpredictable end.
Connecting With Adriana
Website: http://www.agavazzoni.com
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/A-Gavazzoni-513404948849469 Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/a_gavazzoni
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adri_gavazzoni
Hello again;
I'm excited to be sharing my latest interview with you.
This time my guest is the blind rapper Big Fluff Jon Leon aka the Rappin Ray Charles.
After two years of being friends, we finally sat down to record this interview.
We talk about how he managed to finish recording his first album Diary of a Fat Kid even though he lost his vision in the middle of recording it.
We talked about accessible technology, and Jon explained how now that he is with a new distribution company he doesn't spend as much time fighting with the inaccessibility of the many online platforms where artists usually share their music such as Spotify and Sound Cloud.
About fifteen minutes into the show look for the video of Big Fluff singing Rappin Ray Charles.
I love dropping in videos like that.
Although for full disclosure this time it didn't go as well as it usually does.
I had to ask for some editing assistance from my friend and all around tech genius Michael Babcock to get the finished product you will get to see or hear.
Better yet I got Fluff to sing his song titled Hold My Blunt near the end of the show.
I didn't pick that song. It just happened to be one he was willing to perform live at the time.
Then he turned the tables on your favorite neighborhood blogging super hero and asked me to sing.
I did a little of The River by Garth Brooks.
It was a great interview, and I can't wait for you to listen to it.
I know that by the end you are going to be asking yourself if The Rappin Ray Charles Big Fluff can do it then what is my excuse.
Hello again;
This week, I'm bringing you a past interview that many of you probably haven't heard yet.
It is with my friend and editor www.wordingwell.com
She is a successful author, blogger, editor, poet, artist, and speaker.
And she inspires the heck out of me.
I know that after you hear our talk, you will be asking yourself if Lorraine can do it, then what is my excuse.
Want to know how to get booked on podcasts like mine?
Sign up for my free audio course.
And if you are ready to become a radio rockstar like me, please head over to the head over to the Hire me to be your publicist page.
Hello again;
As I told you in last week's post my plan is to release new episodes every Monday morning.
I want to get your week started with some information, inspiration, and motivation that will help you overcome one of those excuses that has been holding you back.
And this week we have a great guest who also happens to be a personal friend in Joe Pardo aka Super Joe.
Joe is an award winning business coach and podcast host.
He is also the best selling author of Sales Won't Save Your Business.
He is also the host of a new TV show called The TOP where he will be helping business owners grow their businesses and reach their dreams.
In this interview I got Joe to open up about some of the personal struggles of being an entrepreneur growing a business while maintaining a healthy personal life that includes marriage to his wife Melissa and their two young children.
He is very open, honest, and authentic in this interview.
We talk about many things that other bloggers, podcasters, and entrepreneurs struggle with.
I know you are going to love hearing from Joe.
Hello Again;
Today is a big day for me and the What's Your Excuse? Show.
Thanks to help from my friend and fellow blind entrepreneur Michael Babcock I'm now moving towards my show being available in audio on all your favorite podcast listening apps and devices.
My first episode is a replay of an interview I recorded with blind body builder, bikini model, and fitness coach Britany Culp.
Some of you had the pleasure of seeing this on my youtube channel, or on my What's Your Excuse? Face Book group.
We talked about how her journey started in college and how it was helped along by the active lifestyle she lives and has lived with the aid of her guide dog.
We talked about navigating gym use and exercise equipment that is often inaccessible.
She challenged me to use free weights as they never come with a touch screen that you have to program. :)
And I loved the method she shares for keeping yourself on track when trying to lose weight, get healthy, and stay that way.
Something I learned
After I pressed stop on the recorder, I mentioned to Brittany that I wasn't happy with my side of the interview.
I told her I do much better the longer an interview runs. I expressed my wish to get off to a better stop and keep my audience more engaged.
She had a great answer that I want to share with other podcasters or those aspiring to have their own show.
She said Max think of one question that you personally want to know the answer to. Then ask that as your first question regardless of whether or not it seems to fit in the usual order.
I'm going to be interviewing Joe Pardo for my next show, and I already have my first question for him picked out.
About Brittany
Brittany Culp is a personal trainer, competitive bodybuilder, and model.
She runs her own personal training business, Blind Fury Fitness.
Blind Fury Fitness provides one on one personal training, as well as online training plans and meal plans.
Brittany also has a masters degree in counseling psychology, in addition to a bachelors degree in psychology and sociology.
Brittany also recently passed The national counselor examination (NCE), certifying her to be a licensed professional counselor intern.
She believes that mental health and physical fitness go hand-in-hand, and contribute to the overall wellness of an individual.
As a child Brittany was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which has caused her to lose her sight with age.
Brittany has not let her blindness hold her back from becoming the best version of herself, and she encourages her clients to do the same no matter the circumstance.
Connect With Brittany
Face Book: www.facebook.com/britculp
Instagram: www.instagram.com/culpbrit
I appreciate Brittany for taking the time out to sit with me for an interview and share her experiences, observations, and suggestions with my followers.
I also appreciate you for being part of my journey.
For watching, listening, commenting, and sharing.
I couldn't do it without you.
Until next time thanks and take care out there, Max
Hello again;
Have you ever had an idea for a new product, service, book, etc; and just couldn’t get it out of your head?
Music and Motivation
First Video
Life Is Like A River,
Taking Small Steps.
I’m writing this post as my way of dealing with this very issue in my own life. :)
You see many people have told me they love my singing. In fact if you check my youtube channel stats, you might come to the conclusion that people like hearing me sing more than they like hearing me share my inspirational thoughts.
And after hearing me sing at the end of Dreamcon last year, my speaking mentor Azuka Zuke told me that whenever I give a talk I should sing too. He said just like I am the selfie taking speaker you could be the singing speaker.
Because of his advice I will sing when I give my talk for the Foundation Fighting Blindness next month. I’m planning to do the opening verse and closing chorus of my theme song The River by Garth Brooks.
The talk is titled Life Is Like A River, Overcoming Adversity and moving forward.
This is all amazing considering that I used to be afraid to sing in public. Seriously, I wouldn’t even sing loudly around the house. You can read more about how I overcame my fear in Why i Sing And How I Can Help You Free The Song In Your Own Heart
My Big Idea
So, you are asking yourself what is it that Max is getting at? What is this big idea that he has had rattling around in his brain for months?
Well, it’s the idea of doing a performance piece called Music and Motivation.
Music And Motivation
My idea is that I would sing a few songs, share some personal stories, and teach some life lessons.
For now I would use what they call cover songs. That’s where I sing someone else’s music in my own way.
I have been working with my spiritual brother Peter Map Walker to come up with some inspiring songs of my own. But until that is possible, I will continue to find other songs that resonate with the messages I want to share.
I would sing the songs acapella. That way I wouldn’t need additional equipment to start with. Eventually, this program could become popular enough that I would want to hire or recruit a few musicians.
While reading Amanda Palmer's book The Art of Asking, I learned that for years she performed with local musicians. She would find them using her social media accounts. This worked for her all over the world.
I don’t know if I’m brave enough to try that or not. But it does have the advantage of knowing that the musicians who do agree to participate will also tell all their friends to show up.
The hardest part about making this idea a reality is finding venues. Even if I start small a conference room at a hotel or motel could cost several hundred dollars.
I’m noticing that some of the independently owned book stores I’ve been pitching for book signings also have rooms for performances. So, I’m thinking that I just need to find a book store owner that’s as crazy as I am.
I’m actively sending out pitches both for book signings and for public talks including the possibility of debuting my Music And Motivation experience.
And while I wasn't planning on asking you, perhaps some of you know someone who could help me make this crazy dream come true.
Amanda mentions performing in people's homes and restaurants. Just remember that I'm not about how something is supposed to be done. You may have ideas about locations that haven't occurred to me yet.
I Need Your Help
Here is where you come in. I need you to watch the videos and give me your honest feedback. I'm seeking suggestions that will help me make them better.
I may not be able to implement all of your suggestions at this time. Some of them may be limitations of the technology I'm using, my skill with sound and lighting, and current financial considerations.
But be assured that all of your ideas will be listened to sincerely and responded to.
I interview Robert Branco author, acvocate, and publisher of consumer vision magazine. Oh yes he does just happen to be blind.
Interviewed Michael Babcock. His site is called your own pay. His site is referred to as marketing with the blind guy.
In which I announced where I would be going on my Amtrak Writer IN Residency and when. I also gave you some ideas as to how you could help including busting my site and buying my books or using the donate button
In this one I talk about how you have to be willing to ask for what you want in life whether that be prayer to god, speaking to the universe, using positive affirmations, or asking people for help like I have so often done.
In this episode I talk about how going forward the show will be called The No Excuses Podcast as it is more in line with the brand I am creating. I explain the event that caused me to decide on the change. And I talk about how going forward I'm going to be even more active online and even more positive. My new affirmation is I will run and not grow weary. Thanks, Max
was surprised that timo broke this into two shows, but there was so much good stuff shared; that I'm glad he did. its me continuing to be my usual inspiring self.
This event was well worth the over a year's wait that it took for mario and his group to make it happen. We met through blogger link up. He had a crazy idea of having me address their group via Skype. I said yes as I often do to crazy ideas especially when they allow me to take advantage of opportunities without having to arrange transportation to leave the house. :) I loved sharing my knowledge and experience with these young people. I hope I encouraged and inspired them. Not that most need it at that age. thanks to mario and his members. looking forward to more opportunities like this one. If your group needs an inspirational motivational uplifting speaker then get in touch. thanks and hope you get something out of this show. take care, max
in this episode I talk about the importance of doing small every day acts for others as a way of making yourself feel better. I share some of my own small acts past and present. and i encourage people to find their own such random acts of kindness in their daily lives.
michael has been telling me about the benefits of using blab and periscope for a while now. he challenged me to give it a try. I had been resistant because there isn't a laptop version of the app. and i tend to shy away from apps like this. but it was worth it. I find blab to be so much more interactive than a standard interview. and they do offer a record feature so you can take the video and audio and post it to youtube or your podcast. i hope you are inspired educated and entertained and more importantly that you take some action to challenge yourself. thanks for listening max
Hello Again; Well, I'm back again with another of my live on the inside posts where I share my most recent interviews on podcasts, radio shows, and hopefully someday television too. As usual I am behind on my work, but then I was warned about this when I decided to start a second website. :) So, this time I will be sharing the three interviews that I did or that were posted in the last week. These are The Sales Whisperer With Wes Schaeffer, The Holistic Entrepreneur with Bonnie Groessl, and The Author Chat Show with Lynda Brown. I'm going to mention my interview with Wes first because its been the longest between recording and having it go live. We sat down via skype to talk about two months ago. I met Him through twitter, and was very happy when his assistant contacted me to say he was interested. The call started out with his commenting about how he was a Texas A & M Alum and that he would have to ask me to take off the burnt orange shirt I was wearing. This was of course a joke. I explained that I too was an alum all be it from the Corpus Christi campuss not the main one in college station. This lead to a conversation about how I pick my clothes out and other technical questions. We discussed how even picking a date for the interview and connecting on skype can have unexpected difficulties especially for someone using a screen reader exclusively like I do. We talked about playing to your strengths, doing what you can, and the importance of surrounding yourself with a good team. In my case most of my team are friends and family. But this doesn't change the fact that no one accomplishes a big dream or goal all by themselves. And while it hasn't happened yet, Wes surprised me at the end of the show when he told me that his plan is to eventually post these interviews to youtube or another video site. I was happy I had cleaned up for the interview something I usually do to psych myself up for them. And I was especially happy he didn't tell me about his plans when the interview started. The Sales Whisperer Wes Schaeffer
His Story You hear those stories of these 20-Something’s down and out, sleeping on their friend’s couch until they finally hit “rock bottom” and built this amazing business. That wasn’t me. I did “what I was supposed to.” I went to college, served in the Air Force, got married, raised a family, got “a good job” making over $100,000 a year traveling the country and the world and I was not happy. The economy kept changing, my jobs kept changing, my travel kept changing, but the lack-of-vision of my bosses didn’t. It was always “smile and dial” and “throw enough sh*t at the wall and something will stick.” With a wife, a mortgage, 6 kids and a dog I couldn’t hit “rock bottom” in the traditional sense, but I did hit it as far as job / career satisfaction was concerned. That’s when I decided to do something about it. Now I make my living helping others do the same.The Sales Whisperer® is a potpourri of strong-willed, opinionated, dedicated coders, developers, trainers, writers, marketers and curious entrepreneurs. We work incessantly to develop, find, create, launch, test and perfect the coolest, most effective, easiest to use and maintain and leverage tools, from software to hosting to marketing platforms, to help professional salespeople, sales managers, business owners and entrepreneurs grow. Our success is directly tied to yours. In other words, we’re in this together. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Albert Einstein
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Direct Audio Link http://traffic.libsyn.com/whisper/The_Sales_Podcast_Maxwell_Ivey.mp3 Connect With Wes Face Book https://www.facebook.com/thesaleswhisperer Twitter https://twitter.com/saleswhisperer Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaleswhisperer
In this post I share a recent bout with negativity. I believe in being honest and i want people to know i struggle with the same things they do on a regular basis. I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet. but i will share how i fell into the trap of being negative and how i got out of it and back to my positive every day optimistic mindset. If you like it please share and or comment. thanks max
In this episode I share some of my personal experiences with meeting goals. Often success is the result of accepting that what i have done is very good and that it would be a waste to put off sharing my work with the world because i want it to be perfect or even because i think it could be better. hope you enjoy this, max
in this episode of leading you out of the darkness i talk about the value of introductions how they can be an opportunity for taking stock and a gratitude exercise. i use examples from radio shows as well as sports and entertainment including boxing, wrestling, and the circus. if you get something out of this please share and or leave a comment. ratings and reviews on iTunes are also welcome. thanks max http://www.theblindblogger.net
talking about my dad in honor of father's day. he did a great job raising his blind son. i love him and miss him
In the second episode of my show leading you out of the darkness I talk about a couple of my past mistakes or disappointments and how i felt with them. I talk about how if you have a positive attitude and an optimistic approach to life you can not only overcome your mistakes but you can use them to your advantage. I ask listeners to share their past failures and how they got past them. and if they are still struggling to get past a previous upset then i encouraged them to contact me to see if i can help them get back on the path to their goals and dreams. thanks for listening, max
hello; this is my first effort at recording a podcast as the blind blogger. I hope you will enjoy my messages of positive energy inspiration and motivation. Today's post is about the importance of achieving and maintaining good physical health in order to go after those big goals and dreams in your life. please share like and comment. thanks, max